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ABSTRACTThis research analyses the improvement and differences of digital financial coverage and depth of usage on financial efficiency using the SBM dynamic DEA method. The results show that digital finance’s depth of usage having bigger influence on improving the financial system efficiency. The breadth of digital financial coverage is more conducive to improving input efficiency, while its depth of usage is more conducive to improving output efficiency. Considering both the depth of usage and breadth of coverage, in the east region the financial industry efficiency is higher than that in the non-east region. .

With the gradual integration of artificial intelligence and production processes, will the traditional business model of enterprises change? Based on the data of China's manufacturing companies listed in Shanghai and Shenzhen A-shares from 2008 to 2021, we study the impact of enterprise intelligent transformation on customer concentration. Using text mining and machine learning tools, this study measures the degree of enterprise intelligent transformation and constructs an index based on the relevant words in annual reports. A multiphase DID model results show that enterprise intelligent transformation reduces customer concentration. A series of robustness tests and endogeneity tests validate this finding. This study shows that enterprise intelligent transformation improves information disclosure quality, strengthens innovation ability, and expands business boundaries, thus reducing customer concentration. Our findings provide empirical evidence to strengthen enterprise intelligent transformation further and maintain robust supply chain relationships.

This experimental test investigates the effect of filling ratio and inclination angle on the thermal performance of a nanoengineered copper-water heat pipe. A hydrophilic copper oxide coating (CuO) is synthesized and integrated on the inner wall of the evaporation section of the heat pipe. The heat pipe is fabricated from an inner grooved copper pipe with dimensions of 12.7 mm outer diameter, 11 mm inner diameter, and 440 mm length. Ultra-filtered deionized (DI) water is used as working fluid. Four different filling ratios (FR) of DI water 3%, 5%, 10%, and 15% are investigated to determine the optimum configuration. All samples are tested at various inclination angles and working loads. Experimental results show that the optimum filling ratio is the 5% FR, which was indicated by the lowest thermal resistance of 0.019 K/W.

Background: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is one of the worst neurodegenerative disorders worldwide, with extracellular senile plaques (SP), subsequent intracellular neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) and final neuron loss and synaptic dysfunction as the main pathological characteristics. Excessive apoptosis is the main cause of irreversible neuron loss. Thus, therapeutic intervention for these pathological features has been considered a promising strategy to treat or prevent AD. Dihydroartemisin (DHA) is a widely used first-line drug for malaria. Our previous study showed that DHA treatment significantly accelerated Aβ clearance, improved memory and cognitive deficits in vivo and restored autophagic flux both in vivo and in vitro. Methods: The present study intended to explore the neuroprotective effect of DHA on neuron loss in APP/PS1 double-transgenic mice and the underlying mechanisms involved. Transmission electron microscope (TEM) analysis showed that DHA significantly reduced the swollen endoplasmic reticulum (ER) in APP/PS1 mice. Western blot analysis indicated that DHA upregulated the level of NeuN, NeuroD, MAP2, and synaptophysin and promoted neurite outgrowth. Meanwhile, DHA greatly corrected the abnormal levels of Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and rescued the neuronal loss in the hippocampal CA1 area. Western blot analysis revealed that DHA notably down-regulated the protein expression of full length caspase-3, cleaved caspase-3 and Bax. In parallel, the expression of the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 increased after oral DHA treatment. Results:Altogether, these results indicate that DHA protected AD mice from neuron loss via promoting the expression of BDNF and other neuroplasticity-associated proteins and suppressing the inhibition of neuronal apoptosis.