Multi-omics analysis reveals the molecular regulatory network underlying the prevention of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum against LPS-induced salpingitis in laying hens

Background Salpingitis is one of the common diseases in laying hen production, which greatly decreases the economic outcome of laying hen farming. Lactiplantibacillus plantarum was effective in preventing local or systemic inflammation, however rare studies were reported on its prevention against salpingitis. This study aimed to investigate the preventive molecular regulatory network of microencapsulated Lactiplantibacillus plantarum(MLP) against salpingitis through multi-omics analysis, including microbiome, transcriptome and metabolome analyses.Results The results revealed that supplementation of MLP in diet significantly alleviated the inflammation and atrophy of uterus caused by lipopolysaccharide(LPS) in hens(P < 0.05). The concentrations of plasma IL-2 and IL-10 in hens of MLP-LPS group were higher than those in hens of LPS-stimulation group(CN-LPS group)(P < 0.05). The expression levels of TLR2, MYD88, NF-κB, COX2, and TNF-α were significantly decreased in the hens fed diet supplemented with MLP and suffered with LPS stimulation(MLP-LPS group) compared with those in the hens of CN-LPS group(P < 0.05). Differentially expressed genes(DEGs) induced by MLP were involved in inflammation, reproduction, and calcium ion transport. At the genus level, the MLP supplementation significantly increased the abundance of Phascolarctobacterium, whereas decreased the abundance of Candidatus_Saccharimonas in LPS challenged hens(P < 0.05). The metabolites altered by dietary supplementation with MLP were mainly involved in galactose, uronic acid, histidine, pyruvate and primary bile acid metabolism. Dietary supplementation with MLP inversely regulates LPSinduced differential metabolites such as Lyso PA(24:0/0:0)(P < 0.05).Conclusions In summary, dietary supplementation with microencapsulated Lactiplantibacillus plantarum prevented salpingitis by modulating the abundances of Candidatus_Saccharimonas, Phascolarctobacterium, Ruminococcus_torques_group and Eubacterium_hallii_group while downregulating the levels of plasma metabolites, p-tolyl sulfate, o-cresol and N-acetylhistamine and upregulating S-lactoylglutathione, simultaneously increasing the expressions of CPNE4, CNTN3 and ACAN genes in the uterus, and ultimately inhibiting oviducal inflammation.

Microencapsulation of Peony Oil

[Objective] The aim of this study was to explore the microencapsulation of peony oil. [Method] Using [5-cyclodextrin, Arabic gum and soy protein as the wall materials and by the preparation technology of peony oil through spray drying, we conducted single factor experiments and orthogonal experiment analysis of the tech- nical parameters of peony oil microencapsulation. [Result] The optimal parameters of peony oil microcapsule preparation were acquired. The ratio of three wall materials （~5-cyclodextrin, Arabic gum, and soy protein） is 3：1：2, the solid content is 35%, the ratio of core-wall material is 3：1, emulsifier dosage is 0.2%, and the embedding rate of peony oil reaches 92%. [Conclusion] This technology produced the highest em- bedding rate and it laid the foundation for further development of peony oil.

Microencapsulated ammonium polyphosphate by polyurethane with segment of dipentaerythritol and its application in flame retardant polypropylene

Dipentaerythritol(DPER),4,40-diphenylmethanediisocyanate(MDI)and melamine(MEL)are used as raw materials to microencapsulate ammonium polyphosphate(MAPP)in situ polymerization.The MAPP is characterized by Fourier transform infrared(FT-IR),scanning electron microscopy(SEM),transmission electron microscopy(TEM)and thermal gravimetric analysis(TGA).The results show that the coating operation can effectively improve water resistance of ammonium polyphosphate(APP),and MAPP has higher residual rate than that of APP after combustion.The flame retardant action of MAPP and APP in polypropylene(PP)is investigated by the limited oxygen index(LOI),vertical burning test(UL-94),TGA,SEM,and cone calorimeter test(CCT).The LOI value of the PP/MAPP composite at the same loading is higher than that of PP/APP composite.UL 94 ratings of PP/MAPP composites are raised to V-0 at 20 wt%loading.The results of CCT also show that MAPP is more efficient than APP.The morphological structures observed by digital photos and SEM demonstrated that MAPP could be promoted to form the continuous and compact intumescent char layer.The flame retardant mechanism of PP/MAPP is also discussed.

Transplantation of microencapsulated umbilical-cord-blood-derived hepatic-like cells for treatment of hepatic failure

AIM: To investigate intraperitoneal transplantation of microencapsulated hepatic-like cells from human umbilical cord blood for treatment of hepatic failure in rats. METHODS: CD34+ cells in umbilical cord blood cells were isolated by magnetic cell sorting. In the in vitro experiment, sorted CD34+ cells were amplified and induced into hepatic-like cells by culturing with a combination of fibroblast growth factor 4 and hepatocyte growth factor. Cultures without growth factor addition served as controls. mRNA and protein levels for hepatic-like cells were analyzed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence. In the in vivo experiment, the hepatic-like cells were encapsulated and transplanted into the abdominal cavity of acute hepatic failure (AHF) rats at 48 h after D-galactosamine induction of acute hepatic failure. Transplantation with PBS and unencapsulated hepatic-like cells served as controls. The mortality rate, hepatic pathological changes and serum biochemical indexes were determined. The morphology and structure of microcapsules in the greater omentum were observed. RESULTS: Human albumin, alpha-fetoprotein and GATA-4 mRNA and albumin protein positive cells were found among cultured cells after 16 d. Albumin level in culture medium was significantly increased after culturing with growth factors in comparison with culturing without growth factor addition (P < 0.01). Compared with the unencapsulated group, the mortality rate of the encapsulated hepatic-like cell-transplanted group was significantly lower (P < 0.05). Serum biochemical parameters, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase and total bilirubin in the encapsulated group were significantly improvement compared with the PBS control group (P < 0.01). Pathological staining further supported these findings. At 1-2 wk post-transplantation, free microcapsules with a round clear structure and a smooth surface were observed in peritoneal lavage fluid, surviving cells inside microcapsules were found by trypan blue staining, but some fibrous tissue around microcapsules was also detected in the greater omentum of encapsulated group by hematoxylin and eosin staining. CONCLUSION: Transplantation of microencapsulated hepatic-like cells derived from umbilical cord blood cells could preliminarily alleviate the symptoms of AHF rats.

Controlled-release Properties of Microencapsulated Disperse Dyes

Some disperse dyes were microencapsulated by means of in- situ polymerization. These microencapsulated disperse dyes was extracted respectively by ethanol under certain conditions. The controlled-release properties of disperse dyes through the shell of microcapsules were measured by spectrophotometer. According to the results, it was drawn that the type of disperse dyes, the auxiliaries contained in disperse dyes, the quantity of system controlling medium used and the core/shell ratio of microcapsules play important roles in controlling the release properties of microcapsules. The different controlled- release properties of microcapsules, which were prepared under given conditions, however, would in turn influence the performance of microcapsules in multiple-transfer printing.

Repeated-batch Cultivation of Encapsulated Monascus purpureus by Polyelectrolyte Complex for Natural Pigment Production

In general,productions of natural pigment in submerged microorganism culture were much less than that in solid-state fermentation,because the solid-state culture can provide a support carrier for the mycelium. To improve natural pigment production,the cultivation of Monascus purpureus in submerged encapsulated cell was investigated. Monascus purpureus immobilized in polyelectrolyte complex(PEC) microcapsules,which were pre-pared by sodium cellulose sulphate(NaCS) and poly-dimethyl-diallyl-ammonium chloride(PDMDAAC),was a good substitute for submerged cell culture because it mimicked the solid-state environment. The repeated-batch process with encapsulated cells was studied in flasks and a bubble column. The results indicated that the bubble column was more suitable for the encapsulation culture than the shaking flasks because of its good mass transfer performance and minor shear stress on cells. Owing to the protection of the microcapsule's membrane,Monascus purpureus in microcapsules increased approximately three times over that in free cell culture with negligible cell leakage to the medium. The pigment production in the bubble column finally reached 3.82(OD500) ,which was two times higher than in free cell culture. In addition,the duration of each batch was shortened to 15% of that in free cell culture.

Preparation and Evaluation of Microcapsule Containing Volatile Oil of Herba Schizonepetae by Emulsion Solvent Diffusion Method

Microcapsules of volatile oil containing Herba Schizonepetae(VOHS) were prepared by emulsion solvent diffusion method to improve the drug loading and reduce the amount of pharmaceutical excipients.Orthogonal assay was applied to optimize the preparation condition of microcapsulation,and the results illustrated that the ratio of ethyl cellulose(EC) to VOHS influenced the property of VOHS microcapsule significantly.GC-MS analysis indicated that some volatile components with low concentration in VOHS were lost after microencapsulation.The microcapsules prepared with optimum condition had good fluidity,and the holes on the surface of the microcapsules contributed to the release of VOHS.The particles of the microcapsule conformed to a normal distribution with the diameter of 45—220 μm.In the simulated intestinal fluid containing 0.2% sodium dodecyl sulfate,pulegone in VOHS microcapsule showed a certain degree of slow release.Compared with β-cyclodextrin method,the microencapsulation used in the present work could reduce the amount of excipients and increase the drug loading.It was beneficial to reduce the dose of Chinese medicines containing volatile oils.

Antimicrobial activity of cotton and silk fabric with herbal extract by micro encapsulation

Objective:To explore the antimicrobial activity of microcapsules encapsulated with mixture of herbs like neem,tulsi and turmeric,and its application on cellulosic fabric in the form of microcapsules.Methods:The microcapsules were prepared from the mixture of herbs by plain diffusion method,a natural encapsulation technique with yeast and applied on cotton and silk fabric by pad-dry-cure method.The microcapsules were fixed on cotton and silk fabric using the binder UF Silpure FBR-5(PA)B at 120℃.The antimicrobial activities of the finished fabric were assessed by using three types of bacteria including Staphylococcus aureus,Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas.Results:The results of antimicrobial activity from the tests including parallel streak method and disc diffusion method showed that activity of the mixture of herbs was very effective among the three types of bacteria selected,and the antimicrobial activity of prepared microcapsule against Pseudomonas was very good.Conclusions:The herbal microcapsule treated fabric could be applied in the field of medicine.The scanning electron microscope photographs ensure the fixing of the microcapsules firmly in the yarn structure of plain woven cotton and silk fabric.

Recent progress in ICF target fabrication at RCLF

Target is one of the essential parts in inertial confinement fusion(ICF)experiments.To ensure the symmetry and hydrodynamic stability in the implosion,there are stringent specifications for the target.Driven by the need to fabricate the target required by ICF experiments,a series of target fabrication techniques,including capsule fabrication techniques and the techniques of target characterization and assembly,are developed by the Research Center of Laser Fusion(RCLF),China Academy of Engineering Physics(CAEP).The capsule fabrication techniques for preparing polymer shells,glow discharge polymer(GDP)shells and hollow glass micro-sphere(HGM)are studied,and the techniques of target characterization and assembly are also investigated in this paper.Fundamental research about the target fabrication is also done to improve the quality of the target.Based on the development of target fabrication techniques,some kinds of target have been prepared and applied in the ICF experiments.

Preparation of Garlic Powder with High Allicin Content

Garlic powder with high allicin content was prepared using microwave-vacuum and vacuum drying as well as microencapsulation to protect alliinase activity throughout the stomach and improve the ratio of alliin transforming into allicin. The results showed that the optimal drying condition was 376.1 W for 3 min, 282.1 W for 3 min, 188 W for 9 min, and 94 W for 3 min. The thiosulfinates retention after drying was 90.2%. Following drying, the garlic powder was microencapsulated by modified fluidized bed technique. Scanning electron microscope revealed good integrity and core materials that were embedded in the microcapsules. Studies on the release kinetics of microencapsulated garlic granulates in vitro using simulated intestinal fluid indicated that release of garlic powder could be controlled in the intestine by passing stomach conditions.

A review of recent progress in preparation of hollow polymer microspheres

The preparation methods of hollow polymer microspheres both at home and abroad are summarized, and their preparation mechanisms and developmental states are presented. These methods include the liquid droplet method, dried-gel droplet method, self-assembly method, microencapsulation method, emulsion polymerization method and the template method. Hollow polystyrene microspheres are the most extensively studied in the research of hollow polymer microspheres. Through comparison of the advantages and disadvantages of different preparation methods, it is concluded that microencapsulation method is most suitable for preparing polystyrene hollow microspheres.

Effect of addition of inulin and fenugreek on the survival of microencapsulated Enterococcus durans 39C in alginate-psyllium polymeric blends in simulated digestive system and yogurt

The use of biopolymers for probiotic microencapsulation has been investigated in this paper.The objectives are to enhance its survival rate,colonic release,and stability of these probiotic cultures in digestive condition during storage time.Nine types of biopolymers(alginate-psyllium)blend with different concentration of prebiotic;(inulin or fenugreek)were used as candidate for microencapsulation matrix.One strain of probiotic candidates,namely;Enterococcus durans 39C was used in this study.The microencapsulation of this strain with the respective polymer blend was performed by using a simple extrusion method.All blend of formulations have recorded high encapsulation efficiency at value>98%.The survival rate of viable probiotic cells under simulated digestive conditions was also high with value above 47%as compared to non-microencapsulated cells.These nine gel formulations also displayed the high survival rate of viable probiotic cells during storage time(28 d).Their release occurred after 2 h in colonic condition and sustained until 12th h of incubation period.An increase of prebiotic effect value added was observed in incorporated inulin and fenugreek formulations.In short,this study revealed that a new herbal-based psyllium and fenugreek polymers have suitable potential as a matrix for probiotic microencapsulation.

Effects of Microencapsulated Compound Acidifier on Acidity and Development of Gastrointestinal Tract in Weaning Piglets

The effects of different types of compound acidifiers （encapsulated and non-encapsulated） in maize-soybean basic diets on acidity and development of the gastrointestinal tract in weaning piglets were investigated in this study. 64 28-day-old weaned Landrace x Yorkshire hybrid piglets with average weight of （7.00 ±0.10） kg were selected and grouped into four treatments with four pigs （ half boars and half sows） in each repeat of four repeats in each treatment based on single-factor test design principles, and the pre-test period was 3 days but the test period was 35 days. The results showed that compared with acid-free diet group, encapsulated compound acidifier could reduce pH of stomach and intestinal in weaning piglets significantly （P 〈 0.01 ）, while Test group 1 could also increase the relative weight of stomach and intestinal in piglets significantly （P 〈 0.05 ）. Compared with non-encapsulated acidifier, encapsulated compound acidifier could greatly decrease pH in jejunum and ileum of weaning piglets （ P 〈 0.05） or relative weight of stomach in piglets （ P〈0.05）, while Test group 1 could also enhance the relative weight of intestinal in piglets significantly （ P 〈0.01 ）. In addition, encapsulated compound acidifiers significantly increased the ratio between the villus height and crypt depth of jejunum （ P 〈0.01 ）. Accordingly, the microencapsulated compound acidifier in diets of weaning piglets can promote the development of gastrointestinal tracts for piglets by reducing pH of gastrointestinal tracts.

Preparation and in vitro studies of microencapsulated cells releasing human tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-2

Objective： To prepare microencapsulated cells releasing human tissue inhibitor ofmetalloproteinase-2 （TIMP-2）, and investigate their biological characteristics in vitro. Methods： Chinese hamster ovary （CHO） cells were stably transfected with a human TIMP-2 expression vector, encapsulated in barium alginate microcapsules and cultured in vitro. Morphological appearance of the microcapsules was observed under a light microscope. Cell viability was assessed using MTT （3-（4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl）-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide） assay. Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） and reverse zymography were used to confirm the release of biologically active TIMP-2 from the microcapsules. Cryopreservation study of the microencapsulated cells was carried out using dimethyl sulfoxide （DMSO） as preservative agent. Results： The microcapsules appeared like a sphere with diameter of 300-600 ~tm. The surface of the capsule wall was clearly smooth. The microencapsulated cells survived well and kept proliferating over the 6 weeks observed. No significant difference in TIMP-2 secretion was found between encapsulated and unencapsulated cells. Reverse zymography confirmed the bioactivity of MMP （matrix metalloproteinase） inhibition of TIMP-2. The cryopreservation process did not damage the microcapsule morphology nor the viability of the cells inside. Conclusion： Microencapsulated engineered CHO cells survive at least 6 weeks after preparation in vitro, and secrete bioactive TIMP-2 freely from the microcapsules.

Prevalence of Iron Deficiency and Iron Deficiency Anemia in Infants and Children and Treatment with Microencapsulated Iron II Fumarate and Supplied Ascorbic Acid as “Sprinkles”

Background: Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) in children and infants is a common nutritional problem all over the world. Infants and young children have a high risk for developing iron deficiency (ID) because they have high demand for iron during the period of rapid growth. This is aggravated by the insufficiency of iron in their diet. Iron supplementation programs using pediatric tablets or drops have not been successful in the control of anemia amongst infants and children in some countries. “Sprinkles” is an innovative multi-micronutrient home fortification strategy to control iron deficiency and anemia to be more useful. Objective: The objective was to estimate the prevalence ID and IDA in infants and children in Ibb City, Yemen Republic;evaluate the use of a new form of iron and determine the hematologic response to different doses and forms of iron in Sprinkles and iron drops. Design: Using a prospective, randomized, controlled design, we studied 337 randomly children aged 24 - 48 months and infants aged 6 - 24 months in Ibb City (hemoglobin: 70 - 99 g/L). One group received a daily sachet of microencapsulated ferrous fumarate (80 mg elemental Fe) in powder form plus ascorbic acid to be sprinkled onto any complementary food eaten (sprinkles group);a control group received ferrous sulfate drops 3 times/d for 2 months (total dose: 40 mg elemental Fe). Hemoglobin and serum ferritin concentrations were measured at baseline and at the end of treatment. Results: Successful treatment of anemia (hemoglobin > 100 g/L) occurred in 58% of the sprinkles group and in 56% of the drops group, with minimal side effects in both groups. Geometric mean ferritin concentrations increased significantly in each group from baseline to the end of treatment (P Conclusion: Use of ferrous sulfate drops or a single daily dose of microencapsulated ferrous fumarate sprinkles plus ascorbicacid resulted in a similar rate of successful treatment of anemia without side effects. To our knowledge, this is the first demonstration of the use of microencapsulated iron sprinkles to treat anemia in this area. Improved ease of use may favor the use of sprinkles to deliver iron.

Novel in-capsule synthesis of metal-organic framework for innovative carbon dioxide capture system

Metal-Organic Frameworks(MOFs)have been developed as solid sorbents for CO_(2) capture applications and their properties can be controlled by tuning the chemical blocks of their crystalline units.A number of MOFs(e.g.,HKUST-1)have been developed but the question remains how to deploy them for gas-solid contact.Unfortunately,the direct use of MOFs as nanocrystals would lead to serious problems and risks.Here,for the first time,we report a novel MOF-based hybrid sorbent that is produced via an innovative in-situ microencapsulated synthesis.Using a custom-made double capillary microfluidic assembly,double emulsions of the MOF precursor solutions and UV-curable silicone shell fluid are produced.Subsequently,HKUST-1 MOF is successfully synthesized within the droplets enclosed in the gas permeable microcapsules.The developed MOF-bearing microcapsules uniquely allow the deployment of functional nanocrystals without the challenge of handling ultrafine particles,and further,can selectively reject undesired compounds to protect encapsulated MOFs.

Microencapsulated Schwann cell transplantation inhibits P2X3 receptor expression in dorsal root ganglia and neuropathic pain

Schwann cell transplantation is a promising method to promote neural repair, and can be used for peripheral nerve protection and myelination. Microcapsule technology largely mitigates immune rejection of transplanted cells. We previously showed that microencapsulated olfactory ensheathing cells can reduce neuropathic pain and we hypothesized that microencapsulated Schwann cells can also inhibit neuropathic pain. Rat Schwann cells were cultured by subculture and then microencapsulated and were tested using a rat chronic constriction injury（CCI） neuropathic pain model. CCI rats were treated with Schwann cells or microencapsulated Schwann cells and were compared with sham and CCI groups. Mechanical withdrawal threshold and thermal withdrawal latency were assessed preoperatively and at 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11 and 14 days postoperatively. The expression of P2X3 receptors in L4-5 dorsal root ganglia of the different groups was detected by double-label immunofluorescence on day 14 after surgery. Compared with the chronic constriction injury group, mechanical withdrawal threshold and thermal withdrawal latency were higher, but the expression of P2X3 receptors was remarkably decreased in rats treated with Schwann cells and microencapsulated Schwann cells, especially in the rats transplanted with microencapsulated Schwann cells. The above data show that microencapsulated Schwann cell transplantation inhibits P2X3 receptor expression in L4-5 dorsal root ganglia and neuropathic pain.

Microencapsulation of Banana Passion Fruit (<i>Passiflora tripartita Var. Mollissima</i>): A New Alternative as a Natural Additive as Antioxidant

Banana passion fruit (P. tripartita var. Mollissima) is one of the most promising tropical fruits giving its antioxidant activity (AOA) to replace synthetic additives. Despite this property, there are no studies about the metabolites responsible for its biological function or proposals for the application of technologies, such as microencapsulation by spray drying, to improve its properties and ease its incorporation in several food matrices. The aim of this study is to microencapsulate the pulp of banana passion fruit with several mixtures of encapsulants and identify which one of these mixtures is better to preserve its AOA. The antioxidant activity values for the banana passion fruit pulp were as follows: DPPH: 6630.2 ± 91 μMtrolox/100g;ABTS: 18764.3 ± 270.4 μMtrolox/100g;FRAP: 1703.6± 938.2 mgAA/100g, ORAC: 8105.4 ± 424.2 μmol TEAC/100g of sample;Total phenols: 8862.2 ± 451.4 gallic ac. mg/100g. The concentrations of the bioactive compounds expressed in mg of gallic acid per 100 g of the pulp on a dry base were 13.9 ± 0.004;5.9 ± 0.001 and 126.3 ± 0.004 for caffeic, p-coumaric and ferulic acids, respectively. The best shelf-life followed by ABTS in eight assays was between 28.8 and 31.5 weeks using maltodextrin and modified starch, MD:MS (1/4:3/4) and MD:MS (0:1), respectively. In conclusion, ABTS is the best method to measure the AOA in banana passion fruit because it correlated with the phenolic compounds better than DPPH and FRAP methods. Additionally, two options were found to protect the AOA and to extent the shelf-life of the passion fruit by spray-drying, with mixtures of encapsulants widely used in the food industry.

Alginate core-shell microcapsule reduces the DMSO addition-induced osmotic damage to cells by inhibiting cellular blebs

In cryopreservation,the addition of cryoprotectant can change the intra-and extra-cellular osmotic pressure,affect the cell morphology,and induce blebs on the plasma membrane.In this study,the blebs of cells microencapsulated in the alginate microsphere induced by osmotic shock were studied,and the effects of microencapsulation on bleb size and cell viability were determined.Firstly,a coaxial co-flow focusing device was applied to generate cell-laden microcapsules using alginate hydrogel in this paper.Then,cellular blebs induced by DMSO with various concentrations under microencapsulation were compared with that when non-encapsulated,and the dynamic process of cellular bleb was investigated.Finally,the qualitative relationship between bleb size and cell viability in the presence of DMSO was built,and thus the effects of microencapsulation on bleb size and viability were evaluated.The results show that the bleb size is smaller and the cell viability is higher,and cell microencapsulation can significantly inhibit the excessively large blebs generated on the cell membrane and reduce the osmotic damage to cells when loading cryoprotectant and then to improve cell viability during cryopreservation.This work can provide insights for optimizing cryoprotectant-loading protocols,offer a new avenue to study cell blebbing,and advance future research on cryopreservation of rare cells and biomaterials.

Isothermal Crystallization Kinetics of Microencapsulated Polyethylene Glycol Particles

The microenapsulated polyethylene glycol （PEG） with different molecular weight by a fluidized coating method has been prepared and the crystallization behaviors of PEG particles in three-dimensional confined vohume were investigated by using differential scanning calorimetry （DSC） measurement. The results showed that the width of the crystallization peak of PEG increases and its height gradually diminishes in case that the PEG particles are microencapsulated. Compared with the non-microencapsulated PEG particles, the proportion of the first crystallization peak of microencapsulated PEG particle increases, and that of the second one decreases. The reason for the difference maybe is that the crystallization process of microencapsulated PEG particles is uniform and the crystallization ends when the spherulites touch the wall, thus the opportunity of producing the second crystallization peak was relatively reduced.