The dynamics of swimming microorganisms is strongly affected by solid-liquid and air-liquid interfaces. In this paper, we characterize the motion of both single bacteria and microcolonies at an air-liquid interface. Both of them follow circular trajectories. Single bacteria preferentially show a counter-clockwise motion, in agreement with previous experimental and theoretical findings. Instead,...

Hydrodynamics has a strong influence on substrate elimination capacity in trickle-bed bioreactors (TBB). The present study reports the influence of liquid mass flow rate and bed void fraction on the TBB liquid residence time distribution (RTD), gas-liquid pressure drop, liquid hold-up, and biofilm wetting efficiency. Most RTD are well represented by a dispersion model. It is also shown that the...

We analyze numerically the optical response and effective macroscopic parameters of fishnet metamaterials infiltrated with a nematic liquid crystal. We show that even a small amount of liquid crystal can provide tuning of the structures due to reorientation of the liquid crystal director. This enables switchable optical metamaterials, where the refractive index can be switched from positive to ...

A new method for introducing enzymes into cellulosic matrixes which can be formed into membranes, films, or beads has been developed using a cellulose-in-ionic-liquid dissolution and regeneration process. Initial results on the formation of thin cellulose films incorporating dispersed laccase indicate that active enzyme-encapsulated films can be prepared using this methodology and that precoati...