Biofilms in Medicine, Industry and Environmental Biotechnology

Biofilms in Medicine, Industry and Environmental Biotechnology

Author: Piet Lens

Publisher: IWA Publishing

Published: 2003-04-30

Total Pages: 634

ISBN-13: 1843390191

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Biofilms are of great practical importance for beneficial technologies such as water and wastewater treatment and bioremediation of groundwater and soil. In other settings biofilms cause severe problems, for example in 65% of bacterial infections currently treated by clinicians (particularly those associated with prosthetics and implants), accelerated corrosion in industrial systems, oil souring and biofouling. Until recently, the structure and function of biofilms could only be inferred from gross measures of biomass and metabolic activity. This limitation meant that investigators involved in biofilm research and application had only a crude understanding of the microbial ecology, physical structure and chemical characteristics of biofilms. Consequently, opportunities for the exploitation and control of biofilms were very limited. The past decade has witnessed the development of several new techniques to elucidate the structure and function of biofilms. Examples include: the use of molecular probes that identify different microbes in complex communities as well as their metabolic functions; the use of microsensors that show concentration gradients of key nutrients and chemicals; the use of confocal laser scanning microscopy to describe the physical structure of biofilms and the development of a new generation of mathematical models that allow for the prediction of biofilm structure and function. However, much progress remains to be made in efforts to understand, control and exploit biofilms. This timely book will introduce its readers to the structure and function of biofilms at a fundamental level as determined during the past decade of research, including: Extracellular polymers as the biofilm matrix; Biofilm phenotype (differential gene expression, interspecies signalling); Biofilm ecology; Biofilm monitoring; Resistance of biofilms to antimicrobial agents and Biofilm abatement. Biofilms in Medicine, Industry and Environmental Technology offers a holistic and multi-disciplinary description of the topic, including biofilm formation and composition, but also biofilm monitoring, disinfection and control. All these aspects are presented from three points of views: medical, industrial and environmental biotechnological in a compact, easy to read format.


New and Future Developments in Microbial Biotechnology and Bioengineering: Microbial Biofilms

New and Future Developments in Microbial Biotechnology and Bioengineering: Microbial Biofilms

Author: Mukesh Kumar Yadav

Publisher: Elsevier

Published: 2019-10-10

Total Pages: 326

ISBN-13: 0444642803

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New and Future Developments in Microbial Biotechnology and Bioengineering: Microbial Biofilms is divided into three sections: microbial adhesion/biofilms in medical settings, microbial adhesion/biofilms in agriculture, and microbial adhesion/biofilm in the environment and industry. Chapters cover adhesion and biofilm formation by pathogenic microbes on tissue and on indwelling medical devices, including sections on human infections, microbial communication during biofilm mode of growth, host defense and antimicrobial resistance, and more. Other sections cover the biofilms of agriculturally important and environmental friendly microbes, including biofilm formation on plants, in soil, and in aquatic environments. Finally, the latest scientific research on microbial adhesion and biofilm formation in the environment and in industry is covered. - Provides an overview on the growth, structure, cell-to-cell interactions, and control/dispersal of bacterial and fungal of in vitro and in vivo biofilms - Presents an overview on the microbial adhesion, biofilm formation and structures of single-species and multi-species biofilms on human tissues/medical devices, agriculture, environment and chemical industries - Includes chapters on microbial biofilms of pathogenic microbes on human tissues and in medical indwelling devices - Covers factors affecting microbial biofilm, adhesion and formation


Recent Trends in Biofilm Science and Technology

Recent Trends in Biofilm Science and Technology

Author: Manuel Simoes

Publisher: Academic Press

Published: 2020-06-04

Total Pages: 418

ISBN-13: 0128194987

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Recent Trends in Biofilm Science and Technology helps researchers working on fundamental aspects of biofilm formation and control conduct biofilm studies and interpret results. The book provides a remarkable amount of knowledge on the processes that regulate biofilm formation, the methods used, monitoring characterization and mathematical modeling, the problems/advantages caused by their presence in the food industry, environment and medical fields, and the current and emergent strategies for their control. Research on biofilms has progressed rapidly in the last decade due to the fact that biofilms have required the development of new analytical tools and new collaborations between biologists, engineers and mathematicians. - Presents an overview of the process of biofilm formation and its implications - Provides a clearer understanding of the role of biofilms in infections - Creates a foundation for further research on novel control strategies - Updates readers on the remarkable amount of knowledge on the processes that regulate biofilm formation


Microbial Biofilms

Microbial Biofilms

Author: Bakrudeen Ali Ahmed Abdul

Publisher: CRC Press

Published: 2020-11-05

Total Pages: 520

ISBN-13: 1000215636

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This book provides a broad range of applications and recent advances in the search for biofilm materials in nature. It also explains the future implications for biofilms in the areas of advanced molecular genetics, pharmaceuticals, pharmacology, and toxicology. This book is comprised of 20 chapters from leading experts in the field and it examines immunology and microbiological studies derived from biofilms as well as explores environmental, agricultural, and chemical impacts on biofilms. It is divided into five subdivisions: biofilms and its complications, biofilm infections in human body, detection of biofilm-forming pathogens, antibiofilm chemotherapy, and biofilms production tools in aquaculture. This book may be used as a text or reference for everyone interested in microbial biofilms and their current applications. It is also highly recommended for environmental microbiologists, medical microbiologists, bioremediation experts, and microbiologists working in biocorrosion, biofouling, biodegradation, water microbiology, quorum sensing, and many other related areas. Scientists in academia, research laboratories, and industry will also find it of interest. This book includes chapter homework problems and case studies. Powerpoints are also available for adopting instructors. Discusses and clarifies the resource of isolation and chemical properties from biofilms Discusses the latest pharmaceutical, pharmacological, and medicinal approaches toward the treatment of chronic and uncured diseases, such as Alzheimer’s osteoporotic, sexual dysfunction, sleep sickness, allergy treatment, asthma, hair loss, AIDS, hypertension, antiaging, etc. Examines immunology and microbiological studies derived from biofilms Explores environmental, agricultural, and chemical impacts on biofilms. Dr. Bakrudeen Ali Ahmed Abdul is an Associate Professor, the Head of the Department of Biochemistry and Dean of the School of Life Sciences, Centre for Research and Development (CRD), PRIST Deemed University, Vallam, Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, India. His research areas include the application of plant biochemistry, bioactive compound production, biotechnological methods, development of pharmaceutical products and pharmacological studies.


The Science and Applications of Synthetic and Systems Biology

The Science and Applications of Synthetic and Systems Biology

Author: Institute of Medicine

Publisher: National Academies Press

Published: 2011-12-30

Total Pages: 570

ISBN-13: 0309219396

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Many potential applications of synthetic and systems biology are relevant to the challenges associated with the detection, surveillance, and responses to emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases. On March 14 and 15, 2011, the Institute of Medicine's (IOM's) Forum on Microbial Threats convened a public workshop in Washington, DC, to explore the current state of the science of synthetic biology, including its dependency on systems biology; discussed the different approaches that scientists are taking to engineer, or reengineer, biological systems; and discussed how the tools and approaches of synthetic and systems biology were being applied to mitigate the risks associated with emerging infectious diseases. The Science and Applications of Synthetic and Systems Biology is organized into sections as a topic-by-topic distillation of the presentations and discussions that took place at the workshop. Its purpose is to present information from relevant experience, to delineate a range of pivotal issues and their respective challenges, and to offer differing perspectives on the topic as discussed and described by the workshop participants. This report also includes a collection of individually authored papers and commentary.


Biofilms in Infection Prevention and Control

Biofilms in Infection Prevention and Control

Author: Steven L. Percival

Publisher: Academic Press

Published: 2014-01-30

Total Pages: 394

ISBN-13: 0123977517

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Biofilms in Infection and Disease Control: A Healthcare Handbook outlines the scientific evidence and rationale for the prevention of infection, the role biofilms play in infection control, and the issues concerning their resistance to antimicrobials. This book provides practical guidance for healthcare and infection control professionals, as well as students, for preventing and controlling infection. Biofilms are the most common mode of bacterial growth in nature. Highly resistant to antibiotics and antimicrobials, biofilms are the source of more than 65 percent of health care associated infections (HCAI), which, according to the WHO, affect 1.4 million people annually. Biofilms are involved in 80 percent of all microbial infections in the body, including those associated with medical devices such as catheters, endotracheal tubes, joint prostheses, and heart valves. Biofilms are also the principle causes of infections of the middle-ear, dental caries, gingivitis, prostatitis and cystic fibrosis. Importantly, biofilms also significantly delay wound healing and reduce antimicrobial efficiency in at-risk or infected skin wounds. - Provides specific procedures for controlling and preventing infection - Includes case studies of HCAI, and identifies appropriate treatments - Presents national government standards for infection prevention and control - Includes extensive references and links to websites for further information


Bacterial Biofilms

Bacterial Biofilms

Author: Tony Romeo

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 2008-02-26

Total Pages: 302

ISBN-13: 3540754180

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Throughout the biological world, bacteria thrive predominantly in surface-attached, matrix-enclosed, multicellular communities or biofilms, as opposed to isolated planktonic cells. This choice of lifestyle is not trivial, as it involves major shifts in the use of genetic information and cellular energy, and has profound consequences for bacterial physiology and survival. Growth within a biofilm can thwart immune function and antibiotic therapy and thereby complicate the treatment of infectious diseases, especially chronic and foreign device-associated infections. Modern studies of many important biofilms have advanced well beyond the descriptive stage, and have begun to provide molecular details of the structural, biochemical, and genetic processes that drive biofilm formation and its dispersion. There is much diversity in the details of biofilm development among various species, but there are also commonalities. In most species, environmental and nutritional conditions greatly influence biofilm development. Similar kinds of adhesive molecules often promote biofilm formation in diverse species. Signaling and regulatory processes that drive biofilm development are often conserved, especially among related bacteria. Knowledge of such processes holds great promise for efforts to control biofilm growth and combat biofilm-associated infections. This volume focuses on the biology of biofilms that affect human disease, although it is by no means comprehensive. It opens with chapters that provide the reader with current perspectives on biofilm development, physiology, environmental, and regulatory effects, the role of quorum sensing, and resistance/phenotypic persistence to antimicrobial agents during biofilm growth.


Introduction to Biofilm Engineering

Introduction to Biofilm Engineering

Author: Navanietha Krishnaraj Rathinam

Publisher:

Published: 2020-08-25

Total Pages: 320

ISBN-13: 9780841234734

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"There is a growing demand for investigation of biofilm mechanisms in detail for the purpose of controlling diseases as well as for harnessing their potential for industrial biotechnology applications. Although biofilms have greater roles in disease biology and offer better yields than suspended cells in bioprocesses, little emphasis has placed on biofilms in several universities' curricula. This book aims to provide a basic understanding about biofilm formation, factors influencing biofilm formations, and engineering strategies for improving or inhibiting the growth of biofilms. This book will serve as course material for the undergraduate students, graduate students, and faculty who are interested in offering a course on biofilm engineering. This book covers techniques that are relevant to biofilm characterization, which will be helpful for the researchers to gain basic understanding about the subject"--


Biofilms in Wastewater Treatment

Biofilms in Wastewater Treatment

Author: Stefan Wuertz

Publisher: IWA Publishing

Published: 2003-04-30

Total Pages: 425

ISBN-13: 1843390078

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The central theme of the book is the flow of information from experimental approaches in biofilm research to simulation and modeling of complex wastewater systems. Probably the greatest challenge in wastewater research lies in using the methods and the results obtained in one scientific discipline to design intelligent experiments in other disciplines, and eventually to improve the knowledge base the practitioner needs to run wastewater treatment plants. The purpose of Biofilms in Wastewater Treatment is to provide engineers with the knowledge needed to apply the new insights gained by researchers. The authors provide an authoritative insight into the function of biofilms on a technical and on a lab-scale, cover some of the exciting new basic microbiological and wastewater engineering research involving molecular biology techniques and microscopy, and discuss recent attempts to predict the development of biofilms. This book is divided into 3 sections: Modeling and Simulation; Architecture, Population Structure and Function; and From Fundamentals to Practical Application, which all start with a scientific question. Individual chapters attempt to answer the question and present different angles of looking at problems. In addition there is an extensive glossary to familiarize the non-expert with unfamiliar terminology used by microbiologists and computational scientists. The colour plate section of this book can be downloaded by clicking here. (PDF Format 1 MB)


The Role of Biofilms in the Development and Dissemination of Microbial Resistance within the Food Industry

The Role of Biofilms in the Development and Dissemination of Microbial Resistance within the Food Industry

Author: Efstathios Giaouris

Publisher: MDPI

Published: 2020-12-15

Total Pages: 100

ISBN-13: 3039435515

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Biofilms are multicellular sessile microbial communities embedded in hydrated extracellular polymeric matrices. Their formation is common in microbial life in most environments, whereas those formed on food-processing surfaces are of considerable interest in the context of food hygiene. Biofilm cells express properties that are distinct from planktonic ones, in particular, due to their notorious resistance to antimicrobial agents. Thus, a special feature of biofilms is that once they have developed, they are hard to eradicate, even when careful sanitization procedures are regularly applied. A large amount of ongoing research has investigated how and why surface-attached microbial communities develop such resistance, and several mechanisms can be acknowledged, such as heterogeneous metabolic activity, cell adaptive responses, diffusion limitations, genetic and functional diversification, and microbial interactions. The articles contained in this Special Issue deal with biofilms of some important food-related bacteria (including common pathogens such as Salmonella enterica, Listeria monocytogenes, and Staphylococcus aureus, as well as spoilage-causing spore-forming bacilli), providing novel insights into their resistance mechanisms and implications, together with novel methods (e.g., use of protective biofilms formed by beneficial bacteria, enzymes) that could be used to overcome resistance and thus improve the safety of our food supply and protect public health.