Antibiotic resistance rate is rising worldwide. Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are potent for fighting antimicrobial resistance (AMR), independently or synergistically. The purpose of this study was to prepare AgNPs using wild ginger extracts and to evaluate the antibacterial efficacy of these AgNPs against multidrug-resistant (MDR) Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus mutans, and Enterococcus faecalis. AgNPs were synthesized using wild ginger extracts at room temperature through different parameters for optimization, i.e., pH and variable molar concentration. Synthesis of AgNPs was confirmed by UV/visible spectroscopy and further characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy analysis (EDXA), and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Disc and agar well diffusion techniques were utilized to determine the in vitro antibacterial activity of plant extracts and AgNPs. The surface plasmon resonance peaks in absorption spectra for silver suspension showed the absorption maxima in the range of 400–420 nm. Functional biomolecules such as N–H, C–H, O–H, C–O, and C–O–C were present in Zingiber zerumbet (Z. zerumbet) (aqueous and organic extracts) responsible for the AgNP formation characterized by FTIR. The crystalline structure of ZZAE-AgCl-NPs and ZZEE-AgCl-NPs was displayed in the XRD analysis. SEM analysis revealed the surface morphology. The EDXA analysis also confirmed the element of silver. It was revealed that AgNPs were seemingly spherical in morphology. The biosynthesized AgNPs exhibited complete antibacterial activity against the tested MDR bacterial strains. This study indicates that AgNPs of wild ginger extracts exhibit potent antibacterial activity against MDR bacterial strains.

The prevalence of novel periodontal pathogens and bacterial complexes in Stage II generalized periodontitis based on 16S rRNA next generation sequencing Objective: To define the subgingival microbial profile associated with Stage II generalized periodontitis using next-generation sequencing and to determine the relative abundance of novel periodontal pathogens and bacterial complexes. Methodology: Subgingival biofilm samples were collected from 80 subjects diagnosed with Stage II generalized periodontitis. Bacterial DNA was extracted, and 16S rRNA-based bacterial profiling via next-generation sequencing was carried out. The bacterial composition and diversity of microbial communities based on the age and sex of the patients were analyzed. The bacterial species were organized into groups: bacterial complexes (red, orange, purple, yellow, and green), novel periodontal pathogens, periodontal health-related species, and unclassified periodontal species. The results were analyzed and statistically evaluated. Results: The highest number of bacteria belonged to the phylum Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes. In terms of relative abundance, the orange complex represented 18.99%, novel bacterial species (Fretibacterium spp. and Saccharibacteria spp.) comprised 17.34%, periodontal health-related species accounted for 16.75% and unclassified periodontal species represented (Leptotrichia spp. and Selenomonas spp.) 15.61%. Novel periodontal pathogens had outweighed the periodontal disease-related red complex (5.3%). The one-sample z-test performed was statistically significant at p<0.05. The Beta diversity based on the unweighted UniFrac distance at the species level demonstrated a total variance of 15.77% based on age and 39.19% on sex, which was not statistically significant. Conclusion: The bacterial species corresponding to the disease-related orange complex and novel periodontal pathogens are predominant in Stage II generalized periodontitis.

Aims and Objectives:The aims of this study were to evaluate the presence of Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, in polyglycolic acid (PGA) 4-0 and silk sutures, with or without hyaluronic acid (HA) treatment.Materials and Methods:This in vitro study measured S. aureus and E. coli growth on PGA and silk sutures, through incubation in agar media for 24 h. The suture length was 10 cm and divided into three parts: A (8 h), B (16 h), and C (24 h), which were observed every 8 h, followed by suspension on a microscopic slide. This was repeated thrice. The number of S. aureus and E. coli cells was recorded and compared between the suture types.Results:The mean S. aureus colony forming units (CFUs) differed at each time point between non-HA and HA-PGA sutures (P = 0.0016), with a greater number of CFUs on non-HA-PGA. The mean S. aureus CFUs were significantly higher on non-HA silk than on HA-silk sutures (P = 0.008). There was a significant increase in E. coli CFUs on non-HA silk than on HA-silk sutures (P = 0.008). E. coli CFUs were higher on non-HA-PGA than on HA-PGA sutures (P = 0.006). We performed repeated measures two-way ANOVA (SPSS version 13.0) for comparison between group factors and time points and Posthoc analysis using independent samples t-test.Conclusions:HA reduced wicking in both PGA and silk sutures.

Objectives: The rationale of this study was to compare the efficiency of online learning and the differences in outcome between the two universities in India and United Arab Emirates (UAE). Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with a validated questionnaire among dental students of a dental college in India and a dental college in the UAE. The data were analyzed using the SPSS software version 22, and comparison was done using the Chi-square test, ANOVA, correlation, and regression analysis. Statistical significance was set at P < 0.05. Results: A total of 491 students responded to the questionnaire, of which 314 were from India and 177 from UAE. The awareness of online learning among students had increased after COVID-19, and Zoom was the most common platform (30.9%). The satisfaction ratio was 78.4%, and smartphones were commonly used by students. Based on the satisfaction of online learning, study participants from UAE had a higher mean attitude score (2.72 ± 0.98) as compared to Indian students (2.47 ± 0.77) ( P < 0.027*). Conclusion: The study results show that online learning was comparable to traditional method of learning. Although poor network connectivity was a deterrent for online learning among students from India and UAE, future teaching methods could inculcate online teaching methods and hence encourage blended learning as part of the teaching curriculum.

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