Does digitalization mitigate regional inequalities?Evidence from China

Regional inequality significantly influences sustainable development and human well-being.In China,there exists pronounced regional disparities in economic and digital advancements;however,scant research delves into the interplay between them.By analyzing the economic development and digitalization gaps at regional and city levels in China,extending the original Cobb-Douglas production function,this study aims to evaluate the impact of digitalization on China's regional inequality using seemingly unrelated regression.The results indicate a greater emphasis on digital inequality compared to economic disparity,with variable coefficients of 0.59 for GDP per capita and 0.92 for the digitalization index over the past four years.However,GDP per capita demonstrates higher spatial concentration than digitalization.Notably,both disparities have shown a gradual reduction in recent years.The southeastern region of the Hu Huanyong Line exhibits superior levels and rates of economic and digital advancement in contrast to the northwestern region.While digitalization propels economic growth,it yields a nuanced impact on achieving balanced regional development,encompassing both positive and negative facets.Our study highlights that the marginal utility of advancing digitalization is more pronounced in less developed regions,but only if the government invests in the digital infrastructure and education in these areas.This study's methodology can be utilized for subsequent research,and our findings hold the potential to the government's regional investment and policy-making.

Construction and Application of a Regional Kilometer-Scale Carbon Source and Sink Assimilation Inversion System(CCMVS-R)

CO_(2)is one of the most important greenhouse gases(GHGs)in the earth’s atmosphere.Since the industrial era,anthropogenic activities have emitted excessive quantities of GHGs into the atmosphere,resulting in climate warming since the 1950s and leading to an increased frequency of extreme weather and climate events.In 2020,China committed to striving for carbon neutrality by 2060.This commitment and China’s consequent actions will result in significant changes in global and regional anthropogenic carbon emissions and therefore require timely,comprehensive,and objective monitoring and verification support(MVS)systems.The MVS approach relies on the top-down assimilation and inversion of atmospheric CO_(2)concentrations,as recommended by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change(IPCC)Inventory Guidelines in 2019.However,the regional high-resolution assimilation and inversion method is still in its initial stage of development.Here,we have constructed an inverse system for carbon sources and sinks at the kilometer level by coupling proper orthogonal decomposition(POD)with four-dimensional variational(4DVar)data assimilation based on the weather research and forecasting-greenhouse gas(WRF-GHG)model.Our China Carbon Monito ring and Verification Support at the Regional level(CCMVS-R)system can continuously assimilate information on atmospheric CO_(2)and other related information and realize the inversion of regional and local anthropogenic carbon emissions and natural terrestrial ecosystem carbon exchange.Atmospheric CO_(2)data were collected from six ground-based monito ring sites in Shanxi Province,China to verify the inversion effect of regio nal anthropogenic carbon emissions by setting ideal and real experiments using a two-layer nesting method(at 27 and 9 km).The uncertainty of the simulated atmospheric CO_(2)decreased significantly,with a root-mean-square error of CO_(2)concentration values between the ideal value and the simulated after assimilation was close to 0.The total anthropogenic carbon emissions in Shanxi Province in 2019 from the assimilated inversions were approximately 28.6%(17%-38%)higher than the mean of five emission inventories using the bottomup method,showing that the top-down CCMVS-R system can obtain more comprehensive information on anthropogenic carbon emissions.

Resection of Intracranial Giant Cavernous Malformation: Case Report and Literature Review

Cerebral cavernous malformations are a rare and congenital vascular malformation that can present as a challenge in neurosurgical management. The term “giant cerebral cavernous malformations” still does not have a clear definition in the literature, with a wide variety of results. It is known, however, that there is an association between the size of the cavernoma and postoperative sequelae, especially in those with a size greater than 3 cm in its largest diameter. We present a case report of resection of a giant brain cavernoma measuring approximately 8 cm in its largest diameter, emphasizing on clinical presentation, diagnoses and postoperative evolution. Additionally, we performed a comprehensive review of the existing literature on the subject, addressing the epidemiology, pathophysiology, diagnostic methods, treatment options, and prognosis associated with this condition.

Median Nerve Somatosensory Evoked Potentials in Patients with Chiari Malformation

Abnormal SEP reflects dysfunction of the medial lemniscus and posterior cervical cord. These structures are likely to be affected in Chiari malformation. Therefore, SEP abnormalities may provide valuable information in patients with CM. However, the consistency of SEP abnormality or normality with the damage is a matter of research. Knowing whether median nerve somatosensory evoked potential (SEP) is useful in revealing subclinical damage in patients with Chiari malformation is important in the treatment and follow-up plan of the disease. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between median nerve SEP values and the severity of cerebellar ectopia in patients with Chiari type 1 malformation. Median nerve SEP values were obtained from 30 healthy individuals and 146 individuals with Chiari malformation. The cerebellar ectopia degree and McRae line length were measured. SEP values were not significantly different between groups. The McRae line was found to be significantly shorter in the control group than in the Chiari malformation group (p = 0.031). There was no correlation between the degree of cerebellar ectopia and the length of the McRae line (r = 0.002, p = 0.979). Neither cerebellar ectopy degree nor McRae line length had a relationship with SEP values (r = -0.153, p = 0.066;r = -0.056, p = 0.500, respectively). There was no difference in cerebellar ectopy degree or SEP values between the groups with cerebellar ectopy with and without a syrinx (p = 0.899;p = 0.080, respectively). Likewise, McRae line length was not found to be related to the presence of a syrinx (p = 0.139). Median nerve SEP examination was not beneficial for diagnosing asymptomatic-oligosymptomatic Chiari malformation as a subclinical injury, whether accompanied by syringomyelia or not.

Cardiac Malformations in Congenital Hypothyroidism: A Case Report

Introduction: Congenital hypothyroidism is the most common causes of preventable mental retardation. It is associated with other births defects like cardiac malformations. Descriptions in Sub Saharan Africa are rare, justifying the present report. Case Report: We reported the cases of 3 female patients, diagnosed with hypothyroidism, presenting in addition pulmonary stenosis. The diagnosis was late in all the patients and we noticed clinical improvement under levothyroxine. Conclusion: Association congenital hypothyroidism and cardiac defect is not rare. Our patients are female with no history of consanguinity, presenting congenital hypothyroidism with a gland in situ associated with pulmonary stenosis. Systematic screening of other births defects is thus recommended in affected patients.

Sclerotherapy in a case of multiple glomuvenous malformation

In this study, we present a representative case of multiple glomuvenous malformation in a 12-year-old female patient. Approximately five years ago, the patient developed multiple blue-purple papules and plaques on her hypogastrium and right thigh, which progressively enlarged and presented tenderness. Histopathological examination confirmed the diagnosis of glomuvenous malformation. Following two injections of lauromacrogol, a significant improvement was observed in the lesions, including a resolution of tenderness. These findings suggest that sclerotherapy not only exhibits evident therapeutic efficacy but also effectively alleviates pain while addressing both aesthetic and therapeutic concerns.

Giant vascular malformations invading the skull:A case report

BACKGROUND Vascular malformations(VMs)arise as a result of errors in the process of angiogenesis and are usually present at birth,but may not become apparent until after birth.However,giant VMs of the head and face are uncommon,with few reported cases,and the prognosis for their surgical intervention is unclear.CASE SUMMARY A 12-year-old girl was admitted to the hospital with findings of an enlarged right temporal scalp.After admission,computed tomography(CT)angiography of cerebral ateries showed a right occlusal gap and a right temporal artery venous malformation.Furthermore,cerebral angiography showed a right temporal lobe VM with multiple vessels supplying blood.The patient underwent surgery to remove the malformed vessels and the eroded skull.Two hours after the surgery,the patient's right pupil was dilated,and an urgent CT scan of the skull showed a right subdural haematoma under the incision,which was urgently removed by a second operation.After surgery,we gave continuous antibiotic anti-infection treatment,and the patient recovered well and was discharged two weeks later.CONCLUSION Surgical removal of giant haemangiomas is risky and adequate preoperative(including interventional embolisation)and intraoperative preparations should be made.

Enhancing Autonomy Capability in Regional Power Grids:A Strategic Planning Approach with Multiple Autonomous Evaluation Indexes

After the integration of large-scale DistributedGeneration(DG)into the distribution network,the randomness and volatility of its output result in a reduction of spatiotemporal alignment between power generation and demand in the distribution network,exacerbating the phenomenon of wind and solar power wastage.As a novel power system model,the fundamental concept of Regional Autonomous Power Grids(RAPGs)is to achieve localized management and energy autonomy,thereby facilitating the effective consumption of DGs.Therefore,this paper proposes a distributed resource planning strategy that enhances the autonomy capabilities of regional power grids by considering multiple evaluation indexes for autonomy.First,a regional Energy Storage(ES)configuration strategy is proposed.This strategy can select a suitable reference value for the upper limit of ES configuration based on the regional load andDGoutput to maximize the elimination of source load deviations in the region as the upper limit constraint of ES capacity.Then,a control strategy for regional ES is proposed,the charging and discharging reference line of ES is set,and multiple autonomy and economic indexes are used as objective functions to select different proportions of ES to control the distributed resources of the regional power grid and establish evaluation indexes of the internal regional generation and load power ratio,the proportion of power supply matching hours,new energy consumption rate and tie line power imbalance outside the region to evaluate changes in the regional autonomy capabilities.The final simulation results showthat in the real regional grid example,the planning method in the planning year in the region of the overall power supply matching hour ratio and new energy consumption rate increased by 3.9%and 4.8%on average,and the power imbalance of the tie line decreased by 7.8%on average.The proposed planning approach enables the maximization of regional autonomy while effectively smoothing the fluctuation of power exchange between the regional grid and the higher-level grid.This presents a rational and effective planning solution for the regional grid,facilitating the coordinated development between the region and the distribution network.

Appendiceal bleeding caused by vascular malformation: A case report

BACKGROUND Acute lower gastrointestinal bleeding(LGIB)is a common occurrence in clinical practice.However,appendiceal bleeding is an extremely rare condition that can easily be overlooked and misdiagnosed.The preoperative detection of appen-diceal bleeding often poses challenges due to the lack of related guidelines and consensus,resulting in controversial treatment approaches.CASE SUMMARY We presented a case of a 33-year-old female who complained of hematochezia that had lasted for 1 d.Colonoscopy revealed continuous bleeding in the appen-diceal orifice.A laparoscopic appendectomy was performed immediately,and a pulsating blood vessel was observed in the mesangium of the appendix,accor-dingly,active bleeding into the appendicular lumen was considered.Pathological examination revealed numerous hyperplastic vessels in the appendiceal mucosa and dilated capillary vessels.CONCLUSION The preoperative detection of appendiceal bleeding is often challenging,colo-noscopy is extremely important,bowel preparation is not routinely recommend-ed for patients with acute LGIB or only low-dose bowel preparation is recom-mended.Laparoscopic appendectomy is the most appropriate treatment for appendiceal bleeding.

Uncertainties of ENSO-related Regional Hadley Circulation Anomalies within Eight Reanalysis Datasets

El Nino-Southern Oscillation(ENSO),the leading mode of global interannual variability,usually intensifies the Hadley Circulation(HC),and meanwhile constrains its meridional extension,leading to an equatorward movement of the jet system.Previous studies have investigated the response of HC to ENSO events using different reanalysis datasets and evaluated their capability in capturing the main features of ENSO-associated HC anomalies.However,these studies mainly focused on the global HC,represented by a zonal-mean mass stream function(MSF).Comparatively fewer studies have evaluated HC responses from a regional perspective,partly due to the prerequisite of the Stokes MSF,which prevents us from integrating a regional HC.In this study,we adopt a recently developed technique to construct the three-dimensional structure of HC and evaluate the capability of eight state-of-the-art reanalyses in reproducing the regional HC response to ENSO events.Results show that all eight reanalyses reproduce the spatial structure of HC responses well,with an intensified HC around the central-eastern Pacific but weakened circulations around the Indo-Pacific warm pool and tropical Atlantic.The spatial correlation coefficient of the three-dimensional HC anomalies among the different datasets is always larger than 0.93.However,these datasets may not capture the amplitudes of the HC responses well.This uncertainty is especially large for ENSO-associated equatorially asymmetric HC anomalies,with the maximum amplitude in Climate Forecast System Reanalysis(CFSR)being about 2.7 times the minimum value in the Twentieth Century Reanalysis(20CR).One should be careful when using reanalysis data to evaluate the intensity of ENSO-associated HC anomalies.

Multimodal imaging for the diagnosis of oligodendroglioma associated with arteriovenous malformation:A case report

BACKGROUND The rare co-occurrence of oligodendroglioma and arteriovenous malformation(AVM)in the same intracranial location.CASE SUMMARY In a 61-year-old man presenting with progressive headaches,is described in this case study.Preoperative multimodal imaging techniques(computed tomography,magnetic resonance imaging,magnetic resonance spectroscopy,digital subtraction angiography,and computed tomography angiography)were employed to detect hemorrhage,cystic and solid lesions,and arteriovenous shunting in the right temporal lobe.The patient underwent right temporal craniotomy for lesion removal,and postoperative pathological analysis confirmed the presence of oligodendroglioma(World Health Organization grade II,not otherwise specified)and AVM.CONCLUSION The preoperative utilization of multimodal imaging examination can help clinicians reduce the likelihood of misdiagnosis or oversight of these conditions,and provides important information for subsequent treatment.This case supports the feasibility of craniotomy for the removal of glioma with AVM.

Regional economic assessment of a novel place-based model for sustainable food systems

Several actions from both the environmental and human viewpoints have already been made to meet the sustainability goals targeted at food systems.Still,new place-based ideas to improve sustainability are needed.Agroecological symbiosis(AES),a novel food system model,is an example of a suggested system-level change to attain sustainability targets;it is a symbiosis of food production and processing using renewable energy that uses its own feedstock.AES has already been found advantageous from the ecological and biophysical viewpoints,but a regional economic evaluation of the model is still lacking.Thus,the aim of our paper is to assess the regional economic impact of a possible systemic change in the food system using the network of agroecological symbiosis(NAES)as an example.We applied scenarios representing different ways of moving towards envisioned NAES models in Mäntsälä,Finland,and a computable general equilibrium model to evaluate the regional economic impact.According to our results,both regional economy and employment would increase,and the regional production base would diversify with NAES implementation applied to the region,but the extent of the benefits varies between scenarios.The scenario that includes change in both public and private food demand,production of bioenergy and utilization of by-products would cause the largest impacts.However,realizing NAES requires investments that may influence the actual implementation of such models.Nonetheless,a change towards NAES can promote an economically and spatially just transition to sustainability,as NAES seems to be economically most beneficial for rural areas.

Individual alcohol consumption by the population of Russia versus regional living conditions

Background:There are substantial regional differences in drinking alcohol in Russia,both at the population and individual levels.However,the causes of these differences have not been studied yet.Objective:The goal of our study was to examine the effect of regional living conditions on individual alcohol consumption by the population of Russia.Methods:For the analysis,we used data from a cross-sectional epidemiological study conducted in 2013-2014.The final analytical sample included 18,130 people aged 25-64 years.We conducted the interviews face to face,based on which any drinking in the last year,as well as alcohol abuse,were considered as a response.Alcohol abuse was recorded when the respondent consumed 5.75 or more grams of pure ethanol per day(75th percentile of average daily alcohol consumption among alcohol drinkers).The assessment of the regional living conditions was accomplished via integral indexing,which was previously performed based on publicly available data for 2010-2014.Associations were assessed using generalized scoring equations with unchanging standard errors.The associations were expressed by odds ratios(OR)and 95%confidence intervals(C).Results:Deterioration of social conditions and increase in demographic depression in the region of residence increased the odds of any drinking(OR 1.51,95%CI:1.33 to 1.72,P<0.001 and OR 1.22,95%CI:1.05 to 1.41,P=0.oo9,respectively).The odds of alcohol abuse increased with the deterioration of social living conditions and the growth of the industrial development in the region:OR 1.35,95%CI:1.14 to 1.59,P<0.001 and OR 1.16,95%CI:1.05 to 1.28,P=0.002,respectively.Conclusion:Our analysis allowed assessing the impact of the regional living conditions on individual drinking alcohol in the population of Russia.

Online identification and extraction method of regional large-scale adjustable load-aggregation characteristics

This article introduces the concept of load aggregation,which involves a comprehensive analysis of loads to acquire their external characteristics for the purpose of modeling and analyzing power systems.The online identification method is a computer-involved approach for data collection,processing,and system identification,commonly used for adaptive control and prediction.This paper proposes a method for dynamically aggregating large-scale adjustable loads to support high proportions of new energy integration,aiming to study the aggregation characteristics of regional large-scale adjustable loads using online identification techniques and feature extraction methods.The experiment selected 300 central air conditioners as the research subject and analyzed their regulation characteristics,economic efficiency,and comfort.The experimental results show that as the adjustment time of the air conditioner increases from 5 minutes to 35 minutes,the stable adjustment quantity during the adjustment period decreases from 28.46 to 3.57,indicating that air conditioning loads can be controlled over a long period and have better adjustment effects in the short term.Overall,the experimental results of this paper demonstrate that analyzing the aggregation characteristics of regional large-scale adjustable loads using online identification techniques and feature extraction algorithms is effective.

Regional Block Anesthesia in Breast Surgery: What Do We Know So Far?

Breast cancer is the most prevalent cancer in women worldwide, and pain following mastectomy is a major post-surgical complication. This paper highlights the risk factors for chronic pain in breast surgery and evaluates various regional block techniques used to reduce post-operative pain, and minimize hospital stays in high-risk patients. Further research is needed to evaluate the effectiveness of novel regional anaesthesia techniques in an enhanced recovery context, and to assess their role in preventing or reducing chronic pain.

Regional Digital Financial Services Security Clinic for Asia Pacific Region

April 24-25, Seoul, Republic of Korea The International Telecommunication Union(ITU) is organizing the Regional Digital Financial Services Security Clinic for Asia Pacific Region on April 24-25, 2024 in Seoul, Republic of Korea. The event is being jointly held with FNSV Korea and the Korean Fintech Center.

Current evidence on artificial intelligence in regional anesthesia

The recent advancement in regional anesthesia(RA)has been largely attributed to ultrasound technology.However,the safety and efficiency of ultrasound-guided nerve blocks depend upon the skill and experience of the performer.Even with adequate training,experience,and knowledge,human-related limitations such as fatigue,failure to recognize the correct anatomical structure,and unintentional needle or probe movement can hinder the overall effectiveness of RA.The amalgamation of artificial intelligence(AI)to RA practice has promised to override these human limitations.Machine learning,an integral part of AI can improve its performance through continuous learning and experience,like the human brain.It enables computers to recognize images and patterns specifically useful in anatomic structure identification during the performance of RA.AI can provide real-time guidance to clinicians by highlighting important anatomical structures on ultrasound images,and it can also assist in needle tracking and accurate deposition of local anesthetics.The future of RA with AI integration appears promising,yet obstacles such as device malfunction,data privacy,regulatory barriers,and cost concerns can deter its clinical implementation.The current mini review deliberates the current application,future direction,and barrier to the application of AI in RA practice.

Analysis of Regional Difference of Agricultural Land Productivity in Heilongjiang Province

The sustenance of humanity is contingent upon the production of food.The foundation of this production is agriculture,which in turn is dependent upon the cultivation of the land.As a fundamental element of agricultural advancement,the rational development and utilization of land play a pivotal role in the process of rural revitalization.Agricultural land productivity serves as a principal indicator of the efficacy of land utilization and the extent of agricultural advancement.Nevertheless,there is a paucity of research examining the productivity of agricultural land,particularly a lack of specialized research on large agricultural provinces.In light of the aforementioned considerations,this paper presents a comprehensive examination of agricultural land productivity and its regional variations in Heilongjiang Province in 2022,with the aid of pertinent statistical data.The findings of the analysis indicate that among the prefecture-level cities,Daqing and Suihua exhibit the highest levels of agricultural land productivity.Additionally,Zhaodong City,Zhaozhou,Qinggang,Wangkui,and Lanxi counties exhibit high levels of agricultural land productivity within their respective prefecture-level cities.There are notable disparities in agricultural land productivity across various regions,including Yichun,Heihe,Harbin,Daqing,Hegang,and Suihua.In contrast,other regions demonstrate a more balanced spatial distribution.In order to facilitate the prosperous development of the agricultural industry in Heilongjiang Province,it is essential to optimize the spatial planning of the land,to investigate the potential for agricultural development in each region,to establish effective collaboration between resources and industries,and to create a development synergy that will collectively advance rural revitalization.

Effectiveness and safety of rocuronium or nitroglycerin plus ropivacaine on pain during intravenous regional anesthesia:A double-blind randomized controlled trial

Objective:To compare the effects of adding rocuronium and nitroglycerin to ropivacaine in intravenous regional anesthesia(IVRA)on pain and hemodynamic parameters.Methods:This randomized controlled trial was done in 2023.Participants were 177 candidates for forearm operation surgery under IVRA selected from Valiasr Hospital,Arak,Iran.They were allocated by block randomization to three different groups,namely nitroglycerin group,rocuronium group and control group.Hemodynamic parameters were recorded before tourniquet application up to postoperative recovery time.Sensory block and motor block onset and duration and pain were also evaluated.The data analysis was carried out by IMB SPSS software 20.0.Results:177 Eligible patients were included in study,with 59 in each group.Time to sensory and motor block onset in the nitroglycerin group was significantly less than the other groups and the time of motor block in the rocuronium group was statistically higher than the control and the nitroglycerin groups(P<0.001).Seven participants in the nitroglycerin group experienced headache and three from the rocuronium group experienced dizziness.The side effects occurrence in the nitroglycerin group was more prevalent than in the control and rocuronium groups(P=0.009).Conclusions:Nitroglycerin significantly reduces the time to sensory and motor block onset,while rocuronium is more effective in prolonging the time of motor block.Although there is no difference between nitroglycerin and rocuronium respecting the pain score and opioid need administration,nitroglycerin is associated with a higher prevalence of medication side effects.Therefore,both nitroglycerin and rocuronium can be used as adjuvant for IVRA.The final choice relies on patients’conditions and anesthesiologists’judgment.

Complex Regional Pain Syndrome: Outpatient Pain Management in the Chronic Setting: A Case Report

Background: Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS), previously known as reflex sympathetic dystrophy and causalgia, is a neuropathic pain condition that usually develops after an injury to an extremity. CRPS can be a debilitating condition with high levels of pain and reduced function. Aim: This case report aims to discuss the multimodal approach in the management of a patient who presented with ongoing poorly controlled pain secondary to CRPS from an injury that happened years prior. Case Presentation: A 45-year-old female was involved in a motor vehicle accident where her right leg was injured. She underwent several surgeries and developed CRPS that significantly reduced her mobility and quality of life. She presented to the pain clinic years after her initial injury and a multimodal regimen was started for her resulting in significantly improved function. Conclusion: CRPS can be a severely debilitating condition. While early diagnosis and management are important, ongoing management in the outpatient chronic pain setting is important in maintaining a good level of function.