RNA interference is a biological process whereby small RNAs inhibit gene expression through neutralizing targeted mRNA molecules. This process is conserved in eukaryotes. Here, recent work regarding ...the mechanisms of how small RNAs move within and between organisms is examined. Small RNAs can move locally and systemically in plants through plasmodesmata and phloem, respectively. In fungi, transportation of small RNAs may also be achieved by septal pores and vesicles. Recent evidence also supports bidirectional cross‐kingdom communication of small RNAs between host plants and adapted fungal pathogens to affect the outcome of infection. We discuss several mechanisms for small RNA trafficking and describe evidence for transport through naked form, combined with RNA‐binding proteins or enclosed by vesicles.
We summarize the evidence and possible mechanisms that small RNAs move within and between plants and fungi in naked form, combined with RNA‐binding proteins or enclosed in vesicles.
Monovalent lithium ion has been successfully employed in quasi-solid-state electrochromic devices (ECDs), but it still needs to be optimized in terms of cost, life stability and so on. Herein, a ...novel electrolyte containing multivalent Aluminum ion (Al3+) was introduced into the ECDs and compared with Lithium ion ECDs. With acrylate-based UV curable glue as the gel electrolyte curing adhesive, WO3 and NiOx films as the complementary counter electrode layers, Li+ (ECD-1), Al3+ (ECD-2) and Al3+/Li+ double ion (ECD-3) as the electrolyte ions, three types of quasi-solid-state ECDs were prepared as Glass/ITO/WO3/polymer electrolyte/NiOx/ITO/Glass. The results showed that the optical modulation amplitude ΔT of three devices is 54.3%, 51.6%, and 53.2%, respectively, while the coloring efficiency (CE) is 62.2, 64.6, and 62.2 cm2/C. The cycle stability test results displayed that during 2000 CA cycles (lasting for 40,000 s, 20 s for one cycle), the optical modulation amplitude ΔT of the Al3+/Li+ devices only decays 16%, which has the excellent cycle durability compared with Li+ devices. This article is an effective attempt to expand the quasi-solid-state electrochromic electrolyte with multivalent ions species, which can broaden the application range of the devices.
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•WO3//NiOx complementary quasi-solid-state electrochromic devices based on Al3+/Li+ dual-ion electrolyte.•UV curing adhesive as the gel electrolyte carrier for ECDs.•Al3+/Li+ dual-ion devices achieve better electrochemical cycle stability.
Little is known about the relation between the long-term joint exposure to various ambient air pollutants and the incidence of heart failure (HF). We aimed to assess the joint association of various ...air pollutants with HF risk and examine the modification effect of the genetic susceptibility.
This study included 432 530 participants free of HF, atrial fibrillation, or coronary heart disease in the UK Biobank study. All participants were enrolled from 2006 to 2010 and followed up to 2018. The information on particulate matter (PM) with diameters ≤2.5 µm (PM2.5), ≤10 µm (PM10), and between 2.5 and 10 µm (PM2.5-10) as well as nitrogen oxides (NO2 and NOx) was collected. We newly proposed an air pollution score to assess the joint exposure to the five air pollutants through summing each pollutant concentration weighted by the regression coefficients with HF from single-pollutant models. We also calculated the weighted genetic risk score of HF. During a median of 10.1 years (4 346 642 person-years) of follow-up, we documented 4201 incident HF. The hazard ratios (HRs) 95% confidence interval (CI) of HF for a 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5, PM10, PM2.5-10, NO2, and NOx were 1.85 (1.34-2.55), 1.61 (1.30-2.00), 1.13 (0.80-1.59), 1.10 (1.04-1.15), and 1.04 (1.02-1.06), respectively. We found that the air pollution score was associated with an increased risk of incident HF in a dose-response fashion. The HRs (95% CI) of HF were 1.16 (1.05-1.28), 1.19 (1.08-1.32), 1.21 (1.09-1.35), and 1.31 (1.17-1.48) in higher quintile groups compared with the lowest quintile of the air pollution score (P trend <0.001). In addition, we observed that the elevated risk of HF associated with a higher air pollution score was strengthened by the genetic susceptibility to HF.
Our results indicate that the long-term joint exposure to various air pollutants including PM2.5, PM10, PM2.5-10, NO2, and NOx is associated with an elevated risk of incident HF in an additive manner. Our findings highlight the importance to comprehensively assess various air pollutants in relation to the HF risk.
Here, a new energy‐saving optimization method, known as the Improved Particle Swarm Optimization (IPSO) algorithm, is proposed to solve the practical engineering problem of high energy consumption ...during the operation of central air‐conditioning water systems. The mathematical model of total energy consumption optimization and the calculation principle of the IPSO are established. It is shown via experiments that the proposed algorithm requires a short optimization time and can achieve the optimal operation conditions of water systems under various cooling loads, where these conditions include the optimal control strategy of equipment, and water temperature at the inlet and outlet of chillers. Furthermore, it ensures the lowest energy consumption of water system operation. The measured results show that the comprehensive energy saving rate of water system operation can reach more than 18% compared with that before the system transformation.
Here, a new energy‐saving optimization method, known as the Improved Particle Swarm Optimization (IPSO) algorithm, is proposed to solve the practical engineering problem of high energy consumption during the operation of central air‐conditioning water systems.
Electrochemical techniques are attractive for nitrite detection owing to their intrinsic advantages. However, traditional electrochemical sensors often suffer from the effects of fouling due to the ...adsorption of oxidation products on the electrode surface. In this work, a paper-based, inexpensive, disposable electrochemical sensing platform was developed for nitrite analysis based on a simple and efficient vacuum filtration system. Taking advantage of the physicochemical properties of graphene nanosheets and gold nanoparticles, the mass transport regime of nitrite at the paper-based electrode was thin layer diffusion rather than planar diffusion. In comparison with the electrochemical responses of commercial gold electrodes and glassy carbon electrodes (GCE), a considerably larger current signal was seen at the paper-based sensing interface, which significantly improved its sensitivity for nitrite detection. In particular, the paper-based electrode was a disposable sensing device, so that it effectively avoided the fouling effect arising from the adsorption of oxidation products. Moreover, the paper-based sensing platform made it possible to determine nitrite in environmental and food samples in an accurate, convenient, inexpensive, and reproducible way, indicating that the proposed system is promising for practical applications in environmental monitoring and public health.
•Development of a paper-based disposable electrode for nitrite analysis.•Fouling caused by adsorption of oxidation products is effectively avoided.•The paper-based electrode exhibited better electron transfer behavior than commercial electrodes.•The electrode was successfully used to analyse nitrite in environmental and food samples.•The advantages of this approach are accuracy, cheapness, reproducibility, and ease of miniaturization.
With the increase of carbon dioxide concentration in the atmosphere, the living environment of human beings is seriously affected. As a high carbon emission industry in China, thermal power ...enterprises are the key areas of carbon emission reduction in China. This paper first uses Super-SBM model to measure the performance of China’s 18 major thermal power enterprises in 2009–2018 from a static point of view. After considering the carbon emission constraints, it analyzes the degree of change in enterprise performance, and finds that the impact of carbon emission constraints on enterprise performance is not absolute. After that, with the help of Malmquist index model, this paper discusses the dynamic changes of thermal power enterprises’ performance under carbon emission constraint in recent 10 yrs. The results show that the overall performance of carbon emission constraint is in a weak regression stage and summarizes the disadvantages of different enterprises. On the basis of the research conclusion, this paper puts forward countermeasures and suggestions to further improve the performance of Chinese thermal power enterprises under the carbon emission constraints in the future, which is conducive to different enterprises to optimize their own disadvantages.
Air pollution has been related to incidence of type 2 diabetes (T2D). We assessed the joint association of various air pollutants with the risk of T2D and examined potential modification by obesity ...status and genetic susceptibility on the relationship.
A total of 449,006 participants from UK Biobank free of T2D at baseline were included. Of all the study population, 90.9% were white and 45.7% were male. The participants had a mean age of 56.6 (SD 8.1) years old and a mean body mass index (BMI) of 27.4 (SD 4.8) kg/m2. Ambient air pollutants, including particulate matter (PM) with diameters ≤2.5 μm (PM2.5), between 2.5 μm and 10 μm (PM2.5-10), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and nitric oxide (NO) were measured. An air pollution score was created to assess the joint exposure to the 4 air pollutants. During a median of 11 years follow-up, we documented 18,239 incident T2D cases. The air pollution score was significantly associated with a higher risk of T2D. Compared to the lowest quintile of air pollution score, the hazard ratio (HR) (95% confidence interval CI) for T2D was 1.05 (0.99 to 1.10, p = 0.11), 1.06 (1.00 to 1.11, p = 0.051), 1.09 (1.03 to 1.15, p = 0.002), and 1.12 (1.06 to 1.19, p < 0.001) for the second to fifth quintile, respectively, after adjustment for sociodemographic characteristics, lifestyle factors, genetic factors, and other covariates. In addition, we found a significant interaction between the air pollution score and obesity status on the risk of T2D (p-interaction < 0.001). The observed association was more pronounced among overweight and obese participants than in the normal-weight people. Genetic risk score (GRS) for T2D or obesity did not modify the relationship between air pollution and risk of T2D. Key study limitations include unavailable data on other potential T2D-related air pollutants and single-time measurement on air pollutants.
We found that various air pollutants PM2.5, PM2.5-10, NO2, and NO, individually or jointly, were associated with an increased risk of T2D in the population. The stratified analyses indicate that such associations were more strongly associated with T2D risk among those with higher adiposity.
Elevated plasma homocysteine (Hcy) levels have been indicated as a strong and modifiable risk factor of ischemic stroke; the previous studies have shown that exposure to Hcy activates cultured ...microglia. However, whether neurotoxicity of Hcy involves microglia activation following brain ischemia and the underlying mechanisms remains incompletely understood.
The cerebral damage was evaluated by staining with 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride, hematoxylin-eosin, and Fluoro Jade B. The activation state of microglia was assessed via immunoreaction using the microglial markers Iba1 and OX-42. Then, the inflammatory factors such as tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), interleukin 6 (IL-6), and phosphorylated signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (pSTAT3) were examined by Western blot analysis and fluorescence immunohistochemistry.
Elevated Hcy level augmented brain damage and neural cell toxicity in the brain cortex and the dentate gyrus region of the hippocampus after cerebral ischemia/reperfusion. Meanwhile, Hcy activated microglia and induced the expression of the inflammatory factors such as TNF-α and IL-6. Moreover, Hcy caused an increase in pSTAT3 expression which occurs in microglial cells. AG490, a JAK2-STAT3 inhibitor, effectively inhibited the phosphorylation of STAT3, microglial cell activation and the secretion of IL-6, TNF-α raised by Hcy treatment.
STAT3 signaling pathway located in microglia plays a critical role in mediating Hcy-induced activation of microglia and neuroinflammation in rat MCAO model. This suggests the feasibility of targeting the JAK2/STAT3 pathway as an effective therapeutic strategy to alleviate the progression of Hcy-associated ischemia stroke.
Since the 20th century, pursuing Universal Health Coverage (UHC) has emerged as an important developmental objective in numerous countries and across the global health community. With the intricate ...ramifications of population mobility (PM), the government faces a mounting imperative to judiciously deploy health expenditure to realise UHC effectively.
This study aimed to construct a comprehensive UHC index for China, assess the spatial effects of Government Health Expenditure (GHE) on UHC, and explore the moderating effects of PM on this association.
A Dynamic Spatial Durbin Model (DSDM) was employed to investigate the influence of the GHE on UHC. Therefore, we tested the moderating effect of PM.
In the short-term, the GHE negatively impacted local UHC. However, it enhanced the UHC in neighbouring regions. Over the long term, GHE improved local UHC but decreased UHC in neighbouring regions. In the short-term, when the PM exceeded 1.42, the GHE increased the local UHC. Over the long term, when the PM exceeded 1.107, the GHE impeded local UHC. If the PM exceeded 0.91 in the long term, the GHE promoted UHC in neighbouring regions. The results of this study offer a partial explanation of GHE decisions and behaviours.
To enhance UHC, a viable strategy involves augmenting vertical transfer payments from the central government to local governments. Local governments should institute healthcare systems tailored to the urban scale and developmental stages, with due consideration for PM. Optimising the information disclosure mechanism is also a worthwhile endeavour.
Both cognitive decline and unhealthy lifestyles have been linked to an elevated risk of mortality in older people. We aimed to investigate whether a healthy lifestyle might modify the association ...between cognitive function and all-cause mortality in Chinese older populations.
The final analysis included 5124 individuals free of dementia, selected from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey from 2011 to 2018. Cognitive function was assessed in 2011 using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). A lifestyle score was calculated based on five lifestyle factors, including smoking, alcohol consumption, physical activity, diet, and body mass index. Cox proportional hazards models were performed to evaluate the association between baseline cognitive function and the risk of all-cause mortality, with an interaction term of cognitive function and lifestyle score being added to the models.
The average age of participants was 81.87 years old at baseline. During a median follow-up of 6.4 years, 1461 deaths were documented. Both higher cognitive function (HR: 0.96; 95% CI: 0.96-0.97) and a healthier lifestyle (HR: 0.92; 95% CI: 0.87-0.97) were significantly associated with a reduced risk of mortality. We found that lifestyle significantly modified the association of cognitive function with mortality (
for interaction = 0.004). The inverse relation between cognitive function and mortality was found to be more pronounced among participants with a healthier lifestyle. Of note, among the lifestyle scores component, diet showed a significant interaction with mortality (
for interaction = 0.003), and the protective HR of the all-cause mortality associated with higher MMSE scores was more prominent among participants with healthy diets compared with unhealthy diets.
Our study indicates that cognitive decline is associated with a higher risk of mortality, and such associations are attenuated by maintaining a healthy lifestyle, with a particular emphasis on healthy diet.
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