Tiny MoO3 nanocrystals self-assembled on folded molybdenum disulfide nanosheets via a hydrothermal method for supercapacitor

Coupling of two active semiconductors can easily lead to a deterioration of their intrinsic properties. In this work, tiny MoO3 nanocrystals were deposited on 3D MoS2 frameworks via a hydrothermal reaction, with heterostructures forming by oxygen-bonding interactions at their interface. When tested as a supercapacitor electrode, the MoS2/MoO3 heterostructure exhibited a high specific capacitance of 287.7 F g(-1) at a current density of 1 A g(-1), and a remarkable cycling stability after 1000 cycles at 1 A g(-1) in an aqueous solution compared to pristine MoS2. The results thus reveal the superior properties of the MoS2/MoO3 heterostructure for supercapacitor electrode

Cytokine Production but Lack of Proliferation in Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells from Chronic Chagas' Disease Cardiomyopathy Patients in Response to T. cruzi Ribosomal P Proteins

Background:Trypanosoma cruzi ribosomal P proteins, P2β and P0, induce high levels of antibodies in patients with chronic Chagas' disease Cardiomyopathy (CCC). It is well known that these antibodies alter the beating rate of cardiomyocytes and provoke apoptosis by their interaction with β1-adrenergic and M2-muscarinic cardiac receptors. Based on these findings, we decided to study the cellular immune response to these proteins in CCC patients compared to non-infected individuals.Methodology/Principal findings:We evaluated proliferation, presence of surface activation markers and cytokine production in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) stimulated with P2β, the C-terminal portion of P0 (CP0) proteins and T. cruzi lysate from CCC patients predominantly infected with TcVI lineage. PBMC from CCC patients cultured with P2β or CP0 proteins, failed to proliferate and express CD25 and HLA-DR on T cell populations. However, multiplex cytokine assays showed that these antigens triggered higher secretion of IL-10, TNF-α and GM-CSF by PBMC as well as both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells subsets of CCC subjects. Upon T. cruzi lysate stimulation, PBMC from CCC patients not only proliferated but also became activated within the context of Th1 response. Interestingly, T. cruzi lysate was also able to induce the secretion of GM-CSF by CD4+ or CD8+ T cells.Conclusions/Significance:Our results showed that although the lack of PBMC proliferation in CCC patients in response to ribosomal P proteins, the detection of IL-10, TNF-α and GM-CSF suggests that specific T cells could have both immunoregulatory and pro-inflammatory potential, which might modulate the immune response in Chagas' disease. Furthermore, it was possible to demonstrate for the first time that GM-CSF was produced by PBMC of CCC patients in response not only to recombinant ribosomal P proteins but also to parasite lysate, suggesting the value of this cytokine to evaluate T cells responses in T. cruzi infection.Fil: Longhi, Silvia Andrea. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Genética y Biología Molecular "Dr. Héctor N. Torres"; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica; ArgentinaFil: Atienza, Augusto. Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires. Hospital General de Agudos "Ramos Mejía"; ArgentinaFil: Perez Prados, Graciela. Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires. Hospital General de Agudos "Juan A. Fernández"; ArgentinaFil: Buying, Alcinette. Torrey Pines Institute for Molecular Studies; Estados UnidosFil: Balouz, Virginia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas. Universidad Nacional de San Martín. Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas; ArgentinaFil: Buscaglia, Carlos Andres. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas. Universidad Nacional de San Martín. Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas; ArgentinaFil: Santos, Radleigh. Torrey Pines Institute for Molecular Studies; Estados UnidosFil: Tasso, Laura Mónica. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Genética y Biología Molecular "Dr. Héctor N. Torres"; ArgentinaFil: Bonato, Ricardo. Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires. Hospital General de Agudos "Ramos Mejía"; ArgentinaFil: Chiale, Pablo. Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires. Hospital General de Agudos "Ramos Mejía"; ArgentinaFil: Pinilla, Clemencia. Torrey Pines Institute for Molecular Studies; Estados UnidosFil: Judkowski, Valeria A.. Torrey Pines Institute for Molecular Studies; Estados UnidosFil: Gomez, Karina Andrea. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Genética y Biología Molecular "Dr. Héctor N. Torres"; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica; Argentin

AMPK in Pathogens

During host–pathogen interactions, a complex web of events is crucial for the outcome of infection. Pathogen recognition triggers powerful cellular signaling events that is translated into the induction and maintenance of innate and adaptive host immunity against infection. In opposition, pathogens employ active mechanisms to manipulate host cell regulatory pathways toward their proliferation and survival. Among these, subversion of host cell energy metabolism by pathogens is currently recognized to play an important role in microbial growth and persistence. Extensive studies have documented the role of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) signaling, a central cellular hub involved in the regulation of energy homeostasis, in host–pathogen interactions. Here, we highlight the most recent advances detailing how pathogens hijack cellular metabolism by suppressing or increasing the activity of the host energy sensor AMPK. We also address the role of lower eukaryote AMPK orthologues in the adaptive process to the host microenvironment and their contribution for pathogen survival, differentiation, and growth. Finally, we review the effects of pharmacological or genetic AMPK modulation on pathogen growth and persistence.CIHR -Canadian Institutes of Health Researc

Synthesis of Plant-Mediated Silver Nanoparticles Using Dioscorea batatas Rhizome Extract and Evaluation of Their Antimicrobial Activities

The eco-friendly synthesis of nanoparticles through various biological means helps to explore various plants for their ability to synthesize silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). Here we have synthesized AgNPs by using rhizome extract of Dioscorea batatas at 80∘C as well as room temperature (25∘C). AgNPs were characterized under UV-vis spectrophotometer, SEM, FTIR, XRD, and EDX. The antimicrobial activity of AgNPs was evaluated on gram positive (B. substilis and S. aureus), gram negative (E. coli), and fungi (S. cerivisae and C. albicans). At room temperature, S. cerivisae and C. albicans were found to be more susceptible to AgNPs than at 80∘C

Highly Fluorescent Doped Fe3O4@C Nanoparticles Cross the Blood-Brain Barrier: Help in Brain Imaging and Blocking the Life Cycle of Mosquitoes

Day by day, humans and animals are infected with life-threatening and deadly diseases due to mosquito bites. Current methods used to fight these diseases are not fully viable and unsafe for humans and animals. Controlling the germ-carrying mosquitoes requires the immediate transfer of a conceptual paradigm. This experiment suggested a safe mosquito control mechanism with fluorescence iron-oxide core carbon-coated (f-Fe3O4@C) nontoxic nanoparticles used as an active agent. As the concept of experiment, we chose mosquitoes of Anopheles, Aedes, and Culex genera because they are found worldwide and infect pathogens. The progression of the life cycle of mosquitoes was observed and imaging under the treated known concentration of f-Fe3O4@C nanoparticles. Resulted that a minimum 3 mg/L and above concentration of f-Fe3O4@C nanoparticles in breeding water these group of larvae can't attend their adulthood and ultimately died under prolong stay in the larval stage. In this case, though the species can be studied for a sustained time the originality of the wild species is lost

Determination of Band Alignment in the Synergistic Catalyst of Electronic Structure-Modified Graphitic Carbon Nitride-Integrated Ceria Quantum-Dot Heterojunctions for Rapid Degradation of Organic Pollutants

We engineered novel heterojunction ceria (CeO₂) QDs decorated on the surfaces of graphitic carbon nitride (g-C₃N₄) nanosheets by a facile in situ hydrothermal synthetic route. Using core-level/valence-band X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, and work function measurements of the materials, we constructed the energy band alignment at the heterojunction. The band alignment has a Type-II alignment between organic (g-C₃N₄) and inorganic (CeO₂ QDs) semiconductors junction with valence/conduction band offsets (VBO/CBO) of −0.07/–0.31 eV. The calculated band alignment parameters of the heterojunction were compared with the experimental values of g-C₃N₄/CeO₂ QD composite and a new energy band diagram was proposed for the electronic structure-modified g-C₃N₄/CeO₂ QDs heterojunction. The newly constructed heterojunction is formed by carbon-vacancy-promoted g-C₃N₄ coupled to lower defect-mediated (oxygen vacancies) CeO₂, as determined by high-resolution XPS analysis. Moreover, the CeO₂ QD distribution on g-C₃N₄ sheets using HR-TEM and the lattice parameter variations of g-C₃N₄/CeO₂ QDs as compared with those of pristine CeO₂ QDs from Rietveld refinement were investigated. To demonstrate the ability of the proposed heterojunction as a catalyst, we tested the catalytic activity of the composite junction for the degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) in the presence of NaBH₄ as an example. The band alignment mechanism is useful for promoting the catalytic activity of the graphitic carbon nitride-based organic semiconductor and will attract researchers’ attention for developing new composite heterojunction catalysts for multifunctional applications