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Dental caries is a multifactorial disease, which is the result of a complex interplay between the diet, the host, the saliva, and dental biofilms. Although the prevalence of dental caries has decreased dramatically since 1950 in many countries, it continues to be one of the most common health conditions globally. The aim of the present review is to summarize the investigations on dental caries performed by the late Noble prize winner Henrik Dam and his colleagues in the middle of the 20th century, and to relate the knowledge and state of the art at the time to current concepts on dental caries. Henrik Dam is mostly known for his discovery of Vitamin K, but he also conducted experimental studies on dental caries that focused on the role of Vitamin K, the diet, and saliva in the development of dental caries. The discoveries of Henrik Dam contributed to our understanding of the role of saliva and different dietary components, such as fat and proteins, in caries development and prevention.

Shotgun metagenomics offers a broad detection of pathogens for rapid blood stream infection of pathogens but struggles with often low numbers of pathogens combined with high levels of human background DNA in clinical samples. This study aimed to develop a shotgun metagenomics protocol using blood spiked with various bacteria and to assess bacterial DNA extraction efficiency with human DNA depletion. The Blood Pathogen Kit (Molzym) was used to extract DNA from EDTA-whole blood (WB) and plasma samples, using contrived blood specimens spiked with bacteria for shotgun metagenomics diagnostics via Oxford Nanopore sequencing and PCR-based library preparation. Results showed that bacterial reads were higher in WB than plasma. Differences for Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pneumoniae were more pronounced compared to Escherichia coli. Plasma samples exhibited better method reproducibility, with more consistent droplet digital PCR results for human DNA. The study found that extraction was more efficient for Gram-positive bacteria than Gram-negative, suggesting that the human DNA depletion exerts a negative effect on Gram-negative bacteria. Overall, shotgun metagenomics needs further optimisation to improve bacterial DNA recovery and enhance pathogen detection sensitivity. This study highlights some critical steps in the methodology of shotgun metagenomic-based diagnosis of blood stream infections using Nanopore sequencing.

The association between fungal positivity in cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) and other laboratory parameters in cryptococcal meningitis (CM) with or without HIV infection is unclear. India ink staining and culture were used to detect the Cryptococcus in the CSF during the treatment course. Hematology analysis and chemistry analysis of CSF were also performed. Flow cytometry was used to analyze the T lymphocyte subsets in the blood. The positivity of the culture reduced significantly faster than that of the ink staining in both HIV and non-HIV patients between treatment time points. The total protein in the CSF of the HIV-related patients was significantly lower than in the non-HIV-related patients at all time points of treatment (p = 0.009, 0.012, 0.001, and 0.037, respectively). The lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in the CSF of the HIV-related patients at admission was significantly lower than in the non-HIV-related patients (p = 0.017). There were significant differences in glucose and LDH levels between different time points of treatment (p = 0.000 and 0.016, respectively) in the non-HIV-related patients. For Cryptococcus detection in CSF, the culture method appeared to be more sensitive and reliable than the ink staining method. HIV-related CM patients showed certain hematologic and CSF chemistry features which may help guide the management of patients.

Pleomorphic adenoma (PA) is a benign salivary gland tumour that may recur or undergo malignant transformation (CXPA). Toll-like receptors (TLR) mediate immune responses triggered by various agents such as viruses and are related to tumour formation either by stimulating or suppressing their growth, with variation across different tumour entities. We compared TLR immunohistochemical expression in PA, its recurrent counterparts and CXPA and evaluated the effect of virus presence in these tumours. We studied the expression of TLR-2, -3, -5, -7 and -9 in 25 PA, 34 recurrent PA and 15 CXPA tumour samples. In addition, we examined the TLR expression levels in the presence and absence of herpes-, polyoma- and parvovirus DNA in a subset of tumours (n = 20). CXPA expressed significantly more TLR-5 and TLR-9 in the nucleus, cytoplasm and cell membrane compared with benign PA. The presence of virus DNA did not notably affect the TLR expression. TLR expression patterns seem to reflect tumour behaviour but are independent of the presence of viruses tested in this study.

Several in vivo and in vitro studies have shown that Helicobacter pylori can invade epithelial cells and the lamina propria, potentially leading to underdiagnosis due to its subepithelial location. This retrospective study investigated H. pylori infection patterns and their impact on clinical improvement. Gastric tissue biopsies from 346 patients (August to December 2021) were studied using four commercially available immunohistochemical antibodies (TMDU, BioGenex, Cell Marque, and DAKO). The bacteria were graded based on their surface epithelial and subepithelial locations and then combined to establish an overall pattern. BioGenex, the antibody with the highest diagnostic performance due to its superior detection of surface and subepithelial cases, was selected as the gold standard for determining study outcomes. The isolated subepithelial H. pylori pattern was found to be an independent unfavorable prognostic feature. Patients with this pattern had the worst clinical outcomes compared to groups with isolated surface epithelial or other mixed patterns, which did not significantly differ. Subepithelial H. pylori should be included in pathological reports alongside the updated Sydney System. Further research should explore whether its eradication could improve treatment outcomes.

Staphylococcus aureus is a multi-host pathogen that can colonize and infect both humans and livestock in a tissue-specific manner. This amazing feature of the pathogen is mainly facilitated by the surplus virulence agents produced upon necessity and favorable environmental factors. These factors are adept at damaging cellular barriers, manipulating host immune factors, and circumventing the host complement system. The delicate balance between the timely release of virulent factors and the regulation of their production underscores the significance of the exoenzyme network. Moreover, the intricate relationship between the pathogen and host tissue highlights the importance of understanding tissue-specific phenotypes for effective therapeutic strategies. Here, we provide a review on the diverse role played by the extracellular enzymes of S. aureus in tissue-specific infection and systemic colonization leading to distinctive diseased conditions. The article highlights the need to study the role of staphylococcal exoenzymes in various systemic invasions, their impact on the deterioration of host tissue, and the regulation of S. aureus virulence factors.

The SARS-CoV-2 is the causative agent of COVID-19 whose evolutionary path with geographical context forms the focus of present study. The first reported sequence from each of the 161 countries was downloaded from the GISAID database. Multiple sequence alignment was performed using MAFFT v.7, and a TCS-based network was constructed using PopART v.1.7. A total of 27 proteins were analyzed including structural and non-structural proteins. NSP3 and NSP12, responsible for viral replication and RNA synthesis, respectively, had the highest mutation incidence and frequency among non-structural proteins. The spike (S) protein, critical for viral attachment and entry, had the highest prevalence and frequency of mutations. ORF3a had the highest mutation incidence and frequency among accessory proteins. The phylogeogenomic network identified six haplogroups containing 35 sequences, while the remaining sequences belonged to different haplotypes. The virus's genetic distinctiveness was higher in European genomes, with four haplogroups dominated by Europe-linked sequences. The triangular-shaped pattern observed in the virus's evolutionary path suggests that it spread to different continents from Asia. Multiple transmission pathways connecting different countries affirm the virus's ability to emerge in multiple countries by early 2020. The possibility of new species emergence through “saltation” due to the pandemic is also discussed.

Resveratrol, which is thought to have a preventive effect on the formation of different types of cancer, is abundant in grapes and other foods. Resveratrol has been shown to have anti-cancer effects by in vitro andin vivo studies, however this is the first time its effect on atypical acinar cell foci (AACF), known as precursor forms of pancreatic carcinoma, has been experimentally investigated. Male Sprague Dawley rats, each consisting of 5 experimental groups (Cont, AzCont, AzRes10, AzRes15, and AzRes20), 10 of which were 14 days old, were used in the study. In the azaserine groups (AzCont, AzRes10, AzRes15, and AzRes20), it was investigated how the development of Atypical Cell Foci (AACF) resulting from intraperitoneal injection (i.p.) of azaserine (30 mg/kg bw) in 14-day-old rats was affected by dietary restoration. Male rats in the resveratrol group (AzRes10, AzRes15, and AzRes20) were fed diets containing 10%, 15%, or 20% mmol resveratrol for an 8-month experimental period 1 week after the last azaserine injection. Pancreas preparations prepared from histological sections were examined for AACF burden and analyzed via a video image analyzer. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) non-parametric statistical analyses were performed to test whether there was a difference between the averages of the experimental and control groups. The AACF load in the azaserine group (AzCont) compared to the control group (Cont) was found to be statistically significant in all categories (p < 0.05). The calculated estimated mean AACF volume (mm³) values and the AACF ratio as a percentage of the calculated organ volume were statistically significantly lower in all resveratrol groups (AzRes10, AzRes15, and AzRes20) compared to the azaserine control group (AzCont). The calculated estimated mean AACF volume (mm³) values and the AACF ratio as a percentage of the calculated organ volume were statistically significantly lower in all resveratrol groups (AzRes10, AzRes15, and AzRes20) compared to the azaserine control group (AzCont) (p < 0.05). In addition, the calculated estimated mean AACF diameter (mm) in the AzRes10 and AzRes15 groups, in the AzRes15 group the calculated estimated mean AACF number in the whole organ and the calculated average AACF number per unit area were found to be statistically significant compared to the azaserine control group (AzCont) (p < 0.05). According to the results of our study, it has been shown that atypical acinar cell foci (AACF) formed in the exocrine pancreas of rats with azaserine can be reduced by a diet containing resveratrol. It was determined that the tumor burden decreased statistically significantly (p ≤ 0.05) in resveratrol-treated rats. Accordingly, it is thought that the inhibitory effects of resveratrol may contribute to studies that reduce the occurrence of pancreatic cancer.

Viral cardiac diseases have a significant impact on global health, and RNA viruses play a crucial role in their pathogenesis. This literature review aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the complex relationship between RNA viruses and cardiac diseases, focusing on the molecular processes and clinical implications of these interactions. The paper begins by discussing the various RNA viruses that have been linked to cardiac infections. Subsequently, the study explores the mechanisms through which RNA viruses can cause cardiac injury, including direct viral invasion, immune-mediated responses, and molecular mimicry. The review extensively examines the intricate interplay between the host immune system and RNA viruses, shedding light on both protective and harmful immune responses. Additionally, it investigates the role of viral persistence and chronic inflammation in the long-term effects on cardiac health. The thorough analysis presented not only enhances our scientific understanding of how RNA viruses contribute to the development of cardiac diseases but also highlights potential avenues for future research and breakthroughs in this field. Given the significant global health threat posed by viral cardiac disorders, unraveling the molecular foundations of these diseases is essential for advancing diagnostic capabilities and therapeutic interventions.