Prevalence of oral health-related conditions that could trigger accidents for patients with moderate-to-severe dementia.

OBJECTIVE: This study was performed to determine the prevalence of oral health conditions unnoticed by doctors and ward staff that may increase risk of incidents and/or accidents in hospitalised patients with moderate-severe dementia. BACKGROUND DATA DISCUSSING THE PRESENT STATUS OF THE FIELD: Dementia patients may not recognise risks in the mouth, such as tooth mobility or ill-fitting dental prostheses and/or dentures. In addition to the risk of choking, injury by sharp edges of collapsed teeth or prosthodontics could pose risks. However, many previous publications were limited to case reports or series. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ninety-two consecutive hospitalised dementia patients (M: 52, F: 40, median age: 82.5 years, range: 62-99 years, from 2011 to 2014), referred for dentistry for dysphagia rehabilitation, were enrolled in this study. Participants referred for dental treatment with dental problems detected by ward staff were excluded. All participants had a Global Clinical Dementia Rating Score >2. Their dental records were evaluated retrospectively for issues that may cause incidents and/or accidents. RESULTS: Problems in the mouth, for example tooth stumps, dental caries, and ill-fitting dentures, were detected in 51.1% of participants (47/92). Furthermore, 23.9% (22/92) showed risk factors that could lead to incidents and/or accidents, for example falling out of teeth and/or prosthodontics or injury by sharp edges of teeth and/or prosthodontics. CONCLUSIONS: Hospitalised moderate-severe dementia patients had a high prevalence of oral health conditions unnoticed by doctors and ward staff that may increase risk of incidents and/or accidents.

Synthesis of methoxy- and bromo-substituted indirubins and their activities on apoptosis induction in human neuroblastoma cells.

This paper reports the synthesis of methoxy- and bromo-indirubins, and their antiproliferative activities in human neuroblastoma. Among 20 compounds, 5'-methoxyindirubin induced cell death in human neuroblastoma cells (IMR-32, SK-N-SH and NB-39) without inhibiting normal cells (NHDF and HUVEC). Typical morphologic features of apoptosis were observed in 5'-methoxyindirubin-treated cells by Hoechst 33342 staining. Additional studies by flow cytometry support apoptosis induction. These data suggest that 5'-methoxyindirubin might be an effective drug for treatment of neuroblastoma.

[In vitro activity of sitafloxacin against clinical isolates in 2009].

In vitro activity of sitafloxacin (STFX) and various oral antimicrobial agents against bacterial isolates recovered from clinical specimens between January and December 2009, at different healthcare facilities in Japan was evaluated. A total of 1,620 isolates including aerobic and anaerobic organisms was available for the susceptibility testing using the microbroth dilution methods recommended by Clinical Laboratory Standard Institute. The minimum inhibitory concentration of STFX at which 90% of isolates (MIC90) was 0.06 microg/mL for methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus and was equal to that of garenoxacin (GRNX), 2 times lower than that of moxifloxacin (MFLX), and 8 times lower than that of levofloxacin (LVFX). STFX inhibited the growth of all the isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae at 0.06 microg/mL or less. The MIC90s of STFX ranged from 0.03 to 0.06 microg/mL and were 1 to 2 times lower than those of GRNX, 2 to 4 times lower than those of MFLX, and 16 to 32 times lower than those of LVFX. Against Streptococcus pyogenes, the MIC90 of STFX was 0.06 microg/mL and was 2 times lower than that of GRNX, 4 times lower than that of MFLX, and 32 times lower than that of LVFX. The MIC90 of STFX was 0.25 microg/mL for Enterococcus faecalis, and was 2 times lower than those of GRNX and MFLX, and 8 times lower than that of LVFX. The MIC90 of STFX for E. coli was 2 microg/mL, and the MIC90s of other 10 species of Enterobacteriaceae which were the lowest values of the quinolones tested ranged from 0.03 to 1 microg/mL. The MIC90 of STFX for Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates recovered from urinary infections was 8 microg/mL and was 16 times lower than those of GRNX, MFLX and LVFX. The MIC90 of STFX for P aeruginosa isolates recovered from respiratory infections was 2 microg/mL and was 32 times lower than those of GRNX and MFLX, and 16 times lower than that of LVFX. STFX inhibited the growth of all the isolates of Haemophilus influenzae at 0.004 microg/mL or less, and was 2 to 4 times lower than those of GRNX, 8 times lower than those of MFLX, and 4 times lower than those of LVFX. The MIC90 of STFX was 0.008 microg/mL for Moraxella catarrhalis, and was 2 times lower than that of GRNX, 8 times lower than those of MFLX and LVFX. The MIC90s of STFX ranged from 0.015 to 0.12 microg/mL for all the species of anaerobic bacteria and were the lowest values of all the antimicrobial agents tested. In conclusion, the activity of STFX against Gram-positive cocci was comparable or superior to those of GRNX, MFLX and LVFX. STFX showed the most potent activity against Gram-negative bacteria and anaerobic bacteria of all the antimicrobial agents tested in this study.