Nanostructures for Antimicrobial Therapy

Nanostructures for Antimicrobial Therapy
Author: Anton Ficai
Publisher: Elsevier
Total Pages: 724
Release: 2017-05-29
Genre: Science
ISBN: 0323461514
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Nanostructures for Antimicrobial Therapy discusses the pros and cons of the use of nanostructured materials in the prevention and eradication of infections, highlighting the efficient microbicidal effect of nanoparticles against antibiotic-resistant pathogens and biofilms. Conventional antibiotics are becoming ineffective towards microorganisms due to their widespread and often inappropriate use. As a result, the development of antibiotic resistance in microorganisms is increasingly being reported. New approaches are needed to confront the rising issues related to infectious diseases. The merging of biomaterials, such as chitosan, carrageenan, gelatin, poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) with nanotechnology provides a promising platform for antimicrobial therapy as it provides a controlled way to target cells and induce the desired response without the adverse effects common to many traditional treatments. Nanoparticles represent one of the most promising therapeutic treatments to the problem caused by infectious micro-organisms resistant to traditional therapies. This volume discusses this promise in detail, and also discusses what challenges the greater use of nanoparticles might pose to medical professionals. The unique physiochemical properties of nanoparticles, combined with their growth inhibitory capacity against microbes has led to the upsurge in the research on nanoparticles as antimicrobials. The importance of bactericidal nanobiomaterials study will likely increase as development of resistant strains of bacteria against most potent antibiotics continues. - Shows how nanoantibiotics can be used to more effectively treat disease - Discusses the advantages and issues of a variety of different nanoantibiotics, enabling medics to select which best meets their needs - Provides a cogent summary of recent developments in this field, allowing readers to quickly familiarize themselves with this topic area

Synthetic Surfactant Vesicles

Synthetic Surfactant Vesicles
Author: L F Uchegbu
Publisher: CRC Press
Total Pages: 288
Release: 2003-09-02
Genre: Science
ISBN: 0203304985
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The self-assembly of synthetic surfactants and other non-phospholipids into vesicles was first studied in the 1970s by cosmetic scientists when non-ionic surfactant vesicles or niosomes were reported. Since this time a large body of research has sought to define these systems primarily as drug carriers and also as features of interest to the colloid scientist. Synthetic surfactant vesicles, as the name implies, may also be fabricated from a vast array of amphiphiles, including a number of pharmaceutically acceptable materials. They may also be prepared in a variety of shapes and sizes and have a number of applications. This book is designed to serve as an introductory text to the science of non-phospholipid vesicles and will be of use to colloid, drug delivery, cosmetic, and materials scientists. It aims to acquaint the reader with the physicochemistry and biomedical applications of these synthetic surfactant non-phospholipid vesicles. Part one introduces the reader to physicochemical aspects of these synthetic surfactant dispersions and explores the diversity of materials that may be used to formulate vesicles. Part two details methods of vesicle preparation and the application of synthetic surfactant vesicles in a variety of fields ranging from anti-cancer chemotherapy to immunization.

Bacterial Cell Wall

Bacterial Cell Wall
Author: J.-M. Ghuysen
Publisher: Elsevier
Total Pages: 607
Release: 1994-02-09
Genre: Science
ISBN: 0080860877
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Studies of the bacterial cell wall emerged as a new field of research in the early 1950s, and has flourished in a multitude of directions. This excellent book provides an integrated collection of contributions forming a fundamental reference for researchers and of general use to teachers, advanced students in the life sciences, and all scientists in bacterial cell wall research. Chapters include topics such as: Peptidoglycan, an essential constituent of bacterial endospores; Teichoic and teichuronic acids, lipoteichoic acids, lipoglycans, neural complex polysaccharides and several specialized proteins are frequently unique wall-associated components of Gram-positive bacteria; Bacterial cells evolving signal transduction pathways; Underlying mechanisms of bacterial resistance to antibiotics.

Bacterial Biofilms

Bacterial Biofilms
Author: Tony Romeo
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 302
Release: 2008-02-26
Genre: Medical
ISBN: 3540754180
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Throughout the biological world, bacteria thrive predominantly in surface-attached, matrix-enclosed, multicellular communities or biofilms, as opposed to isolated planktonic cells. This choice of lifestyle is not trivial, as it involves major shifts in the use of genetic information and cellular energy, and has profound consequences for bacterial physiology and survival. Growth within a biofilm can thwart immune function and antibiotic therapy and thereby complicate the treatment of infectious diseases, especially chronic and foreign device-associated infections. Modern studies of many important biofilms have advanced well beyond the descriptive stage, and have begun to provide molecular details of the structural, biochemical, and genetic processes that drive biofilm formation and its dispersion. There is much diversity in the details of biofilm development among various species, but there are also commonalities. In most species, environmental and nutritional conditions greatly influence biofilm development. Similar kinds of adhesive molecules often promote biofilm formation in diverse species. Signaling and regulatory processes that drive biofilm development are often conserved, especially among related bacteria. Knowledge of such processes holds great promise for efforts to control biofilm growth and combat biofilm-associated infections. This volume focuses on the biology of biofilms that affect human disease, although it is by no means comprehensive. It opens with chapters that provide the reader with current perspectives on biofilm development, physiology, environmental, and regulatory effects, the role of quorum sensing, and resistance/phenotypic persistence to antimicrobial agents during biofilm growth.

Size Limits of Very Small Microorganisms

Size Limits of Very Small Microorganisms
Author: National Research Council
Publisher: National Academies Press
Total Pages: 171
Release: 1999-10-13
Genre: Science
ISBN: 0309066344
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How small can a free-living organism be? On the surface, this question is straightforward-in principle, the smallest cells can be identified and measured. But understanding what factors determine this lower limit, and addressing the host of other questions that follow on from this knowledge, require a fundamental understanding of the chemistry and ecology of cellular life. The recent report of evidence for life in a martian meteorite and the prospect of searching for biological signatures in intelligently chosen samples from Mars and elsewhere bring a new immediacy to such questions. How do we recognize the morphological or chemical remnants of life in rocks deposited 4 billion years ago on another planet? Are the empirical limits on cell size identified by observation on Earth applicable to life wherever it may occur, or is minimum size a function of the particular chemistry of an individual planetary surface? These questions formed the focus of a workshop on the size limits of very small organisms, organized by the Steering .Group for the Workshop on Size Limits of Very Small Microorganisms and held on October 22 and 23, 1998. Eighteen invited panelists, representing fields ranging from cell biology and molecular genetics to paleontology and mineralogy, joined with an almost equal number of other participants in a wide-ranging exploration of minimum cell size and the challenge of interpreting micro- and nano-scale features of sedimentary rocks found on Earth or elsewhere in the solar system. This document contains the proceedings of that workshop. It includes position papers presented by the individual panelists, arranged by panel, along with a summary, for each of the four sessions, of extensive roundtable discussions that involved the panelists as well as other workshop participants.

Lipid Nanocarriers for Drug Targeting

Lipid Nanocarriers for Drug Targeting
Author: Alexandru Mihai Grumezescu
Publisher: William Andrew
Total Pages: 676
Release: 2018-04-16
Genre: Science
ISBN: 012813688X
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Lipid Nanocarriers for Drug Targeting presents recent advances in the area of lipid nanocarriers. The book focuses on cationic lipid nanocarriers, solid lipid nanocarriers, liposomes, thermosensitive vesicles, and cubosomes, with applications in phototherapy, cosmetic and others. As the first book related to lipid nanocarriers and their direct implication in pharmaceutical nanotechnology, this important reference resource is ideal for biomaterials scientists and those working in the medical and pharmaceutical industries that want to learn more on how lipids can be used to create more effective drug delivery systems. - Highlights the most commonly used types of lipid nanocarriers and explains how they are applied in pharmacy - Shows how lipid nanocarriers are used in different types of treatment, including oral medicine, skin repair and cancer treatment - Assesses the pros and cons of using different lipid nanocarriers for different therapies

Management of Periprosthetic Joint Infections (PJIs)

Management of Periprosthetic Joint Infections (PJIs)
Author: J.J. Chris Arts
Publisher: Woodhead Publishing
Total Pages: 306
Release: 2016-10-25
Genre: Science
ISBN: 0081002424
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Management of Periprosthetic Joint Infections (PJIs): Management of PJIs discusses periprosthetic joint infection (PJI), a fairly rare occurrence that is nonetheless one of the most serious complications in joint replacement surgery. Intricate interactions between the pathogen, the host, and the implant can result in PJIs which are not only physically devastating for the patient, but also financially crippling for health authorities and insurance companies. Actions taken to minimize the risk of PJIs can be extremely challenging for the orthopaedic community. Consequently, new research, which is detailed in this comprehensive book, is being undertaken to minimize and manage these challenging infections. - Provides essential background knowledge on the mechanisms and identification of PJIs - Dedicated chapters focus on the complex, but vital eccentricities between PJIs in different areas of the body - Contains contributions from a mixture of clinical and academic experts in the field, thus ensuring balanced coverage