Search Results (10)

Enhancing carbon emission efficiency is crucial for achieving carbon reduction and economic growth. This paper focuses on the digital–financial dual pilot policy formed by the Broadband China strategy pilot (BCP) policy and the Promoting Science and Technology to Combine with Finance pilot (TFCP) policy. Using the panel data of 284 prefecture-level cities in China from 2007 to 2022 and nighttime light data, this paper adopts the super-efficiency SBM model to calculate urban carbon emission efficiency. Based on this efficiency, this paper employs the staggered difference-in-differences model to discuss the impact of the dual pilot policy on urban carbon emission efficiency. The research results indicate that the dual pilot policy significantly improves urban carbon emission efficiency, and compared to the single pilot policy, the dual pilot policy has a greater effect on improving carbon emission efficiency. This conclusion still holds after the parallel trend test, heterogeneous treatment effects test, and other robustness tests. Mechanism analysis demonstrates that the dual pilot policy enhances urban labor, capital, and credit resource allocation efficiency and green technological innovation by generating resource allocation and collaborative innovation effects, thereby improving urban carbon emission efficiency. Further analysis reveals that implementing the TFCP policy first, followed by the BCP policy, can more effectively maximize the dual pilot policy’s positive impact on urban carbon emission efficiency. The impact of the dual pilot policy on urban carbon emission efficiency exhibits heterogeneity, depending on the resource endowment, digital infrastructure level, administrative hierarchy, economic and financial development level, and intellectual property protection intensity of cities. This paper provides valuable insights for effectively implementing the dual pilot policy and achieving a win–win outcome in carbon reduction and economic development. Full article

This study analyzed the impact of China’s Low-carbon City Pilot (LCCP) on firm productivity using firm-level financial data from the Chinese State Administration of Tax and patent data from the State Intellectual Property Office of the People’s Republic of China from 2007 to 2016, with the aim of clarifying the impact and mechanism of carbon regulation on firms’ productivity from the perspective of a developing country. By employing a staggered difference-in-differences model, we solved the analytical difficulties caused by the low-carbon pilot batch. Our findings revealed that the LCCP has a positive effect on firm productivity, with a 3% increase in total factor productivity (TFP). We concluded that environmental regulations can increase firms’ productivity. We also identified the mechanism, determining that the LCCP can increase firms’ research and development expenditure and the number of patents, advancing technological development. We also demonstrated that the dispersion of TFP across LCCPs has decreased, showing that low-productivity firms exit the market and the exit mechanism is improved, while resources are allocated more efficiently and market distortions are mitigated. This study contributes to the literature on climate policies on firms’ productivity and provides policymakers with valuable insights for balancing environmental regulations and firm productivity. Full article

Background/Objectives: Bempedoic acid (BA) is a novel cholesterol-lowering agent with proven positive effects on cardiovascular endpoints. Because it is an inhibitor of the hepatic transporters OATP1B1 and OATP1B3, two uptake transporters regulating the intrahepatic availability of statins, it increases the systemic exposure of co-administered statins. This interaction could raise the risk of myopathy. We hypothesized that the drug interaction between BA and statins could be mitigated by staggered administration. Methods: This was a single-centre, open-label, randomized, two-arm, cross-over, phase I drug interaction trial in healthy volunteers (EudraCT-No: 2022-001096-13). The primary objective was to evaluate the OATP1B1 inhibitory effect of BA on exposure to pravastatin after simultaneous administration versus different schedules of staggered administration. A secondary objective was to evaluate the impact of SLCO1B1 genotypes (*1, *5, *15, *37) on pravastatin exposure. Pravastatin was administered in single oral doses of 40 mg at six visits. After a baseline visit with pravastatin alone, BA was dosed to steady state at the approved oral dose of 180 mg. Outcome measures were the area under the plasma concentration–time curve, extrapolated to infinity (AUC_∞) and C_max of pravastatin, 3α-hydroxy-pravastatin (pravastatin 3-iso), and pravastatin lactone, and their geometric mean ratios (GMRs) of different schedules of administration. Log-transformed AUC_∞ and C_max were compared with one-way ANOVA with a 90% confidence interval (CI). Results: Fourteen participants completed all visits. At BA steady state, the GMRs of pravastatin AUC_∞ and C_max were 1.80 (90% CI 1.31–2.46) and 1.95 (90% CI 1.40–2.72), respectively, compared to baseline. There was no significant difference in pravastatin exposure between simultaneous vs. staggered administration. There was no statistically significant difference in pravastatin 3-iso or pravastatin lactone between different administration modes. For the AUC_∞ of pravastatin and pravastatin 3-iso, haplotype was a significant source of variation (63% and 20%, respectively), while the type of administration (simultaneous vs. staggered) had no significant impact. Conclusions: The increase in pravastatin exposure with concomitant intake of BA was larger than expected. There was no significant difference between simultaneous vs. staggered administration of pravastatin and BA, possibly due to a population that was heterogenous in SLCO1B1 haplotypes. Full article

Extracorporeal circulation (ECC) is frequently implemented in a vast array of modalities such as hemodialysis, cardiopulmonary bypass, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), and others. Patients receiving any such therapy are frequently encumbered with chronic inflammation, which is inherently accompanied by oxidative stress. However, ECC treatments themselves are also responsible for sustaining or promoting inflammation. On these grounds, an in vitro study was designed to investigate the therapeutic potential of molecular hydrogen (H₂) against pro-inflammatory agents in ECC settings. Five miniature ECMO circuits and a small vial (Control) were primed with heparinized blood from healthy adult donors (n = 7). Three of the ECMO systems were injected with lipopolysaccharide (LPS), out of which one was additionally treated with an H₂ gas mixture. After 6 h, samples were drawn for the assessment of specific biomarkers (MCP-1, MPO, MDA-a, TRX1, and IL-6). Preliminary results indicate a progressive oxidative and inflammatory response between the six systems. Circulation has triggered inflammation and blood trauma, but the staggering influence of LPS in this outcome is indisputable. Accordingly, hydrogen’s remedial potential becomes immediately apparent as biomarker concentrations tend to be lower in the H₂-handled circuit. Future research should have distinct objectives (e.g., dosage/duration/cycle of hydrogen administration) in order to ascertain the optimal protocol for patient treatment. Full article

The “County-to-City Upgrading” policy represents a typical tool for central and local governments to promote the urbanization process through administrative empowerment. Do local governments’ policies promote innovation-driven high-quality and sustainable development? Under the context of the high-quality development of China’s economy, this paper examines the quantitative impact of the local governments’ “County-to-City Upgrading” policy on enterprises’ innovation. Using a staggered-DID model and the data from the Chinese Patent Database and the Industrial Enterprise Database from 2000 to 2013, the baseline results indicate that the policy not only increases the quantity of innovation but also improves the quality of innovation. The key findings of the research are the following: (1) The policy primarily promotes innovation activities among local enterprises through the cost reduction effect and resource accumulation effect. (2) The policy has a more significant impact on boosting innovation in the eastern regions as well as areas with stronger intellectual property protection. (3) The policy not only can advance technological and practical innovation but can also help enterprises overcome the problem of technological containment. (4) The policy has a prominent impact on green and low-carbon patents, which implies that it has become a significant drive pushing forward local green and sustainable development. Full article

Thyroid hormones play an important role in the modeling of neural networks in the brain. Besides its metabolic effects, thyroid dysfunction, and hypothyroidism in particular, is frequently associated with cognitive decline and depressive-like behavior. The current study aimed to examine the changes in behavior, cognition, and memory in rats with propylthiouracil-induced overt hypothyroidism. The behavior and cognition were assessed using the open field test, T-maze, and novel object recognition test. We found significant differences in the behavioral patterns of the hypothyroid animals showing a reduction in locomotor activity, frequency of rearing, and impaired memory function compared to the euthyroid controls. As serotonin is an essential biomarker regulating cognition and mood, we tried to modulate the serotonin mediation in hypothyroid animals through tryptophan administration. Treatment with 5-hydroxy-tryptophan (5-OH-TRP) intraperitoneally for 10 days or directly into the hippocampus as a single injection led to attenuation of the hypothyroidism-induced cognitive and memory decline. A staggering amount of research is suggesting that the common denominators in the pathophysiology of depression and the behavior changes in hypothyroidism are the hippocampal complex and the distorted serotonin metabolism. In our study, it was observed a significant alleviation of cognitive impairment and an improvement of memory performance in hypothyroid rats after 5-OH-TRP administration. Current results are promising and may serve as groundwork for further investigation of functional and structural changes in the hippocampus during a hypothyroid state, and in particular, the effects of serotonin mediation in hypothyroid-associated depressive-like behavior. Full article

A novel bacteriophage CUB19 specific to the bacterial species Stenotrophomonas maltophilia was isolated from hospital sewage and characterized as a new species belonging to a proposed new phage genus ‘Cubvirus’ (Caudoviricetes). Its genome contains a total of 48,301 bp and 79 predicted genes, among which some have been associated with packaging and lysis-associated proteins, structural proteins, or DNA- and metabolism-associated proteins. No lysogeny-associated proteins or known virulence proteins were identified on the phage genome. CUB19 showed stability over a wide range of temperatures (−20 °C–60 °C) and pH values (pH 3–pH 13). Despite its narrow host range, this phage has potent observed antimicrobial and antibiofilm activity. A time-killing curve assay showed significant biofilm reduction after 24 h exposure to CUP19. Isothermal microcalorimetry assays investigating phage-antibiotic combinations revealed the effectiveness of CUB19 during co-administration with increasing antibiotic doses, regardless of the administration approach (simultaneous or staggered). These are encouraging indications for its application as a targeted therapeutic agent against resilient biofilm-associated Stenotrophomonas infections. Full article

Land cover changes in tropical rainforest climate zones play an important role in global climate change and the functioning of the Earth’s natural system. Existing research on the consistency of different land cover products has mainly focused on administrative divisions (continental or national scales). However, the ongoing production of large regional or global land cover products with higher resolutions requires us to have a better grasp of confusing land types and their geographical locations for different zoning (e.g., geographical zoning) in order to guide the optimization of strategies such as zoning and sample selection in automated land cover classification. Therefore, we selected the GlobeLand30-2010, GLC_FCS30-2015, and FROM_GLC2015 global land cover products with a 30-m resolution covering Indonesia, which has a tropical rainforest climate, as a case study, and then analyzed these products in terms of areal consistency, spatial consistency, and accuracy evaluation. The results revealed that (a) all three land cover products revealed that forest is the main land cover type in Indonesia. The area correlation coefficient of any two products is better than 0.89; (b) the areas that are completely consistent among the three products account for 58% of the total area of Indonesia, mainly distributed in the central and northern parts of Kalimantan and Papua, which are dominated by forest land types. The spatial consistency of the three products is low, however, due to the complex surface types and staggered distributions of grassland, shrub, cultivated land, artificial surface, and other land cover types in Java, eastern Sumatra, and the eastern, southern, and northwestern sections of Kalimantan, where the elevation is less than 200 m. Given these results, land cover producers should take heed of the classification accuracy of these areas; (c) the absolute accuracy evaluation demonstrated that the GLC_FCS30-2015 product has the highest overall accuracy (65.59%), followed by the overall accuracy of the GlobeLand30-2010 product (61.65%), while the FROM_GLC2015 exhibits the lowest overall accuracy (57.71%). The mapping accuracy of the three products is higher for forests and artificial surfaces. The cropland mapping accuracy of the GLC_FCS30-2015 product is higher than those of the other two products. The mapping accuracy of all products is low for grassland, shrubland, bareland, and wetland. The classification accuracy of these land cover types requires further improvement and cannot be used directly by land cover users when conducting relevant research in tropical rainforest climate zones, since the utilization of these products could lead to serious errors. Full article

In this study, an innovative microfluidics-based method was developed for one-step synthesis of hyaluronic acid (HA)-based nanoparticles (NPs), by exploiting polyelectrolytic interactions between HA and chitosan (CS), in order to improve reliability, reproducibility and possible scale-up of the NPs preparation. The on-chip synthesis, using a staggered herringbone micromixer, allowed to produce HA/CS NPs with tailored-made size and suitable for both parenteral (117.50 ± 4.51 nm) and loco-regional (349.15 ± 38.09 nm) administration, mainly composed by HA (more than 85% wt) with high negative surface charge (< −20 mV). HA/CS NPs were successfully loaded with a challenging water-insoluble molecule, Everolimus (EVE), an FDA- and EMA-approved anticancer drug able to lead to cell cycle arrest, reduced angiogenesis and promotion of apoptosis. HA/CS NPs resulted to be massively internalized in CD44+ human mesenchymal stem cells via CD44 receptor-mediated endocytosis. HA/CS NPs selectiveness towards CD44 was highlighted by blocking CD44 receptor by anti-CD44 primary antibody and by comparison to CS-based NPs cellular uptake. Eventually, high effectiveness in inhibiting cell proliferation was demonstrated on-chip synthetized EVE loaded HA/CS NPs by tracking in vitro DNA synthesis. Full article

Acute paracetamol poisoning due to a single overdose may be effectively treated by the early administration of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) as an antidote. The prognosis may be different in the case of intoxication due to multiple ingestions or when the antidote is started with delay. The aim of this work was to investigate the outcome of paracetamol poisoning according to the pattern of ingestion and determine the factors associated with the outcome. We performed a retrospective analysis over the period 2007–2017 of the patients who were referred to a tertiary hospital for paracetamol-related hepatotoxicity. Inclusion criteria were: accidental or voluntary ingestion of paracetamol, delay for NAC therapy of 12 h or more, liver enzymes (ALT) >1000 IU/L on admission. Ninety patients were considered. Poisoned patients following multiple ingestion were significantly older (45 ± 12 vs. 33 ± 14) (p = 0.001), with a higher incidence of liver steatosis (p = 0.016) or chronic ethanol abuse (p = 0.04). In comparison with the subgroup of favorable outcome, the patients with poor outcome were older, had higher values for ALT, bilirubin, lactate, and lower values for factor V and arterial pH. In multivariate analysis, the arterial lactate value was associated with a bad prognosis (p < 0.02) (adjusted odds ratio 1.74 and CI 95:1.09–2.77). The risk of poor outcome was greater in the subgroup with staggered overdose (p = 0.02), which had a higher mortality rate (p = 0.01). This retrospective analysis illustrates the different population patterns of patients who were admitted for a single ingestion of a paracetamol overdose versus multiple ingestions. This last subgroup was mainly represented by older patients with additional risk factors for hepatotoxicity; arterial lactate was a good predictor of severity. Full article