| 1. |
- Guo, Xuewen, et al.
(författare)
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Understanding the effect of N2200 on performance of J71 : ITIC bulk heterojunction in ternary non-fullerene solar cells
- 2019
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Ingår i: Organic electronics. - : Elsevier. - 1566-1199 .- 1878-5530. ; 71, s. 65-71
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- None-fullerene solar cells with ternary architecture have attracted much attention because it is an effective approach for boosting the device power conversion efficiency. Here, the crystalline polymer N2200 as the third component is integrated into J71: ITIC bulk heterojunction. A series of characterizations indicate that N2200 could increase photo-harvesting, balanced hole and electron mobilities, enhanced exciton dissociation, and suppressed charge recombination, which result in the comprehensive improvement of open circuit voltage, short circuit current and fill factor in the device. Moreover, after introduction of N2200, the morphology of the ternary active layer is optimized, and the film crystallinity is improved. This work demonstrates that adding a small quantity of high crystallization acceptor into non-fullerene donor: acceptor mixture is a promising strategy toward developing high-performance organic solar cells.
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| 2. |
- Wang, Di, et al.
(författare)
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Transmission of clones of carbapenem-resistant Escherichia coli between a hospital and an urban wastewater treatment plant*
- 2023
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Ingår i: Environmental Pollution. - : Elsevier. - 0269-7491 .- 1873-6424. ; 336
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE) constitute an urgent threat to worldwide public health. The spread of CRE is facilitated by transmission via the environment. Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are considered to be important sources of antibiotic resistance and hot spots of antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) which can facilitate dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes. In this study, water samples were collected over one year from a WWTP in Jinan, Shandong province, China, from different functional sites in the wastewater treatment process. Carbapenem-resistant Escherichia coli (CREC) were isolated by selective cultivation and whole-genome sequenced to investigate the occurrence and characteristics of CREC in the WWTP. A total of 77 CREC isolates were included in the study and the detection rate of CREC in the WWTP water inlet was found to be 85%. An additional 10 CREC were isolated from a nearby teaching hospital during the sampling period and included for comparison to the environmental isolates. Susceptibility testing showed that all CREC were multidrug-resistant. 6 different carbapenem resistance genes (CRGs) were detected, including blaNDM-5 (n = 75), blaNDM-1 (n = 6), blaNDM-4 (n = 3), blaNDM-6 (n = 1), blaNDM-9 (n = 1), and blaKPC-2 (n = 4). 42 CREC isolates were whole-genome sequenced with Illumina short-read sequencing. 11 of these were also sequenced with Nanopore long-read sequencing. Plasmids carrying CRGs were found to belong to IncX3 (n = 35), IncFII (n = 12), IncFIA (n = 5), IncFIB (n = 2), IncC (n = 1), and IncP6 (n = 1). Clonal dissemination of CREC belonging to ST167, ST448, and ST746 was observed between different parts of the WWTP. Furthermore, isolates from the WWTP, including an isolate belonging to the high-risk ST167 strain, were found to be clonally related to CREC isolated at the hospital. The spread of CRGs is of considerable concern and strategies to prevent environmental dissemination of this contaminant urgently needs to be implemented.
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| 3. |
- Guo, Xuewen, et al.
(författare)
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Novel small-molecule zwitterionic electrolyte with ultralow work function as cathode modifier for inverted polymer solar cells
- 2018
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Ingår i: Organic electronics. - : ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV. - 1566-1199 .- 1878-5530. ; 59, s. 15-20
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Interfacial compatibility between the electrode and organic semiconductor plays a critical role in controlling the charge transport and hence efficiency of organic solar cell. Here, we introduce a novel small-molecule zwitterionic electrolyte (S1) combined with ZnO as electron transporting interlayer employed for the inverted PTB7:PC71BM bulk heterojunction solar cell. The resulting device with the S1/ZnO stacked interlayer achieves a high PCE of 8.59%, obtaining a 16.2% improvement over the control device performance of 7.4% without the S1 attributed to the significant increased short-circuit current density and fill factor. The interfacial properties are investigated. It is found that the S1/ZnO interlayer possess an ultralow work function of 3.6 eV, which originates from the interfacial double dipole step induced by the zwitterionic side chain electrostatic realignment at interface. The S1/ZnO interlayer exhibits the excellent charge extraction ability, suppresses the charge recombination loss and decreases the series resistance at the active layer/electrode contact.
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| 4. |
- Wang, Di, et al.
(författare)
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High prevalence of Escherichia coli co-harboring conjugative plasmids with colistin- and carbapenem resistance genes in a wastewater treatment plant in China
- 2023
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Ingår i: International journal of hygiene and environmental health. - : Elsevier. - 1438-4639 .- 1618-131X. ; 250
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Emergence and dissemination of resistance to last-resort antibiotics such as carbapenem and colistin is a growing, global health concern. Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) link human activities and the environment, can act as reservoirs and sources for emerging antibiotic resistance, and likely play a large role in antibiotic resistance transmission. The aim of this study was to investigate occurrence and characteristics of colistin-and carbapenem-resistant Escherichia coli (CCREC) in wastewater and sludge samples collected over a one-year period from different functional areas of an urban WWTP in Jinan city, Shandong, China. A total of 8 CCREC were isolated from 168 samples with selective agar and PCR, corresponding to high prevalence of 4.8%, co-harboring car-bapenem resistance genes (blaNDM) and colistin resistance gene (mcr-1) and subsequently whole-genome sequenced. Additionally, all isolates were multidrug-resistant by antimicrobial susceptibility testing and car-ried a variety of antibiotic resistance genes. Two isolates carrying virulence genes associated with avian path-ogenic E. coli were identified, one belonging to the high-risk clone O101:H9-ST167. Southern blotting was used to characterize CCREC isolates and plasmids carrying blaNDM-genes or mcr-1 could be transferred to a recipient strain E. coli J53 by in vitro conjugation assays. Resistance to other antibiotic classes were sporadically co-transferred to the transconjugant. Transposition of and mcr-1-carrying element from a transferable IncHI2-plasmid was observed among two CCREC clones isolated within 4 days of each other. The occurrence of multidrug-resistant CCREC capable of transferring their antibiotic resistance genotypes via conjugative plasmids is alarming. WWTPs bring bacteria from different sources together, providing opportunities for horizontal ex-change of DNA among compatible hosts. Further dissemination of the colistin-, carbapenem-, or both colistin-and carbapenem resistant E. coli could lead to a serious threat to public health.
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| 5. |
- Xiong, Shaobing, et al.
(författare)
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Engineering of the Back Contact between PCBM and Metal Electrode for Planar Perovskite Solar Cells with Enhanced Efficiency and Stability
- 2019
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Ingår i: Advanced Optical Materials. - : WILEY-V C H VERLAG GMBH. - 2162-7568 .- 2195-1071. ; 7:19
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The cathode interface plays a critical role in achieving high-performance fullerene/perovskite planar solar cells. Herein, the simple molecule Isatin and its derivatives are introduced at the back contact [6,6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM)/Al as a cathode modification interlayer. It is revealed that the Isatin interlayers facilitate electron transport/extraction and suppress electron recombination, attributed to the formation of negative dipole potential steps and the passivation of the interfacial trap density. The average power conversion efficiencies of the resulting devices are significantly improved by 11% from 17.68% to 19.74%, with an enhancement in all device parameters including short-circuit current, open-circuit voltage, and fill factor. The hysteresis index is found to disappear. In addition, such interlayer enhances device stability under ambient conditions compared to the control devices due to suppression of moisture-induced degradation of the perovskite films. These findings provide a comprehensive understanding of the engineering of the back contact between PCBM and the metal electrode to improve efficiency and stability of perovskite solar cells.
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| 6. |
- Zou, Huiyun, et al.
(författare)
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Evaluating Dissemination Mechanisms of Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria in Rural Environments in China by Using CTX-M-Producing Escherichia coli as an Indicator
- 2019
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Ingår i: Microbial Drug Resistance. - : Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers. - 1076-6294 .- 1931-8448. ; 25:7, s. 975-984
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- It is becoming increasingly recognized that the environment plays an important role both in the emergence and in dissemination of antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB), Mechanisms and factors facilitating this development are, however, not yet well understood. The high detection rate of CTX-M genes in environmental sources provides an opportunity to explore this issue. In this study, 88 CTX-M-producing Escherichia coli were isolated from 30 pig feces samples from 30 pig farms and 201 environmental samples. CTX-M-producing E. coli was detected with the following frequencies in the different types of samples: pig feces, 73%; river water, 64%; river sediment, 52%; wastewater, 31%; drinking water, 23%; outlet sediment, 21%; soil, 17%; and vegetables, 4.4%. Dissemination of CTX-M-producing E. coli to different environmental matrices was evaluated by analyzing the genetic relatedness of isolates from different environmental sources, and putative transmission routes through bird feces, pig feces, drinking water, river sediment, river water, and wastewater were hypothesized. Dissemination through these routes is likely facilitated by anthropogenic activities and environmental factors. Wild birds as potential vectors for dissemination of CTX-M-producing E. coli have the capacity to spread ARB across long distances. Regional dissemination between different environmental matrices of CTX-M-producing E. coli increases the exposure risk of humans and animals in the area.
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| 7. |
- Zou, Huiyun, et al.
(författare)
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Persistent transmission of carbapenem-resistant, hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae between a hospital and urban aquatic environments
- 2023
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Ingår i: Water Research. - : Elsevier BV. - 0043-1354 .- 1879-2448. ; 242
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The increasing prevalence of infections caused by carbapenem-resistant hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae strains (CR-hvKP) prompts the question of whether these strains also circulate outside of clinical settings. However, the environmental occurrence and dissemination of CR-hvKP are poorly studied. In the current study, we investigated the epidemiological characteristics, and dissemination dynamics of carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae (CRKP) isolated from a hospital, an urban wastewater treatment plant (WWTP), and adjacent rivers in Eastern China during one year of monitoring. A total of 101 CRKP were isolated, 54 were determined to be CR-hvKP harboring pLVPK-like virulence plasmids, which were isolated from the hospital (29 out of 51), WWTP (23 out of 46), and rivers (2 out of 4), respectively. The period with lowest detection rate of CR-hvKP in the WWTP, August, corresponded with the lowest detection rate at the hospital. Comparing the inlet and outlet of the WWTP, no significant reduction of the detection of CR-hvKP and relative abundance of carbapenem resistance genes was observed. The detection rate of CR-hvKP and the relative abundance of carbapenemase genes were significantly higher in the WWTP in colder months compared to warmer months. Clonal dissemination of CR-hvKP clones of ST11-KL64 between the hospital and the aquatic environment, as well as the horizontal spread of IncFII-IncR and IncC plasmids carrying carbapenemase genes, was observed. Furthermore, phylogenetic analysis showed that the ST11-KL64 CR-hvKP strain has spread nationally by interregional transmission. These results indicated transmission of CR-hvKP clones between hospital and urban aquatic environments, prompting the need for improved wastewater disinfection and epidemiological models to predict the public health hazard from prevalence data of CR-hvKP.
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| 8. |
- Cars, Otto, et al.
(författare)
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Building bridges to operationalise one health : A Sino-Swedish collaboration to tackle antibiotic resistance
- 2016
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Ingår i: One Health. - : Elsevier. - 2352-7714. ; 2, s. 139-143
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Antibiotic resistance is a complex global health challenge. The recent Global Action Plan on antimicrobial resistance highlights the importance of adopting One Health approaches that can cross traditional disciplinary boundaries. We report on the early experiences of a multisectoral Sino-Swedish research project that aims to address gaps in our current knowledge and seeks to improve the situation through system-wide interventions. Our research project is investigating antibiotic use and resistance in a rural area of China through a combination of epidemiological, health systems and laboratory investigations. We reflect here on the challenges inherent in conducting long distance cross-disciplinary collaborations, having now completed data and sample collection for a baseline situation analysis. In particular, we recognise the importance of investing in aspects such as effective communication, shared conceptual frameworks and leadership. We suggest that our experiences will be instructive to others planning to develop similar international One Health collaborations.
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| 9. |
- Chi, Xiaohui, et al.
(författare)
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Characterization of Clinically Relevant Strains of Extended-Spectrum beta-Lactamase-Producing Klebsiella pneumoniae Occurring in Environmental Sources in a Rural Area of China by Using Whole-Genome Sequencing
- 2019
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Ingår i: Frontiers in Microbiology. - : Frontiers Media S.A.. - 1664-302X. ; 10
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Klebsiella pneumoniae is a gram-negative, opportunistic pathogen, and a common cause of healthcare-associated infections such as pneumonia, septicemia, and urinary tract infection. The purpose of this study was to survey the occurrence of and characterize K. pneumoniae in different environmental sources in a rural area of Shandong province, China. Two hundred and thirty-one samples from different environmental sources in 12 villages were screened for extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-(ESBL)-producing K. pneumoniae, and 14 (6%) samples were positive. All isolates were multidrug-resistant and a few of them belonged to clinically relevant strains which are known to cause hospital outbreaks worldwide. Serotypes, virulence genes, serum survival, and phagocytosis survival were analyzed and the results showed the presence of virulence factors associated with highly virulent clones and a high degree of phagocytosis survivability, indicating the potential virulence of these isolates. These results emphasize the need for further studies designed to elucidate the role of the environment in transmission and dissemination of ESBL-producing K. pneumoniae and the potential risk posed to human and environmental health.
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| 10. |
- Chi, Xiaohui, et al.
(författare)
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Characterization of Clinically Relevant Strains of Extended-Spectrum β-Lactamase-Producing Klebsiella pneumoniae Occurring in Environmental Sources in a Rural Area of China by Using Whole-Genome Sequencing
- 2019
-
Ingår i: Frontiers in Microbiology. - : Frontiers Media S.A.. - 1664-302X. ; 10
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Klebsiella pneumoniae is a gram-negative, opportunistic pathogen, and a common cause of healthcare-associated infections such as pneumonia, septicemia, and urinary tract infection. The purpose of this study was to survey the occurrence of and characterize K. pneumoniae in different environmental sources in a rural area of Shandong province, China. Two hundred and thirty-one samples from different environmental sources in 12 villages were screened for extended-spectrum β-lactamase-(ESBL)-producing K. pneumoniae, and 14 (6%) samples were positive. All isolates were multidrug-resistant and a few of them belonged to clinically relevant strains which are known to cause hospital outbreaks worldwide. Serotypes, virulence genes, serum survival, and phagocytosis survival were analyzed and the results showed the presence of virulence factors associated with highly virulent clones and a high degree of phagocytosis survivability, indicating the potential virulence of these isolates. These results emphasize the need for further studies designed to elucidate the role of the environment in transmission and dissemination of ESBL-producing K. pneumoniae and the potential risk posed to human and environmental health.
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