Assessing Modes of Toxic Action of Organic Cations in Cell-Based Bioassays: the Critical Role of Partitioning to Cells and Medium Components.

High-throughput cell-based bioassays can fulfill the growing need to assess the hazards and modes of toxic action (MOA) of ionic liquids (ILs). Although nominal concentrations () are typically used in an bioassay, freely dissolved concentrations () are considered a more accurate dose metric because they account for chemical partitioning processes and are informative about MOA. We determined the of IL cations in AREc32 and AhR-CALUX assays using both mass balance model (MBM) prediction and experimental quantification.

LC-MS/MS quantification of bacterial and fungal signal peptides via direct injection: a case study of cross-kingdom communication.

Bacteria and yeast use secreted signal peptides, also known as pheromones, for cell-cell communication within their respective species. Recently, genetic modification has allowed for the extension and exploitation of this type of communication, to communication between organisms from different species and even from different kingdoms. This innovative approach is intended to allow for the large-scale production of specific compounds for applications in medicine and biotechnology while producing reduced amounts of by-products.

Continuous Polarizability-Based Separation of Lithium Iron Phosphate and Graphite Using a Dielectrophoretic Particle Separator.

The recovery of valuable materials from spent lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) has experienced increasing demand in recent years. Current recycling technologies are typically energy-intensive and are often plagued by high operation costs, low processing efficiency, and environmental pollution concerns. In this study, an efficient and environmentally friendly dielectrophoresis (DEP)-based approach is proposed to separate the main components of "black mass" mixtures from LIBs, specifically lithium iron phosphate (LFP) and graphite, based on their polarizability differences.

The mode of toxic action of ionic liquids: Narrowing down possibilities using high-throughput, in vitro cell-based bioassays.

Growing concerns about the environmental impact of ionic liquids (ILs) have spurred research into their (eco)toxic effects, but studies on their mode of toxic action (MOA) still remain limited. However, understanding the MOA and identifying structural features responsible for enhanced toxicity is crucial for characterising the hazard and designing safer alternatives. Therefore, 45 ILs, with systematically varied chemical structures, were tested for cytotoxicity and two specific endpoints in reporter gene assays targeting the Nrf2-ARE mediated oxidative stress response (AREc32) and aryl hydrocarbon receptor activation (AhR-CALUX).

Machine learning-optimized non-invasive brain stimulation and treatment response classification for major depression.

Background/objectives: Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a non-invasive brain stimulation intervention that shows promise as a potential treatment for depression. However, the clinical efficacy of tDCS varies, possibly due to individual differences in head anatomy affecting tDCS dosage. While functional changes in brain activity are more commonly reported in major depressive disorder (MDD), some studies suggest that subtle macroscopic structural differences, such as cortical thickness or brain volume reductions, may occur in MDD and could influence tDCS electric field (E-field) distributions.