Assessing occurrence and habitat of Ophioglossum vulgatum L. and other Ophioglossaceae in European forests. Significance for nature conservation

Ophioglossum vulgatum has been discovered in several Lorraine forests with numerous populations on Keuper clay substrata. In all these forests, it occurs in the same plant community type, a hygrophilic oak-ash forest belonging to the Carpinion alliance. O. vulgatum is present in all stages of the forest cycle, but it is most abundant in young succession stages. This misrecognized forest habitat of O. vulgatum represents a primary habitat for this species and also a refuge, in which it is much less threatened than in wet grassland ecosystems. A review is given of all published data related to this Ophioglossum in European forests and comparisons are made with the occurrence of other European Ophioglossaceae in forest communities, in particular Botrychium virginianum in boreal and subalpine forests and B. matricariifolium in montane and lowland forests.     

The association between RDW and survival of patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue. Simple,cheap and convenient?

AimThe purpose of this study was to evaluate the prognostic impact of red-cell distribution width (RDW) on the overall survival (OS) of patients with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the tongue.BackgroundDevelopment of cancer is connected with an ongoing inflammatory process which is reflected by laboratory indices, such as RDW that can be used as prognostic tools.Material and methodsThe study group consists of 74 consecutive patients treated with radical radiotherapy or chemo-radiotherapy for SSC of the tongue at one institution between 2005−2014. RDW was assessed based on routine blood tests done before the start of the treatment. ROC curve was applied to assess value of RDW in prediction of OS, and a cut-off value for further tests was obtained using the Younden index. The survival analysis was performed using the Kaplan-Meier method, log-rank testing and Cox regression model.ResultsThe AUC for RDW in ROC analysis was 0.703, and the optimal cut-off value was 13.5%. 5-year OS was significantly lower in patients with RDW ≥ 13.5% compared with patients with RDW < 13.5% (67% vs. 26%, p-value = 0.0005). Additionally, high RDW was associated with a greater odds ratio for 5-year OS in a multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression analysis (3.43, 1.62–7.25; p = 0.001).ConclusionOur study demonstrated that pre-treatment RDW ≥ 13,5% is an indicator of poor overall survival in patients with SCC of the tongue. Since RDW is a cheap and convenient marker, usually routinely assessed during complete blood count tests, it could be further used as an additional prognostic tool in patients with tongue cancers.     

Capsaicin receptors are colocalized with sweet/bitter receptors in the taste sensing cells of circumvallate papillae

We examined co-localization of vanilloid receptor (VR1) with sweet receptors T1R2, T1R3, or bitter receptor T2R6 in taste receptor cells of rat circumvallate papillae. Tissue sections of rat circumvallate papillae were doubly reacted with anti-VR1 antibodies and anti-T1R2, anti-T1R3 or anti-T2R6 antibodies, using double-immunofluorescence histochemistry technique. Localizations of VR1, T1Rs and T2R6 in the vallate taste cells containing α-gustducin were also examined. VR1 immunoreactivities (-ir) were observed in subsets of taste cells in the circumvallate papillae, and 96–99% of the vallate taste cells exhibiting T1R2-, T1R3- or T2R6-ir co-exhibited VR1-ir. Approximately half of T2R6-ir cells (~49%), and 50–58% of T1Rs-ir cells, co-exhibited α-gustducin-ir in the vallate taste buds. About 58% of VR1-ir cells in the vallate exhibited α-gustducin-ir as well. Results support the idea that capsaicin may interact with the transduction pathways of sweet and bitter taste stimuli, possibly in mediation of its receptor VR1 localized in taste receptor cells. Additionally, the partial co-localization of α-gustducin with VR1 suggests that a tentative modulatory function of capsaicin in sweet and bitter transductions in the rat circumvallate comprises of both α-gustducin-mediated and non-mediated transduction pathways.     

颊粘膜癌与舌癌差异基因表达的对比分析

目的:研究颊粘膜癌(Buccal Mucosa Cancer,BMC)与舌癌(Tongue Cancer,TC)的基因差异表达,探讨BMC与TC发生发展的基因学基础。方法:应用cDNA芯片技术对5例BMC和5例TC组织mRNA检测,通过芯片杂交、生物信息学处理,找出两者间差异表达基因。结果:BioStarH-40芯片发现差异表达基因503条,差异表达基因占12.9%,其中表达增强274条(显著增强69条),表达降低229条(显著降低54条)。结论:MBC与TC基因表达比较,差异有统计学意义,这些差异可能在两类肿瘤不同的生物学行为中起重要作用。     

c-fos expression in trigeminal spinal nucleus after electrical stimulation of the hypoglossal nerve in the rat

The expression of the immediate early gene, c-fos, was used to determine the distribution of brainstem neurons activated by stimulation of the distal hypoglossal nerve (XIIn) trunk. The traditional view of the XIIn is one of purely motor function; however, stimulation of XIIn excites neurons in the trigeminal spinal nucleus. The rationale for this study was to use c-fos expression as a marker for postsynaptic activity to define the pattern of brainstem neurons excited by XIIn stimulation. It was further hypothesized that if the afferent fibers that course within XIIn supply deep lingual tissues, then c-fos expression after direct stimulation of XIIn should display a pattern similar to that seen after chemical irritant stimulation of the deep tongue muscle. In barbiturate-anesthetized male rats electrical stimulation of XIIn produced a significant increase in Fospositive neurons in the dorsal paratrigeminal nucleus (dPa5) and laminae I-II of caudal subnucleus caudalis (Vc) and upper cervical dorsal horn. Mustard oil injection into the deep tongue muscle also produced an increase in c-fos expression in dPa5; however, the highest density of expression occurred in laminae I-II at the dorsomedial aspect of rostral Vc. Both electrical stimulation of XIIn and mustard oil stimulation of the deep tongue increased c-fos expression in the caudal ventrolateral medulla, an autonomic relay nucleus. These results suggest that one site of innervation for afferent fibers that travel within the distal trunk of XIIn is to supply the deep tongue muscle and to terminate in the dPa5. A second group of postsynaptic neurons activated only by XIIn stimulation was located in lamina I-II in caudal portions of Vc and upper cervical dorsal horn, a laminar distribution consistent with a role for XIIn afferents in sensory or autonomic aspects of lingual function.     

The inductive role of Wnt-β-Catenin signaling in the formation of oral apparatus

Proper patterning and growth of oral structures including teeth, tongue, and palate rely on epithelial–mesenchymal interactions involving coordinated regulation of signal transduction. Understanding molecular mechanisms underpinning oral–facial development will provide novel insights into the etiology of common congenital defects such as cleft palate. In this study, we report that ablating Wnt signaling in the oral epithelium blocks the formation of palatal rugae, which are a set of specialized ectodermal appendages serving as Shh signaling centers during development and niches for sensory cells and possibly neural crest related stem cells in adults. Lack of rugae is also associated with retarded anteroposterior extension of the hard palate and precocious mid-line fusion. These data implicate an obligatory role for canonical Wnt signaling in rugae development. Based on this complex phenotype, we propose that the sequential addition of rugae and its morphogen Shh, is intrinsically coupled to the elongation of the hard palate, and is critical for modulating the growth orientation of palatal shelves. In addition, we observe a unique cleft palate phenotype at the anterior end of the secondary palate, which is likely caused by the severely underdeveloped primary palate in these mutants. Last but not least, we also discover that both Wnt and Shh signalings are essential for tongue development. We provide genetic evidence that disruption of either signaling pathway results in severe microglossia. Altogether, we demonstrate a dynamic role for Wnt-β-Catenin signaling in the development of the oral apparatus.     

辣椒素对舌鳞癌细胞增殖和凋亡影响的初步研究

目的:研究辣椒素对人舌鳞癌细胞增殖和存活的影响。方法:不同浓度辣椒素处理TSCCA和Tca8113细胞24,48和72h,MTS法检测细胞增殖,Western Blot法检测细胞周期调控和细胞凋亡相关分子的表达。结果:随着辣椒素浓度的增加,p53,p21和p27表达上调,Bcl-2表达未受到明显影响,Bcl-XL和Mcl-1表达抑制,caspase7和PARP剪切体表达上调。结论:辣椒素呈剂量依赖和时间依赖性抑制TSCCA和Tca8113细胞增殖,其机制可能与细胞周期和细胞凋亡相关分子表达的改变相关。     

Geometrical resolution limits and detection mechanisms in the oral cavity

The objective of this work is to gain more insight into the processes of oral perception of food texture. Particularly, the limits for detectable thickness differences of objects, which are evaluated in the human mouth, are investigated. In a sensory study small, flexible circular disks (diameter in mm range) of varying thickness (in microm range) and material properties are evaluated between tongue and palate in human subjects. The thicker sample is identified in pair comparison tests. Experimental evidence suggests the existence of one detection process (attempt to align tongue and palate and the disk between them) to which the tongue-palate system reacts in two different ways: (1) by bending the disk (thickness below 125 microm, Young's modulus of 480 MPa) and (2) by impressing the disk into the tongue (thickness above approximately 200 microm, Young's modulus of 480 MPa), whereas the first reaction is necessarily followed by the second if the first one fails. For both ranges, differences in thickness of 25 microm can be detected. The two reaction processes cover isolated ranges and leave an insecure detection range in between them, for which neither one of the processes applies. Since deformation and load distribution on the disk are supposed to play a major role in the first detection process (the loads exerted on the disk in order to bend it are compared), we formulate a mathematical model to quantify these mechanical effects. The model is employed to identify parameter constellations (thickness, material properties) for which the insecure range is omitted or the range is enlarged. Theoretical findings are confirmed by further experiments. Their results are consistent with the characteristics and functioning of the mechanoreceptors in-mouth.     

Biological assessment of ozone therapy on experimental oral candidiasis in immunosuppressed rats

Immunosuppressive drugs can compromise local or general defense mechanisms and can lead to oral candidiasis. Ozone therapy has a wide range of applications in almost every field of dentistry. Its unique properties include immunostimulant, analgesic, antihypnotic, detoxicating, and antimicrobial actions. Sixty male healthy rats were immunosuppressed with dexamethasone in their drinking water one week before candida infection. The animals were divided into four equal groups. Rats of group 1 were kept without any manipulation and those of group II were given oral inoculums of C. albicans on the dorsal surface of the tongue. Group III rats were handled as group II and instead the rats were treated by daily mycostatin drops local applicator as a routine treatment. Meanwhile, group IV rats were handled as group II and instead the rats were received daily intraperitoneal injection of 1 cm³ of ozone oxygen gas mixture with concentration of ozone 70 μg/cm³. After two weeks, all rats were euthanized and tongue specimens were prepared for histological staining with Haematoxylin & Eosin and CD3 immunohistochemical staining. Histological examination revealed that treatment with ozone therapy lead to gradual decrease in lingual papillary atrophy and invasion of candida yeast. Immunohistochemical study showed significant decrease in CD3 counting. We can conclude that ozone acts as an excellent fungicidal agent also, ozone is capable of alerting the immune system.