Objective. The current study aimed to explore the relationship between OSAS and hypertension and whether polysomnography (PSG) indices were independently associated with hypertension in patients with ...type 2 diabetes (T2DM). Methods. This study recruited 316 T2DM patients. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to determine the independent association of apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) and oxygen desaturation index (ODI) with hypertension with adjustment for potential confounders. Results. Among 316 patients, 130 (41.1%) and 204 (64.6%) had hypertension and OSAS, respectively. T2DM patients with hypertension showed significantly increased levels of AHI ((median (interquartile range)): 17.2 (5.7–34.9) vs. 5.7 (2.1–17.3) events/hour, p < 0.001), nonrapid eye movement AHI (NREM-AHI) (17.6 (5.5–36.5) vs. 5.2 (2.2–16.6) events/hour, p < 0.001), ODI (48.4 (21.9–78.0) vs. 22.6 (10.8–48.1) events/hour, p < 0.001), and severities of OSAS and decreased levels of lowest SaO2 ((mean ± standard deviation): 74.0 ± 10.4 vs. 77.3 ± 9.8, p = 0.004). Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that higher levels of AHI, NREM-AHI, and ODI were significantly associated with increased risks of hypertension, and the adjusted odds ratios (ORs) with 95% CI were 1.026 (1.008–1.044, p = 0.004), 1.026 (1.009–1.044, p = 0.003), and 1.005 (1.001–1.010, p = 0.040), respectively. Compared with non-OSAS, severe OSAS was significantly associated with the risk of hypertension with the adjusted OR (95% CI) of 3.626 (1.609–8.172, p = 0.002), but associations of rapid eye movement AHI (REM-AHI) and lowest SaO2 with hypertension were not statistically significant. Conclusion. Increased AHI, NREM-AHI, ODI, and severities of OSAS were significantly associated with higher risks of hypertension in T2DM patients. Detection and treatment of OSAS are needed to prevent hypertension in T2DM patients.
The enriched collagens in the extracellular matrix (ECM) of breast cancer substantially impede drug delivery. Halofuginone (HF), a potent antifibrotic agent, was effective to deplete the collagens ...and remodel the ECM by inhibiting the TGFβ pathway. However, the application of HF was hindered by its strong liver toxicity. Herein, mesoporous platinum (mPt) nanoparticles were constructed to load HF as theranostic nanoplatforms. mPt had a uniform spherical structure with a diameter of 79.83 ± 6.97 nm and an average pore diameter of 20 nm and exhibited good photothermal conversion efficiency of 62.4%. The obtained HF‐loaded nanoplatform (PEG@mPt‐HF) showed enhanced cytotoxicity through the combination of photothermal therapy and the anti‐TGFβ effect induced by HF. The animal imaging and histochemical assays confirmed the PEG@mPt‐HF could efficiently deliver HF to tumors (monitored by CT) and remodel the ECM by TGFβ pathway inhibition, which resulted in increased anti‐cancer efficacy. Importantly, the liver toxicity observed in HF‐treated mice was negligible in those treated by PEG@mPt‐HF. Overall, this study designed a theranostic nanoplatform to remodel the ECM with remarkably reduced systematic toxicity and enhance the therapeutic efficacy through combination treatment.
Montipora vietnamensis
Veron, 2000 (Cnidaria, Anthozoa, Scleractinia, Acroporidae) is an uncommon, but distinctive species of stony coral. The complete mitochondrial genome of
M. vietnamensis
was ...sequenced in this study for the first time, based on 32 pairs of primers newly designed according to seven species in the family Acroporidae. The mitogenome of
M. vietnamensis
has a circular form and is 17,885 bp long, including 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 2 tRNA (tRNA
Met
, tRNA
Trp
), 2 rRNA genes and a putative control-region. The base composition of the complete mitogenome was 24.8% A, 14.2% C, 24.2% G and 36.8% T, with a higher AT content (61.6%) than GC content (38.4%). Based on 13 protein-coding genes, a Maximum Likelihood phylogenetic analysis showed that
M. vietnamensis
is clustered in the genus
Montipora
which belongs to the family Acroporidae. More stony coral species should be sequenced for basic molecular information and to help confirm the taxonomic status and evolutionary relationships of Scleractinia in the future.
This paper innovates in the risk management of insurance and banking capital by exploring efficient, accurate, and reliable algorithms for evaluating risk measures and contributions in copula credit ...risk models. We propose a hybrid saddlepoint approximation algorithm, which leverages a synergy of nice analytical tractability from the saddlepoint approximation framework and efficient numerical integration from the Monte Carlo simulation. Notably, the numerical integration over the systematic risk factors is enhanced using three novel numerical techniques, namely, the mean shift technique, randomized quasi-Monte Carlo simulation, and scalar-proxied interpolation technique. We also enhance the exponential twisting and cross entropy algorithms via the use of interpolation and update rules of optimal parameters, respectively. Extensive numerical tests on computing risk measures and risk contributions were performed on various copula models with multiple risk factors. Our hybrid saddlepoint approximation method coupled with various enhanced numerical techniques is seen to exhibit a high level of efficiency, accuracy, and reliability when compared with existing importance sampling algorithms.
Confronted with challenges such as escalating demand, expanding energy consumption, and emissions, China’s manufacturing sector stands at a pivotal juncture on its path towards sustainable ...development. Against the backdrop of a new wave of technological revolution and industrial transformation, exploring how the digital economy can foster growth in green total factor productivity (GTFP), particularly amidst technological diversification, holds significant importance for realizing sustainable development objectives. This study employs the system generalized method of moments (System GMM), encompassing 30 provinces in China, to delve deeply into the notable and dynamic correlation between the development index of the digital economy and GTFP. The findings reveal that the advancement of the digital economy significantly influences GTFP, underscoring its direct and enduring impact on green productivity. Key mechanisms through which the digital economy promotes green productivity are identified, including resource optimization, green technological innovation, data-driven decision making, and the transformation of environmentally sustainable behaviors. By bridging gaps in existing literature, this study integrates economic and environmental perspectives, emphasizing the necessity for formulating digital innovation policies aligned with environmental objectives. It provides richer insights into the role of the digital economy in enhancing GTFP, accentuating the potential of digital technologies in driving green transformation. With its holistic approach, this study combines economic efficiency with environmental sustainability, offering crucial guidance for policymakers and industry stakeholders in crafting sustainable development strategies.
•Explored sulfamethoxazole removal using multi-soil-layering system in rural area.•Investigated interactive effects of multiple variables on sulfamethoxazole removal.•Developed the stepwise-cluster ...inference for modeling sulfamethoxazole removal.•Analyzed the bacterial abundance in soil mixture blocks through gene sequencing.•Revealed the relationship between bacteria and sulfamethoxazole biodegradation.
Sulfamethoxazole (SMX) is the most widely distributed sulfonamide antibiotics detected in decentralized poultry wastewater in rural communities. As an economically-feasible and eco-friendly technology for decentralized wastewater treatment in rural areas, vertical-flow multi-soil-layering (MSL) system was promising to mitigate the ecological and human health risks from SMX in such areas. The treatment of SMX-contained poultry wastewater by using MSL systems was investigated for the first time, and the main and interactive effects of related multiple variables on system performance were explored through factorial analysis, including material of permeable layer, concentration of SMX, and pH of influent. Results indicated that SMX concentration and pH of influent showed significantly negative effects on SMX removal. Medical stone used in MSL systems with larger surface area could intensify the SMX removal compared to anthracite. MSL systems showed stable performances on SMX removal with the best SMX removal efficiency more than 91%. A novel stepwise-cluster inference (SCI) model was developed for the first time to map the multivariate numeric relationships between state variables and SMX removal under discrete and nonlinear complexities. It was demonstrated that the effect of SMX in wastewater with high concentration was significant on the differentiation of soil bacteria composition in MSL systems based on microbial diversity analysis. These results can help better understand the mechanism of SMX removal in MSL systems from perspectives of factorial analysis, numeric modeling, and microbiological change.
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Transparent heat-insulation glass (HIG) with a highly selective light-absorbing coating and an energy-storage blanket (ESB) loaded with phase change materials show considerable potential in reducing ...building energy consumption. However, the energy-saving effect of a single material is usually not ideal, and the instability of HIG and ESB limits their applications. In this work, HIG with enhanced stability and a form-stable ESB was prepared. The temperature difference between various indoor areas and energy consumption were reduced simultaneously because of the temperature regulation function of the HIG and ESB in the light and dark areas. NaxWO3@SiO2-coated HIG showed excellent daylighting and near-infrared-light-shielding ability with visible light transmittance of 71% and near-infrared light transmittance of 16%, respectively. Moreover, polyethylene glycol/halloysite nanotube composite phase change material with a high enthalpy of 71.1 J/g and a suitable phase change temperature of 27.5 °C was prepared for the form-stable ESB. The test room experiment indicated that the combination of the HIG and ESB (HIG–ESB) reduced the indoor temperature difference from 6.8 °C to 0.9 °C and the maximum temperature by 33–40%. The energy consumption simulation revealed that the ESB can save energy in all selected cities, whereas HIG is only applicable to cities in warm regions. HIG–ESB achieved the highest annual energy-saving rate of 43.9% in Hong Kong. The joint application of the HIG and ESB provides a new strategy for developing passive energy-saving buildings.
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•The stability of NaxWO3 nanoparticles is significantly improved by SiO2 film.•The indoor temperature can be reduced by 30%–44% through energy-saving materials.•The indoor temperature difference in the test room decreased from 6.8 °C to 0.9 °C.•The annual building energy consumption in Hong Kong can be reduced by 43.9%.
Energy resources' impact on gross domestic product and financial growth is controversial. The research is quiet on the potential effects of fluctuation in other areas, such as energy resource ...investment and finance, on exchange rates, financial and environmental indicators, making it urgent that this topic receives attention today. Our research aims to fill this gap by highlighting the fundamental insecurity of natural resource markets, energy expenditure markets and green financing markets. Because of the challenges in collecting older data, this analysis focuses on the decade from 1990 to 2020. We analysed the following asymmetry by employing the model TGARCH specification. According to the calculations, there is more room for fluctuation after a negative shock to natural resources than after a positive one. The study's empirical findings are then used to inform policy recommendations for maintaining a secure financial system and controlling the rising cost of scarce natural resources. The study also highlights the need for increased investment in green finance and recommends diversifying existing energy resource investments to foster the growth of alternative energy sources. This research suggests that we put more resources into green financing and develop new renewable energy sources. Conclusions: natural resource and energy investments are subject to volatility over time, as evidenced by the results and standard and relevant volatility assessments such as autoregressive conditional heteroscedasticity.
Examining the 1990‐2020 period, this study reveals notable volatility in natural resource and energy investments. Using the TGARCH model, we identified a greater propensity for fluctuation after negative shocks to natural resources. The findings underscore the imperative for diversifying energy investments and bolstering green financing to ensure financial stability and sustainable energy transition.
In recent years, patients with chronic diseases have shown a younger trend due to physical inactivity and irregular lifestyles. Accordingly, the Chinese government has implemented the "National ...Fitness Program", which aims to enhance people's health by popularizing exercise and a healthy lifestyle. However, women are less physically active than men, and how to appeal to women to devote themselves to fitness activities has become a social concern. Based on the expanded theory of planned behavior (TPB), this study explores the impact of the perceived policy effectiveness and health awareness on physical activity among working women. This study adopted a repeated cross-sectional study method, and each respondent was asked to complete a two-stage survey. The structural model of the extended TPB was tested using sample data from 376 working women in Changsha, China. The results show that perceived policy effectiveness and health awareness positively affect actual behavioral control and implementation intention. Among them, perceived policy effectiveness has the most significant impact on implementation intention, followed by health awareness. Furthermore, actual behavioral control and implementation intention mediate the relationship between perceived policy effectiveness/health awareness and physical activity. The findings suggest that to promote physical activity among working women, the Chinese government should deepen the implementation of the "National Fitness Program" and raise the public's health awareness.
•Potential phase change materials (PCMs) for the buildings were summarized.•Preparation methods of shape-stabilized PCMs (SSPCMs) were reviewed.•Effects of incorporating SSPCMs into cementitious ...materials were identified.•The application of thermal energy storage cementitious materials was revealed.
Phase change materials (PCMs) have attracted considerable attention as potential energy storage media for improving the energy storage densities of building envelopes. Therefore, researchers have committed to introducing PCMs into cementitious materials to develop structural–functional integrated thermal energy storage cementitious materials (TESCMs). Nevertheless, TESCMs have not been widely applied in large-scale engineering and remain in a trial or test stage. This review provides an overview of TESCMs for passive buildings to keep researchers abreast of the latest research trends and technological advances. Among the different types of PCMs, inorganic PCMs with low cost and high thermal conductivity have the most potential for application in buildings; however, their supercooling and phase separation must be addressed before use. Vacuum impregnation and micro-encapsulated and macro-encapsulated techniques are the main methods to encapsulate PCMs for preparing shape-stabilized PCMs (SSPCMs) and preventing PCM leakage from TESCMs. The inclusion of SSPCMs was found to have a negative effect on the workability, mechanical strength, and thermal conductivity of cementitious materials. However, thermal energy storage buildings (TESBs) composed of TESCMs can regulate the indoor temperature within the thermal comfort range, significantly decreasing energy consumption. This is because the effectiveness of TESBs depends highly on such factors as PCM dosages, climatic conditions, and the phase change temperature of PCMs; thus, a multi-objective optimization design is required to design TESB layouts.
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