Microscale patterned surfaces reduce bacterial fouling-microscopic and theoretical analysis.

Microscale patterned surfaces have been shown to control the arrangement of bacteria attached to surfaces. This study was conducted to examine the effect of patterned topographies on bacterial fouling using Enterobacter cloacae as the test model. E.

Processing of microcrystalline cellulose in dimethyl sulfoxide, urea and supercritical carbon dioxide.

Efficient utilization of cellulose in polymer blends is limited because of its high crystallinity. In this work, an attempt to change the inherent crystallinity of cellulose was performed by exposing it to two systems viz. dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO)-supercritical CO2 and DMSO-urea-supercritical CO2.

Use of dialdehyde starch treated filters for protection against airborne viruses.

In the event of a pandemic, the general public would use filters as protective devices. However, most commercial filters only remove airborne viruses physically without inactivating them, allowing reproduction on the surface and yielding the mask as a fomite. The objective of this study was to investigate the inactivation performance of dialdehyde starch (DAS) treated filters against airborne viruses.

Efficacy of non-toxic surfaces to reduce bioadhesion in terrestrial gastropods.

Background: Invasive species are described as the greatest threat to biodiversity, after habitat destruction and climate change, potentially imposing economic impacts and indigenous species impairment. Commonly applied chemical controls present the potential for legacy contamination and non-target organism injury. This study investigated the effects of different substrates and novel topographical surfaces on the behavioral and mechanical associations of the terrestrial gastropod Otala lactea.

Structure-antimicrobial activity relationship for silanols, a new class of disinfectants, compared with alcohols and phenols.

Triorganosilanols (R(CH(3))(2)SiOH) were recently reported to exhibit unexpectedly strong disinfectant properties. The antimicrobial activities of silanols were significantly higher than their analogous alcohols. A study of the structural dependence of their antimicrobial activity was conducted against four bacteria, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Enterococcus faecalis.