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Tran TA, Sridhar S, Reece ST, Lunguya O, Jacobs J, Van Puyvelde S, Marks F, Dougan G, Thomson NR, Nguyen BT, Bao PT, Baker S. Combining machine learning with high-content imaging to infer ciprofloxacin susceptibility in isolates of Salmonella Typhimurium. Nat Commun 2024; 15:5074. [PMID: 38871710 PMCID: PMC11176356 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-49433-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2024] [Indexed: 06/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a growing public health crisis that requires innovative solutions. Current susceptibility testing approaches limit our ability to rapidly distinguish between antimicrobial-susceptible and -resistant organisms. Salmonella Typhimurium (S. Typhimurium) is an enteric pathogen responsible for severe gastrointestinal illness and invasive disease. Despite widespread resistance, ciprofloxacin remains a common treatment for Salmonella infections, particularly in lower-resource settings, where the drug is given empirically. Here, we exploit high-content imaging to generate deep phenotyping of S. Typhimurium isolates longitudinally exposed to increasing concentrations of ciprofloxacin. We apply machine learning algorithms to the imaging data and demonstrate that individual isolates display distinct growth and morphological characteristics that cluster by time point and susceptibility to ciprofloxacin, which occur independently of ciprofloxacin exposure. Using a further set of S. Typhimurium clinical isolates, we find that machine learning classifiers can accurately predict ciprofloxacin susceptibility without exposure to it or any prior knowledge of resistance phenotype. These results demonstrate the principle of using high-content imaging with machine learning algorithms to predict drug susceptibility of clinical bacterial isolates. This technique may be an important tool in understanding the morphological impact of antimicrobials on the bacterial cell to identify drugs with new modes of action.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tuan-Anh Tran
- The Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Oxford University Clinical Research Unit, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Sushmita Sridhar
- The Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- The Wellcome Sanger Institute, Hinxton, Cambridge, UK
| | - Stephen T Reece
- The Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Sanofi, Kymab, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge, UK
| | - Octavie Lunguya
- Department of Microbiology, Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo
- Service de Microbiologie, Cliniques Universitaires de Kinshasa, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo
| | - Jan Jacobs
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Sandra Van Puyvelde
- The Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Laboratory of Medical Microbiology, Vaccine and Infectious Disease Institute, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Florian Marks
- The Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- International Vaccine Institute, 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
- Madagascar Institute for Vaccine Research, University of Antananarivo, Antananarivo, Madagascar
| | - Gordon Dougan
- The Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Nicholas R Thomson
- The Wellcome Sanger Institute, Hinxton, Cambridge, UK
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Binh T Nguyen
- Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science, University of Science, Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
| | - Pham The Bao
- Information Science Faculty, Saigon University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
| | - Stephen Baker
- The Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
- IAVI, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, London, UK.
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Khan K, Jalal K, Uddin R. Pangenome diversification and resistance gene characterization in Salmonella Typhi prioritized RfaJ as a significant therapeutic marker. J Genet Eng Biotechnol 2023; 21:125. [PMID: 37975995 PMCID: PMC10656401 DOI: 10.1186/s43141-023-00591-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Salmonella Typhi stands as the etiological agent responsible for the onset of human typhoid fever. The pressing demand for innovative therapeutic targets against S. Typhi is underscored by the escalating prevalence of this pathogen and the severe nature of its infections. Consequently, this study employs pangenome analysis to scrutinize 119 S. Typhi-resistant strains, aiming to identify the most promising therapeutic targets originating from its core genome. RESULTS Subtractive genomics was employed to systematically eliminate non-homologous (n=1147), essential (n=551), drug-like (n=80), and pathogenicity-related (n=18) proteins from the initial pool of 3351 core genome proteins. Consequently, lipopolysaccharide 1,2-glucosyltransferase RfaJ was designated as the optimal pharmacological target due to its potential versatility. Furthermore, a compendium of 9000 FDA-approved compounds was repurposed for evaluation against the RfaJ drug target, with the specific intent of prioritizing novel, high-potency therapeutic candidates for combating S. Typhi. Ultimately, four compounds, namely DB00549 (Zafirlukast), DB15637 (Fluzoparib), DB15688 (Zavegepant), and DB12411 (Bemcentinib), were singled out as potential inhibitors based on the ligand-protein binding affinity (indicated by the lowest anticipated binding energy) and the overall stability of these compounds. Notably, molecular dynamics simulations, conducted over a 50 nanosecond interval, convincingly demonstrated the stability of these compounds in the context of the RfaJ protein. CONCLUSION In summary, the present findings hold significant promise as an initial stride in the broader drug discovery endeavor against S. Typhi infections. However, the experimental validation of the identified drug target and drug candidate is further required to increase the effectiveness of the applied methodology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kanwal Khan
- Dr. Panjwani Center for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi, Karachi, 75270, Pakistan
| | - Khurshid Jalal
- HEJ Research Institute of Chemistry International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Reaz Uddin
- Dr. Panjwani Center for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi, Karachi, 75270, Pakistan.
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Gupta R, Singh M, Pathania R. Chemical genetic approaches for the discovery of bacterial cell wall inhibitors. RSC Med Chem 2023; 14:2125-2154. [PMID: 37974958 PMCID: PMC10650376 DOI: 10.1039/d3md00143a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2023] [Accepted: 08/10/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in bacterial pathogens is a worldwide health issue. The innovation gap in discovering new antibiotics has remained a significant hurdle in combating the AMR problem. Currently, antibiotics target various vital components of the bacterial cell envelope, nucleic acid and protein biosynthesis machinery and metabolic pathways essential for bacterial survival. The critical role of the bacterial cell envelope in cell morphogenesis and integrity makes it an attractive drug target. While a significant number of in-clinic antibiotics target peptidoglycan biosynthesis, several components of the bacterial cell envelope have been overlooked. This review focuses on various antibacterial targets in the bacterial cell wall and the strategies employed to find their novel inhibitors. This review will further elaborate on combining forward and reverse chemical genetic approaches to discover antibacterials that target the bacterial cell envelope.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rinki Gupta
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee Roorkee - 247 667 Uttarakhand India
| | - Mangal Singh
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee Roorkee - 247 667 Uttarakhand India
| | - Ranjana Pathania
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee Roorkee - 247 667 Uttarakhand India
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Hamilton WL, Coscione S, Maes M, Warne B, Pike LJ, Khokhar FA, Blane B, Brown NM, Gouliouris T, Dougan G, Török ME, Baker S. The clinical, genomic, and microbiological profile of invasive multi-drug resistant Escherichia coli in a major teaching hospital in the United Kingdom. Microb Genom 2023; 9:001122. [PMID: 37902454 PMCID: PMC10634454 DOI: 10.1099/mgen.0.001122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 10/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Escherichia coli is a ubiquitous component of the human gut microbiome, but is also a common pathogen, causing around 40, 000 bloodstream infections (BSI) in the United Kingdom (UK) annually. The number of E. coli BSI has increased over the last decade in the UK, and emerging antimicrobial resistance (AMR) profiles threaten treatment options. Here, we combined clinical, epidemiological, and whole genome sequencing data with high content imaging to characterise over 300 E. coli isolates associated with BSI in a large teaching hospital in the East of England. Overall, only a limited number of sequence types (ST) were responsible for the majority of organisms causing invasive disease. The most abundant (20 % of all isolates) was ST131, of which around 90 % comprised the pandemic O25b:H4 group. ST131-O25b:H4 isolates were frequently multi-drug resistant (MDR), with a high prevalence of extended spectrum β-lactamases (ESBL) and fluoroquinolone resistance. There was no association between AMR phenotypes and the source of E. coli bacteraemia or whether the infection was healthcare-associated. Several clusters of ST131 were genetically similar, potentially suggesting a shared transmission network. However, there was no clear epidemiological associations between these cases, and they included organisms from both healthcare-associated and non-healthcare-associated origins. The majority of ST131 isolates exhibited strong binding with an anti-O25b antibody, raising the possibility of developing rapid diagnostics targeting this pathogen. In summary, our data suggest that a restricted set of MDR E. coli populations can be maintained and spread across both community and healthcare settings in this location, contributing disproportionately to invasive disease and AMR.
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Affiliation(s)
- William L. Hamilton
- University of Cambridge, Department of Medicine, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Hills Road, UK
- Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, CB10 1RQ, UK
| | - Suny Coscione
- University of Cambridge, Department of Medicine, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Hills Road, UK
- Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK
| | - Mailis Maes
- University of Cambridge, Department of Medicine, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Hills Road, UK
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, CB10 1RQ, UK
- Cambridge Institute for Therapeutic Immunology and Infectious Disease, Jeffrey Cheah Biomedical Centre, Puddicombe Way, Cambridge CB2 0AW, UK
| | - Ben Warne
- University of Cambridge, Department of Medicine, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Hills Road, UK
- Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK
- Cambridge Institute for Therapeutic Immunology and Infectious Disease, Jeffrey Cheah Biomedical Centre, Puddicombe Way, Cambridge CB2 0AW, UK
| | - Lindsay J. Pike
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, CB10 1RQ, UK
| | - Fahad A. Khokhar
- University of Cambridge, Department of Medicine, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Hills Road, UK
- Cambridge Institute for Therapeutic Immunology and Infectious Disease, Jeffrey Cheah Biomedical Centre, Puddicombe Way, Cambridge CB2 0AW, UK
- University of Cambridge, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 0ES, UK
| | - Beth Blane
- University of Cambridge, Department of Medicine, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Hills Road, UK
| | - Nicholas M. Brown
- Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK
- Clinical Microbiology and Public Health Laboratory, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK
| | - Theodore Gouliouris
- Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK
- Clinical Microbiology and Public Health Laboratory, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK
| | - Gordon Dougan
- University of Cambridge, Department of Medicine, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Hills Road, UK
- Cambridge Institute for Therapeutic Immunology and Infectious Disease, Jeffrey Cheah Biomedical Centre, Puddicombe Way, Cambridge CB2 0AW, UK
| | - M. Estée Török
- University of Cambridge, Department of Medicine, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Hills Road, UK
- Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK
| | - Stephen Baker
- University of Cambridge, Department of Medicine, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Hills Road, UK
- Cambridge Institute for Therapeutic Immunology and Infectious Disease, Jeffrey Cheah Biomedical Centre, Puddicombe Way, Cambridge CB2 0AW, UK
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Sridhar S, Forrest S, Pickard D, Cormie C, Lees EA, Thomson NR, Dougan G, Baker S. Inhibitory Concentrations of Ciprofloxacin Induce an Adaptive Response Promoting the Intracellular Survival of Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhimurium. mBio 2021; 12:e0109321. [PMID: 34154399 PMCID: PMC8262899 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01093-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2021] [Accepted: 05/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a pressing global health crisis, which has been fueled by the sustained use of certain classes of antimicrobials, including fluoroquinolones. While the genetic mutations responsible for decreased fluoroquinolone (ciprofloxacin) susceptibility are known, the implications of ciprofloxacin exposure on bacterial growth, survival, and interactions with host cells are not well described. Aiming to understand the influence of inhibitory concentrations of ciprofloxacin in vitro, we subjected three clinical isolates of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium to differing concentrations of ciprofloxacin, dependent on their MICs, and assessed the impact on bacterial growth, morphology, and transcription. We further investigated the differential morphology and transcription that occurred following ciprofloxacin exposure and measured the ability of ciprofloxacin-treated bacteria to invade and replicate in host cells. We found that ciprofloxacin-exposed S. Typhimurium is able to recover from inhibitory concentrations of ciprofloxacin and that the drug induces specific morphological and transcriptional signatures associated with the bacterial SOS response, DNA repair, and intracellular survival. In addition, ciprofloxacin-treated S. Typhimurium has increased capacity for intracellular replication in comparison to that of untreated organisms. These data suggest that S. Typhimurium undergoes an adaptive response under ciprofloxacin perturbation that promotes cellular survival, a consequence that may justify more measured use of ciprofloxacin for Salmonella infections. The combination of multiple experimental approaches provides new insights into the collateral effects that ciprofloxacin and other antimicrobials have on invasive bacterial pathogens. IMPORTANCE Antimicrobial resistance is a critical concern in global health. In particular, there is rising resistance to fluoroquinolones, such as ciprofloxacin, a first-line antimicrobial for many Gram-negative pathogens. We investigated the adaptive response of clinical isolates of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium to ciprofloxacin, finding that the bacteria adapt in short timespans to high concentrations of ciprofloxacin in a way that promotes intracellular survival during early infection. Importantly, by studying three clinically relevant isolates, we were able to show that individual isolates respond differently to ciprofloxacin and that for each isolate, there was a heterogeneous response under ciprofloxacin treatment. The heterogeneity that arises from ciprofloxacin exposure may drive survival and proliferation of Salmonella during treatment and lead to drug resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sushmita Sridhar
- Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Hinxton, United Kingdom
| | - Sally Forrest
- Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Derek Pickard
- Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Claire Cormie
- Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Emily A. Lees
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Nicholas R. Thomson
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Hinxton, United Kingdom
- Department of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Gordon Dougan
- Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Stephen Baker
- Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, Cambridge, United Kingdom
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Abstract
High-content imaging (HCI) is a technique for screening multiple cells in high resolution to detect subtle morphological and phenotypic variation. The method has been commonly deployed on model eukaryotic cellular systems, often for screening new drugs and targets. HCI is not commonly utilized for studying bacterial populations but may be a powerful tool in understanding and combatting antimicrobial resistance. Consequently, we developed a high-throughput method for phenotyping bacteria under antimicrobial exposure at the scale of individual bacterial cells. Imaging conditions were optimized on an Opera Phenix confocal microscope (Perkin Elmer), and novel analysis pipelines were established for both Gram-negative bacilli and Gram-positive cocci. The potential of this approach was illustrated using isolates of Klebsiella pneumoniae, Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium, and Staphylococcus aureus HCI enabled the detection and assessment of subtle morphological characteristics, undetectable through conventional phenotypical methods, that could reproducibly distinguish between bacteria exposed to different classes of antimicrobials with distinct modes of action (MOAs). In addition, distinctive responses were observed between susceptible and resistant isolates. By phenotyping single bacterial cells, we observed intrapopulation differences, which may be critical in identifying persistence or emerging resistance during antimicrobial treatment. The work presented here outlines a comprehensive method for investigating morphological changes at scale in bacterial populations under specific perturbation.IMPORTANCE High-content imaging (HCI) is a microscopy technique that permits the screening of multiple cells simultaneously in high resolution to detect subtle morphological and phenotypic variation. The power of this methodology is that it can generate large data sets comprised of multiple parameters taken from individual cells subjected to a range of different conditions. We aimed to develop novel methods for using HCI to study bacterial cells exposed to a range of different antibiotic classes. Using an Opera Phenix confocal microscope (Perkin Elmer) and novel analysis pipelines, we created a method to study the morphological characteristics of Klebsiella pneumoniae, Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium, and Staphylococcus aureus when exposed to antibacterial drugs with differing modes of action. By imaging individual bacterial cells at high resolution and scale, we observed intrapopulation differences associated with different antibiotics. The outlined methods are highly relevant for how we begin to better understand and combat antimicrobial resistance.
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Spirescu VA, Chircov C, Grumezescu AM, Andronescu E. Polymeric Nanoparticles for Antimicrobial Therapies: An Up-To-Date Overview. Polymers (Basel) 2021; 13:724. [PMID: 33673451 PMCID: PMC7956825 DOI: 10.3390/polym13050724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2021] [Revised: 02/23/2021] [Accepted: 02/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite the many advancements in the pharmaceutical and medical fields and the development of numerous antimicrobial drugs aimed to suppress and destroy pathogenic microorganisms, infectious diseases still represent a major health threat affecting millions of lives daily. In addition to the limitations of antimicrobial drugs associated with low transportation rate, water solubility, oral bioavailability and stability, inefficient drug targeting, considerable toxicity, and limited patient compliance, the major cause for their inefficiency is the antimicrobial resistance of microorganisms. In this context, the risk of a pre-antibiotic era is a real possibility. For this reason, the research focus has shifted toward the discovery and development of novel and alternative antimicrobial agents that could overcome the challenges associated with conventional drugs. Nanotechnology is a possible alternative, as there is significant evidence of the broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity of nanomaterials and nanoparticles in particular. Moreover, owing to their considerable advantages regarding their efficient cargo dissolving, entrapment, encapsulation, or surface attachment, the possibility of forming antimicrobial groups for specific targeting and destruction, biocompatibility and biodegradability, low toxicity, and synergistic therapy, polymeric nanoparticles have received considerable attention as potential antimicrobial drug delivery agents. In this context, the aim of this paper is to provide an up-to-date overview of the most recent studies investigating polymeric nanoparticles designed for antimicrobial therapies, describing both their targeting strategies and their effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vera Alexandra Spirescu
- Department of Science and Engineering of Oxide Materials and Nanomaterials, University Politehnica of Bucharest, 011061 Bucharest, Romania; (V.A.S.); (C.C.); (E.A.)
| | - Cristina Chircov
- Department of Science and Engineering of Oxide Materials and Nanomaterials, University Politehnica of Bucharest, 011061 Bucharest, Romania; (V.A.S.); (C.C.); (E.A.)
| | - Alexandru Mihai Grumezescu
- Department of Science and Engineering of Oxide Materials and Nanomaterials, University Politehnica of Bucharest, 011061 Bucharest, Romania; (V.A.S.); (C.C.); (E.A.)
- Research Institute of the University of Bucharest—ICUB, University of Bucharest, 050657 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Ecaterina Andronescu
- Department of Science and Engineering of Oxide Materials and Nanomaterials, University Politehnica of Bucharest, 011061 Bucharest, Romania; (V.A.S.); (C.C.); (E.A.)
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