Establishment of a Prognostic Nomogram for Cancer-Specific Survival in Patients With Base-of-Tongue Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Retrospective Study Based on the SEER Database.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this retrospective study was to construct and clinically apply a nomogram for cancer-specific survival (CSS) in patients diagnosed with base-of-tongue squamous cell carcinoma (BOTSCC) to predict their survival prognosis. METHODS: We collected 8448 patients diagnosed with BOTSCC during 2004-2015 from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database and divided 30% and 70% of them into validation and training cohorts, respectively. We utilized backward stepwise regression in the Cox model to select variables. Predictive variables were subsequently identified from the variables selected above by using multivariate Cox regression. The new survival model was compared with the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) prognosis model using the following variables: calibration curve, time-dependent area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), concordance index (C-index), integrated discrimination improvement (IDI), decision-curve analysis (DCA), and net reclassification improvement (NRI). RESULTS: A nomogram was established for predicting the CSS probability in patients with BOTSCC. Factors including sex, race, age at diagnosis, marital status, radiotherapy status, chemotherapy status, TNM AJCC stage, surgery status, tumor size, and months from diagnosis to treatment were selected through multivariate Cox regression as independent predictors of CSS. Calibration plots indicated that the model we established had satisfactory calibration ability. The AUC, C-index, IDI, DCA, and NRI results illustrated that the nomogram performed explicit prognoses more accurately than did the AJCC system alone. CONCLUSION: We identified the relevant factors affecting the survival of BOTSCC patients and analyzed the data on patients suffering from BOTSCC in the SEER database. These factors were used to construct a new nomogram to give clinical staff a more-visual prediction model for the 3-, 5-, and 8-year probabilities of CSS for patients newly diagnosed with BOTSCC, thereby aiding clinical decision making.

Oxymatrine suppresses oral squamous cell carcinoma progression by suppressing CXC chemokine receptor 4 in an m6A modification decrease dependent manner.

Oxymatrine has been revealed to exert antitumor activity; however, its role in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) remains unclear. In the present study, the effects and underlying molecular mechanisms of oxymatrine in OSCC were explored. The antineoplastic effects of oxymatrine were measured using Cell Counting Kit­8, apoptosis and Transwell assays. The inhibitory effect of oxymatrine on tumor growth was evaluated in vivo. The regulation of oxymatrine on the CXC chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4) was analyzed using western blotting, reverse transcription­quantitative PCR, RNA stability and methylated RNA immunoprecipitation assays. The present results revealed that oxymatrine inhibited the proliferation and migration of OSCC cells and promoted cell apoptosis. Furthermore, oxymatrine reduced CXCR4 mRNA and protein expression levels by promoting CXCR4 mRNA degradation. Mechanistically, oxymatrine inhibited the methylation at the N6­position of adenosine (m6A modification) of CXCR4 mRNA by decreasing the expression of the methyltransferase­like 3 (METTL3) gene. In addition, oxymatrine inhibited tumor growth in vivo. Taken together, our findings demonstrated the antitumor effect of oxymatrine on OSCC. Mechanistically, oxymatrine inhibited the progression of OSCC by downregulating METTL3 and degrading CXCR4 mRNA by decreasing the level of m6A modification.

Changes in oral health status and oral health behavior among 12 year old children in Hainan Province during 2005-2015 / 中国学校卫生

Objective@#To evaluate the changes of oral health status and oral health behavior among 12 year old children in Hainan province during 2005-2015, to provide basis for child oral disease prevention.@*Methods@#Through the third and fourth national oral health epidemiology survey, changes in dental caries prevalence rate, dietary habit, oral health behavior, medical care in 12 year old chirdren were analyzed.@*Results@#The percentage of dental caries in permanent, gingival blleeding, dental calculus of 12 year old chirdren in 2005 was 49.9%, 63.2%, 31.5% respectively, which 57.0%, 46.8%, 39.5% respectively in 2015( χ 2=6.78, 36.78, 9.45, P<0.05). The percentage of sugary snacks,drink and milk consumption every day in 2005 was 31.0%, 13.1%, 21.8% respectively, which increased to 40.3%, 27.5%, 30.8% in 2015(χ2=11.53, 38.76, 12.73, P<0.05). 49.3% children had a toothache in 2005, which increased 58.8% in 2015(χ2=23.43, P<0.05).@*Conclusion@#The prevalence of dental caries in permanent teeth of 12 year old children in Hainan was high, while eating habits was poor and oral health behavior was showed significant improvement. Oral health education for 12 year old should be strengthened.

[Effects of basic periodontal treatment on endothelin, vascular endothelial growth factor-A and tumor necrosis factor-α levels in gingival crevicular fluid and serum].

PURPOSE: To investigate the effects of basic periodontal treatment on the levels of endothelin (ET), vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in gingival crevicular fluid and serum. METHODS: A total of 57 patients with periodontitis (experimental group) and 43 healthy examinees (control group) admitted to Shenzhen Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine from October to May 2018 were selected. Patients received subgingival scaling and root planing for 6 weeks. Then various indexes were compared, including bleeding on probing (BOP), plaque index (PI), probe depth (PD), clinical attachment level (CAL) and gingival index (GI), as well as the levels of ET, VEGF-A and TNF-α in gingival crevicular fluid and serum. The correlation between ET, VEGF-A and TNF-α was analyzed. The data were analyzed with SPSS 21.0 software package. RESULTS: Periodontal indexes including BOP, PI, PD, CAL and GI in the experimental group were significantly increased after treatment (P<0.05), but still significantly lower than those in the control group (P<0.05). The levels of ET, VEGF-A and TNF-α in gingival crevicular fluid and serum were significantly decreased in the experimental group after treatment (P<0.05), but significantly higher than those in the control group (P<0.05). The level of ET in gingival crevicular fluid was not significantly correlated with VEGF-A level in patients with periodontitis (P>0.05), while was positively correlated with VEGF-A levels (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Basic periodontal treatment can reduce the levels of ET, VEGF-A and TNF-α in gingival crevicular fluid and serum of patients with periodontitis, and improve the periodontal status; moreover, ET level in gingival crevicular fluid is positively correlated with TNF-α level.

Oxymatrine alleviates periodontitis in rats by inhibiting inflammatory factor secretion and regulating MMPs/TIMP protein expression1.

PURPOSE: To investigate the effect of oxymatrine on periodontitis in rats and related mechanism. Methods: Ninety SD rats were divided into control, model, 10, 20 and 40 mg/kg oxymatrine and tinidazole groups. The periodontitis model was established in later 5 groups. The 10, 20 and 40 mg/kg oxymatrine groups were intragastrically administrated with 10, 20 and 40 mg/kg oxymatrine, respectively. The tinidazole group was intragastrically administrated with 100 mg/kg tinidazole. The treatment duration was 4 weeks. The tooth mobility, gingival and plaque indexes, serum inflammatory factor levels and gingival tissue matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMP) protein levels were detected. Results: After treatment, compared with model group, in 40 mg/kg oxymatrine group the rat general conditions were obviously improved, the tooth mobility, gingival index and plaque index were significantly decreased (P<0.05), the serum tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-1ß and prostaglandin E2 levels were significantly decreased (P<0.05), the MMP-2 and MMP-9 protein levels were significantly decreased (P<0.05), and the TIMP-2 protein level was significantly increased (P<0.05). Conclusions: Oxymatrine can alleviate the experimental periodontitis in rats. The mechanism may be related to its inhibiting inflammatory factor secretion and regulating MMPs/TIMP protein expression.

Oxymatrine alleviates periodontitis in rats by inhibiting inflammatory factor secretion and regulating MMPs/TIMP protein expression

Abstract Purpose: To investigate the effect of oxymatrine on periodontitis in rats and related mechanism. Methods: Ninety SD rats were divided into control, model, 10, 20 and 40 mg/kg oxymatrine and tinidazole groups. The periodontitis model was established in later 5 groups. The 10, 20 and 40 mg/kg oxymatrine groups were intragastrically administrated with 10, 20 and 40 mg/kg oxymatrine, respectively. The tinidazole group was intragastrically administrated with 100 mg/kg tinidazole. The treatment duration was 4 weeks. The tooth mobility, gingival and plaque indexes, serum inflammatory factor levels and gingival tissue matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMP) protein levels were detected. Results: After treatment, compared with model group, in 40 mg/kg oxymatrine group the rat general conditions were obviously improved, the tooth mobility, gingival index and plaque index were significantly decreased (P<0.05), the serum tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-1β and prostaglandin E2 levels were significantly decreased (P<0.05), the MMP-2 and MMP-9 protein levels were significantly decreased (P<0.05), and the TIMP-2 protein level was significantly increased (P<0.05). Conclusions: Oxymatrine can alleviate the experimental periodontitis in rats. The mechanism may be related to its inhibiting inflammatory factor secretion and regulating MMPs/TIMP protein expression.

[Effect of Bio-Oss loading with rAAV-BMP7 on regeneration of bone defects around dental implant].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate in vivo gene delivery of Bio-Oss coated with adeno-associated virus-mediated human bone morphogenetic protein 7 (rAAV-BMP7/Bio-Oss) for bone regeneration around dental implants. METHODS: In vitro rAAV-BMP7 were constructed and compounded with Bio-Oss. In 6 male New Zealand rabbits, two hydroxyapatite (HA) coated titanium dental implants were placed respectively to each animal in the bilateral tibia metaphysis. Before implantation, a standardized gap (8 mm in width, 4 mm in depth) was created between the implant surface and the surrounding bone walls. Rabbits were randomly divided into three groups (group A, B, C). Gaps of group A were filled with rAAV-BMP7/Bio-Oss (n = 4), gaps of group B were filled with Bio-Oss alone (n = 4), and gaps of group C were filled with nothing (n = 4). The rabbits were sacrificed at 4 and 8 weeks respectively, and the sclerous tissue slices obtained, then histology and histomorphometric analysis were conducted. RESULTS: Histological and histomorphometric analysis revealed an enlarged bone-forming area in the bone defects of group A and B at 4 and 8 weeks after implantation. Greater bone-implant contact was achieved with rAAV-BMP7/Bio-Oss than with Bio-Oss alone and this difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: rAAV-BMP7/Bio-Oss can induce a stronger peri-implant bone reaction and larger new bone formation than Bio-Oss alone in the treatment of bone defects adjacent to titanium dental implants.