Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). The gut microbiota may contribute to the onset and progression of T2D and CVD. The aim of this study was to ...evaluate the relationship between the gut microbiota and subclinical CVD in T2D patients. This cross-sectional study used echocardiographic data to evaluate the cardiac structure and function in T2D patients. We used a quantitative polymerase chain reaction to measure the abundances of targeted fecal bacterial species that have been associated with T2D, including Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, Clostridium leptum group, Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, Bacteroides, Bifidobacterium, Akkermansia muciniphila, and Escherichia coli. A total of 155 subjects were enrolled (mean age 62.9 ± 10.1 years; 57.4% male and 42.6% female). Phyla Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes and genera Bacteroides were positively correlated with the left ventricular ejection fraction. Low levels of phylum Firmicutes were associated with an increased risk of left ventricular hypertrophy. High levels of both phylum Bacteroidetes and genera Bacteroides were negatively associated with diastolic dysfunction. A high phylum Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes (F/B) ratio and low level of genera Bacteroides were correlated with an increased left atrial diameter. Phyla Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes, the F/B ratio, and the genera Bacteroides were associated with variations in the cardiac structure and systolic and diastolic dysfunction in T2D patients. These findings suggest that changes in the gut microbiome may be the potential marker of the development of subclinical CVD in T2D patients.
FOLFOX (5-fluorouracil, leucovorin, and oxaliplatin), a 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)-based chemotherapy regimen, is one of most common therapeutic regimens for colorectal cancer. However, intestinal ...mucositis is a common adverse effect for which no effective preventive strategies exist. Moreover, the efficacy and the safety of fecal microbiota transplants (FMT) in cancer patients treated with anti-neoplastic agents are still scant. We investigated the effect of FMT on FOLFOX-induced mucosal injury. BALB/c mice implanted with syngeneic CT26 colorectal adenocarcinoma cells were orally administered FMT daily during and two days after five-day injection of FOLFOX regimen for seven days. Administration of FOLFOX significantly induced marked levels of diarrhea and intestinal injury. FMT reduced the severity of diarrhea and intestinal mucositis. Additionally, the number of goblet cells and zonula occludens-1 decreased, while apoptotic and NF-κB-positive cells increased following FOLFOX treatment. The expression of toll-like receptors (TLRs), MyD88, and serum IL-6 were upregulated following FOLFOX treatment. These responses were attenuated following FMT. The disrupted fecal gut microbiota composition was also restored by FMT after FOLFOX treatment. Importantly, FMT did not cause bacteremia and safely alleviated FOLFOX-induced intestinal mucositis in colorectal cancer-bearing mice. The putative mechanism may involve the gut microbiota TLR-MyD88-NF-κB signaling pathway in mice with implanted colorectal carcinoma cells.
Abstract
Copper electrocatalysts have been shown to selectively reduce carbon dioxide to hydrocarbons. Nevertheless, the absence of a systematic study based on time-resolved spectroscopy renders the ...functional agent—either metallic or oxidative Copper—for the selectivity still undecidable. Herein, we develop an operando seconds-resolved X-ray absorption spectroscopy to uncover the chemical state evolution of working catalysts. An oxide-derived Copper electrocatalyst is employed as a model catalyst to offer scientific insights into the roles metal states serve in carbon dioxide reduction reaction (CO
2
RR). Using a potential switching approach, the model catalyst can achieve a steady chemical state of half-Cu(0)-and-half-Cu(I) and selectively produce asymmetric C
2
products - C
2
H
5
OH. Furthermore, a theoretical analysis reveals that a surface composed of Cu-Cu(I) ensembles can have dual carbon monoxide molecules coupled asymmetrically, which potentially enhances the catalyst’s CO
2
RR product selectivity toward C
2
products. Our results offer understandings of the fundamental chemical states and insights to the establishment of selective CO
2
RR.
In this study, the increment in the breakdown voltage of a SiC junction barrier Schottky (JBS) diode under negative bias stress (NBS) is investigated. However, when the SiC JBS exhibits an increase ...in breakdown voltage after NBS, its forward characteristic does not change. The variation in breakdown voltage increases under a higher stress voltage that is close to the breakdown voltage of SiC JBS without stress. Furthermore, the variation in breakdown voltage increases with a higher compliance current and at lower NBS temperature. The electric field of SiC JBS under NBS is simulated to clarify the variation in breakdown voltage under NBS. The electrical characteristics and the simulation of the electric field under NBS demonstrate that the increase in the breakdown voltage of SiC JBS after NBS is induced by the electron injection in the oxide layer of edge termination.
In this study, the new method featuring low-temperature and high-pressure hydrogenation (LTHP-H) which is applied to 0.13-μm bipolar-CMOS-DMOS technology is compared with the conventional 400 °C H 2 ...annealing, and the technology without H 2 treatment is used as a control group. It is found that the LDMOS processed by the LTHP-H has such following improvements as 11% increase of the on-state performance, which is 3% higher than that of H 2 annealing, 61% increase of the interface quality and about 5 to 10 % improvement of the hot carrier degradation (HCD). The method not only lowers the process temperature, but also helps H 2 enter the supercritical fluid state to form a large number of free radicals. Therefore, the interface quality is well passivated and Si-H bonds with stable strength are formed, which inhibits the generation of HCD accordingly. With the results of this research, this technology can improve the performance and reliability of LDMOS.
Rechargeable lithium metal batteries are next generation energy storage devices with high energy density, but face challenges in achieving high energy density, high safety, and long cycle life. Here, ...lithium metal batteries in a novel nonflammable ionic‐liquid (IL) electrolyte composed of 1‐ethyl‐3‐methylimidazolium (EMIm) cations and high‐concentration bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide (FSI) anions, with sodium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (NaTFSI) as a key additive are reported. The Na ion participates in the formation of hybrid passivation interphases and contributes to dendrite‐free Li deposition and reversible cathode electrochemistry. The electrolyte of low viscosity allows practically useful cathode mass loading up to ≈16 mg cm−2. Li anodes paired with lithium cobalt oxide (LiCoO2) and lithium nickel cobalt manganese oxide (LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2, NCM 811) cathodes exhibit 99.6–99.9% Coulombic efficiencies, high discharge voltages up to 4.4 V, high specific capacity and energy density up to ≈199 mAh g−1 and ≈765 Wh kg−1 respectively, with impressive cycling performances over up to 1200 cycles. Highly stable passivation interphases formed on both electrodes in the novel IL electrolyte are the key to highly reversible lithium metal batteries, especially for Li–NMC 811 full batteries.
A nonflammable ionic‐liquid electrolyte is developed for high‐safety and high‐energy‐density Li metal batteries, allowing practically useful cathode mass loading up to 16 mg cm−2, realizing high specific capacity and energy density (199 mAh g−1 and 765 Wh kg−1) with impressive cycling performances. The robust passivation interphases formed on both electrodes are key to realizing impressive battery performances.
Massive open online courses (MOOCs) have developed rapidly and become tremendously popular because of their plentiful gamification designs, such as reputation points, rewards, and goal setting. ...Although previous studies have mentioned a broad range of gamification designs that might influence MOOC learner engagement, most gamified MOOCs fail to meet learning objectives because of a lack of research regarding suitable game design, as well as poor rationale for or design of gamification mechanics. This study aims to explore and identify engaging gamification mechanics for MOOC learners. We conducted a focus group interview with 25 MOOC frequent users to identify 40 gamification mechanics. This study then determined the relative engagingness of these gamification mechanics by administering an online survey to 5,020 MOOC learners. The results indicated that the 10 most engaging gamification mechanics accounted for more than 50% of the engagingness. The mechanics of the Where's Wally game is extremely engaging for MOOC learners; however, they it is not been demonstrated in previous relevant studies. Finally, we discuss the top five engaging gamification mechanics and their implications.
We applied Simmons-Balluffi methods, positron measurements, and neutron diffraction to estimate the vacancy of CoCrFeNi and CoCrFeMnNi high-entropy alloys (HEAs) using Cu as a benchmark. The ...corresponding formation enthalpies and associated entropies of the HEAs and Cu were calculated. The vacancy-dependent effective free volumes in both CoCrFeNi and CoCrFeMnNi alloys are greater than those in Cu, implying the easier formation of vacancies by lattice structure relaxation of HEAs at elevated temperatures. Spatially resolved synchrotron X-ray measurements revealed different characteristics of CoCrFeNi and CoCrFeMnNi HEAs subjected to quasi-equilibrium conditions at high temperatures. Element-dependent behavior revealed by X-ray fluorescence (XRF) mapping indicates the effect of Mn on the Cantor Alloy.
We report on the exceptional application of polyaniline/graphene composites (PAGCs) for corrosion protection of steel. The composites display outstanding barrier properties against O2 and H2O ...compared with neat polyaniline and polyaniline/clay composites (PACCs). The conductive filler, 4-aminobenzoyl group-functionalized graphene-like sheets (ABF-G) with a relatively higher aspect ratio than organophilic clay nonconductive fillers, is a versatile platform for polymer grafting that promotes better dispersion of the graphite within the polymer matrix and lengthens the diffusion pathway that gases should effectively encounter. This concept can be used for other polymer/graphene composites.
The emergence of two-dimensional electronic materials has stimulated proposals of novel electronic and photonic devices based on the heterostructures of transition metal dichalcogenides. Here we ...report the determination of band offsets in the heterostructures of transition metal dichalcogenides by using microbeam X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and scanning tunnelling microscopy/spectroscopy. We determine a type-II alignment between MoS2 and WSe2 with a valence band offset value of 0.83 eV and a conduction band offset of 0.76 eV. First-principles calculations show that in this heterostructure with dissimilar chalcogen atoms, the electronic structures of WSe2 and MoS2 are well retained in their respective layers due to a weak interlayer coupling. Moreover, a valence band offset of 0.94 eV is obtained from density functional theory, consistent with the experimental determination.
PDF
