Review
Medicine, General & Internal
Shunsuke Yasuo, Maki Murata, Natsuki Nakagawa, Takeshi Kawasaki, Takuo Yoshida, Koichi Ando, Satoshi Okamori, Yohei Okada
Summary: This study provides an updated understanding of the diagnostic accuracy of urinary antigen tests for diagnosing Streptococcus pneumoniae infection in patients with pneumonia. The results suggest that urinary antigen tests are useful for achieving a definitive diagnosis of S. pneumoniae infection in patients with pneumonia.
Review
Biology
Petros Ioannou, Stella Baliou, Diamantis P. Kofteridis
Summary: The article summarizes recent advancements in medical research and clinical practice, highlighting the significant limitations of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) on therapeutics for infectious diseases. It emphasizes the urgent need for novel treatments, particularly in the era of increasing AMR. Ongoing research is exploring non-classical therapies, such as bacteriophages or antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), that utilize alternative antimicrobial mechanisms to combat pathogens.
Review
Medicine, General & Internal
Grace Wezi Mzumara, Michael Mambiya, Pui-Ying Iroh Tam
Summary: The increasing antimicrobial resistance in low resource settings necessitates the development of context-specific interventions for antimicrobial stewardship to curb the problem. This systematic review aims to examine antimicrobial stewardship approaches in least developed and low-income countries, with the ultimate goal of supporting the development of AMS protocols for these settings to combat AMR.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Phui-Chyng Yap, Noorfazlin Ayuhan, Jia Jie Woon, Cindy Shuan Ju Teh, Vannajan Sanghiran Lee, Adzzie Shazleen Azman, Sazaly AbuBakar, Hai Yen Lee
Summary: In this study, 20 isolates of lactic acid bacteria were screened for antagonistic activity against 30 clinical isolates of extremely drug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii. Half of the LAB strains showed inhibitory activity against a significant percentage of XDR A. baumannii strains. Analysis of the active compounds revealed a potential diketopiperazine group as a common compound with antibacterial activity. The molecular docking study indicated high binding affinity and potential antibacterial activity of the selected compounds.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Amanda Maria de Souza Nascimento, Victor Hugo de Oliveira Segundo, Ana Julia Felipe Camelo Aguiar, Grasiela Piuvezam, Thais Souza Passos, Karla Suzanne Florentino da Silva Florentino da Silva Chaves Damasceno, Ana Heloneida de Araujo Morais
Summary: This systematic review gathered studies on the antibacterial action mechanisms and mode of trypsin inhibitors. The results showed that trypsin inhibitors can directly act on the bacterial membrane or endogenous proteases in bacteria, resulting in antibacterial effects. Other studies did not describe specific mechanisms but presented patterns of bacteriostatic or bactericidal effects. This study provides important information for further clinical research.
JOURNAL OF ENZYME INHIBITION AND MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY
(2022)
Review
Medicine, General & Internal
Changcheng Shi, Jian Ye, Renjie Xu, Weizhong Jin, Shuang Xu, Fei Teng, Nengming Lin
Summary: The study found that MSSA isolates with high vancomycin MICs were associated with higher mortality and a greater likelihood of septic thrombophlebitis compared to isolates with low MICs. Similar results were obtained in Etest detection, but no significant differences were found in broth microdilution detection.
Review
Medicine, General & Internal
Tsz Yuen Au, Chanika Assavarittirong
Summary: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses a significant challenge in various fields. Bacteriophage therapy, which involves infecting bacteria with a virus, has shown promise in treating AMR. However, limited clinical trials have been conducted, and further research is needed to determine the efficacy and dosage of specific bacteriophage strains.
POSTGRADUATE MEDICAL JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Thel Khin Hla, Joshua Osowicki, Sam Salman, Kevin T. Batty, Julie A. Marsh, Joseph Kado, Renae Barr, Stephanie L. Enkel, Thomas L. Snelling, James McCarthy, Andrew C. Steer, Jonathan Carapetis, Laurens Manning
Summary: Regular intramuscular benzathine penicillin G injections have been used for RHD secondary prophylaxis, but the minimum effective penicillin exposure required for prevention is still unknown. The CHIPS trial aims to determine the minimum effective steady-state plasma penicillin concentration required to prevent experimental pharyngitis and explore other related factors.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Sara Grillo, Guillermo Cuervo, Jordi Carratala, Rafael San-Juan, Jose M. Aguado, Laura Morata, Silvia Gomez-Zorrilla, Joaquin Lopez-Contreras, Oriol Gasch, Aina Gomila-Grange, Simona Iftimie, Graciano Garcia-Pardo, Esther Calbo, Lucia Boix-Palop, Isabel Orio, Alfredo Jover-Saenz, Luis Eduardo Lopez-Cortes, Gorane Euba, Malen Aguirregabiria, Maria Jose Garcia-pais, Francesca Gioia, Jose Ramon Pano, Maria Luisa Pedro-Botet, Rosa Maria Benitez, Maria Teresa Perez-Rodriguez, Yolanda Meije, Maria Belen Loeches-Yague, Gertrudis Horna, Damaris Berbel, Maria Angeles Dominguez, Ariadna Padulles, Sara Cobo, Pilar Hereu, Sebastian Videla, Cristian Tebe, Natalia Pallares, Josep M. Miro, Miquel Pujol
Summary: This study aims to test whether the combination of cloxacillin and fosfomycin is more effective in treating MSSA bacteremia compared to cloxacillin alone.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Naina McCann, Katherine Emary, Nisha Singh, Florence Mclean, Susana Camara, Elizabeth Jones, Young Chan Kim, Xinxue Liu, Melanie Greenland, Kerry Conlin, Jennifer Hill, Marije Verheul, Hannah Robinson, Brian Angus, Maheshi N. Ramasamy, Myron M. Levine, Andrew J. Pollard
Summary: This is the first efficacy study of an oral live attenuated vaccine against Salmonella Paratyphi A using a human challenge model. S. Paratyphi A causes 3.3 million cases of enteric fever annually, resulting in over 19,000 deaths. Vaccination offers a cost-effective, medium-term solution to reduce the burden of this condition. Human challenge models provide a unique and cost-effective solution to test the efficacy of such vaccines.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Tal Zilberman, Ili Margalit, Dafna Yahav, Noam Tau
Summary: This study examined the rate and characteristics of retracted articles in infectious diseases and clinical microbiology. The findings revealed an increasing trend in retraction, with common reasons including errors, plagiarism, and falsification/fabrication. Despite being retracted, these publications continue to be frequently cited.
CLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY AND INFECTION
(2023)
Review
Infectious Diseases
Nick J. Beeching, Hilpi Rautelin, Jean-Paul Stahl, Truls M. Leegaard
Summary: The European curricula and examinations for medical specialists in Clinical Microbiology (Medical) and Infectious Diseases are well-established, providing benchmarks for national authorities to improve clinical practice, patient care, and physician mobility by harmonizing postgraduate training and assessment.
CLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY AND INFECTION
(2021)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Ojiambo Kevin Ouma, Kisangala Ephraim, Nakalembe Loyce, Eve Namisango, Fred Nalugoda, Regina Ndagire, Rachel Nante Wangi, Brenda Allen Kawala, Thomas Katairo, Allen Eva Okullo, Robert Apunyo, Daniel Semakula, Ash Luwambo, Alison Annet Kinengyere, Nelson Sewankambo, Sheila N. Balinda, Moses Ocan, Ekwaro A. Obuku
Summary: Accurate and affordable laboratory testing is crucial for managing COVID-19 patients. This study aims to evaluate the diagnostic test accuracy and cost-effectiveness of laboratory test strategies for COVID-19 in low-income and middle-income countries. The findings will inform policy decisions and future research directions.
Article
Biophysics
Pragya Swami, Gajanand Verma, Anurag Holani, Saipriya Kamaraju, Vikas Manchanda, Venkataraman Sritharan, Shalini Gupta
Summary: Impedance spectroscopy is a rapid bacterial analysis technique that allows antibiotic susceptibility testing on simple electrodes without the need for complex chip designs and cell enrichment steps. By measuring changes in solution resistance, the death or growth of bacterial cells can be determined.
BIOSENSORS & BIOELECTRONICS
(2022)
Review
Medicine, General & Internal
Rajanbir Kaur, Rajinder Kaur
Summary: Urinary tract infection (UTI) is a common microbial infection that can range from simple bladder inflammation to severe cases of uroseptic shock. Both males and females may experience at least one symptomatic UTI in their lifetime. Early diagnosis and appropriate antibiotic therapy are crucial in preventing complicated UTI conditions like urosepsis.
POSTGRADUATE MEDICAL JOURNAL
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Carina Esteves, Susana I. C. J. Palma, Henrique M. A. Costa, Claudia Alves, Goncalo M. C. Santos, Efthymia Ramou, Ana Luisa Carvalho, Vitor Alves, Ana C. A. Roque
Summary: This study successfully developed humidity sensors or humidity-tolerant VOC sensors by controlling the effects of humidity on electrical and optical sensors through the design of gelatin formulations. The combination of new materials formulations and sensing mechanisms improved the accuracy and reliability of VOC sensing under different humidity conditions.
ADVANCED MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Raquel Portela, Nuno A. Faria, Michael Mwangi, Maria Miragaia, Herminia de Lencastre, Alexander Tomasz, Rita Goncalves Sobral
Summary: This study investigates antibiotic resistance and cell wall mutants in Staphylococcus aureus and identifies the role of the transcription termination factor Rho in the reversion of cell wall damage. The findings highlight the importance of understanding the development of resistance mechanisms in bacteria.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2022)
Correction
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Efthymia Ramou, Susana I. . C. J. Palma, Ana Cecilia A. . Roque
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Juliana Oliveira, Pedro L. Almeida, Rita G. Sobral, Nidia D. Lourenco, Susana P. Gaudencio
Summary: This study aims to develop sustainable methods to address the accumulation and pollution issues of plastics, focusing on the ability of marine-derived actinomycetes to accelerate plastic biodegradation and produce biodegradable bioplastics. The researchers found that certain actinomycete strains can degrade plastic films and produce bioplastics when supplemented with yeast extract and treated with UV radiation, leading to enhanced biodegradation.
Article
Microbiology
Selvi C. Ersoy, Barbara Goncalves, Goncalo Cavaco, Adhar C. Manna, Rita G. Sobral, Cynthia C. Nast, Richard A. Proctor, Henry F. Chambers, Ambrose Cheung, Arnold S. Bayer
Summary: This study investigates the impact of NaHCO3 on MRSA, particularly on the synthesis of wall teichoic acid (WTA), revealing the direct effects of NaHCO3 on responsive MRSA strains. The research demonstrates that NaHCO3 can increase the susceptibility of certain MRSA strains to beta-lactam antibiotics, providing a new target for the design of novel agents.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Ana Rita Oliveira, Henrique M. A. Costa, Efthymia Ramou, Susana I. C. J. Palma, Ana Cecilia A. Roque
Summary: The study assessed the effect of matrix hydrophobic properties on the performance of hybrid gel materials for VOC sensing in humid conditions. The results showed that hybrid gels composed of a hydrophobic PDMS matrix and [BMIM][Cl] ionic liquid have better accuracy in VOC prediction and reduced sensitivity to humidity compared to gelatin-based gels. Therefore, the tunable formulation of hybrid gels offers the potential for designing complementary sensors for e-nose systems operable under different RH conditions.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Iana Lychko, Catia Lopes Soares, Ana Margarida Goncalves Carvalho Dias, Ana Cecilia Afonso Roque
Summary: This study compares purification strategies for two reflectin proteins and finds that the non-chromatographic method of inclusion bodies washing is the most effective (protein purity > 90% and purification yields up to 88%). These findings contribute to defining bioprocessing strategies for biodegradable and sustainable protein-based materials.
SEPARATION AND PURIFICATION TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Sara Valente, Filipe Oliveira, Ines Joao Ferreira, Alexandre Paiva, Rita G. G. Sobral, Mairio S. Diniz, Susana P. P. Gaudencio, Ana Rita Cruz Duarte
Summary: Marine biofouling negatively affects industries with offshore infrastructures and there are currently no ideal solutions to this problem. This study investigates the potential use of hydrophobic deep eutectic systems (HDES) based on menthol and natural organic acids as antifouling coatings. The results show that the HDES Men/OL (1:1) has promising antifouling properties without toxicity to marine species.
ACS SUSTAINABLE CHEMISTRY & ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Physics, Applied
Efthymia Ramou, Ana Cecilia A. Roque
Summary: Liquid crystal-based materials with confined and ordered liquid crystal molecules can be tuned to exhibit various optical textures in response to physical and chemical stimuli. In this study, chiral liquid crystal formulations were constrained at an interface formed by ionic liquids, leading to the formation of immobilized ionic liquid/liquid crystal droplets on a gelatin matrix. These droplets display a rich variety of unique topological states, and their optical textures were categorized based on their relative chirality. Furthermore, their optical response in the presence of gas analytes was investigated, highlighting their potential as dynamic liquid crystal-based optical volatile organic compound sensors. The soft materials generated with semi-selective VOC sensing capabilities can be further employed in liquid crystal-based gas sensor arrays for complex gas sample analysis using artificial olfaction approaches.
APPLIED PHYSICS REVIEWS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Marta Catalao, Mafalda Fernandes, Lorena Galdon, Clara F. Rodrigues, Rita G. Sobral, Susana P. Gaudencio, Cristiana A. V. Torres
Summary: Marine environments are rich in biodiversity and contain microorganisms capable of producing biomolecules, such as exopolysaccharides (EPS), with unique properties and applications in various industries. In this study, a marine-derived bacterium called Brevundimonas huaxiensis strain SPUR-41 was found to produce EPS under saline conditions. The EPS produced by SPUR-41 was a heteropolysaccharide composed of different sugars and also contained acyl groups. This research highlights the importance of studying marine environments for the discovery of bacteria that can produce valuable biopolymers for pharmaceutical and biotechnological applications, as well as addressing saline effluent pollution through a sustainable circular economy.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Ana Rita Oliveira, Efthymia Ramou, Susana I. C. J. Palma, Carina Esteves, Armenio Barbosa, Ana Cecilia Afonso Roque
Summary: In this work, the effect of the ionic liquid moiety on generating ionogels and hybrid gels as gas sensors was assessed. Six ionic liquids with a constant anion (chloride) and different cationic head groups were used to generate ionogels and hybrid gels, which were further tested as gas sensors in customized electronic nose devices. Overall, ionogel-based sensors showed higher classification accuracies for standard volatile organic compounds compared to hybrid material-based sensors. Additionally, the high chemical diversity of ionic liquids translated into a high functional diversity in analyte molecular recognition and sensing.
Proceedings Paper
Chemistry, Analytical
Carina Esteves, Susana Palma, Henrique Costa, Claudia Alves, Goncalo Santos, Efthymia Ramou, Ana Cecilia Roque
Summary: The development of gas-sensing multicomponent hybrid materials for use in humidified and dried environments without the need for sample preconditioning or heavy signal processing is reported. The easy tunability and unique characteristics of these materials suggest their use in electronic nose systems in the near term.
2022 IEEE INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON OLFACTION AND ELECTRONIC NOSE (ISOEN 2022)
(2022)
Proceedings Paper
Chemistry, Analytical
Susana I. C. J. Palma, Jose Frazao, Rita Alves, Henrique M. A. Costa, Claudia Alves, Hugo Gamboa, Margarida Silveira, Ana C. A. Roque
Summary: In hybrid gels with immobilized liquid crystal droplets, accurate identification of distinct volatile organic compounds can be achieved by analyzing the optical texture variations of individual droplets using deep learning and analyzing the 1D optical signals from multiple droplets using machine learning.
2022 IEEE INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON OLFACTION AND ELECTRONIC NOSE (ISOEN 2022)
(2022)
Proceedings Paper
Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Applications
Rita Alves, Joao Rodrigues, Efthymia Ramou, Susana Palma, Ana Roque, Hugo Gamboa
Summary: This study presents a novel approach using electronic noses and the morphology of sensing gel signals for VOC classification, achieving good classification results. This method shows the possibility of using descriptive sentences generated by text mining techniques for classification.
BIOSIGNALS: PROCEEDINGS OF THE 15TH INTERNATIONAL JOINT CONFERENCE ON BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING SYSTEMS AND TECHNOLOGIES - VOL 4: BIOSIGNALS
(2022)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Efthymia Ramou, Susana I. C. J. Palma, Ana Cecilia A. Roque
Summary: This study successfully prepared multicompartment nematic and smectic gels as chemical sensors by studying the effect of alkyl chain length of cyanobiphenyl LCs on molecular self-assembly. The dynamic phase transitions of LC structures yield optical signals that serve as optical fingerprints, and the materials with smectic compartments exhibit unexpected and rich optical textures. The sensing capability of the materials was tested using an electronic nose and machine learning algorithms, achieving high accuracy in classifying different gas analytes.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2022)
