Unraveling the impact of environmental provisions in preferential trade agreements on green total factor energy efficiency.

Environmental provisions in Preferential Trade Agreements (PTAs) have increased in recent years, however, their impact on green total factor energy efficiency (GTFEE) remains underexplored. Utilizing comprehensive data on countries' engagement with PTAs' environmental provisions, along with environmental legislative information and green trade data, this study employs various quantitative and qualitative research methods to investigate heterogeneity influence, mechanism, nonlinear relationship, and combined effect of PTAs' environmental provisions on GTFEE. The empirical results indicate that: (1) Environmental provisions within PTAs significantly enhance the GTFEE of participating countries, which is more pronounced in North-South PTAs, particularly when these provisions are closely tied to trade issues.

The synergism between self-activated and impurity-related emissions of LiCaZnVO: lattice distortion, energy transfer and temperature sensing effect.

Some of the metal vanadates have special self-activated luminescence. In order to further enrich its luminous color, luminescent impurity ions can be introduced into its lattice. The interaction between the self-activated emission and the impurity-related emission remains to be studied.

Improvement of gut microbiome and intestinal permeability following splenectomy plus pericardial devascularization in hepatitis B virus-related cirrhotic portal hypertension.

The gut microbiome is an essential component of the intestinal mucosal barrier, critical in regulating intestinal permeability. Microbiome dysbiosis and intestinal permeability changes are commonly encountered conditions in patients with cirrhosis and are closely related to its development and further complications. However, alterations in the gut microbiome and intestinal permeability in chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) patients with cirrhotic portal hypertension after undergoing a splenectomy plus pericardial devascularization (SPD) have not been investigated.

Stable and Bright CsPbX Nanocrystals in Metal-Organic Frameworks for White Light-Emitting Diodes.

The stability of metal halide perovskite (CsPbX, X = Cl, Br, and I) nanocrystals (NCs) is crucial for their practical applications. In this paper, perovskite NCs were synthesized in situ in lead-based metal-organic frameworks (Pb-MOFs: [Pb(1,3,5-HBTC)(HO)]·HO), and we obtained stable and bright luminescence composites with different colors. Namely, CsPbBr@Pb-MOF composites were created by the in situ growth of CsPbBr crystals (NCs) on Pb-MOF, which had high ion resistance, bright photoluminescence (PL), and excellent stability.

Importance of exopolysaccharide branched chains in determining the aggregation ability of anammox sludge.

The high aggregation ability of anammox granular sludge is an issue of wide concern; however, the mechanism needs to be further clarified. In this study, selective hydrolysis experiments were performed to determine the role of exopolysaccharide (PS) branched chains and proteins for the aggregation mechanism of anammox granular sludge. The results revealed that selective hydrolysis of proteins hardly affected the granular aggregation while the hydrolysis of PS branched chains led to a decrease in the sludge zeta potential by 17.

Evolutionary analysis of gyrA gene from Neisseria meningitidis bacterial strains of clonal complex 4821 collected in China between 1978 and 2016.

Background: Neisseria meningitidis (N.meningitidis) bacteria belonging to clonal complex 4821 (CC4821) have been mainly reported in China and have been characterized by a high resistance rate to ciprofloxacin (CIP). The aim of this study was to assess the evolution of the DNA gyrase A (gyrA) gene from N.

A vanadate-based white light emitting luminescent material for temperature sensing.

Calcium magnesium vanadate-europium vanadate powders with a homogeneous distribution have been prepared by a sol-gel method followed by a sintering process. The as-prepared powders show both broadband emission around 520 nm and sharp peak emission at 617 nm under UV light excitation, which are ascribed to the one-electron charge transfer transition in the VO tetrahedra and the typical D → F transition of Eu. Energy transfer occurs between the vanadate and Eu ions.

Comparative genomic analyses of Chinese serogroup W ST-11 complex Neisseria meningitidis isolates.

Although serogroup W ST-11 complex (cc11) (W:cc11) Neisseria meningitidis has been widespread in China over the past ten years, its origin and genetic relatedness has not yet been described. In this study, we described the genetic relatedness and discuss the possible origin of Chinese W:cc11 isolates by comparing their genome sequences with those of other cc11 strains globally. Comparative genomic analysis with geo-temporally diverse cc11 isolates showed that the Chinese W:cc11 isolates exclusively formed two closely related subclusters within a distinct sublineage (proposed as the Chinese-strain sublineage) of lineage 11.

Cu and Fe Sensor Based on CdTe QD@ZIF-8 Composites.

TGA capped CdTe QDs have been encapsulated in miroporous ZIF-8, with no obvious deterioration of their photoluminescence property. The resulted CdTe QD@ZIF-8 composites show a higher luminescent stability in various buffer solution. The material has successfully been used as a luminescent indicator for the detection of Cu and Fe ions.

Prevalence and genetic characteristics of 4CMenB and rLP2086 vaccine candidates among Neisseria meningitidis serogroup B strains, China.

Objective: To systematically investigate the prevalence and genetic characteristics of 4CMenB and rLP2086 vaccine candidates among Neisseria meningitidis serogroup B (NmB) in China.

Methods: A total of 485 NmB strains isolated in 29 provinces of China between 1968 and 2016 were selected from the culture collection of the national reference laboratory according to the isolation year, location, and source. Multi-locus sequence typing (MLST) and porA gene sequencing were performed on all 485 study strains; PCR was used to detect the fHbp, nadA, and nhba gene of 432 strains; positive amplification products from the fHbp and nadA genes from all strains, as well as those of the nhba gene from 172 representative strains, were sequenced.

Characterization and Distribution of the Gene in .

We aimed to investigate and understand the characterization and distribution of the gene in in China. is flanked by two conservative genes, and , and it can be present in the majority of meningococcal isolates, but not in 053442 of clonal complex 4821 (CC4821) which contains a 968 bp sequence. In this study, we sequenced the intervenient region between and in 178 Chinese strains isolated from both patients and carriers.

Prevalence of factor H Binding Protein sub-variants among Neisseria meningitidis in China.

Objective: To study the prevalence of the fHbp genes in Neisseria meningitidis (N. meningitidis) isolates for further evaluation and development of serogroup B meningococcal vaccines in China.

Methods: A panel of 1012 N.

Genetic Characteristics and Multiple-PCR Development for Capsular Identification of Specific Serotypes of Campylobacter jejuni.

The polysaccharide capsule (CPS) of Campylobacter jejuni is a virulence factor linked to cell surface carbohydrate diversity which mainly determines the serotypes. Thirty-four CPS gene cluster structures have been published and some of them can be distinguished by multiple-PCR. Penner serotypes HS1/44c, HS2, HS4c, HS19, HS23/36c and HS41 are markers for Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS).

Aqueous synthesis of MPA-capped CdTe nanocrystals emitted in near infrared with high quantum yield.

The high luminescent near infrared (NIR)--emitting CdTe nanocrystals (NCs) with 3-mercaptopropionic acid (MPA) as the stabilized molecules had been sucessfully fabricated by a facile and simple water-reflux method. By virtue of the characterizations for the as-prepared MPA-capped CdTe NCs, such as UV-Vis absorption, steady-state photoluminescence (PL), time-resolved PL spectra and PL image, the optical properties, diameters and morphologies of the CdTe NCs were investigated detailedly. With the increase of reflux time, the PL peak wavelength of NCs gradually shifted from red light to NIR spectra range within 7 h, and the PL quantum yield (QY) was increased firstly and then decreased slightly.

Photoluminescence properties of aeschynite-type LaNbTiO6:RE3+ (RE = Tb, Dy, Ho) down-converting phosphors.

In this study, a series of LaNbTiO6:RE(3+) (RE = Tb, Dy, Ho) down-converting phosphors were synthesized using a modified sol-gel combustion method, and their photoluminescence (PL) properties were investigated as a function of activator concentration and annealing temperature. The resultant particles were characterized using X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, UV/Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy and PL spectra. The highly crystalline LaNbTiO6:RE(3+) (RE = Tb, Dy, Ho) phosphors with an average size of 200-300 nm obtained at 1100°C have an orthorhombic aeschynite-type structure and exhibit the highest luminescent intensity in our study range.

Synthesis of CdSe quantum dots using various long-chain fatty acids and their phase transfer.

Monodispersed colloidal photoluminescent CdSe quantum dots (QDs) were synthesized via an organic approach by using cadmium oxide and elemental selenium as precursors, and long-chain fatty acids as surface ligands. The hydrocarbon chain length of the fatty acid was adjusted to investigate the effect on CdSe QDs. The fatty acid ligands with different hydrocarbon chain lengths showed an apparent effect on the nanocrystal nucleation and growth which is the key controlling the size, size distribution and crystal structure of resulting CdSe QDs.

Fabrication of SiO2 beads with high concentrated hydrophobic CdSe/Cd(x)Zn(1-x)S quantum dots using functional alkoxides.

A two-step approach including the assembly of QDs and subsequent Stöber synthesis has been developed to encapsulate hydrophobic CdSe/Cd(x)Zn(1-x)S core/shell QDs into SiO2 beads. TEM observation shows that the core/shell QDs have high concentration in the SiO2 bead. The fabrication mechanism was proposed for these SiO2 bead.

Application of hybrid SiO2-coated CdTe nanocrystals for sensitive sensing of Cu2+ and Ag+ ions.

A new ion sensor based on hybrid SiO2 -coated CdTe nanocrystals (NCs) was prepared and applied for sensitive sensing of Cu(2+) and Ag(+) for the selective quenching of photoluminescence (PL) of NCs in the presence of ions. As shown by ion detection experiments conducted in pure water rather than buffer solution, PL responses of NCs were linearly proportional to concentrations of Cu(2+) and Ag(+) ions < 3 and 7 uM, respectively. Much lower detection limits of 42.

CdSe/Cd(x)Zn1-xS core/shell nanocrystals: core morphology and luminescent property.

CdSe cores with rod (an aspect ratio of 1.8, d-5 nm) and spherical (an aspect ratio of 1, d-5 nm) morphologies were fabricated by two kinds of organic approaches through adjusting growth processes. Because of large difference of size and morphology, two kinds of cores revealed different absorption spectra.

Effect of mercaptocarboxylic acids on luminescent properties of CdTe quantum dots.

CdTe quantum dots (QDs) were prepared in an aqueous solution using various mercaptocarboxylic acids, such as 3-mercaptopropionic acid (MPA) and thioglycolic acid (TGA), as stabilizing agents. The experimental result indicated that these stabilizing agents played an important role for the properties of the QDs. Although both TGA and MPA-capped CdTe QDs exhibited the tunable photoluminescence (PL) from green to red color, the TGA-capped QDs revealed a higher PL quantum yield (QY) up to 60% than that of MPA-capped QDs (up to 50%) by using the optimum preparation conditions, such as a pH value of ~11.

Morphology-tunable fibers with Fe3O4 nanocrystals fabricated through assembly.

A facile method has been developed to encapsulate Fe(3)O(4) nanocrystals (NCs) in morphology-tunable fibers (belt-like, solid, and tubal) by using a sonochemistry driven synthesis and a subsequent reflux procedure. By adapting the use of tetraethyl orthosilicate, ammonia, Cd(2+), and thiolglycolic acid (TGA) to an ultrasound-driven synthesis, the Fe(3)O(4) NCs were coated with a thin composite shell. Supersonic treatment plays an important role to prevent the agglomeration of the Fe(3)O(4) NCs in an alkaline condition.

Highly luminescent quantum dots functionalized and their conjugation with IgG.

A sol-gel approach including partially removing capping agents, depositing SiO(2) monomers, and growing a SiO(2) shell was developed to generate a bio-compatible functionalization on CdTe quantum dots (QDs). The QDs retained their high photoluminescence (PL) efficiency after coating with a SiO(2) shell (22.5%) by controlling the surface state of the QDs to decrease PL degradation during a sol-gel preparation.

Combustion synthesis of novel Li 0.9 Y(0.9-x-y)Zr 0.1 O2:Eu x 3+, R y 3+(R = Ce,Bi) red luminescence nanocrystal and emission-mechanism research.

Novel Li(0.9)Y((0.9-x-y))Zr(0.

Novel class of aeschynite structure LaNbTiO6-based orange-red phosphors via a modified combustion approach.

A novel class of orange-red phosphors based on Eu(3+)-activated LaNbTiO(6) was successfully fabricated by a wet chemical method, called a modified combustion approach. XRD, TG-DTA, SEM, and EDS results show that the heat-treatment of the powders above 1000 degrees C is enough to obtain highly crystallized and phase-pure LaNbTiO(6) and Eu(3+)-doped samples, which is of prime importance in investigating the optical properties of the novel phosphors using LaNbTiO(6) as the host material. UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy reveals that the direct band gap of LaNbTiO(6) with large grains (above 200 nm) is calculated to be 3.

[A new method for the detection of platelet derived microparticles by cytometric bead array and its evaluation].

Objective: To establish a new method for the detection of platelet derived microparticles (PMPs) by cytometric bead array and to evaluate the characteristic of this method.

Methods: Using detection beads coated with monoclonal antibody against platelet glycoprotein IIIa to capture PMPs, then using CD41 PE to react with PMPs captured by detection beads, finally using flow cytometer detect beads-PMPs-CD41 PE complex. Anticoagulant, reaction time and other condition were optimized.