Article
Dentistry, Oral Surgery & Medicine
Tian Zhang, Lingyun Xia, Zhejun Wang, Robert E. W. Hancock, Markus Haapasalo
Summary: DJK-5 treatment quickly killed biofilm bacteria and maintained a high level of dead bacteria for 1 week, while 1018 and CHX had less effective results, and the proportion of dead bacteria doubled within the first 7 days after exposure to CHX and 1018. The recovery time of biofilms was slow but similar after exposure to different treatments, with the recovery time after exposure to DJK-5 being longer.
JOURNAL OF ENDODONTICS
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Hilde Kristin Vindenes, Huang Lin, Rajesh Shigdel, Tamar Ringel-Kulka, Francisco Gomez Real, Cecilie Svanes, Shyamal D. Peddada, Randi J. Bertelsen
Summary: This study explores the impact of antimicrobial and environmental chemicals on the composition of oral bacteria. The results show that high levels of certain chemicals are associated with changes in the abundance of oral bacteria, highlighting the need for a better understanding of how antimicrobial chemical exposure influences the human microbiome.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Dentistry, Oral Surgery & Medicine
Heitor Ceolin Araujo, Juliano Pelim Pessan, Anne Caroline Morais Caldeira, Caio Sampaio, Marcelo Jose dos Santos Oliveira, Douglas Henrique Sales, Silvio Rainho Teixeira, Carlos Jose Leopoldo Constantino, Alberto Carlos Botazzo Delbem, Sandra Helena Penha Oliveira, Gordon Ramage, Douglas Roberto Monteiro
Summary: This study developed and characterized a dual nanocarrier of chlorhexidine and fluconazole, and evaluated its antibiofilm and cytotoxic effects. The results showed that the dual nanocarrier had superior antibiofilm effects compared to the combination of chlorhexidine and fluconazole, without increasing cytotoxicity.
JOURNAL OF DENTISTRY
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Jaime Gazola Filho, Natalia Leal Vizoto, Maria Luiza de Aguiar Loesch, Marina Dias de Sena, Danielle Mendes da Camara, Karina Sampaio Caiaffa, Renata de Oliveira Mattos-Graner, Cristiane Duque
Summary: The study evaluated the effects of NaF and CHX at sub-MIC levels on the growth and biofilm formation of S. mutans, showing that these agents can influence bacterial growth and biofilm formation in a strain-dependent manner.
MICROBIAL PATHOGENESIS
(2021)
Article
Dentistry, Oral Surgery & Medicine
Naiera Zayed, Nico Boon, Kristel Bernaerts, Ioanna Chatzigiannidou, Wannes Van Holm, Tim Verspecht, Wim Teughels
Summary: The study found that different chlorhexidine mouthrinses have varying effects on oral biofilms, and these effects appear to be product-dependent and influenced by their compositions and formulations.
JOURNAL OF PERIODONTAL RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Lianne C. Shanley, Olwyn R. Mahon, Sinead A. O'Rourke, Nuno G. B. Neto, Michael G. Monaghan, Daniel J. Kelly, Aisling Dunne
Summary: Recent studies have shown that immune cells undergo metabolic reprogramming upon activation, and exploiting this process has therapeutic potential. This study demonstrates for the first time that the size of hydroxyapatite particles can impact macrophage metabolism, with micron-sized particles promoting a pro-inflammatory phenotype through glycolysis. This highlights immunometabolism as a targetable aspect of the immune response for therapeutic benefit and informs intelligent biomaterial design.
ACTA BIOMATERIALIA
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Marko Rozman, Itziar Lekunberri, Ivana Grgic, Carles M. Borrego, Mira Petrovic
Summary: This study examined the impact of desiccation and pollution on the composition and metabolism of stream biofilm bacterial communities. The integration of biofilm community composition analysis, metabolome characterization, and dissolved organic matter analysis revealed strong genotype-to-phenotype interconnections. Desiccation had a stronger effect than emerging contaminants, but the biofilm communities did modify the chemical composition of their environment under pollution.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Meng-Ya Li, Xiao-Qiang Chen, Jue-Yang Wang, Hong-Tao Wang, Xi-Mei Xue, Jing Ding, Albert L. Juhasz, Yong-Guan Zhu, Hong-Bo Li, Lena Q. Ma
Summary: This study investigated the impact of gut microbiota and metabolites on the oral bioavailability of arsenic in contaminated soil using a mouse model. Results showed that perturbation of gut microbiota with penicillin led to a decrease in arsenic bioavailability through mechanisms including reduced amino acid concentrations causing iron and arsenic co-precipitation, and conversion of bioavailable inorganic arsenic to less bioavailable organic arsenic by the antibiotic-perturbed microflora.
ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Xiaoxue Chen, Yunan Hu, Simin Tian, Beizhong Han
Summary: This study investigated the interactions between Staphylococcus aureus and Klebsiella oxytoca in dual-species biofilms in a raw-meat-processing environment. The results showed increased biomass and altered metabolic profiling in the dual-species biofilms, contributing to a better understanding of inter-species biofilm communities.
Article
Medical Laboratory Technology
Lingqiu Dong, Jiaxing Tan, Zhengxia Zhong, Yi Tang, Wei Qin
Summary: In this study, alterations in the serum metabolomic profile of IgA nephropathy (IgAN) patients were investigated using UPLC-MS. Differential metabolites associated with IgAN were identified, including glycerophospholipids, sphingolipids, and vitamins. These differential metabolites were found to be associated with the clinical and pathological features of IgAN, and some of them showed promising predictive ability for IgAN.
CLINICA CHIMICA ACTA
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Rinke J. van Tatenhove-Pel, Tomaz Rijavec, Ales Lapanje, Iris van Swam, Emile Zwering, Jhonatan A. Hernandez-Valdes, Oscar P. Kuipers, Cristian Picioreanu, Bas Teusink, Herwig Bachmann
Summary: Metabolic interactions between cells are influenced by the distance between cells, and in a three-dimensional system, these interactions are constrained by competition or removal of metabolites, reducing the metabolic interaction distances in the low micrometer range.
Article
Microbiology
Tie Zhao, Chunhui Wang, Biyan Duan, Peipei Yang, Jianguo Wu, Qiwei Zhang
Summary: COVID-19 patients may exhibit dyslipidemia, with lower levels of TC and HDL-C compared to healthy individuals. Differential proteins associated with COVID-19 are involved in lipid pathways, and SARS-CoV-2 infection may induce metabolic reprogramming.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Chloe M. Wu, Kelsey M. Wheeler, Gerardo Carcamo-Oyarce, Kazuhiro Aoki, Abigail McShane, Sujit S. Datta, Jessica L. Mark Welch, Michael Tiemeyer, Ann L. Griffen, Katharina Ribbeck
Summary: Human microbiome composition is influenced by the natural host environment, specifically mucus, which contains gel-forming glycoproteins (mucins) with regulatory functions. Mucin glycans enable the coexistence of diverse microbes and prevent disease-associated compositional shifts. Different glycosylation patterns of mucins shape microbial communities by providing nutrients, organizing spatial structure, and potentially limiting competition. This study highlights the importance of mucin glycans as a host mechanism and potential therapeutic approach for maintaining a healthy microbiome.
NPJ BIOFILMS AND MICROBIOMES
(2023)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Liliana Angeles-Martinez, Vassily Hatzimanikatis
Summary: The study examines how crowding conditions and metabolic variability among cells shape the dynamics of microbial communities, using the CROMICS framework to investigate two archetypical microbial community forms and demonstrate the impact of crowded environments and metabolic differences on the dynamics of microbial communities.
PLOS COMPUTATIONAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Jia Li, Ru Zhang, Jinxia Ma, Shuai Tang, Yuan Li, Yi Li, Jun Wan
Summary: This study thoroughly investigated the gut microbial profile of patients with SIBO, finding significant differences in bacterial compositions between fecal and mucosal samples, as well as potential microbial biomarkers in the mucosa-associated gut microbiome. Further research is needed to explore the mechanisms and roles of these mucosa-associated taxa in SIBO.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Food Science & Technology
Qiqiong Li, Tom Van de Wiele
Summary: The interaction between tea polyphenols and gut microbiota contributes to the interindividual variability in cardiometabolic effects. Further research is needed to understand the metabolism of tea polyphenols, the bioactivities of microbial metabolites, and the development of databases for personalized nutrition.
CRITICAL REVIEWS IN FOOD SCIENCE AND NUTRITION
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Cindy Ka Y. Law, Kankana Kundu, Luiza Bonin, Lorena Penacoba-Antona, Eduardo Bolea-Fernandez, Frank Vanhaecke, Korneel Rabaey, Abraham Esteve-Nunez, Bart De Gusseme, Nico Boon
Summary: In this study, biogenic palladium nanoparticles were used for the reductive transformation and/or dehalogenation of persistent micropollutants. The size of the nanoparticles and their catalytic activity could be controlled by adjusting the H-2 flow rate. The results showed that the nanoparticles with larger sizes exhibited higher catalytic activity and more efficient removal of micropollutants.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Wannes Van Holm, Rita Carvalho, Lize Delanghe, Tom Eilers, Naiera Zayed, Fabian Mermans, Kristel Bernaerts, Nico Boon, Ingmar Claes, Sarah Lebeer, Wim Teughels
Summary: Several oral diseases are caused by changes in the oral microbiome, and antibiotics are commonly used to treat them. However, due to antibiotic resistance, alternatives such as probiotics are being explored. This study compared the effects of different strains of Lactobacillus and Streptococcus salivarius on oral biofilms. It was found that certain Lactobacillus strains reduced the pathobiont A. actinomycetemcomitans, while S. salivarius strains were more effective against other pathobionts.
NPJ BIOFILMS AND MICROBIOMES
(2023)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Xuejiao Zhu, Myrsini Sakarika, Ramon Ganigue, Kim Van Tittelboom, Yusuf Cagatay Ersan, Nico Boon, Nele De Belie
Summary: A sequential batch reactor (SBR) was used to produce a self-protected CaCO3-precipitating biomass powder (CPB) that can hydrolyze urea and reduce nitrate. The addition of CPB to mortar showed higher crack healing ratio compared to Bacillus sphaericus spores. CPB also revealed a corrosion inhibition effect equivalent to nitrite, making it a suitable bio-additive for crack closure and corrosion inhibition in cementitious composites.
CEMENT & CONCRETE COMPOSITES
(2023)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Puput Risdanareni, Jianyun Wang, Nico Boon, Nele De Belie
Summary: A bacteria-based self-healing concrete was proposed for autonomous repair of micro-cracks, using vegetative cells of Bacillus sphaericus encapsulated in alkali activated lightweight aggregate (LWA) made from fly ash and Sidoarjo volcanic Mud (Lusi). The study showed that the healing performance of the bacteria decreased significantly when cracks were fabricated at a later age. Additionally, the fly ash-based LWA carrier exhibited excellent autogenous healing in young mortar.
CONSTRUCTION AND BUILDING MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Naiera Zayed, Joana Figueiredo, Wannes Van Holm, Nico Boon, Kristel Bernaerts, Wim Teughels
Summary: This study investigates the effect of exposing living oral bacteria to their dead siblings after being killed by heat or hydrogen peroxide. The tested bacterial species showed different responses towards the dead cells depending on the mode of killing, nutritional value of the culture media, and dead cells density. The study suggests that dead bacteria resulting from antiseptics use may imbalance the nutrient availability in the oral cavity, resulting in overgrowth of opportunistic species and ecological changes in oral communities.
JOURNAL OF ORAL MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Gerard Alvarez, Alexandre Arredondo, Sergio Isabal, Wim Teughels, Isabelle Laleman, Maria Jose Contreras, Lorena Isbej, Enrique Huapaya, Gerardo Mendoza, Carolina Mor, Jose Nart, Vanessa Blanc, Ruben Leon
Summary: The aim of this study was to compare the prevalence and load of nine pathobionts in subgingival samples of healthy individuals and periodontitis patients from four different countries. The results showed that most species, except T. socranskii, were significantly associated with periodontitis in all countries except Peru. Furthermore, the species exhibited higher loads in sites with greater clinical attachment loss and pocket probing depth, but not in sites with higher bleeding on probing. Relative load was found to be a reliable variable for discriminating the association of the species with periodontitis. Based on this, F. alocis, P. endodontalis, P. gingivalis, T. denticola and T. forsythia may be biomarkers of periodontal disease in Belgium, Chile and Spain.
JOURNAL OF ORAL MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Water Resources
Amber Baele, Fien Waegenaar, Katrien De Maeyer, Bart De Gusseme, Han Vervaeren, Pieter Spanoghe, Nico Boon
Summary: Providing safe and high-quality drinking water is increasingly important due to climate change and population growth. Water towers are commonly used for storage and distribution, but microbial regrowth and the presence of insects such as flies pose a challenge. A study in Belgium monitored ten water towers for fly species diversity, abundances, and activity. The results found three fly species present, and they entered the towers in autumn and sought shelter on the highest floors where the water tank is located. Prevention measures are crucial to avoid contact between flies and drinking water in water towers, and effective methods such as sealing ventilation and covering water tanks with insect screens are discussed.
FRONTIERS IN WATER
(2023)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Justien Ghesquiere, Kenneth Simoens, Erin Koos, Nico Boon, Wim Teughels, Kristel Bernaerts
Summary: This study established a drip flow biofilm reactor to mimic the natural environment of the oral cavity and successfully created a complex multispecies periodontal model similar to that of a healthy individual. Using this model, the researchers validated the multifaceted effects of L-arginine on the oral biofilm, including inhibiting the growth and incorporation of pathogenic species, reducing biofilm thickness and volume, and producing specific metabolic products. This drip flow reactor setup shows promising potential for studying the spatiotemporal behavior of a multispecies periodontal community.
APPLIED AND ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Miao Peng, Maaike Vercauteren, Charlotte Grootaert, Andreja Rajkovic, Nico Boon, Colin Janssen, Jana Asselman
Summary: This study investigated the cellular and bioenergetic effects of microplastics (MPs) on four types of human cell lines in different exposure scenarios. The results showed that even after a single intake, MPs had significant long-term impacts on cellular and mitochondrial functions, potentially leading to chronic stress and harmful effects.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Electrical & Electronic
Chupao Lin, David Schaubroeck, Roel Baets, Nico Boon, Nicolas Le Thomas
Summary: We propose a photonic integrated circuit design that adds practicality and new functionalities to optical applications like optical microscopy. This design enables the generation of a far-field structured UV illumination pattern with a fringe period of 370 nm, a fringe visibility of 0.83, and a radiant intensity of 0.49 mW. By using single mode waveguides with low propagation losses, diffraction gratings, a beam splitter, a phase shifter, fluorescent gratings, and a collecting lens, the current PICs experimentally demonstrate the Moiré pattern at the heart of optical resolution enhancement and achieve a doubling of optical resolution in the direction of illumination.
IEEE JOURNAL OF SELECTED TOPICS IN QUANTUM ELECTRONICS
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Wannes Van Holm, Katalina Lauwens, Pieter De Wever, Art Schuermans, Naiera Zayed, Ferda Pamuk, Mehraveh Saghi, Pedro Fardim, Kristel Bernaerts, Nico Boon, Wim Teughels
Summary: Probiotics may have oral health benefits, but their current use is restricted due to issues with product preparation, viability, and colonization capacity. Many commercial products lack the claimed amounts of viable cells and have inadequately characterized strains without clinical evidence. Lyophilized probiotics also demonstrate lower adhesive capacity compared to fresh or reactivated ones, raising questions about their usage.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Cristina Garcia-Timermans, Bram Malfroot, Cameron Dierendonck, Zoe Mol, Thomas Pluym, Fien Waegenaar, Jan B. A. Arends, Kristof Demeestere, Christophe Walgraeve, Nico Boon, Bart De Gusseme
Summary: Researchers have developed a novel pilot plant design that mimics distribution networks to monitor changes in drinking water quality, such as taste and odor events and microbial regrowth. The pilot plant includes sensors and instrumentation, with three independent loops allowing simultaneous testing of three different conditions. Real-time measurements and biofilm sampling inside the pipes are feasible, making it suitable for studying various factors affecting DW quality in the distribution network.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Valentin Faust, Nico Boon, Ramon Ganigue, Siegfried E. Vlaeminck, Kai M. Udert
Summary: Nitrification in urine stabilization requires controlling pH within an appropriate range. A narrow pH control band increases microbial diversity and improves process robustness, but is more susceptible to external disturbances.
FRONTIERS IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Ruben Van den Eeckhoudt, An-Sofie Christiaens, Frederik Ceyssens, Vasileios Vangalis, Kevin J. Verstrepen, Nico Boon, Filip Tavernier, Michael Kraft, Irene Taurino
Summary: This paper introduces a microfluidic device for full-electric cell capturing, analyzing, and selectively releasing single cells. The device was experimentally demonstrated on Saccharomyces cerevisiae, showing potential for small-scale, high-throughput single-cell analysis and sorting.