Oral mucositis and taste dysfunction are frequently complained by patients with head and neck cancer receiving radiotherapy, challenging the clinical outcome of cancer treatment. Recent studies have indicated the protective role of Wnt/β-catenin signaling in radiation-induced oral mucositis (RIOM) and its pivotal role in the development and self-renewal of taste buds. The current study hypothesizes that lithium chloride (LiCl), a potent activator of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, can promote the postirradiation restoration of oral mucosa integrity and taste function. To validate this hypothesis, we established a RIOM mouse model and evaluated the treatment efficacy of LiCl on oral mucositis and taste dysfunction in comparison with keratinocyte growth factor (KGF), an agent approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for oral mucositis. The results showed that LiCl alleviated the weight loss and tongue ulceration of RIOM mice, promoted proliferation of basal epithelial cells, and inhibited epithelial-mesenchymal transition in tongue mucosa. More important, elevated taste bud renewal and dysgeusia recovery toward sweetness were observed in RIOM mice treated with LiCl as compared to those treated by KGF. Collectively, our data demonstrate that LiCl can mitigate oral mucositis and rescue taste alteration induced by irradiation, and activation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling may represent a promising therapy to improve the quality of life of patients receiving radiotherapy.

No abstract

The multiconfiguration Dirac-Fock (MCDF) method is used to systematically calculate the wavelengths and oscillator strengths for transitions among the levels belong to the 3s 2 3p, 3s 2 3d, 3s 2 4s, 3s 2 4p, 3s3p 2 , 3s3d 2 , 3s3p3d, 3s3p4d, 3s3d4s, 3s3d4p, 3s3d4d, 3p 3 , 3p 2 3d, 3p 2 4s, 3p 2 4p, 3p 2 4d and 3p3d4d configurations of Al-like Fe 13+ , Co 14+ and Ni 15+ ions. Good agreement is found between our calculation and the available experimental wavelengths. Then wavelengths and oscillator strengths of the Cu 16+ , Zn 17+ and Ga 18+ from n = 3-4 transitions involved in these configurations are extensively reported for the first time. The configuration interactions in the Al-like ions are discussed. In particular, the mixing coefficients and level crossing between the 3s3p3d 4 P 3/2 and 3s3p3d 4 D 3/2 states in Al-like Co and Ni are investigated.

The equilibrium structure of the compound Li 3 AlB 2 O 6 is evaluated via the minimization of the total energy using pseudopotentials and a plane-wave basis within the local spin density approximation (LSDA) in the framework of density functional theory (DFT). The calculated data for the equilibrium structure are in agreement with the experimental ones. The thermal properties of Li 3 AlB 2 O 6 are consequently calculated within the quasi-harmonic approximation with the Debye model combined with the first principle for which static total energy versus volume can be calculated easily. The equilibrium volume obtained using this model also agrees with the experimental value, so other thermal outcomes gained from this model will provide overall predictions accurately for the temperature and pressure dependence of various quantities such as the equation of state (EOS), the bulk modulus, the heat capacity, and the thermal expansion.

No abstract