Synergistic Effect In Treatment Research Articles

Stabilization of highly efficient perovskite solar cells with a tailored supramolecular interface

The presence of defects at the interface between the perovskite film and the carrier transport layer poses significant challenges to the performance and stability of perovskite solar cells (PSCs). Addressing this issue, we introduce a dual host-guest (DHG) complexation strategy to modulate both the bulk and interfacial properties of FAPbI3-rich PSCs. Through NMR spectroscopy, a synergistic effect of the dual treatment is observed. Additionally, electro-optical characterizations demonstrate that the DHG strategy not only passivates defects but also enhances carrier extraction and transport. Remarkably, employing the DHG strategy yields PSCs with power conversion efficiencies (PCE) of 25.89% (certified at 25.53%). Furthermore, these DHG-modified PSCs exhibit enhanced operational stability, retaining over 96.6% of their initial PCE of 25.55% after 1050 hours of continuous operation under one-sun illumination, which was the highest initial value in the recently reported articles. This work establishes a promising pathway for stabilizing high-efficiency perovskite photovoltaics through supramolecular engineering, marking a significant advancement in the field.

Investigating the effect of Y3+/La3+ co-dopant on Ba site of BaSnO3 as an efficient photoanode for dye sensitized solar cell application

This study aims to improve the performance of barium stannate (PBS) based photoanode by co-doping with rare earth elements (Y3+ and La3+) and optimizing charge transport in the mesoporous TiO2 (meso-TiO2) as compact layer at the FTO interface. Employing Y3+ and La3+ dopant into BaSnO3 (YLB) at the FTO/meso-TiO2/YLB interface enhances light absorption and minimizes charge recombination. The resulting DSSC device, utilizing a meso-TiO2/YLB3 photoanode (PBS-3% of Y3+/La3+), achieves an efficiency of 3.79 %, with a high current density of 8.04 mA/cm2, a fill factor of 64.76 % and an open circuit voltage of 0.73 V. The synergistic effect of dopant and compact layer treatment purposefully improves photon and charge collection, enhancing overall device performance and reducing recombination at the interface. Consequently, the introduction of a compact layer-treated co-doped PBS photoanode emerges as a promising alternative for a charge transport layer in DSSC.

A hurdle strategy based on the combination of non-thermal treatments to control diarrheagenic E. coli in cheese

This study aimed to assess the efficacy of a multi-hurdle process combining mild High Hydrostatic Pressure (HHP) treatments and Thyme Oil (TO) edible films as a non-thermal method to combat pathogenic E. coli (aEPEC and STEC) in raw cow's-milk cheese stored at 7 °C and packaged under modified atmosphere. Changes in headspace atmosphere of cheese packs and treatment effects on Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB) counts and diarrheagenic E. coli strains (aEPEC and STEC) were evaluated over a 28 d storage period. The results demonstrated that the combined treatment exhibited the most significant antimicrobial effect against both strains compared to individual treatments, achieving reductions of 4.30 and 4.80 log cfu/g after 28 d of storage for aEPEC and STEC, respectively. Notably, the synergistic effect of the combination treatment resulted in the complete inactivation of intact cells for STEC and nearly completed inactivation for aEPEC by the end of the storage period. These findings suggest that the combination of HHP with selected hurdles could effectively enhance microbial inactivation capacity, offering promising alternatives for improving cheese safety without affecting the starter microbiota.

Aluminum doped non-stoichiometric titanium dioxide as a negative electrode material for lithium-ion battery: In-operando XRD analysis

Lithium-ion batteries (LIB) with titanium dioxide as anode material emerged as one of the most energy-storage systems. In this study, we investigate aluminum-doped non-stoichiometric titanium dioxide synthesized using sol-gel method and subsequent reduction treatment. Different analysis techniques, such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Cyclic voltammetry (CV), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) tests are conducted for the analysis of material and performance of the battery. The XRD results affirmed that the sample consisted of pure titanium-dioxide phases with no other precipitated phases, such as aluminum oxide (α-Al2O3 or γ-Al2O3). XPS analysis evident that aluminum was successfully incorporated into the titanium-dioxide lattice and the presence of Ti3+ and oxygen vacancy signals confirmed its non-stoichiometric nature. TEM images implies that doping and its extent did not significantly affect the size and morphology of the nanoscale particles. The selected area electron diffraction shows that the sample consisted of a mixture of the anatase and rutile phases. The best-performing electrode was found to be the one composed of 1 % aluminum-doped non-stoichiometric titanium dioxide. After 200 charge-discharge cycles, the battery maintained a capacity of 195 mAh/g, retaining 97.5 % of its reversible capacity. Cyclic stability test under high current condition shows that the capacity remained at 157 mAh/g without any noticeable decay after 750 charge-discharge cycles at a 1 C rate. This material exhibited the lowest impedance and the highest lithium-ion diffusion rate. Additionally, in situ synchrotron-based XRD indicates coexistence of three phases such as a new reversible intermediate phase LiTiO2, a partially irreversible intermediate phase Li0.55TiO2, and the anatase phase. The analysis results indicated that the peak intensities and angular shifts were associated with the phase changes that occurred during charge and discharge of the electrochemical processes. The interaction mechanism study between lithium ions and the lattice of mixed phase (anatase, rutile) identified the occurrence of non-uniform stress resulting from lithium-ion insertion in the rutile phase, in addition to the irreversible reactions in both the rutile and anatase phases. Through the synergistic effect of heteroatom doping and oxygen vacancy treatment, the conductivity of titanium dioxide is enhanced, leading to improved performance in capacity, impedance, cycle life, and rate as an anode material in LIBs.

Combination AAV therapy with galectin-1 and SOD1 downregulation demonstrates superior therapeutic effect in a severe ALS mouse model

Neuroinflammation is a miscreant in accelerating progression of many neurodegenerative diseases, including ALS. However, treatments targeting neuroinflammation alone have led to disappointing results in clinical trials. Both neuronal and non-neuronal cell types have been implicated in pathogenesis of ALS, and multiple studies have shown correction of each cell type has beneficial effect on disease outcome. Previously, we showed that AAV9-mediated SOD1 suppression in motor neurons and astrocytes significantly improves motor function and extends survival in ALS mouse models. Despite neuron and astrocyte correction, ALS mice still succumb to death with microgliosis observed in endpoint tissue. Therefore, we hypothesized that the optimal therapeutic approach will target and simultaneously correct motor neurons, astrocytes, and microglia. Here, we developed a novel approach to indirectly target microglia with Galectin-1 and combined this with our previously established AAV9.SOD1.shRNA treatment. We show Galectin-1 conditioning of SOD1G93A microglia reduces inflammatory markers and rescues motor neuron death in vitro. When paired with SOD1 downregulation, we found a synergistic effect of combination treatment in vivo and show a significant extension of survival of SOD1G93A mice over SOD1 suppression alone. These results highlight the importance of targeting inflammatory microglia as a critical component in future therapeutic development.

Grain Manipulation by Annealing Treatment Realizes High-Performance N-Type Bi2Te2.4Se0.6 Thermoelectric Material and Device.

Bi2Te3-based materials play a crucial role in solid cooling and power generation, but the rapidly deteriorated ZT with rising temperatures above 450 K severely limits further applications. Here, this paper reports a novel preparation method of annealing treatment for molten ingot, which can enhance the thermoelectric performance of n-type Bi2Te2.4Se0.6 in a wide temperature range. Instead of conventional halides, copper is adopted to regulate the carrier concentration and grain size to optimal levels. During the process of annealing at 573 K for 4h, the number of twins significantly increases and the grains of Cu-doped samples become larger and more oriented. These optimizations lead to higher carrier mobility with similar carrier concentration compared with the sample without heat treatment. The synergistic effects of Cu doping and annealing treatment realize a high average ZT of 0.89 within 300-600 K in n-type Cu0.02Bi2Te2.4Se0.6. Combined with p-type (Bi,Sb)2Te3, the fabricated thermoelectric device exhibits a high conversion efficiency of 6.9% at a temperature difference of 300 K. This study suggests that annealing treatment is a simple and effective scheme to promote the applications of n-type Bi2(Te,Se)3 in a wide temperature range.

Laser treatment of (Zr-Ta-W-Ti)C-SiC based high entropy carbide ceramics reinforced with carbon nanotubes, graphite and graphene nanoplatelets

This study investigates the effect of laser surface treatment on spark plasma sintered (Zr-Ta-W-Ti)C-SiC (ZTaWT-S) based high entropy ceramic (HEC) composites, reinforced with multiwalled carbon nanotubes (CNT) (ZTaWT-SC), graphite (ZTaWT-SG), and graphene nanoplatelets (GNP) (ZTaWT-SGNP). The increased hardness of the laser-treated composites (25–33 GPa) when compared to that of untreated composites (23–28 GPa) is attributed to the high compressive residual stresses, ranging from 1400 to 2900 MPa. The laser-treated ZTaWT-SGNP composite exhibited a minimum scratch wear rate of ∼0.9 × 10−1 mm3/N.m, representing a 57 % and 73 % reduction compared to the untreated ZTaWT-SGNP and the laser-treated ZTaWT-S, respectively. ZTaWT-SGNP composite demonstrated the best resistance to damage accumulation, due to the synergistic effects of laser treatment and GNP reinforcement, enhancing its suitability for extreme environments.

The bactericidal effect of punicalagin concentrations, high pressure conditions and their combination on Escherichia coli O157: H7

Punicalagin (PUN), as a natural antimicrobial agent, is the most abundant phenolic compound in pomegranate peel. In this study, the bactericidal effect of PUN concentrations, high pressure conditions and their combination on E. coli O157: H7 were investigated. The bacteria were suspended in physiological saline solution with PUN concentrations of 1–3 mg/mL and treated by high pressures of 100–300 MPa for 2–10 min. The synergistic effect of the combination treatment was demonstrated with the maximum enhancement value of 4.10. Cell morphology changes, membrane permeability enhancement and swimming motility inhibition were observed in the combination treatment. Adenosine, adenine, cyclic GMP in purine metabolism and glutathione in glutathione metabolism pathways were differential metabolites with content changes, which were related with treatment methods (HPP or PUN) but not the degree of bacteria inactivation. This study provided a more effective and innovative method for killing E. coli in simulation system. Industrial relevanceHPP was the most commercialized emerging non-thermal processing technology and PUN was the natural antibacterial agent from pomegranate peel waste. The combination of HPP and PUN had synergistic bactericidal effect on E. coli with less processing intensity, which was very suitable for the products those contained thermosensitive components with maximum sensory characteristics preserved and less preservative added.

Anti-inflammatory effect of the combined treatment of LMT-28 and kaempferol in a collagen-induced arthritis mouse model.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease characterized by joint inflammation and swelling. Several studies have demonstrated that RA fibroblast-like synovial cells (RA-FLS) play an important role in RA pathogenesis. Activated RA-FLS contribute to synovial inflammation by secreting inflammatory cytokines including interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α. LMT-28 is derivative of oxazolidone and exerts anti-inflammatory effects on RA via IL-6 signaling pathway regulation. LMT-28 also regulates T cell differentiation in RA condition. However, the effect of LMT-28 on the migration and invasion of RA-FLS remains unknown. Kaempferol has been reported to have pharmacological effects on various diseases, such as inflammatory diseases, autoimmune diseases, and cancer. Additionally, kaempferol has been reported to inhibit RA-FLS migration and invasion, but it is not known about the therapeutic mechanism including molecular mechanism such as receptor. The present study aimed to investigate the synergistic effects of the combined treatment of LMT-28 and kaempferol on RA-FLS activation and RA pathogenesis in mouse model. LMT-28 and kaempferol co-administration inhibited RA disease severity and histological collapse in the joint tissues of CIA mice, as well as downregulated the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines in mouse serum. Additionally, the combined treatment inhibited excessive differentiation of T helper 17 cells and osteoclasts. Furthermore, compared with single treatments, combined treatment showed enhanced inhibitory effects on the hyperactivation of IL-6-induced signaling pathway in RA-FLS. Combined treatment also inhibited RA-FLS cell proliferation, migration, and invasion and suppressed the expression of matrix metalloproteinase in RA-FLS. Furthermore, we confirmed that the combined treatment inhibited chondrocyte proliferation, migration, and invasion. In conclusion, our results suggest that the combined treatment of LMT-28 and kaempferol exerts a synergistic effect on the RA development via the regulation of IL-6-induced hyperactivation of RA-FLS. Furthermore, this study suggests that combination therapies can be an effective therapeutic option for arthritis.

Enhancement of Corrosion and Wear Resistance of Ni-P Coatings Stems from the Synergistic Effects of Cr3C2 and Heat Treatment.

This study describes the preparation of Ni-P-Cr3C2 composite coatings using pulsed electrodeposition, with varying Cr3C2 concentrations (0, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 g/L). Subsequently, the Ni-P-Cr3C2 composite coatings are heat-treated at different temperatures (200, 400, and 600 °C) using the characteristic of Cr3C2 oxidizing to Cr2O3 at high temperatures. The Ni-P coatings, Ni-P-Cr3C2 composite coatings, and heat-treated-state Ni-P-Cr3C2 composite coatings are compared and discussed. The results show that the hardness, wear resistance, and corrosion resistance of the composite coatings are optimized when the Cr3C2 content is 3 g/L and the heat-treatment temperature is 400 °C. This is due to the presence of oxides such as Cr2O3 on the surface of the composite coatings after heat treatment at 400 °C. By efficiently enhancing the coating's densification to the substrate, these oxides raise the composite coating's resistance to corrosion and wear. The Ni-P-Cr3C2 composite coating in its heat-treated makeup at 400 °C is found to have long-term corrosion resistance in the 3.5 wt % NaCl solution immersion test. This study provides a new idea in the field of corrosion.

Synergistic effect of bath-ultrasonication and heating treatments on two-steps treatment of brewers’ spent grain

The study aimed to evaluate the chemical composition, antioxidant activity and techno-functionality of brewers’ spent grain (BSG) treated with two-steps treatment involving 5, 15, and 25 min bath-ultrasonication (USB) continued with autoclave (AH) at 90, 110, and 130 °C and/or water-bath (CWH) at 80, 90, and 100 °C. The two-steps treatments slightly affected the water- and oil-holding capacity and extractable fat content. Most of the two-steps treatments increased the amount of flavan-3-ols and phenolic acids, up to 4 times higher compared to its control. The two-steps treatment involving CWH had no significant (p > 0.05) impact on fat content, antioxidants and techo-functionality of BSG. Up to 15 min USB increased the poly-unsaturated fatty acids and lowered the amount of saturated fatty acids. In conclusion, the two-steps treatment consists of USB (up to 15 min) continued with AH and CWH increased the amount of nutritional-related chemical composition such as UFA and phenolic acids as well as antioxidant activity of BSG.

The synergistic effect of Huangqi Gegen decoction on thrombosis relates to the astragalus polysaccharide-improved oral delivery of puerarin

Ethno-pharmacological relevanceHuangqi Gegen decoction (HGD), which comprises Astragali Radix (AR) and Puerariae Radix (PR), is widely used to treat thrombosis in China. However, the mechanism underlying its synergistic effect in thrombosis treatment remains unclear. Aim of the studyFollowing PR administration, low plasma exposure was reported for its primary ingredients. In this regard, this study examined the effect of AR on PR's antithrombotic efficacy with respect to the impact of Astragalus Polysaccharide (APS) on the oral delivery of Puerarin (PUE). Materials and methodsTo evaluate the synergistic effect of HGD, a thrombus mice model was established via intraperitoneal injection of carrageenan. After treatment, histopathological observations were made, and the proportion of thrombus length in the tail, as well as the plasma APTT, PT, INR, and FIB levels, were detected. Molecular docking was employed to assess the PR ingredients that could inhibit the HMGB1/NF-κB/NLRP3 pathway. The Pharmacokinetics of PR ingredients in rats were also compared between the PR and HGD groups. Moreover, the effect of APS on the solubility, intestinal absorption, and pharmacokinetics of PUE was evaluated. Furthermore, the impact of APS on the antithrombotic efficacy of PUE was assessed. ResultsIn mice, AR enhanced the antithrombotic effect of PR. This improved PR effect was associated with isoflavones-induced downregulation of the HMGB1/NF-κB/NLRP3 pathway. The synergistic effect resulting from the compatibility of HGD components was primarily achieved by improving the plasma exposure of PR isoflavones. Specifically, APS enhanced PUE's water solubility through the formation of self-assembly Nanoparticles, increasing its intestinal absorption and oral bioavailability, which, in turn, suppressed the HMGB1/NF-κB/NLRP3 pathway, thus improving its antithrombotic effect. ConclusionsOur findings revealed that APS improved PUE's plasma exposure, enhancing its inhibitory effect on the HMGB1/NF-κB/NLRP3 pathway. This mechanism presents a key aspect of the synergistic effect of HGD compatibility in thrombosis treatment.

Multi-modal triggered-release sonodynamic/chemo/phototherapy synergistic nanocarriers for the treatment of colon cancer.

Most colon cancer patients are diagnosed at an advanced stage, with a grim prognosis. In clinical, various combination therapies have been employed to enhance the efficacy of colon cancer treatment. The essence of combined treatment is the judicious selection and combination of various treatment units. Phototherapy (PT), sonodynamic therapy (SDT), and chemotherapy are treatment modalities that rely on the active molecules to treat tumors, and have been demonstrated to synergistically enhance tumor treatment efficacy. However, the differences in the metabolism of active molecules and hypoxic microenvironment of tumors have limited the synergistic effects of the aforementioned methods. To address this significant issue, in this study, we utilized polydopamine (PDA) as the encapsulated material to form a rigid shell that contains the therapeutic molecules IR-780 and methotrexate (MTX) on the surface of perfluorohexane (PFH) microdroplets through self-assembling method to develop an SDT/chemotherapy/PT combined nanoparticles (SCP NPs). Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) revealed that the nanoparticles exhibited a hollow shell structure, with an average size of approximately 100nm. SCP NPs have excellent stability and biocompatibility in both in vitro and in vivo. The absorption and emission spectrum of the loaded IR-780 did not exhibit any significant shift, and the photothermal temperature rose to 92°C. Their ultrasonic cavitation effect was good and their cell inhibitory effect of MTX was maintained. SCP NPs can achieve multi-modal triggered release through ultrasound, laser irradiation, and pH, ensuring a simultaneous accumulation of therapeutic molecules in the tumor area and effectively alleviating tumor hypoxia. Additionally, both the near-infrared fluorescence (NIF) signal and the ultrasonic cavitation signal of the nanoparticles can be utilized for tracking and monitoring treatment efficacy. Most notably, SCP NPs exhibited outstanding synergistic treatment effects at low intervention levels, resulting in a 67% cure rate of tumors. These results provide an experimental basis for developing the new clinical treatments for colon cancer.

Induction of Cell Death by Bifidobacterium infantis DS1685 in Colorectal and Breast Cancers via SMAD4/TGF-Beta Activation.

Therapeutic advancements in treatments for cancer, a leading cause of mortality worldwide, have lagged behind the increasing incidence of this disease. There is a growing interest in multifaceted approaches for cancer treatment, such as chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and immunotherapy, but due to their low efficacy and severe side effects, there is a need for the development of new cancer therapies. Recently, the human microbiome, which is comprised of various microorganisms, has emerged as an important research field due to its potential impact on cancer treatment. Among these microorganisms, Bifidobacterium infantis has been shown to significantly improve the efficacy of various anticancer drugs. However, research on the role of B. infantis in cancer treatment remains insufficient. Thus, in this study, we explored the anticancer effect of treatment with B. infantis DS1685 supernatant (BI sup) in colorectal and breast cancer cell lines. Treatment with BI sup induced SMAD4 expression to suppress cell growth in colon and breast cancer cells. Furthermore, a decrease in tumor cohesion was observed through the disruption of the regulation of EMT-related genes by BI sup in 3D spheroid models. Based on these findings, we anticipate that BI sup could play an adjunctive role in cancer therapy, and future cotreatment of BI sup with various anticancer drugs may lead to synergistic effects in cancer treatment.

Inter-crosslinked spirocyclic mixed matrix membranes exhibiting enhanced gas permeability, selectivity, and plasticization resistance

Poor interfacial compatibility is the most common issue inhibiting performance enhancement in mixed matrix membranes (MMM) for gas and liquid separations. To address this issue, we fabricated highly selective and permeable inter-crosslinked mixed matrix membranes (IcMMMs) based on carboxylic-acid functionalized polymer of intrinsic microporosity-1 (CPIM) containing up to 30 wt % triptycene-isatin polymer porous network (PPN) particles. Polymer-filler inter-crosslinking is accomplished via thermal decarboxylation at 200 °C, which is the lowest temperature this reaction has been found to occur in the literature. This low temperature circumvents potential issues with degradation of porous supports or gutter layer materials, and thus enables these materials to be integrated into traditional membrane processes. The resulting IcMMMs exhibit gel fractions above 90 %. Beyond IcMMMs, membranes based on neat CPIM, thermally crosslinked CPIM, as well as non-crosslinked CPIM-PPN mixed matrix membranes were fabricated to elucidate the individual and synergistic effects of filler inclusion and thermal treatment. In addition to showing upper bound permeability-selectivity performance, IcMMMs also exhibit an almost unprecedented stability against plasticization upon extended exposure to CO2 up to 50 atm or above. This study shows that crosslinking across the polymer-filler interface is the key feature to achieve simultaneous enhancement in permeability, selectivity, and stability. To elucidate the molecular mechanism of these enhancements in the IcMMMs with respect to the baseline materials, permeability was broken into its sorption and diffusion contributions and an energetic analysis of sorption was performed. The low cost of PPNs coupled with the mild crosslinking temperature make this approach highly scalable, resulting in materials exhibiting high rigidity and structural stability with the potential to excel in aggressive separations, such as organic solvent separations or high-CO2 content, high-pressure natural gas sweetening.

Polydopamine-Based Nanoparticles for Synergistic Chemotherapy of Prostate Cancer.

Immune regulatory small molecule JQ1 can block its downstream effector PD-L1 pathway and effectively reverse the PD-L1 upregulation induced by doxorubicin (DOX). So the synergistic administration of chemotherapeutic drug DOX and JQ1 is expected to increase the sensitivity of tumors to immune checkpoint therapy and jointly enhance the body's own immunity, thus effectively killing tumor cells. Therefore, a drug delivery system loaded with DOX and JQ1 was devised in this study. Polydopamine nanoparticles (PDA NPs) were synthesized through spontaneous polymerization. Under appropriate pH conditions, DOX and JQ1 were loaded onto the surface of PDA NPs, and the release of DOX and JQ1 were measured using UV-Vis or high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The mechanism of fabricated nanocomplex in vitro was investigated by cell uptake experiment, cell viability assays, apoptosis assays, and Western blot analysis. Finally, the tumor-bearing mouse model was used to evaluate the tumor-inhibiting efficacy and the biosafety in vivo. JQ1 and DOX were successfully loaded onto PDA NPs. PDA-DOX/JQ1 NPs inhibited the growth of prostate cancer cells, reduced the expression of apoptosis related proteins and induced apoptosis in vitro. The in vivo biodistribution indicated that PDA-DOX/JQ1 NPs could accumulated at the tumor sites through the EPR effect. In tumor-bearing mice, JQ1 delivered with PDA-DOX/JQ1 NPs reduced PD-L1 expression at tumor sites, generating significant tumor suppression. Furthermore, PDA-DOX/JQ1 NPs could reduce the side effects, and produce good synergistic treatment effect in vivo. We have successfully prepared a multifunctional platform forsynergistic prostate cancer therapy.

Structural degradation of polyallyl diglycol carbonate (PADC) polymer: analytical characterization and simulation studies

A comprehensive study has been carried out to understand the details of structural modifications of polyallyl diglycol carbonate (PADC) polymer under the effects of different external factors. Synergistic effect of heat treatment with radiation on the polymer structure was studied. Incorporation of a neutral chromophore to understand the structural changes was attempted. Theoretical simulations were applied to get insight into the detailed aspects of structural modifications. Diverse techniques were used to characterize the samples and compare with the results of simulation studies.

Synergistic effect of solvent addition and temperature treatment on conductivity enhancement of MWCNTs: PEDOT:PSS composite ink for electrodes in all printed solid-state micro-supercapacitors

All solid-state micro-supercapacitors (S-MSCs) are pivotal for modern wearables as they offer rapid energy storage and release, with seamless integration into small, lightweight wearables. Developing all printed S-MSCs is a cost-effective alternative to traditional S-MSCs and can potentially revolutionize wearable energy storage technologies. This manuscript presents an innovative, substrate-friendly approach to enhance the conductivity and electrochemical performance of screen-printed electrodes for S-MSCs using multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs): PEDOT:PSS (poly(3,4-ethylene dioxythiophene): poly(styrene sulfonate)) composite ink. By incorporating various polar solvents into the ink formulation and optimizing printing and drying parameters, a four-fold increase in conductivity (5.5 × 103 S/m) was achieved. The synergy of polar solvent addition and temperature treatment on the dielectric screening, preferential solvation, and partial segregation of PSS were identified as the principal reason behind this enhancement. The optimally formulated ink was employed to create supercapacitor electrodes, demonstrating hybrid capacitive behavior with both liquid and gel electrolytes. An impressive 97.5 % decrease in charge transfer resistance (RCT) and a corresponding increase in areal capacitance and energy density were observed for these supercapacitors due to the segregation of PEDOT and PSS achieved by the synergistic effect. All printed S-MSCs were also fabricated with an impressive areal capacitance of 9.82 mF/cm2 @ 60 µA/cm2 and areal energy density of 1.964 µWh/cm2 at an areal power density of 63 µW/cm2. The fabricated S-MSCs exhibited impeccable capacitance retention of 99.7 % after 6,000 operation cycles and impressive stability upto 10,000 bending cycles, making them promising energy storage solutions for flexible and wearable devices.

Novel composite fatty acid vesicles-in-Pluronic lecithin organogels for enhanced magnolol delivery in skin cancer treatment

A novel composite carrier composed of Pluronic lecithin organogels and fatty acid vesicles was used to enhance the stability and facilitate the topical delivery of a natural bioactive drug, magnolol (Mag), for treatment of skin cancer. Jojoba oil was incorporated in the organogel (OG) base to provide a synergistic effect in treatment of skin cancer. The organoleptic properties, rheological behavior, morphology, and drug content of the OG formulations were investigated with emphasis on the impact of vesicle loading on the OG characteristics. The effect of OG on Mag release and ex-vivo permeation studies were evaluated and compared to free Mag in OG. The biological anti-tumor activity of the OG formulae was assessed using a skin cancer model in mice.All OG formulations exhibited uniform drug distribution with drug content ranging from 92.22 ± 0.91 to 100.45 ± 0.77 %. Rheological studies confirmed the OG shear-thinning flow behavior. Ex-vivo permeation studies demonstrated that the permeation of Mag from all OG formulations surpassed that obtained with free Mag in the OG. The anti-tumor activity studies revealed the superior efficacy of 10-hydroxy-decanoic acid (HDA)-based vesicles incorporated in OG formulations in mitigating 7,12- dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA)-induced skin cancer, thereby offering a promising platform for the local delivery of Mag.

Mechanism and bioinformatics analysis of the effect of berberine-enhanced fluconazole against drug-resistant Candida albicans

Biofilms produced by Candida albicans present a challenge in treatment with antifungal drug. Enhancing the sensitivity to fluconazole (FLC) is a reasonable method for treating FLC-resistant species. Moreover, several lines of evidence have demonstrated that berberine (BBR) can have antimicrobial effects. The aim of this study was to clarify the underlying mechanism of these effects. We conducted a comparative study of the inhibition of FLC-resistant strain growth by FLC treatment alone, BBR treatment alone, and the synergistic effect of combined FLC and BBR treatment. Twenty-four isolated strains showed distinct biofilm formation capabilities. The antifungal effect of combined FLC and BBR treatment in terms of the growth and biofilm formation of Candida albicans species was determined via checkerboard, time-kill, and fluorescence microscopy assays. The synergistic effect of BBR and FLC downregulated the expression of the efflux pump genes CDR1 and MDR, the hyphal gene HWP1, and the adhesion gene ALS3; however, the gene expression of the transcriptional repressor TUP1 was upregulated following treatment with this drug combination. Furthermore, the addition of BBR led to a marked reduction in cell surface hydrophobicity. To identify resistance-related genes and virulence factors through genome-wide sequencing analysis, we investigated the inhibition of related resistance gene expression by the combination of BBR and FLC, as well as the associated signaling pathways and metabolic pathways. The KEGG metabolic map showed that the metabolic genes in this strain are mainly involved in amino acid and carbon metabolism. The metabolic pathway map showed that several ergosterol (ERG) genes were involved in the synthesis of cell membrane sterols, which may be related to drug resistance. In this study, BBR + FLC combination treatment upregulated the expression of the ERG1, ERG3, ERG4, ERG5, ERG24, and ERG25 genes and downregulated the expression of the ERG6 and ERG9 genes compared with fluconazole treatment alone (p < 0.05).