Biofilm growth monitoring using guided wave ultralong-range Surface Plasmon Resonance: A proof of concept

Nanotechnology improves the detection of bacteria: Recent advances and future perspectives

Nanotechnology has advanced significantly, particularly in biomedicine, showing promise for nanomaterial applications. Bacterial infections pose persistent public health challenges due to the lack of rapid pathogen detection methods, resulting in antibiotic overuse and bacterial resistance, threatening the human microbiome. Nanotechnology offers a solution through nanoparticle-based materials facilitating early bacterial detection and combating resistance. This study explores recent research on nanoparticle development for controlling microbial infections using various nanotechnology-driven detection methods. These approaches include Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) Sensors, Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) Sensors, Optoelectronic-based sensors, Bacteriophage-Based Sensors, and nanotechnology-based aptasensors. These technologies provide precise bacteria detection, enabling targeted treatment and infection prevention. Integrating nanoparticles into detection approaches holds promise for enhancing patient outcomes and mitigating harmful bacteria spread in healthcare settings.

Recent Advances in Aptamer-Based Biosensors for Bacterial Detection

The rapid and sensitive detection of pathogenic bacteria is becoming increasingly important for the timely prevention of contamination and the treatment of infections. Biosensors based on nucleic acid aptamers, integrated with optical, electrochemical, and mass-sensitive analytical techniques, have garnered intense interest because of their versatility, cost-efficiency, and ability to exhibit high affinity and specificity in binding bacterial biomarkers, toxins, and whole cells. This review highlights the development of aptamers, their structural characterization, and the chemical modifications enabling optimized recognition properties and enhanced stability in complex biological matrices. Furthermore, recent examples of aptasensors for the detection of bacterial cells, biomarkers, and toxins are discussed. Finally, we explore the barriers to and discuss perspectives on the application of aptamer-based bacterial detection.

Optical 2-bit nanoscale multiplier using MIM waveguides

The plasmonic 2-bit multiplier is designed at a 1310 nm operating wavelength and a 65% transmission threshold (T t h r e s h o l d ). Using the finite element method (FEM) with the COMSOL version 15 software, we simulated the suggested 2-bit multiplier, based on the principle of the constructive and destructive interferences between the input light waves. The results were delivered in graphs containing the transmission level (T) versus an operating wavelength range between 800 and 2000 nm, magnetic field distribution, modulation depth (MD), contrast ratio (CR), and insertion loss (IL). The modulation depth was 99.91%, the CR was 14.75 dB, and the IL was -1.2d B.