A Study of Ground Deformation in the Guangzhou Urban Area with Persistent Scatterer Interferometry

The Interferometric Point Target Analysis (IPTA) technique and Advanced Synthetic Aperture Radar (ASAR) images acquired over Hong Kong from 2007–2008 were used to detect ground deformation in the urban area of Guangzhou city in South China. A ground deformation rate map with scattered distribution of point targets shows the maximum subsidence (rise) rate as high as -26 to -20 mma-1 (16–21 mma-1), implying that the study area is an active zone for ground deformation. Based on the point target map, a contour ground deformation rate map is generated. The map shows three major subsidence zones located in the middle-west, the east, and the southwest of the study area, respectively. All the six ground collapse accidents that occurred in 2007–2008 fall within the subsidence zones, qualitatively validating the IPTA results. Ground subsidence and geological conditions on Datansha Island are examined. The results indicate that the local geological conditions, such as limestone Karst geomorphology as well as silt layers characterized by high water content, high void ratio, high compressibility, low bearing capacity and low shear strength, and underground engineering projects are responsible for ground subsidence and ground collapse accidents occurred there

miR-382 Contributes to Renal Tubulointerstitial Fibrosis by Downregulating HSPD1

Redox imbalance plays an important role in the pathogenesis of CKD progression. Previously, we demonstrated that microRNA-382 (miR-382) contributed to TGF-β1-induced loss of epithelial polarity in human kidney epithelial cells, but its role in the development of renal tubulointerstitial fibrosis remains unknown. In this study, we found that with 7 days of unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) in mice, the abundance of miR-382 in the obstructed kidney was significantly increased. Meanwhile, the protein expression of heat shock protein 60 (HSPD1), a predicted target of miR-382, was reduced after 7 days of UUO. Expression of 3-nitrotyrosine (3-NT) was upregulated, but expression of thioredoxin (Trx) was downregulated. Anti-miR-382 treatment suppressed the upregulation of miR-382, attenuated renal interstitial fibrosis in the obstructed kidney, and reversed the downregulation of HSPD1/Trx and upregulation of 3-NT after UUO. Furthermore, in vitro study revealed that overexpression of HSPD1 significantly restored Trx expression and reversed TGF-β1-induced loss of E-cadherin, while in vivo study found that direct siRNA-mediated suppression of HSPD1 in the UUO kidney promoted oxidative stress despite miR-382 blockade. Our clinical data showed that upregulation of miR-382/3-NT and downregulation of HSPD1/Trx were also observed in IgA nephropathy patients with renal interstitial fibrosis. These data supported a novel mechanism in which miR-382 targets HSPD1 and contributes to the redox imbalance in the development of renal fibrosis