Exploring freshwater stream bacterial communities as indicators of land use intensity.

BACKGROUND: Stream ecosystems comprise complex interactions among biological communities and their physicochemical surroundings, contributing to their overall ecological health. Despite this, many monitoring programs ignore changes in the bacterial communities that are the base of food webs in streams, often focusing on stream physicochemical assessments or macroinvertebrate community diversity instead. We used 16S rRNA gene sequencing to assess bacterial community compositions within 600 New Zealand stream biofilm samples from 204 sites within a 6-week period (February-March 2010). Sites were either dominated by indigenous forests, exotic plantation forests, horticulture, or pastoral grasslands in the upstream catchment. We sought to predict each site's catchment land use and environmental conditions based on the composition of the stream bacterial communities. RESULTS: Random forest modelling allowed us to use bacterial community composition to predict upstream catchment land use with 65% accuracy; urban sites were correctly assigned 90% of the time. Despite the variation inherent when sampling across a ~ 1000-km distance, bacterial community data could correctly differentiate undisturbed sites, grouped by their dominant environmental properties, with 75% accuracy. The positive correlations between actual values and those predicted by the models built using the stream biofilm bacterial data ranged from weak (average log N concentration in the stream water, R2 = 0.02) to strong (annual mean air temperature, R2 = 0.69). CONCLUSIONS: Freshwater bacterial community data provide useful insights into land use impacts on stream ecosystems; they may be used as an additional measure to screen stream catchment attributes.

Comparative evaluation of mucin and total protein in periodontal disease before and after nonsurgical periodontal therapy.

Background: Periodontal ailments cause a quantum leap in the biomarker profile of the saliva. This profile is, in fact, the epiphany of the scale and extent of the disease. Both gingivitis and periodontitis are chronic inflammatory diseases with a step-grade progression. The study aimed to determine the response of the host in these conditions by analyzing concentrations of salivary mucin and total protein activity, before and after nonsurgical periodontal therapy (NSPT). Materials and Methods: Sixty adult subjects were clinically examined and divided into three groups (n = 20) according to the clinical assessment and categorized as Group I (healthy), Group II (gingivitis), and Group III (chronic periodontitis). Whole saliva was collected, and salivary mucin and total protein levels were quantitatively measured at baseline in all the groups and additionally after NSPT in Groups II and III. Results: Levels of mucin and total protein increased in patients with gingivitis and periodontitis. There was a slight decline in mucin levels in periodontitis patients in comparison with the gingivitis group. A positive correlation was found between the respective clinical parameters of both the groups along with their levels of salivary mucin and total protein. It indicated that the response of salivary glands to increase their protective potential caused the change among the groups. Conclusion: Periodontal diseases induce an increase in the levels of mucins and proteins, which is believed as the action of the salivary glands to protect the oral cavity and put off the chaos caused by the microorganisms.

A new era of Nano!!! Comparative evaluation of ganglioside polymeric nanoparticle coated satranidazole gel and 1% metronidazole gel for the treatment of periodontitis.

Background: The present study was intended to comparatively assess the efficacy of ganglioside polymeric nanoparticle-coated 0.25% satranidazole-loaded nanoparticles in gel form with that of the commercially available 1% metronidazole gel as a local drug delivery (LDD) agent for the treatment of periodontal pockets. Materials and Methods: A split-mouth randomized clinical trial was carried out in 46 chronic periodontitis patients with probing pocket depth (PPD) ≥4 mm or clinical attachment loss greater than 3 mm on both quadrants of the same arch. Full-mouth scaling and root planing (SRP) was performed for all the patients followed by application of 0.25% satranidazole-loaded nanoparticles in gel form on one site (Group 1) and commercially available 1% metronidazole gel on another site (Group 2). Clinical parameters (gingival index, plaque index, PPD, clinical attachment level gain, and bleeding on probing) and microbiological analysis of the subgingival plaque samples were performed and assessed at baseline, after SRP, 21st day, and 90th day post treatment. Unpaired "t"-test and ANOVA tests were used for intergroup and intragroup comparison of recorded parameters. Results: The results showed that the satranidazole-loaded nanoparticle group as an adjunct to SRP in chronic periodontitis showed a statistically significant improvement in all the clinical parameters and a fewer relapse of microbial flora in comparison with the metronidazole group as an LDD agent. Conclusion: The present study depicted that both the LDD agents showed an effective improvement of clinical as well as microbiological parameters, but the satranidazole group consistently produced better results than the metronidazole group and hence has a promising future as an LDD agent in treating periodontal pockets.

Evaluation of the effect of nonsurgical periodontal therapy on malondialdehyde and 8-hydroxy deoxyguanosine levels in chronic periodontitis.

Background: Reactive oxygen species released on stimulation by periodontal pathogens cause oxidation of biomolecules and play significant role in periodontal disease pathogenesis. Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the levels of oxidative by-products malondialdehyde (MDA) and 8-hydroxy deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) as biomarkers in chronic periodontitis patients compared to healthy as well as before and after nonsurgical periodontal therapy. The correlation between biomarkers and clinical attachment level was also evaluated. Settings and Design: A total of 112 subjects were included in this study. The subjects were divided into two groups (Group I included 56 healthy subjects and Group II constituted 56 chronic periodontitis patients) on the basis of clinical periodontal parameters. Materials and Methods: Group I subjects received no treatment and were evaluated once only for clinical and oxidative stress biomarker parameters. Nonsurgical periodontal therapy was carried out in Group II patients and they were evaluated at baseline and 3 months after therapy. Results: Both salivary and serum levels of MDA and 8-OHdG were found to be increased in chronic periodontitis patients as compared to healthy subjects. After nonsurgical periodontal therapy, the levels of MDA and 8-OHdG significantly reduced. Linear correlation between clinical attachment level and oxidative stress parameters was found to be positive and highly significant. Conclusion: It can be concluded that periodontal therapy is effective in improving the oxidative stress condition.

Time after time: detecting annual patterns in stream bacterial biofilm communities.

To quantify the major environmental drivers of stream bacterial population dynamics, we modelled temporal differences in stream bacterial communities to quantify community shifts, including those relating to cyclical seasonal variation and more sporadic bloom events. We applied Illumina MiSeq 16S rRNA bacterial gene sequencing of 892 stream biofilm samples, collected monthly for 36-months from six streams. The streams were located a maximum of 118 km apart and drained three different catchment types (forest, urban and rural land uses). We identified repeatable seasonal patterns among bacterial taxa, allowing their separation into three ecological groupings, those following linear, bloom/trough and repeated, seasonal trends. Various physicochemical parameters (light, water and air temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, nutrients) were linked to temporal community changes. Our models indicate that bloom events and seasonal episodes modify biofilm bacterial populations, suggesting that distinct microbial taxa thrive during these events including non-cyanobacterial community members. These models could aid in determining how temporal environmental changes affect community assembly and guide the selection of appropriate statistical models to capture future community responses to environmental change.

Natural Products as a Paradigm for the Treatment of Coxsackievirus - induced Myocarditis.

Coxsackievirus B3 (CVB3), a member of the Picornaviridae family, is considered to be one of the most important infectious agents to cause virus-induced myocarditis. Despite improvements in studying viral pathology, structure and molecular biology, as well as diagnosis of this disease, there is still no virus-specific drug in clinical use. Structural and nonstructural proteins produced during the coxsackievirus life cycle have been identified as potential targets for blocking viral replication at the step of attachment, entry, uncoating, RNA and protein synthesis by synthetic or natural compounds. Moreover, WIN (for Winthrop) compounds and application of nucleic-acid based strategies were shown to target viral capsid, entry and viral proteases, but have not reached to the clinical trials as a successful antiviral agent. There is an urgent need for diverse molecular libraries for phenotype-selective and high-throughput screening.

Metabolic syndrome and periodontal disease: An overview for physicians.

The metabolic syndrome (MetS) (also known as insulin resistance syndrome, syndrome X) is a cluster of factors associated with increased risk of developing coronary heart disease or type 2 diabetes mellitus. Several studies in the past have reviewed an association between MetS and periodontitis. Periodontal disease is considered an infectious and chronic inflammatory disease, and it has been considered to be a potential risk in cardiovascular and respiratory diseases and diabetes, and has implications in adverse pregnancy outcomes, osteoporosis, and so on. These systemic disorders have been documented as capable of affecting the periodontium or treatment of periodontal disease. Oral inflammatory lesions have different basic mechanisms concerning the possible association with systemic diseases. They concern local spread, metastatic spread, or immunologic cross-reactivity. In many studies, sometimes contrasting, periodontal pathogens have been evaluated in atheromatous plaques isolated from patients with chronic periodontitis. Oral inflammatory lesions have been shown unequivocally to contribute to elevated systemic inflammatory responses. In some studies, intensive periodontal therapy showed a significant reduction in c-reactive protein levels, interleukin-6, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol after 2 months. The aim of this article is to reflect the association between MetS and periodontitis and to suggest an understanding to promote interprofessional practice; with proper oral care and plaque control, we can reduce the severity of MetS.

Correlation of ABO Blood Group Phenotype and Rhesus Factor with Periodontal Disease: An Observational Study.

BACKGROUND: The knowledge of the ABO blood group phenotype of the patients and their correlation with the periodontal disease maybe important in the development of early treatment strategies, and it would be helpful to target non-responding areas to periodontal therapy of the susceptible individuals. AIMS: The present study was conducted to determine whether there was any correlation between periodontal diseases and ABO blood groups and Rh factor. MATERIAL AND METHOD: This study was carried out on 537 subjects attending Faculty of Dental Sciences OPD in BHU. Subjects were divided into three groups: group I (healthy subjects), group II (subjects with gingivitis), and group III (subjects with periodontitis) based on periodontal examination (Gingival index, Bleeding Index, Probing pocket depth and clinical attachment level). ABO Blood grouping were done and correlated with the periodontal status of study subjects. Statistical Analysis: Data was analyzed using the statistical software namely Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS, Version 16, IBM Analytics) and Systat 8.0. RESULTS: In this study, there was a greater prevalence of gingivitis in blood group O and periodontitis in blood group B. The blood group AB showed the least prevalence of periodontal diseases. Similarly gingivitis and peridontitis were significantly higher among Rhesus positive groups when compared with Rhesus negative groups. CONCLUSION: Considering the results of this study, it can be concluded that ABO blood groups and Rh factor could be a risk factor for the development of periodontal disease.

Diagnostic Potential of Recombinant scFv Antibodies Generated Against Hemagglutinin Protein of Influenza A Virus.

Human influenza A viruses have been the cause of enormous socio-economic losses worldwide. In order to combat such a notorious pathogen, hemagglutinin protein (HA) has been a preferred target for generation of neutralizing-antibodies as potent therapeutic/diagnostic agents. In the present study, recombinant anti-HA single chain variable fragment antibodies were constructed using the phage-display technology to aid in diagnosis and treatment of human influenza A virus infections. Spleen cells of mice hyper-immunized with A/New Caledonia/20/99 (H1N1) virus were used as the source for recombinant antibody (rAb) production. The antigen-binding phages were quantified after six rounds of bio-panning against A/New Caledonia/20/99 (H1N1), A/California/07/2009 (H1N1)-like, or A/Udorn/307/72(H3N2) viruses. The maximum phage yield was for the A/New Caledonia/20/99 (H1N1), however, considerable cross-reactivity was observed for the other virus strains as well. The HA-specific polyclonal rAb preparation was subjected to selection of single clones for identification of high reactive relatively conserved epitopes. The high-affinity rAbs were tested against certain known conserved HA epitopes by peptide ELISA. Three recombinant mAbs showed reactivity with both the H1N1 strains and one (C5) showed binding with all the three viral strains. The C5 antibody was thus used for development of an ELISA test for diagnosis of influenza virus infection. Based on the sample size in the current analysis, the ELISA test demonstrated 83.9% sensitivity and 100% specificity. Thus, the ELISA, developed in our study, may prove as a cheaper alternative to the presently used real time RT-PCR test for detection of human influenza A viruses in clinical specimens, which will be beneficial, especially in the developing countries.

Assessment of nicotine dependence among smokers in Nepal: a community based cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: The Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND) and Heaviness of Smoking Index (HSI) are extensively used methods to measure the severity of nicotine dependence among smokers. The primary objective of the study was to assess the nicotine dependence amongst currently smoking Nepalese population. METHODS: A community based cross-sectional study was conducted between August and November 2014. Information was collected using semi-structured questionnaire from three districts of Nepal. Data on demographic characteristics, history of tobacco use and level of nicotine dependence were collected from 587 smokers through face to face interviews and self-administered questionnaires. Non-parametric test were used to compare significant differences among different variables. RESULTS: The median age of respondents was 28 (Inter-Quartile Range: 22-40) years and the median duration of smoking was 10 (5-15) years. Similarly, the median age for smoking initiation was 16 (13-20) years and the median smoking pack year was 4.2 (1.5-12). One third of the respondents consumed smokeless tobacco products. Half of the respondents wanted to quit smoking. The median score for FTND and HSI was 4 (2-5) and 2 (0-3) respectively. There was significant difference in median FTND score with place of residence (p = 0.03), year of smoking (p = 0.03), age at smoking initiation (p = 0.02), smoking pack year (p < 0.001) and consumption of smokeless products (p < 0.05). Similarly, there was also significant difference in median HSI score with year of smoking (p = 0.002), age of smoking initiation (p < 0.001), smoking pack year (p < 0.001), and consumption of smokeless products (p < 0.05). As per FTND test score, two in ten current smokers had high nicotine dependence (FTND > 6), and HSI scored that three in ten current smokers had high nicotine dependence (HSI > 3). CONCLUSION: Our finding revealed that nicotine dependence is prevalent among Nepalese smoking population. Further studies are required for assurance of tools through bio-markers. Next, smoking cessation program need to be developed considering level of nicotine dependence and pattern of tobacco use.

Diabetes related health knowledge, attitude and practice among diabetic patients in Nepal.

BACKGROUND: Globally, diabetes is the top priority chronic disease. Health literary would be cost effective for prevention and control of diabetes and its consequences. This study was conducted to determine the level of diabetes related health knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) among diabetic patient and factors associated with KAP. METHODS: An institutional based cross-sectional study was conducted using a non-probability sampling technique to select the diabetic patients. A total of 244 diabetic patients were interviewed from July to November 2014. Data was collected by face to face interview using structured interviewer rater questionnaires. Relative risk ratio (RRR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) of associated factors were estimated by a stepwise likelihood ratio method with multinomial logistic regression. RESULTS: More than half (52.5%) of all patients were female, 18% were illiterate, and 24.6% were from rural residence. The diabetes related risk factors were common among diabetic patients; 9.8% smoker, 16% alcohol drinking, and 17.6% reported low or no physical activity. Median score for knowledge, attitude, and practice were 81, 40 and 14 respectively. Among all patients, 12.3%, 12.7% and 16% had highly satisfactory knowledge, attitude and practice respectively. Using highly insufficient knowledge as the baseline, the likelihood of having a level of highly sufficient knowledge was 17 times higher among patients who have graduated and above level of education compared to those who were illiterate. Albeit this value was comparatively lower than insufficient level of knowledge. The probability of having a sufficient level of practice among diabetic patient with a history of smoking was 0.10 times lower than in patient with no history of smoking. CONCLUSIONS: Our study reveals a variation between diabetes related health knowledge, attitude and practice in Nepal among those who are affected by diabetes. Our results show the potential diabetes health literacy needs to be improved or developed for better health promotion.

Periosteum as a barrier membrane in the treatment of intrabony defect: A new technique.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the study was to evaluate the clinical effectiveness of periosteum as a barrier membrane for the treatment of intrabony defects. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was conducted in patients having bilateral intrabony defects. A total of 20 intrabony defects in 10 patients were treated, out of which 10 defects received periosteal barrier and the other 10 defects received conventional open flap debridement procedure. The efficacy of the treatment was assessed using clinical parameters and dentascan. RESULTS: Statistically significant gain in clinical attachment level (CAL) was found in the test group (2.00 ± 0.26 mm) as compared to the control group (0.60 ± 0.22 mm). In both the treatment modalities (test and control groups), a significant decrease in probing pocket depth of 3.90 ± 0.35 mm and 2.90 ± 0.31 mm was observed, respectively. The difference between the two groups was not statistically significant. Bone defect fill was 1.40 ± 0.16 mm for the test group and 0.90 ± 0.18 mm for the control group, but the difference observed was not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: The results of this study show that periosteal barrier membrane can be a better alternative of barrier membranes for the treatment of intrabony defects.

"Pyogenic granuloma - Hyperplastic lesion of the gingiva: case reports".

Pyogenic granuloma is a reactive hyperplasia of connective tissue in response to local irritants. It is a tumourlike growth of the oral cavity, frequently located surrounding the anterior teeth or skin that is considered to be neoplastic in nature. It usually arises in response to various stimuli such as low-grade local irritation, traumatic injury, hormonal factors, or certain kinds of drugs. Histologically, the surface epithelium may be intact, or may show foci of ulcerations or even exhibiting hyperkeratosis. It overlies a mass of dense connective tissue composed of significant amounts of mature collagen. Gingiva is the most common site affected followed by buccal mucosa, tongue and lips. Pyogenic granuloma in general, does not occur when excised along with the base and its causative factors. This paper presents some cases of a pyogenic granuloma managed by surgical intervention.

Emerging technology of in situ cell free expression protein microarrays.

Recently, in situ protein microarrays have been developed for large scale analysis and high throughput studies of proteins. In situ protein microarrays produce proteins directly on the solid surface from pre-arrayed DNA or RNA. The advances in in situ protein microarrays are exemplified by the ease of cDNA cloning and cell free protein expression. These technologies can evaluate, validate and monitor protein in a cost effective manner and address the issue of a high quality protein supply to use in the array. Here we review the importance of recently employed methods: PISA (protein in situ array), DAPA (DNA array to protein array), NAPPA (nucleic acid programmable protein array) and TUSTER microarrays and the role of these methods in proteomics.