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Zhong G, Deng L. ACPScanner: Prediction of Anticancer Peptides by Integrated Machine Learning Methodologies. J Chem Inf Model 2024; 64:1092-1104. [PMID: 38277774 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.3c01860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2024]
Abstract
Novel therapeutic alternatives for cancer treatment are increasingly attracting global research attention. Although chemotherapy remains a primary clinical solution, it often results in significant side effects for patients. In recent years, anticancer peptides (ACPs) have emerged as promising candidates for highly specific anticancer drugs, and a number of computational approaches have been developed to identify ACPs. However, existing methods do not recognize specific types of anticancer function. In this article, we propose ACPScanner, an integrated approach to predict ACPs and non-ACPs at first and then predict several specific activity types for potential ACPs. We incorporate sequential, physicochemical properties, secondary structural information, and deep representation learning embeddings which are generated from artificial intelligence methods to build feature space. Customized deep learning and statistical learning methods are combined to form an integral architecture for the comprehensive two-level prediction task. To the best of our knowledge, ACPScanner is the first approach for specific ACP activity prediction. The comparative evaluation illustrates that ACPScanner achieves competitive prediction performance in both prediction phases in independent testings. We establish a web server at http://acpscanner.denglab.org to provide convenient usage of ACPScanner and make the predictive framework, source code, and data sets publicly available.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guolun Zhong
- School of Computer Science and Engineering, Central South University, Changsha 410000, China
| | - Lei Deng
- School of Computer Science and Engineering, Central South University, Changsha 410000, China
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2
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Pan K, Xu H, Yan C, Chen J, Jiang X, Song Y, Qi X, Long J, Liu H. Hepcidin from Onychostoma macrolepis: Response to Aeromonas hydrophila infection by down-regulating expression of inflammatory factor genes and regulating iron homeostasis potentially. FISH & SHELLFISH IMMUNOLOGY 2023; 143:109187. [PMID: 37923182 DOI: 10.1016/j.fsi.2023.109187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2023] [Revised: 10/13/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023]
Abstract
Hepcidin, as an antimicrobial peptide, is associated with innate immunity and is considered a potential antibiotic substitute. In the present study, the hepcidin gene from the cavefish - Onychostoma macrolepis was identified and analyzed. The recombinant hepcidin protein (rOmhepc) was obtained by prokaryotic expression, evaluating the inhibitory effect of 5 pathogenic bacteria in vitro. Sixty O. macrolepis injected with 100 μL A. hydrophila (1.5 × 108 CFU/mL) were randomly divided into the therapeutic group and infection group, and therapeutic group was injected with 100 μL rOmhepc (100 μg/mL) at 6 and 18 h. The survival rates of O. macrolepis and bacterial load in liver were measured at 24 h. The liver tissues were collected at 0, 6, 12, and 24 h after A. hydrophila injection for investigating expression levels of immune-related, inflammatory factor genes and FPN1 gene. The results demonstrated that the hepcidin CDS contained 279 bp and encoded 93 aa. Hepcidin protein has a hydrophobic surface formed by multiple hydrophobic residues (CCGCCYC), and the theoretical pI was 7.53. Omhepc gene was expressed at varying levels in tested tissues, with the liver showing the highest expression, followed by the spleen. The expression of hepcidin gene following A. hydrophila infection was up-regulated and then down-regulated in liver, and the highest expression level was found at 12 h with a 10.93-fold. The rOmhepc remarkably inhibited the growth of A. hydrophila, Staphylococcus aureus, and Streptococcus agalactiae, with inhibition rates reaching 69.67 %, 42.97 %, and 65.74 % at 100 μg/mL. The mortality rates of O. macrolepis and bacterial load in liver were significantly decreased in the therapeutic group than that of infection group (p < 0.05). After the rOmhepc therapeutic, interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) were significantly down-regulated with 14.4-fold and 106.07-fold at 24 h. Furthermore, the expression of immune-related genes (C3, TNF-α, IFN-γ) and Ferroportin gene (FPN1) significantly decreased (p < 0.05). The integrated analyses indicated that the rOmhepc could significantly inhibit the growth of A. hydrophila both in vitro and in vivo, attenuating the over-expression of inflammatory factor, FPN1 and immune-related genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kuiquan Pan
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, China
| | - Hongzhou Xu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, China
| | - Chenyang Yan
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, China
| | - Jun Chen
- College of Information Engineering, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, China
| | - Xinxin Jiang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, China
| | - Yanzhen Song
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, China
| | - Xiaoyu Qi
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, China
| | - Jingfei Long
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, China
| | - Haixia Liu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, China.
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Liu J, Yang L, Kjellerup BV, Xu Z. Viable but nonculturable (VBNC) state, an underestimated and controversial microbial survival strategy. Trends Microbiol 2023; 31:1013-1023. [PMID: 37225640 DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2023.04.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2022] [Revised: 04/22/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
As a unique microbial response to adverse circumstances, the viable but nonculturable (VBNC) state is characterized by the loss of culturability of microbial cells on/in nutrient media that normally support their growth, while maintaining metabolic activity. These cells can resuscitate to a culturable state under suitable conditions. Given the intrinsic importance of the VBNC state and recent debates surrounding it, there is a need to redefine and standardize the term, and to address essential questions such as 'How to differentiate VBNC from other similar terms?' and 'How can VBNC cells be standardly and accurately determined?'. This opinion piece aims at contributing to an improved understanding of the VBNC state and promoting its proper handling as an underestimated and controversial microbial survival strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junyan Liu
- College of Light Industry and Food Science, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Lingnan Specialty Food Science and Technology, Academy of Contemporary Agricultural Engineering Innovations, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, Guangzhou 510225, China; Key Laboratory of Green Processing and Intelligent Manufacturing of Lingnan Specialty Food, Ministry of Agriculture, Guangzhou 510225, China
| | - Liang Yang
- School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Birthe Veno Kjellerup
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Zhenbo Xu
- School of Food Science and Engineering, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory for Green Processing of Natural Products and Product Safety, Engineering Research Center of Starch and Vegetable Protein Processing Ministry of Education, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640, China; Department of Laboratory Medicine, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China.
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Isolation and Chemical Characterization of an Alpha-Helical Peptide, Dendrocin-ZM1, Derived from Zataria multiflora Boiss with Potent Antibacterial Activity. Probiotics Antimicrob Proteins 2022; 14:326-336. [PMID: 35050481 DOI: 10.1007/s12602-022-09907-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/09/2022] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Today, resistance of microorganisms to antibiotics has become a major challenge. To overcome this problem, development of new drugs, besides research on their antibacterial activity, is essential. Among chemical components, antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) exhibit antibacterial activity and can be selected as suitable antimicrobial candidates. In this study, a novel antimicrobial peptide, called dendrocin-ZM1, with a molecular weight of ~3716.48 Da, was isolated from Zataria multiflora Boiss (ZM) and purified via precipitation with ammonium sulfate and reverse-phase HPLC chromatography; it was then sequenced via Edman degradation. The in silico method was used to examine the physicochemical properties of dendrocin-ZM1. In this study, four reference strains (gram-positive and gram-negative) and one clinical vancomycin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus strain were used to survey the antimicrobial activities. Moreover, to examine cytotoxicity and hemolytic activity, a HEK-293 cell line and human red blood cells (RBCs) were used, respectively. Evaluation of the physicochemical properties of dendrocin-ZM1, as an AMP, indicated a net charge of + 7 and a hydrophobicity percentage of 54%. This peptide had an amphipathic alpha-helical conformation. It exhibited broad-spectrum antibacterial activities against the tested strains at minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of 4-16 μg/mL. Besides, this peptide showed negligible hemolysis and cytotoxicity in the MIC range. It also exhibited heat stability at temperatures of 20 to 80 °C and was active in a broad pH range (from 6.0 to 10.0). Overall, the present results suggested dendrocin-ZM1 as a remarkable antimicrobial candidate.
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Łojewska E, Sakowicz T. An Alternative to Antibiotics: Selected Methods to Combat Zoonotic Foodborne Bacterial Infections. Curr Microbiol 2021; 78:4037-4049. [PMID: 34626217 PMCID: PMC8595143 DOI: 10.1007/s00284-021-02665-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2021] [Accepted: 09/20/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Pathogenic bacteria contaminating food or animal feed cause serious economic losses in the health sector as well as is in the agriculture and food industry. The development of bacterial resistance due to the misuse of antibiotics and chemicals, especially in the farm industry, can bring dangerous effects for the global population therefore new safe biological antimicrobial solutions are urgently needed. In this paper, we investigate biological alternatives to antibiotics against foodborne pathogens. The most promising alternatives include antimicrobial proteins, bacteriophages, probiotics, and plant-based substances. Each described group of substances is efficient against specific foodborne bacteria and has a preferred use in an explicit application. The advantages and drawbacks of each method are outlined in the final section. Biological antibacterial solutions are usually easily degradable. In contrast to antibiotics or chemical/physical methods, they are also far more specific. When introducing new antibacterial methods it is crucial to check their safety and ability to induce resistance mechanisms. Moreover, it is important to assess its activity to inhibit or kill in viable but nonculturable cells (VBNC) state and biofilm forms. VBNC bacteria are considered a threat to public health and food safety due to their possibility of remaining viable and virulent. Biological alternatives to antibiotics complete the majority of the advantages needed for a safe and efficient antimicrobial product. However, further research is necessary to fully implement those solutions to the market.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ewelina Łojewska
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Genetics, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Lodz, Building A, Banacha 12/13 Street, 90-237, Lodz, Poland.
| | - Tomasz Sakowicz
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Genetics, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Lodz, Building A, Banacha 12/13 Street, 90-237, Lodz, Poland
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Erdem Büyükkiraz M, Kesmen Z. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs): A promising class of antimicrobial compounds. J Appl Microbiol 2021; 132:1573-1596. [PMID: 34606679 DOI: 10.1111/jam.15314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 106] [Impact Index Per Article: 35.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2020] [Revised: 08/26/2021] [Accepted: 09/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are compounds, which have inhibitory activity against microorganisms. In the last decades, AMPs have become powerful alternative agents that have met the need for novel anti-infectives to overcome increasing antibiotic resistance problems. Moreover, recent epidemics and pandemics are increasing the popularity of AMPs, due to the urgent necessity for effective antimicrobial agents in combating the new emergence of microbial diseases. AMPs inhibit a wide range of microorganisms through diverse and special mechanisms by targeting mainly cell membranes or specific intracellular components. In addition to extraction from natural sources, AMPs are produced in various hosts using recombinant methods. More recently, the synthetic analogues of AMPs, designed with some modifications, are predicted to overcome the limitations of stability, toxicity and activity associated with natural AMPs. AMPs have potential applications as antimicrobial agents in food, agriculture, environment, animal husbandry and pharmaceutical industries. In this review, we have provided an overview of the structure, classification and mechanism of action of AMPs, as well as discussed opportunities for their current and potential applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mine Erdem Büyükkiraz
- School of Health Sciences, Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Cappadocia University, Nevsehir, Turkey
| | - Zülal Kesmen
- Engineering Faculty, Department of Food Engineering, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey
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Barroso C, Carvalho P, Carvalho C, Santarém N, Gonçalves JFM, Rodrigues PNS, Neves JV. The Diverse Piscidin Repertoire of the European Sea Bass ( Dicentrarchus labrax): Molecular Characterization and Antimicrobial Activities. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21134613. [PMID: 32610543 PMCID: PMC7369796 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21134613] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2020] [Revised: 06/24/2020] [Accepted: 06/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Fish rely on their innate immune responses to cope with the challenging aquatic environment, with antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) being one of the first line of defenses. Piscidins are a group of fish specific AMPs isolated in several species. However, in the European sea bass (Dicentrarchuslabrax), the piscidin family remains poorly understood. We identified six different piscidins in sea bass, performed an in-depth molecular characterization and evaluated their antimicrobial activities against several bacterial and parasitic pathogens. Sea bass piscidins present variable amino acid sequences and antimicrobial activities, and can be divided in different sub groups: group 1, formed by piscidins 1 and 4; group 2, constituted by piscidins 2 and 5, and group 3, formed by piscidins 6 and 7. Additionally, we demonstrate that piscidins 1 to 5 possess a broad effect on multiple microorganisms, including mammalian parasites, while piscidins 6 and 7 have poor antibacterial and antiparasitic activities. These results raise questions on the functions of these peptides, particularly piscidins 6 and 7. Considering their limited antimicrobial activity, these piscidins might have other functional roles, but further studies are necessary to better understand what roles might those be.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina Barroso
- i3S—Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; (C.C.); (N.S.); (P.N.S.R.); (J.V.N.)
- Iron and Innate Immunity, IBMC—Instituto de Biologia Celular e Molecular, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
- Programa Doutoral em Biologia Molecular e Celular (MCbiology), ICBAS—Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
- Correspondence:
| | - Pedro Carvalho
- ICBAS—Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal; (P.C.); (J.F.M.G.)
| | - Carla Carvalho
- i3S—Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; (C.C.); (N.S.); (P.N.S.R.); (J.V.N.)
- Parasite Disease, IBMC—Instituto de Biologia Celular e Molecular, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
| | - Nuno Santarém
- i3S—Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; (C.C.); (N.S.); (P.N.S.R.); (J.V.N.)
- Parasite Disease, IBMC—Instituto de Biologia Celular e Molecular, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
| | - José F. M. Gonçalves
- ICBAS—Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal; (P.C.); (J.F.M.G.)
- CIIMAR—Centro Interdisciplinar de Investigação Marinha e Ambiental, Universidade do Porto, 4450-208 Porto, Portugal
| | - Pedro N. S. Rodrigues
- i3S—Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; (C.C.); (N.S.); (P.N.S.R.); (J.V.N.)
- Iron and Innate Immunity, IBMC—Instituto de Biologia Celular e Molecular, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
- ICBAS—Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal; (P.C.); (J.F.M.G.)
| | - João V. Neves
- i3S—Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; (C.C.); (N.S.); (P.N.S.R.); (J.V.N.)
- Iron and Innate Immunity, IBMC—Instituto de Biologia Celular e Molecular, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
- ICBAS—Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal; (P.C.); (J.F.M.G.)
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Li Y, Huang TY, Mao Y, Chen Y, Shi F, Peng R, Chen J, Bai C, Chen L, Wang K, Liu J. Effect of Environmental Conditions on the Formation of the Viable but Nonculturable State of Pediococcus acidilactici BM-PA17927 and Its Control and Detection in Food System. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:586777. [PMID: 33117324 PMCID: PMC7550757 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.586777] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2020] [Accepted: 08/25/2020] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective: This study aimed to investigate the effect of environmental conditions including nutrient content, acetic acid concentration, salt concentration, and temperature on the formation of viable but nonculturable (VBNC) state of Pediococcus acidilactici, as well as its control and detection in food system. Methods: Representing various environmental conditions in different food systems, 16 induction groups were designed for the formation of VBNC state of P. acidilactici. Traditional plate counting was applied to measure the culturable cell numbers, and Live/Dead Bacterial Viability Kit combined with fluorescent microscopy was used to identify viable cells numbers. The inhibition of bacterial growth and VBNC state formation by adjusting the environmental conditions were investigated, and the clearance effect of VBNC cells in crystal cake system was studied. In addition, a propidium monoazide-polymerase chain reaction (PMA-PCR) assay was applied to detect the VBNC P. acidilactici cells in crystal cake food system. Results: Among the environmental conditions included in this study, acetic acid concentration had the greatest effect on the formation of VBNC state of P. acidilactici, followed by nutritional conditions and salt concentration. Reducing nutrients in the environment and treating with 1.0% acetic acid can inhibit P. acidilactici from entering the VBNC state. In the crystal cake system, the growth of P. acidilactici and the formation of VBNC state can be inhibited by adding 1.0% acetic acid and storing at -20°C. In crystal cake system, the PMA-PCR assay can be used to detect VBNC P. acidilactici cells at a concentration higher than 104 cells/ml. Conclusion: The VBNC state of P. acidilactici can be influenced by the changing of environmental conditions, and PMA-PCR assay can be applied in food system for the detection of VBNC P. acidilactici cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanmei Li
- Department of Haematology, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Teng-Yi Huang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China
| | - Yuzhu Mao
- School of Food Science and Engineering, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory for Green Processing of Natural Products and Product Safety, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yanni Chen
- School of Food Science and Engineering, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory for Green Processing of Natural Products and Product Safety, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Fan Shi
- School of Food Science and Engineering, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory for Green Processing of Natural Products and Product Safety, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ruixin Peng
- School of Food Science and Engineering, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory for Green Processing of Natural Products and Product Safety, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jinxuan Chen
- School of Food Science and Engineering, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory for Green Processing of Natural Products and Product Safety, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Caiying Bai
- Guangdong Women and Children Hospital, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ling Chen
- School of Food Science and Engineering, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory for Green Processing of Natural Products and Product Safety, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China
- Research Institute for Food Nutrition and Human Health, Guangzhou, China
| | - Kan Wang
- Research Center for Translational Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Medical College of Shantou University, Shantou, China
- Kan Wang,
| | - Junyan Liu
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, United States
- *Correspondence: Junyan Liu,
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