Diversity,frequency and antifungal resistance of Candida species in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

Objective: To determine number, species of Candida and Candida resistance to antifungal therapy according to the metabolic control state and the associated salivary changes in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2).

Materials and methods: Samples of non-stimulated saliva were collected from 52 patients with DM2. Salivary pH was measured and cultured on Sabouraud glucose agar and the values of CFU/ml were calculated. The species were presumptively identified using CHROMagar Candida^® plates, and identification was confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). C. albicans isolates were cultured on SGA tetracycline agar with nystatin and fluconazole diffusion disks to measure susceptibility.

Results: Sixty six percent of the yeasts isolated were Candida albicans, followed by C. glabrata (20.7%). In patients with decompensated DM2, there was an inverse association between HbA1c value and salivary pH. At higher levels of salivary acidification, a greater diversity and quantity of yeasts of the genus Candida were observed. With nystatin, higher inhibition was observed at lower pH.

Conclusions: The antifungal therapies could be more effective if it consider, qualitative salivary characteristics as pH, that could determine the susceptibility of species of Candida to at least to nystatin, which is the most used antifungal for treatment to oral candidiasis in patients with DM2.     

Systematic review of efficacy of dose-dense versus non-dose-dense chemotherapy in breast cancer, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and non-small cell lung cancer

Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have suggested a potential advantage of dose-dense chemotherapy in improving disease-free and overall survival in patients with certain malignancies. This systematic review summarizes the literature on the efficacy of dose-dense chemotherapy across various cancers (breast cancer, non-Hodgkin lymphoma [NHL], and non-small cell lung cancer) and chemotherapy regimens. Among the 17 trials identified, few reported statistically significant differences between dose-dense and standard chemotherapy, and most were small with limited statistical power. Statistically significant differences in overall survival favoring dose-dense schedules were apparent among large RCTs in potentially curative settings such as early-stage breast cancer and NHL. Clinical and treatment heterogeneity demonstrated the flexibility of the dose-dense paradigm but also precluded quantitative meta-analysis of results. Further study of dose-dense schedules based on large RCTs is needed to demonstrate the consistency and generalizability of these findings.     

Stressors and sources of support: the perceptions and experiences of newly diagnosed Latino youth living with HIV

Little is known of the experience of Latino youth with HIV infection in the United States, especially with respect to stressors and how these youth cope with said stressors. This study reports on a subset (Latino/Hispanic self-identified youth, n=14) of qualitatively interviewed youth (n=30), both in individual interviews and in focus group discussion settings, aware of their HIV diagnosis for 12-24 months (mean: 16.7 months; standard deviation [SD], 4.89) Youth were 16-24 years old (M=21.5 years), female (43%) and males (57%). Youth were recruited from three cities: Chicago, New York, and San Juan (Puerto Rico). Interviews of Latinos (n=14) were reviewed for sources of stressors and support. Seven themes emerged in analyzing stated sources of stressors: (1) initial psychosocial responses to HIV diagnosis, (2) disclosure to family and friends, (3) stigma related to receiving an HIV diagnosis, (4) body image and concerns of the physical changes associated with HIV and antiretroviral medications, (5) taking antiretroviral medications and side effects, (6) the disruption of their future life goals, and (7) reproductive health concerns. Identified sources of support and coping were described including; gaining appreciation for what matters in life, adapting and developing achievable goals, reordering priorities and relying on religion and spiritual beliefs for health outcomes. The information gathered is from individual interviews and from focus group discussions can be used to increase the understanding of this understudied population while improving services to engage and retain these youth in care.     

Sex, drugs, bugs, and age: rational selection of empirical therapy for outpatient urinary tract infection in an era of extensive antimicrobial resistance

BackgroundOptimal empirical therapy of urinary tract infection requires accurate knowledge of local susceptibility patterns, which may vary with organism and patient characteristics.MethodsAmong 9,798 consecutive, non-duplicate, community-source urine isolates from ambulatory patients ≥ 13 years old, from clinical laboratory and an academic medical center in Curitiba, Brazil (May 1^st to December 1^st, 2009), susceptibility data for ampicillin, nitrofurantoin, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, gentamicin, fluoroquinolones, and ceftriaxone/cefotaxime were compared with organism and patient gender and age.ResultsThe female-to-male ratio decreased with age, from 28.1 (among 20–29 year-olds) to 3.3 (among > 80 year-olds). Overall, susceptibility prevalence varied widely by drug class, from unacceptably low levels (53.5% and 61.1%: ampicillin and trimethoprimsulfamethoxazole) to acceptable but suboptimal levels (81.2% to 91.7%: fluoroquinolones, ceftriaxone, nitrofurantoin, and gentamicin). E. coli isolates exhibited higher susceptibility rates than other isolates, from 3–4% higher (fluoroquinolones, gentamicin) to ≥ 30% (nitrofurantoin, ceftriaxone). Males exhibited lower susceptibility rates than females. Within each gender, susceptibility declined with increasing age. For females, only nitrofurantoin and gentamicin were suitable for empirical therapy (≥ 80% susceptibility) across all age cohorts; fluoroquinolones were suitable only through age 60, and ceftriaxone only through age 80. For males, only gentamicin yielded ≥ 80% susceptibility in any age cohort.ConclusionFew suitable empirical treatment options for community-source urinary tract infection were identified for women aged over 60 years or males of any age. Empirical therapy recommendations must consider the patient's demographic characteristics. Site-specific, age and gender-stratified susceptibility surveillance involving all uropathogens is needed.     

Recent progress in chemosensors based on pyrazole derivatives

Colorimetric and fluorescent probes based on small organic molecules have become important tools in modern biology because they provide dynamic information concerning the localization and quantity of the molecules and ions of interest without the need for genetic engineering of the sample. In the past five years, these probes for ions and molecules have attracted great attention because of their biological, environmental and industrial significance combined with the simplicity and high sensitivity of absorption and fluorescence techniques. Moreover, pyrazole derivatives display a number of remarkable photophysical properties and wide synthetic versatility superior to those of other broadly used scaffolds. This review provides an overview of the recent (2016–2020) findings on chemosensors containing pyrazole derivatives (pyrazoles, pyrazolines and fused pyrazoles). The discussion focuses on the design and physicochemical properties of chemosensors in order to realize their full potential for practical applications in environmental and biological monitoring (sensing of metal ions, anions, explosives, and biomolecules). We also present our conclusions and outlook for the future.

This review provides an overview on the recent (2016–2020) findings on chemosensors based on pyrazole derivatives. The discussion focuses on the design, physicochemical properties and practical applications of probes.     

Salt doping to improve thermoelectric power factor of organic nanocomposite thin films

Thermoelectric materials with a large Seebeck coefficient (S) and electrical conductivity (σ) are required to efficiently convert waste heat into electricity, but their interdependence makes simultaneously improving these variables immensely challenging. To address this problem, bilayers (BL) of poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) (PDDA) and double-walled carbon nanotubes (DWNT), stabilized by KBr-doped poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrene sulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) were deposited using layer-by-layer (LbL) assembly. Doping PEDOT:PSS with KBr, prior to DWNT dispersion and LbL assembly, results in a six-fold improvement in electrical conductivity with little change in the Seebeck coefficient. A maximum power factor (PF = S²σ) of 626 ± 39 μW m⁻¹ K⁻² is obtained from a 20 BL PDDA/PEDOT:PSS–DWNT film (∼46 nm thick), where PEDOT:PSS was doped with 3 mmol KBr. This large PF is due to the formation of a denser film containing a greater proportion of DWNT, which was influenced by the charge-screening effects imparted by the salt dopant that separates PSS from PEDOT. This study demonstrates a relatively simple strategy to significantly increase the thermoelectric performance of fully organic nanocomposites that are useful for low temperature thermoelectric devices.

Thermoelectric power factor of a polymer nanocomposite film, deposited using layer-by-layer assembly, was increased by doping with KBr.