Positional Isomerism of Aromatic Heterocyclic Spacer Cations in Two-Dimensional Dion-Jacobson Hybrid Perovskites.

Ligand engineering of aromatic heterocyclic cations in two-dimensional (2D) Dion-Jacobson (DJ) perovskites has been widely explored in recent years. In this study, how the positional isomers of aromatic heterocyclic cations tune the lattice of 2D perovskites, thereby influencing the transport and recombination dynamics of charge carriers, has been investigated through nonadiabatic molecular dynamics simulations. We demonstrate that the -substituted 3-(aminomethyl)pyridinium (3AMPY) cations greatly reduce the strength of electron-vibration coupling since the strong hydrogen-bonding network introduced by the changes in the arrangement of spacer cations significantly suppresses the structural thermal fluctuations.

Mechanisms of adsorption and diffusion of Na on a VSe monolayer with engineering-induced vacancies.

Although research on vacancy engineering of anode materials has sufficiently advanced to obtain heightened battery capacity, the effect on the diffusion barrier underlying the mechanism remains to be elucidated. Herein, we investigated the effect of vacancy engineering on Na adsorption and diffusion on a vanadium diselenide (VSe) monolayer using first-principles calculations to reveal the underlying physics behind the performance optimization of anode materials in a sodium-ion battery. The results demonstrate that the structure of the substrate is responsible for the difference between the adsorption energy and diffusion barrier that resulted from cation and anion vacancies.

Associations between institutional-social-ecological factors and COVID -19 case-fatality: Evidence from 134 countries using multiscale geographically weighted regression (MGWR).

During the period in which the Omicron coronavirus variant was rapidly spreading, the impact of the institutional-social-ecological dimensions on the case-fatality rate was rarely afforded attention. By adopting the diagnostic social-ecological system (SES) framework, the present paper aims to identify the impact of institutional-social-ecological factors on the case-fatality rate of COVID-19 in 134 countries and regions and test their spatial heterogeneity. Using statistical data from the Our World In Data website, the present study collected the cumulative case-fatality rate from 9 November 2021 to 23 June 2022, along with 11 country-level institutional-social-ecological factors.

An IL-6/STAT3/MR/FGF21 axis mediates heart-liver cross-talk after myocardial infarction.

The liver plays a protective role in myocardial infarction (MI). However, very little is known about the mechanisms. Here, we identify mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) as a pivotal nexus that conveys communications between the liver and the heart during MI.

Osteoblast MR deficiency protects against adverse ventricular remodeling after myocardial infarction.

Rationale: Mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) antagonists have been clinically used to treat heart failure. However, the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms remain incompletely understood.

Methods And Results: Using osteoblast MR knockout (MR) mouse in combination with myocardial infarction (MI) model, we demonstrated that MR deficiency in osteoblasts significantly improved cardiac function, promoted myocardial healing, as well as attenuated cardiac hypertrophy, fibrosis and inflammatory response after MI.

Macrophage Nuclear Receptor Corepressor 1 Deficiency Protects Against Ischemic Stroke in Mice.

Microglia/macrophage activation plays an essential role in Ischemic stroke (IS). Nuclear receptor corepressor 1 (NCoR1) has been identified as a vital regulator in macrophages. The present study aims to explore the functions of macrophage NCoR1 in IS.

Development of Multifunctional and Orally Active Cyclic Peptide Agonists of Opioid/Neuropeptide FF Receptors that Produce Potent, Long-Lasting, and Peripherally Restricted Antinociception with Diminished Side Effects.

We previously reported that a multifunctional opioid/neuropeptide FF receptor agonist, DN-9, achieved peripherally restricted analgesia with reduced side effects. To develop stable and orally bioavailable analogues of DN-9, eight lactam-bridged cyclic analogues of DN-9 between positions 2 and 5 were designed, synthesized, and biologically evaluated. cAMP assays revealed that these analogues, except , were multifunctional ligands that activated opioid and neuropeptide FF receptors.

Microbiota in Gut, Oral Cavity, and Mitral Valves Are Associated With Rheumatic Heart Disease.

Rheumatic heart disease refers to the long-term damage of heart valves and results from an autoimmune response to group A infection. This study aimed to analyze the microbiota composition of patients with rheumatic heart disease and explore potential function of microbiota in this disease. First, we revealed significant alterations of microbiota in feces, subgingival plaques, and saliva of the patients compared to control subjects using 16S rRNA gene sequencing.

Synthesis and Biological Characterization of Cyclic Disulfide-Containing Peptide Analogs of the Multifunctional Opioid/Neuropeptide FF Receptor Agonists That Produce Long-Lasting and Nontolerant Antinociception.

In a previously described chimeric peptide, we reported that the multifunctional opioid/neuropeptide FF (NPFF) receptor agonist (BN-9) produced antinociception for 1.5 h after supraspinal administration. Herein, four cyclic disulfide analogs containing l- and/or d-type cysteine at positions 2 and 5 were synthesized.

Two Pyrophosphates with Large Birefringences and Second-Harmonic Responses as Ultraviolet Nonlinear Optical Materials.

Two new pyrophosphates nonlinear optical (NLO) materials, Rb PbBi(P O ) (I) and Cs PbBi(P O ) (II), were successfully designed and synthesized. Both compounds exhibit large NLO effects and birefringences. Material I presents the scarce case of possessing the coexistence of large birefringence (0.

Tellurium-oxygen group enhanced birefringence in tellurium phosphates: a first-principles investigation.

Phosphates possess a relatively large UV/DUV cutoff edge, but these compounds usually have very small birefringence. Recently the TePO crystal was synthesized and its birefringence was reported to be as large as 0.106 at 1013.

Left Bundle Branch Conduction Recovery Following Left Bundle Branch Pacing in a Heart Failure Patient.

This report presents the application of left bundle branch pacing as a cardiac resynchronization therapy in a patient with systolic heart failure and complete left bundle branch block. At the 3-month follow-up, the patient had significant improvement in cardiac function accompanied by the recovery of left bundle branch conduction. ().

Nuclear receptor corepressor 1 represses cardiac hypertrophy.

The function of nuclear receptor corepressor 1 (NCoR1) in cardiomyocytes is unclear, and its physiological and pathological implications are unknown. Here, we found that cardiomyocyte-specific NCoR1 knockout (CMNKO) mice manifested cardiac hypertrophy at baseline and had more severe cardiac hypertrophy and dysfunction after pressure overload. Knockdown of NCoR1 exacerbated whereas overexpression mitigated phenylephrine-induced cardiomyocyte hypertrophy.

Cardiac resynchronization therapy by left bundle branch area pacing in patients with heart failure and left bundle branch block.

Background: Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) via biventricular pacing has demonstrated clinical benefits in patients with heart failure (HF) and ventricular dyssynchrony. Other approaches of CRT is little known.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess the feasibility, safety, and efficacy of left bundle branch area pacing (LBBAP) in patients with HF and left bundle branch block (LBBB).

The multifunctional peptide DN-9 produced peripherally acting antinociception in inflammatory and neuropathic pain via μ- and κ-opioid receptors.

Background And Purpose: Considerable effort has recently been directed at developing multifunctional opioid drugs to minimize the unwanted side effects of opioid analgesics. We have developed a novel multifunctional opioid agonist, DN-9. Here, we studied the analgesic profiles and related side effects of peripheral DN-9 in various pain models.

Discovery of two novel branched peptidomimetics containing endomorphin-2 and RF9 pharmacophores: Synthesis and neuropharmacological evaluation.

It is well known that opioid analgesics produce side effects including tolerance and constipation. Since neuropeptide FF (NPFF) receptor antagonists reversed opioid-induced hyperalgesia and analgesic tolerance, the present work was performed to synthetize two branched peptidomimetics, EKR and RKE, containing the opioid peptide endomorphin-2 (EM-2) and the NPFF receptor antagonist RF9. Our data obtained from the in vitro cyclic adenosine monophosphate experiment demonstrated that EKR functioned as a mixed mu-, delta-opioid receptors agonist and NPFF receptor antagonist/NPFF receptor partial agonist, whereas RKE acted as a multi-functional peptidomimetic with the mu-opioid agonism and the NPFF antagonism/NPFF partial agonism.

Preemptive intrathecal administration of endomorphins relieves inflammatory pain in male mice via inhibition of p38 MAPK signaling and regulation of inflammatory cytokines.

Background: Preemptive administration of analgesic drugs reduces perceived pain and prolongs duration of antinociceptive action. Whereas several lines of evidence suggest that endomorphins, the endogenous mu-opioid agonists, attenuate acute and chronic pain at the spinal level, their preemptive analgesic effects remain to be determined. In this study, we evaluated the anti-allodynic activities of endomorphins and explored their mechanisms of action after preemptive administration in a mouse model of inflammatory pain.

Analgesic activities of the mixed opioid and NPFF receptors agonist DN-9 in a mouse model of formalin-induced orofacial inflammatory pain.

Orofacial pain is one of the most common pain conditions and compromises the quality of life of the sufferer. Several studies have shown that opioid agonists produced significant analgesia in the orofacial pain, and combination of opioids with drugs belonging to other classes induced synergism in the orofacial pain. However, combination therapy of different analgesic drugs improves the risk of drug-drug interactions.

Systemic administration of the bifunctional opioid/neuropeptide FF receptors agonist BN-9 produced peripheral antinociception in preclinical mouse models of pain.

We recently characterized a novel bifunctional agonist for opioid and neuropeptide FF receptors, named BN-9, which exhibited potent analgesia in the mouse tail-flick test when given centrally. To further evaluate its potential therapeutic efficacy for translational-medical development, the current work was performed to explore the antinociceptive activities of intraperitoneal (i.p.

GpTx-1 and [Ala , Phe , Leu , Arg ]GpTx-1, two peptide Na 1.7 inhibitors: analgesic and tolerance properties at the spinal level.

Background And Purpose: The voltage-gated sodium channel Na 1.7 is considered a therapeutic target for pain treatment based on human genetic evidence. GpTx-1 and its potent analogue [Ala , Phe , Leu , Arg ]GpTx-1 (GpTx-1-71) were recently characterized as Na 1.

Antinociceptive effects of the endogenous cannabinoid peptide agonist VD-hemopressin(β) in mice.

Cannabinoids (CBs) play important roles in pain modulation. Recently, VD-hemopressin(β) [VD-Hpβ], a 12-residue β-hemoglobin-derived peptide, was reported to activate both CB and CB receptors in vitro. To further characterize in vivo actions of VD-Hpβ, its antinociceptive activity and site(s) were evaluated in the mouse tail-flick test, and supraspinal antinociception of VD-Hpβ was further assessed in the writhing test.