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This review presents an in-depth analysis of the immense potential of CRISPR-Cas9 technology in revolutionizing oral cancer research. It underscores the inherent limitations of conventional treatments while emphasizing the pressing need for groundbreaking approaches. The unparalleled capability of CRISPR-Cas9 to precisely target and modify specific genes involved in cancer progression heralds a new era in therapeutic intervention. Employing genome-wide CRISPR screens, vulnerabilities in oral cancer cells can be identified, thereby unravelling promising targets for therapeutic interventions. In the realm of oral cancer, the disruptive power of CRISPR-Cas9 manifests through its capacity to perturb genes that are intricately associated with drug resistance, consequently augmenting the efficacy of chemotherapy. To address the challenges that arise, this review diligently examines pertinent issues such as off-target effects, efficient delivery mechanisms, and the ethical considerations surrounding germline editing. Through precise gene editing, facilitated by CRISPR/Cas9, it becomes possible to overcome drug resistance by rectifying mutations, thereby enhancing the efficacy of personalized treatment strategies. This review delves into the prospects of CRISPR-Cas9, illuminating its potential applications in the domains of medicine, agriculture, and biotechnology. It is paramount to emphasize the necessity of ongoing research endeavors and the imperative to develop targeted therapies tailored specifically for oral cancer. By embracing this comprehensive overview, we can pave the way for ground-breaking treatments that instill renewed hope for enhanced outcomes in individuals afflicted by oral cancer.

Oral cancer is one of the 19most rapidly progressing cancers associated with significant mortality, owing to its extreme degree of invasiveness and aggressive inclination. The early occurrences of this cancer can be clinically deceiving leading to a poor overall survival rate. The primary concerns from a clinical perspective include delayed diagnosis, rapid disease progression, resistance to various chemotherapeutic regimens, and aggressive metastasis, which collectively pose a substantial threat to prognosis. Conventional clinical practices observed since antiquity no longer offer the best possible options to circumvent these roadblocks. The world of current cancer research has been revolutionized with the advent of state-of-the-art technology-driven strategies that offer a ray of hope in confronting said challenges by highlighting the crucial underlying molecular mechanisms and drivers. In recent years, bioinformatics and Machine Learning (ML) techniques have enhanced the possibility of early detection, evaluation of prognosis, and individualization of therapy. This review elaborates on the application of the aforesaid techniques in unraveling potential hints from omics big data to address the complexities existing in various clinical facets of oral cancer. The first section demonstrates the utilization of omics data and ML to disentangle the impediments related to diagnosis. This includes the application of technology-based strategies to optimize early detection, classification, and staging via uncovering biomarkers and molecular signatures. Furthermore, breakthrough concepts such as salivaomics-driven non-invasive biomarker discovery and omics-complemented surgical interventions are articulated in detail. In the following part, the identification of novel disease-specific targets alongside potential therapeutic agents to confront oral cancer via omics-based methodologies is presented. Additionally, a special emphasis is placed on drug resistance, precision medicine, and drug repurposing. In the final section, we discuss the research approaches oriented toward unveiling the prognostic biomarkers and constructing prediction models to capture the metastatic potential of the tumors. Overall, we intend to provide a bird’s eye view of the various omics, bioinformatics, and ML approaches currently being used in oral cancer research through relevant case studies.

The clinical management of oral cancer is often frequented with challenges that arise from relapse, recurrence, invasion and resistance towards the cornerstone chemo and radiation therapies. The recent conceptual advancement in oncology has substantiated the role of cancer stem cells (CSC) as a predominant player of these intricacies. CSC are a sub-group of tumor population with inherent adroitness to self-renew with high plasticity. During tumor evolution, the structural and functional reprogramming persuades the cancer cells to acquire stem-cell like properties, thus presenting them with higher survival abilities and treatment resistance. An appraisal on key features that govern the stemness is of prime importance to confront the current challenges encountered in oral cancer. The nurturing niche of CSC for maintaining its stemness characteristics is thought to be modulated by complex multi-layered components encompassing neoplastic cells, extracellular matrix, acellular components, circulatory vessels, various cascading signaling molecules and stromal cells. This review focuses on recapitulating both intrinsic and extrinsic mechanisms that impart the stemness. There are contemplating evidences that demonstrate the role of transcription factors (TF) in sustaining the neoplastic stem cell’s pluripotency and plasticity alongside the miRNA in regulation of crucial genes involved in the transformation of normal oral mucosa to malignancy. This review illustrates the interplay between miRNA and various known TF of oral cancer such as c-Myc, SOX, STAT, NANOG and OCT in orchestrating the stemness and resistance features. Further, the cross-talks involved in tumor micro-environment inclusive of cytokines, macrophages, extra cellular matrix, angiogenesis leading pathways and influential factors of hypoxia on tumorigenesis and CSC survival have been elucidated. Finally, external factorial influence of oral microbiome gained due to the dysbiosis is also emphasized. There are growing confirmations of the possible roles of microbiomes in the progression of oral cancer. Given this, an attempt has been made to explore the potential links including EMT and signaling pathways towards resistance and stemness. This review provides a spectrum of understanding on stemness and progression of oral cancers at various regulatory levels along with their current therapeutic knowledge. These mechanisms could be exploited for future research to expand potential treatment strategies.

Context: The 5-year survival rate in patients with cervical lymph node metastasis is reported to be 20-36% post surgery as compared to 63-86% in patients without nodal involvement. This necessitates assessing the metastatic potential of OSCC patients.Objectives: To evaluate the role of Pancytokeratin immunostained tumour buds and cytoplasmic pseudofragments with other histopathological and immunohistochemical variables in predicting metastatic risk of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma (OSCC).Settings and Design: Retrospective study on archival tissues of OSCC available from the Department of Oral Pathology and Microbiology.Methodology: Totally.40 samples of 117 histopathologically diagnosed OSCC samples were selected that displayed metastatic risk variables like invasive tumour front pattern, lymphovascular invasion, tumour buds and cytoplasmic pseudofragmentation and were grouped into 20 each of metastatic and non-metastatic OSCC. 5 normal oral mucosa samples were included in the control group. The 45 tissues were stained with congo red to assess tumour - associated tissue eosinophilia (TATE) and immunohistochemically evaluated for tumour budding and cytoplasmic pseudofragmentation using pancytokeratin, proliferation (Ki-67), microvessel density (MVD)(CD31) and lymphatic vessel density (LVD)( LYVE-1).Statistical Analysis: Pearson's Chi square test and Man Whitney U test were used and analysed by Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software version 20.0.Results: Metastatic OSCC showed significantly high number of tumour buds (p = 0.001), cytoplasmic pseudofragments (p = 0.008), higher tumour grade (p = 0.038), lymphovascular invasion (p = 0.008) and LVD (p = 0.013), aggressive invasive tumour front pattern (p = 0.001) compared to non-metastatic OSCC.Conclusion: Pancytokeratin immunostained tumour buds, cytoplasmic pseudofragments and higher LYVE-1 expression may be used as independent predictors for OSCC metastasis.This study highlights the importance of recognizing the early metastatic risk variables that navigates the surgeon in planning appropriate therapy for OSCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: The etiopathogenesis of oral lichen planus (OLP) is still debatable. According to literature, many studies have illustrated OLP as a T-cell-mediated chronic autoimmune disease. Currently, there is increased evidence of chronic inflammation in OLP and its association with vascular adhesion molecules (VAMs).Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the expression of VAM (PECAM-1) in OLP.Setting and Design: Tissue samples involved 20 archival cases of histopathologically confirmed OLP (n = 15) and normal mucosa (n = 5) as controls.Materials and Methods: The sections were subjected to immunohistochemical analysis using antibody to PECAM-1. Brown staining of the endothelial cells of blood vessels was considered positive. The expression of PECAM-1 in OLP was statistically analyzed using Wilcoxon sign-rank test.Results: The expression of PECAM-1 in OLP was statistically significant when compared with normal mucosa (P < 0.05). A statistically significant difference was also observed in PECAM-1 expression between the reticular type and erosive type of OLP.Conclusion: PECAM-1 was found to be overexpressed in OLP; difference in PECAM-1 expression was noted between the reticular and erosive types. The VAMs could be exploited as a possible therapeutic target in OLP to modulate the disease process thereby reducing the dependency on corticosteroids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Quantification of Mitotic Figures (MFs) is a prognostic indicator in assessment of Oral Epithelial Dysplasia (OED), Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma (OSCC) and is part of many histopathological grading systems. Evaluation of MFs is done as part of post treatment (chemoradiotherapy) to monitor any changes in the treated area. But identification and quantification of MFs in routine stains is a tedious process and subjective to errors. Aim: To stain, compare and analyse mitosis specific marker anti-phosphohistone H3 (anti-PHH3) with H&E stain and 1% crystal violet in OED and OSCC. Materials and Methods: Study sample included archival tissues embedded in paraffin blocks histopathologically diagnosed as OED (n=30) and OSCC (n=30). Three serial sections of each tissue specimen were stained separately with H&E stain, 1% crystal violet stain and anti-PHH3 (IHC stain). The stained sections were examined for identification and counting of MFs. The data were analysed using Chi-square test and Kruskal Wallis Test. Results: MFs were significantly increased in OSCC in comparison with OED. There was a significant increase in number of MFs in anti-PHH3 in comparison with crystal violet and H&E stained tissue sections. Conclusion: It was seen that anti-PHH3 is the most specific stain for identification of MFs amongst H&E, crystal violet and anti-PHH3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Turmeric-Curcuma longa is a natural dye and has been used for various purposes since centuries.The global interest to use biodegradable materials; natural dyes/stains has evoked curiosity to explore its staining efficacy. Limited studies have been performed to determine the efficacy of turmeric as a stain for formalin fixed paraffin embedded sections that are routinely stained with Hematoxylin and Eosin (H&E). This study highlights on the comparison of turmeric extraction methods namely, maceration and soxhlet in relation to its staining efficacy which is first of its kind. Also, the staining of turmeric extracts on pathological tissues has not been tried earlier. Aim: To compare two different extraction methods for turmeric namely the maceration and soxhlet, to compare staining efficacy of turmeric with and without mordant, to compare efficacy of turmeric stain with synthetic eosin in normal and pathological tissues. Materials and Methods: Curcuma longa was dried, powdered and extracted by maceration and soxhlet techniques. Tissue sections were stained with and without the mordant potash alum in normal and pathologic tissues. The staining intensity, efficacy of prepared turmeric stain with that of eosin were compared by appreciating the respective tissue structures stained by both the components. The statistical analysis was carried out by Chisquare test. Results: Statistically significant results were observed in sections stained by maceration technique than that of the soxhlet. The Hematoxylin and Turmeric (H&T) sections in which Mordant was incorporated with Turmeric (TEM) fetched better results. Comparable results were obtained in normal and pathologic tissue sections stained with H&T (TEM) with conventionally employed H&E stain. Conclusion: Turmeric extract can be used as an adjunct stain to eosin, a synthetic stain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Oral carcinoma is a global health problem. India accounts for one-third of world burden with high prevalence rate of 2.5 million and mortality rate of 5.5 lacs per year. Oral carcinogenesis is a multistage process that frequently involves invasion and metastasis that needs early detection and treatment to improve the overall quality of life. The ability of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma (OSCC) to metastasize to lymph nodes does not always show a relationship with clinical staging. A spectrum of molecular mechanisms is involved in carcinogenesis, where defect in the regulation of apoptosis is assumed to contribute to the pathogenesis and progression of cancer. Apoptosis regulatory genes include the antiapoptotic protein such as B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) gene that might be used as a molecular marker to evaluate the biological behaviour of oral cancer. Aim: To evaluate and correlate the Bcl-2 expression in OSCC patients with lymphnode metastasis and without metastasis. Materials and Methods: The study comprised of 30 samples, 15 cases of metastatic and 15 non-metastatic primary OSCC. All the cases were stained for routine Hematoxylin and Eosin (H&E), and Bcl-2 antibody by immunohistochemistry. The H&E stained sections were evaluated for Lymphocytic Infiltrate (LI) and Pattern Of Invasion (POI). Bcl-2 stained sections were evaluated for staining intensity and distribution. The differences between the groups were statistically analysed using chi-square test. Results: The histopathological parameters, LI and POI did not show any statistical difference between the study groups. Expression of Bcl-2 in OSCC was 33.3% among the study groups, where metastatic group showed a positive expression of 13.3% and 20% in non-metastatic OSCC that did not show statistically significance among the study groups. Conclusion: There was no significant difference in the expression of Bcl-2 between the study groups. Apoptosis is regulated by interaction among the Bcl-2 gene family. Hence, evaluation of Bcl-2 along with other apoptotic regulating proteins could define the role in pathogenesis and prognosis of metastatic and non-metastatic OSCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Xylene is an aromatic hydrocarbon widely used in histopathology laboratory. However, exposure to xylene is a welldocumented occupational hazard. This study intended to find a natural, non-toxic, economical substitute for xylene to minimize its hazardous effects and make the histopathological laboratory an biofriendly environment. Objectives: (1) To evaluate the efficacy of extra virgin olive oil and refined sunflower oil (RSO) as a clearing and deparaffinizing agent in histopathological staining, (2) To compare the efficacy of olive oil and RSO as a clearing and deparaffinizing agent with regard to xylene. Materials and Methods: Commercially available fresh goat tissue was procured and fixed in 10% neutral buffered formalin for 48 h. The tissues were divided into three experimental groups (Groups I, II, and III). Hematoxylin and eosin staining was performed for all the three groups. Group I was processed and stained using xylene as clearing and deparaffinizing agent. Groups II and III were processed and stained using olive oil and RSO, respectively. Evaluation was done by three pathologists and the entire procedure was blinded. Statistical analysis was accomplished by Kruskal-Wallis analysis of variance, Mann-Whitney U-test, Chi-square test, and Kappa statistics. Results: Results showed both the oils had the ability to clear and deparaffinize tissues. Extra virgin olive oil was comparatively better, it maintained the tissue integrity, and the overall staining quality was also better when compared to RSO. Conclusion: To conclude, extra virgin olive oil and RSO can be used as a biofriendly substitute to xylene in histopathological laboratory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cigarette smoke has been shown to cause immune modulatory effects making the individual susceptible to various diseases. Immunoglobulin A (IgA) forms the first line of defense against pathogens at the mucosal surfaces and smoking might interfere with its production and function. By understanding how cigarette smoking causes reduced serum and salivary Ig levels, increasing their levels may be therapeutic in the prevention of oral diseases. Materials and Methods: The study group comprised 60 smokers and the control of 60 nonsmokers of age group 18-45 years. Case histories were elicited, informed consent was taken, and serum and saliva samples were collected. Salivary and serum IgA were detected using the turbidimetric IgA immunoassay. The presence of IgA in the test specimen resulted in the formation of an insoluble complex producing a turbidity, which was measured at a wavelength of 340 nm. IgA concentration for all serum and saliva samples was calculated as per the manufacturer's guidelines. Data obtained was statistically analyzed. Results: Serum and salivary IgA levels were significantly higher in nonsmokers as compared to smokers. Statistical analysis showed a significant difference between the serum and salivary IgA levels in smokers and nonsmokers. Conclusion: There is strong evidence that smoking precipitates many orogastrointestinal diseases due to its profound effects on [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vegetable granuloma (VG) or pulse granuloma is an enigmatic lesion in terms of its designated nomenclature and etiopathogenesis. It is less often reported in the walls of inflammatory and developmental odontogenic cysts. It can present different histological characteristics, possibly related to the length of time in the tissue and its location. Due to its deceptive appearance, it can often mislead the pathologists. Here, we report an unusual encounter of VG in a Pindborg's tumor, which is the first of its kind in the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monitoring forest canopies is vital for ecological studies, particularly for assessing epiphytes in rain forest ecosystems. Traditional methods for studying epiphytes, such as climbing trees and building observation structures, are labor, cost intensive and risky. Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) have emerged as a valuable tool in this domain, offering botanists a safer and more cost-effective means to collect data. This study leverages AI-assisted techniques to enhance the identification and mapping of epiphytes using UAV imagery. The primary objective of this research is to evaluate the effectiveness of AI-assisted methods compared to traditional approaches in segmenting/identifying epiphytes from UAV images collected in a reserve forest in Costa Rica. Specifically, the study investigates whether Deep Learning (DL) models can accurately identify epiphytes during complex backgrounds, even with a limited dataset of varying image quality. Systematically, this study compares three traditional image segmentation methods Auto Cluster, Watershed, and Level Set with two DL-based segmentation networks: the UNet and the Vision Transformer-based TransUNet. Results obtained from this study indicate that traditional methods struggle with the complexity of vegetation backgrounds and variability in target characteristics. Epiphyte identification results were quantitatively evaluated using the Jaccard score. Among traditional methods, Watershed scored 0.10, Auto Cluster 0.13, and Level Set failed to identify the target. In contrast, AI-assisted models performed better, with UNet scoring 0.60 and TransUNet 0.65. These results highlight the potential of DL approaches to improve the accuracy and efficiency of epiphyte identification and mapping, advancing ecological research and conservation., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Phytic acid (inositol hexaphosphate/IP6) is a versatile chemical that is abundant in nature and is required for a variety of biological processes. It is harnessed in a wide range of fields, including drug discovery, daily supplies, chemical industries, medicine, and dentistry. IP6 is becoming increasingly popular in dentistry, with promising results. Several properties, such as cariostatic ability, beneficial impact on enamel disintegration, and anti-plaque, anti-tartar, and dental adhesive-forming properties, have been investigated thus far. Due to many constraints in the literature, there was a point in time when IP6 received less attention, which impacted knowledge in this field. Nevertheless, the positive outcomes of the flourishing of IP6 have recently been reconsidered from a number of papers that have improved our understanding of its modes of action in the aforementioned applications. The role of phytic acid in refining the properties and manoeuvring of dental resources is being investigated in novel endeavors in treating diseases of pulp and tissues supporting tooth structure, but to show its novel therapeutic potential, more precisely calibrated clinical trials are needed. This review examines and discusses the various uses proposed in the literature, as well as the applications of IP6 in dentistry., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2024 THE AUTHORS.)

Context: Spindle cell lesions comprise a vast plethora of benign and malignant lesions with similar clinical and radiographic features. Their overlapping histopathologic features ensure a diagnostic dilemma., Aim: The current multicentric study aims to delineate fibroblastic and myofibroblastic oral spindle cell lesions based on cytomorphology and comprehensive immunohistochemical analysis., Settings and Design: The experimental study was conducted at MS Ramaiah University of Applied Sciences, Bangalore, and All India Institute of Applied Sciences, Delhi., Methods and Material: A comprehensive histological scoring criteria and panel of immunohistochemical makers (STAT6, CD31, CD34, S100, SMA, vimentin, pan-CK, HHF-35, Ki67, ALK, desmin, HMB-45, SATB2, ERG, EMA and CD99) were employed concurrently for the first time for fibroblastic and myofibroblastic oral spindle cell lesions. The data obtained was tabulated and studied., Statistical Analysis Used: NA. Results: Using cytological scoring criteria and panel of immunohistochemical makers, the cases analysed and characterized were desmoplastic fibroma, fibrosarcoma, leiomyosarcoma, nodular fasciitis, neurofibroma and epithelioid inflammatory myofibroblastic sarcoma (EIMS)., Conclusions: The diagnostic strategies need to be upgraded for the diagnosis of spindle cell lesions. Emphasis must be placed on cytomorphology, an immunohistochemistry (IHC) panel of markers is imperative for the accurate diagnosis of fibroblastic and myofibroblastic oral spindle cell lesions., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright: © 2023 Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology.)

Enamel, being the hardest and the highest mineralized tissue of the human body, contains nearly 96% inorganic components and 4% organic compounds and water. Dentin contains 65% inorganic components and 35% organic and water content. The translucency and white appearance of enamel are attributed to Hydroxyapatite (HA), which constitutes the major part of the inorganic component of dental hard tissue. With the advent of nanotechnology, the application of Nanohydroxyapatite (nHA) has piqued interest in dentistry due to its excellent mechanical, physical, and chemical properties. Compared to HA, nHA is found to have superior properties such as increased solubility, high surface energy and better biocompatibility. This is due to the morphological and structural similarity of nanosized hydroxyapatite particles to tooth hydroxyapatite crystals. These nanoparticles have been incorporated into various dental formulations for different applications to ensure comprehensive oral healthcare. To prevent dental caries, several nHA based dentifrices, mouth rinsing solutions and remineralizing pastes have been developed. nHA-based materials, such as nanocomposites, nano impression materials, and nanoceramics, have proven to be very effective in restoring tooth deformities (decay, fracture, and tooth loss). The nHA coating on the surface of the dental implant helps it bind to the bone by forming a biomimetic coating. A recent innovative strategy involves using nHA to reduce dentinal hypersensitivity and to reconstruct periodontal bone defects. The purpose of the present review is to discuss the different applications of nHA in dentistry, especially in preventive and restorative dentistry, dental implantology, bleaching and dentine hypersensitivity management., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2023 The Authors. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of King Saud University.)

Context: Cervical lymph node metastasis is the most important prognostic factor in Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck (SCCHN). Detection and evaluation of micro-metastasis forms the basis for diagnosis, staging, treatment options and prognosis. Lymph node prognostic factors are extremely important for the survival and recurrence in the patient. Assessing lymph node metastasis in the absence of clinical enlargement is challenging., Aim: To evaluate micrometastasis and individual tumor cells (ITC) in regional lymph nodes of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) by modified papanicolaou (PAP) stain and re-evaluate the tumor staging., Settings and Design: The retrospective study was executed at MS Ramaiah University of Applied Sciences., Methods and Materials: The current study constituted a total of 40 lymph nodes from OSCC patients, metastatic (n=20) and non-metastatic lymph nodes (n=20). All sections were stained with H & E followed by modified PAP stain. Modified PAP was used for identification of micrometastasis deposits., Statistical Analysis Used: The Chi square test was employed to analyze significance., Results: Modified PAP stain proved to be more accurate (p = 0.006) than H and E stain in detecting micrometastasis which accounted for 15% of non-metastatic lymph node sections used in our study., Conclusion: Special stain like modified PAP stain is valuable and sensitive in detecting micro-metastasis over H and E stain. Detection of micrometastasis in OSCC patients is advantageous for the patient as it influences staging, it modifies the treatment plan in terms of both radiotherapy and chemotherapy., (Copyright © 2023 Copyright: © 2023 Journal of Cancer Research and Therapeutics.)

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought out lot of changes among the way people and organisations function. It has also reduced social gatherings and hence social relations considerably, forcing people to adjust to new ways of work and life. An outstanding difference between the current COVID-19 pandemic and previous epidemics or pandemics is the increased availability and use of technology currently, which has been validated by various reports from across the globe. Thus, even with the ensuing pandemic, lockdown and decreased social gatherings, with the technology support we have devised ways to keep in contact with friends, family and work place, so as to continue our lives. Social distancing guidelines and regulations have put pressure on a great many organisations to find new ways of keeping employees and students connected while working remotely. For more deskbound occupations and roles, this can be relatively straightforward, but it is challenging if not impossible for lab-based quality control, research and study. The answer to this is digital remote microscopy which enables sharing of data online, carrying out collaborative work through multi-viewing in real time and facilitates remote training functions., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright: © 2023 Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology.)