Cisplatin (DDP) resistance is an important factor that decreases the effect of chemotherapy, thus leading to local recurrence and lymph node metastasis of hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (HSCC). We aimed to explore the role and mechanism of extrachromosomal circular DNA (eccDNA) in the DDP resistance of HSCC. In our research, the HSCC cell line FaDu and the DDP-resistant cell line FaDu/DDP were used as subjects. eccDNA sequencing and whole transcriptome sequencing were conducted, followed by a combined analysis of the two sequencing profiles. Outward PCR, inward PCR and Sanger sequencing were used to verify sequences of the eccDNAs. Bioinformatics analysis based on TCGA/GEO was performed in addition to plasmid transfection, RNA interference, qRT-PCR and Western blot experiments to verify the expression level of RAB3B amplified from eccDNA. mRFP-GFP-LC3 adenoviral particle transfection and transmission electron microscopy were used to detect autophagic flux. Finally, we evaluated the role of RAB3B in FaDu/DDP cells and patient-derived organoids. Our results showed that we purified and sequenced more than 10 thousand eccDNAs from the two cell lines, and the size of the eccDNAs was distributed from 0.01 kb to 1000 kb. The combined analysis between eccDNA and transcript sequencing indicated that there were some highly expressed genes that were completely or partially transcribed from related sequences of eccDNAs and not from genome linear DNA. We further screened and verified the encoding gene RAB3B using full-length sequences that might be amplified from eccDNA [chr1^{circle 46219-52682 kb}]. Finally, we confirmed that RAB3B could promote DDP resistance in HSCC by inducing autophagy. The eccDNA might play significant roles in DDP resistance in HSCC by amplifying related functional genes. Further study is needed to explore the novel mechanisms of eccDNA in the drug resistance of HSCC.

We aim to report the latest incidence, mortality, and disability‐adjusted life‐years (DALYs) between 1990 and 2019, by age, sex, sociodemographic index (SDI), and provide predictions to 2035. We use estimates from Global Burden of Disease, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study 2019 to analyze the incidence, mortality, and DALYs. All the estimates were shown as counts and age‐standardized rates (ASR). In 2019, there were more than 176,501 (156,046 to 199,917) incidence cases, with ASRs of 2.1 (1.9 to 2.4). Nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC) accounted for 71,610 (65,442 to 77,625) deaths, with ASRs of 0.9 (0.8 to 0.9). NPC was also responsible for 2.34 million (2,139,753 to 2,536,657) DALYs, with ASRs of 28.0 (25.7 to 30.4). The count of all the new cases increased from 1990 to 2019. At the regional level, the highest age‐standardized incidence rates were found in East Asia, the highest age‐standardized death and DALY rates were shown in Southeast Asia. At the national level, the age‐standardized incidence rates were highest in Singapore, and the age‐standardized death and DALY rates were highest in Malaysia. The total numbers and rates of all the estimates were significantly higher among males than females across most of the age groups. The considerable burden of NPC was attributable to alcohol use, smoking, and occupational exposure to formaldehyde. A total of six GBD regions and 88 countries are projected to experience an increase in NPC ASRs between 2019 and 2035, respectively. Despite the current decline in age‐standardized mortality and DALY rates globally, the age‐standardized incidence rate has increased from 1990 to 2019, and continues to increase between 2020 and 2035, indicating that nasopharyngeal cancer remains a major health challenge worldwide. Prevention strategies should focus on modifiable risk factors, especially among males in East Asia.

Objectives: To investigate the prevalence of allergic rhinitis among elementary and middle school students and examine its impact on their quality of life.Methods: Stratified sampling and cluster sampling surveys were performed among 10–17-year-old students in Changsha city from June 2011 to April 2012.Results: In the stratified sampling survey, the self-reported allergic rhinitis rate was 42.5 per cent. Further examination demonstrated that the average prevalence of allergic rhinitis was 19.4 per cent. The cluster sampling survey demonstrated that 214 of 814 students appeared to be atopic (26.3 per cent). The prevalence of allergic rhinitis and asthma was 17.2 and 2.1 per cent, respectively. In total, 71 atopic individuals (8.7 per cent) were without any symptoms of allergic disease. Further analysis showed that allergic rhinitis influenced the students' sleep, emotions and memory (p < 0.001).Conclusion: The prevalence of allergic rhinitis was 15.8 –19.4 per cent, showing an increase with age. Allergic rhinitis affected students' sleep, emotions and memory.

Background: Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is the sixth most common malignant tumor worldwide with high morbidity and mortality. However, the diagnosis and molecular mechanisms of HNSCC remains poor.Methods: Robust rank aggregation method was performed to excavate the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in five datasets (GSE6631, GSE13601, GSE23036, GSE30784, GSE107591) from the Gene Expression Omnibus. Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes (STRING) database extracted hub genes from the protein‐protein interaction network. The expression of the hub genes was validated using expression profile from The Cancer Genome Atlas and Oncomine database. The module analysis and disease‐free survival analysis of the hub genes were analyzed by Cytoscape and the Kaplan‐Meier curve, respectively. The expression of hub genes was verified in clinical specimens. The functions of MMP1 which is most important in hub genes were explored in vitro and in vivo.Results: Totally, 235 DEGs were identified in the present study which consists of 103 up‐regulated and 132 down‐regulated genes which were significantly enriched in the molecular function of calcium ion binding followed in the biological process of skin development. The mainly enriched pathways were ECM (extracellular matrix)‐receptor interaction (hsa04512) and protein digestion and absorption (hsa04974). Six hub genes were screened out which showed dramatically increased expression in HNSCC samples compared with normal samples, including COL4A1, MMP1, PLAU, RBP1, SEMA3C, and COL4A2. These hub genes all showed worse disease‐free survival with higher expression and were up‐regulated in HNSCC clinical samples. MMP1 was proved to promote cell growth, migration, and phosphorylation of AKT in vitro and to promote liver metastasis in vivo.Conclusion: Bioinformatics analysis identified six key genes in HNSCC. Of these, MMP1 is the most likely biomarker. It activates the AKT pathway and promotes tumor progression.