Optogenetic approaches have proven powerful for examining the role of neural circuits in generating behaviors, especially in systems where electrophysiological manipulation is not possible. Here we describe a method for optogenetically manipulating single pharyngeal neurons in intact C. elegans while monitoring pharyngeal behavior. This approach provides bidirectional and dynamic control of pha...

Pharyngeal teratomas are rare. We present a mature solid teratoma (so called “hairypolyp”) involving naso- and oro- pharynx in a female infant who presented with a gradually enlarging mass at the roof of the mouth since birth. The pharyngeal mass was protruding into the mouth through a palatine defect pr...

Caenorhabditis elegans nfi-1 belongs to the Nuclear Factor I (NFI) family of transcription factors known to regulate metazoan gene expression and development. We showed previously that loss of nfi-1 in worms results in multiple behavioral defects; slower pharyngeal pumping rate, impaired egg laying, defective motility, and a shortened life span. Here, we generated cell-type specific transgenic ...

The formation of posterior pharyngeal pouches is generally attributed to dysfunction of the cricopharyngeal sphincter. The reason for this dysfunction and its exact nature have not been established. Observations in the Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast, suggested that an association exists between pharyngeal pouch and hiatus hernia. Barium studies performed in patients with a pharyngeal pouch us...

BACKGROUND Oral and pharyngeal cancer is a serious health threat that goes unnoticed by most people. Increasing screenings for oral and pharyngeal cancer is essential to achieving early detection when the disease is most treatable. PURPOSE We tested the effectiveness of a media campaign designed to increase intentions to seek an oral and pharyngeal cancer screening. We further examined whethe...

The Caenorhabditis elegans pharynx (or foregut) functions as a pump that draws in food (bacteria) from the environment. While the "organ identity factor" PHA-4 is critical for formation of the C. elegans pharynx as a whole, little is known about the specification of distinct cell types within the pharynx. Here, we use a combination of bioinformatics, molecular biology, and genetics to identify ...

BACKGROUND Mandibular advancement surgery may positively affect pharyngeal airways and therefore potentially beneficial to obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). OBJECTIVE To collect evidence from published systematic reviews that have evaluated pharyngeal airway changes related to mandibular advancement with or without maxillary procedures. METHODOLOGY PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, and Cochrane ...