Efficacy and safety of biofilm dispersal by glycoside hydrolases in wounds.

Novel anti-biofilm and dispersal agents are currently being investigated in an attempt to combat biofilm-associated wound infections. Glycoside hydrolases (GHs) are enzymes that hydrolyze the glycosidic bonds between sugars, such as those found within the exopolysaccharides of the biofilm matrix. Previous studies have shown that GHs can weaken the matrix, inducing bacterial dispersal, and improving antibiotic clearance.

Assessing Biofilm Dispersal in Murine Wounds.

Biofilm-related infections are implicated in a wide array of chronic conditions such as non-healing diabetic foot ulcers, chronic sinusitis, reoccurring otitis media, and many more. Microbial cells within these infections are protected by an extracellular polymeric substance (EPS), which can prevent antibiotics and host immune cells from clearing the infection. To overcome this obstacle, investigators have begun developing dispersal agents as potential therapeutics.

Utilizing glycoside hydrolases to improve the quantitation and visualization of biofilm bacteria.

The complexity of microbial biofilms offers several challenges to the use of traditional means of microbial research. In particular, it can be difficult to calculate accurate numbers of biofilm bacteria, because even after thorough homogenization or sonication, small pieces of the biofilm remain, which contain numerous bacterial cells and result in inaccurately low colony forming units (CFU). In addition, imaging of infected tissue often results in a disparity between the CFU and the number of bacterial cells observed under the microscope.

Differential Efficacy of Glycoside Hydrolases to Disperse Biofilms.

Chronic wounds will impact 2% of the United States population at some point in their life. These wounds are often associated with a reoccurring, chronic infection caused by a community of microorganisms encased in an extracellular polymeric substance (EPS), or a biofilm. Biofilm-associated microbes can exhibit tolerance to antibiotics, which has prompted researchers to investigate therapeutics that improve antibiotic efficacy.

Herpes Zoster Involving the Second Division of the Trigeminal Nerve: Case Report and Literature Review.

Herpes zoster along the maxillary division of the trigeminal nerve is a rare condition that is caused by reactivation of the varicella zoster virus that resides within the trigeminal ganglion after the primary infection of chickenpox. The disease may be manifested as a toothache during its prodromal stage. The active stage of the disease is characterized by the appearance of a vesicular rash.

Predicting risk for bisphosphonate-related osteonecrosis of the jaws: CTX versus radiographic markers.

Background And Objective: The most common risk factor for bisphosphonate-related osteonecrosis of the jaws (BRONJ) is dentoalveolar surgery. It has been suggested that reduced serum C-terminal telopeptide (CTX) can determine the degree of osteoclast suppression and may predict the development of BRONJ after dentoalveolar surgery. Although there are many radiographic appearances associated with BRONJ, there are little data that describes changes preceding dentoalveolar surgery.

Nonselective NOS inhibition blunts the sweat response to exercise in a warm environment.

The role of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibition in modulating human thermoregulatory control of sweating and cutaneous dilation was examined in 10 subjects (5 men and 5 women). Three intradermal microdialysis probes were placed in nonglabrous skin of the dorsum of the forearm. The control site was perfused with 0.