Optimizing biochar addition strategies in combined processes: Comprehensive assessment of earthworm growth, lignocellulose degradation and vermicompost quality.

The sustainable management of agricultural waste is essential for curtailing environmental contamination. To address the shortcomings of single treatment methods, this study evaluated the feasibility of combining membrane-covered composting (MC) with vermicomposting. Based on this, the integrated effects of different biochar addition strategies on the combined process were investigated. The aim was to improve the efficiency of vermicomposting while eliminating the negative effects of biochar on earthworms. Addition of biochar before membrane-covered composting increased total earthworm biomass by 25.6 - 31.4 % and reproduction rate by 13.4 - 23.9 %. Specifically, the electrical conductivity (EC) (1061.0 - 1112.0 uS/cm) of the vermicompost was significantly reduced, while the total nutrient content (42.3 - 42.6 mg/g) and germination index (GI) (103.9 - 108.4 %) were maximized. Additionally, reductions in the carbon-to-nitrogen ratio and volatile content were observed. Overall, combination process is a promising approach to improve the quality of vermicomposting. The study's results offer a novel perspective on the value-added treatment of agricultural waste.

Toward Better and Healthier Air Quality: Global PM2.5 and O3 Pollution Status and Risk Assessment Based on the New WHO Air Quality Guidelines for 2021.

To reduce the high burden of disease caused by air pollution, the World Health Organization (WHO) released new Air Quality Guidelines (AQG) on September 22, 2021. In this study, the daily fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and surface ozone (O3) data of 618 cities around the world is collected from 2019 to 2022. Based on the new AQG, the number of attainment days for daily average concentrations of PM2.5 (≤ 15 µg m-3) and O3 (≤ 100 µg m-3) is approximately 10% and 90%, respectively. China and India exhibit a decreasing trend in the number of highly polluted days (> 75 µg m-3) for PM. Every year over 68% and 27% of cities in the world are exposed to harmful PM2.5 (> 35 µg m-3) and O3 (> 100 µg m-3) pollution, respectively. Combined with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), it is found that more than 35% of the world's cities face PM2.5-O3 compound pollution. Furthermore, the exposure risks in these cities (China, India, etc.) are mainly categorized as "High Risk", "Risk", and "Stabilization". In contrast, economically developed cities are mainly categorized as "High Safety", "Safety", and "Deep Stabilization." These findings indicate that global implementation of the WHO's new AQG will minimize the inequitable exposure risk from air pollution.

The health-care utilization and economic burden in patients with genetic skeletal disorders.

BACKGROUND: Most genetic skeletal disorders (GSD) were complex, disabling and life-threatening without effective diagnostic and treatment methods. However, its impacts on health system have not been well studied. The study aimed to systematically evaluate the health-care utilization and economic burden in GSD patients. METHODS: The patients were derived from 2018 Nationwide Inpatient Sample and Nationwide Readmissions Database. GSD patients were extracted based on International Classification of Diseases-10th revision codes. RESULTS: A total of 25,945 (0.12%) records regarding GSD were extracted from all 21,400,282 records in NIS database. GSD patients were likely to have significantly longer length of stay (6.50 ± 0.08 vs. 4.63 ± 0.002, P < 0.001), higher total charges ($85,180.97 ± 1,239.47 vs. $49,884.26 ± 20.99, P < 0.001), suffering more procedure, diagnosis and transferring records in comparison to patients with common conditions. GSD patients had a significantly higher 30-day all-cause readmission rate based on Nationwide Readmissions Database. CONCLUSIONS: The heavy health-care utilization and economic burden emphasized the urgency for policy leaders, scientific and pharmaceutical researchers, health care providers and employers to identify innovative ways and take effective measurements immediately, and eventually to help improve the care, management, and treatment of these devastating diseases.

Assessment of pathogenicity and functional characterization of APPL1 gene mutations in diabetic patients.

BACKGROUND: Adaptor protein, phosphotyrosine interacting with PH domain and leucine zipper 1 (APPL1) plays a crucial role in regulating insulin signaling and glucose metabolism. Mutations in the APPL1 gene have been associated with the development of maturity-onset diabetes of the young type 14 (MODY14). Currently, only two mutations [c.1655T>A (p.Leu552*) and c.281G>A p.(Asp94Asn)] have been identified in association with this disease. Given the limited understanding of MODY14, it is imperative to identify additional cases and carry out comprehensive research on MODY14 and APPL1 mutations. AIM: To assess the pathogenicity of APPL1 gene mutations in diabetic patients and to characterize the functional role of the APPL1 domain. METHODS: Patients exhibiting clinical signs and a medical history suggestive of MODY were screened for the study. Whole exome sequencing was performed on the patients as well as their family members. The pathogenicity of the identified APPL1 variants was predicted on the basis of bioinformatics analysis. In addition, the pathogenicity of the novel APPL1 variant was preliminarily evaluated through in vitro functional experiments. Finally, the impact of these variants on APPL1 protein expression and the insulin pathway were assessed, and the potential mechanism underlying the interaction between the APPL1 protein and the insulin receptor was further explored. RESULTS: A total of five novel mutations were identified, including four missense mutations (Asp632Tyr, Arg633His, Arg532Gln, and Ile642Met) and one intronic mutation (1153-16A>T). Pathogenicity prediction analysis revealed that the Arg532Gln was pathogenic across all predictions. The Asp632Tyr and Arg633His variants also had pathogenicity based on MutationTaster. In addition, multiple alignment of amino acid sequences showed that the Arg532Gln, Asp632Tyr, and Arg633His variants were conserved across different species. Moreover, in in vitro functional experiments, both the c.1894G>T (at Asp632Tyr) and c.1595G>A (at Arg532Gln) mutations were found to downregulate the expression of APPL1 on both protein and mRNA levels, indicating their pathogenic nature. Therefore, based on the patient's clinical and family history, combined with the results from bioinformatics analysis and functional experiment, the c.1894G>T (at Asp632Tyr) and c.1595G>A (at Arg532Gln) mutations were classified as pathogenic mutations. Importantly, all these mutations were located within the phosphotyrosine-binding domain of APPL1, which plays a critical role in the insulin sensitization effect. CONCLUSION: This study provided new insights into the pathogenicity of APPL1 gene mutations in diabetes and revealed a potential target for the diagnosis and treatment of the disease.

Environmental decentralization and carbon emissions: evidence from China.

A robust environmental management system holds great significance for the Chinese government in effectively managing the country's carbon emissions. This study delves into the spatial impact of environmental decentralization on the carbon emissions of 30 Chinese provinces spanning from 2000 to 2019. First, we found that the increase in environmental decentralization promotes carbon emissions, and this effect is primarily driven by the delegation of environmental monitoring authority and environmental supervision authority. Second, we analyzed the heterogeneity of the carbon emission effects of environmental decentralization across different regions and observed that the impact of environmental decentralization is more significant in the western region compared to the central and eastern regions. Furthermore, this study investigates how the industrial structure, government competition, and environmental regulation exert an influence on the carbon emission effects of environmental decentralization. This article presents empirical evidence from the perspective of environmental management systems that underscores the rapid escalation of carbon emissions. Additionally, it contributes to an enhanced comprehension of the economic ramifications linked to the process of environmental decentralization. At the same time, the conclusions of this article have significant practical implications for the rational design of levels of environmental decentralization, thereby accelerating the achievement of carbon neutrality.

Agricultural expansion dominates rapid increases in cropland fires in Asia.

Asia contains 58 % of the global population and approximately 39 % of the world's cropland, making evaluation of the spatiotemporal variability patterns in cropland fire critical for understanding the interplay between crop residue burning and human activity in Asia. Although agricultural expansion and intensification have contributed to an overall decline in vegetation fires worldwide since the late 1990s, burned area by cropland fires in Asia has expanded by more than 19 % over the past two decades. India accounts for about 32 % of cropland fires in Asia, and the burned area has increased by more than two-thirds since 2003, particularly increased around 80 % during the two major cereal harvest seasons of March-May and October-November. In comparison, cropland fires have increased by <6 % in China since 2003, and there has been a marked downward trend in burned area in June due to the intensive implementation of the nationwide bans on open-land crop straw burning. The expansion of agricultural harvests is primarily responsible for the rapid increase in cropland fires in Asia, notably in India, where agricultural intensification is occurring with population growth and economic development in recent years, and crop straw burning should be strictly controlled in the future.

Molecular disparities in colorectal cancers of White Americans, Alabama African Americans, and Oklahoma American Indians.

In the US, the majority of cancer samples analyzed are from white people, leading to biases in racial and ethnic treatment outcomes. Colorectal cancer (CRC) incidence and mortality rates are high in Alabama African Americans (AAs) and Oklahoma American Indians (AIs). We hypothesized that differences between racial groups may partially explain these disparities. Thus, we compared transcriptomic profiles of CRCs of Alabama AAs, Oklahoma AIs, and white people from both states. Compared to CRCs of white people, CRCs of AAs showed (a) higher expression of cytokines and vesicle trafficking toward modulated antitumor-immune activity, and (b) lower expression of the ID1/BMP/SMAD axis, IL22RA1, APOBEC3, and Mucins; and AIs had (c) higher expression of PTGS2/COX2 (an NSAID target/pro-oncogenic inflammation) and splicing regulators, and (d) lower tumor suppressor activities (e.g., TOB2, PCGF2, BAP1). Therefore, targeting strategies designed for white CRC patients may be less effective for AAs/AIs. These findings illustrate needs to develop optimized interventions to overcome racial CRC disparities.

Cost, time savings and effectiveness of wearable devices for remote monitoring of patient rehabilitation after total knee arthroplasty: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is a surgical procedure primarily used to treat patients with end-stage knee osteoarthritis (KOA). Postoperative physical exercise is a critical part of the overall treatment of KOA and can bring significant benefits to the patients' recovery. Wearable devices can monitor patients' exercise data and upload it to the physician's workstation. This allows the rehabilitation physician to make timely adjustments based on the patients' movement feedback, and the surgeon can be informed of the patients' functional status. Overall, this study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of using wearable monitoring devices for rehabilitation exercise after TKA, with a focus on cost, time savings, and patient outcomes. METHOD/DESIGN: This is a single-center, single-blinded, parallel randomized controlled trial conducted at Xi'an Honghui Hospital, a regional orthopedic medical center. Eligible patients will be recruited to participate in the study, and baseline data collection and clinical assessments will be conducted at the time of admission. Using the principle of random allocation, recruited patients will be divided into either the experimental or control group. Both groups will undergo a standard, widely promoted rehabilitation program. The patients in the experimental group will wear equipment to detect and track mobility in the lower limbs. All patients will return to the outpatient clinic for follow-up assessments at 2 weeks, 12 weeks, and 24 weeks after discharge, where outcome indicators will be measured. The primary outcome will be the cost and time after discharge, while secondary outcomes will include the 6-min walk test (6MWT), range of motion (ROM), visual analog scale (VAS), American Knee Society Score (KSS), the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC). DISCUSSION: We should encourage the adoption of novel, easy-to-use, supervised devices if they prove to be beneficial for patients in terms of cost, time, and effectiveness after TKA. This type of device is particularly important for people in remote rural areas, those with limited financial resources, and those who are reluctant to return to hospitals for follow-up care. Trial registration Chinese Clinical Trial Registry ChiCTR2300068418. Registered on 17 February 2023.

Electrochemical Production of Glycolate Fuelled By Polyethylene Terephthalate Plastics with Improved Techno-Economics.

Electrochemical valorization of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) waste streams into commodity chemicals offers a potentially sustainable route for creating a circular plastic economy. However, PET wastes upcycling into valuable C2 product remains a huge challenge by the lack of an electrocatalyst that can steer the oxidation economically and selectively. Here, it is reported a catalyst comprising Pt nanoparticles hybridized with γ-NiOOH nanosheets supported on Ni foam (Pt/γ-NiOOH/NF) that favors electrochemical transformation of real-word PET hydrolysate into glycolate with high Faradaic efficiency (> 90%) and selectivity (> 90%) across wide reactant (ethylene glycol, EG) concentration ranges under a marginal applied voltage of 0.55 V, which can be paired with cathodic hydrogen production. Computational studies combined with experimental characterizations elucidate that the Pt/γ-NiOOH interface with substantial charge accumulation gives rise to an optimized adsorption energy of EG and a decreased energy barrier of potential determining step. A techno-economic analysis demonstrates that, with the nearly same amount of resource investment, the electroreforming strategy towards glycolate production can raise revenue by up to 2.2 times relative to conventional chemical process. This work may thus serve as a framework for PET wastes valorization process with net-zero carbon footprint and high economic viability.

Green, General and Low-cost Synthesis of Porous Organic Polymers in Sub-kilogram Scale for Catalysis and CO2 Capture.

Porous organic polymers (POPs) with high porosity and tunable functionalities have been widely studied for use in gas separation, catalysis, energy conversion and energy storage. However, the high cost of organic monomers, and the use of toxic solvents and high temperatures during synthesis pose obstacles for large-scale production. Herein, we report the synthesis of imine and aminal-linked POPs using inexpensive diamine and dialdehyde monomers in green solvents. Theoretical calculations and control experiments show that using meta-diamines is crucial for forming aminal linkages and branching porous networks from [2+2] polycondensation reactions. The method demonstrates good generality in that 6 POPs were successfully synthesized from different monomers. Additionally, we scaled up the synthesis in ethanol at room temperature, resulting in the production of POPs in sub-kilogram quantities at a relatively low cost. Proof-of-concept studies demonstrate that the POPs can be used as high-performance sorbents for CO2 separation and as porous substrates for efficient heterogeneous catalysis. This method provides an environmentally friendly and cost-effective approach for large-scale synthesis of various POPs.

Probiotic assessment and antioxidant characterization of Lactobacillus plantarum GXL94 isolated from fermented chili.

Oxidative stress is caused by an imbalance between prooxidants and antioxidants, which is the cause of various chronic human diseases. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) have been considered as an effective antioxidant to alleviate oxidative stress in the host. To obtain bacterium resources with good antioxidant properties, in the present study, 113 LAB strains were isolated from 24 spontaneously fermented chili samples and screened by tolerance to hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Among them, Lactobacillus plantarum GXL94 showed the best antioxidant characteristics and the in vitro antioxidant activities of this strain was evaluated extensively. The results showed that L. plantarum GXL94 can tolerate hydrogen peroxide up to 22 mM, and it could normally grow in MRS with 5 mM H2O2. Its fermentate (fermented supernatant, intact cell and cell-free extract) also had strong reducing capacities and various free radical scavenging capacities. Meanwhile, eight antioxidant-related genes were found to up-regulate with varying degrees under H2O2 challenge. Furthermore, we evaluated the probiotic properties by using in vitro assessment. It was showed that GXL94 could maintain a high survival rate at pH 2.5% or 2% bile salt or 8.0% NaCl, live through simulated gastrointestinal tract (GIT) to colonizing the GIT of host, and also show higher abilities of auto-aggregation and hydrophobicity. Additionally, the usual antibiotic susceptible profile and non-hemolytic activity indicated the safety of the strain. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that L. plantarum GXL94 could be a potential probiotic candidate for producing functional foods with antioxidant properties.

Does green finance and energy policy paradox demonstrate green economic recovery: Role of social capital and public health.

Green economy development has become a mainstream value orientation in social and global economic development to protect and improve the ecological environment. Multiple stakeholders are needed to address complex issues, such as climate change and its impact on the ecological environment and public health. This study investigates the impact of energy policy and green finance on green economic recovery via the controlling role of social capital and public health. An entropy approach was used to measure the green economic index in addition to an econometric approximation for interpreting the longitudinal dataset for the scenarios for E7 countries between 2010 and 2020. The findings show that the development of green finance significantly improves green productivity. Higher levels of economic and social conditions, a lower level of public involvement in environmental protection, and a higher level of pollution amplify this positive effect. On the other hand, energy policy can enhance the impact of green finance development. The findings suggest that the empirical findings benefit green finance planning and energy policy.

Analysis and Prediction of Influence Factors of Green Computing on Carbon Cycle Process in Smart City.

Global warming has become the focus of attention of the international community, and the control of carbon dioxide emissions has become one of the necessary choices for the development strategies of countries around the world. Cities are places where carbon dioxide emissions are concentrated. The key to controlling carbon emissions is to control the carbon emissions of cities. My country is currently in the process of rapid urbanization. Quantitative studies of the carbon cycle at the city level will help to take stock of carbon dioxide emissions in cities. On the other hand, it is helpful to understand the status and role of the urban carbon cycle in the process of the regional carbon cycle. Through the analysis and prediction of the elements influencing the carbon cycle of smart cities, this paper first determines the factors affecting smart cities in the carbon cycle process as industrial carbon emission strength factors, industrial structure effects, economic development factors, and population elements. It is found that the major positive factors affecting the significant add of CO2 emissions in smart cities from 2010 to 2019 are economic development factors and demographic factors, including economic development factors GDP/per capita GDP. The per capita contribution to CO2 emissions is higher than the model established by adjusting the affecting elements of overall CO2 emissions, except that the proportion of economic development factors in total CO2 emissions from 2013 to 2015 was lower than the increase in total CO2 emissions. The comparison can better reflect the relation between CO2 emissions and influencing elements. The main determinants affecting CO2 emissions are the expansion of the financial condition, the increase in the average daily population, and the increase in construction work. The adaptation index is judged to be consistent, indicating that the model adjustment effect is good; finally, the green computing in the smart city predicts the carbon cycle process, and the actual value trend line and the predicted value trend line are not much different from the practical value, the forecast error is small, and the prediction results are credible. Global warming has become the focus of attention of the international community, and carbon emission control has become one of the necessary options in the development strategies of countries around the world. Cities are the places where carbon emissions are concentrated. The key to controlling carbon emissions is to control urban carbon emissions. At present, my country is in the process of rapid urbanization. Quantitative research on the carbon cycle at the city level will help to establish an inventory accounting of urban carbon emissions. On the other hand, it is convenient to deeply understand the status and role of the urban carbon cycle in the process of the regional carbon cycle.

Can improving the spatial equity of urban green space mitigate the effect of urban heat islands? An empirical study.

The role of urban green space (UGS) in mitigating the urban heat island (UHI) effect has been demonstrated in a growing body of literature. However, the potential influence of the spatial equity of UGS distribution on the UHI effect has largely been overlooked. The present study aims to identify this potential influence using the spatial equity of UGS and the land surface temperature (LST) as measures of UGS spatial distribution and UHIs, respectively. A comprehensive spatial distribution map of UGS was generated by combining the UGS coverage fraction data within urban impervious pixels and the green cover data outside urban impervious pixels. Then, the spatial equity of UGS distribution across all urban impervious pixels was determined using the Gini coefficient. In addition, an LST map was derived using the thermal infrared spectral bands of Landsat 8 OLI/TIRS products. A case study of Dongguan, a highly urbanized city in China, showed that (1) the distribution of both UGS and LSTs were spatially aggregated in all the towns of the city, (2) the LST of urban impervious pixels was negatively correlated with the area of surrounding UGS, and (3) the Gini coefficient of UGS was positively correlated with the proportion of hot and cool areas, but negatively correlated with the proportion of medium-hot and medium-cool areas. These findings indicate that increasing the amount of UGS is beneficial to the reduction of urban average LSTs, while promoting the spatial equity of UGS distribution is conducive to reducing the spatial aggregation of LSTs within urban areas, thereby improving the overall urban thermal environment. Therefore, as a nature-based solution, promoting the spatial equity of UGS distribution could enhance the overall cooling effect of UGS more effectively at the city scale, and thus further underpin the sustainable development of the urban environment.

A Copula-based interval linear programming model for water resources allocation under uncertainty.

Water scarcity tends to be aggravated by increase in water demand with the trend of socio-economic development. Thus, non-stationary characteristics of water demand should be identified in water resources allocation (WRA) to alleviate the potential influences from water shortages. In this study, a Copula-based interval linear programming model was established for regional WRA. Through combining correlation analysis and an interval linear programming model, this model can: 1) identify interactions between water demand and socio-economic development levels based on Copula functions, 2) explore variations in water shortage with consideration of multiple risk tolerance levels of decision-makers based on Copula sampling, and 3) obtain desired strategies for WRA through an interval linear programming model. Also, Dalian City in China was selected as a case study area to verify the effectiveness of the model for WRA to five water users (i.e., agricultural sector, industrial sector, public service sector, domestic residents, and ecological environment). Considering multiple tolerance levels of decision-makers to water shortage risk, three scenarios (i.e., S1 to S3), indicating 20%, 40%, and 60% of their low, medium, and high tolerance levels, were proposed. The results showed that the correlation between the amount of water demand and indicators of socio-economic development can be described by Clayton and Gaussian Copula functions. The total water supply of Dalian in 2030 would increase by 2.06%-2.65%, compared with the one in 2025. The allocation of water resources across districts was influenced by varied water demand, energy consumption, and risk tolerance levels. Compared with the amount of water allocation in 2025, the contribution of transferred water sources would increase by 6.71% and 7.04% under S1 and S2 in 2030, respectively, and decrease by 14.31% under S3. With the increase of risk tolerance levels of decision-makers, the amount of water supply in Dalian City would gradually decrease.

Comprehensively evaluating cancer survival in children with birth defects: a population-based assessment.

PURPOSE: Congenital malformations are strong risk factors for childhood cancer. Our objective was to determine whether cancer survival differs by birth defect status among Oklahoma children. METHODS: We used accelerated failure time models to estimate survival time ratios (SRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs), adjusted for maternal race/ethnicity and census tract-level poverty, among children diagnosed with cancer and born in Oklahoma from 1997 to 2012 (n = 971), by linking records from birth certificates, birth defects, and cancer registries. RESULTS: We observed decreased, though imprecise, survival time among survivors with any birth defect (SR: 0.82, 95% CI: 0.29, 2.31) or chromosomal defects (n = 24) (SR: 0.43, 95% CI: 0.06, 3.30) compared to those without birth defects. We observed no difference in survival time among children with non-chromosomal defects (SR: 0.98, 95% CI: 0.31, 3.12) compared to children with no birth defects. CONCLUSION: Our study did not identify significant differences in cancer survival for children with and without birth defects. Future studies should consider pooling data from multiple states to allow in-depth study of specific birth defects and cancer types and confirm whether survival differs by type and number of birth defects.

Actualizing a High-Energy Bipolar-Stacked Solid-State Battery with Low-Cost Mechanically Robust Nylon Mesh-Reinforced Composite Polymer Electrolyte Membranes.

To meet the rapidly growing and diversified demand for energy storage, advanced rechargeable batteries with high-performance materials and efficient battery configuration are widely being exploited and developed. Bipolar-stacked electrode coupling with solid-state electrolytes enables achieving batteries with high output voltage, high energy density, and simple components. Here, a polymer electrolyte membrane is designed with polyethylene oxide containing bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)-imide as the electrolyte, succinonitrile as the plasticizer, and nylon mesh as a reinforcement for the bipolar-stacked battery. The as-prepared nylon mesh-reinforced polymer electrolyte membrane shows advantageous features, that is, excellent ionic conductivity (3.38 × 10-4 S cm-1) at room temperature, low interface impedance, and good tolerance against the expansion caused by the plating/stripping of the Li anode and the electrode upon cycling. When used as a polymer electrolyte membrane in the bipolar-stacked battery, the LiFePO4(LFP)-Li4Ti5O12(LTO) cell with three cells connected in series delivers a higher discharge voltage (5.4 V) and a volumetric energy density (0.328 mW h cm-3), nearly 3 times as much as that of the LFP-LTO battery. In addition, LiFePO4-Li pouch cells using the polymer electrolyte membrane can sustain the abuse tests including bending, cutting, and nail penetration well. These results pave a new avenue to develop high-performance polymer electrolyte membranes and allow for the design of high-voltage and volumetric energy density bipolar-stacked batteries.

How to obtain industrial waste data at the county scale: Two downscaling models and their application in Dongguan, China.

The availability of environmental emission data is critical in evaluation of countries' ecological security and the implementation of environmental management. However, access to environmental emission data at the county level is not provided by statistical publications and bulletins. Therefore, in this paper, we develop two novel data downscaling models, an environmental Kuznets curve downscaling model (EKCDM) and a scale model (SM), to obtain county-level environmental emission data. The EKCDM relies on the EKC hypothesis and the assumption that the same model applies across scales, whereas the SM depends on the assumption that the share of a region's environmental pollution is equivalent to its share of economic output. Subsequently, environmental emission data above the county scale can be obtained through model transformation and simple calculations. By verifying and analyzing the official data with the one obtained through downscaling at municipal level and above, we verify the feasibility of the models, after which we apply the models to extrapolate information on the industrial waste of the counties of Dongguan city in Guangdong Province, China. We find that the EKCDM should be given priority in most cases, especially for the quadratic parameter model, and that the SM can be adopted when per capita gross domestic product differs greatly between adjacent levels of administrative units. In general, scholars can synthesize the characteristics of these two models, and obtain more accurate data by supplementing and verifying one with the other. Compared with other downscaling methods, our methods require far less data and the concepts are easily understood, which makes them more feasible and increases applicability. This study provides scholars with powerful tools to explore the relationship between industrial pollution and economic development in depth by obtaining industrial waste data at the county scale, thereby supporting scientific research and policy design.

A lightweight and low-cost electrode for lithium-ion batteries derived from paper towel supported MOF arrays.

Herein, Cu-doped Co-ZIF nanoplate arrays are uniformly grown on a commercial paper towel substrate first. After a subsequent annealing treatment, well-defined Cu-doped Co/CoO nanoparticles embedded in N-doped carbon hybrid nanoplate arrays supported on the carbon paper substrate (denoted as Cu-doped Co/CoO/NC NPAs@CP) are obtained, which exhibit excellent performance as a low-cost, lightweight and binder-free anode for lithium ion storage.

Conveniently-Grasped Field Assessment Stroke Triage (CG-FAST): A Modified Scale to Detect Large Vessel Occlusion Stroke.

Background and Purpose: Patients with large vessel occlusion stroke (LVOS) need to be rapidly identified and transferred to comprehensive stroke centers (CSC). However, previous pre-hospital strategy remains challenging. We aimed to develop a modified scale to better predict LVOS. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed our prospectively collected database for acute ischemic stroke (AIS) patients who underwent CT angiography (CTA) or time of flight MR angiography (TOF-MRA) and had a detailed National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score at admission. Large vessel occlusion (LVO) was defined as the complete occlusion of large vessels, including the intracranial internal carotid artery (ICA), M1, and M2 segments of the middle cerebral artery (MCA), and basilar artery (BA). The Conveniently-Grasped Field Assessment Stroke Triage (CG-FAST) scale consisted of Level of Consciousness (LOC) questions, Gaze deviation, Facial palsy, Arm weakness, and Speech changes. Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) analysis was used to obtain the Area Under the Curve (AUC) of CG-FAST and previously established pre-hospital prediction scales. Results: Finally, 1,355 patients were included in the analysis. LVOS was detected in 664 (49.0%) patients. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of CG-FAST were 0.617, 0.810, 0.785, and 0.692 respectively, at the optimal cutoff (≥4). The AUC, Youden index and accuracy of the CG-FAST scale (0.758, 0.428, and 0.728) were all higher than other pre-hospital prediction scales. Conclusions: CG-FAST scale could be an effective and simple scale for accurate identification of LVOS among AIS patients.