A high-fat diet (HFD) increases susceptibility to Escherichia coli colonization in the intestine and raises the risk of intestinal diseases. Lactobacillus reuteri, a commensal bacterium, plays a crucial role in regulating intestinal function and maintaining immune homeostasis. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the effects of L. reuteri on gut barrier function and systemic inflammation in HFD-fed mice challenged with Shiga toxin-producing E. coli O157:H7, and to further elucidate the potential protective mechanisms involved. The results show that supplementation of L. reuteri ZJ617 mitigates intestinal barrier impairment, inflammatory cell infiltration and systemic inflammation induced by E. coli O157:H7. The potential mechanisms of L. reuteri ZJ617 deal with it involving in forming biofilm, producing functional amino acids and various secondary metabolites. Our works provided comprehensively analysis of potential properties of L. reuteri ZJ617 and indicated that L. reuteri ZJ617 is a promising probiotic to prevent E. coli O157:H7 infection.

The surface modification of Zeolite 4A using cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB) as a modifier via an ultrasonic method was carried out and the surface physicochemical properties measured. Response surface methodology (RSM) was developed with CTAB concentration, handling time, and handling temperature as variables, to help predict the performance of the modified zeolite under particular conditions. The influence of organic-modified surface treatment and of the amount of modified zeolite on the water-absorption capability of starch-g-poly (acrylic acid) hydrogel composites was also assessed. The results showed that the channels and skeleton structure of zeolite 4A were unchanged after organic modification by CTAB and the surface modification was effective. The results suggest that organic-modified zeolite 4A has improved the water-absorption capability.

This research commentary responds to Jiang and Murmann (2022), by offering further explanations for the miraculous growth of the digital economy in China from both the demand and supply perspectives. To complement their views, we identify several additional important factors, and classify them in three categories in an explanatory model. We believe that factors on the demand side played a primary role, along with innovative and entrepreneurial e-commerce service providers on the supply side. Infrastructures and government policies provided the foundation and a facilitating environment. We conclude that digital transformation of traditional industries will become the next wave of digital economy, stronger than the previous wave of e-commerce. Implications for research and practices are also discussed. In addition, we highlight emerging trends and turbulences. In conclusion, despite short-term turbulences, we expect that the digital economy in China will make big-stride progress in the long term, with strong potential to continue its growth.

The leakage of hazardous chemicals and toxic volatile substances in the atmosphere may cause serious consequences such as explosion and poisoning. To identify the unknown leakage locations and gas compositions, a mobile robot system to trace the leak source in the outdoor was investigated. First, two bionic searching algorithms, Zigzag and Silkworm algorithms, were tested with outdoor experiments for locating the leak source. The results showed that the locating errors of these two algorithms were within 0.5 m in 10 by 20 m search space, but the failing ratio of Zigzag and Silkworm algorithm was still high (about 40–50%). Therefore, an improved tracing algorithm combining the Silkworm and Zigzag algorithm, called as zigzag–Silkworm algorithm, was proposed. Compared with Silkworm and Zigzag algorithms, zigzag–Silkworm algorithm had a higher success ratio of 80% in outdoor source tracing tests, and the searching efficiency was enhanced, the efficiency parameter L: L0 has improved from 2.58 for Silkworm and 2.66 for Zigzag to 2.17 for zigzag–Silkworm. Then, in order to identify the composition of the leaked gases during the source tracing, an artificial olfaction system (AOS) based on the gas sensor array and support vector machine was set on the mobile robot. The test results in the source tracing experiments with ammonia and ethanol emissions indicated that the recognition accuracy of emission gases reached to 99% with AOS equipped on the robot. Therefore, the mobile robot system equipped with the zigzag–Silkworm algorithm and the AOS is feasible to trace the leakage source and identify the emission composition in the outdoor leakage event with good performance in efficiency and accuracy although some underlying problems still need to be addressed in future work.

The aim of the study was to investigate how maternal dietary patterns and maternal/fetal cytokines are associated with birth weight and whether cytokines mediate the association. A total of 469 pregnant women and their children were recruited for this prospective study. Dietary patterns in pregnancy were identified using factor analysis of data from three consecutive 24 h dietary recalls. Maternal and umbilical blood serum cytokines (adiponectin (APN), IL-6 and interferon-γ) were measured via ELISA. Path analysis was used to explore the relationships between maternal diet, cytokines and birth weight. Four dietary patterns were identified: a mainly fruit, dairy products and poultry diet (FDP); a mainly vegetables, beans and pork diet (VBP); a mainly fish, shrimp and soup diet (FS) and a mainly tuber and egg diet (TE). Path analysis showed the order of effects of dietary patterns on birth weight was FS>FDP>TE>VBP (β=0·130, 0·109, –0·094 and 0·046, respectively). Only the TE pattern’s effect was negative. Maternal and fetal APN were positively associated with birth weight (β=0·045 and 0·226, respectively), and they mediated the association between the TE pattern and birth weight (indirect effect was 5·3 %). Maternal IL-6 was negatively associated with birth weight (β=–0·067) and mediated the association between maternal FDP and VBP patterns and birth weight (indirect effects were 10·1 and 100·0 %, respectively). All variables in the path explained 33·6 % of variation. These results suggested that maternal dietary patterns in pregnancy are associated with birth weight and mediated directly and indirectly through some maternal/fetal serum cytokines.

The triplite LiFeSO4F displays both the highest potential ever reported for an Fe-based compound, as well as a comparable specific energy with that of popular LiFePO4. The synthesis is still a challenge because the present approaches are connected with long time, special equipments or organic reagents, etc. In this work, the triplite LiFeSO4F powder was synthesized through an ambient two-step solid-state route. The reaction process and phase purity were analyzed, coupled with structure refinement and electrochemical test.

The discovery of the first electromagnetic counterpart to a gravitational wave signal has generated follow-up observations by over 50 facilities world-wide, ushering in the new era of multi-messenger astronomy. In this paper, we present follow-up observations of the gravitational wave event GW170817 and its electromagnetic counterpart SSS17a/DLT17ck (IAU label AT2017gfo) by 14 Australian telescopes and partner observatories as part of Australian-based and Australian-led research programs. We report early- to late-time multi-wavelength observations, including optical imaging and spectroscopy, mid-infrared imaging, radio imaging, and searches for fast radio bursts. Our optical spectra reveal that the transient source emission cooled from approximately 6 400 K to 2 100 K over a 7-d period and produced no significant optical emission lines. The spectral profiles, cooling rate, and photometric light curves are consistent with the expected outburst and subsequent processes of a binary neutron star merger. Star formation in the host galaxy probably ceased at least a Gyr ago, although there is evidence for a galaxy merger. Binary pulsars with short (100 Myr) decay times are therefore unlikely progenitors, but pulsars like PSR B1534+12 with its 2.7 Gyr coalescence time could produce such a merger. The displacement (~2.2 kpc) of the binary star system from the centre of the main galaxy is not unusual for stars in the host galaxy or stars originating in the merging galaxy, and therefore any constraints on the kick velocity imparted to the progenitor are poor.

Red-emitting phosphor of Ca0.8Zn0.2TiO3:0.2 mol% Pr3+ was synthesized by the hydrothermal method with urea as a mineralizer. The crystalline structure, micromorphology, and luminescent properties of the resultant phosphor were investigated. Results show that elevated calcination temperature does not change the shape of particles that are hollow spheres with a shell thickness of 210–480 nm, and smaller particles are in the middle of the larger ones. The emission intensity at 612 nm originated from 1D2 → 3H4 transition of Pr3+ ions increases with the elevated calcination temperature due to a higher crystallinity. Excitation curves consist of two strong broad bands centered at about 330 and 380 nm and a weaker broad band range from 450 to 500 nm. The sample prepared by the hydrothermal method has better luminescent properties than that of its counterpart prepared by the solid-state method, especially the improvement of near-UV region (380 nm) excitation intensity.

The metal nanoparticles dispersed in matrices of composite material are able to apply in different technologies based on their peculiarity. This article reports the preparation of Ag/epoxy nanocomposite film with aligned Ag nanowires coated on glass substrate by multistep processing including synthesis of Ag nanowires by seed-mediated method, dispersion of Ag nanowires in the epoxy resin, and stretching to form the Ag/epoxy nanocomposite film. The results showed that Ag nanowires had been well aligned in the direction of stretching, both in the surface layer and in the internal of the film. Meanwhile, the Ag/epoxy nanocomposite film showed an obviously infrared polarization property in a broad wavelength range from 1600 to 2600 nm, with transmittance over 70%. The mechanisms for the orientation of Ag nanowires and the generation of polarization property of the films were discussed, respectively.

We have studied the temperature dependence of CER spectra of layered InGaAs QWRs and QDCs and found strain-induced splitting of lh and hh states occur in both InGsAs and GaAs layers. By fitting experimental data using Varshni law and Bose-Einstein type relation, various parameters are obtained, which are similar to those of bulk GaAs. We pointed out that a caution must be excised when extracting the electron-phonon interaction parameters by subtracting the thermal dilation part from the experimental data of the embedded semiconductor microstructures because in these structures the temperature-induced lattice-dilation may produce additional strain besides the lattice mismatch.

Lattice strains have been measured as a function of the angle, ψ, from the diamond cell stress axis in a sample of gold and rhenium at pressures of 15–37 GPa. Experiments were conducted using X-ray transparent gaskets made from beryllium. The differential stresses supported by gold and rhenium have been characterized to 37 GPa. It is also shown that proper choice of the diffraction geometry allows recovery of a quasi-hydrostatic compression curve under these highly non-hydrostatic conditions. X-ray elastic moduli have also been determined, and while good agreement with previous data is achieved for gold, there is a large discrepancy between the present results and extrapolated ultrasonic data for rhenium.