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Salinity is the major abiotic stress among others that determines crop productivity. The primary goal is to examine the impact of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) on the growth, metabolism, and defense systems of pea plants in simulated stress conditions. The ZnO NPs were synthesized via a chemical process and characterized by UV, XRD, and SEM. The ZnO NPs application (50 and 100) ppm and salt (50 mM and 100 mM) concentrations were carried out individually and in combination. At 50 ppm ZnO NPs the results revealed both positive and negative effects, demonstrating an increase in the root length and other growth parameters, along with a decrease in Malondialdehyde (MDA) and hydrogen peroxide concentrations. However, different concentrations of salt (50 mM and 100 mM) had an overall negative impact on all assessed parameters. In exploring the combined effects of ZnO NPs and salt, various concentrations yielded different outcomes. Significantly, only 50 mM NaCl combined with 50 ppm ZnO NPs demonstrated positive effects on pea physiology, leading to a substantial increase in root length and improvement in other physiological parameters. Moreover, this treatment resulted in decreased levels of MAD, Glycine betaine, and hydrogen peroxide. Conversely, all other treatments exhibited negative effects on the assessed parameters, possibly due to the high concentrations of both stressors. The findings offered valuble reference data for research on the impact of salinity on growth parameters of future agriculture crop., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Soil contamination with chromium (Cr) is becoming a primary ecological and health concern, specifically in the Kasur and Sialkot regions of Pakistan. The main objective of the current study was to evaluate the impact of foliar application of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) (0, 25, 50, 100 mg L -1 ) and Fe NPs (0, 5, 10, 20 mg L -1 ) in red sails lettuce plants grown in Cr-contaminated soil. Our results showed that both ZnO and Fe NPs improved plant growth, and photosynthetic attributes by minimizing oxidative stress in lettuce plants through the stimulation of antioxidant enzyme activities. At ZnO NPs (100 mgL -1 ), dry weights of shoots and roots and fresh weights of shoots and roots were improved by 53%, 58%, 34%, and 45%, respectively, as compared to the respective control plants. The Fe NPs treatment (20 mgL -1 ) increased the dry weight of shoots and the roots and fresh weights of shoots and roots by 53%, 76%, 42%, and 70%, respectively. Application of both NPs reduced the oxidative stress caused by Cr, as evident by the findings of the current study, i.e., at the ZnO NPs (100 mgL -1 ) and Fe NPs (20 mgL -1 ), the EL declined by 32% and 44%, respectively, in comparison with respective control plants. Moreover, Fe and ZnO NPs enhanced the Fe and Zn contents in red sails lettuce plants. Application of ZnO NPs at 100 mg L -1 and Fe NPs at 20 mg L -1 , improved the Zn and Fe contents in plant leaves by 86%, and 68%, respectively, as compared to the control plants. This showed that the exogenous application of these NPs helped in Zn and Fe fortification in plants. At similar of concenteration ZnO NPs, CAT and APX activities were improved by 52% and 53%, respectively. Similarly, the POD contents were improved by 17% and 45% at 5 and 10 mg/L of Fe NPs. Furthermore, ZnO and Fe NPs limited the Cr uptake by plants, and the concentration of Cr in the leaves of lettuce was under the threshold limit. The exogenous application of ZnO NPs (100 mg L -1 ) and Fe NPs (20 mg L -1 ) reduced the Cr uptake in the leaves of red sails lettuce by 57% and 51%, respectively. In conclusion, ZnO and Fe NPs could be used for the improvement of plant growth and biomass as well as nutrient fortification in stressed environments. These findings not only underscore the efficacy of nanoparticle-assisted phytoremediation but also highlight its broader implications for sustainable agriculture and environmental health. However, future studies on other crops with molecular-level investigations are recommended for the validation of the results.

Herein, innovative biocides are designed for the treatment of Trichinella spiralis muscle larvae (ML) and adult worms. Samarium-doped ZnO nanorods (Sm-doped ZnO) are stabilized onto the laminar structure of cuttlefish bone (CB) matrix and adorned by either Ag NPs or cobalt phthalocyanine (CoPc) species. Physicochemical characteristics of such nanocomposites are scrutinised. Adorning of Sm-doped ZnO/CB with Ag NPs shortens rod-like shaped Sm-doped ZnO nanoparticles and accrues them, developing large-sized detached patches over CB moiety. Meanwhile, adorning of Sm-doped ZnO/CB by CoPc species degenerates CB lamellae forming semi-rounded platelets and encourages invading of Sm-doped ZnO nanorods deeply inside gallery spacings of CB. Both nanocomposites possess advanced parasiticidal activity, displaying quite intoxication for ML and adult worms (≥88% mortality) within an incubation period of <48 h at concentrations around 200 μg/ml. CoPc@Sm-doped ZnO/CB nanocomposite exhibits faster killing efficiency of adult worms than that of Ag@Sm-doped ZnO/CB at a concentration of ∼75 μg/ml showing entire destruction of parasite after 24 h incubation with the former nanocomposite and just 60% worm mortality after 36 h exposure to the later one. Morphological studies of the treated ML and adult worms show that CoPc@Sm-doped ZnO/CB exhibits a destructive impact on the parasite body, creating featureless and sloughed fragments enriched with intensive vacuoles. Hybridization of cuttlefish bone lamellae by CoPc species is considered a springboard for fabrication of futuristic aggressive drugs against various food- and water-borne parasites., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no competing interests., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Oxide semiconductor-supported metal nanoparticles often suffer from a high-temperature gas sensing process, resulting in agglomeration and coalescence, which significantly decrease their surface activity and stability. Here, we develop an in situ pyrolysis strategy to redisperse commercial Ir particles (∼15.6 nm) into monodisperse Ir species (∼5.4 nm) on ZnO supports, exhibiting excellent sintering-resistant properties and H 2 sensing. We find that large-size Ir nanoparticles can undergo an unexpected splitting decomposition process and spontaneously migrate along the encapsulated carbon layer surface during high-temperature pyrolysis of ZIF-8. This resultant monodisperse status can be integrally reserved, accompanying further oxidation sintering. The final Ir red /ZnO-450-based sensor exhibits outstanding stability, H 2 response (10-2000 ppm), fast response/recovery capability (7/9.7 s@100 ppm), and good moisture resistance. In situ Raman and ex situ XPS further experimentally verify that highly dispersive Ir species can promote the electron transfer process during the gas sensing process. Our strategy thus provides important insights into the design of agglomeration-resistant gas sensing materials for highly effective H 2 detection.

Biodetection for non-invasive diagnostics of fluids, especially urine, remains a challenge to scientists due to low target concentrations. And biological complexes of the detection target may contain contaminants that also interfere with any assay. Dengue non-structural 1 protein (Dengue NS1) is an important biomarker for dengue hemorrhagic fever and dengue shock syndrome. Here, we developed an Au-decorated nanowire platform and applied it with a sandwich fluorophore-linked immunosorbent well plate assay (FLISA) to detect Dengue NS1 in urine. For the platform, we fabricated zinc oxide (ZnO) nanowires to provide a high surface area and then coated them with gold nanoparticles (ZnO/Au nanowires) to simply modify the Dengue NS1 antibody and enhance the fluorescence intensity. Our platform employs a sandwich FLISA that exhibits high sensitivity, specifically detecting Dengue NS1 with a limit of detection (LOD) of 1.35 pg/mL. This LOD was 4500-fold lower than the LOD of a commercially available kit for Dengue NS1 enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. We believe that our ZnO/Au nanowire platform has the potential to revolutionize the field of non-invasive diagnostics for dengue., 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.)

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB 1 ), a hepatotoxic and carcinogenic food contaminant, is commonly found in agricultural food. Herein, Au NPs anchored ZIF-8-derived porous carbon-ZnO (Au NPs/PC ZIF-8 -ZnO) was firstly synthesized to act as the sensing substrate. Then, a ratiometric electrochemical (EC) and "off-on" photoelectrochemical (PEC) dual-mode paper-based aptasensor was presented for AFB 1 detection based on a distance-modulation sensing strategy. The independent signal transduction mechanisms and output mode not only broaden the dynamic detection range but also provide a self-verification to assay results, improving the sensitivity and reliability. The wide detection ranges of 0.1 pg/mL-100 ng/mL (EC mode) and 0.02 pg/mL-100 ng/mL (PEC mode) were obtained using dual-mode aptasensor, with detection limits of 36.7 and 9.3 fg/mL, respectively. The fabricated aptasensor exhibited excellent selectivity, reproducibility and stability. Furthermore, it exhibited good practicability for AFB 1 assays in real samples, demonstrating great potential applications for food safety evaluation., 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 this study, a novel integrated photoelectrochemical (PEC) sensor platform was proposed, utilizing an optical fiber (OF) as the working electrode for guided in situ light. A CdS quantum dots (QDs)/ZnO nanosheets (NSs) n-n heterojunction was quickly and easily constructed on the OF surface by successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR). Au nanoparticles (NPs)@dsDNA as a capturing probe were modified on the CdS QDs/ZnO NSs@OF (CZ@OF). Due to the energy transfer between Au NPs@dsDNA and CdS QDs, the resultant opto-electrode has a lower background near zero, enabling the "signal-on" detection of biomarkers (interleukin-6 (IL-6) as a model). The OF-PEC biosensor demonstrated a wide linear range from 1 to 100 pg mL -1 with a regression coefficient ( R 2 ) of 0.9958 and an impressive detection limit (LOD) of 0.19 pg mL -1 . More significantly, the proposed OF-PEC can be successfully used for the detection of IL-6 in serum samples from patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension, and it showed consistency and is more sensitive to trace concentrations compared to BD FACSCanto II flow cytometry used at the hospital. This holds significance for an early disease diagnosis. Therefore, the proposed OF-PEC not only achieves integration of the light source and sensing interface but also enables sensitive and accurate "signal-on" detection of IL-6. Furthermore, due to the flexibility and remote detection capabilities of OF, the application of OF-PEC is expected to be expanded more widely. This approach opens up possibilities for advances in PEC sensing.

Objectives: Fasciolosis is of significant economic and public health importance worldwide. The lack of a successful vaccine and emerging resistance in flukes to the drug of choice, triclabendazole, has initiated the search for alternative approaches. In recent years, metallic nanoparticles have been extensively investigated for their anthelmintic effects. This study investigates the in vitro anthelmintic activity of copper oxide and zinc oxide nanoparticles against Fasciola hepatica., Methods: The in vitro study was based on egg hatchability test (EHA), adult motility inhibition tests, DNA damage, ROS levels, as well as several biomarkers of oxidative stress, including glutathione peroxidase (GSH) and glutathione S-transferase (GST), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA). For this purpose, different concentrations of copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO-NPs) and Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) (1, 4, 8, 12, and 16 ppm) were used to evaluate the anthelmintic effect on different life stages, including egg and adults of Fasciola hepatica, over 24 h., Results: In vitro treatment of F. hepatica worms with both CuO-NPs and ZnO-NPs could significantly increase ROS production and oxidative stress induction (decreased SOD, GST and GSH and increased MDA) compared to control group., Conclusions: Based on the results, it seems that CuO-NPs and ZnO-NPs may be effective in the control and treatment of F. hepatica infection. Further research is needed to investigate their potential for in vivo use in the treatment of parasitic infections., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

The increasing application of metal nanoparticles (NPs) via agrochemicals and sewage sludge results in non-negligible phytotoxicological risks. Herein, the potential phytotoxicity of ZnO and CuO NPs on wheat was determined using integrative chemical, physiological, and metabolomics analyses, in comparison to Zn 2+ and Cu 2+ . It was found that ZnO or CuO NPs had a stronger inhibitory effect on wheat growth than Zn 2+ or Cu 2+ . After exposure to ZnO or CuO NPs, wheat seedlings accumulated significantly higher levels of Zn or Cu than the corresponding Zn 2+ or Cu 2+ treatments, indicating the active uptake of NPs via wheat root. TEM analysis further confirmed the intake of NPs. Moreover, ZnO or CuO NPs exposure altered micronutrients (Fe, Mn, Cu, and Zn) accumulation in the tissues and decreased the activities of antioxidant enzymes. The metabolomics analysis identified 312, 357, 145, and 188 significantly changed metabolites (SCMs) in wheat root exposed to ZnO NPs, CuO NPs, Zn 2+ , and Cu 2+ , respectively. Most SCMs were nano-specific to ZnO (80%) and CuO NPs (58%), suggesting greater metabolic reprogramming by NPs than metal ions. Overall, nanospecific toxicity dominated the phytotoxicity of ZnO and CuO NPs, and our results provide a molecular perspective on the phytotoxicity of metal oxide NPs., 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.)

Purpose: Oral diethylnitrosamine (DEN) is a known hepatocarcinogen that damages the liver and causes cancer. DEN damages the liver through reactive oxygen species-mediated inflammation and biological process regulation., Materials and Methods: Gallic acid-coated zinc oxide nanoparticles (Zn-GANPs) were made from zinc oxide (ZnO) synthesized by irradiation dose of 50 kGy utilizing a Co-60 γ-ray source chamber with a dose rate of 0.83 kGy/h and gallic acid from pomegranate peel. UV-visible (UV) spectrophotometry verified Zn-GANP synthesis. TEM, DLS, and FTIR were utilized to investigate ZnO-NPs' characteristics. Rats were orally exposed to DEN for 8 weeks at 20 mg/kg five times per week, followed by intraperitoneal injection of Zn-GANPs at 20 mg/kg for 5 weeks. Using oxidative stress, anti-inflammatory, liver function, histologic, apoptotic, and cell cycle parameters for evaluating Zn-GANPs treatment., Results: DEN exposure elevated inflammatory markers (AFP and NF-κB p65), transaminases (AST, ALT), γ-GT, globulin, and total bilirubin, with reduced protein and albumin levels. It also increased MDA levels, oxidative liver cell damage, and Bcl-2, while decreasing caspase-3 and antioxidants like GSH, and CAT. Zn-GANPs significantly mitigated these effects and lowered lipid peroxidation, AST, ALT, and γ-GT levels, significantly increased CAT and GSH levels (p<0.05). Zn-GANPs caused S and G2/M cell cycle arrest and G0/G1 apoptosis. These results were associated with higher caspase-3 levels and lower Bcl-2 and TGF-β1 levels. Zn-GANPs enhance and restore the histology and ultrastructure of the liver in DEN-induced rats., Conclusion: The data imply that Zn-GANPs may prevent and treat DEN-induced liver damage and carcinogenesis., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.. All rights reserved.)

Effectively integrating infection control and osteogenesis to promote infected bone repair is challenging. Herein, injective programmable proanthocyanidin (PC)-coordinated zinc-based composite hydrogels (ipPZCHs) are developed by compositing antimicrobial and antioxidant PC-coordinated zinc oxide (ZnO) microspheres with thioether-grafted sodium alginate (TSA), followed by calcium chloride (CaCl 2 ) crosslinking. Responsive to the high endogenous reactive oxygen species (ROS) microenvironment in infected bone defects, the hydrophilicity of TSA can be significantly improved, to trigger the disintegration of ipPZCHs and the fast release of PC-coordinated ZnOs. This together with the easily dissociable PC-Zn 2+ coordination induced fast release of antimicrobial zinc (Zn 2+ ) with/without silver (Ag + ) ions from PC-coordinated ZnOs (for Zn 2+ , > 100 times that of pure ZnO) guarantees the strong antimicrobial activity of ipPZCHs. The exogenous ROS generated by ZnO and silver nanoparticles during the antimicrobial process further speeds up the disintegration of ipPZCHs, augmenting the antimicrobial efficacy. At the same time, ROS-responsive degradation/disintegration of ipPZCHs vacates space for bone ingrowth. The concurrently released strong antioxidant PC scavenges excess ROS thus enhances the immunomodulatory (in promoting the anti-inflammatory phenotype (M2) polarization of macrophages) and osteoinductive properties of Zn 2+ , thus the infected bone repair is effectively promoted via the aforementioned programmable and self-adaptive processes., (© 2023 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Nanoparticles (NPs) hold great promise for agricultural applications, yet their potential impact on exogenous gene transfer within plant remains poorly understood. In this study, we utilized the non-conjugative plasmid pCAMBIA1300, harboring the bialaphos resistance (bar) gene expressed in plant and the kanamycin resistance (kanR) gene as selectable marker in bacteria. Our results revealed a significant increase in the transfer of plasmid (via carrier Escherichia coli DH5α), both intra- and inter-species within the endophyte, when Arabidopsis thaliana was exposed to environmentally relevant level of zinc oxide (ZnO) NPs at a concentration of 0.7 μg/mL throughout its lifespan. Intriguingly, the plasmid exhibited selective transfer to growth-promoting endophytes, such as Enterobacter, Serratia, and Achromobacter, with the presence of ZnO NPs expanding the pool of potential recipients. This result is due to the facilitation of an endophytic and mutualistic lifestyle of invasive E. coli DH5α and the enrichment of beneficial bacteria aided by ZnO NPs. The plant's descendant generations did not express the bar gene, and the endophytes carrying the exogenous plasmid did not transmit it to sub sequent generation. This research provides crucial insights for assessing the potential risks associated with gene contamination and ensuring the safe and sustainable use of NPs in agriculture., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest Chengdong Zhang reports financial support was provided by the National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars and National Natural Science Foundation of China. Chengdong Zhang reports financial support was provided by the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Accurately applying engineered nanoparticles (NPs) in farmland stress management is important for sustainable agriculture and food safety. We investigated the protective effects of four engineered NPs (SiO 2 , CeO 2 , ZnO, and S) on pakchoi under arsenic (As) stress using pot experiments. The results showed that CeO 2 , SiO 2 , and S NPs resulted in biomass reduction, while ZnO NPs (100 and 500 mg kg -1 ) significantly increased shoot height. Although 500 mg kg -1 S NPs rapidly dissolved to release SO 4 2- , reducing soil pH and pore water As content and further reducing shoot As content by 21.6 %, the growth phenotype was inferior to that obtained with 100 mg kg -1 ZnO NPs, probably due to acid damage. The addition of 100 mg kg -1 ZnO NPs not only significantly reduced the total As content in pakchoi by 23.9 % compared to the As-alone treatment but also enhanced plant antioxidative activity by increasing superoxide dismutase (SOD) and peroxidase (POD) activities and decreasing malondialdehyde (MDA) content. ZnO NPs in soil might inhibit As uptake by roots by increasing the dissolved organic carbon (DOC) by 19.12 %. According to the DLVO theory, ZnO NPs were the most effective in preventing As in pore water from entering plant roots due to their smaller hydrated particle size. Redundancy analysis (RDA) further confirmed that DOC and SO 4 2- were the primary factors controlling plant As uptake under the ZnO NP and S NP treatments, respectively. These findings provide an important basis for the safer and more sustainable application of NP-conjugated agrochemicals., 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 © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The utilization of Trichoderma longibrachiatum filtrate as a safe biocontrol method for producing zinc nanoparticles is a promising approach for managing pests and diseases in agricultural crops. The identification of Trichoderma sp. was achieved through PCR amplification and sequencing of 18s as ON203115, while the synthesis of ZnO-NPs was accomplished by employing Trichoderma filtration. The presence of ZnO-NPs was confirmed by observing a color change to dark green, along with the use of visible and UV spectrophotometers, and the formation and chemical structure of ZnO-NPs were examined. Direct exposure to ZnO-NPs exhibited a significant inhibitory effect on the growth of Fusarium oxysporum at 80.73% compared with control. Also, the percent mortality of Meloidogyne incognita second juveniles stage (J2s) results showed 11.82%, 37.63%, 40.86%, and 89.65% after 6, 12, 24, and 72 h, respectively in vitro. Disease resistance was assessed in the greenhouse against M. incognita and F. oxysporum using the drench application of ZnO-NPs. The application of ZnO-NPs significantly reduced the disease severity of F. oxysporum and improved the quality and quantity of sweet pepper yield. In addition, the application of ZnO-NPs to M. incognita resulted in a significant reduction in the number of nematode galls, egg masses per root, eggs/egg mass, and females by 98%, 99%, 99.9%, and 95.5% respectively.Furthermore, it was observed that the application of ZnO-NPs to pepper plants not only inhibited the growth of F. oxysporum and M. incognita, but also promoted the recovery of pepper plants as indicated by improvements in stem length by 106%, root length 102%, fresh weight 112%, root fresh weight 107%, and leaf area 118% compared to healthy control plants. Additionally, real-time PCR application and DD-PCR technique revealed that the application of ZnO-NPs stimulated the secretion of certain enzymes. These findings suggest that the biosynthesized ZnO-NPs possess anti-nematode and antifungal properties, making them effective for protecting plants against M. incognita and F. oxysporum invasion in soil. This study significantly contributes to our understanding of the nematicidal and fungicidal activities of ZnO-NPs in suppressing soil-borne diseases., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Globally, cancer is the leading cause of death and morbidity, and skin cancer is the most common cancer diagnosis. Skin problems can be treated with nanoparticles (NPs), particularly with zinc oxide (ZnO) NPs, which have antioxidant, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer properties. An antibacterial activity of zinc oxide nanoparticles prepared in the presence of 4-nitrobenzaldehyde (4NB) was also tested in the present study. In addition, the influence of synthesized NPs on cell apoptosis, cell viability, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), endogenous reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, apoptosis, and cell adhesion was also examined. The synthesized 4-nitro benzaldehyde with ZnO (4NBZnO) NPs were confirmed via characterization techniques. 4NBZnO NPs showed superior antibacterial properties against the pathogens tested in antibacterial investigations. As a result of dose-based treatment with 4NBZnO NPs, cell viability, and MMP activity of melanoma cells (SK-MEL-3) cells were suppressed. A dose-dependent accumulation of ROS was observed in cells exposed to 4NBZnO NPs. As a result of exposure to 4NBZnO NPs in a dose-dependent manner, viable cells declined and apoptotic cells increased. This indicates that apoptotic cell death was higher. The cell adhesion test revealed that 4NBZnO NPs reduced cell adhesion and may promote apoptosis of cancer cells because of enhanced ROS levels., (© 2023 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Diabetes is a serious health issue that can be a great risk factor related to numerous physical problems. A class of drugs "Gliflozin" especially Sodium Glucose Co. Transporter 2 was inhibited by a novel drug, which is known as "empagliflozin". While ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) had considerable promise for combating diabetes, it was employed in the treatment and management of type-2 diabetes mellitus. The new drug empagliflozin was initially incorporated into Zinc Oxide NPs in this study using the surface physio-sorption technique, and the degree of drug adsorption was assessed using the HPLC method. The tailored product was characterized by using the FTIR, EDX, Ultraviolet-Visible, XRD and SEM techniques. With an average particle size of 17 nm, SEM revealed mono-dispersion of NPs and sphere-like form. The Freundlich isotherm model best fits and explains the data for the physio-sorption investigation, which examined adsorption capabilities using adsorption isotherms. The enzymes α-amylase and α-glucosidase, which are involved in the human metabolism of carbohydrates, were used in the in-vitro anti-diabetic assays. It was discovered that the composite showed the highest levels of 81.72 and 92.77% inhibition of -α-amylase and -glucosidase at an absolute concentration of 1000 μg per ml with IC 50 values of 30.6 μg per ml and 72 μg per ml., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

In the present study, ZnO nanoparticles have been synthesized using an aqueous extract of shilajit. The nanoparticles were characterized using different techniques such as UV (ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometer), FTIR (Fourier transform infrared), XRD (X-ray diffraction), particle size analysis, SEM (scanning electron microscope) and EDAX (Energy-dispersive X-ray) analysis. The UV absorption peak at 422.40 nm was observed for ZnO nanoparticles. SEM analysis showed the shape of nanoparticles to be spherical, FTIR spectrum confirmed the presence of zinc atoms, particle size analysis showed the nanoparticle size, EDAX confirmed the purity of ZnO nanoparticles whereas XRD pattern similar to that of JCPDS card for ZnO confirmed the presence of pure ZnO nanoparticles. The in vitro anticancer activity of ZnO nanoparticles against the HeLa cell line showed the IC 50 value of 38.60 μg/mL compared to reference standard cisplatin. This finding confirms that ZnO nanoparticles from shilajit extract have potent cytotoxic effect on human cervical cancer cell lines., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Metal nanoparticles synthesized using various biosources are the subject of focus in many research areas thanks to their improved biological effects and increased bioavailability. Silver (Ag), zinc oxide (ZnO) and magnetite (Fe 3 O 4 ) nanoparticles (NPs) were obtained by using low-cost, low-energy, environmentally friendly, non-toxic chemicals and easily accessible thyme leaves and lavender flowers. The effects of various concentrations of biosynthesized NPs on the germination and germination index of basil seeds were defined comparatively. Phytochemicals in lavender flower extract acted as reducing and capping agents in the biosynthesis of Ag-NPs, and phytochemicals in thyme leaves extract acted for the biosynthesis of ZnO-NPs ve Fe 3 O 4 -NPs. Relative root length was detected at 25 mg/L ZnO-NP, stem length at 50 mg/L ZnO-NP, and relative seed germination 100 mg/L Fe 3 O 4 -NP with the maximum value. However, germination percentage, germination index, germination vigor index and root length were found to be maximum compared to other NP applications at Ag-NPs at 200 mg/L. This research showed that the germination promoting effects of NPs, which may be essential microelements, are related to their size, surface area, morphology and concentration. Thus, it promoted early and rapid germination by breaking the NP's seed dormancy., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Periodontitis, one of the most prevalent dental diseases, causes the loss of bone and gum tissue that hold teeth in place. Several bacteria, commonly present in clinically healthy oral cavities, may induce and perpetuate periodontitis when their concentration rises in the gingival sulcus. Antibacterial effect against various Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, including pathogenic and drug-resistant ones, has been shown for several distinct transient metal and metal oxide NPs. Therefore, NPs may be used in biomedicine to treat periodontal problems and in nanotechnology to inhibit the development of microorganisms. Instead of using harmful chemicals or energy-intensive machinery, biosynthesis of metal and metal oxide nanoparticles (NPs) has been suggested. To produce metal and metal oxide NPs, the ideal technique is "Green" synthesis because of its low toxicity and safety for human health and the environment. Gold NPs (AuNPs) appear to be less toxic to mammalian cells than other nanometals because their antibacterial activity is not dependent on reactive oxygen species (ROS). AgNPs also possess chemical stability, catalytic activity, and superior electrical and thermal conductivity, to name a few of their other advantageous characteristics. It was observed that zinc oxide (ZnO) NPs and copper (Cu) NPs exhibited discernible inhibitory effects against gram-positive and gram-negative bacterial strains, respectively. ZnO NPs demonstrated bactericidal activity against the microorganisms responsible for periodontitis. Medications containing magnetic NPs are highly effective against multidrug-resistant bacterial and fungal infections. The titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ) NPs are implicated in elevating salivary peroxidase activity in individuals diagnosed with chronic periodontitis. Furthermore, specific metallic NPs have the potential to enhance the antimicrobial efficacy of periodontitis treatments when combined. Therefore, these NPs, as well as their oxide NPs, are only some of the metals and metal oxides that have been synthesized in environmentally friendly ways and shown to have therapeutic benefits against periodontitis., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

The study evaluates the impact of two metal oxide nanoparticles: copper oxide (CuO) and zinc oxide (ZnO) on the growth and physiology of Raphanus sativus L. (radish) under salinity stress. Fifteen days old seedlings of R. sativus were subjected to different concentrations of salt stress (0 mM, 150 mM, and 300 mM NaCl) alone and in interaction with 100 mgL -1 metal oxide nanoparticle treatments (CuO and ZnO NPs via foliar spray) for 15 days. The results confirmed the severe effects of salinity stress on the growth and physiology of radish plants by decreasing nutrient uptake, leaf area, and photosystems photochemistry and by increasing proline accumulation, anthocyanin, flavonoids content, and antioxidant enzyme activities which is directly linked to increased oxidative stress. The foliar application of CuO and ZnO NPs alleviated the adverse effects of salt stress on radish plants, as indicated by improving these attributes. Foliar spray of ZnO NPs was found efficient in improving the leaf area, photosynthetic electron transport rate, the PSII quantum yield, proton conductance and mineral content in radish plants under NaCl stress. Besides, ZnO NPs decreased the NaCl-induced oxidative stress by declining proline, anthocyanin, and flavonoids contents and enzymatic activities such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and guaiacol peroxidase (GOPX). Thus, our study revealed that ZnO NPs are more effective and have beneficial effects over CuO NPs in promoting growth and reducing the adverse effects of NaCl stress in radish plants., 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 © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.. All rights reserved.)

The current study was proposed to evaluate the mortal impacts of either alone or mixed treatments of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) and mureer or Senecio glaucus L. plant (SP) on spleen tissue via immunological and histological studies and to estimate the likely immunomodulatory effect of gallic acid (GA) for 30 days in rats. Rats were classified into eight groups with orally treated: Control, GA (100mg/kg), ZnO NPs (150mg/kg), SP (400mg/kg), GA+ZnO NPs (100,150mg/kg), GA+SP (100,400mg/kg), ZnONPs+SP (150,400mg/kg) and GA+ZnONPs+SP (100,150,400mg/kg). Interleukin-6 (IL-6) level was measured using an enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA). Also, the pro-apoptotic protein (caspase-3) expression was estimated using an immunohistochemistry assay. Our data revealed that ZnO NPs and SP triggered a significant increase in the levels of IL-6 and total lipids (TL) and the activity of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), (p<0.001). Furthermore, they overexpressed caspase-3 and caused lymphoid depletion. They revealed that the immunotoxic outcome of mixed treatment was more than the outcome of the alone treatment. However, GA restored the spleen damage from these adverse results. Finally, this study indicated that ZnO NPs and SP might be immunotoxic and splenotoxic agents; however, GA may be displayed as an anti-inflammatory and splenic-protective agent.

Background: Nanoparticles are regarded as magical bullets because of their exclusive features. Recently, the usage of nanoparticles has progressed in almost all aspects of science and technology due to its ability to revolutionize certain fields. In the field of food science and technology, the application of nanoparticles is being researched in many various areas thus provides the dairy industry with a variety of new attitudes for developing the quality, prolong shelf life, ensure the safety and healthiness of foods., Aim: This study aimed to focus on the application of some inorganic metal oxide nanoparticles (zinc oxide (ZnO), magnesium oxide (MgO), and calcium oxide (CaO)) to control E. coli in raw milk and ensure its safety., Methods: The antibacterial action of certain nanoparticles (ZnO, MgO, and CaO) with multiple concentrations (0.1, 0.05, 0.025, 0.0125, 0.006, and 0.003 mg/ml) was evaluated against E. coli strains in ultra heat treated (UHT) milk samples. Also, storage temperature and storage period effects were studied., Results: The findings of the current research revealed that inorganic metal oxide nanoparticles had a significant antibacterial role against E. coli , in the following order; ZnO, MgO, and CaO, respectively. The antibacterial effect of inorganic metal oxide nanoparticles is more noticeable at lower temperatures., Conclusion: Inorganic metal nanoparticles can be used in the food industry for the purpose of the control of E. coli, and extension of the shelf life of dairy products ., Competing Interests: The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.

The purpose of this study was to identify the most important physiological and biological effects of green synthesis ZnO nanoparticles at a size of 65 nm, biostimulant (Folcare) and interaction biostimulant ZnO NPs on plant growth and metabolism. As our understanding of biostimulants' preventive and restorative modes of action has increased, it is critical to maintain the best crop output and quality possible. The reduction of fertilizers must be substituted by strategies that improve the nutrients uptake or their utilization by the plants. New processing methods are required as an efficient green process or an integrated (hybrid) process for different new technologies of interest. The effects of NPs, biostimulant, and combination ZnO NPs biostimulant on plant cell metabolism were examined in cytosol, chloroplast, and mitochondria of cells from the stems, roots, and leaves. The interaction NPs/biostimulant had a beneficial effect on the morphological and physiological indicators of plant health than when nanoparticles and biostimulant are applied separately. Folcare biostimulant coupled with zinc oxide nanoparticles improved pea crops growth. The improved of the quality of pea plants can be explained at least, in part, by increase in antioxidant activities during plant growth phenophase.

Background: Due to their simplicity, eco-friendliness, availability and non-toxicity, the greener fabrication of metal and metal oxide nanoparticles has been a highly attractive research area over the last decade. Aim: This study aimed to assess the antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of the green synthesized zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) using an aqueous leaf extract of Ziziphus spina-christi . Method: The antioxidant property of ZnO-NPs was analyzed by the α, α-diphenyl-β-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ). Additionally, the diffusion agar method assessed the antimicrobial activities against bacteria and fungi. Results: ZnO-NPs synthesized by Z. spina-christi had shown promising H 2 O 2 and DPPH free radical scavenging actions compared to vitamin C. The ZnO-NPs exhibited significant antibacterial activity against the tested bacteria with various susceptibility as a concentration-dependent effect. The largest zone of inhibition for Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) was observed (36 ± 2 mm) compared to Escherichia coli (E. coli) (15 ± 2 mm) by the same concentration of ZnO-NPs. The ZnO-NPs showed remarkable antifungal activity against Aspergillus niger . Conclusion: It can be concluded that, ZnO-NP have been imposed as suitable antimicrobial agent being able to combat both S. aureus and E. coli in vitro .

Lignin nanoparticles have gained increasing attention as a potential antimicrobial agent due to their biocompatibility, biodegradability, and low toxicity. However, the limited ability of lignin to act as an antibacterial is a major barrier to its widespread use. Thus, it is crucial to develop novel approaches to amplify lignin's biological capabilities in order to promote its effective utilization. In this study, we modified lignin nanoparticles (LNPs) with photo-active curcumin (Cur), zinc oxide (ZnO), or a combination of both to enhance their antimicrobial properties. The successful modifications of LNPs were confirmed using comprehensive characterization techniques. The antimicrobial efficacy of the modified LNPs was assessed against both gram-positive and gram-negative bacterial strains. The results showed that the modification of LNPs with Cur and ZnO have much higher antibacterial and antibiofilm activities than unmodified LNPs. Moreover, photo illumination resulted in even higher antibacterial activity. Furthermore, atomic force microscopy revealed bacterial cells lysis and membrane damage by ZnO/Cur modified LNPs. Our research demonstrates that ZnO/Cur modified LNPs can serve as novel hybrid materials with enhanced antimicrobial capabilities. In addition, the photo-induced enhancement in antibacterial activity not only demonstrated the versatility of this hybrid material but also opened up interesting potential for bioinspired therapeutics agents., 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 © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Chiral nanoparticles (C-NPs) play a crucial role in biomedical applications, especially in their biological effects on cytotoxicity and metabolism. However, there are rare reports about the antivirus property of C-NPs and their working mechanism. Here, three different types of chiral ZnO NPs (l-ZnO, d-ZnO, and dl-ZnO) were prepared as enantioselective antivirals. Biocompatibility test results showed that the three different chiral ZnO NPs varied significantly in cytotoxicity. Evaluation of their effects against porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) indicated that compared with d-ZnO and dl-ZnO NPs, l-ZnO NPs exhibited stronger anti-PRRSV activity due to their higher cognate cell adhesion and uptake. Furthermore, the high concentration of l-ZnO NPs can obviously reduce cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) in MARC-145 cells, thus effectively preventing PRRSV-induced oxidative damage. This study demonstrated the outstanding antiviral properties of l-ZnO NPs, which may facilitate the development and application of C-NPs in antiviral drugs and tissue engineering.

The present study synthesised and characterised zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) using spinach tree, Cnidoscolus aconitifolius and investigated its potential use as nanofertilizer. The synthesised nanoparticles showed UV-Vis absorption peak at 378 nm which is a feature of ZnO NPs. FT-IR analysis further revealed the presence of O-H stretching, C = C bending, O-H bending and C-N stretching functional groups of the stabilising action of the plant extract on the surface of the nanoparticles. SEM images displayed the shape of NPs to be spherical whereas TEM images showed their distribution sizes to be 100 nm. Synthesised ZnO NPs were used as a nano fertilizer on Sorghum bicolour plant. An increase in the shoot leaf length with an average length of 16.13 ± 0.19 cm as compared to the control group of 15.13 ± 0.07 cm was observed. The rate of photosynthesis also showed a significant increase with total chlorophyll content of 0.2806 ± 0.006 mg/mL as compared with control of 0.2476 ± 0.002 mg/mL. The activity of antioxidative enzymes was measured with an increase in the specific activity of SOD in the plant when ZnO NPs were used over NPK whereas, the specific activities of CAT were similar in all cases.

The present study was planned to evaluate the effect of dietary zinc-oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles synthesized by different plant extracts on egg production, egg quality, bone mineralization, and antioxidant capacity in caged layers. Nanoparticles of ZnO were synthesized by using extracts of Allium sativum (AS), Aloe vera (AV), Curcuma longa (CL), and Zingiber officinale (ZO). Different sources of nano ZnO (AS, AV, CL, and ZO) with varying levels (35, 70, or 105 ppm) were tested on 288 caged LSL layers of 25 weeks of age. Each diet was offered to 4 replicates of 6 birds each level and the duration of trial was 8 weeks. Daily egg production, feed consumption, and fortnightly egg quality parameters were recorded. Egg quality parameters (egg weight, egg mass, shape index, yolk index, albumen index, Haugh unit score, specific gravity, and eggshell thickness) were determined fortnightly by taking 2 eggs from each replicate randomly. Antioxidant capacity and bone mineralization were determined at the end of the trial. Results showed that the nano ZnO preparations were not effective (P < 0.05) on laying performance but additional levels (70 ppm) improved egg production, feed conversion ratio, egg mass, Haugh unit score, and antioxidant capacity of chickens. An interaction was found among nanoparticles prepared by Allium sativum and Zingiber officianale extracts with 70 ppm level regarding total antioxidant capacity and egg production (P > 0.05). Interaction among source and level was not found regarding feed intake, feed conversion ratio, egg quality, bone characteristics, and concentration of Zn. Results of the present study suggest that nano ZnO sources may not be a factor that affects performance, but level affects the birds' physiology. Thus, it is concluded that nano ZnO with 70 ppm concentration is sufficient to optimize the laying performance., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Fungal and bacterial pathogens represent some of the greatest challenges facing crop production globally and account for about 20-40 % crop losses annually. This review highlights the use of ZnO NPs as antimicrobial agents and explores their mechanisms of actions against disease causing plant fungal pathogens. The behavior of ZnO NPs in soil and their interactions with the soil components were also highlighted. The review discusses the potential effects of ZnO NPs on plants and their mechanisms of action on plants and how these mechanisms are related to their physicochemical properties. In addition, the reduction of ZnO NPs toxicity through surface modification and coating with silica is also addressed. Soil properties play a significant role in the dispersal, aggregation, stability, bioavailability, and transport of ZnO NPs and their release into the soil. The transport of ZnO NPs into the soil might influence soil components and, as a result, plant physiology. The harmful effects of ZnO NPs on plants and fungi are caused by a variety of processes, the most important of which is the formation of reactive oxygen species, lysosomal instability, DNA damage, and the reduction of oxidative stress by direct penetration/liberation of Zn 2+ ions in plant/fungal cells. Based on these highlighted areas, this review concludes that ZnO NPs exhibit its antifungal activity via generations of reactive oxygen species, coupled with the inhibition of various metabolic pathways. Despite the numerous advantages of ZnO NPs, there is need to regulate its uses to minimize the harmful effects that may arise from its applications in the soil and plants., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest We write to declare interest to submit our manuscript in your Journal. We have no competing interest to declare in this review and will be will to provide all the necessary and available information on request., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: As a consequence of their eco-friendliness, simplicity and non-toxicity, the fabrication of metal and metal oxide nanoparticles using greener chemistry has been a highly attractive research area over the last decade., Aim: In this study focused on the fabrication of silver-Zinc oxide nanocomposite (Ag-ZnO NCs) using Ruta chalepensis leaf extract and evaluating its potential biological activities, against Echinococcus granulosus in an in vitro and in vivo model using BALB/c mice., Methods: In this study, the synthesis of Ag-ZnO NCs was accomplished using local R. chalepensis leaf extracts. The synthesized nanocomposites were identified using UV-Vis, SEM-EDX, XRD, and FTIR. For a short-term assessment of acute toxicity, BALB/c mice were given the prepared NCs orally. Dual sets of mice were also intraperitoneally injected with protoscoleces for secondary echinococcosis infection. Furthermore, a blood compatibility test was carried out on the nanocomposites., Results: The synthesized Ag-ZnO NCs presented a surface plasmon peak at 329 and 422 nm. The XRD, SEM, and EDX confirmed the purity of the Ag-ZnO NCs. The FTIR spectra indicated the formation of Ag-ZnO NCs. Compared to the untreated infected mice, the treated-infected animals displayed an alteration in the appearance of the hepatic hydatid cysts from hyaline to whitish cloudy with a rough surface appearance. Lysis of RBCs at various doses of Ag-ZnONCs was significantly less than the positive contro,., Conclusion: These findings revealed that the Ag-ZnO NCs didn't cause any adverse symptoms and no mortality was observed in all administered groups of mice. The obtained outcomes confirmed that concentrations of up to 40 μg/mL of the bio-fabricated Ag-ZnONCs induced no notable harm to the red blood cells., Competing Interests: Declaration of conflicting interestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Cerium oxide nanoparticles (CeO 2 -NPs) and Zn-Ni dual-doped CeO 2 -NPs were synthesized through a green approach by the implication of zucchini peel (Cucurbita pepo) extract as a capping and reduction agent. All the synthesized samples were studied by the results of FTIR, UV-Vis, XRD, and FESEM/EDAX/PSA analyses. The Zn-Ni dual-doped CeO 2 -NPs contained a spherical morphology and their size was observed to increase at higher temperatures. The conducted MTT assay on the Huh-7 cell line displayed 50% of cells annihilation as a result of using undoped CeO 2 -NPs and Zn-Ni dual-doped CeO 2 -NPs at the inhibitory concentrations (IC 50 ) of 700 and 185.4 μg/mL, respectively. We also evaluated the enzymatic functionality of SOD and CAT of undoped CeO 2 -NPs and dual-doped NPs and found it to be dose dependent. Moreover, Zn-Ni dual-doped CeO 2 -NPs intensified the CAT activity without causing any changes in SOD activity in similar concentrations., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

The current study describes the biogenic synthesis of two metal oxides zinc oxide (ZnO), aluminum oxide (Al2O3) nanoparticles using Camellia sinensis, and Origanum vulgare L. leaves extract, respectively. The synthesized metal oxide nanoparticles were investigated using spectroscopic and microscopic techniques to confirm the formation of their nanostructures. Accurate and precise spectrofluorometric probes were proposed for the quantification of Ofloxacin (OFX) and Ciprofloxacin (CPFX) in their bulk and commercial formulations. The extraordinary properties of Zinc oxide and aluminum oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs and Al2O3NPs) enhance the fluorescence intensity in the presence of 0.5 mL and 1.0 mL of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS, 1.0% w/v) as organizing agent for the detection of OFX and CPFX, respectively. The optical detection of both drugs at λex/em range 250-700 nm displayed linearity with a main correlation coefficient >0.999 at 1-300 (OFX-SDS-ZnONPs) and 0.5-100 (OFX-SDS-Al2O3NPs) ng mL-1,10-400 (CPFX-SDS-ZnONPs) and 0.1-50 (CPFX-SDS-Al2O3NPs) ng mL-1. The detection and quantification limits were found to be 0.04, 0.03, and 0.02, 0.04 ng mL-1, 0.13, 0.10, and 7.24, 0.09 ng mL-1 for the above-mentioned fluorescence systems, respectively. The suggested spectrofluorometric probes were validated and potentially applied for the estimation of OFX and CPFX in their bulk and commercial formulations., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2023 Alarfaj 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.)

In recent periods, a broad assortment of continual organic contaminants has been released into our natural water resources. Indeed, it is exceedingly poisonous and perilous to living things; thus, the elimination of these organic pollutants before release into the water bodies is vital. A variety of techniques have been utilized to remove these organic pollutants with advanced oxidation photocatalytic methods with zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles being commonly used as a capable catalyst for contaminated water treatment. Nevertheless, its broad energy gap, which can be only stimulated under an ultraviolet (UV) light source, and high recombination pairs of electrons and holes limit their photocatalytic behaviors. However, numerous methods have been suggested to decrease its energy gap for visible regions. Including, the doping ZnO with metal ions (dopant) can be considered as an effectual route not only the reason for a movement of the absorption edges toward the higher (visible light) region but also to lower the electron-hole pair (e - -h + ) recombination. This review concentrated on the impact of dissimilar types of metal ions (dopants) on the advancement in the degradation performance of ZnO. So, this work demonstrates a vital review of contemporary attainments in the alteration of ZnO nanoparticles for organic pollutants eliminations. Besides, the effect of doping ions including transition metals, rare earth metals, and metal ions (substitutional and interstitial) concerning numerous types of altered ZnO are summarized. The photodegradation mechanisms for pristine and metal-modified ZnO nanoparticles are also conferred., 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 © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Biofilm formation by Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) is known to be characteristic of this organism. This bacterium is considered one of the most life-threatening bacteria and has been identified as a priority pathogen for research by WHO. Biofilm-producing P. aeruginosa is a concern in many parts of the world due to antibiotic resistance. Alginate also plays an important role in the biofilm formation of P. aeruginosa as well as the emergence of antibiotic resistance in biofilms. In addition, the systems of toxin-antitoxin( TA) play an important role in biofilm formation. Metal nanoparticle(NP) such as zinc oxide (ZnO) also have extensive biological properties, especially anti-biofilm properties. Therefore, this study was conducted in relation to the importance of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) in biofilm formation and also the correlation of gene expression of TA systems in clinical isolates of P. aeruginosa., Methods: A total of 52 P. aeruginosa isolates were collected from burns (n = 15), UTI (n = 31), and trachea (n = 6) in hospitals in Ilam between May 2020 and October 2020. Biofilm formation was assessed using a microtiter plate assay. MIC and sub-MIC concentrations of ZnO NPs (10-30 nm with purity greater than 99.8%) in P. aeruginosa were determined. Subsequently, biofilm formation was investigated using sub-MIC concentrations of ZnO NPs. Finally, total RNA was extracted and RT- qPCR was used to determine the expression levels of genes of mazEF, mqsRA, and higBA of TA systems., Results: Six isolates of P. aeruginosa were found to form strong biofilms. The results showed that ZnO NPs were able to inhibit biofilm formation. In our experiments, we found that the sub-MIC concentration of ZnO NPs increased the gene expression of antitoxins mazE and mqsA and toxin higB of TA systems treated with ZnO NPs., Conclusions: In the present study, ZnO NPs were shown to effectively inhibit biofilm formation in P. aeruginosa. Our results support the relationship between TA systems and ZnO NPs in biofilm formation in P. aeruginosa. Importantly, the expression of antitoxins mazE and mqsA was high after treatment with ZnO NPs, but not that of antitoxin higA., (© 2023. BioMed Central Ltd., part of Springer Nature.)

Microplastic (MP) biofilms are hotspots of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in landfill environment. MP biofilms in landfill leachate coexist with heavy metals and metallic nanoparticles (NPs) that considered to be the selective agents of ARGs. However, the effects of these selective pressures on ARGs in MP biofilms and their differences in MP-surrounding leachate have not been well understood. Herein, the changes of ARG abundances in MP biofilms and corresponding leachate under zinc oxide (ZnO) NPs and zinc ion (Zn 2+ ) pressures were comparatively analyzed. The presence of ZnO NPs and Zn 2+ promoted the enrichment of ARGs in MP biofilms, and the enrichment was more pronounced in ZnO NPs groups. ZnO NPs and especially Zn 2+ mainly decreased the abundances of ARGs in leachate. The increase of integron abundances and reactive oxygen species production in MP biofilms implied the enhanced potential for horizontal transfer of ARGs under ZnO NPs and Zn 2+ pressures. Meanwhile, the co-occurrence pattern between ARGs and bacterial genera in MP biofilms with more diverse potential ARG hosts was more complex than in leachate, and the enrichment of ARG-hosting bacteria in MP biofilms under ZnO NPs and Zn 2+ pressures supported the enrichment of ARGs., 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 © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

This study investigated the effect of novel zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) biosynthesized employing Papaver somniferum leaf on oxidative stress, necrosis, and apoptosis in the leukemia cancer THP-1 cell. The obtained ZnO was examined using SEM, AFM, and TEM microscopy, which revealed an irregular spherical morphology with a size ranging from 20 to 30 nm, and the UV-vis absorbance revealed a strong absorption peak in the range of 360-370, nm confirming the production of ZnO NPs. THP-1 cells were subjected to an MTT, an EdU proliferation, a lactate dehydrogenase release tests, a reactive oxygen species (ROS) induction experiment, a DAPI staining detection assay, and a flow cytometric analysis for Annexin V to measure the effects of ZnO NPs on cancer cell growth inhibition, apoptosis, and necrosis. Our results show that ZnO NPs inhibit THP-1 line in a concentration-dependent pattern. It was observed that ZnO NPs triggered necrosis (cell death) and apoptosis in the cell line. ZnO NPs massively improved the formation of intracellular ROS, which is crucial in deactivating the development of leukemic cells. In conclusion, ZnO nanoparticles synthesized using Papaver somniferum extract have the ability to inhibit proliferation leukemic cancer cells, making them potential anticancer agents., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Background: Ovarian cancer is the most lethal cancer in gynaecology. Surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy are the most often used cancer-fighting strategies. Post-surgery infection is fairly prevalent, especially among people with insufficient immunity. Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnOnps) have amazing biomedical features as anticancer and antibacterial agents., Methods: We investigated the behaviour of ZnOnps synthesized by green methods on ovarian cancers using established human ovarian cancer cell lines, besides the antibacterial action toward models of gram + ve and gram -ve bacteria. The cytotoxic effect of ZnOnps was calculated using a Sulforhodamine B (SRB) trial. Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Escherichia coli (E. coli) were tested as models for gram + ve and gram -ve bacteria. The selected bacteria were subjected to concentrations of 20, 40, 80, and 100 μg/ml., Results: The synthesized ZnOnps induced 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) at a concentration of 27.45 μg/ml. The diameter of inhibition ranged between 20.16 ± 0.16 and 27 ± 0.57 mm for S. aureus and 25.66 ± 0.33 to 31 ± 0.33 mm for E. coli. ZnOnps antagonistic effect statistically differed with neomycin, cefaclor, and cefadroxil., Conclusions: Green synthesis of ZnOnps is easily prepared, low cost, non-toxic, and eco-friendly. Their cytotoxic action on SKOV3 cells and their antibacterial characteristics pave the way to be an alternative therapy for ovarian cancer and S. aureus and E. coli infection., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Recently some metal-based nanoparticles have gained serious attention from aquaculture and the fish feed industry as feed supplements. Oral supplementation of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) in fish feed, replacing Zn acetate (conventionally used zinc), is suggested as a cost-effective and efficient approach. Our study assessed the response of Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus, fingerlings after its diet supplemented with chemically synthesized ZnO-NPs and zinc acetate under controlled conditions. ZnO-NPs were chemically synthesized and characterized. Tilapia fingerlings with an average body weight of 09.12 ± 1.23 g were randomly distributed into five groups. An 8-week trial was set with control and four experimental groups. Basal diet (D1) was used as control, whereas D2, D3 and D4 comprising 20, 40, and 60 mgkg -1 ZnO-NPs supplementation were experimental diets. Additionally, D5 was composed of a basal diet supplemented with 40 mgkg -1 of conventionally used zinc acetate. Significant improvement (P < 0.05) was found in nanoparticles and Zn acetate supplemented groups as compared to control, while the 40 mgkg -1 Zn-NPs supplemented diet (D3) showed best performance in terms of health parameters, oxidative status and disease resistance. Antioxidant profiling was based on catalase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione's transferase, and malondialdehyde; hematology included Hb, WBCs, RBCs, HCT MCV, MCH and MCHC; immunological parameters comprised IgM, lysozyme activity, phagocytic activity, respiratory burst activity, cholesterol, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, glucose content, and total serum proteins. We report that the D3 (40 mgkg -1 ZnO-NPs supplementation) significantly (P < 0.05) improved health-related parameters as compared to the other groups. Moreover, D3 also showed significantly decreased mortality percentage when challenged by Staphylococcus aureus, while the Zn acetate supplemented diet group showed better results as compared to control. Overall results suggest the basal diet supplemented with 40 mgkg -1 ZnO-NP for enhanced health parameters, oxidative status, immune response, and disease resistance. Hence, 40mgkg -1 ZnO-NP can be recommended to formulate the practical diet of fish to boost health improvement, immunomodulation, and resistance to bacterial disease., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) show adverse impacts on aerobic denitrifying bacteria, little is known about the response of these bacteria to ZnO NPs exposure at cellular level. This study assessed the multiple responses of Pseudomonas aeruginosa PCN-2 under ZnO NPs exposure. We demonstrated that ZnO NPs exposure could inhibit the intracellular metabolism and stimulate the antioxidant defence capability of PCN-2. At lower exposure concentration (5 mg/L), exogenous ROS generated and resulted in the inhibition of pyruvate metabolism and citrate cycle, which caused deficient energy for aerobic denitrification. At higher concentrations (50 mg/L), endogenous ROS additionally generated and triggered to stronger down-regulation of oxidative phosphorylation, which caused suppressed electron transfers for aerobic denitrification. Meanwhile, ZnO NPs exposure promoted EPS production and biofilm formation, and antioxidases was especially particularly stimulated at higher concentration. Our findings are significant for understanding of microbial bacterial susceptibility, tolerance and resistance under the exposure of ZnO NPs.

Burn wound treatment remains a significant issue in wound care management especially when multidrug resistant bacterial infection and accumulation are present. Delayed wound healing is mostly due to ineffectiveness of commercially available wound dressings that protects the wound but less efficient in healing perspective. Therefore, nano-based wound dressing might be efficient solution for wound healing management. The present study reports the fabrication and evaluation of zinc oxide (ZnO) or silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) capped with vitamin A or E nanocomposite that were incorporated in wheat gluten (WG) films. The chemical structure, phase purity, and morphological features confirmed the successful coating of NPs by vitamins A and E and their interaction with WG during film casting. The maximum swelling response was observed by NPs vitamin composite WG films than control films while slow release of vitamins and NPs from films was observed up to 24 h. WG films either carrying ZnO or Ag NPs, and vitamin A or E demonstrated significant antioxidant and antibacterial potential. The NPs-vitamin composite loaded WG films showed wound contraction within 14 days during in vivo burn wound healing experiments on mice model. The rates of wound healing, re-epithelialization, collagen deposition with fibroblast regeneration, adipocytes, and hair follicle development were observed through visual and histopathological examination. The study reveals that vitamin A or E doped ZnO or Ag NPs fabricated in WG can be efficiently used against burn wounds due to their physiochemical and biological properties. Furthermore the biocompatible nature and biodegradable potential make the films more prone to mankind maneuver for initial protection and healing remedy., (© 2023. Springer Nature Limited.)

Obesity is a complicated disease characterized by abundant fat accumulation. It is associated with cardiovascular disease. The current study aimed to appreciate the role of synthesized zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) (18.72 nm in size) in curbing cardiovascular disease in an obesity model of a high fat/sucrose diet in male rats. For 16 weeks, 24 rats were fed a high-fat diet and a 25% sucrose solution to develop obesity, and after that, the rats were randomly allocated into four groups of rats. Group 1 served as the control group and consisted of normal, non-obese rats. Group 2 comprised obese rats that were injected with an equivalent volume of a neutral substance, serving as vehicle control. In Group 3 or 4, obese rats were treated with an intraperitoneal injection of 5 or 10mg/kg of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) for eight weeks. The treatment of obese rats with ZnONPs decreased plasma levels of monocyte chemoattractant Protein-1 (MCP-1), resistin, ENA78, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin 6 (IL6), and C reactive protein (CRP). Also, the remediation of obese rats with ZnONPs led to a significant decrease in body mass index (BMI), body weight gain, leptin, cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL (Low-density lipoprotein), glucose, and insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR). Moreover, ZnONPs treatment lowered troponin, creatine phosphokinase-MB (CK-MB), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), cardiac or adipose tissue iron content, and malondialdehyde (MDA) either in blood or heart tissue. Otherwise, treating obese rats with ZnONPs enhanced plasma adiponectin levels, cardiac-reduced glutathione (GSH), and superoxide dismutase (SOD). In addition, ZnONPs displayed a significant influence on the cardiovascular system since they combat the rise in blood pressure and the pathological changes of the heart and aorta besides maintaining plasma nitric oxide levels. The results showed a positive correlation between BMI and MDA, MPC-1, CK-MB, and LDH. ZnONPs are convenient in treating cardiovascular disease in obese rats via reduced blood pressure, oxidative stress, cardiac iron accumulation, insulin resistance, and inflammatory markers., (© 2023. Springer Nature Limited.)

The infection of implanted biomaterial scaffolds presents a major challenge. Existing therapeutic solutions, such as antibiotic treatment and silver nanoparticle-containing scaffolds are becoming increasingly impractical because of the growth of antibiotic resistance and the toxicity of silver nanoparticles. We present here a novel concept to overcome these limitations, an electrospun polycaprolactone (PCL) scaffold functionalised with zinc oxide nanowires (ZnO NWs). This study assessed the antibacterial capabilities and biocompatibility of PCL/ZnO scaffolds. The fabricated scaffolds were characterised by SEM and EDX, which showed that the ZnO NWs were successfully incorporated and distributed in the electrospun PCL scaffolds. The antibacterial properties were investigated by co-culturing PCL/ZnO scaffolds with Staphylococcus aureus . Bacterial colonisation was reduced to 51.3% compared to a PCL-only scaffold. The biocompatibility of the PCL/ZnO scaffolds was assessed by culturing them with HaCaT cells. The PCL scaffolds exhibited no changes in cell metabolic activity with the addition of the ZnO nanowires. The antibacterial and biocompatibility properties make PCL/ZnO a good choice for implanted scaffolds, and this work lays a foundation for ZnO NWs-infused PCL scaffolds in the potential clinical application of tissue engineering.

Background: Zinc nanoparticles are documented to be harmful to fish because their accumulation in fish bring about many irreversible changes in their health. Nigella sativa and its oil have been endorsed in aquaculture to improve fish health., Methods: Two hundred seventy experimental fish (113 ± 5 g body weight) were divided into 6 groups G1-6; control fish fed a diet without any treatment (G1), 0.3% of NSO (G2), 0.5% of NSO (G3), ZnO NPs (40 mg/kg diet) (G4), 0.3% of NSO and ZnO NPs (40 mg/kg diet) (G5), 0.5% of NSO and ZnO NPs (40 mg/kg diet) (G6), the trial lasted for six weeks., Results: Growth performance was enhanced in fish received diets containing NSO, final weight (FW), weight gain (WG), daily weight gain (DWG), and relative growth rate (RGR) were significantly increased with lower food conversion ratios (FCR) compared to the control. The hepatic glutathione peroxidase (GPx), catalase (CAT), and metallothionein (MT) were increased in response to ZnO NPs stress and only 0.5% NSO supplementation could ameliorate such increment. The immune-related genes [interleukin1-beta (IL-1β), tumor necrosis factor-beta (TNF-β), transforming growth factor-beta 2 (TGF-β2) and C-type lysozyme] as well as growth-related gene [insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1)] in liver showed an upregulation in fish fed with NSO diets. Administration of ZnO NPs lowered the resistance of Oreochromis niloticus against bacterial infection with Aeromonas hydrophila and NSO could enhance the immunity in the highest tested concentration (0.5%) (G 6 )., Conclusions: The obtained results implied that NSO could enhance the oxidative and immune status of O. niloticus which could compensate ZnO NPs stress as well as experimental infection of a virulent strain of A. hydrophila. Our results revealed that NSO might increase fish growth and immunity only at a high dose (0.5%)., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.)

To extend the shelf life of sweet cherries (Prunus avium L.) and considering the environmental problems caused by traditional packaging materials, novel Zein/Gelatin-proanthocyanidins-zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZE/GE-PC-ZnO) and Zein/Gelatin-gallic acid-zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZE/GE-GA-ZnO) protein-based composite nanofiber films were prepared by electrospinning. According to the results, ZE/GE-PC-ZnO and ZE/GE-GA-ZnO films' contact angles were higher than those of Zein/Gelatin film by 28.91% and 21.27%, and their antioxidant activities were 5 and 9 times higher, respectively. Moreover, ZE/GE-PC-ZnO film showed good inhibitory activity against B. cinerea. On the eleventh day of the cherry packaging test, compared to unwrapped cherries, the losses of weight and firmness of wrapped fruit were reduced by more than 20% and 60%, respectively. Respiration time was delayed by 5 days, and the peak of ethylene release was decreased by nearly half. In conclusion, these two nanofiber films were viable packaging materials that fulfilled global strategies for green 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 © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Ceramic water filters (CWFs) are decentralized water treatment technologies commonly used in resource-restricted geographies. Inclusion of silver nanoparticles (AgNP) assists with disinfection but can substantially increase costs. This research investigates AgNP supplementation with zinc oxide (ZnO) as a low-cost bactericide alternative. CWF disks were impregnated with varying AgNP and/or ZnO concentrations and challenged against Escherichia coli. Effluent bacteria were enumerated and monitored over 72 h while eluted metal concentrations were measured and scaled according to surface area to establish 'pot-equivalent' estimates (0-50 ppb Ag and 0-1200 ppb Zn). Ag addition correlated to subsequent measured release values, though Zn impregnation did not. Background Zn was thus evidently present. Meanwhile, the eluted metal concentration related to disinfection: a CWF with a pot-equivalent elution estimate of 2 ppb Ag and 156 ppb Zn achieved a Log Removal Value (LRV) of 2.0 after 60 min of filtration and 1.9 after 24 h of storage while a CWF with a pot-equivalent elution estimate of 20 ppb Ag and 376 ppb Zn achieved LRVs of 3.1 and 4.5 after the same filtration and storage times, respectively. Clay elemental composition may therefore impact filter performance more than previously considered This trend was further confirmed by batch experiments with Ag and Zn in concentrations of 0-20 ppb Ag and 0-800 ppb Zn, respectively: bacterial regrowth was only observed when Ag and Zn were each below 5 ppb and 160 ppb while 1 ppb Ag and 800 ppb Zn maintained complete disinfection for 72 h. Increased Zn concentrations thus reduced Ag required to maintain disinfection over time. Overall, it is recommended to include Zn with Ag for CWF to improve short-term and long-term disinfection efficacy and associated water safety., 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 © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Photocatalytic oxidative coupling is an effective way of converting CH 4 to high-value-added multi-carbon chemicals under mild conditions, where the breaking of the C-H bond is the main rate-limiting step. In this paper, the Ag 3 PO 4 -ZnO heterostructure photocatalyst was synthesized for photocatalytic oxidative coupling of methane (OCM) to C 2 H 6 . In addition, an excellent C 2 H 6 yield (16.62 mmol g -1 h -1 ) and a remarkable apparent quantum yield (15.8% at 350 nm) at 49:1 CH 4 /Air and 20% RH are obtained, which is more than three times that of the state-of-the-art photocatalytic systems. Ag 3 PO 4 improves the adsorption and dissociation ability of O 2 and H 2 O, benefiting the formation of surface hydroxyl species. As a result, the C-H bond activation energy of CH 4 on ZnO was obviously reduced. Meanwhile, the improved separation of photogenerated carriers on the Ag 3 PO 4 -ZnO heterostructure also accelerates the OCM process. Moreover, Ag nanoparticles (NPs) derived from Ag 3 PO 4 reduction by photoelectrons promote the coupling of *CH 3 , which can inhibit the overoxidation of CH 4 and increase C 2 H 6 selectivity. This research provides a guide for the design of catalyst and reaction systems in the photocatalytic OCM process.

Treatment of infected bone defects is a major clinical challenge; bioactive materials combining sufficient antimicrobial activity and favorable osteogenic ability are urgently needed. In this study, through a facile one-pot hydrothermal reaction of zinc acetate in the presence of tannic acid (TA), with or without silver nitrate (AgNO 3 ), is used to synthesize a TA or TA and silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) bulk-modified zinc oxide (ZnO) (ZnO-TA or ZnO-TA-Ag), which is further composited with zein to fabricate porous microparticulate scaffolds for infected bone defect repair. Bulk TA modification significantly improves the release rate of antibacterial metal ions (Zn 2+ release rate is >100 times that of ZnO). Fast and long-lasting (>35 d) Zn 2+ and Ag + release guaranteed sufficient antibacterial capability and excellent osteogenic properties in promoting the osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells and endogenous citric acid production and mineralization and providing considerable immunomodulatory activity in promoting M2 polarization of macrophages. At the same time, synchronously-released TA could scavenge endogenous reactive oxygen species (ROS) and ROS produced by antibacterial metal ions, effectively balancing antibacterial activity and osteogenesis to sufficiently control infection while protecting the surrounding tissue from damage, thus effectively promoting infected bone defect repair., (© 2023 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Antibody testing for the glutamic acid decarboxylase 65 antibody (GADA) is widely used as a golden standard for autoimmune diabetes diagnosis, while current methods for antibody testing are not sensitive enough for clinical usage. Here, a label-free electrochemiluminescent (ECL) immunosensor for detecting GADA in autoimmune diabetes is fabricated and investigated. In the designed immunosensor, a composite film including the multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), zinc oxide (ZnO), and Au nanoparticles (AuNPs) was prepared through nanofabrication processes to improve the performance of sensor. The MWCNTs, which can provide a larger specific surface area, ZnO as a good photocatalytic material, and AuNPs that can enhance the ECL signal of luminol and immobilize the GAD65 antigen were applied to prefunctionalize indium tin oxide (ITO) glass based on a nanofabrication process. The GADA concentration was detected using the ECL immunosensor after incubating with GAD65 antigen-coated prefunctionalized ITO glass. After a direct immunoreaction, it is found that the degree of decreased ECL intensity has a good linear regression toward the logarithm of the GADA concentration in the range of 0.01 to 50 ng mL -1 with a detection limit down to 10 pg mL -1 . Human serum samples positive or negative for GADA all nicely fell in the expected area. The fabricated immunosensor with excellent sensitivity, specificity, and stability has potential capability for clinical usage in GADA detection.

Engineered nanomaterials induce hazardous effects at the cellular and molecular levels. We investigated different mechanisms underlying the neurotoxic potential of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) on cerebellar tissue and clarified the ameliorative role of Quercetin supplementation. Forty adult male albino rats were divided into control group (I), ZnONPs-exposed group (II), and ZnONPs and Quercetin group (III). Oxidative stress biomarkers (MDA & TOS), antioxidant biomarkers (SOD, GSH, GR, and TAC), serum interleukins (IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8), and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) were measured. Serum micro-RNA (miRNA): miRNA-21-5p, miRNA-122-5p, miRNA-125b-5p, and miRNA-155-3p expression levels were quantified by real-time quantitative polymerase-chain reaction (RT-QPCR). Cerebellar tissue sections were stained with Hematoxylin & Eosin and Silver stains and examined microscopically. Expression levels of Calbindin D28k, GFAP, and BAX proteins in cerebellar tissue were detected by immunohistochemistry. Quercetin supplementation lowered oxidative stress biomarkers levels and ameliorated the antioxidant parameters that were decreased by ZnONPs. No significant differences in GR activity were detected between the study groups. ZnONPs significantly increased serum IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-α which were improved with Quercetin. Serum miRNA-21-5p, miRNA-122-5p, miRNA-125b-5p, and miRNA-155-p expression levels showed significant increase in ZnONPs group, while no significant difference was observed between Quercetin-treated group and control group. ZnONPs markedly impaired cerebellar tissue structure with decreased levels of calbindin D28k, increased BAX and GFAP expression. Quercetin supplementation ameliorated cerebellar tissue apoptosis, gliosis and improved calbindin levels. In conclusion: Quercetin supplementation ameliorated cerebellar neurotoxicity induced by ZnONPs at cellular and molecular basis by different studied mechanisms. Abbreviations: NPs: Nanoparticles, ROS: reactive oxygen species, ZnONPs: Zinc oxide nanoparticles, AgNPs: silver nanoparticles, BBB: blood-brain barrier, ncRNAs: Non-coding RNAs, miRNA: Micro RNA, DMSO: Dimethyl sulfoxide, LPO: lipid peroxidation, MDA: malondialdehyde, TBA: thiobarbituric acid, TOS: total oxidative status, ELISA: enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, H 2 O 2 : hydrogen peroxide, SOD: superoxide dismutase, GR: glutathione reductase, TAC: total antioxidant capacity, IL-1: interleukin-1, TNF: tumor necrosis factor alpha, cDNA: complementary DNA, RT-QPCR: Real-time quantitative polymerase-chain reaction, ABC: Avidin biotin complex technique, DAB: 3', 3-diaminobenzidine, SPSS: Statistical Package for Social Sciences, ANOVA: One way analysis of variance, Tukey's HSD: Tukey's Honestly Significant Difference, GFAP: glial fiberillar acitic protein, iNOS: Inducible nitric oxide synthase, NO: nitric oxide, HO-1: heme oxygenase-1, Nrf2: nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2, NF-B: nuclear factor-B, SCI: spinal cord injury, CB: Calbindin.

Biofouling is a global issue in aquaculture industries. It adversely affects marine infrastructure (ship's hulls, mariculture cages and nets, underwater pipes and filters, building materials, probes, and sensor devices). The estimated cost of managing marine biofouling accounts for 5-10% of production cost. Non-toxic foul-release coating and biocide-based coating are the two current approaches. Recent innovation and development of a surface coating with nanoparticles such as photocatalytic zinc oxide nanocoating on fishing nets, copper oxide nanocoating on the water-cooling system, and silver nanoparticle coating to inhibit microalgal adhesion on submerged surfaces under natural light (photoperiod) could present meaningful anti-biofouling application. Nanocoating of zinc, copper, and silver oxide is an environmentally friendly surface coating strategy that avoid surface adhesion of bacteria, diatoms, algal, protozoans, and fungal species. Such nanocoating could also provide a solution to strains tolerant to Cu, Zn, and Ag. This draft of the special issue demonstrates the anti-biofouling potential of various metal and metal oxide nanoparticle coating to combat aquaculture industry biofouling problems., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)