Staphylococcus aureus, which is commonly found in hospitals, has become a major problem in infection control. In this study, Ag/80S bioactive ceramics used for enhanced antibacterial applications have been developed. An in vitro bioactivity test of the Ag/80S bioactive ceramic powders was performed in a phosphate-buffered saline (PBS). To explore the antibacterial activity of the Ag/80S bioactive ceramic powders, the Kirby-Bauer susceptibility test, the kinetics of microbial growth analysis and the colony-forming capacity assay were used to determine their minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). The results confirmed that the Ag/80S bioactive ceramic powders have antibacterial activity against MRSA (ATCC 33592) and MRSA (ATCC 49476).

The aim of this study was to evaluate the remineralization and antibacterial effect of silver-containing mesoporous bioactive glass (MBG-Ag) sealing combined with Er:YAG laser irradiation on human demineralized dentin specimens in a Streptococcus mutans cultivated environment. A total of 48 human dentin specimens were randomly divided into four groups. The characteristics of MBG-Ag and the occlusion efficiency of the dentinal tubules were analyzed using X-ray diffraction patterns, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscope images and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. Moreover, the antibacterial activity against Streptococcus mutans was evaluated by colony formation assay. The results showed that the dentin specimens with Er:YAG laser irradiation can form a melted occlusion with a size of 3–4 µm. MBG-Ag promoted the deposition of numerous crystal particles on the dentinal surface, reaching the deepest penetration depth of 70 μm. The results suggested that both MBG-Ag and laser have the ability to enhance the remineralization and precipitation of hydroxyapatite crystals. While the results showed that MBG-Ag sealing combined with the thermomechanical subablation mode of Er:YAG laser irradiation-induced dense crystalline deposition, reaching a penetration depth of more than 300 µm, silver nanoparticles without good absorption of the Er:YAG laser resulted in a heterogeneous radiated surface. Er:YAG laser irradiation with a low energy and pulse rate cannot completely inhibit the growth of S. mutans, but MBG-Ag sealing reached the bactericidal concentration. It was concluded that the simultaneous application of MBG-Ag sealing and Er:YAG laser treatment can prevent the drawbacks of their independent uses, resulting in a superior form of treatment for dentin hypersensitivity.

Acinetobacter baumannii (A. baumannii) is a common and challenging pathogen of nosocomial infections, due to its ability to survive on inanimate objects, desiccation tolerance, and resistance to disinfectants. In this study, we investigated an antibacterial strategy to combat A. baumannii via the combination of antibiotics and silver protein. This strategy used a functional platform consisting of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) resurrected from silver-based calcium thiophosphate (SSCP) through casein and arginine. Then, the silver protein was combined with tigecycline, the first drug in glycylcycline antibiotic, to synergistically inhibit the viability of A. baumannii. The synergistic antibacterial activity was confirmed by the 96-well checkerboard method to determine their minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) and calculated for the combination index (CI). The MIC of the combination of silver protein and tigecycline (0.31 mg/mL, 0.16 µg/mL) was significantly lower than that of the individual MIC, and the CI was 0.59, which indicates a synergistic effect. Consequently, we integrated the detailed synergistic antibacterial properties when silver protein was combined with tigecycline. The result could make for a promising approach for the treatment of A. baumannii.

To evaluate whether Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1 RA) use at immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) start is associated with mortality, healthcare use, and immune-related adverse events in adults with type 2 diabetes (T2D). A target-trial emulation was conducted in the TriNetX US Collaborative Network among adults with cancer and T2D starting an ICI, with or without overlapping GLP-1 RA at ICI start. A new-user 1:1 propensity-score-matched, intention-to-treat design yielded 2,903 per group and 36-month follow-up. Primary endpoint was all-cause mortality; key secondaries were hospitalization, and composite immune-related adverse events (irAEs). Prespecified per-protocol, 90-day landmark, and semaglutide-only analyses assessed robustness. GLP-1 RA co-exposure was associated with lower mortality (hazard ratio [HR] 0.55, 95 % CI 0.51-0.61; 36-month absolute risk difference [ARD] - 16.41 %; number needed to treat [NNT] 5). Hospitalization (HR 0.76; ARD - 7.06 %; NNT 11), and composite irAEs (43.93 % vs 51.51 %; ARD - 7.58 %; NNT 11) were also lower. Diabetic-retinopathy progression (HR 1.75; ARD + 2.71 %) and non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (HR 1.51) were higher; hypoglycaemia, acute kidney injury, and dehydration/orthostatic hypotension were lower. GLP-1 RA use during ICI therapy correlated with lower mortality, reduced acute care, fewer irAEs; ophthalmic signals warrant monitoring.