Search

ABSTRACTAortic aneurysm/dissection (AAD) poses a life-threatening cardiovascular emergency with complex mechanisms and a notably high mortality rate. Zebrafish (Danio rerio) serve as valuable models for AAD due to the conservation of their three-layered arterial structure and genome with that of humans. However, the existing studies have predominantly focused on larval zebrafish, leaving a gap in our understanding of adult zebrafish. In this study, we utilized β-Aminopropionic Nitrile (BAPN) impregnation to induce AAD in both larval and adult zebrafish. Following induction, larval zebrafish exhibited a 28% widening of the dorsal aortic diameter (p

Multi-scenario simulation and prediction of land use can provide guidance for the optimization of land use patterns. Combining the GMOP model with the PLUS model can better evaluate the influence of different land use strategies on the comprehensive benefits of land use and improve the scientificity of the simulation results. This study takes Haikou City as the research area. As the political, economic, and cultural center of Hainan Province, it is the highest urbanization area in Hainan Province and also the vane of the urban development of Hainan Province. Its development experience and model play an important leading role in the surrounding cities. The land use data of 2010, 2015, and 2020 were selected, and the spatiotemporal pattern of land use under the 2035 Business As Usual scenario (BAU), Economic Development scenario (ED), and Economic and Ecological Balanced Development scenario (EEB) was simulated based on the GMOP-PLUS model. The results show that: (1) The prediction results generally show the trend of the decrease in cultivated land and forest land and the increase in construction land, among which the expansion capacity of construction land is the strongest, and the forest land is more occupied, but the increase and decrease in land use types are different under different scenarios. (2) The three simulation scenarios all show the trend of economic benefit improvement and ecological benefit decline, which indicates that the primary objective of Haikou City’s future development remains focused on economic construction, with the potential compromise of ecological functions to accommodate urban expansion. (3) The comprehensive benefits of the region in the EEB scenario are significantly higher than those in the BAU and ED scenarios. The optimized land use structure is more balanced, the scale of urban expansion is limited, and the loss of important ecological land is reduced to a minimum, which is more in line with the current concept of sustainable development. The study can serve as a reference for the coordinated development of urban planning, land use management, and ecological environment in Haikou.

Background: The cellular senescence of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) limits their application in regenerative medicine. This study aimed to clarify the role of TNF receptor-associated factor 3 interacting protein 2 (TRAF3IP2), a pro-inflammatory cytoplasmic adaptor protein, in regulating MSC senescence and to explore the potential mechanisms. Methods: MSC senescence was determined by senescence-associated β-galactosidase (SA-β-gal) staining. The expression of TRAF3IP2 and senescence-related proteins was detected by Western blotting. The nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) level and nicotinamide phosphoribosyl transferase (NAMPT) expression in MSCs was measured. Results: Compared with that in MSCs isolated from young donors (YMSCs), the expression of TRAF3IP2 was greatly increased in MSCs derived from aged donors (AMSCs). Overexpression of TRAF3IP2 accelerated YMSC senescence whereas downregulation significantly rescued cellular senescence. The protein level of NAMPT and the level of NAD+ were significantly decreased in AMSCs compared with YMSCs. Mechanistically, TRAF3IP2 induced MSC senescence via downregulation of NAMPT expression and NAD + level by inhibiting the AMPK signaling pathway. These effects were partially reversed by treatment with an AMPK or NAMPT activator. Conclusion: We revealed that TRAF3IP2 accelerated MSC senescence via downregulation of NAMPT-mediated NAD biosynthesis by mediation of the AMPK pathway, highlighting a novel means to rejuvenate senescent MSCs.

This paper is based on the research hypothesis that the development of the digital economy can enable urban carbon emission reduction. We use the panel data of 275 prefecture-level cities in China from 2011 to 2019, the static panel-data interaction-effect model, and the panel-threshold model to verify the non-linear impact mechanism and heterogeneity of the digital economy in industrial structure upgrading affecting urban carbon emissions. The results demonstrate the following insights. First, due to the heterogeneity of industries, an increase in the proportion of the tertiary industry cannot reduce urban carbon emissions. Second, the digital economy has an inverted U-shaped adjustment effect on the process of industrial structure upgrading, affecting urban carbon emissions. Consequently, the integration and development of the tertiary industry and the digital economy can achieve urban carbon emission reductions. Finally, the digital economy has a double threshold effect on the process of industrial structure upgrading, affecting urban carbon emissions. The carbon-emission-reduction effect of industrial structure upgrading only appears after the scale of the digital economy crosses the first threshold. As the scale of the digital economy continues to increase, the carbon-emission-reduction effect of industrial structures is likely to continue increasing significantly. We recommend that local governments achieve urban carbon reduction by encouraging the development of high-end service industries and strengthening digital infrastructure.

Trade market power serves as a significant indicator of pricing power within the trade market. This paper aims to examine the market structure of global forage trade from 1997 to 2020 and assess the market power of forage exporters in major importing countries, namely Japan, China, and South Korea, by utilizing an extended G-K model based on the theory of residual elasticity of demand. The findings of this analysis provide several key insights. Firstly, it is revealed that the United States and Australia hold a monopoly on forage trade, while China has emerged as the most pivotal market for worldwide forage trade. Notably, China’s growing demand for forage imports is profoundly influencing the global forage trade landscape. Secondly, the extent and effectiveness of exporting countries’ market power in forage-importing nations, such as China, varies considerably. Lastly, the market power of forage-exporting countries is determined by various factors, including the demand for forage in importing nations, export monopoly, import structure, demand elasticity, and the level of marketization.

China’s National Agricultural Science and Technology Parks (NASTPs) play a key role in improving the nation’s agro-industrial structure and regional economic development; notably, NASTPs can demonstrate innovations in modern agricultural science and technology and, relatedly, incubate emerging modern agri-industries. However, after more than 20 years of development, scholars have not yet to confirm whether NASTPs contribute to local economies. This study sought to explore the impact of NASTPs on county economic development, to identify the mechanisms behind this impact, and to verify these effects using a multi-period double difference method based on panel data from 1743 counties in China collected between 2000 and 2019. The study found that the NASTPs significantly improved county economic development. The policy effects were mainly evident in western regions and counties with higher levels of financial resources. No spatial spillover effects were observed. The NASTPs drove county economic growth through three main channels: agglomeration, institutional environment, and innovation effects. These findings provide insights useful for designing policies related to the high-quality construction of agricultural sci-tech parks, the high-quality growth of county economies, and a reduction in regional economic development gaps.