COVID-19 didn't just change how we lived; it also changed how young athletes played sports. A recent study looked at face and head injuries in kids aged 12 to 17 across eight sports. The data spanned from 2014 to 2023, giving a clear picture of how the pandemic affected injury rates. The study foun
Salmonella is a big deal when it comes to food poisoning. It causes millions of illnesses and thousands of deaths every year. But what makes it so hard to beat? It's not just the bacteria itself—it's how they team up to form biofilms. Biofilms are like tiny, protective cities that bacteria build. T
The White House recently met with oil refiners and biofuel producers to tackle a long-standing issue about biofuel blending rules. The Trump administration is close to deciding whether larger refiners should compensate for the billions of gallons of biofuels that were exempted for smaller refineries
Small blood vessel replacements made from a material called ePTFE are widely used in hospitals. However, these grafts often fail because they don't heal well inside the body. The surface of ePTFE is very water-repellent, which makes it hard for the body to grow a protective layer of cells on it. Sc
Oil refineries have a problem: they produce a lot of waste. But what if this waste could be turned into something useful? Researchers have been looking into this idea. They took two types of waste: oily sludge (OS) from refineries and algal biomass (AB) from wastewater treatment. The goal was to see
Engines are getting a green makeover. Scientists have been testing different fuel mixes to make engines cleaner and more efficient. They tried six fuels: regular diesel, a biofuel called Citronella, and four blends that mix hydrogen with biofuel. The star of the show was the H40 blend, which had 40%
Medical tools can easily get infected by germs and mold. This is a big problem. Scientists have been working on special coatings to stop these infections. But, they often miss the mold part. Now, a new coating is here. It uses two special molecules: sulfobetaine and borneol. Together, they make a st
In hospitals, there's a sneaky threat called Enterobacter hormaechei. It's part of a bigger group called the Enterobacter cloacae complex, which is known for causing infections. What makes this germ extra tricky? It can form a sticky layer called biofilm on things like catheters. This biofilm acts l
Staphylococcus aureus, a common bacteria, is sneaky. It can cause serious bone and joint infections. These infections are tricky to treat. They don't respond well to standard treatments. This is because the bacteria can form strong biofilms. Biofilms are like tiny, protective shields. They make the
Fish farming can be a tough business, especially when it comes to keeping nets clean. Biofouling, or the buildup of unwanted organisms, is a big headache. It makes nets heavier and messes with the water flow, which can stress out the fish. Usually, farmers clean the nets or use special chemicals to
