Antibiotics are being less effective, which leads to high mortality in patients with infections and a high cost for the recovery of health, and the projections that are had for the future are not very encouraging which has led to consider antimicrobial resistance as a global health problem and to be the object of study by researchers. Although resistance to antibiotics occurs naturally, its appearance and spread have been increasing rapidly due to the inappropriate use of antibiotics in recent decades. A bacterium becomes resistant due to the transfer of genes encoding antibiotic resistance. Bacteria constantly mutate; therefore, their defense mechanisms mutate, as well. Nanotechnology plays a key role in antimicrobial resistance due to materials modified at the nanometer scale, allowing large numbers of molecules to assemble to have a dynamic interface. These nanomaterials act as carriers, and their design is mainly focused on introducing the temporal and spatial release of the payload of antibiotics. In addition, they generate new antimicrobial modalities for the bacteria, which are not capable of protecting themselves. So, nanoparticles are an adjunct mechanism to improve drug potency by reducing overall antibiotic exposure. These nanostructures can overcome cell barriers and deliver antibiotics to the cytoplasm to inhibit bacteria. This work aims to give a general vision between the antibiotics, the nanoparticles used as carriers, bacteria resistance, and the possible mechanisms that occur between them.

This paper is dedicated to study the thin polycrystalline films of semiconductor chalcogenide materials (CdS, CdSe, and PbS) obtained by ammonia-free chemical bath deposition. The obtained material is of polycrystalline nature with crystallite of a size that, from a general point of view, should not result in any noticeable quantum confinement. Nevertheless, we were able to observe blueshift of the fundamental absorption edge and reduced refractive index in comparison with the corresponding bulk materials. Both effects are attributed to the material porosity which is a typical feature of chemical bath deposition technique. The blueshift is caused by quantum confinement in pores, whereas the refractive index variation is the evident result of the density reduction. Quantum mechanical description of the nanopores in semiconductor is given based on the application of even mirror boundary conditions for the solution of the Schrödinger equation; the results of calculations give a reasonable explanation of the experimental data.

A Three-Way Catalyst (TWC) contains a cordierite ceramic monolith coated with a layer of Al₂O₃, Ce_xZr_1−xO₂ and platinoids mixture. Under standard operation, the platinoid concentration decreases, exposing the remaining washcoat structure. After that particle release stage, the sintering process follows where the crystalline Ce_xZr_1−xO₂ solution is broken and begins to separate into ZrO₂ and CeO₂ phases. ZrO₂ is released to the environment as micro and nanoparticles, while a small amount of CeO₂ generates a new Al_xCe_1−xO₂ composite. The main effect of Ce capture is the growth in the size of the polycrystal structure from 86.13 ± 16.58 nm to 225.35 ± 69.51 nm. Moreover, a transformation of cordierite to mullite was identified by XRD analysis. Raman spectra showed that the oxygen vacancies (Vö) concentration decreased as Ce_xZr_1−xO₂ phases separation occurred_. The SEM-EDS revealed the incorporation of new spurious elements and microfractures favouring the detachment of the TWC support structure. The release of ultrafine particles is a consequence of catalytic devices overusing. The emission of refractory micro to nanocrystals to the atmosphere may represent an emerging public health issue underlining the importance of implementing strict worldwide regulations on regular TWCs replacement.

The research aims were to construct an air-breathing paper-based microfluidic fuel cell (paper-based $\mu$ FC) and to evaluated it with different soft drinks to provide energy for their prospective use in portable devices as an emergency power source. First, in a half-cell configuration, cyclic voltammetry showed that glucose, maltose, and fructose had specific oxidation zones in the presence of platinum-ruthenium on carbon (PtRu/C) when they were individual. Still, when they were mixed, glucose was observed to be oxidized to a greater extent than fructose and maltose. After, when a paper-based $\mu$ FC was constructed, PtRu/C and platinum on carbon (Pt/C) were used as anode and cathode, the performance of this $\mu$ FC was mostly influenced by the concentration of glucose present in each soft drink, obtaining maximum power densities at room temperature of 0.061, 0.063, 0.060, and 0.073 mW cm ${}^{-2}$ for Coca Cola ${}^{\circledR }$ , Pepsi ${}^{\circledR }$ , Dr. Pepper ${}^{\circledR }$ , and 7up ${}^{\circledR }$ , respectively. Interestingly, when the soft drinks were cooled, the performance was increased up to 85%. Furthermore, a four-cell stack $\mu$ FC was constructed to demonstrate its usefulness as a possible power supply, obtaining a power density of 0.4 mW cm ${}^{-2}$ , using Coca Cola ${}^{\circledR }$ as fuel and air as oxidant. Together, the results of the present study indicate an alternative application of an $\mu$ FC using soft drinks as a backup source of energy in emergencies.

Introduction: This study investigated the incorporation of Amphipterygium adstringens ethanolic extract into the synthesis of copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO+Aa) and evaluates their antibacterial activity against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB). To assess the impact of the extract, chemically synthesized CuO nanoparticles (CuO-NPs) and the extract alone were also tested. Both CuO-NPs and A. adstringens are known for their antimicrobial properties. Methods: CuO+Aa nanoparticles were synthesized using A. adstringens extract and characterized through Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS), Zeta Potential, Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA), and X-ray Diffraction (XRD), and compared to CuO-NPs. The influence of the extract was analyzed using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectroscopy (ICP-MS), UV-Vis, FTIR, Raman, and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (NMR). Antibacterial effects were tested using the microdrop technique and biofilm inhibition. Bacterial structural changes were observed via Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and cytotoxicity was measured through hemolysis assays. Results: CuO+Aa nanoparticles were smaller (3.46 nm) than CuO-NPs (5.32 nm). TGA indicated improved thermal degradation in CuO+Aa, suggesting incorporation of organic compounds. XRD revealed a shift from CuO to a mixed CuO-Cu₂O phase (75.15%– 24.84%) in CuO+Aa due to the functional groups present in the extract. Antibacterial assays showed that CuO+Aa inhibited MRSA and CRAB by 77% and 49%, respectively, using only 17.5 ppm of copper oxides—significantly lower than CuO-NPs, which required 150 ppm to achieve 96% and 78% inhibition. SEM revealed bacterial surface damage, including roughness, perforations, and cell wall collapse. All treatments showed low cytotoxicity (< 2% hemolysis). Biofilm formation increased by 180% in MRSA and 131% in CRAB. Conclusion: A. adstringens ethanolic extract enhances CuO nanoparticle synthesis, reducing size and maintaining strong antibacterial activity with low toxicity. CuO+Aa represents a promising candidate for future biomedical applications against resistant pathogens.