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Parkinson's disease (PD) significantly affects millions of people worldwide due to the progressive degeneration of dopamine-producing neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta. Despite extensive research efforts, effective treatments that can halt or reverse the progression of PD remain elusive. In recent years, nanotechnology has emerged as a promising new avenue for addressing this challenge, with zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) standing out for their extensive therapeutic potential. ZnO-NPs have shown remarkable promise in neuroprotection through several key mechanisms. The multifaceted properties of ZnO-NPs suggest that they could play a crucial role in intervening across various fundamental mechanisms implicated in PD. By targeting these mechanisms, ZnO-NPs offer new insights and potential strategies for managing and treating PD. This review aims to provide a thorough examination of the molecular mechanisms through which ZnO-NPs exert their neuroprotective effects. It highlights their potential as innovative therapeutic agents for PD and outlines directions for future research to explore and harness their full capabilities., (© 2024 The Author(s).)

Surface functionalization of semiconducting metal oxides has emerged as a highly effective approach for enhancing their sensing capabilities. In the present work, the surface of randomly oriented zinc oxide (ZnO) nanowires is modified with an optimized thickness (7 nm) of magnesium oxide (MgO), which exhibits an exceptionally sensitive and selective behavior toward NO 2 gas, yielding a response of approximately 310 for 10 ppm concentration at room temperature. The synergistic interplay between ZnO and MgO leads to a remarkable 20-fold improvement in sensor response compared to a pristine ZnO film and allows the detection of concentrations as low as 50 ppb. The ZnO-MgO composite was characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), XPS, and SEM-EDS to gain structural, compositional, and morphological insights. The interaction of the NO 2 molecule with the sensor film was investigated using density functional theory (DFT) simulations, revealing that oxygen vacant sites on the MgO surface are most favorable for NO 2 adsorption, with an adsorption energy of -3.97 eV and a charge transfer of 1.74e toward NO 2 . The XPS, photoluminescence (PL), and EPR measurements experimentally verified the presence of oxygen vacancies in the sensing material. The introduction of localized levels within the band gap by oxygen vacancies significantly promotes the interaction of gas molecules with these sites, which enhances the charge transfer toward NO 2 gas molecules. This augmentation has a profound influence on the space charge region at the ZnO-MgO interface, which is pivotal for modulating the charge transport in the ZnO layer, resulting in the substantial improvement of NO 2 response at room temperature.

Selective detection and monitoring of hazardous gases with similar properties are highly desirable to ensure human safety. The development of flexible and room-temperature (RT) operable chemiresistive gas sensors provides an excellent opportunity to create wearable devices for detecting hazardous gases surrounding us. However, chemiresistive gas sensors typically suffer from poor selectivity and zero-cross selectivity toward similar types of gases. Herein, a flexible, RT operable chemiresistive gas sensors array is designed, featuring reduced graphene oxide (rGO) and rGO decorated with zinc oxide (ZnO), titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ), and tin dioxide (SnO 2 ) nanoparticles (NPs) on a flexible polyimide (PI) substrate. The sensor array consists of four different sensing layers capable of the selective identification of various hazardous gases such as NO 2 , NO, and SO 2 using machine learning (ML). The gas sensor array exhibits a stable response even when mechanically deformed or exposed to high humidity (up to 60%). Each gas sensor, due to the different metal oxide NPs, shows unique responses in terms of sensitivity, responsiveness, response time, and recovery time to different gases. Consequently, the sensor array generates distinct response patterns that effectively differentiate between the target gases. By leveraging these distinctive recovery patterns and employing a data fusion approach in ML, specific concentrations of target gases can be distinguished. Using ML with fused array sensing data, the training and test accuracies achieved were 98.20 and 97.70%, respectively. This innovative combination of sensor arrays and ML offers significant potential for selective gas detection in environmental monitoring and personal safety applications.

A highly sensitive non-enzymatic absorption-based glucose sensor is introduced that combines ZnO nanorods with the ferrous oxidation-xylenol orange (FOX) assay. ZnO nanorods were successfully synthesized on the surface of a copper wire mesh, exhibiting high crystallinity, purity, and a large surface area. The glucose sensor displays a high sensitivity of 0.394 mM -1 in a wide linear detection range (0 - 6 mM), along with a low limit of detection of 0.25 mM. The proposed assay has an excellent selectivity towards glucose compared with other sugars such as sucrose, maltose, and fructose. The potential use of the non-enzymatic absorbance sensor for diabetes monitoring is demonstrated by measuring the glucose concentration in human blood serum, obtaining values that are consistent with clinical analysis., Competing Interests: Declarations. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Austria, part of Springer Nature.)

Synthetic cannabinoids (SCs), often masqueraded in "e-cigarettes," are novel popular psychoactive substances with diverse structures and complex material compositions, making their detection more challenging for prompt intervention. Herein, a novel electrochemical sensing platform based on Zn/Bi bimetallic organic framework-derived ZnO-Bi 2 O 3 heterojunctions was constructed for the detection of cyclohexanylphenol synthetic cannabinoids (CP-type SCs: CP47,497 and CP55,940). The sensing characteristics of ZnO-Bi 2 O 3 were studied under various conditions, including solvent composition, molar ratio of metal, and calcination temperature. The optimized ZnO-Bi 2 O 3 heterojunction exhibited a larger surface area, more active sites, and stronger stability, conducive to enhanced electrochemical catalytic performance. Under optimal conditions, a ZnO-Bi 2 O 3 modified screen-printed electrode (ZnO-Bi 2 O 3 /SPE) showed good linear responses toward CP47,497 and CP55,940 within the concentration ranges 7 × 10 -9  ~ 5 × 10 -6  M and 1 × 10 -9  ~ 5 × 10 -6  M, with detection limits of 2.3 × 10 -9  M and 3.3 × 10 -10  M, respectively. The sensor also depicted excellent reliability and can be used for on-site electrochemical detection of target objects in e-cigarettes with high recovery. Finally, the electrochemical oxidation mechanisms of CP47,497 and CP55,940 were studied for the first time, and electrochemical fingerprints of CP-type SCs were speculated., Competing Interests: Declarations. Ethical approval: This research did not involve human or animal samples. Conflict of interest: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Austria, part of Springer Nature.)

Electrochemical biosensors offer a cost-effective way to identify Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) (Hsp 60), responsible for stomach infections. The conductivity and surface area of the electrode were enhanced using Hap-Ag-ZnO composites on glassy carbon electrode (GCE) along with polythiophene (PP), as a conductive polymer to improve proficiency. The Hap-Ag-ZnO-PP composites have multiple functional group sites that facilitate aptamer immobilization on the GCE. This increases the sensitivity, stability, and dynamic range of the developed aptasensor. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry, and square wave voltammetry were employed to examine the performance of the aptasensor. A linear behavior was observed for the modified electrode against the concentration of Hsp 60, showing a detection limit of 0.429 nM and a wide dynamic range of 0.05-300 nM. Moreover, the Hap-Ag-ZnO-PP-based aptasensor exhibits exceptional reproducibility, repeatability, fast response time (20 min), good selectivity, and excellent stability (electrochemical and storage). Therefore, the prepared sensitive aptasensor provides a promising platform for clinical diagnostics and H. pylori detection in real-world applications., Competing Interests: Declarations. Ethical approval: The NIH (National Institute of Health) Islamabad, Pakistan, provided standard laboratory procedures and guidelines, followed when collecting blood serum samples from study participants and healthy volunteers. The ethical standards described in the Declaration of Helsinki, which are accepted nationally and internationally, serve as the foundation for these regulations. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Austria, part of Springer Nature.)

Carbapenem resistance among bacteria, especially Klebsiella pneumoniae and Acinetobacter baumannii, constitutes a dreadful threat to public health all over the world that requires developing new medications urgently. Carbapenem resistance emerges as a serious problem as this class is used as a last-line option to clear the multidrug-resistant bacteria. Arthrospira maxima (Spirulina) is a well-known cyanobacterium used as a food supplement as it is rich in protein, essential minerals and vitamins and previous studies showed it may have some antimicrobial activity against different organisms. Biosynthesized (green) zinc oxide nanoparticles have been investigated by several researchers as antibacterials because of their safety in health. In this article, previous studies were analyzed to get to a conclusion about their activity as antibacterials., Competing Interests: Declarations Ethics approval and consent to participate Not applicable. Consent for publication Not applicable. Competing interests The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

The morphology-dependent antibacterial activity of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles with three different morphologies, nanowall (NW), nanosphere (NS), and, nanorod (NR) was rigorously investigated to elucidate the influence of shape and size on their performance. Their morphological, surface, and structural characteristics were meticulously analyzed using SEM, BET, and XRD techniques. The antibacterial activity of synthesized ZnO samples was initially investigated and validated through in silico docking studies against nine bacterial strains, specifically targeting 1GCI, 2DCJ, 6KMM and 3T07, 6KVQ, 1MWT from gram-positive Bacillus sp. and Staphylococcus sp. respectively, 6N38, 6CRT, 6GRH from gram-negative E. coli. The docking simulations were performed using Autodock 4.2 software, yielding promising results characterized by negative binding energies, indicative of favorable interactions. The invitro studies were assessed against three same bacteria mentioned above using the disk diffusion method. The results demonstrated a pronounced dependency of antibacterial activity on the surface area, average crystallite size, and surface roughness of ZnO samples. ZnO (NW) exhibited markedly superior antibacterial properties. This enhanced efficacy is attributed to their higher surface area to volume ratio, smaller average crystallite size and increased surface roughness facilitating more efficient interactions with bacterial cell membranes. ZnO (NR) nanoparticles exhibited enhanced antibacterial activity despite minimal surface area., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no financial and personal relationships with other people or organizations that could inappropriately influence or bias their work., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

This study demonstrates the synthesis of 1D surface vertically aligned nanorods of ZnO on the fluorine-doped tin oxide-coated glass substrate (ZnO-VANRs/FTOs) synthesized via a chemical route for the targeted electrochemical sensing of aniline. The ZnO-VANRs/FTOs were 1.57 ± 0.03 μm in length with excellent crystallinity and high density (1.52 × 10 13 rod no./m 2 ). ZnO-VANRs formation increased surface roughness by 2.4- and 4.7-fold compared to the bare FTOs and seeded FTOs (ZnO-seed/FTOs), respectively. The ZnO-VANRs/FTOs electrodes could increase the effective surface area from 0.154 to 0.384 cm 2 with about 86.85% reduction in charge transfer resistance compared to the bare FTOs. The peak current response (at 0.281 V vs Ag/AgCl) of aniline deposition was boosted by 81.52% with the rise in temperature from 15 to 45 °C. The reduction of aniline at ZnO-VANRs/FTOs involved a reversible two-electron diffusion control process with a heterogeneous reaction rate constant ( k 0 ) of 1.82 s -1 and a formal potential ( E 0 ) of 0.289 V vs Ag/AgCl. The ZnO-VANRs/FTOs electrode showed limits of detection of 0.193 μM (sensitivity 0.198 μA·μM -1 ·cm -2 ) and 0.588 μM (sensitivity of 0.065 μA·μM -1 ·cm -2 ) between the working ranges of 0-20 and 20-160 μM, respectively. The fabricated sensor was unprecedently selective toward aniline sensing, and p -nitroaniline, chlorobenzene, chlorpyrifos, Cu 2+ , Pb 2+ , Ni 2+ , Cd 2+ , albumin bovine, Escherichia coli , and ciprofloxacin could not interfere with aniline sensing and its sensitivity. However, the peak current was marginally decayed by 2.63% up to the 6th cycle. Moreover, ZnO-VANRs/FTOs catalyzed the sensing of aniline spiked in the environmental matrices, conforming well to liquid chromatography.

In response to the growing demand for global health monitoring, we report a nonintrusive health detection method using a compact, conformal wearable ultraviolet (UV)-assisted gas-sensing system based on an intrinsically flexible porous polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)-zinc oxide (ZnO) composite layer (PPZL) for the breath acetone (BrAce) detection and breath event analysis. The enhanced acetone response is attributed to the synergistic effect of UV irradiation and the high surface area of the porous structure, which also improves the mechanical robustness. The UV-assisted wearable sensor reliably detects acetone concentrations ranging from 1 to 100 ppm at room temperature under 4.05 mW/cm 2 UV intensity, even under mechanical strains such as a bending radius of 5 mm and 60% tensile strain. It accurately analyzes different breathing patterns (12-20 breaths per minute) and BrAce concentrations, maintaining a stable performance over 20 days with less than 5% signal degradation. The sensor exhibits response and recovery times of average 110-150 and 130-180 s, respectively, and maintains a consistent 3 ppm BrAce response under varying humidity levels up to 70% relative humidity, ensuring accurate detection of BrAce concentrations during real-world breath tests. Additionally, the sensor targets only specific gases, and the sensor's selectivity is not a key concern. This flexible acetone gas sensor offers a portable solution for health management and a fabrication method for designing flexible metal oxide materials.

To address rising global food demand, the development of sustainable technologies to increase productivity is urgently needed. This study revealed that foliar application of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs; 30 to 80 nm, 0.67 mg/d per plant, 6 d) to rice leaves under heatwave (HW) stress increased the grain yield and nutritional quality. Compared with the HW control, the HWs+ZnO group presented increases in the grain yield, grain protein content, and amino acid content of 22.1%, 11.8%, and 77.5%, respectively. Nanoscale ZnO aggregated on the leaf surface and interacted with leaf surface molecules. Compared with that at ambient temperature, HW treatment increased the dissolution of ZnO NPs on the leaf surface by 25.9% and facilitated their translocation to mesophyll cells. The Zn in the leaves existed as both ionic Zn and particulate ZnO. Compared with the HW control, foliar application of ZnO NPs under HW conditions increased leaf nutrient levels (Zn, Mn, Cu, Fe, and Mg) by 15.8 to 416.9%, the chlorophyll content by 22.2 to 24.8%, Rubisco enzyme activity by 21.2%, and antioxidant activity by 26.7 to 31.2%. Transcriptomic analyses revealed that ZnO NPs reversed HW-induced transcriptomic dysregulation, thereby enhancing leaf photosynthesis by 74.4%. Additionally, ZnO NPs increased the diversity, stability, and enrichment of beneficial microbial taxa and protected the phyllosphere microbial community from HW damage. This work elucidates how NPs interact with the phyllosphere, highlighting the potential of NPs to promote sustainable agriculture, especially under extreme climate events (e.g., HWs)., Competing Interests: Competing interests statement:The authors declare no competing interest.

Introduction: Tumor drug resistance and systemic toxicity are major challenges of modern anticancer therapy. Nanotechnology makes it possible to create new materials with the required properties for anticancer therapy., Methods: In this research, Dextran-graft-Polyacrylamide/ZnO nanoparticles were used. The study was carried out using prostate (DU-145, LNCaP, PC-3), breast (MDA-MB-231, MCF-7, MCF-7 Dox) cancer cells and non-malignant (MAEC, BALB/3T3 clone A31) cells. Zinc was visualized with fluorescence in vitro and in vivo. ROS and apoptotic markers were identified by cytometry. Zinc accumulation and histopathological changes in the tumor, liver, kidney, and spleen were evaluated in a rat model., Results: ZnO nanoparticles dissociation and release of Zn 2+ into the cytosol occurs in 2-3 hours for cancerous and non-cancerous cells. ROS upregulation was detected in all cells. For non-malignant cells, the difference between the initial ROS level was insignificant. The rate of carbohydrate metabolism in cancer cells was reduced by nanosystems. Zinc level in the tumor was upregulated by 25% and 39% after treatment with nanosystems and doxorubicin combined, respectively. The tumor Walker-256 carcinosarcoma volume was reduced twice following mono-treatment with the nanocomplex and 65-fold lower when the nanocomplex was combined with doxorubicin compared with controls. In the liver, kidney and spleen, the zinc level increased by 10-15% but no significant pathological alterations in the tissues were detected., Conclusion: D-PAA/ZnO NPs nanosystems were internalized by prostate, breast cancer cells and non-malignant cells via endocytosis after short time, but cytotoxicity against non-cancer cells were significantly lower in vitro and in vivo. D-PAA/ZnO NPs nanocomplex efficiently promoted cell death of tumor cells without showing cytotoxicity against non-malignant cells making it a promising anti-cancer agent., Competing Interests: The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work., (© 2024 Virych et al.)

Background: Lanthanide-based nanomaterials offer a promising alternative for cancer therapy because of their selectivity and effectiveness, which can be modified and predicted by leveraging the improved accuracy and enhanced decision-making of machine learning (ML) modeling., Methods: In this study, erbium (Er 3+ ) and ytterbium (Yb 3+ ) were used to dope zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles (NPs). Various characterization techniques and biological assays were employed to investigate the physicochemical and optical properties of the (Er, Yb)-doped ZnO NPs, revealing the influence of the lanthanide elements., Results: The (Er, Yb)-doped ZnO NPs exhibited laminar-type morphologies, negative surface charges, and optical bandgaps that vary with the presence of Er 3+ and Yb 3+ . The incorporation of lanthanide ions reduced the cytotoxicity activity of ZnO against HEPG-2, CACO-2, and U87 cell lines. Conversely, doping with Er 3+ and Yb 3+ enhanced the antioxidant activity of the ZnO against DPPH, ABTS, and H 2 O 2 radicals. The extra tree (ET) and random forest (RF) models predicted the relevance of the characterization results vis-à-vis the cytotoxic properties of the synthesized NPs., Conclusion: This study demonstrates, for the first time, the synthesis of ZnO NPs doped with Er and Yb via a solution polymerization route. According to characterization results, it was unveiled that the effect of optical bandgap variations influenced the cytotoxic performance of the developed lanthanide-doped ZnO NPs, being the undoped ZnO NPs the most cytotoxic ones. The presence alone or in combination of Er and Yb enhanced their scavenging capacity. ML models such as ET and RF efficiently demonstrated that the concentration and cell line type are key parameters that influence the cytotoxicity of (Er, Yb)-doped ZnO NPs achieving high accuracy rates of 98.96% and 98.67%, respectively. This study expands the knowledge of lanthanides as dopants of nanomaterials for biological and medical applications and supports their potential in cancer therapy by integrating robust ML approaches., Competing Interests: Declarations Ethics approval and consent to participate Not applicable. Consent for publication Not applicable. Competing interests The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Methods such as gas stripping and vacuum-assisted gas stripping (VAGS) result in significant removal of water from the bioreactor, thus requiring continuous water replenishment in the bioreactor. In this study, we developed a hydrophobic stainless steel meshes capable of selectively recovering concentrated ABE stream from the bioreactor during VAGS. Three stainless steel meshes with pore sizes of 180 µm, 300 µm, and 425 µm were made hydrophobic and oleophilic with zinc oxide (ZnO) and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). Butanol concentrations in the model solutions range from 3 to 10 g/L which mimic concentrations typically produced during batch ABE fermentation. The meshes were integrated in a 5-L bioreactor containing 2.5 L of operational ABE model solution followed by the evaluation of selective extraction of ABE from both cell-free and Clostridium beijerinckii-rich ABE model solutions. The results show that the 180-µm ZnO/PDMS-coated mesh retained 54-64% more water in the bioreactor without C. beijerinckii cells and 61-65% more water with cells compared to the uncoated mesh. Furthermore, the butanol concentration of condensates recovered with 180-µm ZnO-PDMS-coated mesh was up to 10.8-fold greater than that of uncoated counterpart. Our data demonstrate that the developed ZnO-PDMS mesh can recover high concentrations of ABE while selectively retaining water in the bioreactor. Additionally, this technology demonstrates the potential for real-time ABE recovery during the fermentation of lignocellulosic and colloidal materials, without the concern of clogging the separation system. KEY POINTS: • Hydrophobic mesh enhanced water retention in the bioreactor by up to 1.65-fold. • Butanol concentration in the collected condensate was increased by up to 10.8-fold. • Hydrophobic mesh is compatible with fermentation of lignocellulose., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

A tremendous amount of recent work has been done on different metal oxide nanomaterials for biological activities and photocatalytic dye degradation. This work used the Cissus quadrangularis leaf extract to prepare TiO 2 , CdO, Mn 2 O 3 , and ZnO nanoparticles using a green synthesis approach. To ascertain the physicochemical characteristics of the generated metal oxide nanoparticles, various characterisation techniques were used. The X-ray diffraction technique was used to determine the composition of the crystal and phase. Metal oxide nanoparticles have been proven to be present through surface morphological investigations using a scanning electron microscope and energy dispersive spectroscopy analysis. UV-Vis and Fourier transform infrared spectra were used for spectroscopic analysis. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy can determine a material's elemental composition in addition to the electronic and chemical states of its atoms. The nanomaterial's distinct morphology, which resembles rods, rose petals, platelets, and spheres, was discovered by scanning electron microscope. Synthesized metal oxide nanoparticles have demonstrated a remarkable efficiency of 87.5-90.6% when utilized as a catalyst towards the removal of the malachite green dye under UV light irradiation. Additionally, we use the disc diffusion method to assess antibiotic efficacy against Bacillus subtilis, Candida tropicalis, and Escherichia coli. ZnO nanoparticles had the greatest zones of inhibition for 80 μL doses, measuring 26.99 mm for Bacillus subtilis, 27.57 mm for Escherichia coli, and 25.28 mm for Candida tropicalis. The antimicrobial activity was strongly impacted by the size of the nanoparticles and increased with decreasing particle size. Overall, our research demonstrates that metal oxide nanoparticles are a promising photocatalytic agent for wastewater treatment and biological applications., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

Background: Phytochemical-based synthesis of nanoparticles (NPs) is an eco-friendly approach with various biomedical applications. Betanin, a natural pigment in beetroot, has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties. When conjugated with zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs), these properties are enhanced. This study aimed to synthesize betanin-ZnO nanoparticles (BE-ZnO-NPs) and evaluate their biological potential., Methods: BE-ZnO-NPs were synthesized and characterized using UV-Visible spectroscopy, FTIR, FE-SEM, HR-TEM, EDX, XRD, DLS, and zeta potential analysis. In silico studies assessed interactions with oral pathogen proteins, and antibacterial activity was tested against Enterococcus faecalis, Candida albicans, Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus mutans. Antioxidant potential and cytotoxicity on KB cells were evaluated through scavenging assays, MTT assay, and qRT-PCR., Results: Betanin synthesized ZnO NPs UV-Vis results showed surface plasmon resonance at 388 nm, and FTIR confirmed betanin role as a capping agent. FE-SEM and TEM revealed particles of 37 nm. EDX confirmed zinc content, and XRD showed a hexagonal structure. Zeta potential was - 3.3 mV, and DLS indicated a size of 38.73 nm. In silico analysis showed strong binding to E. faecalis (- 8.0 Kcal/mol). BE-ZnO-NPs demonstrated antibacterial activity at 100 µg/mL, with inhibition zones of 18 ± 0.14 mm for E. faecalis and 14 ± 0.18 mm for S. mutans. In contrast, BE demonstrated antibacterial activity at 100 µg/mL, with zone of inhibition of 10.6 ± 0.14 mm for E. faecalisand 11.4 ± 0.18 mm for S. mutans.Antioxidant assays revealed dose-dependent scavenging activity. Cytotoxicity showed an IC 50 of 24.29 µg/mL, with qRT-PCR indicating apoptosis through the BCL2/BAX/P53 pathway., Conclusions: BE-ZnO-NPs exhibited significant antibacterial and antioxidant activities and demonstrated the ability to induce apoptosis in oral cancer cells via the BCL-2/BAX/P53 signalling pathway. These findings highlight the potential of BE-ZnO-NPs as promising antimicrobial agents for tooth infections and as therapeutic agents for oral tumour treatment., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

The construction of controlled-release formulations improves the sustained-release performance and utilization efficiency of pesticides, which are important aspects in plant protection and environmental chemistry. The current study employs kasugamycin (Kas), which is widely used to control Magnaporthe oryzae , conjugated with carboxyl-functionalized ZnO quantum dots via amide linkages to yield a pH-responsive pesticide delivery system (Kas@ZnO). Physicochemical characterizations indicated the successful preparation of the Kas@ZnO nanoparticles. In vitro drug release assessments indicated that Kas@ZnO exhibited a loading capacity of 21.05% and could effect the controlled release of Kas in an acidic environment, which is beneficial given the unique acidic microenvironment of M. oryzae . Bioactivity assays demonstrated that Kas@ZnO could simultaneously inhibit mycelial growth and spore germination. Additionally, bioactivity tests showed that the control efficacy of Kas@ZnO against rice blast reached 67.43% after 14 days of in vivo spray inoculation, which was higher than that obtained with Kas (55.50%), suggesting improved beneficial effects of Kas@ZnO application over a prolonged duration. Moreover, Kas@ZnO enhanced the activity of defense-related enzymes in rice and upregulated the expression of defense-related genes, such as OsPR2 , OsPR3 , OsPR5 , OsWRKY45 , OsLYP6 , and OsNAC4 . Ultimately, the biosafety assessments revealed that Kas@ZnO did not exert any harmful effects on rice and demonstrated slight toxicity toward zebrafish. These findings indicate that Kas@ZnO can function as a pH-sensitive pesticide delivery system, allowing for targeted release of the pesticide within plant tissues. This technology demonstrates significant potential for eco-friendly plant disease management.

Chronic refractory wounds have become a serious threat to human health and are characterized by prolonged inflammation, recurrent bacterial infections, and elevated ROS levels. However, current therapeutic strategies usually target a unilateral healing function and are unable to tackle the complexity and sensitivity of chronic refractory wound healing. This study fabricated a biomimetic nanozyme based on rhein (Cu-rhein NSs), which effectively mimics the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) for scavenging various free radicals. Additionally, zinc oxide microspheres (ZnO MSs) were prepared to enhance the antibacterial activity and mechanical properties of the modified hydrogel. Cu-rhein NSs and ZnO MSs were comodified onto an extracellular matrix-mimetic dual-network smart hydrogel constructed from oxidized sodium alginate, gelatin, and borax via dynamic borate and Schiff base bonds. The smart hydrogel presented the good biocompatibility and targeted the unique acidic microenvironment with high oxidative stress of chronic refractory wounds, intelligently releasing bionic nanozymes to effectively eliminate bacteria, reduce inflammatory responses, and scavenge multiple free radicals for reducing ROS. In vivo experiments on the rat model based on diabetic infection showed that the smart hydrogel could effectively eliminate bacteria, promote vascular regeneration and collagen deposition, reduce inflammatory response, and accelerate the healing of diabetic-infected wounds (almost complete healing within 14 days). The advantages of an intelligent, biomimetic tissue regeneration cascade management strategy against diabetic infected wound healing are highlighted.

In this research, we fabricated a functional conductive nanocomposite with valuable properties through a chitin (CH) and cellulose (CE) polymerization process, incorporating ZnO/(0.1, 0.2, 0.3 mol.%) CuO bioactive nanoparticles. These bioactive nanoparticles, synthesized through sol-gel and polymerization interactions, greatly enhanced the structural, dielectric, and antimicrobial characteristics of CH-CE@ZnO/CuO conductive nanocomposites. The morphological analysis revealed that these nanoparticles, with diameters ranging from 11-25 nm, formed covalent bonds with the membrane matrix, bolstering the conductive nanocomposites ' structural integrity and dielectric performance. The dielectric properties of the conductive nanocomposites were significantly enhanced by the even distribution of ZnO/CuO nanoparticles within the CH-CE composite. Additionally, antimicrobial assessments demonstrated that the CH-CE@ZnO/CuO conductive nanocomposites displayed significant antibacterial properties against the Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, showcasing their potential as active packaging materials for electronic, biosensors, and sustainable applications., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The alarming global rise in antibiotic resistance, driven by the widespread overuse of traditional antibiotics, has created an urgent demand for new antimicrobial solutions. This study presents zinc oxide (ZnO) nanorods as a potential nano-antibiotic agent. ZnO nanorods, with a 2:3 aspect ratio, were synthesized using an efficient one-step hydrothermal method at a low temperature of 100°C, reducing the synthesis time to just 5 hours. The synthesized ZnO nanorods' morphology, structure, and composition were characterized using scanning electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction, and energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy. The potent antimicrobial activity of these nanorods against common bacterial strains such as Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis, and Vibrio parahaemolyticus was examined through optical density at 600 nm (OD600) measurements and inhibition zone analysis, demonstrating substantial inhibition of bacterial growth. In particular, at a concentration of 5 mg/mL, ZnO nanorods achieved a 96% reduction of B. subtilis bacteria in OD600 and an impressive 99.87% reduction in culturing assays within one day, showcasing bactericidal efficiency on par with tetracycline at 0.003 mg/mL. Furthermore, a predictive model of bacterial growth was developed and validated, providing insights into the time-dependent bactericidal efficiency of the synthesized nanorods. These results highlight the potential of ZnO-based composites as a promising solution to combat antibiotic resistance, paving the way for next-generation antimicrobial materials., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 Hoang et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Chitosan (Ch), a natural polysaccharide, is known for its biocompatibility, biodegradability, and various beneficial properties, including antioxidant and antibacterial activities. The objective of this study is to investigate the functionalization of zinc oxide (ZnO) with chitosan to develop a novel ZnO@Ch adduct for use in cosmetic formulations, specifically as a sun protection agent. The functionalization was achieved through ionotropic gelation, which enhanced the stability and reduced the photocatalytic activity of ZnO, thereby improving its safety profile for skin applications. FTIR spectroscopy confirmed the successful functionalization, while TGA and DSC characterized the thermal properties and stability. The Zeta potential and particle size analyses demonstrated improved stability of ZnO@Ch across various pH levels compared to uncoated ZnO. The structure of the obtained adduct was also confirmed by SEM analysis. The ZnO@Ch adduct exhibited enhanced stability at neutral and slightly alkaline pH values, reduced photocatalytic activity compared to pure ZnO, and had lower cytotoxicity in 3T3 cells compared to pure ZnO, particularly at higher concentrations. The ZnO@Ch adduct provided a higher Sun Protection Factor (SPF) and UVA Protection Factor (UVA-PF) than pure ZnO, indicating enhanced UV protection. The adduct's ability to provide higher SPF at lower ZnO concentrations offers economic and environmental benefits, aligning with sustainable product design principles. Future studies will focus on optimizing the formulation and testing the efficacy and safety at higher concentrations to fully realize its potential as a natural, eco-friendly sunscreen ingredient.

Synthesis of metal oxide nanoparticles-polymer nanocomposites is an emerging strategy in nanotechnology to improve targeted delivery and reduce the toxicity of nanoparticles. In this study, we report biological effects of previously described hybrid nanocomposites containing dextran-graft-polyacrylamide/zinc oxide nanoparticles (D-PAA/ZnO NPs) prepared from zinc sulfate (D-PAA/ZnONPs(SO 4 2- )) and zinc acetate (D-PAA/ZnONPs(-OAc)) focusing primarily on their antimicrobial activity. D-PAA/ZnONPs(SO 4 2- ) and D-PAA/ZnONPs(-OAc) nanosystems were tested in a complex way to assess their antioxidant activity (DPPH assay), antidiabetic potential (α-amylase inhibition), DNA cleavage activity, antimicrobial, and antibiofilm activity. In addition, the toxicity of D-PAA/ZnONPs(SO 4 2- ) and D-PAA/ZnONPs(-OAc) nanosystems against primary murine splenocytes was tested using MTT assay. The studied nanosystems inhibited E.coli growth. For all the investigated strains, minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of D-PAA/ZnONPs(SO 4 2- ) and D-PAA/ZnONPs(-OAc) were in the range of 8 mg/L-128 mg/L and 16 mg/L-128 mg/L, respectively. The nanocomposites demonstrated effective antibiofilm properties as 94.27% and 86.43%. The compounds showed good antioxidant, anti-α-amylase, and DNA cleavage activities. D-PAA/ZnONPs(SO 4 2- ) and D-PAA/ZnONPs(-OAc) nanosystems reduced cell viability and promoted cell death of primary murine spleen cells at concentrations higher than those that proved to be antibacterial indicating the presence of therapeutic window. D-PAA/ZnONPs(SO 4 2- ) and D-PAA/ZnONPs(-OAc) nanosystems show antioxidant, antidiabetic, DNA cleavage, antimicrobial, and antibiofilm activity against the background of good biocompatibility suggesting the presence of therapeutic potential, which should be further investigated in vivo., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

In this era, where food safety and sustainability are paramount concerns, the utilization of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles (NPs) is a promising solution to enhance the safety, quality, and sustainability of food products. ZnO NPs in the food industry have evolved significantly over time, reflecting advancements in synthesizing methods, antimicrobial activities, and risk assessment considerations for human health and the environment. This comprehensive review delves into the historical trajectory, current applications, and prospects of ZnO NPs in food-related contexts. Synthesizing methods, ranging from solvothermal and solgel techniques to laser ablation and microfluidic reactors, have facilitated the production of ZnO NPs with tailored properties suited for diverse food applications. The remarkable antimicrobial activity of ZnO NPs against a wide spectrum of pathogens has garnered attention for their potential to enhance food safety and extend shelf-life. Furthermore, comprehensive risk assessment methodologies have been employed to evaluate the potential impacts of ZnO NPs on human health and the environment, regarding toxicity, migration, and ecological implications. By navigating the intricate interplay between synthesis methods, antimicrobial efficacy, inhibitory mechanisms, and risk assessment protocols, by elucidating the multifaceted role of ZnO NPs in shaping the past, present, and future of the food industry, this review offers valuable insights and promising avenues for researchers, policymakers, and industry stakeholders to enhance food safety, quality, and sustainability., (© 2024 The Author(s). Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Institute of Food Technologists.)

Objective: This study looked at how different concentrations of curcumin (Curc), zinc chloride (ZnCl 2 ), zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) and Curc loaded on ZnO-NPs (Curc-co-ZnO-NPs) in cryopreservation dilution affected the quality of ram sperm after thawing., Methods: ZnO-NPs were synthesised using Berberis vulgaris leaf aqueous extract. Then, Curc was loaded on the ZnO-NPs that had been synthesised. We used analytical methods to look at the composition, morphology and size of green synthesised ZnO-NPs and Curc-co-ZnO-NPs, including UV-Vis, zeta potential, EDX, DLS, FE-SEM and FT-IR. Using a Tris-base extender containing various concentrations of Curc, ZnCl 2 , ZnO-NPs and Curc-co-ZnO-NPs (0, 1, 10 and 100 µg/mL), semen samples from four rams were combined. Sperm motility, viability, DNA and plasma membrane integrity, total abnormalities and malondialdehyde (MDA) generation were all evaluated in treatment groups after thawing., Results: The results showed that adding 1 µg/mL of ZnO-NPs and Curc-co-ZnO-NPs significantly reduced the level of MDA and total abnormalities (p < 0.05). Additionally, following the freeze-thawing procedure, the presence of 1 µg/mL of Curc-co-ZnO-NPs in the diluent of ram sperm significantly increased the percentage of sperm viability and motility in comparison to the control and other treatment groups (p < 0.05). Furthermore, as compared to the control group and other treatments, treatments containing 1 µg/mL of Curc-co-ZnO-NPs significantly improved membrane and DNA integrity (p < 0.05)., Conclusions: It appears that following freeze-thawing, the Curc-co-ZnO-NPs (1 µg/mL) enhanced sperm parameters., (© 2024 The Author(s). Veterinary Medicine and Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Biobased materials are an important step towards a sustainable future. The need for these materials, which stand out in terms of their environmental and economic benefits, is increasing daily. This study includes the production of new bio based nanocomposites containing a blend of biopolymer chitosan (CS) and synthetic polymethacrylate derivative poly(2-oxo-2-(3,4,5-trifluoroanilino)ethyl-2-methylprop-2-enoate)(POTFAMA) and biosynthesized zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) by hydrothermal method. POTFAMA, POTFAMA-CS blend, and POTFAMA-CS/ZnO nanocomposites were characterized by FTIR, XRD, SEM, EDX, and TEM techniques. The thermal properties of the materials were determined by TGA and DSC. While POTFAMA reduced the thermal stability of CS, ZnO NPs incorporated into POTFAMA-CS blend increased the thermal stability. POTFAMA-CS blend had a single glass transition temperature (Tg) value at 116 °C. The Tg of CS, which was 93 °C, increased by 23 °C after blending with POTFAMA, and by 34 °C with the incorporation of 7 % ZnO NPs. The biological properties of the prepared materials have been meticulously investigated. The inhibition zone of CS against C. albicans was 10.66 ± 1.19 mm, while that of the POTFAMA-CS blend was 13.70 ± 1.54 mm. After standard BHT at a concentration of 120 μg/mL, the highest DPPH inhibition percentages belonged to POTFAMA (60.56 %) and POTFAMA-CS (52.99 %). It was detected that the wound closure rates of POTFAMA (17.51 ± 0.75 %) and POTFAMA-CS (15.51 ± 2.52 %) were better than the characteristics of CS wound closure (13.61 ± 2.01 %). The results suggest that POTFAMA-CS may be a good alternative as a wound-healing agent. Furthermore, nanocomposites containing 5 % and 7 % ZnO NPs can be an alternative material in healthcare due to their higher antimicrobial activity., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Oral diseases are often associated with bacterial and fungal pathogens such as Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus mutans, Enterococcus faecalis, and Candida albicans. This research explored a novel approach to addressing these pathogens by synthesizing zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) coated with rutin (RT), a plant-derived compound. The synthesized ZnO-RT NPs were comprehensively characterized using UV-Vis spectrophotometer, SEM, and EDAX techniques to confirm their structural composition. The antioxidant potential was assessed through free radical scavenging assays. Additionally, the antimicrobial activity of ZnO-RT NPs was evaluated using a zone of inhibition assay against oral pathogens. Molecular docking studies with the Autodock tool were performed to elucidate the interactions between RT and the receptors of oral pathogens. The findings demonstrated that ZnO-RT NPs exhibited robust free radical scavenging activity. Furthermore, they showed significant antimicrobial activity with a minimal inhibitory concentration of 40 μg/mL against oral pathogens. ZnO-RT NPs also displayed dose-dependent anticancer effects on human oral cancer cells at concentrations of 10, 20, 40, and 80 μg/mL. Mechanistic insights into the anticancer activity on KB cells revealed the upregulation of apoptotic genes. This study underscores the promising potential of ZnO-RT NPs for dental applications due to their strong antioxidant, anticancer, and antimicrobial properties. These nanoparticles offer a hopeful prospect for addressing oral pathogen challenges and enhancing overall oral health., (© 2024 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

The widespread use of antibiotics has increased their presence in wastewater, largely due to inadequate removal by conventional treatment methods. This highlights a critical need for effective degradation strategies to mitigate environmental and public health risks. This study reports the photocatalytic degradation of amoxicillin (AMX) using calcium zinc hydroxide dihydrate [CaZn 2 (OH) 6 ·2H 2 O] (CZ) and zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles (NPs) synthesized by different routes. X-ray diffraction results confirmed the formation of CZ NPs with an 81-95% crystalline phase, while ZnO NPs present a single crystalline phase. The photolysis of AMX under UV-A light (365 nm) was strongly pH-dependent, with degradation rates of 34.7, 5.7, and 4.2% observed at pH 3, 5, and 13, respectively. Maximum adsorption occurred at pH 3, with ZnO achieving 63-83.2% AMX removal and 23.5-47.1% in the case of CZ. The highest overall AMX removal was observed at pH 3, where adsorption dominated the photocatalytic process for both CZ and ZnO. At pH 5 and 13, degradation was primarily driven by photocatalysis in CZ materials, particularly CZ-HT and CZ-SG, while adsorption remained predominant in ZnO. Proton nuclear magnetic resonance analysis indicates benzene ring cleavage in AMX photodegraded by CZ materials. Furthermore, the residues of photodegraded AMX by CZ materials lost antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Additionally, the reuse of NPs over four cycles maintained consistent degradation performance, highlighting their potential for repeated applications. The comparative analysis of CZ and ZnO NPs superior photocatalytic efficiency of CZ in degrading AMX. This efficiency, along with its potential for repeated use, establish CZ as a promising material for environmental applications aimed at reducing antibiotic contamination and the associated risks of resistance development., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

This study reported one-pot hydrothermal synthesis of 3D garland BiOI, spherical ZnO, and carbon nanofibers (CNFs) onto Ni foam substrate with improved supercapacitor performance and enhanced electrochemical properties. The synthesized nanocomposites exhibited high specific capacitance (SC) of 1073 g -1  at a current density of 1 A/g and excellent cycling stability with 88.6% retention of original capacity after 5000 cycles in 2M KOH aqueous solution. The findings highlight the potential of 3D materials for use as electrode materials in advanced supercapacitor applications due to their high energy storage capabilities., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

In order to solve the problem of significantly shortened storage time of bananas in hot and humid environment (e.g., 30 °C and 90 % relative humidity), this paper reports the preparation of ZnO-TiO 2 -Bi 2 WO 6 (ZTB) ternary heterojunction antimicrobial photocatalysts composite carboxymethyl chitosan film (ZTB/CMCS). ZTB were prepared by hydrothermal method and composited with CMCS by surface deposition method to construct ZTB/CMCS edible nano-preservation film. It is noteworthy that the ZTB/CMCS composite film exhibited excellent antibacterial efficiency (>99.99 %) against E. coli and S. aureus suspensions (10 6  CFU/mL) after 24 h of incubation at 37 °C. Time-resolved photoluminescence (TRPL) spectroscopy showed that the incorporation of Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) into the ZTB structure led to a decrease in fluorescence lifetime. Moreover, the interfacial interaction between ZnO and TiO 2 /Bi 2 WO 6 inhibited the recombination of photogenerated electron-hole pairs, promoting carrier separation and improving photocatalytic activity. The combination of high antibacterial activity, photocatalytic degradation of ethylene and inhibition of gas exchange provided multiple protections for fruit preservation. Therefore, this work provides a novel, effective and safe method for prolonging the preservation of bananas in hot and humid environments., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Jianwei Guo reports was provided by Guangdong University of Technology. Janwei Guo reports a relationship with Guangdong University of Technology that includes: employment. If there are other authors, they declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Today, many infections in plants are related to biofilm-developing bacteria. These infections can result in severe agricultural losses. Thus, this study aims to investigate the synergistic antibiofilm activity of Thymus vulgaris extract on the inherent antibacterial properties of ZnO nanoparticles against Erwinia amylovora and Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae. Additionally, to gain insight into the molecular mechanisms of phytocompounds' antibacterial activity, the molecular interactions of T. vulgaris phytochemicals with the TolC protein and TonB-dependent siderophore receptor were investigated through in-silico studies. Green-synthesized ZnO NPs (ZnO@GS) and chemically synthesized ZnO (ZnO@CHS) were evaluated using XRD and SEM techniques, showing a crystalline structure for both powders with average sizes of 50, and 40 nm, respectively. According to FT-IR and EDS spectroscopy, ZnO@GS was covered with thyme extract. Based on the in vitro results, all samples of ZnO NPs exhibited considerable antibacterial activity against both bacteria. At the same time, thyme aqueous extract alone proved considerably less effective at all tested concentrations. Compared to ZnO@CHS and thyme extract, the antibacterial efficacy of ZnO@GS against E. amylovora (MIC = 512 μg/mL) and P. syringae pv. syringae (MIC = 256 μg/mL) was significantly improved upon surface covering with thyme phytocompounds. Moreover, their antibiofilm properties were enhanced by almost 20 % compared to ZnO@CHS. In addition, molecular docking investigations showed that most of the phytocompounds could form stable interactions with the TonB-dependent siderophore receptor (P. syringae) plug domain and the TolC (E. amylovora) external channel. In vitro and in silico studies demonstrate that using the green approach for synthesizing ZnO NPs via thyme extract can notably boost its antibacterial and antibiofilm effects on the tested phytopathogenic bacteria., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Nanotechnology has various applications in all branches of science, including engineering, medicine, pharmacy, and other related fields. Conventional techniques, such as the chemical reduction approach, which produces nanoparticles (NPs) using various hazardous chemicals, offer several health risks due to their toxicity and raise serious environmental concerns. In contrast, other techniques are expensive and need a lot of energy. More than 70 % of pathogenic bacterial strains have developed resistance to at least one class of antibiotics, leading to an increase in life-threatening bacterial infections that pose a significant health risk. However, the creation of NPs by biogenic synthesis is risk-free for the environment and clean enough for biological use. This study was aimed at synthesis of novel Moringa oleifera mediated starch capped silver-zinc NPs and green synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles from Aloe vera, papaya, and Lactobacillus plantarum. Antimicrobial activity of both NPs was tested against Gram-negative antibiotic-resistant bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Gram-positive bacteria Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 6538), and two foodborne pathogens Listeria monocytogenes and Campylobacter jejuni. Ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy, and Scanning Electron Microscopy were used for characterization. Majority of the research studies stress the flexibility, repeatability, and desirable features of the metals, polymers, and plant components employed in the production of biomedical nanoparticles. Such an intuitive approach provides several advantages, particularly a reasonable total expense, compliance with healthcare and pharmaceutical implementations, and the ability to produce massive volumes for industrial use. The novelty of the presented work lies in the unusual combination of silver, starch, and zinc oxide nanoparticles using Moringa oleifera, which is an eco-friendly alternative to chemical-based methods. This research exhibits the formation of well-defined nanoparticles with strong antibacterial activity against a wide range of pathogens, giving us insights into their potential applications in various biomedical fields., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Biopolymers infused with bimetallic nanoparticles exhibit a wide range of functionalities necessary for efficiently eliminating diverse water contaminants. However, the protracted production process requires further exploration. As such, present study seeks to optimize microwave-assisted technique for the facile synthesis of cross-linked chitosan (CTS) supported bimetallic-oxide nanoparticles, specifically zinc oxide (ZnO) and iron-oxide (Fe 3 O 4 ), denoted as CTS-TTP/Zn-Fe. The primary objective is to investigate the efficacy of these beads in the removal of Paracetamol (PCM) from single and complex water matrices while also assessing their antibacterial properties. Characterization includes chemical composition, surface structures, thermal stability, and magnetic properties. The experimental results demonstrated that CTS-TPP/Zn-Fe beads achieved a remarkable PCM removal efficiency of ~99 % (q m  = 4.98 mg g -1 ), with a Zn:Fe mole ratio of 1:1. The experimental data showed good applicability with Freundlich isotherm and chemisorption-supported rate models (R 2  > 0.9). To evaluate the long-term viability and practicality of these beads, three crucial field applicability tests were conducted. These encompassed competition studies with other pharmaceuticals, desorption investigations for repeated use, and efficiency evaluations in an ionic solution. Collectively, this research provides a comprehensive understanding, spanning from material design to practical applications, with potential relevance for large-scale wastewater treatment when coupled with appropriate flux control measures., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

PEGylation is regarded as a common antifouling strategy and the effect is normally linked with surface hydrophilicity of the coatings. Herein, the biopolymer chitosan (CS) was grafted by polyethylene glycol (PEG) of different chain lengths (molecular weight 200, 4 k and 100 k Da) to verify if the hydrophilicity of CS-PEG coatings is crucial in determining antifouling activities and if PEG chain length influences biofouling in marine environment. Properties of copolymers such as melting points and crystallinity are affected by grafting PEG. The water contact angle (WCA) of CS-PEG coatings increases with the chain length of grafted PEG, from 27° to 58°. Photocatalyst of zinc oxide-silver (ZnO/Ag) was also studied and its embedment (2 % to CS-PEG) renders the surface of CS-PEG coatings more hydrophobic with WCA increased from 52° to 86°. Antibacterial, anti-diatom, and anti-biofilm activities of the coatings were evaluated in natural sea water. The bacterial density on CS-PEG coatings was dramatically reduced to 4 × 10 4 compared to the control of 7 × 10 4 ind/mm 2 , and further to 2 × 10 4 for CS-PEG-ZnO/Ag coatings. CS-PEG coatings also strongly inhibit diatoms (120-200 ind/mm 2 ), but the inclusion of ZnO/Ag did not obviously enhance such effect (50-150 ind/mm 2 ). The findings provide useful insights for designing polymer-based antifouling coatings., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Polypropylene microplastics (PPMPs) are one of the major emerging contaminants in the ecosystem due to their frequent usage and improper disposal practices. These PPMPs enter ecosystems via wastewater effluent plants and cause severe environmental health issues. In addition, quantifying PPMPs smaller than 50 μm in wastewater plant extraction is very difficult. Thus, the current study was designed to mitigate the PPMPs using zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) as a photocatalyst under sunlight. The photocatalytic reaction was examined using spectroscopic techniques and microscopic imaging. The findings indicated that the weight loss percentage of PPMPs increased, and a decrease in UV-Vis DRS peak intensities was observed. The spectroscopic results elucidated the formation of free radicals, which affect the PPMPs and lead to the formation of carbonyl, allylic, and unsaturated groups. Further, EDS reports clarified that there is increased oxygen content due to the photooxidation process and the disintegration of the polymer chain owing to decreased carbon levels. Overall, ZnO photocatalyst absorbs photons from the visible spectrum of sunlight and forms free radicals, which affect the PPMPs to initiate polymer deterioration. Also, the current study revealed the mechanistic pathway of PPMP degradation under the photocatalytic reaction as proposed in the results obtained above., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest We confirm that there are no known conflicts of interest associated with this work, and there has been no significant financial support for this work that could have influenced its outcome., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Implant-associated bacterial infections are a primary cause of complications in orthopedic implants, and localized drug delivery represents an effective mitigation strategy. Drawing inspiration from the morphology of desiccated soil, our group has developed an advanced drug-delivery system augmented onto titanium (Ti) plates. This system integrates zinc oxide (ZnO) nanorod arrays with a vancomycin drug layer along with a protective Poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) coating. The binding between the ZnO nanorods and the drug results in attached drug blocks, isolated by desiccation-like cracks, which are then encapsulated by PLGA to enable sustained drug release. Additionally, the release of zinc ions and the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) from the ZnO nanorods enhance the antibacterial efficacy. The antibacterial properties of ZnO nanorod-drug-PLGA system have been validated through both in vitro and in vivo studies. Comprehensive investigations were conducted on the impact of bacterial infections on bone defect regeneration and the role of this drug-delivery system in the healing process. Furthermore, the local immune response was analyzed and the immunomodulatory function of the system was demonstrated. Overall, the findings underscore the superior performance of the ZnO nanorod-drug-PLGA system as an efficient and safe approach to combat implant-associated bacterial infections. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Implant-associated bacterial infections pose a significant clinical challenge, particularly in orthopedic procedures. To address this, we developed an innovative ZnO nanorod-drug-PLGA system for local antibiotic delivery on conventional titanium implants. This system is biodegradable and features a unique desiccation-like structure that enables sustained drug release, along with the active substances released from the ZnO nanorods. In a rat calvarial defect model challenged with S. aureus, our system demonstrated remarkable antibacterial efficacy, significantly enhanced bone defect regeneration, and exhibited local immunomodulatory effects that support both infection control and osteogenesis. These breakthrough findings highlight the substantial clinical potential of this novel drug delivery system and introduce a transformative coating strategy to enhance the functionality of traditional metallic biomaterials., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: D. Zhu is a scientific advisor of Summit Life Science Research Institute., (Copyright © 2024 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Zinc oxide (ZnO) and nickel oxide (NiO) nanoparticles (NPs) are widely used in various industries due to their distinctive physico-chemical and biological properties. However, concerns have been raised about their potential toxicity in humans. While many studies have reviewed their effects on visceral organs upon ingestion, inhalation, or skin contact, limited reviews are available regarding their adverse consequences on the liver and kidneys resulting from intraperitoneal administration in rats. Hence, this systematic review is the first to uniquely address this issue. A systematic search was performed on PubMed and Google scholar to identify articles that explored the toxic effects of ZnO-NPs and NiO-NPs in rats following intraperitoneal injection. The quality of the articles was assessed using SYCLE's risk of bias tool, leading to the selection of 16 articles; 14 for ZnO-NPs, 1 for NiO-NPs and 1 for both NPs. This review revealed that ZnO-NPs induces an acute toxicity in liver and kidney that is dose dependent. The impairments were marked by changes in organs functional markers, lipid and glucose levels and antioxidant deficiencies and lipid peroxidation. NiO-NPs also showed considerable toxicity, despite the limited studies. Further, variability of physico-chemical properties among studies complicated the toxicity assessment. To conclude, this study provides a novel contribution by summarizing the literature findings that suggest potential adverse intraperitoneal hepatorenal toxic outcomes associated with ZnO-NPs and NiO-NPs. Future research should focus on long-term effects and standardizing protocols to ensure the safe use of ZnO-NPs and NiO-NPs in industrial and clinical practices.

During the Covid-19 pandemic and its aftermath, there has been a sudden surge in the production and consumption of macrolide antibiotics. This surge has had a significant impact on water quality, leading to concentrations exceeding acceptable limits. To address this concerning issue, a magnetic graphene oxide-zinc oxide nanocomposite (MZG) was synthesized using a straightforward wet chemical synthesis method. The synthesized catalyst was then subjected to comprehensive characterization using sophisticated techniques including HRTEM, XRD, FTIR, Raman spectroscopy, BET, XPS, VSM, DRS, and TGA. Subsequently, the MZG photocatalyst's efficacy was evaluated through a series of experiments aimed at degrading azithromycin drug residues in water. These techniques divulged substantial information about the morphology, polycrystallinity, size (in nm range), functional groups, defects, surface area (132.9 m 2 /g), elemental composition (C, O, Fe and Zn), super paramagnetism (Ms 69.78 emu/g), suitable bandgap (2.8 eV) and thermal stability of the material, respectively. The optimized concentration of MZG photocatalyst demonstrated remarkable potential for photocatalytic degradation, particularly towards higher concentrations of 50 ppm azithromycin. It achieved an impressive degradation efficiency of 96.04 % in water when exposed to normal sunlight for just 1 h. Kinetic studies revealed a first-order reaction rate, with a notably higher rate constant (k = 0.0533 min⁻ 1 ) compared to other photocatalysts. Furthermore, MZG had shown better recyclabilty up to four cycles with minimal loss of photocatalytic acitvity to only 9%. Thus, it proves to be both effective and cost-efficient, capable of functioning under visible radiation. This makes it suitable for industrial applications aimed at removing azithromycin drugs and promoting a safer and more sustainable environment., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

ZnO nanoparticles and Ag nanoparticles (AgNPs) tend to agglomerate when used individually, and high Ag + concentrations can cause cytotoxicity. To address these issues, we synthesized carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC)-based antimicrobial mimetic peptides (AMPMs) by introducing amphiphilic cations on the surface of CMC using a chemical grafting method. Bis-formaldehyde-formylated AMPMs were prepared through the directional oxidation of AMPMs with periodate and used as the reducing agent to synthesize AgNPs on the surface of pectin in situ for the preparation of a pectin/AgNPs/ZnO composite film. The physical and chemical properties of the films were characterized and analyzed by SEM (EDS), TEM, XRD, and UV spectroscopy. The results showed that the film's surface was smooth and flat, with small, well-stabilized AgNPs and uniformly dispersed ZnO. The film retained the original crystalline form of pectin, but exhibited altered crystallinity, indicating that the method employed was very mild. A systematic evaluation of the film's antimicrobial performance using the dynamic growth curve, inhibition zone, and colony counting methods showed that AgNPs and ZnO imparted excellent, long-lasting antimicrobial activity to the film (98 %). Additionally, the films exhibited good flexibility, excellent ultraviolet protection (99.9 %), biocompatibility, and biodegradability. Notably, the film was sensitive to humidity, as demonstrated by its humidity-responsive bionic application. This study provides a promising reference and strategy for advancing the development of multifunctional polysaccharide-based nanocomposites., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Upadacitinib (UPA) is a selective and reversible oral Janus kinase (JAK) 1 inhibitor and is of great importance in treating inflammatory bowel disease (Zheng et al., Int Immunopharmacol 126:111229, 2024; Foy et al., JAAD Case Rep 42:20-22, 2023). Although there are limitations to the effectiveness of UPA, it has received positive responses in clinical trials and is approved for the treatment of atopy dermatitis (AD) (Li et al., Int Immunopharmacol 125:111193, 2023). In this study, a nanoparticle-doped molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP)-based electrochemical sensor was developed for sensitive and selective detection of UPA. The developed sensor was designed as a thin film layer using the photopolymerization method on the surface of the prepared nanoparticle-doped polymerization solution glassy carbon electrode (GCE). Various nanoparticles, such as multi-walled carbon nanotube, titanium dioxide, oxide, and zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles, were the most suitable for UPA. Surface characterization of the developed sensor was done by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and electrochemical characterization was done by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The quantitative analysis of UPA was performed in 5.0 mM [Fe (CN) 6 ] 3-/4- solution using the differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) technique. Under optimum conditions, the calibration range was between 0.1 and 1 pM. The limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) were calculated as 0.005 pM and 0.017 pM, respectively. The sensor's accuracy was proven by performing a recovery study in serum. The sensor's selectivity was also evaluated using common interfering substances such as KNO 3 , CaCl 2 , Na 2 SO 4 , uric acid, ascorbic acid, dopamine, and paracetamol. According to the results obtained, the performance of the designed sensor was found to be quite sensitive and selective in determining UPA. The developed UPA-ZnO/3-APBA@MIP-GCE sensor showed high sensitivity and selectivity towards UPA. In addition, the selectivity, the most important feature of the MIP-based sensor, was confirmed by imprinting factor (IF) calculations using tofacitinib (TOF) and ruxolitinib (RUX). The sensor's unique selectivity is demonstrated by its successful performance even in the presence of UPA impurities., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH, DE part of Springer Nature.)

Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) are widely used in industry and biomedicine. A growing body of evidence demonstrates that ZnONPs exposure may possess toxic effects to a variety of tissues, including brain. Therefore, the objective of the present review was to summarize existing evidence on neurotoxic effects of ZnONPs and discuss the underlying molecular mechanisms. The existing laboratory data demonstrate that both in laboratory rodents and other animals ZnONPs exposure results in a significant accumulation of Zn in brain and nervous tissues, especially following long-term exposure. As a result, overexposure to ZnONPs causes oxidative stress and cell death, both in neurons and glial cells, by induction of apoptosis, necrosis and ferroptosis. In addition, ZnONPs may induce neuroinflammation through the activation of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), and lipoxygenase (LOX) signaling pathways. ZnONPs exposure is associated with altered cholinergic, dopaminergic, serotoninergic, as well as glutamatergic and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-ergic neurotransmission, thus contributing to impaired neuronal signal transduction. Cytoskeletal alterations, as well as impaired autophagy and mitophagy also contribute to ZnONPs-induced brain damage. It has been posited that some of the adverse effects of ZnONPs in brain are mediated by altered microRNA expression and dysregulation of gut-brain axis. Furthermore, in vivo studies have demonstrated that ZnONPs exposure induced anxiety, motor and cognitive deficits, as well as adverse neurodevelopmental outcome. At the same time, the relevance of ZnONPs-induced neurotoxicity and its contribution to pathogenesis of neurological diseases in humans are still unclear. Further studies aimed at estimation of hazards of ZnONPs to human brain health and the underlying molecular mechanisms are warranted., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

An edible composite film was developed and applied for ready-to-eat sea cucumber storage to improve the product quality. The PAC film base is first prepared by mixing 0.5 % glycerin (GL) with 4 % polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and 1 % arginine-modified chitosan (Arg-CTS) in the same volume. After the addition of nano-ZnO (ZnO) and thymol (Thy) to the PAC film base, the mechanical properties and functions were tested. Compared to the PAC film, the PAC-ZnO-ThyH composite film showed a 1.34-fold increase in the DPPH scavenging rate and a 2.19-fold increase in the ABTS scavenging rate. Contrary to the PAC film, the inhibition zone diameter of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus significantly increased by 2.35 and 4.08 folds in the PAC-Zno-ThyH film, respectively. After applying the PAC-ZnO-ThyH film to store ready-to-eat sea cucumber for 10 days, there was a significant reduction in weight loss, total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N), and lipid oxidation levels to 1.47 and 1.26 folds to the Ctrl group. After preservation, the hardness and chewiness of ready-to-eat sea cucumber were maintained at 1079.62 ± 138.86 N and 913.73 ± 175.79 N, respectively. The novel PAC-ZnO-ThyH composite film can be used as an active food packaging for promising seafood applications., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest All authors have read the declaration of interests and declare that they have no competing interests., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

In response to prevailing challenges encountered in electrical applications, including insufficient mechanical strength, subpar tensile properties, and limited adaptability to dynamic motion environments, we engineered a pioneering hydrogel adhesive. Simultaneously, we presented a novel interpretation of the application of ZnO in hydrogels. Our innovative approach entailed the intertwining of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and flexible sodium alginate (SA) double networks (DN) through cross-linking mechanisms, resulting in the formation of a hydrogen-bonding pinned DN hydrogel. This groundbreaking design substantially amplified the cohesive and adhesive properties of the hydrogel, while the incorporation of zinc oxide (ZnO) through modification served to enhance its electrical conductivity. Our hydrogel sensor demonstrated exceptional capabilities in monitoring human motion, adeptly meeting the demands of diverse motion scenarios. Furthermore, meticulous consideration had been given to the influence of perspiration on sensor performance, rendering our sensor exceptionally well-suited for real-world applications., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Allium mongolicum Regel is prone to rapid senescence and quality deterioration during postharvest storage. Herein, polyvinyl alcohol/pullulan/ZnO nanoparticles (PVA/PUL/ZnO-Nps) composite films were prepared via solution casting and studied to analyze the effects of ZnO-Nps on the PVA/PUL film matrix. Results revealed that the incorporation of suitable ZnO-Nps effectively reduced the light transmittance, improved water contact angle, water vapor permeability, and mechanical properties of the composite films, as well as enhanced their antimicrobial activity. The composite films were used for the postharvest preservation of A. mongolicum Regel. Results revealed that the PVA/PUL/ZnO-Nps film effectively reduced malondialdehyde accumulation content, superoxide radical generation rate, hydrogen peroxide content, improve the activity of related enzymes, and extend the storage time compared with that of polyethylene films. Therefore, the PVA/PUL/ZnO-Nps film can be used as a novel packaging material for the postharvest preservation of A. mongolicum Regel., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors have no conflict of interest to declare., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

This review examines various modification techniques, including metal doping, non-metal doping, multi doping, mixed doping, and the construction of heterojunction photocatalysts, for enhancing the performance of pure TiO 2 and ZnO in the photodegradation of antibiotics. The study finds that mixed and multi doping approaches are more effective in improving photodegradation performance compared to single doping. Furthermore, the selection of suitable semiconductors for constructing heterojunction photocatalysts is crucial for achieving an efficient charge carrier separation. The environmental impacts, recent research, and real application of photocatalysis process have been discussed. The review also investigates the impact of operating parameters on the degradation pathways and the generation of by-products for different antibiotics. Additionally, the toxicity of the by-products resulting from the photodegradation of antibiotics using modified ZnO and TiO 2 photocatalysts is explored, revealing that these by-products may exhibit higher toxicity than the original antibiotics. Consequently, to enable the widespread implementation of photodegradation systems, researchers should focus on optimizing degradation systems to control the conversion pathways of by-products, developing innovative photoreactors, and evaluating toxicity in real wastewater matrices., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

As a result of the changes occurring globally in recent years, millions of people are facing challenging and even life-threatening diseases such as cancer and the COVID-19 pandemic, among others. This phenomenon has spurred researchers towards developing and implementing innovative and environmentally friendly scientific methods, merging disciplines with significant technological potential, such as nanotechnology with medicinal plants. Therefore, the focus of this research is to synthesize zinc nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) and microflowers (ZnO-MFs) using extracts of the medicinal plant I. oculus christi prepared in n-hexane and methanol as new bioreduction and capping agents through a simple and environmentally friendly chemical approach. Optical, thermal, and morphological structural analyses of ZnO-NPs and ZnO-MFs were conducted using Ultraviolet-Visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA), and Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FE-SEM). Metabolic profiles of extracts from different plant parts were analyzed using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) and supported by visualization of contents through Principal Component Analysis (PCA), hierarchical cluster analysis heatmaps, and Pearson correlation graphs. Interestingly, ZnO-NPs and ZnO-MFs exhibited strong antioxidant properties and demonstrated particularly potent antimicrobial activity against Micrococcus luteus NRRL B-4375, Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, and Candida albicans ATCC 10231 strains compared to standard antibiotics. Furthermore, ZnO-NPs and ZnO-MFs showed excellent plasmid DNA-cleavage activity of pBR322 with increasing doses. The photocatalytic performance of the synthesized ZnO-NPs and ZnO-MFs was evaluated for methylene blue (MB), congo red (CR), and safranin-O (SO) dyes, demonstrating remarkable color removal efficiency. Overall, the results provide a promising avenue for the green synthesis of ZnO-NPs and ZnO-MFs using I. oculus-christi L. inflorescence and pappus extracts, potentially revolutionizing biopharmaceutical and catalytic applications in these fields., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Wound infection resulting in delayed wound healing and wound deterioration remains a clinical challenge. Recently, multifunctional hydrogel dressing was a promising strategy which has attracted wide attention in preventing wound infection and promoting wound healing. In this study, a hybrid hydrogel made of gelatin (GL), tannic acid (TA), oxidized sodium alginate (OSA), and zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) was prepared mainly by double network cross-linking approach, named tannic acid-gelatin/oxidized sodium alginate/zinc oxide (TA-GL/OSA/ZnO). The composite hydrogels exhibited improved mechanical properties, which provided by TA modified the structure of GL network, Schiff base reaction between GL and OSA, and the strengthening effect of ZnO NPs. Meanwhile, the composite hydrogel showed high antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) (97.8 % ± 0.9 %) and Escherichia coli (E. coli) (96.6 % ± 1.2 %), attributed to the synergistic effect of TA and ZnO NPs. Furthermore, benefiting from the good antioxidative properties of TA, the sustain-released Zn 2+ with the good capability to kill bacteria, and promoting the regeneration of skin epithelial tissues in BALB/c mice constantly, the multifunctional hydrogel had a significant therapeutic effect on wound healing and broad application prospects., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Electrospun nanofibrous membranes, with their unique structural features, can potentially enhance wound healing through controlled delivery of active agents. Here, an innovative porous nanofibrous membrane was developed as a dressing patch with antibacterial and anti-inflammatory functionalities for cutaneous wound healing. Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) and Salvia abrotanoides essential oil (SAEO) were incorporated into sodium alginate, which served as the shell. Poly(ε-caprolactone) was used as the core of coaxial electrospun wound dressing nanofibers (PCL/SA@ZnO/SAEO). With the addition of ZnO NPs and SAEO, the average diameter of nanofibers was 187 ± 51 nm, with improved tensile strength (4.7 ± 0.4 MPa), elongation at break (32.9 ± 2.1), and elastic modulus (21.4 ± 2.0). Concurrent application of ZnO NPs and SAEO increased antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli and promoted the proliferation, attachment, and viability (>90 %) of L929 cells. The PCL/SA@ZnO/SAEO scaffold accelerated the healing time with total wound healing over 14 days in mouse models carrying full-thickness wounds compared to the nanofibrous scaffold without additives. Histopathological examinations demonstrated better tissue regeneration, i.e., enhanced collagen deposition, improved re-epithelialization, and neovascularization, and increased quantity of hair follicles. Moreover, the chicken chorioallantoic membrane assay confirmed the synergistic angiogenic effects of SAEO and ZnO NPs. Finally, the in vitro and in vivo results proposed the bioactive core-shell nanofibers synthesized as encouraging wound dressing materials for hastening the healing of cutaneous wounds., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Industrial and academic chemical pollutants such as Eriochrome Black-T (EBT) and murexide dyes are widely used in academic institution as well as industries, when eluted into rivers, delineate the ill effect on human and aquatic life. Herein, green and ecofriendly synthesis of silver doped-Zinc oxide nanoparticles (Ag/ZnO NPs) and chitosan coated Ag/ZnO nanoparticles (CS/Ag/ZnO NPs) using Bergera koenigii extract to solve environmental issues have been reported for the first time. Spherical and agglomerated particles with crystalline flakes like morphology of Ag/ZnO NPs and CS/Ag/ZnO NPs respectively have been ascertained by Scanning electron morphology (SEM) analyses and XRD. XRD analysis revealed the average crystallite size of 42.16 nm and 48.45 nm for Ag/ZnO NPs with 5 % and 10 % Ag concentration respectively, lesser than crystallite size of 47.394 nm and 52.38 nm for CS-5 % Ag/ZnO NC and CS-10 % Ag/ZnO NC respectively. All the synthesized NPs and NC demonstrated remarkable antibacterial potential against both gram +ve and gram -ve bacteria. Additionally, all the materials showed very high time-dependent photocatalytic degradation activity (>98 %) of EBT and murexide in 12 min. Remarkably, all active nano-catalysts exhibit high durability, and displayed recyclability for >8 cycles. In nutshell, chitosan coated nano-catalyst showed drastic improvement in photocatalytic and antibacterial activities., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no competing interests., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

In a global context marked by food insecurity, it is essential for food science and packaging technology researchers and stakeholders to ensure the availability of safe and adaptable foods with minimal environmental impact. Achieving sustainability in food packaging requires multiple approaches, including the use of natural and biodegradable materials including cellulosic fibers. The current study aimed to develop and characterize and optimized an effective biocomposite food packaging/storing materials, specifically for a popular Ethiopian flatbread called injera, made from a grain called 'Teff' (Eragrostis tef). The proposed biocomposite food storage and packaging was designed by incorporating fiber-reinforcing materials, namely false banana, also called Enset fibers (EFs), and ZnO nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) into a polylactic acid (PLA) matrix. A central composite design (CCD) approach was used to evaluate the impact of the reinforcing Enset fibers (EFs) at 5 %, 15 %, and 25 % and ZnO NPs at 0 %, 5 %, and 10 % levels. The developed functional biocomposite packaging materials were tested and characterized for various properties, including mechanical strength, water activity, antifungal activity, and migration properties. The results showed that the inclusion of ZnO NPs improved the tensile strength, migration, and barrier properties, while the reinforcing fiber enhanced mechanical and migration properties but reduced barrier properties. The combined effect of the reinforcement fibers (EFs) and ZnO NPs led to further improvements in the mechanical strength and migration properties, though no interaction effect was observed on barrier properties. The optimal solution, consisting of 6.7 % ZnO nanoparticles and 6 % Enset fibers, resulted in a highly effective packaging and storage prototype that extended the freshness of the food for over eight days., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declared that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Ultraviolet A (UVA) radiation causes various irreversible damages to human skin, so the research about UVA-specific sensing device is urgent. 2D black phosphorus (BP) is used in many photosensors due to its advantages of high carrier mobility and tunable bandgap, but its application for UVA-specific photosensor is not reported. Here, a MXene-BP/Zinc oxide (ZnO) hybrid structure with lamellar-spherical interfaces like finger lime fruit is prepared by the layer-by-layer assembly (LLA) method, and p-n junctions are constructed between BP and ZnO with the Ti 3 C 2 T x electrode, showing excellent photoelectric performance. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations demonstrate that the enhanced performance is attributed to the rapid separation of photogenerated carriers in the presence of a built-in electric field at interface. Furthermore, a flexible MXene-BP/ZnO based UVA-specific photosensor is prepared, which shows a specific response to UVA as high as 7 mA W -1 and excellent mechanical stability, maintaining 98.46% response after 100 bending cycles. In particular, the integrated anti-UVA skin protection device shows excellent UVA-specific identification and wireless transmission capability, which can provide timely UVA exposure information and skin protection warning for the visually impaired. This work demonstrates a new approach for further developments of advanced photoelectric sensing technology toward improving people's skin health protection., (© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)