JiShou University

Seven rearranged phenylpropanoyl-phloroglucinol (PPG) dimers, xanthchrysones D-J (1-7), were isolated from the flowers of Xanthostemon chrysanthus. Their structures and absolute configurations were unambiguously established by comprehensive NMR spectroscopy, X-ray crystallography, and quantum chemical calculations. Structurally, compounds 1 and 2 represent the first examples of phenylpropanoyl-phloroglucinol dimers featuring an unprecedented 3-(cyclopentyl(phenyl)methyl)-2-styryl-4H-chromene scaffold, while compounds 3 and 4 incorporate a distinctive 5-(3-phenylpropanoyl)-3,9-dihydrocyclopenta[b]chromen-1(2H)-one backbone. These compounds possess unprecedented skeletons characterized by a unique rearrangement process involving cyclopentanone ring formation and cleavage of the phenylpropanoyl moiety, and their plausible biogenetic pathway was also proposed. All isolates exhibited potent α-glucosidase inhibitory activities, with 5- to 20-fold greater potency than the clinically used antidiabetic drug acarbose. Among them, compounds 6 and 7 showed the most pronounced inhibitory effects, and were therefore selected for subsequent enzyme kinetics studies, molecular docking, and molecular dynamics simulations. Both in vitro and in silico results consistently demonstrated that compounds 6 and 7 are promising candidates for the development of new α-glucosidase inhibitors.

Doxorubicin-induced cardiomyopathy (DIC) is a common and severe cardiotoxic effect of doxorubicin (DOX)-based chemotherapy. This study aimed to identify core genes associated with DIC and investigate their immunoregulatory mechanisms.

Core genes were identified based on GEO datasets by integrating differential expression analysis, WGCNA, and machine learning algorithms. Functional enrichment analysis, immune infiltration analysis, and single-cell RNA sequencing analysis were subsequently performed. In addition, AI-based drug screening, molecular docking, molecular dynamics simulation, and Western blot validation were conducted.

KIF23 was identified as the core gene. Functional analysis of DIC-related genes indicated that they were mainly involved in chromatin remodeling, cell cycle regulation, and energy metabolism. Immune infiltration analysis revealed significant enrichment of macrophages, dendritic cells, and regulatory T cells in the DIC group, and KIF23 expression was negatively correlated with multiple immune cell infiltrations. Single-cell analysis showed that KIF23 was predominantly enriched in macrophage populations. AI-based drug screening identified BRD-K40329609 as a potential therapeutic candidate. Molecular docking and 100 ns molecular dynamics simulations suggested a potential binding affinity between DOX and KIF23. In vitro experiments further demonstrated that DOX significantly downregulated KIF23 expression in cardiomyocytes.

This study identified KIF23 as a core gene associated with DIC and suggested that it may be involved in immune microenvironment remodeling and macrophage-related pathological processes, providing new insights into the molecular mechanisms of DIC and potential therapeutic targets.

For large-scale energy storage applications, zinc‑iodine (ZnI₂) batteries stand out as viable options, primarily due to their high safety, plentiful resources, and low cost. Nonetheless, their practical application is impeded by the migration of soluble iodine-based substances at the cathode, alongside dendrite formation and unintended chemical reactions occurring at the zinc anode. Herein, ethylene glycol dipropionitrile ether (EDPN) serves as an effective additive that enables comprehensive regulation from the cathode to the anode through electrolyte optimization. EDPN simultaneously modulates the Zn²⁺ solvation structure and competitively adsorbs on the zinc surface, forming a stable hybrid solid-electrolyte interphase that suppresses the zinc dendrites and enhances the anode reversibility. At the same time, the highly polar cyano moieties (-C ≡ N) within it bind polyiodide species, alleviating the shuttle phenomenon and enhancing the redox reaction dynamics at the cathode side. Thus, Zn||Zn symmetric cells stable cycling for more than 1800 h (1 mA cm^-2, 1 mAh cm^-2) and 1000 h (10 mA cm^-2, 1 mAh cm^-2). Moreover, the ZnI₂ battery system shows 89.3% capacity remaining even after 32,000 cycles under 5 A g^-1, with an average Coulombic efficiency of 99.9%, while the pouch-type battery provides a high areal capacity of 33.4 mAh. This work presents a practical electrolyte preparation method to create high-efficiency and long-lasting aqueous ZnI₂ batteries.