Compact System Research Articles

Smart Blind Stick Using ESP32

Abstract: The Smart Blind Stick integrates ESP32 microcontroller, two ultrasonic sensors (middle and bottom), and a soil moisture sensor to enhance safety for visually impaired individuals. The middle ultrasonic sensor detects head-level obstacles, triggering a vibration motor for tactile feedback. The bottom ultrasonic sensor identifies potholes and manholes, activating a buzzer for audible alerts. A soil moisture sensor warns of wet surfaces through a speaker with IS 1820 IC, aiding users in avoiding hazards. This compact system enables proactive navigation, empowering users with improved situational awareness and confidence.

A Development in Solar Desalination System with Flashing of Solar Heated Water

Solar still was successfully used for the desalination of saline water in many arid and oceanic regions of the world. But the yield of solar still was found very low and fluctuating. The new develop system with the flashing of solarheated water is found possible during the study of flashing of hot water in many thermal processes used during the chemical and pharmaceutical processes. A compact and effective desalination system using solar energy had designed during the research work from the design reviews collected from flashing hot water devices used in many thermal processes. The compact flash chamber and flash steam condenser are critical components developed for the novel desalination system using locally available materials during the research work. In present experimental work a flash chamber is designed for flashing of solar heated water. Experimental work shows that by increasing the mass flow rate of water from 0.01 kg/sec to 0.02 kg/sec the distillate output of water could be increased with higher temperature of water. It shows that around 38% of higher distillate output in water could be achieved with development of new system.

Antimicrobial effect of biosynthesis of selenium nanoparticles by Pseudomonas aeruginosa on bacteria isolated from wounds and burns

Abstract: background: In recent decades, the rise of antibiotic resistance as critical global health challenges, necessitating innovative approaches to address these pressing issues. The Center of Disease Control (CDC) estimates that antibiotic resistance is responsible for nearly 5 million deaths in 2019 Objective: This study aims to biosynthesise selenium nanoparticles and the possibility of using as antimicrobal. Methods: Samples were collected from Al-Diwaniyah Teaching Hospital in Al-Diwaniyah Governorate - Iraq , period from April 1, 2023 to June 1, 2023. Bacterial samples were collected from wounds and burns, then they were diagnosed using (Vitek-2 compact system- Biomerieux-France), then all the collected bacterial species were tested to produce selenium nanoparticles and the best bacteria capable of producing them were selected. The synthesis process involved incubation, centrifugation, and purification. The antimicrobal activity of SeNPs was evaluated .Results : Pseudomonas aeruginosa was the predominant pathogen accounting for 30%, followed by Bacillus (24%), Staphylococcus (16%), Escherichia coli (8%), and Candida albicans (12%). Mixed infections are found in 10%. Statistical analysis showed (chi-square = 40.32, p < 0.0001). The bacilli showed high sensitivity to ciprofloxacin (Cip) with a mean diameter of 28 ± 1.02, while amoxicillin (AX), ceftoxime (CTX), doxycycline (DO), and carbenicillin (PY) had no inhibitory effect (0 ± 0). Staphylococci showed sensitivity to ciprofloxacin (18 ± 0.64), amoxicillin (13 ± 0.22), cefatoxime (12 ± 0.4), doxycycline (12 ± 0.4), nitrofuranthone (THAT) (11 ± 1), and neomycin (17.2 ± 1.1). Escherichia coli showed sensitivity to ciprofloxacin (28 ± 1.02) and doxycycline (19 ± 1.4), while Candida albicans showed resistance to all antibiotics tested. Antimicrobial activity was measured using concentrations of 125, 250, 500, and 1000 μg/mL. Results show a concentration-dependent increase in inhibitory effects. Antibiofilm activity ranges from 2 to 1048 μg/mL.Discussion: Lower concentrations (125 µg/ml), minimal inhibition was observed, but as the concentration increased, a clear trend of enhanced inhibition emerged. Notably, at 250 µg/ml, significant growth inhibition was evident, with a concentration-dependent response. The highest concentration (1000 µg/ml) exhibited the most substantial inhibitory effects. The absence of inhibition in the negative control confirms the specificity of nano selenium's impact.conclusion. : The results demonstrate concentration-dependent inhibitory effects of nano selenium on various bacterial species.

Nitrogen removal and nitrous oxide emission from moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) under different loads and airflow

Total nitrogen (TN) removal by sewage treatment required the development of nitrifying and denitrifying activities; however, these metabolite activities can produce and emit nitrous oxide (N2O), one of the greenhouse gases (GHG). With the expansion of sewage treatment in the world, compact systems such as moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) may be promising, mainly in more populated cities. However, little is known about N2O emission by the MBBR. This work investigated the N-NHx and TN removal, N2O production and emission and nitrogen mass balance in a MBBR under organic load and airflow variation. The highest TN removal (47%) was observed under higher load and higher aeration rate. Meanwhile, the MBBR under lower load and lower airflow had the lowest efficiency of TN and N-NHx removal probably due to a lower nitrifying activity. The N2O emission factors were lower than 1.6% (value estimated by the IPCC for sewage aerobic treatment systems). In addition, in the essay with higher load and lower airflow, half of removed TN was released by settled sludge and there is little research about this subject. Therefore, the MBBR showed to be a promising process for nitrogen removal with little emission of N2O even under different operational conditions that normally can occur in sanitary sewage system in cities around the world.

Thermal Management for a Stadium Power Supply Container Using a Rack-Level Air Cooling Strategy

This study investigates the airflow and thermal management of a compact electric energy storage system by using computational fluid dynamic (CFD) simulation. A porous medium model for predicting the flow resistance performance of the battery modules in a battery cabinet is developed. By studying the influence of rack shapes, the effects of heat exchanger arrangements and other parameters on the airflow and battery thermal distribution are analyzed. When applying a larger bottom air channel, the inlet flow uniformity of each battery cabin in the cabinet increases by 5%. Meanwhile, temperature standard deviation decreases by 0.18 while raising the flow rate from 3 m/s to 8 m/s, indicating better temperature uniformity in the battery cabin. When the charge–discharge ratio reaches 0.5 C, the temperature deviation of the entire cabinet significantly increases, reaching 8 K. Furthermore, a rack-level thermal management scheme is proposed to effectively reduce the thermal deviation of the container electric energy storage system and improve the overall temperature uniformity. Results reveal that the rack-level thermal management of the wavy cabinet in the electric storage container can effectively improve the thermal uniformity of the distributed battery cabin, and the overall thermal deviation is controlled within 1.0 K.

Prevalence of Extensively and Pan-drug-resistant Acinetobacter spp. in Nosocomial Infections in Western Saudi Arabia

Multidrug resistance patterns of Acinetobacter spp. have led to their emergence as an important source of nosocomial infections. This study investigated the prevalence and clinical characteristics of Acinetobacter spp. in hospital-acquired wound and urinary tract infections. A total of 432 samples [wound swabs (210) and urine samples (222)] were analyzed for the presence of Acinetobacter spp. through selective culturing on MacConkey and Leeds Acinetobacter medium followed by identification with API 20E strips and Vitek 2 compact system. Antimicrobial susceptibility was assessed by adopting the disk diffusion method on Muller-Hinton agar, whereas the minimum inhibitory concentration procedure was carried out by using a ComASP™ Colistin test kit. Biofilm formation was examined using microtiter plates and following the crystal violet staining method. PCR was performed to amplify virulence (lasB, bap, and plcN) and antimicrobial resistance (blaOXA-51like) genes. The results revealed a low prevalence of Acinetobacter spp. (1.85 %) where Acinetobacter baumannii was the predominant species. Acinetobacter baumannii isolates harbored blaOXA-51-like gene to exert extensive or pan-drug resistance. Most Acinetobacter baumannii isolates demonstrated weaker to moderate biofilm-forming capabilities and carried the bap gene. Acinetobacter baumannii isolates lacked the combination of virulence factors encoding lasB and plcN genes. Acinetobacter baumannii infections are rising in Saudi Arabia. The results of this study highlight the epidemiology of virulent and antibiotic-resistant Acinetobacter spp., particularly A. baumannii, in Saudi Arabia. The detailed elaboration on the diversity, virulence, and antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of Acinetobacter spp. in Saudi Arabia requires further in-depth molecular investigations.

Antimicrobial resistance trends in clinical Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae in Ethiopia.

Clinicians rely on local antimicrobial resistance pattern data to guide empiric treatment for seriously ill patients when culture and antimicrobial susceptibility testing results are not immediately available. This study aimed to analyse 5-year trends in antimicrobial resistance profiles of Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates. Bacteriology reports from 2017 to 2021 at the Ethiopian Public Health Institute were analysed retrospectively. Isolates were identified using either the VITEK 2 Compact system, the BD Phoenix M50 instrument, or conventional biochemical tests. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was conducted using either the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method or the VITEK 2 Compact system and BD Phoenix M50 systems available at the time of testing. The Cochran Armitage trend test was employed to test the significance of antimicrobial resistance trends over time. P-values less than 0.05 were considered statistically significant. Of the 5382 bacteriology reports examined, 458 (9%) were on E. coli and 266 (5%) were on K. pneumoniae. Both K. pneumoniae (88%) and E. coli (65%) demonstrated high resistance to extended-spectrum cephalosporins. However, both K. pneumoniae (14%) and E. coli (5%) showed lower rates of resistance to carbapenems compared to other antimicrobials. In K. pneumoniae, resistance to carbapenems (from 0% to 38%; p < 0.001) and ciprofloxacin (from 41% to 90%; p < 0.001) increased significantly between 2017 and 2021. Both organisms showed very high resistance to broad-spectrum antibiotics. Additionally, K. pneumoniae demonstrated a statistically significant rise in ciprofloxacin and carbapenem resistance. This study emphasises the significance of regular reporting of local antimicrobial resistance patterns as this information can guide appropriate empiric therapy and efforts to address antimicrobial resistance issues.

Iron-tannic acid nano-coating: A promising treatment approach for enhancing Lactococcus lactis antibiotic resistance

The objective of this study was to explore a novel methodology for the synthesis of nanocoated probiotics following their collection and cultivation under optimized conditions, in light of their significant contribution to human health. Probiotics are instrumental in sustaining immune health by modulating the gastrointestinal microbiota and facilitating digestion. However, the equilibrium they maintain can be adversely affected by antibiotic treatments. It is critical to investigate the vulnerability of probiotics to antibiotics, considering the potential implications. This research aimed to assess whether nanoparticle coating could augment the probiotics' resistance to antibiotic influence. A strain of Lactococcus lactis (L. lactis) was isolated, cultured, and comprehensively characterized utilizing state-of-the-art methodologies, including the VITEK® 2 compact system, VITEK® MS, and 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The nanoparticle coating was performed using iron (III) chloride hexahydrate and tannic acid, followed by an evaluation of the probiotics' resistance to a range of antibiotics. The analysis through scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) demonstrated a partial nanoparticle coating of the probiotics, which was further supported by UV/Vis spectroscopy findings, suggesting enhanced resistance to standard antibiotics. The results revealed that this strain possesses a unique protein profile and is genetically similar to strains identified in various other countries. Moreover, nano-encapsulation notably increased the strain's resistance to a spectrum of standard antibiotics, including Benzylpenicillin, Teicoplanin, Oxacillin, Vancomycin, Tetracycline, Rifampicin, Erythromycin, and Clindamycin. These findings imply that nanoparticle-coated probiotics may effectively counteract the detrimental effects of extended antibiotic therapy, thus preserving their viability and beneficial influence on gastrointestinal health.

Modelling reaction transfer velocities in disconnected compact heterogeneous multilayer reactive material systems

The tuning of the self-propagating reaction is studied theoretically by introducing a non-reactive material between two reactive material elements. For the study, the Ni/Al bilayer system was chosen. The Ni/Al elements were placed on a silicon wafer covered with a 1-µm-thick silicon dioxide. The spaces between the multilayer reactive material elements were filled with different non-reactive materials covering a wide range of thermal properties. On top of this heterogeneous layer, a 1-µm-thick sealing layer was placed consisting of the filler material. The carried out two-dimensional simulations demonstrated that embedding material allows to scale the ignition transfer time and the heat propagation velocity. For example, for a transfer length of 1 µm, the ignition time can be tuned from nano- to microseconds. Consequently, in contrast to previous results embedding materials allow scaling the properties of the self-propagating reaction in heterogeneous reactive material systems.Graphical abstract

A Compact Dual-polarized Probe-fed UWB Antenna System for Breast Cancer Detection Applications

This article proposes an electrically small, probe-fed Ultra-Wideband (UWB) monopole antenna on a slotted truncated ground plane for breast cancer detection. The physical footprint of the proposed antenna element is 33 mm × 35 mm × 0.5 mm. This element is designed on the low-cost FR4 Epoxy substrate with a thickness of 0.5 mm. The proposed antenna has an electrical size of 0.33λ × 0.35λ × 0.005λ at the lowest frequency of operation; the radiator offers an impedance bandwidth of 8.34 GHz, which implies a fractional bandwidth of 115.5%. A compact dual-polarized antenna topology with two orthogonally placed probe-fed monopole antennas is proposed to achieve polarization diversity. The impedance characteristics of the individual radiating elements are maintained in spite of the electrical proximity of the radiators. The numerically computed and experimentally measured results of dual-polarized electrically small UWB antenna agree quite well. The proposed dual-polarized antenna topology is investigated for its utility in breast cancer detection in simulation.

Beam steering using delays generated from an optical OAM mode shifting recirculating loop

This paper investigates the performance of generated delays from an orbital angular momentum mode shifting recirculating delay loop (OAM-SL) in simulation using Kirchhoff-Fresnel diffraction (KFD) and the delays applicability for RF signal beam steering applications. OAM-SL is a novel structure that has been recently reported to produce multiple delayed signal replicas on independent OAM carriers using a single compact system. The objective of this research is to explore the impact of several limiting factors on the quality of OAM-SL delays for beam steering applications, such as where there is (i) displacement of the OAM mode shifter, (ii) displacement of the center of the OAM mode demultiplexer at the loop output, and (iii) the limited resolution. The methodology includes: (i) simulating the beam propagation using KFD, (ii) producing the output as a coherent summation of the recirculating beams, and (iii) characterizing the SCR by dividing the power of the recirculating beam (ρ) on its OAM mode by the power accumulated from the other recirculating beams. Our findings show that delays generated from a system with lin=−30, lshift=+1, and a resolution of 1024 pixels can steer a 100 MHz signal at a steering angle of 11.5° in a four antenna system with 0.1° error if loop alignment is perfect. Also, for steering the 100 MHz signal in an eight antenna system, we analyze the system assuming the system loss can be compensated, and a similar result of 0.1° error is obtained. Additionally, we report the beam steering performance at 23.6° and 36.8°.

Measurement of Downwelling Radiance Using a Low-Cost Compact Fourier-Transform Infrared System for Monitoring Atmospheric Conditions

Temperature and water vapor play crucial roles in the Earth’s climate system, and it is important to understand and monitor the variation in the thermodynamic profile within the lower troposphere. Among various observation platforms for understanding the vertical structure of temperature and humidity, ground-based Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) can provide detailed information about the lower troposphere by complementing the limitations of radiosonde or satellite methods. However, these ground-based systems have limitations in terms of cost, operation, and mobility. Herein, we introduce a cost-effective and easily deployable FTIR observation system designed to enhance monitoring capabilities for atmospheric conditions. The atmospheric downwelling radiance spectrum of sky is measured by applying a real-time radiative calibration using a blackbody. From the observed radiance spectrum, the thermodynamic profile (temperature and the water vapor mixing ratio) of the lower troposphere was retrieved using an algorithm based on the optimal estimation method (OEM). The retrieved vertical structure results in the lower troposphere were similar to the fifth-generation reanalysis database (ERA-5) of the European Center for Medium-range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) and the National Centers for Environmental Prediction final analysis (NCEP FNL). This provides a potential possibility for monitoring atmospheric conditions by a compact FTIR system.

A compact detector system for simultaneous measurements of the light yield non-linearity and timing properties of scintillators

This work presents an outline of a detection system that employs the Compton spectrometer method to assess the non-linearity of scintillator light yield. A novel approach is introduced, leading to more accurate measurements through the separate determination of the intrinsic light output parameters and the non-linearity of the scintillators. Key features of this system include the use of a portable scintillation detector with three photomultiplier tubes for precise measurement of the average number of detected photoelectrons and the incorporation of recent advancements in correction techniques for accidental coincidences. The integration of digital acquisition, offline data analysis, and geometric adaptation reduces the time required to perform a measurement. The developed detector can simultaneously measure different timing properties, as well as the relative intensities following ionization excitation in a scintillator. The system’s performance is demonstrated through measurements of the light yield dependence on the deposited energy for commercially available liquid, plastic, and inorganic scintillators. Such instrumentation serves as a valuable tool in the development of novel scintillating materials, including liquid or solid organic scintillators, inorganic scintillators, and composite scintillators for electron detection, in addition to traditional X-ray or γ\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$\\gamma$$\\end{document}-ray detection.

Abstract 1689: CRISPR functional genetic screening for immune enhancers of inhibitor receptors in human primary CD8 T cells

Abstract The restrained efficacy of T cell therapies in cancer treatment is associated with T cell exhaustion (TEX), an impaired effector function state that is marked by distinct epigenetic landscape. These unique epigenetic features promoted the progression of TEX, hindered reinvigoration of TEX state and controlled the abnormal expression of inhibitor receptors (IRs), which could serve as target sites in cancer treatment. Thus, deciphering the regulatory elements in primary human T cells will deeply reveal the mechanism controlling TEX and provide novel therapeutic strategies to promote clinical response. However, how enhancers can be effectively applied in anti-cancer treatment is still poorly understood because high throughput identifying the functional enhancers of inhibitor receptors at scale is technically limited in human T cells. Here, we first developed a pooled screening platform that employs a compact CRISPRi system and enabled efficient one-step delivery of pooled screening libraries to primary human T cells. Leveraging this platform, we screened large genomic regions (~300kb) at saturation around key TEX genes, two IRs—PDCD1, HAVCR2 and one transcription factor (TF)—TBX21 to interrogate functional enhancers in human primary CD8 T cells. We identified two enhancers for PDCD1, three enhancers for HAVCR2 and three enhancers for TBX21, all of which are located over 12kb away from each gene’s transcription start sites. Then, to parse the essential sequences that fulfill enhancer function, we employed Cas9-based in-situ saturation mutagenesis screening to the identified enhancers of PDCD1 and HAVCR2. We found disrupt essential sequences impaired the entire enhancer function, quantitatively phenocopied the effect of targeting the entire enhancer with CRISPRi. Transcription factor motifs analyses of these sequences revealed potential regulation of ZFX for controlling PDCD1 expression and STAT for HAVCR2 expression. Finally, we explored the functional consequences of applying enhancers to anti-cancer treatment. Indeed, targeting the identified enhancers of PDCD1 and HAVCR2 in CAR T cells lead to enhanced cancer cell killing efficiency in vitro. Together, our study provides a platform and paradigm to interrogate functional enhancers in human T cells, illuminated the great potential of manipulating enhancers in T cell therapies. Citation Format: Ping Wang, Josephine R. Giles, Hua Huang, Junwei Shi, E.John Wherry. CRISPR functional genetic screening for immune enhancers of inhibitor receptors in human primary CD8 T cells [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2024; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2024 Apr 5-10; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(6_Suppl):Abstract nr 1689.

An origami-inspired energy absorber

The design of effective and compact energy absorption systems is key to the survivability and durability of many man-made structures and machines. To this end, this work presents the design, assessment, and implementation of a novel origami-inspired energy absorber that is based on the Kresling origami pattern. The absorber consists of a Kresling origami column positioned between the loading point and an energy dissipation module. By exploiting its unique inherent translation-to-rotation coupling feature, the primary function of the Kresling column is to transmit uniaxial incident loads (shock or impact) into localized rotational energy that can then be dissipated in a viscous fluid chamber. The proposed system has several unique advantages over traditional designs including the ability to (i) dissipate energy associated with both torsional and uniaxial loads, (ii) control the rotational velocity profile to maximize energy dissipation, and (iii) customize the restoring-force behavior of the Kresling column to different applications. Furthermore, the proposed design is more compact since it can realize the same stroke distance of the traditional translational design while being considerably shorter. Through extensive computational modeling, parametric studies, and experimental testing, it is demonstrated that the proposed design can be optimized to absorb all the imparted energy; and out of the absorbed energy, around 40% can be dissipated in the viscous fluid, while the rest is either dissipated by the viscoelasticity of the origami column or stored in it as potential energy.

Epidemiology and molecular characterization of carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae isolated from neonatal intensive care units in General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, China, 2017-2021.

This study aimed to retrospectively investigate the epidemiology and molecular characteristics of carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP) isolates from neonatal intensive care units (NICU) between 2017 and 2021. The antibacterial susceptibility of all strains was assessed using the VITEK 2 compact system. The presence of antibiotic resistance, virulence genes, sequence types (STs), capsular (K) types, and the wzi genes was determined through polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Molecular typing was performed by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) using the restriction enzyme XbaI. Additionally, the virulence potential of peg344-positive strains was evaluated using the string test and mouse intraperitoneal infection models. Whole-genome sequencing was conducted on the DNB system and PacBio platforms. A total of 46 CRKP isolates were collected during the study period. Out of these, 93.47% (43/46) were identified as CRKP strains belonging to the ST76-K10 type carrying blaNDM-5. It was observed that CRKP infection resulted in more severe clinical symptoms compared to CRKP colonization. Among the CRKP strains, a hypervirulent CRKP strain called KP-63, belonging to the ST23 type, was identified. This strain exhibited high mortality in the mouse infection model and was found to possess virulence genes. Genomic alignment analysis revealed a significant similarity between the virulence plasmid from KP-63 strain (pKP-63) and pK2044 from the hypervirulent K. pneumoniae strain NTUH-2044. There has been a potential dissemination of ST76-K10 type CRKP carrying blaNDM-5 in the NICU at Ningxia Hospital. Neonatal CRKP infection has been found to cause more severe clinical symptoms than colonization. Furthermore, we have discovered a CR-hvKP strain of ST23 with serotype K1, which exhibits a significant resemblance in its virulent plasmid to pK2044. Therefore, it is crucial to enforce effective measures to restrict the spread and hinder the evolution of CRKP within the hospital.

Effect of aging on temperature dependence of FeCuSiNbB nanocrystalline materials

Nowadays, increasing energy efficiency in the automotive industry is promoted by employing compact electrical systems. This reduction in the mass and volume of electrical systems exposes magnetic components to high temperatures for extended periods. The present paper investigates the magnetic behavior of FeCuSiNbB nanocrystalline materials across various temperature ranges. Subsequently, the temperature dependency is reevaluated after exposing the magnetic cores to aging at 200 °C. The entire study is founded on monitoring the evolution of macroscopic magnetic properties and analyzing anisotropic energies.

Robust Adaptive Control of the Offshore Produced Water Treatment Process: An Improved Multivariable MRAC-Based Approach

The application of deoiling hydrocyclone systems as the downstream of three-phase gravity separator (TPGS) systems is one of the most commonly deployed produced water treatment processes in offshore oil and gas production. Due to the compact system’s complexity and tailor-made features, it is always challenging to develop some optimally coordinated control solution for the coupled hydrocyclone and TPGS systems. It is obvious that coordinated control can better fulfill legislative discharge regulation by robustly maintaining high separation efficiencies. This paper presents a new control solution for a set of integrated hydrocyclone and TPGS systems by applying an improved multi-variable model reference adaptive control (MV-MRAC) approach with the aim of achieving both asymptotic output tracking and unknown disturbance rejection. A robust MV-MRAC controller design is proposed based on a control parameterization derived from a factorization of a high-frequency gain matrix Kp=LDS as a product of three matrices, where L represents unity lower triangular, D=sign(D) represents diagonal, and S represents positive definite, and a teaching–learning-based optimization (TLBO) algorithm for optimizing the adaption rates. The developed solution is analyzed and compared with a commonly deployed PI control solution on a model that is derived from a lab-scale produced water treatment process. This simulation study demonstrates the promising potential of the proposed control solution compared with the currently deployed PI control solution.

Antibacterial and antibiofilm activity of cinnamic acid against Multidrug-resistant bacteria isolated from Ramadi Teaching hospitals, Iraq

Various bacterial pathotypes remain a significant public health concern due to their pathogenicity and antimicrobial resistance. Moreover, the ability of bacteria to form biofilms can hinder host defense and antimicrobial eradication, leading to additional resistance. This study aimed to estimate the cinnamic acid's anti-biofilm activity against biofilms-producing bacteria. From October to November 2023, various clinical isolates were obtained from the Bacteriology Unit, Ramadi Teaching Hospital, Iraq. All isolates were identified using a conventional and automated VITEK-2 compact system. Based on the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) guidelines and the European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing (EUCAST), the Kirby- Bauer disk diffusion and AST were performed for antimicrobial susceptibility. Biofilm formation was estimated using a 96-well Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) reader. Based on the antimicrobial susceptibility test, all bacterial isolates showed antibiotic resistance, including Kleibsella pneumonieae, Psuedomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. The data showed that MICs of cinnamic acid against bacteria were 125 μg /ml.The biofilms formed by all isolates exhibited strong strength (OD570 : 0.078-0.099). Cinnamic acid demonstrated significant inhibition of biofilm production in Multidrug resistance (MDR) bacteria (P-value = 0.0236). The results indicated that Cinnamic acid could be a promising anti-infective agent based on its ability to inhibit MDR-bacterial infections through biofilm formation.

Real‐Time Jones Matrix Synthesis by Compact Polarization Inline Holographic Microscopy

AbstractThe Jones matrix is a powerful quantitative tool for polarimetric imaging and characterization, where the matrix elements represent the intrinsic optical properties of the anisotropic objects on interaction with the polarized light. Most of the state‐of‐the‐art single‐shot Jones‐matrix imaging techniques rely on interferometric methods, which makes the design complex with the use of large number of polarization optics and produces space‐bandwidth limitations. The simultaneous extraction of Jones matrix elements with a compact system design is still a technical challenge in view of its potential applications in biomedical and real‐time characterization scenarios. In this paper, the imaging features of the in‐line holography are exploited to develop a compact polarization in‐line holography (PIH) system capable of single‐shot extraction of Jones‐matrix elements. The technique achieves simultaneous orthogonal polarization state generation and corresponding polarization multiplexed in‐line hologram detection by utilizing a compact polarization geometry. The imaging compatibility and measurement accuracy of the method is experimentally validated by the real‐time synthesis of Jones‐matrix elements corresponding to custom designed polarization sensitive samples and standard birefringent resolution target. Furthermore, to demonstrate the application of the system in dynamic imaging, the transient polarization changes of a custom‐designed parallel nematic liquid crystal display (LCD) are investigated.