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Mucoceles are common pathological lesions of the oral cavity, usually measuring up to 10 mm. The authors describe a case of deeply located buccal mucocele measuring 35 mm in diameter. The lesion was caused by facial injury in a 54-year old man. The lesion persisted for approximately 2.5 years and was difficult to diagnose because of its unusual size and atypical clinical symptoms. Preoperative ultrasonography excluded a tumor, and this was confirmed by histopathological examination. However, oncological alertness was considered necessary on account of ulcerated mucosa next to the lesion. The mucocele was removed through surgical excision, using a scalpel and tissue scissors. No recurrence was observed in 2.5 postoperative years. It is stressed that histopathological examinations help to differentiate mucoceles from other disease processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lipoma is a benign tumour originating from mature adipose tissue. It can occur in any place in the body where adipose tissue is located. Intraosseous lipoma is a very rare bone tumour. The authors present an infrequent case involving intraosseous lipoma of the mandible in a 32-year old man and provide a review of case studies documented earlier in the literature.

McCune Albright syndrome (MCA) is a rare complication of genetic origin. The authors present a case study of a patient with MCA diagnosed with multifocal fibrous dysplasia in his limb and craniofacial bones. The symptoms of the disease in the patient’s facial and oral tissue and the treatment administered have been described.

The development and widespread use of ICT in society are reflected by the way research is designed and conducted. The Computer Assisted Web Interview method is becoming more attractive and is a frequently used method in health sciences. The National Study of ICT Use in Primary Healthcare in Poland was conducted using this method. The aim of this paper is to present the major advantages and disadvantages of web surveys. Technical aspects of methodology and important stages of the aforementioned study, as well as key elements for its procedure, are mentioned. The authors also provide reflections based on their analysis of this national study, conducted between January and April 2014.

Resveratrol is a phytoalexin that naturally occurs in grapes, blueberries, cranberries, peanuts and many other plants. Although resveratrol inhibits carcinogenesis in all three stages, its clinical application is restricted due to poor pharmacokinetics. The methylated analogues of resveratrol have been found to have higher bioavailability and cytotoxic activity than that of the prototupe compound. Among the various methoxy derivatives of resveratrol, 3,4,5,4′-tetrametoxystilbene (DMU-212) is suggested to be one of the strongest activators of cytotoxicity and apoptosis. DMU-212 has been shown to exert anti-tumor activity in DLD-1 and LOVO colon cancer cells. Since colorectal cancer is the third most common cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide, the development of new anticancer agents is nowadays of high significance. The aim of the present study was to assess the anticancer activity of 4′-hydroxy-3,4,5-trimetoxystilbene (DMU-281), the metabolite of DMU-212, in DLD-1 and LOVO cell lines. We showed for the first time the cytotoxic activity of DMU-281 triggered via cell cycle arrest at G2/M phase and apoptosis induction accompanied by the activation of caspases-9, -8, -3/7. Furthermore, DMU-281 has been found to change the expression pattern of genes and proteins related to intrinsic as well as extrinsic apoptosis. Since the activation of these pathways of apoptosis is still the most desired strategy in anticancer research, DMU-281 seems to provide a promising approach to the treatment of colon cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transmigration is a tooth pathology in which the migrating tooth bud passes the median plane. Methods: This study is a presentation of the diagnostic and therapeutic outcomes in the cases of 4 stomach teeth transmigrations diagnosed in 3 patients with mandibular retrognathia which was a complication after osteitis in the postnatal period and infancy. Results: Extending imaging diagnostics to include CT, most preferably CBCT, makes it possible to precisely evaluate a transmigrated canine’s position and to plan a course of treatment. Conclusions: Planning of the treatment of teeth in transmigration in patients with temporomandibular ankylosis should be done by a team consisting of an orthodontist and a surgeon.

Recent research has identified critical roles for microRNAs in a large number of cellular processes, including tumorigenic transformation. While significant progress has been made towards understanding the mechanisms of gene regulation by microRNAs, much less is known about factors affecting the expression of these noncoding transcripts. Here, we demonstrate for the first time a functional link between hypoxia, a well-documented tumor microenvironment factor, and microRNA expression. Microarray-based expression profiles revealed that a specific spectrum of microRNAs (including miR-23, -24, -26, -27, -103, -107, -181, -210, and -213) is induced in response to low oxygen, at least some via a hypoxia-inducible-factor-dependent mechanism. Select members of this group (miR-26, -107, and -210) decrease proapoptotic signaling in a hypoxic environment, suggesting an impact of these transcripts on tumor formation. Interestingly, the vast majority of hypoxia-induced microRNAs are also overexpressed in a variety of human tumors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pancreatic stellate cells (PSC) are a subset of pancreatic cancer-associated fibroblasts. These cells provide prosurvival signals to tumors; however, little is known regarding their interactions with immune cells within the tumor microenvironment. We hypothesized that factors produced by human PSC could enhance myeloid-derived suppressor cell (MDSC) differentiation and function, which promotes an immunosuppressive microenvironment. Primary PSC cell lines (n = 7) were generated from human specimens and phenotypically confirmed via expression of vimentin, α-smooth muscle actin (a-SMA), and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP). Luminex analysis indicated that PSC but not human fetal primary pancreatic fibroblast cells (HPF; negative controls) produced MDSC-promoting cytokines [interleukin (IL-6), VEGF, macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF) ] and chemokines (SDF-1, MCP-1). Culture of peripheral blood mononuclear cells [peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC), n = 3 donors] with PSC supernatants or IL-6/granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF; positive control) for 7 days promoted PBMC differentiation into an MDSC (CD11b+CD33+) phenotype and a subpopulation of polymorphonuclear CD11b+CD33+CD15+ cells. The resulting CD11b+CD33+ cells functionally suppressed autologous T-lymphocyte proliferation. In contrast, supernatants from HPF did not induce an MDSC phenotype in PBMCs. Culture of normal PBMCs with PSC supernatants led to STAT3 but not STAT1 or STAT5 phosphorylation. IL-6 was an important mediator as its neutralization inhibited PSC supernatant-mediated STAT3 phosphorylation and MDSC differentiation. Finally, the FLLL32 STAT3 inhibitor abrogated PSC supernatant-mediated MDSC differentiation, PSC viability, and reduced autocrine IL-6 production indicating these processes are STAT3 dependent. These results identify a novel role for PSC in driving immune escape in pancreatic cancer and extend the evidence that STAT3 acts as a driver of stromal immunosuppression to enhance its interest as a therapeutic target. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]