Programmed Cell Death Protein 1 Contributes to Oral Cancer Pain via Regulating Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha in the Spinal Trigeminal Nucleus Caudalis.

Background: Oral cancer causes intense pain at the primary site, and such pain can impair oral functions. However, the underlying mechanisms for oral cancer pain are still not fully understood. In the present study, it is investigated whether programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) is involved in the development of oral cancer pain.

The protists of Ernst Haeckel's Kunstformen der Natur.

Haeckel's 'art book', Kunstformen der Natur, is likely familiar to most protistologists as it is probably Haeckel's best known work, and it prominently featured protists. No doubt many of us have used some of the images from it in our lectures. Most familiar are perhaps the often-reproduced images of nassularian radiolaria, but plates were also devoted to phaeodarians, acantharia, foraminifera, ciliates, diatoms, dinoflagellates and desmids.

Facilitating remote and virtual access provision by European research infrastructures - requirements, issues, and recommendations.

Research Infrastructures (RIs) are strategic assets facilitating innovation and knowledge advancement across all scientific disciplines. They provide researchers with advanced tools and resources that go beyond individual or institutional capacities and promote collaboration, community-building and the application of scientific standards. Remote and virtual access to RIs enables scientists to use these essential resources without the necessity of being physically present.

The odd couple of protistology: Edward Heron-Allen (1861-1943) and Arthur Earland (1866-1958).

Edward Heron-Allen and Arthur Earland were among the last great amateur foraminifera researchers. Their partnership began in 1907 and ended in 1932. While close in age to one another, they shared little more than a fascination for forams and a lack of any university training.

The saga of the false fossil foram Eozoon.

Eozoon canadense, 'the dawn animal of Canada', a large foraminifera, was announced in 1864 as the oldest fossil organism known. Camps soon formed into disbelievers of its fossil nature, agnostics, and "Eozoonists". Eozoon would number among its proponents major figures of the time.

Phaeogromids of the mesopelagic marine plankton: Temporal variability of concentrations and observations of feeding structures of four species from the mesopelagic in the Mediterranean Sea.

Challengerids, phaeogromids rhizarian protists, are emblematic protists of the deep sea but are also enigmatic as they occur in very low concentrations. In previous studies, we reported on temporal changes in abundance at a near-shore mesopelagic site, but only as part of sampling of the entire microplankton assemblage, not well-suited for examining phaeogromids. Consequently, we turned to using a closing plankton net to provide material from large volumes of seawater, thus allowing for more robust estimates of concentrations and material for observations of living cells, to our knowledge the first made.

The impact of tumor immunogenicity on cancer pain phenotype using syngeneic oral cancer mouse models.

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) patients report severe function-induced pain at the site of the primary tumor. The current hypothesis is that oral cancer pain is initiated and maintained in the cancer microenvironment due to secretion of algogenic mediators from tumor cells and surrounding immune cells that sensitize the primary sensory neurons innervating the tumor. Immunogenicity, which is the ability to induce an adaptive immune response, has been widely studied using cancer cell transplantation experiments.

Jacob Whitman Bailey (1811-1857): Ehrenberg's ambassador to America.

Science in general, and microscopy in particular, lagged far behind Europe in early 19th century America. Jacob Bailey was one of the very few American microscopists. In eulogies he was called 'the Ehrenberg of America' and 'the founder of microscopical research'.

Sympathetic modulation of tumor necrosis factor alpha-induced nociception in the presence of oral squamous cell carcinoma.

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) causes more severe pain and psychological stress than other types of cancer. Despite clinical evidence linking pain, stress, and cancer progression, the underlying relationship between pain and sympathetic neurotransmission in oral cancer is unknown. We found that human HNSCC tumors and mouse tumor tissue are innervated by peripheral sympathetic and sensory nerves.

Re-visiting the ridiculed rival of Leeuwenhoek: Louis Joblot (1645-1723).

Louis Joblot published one of the first manuals of microscopy in 1718, just a few years before both he and Leeuwenhoek died. It contained Joblot's microscope designs and his extensive observations on microorganisms including experiments on spontaneous generation. Joblot's work and his observations have often been overlooked, misdated, and denigrated.

Oral cancer induced TRPV1 sensitization is mediated by PAR signaling in primary afferent neurons innervating the cancer microenvironment.

Oral cancer patients report sensitivity to spicy foods and liquids. The mechanism responsible for chemosensitivity induced by oral cancer is not known. We simulate oral cancer-induced chemosensitivity in a xenograft oral cancer mouse model using two-bottle choice drinking and conditioned place aversion assays.

On Charles Atwood Kofoid (1865-1947): The good, the bad, and the ugly.

Charles Atwood Kofoid was a scientist of considerable stature and a key figure in the development of protistology in the United States of America during first half of the 20th century. Today he is known mainly for his detailed taxonomic monographs on protists of the marine plankton, specifically dinoflagellates and tintinnid ciliates. Lesser known today is the wide range of Kofoid's work in protistology.

On Edouard Claparède and Johannes Lachmann (Clap & Lach) and their "Etudes sur les Infusoires et les Rhizopodes".

Accounts are given of the lives and careers of Edouard Claparède (1832-1871) and Johannes Lachmann (1832-1860), the authors of the landmark work of 19th century protistology "Etudes sur les Infusoires et les Rhizopodes", published in 3 parts in 1859, 1860 and 1861. Accounts are also given on the origin of the monograph, the relationship of Claparède and Lachmann with Ernst Haeckel, and Claparède's role as a promoter of Darwin's theories. Suggestions as to how to properly cite the monograph of Claparède and Lachmann are provided, as well as a supplementary file listing the protist species currently accepted as having been first described in their monograph.

Cathepsin S Evokes PAR-Dependent Pain in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma Patients and Preclinical Mouse Models.

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) pain is more prevalent and severe than pain generated by any other form of cancer. We previously showed that protease-activated receptor-2 (PAR) contributes to oral SCC pain. Cathepsin S is a lysosomal cysteine protease released during injury and disease that can activate PAR.

Legumain Induces Oral Cancer Pain by Biased Agonism of Protease-Activated Receptor-2.

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is one of the most painful cancers, which interferes with orofacial function including talking and eating. We report that legumain (Lgmn) cleaves protease-activated receptor-2 (PAR) in the acidic OSCC microenvironment to cause pain. Lgmn is a cysteine protease of late endosomes and lysosomes that can be secreted; it exhibits maximal activity in acidic environments.

Protistological science dissemination.

It is rare to meet protistologists who are not passionate about their study subject. The vast majority of people, however, never get the chance to hear about the work of these researchers. Although every researcher working on protists is likely to be aware of this situation, efforts made and tools employed for dissemination of knowledge are rarely documented.