Biofilm associated with pigmented areas on a waterproofing coating surface.

Waterproofing coatings are composite materials made of different layers with complementary functionalities. They may suffer damage that can modify their aesthetic appearance and/or their functionality. In this study, dark stains appearing on a waterproofing coating of a public swimming pool were mapped and characterized at a macroscopic scale through visual observation and by colorimetric analysis, as well as at a microscopic scale with a digital microscope, a confocal laser scanning microscope, and a scanning electron microscope.

The role of essential oils as eco-friendly strategy to control biofilm collected in the Colosseum (Rome, Italy).

The control of biodeteriogenic microorganisms is essential for the management of heritage sites. Many conventional biocides are no longer available because they have lost their efficacy or have been withdrawn from the market due to their danger to humans and the environment. Therefore, new effective and sustainable biocides are needed, such as plant extracts that could be a good alternative.

The effect of consumption of cranberry on adherence to feline uroepithelial cells in a blind randomised cross-over trial in cats.

Introduction: is the most common uropathogen in humans, dogs and cats. Dietary consumption of cranberry () is known to be associated with a reduction in uropathogenic (UPEC) adhesion to human and canine urinary epithelial cell lines, but this has not been shown in cats.

Material And Methods: Six neutered domestic cats, one male and five females, were randomly fed three diets successively, one containing 0.

Chemical signaling in biofilm-mediated biofouling.

Biofouling is the undesirable accumulation of living organisms and their metabolites on submerged surfaces. Biofouling begins with adhesion of biomacromolecules and/or microorganisms and can lead to the subsequent formation of biofilms that are predominantly regulated by chemical signals, such as cyclic dinucleotides and quorum-sensing molecules. Biofilms typically release chemical cues that recruit or repel other invertebrate larvae and algal spores.

A new killing assay with the Caenorhabditis elegans PX627 mutant to assess the virulence of uropathogenic Escherichia coli strains.

The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) is a prime invertebrate host model for studying uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) pathogenesis. The aim of this work was to develop a new C.

Fungal Biodegradation of Polyurethanes.

Polyurethanes (PURs) are versatile polymers used in a wide variety of fields, such as the medical, automotive, textile, thermal insulation, and coating industries as well as many everyday objects. Many PURs have applications that require a long service life, sometimes with exposure to aggressive conditions. They can undergo different types of physicochemical and biological degradation, but they are not compostable, and many of them constitute persistent waste in the environment.

Adherence of Uropathogenic in Dog Urine After Consumption of Food Supplemented with Cranberry ().

Introduction: is the most common pathogen isolated from the urine of dogs with urinary tract infections (UTIs). While there are many studies in humans investigating the potential for the prevention of UTIs by dietary consumption of cranberry, few analogous studies have been carried out in dogs.

Material And Methods: Eight dogs, four male and four female, were successively fed two diets, first a control without cranberry, and then the second diet containing cranberry extracts.

Molecular Docking and In-Silico Analysis of Natural Biomolecules against Dengue, Ebola, Zika, SARS-CoV-2 Variants of Concern and Monkeypox Virus.

The emergence and rapid evolution of human pathogenic viruses, combined with the difficulties in developing effective vaccines, underline the need to develop innovative broad-spectrum antiviral therapeutic agents. The present study aims to determine the antiviral potential of six bacterial antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), two phytochemicals (silvestrol, andrographolide), and two bacterial secondary metabolites (lyngbyabellin A, hapalindole H) against dengue virus, Zika virus, Ebola virus, the major variants of SARS-CoV-2 and monkeypox virus. The comparison of docking scores obtained with natural biomolecules was performed with specific neutralizing antibodies (positive controls for ClusPro) and antiviral drugs (negative controls for Autodock Vina).

Antimicrobial agents and microbial ecology.

Antimicrobials are therapeutic substances used to prevent or treat infections. Disinfectants are antimicrobial agents applied to non-living surfaces. Every year, several thousand tonnes of antimicrobials and their by-products are released into the environment and in particular into the aquatic environment.

Rheological Behaviour of Cementitious Materials Incorporating Solid-Solid Phase Change Materials.

Nowadays, thermal regulation of the indoor environment is mandatory to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The incorporation of Phase Change Materials (PCMs) and especially solid-solid PCMs (s/s PCMs) into building materials can be a major step forward in reducing energy consumption. Such materials are used for their high latent heat to save and release heat during phase change.

Current and future chemical treatments to fight biodeterioration of outdoor building materials and associated biofilms: Moving away from ecotoxic and towards efficient, sustainable solutions.

All types of building materials are rapidly colonized by microorganisms, initially through an invisible and then later a visible biofilm that leads to their biodeterioration. Over centuries, this natural phenomenon has been managed using mechanical procedures, oils, or even wax. In modern history, many treatments such as high-pressure cleaners, biocides (mainly isothiazolinones and quaternary ammonium compounds) are commercially available, as well as preventive ones, such as the use of water-repellent coatings in the fabrication process.

Cranberry () dietary supplementation and fecal microbiota of Wistar rats.

Cranberry () dietary supplementation can help prevention of urinary tract infections through the supply of proanthocyanidin-type polyphenols (PAC). The main uropathogenic bacteria are members of the intestinal microbiota. A randomized cross-over experiment was done to investigate whether cranberry dietary supplementation affects concentrations of thermotolerant coliforms, spp.

Ways to improve biocides for metalworking fluid.

Metalworking fluids (MWF) are mainly emulsions of oil in water containing additives such as corrosion inhibitors, emulsifiers, defoamers, and biocides. Microbial contamination of MWF is almost systematic, and some of their constituents serve as nutrients for contaminating microorganisms. Biocides for MWF are protection products used to counter microbial contaminations and growth.

Polysaccharide-hydrolysing enzymes enhance the cleaning efficiency of Nanofiltration membranes.

The development of biofilm on the surface of filtration membranes is the main fouling component of water filtration systems. Chemical cleaning is only partially effective in removing biofilm components from the membrane surface. In order to identify opportunities to improve the efficiency of commercial cleaning solutions used in nanofiltration, we compared the efficacy of different commercial treatments, with or without the addition of polysaccharidases, to clean fouled membrane samples.

Anti-persister activity of squalamine against Acinetobacter baumannii.

Squalamine is a natural polycationic aminosterol extracted from the shark Squalus acanthias. Squalamine displays remarkable efficacy against antimicrobial-resistant Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. Its membranolytic activity and low cytotoxicity make squalamine one of the most promising agents to fight nosocomial pathogens such as Acinetobacter baumannii.

Assessment of flow cytometry for microbial water quality monitoring in cooling tower water and oxidizing biocide treatment efficiency.

The control of Legionella proliferation in cooling tower water circuits requires regular monitoring of water contamination and effective disinfection procedures. In this study, flow cytometry was assessed to monitor water contamination and disinfection treatment efficiency on bacterial cells regarding nucleic acid injury (SYBR® Green II), cell integrity (SYBR® Green II and propidium iodide) and metabolism activity (ChemChrome V6). A total of 27 cooling tower water samples were analyzed in order to assess water contamination levels regarding viable populations: standard culture, ATP measurement and flow cytometry methods were compared.

Extracellular polymeric substances, a key element in understanding biofilm phenotype.

One of the key elements in the establishment and maintenance of the biofilm structure and properties is the extracellular matrix. The extracellular matrix is composed of water and extracellular polymeric substances (EPS): primarily polysaccharides, proteins and DNA. Characterization of the matrix requires component identification, as well as determination of the relative concentration of EPS constituents, including their physicochemical properties and descriptions of their interactions.

Bap: A New Type of Functional Amyloid.

Bacteria can build a biofilm matrix scaffold from exopolysaccharides or proteins, and DNA. In a recent report, Taglialegna and colleagues show that pathogenic Staphylococcus aureus produces a protein scaffold based on amyloid assembly of fragments from the biofilm-associated protein. Amyloidogenesis occurs in response to environmental signals.

Synergistic antibiofilm efficacy of various commercial antiseptics, enzymes and EDTA: a study of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus biofilms.

A multistep strategy was used to generate a combined antibiofilm treatment that could efficiently decrease the biomass of dense biofilms (≥6 × 10(7) CFU/cm(2)). Several compounds that exhibited activity against various targets were tested individually and in combination to search for possible synergistic effects. First, the antibiofilm activity of various commercially available antiseptics was tested on Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus.

Effects of Fibronectin Coating on Bacterial and Osteoblast Progenitor Cells Adherence in a Co-culture Assay.

Bacterial adherence to the surface of implants functionalized with cell-adhesive biomolecules is a critical first step of infection development. This study was designed to determine how the immobilization of human plasmatic fibronectin (pFN) could impact bacterial and osteoblast cells interaction with the surface during concomitant exposition to the two cell-types. Calibrated suspensions of P.

The Hexapeptide Repeated Segment LIAGY is a Hot Spot of Aggregation of the Pseudomonas syringae Ice Nucleation Protein.

Ice nucleation proteins (INPs) form oligomeric structures by self-assembly and aggregation. We looked for the presence of potential aggregating sequences inside the INP from Pseudomonas syringae by a computational approach with the AGGRESCAN, FOMDAMYLOID and TANGO softwares. A total of 38 hot spots of aggregation were predicted in the INP sequence: 7 localized in the Nterminal domain, 2 in the C-terminal region, 28 in the highly repetitive central (HRC) region and 1 shared between the HRC and the Carboxyl-terminus regions of the protein.

Amyloid peptides derived from CsgA and FapC modify the viscoelastic properties of biofilm model matrices.

The bacterial biofilm is a complex environment of cells, which secrete a matrix made of various components, mainly polysaccharides and proteins. An understanding of the precise role of these components in the stability and dynamics of biofilm architecture would be a great advantage for the improvement of anti-biofilm strategies. Here, artificial biofilm matrices made of polysaccharides and auto-assembled peptides were designed, and the influence of bacterial amyloid proteins on the mechanical properties of the biofilm matrix was studied.