Multi-Layer Printable Lithium Ion Micro-Batteries with Remarkable Areal Energy Density and Flexibility for Wearable Smart Electronics.

Pursuing high areal energy density and developing scalable fabrication strategies of micro-batteries are the key for the progressive printed microelectronics. Herein, the scalable fabrication of multi-layer printable lithium ion micro-batteries (LIMBs) with ultrahigh areal energy density and exceptional flexibility is reported, based on highly conductive and mechanically stable inks by fully incorporating the polyurethane binders in dibasic esters with high-conducting additives of graphene and carbon nanotubes into active materials to construct a cross-linked conductive network. Benefiting from relatively higher electrical conductivity (≈7000 mS cm-1 ) and stably connected network of microelectrodes, the as-fabricated LIMBs by multi-layer printing display robust areal capacity of 398 µAh cm-2 , and remarkable areal energy density of 695 µWh cm-2 , which are much higher than most LIMBs reported. Further, the printed LIMBs show notable capacity retention of 88% after 3000 cycles, and outstanding flexibility without any structure degradation under various torsion states and folding angles. Importantly, a wearable smart bracelet, composed of a serially connected LIMBs pack, a temperature sensor, and a light-emitting diode, is realized for the automatic detection of body temperature. Therefore, this strategy of fabricating highly conductive and mechanically stable printable ink will open a new avenue for developing high-performance printable LIMBs for smart microelectronics.

CSMD: a computational subtraction-based microbiome discovery pipeline for species-level characterization of clinical metagenomic samples.

MOTIVATION: Microbiome analyses of clinical samples with low microbial biomass are challenging because of the very small quantities of microbial DNA relative to the human host, ubiquitous contaminating DNA in sequencing experiments and the large and rapidly growing microbial reference databases. RESULTS: We present computational subtraction-based microbiome discovery (CSMD), a bioinformatics pipeline specifically developed to generate accurate species-level microbiome profiles for clinical samples with low microbial loads. CSMD applies strategies for the maximal elimination of host sequences with minimal loss of microbial signal and effectively detects microorganisms present in the sample with minimal false positives using a stepwise convergent solution. CSMD was benchmarked in a comparative evaluation with other classic tools on previously published well-characterized datasets. It showed higher sensitivity and specificity in host sequence removal and higher specificity in microbial identification, which led to more accurate abundance estimation. All these features are integrated into a free and easy-to-use tool. Additionally, CSMD applied to cell-free plasma DNA showed that microbial diversity within these samples is substantially broader than previously believed. AVAILABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION: CSMD is freely available at https://github.com/liuyu8721/csmd. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.

Phthalates in Chinese vehicular environments: Source emissions, concentrations, and human exposure.

Phthalates are typical air pollutants in vehicular environment since numerous synthetic materials that might contain phthalates are widely used to fabricate vehicle interiors (e.g., seat cushions, floor mats and dashboards). Hitherto, the importance of phthalate pollution in vehicular environment is not well-recognized because people spend only a small portion (around 8%) of their time in vehicles. In this study, the mass fractions of six phthalates in nine materials commonly used in Chinese vehicles (floor mats and seat cushions) were measured. Two phthalates, di-n-butyl phthalate (DnBP) and di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP), were identified in most materials (the other phthalates were not detected). The emission characteristics of DnBP and DEHP from these materials were further investigated. The measured emission parameters were used as input for a mass-transfer model to estimate DnBP and DEHP concentrations in cabin air. Finally, the ratios between human exposures (via inhalation and dermal absorption from the gas phase) in vehicular environment and the total exposures in typical indoor environments (e.g., residences and offices) were estimated to be up to 110% and 20% for DnBP and DEHP, respectively. Based on these results, the vehicular environment might be a considerable site for human exposure to airborne phthalates.

Tuned Cationic Dendronized Polymer: Molecular Scavenger for Rheumatoid Arthritis Treatment.

Cell-free deoxyribonucleic acid (cfDNA) released from either dead or damaged cells serves as a key autoantigen in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). They can be recognized by nucleic acid (NA) sensors such as the toll-like receptor (TLR), leading to activation of the innate immune system and chronic inflammation. Developed here is a cationic molecular scavenger, by screening cationic dendronized polymers, which eliminates cfDNA and inhibits TLR recognition and nucleic-acid-induced inflammation. The structure-property study demonstrates that toxicity, NA binding capacity, and biodistribution could be balanced to achieve maximum therapeutic effect by exquisite control of the molecular structure. In addition, the optimized cationic polymer effectively inhibited joint swelling, synovial hyperplasia, and bone destruction in collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) rat models. The results offer support for synthetic polymers offering new paradigm in autoimmune disease treatment.

Overexpression of c-fos promotes cell invasion and migration via CD44 pathway in oral squamous cell carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is one of the most deadly malignant tumors with high invasive potential and frequently cervical lymph node metastasis. AP-1 plays a critical role in tumor invasion and metastasis, but there are few reports on the role of c-Fos in OSCC carcinogenesis and metastasis. METHODS: Investigate c-Fos expression in clinical samples from 58 primary patients with OSCC by immunohistochemistry. c-Fos knockdown stable cell lines were established by lentiviral infection and transwell cell invasion assay to detect the effects of c-Fos knockdown on tumor cell invasion. RESULTS: Nuclear and cytoplasmic c-Fos protein were both overexpression in cancerous tissues compared with adjacent non-malignant epithelia (nuclear: P < 0.001, cytoplasmic: P = 0.005). Higher level nuclear c-Fos expression was found in the tumor samples of patients with lymph node metastasis than those without lymph node metastasis (4.85 ± 1.43 vs. 3.61 ± 1.28, P = 0.002). Higher level of c-Fos expression was also found in tumor invasive front margin than tumor center and high nuclear expression of c-Fos indicated poor survival. Knockdown of c-Fos greatly suppressed tumor cell proliferation and invasion and downregulated CD44 and CyclinD1 expression in HN6 and SCC9 cells. However, CyclinD3, c-myc, and Erk1/2 were found no changes to c-Fos depletion. CONCLUSIONS: c-Fos promoted cell invasion and migration via CD44 pathway in OSCC. c-Fos could be used as a potential therapeutic target gene and an additional marker for evaluation of lymph node metastasis.

LATS2 induced by TNF-alpha and inhibited cell proliferation and invasion by phosphorylating YAP in oral squamous cell carcinoma.

OBJECTIVE: Many reports indicated LATS2 was a component of the Hippo pathway, could phosphorylate and inactivate YAP, acted as a tumor suppressor in human cancers. But few studies investigated the role of LATS2 in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and clarified the mechanisms of regulation of LATS2 expression. DESIGN: The expressions of LATS2 and phosphorylated YAP were detected by Western blotting in HN6 cells treated with TNF-α in different time and different dose. Luciferase reporter assays were performed to detect whether YAP can be phosphorylated by LATS2 in HN6 cells. Cell proliferation, anchorage independent growth in soft agar, transwell cell invasion assay, and nu mice in vivo xenografts growth were performed to study the effects of overexpression of LATS2 on OSCC cells. RESULTS: In this study, we confirmed that YAP can be phosphorylated by LATS2. LATS2 can be dose- and time-dependently induced by TNF-α in HN6 cells. Overexpression of LATS2 inhibited cell proliferation, colony formation, cell invasion, and in vivo xenografts growth in OSCC cells. CONCLUSION: LATS2 could be induced by TNF-alpha and inhibited cell proliferation and invasion by phosphorylating YAP in OSCC cells. LATS2 might play a role in the tumorigenesis of OSCC and might be a potential therapeutic target in OSCC treatment.

Ternary spatial reconstruction of ecological migration in Jiaochang Village.

In 2020, the total number of ecological migrants in China reached 48.73 million; To address this situation, this study focuses on Jiaochang Village in Sichuan Province as an example in order to examine the living spaces of ecological migrants after immigration. Based on Lefebvre's Ternary Space Theory, this study analyzed the spatial reconstruction of an ecological immigrant village on the basis of rural revitalization on three levels, i.e., residential space, social space, and spiritual space, by using the methods of geographic information comparison, field building surveys, structured interviews, and social network analysis. At the same time, by comparing the eco-migrants' situations before and after relocation, in addition to comparing them with those of the indigenous villagers, the adaptation of the ecological migrants in the above-mentioned ternary space was examined. The results showed a difference in living space for the ecological immigrants and the indigenous people, but the difference in living space for the migrants before and after relocation was larger. There was little difference in social spaces for the migrants and the indigenous villagers. The unemployment rate of the ecological immigrants was higher, and the interaction intensity in their work network was smaller. The spiritual space of the immigrants appeared very different from that of the indigenous people. The migrants' spiritual condition was slightly worse, but the preservation of traditions was stronger for the immigrants than for the indigenous people. The living and social spaces of the ecological immigrants were basically reconstructed, whereas the spiritual space requires more time to be organized.

Hybrid ion/electron interfacial regulation stabilizes the cobalt/oxygen redox of ultrahigh-voltage lithium cobalt oxide for fast-charging cyclability.

High-voltage and fast-charging LiCoO2 (LCO) is key to high-energy/power-density Li-ion batteries. However, unstable surface structure and unfavorable electronic/ionic conductivity severely hinder its high-voltage fast-charging cyclability. Here, we construct a Li/Na-B-Mg-Si-O-F-rich mixed ion/electron interface network on the 4.65 V LCO electrode to enhance its rate capability and long-term cycling stability. Specifically, the resulting artificial hybrid conductive network enhances the reversible conversion of Co3+/4+/O2-/n- redox by the interfacial ion-electron cooperation and suppresses interface side reactions, inducing an ultrathin yet compact cathode electrolyte interphase. Simultaneously, the derived near-surface Na+/Mg2+/Si4+-pillared local intercalation structure greatly promotes the Li+ diffusion around the 4.55 V phase transition and stabilizes the cathode interface. Finally, excellent 3 C (1 C = 274 mA g-1) fast charging performance is demonstrated with 73.8% capacity retention over 1000 cycles. Our findings shed new insights to the fundamental mechanism of interfacial ion/electron synergy in stabilizing and enhancing fast-charging cathode materials.

Cationic Curcumin Nanocrystals Liposomes for Improved Oral Bioavailability: Formulation Development, Optimization, In Vitro and In Vivo Evaluation.

Curcumin, a naturally occurring poorly water-soluble polyphenol with a broad spectrum, is a typical BCS IV drug. The objective of this study was to develop curcumin nanocrystals liposomes with the aim of improving bioavailability. In this study, we prepared cationic curcumin nanocrystals with a particle size of only 29.42 nm; such a phenomenal range of particle sizes is very rare. Moreover, we summarized and evaluated the parameters of the nanocrystal preparation process, including methods, formulations, etc., and the rules we concluded can be generalized to other nanocrystal preparation processes. To counteract the instability of the nanocrystals in the digestive tract, cationic curcumin nanocrystals were loaded into negatively charged liposomes through gravitational force between different charges. Unexpectedly, chitosan oligosaccharide was found to promote the self-assembly process of curcumin nanocrystal liposomes. In vitro and in vivo experiments demonstrated that chitosan-modified curcumin nanocrystal liposomes exhibited enhanced resistance to enzyme barriers, mucus barriers, and cellular barriers, resulting in a 5.4-fold increase in bioavailability compared to crude powder formulations. It can be concluded that cationic nanocrystals liposomes represent an appropriate novel strategy for improving the dissolution rate and bioavailability of poorly soluble natural products such as curcumin.

Mechanism study of toluene removal using iron/nickel bimetallic catalysts supported on biochar.

The present study utilized rice husk biomass as a carrier to synthesize rice husk biochar loaded with iron and nickel. Mono-metallic and bimetallic catalysts were prepared for the removal of toluene as the tar model. The efficiency of the catalysts for the removal of toluene was investigated, and finally, the removal mechanisms of mono-metallic and bimetallic catalysts for toluene were revealed. The experimental results showed that the bimetallic-loaded biochar catalysts had excellent toluene removal performance, which was closely related to the ratio of loaded Fe and Ni. Among them, the catalyst DBC-Fe2.5 %-Ni2.5 % (2.5 wt% iron loading and 2.5 wt% nickel loading) obtained through secondary calcination at 700 °C achieved the highest toluene removal efficiency of 92.76 %. The elements of Fe and Ni in the catalyst were uniformly dispersed on the surface and in the pores of the biochar, and the catalyst had a layered structure with good adsorption. Under the interaction of Fe and Ni, the agglomeration and sintering of Ni were reduced, and the surface acidity of the catalyst was increased, the surface acidity was favorable for toluene removal. The iron­nickel catalyst did not form significant alloys when calcined at 400 °C, whereas strong metal interactions occurred at 700 °C, resulting in the formation of Fe0.64Ni0.36 alloy and NiFe2O4 alloy. This NiFe alloy had abundant active sites to enhance the catalytic cracking of toluene and provide lattice oxygen for the reaction. Furthermore, the functional groups on the catalyst surface also had an impact on toluene removal. The catalyst prepared in this paper reduces the cost of tar removal, can be applied to the removal of industrial pollutant tars, reduces the pollution of the environment, and provides theoretical guidance and technical reference for the efficient removal of tar.

Inhibition of hepatitis B virus gene expression & replication by crude destruxins from Metarhizium anisopliae var. dcjhyium.

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES: Destruxin A, destruxin B and destruxin E isolated from entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium anisopliae showed a strong suppressive effect on the replication of hepatitis B virus (HBV) in human hepatoma cells. In this study, the anti-HBV effects of the crude destruxins extracted from M. anisopliae var. dcjhyium were detected both in vitro and in vivo. METHODS: HepG2.2.15 cells were cultured to observe the inhibitory effects of the crude destruxins on the gene expression and replication of HBV by radioimmunoassay detection and real-time quantitative PCR. In vivo, duck HBV (DHBV)-infected ducks were treated with the crude destruxins at 2.0, 4.0, 6.0 µg/kg once a day for 15 days, DHBV DNA was examined by real-time quantitative PCR. RESULTS: The crude destruxins suppressed the replication of HBV-DNA and the production of HBsAg and HBeAg with IC 50 of about 1.2 and 1.4 µg/ml. Transcript of viral mRNA was significantly suppressed by the crude destruxins in HepG2.2.15 cells. In vivo, the duck serum DHBV-DNA levels were markedly reduced in the group of the crude destruxins. INTERPRETATION & CONCLUSIONS: The crude destruxins inhibited the gene expression and replication of HBV both in vitro and in vivo, and their anti-HBV effect was stronger than that with destruxin B. Our results indicate that the crude destruxins from M.anisopliae var. dcjhyium may be potential antivirus agents. Further studies need to be done to confirm these findings.

Is the key-treatment-in-key-areas approach in air pollution control policy effective? Evidence from the action plan for air pollution prevention and control in China.

The "Action Plan for Air Pollution Prevention and Control from 2013 to 2017" (APAPPC) establishes the key treatment for key areas in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei and its surroundings (BTH), the Yangtze River Delta (YRD), and the Pearl River Delta (PRD) in China. Is the key-treatment-in-key-areas approach effective? Except the targeted pollutants, does there exist the synergistic effects of other air pollutants? Are there differences between the north and the south about the effectiveness of this approach? To answer these new and key questions, this study uses the difference-in-difference (DID) model to evaluate whether it is more effective to implement key treatment policies for two targeted pollutants, PM2.5 and PMcoarse (PM2.5-PM10), and verifies the synergistic emission-reduction effects of the policies on eight other emissions: SO2, NOX, VOC, CO, NH3, BC, OC, and CO2. At the same time, the policy effects are evaluated nationwide, in the north, and in the south using data from 2008 to 2017. The results show the following: (1) The APAPPC's establishment of the key treatment in key areas significantly reduces PM2.5 and PMcoarse by 7.25 % and 10.49 %, respectively, compared with non-key areas nationwide. (2) The key-treatment-in-key-areas policy has synergistic effects on six other emissions: SO2, NOX, CO, BC, OC, and CO2. (3) If viewing the north and the south separately, BTH beats other counterparts in the north by a large margin, while there is no significant difference among provinces and/or areas in the south. This margin is much larger than the one between key areas and other provinces nationwide. Therefore, this paper suggests that key treatment policies in key areas should continue to be implemented, especially for cities that have not dropped, but rather increased, their PM2.5 concentrations. Additionally, air pollution goals should incorporate China's carbon peaking and neutrality goals to reduce air pollutants and greenhouse gas emissions.

Identification of Phthalates from Artificial Products in Chinese Kindergarten Classrooms and the Implications for Preschool Children's Exposure Assessments.

Phthalates are typical chemical pollutants in kindergarten classrooms since numerous artificial products (e.g., polyvinyl chloride (PVC) floorings, soft polymers and plastic toys) that might contain phthalates are widely distributed in kindergarten classrooms. Although Chinese preschool children spend a considerable amount of their waking hours (>8 h/day) in kindergartens, phthalate exposure in such indoor environment has not been given much attention. In this study, the mass fractions of six phthalates in twenty-six artificial products (fifteen flat decoration materials and eleven plastic toys) commonly found in Chinese kindergarten classrooms were measured. Di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) was the most predominant compound in all materials. The emission characteristics of the DEHP from these materials were further investigated. The measured emission characteristics were used for predicting multi-phase DEHP concentrations in kindergarten classrooms by applying a mass transfer model. The modeled concentrations were comparable with those measured in the real environment, indicating that these products might be the major sources of DEHP in Chinese kindergarten classrooms. Preschool children's exposure to DEHP was found to be 0.42 µg/kg/day in kindergartens under baseline conditions, accounting for 18% of the total exposure to DEHP in Chinese indoor environments.

Effect of abdominal acupuncture combined with routine rehabilitation training on shoulder-hand syndrome after stroke: A randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Post-stroke shoulder-hand syndrome (SHS) is a common complication after stroke. To date, there is still a lack of consistently effective and good patient compliance methods for SHS. METHODS: Fifty patients with SHS were included in this study. Patients in the control group received rehabilitation training (RT) for 2 weeks; each session was 30 min, 1 time per day, and 5 times per week. Patients in the observation group were additionally given Bo's abdominal acupuncture (BAA) with the same frequency and duration. The primary outcome was the change value in the VAS score from baseline to 2 weeks. The secondary outcomes measured were motor function of the upper limb, shoulder range of motion, ADL, and swelling volume. RESULTS: Compared with baseline values, the mean VAS score at 2 weeks was reduced by 3.68 in the observation group and by 1.92 in the control group, with a difference between the two groups of 1.84 (P < 0.001); the mean MBI score at 2 weeks increased by 10.44 in the observation group and by 4.79 in the control group, with a difference between the two groups of 5.84 (P = 0.032); the mean swelling volume at 2 weeks decreased by 9.64 in the observation group and by 3.29 in the control group, with a difference between the two groups of 6.48 (P < 0.001). BAA-related adverse events were not found during the study. CONCLUSIONS: BAA combined with RT is superior to RT alone in improving shoulder pain, swelling, and ADL in post-stroke SHS patients. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ChiCTR2100045464 (www.chictr.org.cn).

Changes in Patellar Morphology Following Soft Tissue Surgical Correction of Recurrent Patellar Dislocation in Children with Low-Grade Trochlear Dysplasia.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the changes in patellar morphology following soft tissue surgical correction of recurrent patellar dislocation in children with low-grade trochlear dysplasia. METHODS: The prospective cohort study was performed between November 2007 and December 2012. Finally, 25 cases, with the mean age of 8.4 years (range from 7 to 10 years), were admitted to the study. All patients were diagnosed as bilateral recurrent patellar dislocation associated with femoral trochlear dysplasia. The knee that suffered injury or was dislocated was treated with medial patellar retinacular plasty (surgery group). The contralateral knee, which served as a control, was treated conservatively (conservative group). Axial CT scans were undertaken in all patients to assess the patellar morphological characteristics. RESULTS: The mean follow-up time was 60.8 months (range 48 to 75 months). Preoperatively, there were no statistically significant differences between the patellar morphology in the two groups (P > 0.05). Many radiological parameters of patellar morphology were significantly different between the two groups at the final follow-up, including well-known parameters, such as the mean patellar width (surgery group, 40.58 mm [SD 1.26]; conservative group, 36.41 mm [SD 1.17]; P < 0.05), the mean patellar thickness (surgery group, 11.59 mm [SD 0.74]; conservative group, 9.38 mm [SD 0.56]; P < 0.05) and the mean Wiberg index (surgery group, 0.54 [SD 0.06]; conservative group, 0.72 [SD 0.08]; P < 0.05). There are also little-known parameters, such as the ratio of length of lateral patella to medial patella (surgery group, 1.26 [SD 0.17]; conservative group, 1.69 [SD 0.21]; P < 0.05), which was a measurement of facet asymmetry. However, the Wiberg angle was not significantly different between the two groups (surgery group, 128.63° [SD 9.05]; conservative group, 125.47° [SD 13.96°]; P > 0.05) at the final follow-up. No complications were found. CONCLUSIONS: The patellar morphology can be significantly improved by early soft tissue surgical correction in children with patellar instability associated with low-grade femoral trochlear dysplasia.

Serum Proteomic Analysis Identifies SAA1, FGA, SAP, and CETP as New Biomarkers for Eosinophilic Granulomatosis With Polyangiitis.

Background: Eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA) is characterized by asthma-like attacks in its early stage, which is easily misdiagnosed as severe asthma. Therefore, new biomarkers for the early diagnosis of EGPA are needed, especially for differentiating the diagnosis of asthma. Objectives: To identify serum biomarkers that can be used for early diagnosis of EGPA and to distinguish EGPA from severe asthma. Method: Data-independent acquisition (DIA) analysis was performed to identify 45 healthy controls (HC), severe asthma (S-A), and EGPA patients in a cohort to screen biomarkers for early diagnosis of EGPA and to differentiate asthma diagnosis. Subsequently, parallel reaction monitoring (PRM) analysis was applied to a validation cohort of 71 HC, S-A, and EGPA patients. Result: Four candidate biomarkers were identified from DIA and PRM analysis-i.e., serum amyloid A1 (SAA1), fibrinogen-α (FGA), and serum amyloid P component (SAP)-and were upregulated in the EGPA group, while cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) was downregulated in the EGPA group compared with the S-A group. Receiver operating characteristics analysis shows that, as biomarkers for early diagnosis of EGPA, the combination of SAA1, FGA, and SAP has an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.947, a sensitivity of 82.35%, and a specificity of 100%. The combination of SAA1, FGA, SAP, and CETP as biomarkers for differential diagnosis of asthma had an AUC of 0.921, a sensitivity of 78.13%, and a specificity of 100%, which were all larger than single markers. Moreover, SAA1, FGA, and SAP were positively and CETP was negatively correlated with eosinophil count. Conclusion: DIA-PRM combined analysis screened and validated four previously unexplored but potentially useful biomarkers for early diagnosis of EGPA and differential diagnosis of asthma.

RDmap: a map for exploring rare diseases.

BACKGROUND: The complexity of the phenotypic characteristics and molecular bases of many rare human genetic diseases makes the diagnosis of such diseases a challenge for clinicians. A map for visualizing, locating and navigating rare diseases based on similarity will help clinicians and researchers understand and easily explore these diseases. METHODS: A distance matrix of rare diseases included in Orphanet was measured by calculating the quantitative distance among phenotypes and pathogenic genes based on Human Phenotype Ontology (HPO) and Gene Ontology (GO), and each disease was mapped into Euclidean space. A rare disease map, enhanced by clustering classes and disease information, was developed based on ECharts. RESULTS: A rare disease map called RDmap was published at http://rdmap.nbscn.org . Total 3287 rare diseases are included in the phenotype-based map, and 3789 rare genetic diseases are included in the gene-based map; 1718 overlapping diseases are connected between two maps. RDmap works similarly to the widely used Google Map service and supports zooming and panning. The phenotype similarity base disease location function performed better than traditional keyword searches in an in silico evaluation, and 20 published cases of rare diseases also demonstrated that RDmap can assist clinicians in seeking the rare disease diagnosis. CONCLUSION: RDmap is the first user-interactive map-style rare disease knowledgebase. It will help clinicians and researchers explore the increasingly complicated realm of rare genetic diseases.

Environmental Regulation, Government Subsidies, and Green Technology Innovation-A Provincial Panel Data Analysis from China.

Economic development in the "new era" will require green innovation. To encourage the growth of green technology innovation, it has become fashionable to strengthen environmental regulation. However, the impact of environmental regulation on green technology innovation, as well as the role of government subsidies, needs to be examined. Utilizing fixed-effect models and 2SLS models to explore the impact of environmental regulation on green technology innovation in China from 2003 to 2017, this research sought to examine whether environmental regulations impact green technology innovation, as well as the role of government subsidies in the above-mentioned influence path. The findings support the Porter Hypothesis by demonstrating an inverted "U" relationship between environmental regulation and green technology innovation. The impact of environmental regulation on green technology innovation varies by region. To be specific, there is an inverted "U" relationship between environmental regulation and green technology innovation in China's central and central coast regions. In comparison, the north area, southern coast, and southwest region exhibit a "U" relationship between the two. The relationship is not significant in the Beijing-Tianjin region. Additionally, government subsidies act as an intermediate in this process, positively influencing firms to pursue green technology innovation during the earliest stages of environmental regulation strengthening. However, government subsidies above a certain level are unproductive and should be used appropriately and phased off in due course.

Cryptogenic Stroke Caused by Pulmonary Arterial Venous Malformation with Massive Right-to-Left Shunt: A Case Report.

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary arterial venous malformation (PAVM) is an abnormal vascular malformation between pulmonary arteries and veins characterized by varying degrees of right-to-left shunts (RLS). Cryptogenic stroke (CS) due to paradoxical embolism (PE) caused by PAVM is relatively rare in the clinic. CASE PRESENTATION: We report the case of a 54-year-old right-handed woman who presented with sudden-onset left-sided limb weakness for 2 h. A physical examination revealed normal vital signs but weakness in her left upper and lower limbs, graded as 1/5 using the Medical Research Council scale. Her National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score was 8, and her modified Rankin scale (mRS) was 4. Brain diffusion-weighted imaging showed acute infarction in the right basal ganglia and the radiation crown but brain magnetic resonance angiography found no obvious abnormality. A transcranial Doppler ultrasound with bubble study (TCD-b) found the rain curtain sign of microbubbles in the left middle cerebral artery, reflecting significant RLS. Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) and transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) were conducted to distinguish between intra- and extracardiac shunts. A pulmonary computerized tomography angiogram (CTA) demonstrated a PAVM. We considered the patient had CS due to PE caused by PAVM. Thrombolytic therapy within the time window was performed. Then, transcatheter device occlusion of the arteriovenous fistula was successfully undertaken, and the patient carried on with rehabilitation training. At a 15-month follow-up, there were no catheter-related complications or recurrent stroke, and her NIHSS and mRS scores were both 0. CONCLUSIONS: PAVM is an important risk factor for PE and CS and should not be ignored as a possible etiology in stroke patients without any other risk factors. CTA of the pulmonary artery is the recommended gold standard for diagnosing and locating a PAVM. Thrombolytic therapy within the time window combined with transcatheter device occlusion of arteriovenous malformation and rehabilitation training may benefit the recovery of patients with CS caused by PE resulting from PAVM.

Numerical modeling of ultrasonic cavitation by dividing coated microbubbles into groups.

Homogeneous cavitation models usually use an average radius to predict the dynamics of all bubbles. However, bubbles with different sizes may have quite different dynamic characteristics. In this study, the bubbles are divided into several groups by size, and the volume-weighted average radius is used to separately calculate the dynamics of each group using a modified bubble dynamics equation. In the validation part, the oscillations of bubbles with two sizes are simulated by dividing them into 2 groups. Comparing with the predictions by the Volume of Fluid (VOF) method, the bubble dynamics of each size are precisely predicted by the proposed model. Then coated microbubbles with numerous sizes are divided into several groups in equal quantity, and the influence of the group number is analyzed. For bubble oscillations at f = 0.1 MHz and 1 MHz without ruptures, the oscillation amplitude is obviously under-estimated by the 1-group model, while they are close to each other after the group number increases to 9. For bubble ruptures triggered by Gaussian pulses, the predictions are close to each other when more than 5 groups are used.