Multifunctional health-promoting effects of oolong tea and its products

Oolong tea,partially fermented from Camellia sinensis leaves,exhibits significant antioxidative,anti-inflammatory,and anti-cancer activities as indicated in several in vitro and in vivo studies.However,studies on health promoting effects of oolong tea and its characteristic compounds are limited.The potential efficacy of bioactives derived from oolong tea and their roles as promising anticancer agents,their cardio-protective benefits during hypoxic conditions,effects in treating allergic disorders,potential prebiotic activities,improvement of blood lipid status in human beings,effectivity as oral hypoglycemic agent in the treatment of type 2 diabetes,and their potentials to reduce the risk of obesity have been discussed in this review.These promising studies mainly gained from animal studies might broaden the consumption and usage of the phenolic-enriched oolong tea and its products in food and pharmaceutical industries.However,potential health beneficial effects of oolong tea in humans should be further complemented by large-sized,randomized double-blind and placebo-controlled trials to consolidate potential therapeutic applications.

The mTORC1 signaling network underlying the pathogenesis and treatment of depression: new insights into rapid-acting antidepressant therapies

Depression is a devastating mental disorder and major depressive disorder(MDD) that afflicts 16% of the global population at some point in their lives.Currently available classical antide.pressants(SSRIs,SNRIs,TCAs and MOIs),require a minimum of 2–4 weeks of continuous treat.ment to elicit therapeutic relief in depressed patients and are associated with high rates of non-respon.siveness,and limited duration of efficacy.Therefore,faster-acting antidepressant therapies are need.ed,particularly for patients at risk for suicide for current therapies for depression.Although the molecu.lar mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of depression are still largely unclear,previous studies have suggested that modulators of mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1(mTORC1) signaling may have beneficial neuroprotective and antidepressant effects.Here,we review recent advances in understanding mTORC1 signaling in depression and potential therapeutic strategies resulting from modulation of the mTORC1 signaling network.We also highlight recent studies considered to support mTORC1 signaling modulation as a rapid-acting antidepressant therapy(e.g.ketamine,scopolamine,GLYX-13,(2R,6 R)-HNK,Ro-256891 etc.) and discuss future research directions.Studies on prospec.tive next-generation rapid-acting antidepressant therapies should focus on developing more selective glutamate receptors(e.g.α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole propionic acid receptors(AMPARs)agonists or activators) that activate the mTORC1 signaling pathway free of ketamine's adverse effects.

Manipulating the ion-transference and deposition kinetics by regulating the surface chemistry of zinc metal anodes for rechargeable zinc-air batteries

Aqueous zinc-air battery(ZAB)has attractive features as the potential energy storage system such as high safety,low cost and good environmental compatibility.However,the issue of dendrite growth on zinc metal anodes has seriously hindered the development of ZAB.Herein,the N-doped carbon cloth(NC)prepared via magnetron sputtering is explored as the substrate to induce the uniform nucleation of zinc metal and suppress dendrite growth.Results show that the introduction of heteroatoms accelerates the migration and deposition kinetics of Zn^(2+)by boosting the desolvation process of Zn^(2+),eventually reducing the nucleation overpotential.Besides,theoretical calculation results confirm the zincophilicity of N-containing functional group(such as pyridine N and pyrrole N),which can guide the nucleation and growth of zinc uniformly on the electrode surface by both promoting the redistribution of Zn^(2+) in the vicinity of the surface and enhancing its interaction with zinc atoms.As a result,the half-cell assembled with magnetron sputtered carbon cloth achieves a high zinc stripping/plating coulombic efficiency of 98.8%and long-term stability of over 500 cycles at 0.2 mA cm^(-2).And the Coulombic efficiency reached about 99.5%at the 10th cycle and maintained for more than 210 cycles at a high current density of 5.0 mA cm^(-2).The assembled symmetrical battery can deliver 220 plating/stripping cycles with ultra-low voltage hysteresis of only 11 mV.In addition,the assembled zinc-air full battery with NC-Zn anode delivers a high special capacity of about 429 mAh g_(Zn)^(-1) and a long life of over 430 cycles.The effectiveness of surface functionalization in promoting the transfer and deposition kinetics of Zn^(2+) presented in this work shows enlightening significance in the development of metal anodes in aqueous electrolytes.

Eureka lemon zinc finger protein ClDOF3.4 interacts with citrus yellow vein clearing virus coat protein to inhibit viral infection

Citrus yellow vein clearing virus(CYVCV)is a new citrus virus that has become an important factor restricting the development of China’s citrus industry,and the CYVCV coat protein(CP)is associated with viral pathogenicity.In this study,the Eureka lemon zinc finger protein(ZFP)ClDOF3.4 was shown to interact with CYVCV CP in vivo and in vitro.Transient expression of ClDOF3.4 in Eureka lemon induced the expression of salicylic acid(SA)-related and hypersensitive response marker genes,and triggered a reactive oxygen species burst,ion leakage necrosis,and the accumulation of free SA.Furthermore,the CYVCV titer in ClDOF3.4 transgenic Eureka lemon plants was approximately 69.4%that in control plants 6 mon after inoculation,with only mild leaf chlorotic spots observed in those transgenic plants.Taken together,the results indicate that ClDOF3.4 not only interacts with CP but also induces an immune response in Eureka lemon by inducing the SA pathways.This is the first report that ZFP is involved in the immune response of a citrus viral disease,which provides a basis for further study of the molecular mechanism of CYVCV infection.

Structure Regulation of Electric Double Layer via Hydrogen Bonding Effect to Realize High-Stability Lithium-Metal Batteries

The interfacial chemistry of solid electrolyte interphases(SEI)on lithium(Li)electrode is directly determined by the structural chemistry of the electric double layer(EDL)at the interface.Herein,a strategy for regulating the structural chemistry of EDL via the introduction of intermolecular hydrogen bonds has been proposed(p-hydroxybenzoic acid(pHA)is selected as proof-of-concept).According to the molecular dynamics(MD)simulation and density functional theory(DFT)calculation results,the existence of hydrogen bonds realizes the anion structural rearrangement in the EDL,reduces the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital(LUMO)energy level of anions in the EDL,and the number of free solvent molecules,which promotes the formation of inorganic species-enriched SEI and eventually achieves the dendrite-free Li deposition.Based on this strategy,Li‖Cu cells can stably run over 185 cycles with an accumulated active Li loss of only 2.27 mAh cm^(-2),and the long-term cycle stability of Li‖Li cells is increased to 1200 h.In addition,the full cell pairing with the commercial LiFePO_(4)(LFP)cathodes exhibits stable cycling performance at 1C,with a capacity retention close to 90%after 200 cycles.

Plasma metabolites and risk of myocardial infarction:a bidirectional Mendelian randomization study

BACKGROUND Myocardial infarction(MI)is a critical cardiovascular event with multifaceted etiology,involving several genetic and environmental factors.It is essential to understand the function of plasma metabolites in the development of MI and unravel its complex pathogenesis.METHODS This study employed a bidirectional Mendelian randomization(MR)approach to investigate the causal relationships between plasma metabolites and MI risk.We used genetic instruments as proxies for plasma metabolites and MI and conducted MR analyses in both directions to assess the impact of metabolites on MI risk and vice versa.In addition,the large-scale genome-wide association studies datasets was used to identify genetic variants associated with plasma metabolite(1400 metabolites)and MI(20,917 individuals with MI and 440,906 individuals without MI)susceptibility.Inverse variance weighted was the primary method for estimating causal effects.MR estimates are expressed as beta coefficients or odds ratio(OR)with 95%CI.RESULTS We identified 14 plasma metabolites associated with the occurrence of MI(P<0.05),among which 8 plasma metabolites[propionylglycine levels(OR=0.922,95%CI:0.881–0.965,P<0.001),gamma-glutamylglycine levels(OR=0.903,95%CI:0.861–0.948,P<0.001),hexadecanedioate(C16-DC)levels(OR=0.941,95%CI:0.911–0.973,P<0.001),pentose acid levels(OR=0.923,95%CI:0.877–0.972,P=0.002),X-24546 levels(OR=0.936,95%CI:0.902–0.971,P<0.001),glycine levels(OR=0.936,95%CI:0.909–0.964,P<0.001),glycine to serine ratio(OR=0.930,95%CI:0.888–0.974,P=0.002),and mannose to trans-4-hydroxyproline ratio(OR=0.912,95%CI:0.869–0.958,P<0.001)]were correlated with a decreased risk of MI,whereas the remaining 6 plasma metabolites[1-palmitoyl-2-arachidonoyl-GPE(16:0/20:4)levels(OR=1.051,95%CI:1.018–1.084,P=0.002),behenoyl dihydrosphingomyelin(d18:0/22:0)levels(OR=1.076,95%CI:1.027–1.128,P=0.002),1-stearoyl-2-docosahexaenoyl-GPE(18:0/22:6)levels(OR=1.067,95%CI:1.027–1.109,P=0.001),alpha-ketobutyrate levels(OR=1.108,95%CI:1.041–1.180,P=0.001),5-acetylamino-6-formylamino-3-methyluracil levels(OR=1.047,95%CI:1.019–1.076,P<0.001),and N-acetylputrescine to(N(1)+N(8))-acetylspermidine ratio(OR=1.045,95%CI:1.018–1.073,P<0.001)]were associated with an increased risk of MI.Furthermore,we also observed that the mentioned relationships were unaffected by horizontal pleiotropy(P>0.05).On the contrary,MI did not lead to significant alterations in the levels of the aforementioned 14 plasma metabolites(P>0.05 for each comparison).CONCLUSIONS Our bidirectional MR study identified 14 plasma metabolites associated with the occurrence of MI,among which 13 plasma metabolites have not been reported previously.These findings provide valuable insights for the early diagnosis of MI and potential therapeutic targets.

基于范希尔几何水平理论的“祖暅原理与几何体的体积”教学设计

“祖暅原理几何体的体积”既是对前面教材内容知识理解的深入,也是对学生理性精神、探索能力的推进,体现了新课标对数学教学提出的新要求。针对学生学习这一内容时存在的理解不深、掌握不牢、应用不广的问题,借助范希尔几何水平理论,设计了探究祖暅原理的五个阶段:学前咨询、引导定向、阐明、自由定向、整合,以期为提升教师的教学能力和学生的有效学习提供助力。

Application of Bronsted acid ionic liquids as green catalyst in the synthesis of 2-propanol with reactive distillation

Five Br?nsted acidic ionic liquids(ILs) were prepared and characterized by FT-IR,~1H NMR and ^(13)C NMR. Their catalytic activities for the synthesis of 2-propanol(IPOH) via transesterification of isopropyl acetate(IPAc) with methanol(Me OH) were investigated. Among all the tested ILs, [Ps-mim]HSO_4 performed best and was used as catalyst for further studies. The reaction kinetics were carried out to correlate the parameters in a homogeneous second order kinetic model. It has been found that there is close agreement between the calculated and experimental values. The high-pressure batch reactive distillation experimental apparatus was set up in order to enhance the conversion of IPAc. A high conversion of IPAc of 99.4% was obtained under the optimal reaction conditions. The catalyst [Ps-mim]HSO_4 can be recycled easily by a rotary evaporator and reused without any further treatment. The catalyst had been repeatedly used for four times and no obvious changes in the structure of catalyst could be observed.

Lonicerae Flos:A Review of Chemical Constituents and Biological Activities

Lonicerae flos,a widely used traditional Chinese medicine(TCM),has been used for several thousand years in China.As a famous traditional Chinese herbal medicine,it was used as heat-clearing drug and alexipharmic agent and was widely cultivated in Hunan province.L.flos mainly contains biologically active compounds such as caffeic acid derivatives,essential oil,flavonoids,iridoid glycosides and terpenoids.A range of biological activities has been reported from plant extracts including anti-inflammatory,antitumor,antioxidant,antiallergy,immunomodulating and antibacterial activity.In this study,the author investigated ancient books of TCM and nowadays reports,summarized the chemical constituents,biological activity of L.flos to provide a comprehensive systematic review.

Modulating Sand’s time by ion-transport-enhancement toward dendrite-free lithium metal anode

Metallic lithium is deemed as the“Holy Grail”anode in high-energy-density secondary batteries.Uncontrollable lithium dendrite growth and related issues originated from uneven concentration distribution of Li+in the vicinity of the anode,however,induce severe safety concerns and poor cycling efficiency,dragging lithium metal anode out of practical application.Herein we address these issues by using cross-linked lithiophilic amino phosphonic acid resin as the effective host with the ion-transportenhancement feature.Based on theoretical calculations and multiphysics simulation,it is found that this ion-transportenhancement feature is capable of facilitating the self-concentration kinetics of Li+and accelerating Li^(+)transfer at the electrolyte/electrode interface,leading to uniform bulk lithium deposition.Experimental results show that the proposed lithiumhosting resin decreases the irreversible lithium capacity and improves lithium utilization(with the Coulombic efficiency(CE)of 98.8%over 130 cycles).Our work demonstrates that inducing the self-concentrating distribution of Li+at the interface can be an effective strategy for improving the interfacial ion concentration gradient and optimizing lithium deposition,which opens a new avenue for the practical development of next-generation lithium metal batteries.

Measurement of atmospheric non-reciprocity effects for satellite-based two-way time-frequency transfer

Future optical clock networks will require high-precision optical time-frequency transfer between satellites and ground stations.However,due to atmospheric turbulence,satellite motion and time delay between the satellite–ground transmission links will cause spatial and temporal variations,respectively,resulting in the breakdown of the time-of-flight reciprocity on which optical two-way time-frequency transfer is based.Here,we experimentally simulate the atmospheric effects by two-way spatio-temporally separated links between two stationary terminals located 113 km apart and measure the effects for optical two-way time-frequency transfer.Our experiment shows that the effect on the link instability is less than 2.3×10^(−19) at 10,000 s.This indicates that when the link instability of satellite-ground optical time-frequency transfer is on the order of 10^(−19),it is not necessary to consider the atmospheric non-reciprocity effects.

Improvement of epilepsy secondary to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome with intestinal microbiota preparations:a case report

Background Epilepsy secondary to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome(AIDS)can be challenging to manage.The potential interactions between antiretroviral drugs and antiepileptic drugs may result in the failure of both treat-ments.Therefore,it is crucial to develop more effective strategies to enhance the clinical outcomes of patients.Case presentation We report a case of epilepsy secondary to AIDS.After administration of Bacteroides Fragilis 839(BF839),the secondary generalized tonic-clonic seizures disappeared,the frequency of complex partial seizures decreased by 70%,and the duration of each episode was shortened.Additionally,long-term diarrhea associated with antiretroviral therapy for AIDS resolved,and the syphilis serofast reaction turned negative.No serious adverse reactions were observed during the three-year follow up.Conclusions This case report suggests that the specific gut microbiota preparation could possibly improve refrac-tory epilepsy in HIV patients while also potentially alleviating adverse reactions to antiretroviral drugs and concurrent syphilis infection.Our case may provide a new perspective for the treatment of HIV infection/AIDS.

脆弱拟杆菌BF839治疗寻常型银屑病:一项单臂、开放初步临床试验

银屑病被认为是一种T细胞主导的炎症性疾病,其发病与肠道菌群失调密切相关。脆弱拟杆菌(Bacteroides fragilis,BF)可通过调节T细胞的细胞因子表达起抗炎作用。目前尚无脆弱拟杆菌用于治疗银屑病的相关报道,文中率先探究脆弱拟杆菌BF839对银屑病的治疗效果。选择2019年4月至2019年10月广州医科大学附属第二医院就诊的27例银屑病患者,维持原治疗不变,口服脆弱拟杆菌BF83912周,对比治疗前后银屑病皮损面积与严重程度指数(Psoriasis area and severity index,PASI)评分,统计治疗12周后药物减停率。结果表明,12周试验完成率为96.3%(26/27),12周PASI30(PASIN定义为治疗后PASI评分下降≥N%的患者比例)为65.4%,PASI50为42.3%,PASI75为19.2%;治疗前PASI评分为9.1±5.9,治疗12周后PASI评分为5.8±4.9,具有显著统计学差异(P<0.01);治疗12周后皮肤瘙痒程度用视觉模拟量表(Visual analog scale,VAS)评分有效率为42.3%,治疗前VAS评分为2.9±2.2,治疗12周后VAS评分为2.3±2.1,无显著统计学差异(P>0.05)。患者治疗12周内不良反应率为3.8%(1/26),其中便秘1例,药物减停率为60.0%。以上结果提示脆弱拟杆菌BF839可能对银屑病治疗有一定疗效,可降低PASI评分及药物使用率,不良反应少,值得进一步研究。

Bi2WO6 doped with rare earth ions:Preparation,characterization and photocatalytic activity under simulated solar irradiation

Rare-earth modification Bi2WO6 composites(RE/Bi2WO6)were studied by experimental performance and theory computation based on the different 4 f orbits of selected rare earth elements(La,Ce,Gd,and Yb).The prepared RE/Bi2WO6 was characterized by XRD,SEM/TEM,XPS,UV-vis DRS,and N2 adsorption to learn their physical-chemical properties.Azo dye Rhodamine B(RhB)was photodegraded as a target pollutant to investigate the photocatalytic activity of prepared RE/Bi2WO6 composites.The results of experiment and computation show that four rare earth elements with different electron configurations retain the phase and morphology of Bi2 WO6 and enhance the removal efficiency of RhB under simulated solar irradiation.The optimum doping contents are 0.01%,0.05%,0.05%and 0.01%for La-,Ce-,Gd-,and Yb-doped Bi2WO6,respectively.However,light rare earth La and Ce doped composites indicate some difference in visible light adso rption capacity and mineralization on RhB co mpared with heavy rare earth Gd and Yb doped composites.Both La/Bi2WO6 and Ce/Bi2 WO6 possess larger pore size and higher mineralization ability than Gd/Bi2 WO6 and Yb/Bi2WO6 under the same experimental conditions while Gd/Bi2WO6 and Yb/Bi2WO6 show stronger red shift to the visible light due to the more 4 f electrons.The hole oxidation plays a major role in the photodegradation of RhB by all RE/Bi2WO6.

Influence of lunar regolith compressibility on sampling performance of thick wall spiral drills

A 2 m class robotic drill was sent to the Moon and successfully collected and returned regolith samples in late 2020 by China.It was a typical thick wall spiral drill(TWSD)with a hollow auger containing a complex coring system to retain subsurface regolith samples.Before the robotic drill was launched,a series of laboratory tests were carried out to investigate and predict the possible drilling loads it may encounter in the lunar environment.This work presents how the sampling performance of the TWSD is affected by the regolith compressibility.Experiments and analysis during the drilling and sampling process in a simulated lunar regolith environment were conducted.The compressibility of a typical lunar regolith simulant(LRS)was measured through unidirectional compression tests to study the relationship between its inner regolith stress and bulk density.A theoretical model was established to elucidate the cutting discharge behavior by auger flights based on the aforementioned relationship.Experiments were conducted with the LRS,and the results show that the sampling performance is greatly affected by the flux of the drilled cuttings into the spiral flight channels.This work helped in scheduling reasonable drilling parameters to promote the sampling performance of the robotic drill in the Chinese Chang’E 5 mission.

Novel biallelic TRNT1 mutations lead to atypical SIFD and multiple immune defects

Mutations in the gene encoding transfer RNA(tRNA)nucleotidyltransferase,CCAadding 1(TRNT1),an enzyme essential for the synthesis of the 30-terminal CCA sequence in tRNA molecules,are associated with a rare syndrome of congenital sideroblastic anemia,B cell immunodeficiency,periodic fevers,and developmental delay(SIFD).Clinical manifestations and immunological phenotypes were assessed in a Chinese patient with novel compound heterozygous mutations in TRNT1.The patient required multiple hospitalizations starting at the age of 2 years for recurrent fevers without an infective cause.During the febrile episode,the patient was found to have microcytic hypochromic anemia,B cell lymphopenia,and hypogammaglobulinemia.Targeted gene sequencing identified novel compound heterozygous mutations in the TRNT1 gene(c.525delT,p.Leu176X;c.938T>C,p.Leu313Ser).Immunophenotyping revealed increased CD8^+T cells,CD4^+ terminally differentiated effector memory helper T lymphocytes(CD4 TEMRA),and CD4^+ effector memory lymphocytes(CD4 EM).Analysis of CD4^+T subsets identified decreased T follicular helper cells(Tfh)with a biased phenotype to Th2-like cells.The patient also showed a lower percentage of switched memory B(smB)cells.Additionally,defects in the cytotoxicity of the patient’s NK andγτT cells were shown by CD107alpha expression.In conclusion,TRNT1 mutations may lead to multiple immune abnormality especially humoral and cytotoxicity defects,which indicate that SIFD is not only suffered‘Predominantly antibody deficiencies’in IUIS classification system,and further studies are needed to understand the pathogenesis of immunodeficiency in these patients.

Analysis and simulation of a stochastic COVID-19 model with large-scale nucleic acid detection and isolation measures: A case study of the outbreak in Urumqi, China in August 2022

In this paper,a stochastic COVID-19 model with large-scale nucleic acid detection and isolation measures is proposed.Firstly,the existence and uniqueness of the global positive solution is obtained.Secondly,threshold criteria for the stochastic extinction and persistence in the mean with probability one are established.Moreover,a sufficient condition for the existence of unique ergodic stationary distribution for any positive solution is also established.Finally,numerical simulations are carried out in combination with real COVID-19 data from Urumqi,China and the theoretical results are verified.

具有可调界面电子结构的金属硫化物异质结构作为锂-氧气电池的高效催化剂

设计和制备具有优异稳定性和高活性的催化剂对于提高锂-氧气电池的性能至关重要.由于其可调节的结构及促进氧还原反应和析氧反应动力学的有效性,异质结构催化剂引起了广泛的研究兴趣.在这项工作中,CuCo_(2)S_(4)/CoS_(1.097)多元金属硫化物被证明是锂-氧气电池氧电极反应的有效电催化剂.密度泛函理论计算表明,CuCo_(2)S_(4)/CoS_(1.097)的电子结构在异相界面处受到调控,有利于优化氧电极反应过程中间体的吸附,最终加速氧电极反应动力学.实验结果表明,基于CuCo_(2)S_(4)/CoS_(1.097)的锂-氧气电池在100 m A g^(-1)下具有26,727.8 m A h g^(-1)的高比容量和超过267次循环的出色耐久性.该工作为锂-氧气电池高性能正极材料的设计和构造提供了新视角.

Application of machine learning algorithms to screen potential biomarkers under cadmium exposure based on human urine metabolic profiles

Exposure to environmental cadmium increases the health risk of residents.Early urine metabolic detection using high-resolution mass spectrometry and machine learning algorithms would be advantageous to predict the adverse health effects.Here,we conducted machine learning approaches to screen potential biomarkers under cadmium exposure in 403 urine samples.In positive and negative ionization mode,4207 and 3558 features were extracted,respectively.We compared seven machine learning algorithms and found that the extreme gradient boosting(XGBoost)and random forest(RF)classifiers showed better accuracy and predictive performance than others.Following 5-fold cross-validation,the value of area under curve(AUC)was both 0.93 for positive and negative ionization modes in XGBoost classifier.In the RF classifier,AUC were 0.80 and 0.84 for positive and negative ionization modes,respectively.We then identified a biomarker panel based on XGBoost and RF classifiers.The incorporation of machine learning models into urine analysis using high-resolution mass spectrometry could allow a convenient assessment of cadmium exposure.

Three new diterpenoids from Leonurus japonicus

Phytochemical investigation of the aerial parts of Leonurus japonicus led to the isolation of one unusual clerodane diterpenoid,leojaponin A（1）,characterized by a C4–C7oxa-bridge,and two new labdane diterpenoids,leojaponins B（2） and C（3）.The structures of these new compounds were determined based on extensive 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopic data.To the best of our knowledge,compound 1 is the first clerodane diterpenoid obtained from Leonurus.japonicus.All of them were evaluated for their cytotoxicity.