Receptive and expressive vocabulary performance in 2- to 5-year-olds in care: The role of different care types and temperament.

The detrimental role of institutionalization in children's development has prompted the introduction of alternative care types designed to offer more personalized care. The current study aimed to test whether children in alternative care types (care villages, care homes, and foster care) performed better on vocabulary than those in institutions. The role of temperament, specifically perceptual sensitivity and frustration, and the interaction between temperament and care types on vocabulary performance were also explored. The study involved 285 2- to 5-year-old children from different care types, and they were assessed through receptive and expressive vocabulary tests and temperament scales. The results of the linear mixed model revealed that children in alternative care types exhibited significantly higher vocabulary scores compared with those in institutions. Moreover, perceptual sensitivity showed a positive association with receptive and expressive vocabulary skills and seemed to act as a protective factor by mitigating the lower vocabulary scores in institutions. Frustration moderated vocabulary outcomes differently for children in institutions and foster care, aligning with the diathesis-stress model and vantage sensitivity theory, respectively. The findings emphasize the positive role of alternative care types in vocabulary performance and the importance of children's temperamental traits in this process.

Advancing biofilm management through nanoformulation strategies: a review of dosage forms and administration routes.

Biofilms are complex microbial communities formed by the attachment of bacteria or fungi to surfaces encased in a self-produced polymeric matrix. These biofilms are highly resistant to conventional antimicrobial therapies. The resistance mechanisms exhibited by biofilms include low antibiotic absorption, sluggish replication, adaptive stress response, and the formation of dormant-like phenotypes. The eradication of biofilms requires alternative strategies and approaches. Nanotechnological drug delivery systems allow excellent control over the drug chemistry, surface area, particle size, particle shape, and composition of nanostructures. Nanoformulations can enhance the efficacy of antimicrobial agents by improving their bioavailability, stability, and targeted delivery to the site of infection that helps biofilm eradication more effectively. In addition to nanoformulations, the route of administration and choice of dosage forms play a crucial role in treating biofilm infections. Systemic administration of antibiotics is effective in controlling systemic infection and sepsis associated with biofilms. Alternative routes of administration, such as inhalation, vaginal, ocular, or dermal, have been explored to target biofilm infections in specific organs. This review primarily examines the utilisation of nanoformulations in various administration routes for biofilm management. It also provides an overview of biofilms, current approaches, and the drawbacks associated with conventional methods.

Process development for an effective COVID-19 vaccine candidate harboring recombinant SARS-CoV-2 delta plus receptor binding domain produced by Pichia pastoris.

Recombinant protein-based SARS-CoV-2 vaccines are needed to fill the vaccine equity gap. Because protein-subunit based vaccines are easier and cheaper to produce and do not require special storage/transportation conditions, they are suitable for low-/middle-income countries. Here, we report our vaccine development studies with the receptor binding domain of the SARS-CoV-2 Delta Plus strain (RBD-DP) which caused increased hospitalizations compared to other variants. First, we expressed RBD-DP in the Pichia pastoris yeast system and upscaled it to a 5-L fermenter for production. After three-step purification, we obtained RBD-DP with > 95% purity from a protein yield of > 1 g/L of supernatant. Several biophysical and biochemical characterizations were performed to confirm its identity, stability, and functionality. Then, it was formulated in different contents with Alum and CpG for mice immunization. After three doses of immunization, IgG titers from sera reached to > 106 and most importantly it showed high T-cell responses which are required for an effective vaccine to prevent severe COVID-19 disease. A live neutralization test was performed with both the Wuhan strain (B.1.1.7) and Delta strain (B.1.617.2) and it showed high neutralization antibody content for both strains. A challenge study with SARS-CoV-2 infected K18-hACE2 transgenic mice showed good immunoprotective activity with no viruses in the lungs and no lung inflammation for all immunized mice.

Anticandidal activities of lactic acid bacteria isolated from the vagina

Background/aim: Lactic acid bacteria prevent the overgrowth of pathogenic agents and opportunistic pathogens in the vagina. Moreover, lactic acid bacteria contribute to the preservation of vaginal microbiota by producing antimicrobial agents. Previous studies showed that some lactic acid bacteria exhibited antimicrobial activity against Candida species causing yeast vaginosis as well as many bacterial pathogens. Materials and methods: The antifungal activities of various lactic acid bacteria isolated from the vagina of healthy women on some Candida species isolated from the vagina were investigated by agar diffusion technique. Results: Most of the lactic acid bacteria that belong to the species of Lactobacillus crispatus, L. fermentum, L. acidophilus, L. paracesei subsp. paracesei, L. pentosus, and L. plantarum exhibited antifungal activity in varying ratios against C. albicans, C. glabrata, and C. tropicalis strains isolated from the vagina. Conclusion: The lactic acid bacteria are useful microorganisms associated with a variety of probiotic properties. In this sense, our lactic acid bacteria isolates with high antifungal activity may be promising candidates as probiotic microorganisms in the inhibition of vaginal candidiasis, which is one of the most prevalent problems, or in the protection against candidiasis. We will continue our studies in this area.

Biofilm forming capacity and antibiotic susceptibility of Staphylococcus spp. with the icaA/icaD/bap genotype isolated from ocular surface of patients with diabetes.

INTRODUCTION: Bacterial biofilm is an exopolysaccharide matrix that is produced by bacteria while they adhere on abiotic or biotic surfaces. The bacteria living in this matrix are more resistant to antibiotics than planctonic bacteria. The biofilm formation property of the bacteria is determined by genes; and this is related to virulence of the microorganism. In ophthalmology, biofilms form especially on abiotic surfaces such as silicon tubes, contact lenses, intraocular lenses etc. AIM: Our aim was to investigate genotypic and phenotypic structures of biofilms that are produced by Staphylococcus spp., which was obtained from the eyes of diabetic patients and determine the effect on antibiotic susceptibility. METHODS: The study group was comprised with 83 isolates from diabetic patients and 21 isolates from non-diabetic patients. Presumptive isolates were detected and confirmed by a microbial identification system VITEK II. Automated EcoRI Ribotyping was performed. Biofilm production was detected by Congo Red Agar Plate and Microtiter Plate Assay. Disc diffusion method was used for determination of antibiotic susceptibility of isolates. RESULTS: Out of the 83 isolates from diabetic patients, 25 were weakly (30%), 20 were moderately (24%), and 25 were strongly (30%) biofilm positive. Seven isolates of S. aureus, 11 isolates of S.epidermidis, 2 isolates of S. warneri, 3 isolates of S.hominis, and 2 isolates of S.lugdunensis were identified as strong biofilm producers. Out of the 83 Staphylococcus isolates, 37 were cefuroxime, 18 ciprofloxacin, 11 vancomycin, 12 gatifloxacin, and 18 moxifloxacin resistant. In total, 37 strains were resistant to three or more antibiotics. There was a statistically significant relation between biofilm formation and multidrug resistance (against three or more antibiotics, p<0.001). In nondiabetic patients, 15(71%) isolates were non adherent or weakly adherent, and 2(10%) were strongly adherent biofilm positive. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, bacterial conjunctival flora of patients with diabetes is likely to produce biofilm. Biofilm formation is associated with multidrug rsistance in patients with diabetes.