bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Exploring the Influence of Age, Gender and Body Mass Index on Colorectal Cancer Location
Authors: Popovici Dorel , Stanisav Cristian , Saftescu Sorin , Negru Serban , Dragomir Radu , Ciurescu Daniel , Diaconescu Razvan
Published: July 2023

Background and objectives: The global burden of non-communicable diseases like obesity and cancer, particularly colorectal cancer (CRC), is increasing. The present study aimed to investigate the association between CRC location (proximal vs. distal) and patient demographic factors including age, sex, and BMI, as well as cancer stage at diagnosis. Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, data from 830 patients diagnosed with CRC were analyzed. The variables included age, sex, weight, height, BMI, cancer location, and cancer stage at diagnosis. Patients were stratified into three age groups and three BMI categories, and we analyzed the association between cancer location and these variables using Chi-squared tests and multivariate logistic regression. Results: The rectum and ascending colon were the most common locations of malignant neoplasms. No statistically significant differences in cancer location across age groups were observed. Significant differences were found in the BMI across age groups, particularly in the normal weight and overweight categories. Normal weight and obese patients had a higher proportion of Stage 3 and Stage 4 cancers. Obesity emerged as a significant predictor for rectal cancer in a multivariate logistic regression analysis, with an odds ratio of 1.56. However, no significant associations were found between cancer location and other factors like age, gender, or cancer stage. Conclusions: Our study revealed that normal weight and obese patients had a higher proportion of Stage 3 and Stage 4 cancers, with obesity emerging as a significant predictor for rectal cancer. It is important to note that while obesity was found to be a significant predictor for rectal cancer, the development and location of colorectal cancer is likely influenced by various factors beyond those studied here. Therefore, further research is needed to investigate the roles of other potential risk factors, like loss of SIRT6 and adipose tissue homeostasis. Additionally, inflammation associated with microbiota in the colorectal mucosa, systemic gene expression, and visceral obesity may also play important roles in the development and progression of colorectal cancer. Understanding these intricate relationships is crucial for better screening, disease prognosis, and management strategies.
Relationship between Treatment Burden, Health Literacy, and Medication Adherence in Older Adults Coping with Multiple Chronic Conditions
Authors: Selvakumar Dharrshinee , Sivanandy Palanisamy , Ingle Pravinkumar Vishwanath , Theivasigamani Kumutha
Published: July 2023

A prospective study was conducted to investigate the impact of treatment burden and health literacy on medication adherence among older adults with multiple chronic conditions (MCC) and to explore the potential moderating effects of demographic and clinical factors. Face-to-face structured interviews were conducted among older adults aged 60 and above using the Burden of Treatment Questionnaire (TBQ-15), Short Form Health Literacy Questionnaire (HLS-SF12), and Malaysia Medication Adherence Assessment Tool (MyMAAT). This study included 346 older adults aged 60 years and above with two or more chronic conditions (n = 346). Hypertension (30.2%), hyperlipidemia (24.0%), and diabetes (18.0%) were the most reported chronic conditions among participants. The mean score of treatment burden was 53.4 (SD = 28.2), indicating an acceptable burden of treatment. The mean score of health literacy was 16.4 (SD = 12.6), indicating a limited health literacy level among participants; meanwhile, the mean score of medication adherence was 32.6 (SD = 12.3), indicating medication non-adherence among participants. Medication adherence was significantly correlated with treatment burden (r = −0.22, p < 0.0001), health literacy (r = 0.36, p < 0.0001), number of chronic conditions (r = −0.23, p < 0.0001), and age (r = −0.11, p < 0.05). The study findings emphasize that multimorbid older adults with high treatment burdens and low health literacy are more likely to have poor medication adherence. This underscores the importance for clinicians to address these factors in order to improve medication adherence among older adults with multiple chronic conditions (MCC).
Prediction of Postoperative Creatinine Levels by Artificial Intelligence after Partial Nephrectomy
Authors: Shin Tae Young , Han Hyunho , Min Hyun-Seok , Cho Hyungjoo , Kim Seonggyun , Park Sung Yul , Kim Hyung Joon , Kim Jung Hoon , Lee Yong Seong
Published: July 2023

Background and Objectives: Multiple factors are associated with postoperative functional outcomes, such as acute kidney injury (AKI), following partial nephrectomy (PN). The pre-, peri-, and postoperative factors are heavily intertwined and change dynamically, making it difficult to predict postoperative renal function. Therefore, we aimed to build an artificial intelligence (AI) model that utilizes perioperative factors to predict residual renal function and incidence of AKI following PN. Methods and Materials: This retrospective study included 785 patients (training set 706, test set 79) from six tertiary referral centers who underwent open or robotic PN. Forty-four perioperative features were used as inputs to train the AI prediction model. XG-Boost and genetic algorithms were used for the final model selection and to determine feature importance. The primary outcome measure was immediate postoperative serum creatinine (Cr) level. The secondary outcome was the incidence of AKI (estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) < 60 mL/h). The average difference between the true and predicted serum Cr levels was considered the mean absolute error (MAE) and was used as a model evaluation parameter. Results: An AI model for predicting immediate postoperative serum Cr levels was selected from 2000 candidates by providing the lowest MAE (0.03 mg/dL). The model-predicted immediate postoperative serum Cr levels correlated closely with the measured values (R2 = 0.9669). The sensitivity and specificity of the model for predicting AKI were 85.5% and 99.7% in the training set, and 100.0% and 100.0% in the test set, respectively. The limitations of this study included its retrospective design. Conclusions: Our AI model successfully predicted accurate serum Cr levels and the likelihood of AKI. The accuracy of our model suggests that personalized guidelines to optimize multidisciplinary plans involving pre- and postoperative care need to be developed.
Delayed Surgical Treatment in Patients with Chronic Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Is Still Effective in the Improvement of Hand Function
Authors: Twardowska Marta , Czarnecki Piotr , Jokiel Marta , Bręborowicz Ewa , Huber Juliusz , Romanowski Leszek
Published: July 2023

Background and Objectives: Severe carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is the most common compression neuropathy in the upper extremities treated conservatively; later, when advanced, CTS is treated mostly surgically. The most prevalent symptoms comprise numbness, as well as sensation loss in the thumb, index, and middle finger, and thenar muscle strength loss, resulting in impaired daily functioning for patients. Data on the results of CTS treatment in patients with delayed surgical intervention are scarce. The aim of this study was to determine the postoperative results of chronic carpal tunnel syndrome treatment in patients with symptoms lasting for at least 5 years. Materials and Methods: A total of 86 patients (69 females, 17 males) with a mean age of 58 years reporting symptoms of CTS for at least 5 years (mean: 8.5 years) were prospectively studied. The average follow-up time was 33 months. All patients underwent the surgical open decompression of the median nerve at the wrist. A preoperative observation was composed of an interview and a clinical examination. The subjects completed the DASH (the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand), PRWE (Patient-Rated Wrist Evaluation), and self-report questionnaires. Global grip strength, sensory discrimination, characteristic symptoms of CTS, and thenar muscle atrophy were examined. Postoperatively, clinical and functional examinations were repeated, and patients expressed their opinions by completing a BCTQ (Boston Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Questionnaire). Results: We found improvements in daily activities and hand function postoperatively. Overall, 88% of patients were satisfied with the outcome of surgery. DASH scores decreased after surgery from 44.82 to 14.12 at p < 0.001. PRWE questionnaire scores decreased from 53.34 to 15.19 at p < 0.001. The mean score of the BCTQ on the scale regarding the severity of symptoms was 1.48 and 1.62 on the scale regarding function after surgery. No significant differences were found in the scores between the male and female groups or between age groups (p > 0.05). A significant increase in global grip strength from 16.61 kg to 21.91 kg was observed postoperatively at p < 0.001. No significant difference was detected in the measurement of sensory discrimination (6.02 vs. 5.44). In most of the examined patients, night numbness and wrist pain subsided after surgery at p < 0.001. Thenar muscle atrophy diminished after surgery at p < 0.001. Conclusions: Most patients were satisfied with the results of CTS surgery regarding the open decompression of the median nerve even after 5 years of ineffective conservative treatment. Significant improvement of the hand function was confirmed in the functional studies.
Environmental Applications of Electromembrane Extraction: A Review
Authors: Shi Linping , Chen Mantang , Zhao Ge , Wang Xiaoyu , Fan Meijuan , Liu Ruihong , Xie Fuwei
Published: July 2023

Electromembrane extraction (EME) is a miniaturized extraction technique that has been widely used in recent years for the analysis and removal of pollutants in the environment. It is based on electrokinetic migration across a supported liquid membrane (SLM) under the influence of an external electrical field between two aqueous compartments. Based on the features of the SLM and the electrical field, EME offers quick extraction, effective sample clean-up, and good selectivity, and limits the amount of organic solvent used per sample to a few microliters. In this paper, the basic devices (membrane materials and types of organic solvents) and influencing factors of EME are first introduced, and the applications of EME in the analysis and removal of environmental inorganic ions and organic pollutants are systematically reviewed. An outlook on the future development of EME for environmental applications is also given.
Critical State of the Art of Sugarcane Industry Wastewater Treatment Technologies and Perspectives for Sustainability
Authors: Nouhou Moussa Abdoul Wahab , Sawadogo Boukary , Konate Yacouba , Sidibe Sayon dit Sadio , Heran Marc
Published: July 2023

The worldwide pressure on water resources is aggravated by rapid industrialization, with the food industry, particularly sugar factories, being the foremost contributor. Sugarcane, a primary source of sugar production, requires vast amounts of water, over half of which is discharged as wastewater, often mixed with several byproducts. The discharge of untreated wastewater can have detrimental effects on the environment, making the treatment and reuse of effluents crucial. However, conventional treatment systems may not be adequate for sugarcane industry effluent treatment due to the high organic load and variable chemical and mineral pollution. It is essential to explore pollution-remediating technologies that can achieve a nexus (water, energy, and food) approach and contribute to sustainable development. Based on the extensive literature, membrane technologies such as the membrane bioreactor have shown promising results in treating sugarcane industry wastewater, producing treated water of higher quality, and the possibility of biogas recovery. The byproducts generated from this treatment can also be recovered and used in agriculture for food security. To date, membrane technologies have demonstrated successful results in treating industrial wastewater. This critical review aims to evaluate the performance of traditional and conventional processes in order to propose sustainable perspectives. It also serves to emphasize the need for further research on operating conditions related to membrane bioreactors for valuing sugarcane effluent, to establish it as a sustainable treatment system.
Loose Nanofiltration Membrane Incorporating CeZnFe Layered Double Hydroxide with Enhanced Dye/Salt Separation Performance and Self-Cleaning Ability
Authors: Balcik Cigdem , Ozbey-Unal Bahar , Sahin Busra , Keyikoğlu Ramazan , Khataee Alireza
Published: July 2023

The high-salinity wastewater from the textile industry faces a significant challenge in effectively separating dyes and salts. In this study, a CeZnFe-layered double hydroxide (LDH)-incorporated nanofiltration (LNF) membrane was fabricated using the conventional interfacial polymerization (IP) technique to fractionate dyes and salts within the wastewater. The impact of CeZnFe LDH on various aspects of membrane performance was examined, including water flux, dye removal efficiency, dye/salt separation capability, self-cleaning ability, and membrane integrity. The addition of LDHs resulted in improved membrane surface hydrophilicity, thereby enhancing water flux. The optimized TFN membrane (0.050 wt% LDH in PIP solution) significantly improved pure water flux, exceeding 150%. All TFN membranes exhibited excellent performance in dye and salt fractionation (93% for Congo red, 2.6% for NaCl, and 40.7% for Na2SO4). Also, excellent self-cleaning ability was observed for the optimized membrane, exhibiting a remarkable water flux recovery rate after three operation cycles. Moreover, including CeZnFe LDH in the optimized TFN membrane played a significant role in enhancing membrane integrity. This study provides new inspiration for fabricating self-cleaning loose NF membranes using CeZnFe LDH for effective dye/salt separation.
Additive Manufacturing of AISI 316L Stainless Steel: A Review
Authors: D’Andrea Danilo
Published: July 2023

Additive manufacturing (AM) represents the present and the future of manufacturing production, thanks to a new design paradigm that allows the customization of components based on the needs of the final application, all framed in a perspective of sustainable and on-demand production. It has become an increasingly popular method for manufacturing complex and custom parts, especially those made from metallic materials, such as AISI 316L. AISI 316L is a type of austenitic steel widely used in industries such as aerospace, medical, automotive, and marine due to its excellent corrosion resistance and high strength. Thanks to its physico-chemical properties, AISI 316L stainless steel is one of the most used metals for AM. In this paper, a critical review of printing technologies, microstructural defects, mechanical properties, as well as industrial applications of AISI 316L are presented based on the state of the art. Furthermore, the main challenges with AM AISI 316L techniques are discussed, such as the influence of printing parameters, surface quality, and other common problems identified in the literature. Overall, this paper provides a comprehensive overview of AISI 316L AM techniques, challenges, and future research directions.
From Nature to Lab: A Review of Secondary Metabolite Biosynthetic Pathways, Environmental Influences, and In Vitro Approaches
Authors: Reshi Zubair Altaf , Ahmad Waquar , Lukatkin Alexander S. , Javed Saad Bin
Published: July 2023

Secondary metabolites are gaining an increasing importance in various industries, such as pharmaceuticals, dyes, and food, as is the need for reliable and efficient methods of procuring these compounds. To develop sustainable and cost-effective approaches, a comprehensive understanding of the biosynthetic pathways and the factors influencing secondary metabolite production is essential. These compounds are a unique type of natural product which recognizes the oxidative damage caused by stresses, thereby activating the defence mechanism in plants. Various methods have been developed to enhance the production of secondary metabolites in plants. The elicitor-induced in vitro culture technique is considered an efficient tool for studying and improving the production of secondary metabolites in plants. In the present review, we have documented various biosynthetic pathways and the role of secondary metabolites under diverse environmental stresses. Furthermore, a practical strategy for obtaining consistent and abundant secondary metabolite production via various elicitation agents used in culturing techniques is also mentioned. By elucidating the intricate interplay of regulatory factors, this review paves the way for future advancements in sustainable and efficient production methods for high-value secondary metabolites.
Rapid Micromolding of Sub-100 µm Microfluidic Channels Using an 8K Stereolithographic Resin 3D Printer
Authors: Vedhanayagam Arpith , Golfetto Michael , Ram Jeffrey L. , Basu Amar S.
Published: July 2023

Engineering microfluidic devices relies on the ability to manufacture sub-100 micrometer fluidic channels. Conventional lithographic methods provide high resolution but require costly exposure tools and outsourcing of masks, which extends the turnaround time to several days. The desire to accelerate design/test cycles has motivated the rapid prototyping of microfluidic channels; however, many of these methods (e.g., laser cutters, craft cutters, fused deposition modeling) have feature sizes of several hundred microns or more. In this paper, we describe a 1-day process for fabricating sub-100 µm channels, leveraging a low-cost (USD 600) 8K digital light projection (DLP) 3D resin printer. The soft lithography process includes mold printing, post-treatment, and casting polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) elastomer. The process can produce microchannels with 44 µm lateral resolution and 25 µm height, posts as small as 400 µm, aspect ratio up to 7, structures with varying z-height, integrated reservoirs for fluidic connections, and a built-in tray for casting. We discuss strategies to obtain reliable structures, prevent mold warpage, facilitate curing and removal of PDMS during molding, and recycle the solvents used in the process. To our knowledge, this is the first low-cost 3D printer that prints extruded structures that can mold sub-100 µm channels, providing a balance between resolution, turnaround time, and cost (~USD 5 for a 2 × 5 × 0.5 cm3 chip) that will be attractive for many microfluidics labs.
Biopolymers Used for Receptor Immobilization for Nickel-Detection Biosensors in Food
Authors: Anchidin-Norocel Liliana , Savage Wesley K. , Gheorghita Roxana , Amariei Sonia
Published: July 2023

Food is humans’ main source of nickel intake, which is responsible for the prevalence of allergic contact dermatitis and other pathological afflictions. While robust, the classical methods for nickel detection—atomic absorption spectrometry and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry—are expensive and laborious; in contrast, modern methods that utilize sensors—of which most are electrochemical—have rapid run times, are cost-effective, and are easily assembled. Here, we describe the use of four biopolymers (alginate, agar, chitosan, and carrageenan) for receptor immobilization on biosensors to detect nickel ions and use an optimization approach with three biopolymer concentrations to assay analytical performance profiles. We measured the total performance of screen-printed carbon electrodes immobilized with the biopolymer–sensor combinations using cyclic voltammetry (CV). Voltammetric behavior favored the carrageenan biosensor, based on performance characteristics measured using CV, with sensitivities of 2.68 (for 1% biopolymer concentration) and 2.08 (for 0.5% biopolymer concentration). Our results indicated that among the four biopolymer combinations, carrageenan with urease affixed to screen-printed electrodes was effective at coupling for nickel detection.
A High-Power 170 GHz in-Phase Power-Combing Frequency Doubler Based on Schottky Diodes
Authors: Wang Li , Zhang Dehai , Meng Jin , Zhu Haotian
Published: July 2023

In this paper, a high-power 170 GHz frequency doubler based on a Schottky diode is proposed using an in-phase power-combining structure. Unlike a conventional power-combining frequency doubler, the proposed frequency doubler utilizes the combination of a T-junction power divider and two bend waveguides to eliminate the phase difference between the two output ports of the T-junction power divider, so as to achieve in-phase power combining with a concise structure. The frequency doubler was fabricated on a 50 μm thick AlN high-thermal-conductivity substrate to reduce the impact of the thermal effect on the performance. The measured results show that the doubler exhibits a conversion efficiency of 11–31.3% in the 165–180 GHz band under 350–400 mW of input power, and a 118 mW peak output power with a 31.3% efficiency was measured at 174 GHz `when the input power was 376 mW. A good agreement was achieved between the simulation results and the measured performance of the doubler, which proves the effectiveness of the proposed in-phase power-combining structure.
An RDL Modeling and Thermo-Mechanical Simulation Method of 2.5D/3D Advanced Package Considering the Layout Impact Based on Machine Learning
Authors: Wu Xiaodong , Wang Zhizhen , Ma Shenglin , Chu Xianglong , Li Chunlei , Wang Wei , Jin Yufeng , Wu Daowei
Published: July 2023

The decreasing-width, increasing-aspect-ratio RDL presents significant challenges to the design for reliability (DFR) of an advanced package. Therefore, this paper proposes an ML-based RDL modeling and simulation method. In the method, RDL was divided into blocks and subdivided into pixels of metal percentage, and the RDL was digitalized as tensors. Then, an ANN-based surrogate model was built and trained using a subset of tensors to predict the equivalent material properties of each block. Lastly, all blocks were transformed into elements for simulations. For validation, line bending simulations were conducted on an RDL, with the reaction force as an accuracy indicator. The results show that neglecting layout impact caused critical errors as the substrate thinned. According to the method, the reaction force error was 2.81% and the layout impact could be accurately considered with 200 × 200 elements. For application, the TCT maximum temperature state simulation was conducted on a CPU chip. The simulation indicated that for an advanced package, the maximum stress was more likely to occur in RDL rather than in bumps; both RDL and bumps were critically impacted by layouts, and RDL stress was also impacted by vias/bumps. The proposed method precisely concerned layout impacts with few resources, presenting an opportunity for efficient improvement.
Reem-Shape Phononic Crystal for Q Anchor Enhancement of Thin-Film-Piezoelectric-on-Si MEMS Resonator
Authors: Awad Mohammed , Workie Temesgen Bailie , Bao Jing-Fu , Hashimoto Ken-ya
Published: July 2023

This paper proposes a reem-shaped phononic crystal for the performance enhancement of TPoS resonators. The proposed phononic crystal offers an ultra-wide acoustic band gap that prevents energy leakage through the supporting substrate upon its placement at the anchoring boundary, resulting in significant improvements in the resonator quality factor. Simulated results show reem-shape phononic crystals generate a band gap up to 175 MHz with a BG of 90% and enhance the anchor quality factor from 180,000 to 6,000,000 and the unloaded quality factor from 133,000 to 160,000, representing 33.3-fold and 1.2-fold improvements, respectively.
Process Analysis and Topography Evaluation for Monocrystalline Silicon Laser Cutting-Off
Authors: Liu Fei , Yu Aiwu , Wu Chongjun , Liang Steven
Published: July 2023

Due to the characteristics of high brittleness and low fracture toughness of monocrystalline silicon, its high precision and high-quality cutting have great challenges. Aiming at the urgent need of wafer cutting with high efficiency, this paper investigates the influence law of different laser processes on the size of the groove and the machining affected zone of laser cutting. The experimental results show that when laser cutting monocrystalline silicon, in addition to generating a groove, there will also be a machining affected zone on both sides of the groove and the size of both will directly affect the cutting quality. After wiping the thermal products generated by cutting on the material surface, the machining affected zone and the recast layer in the cutting seam can basically be eliminated to generate a wider cutting seam and the surface after wiping is basically the same as that before cutting. Increasing the laser cutting times will increase the width of the material’s machining affected zone and the groove width after chip removal. When the cutting times are less than 80, increasing the cutting times will increase the groove width at the same time; but, after the cutting times exceed 80, the groove width abruptly decreases and then slowly increases. In addition, the lower the laser scanning speed, the larger the width of the material’s machining affected zone and the width of the groove after chip removal. The increase in laser frequency will increase the crack width and the crack width after chip removal but decrease the machining affected zone width. The laser pulse width has a certain effect on the cutting quality but it does not show regularity. When the pulse width is 0.3 ns the cutting quality is the best and when the pulse width is 0.15 ns the cutting quality is the worst.
A Comprehensive Review of Surface Acoustic Wave-Enabled Acoustic Droplet Ejection Technology and Its Applications
Authors: Ning Jia , Lei Yulin , Hu Hong , Gai Chenhui
Published: July 2023

This review focuses on the development of surface acoustic wave-enabled acoustic drop ejection (SAW-ADE) technology, which utilizes surface acoustic waves to eject droplets from liquids without touching the sample. The technology offers advantages such as high throughput, high precision, non-contact, and integration with automated systems while saving samples and reagents. The article first provides an overview of the SAW-ADE technology, including its basic theory, simulation verification, and comparison with other types of acoustic drop ejection technology. The influencing factors of SAW-ADE technology are classified into four categories: fluid properties, device configuration, presence of channels or chambers, and driving signals. The influencing factors discussed in detail from various aspects, such as the volume, viscosity, and surface tension of the liquid; the type of substrate material, interdigital transducers, and the driving waveform; sessile droplets and fluid in channels/chambers; and the power, frequency, and modulation of the input signal. The ejection performance of droplets is influenced by various factors, and their optimization can be achieved by taking into account all of the above factors and designing appropriate configurations. Additionally, the article briefly introduces the application scenarios of SAW-ADE technology in bioprinters and chemical analyses and provides prospects for future development. The article contributes to the field of microfluidics and lab-on-a-chip technology and may help researchers to design and optimize SAW-ADE systems for specific applications.
Design and Analysis of Modified U-Shaped Four Element MIMO Antenna for Dual-Band 5G Millimeter Wave Applications
Authors: Jetti Chandrasekhar Rao , Addepalli Tathababu , Devireddy Sreenivasa Rao , Tanimki Gayatri Konni , Al-Gburi Ahmed Jamal Abdullah , Zakaria Zahriladha , Sunitha Pamarthi
Published: July 2023

A novel compact-slotted four element multiple input multiple output (MIMO) planar monopole antenna is proposed for 5G mmWave N257/N258 and N262 band applications. The antenna, with dimensions of 12 mm × 11.6 mm × 0.508 mm (1.036λo ×1.001λo×0.043λo where λo is computed at lowest cutoff frequency), is fabricated on a Rogers RT/duroid 5880 (tm) substrate with a relative permittivity of 2.2 and a dielectric loss tangent of 0.0009. The suggested antenna consists of four U-shaped radiating elements (patches) on top of the dielectric material and a slotted ground on the bottom. The radiating elements are fed by a 50-ohm microstrip line feed. To improve the impedance performance of the MIMO antenna, a rectangular strip of 1.3 mm × 0.2 mm and a couple of rectangular slots are added to each radiating element. The first operating band at 27.1 GHz, ranging from 25.9 GHz to 27.8 GHz, is achieved by using slotted U-shaped radiating elements. The second operating band at 48.7 GHz, ranging from 47.1 GHz to 49.9 GHz, is obtained by etching hexagonal slots on the ground. The antenna design achieves an isolation of >27 dB through the orthogonal positioning of radiating elements and slots on the ground. The designed antenna operates at 27 GHz (N257/N258) and 48.7 GHz (N262) bands, exhibiting stable radiation patterns, a peak gain of >5.95 dBi, radiation efficiency of >90%, an envelope correlation coefficient of <10−6, a total active reflection coefficient of ≤−10 dB, channel capacity losses of <0.03 bits/s/Hz, and a mean effective gain of ≤−3 dB. The simulated and measured results of the antenna show good agreement, making it well-suited for 5G mmWave communication applications.
Microfluidic System for Cell Mixing and Particle Focusing Using Dean Flow Fractionation
Authors: Wiede Alexander , Stranik Ondrej , Tannert Astrid , Neugebauer Ute
Published: July 2023

Recent developments in the field of additive manufacturing processes have led to tremendous technological progress and opened directions for the field of microfluidics. For instance, new flexible materials for 3D printing allow the substitution of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) in microfluidic prototype development. Three-dimensional-printed microfluidic components open new horizons, in particular for the automated handling of biological cells (e.g., eukaryotic cells or bacteria). Here, we demonstrate how passive mixing and passive separation processes of biological cells can be realized using 3D printing concepts for rapid prototyping. This technique facilitates low-cost experimental setups that are easy to modify and adopt for specific detection and diagnostic purposes. In particular, printing technologies based on fused deposition modeling and stereolithography are used and their realization is discussed. Additive technologies enable the fabrication of multiplication mixers, which overcome shortcomings of current pillar or curve-based techniques and enable efficient mixing, also of biological cells without affecting viability. Using standard microfluidic components and state-of-the art 3D printing technologies, we realize a separation system based on Dean flow fragmentation without the use of PDMS. In particular, we describe the use of a 3D-printed helix for winding a capillary for particle flow and a new chip design for particle separation at the outlet. We demonstrate the functionality of the system by successful isolation of ~12 µm-sized particles from a particle mixture containing large (~12 µm, typical size of eukaryotic cells) and small (~2 µm, typical size of bacteria or small yeasts) particles. Using this setup to separate eukaryotic cells from bacteria, we could prove that cell viability is not affected by passage through the microfluidic systems.
Natural Products from Red Algal Genus Laurencia as Potential Inhibitors of RdRp and nsp15 Enzymes of SARS-CoV-2: An In Silico Perspective
Authors: Pokharkar Omkar , Anumolu Harshavardhan , Zyryanov Grigory V. , Tsurkan Mikhail V.
Published: July 2023

The genus Laurencia, a category of marine red algae, is well recognized for producing a large variety of natural products (NPs) that are both chemically intriguing and structurally distinct. The aim of this research was to identify NPs with potential anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity. The crystals of the proteins RdRp and nsp15 were obtained from the RCSB protein database. About 300 NPs were discovered using the PubChem, ChemSpider, and CMNPD databases. The program Autodock Vina was used to conduct the molecular docking procedure once the proteins and ligands were prepared. Before running MD simulations using the CABS-flex 2.0 website, binding affinity assessments and interactions between amino acids were carefully reviewed. Only nine NPs were shortlisted to be examined further. Bromophycolide R, S, and bromophycoic acid C show the tendency to inhibit RdRp by β-hairpin motif binding at the N-terminal known as Active site 2 (AS2), whereas the other four NPs, bromophycolide E, H, P, and thyrsenol A, may effectively inhibit RdRp through interactions via C-terminal, also known as the Active site 1 (AS1). For the enzyme nsp15, bromophycoic B, C, and floridoside showed plausible interactions. In conclusion, out of nine, seven candidates shortlisted for RdRp exhibited strong interactions with the key residues in the AS1 and AS2 regions. Bromophycoic acid C may work as a dual inhibitor due to its favorable interactions with the nsp15 protein and RdRp’s N-terminal, with affinities of −8.5 and −8.2 kcal/mol, respectively.
Escherichia coli Nissle 1917 Antagonizes Candida albicans Growth and Protects Intestinal Cells from C. albicans-Mediated Damage
Authors: Rebai Yasmine , Wagner Lysett , Gnaien Mayssa , Hammer Merle L. , Kapitan Mario , Niemiec Maria Joanna , Mami Wael , Mosbah Amor , Messadi Erij , Mardassi Helmi , Vylkova Slavena , Jacobsen Ilse D. , Znaidi Sadri
Published: July 2023

Candida albicans is a pathobiont of the gastrointestinal tract. It can contribute to the diversity of the gut microbiome without causing harmful effects. When the immune system is compromised, C. albicans can damage intestinal cells and cause invasive disease. We hypothesize that a therapeutic approach against C. albicans infections can rely on the antimicrobial properties of probiotic bacteria. We investigated the impact of the probiotic strain Escherichia coli Nissle 1917 (EcN) on C. albicans growth and its ability to cause damage to intestinal cells. In co-culture kinetic assays, C. albicans abundance gradually decreased over time compared with C. albicans abundance in the absence of EcN. Quantification of C. albicans survival suggests that EcN exerts a fungicidal activity. Cell-free supernatants (CFS) collected from C. albicans-EcN co-culture mildly altered C. albicans growth, suggesting the involvement of an EcN-released compound. Using a model of co-culture in the presence of human intestinal epithelial cells, we further show that EcN prevents C. albicans from damaging enterocytes both distantly and through direct contact. Consistently, both C. albicans’s filamentous growth and microcolony formation were altered by EcN. Taken together, our study proposes that probiotic-strain EcN can be exploited for future therapeutic approaches against C. albicans infections.
Metagenomic Analysis of Antarctic Biocrusts Unveils a Rich Range of Cold-Shock Proteins
Authors: Pushkareva Ekaterina , Elster Josef , Becker Burkhard
Published: July 2023

Microorganisms inhabiting Antarctic biocrusts develop several strategies to survive extreme environmental conditions such as severe cold and drought. However, the knowledge about adaptations of biocrusts microorganisms are limited. Here, we applied metagenomic sequencing to study biocrusts from east Antarctica. Biocrusts were dominated by cyanobacteria, actinobacteria and proteobacteria. Furthermore, the results provided insights into the presence and abundance of cold shock proteins (Csp), cold shock domain A proteins (CsdA), and antifreeze proteins (AFP) in these extreme environments. The metagenomic analysis revealed a high number of CsdA across the samples. The majority of the Csp recorded in the studied biocrusts were Csp A, C, and E. In addition, CsdA, Csp, and AFP primarily originated from proteobacteria and actinobacteria.
MarR Family Transcriptional Regulators and Their Roles in Plant-Interacting Bacteria
Authors: Nazaret Fanny , Alloing Geneviève , Mandon Karine , Frendo Pierre
Published: July 2023

The relationship between plants and associated soil microorganisms plays a major role in ecosystem functioning. Plant–bacteria interactions involve complex signaling pathways regulating various processes required by bacteria to adapt to their fluctuating environment. The establishment and maintenance of these interactions rely on the ability of the bacteria to sense and respond to biotic and abiotic environmental signals. In this context, MarR family transcriptional regulators can use these signals for transcriptional regulation, which is required to establish adapted responses. MarR-like transcriptional regulators are essential for the regulation of the specialized functions involved in plant–bacteria interactions in response to a wide range of molecules associated with the plant host. The conversion of environmental signals into changes in bacterial physiology and behavior allows the bacteria to colonize the plant and ensure a successful interaction. This review focuses on the mechanisms of plant-signal perception by MarR-like regulators, namely how they (i) allow bacteria to cope with the rhizosphere and plant endosphere, (ii) regulate the beneficial functions of Plant-Growth-Promoting Bacteria and (iii) regulate the virulence of phytopathogenic bacteria.
Correlation of CRISPR/Cas and Antimicrobial Resistance in Klebsiella pneumoniae Clinical Isolates Recovered from Patients in Egypt Compared to Global Strains
Authors: Alkompoz Amany K. , Hamed Samira M. , Zaid Ahmed S. Abu , Almangour Thamer A. , Al-Agamy Mohamed H. , Aboshanab Khaled M.
Published: July 2023

The CRISPR/Cas system has been long known to interfere with the acquisition of foreign genetic elements and was recommended as a tool for fighting antimicrobial resistance. The current study aimed to explore the prevalence of the CRISPR/Cas system in Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates recovered from patients in Egypt in comparison to global strains and correlate the CRISPR/Cas to susceptibility to antimicrobial agents. A total of 181 clinical isolates were PCR-screened for cas and selected antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs). In parallel, 888 complete genome sequences were retrieved from the NCBI database for in silico analysis. CRISPR/Cas was found in 46 (25.4%) isolates, comprising 18.8% type I-E and 6.6% type I-E*. Multidrug resistance (MDR) and extensive drug resistance (XDR) were found in 73.5% and 25.4% of the isolates, respectively. More than 95% of the CRISPR/Cas-bearing isolates were MDR (65.2%) or XDR (32.6%). No significant difference was found in the susceptibility to the tested antimicrobial agents among the CRISPR/Cas-positive and -negative isolates. The same finding was obtained for the majority of the screened ARGs. Among the published genomes, 23.2% carried CRISPR/Cas, with a higher share of I-E* (12.8%). They were confined to specific sequence types (STs), most commonly ST147, ST23, ST15, and ST14. More plasmids and ARGs were carried by the CRISPR/Cas-negative group than others, but their distribution in the two groups was not significantly different. The prevalence of some ARGs, such as blaKPC, blaTEM, and rmtB, was significantly higher among the genomes of the CRISPR/Cas-negative strains. A weak, nonsignificant positive correlation was found between the number of spacers and the number of resistance plasmids and ARGs. In conclusion, the correlation between CRISPR/Cas and susceptibility to antimicrobial agents or bearing resistance plasmids and ARGs was found to be nonsignificant. Plasmid-targeting spacers might not be naturally captured by CRISPR/Cas. Spacer match analysis is recommended to provide a clearer image of the exact behavior of CRISPR/Cas towards resistance plasmids.
Phenotypic Analysis, Molecular Characterization, and Antibiogram of Caries-Causing Bacteria Isolated from Dental Patients
Authors: Farva Khushbu , Sattar Huma , Ullah Hayat , Raziq Abdur , Mehmood Muhammad Danish , Tareen Afrasiab Khan , Sultan Imrana Niaz , Zohra Quratulaain , Khan Muhammad Waseem
Published: July 2023

Dental caries is a biofilm-mediated, sugar-driven, multifactorial, dynamic disease that results in the phasic demineralization and remineralization of dental hard tissues. Despite scientific advances in cariology, dental caries remains a severe global concern. The aim of this study was to determine the optimization of microbial and molecular techniques for the detection of cariogenic pathogens in dental caries patients, the prevalence of cariogenic bacteria on the basis of socioeconomic, climatological, and hygienic factors, and in vitro evaluation of the antimicrobial activity of selected synthetic antibiotics and herbal extracts. In this study, oral samples were collected from 900 patients for bacterial strain screening on a biochemical and molecular basis. Plant extracts, such as ginger, garlic, neem, tulsi, amla, and aloe vera, were used to check the antimicrobial activity against the isolated strains. Synthetic antimicrobial agents, such as penicillin, amoxicillin, erythromycin, clindamycin, metronidazole, doxycycline, ceftazidime, levofloxacin, and ciprofloxacin, were also used to access the antimicrobial activity. Among 900 patients, 63% were males and 37% were females, patients aged between 36 and 58 (45.7%) years were prone to disease, and the most common symptom was toothache (61%). For oral diseases, 21% used herbs, 36% used antibiotics, and 48% were self-medicated, owing to sweets consumption (60.66%) and fizzy drinks and fast food (51.56%). Staphylococcus mutans (29.11%) and Streptococcus sobrinus (28.11%) were found as the most abundant strains. Seven bacterial strains were successfully screened and predicted to be closely related to genera S. sobrinus, S. mutans, Actinomyces naeslundii, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Eubacterium nodatum, Propionibacterium acidifaciens, and Treponema Pallidum. Among plant extracts, the maximum zone of inhibition was recorded by ginger (22.36 mm) and amla (20.01 mm), while among synthetic antibiotics, ciprofloxacin and levofloxacin were most effective against all microbes. This study concluded that phyto extracts of ginger and amla were considered suitable alternatives to synthetic antibiotics to treat dental diseases.
Synergistic Anticandidal Effectiveness of Greenly Synthesized Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles with Antifungal Agents against Nosocomial Candidal Pathogens
Authors: Yassin Mohamed Taha , Al-Otibi Fatimah O. , Al-Askar Abdulaziz A. , Elmaghrabi Marwa M.
Published: July 2023

The high prevalence of fungal resistance to antifungal drugs necessitates finding new antifungal combinations to boost the antifungal bioactivity of these agents. Hence, the aim of the present investigation was to greenly synthesize zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) using an aqueous leaf extract of Salvia officinalis and investigate their antifungal activity and synergistic efficiency with common antifungal agents. The biofabricated ZnO-NPs were characterized to detect their physicochemical properties. A disk diffusion assay was employed to investigate the antifungal effectiveness of the greenly synthesized ZnO-NPs and evaluate their synergistic patterns with common antifungal agents. The Candida tropicalis strain was detected to be the most susceptible strain to ZnO-NPs at both tested concentrations of 50 and 100 µg/disk, demonstrating relative suppressive zones of 19.68 ± 0.32 and 23.17 ± 0.45 mm, respectively. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of ZnO-NPs against the C. tropicalis strain was 40 µg/mL, whereas the minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) was found to be 80 µg/mL. The highest synergistic efficiency of the biogenic ZnO-NPs with terbinafine antifungal agent was detected against the C. glabrata strain, whereas the highest synergistic efficiency was detected with fluconazole against the C. albicans strain, demonstrating relative increases in fold of inhibition area (IFA) values of 6.82 and 1.63, respectively. Moreover, potential synergistic efficiency was detected with the nystatin antifungal agent against the C. tropicalis strain with a relative IFA value of 1.06. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis affirmed the morphological deformations of candidal cells treated with the biosynthesized ZnO-NPs as the formation of abnormal infoldings of the cell wall and membranes and also the formation of pores in the cell wall and membranes, which might lead to the leakage of intracellular constituents. In conclusion, the potential synergistic efficiency of the biogenic ZnO-NPs with terbinafine, nystatin, and fluconazole against the tested candidal strains highlights the potential application of these combinations in formulating novel antifungal agents of high antimicrobial efficiency. The biogenic ZnO nanoparticles and antifungal drugs exhibit powerful synergistic efficiency, which highlights their prospective use in the formulation of efficient antimicrobial medications, including mouthwash, ointments, lotions, and creams for effective candidiasis treatment.
Markers of Epstein–Barr Virus Infection in Association with the Onset and Poor Control of Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Prospective Cohort Study
Authors: Miljanovic Danijela , Cirkovic Andja , Jermic Ivica , Basaric Milica , Lazarevic Ivana , Grk Milka , Miskovic Rada , Despotovic Aleksa , Banko Ana
Published: July 2023

Although the connection between Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has been studied for over 40 years, many questions still need clarification. The study aimed to analyze the possible association between anti-EBV antibody titers, EBV DNA viremia, EBV infection status and EBNA1 (Epstein–Barr nuclear antigen 1—EBNA1) variants and clinical parameters of RA patients. This prospective cohort study included 133 RA patients and 50 healthy controls. Active/recent EBV infection was more prevalent in RA patients than in controls (42% vs. 16%, p < 0.001). RA patients had higher titers of anti-EBV-CA-IgM (capsid antigen—CA) and anti-EBV-EA(D)-IgG (early antigen—EA) antibodies than controls (p = 0.003 and p = 0.023, respectively). Lower levels of anti-EBNA1-IgG and anti-EBV-CA-IgG were observed in RA patients who received methotrexate (anti-EBNA1 IgG p < 0.001; anti-EBV-CA IgG p < 0.001). Based on amino acid residue on position 487, two EBNA1 prototypes were detected: P-Thr and P-Ala. Patients with active/recent EBV infection had a five times more chance of having RA and a nearly six times more chance of getting RA. Also, EBV active/recent infection is twice more likely in newly diagnosed than in methotrexate-treated patients. Further studies are needed to clarify “who is the chicken and who is the egg” in this EBV–RA relationship.
Isolation and Characterization of the Wastewater Micropollutant Phenacetin-Degrading Bacterium Rhodococcus sp. Strain PNT-23
Authors: Yuan Yaxuan , Wang Kexin , Liu Yihe , Jiang Maoting , Jiang Yinhu , Qiu Jiguo
Published: July 2023

Phenacetin, an antipyretic and analgesic drug, poses a serious health risk to both humans and aquatic organisms, which is of concern since this micropollutant is frequently detected in various aquatic environments. However, rare pure bacterial cultures have been reported to degrade phenacetin. Therefore, in this study, the novel phenacetin-degrading strain PNT-23 was isolated from municipal wastewater and identified as a Rhodococcus sp. based on its morphology and 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The isolated strain could completely degrade 100 mg/L phenacetin at an inoculum concentration of OD600 1.5 within 80 h, utilizing the micropollutant as its sole carbon source for growth. Strain PNT-23 exhibited optimal growth in LB medium at 37 °C and a pH of 7.0 with 1% NaCl, while the optimal degradation conditions in minimal medium were 30 °C and a pH of 7.0 with 1% NaCl. Two key intermediates were identified during phenacetin biodegradation by the strain PNT-23: N-acetyl-4-aminophenol and 4-aminophenol. This study provides novel insights into the biodegradation of phenacetin using a pure bacterium culture, expands the known substrate spectra of Rhodococcus strains and presents a potential new candidate for the microbial removal of phenacetin in a diverse range of environments.