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Accumulating data support a crucial role of gut microbiota in Parkinson's disease (PD). However, gut microbiota vary with age and, thus, will affect PD in an age-dependent, but unknown manner. We examined the effects of fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) pretreatment, using fecal microbiota from young (7 weeks) or aged mice (23 months), on MPTP-induced PD model. Motor function, pathological changes, striatal neurotransmitters, neuroinflammation, gut inflammation and gut permeability were examined. Gut microbiota composition and metabolites, namely short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), were analyzed. Neurogenesis was also evaluated by measuring the number of doublecortin-positive (DCX+) neurons and Ki67-positive (Ki67+) cells in the hippocampus. Expression of Cd133 mRNA, a cellular stemness marker, in the hippocampus was also examined. Mice who received FMT from young mice showed MPTP-induced motor dysfunction, and reduction of striatal dopamine (DA), dopaminergic neurons and striatal tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) levels. Interestingly and unexpectedly, mice that received FMT from aged mice showed recovery of motor function and rescue of dopaminergic neurons and striatal 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), as well as decreased DA metabolism after MPTP challenge. Further, they showed improved metabolic profiling and a decreased amount of fecal SCFAs. High-throughput sequencing revealed that FMT remarkably reshaped the gut microbiota of recipient mice. For instance, levels of genus Akkermansia and Candidatus Saccharimonas were elevated in fecal samples of recipient mice receiving aged microbiota (AM + MPTP mice) than YM + MPTP mice. Intriguingly, both young microbiota and aged microbiota had no effect on neuroinflammation, gut inflammation or gut permeability. Notably, AM + MPTP mice showed a marked increase in DCX+ neurons, as well as Ki67+ cells and Cd133 expression in the hippocampal dentate gyrus (DG) compared to YM + MPTP mice. These results suggest that FMT from aged mice augments neurogenesis, improves motor function and restores dopaminergic neurons and neurotransmitters in PD model mice, possibly through increasing neurogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Silica is a main component of cordierite ceramic, in the present work, industrial solid waste was used as main silica source to prepare porous planar cordierite membranes by a solid-phase sintering process with starch as pore-forming agent. It is shown that the concentration of starch plays a critical role in the pore structure and mechanical property and the cordierite membranes with a starch concentration of 40 wt% (M-40) have a desirable pore structure and flexural strength after sintering at 1300 °C for 5 h. After grafted with 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorooctyltriethoxysilane (FAS, C 8), the ceramic membranes were used for desalination by vacuum membrane distillation (VMD). The results show that the membranes(M-40) possess an average flux of 11.43 kg/m2 h, a high salt rejection of 99.9% under the following operation conditions: a NaCl concentration of 3.5 wt%, a feed rate of 300 ml/min and a temperature of 80 °C. After desalination for 120 h, the water contact angle decreases to 130°. The cordierite membranes exhibit poor resistance to thermal acid/alkali solution(boiling, pH = 1 and 14, respectively, soaked for 8 h) but excellent resistance to ambient temperature acid/alkali solution (25 °C, pH = 1 and 14, respectively, soaked for 120 h). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The opening location plays an important role of buildings’ environment and natural ventilation effectiveness. Present research investigated three categories of ventilation configurations: single-sided ventilation with an opening on the windward wall; single-sided ventilation with an opening on the leeward wall and cross ventilation with two openings. The velocity distribution and pressure distribution as well as the pressure coefficient are presented to analyze the representative fluid dynamic characteristics of these three configurations. Numerical results indicate that cross ventilation could achieve the best ventilation performance, and the situation for opening on the leeward wall is better than that on the windward wall. According to these results, the study gives some guidance for building design on natural ventilation and provides some useful ideas as well as approach and methodology for the development of energy-efficient buildings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, sex-controlled breeding has emerged as an effective strategy to enhance the yields of economic animals with different growth characteristics, while increasing the economic benefits of aquaculture. It is known that the NF-κB pathway participates in gonadal differentiation and reproduction. Therefore, we used the large-scale loach as a research model for the present study and selected an effective inhibitor of the NF-κB signaling pathway (QNZ). This, to investigates the impacts of the NF-κB signaling pathway on gonadal differentiation during a critical period of gonad development and after maturation. Simultaneously, the sex ratio bias and the reproductive capacities of adult fish were analyzed. Our results indicated that the inhibition of the NF-κB signaling pathway influenced the expression of genes related to gonad development, regulated the gene expression related to the brain-gonad-liver axis of juvenile loaches, and finally impacted the gonadal differentiation of the large-scale loach and promoted a male-biased sex ratio. Meanwhile, high QNZ concentrations affected the reproductive abilities of adult loaches and inhibited the growth performance of offspring. Thus, our results deepened the exploration of sex control in fish and provided a certain research basis for the sustainable development of the aquaculture industry. [Display omitted] • The inhibition of NF-κB pathway plays a role in the critical period of gonad differentiation and after gonad maturation. • The inhibition of NF-κB pathway results in the disorder of brain-gonad-liver axis in juvenile large-scale loaches. • The inhibition of NF-κB pathway leads to the male bias of sex ratio in Paramisgurnus dabryanus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The solubility of lutein (Lut) was improved through the construction of encapsulated nanoparticles using rice protein hydrolysates (RPH) as nanocarriers. The effects of rice protein (RP) with three different degrees of hydrolysis (DH) including low (2%), medium (4%) and high (8%), with RPH protein concentrations (1, 2, 5 and 10 mg/mL) and Lut levels (0.25–1.5 mg/mL) on the preparation of Lut-RPH were studied using an antisolvent method. Particle size, ζ-potential, loading content (LC), encapsulation efficiency (EE) and morphology were analysed to characterize Lut-RPH. The interaction mechanism between Lut and RPH was also investigated. The EE of Lut nanoparticles encapsulated using RPH with three DH were 94.1, 89.8 and 90.5%, respectively, while LC was 23.5, 22.4 and 22.6%, respectively. The interaction between Lut and RPH suggested that the RPH fluorescence was gradually quenched by the addition of Lut in a dose-dependent manner. The higher binding constants K a and more binding sites of Lut-RPH than that of Lut-RP suggested there was a strong binding force between RPH and Lut. These experiments confirmed the sucess of the green and safe Lut-RPH process, which will provide important information for the future application of Lut in nutritional fortified foods, supplements and drug delivery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Activation of NLRP3 inflammasome plays a key role in cardiac dysfunction for acute myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury. Scutellarin (Scu) is a flavonoid purified from Erigeron breviscapus. Whether Scu has any influence on the activation of NLRP3 inflammasome in cardiomyocytes remains unknown.Purpose: We aimed to examine the therapeutic effect of Scu on cardiomyocyte ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury and its effect on NLRP3 inflammasome in rats with acute myocardial I/R injury and anoxia/reoxygenation (A/R)-induced H9c2 injuries.Methods: Heart injuries were induced through 30 min of ischemia followed by 24 h of reperfusion. Scu was intraperitoneally administered 15 min before vascular ligation. Effects of Scu on cardiac injury were detected by echocardiograms, TTC staining, and histological and immunohistochemical analyses. The effects of Scu on biochemical parameters were analyzed. H9c2 cells were pretreated with different concentrations of Scu for 6 h before A/R exposure. Afterward, cell viability, LDH release, and Hoechst 33342 and peromide iodine double staining were determined. Western blot analyses of proteins, including those involved in autophagy, NLRP3, mTOR complex 1 (mTORC1), and Akt signaling, were conducted.Results: In vivo study revealed that Scu improved diastolic dysfunction, ameliorated myocardium structure abnormality, inhibited myocyte apoptosis and inflammatory response, and promoted autophagy. Scu reduced NLRP3 inflammasome activation, inhibited mTORC1 activity, and increased Akt phosphorylation. In vitro investigation showed the same results. The Scu-mediated NLRP3 inflammasome and mTORC1 inhibition and cardioprotection were abolished through the genetic silencing of Akt by siRNA.Conclusions: The cardioprotective effect of Scu was achieved through its anti-inflammatory effect. It suppressed the activation of NLRP3 inflammasome. In addition, inflammasome restriction by Scu was dependent on Akt activation and mTORC1 inhibition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We have demonstrated a passively Q-switched and mode-locked Nd:YVO4 laser with an intracavity composite semiconductor saturable absorber (ICSSA). Stable Q-switched and mode-locked pulses with Q-switched envelope pulse duration of 180ns and pulse repetition rate of 72KHz have been obtained. The maximum average output power was 1.45W at 8W incident pump power. The repetition rate of the mode-locked pulses inside the Q-switched envelope was 154MHz. Experimental results revealed that this ICSSA was suitable for Q-switched and mode-locked solid-state lasers. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A high-power continuous wave (cw) mode-locked Nd:YVO4 solid-state laser was demonstrated by use of a semiconductor absorber mirror (SAM). The maximum average output power was 8.1W and the optic-to-optic conversion efficiency was about 41%. At the maximum incident pump power, the pulse width was about 8.6ps and the repetition rate was 130MHz. Experimental results indicated that this absorber was suitable for high power mode-locked solid-state lasers. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• We presented the ring close packing structure for improving 808 nm broad-area top-emitting VCSEL performances. • A detailed theoretical analysis is conducted with the help of a thermoelectric model and far-field model. • The maximum power density of 3.73 kW/cm2, slope efficiency of 1.1 W/A have been realized. • Improved transverse-mode emission and stable temperature tolerance was achieved from experimental results. We report on the design and fabrication of high power density vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) with ring close packing structure (RCP) emitting at 808 nm. The RCP-VCSELs with a broad area of 100 μm in diameter contains seven-small-mesas sharing the same super-cavity, and the oxide-aperture diameters of each small mesa was 20 μm. A detailed theoretical analysis is conducted with the help of a thermoelectric model and far-field model. The current density distribution and temperature characteristics were improved. The RCP-VCSELs with maximum power density of 3.73 kW/cm2, slope efficiency of 1.1 W/A, and overall wall-plug efficiency (WPE) of 35% have been realized from the broad area of 100 μm in diameter. An improved transverse-mode emission performance featuring a low beam divergence of FWHM (3.3°) and a stable temperature tolerance of the studied device shows the potential of our approach. It is anticipated that this work will provide an effective strategy for the fabrication of high performance large-area VCSELs with good beam quality under ambient and harsh conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]