[Distribution of allergens and associated risk factors of patients with allergic rhinitis in Qingdao area].

Objective:To analyze the distribution of allergens and the risk factors in patients with allergic rhinitis in Qingdao area. Method:Two hundred and sixteen patients diagnosed with allergic rhinitis and 49 healthy volunteers were admitted to the outpatient clinic of the Otolaryngology Department of the three branches of Qingdao University Affiliated Hospital in Qingdao from August 2018 to March 2019. A total of 271 patients（5-84 years old） were included in the epidemiological investigation. The study conducted a skin stinging test of inhalation allergens. In addition, the questionnaire of allergic disease and self-examination of dust mite allergy were carried out for each group of patients, and the results were analyzed and counted. Result:①In 216 patients with allergic rhinitis, the top six inhalation allergens were dust mites（55.0%）, house dust mites（46.1%）, tropical mites（21.8%）, dog hair（16.6%）, Artemisia halodendron（13.3%）, and German cockroaches（10.3%）. ②Inhalation allergens, the degree of positive of house dust mites and dust mites were mainly（+++）, the degree of positive of Artemisia halodendron were mainly（+++） and（++++）, and the degree of positive of other allergens were mainly（++）. ③There were statistically significant differences in the positive rates of inhalation allergens in different age groups, and the positive rates of inhalation allergens gradually decreased with age after adulthood. ④The single factor and multi-factor logical regression analysis all showed that the history of smoking, family history, age less than 18 years, and 18-40 years old were closely related to the occurrence of allergic rhinitis（P<0.05）. ⑤Using Spearson-related analysis and loess regression analysis, it was found that with the increase of dust mite self-examination score, the positive rate of dust mite increased significantly. Conclusion:The most important inhalation allergens of patients with allergic rhinitis in Qingdao area are dust mites, dog hair and artemisinin. The positive rate of inhalation allergens is influenced by age and there are certain rules in them. Smoking history, family history, age and other factors are risk factors for allergic rhinitis. The dust mite self-examination score can predict the occurrence of dust mite allergy.

MeCP2, a target of miR-638, facilitates gastric cancer cell proliferation through activation of the MEK1/2-ERK1/2 signaling pathway by upregulating GIT1.

Methyl-CpG binding protein 2 (MeCP2) is involved in the carcinogenesis and progression of multiple types of cancer. However, its precise role in gastric cancer (GC) and the relevant molecular mechanism remain unknown. In the present study, we found that miR-638 levels were lower in GC tissues and GC cell lines than in adjacent normal tissues and normal gastric epithelial cell lines, respectively. Low miR-638 levels were associated with poor tumor differentiation, tumor size and lymph node metastasis. MeCP2 expression levels were higher in GC tissues than in adjacent normal tissues. It was found that miR-638 inhibited GC cell proliferation, colony formation, G1-S transition and tumor growth, and induced cell apoptosis by directly targeting MeCP2. MeCP2 promoted GC cell proliferation, colony formation and G1-S cell-cycle transition, and suppressed apoptosis. Molecular mechanistic investigations were performed using an integrated approach with a combination of microarray analysis, chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing and a reporter gene assay. The results showed that MeCP2 bound to the methylated CpG islands of G-protein-coupled receptor kinase-interacting protein 1 (GIT1) promoter and upregulated its expression, thereby activating the MEK1/2-ERK1/2 signaling pathway and promoting GC cell proliferation. Taken together, our study demonstrates that MeCP2, a target of miR-638, facilitates GC cell proliferation and induces cell-cycle progression through activation of the MEK1/2-ERK1/2 signaling pathway by upregulating GIT1. The findings suggest that MeCP2 plays a significant role in GC progression, and may serve as a potential target for GC therapy.

Fluorescing cells in sputum after parenteral HpD.

Cells exfoliated into sputum were examined for fluorescence after the intravenous injection of HpD. Malignant and non-malignant cells were seen to fluoresce up to 9 days post injection of HpD. Not all exfoliated squamous cell cancer cells or non-malignant cells fluoresced. Implications are discussed relative to imaging diagnostic fluorescence bronchoscopy and photoradiation therapy of obstructing endobronchial cancers and bronchial carcinoma in situ.