Concise synthesis of 3-C-glycosyl isocoumarins and 2-glycosyl-4H-chromen-4-ones.

A new Ru-catalyzed C-H activation/cyclization reaction for the synthesis of 3-C-glycosyl isocoumarins and 2-glycosyl-4H-chromen-4-ones with carbonyl sulfoxonium ylide glycogen are reported. In this catalytic system, benzoic acid and its derivatives react with carbonyl sulfoxonium ylide glycogen to yield isocoumarin C-glycosides, while 2-hydroxybenzaldehyde substrates react to produce chromone C-glycosides. These reactions were characterized by mild reaction conditions, broad substrate scope, high functional-group compatibility, and high stereoselectivity to yield several high-value isocoumarins and chromone skeleton-containing C-glycosides. The methods were successfully implemented in the context of large-scale reactions and the late-stage modification of complex natural products.

[Characterization of the Ecological Niche and Interspecific Connectivity of Plankton in Baiyangdian Lake by Combining Ecological Networks].

To understand the structure of the plankton community and the ecological niche characteristics of their dominant species, sampling surveys of plankton were conducted in Baiyangdian Lake in the spring （March）, summer （July）, and autumn （September） of 2022. The changes in the plankton community during the three seasons were analyzed by constructing ecological network diagrams, non-metric multidimensional scaling analysis （NMDS）, and the ecological niche width. The niche overlap of zooplankton dominant species was evaluated by the improved Levins' formula and Petraitis' index. The interspecific connectivity of dominant species was judged using the chi-square test and interspecies connectivity coefficients. The results showed that the niche width of plankton in the whole area was low. Zooplankton was dominated by rotifers, and phytoplankton was dominated by diatoms, cyanobacteria, and green algae. There were significant seasonal changes in the community structures of plankton. Compared with that in summer and autumn, there were fewer species of plankton in spring and lower interspecies connectivity. The overlap of dominant species of zooplankton was high in summer, and the interspecific competition was intensified, whereas the interspecific overlap of phytoplankton was at a low level in all three seasons. There was a significant positive correlation （W > χ20.05） between phytoplankton in summer and autumn, and the community structure was stable. The interdomain ecological network of zooplankton and phytoplankton showed a high negative correlation ratio in autumn, especially between copepods and cladoceras of zooplankton and chlorophyta and cyanophyta of phytoplankton. The plankton species in Baiyangdian Lake were abundant, with obvious seasonal differences. The dominant species were mainly a narrow ecological niche. The plankton community was generally in a stable state, and there was a strong predation relationship between copepods and cladoceras and green algae and cyanobacteria.

CD36-mediated ferroptosis destabilizes CD4+ T cell homeostasis in acute Stanford type-A aortic dissection.

Acute type A aortic dissection (ATAAD) is a lethal pathological process within the aorta with high mortality and morbidity. T lymphocytes are perturbed and implicated in the clinical outcome of ATAAD, but the exact characteristics of T cell phenotype and its underlying mechanisms in ATAAD remain poorly understood. Here we report that CD4+ T cells from ATAAD patients presented with a hypofunctional phenotype that was correlated with poor outcomes. Whole transcriptome profiles showed that ferroptosis and lipid binding pathways were enriched in CD4+ T cells. Inhibiting ferroptosis or reducing intrinsic reactive oxygen species limited CD4+ T cell dysfunction. Mechanistically, CD36 was elevated in CD4+ T cells, whose blockade effectively alleviated palmitic acid-induced ferroptosis and CD4+ T cell hypofunction. Therefore, targeting the CD36-ferroptosis pathway to restore the functions of CD4+ T cells is a promising therapeutic strategy to improve clinical outcomes in ATAAD patients.

Improving Delphi Process in Acupuncture Decision Making: Overall Descriptions and Quality Assessment of Delphi Reports.

Background: Clinical acupuncture decisions are highly operator-dependent and require physician-patient interactions. The Delphi method allows subjective factors such as expert experience and preference of patients to be taken into account in clinical decision making, which is particularly applicable to acupuncture. Currently, the Delphi method is widely used to support clinical decisions in acupuncture. Therefore, it is necessary to provide high-quality and complete descriptions of the Delphi process when making clinical decisions. This study aims to evaluate the quality of the Delphi process in acupuncture, facilitate its standardization and rigor for further clinical decision making in acupuncture. Methods: Articles sourced from six databases were searched systematically to assess the quality of the Delphi consensus process based on the standards for conducting and reporting Delphi studies (CREDES). Descriptive statistics and analysis were presented according to the percentage of each item. Five-score Likert scale was used to evaluate the reporting quality of four domains as well as each item in CREDES by two independent researchers, combined with ICC-value to assess the consistency. Results: A total of 37 qualified articles were included according to eligibility criteria. As for the low reporting rate, the item "External validation" was reported as the lowest positive rate at 32.43% and the item "Prevention of bias" was 48.65%. The item "Adequacy of conclusions", "Definition and attainment of consensus", and "Discussion of limitations" were reported at a positive ratio of 62.16%, 64.86%, and 67.57% individually. The average scores of the four domains based on CREDES from highest to lowest were, respectively, as follows: planning and design (68.75%), reporting (66.07%), rationale for the choice of the Delphi technique (65.54%), study conduct (45.10%). Conclusion: The reporting quality of the Delphi consensus process in acupuncture is acceptable currently, but the reporting rate on some items is still low. Further standardization, including either clearer checklists or study reports, should be developed and strengthened to guide clinical decisions in acupuncture.

Development and validation of a nomogram of all-cause mortality in adult Americans with diabetes.

This study aimed to develop and validate a predictive model of all-cause mortality risk in American adults aged ≥ 18 years with diabetes. 7918 participants with diabetes were enrolled from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 1999-2016 and followed for a median of 96 months. The primary study endpoint was the all-cause mortality. Predictors of all-cause mortality included age, Monocytes, Erythrocyte, creatinine, Nutrition Risk Index (NRI), neutrophils/lymphocytes (NLR), smoking habits, alcohol consumption, cardiovascular disease (CVD), urinary albumin excretion rate (UAE), and insulin use. The c-index was 0.790 (95% CI 0.779-0.801, P < 0.001) and 0.792 (95% CI: 0.776-0.808, P < 0.001) for the training and validation sets, respectively. The area under the ROC curve was 0.815, 0.814, 0.827 and 0.812, 0.818 and 0.829 for the training and validation sets at 3, 5, and 10 years of follow-up, respectively. Both calibration plots and DCA curves performed well. The model provides accurate predictions of the risk of death for American persons with diabetes and its scores can effectively determine the risk of death in outpatients, providing guidance for clinical decision-making and predicting prognosis for patients.

Lithium Orbital Hybridization Chemistry to Stimulate Oxygen Redox with Reversible Phase Evolution in Sodium-Layered Oxide Cathodes.

Searching for high energy-density electrode materials for sodium ion batteries has revealed Na-deficient intercalation compounds with lattice oxygen redox as promising high-capacity cathodes. However, anionic redox reactions commonly encountered poor electrochemical reversibility and unfavorable structural transformations during dynamic (de)sodiation processes. To address this issue, we employed lithium orbital hybridization chemistry to create Na-O-Li configuration in a prototype P2-layered Na43/60Li1/20Mg7/60Cu1/6Mn2/3O2 (P2-NaLMCM') cathode material. That Li+ ions, having low electronegativity, reside in the transition metal slabs serves to stimulate unhybridized O 2p orbitals to facilitate the stable capacity contribution of oxygen redox at high state of charge. The prismatic-type structure evolving to an intergrowth structure of the Z phase at high charging state could be simultaneously alleviated by reducing the electrostatic repulsion of O-O layers. As a consequence, P2-NaLMCM' delivers a high specific capacity of 183.8 mAh g-1 at 0.05 C and good cycling stability with a capacity retention of 80.2% over 200 cycles within the voltage range of 2.0-4.5 V. Our findings provide new insights into both tailoring oxygen redox chemistry and stabilizing dynamic structural evolution for high-energy battery cathode materials.

Regulating the zinc ion transport kinetics of Mn3O4 through copper doping towards high-capacity aqueous Zn-ion battery.

High working voltage, large theoretical capacity and cheapness render Mn3O4 promising cathode candidate for aqueous zinc ion batteries (AZIBs). Unfortunately, poor electrochemical activity and bad structural stability lead to low capacity and unsatisfactory cycling performance. Herein, Mn3O4 material was fabricated through a facile precipitation reaction and divalent copper ions were introduced into the crystal framework, and ultra-small Cu-doped Mn3O4 nanocrystalline cathode materials with mixed valence states of Mn2+, Mn3+ and Mn4+ were obtained via post-calcination. The presence of Cu acts as structural stabilizer by partial substitution of Mn, as well as enhance the conductivity and reactivity of Mn3O4. Significantly, based on electrochemical investigations and ex-situ XPS characterization, a synergistic effect between copper and manganese was revealed in the Cu-doped Mn3O4, in which divalent Cu2+ can catalyze the transformation of Mn3+ and Mn4+ to divalent Mn2+, accompanied by the translation of Cu2+ to Cu0 and Cu+. Benefitting from the above advantages, the Mn3O4 cathode doped with moderate copper (abbreviated as CMO-2) delivers large discharge capacity of 352.9 mAh g-1 at 100 mA g-1, which is significantly better than Mn3O4 (only 247.8 mAh g-1). In addition, CMO-2 holds 203.3 mAh g-1 discharge capacity after 1000 cycles at 1 A g-1 with 98.6 % retention, and after 1000 cycles at 5 A g-1, it still performs decent discharge capacity of 104.2 mAh g-1. This work provides new ideas and approaches for constructing manganese-based AZIBs with long lifespan and high capacity.

Astrocyte-derived lactate aggravates brain injury of ischemic stroke in mice by promoting the formation of protein lactylation.

Aim: Although lactate supplementation at the reperfusion stage of ischemic stroke has been shown to offer neuroprotection, whether the role of accumulated lactate at the ischemia phase is neuroprotection or not remains largely unknown. Thus, in this study, we aimed to investigate the roles and mechanisms of accumulated brain lactate at the ischemia stage in regulating brain injury of ischemic stroke. Methods and Results: Pharmacological inhibition of lactate production by either inhibiting LDHA or glycolysis markedly attenuated the mouse brain injury of ischemic stroke. In contrast, additional lactate supplement further aggravates brain injury, which may be closely related to the induction of neuronal death and A1 astrocytes. The contributing roles of increased lactate at the ischemic stage may be related to the promotive formation of protein lysine lactylation (Kla), while the post-treatment of lactate at the reperfusion stage did not influence the brain protein Kla levels with neuroprotection. Increased protein Kla levels were found mainly in neurons by the HPLC-MS/MS analysis and immunofluorescent staining. Then, pharmacological inhibition of lactate production or blocking the lactate shuttle to neurons showed markedly decreased protein Kla levels in the ischemic brains. Additionally, Ldha specific knockout in astrocytes (Aldh1l1 CreERT2; Ldha fl/fl mice, cKO) mice with MCAO were constructed and the results showed that the protein Kla level was decreased accompanied by a decrease in the volume of cerebral infarction in cKO mice compared to the control groups. Furthermore, blocking the protein Kla formation by inhibiting the writer p300 with its antagonist A-485 significantly alleviates neuronal death and glial activation of cerebral ischemia with a reduction in the protein Kla level, resulting in extending reperfusion window and improving functional recovery for ischemic stroke. Conclusion: Collectively, increased brain lactate derived from astrocytes aggravates ischemic brain injury by promoting the protein Kla formation, suggesting that inhibiting lactate production or the formation of protein Kla at the ischemia stage presents new therapeutic targets for the treatment of ischemic stroke.

The mechanism of interaction between tri-para-cresyl phosphate and human serum protein: A multispectroscopic and in-silico study.

Organophosphate flame retardants (OPFRs) pose the significant risks to the environment and human health and have become a serious public health issue. Tricresyl phosphates (TCPs), a group of aryl OPFRs, exhibit neurotoxicity and endocrine disrupting toxicity. However, the binding mechanisms between TCPs and human serum albumin (HSA) remain unknown. In this study, through fluorescence and ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) absorption spectroscopy, molecular docking and molecular dynamics (MD), tri-para-cresyl phosphate (TpCP) was selected to explore potential interactions between HSA and TCPs. The results of the fluorescence spectroscopy demonstrated that a decrease in the fluorescence intensity of HSA and a blue shift were observed with the increasing concentrations of TpCP. The binding constant (Ka) was 2.575 × 104 L/mol, 4.701 × 104 L/mol, 5.684 × 104 L/mol and 9.482 × 104 L/mol at 293 K, 298 K, 303 K, and 310 K, respectively. The fluorescence process between HSA and TpCP involved a mix of static and dynamic quenching mechanism. The gibbs free energy (ΔG0) of HSA-TpCP system was -24.452 kJ/mol, -25.907 kJ/mol, -27.363 kJ/mol, and - 29.401 kJ/mol at 293 K, 298 K, 303 K, and 310 K, respectively, suggesting that the HSA-TpCP reaction was spontaneous. The enthalpy change (ΔH0) and thermodynamic entropy change (ΔS0) of the HSA-TpCP system were 60.83 kJ/mol and 291.08 J/(mol·>k), respectively, indicating that hydrophobic force was the major driving force in the HSA-TpCP complex. Furthermore, multispectral analysis also revealed that TpCP could alter the microenvironment of tryptophan residue and the secondary structure of HSA and bind with the active site I of HSA. Molecular docking and MD simulations confirmed that TpCP could spontaneously form a stable complex with HSA, which was consistent with the fluorescence experimental results. This study provides novel insights into the mechanisms of underlying the transportation and distribution of OPFRs in humans.

Highly Graphitized Coal Tar Pitch-Derived Porous Carbon as High-Performance Lithium Storage Materials.

Because of its high specific capacity and superior rate performance, porous carbon is regarded as a potential anode material for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). However, porous carbon materials with wide pore diameter distributions suffer from low structural stability and low electrical conductivity during the application process. During this study, the calcium carbonate nanoparticle template method is used to prepare coal tar pitch-derived porous carbon (CTP-X). The coal tar pitch-derived porous carbon has a well-developed macroporous-mesoporous-microporous hierarchical porous network structure, which provides abundant active sites for Li+ storage, significantly reduces polarization and charge transfer resistance, shortens the diffusion path and promotes the rapid transport of Li+. More specifically, the CTP-2 anode shows high charge capacity (496.9 mAh g-1 at 50 mA g-1), excellent rate performance (413.6 mAh g-1 even at 500 mA g-1), and high cycling stability (capacity retention rate of about 100 % after 1,000 cycles at 2 A g-1). The clean and eco-friendly large-scale utilization of coal tar pitch will facilitate the development of high-performance anodes in the field of LIBs.

[Plankton Community Stability and Drive Factor Identification Guizhou Plateau Reservoir].

In order to understand the stability of the zooplankton and phytoplankton communities in the Guizhou plateau reservoir environment, the process of reservoir water quality change affecting the stability of plankton was studied. The changes in the plankton community and water quality in three different nutrient reservoirs （Huaxi Reservoir, Goupitan Reservoir, and Hailong Reservoir） were studied from October 2020 to August 2021. The stability of the zooplankton and phytoplankton communities was studied using time-lag analysis （TLA）. Variance decomposition analysis （VPA） was used to explore the response of the two communities to environmental changes. The driving factors of plankton community changes in reservoirs were also revealed. The results showed that Huaxi Reservoir and Goupitan Reservoir were mesotrophic reservoirs, and Hailong Reservoir was a eutrophic reservoir. The average comprehensive nutrition indices of the three reservoirs were 44.07, 44.68, and 50.25. A total of 51 species of zooplankton rotifers, 39 species of rotifers, three species of copepods, and nine species of cladocera were identified. Among them, the abundance of rotifers was the highest, accounting for 85.96%. A total of seven phyla and 73 species of phytoplankton were identified, including 16 species in the phylum Cyanophyta, 32 species in the phylum Chlorophyta, 16 species in the phylum Diatoma, three species in the phylum Chlorophyta, four species in the phylum Euglenophyta, and one species each in the phyla Cryptophyta and Chrysophyta. Among them, the abundance of cyanobacteria and diatoms was the highest, accounting for 66.2% and 27.35%, respectively. The median absolute deviation （MAD） of the Bray-Curtis distance of zooplankton and phytoplankton community in the three reservoirs were 0.67 and 0.65 in Huaxi Reservoir, 0.80 and 0.69 in Goupitan Reservoir, and 0.85 and 0.47 in Hailong Reservoir, respectively. The larger the value, the greater the variation in the community. The absolute value of the slope of zooplankton was greater than that of phytoplankton in the TLA results, and the absolute values of the slopes were 0.018 and 0.004, respectively. The larger the absolute value of the slope, the faster the community variability. The zooplankton community in the three reservoirs was less stable than the phytoplankton community and more sensitive to environmental changes, and the degree of variation was greater. The higher the degree of eutrophication of the reservoir, the more obvious this phenomenon. VPA showed that the changes in plankton communities in Huaxi Reservoir and Hailong Reservoir were mainly influenced by water temperature and eutrophication factors. The changes in planktonic community in Goupitan Reservoir were mainly influenced by water temperature and chemical factors. The driving factors of Huaxi Reservoir were water temperature, TP, permanganate index, and SD. The driving factors of Goupitan Reservoir were water temperature, NO3-- N, and pH. The driving factors of Hailong Reservoir were water temperature and TP. Nutrients and water temperature were the main factors affecting the stability of plankton communities in reservoirs.

PCSK9 Inhibitor with Statin Therapy for Intracranial Artery Stenosis ( PISTIAS): Rationale and design of a multicenter randomized controlled trial.

RATIONALE: Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) inhibitors enable an additional 54-75% reduction in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) in statin-treated patients, demonstrating plaque regression in coronary artery disease. However, the impact of achieving an extremely low level of LDL-C with PCSK9 inhibitors (e.g. Evolocumab) on symptomatic intracranial atherosclerosis remains unexplored. AIM AND HYPOTHESIS: To determine whether combining Evolocumab and statins achieves a more significant symptomatic intracranial plaque regression than statin therapy alone. SAMPLE SIZE ESTIMATES: With a sample size of 1000 subjects, a two-sided α of 0.05, and 20% lost to follow-up, the study will have 83.3% power to detect the difference in intracranial plaque burden. METHODS AND DESIGN: This is an investigator-initiated multicenter, randomized, open-label, outcome assessor-blinded trial, evaluating the impact of combining Evolocumab and statins on intracranial plaque burden assessed by high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging at baseline in patients undergoing a clinically indicated acute stroke or transient ischemic attack due to intracranial artery stenosis, and after 24 weeks of treatment. Subjects (n = 1000) were randomized 1:1 into two groups to receive either Evolocumab 140 mg every 2 weeks with statin therapy or statin therapy alone. STUDY OUTCOMES: The primary endpoint is the change in intracranial plaque burden assessed by high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging, performed at baseline and at the end of the 24-week treatment period. DISCUSSION: This trial will explore whether more significant intracranial plaque regression is achievable with the treatment of combining Evolocumab and statins, providing information about efficacy and safety data. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ChiCTR2300068868; https://www.chictr.org.cn/.

Assembly of Heterocyclic C-Glycosides by Ru-Catalyzed C-H Activation/Cyclization with Carbonyl Sulfoxonium Ylide Glyco-Reagents.

New carbonyl sulfoxonium ylide glyco-reagents have been developed, enabling the synthesis of versatile heteroarene C-glycosides through a Ru-catalyzed C-H activation/annulation strategy. These reactions tolerate various saccharide donors and represent a significant advance in the stereoselective synthesis of heterocyclic C-glycosides. Furthermore, the strategy and methods could be applied to large-scale reactions and late-stage modifications of some structurally complex natural products or drugs.

Characteristics of phosgene aspiration lung injury analyzed based on transcriptomics and proteomics.

Background: Phosgene is a chemical material widely used worldwide. No effective method has been developed to reverse its pathological injuries. Some studies have shown that neuronal inflammation in lung tissue is involved, but the specific mechanism has not been reported. Objective: To analyze the expression alterations of whole transcriptome gene sequencing bioinformatics and protein expression profile in lung tissue after phosgene aspiration lung injury (P-ALI) and find the main factors and pathways affecting the prognosis of P-ALI. Methods: Rat models of P-ALI were made by phosgene. Rats were divided into a P-ALI group and a blank group. Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining and lung wet/dry ratio measurement were used to evaluate the lung injury. The levels of inflammatory factors were measured by ELISA. High-throughput sequencing was used to measure the expression profile of each gene. Protein expression profiles were determined by label-free relative quantification of the differential proteome. Results: Lung injury such as the disordered structure of alveolar wall and inflammatory factors (IL-1ß, IL-18, and IL-33) were significantly increased in the P-ALI group (p < 0.05). There were 225 differentially expressed lncRNAs, including 85 upregulated and 140 downregulated genes. They were also the genomes with the most significant changes in transcriptome gene expression, mainly constituting cytoplasmic, synaptic structures and transporters, and involved in amino acid and carbon metabolism. There were 42 differentially expressed circRNAs, including 25 upregulated genes and 17 downregulated genes, mainly involved in cell composition, growth, differentiation, and division. There were only 10 differentially expressed miRNAs genes, all upregulated and mainly involved in the inflammatory response pathway. Proteome identification showed 79 differentially expressed proteins. KEGG enrichment analysis showed that it was mainly involved in the N-glycan biosynthesis pathway. Conclusion: We discovered that differentially regulated genes (lncRNAs, circRNAs, and miRNAs) were primarily associated with neuronal reflexes and synaptic signaling, including neurotransmitter transmission, ion signaling pathway conduction, neuronal projection, and synaptic vesicle circulation. They affected inflammatory factors and other metabolic pathways. This finding could be explored in future studies.

Two-sample Mendelian randomization analysis reveals causal relationships between blood lipids and venous thromboembolism.

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a complex disease that can be classified into two subtypes: deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE). Previous observational studies have shown associations between lipids and VTE, but causality remains unclear. Hence, by utilizing 241 lipid-related traits as exposures and data from the FinnGen consortium on VTE, DVT, and PE as outcomes, we conducted two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis to investigate causal relationships between lipids and VTE, DVT and PE. The MR results identified that fatty acid (FA) unsaturation traits (ratio of bis-allylic bonds to double bonds in lipids, and ratio of bis-allylic bonds to total fatty acids in lipids) were associated with VTE (odds ratio [OR]=1.21, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.15-1.27; OR=1.21, 95% CI: 1.13-1.30), DVT (OR=1.24, 95% CI: 1.16-1.33; OR= 1.26, 95% CI: 1.16-1.36) and PE (OR=1.18, 95% CI: 1.08-1.29; OR=1.18, 95% CI: 1.09-1.27). Phosphatidylcholines (PC) exhibit potential causal effects on VTE and PE. PC acyl-alkyl C40:4 (PC ae C40:4) was negatively associated with VTE (OR=0.79, 95% CI: 0.73-0.86), while PC diacyl C42:6 (PC aa C42:6) and PC acyl-alkyl C36:4 (PC ae C36:4) were positively associated with PE (OR=1.44, 95% CI: 1.20-1.72; OR=1.22, 95% CI: 1.10-1.35). Additionally, we found that medium LDL had a protective effect on VTE. Our study indicates that higher FA unsaturation may increase the risk of VTE, DVT, and PE. Different types of PC have either promotive or inhibitory effects on VTE and PE, contributing to a better understanding of the risk factors for VTE.

Candidate membrane protein gene families related to chemoreception in a wood-boring beetle, Pharsalia antennata Gahan (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae).

The longhorned beetles are key players for the maintenance of biodiversity in the terrestrial ecosystem. As xylophagous cerambycid insects in Coleoptera, the beetles have evolved specialized olfactory and gustatory systems to recognize chemical cues in the surrounding habitats. Despite over 36,000 described species in the Cerambycidae family including a wood-boring pest Pharsalia antennata, only a limited number of them (<1 %) have been characterized regarding their chemical ecology at the molecular level. Here, we surveyed four membrane protein gene families in P. antennata related to chemoreception through transcriptomics, phylogenetics and expression profiling analyses. In total, 144 genes encoding 72 odorant receptors (ORs), 33 gustatory receptors (GRs), 23 ionotropic receptors (IRs), four sensory neuron membrane proteins (SNMPs) and 12 ionotropic glutamate receptors (iGluRs) were harvested from the transcriptome of multiple tissues including antennae and legs of both sexes. The lineage-specific expansion of PantORs possibly implied a diverse range of host plants in this beetle, supporting this correlation between the host range and olfactory receptor repertoire sizes across cerambycid species. Further phylogenetic analysis revealed that Group 2 was contributed mainly to the large OR gene repertoire in P. antennata, representing 18 genes in Group 2A and eight in Group 2B. On the other hand, some key chemosensory genes were identified by applying a phylogenetics approach, such as PantOR21 close to the 2-phenylethanol receptor in Megacyllene caryae, three carbon dioxide GRs and seven Antennal IRs (A-IRs) clades. We also determined sex- and tissue-specific expression profiles of 69 chemosensory genes, revealing the high expression of most PantORs in antennae. Noticeably, 10 sex-biased genes (six PantORs, three PantIRs and PantSNMP1a) were presented in antennae, five sex-biased PantGRs in legs and 39 sex-biased genes (15 PantORs, 13 PantGRs, eight PantIRs and three PantSNMPs) in abdomens. These findings have greatly enhanced our knowledge about the chemical ecology of P. antennata and identify candidate molecular targets for mediating smell and taste of this beetle.

Polyoxometalate solution passivation enabling dendrite-free and high-performance zinc anodes in aqueous zinc-ion batteries.

Zinc metal anodes in aqueous electrolytes commonly face challenges such as dendrite growth and undesirable side reactions, limiting their application in the field of aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) for energy storage. Drawing inspiration from industrial practices involving molybdenum salt solutions for metal modification, a polyoxometalate solution was formulated as a passivation solution for zinc anodes (referred to as MO solution). The formed passivation layer, referred to as the MO layer, exhibited a uniform and protective nature with a thickness of approximately 10 µm. The experimental results demonstrated that this passivation layer effectively suppressed side reactions at the zinc anode interface, as evidenced by lower corrosion current density for MO-Zn anodes. Additionally, the newly plated Zn was uniformly deposited atop the MO layer, ensuring coating integrity and inhibiting dendrite growth. As a result, under more demanding conditions such as a larger current of 8 mA cm-2, the MO-Zn anode displayed an extended cycle life exceeding 420 h in a symmetric battery, with an overpotential as low as 98 mV. This performance significantly outperformed that of commercially available pure Zn foils (with a cycle life of 60 h and an overpotential of 192 mV). Notably, a self-made Na-doped V2O5 served as the cathode (referred to as NaVO), forming the MO-Zn//NaVO full battery. Even under high current test conditions of 2 A/g, the specific capacity of the MO-Zn//NaVO full battery remained substantial at 152.83 mAh/g after 1000 cycles. Furthermore, pouch batteries assembled with NaVO//MO-Zn successfully illuminated small bulbs. This study offers a viable optimization strategy for AZIB anodes and demonstrates the potential of using polyoxometalate solution for etching zinc anodes to inhibit dendrite growth and interfacial corrosion of zinc metal anodes.

Monolithic Interphase Enables Fast Kinetics for High-Performance Sodium-Ion Batteries at Subzero Temperature.

In spite of the competitive performance at room temperature, the development of sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) is still hindered by sluggish electrochemical reaction kinetics and unstable electrode/electrolyte interphase under subzero environments. Herein, a low-concentration electrolyte, consisting of 0.5M NaPF6 dissolving in diethylene glycol dimethyl ether solvent, is proposed for SIBs working at low temperature. Such an electrolyte generates a thin, amorphous, and homogeneous cathode/electrolyte interphase at low temperature. The interphase is monolithic and rich in organic components, reducing the limitation of Na+ migration through inorganic crystals, thereby facilitating the interfacial Na+ dynamics at low temperature. Furthermore, it effectively blocks the unfavorable side reactions between active materials and electrolytes, improving the structural stability. Consequently, Na0.7Li0.03Mg0.03Ni0.27Mn0.6Ti0.07O2//Na and hard carbon//Na cells deliver a high capacity retention of 90.8 % after 900 cycles at 1C, a capacity over 310 mAh g-1 under -30 °C, respectively, showing long-term cycling stability and great rate capability at low temperature.

High-Energy SiO-Sulfur Battery with Preloaded Li3N in a Cathode as a Lithiation Reagent.

The practical use of lithium-sulfur batteries faces the "shuttle effect" and lithium dendrite growth. Employing SiO instead of Li metal can fundamentally solve the above problems. Nevertheless, selecting a convenient prelithiation method is essential for normal operation of the battery system. Hence, this work proposed a novel SiO-sulfur battery with preloaded Li3N in a cathode as a prelithiation reagent, which can thoroughly solve the dendrite problem and the side reaction with polysulfides of lithium anode. The S@KB-Li3N vs SiO full cell can obtain a high specific capacity of 790 mAh g-1 after the activation process and be maintained at 478 mAh g-1 after 100 cycles. Our design will provide a new prelithiation strategy for a high-specific-energy SiO-sulfur battery system.

Staging liver fibrosis with various diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging models.

BACKGROUND: Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) has been developed to stage liver fibrosis. However, its diagnostic performance is inconsistent among studies. Therefore, it is worth studying the diagnostic value of various diffusion models for liver fibrosis in one cohort. AIM: To evaluate the clinical potential of six diffusion-weighted models in liver fibrosis staging and compare their diagnostic performances. METHODS: This prospective study enrolled 59 patients suspected of liver disease and scheduled for liver biopsy and 17 healthy participants. All participants underwent multi-b value DWI. The main DWI-derived parameters included Mono-apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) from mono-exponential DWI, intravoxel incoherent motion model-derived true diffusion coefficient (IVIM-D), diffusion kurtosis imaging-derived apparent diffusivity (DKI-MD), stretched exponential model-derived distributed diffusion coefficient (SEM-DDC), fractional order calculus (FROC) model-derived diffusion coefficient (FROC-D) and FROC model-derived microstructural quantity (FROC-µ), and continuous-time random-walk (CTRW) model-derived anomalous diffusion coefficient (CTRW-D) and CTRW model-derived temporal diffusion heterogeneity index (CTRW-α). The correlations between DWI-derived parameters and fibrosis stages and the parameters' diagnostic efficacy in detecting significant fibrosis (SF) were assessed and compared. RESULTS: CTRW-D (r = -0.356), CTRW-α (r = -0.297), DKI-MD (r = -0.297), FROC-D (r = -0.350), FROC-µ (r = -0.321), IVIM-D (r = -0.251), Mono-ADC (r = -0.362), and SEM-DDC (r = -0.263) were significantly correlated with fibrosis stages. The areas under the ROC curves (AUCs) of the combined index of the six models for distinguishing SF (0.697-0.747) were higher than each of the parameters alone (0.524-0.719). The DWI models' ability to detect SF was similar. The combined index of CTRW model parameters had the highest AUC (0.747). CONCLUSION: The DWI models were similarly valuable in distinguishing SF in patients with liver disease. The combined index of CTRW parameters had the highest AUC.