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The objective of this experiment was to develop a new computer-controlled simulated digestion system to predict the digestible energy (DE) and metabolizable energy (ME) of unconventional plant protein meals for growing pigs. Nine meals tested included 1 source of rapeseed meal, 4 sources of cottonseed meal, 2 sources of sunflower meal, and 2 sources of peanut meal. Twenty growing pigs (Duroc × [Landrace × Large White]) with an initial body weight (BW) of 41.7 ± 2.6 kg were allotted to a replicated 10 × 3 incomplete Latin square design to determine the DE and ME of 1 basal diet and 9 experimental diets formulated with 9 unconventional plant protein meals. The DE and ME values of unconventional plant protein meals were calculated by the difference method. The in vitro digestible energy (IVDE) of 1 basal diet, 9 experimental diets, and 9 unconventional plant protein meals were determined with 5 replicates of each sample in a complete randomized arrangement. The IVDE/DE or IVDE/ME ranged from 0.96 to 0.98 or 1.00 to 1.01, and the correlation coefficient between IVDE and DE or ME was 0.97 or 0.98 in 10 experimental diets. Accordingly, the IVDE/DE or IVDE/ME ranged from 0.86 to 1.05 or 0.96 to 1.20, and the correlation coefficient between IVDE and DE or ME was 0.92 or 0.91 in 9 unconventional plant protein meals. The coefficient of variation (CV) of IVDE was less than that of DE and ME in the experimental diets (0.43%, 0.80%, and 0.97% for CV of IVDE, DE and ME, respectively) and unconventional plant protein meals (0.92%, 4.84%, and 6.33% for CV of IVDE, DE and ME, respectively). The regression equations to predict DE from IVDE in 10 experimental diets and 9 unconventional plant protein meals were DE = 0.8851 × IVDE +539 (

The objectives of the present study were to synthesize gliadin/tremella polysaccharide nanoparticles (Gli/TP NPs) as well as curcumin-loaded gliadin/tremella polysaccharide nanoparticles (Cur-Gli/TP NPs) and evaluate the encapsulation efficiency (EE), physicochemical stability and bioaccessibility of Cur-Gli/TP NPs. The physicochemical properties of the nanoparticles depended on the mass ratio of Gli to TP and pH values. The characterization of the Gli/TP NPs indicated that the prepared nanoparticles were the most stable when the Gli/TP mass ratio was 1:1 and pH was at 4.0–7.0. Afterward, prepared Cur-Gli/TP NPs at different pH values were studied. Compared with the EE of Cur (58.2%) in Cur-Gli NPs at pH 5.0, the EE of Cur (90.6%) in Cur-Gli/TP NPs at pH 5.0 was increased by 32.4%. Besides, the Cur-Gli/TP NPs possessed excellent physical stability, photostability, thermal stability and re-dispersibility than Cur-Gli NPs. Furthermore, the bioaccessibility of Cur reached 83.5% after encapsulation of Cur into Gli/TP NPs after in vitro digestion, indicating that Cur-Gli/TP NPs could improve curcumin bioaccessibility significantly. In summary, this study demonstrates that the new food-grade Gli/TP NPs possess high encapsulation efficiency, excellent stability and prominent nutraceutical bioaccessibility. Meanwhile, it contributes to expanding the application of TP in food-grade delivery systems.

Based on the theory of first-order reaction kinetics, a thermal reaction kinetic model in integral form has been derive. To make the model more applicable, the effects of time and the conversion degree on the reaction rate parameters were considered. Two types of undetermined functions were used to compensate for the intrinsic variation of the reaction rate, and two types of correction methods are provided. The model was explained and verified using published experimental data of different polymer thermal reaction systems, and its effectiveness and wide adaptability were confirmed. For the given kinetic model, only one parameter needs to be determined. The proposed empirical model is expected to be used in the numerical simulation of polymer thermal reaction process.

Understanding the effect of curvature and topological frustration on self-assembly yields insight into the mechanistic details of the ordering of identical subunits in curved spaces, such as the assembly of viral capsids, growth of solid domains on vesicles, and the self-assembly of molecular monolayers. However, the self-assembly of nanoparticles with anisotropic surface topology and compartmentalization on curved surfaces remains elusive. By combining large-scale molecular simulations as well as theoretical analysis, we demonstrate here that the interplay among anisotropy, curvature, and chain conformation induces tethered Janus nanoparticles to self-assemble into diverse novel structures on a sphere, including binary nanocluster (CB), trinary nanocluster (CT), nanoribbon (RN) and hexagon with centered reverse (HR), which are mapped on a phase diagram related to the length asymmetry of tethered chains and Janus balance of the nanoparticles. The dynamical mechanism for the formation of these structure states is analyzed by examining the detailed kinetic pathways as well as free energy. We also show that the centered-reverse state is more prone to emerging around the topological defects, indicating the defect-enhanced entropy effect on a curved surface. Finally, the analytical model that rationalizes the regimes of these structure states is developed and fits simulations reasonably well, resulting in a mechanistic interpretation based on the order through entropy. Our findings shed light on curvature engineering as a versatile strategy to tailor the superstructures formed by anisotropic building blocks toward unique properties.

With the increasing maternal age and the use of assisted reproductive technology in various countries worldwide, the influence of epigenetic modification on embryonic development is increasingly notable and prominent. Epigenetic modification disorders caused by various nutritional imbalance would cause embryonic development abnormalities and even have an indelible impact on health in adulthood. In this scoping review, we summarize the main epigenetic modifications in mammals and the synergies among different epigenetic modifications, especially DNA methylation, histone acetylation, and histone methylation. We performed an in-depth analysis of the regulation of various epigenetic modifications on mammals from zygote formation to cleavage stage and blastocyst stage, and reviewed the modifications of key sites and their potential molecular mechanisms. In addition, we discuss the effects of nutrition (protein, lipids, and one-carbon metabolism) on epigenetic modification in embryos and emphasize the importance of various nutrients in embryonic development and epigenetics during pregnancy. Failures in epigenetic regulation have been implicated in mammalian and human early embryo loss and disease. With the use of reproductive technologies, it is becoming even more important to establish developmentally competent embryos. Therefore, it is essential to evaluate the extent to which embryos are sensitive to these epigenetic modifications and nutrition status. Understanding the epigenetic regulation of early embryo development will help us make better use of reproductive technologies and nutrition regulation to improve reproductive health in mammals.

When the lander approaches the lunar surface, the rocket exhaust will erode the surface and eject massive high-speed dust, which could damage the payloads on the lander or interfere with subsequent surface operations. This process also provides a unique opportunity to study the plume–dust interaction and the wind erosion on the surface of airless body such as the Moon. Previously, limited knowledge was obtained from Apollo landing images and a simplified erosion model is built to study the erosion process. With high-quality data acquired in the landing process of Chang’E-4 (CE-4) mission, for the first time, we aim to quantify the dust ejection angle and erosion depth for a low-thrust lander, test the effectiveness of the current erosion model, and provide reference information for future landing missions. We use image measurement methods to extract key parameters such as dust ejection angle and erosion depth from the landing image of CE-4. For comparison with the observation, we also employ an erosion model to estimate the erosion thickness. The dust appears at about 7 s before the lander touch the surface, with a height of 13 m above the surface. When the nozzle altitude was about 0.6 m, the dust ejection angle is measured to be above 7°, while the dust ejection angle calculated by the particle trajectory method is less than 4.3°for particle sizes smaller than 1 mm. For the first time, an average erosion depth of 0.7 cm is measured between 1.12 m and 2 m from the nozzle centerline for a low-thrust lander. The measurement corresponds to an erosion time duration from 1.1 s before landing to 0.4 s after landing. The measured erosion range using CE-4 data is much larger than the estimated erosion radius given by the previous erosion model. It indicates that the dust’s angular distribution, local topography of the landing area, and other factors are important in improving the precision of the erosion model.

This study aims to investigate tribological properties in a siliconized graphite (СГ-П-0.5) and hierarchically hybrid SiC/C composites at the load ranging from 10-40 ​N under dry air/water lubrication conditions. A feasible liquid silicon infiltration (LSI) was used to fabricate the SiC/C composites. Morphology and phase identification of two materials were characterized and analyzed by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS). An image feature extraction was used to post-process the data of wear test, further to gain the wear properties of the samples. The results demonstrated that a lower coefficient of friction (COF) and wear rate can be achieved in the LSI SiC composites than that in the sample of СГ-П-0.5. Both COF decreased under water-lubricated conditions, compared with that under the dry air lubrication. The excellent tribological properties in two materials can be due mainly to the microstructure of the СГ-П-0.5 sample, showing much more graphite and Si dispersed on the matrix. The СГ-П-0.5 sample indicated the typical oxidative wear mechanism, whereas, the sample of LSI SiC demonstrated the combined oxidative and fatigue wear. This finding can provide a promising new siliconized graphite materials for ceramic rolling bearings.

Based on the phase-field theory, we develop a unified lattice Boltzmann model for ternary flow, in which the miscibility between the three fluid components can be adjusted independently. Based on a modified free energy function, we derive the conservative phase-field equations using the gradient flow method. A generalized continuous surface tension force formulation is deduced by using the virtual work method. The wetting boundary condition is derived based on mass conservation law. The proposed model for ternary fluids is consistent with the binary-fluid models in the absence of one fluid. A lattice Boltzmann (LB) model is developed to solve the phase-field equations and hydrodynamic equations, and this model can deal with problems involving high density and viscosity contrasts. The proposed method is examined through several test cases. A layered Poiseuille flow and droplet coalescence problems are carried out to validate the present LB model. Several dynamic problems in ternary fluid problems involving a solid are simulated, including the wetting of two droplets on a circular cylinder and impacting of a multiphase droplet on a fixed particle. Finally, we apply the model to a three-dimensional multi-bubbles rising problem to access its numerical accuracy and stability.

Power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) of solution-processed organic solar cells (OSCs) have recently reached 17.4% (certified) for single-junction devices. Crucial to this advancement is the development of non-fullerene acceptors (NFAs) since 2015. The recent A-DAD-A NFAs have attracted widespread attention because of their ladder-type electron-deficient-core-based central fused ring with improved transport properties and optimum energy levels. With the synergistic effect of electron-deficient-core and specific molecular geometry, the A-DADA molecules could achieve low voltage losses and high current generation at the same time, reaching new regimes of device physics and photophysics. This perspective will discuss the voltage losses in state-of-the-art A-DAD-A NFA-based OSCs and propose new molecular design strategies to achieve PCEs over 20% in OSCs based on these new acceptors by further decreasing their total voltage losses. Funding Agencies|National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC)National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) [21875286]; National Key Research & Development Projects of China [2017YFA0206600]; Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars of Hunan ProvinceNational Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC)National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars [2017JJ1029]; Swedish Research Council VRSwedish Research Council [2018-06048]; Swedish Energy Agency EnergimyndighetenSwedish Energy Agency [2016-010174]; Stiftelsen For Strategisk Forskning through a Future Research Leader program [FFL18-0322]; NSERCNatural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada

We develop an efficient and accurate lattice Boltzmann model for dense suspended particles based on improved bounce-back. It is difficult to model flow with dense suspended particles because there are not enough fluid nodes surrounding each particle to apply many existing algorithms, and mass leakage due to interpolated bounce-back is more significant when dealing with many particles. We propose a new curved-boundary treatment and fresh-node initialization scheme, both of which are still effective when two particles get close to contact. We further propose a method to calculate the hydrodynamic interaction accurately when two solid particles get very close to each other without leaving any fluid node between their surfaces. An easy redistributing method is developed to fix mass leakage resulting from curved boundaries. To make the algorithm more stable, we combine implicit particle-velocity updating and Galilean-invariant momentum exchange. We validate the second-order accuracy of this curved-boundary method by channel flow, and other simulations are carried out to show that this model is more accurate and stable in dealing with particle particle interaction. Finally, simulations of magnetic particle flows are conducted to show that this model is suitable for dense suspended particles.

As a broad-spectrum tetracycline antibiotic, the overuse of oxytetracycline (OTC) causes antibiotics residues in the environment and seriously threats to human health owing to effective antibacterial properties. Thus, it is particularly important to design a photoelectrochemical (PEC) aptasensor to detect OTC with excellent performance. Herein, we developed a selective and stable PEC aptasensor of OTC on the basis of Co3O4 nanoparticles (Co3O4 NPs)/graphitic carbon nitride (g-CN) heterojunction, used as PEC active materials. The Co3O4 NPs were successfully grown on the g-CN via grinding and calcining mixture of Co3O4 precursors and bulk g-CN. The Co3O4/g-CN heterojunction with improved light utilization and promoted electrons/holes separation capability can exhibit higher PEC signal than that of g-CN. In order to implement the purpose of specific recognition, OTC-aptamer was introduced into modified electrode to construct highly selective PEC aptasensor for OTC determination, which can possess wide linear range (0.01–500 nM) with low detection limit (3.5 pM, S/N = 3). This PEC aptasensor platform with excellent selectivity and high stability can provide a practical application in the field of water monitoring.

Eosinophils are a major cause of tissue injury in allergic conjunctivitis. The biological nature of eosinophils in the conjunctiva and the mechanisms that control eosinophils' responses in allergic conjunctivitis are currently not completely understood. This study reports that conjunctival eosinophils comprise two populations-Siglec-Fint and Siglec-Fhi-in different life stages. Siglec-Fint eosinophils partly expressed CD34 and were in the immature (or steady) state. Siglec-Fhi eosinophils did not express CD34, sharply increased in number after short ragweed (SRW) pollen challenge, and were in the mature (or activated) state. Moreover, chemical sympathectomy by 6-hydroxydopamine reduced the recruitment and activation of eosinophils, whereas the activation of the sympathetic nerve system (SNS) with restraint stress accelerated the recruitment and activation of eosinophils in SRW-induced conjunctivitis. It was also found that two eosinophil populations expressed alpha-1a-adrenergic receptors (α1a-ARs); in SRW-induced conjunctivitis, treatment with an α1a-AR antagonist decreased eosinophil responses, whereas treatment with an α1a-AR agonist aggravated eosinophil responses. Thus, eosinophil responses in conjunctivitis are regulated by the SNS via α1a-AR signaling. SNS inputs or α1a-AR function may be potential targets for the treatment of allergic conjunctivitis.

Background Asian women usually view the oval face, with a beautiful curve and clear outline, as elegant. The fat and bloated mid-lower face, with an undefined outline, takes away from what they perceive to be a beautiful appearance. Not only a bone but also soft tissue determine the shape of the mid-lower face. In this article, we introduce a modified surgical method of soft tissue for mid-lower facial recontouring, which can improve the fat and undefined outline of the mid-lower face caused by benign masseter muscle hypertrophy and reduce subcutaneous fat accumulation at the same time. The operative technique is simple and effective with few complications. Methods The surgical treatment of 36 patients who met the adaptation criteria was carried out by laser-assisted liposuction combined with masseter muscle dissection. All patients were followed up postoperatively, and the surgical efficacy was evaluated on the basis of: the comparison of facial contours of patients before and after surgery, the change of masseter muscle thickness detected by B-ultrasound imaging, the satisfaction of patients with postoperative facial contour improvement, and the incidence of complications. Results Between March 1, 2018, and August 31, 2019, 36 patients with indications underwent this procedure. The follow-up lasted 6 to 12 months postoperatively and demonstrated that all patients were satisfied with the postoperative results, of which 33 cases (91.7%) were very satisfied, and 3 cases (8.3%) were satisfied with the treatment and had obvious improvement of the appearance of their mid-lower face. Preoperatively, the average mandibular bigonial breadth was 138.6±8.3 mm, and the average thickness of the masseter muscle was 13.9±0.8 mm; the postoperative breadth was 123.3±7.7 mm, and the thickness was 10.1±0.2 mm. The average reduction of the lower face width and masseter thickness were 15.2±2.1 mm and 3.8±0.1 mm, respectively. No complications occurred among the 36 patients. Conclusion The described method makes a great improvement in reshaping the outline of the mid-lower face, improves the fat and unclear outline of the mid-lower face caused by masseter muscle hypertrophy, and reduces subcutaneous fat accumulation. The procedure is easy to perform and is minimally traumatic, allowing for a quick recovery with few complications. These advantages along with the patients’ overall satisfaction with the results make it worthy of clinical application.

The Danlou tablets (DLT) is a patented Chinese medicine that can effectively ameliorate coronary heart disease- and angina pectoris-related chest congestion and pain. However, the mechanism underlying the therapeutic effects of DLT in the context of stable angina pectoris (SAP) has not been clearly elucidated. In this study, ultra-performance liquid chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF/MS) was used to analyze serum samples from patients with SAP before and after DLT administration. The results of metabolomic analyses were verified biologically, and the mechanisms of action of DLT with respect to treating SAP were elucidated. Nineteen biomarkers were identified. Among these biomarkers, the levels of 15 reverted to those corresponding to a healthy state following DLT treatment. The main metabolic pathways associated with the functions of DLT in SAP were energy metabolism, purine metabolism, glycerophospholipid metabolism and amino acid metabolism, all of which are related to oxidative stress. Biological verification revealed that DLT decreased the expression of the oxidative stress indicators, xanthine oxidase (XOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA), and increased heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) expression and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity. Taken together, we revealed that DLT effectively ameliorates SAP by adjusting the oxidative stress status. This study provided an objective index for evaluating the efficacy of DLT for treating SAP.

We propose and realize a spatial phase modulation laser interferometer (SPMLI), which mainly consists of a laser source, an optical fiber, a transparent plate and a linear charge coupled device (CCD). The reflected beams from the upper and lower surfaces of the transparent plate produce two-beam interference. The generated spatial phase modulation interference image is taken by the CCD. The spatial frequency of the image is proportional to the wave number of the laser light and the thickness of the transparent plate. Experimental results show that the wavelength and thickness can be measured in picometer-level and nanometer-level resolution, respectively. Compared with other interferometers, the proposed interferometer has the advantages of simple structure, low cost and no need for mechanical scanning components.

Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) analysis of the main components of liquorice was performed and a novel strong mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) agonist, namely liquiritinapioside (LA), whose the binding constant was 1.093 × 10−5 M, was reported. As a supplement, LA has been further demonstrated to have a strong MR binding capacity through competitive binding experiments (the enrichment factor of LA was 10.22%). This study also validated the activity of LA on H9c2 cells. The expression of collagen I and the results of Masson staining were used to determine the ability of this substance to cause H9c2 cell fibrosis. Moreover, western blotting was used to verify the mechanism of compound-induced myocardial fibrosis. Overall, the attained results showed that LA could induce the activation of the TGF-β1/p38 MAPK signalling pathway through the MR to induce H9c2 cell fibrosis.

In this paper, we provide a negative answer to a long-standing open problem on the compatibility of Spearman’s rho matrices. Following an equivalence of Spearman’s rho matrices and linear correlation matrices for dimensions up to 9 in the literature, we show non-equivalence for dimensions 12 or higher. In particular, we connect this problem with the existence of a random vector under some linear projection restrictions in two characterization results.

Cavitation suction effect is investigated to control the leakage of the mechanical face seals. A face pattern including the forward, reverse spiral grooves and the annular groove is designed. The cavitation suction effect on the leakage and frictional torque are experimentally studied by a developed experimental setup and its mechanism is disclosed by a numerical model. The results show that the low pressure in the cavitation zone is the root of the suction effect and the cavitation is dependent upon the rotational speeds and loads. The zero leakage or reverse suction is achieved by the cavitation suction effect in a range of rotational speed for the fixed load. The cavitation effectively improves the tribological property of the mechanical seals.

Background Considering that the quality control indicators in Chinese medicine (CM) are disconnected from safety and effectiveness, Prof. Chang-xiao Liu et al. has proposed a concept regarding the quality marker (Q-marker) of CM to promote the healthy development of the CM industry and improve the CM quality control method. Purpose In this study, we proposed a strategy to discover and verify the toxicity Q-marker of CM based on network toxicology. Methods First, traditional biochemical pathology indicators and sensitive biomarkers were used to predict the toxicity of CM. Next, the chemical composition of toxic CMs and their metabolites were rapidly identified by multidimensional detection techniques. Subsequently, the interaction network between “toxicity - toxic chemical composition - toxic target - effect pathway” was built through network toxicology, and the potential toxicity Q-marker of CM was initially screened. Finally, the chemical properties of toxicity Q-markers were verified by traceability and testability. Results Based on the predicted results of network toxicology, the toxic compounds of CM were preliminarily identified, and the toxic mechanism was comprehensively interpreted. In the context of definite biological properties and chemical properties, the toxicity Q-marker was finally confirmed. Conclusion This extensive review provides a study method for the toxicity Q-marker of CM, which helps to systemically and thoroughly reveal the internal toxicity mechanism of CM. The in-depth study of the toxicity Q-marker provides the material basis and technical support for the safety evaluation of CM.

The objective of this study was to compare the digestibility of energy and fatty acids (FA) in rice bran oil (RBO) and palm oil (PO) fed to growing Arbor Acre (AA) broilers. A corn-soybean meal basal diet and the basal diet supplemented with 8% RBO or PO were evaluated. A total of 72 AA male broilers (initial BW = 1,173 ± 6 g; age = 22 d) were randomly divided to 3 dietary treatments with 6 replicates of 4 broilers in each. The growth performance and the ME and FA digestibility in oils were compared with a balance experiment of broilers from d 22 to 28. The ME of the RBO diet was greater (P0.05) than PO diet and basal diet, and the ME of the PO diet was greater (P0.05) than basal diet. However, no statistical difference was observed in the ME intake of broilers fed basal, RBO, and PO diets. To maintain daily ME intake, broilers ingested more basal diet relative to other diets, resulting in increased CP intake (P0.01) and retention (P0.01) than broilers fed diets supplemented with RBO and PO. This finding resulted in greater (P0.01) BWG and ADG from d 22 to 28 for broilers fed the basal diet relative to other diets, but there was no difference for BWG and ADG across oil sources. However, broilers fed RBO had numerically greater BWD and ADG than those fed PO, likely because the RBO provided greater AME, AMEn, AME/GE, AMEn/GE (P0.01) as well as ether extract (EE) digestibility (P = 0.0536) relative to PO. The digestibility of palmitic (C16:0), stearic (C18:0), oleic (C18:1), and linoleic (C18:2) were greater (P0.01) in RBO than PO, which positively influenced the energy values for RBO. These results indicate RBO has greater ME and digestibility of EE and FA, which positively influenced the growth performance of AA broilers. Therefore, RBO can be used to replace PO in broiler diets.

It remains to study whether docosahexaenoic acid-rich fish oil (DHA-FO) improves hepatic lipid metabolism by leptin-independent mechanisms. We used ob/ob mice as a model to investigate the effects of DHA-FO on hepatic steatosis. DHA-FO inhibited lipid droplets (LD) formation in liver of ob/ob mice. Probably because DHA-FO consumption prevented the accumulation of oleic acid, and suppressed the synthesis of triglycerides and cholesteryl esters. These beneficial effects might be concerned with the promotion of short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) production. Furthermore, DHA-FO could reverse gut bacteria dysbiosis, including increasing the abundance of SCFAs producers (e.g. Akkermansia and unclassified_Muribaculaceae), and suppressing the proliferation of conditional pathogenic bacteria, such as unclassified_Lachnospiraceae. DHA-FO also promoted colonic microbial function ("Glycerolipid metabolism") associated with lipid metabolism. As a potential ingredient for functional food, DHA-FO reduced LD accumulation, which might be associated with modulation of obesity-linked gut microbiome in ob/ob mice.

In this study, the fucoxanthin (FUC)-loaded gliadin nanoparticles (Gli NPs) stabilized by chondroitin sulfate (ChS) were fabricated. Results showed that the particle size and turbidity of Gli-ChS NPs were highly pH-dependent. Hydrogen bond, electrostatic interaction and hydrophobic interaction were involved in the formation of Gli-ChS NPs. The surface hydrophobicity of Gli NPs decreased remarkably after coating with ChS. FUC-Gli-ChS NPs increased the stability of FUC against heating and ultraviolet (UV) irradiation. Adding ChS to FUC-Gli NPs enhanced their stabilities to ionic strength and thermal treatment, especially in an acidic environment. Furthermore, FUC-loaded Gli-ChS NPs inhibited the FUC release in simulated gastric fluid (SGF), while enhanced the release of FUC in simulated intestinal fluid (SIF) and simulated colonic fluid (SCF). In summary, this work has important practical significance for the development of Gli NPs as nano-delivery systems for FUC or other hydrophobic compounds.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a commonly progressive disorder of dementia. Until now, there are no effective approach to treat the pathological progression of Alzheimer's disease. A novel glucosylated lipids, phosphatidylglucoside (PtdGlc), enriched in the brain, appears to play a important role for brain development. Based on the role of lysoPtdGlc (hydrolytic derivative of PtdGlc)/GPR55-mediated nociceptive afferent axons in the central nervous system, we hypothesized that PtdGlc can aggravated the development of AD. On the contrast, here, we show that long‐term intervention with PtdGlc (0.1% w/w in diet) reduces Aβ and tau pathology, and rescues cognition deficits in APP/PS1 mice. Mechanistically, these improments were linked to the inhibition of APP processing, amelioration of neuroinflammation via the activation of PPARγ, mitigation of oxidative stress, and restoration of the neurotrophin signaling. Our study offers new perspectives for the role of PtdGlc in the Brain, as well as the treatment of AD.

High-fat, high-sugar diet (HFHS) induced leptin resistance and intestinal epithelial dysfunction is implicated in hyperphagia and metabolic disorders. Numerous studies have demonstrated the efficacy of dietary interventions for reducing appetite. This study aims to investigate whether triacylglycerol rich in DHA (DHA-TG) could regulate appetite in mice fed with a HFHS diet and the mechanism by which it achieves that. DHA-TG could reduce food intake and regulate neuropeptides (POMC, AgRP, and NPY) expression in HFHS diet-fed mice. Hypothalamic transcriptome analysis reveals that these effects might be attributed to the role of DHA-TG in modulating hormone secretion and digestive system process. According to ELISA and RT-qPCR analysis, DHA-TG ameliorated leptin secretion and attenuated central leptin resistance induced by HFHS diet feeding. Besides, DHA-TG prevented the damage of intestinal epithelial barrier in nutritive obese mice by improving leptin sensitivity. Based on jejunal transcriptome analysis, DHA-TG also protected intestinal endocrine function, especially the secretion of another anorectic hormone, cholecystokinin (CCK), in HFHS diet-fed mice. Furthermore, DHA-TG was ineffective in repressing appetite, and improving gut leakage in leptin-deficient mice (ob/ob mice). In conclusion, DHA-TG has a potential to regulate appetite with the action of leptin, and intestinal epithelial functions in HFHS diet-fed mice.

Hyperlipidemia with the characteristic of excessive blood lipid level is a risk factor for stroke, coronary heart disease, myocardial infarction, hypertension, impaired glucose tolerance, diabetes, sudden death, and so on. Therefore, we should pay more attention to the dangers of hyperlipidemia and look for natural lipid-lowering ingredients to prevent and relieve hyperlipidemia. In recent years, various studies have shown that active ingredients from marine foods exhibit obvious anti-hyperlipidemia activity, which have attracted more and more researches' attention. This paper shows that the regulatory mechanisms of lipid metabolism mainly include the cholesterol metabolism balance and the metabolism balance of triglyceride and fatty acid. This paper also summarizes active ingredients from marine foods with the role of treating or preventing hyperlipidemia, and relevant literature published in the past decades are reviewed. The active ingredients from marine foods are divided into polysaccharides, lipids, proteins, saponins, polyphenols and others, which are described in this article from the aspects of active ingredients, sources, models, efficacy and mechanisms. This paper may provide a valuable reference for the development of functional ingredients from marine foods with anti-hyperlipidemia activity.

Esterified astaxanthins are used as functional nutraceuticals in many food products. Unfortunately, their utilization is currently limited owing to their poor water solubility, chemical instability, and low bioavailability. In this study, esterified astaxanthin microcapsules were fabricated through electrostatic complexation of whey protein and gum arabic by adjusting the pH to 4.0. After their encapsulation, the stability of the esterified astaxanthins was effectively better than that of the oleoresin. In vitro tests revealed a 26% rate of astaxanthin release from the microcapsules, which was significantly higher than the 14.6% rate from the oleoresin (P 0.05). In vivo experiments showed that the AUC

It is found that the coupling between the solar wind and polar geomagnetic activity cause the annual and semiannual variation of auroral electrojet. The wavelet spectrum of the SuperMAG index, SML and SMU shows that both of the semiannual and annual variations are permanent features, and spectral power of the annual period of SML and SMU are stronger than that of the semiannual period. Due to coupling of the annual variation and the semiannual variation of SML, the diurnal variation of SML in summer months is not well correlated with results anticipated from the previous principle hypotheses [McIntosh, 1959; Russell and McPherron, 1973; Svalgaard, 1977; Cliver et al., 2000; Newell et al., 2013]. The annual/semiannual variation of SML and SMU is typically coupled together and is dependent on the local time and latitudinal variations of ionospheric conductivity and the electric field. A new index, the annual-corrected SMO index (SMO*), was suggested to indicate the semiannual variation of the westward auroral electrojet (SML). The seasonal-UT distribution of SMO* has good correlation with that predicted by the equinoctial hypothesis [McIntosh, 1959; Svalgaard, 2011].

Single crystal of iridium with two different orientations, [100] and [110] has been successfully prepared by electron-beam floating zone melting (EBFZM). The experimental results showed that the iridium single crystal with [100] orientation could be directly prepared without seeding at a low growth rate below 3 mm/min, and the single crystal with [110] orientation could be only obtained by seeding. The competitive growth of the bicrystal demonstrated that the [100] orientation of the iridium single crystal can overwhelm that of the [110] orientation at a growth rate of 2 mm/min. Moreover, the interface growth undercooling including curvature undercooling and kinetic undercooling has been calculated for iridium single crystal with these two orientations. The calculated data and analysis agree well with the experimental results.

Surface topography is one of the important factors that influence tribological performance, for instance friction, lubrication, and wear. Moreover the functional features of the surface topography, such as peaks/pits and scratches, play an especially important role in the analysis and simulation of these tribological properties. In this study, a method was developed to simultaneously extract the peaks/pits and scratches as two separate surfaces from one measured surface topography scan. This technique was based on the morphological component analysis. A honed stainless steel surface, a lapped cemented carbide surface, and a lapped graphite surface were measured to verify the proposed method. The results showed that the peaks/pits and scratches could be separated and extracted from the measured surfaces.

Touchdown can make active magnetic bearings (AMB) unable to work, and bring severe damages to touchdown bearings (TDB). To resolve it, we presents a novel re-levitation method consisting of two operations, i.e., orbit response recognition and rotor re-levitation. In the operation of orbit response recognition, the three orbit responses (pendulum vibration, combined rub and bouncing, and full rub) can be identified by the expectation of radial displacement of rotor and expectation of instantaneous frequency (IF) of rotor motion in the sampling period. In the rotor re-levitation operation, a decentralized PID control algorithm is employed for pendulum vibration and combined rub and bouncing, and the decentralized PID control algorithm and another whirl damping algorithm, in which the weighting factor is determined by the whirl frequency, are jointly executed for the full rub. The method has been demonstrated by the simulation results of an AMB model. The results reveal that the method is effective in actively suppressing the whirl motion and promptly re-levitating the rotor. As the PID control algorithm and the simple operations of signal processing are employed, the algorithm has a low computation intensity, which makes it more easily realized in practical applications.