Despite advancements in therapeutic approaches, radiotherapy and cisplatin-based chemotherapy remain primary noninvasive treatments for patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Moreover, the 5-year survival rate for patients with OSCC has remained almost unchanged for several decades, and many side effects of chemotherapy still exist. In this study, three-dimensional (3D) models of OSCC were established using fibroblasts, and the efficacy of various biological inhibitors was evaluated. A culture of epithelial cells with two types of fibroblasts (hTERT-hNOFs and cancer-associated fibroblasts) within a type I collagen matrix resulted in the formation of a continuous layer of tightly packed cells compared to models without fibroblasts. Furthermore, the effects of biological chemicals, including Y27632, latrunculin A, and verteporfin, on these models were investigated. The stratified formation of the epithelial layer and invasion in OSCC 3D-culture models were effectively inhibited by verteporfin, whereas invasion was weakly inhibited by Y27632 and latrunculin. Collectively, the developed OSCC 3D-culture models established with fibroblasts demonstrated the potential for drug screening, with verteporfin showing promising efficacy.

Oral bacterial infections substantially affect the development of various periodontal diseases and oral cancers. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the association between Fusobacterium nucleatum (F. nucleatum ), a major periodontitis (PT)-associated pathogen, and these diseases require extensive research. Previously, our RNAsequencing analysis identified a few hundred differentially expressed genes in patients with PT and peri-implantitis (PI) than in healthy controls. Thus, in the present study using oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) cells, we aimed to evaluate the effect of F. nucleatum infection on genes that are differentially regulated in patients with PT and PI. Human oral squamous cell carcinoma cell lines OSC-2O, HSC-4, and HN22 were used. These cells were infected with F. nucleatum at a multiplicity of infection of 100 for 3 hours at 37℃ in 5% CO2. Gene expression was then measured using reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction. Among 18 genes tested, the expression of CSF3, an inflammation-related cytokine, was increased by F. nucleatum infection. Additionally, F. nucleatum infection increased the phosphorylation of AKT, p38 MAPK, and JNK in OSC-20 cells. Treatment with p38 MAPK (SB202190) and JNK (SP600125) inhibitors reduced the enhanced CSF3 expression induced by F. nucleatum infection. Overall, this study demonstrated that F. nucleatum promotes CSF3 expression in OSCC cells through p38 MAPK and JNK signaling pathways, suggesting that p38 MAPK and JNK inhibitors may help treat F. nucleatum-related periodontal diseases by suppressing CSF3 expression.

본 연구의 목적은 날로 심각해지는 세대갈등이 개인과 사회발전의 저 해 요인으로 작용함에 따라 세대통합 제고를 위한 세대통합프로그램 개 발의 기초자료 제공에 있다. 노년 세대와 청소년 세대의 세대갈등에 주 목하여, 청소년과 노인을 대상으로 10년 이상 관련기관의 유경험자인 사 회복지 전공 교수 3명과 사회복지시설 종사자 3명을 대상으로 전문가 FGI를 실시하였다. 연구결과 5개의 상위 개념 ‘세대갈등과 통합’, ‘세대 통합 공감’,‘나의 세대통합 이야기’, ‘세대통합활동의 무대화’, ‘세대통합 활동 효과’와 12개의 하위 개념이 도출되어, 구술생애사를 기반으로 참 여자의 활동 결과물 전시와 공연으로 이어지는 구체적인 프로그램 방향 이 설정되었다. 구술생애사 기반 자료는 익숙한 일상사가 활동의 주요 소재가 됨으로써 생산자인 동시에 소비자가 되는 경험을 통해 프로그램 에 몰입할 수 있는 요인이 제공됨에 따라 참여자들의 상호 이해 증진으 로 세대통합 기여의 함의를 발견할 수 있었다.

The present study aimed to explore how pre-service teacher’s individual regulatory focus orientation, currently emerging as an interesting learner variable for language learning, could influence their Englishspeaking abilities. English teaching demonstration videos of 67 pre-service teachers were analyzed in terms of pronunciation, accuracy, and fluency. The regulatory focus orientations of participants were evaluated using a questionnaire. The results of data analysis, using multiple regression analysis, indicated that promotion-focus orientation was a significant positive predictor for pronunciation, fluency (words per minute, ratio of dysfluency), and accuracy (lexical errors, ratio of error-free AS-units). On the other hand, prevention-focus orientation did not emerge as a statistically significant factor affecting accuracy. However, it was observed to have a negative influence on both pronunciation and fluency. In light of the research findings that highlight the favorable impact of a promotion-focus orientation, suggestions were made for future teacher training programs aimed at enhancing the English proficiency of pre-service teachers.

The limitation of markers for chronic oral diseases such as oral lichen planus (OLP) and burning mouth syndrome (BMS) is a diagnostic challenge for clinicians. The pathogenesis of OLP and BMS is not yet fully understood. Therefore, diagnoses are mainly based on the observation of clinical features and history, rather than established markers. C-reactive protein (CRP) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) are used to determine the state of inflammation; however, these markers have some limitations. Recently, a new inflammatory marker, pentraxin-3 (PTX3), has been identified in other systemic inflammatory diseases. PTX3 is a member of the pentraxin family and is classified as a long pentraxin. PTX3 is found in various human tissues, whereas the classical short pentraxin, CRP, is secreted only in the liver. PTX3 is a marker of autoimmune diseases and periodontitis. However, there are no studies on PTX3 in OLP and BMS; therefore, we sought to determine if PTX3 can be a diagnostic marker for OLP and BMS. PTX3 was found to be correlated with other inflammatory markers, suggesting its diagnostic value for inflammatory oral diseases. We also found that the PTX3 levels were lower in patients with OLP and BMS. ESR levels were elevated in the OLP and BMS groups, but CRP levels were not. Despite these associations, no correlation was found between PTX3 expression and other known clinical features of OLP and BMS. We suggest that PTX3 plays a role in the immunological and neurological pathways involved in the complex pathogenesis of OLP and BMS.

Purpose: Even today, cancer remains a challenge to overcome. The purpose of this study is to understand the current status of lip-oral-pharyngeal cancer in Koreans by identifying the survival rate of lip-oral-pharyngeal cancer in Koreans through long-term big data. Material and Method: This study utilized 2023 KOSIS (Cancer Registration Statistics, Ministry of Health and Welfare) academically. The 5-year relative survival rates of lip-oral-pharyngeal cancer from 1996 to 2020 were compared and analyzed at 5-year intervals. Results: The 5-year relative survival rate for lip-oral-pharyngeal cancer was 47.4% from 1996 to 2000, 54.5% from 2001 to 2005, 61.1% from 2006 to 2010, 65.5% from 2011 to 2015, and 69.7% from 2016 to 2020. From 1996 to 2005, the 5-year relative survival rate for lip-oral-pharyngeal cancer was higher than the 5-year relative survival rate for all cancers. However, in the recent 15 years from 2006 to 2020, the 5-year relative survival rate for lip-oral-pharyngeal cancer was lower than for all cancers. Conclusions: In conclusion, this long-term big data showed that the 5-year relative survival rate of lip-oral-pharyngeal cancer in Koreans has increased further in modern times. However, in order to increase the overall survival rate of all human cancers, continuous efforts to improve the survival rate of lip-oral-pharyngeal cancer are needed in the future.

Velvet antler is widely used as a traditional medicine, and numerous studies have demonstrated its tremendous nutritional and medicinal values including immunity-enhancing effects. This study aimed to investigate different deer velvet extracts (Sample 1: raw extract, Sample 2: dried extract, and Sample 3: freeze-dried extract) for proximate composition, uronic acid, sulfated glycosaminoglycan, sialic acid, collagen levels, and chemical components using ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time-of-light mass spectrometry. In addition, we evaluated the cytotoxic effect of the deer velvet extracts on BV2 microglia, HT22 hippocampal cells, HaCaT keratinocytes, and RAW264.7 macrophages using the cell viability MTT assay. Furthermore, we evaluated acute toxicity of the deer velvet extracts at different doses (0, 500, 1000, and 2000 mg/kg) administered orally to both male and female ICR mice for 14 d (five mice per group). After treatment, we evaluated general toxicity, survival rate, body weight changes, mortality, clinical signs, and necropsy findings in the experimental mice based on OECD guidelines. The results suggested that in vitro treatment with the evaluated extracts had no cytotoxic effect in HaCaT keratinocytes cells, whereas Sample-2 had a cytotoxic effect at 500 and 1000 μg/mL on HT22 hippocampal cells and RAW264.7 macrophages. Sample 3 was also cytotoxic at concentrations of 500 and 1000 μg/mL to RAW264.7 and BV2 microglial cells. However, the mice treated in vivo with the velvet extracts at doses of 500–2000 mg/kg BW showed no clinical signs, mortality, or necropsy findings, indicating that the LD50 is higher than this dosage. These findings indicate that there were no toxicological abnormalities connected with the deer velvet extract treatment in mice. However, further human and animal studies are needed before sufficient safety information is available to justify its use in humans.

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is the most common type of oral cancer, and it has been steadily increasing in worldwide. Pituitary tumor transforming gene 1 (PTTG1) has been known as oncogene in a verity of cancers. Nevertheless, the expression and role of PTTG1 in OSCC progression remains largely unexplored. In this study, clinical datasets were analyzed to assess the genetic impact of PTTG1 on OSCC progression and to identify its functional roles in OSCC cell lines. We analyzed the expression of PTTG1 in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSC) and OSCC using databases form the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO). To investigate the effect of PTTG1 on proliferation and migration abilities in OSCC cell lines, following the knockdown of PTTG1 in HSC-2 and SCC-9 cell lines, we analyzed the proliferation and metastatic abilities of OSCC cells using EdU and Boyden chamber assays. Our database analysis revealed that PTTG1 was significantly overexpressed in tumor tissues compared to normal tissues. Moreover, its expression correlated with clinical parameters of OSCC. In vitro experiments demonstrated that depletion of PTTG1 suppressed the ability of cell proliferation and migration in both HSC-2 and SCC-9 cell lines. In conclusion, our study suggests that PTTG1 may act as an oncogene in OSCC. These findings provide new insights into the mechanisms and clinical implications of PTTG1 expression in OSCC patients.

Collagen peptides have garnered significant attention as functional foods across multiple fields due to their capacity to regulate physiological and hormonal processes, offering numerous advantages. However, despite their broad range of applications, comprehensive research on the potential toxicity of these substances remains lacking. Therefore, this study sought to assess the acute oral toxicity of a collagen peptide derived from skate (Raja kenojei) skin (CPSS) in both rats and dogs. In the rat model, CPSS was orally administered at doses of 300 and 2,000 mg/kg to Sprague-Dawley rats. An escalating single-dose oral toxicity assessment at doses of 500, 1,000, and 2,000 mg/kg was carried out in beagle dogs with 3-day intervals between doses. Throughout the 14-day post-administration assessment period, clinical signs, mortality rates, changes in body weight, and necropsy observations were closely monitored. After oral administration, no signs of toxicity associated with CPSS were observed in either rats or dogs. Therefore, the oral LD50 (approximate lethal dose for 50% mortality) for CPSS in rats was determined to exceed 5,000 mg/kg, and the maximum tolerated dose for dogs was estimated to be above 2,000 mg/kg. Consequently, this study offers safety data on the use of CPSS in functional foods and medicinal applications.

목적 : 본 연구는 노인들의 인지기능과 삶의 만족도간의 관계에서 노인구강건강요인의 매개효과를 분석하 기 위해 수행되었다. 연구방법 : 8차 고령화연구패널조사(2020년)에 수집된 60세 이상의 중고령자 6,169명을 대상으로 분석하 였다. 노인구강건강 요인은 노인구강건강평가지수(Geriatric Oral Health Assessment Index; GOHAI)의 기능적 차원 요인, 심리사회적 차원 요인, 통증 및 불편함 요인으로 세분화하였고 각 요인의 매개효과를 Mplus 8.4를 활용하여 경로분석을 수행하였다. 결과 : 6,169명의 평균 연령은 70.77세였다. 인지기능과 삶의 만족도 사이에서 노인구강건강 요인 중 구강건 강관련 기능적 차원 요인(β = 0.207, 95% Confidence Interval; CI = 0.169, 0.207)이 23%로 가장 큰 부분매개효과를 나타났다. 심리사회적 차원 요인은 22%(β = 0.202, 95% CI = 0.171, 0.236), 통증 및 불편함 요인은 16%(β = 0.146, 95% CI = 0.119, 0.175)로 기술한 순으로 부분매개효과를 나타냈다. 결론 : 인지기능과 삶의 만족도 사이에 구강건강 관련 기능적 차원 요인, 심리사회적 차원 요인, 통증 및 불편함 요인이 미치는 영향력을 확인하였다. 따라서 노인의 인지수준을 고려하고, 삶의 만족도에 영향을 미치는 구강건강 요인을 세분화하여 파악한 결과를 통해 개개인의 맞춤형 재활치료 접근 전략을 세우고 노인의 삶의 만족도를 높일 필요성을 제시하고자 한다.

Cellular myxoma is an uncommon type of myxoid benign tumor, predominantly occurring in adult female patients aged >40 years. This report aims to document a case of cellular myxoma that occurred in the buccal mucosa. Compared to intramuscular myxomas, cellular myxoma demonstrates hypercellularity and vascularity. Its manifestation in the soft tissue of the head and neck area is exceptionally rare. Generally, cellular myxoma manifests as a firm and immovable mass covered with normal oral mucosa, with no associated clinical symptoms. Homogenous low signal intensity on T1-weighted scans and high-signal intensity on T2-weighted magnetic resonance scans reveal cellular myxoma, as most lesions show well-defined margins and heterogeneous contrast enhancement. The significant histologic features include a focal or diffuse increase in cellularity with fibroblast-like cells and vascularity with an abundant collagenous matrix. Our presented case reflects these facts examinations, based on which a final diagnosis of cellular myxoma was made. Immunohistochemistry revealed locally and diffusely positive SMA and CD34. The clinical tendency of cellular myxoma with hypercellularity may affect the production of myxoid and collagenous substrates, and if complete resection is not performed, the possibility of local recurrence in the primarily affected region remains. Hence, complete surgical excision was performed under general anesthesia, and follow-up until a year after treatment revealed no observed recurrence. To achieve precise diagnosis and complete treatment without local recurrence, several diagnostic examinations should be considered.

The rapid detection of bacteria in the oral cavity, its species identification, and bacterial count determination are important to diagnose oral diseases caused by pathogenic bacteria. The existing clinical microbial diagnosis methods are time-consuming as they involve observing patients’ samples under a microscope or culturing and confirming bacteria using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) kits, making the process complex. Therefore, it is required to analyze the development status of substances and systems that can rapidly detect and analyze pathogenic microorganisms in the oral cavity. With research advancements, a close relationship between oral and systemic diseases has been identified, making it crucial to identify the changes in the oral cavity bacterial composition. Additionally, an early and accurate diagnosis is essential for better prognosis in periodontal disease. However, most periodontal diseasecausing pathogens are anaerobic bacteria, which are difficult to identify using conventional bacterial culture methods. Further, the existing PCR method takes a long time to detect and involves complicated stages. Therefore, to address these challenges, the concept of point-of-care (PoC) has emerged, leading to the study and implementation of various chair-side test methods. This study aims to investigate the different PoC diagnostic methods introduced thus far for identifying pathogenic microorganisms in the oral cavity. These are classified into three categories: 1) microbiological tests, 2) microchemical tests, and 3) genetic tests. The microbiological tests are used to determine the presence or absence of representative causative bacteria of periodontal diseases, such as A. actinomycetemcomitans , P. gingivalis , P. intermedia , and T. denticola . However, the quantitative analysis remains impossible, and detecting pathogens other than the specific ones is challenging. The microchemical tests determine the activity of inflammation or disease by measuring the levels of biomarkers present in the oral cavity. Although this diagnostic method is based on increase in the specific biomarkers proportional to inflammation or disease progression in the oral cavity, its commercialization is limited due to low sensitivity and specificity. The genetic tests are based on the concept that differences in disease vulnerability and treatment response are caused by the patient’s DNA predisposition. Specifically, the IL-1 gene is used in such tests. PoC diagnostic methods developed to date serve as supplementary diagnostic methods and tools for patient education, in addition to existing diagnostic methods, although they have limitations in diagnosing oral diseases alone. Research on various PoC test methods that can analyze and manage the oral cavity bacterial composition is expected to become more active, aligning with the shift from treatmentoriented to prevention-oriented approaches in healthcare.

This article reports on an experimental study that investigated the effects of different conditions of listener backchannels on the fluency of L2 speakers. The participants were 15 advanced Chinese learners of Korean who performed oral tasks in three different backchannel conditions: (1) verbal + nonverbal (V+NV), (2) nonverbal-only (NV), and (3) no backchannels (NB). The verbal backchannels included “[ŋ~] (Non lexical verbal form)”, “[ne]”, “[ɑ]”, “[ɨm]” while the nonverbal backchannels involved head nodding. Fluency was assessed via three temporal measures: Rate A, Rate B and MLR. The data was statistically analyzed using SPSS 25 package. The results showed that 15 Chinese participants in the NV condition were more fluent than in the V+NV or NB conditions. However, no significant differences were found between the V+NV and NB conditions. These results suggest that nonverbal backchannels may facilitate the fluency of advanced Chinese learners of Korean during oral tasks depending on the nature of backchannel use in their L1 and sociocultural environments. The present research theoretically broadens the scope of both fluency and backchannel studies and provides valuable data and methods for empirical studies on backchannels to Korean.

SOCS3, a suppressor of cytokine signaling 3, is known as a negative regulator of various cytokines and a tumor suppressor gene in human tumors. This study aimed to investigate the role of SOCS3 in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and its impact on epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in OSCC cells. Although SOCS3 is recognized as a negative regulator of various cytokines and a tumor suppressor gene in human tumors, its specific effects on OSCC remain poorly understood. For the assessment of SOCS3 expression in OSCC, the UALCAN website and TCGA data were used to evaluate its expression in head and neck cancer. Additionally, immunohistochemical staining was conducted to determine the SOCS3 expression specifically in OSCC. The findings indicated a significant decrease in SOCS3 expression in tumor tissue compared to that in normal tissues. To investigate the enhancement of SOCS3 expression in OSCC cancer cell lines, IL6 treatment was administered to MC3 cells. However, no significant differences were observed in cell viability, wound healing assay, and invasion assay. Conversely, the transfection of SOCS3 siRNA into OSCC cells led to a notable increase in cell viability and statistically significant increases in wound healing and invasion assays. These results suggest that SOCS3 plays a crucial role in cell viability and EMT in OSCC, thereby contributing to oral carcinogenesis. Further research is necessary to elucidate the precise role of SOCS3 in OSCC.

This study evaluated cell viability and cytokine release in immortalized human oral fibroblasts (hTERT-hNOFs) and keratinocytes (IHOK) exposed to a dental-impregnated gingival retraction cord. To prepare the extracts, dental gingival retraction cords impregnated with aluminum chloride hexahydrate were immersed in a cell culture medium for 24 h at 37 °C. hTERT-hNOFs and IHOK were cultured for 24 h. The cell culture medium was removed and extracts of the dental gingival retraction cords were added. After incubation with the extract solution, cell viability was evaluated using an MTT assay. The levels of the cytokines IL-1α and IL-8 were measured in the supernatants of each cell type. The cell viability after exposure to the extract solution for 10 min exceeded 70 % in both cell types. The ET50 values for hTERT-hNOF and IHOK were 35.75 and 28.98 min, respectively. For IHOK, the IL-1α level was (5.35 ± 5.22) pg/mL at 10 min, (3.58 ± 5.38) pg/mL at 20 min, and (2.85 ± 4.28) pg/mL at 60 min of exposure (p > 0.05). The IL-8 level in IHOK was (67.16 ± 18.70) pg/mL at 10 min, (78.36 ± 7.50) pg/mL at 20 min, and (111.9 ± 26.10) pg/mL at 60 min of exposure (p > 0.05). Cytokine release was not observed from hTERThNOFs. Based on these results, cell viability and cytokine release were confirmed in cells exposed to the impregnated gingival retraction cord. In addition, the application of the extracts to hTERT-hNOF and IHOK during the actual contact time and determination of ET50 may be beneficial for evaluating the biocompatibility of dental-impregnated gingival retraction cords.

This study examined the subacute oral toxicity of Dendropanax morbiferus H.Lév leaves hot-water extracts (DMWE) using male and female Spargue-Dawley rats. Rats were orally administered the DMWE at dose levels of 0, 250, 500, 1,000, and 2,000 mg/kg body weight (BW) for four weeks. For experimental period, clinical signs and the number of deaths were examined, and feed intake and BW of all experimental animals were measured once a week for four weeks. At the end of the experiment, blood samples were collected from all rats, and all animals were euthanized and autopsies were performed to collect major organs. No dead animals were found during the experimental period. In addition, no differences were found between control and DMWE-treated groups in feed intakes, BW changes, organ weights, clinical signs, hematological parameters, and serum biochemical parameters. The results of this study provided evidence that oral administration of DMWE at the dose of 2,000 mg/kg BW is safe in rats and may not exert severe toxic effects.