Combination of Walnut Peptide and Casein Peptide alleviates anxiety and improves memory in anxiety mices

IntroductionAnxiety disorders continue to prevail as the most prevalent cluster of mental disorders following the COVID-19 pandemic, exhibiting substantial detrimental effects on individuals’ overall well-being and functioning. Even after a search spanning over a decade for novel anxiolytic compounds, none have been approved, resulting in the current anxiolytic medications being effective only for a specific subset of patients. Consequently, researchers are investigating everyday nutrients as potential alternatives to conventional medicines. Our prior study analyzed the antianxiety and memory-enhancing properties of the combination of Walnut Peptide (WP) and Casein Peptide (CP) in zebrafish.Methods and ResultsBased on this work, our current research further validates their effects in mice models exhibiting elevated anxiety levels through a combination of gavage oral administration. Our results demonstrated that at 170 + 300 mg human dose, the WP + CP combination significantly improved performances in relevant behavioral assessments related to anxiety and memory. Furthermore, our analysis revealed that the combination restores neurotransmitter dysfunction observed while monitoring Serotonin, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), dopamine (DA), and acetylcholine (ACh) levels. This supplementation also elevated the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor mRNA, indicating protective effects against the neurological stresses of anxiety. Additionally, there were strong correlations among behavioral indicators, BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor), and numerous neurotransmitters.ConclusionHence, our findings propose that the WP + CP combination holds promise as a treatment for anxiety disorder. Besides, supplementary applications are feasible when produced as powdered dietary supplements or added to common foods like powder, yogurt, or milk

Volcanic Age and Geochemistry of the Permian Linxi Formation in Northeast China: Implications for the Tectonic Evolution of the Paleo-Asian Ocean

The tectonic evolution of the Paleo-Asian Ocean (PAO) has been well studied, including its gradual narrowing and closure by subduction. However, aspects of the tectonic evolution of the oceanic domain remain unclear, including the exact timing and nature of the closure. The Central Asian Orogenic Belt (CAOB) was formed by the closure of the PAO and, therefore, contains information about the tectonic evolution of the oceanic domain. Here, we report a study of the petrology, geochronology, and geochemistry of the Taohaiyingzi section of the Permian Linxi Formation in Alukhorqin Banner (Northeast China) in the central part of the CAOB. A newly discovered andesitic tuff from the lower part of the Linxi Formation yields a weighted mean 206Pb/238U age of 262.2 ± 1.1 Ma (n = 87), indicating that the lower part of the Linxi Formation of the Taohaiyingzi section was deposited during the late Guadalupian. Provenance weathering indicators show that the sedimentary rocks of the Linxi Formation are of low maturity. Element geochemical characteristics indicate that the Linxi Formation clastic rocks were derived from eroded magmatic rocks that formed in a continental arc setting and were deposited close to the arc in a continental arc basin environment. The active margin setting was generated by the subduction of the paleo-Asian oceanic plate beneath the Xilinhot–Songliao block. The inferred palaeosalinity of the sedimentary environment changed gradually from brackish to fresh water, suggesting the end of oceanic plate subduction during the late Guadalupian, and the closure of the PAO during or after the Lopingian

Milk fat globule membrane promotes brain development in piglets by enhancing the connection of white matter fiber trace

IntroductionBrain development during infancy is crucial for later health and development. Although Milk Fat Globule Membrane (MFGM) has been demonstrated to enhance brain development, further investigation is needed to determine the optimal dose.MethodsIn this study, 80 piglets aged 2 days were randomly assigned to four groups: Control group, MFGM-L (1.74 g MFGM per 100 g diet), MFGM-M (4.64 g MFGM per 100 g diet), and MFGM-H (6.09 g MFGM per 100 g diet). Daily body weight and milk intake of the piglets were recorded until 31 days postnatal. Learning and memory abilities were evaluated using the spatial T-maze test on day 15. MRI analysis was conducted to assess functional and structural changes in brain tissues. Additionally, mRNA and protein expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and neurotrophin-3 (NTF-3) in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex were evaluated.ResultsThe results indicated that the MFGM supplemented diet significantly improved the accuracy of the piglets in the T-maze test, with the MFGM-L group exhibiting the best performance. MRI showed no volumetric differences in the gray and white matter between the groups. However, the fractional anisotropy in the left and right hippocampus of piglets in the MFGM-L group was significantly higher than in the other three groups. Furthermore, there was a strong correlation between the accuracy of the T-maze test and hippocampal fractional anisotropy.DiscussionThe MFGM supplemented diet also increased the expression of BDNF in the cerebral cortex. However, the changes in BDNF were not consistent with the results of the T-maze test. In conclusion, adding 1.74 g MFGM per 100 g diet can significantly improve neonatal piglets’ learning and memory abilities, potentially by enhancing the connection of white matter fiber bundles in the brain

Taking the pulse of COVID-19: A spatiotemporal perspective

The sudden outbreak of the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) swept across the world in early 2020, triggering the lockdowns of several billion people across many countries, including China, Spain, India, the U.K., Italy, France, Germany, and most states of the U.S. The transmission of the virus accelerated rapidly with the most confirmed cases in the U.S., and New York City became an epicenter of the pandemic by the end of March. In response to this national and global emergency, the NSF Spatiotemporal Innovation Center brought together a taskforce of international researchers and assembled implemented strategies to rapidly respond to this crisis, for supporting research, saving lives, and protecting the health of global citizens. This perspective paper presents our collective view on the global health emergency and our effort in collecting, analyzing, and sharing relevant data on global policy and government responses, geospatial indicators of the outbreak and evolving forecasts; in developing research capabilities and mitigation measures with global scientists, promoting collaborative research on outbreak dynamics, and reflecting on the dynamic responses from human societies.Comment: 27 pages, 18 figures. International Journal of Digital Earth (2020

Low-temperature methanation of fermentation gas with Ni-based catalysts in a multicomponent system

Abstract A large amount of greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide and methane, are released during the production process of bioethanol and biogas. Converting CO2 into methane is a promising way of capturing CO2 and generating high-value gas. At present, CO2 methanation technology is still in the early stage. It requires high temperature (300–400 ℃) and pressure (> 1 MPa), leading to high cost and energy consumption. In this study, a new catalyst, Ni–Fe/Al–Ti, was developed. Compared with the activity of the common Ni/Al2O3 catalyst, that of the new catalyst was increased by 1/3, and its activation temperature was reduced by 100℃. The selectivity of methane was increased to 99%. In the experiment using simulated fermentation gas, the catalyst showed good catalytic activity and durability at a low temperature and atmospheric pressure. Based on the characterization of catalysts and the study of reaction mechanisms, this article innovatively proposed a Ni–Fe/Al–Ti quaternary catalytic system. Catalytic process was realized through the synergism of Al–Ti composite support and Ni–Fe promotion. The oxygen vacancies on the surface of the composite carrier and the higher activity metals and alloys promoted by Fe accelerate the capture and reduction of CO2. Compared with the existing catalysts, the new Ni–Fe/Al–Ti catalyst can significantly improve the methanation efficiency and has great practical application potential

The dynamics and removal efficiency of antibiotic resistance genes by UV-LED treatment: An integrated research on single- or dual-wavelength irradiation

Antimicrobial resistance has gained increasing attention, because of the awareness of its potential health risks. Strategies for the removal of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) are urgently required. In the present study, UV-LEDs at wavelength of 265 and 285 nm were integrated at five conditions, including single 265 nm UV-LED, single 285 nm UV-LED, and combined 265 nm and 285 nm UV-LED at different intensities, to remove tet A, cat 1, and amp C. The ARGs removal efficiency, gene behavior, and possible cellular mechanism were analyzed using real-time quantitative PCR, flow cytometry, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The 265 nm UV-LED is more effective than the 285 nm UV-LED and their combinations in terms of ARGs control, in which 1.91, 1.71, and 1.45 log were removed for tet A, cat 1, and amp C, respectively, at a UV dosage of 500 mJ/cm2. The intracellular gene leakage was detected in all five UV-LED experiment scenarios even when the cell membrane damage was insignificant with the highest increase of 0.69 log ARGs. ROS was generated during the irradiation, and the ROS was strongly negative correlated with intracellular ARGs, which could promote the degradation and removal of ARGs. This study provides a new insight of intracellular ARGs removal, because direct irradiation, ROS oxidation, and leakage to the extracellular serve as the three main pathways under high-dosage UV-LED irradiation. Further research should be focused on the mechanism and optimization of UV technology with 265 nm UV-LED for ARG control

What Could China Give to and Take from Other Countries in Terms of the Development of the Biogas Industry?

Anaerobic digestion is one of the most sustainable and promising technologies for the management of organic residues. China plays an important role in the world’s biogas industry and has accumulated rich and valuable experience, both positive and negative. The country has established relatively complete laws, policies and a subsidy system; its world-renowned standard system guarantees the implementation of biogas projects. Its prefabricated biogas industry has been developed, and several biogas-linked agricultural models have been disseminated. Nonetheless, the subsidy system in China’s biogas industry is inflexible and cannot lead to marketization, unlike that of its European counterpart. Moreover, the equipment and technology levels of China’s biogas industry are still lagging and underdeveloped. Mono-digestion, rather than co-digestion, dominates the biogas industry. In addition, biogas upgrading technology is immature, and digestate lacks planning and management. China’s government subsidy is reconsidered in this work, resulting in the recommendation that subsidy should be based on products (i.e., output-oriented) instead of only input subsidy for construction. The policy could focus on the revival of abandoned biogas plants as well