Infection
Iisc Researchers Find Novel Way To Rupture Bacteria, Prevent Spread | Bengaluru News
Nov
Bengaluru: In a new study, researchers from IISc have developed bio-inspired nanostructures on poly (ethylene terephthalate) or PET that can physically rupture bacterial cells. PET is a commercial polymer having widespread use in packaging and biomedical industries.
“Bacterial cells can attach to and colonise different metallic and polymer surfaces, including hospital beds, door handles, exhaust vents and other touch surfaces, causing infections and harming human health and lives,’’ IISc said.
“They can form biofilms on flat surfaces that can survive for hours or even days and transmit disease to vulnerable patients and the elderly,” it said.
One strategy to reduce biofilm formation, it said, was changing the surface roughness by fabricating nanoscale structures that can rupture the bacterial cells.
While different studies have focused on fabricating such patterns on hard materials like metals, ceramics and so on, generating those structures on softer materials like polymer surfaces (synthetic plastics, rubber and so on) is less explored.
IISc researchers, Kaushik Chatterjee and his team from the Department of Materials Engineering, wanted to understand what happens when tall nanopillars are patterned on PET surfaces, using an ion etching technique.
“They found that individually, each nanopillar was flexible and easily deformed, and not rigid enough to pierce a bacterial cell. But when crowded together into tent-like “superstructures”, the pillars become rigid enough to rupture bacterial membranes,” IISc said.
These nanostructures were found to be durable and robust enough to withstand different forces that they would encounter during use.
According to Anindo Roy, the lead author and a PhD student at IISc, such nanostructures can be fabricated on a variety of soft surfaces in food and packaging industries as well as in clinical settings to prevent bacterial contamination.
We also published the following articles recently
India’s fast-bowling attack, led by Jasprit Bumrah, is becoming a force to be reckoned with. Bumrah’s unique bowling action and strategic approach make him relentless and difficult to resist. Mohammed Shami’s accuracy and ability to plot the downfall of batsmen adds to the team’s strength. Mohammed Siraj brings an unpredictable element to the attack with his ability to move and swing the ball. When these three play together, India becomes a formidable team in any conditions. It’s time for their contributions to be acknowledged and recognized.
Recent advances in artificial intelligence (AI) technology have made synthetic faces appear as real as genuine ones. An AI algorithm known as a “generative adversarial network” is used to generate an unlimited number of images of faces that do not belong to real people. Studies have shown that people struggle to tell the difference between synthetic and real faces, and synthetic faces are often rated as more trustworthy and real-looking than photographs of actual faces. However, brain activity measurements have shown that there is a distinction between how we consciously perceive synthetic faces and how our brains unconsciously recognize them. This has implications for the development of safeguards to identify fake online profiles and news.
Samyukta Hornad, an animal lover and actor, is concerned about the harmful effects of firecrackers on animals and humans. She urges people to question their actions and not blindly follow traditions. Samyukta shares her plans for Diwali, including cooking a dish in memory of her grandmother. She emphasizes the importance of sharing and giving during the festival. Samyukta also provides tips to keep pets safe during Diwali, such as not leaving them alone, keeping diyas and sweets out of reach, and being cautious during walks. She also urges people to look out for street animals.
