In the era of antibiotic resistance, the bacterial cytoskeletal protein MreB is presented as a potential target for the development of novel antimicrobials. Combined treatments of clinical antibiotics with anti-MreB compounds may be promising candidates in combating the resistance crisis, but also in preserving the potency of many conventional drugs. This study aimed to evaluate the synergistic antibacterial and antibiofilm activities of the MreB inhibitor A22 hydrochloride in combination with various antibiotics.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFLiposomal amphotericin B, voriconazole, and caspofungin are currently used for systemic and severe fungal infections. Patients with malignant diseases are treated with granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) for the recovery of granulocytes after chemotherapy or hematopoietic cell (HC) transplantation. Since they have a high incidence of fungal infections, they inevitably receive antifungal drugs for treatment and prophylaxis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe novel finding of this study is that the δ-endotoxin present in the spore coat of Bacillus thuringiensis strain 1.1 (Bt1.1), plays a central role in spore germination by generation of germinant via its β-glucosidase activity and is based on the following: (i) the crystals of Bt1.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDent Mater
October 2008
Objectives: A wide variety of dental ceramics compositions have been introduced in dental clinical practice in order to combine desired aesthetics with superior mechanical performance. The aim of the present study was to investigate the microstructural changes in three dental ceramics after their sintering according to manufacturers' instructions and to comparatively evaluate some of their physical, mechanical and biological properties.
Methods: The analysis of the phases present in each material before and after sintering was performed with scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD).
In this study, six groups of modified ceramic specimens were constructed and were studied comparatively with dental porcelain (P:control) for their ability to support human periodontal ligament fibroblasts attachment and proliferation. The dental porcelain was initially coated with bioactive glass (PCB) or with a mixture of porcelain and bioactive glass (PCBP) and then calcium-phosphate rich (Ca-P) or hydroxy-carbonate apatite (HCAp) layers were bio-mimetically developed on both surfaces (PCB and PCBP) after immersion in simulated body fluid. The development and characterization of Ca-P and HCAp layers on PCBCa-P, PCBHCAp, PCBPCa-P, PCBPHCAp specimens' surfaces were evaluated by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and further confirmed by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR).
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