Human Breast Milk-Derived Extracellular Vesicles Enhance Osteoblast Activation via BMP2/MAPK Signaling Pathways.

Human breast milk-derived extracellular vesicles (HMEVs) have various physiological functions, including immune regulation, cell regeneration, and inflammation suppression, as well as potential therapeutic applications; however, research on the role of HMEVs in bone growth and bone remodeling is insufficient. This study examined the effects of extracellular vesicles derived from human breast milk on osteoblast differentiation and mineralization and elucidated their role in the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis. The study's results showed that HMEVs significantly enhance osteoblast proliferation, differentiation, and mineralization, as confirmed by increased expression of proteins and genes related to bone formation.

Effects of Annealing Temperature on the Oxygen Evolution Reaction Activity of Copper-Cobalt Oxide Nanosheets.

Developing high performance, highly stable, and low-cost electrodes for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is challenging in water electrolysis technology. However, Ir- and Ru-based OER catalysts with high OER efficiency are difficult to commercialize as precious metal-based catalysts. Therefore, the study of OER catalysts, which are replaced by non-precious metals and have high activity and stability, are necessary.

Bifunctional hydrous RuO nanocluster electrocatalyst embedded in carbon matrix for efficient and durable operation of rechargeable zinc-air batteries.

Ruthenium oxide (RuO) is the best oxygen evolution reaction (OER) electrocatalyst. Herein, we demonstrated that RuO can be also efficiently used as an oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) electrocatalyst, thereby serving as a bifunctional material for rechargeable Zn-air batteries. We found two forms of RuO (i.

Conductivity-Dependent Completion of Oxygen Reduction on Oxide Catalysts.

The electric conductivity-dependence of the number of electrons transferred during the oxygen reduction reaction is presented. Intensive properties, such as the number of electrons transferred, are difficult to be considered conductivity-dependent. Four different perovskite oxide catalysts of different conductivities were investigated with varying carbon contents.

Sanitizing Effect of Ethanol Against Biofilms Formed by Three Gram-Negative Pathogenic Bacteria.

Sanitizing effect of ethanol on a Yersinia enterocolitica biofilm was evaluated in terms of biomass removal and bactericidal activity. We found that 40 % ethanol was most effective for biofilm biomass removal; however, no significant difference was observed in bactericidal activity between treatment with 40 and 70 % ethanol. This unexpected low ethanol concentration requirement for biomass removal was confirmed using biofilms of two additional pathogenic bacteria, Aeromonas hydrophila and Xanthomonas oryzae.

Conducting polymer-skinned electroactive materials of lithium-ion batteries: ready for monocomponent electrodes without additional binders and conductive agents.

Rapid growth of mobile and even wearable electronics is in pursuit of high-energy-density lithium-ion batteries. One simple and facile way to achieve this goal is the elimination of nonelectroactive components of electrodes such as binders and conductive agents. Here, we present a new concept of monocomponent electrodes comprising solely electroactive materials that are wrapped with an insignificant amount (less than 0.

Doubling the capacity of lithium manganese oxide spinel by a flexible skinny graphitic layer.

By coating nanoparticular lithium manganese oxide (LMO) spinel with a few layers of graphitic basal planes, the capacity of the material reached up to 220 mA h g(-1) at a cutoff voltage of 2.5 V. The graphitic layers 1) provided a facile electron-transfer highway without hindering ion access and, more interestingly, 2) stabilized the structural distortion at the 3 V region reaction.

An inter-tangled network of redox-active and conducting polymers as a cathode for ultrafast rechargeable batteries.

A 1D organic redox-active material is combined with another 1D conductive material for rechargeable batteries. Poly(vinyl carbazole) (or PVK) and poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) doped with poly(styrenesulfonate) (or PEDOT:PSS) are used as the redox-active and conductive 1D materials, respectively. Due to their extremely anisotropic geometry, the two polymers are expected to be inter-tangled with each other, showing a kinetically ideal model system in which each redox-active moiety of PVK is supposed to be directly connected with the conducting pathways of PEDOT:PSS.

Edge-exfoliated graphites for facile kinetics of delithiation.

As high rate charge and discharge characteristics of energy storage devices become more important with the market of electric vehicles intensively growing, the kinetics of lithiation or delithiation of electrode materials for lithium ion batteries require enhancement. Graphites, the most widely used anode materials, have a limited power density at high discharge rates, while their alternatives, such as silicon and transition metal oxides, show even inferior rate capability. This work was motivated from an idea of what if the edge opening of graphite was zipped more open to lithium ions in the electrolyte.