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China recently implemented a corporate average fuel consumption regulation and new-energy vehicle credit program (dual-credit system) to prompt the transition to new-energy vehicles. This study generalizes the dual-credit system (energy credit and green credit) and investigates its effects on the green technology investments (GTI) and pricing decisions in a two-echelon supply chain consisting of three possible scenarios, Case O (conventional product only), Case B (both conventional and green products), and Case G (green product only). The obtained results show that the GTI made by manufacturers follow high threshold and low threshold. The generalized dual-credit system increases both thresholds and promotes the transition from Case O to Case B and Case B to Case G. The transition is sensitive to standard energy consumption per-unit (SECP), green credit quota (GCQ), and price of green credit (PGC). The generalized dual-credit system benefits the manufacturers who exceed the low threshold, vice versa, especially for whose conventional product with lower initial energy consumption per unit. The generalized dual-credit system contributes to GTI and environment effects in all cases. But, the impacts on GTI, environment effects, and profit differ in sensitivity to SECP, GCQ, and PGC in different cases. Numerical simulation is given and all the proofs are shown in appendix. • We examine the impact of generalized dual-credit system on green investment and pricing. • The system promotes more manufacturers to invest in green product and invest more. • Investment, environment effects and profit are affected by generalized dual-credit system. • Insights for generalized dual-credit system to spur green transition are offered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Swertia bimaculata (SB) is a medicinal herb in China having an array of therapeutic and biological properties. This study aimed to explore the attenuating effect of SB on carbon tetrachloride (CCl 4) induced hepato-toxicity by regulation of gut microbiome in ICR mice. For this purpose, CCl 4 was injected intraperitoneally in different mice groups (B, C, D and E) every 4th day for a period of 47 days. Additionally, C, D, and E groups received a daily dose (50 mg/kg, 100 mg/kg, and 200 mg/kg respectively) of Ether extract of SB via gavage for the whole study period. The results of serum biochemistry analysis, ELISA, H&E staining, and sequencing of the gut microbiome, indicated that SB significantly alleviates the CCl 4 -induced liver damage and hepatocyte degeneration. The serum levels of alanine transaminase, aspartate aminotransferase, malondialdehyde, interleukin 1 beta and tumor necrosis factor-alpha were significantly lower in SB treated groups compared to control while levels of glutathione peroxidase were raised. Also, the sequencing data indicate that supplementation with SB could restore the microbiome and its function in CCl 4 -induced variations in intestinal microbiome of mice by significantly downregulating the abundances of pathogenic intestinal bacteria species including Bacteroides , Enterococcus , Eubacterium , Bifidobacterium while upregulating the levels of beneficial bacteria like Christensenella in the gut. In conclusion, we revealed that SB depicts a beneficial effect against hepatotoxicity induced by CCl 4 in mice through the remission of hepatic inflammation and injury, through regulation of oxidative stress, and by restoring gut microbiota dysbiosis. • Swertia bimaculata is a medicinal herb in China having an array of therapeutic and biological properties. • Swertia bimaculata significantly alleviates the CCl 4 -induced liver damage and hepatocyte degeneration. • Swertia bimaculata could restore the microbiome and its function in CCl 4 -induced variations in intestinal microbiome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Longer ambulance response time (ART) delaying treatment would worsen conditions of seriously ill or injured patients, but limited evidence is available on the effects of weather factors on ART. This study aims to assess precipitation- and temperature-ART associations and their potential lagged effects using a novel modeling strategy. Based on 779,156 emergency records during 2010–2016 from the whole population in Shenzhen, China, we creatively combined quantile regression with distributed-lag nonlinear models to examine the non-linear and lagged effects of hourly precipitation and temperature on ART at the 50th and 90th percentiles. A linear precipitation-ART association with a delay of 9.01 (95%CI, 7.82–10.20) seconds at median ART for a 1 mm increase in hourly precipitation, and the effects lasted for 5 h with the greatest effect at the current hour. A two linear thresholds temperature-ART association revealed 1 °C decrease below 19 °C caused 1.68 (95%CI, 0.92–2.44) seconds delay in total ART over lag 0–7 h, and 1 °C increase above 24 °C caused 2.44 (95%CI, 1.55–3.33) seconds delay. The hourly call volumes exceeding 54 calls caused 8.79 (95%CI, 8.71–8.86) seconds delay in total ART for 1 more call, but not affected the effects of weather factors. The internal ART suffered more from the hourly call volumes, while the external ART suffered more from precipitation and temperature. The effects were apparently greater on ART at the 90th percentile than median. Precipitation and temperature are independent risk factors for ambulance services performance, and their lagged effects are notable. The external ART and patients with long ART are vulnerable. More attention should be paid to weather and ART, and these findings may have implications for effective policies to reduce ART to protect public health. Image 1 • Evidence about the effects of weather factors on ART are limited, particularly no hourly data is available. • A novel modeling strategy was developed to examine the effects of hourly precipitation and temperature on ART. • A linear precipitation-ART association was observed with acute effects lasting for 5 h. • A U-shaped temperature-ART association implied cold and hot temperature delayed ART. • 1 more call above 54 ambulance emergency calls per hour caused a delay of 8.79 s in ART. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]