Tricks and tracks in resource recovery from wastewater using bio-electrochemical systems (BES): A systematic review on recent advancements and future directions

Rapid industrialization and ameliorated lifestyle have vividly contributed to the release of huge quantity of wastewater into the environment. On the other hand, wastewater is enriched with resources like nutrients, metals, and chemicals that possess greater economic value. As a result, resource recovery from wastewater promoted ‘wastewater to wealth’ notion, thereby fostering the circular economy approach. In the recent years, bio-electrochemical systems (BES) emerged as versatile technology for simultaneous wastewater treatment and resource recovery. While the technology offers numerous advantages, its widespread commercial application has been hindered by challenges in scaling up, economical aspects, operational aspects, etc. Over the past few years, substantial efforts have been made to enhance the efficiency of electrode materials, choice of biocatalysts and design improvisations of BES. These improvements have significantly increased the performance efficiency of BES. Nevertheless, further enhancements are still necessary for BES to become economically viable. This review provides a comprehensive over view of recent developments in BES, with a particular focus on their resource recovery applications. The article covers fundamental concepts, various BES types, and the mechanisms underlying electron transfer, with a specific focus on their role in resource recovery from wastewater. Furthermore, the article delves into the challenges of scaling up BES for practical applications and provides in-depth insights into real-world applications of BES technology. The future potential of integrating phototrophic options into BES is also discussed to further enhance resource recovery and the production of value-added products

Crystal Structure of the Heteromolecular Chaperone, AscE-AscG, from the Type III Secretion System in Aeromonas hydrophila

10.1371/journal.pone.0019208PLoS ONE64

Identification and Structural Characterization of a New Three-Finger Toxin Hemachatoxin from Hemachatus haemachatus Venom

10.1371/journal.pone.0048112PLoS ONE710

Crystallization and preliminary X-ray diffraction analysis of hemextin A: a unique anticoagulant protein from Hemachatus haemachatus venom

Crystals of hemextin A, a three-finger toxin isolated and purified from African Ringhals cobra (H. haemachatus), are orthorhombic, space group P212121, with unit-cell parameters a = 49.27, b = 49.51, c = 57.87 Å, and diffract to 1.5 Å resolution

Cloning, expression, purification, crystallization and preliminary X-ray diffraction studies of a major group 7 allergen, Der f 7, from the dust mite Dermatophagoides farinae

ACTA CRYSTALLOGRAPHICA SECTION F-STRUCTURAL BIOLOGY COMMUNICATIONS67121612-161

Peripheral biomarkers for early detection of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases

Neurological disorders are found to be influencing the peripheral tissues outside CNS. Recent developments in biomarkers for CNS have emerged with various diagnostic and therapeutic shortcomings. The role of central biomarkers including CSF-based and molecular imaging-based probes are still unclear for early diagnosis of major neurological diseases. Current trends show that early detection of neurodegenerative diseases with non-invasive methods is a major focus of researchers, and the development of biomarkers aiming peripheral tissues is in demand. Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases are known for the progressive loss in neural structures or functions, including the neural death. Various dysfunctions of metabolic and biochemical pathways are associated with early occurrence of neuro-disorders in peripheral tissues including skin, blood cells, and eyes. This article reviews the peripheral biomarkers explored for early detection of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases including blood cells, skin fibroblast, proteomics, saliva, olfactory, stomach and colon, heart and peripheral nervous system, and others.Ministry of Education (MOE)Nanyang Technological UniversityAccepted versionThe authors (BG and PP) acknowledges The Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University MOE Start-Up Grant and MOE Tier-1 grants (2014-T1-001-229-1T1-04/14 and L0421160-1T1-06/15), Singapore

Misfolded protein linked strategies toward biomarker development for neurodegenerative diseases

The progressive loss of structure and function of neurons causes various neurodegenerative diseases which need to be examined using measurable indicators, known as biomarkers. Proteins are the building blocks for the cell and are essential as they participate in many processes in the cells. When biologically essential proteins are impaired, it leads to devastating consequences in humans and mammals among which the most prominent is neurodegenerative disease. Proteins conform to three-dimensional structures to enable their functions. Besides, some proteins have the tendency to form self-assembly structures. When these self-assembly proteins assume abnormal conformation, they accumulate and cause pathological conditions. The genetic and molecular origins of protein misfolding in association with their relationship with neurodegeneration and aging are being studied to better understand and develop treatments. Accumulations of these misfolded proteins form aggregates which is considered as the most prominent cause of many neurodegenerative diseases. This article reviews the misfolded proteins in various neurodegenerative diseases and analyzes the diverse aspects of protein misfolding as a potential agent of biomarkers with an approach for finding an inhibitor for misfolding.Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR)Nanyang Technological UniversityAuthor SK, PP, and BG like to acknowledge the support from Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University Start-Up Grant. KN likes to thank Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, Singapore, for funding. We would like to thank Ms. Suzanne Danley (Department of Orthopedics, West Virginia University) for editing the manuscript

Lineage-specific exosomes could override extracellular matrix mediated human mesenchymal stem cell differentiation

Lineage specification is an essential process in stem cell fate, tissue homeostasis and development. Microenvironmental cues provide direct and selective extrinsic signals to regulate lineage specification of stem cells. Microenvironmental milieu consists of two essential components, one being extracellular matrix (ECM) as the substratum, while the other being cell secreted exosomes and growth factors. ECM of differentiated cells modulates phenotypic expression of stem cells, while their exosomes contain phenotype specific instructive factors (miRNA, RNA and proteins) that control stem cell differentiation. This study demonstrates that osteoblasts-derived (Os-Exo) and adipocytes-derived (Ad-Exo) exosomes contain instructive factors that regulate the lineage specification of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs). Analyses of exosomes revealed the presence of transcription factors in the form of RNA and protein for osteoblasts (RUNX2 and OSX) and adipocytes (C/EBPα and PPARγ). In addition, several miRNAs reported to have osteogenic and adipogenic differentiation potentials are also identified in these exosomes. Kinetic and differentiation analyses indicate that both osteoblast and adipocyte exosomes augment ECM-mediated differentiation of hMSCs into the respective lineage. The combination of osteoblast/adipocyte ECM and exosomes turned-on the lineage specific gene expressions at earlier time points of differentiation compared to the respective ECM or exosomes administered individually. Interestingly, the hMSCs differentiated on osteoblast ECM with adipogenic exosomes showed expression of adipogenic lineage genes, while hMSCs differentiated on adipocyte ECM with osteoblast exosomes showed osteogenic lineage genes. Based on these observations, we conclude that exosomes might override the ECM mediated instructive signals during lineage specification of hMSC

Theranostic applications of nanoparticles in neurodegenerative disorders

The preeminent treatments for neurodegenerative disease are often unavailable due to the poor accessibility of therapeutic drugs. Moreover, the blood–brain barrier (BBB) effectively blocks the transfer of cells, particles and large molecules, ie, drugs, across the brain. The most important challenge in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases is the development of targeted drug delivery system. Theranostic strategies are known to combine therapeutic and diagnostic capabilities together. The aim of this review was to record the response to treatment and thereby improve drug safety. Nanotechnology offers a platform for designing and developing theranostic agents that can be used as an efficient nano-carrier system. This is achieved by the manipulation of some of the properties of nanoparticles (NPs), thereby enabling the attachment of suitable drugs onto their surface. The results provide revolutionary treatments by stimulation and thus interaction with targeted sites to promote physiological response with minimum side effects. This review is a brief discussion of the administration of drugs across the brain and the advantages of using NPs as an effective theranostic platform in the treatment of Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, epilepsy and Huntington’s disease.Published versio