Sharif Digital Repository

In this research, carbon nanotube decorated with Cu nanoparticles (CNT/Cu) was synthesized by a new solvothermal process. Solvothermal treatment of CuSO4 and NaOH was completed in ethanol containing ultrasonically dispersed CNTs at 160 °C for 3 h. In the solvothermal process, Cu nanoparticles were heterogeneously deposited on the surface of COOH-functionalized CNTs through the reduction of the Cu+2 ions. Cu nanoparticles with the size of ≈8 nm on CNTs (and some in the solution) and strong bonding between Cu and CNT were obtained by the used process. Microstructural characterization revealed that the solvothermal method is an appropriate method for producing homogenous CNT/Cu nanostructure.... 

The present study was aimed to manifest the antibacterial and antifungal activity of methanolic extracts of Salix alba L. against seven Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial pathogens e.g. Streptococcus pyogenes, Staphylococcus aureus (1), S. aureus (2), Shigella sonnei, Escherichia coli (1), E. coli (2) and Neisseria gonorrhoeae and three fungal isolates from the air such as Aspergillus terreus, A. ornatus, and Rhizopus stolonifer. Two different serotypes of S. aureus and E. coli were used. The agar well-diffusion method results showed the dose-dependent response of plant extracts against bacterial and fungal strains while some organisms were found resistant e.g. E. coli (1), S. sonnei,... 

AgNPs@Chitosan and Co3O4-NPs@Chitosan were fabricated with Salvia hispanica. Results showed MZI values of 5 and 30 mm for Co3O4-NPs- and AgNPs@Chitosan against S. aureus, and 15 and 21 mm for Co3O4-NPs- and AgNPs@Chitosan against E. coli (24 h, 20 μg/mL), respectively. MTT assays showed up to 80% and 90%, 71% and 75%, and 91% and 94% mammalian cell viability for the green synthesized, chemically synthesized AgNPs and green synthesized AgNPs@Chitosan for HEK-293 and PC12 cells, respectively, and 70% and 71%, 59% and 62%, and 88% and 73% for the related Co3O4-NPs (24 h, 20 μg/mL). The photocatalytic activities showed dye degradation after 135 and 105 min for AgNPs@Chitosan and... 

In this work, Ag nanoparticles were loaded on ZIF-67 covered by graphene oxide (Ag/ZIF-67@GO), and its catalytic performance was studied for the heterogeneous activation of peroxymonosulfate (PMS) under visible-light. The catalyst surface morphology and structure were analyzed by FT-IR, XRD, XPS, DRS, FE-SEM, EDX, TEM, BET, ICP-AES and TGA analysis. The efficacy of PMS activation by the Ag/ZIF-67@GO under visible light was assessed by phenol degradation and E. coli inactivation. Phenol was completely degraded within 30 min by HO•, SO4•− and O2•− generated through the photocatalytic PMS activation. In addition, total E. coli inactivation was attained in 15 min that confirmed the highly... 

One of the antibiotics used to treat infections is streptomycin sulfate that inhibits both Gram-negative and -positive bacteria. Nanoparticles are suitable carriers for the direct delivery and release of drug agents to infected locations. Niosomes are one of the new drug delivery systems that have received much attention today due to their excellent biofilm penetration property and controlled release. In this study, niosomes containing streptomycin sulfate were prepared by using the thin layer hydration method and optimized based on the size, polydispersity index (PDI), and encapsulation efficiency (EE%) characteristics. It was found that the Span 60-to-Tween 60 ratio of 1.5 and the... 

Herein, a novel Pt-APA composite (APA = pyridinium bromide salt) based on magnetic graphene oxide was synthesized and used as an effective catalyst. In this way, Fe3O4 nanoparticles are grown on graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets by a simple and practical method which creates a unique nanostructure (Fe3O4/GO) through dispersing uniformly among graphene nanosheets. The resulted Pt-APA composite was obtained via adding PtCl2 to an ethanol solution of Fe3O4/GO and α-keto stabilized pyridinium ylide in related conditions. The synthesized nanocomposite structure was identified using field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy dispersive... 

Using the skin tissue engineering approach is a way to help the body to recover its lost skin in cases that the spontaneous healing process is either impossible or inadequate, such as severe wounds or burns. In the present study, chitosan/gelatin-based scaffolds containing 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, and 1% allantoin were created to improve the wounds’ healing process. EDC and NHS were used to cross-link the samples, which were further freeze-dried. Different in-vitro methods were utilized to characterize the specimens, including SEM imaging, PBS absorption and degradation tests, mechanical experiments, allantoin release profile assessment, antibacterial assay, and cell viability and adhesion tests.... 

Introduction: Porous 3D scaffolds synthesized using biocompatible and biodegradable materials could provide suitable microenvironment and mechanical support for optimal cell growth and function. The effect of the scaffold porosity on the mechanical properties, as well as the TiO2 nanoparticles addition on the bioactivity, antimicrobial, photocatalytic, and cytotoxicity properties of scaffolds were investigated. Methods: In the present study, porous scaffolds consisting poly (lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) containing TiO2 nanoparticles were fabricated via air-liquid foaming technique, which is a novel method and has more advantages due to not using additives for nucleation compared to former... 

Carbon-based nanocarriers such as multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and reduced graphene oxide (rGO) have shown promising delivery capabilities due to their low immunogenicity, superior internalization, and suitable cell penetration efficiency. Herein, a molecular engineering strategy is advanced for the one-pot synthesized rGO/MWCNT/Fe3O4/ZnO to enhance the stability of the nanocarrier in the biological matrix; green synthesized ZnO was responsible for water uptake and reduced cytotoxicity, while Fe3O4controlled the cellular internalization for gene delivery. Surface morphology of the ensuing nanocomposite was correlated with photocatalytic and gene delivery (CRISPR/Cas9) features. For... 

The growth of harmful microorganisms is a severe threat to human life. Nowadays, it is necessary to prepare antimicrobials materials with high biocompatibility properties. Hence, the use of nanomaterials and their nanocomposites has been proposed as a suitable way to obtain safe and potent antibacterial materials. Recently, several studies have been conducted on the antibacterial properties of metal oxide and graphene oxide (GO) nanomaterials individually. This study investigated the synergistic effect of GO and copper oxide (CuO) as a nanocomposite. CuO-GO nanocomposite containing 5%, 15%, 25%, 50%, and 75% of GO were synthesized to study antibacterial properties. X-ray diffraction (XRD)... 

Niosomes, as a kind of drug delivery system, is widely used for the topical delivery of lipophilic drugs. Optimization of niosomes plays an essential role in enhancing their therapeutic efficiencies. This study aims to prepare an optimized niosomal formulation of simvastatin (nSIM), a lipophilic member of statins, through the experiment (Response Surface methodology). Optimized niosomes were characterized in size, polydispersity index (PDI), entrapment efficiency (EE), stability, releasing pattern, and antimicrobial activity. The different molar ratio of surfactant and cholesterol were applied to prepare various formulation of simvastatin loaded niosome. Mean particle size and size... 

The growth of harmful microorganisms is a severe threat to human life. Nowadays, it is necessary to prepare antimicrobials materials with high biocompatibility properties. Hence, the use of nanomaterials and their nanocomposites has been proposed as a suitable way to obtain safe and potent antibacterial materials. Recently, several studies have been conducted on the antibacterial properties of metal oxide and graphene oxide (GO) nanomaterials individually. This study investigated the synergistic effect of GO and copper oxide (CuO) as a nanocomposite. CuO-GO nanocomposite containing 5%, 15%, 25%, 50%, and 75% of GO were synthesized to study antibacterial properties. X-ray diffraction (XRD)... 

Niosomes, as a kind of drug delivery system, is widely used for the topical delivery of lipophilic drugs. Optimization of niosomes plays an essential role in enhancing their therapeutic efficiencies. This study aims to prepare an optimized niosomal formulation of simvastatin (nSIM), a lipophilic member of statins, through the experiment (Response Surface methodology). Optimized niosomes were characterized in size, polydispersity index (PDI), entrapment efficiency (EE), stability, releasing pattern, and antimicrobial activity. The different molar ratio of surfactant and cholesterol were applied to prepare various formulation of simvastatin loaded niosome. Mean particle size and size... 

Developing drug delivery systems with both antibacterial and anti-cancer effects is of importance in the treatment process of infection-associated cancers, especially prostate cancer. In this study, Span 60, Tween 60, and cholesterol were used to formulate doxycycline-loaded niosomes as a promising drug carrier system as either antibacterial or anticancer formulation. The formulation process was optimized by multi-objective response surface methodology (RSM), and then characterized. The developed niosomal formulation showed great storage stability for up to 2 weeks. In addition, they showed remarkable drug release in acidic solution (pH = 3) compared with physiological pH (7.4). The in-vitro... 

In this study, two new composite membranes with antifouling and anti-biofouling properties were prepared through the modification of commercial polyamide (PA) discs using combination of in-situ polymerization of polyacrylic acid (PAA) and grafting of two synthesized bi-plasmonic Au-Ag and Ag-Au photocatalysts. The synthesis and characterization of the photocatalysts in batch mode were discussed in details as primary studies. Two intense 405-nm and 532-nm lasers for Ag-Au and Au-Ag photocatalysts, respectively and a solar-simulated xenon lamp for both photocatalysts were applied for photodegradation studies and the results were compared. In addition, the effect of other parameters such as... 

Electrospinning is an economical and alluring method to fabricate wound dressing mats from a variety of natural and synthetic materials. In this study, polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) and starch composite mats containing ciprofloxacin (CIP) loaded on titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2) were prepared. Fourier Transform Infrared spectra of CIP, synthesized TiO2 NPs, TiO2/CIP, and PVDF/starch composite mats are analyzed. Scanning electron microscopy images revealed that the fiber diameter of PVDF nanofibers thickens by increasing starch, which varies between 180 nm and 550 nm. Strain at break of PVDF, starch, PVDF/starch (2:1 w:w; P2S1), PVDF/starch (1:1 w:w; P1S1), PVDF/starch (1:2 w:w;... 

Organ-on-a-chip technology tries to mimic the complexity of native tissues in vitro. Important progress has recently been made in using this technology to study the gut with and without microbiota. These in vitro models can serve as an alternative to animal models for studying physiology, pathology, and pharmacology. While these models have greater physiological relevance than two-dimensional (2D) cell systems in vitro, endocrine and immunological functions in gut-on-a-chip models are still poorly represented. Furthermore, the construction of complex models, in which different cell types and structures interact, remains a challenge. Generally, gut-on-a-chip models have the potential to... 

Chondroitinase ABC I (cABC I) has received notable attention in treatment of spinal cord injuries and its application as therapeutics has been limited due to low thermal stability at physiological temperature. In this study, cABC I enzyme was immobilized on the dextran-coated Fe3O4 nanoparticles through physical adsorption to improve the thermal stability. The nanoparticles were characterized using XRD, SEM, VSM, and FTIR analyses. Response surface methodology and central composite design were employed to assess factors affecting the activity of immobilized cABC I. Experimental results showed that pH 6.3, temperature 24 °C, enzyme/support mass ratio 1.27, and incubation time 5.7 h were the... 

Background: Flagellin of Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis (SEF) stimulates immune responses to both itself and coapplied antigens. It is therefore used in vaccine development and immunotherapy. Removal of pathogenic S. enterica ser. Enteritidis from SEF production process is advantageous due to the process safety improvement. The protein solubility analysis using SDS-PAGE indicated that 53.49% of SEF expressed in Escherichia coli formed inclusion bodies. However, the protein recovery from inclusion bodies requires a complex process with a low yield. Objective: We thus aim to study possibility of enhancing SEF expression in E. coli in soluble form using chemical and molecular... 

Due to the importance of hydrogen as an effective antioxidant for its applications in therapy, this research reports the fabrication of a coupled microfluidic microbial electrochemical cell (MXC), including microfluidic microbial fuel cells (MFCs) and a microfluidic microbial electrolysis cell (MEC) series in order to perform it as a self-powered biohydrogen generator. Being able to be a platform of implantable medical devices, utilization a non-phatogenic strain of Escherichia coli as the biocatalyst in order to exploit the embodied energy from human blood and excrement and finally the use of cheap and facile materials (<$2 per device) are the exceptional features of the system. The...