Optimisation of Energy Efficiency: Dynamic Voltages in Superconducting Tapes to Energise Superconducting Power/Energy Applications

The evolution from low-temperature superconductors (LTSs) to high-temperature superconductors (HTSs) has created a great amount of opportunities for superconducting applications to be used in real life. Dynamic voltage is a special superconducting phenomenon, and it occurs when the superconductor takes a DC transport current while simultaneously exposed to an AC magnetic field. The dynamic voltage is crucial for some superconducting applications as it is the energy source by which to energise the load, such as flux pumps. This article investigates the missing aspects that previous studies have not deeply exploited: the optimisation of energy efficiency for the dynamic voltage in an HTS tape with different working conditions (e.g., currents and magnetic fields). First, the mechanics of superconducting dynamic voltage were explicated by typical analytical solutions, and the modelling method was validated by reproducing the behaviours of the Bean model and analytical solutions of dynamic voltage. After the feasibility of the modelling was proved, in-depth modelling was performed to optimise the energy efficiency of an HTS tape with different DC transport currents and AC magnetic fields. Owing to the physical limitations of the superconducting tape (e.g., quench), a safe operating region was determined, and a more delicate optimisation was performed to discover the optimal operating conditions of the HTS tape. The novel conceptualisation and optimisation approaches for the superconducting dynamic voltage in this article are beneficial for the future design and optimisation of superconducting energy/power applications under complicated electromagnetic conditions

Chem. J. Chin. Univ.-Chin.

Carbonic anhydrase catalyzed bio-sequestration of CO2 to form HCO3-, followed by trapping as solid CaCO3 is one of the most promising technologies for CO2 capturing. The effects of reaction condition on the CO2 hydration using free carbonic anhydrase were systematically investigated. In order to improve the stability of the enzyme and facility its recycling, the carbonic anhydrase was in situ encapsulated inside hollow fibers via a novel co-axial electrospinning technology. Compared with the free enzyme, the immobilized carbonic anhydrase showed much improved thermal stability and suffered much reduced inhibitory effects from cation ions, such as Cu2+ and Fe3+. After 11 reuses, the immobilized enzyme retained about 81.9% of its original activity by comparing the amount of formed CaCO3 precipitation. In the presence of immobilized carbonic anhydrase, both calcite and vaterite CaCO3 solid were formed; while in the absence of enzyme or with free carbonic anhydrase, only calcite CaCO3 was observed.Carbonic anhydrase catalyzed bio-sequestration of CO2 to form HCO3-, followed by trapping as solid CaCO3 is one of the most promising technologies for CO2 capturing. The effects of reaction condition on the CO2 hydration using free carbonic anhydrase were systematically investigated. In order to improve the stability of the enzyme and facility its recycling, the carbonic anhydrase was in situ encapsulated inside hollow fibers via a novel co-axial electrospinning technology. Compared with the free enzyme, the immobilized carbonic anhydrase showed much improved thermal stability and suffered much reduced inhibitory effects from cation ions, such as Cu2+ and Fe3+. After 11 reuses, the immobilized enzyme retained about 81.9% of its original activity by comparing the amount of formed CaCO3 precipitation. In the presence of immobilized carbonic anhydrase, both calcite and vaterite CaCO3 solid were formed; while in the absence of enzyme or with free carbonic anhydrase, only calcite CaCO3 was observed

Akkermansia muciniphila alleviates high‐fat‐diet‐related metabolic‐associated fatty liver disease by modulating gut microbiota and bile acids

Abstract It has been reported that Akkermansia muciniphila improves host metabolism and reduces inflammation; however, its potential effects on bile acid metabolism and metabolic patterns in metabolic‐associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) are unknown. In this study, we have analysed C57BL/6 mice under three feeding conditions: (i) a low‐fat diet group (LP), (ii) a high‐fat diet group (HP) and (iii) a high‐fat diet group supplemented with A. muciniphila (HA). The results found that A. muciniphila administration relieved weight gain, hepatic steatosis and liver injury induced by the high‐fat diet. A. muciniphila altered the gut microbiota with a decrease in Alistipes, Lactobacilli, Tyzzerella, Butyricimonas and Blautia, and an enrichment of Ruminiclostridium, Osclibacter, Allobaculum, Anaeroplasma and Rikenella. The gut microbiota changes correlated significantly with bile acids. Meanwhile, A. muciniphila also improved glucose tolerance, gut barriers and adipokines dysbiosis. Akkermansia muciniphila regulated the intestinal FXR‐FGF15 axis and reshaped the construction of bile acids, with reduced secondary bile acids in the caecum and liver, including DCA and LCA. These findings provide new insights into the relationships between probiotics, microflora and metabolic disorders, highlighting the potential role of A. muciniphila in the management of MAFLD

Intermittent Fasting Alleviates Risk Markers in a Murine Model of Ulcerative Colitis by Modulating the Gut Microbiome and Metabolome

Clinical trials have demonstrated the health benefits of intermittent fasting (IF). However, the potential mechanism of IF in alleviating dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis is not fully understood. The present study was mainly designed to explore the dynamic changes in the gut microbiota and metabolome after short-term (2 weeks) or long-term (20 weeks) IF and therefore clarify the potential mechanisms by which IF ameliorates DSS-induced colitis in a murine model. Thirty-two C57BL/6 male mice were equally divided into four groups and underwent IF intervention for 2 weeks (SIF group, n = 8), 20 weeks (LIF group, n = 8), or were allowed free access to food for 2 weeks (SAL group, n = 8) or 20 weeks (LAL group, n = 8). The thirty-two C57BL/6 male mice were accepted for the diet intervention of 2 weeks of IF or fed ad libitum. Colitis was induced by drinking 2% DSS for 7 days. Our findings showed that short-term IF prominently elevates the abundance of Bacteroides, Muibaculum and Akkermansia (p < 0.001, p < 0.001, p < 0.001, respectively), and decreased the abundance of Ruminiclostridium (p < 0.05). Long-term IF, however, decreased the abundance of Akkermansia and obviously increased the abundance of Lactobacillus (p < 0.05, p < 0.001, respectively). Metabolites mainly associated with nucleoside, carbohydrate, amino acid, bile acid, fatty acid, polyol, steroid and amine metabolism were identified in the faeces using untargeted GC/MS. In particular, inosine was extremely enriched after short-term IF and long-term IF (p < 0.01, p < 0.01, respectively); butyrate, 2-methyl butyric acid and valeric acid were significantly decreased after short-term IF (p < 0.001, p < 0.001, p < 0.01, respectively); and 2-methyl butyric acid was significantly increased after long-term IF (p < 0.001). The abundance of lithocholic acid (LCA), one of the secondary bile acids, increased significantly after short-term and long-term IF based on UPLC–MS/MS (p < 0.001, p < 0.5, respectively). Of note, IF markedly mitigated DSS-induced acute colitis symptoms and down-regulated pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1α, IL-6, keratinocyte-derived chemokine (KC) and G-CSF levels in the serum (p < 0.01, p < 0.001, p < 0.05, p < 0.001, respectively). Furthermore, a correlation analysis indicated that the disease activity index (DAI) score and serum levels of IL-1α, IL-6, KC, and G-CSF were negatively correlated with the relative abundance of Akkermansia and the faecal metabolites LCA and inosine. This study confirmed that IF altered microbiota and reprogramed metabolism, which was a promising development in the attempt to prevent DSS-induced colitis. Moreover, our findings provide new insights regarding the correlations among the mucosal barrier dysfunction, metabolome, and microbiome

Pediococcus pentosaceus LI05 alleviates DSS‐induced colitis by modulating immunological profiles, the gut microbiota and short‐chain fatty acid levels in a mouse model

Summary The gut microbiota is considered a key factor in pathogenesis and progression of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The bacterium Pediococcus pentosaceus LI05 alleviated host inflammation by maintaining the gut epithelial integrity, modulating the host immunity, gut microbiota and metabolism, but its effect on IBD remains unclear. The present study aimed to investigate the role and mechanisms of P. pentosaceus LI05. Mice were administered P. pentosaceus LI05 or phosphate‐buffered saline once daily by oral gavage for 14 days, and colitis was induced by providing mice 2% DSS‐containing drinking water for 7 days. P. pentosaceus LI05 ameliorated colitis in mice and reduced the body weight loss, disease activity index (DAI) scores, colon length shortening, intestinal permeability and the proinflammatory cytokine levels. Furthermore, a significantly altered gut microbiota composition with increased diversity and short‐chain fatty acid (SCFA) production was observed in mice treated with P. pentosaceus LI05. Several genera, including Akkermansia and Faecalibacterium, were differentially enriched in the P. pentosaceus LI05‐treated mice and were negatively correlated with colitis indices and positively correlated with gut barrier markers and SCFA levels. The P. pentosaceus LI05 treatment alleviated intestinal inflammation by maintaining the intestinal epithelial integrity and modulating the immunological profiles, gut microbiome and metabolite composition. Based on our findings, P. pentosaceus LI05 might be applied as potential preparation to ameliorate colitis

Safety and immunogenicity of a quadrivalent, inactivated, split-virion influenza vaccine (IIV4-W) in healthy people aged 3-60 years: a phase III randomized clinical noninferiority trial

Background A quadrivalent split influenza vaccine IIV4-W against both influenza A and B viruses is urgently needed. Methods To evaluate the safety and immunogenicity of IIV4-W in people aged 3–60 years, 2400 participants recruited in a double-blind phase III trial and were randomly assigned to the IIV4-W, TIV1 and TIV2 groups. The immunogenicity indicators were measured at 28 days postvaccination and for 180 days for safety follow-up. Results Adverse events (AEs) occurred in 162 (20.28%), 116 (14.55%) and 123 (15.41%) participants in the IIV4-W, TIV1 and TIV2 groups, respectively. All these AEs were mild and self-limiting, and no serious AEs related to the vaccines were observed. IIV4-W elicited a non-inferior immune response for matched strains (the lower limit of 95% CI for GMT ratio >0.67, for SCR and SPR difference >-10%) and superior immune response for the additional B strains (the lower limit of 95% CI for GMT ratio >1.5, for SCR difference >10%) versus TIVs. The lower limit of the 95% confidence interval of the GMT increase fold, the seroconversion rate and the seroprotection rate exceeded 2.5, 40% and 70% for the four strains in IIV4-W respectively. Conclusions IIV4-W was noninferior to the TIV-matched strains and was superior to the additional B strain. IIV4-W was safe in the participants and elicited high antibody titers

Multi-omic profiling reveals associations between the gut mucosal microbiome, the metabolome, and host DNA methylation associated gene expression in patients with colorectal cancer

BACKGROUND: The human gut microbiome plays a critical role in the carcinogenesis of colorectal cancer (CRC). However, a comprehensive analysis of the interaction between the host and microbiome is still lacking. RESULTS: We found correlations between the change in abundance of microbial taxa, butyrate-related colonic metabolites, and methylation-associated host gene expression in colonic tumour mucosa\ua0tissues compared with the adjacent normal mucosa\ua0tissues. The increase of genus Fusobacterium abundance was correlated with a decrease in the level of 4-hydroxybutyric acid (4-HB) and expression of immune-related peptidase inhibitor 16 (PI16), Fc Receptor Like A (FCRLA) and Lymphocyte Specific Protein 1 (LSP1). The decrease in the abundance of another potentially 4-HB-associated genus, Prevotella 2, was also found to be correlated with the down-regulated expression of metallothionein 1 M (MT1M). Additionally, the increase of glutamic acid-related family Halomonadaceae was correlated with the decreased expression of reelin (RELN). The decreased abundance of genus Paeniclostridium and genus Enterococcus were correlated with increased lactic acid level, and were also linked to the expression change of Phospholipase C Beta 1 (PLCB1) and Immunoglobulin Superfamily Member 9 (IGSF9) respectively. Interestingly, 4-HB, glutamic acid and lactic acid are all butyrate precursors, which may\ua0modify gene expression by epigenetic regulation such as DNA methylation. CONCLUSIONS: Our study identified associations between previously reported CRC-related microbial taxa, butyrate-related metabolites and DNA methylation-associated gene expression in tumour and normal colonic mucosa\ua0tissues from CRC patients, which uncovered a possible mechanism of the role of microbiome in the carcinogenesis of CRC. In addition, these findings offer insight into potential new biomarkers, therapeutic and/or prevention strategies for CRC