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Heliyon Mar 2024Copper antimony sulphide thin films are promising, less toxic, and more absorbent material in the world, and they would be good to be applied in photovoltaic energy...
Copper antimony sulphide thin films are promising, less toxic, and more absorbent material in the world, and they would be good to be applied in photovoltaic energy production. To better operations of copper antimony sulphide (CuSbS) photovoltaic cells, this paper uses a solar cell capacitance simulator (SCAPS-1D) to simulate and analyze photovoltaic properties. This article examines different thicknesses of fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO), cadmium sulphide (CdS), carbon (C), and CuSbS, as well as the defect and dopant concentration in the CuSbS photoactive layer of the photovoltaic cell structure glass/FTO/n-CdS/p-CuSbS/C/Au. Optimum thicknesses of CuSbS is 300 nm, carbon hole transport layer (HTL) is 50 nm, and for n-CdS electron transport layer (ETL) is 100 nm, giving open circuit Voltage (Voc) of 0.9389 V, short circuit current density (Jsc) of 28.32 mA/cm, fill factor (FF) of 60.8% and solar cell efficiency of 16.17%. The increase in defects causes a decrease of carrier lifetime resulting in to decrease in diffusion length and the optimum absorber layer doping concentration was found to be 10 cm.
PubMed: 38455588
DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e26896 -
Chemical Science Mar 2024Stimuli-responsive optical materials have provided a powerful impetus for the development of intelligent optoelectronic devices. The family of organic-inorganic hybrid...
Stimuli-responsive optical materials have provided a powerful impetus for the development of intelligent optoelectronic devices. The family of organic-inorganic hybrid metal halides, distinguished by their structural diversity, presents a prospective platform for the advancement of stimuli-responsive optical materials. Here, we have employed a crown ether to anchor the A-site cation of a chiral antimony halide, enabling convenient control and modulation of its photophysical properties. The chirality-dependent asymmetric lattice distortion of inorganic skeletons assisted by a crown ether promotes the formation of self-trapped excitons (STEs), leading to a high photoluminescence quantum yield of over 85%, concomitant with the effective circularly polarized luminescence. The antimony halide enantiomers showcase highly sensitive stimuli-responsive luminescent behaviours towards excitation wavelength and temperature simultaneously, exhibiting a versatile reversible colour switching capability from blue to white and further to orange. temperature-dependent luminescence spectra, time-resolved luminescence spectra and theoretical calculations reveal that the multi-stimuli-responsive luminescent behaviours stem from distinct STEs within zero-dimensional lattices. By virtue of the inherent flexibility and adaptability, these chiral antimony chlorides have promising prospects for future applications in cutting-edge fields such as multifunctional illumination technologies and intelligent sensing devices.
PubMed: 38455020
DOI: 10.1039/d3sc06362c -
Frontiers in Pharmacology 2024ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters use the hydrolysis of ATP to power the active transport of molecules, but paradoxically the cystic fibrosis transmembrane...
ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters use the hydrolysis of ATP to power the active transport of molecules, but paradoxically the cystic fibrosis transmembrane regulator (CFTR, ABCC7) forms an ion channel. We previously showed that ATP-binding cassette subfamily C member 4 (ABCC4) is the closest mammalian paralog to CFTR, compared to other ABC transporters. In addition, Lamprey CFTR (Lp-CFTR) is the oldest known CFTR ortholog and has unique structural and functional features compared to human CFTR (hCFTR). The availability of these evolutionarily distant orthologs gives us the opportunity to study the changes in ATPase activity that may be related to their disparate functions. We utilized the baculovirus expression system with 9 insect cells and made use of the highly sensitive antimony-phosphomolybdate assay for testing the ATPase activity of human ABCC4 (hABCC4), Lp-CFTR, and hCFTR under similar experimental conditions. This assay measures the production of inorganic phosphate (P) in the nanomolar range. Crude plasma membranes were purified, and protein concentration, determined semi-quantitatively, of hABCC4, Lp-CFTR, and hCFTR ranged from 0.01 to 0.36 μg/μL. No significant difference in expression level was found although hABCC4 trended toward the highest level. hABCC4 was activated by ATP with the equilibrium constant (K) 0.55 ± 0.28 mM ( = 8). Estimated maximum ATPase rate (V) for hABCC4 was about 0.2 nmol/μg/min when the protein was activated with 1 mM ATP at 37°C ( = 7). Estimated maximum ATPase rate for PKA-phosphorylated Lp-CFTR reached about half of hCFTR levels in the same conditions. V for both Lp-CFTR and hCFTR were significantly increased in high PKA conditions compared to low PKA conditions. Maximum intrinsic ATPase rate of hABCC4 in the absence of substrate was twice that of hCFTR when activated in 1 mM ATP. The findings here suggest that while both ABCC4 and hCFTR bear one consensus and one degenerate ATPase site, the hCFTR exhibited a reduced intrinsic ATPase activity. In addition, ATPase activity in the CFTR lineage increased from Lp-CFTR to hCFTR. Finally, the studies pave the way to purify hABCC4, Lp-CFTR, and hCFTR from Sf9 cells for their structural investigation, including by cryo-EM, and for studies of evolution in the ABC transporter superfamily.
PubMed: 38440176
DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2024.1363456 -
PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases Mar 2024Imported cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is a growing problem with increasing global travel to endemic areas. Returned travelers with CL are easy to be misdiagnosed and...
BACKGROUND
Imported cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is a growing problem with increasing global travel to endemic areas. Returned travelers with CL are easy to be misdiagnosed and mistreated due to the lack of awareness for the disease to the physicians in non-endemic region that may lead to unfavorable outcome. Our study intends to summarize the characteristics of Leishmania infection imported from Iraq, so as to help Chinese physicians diagnose and treat the disease. All CL patients were treated with intralesional injection of antimony.
METHODS
The definitive diagnosis of CL is based on the parasite identification by microscopic examination directly on lesion smear or parasite culture, PCR amplification of Leishmania-specific internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS-1). The phylogenetic analysis, the immunopathological examination and the cytokine detection were proceeded after the diagnosis.
RESULTS
We have identified 25 CL cases in migrant Chinese workers returned from Iraq for the first time with L. major as the major species of infected Leishmania parasite. Clinical features of the Iraq-imported CL include the history of skin exposure to sandflies bite and the lesions mostly on the exposed limbs. More ulcerative wet lesion was observed than nodular dry lesion. PCR is not only used to detect Leishmania parasite with high sensitivity, but also to identify the species of infected parasite through sequencing the amplified Leishmania-specific ITS-1 gene. The phylogenetic analysis based on the amplified ITS-1 sequences revealed that the infected Leishmania was closed related to the species and strains endemic in Iraq. The immunopathological examination revealed the T-cell filtrated cellular immune response with less B cells and NK cells involved. The cytokine profile measured in the skin lesion also confirmed the Th1 cellular response with higher expression levels of IFN-γ, IL-6 and IL-8. The skin lesions in CL patients were healed after being treated locally with antimony.
CONCLUSIONS
The clinical and parasitological features of these Chinese CL cases imported from Iraq provide useful information for the diagnosis and treatment of CL that is not commonly seen in Chinese local population.
Topics: Humans; Transients and Migrants; Phylogeny; Antimony; Iraq; Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous; Leishmania; Cytokines; China
PubMed: 38437246
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0012006 -
IUCrJ Mar 2024Leishmaniasis is a neglected parasitic tropical disease with numerous clinical manifestations. One of the causative agents of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is Leishmania...
Leishmaniasis is a neglected parasitic tropical disease with numerous clinical manifestations. One of the causative agents of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is Leishmania tropica (L. tropica) known for causing ulcerative lesions on the skin. The adverse effects of the recommended available drugs, such as amphotericin B and pentavalent antimonial, and the emergence of drug resistance in parasites, mean the search for new safe and effective anti-leishmanial agents is crucial. Miltefosine (MIL) was the first recommended oral medication, but its use is now limited because of the rapid emergence of resistance. Pharmaceutical cocrystallization is an effective method to improve the physicochemical and biological properties of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs). Herein, we describe the cocrystallization of coumarin-3-carboxylic acid (CU, 1a; 2-oxobenzopyrane-3-carboxylic acid, CHO) with five coformers [2-amino-3-bromopyridine (1b), 2-amino-5-(trifluoromethyl)-pyridine (1c), 2-amino-6-methylpyridine (1d), p-aminobenzoic acid (1e) and amitrole (1f)] in a 1:1 stoichiometric ratio via the neat grinding method. The cocrystals 2-6 obtained were characterized via single-crystal X-ray diffraction, powder X-ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis, as well as Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Non-covalent interactions, such as van der Waals, hydrogen bonding, C-H...π and π...π interactions contribute significantly towards the packing of a crystal structure and alter the physicochemical and biological activity of CU. In this research, newly synthesized cocrystals were evaluated for their anti-leishmanial activity against the MIL-resistant L. tropica and cytotoxicity against the 3T3 (normal fibroblast) cell line. Among the non-cytotoxic cocrystals synthesized (2-6), CU:1b (2, IC = 61.83 ± 0.59 µM), CU:1c (3, 125.7 ± 1.15 µM) and CU:1d (4, 48.71 ± 0.75 µM) appeared to be potent anti-leishmanial agents and showed several-fold more anti-leishmanial potential than the tested standard drug (MIL, IC = 169.55 ± 0.078 µM). The results indicate that cocrystals 2-4 are promising anti-leishmanial agents which require further exploration.
Topics: Humans; Leishmania tropica; Antiprotozoal Agents; Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous; Crystallography, X-Ray; Coumarins
PubMed: 38427455
DOI: 10.1107/S2052252524001416 -
Journal of Hazardous Materials May 2024In natural environments, the fate and migratory behavior of metalloid contaminants such as antimony (Sb) significantly depend on the interfacial reactivity of mineral...
In natural environments, the fate and migratory behavior of metalloid contaminants such as antimony (Sb) significantly depend on the interfacial reactivity of mineral surfaces. Although boehmite (γ-AlOOH) is widely observed in (sub)surface environments, its underlying interaction mechanism with Sb oxyanions at the molecular scale remains unclear. Considering Sb-contaminated environmental conditions in this study, we prepared boehmite under weakly acidic conditions for use in the systematic investigation of interfacial interactions with Sb(III) and Sb(V). The as-synthesized boehmite showed a nanorod morphology and comprised four crystal facets in the following order: 48.4% (010), 27.1% (101), 15.0% (001), and 9.5% (100). The combined results of spectroscopic analyses and theoretical calculations revealed that Sb(III) formed hydrogen bonding outer-sphere complexation on the (100), (010), and (001) facets and that Sb(V) preferred to form bidentate inner-sphere complexation via mononuclear edge-sharing configuration on the (100), (001), and (101) facets and binuclear corner-sharing configuration on the (010) facet. These findings indicate that the facet-mediated thermodynamic stability of the surface complexation determines the interaction affinity toward the Sb species. This work is the first to document the contribution of boehmite to (sub)surface media, improving the ability to forecast the fate and behavior of Sb oxyanions at mineral-water interfaces.
PubMed: 38422738
DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.133902 -
PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases Feb 2024Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) resolution depends on a wide range of factors, including the instauration of an effective treatment coupled to a functional host immune...
BACKGROUND
Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) resolution depends on a wide range of factors, including the instauration of an effective treatment coupled to a functional host immune system. Patients with a depressed immune system, like the ones receiving methotrexate (MTX), are at higher risk of developing VL and refusing antileishmanial drugs. Moreover, the alarmingly growing levels of antimicrobial resistance, especially in endemic areas, contribute to the increasing the burden of this complex zoonotic disease.
PRINCIPAL FINDINGS
To understand the potential links between immunosuppressants and antileishmanial drugs, we have studied the interaction of antimony (Sb) and MTX in a Leishmania infantum reference strain (LiWT) and in two L. infantum clinical strains (LiFS-A and LiFS-B) naturally circulating in non-treated VL dogs in Spain. The LiFS-A strain was isolated before Sb treatment in a case that responded positively to the treatment, while the LiFS-B strain was recovered from a dog before Sb treatment, with the dog later relapsing after the treatment. Our results show that, exposure to Sb or MTX leads to an increase in the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in LiWT which correlates with a sensitive phenotype against both drugs in promastigotes and intracellular amastigotes. LiFS-A was sensitive against Sb but resistant against MTX, displaying high levels of protection against ROS when exposed to MTX. LiFS-B was resistant to both drugs. Evaluation of the melting proteomes of the two LiFS, in the presence and absence of Sb and MTX, showed a differential enrichment of direct and indirect targets for both drugs, including common and unique pathways.
CONCLUSION
Our results show the potential selection of Sb-MTX cross-resistant parasites in the field, pointing to the possibility to undermine antileishmanial treatment of those patients being treated with immunosuppressant drugs in Leishmania endemic areas.
Topics: Humans; Animals; Dogs; Leishmania infantum; Methotrexate; Antimony; Reactive Oxygen Species; Antiprotozoal Agents; Leishmaniasis, Visceral; Drug Resistance
PubMed: 38422164
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0012015 -
Clinical Nutrition (Edinburgh, Scotland) Dec 2023Parenteral nutrition (PN) can lead to high or even toxic exposure to aluminum (Al). We aimed to quantify concentrations of Al and other chemical elements of all-in-one...
BACKGROUND & AIMS
Parenteral nutrition (PN) can lead to high or even toxic exposure to aluminum (Al). We aimed to quantify concentrations of Al and other chemical elements of all-in-one (AIO) PN admixtures for adults prepared from commercial multichamber bags (Olimel® 5.7%, Omegaflex® special, SmofKabiven®, all with and without electrolytes) and vitamin and trace element additives over a 48-h period. Secondly, we determined the level of Al contamination resulting from admixing and infusion set use.
METHODS
We used dynamic reaction cell and kinetic energy discrimination inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) to quantify Al, arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), cobalt (Co), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), magnesium (Mg), manganese (Mn), molybdenum (Mo), nickel (Ni), antimony (Sb), selenium (Se), tin (Sn), vanadium (V), and zinc (Zn) in AIO PN admixtures. We extracted samples for analysis via the bag injection ports and infusion sets over a 48-h period after admixing. We compared the measured Al concentrations of AIO PN admixtures with calculated values based on the measured concentrations of individual chamber contents and additives.
RESULTS
Mean (standard deviation) baseline Al concentrations in AIO PN admixtures ranged from 10.5 (0.5) to 59.3 (11.4) μg/L and decreased slightly over the 48 h (estimate [standard error] -0.09 [0.02] μg/L/hour, p <0.001). Thus, certain products exceeded the widely accepted limit of 25 μg/L. There was no significant difference in Al concentrations between samples extracted via the bag injection ports or infusion sets (p = 0.33), nor between measured and calculated Al concentrations of AIO PN admixtures (p = 0.91).
CONCLUSION
Because certain commercially available PN admixtures for adults proved to contain excessively high levels of Al in our study, regulations and corresponding quality requirements at the authority level (e.g., Pharmacopoeia and regulatory authorities) are urgently required. Our results showed that the PN handling process (admixing and supplementing additives) or the materials of the infusion set did not lead to additional Al contamination to any extent. Moreover, calculated Al concentrations of AIO PN admixtures derived from individual chamber contents and additives are valid.
Topics: Adult; Humans; Aluminum; Trace Elements; Manganese; Copper; Parenteral Nutrition
PubMed: 38411019
DOI: 10.1016/j.clnu.2023.10.012 -
Emerging Infectious Diseases Mar 2024Disseminated leishmaniasis (DL) is an emergent severe disease manifesting with multiple lesions. To determine the relationship between immune response and clinical and...
Disseminated leishmaniasis (DL) is an emergent severe disease manifesting with multiple lesions. To determine the relationship between immune response and clinical and therapeutic outcomes, we studied 101 DL and 101 cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) cases and determined cytokines and chemokines in supernatants of mononuclear cells stimulated with leishmania antigen. Patients were treated with meglumine antimoniate (20 mg/kg) for 20 days (CL) or 30 days (DL); 19 DL patients were instead treated with amphotericin B, miltefosine, or miltefosine and meglumine antimoniate. High levels of chemokine ligand 9 were associated with more severe DL. The cure rate for meglumine antimoniate was low for both DL (44%) and CL (60%), but healing time was longer in DL (p = 0.003). The lowest cure rate (22%) was found in DL patients with >100 lesions. However, meglumine antimoniate/miltefosine treatment cured all DL patients who received it; therefore, that combination should be considered as first choice therapy.
Topics: Humans; Leishmania braziliensis; Meglumine Antimoniate; Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous; Leishmania; Phosphorylcholine
PubMed: 38407142
DOI: 10.3201/eid3003.230786 -
PeerJ 2024Yellowstone National Park thermal features regularly discharge various heavy metals and metalloids. These metals are taken up by microorganisms that often form mats in...
Yellowstone National Park thermal features regularly discharge various heavy metals and metalloids. These metals are taken up by microorganisms that often form mats in thermal springs. These microbial mats also serve as food sources for invertebrate assemblages. To examine how heavy metals move through insect food webs associated with hot springs, two sites were selected for this study. Dragon-Beowulf Hot Springs, acid-sulfate chloride springs, have a pH of 2.9, water temperatures above 70 °C, and populations of thermophilic bacterial, archaeal, and algal mats. Rabbit Creek Hot Springs, alkaline springs, have a pH of up to 9, some water temperatures in excess of 60 °C, and are populated with thermophilic and phototrophic bacterial mats. Mats in both hydrothermal systems form the trophic base and support active metal transfer to terrestrial food chains. In both types of springs, invertebrates bioaccumulated heavy metals including chromium, manganese, cobalt, nickel, copper, cadmium, mercury, tin and lead, and the metalloids arsenic, selenium, and antimony resulting from consuming the algal and bacterial mat biomass. At least two orders of magnitude increase in concentrations were observed in the ephydrid shore fly , as compared to the mats for all metals except antimony, mercury, and lead. The highest bioaccumulation factor (BAF) of 729 was observed for chromium. At the other end of the food web, the invertebrate apex predator, , had at least a 10-fold BAF for all metals at some location-year combinations, except with antimony. Of other taxa, high BAFs were observed with zinc for sp. (2180) and for (1080). This accumulation, occurring between primary producer and primary consumer trophic levels at both springs, is biomagnified through the trophic web. These observations suggest trace metals enter the geothermal food web through the microbial mat community and are then transferred through the food chain. Also, while bioaccumulation of arsenic is uncommon, we observed five instances of increases near or exceeding 10-fold: sp. larvae (13.6), (34.8), (9.7), (16.3), and (42.8).
Topics: Animals; Rabbits; Food Chain; Hot Springs; Arsenic; Antimony; Parks, Recreational; Metals, Heavy; Bacteria; Insecta; Invertebrates; Diptera; Mercury; Chromium; Water
PubMed: 38406272
DOI: 10.7717/peerj.16827