Oral candidiasis and potential risk factors among disabled and nondisabled in Al-Baha region, Saudi Arabia

BACKGROUND Oral candidiasis(OC)is an oral health disease that could influence patients’oral health quality of life.AIM To estimate prevalence of OC among disabled and non-disabled individuals and its potential risk factors in the Al-Baha region,Saudi Arabia.METHODS An observational cross-sectional study was carried out among 148 disabled and non-disabled participants.The technique of concentrated oral rinse employing the Sabouraud Dextrose Agar medium accompanied with 0.05%chloramphenicol was conducted to assess and isolate candida.Oral examination using the World Health Organization guidelines was conducted to examine participants’oral hea-lth status.A pre-designed questionnaire was also used to evaluate sociodemo-graphic,medical history,and oral hygiene habits of the studied population.RESULTS Out of 148 participants(n=57,38%)had colonized candida.None of the studied population had visible Candida lesions.However,Candida was found in the oral rinses without the subject presenting any lesions or issues caused by Candida(asymptomatic colonization).The most common prevalent OC among participants were Candida albicans,Candida glabrata,Candida dubliniensis,Candida krusei,Candida tropicalis,and Candida parapsilosis(n=35,61%;n=8,14%;n=6,10%;n=5,9%;n=2,4%;and n=1,2%)respectively.Diabetes,smoking,poor plaque,and gingival status were key potential risk factors that significantly associated with candida’s density and presence(P=0.001,P=0.001,P=0.01,and P=0.01)respectively.Disability status had no statistically significant effect on presence and density of Candida.CONCLUSION The prevalence of OC is almost third of the studied population;thus,may provoke a need to develop preventive strategies to reduce the OC rate and establish solid treatment plans.

Effects of personalized oral hygiene management on oral health status of pregnant women

BACKGROUND The Cariostat caries activity test(CAT)was used to evaluate the effectiveness of personalized oral hygiene management combining oral health education and professional mechanical tooth cleaning on the oral health status of pregnant women.AIM To investigate whether personalized oral hygiene management enhances the oral health status of pregnant women.METHODS A total of 114 pregnant women who were examined at Dalian Women’s and Children’s Medical Center were divided into four groups:High-risk experimental group(n=29;CAT score≥2;received personalized oral hygiene management training),low-risk experimental group(n=29;CAT score≤1;received oral health education),high-risk control group(n=28;CAT score≥2),and low-risk control group(n=28;CAT score≤1).No hygiene intervention was provided to control groups.CAT scores at different times were compared using independent samples t-test and least significant difference t-test.RESULTS No significant difference in baseline CAT scores was observed between the experimental and control groups,either in the high-risk or low-risk groups.CAT scores were reduced significantly after 3(1.74±0.47 vs 2.50±0.38,P<0.0001)and 6 months(0.53±0.50 vs 2.45±0.42,P<0.0001)of personalized oral hygiene management intervention but not after oral health education alone(0.43±0.39 vs 0.46±0.33,P>0.05 and 0.45±0.36 vs 0.57±0.32,P>0.05,respectively).Within groups,the decrease in CAT scores was significant(2.43±0.44 vs 1.74±0.47 vs 0.53±0.50,P<0.0001)for only the high-risk experimental group.CONCLUSION Personalized oral hygiene management is effective in improving the oral health of pregnant women and can improve pregnancy outcomes and the oral health of the general population.

Oral Hygiene in the Presence of Orthodontic Therapy

Orthodontic treatment offers great advantages in improving facial and smile aesthetics, self-confidence and the function of the stomatognathic apparatus. The pursuit of these advantages makes use of orthodontic appliances that could be fixed or removable. However, it’s worth stating that these appliances interfere with tooth brushing, making it more difficult to brush teeth effectively. Orthodontics appliances therefore promote the accumulation of dental plaque, which results in both quantitative and qualitative changes in the oral microbiota, hence, exposing patients to several adverse effects such as White spot lesions, dental caries, periodontal pathologies and halitosis. For this reason, oral assessment of patients before, during and after treatment is necessary as well as oral hygiene instructions and motivation. Orthodontists therefore, should educate patients on oral and periodontal hygiene in order to control dental and periodontal complications. Prescriptions of plaque control materials adapted to each patient are done in order to optimize the final result and minimize unwanted complications.

Clinical Study on Improving Articulation Clarity in Spastic Cerebral Palsy with 120 Cases of Oral-Facial Acupressure Combined with Oral Placement Therapy

Objective:To observe the efficacy of oral-facial acupressure combined with oral placement therapy(OPT)in improving articulation clarity in 120 children with spastic cerebral palsy,and to explore effective therapeutic solutions for speech disorders associated with spastic cerebral palsy.Methods:A total of 120 children with spastic cerebral palsy and speech disorders,meeting the inclusion criteria,were randomly assigned into two groups:60 cases in the treatment group and 60 cases in the control group.The treatment group received orofacial acupressure combined with OPT,while the control group received only OPT.The Oral Motor Function Assessment Scale(OMFAS),developed by the China Rehabilitation Research Centre(CRRC),was used to evaluate the treatment outcomes before and after the intervention.Results:After the treatment,both the treatment and control groups showed improved mobility of the mandible,lips,and tongue.However,the treatment group exhibited significantly better improvement than the control group,with the difference between the two groups being statistically significant(P<0.05).Conclusion:Oral-facial acupressure combined with OPT can effectively improve articulation clarity in children with spastic cerebral palsy.This combined therapy is recommended for clinical promotion and application.

Investigation on taste characteristics and sensory perception of soft-boiled chicken during oral processing based on electronic tongue and electronic nose

The sensory perception of food is a dynamic process,which is closely related to the release of flavor substances during oral processing.It’s not only affected by the food material,but also subjected to the individual oral environment.To explore the oral processing characteristics of soft-boiled chicken,the sensory properties,texture,particle size,viscosity,characteristic values of electronic nose and tongue of different chicken samples were investigated.The correlation analysis showed that the physical characteristics especially the cohesiveness,springiness,resilience of the sample determined oral processing behavior.The addition of chicken skin played a role in lubrication during oral processing.The particle size of the bolus was heightened at the early stage,and the fluidity was enhanced in the end,which reduced the chewing time to the swallowing point and raised the aromatic compounds signal of electronic nose.But the effect of chicken skin on chicken thigh with relatively high fat content,was opposite in electronic nose,which had a certain masking effect on the perception of umami and sweet taste.In conclusion,fat played a critical role in chicken oral processing and chicken thigh had obvious advantages in comprehensive evaluation of soft-boiled chicken,which was more popular among people.

Multivariate analysis of oral mucosal ulcers during orthodontic treatment

BACKGROUND Orthodontic treatment can easily cause local soft tissue reactions in the oral cavity of patients under mechanical stress,leading to oral mucosal ulcers and affecting their quality of life.At present,only limited literature has explored the factors leading to oral ulcers in orthodontic treatment,and these research results are still controversial.AIM To investigate the current status and related factors of oral mucosal ulcers during orthodontic treatment,aiming to provide a valuable reference for preventing this disease in clinical practice.METHODS A total of 587 patients who underwent orthodontic treatment at the Peking University School of Stomatology and Hospital of Stomatology between 2020 and 2022 were selected and allocated to an observation or control group according to the incidence of oral mucosal ulcers during orthodontic therapy.A questionnaire survey was constructed to collect patient data,including basic information,lifestyle and eating habits,treatment details,mental factors,and trace element levels,and a comparative analysis of this data was performed between the two groups.RESULTS A logistic regression model with oral ulcers as the dependent variable was established.The regression results showed that age(≥60 years:odds ratio[OR]:6.820;95%confidence interval[CI]:2.226–20.893),smoking history(smoking:OR:4.434;95%CI:2.527–7.782),toothbrush hardness(hard:OR:2.804;95%CI:1.746–4.505),dietary temperature(hot diet:OR:1.399;95%CI:1.220–1.722),treatment course(>1 year:OR:3.830;95%CI:2.203–6.659),and tooth brushing frequency(>1 time per day:OR:0.228;95%CI:0.138–0.377)were independent factors for oral mucosal ulcers(P<0.05).Furthermore,Zn level(OR:0.945;95%CI:0.927–0.964)was a protective factor against oral ulcers,while the SAS(OR:1.284;95%CI:1.197–1.378)and SDS(OR:1.322;95%CI:1.231–1.419)scores were risk factors.CONCLUSION Age≥60 years,smoking history,hard toothbrush,hot diet,treatment course for>1 year,tooth brushing frequency of≤1 time per day,and mental anxiety are independent risk factors for oral mucosal ulcers.Therefore,these factors should receive clinical attention and be incorporated into the development and optimization of preventive strategies for reducing oral ulcer incidence.

Multifunctional role of oral bacteria in the progression of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD)encompasses a spectrum of liver disorders of varying severity,ultimately leading to fibrosis.This spectrum primarily consists of NAFL and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis.The pathogenesis of NAFLD is closely associated with disturbances in the gut micr-obiota and impairment of the intestinal barrier.Non-gut commensal flora,particularly bacteria,play a pivotal role in the progression of NAFLD.Notably,Porphyromonas gingivalis,a principal bacterium involved in periodontitis,is known to facilitate lipid accumulation,augment immune responses,and induce insulin resistance,thereby exacerbating fibrosis in cases of periodontitis-associated NAFLD.The influence of oral microbiota on NAFLD via the“oral-gut-liver”axis is gaining recognition,offering a novel perspective for NAFLD management through microbial imbalance correction.This review endeavors to encapsulate the intricate roles of oral bacteria in NAFLD and explore underlying mechanisms,emphasizing microbial control strategies as a viable therapeutic avenue for NAFLD.

Impact of phytoconstituents on oral health practices:a post COVID-19 observation

Appropriate oral hygiene significantly reduces the possibility of oral infections.However,dental caries and periodontal diseases are major oral health issues causing chronic diseases due to poor oral health.Recently,herbal compounds have gained interest in maintaining oral health.Extracts of burdock root(Arctium),noni fruit(Morinda citrifolia),and neem leaf(Azadirachta indica)are now used as intracanal medicaments in endodontics and periodontics.Plectranthus amboinicus species and other plants produces essential oil likeβ-caryophyllene,p-cymene,andγ-terpinene can exhibit antibacterial activity;highlighting phytoconstituents plays a vital role in oral health.The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of hygiene and sanitization,to curb SARS-CoV-2.Oral cavity is among the gateways for virus entry into saliva.Saliva is a potential reservoir of SARS-CoV-2,and there is an increased risk of infection if there is any fissure in the mouth.This enables entry of virus into the vascular system through gingival or periodontal pocket,possibly reaching lung periphery then to lung vessels by interacting with endothelial surface receptors triggering pulmonary vasoconstriction and lung damage due to endothelial dysfunction.This review aims to draw attention to the possible route of SARS-CoV-2 infection via the oral cavity and the importance of oral hygiene against COVID-19.

Omics for deciphering oral microecology

The human oral microbiome harbors one of the most diverse microbial communities in the human body,playing critical roles in oral and systemic health.Recent technological innovations are propelling the characterization and manipulation of oral microbiota.High-throughput sequencing enables comprehensive taxonomic and functional profiling of oral microbiomes.New long-read platforms improve genome assembly from complex samples.Single-cell genomics provides insights into uncultured taxa.Advanced imaging modalities including fluorescence,mass spectrometry,and Raman spectroscopy have enabled the visualization of the spatial organization and interactions of oral microbes with increasing resolution.Fluorescence techniques link phylogenetic identity with localization.Mass spectrometry imaging reveals metabolic niches and activities while Raman spectroscopy generates rapid biomolecular fingerprints for classification.Culturomics facilitates the isolation and cultivation of novel fastidious oral taxa using high-throughput approaches.Ongoing integration of these technologies holds the promise of transforming our understanding of oral microbiome assembly,gene expression,metabolites,microenvironments,virulence mechanisms,and microbe-host interfaces in the context of health and disease.However,significant knowledge gaps persist regarding community origins,developmental trajectories,homeostasis versus dysbiosis triggers,functional biomarkers,and strategies to deliberately reshape the oral microbiome for therapeutic benefit.The convergence of sequencing,imaging,cultureomics,synthetic systems,and biomimetic models will provide unprecedented insights into the oral microbiome and offer opportunities to predict,prevent,diagnose,and treat associated oral diseases.

Genomic alterations in oral multiple primary cancers

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is the predominant type of oral cancer, while some patients may develop oral multiple primary cancers (MPCs) with unclear etiology. This study aimed to investigate the clinicopathological characteristics and genomic alterations of oral MPCs. Clinicopathological data from patients with oral single primary carcinoma (SPC, n=202) and oral MPCs (n=34) were collected and compared. Copy number alteration (CNA) analysis was conducted to identify chromosomal-instability differences among oral MPCs, recurrent OSCC cases, and OSCC patients with lymph node metastasis. Whole-exome sequencing was employed to identify potential unique gene mutations in oral MPCs patients. Additionally, CNA and phylogenetic tree analyses were used to gain preliminary insights into the molecular characteristics of different primary tumors within individual patients. Our findings revealed that, in contrast to oral SPC, females predominated the oral MPCs (70.59%), while smoking and alcohol use were not frequent in MPCs.Moreover, long-term survival outcomes were poorer in oral MPCs. From a CNA perspective, no significant differences were observed between oral MPCs patients and those with recurrence and lymph node metastasis. In addition to commonly mutated genes such as CASP8, TP53 and MUC16, in oral MPCs we also detected relatively rare mutations, such as HS3ST6 and RFPL4A. Furthermore, this study also demonstrated that most MPCs patients exhibited similarities in certain genomic regions within individuals, and distinct differences of the similarity degree were observed between synchronous and metachronous oral MPCs.

Efficacy of ginseng-based Renshenguben oral solution for cancer-related fatigue among patients with advanced-stage hepatocellular carcinoma:A prospective multicenter cohort study

Background:Cancer-related fatigue(CRF)is a common and debilitating symptom experienced by patients with advanced-stage cancer,especially those undergoing antitumor therapy.This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Renshenguben(RSGB)oral solution,a ginseng-based traditional Chinese medicine,in alleviating CRF in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)receiving antitumor treatment.Methods:In this prospective,open-label,controlled,multicenter study,patients with advanced HCC at BCLC stage C and a brief fatigue inventory(BFI)score of≥4 were enrolled.Participants were assigned to the RSGB group(RSGB,10 mL twice daily)or the control group(with supportive care).Primary and secondary endpoints were the change in multidimensional fatigue inventory(MFI)score,and BFI and functional assessment of cancer therapy-hepatobiliary(FACT-Hep)scores at weeks 4 and 8 after enrollment.Adverse events(AEs)and toxicities were assessed.Results:A total of 409 participants were enrolled,with 206 assigned to the RSGB group.At week 4,there was a trend towards improvement,but the differences were not statistically significant.At week 8,the RSGB group exhibited a significantly lower MFI score(P<0.05)compared to the control group,indicating improved fatigue levels.Additionally,the RSGB group showed significantly greater decrease in BFI and FACT-Hep scores at week 8(P<0.05).Subgroup analyses among patients receiving various antitumor treatments showed similar results.Multivariate linear regression analyses revealed that the RSGB group experienced a significantly substantial decrease in MFI,BFI,and FACT-Hep scores at week 8.No serious drug-related AEs or toxicities were observed.Conclusions:RSGB oral solution effectively reduced CRF in patients with advanced HCC undergoing antitumor therapy over an eight-week period,with no discernible toxicities.These findings support the potential of RSGB oral solution as an adjunctive treatment for managing CRF in this patient population.

In-situ Gelation of Sodium Alginate-chitosan for Oral Delivery of Probiotics

We developed a new preparation to protect probiotic cells from adverse environmental conditions and improve their livability,which is called Lactobacillus casei-Sodium alginate-Chitosan (LSC).The LSC was prepared by mixing probiotics with sodium alginate-chitosan sol.The preparation contained complex calcium ions,which were released in the acidic environment of gastric juice,thus crosslinking to form in-situ gel.Different proportions of sodium alginate-chitosan were prepared to add to simulate gastrointestinal fluid to get the best ratio.The optimal ratio of LSC preparation was compared with traditional gel microspheres to observe the survival effect of probiotics in gastrointestinal fluid environment.Compared with sodium alginate sol,the porosity of sodium alginate-chitosan sol is lower,which is beneficial to the protection of probiotics.When the ratio of chitosan to sodium alginate is 1.5:1.5 (w/v),the protective effect is the best.The protective ability of LSC is 64 times that of traditional microspheres,and it has the potential of synergistic anti-tumor.A probiotic preparation with simple preparation process and better protection effect compared with traditional microspheres was prepared,which has joint anti-tumor potential.

Unraveling brain aging through the lens of oral microbiota

The oral cavity is a complex physiological community encompassing a wide range of microorganisms.Dysbiosis of oral microbiota can lead to various oral infectious diseases,such as periodontitis and tooth decay,and even affect systemic health,including brain aging and neurodegenerative diseases.Recent studies have highlighted how oral microbes might be involved in brain aging and neurodegeneration,indicating potential avenues for intervention strategies.In this review,we summarize clinical evidence demonstrating a link between oral microbes/oral infectious diseases and brain aging/neurodegenerative diseases,and dissect potential mechanisms by which oral microbes contribute to brain aging and neurodegeneration.We also highlight advances in therapeutic development grounded in the realm of oral microbes,with the goal of advancing brain health and promoting healthy aging.

Fine-tuning the activation behaviors of ternary modular cabazitaxel prodrugs for efficient and on-target oral anti-cancer therapy

The disulfide bond plays a crucial role in the design of anti-tumor prodrugs due to its exceptional tumor-specific redox responsiveness. However, premature breaking of disulfide bonds is triggered by small amounts of reducing substances (e.g., ascorbic acid, glutathione, uric acid and tea polyphenols) in the systemic circulation. This may lead to toxicity, particularly in oral prodrugs that require more frequent and high-dose treatments. Fine-tuning the activation kinetics of these prodrugs is a promising prospect for more efficient on-target cancer therapies. In this study, disulfide, steric disulfide, and ester bonds were used to bridge cabazitaxel (CTX) to an intestinal lymph vessel-directed triglyceride (TG) module. Then, synthetic prodrugs were efficiently incorporated into self-nanoemulsifying drug delivery system (corn oil and Maisine CC were used as the oil phase and Cremophor EL as the surfactant). All three prodrugs had excellent gastric stability and intestinal permeability. The oral bioavailability of the disulfide bond-based prodrugs (CTX-(C)S-(C)S-TG and CTX-S-S-TG) was 11.5- and 19.1-fold higher than that of the CTX solution, respectively, demonstrating good oral delivery efficiency. However, the excessive reduction sensitivity of the disulfide bond resulted in lower plasma stability and safety of CTX-S-S-TG than that of CTX-(C)S-(C)S-TG. Moreover, introducing steric hindrance into disulfide bonds could also modulate drug release and cytotoxicity, significantly improving the anti-tumor activity even compared to that of intravenous CTX solution at half dosage while minimizing off-target adverse effects. Our findings provide insights into the design and fine-tuning of different disulfide bond-based linkers, which may help identify oral prodrugs with more potent therapeutic efficacy and safety for cancer therapy.

Paclitaxel induces human KOSC3 oral cancer cell apoptosis through caspase pathways

Background:Paclitaxel is a compound derived from Pacific yew bark that induces various cancer cell apoptosis.However,whether it also has anticancer activities in KOSC3 cells,an oral cancer cell line,is unclear.Methods:3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide,flow cytometry,and western blotting assays were carried out to assess cell viability,subG1 phase of the cell cycle,and apoptosis-related protein expression,respectively.Results:Ourfindings indicate that paclitaxel could inhibit cell viability and increase the expression of apoptotic markers,including plasma membrane blebbing and the cleavage of poly ADP-ribose polymerase in KOSC3 cells.Also,the treatment with paclitaxel remarkably elevated the percentage of the subG1 phase in KOSC3 cells.In addition,treatment with a pan-caspase inhibitor could recover paclitaxel-inhibited cell viability.Moreover,caspase-8,caspase-9,caspase-7,and BH3 interacting domain death agonist(Bid)were activated in paclitaxel-treated KOSC3 cells.Conclusions:Paclitaxel induced apoptosis through caspase cascade in KOSC3 cells.

Clinical application of oral contrast-enhanced ultrasound in evaluating the preoperative T staging of gastric cancer

BACKGROUND Oral contrast-enhanced ultrasound(OCEUS)is widely used in the noninvasive diagnosis and screening of gastric cancer(GC)in China.AIM To investigate the clinical application of OCEUS in evaluating the preoperative T staging of gastric cancer.METHODS OCEUS was performed before the operation,and standard ultrasound images were retained.The depth of infiltration of GC(T-stage)was evaluated according to the American Joint Committee on Cancer 8th edition of the tumor-nodemetastasis staging criteria.Finally,with postoperative pathological staging as the gold standard reference,the sensitivity,specificity,negative predictive value,positive predictive value,and diagnostic value of OCEUS T staging were evaluated.RESULTS OCEUS achieved diagnostic accuracy rates of 76.6%(T1a),69.6%(T1b),62.7%(T2),60.8%(T3),88.0%(T4a),and 88.7%(T4b),with an average of 75.5%.Ultrasonic T staging sensitivity exceeded 62%,aside from T1b at 40.3%,while specificity was over 91%,except for T3 with 83.5%.The Youden index was above 60%,with T1b and T2 being exceptions.OCEUS T staging corresponded closely with pathology in T4b(kappa>0.75)and moderately in T1a,T1b,T2,T3,and T4a(kappa 0.40-0.75),registering a concordance rate exceeding 84%.CONCLUSION OCEUS was effective,reliable,and accurate in diagnosing the preoperative T staging of GC.As a noninvasive diagnostic technique,OCEUS merits clinical popularization.

Puerarin mediated miR-30b-5p targeting fibroblast activation protein against oral submucous fibrosis

Background:Puerarin(Pue)has been reported to be a natural active ingredient with multiple antifibrotic properties.This work aimed at exploring the function of Pue in oral submucousfibrosis(OSF)treatment.Methods:Human oral mucosafibroblasts(hOMF)were induced with transforming growth factor beta1(TGF-β1)and intervened with Pue.Expressions offibrosis-related markers were analyzed by Western blot and IF staining.Cell viability was characterized by the CCK-8 assay.Expressions of miR-30 family members were quantified by qRT-PCR.The correlation betweenfibroblast activation protein(FAP)and miR-30 family expression was evaluated by the Pearson correlation coefficient.Bioinformatics prediction and dual-luciferase reporter assay were employed to verify the regulation between FAP and miR-30b-5p.The specific mechanism of Pue on OSF was explored through the promotion or inhibition of miR-30b-5p.Results:After induction by TGF-β1,hOMF showed upregulated Collagen I,Collagen III,and FAP expressions,while miR-30 family expression was downregulated with miR-30b-5p being the most significant.Pue intervention inhibited the excessive proliferation of TGF-β1-induced hOMF,downregulated FAP,collagen type 3(COL3A1),collagen type 1(COL1A1),matrix metalloproteinase 1(MMP1),and matrix metalloproteinase 3(MMP3)expressions,and restored miR-30 family expression.Bioinformatics prediction and dual-luciferase reporter assay revealed that miR-30b-5p selectively inhibited FAP expression.Mechanistically,miR-30b-5p mimic suppressed the excessive proliferation of TGF-β1-induced hOMF and declinedfibrosis levels.Pue intervention significantly reversed the promotion of TGF-β1-induced OSF by miR-30b-5p inhibition.Conclusion:Pue mediated miR-30b-5p targeting FAP against OSF,which provided a theoretical basis for the pathogenesis research and Pue application in OSF.

ExosomalmicroRNA let-7c-5p enhances cell malignant characteristics by inhibiting TAGLN in oral cancer

Background:Oral cancer,a malignancy that is prevalent worldwide,is often diagnosed at an advanced stage.MicroRNAs(miRNAs)in circulating exosomes have emerged as promising cancer biomarkers.The role of miRNA let-7c-5p in oral cancer remains underexplored,and its potential involvement in tumorigenesis warrants comprehensive investigation.Methods:Serum samples from 30 patients with oral cancer and 20 healthy controls were used to isolate exosomes and quantify their RNA content.Isolation of the exosomes was confirmed through transmission electron microscopy.Quantitative PCR was used to assess the miRNA profiles.The effects of let-7c-5p and TAGLN overexpression on oral cancer cell viability,migration,and invasion were analyzed via CCK-8 and Transwell assays.Moreover,we conducted mRNA sequencing of exosomal RNA from exosomes overexpressing let-7c-5p to delineate the gene expression profile and identify potential let-7c-5p target genes.Results:let-7c-5p was upregulated in serumderived exosomes of patients with oral cancer.Overexpression of let-7c-5p in the TCA8113 and CAL-27 cell lines enhanced their proliferative,migratory,and invasive capacities,and overexpression of let-7c-5p cell-derived exosomes promoted oral cancer cell invasiveness.Exosomal mRNA sequencing revealed 2,551 differentially expressed genes between control cell-derived exosomes and overexpressed let-7c-5p cell-derived exosomes.We further identified TAGLN as a direct target of let-7c-5p,which has been implicated in modulating the oncogenic potential of oral cancer cells.Overexpression of TAGLN reverses the promoting role of let-7c-5p on oral cancer cells.Conclusion:Our findings highlight the role of exosomal let-7c-5p in enhancing oral cancer cell aggressiveness by downregulating TAGLN expression,highlighting its potential as a diagnostic and therapeutic strategy.

Clinical value of oral contrast-enhanced ultrasonography in diagnosis of gastric tumors

BACKGROUND The incidence of gastric cancer remains high,and it is the sixth most common cancer and the fourth leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide.Oral contrastenhanced ultrasonography is a simple,non-invasive,and painless method for the diagnosis of gastric tumors.AIM To explore the diagnostic value of oral contrast-enhanced ultrasonography for the detection of gastric tumors.METHODS The screening results based on oral contrast-enhanced ultrasonography and electronic gastroscopy were compared with those of the postoperative pathological examination.RESULTS Among 42 patients with gastric tumors enrolled in the study,the diagnostic accordance rate was 95.2%for oral contrast-enhanced ultrasonography(n=40)and 90.5%for electronic gastroscopy(n=38)compared with postoperative pathological examination.The Kappa value of consistency test with pathological findings was 0.812 for oral contrast-enhanced ultrasonography and 0.718 for electronic gastroscopy,and there was no significant difference between them(P=0.397).For the TNM staging of gastric tumors,the accuracy rate of oral contrast enhanced ultrasonography was 81.9%for the overall T staging and 50%,77.8%,100%,and 100%for T1,T2,T3,and T4 staging,respectively.The sensitivity and specificity were both 100%for stages T3 and T4.The diagnostic accuracy rate of oral contrast-enhanced ultrasonography was 93.8%,80%,100%,and 100%for stages N0,N1-N3,M0,and M1,respectively.CONCLUSION The accordance rate of qualitative diagnosis by oral contrast-enhanced ultrasonography is comparable to that of gastroscopy,and it could be used as the preferred method for the early screening of gastric tumors.

Brain abscess from oral microbiota approached by metagenomic next-generation sequencing: A case report and review of literature

BACKGROUND Brain abscess is a serious and potentially fatal disease caused primarily by microbial infection.Although progress has been made in the diagnosis and treatment of brain abscesses,the diagnostic timeliness of pathogens needs to be improved.CASE SUMMARY We report the case of a 54-year-old male with a brain abscess caused by oral bacteria.The patient recovered well after receiving a combination of metagenomic next-generation sequencing(mNGS)-assisted guided medication and surgery.CONCLUSION Therefore,mNGS may be widely applied to identify the pathogenic microor-ganisms of brain abscesses and guide precision medicine.