Monday, January 27, 2020

Streptococcus Mutans: Causes, Effects and Transmission

Streptococcus Mutans: Causes, Effects and Transmission Introduction Streptococcus mutans is the bacteria responsible for dental cavities in humans. The full taxonomy, or classification of the organism, is Bacteria Firmicutes Bacilli Lactobacillales Streptococcaceae Streptococcus Mutans (1). From S. mutans’ scientific name one can understand quite a bit about the bacteria. The domain and kingdom are Bacteria, meaning S. mutans is a one celled organism that doesn’t have a distinct nucleus. The phylum Firmicutes tells us that the cell wall is strong, thick, and most likely Gram-positive. The class Bacilli explains the rod-shape of the bacteria. The order is Lactobacillales and the definition of Lactobacillales is â€Å"lactic acid bacteria†. Streptococcaceae family classifies S. mutans as Gram-positive, facultative anaerobe, usually nonmotile, and found in pairs, chains, or tetrads. From the genus of streptococcus, we know that the bacteria is non spore forming, in pairs or chains, and usually requires a complex culture medium to gr ow. Finally, the species Mutans specifies that the bacteria lives in our mouths and causes dental cavities. Cavities are permanent tooth decay that makes holes in teeth and are usually painful. They can lead to more serious health complications. Morphology The morphology of S. mutans, or form and structure of an organism, is why this bacteria can create cavities so well and why it is so hard to kill. S. mutans is 0.5 to 0.75 micrometers in diameter, Gram-positive cocci, strepto arrangement(1,2). To put the size of S. mutans into prospective, a micrometer is one millionth the size of a meter. Gram- positive cells turn purple from crystal violet in the Gram stain test. Gram-positive cells turn purple because the cell wall is composed of a thick layer of peptidoglycan, a polymer made from polysaccharide and peptide chains(1). The peptidoglycan holds onto the crystal violet and doesn’t let it get washed out. This component of the cell wall also prevents osmosis lysis. That means the cell will not burst from an imbalance of solvent concentration from inside the cell to the outside of the cell. Streptococci bacteria such as S. mutans are cocci, or a circular bacteria that sticks together in a line, or strepto arrangement. This single cell organism does not have a nucleus or organelles in its cytoplasm. The genetic material is kept in single strands that get duplicated during binary fission, which is how the cell reproduces because it does not produce spores. This bacteria has a capsule composed of polysaccharide and dextran glucose. S. mutans uses a protein on its surface to attach itself to a tooth, the bacteria then grows this dextran capsule that is a slime that binds the bacteria to the tooth enamel. In this slime is where the bacteria divides and produces colonies, this is a biofilm. S. mutans is a facultative anaerobe so the bacteria uses oxygen if it is present, but does not need oxygen to survive(2). This mesophilic bacteria grows best at 18 to 40 degrees Celsius (64 to 104 degrees Fahrenheit)(1). All of S. mutans morphology makes it completely adapted to living in such an extreme place as a mouth. Biofilm S. mutans is an animal parasite, especially in animals with a high carbohydrate diet. Because this bacteria is a parasite, it needs a host to survive and the host suffers from the bacteria. S. mutans is the main reason for dental cavities and is found mostly on the surface of teeth. It is found in higher concentration in the natural crevices and fissures of teeth. On these surfaces S. mutans creates plaque. Plaque is a biofilm. Biofilm is microorganisms sticking to a surface and to each other in an extracellular matrix that is usually self-produced. Plaque is formed in three steps. First the pellicle, or film, is formed. The pellicle is the dextran polymer capsule on the bacteria. This also becomes the extracellular matrix of the biofilm. Second is the cell to surface attachment of S. mutans to the tooth(1). Last is later S. mutans attaching to the first S. mutans that landed on the tooth. This plaque biofilm is 300-500 cells(1). Plaque formation begins immediately after the tooth su rface is cleaned and takes four to seven days for the plaque to become fully mature. After only one to two days of uninterrupted formation, the plaque is visible. Plaque can calcify and become hard, forming calculus. Plaque will continue to grow over calculus(3). Metabolism S. mutans have a fairly simple metabolism. A metabolism is the chemical processes that occur in an organism to maintain life. S. mutans cleave, or cut, sucrose from the host’s diet into glucose and fructose(1). They eat these food particles with channels in their cell wall that help molecules cross the cell wall and get into the cell(4). If there are no food particles the bacteria leaks an enzyme that attacks and breaks down certain tissues in its environment. The fructose that came from the sucrose is fermented and used as an energy source for the bacteria to grow. The glucose is polymerized into the dextran polymer that is the extracellular matrix that cements the S. mutans to tooth enamel(1). The dextran slime can later be depolymerized back into glucose. This glucose would be used as a carbon source that results in the production of lactic acid. The lactic acid in the plaque decalcifies the enamel and leads to cavities and infections of a tooth. Diseases Cavities caused by S. mutans cause many unpleasant symptoms and may cause more health issues. When a cavity is just beginning you may not have any symptoms, this makes cavities hard to catch unless you visit the dentist regularly. Once the cavity gets larger it can cause a toothache, tooth sensitivity to something as simple as the air we breathe, pain when eating or drinking anything sugary, pain brought on by hot or cold substances, pain while chewing or biting down, and a bitter taste in your mouth. Cavities will create visible holes, discoloration on teeth, and bad breath, which can lead to low self-esteem and poor social interactions. If cavities get deep enough to get into the pulp chamber of the tooth, it can cause an abscessed, or infected, tooth. The cavity causes inflammation in the center of the tooth and an infection forms. The infection will create a puss pocket, this is the abscess. Abscesses can spread to the gum and jaw bone, causing pain and inflammation. Sometimes th e pain caused by an abscessed tooth is so extreme it can’t be relieved by pain medication. If the abscess spreads quickly it can cause fever and swelling in the face. If an abscess pops it may cause flu- like symptoms. These abscesses that are caused by the cavities created by S. mutans can lead to another mouth disease, periodontal disease. Periodontal disease is divided into two categories: gingivitis and periodontitis(5). Gingivitis is less severe and more common, it is the inflammation of gum tissue. Periodontitis is an inflammatory response due to plaque that causes the gum to come loose from the tooth and recede and causes loss of bone in the jaw. In extreme cases, the gum recedes enough to expose the entire root of the tooth. The overall oral health of an individual is closely related to health throughout the body. Heart disease, stroke, endocarditis, premature birth and low birth weight, diabetes, and osteoporosis are all closely linked to periodontal disease and othe r mouth infections. S. mutans can cause some serious health issues if proper oral health is not maintained. The surgeon general has called tooth decay the â€Å"silent epidemic†. Transmittion S. mutans take up 30 to 60 percent of an adult’s normal oral flora(4). This means out of all the normal microorganisms that live in a mouth S. mutans is one of the most common. Adults have a higher concentration of this bacteria in their mouths, but children are more vulnerable to it(1). The most common transfer of S. mutans is from a caregiver to a child. It can be passed vertically, or from a mother to a baby immediately before and after birth. So, if a mother has a lot of S. mutans bacteria there is a good chance the child will inherit that trait. The bacteria can also be passed horizontally, or from one person to another. Saliva will pass S. mutans from one person to another. If a caregiver shares eating utensils with a child, they are giving that child the S. mutans bacteria. If the child doesn’t have teeth the bacteria will colonize in furrows of the tongue(1). Cavities are the most common childhood disease. A child is five times more likely to suffer from cavitie s than asthma. Prevention and Treatment Cavities are the reason for half of all dental visits and two billion dollars are spent a year in treatment(1). S. mutans are extremely hard to treat with medicine because biofilm cells are 1,000 times more tolerant to antibiotics(4). There is no cure for S. mutans because of its virulence factors. It contains water insoluble glycan, has an acid tolerance, and produces lactic acid. Although we can’t get rid of this bacteria, we can prevent and treat its diseases. Brushing at least twice a day, especially after meals, and flossing at least once a day can help prevent cavities causes by S. mutans. If there isn’t any food particles for the bacteria to break down, it can’t form lactic acid to break down the enamel. Fluoride treatments also help prevent cavities by strengthening the tooth enamel. Enamel is the human body’s most mineralized substance. Fluoride can also reverse some decalcification caused by the lactic acid through a process called remineralizati on. Visiting the dentist every six months for a cleaning is recommended. Dentists and dental hygienists will help prevent the damage done by S. mutans and will catch cavities in early stages. Dentists can also apply sealants to the crevices on the chewing side of molars. A sealant is a thin plastic-like coating that will prevent plaque from building up on the tooth itself. Everyone has the S. mutans bacteria and the only thing anyone can do to prevent cavities is to lessen the impact of the acid fermentation caused by this bacteria. Once cavities have formed a dentist will give fillings. Dentist’s drill a small area around the cavity to fit either an amalgam or a composite filling inside of the hole or divot created by the lactic acid. Amalgam fillings are the silver-looking fillings many people have. They are durable, strong, last 10-15 years, and are less expensive than the composite fillings. The negatives of amalgam fillings are they discolor the tooth, cause cracks and f ractures, allergic reactions, and destroy tooth structure. Composite fillings look better because they are made to look the same color as a tooth. They are also chemically bonded for better support and less tooth needs to be removed prior to putting the filling in. The negatives of the composite filling are they need to be replaced about every five years and they are double the cost of amalgam fillings. If a cavity is too bad the dentist may need to perform a root canal and remove the nerves from the tooth. That tooth will then be dead, but it will not hurt anymore. In some cases a dentist might just need to pull a tooth out. Future A University of Florida oral biology professor, Jeffrey Hillman has found a way to tweak the S. mutans bacteria in a way that the bacteria will stop converting sugar into lactic acid. Without lactic acid there are no cavities. S. mutans and humans used to live together in harmony until relatively recently when our diets contained more refined sugar. Hillman’s vision is to have patients swish the dominant modified bacteria in their mouths for a few minutes, then chew gum to activate it. At that point that person would be cavity free for life. Hillman calls this â€Å"replacement therapy†(6). Conclusion S. mutans can very easily live in our mouths because of factors such as its peptidoglycan cell wall that makes it hard to penetrate and polysaccharide and dextran glucose capsule that adheres the bacteria to teeth and forms its matrix. That same dextran slime creates lactic acid that breaks down the calcification on our enamel, creating cavities. Cavities can lead to more serious health issues. There is no guarantee to preventing diseases caused by S. mutans. Brushing, flossing, and dental visits are the best thing one can do to prevent the diseases. Maybe one day Hillman’s discovery will be utilized so humans and Streptococcus mutans can live in harmony again. References Streptococcus mutans. MicrobeWiki. The student editied microbiology resource. Microbewiki.kenyon.edu/index.php/Streptococcus_mutans Edited 2014 Heather Payne. Streptococcus mutans. Missouri ST. web.mst.edu/~microbio/BIO221_2005/S_mutans published 2005 Time and Rate of Plaque Formation. University of Illinois at Chicago. www.wic.edu/classes/peri/peri311/lec8sm/dentalplaque3.htm Amber Allmann. Streptococcuss mutans. University of Wisconsin La Crosse. Bioweb,awlax.edu/bio203/s2007/allmann_ambe/ Published 2007 Walter J. loesche. Microbiology of Dental Decay and Periodental. Medical Microbiology. www.ncbi.nlm.nh.gov/books/NBK8259 Published 1996 Explore. Tackling tooth decay. Researched at The University of Florida. www.research.wfl.edu/publications/explore/V09n2/feature_03.html Published summer of 2004

Sunday, January 19, 2020

Advertising and Leo Burnett Essay

1.0Introduction First of all, an advertising agency is uniquely and meaningfully from the client, provides an outside point of view to the effort of sell clients ‘ products or services. Besides that, an agency also can deal with overall marketing and branding strategies and promotional activities for its clients, for the example of Leo Burnett. Leo Burnett is Malaysia’s leading international advertising agencies through about 95 offices in almost 85 countries, is owned by advertising conglomerate Publicis (leoburnett.com, 2013). It also helped create some of the top consumer brands such as Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes cereal and Tony the Tiger icon. The clients of Leo Burnett are Maybank, Petronas, Hotlink, Maxis, Taylors’ college, Marlboro and so on. They are all about that special connection between brands and consumer. Their mission is the â€Å"best in the world, without exception, in brand buyers turning into brand believers,† and will not be using its proprietary brand of belief systems. According to Stephen Gatfield, their vision reflects his personal brand-building expertise and constant enhancements will ensure that its customers get a higher return on the deal in advertising. Based on the research, Leo Burnett won the Overall Agency of the Year 2012 at the Advertising and Marketing Awards Malaysia. 2.0Description of job titles and functions See more:  Mark Twain’s Humorous Satire in Running for Governor Essay The top of agency is usually led by a CEO, 2 junior presidents, and some different functional area such as executive creative director, managing director, chief operating officer, and chief executive officer. 2.1Executive Creative Director Leo Burnett has some of the most important key accounts in the world, for the example Yasmin Ahmad. She was a talent film director, writer and scriptwriter from and was also the executive creative director at Leo Burnett Kuala Lumpur. She worked at the company for 51 years, since 1958 to 2009. She brought some of the national oil company and the most remarkable advertisements for Petronas by Leo Burnett. It has won multiple awards within Malaysia and internationally so today put them as one of the top institutions in Malaysia. In the mean time, we know that her television commercials and films are well known in Malaysia because of their comedy, kindness and love. Recently, Eric Cruz is joining Leo Burnett in Malaysia as Executive Creative Director. Therefore, his work focuses on the connection between art and design, moving images and exploring new things in media hybrids. According to Tan Kien Eng, Leo Burnett’s CEO, he says that Eric’s unique bring together of experience having worked with some of the world’s leading agencies across some of the most creatively-vibrant markets sets him apart. He has provided a strong global work and is deeply impressive performance in Asian cultures. 2.2Managing Director Robert Kay has joined Leo Burnett in Malaysia and he is new managing director. In the past years, he has worked for some of world Class Company and includes control marketing and product development for Australasia. In the mean time, based on the research, I found that he not only as account leader for Saatchi & Saatchi also as leader of one of Asia’s most awarded marketing-services companies. Besides that, Robert Kay is a very well-known person in the company because of his passion for creativity. The most important thing is the brand has allowed him to connect with some of the popular brand in beverage industry such as Coca-Cola and Carlsberg Tetley, technology such as Hp and car industry such as Mercedes-Benz & Fiat. Thus, his work mostly focuses on providing leadership on strategic problem and looks for new business opportunity. 2.3Chief Operating Officer Recently, the company has selected Michelle Ong as chief operating officer and also overseeing operations. In fact, his work are focus on reinventing workflow process while cooperation with colleagues in the company. Furthermore, she also needs to focus on key MNC brands such as McDonald’s, Dutch Lady Malaysia, and Procter & Gamble (P&G). Based on the research, she has over 15 years of strong communications experience and builds a different range of brands, have work with Ogilvy & Mather and McCann World group in the past years. 2.4Chief Executive Officer Leo Burnett’s chief executive officer is Tan Kien Eng. He has grown the resourceful reputation of his work with more than 20 years of industry experience. In the mean time, he also creates a team to build Arc Worldwide Malaysia as the number one direct agency for three years in Malaysia. According to Tan Kien Eng, he believes that a company with growth must come with freedom. He starts from the growth of our people and our customers ‘ business growth in order to develop the Leo Burnett brand. In Leo Burnett, he has also strengthened account servicing and creative sides. In the mean time, He also helped OgilvyOne to establish the creative reputation successful in Asia Pacific and made OgilvyOne number one in Malaysia. In the past years of advertising world, we play a role in the planning, and today because we have introduced strategic planning capability of the client has started to become more dependent on the strategic account Director. Therefore, he is focus on the next phase of growth for Leo Burnett Group Malaysia now. 3.0Conclusion As a conclusion, according to Leo Burnett, it mentioned that a good advertising does not just circulate information. It penetrates the public mind with needs and belief. In my opinion, I think that using an advertising agency can save time for a business because not needs to spend more time develop an advertising campaign. In the mean time, an advertising agency also can help us save a lot of money as agencies can get more discounts by radio or TV stations so they can get cheaper price than people in direct contact. Furthermore, advertising agencies also can help us to develop a brand in the market. It also can help us research and provide us to target the most effective market.

Friday, January 10, 2020

Empathy in Nursing

Good communication between the client and the health care worker is a vital theory within a health care setting. To have an effective communication with a patient, a nurse needs to be empathetic and a good listener. Empathy is the ability to understand and share patient’s emotion or state of mind. Showing interest, attention and devotion towards patient will enhance a strong, healthy and supportive bond with the patient.According to the Webster’s dictionary, empathy is defined as â€Å"the projection of one’s own personality into the personality of another in order to understand the person better; ability to share in another’s emotions, thoughts, feelings† (Moore 2006, p 16). Empathy is usually considered as the capability to put oneself in a situation to understand the emotions, feelings of other people.Nowadays, empathy is considered as an effective skill for communication that is useful for both the health care worker and the client (Ioannidou & Konstantikaki 2008, p 118). The health care worker can collect related information and data from a client without any difficulty by using empathy as a communication tool. A no of patients visit hospitals or health care settings with different needs and expectations having different problems. Some clients are extremely hard to control. You can read also Coronary Artery Disease Nursing Care PlanAn empathetic understanding is necessary while dealing with such patients. Therefore, approaching empathetically can maintain the interpersonal relationship between the health care worker and client as well as improve the effectiveness of treatment (Davis 2009, p 76). It is important that the health care workers should feel what the patients or clients are going through providing comfort and reassuring of their lives. Empathy is a way of telling them they are not alone. It reduces their fear thus bringing hope and confidence.Keen (2006, p †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. ) states that memory, knowledge, knowledge and being able to feel other’s perception plays important part in empathy. The initial step in developing clinical empathy is to actively listen to the patient ( Davis 2009, p 77). In a therapeutic relationship, a health care worker can understand problems of a patient by listening carefully to their verbal and emotion al behaviours (Kliszcz et al. 2006). The responsibility of health care provider is to avoid any physical and mental factors that istracts the interaction between the patient and them. They should pay attention while the client is giving his or her information. The following step for empathy is to understand, recognize and sensitive obligation of feelings of another person. The health care worker should show the patient what they understand and make realize the support is provided to them. Demonstrating empathy helps to decrease the feeling of insulated for their disease to the client which is intensely therapeutic.