Photobiomodulation and Orthodontic Treatment with Clear Aligners: A Case Report of Severe Crowding and Agenesis

This paper aims to demonstrate the effectiveness of photobiomodulation in accelerating orthodontic treatment with clear aligners in correcting an orthodontic malocclusion characterized by severe crowding and agenesis in an adult subject. An adult male patient with Class I malocclusion, a mild Class III skeletal base and severe crowding was treated with 88 Invisalign® (Align Technology, Santa Clara, CA, USA) pairs of aligners replaced every 5 days in combination with an Orthopulse™ (Biolux Research, Vancouver, BC, Canada) photobiomodulation device for home use by the patient. The total orthodontic treatment time was 440 days. Orthopulse™ is a photobiomodulation device that generates continuous beams of near-infrared light (NIR—near-infrared) with a wavelength of 850 nm and a power of 42 mW/cm2 to produce an average energy density on the surface of the silicone impression of 9.3 J/cm2. The combined use of clear aligners and the Orthopulse™ device allowed the patient to replace the aligners according to an experimental 5-day protocol to speed up the orthodontic therapy and, thus, resolve the malocclusion in less time than the manufacturer’s standard

Breakthrough Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG bacteremia associated with probiotic use in an adult patient with severe active ulcerative colitis: case report and review of the literature

Probiotics are widely investigated in the treatment of various bowel diseases. However, they may also have a pathogenic potential, and the role of Lactobacillus spp. as opportunistic pathogens, mostly following disruption of the intestinal mucosa, is emerging. We report on a case of bacteremia caused by L. rhamnosus GG in an adult patient affected by severe active ulcerative colitis under treatment with corticosteroids and mesalazine. Lactobacillus bacteremia was associated with candidemia and occurred while the patient was receiving a probiotic formulation containing the same strain (as determined by PFGE typing), and was being concomitantly treated with i.v. vancomycin, to which the Lactobacillus strain was resistant. L. rhamnosus GG bacteremia, therefore, was apparently related with translocation of bacteria from the intestinal lumen to the blood. Pending conclusive evidence, use of probiotics should be considered with caution in case of active severe inflammatory bowel diseases with mucosal disruption

Application of Cloning-Free Genome Engineering to <i>Escherichia coli</i>

The propagation of foreign DNA in Escherichia coli is central to molecular biology. Recent advances have dramatically expanded the ability to engineer (bacterial) cells; however, most of these techniques remain time-consuming. The aim of the present work was to explore the possibility to use the cloning-free genome editing (CFGE) approach, proposed by Döhlemann and coworkers (2016), for E. coli genetics, and to deepen the knowledge about the homologous recombination mechanism. The E. coli auxotrophic mutant strains FB182 (hisF892) and FB181 (hisI903) were transformed with the circularized wild-type E. coli (i) hisF gene and hisF gene fragments of decreasing length, and (ii) hisIE gene, respectively. His+ clones were selected based on their ability to grow in the absence of histidine, and their hisF/hisIE gene sequences were characterized. CFGE method allowed the recombination of wild-type his genes (or fragments of them) within the mutated chromosomal copy, with a different recombination frequency based on the fragment length, and the generation of clones with a variable number of in tandem his genes copies. Data obtained pave the way to further evolutionary studies concerning the homologous recombination mechanism and the fate of in tandem duplicated genes

Clinical outcomes of elderly patients with bloodstream infections due to extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae in an Italian Internal Medicine ward

Purpose: Infections caused by ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae (ESBL-EB) are a major health problem, but data regarding elderly patients is lacking. Methods: We performed a retrospective observational study quantifying the effects of antimicrobial treatment and primary infection site on clinical outcomes in an historical case series of 42 patients aged 80.7 ± 10 years admitted to an Internal Medicine ward in Italy for ESBL-EB bloodstream infections (BSI). Results: At multivariate risk analysis, we found that urinary tract as primary infection site (RR=0.181 [0.037–0.886], p=0.035) and definitive antibiotic therapy (RR=0.517 [0.147–0.799], p= 0.038) decreased the relative risk of a negative clinical response, while the respiratory tract origin increased the relative risk (RR =2.788 [1.407–9.228], p=0.025). Also regarding 30 days mortality, multivariate risk analysis identified that urinary tract as primary infection site (RR=0.098 [0.011–0.743], p=0.025) and definitive antibiotic therapy (RR=0.236 [0.058–0.961], p =0.044) decreased the relative risk, while the respiratory origin increased the relative risk (RR=4.241 [1.040–17.295], p= 0.014). We observed similar outcomes in patients definitively treated with carbapenems or with carbapenem-free treatments. Additionally, an initially inappropriate therapy did not correlate with worse outcomes if a switch to an effective definitive treatment was performed promptly. Conclusions: Carbapenem-sparing regimens (e.g. piperacillin-tazobactam alone or with an aminoglycoside) could be empirically safely used in elderly patients at high risk of ESBL-EB BSI and for definitive treatment of ascertained cases if the primary site is the urinary tract, leaving early carbapenem use for cases at higher risk of death, such as those with pneumonia

Clinical outcomes of elderly patients with bloodstream infections due to extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae in an Italian Internal Medicine ward

Purpose: Infections caused by ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae (ESBL-EB) are a major health problem, but data regarding elderly patients is lacking. Methods: We performed a retrospective observational study quantifying the effects of antimicrobial treatment and primary infection site on clinical outcomes in an historical case series of 42 patients aged 80.7 ± 10 years admitted to an Internal Medicine ward in Italy for ESBL-EB bloodstream infections (BSI). Results: At multivariate risk analysis, we found that urinary tract as primary infection site (RR=0.181 [0.037–0.886], p=0.035) and definitive antibiotic therapy (RR=0.517 [0.147–0.799], p= 0.038) decreased the relative risk of a negative clinical response, while the respiratory tract origin increased the relative risk (RR =2.788 [1.407–9.228], p=0.025). Also regarding 30 days mortality, multivariate risk analysis identified that urinary tract as primary infection site (RR=0.098 [0.011–0.743], p=0.025) and definitive antibiotic therapy (RR=0.236 [0.058–0.961], p =0.044) decreased the relative risk, while the respiratory origin increased the relative risk (RR=4.241 [1.040–17.295], p= 0.014). We observed similar outcomes in patients definitively treated with carbapenems or with carbapenem-free treatments. Additionally, an initially inappropriate therapy did not correlate with worse outcomes if a switch to an effective definitive treatment was performed promptly. Conclusions: Carbapenem-sparing regimens (e.g. piperacillin-tazobactam alone or with an aminoglycoside) could be empirically safely used in elderly patients at high risk of ESBL-EB BSI and for definitive treatment of ascertained cases if the primary site is the urinary tract, leaving early carbapenem use for cases at higher risk of death, such as those with pneumonia

Evaluation of Antimicrobial Activity and Cytotoxicity Effects of Extracts of <i>Piper nigrum</i> L. and Piperine

P. nigrum L. extracts and the piperine alkaloid have important antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties. Therefore, in this study, we evaluated the antimicrobial activity and cytotoxicity of P. nigrum L. extracts and piperine, a compound isolated from the extracts of P. nigrum L. Extracts obtained via maceration, soxhlet, and purification steps, in addition to isolated piperine, were used in this study. Spectroscopic methods, such as nuclear magnetic resonance, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetry, and differential scanning calorimetry, were used to characterize piperine. In the microbiological analyses, the extract obtained via maceration-derived sample showed high efficiency in inhibiting Salmonella spp. (MIC Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Favorable inhibition coefficients were also observed against Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella spp. (MIC P. aeruginosa. Cytotoxicity evaluation assays in cancer cell lines revealed that piperine exhibited inhibitory potential on all tested tumor cell lines, causing a decrease in cell viability and achieving an IC50 of less than 30 μg/mL. The analyzed extracts from P. nigrum L. seeds showed cytotoxic activity against tumor and non-tumor cell lines

Ocorrência e diversidade de bactérias diazotróficas associadas a gramíneas forrageiras do Pantanal Sul Matogrossense Occurrence and diversity of diazotrophic bacteria associated to forage grasses of the Pantanal in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul

Este trabalho teve por objetivo avaliar a ocorrência e a diversidade genética de bactérias fixadoras de N2 associadas às gramíneas nativas Elyonurus muticus (capim carona) e Axonopus purpusii (capim mimoso) e à gramínea exótica Brachiaria humidicola (braquiária) que formam as pastagens na região da Nhecolândia. As coletas das plantas e solo foram feitas nos períodos de seca e de cheia para determinar a população de bactérias diazotróficas. Identificaram-se Azospirillum brasilense, A. lipoferum, A. amazonense, Herbaspirillum spp., Burkholderia spp. em amostras de solo, raízes e folhas das três espécies forrageiras. As populações dessas bactérias foram menores na época da cheia em comparação com a época da seca. A diversidade genética das bactérias isoladas foi avaliada por meio da técnica de análise de restrição do DNA ribossomal amplificado (ARDRA). Os isolados foram divididos em cinco grupos genotípicos distintos. Os isolados de A. brasilense e A. lipoferum apresentaram cerca de 50 % de similaridade, enquanto A. amazonense formou um grupo a parte, com apenas 25 % de similaridade em relação ao grupo das espécies do gênero. As bactérias do gênero Herbaspirillum formaram um grupo isolado com apenas 25 % de similaridade em relação ao gênero Azospirillum. O quinto grupo foi formado por apenas um isolado com 25 % de similaridade em relação aos demais.<br>This study was carried out to verify the occurrence and genetic diversity of diazotrophic bacteria associated to the native graminaceus plants Elyonurus muticus (Carona grass) and Axonopus purpusii (Mimoso grass) and the exotic Brachiaria humidicola (Brachiaria) that form the pastures in the Nhecolândia region of the Pantanal in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. The plants were harvested in the dry and rainy seasons and the diazotrophic bacteria populations in the soil and on roots and leaves of the three grasses were determined. Strains belonging to the species Azospirillum brasilense, A. lipoferum, A. amazonense; Herbaspirillum spp., and Burkholderia spp. were isolated. The number of diazotrophic bacteria associated to the three forage grass species during the rainy season was smaller than in the dry season. Genetic diversity in the isolated bacteria was studied by amplified rDNA restriction analysis (ARDRA) using the amplified 16S rDNA region. The isolates were divided into five different genotype groups. A. brasilense and A. lipoferum presented 50 % similarity while A. amazonense was included in another group with 25 % similarity to other species of the genus. The bacteria of genus Herbaspirillum formed a separate group with only 25 % similarity to genus Azospirillum. The fifth group consisted of only one isolate with 25 % similarity to the other groups

Topical prebiotics/postbiotics and PRURISCORE validation in atopic dermatitis. International study of 396 patients

Aim: To investigate the efficacy and tolerability of a cream (Rilastil Xerolact PB) containing a mixture of prebiotics and postbiotics, and to validate the PRURISCORE itch scale in the management of atopic dermatitis. Methods: The study is based on 396 subjects of both sexes in three age groups (i.e., infants, children, adults) suffering from mild/moderate Atopic Dermatitis, recruited from 8 European countries and followed for 3 months. Results: The product demonstrated good efficacy combined with good/very good tolerability in all age groups. In particular, SCORAD, PRURISCORE and IGA scores decreased significantly over the course of the study. The PRURISCORE was preferred to VAS by the vast majority of patients. Conclusion: Even though the role of prebiotics and postbiotics was not formally demonstrated since these substances were part of a complex formulation, it can be reasonably stated that prebiotics and postbiotics have safety and standardization features that probiotics do not have. In addition they are authorized by regulatory authorities, whereas topical probiotics are not