mTOR/ULK1 signaling axis mediated ultrashort wave regulation of autophagy to alleviate diabetic kidney disease.

BACKGROUND: Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is closely related to autophagy and inflammation. The mTOR/unc-51 like autophagy activating kinase 1 (ULK1) signaling axis is involved in the regulation of autophagy. Ultrashort wave (USW) therapy has been extensively studied in inflammatory diseases. However, the therapeutic effect of USW on DKD and the role of the mTOR/ULK1 signaling axis in USW interventions remain uncertain. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to explore the therapeutic effects of USW on DKD rats and the role of the mTOR/ULK1 signaling axis in USW interventions. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A DKD rat model was established using a high-fat diet (HFD)/sugar diet and streptozocin (STZ) induction. The optimal duration of USW intervention was determined using different USW treatments. The levels of metabolism, inflammation and fibrosis associated with kidney injury in rats were measured. Western blot analysis was performed on the related indexes of autophagy and the mTOR/ULK1 signaling axis. RESULTS: In DKD rats, microalbuminuria (MAU), glucose (GLU), creatinine (CRE), and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) levels decreased after the USW intervention. Levels of interleukin (IL)-1ß, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), immunoglobulin M (IgM), immunoglobulin G (IgG), IL-18, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), and IL-6 decreased in the USW group compared to the model group. The IL-10 and arginase (Arg-1) levels were increased in the USW group. The content of fibrosis-related indexes (vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), fibronectin (FN), type IV collagen, and type I collagen) decreased in the urine of the DKD rats. After USW treatment, LC3B and Beclin1 levels increased, while the level of p62 decreased. The levels of nephrin, podocin and synaptopodin increased. Ultrashort wave could reduce p-mTOR/mTOR ratios and increase ULK1 expression. After the overexpression of ULK1, the levels of LC3B and Beclin1 were higher in the overexpression (oe)-ULK1 group than in the oe-negative control (NC) group, while the level of p62 decreased. After mTOR activation, LC3B and ULK1 expression decreased, while CRE, BUN, MAU, and GLU levels increased. CONCLUSIONS: Ultrashort wave alleviated kidney injury induced by the HFD/sugar diet and STZ. The USW intervention reversed the decreased autophagy levels in the DKD rats. The mTOR/ULK1 signaling axis mediated USW to promote autophagy.

Study of the Impact of Industrial Restructuring on the Spatial and Temporal Evolution of Carbon Emission Intensity in Chinese Provinces-Analysis of Mediating Effects Based on Technological Innovation.

Global warming caused by greenhouse gas emissions seriously threatens a region's sustainable environmental and socioeconomic development. Promoting industrial restructuring and strengthening technological innovation have become an important path to achieving pollution and carbon reduction as well as the green transformation of economic structure. This paper explored the mechanism of the mediating effect of technological innovation on industrial restructuring and carbon reduction while accounting for the direct effect of industrial restructuring on carbon emissions. Then, based on China's provincial panel data from 2001 to 2019, we estimated the carbon emission intensity using the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)'s methods and analyzed its spatiotemporal evolution characteristics. Finally, we constructed a fixed-effect model and a mediating effect model to empirically analyze how industrial restructuring and technological innovation affect carbon emission intensity. The results are as follows: (1) From 2001 to 2019, China's carbon emission intensity showed a continuous downward trend, with a pronounced convergence trend; there were obvious differences in carbon emission intensity between eastern, central, and western regions (western region > central region > eastern region) due to the unbalanced industrial structure. (2) In terms of direct effects, industrial restructuring can significantly reduce carbon emission intensity. The intensity of the effect is inversely proportional to the level of industrial restructuring, and the results of sub-regional tests are similar. Nevertheless, there is an obvious regional difference in the size of the carbon emission reduction effect of industrial restructuring in the east, central, and western regions. (3) In terms of indirect effects, industrial restructuring can reduce carbon emission intensity by enhancing technological innovation, and it acts as a mediating variable in the process of industrial restructuring to reduce carbon emission. Finally, we put forward recommendations for promoting industrial restructuring, strengthening green technological innovation, and properly formulating carbon reduction measures to provide a reference for countries and regions to achieve the goals of carbon neutrality, carbon peaking, and high-quality economic development.

Spatiotemporal evolution and driving mechanism of regional shrinkage at the county scale: The three provinces in northeastern China.

The three northeast provinces are typical areas of regional shrinkage in China. A scientific understanding of their shrinkage and driving mechanism is conducive to the transformation and development of traditional industrial bases in China. This study analyzed the spatiotemporal evolution and driving mechanism of regional shrinkage at the county scale in the three provinces. The main findings are as follows: (1) 40.86% of counties in the three provinces shrank, forming three concentrated shrinking regions. However, comprehensively shrinking regions were narrowed and lessened with the introduction of the Northeast Area Revitalization Plan. (2) The population-related shrinking regions accounted for more than 90% and continued to expand. Such shrinkage was higher in the north than in the south. The degree of economy-related shrinkage was the most serious, and the hotspots were mainly concentrated in Liaoning Province. The scope of space-related shrinkage was most minor, and such shrinkage was relatively mild. (3) When it came to influencing factors, the shrinkage index was positively correlated with the proportion of the secondary industry, the output value of agriculture, forestry, animal husbandry and fishery, the number of industrial enterprises above the designated size, fiscal expenditure, and the balance of resident deposits, and negatively correlated with the altitude, the proportion of the tertiary industry, and population aging. Geographically weighted regression (GWR) and ordinary least squares (OLS) produced similar regression results. The spatial pattern of influencing factors was consistent with the hotspot areas of population-related shrinkage or economy-related shrinkage, with significant spatial differences.

Estimating the Decoupling between Net Carbon Emissions and Construction Land and Its Driving Factors: Evidence from Shandong Province, China.

Human activities and land transformation are important factors in the growth of carbon emissions. In recent years, construction land for urban use in China has expanded rapidly. At the same time, carbon emissions in China are among the highest in the world. However, little is known about the relationship between the two factors. This study seeks to estimate the carbon emissions and carbon sequestrations of various types of land based on the land cover data of 137 county-level administrative regions in Shandong Province, China, from 2000 to 2020.The study estimated the carbon emissions for energy consumption using energy consumption data and night-time light images, hence, net carbon emissions. The Tapio decoupling coefficient was used to analyze the decoupling between the net carbon emissions and construction land, and where the model for the decoupling effort was constructed to explore the driving factors of decoupling. The results showed that net carbon emissions in Shandong Province continued to increase, and the areas with high carbon emissions were concentrated primarily in specific districts of the province. The relationship between net carbon emissions and construction land evolved from an expansive negative decoupling type to a strong negative decoupling type. Spatially, most areas in the province featured an expansive negative decoupling, but the areas with a strong negative decoupling have gradually increased. The intensive rate of land use and efficiencies in technological innovation have restrained carbon emissions, and they have contributed to an ideal decoupling situation. Although the intensity of carbon emission and the size of the population have restrained carbon emissions, efforts towards decoupling have faded. The degree of land use has facilitated carbon emissions, and in recent years, efforts have been made to achieve an ideal decoupling. The method of estimation of net carbon emissions devised in this research can lend itself to studies on other regions, and the conclusions provide a reference for China, going forward, to balance urbanization and carbon emissions.

Spatiotemporal evolution and influencing factors of urban shrinkage in the Yellow River Basin, China.

The phenomenon of urban shrinkage has spread across the world as the political and economic landscape changes worldwide. The urban development in China has entered a post-development era characterized by coexisting urban expansion and local shrinkage whilst urbanization continues to progress in this country. This paper investigates the urban shrinkage of 80 cities in the Yellow River, China from the perspective of population and economy, based on urban shrinkage models drawing from western countries. It also analyzes the spatiotemporal evolution and influencing factors of urban shrinkage in this area using a spatial panel data model. The results show the following. (1) The phenomenon of urban shrinkage in the Yellow River Basin has gradually occurred and the degree of shrinkage has aggravated. (2) The shrinking cities in the Yellow River Basin are mainly population-related and potential. (3) The phenomenon of urban shrinkage in the Yellow River Basin shows significant spatiotemporal differences. Shrinking cities are mainly distributed in the upper and middle reaches of the Yellow River Basin and the number of shrinking cities has gradually increased over time. (4) In terms of influencing factors, financial, traffic, and medical conditions have a greater impact on population-related and economy-related shrinkage in these cities.

Environmental effects of prohibiting urban fireworks and firecrackers in Jinan, China.

Eight national air quality monitoring stations were selected to examine the environmental effects of prohibiting fireworks and firecrackers since January 1, 2018, in Jinan, China, by using an air quality index (AQI) on three time scales. In 2014-2018, the average annual AQI decreased year on year, but a downward trend in 2018 was only found by applying a Daniel trend test. The change in monthly data for 2016-2018 followed a "W" pattern. The overall AQI value was lower on New Year's Eve than during Spring Festival, and the 2-day AQI in 2018 was lower than that in 2017. The GIS analysis method was used for spatial visualization. The AQI in the built-up part of Jinan was high in the west and low in the east on New Year's Eve and Spring Festival of 2017, being lowest in the Development Zone. The AQI spatial distribution was high in the city core but low in its periphery; in 2018, the high-AQI center appeared near the Provincial Seed Warehouse on New Year's Eve and Spring Festival. Multiple linear regression was used to analyze the relationship between AQI and pollutants. Six pollutants were found to be positively correlated with the AQI. PM2.5 and PM10 had the strongest correlations on New Year's Eve and Spring Festival, for which the correlations of SO2, CO, and NO2 were significantly weaker in 2018 than in 2017.