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a b s t r a c tReducing environmental pressure is a major concern for China but despite the improvements in energy efficiency, its gross carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) emissions have maintained an upward trend, consistent with the Jevons Paradox. A fundamental shift is thus needed at all levels, including the household.This paper explores the embedded carbon footprint (ECF) of Chinese urban households associated with activities, such as food, personal transport, communications, education, recreation, health and hygiene. It uses an inputeoutput model for carbon emissions and 2003e2009 urban household data. The results show that the total ECF emission intensity increases when an individual's consumption is higher than 10,000 Yuan (U). Structural changes are further observed with consumption expenditure above U10,000: food, clothing and other survival-oriented emissions intensities as well as education, health and development-oriented emissions intensities reduce; transport, recreation, housing and enjoymentoriented emissions intensities increase or remain stable and the total emissions intensity increases. Currently per capita consumption expenditure of Chinese urban residents exceeds U10,000 and as income continues to rise, China will remain on a high-carbon track. There is a need for better policies, management and behavioural change and the study provides some policy suggestions, including a carbon quota system to guide individual consumption.

This paper aims to assess the agricultural losses caused by the 2069 state-monitored heavily air polluting enterprises located in 899 Chinese counties. We examine the correlation between per capita number of state-monitored enterprises and other socioeconomic indices to show the negative impacts of sulphur dioxide (SO 2) industrial air pollution on agricultural 2 development in the regions. Despite these enterprises being the main drivers of economic development in China's counties, surrounding agricultural land continues to be degraded because of the associated SO 2 emissions. The cost of agricultural losses due to pollution is estimated at US$ 1.43 billion, representing 0.66% of the total agricultural value added of the 899 Chinese counties. The findings highlight the importance of cleaner production and have policy implications for dealing with industrial air pollution.

DL-3-n-butylphthalide (NBP) is a therapeutic drug used for ischemic stroke treatment. Here, we investigated the impact of NBP on the development of rat diabetic cataract induced by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (STZ). NBP was then administrated by oral gavage for nine weeks. Cataract development was monitored through ophthalmoscope inspections. The levels of blood glucose and serum reactive oxygen species (ROS), malondialdehyde (MDA) and 8-Hydroxydeovexyguanosine (8-OHdG) were measured. Total and soluble protein and oxidative stress parameters, such as 2, 4- dinitrophenylhydrazone (DNP), 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE) and MDA in the lenses were determined by Western blot and thiobarbituric acid analyses. The expressions of NF-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and its downstream antioxidant enzymes, thioredoxin (TRX), Catalase and nuclear accumulation of Nrf2 were determined by Western blot and immunohistochemistry analyses. We showed that NBP treatment significantly improved the cataract scores, the levels of DNP, 4-HNE, and MDA in the lens compared to the non-treated groups. NBP also enhanced the expressions of Nrf2, TRX and catalase in the lens of diabetic rats. In addition, NBP treatment also decreased levels of blood glucose, serum MDA and 8-OHdG. These results suggested that NBP treatment significantly delayed the onset and progression of diabetic cataract by inhibiting the oxidative stresses.