During the pathogenesis of retinitis pigmentosa (RP), the roles of retinal microglial cells after activation have not been fully elucidated. Herein, experimental RP was induced in Sprague Dawley rats by intraperitoneal injection of N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (MNU) at 50 mg/kg, and the effects of MNU on the retinas were evaluated, respectively, by retinal histology and electroretinography recordings at serial time points. Time-dependent and gradual loss of photoreceptor cells, disrupted arrangement of the outer nuclear layer (ONL), and significant reductions in both a-wave and b-wave amplitudes were observed. Morphology changes were observed in retinal microglial cells; meanwhile, with time, the number of Iba1-positive microglia and their infiltration into the ONL gradually increased. Furthermore, physical interaction of microglial-Müller cell processes following microglial activation was observed after MNU injection. In addition, Müller cells increased CX3CL1 secretion, enhanced microglial cell migration, and upregulated the CX3CR1 expression of the latter. Our observations implied that, during the pathogenesis of RP by MNU, microglial cells exhibit a prominent morphology change and Müller cells can induce activated microglia infiltration by increasing secretion of the chemotaxis factor, CX3CL1, and promoting the migration of retinal microglial cells. This novel finding highlights a potential therapeutic target aimed at regulating the microglial response.

Digital inclusive finance (DIF) is regarded as a key instrument in poverty alleviation efforts. However, existing research reveals significant gaps in understanding its poverty-reduction impact: the debate on its inclusivity remains unresolved, its mechanisms of action are unclear, and the psychological empowerment dimension has been largely overlooked. Using micro-level data from seven waves of the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) from 2010 to 2022, this study employs fixed-effect models, quantile regression models, and mechanism analysis to explore the differentiated impact of digital inclusive finance on rural multidimensional relative poverty and the mechanisms at play. The empirical findings reveal that DIF significantly mitigates multidimensional relative poverty, with more pronounced marginal effects among the poorest households, confirming its pro-poor characteristics. Heterogeneity analysis reveals that, at the regional level, DIF has greater impacts in western regions and remote rural areas farther from county centers; at the individual level, it is particularly effective for women, those with lower education, and individuals with limited digital literacy. Mechanism analysis shows that DIF operates through three channels: promoting employment, encouraging entrepreneurship, and enhancing financial accessibility. Moreover, extended analysis demonstrates that DIF also fosters the endogenous motivation of rural households to escape poverty, as reflected in heightened confidence about the future, increased belief in social mobility and returns of work, and reduced perceived barriers to employment. These findings provide new micro-level evidence to unpack the poverty-alleviation potential of DIF.

As global sustainable development goals progress, improving the welfare of vulnerable rural populations has become a critical issue for many countries. Using data from the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) from 2014 to 2022, this paper examines the impact of Digital Rural Construction (DRC) on the welfare of disadvantaged rural children. Specifically, it explores the mechanisms through which DRC enhances child welfare, focusing on information access, educational resource availability, and medical service accessibility. Additionally, the roles of government and non-governmental organizations in moderating this process are analyzed. The findings show that DRC significantly improves children’s health, education, and psychological well-being. Furthermore, interventions by governments and non-governmental organizations amplify these positive effects, with non-governmental interventions proving particularly effective. This study not only addresses a gap in the literature on the mechanisms linking DRC and child welfare but also offers valuable insights for policymakers from a sustainability perspective.

Rational development and utilization of urban underground space has become an important measure to alleviate the contradiction between supply and demand of land resources, improve urban capacity and optimize urban layout. Underground space is an important part of the geological environment because of its natural resources. Unreasonable development will lead to geological environment problems. In this paper, combined with the actual situation of Dalian City, on the basis of comprehensive analysis of geological environment conditions, eight indicators are selected from the aspects of topography, engineering geological conditions, hydrogeological conditions, geological hazards, ecological factors and human activities to construct the hierarchy model of suitability evaluation for underground space development in Dalian City. The analytic hierarchy process and comprehensive index method are applied to the evaluation. The results show that: the suitable area, secondary suitable area, less suitable area and unsuitable area are 3812.58km2, 5430.91km2, 2711.38km2 and 1659.06km2, accounting for 28.00%, 39.89%, 19.92% and 12.19% respectively. The evaluation results can provide the basis for the future development and utilization planning of underground space in Dalian city.