Background: Controversies persist regarding whether exposure to cat or dog increases the risk of asthma and allergic rhinitis. Objective: This meta-analysis aimed to assess the associations between exposure to cats or dogs and the development of asthma and allergic rhinitis. Methods: A systematic review was performed to identify case-control and cohort studies before May 2019, evaluating the association between exposure to cats and dogs and the risk of asthma and rhinitis. The risk of bias was assessed using the Newcastle–Ottawa Scale. The odds ratios (ORs) and risk ratios (RRs) were pooled for case-control and cohort studies, respectively. Subgroup analyses were performed on prespecified study-level characteristics. Results: The meta-analysis of 34 cohort studies showed a protective role of exposure to cats [RR: 0.88, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.77–0.99] or dogs (RR: 0.85, 95% CI: 0.73–0.97) in the development of asthma. The subgroup analysis of birth cohort (RR: 0.74, 95% CI: 0.56–0.93) and children population (RR: 0.83, 95% CI: 0.70–0.96) also suggested a favorable role of exposure to dogs in the development of asthma. Pooled evidence from 13 case-control studies indicated no significant impact of cats (OR: 1.66, 95% CI: 0.39–2.94) and dogs (OR: 1.22, 95% CI: 0.92–1.52) on the development of asthma. A pooled analysis of five cohort studies showed a favorable effect of exposure to cats (RR: 0.60, 95% CI: 0.33–0.86) or dogs (RR: 0.68, 95% CI 0.44–0.90) on the development of allergic rhinitis. Conclusion: The findings indicated a protective effect of exposure to cats and dogs, especially ownership, on the development of asthma and allergic rhinitis.

Cystic echinococcosis (CE) is a common zoonotic parasitic disease that seriously impacts public health. However, the full spectrum of immune cell changes in Echinococcus granulosus infection, especially the negative immune regulation of subpopulations of regulatory T (Treg) cells, are not yet well understood.

The prevalence of allergic airway inflammation (AAI) worldwide is high. Artemisia annua L. pollen is spread worldwide, and allergic diseases caused by its plant polysaccharides, which are closely related to the intestinal microbiota, have anti-inflammatory effects. Further isolation and purification of Lycium barbarum L. yielded its most effective component Lycium barbarum L. glycopeptide (LbGP), which can inhibit inflammation in animal models. However, its therapeutic effect on AAI and its mechanism of regulating the intestinal flora have not been fully investigated. To explore LbGP in APE-induced immunological mechanisms of AAI and the interaction mechanism of the intestinal flora and metabolites. A mouse model of AAI generated from Artemisia annua pollen was constructed, and immunological indices related to the disease were examined. A combination of macrogenomic and metabolomic analyses was used to investigate the effects of LbGP on the gut microbial and metabolite profiles of mice with airway inflammation. LbGP effectively alleviated Artemisia. annua pollen extract (APE)-induced AAI, corrected Th1/Th2 immune dysregulation, decreased Th17 cells, increased Treg cells, and altered the composition and function of the intestinal microbiota. LbGP treatment increased the number of OdoribacterandDuncaniella in the intestines of the mice, but the numble of Alistipes and Ruminococcus decreased. Metabolite pathway enrichment analysis were used to determine the effects of taurine and hypotaurine metabolism, bile acid secretion, and pyrimidine metabolism pathways on disease. Our results revealed significant changes in the macrogenome and metabolome following APE and LbGP intervention, revealed potential correlations between gut microbial species and metabolites, and highlighted the beneficial effects of LbGP on AAI through the modulation of the gut microbiome and host metabolism.

Objective: This study seeks to assess the effectiveness and safety of a combination treatment involving loratadine and mometasone furoate for patients suffering from allergic rhinitis (AR). Additionally, it explores the risk factors contributing to treatment failure, providing a theoretical basis for identifying safer and more effective AR treatments.Methods: A prospective study was carried out between January 1, 2021, and April 1, 2023, involving 116 patients with allergic rhinitis (AR) who were treated at our outpatient clinic. Participants were randomly divided into two groups: the control group (n=58), which received loratadine alone, and the study group (n=58), which received a combination of loratadine and mometasone furoate. Outcome measures included nasal symptom scores and serological markers, assessed before and after the treatment period. The effectiveness of the treatment was assessed using nasal symptom scores.Results: Post-treatment assessments showed that both nasal symptom scores and serological markers were significantly lower in the study group compared to the control group (P<0.05). Additionally, the overall response rate was markedly higher in the study group (P0.05).Conclusion: The combination of loratadine and mometasone furoate effectively alleviates clinical symptoms in patients with allergic rhinitis while demonstrating a favorable safety profile, making it a promising option for clinical use.

Laryngeal cancer (LC) is a prevailing tumor with a high mortality rate. The pivotal role of mitophagy in LC is acknowledged; however, a comprehensive analysis of the corresponding genes has not been conducted. In the present study, we proposed a prognostic model consisting of mitophagy-related genes in LC. Clinical information and transcriptome profiling of patients with LC and mitophagy-related genes were retrieved from open-source databases. Gene set variation analysis (GSVA) and Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis (WGCNA) were used to identify core mitophagy-related genes and construct gene co-expression networks. Functional enrichment analysis was employed to analyze the enriched regulatory pathways of the mitophagy-related genes. Kaplan-Meier curves (KM), Cox, and LASSO regression were applied to explore their prognostic effects. Finally, quantitative real-time PCR (RT-qPCR) further verified the bioinformatics prediction. A total of 45 genes related to mitochondrial pathways was collected. GSVA analysis demonstrated that these genes in tumor samples mainly referred to the mitochondrial pathway. Among these genes, five mitophagy-related-gene signatures (CERCAM, CHPF, EPHX3, EXT2, and MED15) were further identified to construct the prognostic model. KM and Cox regression analyses indicated that this model had an accurate prognostic prediction for LC. RT-qPCR showed that CERCAM, CHPF, EXT2, and MED15 expression were upregulated, and EPHX3 level was decreased in LC cells. The present study established a five-mitophagy-related-gene model that can predict the prognosis of LC patients, thus laying the foundation for a better understanding and potential advancements in clinical treatments for LC.