Can greater openness improve green economy efficiency of countries along the Belt and Road Initiative?

Openness is the core concept of the Belt and Road initiative (BRI), which plays a significant role in promoting the sustainable economic development of countries along the BRI. This study uses the entropy method to measure openness based on six dimensions: trade, investment, finance, tourism, technology, and information. Simultaneously, a super-SBM model with undesired output is proposed to measure green economy efficiency (GEE). Using the panel data of 66 countries along the BRI from 2008 to 2019, we empirically examine the impact of openness on GEE. The results are as follows: (1) The openness level of countries along the BRI is generally increasing, but the relative differences between countries tend to widen. (2) Openness has a significant U-shaped nonlinear effect on GEE, and the conclusion is still valid after considering the robustness test; (3) The spatial econometric model shows that openness not only affects the GEE of the local country, but also has a spillover effect on neighboring countries. Therefore, we believe that BRI countries should strengthen policy communication, break down border barriers, actively promote the orderly flow and diffusion of openness elements, and pay attention to the quantity and quality of openness development, which is key to the high-quality construction of the BRI.

[Source Appointment and Assessment of Heavy Metal Pollution in Surface Dust in the Main District Bus Stops of Tianshui City].

In this study, a PMF model was used to identify the sources and pollution level of heavy metals in the surface dust of a bus station. On the basis of the traditional heavy metal pollution evaluation methods, the Hakanson toxicity response coefficient was used to modify the traditional weight. The matter-element extension theory was introduced to reflect the toxicological properties and hazard degree of the heavy metals, and the matter-element extension model was established to evaluate the pollution level of heavy metals in the surface dust of the study area. The results were compared with Igeo, PN, and RI. ① Except for Co and V, the other heavy metals were higher than the Gansu soil background values by 1.29-9.30 times. The points of Cu and Pb exceeded the rate by 100%, and Cr, Ni, and As exceeded the rate by 96.15%, 94.23%, and 96.15%, respectively. ② PMF showed that source 1 was a natural source, and its contribution rate to V was 32.12%. Source 2 was natural-traffic pollution sources, contributing 51.50% and 33.37% to Cu and Co, respectively. Source 3 was a construction waste pollution source, with contribution rates of 45.06% and 44.70% for Cr and Ni, respectively, and source 4 was a coal-traffic mixed source, with contribution rates of 49.89% and 75.25% for As and Pb, respectively. ③ The matter-element evaluation results showed that the surface dust of the bus stops was mainly class IV (moderately polluted), and 13% of sample points were still clean, 37% were moderately polluted, and 25% were slightly and heavily polluted. The results of this method were quite different from the PN results and were more consistent with the RI results, indicating that its evaluation results were more sensitive and can be used for heavy metal pollution assessment.

In vitro and in vivo assessment of CYP2C9-mediated herb-herb interaction of Euphorbiae Pekinensis Radix and Glycyrrhizae Radix.

According to traditional Chinese medicine theories, Euphorbiae Pekinensis Radix and Glycyrrhizae Radix should not be used together in one prescription, because their interaction leads to an unexpected consequence. However, the mechanism remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to find out whether CYP2C9 was involved in this herb-herb interaction by using tolbutamide as a probe substrate in vivo and in vitro. Both Euphorbiae Pekinensis Radix and Glycyrrhizae Radix showed induction activity toward CYP2C9, while the combination of them showed a more potent induction activity toward CYP2C9 in vivo. In vitro study revealed only the combination of the herbs could induce the activity of CYP2C9. Thus, both in vivo and in vitro study indicated combination of Glycyrrhizae Radix and Euphorbiae Pekinensis Radix could induce the activity of CYP2C9 to a high level, which may result in decreased plasma levels of major active ingredients of these two herbs, as well as other herbs in the prescriptions. Further research also appears to be necessary to identify the main enzymes involved in the metabolism of the active ingredients in Glycyrrhizae Radix and Euphorbiae Pekinensis Radix.