Results Of Sensitivity Tests Research Articles

The Effect of Treated Sulfur Water on the Microbial Content of the Soil and the Extent of Resistance of These Bacteria to Antibiotics

The research began on March 7, 2021, as the regions of Ain Al-Wusta and Ain Jarura were chosen to take soil samples. The sulfuric water was treated using laboratory batch reactors. Locally manufactured glass tubes were used, with dimensions 17 * 17 * 55 in length, width and height, respectively, Subsequently, microbiological and chemical analyzes of the soil were performed. The results of the study showed success of the physical treatment process that was used to reduce the levels of sulfur in the water Depending on the source of water and the type of material used, the triple-magnetic treatment achieved the highest removal rate of 73% in Ain Al-Wusta soil, 40% in soil sample B1, and 27% in soil sample B2 of Ain Jarura. The results of bacterial culture showed that Gram-negative bacteria were dominant by 100% in soil samples from Ain Jarura region treated with untreated sulfuric water (WA1, WA2, WA3) (Table- 4), as well as for the same soil samples treated with sulfuric water treated with sand filter (GB1), charcoal filter (GB2) and magnetic field filter. (GB3) Soil samples treated with untreated sulfur water were dominated by Pseudomonas aeruginosa with a percentage of 66.7% and Acinetobacter lwoffii with a percentage of 33.3%.The results of the bacterial count of soil samples from the Ain Jarura region showed that there were significant differences between the bacterial number with sulfuric water treated with the three filters, As for soil samples from Ain Al-Wusta region, only soil samples added to sulfuric water treated with charcoal filter (WB2) gave significant differences with a significant decrease of number (84×102 CFU) for the species Aerococcus viridans. The results of the antibiotic sensitivity test showed that Elizabethkingia meningoseptica gave the highest rate of resistance to antibiotics about 66%. The results of the study showed that the resistance of bacterial isolates to antibiotics did not show significant differences between soil samples treated with treated and untreated sulfur water, except for the GB2 isolate.

Evaluation of pathogen distribution and antimicrobial resistance in breast plastic surgery infection.

The demand for mammaplasty has increased in recent years, and infection remains one of the common and serious post-operative complications. In this study, we analyzed the pathogen distribution and antibiotic susceptibility of breast plastic surgery infections, and compared the differences in pathogenic species between surgical procedures. The number of each species was counted in the microbial samples of breast plastic surgery infections in Plastic Surgery Hospital of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences from January 2011 to December 2021. The in vitro antibiotic sensitivity testing data were analyzed using WHONET 5.6 software. The surgical techniques, the period of infection, and other details were gathered in accordance with the clinical data. There were a total of 42 cases included, and 43 different types of pathogenic bacteria, mostly gram-positive bacteria, were found. CoNS (13/43) and Staphylococcus aureus (22/43) made up the majority. The most prevalent of the five Gram-negative bacteria was Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Results of drug sensitivity tests indicate that S. aureus is highly sensitive to vancomycin, cotrimoxazole, and linezolid, whereas CoNS is highly sensitive to vancomycin, linezolid, and chloramphenicol. Both of these bacteria show high resistance to erythromycin and penicillin. Breast augmentation, breast reconstruction, and breast reduction surgery were the most frequently associated breast surgery procedures in this study with infections, with the highest number of infections occurring following breast augmentation with fat grafting, breast reduction surgery, and breast reconstruction with autologous tissue. Various breast plastic surgery procedures have different common pathogens of infection, but the most prevalent are CoNS and S. aureus. Additionally, the majority of the infections in this study were in the early stages. Gram-positive bacteria were the predominant cause of breast plastic surgery infections, and the types of infection strains, the period of infection onset, and the antibiotic susceptibility of prevalent strains varied between breast plastic procedures.

Investigation of the gallbladder for the presence of pathogenic bacteria and their antibiotic susceptibility pattern

Background: The gallbladder is an essential organ in the human body that functions as an antioxidant. Cholangitis and pyogenic cholecystitis are two significant reasons for cholecystectomy. The significance of establishing microbial cultures and antibiotic susceptibility is that suitable antibiotics can be supplied because the infection can lead to severe consequences and death if not treated properly. However, very limited data is available on this matter. Therefore, this study is an attempt to investigate the presence of bacterial pathogens causing gallbladder disease and antibacterial susceptibility patterns to assess the choice of antibiotic. Moreover, both gallbladder’s wall and bile samples were investigated for accurate results. None of the past studies have worked on the gallbladder and the bile simultaneously. Objective: A prospective analytical study was conducted from July to December 2014. Blood, MacConkey agar, and Robertson cooked medium were used to culture all the clinical samples. After 24 and 48 hours of incubation, culture plates were examined for evident growth. Standard microbiological procedures were used to identify the isolated species. Antibiotic susceptibility tests were performed, and the isolated bacteria were also examined for extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) development. Results: Among 60 patients, 66% were positive for bacteria in the gallbladder wall or bile, or both. Gramnegative bacteria were the most commonly isolated ones. Due to ESBL production, bacteria were mainly resistant to all cephalosporins and Augmentin. However, aminoglycosides, carbapenem, and antibiotics combination were the most effective. Conclusion: It can be concluded that organisms are more resistant now due to ESBL production, so the old regimen of antibiotics might not be effective in treating them. The considerable culture-positive rate highlights the significance of acquiring bile and gallbladder wall bacterial cultures to administer the proper antibiotics at cholecystectomy. To avoid major complications like gram-negative septicemias, necessary adjustments must be made by the results of antibiotic sensitivity tests.

ANTIBIOTICS SENSITIVITY TEST DIFFUSION AND DILUTION METHODS

An antibiotic sensitivity test is a method to test the response of bacteria to antibiotics. This study aims to determine the effectiveness of an antibiotic against microbial activity. The sensitivity test was conducted with two methods, namely, the diffusion method and the dilution method. The diffusion method was performed using paper discs (Kirby-Bauer) against Escherichia coli and Shigella sonnei bacteria with amoxicillin, neomycin, and sulfonamide antibiotics. The data required is the diameter of the inhibition zone. Results showed that Escherichia coli was sensitive to amoxicillin but resistant to sulfonamide and neomycin. Meanwhile, Shigella sonnei was resistant to amoxicillin, neomycin, and sulfanilamide. Furthermore, the dilution method was performed to test the potency of amoxicillin against Escherichia coli bacteria using the liquid dilution method. The data required were test tubes with liquid media that showed no turbidity. The results showed that the minimal inhibitory concentration of amoxicillin against Escherichia coli was 0.25%. Based on the results of the antibiotic sensitivity test using the diffusion and the dilution methods, it can be concluded that amoxicillin has high effectiveness against Escherichia coli bacteria with a minimum inhibitory concentration of 0.25%, while Shigella sonnei is resistant to the antibiotics tested.

Incorporating of BCHMX in traditional plastic explosives

cis-1,3,4,6-tetranitro-octahydroimidazo-[4,5-d]imidazole (BCHMX) was investigated as an energetic filler with three different plastic explosives based on three matrices: C4 matrix, semtex10 matrix and EPX matrix. The original plastic explosives, composition C4 including RDX (1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazinane), Semtex 10 explosive based on PETN (pentaerythritoltetranitrate) and plastic RDX-silicone were included for comparison. Sensitivity and performance parameters were studied. Differential thermal analysis (DTA) was investigated to determine the thermal behavior. The sensitivities to friction and impact were evaluated and the explosive characteristics were determined by measuring the detonation velocity and determining the performance by the ballistic mortar test. The detonation parameters were also calculated for all samples using EXPLO5 code. By comparing the results obtained experimentally or by calculation, it is clear that the application of BCHMX in the used plastic matrices increases the performance and detonation characteristics in comparison with the original plastic explosives. Regarding to the results of sensitivity, thermal stability and performance tests, replacing PETN explosive by BCHMX in semtex matrices seems to form promising plastic explosive and needs further studies. On the other side, the performance of BCHMX-C4 is higher than that of composition C4.

Regulation Cost Forecasting Model for Systems with High Renewable Energy Penetration Based on Stochastic Distribution of Net Load Modeling

With the increasing installed capacity of wind power and PV, the strong randomness of power generation makes the requirements of power systems for regulation and other ancillary services increase. However, the traditional regulation requirement prediction method cannot meet the problem of randomness on both sides of the plant and the user well. Therefore, this paper designs a regulation requirement forecasting method based on netload random distribution modeling. Combined with the hypothetical typical operation scenario of the Chinese power system in 2025, the total cost of regulation is predicted. The results show that China’s total cost of regulation can reach 10.62 billion yuan in 2025. And the sensitivity test results show that the total cost of regulation increases with the decrease of sub-period and with the increase of coverage of random fluctuation of net load.

High anti-humidity exhaled acetone sensor based on Co3O4 derived from MOF-74

Acetone in human exhaled breath can be used as a biomarker for the early diagnosis of diabetes, because exhaled gas contains a large amount of water and other volatile organic compounds (VOCs), improving the selectivity is still a great challenge. In this work, 1D Co3O4 derived from MOF-74 with high moisture resistance and low detection limit was synthesized and used for the detection of acetone markers in human exhaled gas. The 1D porous Co3O4 with different average grain sizes were obtained by precise control of the MOF-74 pyrolysis temperature in a range of 300–450 ℃. The static gas sensitivity test results indicate that the MOF-74-derived Co3O4 at a pyrolysis temperature of 300 ℃ showed the highest response to 50 ppm acetone at an optimal operating temperature of 175 ℃. In the presence of four interfering gases including ethanol, methanol, formaldehyde and ammonia, the prepared Co3O4 sensor showed good selectivity to acetone. In addition, the exhalation simulation tests show that the detection limit of Co3O4 sensor for acetone in exhaled gas is as low as 500 ppb. Moreover, as the relative humidity increases, the initial resistance of the Co3O4 sensor increases, but the response value to 1.8 ppm acetone at 175 ℃ is almost unchanged. The good acetone sensing properties in exhaled gas were attributed to the unique structure of MOF-74 after pyrolysis, which prevented the nanoparticle agglomeration from occurring and provided more exposed active sites. Furthermore, the effective catalytic activity of surface Co2+ in the Co3O4 tetrahedral ligand of the cubic spinel structure enhances the sensing performance of acetone. With the advantages of low detection limit and high anti-humidity, gas sensors based on Co3O4 derived from MOF-74 are expected to become a potential candidate for the detection of acetone in exhaled gas of patients with diabetes in clinical non-invasive testing.

Outcomes of surgical treatment with patterns of bacterial culture and antimicrobial susceptibility testing in cases of cervical abscessation in dogs: 82 cases (2018–2021)

Objective: The objective of this study was to summarize the presentation, diagnosis, and outcome for dogs surgically treated for chronic cervical abscessation following suspected or reported cervical or oropharyngeal trauma, as well as to report on culture results and antimicrobial susceptibility patterns.Results: Eighty-two dogs were identified by retrospective review. Successful surgical outcome was achieved in 92.7% of dogs. Abscess recurrence was confirmed or suspected in 6/82 (7.3%) cases, and surgical intervention for abscess recurrence was performed in 4/82 (4.9%) cases. Foreign material was identified at surgery in 5/82 (6%) cases. Incisional healing complications were noted in 9/82 (10.9%) cases and required additional surgery in 5/82 (6%) cases. Twenty-three (28%) dogs had negative culture results. The results of antimicrobial sensitivity testing led to a change in antimicrobial treatment in only 9% of cases.Surgically treated cervical abscessation carries a good prognosis with a low incidence of recurrence in this cohort (in contrast to previous reports), despite low frequency of foreign body removal or identification of the underlying cause of the abscess. Excision of chronic inflammatory tissue may not be necessary for a successful outcome, contrary to previous recommendations. Multi-pathogen infections and anaerobic infections are commonly encountered.

Silver nanoparticle decorated graphene-based SERS electrode towards procalcitonin detection

Monitoring procalcitonin levels (PCT) is critical for early diagnosis of sepsis, chronic disease, COVID-19 and other time-dependent pathologic cases. In this work, silver nanoparticles (AgNps) doped graphene-based Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) electrode was demonstrated for the first time to rapid detection of PCT biomarkers. An excellent combination of AgNps and single-layer graphene (SLG) was achieved, resulting in effective SERS enhancement. Due to the smooth and large surface area of SLG, many antibody molecules bind to the surface of SERS electrode and interact with PCT protein. The SERS enhancement factors (EFs) for R6G and PCT protein molecules were calculated to be 1012 and 1.6 × 109, respectively. The limits of detection (LODs) for R6G and PCT protein molecules were reported to be 10−13 M and 4 ngmL−1, respectively. These high EFs and lower LODs indicate that the fabricated AgNp/Gr@ ITO SERS electrodes have perfect SERS performance. SERS studies showed that there is a perfect interaction between PCT protein and AgNps and SLG, which leads to the enhancement of electromagnetic mechanism (EM) and chemical mechanism (CM) in the fabricated SERS materials. The developed eco-friendly SERS platform can provide reliable and sensitive test results, faster analysis compared to conventional biosensors, mobile applications and cost-effective clinical management.

The Use of Colour Indicator as a Smart Packaging for Monitoring Spoilage Fillet Catin Fish (Pangasius Sp.) In Room Temperature

The purpose of this research was to manufacture smart packaging made from pH color indicators Methyl Orange (MO), Methyl Red (MR), and Bromocressol Green (BCG) and analyze the best indicators in responding to the decline of quality fillet of Pangasius spp. Sensitivity indicators were tested with simulated gas amin issued by NH4OH for 30 minutes. They tested the color change of indicator in field trials conducted with sensitivity to the decline of quality fillet fish Pangasius sp. every 3 hours for 15 hours. Further tests were done on the fish to find the time of fish freshness with the pH, TPC, and organoleptic (SNI 2346:2006). The research results showed that all indicators could be used as packaging materials for smart packaging that decline the quality of pangasius sp. indicator made of BCG responds better than the others. Test results of testing indicators sensitivity with NH4OH showed that all indicators could be used as indicators. The results of testing the sensitivity indicator against the decline of the quality of the pangasius sp. fillets showed that the limit of the freshness of the fish used in this research is over 6th hours to 9th hour of storage where at the 9th, the color of the indicator changed, MO from pink to yellowish-orange, MM from deep red to yellowish-orange and BCG from pale yellow to blue. At 9 hours of storage, the results of RGB of MO, MR, and BCG are 190.00±0.46, 165.07±0.78 and 0.70±238.04 accordance with the decline of the quality of the fish assessed from the test results of pH value (7.54), TPC (5.74 X 10 6) and the organoleptic value of appearance (5.0), smell (4.5) and texture (5.0). In conclusion, indicators made of MO, MR, and BCG can be used as smart packaging to detect the deterioration of Pangasius sp., and indicators made of BCG can respond better than indicators of MO and MR.

Public Preferences of Using Public Transport During the Covid-19 Pandemic and the Implementation of Level 3 Community Activity Restrictions Policy in Padang City

The Covid-19 pandemic has had a significant influence on the usage of public transport, in this case, a decrease in the use of public transport services. The decreased use of public transport was because the government created a new social system called social distance, followed by the Enforcement of Restrictions on Community Activities (PPKM). This study aims to perform utility and probability modelling and determine the most significant factor in influencing the preferences of the community in using public transport during the Covid-19 pandemic and the implementation of the PPKM level 3 policy in Padang City. Primary data was collected using online and offline questionnaires. The questionnaire used the expressed preference technique on eight alternatives with three attributes and two levels. The attributes include the difference in travel time, the cost of travel, and health protocols. The best model was Y(AUK-AUO) = 0.656 + (- 0.038) X1 + (- 0.056) X2 + 0.644 X3 with R-Square = 0.174 referring to all characteristics as a whole influence 17.4% of Y. According to the sensitivity test results, the travel cost difference is the most influencing variable in people’s decisions to use traditional public transportation during the covid-19 pandemic and the implementation of the PPKM level 3 policy.

Simulation of SMAP and AMSR2 observations and estimation of multi-frequency vegetation optical depth using a discrete scattering model in the Tibetan grassland

Passive microwave observation at multiple frequencies has received increasing research interests due to its capability to provide comprehensive information of land surface properties. This paper contributes to the simulation of land surface emission and estimation of vegetation optical depth (VOD) at multiple frequencies using a discrete scattering model with a single set of model parameter values. Validity of the Tor Vergata (TVG) discrete scattering model in simultaneously reproducing the Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) L-band (1.4 GHz) and Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer 2 (AMSR2) C- (6.925 GHz) and X-band (10.7 GHz) observations over the Tibetan grassland ecosystem is evaluated. Frequency-specific and multi-frequency calibration strategies are implemented to find the suitable set of model parameter values and to isolate the impact of frequency on parameter values. On this basis, the calibrated TVG model is further used to estimate the VOD, and to investigate the impact of microwave frequency and observation angle on the emission simulations and VOD parameterization.The results show that both frequency-specific and multi-frequency calibration strategies achieve comparable and reasonable simulations of SMAP and AMSR2 observations, confirming the feasibility of using an identical physically-based model (i.e. the calibrated TVG model) to simulate multi-frequency land emission driven by a single set of model parameter values. As such, the dependence of emission components and VOD on frequency can be elaborated after isolating the impact of frequency on parameter values. The VOD values derived from the TVG simulations generally increase with increasing frequency and can be linearly correlated to the LAI variations, while current satellite-based retrievals have almost the same magnitude at the L-, C-, and X-band. The explanation for this can be that the retrieved VOD is different from the theoretical definition. Sensitivity test performed using the calibrated TVG model further shows that polarization-dependence of VOD becomes more apparent with the increasing observation angle and frequency. New parameterization has thus been developed to characterize the dependence of VOD on the frequency, observation angle, and polarization for grassland based on the results of sensitivity test. This study may provide new insights in improving model of land emission and retrievals of SM and VOD with physical interpretability based on multi-frequency satellite observations.

Late-Onset Pneumothorax and Bullous Disease in Post-COVID-19 Pneumonia with Severe ARDS

Background: Patients with COVID-19 pneumonia may develop bullae that can rupture into spontaneous pneumothorax (SP) during the diagnosis and treatment, which can be a predictor of a poor prognosis. However, late-onset bullous disease and SP after recovering from COVID-19 are unusual.Case: A 48-year-old male presented with sudden shortness of breath accompanied by chest pain. Three weeks earlier, the patient had finished treatment in the COVID-19 isolation room for 20 days with a diagnosis of COVID-19 pneumonia with severe ARDS. Physical examination demonstrates tachypnea, desaturation, decreased vesicular breath sounds, and hyperresonance percussion on the right hemithorax; without rhonchi or wheezing. Chest X-ray and CT scan showed a right pneumothorax with infected subpleural giant bullae in right perihilar, right lung collapse, minimal right-to-left lung herniation and post-covid pulmonary fibrosis. Culture and sensitivity examination of the pleural fluid showed the growth of Providencia stuartile. A chest tube was placed for the management of the pneumothorax. Subsequently, according to the results of culture and antibiotic sensitivity test, the patient was treated using piperacilin/tazobactam and amikacin. The patient showed clinical and radiological improvement following 41 days of treatment and could be managed as an outpatient.Conclusion: Our patient had infected giant bullae and pneumothorax post COVID-19 pneumonia and severe ARDS. The patient did not undergo a bullectomy in consideration of the post-COVID-19 condition and was managed conservatively using adequate chest tube and antibiotics. Patient responded well to therapy, showed clinical improvement and could be discharged.

Abstract 43: Application of MiniPDX® in clinical indication identification and anti-tumor drug development

Abstract MiniPDX® represents a novel in vivo drug sensitivity test with fast turnaround (7-10 days), using either fresh patient tumor samples or tissues from established PDX models. We systematically evaluated and compared the response rates of MiniPDX® assays and PDX assays pair-wise in 26 PDX models across 3 types of cancers to 12 clinically relevant regimens for chemical and targeting drugs. The results showed a high correlation between drug responses of the two assays, with sensitivity and specificity of 80% and 93%, respectively. More studies of different tumor types showed that MiniPDX drug sensitivity test results were consistent with clinical responses in most patients, which indicated that MiniPDX® models have great potential in guiding personalized cancer therapy. LIDE has completed over 3,000 MiniPDX® tests for clinical precision medicine, covering more than 50 indications. MiniPDX® was used to rank clinically approved drugs or drug regimens to guide the selection of the best individualized treatment strategy. At the same time, screening other compounds facilitates selection of the best drug candidates for further R&D. Importantly, performing MiniPDX® Mouse Trial using fresh tumor samples generated from clinic is beneficial for determination of potential clinical indications. Only thousands of fresh cells leftover from MiniPDX® preparation are sufficient to get genomic and transcription data by OncoVee™ K-cell technology. The combination of MiniPDX® assay and omics data would be very useful for determination of potential bio-markers in order to distinguish responders and non-responders in population with certain indication(s) and leveraged for patient stratification and selection criteria in clinical trial design. Currently, we are developing a new version of MiniPDX® assay for immunotherapy (IO-FIVE, Immuno-Oncology Fast In Vivo Efficacy test) by using fresh patient cancer cells with autologous immune cells to maximally mimic human tumor microenvironment before seeding in immune-deficient mice. Total cell viability and cell phenotyping are tracked before and after drug treatment to evaluate its in vivo efficacy within two weeks. More than 60 samples have been tested and the IO-FIVE functional assay can effectively distinguish the non-responder from responders for immunotherapeutic drugs. Several Investigator Initiated Trials (II-T) are on-going to further validate the correlation of IO-FIVE result to clinic endpoint. Citation Format: Yuan Long, Bin Xie, Hongkui Chen, Shizhu Zhao, Le Li, Song Xi, Danyi Wen. Application of MiniPDX® in clinical indication identification and anti-tumor drug development [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2023; Part 1 (Regular and Invited Abstracts); 2023 Apr 14-19; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2023;83(7_Suppl):Abstract nr 43.

Molecular Detection of Genes Encoding for Adhesion Factors in Biofilm Formation among Uropathogenic Escherichia coli Isolates

Background: The ability of Escherichia coli to build biofilms leads to the development of numerous diseases and makes their removal challenging. In addition to being the most common cause of urinary tract infections (UTIs), E. coli has been linked to disease in almost every area of the human body. Objective: The objective of the study was to evaluate the uropathogenic E. coli biofilm development using molecular and biochemical methods. Materials and Methods: Out of the total 117 urine samples obtained from UTI patients and diagnosed by selective media EMB (eosin methylene blue agar) and Vitek2 system, antibiotic sensitivity test, biofilm formation assay, and molecular detection of genes encoding for adhesion factors using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique were done. Results: Fifty E. coli isolates from both sexes of different ages were isolated; the UTI rate in females was 82% and in males was 18%. The result of the antibiotic sensitivity test, in terms of the percentage of resistance, was as follows: ampicillin, 50%; amoxicillin-clavulanate, 98%; ceftazidime, 72%; cefotaxime, 68%; aztreonam, 26%; gentamicin, 48%; levofloxacin, 36%; and trimethoprim, 52%, so that a high percentage of multidurg resistance resulted in the current study was 88%. The results of the quantification of biofilm formation revealed that all isolates produced biofilm with the following percentages: five (10%) as strong adherents, 36 (72%) as moderate biofilm producers, and nine (18%) were weak producers. The prevalence of genes fimH, csgA, and ag43 was 92%, 98%, and 92%, respectively, the result of detection of genes encoding for adhesion factors using PCR technique. Conclusions: The biofilm phenotype was indicated in all E. coli isolates and can confer virulence behavior and considered as a great challenging health problem and there is a significant association between adherent factor’s genes (fimH, csgA, ag43) and the ability to produce biofilm within E. coli isolates.

Development of Bacterial Cocktail of Strains Staphylococcus hominis, Staphylococcus warneri, Bacillus subtilis, and Micrococcus luteus as active ingredients for Skin Care Formula

The microbial-based skin health care products that balance one's skin microbiome mimicking healthy skin are rapidly growing. Postbiotics gain more advantages in safety, shelf life, active peptides, and other active compounds such as GABA, which benefit human skin. We have isolated skin commensal bacteria, i.e., Staphylococcus hominis MBF12-19J, Staphylococcus warneri MBF02-19J, Micrococcus luteus MBF05-19J and Bacillus subtilis MBF10-19J in our previous study. This study aimed to make a formula of bacterial cocktail (BC) of those strains, elevate the BC formula into a ferment lysate (FL), and characterize the activities and test for skin sensitivity. The antibacterial activity was done by conducting a competition test using Propionibacterium acnes as an indicator bacterium, whereas the antioxidant activity assay was carried out using the DPPH method. The skin sensitivity was tested using the patch test method. The BC was lyzed by optimizing the enzymatic and ultrasonication methods, whereas sucrose was added as lyoprotectant to obtain a stable powder FL. Potential activity to inhibit P. acnes growth was achieved by a formula of FL consisting of M. luteus MBF05-19J: B. subtilis MBF10-19J: S. warneri MBF02-19J: S. hominis MBF12-19J in a ratio 1.5:1.5:0.5:0.5 or equivalent to DNA copy number/mL 1.01E+16: 1.14E+24: 1.96E+22: 1.50E+18. Skin sensitivity test results showed no sensitivity reaction, guaranteeing that CFS and FL are safe to use for the skin. Sucrose-FL at 12% sucrose formula showed higher physical stability than those without. However, the result of potential antioxidants showed mild and very mild activities compared to standard ascorbic acid.

High selectivity and response H2 sensors based on ZnO@ZIF-71@Ag nanorod arrays

Hydrogen (H2) is widely used in industrial and medical, however its flammable and explosive nature requires economical and effective monitoring to ensure safety. In this work, ZnO@ZIF-71@Ag nanorod arrays were synthesized to provide an effective adsorption response to H2 through size effect and high catalytic activity by immobilizing Ag nanoparticles (NPs) into the pores of ZIF-71. The results of the gas sensitivity tests showed that the nanorod arrays were significantly more selective towards H2. Moreover, the response of ZnO@ZIF-71@Ag to 50 ppm H2 was 11 times higher than that of ZnO@ZIF-71 at a lower operating temperature (150°C). The size of the Ag NPs was demonstrated to be below 10 nm by TEM characterization, suggesting that Ag in the form of quantum dots (QDs) to bring an unignorable catalytic effect for breaking hydrogen molecule (H2) into highly active atoms ([H]). In addition, the result of Density Function Theory (DFT) calculation revealed that the adsorption energy of Ag-catalyzed [H] (−8.255 eV) was much higher than that of H2 (−4.222 eV) on ZnO (100), which results in elevated charge transfer to promote hydrogen sensing performance of ZnO@ZIF-71@Ag. In this study, a novel hydrogen sensor based on pore sieving and catalytic sensing mechanisms was obtained, which provides a new reference for the development of hydrogen sensors.

Surgical Site Infection caused by Non-Hemolytic Staphylococcus aureus Following a Total Knee Arthroplasty at a Class C Hospital in Indonesia

Highlights: A patient with grade IV osteoarthritis underwent an arthroplasty and developed a surgical site infection caused by Staphylococcus aureus. The treatment for the surgical site infection included antibiotic medications and revision surgery for the previous total knee arthroplasty. Abstract: This article presents a case report of a knee arthroplasty surgical site infection caused by non-hemolytic Staphylococcus aureus. A 56-year-old woman came to the Orthopedic Outpatient Clinic, with the chief complaint of pain in the left knee for the last three years. After being diagnosed with grade IV osteoarthritis, the patient underwent a total knee arthroplasty. The patient had routine post-operative follow-ups at the Orthopedic Outpatient Clinic. However, the patient complained of swelling, pain, and discharge at the surgical site after three months. The patient underwent a second surgery for debridement, implant removal, and interspacer placement. A broad-spectrum antibiotic (gentamicin) was administered while waiting for the culture and antibiotic sensitivity test results. The culture results showed non-hemolytic Staphylococcus aureus presence. The antibiotics were then changed and administered for two weeks according to the culture and antibiotic sensitivity test results. As the results were good, the patient was scheduled for revision surgery for her previous total knee arthroplasty.

Epidemiological Characteristics and Drug Resistance of Microbial Pathogens of Patients With Silicosis Combined With Pulmonary Infection

To investigate the epidemiological characteristics of patients with silicosis combined with pulmonary infection in recent years, to study the distribution and the drug susceptibility of fungal and bacterial pathogens in their sputum samples, and to provide references for the prevention and treatment of silicosis and the appropriate drug use. The clinical data and drug sensitivity test results of patients with silicosis combined with pulmonary infection diagnosed at the Department of Occupational Diseases, West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University were retrospectively analyzed. A total of 318 patients with silicosis combined with pulmonary infection who received treatment between January 2017 and December 2020 were enrolled. All the patients had positive microorganism test results. All participants were male. Their median age at the time of onset was 51.00 years and the median time of exposure to silica dust at work was 12.40 years. They worked mostly in construction, non-ferrous metal mining, and coal mining. The main types of work they did were pneumatic drilling, coal digging, and mining. The positive detection rates for the first, second and third phases of silicosis were 27.54%, 28.32%, and 32.97%, respectively. A total of 341 strains of fungal and bacterial pathogens were isolated, of which, 54.1% were fungi, including 114 strains (35.8%) of Candida albicans, and 53.1% were bacteria, including 168 strains (52.8%) of gram-negative bacteria, most of which being Klebsiella pneumoniae (30.2%). There was only 1 strain (0.3%) of gram-positive bacteria, namely Staphylococcus hemolyticus. Gram-negative bacilli were most resistant to ampicillin and highly sensitive to penicillin G and ofloxacin. Among patients with silicosis combined with pulmonary infection, the incidence of pulmonary infection increases along with the progress of silicosis. Microorganism analysis reveals high detection rates for fungi and the bacteria detected are predominantly gram-negative bacteria. The overall prospect for drug resistance rate was not optimistic.

Heating Rate Control in Electric Furnace with SSR and K-Type Thermocouple Using Arduino Uno Atmega 328P

Electric furnace is a tool that can be used to melt, heat, and change the physical shape of a substance. Electric furnaces sold in the market are still relatively expensive, therefore it is necessary to make an electric furnace at a low cost. This research designed an electric furnace using a K-type thermocouple sensor as a temperature reader and SSR relay as an ON/OFF heater  control .  Keypad serves to enter the temperature value in the heating furnace. The heating element used is 1 mm in diameter and 1.86 ohm resistance with a load of 21 Ampere, capable of heating a C1 type refractory brick furnace that has been tested to a temperature of 1000 OC. The results of temperature reading sensitivity tests against the type-K thermocouple sensor get a coefficient value of 0.99893, this indicates that the thermocouple sensor is worth using. From the electric furnace test thermocouple sensor has an average accuracy rate of 92.07%, as well as errors worth 7.93%. While there is a precision value of 98.786% which shows the system works optimally.