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from the have-you-ever-seen-a-sick-shark? dept.
Sharks are often the subject of TV specials or news stories focusing on their attacks on humans. But scientists are finding that sharks could inspire a new type of surface that would attack bacteria, helping humans instead of hurting them. As reported in ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, researchers have designed a coating that is infused with antimicrobial agents and has the patterned diamond-like texture of shark skin.
Fighting bacteria is an ongoing battle, resulting in more than 2 million infections and 23,000 deaths in the U.S. every year, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. As a result of overusing antibiotics, bacterial resistance to these drugs is on the rise. Patients in hospitals who are already battling illnesses or have compromised immune systems are especially at risk of developing infections just by touching contaminated bedrails and door knobs. Scientists have been developing coatings for these high-touch surfaces to fight the spread and growth of microbes. For example, Sharklet AF™ is a coating designed to mimic a shark's skin, and it reduces the ability of bacteria to adhere to surfaces. But long-term use will result in bacteria accumulation. James J. Watkins, Jessica D. Schiffman and colleagues wanted to see if adding titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles, which are antibacterial, to a shark skin material would efficiently fight off microbes.
The team printed their own shark skin surfaces with polymer and ceramic composites, and added titanium dioxide nanoparticles to them. The shark skin surface without nanoparticles reduced the attachment of E. coli by 70 percent compared to smooth films. But shark skin surfaces with TiO2 nanoparticles exposed to UV light for one hour killed off over 95 percent of E. coli and 80 percent of Staphylococcus aureus. The group says the fabrication method could be scaled up for mass production.
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday June 14 2018, @11:43PM (7 children)
Stop with the wars on and fights against nature. Learn about and understand the workings of nature so you can take advantage...
(Score: -1, Spam) by Anonymous Coward on Friday June 15 2018, @12:29AM
The little girl screamed in pain and begged the man for mercy. In response, the man stopped violating her and started searching his person for something. He checked his pockets, his wallet, and then his jacket, and then shook his head as though to indicate that he could not find whatever he was looking for. After this, he grinned; it was terrifying. Indeed, this man had no mercy to spare. Thus, the agonized screams resumed and continued for hours to come...
On that day, a child's mutilated, violated corpse was tossed into a dumpster as if it were nothing more than trash. And it was trash, since there was nothing left to utilize.
(Score: 2) by bob_super on Friday June 15 2018, @12:38AM (2 children)
In this particular case, it's quite uncontested that they started it, and don't plan on stopping.
It might be a good thing if we found weapons with less collateral damage, for sure.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday June 15 2018, @01:00AM (1 child)
"They" didn't "start" anything... Why can't you see that?
There is an aspect of nature that wishes to reproduce in human bodies. It does not care whether it harms the human body or not. Why not train it to eat cancer cells?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday June 15 2018, @01:02AM
or digest fiber or produce essential amino acids
(Score: 3, Touché) by Runaway1956 on Friday June 15 2018, @02:35AM (2 children)
Isn't that exactly what they have done here? They learned that sharkskin has certain properties, and they are attempting to take advantage of those properties?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday June 15 2018, @05:12AM (1 child)
So why is the "attack" mentioned in the headline? What about the "hurting", "fighting", "ongoing battle", "battling", "fight", and "fight off".
Keep it up... the alternative to a war approach is so easy to implement instead. Which matters more? Winning or to not be proven wrong?
(Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Friday June 15 2018, @02:28PM
Dafuq did you even say?