Clinical efficacy of jade wind-barrier powder combined with loratadine in the treatment of pediatric allergic rhinitis.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical efficacy of Jade Wind-Barrier Powder combined with Loratadine in the treatment of pediatric allergic rhinitis (PAR). METHODS: The clinical data of 101 children with allergic rhinitis (AR) admitted to the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University and Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine from January 2019 to December 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. The children were randomly divided into Group A (n=50) and Group B (n=51) in accordance with a random number table. Group A was treated with Loratadine only, while Group B was treated with Loratadine combined with Jade Wind-Barrier powder. The clinical efficacy, symptom disappearance time, symptom scores before and after treatment, indices of immunological function, changes in the indices of inflammatory factors and disease recurrence were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: The overall response rate (ORR) in Group B (96.08%) was higher than that in Group A (76.00%) (P < 0.05). The disappearance time of sneezing, stuffy nose, runny nose and itchy nose in Group B was shorter than that in Group A (P < 0.05). After treatment, Group B exhibited lower symptom scores for sneezing, stuffy nose, runny nose and itchy nose, lower levels of IL-13, IL-4 and TNF-α, and higher CD4+CD25+, CD19+ and CD8+ than Group A (P < 0.05). The recurrence rate in Group B (3.92%) was lower than that in Group A (26.00%) (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Jade Wind-Barrier powder combined with Loratadine can improve clinical symptoms, immunity, inflammation levels and disease recurrence rate of PAR patients, with a significant clinical efficacy.

Correlation of NUF2 Overexpression with Poorer Patient Survival in Multiple Cancers.

PURPOSE: NUF2 has been implicated in multiple cancers recently, suggesting NUF2 may play a role in the common tumorigenesis process. In this study, we aim to perform comprehensive meta-analysis of NUF2 expression in the cancer types included in the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). MATERIALS AND METHODS: RNA-sequencing data in 31 cancer types in the TCGA data and 11 independent datasets were used to examine NUF2 expression. Silencing NUF2 using targeting shRNAs in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell lines was used to evaluate NUF2's role in HCC in vitro and in vivo. RESULTS: NUF2 up-regulation is significantly observed in 23 out of the 31 cancer types in the TCGA datasets and validated in 13 major cancer types using 11 independent datasets. NUF2 overexpression was clinically important as high NUF2 was significantly associated with tumor stages in eight different cancers. High NUF2 was also associated with significantly poorer patient overall survival and disease-free survival in eight and six cancers, respectively. We proceeded to validate NUF2 overexpression and its negative association with overall survival at the protein level in an independent cohort of 40 HCC patients. Compared to the non-targeting controls, NUF2 knockdown cells showed significantly reduced ability to grow, migrate into a scratch wound and invade the 8 µm porous membrane in vitro. Moreover, NUF2 knockdown cells also formed significantly smaller tumors than control cells in mouse xenograft assays in vivo. CONCLUSION: NUF2 up-regulation is a common feature of many cancers. The prognostic potential and functional impact of NUF2 up-regulation warrant further studies.

Desloratadine Ameliorates Olfactory Disorder and Suppresses AMPA Receptor GluA1 Expression in Allergic Rhinitis Rat.

Allergic rhinitis (AR) is an IgE-mediated inflammation which causes olfactory dysfunction. Antihistamines have been widely used to treat AR while few studies have investigated the effect of antihistamines on improving the sense of smell. In addition, the underlying mechanisms are not well elucidated. We established the ovalbumin (OVA)-induced allergic rhinitis rat model and administrated desloratadine to AR rats. The AR symptoms, serum level of OVA-specific IgE and IL-17, and expression of IL-4, IL-5 and IL-13 in nasal mucosa were measured. The olfactory dysfunction was monitored by buried food test and the expression of GluR1 was measured. Desloratadine treatment alleviated AR symptoms, decreased serum level of OVA-specific IgE and IL-17 in AR rats. Desloratadine decreased IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13 expression in nasal mucosa of AR rats. Desloratadine ameliorated olfactory dysfunction in AR rats and decreased GluR1 expression in AR rats. Desloratadine treatment alleviated AR symptoms and ameliorated olfactory dysfunction in AR rats. The expression of AMPA receptor subunit GluR1 in olfactory bulb was associated with olfactory disorder.

MicroRNA-345-5p acts as an anti-inflammatory regulator in experimental allergic rhinitis via the TLR4/NF-κB pathway.

Allergic rhinitis (AR) is a common chronic condition characterized by inflammation of the nasal mucosa. The correlation of microRNAs (miRNAs) in AR has been highlighted particularly due to their roles in regulating inflammatory responses. The aim of this study was to explore the anti-inflammatory mechanism by which miR-345-5p regulates the toll-like receptor 4/nuclear factor-κB (TLR4/NF-κB) pathway in mice with AR. Initially, the putative miR-345-5p binding sites on the 3'untranslated region of TLR4 was predicted and verified. AR models were established using ovalbumin, after which the functional role of miR-345-5p in AR was determined using gain- and loss-of-function approaches. We found that miR-345-5p was poorly expressed in nasal mucosal tissues of mice with AR. Meanwhile, TLR4 expression and the TLR4/NF-κB pathway were identified to be promoted, which were then suppressed in the presence of overexpressed miR-345-5p. In addition, nasal epithelial cell apoptosis and fibrosis were inhibited in response to miR-345-5p overexpression and TLR4 silencing. Furthermore, miR-345-5p overexpression and TLR4 silencing were observed to decrease Th2 cells, expression of pro-inflammatory factors, but to increase Th1 cells and expression of anti-inflammatory factors. This study demonstrates an important role of miR-345-5p in alleviating the inflammatory response in mice with AR by inhibiting the TLR4/NF-κB pathway. Therefore, a better understanding of this process may aid in the development of novel therapeutic agents of AR.

Endoscopic surgery of a sinonasal inverted papilloma: Surgical strategy, follow-up, and recurrence rate.

BACKGROUND: Sinonasal inverted papilloma (SNIP) is noted for its high rate of recurrence and malignant transformation. Although many clinical studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of the endoscopic approach for SNIP, the surgical strategy has been the subject of much debate. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of the endoscopic endonasal approach in SNIP. METHODS: A systematic review of patients with a diagnosis of SNIP and who had surgery at our institution from June 2005 to March 2013 was performed. All the patients who had postoperative follow-up for >2 years were enrolled. Each case was categorized into one of four stages as reported by Krouse. Demographic and tumor date, operative approach, complications, and recurrence rates were collected. RESULTS: A total of 125 patients were included in this study. There were 17 patients in stage 1, 40 in stage 2, 57 in stage 3, and 11 in stage 4. The overall recurrence rate was 8.0%. There was no significant difference in recurrence among the stages (all p > 0.05). Recurrence after endoscopic endonasal approach (8.4%) and a combined endoscopic and open exposure procedure (5.6%) were not significantly different (p > 0.05). The recurrence rate was significantly (p < 0.05) higher in patients with revision (15.6%) than in patients in the primary cases (3.8%). A common site of tumor origin was recorded to be from the maxillary sinus (40.2%). Twenty percent of recurrences were observed up to 5 years after surgery. CONCLUSION: Endoscopic surgery may be preferred for treating SNIP. The elevated recurrence rate after revision emphasized the significance of the first surgery. We encourage a follow-up period of at least 5 years.

[The migrating pharyngeal foreign body resulted in cervical mass: one case report].

Pharyngeal foreign body is a common disease. The diagnosis and treatment are easy. However, in a few cases, pharyngeal foreign bodies migrated to other part of body, which often causing missed diagnosis or misdiagnose to delaythe treatment, and even lead to fatal complications. Here we present a case report of a 52-year-old female patient.who was found to have cervical mass 20 days before. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography showd a foreign body and foreign body granuloma on the left side of the neck. To look back on the history, the patient swallowed a fish bone in mistake one month ago.

[Clinical research on nasal endoscopic surgery for rhinogenous optic function damage].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the surgical treatment of rhinogenous optic function damage (ROFD) through transnasal endoscopic approach. METHODS: Twenty-three patients (25 eyes) with ROFD were retrospectively reviewed. All patients were operated on through transnasal endoscopic approach, and 9 patients underwent endoscopic optic nerve decompression. RESULTS: Four patients had bilateral pansinusitis, 6 patients had unilateral posterior ethmoidal sinusitis and sphenoiditis. One patient had frontal and ethmoidal sinusitis. Five patients had fungal sinusitis occurred in the sphenoid sinus and unilateral posterior ethmoid sinus. Two patients had unilateral pyocyst and cyst of the sphenoid and ethmoid sinus. The preoperative visual acuity preoperative were as follows: 2 patients (2 eyes) no light perception (NLP), 6 patients (7 eyes) hand movement (HM), 7 patients (7 eyes) fingers counting (FC) less than 20 cm and 8 patients (9 eyes) were vision impaired in different degree. One patient (1 eye) was ophthalmoptosis, direct and indirect light reflex vanished. Three patients (3 eyes) diplopia, 2 patients (2 eyes) abduction paralysis, 3 patients (3 eyes) defect of visual field. One patient ptosis of upper lid. The visual acuity postoperative: 2 eyes failed, 10 eyes cured;13 eyes improved from HM or FC to FC (30-60 cm). CONCLUSIONS: The endoscopic sinus surgery combined with appropriate medical therapy are effective to ROFD. Patients who suffered from severe visual damage and either unresponsive or intolerant to medical treatment should be administrated endoscopic sinus surgery including endoscopic optic nerve decompression.