Probiotics intervention has been proposed as a feasible preventative approach against adverse health-related complications in infants. Nevertheless, the umbrella concept of probiotics has led to a ...massive application of probiotics in a range of products for promoting infant health, for which the strain-specificity, safety and efficacy findings associated with a specific probiotics strain are not clearly defined.
M-16V is a commonly used probiotic strain in infants. M-16V has been demonstrated to offer potential in protecting infants from developing the devastating necrotising enterocolitis (NEC) and allergic diseases. This review comprehends the potential beneficial effects of M-16V on infant health particularly in the prevention and treatment of premature birth complications and immune-mediated disorders in infants. Mechanistic studies supporting the use of M-16V implicated that M-16V is capable of promoting early gut microbial colonisation and may be involved in the regulation of immune balance and inflammatory response to protect high-risk infants from NEC and allergies. Summarised information on M-16V has provided conceptual proof of the use of M-16V as a potential probiotics candidate aimed at promoting infant health, particularly in the vulnerable preterm population.
The gut microbiota is involved in the pathogenesis of stress-related disorders. Probiotics can benefit the central nervous system via the microbiota-gut-brain axis, which raises the possibility that ...probiotics are effective in managing depression. In the present study, we examined the effects of heat-killed Lactobacillus helveticus strain MCC1848 in subchronic and mild social defeat stress (sCSDS) model mice (a widely used animal model of depression). MCC1848 supplementation significantly enhanced the interaction time in the social interaction test and sucrose preference ratio in the sucrose preference test, suggesting that MCC1848 improved anxiety- or depressive-like behaviors in sCSDS mice. The gene expression profile analysis of the nucleus accumbens, which plays an important role in stress resilience, indicated that MCC1848 ameliorated sCSDS-induced gene expression alterations in signal transduction or nervous system development. These findings suggest that MCC1848 supplementation is useful as a preventive strategy for chronic-stress-induced depression.
Overview of anti-anxiety or depressant-like effects of heat-killed L. helevticus MCC1848.
The electrocatalytic CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR) has been considered a promising route toward carbon neutrality and renewable energy conversion. At present, most bismuth (Bi) based ...electrocatalysts are adopted to reduce CO2 to formate (HCOOH). However, the mechanism of different Bi nanostructures on the electrocatalytic performance requires more detailed exposition. Herein, a combined chemical replacement and electrochemical reduction process is reported to realize in situ morphology reconstruction from Bi@Bi2O3 nanodendrites (Bi@Bi2O3‐NDs) to Bi nanoflowers (Bi‐NFs). The Bi@Bi2O3‐NDs are proven to undergo a two‐step transformation process to form Bi‐NFs, aided by Bi2O2CO3 as the intermediate in KHCO3 solution. Extensive surface reconstruction of Bi@Bi2O3‐NDs renders the realization of tailored Bi‐NFs electrocatalyst that maximize the number of exposed active sites and active component (Bi0), which is conducive to the adsorption and activation of CO2 and accelerated electron transfer process. The as‐prepared Bi‐NFs exhibit a Faradaic efficiency (FEformate) of 92.3% at −0.9 V versus RHE and a high partial current density of 28.5 mA cm−2 at −1.05 V versus RHE for the electroreduction of CO2 to HCOOH. Moreover, the reaction mechanism is comprehensively investigated by in situ Raman analysis, which confirms that *OCHO is a key intermediate for the formation of HCOOH.
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BFBNIB, FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
An atomic- and molecular-level understanding of heterogeneous catalysis is required to characterize the nature of active sites and improve the rational design of catalysts. Achieving this level of ...characterization requires techniques that can correlate catalytic performances to specific surface structures, so as to avoid averaging effects. Tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy combines scanning probe microscopy with plasmon-enhanced Raman scattering and provides simultaneous topographical and chemical information at the nano/atomic scale from ambient to ultrahigh-vacuum and electrochemical environments. Therefore, it has been used to monitor catalytic reactions and is proposed to correlate the local structure and function of heterogeneous catalysts. Bimetallic catalysts, such as Pd-Au, show superior performance in various catalytic reactions, but it has remained challenging to correlate structure and reactivity because of their structural complexity. Here, we show that TERS can chemically and spatially probe the site-specific chemical (electronic and catalytic) and physical (plasmonic) properties of an atomically well-defined Pd(sub-monolayer)/Au(111) bimetallic model catalyst at 3nm resolution in real space using phenyl isocyanide as a probe molecule (Fig. 1a). We observe a weakened NC bond and enhanced reactivity of phenyl isocyanide adsorbed at the Pd step edge compared with that at the Pd terrace. Density functional theory corroborates these observations by revealing a higher d-band electronic profile for the low-coordinated Pd step edge atoms. The 3nm spatial resolution we demonstrate here is the result of an enhanced electric field and distinct electronic properties at the step edges.
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IJS, NUK, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
Improving electrochemical activity of graphene is crucial for its various applications, which requires delicate control over its geometric and electronic structures. We demonstrate that precise ...control of the density of vacancy defects, introduced by Ar+ irradiation, can improve and finely tune the heterogeneous electron transfer (HET) rate of graphene. For reliable comparisons, we made patterns with different defect densities on a same single layer graphene sheet, which allows us to correlate defect density (via Raman spectroscopy) with HET rate (via scanning electrochemical microscopy) of graphene quantitatively, under exactly the same experimental conditions. By balancing the defect induced increase of density of states (DOS) and decrease of conductivity, the optimal HET rate is attained at a moderate defect density, which is in a critical state; that is, the whole graphene sheet becomes electronically activated and, meanwhile, maintains structural integrity. The improved electrochemical activity can be understood by a high DOS near the Fermi level of defective graphene, as revealed by ab initio simulation, which enlarges the overlap between the electronic states of graphene and the redox couple. The results are valuable to promote the performance of graphene-based electrochemical devices. Furthermore, our findings may serve as a guide to tailor the structure and properties of graphene and other ultrathin two-dimensional materials through defect density engineering.
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IJS, KILJ, NUK, PNG, UL, UM
Neovascular age-related macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy are prevalent causes of vision loss requiring frequent intravitreous injections of VEGF-neutralizing proteins, and ...under-treatment is common and problematic. Here we report incorporation of sunitinib, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor that blocks VEGF receptors, into a non-inflammatory biodegradable polymer to generate sunitinib microparticles specially formulated to self-aggregate into a depot. A single intravitreous injection of sunitinib microparticles potently suppresses choroidal neovascularization in mice for six months and in another model, blocks VEGF-induced leukostasis and retinal nonperfusion, which are associated with diabetic retinopathy progression. After intravitreous injection in rabbits, sunitinib microparticles self-aggregate into a depot that remains localized and maintains therapeutic levels of sunitinib in retinal pigmented epithelium/choroid and retina for more than six months. There is no intraocular inflammation or retinal toxicity. Intravitreous injection of sunitinib microparticles provides a promising approach to achieve sustained suppression of VEGF signaling and improve outcomes in patients with retinal vascular diseases.
Role of Neutrophils in Psoriasis Wang, Wen-Ming; Jin, Hong-Zhong
Journal of Immunology Research,
2020, Volume:
2020
Journal Article
Peer reviewed
Open access
Psoriasis is a common inflammatory disease that can involve the skin, joints, or both. The abnormalities of innate immunity play crucial roles in the pathogenesis of psoriasis. Neutrophils are the ...most abundant leukocytes in the circulation. Emerging evidences have demonstrated that neutrophils may play a role in autoimmune diseases. The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), the activity of neutrophils, and the number of NETotic cells were significantly higher in psoriasis patients compared to healthy controls. The number of low-density granulocytes (LDGs) in the blood of psoriasis patients was significantly higher than those in the control blood. Furthermore, neutrophils may play important roles in the cardiovascular risk in psoriasis. However, the exact role of neutrophils in psoriasis remains unclear. In this review, we highlight the role of neutrophils in the pathogenesis of psoriasis.
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DOBA, FZAB, GIS, IJS, IZUM, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Optical properties are among the most fascinating and useful properties of nanomaterials and have been extensively studied using a variety of optical spectroscopic techniques. A basic understanding ...of the optical properties and related spectroscopic techniques is essential for anyone who is interested in learning about nanomaterials of semiconductors, insulators or metal. This is partly because optical properties are intimately related to other properties and functionalities (e.g. electronic, magnetic, and thermal) that are of fundamental importance to many technological applications, such as energy conversion, chemical analysis, biomedicine, optoelectronics, communication, and radiation detection.
Summary
In this study, we characterized the role of an apple cytosolic malate dehydrogenase gene (MdcyMDH) in the tolerance to salt and cold stresses and investigated its regulation mechanism in ...stress tolerance. The MdcyMDH transcript was induced by mild cold and salt treatments, and MdcyMDH‐overexpressing apple plants possessed improved cold and salt tolerance compared to wild‐type (WT) plants. A digital gene expression tag profiling analysis revealed that MdcyMDH overexpression largely altered some biological processes, including hormone signal transduction, photosynthesis, citrate cycle and oxidation–reduction. Further experiments verified that MdcyMDH overexpression modified the mitochondrial and chloroplast metabolisms and elevated the level of reducing power, primarily caused by increased ascorbate and glutathione, as well as the increased ratios of ascorbate/dehydroascorbate and glutathione/glutathione disulphide, under normal and especially stress conditions. Concurrently, the transgenic plants produced a high H2O2 content, but a low O2·− production rate was observed compared to the WT plants. On the other hand, the transgenic plants accumulated more free and total salicylic acid (SA) than the WT plants under normal and stress conditions. Taken together, MdcyMDH conferred the transgenic apple plants a higher stress tolerance by producing more reductive redox states and increasing the SA level; MdcyMDH could serve as a target gene to genetically engineer salt‐ and cold‐tolerant trees.
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BFBNIB, DOBA, FZAB, GIS, IJS, IZUM, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Rechargeable magnesium batteries (RMBs) are attractive candidates for large‐scale energy storage owing to the high theoretical specific capacity, rich earth abundance, and good safety ...characteristics. However, the development of desirable cathode materials for RMBs is constrained by the high polarity and slow intercalation kinetics of Mg2+ ions. Herein, it is demonstrated that 2‐ethylhexylamine pillared vanadium disulfide nanoflowers (expanded VS2) with enlarged interlayer distances exhibit greatly boosted electrochemical performance as a cathode material in RMBs. Through a one‐step solution‐phase synthesis and in situ 2‐ethylhexylamine intercalation process, VS2 nanoflowers with ultralarge interlayer spacing are prepared. A series of ex situ characterizations verify that the cathode of expanded VS2 nanoflowers undergoes a reversible intercalation reaction mechanism, followed by a conversion reaction mechanism. Electrochemical kinetics analysis reveal a relatively fast Mg‐ion diffusivity of expanded VS2 nanoflowers in the order of 10−11–10−12 cm2 s−1, and the pseudocapacitive contribution is up to 64% for the total capacity at 1 mV s−1. The expanded VS2 nanoflowers show highly reversible discharge capacity (245 mAh g−1 at 100 mA g−1), good rate capability (103 mAh g−1 at 2000 mA g−1), and stable cycling performance (90 mAh g−1 after 600 cycles at 1000 mA g−1).
2‐Ethylhexylamine pillared VS2 nanoflowers with ultralarge interlayer spacing are prepared by a one‐pot solvothermal method with 2‐ethylhexylamine serving as the reaction medium and intercalant. The 2‐ethylhexylamine enlarges the ionic channels and shields the Coulombic interactions between active Mg species and hosts, boosting the ion transport. Moreover, the presence of 2‐ethylhexylamine as pillars is beneficial to the integrity of hosts, contributing to the long lifespan.
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FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
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