Two-Fluid Model of Biofilm Disinfection

We consider a dynamic model of biofilm disinfection in two dimensions. The biofilm is treated as a viscous fluid immersed in a fluid of less viscosity. The bulk fluid moves due to an imposed external parabolic flow. The motion of the fluid is coupled to the biofilm inducing motion of the biofilm. Both the biofilm and the bulk fluid are dominated by viscous forces, hence the Reynolds number is negligible and the appropriate equations are Stokes equations. The governing partial differential equations are recast as boundary integral equations using a version of the Lorenz reciprocal relationship. This allows for robust treatment of the simplified fluid/biofilm motion. The transport of nutrients and antimicrobials, which depends directly on the velocities of the fluid and biofilm, is also included. Disinfection of the bacteria is considered under the assumption that the biofilm growth is overwhelmed by disinfection. Supported by NSF award DMS-0612467.     

Biofilm and Siderophore Effects on Secondary Waste Water Disinfection

The efficiency of ultraviolet (UV) light disinfection of wastewater effluent using a large-scale pilot system was studied. The relationship between biofilm and siderophore production and UV doses received by Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain ATCC 15442 was determined. UV decreased pyoverdine production and enhanced biofilm production. Consequently external factors conditioned by both pyoverdine and biofilm may affect the UV effect on bacterial disinfection.     

Embedded Biofilm,a New Biofilm Model Based on the Embedded Growth of Bacteria

A variety of systems have been developed to study biofilm formation. However, most systems are based on the surface-attached growth of microbes under shear stress. In this study, we designed a microfluidic channel device, called a microfluidic agarose channel (MAC), and found that microbial cells in the MAC system formed an embedded cell aggregative structure (ECAS). ECASs were generated from the embedded growth of bacterial cells in an agarose matrix and better mimicked the clinical environment of biofilms formed within mucus or host tissue under shear-free conditions. ECASs were developed with the production of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), the most important feature of biofilms, and eventually burst to release planktonic cells, which resembles the full developmental cycle of biofilms. Chemical and genetic effects have also confirmed that ECASs are a type of biofilm. Unlike the conventional biofilms formed in the flow cell model system, this embedded-type biofilm completes the developmental cycle in only 9 to 12 h and can easily be observed with ordinary microscopes. We suggest that ECASs are a type of biofilm and that the MAC is a system for observing biofilm formation.     

Residual Structure of Streptococcus mutans Biofilm following Complete Disinfection Favors Secondary Bacterial Adhesion and Biofilm Re-Development

Chemical disinfection of oral biofilms often leaves biofilm structures intact. This study aimed to examine whether the residual structure promotes secondary bacterial adhesion. Streptococcus mutans biofilms generated on resin-composite disks in a rotating disc reactor were disinfected completely with 70% isopropyl alcohol, and were again cultured in the same reactor after resupplying with the same bacterial solution. Specimens were subjected to fluorescence confocal laser scanning microscopy, viable cell counts and PCR-Invader assay in order to observe and quantify secondarily adhered cells. Fluorescence microscopic analysis, particularly after longitudinal cryosectioning, demonstrated stratified patterns of viable cells on the disinfected biofilm structure. Viable cell counts of test specimens were significantly higher than those of controls, and increased according to the amount of residual structure and culture period. Linear regression analysis exhibited a high correlation between viable and total cell counts. It was concluded that disinfected biofilm structures favored secondary bacterial adhesion.     

一类带时滞竞争模型的周期解

研究了来源于水生种群植化相克的模型,提出了带时滞的半线性抛物系统．用上下解方法讨论了抛物方程组周期解存在性的原理,利用特征函数构造所提出抛物系统的上解,给出了正周期解存在的充分条件．     

Periodic Multidrug Therapy in a Within-Host Virus Model

Floquet theory and perturbation techniques are used to analyze a classical within-host virus model with periodic drug treatment. Both single and multidrug treatment strategies are investigated. Specifically, the effects of both RT-inhibitors and P-inhibitors on the stability of the infection-free steady state are studied. It is found that when both classes of drugs have periodic drug efficacy functions, then shifting the phase of these functions can critically affect the stability of the infection-free steady state. A numerical study is conducted to illustrate the theoretical results and provide additional insights.     

具有周期传染率的SIR传染病模型的周期解

考虑了具有周期传染率的SIR流行病模型,定义了基本再生数^-R0=β／（μ＋γ）,分析了该模型的动力学性态,证明了当^-R0〈1时无病平衡点是全局稳定的;^-R0〉1时,无病平衡点是不稳定的,模型至少存在一个周期解。对小振幅的周期传染率模型,给出了模型周期解的近似表达式,证明了该周期解的稳定性,最后做了数值模拟,结果显示周期解可能是全局稳定的。     

Persisters: a distinct physiological state of E. coli

Background  

Bacterial populations contain persisters, phenotypic variants that constitute approximately 1% of cells in stationary phase and biofilm cultures. Multidrug tolerance of persisters is largely responsible for the inability of antibiotics to completely eradicate infections. Recent progress in understanding persisters is encouraging, but the main obstacle in understanding their nature was our inability to isolate these elusive cells from a wild-type population since their discovery in 1944.     

一个周期捕食模型的周期正解

建立了周期捕食模型的周期正解的存在性．其中,r,τ,α,β,K,b∈C(/R,(0,∞))且均为T周期函数.     

一个造血模型的概周期正解

应用Ｓｃｈａｕｄｅｒ不动点定理,研究了一个造血模型概周期正解的存在性及唯一性。     

大肠埃希菌生物被膜体外模型的建立及黄连水提物对其抑制作用的初步研究

建立大肠埃希菌生物被膜（biofilm,BF）在Ф30培养皿和96孔板表面形成的体外模型,并开展黄连水煎液对BF抑制作用的初步研究。选取临床分离的大肠埃希菌菌株,在Ф30培养皿中采用LB（Luria-Bertani medium）培养基系统复制体外BF模型,经银染后利用显微摄影系统观察BF形态;在96孔板中采用LB培养基系统复制体外BF模型,采用MTT法利用酶标仪测定OD值。将黄连水煎液作用于大肠埃希菌生物被膜体外模型,分别采用MTT法和银染法考察黄连水提物对大肠埃希菌生物被膜的影响。Ф30培养皿表面可以观察到黑染呈棉絮状的膜样物而空白组没有此样物质;96孔板中,模型组的OD值为4．191,空白组的OD值为0．069;药物作用24h后黄连组的BF明显少于空白对照组;80mg／mL的黄连水煎液即开始对大肠埃希菌生物被膜有抑制作用,抑制率为20．8％,生药浓度达到180mg／mL时为最佳抑制浓度,抑制率为70．23％。Ф30培养皿和96孔板表面可以形成大肠埃希菌生物被膜,黄连水煎液可以抑制和破坏早期及成熟BF,且其抑制作用表现出了一定的量效关系,此方法对黄连水煎液作用于大肠埃希菌生物被膜是可行且稳定的,为应用于临床试验奠定基础。     

Microbial Exopolymers Link Predator and Prey in a Model Yeast Biofilm System

Protistan grazing on biofilms is potentially an important conduit enabling energy flow between microbial trophic levels. Contrary to the widely held assumption that protistan feeding primarily involves ingestion of biofilm cells, with negative consequences for the biofilm, this study demonstrated preferential grazing on the noncellular biofilm matrix by a ciliate, with selective ingestion of yeast and bacterial cells of planktonic origin over attached and biofilm-derived planktonic cells. Introducing a ciliate to two biofilm-forming Cryptococcus species, as well as two bacterial species in a model biofilm system, fluorescent probes were applied to determine ingestion of cellular and noncellular biofilm fractions. Fluoromicroscopy, as well as photometric quantification, confirmed that protistan grazing enhanced yeast biofilm metabolism, and an increase in biofilm biomass and viability. We propose that the extracellular polymeric matrix of biofilms may act as an interface regulating interaction between predator and prey, while serving as source of nutrients and energy for protists.     

Effect of Homocysteine on Biofilm Formation by Mycobacteria

Mycobacteria show peculiar aggregated outgrowth like biofilm on the surface of solid or liquid media. Biofilms harbor antibiotic resistant bacteria in a self-produced extracellular matrix that signifies the bacterial fate to sedentary existence. Despite years of research, very little is known about the mechanisms that contribute to biofilm formation. LuxS has been previously known to play a role in biofilm formation in Autoinducer-2 dependent manner. We here show the effect of LuxS product-homocysteine, on the biofilm forming ability of non-tuberculous mycobacteria, Mycobacterium smegmatis and Mycobacterium bovis BCG showing AI-2 independent phenotypic effect of LuxS. Exogenous supplementation of homocysteine in the culture media leads to aberrant cording, pellicle outgrowth, and biofilm formation. Thus, our study contributes to the better understanding of the mechanism of mycobacterial biofilm formation and sheds light on the role of LuxS product homocysteine. In addition, we highlight the contribution of activated methyl cycle in bacterial quorum sensing.     

Positive Periodic Solution for a Neutral Delay Model in Population

IIntroductionIn1993,KuangY［11gavetheopenp毗fern9．2：恤tainsufficientCOnditionsfortheeds－tenceofpO8ltlvependIc劝utionsinN”（t）＝N（t）［a（t）一B（t）N（）一b（t）N（t—r（t））－c（t）N”（t一巾》】（1）wherea（t）,尸（t）,b（t）,c（t）,,（t）are。＂negativecontinuouspo。odlcfunctionswithpenodT．Inthispaper,weconsideraspecialcasewheng（t）。0,b（t）＞0,c（t）。c,r（t）。,,i．e．O鹏idertheexlstenceOfp用tlvependicdutionsOftkforirlBynsf叩ofsomenewtechnicsandtoPOloglcaldeg…     

具有周期强迫项的三分子反应模型的概周期解

研究具有周期强迫项的三分子反应模型x=a-bx-xy2,y-bx+xy2-y+c+δcoswt的概周期解的存在性.这里δcoswt为周期强迫项,常数a,b,c是与某化学元素浓度有关的常数.     

Effect of a Novel Podophage AB7-IBB2 on Acinetobacter baumannii Biofilm

Biofilm formation in Acinetobacter baumannii is a common cause of nosocomial infections in humans. Clinical devices and abiotic surfaces are important sites of colonization leading to formation of biofilms. Such infections are often resistant to multiple antibiotic therapies, and hence there is need for an effective mode of control. Herein, we describe the isolation, characterization of a new lytic bacteriophage of A.?baumannii and its effect on biofilm. The phage AB7-IBB2, with a genome size of about 170?kb was identified to be of family Podoviridae as revealed by transmission electron microscopy. It had an isometric head (35?nm) and a short tail (7?nm). It lysed 19/39 (49?%) clinical isolates of A.?baumannii. Rapid adsorption (>99?% adsorbed in 4?min), a latency period of 25?min and a burst size 22?PFU/infected cell was observed. The phage could inhibit A.?baumannii biofilm formation and disrupt preformed biofilm as well. The phage has promising potential to be considered as a candidate biocontrol agent for A.?baumannii infections.     

Effect of Flagellar Mutations on Yersinia enterocolitica Biofilm Formation

Yersinia enterocolitica biovar 1B is one of a number of strains pathogenic to humans in the genus Yersinia. It has three different type III secretion systems, Ysc, Ysa, and the flagella. In this study, the effect of flagella on biofilm formation was evaluated. In a panel of 31 mutant Y. enterocolitica strains, we observed that mutations that abolish the structure or rotation of the flagella greatly reduce biofilm formation when the bacteria are grown under static conditions. These results were further evaluated by assessing biofilm formation under continuous culture using a flow cell chamber. The results confirmed the important contribution of flagella to the initiation of biofilm production but indicated that there are differences in the progression of biofilm development between static growth and flow conditions. Our results suggest that flagella play a critical role in biofilm formation in Y. enterocolitica.