Sharif Digital Repository

TiO2-based photocatalysts are seen as the most common agents for the photodegradation of bacteria. In this study, AgCl/TiO2, hydroxyapatite(Hp)/AgCl/TiO2, AgI/TiO2, and Hp/AgI/TiO2 were prepared by the deposition-precipitation method on P25 TiO2 nanoparticles and were characterized by XRD, SEM, FT-IR, EDX and BET methods. The prepared composites showed high efficiency for the inactivation of Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria under visible light and in dark media with different catalyst amounts of 12 and 24 mg, respectively. In less than 30 min, AgI/TiO2, prepared by the combination of cationic surfactant and PVPI2, disinfected 1 × 107 colony-forming units of E. coli completely. However,... 

Background. Autoimmune process and immunosuppressive therapy of pemphigus vulgaris would predispose the patients to infections. Aim. We aimed to study the prevalence of infection and pathogenic agents in pemphigus vulgaris patients admitted to dermatology service. Material and methods. This retrospective study was conducted on 155 pemphigus vulgaris patients (68 males, 87 females) admitted to dermatology service between 2009 and 2011. In this study, the diagnosis of pemphigus vulgaris was confirmed by light microscopic and direct immunofluorescence findings. Data were collected through a questionnaire. Results. Of 155 pemphigus vulgaris patients, 33 had infection at admission and 9 acquired... 

Synthesis of dextran-graft-poly(hydroxyethyl methacrylate) gels as a new fluoride biosorbent was considered in this work. For this propose, the Taguchi experimental design method was used for optimizing the synthetic conditions of the gels to reach high level of fluoride absorbency. The effects of three main parameters including concentrations of monomer (hydroxyethyl methacrylate), crosslinking agent (ethylene glycol dimethacrylate), and initiator (ammonium persulfate) on the final properties of the prepared gels were investigated. The proposed mechanism for grafting and chemically crosslinking reactions was proved with equilibrium water absorption, Fourier-transformed infrared, scanning... 

In this research, response surface methodology (RSM) was applied to study the effects of Na-Montmorillonite (Na-MMT) and glycerol on some functional properties of corn starch films. Films were prepared by casting method according to central composite design (CCD). Originally image processing technique was used in order to estimate transparency of the films. It was found that Na-MMT absorbed UV light from 216 to 266. nm. No antimicrobial activities were observed against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. Contact angle analysis revealed hydrophilicity of starch films decreased utilizing nanoparticles and increased with plasticizer content. Increase in glycerol content decreased... 

Etheno-damaged DNA adducts such as 3,N4- ethenocytosine, N 2,3-ethenoguanine, and 1,N2-ethenoguanine are associated with carcinogenesis and cell death. These inevitable damages are counteracted by glycosylase enzymes, which cleave damaged nucleobases from DNA. Escherichia coli alkyl purine DNA glycosylase is the enzyme responsible for excising damaged etheno adducts from DNA in humans. In an effort to understand the intrinsic properties of these molecules, we examined gasphase acidity values and proton affinities (PA) of multiple sites of these molecules as well as equilibrium tautomerization and base pairing properties by quantum mechanical calculations. We also used calculations to compare... 

The adverse effect of graphene-titanium oxide composite films (containing sheet-like surface morphology) on Caenorhabditis elegans nematodes (as a model for minuscule animals) was investigated in a solar light-induced photocatalytic process. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy demonstrated photocatalytic reduction of the chemically exfoliated graphene oxide sheets included in the TiO 2 film. Furthermore, formation of TiC and Ti-O-C bonds in the composite film (obtained through annealing at 450 °C in air) resulted in a substantial delay in the recombination rate of the photoexcited electron-hole pairs and more efficient photocatalytic processes. The composite film showed a type of... 

While energy consumption is increasing worldwide due to population growth, the fossil fuels are unstable and exhaustible resources for establishing sustainable life. Using biodegradable compounds present in the wastewater produced in industrial process as a renewable source is an enchanting approach followed by scientists for maintaining a sustainable energy production to vanquish this problem for ulterior generations. In this research, bioelectricity generation with whey degradation was investigated in a two-chamber microbial fuel cell with humic acid as anodic electron mediator and a cathode compartment including combinational electron acceptor. Escherichia coli was able to use the... 

Interactions of chemically exfoliated graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets and Escherichia coli bacteria living in mixed-acid fermentation with an anaerobic condition were investigated for different exposure times. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy showed that as the exposure time increased (from 0 to 48 h), the oxygen-containing functional groups of the GO decreased by ∼60%, indicating a relative chemical reduction of the sheets by interaction with the bacteria. Raman spectroscopy and current-voltage measurement confirmed the reduction of the GO exposed to the bacteria. The reduction was believed to be due to the metabolic activity of the surviving bacteria through their glycolysis process. It was... 

Zeolite-based Ag/AgBr and Ag/AgBr/TiO 2 photocatalysts were prepared by sol-gel and deposition methods and were characterized. Their photocatalytic activities were evaluated by inactivation of Escherichia (E.) coli and the photodegradation of Acid Blue 92 and potassium permanganate. The composites containing Ag/AgBr showed the antibacterial activity in the dark by releasing Ag ions into the medium. The results for inactivation of E. coli indicated that Ag/AgBr/TiO 2 modified photocatalyst had better antibacterial activity than Ag/AgBr/zeolite, while zeolite and TiO 2/zeolite did not show any antibacterial activity under visible light and dark conditions. Photodecolarization rate was affected... 

In the current study, for the first time, photochemical facile green synthesis of salep capped silver nano-wedges was reported via the wet chemical synthesis procedure. Sunlight-UV as an available reducing agent caused mild reduction of silver ions to the silver nano-wedges. Salep as an effective capping/shaping polysaccharide bioresource material was used in the reaction medium and caused creation of flower-like self-assembled structures of the silver nano-wedges. The formation of silver nano-wedges and their flower-like self-assembled structures was confirmed by SEM technique. Further investigations were carried out using UV-vis, FTIR, GPC and XRD data. The prepared silver nano-wedges... 

Two types of unfunctionalized and functionalized multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were prepared to be applied in fabrication of MWCNT-ZnO nanocomposite thin films with various MWCNT contents. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy indicated formation of functional groups on surface of the functionalized MWCNTs in the MWCNT-ZnO nanocomposite. Formation of the effective carbonaceous bonds between the ZnO and the MWCNTs was also investigated through photoinactivation of Escherichia coli bacteria on surface of the both unfunctionalized and functionalized MWCNT-ZnO nanocomposites. The functionalized MWCNT-ZnO nanocomposites showed significantly stronger photoinactivation of the bacteria than the... 

In the current study, a facile green synthesis of silver-gelatin core-shell nanostructures (spherical, spherical/cubic hybrid, and cubic, DLS diameter: 4.1-6.9 nm) is reported via the wet chemical synthesis procedure. Sunlight-UV as an available reducing agent cause mild reduction of silver ions into the silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs). Gelatin protein, as an effective capping/shaping agent, was used in the reaction to self-assemble silver nanostructures. The formation of silver nanostructures and their self-assembly pattern was confirmed by SEM, AFM, and TEM techniques. Further investigations were carried out using zeta-potential, UV-Vis, FTIR, GPC, and TGA/DTG/DTA data. The prepared Ag-NPs... 

This paper discusses the studies carried out for the optimal production of enzyme l-asparaginase (l-asparagine amidohydrolase, EC 3.5.1.1) from Escherichia coli (ATCC 11303). It was found that inoculum age of 18 h and inoculum size of 10% were the most favorable operating conditions for enzyme production. Lactose, yeast extract and KH 2PO 4 were found to be the best carbon, nitrogen and ion sources, respectively. Statistical method was used to survey how various medium conditions affect the enzyme production. By response surface methodology, the values of lactose, tryptone, yeast extract, KH 2PO 4 and l-asparagine concentration were investigated to obtain the maximum enzyme activity. The... 

Vertical copper oxide nanoflakes were synthesized on a Cu foil through oxidation in alkaline conditions. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy showed that after exposing the nanoflakes to an Escherichia coli bacterial suspension, the outermost surface of the nanoflakes was chemically reduced through the glycolysis process of the bacteria. Current-voltage (I-V) characteristics of the nanoflakes (measured perpendicular to surface of the Cu foil by using conductive atomic force microscopy) indicated that electrical resistivity of the nanoflakes increased about one order of magnitude after exposure to the bacterial suspension. The nanoflakes reduced by the bacterial suspension could also be... 

Various morphologies of CuO/Cu(OH)2 nanostructures with different adsorbed -OH contents were synthesized on an acid-treated Cu foil through variation of NaOH concentration from 0 to 50 mM with an in situ oxidation method. X-ray diffractometry and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) indicated formation of CuO on the Cu(OH)2 crystalline phase at a growth temperature of 60°C for 20 h. Antibacterial activity of the nanostructures against Escherichia coli bacteria was studied in the dark and under light irradiation. The nanostructures grown at a NaOH concentration of 30 mM showed the highest surface area and the strongest antibacterial activity among the samples. After elimination of the... 

Bioactivity of Escherichia coli bacteria (as a simple model for microorganisms) and interaction of them with the environment were controlled by their capturing within aggregated graphene nanosheets. The oxygen-containing functional groups of chemically exfoliated single-layer graphene oxide nanosheets were reduced by melatonin as a biocompatible antioxidant. While each one of the graphene (oxide) suspension and melatonin solution did not separately show any considerable inactivation effects on the bacteria, aggregation of the sheets in the melatonin-bacterial suspension resulted in trapping the bacteria within the aggregated sheets, i.e., a kind of inactivation. The bacteria trapped within... 

Multi-component photocatalysts based on apatite-coated Ag=AgBr=TiO 2 were prepared by the deposition method. The effects of various kinds of apatites, with hydroxyl and fluoro substituents, on photocatalytic activity were investigated. The antibacterial processes in the dark, and under visible light, on two types of bacteria indicate that the multi-composites can inhibit the growth of bacteria by two different mechanisms. TEM images and optical microscopic data demonstrate that by attaching the nanosize catalyst to the outer membrane of the cell, the bacteria could not derive nourishment from surrounding media, i.e. this component acts as bacteria-static. The mechanism for deactivation of... 

Vertically aligned multi-wall carbon nanotube (CNT) arrays were fabricated in tip-growth mode on Ni/Si substrates using plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition. In a purification process including hydrogenation and acid washing of the Ni/CNTs, the oxygen-containing functional groups were substantially reduced and a wide hollow core at the tip of the CNTs was formed by removing the Ni seeds. Sol-gel silver nanoparticles were deposited on the surface of the unpurified Ni/CNTs, while they could also be embedded within the hollow core of the Ni-removed CNTs. The persistency of the silver ions in the Ni-removed Ag-CNTs in comparison to the release of the silver ions from the Ag-Ni/CNTs in a... 

TiO 2 and Pd-modified TiO 2 photocatalysts were prepared by sol-gel method. X-ray diffraction (XRD) data showed that the presence of Pd in TiO 2 catalyst decreases the crystalline size of TiO 2 and stabilizes anatase phase. The study of the photocatalytic activity of the films via Linear Sweep Voltametry (LSV) plots and antibacterial test against Escherichia coli ATCC 25922-a gram negative bacterium-showed that Pd increases the photocatalytic activity of the coatings. Besides, the sequence of layer deposition (TiO 2 and Pd-modified TiO 2) influences the photocatalytic properties. In other words, more photocatalytic activity is obtained when Pd-modified layer is deposited first  

Polyvinyl alcohol/sodium alginate/nano silver (PVA/SA/Ag) composite films were made by solution casting method. Gamma irradiation was used to synthesize silver nanoparticles in situ via reduction of silver nitrate without using harmful chemical agents for biomedical applications. UV-vis and XRD results demonstrated that spherical silver nanoparticles were produced even at low irradiation dose of 5. kGy. By increasing irradiation dose, more nanoparticles were synthesized while no PVA hydrogel was formed up to 15. kGy. Also the size of nanoparticles was reduced with increasing gamma dose evidenced by higher release rate of silver nanoparticles in lukewarm water and SEM images. Comparing SEM...