Artificial transmembrane potassium transporters: designs, functions, mechanisms and applications.

Potassium channels represent the most prevalent class of ion channels, exerting regulatory control over numerous vital biological processes, including muscle contraction, neurotransmitter release, cell proliferation, and apoptosis. The seamless integration of astonishing functions into a sophisticated structure, as seen in these protein channels, inspires the chemical community to develop artificial versions, gearing toward simplifying their structure while replicating their key functions. In particular, over the past ten years or so, a number of elegant artificial potassium transporters have emerged, demonstrating high selectivity, high transport efficiency or unprecedented transport mechanisms. In this review, we will provide a detailed exposition of these artificial potassium transporters that are derived from a single molecular backbone or self-assembled from multiple components, with their respective structural designs, channel functions, transport mechanisms and biomedical applications thoroughly reviewed.

Prediction of carbon emissions in China's construction industry using an improved grey prediction model.

As a significant source of global energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, the construction industry garners widespread attention due to its high carbon emissions. Anticipating its development trends is crucial for energy conservation and emission reduction. In this paper, we utilize the carbon emission data from China's national and provincial construction sectors from 2012 to 2021, employ the grey prediction model optimized by the particle swarm optimization algorithm, coupled with a metabolic algorithm, to forecast the carbon emissions of the construction industry across China and its provinces. The results demonstrate that: (1) The dynamic grey prediction model combined with the metabolism algorithm has a better prediction effect than the classical model, and the relative error is reduced from 5.103 % to 0.874 %. (2) The carbon emissions of China's construction industry will continue to rise in the next decade, but the growth rate will decrease, and the proportion of indirect carbon emissions continues to increase. (3) There is a marked regional disparity in carbon emissions, with the eastern region exhibiting higher emission levels yet slower growth. In contrast, the western region has lower emission levels but experiences faster growth. These studies provide valuable insights for both the existing approaches to energy conservation and emission reduction, as well as for future policy improvements.

Inhibitory and preventive effects of Arnebia euchroma (Royle) Johnst. root extract on Streptococcus mutans and dental caries in rats.

BACKGROUND: Dental caries is one of the prevalent conditions that threaten oral health. Arnebia euchroma (Royle) Johnst. root (AR) extracts exhibit anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, and antibacterial properties. This study was designed to investigate the antibacterial impact of AR extract on Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) UA159 and the anti-caries effect on rats. METHODS: The antibacterial activity of AR extract against S. mutans and its biofilm was determined using the bacterial sensitivity test, the biofilm sensitivity test, and the live-dead staining technique. By fluorescently tagging bacteria, the influence of bacterial adhesion rate was determined. Using a rat caries model, the anti-caries efficacy and safety of AR extract were exhaustively investigated in vivo. RESULTS: AR extract inhibit not only the growth of S. mutans, but also the generation of S. mutans biofilm, hence destroying and eliminating the biofilm. Moreover, AR extract were able to inhibit S. mutans' adherence to saliva-encapsulated hydroxyapatite (HAP). Further, in a rat model of caries, the AR extract is able to greatly reduce the incidence and severity of caries lesions on the smooth surface and pit and fissure of rat molars, while exhibiting excellent biosafety. CONCLUSIONS: AR extract exhibit strong antibacterial activity against S. mutans and can lower the incidence and severity of dental cavities in rats. These findings suggest that Arnebia euchroma (Royle) Johnst. could be utilized for the prevention and treatment of dental caries.