Machine Learning Assisted Self-Powered Identity Recognition Based on Thermogalvanic Hydrogel for Intelligent Security.

Identity recognition as the first barrier of intelligent security plays a vital role, which is facing new challenges that are unable to meet the need of intelligent era due to low accuracy, complex configuration and dependence on power supply. Here, a finger temperature-driven intelligent identity recognition strategy is presented based on a thermogalvanic hydrogel (TGH) by actively discerning biometric characteristics of fingers. The TGH is a dual network PVA/Agar hydrogel in an H2O/glycerol binary solvent with [Fe(CN)6]3-/4- as a redox couple. Using a concave-arranged TGH array, the characteristics of users can be distinguished adequately even under an open environment by extracting self-existent intrinsic temperature features from five typical sites of fingers. Combined with machine learning, the TGH array can recognize different users with a high average accuracy of 97.6%. This self-powered identity recognition strategy is further applied to a smart lock, attaining a more reliable security protection from biometric characteristics than bare passwords. This work provides a promising solution for achieving better identity recognition, which has great advantages in intelligent security and human-machine interaction toward future Internet of everything.

Effects of acute normovolemic hemodilution and allogeneic blood transfusion on postoperative complications of oral and maxillofacial flap reconstruction: a retrospective study.

OBJECTIVE: Patients undergoing oral and maxillofacial flap reconstruction often need blood transfusions due to massive blood loss. With the increasing limitations of allogeneic blood transfusion (ABT), doctors are considering acute normovolemic hemodilution (ANH) because of its advantages. By comparing the differences in the (Δ) blood indices and postoperative complications of patients receiving ABT or ANH during the reconstruction and repair of oral and maxillofacial tumor flaps, this study's purpose was to provide a reference for the clinical application of ANH. METHODS: The clinical data of 276 patients who underwent oral and maxillofacial flap reconstruction from September 25, 2017, to October 11, 2021, in the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, were retrospectively analyzed. According to the intraoperative blood transfusion mode, the patients were divided into two groups: ABT and ANH. The differences in the (Δ) blood indices and the incidence of postoperative complications between the groups were analyzed. RESULTS: Among the 276 patients who had ANH (124/276) and ABT (152/276), there were no differences in (Δ) Hb, (Δ) PT, or (Δ) FIB (P > 0.05), while (Δ) WBC, (Δ) PLT, (Δ) APTT and (Δ) D-dimer were significantly different (P < 0.05). The blood transfusion method was not an independent factor for flap crisis (P > 0.05). The wound infection probability in patients with high post-PTs was 1.953 times greater than that in patients with low post-PTs (OR = 1.953, 95% CI: 1.232 ∼ 3.095, P = 0.004). A normal or overweight BMI was a protective factor for pulmonary infection, and the incidence of pulmonary infection in these patients was only 0.089 times that of patients with a low BMI (OR = 0.089, 95% CI: 0.017 ∼ 0.462). Moreover, a high ASA grade promoted the occurrence of pulmonary infection (OR = 6.373, 95% CI: 1.681 ∼ 24.163). The blood transfusion mode (B = 0.310, ß = 0.360, P < 0.001; ANH: ln hospital stay = 2.20 ± 0.37; ABT: ln hospital stay = 2.54 ± 0.42) improved the length of hospital stay. CONCLUSION: Preoperative and postoperative blood transfusion (Δ) Hb, (Δ) PT, and (Δ) FIB did not differ; (Δ) WBC, (Δ) PLT, (Δ) APTT, and (Δ) D-dimer did differ. There was no difference in the effects of the two blood transfusion methods on flap crisis, incision infection or lung infection after flap reconstruction, but ANH resulted in a 3.65 day shorter average hospital stay than did ABT.

Navigation-based endoscopic enucleation (NBEE) of large mandibular cystic lesions involving the ramus.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to present an innovative surgical protocol, navigation-based endoscopic enucleation (NBEE) for the treatment of large mandibular cystic lesions involving the mandibular ramus. METHODS: Twelve patients who presented with a large mandibular cystic lesion involving the mandibular ramus were enrolled in this study. Preoperative planning and intraoperative navigation were performed in all 12 patients. RESULTS: All patients in this study were treated with navigation-based endoscopic enucleation successfully. The follow-up period ranged from 7 to 10 months. Bone regenerated was found in all patients postoperatively. Three patients experienced temporary mandibular nerve palsy, and all relieved within 2 months. No pathological bone fracture was found during surgery. CONCLUSIONS: The use of navigation-based endoscopic enucleation (NBEE) for the treatment of large mandibular cystic lesions involving the ramus proved to be an effective method for complete and precise enucleation of the cystic lesion that also preserved the surrounding tissue.

CD79A work as a potential target for the prognosis of patients with OSCC: analysis of immune cell infiltration in oral squamous cell carcinoma based on the CIBERSORTx deconvolution algorithm.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the abundance of infiltrating tumor immune cells in patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and to search for potential targets that can predict patient prognosis. METHODS: A total of 400 samples from 210 patients with OSCC were collected using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. CIBERSORTx was used to evaluate the infiltration abundance of tumor immune cells. Potential target genes were searched to predict patient prognosis through case grouping, differential analysis, and enrichment analysis. Surgical excisional tissue sections of patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma admitted to the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, from 2015 to 2018 were collected and followed up. RESULTS: The CIBERSORTx deconvolution algorithm was used to analyze the infiltration abundance of immune cells in the samples. Cases with a high infiltration abundance of naive and memory B lymphocytes improved the prognosis of OSCC patients. The prognosis of patients with low CD79A expression was significantly better than that of patients with high CD79A expression. CONCLUSION: CD79A can predict the infiltration abundance of B lymphocytes in the tumor microenvironment of patients with OSCC. CD79A is a potential target for predicting the prognosis of patients with OSCC. This study provides novel ideas for the treatment of OSCC and for predicting patient prognosis.

Application of an L-shaped anterolateral thigh flap in reconstruction after hemiglossectomy.

OBJECTIVE: Tongue defect reconstruction is one of the key components of tongue cancer surgery. In this study, we used an L-shaped flap design adopted as a simple and efficient method to repair tongue defects after hemiglossectomy. Furthermore, we evaluated and contrasted the clinical effects of two methods, the L-shaped and traditional methods. STUDY DESIGN: Fifteen patients in the L-shaped group and 20 patients in the traditional group were evaluated and compared in terms of postoperative complications, dysphagia, language function and appearance satisfaction. RESULTS: The results (Table 1) showed that there were 2 cases of donor area invalid traumas, and 2 patients had scar hyperplasia in the traditional group. The degree of global and functional dysphagia of the L-shaped group (2.60 ± 0.29 and 11.47 ± 1.38) was lower than that of the traditional group (3.55 ± 0.29 and 15.75 ± 1.22) (P < 0.05). In the language evaluation, the traditional group (3.20 ± 0.26) had lower scores than the L-shaped group (4.13 ± 0.30) (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The L-shaped ALTP flap is a simple and efficient modification of ALTP, that can be used for half-tongue repair after radical operations for tongue cancer. It has better performance in the recovery of dysphagia and language function than the traditional ALTP flap.

Progression and postoperative complications of osteoradionecrosis of the jaw: a 20-year retrospective study of 124 non-nasopharyngeal cancer cases and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: To assess the contributing risk factors for the progression of, and the postoperative poor prognosis associated with, osteoradionecrosis of jaw (ORNJ) following non-nasopharyngeal cancer treatment in head and neck. METHODS: A retrospective study of 124 non-nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients in head and neck treated at one institution between 2001 and 2020 was conducted. A cumulative meta-analysis was conducted according to PRISMA protocol and the electronic search was performed on the following search engines: PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science. After assessing surgery with jaw lesions as a risk factor for the occurrence of ORNJ, 124 cases were categorized into two groups according to the "BS" classification, after which jaw lesions, chemotherapy, flap reconstruction and onset time of ORNJ were analyzed through the chi-square test and t-test to demonstrate the potential association between them and the progression of ORNJ. Postoperative outcomes of wound healing, occlusal disorders, and nerve injury were statistically analyzed. RESULTS: With the statistically significant results of the meta-analysis (odds ratio = 3.07, 95% CI: 1.84-5.13, p < 0.0001), the chi-square test and t-test were used to validate our hypotheses and identified that surgery with jaw lesions could aggravate the progression and accelerate the appearance of ORNJ. Patients who underwent chemotherapy tended to suffer from severe-to-advanced osteonecrosis but did not shorten the onset time of ORNJ. Flap reconstruction presented obvious advantages in wound healing (p < 0.001) and disordered occlusion (p < 0.005). The mean onset time of ORNJ in non-nasopharyngeal cancer patients (4.5 years) was less than that in patients with nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC) (6.8 years). CONCLUSIONS: Iatrogenic jaw lesions are evaluated as a significant risk factor in the occurrence and progression of ORNJ in non-nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients who tend to have more severe and earlier osteonecrosis after radiotherapy than NPC patients. Flap reconstruction is a better choice for protecting the remaining bone tissue and reducing postoperative complications of ORNJ.

Using sternal angle as anatomic landmark for right internal jugular vein catheterization in pediatrics.

BACKGROUND: Many formulas based on the patient's height, weight and/or age exist to determine central venous catheter (CVC) depth in children. However, this information is unavailable in some emergency conditions. Therefore, direct methods should be developed to guide catheter position in children. METHODS: Eighty patients aged 1-10 y were enrolled from July 2015 to August 2016 and seventy-five were completed; fifty were male, and twenty-five were female. The exclusion criteria were inability to identify the sternal angle or failure to use the right internal jugular vein approach. The catheter was inserted using the right internal jugular vein approach, the distance from the skin puncture point to the midpoint of the sternal angle plane was measured, and the catheter tip was positioned to this distance minus 1 cm. Chest radiography were performed for those children after catheter insertion. The relative position between the catheter tip and carina was confirmed and the longitudinal distance from the catheter tip to the carina was calculated on radiographic images, and related complications were recorded. RESULTS: All catheter tips were above the carina, and the average distance from the catheter tip to the carina was 9.8 mm. No patients experienced serious complications. CONCLUSION: The sternal angle is a useful and reliable anatomic landmark for guiding CVC position in children. Using this landmark, the catheter can be quickly and conveniently placed at a safety position in right internal jugular vein, especially in some emergency conditions.

Full cheek defect reconstruction using ALTF versus RFF: Comparison of quality of life, clinical results, and donor site morbidity.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to compare the quality of life (QOL) of patients, clinical results of the recipient site, and morbidities of the donor site between the use of free anterolateral thigh flaps (ALTFs) and radial forearm flaps (RFFs) for reconstruction of full cheek defects following tumor resection. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 52 patients who underwent reconstruction of full cheek defects using free ALTFs and free RFFs following tumor ablation at our center. The range of mouth opening, speech, swallowing, facial appearance, donor site complications, and subjective symptoms based on the University of Washington Quality of Life (UW-QOL) questionnaire findings were assessed in the ALTF and RFF groups at 3, 12, and 36 months after surgery. RESULTS: Quality of life, range of mouth opening, facial appearance, mood and anxiety, donor site appearance, subjective feeling, and functional impairment were better in the ALTF group than in the RFF group based on the physical examination findings and questionnaire scores. CONCLUSION: This study found better QOL and better functional results at the recipient site and minor morbidities at the donor site with the use of free ALTFs in the reconstruction of full cheek defects.

Quantum Phase Transition of Correlated Iron-Based Superconductivity in LiFe_{1-x}Co_{x}As.

The interplay between unconventional Cooper pairing and quantum states associated with atomic scale defects is a frontier of research with many open questions. So far, only a few of the high-temperature superconductors allow this intricate physics to be studied in a widely tunable way. We use scanning tunneling microscopy to image the electronic impact of Co atoms on the ground state of the LiFe_{1-x}Co_{x}As system. We observe that impurities progressively suppress the global superconducting gap and introduce low energy states near the gap edge, with the superconductivity remaining in the strong-coupling limit. Unexpectedly, the fully opened gap evolves into a nodal state before the Cooper pair coherence is fully destroyed. Our systematic theoretical analysis shows that these new observations can be quantitatively understood by the nonmagnetic Born-limit scattering effect in an s±-wave superconductor, unveiling the driving force of the superconductor to metal quantum phase transition.

Lidocaine Attenuates Cognitive Impairment After Isoflurane Anesthesia by Reducing Mitochondrial Damage.

Mitochondrial dysfunction has been proposed to be one of the earliest triggering events in isoflurane-induced neuronal damage. Lidocaine has been demonstrated to attenuate the impairment of cognition in aged rats induced by isoflurane in our previous study. In this study, we hypothesized that lidocaine could attenuate isoflurane anesthesia-induced cognitive impairment by reducing mitochondrial damage. H4 human neuroglioma cells and 18-month-old male Fischer 344 rats were exposed to isoflurane or isoflurane plus lidocaine. Cognitive function was tested at 14 days after treatment by the Barnes Maze test in male Fischer 344 rats. Morphology was observed under electron microscope, and mitochondrial transmembrane potential, electron transfer chain (ETC) enzyme activity, complex-I-IV activity, immunofluorescence and flow cytometry of annexin V-FITC binding, TUNEL assay, and Western blot analyses were applied. Lidocaine attenuated cognitive impairment caused by isoflurane in aged Fischer 344 rat. Lidocaine was effective in reducing mitochondrial damage, mitigating the decrease in mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm), reversing isoflurane-induced changes in complex activity in the mitochondrial electron transfer chain and inhibiting the apoptotic activities induced by isoflurane in H4 cells and Fischer 344 rats. Additionally, lidocaine suppressed the ratio of Bax (the apoptosis-promoting protein) to Bcl-2 (the apoptosis-inhibiting protein) caused by isoflurane in H4 cells. Lidocaine proved effective in attenuating isoflurane-induced POCD by reducing mitochondrial damage.

The Mammalian Target of Rapamycin-70-kDa Ribosomal Protein S6 Kinase Axis Inhibits the Biological Function of Tongue Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

PURPOSE: Studies have shown the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) and 70-kDa ribosomal protein S6 kinase (p70S6K) to be tumor suppressors in many cancers. These factors may have synergistic functions in tongue squamous cell carcinoma (TSCC), which is the most common malignant cancer in the oral region. We aimed to investigate the expression of the mTOR-p70S6K axis in TSCC patients and its biological function in TSCC cell lines. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty-eight TSCC patients were included in this study, and their features, including age, gender, tumor differentiation, lymphatic metastasis, and clinical stage, were recorded. The expression of mTOR and p70S6K was detected by immunohistochemistry. Small interfering RNA constructs were delivered into TSCC cells to downregulate mTOR and p70S6K expression in vitro. After transfection, cell proliferation, migration or invasion, apoptosis, and chemoresistance assays were performed to examine cellular variations of biological function. RESULTS: High expression of the mTOR-p70S6K axis was associated with higher tumor stage, lymph node metastasis, and poor tumor differentiation. Suppression of mTOR and p70S6K in TSCC cells resulted in the inhibition of cell proliferation, metastases, and chemoresistance. Inhibiting mTOR expression could inhibit p70S6K expression but not vice versa. CONCLUSIONS: The high expression of mTOR and p70S6K is closely associated with malignant characterization of TSCC patients, and it could inhibit biological functions of TSCC cell lines. Taken together, the mTOR-p70S6K axis may serve as a potential therapeutic strategy for TSCC.

Direct evidence of interaction-induced Dirac cones in a monolayer silicene/Ag(111) system.

Silicene, analogous to graphene, is a one-atom-thick 2D crystal of silicon, which is expected to share many of the remarkable properties of graphene. The buckled honeycomb structure of silicene, along with enhanced spin-orbit coupling, endows silicene with considerable advantages over graphene in that the spin-split states in silicene are tunable with external fields. Although the low-energy Dirac cone states lie at the heart of all novel quantum phenomena in a pristine sheet of silicene, a hotly debated question is whether these key states can survive when silicene is grown or supported on a substrate. Here we report our direct observation of Dirac cones in monolayer silicene grown on a Ag(111) substrate. By performing angle-resolved photoemission measurements on silicene(3 × 3)/Ag(111), we reveal the presence of six pairs of Dirac cones located on the edges of the first Brillouin zone of Ag(111), which is in sharp contrast to the expected six Dirac cones centered at the K points of the primary silicene(1 × 1) Brillouin zone. Our analysis shows clearly that the unusual Dirac cone structure we have observed is not tied to pristine silicene alone but originates from the combined effects of silicene(3 × 3) and the Ag(111) substrate. Our study thus identifies the case of a unique type of Dirac cone generated through the interaction of two different constituents. The observation of Dirac cones in silicene/Ag(111) opens a unique materials platform for investigating unusual quantum phenomena and for applications based on 2D silicon systems.

Removal of the Dental Implant Displaced Into the Maxillary Sinus Through the Inferior Nasal Meatus via Transnasal Endoscopy.

Worldwide, the reconstruction of the posterior edentulous maxilla with dental implants has become a common practice in clinical settings. However, the poor bone condition in this area is sometimes accompanied by complications. Dental implant displacement into the maxillary sinus is viewed as a rare complication. A case of a 72-year-old man in whom an endoscopic technique was used to remove a dental implant that had been mistakenly planted into the maxillary sinus was reported in this study. The authors approached the sinus through the inferior nasal meatus, and the dental implant was removed through the widened ostium. The endoscopic surgical approach described in this study is reliable and minimally invasive for removing residual roots displaced into the maxillary sinus. Therefore, it has been concluded that this clinical procedure is worth using.

Removal of the Residual Roots Displaced Into the Maxillary Sinus via Endoscopy.

Minimally invasive endoscopic surgery has been developed for various indications in the craniomaxillofacial area. The case report presented in this article is focused on the possibility of removing the residual roots displaced into the maxillary sinus by means of an endoscopic technique. When planning endoscopic surgery to access the residual roots displaced in the maxillary sinus, we performed 2 different approaches into the maxillary sinus, a transnasal approach through the middle or inferior turbinate and transoral approach via the anterior maxillary sinus wall. The endoscopic surgical approach described is reliable and minimally invasive for removing the residual roots displaced into the maxillary sinus. Therefore, we concluded that the application of this clinical procedure is worth promoting.

Downregulation of nucleophosmin expression inhibited proliferation and induced apoptosis in salivary gland adenoid cystic carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to explore the relationship between nucleophosmin (NPM1) and patient clinical characteristics. Moreover, we investigated the effect of NPM1 in tumor proliferation and apoptosis of salivary gland adenoid cystic carcinoma (SACC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: NPM1 expression was examined in 74 specimens of SACC and 31 non-cancerous epithelium adjacent to carcinoma (NCEAC) by immunohistochemistry (IHC). RNA interference technology was used to silence NPM1 expression in SACC cells. We used transwell culture assay, cell counting kit-8 tests, and colony formation assay to test the proliferation, cisplatin resistance, migration, and invasiveness of SACC cells. RESULTS: The nuclear and cytoplasmic expression of NPM1 in SACC tissue was overexpressed and was tightly linked to perineural invasion and lymph node metastasis. The downregulation of NPM1 inhibited proliferation and induced apoptosis in SACC cells. Knockdown of NPM1 expression had no effect on chemoresistance migration, or invasiveness. CONCLUSIONS: NPM1 may play an important role in tumor progress in SACC and is a potential biomarker for SACC.

Craniofacial Resection and Reconstruction in Patients With Recurrent Cancer Involving the Craniomaxillofacial Region.

PURPOSE: Head and neck tumors that involve the craniomaxillofacial region are classified as stage IVb disease and are clinically challenging. In this study, the outcomes of craniofacial resection and craniofacial reconstruction in patients with recurrent malignant tumors involving the craniomaxillofacial region were evaluated. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This retrospective observational study was conducted from January 2008 to August 2015. Data collected for each patient included age, gender, tumor site, initial treatment, craniofacial resection, reconstruction flaps and complications after craniofacial resection, adjuvant treatment, and reported outcomes of craniofacial resection and craniofacial reconstruction. The χ2 test in SPSS was used to analyze the data. RESULTS: Twenty-four patients with recurrent malignant tumors involving the craniomaxillofacial region were identified who had undergone craniofacial resection at the Center of Craniomaxillofacial Surgery of Sun Yat-sen University (Guangzhou, Guangdong, China). The study population was comprised of 24 patients (15 men and 9 women; age range, 21 to 73 yr) with recurrent tumors (58.3% with squamous cell carcinoma [SCC], 41.7% with sarcoma [SA]) involving the craniomaxillofacial region who underwent craniofacial resection. Craniofacial resection consisted of orbital exenteration and maxillotomy; anterior skull base surgery, facial resection, and mandibulotomy; or ipsilateral radical neck dissection. The resultant craniomaxillofacial defects were reconstructed using extended vertical lower trapezius island myocutaneous flaps (TIMFs), temporalis myofascial flaps, or submental flaps. All patients with recurrent malignant tumor involving the craniomaxillofacial region underwent gross total resection of the tumor; 22 patients underwent craniofacial reconstruction. There were no major surgical complications. Minor flap failure and wound dehiscence in the donor site occurred in 4 patients. The follow-up period ranged from 8 to 36 months. Seven patients in the SCC group and 7 in the SA group were alive with no evidence of disease (AND), 3 in the SCC group and 2 in the SA group were alive with disease (AWD), and 4 in the SCC and 1 in the SA group died of the disease (DOD) after local recurrence or distant metastases at 8 to 18 months. There were no statistical differences among the AND, AWD, and DOD groups. CONCLUSIONS: Craniofacial resection remains an effective salvage treatment for patients with recurrent SCC and SA involving the craniomaxillofacial region. The extended vertical lower TIMF is a large, simple, and reliable flap for reconstructing major defects after a craniofacial resection.

Endoscopy-Assisted Transoral Versus Endoscopy-Assisted Transcervical Minimal Incision Plus Mandibular Osteotomy Approach in Resection of Large Parapharyngeal Space Tumors.

BACKGROUND: Resection of the parapharyngeal space is often challenging. This study aims to evaluate the outcome of the endoscopy-assisted transoral approach for resection of the parapharyngeal space tumors compared with the endoscopy-assisted transcervical approach. METHODS: Twenty-three consecutive patients (15 males, 8 females) who underwent resection of large parapharyngeal space tumors via endoscopy-assisted transoral (ETO) approach or endoscopy-assisted transcervical minimal incision plus osteotomy of the vertical ramus outside the mandibular foramen (ETC + MO) approach were analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS: The tumors in ETO group are benign; there are 2 patients with adenoid cystic carcinoma and 1 patient with recurrent pleomorphic adenoma in ETC + MO group. All of the tumors were removed completely and without rupture. No major complications developed in any patient. Temporary facial paresis occurred in 1 patient in the ETC + MO group, which resolved spontaneously within 8 weeks. The cosmetic effects of all patients in ETO groups and 10 patients in ETC + MO groups were excellent. Patients were followed up for 7 to 26 months, no recurrence was encountered. CONCLUSION: ETO and ETC + MO approach in resection of large parapharyngeal space tumors are feasible and safe technique that achieve excellent aesthetic and functional results. Endoscopy-assisted transoral approach can shorten hospitalized time and avoid the risk of marginal mandibular nerve injury and ETC + MO approach may be used in malignant or recurrent parapharyngeal space tumors.

Methylation of neurofilament light polypeptide promoter is associated with cell invasion and metastasis in NSCLC.

The role of NEFL in NSCLC remains largely unknown. Immunohistochemistry was performed to investigate the expression of NEFL in 108 lung cancer specimens. NEFL expression was associated with decreased lymph node metastases and favorable prognosis. Furthermore, real-time PCR and Western blot were used to investigate the expression of the NEFL gene in NSCLC cell lines. Subsequently, lentivirus-mediated RNA interference and overexpression were used to demonstrate that knocked-down of NEFL enhanced the invasion and migration of A549 and H460 NSCLC cells, whereas NEFL overexpression resulted in a suppression of the invasion and migration of GLC-82 and L78 cells in vitro. In addition, bisulfite sequence PCR assay demonstrated that NEFL downregulation was associated with promoter methylation, and NEFL expression was restored after treatment with 5-Aza-dC. Finally, we demonstrated that NEFL inhibited the NF-κB pathway, thereby suppressing the expression of uPA and decreasing NSCLC invasiveness and migration. Our studies suggest that NEFL methylation is a novel mechanism for NSCLC invasion and metastasis and that NEFL may represent a candidate biomarker for recurrence and survival in patients with NSCLC.

Knockdown of Myosin 6 inhibits proliferation of oral squamous cell carcinoma cells.

BACKGROUND: Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) accounts for 95% of all oral cancer with higher mortality and morbidity rates worldwide. However, the potential molecular mechanism of OSCC remains largely unclear. Myosin VI (MYO6) is a unique actin motor and reported to be overexpressed in several cancers. This study aims to examine the functional relationship between OSCC and MYO6. METHODS: The mRNA expression of MYO6 was firstly investigated by analyzing data derived from Oncomine database. On the basis of the results, the expression of MYO6 was knocked down using lentivirus-delivered RNA interference in human OSCC cell line CAL27, as confirmed by qPCR and Western blot analysis. Stable MYO6 knockdown cells were employed to determine the effects of MYO6-silencing on cell growth by MTT, colony formation and cell cycle distribution and apoptosis by flow cytometry assay. Moreover, the expressions of cell apoptotic proteins were examined by Western blot analysis. RESULTS: We first observed MYO6 was overexpressed in tongue squamous cell carcinoma TSCC belongs to OSCC, compared with normal tissues. For cellular analysis, shRNA sequences against MYO6 could efficiently reduce its expression in CAL27 cells. Knockdown of MYO6 significantly decreased cell proliferation, caused cell cycle arrest at G2/M phase, and promoted cell apoptosis. Moreover, cell apoptosis-associated proteins, caspase-3 and PARP, were obviously upregulated in CAL27 after MYO6-silencing. CONCLUSION: MYO6 could play an essential role in the growth of OSCC cells via regulation of cell cycle progression and apoptosis.

Dysphagia in Tongue Cancer Patients Before and After Surgery.

PURPOSE: To define factors influencing postoperative aspiration in tongue cancer patients and to analyze the characteristics of dysphagia before and after surgery. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 112 tongue cancer patients participated in this work. Videofluoroscopic swallowing studies were performed in all patients before and after surgery. A Penetration-Aspiration Scale score of 3 or greater was defined as an aspiration risk. Qualitative data were collected on a frame-by-frame basis from each videofluoroscopic swallowing study and analyzed. RESULTS: Smoking (58.14%, P < .01), tongue resection greater than 50% (38.71%, P < .05), and advanced tumor stage (49.18%, P < .01) were strong risk factors for aspiration. High incidences of inadequate tongue movement, delayed oral transit time, reduced hyoid bone elevation, poor aspiration or penetration, vallecula epiglottica, and residual material in the pyriform sinuses were evident after surgery (all P < .001). The Penetration-Aspiration Scale score was significantly higher after surgery than before surgery. The incidence of silent aspiration increased to 6.25% postoperatively. CONCLUSIONS: Smoking, larger tongue resection, and advanced tumor stage were strong risk factors for postoperative aspiration and dysphagia complications in tongue cancer patients. The aspiration rate was higher after surgery. Further studies should focus on the prevention and early treatment of dysphagia, especially postoperative aspiration, in tongue cancer patients.