Meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials of the efficacy of propolis mouthwash in cancer therapy-induced oral mucositis.

PURPOSE: This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of propolis mouthwash in cancer patients with therapy-induced oral mucositis. METHODS: This was a systematic review of randomized control trails (RCTs). We searched ten electronic databases for studies published prior to April 06, 2017. The included RCTs were published in English and Chinese. The Jadad score was used to evaluate the quality of the articles identified. Two reviewers independently evaluated each of the studies. The data were entered into Review Manager (RevMan) 5.3 software and checked for accuracy. Outcome incidence analysis was performed using odds ratios (ORs). RESULTS: Of the 352 articles identified, five potentially relevant articles met our inclusion criteria. These 5 RCTs included a total of 209 participants. The Jadad score for methodological quality was 3.60 ± 0.55. No obvious publication bias was noted. The incidence of severe oral mucositis was significantly lower in the propolis group than in the control group (OR = 0.35, p = 0. 003). The corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI) was 0.18 to 0.70. Between-study heterogeneity was low (I2 = 0.000, p = 0.45). No side effects were reported. CONCLUSIONS: Propolis mouthwash is effective and safe in the treatment of severe oral mucositis. To maintain propolis safety, propolis usage should occur under the supervision of medical staff and health professionals. Future multi-center studies and a clinical protocol are needed to confirm the current findings regarding the efficacy and safety of propolis mouthwash.

The spatial transcriptomic landscape of human gingiva in health and periodontitis.

The gingiva is a key oral barrier that protects oral tissues from various stimuli. A loss of gingival tissue homeostasis causes periodontitis, one of the most prevalent inflammatory diseases in humans. The human gingiva exists as a complex cell network comprising specialized structures. To understand the tissue-specific pathophysiology of the gingiva, we applied a recently developed spatial enhanced resolution omics-sequencing (Stereo-seq) technique to obtain a spatial transcriptome (ST) atlas of the gingiva in healthy individuals and periodontitis patients. By utilizing Stereo-seq, we identified the major cell types present in the gingiva, which included epithelial cells, fibroblasts, endothelial cells, and immune cells, as well as subgroups of epithelial cells and immune cells. We further observed that inflammation-related signalling pathways, such as the JAK-STAT and NF-κB signalling pathways, were significantly upregulated in the endothelial cells of the gingiva of periodontitis patients compared with those of healthy individuals. Additionally, we characterized the spatial distribution of periodontitis risk genes in the gingiva and found that the expression of IFI16 was significantly increased in endothelial cells of inflamed gingiva. In conclusion, our Stereo-seq findings may facilitate the development of innovative therapeutic strategies for periodontitis by mapping periodontitis-relevant genes and pathways and effector cells.

Unravelling the genomic features, phylogeny and genetic basis of tooth ontogenesis in Characiformes through analysis of four genomes.

Characiformes is a diverse and evolutionarily significant order of freshwater fish encompassing over 2,300 species. Despite its diversity, our understanding of Characiformes' evolutionary relationships and adaptive mechanisms is limited due to insufficient genome sequences. In this study, we sequenced and assembled the genomes of four Characiformes species, three of which were chromosome-level assemblies. Our analyses revealed dynamic changes in gene family evolution, repeat sequences and variations in chromosomal collinearity within these genomes. With the assembled genomes, we were not only able to elucidate the evolutionary relationship of the four main orders in Otophysi but also indicated Characiformes as the paraphyletic group. Comparative genomic analysis with other available fish genomes shed light on the evolution of genes related to tooth development in Characiformes. Notably, variations in the copy number of secretory calcium-binding phosphoproteins (SCPP) genes were observed among different orders of Otophysi, indicating their potential contribution to the diversity of tooth types. Our study offers invaluable genome sequences and novel insights into Characiformes' evolution, paving the way for further genomic and evolutionary research in fish.

An E2F1/MiR-17-92 Negative Feedback Loop mediates proliferation of Mouse Palatal Mesenchymal Cells.

Normal cell cycle progression and proliferation of palatal mesenchymal cells are important for palatal development. As targets of miR-17-92, E2F transcription factors family has been suggested to induce the transcription of miR-17-92 in several cell types. In the present study, we sought to investigate whether this negative feedback loop exists in mouse PMCs and what the function of this negative feedback loop would be in palatal mesenchymal cells. Using GeneMANIA, we revealed that the most important function of experimentally verified targets of miR-17-92 is cell cycle regulation. E2F1 and E2F3, but not E2F2, were extensively expressed in mouse palate. Over-expression of E2F1 significantly increased the expression of all the members of miR-17-92. After increased by E2F1, miR-17 and miR-20a may negatively target E2F1, and thereby prevent the cells from excessive proliferation. We suggest that the negative feedback loop between E2F1 and miR-17-92 may contribute to palatal development by regulating the proliferation and cell cycle of palatal mesenchymal cells.

Salvianolic acid B protects against myocardial damage caused by nanocarrier TiO2; and synergistic anti-breast carcinoma effect with curcumin via codelivery system of folic acid-targeted and polyethylene glycol-modified TiO2 nanoparticles.

Targeted delivery by the folate ligand is an effective way to enhance an anti-breast carcinoma effect, due to its high affinity for the folate receptor, which is overexpressed in many tumor cells. In this study, we firstly synthesized a folic acid (FA)-targeted and polyethylene glycol (PEG)-modified TiO2 nanocarrier. Then, an FA-PEG-TiO2 nanoparticle (NP) codelivery system loaded with curcumin and salvianolic acid B were prepared by emulsion evaporation-solidification at low temperature. The obtained folate-targeted NPs (FA-NPs) showed more cytotoxicity on MCF7 cells and MDA-MB-231 cells than a nontargeted NP group. Apart from a synergistic anti-breast cancer effect with curcumin, salvianolic acid B protects the cardiovascular system from oxidative injury by the TiO2 nanocarrier. With coumarin 6 as a fluorescent probe to observe cellular uptake of NPs, the results of in vitro cellular uptake demonstrated FA-NPs exhibited higher cellular uptake and accumulation in MCF7 cells and MDA-MB-231 cells than nontargeted NPs. Then, in vivo biodistribution of NPs was further qualitatively and quantitatively confirmed by in vivo imaging. More importantly, the animal study further suggested that FA-NPs had significantly stronger antitumor effects via receptor-mediated targeted delivery. Consequently, FA-PEG-TiO2 NPs loaded with curcumin and salvianolic acid B could be a promising drug-delivery system to treat breast cancer.

Effects of rhamnolipid on the cellulase and xylanase in hydrolysis of wheat straw.

The effects of biosurfactant rhamnolipid (RL) and chemical surfactant Triton X-100 on the production of cellulases and xylanase from Penicillium expansum (P. expansum) in untreated, acid- and alkali-pretreated wheat straw submerged fermentations were studied, and the influences on the activity and stability of Cellulase R-10 were also investigated. The results showed that RL and Triton X-100 enhanced the activities of cellulases and xylanase to different extents and the stimulatory effects of RL were superior to those of Triton X-100. During the peak enzyme production phase, RL (60 RE mg/l) increased cellulases activities by 25.5-102.9%, in which the raise of the same enzyme in acid-pretreated straw broths was the most. It was found that the reducing sugars by hydrolyzing wheat straw with Cellulase R-100 were not visibly increased after adding RL. However, it distinctly protected Cellulase R-10 from degradation or inactivation, keeping the reducing sugars yield at about 17%.

[Study on the corrosion resistance of Cr ahoy in the artificial saliva with different pH value].

OBJECTIVE: To study the effect on the corrosion resistance of Cr alloy in the artificial saliva with different pH value in vitro. METHODS: Compared to Ti alloy, electrochemical technique was used to measure the electric potential of corrosion (E(corr)), current density of corrosion (I(corr)) Cr alloy in the artificial saliva with different pH value. The corrosion and corrosion resistance mechanism on Cr alloy in the artificial saliva with different pH value had been investigated by the EIS curves. RESULTS: The corrosion resistance of Co-Cr alloy was better than Ti alloy. The value of I(corr) was lower and the value of R(p) was larger than Ti alloy. The corrosion resistance of Ni-Cr alloy was worse than Ti alloy. The value of I(corr) was larger and the value of R(p) was lower than Ti alloy. The pH value in the artificial saliva was decreased, the I(corr) value of three types of alloy increased, the R(p) value of three types of alloy decreased. But the changes of Co-Cr alloy was smaller than that of Ti alloy or Ni-Cr alloy. CONCLUSION: The corrosion resistance of Co-Cr alloy was superior to that of Ni-Cr alloy and Ti alloy. In the acid artificial saliva, the corrosion resistance of three types of alloy descended evidently.

[Analysis of 27 cases of defect restoration using infrahyoid myocutaneous flap after intraoral cancer surgery].

OBJECTIVE: To compare different surgical techniques and clinical effectiveness using infrahyoid myocutaneous flap to restore effects after intraoral cancer surgery. METHODS: It is a retrospective study in Sichuan cancer hospital, from May 1994 to March 2007, 27 cases were treated surgically with unilateral infrahyoid myocutaneous flap, 19 males and 8 females. Seven cases of squamous cell tongue carcinoma, 4 cases of tongue root carcinoma, 16 cases of mouth floor carcinoma. The biggest flap was 4 cm x 8 cm. In 8 cases, the flap was formed since the remote end reverse vascular traveling and carried with inferior 1/3 muscular tissue of the sternocleidomastoid muscle on the same side (retrograde flap forming), in 19 cases, vascular pedicle was anatomies with microscopic blood vessel-operating skills along vascular traveling before the flap forming (anterograde flap forming). Eleven cases of the reservation vascularized and infrahyoid muscles in the hyoid attachment (combination pedicle), in 16 cases, the arteria and vena thyroidea superior reserved as the pedicle accompanied with the vena jugularis anterior (the axial vessel pedicle); in 21 cases, the distal end of the vena jugularis interna was tied up at the place where the vena facialis communis joins to the vena jugularis interna. and the vena jugularis anterior was reserved within the flap (interference return). RESULTS: The survival rate of total 27 cases are 77.8%. The flap necrosis in two cases of total group, 1/3 - 1/2 skin necrosis of the flap was found in 4 cases, in the six cases, flap was formed with retrograde flap forming carry with the ipsilateral sternocleidomastoid, the reason of necrosis was venous flow obstruction. Twenty-one flaps of interference return are all survived, the flap in 19 cases with anterograde flap forming all survived, and 16 cases of the axial infrahyoid flap all survived. Follow-up nine months to 13 years with a median follow-up time for four years. Lost four cases, 23 followed up cases did not found on the flap recurrence of cancer. The primary tumor recurrence in three cases, six cases of cervical lymph node recurrence, Kaplan-Meier method statistics 3, 5-year survival rates were 69.8%, 47.2%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: To improve the survival rate, the surgical approach of anterograde flap forming is suitable, to anatomies the axial vessel pedicle with microscopic skills, in particular should pay attention to ensure that venous return. Carrying with the same side of the sternocleidomastoid muscle tissue and retaining hyoid attachment of infrahyoid muscles will not increase the survival rate of the muscle flap.