Continuous Gum Chewing Exercise Improves Perioral Muscle Strength

Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of continuous gum chewing exercise on perioral muscle strength. Methods: Thirty healthy adults (24.1 ± 2.0 years) with normal occlusion performed gum chewing exercise 3 times daily for 3 months. Each exercise session lasted 5 min and involved alternating of chewing 10 times using the left molars and then 10 times using the right molars, with the mouth closed. The effect of the exercise on oral function was evaluated by measuring tongue pressure (TP), cheek pressure (CP), and labial closure strength (LCS) immediately before starting exercise, at 2 weeks and 1, 2, and 3 months after starting exercise, and at 3 months after cessation of exercise. Changes in TP, CP, and LCS according to sex and duration of exercise were analyzed by repeated two-way ANOVA. Results: Measurements for all muscles were significantly greater in men than in women at all time points. After starting exercise, TP was markedly increased at 2 months in men and women, and both CP and LCS were markedly increased at 2 weeks in men and at 1 month in women. These effects persisted for 3 months. Three months after cessation of exercise, TP, CP, and LCS tended to decrease, but were not significantly attenuated as compared with 3 months after beginning of exercise in either sex. Conclusion: The results of this study revealed that gum chewing exercise contributed to an improvement in perioral muscle strength, and that this effect was maintained for at least 3 months after discontinuation of exercise.

On Dinosaur Reconstruction: The Head

This paper presents the current knowledge about the reconstruction of dinosaur heads. To reconstruct the dinosaur head, several features and functions of the head must be studied, namely osteology, musculature and soft tissue of the head, cranial kinesis, craniodental biomechanical characteristics, posterior part of the cranium, skin, and others. The main steps and points resulting from the study are the following. Firstly, the osteological remains of the head are studied for reconstruction according to the correct size and form in comparison with known remains belonging to the same family in case the remains were not complete. As the dinosaurs did not have facial muscles, their skin was pressed directly to the skull. The skin covering the large openings in front of the orbits of many dinosaurs probably bulged gently outward, and similarly, the jaw muscles bulged gently from the skull openings. Also, an investigation is performed to decide if sauropods were terrestrial or aquatic animals. Then, the individual characteristics of the head are examined in detail. These concern: 1) endocranial cast and nerves, 2) nostrils position, 3) the existence and kind of cheeks and lips, 4) Teeth types and function, 5) the palate shape and skin covering, 6) hyoid apparatus and tongues, 7) the details of the ear, 8) sclerotic rings and eyes, 9) skin and color. With the knowledge gathered about the various parts of the head in mind, decisions are made about the Amargasaurus (a sauropod) head in order to reconstruct a 3D, actual size head, as a worked example. Finally, the reconstruction procedure is described in detail.

基于现场总线技术的城轨交通列车运行监控系统

针对行车密度小、无法应用轨道电路作为列车检测手段的城市轨道交通系统 ,提出了一种基于现场总线技术的 Check方式城市轨道交通列车运行监控系统 。

History and evolution of the use of oral mucosa for urethral reconstruction

We report here the history and evolution of the use of oral mucosa in reconstructive urethral surgery since it was first used for urethroplasty in 1894.Since that time,many authors have contributed to develop,improve and popularize the use of oral mucosa as a substitute material.Paediatric urologists should be considered pioneers on the use of oral mucosa as they used it to repair primary and failed hypospadias.The use of oral mucosa to repair penile and bulbar urethral strictures was described,for the first time,in 1993.Important evolutions in the technique for harvesting oral mucosa from the cheek were reported in 1996.Today,oral mucosa is considered the gold standard material for any type of anterior urethroplasty in a one-or two-stage repair due to its biological and structural characteristics that make it a highly versatile that is adaptable to any environment required by the reconstructive urethral surgery.As the future approaches,tissue engineering techniques will provide patients with new materials originating from the oral epithelial mucosal cells,which are cultured and expanded into a scaffold.However,the path to reach this ambitious objective is still long and many difficulties must be overcome along the way.

Anticancer Effects of Fusion Protein CAtin on DMBA-induced Carcinogenesis in Buccal Pouch of Chinese Hamster

Aberrant expression of carcinoembryonic antigen（CEA） is a common feature for multiple types of cancer,which makes it an attractive target for anticancer therapy.CAtin is a novel dual cancer-specific fusion protein,composed of an anti-CEA single-chain disulfide-stabilized Fv antibody（scdsFv） and Apoptin,a tumor-specific apoptosis-inducing protein.Oral squamous cell carcinoma（OSCC） is an important healthcare problem in the clinic.To evaluate the anticancer effects of CAtin on OSCC,7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene（DMBA） was used to induce oral carcinogenesis and premalignant lesions in the buccal pouch of Chinese hamster,and the antitumor effects of CAtin were determined in pre-cancer,cancer and post-operatative cancer models,respectively.The results show that the administration of CAtin delayed the malignant transformation of early stage cancerous lesions,inhibited the growth of established solid oral tumors and reduced the post-operatative relapse of lesions,with no significant systemic toxicity.This study demonstrates that CAtin may have potential for the treatment of OSCC,and the development of preventive strategies based on CAtin may offer a practical approach for the treatment of human oral tumors.

Intradermal administration of formalin to the cheek induces itch as well as pain behaviors in rats

Objective · Formalin is a classic and most widely used algogenic substance, but its itchy effect is not clear. The present study aims to explore the hypothesis that formalin may induce itch as well as pain. Methods · Flinching, as well as licking and forelimb wiping of the site of injection were counted as pain responses, whereas biting and hind paw scratching of the cheek were counted as itchy responses. To discriminate formalin-induced sensations in rats, the irritant(saline as control) was injected, and then pain and itchy responses were recorded.Results · Intraplantar injection of formalin elicited biphasic behavior responses characterized as flinching, as well as biting or licking of the hind paw without significant gender differences. Following intradermal administration of formalin to the cheek, rats exhibited episodic forelimb wiping of the cheek, representative of pain. No gender difference was noticed for this type of behavior. In addition, episodes of hind paw scratches of the cheek, representative of pruritoceptive responses, also occurred. Interestingly, hind paw scratches appeared to be more pronounced in male than in female rats. Conclusion · Intradermal administration of formalin elicits pruritoceptive as well as nociceptive responses in rats.

A Guide to Cheek Augmentation: Single-Point Deep Injection of Hyaluronic Acid Filler at Midface in Close Proximity to Medial Suborbicularis Oculi Fat (SOOF) Area

Loss of volume in midface can result in an aged, wasted appearance. Osseous and fat atrophy with aging may further contribute to the loss of soft tissue support and midface ptosis. In the aging of periorbital area and midface, fat atrophy occurs mostly in the suborbicularis oculi fat (SOOF) area. The authors proposed that injection of hyaluronic acid (HA) filler to support the SOOF area could counteract the aging sign due to fat atrophy, restore volume loss and achieve a more youthful appearance. The authors described the treatment of 10 female patients who received CHAP®-particle hyaluronic acid (CHAP®-HA) injections for cheek augmentation, using single-point deep injection technique at midface in close proximity to SOOF area. Such approach provides satisfactory cheek augmentation results without significant complications. The authors discussed a rationale for their choice of dermal filler and provided an injection technique for restoring volume in the midface region with CHAP®-HA. Such technique is relatively quick to perform, have little down time, and result in a high rate of patient satisfaction.

Giant Lipoma of the Cheek: A Case Report

Lipomas are the most common fatty mesenchymal tumors in the human body. They are very rare in the oral cavity. With a predilection, they have a rate of 1% to 4%. We report the case of a 74-year-old woman with a large painless lump on the left cheek of the mouth. This mass invading the deep spaces of the face induced a more difficult surgical excision.

Facial characteristics and Mizaj

Background Iranian traditional medicine,originating from Greek medicine,is based on the four elements theory,which defines the origin of life as the composition of the four elements of air,soil,fire,and water[1,2].According to Iranian traditional medicine,actions and reactions of opposite qualities of these four elements and interaction among“themselves by virtue of their respective powers(qualities)”in varying amounts of these combinations form the unique Mizaj(temperament)of each human being[3].Each human being has a unique Mizaj based on the combination of the warmness of fire,the coldness of soil,the wetness of water,and the dryness of air[4,5].The combinations of these elements are generally categorized as Sanguine Mizaj(warm and wet),Choleric(warm and dry),Phlegmatic(cold and wet),Sanguine Mizaj,and Melancholic Mizaj(cold and dry)[4–9].Mizaj is also categorized as innate and acquired.Each individual is born with the innate Mizaj,and the acquired type commonly results from living conditions and lifestyle[4,5].

A Case of Late Diagnosed Multiple Pilar Leiomyoma Located on the Cheek and Neck

Leiomyomas are benign soft tissue neoplasms that arise from muscles. Skin is the second most common location for leiomyoma and often localized on the trunk or extremities. Less than 1% of leiomyomas happen in the head and neck. Here we report a case of pilar leiomyoma which located on the face and neck in the form of multiple, large papulonodules plaque. The treatment by excision and grafting would be difficult because of the large surface area involved the patient was treated with nifedipine. We recommend that leiomyomas must be included in the clinical differential diagnosis of painful papulonodules.

Clinical application and histological observation of pedicled buccal fat pad grafting

OBJECTIVE: To introduce the applied anatomy of pedicled buccal fat pad (BFP) graft and a series of histological changes in the healing process of BFP as an uncovered pedicled graft. METHODS: The healing processes of BFP are demonstrated via uncovered pedicled grafts on rabbits in histological examination. Uncovered buccal fat pads were used to repair soft tissue defects in rabbit oral cavities. RESULTS: The uncovered buccal fat pads showed complete epithelialization of their oral surfaces at 6 to 8 weeks after surgery and were slowly replaced by fibrous tissue. CONCLUSIONS: Advantages of the pedicled buccal fat pad graft include an anatomic region that is consistent and easy to excise. The operation can be performed in one incision, affecting neither appearance nor function of the area. Use of the buccal fat pad provides a good reconstruction of soft tissue defects in the mouth.

Treatment of acne vulgaris with auricular acupoint pricking-bloodletting plus auricular point sticking therapy: a randomized controlled study

Objective: To observe the clinical efficacy of auricular point pricking-bloodletting plus auricular point sticking therapy for acne vulgaris. Methods: A total of 66 patients with acne vulgaris were randomized into an observation group and a control group by the random number table, with 33 cases in each group. The observation group was treated with auricular point pricking-bloodletting plus auricular point sticking therapy, and the control group was treated only with auricular point sticking therapy. The treatments of both groups were performed twice a week, 4 weeks as a course of treatment, for 3 courses in total. The scores of skin lesions and dermatology life quality index (DLQI) scores were recorded before and after treatment to assess the clinical efficacy. Results: During the trial, there were 3 cases of drop-out both in the observation group and the control group. After 3 courses of treatment, the total effective rate of the observation group was 96.7%, while that of the control group was 76.7%. The difference between the two groups was statistically significant (P<0.05). The intra-group comparison showed that the scores of skin lesion and DLQI were both decreased with the increase of treatment times, that was, the scores were lower than those at the previous time point (allP<0.05). After 1, 2, and 3 courses of treatment, the scores of skin lesion and DLQI of both groups were statistically different from those of the same group before treatment (allP<0.05). At every time point during the treatment, the scores of skin lesion and DLQI of the observation group were lower than those of the control group, and the differences between the two groups were statistically significant (all P<0.05). Conclusion: Auricular point pricking-bloodletting plus auricular point sticking has a better curative effect than auricular point sticking therapy alone in the treatment of acne vulgaris, and has a time-effect correlation.