Artematrovirenolides A—D and Artematrolides S—Z,Sesquiterpenoid Dimers with Cytotoxicity against Three Hepatoma Cell Lines from Artemisia atrovirens

Inspired by the intriguing structures and remarkable activities of sesquiterpenoid dimers,12 new sesquiterpenoid dimers,artematrovirenolides A—D(1—4)and artematrolides S—Z(8—12),were isolated from the EtOAc fraction of Artemisia atrovirens through a bioactivity-guided approach.Their structures were elucidated by comprehensive spectroscopic data and absolute configuration was assigned based on single crystal X-ray diffraction data and ECD calculations.Structurally,all compounds are presumably formed via[4+2]cycloaddition involving three connecting model.Compounds 1—4 are four novel hetero-dimeric[4+2]Diels-Alder adducts dimerized from a rotundane-type unit and a guaiane-type monomer,and compounds 5—12 are eight new homo-dimeric[4+2]adducts derived from two guaianolide moieties.A putative biosynthetic pathway for compounds 1—4 was also proposed.Compounds 4,6,7,and 10 demonstrated moderate cytotoxicity against HepG2,SMMC-7721,and Huh7 cell lines with IC50 values ranging from 9.3 to 62.3μmol/L.Interestingly,compounds 5 and 11 manifested cytotoxicity with IC50 values of 13.6 and 12.8(HepG2),18.5 and 13.1(SMMC-7721),and 16.5 and 19.4μmol/L(Huh7),respectively,which were equivalent to the positive control,sorafenib.This investigation suggests that compounds 5 and 11 might be considered as potent antihepatoma candidates and deserve further structural modification and mechanism study.     

拓扑近藤绝缘体SmB6中的奇异电子性质

拓扑近藤绝缘体是一种本征的强关联拓扑电子体系，其体能隙来源于近藤关联效应。自2010年拓扑近藤绝缘体的理论概念被提出后，六硼化钐(SmB6) 作为第一种被预测为拓扑近藤绝缘体的材料在这十多年中被多种实验手段反复研究验证，被广泛接受认为是第一种拓扑近藤绝缘体。在这篇综述中，我们回顾了关于SmB6 的一些重要实验结果，比如电输运测量，角分辨光电子能谱(ARPES), 表面形貌分析(STM) 等，并论述了如何通过这些关键的实验证据证实SmB6 的拓扑近藤绝缘物相。同时，我们也展示了SmB6 这一关联电子体系的其他奇异物性，包括中间价态在表面和体内的分离现象，以及量子振荡发现的体振荡信号等等。这些性质表明我们对SmB6 这一材料的理解仍然不充分，其中还有更为丰富的物理值得挖掘。     

Rationally Design of Near Infrared Light Responsive Micro‐Photoelectrodes for In Vivo Sensing of Neurotransmitter Molecules in Mouse Brain†

The accurate quantification of neurotransmitter molecules is an indispensable means to reveal the physiological mechanisms of neuro movement in molecular level. However, existing detection strategies cannot fully meet practical needs, and the on‐site and in vivo detection of neurotransmitters in brain remains a great challenge. Here, we report the development of a near infrared light responsive photoelectrochemical (PEC) detection method for in vivo quantification of neurotransmitter dopamine in mouse brain. Under guidance of density function theory calculations, a combination strategy of non‐metal cation doping and defect engineering is introduced to rationally design the micro‐photoelectrodes with excellent biocompatibility and stability and implements the in vivo PEC detection of dopamine in mouse brain. It opens up a new way for the accurate in vivo detection of biomolecules and allows researchers to make novel inquiries for long‐standing questions in a new way.     

Micron-Sized Zeolite Beta Single Crystals Featuring Intracrystal Interconnected Ordered Macro-Meso-Microporosity Displaying Superior Catalytic Performance

Zeolite Beta single crystals with intracrystalline hierarchical porosity at macro-, meso-, and micro-length scales can effectively overcome the diffusion limitations in the conversion of bulky molecules. However, the construction of large zeolite Beta single crystals with such porosity is a challenge. We report herein the synthesis of hierarchically ordered macro-mesoporous single-crystalline zeolite Beta (OMMS-Beta) with a rare micron-scale crystal size by an in situ bottom-up confined zeolite crystallization strategy. The fully interconnected intracrystalline macro-meso-microporous hierarchy and the micron-sized single-crystalline nature of OMMS-Beta lead to improved accessibility to active sites and outstanding (hydro)thermal stability. Higher catalytic performances in gas-phase and liquid-phase acid-catalyzed reactions involving bulky molecules are obtained compared to commercial Beta and nanosized Beta zeolites. The strategy has been extended to the synthesis of other zeolitic materials, including ZSM-5, TS-1, and SAPO-34.     

Free control of far-field scattering angle of transmission terahertz wave using multilayer split-ring resonators’ metasurfaces

To enhance transmission efficiency of Pancharatnam–Berry (PB) phase metasurfaces, multilayer splitring resonators were proposed to develop encoding sequences. As per the generalized Snell’s law, the deflection angle of the PB phase encoding metasurfaces depends on the metasurface period’s size. Therefore, it is impossible to design an infinitesimal metasurface unit; consequently, the continuous transmission scattering angle cannot be obtained. In digital signal processing, this study introduces the Fourier convolution principle on encoding metasurface sequences to freely control the transmitted scattering angles. Both addition and subtraction operations between two different encoding sequences were then performed to achieve the continuous variation of the scattering angle. Furthermore, we established that the Fourier convolution principle can be applied to the checkerboard coded metasurfaces.     

Ti0.33WO3电子结构和太阳辐射屏蔽性能第一性原理研究

节能减排已成为当今社会发展的主题,对节约能源、提高太阳能的高效综合利用的新型窗用透明隔热材料的理论设计和研究尤其重要.本文采用基于密度泛函理论的计算方法,研究了六方相三氧化钨Ti掺杂前、后的晶格参数、电子能带结构、形成能和光学性质.研究结果表明,Ti掺杂后晶格体积增大,系统能量降为负值,体系具有更好的稳定性;掺杂后电子能带结构发生很大的变化,但材料仍保持n型电导率;随之,其光学性质也发生改变,掺杂前h-WO3无近红外吸收性能,掺杂后的Ti0.33WO3具有很强的近红外吸收性能.在此基础上研究了Ti掺杂h-WO3前、后的太阳辐射屏蔽性能,掺杂前无太阳辐射屏蔽性能;掺杂后的Ti0.33WO3薄膜具有可见光高透明、近红外屏蔽的性能.计算结果为Ti掺杂h-WO3在窗用透明隔热材料方面的研究提供了理论依据.     

The metabolites and biotransformation pathways in vivo after oral administration of ocotillol,RT5, and PF11

Ocotillol, pseudo-ginsenoside RT5 (RT₅), and pseudo-ginsenoside F₁₁ (PF₁₁) are ocotillol-type saponins that have the same aglycone structure but with different numbers of glucose at the C-6 position. In this study, the metabolites of ocotillol, RT₅, and PF₁₁ in rat plasma, stomach, intestine, urine, and feces after oral administration were investigated by ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with time-of-flight mass spectrometry. The results showed that RT₅ was easily biotransformed into metabolites in vivo, whereas PF₁₁ and RT₅ were difficult to be biotransformed. Hydrogenation, dehydrogenation, dehydration, deglycosylation, deoxygenation, hydration, phosphorylation, deoxidation, glucuronidation, and reactions combining amino acid were speculated to be involved in the biotransformation of ocotillol, RT₅, and PF₁₁. Based on the structural analysis of metabolites, it was deduced that hydrogenation, dehydration, deoxidation, and reactions combining amino acid occurred on the aglycone structure, whereas deglycosylation, hydration, and phosphorylation occurred on the glycosyl chain. Further, metabolites in plasma, urine, feces, and tissues were different: First, glucuronidation products were found in urine, stomach, intestine, and feces, but not in plasma. Second, the ocotillol prototype was not identified in urine samples. Third, the RT₅ prototype was found in stomach, intestine, feces, and urine, but not in plasma.     

Statistical Optimization of Flavonoid and Antioxidant Recovery from Macerated Chinese and Malaysian Lotus Root (Nelumbo nucifera) Using Response Surface Methodology

In this study, the combination of parameters required for optimal extraction of anti-oxidative components from the Chinese lotus (CLR) and Malaysian lotus (MLR) roots were carefully investigated. Box–Behnken design was employed to optimize the pH (X₁: 2–3), extraction time (X₂: 0.5–1.5 h) and solvent-to-sample ratio (X₃: 20–40 mL/g) to obtain a high flavonoid yield with high % DPPH_sc free radical scavenging and Ferric-reducing power assay (FRAP). The analysis of variance clearly showed the significant contribution of quadratic model for all responses. The optimal conditions for both Chinese lotus (CLR) and Malaysian lotus (MLR) roots were obtained as: CLR: X₁ = 2.5; X₂ = 0.5 h; X₃ = 40 mL/g; MLR: X₁ = 2.4; X₂ = 0.5 h; X₃ = 40 mL/g. These optimum conditions gave (a) Total flavonoid content (TFC) of 0.599 mg PCE/g sample and 0.549 mg PCE/g sample, respectively; (b) % DPPH_sc of 48.36% and 29.11%, respectively; (c) FRAP value of 2.07 mM FeSO₄ and 1.89 mM FeSO₄, respectively. A close agreement between predicted and experimental values was found. The result obtained succinctly revealed that the Chinese lotus exhibited higher antioxidant and total flavonoid content when compared with the Malaysia lotus root at optimum extraction condition.     

Solution-Based,Anion-Doping of Li4Ti5O12 Nanoflowers for Lithium-Ion Battery Applications

Solution-based, anionic doping represents a convenient strategy with which to improve upon the conductivity of candidate anode materials such as Li₄Ti₅O₁₂ (LTO). As such, novel synthetic hydrothermally-inspired protocols have primarily been devised herein, aimed at the large-scale production of unique halogen-doped, micron-scale, three-dimensional, hierarchical LTO flower-like motifs. Although fluorine (F) doping has been explored, the use of chlorine (Cl) dopants is the primary focus here. Several experimental variables, such as dopant amount, lithium hydroxide concentration, and titanium butoxide purity, were probed and perfected. Furthermore, the Cl doping process did not damage the intrinsic LTO morphology. The analysis, based on interpreting a compilation of SEM, XRD, XPS, and TEM-EDS results, was used to determine an optimized dopant concentration of Cl. Electrochemical tests demonstrated an increased capacity via cycling of 12 % for a Cl-doped sample as compared with pristine LTO. Moreover, the Cl-doped LTO sample described in this study exhibited the highest discharge capacity yet reported at an observed rate of 2C for this material at 143mAh g⁻¹. Overall, these data suggest that the Cl dopant likely enhances not only the ion transport capabilities, but also the overall electrical conductivity of our as-prepared structures. To help explain these favorable findings, theoretical DFT calculations were used to postulate that the electronic conductivity and Li diffusion were likely improved by the presence of increased Ti³⁺ ion concentration coupled with widening of the Li migration channel.