Role of Cyclooxygenase-2 in Head and Neck Tumorigenesis

The cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) is a potent enzyme that converts arachidonic acid to prostaglandins (PG), including PGE2, a key mediator of inflammation and angiogenesis. Importantly, COX-2 is activated in response to inflammatory stimuli, where it is also believed to promote the development and progression of head and neck cancers (HNC). COX-2 can mediate its protumorigenic effect through various mechanisms, such as inducing cell proliferation, inhibition of apoptosis, and suppressing the host’s immune response. Furthermore, COX-2 can induce the production of vascular endothelial growth factors, hence, promoting angiogenesis. Indeed, the ability of COX-2 inhibitors to selectively restrict the proliferation of tumor cells and mediating apoptosis provides promising therapeutic targets for cancer patients. Thus, in this comprehensive review, we summarized the reported differential expression patterns of COX-2 in different stages of head and neck carcinogenesis—from potentially premalignant lesions to invasive carcinomas. Furthermore, we examined the available meta-analysis evidence for COX-2 role in the carcinogenesis of HNC. Finally, further understanding of the biological processes of COX-2 and its role in orchestrating cell proliferation, apoptosis, and angiogenesis may give therapeutically beneficial insight to develop the management plan of HNC patients and improve their clinical outcomes.     

CO2激光治疗皮肤基底细胞癌14例临床观察

目的 :探求一种简单 ,安全 ,效果好的基底细胞癌的治疗方法。方法 :对 1 4例基底细胞癌患者在局麻下用CO2 激光行基底细胞癌切除术或切除 +气化术。结果 :患者术中、术后出血少 ,伤口恢复快 ,愈合良好 ,疤痕表浅 ,随访未见复发。结论 :CO2 激光用于治疗基底细胞癌效果良好 ,无明显副作用 ,操作简单值得推广。     

Behavioral depression during cocaine withdrawal is associated with decreased spontaneous activity of ventral tegmental area dopamine neurons.

Withdrawal from an escalating-dose, bingelike regimen of cocaine administration in rats produced significantly depressed levels of locomotor activity during the nocturnal portion of the day-night cycle. This effect was observed during the first 48 hrs of testing. Extracellular single-unit recordings of ventral tegmental area (VTA) dopamine (DA) neurons revealed no differences between saline- and cocaine-treated rats with respect to basal firing rates. However, significantly fewer spontaneously active VTA DA neurons were encountered in rats withdrawn from binge cocaine. As with the nocturnal hypoactivity, this effect was observed only during the first 48 hrs of withdrawal. These findings suggest that short-term DA neuron dysfunction during cocaine withdrawal temporally corresponds to behavioral disruptions that are similar to those described in human addicts. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Localization of Function Within the Dorsal Hippocampus: The Role of the CA3 Subregion in Paired-Associate Learning.

Computational models and electrophysiological data suggest that the CA3 subregion of the hippocampus supports the formation of arbitrary associations; however, no behavioral studies have been conducted to test this hypothesis. Rats with neurotoxin-induced lesions of dorsal dentate gyrus (DG), CA3, or CA1 were tested on object-place and odor-place paired-associate tasks to test whether the mechanism that supports paired-associate learning is localized to the CA3 subregion of the dorsal hippocampus or whether all hippocampal subregions contribute to paired-associate learning. The data indicate that rats with DG or CA1 lesions learned the tasks as well as controls; however, CA3-lesioned rats were impaired in learning the tasks. Thus, the CA3 subregion of the dorsal hippocampus contains a mechanism to support paired-associate learning. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Role of the Basal Ganglia in Category Learning: How Do Patients With Parkinson's Disease Learn?

The purpose of the present study was to gain a deeper understanding of the role of the basal ganglia in learning and memory by examining learning strategies among patients with basal ganglia dysfunction. Using a probabilistic category learning task (the "weather prediction" task) previously shown to be sensitive to basal ganglia function, the authors examined patterns of performance during learning and used mathematical models to capture different learning strategies. Results showed that patients with Parkinson's disease exhibit different patterns of strategy use. Specifically, most controls initially used a simple, but suboptimal, strategy that focused on single-cue-outcome associations; eventually, however, most controls adopted a more complex, optimal learning strategy, integrating single-cue associations to predict outcomes for multiple-cue stimuli. In contrast, the majority of individuals with Parkinson's disease continued to rely on simple single-cue learning strategies throughout the experiment. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of Fimbria-Fornix, Hippocampus, and Amygdala Lesions on Discrimination Between Proximal Locations.

The conditioned cue preference (CCP) task was used to study the information required to discriminate between spatial locations defined by adjacent arms of an 8-arm radial maze. Normal rats learned the discrimination after 3 unreinforced preexposure (PE) sessions and 4 food paired-unpaired training trials. Fimbria-fornix lesions made before, but not after, PE, and hippocampus lesions made at either time, blocked the discrimination, suggesting that the 2 structures processed different information. Lateral amygdala lesions made before PE facilitated the discrimination. This amygdala-mediated interference with the discrimination was the result of a conditioned approach response that did not discriminate between the 2 arm locations. A hippocampus/fimbria-fornix system and an amygdala system process different information about the same learning situation simultaneously and in parallel. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

"Recovery of spatial alternation deficits following selective hippocampal destruction with kainic acid": Correction to Kesslak and Gage (1986).

Reports an error in "Recovery of spatial alternation deficits following selective hippocampal destruction with kainic acid" by J. Patrick Kesslak and Fred H. Gage (Behavioral Neuroscience, 1986[Apr], Vol 100[2], 280-283). In the aforementioned article, the degrees of freedom reported in the Results section are incorrect. In the sixth paragraph on page 281, the second sentence should read as follows: Results of the ANOVA indicated a significant effect for surgical treatments. F(2, 25)=25.44, p1986-21445-001.) Examined whether the sympathetic ingrowth of superior cervical ganglion (SCG) fibers sprouting into the hippocampus following kainic acid (KA) lesion of CA3 and CA4 pyramidal cells in male Sprague-Dawley rats would contribute to behavioral recovery. 31 Ss were trained on a forced-choice task. After reaching criterion performance levels, Ss received either KA (8 nM/0.4 μl) or saline injections into the hippocampus and were again tested on the forced-choice task. Half of the Ss had their SCG removed 35 days after injections, and all were again tested on the forced-choice task. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed Ss receiving KA took significantly longer to reach criterion following injections. Removal of the SCG after recovery reintroduced the performance deficit of KA-treated Ss on the alternation task; no other group showed any effect for SCG removal. Results indicate that the SCG may have a modulatory effect in behavioral recovery, although other mechanisms may also be operating. (22 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Structural variability and its relation to edaphic attributes of mangroves in the south‐west coast of India

We estimated the tree structural variables (density, frequency and basal area) of true mangroves and soil variables like particle size distribution, carbon, available nitrogen and phosphorus, sulphur, nutrient cations (K, Na, Ca, Mg) of Cochin mangroves and examined the relationship between vegetation and environment. The study sites were classified as seaward fringe, riverine and interior. Of the thirteen true mangrove species present, Avicennia officinalis, Sonneratia caseolaris and Excoecaria agallocha showed higher Importance Value Index. The mean stem density varied from 80 to 25,000 no./ha and basal area from 0.1 to 39.68 m²/ha. Seaward mangroves showed maximum stand basal area and biomass production while riverine exhibited maximum density. Maturity Index value of Cochin mangroves revealed a very low degree of structural maturity. Interior mangroves were characterized by silty soil with higher nutrient concentrations. Principal component analysis of soil data revealed that the major factors influencing mangrove vegetation were soil texture, nutrients, salinity and oxidation–reduction potential. The stem density and basal area of different species correlated highly with soil nutrients and texture (p < .001) while salinity showed negative correlations with vegetation characteristics. The data generated in the study would be fundamental in site‐specific management and conservation efforts of these degrading mangroves.     

探析服装印花图案色彩设计

服装印花色彩设计是时代的一面镜子,从其特有的角度,映照出人类社会物质及精神文明进步、发展的面貌。探析服装印花色彩,掌握好和运用好色彩是服装印花色彩设计的重要之事,为使其对人们产生艺术魅力,给社会创造更多的经济价值,在服装印花设计中,色彩显然要担负起至关重要的使命。     

Coupling image processing and stress analysis for damage identification in a human premolar tooth

Non-carious cervical lesions are characterized by the loss of dental hard tissue at the cement-enamel junction (CEJ). Exceeding stresses are therefore generated in the cervical region of the tooth that cause disruption of the bonds between the hydroxyapatite crystals, leading to crack formation and eventual loss of enamel and the underlying dentine.Damage identification was performed by image analysis techniques and allowed to quantitatively assess changes in teeth. A computerized two-step procedure was generated and applied to the first left maxillary human premolar. In the first step, dental images were digitally processed by a segmentation method in order to identify the damage. The considered morphological properties were the enamel thickness and total area, the number of fragments in which the enamel is chipped. The information retrieved by the data processing of the section images allowed to orient the stress investigation toward selected portions of the tooth. In the second step, a three-dimensional finite element model based on CT images of both the tooth and the periodontal ligament was employed to compare the changes occurring in the stress distributions in normal occlusion and malocclusion. The stress states were analyzed exclusively in the critical zones designated in the first step.The risk of failure at the CEJ and of crack initiation at the dentin-enamel junction through the quantification of first and third principal stresses, von Mises stress, and normal and tangential stresses, were also estimated.