Sophora japonica L. pollen (SJP) is an emerging cause of urban seasonal allergies such as asthma and rhinitis. This study systematically evaluated the allergenicity of SJP using both in vivo and in vitro experiments. In vivo, a mouse model was employed in which SJP induced typical allergic symptoms, including sneezing and rubbing behavior, elevated serum IgE and IL-4 levels, and reduced IFN-γ levels. In vitro, IgE immunoblotting and ELISA using sera from allergic patients identified five potential allergenic protein bands separated by SDS-PAGE. LC-MS analysis further revealed a novel potential allergen, a 35 kDa protein belonging to the cytochrome f family, designated as Sop j 1. Structural comparison by CD spectroscopy and AlphaFold, combined with matching molecular weight and IgE reactivity profiles, confirmed that this cytochrome f protein is indeed Sop j 1. Recombinant Sop j 1 was produced and structurally validated. Western blot and inhibition ELISA demonstrated its specific binding to IgE in patient sera and its ability to inhibit IgE binding to native SJP. These findings indicate that Sop j 1 is a key allergenic protein in SJP with high IgE sensitization rates in the studied population, which will facilitate the development of precise diagnostics and treatments.

This study aimed to investigate the anti-allergic potential of the ethyl acetate fraction (EtOAc) from Phyllanthus amarus using an ovalbumin (OVA)-induced allergic mouse model and in vitro RBL-2H3 mast cell assays. The EtOAc fraction was characterized by high total phenolic and flavonoid contents, reaching 261 ± 18 mg GAE/g EtOAc fraction and 86 ± 7 mg QE/g EtOAc fraction, respectively. It was found that EtOAc fraction significantly reduced histamine release up to 43.3% and suppressed reactive oxygen species (ROS) production from FcɛRI-mediated mast cell activation at a concentration treatment of 200 µg/mL. Furthermore, EtOAc fraction decreased interleukin-4 (IL-4) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) release up to 94.2 pg/mL and 195.6 pg/mL, respectively. In the OVA-induced allergic mouse model, EtOAc fraction treatment markedly lowered sneezing frequency and serum IgE and histamine levels by approximately 50% at a dose treatment of 50 mg/kg. In addition, histopathological analysis revealed that the EtOAc fraction significantly alleviated inflammatory cell infiltration, particularly eosinophils, in lung tissue. Accordingly, the results highlight the potential of EtOAc fraction from P. amarus as a natural candidate for managing allergic diseases.

Densely populated enclosed environments, characterized by complex thermal stratification and overlapping breathing zones, represent high-risk clusters for the airborne transmission of respiratory pathogens. To address the dual challenges of physical boundary fidelity and prohibitive computational latency in traditional solvers, this study proposes a physics-validated, data-driven framework for the rapid spatiotemporal prediction of sneeze-induced pollutant dispersion. A CFD-Robotics Twin system was developed, utilizing an anthropomorphic manipulator governed by a Transformer-based Imitation Learning policy to replicate non-linear human sneezing kinematics. To ensure rigorous physical fidelity, the simulated flow fields and particle trajectories were validated through a dual-stage experimental benchmark involving anemometer measurements and robotic-arm-nozzle discharge tests. On this basis, a spatial-preserving U-ConvLSTM architecture was developed. By integrating a convolutional U-Net encoder with ConvLSTM layers and symmetric skip-connections, the model maintains absolute physical coordinates (x,y) and bypasses the topological destruction inherent in conventional flattened architectures. Evaluation via mass error ( ε mass ) and Center of Mass distance confirms strict adherence to Eulerian conservation laws. Results demonstrate that the surrogate model achieves a computational acceleration of three orders of magnitude while maintaining high structural similarity (Structural Similarity Index Measure = 0.992). Furthermore, the framework translates abstract concentration fields into practical engineering metrics, including the Dynamic Safety Radius and vertical exposure windows. This research provides a scientifically rigorous tool for real-time risk assessment and the optimization of indoor spatial layouts to mitigate pathogen exposure.

Allergic rhinitis (AR) is often exacerbated by antibiotic-induced gut dysbiosis. This study investigated whether butyrylated starch (BS) could mitigate vancomycin (VAN)-induced AR aggravation by restoring gut homeostasis. In a murine AR model (n = 5 per group), VAN administration significantly depleted the abundance of butyrate-producing bacteria (e.g., Clostridia and Lachnospiraceae), suppressed colonic butyrate levels (1.08 ± 0.36 vs. 8.20 ± 0.78 μg/g in controls), and impaired intestinal barrier integrity, thereby worsening nasal symptoms (sneezing frequency: 4.40 ± 1.14 vs. 2.40 ± 0.55 in the AR group). Intervention with BS, a targeted butyrate precursor, effectively reversed these changes by increasing the abundance of butyrogenic taxa, increasing butyrate production (22.86 ± 3.27 μg/g), upregulating the expression of tight junction proteins (Occludin-1, ZO-1, and Claudin-3), and increasing the number of splenic regulatory T (Treg) cells. Our findings demonstrate that BS ameliorates antibiotic-induced AR via coordinated restoration of the gut microbiota-barrier-immune axis, suggesting a novel dietary strategy for the management of allergic inflammation.

Acute headache is a common clinical presentation with a broad differential diagnosis, ranging from benign to life-threatening conditions. Early recognition of atypical causes is essential, particularly when initial investigations are inconclusive. The etiology of acute headache can be broadly classified into primary and secondary causes. Primary headaches occur in the absence of identifiable structural pathology, whereas secondary headaches arise from an underlying organic cause. In this case presentation, a 65-year-old woman presented with a severe headache, which was triggered by an episode of sneezing. The pain was severe, rated 10 out of 10 in intensity, described as a constant dull ache that was felt all over the head but was more prominent in the occipital region, and it was accompanied by photophobia. The pain was not relieved by pain medications and was not associated with fever or trauma. No past history of migraine. On examination, she had no neck stiffness or abnormal neurology. Eye examination revealed bilateral redness and dilated and fixed pupils. Pain continued to be severe despite regular analgesia. A CT head revealed no space-occupying lesion or bleed. She was admitted for close observation and consideration of further investigations, including MRI, lumbar puncture, and inpatient neurology review. Unfortunately, before the MRI, the headache worsened, and the patient also complained of reduced vision in both eyes. An urgent ophthalmology review was requested, which revealed increased intraocular pressure (IOP) in both eyes (right eye 39 mmHg, left eye 40 mmHg, normal IOP: 10-21 mmHg). She was diagnosed with bilateral acute angle-closure glaucoma (AACG). She was given medical management as per the glaucoma protocol; however, as the headache worsened, medical management failed to reduce ocular pressure. She was taken for emergency anterior chamber (AC) paracentesis due to refractory IOP and peripheral iridotomy on the same day as definitive management. Over the next few days, her vision and headache started to improve. She was discharged with regular follow-up with the glaucoma clinic.

Allergic rhinitis is a highly prevalent inflammatory disease that significantly impairs sleep, daily functioning and quality of life, with symptoms increasingly amplified by environmental changes such as prolonged pollen seasons and urban pollution. Despite effective therapies, many patients remain poorly controlled due to delayed diagnosis, inappropriate self-selection of over-the-counter medications, limited adherence and incorrect intranasal technique. The fixed-dose intranasal combination of mometasone furoate and olopatadine addresses these gaps by uniting rapid antihistaminic, mast-cell stabilizing effects with potent, sustained anti-inflammatory activity. Clinical trials demonstrate superior improvement of nasal and ocular symptoms, faster onset of action, and favourable long-term safety compared with monotherapies. Its single-device formulation may enhance adherence and reduce inappropriate polypharmacy, offering a practical, guideline-aligned option for optimizing management of allergic rhinitis and mitigating risks associated with patient self-treatment.

A 10-year-old cat presented with a 2-year history of nasal discharge, sneezing, and nasal planum swelling. Granulomatous rhinitis caused by Prototheca wickerhamii infection was diagnosed on the basis of histopathological and genotypic analyses of biopsy samples. Oral voriconazole was administered; however, it caused adverse effects and was discontinued. The lesion, initially localized to the nasal planum, progressively extended into the nasal cavities, destroying the cribriform plate and orbital bone and invading the orbit and olfactory bulb. Following local voriconazole injection into the lesion, neurological impairment associated with increased intracranial pressure was observed. Despite transient resolution of clinical signs after resumption of voriconazole administration via a gastrostomy tube, the cat died from disease progression 465 days after the initial visit.

Respiratory disease is a common cause for morbidity and mortality in European hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus) presented for rehabilitation. Despite frequent suspicions of underlying pulmonary disease, upper respiratory tract disease (URTD) investigations rarely occur. Fifty rehabilitating European hedgehogs that died after exhibiting respiratory clinical signs were necropsied with histological and microbiological investigations of the respiratory tract. Fifty-six percent (n = 28) of these hedgehogs had substantial URTD based on histological assessment of 3 transverse nasal cavity sections. URTD cases presented with moderate to marked lethargy (82%), dyspnea and/or tachypnea (79%), abnormal breathing sounds (75%), nasal discharge (64%), and sneezing (54%). Most hedgehogs with URTD were euthanized, 13 (48%) within 24 hours of admission due to the severity of clinical signs, the others (52%) after a period ranging from 3 to 240 days whilst receiving various treatments. Histologically, substantial URTD cases presented as moderate-to-severe rhinitis (40%), epithelial damage ranging from widespread attenuation to multifocal ulceration (40%) and/or maxilloturbinate atrophy (22%) of the nasal chamber proper, and/or inflammation of the vestibule (20%) or caudal nasal cavity (43%). Rhinitis cases were often bilateral (80%), exudative, and neutrophilic with intraluminal gram-negative bacterial colonies. Bacterial culture yielded Morganella morganii (n = 6) and Pasteurella spp. (n = 5) from cases with URTD but not from histologically unremarkable noses. Potentially underlying triggers for URTD included trauma, foreign bodies, periodontal disease, oronasal fistula, and nasal fluke. As respiratory clinical signs in hedgehogs are commonly associated with URTD, routine antemortem and postmortem assessments of the nasal and oral cavities are warranted.