ABSTRACT
New York City has a large number of individuals seeking asylem who are victims of torture. In addition to dental needs, which include cases of severe trauma to the mouth, these individuasl require special support because of their fear of contact by those they do not know. A cooperative program between the New York University College of Dentistry and Bellevue NYU, known as the Program for Survivors of Torture, is described.
Subject(s)
Dental Care , Health , Human Rights , Survivors , Torture , Adult , Cultural Competency , Curriculum , Female , Health Services Accessibility , Health Services Needs and Demand , Hospitals, Urban , Humans , Interinstitutional Relations , Male , New York City , Patient Care Team , Patient-Centered Care , Professional-Patient Relations , Program Development , Refugees , Schools, Dental , Students, Dental , TrustABSTRACT
Cationic lipids have long been known to serve as antibacterial and antifungal agents. Prior efforts with attachment of cationic lipids to carbohydrate-based surfaces have suggested the possibility that carbohydrate-attached cationic lipids might serve as antibacterial and antifungal pharmaceutical agents. Toward the understanding of this possibility, we have synthesized several series of cationic lipids attached to a variety of glycosides with the intent of generating antimicrobial agents that would meet the requirement for serving as a pharmaceutical agent, specifically that the agent be effective at a very low concentration as well as being biodegradable within the organism being treated. The initial results of our approach to this goal are presented.
Subject(s)
Glycosides/chemistry , Lipids/chemistry , Polyamines/chemistry , Anti-Bacterial Agents/chemical synthesis , Anti-Bacterial Agents/chemistry , Antifungal Agents/chemical synthesis , Antifungal Agents/chemistry , Carbohydrate Conformation , Glycosides/chemical synthesis , Humans , Lipids/chemical synthesis , Microbial Sensitivity Tests , Molecular Structure , Polyamines/chemical synthesis , Polyelectrolytes , Salts/chemistryABSTRACT
In our continuing investigation of polycationic salts for purposes of antimicrobial action, ion-channel blocking, and construction of ionic liquids, we have prepared several series of polycationic salts derived from carbohydrate precursors. These salts are currently being investigated for optimal efficacy as antibacterials and antifungals, as well as for other applications. The syntheses of such series of salts are described here along with preliminary antibacterial testing results and a discussion of their properties indicating their potential utility for several purposes.
