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Short-term activation of the human stress response system is beneficial as it prepares the body to deal with stressors at hand (McEwen & Stellar, 1993 (See CR30)). However, chronic activation of the system can negatively impact health and longevity (Cohen et al., 2007 (See CR8)). There is evidence that relaxation techniques that utilize controlled or diaphragmatic breathing can be useful in the reduction of stress and psychological complaints. Short-term interventions like computer-based biofeedback or the implementation of a gentle yoga practice could provide a brief, yet beneficial, way to manage stress and anxiety. The present study aimed to expand on current research involving yoga and biofeedback for stress reduction by exploring whether participating in a gentle yoga intervention or a biofeedback intervention could decrease the stress response more quickly than what naturally occurs after the Trier Social Stress Test: a laboratory stress task shown to elicit changes in cortisol levels found in participants' saliva samples. Participants were randomly assigned to take part in a gentle yoga sequence, a biofeedback intervention, or watch a neutral video while relaxing on their own. We examined changes in salivary cortisol levels and found a significant difference between the three groups, with both the yoga and biofeedback intervention groups eliciting a larger decrease in cortisol levels, indicating a greater decrease in stress levels., Author(s): D. N. Robinson [sup.1] , T. Hopke [sup.2] , A. Massey-Abernathy [sup.3] Author Affiliations: (1) grid.241116.1, 0000000107903411, Psychology Department, University of Colorado - Denver, , Denver, CO, USA (2) [...]

A method is developed for the simultaneous determination of steroid hormones of various classes (androgens, progestins, and glucocorticoids) in human saliva using liquid-liquid extraction and detection by ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. It was found that the most suitable solvent for the extraction of the target analytes is methyl tert-butyl ether. The volume of the extractant and other factors affecting the extraction of analytes from the analyzed matrix were optimized using multivariate analysis (Box-Behnken design). Under optimal conditions, the recoveries of analytes are more than 90%, and the limits of detection are in the range of 50-250 pg/mL, which indicates the high sensitivity of the proposed procedure., Author(s): E. V. Dmitrieva [sup.1] , A. Z. Temerdashev [sup.1] Author Affiliations: (1) grid.26083.3f, 0000 0000 9000 3133, Kuban State University, , 350040, Krasnodar, Russia The concentration of steroid hormones [...]

Limited laboratory capacity in the United States has hindered access to testing for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and has delayed results. To control outbreaks of coronavirus disease [...]

: Introduction: Gonorrhoea and chlamydia cases have been rising among gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (MSM) over the last decade. The majority of cases are extragenital and occur at the oropharynx and anorectum. The aim of this narrative review was to review the risk factors and mode of transmission for gonorrhoea and chlamydia at the oropharynx and anorectum among MSM. Results and discussion: New evidence suggests that oropharyngeal gonorrhoea can be transmitted by kissing in addition to through the established route of condomless oral sex; and anorectal gonorrhoea can be acquired when saliva is used as a lubricant for anal sex and rimming in addition to the established route of condomless penile‐anal sex in MSM. In contrast, condomless penile‐anal sex remains the major route for chlamydia transmission. Conclusions: Substantial transmission of gonorrhoea may occur with practices other than the established routes of condomless oral and/or anal sex and hence condoms may not be effective in preventing gonorrhoea transmission to extragenital sites. In contrast, condoms are effective for chlamydia control because it is mainly transmitted through condomless penile‐anal sex. Novel interventions for gonorrhoea that reduce the risk of transmission at extragenital site are required., Introduction Sexually transmitted infections (STIs), are increasing globally, particularly in gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (MSM). To address these rises, there have been many novel [...]

Ticks are notorious hematophagous ectoparasites and vectors of many deadly pathogens. As an effective vector, ticks must break the strong barrier provided by the skin of their host during feeding, and their saliva contains a complex mixture of bioactive molecules that paralyze host defenses. The receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) mediates immune cell activation at inflammatory sites and is constitutively and highly expressed in skin. Here, we demonstrate that longistatin secreted with saliva of the tick Haemaphysalislongicornis binds RAGE and modulates the host immune response. Similar to other RAGE ligands, longistatin specifically bound the RAGE V domain, and stimulated cultured HUVECs adhered to a longistatin-coated surface; this binding was dramatically inhibited by soluble RAGE or RAGE siRNA. Treatment of HUVECs with longistatin prior to stimulation substantially attenuated cellular oxidative stress and prevented NF-κB translocation, thereby reducing adhesion molecule and cytokine production. Recombinant longistatin inhibited RAGE-mediated migration of mouse peritoneal resident cells (mPRCs) and ameliorated inflammation in mouse footpad edema and pneumonia models. Importantly, tick bite upregulated RAGE ligands in skin, and endogenous longistatin attenuated RAGE-mediated inflammation during tick feeding. Our results suggest that longistatin is a RAGE antagonist that suppresses tick bite-associated inflammation, allowing successful blood-meal acquisition from hosts., Introduction Ticks are notorious blood-sucking ectoparasites, and about 1,000 tick species are distributed throughout the world. They have immense vector potential and serve as a unique vector of various deadly [...]

A study was conducted to examine the occurrence of erosive tooth lesions in patients with alcoholism and to analyze the influence of salivary flow rates and pH levels on their appearance. The study found a higher number of erosive lesions in participants in the test group who had a pH range of 5 to 6, compared with a range of 6 to 7.

This study describes a novel technique for direct analysis of thiocyanate in human saliva using negative electrospray. ion mobility spectrometry (ESI-IMS) and without any considerable sample pretreatment. The ESI-IMS system with nearly complete desolvation cannot be useful for salivary thiocyanate analysis because complete overlapping occurs between the format peak of the solvent and the thiocyanate peak. In addition, the chloride ions existing in saliva produce a very broad peak, which has a drastically interfering effect on [SCN.sup.-] determination. In this study, with a little change in the operation conditions of the apparatus (lowering the flow rate of the drift gas), it was possible to overcome these problems. The desolvation process was decreased in the lower flow of drift gas, and this caused the [SCN.sup.-] peak to be separated completely from other interference peaks such as chloride ions. The results obtained in this proposed methodology provide the detection limit of 0.003 [micro]g/mL and the linear dynamic range from 0.01 to 1.00 [micro]g/mL for the thiocyanate. Several human saliva samples were analyzed with the proposed negative ESI-IMS, and the satisfactory results confirm the capability of the method for direct analysis of salivary thiocyanate. 10.1021/ac101017m

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.forsciint.2009.12.059 Byline: Pinjia Meng, Yanyan Wang Keywords: Small volume liquid extraction; Amphetamines; Saliva; GC/MS Abstract: The present study introduced a procedure of small volume liquid extraction of amphetamines, including amphetamine (AM); methamphetamine (MA); 3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA); 3,4-methylenemethamphtamine (MDMA), in saliva. Extraction efficiencies were compared between the conventional volume liquid phase extraction (LPE) and the small volume one, in which Author Affiliation: Forensic Science Department, Chinese Peoples Public Security University, Muxidi Nan Li 1#, Xicheng district, Beijing 100038, PR China Article History: Received 5 July 2009; Revised 15 December 2009; Accepted 18 December 2009

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.forsciint.2009.12.038 Byline: E. Marchei (a), M. Farre (b), M. Pellegrini (a), A. Garcia-Algar (c), O. Vall (c), R. Pacifici (a), S. Pichini (a) Keywords: Methylphenidate pediatrics oral fluid; Sweat Abstract: Methylphenidate (MPH) is a stimulant medication widely used for treating attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children and adolescents. Therapeutic monitoring for this drug is essentially lacking and alternative biological matrices, such as oral fluid and sweat, should be investigated for noninvasive assessment of short- and long-term history of drug use. We report the excretion profile of MHP and its metabolite ritalinic acid (RA) in oral fluid and sweat from a 12-year-old boy treated with the extended release drug formulation. Concentrations of MPH and RA in oral fluid, sweat and plasma were measured by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Oral fluid-to-plasma ratio at each time interval was calculated at the start of the treatment and correlated with salivary pH. Excretion of MPH in sweat patches, collected up to 24h with PharmChek patches was also investigated. MPH and RA were both detected in oral fluid with a pharmacokinetic profile similar to that in plasma. Oral fluid peak concentrations of MPH ranged between 13.5 and 30.9ng/mL at 3.0h after drug intake. Oral fluid-to-plasma MPH ratio between 13.1 and 3.2 demonstrated an accumulation of the drug in oral fluid. Conversely, RA was found in oral fluid at peak concentration (23.4-62.9ng/mL) equivalent to one-tenth of those found in plasma. Concentration profiles of MPH and RA in oral fluid were quite constant during the four weeks of drug administration. In sweat, MPH was detected for the first time at 5h after drug administration (range: 9.3-11.2ng/patch) up to 24h (range: 29.8-38.7ng/patch). RA was not detected in the sweat patches during the 24h time of collection. The results suggest that measurement of MPH in oral fluid can be used as a potential alternative to drug monitoring in plasma. Moreover, MPH measurement in sweat patches can be used for noninvasive monitoring of MPH consumption and misuse in situations where detection of recent abuse is of interest. Author Affiliation: (a) Department of Therapeutic Research and Medicines Evaluation, Istituto Superiore di Sanita, V. le Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy (b) Bioanalysis and Analytical Services Research Group, Neuropsychopharmacology Program, Institut Municipal d'Investigacio Medica IMIM-Hospital del Mar and Universitat AutA[sup.2]noma, Barcelona, Spain (c) Unitat de Recerca Infancia i Entorn (URIE), Paediatric Service, IMIM-Hospital del Mar, Barcelona, Spain Article History: Received 17 June 2009; Accepted 19 July 2009

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.forsciint.2009.10.009 Byline: David G. Casey, Judy Price Keywords: Saliva; Forensic science; Sexual assaults; Body fluids Abstract: We demonstrate here that the RSIDacents-saliva test can be used as a test for human salivary [alpha]-amylase on samples routinely examined in forensic casework. We show that the RSIDacents-saliva test detects salivary [alpha]-amylase at lower concentrations than the Phadebas.sup.[R] Quantitative test, that the RSIDacents-saliva test does not cross-react with forensically important human fluids and that the RSIDacents-saliva test can be successfully integrated into the whole swab semen extraction method. Author Affiliation: Biology Section, Forensic Science Laboratory, Garda Headquarters, Phoenix Park, Dublin 8, Ireland Article History: Received 24 February 2009; Revised 4 June 2009; Accepted 9 October 2009

In the present study, the ability of [sup.1]H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) for metabolic profiling of human saliva samples was investigated. High-resolution ]H NMR spectra were obtained, and signals were assigned to various metabolites mainly representing small organic acids and amino acids. In addison, the use of human saliva for metabolomic studies was evaluated, and multivariate data analysis revealed that the 92 morning and night samples from 46 subjects could be discriminated with a predictability of 85%. The diurnal effect on the salivary metabolite profile were ascribed to changes in intensities of several metabolites including trimethylamine oxide (TMAO), choline, propionate, alanine, methanol, and N-acetyl groups. No effects of gender and body mass index (BMI) on the salivary metabolite profile were detected. The relationships between the salivary metabolome and glycated hemoglobin, systolic and diastolic blood pressure were investigated; however, no significant correlations could be established. 10.1021/ac9020598

Paradoxically, bilateral transection of the chorda tympani nerve (CTX) raises the taste discrimination threshold for the free fatty acid, linoleic acid (LA), yet the chorda tympani nerve (CT) is unresponsive to lingual application of LA alone. LA may require a background of saliva to activate taste cells, since CTX decreases saliva production through denervation of the submaxillary and sublingual salivary glands. To assess the role of saliva, we measured LA taste discrimination thresholds for animals whose submaxillary and sublingual salivary glands were removed and also recorded CT responses to LA mixed in artificial saliva. Partial desalivation shifted LA discrimination thresholds from between 5.5 and 1l [micro]M to between 11 and 22 [micro]M. However, this effect was not as pronounced as previously seen with CTX animals. Surprisingly, the CT was unresponsive to LA mixed with artificial saliva, suggesting that artificial saliva may lack components necessary for LA taste. Additionally, fats may primarily enhance other tastes. We previously reported that LA increases CT responses to monosodium glutamate (MSG). Thus we also recorded CT whole nerve responses to taste mixtures of LA and sodium chloride (NaCl), sucrose (SUC), citric acid (CA), or quinine hydrochloride (QHCl) in anesthetized rats. We found that LA increased CT responses to NaCl but did not alter CT responses to SUC, CA, and QHCl. Thus CT recordings either lack the sensitivity to detect small changes to SUC, CA, and QHCl or LA may affect CT responses to MSG and NaCl only, perhaps by specifically modulating gustatory processing of [Na.sup.+]. fat taste; free fatty acids; electrophysiology; electrolytes doi: 10.1152/ajpregu.00217.2009

A study was conducted to compare salivary factors and behavioral aspects in participants in three age groups. The study aims to identify factors that may provide a potential protective effect against dental erosion. Findings indicate that salivary factors such as flow rate, urea, buffering capacity, and neutralization capability help in preventing dental erosion.

This current study presents a new miniature, integrated system capable of rapid detection of genetic deletion from saliva samples. Several critical modules including a genomic DNA (gDNA) extraction module, a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) module, and an external optical detection module are integrated into the system. Silica-modified magnetic beads are first incubated with saliva in an extraction chamber with a cell lysis solution. This is followed by the collection of released gDNA onto the surface of the microbeads, which is then further purified and concentrated utilizing a magnetic field generated by an on-chip array of microcoils. Then, genetic deletion of human genes can be specifically amplified by the on-chip PCR module and is immediately detected using the optical detection module. Experimental results show that high-quality gDNAwith an average concentration of 50.45 ng/ [micro]L can be extracted from 100 [micro]L of saliva. The detection of a mutated [alpha]-globin gene associated with [alpha]-thalassemia-1 of southeast Asian (SEA)-type deletion can be completed within less than 1 h. Moreover, the detection limit of the system is found to be 12.00 pg/[micro]L with a high sensitivity up to 90%. Consequently, the proposed saliva-based miniature system can provide a powerful platform for rapid DNA extraction and detection of genetic diseases.

Saliva methylphenidate samples from participants in the Multimodal Treatment Study of Children with Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder reveal that nearly half of them had some degree of nonadherence to treatment. This suggests that nearly half of the parent reports of medication use are inaccurate.

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.forsciint.2009.02.004 Byline: Jurgen Kempf (a), Thomas Wuske (b), Rolf Schubert (c), Wolfgang Weinmann (a) Keywords: Oral fluid; Pre-analytical stability; Benzodiazepines Abstract: Oral fluid field tests are designed to provide preliminary results with a high grade of reliability in order to meet analytical and forensic standards. Some test systems additionally offer the possibility of an independent confirmatory analysis of a test sample. The pre-analytical stability of 11 frequently abused benzodiazepines on an oral fluid collecting device (Drager DCD 5000) has been investigated. The collection device was designed to complement a special mobile testing system (Drager DrugTest 5000) to be sent to a laboratory for further confirmatory analysis. Blank oral fluid pool was spiked with a mixture of eleven frequently abused benzodiazepines and given onto a collection device. To simulate possible sample shipping, the collection devices were stored in the dark up to 14 days at ambient temperature in a plastic tube. The collection device was simultaneously stored without further treatment after oral fluid collection ('native') and with addition of 950[mu]L of methanol, respectively. At different storage intervals repeat determination was carried out for every sample using a modified version of our standard LC-MS/MS method for the detection of benzodiazepines in serum. Different recoveries of benzodiazepines due to degradation and/or adsorption to the collection device during the 14 days of 'native' storage were found. Major loss of analytes was found for benzodiazepines containing a nitro-group such as flunitrazepam and clonazepam. This could be prevented almost completely by methanolic storage of the collection device after sampling. Therefore, we recommend the centrifugation of the collection device and separation from the polymer unit prior to sample shipping. If this should not be possible, addition of methanol immediately after sample collection can be used to avoid degradation of benzodiazepines during shipment. Author Affiliation: (a) Institute of Legal Medicine, Forensic Toxicology, University Medical Center Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany (b) Dragerwerk AG, Research Unit, Lubeck, Germany (c) Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany Article History: Received 22 August 2008; Revised 6 February 2009; Accepted 7 February 2009

[alpha]-amylase activity in the salivary glands of Eurygaster maura was determined by biochemical experiments. Some of adult insect was collected and their salivary glands isolated and characterized. Enzyme samples from salivary glands of adults were prepared by the method of Cohen with slight modifications. [alpha]-Amylase activity was assayed based on Bernfeld method by the dinitrosalicylic acid (DNS) procedure. The activity of [alpha]-amylase in salivary glands was 0.050 U/insect. The optimum pH and temperature for the enzyme activity was determined to be 6.5-7 and 30-35[degrees]C, respectively. The enzyme activity was inhibited by addition of EDTA (Ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid) urea, CaCl2, MgCl2 and SDS but Mg2+, NaCl and KCl enhanced enzyme activity. Key words: [alpha]-amylase assay, salivary glands, Eurygaster maura, INTRODUCTION Among the wheat pest in Iran, genera of Eurygaster sp. (Hemiptera: Scutelleridae) is the most economic pest. It's mainly injury is feeding of wheat seeds. This insect introduces its [...]

In this work, the ion-transfer voltammetric detection of the protonated [beta]-blocker propranolol in artificial saliva is presented. Cyclic voltammetry, differential pulse voltammetry, and differential pulse stripping voltammetry (DPSV) were employed in the detection of the cationic drug based on ion-transfer voltammetry across arrays of microinterfaces between artificial saliva and an organogel phase. It was found that the artificial saliva matrix decreased the available potential window for ion-transfer voltammetry at this liquid/liquid interface but transfer of protonated propranolol was still achieved. The DPSV method employed a preconditioning step as well as a preconcentration step followed by analytical signal generation based on the back-transfer of the drug across the array of microinterfaces. The DPSV peak current response was linear with drug concentration in the artificial saliva matrix over the concentration range of 0.05-1 [micro]M ([i.sub.p] = -8.13 (nA [micro][M.sup.-1])(concentration) + 0.07 (nA), R = 0.9929, n = 7), and the calculated detection limit (3[S.sub.b]) was 0.02 [micro]M. These results demonstrate that DPSV at arrays of liquid|liquid microinterfaces is a viable analytical approach for pharmaceutical determinations in biomimetic matrixes.

Antibody microarrays have emerged as useful tools for high-throughput protein analysis and candidate biomarker screening. We describe here the development of a multiplexed microsphere-based antibody array capable of simultaneously measuring 10 inflammatory protein mediators. Cytokine-capture microspheres were fabricated by covalently coupling monoclonal antibodies specific for cytokines of interest to fluorescently encoded 3.1 [micro]m polymer microspheres. An optical fiber bundle containing ~50 000 individual 3.1 [micro]m diameter fibers was chemically etched to create microwells in which cytokine-capture microspheres could be deposited. Microspheres were randomly distributed in the wells to produce an antibody array for performing a multiplexed sandwich immunoassay. The array responded specifically to recombinant cytokine solutions in a concentration-dependent fashion. The array was also used to examine endogenous mediator patterns in saliva supernatants from patients with pulmonary inflammatory diseases such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This array technology may prove useful as a laboratory-based platform for inflammatory disease research and diagnostics, and its small footprint could also enable integration into a microfluidic cassette for use in point-of-care testing.

The mosquito D7 salivary proteins are encoded by a multigene family related to the arthropod odorant-binding protein (OBP) superfamily. Forms having either one or two OBP domains are found in mosquito saliva. Four single-domain and one two-domain D7 proteins from Anopheles gambiae and Aedes aegypti (AeDT), respectively, were shown to bind biogenic amines with high affinity and with a stoichiometry of one ligand per protein molecule. Sequence comparisons indicated that only the C-terminal domain of AeD7 is homologous to the single-domain proteins from A. gambiae, suggesting that the N-terminal domain may bind a different class of ligands. Here, we describe the 3D structure of AeD7 and examine the ligand-binding characteristics of the N- and C-terminal domains. Isothermal titration calorimetry and ligand complex crystal structures show that the N-terminal domain binds cysteinyl leukotrienes (cysLTs) with high affinities (50-60 nM) whereas the C-terminal domain binds biogenic amines. The lipid chain of the cysLT binds in a hydrophobic pocket of the N-terminal domain, whereas binding of norepinephrine leads to an ordering of the C-terminal portion of the C-terminal domain into an [alpha]-helix that, along with rotations of Arg-176 and Glu-268 side chains, acts to bury the bound ligand. biogenic amine | bloodfeeding | leukotriene | odorant-binding protein saliva

Defensins are highly basic cationic peptides that are important components of the innate and adaptive immune response pathways. In addition, these peptides are involved in CD8+ T cell response to HIV-1, increased pulmonary infection risk among cystic fibrosis patients, upregulated levels of HNP-5 for patients with ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, and monitoring HNP-3 levels as a tumor classification scheme for cutaneous T cell lymphomas, and have promise in the pharmaceutical field as a new class of antibiotics. Here we present a parallel assay for the ct (HNP1-3) and [beta] (HBD1-2) classes of defensins in saliva that are naturally observed in the concentration range of 1 ng/mL to 10/[micro]g/mL. The method utilizes solid phase extraction of saliva samples combined with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry to identify and quantitate defensin targets. The approach involves limited sample manipulation and is easily amenable to automation. The saliva samples analyzed are derived from a large cohort study focused on examining the role of polymorphisms in genes of innate and adaptive immunity in modulating the response to vaccination for two gastrointestinal tract infections: typhoid and cholera. The [alpha]-defensin levels observed range from 1 to 10 [micro]g/ mL and correlate well with known active concentrations against a wide variety of pathogens. The observed concentration range for [beta]-defensins was between the detection limit and 33 ng/mL and had a sensitivity level that was comparable to immunoassay-based detection. This method is easily adapted for use in a clinical immunology setting and can be modified for other biological matrixes. This assay will facilitate examination of the production, secretion, and regulation of defensin peptides in a direct fashion to coordinate levels of these compounds with gender, age, response to vaccination, gene copy number, and oral health.