A review of rural transformation studies:Definition,measurement,and indicators

The paper reviews studies of rural transformation in three dimensions-definition,measurement,and indicators-and summarises the findings of rural transformation research.The scope of rural transformation includes four elements-productivity,rurality,inclusiveness,and sustainability.Current concepts of the dimensions of rural transformation and their associated indicators are insufficient for policy decision-making,as they lack objectivity,feasibility,accountability,comprehensiveness,and comparability.Future research to develop new measures to assess rural transformation in developing countries is valuable.Furthermore,there is potential to explore the topic in some directions:urbanisation strategy,public intervention(i.e.,institution,policy,and investment),gender inclusiveness,market creation,and international trade.

Accelerating rural transformation in Asian developing countries

All developing countries experience a process of rural transformation(RT),and the evidence available to date says that economies that transform their rural sectors more rapidly achieve faster growth and are also more inclusive.However,not all countries are successful.This special focus contains five papers related to the nature of rural transformation,its components,and consequences.

Do Inland Provinces Benefit from Coastal Foreign Direct Investment in China？

Foreign direct investment （FDI） in China is heavily concentrated in the coastal regions. Do inland provinces benefit from coastal FDI？ We use a provincial-level panel dataset and employ the fixed-effects instrumental variables regression technique to investigate the interregional spillovers from coastal FDI to inland provinces. The study finds that, on average, coastal FDI has a negative impact on the economic growth of inlandprovinces. In addition, depending on the different trade activities engaged in （i.e. whether processing trade or ordinary trade）, coastal FDI has different impacts on the economic growth of inland provinces.

Impact of China＇s Outward Foreign Direct Investment on Its Regional Economic Growth

This paper investigates the impact of China＇s outward foreign direct investment （OFDI） on its economic growth. By using a provincial-level panel dataset and applying fixed- effects and instrumental variable regression techniques, the study finds that both OFDI from provincial firms and OFDI from state-owned enterprises have a positive impact on China＇s provincial economic growth. The positive impact of OFDI on provincial economic growth may be the result of reverse knowledge spillovers from OFDI to the home provincial economy through demonstration and imitation, labor movement, and backward and forward industrial linkages, thus increasing the productivity and the efficiency of home firms and promoting the growth of the home economy.

Does the Belt and Road Initiative Increase the Carbon Emission Intensity of Paticipating Countries?

The impact that the Belt and Road Initiative(BRI)has had on carbon emissions is a hotly debated issue.Using a panel dataset of 178 countries from 2002 to 2017,and applying the quantile difference-in-difference method in different industries,this study finds that,first,the BRI overall tends to reduce the carbon emission intensity of BRI countries.Second,the impact of BRI on reducing the carbon emission intensity is significant for BRI countries at higher(0.8 and 0.9)and lower(0.2 and 0.3)carbon emission intensity quantiles but it is insignificant for those at medium levels.Third,the BRI has significant impacts on reducing carbon emission intensity in the energy-intensive industries,and this effect is the highest at the quantile level of 0.9 for all three industries considered here:transportation,electric and heating,and manufacturing and construction.These results indicate that establishing BRI cooperation with China will improve the environment and enhance the sustainable development ability of BRI countries.

City Size,Population Concentration and Productivity: Evidence from China

This paper investigates the impact of China's city size and urban population concentration on city productivity by developing a distinctive index based on global nighttime light data.Using the panel data of 280 prefecture cities from 2004 to 2013 and employing dynamic system generalized method of moments and panel threshold model regression techniques,our results show that city size has a positive impact on city productivity;therefore,cities in China still have the potential to expand.While moderate urban population concentration can benefit city productivity,excessively concentrated urban population distribution may impede the growth of city productivity.We also find that the level of labor income significantly affects the impacts of urban agglomeration on labor productivity.Therefore,our results imply that city development policies should focus more on how to appropriately allocate economic activities and adjust population distribution in urban areas according to different stages of economic development.

Does Outward Foreign Direct Investment Facilitate China’s Export Upgrading?

This paper empirically investigates the impact of China’s outward foreign direct investment(OFDI)on its export sophistication.Using a provincial-level panel dataset and applying fixed effects and instrumental variable regression techniques,the study finds that,on average,OFDI has no significant impact on China s export sophistication.However,after the full sample is divided into different regions,the study finds that OFDI has a positive and significant impact on export sophistication in the developed coastal region,but no such impact is observed in the less developed inland regions.Further investigation using a panel threshold model reveals that only when GDP,per capita GDP,human capital,and the research and development intensity of a home economy reach a certain level can OFDI promote export sophistication.The findings suggest that accelerating economic development and increasing absorptive capacity can facilitate the contribution of OFDI to China’s export sophistication.

Tracking translation of single m RNA molecule in live cells

Proteins are the major players in cellular functions.To produce proteins,genetic information stored in DNA needs to be firstly transcribed into m RNA,which is then translated by the ribosome.No doubt,protein expression can

Mechanism of actions of Oncocin, a proline- rich antimicrobial peptide, in early elongation revealed by single-molecule FRET

Dear Editor Proline-rich antimicrobial peptides （PrAMPs） are a class of antimicrobial peptides containing a high content of proline residues. PrAMPs selectively target Gram-negative bacteria through special transporters such as SmbA to enter cyto- plasm （Mattiuzzo et al., 2007）. On the other hand, PrAMPs present a low toxicity to mammalian cells, because they cannot effectively penetrate the mammalian cellular mem- brane （Hansen et al., 2012） or they are internalized through an endocytotic process to minimize interaction with cytosolic ribosomes （Tomasinsig et al., 2006）. Therefore, PrAMPs are promising candidates to treat infections and to deliver drugs （Schmidt et al., 2016）.

The mechanodonor-acceptor coupling (MDAC) approach for unidirectional multi-state fluorochromism

Uni-directional multi-state fluorochromic scaffolds are valuable photofunctional molecules and yet scarce. We report a general approach for their design, i.e., mechanodonor-acceptor coupling(MDAC). A photochromic molecule is a mechanodonor, due to its capability to convert photonic energy into mechanical force. Upon proper coupling, it can be used to drive a mechanochromic molecule for uni-directional multi-state fluorochromism. The embodiment of this approach is a rhodamine-dithienylethylene hydride(RDH), which has been successfully employed in super-resolution localization microscopy.

Single-molecule FRET studies on interactions between elongation factor 4 (LepA) and ribosomes

Elongation factor 4（EF4） is one of the highly conserved translational GTPases, whose functions are largely unknown. Structures of EF4 bound ribosomal PRE-translocation and POST-translocation complexes have both been visualized. On top of cellular, structural, and biochemical studies, several controversial models have been raised to rationalize functions of EF4. However, how EF4 modulates elongation through its interactions with ribosomes has not been revealed. Here, using single-molecule fluorescence resonance energy transfer assays, we directly captured short-lived EF4·GTP bound ribosomal PRE and POST translocation complexes, which may adopt slightly different conformations from structures prepared using GDP, GDPNP, or GDPCP. Furthermore, we revealed that EF4·GTP severely impairs delivery of aminoacyl-tRNA into the A-site of the ribosome and moderately accelerates translocation. We proposed that functions of EF4 are to slow overall elongation and to stall majority of ribosomes in POST states under stress conditions.