The synthesis of biocompatible polymers for coating applications has gained significant attention in recent years due to the increasing spread of infectious diseases via contaminated surfaces. One strategy to combat this problem is to apply antimicrobial coatings to surfaces prone to microbial contamination. This study presents a series of biomimetic polymers that can be used as adhesives to immobilize known antimicrobial agents on the surfaces as coatings. Several polymers containing dopamine methacrylate as co-polymers were synthesized and investigated as adhesives for the deposition of an antimicrobial polymer (polyethyleneimine) and antimicrobial nanoparticles (graphene, graphene oxide and molybdenum trioxide) onto glass surfaces. The results showed that different antimicrobials required different types of adhesives for effective coating. Overall, the coatings fabricated from these composites were shown to inactivate E. coli and B. subtilis within 1 h. These coatings were also effective to prevent biofilm growth and demonstrated to be non-toxic to the human corneal epithelial cell line (htCEpi). Leaching tests of the coatings proved that the coatings were stable under biological conditions.

This review discusses the role of molecular modifiers as inhibitors of kidney stone formation, drawing largely from in-vitro evidence while also citing relevant in-vivo studies. An emphasis is placed on physical observations of crystal growth inhibition, including mechanisms of action that focus predominantly on the literature of calcium oxalate and L-cystine. The last decade has witnessed several breakthroughs in the identification of molecules with promise to curb kidney stone formation, as well as discoveries of the mechanisms by which these molecules (or combinations thereof) function as inhibitors of pathological crystal growth. Studies of L-cystine and calcium oxalate crystallization have uncovered inhibitors that are more effective than current therapies. In-vitro assays using advanced techniques such as atomic force microscopy have been able to characterize modifier–crystal interactions and the mechanisms of crystal growth inhibition. A recent study of calcium oxalate crystals uncovered a new inhibition pathway leading to crystal dissolution at relatively low modifier concentrations. Advanced methods of identifying therapeutics for kidney stone disease have created a greater awareness of the potential impact of crystal modifiers in pathological crystallization. Many natural and synthetic species have the capacity to act as growth inhibitors; however, the challenge of bridging in-vitro and in-vivo evidence has proven to be difficult. Future effort to better integrate laboratory research, clinical trials and animal studies has the potential to broaden our understanding of crystal growth modification and its role in mitigating pathological crystallization.

We show that alkali metals function as effective modifiers of calcium oxalate monohydrate (COM) crystallization wherein alkali-oxalate ion parings reduce the rate of crystal growth by as much as 60%.