Application of an Antibacterial Coating Layer via Amine-Terminated Hyperbranched Zirconium-Polysiloxane for Stainless Steel Orthodontic Brackets.

The massive growth of various microorganisms on the orthodontic bracket can form plaques and cause diseases. A novel amine-terminated hyperbranched zirconium-polysiloxane (HPZP) antimicrobial coating was developed for an orthodontic stainless steel tank (SST). After synthesizing HPZP and HPZP-Ag coatings, their structures were characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, thickness measurement, contact angle detection, mechanical stability testing, and corrosion testing. The cell toxicity of the two coatings to human gingival fibroblasts (hGFs) and human oral keratinocytes (hOKs) was detected by cell counting kit eight assays, and SST, HPZP@SST, and HPZP-Ag@SST were cocultured with Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Streptococcus mutans for 24 hr to detect the antibacterial properties of the coatings, respectively. The results show that the coatings are about 10 µm, and the water contact angle of HPZP coating is significantly higher than that of HPZP-Ag coating (P < 0.01). Both coatings can be uniformly and densely distributed on SST and have good mechanical stability and corrosion resistance. The cell counting test showed that HPZP coating and HPZP-Ag coating were less toxic to cells compared with SST, and the toxicity of HPZP-Ag coating was greater than that of HPZP coating, with the cell survival rate greater than 80% after 72 hr cocultured with hGFs and hOKs. The antibacterial test showed that the number of bacteria on the surface of different materials was ranked from small to large: HPZP@SST < HPZP-Ag@SST < SST and 800 µg/mL HPZP@SST showed a better bactericidal ability than 400 µg/mL after cocultured with S. aureus, E. coli, and S. mutans, respectively (all P < 0.05). The results showed that HPZP coating had a better effect than HPZP-Ag coating, with effective antibacterial and biocompatible properties, which had the potential to be applied in orthodontic process management.

Decontamination of a siloxane impression material by using 5-aminolevulinic acid activated by photodynamic therapy, microwave irradiation, and hydrogen peroxide.

AIM: The present study was intended to evaluate the antimicrobial effect of PDT, H2O2, and MI on the contact angle, strain-in-compression, and tear strength of siloxane impression material formerly colonized with E. coli, S.aureus and S.mutans. MATERIAL AND METHODS: One hundred and twenty disk-shaped specimens (diameter 10 mm and thickness 2 mm) were prepared by polyvinylsiloxane impression material and inoculated by the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC) of E.coli, S.mutans, and S.aureus in an in-vitro situation. The specimens were broadly divided into six groups then exposed to the various disinfection approaches for 3 min per each group: group 1: Control (no treatment), group 2:PDT 5-ALA, group 3: H2O2, group 4: MI, group 5: H2O2 + MI, group 6: PDT + MI. After disinfection, assessment of mechanical properties (contact angle, strain-in-compression, and tear strength) of impression materials were instigated. Statistical analysis was executed for CFU/mL (log10) for exposed E. coli, S.aureus, and S.mutans, by two-way ANOVA and Tukey's honestly significant test (p>0.05). RESULTS: The highest anti-microbial values against all inspected microbial colonies were unveiled when disinfection was performed in combination i.e., H2O2 + MI and PDT + MI and the least cleansing of impression material was seen by the control group as no treatment was provided. Solo application of MI was more effective than control, H2O2 and 5-ALA activated by PDT but less active when used in combination method H2O2 with MI and PDT with MI. PDT and control group showed the least antimicrobial effectiveness against E. coli (p<0.05) CONCLUSION: Disinfection of impression materials with combination therapies including photodynamic therapy with microwave irradiation and hydrogen peroxide with microwave irradiation displayed highest antimicrobial efficacies against E. coli, S. aureus, and S. mutans with no adverse effects on mechanical properties of impression material.

Producing Fluorine- and Lubricant-Free Flexible Pathogen- and Blood-Repellent Surfaces Using Polysiloxane-Based Hierarchical Structures.

High-touch surfaces are known to be a major route for the spread of pathogens in healthcare and public settings. Antimicrobial coatings have, therefore, garnered significant attention to help mitigate the transmission of infectious diseases via the surface route. Among antimicrobial coatings, pathogen-repellent surfaces provide unique advantages in terms of safety in public settings such as instant repellency, affordability, biocompatibility, and long-term stability. While there have been many advances in the fabrication of biorepellent surfaces in the past two decades, this area of research continues to suffer challenges in scalability, cost, compatibility with high-touch applications, and performance for pathogen repellency. These features are critical for high-touch surfaces to be used in public settings. Additionally, the environmental impact of manufacturing repellent surfaces remains a challenge, mainly due to the use of fluorinated coatings. Here, we present a flexible hierarchical coating with straightforward and cost-effective manufacturing without the use of fluorine or a lubricant. Hierarchical surfaces were prepared through the growth of polysiloxane nanostructures using n-propyltrichlorosilane (n-PTCS) on activated polyolefin (PO), followed by heat shrinking to induce microscale wrinkles. The developed coatings demonstrated repellency, with contact angles over 153° and sliding angles <1°. In assays mimicking touch, these hierarchical surfaces demonstrated a 97.5% reduction in transmission of Escherichia coli (E.coli), demonstrating their potential as antimicrobial coatings to mitigate the spread of infectious diseases. Additionally, the developed surfaces displayed a 93% reduction in blood staining after incubation with human whole blood, confirming repellent properties that reduce bacterial deposition.

Antibacterial Polysiloxane Polymers and Coatings for Cochlear Implants.

Within this study, new materials were synthesized and characterized based on polysiloxane modified with different ratios of N-acetyl-l-cysteine (NAC) and crosslinked via UV-assisted thiol-ene addition, in order to obtain efficient membranes able to resist bacterial adherence and biofilm formation. These membranes were subjected to in vitro testing for microbial adherence against S. pneumoniae using standardized tests. WISTAR rats were implanted for 4 weeks with crosslinked siloxane samples without and with NAC. A set of physical characterization methods was employed to assess the chemical structure and morphological aspects of the new synthetized materials before and after contact with the microbiological medium.

Silicane Derivative Increases Doxorubicin Efficacy in an Ovarian Carcinoma Mouse Model: Fighting Drug Resistance.

The development of cancer resistance continues to represent a bottleneck of cancer therapy. It is one of the leading factors preventing drugs to exhibit their full therapeutic potential. Consequently, it reduces the efficacy of anticancer therapy and causes the survival rate of therapy-resistant patients to be far from satisfactory. Here, an emerging strategy for overcoming drug resistance is proposed employing a novel two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterial polysiloxane (PSX). We have reported on the synthesis of PSX nanosheets (PSX NSs) and proved that they have favorable properties for biomedical applications. PSX NSs evinced unprecedented cytocompatibility up to the concentration of 300 µg/mL, while inducing very low level of red blood cell hemolysis and were found to be highly effective for anticancer drug binding. PSX NSs enhanced the efficacy of the anticancer drug doxorubicin (DOX) by around 27.8-43.4% on average and, interestingly, were found to be especially effective in the therapy of drug-resistant tumors, improving the effectiveness of up to 52%. Fluorescence microscopy revealed improved retention of DOX within the drug-resistant cells when bound on PSX NSs. DOX bound on the surface of PSX NSs, i.e., PSX@DOX, improved, in general, the DOX cytotoxicity in vitro. More importantly, PSX@DOX reduced the growth of DOX-resistant tumors in vivo with 3.5 times better average efficiency than the free drug. Altogether, this paper represents an introduction of a new 2D nanomaterial derived from silicane and pioneers its biomedical application. As advances in the field of material synthesis are rapidly progressing, novel 2D nanomaterials with improved properties are being synthesized and await thorough exploration. Our findings further provide a better understanding of the mechanisms involved in the cancer resistance and can promote the development of a precise cancer therapy.

Bis-(3-amino-2-pyridine) diselenide improves psychiatric disorders -atopic dermatitis comorbidity by regulating inflammatory and oxidative status in mice.

Suppressive effect of bis (3-amino-2-pyridine) diselenide (BAPD) on psychiatric disorders - atopic dermatitis (AD) comorbidity in mice was investigated. To sensitize the animals, 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB) was applied to their dorsal skin on days 1-3. Mice were challenged with DNCB on their ears and dorsal skin on days 14, 17, 20, 23, 26, and 29. BAPD and Dexamethasone were administered to the animals, from days 14-29, and skin severity scores and behavioral tests were determined. Oxidative stress and inflammatory parameters were evaluated on the dorsal skin of mice. Na+, K+-ATPase activity and corticosterone levels were determined in hippocampus/cerebral cortex and plasma of mice, respectively. BAPD improved cutaneous damage, scratching behavior, inflammatory and oxidative stress markers. BAPD showed anxiolytic- and antidepressant-like effects and restored Na+, K+-ATPase activity and corticosterone levels. The present study was performed using female mice due the susceptibility for this disease. But, the evaluation of AD model in male mice would help to verify whether the male gender has the same predisposition to present this pathology. Our data demonstrated the suppressive effect of BAPD on psychiatric disorders - AD comorbidity by regulating inflammatory and oxidative status in mice.

New Antiadhesive Hydrophobic Polysiloxanes.

Intrinsic hydrophobicity is the reason for efficient bacterial settlement and biofilm growth on silicone materials. Those unwelcomed phenomena may play an important role in pathogen transmission. We have proposed an approach towards the development of new anti-biofilm strategies that resulted in novel antimicrobial hydrophobic silicones. Those functionalized polysiloxanes grafted with side 2-(carboxymethylthioethyl)-, 2-(n-propylamidomethylthioethyl)- and 2-(mercaptoethylamidomethylthioethyl)- groups showed a wide range of antimicrobial properties towards selected strains of bacteria (reference strains Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and water-borne isolates Agrobacterium tumefaciens, Aeromonas hydrophila), fungi (Aureobasidium pullulans) and algae (Chlorella vulgaris), which makes them valuable antibacterial and antibiofilm agents. Tested microorganisms showed various levels of biofilm formation, but particularly effective antibiofilm activity was demonstrated for bacterial isolate A. hydrophila with high adhesion abilities. In the case of modified surfaces, the relative coefficient of adhesion for this strain was 18 times lower in comparison to the control glass sample.

Organosilicon Compounds, SILA-409 and SILA-421, as Doxorubicin Resistance-Reversing Agents in Human Colon Cancer Cells.

Multidrug resistance (MDR) that occurs in cancer cells constitutes one of the major reasons for chemotherapy failure. The main molecular mechanism of MDR is overexpression of protein transporters from the ATP-binding cassette (ABC) superfamily, such as ABCB1 (multidrug resistance protein 1 (MDR1), P-glycoprotein). At the expense of ATP hydrolysis, ABCB1 pumps a diverse range of substrates (including anticancer drugs) out of the cell, thereby reducing their intracellular concentration. In the present study, the ability of two patented disiloxanes (SILA-409 and SILA-421) to reverse drug resistance in human colon adenocarcinoma cell lines LoVo and LoVo/Dx was investigated. It was demonstrated that both compounds in concentrations of 0.5-1 µM strongly increased the sensitivity of LoVo/Dx cells to doxorubicin. By means of an accumulation test in which rhodamine 123 was used as an ABCB1 substrate analogue, both organosilicon compounds were also shown to inhibit ABCB1 transport activity. The intracellular accumulation of doxorubicin was also increased, and more drug entered the cellular nuclei of resistant cells in the presence of the studied compounds. In conclusion, both SILA-409 and SILA-421 were demonstrated to be effective MDR reversal agents in resistant human colon cancer cells.

Preliminary evaluation of application of a 3-dimensional network structure of siloxanes Dergall preparation on chick embryo development and microbiological status of eggshells.

The spatial network structure of Dergall is based on substances nontoxic to humans and the environment which, when applied on solid surfaces, creates a coating that reduces bacterial cell adhesion. The bacteriostatic properties of siloxanes are based on a purely physical action mechanism which excludes development of drug-resistant microorganisms. The aims of the present study were to 1) evaluate a Dergall layer formed on the eggshell surface regarding the potential harmful effects on the chick embryo; 2) evaluate antimicrobial activity and estimate the prolongation time of Dergall's potential antimicrobial activity. Dergall at a concentration of 0.6% formed a layer on the eggshell surface. In vitro testing of the potential harmful effects of Dergall by means of a hen embryo test of the chorioallantoic membrane showed no irritation reaction at a concentration of 3% and lower. The hatchability of the groups sprayed with a Dergall water solution with a concentration of 0 to 5% was 89.1 to 93.8% for fertilized eggs (P > 0.05) but decreased to 63.7% (P < 0.05) in the group sprayed with a 6% concentration of the solution. This phenomenon was caused by embryo mortality in the first week of incubation. At the concentration of 0.6%, Dergall exhibited strong antibacterial properties against bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Shigella dysenteriae, Shigella flexneri, and Salmonella typhimurium. For Streptococcus pyogenes, the highest antibacterial activity of Dergall was reported in the concentrations of 100 and 50%. For Pseudomonas aeruginosa, no antibacterial activity of Dergall was generally observed, but in vivo testing showed a strong decrease of all gram-negative bacteria growth. Moreover, a prolonged antimicrobial effect lasting until 3 D after disinfection was observed, which makes Dergall a safe and efficient disinfectant.

High Fluorescent Hyperbranched Polysiloxane Containing ß-Cyclodextrin for Cell Imaging and Drug Delivery.

Hyperbranched polysiloxane (HBPSi) is attracting increasing attention due to its intrinsic fluorescence and good biocompatibility. However, it is very challenging to explore its biological applications because of the low fluorescence intensity and quantum yield. Herein, we introduced rigid ß-cyclodextrin to the end of flexible polysiloxane chain to synthesize a novel fluorescent polymer (HBPSi-CD) and explore its biological applications. Results showed that the fluorescence intensity and quantum yield of HBPSi-CD, compared with HBPSi, were significantly enhanced. Theoretical calculations and transmission electron microscopy demonstrated that the synergy effect of intra/intermolecular hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic effect promoted the formation of large supramolecular self-assemblies and space electron delocalization systems, leading to intense fluorescence. Notably, the biocompatible HBPSi-CD not only lighted up mouse fibroblast cells, but also possessed high ibuprofen loading capacity (160 mg g-1) and superior pH-responsive drug release performance. This work promoted the development of biological applications of HBPSi.

In-situ mineralized robust polysiloxane-Ag@ZnO on cotton for enhanced photocatalytic and antibacterial activities.

A bifunctional interfacial layer was introduced onto the surface of cotton fabric which not only enhanced the interfacial bonding between Ag@ZnO and organic substrates but also improved the photocatalytic performance simultaneously. In detail, a modified cotton fabric (denoted as Cot-g-Si/Ag@ZnO) was fabricated through radiation-induced graft polymerization of γ-methacryloxypropyl trimethoxysilane and followed the in-situ formation of ZnO and loading of Ag nanoparticles simultaneously. Owing to ZnOSi between the graft chains and Ag@ZnO photocatalyst, the charge carrier concentration increased and Ag was prevented from oxidizing through the partial separation from ZnO, leading to enhanced near-field amplitudes of the localized surface plasmon resonance. Cot-g-Si/Ag@ZnO also exhibited excellent photocorrosion resistance, photostability and laundering durability. Its photocatalytic activity was fully maintained after several photodegradation cycles; moreover, after laundering durability test, the photocatalytic activity was improved compared with the newly prepared one. Credible mechanism for the photocatalytic activity of Cot-g-Si/Ag@ZnO under sunlight irradiation is proposed.

In vitro and in vivo acaricidal activity evaluation of organo-modified siloxanes in populations of Rhipicephalus microplus.

Infestations of Rhipicephalus microplus cause significant damage to cattle breeding and their control is primarily based on chemical products. There are extensive reports of efficacy losses of acaricid products over time, as well as resistance of the parasites to them, thereby making it necessary to search for new alternatives. The present work aimed to determine the in vitro and in vivo acaricidal activity of organo-modified siloxanes with and without piperonyl butoxide (PBO) in southern Brazil. For the in vitro test, engorged females of R. microplus were collected and submitted to the immersion test. The formulation containing organo-modified siloxanes was tested at 4 different concentrations: 0.6, 1.0, 2.5, and 5.0%. The lowest dilutions (0.6, 1.0, and 2.5%) were also tested with the inclusion of 10% PBO. The in vivo test was performed by applying 2.5% organo-modified siloxanes, and the addition of 10% PBO was applied by spraying. The results showed high acaricidal activity (100%) in vitro in the concentration of 5% on non-associated forms, and in combinations of concentrations of 0.6, 1.0, 2.5% with PBO. The in vivo results also increased the efficacy with the association of PBO. In view of the current multi-resistance scenario of the R. microplus tick to the different commercially available acaricidal products, this study investigated the use of this product in association with PBO as an alternative to R. microplus control and found positive results. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first study to use organo-modified siloxanes against ticks.

Antimicrobial and Antibiofilm N-acetyl-L-cysteine Grafted Siloxane Polymers with Potential for Use in Water Systems.

Antibiofilm strategies may be based on the prevention of initial bacterial adhesion, the inhibition of biofilm maturation or biofilm eradication. N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC), widely used in medical treatments, offers an interesting approach to biofilm destruction. However, many Eubacteria strains are able to enzymatically decompose the NAC molecule. This is the first report on the action of two hybrid materials, NAC-Si-1 and NAC-Si-2, against bacteria isolated from a water environment: Agrobacterium tumefaciens, Aeromonas hydrophila, Citrobacter freundii, Enterobacter soli, Janthinobacterium lividum and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia. The NAC was grafted onto functional siloxane polymers to reduce its availability to bacterial enzymes. The results confirm the bioactivity of NAC. However, the final effect of its action was environment- and strain-dependent. Moreover, all the tested bacterial strains showed the ability to degrade NAC by various metabolic routes. The NAC polymers were less effective bacterial inhibitors than NAC, but more effective at eradicating mature bacterial biofilms.

Synthetic anionic surfaces can replace microparticles in stimulating burst coagulation of blood plasma.

Biomaterials are frequently evaluated for pro-coagulant activity but usually in the presence of microparticles (MPs), cell-derived vesicles in blood plasma whose phospholipid surfaces allow coagulation factors to set up as functional assemblies. We tested the hypothesis that synthetic anionic surfaces can catalyze burst thrombin activation in human blood plasma in the absence of MPs. In a thromboelastography (TEG) assay with plastic sample cups and pins, recalcified human citrated platelet-poor plasma spontaneously burst-coagulated but with an unpredictable clotting time whereas plasma depleted of MPs by ultracentrifugation failed to coagulate. Coagulation of MP-depleted plasma was restored in a dose-dependent manner by glass microbeads, hydroxyapatite nanoparticles (HA NPs), and carboxylic acid-containing anionic nanocoatings of TEG cups and pins (coated by glow-discharge plasma-polymerized ethylene containing oxygen, L-PPE:O with 4.4 and 6.8 atomic % [COOH]). Glass beads lost their pro-coagulant activity in MP-depleted plasma after their surfaces were nanocoated with hydrophobic plasma-polymerized hexamethyl disiloxane (PP-HMDSO). In FXII-depleted MP-depleted plasma, glass microbeads failed to induce coagulation, however, FXIa was sufficient to induce coagulation in a dose-dependent manner, with no effect of glass beads. These data suggest that anionic surfaces of crystalline, organic, and amorphous solid synthetic materials catalyze explosive thrombin generation in MP-depleted plasma by activating the FXII-dependent intrinsic contact pathway. The data also show that microparticles are pro-coagulant surfaces whose activity has been largely overlooked in many coagulation studies to-date. These results suggest a possible mechanism by which anionic biomaterial surfaces induce bone healing by contact osteogenesis, through fibrin clot formation in the absence of platelet activation.

Long-term real-time tracking live stem cells/cancer cells in vitro/in vivo through highly biocompatible photoluminescent poly(citrate-siloxane) nanoparticles.

Long-term live cell tracking is desirable and necessary to understand the dynamics and complexity of biological interactions in stem cells and cancer cells. Conventional live cells fluorescence trackers are generally non-degradable and are showing increased toxicity concerns during the long-term application. Previously we developed biodegradable fluorescent poly(citrate)-based hybrid elastomers for bone regeneration applications. Here, we fabricated the photoluminescent poly(citrate-siloxane) nanoparticles (PCSNPs) through an oil/water emulsion method and demonstrated their long-term live stem cells/cancer cells imaging applications. PCSNPs showed a uniform size distribution (mean diameter 120 nm) and highly stable dispersability (above 30 days) in various physiological medium, as well as excellent fluorescent properties and photostability. PCSNPs possess excellent cellular biocompatibility, which could be efficiently internalized by cells and selectively image the cell lysosome with a high photostability. Compared with commercial Cell Tracker™ Green and Cell Tracker™ Red, the adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells or human hepatoma cells were stably labeled by PCSNPs for over 14 days as they grew and developed (7 passages). Additionally, PCSNPs efficiently tracked cells up to 7 days in vivo through a non-invasively way compared with 1 day of commercial tracker. This study demonstrates an important strategy to design biodegradable multifunctional delivery platforms for biomedical applications such as long-term bioimaging.

Corrosion resistance and antibacterial properties of polysiloxane modified layer-by-layer assembled self-healing coating on magnesium alloy.

Magnesium (Mg) alloys have shown great potential in biomedical materials due to their biocompatibility and biodegradability. However, rapid corrosion rate, which is an inevitable obstacle, hinders their clinical applications. Besides, it is necessary to endow Mg alloys with antibacterial properties, which are crucial for temporary implants. In this study, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and polymethyltrimethoxysilane (PMTMS) were introduced into AZ31 Mg alloys via layer-by-layer (LbL) assembly and siloxane self-condensation reaction. The characteristics of the composite films were investigated by SEM, UV-vis, FT-IR, and XRD measurements. Corrosion resistance of the samples was measured by electrochemical and hydrogen evolution tests. Antibacterial activities of the films against Staphylococcus aureus were evaluated by plate-counting method. The results demonstrated that the composite film with smooth and uniform morphologies could enhance the corrosion resistance of Mg alloys owing to the physical barrier and the self-healing functionality of polysiloxane. Moreover, the composite coating possessed antibacterial properties and could prolong the release of assembled silver ions.

Human-relevant potency threshold (HRPT) for ERα agonism.

The European Commission has recently proposed draft criteria for the identification of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) that pose a significant hazard to humans or the environment. Identifying and characterizing toxic hazards based on the manner by which adverse effects are produced rather than on the nature of those adverse effects departs from traditional practice and requires a proper interpretation of the evidence regarding the chemical's ability to produce physiological effect(s) via a specific mode of action (MoA). The ability of any chemical to produce a physiological effect depends on its pharmacokinetics and the potency by which it acts via the various MoAs that can lead to the particular effect. A chemical's potency for a specific MoA-its mechanistic potency-is determined by two properties: (1) its affinity for the functional components that comprise the MoA, i.e., its specific receptors, enzymes, transporters, transcriptional elements, etc., and (2) its ability to alter the functional state of those components (activity). Using the agonist MoA via estrogen receptor alpha, we illustrate an empirical method for determining a human-relevant potency threshold (HRPT), defined as the minimum level of mechanistic potency necessary for a chemical to be able to act via a particular MoA in humans. One important use for an HRPT is to distinguish between chemicals that may be capable of, versus those likely to be incapable of, producing adverse effects in humans via the specified MoA. The method involves comparing chemicals that have different ERα agonist potencies with the ability of those chemicals to produce ERα-mediated agonist responses in human clinical trials. Based on this approach, we propose an HRPT for ERα agonism of 1E-04 relative to the potency of the endogenous estrogenic hormone 17ß-estradiol or the pharmaceutical estrogen, 17α-ethinylestradiol. This approach provides a practical way to address Hazard Identification according to the draft criteria for identification of EDCs recently proposed by the European Commission.

Do drowning and anoxia kill head lice?

Chemical, physical, and mechanical methods are used to control human lice. Attempts have been made to eradicate head lice Pediculus humanus capitis by hot air, soaking in various fluids or asphyxiation using occlusive treatments. In this study, we assessed the maximum time that head lice can survive anoxia (oxygen deprivation) and their ability to survive prolonged water immersion. We also observed the ingress of fluids across louse tracheae and spiracle characteristics contrasting with those described in the literature. We showed that 100% of lice can withstand 8 h of anoxia and 12.2% survived 14 h of anoxia; survival was 48.9% in the untreated control group at 14 h. However, all lice had died following 16 h of anoxia. In contrast, the survival rate of water-immersed lice was significantly higher when compared with non-immersed lice after 6 h (100% vs. 76.6%, p = 0.0037), and 24 h (50.9% vs. 15.9%, p = 0.0003). Although water-immersed lice did not close their spiracles, water did not penetrate into the respiratory system. In contrast, immersion in colored dimeticone/cyclomethicone or colored ethanol resulted in penetration through the spiracles and spreading to the entire respiratory system within 30 min, leading to death in 100% of the lice.

Self-sterilizing ormosils surfaces based on photo-synzthesized silver nanoparticles.

Medical device-related infections represent a major healthcare complication, resulting in potential risks for the patient. Antimicrobial materials comprise an attractive strategy against bacterial colonization and biofilm proliferation. However, in most cases these materials are only bacteriostatic or bactericidal, and consequently they must be used in combination with other antimicrobials in order to reach the eradication condition (no viable microorganisms). In this study, a straightforward and robust antibacterial coating based on Phosphotungstate Ormosil doped with core-shell (SiO2@TiO2) was developed using sol-gel process, chemical tempering, and Ag nanoparticle photoassisted synthesis (POrs-CS-Ag). The coating was characterized by X-ray Fluorescence Spectroscopy (XRF), Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FE-SEM), Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and X-ray Photoelectron Microscopy (XPS). The silver free coating displays low antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, in opposition to the silver loaded ones, which are able to completely eradicate these strains. Moreover, the antimicrobial activity of these substrates remains high until three reutilization cycles, which make them a promising strategy to develop self-sterilizing materials, such as POrs-CS-Ag-impregnated fabric, POrs-CS-Ag coated indwelling metals and polymers, among other materials.