Potassium-ion batteries (PIBs) are attracting intensive interest for large-scale applications due to the high natural abundance of potassium sources. However, the large radius of K+ makes it difficult for electrode materials to accommodate the repeated K+ insertion and extraction. Thus, developing high-performance electrode materials for PIBs remains a great challenge. Herein, we present the rational design and fabrication of hierarchical carbon-coated MoSe2/MXene hybrid nanosheets (MoSe2/MXene@C) as a superior anode material for PIBs. Specifically, the highly conductive MXene substrate can effectively relieve the aggregation of MoSe2 nanosheets and improve the electronic conductivity. Moreover, the carbon layer enables us to reinforce the composite structure and further enhance the overall conductivity of the hybrid nanosheets. Meanwhile, strong chemical interactions are found at the interface of MoSe2 nanosheets and MXene flakes, contributing to promoting the charge-transfer kinetics and improving the structural durability. Consequently, as an anode material for PIBs, the resulting MoSe2/MXene@C achieves a high reversible capacity of 355 mA h g–1 at 200 mA g–1 after 100 cycles and an outstanding rate performance with 183 mA h g–1 at 10.0 A g–1. The presented design strategy holds great promise for developing more-efficient electrode materials for PIBs.

N 6-methyladenosine (m6A) is a reversible modification in mRNA and has been shown to regulate processing, translation and decay of mRNA. However, the roles of m6A modification in neuronal development are still not known. Here, we found that the m6A eraser FTO is enriched in axons and can be locally translated. Axon-specific inhibition of FTO by rhein, or compartmentalized siRNA knockdown of Fto in axons led to increases of m6A levels. GAP-43 mRNA is modified by m6A and is a substrate of FTO in axons. Loss-of-function of this non-nuclear pool of FTO resulted in increased m6A modification and decreased local translation of axonal GAP-43 mRNA, which eventually repressed axon elongation. Mutation of a predicted m6A site in GAP-43 mRNA eliminated its m6A modification and exempted regulation of its local translation by axonal FTO. This work showed an example of dynamic internal m6A demethylation of non-nuclear localized mRNA by the demethylase FTO. Regulation of m6A modification of axonal mRNA by axonal FTO might be a general mechanism to control their local translation in neuronal development.

Recent studies have established the involvement of the fat mass and obesity-associated gene (FTO) in metabolic disorders such as obesity and diabetes. However, the precise molecular mechanism by which FTO regulates metabolism remains unknown. Here, we used a structure-based virtual screening of U.S. Food and Drug Administration–approved drugs to identify entacapone as a potential FTO inhibitor. Using structural and biochemical studies, we showed that entacapone directly bound to FTO and inhibited FTO activity in vitro. Furthermore, entacapone administration reduced body weight and lowered fasting blood glucose concentrations in diet-induced obese mice. We identified the transcription factor forkhead box protein O1 (FOXO1) mRNA as a direct substrate of FTO, and demonstrated that entacapone elicited its effects on gluconeogenesis in the liver and thermogenesis in adipose tissues in mice by acting on an FTO-FOXO1 regulatory axis.

Constructing ordered hierarchical porous structures while maintaining their overall crystalline order is highly desirable but remains an arduous challenge. Herein, we successfully achieve the growth of single-crystalline metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) in three-dimensional (3D) ordered macroporous template voids by a saturated solution-based double-solvent-assisted strategy with precise control over the nucleation process. The as-prepared single-crystalline ordered macro–microporous Co-based MOFs (SOM ZIF-67) exhibit an ordered macro–microporous structure with robust single-crystalline nature. Moreover, SOM ZIF-67 can serve as a precursor to derive 3D-ordered macroporous cobalt diselenide@carbon (3DOM CoSe2@C) through a facile carbonization–selenization treatment. The as-derived 3DOM CoSe2@C can well preserve the 3D-ordered macroporous structure of the precursor. More importantly, CoSe2 nanoparticles could be uniformly confined in the conductive ordered macroporous carbon framework, affording regularly interconnected macroporous channels and large surface area. As a result, when evaluated as a cathode material for aluminum-ion batteries, the ordered macroporous structure could not only effectively facilitate the diffusion of large-sized chloroaluminate anions but also increase the contact area with electrolyte and provide more exposed active sites, thereby exhibiting superior reversible rate capacity (86 mA h g–1 at 5.0 A g–1) and remarkable cycling performance (125 mA h g–1 after 1000 cycles at 2.0 A g–1).

The transition metal-catalyzed C-H functionalization with hydroxylamine derivatives serving as both reactants and internal oxidants has attracted a lot of interest. These reactions obviate the need for external oxidants and therefore result in high reactivity and selectivity, as well as excellent functional group tolerance under mild reaction conditions, and moreover, water, methanol or carboxylic acid is generally released as the by-product, thus leading to reduced waste. This review focuses on the transition metal-catalyzed oxidative C-H functionalization of N-oxyenamine internal oxidants, with an emphasis on the scope and limitations, as well as the mechanisms of these reactions.