Exploring the Applicability of Building Energy Performance Certification Systems in Underground Stations in China

To improve the energy efficiency of underground metro stations, and in view of the absence of a comprehensive energy performance evaluation system for underground stations, this study introduced building Energy Performance Certification (EPC) tools into underground stations and conducted a comparative analysis of their applicability. The findings indicated that due to the unique characteristics of underground stations, China’s current EPC system was inapplicable to them. Specifically, (1) for basic items, although evaluation methods were available, due to the limited energy use data for the statistical method, the self-reference method was preferred, but its calculation encountered issues with missing reference values; (2) for prescribed items, the emphasis should be placed on the energy efficiency requirements of energy use systems rather than those of the thermal performance of envelopes; (3) for alternative items, the energy recovery measures related to the heat dissipation of trains and the piston wind should be addressed. Furthermore, a case study was conducted for verification of the proposed energy evaluation method, and the EPC system was updated based on the results of the comparison. The authors hope that this study will help improve China’s energy evaluation methods for underground stations and serve as a reference for expanding the EPC system to include public transportation buildings

Characteristics and assessment of the electricity consumption of metro systems: A case study of Tianjin, China

Owing to the complexity of metros, the energy consumption characteristics of metro systems exhibit variability and the energy‐saving management of the systems encounters challenges. To encapsulate the essential characteristics of energy usage and to objectively assess the energy performance of metro systems, this study presents a generalized framework and applies it to a case study conducted in Tianjin. The study also employs correlation analysis to investigate the applicability of the indicators relevant to ridership. The results indicate that the monthly traction electricity consumption exhibits slight variation, while station electricity usage demonstrates substantial fluctuation with seasonal changes. For Tianjin Metro, the passenger factor hardly shows any effect on the electricity use of metro lines. The median value of traction electricity use is approximately 2.0 kWh/(car‐km) and that of the average annual station electricity use of underground lines ranges from 95 to 155 kWh/m2. The emission from the traction sector is 12.2 kgCO2/(vehicle‐km) and from the station sector is 118.6 kgCO2/m2. The study also identifies the energy‐intensive lines of the Tianjin Metro and compares the energy utilization among various global metro systems. The authors hope that this study can help shed light on the assessment of the energy status of metro systems and serve as a source of information for other City‐Metros to implement energy‐saving management

20(S)-Protopanaxadiol Inhibits Angiotensin II-Induced Epithelial- Mesenchymal Transition by Downregulating SIRT1

20(S)-Protopanaxadiol (PPD) is one of the major active metabolites in ginseng saponin. Our previous studies revealed a broad spectrum of antitumor effects of PPD. Angiotensin II (Ang II), the biologically active peptide of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS), plays a critical role in the metastasis of various cancers. However, its role in the anti-metastatic effects of PPD is not clearly understood. In this study, we investigated the inhibitory effect of PPD on Ang II-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells, and the potential molecular mechanisms of suppression of NSCLC migration and metastasis by PPD. Treatment of A549 cells with Ang II increased metastases in an experimental model of cancer metastasis in vivo. PPD effectively prevented Ang II-induced EMT, as indicated by upregulation of E-cadherin and downregulation of vimentin. Additionally, Ang II upregulated the class III deacetylase sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) expression in EMT progression, while downregulation of SIRT1 was involved in suppression of Ang II-induced EMT by PPD. Moreover, the inhibitory effect of PPD was reversed by SIRT1 upregulation, and PPD demonstrated synergy with an SIRT1 inhibitor on Ang II-induced EMT. Taken together, our data reveal the mechanism of the anti-metastatic effects of PPD on Ang II-induced EMT and indicate that PPD can be used as an effective anti-tumor treatment

Addressing the Insufficiencies of the Traditional Development Aid Model by Utilizing the One Belt, One Road Initiative to Sustain Development in Afghanistan

This paper investigated the use of the One Belt One Road initiative (BRI) as a policy model that might address the insufficiencies of the traditional development aid model in reconstructing and developing Afghanistan. Afghanistan has emerged as one of the world’s most fragile and conflict-affected countries, and it has gained the attention of both academic and political communities since the early 2000s. The materials for this article are based partly on a thorough analysis of the available documentation. The authors also conducted interviews with high-ranking political elites and policy officials in the Afghan government and international organizations. The study employed a purposive sampling method to identify people with firsthand information on how to sustain economic development in Afghanistan. This paper provides new insights by comparing the traditional development aid model and the BRI in terms of social economy, local security and regional economic development. The aim of this research is to evaluate whether the BRI can remedy the insufficiencies of the traditional development aid model in order to sustain development in Afghanistan. The findings provide a better understanding of the BRI in promoting the internal dynamism required to develop the regional economy, and fill a gap in the literature with regard to the applied and theoretical economic growth models for stabilizing and sustaining the development of fragile and conflict-affected states

Policy-Oriented Learning: A Case on Initiating Long-Term Care Insurance in China’s Social Security Sector

This paper explores the initiation process of the long-term care insurance (LTCI) policy in China’s social security sector, and focuses on policy-oriented learning activities to develop initiatives from German lessons. It presents a case from the LTCI pilot program, which serves as a new policy product that provides care to the elderly and disabled and upgrades the social security sector’s performance. This study implements policy-oriented learning to construct an analytical framework and applies it to China’s social security system. This research suggests that policy-oriented learning is a rational tool used to manufacture policy products that enable intellectual development and can provide roadmaps for administrative reform. The findings contribute to the current knowledge on policy-oriented learning by offering new insights from China’s experience with LTCI, thus helping to fill the gaps that are created when policy-oriented learning is applied to different systems and contexts, with unique cultural, traditional, and political characteristics

Evaluation of the Obstacles to Developing the Aynak Copper Mine in Afghanistan

The Aynak Copper Mine was first discovered in 1973, and mining was initiated by the Metallurgical Company of China in 2009. However, its use has been suspended several times and the mine has never been fully exploited due to political unrest and terrorism, among other issues, in Afghanistan. Afghanistan has been recognized as one of the most fragile, conflict-affected, and landlocked countries in the world by international organizations and the global community, especially after the events of 9/11. Hence, understanding the obstacles influencing the development process of the Aynak Copper Mine is of crucial value in sustaining the development of the overall economy and society in Afghanistan. The aim of this paper is to explore the factors that have caused suspensions of the developments of the Aynak Copper Mine, which may apply to other developing projects in Afghanistan and in other fragile states. The findings will provide a better understanding of the difficulties in maintaining a sustainable environment for developing the regional economy in Afghanistan, and fill a gap in the literature with regards to the applied and theoretical economic growth model in fragile states. The materials of this research are partly based on a radical analysis of the official documents of the Afghan government and international organizations. We adopted statistical analysis to identify the factors associated with the progressive process of developing the Aynak Copper Mine, and an ordinal logit regression to analyze those factors. We specifically considered the factors associated with the degree of administrative capacity, labor investment, labor productivity, capital investment, efficiency of capital, terroristic activities, and religious issues. Among these factors, the relationships between the degree of administrative capacity, terroristic activities, and religious issues were strongly associated with the development status of the Aynak Copper Mine. The other investigated factors were not found to be relevant. This study is among the first on the Mining Project in Afghanistan