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Electromagnetism and Life
Published in Andrew A. Marino, Modern Bioelectricity, 2020
Bioelectricity, defined broadly, is the study of the electromagnetic forces generated by living organisms, and the effects of external electromagnetic forces and fields upon living organisms. This new term is compounded of two Greek roots, and it is fitting that bios comes before elektron, since in the historical perspective most of the major turning points can be attributed to biological scientists motivated by a recognition of the deep uncertainties in their understanding of life. The history of bioelectricity can be divided into three epochs, the first and second separated by the monumental contributions of Galvani, the second divided from the third by the scientific explosion that accompanied the global conflict of World War II, which has led to our modern technological world.
Electrical stimulation of cells derived from muscle
Published in Ze Zhang, Mahmoud Rouabhia, Simon E. Moulton, Conductive Polymers, 2018
Anita F. Quigley, Justin L. Bourke, Robert M. I. Kapsa
Bioelectricity is the term used to describe the electrical currents and potentials produced by, or occurring within, living organisms. These currents and potentials are created by the flux and active transport of positively and negatively charged ions across biological membranes and through tissues. The first observation of bioelectricity predates any modern experimentation. The Egyptians made reference to electric fish, describing the strange properties of the electric eel and Nile catfish (Malapterurus electricus), on Egyptian murals (Howes 1984; Wu 1984). The Greek philosophers were also familiar with the electrical activity of the Mediterranean ray (Torpedo ocellata); it was recognized that certain kinds of fish had the ability to generate a force that could “stun.” This phenomenon was put to use by Scribonius Largus (court physician to the Roman emperor Claudius, ca. 47 AD), who advocated “piscine electrotherapy” for the relief of pain (Kane and Taub 1975; Kellaway 1946). However, it was in Galvani’s age that the knowledge of bioelectricity, as it is known today, was in its very beginnings. The phenomenon of bioelectricity and its effects on the movement of muscle was described by Galvani in De viribus electricitatis in motu musculari commentaries, whose experiments explore a direct relationship between electricity and tissue response. Galvani’s famous frog leg experiments on “bioelectricity” were performed at the University of Bologna (Italy). In these well-known experiments, he applied electrical impulses to the legs, making them twitch and jump, demonstrating what we now understand to be the electrical basis of nerve impulses and muscle contraction. In brief, the findings of Galvani were summarized as the discovery of an “animal electricity” that is produced within the body. As a result of these early experiments, Galvani was posthumously given the unofficial title of “father of bioelectricity.”
The History of Bioelectromagnetism
Published in Shoogo Ueno, Tsukasa Shigemitsu, Bioelectromagnetism, 2022
Tsukasa Shigemitsu, Shoogo Ueno, Masamichi Kato
Bioelectricity is a fundamental process of all living systems and is the study of electrical phenomena generated in living systems. The electrical phenomena include inherent properties of the cells, such as membrane potential, action potential, and propagation of the potential.
Effects of the bioelectrochemical technique on methane emission and energy recovery in constructed wetlands (CWs) and related biological mechanisms
Published in Environmental Technology, 2023
Ke Zhang, Xiangling Wu, Wei Wang, Hongbing Luo, Wei Chen, Jia Chen
Due to the enhanced performance of wastewater treatment and bioelectricity generation, bioelectrochemical systems’ (MFC and MEC) integrated constructed wetlands have gained a considerable amount of attention [34]. The enhancement of wastewater treatment and bioelectricity generation mainly emanated from the electron transfer or flow, particularly in anaerobic areas [33]. However, there are few studies on the influence of plant root location on the electrical performance in the CW-MFC system, and the references available are still very limited. Previous study showed that plant roots located at the anode could improve the electrical performance due to root exudates and other reasons [35]. In our study, it was found that when plant roots were located at the cathode, the role of plant in increasing electron donor is greater. The electron donors are conducive to improving the electrical performance [29]. However, at present, both CW and CW-MFC have low power generation, which is difficult to be applied in engineering. Inadequate electron transfer may be one of the important reasons for the low efficiency of electricity generation. Therefore, further understanding the electron transfer between electrode-anode and cathode in CW-MFCs is essential to improve the development of this integrated technology.
Self-assisted wound healing using piezoelectric and triboelectric nanogenerators
Published in Science and Technology of Advanced Materials, 2022
Fu-Cheng Kao, Hsin-Hsuan Ho, Ping-Yeh Chiu, Ming-Kai Hsieh, Jen‐Chung Liao, Po-Liang Lai, Yu-Fen Huang, Min-Yan Dong, Tsung-Ting Tsai, Zong-Hong Lin
Increased awareness of the importance of bioelectricity has yielded the development of electrotherapy for wound healing acceleration, tissue regeneration, musculoskeletal condition improvement, and bone fracture recovery [14]. In particular, chronic, non-healing wounds such as diabetic foot ulcers and pathological scars have physical and psychological impacts on patients [15]. Wound contraction is a basic physiological healing mechanism that reduces such damage; however, poor contraction may decelerate wound healing [16]. Thus, the main goal of trauma treatment is to promote rapid restoration of the anatomical continuity of the skin. This is important because the skin fundamentally prevents infection from the external environment and maintains the homomorphism of the internal environment.
Identification of sugars as root exudates of the macrophyte species Juncus effusus and Philodendron cordatum in constructed wetland-microbial fuel cells during bioelectricity production
Published in Environmental Technology, 2022
Oscar Guadarrama-Pérez, Gabriela Eleonora Moeller-Chávez, Victoria Bustos-Terrones, Rosa Angélica Guillén-Garcés, Jesús Hernández-Romano, Martín Barragán-Trinidad, Edson Baltazar Estrada-Arriaga, Victor Hugo Guadarrama-Pérez
The qualitative identification by TLC of the species Juncus effusus and Philodendron cordatum determined that there are very dynamic and versatile rhizospheric conditions, considering that the exudates in the form of metabolites control part of the interactions between the root system and its environment. The new design of CW-MFC with descending flow and double chamber allowed knowing the concentrations of exudates in the rhizosphere. Chromatographic analysis by UHPLC showed the presence of GLU, GAL, SUC, and FRU in the secretions of both macrophytes at concentrations of 200–450 µg/L. The first species exuded a larger amount of carbohydrates due to its exuberant root density, despite the fact that Philodendron cordatum has a C4 photosynthetic pathway. The results exhorted that SUC and GLU are endogenous photosynthetic substrates with high affinity with the anodic biofilm, where the biodegradability was 45–65%. Therefore, sugars represent the electron donors used for the production of bioelectricity. The bioelectrochemical evaluation of the macrophytes determined that the amount of bioelectricity produced depends on the quality and quantity of the exudates discharged by the root systems into the rhizosphere, where the species Juncus effusus generated a larger amount of sugars, which reflected a greater bioelectrochemical performance in terms of voltage, power density, and electrode potentials.