639,408 research outputs found
Interaction of silver nanoparticles with HIV-1
The interaction of nanoparticles with biomolecules and microorganisms is an expanding field of research. Within this field, an area that has been largely unexplored is the interaction of metal nanoparticles with viruses. In this work, we demonstrate that silver nanoparticles undergo a size-dependent interaction with HIV-1, with nanoparticles exclusively in the range of 1–10 nm attached to the virus. The regular spatial arrangement of the attached nanoparticles, the center-to-center distance between nanoparticles, and the fact that the exposed sulfur-bearing residues of the glycoprotein knobs would be attractive sites for nanoparticle interaction suggest that silver nanoparticles interact with the HIV-1 virus via preferential binding to the gp120 glycoprotein knobs. Due to this interaction, silver nanoparticles inhibit the virus from binding to host cells, as demonstrated in vitro
Synergistic Antibacterial Effects of Metallic Nanoparticle Combinations
© The Author(s) 2019.Metallic nanoparticles have unique antimicrobial properties that make them suitable for use within medical and pharmaceutical devices to prevent the spread of infection in healthcare. The use of nanoparticles in healthcare is on the increase with silver being used in many devices. However, not all metallic nanoparticles can target and kill all disease-causing bacteria. To overcome this, a combination of several different metallic nanoparticles were used in this study to compare effects of multiple metallic nanoparticles when in combination than when used singly, as single elemental nanoparticles (SENPs), against two common hospital acquired pathogens (Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas. aeruginosa). Flow cytometry LIVE/DEAD assay was used to determine rates of cell death within a bacterial population when exposed to the nanoparticles. Results were analysed using linear models to compare effectiveness of three different metallic nanoparticles, tungsten carbide (WC), silver (Ag) and copper (Cu), in combination and separately. Results show that when the nanoparticles are placed in combination (NPCs), antimicrobial effects significantly increase than when compared with SENPs (P < 0.01). This study demonstrates that certain metallic nanoparticles can be used in combination to improve the antimicrobial efficiency in destroying morphologically distinct pathogens within the healthcare and pharmaceutical industry.Peer reviewe
Alloyed Nanoparticles with Lipid Coatings
Monodisperse silver and gold alloy nanoparticles of controlled composition and size were synthesized for the development of a potential drug delivery system. The seeded growth of the alloy nanoparticles through a co-reduction of gold and silver salts, using the Turkevich approach, was used for synthesizing the nanoparticles. The size of the nanoparticles was characterized using a NanoSight LM10 HS and their composition with a UV-Vis spectrophotometer. These alloys and earlier gold nanoparticles of varying sizes were introduced to live wild-type S. cerevisiae cells in their exponential growth phase, and the absorbance of the cells after incubation with nanoparticles was measured with a UV-Vis spectrophotometer. Absorbance data suggests that the number of nanoparticles taken up by the yeast cells is negligible as no peak was observed in the yeast cells after they had been washed and centrifuged to discard excess alloy nanoparticles. Further research is necessary to see if the addition of antibodies increases the number of nanoparticles attached to the yeast cells, future coating with lipids and a SERS tag, and maybe even attaching a therapeutic agent
A general method for the synthesis of nanostructured large-surface-area materials through the self-assembly of functionalized nanoparticles
A general synthetic method for the preparation of nanostructured materials with large surface area was developed by using nanoparticle building blocks. The preparation route involves the self-assembly of functionalized nanoparticles in a liquid-crystal phase. These nanoparticles are functionalized by using difunctional amino acid species to provide suitable interactions with the template. Optimum interactions for self-assembly of the nanoparticles in the liquid-crystal phase were achieved with one -NH2 group anchored to the nanoparticle surface per 25 Å2. To maximize the surface area of these materials, the wall thicknesses are adjusted so that they are composed of a monolayer of nanoparticles. To form such materials, numerous parameters have to be controlled such as the relative volume fraction of the nanoparticles and the template and size matching between the hydrophilic component of the copolymer and nanoparticles. The surface functionalization renders our synthetic route independent of the nanoparticles and allows us to prepare a variety of nanostructured composite materials that consist of a juxtaposition of different discrete oxide nanoparticles. Examples of such materials include CeO2, ZrO2, and CeO2–Al(OH)3 composites
Synthesis and characterization of silver nanoarticles from extract of Eucalyptus citriodora
The primary motivation for the study to develop simple eco-friendly green synthesis of silver nanoparticles using leaf extract of Eucalyptus citriodora as reducing and capping agent. The green synthesis process was quite fast and silver nanoparticles were formed within 0.5 h. The synthesis of the particles was observed by UV-visible spectroscopy by noting increase in absorbance. Characterization of the particles was carried out by X-ray diffraction, FTIR and electron microscopy. The developed nanoparticles demonstrated that E. citriodora is good source of reducing agents. UV-visible absorption spectra of the reaction medium containing silver nanoparticles showed maximum absorbance at 460 nm. FTIR analysis confirmed reduction of Ag+ to Ag0 atom in silver nanoparticles. The XRD pattern revealed the crystalline structure of silver nanoparticles. The SEM analysis showed the size and shape of the nanoparticles. The method being green, fast, easy and cost effective can be recommended for large scale production of AgNPs for their use in food, medicine and materials
Nanoparticles and cars : analysis of potential sources
Urban health is potentially affected by particle emissions. The potential toxicity of nanoparticles is heavily debated and there is an enormous global increase in research activity in this field. In this respect, it is commonly accepted that nanoparticles may also be generated in processes occurring while driving vehicles. So far, a variety of studies addressed traffic-related particulate matter emissions, but only few studies focused on potential nanoparticles. Therefore, the present study analyzed the literature with regard to nanoparticles and cars. It can be stated that, to date, only a limited amount of research has been conducted in this area and more studies are needed to 1) address kind and sources of nanoparticles within automobiles and to 2) analyse whether there are health effects caused by these nanoparticles
Optical determination and identification of organic shells around nanoparticles: application to silver nanoparticles
We present a simple method to prove the presence of an organic shell around
silver nanoparticles. This method is based on the comparison between optical
extinction measurements of isolated nanoparticles and Mie calculations
predicting the expected wavelength of the Localized Surface Plasmon Resonance
of the nanoparticles with and without the presence of an organic layer. This
method was applied to silver nanoparticles which seemed to be well protected
from oxidation. Further experimental characterization via Surface Enhanced
Raman Spectroscopy (SERS) measurements allowed to identify this protective
shell as ethylene glycol. Combining LSPR and SERS measurements could thus give
proof of both presence and identification for other plasmonic nanoparticles
surrounded by organic shells
- …