The cAMP receptor protein gene contributes to growth, stress resistance, and colonization of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae.

Porcine infectious pleuropneumonia (PCP) is a severe disease of porcine caused by Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae (APP). The spread of PCP remains a threat to the porcine farms and has been known to cause severe economic losses. The cAMP receptor protein (CRP) serves as a pivotal player in helping bacteria adapt to shifts in their environment, particularly when facing the challenges posed by bacterial infections. In this study, we investigated the role of CRP in APP. Our results revealed that crp mutant (Δcrp) strains were more sensitive to acidic and osmotic stress resistance and had lower biofilm formation ability than wild-type (WT) strains. Furthermore, the Δcrp strains showed deficiencies in anti-phagocytosis, adhesion, and invasion upon interaction with host cells. Mice infected with the Δcrp strains demonstrated reduced bacterial loads in their lungs compared to those infected with the WT strains. This study reveals the pivotal role of crp gene expression in regulating pleuropneumonia growth, stress resistance, iron utilization, biofilm formation, phagocytosis, adhesion, invasion and colonization. Our discoveries offer novel perspectives on understanding the development and progression of APP infections.

A Layered Bi2 Te3 @PPy Cathode for Aqueous Zinc-Ion Batteries: Mechanism and Application in Printed Flexible Batteries.

Low-cost, safe, and environmental-friendly rechargeable aqueous zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs) are promising as next-generation energy storage devices for wearable electronics among other applications. However, sluggish ionic transport kinetics and the unstable electrode structure during ionic insertion/extraction hamper their deployment. Herein, a new cathode material based on a layered metal chalcogenide (LMC), bismuth telluride (Bi2 Te3 ), coated with polypyrrole (PPy) is proposed. Taking advantage of the PPy coating, the Bi2 Te3 @PPy composite presents strong ionic absorption affinity, high oxidation resistance, and high structural stability. The ZIBs based on Bi2 Te3 @PPy cathodes exhibit high capacities and ultra-long lifespans of over 5000 cycles. They also present outstanding stability even under bending. In addition, here the reaction mechanism is analyzed using in situ X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and computational tools and it is demonstrated that, in the aqueous system, Zn2+ is not inserted into the cathode as previously assumed. In contrast, proton charge storage dominates the process. Overall, this work not only shows the great potential of LMCs as ZIB cathode materials and the advantages of PPy coating, but also clarifies the charge/discharge mechanism in rechargeable ZIBs based on LMCs.

Novel Cu@Ag Micro/Nanoparticle Hybrid Paste and Its Rapid Sintering Technique via Electromagnetic Induction for High-Power Electronics.

Due to the harsh working environments up to 600 °C, the exploration of high-temperature interconnection materials is significantly important for high-power devices. In this study, a hybrid paste including Cu@Ag core-shell microparticles (MPs) and Ag nanoparticles (NPs) was designed to achieve Cu-Cu bonding. The Cu@Ag MPs exhibited excellent oxidation stability in an air atmosphere with the Ag layer coating on the Cu core. Ag NPs fill the pores among the Cu@Ag MPs and reduce the sintering temperature of the hybrid paste. The Cu-hybrid paste-Cu joints were formed via electromagnetic induction heating within approximately 15 s. When sintered at 26 kW, the shear strength of the joint reached 48 MPa, the porosity decreased to 0.73%, and the resistivity was down to 13.25 µΩ·cm. Furthermore, a possible interconnection mechanism at the contact interface between the Cu substrate and the sintered hybrid paste was proposed, which is related to the melting point of metal particles and the effect of magnetic eddy currents. This fast bonding technology inspires a new approach to interconnection for high-power devices under high operation temperatures.

Flexible Electronic Systems via Electrohydrodynamic Jet Printing: A MnSe@rGO Cathode for Aqueous Zinc-Ion Batteries.

Aqueous zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs) are promising candidates to power flexible integrated functional systems because they are safe and environmentally friendly. Among the numerous cathode materials proposed, Mn-based compounds, particularly MnO2, have attracted special attention because of their high energy density, nontoxicity, and low cost. However, the cathode materials reported so far are characterized by sluggish Zn2+ storage kinetics and moderate stabilities. Herein, a ZIB cathode based on reduced graphene oxide (rGO)-coated MnSe nanoparticles (MnSe@rGO) is proposed. After MnSe was activated to α-MnO2, the ZIB exhibits a specific capacity of up to 290 mAh g-1. The mechanism underlying the improvement in the electrochemical performance of the MnSe@rGO based electrode is investigated using a series of electrochemical tests and first-principles calculations. Additionally, in situ Raman spectroscopy is used to track the phase transition of the MnSe@rGO cathodes during the initial activation, proving the structural evolution from the LO to MO6 mode. Because of the high mechanical stability of MnSe@rGO, flexible miniaturized energy storage devices can be successfully printed using a high-precision electrohydrodynamic (EHD) jet printer and integrated with a touch-controlled light-emitting diode array system, demonstrating the application of flexible EHD jet-printed microbatteries.

Is Soft Carbon a More Suitable Match for SiOx in Li-Ion Battery Anodes?

Silicon oxide (SiOx ), inheriting the high-capacity characteristic of silicon-based materials but possessing superior cycling stability, is a promising anode material for next-generation Li-ion batteries. SiOx is typically applied in combination with graphite (Gr), but the limited cycling durability of the SiOx /Gr composites curtails large-scale applications. In this work, this limited durability is demonstrated in part related to the presence of a bidirectional diffusion at the SiOx /Gr interface, which is driven by their intrinsic working potential differences and the concentration gradients. When Li on the Li-rich surface of SiOx is captured by Gr, the SiOx surface shrinks, hindering further lithiation. The use of soft carbon (SC) instead of Gr can prevent such instability is further demonstrated. The higher working potential of SC avoids bidirectional diffusion and surface compression thus allowing further lithiation. In this scenario, the evolution of the Li concentration gradient in SiOx conforms to its spontaneous lithiation process, benefiting the electrochemical performance. These results highlight the focus on the working potential of carbon as a strategy for rational optimization of SiOx /C composites toward improved battery performance.

Clinical Efficacy of Chemotherapy Regimen Combined with Levofloxacin in Patients with Pulmonary Tuberculosis Complicated with Type-2 Diabetes.

Objective: To evaluate the clinical efficacy of a chemotherapy regimen combined with levofloxacin in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis complicated with Type-2 diabetes. Methods: Total 80 patients with pulmonary tuberculosis complicated with Type-2 diabetes admitted to Baoding People's Hospital from January, 2019 to January, 2022 were randomly divided into two groups: the experimental group and the control group, with 40 cases in each group. Patients in the control group were given the conventional 2HRZE/10HRE regimen, while those in the experimental group were given the chemotherapy regimen 2HRZEL/6HRE combined with levofloxacin. Sixty four slice spiral CT was used for chest plain scan before and after treatment, respectively, to evaluate the absorption of lesions based on the range of lung lesions; Venous blood was drawn to detect the changes of oxidative stress indicators, the incidence of adverse drug reactions and the negative conversion rate of sputum tuberculosis bacteria in the two groups. Results: After treatment, the efficacy of the experimental group was 90%, which was significantly higher than that of the control group (67.5%), with a statistically significant difference (p=0.01). After treatment, CD3+, CD4+, CD4+/CD8+ and other indicators in the experimental group were significantly higher than those in the control group, with a statistically significant difference (CD3+, p=0.01; CD4+, p=0.01; CD4+/CD8+, p=0.00), while CD8+ did not change significantly (p=0.92); The incidence of adverse reactions was 52.5% in the experimental group and 47.5% in the control group, with no statistically significant difference (p=0.66); The negative conversion rate of patients in the experimental group was significantly higher than that in the control group at one month, three months and six months after treatment, with a statistically significant difference (p<0.05). Conclusion: Chemotherapy combined with levofloxacin is a safe and effective regimen for patients' pulmonary tuberculosis complicated with Type-2 diabetes, boasting a variety of benefits such as improved clinical efficacy, ameliorated cellular immune status, a high negative conversion rate of sputum tuberculosis bacteria, and no significant increase in adverse reactions.

Novel Multiplex PCR Assay and Its Application in Detecting Prevalence and Antibiotic Susceptibility of Porcine Respiratory Bacterial Pathogens in Guangxi, China.

Porcine respiratory disease complex (PRDC) is a serious disease caused by multiple pathogens which inflicts huge economic losses on the pig industry. Investigating the epidemiology of porcine respiratory bacterial pathogens (PRBPs) in specific geographic areas and exploring the antibiotic susceptibility of local strains will contribute to the prevention and control of PRDC. However, the epidemiology of PRBPs in Guangxi Province remains unclear, and existing diagnostic methods have multiple limitations, such as high costs and the detection of only a single pathogen at a time. In this study, we developed a multiplex PCR assay for Streptococcus suis, Glaesserella parasuis, Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae, Pasteurella multocida, and Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae, and investigated the prevalence of PRBPs in pigs with respiratory symptoms in Guangxi Province. The isolates from positive samples were subjected to susceptibility tests to 16 antibiotics. Our results indicated that of the 664 samples from pigs with respiratory symptoms, 433 (65.21%), 320 (48.19%), 282 (42.47%), 23 (3.46%), and 9 (1.36%), respectively, carried each of these 5 pathogens; 533 samples were positive; and 377 (56.78%) carried multiple pathogens simultaneously. The dominant PRBPs in pigs with respiratory symptoms in Guangxi province were S. suis, G. parasuis, and A. pleuropneumoniae, which frequently co-infected swine herds. Most of the isolates (A. pleuropneumoniae, G. parasuis, S. suis, and P. multocida) were sensitive to cefquinome, ceftiofur, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX), and tiamulin antibiotics. We developed a rapid specific multiplex PCR assay for PRBPs. Our findings provide new information on the epidemiology of PRBPs in Guangxi Province and offer a reference for developing drug targets against PRDC. IMPORTANCE Pigs are closely associated with humans as the most common food animals and the vectors of numerous pathogens. PRDC, caused by multiple pathogens, is a serious disease that can cause growth retardation in swine and even sudden death. Due to the droplet transmission of PRBP and the similar clinical signs of different pathogen infections, most pig farms struggle to identify and control PRBPs, leading to the abuse of antibiotics. In addition, some PRBPs have the potential to infect humans and threaten human health. Therefore, this study developed a multiplex PCR method targeting PRBPs, investigated the prevalence of these pathogens, and tested their antibiotic susceptibility. Our studies have important implications for public health safety and the development of the pig industry.

Application and Research Progress of Covalent Organic Frameworks for Solid-State Electrolytes in Lithium Metal Batteries.

Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) are a class of crystalline porous organic polymers with periodic networks that are constructed from small molecular units via covalent bonds, which have low densities, high porosity, large specific surface area, and ease of functionalization. The one-dimension nanochannels in COFs offer an effective means of transporting lithium ions while maintaining a stable structure over a wide range of temperatures. As a new category of ionic conductors, COFs exhibit unparalleled application potential in solid-state electrolytes. Here, we provide a comprehensive summary of recent applications and research progress for COFs in solid-state electrolytes of lithium metal batteries and discuss the possible development directions in the future. This review is expected to provide theoretical guidance for the design of high-performance solid-state electrolytes.

Carbon Microstructure Dependent Li-Ion Storage Behaviors in SiOx /C Anodes.

SiOx anode has a more durable cycle life than Si, being considered competitive to replace the conventional graphite. SiOx usually serves as composites with carbon to achieve more extended cycle life. However, the carbon microstructure dependent Li-ion storage behaviors in SiOx /C anode have received insufficient attention. Herein, this work demonstrates that the disorder of carbon can determine the ratio of inter- and intragranular Li-ion diffusions. The resulted variation of platform characteristics will result in different compatibility when matching SiOx . Rational disorder induced intergranular diffusion can benefit phase transition of SiOx /C, benefiting the electrochemical performance. Through a series of quantitative calculations and in situ X-ray diffraction characterizations, this work proposes the rational strategy for the future optimization, thus achieving preferable performance of SiOx /C anode.

Development and evaluation of an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay based on a recombinant SifA protein to detect Salmonella infection in poultry.

Salmonella is an important zoonotic pathogen that not only endangers food safety and human health, but also causes considerable economic losses to the poultry industry. Therefore, it is essential to establish a rapid, sensitive, and specific diagnostic method for the early detection of Salmonella infection in poultry. In this study, we developed a novel enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the detection of anti-Salmonella antibodies using a recombinant SifA protein. Amino acid sequence comparison revealed that SifA is a relatively conserved secretory protein across Salmonella serotypes. Therefore, we hypothesized that SifA can serve as a detection antigen for diagnostic testing. The SifA protein was expressed in Escherichia coli and used as a coating antigen to establish an SifA-ELISA. Control sera from specific-pathogen-free (SPF) chickens infected with Salmonella or several other non-Salmonella pathogens were then tested using the SifA-ELISA. Specificity testing demonstrated that the SifA-ELISA could detect antibodies against 3 different serotypes of Salmonella, whereas antibodies against other non-Salmonella pathogens could not be detected. Compared to the SifA-ELISA, the Salmonella plate agglutination test (PAT) failed to detect antibodies in serum samples from chickens infected with Salmonella Typhimurium. This result suggests that our SifA-ELISA may be better than PAT at detecting Salmonella infection. Comparing clinical sera, we observed a similar rate of Salmonella positivity between SifA-ELISA and PAT (92.6%). In addition, anti-SifA antibodies were continuously detected during Salmonella infection of SPF chickens, demonstrating that SifA-ELISA could consistently detect high levels of antibodies for at least 8 wk. Furthermore, the intra-assay and interassay coefficients of variation (CV) of the SifA-ELISA were below 10%, which is considered acceptable. In summary, the SifA-ELISA established here is a promising and reliable method for detection of anti-Salmonella antibodies in poultry and may contribute to the early diagnosis of Salmonella infection.

Insights into the Potassium Ion Storage Behavior and Phase Evolution of a Tailored Yolk-Shell SnSe@C Anode.

Tin chalcogenides are regarded as promising anode materials for potassium ion batteries (PIBs) due to their considerable specific capacity. However, the severe volume effect, limited electronic conductivity, and the shuttle effect of the potassiation product restrict the application prospect. Herein, based on the metal evaporation reaction, a facile structural engineering strategy for yolk-shell SnSe encapsulated in carbon shell (SnSe@C) is proposed. The internal void can accommodate the volume change of the SnSe core and the carbon shell can enhance the electronic conductivity. Combining qualitative and quantitative electrochemical analyses, the distinguished electrochemical performance of SnSe@C anode is attributed to the contribution of enhanced capacitive behavior. Additionally, first-principles calculations elucidate that the heteroatomic doped carbon exhibits a preferable affinity toward potassium ions and the potassiation product K2 Se, boosting the rate performance and capacity retention consequently. Furthermore, the phase evolution of SnSe@C electrode during the potassiation/depotassiation process is clarified by in situ X-ray diffraction characterization, and the crystal transition from the SnSe Pnma(62) to Cmcm(63) point group is discovered unpredictably. This work demonstrates a pragmatic avenue to tailor the SnSe@C anode via a facile structural engineering strategy and chemical regulation, providing substantial clarification for the phase evolution mechanism of SnSe-based anode for PIBs.

Clinical efficacy of thymosin alpha 1 combined with multi-modality chemotherapy and its effects on immune function of patients with pulmonary tuberculosis complicated with diabetes.

OBJECTIVE: To observe the clinical efficacy of thymosin alpha 1 (Tα1) combined with multi-modality chemotherapy in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) complicated with diabetes and discuss the effects of such combination therapy on lymphocyte subsets and sputum levels of cytokines. METHODS: A total of 120 patients with PTB complicated with diabetes admitted to the Affiliated Hospital of North China University of Science and Technology from January 2017 to January 2018 were included in this study and randomly divided into an experimental group (Tα1 group, n=60) and a control group (n=60). Clinical efficacy and adverse drug reactions were observed and compared between the two groups. Blood samples were collected for lymphocyte (NK cell and T cell subsets) levels by flow cytometry, and sputum samples were collected for cytokine (IL-2, IFN-γ, IL-4 and TNF-α) levels by ELISA. RESULTS: Two groups showed no statistically significant difference in sputum culture-negative conversion rate, chest lesion absorption rate, and cavity closure rate (P>0.05) after 6 months of treatment. However, after 12 months, the sputum culture-negative conversion rate, chest lesion absorption rate, and cavity closure rate in the Tα1 group increased compared with the control group, and the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). There was a significant increase in CD3+, CD4+, NK-cells lymphocytes after six months in the Tα1 group than in the control group, whereas the CD8+, Th17, Treg lymphocytes in the Tα1 group were substantially lower than in the control group, with the differences showing statistical significance (P<0.05, respectively). After six months of treatment, the sputum supernatant levels of interleukin-4 (IL-4) and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) in the Tα1 group were lower than in the control group, whereas the sputum supernatant levels of interleukin-2 (IL-2) and interferon gamma (IFN-γ) in the Tα1 group were higher than in the control group, and the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05, respectively). There was no statistically significant difference in the incidence of adverse reactions between the two groups (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: Tα1 combined with multi-modality chemotherapy has a visible curative effect on PTB patients with diabetes as it can regulate immune function and reduce the levels of inflammatory cytokines. As a safe combination therapy, it seems promising for further use in clinical practice.

High-Efficient Vacuum Ultraviolet-Ozone Assist-Deposited Polydopamine for Poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid)-Coated Pure Zn toward Biodegradable Cardiovascular Stent Applications.

Zinc is a prospective metal for biodegradable cardiovascular stent applications, but the excessively released Zn2+ during degradation remains a huge challenge in biocompatibility. Considerable efforts have been made to develop a high-efficient surface modification method, while maintaining adhesion strength, mechanical support, and vascular compatibility. Biomimetic polydopamine (PDA) can adhere to Zn tightly, subsequently achieving robust chemical bonds with poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) coating. However, the deposition of PDA on Zn depends on the controlled conditions such as a sensitive pH and a long period of time. Herein, we introduce vacuum ultraviolet-ozone (VUV/O3) assist-deposition technology to accelerate the polymerization of PDA on pure Zn, which shortens the process to 40 min at a moderate pH of 8.5 and improves the deposition rate by 1-2 orders of magnitude under sufficient active oxygen species (ROS). Additionally, PLGA/PDA coating enhances the corrosion resistance, and their effective protection maintains the mechanical properties after long-term corrosion. Moreover, the controlled Zn2+ release contributes to the superior in vitro biocompatibility, which inhibits the hemolysis rate and smooth muscle cell (SMC) proliferation. The enhanced endothelial cell (EC) proliferation is promising to promote the re-endothelialization, avoiding in-stent restenosis and neointimal hyperplasia. Such modified Zn might be a viable candidate for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases.

Preparation and characterization of self-assembled ZnO nanowire devices: nanowire strain sensor and homogeneous p-n junction.

In this work, intrinsic and p-type ZnO nanowires (NWs) have been synthesized. Pure intrinsic ZnO nanowires have been fabricated by direct oxidation method and their aspect ratio reached up to 271.3. Sb-doped ZnO nanowires were uniformly grown on Si substrates by chemical vapor deposition with diameters ranging from 0.5 to 5µm and lengths ranging from 100µm to 3 mm. Directional arrangement of nanowires has been realized by two self-assembly methods, pulling method and water flow method, and two kinds of ZnO nanodevices (strain sensor and homogenous p-n junction) were prepared and characterized based on the directional arranged nanowires. According to the current response of ZnO nanowire strain sensor, the deformation quantities of elastic plate under the action of external forces in orthogonalXandYdirection were calculated respectively. The ZnO nanowire homogenous p-n junction was made of two vertical Sb-doped and intrinsic ZnO nanowires. TheI-Vcharacteristic curve showed good rectification characteristics, and the forward turn-on voltage was about 10 V. However, since the current was too small due to the small carrier concentration in the ZnO single crystal, it is difficult to achieve electroluminescence at present.

Low-Temperature Co-hydroxylated Cu/SiO2 Hybrid Bonding Strategy for a Memory-Centric Chip Architecture.

Cu/SiO2 hybrid bonding with planarized dielectric and isolated metal connections can realize ultradense interconnects (e.g., ≤1 µm) by eliminating the microbumps and underfill through the direct bonding of Cu-Cu and SiO2-SiO2. However, the low-temperature bonding of Cu-Cu (oxide-free surface) and SiO2-SiO2 (hydroxylated surface) is difficult to be compatible in a mechanism. We circumvent this contradiction by constructing a co-hydroxylated functional surface on a Cu/SiO2 hybrid platform. By combining and optimizing the protocol of Ar/O2 plasma activation and formic acid solution immersion, an -OH active layer was successfully established on the Cu and SiO2 surfaces simultaneously, and the increased total surface area provided more adsorption sites for hydroxyl groups. A Cu-Cu interface with sufficient atom diffusion, substantial grain growth, and fewer microvoids was obtained at 200 °C. Notably, the carbon-related interlayer that may degrade the interfacial performance could be effectively inhibited across the optimized SiO2-SiO2 interface even if organic acid was introduced in the protocol. This low-temperature Cu/SiO2 hybrid bonding via a co-hydroxylated strategy may inspire the development of a memory-centric chip architecture and functional integrated circuits delivering a monolithic-like performance in the future hyperscaling era.

Ultrafast Parallel Micro-Gap Resistance Welding of an AuNi9 Microwire and Au Microlayer.

Welding between an AuNi9 microwire and Au microlayer is of great importance for fabricating electrical contact structures for high precision inertial devices, satellite slip ring brushes, robots, etc. In this paper, the achievement of parallel micro-gap resistance welding (PMRW) with 200-µm AuNi9 microwires on a 3-µm Au layer was presented. The study on the orthogonal design of the experiment was carried out. The effect of the process parameters (welding current, welding time, and welding pressure) was discussed in reference to the morphologies and tensile force of the joint using range analysis. It is shown that too much or too little heat input will decrease the welding performance. A group of optimized process parameters (0.275 kA welding current, 3 ms welding time, and 28.7 N welding pressure) was obtained. During the welding process, the dynamic resistance of the whole welding system was measured, which can reflect the welding quality. Finite element simulation is utilized to calculate the welding temperature. The highest temperature was located in the center area of the AuNi9 microwire, reaching 1397.2 °C, which is higher than the melting point of AuNi9. By contrast, the highest temperature for the pad was 826.47 °C (lower than the melting point of Au). Hence, under optimized process parameters, a transient interfacial reaction between the liquid AuNi9 microwire and solid Au pad occurred, and the strength of the welded joint reached 5.54 N.

Synthesis and Electrochemical Performance of Graphene @ Halloysite Nanotubes/Sulfur Composites Cathode Materials for Lithium-Sulfur Batteries.

Natural halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) and reduced graphene oxide (RGO) were introduced into the S cathode material to form HNTs/S and RGO@HNTs/S composite electrode to improve the electrochemical performance of Li-S batteries. The effect of acid etching temperature on the morphology and pore structure of HNTs was explored and the morphological characteristics and electrochemical performance of composite electrodes formed by HNTs that after treatment with different acid etching temperatures and RGO were compared. The result shows that the cycling stability and the utilization rate of active substances of the Li-S battery were greatly improved because the pore structure and surface polarity functional groups of HNTs and the introduction of RGO provide a conductive network for insulating sulfur particles. The RGO@HNTs treated by acid treatment at 80 °C (RGO@HNTs-80/S) composite electrode at 0.1 C has an initial capacity of 1134 mAh g-1, the discharge capacity after 50 cycles retains 20.1% higher than the normal S electrode and maintains a specific discharge capacity of 556 mAh g-1 at 1 C. Therefore, RGO and HNTs can effectively improve the initial discharge specific capacity, cycle performance and rate performance of Li-S batteries.

Nanometer-Scale Heterogeneous Interfacial Sapphire Wafer Bonding for Enabling Plasmonic-Enhanced Nanofluidic Mid-Infrared Spectroscopy.

As one of the most effective surface-enhanced infrared absorption (SEIRA) techniques, metal-insulator-metal structured metamaterial perfect absorbers possess an ultrahigh sensitivity and selectivity in molecular infrared fingerprint detection. However, most of the localized electromagnetic fields (i.e., hotspots) are confined in the dielectric layer, hindering the interaction between analytes and hotspots. By replacing the dielectric layer with the nanofluidic channel, we develop a sapphire (Al2O3)-based mid-infrared (MIR) hybrid nanofluidic-SEIRA (HN-SEIRA) platform for liquid sensors with the aid of a low-temperature interfacial heterogeneous sapphire wafer direct bonding technique. The robust atomic bonding interface is confirmed by transmission electron microscope observation. We also establish a design methodology for the HN-SEIRA sensor using coupled-mode theory to carry out the loss engineering and experimentally validate its feasibility through the accurate nanogap control. Thanks to the capillary force, liquid analytes can be driven into sensing hotspots without external actuation systems. Besides, we demonstrate an in situ real-time dynamic monitoring process for the acetone molecular diffusion in deionized water. A small concentration change of 0.29% is distinguished and an ultrahigh sensitivity (0.8364 pmol-1 %) is achieved. With the aid of IR fingerprint absorption, our HN-SEIRA platform brings the selectivity of liquid molecules with similar refractive indexes. It also resolves water absorption issues in traditional IR liquid sensors thanks to the sub-nm long light path. Considering the wide transparency window of Al2O3 in MIR (up to 5.2 µm), the HN-SEIRA platform covers more IR absorption range for liquid sensing compared to fused glass commonly used in micro/nanofluidics. Leveraging the aforementioned advantages, our work provides insights into developing a MIR real-time liquid sensing platform with intrinsic IR fingerprint selectivity, label-free ultrahigh sensitivity, and ultralow analyte volume, demonstrating a way toward quantitative molecule identification and dynamic analysis for the chemical and biological reaction processes.

High-Performance Magnesium-Carbon Nanofiber Hygroelectric Generator Based on Interface-Mediation-Enhanced Capacitive Discharging Effect.

This study reports the concept of a water/moisture-induced hygroelectric generator based on the direct contact between magnesium (Mg) alloy and oxidized carbon nanofibers (CNFs). This device generates an open-circuit voltage up to 2.65 V within only 10 ms when the unit is placed in contact with liquid water, which is higher than the reduction potential of magnesium. The average peak short-circuit current density is ∼6 mA/cm2, which is among the highest values yet reported for water-induced electricity generators. Our results indicate that galvanic corrosion occurs at the interface between the CNF and Mg electrode, but the device can still generate electricity because of the high contact resistance caused by the work function difference between Mg and CNF and the surface oxidation. The oxidized CNF is shown to absorb water/moisture and get reduced, leading to a capacitive discharging effect to provide enhanced signal amplitude and sensitivity. These devices are found to be highly sensitive to small quantities of water, and their high output voltage and current make them useful for the detection of water vapor in the human breath as well as changes in ambient humidity. The Mg/CNF systems thus provide a new technology for use in the fabrication of self-powered water/moisture sensors and the development of portable electric power generators.