Avian influenza is caused by influenza viruses such as the influenza A virus. In 1997 in Hong Kong, the avian influenza viruses were found to cross the species barrier to infect human beings and cause respiratory illness and death. H5N1 viruses later reemerged in Asia with human cases of infection, of which more than 50% were fatal. We proposed to genetically engineer naturally occurring bacter...

The effect of different mechanical and chemical pre-treatments on the adhesion strength of hydroxyapatite (HAp) coating on a commercially pure titanium (CP-Ti) substrate was studied by means of a standard tensile test followed by microscopic and chemical analysis to determine the locus of fracture. In addition, the effects of either these pre-treatments or post-treatment by low-energy electron ...

Austenitic stainless steels, widely used in food processing, undergo microstructural changes during welding, resulting in three distinctive zones: weld metal, heat-affected zone, and base metal. This research was conducted to determine the attachment of Listeria monocytogenes in these three zones before and after exposure to a corrosive environment. All experiments were done with tungsten inert...

The aim of this investigation is to determine the effect that growth solution has on the cell surface properties and transport behavior of eleven Escherichia coli isolates through saturated porous media. The two growth solutions used were a standard laboratory growth medium (LB) and a dairy manure extract solution. In general, cells grown in manure extract were more hydrophobic, had a more nega...

Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae serotype 1 adhered to immobilized swine-lung collagen. Bacteria bound to collagen type I, III, IV and V. At 5 min incubation, 30 % of bacteria adhered to collagen, reaching saturation in around 90 min. Treatment of bacteria with divalent-metal chelators diminished their attachment to collagen, and Ca(2+) but not Mg(2+) increased it, suggesting Ca(2+) dependence f...

It is critical for bacteria to recognize surface contact and initiate physiological changes required for surface-associated lifestyles. Ubiquitous microbial appendages called pili are involved in sensing surfaces and facilitating downstream behaviors, but the mechanism by which pili mediate surface sensing has been unclear. We visualized Caulobacter crescentus pili undergoing dynamic cycles of ...

The quantity of microorganisms that may be transferred to a food that comes into contact with a contaminated surface depends on the density of microorganisms on the surface and on the attachment strengths of the microorganisms on the materials. We made repeated contacts between pieces of meat and various surfaces (stainless steel and conveyor belt materials [polyvinyl chloride and polyurethane]...

B are groups of bacteria attached to themselves and/or a surface and encased in a self-secreted matrix or slime. The National Institute of Health in the United States estimates that 80% of all infections are associated with organisms forming biofilms. The process driving biofilm formation from planktonic (free-swimming) bacterial populations is complex and arises as an adaptation of the bacteri...

Biofilm formation can lead to problems in healthcare, water distribution systems, food processing and packaging, industrial manufacturing, marine industries, sanitation. These microbial communities proliferate on biotic or abiotic surfaces, are responsible for human disease decreasing production efficiency service equipment life many fields. The of biofilm starts with the attachment bacteria su...

Bacteria of the genus Sulfobacillus are predominant members acidophilic microbial communities involved in bioprocessing sulfide raw materials. Genomic analysis different species revealed a starch/glycogen GlgE-dependent biosynthesis pathway α-glucans from trehalose S. thermotolerans and thermosulfidooxidans. The key enzyme this pathway, fused maltose-trehalose/α-amylase protein, was not encoded...