Search Results (863)

Background: Short tandem repeats (STRs) are highly variable sequences present along the human genome, including the Y-chromosome. Y-STRs are exclusive to males, and the haplotypes they define are informative. Objectives: Twenty-six Y-STR loci were genotyped in 252 males from Northern Portugal to characterise Y-chromosome genetic variation using the Investigator Argus Y28 QS Kit. Methods: The kit mentioned was used to amplify male DNA samples, and capillary electrophoresis was used to analyze the fragments. Forensic parameters and haplotype diversity were computed, and samples’ haplogroups were predicted. A multidimensional scaling (MDS) plot was used to graphically represent the R_ST genetic distances, including reference populations. Results: A total of 250 different haplotypes were observed, including 248 unique ones, yielding a very high haplotype diversity (HD = 0.999) and discriminatory power (DP = 0.992). Haplogroup analysis indicated a predominance of R1b (58.7%), followed by E1b1b, I and J, pointing to a population history shaped by Mediterranean and North African gene flow. Comparative analysis between Portugal and 5 other populations showed greater genetic affinity with Spain and Italy, while revealing marked differentiation from Greece, Morocco, and former Portuguese colonies. Conclusions: The results confirm that the Northern Portuguese Population exhibits high Y-STR variability and robust forensic resolution. The dataset was submitted to the YHRD database, enhancing the representation of the Portuguese population and underscoring the value of the 26 locus panel for applications in forensic science, genealogy, and population genetics. Full article

We report the first observation of room-temperature phosphorescence (RTP) of quinine sulfate (QS) in poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA) films. Steady-state and time-gated measurements were performed to characterize the phosphorescence spectra, anisotropies, and lifetimes to estimate the phosphorescence properties. The RTP response of organic emitters in polymer matrices is particularly sensitive to ambient humidity and oxygen levels. Hence, to assess the environmental stability of the system, QS-doped PVA films were cast from a single batch and divided into paired specimens, one of which was encapsulated with a pressure-sensitive laminate, while the other one was left non-laminated. Over 14 days under ambient laboratory conditions, the absorbance and fluorescence of both films remained unchanged, whereas the exhibited phosphorescence diverged significantly. The unlaminated film exhibited a progressive loss of afterglow intensity, a noticeable red shift in the phosphorescence spectrum, and a pronounced shortening of the phosphorescence lifetime, while the laminated film retained its initial RTP intensity, spectral profile, and lifetime throughout the entire experiment. Full article

The spoilage phenotype of microorganisms is a key mechanism leading to food spoilage, but how their metabolic environment affects the spoilage phenotype remains unclear. This study utilized metabolomics and spoilage phenotype analysis to reveal metabolic differences between different quorum sensing (QS) genotypes of Hafnia. alvei H4 and their impact on spoilage phenotypes. Ultra-high performance liquid chromatography–fluorescence detection revealed that the QS system participated in the differential metabolic regulation of eight amino acids, with serine exerting the most significant influence on the spoilage phenotype. Subsequent studies demonstrated that QS-promoted serine inhibited bacterial motility by affecting the biosynthesis of rhamnolipid (rather than c-di-GMP) and inhibiting flagellar/chemotactic genes expression. Moreover, QS-promoted serine induced the difference of bacterial inner membrane, further inhibiting bacterial motility. These findings provided fundamental information for the control of biofilms conformation within complex food nutritional background. Full article

In this paper, a highly ductile polyvinyl alcohol fiber engineered cementitious composite (PVA-ECC) was developed by replacing quartz sand (QS) with tuff stone powder (TP) at different replacement ratios of 20%, 40%, 60%, 80%, and 100%. The resulting mechanical properties and drying shrinkage were determined for the developed ECC. Qualitative and quantitative analyses of hydration products, pore structure, and micro-morphology of ECC were conducted by X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, pore size and porosity, and scanning electron microscopic imaging. The influencing mechanism of tuff stone powder content on ECC performance was also studied at a micro level. It was found that with the increase in the replacement ratio of tuff stone powder, the ultimate tensile strain and tensile peak stress of ECC all exhibited an increasing trend, which declined afterward. The variation in compressive and flexural strengths also showed a similar pattern. When the replacement ratio of tuff stone powder was 40%, the ultimate tensile strain, peak tensile stress, flexural strength, and compressive strength were higher than the control group by 15.1%, 4.7%, 16.3%, and 10.7%, respectively. When the content of tuff stone powder did not exceed 80%, it could fill the internal pores of the ECC matrix, which reduced harmful pores. With the increase in tuff stone powder content, calcite content increases gradually while the Ca(OH)₂ amount decreases. It can be seen that tuff stone powder can improve ECC hydration products. However, incorporating tuff stone powder does not produce new hydration products. Incorporating tuff stone powder increased the drying shrinkage of ECC, and the value of drying shrinkage increased with the increase in the replacement ratio of tuff stone powder. Full article

The performance of New Zealand’s construction companies depends on the adaptability and skills of their workforce. The soft skills of the company’s building professionals are thought to contribute to the delivery of successful construction projects. This pilot study captures the perceptions of the importance of critical soft skills in semi-structured interviews with thirteen Quantity Surveyors (QSs) and fourteen Project Managers (PMs) working in New Zealand. For both cohorts the most important skill is communication, followed by workplace ethics. An exploratory Mann–Whitney U comparison suggests a difference in their ranking of emotional intelligence in interactions with other stakeholders, with PM deeming it more important than QS. Within-cohort Spearman rank correlation shows different patterns of association among soft-skill clusters for QS and PM, offering contextual insight rather than confirmatory inference. After communication and ethics, QS prioritise dispute resolution while PM value project reasoning. A combination of individual traits and practical experience influences the successful transition from a QS role to the broader PM role. The findings are limited by the small sample size but may be useful in professional development courses and recruitment efforts, contributing to a more adaptable and flexible construction workforce. Full article

The Santos Estuarine System, one of the most anthropogenically impacted coastal regions in Brazil, was studied using benthic foraminiferal assemblages to determine four distinct stages of organic pollution. Predictive models combined with the Ecological Quality Status (EcoQs) index were applied to relate pollution stages to abiotic parameters (total organic carbon, mud content, and salinity variability) and organic contaminants, including aliphatic (AHs) and aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), linear alkylbenzenes (LABs), and coprostanol. The pollution gradient ranged from low (São Vicente Channel and Santos Bay, characterized by Ammonia tepida and medium coprostanol concentrations), to moderate (Santos Channel, with Bulimina elongata and Triloculina sp.1), high (Bertioga Channel, showing Cribroelphidium poeyanum, Paratrochammina sp.1, high levels of LABs, and TOC), and severe (Upper Estuary, marked by Ammonia sp.1 and high concentrations of PAHs and coprostanol). A linear discriminant analysis (LDA) demonstrated an overall accuracy of 70%, suggesting that the discriminant model performs reasonably well in predicting the predictive ability of foraminifera species to distinguish between areas with varying pollution status based on organic pollutants. Also, the potential use of the EcoQs index in assessing the environmental quality of a subtropical estuary subjected to organic pollution was demonstrated. Full article

Higher education institutions are increasingly expected to excel in environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance, but questions remain about how a university’s core missions contribute to its ESG outcomes. This study investigates the relationships between the missions of universities—education, research, and entrepreneurship—and their ESG performance, focusing on environmental and social dimensions. We utilize data from 12 research-intensive Dutch universities from 2023 to 2025, drawing on QS World University Rankings (WUR) indicators, the QS Sustainability Rankings, and Times Higher Education (THE) metrics. A partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) approach is employed with formative constructs for each mission and outcome. The results reveal that the entrepreneurship mission (knowledge exchange and industry income) has a strong positive influence on both environmental and social performance, while the research mission significantly boosts social performance. The education mission shows no significant direct effect on either outcome in our model. The findings underscore the critical role of the third mission in driving university ESG performance and suggest that research excellence translates to social impact when aligned with societal needs. Full article

The use of metalworking fluid (MWF) in surface grinding is essential, but its supply contributes notably to the process energy demand. This study investigates the effect of the fluid jet to wheel speed ratio q_s on specific grinding energy and associated CO₂ emissions. Experiments with grinding wheels of different grit sizes (F60–F120) were conducted at cutting speeds of 35 and 60 m/s. Critical specific material removal rates Q’_{w, crit} were determined by taper grinding, with the onset of grinding burn identified by Barkhausen noise analysis. Based on these values and the grinding wheel width, specific process energies e_total were derived from grinding, pump, and machine base load. F120 wheels showed no systematic dependence of Q’_{w, crit} on q_s, whereas for coarser F80 and F60 wheels, decreasing q_s from 1.0 to 0.6 increased Q’_{w, crit} by 13–27% at 35 m/s and decreased it by 33–35% at 60 m/s. The most efficient process (F60, 35 m/s, q_s = 0.6) required 152.8 J/mm³, the least efficient (F120, 60 m/s, q_s = 0.8) 333.1 J/mm³. Because CO₂ emissions scale with e_total, the relative differences in energy directly indicate relative differences in CO₂ output. An illustrative case study shows that adjusting q_s alone (F80, 35 m/s) lowers annual emissions from 0.284 t to 0.206 t, a reduction of approximately 27%. These findings highlight the influence of q_s on grinding efficiency and process energy demand. Full article

Microbial biofilms pose significant medical and industrial challenges due to their resistance to conventional antimicrobials, accounting for 40–80% of bacteria in various environments. This resistance primarily results from the extracellular polymeric matrix, a protective network of sugars, proteins, and other molecules produced by bacteria. The matrix restricts antibiotic penetration, facilitates microbial communication, and retains nutrients. Consequently, novel strategies to counteract biofilms are under investigation. Fatty acids have emerged as promising prebiotic agents, defined as substances that stimulate the growth of beneficial bacteria. These compounds can disrupt biofilm structure and increase microbial susceptibility to treatment. Short- and medium-chain fatty acids demonstrate direct antimicrobial activity and can alter microbial community composition, thereby inhibiting biofilm formation in several pathogens, including oral species. For instance, omega-3 fatty acids effectively inhibit Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms through membrane disruption and quorum sensing (QS) inhibition. Additionally, long-chain fatty acids, particularly omega-3 and omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids, exhibit anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties. This review synthesises current evidence on fatty acids as prebiotics, emphasising their mechanisms of action and therapeutic potential against drug-resistant biofilm-associated infections. Given the increasing prevalence of antimicrobial resistance, unsaturated and essential fatty acids rep-resent promising candidates for innovative biofilm-control strategies. Full article

Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) forms biofilms that are difficult to eliminate. The matrix protects the cells, efflux pumps reduce intracellular drug levels, and dormant subpopulations survive treatment. Routine minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) testing does not account for these features, which helps explain why infections often continue even when therapy appears appropriate. This review describes how quorum-sensing (QS) and cyclic di-guanosine monophosphate (c-di-GMP) regulate matrix production, efflux activity, and dormancy within P. aeruginosa biofilms. Important matrix components, including Psl, Pel, alginate, and extracellular DNA, slow the movement of antimicrobial agents. Regulatory proteins such as sagS and brlR increase the activity of the MexAB-OprM and MexEF-OprN efflux systems, further reducing intracellular drug concentrations. Oxygen and nutrient limitation promote persister cells and viable but nonculturable cells, with both having the ability to survive antibiotic levels that would normally be lethal. These defenses explain the gap between MIC values and biofilm-specific measurements, such as the minimum biofilm inhibitory concentration and the minimum biofilm eradication concentration. This review also summarizes emerging antibiofilm strategies. These include QS inhibitors, compounds that lower c-di-GMP, such as nitric oxide donors, nanoparticles, depolymerases, bacteriophages, and therapies that are directed at host targets. Modern diagnostic tools, such as confocal laser scanning microscopy, optical coherence tomography, and Raman spectroscopy, improve detection and guide treatment planning. A staged therapeutic approach is presented that begins with the dispersal or loosening of the matrix, continues with targeted antibiotics, and concludes with support for immune clearance. Viewing these strategies within a One Health framework highlights the role of biofilms in clinical disease and in environmental reservoirs and supports more effective surveillance and prevention. Full article

Volatile organic compounds produced by microbes are increasingly recognized as modulators of microbial interactions and mediators of both intra- and inter-kingdom communication. This study explored the possible ecophysiological roles of nine amides from Streptomyces sp. NP10 in quorum sensing (QS) and biofilm formation in Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1. GC-MS profiling, synthesis, spectral validation, and co-injection experiments confirmed compound identities. Notably, N-(3-methyl-2-butenyl)acetamide is reported as a new natural product and N-(2-methylbutyl)acetamide as a new Streptomyces-produced metabolite. At subinhibitory concentrations (250 μg/mL), most of the amides enhanced P. aeruginosa biofilm formation, with N-(2-methylbutyl)acetamide, N-(3-methyl-2-butenyl)acetamide, and 2-phenylacetamide showing the strongest effects. Simultaneously, these compounds suppressed QS by reducing the production of N-acyl homoserine lactones (AHLs) and 2-alkyl-4-quinolones (AHQs). Aliphatic acetamides preferentially inhibited short-chain AHLs, while N-acetyltyramine and 2-phenylacetamide mainly affected quinolone signaling. These opposing effects on QS and biofilm are consistent with the involvement of alternative regulatory circuits. Motility assays showed biofilm stimulation was not correlated with altered swarming or twitching. Cross-species assays revealed limited QS inhibition, with only N-acetyltryptamine reducing violacein production in Chromobacterium violaceum CV026. Most of the amides were non-cytotoxic at 100 μM (10.5–20.2 μg/mL), except for 2-phenylacetamide. Overall, these amides likely serve as microbial signals influencing QS and biofilm formation, offering leads for anti-virulence strategies. Full article

Varicella-zoster virus (VZV) is a human neurotropic herpesvirus. The primary infection with VZV causes chickenpox and establishes latency in sensory and dorsal root ganglia. Viral reactivation leads to herpes zoster (HZ), which is accompanied by complications such as postherpetic neuralgia (PHN), causing a significant disease burden. At present, vaccination is the most effective preventive measure. We developed a recombinant zoster vaccine, gE/BFA01, which comprises truncated VZV glycoprotein E and the liposome-based adjuvant BFA01 (containing MPL and QS-21). In this study, we evaluated the recombinant zoster vaccine’s immunogenicity in a live attenuated VZV-primed C57BL/6N mouse model and explored the mechanism of action of the BFA01 adjuvant. The results indicate that the gE/BFA01 vaccine induces superior antibody responses and stronger cellular immune responses compared with gE with aluminum hydroxide. Furthermore, gE/BFA01 showed comparable immunogenicity to the licensed vaccine Shingrix. Mechanistic investigations revealed that the BFA01 adjuvant can enhance the recruitment of innate immune cells at the injection site, increase the expression of DCs surface maturation markers, and activate multiple inflammatory signaling pathways in lymph nodes. Collectively, these findings indicate that gE/BFA01 can induce potent humoral and cellular responses, supporting its further development as a high-efficiency vaccine candidate. Full article

Wastewater treatment (WWT) is among the main challenges in environmental engineering. However, conventional wastewater treatment methods are limited by several aspects, mostly related to efficiency, excessive energy requirements, and surplus sludge production. Thus, the alternative use of biofilms (instead of suspended biomass/activated sludge systems) has garnered particular interest, especially due to their ability to sustain high microbial activity and withstand extreme conditions. This review aims to provide an interdisciplinary and comprehensive approach to understanding the main interactions occurring in biofilms, emphasizing, specifically, the quorum sensing (QS) and the quorum quenching (QQ) mechanisms, as well as to address their relative applications in controlling biofouling problems, e.g., during the operation of membrane bioreactors (MBRs). The review summarizes and analyzes the latest developments, highlights the relevant research gaps in the literature, and links microbiological knowledge with related technological applications. Full article

Pipeline steels under cyclic loading in corrosive environments are prone to wear and corrosion–wear synergy. Low-dilution, high-reliability Ni-based Cold Metal Transfer (CMT) overlays are therefore required to ensure structural integrity. In this work, three overlay architectures were deposited on L415QS pipeline steel: a single-layer ERNiFeCr-1 coating, a double-layer ERNiFeCr-1/ERNiFeCr-1 coating, and an ERNiCrMo-3 interlayer plus ERNiFeCr-1 working layer. The microstructure, interfacial composition gradients, and dry sliding wear behavior were systematically characterized to clarify the role of interlayer design. The single-layer ERNiFeCr-1 coating shows a graded transition from epitaxial columnar grains to cellular/dendritic and fine equiaxed grains, with smooth Fe dilution, Ni–Cr enrichment, and a high fraction of high-angle grain boundaries, resulting in sound metallurgical bonding and good crack resistance. The double-layer ERNiFeCr-1 coating contains coarse, strongly textured columnar grains and pronounced interdendritic segregation in the upper layer, which promotes adhesive fatigue and brittle spalling and degrades wear resistance and friction stability. The ERNiCrMo-3 interlayer introduces continuous Fe-decreasing and Ni-Cr/Mo-increasing gradients, refines grains, suppresses continuous brittle phases, and generates dispersed second phases that assist crack deflection and load redistribution. Under dry sliding, the tribological performance ranks as follows: interlayer + overlay > single-layer > double-layer. The ERNiCrMo-3 interlayer system maintains the lowest and most stable friction coefficient due to the formation of a dense tribo-oxidative glaze layer. These results demonstrate an effective hierarchical alloy-process design strategy for optimizing Ni-based CMT overlays on pipeline steels. Full article

Visceral white spot disease caused by Pseudomonas plecoglossicida severely threatens marine aquaculture, highlighting the need for effective control strategies. To clarify the role of a novel small RNA, sRNA0024, in bacterial pathogenicity, we constructed an sRNA0024 deletion mutant (ΔsRNA0024) and compared its phenotype and virulence with those of the wild-type strain NZBD9. In vitro assays showed that deletion of sRNA0024 did not affect bacterial growth but significantly reduced biofilm formation and adhesion. In vivo infection experiments in orange-spotted grouper (Epinephelus coioides) demonstrated that the ΔsRNA0024 mutant had a 3.8-fold higher 50% lethal dose (LD₅₀), improved host survival, and milder splenic lesions than the wild type. Histopathology and host transcriptome analyses revealed weakened activation of complement–coagulation cascades, neutrophil extracellular traps, leukocyte migration, and inflammatory signaling pathways, indicating a lower-intensity immune response. Bacterial transcriptomics showed that deletion of sRNA0024 was associated with reduced luxR expression and attenuated quorum-sensing–associated virulence traits, supporting a possible role for this small RNA in modulating luxR expression and QS-related host immunopathology. These findings identify sRNA0024 as an important contributor to the virulence of P. plecoglossicida and highlight the sRNA0024–luxR module as a potential antivirulence target for controlling visceral white spot disease in aquaculture. Full article