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- ItemCharacterisation of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus from Alexandria, Egypt(Basel : MDPI, 2023) Monecke, Stefan; Bedewy, Amira K.; Müller, Elke; Braun, Sascha D.; Diezel, Celia; Elsheredy, Amel; Kader, Ola; Reinicke, Martin; Ghazal, Abeer; Rezk, Shahinda; Ehricht, RalfThe present study aims to characterise clinical MRSA isolates from a tertiary care centre in Egypt’s second-largest city, Alexandria. Thirty isolates collected in 2020 were genotypically characterised by microarray to detect their resistance and virulence genes and assign them to clonal complexes (CC) and strains. Isolates belonged to 11 different CCs and 14 different strains. CC15-MRSA-[V+fus] (n = 6), CC1-MRSA-[V+fus+tir+ccrA/B-1] (PVL+) (n = 5) as well as CC1-MRSA-[V+fus+tir+ccrA/B-1] and CC1153-MRSA-[V+fus] (PVL+) (both with n = 3) were the most common strains. Most isolates (83%) harboured variant or composite SCCmec V or VI elements that included the fusidic acid resistance gene fusC. The SCCmec [V+fus+tir+ccrA/B-1] element of one of the CC1 isolates was sequenced, revealing a presence not only of fusC but also of blaZ, aacA-aphD and other resistance genes. PVL genes were also common (40%). The hospital-acquired MRSA CC239-III strain was only found twice. A comparison to data from a study on strains collected in 2015 (Montelongo et al., 2022) showed an increase in fusC and PVL carriage and a decreasing prevalence of the CC239 strain. These observations indicate a diffusion of community-acquired strains into hospital settings. The beta-lactam use in hospitals and the widespread fusidic acid consumption in the community might pose a selective pressure that favours MRSA strains with composite SCCmec elements comprising mecA and fusC. This is an unsettling trend, but more MRSA typing data from Egypt are required.
- ItemIntegrated Energy System Optimization Based on Standardized Matrix Modeling Method(Basel : MDPI, 2018-11-23) Li, Jingchao; Ying, Yulong; Lou, Xingdan; Fan, Juanjuan; Chen, Yunlongyu; Bi, DongyuanAiming at the optimization of an integrated energy system, a standardized matrix modeling method and optimization method for an integrated energy system is proposed. Firstly, from the perspective of system engineering, the energy flow between energy conversion devices is used as a state variable to deal with nonlinear problems caused by the introduction of scheduling factors, and a standardized matrix model of the integrated energy system is constructed. Secondly, based on the proposed model, the structural optimization (i.e., energy flow structure and equipment type), design optimization (i.e., equipment capacity and quantity), and operation optimization for the integrated energy system can be achieved. The simulation case studies have shown that the proposed integrated energy system standardized matrix modeling method and optimization method are both simple and efficient, and can be effectively used to decide the system components and their interconnections, and the technical characteristics and daily operating strategy of the system components.
- ItemSurface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy to Characterize Different Fractions of Extracellular Vesicles from Control and Prostate Cancer Patients(Basel : MDPI, 2021) Osei, Eric Boateng; Paniushkina, Liliia; Wilhelm, Konrad; Popp, Jürgen; Nazarenko, Irina; Krafft, ChristophExtracellular vesicles (EVs) are membrane-enclosed structures ranging in size from about 60 to 800 nm that are released by the cells into the extracellular space; they have attracted interest as easily available biomarkers for cancer diagnostics. In this study, EVs from plasma of control and prostate cancer patients were fractionated by differential centrifugation at 5000× g, 12,000× g and 120,000× g. The remaining supernatants were purified by ultrafiltration to produce EV-depleted free-circulating (fc) fractions. Spontaneous Raman and surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) at 785 nm excitation using silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were employed as label-free techniques to collect fingerprint spectra and identify the fractions that best discriminate between control and cancer patients. SERS spectra from 10 µL droplets showed an enhanced Raman signature of EV-enriched fractions that were much more intense for cancer patients than controls. The Raman spectra of dehydrated pellets of EV-enriched fractions without AgNPs were dominated by spectral contributions of proteins and showed variations in S-S stretch, tryptophan and protein secondary structure bands between control and cancer fractions. We conclude that the AgNPs-mediated SERS effect strongly enhances Raman bands in EV-enriched fractions, and the fractions, EV12 and EV120 provide the best separation of cancer and control patients by Raman and SERS spectra.
- ItemTowards Bacteria Counting in DI Water of Several Microliters or Growing Suspension Using Impedance Biochips(Basel : MDPI, 2020) Kiani, Mahdi; Tannert, Astrid; Du, Nan; Hübner, Uwe; Skorupa, Ilona; Bürger, Danilo; Zhao, Xianyue; Blaschke, Daniel; Rebohle, Lars; Cherkouk, Charaf; Neugebauer, Ute; Schmidt, Oliver G.; Schmidt, HeidemarieWe counted bacterial cells of E. coli strain K12 in several-microliter DI water or in several-microliter PBS in the low optical density (OD) range (OD = 0.05–1.08) in contact with the surface of Si-based impedance biochips with ring electrodes by impedance measurements. The multiparameter fit of the impedance data allowed calibration of the impedance data with the concentration cb of the E. coli cells in the range of cb = 0.06 to 1.26 × 109 cells/mL. The results showed that for E. coli in DI water and in PBS, the modelled impedance parameters depend linearly on the concentration of cells in the range of cb = 0.06 to 1.26 × 109 cells/mL, whereas the OD, which was independently measured with a spectrophotometer, was only linearly dependent on the concentration of the E. coli cells in the range of cb = 0.06 to 0.50 × 109 cells/mL.
- ItemUnderstanding Nonlinear Pulse Propagation in Liquid Strand-Based Photonic Bandgap Fibers(Basel : MDPI, 2021) Qi, Xue; Schaarschmidt, Kay; Li, Guangrui; Junaid, Saher; Scheibinger, Ramona; Lühder, Tilman; Schmidt, Markus A.Ultrafast supercontinuum generation crucially depends on the dispersive properties of the underlying waveguide. This strong dependency allows for tailoring nonlinear frequency conversion and is particularly relevant in the context of waveguides that include geometry-induced resonances. Here, we experimentally uncovered the impact of the relative spectral distance between the pump and the bandgap edge on the supercontinuum generation and in particular on the dispersive wave formation on the example of a liquid strand-based photonic bandgap fiber. In contrast to its air-hole-based counterpart, a bandgap fiber shows a dispersion landscape that varies greatly with wavelength. Particularly due to the strong dispersion variation close to the bandgap edges, nanometer adjustments of the pump wavelength result in a dramatic change of the dispersive wave generation (wavelength and threshold). Phase-matching considerations confirm these observations, additionally revealing the relevance of third order dispersion for interband energy transfer. The present study provides additional insights into the nonlinear frequency conversion of resonance-enhanced waveguide systems which will be relevant for both understanding nonlinear processes as well as for tailoring the spectral output of nonlinear fiber sources.
- ItemEnergy-Dependent RBS Channelling Analysis of Epitaxial ZnO Layers Grown on ZnO by RF-Magnetron Sputtering(Basel : MDPI, 2019) Wittkämper, Florian; Bikowski, André; Ellmer, Klaus; Gärtner, Konrad; Wendler, ElkeThe transparent conducting oxides ZnO and ZnO:Al are interesting materials for a wide range of applications. Several of these applications need a large area, single crystalline, and specially doped thin layers. A common technique for the fabrication of those layers is RF (radio frequency) -magnetron sputtering. The investigation of the crystal quality of such layers requires methods of analysis that are destruction free and that are able to obtain information about the concentration and type of defects versus depth. One such option is the Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy (RBS) in channelling mode. In this work, we exploit the channelling effect and its energy dependence, which are sensitive to the type of defects. By using appropriate software and measuring RBS channelling spectra with different beam energies, we were able to determine the depth distribution of point defects and dislocation loops. The presence of dislocation loops was proven using other previously applied analysis methods. The main advantage of RBS in channelling mode is the quantification of point defects, which can be important for defining the electrical and optical properties of such layers. The technique demonstrated is applicable to other defective crystals or thin crystalline layers. © 2019 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.
- ItemComparison of Multiscale Imaging Methods for Brain Research(Basel : MDPI, 2020) Tröger, Jessica; Hoischen, Christian; Perner, Birgit; Monajembashi, Shamci; Barbotin, Aurélien; Löschberger, Anna; Eggeling, Christian; Kessels, Michael M.; Qualmann, Britta; Hemmerich, PeterA major challenge in neuroscience is how to study structural alterations in the brain. Even small changes in synaptic composition could have severe outcomes for body functions. Many neuropathological diseases are attributable to disorganization of particular synaptic proteins. Yet, to detect and comprehensively describe and evaluate such often rather subtle deviations from the normal physiological status in a detailed and quantitative manner is very challenging. Here, we have compared side-by-side several commercially available light microscopes for their suitability in visualizing synaptic components in larger parts of the brain at low resolution, at extended resolution as well as at super-resolution. Microscopic technologies included stereo, widefield, deconvolution, confocal, and super-resolution set-ups. We also analyzed the impact of adaptive optics, a motorized objective correction collar and CUDA graphics card technology on imaging quality and acquisition speed. Our observations evaluate a basic set of techniques, which allow for multi-color brain imaging from centimeter to nanometer scales. The comparative multi-modal strategy we established can be used as a guide for researchers to select the most appropriate light microscopy method in addressing specific questions in brain research, and we also give insights into recent developments such as optical aberration corrections.
- ItemEosinophils and Neutrophils-Molecular Differences Revealed by Spontaneous Raman, CARS and Fluorescence Microscopy(Basel : MDPI, 2020) Dorosz, Aleksandra; Grosicki, Marek; Dybas, Jakub; Matuszyk, Ewelina; Rodewald, Marko; Meyer, Tobias; Popp, Jürgen; Malek, Kamilla; Baranska, MalgorzataLeukocytes are a part of the immune system that plays an important role in the host's defense against viral, bacterial, and fungal infections. Among the human leukocytes, two granulocytes, neutrophils (Ne) and eosinophils (EOS) play an important role in the innate immune system. For that purpose, eosinophils and neutrophils contain specific granules containing protoporphyrin-type proteins such as eosinophil peroxidase (EPO) and myeloperoxidase (MPO), respectively, which contribute directly to their anti-infection activity. Since both proteins are structurally and functionally different, they could potentially be a marker of both cells' types. To prove this hypothesis, UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy and Raman imaging were applied to analyze EPO and MPO and their content in leukocytes isolated from the whole blood. Moreover, leukocytes can contain lipidic structures, called lipid bodies (LBs), which are linked to the regulation of immune responses and are considered to be a marker of cell inflammation. In this work, we showed how to determine the number of LBs in two types of granulocytes, EOS and Ne, using fluorescence and coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) microscopy. Spectroscopic differences of EPO and MPO can be used to identify these cells in blood samples, while the detection of LBs can indicate the cell inflammation process.
- ItemShape-Dependent Catalytic Activity of Gold and Bimetallic Nanoparticles in the Reduction of Methylene Blue by Sodium Borohydride(Basel : MDPI, 2021) Stolle, Heike Lisa Kerstin Stephanie; Kluitmann, Jonas Jakobus; Csáki, Andrea; Köhler, Johann Michael; Fritzsche, WolfgangIn this study the catalytic activity of different gold and bimetallic nanoparticle solutions towards the reduction of methylene blue by sodium borohydride as a model reaction is investigated. By utilizing differently shaped gold nanoparticles, i.e., spheres, cubes, prisms and rods as well as bimetallic gold–palladium and gold–platinum core-shell nanorods, we evaluate the effect of the catalyst surface area as available gold surface area, the shape of the nanoparticles and the impact of added secondary metals in case of bimetallic nanorods. We track the reaction by UV/Vis measurements in the range of 190–850 nm every 60 s. It is assumed that the gold nanoparticles do not only act as a unit transferring electrons from sodium borohydride towards methylene blue but can promote the electron transfer upon plasmonic excitation. By testing different particle shapes, we could indeed demonstrate an effect of the particle shape by excluding the impact of surface area and/or surface ligands. All nanoparticle solutions showed a higher methylene blue turnover than their reference, whereby gold nanoprisms exhibited 100% turnover as no further methylene blue absorption peak was detected. The reaction rate constant k was also determined and revealed overall quicker reactions when gold or bimetallic nanoparticles were added as a catalyst, and again these were highest for nanoprisms. Furthermore, when comparing gold and bimetallic nanorods, it could be shown that through the addition of the catalytically active second metal platinum or palladium, the dye turnover was accelerated and degradation rate constants were higher compared to those of pure gold nanorods. The results explore the catalytic activity of nanoparticles, and assist in exploring further catalytic applications.
- ItemInvestigating light-induced processes in covalent dye-catalyst assemblies for hydrogen production(Basel : MDPI, 2020) Bold, Sebastian; Straistari, Tatiana; Muñoz-García, Ana B.; Pavone, Michele; Artero, Vincent; Chavarot-Kerlidou, Murielle; Dietzek, BenjaminThe light-induced processes occurring in two dye-catalyst assemblies for light-driven hydrogen production were investigated by ultrafast transient absorption spectroscopy. These dyads consist of a push-pull organic dye based on a cyclopenta[1,2-b:5,4-b’]dithiophene (CPDT) bridge, covalently linked to two different H2-evolving cobalt catalysts. Whatever the nature of the latter, photoinduced intramolecular electron transfer from the excited state of the dye to the catalytic center was never observed. Instead, and in sharp contrast to the reference dye, a fast intersystem crossing (ISC) populates a long-lived triplet excited state, which in turn non-radiatively decays to the ground state. This study thus shows how the interplay of different structures in a dye-catalyst assembly can lead to unexpected excited state behavior and might open up new possibilities in the area of organic triplet sensitizers. More importantly, a reductive quenching mechanism with an external electron donor must be considered to drive hydrogen production with these dye-catalyst assemblies. © 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.