Periodontitis is associated with altered brain structure and function in normal cognition middle-aged and elderly individuals.

BACKGROUND: Numerous studies have proposed that periodontitis is a potential risk factor for Alzheimer's disease. However, the association between periodontitis and brain normal cognition in aged and elderly individuals (NCs) is unclear. Such a link could provide clues to Alzheimer's disease development and strategies for early prevention. OBJECTIVE: To explore the associations between periodontal condition and metrics of both brain structure and function among NCs with the help of multimodal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). METHODS: High-resolution T1-weighted structural data, resting-state functional-MRI data, and measures of periodontal condition were collected from 40 NCs. Cortical volume, thickness, and area as well as regional homogeneity were calculated with the aid of DPABISurf software. Correlation analyses were then conducted between each imaging metric and periodontal index. RESULTS: Consistent negative correlations were observed between severity of periodontitis (mild, moderate, severe) and cortical volume, area, and thickness, not only in brain regions that took charge of primary function but also in brain regions associated with advanced cognition behavior. Among participants with mild attachment loss (AL) and a shallow periodontal pocket depth (PPD), periodontal index was positively correlated with most measures of brain structure and function, while among participants with severe AL and deep PPD, periodontal index was negatively correlated with measures of brain structure and function (all p < .005 for each hemisphere). CONCLUSIONS: Our results demonstrate that periodontitis is associated with widespread changes in brain structure and function among middle-aged and elderly adults without signs of cognitive decline, which might be a potential risk factor for brain damage.

Management of Pseudophakic Malignant Glaucoma Using Modified Nd:YAG Laser Treatment Methodology Through Surgical Preset Iridectomy.

INTRODUCTION: The use of the neodymium:yttrium-aluminum-garnet (Nd:YAG) laser to treat malignant glaucoma (MG) has been described in the literature since the 1980s. However, the technique has been reported to have a short-term effect, with a notable relapse rate. In the present study, we report the efficacy and durability of a modified Nd:YAG laser treatment methodology for treatment of pseudophakic or aphakic MG. METHODS: Patients with chronic angle-closure glaucoma and deemed at high risk of developing post-operative MG received prophylactic peripheral iridectomy during their conventional operation beginning in 2017. When the diagnosis of pseudophakic or aphakic MG was confirmed, a thorough Nd:YAG laser capsulo/zonulo-hyaloido-vitreolysis (CZHV) was performed through iridectomy, along with standardized pre- and post-laser medications. This retrospective case series includes 14 eyes of 11 patients with MG who had surgical preset iridectomy and modified Nd:YAG laser CZHV between 2017 and 2022. Outcome measures included resolution and recurrence of MG and incidence of treatment complications. RESULTS: The mean follow-up was 27.1 ± 15.0 months (range, 12-48). Long-term resolution of MG was obtained in all included eyes at the end of the follow-up. Six eyes (42.9%) achieved long-term resolution with a single Nd:YAG laser intervention. Eight eyes (57.1%) achieved long-term resolution following two to three laser interventions, with two eyes (14.3%) experiencing recurrence. There was no complication during the follow-up. At the final visit, a significant reduction (P = 0.0001) in the mean intraocular pressure (IOP) was observed (13.1 ± 2.8 mmHg) compared to presentation (21.4 ± 6.3 mmHg). CONCLUSION: The modified Nd:YAG laser treatment methodology is a minimally invasive option to manage pseudophakic or aphakic MG with sustained effectiveness. Reduced inflammatory reactions due to prophylactic peripheral iridectomy, rapid diagnosis, and timely treatment initiation have all contributed to the favorable outcomes associated with this modified treatment methodology.

Antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and genome features of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum LR-14 from Sichuan pickles.

The persistence of Staphylococcus aureus within biofilm can lead to contamination of medical devices and life-threatening infections. Luckily, lactic acid bacteria (LAB) have an inhibitory effect on the growth of these bacteria. This study aims to select LAB strains from fermented vegetables, and analyze their potential inhibition activities against S. aureus. In total, 45 isolates of LAB were successfully isolated from Sichuan pickles, and the CFS of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum LR-14 exerted the strongest inhibitory effect against S. aureus. Moreover, S. aureus cells in planktonic and biofilm states both wrinkled and damaged when treated with the CFS of L. plantarum LR-14. In addition, whole genome sequencing analysis indicates that L. plantarum LR-14 contains various functional genes, including predicted extracellular polysaccharides (EPS) biosynthesis genes, and genes participating in the synthesis and metabolism of fatty acid, implying that L. plantarum LR-14 has the potential to be used as a probiotic with multiple functions.

Isolation and characterization of bacteria that produce quorum sensing molecules during the fermentation and deterioration of pickles.

Pickles are typical traditional Chinese fermented vegetables. Complex microbiota interacts throughout the fermentation and deterioration process. Minimal studies are available involving quorum sensing (QS) signaling in pickles. This study investigated the changes in the general pickle properties and microbial diversity at 4 d, 31 d, and 79 d. The QS signaling activity of various strains isolated at these key time points was screened using biosensor strains, while the types of signal molecules were further identified using UHPLC/QTOF-MS/MS. At 4 d, Lactobacillus represented the dominant genus, while Lactobacillus plantarum was identified as the bacteria with AI-2-producing ability. At 31 d, the dominant genus was also Lactobacillus, while the relative abundance of Pediococcus displayed a distinct increase. At this time point, L. plantarum represented the AI-2-producing bacteria, followed by Lactobacillus brevis, Pediococcus sp., Enterobacter sp., and Bacillus megaterium. At 79 d, Lactobacillus was displaced by Enterobacter as the dominant microorganisms, while the AI-2-producing bacteria were identified as L. plantarum, Enterobacter sp., B. megaterium, Klebsiella sp., and Staphylococcus sp. Moreover, AHL activity was only present in isolates from the 79-d brine and was identified as C4-HSL and C6-HSL. In addition, the luxS gene was amplified via cDNA reversely transcription from the total RNA extracted from the brine at all three time points using the L. plantarum luxS primers. The AHL-related genes were only amplified in the RNA of 79-d brine samples using Klebsiella pneumoniae- and Bacillus cereus-related primers. This study presented theoretical references for QS during pickle fermentation and deterioration.

Correlation study of periodontitis with cognitive impairment.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to determine the association of periodontitis with cognitive impairment by evaluating periodontal conditions in middle-aged and elderly people of normal cognition and cognitive impairment. METHODS: Forty patients with cognitive impairment and thirty-five healthy controls were included in this study. Mini-mental state examination (MMSE) was used to evaluate the level of cognitive function in all patients and controls. Periodontal conditions including severity of periodontitis, number of remaining teeth, percentage of bleeding on probing, probing depth (PD), and attachment level (AL) were examined. Periodontal conditions were compared between patients and controls, and the correlation between periodontal conditions and cognitive-function level was analyzed. Statistical analysis was performed with SPSS 26.0. RESULTS: The distribution of severity of periodontitis significantly differed between patients and controls (χ2=13.309 and P=0.001). The proportion of severe periodontitis in the cognitive-impairment group was significantly higher than that in the healthy controls (P<0.05). The percentage of sites with PD≥6 mm and AL≥5 mm in the cognitive-impairment group was higher than that in the controls, whereas the percentage of sites with PD=1-3 mm and AL=0-2 mm was higher in the controls (P<0.05). No significant difference in percentage of bleeding on probing was found in the two groups (P>0.05). Patients with cognitive impairment had fewer teeth than the controls (P<0.05). The level of cognitive function, assessed by MMSE, was positively correlated with the number of teeth and the percentage of sites with AL=0-2 mm, and it was negatively correlated with the percentage of sites with AL≥5 mm (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: A correlation existed between periodontitis and cognitive impairment. Further study is essential to explore the specific relationship and related mechanism between periodontitis and cognitive impairment.

Metabolic profiles of Lactobacillus paraplantarum in biofilm and planktonic states and investigation of its intestinal modulation and immunoregulation in dogs.

The use of probiotics has recently become a considerably promising research area. The most advanced fourth-generation probiotics involve beneficial bacteria enclosed in biofilms. However, differences in the effects of probiotics in biofilm and those in planktonic states are, as yet, unclear. In this study, it was ascertained that the biofilm mode of Lactobacillus paraplantarum L-ZS9 had a comparatively higher density and stronger resistance. Untargeted metabolomics analysis suggested a significant distinction between planktonic and biofilm cells, with amino acids and carbohydrate metabolism both more active in the biofilm mode. Furthermore, the in vivo experiment showed that the biofilm strain displayed better immunomodulation activity, which could increase the relative abundance of Lactobacillus in the intestinal microbiota of dogs. The relative abundance of intestinal microbiota participating in carbohydrate metabolism was higher in the biofilm probiotic-treated dogs. Correlation analysis between L-ZS9-producing metabolites, dog intestinal microbiome diversity and dog blood immune indexes (sIgA or IgG) revealed the interaction between these three components, which might explain the mechanisms by which biofilm L-ZS9 regulated the intestinal microbiome and immunity activity of the host, through the production of various metabolites. Findings of this study will, thus, enhance understanding of the beneficial effects of biofilm probiotics, as well as provide references for further investigation.

Microbiota Succession and Chemical Composition Involved in the Radish Fermentation Process in Different Containers.

Traditional Chinese fermented vegetables are a type of brine-salted fermented vegetable product. During the spontaneous fermentation, various compounds are produced, degraded, and converted, influencing the quality of the fermented pickle. To ascertain the effect of different containers on the fermentation process of the pickles, this study investigated the bacterial diversity and the chemical composition characteristics of the pickle (radish) fermented in commonly used containers including glass jars (GL), porcelain jars (PO), and plastic jars (PL). The correlation between chemical compounds and microbial community was further analyzed. The changes in pH values suggested that PL may facilitate the quickest fermentation of the pickles, while the process in PO progressed at the lowest rate. The PL brine samples contained higher levels of lactic acid and threonine, while more abundant volatile chemical compounds were evident in PO. The container materials had no significant influence on the microbial structure, wherein Lactobacillus was the absolute dominant genus in all containers. But container material did have an effect on the abundance of specific genus, such as Lactococcus and Pediococcus. The correlation between these major genera was also analyzed and gene function prediction indicated that the top three pathways were: carbohydrate metabolism, amino acid metabolism, and energy metabolism. Lactobacillus negatively correlated with methionine, tyrosine, lysine, and arginine, but positively correlated with ammonia, and lactic acid and acetic acid both just correlated with Pediococcus. This study provides new insights into the microbiota succession and chemical compounds involved in the vegetable fermentation.

Characterization of a probiotic starter culture with anti-Candida activity for Chinese pickle fermentation.

Probiotic starters for Chinese pickle fermentation were screened from three anti-Candida lactic acid bacteria (LAB). Similar to commercial starters, the candidates Lactobacillus plantarum AT4 and L. plantarum AT28 could acidize the pickle within 10 days. The isolates AT4 and AT28 maintained 6.0-7.0 log cfu ml-1 in the pickle products and their inhibition rates against Candida increased to 83.7% and 92.9% after fermentation, respectively. Only L. plantarum AT4 satisfied the essential probiotic requirements such as tolerance to the gastrointestinal environment (pH 2.0, 0.5% bile salts and 0.5% phenol) and adhesion to Caco-2 cells. The pickle product fermented with L. plantarum AT4 presented comparable levels of lactic and acetic acids, volatile profile and sensory value to the commercial one. The results suggested that L. plantarum AT4 can be used as a probiotic starter for industrial fermentation of Chinese pickle, and the pickled product may be utilized as a promising anti-Candida probiotic.

Influence of oxygen exposure on fermentation process and sensory qualities of Sichuan pickle (paocai).

The physicochemical and microbial changes, volatile profile, texture and appearance were investigated in three groups of Sichuan pickles differing in oxygen exposure during a 64 day fermentation process. At the beginning, all the Sichuan pickles displayed similar sensory and fermentation characteristics regarding lactic acid bacteria domination, sugar utilization, and lactate accumulation. Soon afterwards, continued exposure allowed premature pellicle formation and typical aerobic deterioration of Sichuan pickle, accompanied by texture destruction and an odorous stench characterized by arenes and aldehydes on the 32nd day. Meanwhile, the facultative anaerobes including Lactobacillus (90 ± 2%), Pediococcus (4.7 ± 0.3%) and Lactococcus (1.2 ± 0.8%) were the dominant genera and probably associated with acetic acid production and arene enrichment under oxygen exposure conditions on the 32nd day. Until the 48th day, intermittent oxygen exposure resulted in pellicle formation and an unpleasant flavor characterized by ketones, esters and S-methyl thioacetate. In comparison, Sichuan pickle without oxygen exposure always maintained a relatively favorable fragrant scent and texture. Besides Lactobacillus, anaerobic genera were the main bacteria in Sichuan pickle under closed conditions and accounted for 50 ± 9% of the total bacteria on the 32nd day. The study indicated the microbial and chemical characteristics of Sichuan pickles during practical production and provided a theoretical guidance for the industrial production of Sichuan pickle.