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In this article, an integrated drive converter of segmented double-stator switched reluctance machine (SDS-SRM) with isolation and nonisolation charging capabilities for electric vehicle (EV) is presented. The proposed converter can not only reduce the number of the power switches, but also implement multiple operation modes. In nonisolation charging mode, the motor windings and existing power switches constitute a buck/boost converter to charge the battery. The appropriate rotor positions are obtained to achieve torque-free control, and the interleaved phase currents control method is introduced to reduce the charging current ripples. In isolation charging mode, the inner-stator is powered by the utility grid to drive the middle-rotor, and converts electrical energy into mechanical energy, while the outer-stator is operated in generation mode to convert mechanical energy into electrical energy. The SDS-SRM is served as a rotating transformer to transfer the electric power to charge the battery with the galvanic isolation function. A low power proof-of-concept prototype platform is built and experiments are carried out to verify the effectiveness of the proposed integrated drive converter and the corresponding control schemes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article investigates the design methods and performance optimization of segmented-double-stator switched reluctance machine (SDS-SRM). First, two segmented U-shaped single-stator SRMs are introduced, including inner-rotor and outer-rotor constructions. In order to enhance the torque and power density, these two kinds of single-stator SRMs are combined together to constitute an SDS-SRM. Then, the relationships of torque ripple coefficient with the mechanical offset angles of the inner and outer rotor teeth are investigated to obtain the optimal rotor structure, and the corresponding conduction phase sequences for double-stator excitation mode are also analyzed. Furthermore, the flux distributions of the inner and outer stators with different coil magnetic polarities configurations are researched, and it reveals that the phase windings both on inner and outer stators with NSSNNSSN polarities have better magnetic field decoupling characteristics. To evaluate the final topology of the proposed SDS-SRM, the static magnetic characteristics and dynamic performances are presented. Finally, the SDS-SRM prototype is manufactured and tested to validate the theory and simulation analyses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The adverse impact of antibiotics on the gut microbiota has attracted extensive interest, particularly due to the development of microbiome research techniques in recent years. However, a direct comparison of the dynamic effects of various types of antibiotics using the same animal model has not been available. In the present study, we selected six antibiotics from four categories with the broadest clinical usage, namely, β-lactams (Ceftriaxone Sodium, Cefoperazone/Sulbactam and meropenem), quinolones (ofloxacin), glycopeptides (vancomycin), and macrolides (azithromycin), to treat BALB/c mice. Stool samples were collected during and after the administration of antibiotics, and microbial diversity was analyzed through Illumina sequencing and bioinformatics analyses using QIIME. Both α and β diversity analyses showed that ceftriaxone sodium, cefoperazone/sulbactam, meropenem and vancomycin changed the gut microbiota dramatically by the second day of antibiotic administration whereas the influence of ofloxacin was trivial. Azithromycin clearly changed the gut microbiota but much less than vancomycin and the β-lactams. In general, the community changes induced by the three β-lactam antibiotics showed consistency in inhibiting Papillibacter, Prevotella and Alistipes while inducing massive growth of Clostridium. The low diversity and high Clostridium level might be an important cause of Clostridium difficile infection after usage of β-lactams. Vancomycin was unique in that it inhibited Firmicutes, mainly the genus Clostridium. On the other hand, it induced the growth of Escherichia and effect lasted for months afterward. Azithromycin and meropenem induced the growth of Enterococcus. These findings will be useful for understanding the potential adverse effects of antibiotics on the gut microbiome and ensuring their better usage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dual formulation of support vector regression involves two closely related sets of variables. When the decomposition method is used, many existing approaches use pairs of indices from these two sets as the working set. Basically, they select a base set first and then expand it so all indices are pairs. This makes the implementation different from that for support vector classification. In addition, a larger optimization subproblem has to be solved in each iteration. We provide theoretical proofs and conduct experiments to show that using the base set as the working set leads to similar convergence (number of iterations). Therefore, by using a smaller working set while keeping a similar number of iterations, the program can be simpler and more efficient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To analyze the distribution of trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) in healthy adults with different risk factors and explore its association with gut microbiota., Methods: We collected fasting blood samples and fresh fecal samples from 181 subjects without atherogenesis in the carotid arteries. Plasma TMAO levels of the subjects were determined using stable isotope dilution liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS). The fecal DNA was extracted, and the 16S rRNA V4 tags were amplified and sequenced by Illumina HiSeq 2000. The association between TMAO and classical cardiovascular risk factors were analyzed. Gut microbial community structure was analyzed with QIIME, and LEfSe was used to identify the biomarkers., Results: The median (IQR) TMAO level was 2.66 (1.96-4.91) µmol/L in the subjects. TMAO level was significantly correlated with body mass index and operational taxonomic units (OTU). Individuals with high TMAO levels were found to have abundant Clostridiales, Phascolarctobacterium, Oscillibacter, and Alistipes but less abundant Anaerosprobacter., Conclusion: Chinese subjects have in general low levels of TMAO. TMAO levels are not significantly correlated with the classical cardiovascular risk factors or the gut microbial structures.