The Impact of Development Zones on Economic Growth in Less Developed Regions: Evidence from Guangxi, China

The development zone is an important institutional form of industrial spatial organization in China’s economic transformation and is an essential growth pole of urban economic development. Based on the county-level panel data of Guangxi from 2005 to 2017, this study contributes to the discussion by exploring the effects of development zones on economic development in developed regions. Additionally, this study further attempts to illustrate the character of the agglomeration effect built on development zones and try to reveal the significant influence factors of the effect of development zones on the economy. Through the progressive difference-in-difference (DID) model approach, empirical results reveal that the development zone has a negative effect on the local economy within three years after its establishment, and the “development zone fever” significantly reduces the potential for regional economic growth. With the decrease in the established frequency of development zones, the effect of the development zone on economic growth becomes positive. However, this promoting effect is unsustainable because the agglomeration effect of development zones is mainly caused by the “clusters of enterprises”. Certain industrial agglomeration and technological capabilities are essential prerequisites for development zones to promote economic growth, while the negative impact appears in a highly competitive environment caused by excessive government intervention. Therefore, the key to maintaining the sustainability of development zones’ competition is to strengthen the assessment standard of survival of the fittest for enterprises, and promote the agglomeration of high-end industries by improving the selection effect of development zones. These findings have great potential in policy making and can be used as a resource by policymakers to promote the sustainable development of less developed regions

The Impact of Development Zones on Economic Growth in Less Developed Regions: Evidence from Guangxi, China

The development zone is an important institutional form of industrial spatial organization in China’s economic transformation and is an essential growth pole of urban economic development. Based on the county-level panel data of Guangxi from 2005 to 2017, this study contributes to the discussion by exploring the effects of development zones on economic development in developed regions. Additionally, this study further attempts to illustrate the character of the agglomeration effect built on development zones and try to reveal the significant influence factors of the effect of development zones on the economy. Through the progressive difference-in-difference (DID) model approach, empirical results reveal that the development zone has a negative effect on the local economy within three years after its establishment, and the “development zone fever” significantly reduces the potential for regional economic growth. With the decrease in the established frequency of development zones, the effect of the development zone on economic growth becomes positive. However, this promoting effect is unsustainable because the agglomeration effect of development zones is mainly caused by the “clusters of enterprises”. Certain industrial agglomeration and technological capabilities are essential prerequisites for development zones to promote economic growth, while the negative impact appears in a highly competitive environment caused by excessive government intervention. Therefore, the key to maintaining the sustainability of development zones’ competition is to strengthen the assessment standard of survival of the fittest for enterprises, and promote the agglomeration of high-end industries by improving the selection effect of development zones. These findings have great potential in policy making and can be used as a resource by policymakers to promote the sustainable development of less developed regions

Analysis of the Clinical Efficacy and Molecular Mechanism of Xuefu Zhuyu Decoction in the Treatment of COPD Based on Meta-Analysis and Network Pharmacology

Background. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is becoming a major public health burden worldwide. It is urgent to explore more effective and safer treatment strategy for COPD. Notably, Xuefu Zhuyu Decoction (XFZYD) is widely used to treat respiratory system diseases, including COPD, in China. Objective. This study is aimed at comprehensively evaluating the therapeutic effects and molecular mechanism of XFZYD on COPD. Methods. Original clinical studies were searched from eight literature databases. Meta-analysis was conducted using the Review Manager software (version 5.4.1). Network pharmacology and molecular docking experiments were utilized to explore the mechanisms of action of XFZYD. Results. XFZYD significantly enhanced the efficacy of clinical treatment and improved the pulmonary function and hypoventilation of COPD patients. In addition, XFZYD significantly improved the hypercoagulability of COPD patients. The subgroup analysis suggested that XFZYD exhibited therapeutic effects on both stable and acute exacerbation of COPD. XFZYD exerted its therapeutic effects on COPD through multicomponent, multitarget, and multipathway characteristics. The intervention of the PI3K-AKT pathway may be the critical mechanism. Conclusion. The application of XFZYD based on symptomatic relief and supportive treatment is a promising clinical decision. More preclinical and clinical studies are still needed to evaluate the safety and therapeutic effects of long-term use of XFZYD on COPD

Exploration of the Potential Targets and Molecular Mechanism of Carthamus tinctorius L. for Liver Fibrosis Based on Network Pharmacology and Molecular Docking Strategy

Carthamus tinctorius L. (Honghua, HH) is an herbal medicine and functional food widely used to treat chronic liver diseases, including liver fibrosis. By using network pharmacology and molecular docking experiments, the present study aims to determine the bioactive components, potential targets, and molecular mechanisms of HH for treating liver fibrosis. The components of HH were screened from the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform and literature, and the SwissTargetPrediction database was used to predict the treatment targets of HH. Genecards and DisGeNET databases contained targets for liver fibrosis, and the STRING database provided networks of protein–protein interactions. Gene ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analyses were performed using the Database of Annotation, Visualization and Integrated Discovery. The protein–protein interactive network and drug–component–major target–pathway interactive network were visualized and analyzed by Cytoscape software. Finally, Autodock Vina and Discovery Studio software were used for molecular docking Validation. A total of 23 candidate bioactive compounds with 187 treatment targets of HH were acquired from the databases and literature. A total of 121 overlapping targets between HH and liver fibrosis were found to provide the molecular basis for HH on liver fibrosis. Quercetin, beta carotene, and lignan were identified as key components with targeting to ESR1, PIK3CA, and MTOR. HH is engaged in the intervention of various signaling cascades associated with liver fibrosis, such as PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway, MAPK pathway, and PPAR pathway. In conclusion, HH treats liver fibrosis through multi-component, multi-target, and multi-pathway mechanisms

Multiscale interaction underlying 2022 concurrent extreme precipitation in Pakistan and heatwave in Yangtze River Valley

Abstract Unprecedentedly extreme precipitation occurred in Pakistan (PAK), and mega heat waves persisted along the Yangtze River Valley (YRV) from July to August 2022. Using the advanced multiscale window transform-based canonical transfer attribution framework, we quantitatively delineated intra-scale and inter-scale interactions leading to record-breaking spatially concurrent extremes in 2022 and comprehensively revealed differences in dynamic processes affecting extreme events in July and August. The basic flow scale window lost the available potential energy (APE), and through APE canonical transfers to the intraseasonal-scale and synoptic-scale windows, the inter-scale dynamic processes and barotropic instability of the basic flow scale preserved the concurrent extreme in July. In August, the eruptive synoptic-scale kinetic energy convergence provided dynamic conditions for the sinking motion of the YRV and its advection to PAK from the Indian Ocean. Consequently, the interaction between high- and low-frequency processes drove atmospheric circulation in summer, but the high-frequency process in August played a vital role in extreme events. Additionally, the heat source in the tropical western-central Pacific is considered one of the key drivers for localized repetitive bursts of energy. This study emphasizes both the interactions between multiple scales of atmospheric dynamics and reveals the driving mechanisms behind the impacts of warming on extreme events, linking the external forcing issue with the free problem of atmospheric internal instability

Cyanidin-3-O-Glucoside Ameliorates Palmitic-Acid-Induced Pancreatic Beta Cell Dysfunction by Modulating CHOP-Mediated Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress Pathways

Cyanidin-3-O-glucoside (C3G) is a natural colorant with anti-diabetic properties, while its underlying mechanisms remain far from clear. Here, we investigated the protective role of C3G on palmitic acid (PA)-induced pancreatic beta cell dysfunction and further decipher its possible molecular mechanisms. Both primary isolated mouse islets and the INS-1E cell were used, and treated with a mixture of PA (0.5 mM) and C3G (12.5 µM, 25 µM, 50 µM) for different durations (12, 24, 48 h). We found that C3G could dose-dependently ameliorate beta cell secretory function and further alleviate cell apoptosis. Mechanistically, the primary role of the PKR-like ER kinase (PERK) endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress pathway was detected by RNA sequencing, and the PERK-pathway-related protein expression, especially the pro-apoptotic marker C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP) expression, was significantly downregulated by C3G treatment. The critical role of CHOP in mediating the protective effect of C3G was further validated by small interfering RNA. Conclusively, C3G could ameliorate PA-induced pancreatic beta cell dysfunction targeting the CHOP-related ER stress pathway, which might be used as a nutritional intervention for the preservation of beta cell dysfunction in type 2 diabetes mellitus

Comparative analysis of characteristics and physical mechanisms for typical summer extreme precipitation in Pakistan

The 2022 floods in Pakistan resulted in severe losses and garnered global attention. This study aims to enhance the understanding of extreme precipitation (EP) events in Pakistan by examining the characteristics and mechanisms behind the persistent EP during summer, utilizing daily precipitation data from the Climate Prediction Center (CPC). Results showed that the monsoon precipitation in 2010, 2020 and 2022 are the highest three years on record. Notably, these peak events in 2010 (concentrating in the north) and 2022 (concentrating in the south) spanned from July through August. Conversely, the extreme precipitation in August 2020 was concentrated in northern Pakistan. For the circulation patterns, the intensification of the South Asian High and the western Pacific subtropical high with a strong Indian monsoon is a unifying feature, but the Iranian high and monsoon low-pressure system on the south of Pakistan was different. Additionally, the EP in July 2010 and August 2022 were also influenced by the teleconnection associated with European Blocking. La Niña events and the negative-phase Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) also played a role in affecting summer EP, with the strongest La Niña occurring in 2010 and a notable triple-dip La Niña coinciding with a significant negative IOD phase in 2022. La Niña contributed to the formation of an anomalously strong anticyclone over the northwest Pacific and easterly winds along the southern Himalayas, impacting moisture transport to Pakistan. Conversely, the negative IOD phase amplified EP in Pakistan by enhancing the northward movement of convective systems and westerly winds over the Indian Ocean. Furthermore, reduced snow cover on the Tibetan Plateau in the springs of 2010 and 2022 likely induced a stronger thermal dynamical effect, acting as a heat source in summer and increasing precipitation in Pakistan

Decoding the metastatic potential and optimal postoperative adjuvant therapy of melanoma based on metastasis score

Abstract Metastasis is a formidable challenge in the prognosis of melanoma. Accurately predicting the metastatic potential of non-metastatic melanoma (NMM) and determining effective postoperative adjuvant treatments for inhibiting metastasis remain uncertain. In this study, we conducted comprehensive analyses of melanoma metastases using bulk and single-cell RNA sequencing data, enabling the construction of a metastasis score (MET score) through diverse machine-learning algorithms. The reliability and robustness of the MET score were validated using various in vitro assays and in vivo models. Our findings revealed a distinct molecular landscape in metastatic melanoma characterized by the enrichment of metastasis-related pathways, intricate cell–cell communication, and heightened infiltration of pro-angiogenic tumor-associated macrophages compared to NMM. Importantly, patients in the high MET score group exhibited poorer prognoses and an immunosuppressive microenvironment, featuring increased infiltration of regulatory T cells and decreased infiltration of CD8+ T cells, compared to the low MET score patient group. Expression of PD-1 was markedly higher in patients with low MET scores. Anti-PD-1 (aPD-1) therapy profoundly affected antitumor immunity activation and metastasis inhibition in these patients. In summary, our study demonstrates the effectiveness of the MET score in predicting melanoma metastatic potential. For patients with low MET scores, aPD-1 therapy may be a potential treatment strategy to inhibit metastasis. Patients with high MET scores may benefit from combination therapies

NAD Supplement Alleviates Intestinal Barrier Injury Induced by Ethanol Via Protecting Epithelial Mitochondrial Function

Background: The epithelial tight junction is an important intestinal barrier whose disruption can lead to the release of harmful intestinal substances into the circulation and cause damage to systemic injury. The maintenance of intestinal epithelial tight junctions is closely related to energy homeostasis and mitochondrial function. Nicotinamide riboside (NR) is a NAD booster that can enhance mitochondrial biogenesis in liver. However, whether NR can prevent ethanol-induced intestinal barrier dysfunction and the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Methods: We applied the mouse NIAAA model (chronic plus binge ethanol feeding) and Caco-2 cells to explore the effects of NR on ethanol-induced intestinal barrier dysfunction and the underlying mechanisms. NAD homeostasis and mitochondrial function were measured. In addition, knockdown of SirT1 in Caco-2 cells was further applied to explore the role of SirT1 in the protection of NR. Results: We found that ethanol increased intestinal permeability, increased the release of LPS into the circulation and destroyed the intestinal epithelial barrier structure in mice. NR supplementation attenuated intestinal barrier injury. Both in vivo and in vitro experiments showed that NR attenuated ethanol-induced decreased intestinal tight junction protein expressions and maintained NAD homeostasis. In addition, NR supplementation activated SirT1 activity and increased deacetylation of PGC-1α, and reversed ethanol-induced mitochondrial dysfunction and mitochondrial biogenesis. These effects were diminished with the knockdown of SirT1 in Caco-2 cells. Conclusion: Boosting NAD by NR alleviates ethanol-induced intestinal epithelial barrier damage via protecting mitochondrial function in a SirT1-dependent manner

Porous framework materials for energy & environment relevant applications:A systematic review

Carbon peaking and carbon neutralization trigger a technical revolution in energy & environment related fields. Development of new technologies for green energy production and storage, industrial energy saving and efficiency reinforcement, carbon capture, and pollutant gas treatment is in highly imperious demand. The emerging porous framework materials such as metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), covalent organic frameworks (COFs) and hydrogen-bonded organic frameworks (HOFs), owing to the permanent porosity, tremendous specific surface area, designable structure and customizable functionality, have shown great potential in major energy-consuming industrial processes, including sustainable energy gas catalytic conversion, energy-efficient industrial gas separation and storage. Herein, this manuscript presents a systematic review of porous framework materials for global and comprehensive energy & environment related applications, from a macroscopic and application perspective