Novel Design of Eco-Friendly Super Elastomer Materials With Optimized Hard Segments Micro-Structure: Toward Next-Generation High-Performance Tires

Recently, sustainable development has become a significant concern globally, and the energy crisis is one of the top priorities. From the perspective of the industrial application of polymeric materials, rubber tires are critically important in our daily lives. However, the energy consumption of tires can reach 6% of the world's total energy consumption per annum. Meanwhile, it is calculated that around 5% of carbon dioxide comes from the emission of tire rolling due to energy consumption. To overcome these severe energy and environmental challenges, designing and developing a high-performance fuel-saving tire is of paramount significance. Herein, a next-generation, eco-friendly super elastomer material based on macromolecular assembly technology has been fabricated. Hydroxyl-terminated solution-polymerized styrene-butadiene rubber (HTSSBR) with high vinyl contents prepared by anionic polymerization is used as flexible soft segments to obtain excellent wet skid resistance. Furthermore, highly symmetrical 1,5-naphthalene diisocyanate (NDI), different proportions of chain extender, and the cross-linking agent with moderate molecular length are selected as rigid hard segments to achieve simultaneous high heat resistance. Through this approach, a homogeneous network supported by uniformly distributed hard segment nanoparticles is formed because soft segments with equal length are chemically end-linked by the hard segments. This super elastomer material exhibits excellent wear resistance and low rolling resistance. More importantly, the wear resistance, rolling resistance, and wet-skid resistance are reduced by 85.4, 42.3, and 20.8%, respectively, compared to the elastomeric material conventionally used for tire. By taking advantage of this excellent comprehensive service performance, the long-standing challenge of the “magic triangle” plaguing the rubber tire industry for almost 100 years is resolved. It is anticipated that this newly designed and fabricated elastomeric material tailored for tires will become the next generation product, which could exhibit high potential for significantly cutting the fuel consumption and reducing the emission of carbon dioxide

<i>Lactobacillus crispatus</i> CCFM1339 Inhibits Vaginal Epithelial Barrier Injury Induced by <i>Gardnerella vaginalis</i> in Mice

The vaginal epithelial barrier, which integrates mechanical, immune, chemical, and microbial defenses, is pivotal in safeguarding against external pathogens and upholding the vaginal microecological equilibrium. Although the widely used metronidazole effectively curtails Gardnerella vaginalis, a key pathogen in bacterial vaginosis, it falls short in restoring the vaginal barrier or reducing recurrence rates. Our prior research highlighted Lactobacillus crispatus CCFM1339, a vaginally derived Lactobacillus strain, for its capacity to modulate the vaginal epithelial barrier. In cellular models, L. crispatus CCFM1339 fortified the integrity of the cellular monolayer, augmented cellular migration, and facilitated repair. Remarkably, in animal models, L. crispatus CCFM1339 substantially abated the secretion of the barrier disruption biomarker E-cadherin (from 101.45 to 82.90 pg/mL) and increased the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 (35.18% vs. the model), consequently mitigating vaginal inflammation in mice. Immunological assays in vaginal tissues elucidated increased secretory IgA levels (from 405.56 to 740.62 ng/mL) and curtailed IL-17 gene expression. Moreover, L. crispatus CCFM1339 enhanced Lactobacilli abundance and attenuated Enterobacterium and Enterococcus within the vaginal microbiome, underscoring its potential in probiotic applications for vaginal barrier regulation

Metagenomic Insights into the Effects of Fructooligosaccharides (FOS) on the Composition of Luminal and Mucosal Microbiota in C57BL/6J Mice, Especially the Bifidobacterium Composition

Fructooligosaccharides (FOS) are considered prebiotics and have been proven to selectively promote the growth of Bifidobacterium in the gut. This study aimed to clarify the effects of FOS intake on the composition of luminal and mucosal microbiota in mice. Briefly, mice were fed a 0% or 25% FOS (w/w)-supplemented diet for four weeks, and the composition of luminal and mucosal microbiota, especially the Bifidobacterium, was analyzed by sequencing the V3&ndash;V4 region of 16S rRNA and groEL gene, respectively. After FOS intervention, there were significant increases in the total and wall weights of the cecum and the amount of total short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) in the cecal contents of the mice. At the phylum level, the results showed a significant increase in the relative abundance of Actinobacteria in the contents and mucosa from the cecum to the distal colon in the FOS group. Besides Bifidobacterium, a significant increase was observed in the relative abundance of Coprococcus in all samples at the genus level, which may be partially related to the increase in butyric acid levels in the luminal contents. Furthermore, groEL sequencing revealed that Bifidobacterium pseudolongum was almost the sole bifidobacterial species in the luminal contents (&gt;98%) and mucosa (&gt;89%). These results indicated that FOS can selectively promote B. pseudolongum proliferation in the intestine, either in the lumen or the mucosa from the cecum to the distal colon. Further studies are required to reveal the competitive advantage of B. pseudolongum over other FOS-metabolizing bacteria and the response mechanisms of B. pseudolongum to FOS

Comparative Genomic Analysis of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum Isolated from Different Niches

Lactiplantibacillus plantarum can adapt to a variety of niches and is widely distributed in many sources. We used comparative genomics to explore the differences in the genome and in the physiological characteristics of L. plantarum isolated from pickles, fermented sauce, and human feces. The relationships between genotypes and phenotypes were analyzed to address the effects of isolation source on the genetic variation of L. plantarum. The comparative genomic results indicate that the numbers of unique genes in the different strains were niche-dependent. L. plantarum isolated from fecal sources generally had more strain-specific genes than L. plantarum isolated from pickles. The phylogenetic tree and average nucleotide identity (ANI) results indicate that L. plantarum in pickles and fermented sauce clustered independently, whereas the fecal L. plantarum was distributed more uniformly in the phylogenetic tree. The pan-genome curve indicated that the L. plantarum exhibited high genomic diversity. Based on the analysis of the carbohydrate active enzyme and carbohydrate-use abilities, we found that L. plantarum strains isolated from different sources exhibited different expression of the Glycoside Hydrolases (GH) and Glycosyl Transferases (GT) families and that the expression patterns of carbohydrate active enzymes were consistent with the evolution relationships of the strains. L. plantarum strains exhibited niche-specific characteristicsand the results provided better understating on genetics of this species

Lactobacillus paracasei CCFM1223 Protects against Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Acute Liver Injury in Mice by Regulating the &ldquo;Gut&ndash;Liver&rdquo; Axis

Background: Lactobacillus paracasei CCFM1223, a probiotic previously isolated from the healthy people&rsquo;s intestine, exerts the beneficial influence of preventing the development of inflammation. Methods: The aim of this research was to explore the beneficial effects of L. paracasei CCFM1223 to prevent lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced acute liver injury (ALI) and elaborate on its hepatoprotective mechanisms. Results: L. paracasei CCFM1223 pretreatment remarkably decreased the activities of serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) in mice with LPS treatment and remarkably recovered LPS-induced the changes in inflammatory cytokines (tumor necrosis factor-&alpha; (TNF-&alpha;), transforming growth factor-&beta; (TGF-&beta;), interleukin (IL)-1&beta;, IL-6, IL-17, IL-10, and LPS) and antioxidative enzymes activities (total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and catalase (CAT)). Metagenomic analysis showed that L. paracasei CCFM1223 pretreatment remarkably increased the relative abundance of Catabacter compared with the LPS group but remarkably reduced the relative abundance of [Eubacterium] xylanophilumgroup, ASF356, LachnospiraceaeNK4A136group, and Lachnoclostridium, which is closely associated with the inflammation cytokines and antioxidative enzymes. Furthermore, L. paracasei CCFM1223 pretreatment remarkably increased the colonic, serum, and hepatic IL-22 levels in ALI mice. In addition, L. paracasei CCFM1223 pretreatment remarkably down-regulated the hepatic Tlr4 and Nf-k&beta; transcriptions and significantly up-regulated the hepatic Tlr9, Tak1, I&kappa;-B&alpha;, and Nrf2 transcriptions in ALI mice. Conclusions: L. paracasei CCFM1223 has a hepatoprotective function in ameliorating LPS-induced ALI by regulating the &ldquo;gut&ndash;liver&rdquo; axis

Protective Effects of a Novel Probiotic Bifidobacterium pseudolongum on the Intestinal Barrier of Colitis Mice via Modulating the Ppar&gamma;/STAT3 Pathway and Intestinal Microbiota

Colitis has become a major health concern worldwide. The objective of the present study was to determine the probiotic influence of different strains of B. pseudolongum (Bp7 and Bp8) on alleviating colitis and to explore its possible potential mechanisms. Our results displayed that Bp7 and Bp8 intervention effectively reduced dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-caused body weight loss and the release of several pro-inflammatory factors (interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1&beta;, and tumor necrosis factor-&alpha; (TNF-&alpha;)) and increased the activities of antioxidant enzymes (T-AOC, SOD, and GSH) and the concentrations of tight junction proteins (occludin, claudin-1, and ZO-1). Moreover, Bp7 and Bp8 intervention drastically down-regulated the expression of colonic MyD88, NF-&kappa;B, iNOS and COX2 and drastically elevated the expression of colonic STAT3, Nrf2, and PPAR&gamma;. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry results revealed that the cecal levels of isobutyric, butyric, and isovaleric acids were drastically increased in colitis mice intervened with Bp7 and Bp8. Moreover, 16S rRNA sequencing revealed that Bp7 and Bp8 intervention modulated the intestinal microbiota structure, particularly by enhancing the proportion of Eubacterium coprostanoligenes group, Marvinbryantia, Enterorhabdus, Faecalibaculum, Coriobacteriaceae UCG 002, Alistipes, and Bifidobacterium, which are relevant to the levels of cecal isobutyric acid, butyric acid, isovaleric acid, and inflammatory cytokines. Collectively, these findings suggest that Bp7 and Bp8 intervention alleviates the intestinal barrier function, possibly by blocking the secretion of proinflammatory cytokines, maintaining the intestinal physical barrier integrity, activating the PPAR&gamma;/STAT3 pathway, and modulating intestinal microbiota composition. Our study also suggested that B. pseudolongum is a promising probiotic for colitis treatment

Exploring the Dose–Effect Relationship of <i>Bifidobacterium longum</i> in Relieving Loperamide Hydrochloride-Induced Constipation in Rats through Colon-Released Capsules

Constipation is a common disease affecting humans. Bifidobacterium longum is reportedly effective in relieving constipation. Current studies generally focus on the dose–response relationship of oral doses; however, the dose–effect relationship of B. longum in the colon, which is the primary site where B. longum exerts constipation-relieving effects, to treat constipation has not been studied. Herein, three strains of B. longum (FGSZY6M4, FJSWXJ10M2, and FSDJN6M3) were packaged in colon-released capsules to explore the dose–effect relationship in the colon. For each strain, three groups of capsules (104, 106, and 108 CFU/capsule, respectively) and one group of free probiotics (108 CFU/mL) were used to explore the colonic dose effect of B. longum. The results showed that the three strains of B. longum improved fecal water content and promoted intestinal motility by regulating gastrointestinal peptide (MTL, GAS, and VIP), aquaporin-3, and 5-hydroxytryptamine levels while promoting gastrointestinal motility and relieving constipation by regulating the intestinal flora composition of constipated rats and changing their metabolite content (short-chain fatty acids). Among the three free bacterial solution groups (108 CFU/mL), FGSZY6M4 was the most effective in relieving constipation caused by loperamide hydrochloride in rats. The optimal effective dose of each strain was 6M4 (104 CFU/day), 10M2 (106 CFU/day), and S3 (108 CFU/day) of the colon-released capsules. Therefore, for some effective strains, the dose of oral probiotics can be reduced by colon-released capsules, and constipation can be relieved without administering a great number of bacterial solutions. Therefore, investigating the most effective dose of B. longum at the colon site can help to improve the efficiency of relieving constipation

Screening of Microbial Strains Used to Ferment <i>Dendrobium officinale</i> to Produce Polysaccharides, and Investigation of These Polysaccharides’ Skin Care Effects

The microbial fermentation of plants is a promising approach for enhancing the yield of polysaccharides with increased activity. In this study, ten microbial strains, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum CCFM8661, Limosilactobacillus reuteri CCFM8631, Lactobacillus helveticus M10, Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus CCFM237, Lactilactobacillus sakei GD17-9, Lacticaseibacillus casei CCFM1073, Bacillus subtilis CCFM1162, Bacteroides cellulosilyticus FTJSI-E-2, Bacteroides stercoris FNMHLBEIK-4, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae HN7-A5, were used to ferment Dendrobium officinale. The skin care activity of the resulting polysaccharides (F-DOP) was evaluated in cultured HaCaT and RAW 264.7 cells, and a mouse model. The results indicated that D. officinale medium promoted strain proliferation, and fermentation significantly enhanced polysaccharide yield (up to 1.42 g/L) compared to that without fermentation (0.76 g/L). Moreover, F-DOPs, especially after CCFM8631 fermentation, exhibited an excellent ability to attenuate sodium dodecyl sulfate-induced HaCaT cell injury (from 69.04 to 94.86%) and decrease nitric oxide secretion (from 42.86 to 22.56 μM) in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. In vivo, CCFM8631-FDOP reduced the transdermal water loss rate, skin epidermal thickness, and interleukin 6, and enhanced the expression of filaggrin, improving 2,4-dinitrofluorobenzene-induced skin damage. Therefore, considering viable cell counts, polysaccharide yields, and skin care efficacy in vitro and in vivo, CCFM8631 is the most suitable strain to enhance the skin care activity of DOPs and possesses promising potential for applications in the cosmetics industry

Effects of Different Doses of Fructooligosaccharides (FOS) on the Composition of Mice Fecal Microbiota, Especially the Bifidobacterium Composition

Fructooligosaccharides (FOS) are a well-known class of prebiotic and are considered to selectively stimulate the growth of bifidobacteria in the gut. Previous studies focused on the growth stimulation of Bifidobacterium, but they did not further investigate the bifidobacterial composition and the specific species that were stimulated. In this study, mice were fed with FOS in different doses for four weeks and the composition of fecal microbiota, in particular Bifidobacterium, was analyzed by sequencing the V3&ndash;V4 region and the groEL gene on the MiSeq platform, respectively. In the high-dose group, the relative abundance of Actinobacteria was significantly increased, which was mainly contributed by Bifidobacterium. At the genus level, the relative abundances of Blautia and Coprococcus were also significantly increased. Through the groEL sequencing, 14 species of Bifidobacterium were identified, among which B. pseudolongum was most abundant. After FOS treatment, B. pseudolongum became almost the sole bifidobacterial species (&gt;95%). B. pseudolongum strains were isolated and demonstrated their ability to metabolize FOS by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Therefore, we inferred that FOS significantly stimulated the growth of B. pseudolongum in mice. Further investigations are needed to reveal the mechanism of selectiveness between FOS and B. pseudolongum, which would aid our understanding of the basic principles between dietary carbohydrates and host health