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The economic development of any nation depends on energy production and consumption, thereby, needing more exploration from researchers. The current article thus makes an attempt to examine the role of REW and non-REW energy on the economic development in China. The current article has used renewable energy production (REP), and renewable energy consumption (REC) to measure renewable energy. The current research has used fossil fuel energy consumption, energy use, energy import, and electric power consumption to measure non-renewable energy. The present study has taken secondary data from world development indicators from 1986 to 2020. The article has applied the nonlinear autoregressive distributed lagged model to evaluate the association among the understudy constructs. The findings indicated that REP and REC, fossil fuel energy consumption, energy use, energy import, and electric power consumption are linked with economic development in a positive manner in China context. The study guides the regulators in establishing the regulations related to economic development through both type of energy resources.

This paper proposes a dynamic drop weight impact simulation to predict the impact response of 3D printed polymeric sandwich structures using an explicit finite element (FE) approach. The lattice cores of sandwich structures were based on two unit cells, a body-centred cubic (BCC) and an edge-centred cubic (ECC). The deformation and the peak acceleration, referred to as the g-max score, were calculated to quantify their shock absorption characteristic. For the FE results verification, a falling mass impact test was conducted. The FE results were in good agreement with experimental measurements. The results suggested that the strut diameter, strut length, number and orientation, and the apparent material stiffness of the lattice cores had a significant effect on their deformation behavior and shock absorption capability. In addition, the BCC lattice core with a thinner strut diameter and low structural height might lead to poor shock absorption capability caused by structure collapse and border effect, which could be improved by increasing its apparent material stiffness. This dynamic drop impact simulation process could be applied across numerous industries such as footwear, sporting goods, personal protective equipment, packaging, or biomechanical implants.

This study examines whether the impact of style investing on momentum profits depends on market states. By measuring the style comovement to evaluate the influence of style investing on momentum, our evidence shows that the momentum profits on high style comovement portfolios are higher than on low style comovement portfolios. The momentum strategies on high style comovement portfolios are more profitable when the market is optimistic. Our findings demonstrate that style chasing behavior by investors is reinforced following increased market optimism, thus generating an asymmetric influence of style investing in momentum profits.

Lumbar degenerative disk disease can be treated with posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF) surgery, which mainly applies a rigid fixation system and a solid metal cage. However, previous clinical studies have observed that adjacent segment degenerative (ASD) disease might occur after using those high-stiffness implants. This article uses finite element analysis to investigate the effects of various fixation devices on spine biomechanics. To evaluate each fusion device, 3D finite element models of the T10-S1 multilevel spine were developed. The results show that dynamic fixation can reduce the risk of the ASD problem and pedicle screw breakage compared with the rigid and semirigid fixations.

The major purpose of this study is to assess racial disparity and energy poverty index by measuring energy poverty index by using data envelopment analysis and regression equation from South Asia (2001-2018). An energy poverty index is quantifying the size and scope of energy poverty, and DEA is used to investigate the relevance of socioeconomic position to multidimensional energy poverty. In multidimensional energy poverty, location, house ownership position, number of dependents, and the age of the main caregiver have an important positive impact. Our research has shown that Bhutan is the most susceptible nation with an energy poverty index of (0.02), Maldives (0.03), and Bangladesh (0.11), while India (0.86) and Pakistan (0.49) are the least likely to be energy poor as regards energy poverty. Of the total energy production, 78% is based on traditional fuels, followed by 12% based on petroleum products. The Gini index indicates a positive association with the energy poverty index at a 5% significance level. This signifies that these socioeconomic indicators positively contribute to the energy poverty index level. This study developed more synchronized policies to eradicate energy poverty and can provide a way forward for policymakers to develop strategies to implement them suitably in the regional power sector.

Objective Involuntary admission to psychiatric inpatient care can protect both patients with severe mental illnesses and individuals around them. This study analyzed annual healthcare costs per person for involuntary psychiatric admission and examined categories of mental disorders and other factors associated with mortality.Methods This retrospective cohort study collected 1 million randomly sampled beneficiaries from the National Health Insurance Database for 2002–2013. It identified and matched 181 patients with involuntary psychiatric admissions (research group) with 724 patients with voluntary psychiatric admissions (control group) through 1:4 propensity-score matching for sex, age, comorbidities, mental disorder category, and index year of diagnosis.Results Mean life expectancy of patients with involuntary psychiatric admissions was 33.13 years less than the general population. Average annual healthcare costs per person for involuntary psychiatric admissions were 3.94 times higher compared with voluntary admissions. The general linear model demonstrated that average annual medical costs per person per compulsory hospitalization were 5.8 times that of voluntary hospitalization. Survival analysis using the Cox proportional hazards model found no significant association between type of psychiatric admission (involuntary or voluntary) and death.Conclusion This study revealed no significant difference in mortality between involuntary and voluntary psychiatric admissions, indicating involuntary treatment’s effectiveness.

Since 1970, numerous governments have established strategic petroleum reserves (SPRs) in relation to oil supply interruptions. In this study, important oil reserves, physical oil supply disruption and social welfare losses due to physical distribution of oil supply have been measured. The physical oil supply disruption has been measured in the form of oil supply vulnerability index and oil volatility index of the South Asian economies. Analysis reveals that the accumulation and drawdown of important national crude oil strategic petroleum reserves where the state wants to optimize individual social welfare while individuals hold over stock optimize their earnings levels. The monetary deciding factors utilize the government’s optimum important stockpile policy and simultaneously the amount and economic factors vital for the nongovernment market to actuate the optimum accumulation and nonaccumulation of important fossil fuels stockpile. Additionally, findings show that India is the lowest crude oil insecure country while Afghanistan and Bangladesh are the highest insecure countries in terms of oil supply. India’s topmost mark shows a bigger possibility to alter the fossil fuels producers while Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal have the minimum mark corroborating the group as the utmost producer risk exposed nations.

This study measures the energy rebound effects of Chinese energy and coal power use in Chinese energy-intensive industries by using latent class stochastic frontier models like LMDI, and other various econometric estimation approach for coal-supplying regions in China ranging between 1992 and 2018. The findings reveals that China's coal sector's average capacity consumption is 0.81%, with a pattern of first increasing and then decreasing, falling to 0.68% in 2016 specifically. The coal capacity operation rate concerning low as well as depleted regions is generally strong, with limited space for expansion. In 2015 and 2016, the utilization rate of coal production potential in moderate-producing areas fell about 42%. Economic development variables affect the capacity utilization levels of moderate, weak, and depleted generating regions. At the same time, the price volatility cannot induce a practical improvement in the ability utilization rate, which means that China's coal industry is mainly un-marketized. China's energy efficiency increased about 19.98% among 2000 and 2016, while the rapidest expansion pattern has been noted in the eastern province at 39.86%, next to central (11.71%) and western regions (9.59%). The take back impact via the renewable energy and renewable productivity channels is estimated as 12.34% and 25.40%, respectively. Therefore, the take back impact is of significant importance regarding energy preservation, as China's cumulative renewable energy use is equal to China's aggregate energy use. On such findings, recent research also contributed by presenting novel policy implications for key stakeholders.

In the contemporary environment, developing countries are more focused on how economic factors can reasonably utilize technological advancement and carbon neutrality target as effective mechanisms in achieving sustainable production and consumption patterns. The effort to attain carbon neutrality target on natural environment in terms of lower carbon emission (CO2), haze pollution, and greenhouse gas (GHG) requires measures like the usage of non-renewable energy, ecological innovation, and environmental taxes. In doing so, this study considers the sustainability of China's natural environment in terms of CO2 emission, haze pollution through PM2.5, and greenhouse gas emission as well as factors like ecological innovation (ECO), environmental taxes (ERT), renewable energy, and globalization as the key determinants. The Quantile ARDL approach was used to examine both long- and short-run relationships between the explanatory and outcome variables. The results confirmed that there is a significant and negative impact of ECO, renewable energy, and ERT on CO2 emission in the region of China under different quantiles. Whereas, the globalization factor was observed as positively and significantly linked with CO2 emission but only for the higher quantiles. The long-run estimation further showed that ECO, renewable energy, and ERT can significantly help to decrease haze pollution in terms of PM2.5 in China. Furthermore, QARDL also confirms the negative and long-run estimation between the ECO, REN, and ERT, whereas globalization is causing more GHG in China, subsequently creating more environmental sustainability issues. Thus, it is concluded that effective innovation, renewable energy consumption, and environmental taxes reduce carbon emission while globalization increases the carbon emission in the country.

Ghana suffers from inadequate power supply due to increasing demand though it is amongst the African nations with the highest access to electricity. This research aims to assess the techno-economic potential of wind and solar energy potential for Ghana's northern part. We employ the Weibull distribution function, levelized cost of energy, and net present cost metrics for the economic study. The wind and solar energy resource's structure generated 72,284 kWh yearly. Both systems were identified to be too expensive if implemented under the current financing conditions in the country. The PV systems generated 38,859 kWh/year, representing 53.76% of the total electricity generated in a year, generating renewable hydrogen in the country. The findings show that sizing and management of renewable plants will fulfill the basic annual cooking demands of the populations, which are 785 kg H

In the past decade, researchers have shifted their interests to explore different ways to mitigate environmental degradation. In that context, the present study explores the role of solar energy and eco-innovation in reducing environmental degradation in China. The study utilized data for the period 1990-2018 and applied the latest available econometric technique, a quantile autoregressive distributed lag model, to determine the impacts of solar energy and eco-innovation on improving China's environmental quality. According to the empirical results, in the long term, solar energy is negatively and significantly associated with CO2 emissions at higher quantiles. Eco-innovation has proven to be the most important channel to mitigate CO2 emissions in China. Eco-innovation is exerting a negative and significant influence on CO2 emissions at all quantiles in the long term. In addition, the population size is causing CO2 emissions to surge significantly at lower quantiles. The empirical analysis reveals that per capita income (PI) is positively associated with CO2 emissions at all quantiles, but it is significant only at higher quantiles in China. We found evidence of unidirectional causality for eco-innovation to CO2 emissions and solar energy to CO2 emissions. However, for population and CO2 emissions, per capita income, and CO2 emissions, we found bidirectional causality. As indicated by our empirical results, solar energy and eco-innovation are the two most effective channels to control CO2 emissions in China. Therefore, policies based on the promotion of eco-innovation and the initiation of new solar energy projects can control emissions and improve environmental quality in China. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2021;00:1-17. © 2021 SETAC.

This paper examines the influence of Belt and Road Initiative on the comovements of international stock markets.We implement the asymmetric dynamic conditional correlation model to estimate the dynamic conditional correlations between the China stock market and international stock markets. By testing for structural change, our results show that the dynamic conditional correlations experience significant structure changes, documenting that the comovements between the China stock market and international stock markets significantly increase following economic policy actions. We further demonstrate that economic policy actions can improve the liquidity of currencies in the foreign exchange market and thus increase the comovements between international stock markets.

Bali et al. (2011) document that stocks with high maximum daily return (MAX) underperform compared to stocks with low maximum daily return, referred as the “MAX effect”. This paper is based on the argument of behavioral theory to investigate the influence of advertising on the MAX effect. Using investor sentiment index to reflect investors’ optimism grows, our evidence shows that the high advertising portfolio has significant MAX effect, and the predictive power of sentiment on MAX effect in the high advertising portfolio is more pronounced than in the low advertising portfolio. Findings suggest that firm managers spreading information by increasing advertising during high levels of sentiment will increase investors’ overconfidence. This increased overconfidence generates higher stock returns and thus attracts investors with a preference for risk-taking. Consequently, an increased demand for lottery-type stocks increases the MAX effect.

Experimental approaches have been widely used to investigate the bone–implant interfacial strength of anterior lumbar interbody fusion (ALIF) devices. However, improper design of experimental jigs and inconsistencies in cadaveric specimens might significantly impede the evaluation of different ALIF device designs. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate and compare various test setups in terms of their feasibility for conducting pullout tests on ALIF devices. Three types of pullout test setups for evaluating the interfacial strength of the ALIF devices were investigated. Then, finite element models of the L4–L5 segment with different ALIF device designs were developed and numerical analysis was performed. Finally, the results from all the pullout test setups were compared with those obtained from numerical analysis. The results indicated that the quasi-material and boundary pullout test setup (QMBPTS), which considered the effects of the composite material of the test specimens and mimicked the lumbar posterior element’s anatomy and loading mechanism, revealed a more realistic bone failure pattern and interfacial pullout strength compared with the general pullout test setup and the quasi-boundary pullout test setup. The finite element models could accurately predict the experimental results obtained using the QMBPTS. It was confirmed that QMBPTS is a feasible and inexpensive pullout test setup for evaluating the bone–implant interfacial pullout strength of ALIF devices. Both the experimental and numerical approaches could provide useful information for designing a biomechanical experiment to solve bone–implant loosening problems.

Objective Numerous studies have demonstrated that fluvoxamine has considerable pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic interactions with clozapine. We conducted a 12-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study to evaluate the effects of fluvoxamine on metabolic parameters and psychopathology in clozapine-treated patients with schizophrenia. Methods We recruited 85 patients who received a DSM-IV diagnosis of schizophrenia. Eligible patients were randomized to receive fluvoxamine 50 mg/day plus clozapine 100 mg/day or clozapine 300 mg/day. We studied metabolic parameters, psychopathology, and drug levels at baseline and 4, 8, and 12 weeks after the intervention. Plasma levels of clozapine, norclozapine, clozapine N-oxide, and fluvoxamine were determined using high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection. Results No significant difference was observed in baseline characteristics between the two groups. Clozapine–fluvoxamine combined treatment significantly attenuated the increments in body weight, insulin resistance, and levels of insulin, glucose, and triglycerides compared with clozapine monotherapy. Both groups exhibited significant improvements in their Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) total and negative scores. The combined treatment group showed significant reduction in the PANSS general psychopathology scores compared with the monotherapy group. No difference was observed in the plasma clozapine level between the two groups. The monotherapy group showed higher levels of norclozapine and clozapine N-oxide than the combined group. Conclusions Compared with clozapine monotherapy, treatment with adjunctive fluvoxamine with clozapine for 12 weeks can alleviate body weight gain and metabolic abnormalities in patients with schizophrenia, without sacrificing the clinical effect. Clinicians should interpret these findings cautiously considering the short duration of this study. The study was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov ( NCT01401491 ).

In this paper, we investigate whether investor attention to advertising has an asymmetric effect on Chinese stock returns by using a multivariate Markov switching model with time-varying regime tra...

This study explores the role of investor attention impact on low-volatility strategy. Our evidence suggests that a low-volatility strategy for high investor attention stocks is more profitable than low investor attention stocks. Conditioned on high investor attention, the profitability of a low-volatility strategy significantly increases due to lower returns on higher idiosyncratic volatility stocks. Consistent with recent optimal beliefs theory, investors’ propensity for gambling-type strategies leads to negative returns with high idiosyncratic volatility stocks. Our results provide a behavioral support to explain the low-volatility strategy based on investors’ propensity to gamble.

Cage loosening continues to be a problem after spinal fusion surgery. Past studies have investigated the interfacial strength of cages in situations of a single loosening direction. However, the human spine can move in different directions; therefore, cage loosening may occur in any direction. The purposes of this study were to develop a novel finite element analysis-based neurogenetic algorithm and to discover the spike design of vertebral body cages (VBCs) with excellent interfacial pullout strength by considering multiple cage loosening directions. Five design variables of VBCs were defined, and three-dimensional finite element models were created to predict the interfacial pullout strength of different VBCs. Then, both the artificial neural network and the genetic algorithm were applied to discover the optimum VBC. Finally, one optimum VBC and five VBCs selected from the Taguchi orthogonal array were tested and compared. The optimum spike design of the VBCs was successfully determined, and the interfacial pullout strength of the optimum VBC design was superior to that of other VBCs (17–77% increase in maximum pullout force). Non-oblique spikes were suggested to enhance their loosening resistances when multiple loosening directions were considered. In conclusion, the optimum spike design revealed excellent interfacial pullout performance of vertebral body cages in multiple loosening directions. The outcome of this study could help surgeons understand the interfacial pullout strength of VBCs in terms of their spike designs, and it could provide design direction to biomechanical engineers.

Hallux valgus (HV) was one of the most frequent human foot deformities. The aim of this study was to evaluate mechanical responses and stabilities of the plate implants and Kirschner wire (KW) after the distal metatarsal osteotomy in HV treatment by using finite element (FE) analysis. A three-dimensional FE model of lower extremity was developed to evaluate the four plate fixation methods and three KW fixation methods in weight bearing. The results showed that all the plate fixations revealed better first metatarsal stability than KW. For the result of the contact pressure, the 6-holes-6-screws dynamic compression plate implant had highest result than others plate implant. Adding the bandage to the KW fixation had a highest result in all implant.

A high number of slip-and-fall incidents result in common injuries of daily life. The design of outsole tread pattern is one of the key factors which had a direct impact on slip resistance performance. The application of numerical simulation is an opportunity for footwear industry to evaluate the multiple outsole tread pattern design and ground condition in a more controlled and efficient manner than mechanical testing in the developing process.

Pedicle screws might be backed out after screw insertion. Past studies had evaluated the pedicle screws with full insertion and back-out using experimental approaches. Unfortunately, there is rare study to investigate this problem using numerical approaches. Thus, the purpose of this study was to analyze the pullout performance of spinal pedicle screws with fully inserted setting or backed out using finite element method.

This paper addresses the empirical relationship between energy poverty and energy efficiency in developed and developing countries through various domains. The analysis is conducted using energy poverty indicators, country-wise GDP, energy efficiency, and social welfare by using data envelopement analysis (DEA) and entropy method through mediating role of econometric estimation by using . The findings show that energy poverty will reduce the gross domestic product from par to par. Moreover, the countries' social welfare may dramatically decrease if long-term energy poverty is consistent and not mitigated, negating the traditional theory that only gaining energy efficiency is more than enough for energy stakeholders. Based on the deducted results, this study suggests potential policy adjustments, and illustrates the value of productive energy supply. Results reveals that expenditure associated energy poverty has major share while electricity consumption based energy poverty is the second major factor. Moreover, there is an absence of modern electricity access in less energy efficient areas. SMoreover energy prices should also provide a quantitative assessment of actual costs associated with the rising concern of energy efficiency and social welfare to reduce energy poverty. On this, the study provides valuable information for policy makers and relevant stakeholders.

This study provides an empirical investigation of currency momentum strategies traded on the Chinese Yuan (RMB). Using a cross trading strategy, we find that the RMB-based currency momentum (RCMOM) strategies are profitable and yield excess returns of up to 5% per annum (p.a.). The results are robust to risk adjustment and sub-periods analysis. We further calculate the foreign exchange volatility to explain the profits of RCMOM strategies. Our evidence shows that increased foreign exchange volatility is associated with higher RCMOM profits, and the strategies are more profitable with high volatility of the Chinese stock market. Considering the influence of Chinese market states in foreign exchange volatility, the RCMOM returns are insignificant. Our results suggest that the impact of foreign exchange risk is correlated to China’s market states.

Sustainability through information and communication technologies is a complex matter, raising interesting debate among researchers. Pursuing the same, this research investigates the impact of information and communication technologies, economic growth, and financial development on carbon dioxide emissions by simultaneously testing the Environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) hypothesis in BRICS countries. In doing so, this study employs Methods of Moments - Quantile Regression, which confirms that the effects of the explanatory variables vary across different quantiles of carbon dioxide emissions. The overall results indicate that economic growth and financial development contribute to carbon dioxide emissions across all quantiles, while information and communication technologies significantly mitigate the level of carbon dioxide emissions only at lower emissions quantiles. Moreover, the results confirm the presence of the EKC hypothesis. Interestingly, the effect of economic growth and information and communication technologies on carbon dioxide emissions is lowest in magnitude at lower quantiles and highest at higher quantiles of carbon dioxide emissions. The empirical findings of DH panel heterogenous causality test confirm bidirectional causality between the model parameters, indicating that any policy intervention concerning explanatory variables significantly causes carbon dioxide emissions and vice versa. The results set out the foundation for policymakers to devise a policy framework to attain the objectives of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

We investigate whether the funding liquidity risk to institutional investors influences the negative relation between expected returns and variance (the ‘‘Low-volatility anomaly’’). With the Taiwan stock market as a setting, we implement a multivariate Markov switching model and use the funding liquidity risk to model the time-varying transition probabilities of the regime-switching process to capture changes in the funding liquidity risk regime. Our evidence documents that the low-volatility anomaly is most pronounced when there is high funding liquidity risk. When there is low funding liquidity risk, however, the low-volatility anomaly has a significant reversal. These results imply that the increased funding liquidity risk due to financial shock transmitted from parent banks is associated with higher selling pressure on institutional investors’ high-volatility stocks, leading to the low-volatility anomaly.

Porous additive manufactured (AM) cages were a new selection for posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF) surgery due to their low rigidity. Past studies had investigated porous AM cages; however, their structural designs and performances were evaluated using oversimplified numerical models. Thus, the purpose of this research was to investigate the porous structure of the AM cages using a realistic spine model. Three-dimensional finite element models of T10-S1 multilevel spine were developed using ANSYS Workbench. Eleven types of the AM cages were analyzed and compared to understand their strengths and limitations. The results showed that the sparse density in microstructure geometry would increase the intersegmental rotation but the von Mises stress of cage becomes enlarge simultaneously. Adding a PEEK layer to the microstructure is not a good choice to prevent the cage stress getting higher value. The outcomes of this study can help surgeons to understand the biomechanics of PLIF surgery combined with the use of porous AM cages.

Rib fracture is a common injury and can result in pain during respiration. Conservative treatment of rib fracture is applied via mechanical ventilation. However, ventilator-associated complications frequently occur. Surgical fixation is another approach to treat rib fractures. Unfortunately, this surgical treatment is still not completely defined. Past studies have evaluated the biomechanics of the rib cage during respiration using a finite element method, but only intact conditions were modelled. Thus, the purpose of this study was to develop a realistic numerical model of the human rib cage and to analyse the biomechanical performance of intact, injured and treated rib cages. Three-dimensional finite element models of the human rib cage were developed. Respiratory movement of the human rib cage was simulated to evaluate the strengths and limitations of different scenarios. The results show that a realistic human respiratory movement can be simulated and the predicted results were closely related to previous study (correlation coefficient>0.92). Fixation of two fractured ribs significantly decreased the fixation index (191%) compared to the injured model. This fixation may provide adequate fixation stability as well as reveal lower bone stress and implant stress compared with the fixation of three or more fractured ribs.

The pelvis is one of the most stressed areas of the human musculoskeletal system due to the transfer of truncal loads to the lower extremities. Sacroiliac joint injury may lead to abnormal joint mechanics and an unstable pelvis. Various fixation techniques have been evaluated and discussed. However, it may be difficult to investigate each technique due to variations in bone quality, bone anatomy, fracture pattern, and fixation location. Additionally, the finite element method is one useful technology that avoids these variations. Unfortunately, most previous studies neglected the effects of the lumbar spine and femurs when they investigated the biomechanics of pelvises. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the biomechanical performance of intact, injured, and treated pelvises using numerical and experimental approaches. Three-dimensional finite element models of the spine-pelvis-femur complex with and without muscles and ligaments were developed. The intact pelvis, the pelvis with sacroiliac joint injury, and three types of pelvic fixation techniques were analyzed. Concurrently, biomechanical tests were conducted to validate the numerical outcomes using artificial pelvises. Posterior iliosacral screw fixation showed relatively better fixation stability and lower risks of implant failure and pelvic breakage than sacral bar fixation and a locking compression plate fixation. The present study can help surgeons and engineers understand the biomechanics of intact, injured, and treated pelvises. Both the simulation technique and the experimental setup can be applied to investigate different pelvic injuries.