Sub-micron moulding topological mass transport regimes in angled vortex fluidic flow.

Shear stress in dynamic thin films, as in vortex fluidics, can be harnessed for generating non-equilibrium conditions, but the nature of the fluid flow is not understood. A rapidly rotating inclined tube in the vortex fluidic device (VFD) imparts shear stress (mechanical energy) into a thin film of liquid, depending on the physical characteristics of the liquid and rotational speed, , tilt angle, , and diameter of the tube. Through understanding that the fluid exhibits resonance behaviours from the confining boundaries of the glass surface and the meniscus that determines the liquid film thickness, we have established specific topological mass transport regimes.

Evaluation of the Novel Antimicrobial BCP3 in a Coating for Endotracheal Tubes.

Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is a highly common hospital-acquired infection affecting people that require mechanical ventilation. The endotracheal tube (ETT) used during the ventilation process provides a surface that can allow bacterial colonization and biofilm formation, which can lead to VAP. Although various approaches, including ETT design and material selection, as well as antimicrobial coatings have been employed to minimize adverse events, VAP remains a significant unresolved clinical issue.

A 14-day repeat dose oral gavage range-finding study of a first-in-class CDI investigational antibiotic, in rats.

Drug resistant bacteria are winning the fight over antibiotics with some bacteria not responding to any antibiotics, threatening modern medicine as we know it. The development of new, effective and safe antibiotics is critical for addressing this issue. Ramizol, a first-in-class styrylbenzene based antibiotic, is an investigational drug indicated for Clostridium difficile infections (CDI).

Comparison of the in vitro antibacterial activity of Ramizol, fidaxomicin, vancomycin, and metronidazole against 100 clinical isolates of Clostridium difficile by broth microdilution.

Antibiotic drug development remains a major challenge with few candidates in clinical development. Ramizol, a first-in-class styrylbenzene antibiotic, is under development for the treatment of Clostridium difficile associated disease. Here, we investigate the in vitro antibacterial activity of Ramizol in comparison to fidaxomicin, vancomycin and metronidazole against 100 clinical isolates of C.

Ramizol encapsulation into extended release PLGA micro- and nanoparticle systems for subcutaneous and intramuscular administration: in vitro and in vivo evaluation.

Objective: Novel antibiotic Ramizol is advancing to clinical trials for the treatment of gastrointestinal Clostridium difficile associated disease. Despite this, previous studies have shown a rapid plasma clearance upon intravenous administration and low oral bioavailability indicating pure drug is unsuitable for systemic infection treatment following oral dosing. The current study aims to investigate the development of poly-lactic-(co-glycolic) acid (PLGA) particles to overcome this limitation and increase the systemic half-life following subcutaneous and intramuscular dosing.

Preclinical development of Ramizol, an antibiotic belonging to a new class, for the treatment of Clostridium difficile colitis.

Antibiotic-resistant bacteria is a major threat to human health and is predicted to become the leading cause of death from disease by 2050. Despite the recent resurgence of research and development in the area, few antibiotics have reached the market, with most of the recently approved antibiotics corresponding to new uses for old antibiotics, or structurally similar derivatives thereof. We have recently reported an in silico approach that led to the design of an entirely new class of antibiotics for the bacteria-specific mechanosensitive ion channel of large conductance: MscL.

Zolav(®) (a p-carboethoxy-tristyrylbenzene derivative) [corrected]: a new antibiotic for the treatment of acne.

Background: Acne is a prominent skin condition affecting >80% of teenagers and young adults and ~650 million people globally. Isotretinoin, a vitamin A derivative, is currently the standard of care for treatment. However, it has a well-established teratogenic activity, a reason for the development of novel and low-risk treatment options for acne.

Unravelling the structure of the C60 and p-Bu(t)-calix[8]arene complex.

The structure of the C60 and p-Bu(t)-calix[8]arene complex has been reinvestigated, showing an unprecedented continuous layered tetragonal array of fullerenes encapsulated by calixarenes. Electron diffraction data revealed the tetragonal symmetry, with a stepped structure observed by AFM and SEM, and the thickness of the basal plane was measured by XRD, as 2 nm. The molecular simulated arrangement of fullerenes accounts for the ability to take up to ca.

A new antibiotic with potent activity targets MscL.

The growing problem of antibiotic-resistant bacteria is a major threat to human health. Paradoxically, new antibiotic discovery is declining, with most of the recently approved antibiotics corresponding to new uses for old antibiotics or structurally similar derivatives of known antibiotics. We used an in silico approach to design a new class of nontoxic antimicrobials for the bacteria-specific mechanosensitive ion channel of large conductance, MscL.

Aqueous based synthesis of antimicrobial-decorated graphene.

Ramizol® (1,3,5-tris[(1E)-2'-(4'-benzoic acid)vinyl]benzene) is a potent amphiphilic anti-microbial agent. It is essentially a planar molecule and can interact with the surface of graphene via extended π-π interactions. Herein we demonstrate the utility of Ramizol® in potentially acting as a molecular 'wedge' to exfoliate graphene and stabilise it in water.

Hydrogen induced p-phosphonic acid calix[8]arene controlled growth of Ru, Pt and Pd nanoparticles.

Monodispersed Ru, Pt and Pd nanoparticles with narrow size distributions (2, 12 and 20 nm respectively) have been synthesised via bubbling hydrogen gas into aqueous solutions of the noble metal ions in the presence of p-phosphonic acid calix[8]arene, at room temperature. Molecular modelling of the Ru nanoparticles provides insight into the role of the calixarene in controlling the size and stabilisation of the metal nanoparticles.

Self-assembled calixarene aligned patterning of noble metal nanoparticles on graphene.

Patterns of noble metal nanoparticles (NMNPs) of ruthenium and platinum are formed on p-phosphonic acid calix[8]arene stabilised graphene in water. This involves hydrogen gas induced reduction of metal ions absorbed on the stabilised graphene, with TEM revealing the patterns being comprised of domains of parallel arrays of NMNPs ∼7 nm apart. The domains are orientated in three directions on each graphene sheet at an angle of ∼60° or ∼120° with respect to each other.

Spinning up the polymorphs of calcium carbonate.

Controlling the growth of the polymorphs of calcium carbonate is important in understanding the changing environmental conditions in the oceans. Aragonite is the main polymorph in the inner shells of marine organisms, and can be readily converted to calcite, which is the most stable polymorph of calcium carbonate. Both of these polymorphs are significantly more stable than vaterite, which is the other naturally occurring polymorph of calcium carbonate, and this is reflected in its limited distribution in nature.

Carbon nanofibres from fructose using a light-driven high-temperature spinning disc processor.

A novel high flux bright light-driven high temperature spinning disc processor operating at ∼720 °C can effectively synthesise carbon nanofibres from fructose, a natural feedstock, in polyethylene glycol-200, within minutes and with multiple reactor passes being a pivotal operating parameter in controlling the growth of the fibres.

Inspiration from old dyes: tris(stilbene) compounds as potent gram-positive antibacterial agents.

Herein we describe the preparation and structure-activity relationship studies on range of stilbene based compounds and their antibacterial activity. Two related compounds, each bearing carboxylic acid moieties, exhibit good activity against several bacterial strains, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus MRSA (ATCC 33592 and NCTC 10442). Compound 10 was most active against Moraxella catarrhalis with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of 0.

Nitrate uptake by p-phosphonic acid calix[8]arene stabilized graphene.

In situ sonic probe exfoliated graphene sheets in the presence of various concentrations of p-phosphonic acid calix[8]arene are effective in removing nitrate from aquatic effluents, with the efficiency increasing for higher ratios of calixarene to graphite. Mild sonication of the nitrate-adsorbed material releases some nitrate ions back to the effluent.

Antimicrobial dyes and mechanosensitive channels.

The search for new and effective antimicrobial agents has never been as important; however, since the discovery of antibiotics, exploring the antimicrobial activity of dyes has been forgotten. Antimicrobial dyes are an untapped resource and have the ability to potentially combat the spread of drug-resistant bacteria either alone or as antimicrobial adjuvants. The mechanosensitive ion channel of large conductance (MscL) is highly conserved and ubiquitous in bacterial species.

Shear flow assisted decoration of carbon nano-onions with platinum nanoparticles.

Aqueous based controlled decoration of platinum nanoparticles on plasma treated carbon nano-onions (CNOs) occurs within the shear flow generated by a vortex fluidic device (VFD), using ascorbic acid as the reducing agent, with the electrocatalytic potential of the resulting Pt-NPs@CNOs nano-composites demonstrated.

Pyrene-conjugated hyaluronan facilitated exfoliation and stabilisation of low dimensional nanomaterials in water.

Pyrene-conjugated hyaluronan (Py-HA) facilitates the exfoliation of low-dimensional nanomaterials including graphite, hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) and molybdenum disulfide (MoS2), and the dispersion of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and carbon nano-onions (CNOs) in water (and PBS solutions), with the assistance of sonication.

Shear induced formation of carbon and boron nitride nano-scrolls.

A 'top down' synthesis of carbon and hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) nano-scrolls has been developed using the shear forces within dynamic thin films of N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) generated on a rapidly rotating spinning disc processor (SDP), along with a theoretical understanding of the formation of the scrolls.

p-Phosphonic acid calix[8]arene assisted exfoliation and stabilization of 2D materials in water.

Exfoliated 2D materials including graphene, BN, MoS(2) and WS(2) are accessible in water over a wide range of pH for a synergistic process involving sonication in the presence of p-phosphonic acid calix[8]arene.

Microfluidic size selective growth of palladium nano-particles on carbon nano-onions.

Size selective growth of palladium nano-particles 2-7 nm in diameter on the surface of carbon nano-onions (CNOs) (derived from catalytic cracking of methane) in water involves pretreating the CNOs with p-phosphonic acid calix[8]arene then H(2)PdCl(4) followed by dynamic thin film processing under hydrogen in a vortex fluidic device.

Solvent and hydrogen confinement in molecular capsules-Hirshfeld surface and molecular simulation analysis.

Hirshfeld surface analysis of the 'ordered' inner phase of the molecular capsule complex, [(chloroform)(6)@C-n-butylpyrogallol[4]arene)(6)], provides insight into the intermolecular contacts and orientation of the solvent molecules. Molecular simulations show that adding two or three hydrogen molecules to the six solvent molecules is energetically favoured, and this correlates with NMR studies.

Multifunctional water-soluble molecular capsules based on p-phosphonic acid calix[5]arene.

p-Phosphonic acid calix[5]arene forms molecular capsules in water based on two of the molecules, which can be loaded with carboplatin using intense shearing, and attached to single wall carbon nano-tubes. Spin coating of the capsules onto a substrate affords 2 nm fibres of stacked calixarenes, with the self-assembly understood using molecular modelling.

Phosphonated calix[4]arene-based amphiphiles as scaffolds for fluorescent nano-fibres.

p-Phosphonic acid calix[4]arene bearing lower rim O-C(18)H(37) alkyl chains assemble into 6 nm diameter fibres, which deposit from toluene onto mica and graphite, as characterised using Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM). Molecular simulations support a micelle-like arrangement of calixarenes with the alkyl chains directed inwards, and they form a composite material with a fluorescent molecule.