OBJECTIVETo study the influence of the quorum sensing inhibitor brominated furanone on Porphyromonas gingivalis (P. gingivalis) biofilm formation.

METHODSDoubling dilution method was used to determine the minimal inhibition concentration (MIC) of brominated furanone on P. gingivalis. Absolute ethyl alcohol added in P. gingivalis bacterial suspension was used as the negative control, while P. gingivalis bacterial suspension as blank control. The influences of 1/4MIC, 1/2MIC, MIC, 2MIC of brominated furanone on P. gingivalis biofilm formation were studied by the optical density determination and scanning electron microscope (SEM).

RESULTSFour groups of brominated furanone with different concentrations were shown to inhibit P. gingivalis biofilm formation. With the increased concentration of brominated furanone, optical density of P. gingivalis suspension decreased. The biofilm structures of 1/4MIC group, 1/2MIC group and MIC group were loose. Only scattered P. gingivalis cells but no biofilm structure was seen in 2MIC group.

CONCLUSIONBrominated furanone could inhibit P. gingivalis biofilm formation without the influence on bacterial growth. The future application of this chemical compound may provide a new possibility for the antimicrobial treatment of periodontal disease.

Biofilms ; Furans ; Porphyromonas gingivalis ; Quorum Sensing

AIM: To evaluate the efficacy of high-intensity focused ultrasound cyclo plasty(UCP)in the treatment of glaucoma and to investigate related influencing factors.METHODS: The study involved a total of 110 patients(134 eyes)who received UCP treatment between January 2019 and January 2022 at three medical centers: Tianjin Eye Aier Eye Hospital, Chongqing Aier Eye Hospital, and Chongqing Nanping Aier Eye Hospital. Patients were classified into three categories: primary angle-closure glaucoma, primary open-angle glaucoma, and secondary glaucoma. Best corrected visual acuity, intraocular pressure, and the usage of anti-glaucoma medications, etc., were recorded at 6 and 12 mo postoperatively.RESULTS: After 6 months of the UCP procedure, statistically significant differences in intraocular pressure were observed across all groups(all P<0.05). At 12 mo postoperatively, intraocular pressure of the primary angle-closure and primary open-angle glaucoma groups showed differences(all P<0.05). Notably, there were no significant changes in visual acuity at either the 6 or 12 mo compared to preoperative values across all patient groups(all P>0.05). Furthermore, the study identified a statistically significant correlation between the changes in intraocular pressure at 6 mo and factors such as age, history of previous glaucoma surgery, baseline white-to-white(corneal diameter), and the extent of UCP treatment(all P<0.05).CONCLUSION: The UCP procedure has been demonstrated to effectively lower intraocular pressure in patients with glaucoma. The efficacy appears to be influenced by variables including patient age, previous glaucoma surgery history, baseline white-to-white(corneal diameter), and the scope of UCP treatment. Importantly, UCP treatment did not adversely affect visual acuity, underscoring its favorable safety profile.