Bodipy-Based highly sensitive hydrogen sulfide fluorescent probe and its fluorescence imaging in cells and zebrafish.

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is a crucial endogenous gasotransmitter that plays a role in various physiological and pathological processes. Therefore, accurate and rapid monitoring of H2S in organisms is highly significant for understanding the underlying pathological mechanisms and facilitating early diagnosis of related diseases. In this study, we developed a novel fluorescent probe, B-CHO-NO2, based on a bodipy fluorophore, which exhibits excellent sensitivity and selectivity towards H2S. The design of the probe exploits the nucleophilicity of H2S by introducing a formyl group as the ortho-participating moiety, significantly enhancing the reaction rate with H2S. In cellular and zebrafish models, the probe B-CHO-NO2 successfully achieved fluorescence imaging of endogenous and exogenous H2S. The development of probe B-CHO-NO2 provides a powerful tool for biological studies of H2S and diagnosis of related diseases.

Metformin mitigates osteoarthritis progression by modulating the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway and enhancing chondrocyte autophagy.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic degenerative disease characterized by overall joint tissue damage. Metformin (Met) has been shown to inhibit inflammatory reactions, though its potential protective mechanism on cartilage remains unclear. This study investigated Met's potential to protect cartilage in an OA rat model. Various morphological experiments were conducted to assess changes in cartilage tissue morphology before and after Met treatment. Protein and mRNA levels of cartilage-specific genes were measured using western blot, immunohistochemical staining, and RT-qPCR. Additionally, protein levels of autophagy-related and mTOR pathway-related proteins were measured. The results indicate an imbalance in the synthesis and degradation metabolism of chondrocytes, downregulation of cellular autophagy, and activation of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway after surgery. However, treatment with Met could upregulate the expression of synthetic metabolic factors, indicating its contribution to cartilage repair. Furthermore, analysis of autophagy and pathway protein levels indicated that Met effectively attenuated autophagic damage to osteoarthritic cartilage cells and abnormal activation of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway. In conclusion, Met can inhibit the abnormal activation of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway in cartilage tissue, promote the restoration of cartilage cell autophagic function, improve the balance of cartilage cell synthesis and degradation metabolism, and thus exert a protective effect on rat joint cartilage.

Correlation between lipoprotein(a) and recurrent ischemic events post-cerebral vascular stent implantation.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: The association of Lipoprotein(a) (Lp[a]) with recurrent ischemic events in stented patients remains uncertain. So, this research aimed to investigate the impact of elevated Lp(a) levels on the occurrence of ischemic events in this specific patient population. METHODS: Totally 553 patients who underwent intracranial or extracranial artery stent implantation were included. Baseline data were collected and postoperative ischemic outcomes were followed up. Cox regression analysis was used to investigate the association between Lp(a) and outcomes, while accounting for confounding factors. Finally, we established prediction models based on nomogram. RESULTS: Of total 553 patients, a number of 107 (19.3%) experienced outcomes. These included 46 cases (34.7%) in group with elevated Lp(a) levels (>30 mg/dL) and 61 cases (18.4%) in non-elevated group (χ2=6.343, p=0.012). The group with elevated Lp(a) was 1.811 times more likely to experience ischemic events than the non-elevated group, each 1 mg/dL increase in Lp(a) resulted in a 1.008-fold increase in the recurrence rate of ischemic events. In addition, sex (male), previous history of coronary heart disease, decreased albumin, elevated very low density lipoprotein cholesterol and poorly controlled risk factors (including blood pressure and blood sugar) were also associated with a high risk of recurrent ischemic events after stent implantation. CONCLUSION: Lp(a) elevation was a significant risk factor for ischemic events in symptomatic patients who underwent intracranial or extracranial artery stenting.

Lipidomic Profiling of Flammulina velutipes (Curtis) Singer (Agaricomycetes) through Ultra-Performance Liquid Chromatography Coupled with Quadrupole Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry: Examining Lipid Dynamics Changes during Fruiting Body Formation and Development.

Flammulina velutipes (enokitake) is widely recognized for its nutritional and medicinal properties. Understanding the biochemical processes, such as lipid metabolism during fruiting body formation, is essential for enhancing mushroom cultivation and utilization. This study aimed at elucidating the dynamic lipidomic changes during seven growth stages of F. velutipes using ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Our results revealed significant increases in ceramides along with the growth and a sharp decline in phosphatidylinositols from mycelial to primordial stages. Fatty acid esters of hydroxy fatty acids, recently discovered for their bioactivities, showed high intensities in the mycelial and primordial stages but decreased rapidly thereafter. These findings provide profound insights into the lipid profiles associated with mushroom morphology and development. This lipidomics study establishes a foundational understanding for future research in agricultural and food chemistry applications, potentially improving industrial production and quality control of F. velutipes.

Self-healing, stretchable and recyclable polyurethane-PEDOT:PSS conductive blends.

Future electronics call for materials with mechanical toughness, flexibility, and stretchability. Moreover, self-healing and recyclability are highly desirable to mitigate the escalating environmental threat of electronic waste (e-waste). Herein, we report a stretchable, self-healing, and recyclable material based on a mixture of the conductive polymer poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) doped with polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) with a custom-designed polyurethane (PU) and polyethylene glycol (PEG). This material showed excellent elongation at brake (∼350%), high toughness (∼24.6 MJ m-3), moderate electrical conductivity (∼10 S cm-1), and outstanding mechanical and electrical healing efficiencies. In addition, it demonstrated exceptional recyclability with no significant loss in the mechanical and electrical properties after being recycled 20 times. Based on these properties, as a proof of principle for sustainable electronic devices, we demonstrated that electrocardiogram (ECG) electrodes and pressure sensors based on this material could be recycled without significant performance loss. The development of multifunctional electronic materials that are self-healing and fully recyclable is a promising step toward sustainable electronics, offering a potential solution to the e-waste challenge.

Electroconductive cardiac patch based on bioactive PEDOT:PSS hydrogels.

Engineering cardiac implants for treating myocardial infarction (MI) has advanced, but challenges persist in mimicking the structural properties and variability of cardiac tissues using traditional bioconstructs and conventional engineering methods. This study introduces a synthetic patch with a bioactive surface designed to swiftly restore functionality to the damaged myocardium. The patch combines a composite, soft, and conductive hydrogel-based on (3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):polystyrene-sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). This cardiac patch exhibits a reasonably high electrical conductivity (40 S/cm) and a stretchability up to 50% of its original length. Our findings reveal its resilience to 10% cyclic stretching at 1 Hz with no loss of conductivity over time. To mediate a strong cell-scaffold adhesion, we biofunctionalize the hydrogel with a N-cadherin mimic peptide, providing the cardiac patch with a bioactive surface. This modification promote increased adherence and proliferation of cardiac fibroblasts (CFbs) while effectively mitigating the formation of bacterial biofilm, particularly against Staphylococcus aureus, a common pathogen responsible for surgical site infections (SSIs). Our study demonstrates the successful development of a structurally validated cardiac patch possessing the desired mechanical, electrical, and biofunctional attributes for effective cardiac recovery. Consequently, this research holds significant promise in alleviating the burden imposed by myocardial infarctions.

Green synthesis of polyimide by using an ethanol solvothermal method for aqueous zinc batteries.

Polyimides (PIs) are welcomed by battery researchers because of their exceptional heat resistance, structural design versatility, and ion-bearing capabilities. However, most of the reported PIs are synthesized by using toxic and hazardous reagents, such as ethylenediamine, p-phenylenediamine, 1-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP), N,N-dimethylacetamide (DMAc), N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF), etc., which are not conducive to environmentally friendly development. In this paper, we aim at employing green solvents and raw materials to prepare PIs using a facile solvothermal method. The reactants are urea and 1,4,5,8-naphthalene tetracarboxylic acid dianhydride (NTCDA). The solvents include pure water, pure ethanol, or water-ethanol mixed solvent. The volume ratio of ethanol in the mixed solvent is regulated to obtain the optimum synthesis condition. Depending on the proportion of ethanol, the polyimide products are labeled as U-PI-0, U-PI-50, U-PI-100, etc. The polymerization degree and structure of synthesized PIs are characterized by gel permeation chromatography (GPC), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), etc. The results indicate that U-PIs exhibit diverse morphological features, including small fragmented, strip-like, and sheet-like structures, and have relative molecular weights ranging from 7500 to 83 000. Notably, the sheet-like U-PI-100 possesses the largest specific surface area, reaching up to 4.20 m2 g-1. When employed as an electrode material in aqueous zinc batteries, U-PI-100 demonstrates superior electrochemical performance compared to others. At a charge-discharge rate of 0.05C, the initial charge/discharge capacity of U-PI-100 is measured to be 314.2/443.7 mA h g-1.

A lysosome-targeted fluorescent probe for fluorescence imaging of hypochlorous acid in living cells and in vivo.

Lysosomes, as crucial acidic organelles in cells, play a significant role in cellular functions. The levels and distribution of hypochlorous acid (HOCl) within lysosomes can profoundly impact their biological functionality. Hence, real-time monitoring of the concentration of HOCl in lysosomes holds paramount importance for further understanding various physiological and pathological processes associated with lysosomes. In this study, we developed a bodipy-based fluorescent probe derived from pyridine and phenyl selenide for the specific detection of HOCl in aqueous solutions. Leveraging the probe's sensitive photoinduced electron transfer effect from phenyl selenide to the fluorophore, the probe exhibited satisfactory high sensitivity (with a limit of detection of 5.2 nM and a response time of 15 s) to hypochlorous acid. Further biological experiments confirmed that the introduction of the pyridine moiety enabled the probe molecule to selectively target lysosomes. Moreover, the probe successfully facilitated real-time monitoring of HOCl in cell models stimulated by N-acetylcysteine (NAC) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS), as well as in a normal zebrafish model. This provides a universal method for dynamically sensing HOCl in lysosomes.

Identification and validation of DHCR7 as a diagnostic biomarker involved in the proliferation and mitochondrial function of breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: Energy metabolism has a complex intersection with pathogenesis and development of breast cancer (BC). This allows for the possibility of identifying energy-metabolism-related genes (EMRGs) as novel prognostic biomarkers for BC. 7-dehydrocholesterol reductase (DHCR7) is a key enzyme of cholesterol biosynthesis involved in many cancers, and in this paper, we investigate the effects of DHCR7 on the proliferation and mitochondrial function of BC. METHODS: EMRGs were identified from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) and MSigDB databases using bioinformatics methods. Key EMRGs of BC were then identified and validated by functional enrichment analysis, interaction analysis, weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA), least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression, Cox analysis, and immune infiltration. Western blot, qRT-PCR, immunohistochemistry (IHC), MTT assay, colony formation assay and flow cytometry assay were then used to analyze DHCR7 expression and its biological effects on BC cells. RESULTS: We identified 31 EMRGs in BC. These 31 EMRGs and related transcription factors (TFs), miRNAs, and drugs were enriched in glycerophospholipid metabolism, glycoprotein metabolic process, breast cancer, and cell cycle. Crucially, DHCR7 was a key EMRG in BC identified and validated by WGCNA, LASSO regression and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. High DHCR7 expression was significantly associated with tumor immune infiltration level, pathological M, and poor prognosis in BC. In addition, DHCR7 knockdown inhibited cell proliferation, induced apoptosis and affected mitochondrial function in BC cells. CONCLUSIONS: DHCR7 was found to be a key EMRG up-regulated in BC cells. This study is the first to our knowledge to report that DHCR7 acts as an oncogene in BC, which might become a novel therapeutic target for BC patients.

Protective effect of alizarin on vascular endothelial dysfunction via inhibiting the type 2 diabetes-induced synthesis of THBS1 and activating the AMPK signaling pathway.

BACKGROUND: In this study, we investigated the protective effects of alizarin (AZ) on endothelial dysfunction (ED). AZ has inhibition of the type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM)-induced synthesis of thrombospondin 1 (THBS1). Adenosine 5'-monophosphate- activated protein kinase (AMPK), particularly AMPKα2 isoform, plays a critical role in maintaining cardiac homeostasis. PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to investigate the ameliorative effect of AZ on vascular injury caused by T2DM and to reveal the potential mechanism of AZ in high glucose (HG)-stimulated human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and diabetic model rats. STUDY DESIGN: HUVECs, rats and AMPK-/- transgenic mice were used to investigate the mitigating effects of AZ on vascular endothelial dysfunction caused by T2DM and its in vitro and in vivo molecular mechanisms. METHODS: In type 2 diabetes mellitus rats and HUVECs, the inhibitory effect of alizarin on THBS1 synthesis was verified by immunohistochemistry (IHC), immunofluorescence (IF) and Western blot (WB) so that increase endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) content in vitro and in vivo. In addition, we verified protein interactions with immunoprecipitation (IP). To probe the mechanism, we also performed AMPKα2 transfection. AMPK's pivotal role in AZ-mediated prevention against T2DM-induced vascular endothelial dysfunction was tested using AMPKα2-/- mice. RESULTS: We first demonstrated that THBS1 and AMPK are targets of AZ. In T2DM, THBS1 was robustly induced by high glucose and inhibited by AZ. Furthermore, AZ activates the AMPK signaling pathway, and recoupled eNOS in stressed endothelial cells which plays a protective role in vascular endothelial dysfunction. CONCLUSIONS: The main finding of this study is that AZ can play a role in different pathways of vascular injury due to T2DM. Mechanistically, alizarin inhibits the increase in THBS1 protein synthesis after high glucose induction and activates AMPKα2, which increases NO release from eNOS, which is essential in the prevention of vascular endothelial dysfunction caused by T2DM.

FDA Approval Summary: Tremelimumab in Combination with Durvalumab for the Treatment of Patients with Unresectable Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

On October 21, 2022, the FDA approved tremelimumab (Imjudo) in combination with durvalumab for adult patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma. The approval was based on the results from the HIMALAYA study, in which patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma who were naïve to previous systemic treatment were randomly assigned to receive one of three study arms: tremelimumab in combination with durvalumab (n = 393), durvalumab (n = 389), or sorafenib (n = 389). The primary objective of improvement in overall survival (OS) for tremelimumab in combination with durvalumab compared with sorafenib met statistical significance with a stratified HR of 0.78 [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.66-0.92; P = 0.0035]. The median OS was 16.4 months (95% CI, 14.2-19.6) with tremelimumab in combination with durvalumab and 13.8 months (95% CI, 12.3-16.1) with sorafenib. Adverse reactions occurring in ≥20% of patients receiving tremelimumab in combination with durvalumab were rash, fatigue, diarrhea, pruritus, musculoskeletal pain, and abdominal pain. The recommended tremelimumab dose for patients weighing 30 kg or more is 300 mg, i.v., as a single dose in combination with durvalumab 1,500 mg at cycle 1/day 1, followed by durvalumab 1,500 mg, i.v., every 4 weeks. For those weighing less than 30 kg, the recommended tremelimumab dose is 4 mg/kg, i.v., as a single dose in combination with durvalumab 20 mg/kg, i.v., followed by durvalumab 20 mg/kg, i.v., every 4 weeks.

Citronellal can alleviate vascular endothelial dysfunction by reducing ectopic miR-133a expression.

AIMS: Endothelial dysfunction (ED) is the initial cause of atherosclerosis (AS) and an early marker of many cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Citronellal (CT), a monoterpenoid natural product extracted from grass plant Citronella, has been shown to have anti-thrombotic, anti-hypertensive and anti-diabetic cardiomyopathy activities. The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of citronellal on vascular endothelial dysfunction and the underlying mechanisms. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The left common carotid artery was subjected to one-time balloon injury to cause vascular endothelial injury, and the AS model was established by feeding with high-fat diet. Use of HUVECs H2O2 treatment induced HUVECs oxidative stress damage model. The blood lipid level, histopathology, Western blot, immunohistochemistry, RT-PCR, ELISA and in situ fluorescence hybridization of common carotid artery tissues and HUVECs were studied. KEY FINDINGS: CT significantly reduced vascular plate area and endothelial lipid and cholesterol deposition in the common carotid artery of mice in a dose-dependent manner. CT increased the expression of activated protein 2α (AP-2α/TFAP2A) and circRNA_102979, and inhibited the ectopic expression level of miR-133a. However, the constructed lentivirus with AP-2α silencing and circRNA_102979 silencing reversed this phenomenon. SIGNIFICANCE: The current study verifies CT can increase the expression levels of AP-2α and circRNA_102979 in vascular endothelium, increase the adsorption effect of circRNA_102979 on miR-133a and relieve the inhibitory effect of miR-133a on target genes, thereby alleviating AS-induced ED.

High specific capacity FeFe(CN)6 as the cathode material in aqueous rechargeable zinc-sodium hybrid batteries.

Aqueous zinc-sodium hybrid batteries with a Prussian blue cathode have been extensively studied in recent years. However, less research has been conducted on low-cost ferric ferricyanide (FeFe(CN)6) cathode materials. Considering that both Zn2+ and Na+ can be reversibly embedded in FeFe(CN)6 crystals, here we focus on mixed electrolytes with different concentrations of ZnSO4 and Na2SO4 in deionized water to explore the preference of FeFe(CN)6 towards Zn2+ and Na+. As a result, by using 0.1 M ZnSO4 + 1 M Na2SO4 electrolyte, a superior battery performance is obtained, which reveals that the co-function of Zn2+ and Na+ in this electrolyte promotes Zn//FeFe(CN)6 cells to exert a superior specific capacity. In this work, FeFe(CN)6 is synthesized by a co-precipitation method and is analyzed by XRD, SEM, etc., and then used as the cathode material in Zn-Na hybrid batteries. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) and galvanostatic charge-discharge (GCD) tests show that FeFe(CN)6 in 0.1 M ZnSO4 + 1 M Na2SO4 electrolyte delivers the highest discharge/charge capacities of 165.2/165.9 mA h g-1 (theoretical specific capacity: 212.2 mA h g-1) at a 0.1 C current density, with good capacity retention of 84% after 200 cycles at 15 C, outperforming many of the reported Zn-Na hybrid cells.

The unmet needs of patients in the early rehabilitation stage after lung cancer surgery: a qualitative study based on Maslow's hierarchy of needs theory.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to explore the unmet needs of lung cancer patients in early rehabilitation, based on Maslow's hierarchy of needs theory. METHODS: Information on the experiences of 20 patients was collected through semi-structured interviews. The interviews were conducted in the surgical nursing clinic within 1 week of discharge from hospital. The data were analysed using a combination of deductive (theory-driven) and inductive (data-driven) methods, using Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs as a framework for identifying and organising themes. RESULTS: Patients had a mean age of 50.92 years (SD 11.88); n = 11 (55%) were female. Major themes aligned with the dimensions of Maslow's hierarchy of needs model. Five major themes with 12 corresponding sub-themes emerged: (1) physiological needs, including "self-care and independence in life", "return to pre-operative status as soon as possible", "increase exercise under specialist guidance" and "reduce cough and pain and improve sleep quality"; (2) safety and security needs, such as "symptom management", "regulation of the emotions of worry and fear" and "access accurate treatment information"; (3) love and belonging needs, including "accompany family members" and "chat with friends";(4)Esteem needs: "live with dignity";(5) Self-actualization, such as "accept and submit to the reality of cancer" and "live meaningfully". CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study indicated that there were many unmet needs for patients during the early recovery period after lung cancer surgery. An overview of the different areas of need identified in this study may guide future research and development of interventions to improve patients' quality of life during the home rehabilitation phase.

Magnetocardiography-based coronary artery disease severity assessment and localization using spatiotemporal features.

Objective.This study aimed to develop an automatic and accurate method for severity assessment and localization of coronary artery disease (CAD) based on an optically pumped magnetometer magnetocardiography (MCG) system.Approach.We proposed spatiotemporal features based on the MCG one-dimensional signals, including amplitude, correlation, local binary pattern, and shape features. To estimate the severity of CAD, we classified the stenosis as absence or mild, moderate, or severe cases and extracted a subset of features suitable for assessment. To localize CAD, we classified CAD groups according to the location of the stenosis, including the left anterior descending artery (LAD), left circumflex artery (LCX), and right coronary artery (RCA), and separately extracted a subset of features suitable for determining the three CAD locations.Main results.For CAD severity assessment, a support vector machine (SVM) achieved the best result, with an accuracy of 75.1%, precision of 73.9%, sensitivity of 67.0%, specificity of 88.8%, F1-score of 69.8%, and area under the curve of 0.876. The highest accuracy and corresponding model for determining locations LAD, LCX, and RCA were 94.3% for the SVM, 84.4% for a discriminant analysis model, and 84.9% for the discriminant analysis model.Significance. The developed method enables the implementation of an automated system for severity assessment and localization of CAD. The amplitude and correlation features were key factors for severity assessment and localization. The proposed machine learning method can provide clinicians with an automatic and accurate diagnostic tool for interpreting MCG data related to CAD, possibly promoting clinical acceptance.

Post-Operative Poor Sleep Quality and Its Associated Factors Among Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Patients: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Objective: The study aimed to determine the post-operative prevalence and factors associated to poor sleep quality in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients in China. Methods: NSCLC patients (n=307) who underwent thoracoscopic surgery at the Department of Thoracic Surgery of Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital were enrolled in this study. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), Prince Henry Hospital Pain Score and the Six-Minute Walk Test (6MWT), and Forced Expiratory Volume in one second (FEV-1) were used to assess the factors that could lead to poor sleep quality. All assessments were carried out between April 1 and May 30, 2023. Descriptive analyses and stepwise factor regression were employed to determine the impact of various factors on sleep quality. The factors predictive of poor sleep quality were used to develop a predictive nomogram. The Hosmer-Lemeshow test was used to assess the predictive value of the nomogram. Results: The median PQSI score was 8 (interquartile range (IQR) 5-12), and 74.6% of patients had poor sleep quality. The median anxiety and depression scores were 6 (IQR 3-9) and 4 (IQR 2-7), respectively. The PSQI latency dimension had the highest score, while the use of sleep medications dimension had the lowest score. The multivariate analysis revealed that patients who were female (OR, 2.38; 95% CI, 1.40-4.05; P <0.01), had post-secondary education (OR, 0.42; 95% CI, 0.19-0.92; P =0.03), tertiary education (OR, 0.38; 95% CI, 0.17-0.84; P =0.02), comorbidities (OR, 2.57; 95% CI, 1.51-4.39; P <0.01), a pain score 1 (OR, 4.22; 95% CI, 2.37-7.50; P <0.01), and cough (OR, 2.97; 95% CI, 1.63-5.40; P <.001) were more like to experience poor sleep quality. The positive predictive value of the nomogram was 79.80% (p=0.390). Conclusion: Sociodemographic variables, comorbidities, and pain could be used to predict the post-operative sleep quality in NSCLC patients.

Performance and profiling data of plane-wave calculations in quantum ESPRESSO simulation on three supercomputing centres.

This dataset reflects the parallel execution profiles of five Quantum ESPRESSO simulation (QE) versions in finding the total energy of the Cerium Oxide lattice using the self-consistent field (SCF) method. The data analysis used a strong scale setting to identify the optimal parameters and computing resources needed to complete a single SCF loop for one specific material efficiently. This analysis notably contributed to achieving the Best Performance Award at the 5th APAC HPC-AI Competition. The data comprises three sets. The first set features the parallel execution traces captured via the Extrae performance profiling tool, offering a broad view of the QE's model execution behaviour and how it used computational resources. The second set records how long QE's model ran on a single node at three HPC centres: ThaiSC TARA in Thailand, NSCC ASPIRE-1 in Singapore, and NCI Gadi in Australia. This set focuses on the impact of adjusting three parameters for K-point parallelisation. The final set presents benchmarking data generated by scaling out the QE's model across 32 nodes (1,536 CPU cores) on the NCI Gadi supercomputer. Despite its focus on a single material, the dataset serves as a roadmap for researchers to estimate required computational resources and understand scalability bottlenecks, offering general guidelines adaptable across different HPC systems.

Protective effect of vitamin B6 against doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity by modulating NHE1 expression.

Doxorubicin (DOX) has been used to treat various types of cancer, but its application is limited due to its heart toxicity as well as other drawbacks. Chronic inhibition of Na+ /H+ exchanger (NHE1) reduces heart failure and reduces the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS); vitamin B6 (VitB6 ) has been demonstrated to have a crucial role in antioxidant mechanism. So, this study was designed to explore the effect of VitB6 supplement on the DOX-induced cardiotoxicity and to imply whether NHE1 is involved. Ultrasonic cardiogram analysis revealed that VitB6 supplement could alleviate DOX-induced cardiotoxicity; hematoxylin and eosin (HE) and Masson's staining further confirmed this effect. Furthermore, VitB6 supplement exhibited significant antioxidative stress and antiapoptosis effect, which was evidenced by decreased serum malondialdehyde (MDA) content and increased serum superoxide dismutase (SOD) content, and decreased Bcl-2-associated X protein/B-cell lymphoma-2 ratio, respectively. Collectively, VitB6 supplement may exert antioxidative and antiapoptosis effects to improve cardiac function by decreasing NHE1 expression and improve DOX-induced cardiotoxicity.

Effect of ionic conductivity of electrolyte on printed planar and vertical organic electrochemical transistors.

Conducting polymers with mixed electronic/ionic transport are attracting a great deal of interest for applications in organic electrochemical transistors (OECTs). Ions play a crucial role in OECT performance. The concentration and mobility of ions in the electrolyte influence the current flow in the OECT and its transconductance. This study examines the electrochemical properties and ionic conductivity of two semi-solid electrolytes, iongels, and organogels, with diverse ionic species and properties. Our results indicate that the organogels exhibited higher ionic conductivities than the iongels. Furthermore, the geometry of OECTs plays an important role in determining their transconductance. Thus, this study employs a novel approach for fabricating vertical-configuration OECTs with significantly shorter channel lengths planar devices. This is achieved through a printing method that offers advantages, such as design versatility, scalability, expedited production time, and reduced cost relative to traditional microfabrication methods. The transconductance values obtained for the vertical OECTs were significantly (approximately 50 times) higher than those of the planar devices because of their shorter channel lengths. Finally, the impact of different gating media on the performance of both planar and vertical OECTs was studied, and devices gated by organogels demonstrated improved transconductance and switching speed (almost two times higher) than those gated by iongels.

A nonclassically secreted effector of Magnaporthe oryzae targets host nuclei and plays important roles in fungal growth and plant infection.

Rice blast caused by Magnaporthe oryzae is one of the most destructive diseases and poses a growing threat to food security worldwide. Like many other filamentous pathogens, rice blast fungus releases multiple types of effector proteins to facilitate fungal infection and modulate host defence responses. However, most of the characterized effectors contain an N-terminal signal peptide. Here, we report the results of the functional characterization of a nonclassically secreted nuclear targeting effector in M. oryzae (MoNte1). MoNte1 has no signal peptide, but can be secreted and translocated into plant nuclei driven by a nuclear targeting peptide. It could also induce hypersensitive cell death when transiently expressed in Nicotiana benthamiana. Deletion of the MoNTE1 gene caused a significant reduction of fungal growth and conidiogenesis, partially impaired appressorium formation and host colonization, and also dramatically attenuated the pathogenicity. Taken together, these findings reveal a novel effector secretion pathway and deepen our understanding of rice-M. oryzae interactions.