Glutamate is the major excitatory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system and plays a critical role in maintaining normal neuronal function. However, excessive extracellular accumulation of glutamate under pathological conditions induces excitotoxicity, which is closely associated with oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and subsequent neuronal cell death. S-allyl cysteine (SAC) is a compound derived from aged garlic, known for its antioxidant and potential cardioprotective properties. The present study investigated the neuroprotective effects of SAC against glutamate-induced cytotoxicity in mouse hippocampal HT22 cells. HT22 cells were exposed to glutamate to establish an in vitro oxidative neurotoxicity model. SAC was administered 2 h prior to glutamate exposure to evaluate its protective potential. Cell viability was assessed using the MTT assay, and glutamate-induced morphological changes were examined by phase-contrast microscopy. Glutamate treatment significantly reduced cell viability in a dose-dependent manner and induced characteristic neuronal damage, including cell shrinkage, dendritic loss, and decreased cell density. SAC treatment alone did not affect cell viability, indicating that SAC is non-cytotoxic within the tested concentration range. Notably, pretreatment with SAC significantly attenuated glutamate-induced cytotoxicity and improved glutamate-induced morphological alterations, thereby preserving neuronal structure and reducing cellular damage. In conclusion, SAC exerts significant protective effects against glutamate-induced oxidative neurotoxicity in HT22 cells. These findings suggest that SAC may serve as a promising neuroprotective agent for excitotoxicity-related neurological disorders.

The slow cathodic oxygen reduction rate (ORR) of microbial fuel cells (MFCs) is still one of the main bottlenecks in its industrialization. As an ORR catalyst, metal oxides are expected to significantly enhance ORR efficiency by providing active sites, regulating reaction pathways, and enhancing stability. In this paper, four bimetallic oxide catalysts, CuO/Co3O4, CuO/ MnO2, CuO/NiO, and CuO/Fe2O3, were synthesized by sol–gel method, and their structural characteristics were characterized. The results showed that CuO/Co3O4 exhibited the largest specific surface area and optimized pore structure, and the synergistic effect of Cu and Co significantly improved the electrochemical performance. As the cathode catalyst of MFCs, CuO/Co3O4 shows high ORR catalytic activity, low charge transfer resistance, and good stability. In MFCs application, CuO/ Co3O4 catalyst achieved the maximum power density of 227 mW m− 2. In the five-cycle test, the output voltage is stable at about 240 mV, and the COD removal rate reaches 91.9%, which shows great application potential in wastewater treatment.

In this study, we investigated the effect of excess sodium (Na) in a NaMnO2 structure using one-step heat treatment at 900 °C followed by quenching in liquid nitrogen (N₂). According to the X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, there was a competition between the monoclinic and orthorhombic phases, and we found that there were two monoclinic phases with similar structural properties. Therefore, we focused on revealing the formation of two isostructures of the monoclinic phase triggered by Na ions. We found that the lattice parameters and β angle changed from 113° to 105° in the samples with increasing Na content. Structural analysis of the powders using the XRD data was conducted using Rietveld refinement, and the phase ratios for all samples were calculated. The sample with x = 1.3 showed a 95% α-phase. To understand the formation of the two isostructures, we performed Density functional theory (DFT) calculations to examine their band structure, stability, and formation energy. A structural analysis of the excess Na-doped samples was performed using common techniques, and it was found that excess Na caused the formation of a coating on the grains in the form of sodium oxide. To validate this prediction, we conducted inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive X-ray (SEM–EDX) analyses using the basic properties of these techniques and their interactions with materials. In the second part of the study, we produced HC from locally sourced olive leaves and investigated their structural properties. The electrochemical properties of the electrode materials were examined using a half-cell configuration as electrodes with Na metal and a full-cell configuration using x = 1.3 cathode and HC anode. A direct-contact pre-sodiation strategy was used as the anode in the full-cell measurements. It was found that the full cells had initial capacity values of 150 mAh/g for the voltage range 1.5–4.3 V and 120 mAh/g for the voltage range 1.5–3.5 V.

Background: Endothelial cells (EC) that make up the inner wall of blood vessels play an important role in angiogenesis and vascular recovery. Cardiovascular disease caused by dysfunction of ECs has been reported as a major cause of death worldwide. Despite significant research so far, the underlying mechanism of dysfunction of ECs in cardiovascular disease progression is not yet fully understood. Although therapeutic transplantation of autologous ECs is limited due to lack of cell availability, adiposederived stem cells (ADSCs), known for their ease of procurement and high potential for differentiation, will provide promising solutions to generate autologous ECs. Methods: This study investigated the optimal differentiation of ADSCs into ECs under EBM-2 culture conditions supplemented with VEGF and BMP-4 in hypoxia (2% O2). Results: During 14 days of in vitro differentiation, cells cultured in EBM-2 supplemented with VEGF showed the characteristics of early vascular ECs and some cells adopted polygonal forms. Conversely, cells cultured in EBM-2 and hypoxia supplemented with both VEGF and BMP-4 differentiated into the typical cobblestone morphology that appears in vascular ECs. As a result of immunostaining against the vascular ECs marker CD-31, CD-31 expression was increased under EBM-2 culture conditions with VEGF and VEGF + BMP-4 in hypoxia, but expression was insufficient in normal oxygenation (21% O2). In the flow cytometry analysis, high expression of CD-31 expression was observed under conditions including both VEGF and BMP-4 of hypoxia. Interestingly, in gene expression, the pluripotency marker OCT-3/4 was significantly reduced under hypoxic conditions, but SOX2 and NANOG expression were higher than under normal oxygen conditions. However, CD-31 expression was significantly higher under differentiation conditions in which VEGF and BMP-4 were added under hypoxia conditions. In a functional analysis, CD-31-positive ADSC-derived ECs differentiated under hypoxia had excellent tube formation and Dil-Ac-LDL uptake, which are important for vascular repair and function. Conclusions: These findings confirmed the therapeutic usefulness of ECs derived from ADSC for the treatment of cardiovascular disease due to the synergy effect of hypoxia and BMP-4.

Lactobacillus johnsonii JERA01-supplemented feed additive (Lj-A) was produced by fermenting dried porcine blood with Lactobacillus johnsonii (Lj). Lj-A has highly digestible nutrients, bioactive peptides, and probiotic effects. To assess the immunomodulatory potential of Lj-A, it was tested on splenocytes of C57BL/6 mouse. Lj-A was treated on splenocytes in a range of concentration, 0-100 μg/ml. The metabolic activity of splenocytes was enhanced by Lj-A, as shown in MTT assay. Also, some splenocyte clusters were observed under a bright-field microscope on the wells treated with Lj-A. The splenocyte clusters indicated that the cells were activated and proliferating in response to Lj-A. These findings suggest that Lj-A stimulates splenocytes to promote immune cell activation, as evidenced by increased tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-12 production, thereby enhancing immunological defense functions. In vitro treatment of splenocytes with Lj-A increased the proportions of T cells, B cells, and CD25+ cells. In vivo, immune cell activity was evaluated in C57BL/6 mice orally administered with Lj-A at a dose of 100 mg/day. The proportion of dendritic cells in peritoneal cells was increased along with elevated CD54+ expression. Additionally, the proportions of B cells, CD25+ cells in Peyer’s patch cells increased as well. These results suggest that Lj-A may contribute to the enhancement of immune function and the maintenance of long-term health in animals.

Inflammation is a fundamental host defense mechanism against external insults; however, excessive immune activation contributes to inflammatory diseases such as periodontitis, resulting in periodontal tissue destruction and tooth loss. Interleukin-1β (IL-1β), a key pro-inflammatory cytokine, stimulates oral epithelial cells to produce interleukin-8 (IL-8), which recruits neutrophils and amplifies local inflammation. Therefore, regulation of IL-1β– induced IL-8 secretion in oral epithelial cells is critical for controlling pathological inflammatory responses. Peptidebased therapeutics have attracted increasing interest due to their specificity and biocompatibility, highlighting their potential as anti-inflammatory agents. This study investigated the anti-inflammatory effects and mechanisms of a human stromal cell–derived factor-1 (SDF-1)–derived peptide in IL-1β–stimulated oral epithelial cells. Human oral epithelial KB cells and immortalized human oral keratinocytes were treated with IL-1β in the presence or absence of SDF-1–derived peptides. IL-8 secretion was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and activation of nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB) and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways was examined by western blotting. IL-1β significantly increased IL-8 secretion and induced phosphorylation of NF-κB p65 and MAPKs, including extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), c-Jun N-terminal kinase, and p38. Inhibition of ERK and p38 markedly reduced IL-8 expression, indicating their central roles in IL-1β signaling. Among 18 SDF-1δ–derived peptides, S12 exerted the strongest inhibitory effect, reducing IL-8 secretion and suppressing IL- 1β–induced NF-κB and MAPK phosphorylation. These results demonstrate that S12 attenuates IL-1β–driven IL-8 production by targeting key inflammatory signaling pathways, supporting its potential as a host-modulation therapeutic for periodontal disease.

Osteoprotegerin (OPG), a conventional potent inhibitor of osteoclastogenesis, is being increasingly recognized for its diverse roles beyond bone metabolism. However, the cell-autonomous role of OPG in regulating the differentiation and fate of mesenchymal progenitor cells (MPCs) remains to be fully elucidated. To address this issue, OPG-knockout (OPG-KO) human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived MPCs were generated using CRISPR/Cas9 technology. Transcriptomics revealed that OPG deficiency fundamentally alters the functional landscape of the MPCs, with a significant downregulation of the pathways related to the extracellular matrix (ECM), cell adhesion, and structural signaling. Specifically, the expression of numerous key ECM components was broadly attenuated in OPG-KO MPCs. Such molecular disruption functionally translated into severely impaired osteogenic potential, characterized by a marked transcriptional attenuation of osteogenic markers and reduced matrix mineralization at the cell level. Collectively, our findings demonstrate that OPG is essential for maintaining the structural integrity of the MPC niche by regulating the expression of ECM-related genes, thereby promoting osteoblast differentiation.

KX-01 (KX2-391or Tirbanibulin) is a reversible small-molecule inhibitor that binds to the colchicine-binding site of β-tubulin, leading to transient inhibition of microtubule polymerization. Although KX-01 has exhibited favorable pharmacologic properties and low toxicity in several epithelial malignancies, its therapeutic potential in salivary gland mucoepidermoid carcinoma (MEC) remains undefined. In this study, MC3 and YD15 MEC cells were exposed to KX-01 to assess its antitumor activity. Cell viability, anchorage-independent growth, and apoptotic morphology were examined using trypan blue exclusion, soft agar, and DAPI staining assays. Flow cytometric and immunoblot analyses were performed to quantify apoptotic cell populations and associated molecular markers. KX-01 treatment profoundly suppressed cell viability and colony formation, induced chromatin condensation and nuclear fragmentation, and markedly increased Annexin V–positive and sub-G1 populations. Furthermore, its enhanced cleavage of PARP and cleaved caspase-3. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that KX-01 exerts potent cytotoxic effects in MEC by triggering apoptotic pathway, supporting its further development as a targeted therapeutic candidate for human salivary MEC.

This study aimed to elucidate the functional correlation between G-protein activation and Ca²⁺ signaling during hypotonic shock-induced cell swelling in human osteoblast-like cells. Calcium influx was investigated using fura-2 fluorescence imaging, specific channel blockers, and G-protein modulators such as cholera toxin (CTX) and pertussis toxin (PTX). The external solution contained hypotonic Na⁺, and 300 M Cd²⁺ was applied to assess the involvement of extracellular Ca²⁺ channels. Calcium influx was significantly inhibited by Cd²⁺, indicating an extracellular source of Ca²⁺ through specific channels. CTX prolonged the hypotonic Na⁺-induced elevation of intracellular Ca²⁺, while PTX completely abolished it. These results suggest the involvement of G-protein-mediated pathways in Ca²⁺ regulation. Furthermore, the CTX-induced potentiation implies regulation via the cAMP/protein kinase A signaling axis, indicating that stretch sensitivity may be modulated by hormone-activated adenylate cyclase. This study is the first to demonstrate a functional link between hypotonic stress-induced Ca²⁺ influx and G-protein activation in human osteoblast-like cells, potentially involving a novel Ca²⁺ channel regulated by the cAMP/PKA pathway.

Developing highly durable and active catalysts is essential for improving the performance and longevity of proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). In this study, we propose a novel strategy to enhance catalyst dispersion and stability by incorporating pyrrolic nitrogen-rich carbon (pNC) quantum dots into highly crystalline carbon supports. The introduction of pNC generates strong anchoring sites for Pt nanoparticles, facilitating uniform dispersion and minimizing aggregation, which are key factors in enhancing catalytic performance and durability. The synthesized Pt/CVC150 catalyst exhibited excellent oxygen reduction reaction activity, with a half-wave potential of 0.842 V and a limiting current density of 6.3 mA cm− 2. Under accelerated stress test conditions, the catalyst retained 61.4% of its initial peak power density after prolonged cycling, indicating enhanced durability. Furthermore, single cell testing confirmed its improved electrochemical activity and stability of the Pt/CVC150 catalyst in a practical PEMFC operating environment. These findings suggest that the incorporation of heteroatom-doped carbon moieties onto carbon supports represents a promising strategy for the development of nextgeneration PEMFC catalysts with enhanced performance and longevity.

Carbon electrodes, renowned for their excellent moisture and air stability, present a compelling alternative to unstable hole transport materials and costly metal electrodes. In carbon electrode-based perovskite solar cells (C-PSCs), organic materials play a crucial role in optimizing the surface characteristics and electrochemical performance of carbon electrodes, thereby enhancing the photoelectric conversion efficiency. By incorporating organic material additives to modulate the pore structure and surface chemistry of carbon electrodes, the processes of photon absorption and electron transport can be effectively promoted, leading to an improvement in device performance. This article comprehensively reviews the latest research progress of organic C-PSCs, covering their device structures, working principles, as well as the modification methods, advantages, and application effects of organic materials in different layers of C-PSCs. Finally, the applications of in-situ characterization and first-principles calculations in this field are briefly introduced, providing theoretical and experimental support for in-depth research. Based on the above research and analysis, optimization strategies such as enhancing charge selectivity, improving the contact between the electrode and the perovskite layer, and enhancing the quality of the perovskite layer are proposed to drive the further development of organic C-PSCs.

Encapsulating living cells within porous crystalline materials has emerged as a powerful strategy for improving cellular stability in chemically or physically harsh conditions. In this study, individual yeast cells were encapsulated with a zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8) crystals via a biomimetic self-assembly process. Morphological analysis using electron microscopy confirmed the successful formation of a uniform and continuous protective shell around each cell. To evaluate the cytoprotective effect of the ZIF-8 coating, the encapsulated yeast cells were exposed to a range of pH conditions (pH 2~12). Fluorescence microscopy using fluorescein diacetate (FDA) staining revealed that over 50 % of the ZIF-8 encapsulated cells remained viable in alkaline environments (pH 8, 10, and 12), whereas non-encapsulated yeast cells showed 0 % viability across all tested conditions. The enhanced survival in alkaline media was attributed to the stability of the crystalline ZIF-8 shell, which remained partially intact and provided structural protection. In contrast, acidic conditions degraded the ZIF-8 shell, leading to cell membrane rupture and loss of viability. These findings demonstrate that ZIF-8 encapsulation can significantly improve the chemical resilience and survival of living yeast cells. This strategy holds great promise for applications in long-term cell preservation, transport, and pH-responsive biotechnological systems.

Fenbendazole (FBZ) is one of benzimidazole drugs, which is well known for its broad spectrum of anthelmintics. During recent research on FBZ, it is also expected to have anti-inflammatory characteristics. However, the related research on FBZ with its anti-inflammatory effects is still lacking. This study focuses on the effects of FBZ on macrophage cell line of mouse, RAW264.7, and also on the inflammatory condition induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS). FBZ alone treatment on RAW264.7 cells reduced the metabolic activity on the range of 1-5 μM, but the metabolic activity in the presence of LPS was higher than that of absence of LPS. Given that LPS has the ability to enhance glucose uptake in macrophage and rapid ATP production, there is a possibility that LPS increases the metabolic activity. Whereas TNF-alpha was hardly produced at FBZ 1-5 μM in the presence of LPS, IL-10 was still being produced, suggesting on the possibility of anti-inflammatory effect. Interestingly, despite the decreased survival of cells treated with FBZ, MHC class II and CD86 expression in surviving cells was markedly increased. Further investigation of FBZ is required through in vivo experiments to validate these findings.