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Scientific Reports Jun 2024Heavy metal pollution in mining areas is a major cause of groundwater contamination, characterized by high toxicity, difficult degradability, and easy accumulation, and...
Heavy metal pollution in mining areas is a major cause of groundwater contamination, characterized by high toxicity, difficult degradability, and easy accumulation, and the source of pollution is not easily identified. Relying on the results of groundwater quality analysis tests in a typical mining area, this paper uses the SPSS 18.0 statistical analysis model to analyze the statistical characteristics of different indicator factors in the antimony mining area. The conclusions play a crucial role in implementing health and safety measures for the mining area and its surrounding residents. The statistical study results show that Mn, Se, As, and Sb are closely related to human mining activities and are polluted to varying degrees; the principal component analysis model indicates that the upstream monitoring points 26#, 22#, and 25# in the mining area groundwater are less polluted. The five monitoring points with a comprehensive principal component F > 1 are all located within the range of the metal mine cluster, indicating that the groundwater in the mining area is particularly sensitive to the impact of anthropogenic mineral extraction. This research summarizes the hydrogeological and geochemical statistical characteristics of the groundwater in the mining area, providing a reference for groundwater pollution risk diagnosis, ecological restoration, and heavy metal pollution prevention and control in this and similar mining areas.
PubMed: 38844525
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-63460-7 -
Scientific Reports Jun 2024Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is one of the leading causes of adult blindness in the United States. Although studies applying traditional statistical methods have revealed...
Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is one of the leading causes of adult blindness in the United States. Although studies applying traditional statistical methods have revealed that heavy metals may be essential environmental risk factors for diabetic retinopathy, there is a lack of analyses based on machine learning (ML) methods to adequately explain the complex relationship between heavy metals and DR and the interactions between variables. Based on characteristic variables of participants with and without DR and heavy metal exposure data obtained from the NHANES database (2003-2010), a ML model was developed for effective prediction of DR. The best predictive model for DR was selected from 11 models by receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis. Further permutation feature importance (PFI) analysis, partial dependence plots (PDP) analysis, and SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) analysis were used to assess the model capability and key influencing factors. A total of 1042 eligible individuals were randomly assigned to two groups for training and testing set of the prediction model. ROC analysis showed that the k-nearest neighbour (KNN) model had the highest prediction performance, achieving close to 100% accuracy in the testing set. Urinary Sb level was identified as the critical heavy metal affecting the predicted risk of DR, with a contribution weight of 1.730632 ± 1.791722, which was much higher than that of other heavy metals and baseline variables. The results of the PDP analysis and the SHAP analysis also indicated that antimony (Sb) had a more significant effect on DR. The interaction between age and Sb was more significant compared to other variables and metal pairs. We found that Sb could serve as a potential predictor of DR and that Sb may influence the development of DR by mediating cellular and systemic senescence. The study revealed that monitoring urinary Sb levels can be useful for early non-invasive screening and intervention in DR development, and also highlighted the important role of constructed ML models in explaining the effects of heavy metal exposure on DR.
Topics: Humans; Machine Learning; Metals, Heavy; Diabetic Retinopathy; Female; Male; Middle Aged; ROC Curve; Adult; Risk Factors; Aged; Environmental Exposure
PubMed: 38844504
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-63916-w -
Journal of Environmental Management Jun 2024The traditional homogenous and heterogenous Fenton reactions have frequently been restrained by the lower production of Fe ions, which significantly obstructs the...
The traditional homogenous and heterogenous Fenton reactions have frequently been restrained by the lower production of Fe ions, which significantly obstructs the generation of hydroxyl radicals from the decomposition of HO. Thus, we introduce novel photo-Fenton-assisted plasmonic heterojunctions by immobilizing FeO and Bi nanoparticles onto 3D SbO via co-precipitation and solvothermal approaches. The ternary SbO/FeO/Bi composites offered boosted photo-Fenton behavior with a metronidazole (MNZ) oxidation efficiency of 92% within 60 min. Among all composites, the SbO/FeO/Bi-5% hybrid exhibited an optimum photo-Fenton MNZ reaction constant of 0.03682 min, which is 5.03 and 2.39 times higher than pure SbO and SbO/FeO, respectively. The upgraded oxidation activity was connected to the complementary outcomes between the photo-Fenton behavior of SbO/FeO and the plasmonic effect of Bi NPs. The regular assembly of FeO and Bi NPs enhances the surface area and stability of SbO/FeO/Bi. Moreover, the limited absorption spectra of SbO were extended into solar radiation by the Fe defect of FeO NPs and the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) effect of Bi NPs. The photo-Fenton mechanism suggests that the co-existence of FeO/Bi NPs acts as electron acceptor/donor, respectively, which reduces recombination losses, prolongs the lifetime of photocarriers, and produces more reactive species, stimulating the overall photo-Fenton reactions. On the other hand, the photo-Fenton activity of MNZ antibiotics was optimized under different experimental conditions, including catalyst loading, solution pH, initial MNZ concentrations, anions, and real water environments. Besides, the trapping outcomes verified the vital participation of OH, h, and O in the MNZ destruction over SbO/FeO/Bi-5%. In summary, this work excites novel perspectives in developing boosted photosystems through integrating the photocatalysis power with both Fenton reactions and the SPR effects of plasmonic materials.
Topics: Oxidation-Reduction; Metronidazole; Hydrogen Peroxide; Surface Plasmon Resonance; Iron; Water Pollutants, Chemical; Antimony; Water
PubMed: 38838534
DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.121347 -
Inorganic Chemistry Jun 2024Two antimony selenites, SbOSeO and SbO(SeO), were synthesized by simultaneously incorporating stereochemically active lone pair electrons containing SeO and Sb. These...
Two antimony selenites, SbOSeO and SbO(SeO), were synthesized by simultaneously incorporating stereochemically active lone pair electrons containing SeO and Sb. These compounds are structured with [SbO] polyhedra and [SeO] units within a two-dimensional framework. Both of them exhibit cutoffs at 300 and 330 nm within the ultraviolet (UV) range and demonstrate significant birefringence, with indices of 0.069 and 0.126 at 546 nm, respectively. These properties highlight their potential as UV birefringent materials. Structural analyses and theoretical calculations reveal that their exceptional birefringence results from the synergistic interactions between SeO anions and Sb cations.
PubMed: 38833633
DOI: 10.1021/acs.inorgchem.4c01681 -
Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics :... Jun 2024Developing high-loading spin-polarized p-block-element-based single-atom catalysts (p-SACs) upon defect-free substrates for various chemical reactions wherein spin...
Developing high-loading spin-polarized p-block-element-based single-atom catalysts (p-SACs) upon defect-free substrates for various chemical reactions wherein spin selection matters is generally considered a formidable challenge because of the difficulty of creating high densities of underpinning stable defects and the delocalized electronic features of p-block elements. Here our first-principles calculations establish that the defect-free rutile TiO(110) wide-bandgap semiconducting anchoring support can stabilize and localize the wavefunctions of p-block metal elements (Sb and Bi) strong ionic bonding, forming spin-polarized -SACs. Cooperated by the underlying d-block Ti atoms a delicate spin donation-back-donation mechanism, the p-block single-atom reactive center Sb(Bi) exhibits excellent catalysis for spin-triplet O activation and CO oxidation in alignment with Wigner's spin selection rule, with a low rate-limiting reaction barrier of ∼0.6 eV. This work is crucial in establishing high-loading reactive centers of high-performance p-SACs for various important physical processes and chemical reactions, especially wherein the spin degree of freedom matters, , spin catalysis.
PubMed: 38832399
DOI: 10.1039/d4cp00352g -
Journal of Visualized Experiments : JoVE May 2024Through various studies on thermoelectric (TE) materials, thin film configuration gives superior advantages over conventional bulk TEs, including adaptability to curved...
Through various studies on thermoelectric (TE) materials, thin film configuration gives superior advantages over conventional bulk TEs, including adaptability to curved and flexible substrates. Several different thin film deposition methods have been explored, yet magnetron sputtering is still favorable due to its high deposition efficiency and scalability. Therefore, this study aims to fabricate a bismuth telluride (Bi2Te3) and antimony telluride (Sb2Te3) thin film via the radio frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering method. The thin films were deposited on soda lime glass substrates at ambient temperature. The substrates were first washed using water and soap, ultrasonically cleaned with methanol, acetone, ethanol, and deionized water for 10 min, dried with nitrogen gas and hot plate, and finally treated under UV ozone for 10 min to remove residues before the coating process. A sputter target of Bi2Te3 and Sb2Te3 with Argon gas was used, and pre-sputtering was done to clean the target's surface. Then, a few clean substrates were loaded into the sputtering chamber, and the chamber was vacuumed until the pressure reached 2 x 10 Torr. The thin films were deposited for 60 min with Argon flow of 4 sccm and RF power at 75 W and 30 W for Bi2Te3 and Sb2Te3, respectively. This method resulted in highly uniform n-type Bi2Te3 and p-type Sb2Te3 thin films.
Topics: Bismuth; Antimony; Tellurium; Radio Waves
PubMed: 38829117
DOI: 10.3791/66248 -
ACS Infectious Diseases Jun 2024Leishmaniasis, one of the most overlooked tropical diseases, is a life-threatening illness caused by the parasite that is prevalent in underdeveloped nations. Over 350... (Review)
Review
Leishmaniasis, one of the most overlooked tropical diseases, is a life-threatening illness caused by the parasite that is prevalent in underdeveloped nations. Over 350 million individuals in more than 90 different nations worldwide are at risk of contracting the disease, which has a current fatality rate of 50 000 mortalities each year. The administration of liposomal Amp B, pentavalent antimonials, and miltefosine are still considered integral components of the chemotherapy regimen. Antileishmanial medications fail to treat leishmaniasis because of their numerous drawbacks. These include inadequate effectiveness, toxicity, undesired side effects, drug resistance, treatment duration, and cost. Consequently, there is a need to overcome the limitations of conventional therapeutics. Nanotechnology has demonstrated promising outcomes in addressing these issues because of its small size and distinctive characteristics, such as enhanced bioavailability, lower toxicity, biodegradability, and targeted drug delivery. This review is an effort to highlight the recent progress in various nanodrug delivery systems (nDDSs) over the past five years for treating leishmaniasis. Although the preclinical outcomes of nDDSs have shown promising treatment for leishmaniasis, further research is needed for their clinical translation. Advancement in three primary priority domains─molecular diagnostics, clinical investigation, and knowledge dissemination and standardization─is imperative to propel the leishmaniasis field toward translational outcomes.
Topics: Humans; Antiprotozoal Agents; Leishmaniasis; Drug Delivery Systems; Animals; Nanoparticles; Leishmania donovani; Leishmaniasis Vaccines; Nanovaccines
PubMed: 38829047
DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.4c00010 -
Frontiers in Public Health 2024Heavy metal exposure is an important cause of reduced bone mineral density (BMD). Epidemiological studies focusing on the effects of mixed heavy metal exposure on BMD in...
BACKGROUND
Heavy metal exposure is an important cause of reduced bone mineral density (BMD). Epidemiological studies focusing on the effects of mixed heavy metal exposure on BMD in middle-aged and older people are scarce. In single-metal studies, men and women have shown distinct responses of BMD to environmental metal exposure. This study therefore aimed to elucidate the association between mixed heavy metal exposure and BMD and to investigate whether it is sex-specific.
METHODS
Data from the 2017-2020 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were selected for this cross-sectional study. The study used three statistical methods, i.e., linear regression, Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) modeling, and weighted quartiles (WQS) regression, to explore the association between the urinary concentrations of 11 metals (barium, cadmium, cobalt, cesium, manganese, molybdenum, lead, antimony, tin, thallium, and Tungsten), either individually or as a mixture, and total femoral BMD.
RESULTS
A total of 1,031 participants were included in this study. Femoral BMD was found to be higher in men than women. A significant negative correlation between the urinary concentrations of the 10 metals and femoral BMD was found in the overall cohort. Further gender sub-stratified analyses showed that in men, urinary metal concentrations were negatively correlated with femoral BMD, with cobalt and barium playing a significant and non-linear role in this effect. In women, although urinary metal concentrations negatively modulated femoral BMD, none of the correlations was statistically significant. Antimony showed sex-specific differences in its effect.
CONCLUSION
The urinary concentrations of 10 mixed heavy metals were negatively correlated with femoral BMD in middle-aged and older participants, and this effect showed gender differences. These findings emphasize the differing role of mixed metal exposure in the process of BMD reduction between the sexes but require further validation by prospective studies.
Topics: Humans; Female; Male; Bone Density; Nutrition Surveys; Cross-Sectional Studies; Aged; Metals, Heavy; Middle Aged; Femur; Sex Factors; Environmental Exposure; Bayes Theorem; Aged, 80 and over
PubMed: 38827609
DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1363362 -
ArXiv May 2024Antimony is a high-level, human-readable text-based language designed for defining and sharing models in the systems biology community. It enables scientists to describe...
Antimony is a high-level, human-readable text-based language designed for defining and sharing models in the systems biology community. It enables scientists to describe biochemical networks and systems using a simple and intuitive syntax. It allows users to easily create, modify, and distribute reproducible computational models. By allowing the concise representation of complex biological processes, Antimony enhances collaborative efforts, improves reproducibility, and accelerates the iterative development of models in systems biology. This paper provides an update to the Antimony language since it was introduced in 2009. In particular, we highlight new annotation features, support for flux balance analysis, a new rateOf method, support for probability distributions and uncertainty, named stochiometries, and algebraic rules. Antimony is also now distributed as a C/C++ library, together with python and Julia bindings, as well as a JavaScript version for use within a web browser. Availability: https://github.com/sys-bio/antimony.
PubMed: 38827452
DOI: No ID Found -
ACS Omega May 2024Modulation of intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) has been tested in two antimony(V) porphyrins, SbT(DMP)P(OMe)·PF and SbT(DMP)P(OTFE)·PF, where the -positions are...
Modulation of intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) has been tested in two antimony(V) porphyrins, SbT(DMP)P(OMe)·PF and SbT(DMP)P(OTFE)·PF, where the -positions are occupied by 3,5-dimethoxyphenyl (DMP), and the axial positions are linked with either methoxy (OMe) or trifluoroethoxy (OTFE) units, respectively. The presence of the Sb(+5) ion makes the porphyrin center electron poor. Under this situation, placing electron-rich units in the -position creates a condition for push-pull type ICT in the SbT(DMP)P(OMe)·PF. Remarkably, it is shown that the ICT character can be further enhanced in SbT(DMP)P(OTFE)·PF with the help of electron-withdrawing TFE units in the axial position, which makes the porphyrin center even more electron scarce. The steady-state and transient studies as well as solvatochromism studies establish the ICT in SbT(DMP)P(OMe)·PF and SbT(DMP)P(OTFE)·PF, and the strength of the ICT can be modulated by exploiting the structural properties of antimony(V) porphyrin. The existence of ICT is further supported by density functional theory calculations. The transient studies show that upon excitation of these porphyrin, their charge-transfer states convert to a full charger-separated states with appreciable lifetimes.
PubMed: 38826543
DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.4c01773