Anti-Inflammatory Efficacy of Curcumin as an Adjunct to Non-Surgical Periodontal Treatment: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Objective: Curcumin has been used as an adjunct to non-surgical periodontal treatment. However, the efficacy of curcumin in the periodontal therapy remained controversial. This study aimed to evaluate the anti-inflammatory efficacy of curcumin as an adjunct to non-surgical periodontal treatment (NPT) by systematic review.

Methods: Databases including Embase, PubMed, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), and ClinicalTrials.gov were searched to identify relevant RCTs on the use of curcumin as an adjunct to NPT for the treatment of periodontal disease from inception to July 21, 2021. Two reviewers independently screened literature, extracted data and assessed the risk of bias of the included studies. Meta-analysis was then performed using Review Manager 5.3 software.

Results: A total of 18 RCTs involving 846 patients/sites were included in this meta-analysis. The results of the meta-analysis revealed that as compared to NPT alone, curcumin as an adjunct to NPT resulted in significant reduction in gingival index (GI) at the 1-week (mean differences (MD) = −0.15, 95% confidence intervals (CI) −0.26 to −0.05, p = 0.005), 2-week (MD = −0.51, 95%CI −0.74 to −0.28, p < 0.0001), 3-week (MD = −0.34, 95%CI −0.66 to −0.02, p = 0.03), 4-week (MD = −0.25, 95%CI −0.48 to −0.02, p = 0.04) or 6-week (MD = −0.33, 95%CI −0.58 to −0.08, p = 0.01) follow-ups. Similar significant reductions were also observed for sulcus bleeding index (SBI) at 1, 2, 4, and 12 weeks. However, there were no statistically significant differences in reducing bleeding on probing (BOP) between curcumin as an adjunct and NPT alone at 4, 12, and 24 weeks.

Conclusion: Based on the current evidence, curcumin demonstrates anti-inflammatory efficacies in terms of reducing GI and SBI compared with NPT alone. Moreover, curcumin is a natural herbal medicine with few side effects, and it is a good candidate as an adjunct treatment for periodontal disease.

A 2-year locomotive exploration and scientific investigation of the lunar farside by the Yutu-2 rover

The lunar nearside has been investigated by many uncrewed and crewed missions, but the farside of the Moon remains poorly known. Lunar farside exploration is challenging because maneuvering rovers with efficient locomotion in harsh extraterrestrial environment is necessary to explore geological characteristics of scientific interest. Chang'E-4 mission successfully targeted the Moon's farside and deployed a teleoperated rover (Yutu-2) to explore inside the Von Kármán crater, conveying rich information regarding regolith, craters, and rocks. Here, we report mobile exploration on the lunar farside with Yutu-2 over the initial 2 years. During its journey, Yutu-2 has experienced varying degrees of mild slip and skid, indicating that the terrain is relatively flat at large scales but scattered with local gentle slopes. Cloddy soil sticking on its wheels implies a greater cohesion of the lunar soil than encountered at other lunar landing sites. Further identification results indicate that the regolith resembles dry sand and sandy loam on Earth in bearing properties, demonstrating greater bearing strength than that identified during the Apollo missions. In sharp contrast to the sparsity of rocks along the traverse route, small fresh craters with unilateral moldable ejecta are abundant, and some of them contain high-reflectance materials at the bottom, suggestive of secondary impact events. These findings hint at notable differences in the surface geology between the lunar farside and nearside. Experience gained with Yutu-2 improves the understanding of the farside of the Moon, which, in return, may lead to locomotion with improved efficiency and larger range.

Multiple and off-axis optical bottles from the chirped circular Pearcey Gaussian vortex beams

We introduce a new type of multiple and off-axis optical bottles (OBs) based on the chirped circular Pearcey Gaussian vortex beam. This kind of beam allows the generation of the OBs with a perfect bottle shape through coherent superposition. Also, we show that the number and the position of the OBs can be precisely and flexibly controlled. The experimental results agree well with our numerical simulations, and we observe stable trapping of the mesocarbon microbeads particles by the proposed bottle beam.

Controlled synthesis of Cu-Sn alloy nanosheet arrays on carbon fiber paper for self-supported nonenzymatic glucose sensing

Nanoalloy shows significant advantages and broad application prospects in chemical catalysis, due to the possessed high specific surface energy and abundant active sites can greatly promote their catalytic performance. In this work, morphology-controlled Cu-Sn alloy nanosheet arrays supported on carbon fiber paper (CP) substrate (Cu-Sn/CP) have been developed by a facile one-step electrodeposition technique at room temperature for the first time. Benefiting from the large active surface area, considerable ion transport channels and strong synergistic catalytic effect between Cu and Sn, the as-prepared Cu-Sn/CP served as a self-supported electrode for efficient nonenzymatic glucose sensing. Under optimized conditions, Cu-Sn/CP electrode offers wide linear ranges of 0.0005-2.0 mM and 2.0-10.0 mM, respectively. The detection limit is as low as 0.061 μM (S/N = 3). Cu-Sn/CP electrode also exhibited excellent selectivity and stability. Additionally, the proposed sensor is proven to be suitable for the detection of glucose in human serum samples.

Shaping autofocusing Airy beams through the modification of Fourier spectrum

A new type of Airy beam arisen from the modification of Fourier spectrum is introduced numerically and experimentally. The autofocusing Airy beam (AAB) exhibits the features of off-axis autofocusing and transverse self-accelerating, producing a needle-like focus in the longitudinal direction and a tiny focal spot at the focusing plane. Furthermore, the focusing properties such as focusing position, focal spot size, focusing intensity and depth of focus can be adjusted by modulating parameters of the AAB. Experimental demonstrations of particle trapping and manipulation with the AAB are also presented. The number of trapped particles can be controlled by changing the focal spot size at the autofocusing plane. Our results offer practical applications in particle manipulation, fluorescent imaging technology, laser spectroscopy and so on.

Visualized analysis of trends and hotspots in global oral microbiome research: A bibliometric study

The oral microbiome contains numerous bacteria, which directly or indirectly participate in various human functions and continuously exchange signals and substances with the human body, significantly affecting human life cycle, health, and disease. This study aimed to conduct bibliometric studies on the scientific outputs of global oral microbiome research by Citespace software. The data were obtained from the Thomson Reuters' Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC), from the first relevant literature published until December 31st, 2019, and a total of 2225 articles and reviews were identified. The top country and institutions are the United States and Harvard University. Keywords analysis showed that periodontal disease, oral microbes, and dental plaque are research hotspots. The burst word analysis indicates that early childhood caries, squamous cell carcinoma, gut microbiome, Helicobacter pylori, Candida albicans, and dysbiosis are likely to become the research hotspots of the next era. We also recommend the use of knowledge mapping methods to track specific knowledge areas efficiently and objectively regularly, which can accurately identify hotspots and frontiers and provide valuable information for practitioners in the field, including related scientists, students, journals, and editors.

Propagation of Pearcey Gaussian beams in a strongly nonlocal nonlinear medium

We introduce the propagation of Pearcey Gaussian (PG) beams in a strongly nonlocal nonlinear medium (SNNM) analytically. Our results show that PG beams propagating in the SNNM have two different focusing positions. The intensity peak appears at different focusing positions depending on the selection of the nonlinear parameters. In addition, the effects of the nonlinear parameters and the scaling factor on the trajectory, the position of the intensity focusing, the intensity evolution between focus locations, and the radiation force are studied.

High historical variability weakens the effects of current climate differentiation on microbial community dissimilarity and assembly

Understanding the influences of global climate change on soil microbial communities is essential in evaluating the terrestrial biosphere's feedback to this alarming anthropogenic disturbance. However, little is known about how intra-site historical climate variability can mediate the influences of current climate differences on community dissimilarity and assembly. To fill this gap, we examined and disentangled the interactive effects of historical climate variability and current climate differences on the soil bacterial community dissimilarity and stochasticity of community assembly among 143 sites from 28 forests across eastern China. We hypothesize that the relative importance of stochasticity and community dissimilarity are related to historical climate variability and that an increasing sum of intra-site historical variability enhances stochasticity while reduces dissimilarity between two communities. To test our hypothesis, we statistically controlled for covariates between sites including differences in soil chemistry, plant diversity, spatial distance, and seasonal climate variations at annual timescales. We observed that an increase in inter-site current climate differences led to a reduced impact of stochasticity in community assembly and a pronounced divergence between communities. In stark contrast, when communities were subjected to a high level of intra-site historical climate fluctuation, the observed impact incurred from current climate differences was substantially weakened. Moreover, the influence of increased historical variability was consistent along the gradient of current temperature differences between sites. However, effects induced by historical fluctuation in precipitation were disproportional and only evident when small inter-site differences were observed. Consequently, if the prior climate variability is ignored, especially regarding environmental factors like temperature, we assert that the influence current climate differentiation has on regulating community dissimilarity and assembly stochasticity will be underestimated. Together, our findings highlight the importance and need of explicitly controlling the mean and the historical variability of climate factors for the next "generation" of climate change experiments to come.

A Two-step Electrodeposition of Pd-Cu/Cu2O Nanocomposite on FTO Substrate for Non-enzymatic Hydrogen Peroxide Sensor

Background:

Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is a common reagent in the production and living, but excessive H2O2 may enhance the danger to the human body. Consequently, it is very important to develop economical, fast and accurate techniques for detecting H2O2.

Methods:

A simple two-step electrodeposition process was applied to synthesize Pd-Cu/Cu2O nanocomposite for non-enzymatic H2O2 sensor. Cu/Cu2O nanomaterial was firstly electrodeposited on FTO by potential oscillation technique, and then Pd nanoparticles were electrodeposited on Cu/Cu2O nanomaterial by cyclic voltammetry. The chemical structure, component, and morphology of the synthesized Pd-Cu/Cu2O nanocomposite were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The electrochemical properties of Pd-Cu/Cu2O nanocomposite were studied by cyclic voltammetry and amperometry.

Results:

Under optimal conditions, the as-fabricated sensor displayed a broad linear range (5-4000 μM) and low detection limit (1.8 μM) for the determination of H2O2. The proposed sensor showed good selectivity and reproducibility. Meanwhile, the proposed sensor has been successfully applied to detect H2O2 in milk.

Conclusion:

The Pd-Cu/Cu2O/FTO biosensor exhibits excellent electrochemical activity for H2O2 reduction, which has great potential application in the field of food safety.

Control of Imbert-Fedorov shifts by the optical properties of rotating elliptical Gaussian vortex beams

Based on the angular spectrum of rotating elliptical Gaussian vortex beams (REGVBs), the Imbert Fedorov (IF) shift of REGVBs with the topological charge m = 1 is calculated analytically and numerically. The effects of the topological charge and the vortex position on the IF shift of REGVBs are discussed. By comparing the IF shifts of Gaussian beams, Airy beams with finite energy and REGVBs, we find that REGVBs have unique advantages in the control of the IF shift, that is, the IF shift of REGVBs is similar to the odd symmetry near the Brewster angle, and the rotation parameters can specially control the magnitude and the direction of the IF shift at the same time. Our discovery breaks the previous thinking barrier, that is, most of the control of the IF shift direction is based on materials, and provides a new perspective for controlling the IF shift based on the properties of beams.

Effect of curcumin-encapsulated Pluronic® F-127 over duo-species biofilm of Streptococcus mutans and Candida albicans

To assess the effect of curcumin-encapsulated Pluronic^® F-127 (Cur-Plu) during antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) over duo-species biofilm of Streptococcus mutans and Candida albicans. Thermal analysis, optical absorption, and fluorescence spectroscopy were evaluated. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal/fungal concentration were obtained. The biofilms were cultured for 48 h at 37 °C and treated according to the groups: P + M + L + (photosensitizer encapsulated with Pluronic^® F-127 + light); P + D + L + (photosensitizer incorporated in 1% DMSO + light); P - M + L + (no Pluronic^® F-127 + light); P - D + L + (1% DMSO + light); P - L + (Milli-Q water + light); P + M + L - (photosensitizer encapsulated with Pluronic^® F-127 no light); P + D + L - (photosensitizer in 1% DMSO, no light); P - M + L - (Pluronic^® F-127 no light); P - D + L - (1% DMSO, no light); P - L - (Milli-Q water, no light; negative control group); CHX (0.2% chlorhexidine, positive control group); and NYS (Nystatin). Dark incubation of 5 min was used. The groups that received aPDT were irradiated by blue LED (460 nm, 15 J/cm²). Cell viability of the biofilms was performed by colony-forming units (CFU/mL) and confocal microscopy. Two-way ANOVA followed by Tukey's post hoc test was used at a significance level of 5%. P + D + L + and P + M + L + groups exhibited better log-reduction for both Candida albicans and Streptococcus mutans biofilms than P - M + L + , P - L + , and P - D + L + experimental groups. Furthermore, P + M + L + and P + D + L + showed greater reduction for Candida albicans than for Streptococcus mutans. aPDT mediated by Cur-Plu can be a potential strategy for biofilm control against duo-species biofilm of Streptococcus mutans and Candida albicans.

Anchoring zinc-doped carbon dots on a paper-based chip for highly sensitive fluorescence detection of copper ions

In this work, zinc-doped carbon dots (Zn-CDs) were anchored on a three-dimensional wheel type paper-based microfluidic chip, and were decorated with 6-mercaptonicotinic acid (MNA) and L-cysteine (L-Cys) for highly sensitive and rapid fluorescence detection of Cu²⁺. Zn-CDs were first anchored on paper through the amide bonds between the carboxyl groups of the Zn-CDs and the amino groups of the paper. Afterwards, Zn-CDs were decorated with MNA and L-Cys, effectively preventing the Zn-CDs from aggregation. The nitrogen atom on the pyridine ring and the carboxylic acid groups in MNA and L-Cys coordinated with Cu²⁺ to form a nonfluorescent ground-state complex, causing the fluorescence quenching of the Zn-CDs. The three-dimensional rotary design could simplify the operation process and achieve simultaneous analysis of multiple samples with different concentrations. Under optimal conditions, the fluorescent sensor exhibits linear response for the determination of Cu²⁺ in the range from 0.1 to 60 μg L^-1 with the detection limit (LOD) of 0.018 μg L^-1. The proposed strategy provides a novel way for the highly sensitive detection of Cu²⁺ in a complex water environment.

Propagation dynamics and radiation forces of autofocusing circle Bessel Gaussian vortex beams in a harmonic potential

In this paper, the circle Bessel Gaussian vortex beams (CBGVBs) are introduced in a harmonic potential for the first time, whose autofocusing properties are explored by theoretical analysis as well as numerical simulation. According to the dimensionless linear (2+1)D Schrödinger equation, we numerically simulate the transmission trajectories of different topological charges of the off-axis vortices and the positions, the intensity and the phase distributions, the maximum transmission intensity, the center of mass, the energy flow, and the angular momentum. The simulation results show that the periodically autofocusing CBGVBs can flexibly adjust the position, the intensity, and the focus points by controlling the parameters. By increasing the number of off-axis vortices and adjusting the position of off-axis vortices, the transmission trajectory and the intensity of the CBGVBs can be controlled. Furthermore, we notice that the larger the slope of the curve where the combined force of the scattering force and the gradient force is 0, the particles are more likely to be trapped.

Propagation dynamics of the odd-Pearcey Gaussian beam in a parabolic potential

In this paper, the propagation properties of the odd-Pearcey Gaussian beam (OPGB) in a parabolic potential are investigated analytically and numerically. Except for the auto-focusing at the focal plane, the OPGB performs a weak off-axis focusing unexpectedly. The focusing distance and the focal intensity can be adjusted by choosing an appropriate parabolic parameter. Also, the Poynting vector of the OPGB is demonstrated. In addition, we investigate the radiation forces of the OPGB and find that the trapping points can be generated during propagation.

Patch test-relevant concentrations of metal salts cause localized cytotoxicity, including apoptosis, in skin ex vivo

Background

Metal alloys containing contact sensitizers (nickel, palladium, titanium) are extensively used in medical devices, in particular dentistry and orthopaedic surgery. The skin patch test is used to test for metal allergy.

Objective

To determine whether metal salts, when applied to freshly excised skin at patch test–relevant concentrations and using a method which mimics skin patch testing, cause in changes in the epidermis and dermis.

Methods

Tissue histology, apoptosis, metabolic activity, and inflammatory cytokine release were determined for two nickel salts, two palladium salts, and four titanium salts.

Results

Patch test–relevant concentrations of all metal salts caused localized cytotoxicity. This was observed as epidermis separation at the basement membrane zone, formation of vacuoles, apoptotic nuclei, decreased metabolic activity, and (pro)inflammatory cytokine release. Nickel(II) sulfate hexahydrate, nickel(II) chloride hexahydrate, titanium(IV) bis(ammonium lactato)dihydroxide, and calcium titanate were highly cytotoxic. Palladium(II) chloride, sodium tetrachloropalladate(II), titanium(IV) isopropoxide, and titanium(IV) dioxide showed mild cytotoxicity.

Conclusion

The patch test in itself may be damaging to the skin of the patient being tested. These results need further verification with biopsies obtained during clinical patch testing. The future challenge is to remain above the elicitation threshold at noncytotoxic metal concentrations.

Clinical efficacy of curcumin versus chlorhexidine as an adjunct to scaling and root planing for the treatment of periodontitis: A systematic review and meta-analysis

This study aims to evaluate the clinical efficacy of curcumin versus chlorhexidine as adjuncts to scaling and root planing (SRP) for periodontitis treatment. We searched PubMed, EMbase, Cochrane Library, and ClinicalTrials.gov from inception to February 18, 2021 and identified studies with relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs) using curcumin or chlorhexidine as an adjunct to SRP. Nine RCTs involving 420 patients/sites were included. A meta-analysis with a random-effects model revealed that curcumin and chlorhexidine, as an adjunct to SRP, reduced probing pocket depth (PPD) at similar levels during a 3-, 4-, 6-, and 12-week follow-up. No significant differences were observed in reducing clinical attachment loss (CAL) between curcumin and chlorhexidine as an adjunct to SRP at 4 weeks and 6 weeks. Furthermore, gingival index (GI) and plaque index (PI) were similar using curcumin versus chlorhexidine as an adjunct to SRP at the 4-week-, 6-week-, and 12-week follow-up. Based on the available evidence in RCTs, compared with chlorhexidine as an adjunct to SRP, curcumin has a similar effect on reducing PPD, CAL, GI, and PI. The quality of evidence is low, limited by the number of studies and their limitations. Further studies are needed to firmly establish the clinical efficacy of curcumin.

Low-Abundant Microorganisms: The Human Microbiome's Dark Matter, a Scoping Review

Research on the human microbiome has mainly been restricted to the identification of most abundant microbiota associated with health or disease. Their abundance may reflect their capacity to exploit their niche, however, metabolic functions exerted by low-abundant microrganisms can impact the dysbiotic signature of local microbial habitats. This scoping review aims to map the literature regarding the management of low-abundant microorganisms in studies investigating human microbiome samples. A systematic literature search was performed in 5 electronic databases, as well as grey literature. We selected clinical microbiome studies targeting human participants of any age, from any body site. We also included studies with secondary data which originated from human biofilm samples. All of the papers used next-generation sequencing (NGS) techniques in their methodology. A total of 826 manuscripts were retrieved, of which 42 were included in this review and 22 reported low-abundant bacteria (LB) in samples taken from 7 body sites (breast, gut, oral cavity, skin, stomach, upper respiratory tract (URT), and vagina). Four studies reported microbes at abundance levels between 5 and 20%, 8 studies reported between 1 and 5%, and 18 studies reported below 1%. Fifteen papers mentioned fungi and/or archaea, and from those only 4 (fungi) and 2 (archaea) produced data regarding the abundance of these domains. While most studies were directed towards describing the taxonomy, diversity and abundance of the highly abundant species, low-abundant species have largely been overlooked. Indeed, most studies select a cut-off value at <1% for low-abundant organisms to be excluded in their analyses. This practice may compromise the true diversity and influence of all members of the human microbiota. Despite their low abundance and signature in biofilms, they may generate important markers contributing to dysbiosis, in a sort of ‘butterfly effect’. A detailed snapshot of the physiological, biological mechanisms at play, including virulence determinants in the context of a dysbiotic community, may help better understand the health-disease transition.

Accelerating trajectory manipulation of symmetric Pearcey Gaussian beam in a uniformly moving parabolic potential

We derive analytical solutions that describe the one-dimensional displaced and chirped symmetric Pearcey Gaussian beam in a uniformly moving parabolic potential. The multiple effective manipulations of the beam, which are originated from the diverse configurations of the dynamic parabolic potential, are demonstrated. On the whole, the accelerating trajectory can transform into a linear superposition form of the oblique straight line and the simple harmonic motion. Meanwhile, we discuss the further modulation of the accelerating trajectory characteristics such as slope, amplitude and phase shift. Additionally, the extension into a two-dimensional scenario is also proposed. Our results theoretically improve the practical value of the Pearcey beam, and lead to potential applications in trajectory manipulation and particle manipulation.

Golgi phosphoprotein-3 (GOLPH3) promote metastasis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma through regulating E-cadherin

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to investigate GOLPH3 expression in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) and its influence on the metastatic ability of NPC cells; meanwhile, the underlying mechanism of GOLPH3 promoting the malignant progression of NPC was also explored.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

In this study, quantitative Real Time-Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR) was performed to examine the expression of GOLPH3 in 34 pairs of tumor tissue and paracancerous tissue specimens collected from NPC patients, and the interplay between GOLPH3 expression and clinical indicators was analyzed, as well as the prognosis of NPC patients. Meanwhile, GOLPH3 expression in NPC cell lines was further verified by qRT-PCR assay. Furthermore, GOLPH3 knockdown model was constructed in NPC cell lines, including SUNE2 and CNE. Then, cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8), transwell invasion, and cell wound healing assays were applied to analyze the effect of GOLPH3 on the biological function of NPC cells. In addition, an in-depth study of the relationship between GOLPH3 and E-cadherin was conducted.

RESULTS

QRT-PCR results indicated that the expression level of GOLPH3 in NPC was remarkably higher than that in adjacent tissues, and the difference was statistically significant. Compared with patients with low expression of GOLPH3, those with high expression of GOLPH3 had a higher incidence of lymph node metastasis. Compared with sh-NC group, the proliferation and invasive ability of NPC cells decreased remarkably after knockdown of GOLPH3. Subsequently, E-cadherin expression was found to be remarkably reduced and negatively correlated with GOLPH3 in NPC cell lines and tissues. Finally, the recovery experiment demonstrated that GOLPH3 might have a mutual regulatory relation with E-cadherin, both of which jointly affect the malignant progression of NPC.

CONCLUSIONS

GOLPH3 expression is remarkably associated with lymph node metastasis and poor prognosis of NPC patients; in addition, it may promote the proliferation and metastatic ability of NPC cells by regulating E-cadherin.

Symmetric Pearcey Gaussian beams

In this Letter, a new, to the best of our knowledge, type of autofocusing and symmetric beam arisen from two quartic spectral phases is introduced in theory and experiment. The symmetric Pearcey Gaussian beam (SPGB), formed with a Gaussian term and two multiplying Pearcey integrals, processes a focusing intensity approximately 1.32 times stronger than the intensity of the symmetric Airy beam. Its four off-axis main lobes split into four bending trajectories symmetrically after focusing. The rectangular intensity distribution and the focal length of the SPGB can be adjusted by two kinds of distribution factors. Additionally, the vortex-guiding property of the beam is demonstrated by embedding an off-axis vortex into the SPGB, which can be applied in particle guiding.

Novel dental implant modifications with two-staged double benefits for preventing infection and promoting osseointegration in vivo and in vitro

Peri-implantitis are a major problem causing implant failure these days. Accordingly, anti-infection during the early stage and subsequent promotion of osseointegration are two main key factors to solve this issue. Micro-arc oxidation (MAO) treatment is a way to form an oxidation film on the surface of metallic materials. The method shows good osteogenic properties but weak antibacterial effect. Therefore, we developed combined strategies to combat severe peri-implantitis, which included the use of a novel compound, PD, comprising dendrimers poly(amidoamine) (PAMAM) loading dimethylaminododecyl methacrylate (DMADDM) as well as MAO treatment. Here, we explored the chemical properties of the novel compound PD, and proved that this compound was successfully synthesized, with the loading efficiency and encapsulation efficiency of 23.91% and 31.42%, respectively. We further report the two-stage double benefits capability of PD + MAO: (1) in the first stage, PD + MAO could decrease the adherence and development of biofilms by releasing DMADDM in the highly infected first stage after implant surgery both in vitro and in vivo; (2) in the second stage, PD + MAO indicated mighty anti-infection and osteoconductive characteristics in a rat model of peri-implantitis in vivo. This study first reports the two-staged, double benefits of PD + MAO, and demonstrates its potential in clinical applications for inhibiting peri-implantitis, especially in patients with severe infection risk.

Curcumin-loaded Pluronic® F-127 Micelles as a Drug Delivery System for Curcumin-mediated Photodynamic Therapy for Oral Application

Antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) is promising for oral decontamination. Curcumin has been used as photosensitizer; however, the hydrophobic properties can negatively affect aPDT. This study evaluated the aPDT efficacy using Cur-loaded Pluronic^® F-127 micelles against Streptococcus mutans and Candida albicans biofilms. Micelles characterization was performed by zeta potential, dynamic light scattering, transmission electron microscopy, absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy. Cur concentrations, cell viability by CFU mL^-1 and confocal microscopy were determined. Data were analyzed by parametric and nonparametric tests under 5%. Cur-loaded Pluronic^® F-127 exhibited spherical shape, suitable particle size (≤100 nm), adequate polydispersity index, best stability, lower photodegradation and autoaggregation compared to unloaded-Cur. Both microorganisms were sensitive to Cur-loaded Pluronic^® F-127 micelles aPDT, with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 270 μm and 2.1093 μm for S. mutans and C. albicans suspended culture, respectively. Cur-loaded Pluronic^® F-127 aPDT exhibited antibacterial/antifungal effect against the biofilms (~3 log₁₀ reduction; P ≤ 0.05); however, similar to unloaded (P ≥ 0.05). Confocal images confirmed these results. Cur-loaded Pluronic^® F-127 micelles exhibited good photo-chemical properties and may be a viable alternative to deliver Cur and to improve aPDT effect during the treatment of dental caries. Moreover, Pluronic^® micelles can enhance the solubility, stability, permeability and control the release of Cur.