Recent advances in proton exchange membrane water electrolysis.

Proton exchange membrane water electrolyzers (PEMWEs) are an attractive technology for renewable energy conversion and storage. By using green electricity generated from renewable sources like wind or solar, high-purity hydrogen gas can be produced in PEMWE systems, which can be used in fuel cells and other industrial sectors. To date, significant advances have been achieved in improving the efficiency of PEMWEs through the design of stack components; however, challenges remain for their large-scale and long-term application due to high cost and durability issues in acidic conditions. In this review, we examine the latest developments in engineering PEMWE systems and assess the gap that still needs to be filled for their practical applications. We provide a comprehensive summary of the reaction mechanisms, the correlation among structure-composition-performance, manufacturing methods, system design strategies, and operation protocols of advanced PEMWEs. We also highlight the discrepancies between the critical parameters required for practical PEMWEs and those reported in the literature. Finally, we propose the potential solution to bridge the gap and enable the appreciable applications of PEMWEs. This review may provide valuable insights for research communities and industry practitioners working in these fields and facilitate the development of more cost-effective and durable PEMWE systems for a sustainable energy future.

Unlocking Liquid Sulfur Chemistry for Fast-Charging Lithium-Sulfur Batteries.

A recent study of liquid sulfur produced in an electrochemical cell has prompted further investigation into regulating Li-S oxidation chemistry. In this research, we examined the liquid-to-solid sulfur transition dynamics by visually observing the electrochemical generation of sulfur on a graphene-based substrate. We investigated the charging of polysulfides at various current densities and discovered a quantitative correlation between the size and number density of liquid sulfur droplets and the applied current. However, the areal capacities exhibited less sensitivity. This observation offers valuable insights for designing fast-charging sulfur cathodes. By incorporating liquid sulfur into Li-S batteries with a high sulfur loading of 4.2 mg cm-2, the capacity retention can reach ∼100%, even when increasing the rate from 0.1 to 3 C. This study contributes to a better understanding of the kinetics involved in the liquid-solid sulfur growth in Li-S chemistry and presents viable strategies for optimizing fast-charging operations.

Structural divergence and phylogenetic relationships of Ajania (Asteraceae) from plastomes and ETS.

BACKGROUND: Ajania Poljakov, an Asteraceae family member, grows mostly in Asia's arid and semi-desert areas and is a significant commercial and decorative plant. Nevertheless, the genus' classification has been disputed, and the evolutionary connections within the genus have not been thoroughly defined. Hence, we sequenced and analyzed Ajania's plastid genomes and combined them with ETS data to assess their phylogenetic relationships. RESULTS: We obtained a total of six new Ajania plastid genomes and nine ETS sequences. The whole plastome lengths of the six species sampled ranged from 151,002 bp to 151,115 bp, showing conserved structures. Combined with publicly available data from GenBank, we constructed six datasets to reconstruct the phylogenetic relationships, detecting nucleoplasmic clashes. Our results reveal the affinities of Artemisia, Chrysanthemum and Stilpnolepis to Ajania and validate the early taxonomy reclassification. Some of the plastid genes with low phylogenetic information and gene trees with topological differences may have contributed to the ambiguous phylogenetic results of Ajania. There is extensive evolutionary rate heterogeneity in plastid genes. The psbH and ycf2 genes, which are involved in photosynthesis and ATP transport, are under selective pressure. Plastomes from Ajania species diverged, and structural aspects of plastomes may indicate some of the real evolutionary connections. We suggest the ycf1 gene as a viable plastid DNA barcode because it has significant nucleotide diversity and better reflects evolutionary connections. CONCLUSION: Our findings validate the early Ajania taxonomy reclassification and show evolutionary rate heterogeneity, genetic variety, and phylogenetic heterogeneity of plastid genes. This research might provide new insights into the taxonomy and evolution of Ajania, as well as provide useful information for germplasm innovation and genetic enhancement in horticultural species.

Secondary Mycobacterium abscessus Infection after Debridement in Child with Dog Bite: a Case Report.

BACKGROUND: In recent years, there have been increasing reports related to infection caused by Mycobacterium abscessus (MAB). As one of the most common mycobacterium iatrogenic infections, it is characterized by pulmonary infection. However, only a few reports of MAB-related skin and soft tissue infections are available. This study reported a 3-year-old child admitted to our hospital for a dog bite with MAB infection after debridement. METHODS: The diagnosis of MAB in this child was made after detecting the bacteria in the wound secretion based on secretion culture in clinical laboratory. RESULTS: The result of the first bacterial isolation and culture of wound secretion was negative. However, the results were positive two days later and was diagnosed as MAB infection for samples of the purulent secretions collected by puncture and aspiration during debridement from the red and swollen regions of the thigh. The drug sensitivity results suggested that the child was sensitive to cefoxitin. However, she was resistant to amikacin, linezolid, minocycline, imipenem, tobramycin, moxifloxacin, clarithromycin, and doxycycline. The combined treatment strategy was used for managing MAB infection with a good effect. CONCLUSIONS: The management of MAB soft tissue infection has limitations, like poor tolerance, toxicity, and mul¬ti-drug interaction. The combined treatment strategy is important for MAB infection, and monitoring adverse re-actions and toxicity is the key.

Enhanced toxicity of entomopathogenic fungi Beauveria bassiana with bacteria expressing immune suppressive dsRNA in a leaf beetle.

The entomopathogenic fungus is recognized as an ideal alternative to chemical pesticides, nonetheless, its efficacy is often limited by insect's innate immune system. The suppression of the host immunity may overcome the obstacle and promote the toxicity of the fungi. Here, by using an entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana and immune genes dsRNA-expressing bacteria, we explored the potentially synergistic toxicity of the two agents on a leaf beetle Plagiodera versicolora (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae). We first determined the susceptibilities of P. versicolora to a B. bassiana 476 strain (hereafter referred to Bb476). And the immune genes were identified based on the transcriptome of Bb476 challenged beetles. Subsequently, five immune genes (PGRP1, Toll1, Domeless，SPN1，and Lysozyme) were targeted by feeding dsRNA-expressing bacteria, which produced a 71.4, 39.0, 72.0, 49.0, and 68.7% gene silencing effect, respectively. Furthermore, we found a significantly increased mortality of P. versicolora when combined the Bb476 and the immune suppressive dsRNAs. Taking together, this study highlights the importance of insect immunity in the defense of entomopathogens and also paves the way toward the development of a more efficient pest management strategy that integrates both entomopathogens and immune suppressive dsRNAs.

Reliability, validity and responsiveness of the Mandarin (Simplified) Chinese version of the EORTC QLQ-OH45 among cancer patients.

PURPOSE: The goal of our study was to evaluate the reliability, validity, responsiveness and acceptability of the Mandarin (simplified) Chinese version of the EORTC QLQ-OH45. METHODS: From October 2017 to February 2018, 393 cancer patients were enrolled from three different hospitals in China. A forward and backward translation was made to develop the Mandarin (simplified) Chinese version of EORTC QLQ-OH15. The QLQ-C30 and QLQ-OH15 questionnaires (which we have assembled and named QLQ-OH45 in this paper) were self-administered. Results were statistically analysed using SPSS 21.0. The reliability and validity tests of the questionnaires were assessed by Cronbach's α coefficient, Pearson correlation test and Mann-Whitney U tests. Responsiveness to change was measured in an independent sample of patients with head and neck cancer undergoing surgery or radiotherapy or chemotherapy. RESULTS: An acceptable internal consistency reliability for most multiple-item scales was demonstrated, as Cronbach's α coefficients were greater than 0.7 for most multiple-item scales, excepting for cognitive functioning (0.36) and oral health-related QoL functioning (0.55). All domain's test-retest reliability coefficients (r) was higher than 0.8. Multi-trait scaling analysis showed good convergent and discriminant validity. A difference in the quality of life (QoL) between older (≥65 years) and younger (<65 years) groups of patients was showed by the known-group comparisons. Low correlations were found between the scales of the QLQ-OH15 and QLQ-C30 in all areas. CONCLUSION: The Mandarin (simplified) Chinese version of QLQ-OH45 demonstrates satisfactory psychometric properties and can be used to measure the oral health-related QoL (OHRQoL) for Chinese cancer patients.

MYC-dependent downregulation of telomerase by FLT3 inhibitors is required for their therapeutic efficacy on acute myeloid leukemia.

The somatic mutation of FLT3 occurs in 30% of acute myeloid leukemia (AML), with the majority of mutations exhibiting internal tandem duplication (ITD). On the other hand, the induction of telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) and the activation of telomerase is a key step in AML development. Here, we sought to determine whether FLT3ITD regulates hTERT expression in AML cells and whether hTERT expression affects FLT3 inhibitors' therapeutic efficacy on AML. FLT3ITD-harboring AML cell lines and primary cells treated with the FLT3 inhibitor PKC412 displayed a rapid decline in the levels of hTERT mRNA and telomerase activity. Moreover, PKC412 inhibited hTERT gene transcription in a c-MYC-dependent manner. The ectopic expression of hTERT significantly attenuated the apoptotic effect of PKC412 on AML cells. Mechanistically, hTERT enhanced the activity of FLT3 downstream effectors or alternative RTK signaling, thereby enhancing AKT phosphorylation, in AML cells treated with PKC412. Collectively, PKC412 downregulates hTERT expression and telomerase activity in a MYC-dependent manner and this effect is required for its optimal anti-AML efficacy, while hTERT over-expression confers AML cells resistance to a targeted therapeutic agent PKC412. These findings suggest that the functional interplay between FLT3ITD and hTERT contributes to the AML pathogenesis and interferes with the efficacy of FLT3ITD-targeted therapy.

Correction to: MYC-dependent downregulation of telomerase by FLT3 inhibitors is required for their therapeutic efficacy on acute myeloid leukemia.

The original version of this article contained a mistake. The name of Magnus Björkhom should have been Magnus Björkholm.

Inhibition of acid-sensing ion channel currents by propofol in rat dorsal root ganglion neurons.

Acid-sensing ion channels (ASICs), part of the epithelial sodium channel/degenerin family, are activated by extracellular protons. The ASICs play a significant role in the acidosis-mediated perception of pain. The anaesthetic agent propofol also exerts antinociceptive effects, but the underlying mechanisms for this effect are not clear. We used whole-cell patch clamping to investigate the effect of propofol on proton-gated currents in: (i) rat dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons; and (ii) HEK293 cells transfected with either ASIC1a or ASIC3. Propofol inhibited the amplitude of proton-gated currents in DRG neurons, but did not change the sensitivity of ASICs to H(+). Notably, propofol altered acid-evoked excitability of rat DRG neurons and decreased the number of action potentials induced by acid stimuli. In addition, we demonstrated that propofol inhibited ASICs by directly binding with these channels in HEK293 cells. These results suggest that propofol inhibits proton-gated currents in DRG neurons and that inhibition of proton-gated currents explains, in part, the antinociceptive effects of propofol in primary afferent neurons.

Integrated analysis of ncRNA in hepatocellular carcinoma with CTNNB1 mutations reveals miR-205-5p and miR-3940-3p Axes.

BACKGROUND: Catenin beta 1 (CTNNB1) mutations are one of the most common mutations involved in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) progression. However, the association between CTNNB1 mutations and HCC remains controversial. METHODS: Five tumor samples with wild-type CTNNB1 and three tumor samples with CTNNB1 mutations were collected from patients with HCC for whole transcriptome sequencing. Selected ncRNAs and mRNAs were validated by qPCR in 48 HCC tumors. Selected ncRNA regulatory axes were verified in HCC cells by transfecting mimics and inhibitors of miRNA. RESULTS: A network of differentially expressed (DE) lncRNA/circRNA-miRNA-mRNA was constructed to explore the effects of CTNNB1 mutations on ncRNA regulation. TXNRD1, CES1, MATN2, SERPINA5, lncRNA STAT4-210, hsa_circ_0007824, hsa_circ_0008234, hsa-miR-205-5p and hsa-miR-199a-5p were verified at the RNA expression level to validate the sequencing results. The down-up-down axes GLIS3-209/circ_0085440-miR-205-5p-GHRHR and WNK2-213-miR-3940-3p-LY6E were verified at the expression level, and proved to inhibit and promote cell proliferation, respectively. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated CTNNB1 mutations associated ncRNA regulatory axes playing different roles in HCC cell proliferation, providing novel insights into the controversial role of CTNNB1 in HCC.

Recent developments in delirium after oral and maxillofacial free-flap reconstruction.

Postoperative delirium (POD), a common complication following surgery and anesthesia, is particularly prone to occur after reconstruction surgery in the oral and maxillofacial region. The occurrence of POD seriously affects the incidence of postoperative complications, the survival of free flaps, the length of hospital stays, and brings great pain to patients and their families, and even increases perioperative mortality. Currently, a large number of studies have reported on the risk factors for POD after oral and maxillofacial free-flap reconstruction. Multiple independent risk factors have been identified, including age, history of excessive alcohol consumption, and perioperative nutritional status. This review summarizes the relevant literature and hopes to provide insights for the prevention of POD in high-risk patients.

Prediction of postoperative dysphagia in patients with oral cancer: A prospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVES: This study aims to identify autonomous risk factors for postoperative dysphagia in oral cancer patients and construct a nomogram prediction model to improve risk assessment accuracy and feasibility in clinical settings. METHODS: A prospective cohort study was conducted from March to July 2022 among oral cancer patients undergoing surgical interventions at the Department of Head and Neck Surgery. Clinical data were collected using the Postoperative Dysphagia Risk Factor Questionnaire. Swallowing function was assessed with the Mann Assessment of Swallowing Ability-Oral Cancer (MASA-OC). Lasso regression identified potential predictor variables, followed by univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses. A predictive model was developed using R Studio 4.1.2 and rigorously evaluated with ROC curves, Hosmer-Lemeshow tests, and calibration curves. Internal validation utilized Bootstrap methodology with 1000 repetitive samples. RESULTS: The cohort included 257 oral cancer patients, with 73.9 % experiencing postoperative dysphagia. Independent predictors included functional status, depressive symptoms, pT stage, surgical techniques, glossoplasty, maxillectomy, and post-surgery nasopharyngeal tube retention. The predictive model achieved an AUC of 0.933, sensitivity of 90.9 %, and specificity of 81.7 %. Hosmer-Lemeshow test (P = 0.715) and C-index (0.934) indicated satisfactory model fit. Internal validation yielded an AUC of 0.912, sensitivity of 93.3 %, and specificity of 63.8 %. Calibration curves demonstrated alignment between predicted and observed outcomes. CONCLUSION: A nomogram integrating recognized risk factors shows promise in predicting postoperative dysphagia in oral cancer patients, enhancing precision and aiding healthcare professionals in risk evaluation and patient care strategies.

Functional and Numerical Responses of Harmonia axyridis (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) to Rhopalosiphum nymphaeae (Hemiptera: Aphididae) and Their Potential for Biological Control.

The water lily aphid (Rhopalosiphum nymphaeae) is a highly polyphagous herbivore that causes severe damage to many terrestrial and aquatic plants, especially lotus. Due to environmental concerns about water pollution and other issues caused by chemical control methods, there is an urgent need to develop effective and sustainable control methods. The harlequin ladybird (Harmonia axyridis) is a well-known aphid predator and may pose a potential threat to R. nymphaeae. To study the predation ability of H. axyridis at different developmental stages on R. nymphaeae, we assessed the functional response, attack rate, and search effect of H. axyridis larvae and adults preying on R. nymphaeae. The numerical response of this process was also evaluated under a constant ladybird-to-aphid ratio and constant aphid density conditions, respectively. Our results showed that all predator stages exhibited type II functional responses. The predation rate of individual H. axyridis on R. nymphaeae nymphs significantly increased as prey density increased. In contrast, the search effect of H. axyridis gradually decreased with an increase in prey density. Meanwhile, H. axyridis at different developmental stages possess varying predation abilities; fourth instar and adult H. axyridis were found to be highly efficient predators of R. nymphaeae. H. axyridis adults exhibited the highest predation ability and predation rate, while both the adult and fourth-instar larvae exhibited the highest attack rate. Moreover, fourth-instar larvae exhibited the highest search effect value at initially lower prey densities, although adults surpassed them at higher prey densities. Our results also indicated that H. axyridis exhibited varying degrees of intraspecific interference and self-interference influence as predator density increases. These results strongly support H. axyridis as an effective biocontrol agent for R. nymphaeae.

An updated phylogeny and adaptive evolution within Amaranthaceae s.l. inferred from multiple phylogenomic datasets.

Amaranthaceae s.l. is a widely distributed family consisting of over 170 genera and 2000 species. Previous molecular phylogenetic studies have shown that Amaranthaceae s.s. and traditional Chenopodiaceae form a monophyletic group (Amaranthaceae s.l.), however, the relationships within this evolutionary branch have yet to be fully resolved. In this study, we assembled the complete plastomes and full-length ITS of 21 Amaranthaceae s.l. individuals and compared them with 38 species of Amaranthaceae s.l. Through plastome structure and sequence alignment analysis, we identified a reverse complementary region approximately 5200 bp long in the genera Atriplex and Chenopodium. Adaptive evolution analysis revealed significant positive selection in eight genes, which likely played a driving role in the evolution of Amaranthaceae s.l., as demonstrated by partitioned evolutionary analysis. Furthermore, we found that about two-thirds of the examined species lack the ycf15 gene, potentially associated with natural selection pressures from their adapted habitats. The phylogenetic tree indicated that some genera (Chenopodium, Halogeton, and Subtr. Salsolinae) are paraphyletic lineages. Our results strongly support the clustering of Amaranthaceae s.l. with monophyletic traditional Chenopodiaceae (Clades I and II) and Amaranthaceae s.s. After a comprehensive analysis, we determined that cytonuclear conflict, gene selection by adapted habitats, and incomplete lineage sorting (ILS) events were the primary reasons for the inconsistent phylogeny of Amaranthaceae s.l. During the last glacial period, certain species within Amaranthaceae s.l. underwent adaptations to different environments and began to differentiate rapidly. Since then, these species may have experienced morphological and genetic changes distinct from those of other genera due to intense selection pressure.

Missing-Linker Defect Functionalized Metal-Organic Frameworks Accelerating Zinc Ion Conduction for Ultrastable All-Solid-State Zinc Metal Batteries.

Solid-state polymer electrolytes (SPEs) are promising for high-performance zinc metal batteries (ZMBs), but they encounter critical challenges of low ionic conductivity, limited Zn2+ transference number (tZn2+), and an unstable electrolyte-electrode interface. Here, we present an effective approach involving a missing-linker metallic organic framework (MOF)-catalyzed poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA)/polyacrylamide (PAM) copolymer SPE for single Zn2+ conduction and seamless electrolyte-electrode contact. The single-Zn2+ conduction is facilitated by the anchoring of the OTF- anions onto the unsaturated metal sites of missing-linker MOF, while the PEGDA and PAM chains in competitive coordination with Zn2+ ions promote rapid Zn ion transport. Our all-solid-state electrolyte simultaneously achieves a superior ionic conductivity of 1.52 mS cm-1 and a high tZn2+ of 0.83 at room temperature, alongside uniform Zn metal deposition (1000 cycles in symmetric cells) and high Zn plating/striping efficiencies (>99% after 600 cycles in asymmetric cells). Applications of our SPE in Zn//VO2 full cells are further demonstrated with a long lifespan of 2000 cycles and an extremely low-capacity degradation rate of 0.012% per cycle. This work provides an effective strategy for using a missing-linker MOF to catalyze competitively coordinating copolymers for accelerating Zn2+ ion conduction, assisting the future design of all-solid-state ZMBs.

Unraveling anti-aging mystery of green tea in C. elegans: Chemical truth and multiple mechanisms.

Tea drinking impacts aging and aging-related diseases. However, knowledge of anti-aging molecules other than the major catechins in complex tea extracts remains limited. Here we used Caenorhabditis elegans to analyze the longevity effects of tea extracts and constituents comprehensively. We found that the hot water extract of green tea prolonged lifespan and heathspan. Further, the MeOH fraction prolonged lifespan significantly longer than other fractions. Correlation analysis between mass spectroscopic data and anti-aging activity suggests that ester-type catechins (ETCs) are the major anti-aging components, including 4 common ETCs, 6 phenylpropanoid-substituted ester-type catechins (PSECs), 5 cinnamoylated catechins (CCs), 7 ester-type flavoalkaloids (ETFs), and 4 cinnamoylated flavoalkaloids (CFs). CFs (200 µM) are the strongest anti-aging ETCs (with the longest 73% lifespan extension). Green tea hot water extracts and ETCs improved healthspan by enhancing stress resistance and reducing ROS accumulation. The mechanistic study suggests that they work by multiple pathways. Moreover, ETCs modulated gut microbial homeostasis, increased the content of short-chain fatty acids, and reduced fat content. Altogether, our study provides new evidence for the anti-aging benefits of green tea and insights into a deep understanding of the chemical truth and multi-target mechanism.

Propofol reduces lipopolysaccharide-induced, NADPH oxidase (NOX 2) mediated TNF- α and IL-6 production in macrophages.

During an infection, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulates the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which is mediated, in large part, by nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidases (NOXs); NOX2 is the major NOX isoform found in the macrophage cell membrane. While the immunomodulatory activity of propofol is highly documented, its effect on the LPS-induced NOX2/ROS/NF-κB signaling pathway in macrophages has not been addressed. In present study, we used murine macrophage cell line RAW264.7 pretreated with propofol and stimulated with LPS. IL-6 and TNF-α expression, ROS production, and NOX activity were determined. Results showed that propofol attenuated LPS-induced TNF-α and IL-6 expression. Moreover, LPS-stimulated phosphorylation of NF-κB and generation of ROS were weakened in response to propofol. Propofol also reduced LPS-induced NOX activity and expression of gp91phox and p47phox. We conclude that propofol modulates LPS signaling in macrophages by reducing NOX-mediated production of TNF-α and IL-6.

The role of tyrosine kinase in Ca²âº-independent contraction of the ropivacaine on rat aortic smooth muscle.

The tyrosine kinase signaling pathway plays an important role in the mediation of Ca²âº independent mechanisms of smooth muscle contraction. Several components of this pathway, including protein kinase C (PKC), p44/42 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p44/42 MAPK) and Rho-kinase are involved in Ca²âº independent mechanisms. Whether the tyrosine kinase pathway mediates vasoconstriction induced by the anesthetic ropivacaine remains unclear. The present study was designed to examine the role of tyrosine kinase in ropivacaine-induced, Ca²âº-independent contraction of rat aortic smooth muscle. The effects of tyrosine kinase inhibitor on ropivacaine-induced contractile response were observed by isometric force measurement. The protein tyrosine phosphorylation, PKC, p44/42 MAPK, and membrane translocation of Rho-kinase were examined by Western blotting. Ropivacaine induced a concentration-dependent contractile response, and showed a number of effects on protein tyrosine phosphorylation. In this study, phosphorylation levels were shown to increase at lower concentrations of ropivacaine, but the levels decline at higher concentrations in rat aortic rings attenuated by the tyrosine kinase inhibitor genistein in a concentration-dependent fashion. Ropivacaine-induced phosphorylation of PKC and p44/42 MAPK and Rho-kinase membrane translocation were also significantly attenuated by genistein in similar decreasing manner as the PKC inhibitor bisindolylmaleimide I (Bis I) and the Rho-kinase inhibitor, Y27632, but to a lesser degree than that by the p44/42 MAPK inhibitor, PD 098059. Our results showed that the ropivacaine-induced, Ca²âº independent-mediated contraction of rat aortic smooth muscle is, in part, regulated by tyrosine kinase-catalyzed protein tyrosine phosphorylation.

Visualizing the Interfacial Chemistry in Multivalent Metal Anodes by Transmission Electron Microscopy.

Multivalent metal batteries (MMBs) have been considered potentially high-energy and low-cost alternatives to commercial Li-ion batteries, thus attracting tremendous research interest for energy-storage applications. However, the plating and stripping of multivalent metals (i.e., Zn, Ca, Mg) suffer from low Coulombic efficiencies and short cycle life, which are largely rooted in the unstable solid electrolyte interphase. Apart from exploring new electrolytes or artificial layers for robust interphases, fundamental works on deciphering interfacial chemistry have also been conducted. This work is dedicated to summarizing the state-of-the-art advances in understanding the interphases for multivalent metal anodes revealed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) methods. Operando and cryogenic TEM with high spatial and temporal resolutions realize the dynamic visualization of the vulnerable chemical structures in interphase layers. Following a scrutinization of the interphases on different metal anodes, we elucidate their features for appealing multivalent metal anodes. Finally, perspectives are proposed for the remaining issues on analyzing and regulating interphases for practical MMBs.

Novel methylated flavoalkaloids from Echa 1 green tea inhibit fat accumulation and enhance stress resistance in Caenorhabditis elegans.

Methylation is a common structural modification of catechins in tea, which can improve the bioavailability of catechins. Flavoalkaloids are catechin derivatives with a nitrogen containing five-membered ring at the C-6 or C-8 position. Here we isolated three new methylated flavoalkaloids from Echa 1 green tea (Camellia sinensis cv. Echa 1) and synthesized another four new methylated flavoalkaloids. The structures of the new ester-type methylated catechins (etmc)-pyrrolidinone A-G (1-7) were elucidated by various spectroscopic techniques, including nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), optical rotation, infrared, UV-vis, experimental and calculated circular dichroism (CD) spectra, and high-resolution mass. Among them, 6 and 7 showed the strongest α-glucosidase inhibitory activity and significantly lowered lipid content of Caenorhabditis elegans with 73.50 and 67.39% inhibition rate, respectively. Meanwhile, 6 and 7 also exhibited strong antioxidant activity in vitro and stress resistance to heat, oxidative stress, and UV irradiation in nematodes.