Second-generation nitazoxanide derivatives: thiazolides are effective inhibitors of the influenza A virus

Aim: The only small molecule drugs currently available for treatment of influenza A virus (IAV) are M2 ion channel blockers and sialidase inhibitors. The prototype thiazolide, nitazoxanide, has successfully completed Phase III clinical trials against acute uncomplicated influenza. Results: We report the activity of seventeen thiazolide analogs against A/PuertoRico/8/1934(H1N1), a laboratory-adapted strain of the H1N1 subtype of IAV, in a cell culture-based assay. A total of eight analogs showed IC50s in the range of 0.14–5.0 μM. Additionally a quantitative structure–property relationship study showed high correlation between experimental and predicted activity based on a molecular descriptor set. Conclusion: A range of thiazolides show useful activity against an H1N1 strain of IAV. Further evaluation of these molecules as potential new small molecule therapies is justified

The structural, electrical and optical properties of spark plasma sintered BaSn1-xSbxO3 ceramics

Antimony doped barium-stannate dense ceramic materials were synthesized using spark plasma sintering technique out of mechanically activated precursor powders. The influence of various Sb concentrations (x =0.00 – 0.10) on properties of BaSn1-xSbxO3 ceramics was investigated. Relative densities of prepared samples were in the range of (79–96) %. TEM analysis revealed the presence of many dislocations in undoped BaSnO3, and their significant reduction upon doping with Sb. All samples except BaSn0.92Sb0.08O3 exhibit non-linear I-U characteristic, typical for semiconductors with potential barrier at grain boundaries. Low angle grain boundaries found only in BaSn0.92Sb0.08O3 caused the loss of potential barrier at grain boundaries which was confirmed by AC impedance spectroscopy measurements. Consequently, BaSn0.92Sb0.08O3 showed the lowest electrical resistivity and linear I-U characteristic. UV–vis analysis confirmed the increasing of band gap (Burstein–Moss shift) values in all doped samples.This is the peer-reviewed version of the manuscript: Vukasinovic J, Pocuca-Nesic M, Golic DL, Ribic V, Brankovic Z, Savic SM, Dapcevic A, Bernik S, Podlogar M, Kocen M, Rapljenovic Z, Ivek T, Lazovic V, Dojcinovic B, Brankovic G, The structural, electrical and optical properties of spark plasma sintered BaSn1-xSbxO3 ceramics, Journal of the European Ceramic Society (2020), 40, 15, 5566-5575, doi: [https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jeurceramsoc.2020.06.062]The published version: [http://cer.ihtm.bg.ac.rs/handle/123456789/3628