How does full-cost insurance for wheat affect pesticide use? From the perspective of the differentiation of farmers' production scale.

Theoretically, agricultural insurance influences farmers' use of pesticides by changing the expected income of agricultural production. Full-cost insurance, with high guarantee and high compensation characteristics, may significantly affect farmers' pesticide use. First, this paper constructs a production function to characterize and compare the marginal incomes of insured and uninsured farmers under risk uncertainty and analyses how insured farmers can increase marginal income by increasing or reducing factor inputs. Considering scale differentiation, it discusses pesticide use strategies different types of farmers may adopt to maximize household utility. Second, using survey data of the pilot counties of full-cost insurance for wheat in Henan Province, China, the simultaneous equation model is used for empirical testing. The results reveal the following: (i) Farmers' insurance participation and pesticide application behaviour are not mutually independent. (ii) For the whole sample, full-cost insurance for wheat has a significant pesticide reduction effect. (iii) However, considering scale differentiation, pesticide application decreases significantly among insured ordinary farmers but does not change significantly among insured large-scale farmers. Third, policy measures are proposed to activate the green development function of agricultural insurance.

The Impact of Environmental Regulation on the Location of Pollution-Intensive Industries in China under Agglomeration Effect.

Pollution-intensive industries (PIIs) have both scale effect and environmental sensitivity. Therefore, this paper studies how environmental regulation (ER) affects the location dynamics of PIIs under the agglomeration effect. Our results show that, ER can increase the production costs of pollution-intensive firms (PIFs) by internalizing the negative impact of pollutant discharge in a region, and thus, directly reduces the region's attractiveness to PIFs. Meanwhile, ER can indirectly reduce the attractiveness of a region to PIFs by reducing the externality of the regional agglomeration effect. Moreover, these influences are regulated by the level of local economic development. Based on the moderated mediating effect model, we find evidence from the site selection activities of newly built chemical firms in cities across China. The empirical test shows that compared with 2014, the proportion of the direct effect of ER to the total effects significantly decreased in 2018, while the proportion of indirect effects under the agglomeration effect increased significantly. Our findings provide reference for the government to design effective environmental policies to guide the location choice of new PIFs.

Acupuncture Therapy plus Hyaluronic Acid Injection for Knee Osteoarthritis: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

OBJECTIVE: This meta-analysis aimed to investigate the effectiveness of acupuncture therapy plus hyaluronic acid injection versus hyaluronic acid injection alone for patients with knee osteoarthritis. METHODS: Relevant randomized controlled trials that compared the combined effect of acupuncture therapy and hyaluronic acid injection with hyaluronic acid injection alone for knee osteoarthritis patients were included. 10 studies were included in this meta-analysis, and the relative risk (RR) and weight mean difference (MD) with 95% CI for the Lysholm knee score (LKSS), visual analogue scale (VAS), and effective rate (ER) were evaluated by using RevMan 5.3 software. Besides, the bias assessment of the included studies was evaluated using the Cochrane risk of bias tool, and the GRADE (Grading of Recommendations, Assessment Development, and Evaluation) system was applied to assess the overall quality of the evidence. RESULTS: A total of 10 studies involving 998 participants were included in this study. Compared to hyaluronic acid injection alone, the combined therapy significantly reduced pain on the visual analogue scale (VAS) and improved the ER and knee function on the Lysholm knee score (LKSS). Of these, the pooled LKSS (MD = 8.09, 95% CI = [7.02, 9.16], p < 0.00001, 7 studies) and ER (RR = 1.23, 95% CI 1.15 to 1.31, p < 0.00001, 7 studies) and ER (RR = 1.23, 95% CI 1.15 to 1.31, p < 0.00001, 7 studies) and ER (RR = 1.23, 95% CI 1.15 to 1.31. CONCLUSION: Current evidence suggests that acupuncture therapy combined with hyaluronic acid injection is more effective in alleviating pain, improving the ER and knee function compared with hyaluronic acid injection alone. However, considering the low quality, small size, and high risk of the studies identified in this meta-analysis, more higher methodological quality, rigorously designed randomized controlled trials with large sample sizes are needed to confirm the results.

Whole mitochondrial genome sequence of a rat rheumatoid arthritis E3 strain.

We sequenced a complete mitochondrial genome sequence of a rat rheumatoid arthritis disease E3 strain for the first time. The total length of the mitogenome was 16,305 bp and coding 13 protein-coding genes, 2 ribosomal RNA genes, 22 transfer RNA genes. This mitochondrial genome sequence will provide new genetic resource into rheumatoid arthritis disease.

[Research progress of percutaneous 360 degree axial lumbar interbody fusion technique].

OBJECTIVE: To review the feature, biomechanics, and clinical application of percutaneous 360 degree axial lumbar interbody fusion (AxiaLIF) technique. METHODS: Recent literature on investigation and application of percutaneous 360 degree AxiaLIF technique was reviewed. RESULTS: Percutaneous 360 degree AxiaLIF technique mainly contained operative approach, axial technique, and posterior fixation. It was obviously different from other lumbar interbody fusion techniques due to its capability of maintaining the integrity of the bilateral facet joints, the anterior/posterior longitudinal ligament, and the annulus fibrosus. Three-dimensional AxiaLIF Rod provided axial support and firmly fixation, thereby relieving stenosis of lumbar intervertebral foramen and restoring the intervertebral disc height and the whole height and physiological curvature of the lumbar spine. The recovery of the intervertebral disc height could restore the folded or crumpled flavum, the posterior longitudinal ligament, and the herniated annulus, resulting in the improvement of stenosis symptoms of nerve root canal or central vertebral canal. CONCLUSION: Percutaneous 360 degree AxiaLIF technique achieves satisfying therapeutic effects, although it has fairly narrow indication and needs long-term follow-up observation.