Bacteria in the apical root canals of teeth with apical periodontitis

Background/PurposeBacteria in the tooth root canal may cause apical periodontitis. This study examined the bacterial species present in the apical root canal of teeth with apical periodontitis. Antibiotic sensitivity tests were performed to evaluate whether these identified bacterial species were susceptible to specific kinds of antibiotics.MethodsSelective media plating and biochemical tests were used first to detect the bacterial species in samples taken from the apical portion of root canals of 62 teeth with apical periodontitis. The isolated bacterial species were further confirmed by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry.ResultsWe found concomitant presence of two (32 teeth) or three species (18 teeth) of bacteria in 50 (80.6%) out of 62 tested teeth. However, only 34 bacterial species were identified. Of a total of 118 bacterial isolates (83 anaerobes and 35 aerobes), Prophyromonas endodontalis was detected in 10; Bacteroides, Dialister invisus or Fusobacterium nucleatum in 9; Treponema denticola or Enterococcus faecalis in 8; Peptostreptococcus or Olsenella uli in 6; and Veillonella in 5 teeth. The other 25 bacterial species were detected in fewer than five teeth. Approximately 80–95% of bacterial isolates of anaerobes were sensitive to ampicillin/sulbactam (Unasyn), amoxicillin/clavulanate (Augmentin), cefoxitin, and clindamycin. For E. faecalis, 85–90% of bacterial isolates were sensitive to gentamicin and linezolid.ConclusionRoot canal infections are usually caused by a mixture of two or three species of bacteria. Specific kinds of antibiotic can be selected to control these bacterial infections after antibiotic sensitivity testing

Identification of microRNA precursors in Bruguiera spp.

MicroRNAs (miRNA) are approximately 22 nt single stranded functional RNAs derived from long stem-loop precursors transcribed by RNA polymerase II. They regulate gene expression through post-transcriptional gene silencing and are important for the regulation of growth, development and stress responses in plants. Mature nucleotide sequences of many miRNA families are highly conserved across the plant kingdom and can be used to identify and annotate homologs and potential miRNA targets. In this study, mature miRNA sequences retrieved from the miRNA registry (miRBase) were used to identify precursor sequences of miRNA orthologs and their potential targets among Expressed Sequence Tags (ESTs) of the mangrove species Bruguiera cylindrica (L.) Blume, B. gymnorhiza (L.) Lam. and B. sexangula (Lour.) Poir. Candidate miRNA precursors, which potentially belong to the miR156/7, miR396 and miR529 families, had high sequence identity between Bruguiera cylindrica and Bruguiera gymnorhiza, and expression of RNA was confirmed in both species. A number of candidate targets for miR396 and miR529 were also identified among EST from B. gymnorhiza

Effect of blender and blending time on color and aroma characteristics of juice and its freeze-dried powder of Pandanus amaryllifolius Roxb. leaves (pandan)

The color and aroma properties of Pandanus amaryllifolius Roxb. leaves (pandan) were studied by mechanical extraction using normal and turbo blade blenders under different blending times (60–180 s). The extracted juice was freeze-dried into powders and its aroma components were measured in a solid-phase microextraction using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (SPME-GC/MS) analysis. The turbo blade blender provided maximum color pigment of greenness and yellowness at blending time of 90 s as compared to the normal blender that required 180 s. In GC-MS analysis, the major component, 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline, was found to be one time higher in the freeze-dried pandan juice samples obtained from turbo blade blender than normal blender. Other components including the cis-3-hexanal, 2-methylene-4-pentenenitrile and 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene were also detected in the samples. In conclusion, the turbo blade blender is more effective than normal laboratory blender in terms of color extraction, particle size reduction and the aroma retention

WeeliciousCuisine quick response (QR)

This paper attempts to create a WeeliciousCuisine quick respond (QR) code content which including some guideline video to guide the users on how to use this product and also providing some recipe to teach them how to used and how to made a complete dishes.The target of audience ages are in seventeen to twenty five years old.Besides that, it also aim for the restaurants, shops and bars to provide them a better understanding of how the products have been use as to improve the services of the tourism industry as this application provides the useful information related to the products or ingredients that required by the foreigners, so the users can get the right ingredients in overseas for example, Malaysia.Research conducted by using the descriptive statistics and result shown more than 58% respondents are still not familiar with Quick respond code but more than a half respondents are interested to know more about Quick respond code and requested to improve their content on food and beverage.In conclusion, WeeliciousCuisine Quick Response (QR) is a system that helps user to have a quick look and learn how to cook in short time.The function of this system is to prevent users for choosing the wrong ingredients and also help them to save time and cost in the supermarket

Evaluation of Ertapenem use with Impact Assessment on Extended-Spectrum Beta-Lactamases (ESBL) Production and Gram-Negative resistance in Singapore General Hospital (SGH)

BACKGROUND: Ertapenem (preferred choice for ESBL-producing organisms) use exhibited an increasing trend from 2006 to 2008. As extensive use of ertapenem might induce the mutation of resistant bacteria strains to ertapenem, we aimed to assess the appropriateness and impact of ertapenem-use, on ESBL production, the trends of gram-negative bacterial resistance and on the utilization of other antibiotics in our institution. METHODS: Inpatients who received a dose of ertapenem during 1 January 2006 to 31 December 2008, were reviewed. Pertinent patient clinical data was extracted from the pharmacy databases and assessed for appropriateness based on dose and indication. Relevant data from Network for Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance (Singapore) (NARSS) was extracted, to cross-correlate with ertapenem via time series to assess its impact on hospital epidemiology, trends of gram-negative resistance and consumption of other antibiotics from 2006 to mid-2010. RESULTS: 906 cases were reviewed. Ertapenem therapy was appropriate in 72.4% (93.7% success rate). CNS adverse events were noted in 3.2%. Readmission rate (30-day) due to re-infection (same pathogen) was 5.5%. Fifty cases had cultures growing Pseudomonas aeruginosa within 30 days of ertapenem initiation, with 25 cases growing carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Ertapenem use increased from 0.45 DDD/100 patient days in 2006 to 1.2 DDD/100 patient days in mid-2010. Overall, the increasing trend of ertapenem consumption correlated with 1) increasing incidence-densities of ciprofloxacin-resistant/cephalosporin-resistant E. coli at zero time lag; 2) increasing incidence-densities of ertapenem-resistant Escherichia. coli and Klebsiella spp. at zero time lag; 3) increasing incidence-density of carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa, at zero time lag. Increasing ertapenem consumption was significantly correlated with decreasing consumption of cefepime (R(2) = 0.37344) 3 months later. It was significantly correlated with a decrease in imipenem consumption (R(2) = 0.31081), with no time lag but was correlated with subsequent increasing consumption of meropenem (R(2) = 0.4092) 6 months later. CONCLUSION: Ertapenem use was appropriate. Increasing Ertapenem consumption did not result in a decreasing trend of ESBL producing enterobacteriaceae and could result in the selection for multi-drug resistant bacteria

Modulation of nucleosome-binding activity of FACT by poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation

Chromatin-modifying factors play key roles in transcription, DNA replication and DNA repair. Post-translational modification of these proteins is largely responsible for regulating their activity. The FACT (facilitates chromatin transcription) complex, a heterodimer of hSpt16 and SSRP1, is a chromatin structure modulator whose involvement in transcription and DNA replication has been reported. Here we show that nucleosome binding activity of FACT complex is regulated by poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation. hSpt16, the large subunit of FACT, is poly(ADP-ribosyl)ated by poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 (PARP-1) resulting from physical interaction between these two proteins. The level of hSpt16 poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation is elevated after genotoxic treatment and coincides with the activation of PARP-1. The enhanced hSpt16 poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation level correlates with the dissociation of FACT from chromatin in response to DNA damage. Our findings suggest that poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation of hSpt16 by PARP-1 play regulatory roles for FACT-mediated chromatin remodeling

Early Detection of Tumor Response by FLT/MicroPET Imaging in a C26 Murine Colon Carcinoma Solid Tumor Animal Model

Fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) imaging demonstrated the change of glucose consumption of tumor cells, but problems with specificity and difficulties in early detection of tumor response to chemotherapy have led to the development of new PET tracers. Fluorine-18-fluorothymidine (18F-FLT) images cellular proliferation by entering the salvage pathway of DNA synthesis. In this study, we evaluate the early response of colon carcinoma to the chemotherapeutic drug, lipo-Dox, in C26 murine colorectal carcinoma-bearing mice by 18F-FDG and 18F-FLT. The male BALB/c mice were bilaterally inoculated with 1 × 105 and 1 × 106 C26 tumor cells per flank. Mice were intravenously treated with 10 mg/kg lipo-Dox at day 8 after 18F-FDG and 18F-FLT imaging. The biodistribution of 18F-FDG and 18F-FLT were followed by the microPET imaging at day 9. For the quantitative measurement of microPET imaging at day 9, 18F-FLT was superior to 18F-FDG for early detection of tumor response to Lipo-DOX at various tumor sizes (P < 0.05). The data of biodistribution showed similar results with those from the quantification of SUV (standard uptake value) by microPET imaging. The study indicates that 18F-FLT/microPET is a useful imaging modality for early detection of chemotherapy in the colorectal mouse model

Bacteremic pneumonia caused by extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae: Appropriateness of empirical treatment matters

BackgroundClinical information about bacteremic pneumonia caused by extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing organism is limited.MethodsA retrospective study was conducted at two medical centers in Taiwan. From May 2002 to August 2010, clinical information and outcome of adults with bacteremic pneumonia caused by ESBL-producing Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae were analyzed. The primary outcome is the 30-day mortality.ResultsA total of 111 patients with bacteremic pneumonia caused by E. coli (37 patients, 33.3%) and K. pneumoniae (74, 66.7%) were identified. Their mean age was 69.2 years and 51.4% were male patients. Fifty-seven (51.3%) episodes were classified as hospital-acquired infections, 19 (17.1%) as health-care-associated infections, and four (3.6%) as community-acquired infections. Fifty-one (45.9%) patients received appropriate empiric antimicrobial therapy. The 30-day mortality rate was 40.5% (45 patients). In the multivariate analysis, several independent risk factors, including rapidly fatal underlying disease [odds ratio (OR), 5.75; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.54–21.48; p = 0.009], severe sepsis (OR, 4.84; 95% CI, 1.55–15.14; p = 0.007), critical illness (OR, 4.28; 95% CI, 1.35–13.57; p = 0.013), and receipt of appropriate empirical therapy (OR, 0.19; 95% CI, 0.07–0.55; p = 0.002), were associated with 30-day mortality. The survival analysis consistently found that individuals with appropriate empiric therapy had a higher survival rate (log-rank test, p < 0.001).ConclusionESBL-producing bacteremic pneumonia, especially health-care-associated infections, often occurred in adults with comorbidities. Appropriate empirical therapy was associated with a favorable outcome