Unraveling bacterial stress responses: implications for next-generation antimicrobial solutions.

The accelerated spread of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria has caused a serious health problem and rendered antimicrobial treatments ineffective. Innovative approaches are crucial to overcome the health threat posed by resistant pathogens and prevent the emergence of untreatable infections. Triggering stress responses in bacteria can diminish susceptibility to various antimicrobials by inducing resistance mechanisms.

Attenuation of Type IV pili activity by natural products.

The virulence factor Type IV pili (T4P) are surface appendages used by the opportunistic pathogen for twitching motility and adhesion in the environment and during infection. Additionally, the use of these appendages by for biofilm formation increases its virulence and drug resistance. Therefore, attenuation of the activity of T4P would be desirable to control infections.

Evaluation of ultrasonography as a diagnostic tool in the management of periapical cysts and granulomas: A clinical study.

Purpose: The aim of this study was, firstly, to determine the concordance of ultrasonographic and histopathological diagnoses in patients in whom apical resection was already indicated. Secondly, this study aimed to determine whether lesions were periapical granulomas or cysts, and to compare them after root canal treatment using ultrasonography and periapical radiographs.

Materials And Methods: In the first stage of the study, ultrasonographic and histopathologic diagnoses of 10 lesions were compared.

A review on the mechanistic details of OXA enzymes of ESKAPE pathogens.

The production of β-lactamases is a prevalent mechanism that poses serious pressure on the control of bacterial resistance. Furthermore, the unavoidable and alarming increase in the transmission of bacteria producing extended-spectrum β-lactamases complicates treatment alternatives with existing drugs and/or approaches. Class D β-lactamases, designated as OXA enzymes, are characterized by their activity specifically towards oxacillins.

Carvacrol Enhances the Antimicrobial Potency of Berberine in Bacillus subtilis.

The essential oil carvacrol from oregano displays a wide range of biological activities among which is found the inhibition of efflux pumps. Thus, using carvacrol, the current work undertook the effort to potentiate the antimicrobial activity of berberine, a natural product with limited antimicrobial efficacy due to its efflux. Following the selection of concentrations for the combinatorial treatments, guided by checkerboard microtiter plate assay and growth experiments, ethidium bromide accumulation assay was used to find that 25 μg mL carvacrol displayed a weak efflux pump inhibitor character in Bacillus subtilis.

Identification of novel inhibitors of the ABC transporter BmrA.

The resistance of microbes to commonly used antibiotics has become a worldwide health problem. A major underlying mechanism of microbial antibiotic resistance is the export of drugs from bacterial cells. Drug efflux is mediated through the action of multidrug resistance efflux pumps located in the bacterial cell membranes.

Potentiating the activity of berberine for Staphylococcus aureus in a combinatorial treatment with thymol.

A plethora of natural products emerges as attractive molecules in the struggle against antibiotic resistance. These molecules impose their bioactivities not only alone but also in combinations as well, which further enhances their effects. Berberine is a well-known isoquinoline alkaloid with antibacterial activity.

Investigation of the effectiveness of CBCT and gray scale values in the differential diagnosis of apical cysts and granulomas.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of cone-beam CT (CBCT) findings and gray scale values (GSV) in the differential diagnosis of apical cysts and granulomas.

Methods: Two independent researchers retrospectively analyzed the CBCT images of 21 teeth and histopathologically diagnosed them as having radicular cysts or apical granulomas. In the CBCT images, apical lesions were evaluated and categorized according to 7 criteria.

Repurposing bioactive aporphine alkaloids as efflux pump inhibitors.

Extrusion of drugs or drug-like compounds through bacterial efflux pumps is a serious health issue that leads to loss in drug efficacy. Combinatorial therapies of low-efficacy drugs with efflux pump inhibitors may help to restore the activities of such drugs. In this quest, natural products are attractive molecules, since in addition to their wide range of bioactivities they may inhibit efflux pumps.

What Are the Multi-Omics Mechanisms for Adaptation by Microorganisms to High Alkalinity? A Transcriptomic and Proteomic Study of a Bacillus Strain with Industrial Potential.

Alkaliphilic organisms are among an industrially important class of extremophile microorganisms with the ability to thrive at pH 10-11.5. Microorganisms that exhibit alkaliphilic characteristics are sources of alkali-tolerant enzymes such as proteases, starch degrading enzymes, cellulases, and metabolites such as antibiotics, enzyme inhibitors, siderophores, organic acids, and cholic acid derivatives, which have found various applications in industry for human and environmental health.

Ultrasonographic evaluation of jaw elevator muscles in young adults with bruxism and with and without attrition-type tooth wear: A pilot study.

Objective: This pilot study was planned to analyze masticatory activation in bruxism patients with and without attrition by ultrasonographic evaluation of mandibular adductor muscles.

Methods: Sixty bruxism patients (group 1: 30 without attrition, group 2: 30 with attrition) and an age-sex matched control of 30 (group 3) were clinically examined. The thickness of bilateral temporalis and masseter muscles during clench and rest was measured by ultrasonography.

Membrane Active Peptides and Their Biophysical Characterization.

In the last 20 years, an increasing number of studies have been reported on membrane active peptides. These peptides exert their biological activity by interacting with the cell membrane, either to disrupt it and lead to cell lysis or to translocate through it to deliver cargos into the cell and reach their target. Membrane active peptides are attractive alternatives to currently used pharmaceuticals and the number of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) and peptides designed for drug and gene delivery in the drug pipeline is increasing.

Targeting a hidden site on class A beta-lactamases.

Increasing resistance against available orthosteric beta-lactamase inhibitors necessitates the search for novel and powerful inhibitor molecules. In this respect, allosteric inhibitors serve as attractive alternatives. Here, we examine the structural basis of inhibition in a hidden, druggable pocket in TEM-1 beta-lactamase.

An OMIC approach to elaborate the antibacterial mechanisms of different alkaloids.

Plant-derived substances have regained interest in the fight against antibiotic resistance owing to their distinct antimicrobial mechanisms and multi-target properties. With the recent advances in instrumentation and analysis techniques, OMIC approaches are extensively used for target identification and elucidation of the mechanism of phytochemicals in drug discovery. In the current study, RNA sequencing based transcriptional profiling together with global differential protein expression analysis was used to comparatively elaborate the activities and the effects of the plant alkaloids boldine, bulbocapnine, and roemerine along with the well-known antimicrobial alkaloid berberine in Bacillus subtilis cells.

Transcriptomic analysis displays the effect of (-)-roemerine on the motility and nutrient uptake in Escherichia coli.

Among the different families of plant alkaloids, (-)-roemerine, an aporphine type, was recently shown to possess significant antibacterial activity in Escherichia coli. Based on the increasing demand for antibacterials with novel mechanisms of action, the present work investigates the potential of the plant-derived alkaloid (-)-roemerine as an antibacterial in E. coli cells using microarray technology.

Response of Escherichia coli to Prolonged Berberine Exposure.

Berberine is a plant-derived alkaloid possessing antimicrobial activity; unfortunately, its efflux through multidrug resistance pumps reduces its efficacy. Cellular life span of Escherichia coli is generally shorter with prolonged berberine exposure; nevertheless, about 30% of the cells still remain robust following this treatment. To elucidate its mechanism of action and to identify proteins that could be involved in development of antimicrobial resistance, protein profiles of E.

An evolutionarily conserved allosteric site modulates beta-lactamase activity.

Declining efficiency of antibiotic-inhibitor combinatorial therapies in treating beta-lactamase mediated resistance necessitates novel inhibitor development. Allosteric inhibition offers an alternative to conventional drugs that target the conserved active site. Here, we show that the evolutionarily conserved PWP triad located at the N-terminus of the H10 helix directly interacts with the allosteric site in TEM-1 beta-lactamase and regulates its activity.

Role of cone-beam computed tomography in the evaluation of a paradental cyst related to the fusion of a wisdom tooth with a paramolar: A rare case report.

Fusion is an abnormality of tooth development defined as the union of two developing dental germs, resulting in a single large dental structure. This irregular tooth morphology is associated with a high predisposition to dental caries and periodontal diseases. As a result of recurring inflammatory periodontal processes, disorders such as periodontal pocket, pericoronitis, and paradental cysts may develop.

High yield 1,3-propanediol production by rational engineering of the 3-hydroxypropionaldehyde bottleneck in Citrobacter werkmanii.

Background: Imbalance in cofactors causing the accumulation of intermediates in biosynthesis pathways is a frequently occurring problem in metabolic engineering when optimizing a production pathway in a microorganism. In our previous study, a single knock-out Citrobacter werkmanii ∆dhaD was constructed for improved 1,3-propanediol (PDO) production. Instead of an enhanced PDO concentration on this strain, the gene knock-out led to the accumulation of the toxic intermediate 3-hydroxypropionaldehyde (3-HPA).

The effect of autoimmunity on the development time of microvascular complications in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus.

Background: Type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM) is an autoimmune disease with chronic complications that is becoming more frequent as life expectancy of diabetics has increased owing to improved methods of detection and better management. In this study, we investigated whether the presence of autoimmunity can be used in predicting the development time of microvascular complications.

Material And Methods: Our study included 52 patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM).

Pilomatrix carcinoma of the scalp with pulmonary metastasis: A case report of a complete response to oral endoxan and etoposide.

Pilomatrix carcinoma is an extremely rare skin tumor derived from basaloid cells in the hair follicles; it often exhibits locally aggressive behavior with a tendency toward local recurrence. The average age of occurrence is 45 years, and there appears to be a male to female incidence ratio of 4:1. Although pilomatrix carcinomas are predominantly identified in the neck and scalp, there are studies in the literature reporting other tumor development sites, including the upper extremities, torso and popliteal fossa.

1,3-propanediol production with Citrobacter werkmanii DSM17579: effect of a dhaD knock-out.

Background: 1,3-propanediol (PDO) is a substantially industrial metabolite used in the polymer industry. Although several natural PDO production hosts exist, e.g.

Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency presented with convulsion: a rare case.

Red blood cells carry oxygen in the body and Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase protects these cells from oxidative chemicals. If there is a lack of Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase, red blood cells can go acute hemolysis. Convulsion is a rare presentation for acute hemolysis due to Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase deficiency.

Management of a patient with colon cancer and rotor syndrome: A case report.

Rotor Syndrome (RS) is a rare disease that is autosomal recessive and characterized by asymptomatic jaundice, conjugated hyperbilirubinemia and coproporphyria. RS occurs as a result of a complete lack or partial defect of organic anion transporter polypeptides (OATPs) on the basolateral surface of hepatocytes. OATPs facilitate the excretion of bilirubin and organic anions from the liver to the bile.