Cytotoxicity and Antimicrobial Efficacy of Fe-, Co-, and Mn-Doped ZnO Nanoparticles.

Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) are one of the most widely used nanoparticulate materials due to their antimicrobial properties. However, the current use of ZnO NPs is hindered by their potential cytotoxicity concerns, which are likely attributed to the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the dissolution of particles to ionic zinc. To reduce the cytotoxicity of ZnO NPs, transitional metals are introduced into ZnO lattices to modulate the ROS production and NP dissolution.

Poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate)/Polylactic Acid/Tetrapod-Zinc Oxide Whisker Composite Films with Antibacterial Properties.

Biodegradable composite films comprising of poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT), polylactic acid (PLA), and tetrapod-zinc oxide (T-ZnO) whisker were prepared by a melt-extrusion and blow molding process. The effect of the incorporation of the T-ZnO whisker (1 to 7 wt.%) in the PBAT/PLA blend film was studied systematically.

Rapid screening of bacteriostatic and bactericidal antimicrobial agents against by combining machine learning (artificial intelligence) and UV-VIS spectroscopy.

Antibiotics are compounds that have a particular mode of action upon the microorganism they are targeting. However, discovering and developing new antibiotics is a challenging and timely process. Antibiotic development process can take up to 10-15 years and over $1billion to develop a single new therapeutic product.

Antifouling and Antimicrobial Study of Nanostructured Mixed-Matrix Membranes for Arsenic Filtration.

Membrane fouling is a major drawback in the membrane filtration industry for water treatment. Mixed-matrix membranes (MMMs) are well known for their enhanced antifouling and antibacterial properties, which could offer potential benefits for membrane filtration processes in the water treatment field. In this work, three electrospun nanofibrous MMMs (P, CP, and MCP, which were, respectively, the pristine polysulfone membrane and mixed-matrix membranes (MMMs) consisting of GO-ZnO and GO-ZnO-iron oxides) were studied for antifouling and antibacterial properties with respect to the arsenic nanofiltration process.

Application of Fluconazole-Loaded pH-Sensitive Lipid Nanoparticles for Enhanced Antifungal Therapy.

is a yeast-like fungus that can cause the life-threatening disease cryptococcal meningitis. Numerous reports have shown increased resistance of this fungus against antifungal treatments, such as fluconazole (Fluc), contributing to an 80% global mortality rate. This work presents a novel approach to improve the delivery of the antifungal agent Fluc and increase the drug's targetability and availability at the infection site.