Implementation strategy of MEI policy and SME innovation: a Chinese analysis

How to unify various policy tools into the same econometric model framework has always been an important research issue. This paper clarifies the connotation of MEI policy’s tool combination, scientifically identifies the actual impact of R&D subsidy tool, tax incentive tool, and their combination on SME innovation, and explores the best implementation strategy of MEI policy, by designing a reasonable and applicable policy identification framework. This paper confirms that R&D subsidy tool and tax incentive tool of MEI policy can form the obvious complementary effect in promoting substantive innovation of SMEs, but the mutually exclusive effect in promoting strategic innovation of SMEs. It is shown that the single tax incentive is the best implementation strategy of MEI policy to stimulate innovation for SMEs located in the central region, and the policy tool combination strategy is the best implementation scheme of MEI policy for SMEs located in the western region

How trade affects high-quality development through spillovers?

This paper derives the empirical estimation model from the endogenous economic growth theory, and tries to provide an effective and reasonable answer to the question ‘how trade affects high-quality development through spillovers’ from the perspective of spatial interdependence. Based on the data of 69 countries from 2000 to 2015, it is confirmed that there is an obvious spatial correlation between neighboring countries’ TFP, the TFP of geographical and economic neighboring countries shows ‘competition effect’, while the TFP of cultural neighboring countries shows ‘first spillover effect, then competition effect’. The R&D capital investment has no spatial effect on TFP of geographically or economically neighboring countries, but it has a significant ‘spillover effect’ on TFP of culturally neighboring countries. Technology spillovers caused by international trade are not only an important factor for countries to promote TFP, but also the core driving force to achieve high-quality development

Two-dimensional modeling of the tearing-mode-governed magnetic reconnection in the large-scale current sheet above the two-ribbon flare

We attempt to model magnetic reconnection during the two-ribbon flare in the gravitationally stratified solar atmosphere with the Lundquist number of $S=10^6$ using 2D simulations. We found that the tearing mode instability leads to the inhomogeneous turbulence inside the reconnecting current sheet (CS) and invokes the fast phase of reconnection. Fast reconnection brings an extra dissipation of magnetic field which enhances the reconnection rate in an apparent way. The energy spectrum in the CS shows the power-law pattern and the dynamics of plasmoids governs the associated spectral index. We noticed that the energy dissipation occurs at a scale $l_{ko}$ of 100-200~km, and the associated CS thickness ranges from 1500 to 2500~km, which follows the Taylor scale $l_T=l_{ko} S^{1/6}$. The termination shock(TS) appears in the turbulent region above flare loops, which is an important contributor to heating flare loops. Substantial magnetic energy is converted into both kinetic and thermal energies via TS, and the cumulative heating rate is greater than the rate of the kinetic energy transfer. In addition, the turbulence is somehow amplified by TS, of which the amplitude is related to the local geometry of the TS.Comment: 22 pages, 10 figures; Accepted for publication in Research in Astronomy and Astrophysic

1,1-(Biphenyl-2,2′-diyldi­oxy)-3,3,5,5-tetra­kis­(4-bromo­methyl­phen­oxy)cyclo­triphosphazene

In the title compound, C40H32Br4N3O6P3, the cyclo­triphos­phazene ring adopts a planar conformation, with an r.m.s. deviation of 0.0247 Å. In the crystal, there is a weak inter­molecular C—H⋯O hydrogen bond as well as short inter­molecular Br⋯Br contacts [3.3352 (12) Å]

(6aS,11aR,11cS)-8-Sulfanylidene-2,3,5,6,6a,7,11,11a,11b,11c-decahydro-3a,7a-diaza-1H,4H-benzo[de]anthracen-3a-ium chloride hemihydrate

The title compound, C15H23N2S+·Cl−·0.5H2O, was prepared from (6aS,11aR,11cS)-2,3,5,6,6a,7,11,11a,11b,11c-deca­hydro-3a,7a-diaza-1H,4H-benzo[de]anthracene-8-one (sophocarpine) and Lawesson’s reagent. The thione-substituted ring is in an envelope conformation and the three other six-membered rings are in chair conformations. In the crystal, anions and cations are linked by N—H⋯Cl and weak C—H⋯Cl hydrogen bonds. One 0.5-occupancy solvent water mol­ecule lies on a twofold rotation axis and another 0.25-occupancy solvent water mol­ecule is in a general position. The H atoms of these water mol­ecules were not located or included in the refinement

Alendronate prevents angiotensin II-induced collagen I production through geranylgeranylation-dependent RhoA/Rho kinase activation in cardiac fibroblasts

AbstractCollagen I is the main component of extracellular matrix in cardiac fibrosis. Our previous studies have reported inhibition of farnesylpyrophosphate synthase prevents angiotensin II-induced cardiac fibrosis, while the exact molecular mechanism was still unclear. This paper was designed to investigate the effect of alendronate, a farnesylpyrophosphate synthase inhibitor, on regulating angiotensin II-induced collagen I expression in cultured cardiac fibroblasts and to explore the underlying mechanism. By measuring the mRNA and protein levels of collagen I, we found that alendronate prevented angiotensin II-induced collagen I production in a dose-dependent manner. The inhibitory effect on collagen I expression was reversed by geranylgeraniol, and mimicked by inhibitors of RhoA/Rho kinase pathway including C3 exoenzyme and GGTI-286. Thus we suggested geranylgeranylation-dependent RhoA/Rho kinase activation was involved in alendronate-mediated anti-collagen I synthetic effect. Furthermore, we accessed the activation status of RhoA in alendronate-, geranylgeraniol- and GGTI-286-treated cardiac fibroblasts and gave an indirect evidence for RhoA activation via geranylgeranylation. Then we came to the conclusion that in cardiac fibroblasts, alendronate could protect against angiotensin II-induced collagen I synthesis through inhibition of geranylgeranylation and inactivation of RhoA/Rho kinase signaling. Targeting geranylgeranylation and RhoA/Rho kinase signaling will hopefully serve as therapeutic strategies to reduce fibrosis in heart remodeling

Numerical Investigations of Catastrophe in Coronal Magnetic Configuration Triggered by Newly Emerging Flux

We performed 2D magnetohydrodynamical numerical experiments to study the response of the coronal magnetic configuration to the newly emerging magnetic flux. The configuration includes an electric-current-carrying flux rope modeling the prominence floating in the corona and the background magnetic field produced by two separated magnetic dipoles embedded in the photosphere. Parameters for one dipole are fixed in space and time to model the quiet background, and those for another one are time dependent to model the new flux. These numerical experiments duplicate important results of the analytic solution but also reveal new results. Unlike previous works, the configuration here possesses no symmetry, and the flux rope could move in any direction. The non-force-free environment causes the deviation of the flux rope equilibrium in the experiments from that determined in the analytic solution. As the flux rope radius decreases, the equilibrium could be found, and it evolves quasi-statically until the flux rope reaches the critical location at which the catastrophe occurs. As the radius increases, no equilibrium exists at all. During the catastrophe, two current sheets form in different ways. One forms as the surrounding closed magnetic field is stretched by the catastrophe, and another one forms as the flux rope squeezes the magnetic field nearby. Although reconnection happens in both the current sheets, it erases the first one quickly and enhances the second simultaneously. These results indicate the occurrence of the catastrophe in asymmetric and non-force-free environment, and the non-radial motion of the flux rope following the catastrophe

The correlation between the plasma concentration of gemcitabine and short-term efficacy and adverse reactions in patients with advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the lung using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry

AbstractBackground: Worldwide, non-small cell lung cancers have the highest incidence and mortality rates of all cancers. Gemcitabine (2’,2’-difluoro-2’-deoxycytidine or dFdC, C9H11F2N304) is widely used as the first-line chemo-reagent for lung cancer patients whose tumors have been diagnosed to be at an advanced stage and are therefore unresectable. Objective: The objective of this systematic study was to establish the correlation between the plasma concentration of gemcitabine and short-term clinical efficacy and adverse reactions in patients with advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the lung using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Material and methods: In total, 53 patients were given the chemotherapy medications, gemcitabine and cisplatin, every 3 weeks. Plasma concentrations of gemcitabine were determined using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. A modified methodology of the liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry system was verified and performed to detect plasma concentrations of gemcitabine. The clinical endpoints – short-term clinical efficacy and adverse reactions – were evaluated after two cycles. Results: The plasma concentration range of gemcitabine in 53 patients was 1.58-28.70μg/ml (mean 14.37±8.63μg/ml), with 28 patients in the >15μg/ml group (mean 21.76±3.45μg/ml), and 25 patients in the ≤15μg/ml group (mean 6.09±3.57μg/ml). The clinical benefit rate (CBR) of the >15μg/ml group was significantly higher than that of the 15μg/ml group (p<0.05). The incidences of leukopenia and neutropenia, thrombocytopenia and grade III-IV gastrointestinal reactions in the >15μg/ml group were significantly higher than in the ≤15μg/ml group (p<0.05). There was no statistical difference between the two groups in terms of the incidences of reduced hemoglobin, liver and kidney function damage, allergic reaction and rash (p>0.05). The analysis of the plasma concentration of gemcitabine and the percentage of reduction in neutrophil count (NEUT) (r2 = 0.3212; p<0.05) and platelet (PLT) (r2 = 0.6439; p<0.05) showed a significant positive correlation. Conclusions: In patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer, a high plasma concentration of gemcitabine can improve the short-term clinical efficacy of treatment, but increase the incidence of grade III-IV adverse reactions. [Ethiop. J. Health Dev. 2021; 35(1):72-82] Key words: Non-small cell lung cancer, gemcitabine, plasma concentration, short-term efficacy, adverse reaction