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Full-Text Articles in Biochemistry
Molecular Insights Into Microbial Adhesion, Roger Davies Klein
Molecular Insights Into Microbial Adhesion, Roger Davies Klein
Arts & Sciences Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections are a serious and immediate threat to global public health. In the United States alone, over 2 million individuals develop antibiotic-resistant infections annually, resulting in 23,000 deaths and $20 billion in excess health care costs. Virulence factors that allow bacteria to invade and persist within the host are promising targets for novel antimicrobial agents that could be used to curb the spread of antibiotic resistance. Development of therapeutics that can selectively eliminate pathogenic bacteria while sparing the beneficial host microbiota requires a detailed molecular understanding of critical virulence factors that facilitate interactions between pathogens and their environments. …
Hybridized Polymeric Nano-Assemblies: Key Insights Into Addressing Mdr Infections, Ryan Landis
Hybridized Polymeric Nano-Assemblies: Key Insights Into Addressing Mdr Infections, Ryan Landis
Doctoral Dissertations
Multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria contribute to more than 700,000 annual deaths world-wide. Millions more suffer from limb amputations or face high healthcare treatment costs where prolonged and costly therapeutic regimens are used to counter MDR infections. While there is an international push to develop novel and more powerful antimicrobials to address the impending threat, one particularly interesting approach that has re-emerged are essential oils, phytochemical extracts derived from plant sources. While their antimicrobial activity demonstrates a promising avenue, their stability in aqueous media, limits their practical use in or on mammals. Inspired by the versatility of polymer nanotechnology and the sustainability …
Novel Approaches To Mitigating Bacterial Biofilm Formation And Intercellular Communication, Stephen Kasper
Novel Approaches To Mitigating Bacterial Biofilm Formation And Intercellular Communication, Stephen Kasper
Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)
Long thought of as solitary single-cell organisms, it is now widely accepted that bacteria can act and cooperate as social organisms. Phenomena such as biofilm formation and quorum sensing (QS) are two intimately intertwined cooperative behaviors that significantly contribute to the pathogenesis of many bacteria. Biofilms are surface associated communities of bacteria encased in a secreted extracellular matrix, which provides several advantages over an individualized lifestyle, such as increased protection from antimicrobial agents as well as enhanced opportunity for the exchange of genetic material. Bacterial QS is a system of population-based communication through the production, sensing, and response to chemical …