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Environmental and occupational exposure to cadmium has been shown to induce kidney damage, liver injury, neurodegenerative disease, and osteoporosis. However, the mechanism by which cadmium induces autophagy in these diseases remains unclear. Studies have shown that cadmium is an effective inducer of oxidative stress, DNA damage, ER stress, and autophagy, which are thought to be adaptive stress responses that allow cells exposed to cadmium to survive in an adverse environment. However, excessive stress will cause tissue damage by inducing apoptosis, pyroptosis, and ferroptosis. Evidently, oxidative stress-induced autophagy plays different roles in low- or high-dose cadmium exposure-induced cell damage, either causing apoptosis, pyroptosis, and ferroptosis or inducing cell survival. Meanwhile, different cell types have different sensitivities to cadmium, which ultimately determines the fate of the cell. In this review, we provided a detailed survey of the current literature on autophagy in cadmium-induced tissue damage. A better understanding of the complex regulation of cell death by autophagy might contribute to the development of novel preventive and therapeutic strategies to treat acute and chronic cadmium toxicity.

Between 2002 and 2017, China’s gross domestic product grew by 284%, but this surge was accompanied by a similarly prodigious growth in energy consumption, air pollution and air pollution-related deaths. Here we use a combination of index decomposition analysis and chemical transport modelling to quantify the relative influence of eight different factors on PM 2.5 -related deaths in China over the 15-year period from 2002 to 2017. We show that, over this period, PM 2.5 -related deaths increased by 0.39 million (23%) in China. Emission control technologies mandated by end-of-pipe control policies avoided 0.87 million deaths, which is nearly three-quarters (71%) of the deaths that would have otherwise occurred due to the country’s increased economic activity. In addition, energy-climate policies and changes in economic structure have also became evident recently and together avoided 0.39 million deaths from 2012 to 2017, leading to a decline in total deaths after 2012, despite the increasing vulnerability of China’s ageing population. As advanced end-of-pipe control measures have been widely implemented, such policies may face challenges in avoiding air pollution deaths in the future. Our findings thus suggest that further improvements in air quality must not only depend on stringent end-of-pipe control policies but also be reinforced by energy-climate policies and continuing changes in China’s economic structure. Emission controls avoided some 870,000 deaths in China between 2002 and 2017 but further air quality improvements need energy-climate policies and changed economic structure, according to index decomposition analysis and chemical transport models.

To tackle the problem of severe air pollution, China has implemented active clean air policies in recent years. As a consequence, the emissions of major air pollutants have decreased and the air quality has substantially improved. Here, we quantified China's anthropogenic emission trends from 2010 to 2017 and identified the major driving forces of these trends by using a combination of bottom-up emission inventory and index decomposition analysis (IDA) approaches. The relative change rates of China's anthropogenic emissions during 2010–2017 are estimated as follows: −62 % for SO2, −17 % for NOx, +11 % for nonmethane volatile organic compounds (NMVOCs), +1 % for NH3, −27 % for CO, −38 % for PM10, −35 % for PM2.5, −27 % for BC, −35 % for OC, and +16 % for CO2. The IDA results suggest that emission control measures are the main drivers of this reduction, in which the pollution controls on power plants and industries are the most effective mitigation measures. The emission reduction rates markedly accelerated after the year 2013, confirming the effectiveness of China's Clean Air Action that was implemented since 2013. We estimated that during 2013–2017, China's anthropogenic emissions decreased by 59 % for SO2, 21 % for NOx, 23 % for CO, 36 % for PM10, 33 % for PM2.5, 28 % for BC, and 32 % for OC. NMVOC emissions increased and NH3 emissions remained stable during 2010–2017, representing the absence of effective mitigation measures for NMVOCs and NH3 in current policies. The relative contributions of different sectors to emissions have significantly changed after several years' implementation of clean air policies, indicating that it is paramount to introduce new policies to enable further emission reductions in the future.

The universal linear scaling relationships between the adsorption energies of reactive intermediates limit the performance of catalysts in multi-step catalytic reactions. Here, we show how these scaling relationships can be circumvented in electrochemical oxygen evolution reaction by dynamic structural regulation of active sites. We construct a model Ni-Fe 2 molecular catalyst via in situ electrochemical activation, which is able to deliver a notable intrinsic oxygen evolution reaction activity. Theoretical calculations and electrokinetic studies reveal that the dynamic evolution of Ni-adsorbate coordination driven by intramolecular proton transfer can effectively alter the electronic structure of the adjacent Fe active centre during the catalytic cycle. This dynamic dual-site cooperation simultaneously lowers the free energy change associated with O–H bond cleavage and O–O bond formation, thereby disrupting the inherent scaling relationship in oxygen evolution reaction. The present study not only advances the development of molecular water oxidation catalysts, but also provides an unconventional paradigm for breaking the linear scaling relationships in multi-intermediates involved catalysis. Circumventing linear scaling relationships in multi-step catalytic reactions is meaningful but challenging. Here, the authors report a method to break this scaling relationship in the oxygen evolution reaction through dynamic regulation of the active site in a Ni-Fe molecular complex catalyst.

Background The rapid development of digital health has reduced the time and cost of medical treatment, bringing efficient and economical benefits. However, older adults all over the world are deficient in digital health knowledge and skills to varying degrees. This study intends to investigate the current status and influencing factors of digital health literacy among community-dwelling older adults in Southwest China, so as to provide theoretical reference for global digital health researches and the construction of gerontological digital health service models. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted from September 2020 to April 2021 in Chongqing, China. 572 community-dwelling older adults (≥ 65 years) were surveyed by stratified sampling. Data on sociodemographic characteristics, Internet usage, attitude towards Internet health information and digital health literacy were collected. Wherein, the digital health literacy assessment adopted the Digital Health Literacy Assessment Scale for community-dwelling older adults, which was developed by the research group, proven to be with good internal consistency (0.941), split-half reliability (0.889), test–retest reliability (0.941), content validity (0.967), criterion validity (0.938) and construct validity. The influencing factors were explored by univariate analysis and multiple linear regression analysis. Results The average score of digital health literacy was 37.10 (SD 18.65). Univariate analysis showed that there were statistically significant differences in the comparison of digital health literacy according to 16 variables, such as different age and education levels. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that education level, marital status, self-rated health status, degree of health concerns, duration of Internet usage, time spent using the Internet per day, frequency of Internet usage, frequency of receiving guidance passively from family members, perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use and perceived reliability were positively correlated with digital health literacy, while age and perceived risk were negatively correlated with digital health literacy. Conclusion The overall digital health literacy of community-dwelling older adults in Southwest China is relatively low. In the future, health professionals should fully consider the diverse influencing factors of digital health literacy, assess individual differences and provide targeted intervention programs. Meanwhile, global public health authorities should integrate health resources effectively, and seek health service models for older adults in line with the development of the digital age to narrow the digital divide.

The transboundary health impacts of air pollution associated with the international trade of goods and services are greater than those associated with long-distance atmospheric pollutant transport. The international air pollution trade Air quality and mortality are affected by local air pollution, but not all local air pollution comes from local emissions. It is also fed by atmospheric transport of pollutants from distant sources, and some of the pollution in one region is due to the production of goods for consumption in another. This study investigates the effect of these two remote pollution sources on premature mortality linked to fine particulate matter pollution. Qiang Zhang et al . find that, in 2007, about 12 per cent of premature deaths related to fine particulate matter were attributed to air pollutants from distant sources and about 22 per cent were associated with goods and services produced in one region for consumption in another. The findings suggest that the health impacts of pollution associated with international trade are greater than those associated with long-distance atmospheric pollutant transport. Millions of people die every year from diseases caused by exposure to outdoor air pollution 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 . Some studies have estimated premature mortality related to local sources of air pollution 6 , 7 , but local air quality can also be affected by atmospheric transport of pollution from distant sources 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 . International trade is contributing to the globalization of emission and pollution as a result of the production of goods (and their associated emissions) in one region for consumption in another region 14 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 . The effects of international trade on air pollutant emissions 23 , air quality 14 and health 24 have been investigated regionally, but a combined, global assessment of the health impacts related to international trade and the transport of atmospheric air pollution is lacking. Here we combine four global models to estimate premature mortality caused by fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 ) pollution as a result of atmospheric transport and the production and consumption of goods and services in different world regions. We find that, of the 3.45 million premature deaths related to PM 2.5 pollution in 2007 worldwide, about 12 per cent (411,100 deaths) were related to air pollutants emitted in a region of the world other than that in which the death occurred, and about 22 per cent (762,400 deaths) were associated with goods and services produced in one region for consumption in another. For example, PM 2.5 pollution produced in China in 2007 is linked to more than 64,800 premature deaths in regions other than China, including more than 3,100 premature deaths in western Europe and the USA; on the other hand, consumption in western Europe and the USA is linked to more than 108,600 premature deaths in China. Our results reveal that the transboundary health impacts of PM 2.5 pollution associated with international trade are greater than those associated with long-distance atmospheric pollutant transport.

Main conclusionMYB transcription factors are essential for diverse biology processes in plants. This review has focused on the potential molecular actions of MYB transcription factors in plant immunity.Plants possess a variety of molecules to defend against disease. Transcription factors (TFs) serve as gene connections in the regulatory networks controlling plant growth and defense against various stressors. As one of the largest TF families in plants, MYB TFs coordinate molecular players that modulate plant defense resistance. However, the molecular action of MYB TFs in plant disease resistance lacks a systematic analysis and summary. Here, we describe the structure and function of the MYB family in the plant immune response. Functional characterization revealed that MYB TFs often function either as positive or negative modulators towards different biotic stressors. Moreover, the MYB TF resistance mechanisms are diverse. The potential molecular actions of MYB TFs are being analyzed to uncover functions by controlling the expression of resistance genes, lignin/flavonoids/cuticular wax biosynthesis, polysaccharide signaling, hormone defense signaling, and the hypersensitivity response. MYB TFs have a variety of regulatory modes that fulfill pivotal roles in plant immunity. MYB TFs regulate the expression of multiple defense genes and are, therefore, important for increasing plant disease resistance and promoting agricultural production.

Future trends in air pollution and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for China are of great concern to the community. A set of global scenarios regarding future socio-economic and climate developments, combining shared socio-economic pathways (SSPs) with climate forcing outcomes as described by the Representative Concentration Pathways (RCPs), was created by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Chinese researchers have also developed various emission scenarios by considering detailed local environmental and climate policies. However, a comprehensive scenario set connecting SSP–RCP scenarios with local policies and representing dynamic emission changes under local policies is still missing. In this work, to fill this gap, we developed a dynamic projection model, the Dynamic Projection model for Emissions in China (DPEC), to explore China's future anthropogenic emission pathways. The DPEC is designed to integrate the energy system model, emission inventory model, dynamic projection model, and parameterized scheme of Chinese policies. The model contains two main modules, an energy-model-driven activity rate projection module and a sector-based emission projection module. The activity rate projection module provides the standardized and unified future energy scenarios after reorganizing and refining the outputs from the energy system model. Here we use a new China-focused version of the Global Change Assessment Model (GCAM-China) to project future energy demand and supply in China under different SSP–RCP scenarios at the provincial level. The emission projection module links a bottom-up emission inventory model, the Multi-resolution Emission Inventory for China (MEIC), to GCAM-China and accurately tracks the evolution of future combustion and production technologies and control measures under different environmental policies. We developed technology-based turnover models for several key emitting sectors (e.g. coal-fired power plants, key industries, and on-road transportation sectors), which can simulate the dynamic changes in the unit/vehicle fleet turnover process by tracking the lifespan of each unit/vehicle on an annual basis. With the integrated modelling framework, we connected five SSP scenarios (SSP1–5), five RCP scenarios (RCP8.5, 7.0, 6.0, 4.5, and 2.6), and three pollution control scenarios (business as usual, BAU; enhanced control policy, ECP; and best health effect, BHE) to produce six combined emission scenarios. With those scenarios, we presented a wide range of China's future emissions to 2050 under different development and policy pathways. We found that, with a combination of strong low-carbon policy and air pollution control policy (i.e. SSP1-26-BHE scenario), emissions of major air pollutants (i.e. SO2, NOx, PM2.5, and non-methane volatile organic compounds – NMVOCs) in China will be reduced by 34 %–66 % in 2030 and 58 %–87 % in 2050 compared to 2015. End-of-pipe control measures are more effective for reducing air pollutant emissions before 2030, while low-carbon policy will play a more important role in continuous emission reduction until 2050. In contrast, China's emissions will remain at a high level until 2050 under a reference scenario without active actions (i.e. SSP3-70-BAU). Compared to similar scenarios set from the CMIP6 (Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6), our estimates of emission ranges are much lower than the estimates from the harmonized CMIP6 emissions dataset in 2020–2030, but their emission ranges become similar in the year 2050.

early three-quarters of the growth in global carbon emissions from the burning of fossil fuels and cement production between 2010 and 2012 occurred in China1, 2. Yet estimates of Chinese emissions remain subject to large uncertainty; inventories of China’s total fossil fuel carbon emissions in 2008 differ by 0.3 gigatonnes of carbon, or 15 per cent1, 3, 4, 5. The primary sources of this uncertainty are conflicting estimates of energy consumption and emission factors, the latter being uncertain because of very few actual measurements representative of the mix of Chinese fuels. Here we re-evaluate China’s carbon emissions using updated and harmonized energy consumption and clinker production data and two new and comprehensive sets of measured emission factors for Chinese coal. We find that total energy consumption in China was 10 per cent higher in 2000–2012 than the value reported by China’s national statistics6, that emission factors for Chinese coal are on average 40 per cent lower than the default values recommended by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change7, and that emissions from China’s cement production are 45 per cent less than recent estimates1, 4. Altogether, our revised estimate of China’s CO2 emissions from fossil fuel combustion and cement production is 2.49 gigatonnes of carbon (2 standard deviations = ±7.3 per cent) in 2013, which is 14 per cent lower than the emissions reported by other prominent inventories1, 4, 8. Over the full period 2000 to 2013, our revised estimates are 2.9 gigatonnes of carbon less than previous estimates of China’s cumulative carbon emissions1, 4. Our findings suggest that overestimation of China’s emissions in 2000–2013 may be larger than China’s estimated total forest sink in 1990–2007 (2.66 gigatonnes of carbon)9 or China’s land carbon sink in 2000–2009 (2.6 gigatonnes of carbon)10.

Substantial quantities of air pollution and related health impacts are ultimately attributable to household consumption. However, how consumption pattern affects air pollution impacts remains unclear. Here we show, of the 1.08 (0.74–1.42) million premature deaths due to anthropogenic PM 2.5 exposure in China in 2012, 20% are related to household direct emissions through fuel use and 24% are related to household indirect emissions embodied in consumption of goods and services. Income is strongly associated with air pollution-related deaths for urban residents in which health impacts are dominated by indirect emissions. Despite a larger and wealthier urban population, the number of deaths related to rural consumption is higher than that related to urban consumption, largely due to direct emissions from solid fuel combustion in rural China. Our results provide quantitative insight to consumption-based accounting of air pollution and related deaths and may inform more effective and equitable clean air policies in China. Considering air pollution-induced health risks from a consumption perspective is important. Here the authors evaluated the premature deaths resulting from household consumption across 30 Chinese provinces and find that rural households can cause a similar number of pollution-induced deaths as urban households despite a larger and wealthier urban population, due to the combustion of solid fuel.