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Polystyrene (PS) photonic colloid crystals were assembled from PS spheres prepared by emulsionfree polymerization through an improved vertical deposition method that could shorten the assembly time efficiently. The monodispersity of the spheres was appraised according to the standard deviation. The results showed that the PS spheres had a high monodispersity with a standard deviation of 3.7% and a dispersion coefficient of 0.02. The morphology and bandgap structure were observed with scanning electron microscopy images and transmission spectra, respectively. The mechanism of vertical deposition was analyzed simply. As an application of PS colloid crystals, ordered macroporous TiO 2 photonic crystals were prepared, and the structure and properties of macroporous TiO 2 were also studied with various analytical methods, which provided some values for the fabrication of photonic crystals with a complete bandgap.

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IntroductionThe gut microbial community, which can be disturbed or repaired by changes in the internal environment, contributes to the development of acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Gut probiotics play a role in microbiome remodeling and nutritional intervention post-AMI. A newly isolated Lactobacillus johnsonii strain EU03 has shown potential as a probiotic. Here, we investigated the cardioprotective function and mechanism of L. johnsonii through gut microbiome remodeling in AMI rats.MethodsA rat model of left anterior descending coronary artery ligation (LAD)-mediated AMI was assessed with echocardiography, histology, and serum cardiac biomarkers to evaluate the beneficial effects of L. johnsonii. The immunofluorescence analysis was utilized to visualize the intestinal barrier changes. Antibiotic administration model was used for assessing the gut commensals’ function in the improvement of cardiac function post-AMI. The underlying beneficial mechanism through L. johnsonii enrichment was further investigated by metagenomics and metabolomics analysis.ResultsA 28-day treatment with L. johnsonii protected cardiac function, delayed cardiac pathology, suppressed myocardial injury cytokines, and improved gut barrier integrity. The microbiome composition was reprogrammed by enhancing the abundance of L. johnsonii. Microbiome dysbiosis by antibiotics abrogated the improvement of cardiac function post-AMI by L. johnsonii. L. johnsonii enrichment caused remodeling of gut microbiome by increasing the abundance of Muribaculaceae, Lactobacillus, and decreasing Romboutsia, Clostridia UCG-014, which were correlated with cardiac traits and serum metabolic biomarkers 16,16-dimethyl-PGA2, and Lithocholate 3-O-glucuronide.ConclusionThese findings reveal that gut microbiome remodeling by L. johnsonii ameliorates the cardiac function post-AMI and might advance microbiome-targeted nutritional intervention.

A series of Sm-doped TiO 2 nanoparticles were prepared by the sol-gel method and characterized with X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscope (TEM), and ultraviolet-visible diffuse reflectance spectra (DRS). Their photacatalytic activities were studied by photodegradation methyl orange in water under UV and simulant solar light irradiation, respectively. The results showed that Sm doping led to the crystal expansion and matrices distortion. Sm doping restrained a crystal size increase, which was beneficial for transportation and exchanges of organic and productions; furthermore, redounds to photogenerated carriers shifting to the surface of photocatalyst and preventing the recombination of the carriers, and then improving the photocatalytic activity. Appropriate concentration Sm doping induced the absorption profile red-shift of TiO 2 , which made Sm-doped TiO 2 possess high catalyst activity under simulant solar light irradiation whose major emission was the focus on the visible light region. Sm doping was an effective means to improve the photocatalystic activity of TiO 2 for degradation methyl orange in water whether under UV or solar light irradiation.