Preliminary analysis of seasonal pollen allergens of allergic rhinitis in a hospital of Nanchang City / 中华预防医学杂志

The study was aimed to analyze the seasonal pollen allergen spectrum of patients with allergic rhinitis (AR) in Nanchang city, and to provide evidence for improving the clinical diagnosis, treatment, prevention and epidemiology of seasonal AR. A retrospective analysis was conducted on the results of skin prick test (SPT) among 1 752 patients with AR in outpatient at Department of Otolaryngology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University from September 2020 to August 2021 (a total of 1 069 males and 683 females, age ranged from 2 to 84 years old). SPSS 22.0 software was used to analyze the positive rates of main allergens and their differences in gender, age, and month of visit. Differences among groups were compared by student t test, Wilcox rank sum test, or χ2 test. The results showed that among 1 752 SPT-positive patients, the number of simple seasonal AR and the number of perennial combined seasonal AR were 102 (5.82%) and 281 (16.04%), respectively. There was no significant difference between male and female patients in positive seasonal pollen allergens (χ2=2.181, P>0.05), but the positive rate of indoor seasonal pollen allergens in males was higher than that in females (χ2=7.901, P<0.05). The seasonal pollen allergens ranking top 5 of the positive rates were willow (6.62%, 116/1 752), humulus scandens (5.71%, 100/1 752), rape (5.54%, 97/1 752), grey pigweed (4.62%, 81/1 752) and birch (3.60%, 63/1 752). The positive rates of indoor and seasonal pollen allergens increased first and then decreased in different age groups, and the highest positive rates of seasonal pollen allergens were in the age group of 31-40 years old, with statistical significance compared with other groups (χ2=61.269, P<0.05). The seasonal allergen positive rate showed two peaks in time: March to May and September to November. The positive rate of pollen in spring was 60.27% (132/219), which was significantly higher than that in autumn (39.73%,87/219) (χ2=9.247, P<0.05). The positive rate of pollen combination in spring and autumn was 68.29% (112/164), which was significantly higher than that in spring and autumn alone (18.9%,31/164) and (12.8%, 21/164) (χ2=14.731, P<0.05). In summary, pollen allergy in Nanchang City cannot be ignored, accounting for more than 20% of the total number of AR. The incidence of seasonal AR in Nanchang City showed two peaks (March to May and September to November). The common allergens for seasonal AR in Nanchang City were willow, humulus scandens, rape, grey chenopods and birch.

Preliminary analysis of seasonal pollen allergens of allergic rhinitis in a hospital of Nanchang City / 中华预防医学杂志

The study was aimed to analyze the seasonal pollen allergen spectrum of patients with allergic rhinitis (AR) in Nanchang city, and to provide evidence for improving the clinical diagnosis, treatment, prevention and epidemiology of seasonal AR. A retrospective analysis was conducted on the results of skin prick test (SPT) among 1 752 patients with AR in outpatient at Department of Otolaryngology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University from September 2020 to August 2021 (a total of 1 069 males and 683 females, age ranged from 2 to 84 years old). SPSS 22.0 software was used to analyze the positive rates of main allergens and their differences in gender, age, and month of visit. Differences among groups were compared by student t test, Wilcox rank sum test, or χ2 test. The results showed that among 1 752 SPT-positive patients, the number of simple seasonal AR and the number of perennial combined seasonal AR were 102 (5.82%) and 281 (16.04%), respectively. There was no significant difference between male and female patients in positive seasonal pollen allergens (χ2=2.181, P>0.05), but the positive rate of indoor seasonal pollen allergens in males was higher than that in females (χ2=7.901, P<0.05). The seasonal pollen allergens ranking top 5 of the positive rates were willow (6.62%, 116/1 752), humulus scandens (5.71%, 100/1 752), rape (5.54%, 97/1 752), grey pigweed (4.62%, 81/1 752) and birch (3.60%, 63/1 752). The positive rates of indoor and seasonal pollen allergens increased first and then decreased in different age groups, and the highest positive rates of seasonal pollen allergens were in the age group of 31-40 years old, with statistical significance compared with other groups (χ2=61.269, P<0.05). The seasonal allergen positive rate showed two peaks in time: March to May and September to November. The positive rate of pollen in spring was 60.27% (132/219), which was significantly higher than that in autumn (39.73%,87/219) (χ2=9.247, P<0.05). The positive rate of pollen combination in spring and autumn was 68.29% (112/164), which was significantly higher than that in spring and autumn alone (18.9%,31/164) and (12.8%, 21/164) (χ2=14.731, P<0.05). In summary, pollen allergy in Nanchang City cannot be ignored, accounting for more than 20% of the total number of AR. The incidence of seasonal AR in Nanchang City showed two peaks (March to May and September to November). The common allergens for seasonal AR in Nanchang City were willow, humulus scandens, rape, grey chenopods and birch.

Professor YANG Yun-kuan's experience on treatment of dermopathy with cotton-sheet moxibustion / 中国针灸

Professor YANG Yun-kuan summarizes rich experiences on treatment of dermopathy with acupuncture and moxibustion in clinical and teaching practice of over 30 years. Here his unique therapy of cotton-sheet moxibustion is introduced. Different dermal diseases are treated with combination of cotton-sheet moxibustion with body acupuncture or skin needle, achieving good clinical effects. Cotton-sheet moxibustion has the characteristics of common materials and convenient manipulation. This is a safe, economic therapy with obvious therapeutic effect and it provides an effective way for treatment of dermopathy.

Expression of tumor suppressor gene PRDM1 in lung cancers / 中华肿瘤杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To determine the expression of tumor suppressor gene PRDM1 in lung cancers.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Forty-five cases were enrolled in this study, including squamous cell carcinoma (20 cases), adenocarcinoma (15 cases), and small cell cancer (10 cases). PRDM1 protein was detected in paraffin-embedded tissue by immunohistochemistry. Tumor cells in lung cancers were further selected by laser microdissection for RT-PCR analysis. PRDM1 protein in frozen tissue was also detected by Western blot.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>(1) PRDM1 protein was found in paraffin-embedded tissues in 90.0% (18/20) of squamous cell carcinoma, 13.3% (2/15) of adenocarcinoma, and 0 (0/10) small cell lung cancer. Squamous cell carcinoma predominantly expressed PRDM1 protein ( P < 0.01). (2) Gene product of PRDM1 DNA binding region was not found in microdissected tumor cells, but an abnormal PRDM1 protein about 70 KD was detected simultaneously in whole tumor tissue.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>PRDM1 may be considered as a specific biomarker in pulmonary squamous cell carcinoma. The abnormal PRDM1 expression both at transcriptional and protein levels indicated that this tumor suppressor gene lost its function, which may become a new target in the strategy of treatment for lung cancers.</p>

BCL-XL expression and mutation in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma / 中国实验血液学杂志

The study was aimed to investigate the BCL-XL expression and mutation, and its clinical significance in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Lymphoma cells were selectively isolated by laser microdissection. BCL-XL expression from lymphoma tissue and microdissected lymphoma cells was measured by using real-time quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. BCL-XL mutation was analyzed by using direct sequencing of PCR products. The results showed that compared to 15 patients with reactive hyperplasia, BCL-XL was overexpressed in follicular lymphoma (n = 30), both in lymphoma tissue (P = 0.0064) and in microdissected lymphoma cells (P < 0.0001). No significant rise of BCL-XL expression was observed in patients with T-cell lymphoma (n = 24) and diffuse large B cell lymphoma (n = 24). In follicular lymphoma, high BCL-XL level was associated with multiple extranodal involvement (P = 0.0004), elevated lactate dehydrogenase level (P = 0.0019), high-risk international prognostic index (P = 0.0013) and a short overall survival time (P = 0.0451). Mutation analysis revealed one synonymous mutation (Codon 109 ACA-->ACC) in one case of follicular lymphoma patient. It is concluded that BCL-XL expression is closely correlated with progress of follicular lymphoma and prognosis of patients with follicular lymphoma. The value of BCL-XL expression as a prognostic marker in follicular lymphoma should be considered.