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Weixi Liu,1 Menashi A Cohenford,1–3 Leslie Frost,3 Champika Seneviratne,4 Joel A Dain1 1Department of Chemistry, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, USA; 2Department of Integrated Science and Technology, 3Department of Chemistry, Marshall University, Huntington, WV, USA; 4Department of Chemistry, College of the North Atlantic, Labrador, NL, Canada Abstract: Formation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) by nonenzymatic glycation of proteins is a major contributory factor to the pathophysiology of diabetic conditions including senile dementia and atherosclerosis. This study describes the inhibitory effect of gold nanoparticles (GNPs) on the D-ribose glycation of bovine serum albumin (BSA). A combination of analytical methods including ultraviolet–visible spectrometry, high performance liquid chromatography, circular dichroism, and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry were used to determine the extent of BSA glycation in the presence of citrate reduced spherical GNPs of various sizes and concentrations. GNPs of particle diameters ranging from 2 nm to 20 nm inhibited BSA’s AGE formation. The extent of inhibition correlated with the total surface area of the nanoparticles. GNPs of highest total surface area yielded the most inhibition whereas those with the lowest total surface area inhibited the formation of AGEs the least. Additionally, when GNPs’ total surface areas were set the same, their antiglycation activities were similar. This inhibitory effect of GNPs on BSA’s glycation by D-ribose suggests that colloidal particles may have a therapeutic application for the treatment of diabetes and conditions that promote hyperglycemia. Keywords: gold nanoparticles, glycation, AGEs, GNPs, BSA

Pathobiology of dental caries is complex. Data from recent molecular microbiologic studies have further redefined the role of the oral microbiome in the etiology of dental caries. This new information challenges the conventional view on the hegemony of classic cariogenic prokaryotes such as Streptococcus mutans in caries etiology, and raises the intriguing possibility of the participation of the eukaryotic oral fungal pathogen Candida in the caries process. The virulence attributes of Candida species such as their acidogenicity and aciduric nature, the ability to develop profuse biofilms, ferment and assimilate dietary sugars, and produce collagenolytic proteinases are all indicative of their latent cariogenic potential. Based on the above, oral candidal counts have been used by some as a caries risk indicator. On the contrary, other studies suggest that Candida is merely a passenger extant in an acidic cariogenic milieu, and not a true pathogen. In this review, we critically examine the varying roles of Candida, and traditionally accepted cariogens such as the mutans group of streptococci in the pathobiology of dental caries. The weight of available data tends to imply that Candida may play a pivotal role as a secondary agent perpetuating the carious process, especially in dentinal caries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Streptococcus mutans is a biofilm-forming oral pathogen commonly associated with dental caries. Clinical studies have shown that S. mutans is often detected with Candida albicans in early childhood caries. Although the C. albicans presence has been shown to enhance bacterial accumulation in biofilms, the influence of S. mutans on fungal biology in this mixed-species relationship remains largely uncharacterized. Therefore, we aimed to investigate how the presence of S. mutans influences C. albicans biofilm development and coexistence. Using a newly established haploid biofilm model of C. albicans, we found that S. mutans augmented haploid C. albicans accumulation in mixed-species biofilms. Similarly, diploid C. albicans also showed enhanced biofilm formation in the presence of S. mutans. Surprisingly, the presence of S. mutans restored the biofilm-forming ability of C. albicans bcr1Δ mutant and bcr1Δ/Δ mutant, which is known to be severely defective in biofilm formation when grown as single species. Moreover, C. albicans hyphal growth factor HWP1 as well as ALS1 and ALS3, which are also involved in fungal biofilm formation, were upregulated in the presence of S. mutans. Subsequently, we found that S. mutans-derived glucosyltransferase B (GtfB) itself can promote C. albicans biofilm development. Interestingly, GtfB was able to increase the expression of HWP1, ALS1, and ALS3 genes in the C. albicans diploid wild-type SC5314 and bcr1Δ/Δ, leading to enhanced fungal biofilms. Hence, the present study demonstrates that a bacterial exoenzyme (GtfB) augments the C. albicans counterpart in mixed-species biofilms through a BCR1-independent mechanism. This novel finding may explain the mutualistic role of S. mutans and C. albicans in cariogenic biofilms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the ways in which nurses and other healthcare professionals coordinate and organize stroke rehabilitation on an acute stroke unit.

Pericardial tamponade results in multiple organ dysfunction and can lead to cardiac arrest. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), a life-saving measure performed on patients in cardiac arrest, can lead to thoracic organ damage. However, CPR rarely acts as a therapeutic treatment for pericardial tamponade. Our case describes a patient admitted with pericardial tamponade in whom CPR provided therapeutic treatment with pericardial rupture and resolution of the tamponade.

Background: South Asians experience higher rates of cardiovascular disease than any other ethnic group. Some evidence suggests that South Asians may be less adherent to cardiac medication regimens than Whites residing in Canada. Identification of the key factors contributing to adherence may assist this growing population to optimize their cardiac health. Aim: To explore key factors associated with adherence to cardiac medications among South Asian people with cardiac disease. Methods: Ethnography was used to highlight population specific themes and domains elated to medication adherence. Ethnographic observations were undertaken of patients, as well as their family (primary care) physicians and pharmacists (including their staff), while in physician offices and pharmacies. A purposive sample of patients (n = 8), as well as physicians (n = 3) and pharmacists (n = 2) underwent in-depth interviews. Field note and interview data were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using ethnographic domain and thematic analysis. Results: The patients relied on family members for instrumental support in remaining adherent with their medications. Relationships with healthcare professionals who demonstrated clear communication and cultural awareness was associated with enhanced medication adherence. Memory mechanisms needed to be individualized and were generally 'low technology'. While prepackaging of medications enhanced adherence, patients who used them were less knowledgeable about their medications. Conclusions: Healthcare providers should understand the importance of including family members in the care of South Asian people with heart disease. They also need to appreciate hat the quality of provider--patient relationships are important to South Asian patients and will influence adherence to healthcare regimens. Expanding the role of nurse in the primary healthcare team could provide a cost-effective means of enhancing medication adherence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

doi: 10.1111/j.1741-2358.2010.00407.x Prevalence and antifungal drug sensitivity of non -albicans Candida in oral rinse samples of self-caring elderly Aim: To assess the prevalence and antifungal drug sensitivity of non- albicans Candida (NAC) species in elderly outpatients. Materials and methods: We investigated oral rinse samples of 194 self-caring elderly population (mean age 83 years) with emphasis on background factors for harbouring NAC. Susceptibility of Candida species to antifungal drugs was determined using standard methodology. Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed taking positive NAC count as the dependent variable and a number of known Candida risk factors as independent variables. Results: Prevalence of candidal carriage of the population was 78.4%, of which 0.5% of the subjects were NAC positive. Candida dubliniensis was the most prevalent NAC species, followed by Candida glabrata and Candida parapsilosis. The NAC positive elderly were more often edentulous with dental prostheses or had fewer teeth than Candida albicans-positive or yeast-negative subjects. Dental caries slightly increased the risk for having NAC strains (odds ratio 1.08), whilst greater age appeared to lower the risk (odds ratio 0.77). Candida species were susceptible to the commonly used antifungal agents in general, but with considerable variation among species. Occasionally, some NAC exhibited lower antifungal susceptibility. Conclusion: The possibility of oral reservoirs of NAC strains which are resistant to common antifungals should be noted in elderly outpatients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The aim of this study was to evaluate the antimicrobial efficacy of 2 commercially available mouth rinses on a monospecies-biofilm model on orthodontic brackets in vitro. Methods: The antimicrobial effects of the 2 mouth rinses, Listerine (tartar control; IDS Manufacturing, Bangkok, Thailand) and Corsodyl (SmithKline Beecham, Maidenhead, United Kingdom), on the planktonic Streptococcus mutans were tested by maximum inhibitory dilution assay. The cell viability of S mutans biofilm on Damon3 MX brackets (Ormco, Glendora, Calif) after exposure to the 2 mouth rinses was quantified by 2,3-bis (2-methoxy-4-nitro-5-sulfophenyl)-5-[(phenylamino) carbonyl]-2H-tetrazolium hydroxide (XTT) reduction assay. Visualization of the biofilm samples was performed by fluorescence microscopy and confocal laser scanning microscopy. Results: The maximum inhibitory dilution assays of S mutans were 1:5 for Listerine and 1:320 for Corsodyl. The optical density values, which were measured by XTT reduction assay from S mutans biofilms after 1 minute of exposure to the different test agents, demonstrated that the cell viability of S mutans biofilms exposed to Listerine was less than that for Corsodyl, which was less than that for brain-heart infusion (P <0.001). Listerine caused more dead cells on the surface of the brackets than did Corsodyl when examined with the 2 microscope systems. Conclusions: Both mouth rinses showed marked antimicrobial effects on the monospecies biofilm in vitro. Listerine showed a stronger bactericidal effect but had less bacterial inhibitory effect than did Corsodyl. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photodynamic therapy is a treatment that combines the use of three non-toxic components, viz. photosensitiser, light and oxygen to cause localised oxidative photodamage. In the present study, the antifungal effect of the photosensitiser, BAM-SiPc, an unsymmetrical bisamino phthalocyanine, was investigated. BAM-SiPc was effective in photo-inactivating Candida albicans in a dose-dependent manner. The cell viability as determined by the clonogenic assay was reduced to c. 10% at 0.02 μmol l−1 BAM-SiPc with a total fluence of 12 J cm−2 at a cell density of 107 cells ml−1. A short incubation time of 5–15 min was sufficient to allow the photosensitiser to exert its optimal antifungal activity. Microscopical analysis showed that BAM-SiPc was effectively internalised by the fungal cells. Photodynamic treatment led to an increase in the intracellular reactive oxygen species level and disturbed the membrane integrity of the fungal cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this article is to review neurodevelopmental treatment (NDT) literature and existing stroke NDT nursing research, as well as explore issues related to professional collaboration in stroke rehabilitation and implications for neuroscience nursing practice. NDT or the Bobath approach is used to encourage stroke patients to use the affected side of their body in order to promote and relearn normal movement and to reduce muscle spasticity. Neuroscience nurses have an important role in facilitating stroke patients to practise transferring out of bed and performing activities of daily living outside of physiotherapy and occupational therapy sessions. Neuroscience nurses also care for stroke patients over a 24-hour perio. Therefore, it is important that nurses understand physiotherapy and occupational therapy strategies in stroke rehabilitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the influence of light energy density (intensity x time) on the effectiveness of composite cure in view of the curing profiles of new light-polymerization units. This investigation used a digital microhardness tester to evaluate the hardness of the top/bottom surfaces and hardness ratio of 2 mm thick composite specimens after exposure to different light energy densities. Parameters included five light intensities (200, 300, 400, 500 and 600 mW/cm²) and nine irradiation times (10, 20, 30, 40, 60, 80, 100, 120 and 180 seconds). Six samples were evaluated for each light energy density. KHN values and the hardness ratio obtained with 40 seconds cure at 400 mW/cm² was used as control. Results were analyzed with one-way ANOVA and Scheffe's post-hoc test at significance level (0.05). Correlation between curing time and hardness values and ratio was done using Pearson's correlation at significance level 0.01. Results showed that the adequate hardness for surface finishing could be obtained with 20 seconds irradiation at lower intensities of 200 or 300 mW/cm². Optimal cure of the bottom surfaces could not be achieved with 200 mW/cm², but was attained with 300 mW/cm² only after 120 seconds of irradiation. Optimal cure of the bottom surfaces was possible with 30 and 20 seconds irradiation at 500 and 600 mW/cm², respectively. Effective cure was not achieved with low light intensities (200 to 300 mW/cm²) but could be achieved with high intensities (500 and 600 mW/cm²) after 30 seconds of irradiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An abstract of the paper "Heterogeneous LPS of Porphyromonas gingivalis differentially modulate the innate immune response of human gingiva," by T. D. K. Herath and colleagues is presented.

In patients recovering from acute stroke, does the STRATIFY falls risk assessment tool predict falls in hospital and after discharge?METHODSDesign: 2 prospective cohort studies (inpatient and post-discharge cohorts) to evaluate a clinical prediction guide previously developed based on an elderly hospital patient population.Setting: 6 stroke rehabilitation units in the UK.Patients: 359 patients 34-100 years of age (median age 78 y, 51% women) with recent acute stroke. Patients in the inpatient study (n = 225) had a baseline assessment within 2 weeks of admission to the rehabilitation unit and remained in the unit >/=28 more days. Patients in the post-discharge study (n = 234) were assessed within 48 hours of discharge and agreed to be contacted 3 months after discharge. Some patients participated in both studies.Description of prediction guide: the STRATIFY falls risk assessment tool comprises 5 risk factors: fall since hospital admission, agitation, visual impairment, frequent toileting, and poor transfer and mobility (score of 3-4 on the Barthel index). Each factor present is assigned a score of 1 (range 0-5, with scores >/=2 indicating an increased risk of falls).Outcomes: sensitivity, specificity, and positive likelihood ratio of the tool in predicting falls in hospital within 28 days of baseline assessment (inpatient study) or within 3 months of discharge (post-discharge study).MAIN RESULTSFalls occurred in 24% of patients in the inpatient study and 34% of patients in the post-discharge study. The precision of the STRATIFY tool in predicting falls was poor in both situations (table). Restricting the population of the inpatient study to those who had achieved mobility (n = 199) resulted in only a small increase in sensitivity to 16% (95% CI 6.7 to 25). Lowering the threshold of a positive test to in the inpatient study increased sensitivity to 60% but decreased specificity to 58%.CONCLUSIONThe STRATIFY falls risk assessment tool was not useful for predicting falls in hospital or after discharge in patients recovering from acute stroke. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study which examines the combined effects of CYP2B6 and μ-opioid receptor OPRM1 genes in forecasting individual susceptibility to methadone. Utilizing SNP genotyping assays to determine the prevalence of the OPRM1 A118G variation, it mentions that the CYP2B6 T750C promoter variation and CYP2B6*4, *9, and *6 alleles were analyzed in 84 methadone related fatalities. It concludes that individual susceptibility to methadone could be identified by screening for CYP2B6*6.

Molecular responses to alcohol consumption are dynamic, context-dependent, and arise from a complex interplay of biological and external factors. While many have studied genetic risk associated with drinking patterns, comprehensive studies identifying dynamic responses to pharmacologic and psychological/placebo effects underlying binge drinking are lacking. We investigated transcriptome-wide response to binge, medium, and placebo alcohol consumption by 17 healthy heavy social drinkers enrolled in a controlled, in-house, longitudinal study of up to 12 days. Using RNA-seq, we identified 251 and 13 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in response to binge drinking and placebo, respectively. Eleven protein-coding DEGs had very large effect sizes in response to binge drinking (Cohen's d > 1). Furthermore, binge dose significantly impacted the Cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction pathway (KEGG: hsa04060) across all experimental sequences. Placebo also impacted hsa04060, but only when administered following regular alcohol drinking sessions. Similarly, medium-dose and placebo commonly impacted KEGG pathways of Systemic lupus erythematosus, Neutrophil extracellular trap formation, and Alcoholism based on the sequence of drinking sessions. These findings together indicate the "dose-extending effects" of placebo at a molecular level. Furthermore, besides supporting alcohol dose-specific molecular changes, results suggest that the placebo effects may induce molecular responses within the same pathways regulated by alcohol., (© 2024. This is a U.S. Government work and not under copyright protection in the US; foreign copyright protection may apply.)

Topiramate (TPM), a GABA/glutamate modulator, has shown positive results for treating alcohol use disorder (AUD), but causes significant cognitive adverse effects. TPM causes cognitive side effects by reducing glutathione levels in the frontal lobe. N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) increases level of intracellular glutathione. We hypothesized that combining NAC with TPM may mitigate the possible cognitive side effects of TPM, as well as working synergistically in reducing alcohol consumption more efficaciously than using TPM alone. A 12-week, double-blind randomized trial assessing the effects of combining NAC (1200 mg/day) with TPM (200 mg/day) vs TPM alone (i) cognitive side effects caused by TPM, (ii) percentage of heavy drinking days (PHDD) and percentage of days abstinent (PDA) using weekly calendar, and (iii) craving outcomes using the obsessive-compulsive drinking scale. Seventeen participants were randomized into the study (nine received TPM + NAC and eight matching TPM + Placebo). Cognitive adverse events were not significantly different between the treatment arms (P = 0.581). There was no difference in PHDD (P = 0.536) and in PDA over the entire study period (P = 0.892). However, both treatment groups at study end, compared with the baseline, significantly reduced their PHDD and increased their PDA. As for cravings: TPM + NAC group has shown higher level in automaticity of drinking (P = 0.029) and interference due to drinking (P = 0.014) subscales compared with the TPM + Placebo group. No difference was observed between groups in terms of Drinking Obsessions and Alcohol Consumption subscales. This pilot study indicates that combining NAC with TPM is overall safe, but the addition of NAC has no significant benefit over placebo in the incidence of TPM-related cognitive impairment, and alcohol drinking. Furthermore, craving outcomes may become worse with the addition of NAC., (© The Author(s) 2023. Medical Council on Alcohol and Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Cognitive impairments predict poor functional outcomes in people with schizophrenia. These impairments may be causally related to increased levels of kynurenic acid (KYNA), a major metabolic product of tryptophan (TRYP). In the brain, KYNA acts as an antagonist of the of α7-nicotinic acetylcholine and NMDA receptors, both of which are involved in cognitive processes. To examine whether KYNA plays a role in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia, we compared the acute effects of a single oral dose of TRYP (6 g) in 32 healthy controls (HC) and 37 people with either schizophrenia (Sz), schizoaffective or schizophreniform disorder, in a placebo-controlled, randomized crossover study. We examined plasma levels of KYNA and its precursor kynurenine; selected cognitive measures from the MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery; and resting cerebral blood flow (CBF) using arterial spin labeling imaging. In both cohorts, the TRYP challenge produced significant, time-dependent elevations in plasma kynurenine and KYNA. The resting CBF signal (averaged across all gray matter) was affected differentially, such that TRYP was associated with higher CBF in HC, but not in participants with a Sz-related disorder. While TRYP did not significantly impair cognitive test performance, there was a trend for TRYP to worsen visuospatial memory task performance in HC. Our results demonstrate that oral TRYP challenge substantially increases plasma levels of kynurenine and KYNA in both groups, but exerts differential group effects on CBF. Future studies are required to investigate the mechanisms underlying these CBF findings, and to evaluate the impact of KYNA fluctuations on brain function and behavior. (Clinicaltrials.gov: NCT02067975)., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to American College of Neuropsychopharmacology.)