Search Results (481)

With the progress of global aging, osteoporosis, as a systemic bone disease, has become an increasingly serious public health problem. Osteoporosis has an insidious onset, and the fractures it causes have a high rate of disability and mortality. Early diagnosis and intervention of the disease are particularly important. Currently, diagnostic methods for osteoporosis, such as dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), quantitative computed tomography (QCT), and bone turnover markers (BTM), all have their limitations. miRNA is a type of non-coding RNA that plays a role in the epigenetic regulation of gene expression. A large number of studies have shown that miRNA is involved in the formation and functional execution of osteoblasts. The differential expression of miRNA levels can effectively distinguish osteoporosis patients from normal individuals, and miRNA detection has the advantages of simple sample collection, non-invasive measurement, specificity for bone metabolism, correct correlation with standard techniques for bone remodeling analysis, and the ability to respond to the treatment of diseases affecting bone metabolism. This makes miRNAs potentially effective diagnostic markers for osteoporosis. This article aims to summarize our current understanding of miRNA regulation of osteoblast generation and function, and we will also discuss the potential value of these miRNAs as biomarkers for the diagnosis of osteoporosis. Full article

In the quest for cheap and abundant feedstocks for sustainable hydrogen production, glycerol is emerging as a cost-effective, promising liquid organic hydrogen-rich carrier (LOHC) that can be catalytically activated to produce hydrogen alongside valuable organic products. Selective catalytic acceptorless dehydrogenation of glycerol to lactate and hydrogen gas was achieved with a maximum turnover number (TON_max) of ca. 1600, using a pincer-type ruthenium(II) complex bearing a bis(aminophosphine)pyridine PN³P ligand as a homogeneous catalyst under moderate reaction conditions (24 h, 140 °C) in the presence of KOH as base. NMR experiments and DFT calculations provided insights into key steps of the catalytic process and the energetics of the proposed reaction pathway. Full article

Spontaneous plants are plants that occur in urban environments such as pavement gaps or cracks in walls without cultivation and are not remnants of historic native habitats. They are critical components of urban road green space vegetation, and their distribution is affected by multiple factors. Heavy traffic and frequent human disturbances on urban roads exacerbate exotic spontaneous plant invasions. Exploring the diversity of their distributions, adaptation mechanisms of these exotic plants and their relationship with native ones is vital for focused control of harmful invasives. Based on field surveys, this study analyzed the distribution of exotic spontaneous plants across habitat types, urbanization gradients and disturbance intensities in road green spaces, and their interactions with native counterparts. Our results indicated: (1) 425 spontaneous species were recorded (234 exotic, 191 native), with 71.8% cosmopolitan and 74.7% monotypic genera. (2) The spontaneous exotic plant community achieves extensive resource preemption by forming a structure dominated by a single super-dominant species (Setaria viridis) and characterized by a broader overall niche breadth. (3) Different habitats sustain a similar number of exotic spontaneous plant species (i.e., $\alpha$-diversity), but their species compositions are highly differentiated, with such differences driven almost entirely by species turnover. At the urban scale, spontaneous exotic plants adapt to regional environments with varying urbanization intensities by maintaining extensive similarity in community composition and making only extremely weak adjustments to the pattern of individual distribution among species. (4) The spontaneous plant community exhibits a pattern dominated by weak interspecific associations and random assemblages, where ecological interactions among species are weak, and the community structure is more consistent with the stochastic processes described by the Neutral Theory. At the regional environmental gradient scale, the diversity of spontaneous native and exotic plants exhibited coordinated variation. The study provides a scientific basis for urban biological invasion control and biodiversity management. Full article

The synergistic combination of the ruthenium-based tetranuclear dendrimer photosensitizer with the highly efficient water oxidation catalyst Ru(bda)(pic)₂ enables effective water oxidation under low-energy light irradiation in phosphate buffer 20 mM/acetonitrile 3% (pH 7). This study demonstrates that the integrated system can produce a significant amount of oxygen using visible light at wavelengths greater than 650 nm (up to 160 nmol), achieving quite good turnover number (3.5 × 10⁻³), high quantum yields (0.23) and enhanced stability. These results highlight the potential of this approach to efficiently drive solar water splitting for fuel production, even with low-energy illumination, thereby advancing the development of sustainable photochemical systems for solar energy conversion. Full article

Background/Objectives: Osteoporosis is highly prevalent and contributes substantially to morbidity and mortality, yet long-term concerns about pharmacologic therapies leave a major treatment gap. Soy isoflavones have been investigated as safer alternatives, but results across trials are inconsistent. A key unresolved issue is the equol-producer phenotype, the gut microbial ability to convert daidzein to S-equol, the most bioactive isoflavone metabolite, which may explain much of this variability. This narrative review synthesizes mechanistic, translational, and clinical evidence to clarify the potential skeletal relevance of S-equol. Methods: Literature was identified through PubMed and Scopus searches (January 2000–October 2025) for experimental, mechanistic, and clinical studies examining S-equol, estrogen receptor β (ERβ), and bone metabolism, with emphasis on equol-producing status, bone strength and bone microarchitecture. Results: S-equol acts as a high-affinity ERβ agonist with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties but lacks the carcinogenic or thrombotic risks linked to ERα activation. In estrogen-deficient rodent models, S-equol improves trabecular bone volume by 10–20%, increases trabecular number, and enhances biomechanical strength. These findings align with preclinical evidence demonstrating that S-equol preserves trabecular microarchitecture, enhances bone strength, and reduces bone turnover. A limited number of human trials show reductions in bone resorption by 20% at a daily dose of 10 mg S-equol. In contrast, trials of soy isoflavones in humans have produced inconsistent findings, partly because of substantial variability in equol-producer phenotype among participants and the reliance on dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, which cannot distinguish trabecular from cortical compartments. Advanced bone imaging and microbiome-informed approaches enable the precise evaluation of S-equol’s skeletal effects on trabecular bone and cortical bone, separately. Conclusions: S-equol represents a promising model for “precision nutrition,” where microbiome, hormonal, and host factors converge with potential to prevent age-related bone fragility. Rigorous trials that integrate microbiome phenotyping and advanced imaging are needed to validate this approach, translate mechanistic promise into clinical benefit, and better define safety. Full article

Bike-sharing services contribute to reducing emissions and conserving natural resources within urban transportation systems. They also promote public health by encouraging physical activity and generate economic benefits through shorter travel times, lower transportation costs, and decreased demand for parking infrastructure. This paper examines the use of shared micro-mobility services in the Italian cities of Florence and Bologna, based on an analysis of GPS origin–destination data and associated temporal coordinates provided by the RideMovi company. Given the still-limited number of studies on free-floating and electric-scooter-sharing systems, the objective of this work is to quantify the performance of electric bikes and e-scooters in bike-sharing schemes and compare it to traditional, muscular bikes. Trips were reconstructed starting from GPS data of origin and destination of the trip with a shortest path criteria that considers the availability of bike lanes. Results show that e-bikes are from 22 to 26% faster on average with respect to muscular bikes, extending trip range in Bologna but not in Florence. Electric modes attract more users than traditional bikes, e-bikes have from 40 to 128% higher daily turnover in Bologna and Florence and e-scooters from 33 to 62% higher in Florence with respect to traditional bikes. Overall, turnover is fairly low, with less than two trips per vehicle per day. The performance is measured in terms of trip duration, speed, and distance. Further characteristics such as daily turnover by transport mode are investigated and compared. Finally, spatial analysis was conducted to observe demand asymmetries in the two case studies. The results aim to support planners and operators in designing and managing more efficient and user-oriented services. Full article

This study describes a series of water-soluble half-sandwich ruthenium(II), rhodium(III), and iridium(III) complexes with α-diimine ligands containing substituted aromatic groups. These ligands were derived from glyoxal and 2-aminophenol (a), 4-methyl-2-aminophenol (b), 4-aminophenol (c), phenyl hydrazine (d), and 1-aminonaphthalene (e). The ruthenium(II) (1b–1e), rhodium(III) (2a–2c, 2e), and iridium(III) complexes (3a–3e) were obtained by reacting the ligands (a–e) with the corresponding dimeric precursor [(η⁶-p-cym)RuCl₂]₂ (p-cym = p-cymene) or [(η⁵-Cp*)MCl₂]₂ (Cp* = pentamethylcyclopentadienyl, M = Rh, Ir) in air and under nonanhydro conditions. The air-stable and water-soluble ruthenium(II), rhodium(III), and iridium(III) complexes were characterized via nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and electrospray ionization–mass spectrometry. The structures of complexes [(η⁶-p-cym)Ru(d)Cl]Cl, 1d; [(η⁵-Cp*)Ir(a)Cl]Cl, 3a; and [(η⁵-Cp*)Ir(c)Cl]Cl, 3c were determined via single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Additionally, the complexes exhibited catalytic activity as precatalysts in formic acid decomposition. Complex [(η⁵-Cp*)Ir(d)Cl]Cl, 3d achieved turnover number (TON) and turnover frequency (TOF) values of up to 2150 and 3861 h⁻¹, respectively, at short reaction times. In the hydrogenation of carbon dioxide, [(η⁶-p-cym)Ru(e)Cl]Cl, 1e attained TON and TOF values of up to 1385 and 69.25 h⁻¹, respectively. Full article

Corncob residues, an abundant but underutilized organic resource in Northeast Asia, offer substantial potential for improving soil health and plant productivity. This study investigates the effects of corncob returning on soil physicochemical properties, microbial processes, and the performance of Eleutherococcus sessiliflorus in a cold–temperate region (Jilin Province, China). The treatments included no-amendment control (CK), corncob incorporation (CI), and corncob mulching (CM). Corncob returning significantly increased soil organic carbon, moisture content, and the availability of N–P–K, while reducing soil bulk density, thus improving soil structure and nutrient availability. Both CI and CM treatments enhanced microbial biomass C, N, and P, as well as nutrient-cycling enzyme activities (β-glucosidase, urease, and alkaline phosphatase), accelerating C–N–P turnover in the rhizosphere. These improvements resulted in enhanced plant nutrient status and significant gains in biomass, with plant height and fruit number increasing by up to 44% and 136%, respectively. Multivariate analysis and PLS-SEM revealed that soil improvements strongly stimulated enzyme activity (path coefficient = 0.956), and enhances the microbial niche, thereby promoting plant traits through nutrient release (enzyme → plant path coefficient = 0.694). Microbial functional activity, rather than microbial richness, plays a more crucial role in plant growth promotion. Collectively, these findings underscore that corncob returning improves E. sessiliflorus performance through a soil biochemical activation pathway mediated by microbial metabolism and enzymatic nutrient release. This study provides strong evidence supporting corncob recycling as a cost-effective, environmentally sustainable approach for improving medicinal plant production and advancing circular agriculture in cold-region ecosystems. Full article

Background/Objectives: Emergency healthcare professionals are continually exposed to high clinical and organizational demands that compromise their mental, physical, and occupational health. This systematic review and meta-analysis examined the prevalence and interrelations of biopsychosocial and work-related health outcomes among emergency personnel, providing an integrated synthesis of recent empirical evidence. Methods: A systematic search of PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and CINAHL identified 6214 records, of which 50 studies met inclusion criteria and were analyzed (total n = 278,000 emergency professionals). Eligible studies (2020–2025) evaluated biopsychosocial outcomes (burnout, depression, stress, resilience, sleep quality) and occupational indicators (workplace violence, job satisfaction, effort-reward imbalance, engagement, turnover intention). Meta-analyses were conducted using random-effects models (DerSimonian-Laird method), producing pooled prevalence estimates for each outcome based on the number of studies that reported the corresponding variable. Risk of bias was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute tools, with most studies rated as moderate-to-high quality. Results: Pooled estimates showed fair self-perceived health in 44.0%, severe burnout in 10.7%, depressive symptoms in 35.1%, moderate-to-severe stress in 74.6%, and poor sleep quality in 40.1% of staff. Workplace violence affected 76.9% of professionals. Job satisfaction averaged 68.1%, turnover intention 62.1%, and effort-reward imbalance 61.9%. Resilience was predominantly moderate (33.9%). Considerable heterogeneity was observed; however, patterns were consistent across regions and professional roles. Conclusions: Emergency healthcare personnel face substantial biopsychosocial strain and occupational risks, driven by persistent structural pressures. Health systems should implement integrated organizational strategies to reduce violence, enhance psychological support, ensure safe staffing, and protect rest and recovery. Improving staff well-being is essential for maintaining a resilient and effective emergency care workforce. Full article

The selective decomposition of formic acid to hydrogen gas represents a highly promising strategy for sustainable energy production. The influence of solvent effects on the selective decomposition of formic acid into H₂ and CO₂ or H₂O and CO was investigated. A variety of solvents, including polar protic solvents (e.g., water, ethanol, methanol), polar aprotic solvents (e.g., tetrahydrofuran, dimethyl sulfoxide), and ionic liquids, were employed in conjunction with a 5 wt% Pd/C catalyst. The yield of formic acid decomposition and the turnover number (TON) were found to be dependent on the choice of solvent. To elucidate the solvent effects, classical solvent parameters and Kamlet–Taft solvatochromic parameters were studied. The study revealed correlations between the TON and the solubility of hydrogen, Kamlet–Taft parameters (acidity, basicity, and polarity/dipolarity), hydrogen bond donor (HBD) capability, and hydrogen bond acceptor (HBA) capacity. The solvent identity was found to play a dominant role in both the polarity/dipolarity and the catalytic mechanism of formic acid decomposition. Full article

This study analyzed the spatial patterns of species composition and biodiversity according to elevation on Mt. Gyebangsan, a representative protected ecosystem and the national park in Korea. Based on existing vegetation survey data, differences in species composition heterogeneity according to elevation were verified using non-metric multidimensional scaling and multi-response permutation procedure analyses. Significant differences were identified using the Sørensen distance measure. Zeta (ζ)-diversity was analyzed based on the number of shared species among habitats to quantitatively interpret the structural characteristics of biodiversity along the altitudinal gradient. The analysis revealed that the understory species composition became increasingly distinct and alpha-diversity increased with elevation. High-elevation areas (A3, A4) experienced frequent physical disturbances, including wind damage and limited moisture, resulting in active canopy openings. Consequently, rhizomatous species, including Sasa borealis rapidly covered the ground, influencing the understory vegetation structure. ζ-Diversity analysis showed that the ζ-ratio in high-elevation regions sharply declined with increasing ζ-order, indicating limited species overlap among habitats and the dominance of deterministic processes. Thus, altitudinal gradients represent a key factor in shaping biodiversity, indicating that climatic variables directly affect understory distribution and species turnover. This study quantitatively assessed biodiversity and ecological heterogeneity within the national park, providing a scientific foundation for biodiversity conservation and management. Full article

The pathological loss of nuclear TDP-43 is a hallmark of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD), leading to extensive alterations in RNA metabolism and a broad number of neuronal transcripts. However, the key effectors linking TDP-43 dysfunction to synaptic defects remain unclear. In this study, using Drosophila and human iPSC-derived motoneurons, we identify Rab4 as a direct and conserved target of TDP-43, whose expression is necessary and sufficient to recover synaptic vesicle recycling, neuromuscular junction growth, and locomotor function in TDP-43-deficient motoneurons. Moreover, Rab4 activity promotes the presynaptic recruitment of futsch/MAP1B, a microtubule-associated protein also regulated by TDP-43, which autonomously supports synaptic growth and vesicle turnover. Together, these findings define a TDP-43/Rab4/futsch/MAP1B regulatory axis that couples endosomal dynamics to cytoskeletal assembly. Furthermore, this functionally coherent module provides a mechanistic basis for understanding how synaptic vulnerability is amplified in disease and offers a framework to identify key compensatory targets capable of sustaining neuronal function in the absence of TDP-43. Full article

The corporate finance field is inherently engaging, with a strong focus on factors influencing various performance indicators. This study analyzes 66 companies from the Information and Technology sector, all part of the Standard and Poor’s 500 index, over a 22-year period from 2003 to 2024. I applied linear, nonlinear, and interaction-variable models to identify the causal relationship between profitability and key influencing factors. The results reveal that firm size, sales growth rate, current ratio, long-term debt to total capital, free cash flow, asset turnover, receivable turnover, number of board meetings, percentage of women on the board, CEO age, audit committee independence, the presence of compensation and nomination committees, and a pandemic dummy variable all had positive effects on performance. In contrast, firm age, dividend payout ratio, effective tax rate, board size, CEO duality, and the presence of a corporate social responsibility committee negatively impacted firm performance. This research also explores corporate governance by evaluating the role of regulations and internal policies designed to promote financial transparency and protect shareholders’ interests. Additionally, it highlights the importance of board independence, the effectiveness of specialized committees, and the role of ethical leadership in driving long-term corporate success. Full article

The photocatalytic reduction of carbon dioxide (CO₂) into energy-dense fuels using visible light provides a sustainable approach for solar-to-chemical energy transformation. Among the diverse metal molecular systems developed, ruthenium (II) (Ru(II)) complexes have emerged as promising catalysts due to their superior redox properties, strong visible light absorption, and customizable ligand structures. This review explores recent advances in Ru(II)-catalyzed CO₂ photoreduction, with particular attention given to catalyst design strategies, mechanistic pathways, and system integration methodologies. Key configurations, including photosensitizer/catalyst (PS/Cat) mixed systems, covalently bonded dyads, and hybrid/supramolecular frameworks, are evaluated in terms of efficiency, turnover numbers (TON), and selectivity. A critical analysis of challenges such as competing H₂ generation, inefficient charge transfer, and limited long-term stability is presented. Emerging trends toward the use of pincer ligands, transition metal integration, and self-photosensitizing frameworks are discussed as potential approaches for improving efficiency. Overall, this review offers insights into the structural and mechanistic features driving CO₂ photoreduction and provides perspectives for the rational design of next-generation Ru-based photocatalytic systems for efficient solar CO₂ conversion and the photocatalytic reduction of carbon dioxide (CO₂) into energy-dense fuels using visible light. Full article

After a period of pure governmental space activities, financed by public money, space has become a commercial business with an estimated turnover of 660 billion USD in 2024 and an expected growth of more than 1.5 trillion USD by 2035. Space activities have transferred from national prestige motives to entrepreneurial business motives. This process has been accelerated considerably with what we presently label as the New Space era. Indeed, since the year 2000, we have witnessed a number of changes in space launch approaches as well as a growing number of smallsats, CubeSats, and satellite constellations in Low Earth Orbit. As a result of these space activities becoming affordable to a large range of countries and, at present, having an important effect on STEM education and capacity building particularly in emerging space nations, there is a need to prepare the future workforce for an economy which will considerably be driven by space-based communications and applications. Indeed, there is no reason why countries, over and beyond the traditional major spacefaring nations, should not prepare for this space business era by becoming active players themselves. Various international initiatives such as the US-led Artemis and the Chinese-led ILRS initiatives support this venue and could become a strong catalyst, but an important element is to have a national space strategy implemented stepwise. A template on how to establish such a strategy is provided in this article. A discussion will analyze the rationale and arguments for emerging space nations to become part of this development, suggesting a number of further studies to enhance this approach. Full article