Modeling and Optimization of Capacitive Converter for Energy Scavenging System

A new converter with spherical cap for energy scavenging is proposed. Based on the method of separated variables within the torrid coordinate system, a corresponding analytical model for spherical cap converter is further established so as to obtain the analytic expressions of the topology capacitance and the output voltage. The concept of energy increment factor is specifically defined to denote the improvement of energy storage efficiency. With regard to spherical cap converters of different dimensions, the measured values of energy increment factor coincide well with the theoretical equivalents, indicating an effective verification of the proposed analytical model for the spherical cap converter topology.

Stabilizing High-Nickel Cathodes via Interfacial Hydrogen Bonding Effects Using a Hydrofluoric Acid-Scavenging Separator

Nickel-rich layered Li transition metal oxides are the most promising cathode materials for high-energydensity Li-ion batteries.However,they exhibit rapid capacity degradation induced by transition metal dissolution and structural reconstruction,which are associated with hydrofluoric acid(HF)generation from lithium hexafluorophosphate decomposition.The potential for thermal runaway during the working process poses another challenge.Separators are promising components to alleviate the aforementioned obstacles.Herein,an ultrathin double-layered separator with a 10 lm polyimide(PI)basement and a 2 lm polyvinylidene difluoride(PVDF)coating layer is designed and fabricated by combining a nonsolvent induced phase inversion process and coating method.The PI skeleton provides good stability against potential thermal shrinkage,and the strong PI-PVDF bonding endows the composite separator with robust structural integrity;these characteristics jointly contribute to the extraordinary mechanical tolerance of the separator at elevated temperatures.Additionally,unique HF-scavenging effects are achieved with the formation of-CO…H-F hydrogen bonds for the abundant HF coordination sites provided by the imide ring;hence,the layered Ni-rich cathodes are protected from HF attack,which ultimately reduces transition metal dissolution and facilitates long-term cyclability of the Ni-rich cathodes.Li||NCM811 batteries(where“NCM”indicates LiNi_(x)Co_(y)Mn_(1-x-y)O_(2))with the proposed composite separator exhibit a 90.6%capacity retention after 400 cycles at room temperature and remain sustainable at 60℃with a 91.4%capacity retention after 200 cycles.By adopting a new perspective on separators,this study presents a feasible and promising strategy for suppressing capacity degradation and enabling the safe operation of Ni-rich cathode materials.

Experimental investigation on effective aerosol scavenging using different spray configurations with pre-injection of water mist for Fukushima Daiichi decommissioning

During the decommissioning of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant,it is important to consider the retrieval of resolidified debris both in air and underwater configurations.For the subsequent retrieval of debris from the reactor building,the resolidified debris must be cut into smaller pieces using various cutting methods.During the cutting process,aerosol particles are expected to be generated at the submicron scale.It has been noted that such aerosols sizing within the Greenfield gap(0.1-1μm)are difficult to remove effectively using traditional spraying methods.Therefore,to improve the aerosol removal efficiency of the spray system,a new aerosol agglomeration method was recently proposed,which involves injecting water mist to enlarge the sizes of the aerosol particles before removing them using water sprays.In this study,a series of experiments were performed to clarify the proper spray configurations for effective aerosol scavenging and to improve the performance of the water mist.The experimental results showed that the spray flow rate and droplet characteristics are important factors for the aerosol-scavenging efficiency and performance of the water mist.The results obtained from this study will be helpful for the optimization of the spray system design for effective aerosol scavenging during the decommissioning of the Fukushima Daiichi plant.

Enterococcus faecalis provides protection during scavenging in carrion crow (Corvus corone)

The gut microbiota significantly influences host physiology and provides essential ecosystem services.While diet can affect the composition of the gut microbiota,the gut microbiota can also help the host adapt to specific dietary habits.The carrion crow(Corvus corone),an urban facultative scavenger bird,hosts an abundance of pathogens due to its scavenging behavior.Despite this,carrion crows infrequently exhibit illness,a phenomenon related to their unique physiological adaptability.At present,however,the role of the gut microbiota remains incompletely understood.In this study,we performed a comparative analysis using 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing technology to assess colonic content in carrion crows and 16 other bird species with different diets in Beijing,China.Our findings revealed that the dominant gut microbiota in carrion crows was primarily composed of Proteobacteria(75.51%)and Firmicutes(22.37%).Significant differences were observed in the relative abundance of Enterococcus faecalis among groups,highlighting its potential as a biomarker of facultative scavenging behavior in carrion crows.Subsequently,E.faecalis isolated from carrion crows was transplanted into model mice to explore the protective effects of this bacterial community against Salmonella enterica infection.Results showed that E.faecalis down-regulated the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor alpha(TNF-α),interferon gamma(IFN-γ),and interleukin 6(IL-6),prevented S.enterica colonization,and regulated the composition of gut microbiota in mice,thereby modulating the host’s immune regulatory capacity.Therefore,E.faecalis exerts immunoregulatory and anti-pathogenic functions in carrion crows engaged in scavenging behavior,offering a representative case of how the gut microbiota contributes to the protection of hosts with specialized diets.

Control of the Dust Vertical Distribution over Western Africa by Convection and Scavenging

Saharan dust represents more than 50%of the total desert dust emitted around the globe and its radiative effect significantly affects the atmospheric circulation at a continental scale.Previous studies on dust vertical distribution and the Saharan Air Layer(SAL)showed some shortcomings that could be attributed to imperfect representation of the effects of deep convection and scavenging.The authors investigate here the role of deep convective transport and scavenging on the vertical distribution of mineral dust over Western Africa.Using multi-year(2006-2010)simulations performed with the variable-resolution(zoomed)version of the LMDZ climate model.Simulations are compared with aerosol amounts recorded by the Aerosol Robotic Network(AERONET)and with vertical profiles of the Cloud-Aerosol Lidar with Orthogonal Polarization(CALIOP)measurements.LMDZ allows a thorough examination of the respective roles of deep convective transport,convective and stratiform scavenging,boundary layer transport,and advection processes on the vertical mineral dust distribution over Western Africa.The comparison of simulated dust Aerosol Optical Depth(AOD)and distribution with measurements suggest that scavenging in deep convection and subsequent re-evaporation of dusty rainfall in the lower troposphere are critical processes for explaining the vertical distribution of desert dust.These processes play a key role in maintaining a well-defined dust layer with a sharp transition at the top of the SAL and in establishing the seasonal cycle of dust distribution.This vertical distribution is further reshaped offshore in the Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone(ITCZ)over the Atlantic Ocean by marine boundary layer turbulent and convective transport and wet deposition at the surface.

Traumatic injury is associated with reduced deoxyribonuclease activity and dysregulation of the actin scavenging system

Background:Traumatic injury is associated with increased concentrations of cell-free DNA(cfDNA)in the circulation,which contribute to post-injury complications.The endonuclease deoxyribonuclease 1(DNase-1)is responsible for removing 90%of circulating cfDNA.Recently,DNase activity was reported to be significantly reduced following major non-traumatic brain injury(TBI),but the processes responsible were not investigated.Moreover,it is not known how quickly following injury DNase activity is reduced and whether this also occurs after TBI.Methods:At 3 post-injury time points(≤1,4–12 and 48–72 hours),blood samples were obtained from 155 adult trauma patients that had sustained an isolated TBI(n=21),TBI with accompanying extracranial injury(TBI^(+))(n=53)or an extracranial injury only(ECI)(n=81).In addition to measuring cfDNA levels and the activity and expression of DNase,circulating concentrations of monomeric globular action(G-actin),an inhibitor of DNase-1,and the actin scavenging proteins gelsolin(GSN)and vitamin D binding protein(VDBP)were determined and values compared to a cohort of healthy controls.Results:Significantly elevated concentrations of plasma cfDNA were seen in TBI,TBI^(+)and ECI patients at all study time points when compared to healthy controls.cfDNA levels were significantly higher at≤1 hour post-injury in ECI patients who subsequently developed multiple organ dysfunction syndrome when compared to those who did not.Plasma DNase-1 protein was significantly elevated in all patient groups at all sampling time points.In contrast,DNase enzyme activity was significantly reduced,with this impaired function evident in TBI^(+)patients within minutes of injury.Circulating concentrations of G-actin were elevated in all patient cohorts in the immediate aftermath of injury and this was accompanied by a significant reduction in the levels of GSN and VDBP.Conclusions:The post-traumatic increase in circulating cfDNA that occurs following extracranial trauma and TBI is accompanied by reduced DNase activity.We propose that,secondary to reduced GSN and VDBP levels,elevated circulating concentrations of G-actin underlie the post-injury reduction in DNase activity.Reducing circulating cfDNA levels via therapeutic restoration of DNase-1 activity may improve clinical outcomes post-injury.

Effect of Pb, Hg and Cd in soil on scavenging system of activated oxygen in tobacco leaves

Pb, Hg and Cd will affect human health by vegetative chain. In recent years, people more and more are concerned about heavy metal pollution of the soil-plant system. Many researchers studied the effect of single heavy metal on growth, photosynthesis, respiration and quality of plants, but few systematicstudies of the effect of heavy metals on the scavenging system of activated oxygen of plants. This note systematically studies the effect of Pb, Hg and Cd in soil on the scavenging system of activated oxygen in tobacco leaves. 1 Material and methods Material: Tobacco (Nicoticana tabacum L). Methods: Cultivating and measuring methods were according to reference. 2 Results Results of this study indicate that the common effect of Pb, Hg and Cd on activity of CAT is obvi-

A Novel Dominant Allele from 93-11, ES(4), Represses Reactive Oxygen Species Scavenging and Leads to Early-Senescence in Rice

Senescence is the last developmental process in plant,which has an important impact on crop yield and quality.In this study,a stable hereditary early-senescence line BC64 was isolated from the high-generation recombinant inbred lines of 93-11 and Wuyunjing7(W7).Genetic analysis showed that the premature aging phenotype was controlled by a dominant gene derived from 93-11.By linkage analysis,the gene was primarily mapped in the region between marker B4 and B5 near the centromere of chromosome 4,described as ES(4).Through multiple backcrossing with W7,the near-isogenic line of ES(4)(NIL-ES(4))was obtained.Compared with wild-type W7,NIL-ES(4)plants showed more sever senescence phenotype in both nature and dark conditions.In NIL plants,leaves turned yellow at the fully tillering stage;photosynthetic rate,pollen fertility and seed setting rate were decreased.Moreover,the malondialdehyde,proline content and relative conductivity in NIL-ES(4)were significantly higher than those in W7;both transcript level and activities of reactive oxygen species scavenging enzymes were repressed;H2O2 and O^(2−)were significantly accumulated.This study provides a basis for further cloning and function identification of ES(4).

Hydralazine Promotes Central Nervous System Recovery after Spinal Cord Injury by Suppressing Oxidative Stress and Inflammation through Macrophage Regulation

Objective:This study aims to investigate the effects of hydralazine on inflammation induced by spinal cord injury(SCI)in the central nervous system(CNS)and its mechanism in promoting the structural and functional recovery of the injured CNS.Methods:A compressive SCI mouse model was utilized for this investigation.Immunofluorescence and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction were employed to examine the levels of acrolein,acrolein-induced inflammation-related factors,and macrophages at the injury site and within the CNS.Western blotting was used to evaluate the activity of the phosphoinositide 3-kinase(PI3K)/AKT pathway to study macrophage regulation.The neuropathic pain and motor function recovery were evaluated by glutamic acid decarboxylase 65/67(GAD65/67),vesicular glutamate transporter 1(VGLUT1),paw withdrawal response,and Basso Mouse Scale score.Nissl staining and Luxol Fast Blue(LFB)staining were performed to investigate the structural recovery of the injured CNS.Results:Hydralazine downregulated the levels of acrolein,IL-1β,and TNF-αin the spinal cord.The downregulation of acrolein induced by hydralazine promoted the activation of the PI3K/AKT pathway,leading to M2 macrophage polarization,which protected neurons against SCI-induced inflammation.Additionally,hydralazine promoted the structural recovery of the injured spinal cord area.Mitigating inflammation and oxidative stress by hydralazine in the animal model alleviated neuropathic pain and altered neurotransmitter expression.Furthermore,hydralazine facilitated motor function recovery following SCI.Nissl staining and LFB staining indicated that hydralazine promoted the structural recovery of the injured CNS.Conclusion:Hydralazine,an acrolein scavenger,significantly mitigated SCI-induced inflammation and oxidative stress in vivo,modulated macrophage activation,and consequently promoted the structural and functional recovery of the injured CNS.

A Review of Thermo- and Diffusio-Phoresis in the Atmospheric Aerosol Scavenging Process. Part 2: Ice Crystal and Snow Scavenging

The role of phoretic forces in the identification of particles acting as ice nuclei in mixed phase cloud is discussed. A method used to identify the effective ice nucleating particles is to sample ice crystals, which are afterwards sublimated, and to examine the particles remaining after evaporation. The procedure takes into account only crystal with a maximum diameter of 20 μm, by assuming that small crystals do not scavenge aerosol during growth, and therefore that crystals contain only the effective nucleating particles. This assumption is questionable, however, as experiments have shown that even small ice crystals can scavenge aerosol. Another approach has been to compare the number and elemental composition of residual particles in small ice crystals and of aerosol near the cloud. By considering as example soot and black carbon aerosol, contradictory conclusions on their importance in the processes of ice nucleation have been reported in the literature. We suggest that, in addition to physico-chemical properties of soot/carbon aerosol particles, even the microphysical and environmental parameters involved in the transition of aerosol from gas phase to ice crystals in cloud should be considered. The contribution of phoretic forces should also be considered. After initial growth ice crystals can continue to grow by water vapour diffusion. Laboratory experiments confirm the contribution of diffusiophoresis with Stefan flow in the scavenging by snow crystals up to 3 mm in diameter. The particle scavenging efficiency of snow crystals is related to crystalline shape and depends on air relative humidity and temperature.

Protective Effects of Tea Polyphenol on Cerebral Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury in Rats and Its Scavenging Oxy-radical and Anticerebral Lipid Peroxidation Effects

AIM To study the protective effects of tea polyphenol (TP) on cerebral ischemia reperfusion injury in rats and its scavenging oxygen free radical(OFR) activities and antilipid peroxidation in vitro . METHODS Cerebral ischemia reperfusion injury was produced by bilateral ligation of the common carotid arteries with vagus nerves and reperfusion for 45 min. The mitochondrial lipid peroxidation of rat brain induced by oxygen free radical was measured by thiobarbituric acid spectrophotometry. Superoxide anion (O 2) from xanthine xanthine oxidase system and hydroxyl radical (·OH) from Fe 2+ -H 2O 2 system were determined with spectrophotometry. RESULTS During Cerebral ischemia reperfusion,TP improved the activities of superoxide dismutase ( P 【0 05), GSH peroxidase( P 【0 01) and catalase( P 【0 01), while decreasing the maiondialdchyde content in the brain( P 【0 05) and brain water content ( P 【0 01). Tea polyphenol possessed significantly scavenging effects on ·OH produced by Fenton reaction and O 2 produced by xanthine xanthine oxidase system (the IC 50 were 2 2 mmol·L -1 and 1 9 mmol·L -1 respectively). Tea polyphenol could significant inhibit the lipid peroxidation of cerbral mitochondrial membrane induced by ·OH in a concentration dependent manner. CONCLUSION The results indicate that tea polyphenol could protect the injury on cerebral ischemia reperfusion in rats for OFR, these effects may be related to its scavenging effects on oxygen free radicals and antilipid peroxidant.

Extraction Storage and Qualitative Analysis of Free Radicals Scavenging Substances from Sweet Potato Leaves

[ Objective ] The research aimed to provide reference for the application of extracts from sweet potato leaves in anti-aging cosmetics. [ Method ] The extraction and storage conditions for free radicals scavenging substances from sweet potato leaves were optimized by orthogonal test and the bioactive components in extracts were investigated by correlation analysis. [ Result] Sweet potato leaves contain the bioactive substances scavenging DPPH free radical and hydroxyl free radical. Extracting solvent species is the most important factor that influencing extraction yield. The optimal extraction and storage conditions are as following： water as solvent, pH 8.0 of extracting liquid, storage at 25 ℃. There is a good positive linear relationship between the content of total phenols in sweet potato leaves and corresponding scavenging rates against both the DPPH free radical and hydroxyl free radical. For the content of total flavones in sweet potato leaves, just a correlation with scavenging rate against hydroxyl free radical shown in test. [ Conclusion] The phenols in ex- tracts could effectively scavenge both the DPPH free radical and hydroxyl free radical, whereas the flavones in extracts can only function on the hydroxyl free radical.

Nanozyme‑Engineered Hydrogels for Anti‑Inflammation and Skin Regeneration

Inflammatory skin disorders can cause chronic scarring and functional impairments,posing a significant burden on patients and the healthcare system.Conventional therapies,such as corticosteroids and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs,are limited in efficacy and associated with adverse effects.Recently,nanozyme(NZ)-based hydrogels have shown great promise in addressing these challenges.NZ-based hydrogels possess unique therapeutic abilities by combining the therapeutic benefits of redox nanomaterials with enzymatic activity and the water-retaining capacity of hydrogels.The multifaceted therapeutic effects of these hydrogels include scavenging reactive oxygen species and other inflammatory mediators modulating immune responses toward a pro-regenerative environment and enhancing regenerative potential by triggering cell migration and differentiation.This review highlights the current state of the art in NZ-engineered hydrogels(NZ@hydrogels)for anti-inflammatory and skin regeneration applications.It also discusses the underlying chemo-mechano-biological mechanisms behind their effectiveness.Additionally,the challenges and future directions in this ground,particularly their clinical translation,are addressed.The insights provided in this review can aid in the design and engineering of novel NZ-based hydrogels,offering new possibilities for targeted and personalized skin-care therapies.

Integrated high-performance and accurate shaping technology of low-cost powder metallurgy titanium alloys: A comprehensive review

The practical engineering applications of powder metallurgy (PM) Ti alloys produced through cold compaction and pressure-less sintering are impeded by poor sintering densification, embrittlement caused by excessive O impurities, and severe sintering deforma-tion resulting from the use of heterogeneous powder mixtures. This review presents a summary of our previous work on addressing the above challenges. Initially, we proposed a novel strategy using reaction-induced liquid phases to enhance sintering densification. Near- complete density (relative density exceeding 99%) was achieved by applying the above strategy and newly developed sintering aids. By focusing on the O-induced embrittlement issue, we determined the onset dissolution temperature of oxide films in the Ti matrix. On the basis of this finding, we established a design criterion for effective O scavengers that require reaction with oxide films before their dissol-ution. Consequently, a ductile PM Ti alloy was successfully obtained by introducing 0.3wt% NdB6 as the O scavenger. Lastly, a powder- coating strategy was adopted to address the sintering deformation issue. The ultrafine size and shell-like distribution characteristics of coating particles ensured rapid dissolution and homogeneity in the Ti matrix, thereby facilitating linear shrinkage during sintering. As a result, geometrically complex Ti alloy parts with high dimensional accuracy were fabricated by using the coated powder. Our fundament-al findings and related technical achievements enabled the development of an integrated production technology for the high-performance and accurate shaping of low-cost PM Ti alloys. Additionally, the primary engineering applications and progress in the industrialization practice of our developed technology are introduced in this review.

Diamond-Like Carbon Depositing on the Surface of Polylactide Membrane for Prevention of Adhesion Formation During Tendon Repair

Post-traumatic peritendinous adhesion presents a significant challenge in clinical medicine.This study proposes the use of diamond-like carbon(DLC)deposited on polylactic acid(PLA)membranes as a biophysical mechanism for anti-adhesion barrier to encase ruptured tendons in tendon-injured rats.The results indicate that PLA/DLC composite membrane exhibits more efficient anti-adhesion effect than PLA membrane,with histological score decreasing from 3.12±0.27 to 2.20±0.22 and anti-adhesion effectiveness increasing from 21.61%to 44.72%.Mechanistically,the abundant C=O bond functional groups on the surface of DLC can reduce reactive oxygen species level effectively;thus,the phosphorylation of NF-κB and M1 polarization of macrophages are inhibited.Consequently,excessive inflammatory response augmented by M1 macrophage-originated cytokines including interleukin-6(IL-6),interleukin-1β(IL-1β),and tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α)is largely reduced.For biocompatibility evaluation,PLA/DLC membrane is slowly absorbed within tissue and displays prolonged barrier effects compared to traditional PLA membranes.Further studies show the DLC depositing decelerates the release of degradation product lactic acid and its induction of macrophage M2 polarization by interfering esterase and PLA ester bonds,which further delays the fibrosis process.It was found that the PLA/DLC membrane possess an efficient biophysical mechanism for treatment of peritendinous adhesion.

MIR1868 negatively regulates rice cold tolerance at both the seedling and booting stages

Low temperature causes rice yield losses of up to 30%–40%,therefore increasing its cold tolerance is a breeding target.Few genes in rice are reported to confer cold tolerance at both the vegetative and reproductive stages.This study revealed a rice-specific 24-nt miRNA,miR1868,whose accumulation was suppressed by cold stress.Knockdown of MIR1868 increased seedling survival,pollen fertility,seed setting,and grain yield under cold stress,whereas its overexpression conferred the opposite phenotype.Knockdown of MIR1868 increased reactive oxygen species(ROS)scavenging and soluble sugar content under cold stress by increasing the expression of peroxidase genes and sugar metabolism genes,and its overexpression produced the opposite effect.Thus,MIR1868 negatively regulated rice cold tolerance via ROS scavenging and sugar accumulation.

DFT Study on Molecular Structures and ROS Scavenging Mechanisms of Novel Antioxidants from Lespedeza Virgata

The molecular structure and radical scavenging activity of three novel antioxidants from Lespedeza Virgata, lespedezavirgatol, lespedezavirgatal, and lespedezacoumestan, have been studied using density functional theory with the B3LYP and BhandHLYP methods. The optimized geometries of neutral, radical cation, radical and anion forms were obtained at the B3LYP/6-31G（d） level, in which it was found that all the most stable conformations contain intramolecular hydrogen bonds. The same results were obtained from the MP2 method. The homolytic O-H bond dissociation enthalpy and the adiabatic ionization potential of neutral and anion forms for the three new antioxidants and adiabatic electron affinity and H-atom affinity for hydroxyl radical, superoxide anion radical, and hydrogen peroxide radical were determined both in gas phase and in aqueous solution using IEF-PCM and CPCM model with UAHF or Bondi cavity. The antioxidant activities and reactive oxygen species scavenging mechanisms were then discussed, and the results obtained from different methods are consistent. Furthermore, the antioxidant activities are consistent with the experimental findings of the compounds under investigation.

Study on Scavenging and Disconnecting Effects of Nitrosation Reaction by Extracts of Tetradium Ruticarpum and Glycyrrhizae

In order to investigate and compare the effects of Tetradium ruticarpum and Glycyrrhizae extracts in terms of scavenging sodium nitrite and inhibiting N-ni- troso compounds formation, the 1_9（3^3） orthogonal test was conducted to extract the active components. In addition, the capacities of scavenging sodium nitrite and of in- hibiting the N-nitroso compounds formation were measured to confirm the optimum condition of extracting. When the scavenging rate was considered as the main index, the maximum capacities of scavenging sodium nitrite by the extracts of Tetradi- urn ruticarpum and Glycyrrhizae were 0.836 5 and 0.558 0, respectively. Further- more, when the disconnection rate was considered as the main index, the maximum capacities of inhibiting the N-nitroso compounds formation by the extracts of Tetradi- urn ruticarpum and G/ycyrrhizae were 0.922 8 and 0.625 6, respectively. As a re- suit, the capacity of inhibiting nitrosation reaction by Tetradium ruticarpum was shown to be much stronger than G/ycyrrhizae, no matter the scavenging rate or the disconnection rate as the main index to be considered.

Study on Solid Fermentation and Antioxidant Function of Natto

[Objectives]To study the optimum conditions of solid fermentation of natto with antioxidant function as an index.[Methods]Single factor experiment and orthogonal experiment were designed to study the effects of temperature,time,initial pH and inoculum amount on the antioxidant activity of natto solid fermentation.The optimum conditions of natto solid fermentation were determined and the antioxidant ac-tivity of natto extract was compared.[Results]The optimal fermentation conditions were as follows:temperature 32℃,initial pH 7.0,inocu-lation amount 8%,fermentation time 32 h.The hydroxyl radical scavenging rate of natto solid fermentation crude extract was the highest,which was 82.7%.The optimized nato fermentation extract showed stronger scavenging ability for-OH and O,:,and showed obvious dose-effect relationship.ICso was 3.63 and 4.24 mg/mL,respectively,and the scavenging efficiency was 1.3 and 1.9 times higher than that of the unoptimized fermentation extract,respectively.[Conclusions]Natto is rich in nattokinase and other functional factors,and its antioxidant ac-tivity can be improved by optimizing fermentation technology,so that natto products can be widely used,including cosmetic raw materials,nat-to skin care soap,health food and medicine,etc.,and have a broader development prospect.

On the Impairment of Stress-Induced Changes in Triglyceride Levels via a Sub-Toxic Dose of Unmethylated Cytidine Phosphate Guanosine Oligodinucleotide (a Toll-Like Receptor 9 Ligand)

Changes in lipid metabolism have been implicated in protection against infectious diseases. In the first experiment of this study, we measured clinical lipid parameters in a murine model where the unmethylated cytidine phosphate guanosine (CpG) oligodinucleotide (ODN1826), a Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9) agonist was administered in combination with D-galactosamine (GalN) that caused relatively liver-specific inflammation and toxicity. In the control mice group injected with phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) (acute psychological stress model associated with blood sampling), the serum triglyceride (TG) levels showed a rapid decrease followed by a rebound at 24 h as we have recently reported. However, such a TG rebound was impaired in the CpG/GalN- and solely CpG-treated groups of mice despite an absence of liver injury based on serum alanine aminotransferase levels in the latter group. Thus, the stress-associated serum TG rebound was abrogated by the injection of a sub-hepatotoxic CpG dose. In the second experiment, we simply measured the hepatic CD36 and SACRB1 (the gene for scavenger receptor B1 (SR-B1)) transcripts after the i.p. administration of PBS, CpG or CpG/GalN. There was a remarkable elevation of hepatic CD36 transcript expression in both the CpG- and CpG/GalN-treated mice at 8 h post-CpG injection whereas the increase in the PBS-treated mice was slower than the former two groups, suggesting that hepatic CD36 transcript expression is more pronounced in the combined stress models than under psychological stress alone. The individual mice data showed that the increase in CD36 expression was accompanied by a reduction in SCARB1 mRNA, showing reciprocal regulation between these two genes. Together with our previously reported findings, these data suggest that, in a murine model combining psychological stress with TLR-triggered hepatic inflammation, the psychological stress facilitates liver uptake of plasma TG (and its components fatty acids), but the subsequent re-esterification and/or release of TG-rich lipoproteins from the liver is impaired due to the concomitant TLR-signaling. We hypothesize that lipid metabolism during acute stress shifts toward an elevated hepatic uptake of lipids due to concomitant TLR signaling, facilitating the clearance of bacterial lipids by the liver.