Browse Topic: Bacteria

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Bioelectronic Device Offers New Hope in the Fight Against Bacterial InfectionsTBMG-5216912/01/2024
University of California – San Diego San Diego, CA
2020 Create the Future Design Contest Grand Prize Winner: RepelWrap — A Nature-inspired Surface Technology for Repelling ContaminationTBMG-3819912/01/2020
Leyla Soleymani and Tohid Didar McMaster University Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Creating the Future: Implantable ICD Eliminates Wires & Offers Painless DefibrillationTBMG-3816412/01/2020
Diamond-Studded Silk Wound Dressing Detects Infection and Improves HealingTBMG-3815912/01/2020
RMIT University Melbourne, Australia
Bacteria-Based Hydrogel Beads Clean Up Contaminated GroundwaterTBMG-3745108/01/2020
Hydrogel beads with the consistency of gummy candy are made with an ingredient used in processed foods to clean up groundwater contaminated with dangerous and widely used volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Among the contaminants addressed by the method are 1,1,1-trichloroethane, cis-1,2-dichloroethene, and 1,4-dioxane — degreasers commonly used by industry and the military. The chemicals can infiltrate groundwater through leaky underground storage tanks or runoff, or by simply being dumped on the ground.
Biohybrid Can Turn Carbon Dioxide into New ProductsTBMG-3721607/01/2020
To colonize Mars, settlers will need to manufacture on-planet a huge range of organic compounds, from fuels to drugs, that are too expensive to ship from Earth. Researchers have been working on a hybrid system combining bacteria and nanowires that can capture the energy of sunlight to convert carbon dioxide and water into building blocks for organic molecules. Nanowires are thin silicon wires about one-hundredth the width of a human hair, used as electronic components and as sensors and solar cells.
Fabric Allows Wearers to Control Electronic Devices Through ClothingTBMG-3704506/01/2020
A new technique transforms existing cloth items or textiles into self-powered e-textiles containing sensors, music players, or illumination displays using simple embroidery without the need for expensive fabrication processes requiring complex steps or expensive equipment. The fabric also keeps the wearer safe from viruses and bacteria.
Color-Changing Bandages Sense and Treat Bacterial InfectionsTBMG-3625303/01/2020
According to the World Health Organization, antibiotic resistance is one of the biggest threats to global health. Sensing and treating bacterial infections earlier could help improve patients’ recovery, as well curb the spread of antibiotic-resistant microbes. Now, researchers reporting in ACS Central Science have developed color-changing bandages that can sense drug-resistant and drug-sensitive bacteria in wounds and treat them accordingly.
3D Printed Pill Samples Gut Microbiome to Aid Diagnosis and TreatmentTBMG-3508809/01/2019
A research team led by Tufts University engineers has developed a 3D printed pill that samples bacteria found in the gut — known as the microbiome — as it passes through the gastrointestinal tract (GI). The ability to profile bacterial species inhabiting the gut could have important implications for the diagnosis and treatment of conditions that are affected by the microbiome, according to the researchers.
Technique Identifies Electricity-Producing BacteriaTBMG-3489108/01/2019
Certain species of bacteria that exist in oxygen-deprived environments must find a way to breathe that doesn't involve oxygen. These microbes — which can be found deep within mines, at the bottom of lakes, and even in the human gut — have evolved a unique form of breathing that involves excreting and pumping out electrons; they actually produce electricity.
Method Uses Ultraviolet Light to Control Fluid Flow and Organize ParticlesTBMG-3490708/01/2019
A new method uses ultraviolet light to control the flow of fluids by encouraging particles — from plastic microbeads, to bacterial spores, to pollutants — to gather and organize at a specific location within a liquid and, if desired, move to new locations.
Smartphone Test Spots Poisoned Water RiskTBMG-3473107/01/2019
Researchers have developed a biosensor that attaches to a smartphone and uses bacteria to detect unsafe arsenic levels. The device generates easy-to-interpret patterns similar to volume-bars that display the level of contamination.
An Army of Microrobots Can Wipe Out Dental PlaqueTBMG-3456606/01/2019
A visit to the dentist typically involves time-consuming and sometimes unpleasant scraping with mechanical tools to remove plaque from teeth. What if, instead, a dentist could deploy a small army of tiny robots to precisely and non-invasively remove that buildup?
Electroceutical Bandages Destroy BacteriaTBMG-3462606/01/2019
Used since 2013, electroceutical bandages — which use electrical impulses to treat medical issues — kill bacteria around a wound, allowing wounds to heal faster. In addition, if infection is present, they can remove the infection, enabling them to heal chronic wounds.
Ingestible, Expanding Pill Monitors the Stomach for Up to a MonthTBMG-3462406/01/2019
An ingestible pill was developed that, upon reaching the stomach, quickly swells to the size of a soft, squishy ping-pong ball big enough to stay in the stomach for an extended period of time. The inflatable pill is embedded with a sensor that continuously tracks the stomach's temperature for up to 30 days. If the pill needs to be removed from the stomach, a patient can drink a solution of calcium that triggers the pill to quickly shrink to its original size and pass safely out of the body.
Transparent Test Patch Determines Food ContaminationTBMG-3417404/01/2019
A transparent test patch, printed with harmless molecules, signals food contamination as it happens. The patch can be incorporated directly into food packaging, where it can monitor the contents for harmful pathogens such as E. coli and Salmonella. The new technology has the potential to replace the traditional “best before” or expiration date on food and drinks.
Glow-in-the-Dark Paper Provides Rapid Test for Infectious DiseasesTBMG-3385712/01/2018
Eindhoven University of Technology Eindhoven, The Netherlands
Bacteria-Fighting Polymers Created with LightTBMG-3323411/01/2018
Hundreds of polymers that could kill drug-resistant superbugs in novel ways can be produced and tested using light. The new method may help identify antimicrobials for a range of applications from personal care to coatings.
Diesel Fuel Improvers and Their Effect on Microbial Stability of Diesel/Biodiesel Blends2018-01-175109/10/2018
Additives that enhance properties, such as cetane number or cold flow, are introduced in diesel-biodiesel blends in order to upgrade its performance as well as to aid its handling and distribution. Furthermore, in order to protect the engine and fuel operating system equipment, diesel fuel may be treated with corrosion inhibitors and detergents. However, additives could also have an impact on other parameters beyond those that they are intended to boost. In the present study the effect of diesel fuel improvers on fuel’s microbial stability is examined. An additive-free ultra low sulfur diesel (ULSD) was blended with Soybean Fatty Acid Methyl Esters (FAME) and the resulting blend was treated separately with a series of commercially available diesel fuel additives. Specific products belonging to the groups of cold-flow improvers, cetane improvers, metal deactivators and corrosion inhibitors were employed and were added both at the recommended treating rate as well as in a range of
Tsesmeli, Chrysovalanti, Dodos, George S., Zannikos, Fanourios
The Ultimate ‘Smell Test’: Device Sends Rotten Food Warning to SmartphonesTBMG-3287009/01/2018
When it comes to the “smell test,” the nose isn't always the best judge of food quality. Now in a study appearing in ACS’ journal Nano Letters, scientists report that they have developed a wireless tagging device that can send signals to smartphones warning consumers and food distributors when meat and other perishables have spoiled. They say this new sensor could improve the detection of rotten food, so it can be tossed before consumers eat it.
Tests Prove Immersion Method of Production of Implantable Devices is EffectiveTBMG-3281809/01/2018
Healthcare-associated infections (HAI) are a major, yet often preventable threat to patient safety, and they can have a significant impact on the survival rate of patients who undergo procedures and treatments. In particular, catheter-associated infections are difficult to prevent, even when products are made of silicone, due to their inherent positioning both inside and outside of the body.
Products of Tomorrow: September 2018TBMG-3282709/01/2018
This column presents technologies that have applications in commercial areas, possibly creating the products of tomorrow. To learn more about each technology, see the contact information provided for that innovation.
Disposables Lead the Way to Fighting HAIs, Preventing ErrorsTBMG-2975007/01/2018
A key driver of the medical disposables market is the desire to minimize the risk of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). Healthcare providers are turning to disposable products as a safer alternative than reusable devices, which even if decontaminated properly, can still lead to infection. According to Grand View Research, “the emergence of this sector is attributed to the increased focus toward the use of single-use disposable products to prevent cross-contamination and infection in healthcare settings.” In addition to the growing awareness of the benefits of infection control, another key factor driving the market expansion is the growing need for healthcare assistance for an aging population.
Simple Method Developed for 3D Biofabrication Based on Bacterial CelluloseTBMG-2910106/01/2018
Bacterial cellulose (BC) nanofibers are promising building blocks for the development of sustainable materials with the potential to outperform conventional synthetic materials. BC, one of the purest forms of nanocellulose, is produced at the interface between the culture medium and air, where the aerobic bacteria have access to oxygen. Biocompatibility, biodegradability, high thermal stability, and mechanical strength are some of the unique properties that facilitate BC adoption in food, cosmetics, and biomedical applications including tissue regeneration, implants, wound dressing, burn treatment, and artificial blood vessels.
Software Verifies Identity by DNA in MinutesTBMG-2817901/01/2018
Researchers have developed a method to quickly and accurately identify people and cell lines from their DNA. The software could be used to flag mislabeled or contaminated cell lines in cancer experiments, a major reason that studies are later invalidated.
Wearable Biosensor Monitors Exposure to Bacteria, Viruses, and PollutantsTBMG-2818301/01/2018
Researchers have created biosensor technology for wearable devices that continuously analyzes sweat or blood for different types of biomarkers such as proteins that indicate the possibility of breast cancer or lung cancer. The lab-on-a-chip could be used in handheld or wearable devices to monitor health and exposure to dangerous bacteria, viruses, and pollutants.
Personal Air Sampler for Collecting Airborne Aerosol Particulates for Molecular Analysis by SizeTBMG-2802312/01/2017
Air sampling is used to collect samples of airborne particles present in an environment. Analyses of the air samples can provide information concerning potential exposure to harmful respirable agents. Bioaerosol sampling can be used to identify particles of biological origin such as viable and non-viable fungal spores, bacteria, pollen, skin cells, fibers, and insect parts.
Drug-Loaded Collagen Scaffolds Prevent Implant InfectionTBMG-2732508/01/2017
A study led by scientists from the Regenerative, Modular, and Developmental Engineering Laboratory (REMODEL) and the Science Foundation Ireland Centre for Research in Medical Devices, CÚRAM, has developed a new type of implantable device to provide localized drug treatment and prevent infection. It has already proven effective against two types of major device infection bacteria.
Paper-Based Electrochemical Test Strip Detects Harmful BacteriaTBMG-2721807/01/2017
Borrowing concepts from medical diagnostic devices, researchers have created a simple, inexpensive set of handheld tests that can detect the presence of many water- or food-borne pathogens. If applied in the field, such tests could greatly reduce the number of expensive follow-up tests needed to keep the food supply safe from fecal contamination.
Assessment of Microbial Bioburden Within Aerogel MatricesTBMG-2388102/01/2016
A makeshift apparatus has been designed composed of a sealed, hydrophobic 2-propanol/SiO2 aerogel component to filter outside air particles. Following verification and assessment, the apparatus was crafted with a Buchner funnel. Aerogel matrices were tightly fitted into filter housings and secured in side-arm flasks, which were then equipped to a vacuum pump to pull air through the aerogel matrices. Aerogels, both with and without fiberglass reinforcement, were used to collect airborne particulates for one- and three-hour increments. An untreated negative control aerogel, employing air collection from a laminar hood, and a positive aerogel matrix were seeded with endospores that verified the extraction from the matrices.
Antibiotic-Infused Implants Support Facial Reconstruction RecoveryTBMG-2383101/21/2016
A gel created by Rice University researchers delivers time-released antibiotics to ward off infection while a patient heals from facial reconstruction procedures. Porous polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) implants are filled with the gel and leach its protective antibiotic contents to surrounding tissue, protecting the tissue from infection for several weeks.
MEET NASA'S PLANETARY PROTECTION OFFICERTBMG-2382001/15/2016
As NASA plans launches to Mars, Europa, and beyond, the agency's Office of Planetary Protection ensures that the environments are shielded against contamination, especially bacteria and microbes from Earth. Dr. Catherine Conley oversees and audits the planetary protection strategies for NASA's exploration missions.
Sensitive, Specific Molecular Detection of Single Bacteria CellsTBMG-2284609/01/2015
A unique amplification chemistry was developed that allows highly specific isothermal detection of bacteria, and presumably eukaryotic cells, at sub-single-cell sensitivities. This is based on the ability to detect rRNA (ribosomal RNA) rather than DNA, as is typical. The difference is that rRNA is present in metabolizing cells at high copy number compared to the cognate DNA coding sequence. This formulation has the additional characteristics of simplified sample preparation, isothermal incubation conditions, and long-term stability in ambient conditions.
Bioengineers Develop Printable Silk InksTBMG-2237806/19/2015
To provide a better tool for therapeutics, regenerative medicine, and biosensing, Tufts University bioengineers have created inkjet-printable silks containing enzymes, antibiotics, antibodies, nanoparticles, and growth factors. The purified silk protein, or fibroin, offers intrinsic strength and protective properties that make it well-suited for a range of biomedical and optoelectronic applications.
Analysis of Microorganism Causing Odor in an Air-Conditioning System2015-01-035404/14/2015
This study has been conducted to analyze microbial diversity and its community by using a method of NGS(Next generation sequencing) technique that is not rely on cultivation for microbial community in an core evaporator causing odor of car air conditioner. The NGS without any cultivation method of cultivation, has been developed recently and widely. This method is able to research a microorganism that has not been cultivated. Differently with others, it can get a result that is closer to fact, also can acquire more base sequence with larger volume in relatively shorter time. According to bacteria population analysis of 23 samples, It can be known limited number of bacteria can inhabit in Evaporator core, due to small exposure between bacteria and evaporate, as well as its environmental characteristics. With the population analysis, only certain group of it is forming biofilm in proportion.
Kim, Ji Wan, Lee, Tae Hee
Selective, Sensitive, and Robust Electrochemical Detection of AnthraxTBMG-2189203/31/2015
There exists an unmet need for rapid, sensitive, and field-stable assays for pathogen detection. Bacillus anthracis is the causative agent of anthrax poisoning. This Gram-positive bacterium secretes a tripartite toxin including a cell-binding protective antigen (PA), and the delivered toxins edema factor (EF) and lethal factor (LF). Anthrax poisoning has high mortality and, when delivered in the form of B. anthracis spores, has a very high environmental stability.
Oxygen Sensors Monitor Bioreactors and Ensure Health and SafetyTBMG-3608501/01/2015
In the mid-1990s scientists at NASA Kennedy Space Center were experimenting with an unusual substance: cow digestive bacteria. Could it break down leftover dead plant matter in space into usable organic matter?
Medical Device Coating Repels BacteriaTBMG-2085112/01/2014
Any medical device implanted in the body or in contact with flowing blood faces two critical challenges that can threaten the life of the patient the device is meant to help: blood clotting and bacterial infection. But, a team of scientists at the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard, Boston, say they may have a solution. The researchers have developed a new surface coating for medical devices using FDA-approved materials. The coating not only repelled blood from more than 20 medically relevant substrates the team tested, but also suppressed biofilm formation. And, the team’s implanted medical-grade tubing and catheters coated with the material prevented blood from clotting for at least eight hours without the use of blood thinners such as heparin.
Attacking Biofilm FormationTBMG-2091611/01/2014
New research by mechanical engineers at Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, aims at fighting bacterial biofilms that can foul medical devices, catheters, prosthetic valves, and other devices. Combating biofilms using antibiotics and toxic chemicals can lead to the growth of antibiotic-resistant strains.
Possible Use of the Bacterial Battery for Electric Motors2014-01-289610/13/2014
Conditions of the bacterial battery have been presented in the article. The models of different design configurations of bacterial battery and its assembly with electric circuit has been elaborated. The obtained values of voltage and currents obtained in such models has been compared with the case of similar circuit using lithium-ion battery and presented in the paper.
Siczek, Krzysztof Jan
Blood Processor Device Could Treat SepsisTBMG-2011708/01/2014
A team of engineers at Oregon State University (OSU), Corvallis, say that they have developed a new technology that could revolutionize treatment and prevention of sepsis. Commonly called “blood poisoning,” sepsis can quickly grow from a modest infection into a whole-body inflammation, which can lead to multiple organ failure and death. When treatment is started early enough, it can sometimes be successfully treated with antibiotics, but the mortality rate for the condition is still about 28 to 50 percent.
First Light-Activated Antimicrobial SurfaceTBMG-1986306/01/2014
A team of scientists at the University College London (UCL) have developed a new antibacterial material that could help cut hospital-acquired infections. They used a combination of two dyes with nanoscopic particles of gold, which, they say, is deadly to bacteria when activated by light, including average indoor lighting. And, in a first for this type of substance, it has also shown impressive antibacterial properties in total darkness.
Assessment of Microbial Bioburden Within Aerogel MatricesTBMG-1912202/01/2014
A makeshift apparatus has been designed composed of a sealed, hydrophobic 2-propanol/SiO2 aerogel component to filter outside air particles. Following verification and assessment, the apparatus was crafted with a Buchner funnel. Aerogel matrices were tightly fitted into filter housings and secured in side-arm flasks, which were then equipped to a vacuum pump to pull air through the aerogel matrices. Aerogels, both with and without fiberglass reinforcement, were used to collect airborne particulates for one- and three-hour increments. An untreated negative control aerogel, employing air collection from a laminar hood, and a positive aerogel matrix were seeded with endospores that verified the extraction from the matrices.
A Novel Protocol for Decoating and Permeabilizing Bacterial Spores for Epifluorescent MicroscopyTBMG-1889101/01/2014
Based on previously reported procedures for permeabilizing vegetative bacterial cells, and numerous trial-and-error attempts with bacterial endospores, a protocol was developed for effectively permeabilizing bacterial spores, which facilitated the applicability of fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) microscopy. Bacterial endospores were first purified from overgrown, sporulated suspensions of B. pumilus SAFR-032. Purified spores at a concentration of ≈10 million spores/mL then underwent proteinase-K treatment, in a solution of 468.5 μL of 100 mM Tris-HCl, 30 μL of 10% SDS, and 1.5 μL of 20 mg/mL proteinase-K for ten minutes at 35 ºC. Spores were then harvested by centrifugation (15,000 g for 15 minutes) and washed twice with sterile phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) solution. This washing process consisted of resuspending the spore pellets in 0.5 mL of PBS, vortexing momentarily, and harvesting again by centrifugation. Treated and washed spore pellets were then resuspended in 0.5 mL
Detection of Only Viable Bacterial Spores Using a Live/Dead Indicator in Mixed PopulationsTBMG-1768111/01/2013
This method uses a photoaffinity label that recognizes DNA and can be used to distinguish populations of bacterial cells from bacterial spores without the use of heat shocking during conventional culture, and live from dead bacterial spores using molecular-based methods.
Blocking Biofilms to Prevent Bacterial Infection of Implanted DevicesTBMG-1748610/01/2013
Understanding the enemy, in this case, bacteria that causes infections on implanted medical devices, is the key to success, say a team of researchers at the ithree institute, based at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS), the UTS School of Mathematical Sciences, Monash University, University of Melbourne and the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, Australia.
Extreme Ionizing-Radiation-Resistant BacteriumTBMG-1569102/01/2013
There is a growing concern that desiccation and extreme radiation-resistant, non-spore-forming microorganisms associated with spacecraft surfaces can withstand space environmental conditions and subsequent proliferation on another solar body. Such forward contamination would jeopardize future life detection or sample return technologies. The prime focus of NASA’s planetary protection efforts is the development of strategies for inactivating resistance-bearing microorganisms. Eradi cation techniques can be designed to target resistance-conferring microbial populations by first identifying and understanding their physiologic and biochemical capabilities that confers its elevated tolerance (as is being studied in Deinococcus phoenicis, as a result of this description). Furthermore, hospitals, food, and government agencies frequently use biological indicators to ensure the efficacy of a wide range of radiation-based sterilization processes. Due to their resistance to a variety of
Catching Sneaky Biofilms Behind the EardrumTBMG-1513311/01/2012
Ear infections are so common that three out of four children have at least one by the time they reach age three, says the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, part of the National Institutes of Health. Chronic ear infections can damage children’s hearing and often require surgery to place drainage tubes in the eardrum.
Engineered Multifunctional Surfaces for Fluid HandlingTBMG-1509111/01/2012
Designs incorporating variations in capillary geometry and hydrophilic and/or antibacterial surface properties have been developed that are capable of passive gas/liquid separation and passive water flow. These designs can incorporate capillary grooves and/or surfaces arranged to create linear and circumferential capillary geometry at the micro and macro scale, radial fin configurations, micro holes and patterns, and combinations of the above.
Fluorescence-Activated Cell Sorting of Live Versus Dead Bacterial Cells and SporesTBMG-1485210/01/2012
This innovation is a coupled fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) and fluorescent staining technology for purifying (removing cells from sampling matrices), separating (based on size, density, morphology, and live versus dead), and concentrating cells (spores, prokaryotic, eukaryotic) from an environmental sample.
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