Explore the vast range of titles available.

Extracellular electron transfer (EET) is a biological mechanism that plays a crucial role in various bioelectrochemical systems (BESs) and has substantial implications for renewable energy production. By utilizing the metabolic capacities of exoelectrogens, BESs offer a viable and environmentally friendly approach to electricity generation and chemical production; however, the diminished effectiveness of EET remains a hindrance to their optimal application in practical contexts. This paper examines the various strategies that have the potential to be employed to enhance the efficiency of EET systems and explores the potential for the integration of BESs technology with contemporary technologies, resulting in the development of an enhanced and sustainable system. It also examines how quorum sensing, electrode modifications, electron shuttles, and mediators can aid in improving EET performance. Many technological innovations, such as additive manufacturing, the science of nanotechnology, the technique of genetic engineering, computational intelligence, and other combinations of technologies that can be used to augment the efficacy of BESs are also discussed. Our findings will help readers understand how BESs, though an evolving technology, can play an important role in addressing our environmental concerns. Technical constraints are identified, and future directions in the field of EET are suggested.

Osteoporosis (OP) is a complex bone metabolism disorder disease that affects the skeleton, nervous system, muscles, and multiple tissues. Neuropeptides, which are endogenous substances derived from both bone and brain, play a critical role in maintaining the balance of bone metabolism. This review summarizes research conducted from 1986 to 2024 on the pathological mechanisms of neuropeptides and their receptors in the context of OP. Specifically, the roles of Neuropeptide Y, Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide, Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide, and Substance P and their receptors in key processes of OP were examined, including their function of bone formation and resorption, osteoblast differentiation, and osteoclast differentiation. Our study showed that these neuropeptides could promote bone formation and inhibit bone resorption, while their receptors in osteocytes exhibit distinct functions, indicating complex regulatory mechanisms that require further investigation. Additionally, we summarize the progress of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) formulae, single TCM herbs, and bioactive compounds derived from TCM in exerting anti-OP effects through neuropeptide modulation. These studies highlight the multi-targeted and multi-mechanistic pharmacological actions of TCM in treating OP. By integrating these findings, we aim to enhance the understanding of neuropeptides’ roles in bone metabolism and to explore the development of neuropeptide-targeted TCM therapies for OP management. This comprehensive perspective highlights the potential of neuropeptides as therapeutic targets, paving the way for innovative approaches to treating OP.

Osteoporosis (OP) is characterized by impaired bone formation, largely attributed to dysfunctional osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs). Circulating factors, particularly exosomes acting as natural nanocarriers, play crucial roles in regulating BMSCs function within the bone microenvironment. However, the specific mechanisms by which serum exosomes contribute to osteogenic impairment in OP remain elusive. Serum exosomes were isolated from ovariectomized (OVX) rats and characterized. Their impact on BMSCs osteogenesis was evaluated. Global miRNA sequencing identified dysregulated miRNAs in OVX-derived exosomes. The roles of miR-29a-3p and miR-29c-3p were investigated using gain- and loss-of-function approaches in vitro and in vivo. Bioinformatic analysis and experimental validation identified Ten-Eleven Translocation 3 (TET3) as a direct target. TET3 deficiency was modeled in OVX mice. Transcriptomic analysis, bisulfite sequencing PCR, and chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing were employed to delineate the mechanism of action of TET3. Exosomes derived from OVX rat serum significantly inhibited osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs. MiRNA sequencing revealed a pronounced downregulation of miR-29a-3p and miR-29c-3p within these exosomes. Functionally, overexpression of miR-29a/29c-3p rescued bone formation defects both in vitro and in vivo, while their inhibition suppressed osteogenesis. Mechanistically, TET3, a key DNA demethylase, was confirmed as a direct target of miR-29a/29c-3p. Crucially, TET3 deficiency in OVX mice stimulated BMSCs osteogenesis and bone remodeling. Further mechanistic dissection demonstrated that TET3 represses osteogenesis by directly increasing DNA methylation at the Sox9 promoter, thereby suppressing Sox9 expression, and concurrently inhibiting the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. Our study defines a novel exosome-mediated pathway in OP: Deficiency of serum exosome-delivered miR-29a/29c-3p elevates TET3, which epigenetically represses Sox9 via promoter hypermethylation and inhibits PI3K/AKT signaling. This exosome/miR-29/TET3/Sox9 axis unveils promising therapeutic targets for OP intervention, particularly leveraging exosome-based modulation or epigenetic editing. Graphical abstract

Background: Exercise is one of the effective ways to improve cognition. Different forms of exercises have different effects on the improvement of cognitive impairment. In recent years,exergames based on Non-Immersive Virtual Reality(NIVR-Exergames) have gradually been applied to clinical rehabilitation. However, the mechanism of NIVR-Exergames on improving motor cognition has not been clarified. Therefore, the aim of this study is to find whether NIVR-Exergames result in a better neural response mechanism to improve the area of the cerebral cortex related to motor cognition under fNIRS dynamic monitoring in comparison with resistance exercise . Methods: 26 healthy young subjects (18–24 years old) were randomly divided into group A (n = 10) and group B (n = 10) according to a computerized digital table method. Task 1 was an NIVR-Exergame task, and Task 2 was resistance band stretching. Group A first performed Task 1, rested for 30 minutes (i.e., a washout period), and then performed Task 2. Group B had the reverse order. The fNIRS test was synchronized in real time during exercise tasks.The primary outcomes were beta values from the general linear model (GLM) in different regions of interest (ROIs), and the secondary outcomes were heart rate, blood pressure, reaction time of 2-back , and accuracy rate of 2-back . Results: The activation differences of Task 1 and Task 2 in the right premotor cortex (PMC) (P = 0.025) and the left PMC (P = 0.011) were statistically significant. There were statistically significant differences in the activation of the right supplementary motor area (SMA) (P = 0.001) and right PMC (P = 0.001) between baseline and Post-task 1. The differences in systolic pressure (SBP) between the two groups at three time points among women were statistically significant (P1 = 0.009, P2 < 0.001, P3 = 0.044). Conclusions: In this study, we found that NIVR-Exergames combined with motor and challenging cognitive tasks can promote the activation of SMA and PMC in healthy young people compared with resistance exercise alone, providing compelling preliminary evidence of the power for the rehabilitation of motor and cognitive function in patients with central nervous system diseases.

Recent studies have challenged the notion that bone tissue lacks lymphatic vessels, highlighting their essential role in bone regeneration. Effective bone repair relies on the interplay of osteogenesis, angiogenesis, and lymphangiogenesis. Here, we present a three dimensional-printed biomimetic Gelatin methacryloyl/icariin@Mesoporous silica nanoparticle/Hydroxyapatite (GelMA/ICA@MSN/HAp) scaffold designed to recruit bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs), human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), and lymphatic endothelial cells (LECs), enabling these cells to self-assemble into “cell islands” that coordinate tissue regeneration. The scaffold exhibits excellent biocompatibility, biodegradability, and sustained cytokine release. In vitro, it promotes the migration, proliferation, and lineage-specific differentiation of BMSCs, HUVECs, and LECs. In an osteoporotic bone defect model, the scaffold significantly enhances new bone formation, supports vascular remodeling by recruiting HUVECs, and induces lymphatic maturation via LECs, accompanied by upregulation of bone morphogenetic protein 2, vascular endothelial growth factor, and prospero homeobox protein 1. Transcriptomic analysis identifies activation of the hypoxia-inducible factor 1 alpha (HIF-1α) signaling pathway as crucial to these effects. Mechanistically, LECs-derived conditioned medium stimulates HUVECs angiogenesis and BMSCs osteogenesis by inducing HIF-1α mediated mitochondrial metabolic reprogramming. This is the first study to integrate lymphatic modulation into scaffold design for bone repair, achieving osteo-angio-lymphogenic coupling and establishing a novel organoid model for bone regeneration. (A) Schematic diagram of the preparation process for the GelMA/ICA@MSN/HAp scaffold. (B) Schematic diagram of the in vivo action mechanism of the GelMA/ICA@MSN/HAp scaffold. (C) HIF-1α mediated mitochondrial metabolic reprogramming promotes bone repair. [Display omitted] •A 3D-printed GelMA/ICA@MSN/HAp scaffold recruits BMSCs, HUVECs, and LECs to form self-organized multicellular “cell islands” for bone repair.•The scaffold integrates osteo–angio–lymphogenic coupling in one platform, driving robust and spatially organized bone regeneration.•LECs-derived medium enhances angiogenesis and osteogenesis via HIF-1α–mediated mitochondrial metabolic reprogramming in HUVECs and BMSCs.•This work presents the first scaffold-based strategy integrating lymphatic regulation and an organoid-like system for bone repair.

Nitrous oxide (N2O) is a potent greenhouse gas and contributor to ozone depletion, with wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) serving as significant sources of emissions due to biological processes involving bacteria. This study evaluates research on the role of bacteria in N2O emissions from WWTPs between 2000 and 2023 based on an analysis of the Web of Science Core Collection Database using keywords “bacteria”, “nitrous oxide”, “emission”, and “wastewater treatment plant”. The findings reveal substantial research growth in the past decade, with leading publications appearing in Water Research, Bioresource Technology, and Environmental Science & Technology. China, the United States, and Australia have been the most active contributors to this field. Key topics include denitrification, wastewater treatment, and N2O emissions. The microbial community composition significantly influences N2O emissions in WWTPs, with bacterial consortia playing a pivotal role. However, further research is needed to explore strain-specific genes, enzyme expressions, and the differentiation of processes contributing to N2O production and emission. System design and operation must also consider dissolved oxygen and nitrite concentration factors. Advances in genomics and artificial intelligence are expected to enhance strategies for reducing N2O emissions in WWTPs.

Interspecific competition is one of the most important metabolic interactions within microbial communities, and exoelectrogenic bacteria that can conduct extracellular electron transfer act essential roles in nature and engineering systems for pollutants removal. In the present study, we investigated the long-term impact of substrate competition from non-exoelectrogenic Citrobacter freundii An1 on exoelectrogenic Shewanella oneidensis MR-1. Without additional electron acceptor such as oxygen, C. freundii An1 typically suppressed the growth of S. oneidensis MR-1. In contrast, S. oneidensis MR-1 grew better with electron acceptor of ferrihydrite by taking advantage of extracellular electron transfer. However, the presence of ferrihydrite did not enhance the ferrihydrite reduction of S. oneidensis MR-1 after the 160 d-acclimation. The whole genome resequencing showed a complex evolution of S. oneidensis MR-1 when the strain faced the competition from C. freundii An1 for substrate.

The world is facing increasingly severe environmental challenges, making the development of new energy a crucial trend for the future. The corporate value of new energy enterprises plays a vital role in their sustainable growth. Current environmental regulations predominantly rely on punitive measures, with limited use of incentive-based policies. This study examines China’s New Energy Demonstration City (NEDC) policy, employing panel data from listed new energy firms (2010–2023) and a difference-in-differences (DID) approach to quantify incentive-based policies effects. The results demonstrate that the NEDC policy significantly enhances the corporate value of new energy enterprises, the findings are robust to multiple tests. The policy’s impact exhibits notable heterogeneity: state-owned enterprises (SOEs), large firms and firms in regions with stringent environmental regulations benefit more. Mechanism analysis reveals that the policy alleviates financing constraints and encourages green transformation, thereby boosting corporate value. This study provides empirical evidence supporting incentive-based environmental policies.

Zinc-based MOFs exhibit significant advantages in ion detection due to their unique structure and chemical properties. They can efficiently and selectively recognize and detect specific ions, making them powerful analytical tools for applications in environmental monitoring, biomedical fields, and more. In this work, we used a simple ligand to improve the coordination environment of Zn2+ ions and successfully synthesized a 3D coordination compound Zn(all-bdc)(Py) MOF through a straightforward hydrothermal method at low temperature. Additionally, we explored the potential of this MOF as a bifunctional ion fluorescence probe for both cationic and anionic recognition. The results showed that this 3D porous MOF exhibited excellent recognition ability for trivalent iron ions (Fe3+) and potassium permanganate (KMnO4−) ions due to its highly porous structures and efficient ion recognition. When iron ions were added to 500 μL and potassium permanganate ions were added to 100 μL, the fluorescence of the compound was effectively quenched, and the detection limits for these two ions were 0.95 μM and 0.13 μM, respectively. The mixed-ion experiments also demonstrated that even in the presence of similar ions, this 3D MOF still maintained good selective recognition ability, specifically identifying Fe3+ and KMnO4− ions. This work provides a novel synthetic strategy for the design of MOFs capable of mixed-ion recognition and detection, expanding their application potential in ion sensing and analysis.

Out of 12 nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) species, 5 were identified as Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) by GeneXpert at a bacterial load of 10 6 . Notably, two species, including M. abscessus and M. smegmatis , were flagged as RIF-resistant MTB due to the high C ( t ) value of Probe E. In conclusion, our data have demonstrated that the misdiagnosis of MTB by GeneXpert assay is observed in five NTM species at a high bacterial load.