Graphene Enables Aluminum Current Collectors of 5 V Class Battery.

The five volt-class battery is one promising candidate of high energy density lithium-ion batteries. However, it suffers from limited electrochemical performance due to many problems, one of which is Al current collector corrosion. The corrosion greatly affects the electrochemical performance of batteries, so uncovering the Al corrosion mechanism and developing its protection strategy in the 5 V-class battery becomes important. Here, we experimentally realize a corrosion-resistant Al current collector via graphene protection. The experimental and theoretical calculation indicate that graphene can work as a physical barrier to inhibit direct contact between LiPF6-based electrolyte and an Al current collector, reducing the side reactions between Al current collector and HF originated from electrolyte. What is more, graphene increases the Al corrosion reaction potential, raising the difficulty of electrochemical corrosion. These effects improve the electrochemical performance of the 5 V-class battery, especially the rate performance and cycling stability. The work is beneficial for the development of a 5 V-class battery.

Engineered bacteria breach tumor physical barriers to enhance radio-immunotherapy.

Radiotherapy widely applied for local tumor therapy in clinic has been recently reinvigorated by the discovery that radiotherapy could activate systematic antitumor immune response. Nonetheless, the endogenous radio-immune effect is still incapable of radical tumor elimination due to the prevention of immune cell infiltration by the physical barrier in tumor microenvironment (TME). Herein, an engineered Salmonella secreting nattokinase (VNPNKase) is developed to synergistically modulate the physical and immune characteristics of TME to enhance radio-immunotherapy of colon tumors. The facultative anaerobic VNPNKase enriches at the tumor site after systemic administration, continuously secreting abundant NKase to degrade fibronectin, dredge the extracellular matrix (ECM), and inactivate cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). The VNPNKase- dredged TME facilitates the infiltration of CD103+ dendritic cells (DCs) and thus the presentation of tumor-associated antigens (TAAs) after radiotherapy, recruiting sufficient CD8+ T lymphocytes to specifically eradicate localized tumors. Moreover, the pre-treatment of VNPNKase before radiotherapy amplifies the abscopal effect and achieves a long-term immune memory effect, preventing the metastasis and recurrence of tumors. Our research suggests that this strategy using engineered bacteria to breach tumor physical barrier for promoting immune cell infiltration possesses great promise as a translational strategy to enhance the effectiveness of radio-immunotherapy in treating solid tumors.

A Review of Urban Planning Approaches to Reduce Air Pollution Exposures.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: With only 12% of the human population living in cities meeting the air quality standards set by the WHO guidelines, there is a critical need for coordinated strategies to meet the requirements of a healthy society. One pivotal mechanism for addressing societal expectations on air pollution and human health is to employ strategic modeling within the urban planning process. This review synthesizes research to inform coordinated strategies for a healthy society. Through strategic modeling in urban planning, we seek to uncover integrated solutions that mitigate air pollution, enhance public health, and create sustainable urban environments. RECENT FINDINGS: Successful urban planning can help reduce air pollution by optimizing city design with regard to transportation systems. As one specific example, ventilation corridors i.e. aim to introduce natural wind into urban areas to improve thermal comfort and air quality, and they can be effective if well-designed and managed. However, physical barriers such as sound walls and vegetation must be carefully selected following design criteria with significant trade-offs that must be modeled quantitatively. These tradeoffs often involve balancing effectiveness, cost, aesthetics, and environmental impact. For instance, sound walls are highly effective at reducing noise, provide immediate impact, and are long-lasting. However, they are expensive to construct, visually unappealing, and may block views and sunlight. To address the costly issue of sound walls, a potential solution is implementing vegetation with a high leaf area index or leaf area density. This alternative is also an effective method for air pollution reduction with varying land-use potential. Ultimately, emission regulations are a key aspect of all such considerations. Given the broad range of developments, concerns, and considerations spanning city management, ventilation corridors, physical barriers, and transportation planning, this review aims to summarize the effect of a range of urban planning methods on air pollution considerations.

Uni-directional release of ibuprofen from an asymmetric fibrous membrane enables effective peritendinous anti-adhesion.

Drug-loaded porous membranes have been deemed to be effective physicochemical barriers to separate postoperative adhesion-prone tissues in tendon healing. However, cell viability and subsequent tissue regeneration might be severely interfered with the unrestricted release and the locally excessive concentration of anti-inflammatory drugs. Herein, we report a double-layered membrane with sustained and uni-directional drug delivery features to prevent peritendinous adhesion without hampering the healing outcome. A vortex-assisted electrospinning system in combination with ibuprofen (IBU)-in-water emulsion was utilized to fabricate IBU-loaded poly-ʟ-lactic-acid (PLLA) fiber bundle membrane (PFB-IBU) as the anti-adhesion layer. The resultant highly porous structure, oleophilic and hydrophobic nature of PLLA fibers enabled in situ loading of IBU with a concentration gradient across the membrane thickness. Aligned collagen nanofibers were further deposited at the low IBU concentration side of the membrane for regulating cell growth and achieving uni-directional release of IBU. Drug release kinetics showed that the release amount of IBU from the high concentration side reached 79.32% at 14 d, while it was only 0.35% at the collagen side. Therefore, fibroblast proliferation at the high concentration side was successfully inhibited without affecting the oriented growth of tendon-derived stem cells at the other side. In vivo evaluation of the rat Achilles adhesion model confirmed the successful peritendinous anti-adhesion of our double-layered membrane, in that the macrophage recruitment, the inflammatory factor secretion and the deposition of pathological adhesion markers such as α-SMA and COL-III were all inhibited, which greatly improved the peritendinous fibrosis and restored the motor function of tendon.

Structural Parameters and Behavior in Simulated Body Fluid of High Entropy Alloy Thin Films.

The structure, composition and corrosion properties of thin films synthesized using the Pulsed Laser Deposition (PLD) technique starting from a three high entropy alloy (HEA) AlCoCrFeNix produced by vacuum arc remelting (VAR) method were investigated. The depositions were performed at room temperature on Si and mirror-like polished Ti substrates either under residual vacuum (low 10-7 mbar, films denoted HEA2, HEA6, and HEA10, which were grown from targets with Ni concentration molar ratio, x, equal to 0.4, 1.2, and 2.0, respectively) or under N2 (10-4 mbar, films denoted HEN2, HEN6, and HEN10 for the same Ni concentration molar ratios). The deposited films' structures, investigated using Grazing Incidence X-ray Diffraction, showed the presence of face-centered cubic and body-centered cubic phases, while their surface morphology, investigated using scanning electron microscopy, exhibited a smooth surface with micrometer size droplets. The mass density and thickness were obtained from simulations of acquired X-ray reflectivity curves. The films' elemental composition, estimated using the energy dispersion X-ray spectroscopy, was quite close to that of the targets used. X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy investigation showed that films deposited under a N2 atmosphere contained several percentages of N atoms in metallic nitride compounds. The electrochemical behavior of films under simulated body fluid (SBF) conditions was investigated by Open Circuit Potential (OCP) and Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy measurements. The measured OCP values increased over time, implying that a passive layer was formed on the surface of the films. It was observed that all films started to passivate in SBF solution, with the HEN6 film exhibiting the highest increase. The highest repassivation potential was exhibited by the same film, implying that it had the highest stability range of all analyzed films. Impedance measurements indicated high corrosion resistance values for HEA2, HEA6, and HEN6 samples. Much lower resistances were found for HEN10 and HEN2. Overall, HEN6 films exhibited the best corrosion behavior among the investigated films. It was noticed that for 24 h of immersion in SBF solution, this film was also a physical barrier to the corrosion process, not only a chemical one.

Use of oral devices in the management of oral dysesthesia: case reports and literature review.

Oral dysesthesia (OD) is a diagnosis of exclusion that manifests as an unpleasant and abnormal sensation of the oral mucosa without any noticeable oral lesions. Burning sensation is one of the manifestations of OD which may advocate for similar pharmacotherapeutic options to burning mouth syndrome (BMS), resulting in possible adverse events. The aim of these case reports was to illustrate the significance and rationale for the use of oral devices as a mechanical/physical barrier and a safe approach in the management of OD, without experiencing any antagonistic effects from pharmacotherapeutic agents. Two patients with spontaneous and evoked (following dental procedures) OD symptoms in the right posterior mandibular quadrant and anterior hard palatal areas were evaluated. Additionally, their OD symptoms were associated with hyposalivation and taste changes. A thorough history and complete head and neck examination, with the exclusion of oral lesions and systemic conditions, were performed. These patients were previously prescribed topical clonazepam rinses. An in-office trial, with application of orthodontic wax to the affected area, was performed as a preliminary test in order to justify the fabrication of an oral device for possible symptomatic relief. Conclusion: The case reports demonstrated significant improvement of OD symptoms and amelioration of pain following fabrication of oral devices in two patients with no undesirable effects from pharmacotherapy. Additionally, the oral devices aided as a mechanical/physical barrier, potentially exerting a placebo effect while facilitating an improved quality of life. Furthermore, the cost-effectiveness and ease of fabricating the oral device has been advantageous over other systemic medications. This encourages the need for a detailed prospective study.

Volume electron microscopy reconstruction uncovers a physical barrier that limits virus to phloem.

Most plant reoviruses are phloem-limited, but the mechanism has remained unknown for more than half a century. Southern rice black-streaked dwarf virus (Fijivirus, Reoviridae) causes phloem-derived tumors, where its virions, genomes, and proteins accumulate, and it was used as a model to explore how its host plant limits the virus within its phloem. High-throughput volume electron microscopy revealed that only sieve plate pores and flexible gateways rather than plasmodesmata had a sufficiently large size exclusion limit (SEL) to accommodate virions and potentially serve as pathways of virion movement. The large SEL gateways were enriched within the proliferated sieve element (SE) layers of tumors. The lack of such connections out of the SE-enriched regions of tumors defined a size-dependent physical barrier to high flux transportation of virions. A working model is proposed to demonstrate the mechanism underlying limitation of virus within phloem.

A Chewing Study of Abuse-Deterrent Tablets Containing Polyethylene Oxide Using a Robotic Simulator.

Abuse-deterrent formulations (ADFs) refer to formulation technologies aiming to deter the abuse of prescription drugs by making the dosage forms difficult to manipulate or extract the opioids. Assessments are required to evaluate the performance of the drugs through different routes including injection, ingestion, and insufflation and also when the drugs are manipulated. Chewing is the easiest and most convenient way to manipulate the drugs and deserves investigation. Chewing is one of the most complex bioprocesses, where the ingested materials are subject to periodic tooth crushing, mixed through the tongue, and lubricated and softened by the saliva. Inter- and intra-subject variations in chewing patterns may result in different chewing performances. The purpose of this study is to use a chewing simulator to assess the deterrent properties of tablets made of polyethylene oxide (PEO). The simulator can mimic human molar grinding with variable chewing parameters including molar trajectory, chewing frequency, and saliva flow rate. To investigate the effects of these parameters, the sizes of the chewed tablet particles and the chewing force were measured to evaluate the chewing performance. Thirty-four out of forty tablets were broken into pieces. The results suggested that the simulator can chew the tablets into smaller particles and that the molar trajectory and saliva flow rate had significant effect on reducing the size of the particles by analysis of variance (ANOVA) while the effect of chewing frequency was not clear. Additionally, chewing force can work as an indicator of the chewing performance.

Techniques for navigating postsurgical adhesions: Insights into mechanisms and future directions.

Postsurgical adhesions are a common complication of surgical procedures that can lead to postoperative pain, bowel obstruction, infertility, as well as complications with future procedures. Several agents have been developed to prevent adhesion formation, such as barriers, anti-inflammatory and fibrinolytic agents. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the use of physical barrier agents, but they have been associated with conflicting clinical studies and controversy in the clinical utilization of anti-adhesion barriers. In this review, we summarize the human anatomy of the peritoneum, the pathophysiology of adhesion formation, the current prevention agents, as well as the current research progress on adhesion prevention. The early cellular events starting with injured mesothelial cells and incorporating macrophage response have recently been found to be associated with adhesion formation. This may provide the key component for developing future adhesion prevention methods. The current use of physical barriers to separate tissues, such as Seprafilm®, composed of hyaluronic acid and carboxymethylcellulose, can only reduce the risk of adhesion formation at the end stage. Other anti-inflammatory or fibrinolytic agents for preventing adhesions have only been studied within the context of current research models, which is limited by the lack of in-vitro model systems as well as in-depth study of in-vivo models to evaluate the efficiency of anti-adhesion agents. In addition, we explore emerging therapies, such as gene therapy and stem cell-based approaches, that may offer new strategies for preventing adhesion formation. In conclusion, anti-adhesion agents represent a promising approach for reducing the burden of adhesion-related complications in surgical patients. Further research is needed to optimize their use and develop new therapies for this challenging clinical problem.

Effect of mixed physical barrier on seawater intrusion and nitrate accumulation in coastal unconfined aquifers.

Physical barrier has been proven to be one of the most effective measures to prevent and control seawater intrusion (SWI) in coastal areas. Mixed physical barrier (MPB), a new type of physical barrier, has been shown to have higher efficiency in SWI control. As with conventional subsurface dam and cutoff wall, the construction of MPB may lead to the accumulation of nitrate contaminants in coastal aquifers. We investigated the SWI control capacity and nitrate accumulation in the MPB using a numerical model of variable density flow coupling with reactive transport, and performed sensitivity analysis on the subsurface dam height, cutoff wall depth and opening spacing in the MPB. The differences in SWI control and nitrate accumulation between MPB and conventional subsurface dam and cutoff wall were compared to assess the applicability of different physical barrier. The numerical results show that the construction of MPB will increase the nitrate concentration and contaminated area in the aquifer. The prevention and control efficiency of MPB against SWI is positively correlated with the depth of the cutoff wall, reaching the highest efficiency at the minimum effective dam height, and the retreat distance of the saltwater wedge is positively correlated with the opening spacing. We found a non-monotonic relationship between the change in subsurface dam height and the extent of nitrate accumulation, with total nitrate mass and contaminated area increasing and then decreasing as the height of the subsurface dam increased. The degree of nitrate accumulation increased linearly with increasing the height of the cutoff wall and the opening spacing. Under certain conditions, MPB is 46-53% and 16-57% more efficient in preventing and controlling SWI than conventional subsurface dam and cutoff wall, respectively. However, MPB caused 14-27% and 2-12% more nitrate accumulation than subsurface dam and cutoff wall, respectively. The findings of this study are of great value for the protection of coastal groundwater resources and will help decision makers to select appropriate engineering measures and designs to reduce the accumulation of nitrate pollutants while improving the efficiency of SWI control.

Insights Into a Chitin Synthase of Kuruma Shrimp Penaeus japonicus and Its Role in Peritrophic Membrane and Cuticle Formation.

Synthesis of chitin is a subject of great interest in the fields of physiology and immunology of crustaceans. Chitinous tissues include not only the carapace, but also an acellular membrane in the intestine called the peritrophic membrane (PM). Here, we describe the first report of chitin synthase (CHS) of a penaeid shrimp, kuruma shrimp Penaeus japonicus. Histological observations showed that fecal matter in the midgut of kuruma shrimp was wrapped with a PM, which physically separated it from the midgut epithelium. Subsequently, the chitin synthase transcript was amplified from the midgut of the shrimp. The chitin synthase gene of kuruma shrimp (MjCHS) encodes 1,523 amino acid residues. Structural prediction analysis showed that the N-terminal region of MjCHS protein included nine transmembrane helices, the middle region included the catalytic region with several conserved motifs which are found in CHSs from other arthropods, and the C-terminal region included seven transmembrane helices. Although insects have distinct exoskeletal and intestinal chitin synthases, the phylogenetic analysis suggested that crustaceans have a single CHS. MjCHS mRNA was constantly detected in the digestive tract, including the midgut and hepatopancreas of both juvenile and adult kuruma shrimp, suggesting a stable synthesis of chitin in those organs. In contrast, MjCHS mRNA was also detected in the hindgut and uropod of juvenile shrimp. After molting, the mRNA levels of MjCHS in the stomach and uropod were higher than other molting cycles. These results suggest that MjCHS contributes to chitin synthesis in both the digestive tract and the epidermis, providing fundamental insights into chitin synthesis of crustaceans.

Lanthanum Silicate Nanomaterials Enhance Sheath Blight Resistance in Rice: Mechanisms of Action and Soil Health Evaluation.

In the current study, foliar spray with lanthanum (La) based nanomaterials (La10Si6O27 nanorods, La10Si6O27 nanoparticle, La(OH)3 nanorods, and La2O3 nanoparticle) suppressed the occurrence of sheath blight (Rhizoctonia solani) in rice. The beneficial effects were morphology-, composition-, and concentration-dependent. Foliar application of La10Si6O27 nanorods (100 mg/L) yielded the greatest disease suppression, significantly decreasing the disease severity by 62.4% compared with infected controls; this level of control was 2.7-fold greater than the commercially available pesticide (Thifluzamide). The order of efficacy was as follows: La10Si6O27 nanorods > La10Si6O27 nanoparticle > La(OH)3 nanorods > La2O3 nanoparticle. Mechanistically, (1) La10Si6O27 nanorods had greater bioavailability, slower dissolution, and simultaneous Si nutrient benefits; (2) transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses revealed that La10Si6O27 nanorods simultaneously strengthened rice systemic acquired resistance, physical barrier formation, and antioxidative systems. Additionally, La10Si6O27 nanorods improved rice yield by 35.4% and promoted the nutritional quality of the seeds as compared with the Thifluzamide treatment. A two-year La10Si6O27 nanorod exposure had no effect on soil health based on the evaluated chemical, physical, and biological soil properties. These findings demonstrate that La based nanomaterials can serve as an effective and sustainable strategy to safeguard crops and highlight the importance of nanomaterial composition and morphology in terms of optimizing benefit.

Difenoconazole disrupts carp intestinal physical barrier and causes inflammatory response via triggering oxidative stress and apoptosis.

As a common fungicide, difenoconazole (DFZ) is widespread in the natural environment and poses many potential threats. Carp makes up a significant proportion of China's freshwater aquaculture population and are vulnerable to the DFZ. Therefore, this study investigated the effects of DFZ (0.488 mg/L and 1.953 mg/L) exposure for 4 d on the intestinal tissues of carp and explored the mechanisms. Specifically, DFZ exposure caused pathological damage to the intestinal tissues of carp, reducing the expression levels of intestinal tight junction proteins, and leading to damage to the intestinal barrier. In addition, DFZ exposure activated the NF-κB signaling pathway, increasing the levels of pro-inflammatory factors (TNF-α, IL-1ß, IL-6) and decreasing the levels of anti-inflammatory factors (IL-10, TGF-ß1). As disruption of the intestinal barrier is closely linked to oxidative stress and apoptosis, we have conducted research in both areas for this reason. The results showed that DFZ exposure elevated reactive oxygen species in carp intestines, decreased antioxidant enzyme activity, and suppressed the expression of oxidative stress-related genes. TUNEL results showed that DFZ induced the onset of apoptosis. In addition, the expression levels of apoptosis-related genes and proteins were examined. Western blotting results showed that DFZ could upregulate the protein expression levels of Bax, Cytochrome C and downregulate the protein levels of Bcl-2. qPCR results showed that DFZ could upregulate the transcript levels of Bax, Caspase-3, Caspase-8 and Caspase-9 and downregulate the transcript levels of Bcl-2 transcript levels. This suggests that DFZ can induce apoptosis of mitochondrial pathway in carp intestine. In conclusion, DFZ can induce oxidative stress and apoptosis in carp intestine, leading to the destruction of intestinal physical barrier and the occurrence of inflammation. Our data support the idea that oxidative stress and apoptosis are important triggers of pesticide-induced inflammatory bowel illness.

Cancer immune exclusion: breaking the barricade for a successful immunotherapy.

Immunotherapy has changed the course of cancer treatment. The initial steps were made through tumor-specific antibodies that guided the setup of an antitumor immune response. A new and successful generation of antibodies are designed to target immune checkpoint molecules aimed to reinvigorate the antitumor immune response. The cellular counterpart is the adoptive cell therapy, where specific immune cells are expanded or engineered to target cancer cells. In all cases, the key for achieving positive clinical resolutions rests upon the access of immune cells to the tumor. In this review, we focus on how the tumor microenvironment architecture, including stromal cells, immunosuppressive cells and extracellular matrix, protects tumor cells from an immune attack leading to immunotherapy resistance, and on the available strategies to tackle immune evasion.

Development of the Neonatal Intestinal Barrier, Microbiome, and Susceptibility to NEC.

The function of the intestinal barrier is partially dependent on host maturity and the colonization patterns of the microbiome to which it is exposed. Premature birth and stressors of neonatal intensive care unit (NICU)-related support (e.g., antibiotics, steroids, etc.) can alter the host internal environment resulting in changes in the intestinal barrier. Pathogenic microbial proliferation and breach of the immature intestinal barrier are proposed to be crucial steps in the development of neonatal diseases such as necrotizing enterocolitis. This article will review the current literature on the intestinal barrier in the neonatal gut, the consequences of microbiome development for this defense system, and how prematurity can influence neonatal susceptibility to gastrointestinal infection.

Cranberry/Chondroitin Sulfate Co-precipitate as a New Method for Controlling Urinary Tract Infections.

Urinary tract infections (UTI), which are among the most frequent cases of infectious diseases, mainly affect women. The most common treatment approach involves the use of antibiotics, although this solution is not always the most suitable, mainly because of the resistance that bacterial strains develop. Proanthocyanidins are a class of polyphenols, abundantly contained in cranberry extracts, which have shown beneficial effects in the treatment of urinary tract infections, due to their anti-adhesive properties toward bacteria, with respect to the membranes of the cells of the urothelium and intestine, thus reducing their virulence. In this work, we demonstrate via microscopy and scattering measurements how a mixture of cranberry and chondroitin sulfate can form a crosslinked structure with barrier properties. By using a design of experiment (DOE), we optimized the mass ratio to obtain a precipitate between cranberry extract and chondroitin sulfate in the presence of N-acetylcysteine and hyaluronic acid. By using transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) chambers, we confirmed the barrier properties of the best mixture obtained with the DOE. Lastly, the antibiofilm action was investigated against five strains of Escherichia coli with different antibiotic sensitivity. The precipitate displayed a variable inhibitory effect in biofilm formation with major effects in UTI with an antibiotic resistance profile.

Altered zinc homeostasis in a primary cell culture model of the retinal pigment epithelium.

The retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) is progressively degenerated during age-related macular degeneration (AMD), one of the leading causes of irreversible blindness, which clinical hallmark is the buildup of sub-RPE extracellular material. Clinical observations indicate that Zn dyshomeostasis can initiate detrimental intracellular events in the RPE. In this study, we used a primary human fetal RPE cell culture model producing sub-RPE deposits accumulation that recapitulates features of early AMD to study Zn homeostasis and metalloproteins changes. RPE cell derived samples were collected at 10, 21 and 59 days in culture and processed for RNA sequencing, elemental mass spectrometry and the abundance and cellular localization of specific proteins. RPE cells developed processes normal to RPE, including intercellular unions formation and expression of RPE proteins. Punctate deposition of apolipoprotein E, marker of sub-RPE material accumulation, was observed from 3 weeks with profusion after 2 months in culture. Zn cytoplasmic concentrations significantly decreased 0.2 times at 59 days, from 0.264 ± 0.119 ng·µg-1 at 10 days to 0.062 ± 0.043 ng·µg-1 at 59 days (p < 0.05). Conversely, increased levels of Cu (1.5-fold in cytoplasm, 5.0-fold in cell nuclei and membranes), Na (3.5-fold in cytoplasm, 14.0-fold in cell nuclei and membranes) and K (6.8-fold in cytoplasm) were detected after 59-days long culture. The Zn-regulating proteins metallothioneins showed significant changes in gene expression over time, with a potent down-regulation at RNA and protein level of the most abundant isoform in primary RPE cells, from 0.141 ± 0.016 ng·mL-1 at 10 days to 0.056 ± 0.023 ng·mL-1 at 59 days (0.4-fold change, p < 0.05). Zn influx and efflux transporters were also deregulated, along with an increase in oxidative stress and alterations in the expression of antioxidant enzymes, including superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase. The RPE cell model producing early accumulation of extracellular deposits provided evidences on an altered Zn homeostasis, exacerbated by changes in cytosolic Zn-binding proteins and Zn transporters, along with variations in other metals and metalloproteins, suggesting a potential role of altered Zn homeostasis during AMD development.

Herbal smoke fumigation for controlling Penicillium crustosum in fresh walnuts.

Fresh walnuts have a high water content and are susceptible to decay, and controlling fungal contamination during storage is vital to walnut marketing. In this research, the dominant pathogenic fungus of fresh walnuts was first identified as Penicillium crustosum by morphological and molecular methods. The antifungal effect of herbal smoke fumigation was tested in vitro and in vivo, including Myristica fragrans Houtt., Aucklandia lappa Decne., Eugenia caryophyllata Thunb., Atractylodes lancea (Thunb.) DC., Shiraia bambusicola Henn., Artemisia argyi Lévl. et Vant. The results demonstrated that smoke from all six herbs successfully inhibited P. crustosum growth, and A. argyi smoke produced the best antifungal effect, which contained higher contents of phenol (17.1%), eugenol (13.7%), hexacosane, tetracontane, heneicosane, linolenic acid and other antimicrobial components by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Interestingly, optical transmittance data were found to correlate with antifungal capacity, revealing that a formed physical barrier combined with the above antimicrobial compositions, to participate in mold controlling together. Finally, fumigation with A. argyi smoke was tested in a real storage situation at proper dose, which not only dramatically controlled fungal contamination (>70%), but also maintained better odor and taste without oxidative rancidity or other adverse effects. This is the first report in which herbal smoke fumigation was adopted to preserve fresh walnut, providing a new way to reduce mold contamination and maintain quality of fresh walnuts in a natural and safe manner. More research on the application of herbal smoke fumigation to agricultural products in post-harvest storage is needed to explore the conditions and products for which it can be used successfully.

Epithelial Barrier in the Nasal Mucosa, Related Risk Factors and Diseases.

As the first line of defense against risk factors, the nasal epithelial barrier maintains homeostasis in nasal mucosa. The composition of the epithelial barrier contains physical, chemical, immune, and microbiological barriers. Together, these barriers form the nasal defense against irritations. Risk factors from both internal and external environments can disrupt them. External risk factors contain allergens containing proteases, bacteria, virus, particulate matter, diesel exhaust particles, and cigarette smoke. In the meantime, inflammatory cytokines also increase the load on the barrier. Taking into account the role of the epithelial barrier in the nasal mucosa, some studies focus on the treatment of allergic rhinitis (AR) and chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) by restoring the epithelial barrier, and some progress has been made. Among the therapeutic approaches, histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor and steroid corticosteroids are considered two of the more studied categories, and their roles in repairing barriers have been demonstrated in AR and CRS. The underlying mechanism of HDAC inhibitor may be related to the transcription factor p63. And the protection of corticosteroids may be associated with the allergic disease susceptibility gene, protocadherin-1. Notably, manipulation of the microbiological barrier also has a positive effect on AR and CRS. Lactococcus and probiotics are two categories that are worth being explored continuously. We here review and discuss the compositions and risk factors of the nasal epithelial barrier. Furthermore, some novel and promising approaches to restore the defective barrier in nasal allergic diseases were mentioned.