Versatile and Fast Electrochemical Activation Method for Carbon Nanotube Fibers with Diverse Active Materials.

In this study, the challenge of non-electrochemical activity in carbon nanotube fibers (CNTFs) is addressed by developing a modified chlorosulfonic acid (CSA) densification process specifically developed for directly spun CNTFs. This post-treatment method, well-known for enhancing the physical properties of CNTFs, utilizes the double diffusion phenomenon to efficiently integrate a diverse range of active materials, from conductive polymers like polyaniline (PANI) to metal oxides like nickel oxide (NiO), into the fibers. This universal and cost-effective approach not only simplifies the integration process but also significantly boosts both the electrochemical and physical properties of the fibers.

Modeling doxorubicin-induced-cardiotoxicity through breast cancer patient specific iPSC-derived heart organoid.

Heart organoid (HO) technology has successfully overcome the limitations of two-dimensional (2D) disease modeling and drug testing, thereby emerging as a valuable tool in drug discovery for assessing toxicity and efficacy. However, its ability to distinguish drug responses among individuals remain unclear, which is crucial for developing predictive models. We addressed this gap by comparing human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CMs) with human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived heart organoids (hiPSC-HOs) in the context of doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity (DIC).

Amplified response of drug-induced liver fibrosis immune cell co-culture in a 3D hepatic fibrosis model.

Liver fibrosis, a critical consequence of chronic liver diseases, is characterized by excessive extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition driven by inflammation. This process involves complex interactions among hepatocytes, hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), and Kupffer cells, the liver's resident macrophages. Kupffer cells are essential in initiating fibrosis through the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines that activate HSCs.

In Vitro Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Model Elucidating the Effect of Immune Environment on Disease Progression and Alleviation.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), which is a major cause of chronic liver disease, is characterized by fat accumulation in the liver. Existing models struggle to assess medication effects on liver function in the context of NAFLD's unique inflammatory environment. We address this by developing a 3D in vitro NAFLD model using HepG2 and THP-1 cells (mimicking liver and Kupffer cells) cocultured using transwell and hydrogel system.

Precise editing of pathogenic nucleotide repeat expansions in iPSCs using paired prime editor.

Nucleotide repeat expansion disorders, a group of genetic diseases characterized by the expansion of specific DNA sequences, pose significant challenges to treatment and therapy development. Here, we present a precise and programmable method called prime editor-mediated correction of nucleotide repeat expansion (PE-CORE) for correcting pathogenic nucleotide repeat expansion. PE-CORE leverages a prime editor and paired pegRNAs to achieve targeted correction of repeat sequences.

Development of an In Vitro Model for Inflammation Mediated Renal Toxicity Using 3D Renal Tubules and Co-Cultured Human Immune Cells.

Background: The emergence of various infectious diseases and the toxic effects of hyperinflammation by biotherapeutics have highlighted the need for in vitro preclinical models mimicking the human immune system. In vitro models studying the relationship between hyperinflammation and acute renal injury mainly rely on 2D culture systems, which have shown limitations in recapitulating kidney function. Herein, we developed an in vitro kidney toxicity model by co-culturing 3D engineered kidney proximal tubules cells (RPTEC/TERT1) with human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC).

Catalytic performance of tridentate bidentate Co(ii) complexes supported by Schiff base ligands in vinyl addition polymerization of norbornene.

A series of Co(ii) complexes supported by Schiff base ligands, L-L, where L, L, and L are ()-3-methoxy--(quinolin-2-ylmethylene)propan-1-amine, ()- , -dimethyl- -(pyridin-2-ylmethylene)ethane-1,2-diamine, and ()- , -dimethyl- -(thiophen-2-ylmethylene)ethane-1,2-diamine, respectively, were designed and synthesized. Structural studies revealed a distorted trigonal bipyramidal geometry for [LCoCl] and a distorted tetrahedral geometry for [LCoCl]. After activation with modified methyl aluminoxane (MMAO), all the Co(ii) complexes catalyzed the polymerization of norbornene (NB) to yield vinyl-type polynorbornenes (PNBs) with activities of up to 4.

Heterogeneous early illness courses of Korean patients with bipolar disorders: replication of the staging model.

Background: Clinical staging of bipolar disorder (BD) requires application of real-world data, as the next step in hypothesis. This study used the staging model to analyze the long-term course of BD in Korean patients based on clinical features and treatment responses to map the progression of bipolar illness from its early phase after the onset of illness.

Methods: A total of 136 patients diagnosed with BD-I (n = 62) or BD-II (n = 74) were recruited.

ppGpp signaling plays a critical role in virulence of .

, a major nosocomial pathogen, survives in diverse hospital environments, and its multidrug resistance is a major concern. The ppGpp-dependent stringent response mediates the reprogramming of genes with diverse functions in several bacteria. We investigated whether ppGpp is involved in pathogenesis by examining biofilm formation, surface motility, adhesion, invasion, and mouse infection studies.

Research advancements in optical imaging and spectroscopic techniques for nondestructive detection of mold infection and mycotoxins in cereal grains and nuts.

Cereal grains and nuts are represented as the economic backbone of many developed and developing countries. Kernels of cereal grains and nuts are prone to mold infection under high relative humidity and suitable temperature conditions in the field as well as storage conditions. Health risks caused by molds and their molecular metabolite mycotoxins are, therefore, important topics to investigate.

Lactobacillus reuteri AN417 cell-free culture supernatant as a novel antibacterial agent targeting oral pathogenic bacteria.

Lactobacillus reuteri AN417 is a newly characterized probiotic strain. The activity of AN417 against oral pathogenic bacteria is unknown. We investigated the antibacterial activity of cell-free L.

Transcriptional Regulation of the Outer Membrane Protein A in .

is known for its virulence in severely ill, hospitalized patients and for exhibiting multidrug resistance. infection treatment poses a serious problem in clinical environments. The outer membrane protein A () of the Acinetobacter genus is involved in bacterial virulence.

Role of ppGpp-regulated efflux genes in Acinetobacter baumannii.

Objectives: Treatment of infections caused by Acinetobacter baumannii nosocomial strains has become increasingly problematic owing to their resistance to antibiotics. ppGpp is a secondary messenger involved in growth control and various stress responses in bacteria. The mechanism for inhibition of antibiotic resistance via ppGpp is still unidentified in various pathogenic bacteria including A.

Multiple mucociliary transit marker tracking in synchrotron X-ray images using the global nearest neighbor method.

Recent research has enabled in-vivo examination of mucociliary transit in live airways by analysing the movement patterns of micron-sized markers in high resolution synchrotron X-ray images. However, high levels of false positives and false negatives severely impact the performance of many automated tracking algorithms. This paper proposes an improved approach to track valid mucociliary transit markers using a modified gating region and cost matrix.

Circular particle detection using sectored ring mask for synchrotron PCXI images.

Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is a genetic disorder that compromises the respiratory function and the ability of the mucociliary transit (MCT) system. One of the most recent researches introduced a noble method to investigate the progress of the treatment, in which small particles with mostly circular shape injected to the respiratory system and the images were taken using Synchrotron X-ray beam. Since the small particles flow through the respiratory system of the body, the direct observation of MCT measurement will help to understand the progress of the treatment.

Endotracheal intubation by inexperienced trainees using the Clarus Video System: learning curve and orodental trauma perspectives.

Background: The ideal alternative airway device should be intuitive to use, yielding proficiency after only a few trials. The Clarus Video System (CVS) is a novel optical stylet with a semi-rigid tip; however, the learning curve and associated orodental trauma are poorly understood.

Methods: Two novice practitioners with no CVS experience performed 30 intubations each.

Cannabinoid receptor activation inhibits cell cycle progression by modulating 14-3-3β.

Cannabinoids display various pharmacological activities, including tumor regression, anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects. To investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying the pharmacological effects of cannabinoids, we used a yeast two-hybrid system to screen a mouse brain cDNA library for proteins interacting with type 1 cannabinoid receptor (CB1R). Using the intracellular loop 3 of CB1R as bait, we identified 14-3-3β as an interacting partner of CB1R and confirmed their interaction using affinity-binding assays.

A Torilis japonica extract exerts anti-proliferative activities on the U87MG human glioblastoma cell line.

Torilis japonica is a wild biennial herb and has been used as a traditional medicine for the treatment of inflammation, skin disease and impotence. Here, we studied the effects of a T. japonica extract on the proliferation of the U87MG human glioblastoma cell line.