• Journal of Korea Multimedia Society
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• v.24 no.11
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• pp.1492-1499
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• 2021

Skin prick test is widely used in diagnosing allergic sensitization to common inhalant or food allergens, in which positivities are manually determined by calculating the areas or mean diameters of wheals and erythemas provoked by allergens pricked into patients' skin. In this work, we propose a segmentation algorithm over U-Net, one of the FCN models of deep learning, to help us more objectively grasp the erythema boundaries. The performance of the model is analyzed by comparing the results of automatic segmentation of the test data to U-Net with the results of manual segmentation. As a result, the average Dice coefficient value was 94.93%, the average precision and sensitivity value was 95.19% and 95.24% respectively. We find that the proposed algorithm effectively discriminates the skin's erythema boundaries. We expect this algorithm to play an auxiliary role in skin prick test in real clinical trials in the future.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.123-130
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• 1996

This study was designed to investigate clinical features, allergy-inducing substances as well as foods, and nutritional behavior of allergic patients. Sixty-eight adult male and 78 adult female patients were surveyed by using the self-developed questionnairs. The results were as follows: 1. The common target organs of allergic symptoms included bronchus, skin and nose. 2. 37.7% of the subjects did not recognize their allergy inducing substances. Among the known substances, house-dust mite, food, temperature and weather change, pollens, smoke, air pollution materials, drugs and even stress provoked symptoms. 3. As for the food allergy, a number of foods were found to be implicated in allergic reactions. These foods included pork, chicken, seafoods such as mackerel, crab & shrimp, milk, egg, peanut, apple and pupa. Symptoms and signs of food reactions included urticaria, asthma, and rhinitis. 4. The nutrition adequacy ratio (NAR) of energy was below 0.75 for male patients and about 0.80 for female patients. And 24.0% of the subjects were regarded as excellent, 31.5% as fair, and 44.5% as poor in food related behavior evaluation.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.90-97
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• 2004

The purpose of this study was to determined the rate of sensitization to food allergen in children with Atopic Dermatitis (AD) in Korea. A total of 3,783 patients (male = 1983, female = 1800) with AD (age under 18 years) who had visited Samsung Medical Center from 1998 to 2003 were enrolled in the study. Food hypersensitivity was measured by specific IgE to egg, cow's milk, soy, peanut, wheat, buckwheat, beef, pork, chicken, shrimp, crab, salmon, mackerel, etc. Specific IgE levels > 0.7 kU/L. by Captured Allergen Product (CAP) assay were considered positive. Chi-square test at p value < 0.05 was used to examine the difference of the prevalence by sex and age. The rate of sensitization to multiple food allergens was 31.2% and decreased with age. Hypersensitivity to egg showed highest prevalence, which was 24.3%, compared to the prevalence of other foods. High prevalence of hypersensitivity to milk. wheat, soy, peanut, crab or shrimp was observed (11.6- 17.7%). Low prevalence of hypersensitivity to beef, pork, tuna or chicken was observed (1.9-3.5%). Children aged under 3 years had significantly higher prevalence of hypersensitivity to egg, milk, soy and beef than children aged at least 3 years. Our results stress the need for examination of food hypersensitivity aimed at identified and limited each food allergen among children with AD caused by food to help patients outgrow their food allergy.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.236-246
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• 2009

As the allergic diseases in patients are increasing, it is important to find out the allergens. A multiple antigen simultaneous test(MAST) is a simple method for in vitro measurement of allergen-specific IgE antibodies. This study was performed to evaluate the relationship between allergen-specific IgE antibodies, serum total IgE and peripheral eosinophil count in the allergic patients. According to the results of the study, the total IgE positive rate(above class 2) from the inhalent is 96.97%, and that from food panel is 98.06%. The research showed that the positive rate of the allergen-specific IgE was House dust 51.52%, D. farinae 45.46%, Cat 31.99% in inhalent panel, and 55.34%, 42.72%, 34.96% in food panel. Serum total IgE was associated with allergy, however, allergy was not always associated with eosinophilia.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.298-304
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• 2006

Purpose : We compared the asthma predictive index(API) and the modified asthma predictive index (mAPI) of the Tuscon Children's Respiratory Study Group in Korean children with recurrent wheezing. We investigated the atopic profiles and presence of allergen sensitization of each risk group, and ascertained the significant clinical risk factors. Methods : Two hundred and sixty two children, who visited for recurrent wheezing from 1998 to 2005, were enrolled and divided into groups by API and mAPI. We investigated the history of the patients and their families, atopic profiles, and sensitization to aeroallergen and food allergens. Twenty nine children were followed up to 6 years of age and we evaluated the sensitivity, specificity and positive and negative predictive value of both indices. Results : The high risk group of API were of older age, were more likely to be sensitized to aeroallergen(P=0.001) and food allergen(P=0.034) and had higher levels of total eosinophil count, eosinophil percent, serum ECP, total IgE, and D.p-, D.f-specific IgE. High risk group of mAPI showed higher levels of atopic markers such as egg-, milk-, D.p- and D.f-specific IgE. Even though API did not include allergen sensitization, the high risk group was more significantly sensitized to common allergens than the low risk group. Twenty nine children were followed up until 6 years of age; therefore 15 children were diagnosed as asthma, clinically. The sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values of mAPI were higher than API. Conclusion : Both high risk groups of API and mAPI had higher levels of atopic markers and were more sensitized to common allergens. These findings suggest that sensitization to aeroallergens and food allergens are more objective markers as asthma predictive indices. In addition, mAPI is a more reliable index in predicting asthma in Korean children with recurrent wheezing than is API. But only 29 patients were followed until the age of 6, so we need to include more children with long term follow up for future study.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.36-41
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• 2010

The Hen's egg is widely used in many processed foods as an ingredient and is one of the most prevalent food allergens in children. To detect egg proteins in processed foods, we developed a competitive indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ciELISA) using an anti-ovomucoid (OM) antibody, which was produced by immunization of rabbits with OM, the most heat-stable component of the egg proteins. The detection limit of this quantitative assay system was 30 ng/mL. Cross-reactivity of the anti-OM antibody toward OM, ovalbumin, skim milk, casein, whey protein isolate, and isolated soy protein was 100, 0.4, 0.2, 0.04, 0, and 0%, respectively. In the spike test of egg white powder in milk replacer, commercial sausage, and in-house sausage, the assay recoveries ($mean{\pm}SD$) were $129{\pm}13.7%$, $73.9{\pm}12.5%$, and $65.5{\pm}13.6%$, respectively. When egg white in a commercial crab meat analog and sausage was determined by ciELISA, the assay recovery was found to be 108% and 127%, respectively. The combined results of this study indicate that this novel ciELISA for OM detection could be applied for the quantification of hen's egg proteins in processed foods.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.3-8
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• 2013

Buckwheat is known as a health food but is one of the major food allergens triggering potentially fatal anaphylaxis in Asia, especially in Japan and Korea. This study was conducted to investigate the characteristic of enzymatic resistance of buckwheat protein and allergenic potential. Enzymatic resistance of buckwheat protein was performed with in vitro digestibility test in simulated gastric fluid (SGF), pH 1.2, using pepsin and simulated intestinal fluid (SIF) using chymotrypsin. Reactivity of buckwheat proteins to human IgE was performed using six allergic patients sensitized to buckwheat. Buckwheat's IgE levels were measured using the Phadia UniCAP-system. Buckwheat protein, 16 kDa, still remained after 30 min treatment of pepsin on SDS-PAGE. Even though 16 kDa almost disappeared after 60 min treatment, two out of the six buckwheat patients' sera showed reactivity to hydrolysate after 60 min treatment, indicating that allergenicity still remained. In simulated intestinal fluid (SIF) using chymotrypsin, buckwheat protein, 24 kDa, showed resistance to hydrolysis with chymotrypsin on SDS-PAGE, and still had allergenicity based on the result of ELISA. Our results suggest that buckwheat proteins have strong resistance to enzyme degradation. This may be attributed in part to the allergenic potential of buckwheat. Further study should be continued regarding buckwheat allergy.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology and Dermatology
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.210-219
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• 2003

Objectives : This study is to suggest a kind of guide line of dietary therapy in allergic diseases. Methods : We investigated frequency, symptoms and implicating foods of food allergy, and experience, methods, periods, results and necessity of dietary therapy of 49 patients with allergic diseases by using self-report questionnaires. The data were analyzed by SPSS／PC+ program using frequency, Chi-square test(p〈0.05) and Pearson correlation coefficient(p〈0.01). Results : 1. The frequency of food allergy was 49% and skin symptoms were the most common. 2. The most implicating foods were chicken, flour, milk, pork and egg in order. 3. 36.7% of patients had experienced dietary therapy and 47.4% of them had stated mild improvement. 4. Over 80% of patients perceived necessity of dietary therapy and there is significant correlation between necessity of dietary therapy and sum of food allergens(r=368). Conclusions : Dietary therapy is recommended as supplementary therapy in allergic diseases and it needs to be established based on the real conditions and Korean Oriental medical theory.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.324-329
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• 2011

Eleutherococcus senticosus Maxim. has been successfully used as an oriental medicine for various diseases including allergic disorders. Histamine is a major factor on various allergic responses and it is reported that histamine was released from mast cells by sensitization of allergens. In this study, ethanol extracts from E. senticosus Maxim. were prepared and the composition was analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography. The eleutheroside B as a primary effective component of E. senticosus was contained approximately 225 mg/kg in root bark extracts. The extracts were found to significantly inhibit compound 48/80-induced histamine release form mast cells in dose dependent manner. However the extracts had low cytotoxicity on the mast cells with MTT assay. These results showed that E. senticosus Maxim. extracts may be the effective materials on inflammatory disorders.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.7 no.6
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• pp.488-494
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• 2013

A food allergy is an adverse health effect arising from a specific immune response that occurs reproducibly upon exposure to a given food. In those with food allergies that are thought to cause aggravation of eczema, food avoidance is important. The objective of this study was to research the nutritional status of patients with food allergies. A total of 225 subjects diagnosed with atopic dermatitis underwent a skin prick test as well as measurement of serum immunoglobulin E. Food challenge tests were conducted using seven food items: milk, eggs, wheat, soybeans, beef, pork, and chicken. At post-food challenge visits to the test clinic, participants completed a three-day dietary record, which included two week days and one weekend day, in order to evaluate energy intake and diet quality during the challenge. We analyzed nutrient intake based on differential food allergens. Subjects with a food allergy to milk showed lower intake of Ca, Zn, and vitamin B2, and subjects with a food allergy to egg showed lower intake of vitamin A, B1, B2, niacin, and cholesterol. Subjects with a food allergy to wheat and soybean showed lower intake of Ca, P, Fe, K, Zn, vitamin B2, vitamin B6, and niacin; and subjects with a food allergy to beef, pork, and chicken showed lower intake of Fe and higher intake of K, vitamin A, B2. Subjects with atopic dermatitis were lacking in several nutrients, including vitamin A and vitamin C. A greater number of food allergies showed an association with a greater number of nutrient intake deficiencies. Allergen avoidance is the basic treatment for atopic dermatitis. However, when the allergen is food, excessive restriction can lead to nutrition deficiency. Findings of this study suggest the necessity for enhanced nutritional education in order to provide substitute foods for patients with food allergies who practice food restriction.