Revisiting the relationship between natural resources and environmental quality- can ICT break the "resource curse" in the environment?

Despite the prevalence of discussions on the "resource curse", the impact of natural resources on environmental quality for better or for worse has not been clearly answered, this study aims to answer the question by introducing the role of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). To that end, by using the Instrumental Variable Generalized Method of Moments (IV GMM) estimator and a sample of 102 developing and emerging economies from 2006 to 2016, this paper studies the impact of ICT on the relationship between natural resources and environmental quality. Specially, the Environmental Performance Index (EPI) captures the environmental quality. The results show that natural resources have a significant negative effect on EPI, specially, EPI decreases by one unit with a 1% increase in natural resource rents. ICT significantly mitigates this adverse effect, and marginal effects analysis further confirms its positive moderate effects. The results proved to be robust by Lewbel 2SLS and Driscoll-Kraay techniques or other robust tests. It is noteworthy that the adverse effect of natural resources on EPI is greater and the mitigating effect of ICT is more pronounced in low-income countries and lower-middle income countries. Overall, these results remind resource-based countries to vigorously develop ICT, and apply intelligent exploration, digital monitoring, or other digital technologies to realize the high-efficiency use of natural resources, reducing environmental pollution and ecological damage.

Case report: A case of injury to the infrapatellar branch of the saphenous nerve caused by medial approach in knee arthroscopy.

We present the case of a 72-year-old man who was referred to our department for treatment of pain on the anteromedial infrapatellar side of the right knee with sensory disturbance that began 2 years earlier. The patient previously underwent right knee arthroscopy at another hospital for a meniscus injury 2 years earlier, which relieved his knee pain, but pain and discomfort near the incision of the medial portal persisted. Given this situation, various physical treatments, such as ice compress, were administered postoperatively. However, the symptom was only partially relieved before discharge. Subsequently, the patient visited two other hospitals and began taking oral pregabalin and duloxetine for treatment of the pain based on a diagnosis of right common peroneal nerve injury. The pain in the same dermatomal distribution was slightly relieved, but a withdrawal reaction was observed. However, the results of an ultrasound at our hospital indicated that the right medial quadriceps femoris tendon showed a hypoechoic area suggesting inflammatory changes. Physical examination of the right knee detected atrophy of the quadriceps femoris muscle, decreased muscle strength (M4), obvious tenderness in the medial side, radiating pain along the anterior tibia, and sensory disturbance (S3+); the results of a drawer test, McMurray test, pivot shift test, and lateral stress test were negative. Based on the aforementioned evidence, a diagnosis was made of injury to the infrapatellar branch of the saphenous nerve, after which neurolysis of the nerve in question was carried out. An enlarged incision was made along the original medial approach. Scar hyperplasia was observed after careful separation of the subcutaneous tissue. During neurolysis, branches were found wrapped in the scar; their continuity and integrity were confirmed after relief. The released nerve was placed in a physiological position. The patient's pain was clearly relieved, and numbness disappeared on the first postoperative day. At 1-month follow-up, all symptoms were found to have resolved.

Comparison of PET/CT and MRI in the Diagnosis of Bone Metastasis in Prostate Cancer Patients: A Network Analysis of Diagnostic Studies.

BACKGROUND: Accurate diagnosis of bone metastasis status of prostate cancer (PCa) is becoming increasingly more important in guiding local and systemic treatment. Positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) have increasingly been utilized globally to assess the bone metastases in PCa. Our meta-analysis was a high-volume series in which the utility of PET/CT with different radioligands was compared to MRI with different parameters in this setting. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Three databases, including Medline, Embase, and Cochrane Library, were searched to retrieve original trials from their inception to August 31, 2019 according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-analysis (PRISMA) statement. The methodological quality of the included studies was assessed by two independent investigators utilizing Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies (QUADAS-2). A Bayesian network meta-analysis was performed using an arm-based model. Absolute sensitivity and specificity, relative sensitivity and specificity, diagnostic odds ratio (DOR), and superiority index, and their associated 95% confidence intervals (CI) were used to assess the diagnostic value. RESULTS: Forty-five studies with 2,843 patients and 4,263 lesions were identified. Network meta-analysis reveals that 68Ga-labeled prostate membrane antigen (68Ga-PSMA) PET/CT has the highest superiority index (7.30) with the sensitivity of 0.91 and specificity of 0.99, followed by 18F-NaF, 11C-choline, 18F-choline, 18F-fludeoxyglucose (FDG), and 18F-fluciclovine PET/CT. The use of high magnetic field strength, multisequence, diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI), and more imaging planes will increase the diagnostic value of MRI for the detection of bone metastasis in prostate cancer patients. Where available, 3.0-T high-quality MRI approaches 68Ga-PSMA PET/CT was performed in the detection of bone metastasis on patient-based level (sensitivity, 0.94 vs. 0.91; specificity, 0.94 vs. 0.96; superiority index, 4.43 vs. 4.56). CONCLUSIONS: 68Ga-PSMA PET/CT is recommended for the diagnosis of bone metastasis in prostate cancer patients. Where available, 3.0-T high-quality MRI approaches 68Ga-PSMA PET/CT should be performed in the detection of bone metastasis.

Gut Microbiota and Lung Injury.

Gut microbiota are known to impact multiple organs including the lung. The cross talk between gut microbes and lungs, termed as the "gut-lung axis," is vital for immune response and homeostasis in the airways. In this chapter, we summarized the coordinated development of microorganisms in the gut and lung, exogenous and endogenous factors related to the cross talk, the mechanisms of the gut-lung axis and their dysbiosis in lung diseases. Although the current understanding of the gut-lung axis is in its infancy, several gut microbiota-associated strategies have been designed to treat and prevent lung diseases.

An original design of remote robot-assisted intubation system.

The success rate of pre-hospital endotracheal intubation (ETI) by paramedics is lower than physicians. We aimed to establish a remote robot-assisted intubation system (RRAIS) and expected it to improve success rate of pre-hospital ETI. To test the robot's feasibility, 20 pigs were intubated by direct laryngoscope or the robot system. Intubation time, success rate, airway complications were recorded during the experiment. The animal experiment showed that participants achieved a higher success rate in absolute numbers by the robot system. In summary, we have successfully developed a remote robot-assisted intubation system. It is promising for RRAIS to improve the success rate of pre-hospital ETI and change the current rescue model.