Silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs), one of the most common types of nanomaterials in medical fields and consumer products, are known to have antimicrobial effects;these materials also undergo a series of chemical and biolo...Silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs), one of the most common types of nanomaterials in medical fields and consumer products, are known to have antimicrobial effects;these materials also undergo a series of chemical and biological transformations in the environment. Although the pristine form of silver nanoparticles has been studied, less is known about the impacts of the transformed Ag-NPs on biological systems. This knowledge gap hinders the progress of effectively assessing the impacts of Ag-NPs on the environment and human health. In this study, we demonstrate that the most common form of transformed Ag-NPs, sulfidized silver nano-particles (Ag2S-NPs), show less damage on established Pseudomonas aeruginosa GFP (ATCC? 10145 GFP?) biofilm than the pristine form of the nanoparticle. At a dosage of 0.625 mg/L, the total biomass in the biofilm decreased 64% after being exposed to Ag-NPs and 44% after exposure to Ag2S-NPs. Live biofilms were also interrogated. We observed high reduction in live population for biofilm exposed to Ag-NPs and relatively low reduction by Ag2S-NPs at exposure concentrations higher than 0.625 mg/L. Compared with Ag-NPs, the lower solubility of Ag2S-NPs results in less Ag+ diffusion into established biofilms. Our results suggest that the sulfidation of Ag-NPs reduces their impacts on established biofilms, indicating that the transformed Ag-NPs may have less environmental or human health risks.展开更多
Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) is a common opportunistic human pathogen that can lead to severe diseases in immunocompromised patients. The insulin-cleaving membrane protease (ICMP) of P. aeruginosa plays a vi...Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) is a common opportunistic human pathogen that can lead to severe diseases in immunocompromised patients. The insulin-cleaving membrane protease (ICMP) of P. aeruginosa plays a vital role in the pathogenesis of the bacterium and is therefore characterized as an important bacterial virulence factor. In addition, ICMP also serves as a founding member of the M75 peptidase family and represents a prototype of the imelysin/imelysin-like proteins. Despite of its functional importance in the pathogenesis of P. aeruginosa and of a root position as the prototypic imelysin/imelysin-like member, the structural features of the protein remain uninvestigated. Since preparation of homogeneous and crystallizable protein species is the prerequisite for structural studies by crystallography, we reported the successful expression, purification, and crystallization of P. aeruginosa ICMP in this study. The protein was over-expressed in Escherichia coli as a GST-fusion protein, cleaved to remove the fusion tag, and then purified to homogeneity. Diffractable crystals were obtained using the sitting-drop vapour-diffusion method. The crystals diffracted to 2.5 Å?resolution and belonged to space group P212121, with unit-cell parameters a = 54.47, b = 158.98, c = 162.84 Å, α = β = γ = 90°. Preliminary analysis of the diffraction data revealed high-quality crystallographic statistics with a Matthews coefficient of about 2.61 Å3.Da-1 and a solvent content of about 52.58%, indicating the presence of three ICMP molecules in the asymmetric unit. The current work therefore paved the way for future studies aiming to delineate the characteristics of ICMP at the atomic level.展开更多
Background: Intubated patients are particularly at risk of developing infections caused by these pathogens, specifically, P. aeruginosa and A. baumannii. In the past fifteen years, Carbapenems were known to be the dru...Background: Intubated patients are particularly at risk of developing infections caused by these pathogens, specifically, P. aeruginosa and A. baumannii. In the past fifteen years, Carbapenems were known to be the drugs of choice for these bacteria. With the increase in the use and misuse of antibiotics, these bacteria became highly resistant, and almost all available antibiotics, including Carbapenems, became inefficient. Synergistic combination therapy may be a useful strategy in slowing as well as overcoming the emergence of resistance. The aim of this study was to evaluate the anti-bacterial activity on P. aeruginosa and A. baumannii of the combination of two antibiotics: Colistin and a Carbapenem (Meropenem or Imipenem). Methods: The antibacterial activity was assessed by determining the MIC. Then, the effect of combining the antibiotics was studied using the Checkerboard Technique described by White et al., 1996. The Fractional Inhibitory Concentration (FIC) for each strain was then calculated and classified as synergy, additive, indifference or antagonism. 11 strains of A. baumannii and 11 strains of P. aeruginosa were tested in the presence of Meropenem combined with Colistin or Imipenem combined with Colistin. Results: For the combination of Meropenem and Colistin, 6 strains of A. baumannii and 3 strains of P. aeruginosa showed synergy while 5 strains of A. baumannii and 7 strains of P. aeruginosa showed additive effect, only 1 strain of P. aeruginosa showed antagonism. For Imipenem and Colistin, only 1 strain of A. baumannii and 3 strains of Pseudomonas showed synergy while 8 strains of Acinetobacter and 8 strains of Pseudomonas showed additive effect. Conclusion: The “in vitro” combination Colistin-Carbapenem is associated with an improvement in MIC. In the majority of the cases, this improvement suggests a synergistic combination or an additive effect.展开更多
Although many studies have found that cadmium(Cd)can be toxic to microalgae,only a few reports focused on the role of extracellular polymeric substances(EPS)in Cd(Ⅱ)detoxification.The biochemical and physiological en...Although many studies have found that cadmium(Cd)can be toxic to microalgae,only a few reports focused on the role of extracellular polymeric substances(EPS)in Cd(Ⅱ)detoxification.The biochemical and physiological endpoints of Microcystis aeruginosa,including the composition and functional groups of soluble EPS(SL-EPS),loosely bound EPS(LB-EPS),and tightly bound EPS(TB-EPS),were detected to elucidate the toxicity and detoxification mechanisms of Cd(Ⅱ)for cyanobacteria.Toxicological and physiological assays on M.aeruginosa showed that the 0.25-mg/L Cd(Ⅱ)resulted in a larger inhibition on growth and F_(v)/F_(m).Nevertheless,Cd(Ⅱ)significantly induced much higher contents of superoxide dismutase(SOD),intracellular microcystin LR(MC-LR),extracellular MC-LR,and EPS.Scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy confirmed that Cd(Ⅱ)was absorbed into the EPS layer.Fourier transform infrared spectrum analysis revealed that the functional groups bound with Cd(Ⅱ)of algae biomass,SL-EPS,LB-EPS,and TB-EPS were somewhat different.The C=O/C=N groups ofδ-lactam or protein were their prominent functional groups,suggesting that amide or proteins in the EPS played a key role in the adsorption in Cd(Ⅱ).The concentration of 0.25 mg/L of Cd(Ⅱ)may change the chemical structure of EPS by altering the production of protein-like substances containing tryptophan.This study indicated that M.aeruginosa could detoxify Cd(Ⅱ)stress via induction of antioxidant capacity(higher SOD activity and MC synthesis),EPS production,and modification in chemical structure of EPS.展开更多
To enhance the microbiologically influenced corrosion(MIC)resistance of FeCoNiCrMn high entropy alloy(HEAs),a series of Fe_(x)Cu_((1−x))CoNiCrMn(x=1,0.75,0.5,and 0.25)HEAs were prepared.Microstructural characteristics...To enhance the microbiologically influenced corrosion(MIC)resistance of FeCoNiCrMn high entropy alloy(HEAs),a series of Fe_(x)Cu_((1−x))CoNiCrMn(x=1,0.75,0.5,and 0.25)HEAs were prepared.Microstructural characteristics,corrosion behavior(morphology observation and electrochemical properties),and antimicrobial performance of Fe_(x)Cu_((1−x))CoNiCrMn HEAs were evaluated in a medium inoculated with typical corrosive microorganism Pseudomonas aeruginosa.The aim was to identify copper-containing FeCoNiCrMn HEAs that balance corrosion resistance and antimicrobial properties.Results revealed that all Fe_(x)Cu_((1−x))CoNiCrMn(x=1,0.75,0.5,and 0.25)HEAs exhibited an FCC(face centered cubic)phase,with significant grain refinement observed in Fe_(0.75)Cu_(0.25)CoNiCrMn HEA.Electrochemical tests indicated that Fe_(0.75)Cu_(0.25)CoNiCrMn HEA demonstrated lower corrosion current density(i_(corr))and pitting potential(E_(pit))compared to other Fe_(x)Cu_((1−x))CoNiCrMn HEAs in P.aeruginosa-inoculated medium,exhibiting superior resistance to MIC.Anti-microbial tests showed that after 14 d of immersion,Fe_(0.75)Cu_(0.25)CoNiCrMn achieved an antibacterial rate of 89.5%,effectively inhibiting the adhesion and biofilm formation of P.aeruginosa,thereby achieving resistance to MIC.展开更多
Objective:To investigate the frequency of exoU and exoY genes in patients with Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection.Methods:In this study,100 clinical isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa were collected from patients hospit...Objective:To investigate the frequency of exoU and exoY genes in patients with Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection.Methods:In this study,100 clinical isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa were collected from patients hospitalized in educational-therapeutic hospitals and were identified using standard microbiological tests.Then,the antibiotic resistance pattern of the isolates was determined by the disk agar diffusion method.The bacterial DNAs were extracted by the alkaline lysis method.Finally,the presence of exoU and exoY genes was evaluated by the PCR test.Results:In this study,47%,72%,29%,39%,40%,and 44%of the isolates were non-susceptible to piperacillin,aztreonam,ceftazidime,imipenem,tobramycin,and ciprofloxacin,respectively.In addition,95%and 93%of the clinical isolates carried the exoU and exoY genes.Blood and fecal isolates had both virulence genes,while only one wound isolate had neither genes.Meanwhile,all urinary isolates contained the exoY gene and only one isolate lacked the exoU gene.Also,88 isolates simultaneously had both exoU and exoY genes.Conclusions:High prevalence of exoU and exoY genes in this region indicates a significant role of typeⅢsecretion system in pathogenesis of Pseudomonas aeruginosa.The typeⅢsecretion system may be a suitable target to reduce the pathogenicity of this bacterium.展开更多
Background:Pudilan Xiaoyan Oral Liquid(PDL)is a Chinese patent medicine with notable pharmacological properties,including anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effects.Drug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection is ...Background:Pudilan Xiaoyan Oral Liquid(PDL)is a Chinese patent medicine with notable pharmacological properties,including anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effects.Drug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection is a common and refractory bacterial infection in clinical practice.Due to its high drug resistance,it brings great challenges to treatment.This study aimed to assess the therapeutic efficacy of PDL in a murine model of pneumonia induced by drug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa.Methods:Three different doses of PDL(11 mL/kg/d,5.5 mL/kg/d,2.75 mL/kg/d)were used to observe lung tissue pathology and inflammatory cytokine levels in pneumonia mouse models induced by multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa(MDR-PA).Additionally,the protective efficacy of PDL against mortality in infected mice was evaluated using a death model caused by MDR-PA.Finally sub-MIC concentration of levofloxacin was used to induce drug-resistant mice pneumonia model to evaluate the role of PDL in reversing drug resistance.Experimental data are expressed as mean±standard deviation.Statistical significance was determined by one-way analysis of variance followed by Tukey’s multiple-comparisons test.Results:Treatment effect of PDL on MDR-PA pneumonia:the medium and small doses of PDL can significantly reduce the lung index of multi-drug resistant bacteria infected pneumonia model mice(P<0.05),the lung index inhibition rates for these groups were 55.09%and 58.43%,and improve the degree of lung tissue lesions of mice;The expression of serum cytokines keratinocyte chemoattractant,tumor necrosis factor-αand monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 could be decreased in the three dosage groups of PDL(P<0.01).PDL treatment not only lowered the mortality but also extended the survival duration in mice infected with MDR-PA.It was found after sub-MIC concentration of levofloxacin induced resistance of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to pneumonia in mice.Compared with the model group,the lung index of mice in high and medium PDL doses was significantly reduced(P<0.05),with inhibition rates of 32.16%and 37.73%,respectively.Conclusion:PDL demonstrates protective effects against MDR-PA infection pneumonia,notably decreasing serum inflammatory factor levels.It shows promise in mitigating antibiotic resistance and offers potential for treating pneumonia resulting from Pseudomonas aeruginosa resistance.展开更多
Background:Azadirachta indica(A.indica),commonly known as neem,is a widely distributed medicinal plant in Asia and Africa and is well known to have a wide spectrum of biological activity.A.indica is considered a skin ...Background:Azadirachta indica(A.indica),commonly known as neem,is a widely distributed medicinal plant in Asia and Africa and is well known to have a wide spectrum of biological activity.A.indica is considered a skin food that was traditionally used in different cultures to treat a wide range of skin disorders.A.indica was reported to possess antibacterial activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa(P.aeruginosa)which is considered the most common biofilm model organism.This study aims to investigate the ability of A.indica cultivated in Egypt to inhibit/reduce the biofilm formation by P.aeruginosa.Methods:The microtiter plate assay was used to evaluate the anti-biofilm activity of neem,cultivated in Egypt,leaves against P.aeruginosa as well as the ability to reduce the activity of P.aeruginosa.To investigate the phytocompounds responsible for their bioactivity and to explore potential interactions between their bioactive components and one of the quorum-sensing regulatory proteins of P.aeruginosa involved in biofilm formation,liquid chromatography-mass spectrometric and molecular docking studies were done.Results:Results showed that methanol extract of leaves can reduce the formation of P.aeruginosa biofilm at lower concentrations than those reported in other regions with 1.25 mg/mL as the optimum concentration.The two-way analysis of variance revealed the significance of the extract effect and its concentration on the reduction of biofilm formation(P<0.05).Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometric study revealed the presence of fourteen compounds that belong to limonoids and flavonoids.Molecular docking analysis against LasR,the quorum-sensing regulatory protein,of P.aeruginosa supported these findings.Nimbolinin,a limonoid,has achieved the highest Libdock score of 138.769.Conclusion:It was concluded that A.indica,cultivated in Egypt,leaves can target LasR as a new mechanism of action for biofilm control by A.indica and therefore could be a good source of leads for anti-biofilm medicine.展开更多
随着分布式清洁能源发电技术的发展,传统电力用户逐渐转变为电能产消者,并可采用合作联盟形式参与电力P2P(peer to peer)交易,促进分布式清洁能源就地消纳。该文通过从源端和传输端分别核算碳减排量的方法,构建一类考虑经济效益和环境...随着分布式清洁能源发电技术的发展,传统电力用户逐渐转变为电能产消者,并可采用合作联盟形式参与电力P2P(peer to peer)交易,促进分布式清洁能源就地消纳。该文通过从源端和传输端分别核算碳减排量的方法,构建一类考虑经济效益和环境效益的社会福利函数,研究分布式电能产消者通过合作联盟形式实现社会福利最大化的途径。设计一种依据产消者对联盟社会福利贡献值分配合作剩余的机制,激励产消者合作的积极性以维持联盟的稳定。算例分析表明:相较于P2G(peer-to-grid)交易和非合作P2P交易,产消者以合作联盟方式参与电力P2P交易的社会福利分别提升了62.62%、33.79%。因此,以市场化的方式组建合作联盟参与电力P2P交易并合理分配利益,可挖掘分布式清洁能源就地消纳的潜力,促进能源消费的绿色低碳转型。展开更多
目前电磁时间反演(electromagnetic time reversal,EMTR)多应用在单一线路故障定位,且现有判据在高阻抗接地情况下效果不理想。针对上述问题,基于EMTR故障定位原理和均匀传输线理论推导了传播过程中线路故障信号与测量信号的传递函数,...目前电磁时间反演(electromagnetic time reversal,EMTR)多应用在单一线路故障定位,且现有判据在高阻抗接地情况下效果不理想。针对上述问题,基于EMTR故障定位原理和均匀传输线理论推导了传播过程中线路故障信号与测量信号的传递函数,根据传递函数的相关性提出了P范数判据。利用ATP-EMTP搭建10 kV配电网线路,对比了2范数与P范数判据在复杂配电网中的定位性能,并验证了所提判据在混合配电网线路的适用性。最后,分析了配电网发生低阻抗及高阻抗接地故障下P范数判据的鲁棒性。仿真结果表明,该方法在过渡电阻高达3 kΩ的情况下能准确定位,且定位精度高,受噪声、故障类型和采样频率的影响小。展开更多
1958—1999年,在广东省佛山市南海区西樵镇一带发现了众多记录了史前人类活动的石器地点,石器中包括双肩石器和细石器。迄今为止,“西樵山遗址”被认定是4—7 ka B P的大型新石器时期采石场和加工场。2011—2022年,笔者经多次地质遗迹...1958—1999年,在广东省佛山市南海区西樵镇一带发现了众多记录了史前人类活动的石器地点,石器中包括双肩石器和细石器。迄今为止,“西樵山遗址”被认定是4—7 ka B P的大型新石器时期采石场和加工场。2011—2022年,笔者经多次地质遗迹和地质环境调查,在西樵山东南麓富贤村北面发现了良好的第四纪地层剖面。地质探槽剖面测量和地质年代学研究表明:富贤地点存在2套原始沉积地层:上部为第四纪全新世沼泽相地层,AMS14C校正年龄为5052—5409 a B P;下部为第四纪晚更新世冲积-洪积相地层,AMS14C校正年龄为38420—40502 a B P,OSL (光释光)年龄为41.977—43.796 ka B P;在晚更新世地层中发现2层含旧石器层,下部A1层主要石器类型有较大型刮削器、尖刃器、舌型刃器及小型石片工具,如各类刮削器、锯齿刃器、凹缺器、石刀、使用石片、石核等,包括带铤斧型小石刀;上部A2层明显出现更多石刀类型且常常附带修背和修铤工作,其中一件用于生产细小长石片的原始楔形石核引人关注。据平均沉积速率计算,下部A1石器层年龄为46.511—47.325 ka B P,上部A2石器层年龄为41.977—42.167 ka B P;距今大于5 ka的全新世沉积物中的石制品数量虽少,但器物类型仍具有明显继承性与发展性特点。本文的发现更新并延伸了西樵山国家地质公园和“西樵山文化”的内涵,首次突破了珠江三角洲地区有确切年代的晚更新世旧石器遗存的纪录,追踪到大约40—50 ka现代人在华南沿海的足迹,揭示了同期石器工业的面貌及其文化内涵的发展特征和演变。研究表明,在MIS3间冰段相对湿热时期以及MIS2相对干冷阶段,富贤地点的古人类面临环境变化的挑战而开启了新的生计模式,这对于揭示现代人对全球和区域环境变化的响应与适应的科学问题具有重要意义。展开更多
文摘Silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs), one of the most common types of nanomaterials in medical fields and consumer products, are known to have antimicrobial effects;these materials also undergo a series of chemical and biological transformations in the environment. Although the pristine form of silver nanoparticles has been studied, less is known about the impacts of the transformed Ag-NPs on biological systems. This knowledge gap hinders the progress of effectively assessing the impacts of Ag-NPs on the environment and human health. In this study, we demonstrate that the most common form of transformed Ag-NPs, sulfidized silver nano-particles (Ag2S-NPs), show less damage on established Pseudomonas aeruginosa GFP (ATCC? 10145 GFP?) biofilm than the pristine form of the nanoparticle. At a dosage of 0.625 mg/L, the total biomass in the biofilm decreased 64% after being exposed to Ag-NPs and 44% after exposure to Ag2S-NPs. Live biofilms were also interrogated. We observed high reduction in live population for biofilm exposed to Ag-NPs and relatively low reduction by Ag2S-NPs at exposure concentrations higher than 0.625 mg/L. Compared with Ag-NPs, the lower solubility of Ag2S-NPs results in less Ag+ diffusion into established biofilms. Our results suggest that the sulfidation of Ag-NPs reduces their impacts on established biofilms, indicating that the transformed Ag-NPs may have less environmental or human health risks.
文摘Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) is a common opportunistic human pathogen that can lead to severe diseases in immunocompromised patients. The insulin-cleaving membrane protease (ICMP) of P. aeruginosa plays a vital role in the pathogenesis of the bacterium and is therefore characterized as an important bacterial virulence factor. In addition, ICMP also serves as a founding member of the M75 peptidase family and represents a prototype of the imelysin/imelysin-like proteins. Despite of its functional importance in the pathogenesis of P. aeruginosa and of a root position as the prototypic imelysin/imelysin-like member, the structural features of the protein remain uninvestigated. Since preparation of homogeneous and crystallizable protein species is the prerequisite for structural studies by crystallography, we reported the successful expression, purification, and crystallization of P. aeruginosa ICMP in this study. The protein was over-expressed in Escherichia coli as a GST-fusion protein, cleaved to remove the fusion tag, and then purified to homogeneity. Diffractable crystals were obtained using the sitting-drop vapour-diffusion method. The crystals diffracted to 2.5 Å?resolution and belonged to space group P212121, with unit-cell parameters a = 54.47, b = 158.98, c = 162.84 Å, α = β = γ = 90°. Preliminary analysis of the diffraction data revealed high-quality crystallographic statistics with a Matthews coefficient of about 2.61 Å3.Da-1 and a solvent content of about 52.58%, indicating the presence of three ICMP molecules in the asymmetric unit. The current work therefore paved the way for future studies aiming to delineate the characteristics of ICMP at the atomic level.
文摘Background: Intubated patients are particularly at risk of developing infections caused by these pathogens, specifically, P. aeruginosa and A. baumannii. In the past fifteen years, Carbapenems were known to be the drugs of choice for these bacteria. With the increase in the use and misuse of antibiotics, these bacteria became highly resistant, and almost all available antibiotics, including Carbapenems, became inefficient. Synergistic combination therapy may be a useful strategy in slowing as well as overcoming the emergence of resistance. The aim of this study was to evaluate the anti-bacterial activity on P. aeruginosa and A. baumannii of the combination of two antibiotics: Colistin and a Carbapenem (Meropenem or Imipenem). Methods: The antibacterial activity was assessed by determining the MIC. Then, the effect of combining the antibiotics was studied using the Checkerboard Technique described by White et al., 1996. The Fractional Inhibitory Concentration (FIC) for each strain was then calculated and classified as synergy, additive, indifference or antagonism. 11 strains of A. baumannii and 11 strains of P. aeruginosa were tested in the presence of Meropenem combined with Colistin or Imipenem combined with Colistin. Results: For the combination of Meropenem and Colistin, 6 strains of A. baumannii and 3 strains of P. aeruginosa showed synergy while 5 strains of A. baumannii and 7 strains of P. aeruginosa showed additive effect, only 1 strain of P. aeruginosa showed antagonism. For Imipenem and Colistin, only 1 strain of A. baumannii and 3 strains of Pseudomonas showed synergy while 8 strains of Acinetobacter and 8 strains of Pseudomonas showed additive effect. Conclusion: The “in vitro” combination Colistin-Carbapenem is associated with an improvement in MIC. In the majority of the cases, this improvement suggests a synergistic combination or an additive effect.
基金Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.31800457,32170383)。
文摘Although many studies have found that cadmium(Cd)can be toxic to microalgae,only a few reports focused on the role of extracellular polymeric substances(EPS)in Cd(Ⅱ)detoxification.The biochemical and physiological endpoints of Microcystis aeruginosa,including the composition and functional groups of soluble EPS(SL-EPS),loosely bound EPS(LB-EPS),and tightly bound EPS(TB-EPS),were detected to elucidate the toxicity and detoxification mechanisms of Cd(Ⅱ)for cyanobacteria.Toxicological and physiological assays on M.aeruginosa showed that the 0.25-mg/L Cd(Ⅱ)resulted in a larger inhibition on growth and F_(v)/F_(m).Nevertheless,Cd(Ⅱ)significantly induced much higher contents of superoxide dismutase(SOD),intracellular microcystin LR(MC-LR),extracellular MC-LR,and EPS.Scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy confirmed that Cd(Ⅱ)was absorbed into the EPS layer.Fourier transform infrared spectrum analysis revealed that the functional groups bound with Cd(Ⅱ)of algae biomass,SL-EPS,LB-EPS,and TB-EPS were somewhat different.The C=O/C=N groups ofδ-lactam or protein were their prominent functional groups,suggesting that amide or proteins in the EPS played a key role in the adsorption in Cd(Ⅱ).The concentration of 0.25 mg/L of Cd(Ⅱ)may change the chemical structure of EPS by altering the production of protein-like substances containing tryptophan.This study indicated that M.aeruginosa could detoxify Cd(Ⅱ)stress via induction of antioxidant capacity(higher SOD activity and MC synthesis),EPS production,and modification in chemical structure of EPS.
基金supported by the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation(No.2022M720401)the Postdoctoral Research Foundation of Shunde Innovation School,University of Science and Technology Beijing(No.2022BH007)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.52301074).
文摘To enhance the microbiologically influenced corrosion(MIC)resistance of FeCoNiCrMn high entropy alloy(HEAs),a series of Fe_(x)Cu_((1−x))CoNiCrMn(x=1,0.75,0.5,and 0.25)HEAs were prepared.Microstructural characteristics,corrosion behavior(morphology observation and electrochemical properties),and antimicrobial performance of Fe_(x)Cu_((1−x))CoNiCrMn HEAs were evaluated in a medium inoculated with typical corrosive microorganism Pseudomonas aeruginosa.The aim was to identify copper-containing FeCoNiCrMn HEAs that balance corrosion resistance and antimicrobial properties.Results revealed that all Fe_(x)Cu_((1−x))CoNiCrMn(x=1,0.75,0.5,and 0.25)HEAs exhibited an FCC(face centered cubic)phase,with significant grain refinement observed in Fe_(0.75)Cu_(0.25)CoNiCrMn HEA.Electrochemical tests indicated that Fe_(0.75)Cu_(0.25)CoNiCrMn HEA demonstrated lower corrosion current density(i_(corr))and pitting potential(E_(pit))compared to other Fe_(x)Cu_((1−x))CoNiCrMn HEAs in P.aeruginosa-inoculated medium,exhibiting superior resistance to MIC.Anti-microbial tests showed that after 14 d of immersion,Fe_(0.75)Cu_(0.25)CoNiCrMn achieved an antibacterial rate of 89.5%,effectively inhibiting the adhesion and biofilm formation of P.aeruginosa,thereby achieving resistance to MIC.
文摘Objective:To investigate the frequency of exoU and exoY genes in patients with Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection.Methods:In this study,100 clinical isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa were collected from patients hospitalized in educational-therapeutic hospitals and were identified using standard microbiological tests.Then,the antibiotic resistance pattern of the isolates was determined by the disk agar diffusion method.The bacterial DNAs were extracted by the alkaline lysis method.Finally,the presence of exoU and exoY genes was evaluated by the PCR test.Results:In this study,47%,72%,29%,39%,40%,and 44%of the isolates were non-susceptible to piperacillin,aztreonam,ceftazidime,imipenem,tobramycin,and ciprofloxacin,respectively.In addition,95%and 93%of the clinical isolates carried the exoU and exoY genes.Blood and fecal isolates had both virulence genes,while only one wound isolate had neither genes.Meanwhile,all urinary isolates contained the exoY gene and only one isolate lacked the exoU gene.Also,88 isolates simultaneously had both exoU and exoY genes.Conclusions:High prevalence of exoU and exoY genes in this region indicates a significant role of typeⅢsecretion system in pathogenesis of Pseudomonas aeruginosa.The typeⅢsecretion system may be a suitable target to reduce the pathogenicity of this bacterium.
基金supported by Scientific and Technological Innovation Project of China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences(No.CI2021B015)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Public Welfare Research Institutes(JJPY2022017).
文摘Background:Pudilan Xiaoyan Oral Liquid(PDL)is a Chinese patent medicine with notable pharmacological properties,including anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effects.Drug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection is a common and refractory bacterial infection in clinical practice.Due to its high drug resistance,it brings great challenges to treatment.This study aimed to assess the therapeutic efficacy of PDL in a murine model of pneumonia induced by drug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa.Methods:Three different doses of PDL(11 mL/kg/d,5.5 mL/kg/d,2.75 mL/kg/d)were used to observe lung tissue pathology and inflammatory cytokine levels in pneumonia mouse models induced by multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa(MDR-PA).Additionally,the protective efficacy of PDL against mortality in infected mice was evaluated using a death model caused by MDR-PA.Finally sub-MIC concentration of levofloxacin was used to induce drug-resistant mice pneumonia model to evaluate the role of PDL in reversing drug resistance.Experimental data are expressed as mean±standard deviation.Statistical significance was determined by one-way analysis of variance followed by Tukey’s multiple-comparisons test.Results:Treatment effect of PDL on MDR-PA pneumonia:the medium and small doses of PDL can significantly reduce the lung index of multi-drug resistant bacteria infected pneumonia model mice(P<0.05),the lung index inhibition rates for these groups were 55.09%and 58.43%,and improve the degree of lung tissue lesions of mice;The expression of serum cytokines keratinocyte chemoattractant,tumor necrosis factor-αand monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 could be decreased in the three dosage groups of PDL(P<0.01).PDL treatment not only lowered the mortality but also extended the survival duration in mice infected with MDR-PA.It was found after sub-MIC concentration of levofloxacin induced resistance of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to pneumonia in mice.Compared with the model group,the lung index of mice in high and medium PDL doses was significantly reduced(P<0.05),with inhibition rates of 32.16%and 37.73%,respectively.Conclusion:PDL demonstrates protective effects against MDR-PA infection pneumonia,notably decreasing serum inflammatory factor levels.It shows promise in mitigating antibiotic resistance and offers potential for treating pneumonia resulting from Pseudomonas aeruginosa resistance.
文摘Background:Azadirachta indica(A.indica),commonly known as neem,is a widely distributed medicinal plant in Asia and Africa and is well known to have a wide spectrum of biological activity.A.indica is considered a skin food that was traditionally used in different cultures to treat a wide range of skin disorders.A.indica was reported to possess antibacterial activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa(P.aeruginosa)which is considered the most common biofilm model organism.This study aims to investigate the ability of A.indica cultivated in Egypt to inhibit/reduce the biofilm formation by P.aeruginosa.Methods:The microtiter plate assay was used to evaluate the anti-biofilm activity of neem,cultivated in Egypt,leaves against P.aeruginosa as well as the ability to reduce the activity of P.aeruginosa.To investigate the phytocompounds responsible for their bioactivity and to explore potential interactions between their bioactive components and one of the quorum-sensing regulatory proteins of P.aeruginosa involved in biofilm formation,liquid chromatography-mass spectrometric and molecular docking studies were done.Results:Results showed that methanol extract of leaves can reduce the formation of P.aeruginosa biofilm at lower concentrations than those reported in other regions with 1.25 mg/mL as the optimum concentration.The two-way analysis of variance revealed the significance of the extract effect and its concentration on the reduction of biofilm formation(P<0.05).Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometric study revealed the presence of fourteen compounds that belong to limonoids and flavonoids.Molecular docking analysis against LasR,the quorum-sensing regulatory protein,of P.aeruginosa supported these findings.Nimbolinin,a limonoid,has achieved the highest Libdock score of 138.769.Conclusion:It was concluded that A.indica,cultivated in Egypt,leaves can target LasR as a new mechanism of action for biofilm control by A.indica and therefore could be a good source of leads for anti-biofilm medicine.
文摘随着分布式清洁能源发电技术的发展,传统电力用户逐渐转变为电能产消者,并可采用合作联盟形式参与电力P2P(peer to peer)交易,促进分布式清洁能源就地消纳。该文通过从源端和传输端分别核算碳减排量的方法,构建一类考虑经济效益和环境效益的社会福利函数,研究分布式电能产消者通过合作联盟形式实现社会福利最大化的途径。设计一种依据产消者对联盟社会福利贡献值分配合作剩余的机制,激励产消者合作的积极性以维持联盟的稳定。算例分析表明:相较于P2G(peer-to-grid)交易和非合作P2P交易,产消者以合作联盟方式参与电力P2P交易的社会福利分别提升了62.62%、33.79%。因此,以市场化的方式组建合作联盟参与电力P2P交易并合理分配利益,可挖掘分布式清洁能源就地消纳的潜力,促进能源消费的绿色低碳转型。
文摘目前电磁时间反演(electromagnetic time reversal,EMTR)多应用在单一线路故障定位,且现有判据在高阻抗接地情况下效果不理想。针对上述问题,基于EMTR故障定位原理和均匀传输线理论推导了传播过程中线路故障信号与测量信号的传递函数,根据传递函数的相关性提出了P范数判据。利用ATP-EMTP搭建10 kV配电网线路,对比了2范数与P范数判据在复杂配电网中的定位性能,并验证了所提判据在混合配电网线路的适用性。最后,分析了配电网发生低阻抗及高阻抗接地故障下P范数判据的鲁棒性。仿真结果表明,该方法在过渡电阻高达3 kΩ的情况下能准确定位,且定位精度高,受噪声、故障类型和采样频率的影响小。
文摘1958—1999年,在广东省佛山市南海区西樵镇一带发现了众多记录了史前人类活动的石器地点,石器中包括双肩石器和细石器。迄今为止,“西樵山遗址”被认定是4—7 ka B P的大型新石器时期采石场和加工场。2011—2022年,笔者经多次地质遗迹和地质环境调查,在西樵山东南麓富贤村北面发现了良好的第四纪地层剖面。地质探槽剖面测量和地质年代学研究表明:富贤地点存在2套原始沉积地层:上部为第四纪全新世沼泽相地层,AMS14C校正年龄为5052—5409 a B P;下部为第四纪晚更新世冲积-洪积相地层,AMS14C校正年龄为38420—40502 a B P,OSL (光释光)年龄为41.977—43.796 ka B P;在晚更新世地层中发现2层含旧石器层,下部A1层主要石器类型有较大型刮削器、尖刃器、舌型刃器及小型石片工具,如各类刮削器、锯齿刃器、凹缺器、石刀、使用石片、石核等,包括带铤斧型小石刀;上部A2层明显出现更多石刀类型且常常附带修背和修铤工作,其中一件用于生产细小长石片的原始楔形石核引人关注。据平均沉积速率计算,下部A1石器层年龄为46.511—47.325 ka B P,上部A2石器层年龄为41.977—42.167 ka B P;距今大于5 ka的全新世沉积物中的石制品数量虽少,但器物类型仍具有明显继承性与发展性特点。本文的发现更新并延伸了西樵山国家地质公园和“西樵山文化”的内涵,首次突破了珠江三角洲地区有确切年代的晚更新世旧石器遗存的纪录,追踪到大约40—50 ka现代人在华南沿海的足迹,揭示了同期石器工业的面貌及其文化内涵的发展特征和演变。研究表明,在MIS3间冰段相对湿热时期以及MIS2相对干冷阶段,富贤地点的古人类面临环境变化的挑战而开启了新的生计模式,这对于揭示现代人对全球和区域环境变化的响应与适应的科学问题具有重要意义。
