Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Kaiyang Chen, Honglian Luo, Yaqi Li, Xuemei Han, Congcong Gao, Ningyu Wang, Fuping Lu, Haikuan Wang
Summary: This study found that fermented soybeans can alleviate colitis, and the key factors are the metabolites, especially lipoteichoic acid and peptidoglycan.
JOURNAL OF THE SCIENCE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Hisanori Domon, Satoru Hirayama, Toshihito Isono, Karin Sasagawa, Fumio Takizawa, Tomoki Maekawa, Katsunori Yanagihara, Yutaka Terao
Summary: The clinical efficacy of macrolides in pneumococcal disease is assumed to be linked to their ability to inhibit the release of pneumolysin. However, our previous study showed that oral administration of macrolides to mice infected with macrolide-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae resulted in decreased levels of pneumolysin and proinflammatory cytokines without affecting bacterial load. This suggests that macrolides may have additional mechanisms for regulating proinflammatory activity.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2023)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Yongjiang Wu, Yawang Sun, Ruiming Zhang, Tianle He, Guohao Huang, Ke Tian, Junhui Liu, Juncai Chen, Guozhong Dong
Summary: The study aimed to investigate the effects of sodium butyrate and sodium beta-hydroxybutyrate on lactation and health of dairy cows fed a high-concentrate (HC) diet. Both sodium butyrate and sodium beta-hydroxybutyrate mitigated the negative effects of HC diet on lactation and health of dairy cows, with sodium butyrate being more effective than sodium beta-hydroxybutyrate.
Article
Emergency Medicine
Nicole L. Nadeau, Andrew M. Fine, Amir Kimia
Summary: Palatal petechiae are highly associated with GAS, yet rarely addressed in documentation. Incorporating palatal petechiae into common scoring systems could improve prediction and disseminate this knowledge into practice.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF EMERGENCY MEDICINE
(2021)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Sahar Mohajeri, Saeed Moayedi, Leila Azimi, Mohammad Akrami, Mazda Rad-Malekshahi, Mohammad Reza Fazeli, Fatemeh Fallah, Ismaeil Haririan
Summary: Streptococcal pharyngitis, caused by Streptococcus pyogenes, is a common disease that can lead to heart problems if untreated. Accurate diagnosis is challenging due to the similarity in symptoms with viral pharyngitis. Researchers have developed a nanobiosensor based on the sugar code-lectin interaction, which can rapidly and accurately detect streptococcal pharyngitis.
FRONTIERS IN BIOENGINEERING AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Patricia Ferrieri, Elizabeth Thonen-Kerr, K. Nelson, Sophie Arbefeville
Summary: The study compared the performance of Solana (R) GAS Assay and Xpert (R) Xpress Strep A in detecting throat specimens, finding a total agreement of 99.5% between the two assays and an agreement of 90.1% with culture for Xpress Strep A. The sensitivity and specificity of Xpress Strep A versus culture were 100% and 83.5%, respectively.
CURRENT MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Lukas Schmutzler, Moritz Mirna, Uta C. Hoppe, Michael Lichtenauer
Summary: This systematic review explores the characteristics of myocarditis following group A streptococcal pharyngitis and tonsillitis, finding that patients commonly present with chest pain, elevated cardiac markers, and ST-segment elevations, resembling acute coronary syndrome rather than viral myocarditis.
JOURNAL OF CARDIOVASCULAR DEVELOPMENT AND DISEASE
(2022)
Article
Critical Care Medicine
David G. G. Greenhalgh, Tajia L. L. Green, Debora Lim, Kiho Cho
Summary: Bacterial components can initiate compensatory anti-inflammatory responses by inducing the expression of human glucocorticoid receptors (hGR), which downregulate the inflammatory response.
Article
Immunology
Kate M. Miller, Robert R. Tanz, Stanford T. Shulman, Jonathan R. Carapetis, Thomas Cherian, Theresa Lamagni, Asha C. Bowen, Janessa Pickering, Alma Fulurija, Hannah C. Moore, Jeffrey W. Cannon, Timothy C. Barnett, Chris A. Van Beneden
Summary: This article presents a standardized surveillance protocol for pharyngitis and Strep A pharyngitis, including case definitions and classifications, as well as tests used for detection. The article also discusses different surveillance methodologies and considerations for pharyngitis surveillance.
OPEN FORUM INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Binayak Rimal, James Chang, Chengyin Liu, Raiyan Rashid, Manmilan Singh, Sung Joon Kim
Summary: Daptomycin is an antibiotic that targets and depolarizes bacterial cell membranes and inhibits cell wall biosynthesis, making it effective against multidrug-resistant Gram-positive pathogens. It has been shown to thin the cell wall by impeding the incorporation of nascent peptidoglycan (PG) into the cell walls and disrupting PG crosslinking and stem modifications. These changes in PG composition make the newly formed cell walls highly susceptible to degradation by autolysins.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Amanda Taylor, Susan Morpeth, Rachel Webb, Susan Taylor
Summary: This study compared different diagnostic methods for GAS pharyngitis, and found that the Xpert Xpress Strep A molecular test showed excellent sensitivity and negative predictive value, making it a safe and effective first-line test for throat swabs in high-risk ARF populations.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Nathaniel E. Miller, Teresa B. Jensen, Leah M. Nigon, Kristine S. Penza, Martha A. Murray, Beckie J. Kronebusch, Jennifer L. Pecina
Summary: This study evaluated the effectiveness of patient/caregiver asynchronous text-based electronic visits (eVisits) for diagnosing acute sore throat and compared the results with a clinician's assessment. The results showed that individual score components for symptoms had better agreement than examination components, and the agreement was improved when the data were complete. Therefore, this method can be used to safely exclude patients from group A streptococcal testing.
JOURNAL OF TELEMEDICINE AND TELECARE
(2023)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Julie Bennett, Nicole J. Moreland, Deborah A. Williamson, Jonathan Carapetis, Julian Crane, Alana L. Whitcombe, Susan Jack, Matire Harwood, Michael G. Baker
Summary: This study described the Streptococcal antibody titres in healthy children of different ethnicities in New Zealand and investigated the variations in titres among cases of pharyngitis and skin infections. The results showed that Maori and Pacific children had higher antibody titres, suggesting a higher exposure to Streptococcal infections.
JOURNAL OF INFECTION
(2022)
Article
Dentistry, Oral Surgery & Medicine
Brenda P. F. A. Gomes, Vanessa B. Berber, Ariane C. S. Marinho, Lidiane M. Louzada, Rodrigo Arruda-Vasconcelos, Maicon R. Z. Passini, Erica M. Lopes, Vanessa G. A. Pecorari, Tsute Chen, Bruce J. Paster
Summary: The study compared the microbiomes, levels of LPS, LTA, and cytokines before and after chemomechanical preparation of the root canals in teeth with combined EPL. Results showed that CMP effectively reduced microbial load and LPS levels, leading to decreased cytokine levels in both the root canals and periodontal pockets.
JOURNAL OF PERIODONTAL RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Hongxia Li, Jiayong Liu, Chuan-Fa Liu, Haizhou Li, Jiachun Luo, Shanfang Fang, Yongzhi Chen, Rongcui Zhong, Shouping Liu, Shuimu Lin
Summary: This study designed and synthesized a series of new membrane-active bakuchiol derivatives, with compound 28 showing potent antibacterial activity against various bacteria and strong in vivo antibacterial efficacy in murine corneal infection models. This design strategy is expected to provide an effective solution to the antibiotic crisis.
JOURNAL OF MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Engeda Dessalegn, Geremew Bultosa, GulelatDesse Haki, F. Chen, H. P. Vasantha Rupasinghe
Summary: This study found that the aqueous methanol extract of Ethiopian cardamom seeds has higher antioxidant activity and anti-cancer effect. In vitro, the aqueous methanol extract showed stronger anti-proliferative effect on HepG2 cells.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF FOOD PROPERTIES
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Wasitha P. D. W. Thilakarathna, H. P. Vasantha Rupasinghe
Summary: Conventional extraction methods of proanthocyanidins using toxic organic solvents raise concerns. A new method using food-grade ethanol was developed for grape seeds and grape seed powder, optimizing extraction conditions for maximum yield of PAC.
Article
Nutrition & Dietetics
Niluni M. Wijesundara, Song F. Lee, Ross Davidson, Zhenyu Cheng, H. P. Vasantha Rupasinghe
Summary: The study found that carvacrol has anti-inflammatory properties and may be used to manage the pain associated with streptococcal pharyngitis.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Khushwant S. Bhullar, Manal A. Nael, Khaled M. Elokely, Jeremie A. Doiron, Luc M. LeBlanc, Gregoire Lassalle-Claux, Mohamed Salla, Fahad S. Aldawsari, Mohamed Touaibia, H. P. Vasantha Rupasinghe
Summary: Due to their robust antioxidant properties, phenolic acids and their analogs have been extensively studied for their ability to activate cellular antioxidant pathways. This study investigated the effects of modifications to the chemical structure of these phenolic acids on their antioxidant and cytoprotective activities. The ketone analog of caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) was identified as a unique antioxidant molecule with the function of ERK-mediated Nrf2 activation.
APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Flavia A. R. dos Santos, Jadriane A. Xavier, Felipe C. da Silva, J. P. Jose Merlin, Marilia O. F. Goulart, H. P. Vasantha Rupasinghe
Summary: The study found that the ethanolic extract of seeds of Brazilian Passiflora edulis fruits (PESE) and piceatannol (PIC) have potential in anti-diabetic, anti-glycation, and antioxidant activities, warranting further investigation.
Article
Cell Biology
Madumani Amararathna, David W. Hoskin, H. P. Vasantha Rupasinghe
Summary: Anthocyanins are effective compounds for treating various human diseases, but their therapeutic efficacy can be reduced due to degradation. This study developed a direct delivery system of anthocyanins into pulmonary tissues using encapsulated nanocarriers, which increased the stability and therapeutic efficacy of the anthocyanins.
OXIDATIVE MEDICINE AND CELLULAR LONGEVITY
(2022)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Niluni M. Wijesundara, Song F. Lee, Zhenyu Cheng, Ross Davidson, David N. Langelaan, H. P. Vasantha Rupasinghe
Summary: This study investigated the bactericidal mechanism of carvacrol on Streptococcus pyogenes. It was found that carvacrol primarily killed the bacteria by disrupting membrane integrity and increasing permeability. Carvacrol also showed affinity with specific membrane phospholipids. This research provides insight for the development of natural health products for managing streptococcal pharyngitis or other therapeutic applications.
Review
Food Science & Technology
Nilushni Sivapragasam, Nilanivetha Neelakandan, H. P. Vasantha Rupasinghe
Summary: Fermented food has gained popularity as a value-added category, and blueberries are considered superfoods. However, the bioavailability of bioactives in blueberries is low. This review focuses on the fermentation processes of blueberry, and how it enhances the bioavailability of nutrients and bioactive compounds, leading to potential health benefits when consumed as fermented blueberry products.
TRENDS IN FOOD SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Oladapo F. Fagbohun, Caroline R. Gillies, Kieran P. J. Murphy, H. P. Vasantha Rupasinghe
Summary: Cancer is a global issue with millions of new cases and deaths each year. Diet and nutrients have a significant impact on cancer risk, and recent advancements in research have focused on the effects of dietary components on cancer prevention through nutrigenomics. This review highlights the importance and benefits of nutrigenomics in developing approaches for cancer prevention and treatment.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Tharindu L. Suraweera, J. P. Jose Merlin, Graham Dellaire, Zhaolin Xu, H. P. Vasantha Rupasinghe
Summary: Cancer is a leading cause of death globally, but current treatments like chemotherapy and radiation therapy have significant side effects. Therefore, the prevention of cancer through dietary modifications has gained interest. This study examined the potential of selected flavonoids in reducing reactive oxygen species (ROS) and DNA damage induced by carcinogens through the activation of the Nrf2/ARE pathway. The results showed that genistein and PCB2 could effectively reduce ROS and DNA damage, and further research is needed to understand the role of dietary flavonoids in regulating the Nrf2/ARE pathway in carcinogenesis.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Review
Chemistry, Medicinal
Oladapo F. Fagbohun, Jitcy S. Joseph, Olumayowa V. Oriyomi, H. P. Vasantha Rupasinghe
Summary: Frondosides are the major saponins of the North Atlantic sea cucumber. They possess amphiphilic characteristics and have been widely studied for their potential therapeutic activities. Recent studies have shown that frondoside-containing extracts from C. frondosa exhibit various biological activities, but the exact mechanism(s) of action are not clearly understood. This review discusses the different frondosides of C. frondosa, their potential therapeutic activities, and recent advances in extraction techniques.
Review
Chemistry, Analytical
Shahida Anusha Siddiqui, Ali Ali Redha, Molla Salauddin, Iskandar Azmy Harahap, H. P. Vasantha Rupasinghe
Summary: Replacing conventional solvents with deep eutectic solvents (DES) has shown promising effects on the extraction yield of (poly)phenols. Combining DES with ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) can further enhance the extraction efficiency. Factors such as DES composition, solvent-to-sample ratio, and UAE parameters need to be considered for optimizing the extraction process.
CRITICAL REVIEWS IN ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Quinn Cavanagh, Marianne Su-Ling Brooks, H. P. Vasantha Rupasinghe
Summary: Spent coffee grounds (SCG) are a by-product of instant coffee and coffee beverage brewing, and they have the potential to be transformed into new food ingredients with various nutritional and functional benefits through innovative processing technologies. SCG contain a rich composition of nutrients and bioactive compounds, and they can be used in sustainable food production.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Cindy H. J. Yu, Zoe Migicovsky, Jun Song, H. P. Vasantha Rupasinghe
Summary: This study screened apple cultivars from Canada's Apple Biodiversity Collection to identify high (poly)phenol-containing specialty apples with antidiabetic properties, providing new insights into the prevention and management of Type 2 diabetes.
PLANTS PEOPLE PLANET
(2023)
Review
Toxicology
Purvi Trivedi, Amna Abbas, Christian Lehmann, H. P. Vasantha Rupasinghe
Summary: COVID-19, caused by SARS-CoV-2, is a highly contagious disease that has become a global pandemic. It is characterized by respiratory symptoms and inflammatory injury due to excessive cytokine release. Precautionary measures such as vaccination, social distancing, mask usage, hygiene, and a healthy diet can help attenuate organ damage from COVID-19 infection.
JOURNAL OF XENOBIOTICS
(2022)