Biodegradable polymer microspheres in bone tissue engineering have become appealing as their non-invasive advantages in irregular damage bone repair. However, current microspheres used in BTE still lack sufficient osteogenic capacity to induce effective bone regeneration. In this study, we developed osteogenic composite microspheres concurrently loaded with magnesium oxide (MgO) and zinc oxide (ZnO), both of which are osteogenic active substances, using a facile and scalable emulsification method. The osteogenic composite microspheres exhibited a sequential yet complementary release profile characterized by a rapid release of Mg2+ and a gradual release of Zn2+ in a physiological environment, thereby maintaining the concentration of bioactive ions at a sustained high level. As a result, the combination of Mg2+ and Zn2+ in the composite microspheres led to a synergistic enhancement in biomimetic mineralization and the upregulation in the expression of osteogenic-related genes and proteins at the cellular level. Through a critical-sized calvarial rate defect model, the osteogenic composite microspheres were demonstrated to have strong osteogenic ability to promote new bone formation via ultrasonic imaging, histological and immunohistochemical evaluations. In sum, these osteogenic composite microspheres as microcarriers of Mg2+ and Zn2+ have great potential in the delivery of therapeutic ions for treating bone defects.

The design and construction of highly efficient electrocatalysts for overall water splitting and urea electrolysis are significantly important for promoting energy conversion and realizing green hydrogen production. In this work, we constructed a multi-phase heterojunction through a simple hydrothermal and phosphorization process. The P-doped NiFe2O4 (P-NiFe2O4) nanoparticles were uniformly anchored on the bamboo-like N-doped carbon nanotubes (NCNTs) grown via a NiFe-alloy autocatalysis. The electronic structure and coordination environment of active species were optimized by the synergistic action of P doping, well-dispersed ultrafine NiFe2O4, and NCNTs matrix with good conductivity, enhancing their quantity and activity for electrocatalysis. Consequently, the P-NiFe2O4/NCNTs/NiFe exhibits excellent HER and OER activities with an overpotential of 111 and 266 mV at 10 mA cm-2 in 1 M KOH, respectively. The symmetrical overall water-splitting cell using P-NiFe2O4/NCNTs/NiFe as both anode and cathode delivers 10 mA cm-2 at a voltage of 1.604 V in 1 M KOH. Notably, the two-electrode cell requires a low voltage of 1.467 V to achieve a current density of 10 mA cm-2 in 1 M KOH solution with 0.6 M urea. This designed catalysts display outstanding reaction kinetics and catalytic stability. This work provides useful guidance for applying transition metal-based catalysts for hydrogen production.

In order to broaden the application range of squash polysaccharide (WESP/SWESP) and caffeic acid (CAA) and improve the quality of potato starch (PS) products, the effects of WESP/SWESP and CAA on the gelatinization, rheology, thermodynamics, microstructure and in vitro digestion of PS were investigated. Meanwhile, the synergistic effect of WESP/SWESP and CAA on PS was further analyzed. Differently, due to WESP and SWESP had different monosaccharide composition and structure, they had different effects on the system. Pasting properties results showed that the presence of WESP/SWESP and CAA significantly reduced the peak viscosity, trough viscosity, breakdown viscosity and final viscosity of PS, especially under the combined action. In rheological tests, all sample gels belonged to the pseudoplastic fluids and weak gel system (tan δ < 1). Besides, thermodynamic properties revealed that WESP/SWESP and CAA synergistic effect had better retrogradation delay effect. In the ternary system, WESP/SWESP, CAA and PS can form a new network structure and improve the stability of the gel system. In addition, the results of infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, x-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy exhibited that the ternary system can promote the accumulation and winding of the spiral structure of PS chain, and make the structure of PS gel network more orderly and stable. Furthermore, compared with PS gel, the ternary system had lower RDS and higher SDS and RS content, suggesting that the addition of WESP/SWESP and CAA at the same time was more conducive to reducing the hydrolysis rate of PS. This work revealed the interaction between WESP/SWESP, CAA and PS, which improved the physicochemical and digestive properties of PS. It will provide a theoretical basis for improving the quality of potato starch-related products and developing functional foods.

Polymyxins are the last line of defense against multidrug-resistant (MDR) Gram-negative bacterial infections. However, this last resort has been threatened by the emergence of superbugs carrying the mobile colistin resistance gene-1 (mcr-1). Given the high concentration of matrix metalloproteinase 3 (MMP-3) in bacterial pneumonia, limited plasma accumulation of colistin (CST) in the lung, and potential toxicity of ionic silver (Ag+), we designed a feasible clinical transformation platform, an MMP-3 high-performance lung-targeted bio-responsive delivery system, which we named \"CST&Ag@CNMS\". This system exhibited excellent lung-targeting ability (>80% in lungs), MMP-3 bio-responsive release property (95% release on demand), and synergistic bactericidal activity in vitro (2-4-fold minimum inhibitory concentration reduction). In the mcr-1+ CST-resistant murine pneumonia model, treatment with CST&Ag@CNMS improved survival rates (70% vs. 20%), reduced bacteria burden (2-3 log colony-forming unit [CFU]/g tissue), and considerably mitigated inflammatory response. In this study, CST&Ag@CNMS performed better than the combination of free CST and AgNO3. We also demonstrated the superior biosafety and biodegradability of CST&Ag@CNMS both in vitro and in vivo. These findings indicate the clinical translational potential of CST&Ag@CNMS for the treatment of lung infections caused by CST-resistant bacteria carrying mcr-1.

Treatment of industrial thallium(Tl)-containing wastewater is crucial for mitigating environmental risks and health threats associated with this toxic metal. The incorporation of Mn oxides (MnOx) into the filtration system is a promising solution for efficient Tl(I) removal. However, further research is needed to elucidate the underlying mechanism behind MnOx-enhanced filtration and the rules of its stable operation. In this study, limestone, a cost-effective material, was selected as the filter media. Raw water with Mn(II), Tl(I), and other pollutants was prepared after a thorough investigation of actual industrial wastewater conditions. KMnO4 was added to induce the formation of MnO2 on limestone surfaces, while long-term operation led to enrichment of manganese oxidizing microorganisms (MnOM). Results revealed a dual mechanism. Firstly, most Mn(II) were oxidized by KMnO4 to form MnO2 attaching to limestone sands, and both Tl(I) and residual Mn(II) were adsorbed onto the newly formed MnO2. Subsequently, enzymes secreted by MnOM facilitated oxidation of remaining Mn(II), resulting in the generation of biogenic manganese oxides (BioMnOx) with numerous vacancies during long-term operation. The generated BioMnOx not only adsorbed Mn(II) and Tl(I) but also promoted their oxidation process. This approach offers an effective and sustainable method for removing both Mn(II) and Tl(I) from industrial wastewater, thereby addressing the challenges posed by thallium-contaminated effluents.

This study evaluated 75 strains of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) isolated from traditional dairy products in western China for their probiotic properties. Among them, Limosilactobacillus fermentum WXZ 2-1, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum TXZ 2-35, Companilactobacillus crustorum QHS 9, and Companilactobacillus crustorum QHS 10 demonstrated potential probiotic characteristics. The antioxidant capacity of these 4 strains was assessed, revealing that L. fermentum WXZ 2-1 exhibited the highest antioxidant capacity. Furthermore, when cocultured with Streptococcus salivarius ssp. thermophilus and Lactobacillus delbrueckii ssp. bulgaricus, L. fermentum WXZ 2-1 demonstrated a synergistic effect in growth medium and goat milk. To explore its effect on goat milk fermentation, different amounts of L. fermentum WXZ 2-1 were added to goat milk, and its physicochemical properties, antioxidant activity, flavor substances, and metabolomics were analyzed. The study found that the incorporation of L. fermentum WXZ 2-1 in goat milk fermentation significantly improved the texture characteristics, antioxidant capacity, and flavor of fermented goat milk. These findings highlight the potential of L. fermentum WXZ 2-1 as a valuable probiotic strain for enhancing the functionality and desirability of fermented goat milk, contributing to the development of novel functional foods with improved health benefits and enhanced quality attributes.

The long-term and stable removal of thallium (Tl) from industrial wastewater generated by mining and smelting operations remains challenging. While sand filters are commonly applied for the simultaneous removal of Mn(II) and other heavy metals, they have limited efficacy in treating Tl-contaminated wastewater. To address this gap, we operated a lab-scale Mn sand filter (MF) without added microorganisms to investigate the efficiency and mechanisms of Mn(II) and Tl(I) removal. Trends in effluent Mn(II) and Tl(I) concentrations indicated three operational stages: start-up, developing and maturation. Over time, the removal efficiency of Tl(I) gradually improved, plateauing at approximately 80 % eventually. Throughout operation, Tl(I) was sequestrated via surface complexation and ion exchange. Besides, enrichment of Sphingobium and other typical manganese oxidizing microorganisms (MnOM) during operation facilitated Mn(II) and Tl(I) oxidation and sequestration by generating biogenic manganese oxides (BioMnOx). Additionally, the accurate control of water quality and operating conditions during operation could also enhance removal efficiency. In summary, physicochemical actions of Mn oxides and biochemical actions of microorganisms synergistically contributed to the sequestration of Mn(II) and Tl(I). These findings provided a novel and sustainable method for the long-term and stable treatment of industrial wastewater containing thallium.

This study investigated the cryoprotective mechanism of ultrafiltration membrane-separated fractions (>10 kDa, UF-1; 3-10 kDa, UF-2; and <3 kDa, UF-3) derived from silver carp hydrolysates on frozen surimi. The surimi gel incorporating UF-3 exhibited a compact, continuous structure with uniform pores, even after undergoing six freeze-thaw (F-T) cycle, with the minimal reduction in entrapped water (from 95.1 % to 91.1 %) and least increase in free water (from 4.5 % to 6.6 %) as revealed by SEM and LF-NMR analysis. Through molecular docking analysis, three major peptides in UF-3 were identified to form robust interactions with the myosin head pocket, facilitated by hydrogen bonds, electrostatic forces, and hydrophobic interactions. Furthermore, molecular dynamics simulations demonstrated that the three peptides effectively prevented myosin from unfolding and aggregating by tightly binding to basic amino acids (Arg, Lys) and hydrophobic amino acids (Phe, Leu, Ile, Met, and Val) residues in the myosin head pocket, primarily governed by electrostatic energies (-156.95, -321.38, and -267.53 kcal/mol, respectively) and van der Waals energies (-395.05, -347.46, and -319.16 kcal/mol, respectively). Notably, the key action site was identified as Lys599 on myosin. The hydrophilic and hydrophobic hotspot residues of the peptides worked synergistically to stabilize the myosin structure in frozen surimi.

Copper and iron are the basic metal elements that have attracted much attention in industry. Prussian blue (PB) is a significant class of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs); however, the lack of such linkages between the structure and properties, as well as properties differences, limits their potential applications. In this paper, the Cu-based Prussian blue nanocubes with and without Fe doping were synthesized. With the increasing reaction time, the morphology of the Cu-based Prussian blue nanocubes without Fe doping (PB:Cu NCs) changes from cuboidal to circular, and finally grows back to cuboidal. However, Cu-based Prussian blue nanocubes with Fe doping (PB: CuFe NCs) grow directly from the cube and eventually collapse. The nanocubes show a notable red shift with the tunable spectra from 400 nm to 700 nm. Compared with PB: Cu NCs, the PB: CuFe NCs have higher temperature rise under 808 nm irradiation and better photothermal efficacy. The catalytic efficiency of PB: CuFe NCs changes with the pH and reaches its maximum value of 1.021 mM with a pH of 5.5. The enhanced catalytic reaction by the near-infrared radiation plasmonic photothermal effect is also confirmed. This work highlights the potential of the developed PB: Cu and PB: CuFe NCs for photothermal-enhanced co-catalysis nanomaterials.

The rising prevalence of antibiotic-resistance is currently a grave issue; hence, novel antimicrobial agents are being explored and developed to address infections resulting from multiple drug-resistant pathogens. Biogenic CuO, ZnO, and WO3 nanoparticles can be considered as such agents. Clinical isolates of E. coli, S. aureus, methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), and Candida albicans from oral and vaginal samples were treated with single and combination metal nanoparticles incubated under dark and light conditions to understand the synergistic effect of the nanoparticles and their photocatalytic antimicrobial activity. Biogenic CuO and ZnO nanoparticles exhibited significant antimicrobial effects under dark incubation which did not alter on photoactivation. However, photoactivated WO3 nanoparticles significantly reduced the number of viable cells by 75% for all the test organisms, thus proving to be a promising antimicrobial agent. Combinations of CuO, ZnO, and WO3 nanoparticles demonstrated synergistic action as a significant increase in their antimicrobial property (>90%) was observed compared to the action of single elemental nanoparticles. The mechanism of the antimicrobial action of metal nanoparticles both in combination and in isolation was assessed with respect to lipid peroxidation due to ROS (reactive oxygen species) generation by measuring malondialdehyde (MDA) production, and the damage to cell integrity using live/dead staining and quantitating with the use of flow cytometry and fluorescence microscopy.