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The spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has significantly reduced tourism demands worldwide. Employing weekly data on tourist flows between Japanese prefectures, we examine the cost-effectiveness of domestic travel subsidies. Our results provide two implications for the literature. First, we identify the underlying mechanism of tourist flows during the pandemic. In contrast to infectious diseases that have only local effects, the COVID-19 pandemic has decreased tourism demand not only to, but also from, severely affected regions, deteriorating tourism businesses even in areas not severely affected by the disease. Second, we confirm the effectiveness of a price-discount strategy in mitigating economic damage to the accommodation sector caused by the pandemic. • We examine the cost-effectiveness of travel subsidies during the COVID-19 pandemic. • The gravity model is estimated with tourist flow data between Japanese prefectures. • The pandemic decreases tourism demand both to and from severely affected regions. • A price-discount strategy is effective in mitigating economic damage to hotels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a major cause of blindness in developed countries and is closely related to oxidative stress, which leads to lipid peroxidation. Malondialdehyde (MDA) is a major byproduct of polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) peroxidation. Increased levels of MDA have been reported in eyes of AMD patients. However, little is known about the direct relationship between MDA and AMD. Here we show the biological importance of MDA in AMD pathogenesis. We first confirmed that MDA levels were significantly increased in eyes of AMD patients. In ARPE-19 cells, a human retinal pigment epithelial cell line, MDA treatment induced vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression alternation, cell junction disruption, and autophagy dysfunction that was also observed in eyes of AMD patients. The MDA-induced VEGF increase was inhibited by autophagy–lysosomal inhibitors. Intravitreal MDA injection in mice increased laser-induced choroidal neovascularization (laser-CNV) volumes. In a mouse model fed a high-linoleic acid diet for 3 months, we found a significant increase in MDA levels, autophagic activity, and laser-CNV volumes. Our study revealed an important role of MDA, which acts not only as a marker but also as a causative factor of AMD pathogenesis-related autophagy dysfunction. Furthermore, higher dietary intake of linoleic acid promoted CNV progression in mice with increased MDA levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]