Compound dietary fiber and high-grade protein diet improves glycemic control and ameliorates diabetes and its comorbidities through remodeling the gut microbiota in mice

Dietary intervention with a low glycemic index and full nutritional support is emerging as an effective strategy for diabetes management. Here, we found that the treatment of a novel compound dietary fiber and high-grade protein diet (CFP) improved glycemic control and insulin resistance in streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice, with a similar effect to liraglutide. In addition, CFP treatment ameliorated diabetes-related metabolic syndromes, such as hyperlipidemia, hepatic lipid accumulation and adipogenesis, systemic inflammation, and diabetes-related kidney damage. These results were greatly associated with enhanced gut barrier function and altered gut microbiota composition and function, especially those bacteria, microbial functions, and metabolites related to amino acid metabolism. Importantly, no adverse effect of CFP was found in our study, and CFP exerted a wider arrange of protection against diabetes than liraglutide. Thereby, fortification with balanced dietary fiber and high-grade protein, like CFP, might be an effective strategy for the management and treatment of diabetes

Growth and interaction mechanism of multi-strain biofouling under different nutrient levels

Heat pump system is an effective method for heat recovery of a treated sewage source, but biofouling on heat exchanger is still a problem to be solved, and may affect seriously efficiency and security of the system. By long term monitoring and 16S rRNA identification, two major bacteria genus, Bacillus sp. and Aeromonas sp., were selected for multi-strain biofouling experiment of a model fluid in laboratory. By the experiment of foul growth performed on a purpose made channel at various bacteria ratios and nutrient levels, the regular patterns of single and mixed microbe growth of Bacillus sp. and Aeromonas sp. were revealed, their synergy and inhibition interaction summarized, and the effect of nutrient levels on their growth mechanism and interaction also investigated. The results indicated that the Bacillus sp. has strong ability in biofouling, in high multiple rates, and high tolerance to poor nutrient level. The biofouling of Aeromonas sp. is weak relatively, but high secretion rate that may help for the synergy growth with Bacillus sp. Their synergy and inhibition interactions co-exist and dominate in turn under different growth stage and condition. ? All Rights Reserved

Ultrafast synthesis of molybdenum carbide nanoparticles for efficient hydrogen generation

A facile and ultrafast synthesis of molybdenum carbide coated with few-layer carbon (MoC/C) has been developed, and the effect of reducing the thickness of the carbon coating on its catalytic activity in the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) has been demonstrated. MoC/C produces a current density of 20 mA cm−2 at an overpotential of 144 mV and a Tafel slope of 63.6 mV dec−1 in 0.5 M H2SO4, and works stably under long-term electrolysis. MoC/C is one of the most active carbide electrocatalysts reported thus far, although MoC is not even the most active phase of molybdenum carbide and MoC/C has a small surface area. Complementary density functional theory calculations have afforded insight into this novel catalyst design, showing that increasing the thickness of the carbon layer leads to the composite system losing the characteristics of MoC and behaving more like a carbon surface, and thereby resulting in a reduction in HER activity.This research was nancially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (51772214, 51432006), the Ministry of Science and Technology of China (2011DFG52970), the Ministry of Education of China (IRT14R23), the 111 Project (B13025), Jiangsu Province (2011-XCL-019 and 2013-479). M. G. H. and C. Z. thank the Australian Research Council for support

Experimental investigation of interactions between the temperature field and biofouling in a synthetic treated sewage stream

National Natural Science Foundation of China [50976060]; National Basic Research Program of China [2010CB227305]; Tsinghua-Cambridge-Mong scholarshipBiofouling causes significant losses in efficiency in heat exchangers recovering waste heat from treated sewage. The influence of the temperature field on biofouling was investigated using a flat plate heat exchanger which simulated the channels in a plate and frame unit. The test surface was a 316 stainless steel plate, and a solution of Bacillus sp. and Aeromonas sp. was used as a model process liquid. The test cell was operated under co-current, counter-current, and constant wall temperature configurations, which gave different temperature distributions. Biofouling was monitored via changes in heat transfer and biofilm thickness. The effect of uniform temperature on biofouling formation was similar to the effect of uniform temperature on planktonic growth of the organisms. Further results showed that the temperature field, and particularly the wall temperature, influenced the rate of biofouling strongly. The importance of wall temperature suggests that fouling could be mitigated by using different configurations in summer and winter

Interaction effects of silica dioxide particles and calcium ions on the evolution of biofouling in plate heat exchangers relevant to a heat pump heat recovery system from treated sewage

National Natural Science Foundation of China [50976060]; National Basic Research Program of China [2010CB227305]Heat pump using treated sewage water as heat source and sink is an effective way to reuse urban waste heat for building heating and cooling. However, fouling occurred in plate heat exchangers of the heat pump. An experimental system has been developed to investigate the interactions of inorganic particles (silica dioxide particles) and Ca2+ on biofouling properties. Process monitoring in biofilm have been conducted and presented with the view of attempting to reduce fouling in future. The results show that the interactions of the microorganisms, Ca2+ and inorganic particles clearly influenced the biofilm development thus impacting on the thermal resistance created. It was found that the fouling thermal resistance showed a different prospect than the fouled mass time trend under different inorganic particles in the presence of Ca2+. With inorganic particles added, Ca2+ facilities the increase of biofouling mass and thermal resistance

Towards a predictive kinetic model of 3-ethyltoluene: Evidence concerning fuel-specific intermediates in the flow reactor pyrolysis with insights into model implications

To reveal insights into high temperature kinetics of dialkylaromatics, a pyrolysis investigation of 3ethyltoluene in a flow reactor together with its reaction kinetics are presented in this work. Concentrations and chemical structures of specific species covering temperature range from 796 to 1383K at the pressure of 30 and 760 Torr were recorded and quantified by using synchrotron vacuum ultraviolet photoionization molecular-beam mass spectrometry (VUV-PI-MBMS). Important C 8 and C 9 fuel-specific intermediates relevant to primary decomposition of 3-ethyltoluene and isomerization of methylbenzyl and ethylbenzyl radicals were detected and identified. The kinetic model interpreting high temperature pyrolysis chemistry of 3-ethyltoluene was developed and reasonably predicted the measurements in this work. The model analyses reveal that the methyl-dissociated reaction from the ethyl group of 3-ethyltoluene is dominant in the fuel decomposition at low pressure, while the fuel is mainly consumed by hydrogen abstraction reactions at atmospheric pressure. The experimental observations of three methylbenzyl isomers, o -xylylene, p -xylylene, styrene and benzocyclobutene provide evidence for the relationships between products involving isomerization of methylbenzyl radicals, formation of xylylenes and decomposition of o -xylylene. The fuel structure effects of 3-ethyltoluene and m -xylene are revealed by comparing the pyrolysis behaviors in both cases. It has been found that the m -methylbenzyl-generating channel in the 3-ethyltoluene pyrolysis improved the reaction reactivity initially. Furthermore, the fuel with longer substituent ethyl group facilitates the formation of cycloalkenes and aromatics.& COPY; 2022 The Combustion Institute. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved

Efficient Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting with Ultrathin films of Hematite on Three-Dimensional Nanophotonic Structures

Photoelectrochemical (PEC) solar water splitting represents a clean and sustainable approach for hydrogen (H-2) production and substantial research are being performed to improve the conversion efficiency. Hematite (alpha-Fe2O3) is considered as a promising candidate for PEC water splitting due to its chemical stability, appropriate band structure, and abundance. However, PEC performance based on hematite is hindered by the short hole diffusion length that put a constraint on the active layer thickness and its light absorption capability. In this work, we have designed and fabricated novel PEC device structure with ultrathin hematite film deposited on three-dimensional nanophotonic structure. In this fashion, the nanophotonic structures can largely improve the light absorption in the ultrathin active materials. In addition, they also provide large surface area to accommodate the slow surface water oxidation process. As the result, high current density of 3.05 mA cm(-2) at 1.23 V with respect to the reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE) has been achieved on such nanophotonic structure, which is about three times of that for a planar photoelectrode. More importantly, our systematic analysis with experiments and modeling revealed that the design of high performance PEC devices needs to consider not only total optical absorption, but also the absorption profile in the active material, in addition to electrode surface area and carrier collection

A three-dimensional hexagonal fluorine-doped tin oxide nanocone array: A superior light harvesting electrode for high performance photoelectrochemical water splitting

Photonic nanostructures hold great promise in promoting light harvesting. Here we report the first design and construction of a three-dimensional (3D) hexagonal nanocone array of fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) on glass as an excellent electrode for photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting. The PEC current density with suitably deposited Ti-doped hematite at 1.23 V vs. the reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE) was increased by 86% to 2.24 ± 0.02 mA cm-2 compared to that with the planar counterpart, mainly ascribable to the special light harvesting effect and the electrode surface area provided by 3D FTO. Upon the embedment of a gold layer to concentrate the incident light onto the hematite layer and the deposition of the Co-Pi catalyst with a modified procedure, the photocurrent experienced a large cathodic shift of onset potential by 360 mV and soared to a high value of 3.39 ± 0.01 mA cm-2 (at 1.23 V), yielding a power conversion efficiency of 0.70% at a potential as low as 0.88 V vs. RHE

A three-dimensional hexagonal fluorine-doped tin oxide nanocone array: a superior light harvesting electrode for high performance photoelectrochemical water splitting

<div> Photonic nanostructures hold great promise in promoting light harvesting. Here&nbsp;</div> <div> &nbsp;</div> <div> we report the first design and construction of a three-dimensional (3D) hexagonal&nbsp;</div> <div> &nbsp;</div> <div> nanocone array of fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) on glass as an excellent electrode&nbsp;</div> <div> &nbsp;</div> <div> for photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting. The PEC current density with&nbsp;</div> <div> &nbsp;</div> <div> suitably deposited Ti-doped hematite at 1.23 V vs. the reversible hydrogen electrode&nbsp;</div> <div> &nbsp;</div> <div> (RHE) was increased by 86% to 2.24 +/- 0.02 mA cm(-2) compared to that with the&nbsp;</div> <div> &nbsp;</div> <div> planar counterpart, mainly ascribable to the special light harvesting effect and the&nbsp;</div> <div> &nbsp;</div> <div> electrode surface area provided by 3D FTO. Upon the embedment of a gold layer to&nbsp;</div> <div> &nbsp;</div> <div> concentrate the incident light onto the hematite layer and the deposition of the&nbsp;</div> <div> &nbsp;</div> <div> Co-Pi catalyst with a modified procedure, the photocurrent experienced a large&nbsp;</div> <div> &nbsp;</div> <div> cathodic shift of onset potential by 360 mV and soared to a high value of 3.39 +/-&nbsp;</div> <div> &nbsp;</div> <div> 0.01 mA cm(-2) (at 1.23 V), yielding a power conversion efficiency of 0.70% at a&nbsp;</div> <div> &nbsp;</div> <div> potential as low as 0.88 V vs. RHE.&nbsp;</div