Identifying the sources of mercury exposure in dental workers.

Dental professionals who handle dental amalgam are at risk of mercury exposure, though the prevalence and severity of elevated mercury levels from non-occupational sources are not well characterized. We report two dental workers who had elevated urinary mercury levels (37 and 25.6 mcg/L) during routine health screenings.

Recent Advances in the Diagnosis and Management of Limbal Stem Cell Deficiency.

This concise review focuses on the latest advancements in the diagnosis and management of limbal stem cell deficiency (LSCD). Ensuring the standard of care for individuals affected by LSCD involves the crucial task for physicians to meticulously and accurately diagnose the condition and determine its specific stage. A standardized diagnostic approach forms the foundation for formulating and delivering customized therapeutic interventions to maximize treatment outcomes for each patient.

The centenarian blueprint: lessons in defying Parkinson's disease.

Recent advancements in neurology have shifted focus from mere diagnosis to comprehensive management of movement disorders, particularly Parkinson's Disease (PD), which is rapidly increasing in prevalence due to global ageing trends. While age is a key risk factor for PD, centenarians often exhibit a remarkably low prevalence of the disease, presenting an intriguing paradox. This viewpoint explores potential reasons for this low prevalence, drawing on studies from regions with high centenarian populations, known as Blue Zones.

Impact of COVID-19 Vaccination in Thailand: Averted Deaths and Severe Infections Across Age Groups.

The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the pivotal role of vaccines in mitigating the devastating impact of the virus. In Thailand, the vaccination campaign against SARS-CoV-2 began on 28 February 2021, initially prioritizing healthcare professionals before expanding into a nationwide effort on 7 June 2021. This study employs a mathematical model of COVID-19 transmission with vaccination to analyze the impact of Thailand's COVID-19 vaccination program from 1 March 2021 to 31 December 2022.

The role of sonic hedgehog signaling in the oropharyngeal epithelium during jaw development.

Sonic hedgehog (Shh) is expressed in the oropharyngeal epithelium, including the frontonasal ectodermal zone (FEZ), which is defined as the boundary between Shh and Fgf8 expression domains in the frontonasal epithelium. To investigate the role of SHH signaling from the oropharyngeal epithelium, we generated mice in which Shh expression is specifically deleted in the oropharyngeal epithelium (Isl1-Cre; Shh). In the mutant mouse, Shh expression was excised in the oropharyngeal epithelium as well as FEZ and ventral forebrain, consistent with the expression pattern of Isl1.

The Impact of Surfactant Structures and High-Speed Mixing Dynamics in Achieving Nano-Sized Emulsions with Simple High-Speed Homogenization.

Purpose: This study investigates the impact of various mixing parameters and surfactant combinations on the physical characteristics of nanoemulsions produced using high-speed homogenization. Nanoemulsions are explored for their capacity to enhance transdermal drug delivery in pharmaceutical and cosmetic contexts.

Methods: Employing a standard high-speed homogenizer typical in the cosmetic industry, we tested different combinations of Polysorbate (Tween®) and Sorbitan ester (Span®) surfactants under single and intermittent process configurations.

Asia-Pacific Survey on the Management of Helicobacter pylori Infection.

Background And Aim: Gastric cancer (GC)-related incidence and mortality rates remain high owing to Helicobacter pylori infection in Asia, and the importance of primary and secondary prevention of GC has been well recognized. We aimed to investigate the extent of overall agreement among clinicians in the Asia-Pacific region regarding the management of H. pylori infection.

CRISPR-Cas12a-based detection and differentiation of Mycobacterium spp.

Mycobacterium species cause several vital human diseases, including tuberculosis and non-tuberculous mycobacterial infections, which are treated with different drug regimens Therefore, accurate and rapid diagnosis is essential for effective treatment and controlling the spread of these pathogens. This study aims to develop an isothermal method combining RPA and CRISPR-Cas12a techniques, named as MyTRACK, to detect and differentiate major clinical mycobacteria at the species level. The assay has no cross-reactivity with limit of detection of 1 to 100 copies/reaction for various targeted mycobacteria.

NDM-5-plasmid diversity in multiple international high-risk Escherichia coli clones associated with canine and feline extraintestinal infections.

NDM-5-producing Escherichia coli are the predominant carbapenemase producers of medical and public health importance. The global spread of bla-containing plasmids in high-risk E. coli clones has been primarily documented in humans and increasingly reported in animals and the environment.

In silico prediction and experimental evaluation of LIP3228 of pathogenic Leptospira as a potential subunit vaccine target against leptospirosis.

A protein subunit vaccine comprising conserved surface-exposed outer membrane proteins (SE-OMPs) is considered a promising platform for leptospirosis vaccine. The search for novel vaccine candidates that confer high protective efficacy against leptospirosis is ongoing. The LIP3228 protein was previously identified as a conserved and abundant SE-OMP with the potential to serve as an effective vaccine candidate.

Therapeutic Drug Monitoring of High-dose Sulbactam in Pediatric Patients: Preliminary Data From a Prospective Observational Pharmacokinetic Study.

Background: Rates of carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii are rising in Thailand. Although high-dose (HD) sulbactam is recommended for treating carbapenem-resistant A. baumannii infections, data on plasma sulbactam concentrations in children are limited.

Optimizing Drug Selection in Children with Multiple Sclerosis: What Do We Know and What Remains Unanswered?

Pediatric-onset multiple sclerosis (POMS) refers to multiple sclerosis with onset before 18 years of age. It is characterized by a more inflammatory course, more frequent clinical relapses, and a greater number of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) lesions compared with adult-onset MS (AOMS), leading to significant impacts on both disability progression and cognitive outcomes in affected individuals. Managing POMS presents distinct challenges due to the unique needs of pediatric patients and the limited number of disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) approved for pediatric use.

Association between serum endocan levels and organ failure in hospitalized patients with cirrhosis.

Background & Aims: Acute-on-chronic liver failure is a syndrome characterized by organ failure and high short-term mortality. The lack of reliable biomarkers for the early detection of acute-on-chronic liver failure is a significant challenge. Endothelial dysfunction plays a key role in the development of organ failure.

Effects of Oral Nutritional Supplement on Postoperative Orthognathic Surgery Patients' Nutritional Status: A Randomised Clinical Trial.

Purpose: Orthognathic surgery often leads to decreased nutrient intake and increased metabolic demands, potentially resulting in muscle mass loss and delayed recovery. The use of oral nutritional supplements (ONS) alongside nutritional counselling has been proposed to mitigate these effects. This study aimed to investigate the impact of ONS on the postoperative nutritional status of patients undergoing orthognathic surgery.

Platinum nanoparticles wrapped in carbon-dot-films as oxygen reduction reaction catalysts prepared by solution plasma sputtering.

Fuel cells have become increasingly important in recent years because of their high energy efficiency and low environmental impact. However, key challenges remain in the widespread adoption of fuel-cell vehicles, including reducing Pt usage in catalysts and improving their durability. In this study, a high-performance Pt@carbon-dot-film core-shell catalyst was successfully synthesized using a nonequilibrium reaction field, , solution plasma (SP) process, by adjusting the electrolyte pH.

A dual antioxidant and antimicrobial bioplastic film endowed with amine-branched poly(lactic acid): Bioactive packaging for electron beam sterilization and food shelf-life extension.

Cyclic amine-multibranched poly(lactic acid) (mPLA) was prepared as a dual antioxidant and antimicrobial toward PLA active packaging for food shelf-life extension in a case study of bread. The mPLA was coupled with piperidine (PPR) containing a heterocyclic amine derivative, which is a nature-rich bioactive function. The functions of mPLA-PPR enhancing the PLA film performance were studied in comparison with PPR, mPLA and Tinuvin® 770.

Osteogenic Induction Activity of Magnesium Chloride on Human Periodontal Ligament Stem Cells.

Objectives: Periodontal ligament stem cells (PDLSCs) are promising for regenerative therapies due to their self-renewal and multilineage differentiation, essential for periodontal tissue repair. Although magnesium plays a vital role in bone metabolism, its specific effects on PDLSCs and potential applications in regeneration are unclear. This study aimed to investigate the effects of magnesium chloride (MgCl₂) on the proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of human PDLSCs (hPDLSCs).

Gene correction of Wiskott-Aldrich-syndrome iPS cells rescues proplatelet defects and improves platelet size.

Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome (WAS) is a severe X-linked disorder caused by loss-of-function mutations in the WAS gene, responsible for encoding WASP, a key regulator of actin cytoskeleton in all hematopoietic cells except red blood cells. The mechanism underlying microthrombocytopenia, a distinctive feature of WAS and a major contributor to mortality, remains not fully elucidated. In this study, using different gene editing strategies, we corrected mutations in patient-derived WAS-induced pluripotent stem cell lines, generating isogeneic WAS iPSC lines.

Building global collaborative research networks in paediatric critical care: a roadmap.

Paediatric critical care units are designed for children at a vulnerable stage of development, yet the evidence base for practice and policy in paediatric critical care remains scarce. In this Health Policy, we present a roadmap providing strategic guidance for international paediatric critical care trials. We convened a multidisciplinary group of 32 paediatric critical care experts from six continents representing paediatric critical care research networks and groups.

Production of probiotic bacterial cellulose with improved yield, mechanical properties, and antibacterial activity from cost-effective coculture and mixed-culture fermentation in coconut water by Komagataeibacter xylinus MSKU 12.

We successfully enhanced bacterial cellulose (BC) production in low-cost coconut water (CW) at 37 °C by low-nutrient adaptation of Komagataeibacter xylinus MSKU 12. In this study, the BC yield was significantly increased by simultaneous coculture fermentation of MSKU 12 with Saccharomyces bayanus in Hestrin-Schramm (HS) and CW media. Coculture fermentation at 30 °C produced BC yields of 13.

Temporal bone thickness analysis in craniofacial anomalies: key considerations for bone conduction hearing implants.

Purpose: This study analyzes temporal bone thickness in pediatric craniofacial anomalies patients to determine the optimal age for preoperative high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) and enhance surgical planning of bone conduction hearing implants.

Methods: A retrospective examination of 370 temporal bone HRCT scans from 158 pediatric patients with craniofacial anomalies was conducted. Statistical analysis included descriptive statistics and correlation between age and skull thickness.

Blood loss in one-stage bilateral total knee arthroplasty: cruciate-retaining vs. posterior stabilized. A propensity score-matched analysis.

Introduction: Although single-stage bilateral total knee arthroplasty (BTKA) presents several advantages, higher perioperative blood loss is a potentiate drawback that is still inevitable. Cruciate retaining (CR) TKA may theoretically result in less blood loss, offer better proprioception, and more physiologic kinematics compared to posterior stabilized (PS) TKA. The objective of this study was to compare perioperative blood loss and recovery among patients who underwent CR and PS BTKA.