FRZB: a potential prognostic marker for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is the sixth most common malignancy worldwide, with approximately 600,000 new cases each year. A small number of HNSCCs are caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. Frizzled related protein (FRZB) has been reported in many inflammatory diseases and cancers, but it is yet unclear how FRZB affects HNSCC, as well as its role and underlying mechanism. TIMER2 database was utilized to evaluate FRZB expression in cancer tissues, and FRZB expression in HNSCC tissues was confirmed by samples obtained from Gene Expression Omnibus. To identify whether FRZB could be used as a prognostic predictor, we performed univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses. FRZB co-expression profile was explored using the LinkedOmics database, then Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes and Gene Ontology enrichment analyses were performed for these FRZB-related genes in HNSCC samples. Lasso regression analysis was subsequently used to screen for prognostic variables, and we determined the infiltration of immune cells in HNSCC patients to clarify the influence of FRZB on tumor immune microenvironment. At last, we assessed the association between FRZB expression and immune checkpoint gene, and compared the sensitivity of common chemotherapeutic agents. In this study, we found that FRZB was dysregulated in HNSCC tumor tissues and had a relationship with clinical parameters. The reliability and independence of FRZB as a factor in determining a patient's prognosis for HNSCC was also established. Additional investigation revealed that FRZB was linked to common immune checkpoint genes and may be implicated in immune infiltration.

FRZB: a potential prognostic marker for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is the sixth most common malignancy worldwide, with approximately 600,000 new cases each year. A small number of HNSCCs are caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. Frizzled related protein (FRZB) has been reported in many inflammatory diseases and cancers, but it is yet unclear how FRZB affects HNSCC, as well as its role and underlying mechanism. TIMER2 database was utilized to evaluate FRZB expression in cancer tissues, and FRZB expression in HNSCC tissues was confirmed by samples obtained from Gene Expression Omnibus. To identify whether FRZB could be used as a prognostic predictor, we performed univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses. FRZB co-expression profile was explored using the LinkedOmics database, then Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes and Gene Ontology enrichment analyses were performed for these FRZB-related genes in HNSCC samples. Lasso regression analysis was subsequently used to screen for prognostic variables, and we determined the infiltration of immune cells in HNSCC patients to clarify the influence of FRZB on tumor immune microenvironment. At last, we assessed the association between FRZB expression and immune checkpoint gene, and compared the sensitivity of common chemotherapeutic agents. In this study, we found that FRZB was dysregulated in HNSCC tumor tissues and had a relationship with clinical parameters. The reliability and independence of FRZB as a factor in determining a patient's prognosis for HNSCC was also established. Additional investigation revealed that FRZB was linked to common immune checkpoint genes and may be implicated in immune infiltration.

Channel-assisted cervical key hole technology combined with ultrasonic bone osteotome versus posterior percutaneous endoscopic cervical foraminotomy: a clinical retrospective study.

PURPOSE: The search for more effective and safe treatment methods for cervical spondylotic radiculopathy (CSR) has led to the rapid development and increasing popularity of minimally invasive posterior cervical foraminotomy (MI-PCF). This study aims to compare two important approaches for MI-PCF surgery: the channel-assisted cervical key hole technology combined with ultrasonic bone osteotome (CKH-UBO) and posterior percutaneous endoscopic cervical foraminotomy (PPECF). METHODS: Data from patients treated with single-level CKH-UBO (n = 35) or PPECF (n = 40) were analyzed. Clinical outcomes, including visual analogue scale (VAS) scores for neck and arm pain, Neck Disability Index (NDI), and modified Macnab criteria, were assessed preoperatively, as well as at three days, three months, and one year postoperatively. RESULTS: The percentages of patients with excellent and good outcomes were 97.14% and 92.5%, respectively. The average surgical time in the CKH-UBO group was significantly shorter than in the PPECF group (p < 0.001), while the average incision length in the PPECF group was significantly smaller than in the CKH-UBO group. There were no significant differences between the two groups in terms of blood loss, hospital stay, and clinical outcomes at three days, three months, and 12 months postoperatively. CONCLUSION: CKH-UBO can achieve the same surgical outcomes as PPECF for the treatment of CSR. However, CKH-UBO saves more time but requires patients to undergo larger incisions.

Printable Counter Electrode with Metal Nitride as the Conductive Medium for Perovskite Solar Cells.

Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) with a booming high power conversion efficiency (PCE) are on their road toward industrialization. A proper design of the counter electrode (CE) with low cost, high conductivity, chemical stability, and good interface contact with the other functional layer atop the perovskite layer is vital for the overall performance of PSCs. Herein, the application of titanium nitride (TiN) is reported as a conductive medium for the printable CE in hole-conductor-free mesoscopic PSCs. TiN improves the conductivity of the CE and reduces the resistivity from 20 to 10 mΩ∙cm. TiN also improves the wettability of the CE with perovskite and enhances the back interface contact, which promotes charge collection. On the other hand, TiN is chemically stable during processing and undergoes no distinguishable chemical reaction with halide perovskite. Devices with TiN as the conductive media in the CE deliver a champion PCE of 19.01%. This work supplies a considerable choice for the CE design of PSCs toward industrial applications.

PES1 is a biomarker of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma and is associated with the tumor microenvironment.

BACKGROUND: As a nucleolar protein associated with ribosome biogenesis in multiple cancer types, PES1 has been reported to be overexpressed, promoting cancer cell proliferation and invasion. However, in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), the role of PES1 on the prognosis and immune infiltration remains unknown. METHODS: Multiple databases and qRT-PCR evaluated the expression of PES1 in HNSCC. The prognostic potential of PES1 in HNSCC patients was analyzed by Cox regression and Kaplan-Meier curves. Then, we used LASSO regression and stepwise multivariate Cox regression to construct the PES1-related risk assessment model. In addition, the association between PES1 and tumor immune microenvironment and drug sensitivity was explored by R packages. Finally, we used cell function assays to explore in HNSCC if PES1 influences tumor growth and metastasis. RESULTS: PES1 was significantly up-regulated in HNSCC and closely correlated with HPV status, tumor stage, clinical grade, and TP53 mutation status. Survival analysis suggested that PES1 is associated with worse survival outcomes, acting as an independent prognostic indicator for HNSCC. Our model also performed well in terms of prognosis prediction. Furthermore, tumor-infiltrating immune cells and antitumor drug susceptibility were negatively related to PES1 expression. Functionally, as for HNSCC cell lines in vitro, the knockdown of PES1 could inhibit proliferation, migration, and invasion. CONCLUSION: We have demonstrated that PES1 may be a promoter of tumor growth. PES1 holds excellent promise as a novel biomarker to assess the prognosis of patients with HNSCC and may guide immunotherapy.

MicroRNA in adenoid cystic carcinoma (Review).

Adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) usually arises in the salivary glands, and is a rare tumor, accounting for 1% of all head and neck cancer cases. According to estimates, there are 3­4.5 cases of ACC for every one million individuals. Numerous studies have reported the association between ACC and microRNAs (miRNAs/miRs). miRNAs are endogenous, non­coding small RNAs, 19­25 nt in length, that can regulate target gene expression at the post­transcriptional level. The aberrant expression of miRNAs may be associated with the prognosis and treatment of patients, as well as with tumorigenesis and tumor development. miRNAs are becoming reliable biomarkers for disease detection due to their varied characteristics, and miRNA target­based therapies are increasingly being used in clinical practice. The present review provides a brief introduction to ACC and the biogenesis of miRNAs. A summary of the miRNAs that have been validated by in vitro or in vivo studies is then presented, describing their role in ACC.

A hypoxia-related lncRNA model for prediction of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma prognosis.

BACKGROUND: Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is one of the most common and highly heterogeneous malignancies worldwide. Increasing studies have proven that hypoxia and related long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) are involved in the occurrence and prognosis of HNSCC. The goal of this work is to construct a risk assessment model using hypoxia-related lncRNAs (hrlncRNAs) for HNSCC prognosis prediction and personalized treatment. METHODS: Transcriptome expression matrix, clinical follow-up data, and somatic mutation data of HNSCC patients were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). We used co-expression analysis to identify hrlncRNAs, then screened for differentially expressed lncRNAs (DEhrlncRNAs), and paired these DEhrlncRNAs. The risk model was established through univariate, least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO), and stepwise multivariate Cox regression. Finally, we assessed the model from multiple perspectives of tumor mutation burden (TMB), tumor immune infiltration, chemotherapeutic sensitivity, immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI), and functional enrichment. RESULTS: The risk assessment model included 14 hrlncRNA pairs. The risk score was observed to be a reliable prognostic factor. The high-risk patients had an unfavorable prognosis and significant differences from the low-risk group in TMB and tumor immune infiltration. In the high-risk patients, the common immune checkpoints were down-regulated, including CTLA4 and PDCD1, and the sensibility to paclitaxel and docetaxel was higher. The functional enrichment analysis suggested that the low-risk group was accompanied by activated immune function. CONCLUSIONS: The risk assessment model of 14-hrlncRNA-pairs demonstrated a promising prognostic prediction for HNSCC patients and can guide personalized clinical treatment.

TYK2 correlates with immune infiltration: A prognostic marker for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

Tyrosine kinase 2 (TYK2) is a member of the Janus kinase (JAK) family and is involved in immune and inflammatory signaling. TYK2 is overexpressed in several types of cancers and promotes the invasion and proliferation of cancer cells. Nevertheless, the roles of TYK2 in the prognosis and immune infiltration of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) remain to be elucidated. In this study, the expression of TYK2 in HNSCC was evaluated based on the data retrieved from multiple databases and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) analysis. The prognostic potential of TYK2 in patients with HNSCC was analyzed by Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox regression analysis. A TYK2-related risk assessment model was subsequently constructed by Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) regression analysis and stepwise multivariate Cox regression analysis. The association between the expression of TYK2 and the tumor immune microenvironment, immune checkpoints, and drug sensitivity was explored various packages in R. Cell function assays were finally used for exploring the effects of TYK2 on the growth and metastasis of HNSCC tumors. The expression of TYK2 was significantly upregulated in HNSCC and was found to be closely correlated with HPV status, gender, clinical grade, and TP53 mutation status. Survival analysis suggested that TYK2 is associated with better survival outcomes and acts as an independent prognostic indicator of HNSCC. The model constructed herein also performed well in terms of predicting patient prognosis. The expression of TYK2 was positively associated with the population of tumor-infiltrating immune cells, expression of immune checkpoint genes, and antitumor drug susceptibility. Functionally, TYK2 knockdown significantly promoted the proliferation, migration, and invasion of HNSCC cell lines in vitro. The findings demonstrated that TYK2 could serve as a suppressor of tumor growth and holds significant promise as a novel biomarker for assessing the prognosis of patients with HNSCC and aid in immunotherapy against HNSCC.

Construction of artificial neural network diagnostic model and analysis of immune infiltration for periodontitis.

Background: Periodontitis is a chronic inflammatory disease leading to tooth loss in severe cases, and early diagnosis is essential for periodontitis prevention. This study aimed to construct a diagnostic model for periodontitis using a random forest algorithm and an artificial neural network (ANN). Methods: Gene expression data of two large cohorts of patients with periodontitis, GSE10334 and GSE16134, were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus database. We screened for differentially expressed genes in the GSE10334 cohort, identified key periodontitis biomarkers using a Random Forest algorithm, and constructed a classification artificial neural network model, using receiver operating characteristic curves to evaluate its diagnostic utility. Furthermore, patients with periodontitis were classified using a consensus clustering algorithm. The immune infiltration landscape was assessed using CIBERSOFT and single-sample Gene Set Enrichment Analysis. Results: A total of 153 differentially expressed genes were identified, of which 42 were downregulated. We utilized 13 key biomarkers to establish a periodontitis diagnostic model. The model had good predictive performance, with an area under the receiver operative characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.945. The independent cohort (GSE16134) was used to further validate the model's accuracy, showing an area under the receiver operative characteristic curve of 0.900. The proportion of plasma cells was highest in samples from patients with period ontitis, and 13 biomarkers were closely related to immunity. Two molecular subgroups were defined in periodontitis, with one cluster suggesting elevated levels of immune infiltration and immune function. Conclusion: We successfully identified key biomarkers of periodontitis using machine learning and developed a satisfactory diagnostic model. Our model may provide a valuable reference for the prevention and early detection of periodontitis.

Circular RNA-related CeRNA network and prognostic signature for patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma.

Background: Circular RNA (circRNA) has an important influence on oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) progression as competing endogenous RNAs (ceRNAs). However, the link between ceRNAs and the OSCC immune microenvironment is unknown. The research aimed to find circRNAs implicated in OSCC carcinogenesis and progression and build a circRNA-based ceRNA network to create a reliable OSCC risk prediction model. Methods: The expression profiles of circRNA in OSCC tumors and normal tissues were assessed through RNA sequencing. From the TCGA database, clinicopathological data and expression patterns of microRNAs (miRNAs) and mRNAs were obtained. A network of circRNA-miRNA-mRNA ceRNA was prepared according to these differentially expressed RNAs and was analyzed through functional enrichment. Subsequently, based on the mRNA in the ceRNA network, the influence of the model on prognosis was then evaluated using a risk prediction model. Finally, considering survival, tumor-infiltrating immune cells (TICs), clinicopathological features, immunosuppressive molecules, and chemotherapy efficacy were analyzed. Results: Eleven differentially expressed circRNAs were found in cancer tissues relative to healthy tissues. We established a network of circRNA-miRNA-mRNA ceRNA, and the ceRNA network includes 123 mRNAs, six miRNAs, and four circRNAs. By the assessment of Genomes pathway and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes, it is found that in the cellular senescence, PI3K-AKT and mTOR signaling pathway mRNAs were mainly enrichment. An immune-related signature was created utilizing seven immune-related genes in the ceRNA network after univariate and multivariate analysis. The receiver operating characteristic of the nomogram exhibited satisfactory accuracy and predictive potential. According to a Kaplan-Meier analysis, the high-risk group's survival rate was signally lower than the group with low-risk. In addition, risk models were linked to clinicopathological characteristics, TICs, immune checkpoints, and antitumor drug susceptibility. Conclusion: The profiles of circRNAs expression of OSCC tissues differ significantly from normal tissues. Our study established a circRNA-associated ceRNA network associated with OSCC and identified essential prognostic genes. Furthermore, our proposed immune-based signature aims to help research OSCC etiology, prognostic marker screening, and immune response evaluation.

The Functional Mechanism of MicroRNA in Oral Lichen Planus.

Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) are transcribed from the genomes of mammals and other complex organisms, and many of them are alternately spliced and processed into smaller products. Types of ncRNAs include microRNAs (miRNAs), circular RNAs, and long ncRNAs. miRNAs are about 21 nucleotides long and form a broad class of post-transcriptional regulators of gene expression that affect numerous developmental and physiological processes in eukaryotes. They usually act as negative regulators of mRNA expression through complementary binding sequences in the 3'-UTR of the target mRNA, leading to translation inhibition and target degradation. In recent years, the importance of ncRNA in oral lichen planus (OLP), particularly miRNA, has attracted extensive attention. However, the biological functions of miRNAs and their mechanisms in OLP are still unclear. In this review, we discuss the role and function of miRNAs in OLP, and we also describe their potential functional roles as biomarkers for the diagnosis of OLP. MiRNAs are promising new therapeutic targets, but more work is needed to understand their biological functions.

Gradation Design and Parameter Determination of Warm-Mix-Agent-Modified Asphalt Mixture.

In order to make up for inadequacies such as high energy cost in the production process and quantities of waste gas and dust release of hot-mix asphalt (HMA), warm-mix asphalt (WMA) has been developed. In this paper, the preparation process of WMA mixture is simply introduced. According to the experimental approach of asphalt binder and asphalt mixture, EC-120 is preliminarily selected as a follow-up research object after a rheological property test and a viscosity test of five kinds of warm-mix-agent-modified asphalts combined with cost analysis. A target mix proportion of SBS~AC-16 is designed, and then through the orthogonal design of the four parameters of the Marshall test of WMA mixture, such as mixing temperature, warm-mix-agent content, compaction blows, and mixing time, the best Marshall test parameters are obtained. The results show that the best parameters are 145 °C of mixing temperature, 3% of warm-mix-agent content, 75 compaction times, and 90 s of mixing time. This study can provide technical support and reference for the construction of WMA pavement in China.

Interfacial Energy Band Alignment Enables the Reduction of Potential Loss for Hole-Conductor-Free Printable Mesoscopic Perovskite Solar Cells.

Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have achieved high efficiencies with diversified device architectures. In particular, printable mesoscopic PSC has attracted intensive research attention due to its simple fabrication process and superior stability. However, in the absence of hole conductors, the unfavorable energy band alignment between the perovskite and the carbon electrode usually leads to the reduction of device performance, especially the open-circuit voltage (VOC). Here, a p-type molecule, 2,3,5,6-tetrafluoro-7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane (F4TCNQ), is utilized to post-treat the perovskite/carbon interface, which benefits the charge transfer and suppresses the charge recombination within the device. As a result, the post-treated device delivers a power conversion efficiency of 18.05% with an enhanced VOC of 1044 mV. This work provides a facile method for tuning the interfacial energy band alignment and improving performance of printable mesoscopic PSCs.

Long Non-Coding RNAs in Oral Submucous Fibrosis: Their Functional Mechanisms and Recent Research Progress.

Many studies have shown that most genomes are transcribed into non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), including microRNAs (miRs) and long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), which can affect different cell characteristics. LncRNAs are long heterologous RNAs that regulate gene expression and various signaling pathways during homeostasis and development. Studies have shown that a lncRNA is an important regulatory molecule that can be targeted to change the physiology and function of cells. Expression or dysfunction of lncRNAs is closely related to various genetic, autoimmune, and metabolic diseases. The importance of ncRNAs in oral submucosal fibrosis (OSF) has garnered much attention in recent years. However, most research has focused on miRs. The role of these molecules in OSF is incompletely understood. This review focuses on the emerging role and function of lncRNAs in OSF as novel regulators. Finally, the potential functional role of lncRNAs as biomarkers for OSF diagnosis is also described. LncRNAs are expected to become a new therapeutic target, but more research is needed to understand their biological functions more deeply.

Protective effect and mechanism of chitooligosaccharides on acetaminophen-induced liver injury.

Currently, drug-induced liver injury caused by acetaminophen (APAP) is the second leading cause of human liver transplantation. The only clinical antidote treatment for APAP-induced liver injury is N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC), which has many side effects. Chitooligosaccharides (COS) are processed from naturally occurring chitin through chemical desalting and deproteinization, biological enzymatic hydrolysis and other processes. In this study, we constructed in vitro and in vivo models of APAP-induced liver injury to study COS of two molecular weights (MWs), which are COST (MW ≤ 1000 Da) and COSM (MW ≤ 3000 Da). The results showed that COST and COSM can significantly reduce the levels of serum ALT and AST and liver MDA, TNF-α, IL-1ß and IL-6, and increase the levels and activity of GSH, SOD, GSH-Px and CAT. A mechanistic study found that COST and COSM can significantly reduce the expression of liver CYP2E1, Keap1, p-ASK1/ASK1, p-MKK4/MKK4, p-JNK/JNK, Caspase-3 and Bax and increase the expression of Nrf2, HO-1, eNOS, SOD and Bcl-XL. COST and COSM can inhibit toxic APAP metabolism, inhibit oxidative damage and the apoptosis pathway, increase activation of the liver antioxidant pathway, and ultimately ameliorate APAP-induced liver oxidative damage.

Non-shivering Thermogenesis Signalling Regulation and Potential Therapeutic Applications of Brown Adipose Tissue.

In mammals, thermogenic organs exist in the body that increase heat production and enhance energy regulation. Because brown adipose tissue (BAT) consumes energy and generates heat, increasing energy expenditure via BAT might be a potential strategy for new treatments for obesity and obesity-related diseases. Thermogenic differentiation affects normal adipose tissue generation, emphasizing the critical role that common transcriptional regulation factors might play in common characteristics and sources. An understanding of thermogenic differentiation and related factors could help in developing ways to improve obesity indirectly or directly through targeting of specific signalling pathways. Many studies have shown that the active components of various natural products promote thermogenesis through various signalling pathways. This article reviews recent major advances in this field, including those in the cyclic adenosine monophosphate-protein kinase A (cAMP-PKA), cyclic guanosine monophosphate-GMP-dependent protein kinase G (cGMP-AKT), AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), transforming growth factor-ß/bone morphogenic protein (TGF-ß/BMP), transient receptor potential (TRP), Wnt, nuclear factor-κ-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κΒ), Notch and Hedgehog (Hh) signalling pathways in brown and brown-like adipose tissue. To provide effective information for future research on weight-loss nutraceuticals or drugs, this review also highlights the natural products and their active ingredients that have been reported in recent years to affect thermogenesis and thus contribute to weight loss via the above signalling pathways.

Effect of different bile acids on the intestine through enterohepatic circulation based on FXR.

Farnesoid X receptor (FXR) is a nuclear receptor for bile acids (BAs) that is widely expressed in the intestine, liver and kidney. FXR has important regulatory impacts on a wide variety of metabolic pathways (such as glucose, lipid, and sterol metabolism) and has been recognized to ameliorate obesity, liver damage, cholestasis and chronic inflammatory diseases. The types of BAs are complex and diverse. BAs link the intestine with the liver through the enterohepatic circulation. BAs derivatives have entered clinical trials for liver disease. In addition to the liver, the intestine is also targeted by BAs. This article reviews the effects of different BAs on the intestinal tract through the enterohepatic circulation from the perspective of FXR, aiming to elucidate the effects of different BAs on the intestinal tract and lay a foundation for new treatment methods.