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ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces Jun 2024We introduce thiazolo[5,4-]thiazole (TT)-based derivatives featuring carbazole, phenothiazine, or triphenylamine donor units as hole-selective materials to enhance the...
We introduce thiazolo[5,4-]thiazole (TT)-based derivatives featuring carbazole, phenothiazine, or triphenylamine donor units as hole-selective materials to enhance the performance of wide-bandgap perovskite solar cells (PSCs). The optoelectronic properties of the materials underwent thorough evaluation and were substantially fine-tuned through deliberate molecular design. Time-of-flight hole mobility TTs ranged from 4.33 × 10 to 1.63 × 10 cm V s (at an electric field of 1.6 × 10 V cm). Their ionization potentials ranged from -4.93 to -5.59 eV. Using density functional theory (DFT) calculations, it has been demonstrated that S0 → S1 transitions in TTs with carbazolyl or -butyl-phenothiazinyl substituents are characterized by local excitation (LE). Mixed intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) and LE occurred for compounds containing -butyl carbazolyl-, dimethoxy carbazolyl-, or alkoxy-substituted triphenylamino donor moieties. The selected derivatives of TT were used for the preparation of hole-selective layers (HSL) in PSC with the structure of glass/ITO/HSLs/CsFAPb(IBr)/PEAI/PCBM/BCP/Ag. The alkoxy-substituted triphenylamino containing TT () has been demonstrated to be an effective material for HSL. Its layer also functioned well as an interlayer, improving the surface of control HSL_2PACz (i.e., reducing the surface energy of 2PACz from 66.9 to 52.4 mN m), thus enabling precise control over perovskite growth energy level alignment and carrier extraction/transportation at the hole-selecting contact of PSCs. 2PACz/based devices showed an optimized performance of 19.1 and 37.0% under 1-sun and 3000 K LED (1000 lx) illuminations, respectively. These values represent improvements over those achieved by bare 2PACz-based devices, which attained efficiencies of 17.4 and 32.2%, respectively. These findings highlight the promising potential of TTs for the enhancement of the efficiencies of PSCs.
PubMed: 38808540
DOI: 10.1021/acsami.4c04105 -
Lasers in Medical Science May 2024Conventional approaches for enhancing wound healing may not always yield satisfactory results. Instead, we test the effectiveness of a newly developed photodynamic...
PURPOSE
Conventional approaches for enhancing wound healing may not always yield satisfactory results. Instead, we test the effectiveness of a newly developed photodynamic therapy (PDT) that uses methylene blue (MB) loaded with polyethylene glycol (PEG) (MB-PEG) hydrogel to accelerate wound healing process in mice.
METHODS
A dorsal skin incision with 6 mm punch which topically subjected to MB-PEG hydrogel and a low-level laser light of red light to assess the regeneration process of wounded skin. A total of 63 adult male CD1 mice divided into normal group (no treatment) and other wound groups received different treatments of laser (650 ± 5 nm and power intensity of 180 mW/cm), MB-PEG, or PDT (MB-PEG followed by laser). The wound healing parameters were investigated by histological examination of the skin and measuring of proinflammatory cytokines at the early stage (48 h) and a late one on day 21.
RESULTS
at 48 h, the score of tissue granulation, inflammation, and angiogenesis process were markedly improved in wounded groups that received MB + PEG combined with laser compared to the group treated with laser alone. On day 21, a significant improvement of the inflammation was detected in the group treated with MB + PEG plus laser compared to the other groups. At 48 h, the upregulated serum levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and interleukin (IL)-1β in the wound group were significantly (P < 0.001) reduced in the group treated with MB + PEG combined with laser.
CONCLUSION
MB-PEG based hydrogel improves and accelerates wound closure in the context of laser compared to either single treatment.
Topics: Animals; Wound Healing; Mice; Photochemotherapy; Polyethylene Glycols; Methylene Blue; Male; Skin; Hydrogels; Photosensitizing Agents; Cytokines
PubMed: 38801600
DOI: 10.1007/s10103-024-04084-1 -
RSC Advances May 2024In this study, a phenothiazine-thiosemicarbazide (PTZDS) probe was synthesized and characterized. The synthesized PTZDS probe exhibited a yellow color, with a native...
In this study, a phenothiazine-thiosemicarbazide (PTZDS) probe was synthesized and characterized. The synthesized PTZDS probe exhibited a yellow color, with a native fluorescence emission at = 550 nm and = 450 nm. Over other metal ions, the probe exhibited significant selectivity and sensitivity towards Hg and Cu. The probe showed fluorescence quenching along with a minor shift in the absorbance spectra from 400 to 450 nm and 430 nm in the presence of Hg and Cu, respectively. In addition, the color of the synthesized probe remarkedly faded with the addition of Hg or Cu. Fluorescence measurements, infrared spectroscopy (IR), and density functional theory studies were employed to elucidate the binding process in the PTZDS + Cu and PTZDS + Hg sensor systems. Furthermore, photophysical investigations of the synthesized probe with Hg and Cu were performed. Finally, the probe was successfully employed as a solid-state thin layer chromatography (TLC) optical sensor for detecting Hg and Cu ions.
PubMed: 38799220
DOI: 10.1039/d3ra08624k -
The Pan African Medical Journal 2024Indoxacarb, a large-spectrum non-organophosphorus oxadiazine insecticide, is broadly used in farming whose mechanism of action is the blockage of voltage-gated sodium...
Indoxacarb, a large-spectrum non-organophosphorus oxadiazine insecticide, is broadly used in farming whose mechanism of action is the blockage of voltage-gated sodium channels of insects. There is restricted data on human poisoning. We report a case of an 18-year-old male patient without comorbidities presented with unconsciousness and cyanosis after the intentional ingestion of indoxacarb in a suicide attempt. Methemoglobinemia was clinically suspected and was successfully treated after methylene blue injection, associated with supportive and symptomatic management. This case emphasizes the importance of considering methemoglobinemia after indoxacarb ingestion in addition to its early recognition and timely injection of methylene blue which led to complete recovery without sequelae.
Topics: Humans; Methemoglobinemia; Male; Methylene Blue; Adolescent; Insecticides; Suicide, Attempted; Oxazines; Cyanosis
PubMed: 38799189
DOI: 10.11604/pamj.2024.47.92.34766 -
Environmental Science and Pollution... Jun 2024In this study, three acid mine drainage (AMD) sources were investigated as potential sources of iron for the synthesis of iron nanoparticles using green tea extract (an...
In this study, three acid mine drainage (AMD) sources were investigated as potential sources of iron for the synthesis of iron nanoparticles using green tea extract (an environmentally friendly reductant) or sodium borohydride (a chemical reductant). Electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids (TDS), dissolved oxygen (DO), oxidation-reduction potential (ORP), ion chromatography (IC), and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectroscopy (ICP-MS) techniques were used to characterize the AMD, and the most suitable AMD sample was selected based on availability. Additionally, three tea extracts were characterized using ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazine-hydrate (DPPH), and the most suitable environmentally friendly reductant was selected based on the highest FRAP (1152 µmol FeII/g) and DPPH (71%) values. The synthesized iron nanoparticles were characterized and compared using XRD, STEM, Image J, EDS, and FTIR analytical techniques. The study shows that the novel iron nanoparticles produced using the selected green tea (57 nm) and AMD were stable under air due to the surface modification by polyphenols contained in green tea extract, whereas the nanoparticles produced using sodium borohydride (67 nm) were unstable under air and produced a toxic supernatant. Both the AMD-based iron nanoparticles can be used as Fenton-like catalysts for the decoloration of methylene blue solution. While 99% decoloration was achieved by the borohydride-synthesized nanoparticles, 81% decoloration was achieved using green tea-synthesized nanoparticles.
Topics: Metal Nanoparticles; Methylene Blue; South Africa; Water Purification; Plant Extracts; Tea; Water Pollutants, Chemical
PubMed: 38797758
DOI: 10.1007/s11356-024-33739-3 -
Environmental Research Sep 2024There has been significant attention on the efficient degradation of pollutants in wastewater using metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) photocatalytic methods over the past...
There has been significant attention on the efficient degradation of pollutants in wastewater using metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) photocatalytic methods over the past decade. Herein, we examined the elimination of two different types of water-contaminating dyes, specifically cationic dye methylene blue (MB) and anionic dye methyl orange (MO), through the application of bimetal Cu/Ni-BTC@SiO MOF as high performance photocatalyst. The bimetal Cu/Ni-BTC@SiO photocatalyst was synthesized and characterized by XRD, FTIR, SEM, TEM, TGA, BET, DRS, and VSM techniques. The examination of the impact of different operational factors on the elimination of pollutants involved a comprehensive analysis of variables including the photocatalyst type, initial pollutant concentration, quantity of photocatalyst, and pH levels. The highest removal efficiency for MO and MB dyes by the photocatalyst was found to be 98 and 71%, respectively, within 60 min. In the fifth reaction stage, degradation efficiency for MO and MB was 76 and 56% respectively. Kinetic investigations demonstrated that, in the context of the uptake of MB and MO dyes, the interparticle diffusion, and pseudo-second-order models emerged as possessing the most robust correlation coefficients with the experimental data, registering values of 0.988 and 0.961, respectively. The examination of isotherms reveals that the isotherm models proposed by BET, and Anderson (V) demonstrate the highest level of conformity with the empirical data for the decomposition of MB and MO dyes, correspondingly. The TOC levels decreased significantly from 51 to 14 and 47 to 3 mg/L for MB and MO dyes, indicating the effective mineralization process using Cu/Ni-BTC@SiO.
Topics: Copper; Water Pollutants, Chemical; Silicon Dioxide; Methylene Blue; Azo Compounds; Coloring Agents; Nickel; Catalysis; Kinetics
PubMed: 38797465
DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.119229 -
Chemosphere Aug 2024Research has demonstrated the presence of viruses in wastewater (WW), which can remain viable for a long period, posing potential health risks. Conventional WW treatment...
Research has demonstrated the presence of viruses in wastewater (WW), which can remain viable for a long period, posing potential health risks. Conventional WW treatment methods involving UV light, chlorine and ozone efficiently reduce microbial concentrations, however, they produce hazardous byproducts and microbial resistance that are detrimental to human health and the ecosystem. Hence, there is a need for novel disinfection techniques. Antimicrobial Photodynamic Inactivation (PDI) emerges as a promising strategy, utilizing photosensitizers (PS), light, and dioxygen to inactivate viruses. This study aims to assess the efficacy of PDI by testing methylene blue (MB) and the cationic porphyrin TMPyP as PSs, along a low energy consuming white light source (LED) at an irradiance of 50 mW/cm, for the inactivation of bacteriophage Phi6. Phi6 serves as an enveloped RNA-viruses surrogate model in WW. PDI experiments were conducted in a buffer solution (PBS) and real WW matrices (filtered and non-filtered). Considering the environmental release of the treated effluents, this research also evaluated the ecotoxicity of the resulting solution (post-PDI treatment effluent) on the model organism Daphnia magna, following the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) immobilization technical 202 guideline. Daphnids were exposed to WW containing the tested PS at different concentrations and dilutions (accounting for the dilution factor during WW release into receiving waters) over 48 h. The results indicate that PDI with MB efficiently inactivated the model virus in the different aqueous matrices, achieving reductions superior to 8 log PFU/mL, after treatments of 5 min in PBS and of ca. 90 min in WW. Daphnids survival increased when subjected to the PDI-treated WW with MB, considering the dilution factor. Overall, the effectiveness of PDI in eliminating viruses in WW, the fading of the toxic effects on daphnids after MB' irradiation and the rapid dilution effect upon WW release in the environment highlight the possibility of using MB in WW PDI-disinfection.
Topics: Wastewater; Disinfection; Daphnia; Photosensitizing Agents; Animals; Methylene Blue; Porphyrins; Bacteriophages; Waste Disposal, Fluid; Water Purification; Ecotoxicology
PubMed: 38797202
DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.142421 -
Scientific Reports May 2024This study employs a combination of mathematical derivation and optimization technique to investigate the adsorption of drug molecules on nanocarriers. Specifically, the...
This study employs a combination of mathematical derivation and optimization technique to investigate the adsorption of drug molecules on nanocarriers. Specifically, the chemotherapy drugs, fluorouracil, proflavine, and methylene blue, are non-covalently bonded with either a flat graphene sheet or a spherical fullerene. Mathematical expressions for the interaction energy between an atom and graphene, as well as between an atom and fullerene, are derived. Subsequently, a discrete summation is evaluated for all atoms on the drug molecule utilizing the U-NSGA-III algorithm. The stable configurations' three-dimensional architectures are presented, accompanied by numerical values for crucial parameters. The results indicate that the nanocarrier's structure effectively accommodates the atoms on the drug's carbon planes. The three drug types' molecules disperse across the graphene surface, whereas only fluorouracil spreads on the surface; proflavine and methylene blue stack vertically to form a layer. Furthermore, all atomic positions of equilibrium configurations for all systems are obtained. This hybrid method, integrating analytical expressions and an optimization process, significantly reduces computational time, representing an initial step in studying the binding of drug molecules on nanocarriers.
Topics: Adsorption; Graphite; Methylene Blue; Fluorouracil; Drug Carriers; Models, Theoretical; Algorithms; Fullerenes; Carbon; Proflavine; Nanoparticles; Antibiotics, Antineoplastic; Antineoplastic Agents
PubMed: 38796555
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-62483-4 -
Journal of Biomedical Optics May 2024Fiber-optic microendoscopy is a promising approach to noninvasively visualize epithelial nuclear morphometry for early cancer and precancer detection. However, the...
SIGNIFICANCE
Fiber-optic microendoscopy is a promising approach to noninvasively visualize epithelial nuclear morphometry for early cancer and precancer detection. However, the broader clinical application of this approach is limited by a lack of topical contrast agents available for use.
AIM
The aim of this study was to evaluate the ability to image nuclear morphometry with a novel fiber-optic microendoscope used together with topical application of methylene blue (MB), a dye with FDA approval for use in chromoendoscopy in the gastrointestinal tract.
APPROACH
The low-cost, high-resolution microendoscope implements scanning darkfield imaging without complex optomechanical components by leveraging programmable illumination and the rolling shutter of the image sensor. We validate the integration of our system and MB staining for visualizing epithelial cell nuclei by performing imaging on fresh animal specimens and imaging on healthy volunteers.
RESULTS
The results indicate that scanning darkfield imaging significantly reduces specular reflection and resolves epithelial nuclei with enhanced image contrast and spatial resolution compared to non-scanning widefield imaging. The image quality of darkfield images with MB staining is comparable to that of fluorescence images with proflavine staining.
CONCLUSIONS
Our approach enables real-time microscopic evaluation of nuclear patterns and has the potential to be a powerful noninvasive tool for early cancer detection.
Topics: Methylene Blue; Animals; Humans; Cell Nucleus; Fiber Optic Technology; Equipment Design; Endoscopy; Administration, Topical
PubMed: 38774711
DOI: 10.1117/1.JBO.29.5.050501 -
Molecular Pain 2024Methylene blue (MB) has been shown to reduce mortality and morbidity in vasoplegic patients after cardiac surgery. Though MB is considered to be safe, extravasation of...
Methylene blue (MB) has been shown to reduce mortality and morbidity in vasoplegic patients after cardiac surgery. Though MB is considered to be safe, extravasation of MB leading to cutaneous toxicity has been reported. In this study, we sought to characterize MB-induced cutaneous toxicity and investigate the underlying mechanisms. To induce MB-induced cutaneous toxicity, we injected 64 adult male Sprague-Dawley rates with 200 µL saline (vehicle) or 1%, 0.1%, or 0.01% MB in the plantar hind paws. Paw swelling, skin histologic changes, and heat and mechanical hyperalgesia were measured. Injection of 1%, but not 0.1% or 0.01% MB, produced significant paw swelling compared to saline. Injection of 1% MB produced heat hyperalgesia but not mechanical hyperalgesia. Pain behaviors were unchanged following injections of 0.1% or 0.01% MB. Global transcriptomic analysis by RNAseq identified 117 differentially expressed genes (111 upregulated, 6 downregulated). Ingenuity Pathway Analysis showed an increased quantity of leukocytes, increased lipids, and decreased apoptosis of myeloid cells and phagocytes with activation of IL-1β and Fos as the two major regulatory hubs. qPCR showed a 16-fold increase in IL-6 mRNA. Thus, using a novel rat model of MB-induced cutaneous toxicity, we show that infiltration of 1% MB into cutaneous tissue causes a dose-dependent pro-inflammatory response, highlighting potential roles of IL-6, IL-1β, and Fos. Thus, anesthesiologists should administer dilute MB intravenously through peripheral venous catheters. Higher concentrations of MB (1%) should be administered through a central venous catheter to minimize the risk of cutaneous toxicity.
Topics: Animals; Male; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Methylene Blue; Hyperalgesia; Inflammation; Disease Models, Animal; Skin; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Hot Temperature; Rats; Interleukin-1beta
PubMed: 38773702
DOI: 10.1177/17448069241259535