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In the current study, facile synthesis of carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) and sodium alginate capped silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) was examined using microwave radiation and aniline as a reducing agent. The biopolymer matrix embedded nanoparticles were synthesized under various experimental conditions using different concentrations of biopolymer (0.5, 1, 1.5, 2%), volumes of reducing agent (50, 100, 150 mu L), and duration of heat treatment (30 s to 240 s). The synthesized nanoparticles were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy, UV-Vis spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy for identification of AgNPs synthesis, crystal nature, shape, size, and type of capping action. In addition, the significant antibacterial efficacy and antibiofilm activity of biopolymer capped AgNPs were demonstrated against different bacterial strains, Staphylococcus aureus MTCC 740 and Escherichia coli MTCC 9492. These results confirmed the potential for production of biopolymer capped AgNPs grown under microwave irradiation, which can be used for industrial and biomedical applications. Source: Plos One Author: Velusamy P, Su CH, Kumar GV, Adhikary S, Pandian K, Gopinath SCB, Chen Y, Anbu P. Status: Free open access available at PloS One
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Abstract:
Caveolin-1 (Cav-1) and Actin-Related Protein 2/3 Complex, Subunit 1B (ARPC1B) have been implicated in various human cancers, yet its role in tumorigenesis remains controversial. Therefore, this study aims to determine the protein expression of these two genes in oral squamous cell carcinomas (OSCCs) and to evaluate the clinical and prognostic impact of these genes in OSCC. Protein expressions of these two genes were determined by immunohistochemistry technique. The association between Cav-1 and ARPC1B with clinico-pathological parameters was evaluated by Chi-square test (or Fisher exact test where appropriate). Correlation between the protein expressions of these 2 genes with survival was analyzed using Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression models. Cav-1 and ARPC1B were found to be significantly over-expressed in OSCC compared to normal oral mucosa (p = 0.002 and p = 0.033, respectively). Low level of ARPC1B protein expression showed a significant correlation with lymph node metastasis (LNM) (p = 0.010) and advanced tumor staging (p = 0.003). Kaplan-Meier survival analyses demonstrated that patients with over-expression of Cav-1 protein were associated with poor prognosis (p = 0.030). Adjusted multivariate Cox regression model revealed that over-expression of Cav-1 remained as an independent significant prognostic factor for OSCC (HRR = 2.700, 95 % CI 1.013-7.198, p = 0.047). This study demonstrated that low-expression of ARPC1B is significantly associated with LNM and advanced tumor staging whereas high expression of Cav-1 can be a prognostic indicator for poor prognosis in OSCC patients. Source: EUROPEAN ARCHIVES OF OTO-RHINO-LARYNGOLOGY Author: Auzair LBM, Vincent-Chong VK, ghani WMN, Kallarakkal Tg, Ramanathan A, Lee CE, Rahman ZAA, Ismail SM, Abraham MT, Zain RB. Status: Paid Open Access available at Springer Abstract:
The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of synthesized sodalite zeolite infiltration achieved by a direct in-situ hydrothermal reaction followed by sintering process on the flexural strength and hardness of alumina and zirconia-toughened alumina (ZTA) frameworks. Ceramic core materials were prepared as disk-shaped specimens with 16 mm diameter and 1.2 +/- 0.2 mm thickness. The case study group was synthesized sodalite zeolite-infiltrated alumina (IA-SOD) and synthesized sodalite zeolite-infiltrated ZTA (IZ-SOD); and the control group was glass-infiltrated alumina (IA-glass) and glass infiltrated ZTA (IZ-glass). The biaxial flexural strength (piston-on-three-balls test) and Vickers micro hardness were compared among groups (n=10 specimens in each group). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) were used to investigate the structural characteristics of specimens at the fracture and cross-sectional surfaces. For both IA-SOD and IZ-SOD, the biaxial flexural strength exceeded the required value of 100-150 MPa as specified by ISO 6872(2015), indicating their potential as all-ceramic core materials. The flexural strengths and Vickers microhardness of IZ-SOD were respectively 324.7 MPa and 1162 VHN, while these values were measured 233.6 MPa and 1013 VHN for IA-SOD. The mechanical properties and microstructure of core materials have been advocated as crucial to the clinical performance of all-ceramic dental restorations. This investigation provides data regarding the flexural strength, hardness and microstructure of partially sintered alumina and ZTA frameworks with synthesized sodalite zeolite infiltration. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd and Techna Group S.r.l. All rights reserved. Source: CERAMICS INTERNATIONAL Author: Naji GAH, Omar RA, Yahya R, Dabbagh A Status: Full-text article available in Elsevier Abstract:
The association between human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV16) and oral cancer has been widely reported. However, detecting anti-HPV antibodies in patient sera to determine risk for oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) has not been well studied. In the present investigation, a total of 206 OSCC serum samples from the Malaysian Oral Cancer Database & Tissue Bank System, with 134 control serum samples, were analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay (ELISA) to detect HPV16-specific IgG and IgM antibodies. In addition, nested PCR analysis using comprehensive consensus primers (PGMY09/11 and GP5(+)/6(+)) was used to confirm the presence of HPV. Furthermore, we have evaluated the association of various additional causal factors (e.g., smoking, alcohol consumption, and betel quid chewing) in HPV-infected OSCC patients. Statistical analysis of the Malaysian population indicated that OSCC was more prevalent in female Indian patients that practices betel quid chewing. ELISA revealed that HPV16 IgG, which demonstrates past exposure, could be detected in 197 (95.6%) OSCC patients and HPV16-specific IgM was found in a total of 42 (20.4%) OSCC patients, indicating current exposure. Taken together, our study suggest that HPV infection may play a significant role in OSCC (OR: 13.6; 95% CI: 3.89-47.51) and HPV16-specific IgG and IgM antibodies could represent a significant indicator of risk factors in OSCC patients. Source: INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MEDICAL SCIENCES Author: Kerishnan JP, Gopinath SCB, Kai SB, Tang TH, Ng HLC, Rahman ZAA, Hashim U, Chen Y. Status: Free open access availablr at MedSci Abstract:
Purpose: The aim of the present study was to establish the incidence of maxillofacial (MF) injury accompanying mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) and the associated neurocognitive deficits and white matter changes. Materials and Methods: A prospective review of 41 patients with mTBI and maxillofacial injury (with or without intracranial lesion) due to motor vehicle accidents who had admission computed tomography (CT), neurocognitive evaluation, and quantitative diffusion tensor imaging available was performed during admission and at 6 months of follow-up. Descriptive statistics were used for the demographic data, and a paired t test and repeated measure analysis of variance were used to establish the intergroup differences and susceptibility. Results: The included patients were relatively young adults, with a mean age of 27.3 +/- 8.8 years and 11.3 +/- 2.1 years of education. Of the 41 patients, 20 (48.8%) had maxillofacial injuries involving the soft tissue and muscles, 18 (43.9%) had facial bone fractures, and 3 (7.3%) had mixed injuries. Of the 41 patients with MF injuries, 28 (68.3%) had intracranial abnormalities found on the admission CT scan. Executive function and attention were significantly altered across the time points, with patients with both MF injury and an intracranial lesion doing poorly at baseline but with improvement 6 months later. In contrast, the patients with no visible intracranial lesion but with MF injuries remained impaired, with signs of a slowed recovery. The fractional anisotropy of the genu of the corpus callosum, anterior limb of the internal capsule, and cingulum for patients with MF injuries but without an intracranial lesion showed trends of reduced integrity over time. Conclusions: The presence ofMF injury without any intracranial traumatic lesions in patients with mTBI increases the risk of short-and long-term neurocognitive derangement compared with patients with mTBI, MF injury, and intracranial traumatic lesions. (C) 2016 American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons Source: JOURNAL OF ORAL AND MAXILLOFACIAL SURGERY Author: Veeramuthu V, Hariri F, Narayanan V, Tan LK, Ramli N, Ganesan D. Status: Full-text available at ScienceDirect Abstract:
There is a controversy over the influence of obesity on the periodontal treatment outcome in patients with chronic periodontitis (CP). The aim of the present systematic review was to evaluate the efficacy of non-surgical periodontal therapy (NSPT) in the management of CP among obese and non-obese patients. The addressed focused question was "What is the efficacy, of NSPT with respect to clinical, radiographic, biochemical, microbiological, and patient-centered outcomes in obese as compared to non-obese chronic periodontitis patients?" Databases were searched from 1977 up to and including December 2014 using relevant key indexing terms. Unpublished data, experimental studies, letters to the editor, review articles, case reports, and commentaries were excluded. Meta-analysis of three studies was performed. Five clinical studies were included. The total number of patients ranged between 30 and 260 individuals. The mean age of patients was between 42.5 and 48.8 years. In three studies, the clinical periodontal parameters (plaque index (PI), gingival bleeding index (GBI), periodontal pocket depth (PPD), and clinical attachment loss (CAL)) in obese and non-obese patients following NSPT was comparable. Meta-analysis of PPD and CAL among obese and non-obese subjects showed comparable outcomes (PPD P = 0.91, I (2) 67.36 %; CAL P = 0.87, I (2) 77.16 %). However, in three studies, NSPT resulted in a significantly better clinical periodontal outcome among non-obese subjects than obese subjects. The difference in the levels of serum pro-inflammatory cytokine levels (IL-1 beta, IL-6, TNF-alpha, IFN-gamma, leptin, adiponectin, and CRP) among obese and non-obese patients following treatment for CP was inconsistent. It remains unclear whether NSPT has a significantly higher impact on the clinical periodontal outcomes in obese patients than in non-obese patients with chronic periodontitis, given that the number of selected studies was relatively low and the reported findings were inconsistent. Although the effect of obesity on the outcome of NSPT still remains unclear, nevertheless clinicians are prompted to manage obesity prior to and during periodontal treatment. Source: CLINICAL ORAL INVESTIGATIONS Author: Akram Z, Safii SH, Vaithilingam RD, Baharuddin NA, Javed F, Vohra F. Status: Full text available at Springer Abstract:
Bone tissue engineering offers high hopes in reconstructing bone defects that result from trauma, infection, tumors, and other conditions. However, there remains a need for novel scaffold materials that can effectively stimulate ossification with appropriate functional properties. Therefore, a novel injectable, biodegradable, and biocompatible scaffold made by incorporating modified poly(caprolactone trifumarate) (PCLTF) with embedded gelatin microparticles (GMPs) as porogen is developed. Specifically, in vitro and in vivo tests were carried out. For the latter, to determine the osteogenic ability of PCLTF-GMPs scaffolds, and to characterize bone-formation, these scaffolds were implanted into critical-sized defects of New Zealand white rabbit craniums. Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FESEM) demonstrated cells of varying shapes attached to the scaffold surface in vitro. The PCLTF-GMPs demonstrated improved biocompatibility in vivo. Polyfluorochrome tracers detected bone growth occurring in the PCLTF-GMPs filled defects. By incorporating PCLTF with GMPs, we have fabricated a promising self-crosslinkable biocompatible and osteoconducive scaffold for bone tissue engineering. (c) 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016, 133, 43711. Source: JOURNAL OF APPLIED POLYMER SCIENCE Author: Al-Namnam NMN, Kim KH, Chai WL, Ha KO, Siar CH, Ngeow WC. Status: Full text available at Wiley Abstract:
Bioceramic-based root canal sealers are considered to be an advantageous technology in endodontics. The aim of this review was to consider laboratory experiments and clinical studies of these sealers. An extensive search of the endodontic literature was made to identify publications related to bioceramic-based root canal sealers. The outcome of laboratory and clinical studies on the biological and physical properties of bioceramic-based sealers along with comparative studies with other sealers was assessed. Several studies were evaluated covering different properties of bioceramic-based sealers including physical properties, biocompatibility, sealing ability, adhesion, solubility, and antibacterial efficacy. Bioceramic-based sealers were found to be biocompatible and comparable to other commercial sealers. The clinical outcomes associated with the use of bioceramic-based root canal sealers are not established in the literature. Source: INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOMATERIALS Author: Al-Haddad A, Ab Aziz ZAC. Status: Full text available at Hindawi Abstract:
Armalcolite, a rare ceramic mineral and normally found in the lunar earth, was synthesized by solid-state step-sintering. The in situ phase-changed novel ceramic nanocrystals of Ca-Mg-Ti-Fe based oxide (CMTFOx), their chemical reactions and bonding with polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) were determined by X-ray diffraction, infrared spectroscopy, and microscopy. Water absorption of all the CMTFOx was high. The lower dielectric loss tangent value (0.155 at 1 MHz) was obtained for the ceramic sintered at 1050 degrees C (S1050) and it became lowest for the S1050/PDMS nanocomposite (0.002 at 1 MHz) film, which was made by spin coating at 3000 rpm. The excellent flexibility (static modulus approximate to 0.27 MPa and elongation > 90%), viscoelastic property (tan delta = E ''/E ': 0.225) and glass transition temperature (T-g: -58.5 degrees C) were obtained for S1050/PDMS film. Parallel-plate capacitive and flexible resistive humidity sensors have been developed successfully. The best sensing performance of the present S1050 (3000%) and its flexible S1050/PDMS composite film (306%) based humidity sensors was found to be at 100 Hz, better than conventional materials. Source: SENSORS Author: Tripathy A, Pramanik S, Manna A, Shah NFA, Shasmin HN, Radzi Z, Abu Osman NA. Status: Full-text available at SENSORS Abstract:
The oral streptococci are spherical Gram-positive bacteria categorized under the phylum Firmicutes which are among the most common causative agents of bacterial infective endocarditis (IE) and are also important agents in septicaemia in neutropenic patients. The Streptococcus mitis group is comprised of 13 species including some of the most common human oral colonizers such as S. mitis, S. oralis, S. sanguinis and S. gordonii as well as species such as S. tigurinus, S. oligofermentans and S. australis that have only recently been classified and are poorly understood at present. We present StreptoBase, which provides a specialized free resource focusing on the genomic analyses of oral species from the mitis group. It currently hosts 104 S. mitis group genomes including 27 novel mitis group strains that we sequenced using the high throughput Illumina HiSeq technology platform, and provides a comprehensive set of genome sequences for analyses, particularly comparative analyses and visualization of both cross-species and cross-strain characteristics of S. mitis group bacteria. StreptoBase incorporates sophisticated in-house designed bioinformatics web tools such as Pairwise Genome Comparison (PGC) tool and Pathogenomic Profiling Tool (PathoProT), which facilitate comparative pathogenomics analysis of Streptococcus strains. Examples are provided to demonstrate how StreptoBase can be employed to compare genome structure of different S. mitis group bacteria and putative virulence genes profile across multiple streptococcal strains. In conclusion, StreptoBase offers access to a range of streptococci genomic resources as well as analysis tools and will be an invaluable platform to accelerate research in streptococci. Source: PLOS ONE Author: Zheng WN, Tan TK, Paterson IC, Mutha NVR, Siow CC, Tan SY, Old LA, Jakubovics NS, Choo SW. Status: Fulltext article available at PLoS One |