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Animals : An Open Access Journal From... May 2024Leishmaniasis in wild canids is a vector-borne disease caused in Europe by the protozoan parasite . To date, there is limited information on clinical signs and...
Leishmaniasis in wild canids is a vector-borne disease caused in Europe by the protozoan parasite . To date, there is limited information on clinical signs and laboratory abnormalities in wolves due to leishmaniasis. The current clinical case report described a female Iberian wolf () housed in semi-captivity conditions at the Centro del Lobo Ibérico "Félix Rodríguez de la Fuente", in Robledo de Sanabria, Zamora (Spain), with an interdigital ulcerous wound at the right forepaw, hyper-gammaglobulinemia, and abnormal liver blood parameters. Definitive serodiagnosis of leishmaniasis was established using antileishmanial serum antibodies and PCR analysis of different biological samples. A gold-standard anti- treatment protocol consisting in subcutaneous meglumine antimoniate and oral allopurinol combination was installed. However, the presence of pain at the site of injection due to meglumine antimoniate administration forced its substitution by oral miltefosine. A progressive reduction of the levels of anti- serum antibodies and the concentrations of gamma-globulin fraction was detected after antileishmanial treatment as well as a decline of liver GPT. To our knowledge, this is the first case of leishmaniasis diagnosed in a wolf housed in semi-captivity conditions, with the condition subsequently treated and successfully cured.
PubMed: 38791654
DOI: 10.3390/ani14101436 -
Journal of Physics. Condensed Matter :... Jun 2024In this study, the structural, electronic, vibrational, and mechanical properties of single-layer Antimony Oxyselenide (SbOSe) and its hydrogenated structure (SbOSeH)...
In this study, the structural, electronic, vibrational, and mechanical properties of single-layer Antimony Oxyselenide (SbOSe) and its hydrogenated structure (SbOSeH) are investigated by performing density functional theory-based first principles calculations. Geometry optimizations reveal that single-layer SbOSecrystallizes in tetragonal structure which is shown to possess dynamical stability by means of phonon band dispersions. In addition, the mechanical stability of the predicted single layer is satisfied via the linear-elastic parameters. Electronically, it is revealed that single-layer SbOSeexhibits metallic behavior whose highest occupied states are found to arise from the surface Se atoms, may be an indication for tuning the electronic features via surface functionalization. For the surface modification of SbOSe, top of each Se atom is saturated with a H atom and fully hydrogenated single-layer SbOSeHis shown to be an in-plane anisotropic structure. Phonon band dispersion calculations indicate the dynamical stability of SbOSeH. Mechanically stable SbOSeHis found to possess anisotropic linear-elastic behavior, which is much softer than its pristine structure. Moreover, electronically a metallic-to-semiconducting transition is shown to occur as the unoccupied Se-orbitals are saturated via H atoms. Our work offers insights into prediction of a novel single-layer material, namely SbOSe, and reports the chemically-driven semiconducting behavior via hydrogenation, which may lead to the use of hydrogenated structure in solar cell, photoelectrode, or photocatalyst applications owing to its suitable band gap.
PubMed: 38788730
DOI: 10.1088/1361-648X/ad5069 -
Journal of Hazardous Materials Jul 2024In Southern China, the co-occurrence of arsenic (As) and antimony (Sb) contamination in soils around Sb mines presents an environmental challenge. During the flooding...
In Southern China, the co-occurrence of arsenic (As) and antimony (Sb) contamination in soils around Sb mines presents an environmental challenge. During the flooding period of mining-impacted soils, anaerobic reduction of iron (Fe) oxides enhances the mobilization and bioavailability of Sb and As, further elevating the risk of Sb and As entering the food chain. To address this problem, activated carbon (AC) and biochar (BC) were applied to remediate flooded mining-impacted soils. Our results explored that AC can significantly decrease mobilization by 9-97 % for Sb and 9-67 % for As through inhibiting Fe(III) mineral reduction and dissolution in flooded soils. In contrast, there was no significant effect of BC. This was attributed to the strong adsorption of soil dissolved organic matter (DOM) by AC compared to BC, while DOM as electron shuttle is crucial for microbial Fe(III) reduction. Consequently, the DOM sequestration by AC effectively mitigates Sb and As leaching in contaminated mining soils.
Topics: Antimony; Arsenic; Mining; Soil Pollutants; Charcoal; Adsorption; Floods; Soil; Environmental Restoration and Remediation
PubMed: 38788575
DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.134663 -
Nano Letters Jun 2024Zero-dimensional metal halides have received wide attention due to their structural diversity, strong quantum confinement, and associated excellent photoluminescence...
Zero-dimensional metal halides have received wide attention due to their structural diversity, strong quantum confinement, and associated excellent photoluminescence properties. A reversible and tunable luminescence would be desirable for applications such as anti-counterfeiting, information encryption, and artificial intelligence. Yet, these materials are underexplored, with little known about their luminescence tuning mechanisms. Here we report a pyramidal coplanar dimer, (TBA)SbCl (TBA = tetrabutylammonium), showing broadband emission wavelength tuning (585-650 nm) by simple thermal treatment. We attribute the broad color change to structural disorder induced by varying the heat treatment temperatures. Increasing the heating temperature transitions the material from long-range ordered crystalline phase to highly disordered glassy phase. The latter exhibits stronger electron-phonon coupling, enhancing the self-trapped exciton emission efficiency. The work provides a new material platform for manifold optical anti-counterfeiting applications and sheds light on the emission color tuning mechanisms for further design of stimuli-responsive materials.
PubMed: 38787693
DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.4c01071 -
Pathogens (Basel, Switzerland) May 2024Leishmaniasis, caused by parasites, is a neglected tropical disease and Cutaneous Leishmaniasis (CL) is the most common form. Despite the associated toxicity and...
Leishmaniasis, caused by parasites, is a neglected tropical disease and Cutaneous Leishmaniasis (CL) is the most common form. Despite the associated toxicity and adverse effects, Meglumine antimoniate (MA) remains the first-choice treatment for CL in Brazil, pressing the need for the development of better alternatives. Bacterial NanoCellulose (BNC), a biocompatible nanomaterial, has unique properties regarding wound healing. In a previous study, we showed that use of topical BNC + systemic MA significantly increased the cure rate of CL patients, compared to treatment with MA alone. Herein, we performed a study comparing the combination of a wound dressing (BNC or placebo) plus systemic MA versus systemic MA alone, in CL caused by . We show that patients treated with the combination treatment (BNC or placebo) + MA showed improved cure rates and decreased need for rescue treatment, although differences compared to controls (systemic MA alone) were not significant. However, the overall time-to-cure was significantly lower in groups treated with the combination treatment (BNC+ systemic MA or placebo + systemic MA) in comparison to controls (MA alone), indicating that the use of a wound dressing improves CL treatment outcome. Assessment of the immune response in peripheral blood showed an overall downmodulation in the inflammatory landscape and a significant decrease in the production of IL-1a ( < 0.05) in patients treated with topical BNC + systemic MA. Our results show that the application of wound dressings to CL lesions can improve chemotherapy outcome in CL caused by .
PubMed: 38787268
DOI: 10.3390/pathogens13050416 -
Analytica Chimica Acta Nov 2023Sulfadiazine (SDZ) is a broad-spectrum antibiotic widely used in aquaculture and animal husbandry and it is easy to remain in the water system to damage the human body....
Sulfadiazine (SDZ) is a broad-spectrum antibiotic widely used in aquaculture and animal husbandry and it is easy to remain in the water system to damage the human body. Therefore, detection and removal of sulfadiazine in water systems become critical. Nowadays, catalysts and visible light are used to degrade sulfadiazine into smaller molecules containing N and S to reduce toxicity. However, these small molecules are easily released into water and the atmosphere to be the acid rain. Therefore, it is urgent to design a sensor with the ability to detect and remove SDZ at the same time. (96) RESULTS: We designed a novel composite catalyst sensor (SbO@LTA GCE) with the ability to simultaneously monitor and remove sulfadiazine. The catalyst is generated by introducing SbCl into the reactive gel of LTA (Linde Type A) structure zeolite. In the hydrothermal reaction, the corrosive SbCl is transferred into nanosized SbO nanoparticle which is highly dispersed in the opening nano-scaled windows of the zeolite through redox and self-assembled progress. In the selected electrochemical overpotential range, the SbO@LTA composited modified electrode could complete adsorption and desorption of SDZ through the electron transfer from Sb to Sb. As the catalyst is in high stability, the only loss in the whole process of recovering SDZ is a small amount of electric energy. The extra-low detection limit and the removal efficiency of SbO@LTA GCE have been achieved 4.0 pM and 19.3 mg/20 mg (136) SIGNIFICANCE: The prepared novel sensor has low detection limit, high removal efficiency and high selectivity for sulfadiazine. The SbO@LTA GCE sensor, which is low-cost and has a simple preparation method, exhibits good reproducibility in both seawater and cell fluid. This provides the possibility for wide application in detecting and removing SDZ in water system. (53).
Topics: Sulfadiazine; Antimony; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Oxidation-Reduction; Electrochemical Techniques; Water Pollutants, Chemical; Limit of Detection; Electrodes; Catalysis; Oxides
PubMed: 38783737
DOI: 10.1016/j.aca.2023.341891 -
Journal of the American Chemical Society Jun 2024The synthesis and characterization of a series of polyantimony anionic clusters are reported. The products [(NbCp)Sb], [MSb] (M = Ru/Fe), and [MSb] (M = Ru/Fe) were...
The synthesis and characterization of a series of polyantimony anionic clusters are reported. The products [(NbCp)Sb], [MSb] (M = Ru/Fe), and [MSb] (M = Ru/Fe) were isolated as either K(18-crown-6) or K([2.2.2]-crypt) salts. The Sb ring contained in the [(NbCp)Sb] cluster can be viewed as an extension of two envelope-like -Sb units and represents by far the largest monocyclic all-antimony species. The clusters [MSb] and [MSb] (M = Ru/Fe) illustrate the variability of crown-like Sb ring motifs and reveal the fusion of different antimony fragments featuring unique Sb-Sb chain-like units. The reported synthetic approaches involve the fabrication of a variety of distinctive polyantimony anionic clusters, enhancing our understanding of the coordination chemistry of heavier group 15 elements.
PubMed: 38782032
DOI: 10.1021/jacs.4c03843 -
Inorganic Chemistry Jun 2024Organic-inorganic hybrid metal halides have unique optical and electronic properties, which are advantageous in the study of nonlinear optical materials. To investigate...
Organic-inorganic hybrid metal halides have unique optical and electronic properties, which are advantageous in the study of nonlinear optical materials. To investigate the effect of stereoactive lone pair electrons and the induction of organic cations on the structure of hybrid antimony(III) halides on nonlinear optics, we synthesize two noncentrosymmetric hybrid antimony(III)-based halide single crystals (TMA)SbX (TMA = NH(CH), X = Cl, Br) by a room-temperature slow evaporation method, and their single-crystal structures, phase transition, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and energy-band structure calculations are studied. More importantly, second-harmonic generation results of (TMA)SbX (X = Cl, Br) are about 0.7 and 0.8 × KHPO(KDP), respectively. Interestingly, (TMA)SbCl single crystals undergo a reversible structural transition from (No. 7) at room temperature to 2/ (No. 14) at 400 K, while the (TMA)SbBr single crystals belong to the noncentrosymmetric space group 3c (No. 161), which clarifies the previous results. This work not only deepens the understanding of the role in lone pair electrons and organic cations in the structural induction in antimony-based halide perovskite materials but also provides guidance for subsequent nonlinear optical explorations.
PubMed: 38780359
DOI: 10.1021/acs.inorgchem.4c00980 -
Scientific Reports May 2024Leishmaniasis is a disease caused by a protozoan of the genus Leishmania, affecting millions of people, mainly in tropical countries, due to poor social conditions and...
Leishmaniasis is a disease caused by a protozoan of the genus Leishmania, affecting millions of people, mainly in tropical countries, due to poor social conditions and low economic development. First-line chemotherapeutic agents involve highly toxic pentavalent antimonials, while treatment failure is mainly due to the emergence of drug-resistant strains. Leishmania arginase (ARG) enzyme is vital in pathogenicity and contributes to a higher infection rate, thus representing a potential drug target. This study helps in designing ARG inhibitors for the treatment of leishmaniasis. Py-CoMFA (3D-QSAR) models were constructed using 34 inhibitors from different chemical classes against ARG from L. (L.) amazonensis (LaARG). The 3D-QSAR predictions showed an excellent correlation between experimental and calculated pIC values. The molecular docking study identified the favorable hydrophobicity contribution of phenyl and cyclohexyl groups as substituents in the enzyme allosteric site. Molecular dynamics simulations of selected protein-ligand complexes were conducted to understand derivatives' interaction modes and affinity in both active and allosteric sites. Two cinnamide compounds, 7g and 7k, were identified, with similar structures to the reference 4h allosteric site inhibitor. These compounds can guide the development of more effective arginase inhibitors as potential antileishmanial drugs.
Topics: Arginase; Molecular Dynamics Simulation; Molecular Docking Simulation; Leishmania; Enzyme Inhibitors; Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationship; Protozoan Proteins; Allosteric Site; Antiprotozoal Agents; Catalytic Domain
PubMed: 38773273
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-62520-2 -
PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases May 2024In Brazil, Leishmania amazonensis is the etiological agent of cutaneous and diffuse cutaneous leishmaniasis. The state of Maranhão in the Northeast of Brazil is...
In Brazil, Leishmania amazonensis is the etiological agent of cutaneous and diffuse cutaneous leishmaniasis. The state of Maranhão in the Northeast of Brazil is prevalent for these clinical forms of the disease and also has high rates of HIV infection. Here, we characterized the drug susceptibility of a L. amazonensis clinical isolate from a 46-year-old man with diffuse cutaneous leishmaniasis coinfected with HIV from this endemic area. This patient underwent several therapeutic regimens with meglumine antimoniate, liposomal amphotericin B, and pentamidine, without success. In vitro susceptibility assays against promastigotes and intracellular amastigotes demonstrated that this isolate had low susceptibility to amphotericin B, when compared with the reference strain of this species that is considered susceptible to antileishmanial drugs. Additionally, we investigated whether the low in vitro susceptibility would affect the in vivo response to amphotericin B treatment. The drug was effective in reducing the lesion size and parasite burden in mice infected with the reference strain, whereas those infected with the clinical isolate and a resistant line (generated experimentally by stepwise selection) were refractory to amphotericin B treatment. To evaluate whether the isolate was intrinsically resistant to amphotericin B in animals, infected mice were treated with other drugs that had not been used in the treatment of the patient (miltefosine, paromomycin, and a combination of both). Our findings demonstrated that all drug schemes were able to reduce lesion size and parasite burden in animals infected with the clinical isolate, confirming the amphotericin B-resistance phenotype. These findings indicate that the treatment failure observed in the patient may be associated with amphotericin B resistance, and demonstrate the potential emergence of amphotericin B-resistant L. amazonensis isolates in an area of Brazil endemic for cutaneous leishmaniasis.
Topics: Amphotericin B; Animals; Brazil; Middle Aged; Antiprotozoal Agents; Humans; Male; Mice; Drug Resistance; Leishmania; Leishmania mexicana; Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous; HIV Infections; Parasitic Sensitivity Tests; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Leishmaniasis, Diffuse Cutaneous
PubMed: 38768213
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0012175