Impulse oscillometry in the diagnosis of cough variant asthma in children.

BACKGROUND: Cough variant asthma (CVA) is one of the most common causes of chronic cough in children worldwide. The diagnosis of CVA in children remains challenging. This study aimed to assess the diagnostic utility of impulse oscillometry (IOS) pulmonary function in children with CVA. METHODS: This study included children aged 4 to 12 years diagnosed with CVA who underwent IOS pulmonary function and bronchodilation (BD) tests. A control group of healthy children was matched. Pre- and post-BD IOS parameters were recorded and presented as mean ± standard deviation or median. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were plotted, and the area under the curve (AUC) was calculated to evaluate the discriminatory potential of the IOS parameters for diagnosing CVA. RESULTS: A total of 180 patients with CVA and 65 control subjects were included. The baseline IOS parameters in the CVA group, except X5%pred, were significantly greater compared to the control group. After inhalation of salbutamol sulfate, all IOS parameters improved significantly in the CVA group. However, Z5%pred, R5%pred, and R20%pred remained greater in the CVA group compared to the control group. The improvement rates of IOS parameters in the CVA group significantly surpassed those in the control group. The ROC curve results for pre-BD IOS parameters and the improvement rate during the BD test showed that the combinations of pre-Z5%pred+△Z5% and pre-R5%pred+△R5% achieved the highest AUC value of 0.920 and 0.898, respectively. The AUC values of these combined parameters surpassed those of individual ones. CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights that children with CVA exhibit greater IOS parameters compared to healthy children. The changes in IOS parameters during the BD test provided valuable diagnostic information for CVA, and the combination of various parameters can help pediatricians accurately identify CVA in children.

Transcriptome, Plant Hormone, and Metabolome Analysis Reveals the Mechanism of Purple Pericarp Formation in 'Zihui' Papaya (Carica papaya L.).

The color of the pericarp is a crucial characteristic that influences the marketability of papaya fruit. Prior to ripening, normal papaya exhibits a green pericarp, whereas the cultivar 'Zihui' displays purple ring spots on the fruit tip, which significantly affects the fruit's visual appeal. To understand the mechanism behind the formation of purple pericarp, this study performed a thorough examination of the transcriptome, plant hormone, and metabolome. Based on the UPLC-ESI-MS/MS system, a total of 35 anthocyanins and 11 plant hormones were identified, with 27 anthocyanins and two plant hormones exhibiting higher levels of abundance in the purple pericarp. In the purple pericarp, 14 anthocyanin synthesis genes were up-regulated, including CHS, CHI, F3H, F3'5'H, F3'H, ANS, OMT, and CYP73A. Additionally, through co-expression network analysis, three MYBs were identified as potential key regulators of anthocyanin synthesis by controlling genes encoding anthocyanin biosynthesis. As a result, we have identified numerous key genes involved in anthocyanin synthesis and developed new insights into how the purple pericarp of papaya is formed.

Machine learning for prediction of asthma exacerbations among asthmatic patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Asthma exacerbations reduce the patient's quality of life and are also responsible for significant disease burdens and economic costs. Machine learning (ML)-based prediction models have been increasingly developed to predict asthma exacerbations in recent years. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to identify the prediction performance of ML-based prediction models for asthma exacerbations and address the uncertainty of whether modern ML methods could become an alternative option to predict asthma exacerbations. METHODS: PubMed, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, and Web of Science were searched for studies published up to December 15, 2022. Studies that applied ML methods to develop prediction models for asthma exacerbations among asthmatic patients older than five years and were published in English were eligible. The prediction model risk of bias assessment tool (PROBAST) was utilized to estimate the risk of bias and the applicability of included studies. Stata software (version 15.0) was used for the random effects meta-analysis of performance measures. Subgroup analyses stratified by ML methods, sample size, age groups, and outcome definitions were conducted. RESULTS: Eleven studies, including 23 prediction models, were identified. Most of the studies were published in recent three years. Logistic regression, boosting, and random forest were the most used ML methods. The most common important predictors were systemic steroid use, short-acting beta2-agonists, emergency department visit, age, and exacerbation history. The overall pooled area under the curve of the receiver operating characteristics (AUROC) of 11 studies (23 prediction models) was 0.80 (95% CI 0.77-0.83). Subgroup analysis based on different ML models showed that boosting method achieved the best performance, with an overall pooled AUROC of 0.84 (95% CI 0.81-0.87). CONCLUSION: This study identified that ML was the potential tool to achieve great performance in predicting asthma exacerbations. However, the methodology within these models was heterogeneous. Future studies should focus on improving the generalization ability and practicability, thus driving the application of these models in clinical practice.

Atypical asthma in children who present with isolated chest tightness: risk factors and clinical features.

ObjectiveAsthmatic children presenting with chest tightness as the only symptom have not been widely recognized. This study attempted to find risk factors, summarize clinical features and offer some suggestions for the diagnosis of this atypical asthma.Methods: We studied 94 children, aged 6 to 14 years, who complained only of chest tightness. Data from clinical manifestations and laboratory tests were analyzed. The atypical asthma group (n = 58) showed positive bronchial challenge tests, and symptoms either improved or resolved in response to the bronchodilator. The control group (n = 36) had negative results on the bronchial challenge, diurnal PEF, and BDR tests, and no response to asthma treatment with bronchodilator.Results: Pollution, weather, recent house renovation, and air-conditioning use may be risk factors for children with atypical asthma. These children had more accompanying symptoms of rhinitis and rhinitis family history (P < 0.05), and a higher positive detection rate of inhaled allergens and multiple sensitizations. Parameters of the pulmonary function test were lower in the atypical asthma group than in the control group, and they also had higher FeNO values. If a cutoff value of improvement in FEV1 of BDR were set at 8.9%, sensitivity would be 48.2%, which is higher than a 12% cutoff.Conclusions: Environmental factors appeared to cause development of the isolated chest tightness symptom. Clinical history and laboratory tests could provide partial values for this diagnosis. In the absence of a bronchial challenge test, a margin of improvement in FEV1 of BDR set at 8.9% may be helpful.

Early life exposure to particulate matter and childhood asthma in Beijing, China: a case-control study.

A case-control study was conducted to examine the association of particulate matter exposure during the pre-natal (the first, second, and third trimesters. and the whole pregnancy) and post-natal periods (the first year after birth) with childhood asthma in Beijing, China. Multivariable logistic regressions showed that childhood asthma was significantly associated with exposures to PM2.5 and PM10 during the entire pregnancy, with ORs of 1.28(95%CI:1.06-1.56) and 1.21(95%CI:1.02-1.42), respectively. The highest association with a 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5 and PM10 were both seen for the second trimester, with ORs of 1.17(95% CI: 1.05-1.30) and 1.14(95% CI: 1.04-1.24). Subgroup analyses suggested that significant and positive effects were subject to be observed in children with a family history of atopy. This study added evidence that exposures to PM2.5 and PM10 during pregnancy might increase the risk of childhood asthma in seriously polluted area, highlighting stronger associations in the second trimester.

A multi-colorimetric immunosensor for visual detection of ochratoxin A by mimetic enzyme etching of gold nanobipyramids.

A multi-colorimetric immunosensor basing on the mimetic enzyme etching of gold nanobipyramids (Au NBPs) was established to detect ochratoxin A (OTA). Octahedral Cu2O nanoparticles were successfully synthesized through a selective surface stabilization strategy, which can exhibit a peroxidase-like ability to oxidize 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB). Au NBPs can be etched by the product, TMB2+, to form a significant longitudinal peak blue shift of local surface plasmon resonance. During the construction of the immunosensor, the microplate was coated with dopamine to immobilized OTA antigens, followed by the immunoreaction of OTA antibody and the Cu2O-labled secondary antibody. A linear relationship can be found between the local surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) peak changes with the logarithm of OTA concentration in a wide range from 1 ng/L to 5 µg/L, while the detection limit was 0.47 ng/L. Meanwhile, the approximate OTA concentration can be conveniently and intuitively observed by the vivid color changes. Benefiting from the high specificity, the proposed multi-colorimetric immunoassay detection of OTA in millet samples was achieved, indicating the available potential of the immunoassay for the determination of OTA in real samples.

Efficacy of Huaiqihuang granules as adjuvant therapy for bronchial asthma in children: a real-world study. / æ§æžé»„é¢—ç²’è¾ åŠ©æ²»ç–—å„¿ç«¥æ”¯æ°”ç®¡å“®å–˜ç–—æ•ˆçš„çœŸå®žä¸–ç•Œç ”ç©¶.

OBJECTIVES: To study the efficacy of Huaiqihuang granules as adjuvant therapy for bronchial asthma in children. METHODS: A multicenter, prospective, and registered real-world study was performed for the children, aged 2-5 years, who had a confirmed diagnosis of bronchial asthma in the outpatient service of 21 hospitals in China. Among these children, the children treated with medications for long-term asthma control (inhaled corticosteroid and/or leukotriene receptor antagonist) without Huaiqihuang granules were enrolled as the control treatment group, and those treated with medications for long-term asthma control combined with Huaiqihuang granules were enrolled as the combined treatment group. The medical data of all children were collected. Outpatient or telephone follow-up was performed at weeks 4, 8, 12, 20, 28, and 36 after treatment, including asthma attacks and rhinitis symptoms. A statistical analysis was performed for the changes in these indices. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in the frequency of asthma attacks or rhinitis attacks between the two groups before treatment (P>0.05). After treatment, the combined treatment group had significantly lower frequencies of asthma attacks, severe asthma attacks, and rhinitis attacks compared with the control treatment group (P<0.05). There was no signification difference in the incidence rate of adverse reactions between the two groups (P=0.667). CONCLUSIONS: Huaiqihuang granules in addition to medications for long-term asthma control can alleviate the symptoms of bronchial asthma and rhinitis and improve the level of asthma control in children with bronchial asthma, with good safety and little adverse effect. Citation.

A cross-sectional study of the prevalence of food allergies among children younger than ages 14 years in a Beijing urban region.

Background: The prevalence of food allergies has increased over the past several decades, but little is known about this issue in Beijing. Objective: The objectives of this study were to assess the prevalence of food allergies in the Beijing urban area and to summarize the clinical features and common food allergens in children <14 years of age. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study of children ages 0-14 years who were recruited from 10 kindergartens and 20 primary and middle schools in two communities in the central region (Xicheng district). After the administration of a screening questionnaire, those who reported symptoms of food allergies were interviewed for further diagnoses. All data were analyzed by using χ² tests. Results: Of the 13,073 enrolled children, 423 children (3.2%) were deemed by physicians to probably have food allergies. The boys exhibited a significantly higher prevalence than did the girls (3.6 versus 2.9%, respectively, p < 0.05). Among the children with probable food allergies, 58.9% reported skin symptoms, which were the most frequently occurring symptom type. Preschool age was the most common onset age for food allergies, with a rate (41.8%) that was higher than those for infants (27.1%) and school-age children (31.1%) (p < 0.01). Fruit was the most commonly reported food allergen (46.8%). Food allergies due to milk and eggs mainly occurred during infancy, and fruit allergies occurred in preschool- and school-age children. The seafood allergy prevalences were nearly the same across the three age groups. Conclusion: The total prevalence of probable food allergies in children <14 years of age in the Beijing urban area was 3.2%, and the prevalences were different between genders and among ages and foods. Skin symptoms were the most common manifestation. Fruit and seafood were the most common allergens.

Comparative Analyses of the Transcriptome and Proteome of Comte de Paris and Smooth Cayenne to Improve the Understanding of Ethephon-Induced Floral Transition in Pineapple.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Ethylene is usually used to induce floral transition in pineapple. However, its successful induction in plants categorized as Cayenne is difficult or completely ineffective, and information concerned is limited. The present study was undertaken to investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying this obstacle. METHODS: Transcriptome and proteome comparative analyses were performed to explore the important regulation and pathway variations after ethephon induction in the induction-easy 'Comte de Paris' (CP) and induction-hard 'Smooth Cayenne' (SC) cultivars via RNA-seq (RNA-sequencing) and iTRAQ (isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantification). RESULTS: CP and SC exhibited basic differences at the transcriptomic and proteomic levels before ethephon treatment, including the expression of genes and proteins related to ethylene signal transduction. After ethephon induction, the expression of genes and proteins involved in plant ethylene signal transduction and carbohydrate metabolism responded more strongly in CP than in SC. The expression of the floral meristem identity (FMI) genes AG, TFL and FT exhibited greater changes in CP, and more transcription factors responded in SC. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses revealed that many differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in CP were annotated to terms and pathways involved in photoperiodism and shared components involved in carbohydrate metabolism and plant hormone signal transduction. CONCLUSION: These findings contribute to the understanding of the molecular mechanism underlying the variation between CP and SC in response to ethephon-mediated floral induction.

Chinese guidelines for childhood asthma 2016: Major updates, recommendations and key regional data.

OBJECTIVE: With increased industrialization and urbanization in China, pediatric asthma is becoming more prevalent. Despite a growing body of evidence, there remains a significant unmet need for adequate management of childhood asthma. The Subspecialty Group of Respiratory Diseases of the Society of Pediatrics, the Chinese Medical Association, and the editorial board of the Chinese Journal of Pediatrics have recently updated the "Guidelines for diagnosis and optimal management of asthma in children," first published in 2008. METHODS: This article reviews the major updates to the guidelines and covers the main recommendations for diagnosis, assessment, and treatment of pediatric asthma in China. Key regional data on epidemiology, clinical features, disease burden, knowledge among children and parents, and risk factors including pollution are provided to contextualize the recommendations. RESULTS: The major updates to the guidelines include: (1) A more practical definition of asthma; (2) assessment of asthma control that takes into account both current symptom control and future risk; (3) classification based on disease severity that corresponds with treatment step; (4) differentiation between difficult-to-treat and poorly controlled asthma; (5) an open-ended approach to pharmacological management; and (6) allergen immunotherapy (AIT) in mild- to moderate-persistent asthma. CONCLUSIONS: The updated "Guidelines for the diagnosis and optimal management of asthma in children (2016)" combine the latest national and international clinical evidence and experience to provide practical and reliable recommendations to Chinese clinicians.

Occurrence and Identification of a New Vector of Rice Orange Leaf Phytoplasma in South China.

Rice orange leaf disease (ROLD) is caused by rice orange leaf phytoplasma (ROLP) and occurs sporadically in rice-growing areas in countries of eastern and southeastern Asia. ROLD caused severe damage to rice production in South China in the 1980s. Although its impact subsequently declined in South China, it has reemerged as a serious threat recently. Our study showed that ROLD occurrence varies in different seasons and fields. It was more severe in summer-grown crops (from July to October) than in spring-grown crops (from March to July). In most fields, the incidence was less than 10%, and diseased plants were scattered throughout the fields. In 20% of fields, the incidence was between 10 and 30%. In some fields, over 90% of plants were affected, causing crop failure. Typical symptoms of ROLD include orange-colored leaves and poor growth. Diseased plants were determined as positive for ROLP but negative for Rice tungro bacilliform virus, Rice tungro spherical virus, and Rice transitory yellowing virus through polymerase chain reaction and reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction. Phytoplasma bodies but not virus-like particles were observed by electron microscopy in phloem tissue of diseased leaves. The leafhopper Inazuma dorsalis, previously identified as the unique vector for ROLP, was rare in the affected fields. Another leafhopper, Nephotettix cincticeps, previously considered a nonvector for this phytoplasma, was very common. Transmission tests revealed that this insect could also transmit ROLP; therefore, it might represent a new vector responsible for the recent incidence of ROLD.

[The prevalence of asthma in children: a comparison between the year of 2010 and 2000 in urban China].

OBJECTIVE: To compare the prevalence of asthma in children aged 0-14 years by the epidemiological survey for children in urban China between the year of 2000 and 2010. METHODS: Cities participated in the national survey of asthma prevalence in urban children aged 0-14 years at 2000 and 2010 were selected. The surveyed sample sizes met the study requirements. Stratified multistage random cluster sampling and unified questionnaire screening were adopted in both surveys of 2000 and 2010. For screening-positive children, asthma was diagnosed by physicians through on-site visits, physical examination, medical records review and auxiliary examination results. Double entry and validation was adopted for all data using Epi-Info software, and analysis was carried out by SPSS V19.0. RESULTS: Thirty-three cities were selected for this study. The prevalence of asthma was 1.59% in 2000 and 2.11% in 2010, respectively. The highest prevalence of asthma was seen in Hefei and Shanghai respectively in the two surveys, while the lowest prevalence was seen in Xining and Lhasa. The prevalence rate increased in most of the cities, especially in Wenzhou, Shanghai and Xining. The prevalence of asthma in boys was significantly higher than that in girls in the two surveys, with a ratio of 1.67:1 and 1.58:1, respectively. Preschool age (aged 3-6) had the highest prevalence in both surveys, and nearly 80% of the onset was observed before age 6. Regarding the age of disease onset in the 2000 and 2010 surveys, 54.92% and 43.30% were found in infants, 45.08% and 56.70% in preschool and school-age, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: In the recent 10 years, childhood asthma prevalence rate increased significantly in urban China and the prevalence increased 32.70% in children younger than 14 years in 2010 than before. Most cities had a higher prevalence rate than before, but mainly in first-tier cities, provincial capitals and eastern coastal cities. Preschool children showed the highest prevalence of asthma. The age of asthma onset was increasing, with a higher prevalence in preschool and school-age children as compared to 10 years ago.

[Study on the influence factors of exhaled breath condensate pH detection of asthma children].

OBJECTIVE: To explore influence factors of exhaled breath condensate (EBC) pH detection and establish standard method for EBC pH detection of asthma children. METHODS: EBC samples were collected using Rtube EBC collection system, and pH values were detected by microelectrode method. RESULTS: The temperatures of sampling condenser tube (from - 18 to 4 degrees C) and duration of collection (from 10 to 30 minutes) has no significant effect on EBC pH of asthma children. After degasification with argon for 4 minutes, the EBC pH became stable. The day to day precisions (relative standard deviation) were 0.74% -1.01%, and the relative deviations between theoretical values and detection values were 0.11% - 0.75% in determining different level of pH standard solutions. The EBC samples for pH detection could be store at - 20 degrees C for 6 months. CONCLUSION: The established method by standardizing influence factors is accurate and convenient. It can be used in the detection of EBC pH of asthma children.

Spirometry in the diagnosis of cough variant asthma in children.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to assess the diagnostic utility of spirometry, particularly focusing on small airway parameters, in children with cough variant asthma (CVA). METHODS: This study included children aged 5-12 years with a diagnosis of CVA. Pre- and postbronchodilation spirometry parameters, including FEV1 %pred, FVC%pred, FEV1 /FVC%pred, PEF%pred, FEF25 %pred, FEF50 %pred, FEF75 %pred, MMEF%pred, were recorded. Receiver operating characteristic curves were plotted, and the area under the curve (AUC) was calculated to assess the discriminatory potential of these spirometry parameters for CVA. A prediction model based on logistic regression (LR) was performed. RESULTS: A total of 200 patients with CVA and 73 control subjects were included. Baseline spirometry parameters in the CVA group, except for FVC%pred, were significantly lower compared to the control group. After inhalation of salbutamol sulfate, all parameters showed significant improvement in the CVA group. However, these parameters, except for FEV1 %pred and FVC%pred, remained lower in the CVA group compared to the control group. The improvement rate of each parameter in the CVA group, except for ∆ FVC%, was significantly higher than that in the control group. △ MMEF% achieved the highest AUC of 0.797 with a threshold value of 16.09%, followed by △ FEF75 % (0.792), △ FEV1 % (0.756), and △ FEF50 % (0.747) with threshold values of 19.01%, 4.48%, and 19.4%, respectively. The clinical prediction model included four variables (age, △ FEF25 %, △ FEF75 %, and △ MMEF%) and demonstrated excellent performance distinguishing patients with and without CVA (AUC = 0.850). In the CVA group, the △ FEV1 % showed a positive correlation with small airway parameters. CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights that children with CVA exhibit lower pulmonary function parameters compared to healthy children. Changes in small airway parameters during bronchodilator tests can be valuable in diagnosing CVA, and the LR prediction model incorporating age and several pulmonary parameters can assist physicians in accurately identifying CVA in clinical practice.

Rhabdovirus encoded glycoprotein induces and harnesses host antiviral autophagy for maintaining its compatible infection.

Macroautophagy/autophagy has been recognized as a central antiviral defense mechanism in plant, which involves complex interactions between viral proteins and host factors. Rhabdoviruses are single-stranded RNA viruses, and the infection causes serious harm to public health, livestock, and crop production. However, little is known about the role of autophagy in the defense against rhabdovirus infection by plant. In this work, we showed that Rice stripe mosaic cytorhabdovirus(RSMV) activated autophagy in plants and that autophagy served as an indispensable defense mechanism during RSMV infection. We identified RSMV glycoprotein as an autophagy inducer that interacted with OsSnRK1B and promoted the kinase activity of OsSnRK1B on OsATG6b. RSMV glycoprotein was toxic to rice cells and its targeted degradation by OsATG6b-mediated autophagy was essential to restrict the viral titer in plants. Importantly, SnRK1-glycoprotein and ATG6-glycoprotein interactions were well-conserved between several other rhabdoviruses and plants. Together, our data support a model that SnRK1 senses rhabdovirus glycoprotein for autophagy initiation, while ATG6 mediates targeted degradation of viral glycoprotein. This conserved mechanism ensures compatible infection by limiting the toxicity of viral glycoprotein and restricting the infection of rhabdoviruses.Abbreviations: AMPK: adenosine 5'-monophosphate (AMP)-activated protein kinase; ANOVA: analysis of variance; ATG: autophagy related; AZD: AZD8055; BiFC: bimolecular fluorescence complementation; BYSMV: barley yellow striate mosaic virus; Co-IP: co-immunoprecipitation; ConA: concanamycin A; CTD: C-terminal domain; DEX: dexamethasone; DMSO: dimethyl sulfoxide; G: glycoprotein; GFP: green fluorescent protein; MD: middle domain; MDC: monodansylcadaverine; NTD: N-terminal domain; OE: over expression; Os: Oryza sativa; PBS: phosphate-buffered saline; PtdIns3K: class III phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase; qRT-PCR: quantitative real-time reverse-transcription PCR; RFP: red fluorescent protein; RSMV: rice stripe mosaic virus; RSV: rice stripe virus; SGS3: suppressor of gene silencing 3; SnRK1: sucrose nonfermenting1-related protein kinase1; SYNV: sonchus yellow net virus; TEM: transmission electron microscopy; TM: transmembrane region; TOR: target of rapamycin; TRV: tobacco rattle virus; TYMaV: tomato yellow mottle-associated virus; VSV: vesicular stomatitis virus; WT: wild type; Y2H: yeast two-hybrid; YFP: yellow fluorescent protein.

[Epidemiological survey of children asthma prevalence in Beijing urban area].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the prevalence, diagnosis and management of childhood asthma in Beijing urban area. METHODS: Multi-stage, stratified and random cluster sampling was used to recruit children born during November 1, 1995 to October 31, 2010 from Beijing or other provinces but residing in Beijing for over half a year. The same screening questionnaires for the third national epidemiological survey of children's asthma were distributed to parents of children at schools, kindergartens and communities during October 2010 to March 2011. Asthmatic children were picked among the screening-positive children based on on-the-spot inquiries, physical examinations, medical records and supporting test results. Further survey of asthmatics was carried out to investigate the diagnosis and treatment status of childhood asthma and other associated allergic diseases. All data required double entry by Epi-Info 3.5.3 software and were processed by SPSS 19.0. RESULTS: Among a total of 14 085 questionnaires, 13 513 were completed with a response rate of 95.94%. And 497 (3.68%) children were diagnosed with typical (n = 451, 3.34%) and cough variant (n = 46, 0.34%) asthma. Among them, 40.64% (202/497) were newly diagnosed and 59.36% (295/497) had been previously diagnosed with asthma. The prevalence of asthma was higher in boys than in girls (4.80% (345/1790) vs 2.40% (152/6323), χ(2) = 54.446, P < 0.01). The asthma prevalence of preschoolers (3 - < 7 years old) was the highest (5.05% (180/3563)). In the past two years, the symptoms of 69.42% (345/497) children persisted and the current two-year prevalence of asthma was 2.55% (345/13513). Among the 295 children with previous asthma, only 46.44% (137/295) received inhaled corticosteroids according to the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) and 82.37% (243/295) of them used antibiotics. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of asthma is 3.68% in children under 14 years old in Beijing urban area and it varies in children with different genders and ages. A considerable number of children are not diagnosed or treated properly. And the management of asthma requires further improvement.

Salivary interleukin-17A and interferon-γ levels are elevated in children with food allergies in China.

Introduction: Food allergies have a substantial impact on patient health, but their mechanisms are poorly understood, and strategies for diagnosing, preventing, and treating food allergies are not optimal. This study explored the levels of and relationship between IL-17A and IFN-γ in the saliva of children with food allergies, which will form the basis for further mechanistic discoveries as well as prevention and treatment measures for food allergies. Methods: A case-control study with 1:1 matching was designed. Based on the inclusion criteria, 20 case-control pairs were selected from patients at the Skin and Allergy Clinic and children of employees. IL-17A and IFN-γ levels in saliva were measured with a Luminex 200 instrument. A general linear model was used to analyze whether the salivary IL-17A and IFN-γ levels in the food allergy group differed from those in the control group. Results: The general linear model showed a significant main effect of group (allergy vs. healthy) on the levels of IL-17A and IFN-γ. The mean IL-17A level (0.97 ± 0.09 pg/ml) in the food allergy group was higher than that in the healthy group (0.69 ± 0.09 pg/ml). The mean IFN-γ level (3.0 ± 0.43 pg/ml) in the food allergy group was significantly higher than that in the healthy group (1.38 ± 0.43 pg/ml). IL-17A levels were significantly positively related to IFN-γ levels in children with food allergies (r=0.79) and in healthy children (r=0.98). Discussion: The salivary IL-17A and IFN-γ levels in children with food allergies were higher than those in healthy children. This finding provides a basis for research on new methods of diagnosing food allergies and measuring the effectiveness of treatment.

IgE-expressing long-lived plasma cells in persistent sensitization.

Persistent allergies affect the quality of life of patients and increase economic burdens. Many clinical observations indicate the presence of IgE+ long-lived plasma cells (LLPCs), which account for the persistent secretion of specific IgE; however, the characteristics of the IgE+ LLPCs have yet to be identified clearly. In this review, we summarized the generation of IgE+ PCs, discussed the prosurvival factors in the microenvironment, and reviewed the unique IgE-BCR signaling, which may bring insights into understanding the survival mechanisms of IgE+ LLPCs.

Prevalence of Sensitization to Aeroallergens in Greater Beijing Region Children With Respiratory Allergy.

Objective: To evaluate the prevalence and distribution of sensitization to aeroallergens in children with atopic diseases. Methods: We conducted skin prick test on 9,527 pediatric patients (aged 0-17 years) with atopic diseases in allergy department of Children's Hospital affiliated with the Capital Institute of Pediatrics. Positive rates of aeroallergens were compared among the different groups. Results: Boys (69.5%) had a higher positive rate in SPT results than girls (59.8%; χ2 = 91.7, P < 0.01), and the prevalence of sensitization to aeroallergens increased from 56.1% in the 0-5 year group, to 73.0% in patients above 12 years. Japanese hop (36.2%) and D. farinae (28.1%) were the most common outdoor and indoor aeroallergens, respectively. From low to high age groups, the positive detection rates of D. farinae were 20.3, 30.6, and 33.5%, respectively, followed by D. pteronyssinus (15.7, 24.8, and 30.0%) and cat dander (8.6, 19.8, and 27.9%, respectively), while dog dander and cockroach showed the same trend. The top three positive detection rates of outdoor aeroallergens were Alternaria (30.9%), Japanese Hop (26.7%), and Artemisia (23.7%) in the preschool age group. With regard to patients aged 6 to 11 years, the three most common were Japanese hop (39.2%), Alternaria (36.4%), and Fraxinus pollen (34.4%). Japanese hop (43.8%), Sabina (41.1%), and birch pollen (39.6%) became increasingly common allergens among adolescents. There were more patients with strongly positive reactions to Alternaria in AS (χ2 = 10.2, P < 0.01) and AS with AR groups (χ2 =9.7, P < 0.01) than those in the AR group. Asthmatic patients had significantly higher multiple positive reactions than those with AR (P < 0.01). Asthmatic patients had a much higher prevalence of HDM, animal dander, and Alternaria than those with allergic rhinitis (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The prevalence of sensitization to aeroallergens increased with age in children with atopic diseases in Greater Beijing Region. Alternaria was the predominant allergen before 5 years of age, and tree pollen had delayed sensitization in adolescents. Sensitization to perennial allergens such as HDM, cats, and Alternaria was more strongly associated with asthma risk. Sensitization to more than one allergen significantly affected asthmatic patients.

Gut Microbiome and Metabolomics Profiles of Allergic and Non-Allergic Childhood Asthma.

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the characteristics of gut bacteria and the derived metabolites among allergic asthmatic children, non-allergic asthmatic children and healthy children without asthma. Methods: Fecal samples were collected from 57 participants, including 20 healthy children, 27 allergic asthmatic children, and 10 non-allergic asthmatic children. 16S rRNA gene sequencing was conducted for analyzing gut bacterial compositions and untargeted metabolomics was used to analyze the alterations of gut microbe-derived metabolites. The associations between gut bacterial compositions and metabolites were analyzed by the method of Spearman correlation. Results: The results showed that the compositions and metabolites of gut microbiome were altered both in allergic and non-allergic asthmatics compared with healthy controls. Chao1 (p = 0.025) index reflected a higher bacterial richness and Simpson (p = 0.024) index showed a lower diversity in asthma group. PERMANOVA analysis showed significant differences among the three groups based on unweighted UniFrac distance (p = 0.001). Both allergic and non-allergic asthmatics showed a higher relative abundance of Proteobacteria and a lower relative abundance of genera from Clostridia. More bacteria were altered in non-allergic asthmatics compared with allergic asthmatics. Metabolomics analysis identified that 42 metabolites were significantly associated with allergic asthma, and 58 metabolites were significantly associated with non-allergic asthma (multiple linear regression, p < 0.05). Histamine was 4 folds up-regulated only in the non-allergic asthma group. The relative abundance of Candidatus Accumulib was significantly correlated with the upregulation of histamine. The relative abundance of genera from Clostridia was significantly correlated with the downregulation of lipid and tryptophan metabolism. Conclusion: The altered gut microbes was associated with the mechanism of asthma attack through metabolites in allergic and non-allergic asthma group, respectively. The result suggested that gut microbiome had an impact on the development of both allergic and non-allergic asthma. The distinct gut microbiome and microbiome-derived metabolites in non-allergic asthma children suggested that gut microbiome might play a critical role in modulation of asthma phenotype.