#antimicrobial

[arctic-hands]

I generally don't fuck with essential oil, what am I looking for in clove oil to make it so starch-based crafts (paste, papier-mâche, salt ceramic, etc) don't grow mold?

[materialsscienceandengineering]

Laser-textured metal surfaces mimic shark skin to combat bacterial biofilms

Keeping work surfaces clean during meat processing is a challenge. Bacteria from meat can attach, grow, and build up to create a biofilm that is difficult to remove, even on stainless steel surfaces used in industrial facilities. It can also aggregate, clumping together into an invisible mass that is stronger than individual cells, making it harder to kill using food-grade antibacterial surface cleaners. In a paper published in the Journal of Laser Applications, researchers from the Hopkirk Research Institute, New Zealand Food Safety Science and Research Center, and Applied Technologies Group in New Zealand deliver key insights into a solution that could replace the current practice altogether: instead of constantly battling to prevent bacteria buildup, they created surfaces that stop bacteria from attaching in the first place. "Antimicrobial interventions currently approved and used commercially have a limited capacity to reduce well-established bacterial biofilms and spores, and complete decontamination is rarely achieved," author Sebastiampillai Raymond said.

Read more.

[wikipediapictures]

Vancomycin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus

“Staphylococcus aureus colonies on blood agar. Note the golden yellow pigment and beta hemolysis around it.” - via Wikimedia Commons

[miss-biophys]

Feeling like a pro in Atomic Force Microscopy

...to be honest I probably should really tell myself that at this point I really am the professional in this method. After 4 years of working with 2 different atomic force microscopes, now I started with a 3rd one, again a new type from a different company.

Only after 2 hours of training on the new machine, I could observe membranes of resistant bacteria all by myself. The membranes are the yellow pancakes sitting flat on the dark support. They are less than 8 nm high (0.000000008 m), as is visible in the blue and red profile lines. So it's super tricky to actually see them. Atomic force microscope touches the surface of my membranes and surrounding support with a tiny tip like with a finger and reconstructs the surface topology. On top of the small size, the cellular membranes are super soft so also the touching finger must be super soft to see them without damaging them.

[oaresearchpaper]

Antimicrobial properties of selected propolis samples

Propolis, a natural resinous substance collected by honeybees from buds and exudates of plants, is known for its use in the beehive as a protective barrier against intruders. It is widely used as a popular remedy in folk medicine and as a constituent of bio-cosmetics. Recently, it is extensively used in food and beverages to improve health and prevent diseases. Depending on the season, bee species, vegetation and the area of collection, the chemical composition of propolis are qualitatively and quantitatively variable, resulting in diverse biological properties. In this project, the antimicrobial activity of several propolis samples obtained from various parts of the world (Europe, Australia, USA and the Philippines) was determined. The propolis samples were extracted with ethanol and the extracts were assayed with Gram-positive and Gram-negative microorganisms. Results demonstrate that propolis is effective against a range of opportunistic pathogens, with the samples from Russia and Washington showing the most potent antibacterial activity, inhibiting seven microorganisms each. The propolis from the Philippines (Bicol and Laguna) also exhibited notable antimicrobial effects, although to a slightly lesser extent.

[ioag]

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is one of the most pleasant bacteria to identify from a microbiologist's perspective. In turn, from the veterinarian's point of view - one of the worst to treat.

[zkwnhssn]

Classification of antibiotics (anti-bacterial agents)

[nanotechnologyworld]

Chemists uncover cracks in the amour of cellulose nanocrystals

Chemists in Japan, Canada and Europe have uncovered flaws in the surface structure of cellulose nanocrystals—an important step toward deconstructing cellulose to produce renewable nano-materials relevant to biochemical products, energy solutions, and biofuels. The findings—published in Science Advances—are the most detailed look yet at the surface chemistry and structure of individual cellulose nanocrystal (CNC) particles. The team, led by researchers at Kanazawa University, applied three-dimens