BACKGROUND Bacteria utilize various methods in order to live in protection from adverse environmental conditions. One such method involves biofilm formation; however, this formation is dependent on many factors. The type and concentration of substances such as sugars that are present in an environment can be effective facilitators of biofilm formation. METHODS First, the physico-chemical prop...

The process of any contact lens related keratitis generally starts with the adhesion of opportunistic pathogens to contact lens surface. This article focuses on identifying the factors which have been reported to affect bacterial adhesion to contact lenses. Adhesion to lenses differs between various genera/species/strains of bacteria. Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which is the predominant causative o...

The aims were to compare the physico-chemical properties (zeta-potential, wettability, surface free energy) of stereolithography materials (STL) (Photopolymer, Accura) to dentine and to evaluate the potential of each material to develop Enterococcus faecalis biofilm on their respective surfaces. Eighteen samples of each test material (Photopolymer, Accura, dentine) were employed (total n = 54) ...

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) made with different types of ceramic membranes were investigated to find a low-cost alternative to commercially available proton exchange membranes. The MFCs operated with fresh human urine as the fuel. Pyrophyllite and earthenware produced the best performance to reach power densities of 6.93 and 6.85 W m(-3), respectively, whereas mullite and alumina achieved power...

OBJECTIVES The emergence of multi-drug resistance among various microbial pathogens has been a cause of serious concern to the medical world, limiting the choice of antibiotics. Considering that it may take decades to synthesize new antimicrobial drugs that combat resistant pathogens, the search for alternatives to conventional antimicrobial agents has begun. METHODS In his paper we attempted...

The first step in the biofilm formation is the bacterial attachment to solid surfaces, which is dependent on the bacteria cell surface physico-chemical properties. The purpose of this work was to analyze the effect of pH on the physicochemical cell surface properties of Acinetobacter baumannii by two different methods. The cell surface properties were evaluated using the microbial adhesion to s...

BACKGROUND Algal biofilm reactors represent a promising cultivation system that can economically produce biomass without the need for expensive harvesting operations. A critical component of algal biofilm systems is the material used for attachment. This research reports a comprehensive study of the effects of material surface physico-chemical properties, the surface texture, and their interact...

A screen of fungi for insecticidal activity revealed the ability of Aspergillus versicolor to make versimide, methyl-alpha-(methylsuccinimido)acrylate, a novel contact insecticide. The larvicidal activities of Alternaria tenuis and Fusarium lateritium were found to be due to tenuazonic acid and diacetoxyscirpenol, respectively. Thiolutin, cycloheximide, rubratoxin, patulin, trichothecin, an act...