Analysis of the Impact of Economic Policy Uncertainty on Environmental Sustainability in Developed and Developing Economies

The literature on the impact of policy uncertainty on climate change has grown rapidly in recent years as policymakers and researchers have become increasingly concerned about the potential adverse effects of policy uncertainty on environmental sustainability. This study aims to investigate the impact of economic policy uncertainty (EPU), GDP per capita, renewable energy consumption (REC), and foreign direct investment (FDI) on environmental sustainability from the perspectives of the environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) and pollution halo/haven hypotheses. The research employs panel data analysis techniques, including panel corrected standard errors (PCSE) and generalized least squares (GLS), to analyze the data from a panel of 19 developed and developing countries from 2001 to 2019. The results reveal that EPU, GDP per capita, REC, and FDI significantly impact GHG emissions, contributing to climate change. The results of the study confirm a U-shaped EKC and pollution haven hypothesis in the selected economies. The findings of this study provide valuable insights for policymakers, as they highlight the need to consider the interplay between economic growth, foreign investment, and environmental policy in addressing climate change. The results also suggest that reducing policy uncertainty and promoting sustainable economic growth can mitigate the effects of climate change and ensure environmental sustainability

The Genetic Types of Baiyun Cave in Lincheng County of Hebei Province

Baiyun Karst Caverns in Lincheng County, Hebei Province, is a rare karst caverns in subhumid climate region of the north. It was developed in carbonatite strata, particularly in Zhangxia formation of the Middle Cambrain series. Erosion-corrosion landscape and chemical deposition landscape are abundant, They are various shapes, curtain drapery, cave flag, cave shield, stalactite, stalagmite, cave flowers, botryoid, soda straw are developed, especially heligmite, soda straw, cave flowers are the most characteristic

From driver to enabler: the moderating effect of corporate social responsibility on firm performance

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is assumed to have a direct influence on firm performance. However, the existing literature provides a mixed depiction of the relationship between CSR and firm performance. In this study, CSR is considered as an enabler for firm performance, rather than a direct driving force. Using a sample of U.S. firms, we test the enabler hypothesis and find that CSR positively moderates the relationship between marketing investments and firm financial performance, i.e., the enabling hypothesis is supported. The moderating effect of CSR is further moderated by how firms treat their employees. Mistreating employees weakens CSR’s moderating effect because it may make customers to perceive CSR activities as self-interested makeups rather than purely charitable actions in nature. Overall, our study suggests a logic shift from considering CSR as a driver for firm performance to an enabler and provides implications for both future research and practices

Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid Enhances Cadmium Phytoextraction by <i>Coreopsis grandiflora</i> by Remodeling the Rhizospheric Environment

Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) significantly affects plant responses to heavy metals in hydroponics or culture media, but its corresponding effects in plant–soil systems remain unknown. In this study, different GABA dosages (0–8 g kg−1) were added to the rhizosphere of Coreopsis grandiflora grown in Cd-contaminated soils. Cd accumulation in the shoots of C. grandiflora was enhanced by 38.9–159.5% by GABA in a dose-dependent approach because of accelerated Cd absorption and transport. The increase in exchangeable Cd transformed from Fe-Mn oxide and carbonate-bound Cd, which may be mainly driven by decreased soil pH rather than GABA itself, could be a determining factor responsible for this phenomenon. The N, P, and K availability was affected by multiple factors under GABA treatment, which may regulate Cd accommodation and accumulation in C. grandiflora. The rhizospheric environment dynamics remodeled the bacterial community composition, resulting in a decline in overall bacterial diversity and richness. However, several important plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria, especially Pseudomonas and Sphingomonas, were recruited under GABA treatment to assist Cd phytoextraction in C. grandiflora. This study reveals that GABA as a soil amendment remodels the rhizospheric environment (e.g., soil pH and rhizobacteria) to enhance Cd phytoextraction in plant–soil systems

Low level of knowledge regarding diagnosis and treatment among inpatients with schizophrenia in Shanghai

Objective: The study was designed to measure the level of knowledge of the diagnosis of illness and its treatment among patients with schizophrenia in China, and to examine the association between the capacity to provide informed consent and participation in treatment. Participants and methods A cross-sectional study was conducted at three clinical inpatient sites in Shanghai, China, during 2015. Patients’ knowledge of the illness, as well as the knowledge of the patients’ families and psychiatrists, was determined. Logistic regression was used to determine the factors associated with patients’ knowledge of schizophrenia. Results: Out of 109 enrolled schizophrenic inpatients (mean age 42.46±1.29 years), 60.6% were aware of their diagnosis and 67.0% knew details of their treatment plan. The group with unimpaired capacity for giving informed consent had a greater knowledge of their diagnosis (χ2=5.002, p=0.038) and of their treatment plan (χ2=11.196, p<0.01) in comparison with patients who were regarded to be impaired. Using logistic regression analysis, it was found that patients’ capacity to give informed consent to treatment was associated with the level of knowledge surrounding the diagnosis (odds ratio =3.230, p<0.05) and the level of knowledge of treatment (odds ratio =4.962, p<0.01). Conclusion: The level of knowledge reported by inpatients with schizophrenia was low with respect to the diagnosis of schizophrenia and of the treatment associated with this illness. An association between patients’ capacities for giving informed consent and knowledge of their illness was confirmed in the present study. The results suggest that, in clinical practice, the informed consent process should be strengthened to protect the interests of patients with schizophrenia

A Member of the Nuclear Receptor Superfamily, Designated as NR2F2, Supports the Self-Renewal Capacity and Pluripotency of Human Bone Marrow-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells

Mesenchymal stem cells are characterized with self-renewal capacity and pluripotency. NR2F2 is a nuclear receptor that has been detected in the mesenchymal compartment of developing organs. However, whether NR2F2 plays a role in the stemness maintenance of mesenchymal stem cells has not been explored yet. In this study, we investigated the function of NR2F2 in bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells via shRNA-mediated knock-down of NR2F2. The suppression of NR2F2 impaired the colony-forming efficacy of mesenchymal stem cells. The inhibition of colony-forming capacity may be attributed to the acceleration of senescence through upregulation of P21 and P16. The downregulation of NR2F2 also suppressed both osteogenic and adipogenic differentiation processes. In conclusion, NR2F2 plays an important role in the stemness maintenance of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells

Effect of Adsorbent Diameter on the Performance of Adsorption Refrigeration

Adsorbents are important components in adsorption refrigeration. The diameter of an adsorbent can affect the heat and mass transfer of an adsorber. The effect of particle diameter on effective thermal conductivity was investigated. The heat transfer coefficient of the refrigerant and the void rate of the adsorbent layer can also affect the effective thermal conductivity of adsorbents. The performance of mass transfer in the adsorber is better when pressure drop decreases. Pressure drop decreases with increasing permeability. The permeability of the adsorbent layer can be improved with increasing adsorbent diameter. The effect of adsorbent diameter on refrigeration output power was experimentally studied. Output power initially increases and then decreases with increasing diameter under different cycle time conditions. Output power increases with decreasing cycle time under similar diameters