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Water is the lifeblood of our Earth, and sustainable water consumption is the key to preserving this scarce resource for future generations and upholding environmental sustainability. In this study, we investigate the relationship between environmental knowledge (EK), environmental policies and regulations (EPR), attitudes toward water resource management programs (APWRMP), perceived water quality (PWQ), and sustainable consumption (SC), enriching the existing literature by integrating the theoretical framework of the theory of planned behavior (TPB) alongside water management program (WMP) concepts. This integration forms a comprehensive model clarifying the influences on SC. Furthermore, this study investigates these relationships within the specific context of select regions in China, addressing a geographical gap in the current literature. With a sample size of (N = 336) participants, we employ partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS‐SEM) to explore the complex relationships within the proposed model. The finding confirms the hypothesized associations, validating the substantial positive impact of EK and EPR on APWRMP and SC. Additionally, we observe that PWQ notably strengthens the link between the perception and attitude of villagers toward SC of water. Our study explains the multifaceted dynamics underlying individuals' behavior and attitude in making decisions concerning sustainable water consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study employs panel data from 41 cities from 2010 to 2019 in the Yangtze River Delta. The entropy weight method is used to calculate the urbanization level. Then, the convergence, panel spatial econometric, and threshold regression models are adopted to examine the convergence and to identify the factors affecting water consumption. The following conclusions may be drawn: Spatial differences in the level of domestic water consumption show a trend of gradual reduction over time; there exists mutual influence of neighboring cities; urbanization positively affects domestic water consumption significantly; the spatial spillover effect of urbanization on domestic water consumption is significantly negative; the promotion effect of urbanization on domestic water consumption is nonlinear, and the promotion effect increases with the increase of the proportion of domestic water and the proportion of public service water. Then, targeted countermeasures are brought forward. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the pattern of water use efficiency and its potential relationship with urbanization and foreign direct investment between 2007 and 2016 in 11 West African countries. According to the dynamic slacks-based model of data envelopment analysis, Benin, Burkina Faso, Liberia, Mauritania, and Togo met the efficiency frontier of 1.00 while the rest of the countries were below average (0.50). Also, since the total efficiency score (0.627) was less than the optimum efficiency frontier of 1.00, then economic growth, which was used as a carryover variable, had a negative impact on water use efficiency in West Africa as a whole. The cross-sectional independence tests were all meaningful at 1%, suggesting that the null hypothesis of cross-sectional independence in this analysis was rejected. This indicates that there are dependencies among the sampled countries, prompting the use of cross-sectional Im, Pesaran, and Shin unit root tests, as well as cross-sectional augmented Dickey–Fuller unit root tests, which were all initially non-stationary but became stationary after first difference. Furthermore, the common correlated effects mean group (CCEMG) panel estimator was employed to examine the long-run relationships that exist in the sampled series. From the results of the estimation, urbanization had a vital impact on water use efficiency (WUE) across all panels; foreign direct investment had a significant positive influence on WUE in the main and lower-middle-income (LMI) panels but insignificant in the low-income (LI) panel. In addition, export had a significant impact on WUE in the LMI panel but had an insignificant impact on the main and LI panels. Also, industrial activities had a significant negative effect on WUE across all panels, and finally, literacy rate had a positive influence on WUE in the LMI panel but offered an insignificant effect in the main and LI panels. The dynamic common correlated estimated mean group estimation finding, which was used for robustness tests, confirmed the CCEMG estimation result. Policy recommendations based on the results are further discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbonate carbon isotope ( δC) has received considerable attention in the Permian-Triassic transition for its rapid negative shift coinciding with the great end-Permian mass extinction event. The mechanism has long been debated for such a δC negative excursion through the end-Permian crisis and subsequent large perturbations in the entire Early Triassic. A δC-depth gradient is observed at the Permian-Triassic boundary sections of different water-depths, i.e., the Yangou, Meishan, and Shangsi sections, and such a large δC-depth gradient near the end-Permian mass extinction horizon is believed to result from a stratified Paleotethys Ocean with widespread anoxic/euxinic deep water. The evolution of δC-depth gradient combined with paleontological and geochemical data suggests that abundant cyanobacteria and vigorous biological pump in the immediate aftermath of the end-Permian extinction would be the main cause of the large δC-depth gradient, and the enhanced continental weathering with the mass extinction on land provides a mass amount of nutriment for the flourishing cyanobacteria. Photic zone anoxia/euxinia from the onset of chemocline upward excursion might be the direct cause for the mass extinction whereas the instability of chemocline in the stratified Early Triassic ocean would be the reason for the delayed and involuted biotic recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: PUF60 is a splicing variant of far upstream element binding protein 1-interacting repressor, which is abnormally expressed in a variety of tumors and is closely involved in their progression. However, whether PUF60 participates in the occurrence and development of breast cancer remains unknown. Therefore, the objective of the current study is to explore the effects and mechanism of PUF60 in the progression of breast cancer., Methods: PUF60 expression patterns in breast cancer tissues and cells were determined by RT-PCR and Western blotting. The relationship between PUF60 expression and patients' clinical features and outcome was evaluated to assess the potential of PUF60 as a marker for progression and prognosis prediction. CCK-8, flow cytometry, transwell and in vivo tumor formation assays were used to detect cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration, invasion and tumorigenesis. The effects of PUF60 on the activation of PTEN/PI3K/AKT were also evaluated by Western blotting and immunofluorescence assays., Results: The expression of PUF60 was elevated in breast cancer tissue samples and cell lines, and its high expression was closely associated with the high incidence of lymph node metastasis and advanced TNM stage. Besides, upregulation of PUF60 with lentivirus infection significantly increased the growth, migration, and invasion and repressed the apoptosis of breast cancer HCC1937 and MDA-MB-231 cells, while silencing of PUF60 with shRNA showed the opposite results. Moreover, PUF60 upregulation promoted the expression of p-AKT, PI3K, and mTOR, while decreased PTEN expression through inhibiting its stability and enhancing its ubiquitination. Furthermore, upregulation of PUF60 promoted the tumorigenesis in vivo, whereas this effect was impaired when PTEN expression was upregulated in MDA-MB-231 and HCC1937 cells., Conclusion: This study demonstrates that PUF60 is highly expressed in breast cancer; upregulation of PUF60 accelerates the progression of breast cancer through PTEN inhibition., Competing Interests: Disclosure The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.