SILAR Growth of ZnO NSs/CdS QDs on the Optical Fiber-Based Opto-Electrode with Guided In Situ Light and Its Application for the "Signal-On" Detection of Inflammatory Cytokine.

In this study, a novel integrated photoelectrochemical (PEC) sensor platform was proposed, utilizing an optical fiber (OF) as the working electrode for guided in situ light. A CdS quantum dots (QDs)/ZnO nanosheets (NSs) n-n heterojunction was quickly and easily constructed on the OF surface by successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR). Au nanoparticles (NPs)@dsDNA as a capturing probe were modified on the CdS QDs/ZnO NSs@OF (CZ@OF). Due to the energy transfer between Au NPs@dsDNA and CdS QDs, the resultant opto-electrode has a lower background near zero, enabling the "signal-on" detection of biomarkers (interleukin-6 (IL-6) as a model). The OF-PEC biosensor demonstrated a wide linear range from 1 to 100 pg mL-1 with a regression coefficient (R2) of 0.9958 and an impressive detection limit (LOD) of 0.19 pg mL-1. More significantly, the proposed OF-PEC can be successfully used for the detection of IL-6 in serum samples from patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension, and it showed consistency and is more sensitive to trace concentrations compared to BD FACSCanto II flow cytometry used at the hospital. This holds significance for an early disease diagnosis. Therefore, the proposed OF-PEC not only achieves integration of the light source and sensing interface but also enables sensitive and accurate "signal-on" detection of IL-6. Furthermore, due to the flexibility and remote detection capabilities of OF, the application of OF-PEC is expected to be expanded more widely. This approach opens up possibilities for advances in PEC sensing.

Ultrathin LayCoOx Nanosheets with High Porosity Featuring Boosted Catalytic Oxidation of Benzene: Mechanism Elucidation via an Experiment-Theory Combined Paradigm.

Designing transition-metal oxides for catalytically removing the highly toxic benzene holds significance in addressing indoor/outdoor environmental pollution issues. Herein, we successfully synthesized ultrathin LayCoOx nanosheets (thickness of ∼1.8 nm) with high porosity, using a straightforward coprecipitation method. Comprehensive characterization techniques were employed to analyze the synthesized LayCoOx catalysts, revealing their low crystallinity, high surface area, and abundant porosity. Catalytic benzene oxidation tests demonstrated that the La0.029CoOx-300 nanosheet exhibited the most optimal performance. This catalyst enabled complete benzene degradation at a relatively low temperature of 220 °C, even under a high space velocity (SV) of 20,000 h-1, and displayed remarkable durability throughout various catalytic assessments, including SV variations, exposure to water vapor, recycling, and long time-on-stream tests. Characterization analyses confirmed the enhanced interactions between Co and doped La, the presence of abundant adsorbed oxygen, and the extensive exposure of Co3+ species in La0.029CoOx-300 nanosheets. Theoretical calculations further revealed that La doping was beneficial for the formation of oxygen vacancies and the adsorption of more hydroxyl groups. These features strongly promoted the adsorption and activation of oxygen, thereby accelerating the benzene oxidation processes. This work underscores the advantages of doping rare-earth elements into transition-metal oxides as a cost-effective yet efficient strategy for purifying industrial exhausts.

Dual chemodynamic/photothermal therapeutic nanoplatform based on DNA-functionalized prussian blue.

The combination of chemodynamic therapy and photothermal therapy has a promising application owing to its impressive anti-cancer effects. However, the degradability of the material and the lack of targeting severely limit its further clinical application. Herein, DNAs containing nucleolin aptamer (AS1411) and different bases sequences were used to functionalize PB NPs for the targeted treatment. Compared to prussian blue, DNA-functionalized prussian blue does not reduce the photothermal properties of prussian blue. Moreover, DNA confers DNA-functionalized prussian blue targeting and higher enzymatic activity, thereby achieving a more effective combination of chemodynamic and photothermal treatment. The therapeutic efficacy of this nanoplatform was evaluated in vivo and in vitro experiments, exhibiting that DNA-functionalized prussian blue nanozyme can maximize the precise control of the therapeutic effect, reduce the toxic and side effects caused by non-specific accumulation on other normal cells, and effectively achieve targeted killing of cancer cells. This work demonstrates that DNA-functionalized prussian blue can improve the efficiency of combined tumor treatment and enhance the application value of prussian blue in tumor treatment, which is expected to provide theoretical support for clinical application.

Multifunctional Imidazolidinyl Urea Additive Initiated Complex with PbI2 Toward Efficient and Stable Perovskite Solar Cells.

High-quality perovskite absorption layer is the fundamental basis for efficient and stable perovskite solar cells (PSCs). Due to the ionic nature of perovskite components, plentiful charged defects and suspension bonds remain on the surface of perovskite grains after continuous high-temperature annealing. Here, the complex initiated by the introduction of a multifunctional imidazolidinyl urea (IU) additive into the PbI2 precursor solution could serve as nucleation sites and crystallization templates for perovskite crystals to optimize the growth of high-quality perovskite films. By anchoring at the grain boundaries of perovskite films, IU molecules could passivate various types of defects, improve the hydrophobic properties, and inhibit lead leakage. Attributed to reduced defect density, improved charge transport, and inhibited α-FAPbI3 transition, the PSCs prepared based on IU additives achieved a champion power conversion efficiency of 23.18% (21.51% for the control PSCs) with negligible hysteresis and satisfactory stability.

Hydroxyl-Decorated Pt as a Robust Water-Resistant Catalyst for Catalytic Benzene Oxidation.

In catalytic oxidation reactions, the presence of environmental water poses challenges to the performance of Pt catalysts. This study aims to overcome this challenge by introducing hydroxyl groups onto the surface of Pt catalysts using the pyrolysis reduction method. Two silica supports were employed to investigate the impact of hydroxyl groups: SiO2-OH with hydroxyl groups and SiO2-C without hydroxyl groups. Structural characterization confirmed the presence of Pt-Ox, Pt-OHx, and Pt0 species in the Pt/SiO2-OH catalysts, while only Pt-Ox and Pt0 species were observed in the Pt/SiO2-C catalysts. Catalytic performance tests demonstrated the remarkable capacity of the 0.5 wt % Pt/SiO2-OH catalyst, achieving complete conversion of benzene at 160 °C under a high space velocity of 60,000 h-1. Notably, the catalytic oxidation capacity of the Pt/SiO2-OH catalyst remained largely unaffected even in the presence of 10 vol % water vapor. Moreover, the catalyst exhibited exceptional recyclability and stability, maintaining its performance over 16 repeated cycles and a continuous operation time of 70 h. Theoretical calculations revealed that the construction of Pt-OHx sites on the catalyst surface was beneficial for modulating the d-band structure, which in turn enhanced the adsorption and activation of reactants. This finding highlights the efficacy of decorating the Pt surface with hydroxyl groups as an effective strategy for improving the water resistance, catalytic activity, and long-term stability of Pt catalysts.

Thrombospondin 2 is a novel biomarker of essential hypertension and associated with nocturnal Na+ excretion and insulin resistance.

BACKGROUND: Thrombospondins (TSPs) play important roles in several cardiovascular diseases. However, the association between circulating (plasma) thrombospondin 2 (TSP2) and essential hypertension remains unclear. The present study was aimed to investigate the association of circulating TSP2 with blood pressure and nocturnal urine Na+ excretion and evaluate the predictive value of circulating TSP2 in subjects with hypertension. METHODS AND RESULTS: 603 newly diagnosed essential hypertensive subjects and 508 healthy subjects were preliminarily screened, 47 healthy subjects and 40 newly diagnosed essential hypertensive subjects without any chronic diseases were recruited. The results showed that the levels of circulating TSP2 were elevated in essential hypertensive subjects. The levels of TSP2 positively associated with systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and other clinical parameters, including homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity, and serum triglycerides, but negatively associated with nocturnal urine Na+ concentration and excretion and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Results of multiple linear regressions showed that HOMA-IR and nocturnal Na+ excretion were independent factors related to circulating TSP2. Mantel-Haenszel chi-square test displayed linear relationships between TSP2 and SBP (χ2 = 35.737) and DBP (χ2 = 26.652). The area under receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) of hypertension prediction was 0.901. CONCLUSION: Our study suggests for the first time that the circulating levels of TSP2 may be a novel potential biomarker for essential hypertension. The association between TSP2 and blood pressure may be, at least in part, related to the regulation of renal Na+ excretion, insulin resistance, and/or endothelial function.

Comparison of antegrade robotic assisted VS laparoscopic inguinal lymphadenectomy for penile cancer.

BACKGROUND: Minimally invasive modifications of inguinal lymphadenectomy (IL), including laparoscopic IL (LIL) and robotic-assisted IL (RAIL), have been utilized for penile cancer. Comparative study is necessary to guide the decision about which minimally invasive technique to select for IL. Therefore we compared RAIL with LIL performed via an antegrade approach in terms of perioperative outcomes. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study of 43 patients who underwent RAIL (n = 20) or LIL (n = 23) for penile cancer from 2016 to 2020. The key surgical procedures and techniques are described. Complications were graded by the Clavien-Dindo classification, and operative time, estimated blood loss (EBL), lymph nodal yield, nodal positivity, postoperative drain duration, and disease recurrence during follow-up were assessed. Categorical variables were compared using chi-squared whereas continuous variables were compared by t-tests. RESULTS: The operative time for RAIL was significantly shorter than that of LIL (median 83 vs 95 min). Significantly less blood loss was reported with RAIL than with LIL (median 10 vs 35 ml). Lymph node yield, pathological positive nodes, the hospital stay, postoperative drain duration, postoperative complications and recurrence were similar for RAIL and LIL. CONCLUSIONS: For patients with penile cancer, perioperative outcomes of RAIL and LIL were similar, but there was less blood loss, a shorter operative time for robotic cases.

Comparison of transvaginal cervical cerclage versus laparoscopic abdominal cervical cerclage in cervical insufficiency: a retrospective study from a single centre.

BACKGROUND: Cervical cerclage has been proposed as an effective treatment for cervical insufficiency, but there has been controversy regarding the surgical options of cervical cerclage in singleton and twin pregnancies. This study aimed to compare the pregnancy outcomes between transvaginal cervical cerclage (TVC) and laparoscopic abdominal cervical cerclage (LAC) in patients with cervical insufficiency. We also aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety, and provide more evidence to support the application of cervical cerclage in twin pregnancies. METHODS: A retrospective study was carried out from January 2015 to December 2021. The primary outcomes were the incidence of spontaneous preterm birth (sPTB) < 24 weeks, < 28, < 32, < 34 weeks, and < 37weeks, gestational age at delivery, and the incidence of admission for threatened abortion or preterm birth after cervical cerclage. The secondary outcomes included admission to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, adverse neonatal outcomes and neonatal death. We also analysed the pregnancy outcomes of twin pregnancies after cervical cerclage. RESULTS: A total of 289 patients were identified as eligible for inclusion. The LAC group (n = 56) had a very low incidence of sPTB ˂ 34 weeks, and it was associated with a significant decrease in sPTB < 28 weeks, ˂32 weeks, ˂34 and < 37 weeks, and admission to the hospital during pregnancy for threatened abortion or preterm birth after cervical cerclage (0 vs.27%; 1.8% vs. 40.3%; 7.1% vs. 46.8%; 14% vs. 63.5%, 8.9% vs. 62.2%, respectively; P < 0.001), and high in gestational age at delivery compared with the TVC group (n = 233) (38.3 weeks vs.34.4 weeks,P < 0.001). Neonatal outcomes in the LAC group were significantly better than those in the TVC group. The mean gestational age at delivery was 34.3 ± 1.8 weeks, with a total foetal survival rate of 100% without serious neonatal complications in twin pregnancies with LAC. CONCLUSION: In patients with cervical insufficiency, LAC appears to have better pregnancy outcomes than TVC. For some patients, LAC is a recommended option and may be selected as the first choice. Even in twin pregnancies, cervical cerclage can improve pregnancy outcomes with a longer latency period, especially in the LAC group.

Perinatal outcomes associated with ICP in twin pregnancies were worse than singletons: an almost 5-year retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP) is associated with an increased risk of adverse perinatal outcomes leading to high perinatal morbidity and mortality. However, few studies have examined twin pregnancies complicated by ICP. To assess the perinatal outcomes of twin pregnancies with ICP, a retrospective cohort study was conducted. METHODS: A total of 633 twin pregnancies and 1267 singleton pregnancies with ICP were included. In addition, a correlation study was performed on the matched total bile acid (TBA) levels from maternal serum, fetal umbilical venous blood, and amniotic fluid of 33 twin pregnancies from twin groups. RESULTS: When compared to singletons, twin pregnancies with ICP had a higher risk of cesarean section (CS) (96.4% vs. 76.1%), preterm birth (PTB) (82.6% vs. 19.7%), fetal distress (2.0% vs. 1.3%), and neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admission (23.6% vs. 5.1%), which was significantly related to increasing TBA levels (P < 0.05). In twin pregnancies with TBA ≥100 µmol/L, the incidences of CS, PTB, fetal distress, neonatal asphyxia, and meconium-stained amniotic fluid were 94.4, 100, 11.1, 5.6, and 36.1%, respectively. Furthermore, the maximum maternal TBA levels were positively correlated with TBA levels in the amniotic fluid (r = 0.61, P < 0.05) and umbilical cord blood (r = 0.44, P < 0.05), and a similar correlation was found for maternal TBA levels at delivery. TBA levels in umbilical cord blood and amniotic fluid also had a significant and positive correlation (r = 0.52, P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Twin pregnancies with ICP had a higher risk for adverse perinatal outcomes than singletons, which was associated with higher TBA levels. TBA can be transported through the placenta and is involved in uterus-placenta-fetal circulation.

Conjoined twins in dichorionic diamniotic triplet pregnancy: a report of three cases and literature review.

BACKGROUND: Conjoined twins are a rare and serious complication of monochorionic twins. The total incidence is 1.5 per 100,000 births, and about 50% are liveborn. Prenatal screening and diagnosis of conjoined twins is usually performed by ultrasonography. Magnetic resonance imaging can be used to assist in the diagnosis if necessary. Conjoined twins in dichorionic diamniotic triplet pregnancy are extremely rare. CASE PRESENTATION: We reported three cases of dichorionic diamniotic triplet pregnancy with conjoined twins. Due to the poor prognosis of conjoined twins evaluated by multidisciplinary teams, selective termination of conjoined twins was performed in three cases. In case 1, selective reduction of the conjoined twins was performed at 16 gestational weeks, and a healthy female baby weighing 3270 g was delivered at 37 weeks. In case 2, the conjoined twins were selectively terminated at 17 weeks of gestation, and a healthy female baby weighing 2760 g was delivered at 37 weeks and 4 days. In case 3, the conjoined twins were selectively terminated at 15 weeks and 2 days, and a healthy female baby weighing 2450 g was delivered at 33 weeks and 6 days. The babies of all three cases were followed up and are in good health. CONCLUSION(S): Surgical separation is the only treatment for conjoined twins after birth. Early determination of chorionicity and antenatal diagnosis of conjoined twins in triplet gestations are critical for individualized management options and the prognosis of normal triplets. Expecting parents should be extensively counseled by multidisciplinary teams. If there are limitations in successful separation after birth, early selective termination of the conjoined twins by intrathoracic injection of potassium chloride may be a procedure in dichorionic diamniotic triplet pregnancy to improve perinatal outcomes of the normal triplet.

An electrochemical aptasensor for amyloid-ß oligomer based on double-stranded DNA as "conductive spring".

In order to overcome the antibody-based sensor's shortcomings, an electrochemical aptamer (Apt)-based sensor was developed for amyloid-ß40 oligomer (Aß40-O). The aptasensor was constructed by locating Apt and ferrocence (Fc) on streptavidin-modified gold (SA-gold) nanoparticles. The obtained AptFc@SA-gold nanoparticles were linked onto the Au electrode via the connection of double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) as a "conductive spring." The determination of Aß40-O was performed with square-wave voltammetry (SWV). Upon bio-recognition between Apt and Aß40-O, the conformation of Apt changed and the formed Apt/Aß40-O complex separated from the SA-gold surface. As a result, the surface charge of SA-gold positively shifted, weakening the electrostatic attraction between the SA-gold and the positively charged Au electrode surface (at potential range of 0.1~0.5 V, corresponding to the Fc redox transformation), and stretching the dsDNA chain. Based on the exponential decay of dsDNA's electron transfer efficiency on its chain stretching, the oxidation current density from Fc decreased and displayed linear correlation to the concentration of Aß40-O. A wide linear range of 0.100 nM to 1.00 µM with a low detection limit of 93.0 pM was obtained. The aptasensor displayed excellent selectivity toward Aß40-O in contrast to other possible interfering analogs (Aß40 monomer, Aß42 monomer, and oligomer) at × 100 higher concentrations. The recoveries for Aß40-O-spiked artificial cerebrospinal fluid and healthy human serum were 94.0~104% and 92.8~95.4%, respectively. The electrochemical aptasensor meets the demands of clinic determination of Aß40-O, which is significant for the early diagnosis of AD. Graphical abstract Schematic representation of the electrochemical aptasensor for amyloid-ß oligomer based on the surface charge change induced by target binding.

Coimmunocapture and Electrochemical Quantitation of Total and Phosphorylated Amyloid-ß40 Monomers.

Phosphorylated proteins play important roles in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The most abundant constituent in AD's brain deposit is the amyloid-ß40 peptide (Aß40). Based on it, the degree of phosphorylated Aß40 in body fluids (e.g., cerebrospinal fluid, CSF), which is defined by the ratio of phosphorylated Aß40 to total Aß40 (pAß40/tAß40), is anticipated to be an index for early diagnosis of AD. The major challenge in pAß40/tAß40 detection is the large concentration difference between two Aß40 forms in the real samples, which usually requires multichannel equipment and complicated detection process. In this paper, we revealed the unexpected close affinities of the anti-Aß40 antibody to Aß40 (40.2 nM-1) and to pAß40 (42.3 nM-1). Based on it, a convenient coimmunocapture and electrochemical quantitation of tAß40 and pAß40 was achieved on an anti-Aß40 antibody immobilized Au electrode (anti-Aß40/Au). Once Aß40 and pAß40 were synchronously captured on the anti-Aß40/Au electrode, the tAß40 levels in CSF samples were quantified with electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. With the signal amplification from Cd2+/Ti4+-functionalized titanium phosphate nanospheres (Cd2+/Ti4+@TiP) which was selective conjugated to pAß40, concentrations of low abundant pAß40 as low as 1 fM were readily measured by square wave voltammetry. Our results reveal that despite the concentrations of tAß40 and pAß40 fluctuate in each individual case, the concentration ratios of pAß40/tAß40 in CSF samples from AD patients are significant larger than those from healthy donors. It demonstrates that the degree of phosphorylated Aß40 is hopeful to be an effective index for evaluating the AD progress and improving the accuracy of clinic AD diagnosis.

An electrochemical dual-signaling aptasensor for the ultrasensitive detection of insulin.

Insulin plays a central role in physiological glycolmetabolism and is associated with diabetes and related diseases. In this work, a dual-signaling electrochemical aptasensor for insulin detection with high sensitivity and specificity has been reported. Methylene blue (MB)-modified insulin-binding aptamer (IBA) as "signal-off" probe, and (DNA2)/Ferrocene (Fc) co-modified gold nanoparticles (DNA2Fc@GNPs) as the "signal-on" probe were integrated with linker mDNA to fabricate the DNA2Fc@GNPs/mDNA/MB-IBA modified Au electrode as the sensing interface, and the current responses of MB and Fc were used as signal indicators. As expected, the incubation of insulin with DNA2Fc@GNPs/mDNA/MB-IBA/Au electrode resulted in the current responses of MB and Fc decreased and increased, respectively. Based on this strategy, the detection of insulin was successfully achieved, and a linear range from 10 pM to 10 nM with the detectable lowest concentration of 0.1 pM was obtained. By measuring the insulin concentrations in serum samples, this proposed aptasensor has been proven to be of high specificity and accuracy. Moreover, the dual-signaling is useful for the more accurate and reproducible detection through their self-referencing capability. This aptasensor possesses such advantages as simplicity, rapid responses, high sensitivity, specificity and accuracy, which is significant for improving the diagnosis of insulin-related diseases.

An experimental study of the impacts of solar radiation and temperature on mercury emission from different natural soils across China.

Mercury (Hg) emission from natural soil is one of the most important contributors to global Hg cycles. Research on Hg emission from soil to air has been carried out in China. Currently, most of the research focuses on contaminated sites in China, while research in other regions is rare. To provide more accurate information on Hg emissions from soil to air in China and obtain additional laboratory data to verify the role of solar radiation and temperature in this process, we sampled and measured Hg emission fluxes from various natural soils (range, 48-240 ng/g) across mainland China under different solar radiation (0-900 W·m-2) and temperature (15-45 °C) conditions in a laboratory. We found that in different places in China, Hg emissions from natural soils occurred more easily when the soil Hg concentration, temperature, and solar radiation were high, but the impacts were different among the regions due to different soil types. Hg emissions from natural soils (0.071-24 ng·m2·h-1) were typically lower than those from contaminated sites, suggesting that additional measurements in natural soils are desirable. The results of this study could provide more accurate information on Hg emission from natural soil to air and help establish a nationwide natural soil Hg emission inventory in China.

Electrostatic Force Triggering Elastic Condensation of Double-Stranded DNA for High-Performance One-Step Immunoassay.

Current strategies for high-performance immunoassay generally require a sandwich structure for signal amplification. This strategy is limited to multivalent antigens and complicates the detection scheme. Herein we demonstrate a class of simple one-step ultrasensitive immunoassay with the adoption of double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) as "conductive spring" to bridge the electrode and redox-reporter/antibody-receptor comodified gold nanoparticles (AbFc@AuNPs). Upon biorecognition between antigen and antibody, the charge of the AuNPs changes, enhancing the electrostatic interaction between the AuNPs and Au electrode surface, and condensing the dsDNA chain. For the first time, the sensitive response of the electrochemical redox current to the DNA chain length is utilized to achieve an ultrahigh sensitivity down to fM level. Only the primary antibody needed in the recognition interface ensures the one-step immunoreaction works well with monovalent antigens, which ensure this method as a promising general alternative means for fast, high-throughput or point-of-care clinical applications even for very challenging clinically relevant samples.

Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy for Real-Time Detection of Lipid Membrane Damage Based on a Porous Self-Assembly Monolayer Support.

Layer-by-layer dissolution and permeable pore formation are two typical membrane damage pathways, which induce membrane function disorder and result in serious disease, such as Alzheimer's disease, Keshan disease, Sickle-cell disease, and so on. To effectively distinguish and sensitively monitor these two typical membrane damage pathways, a facile electrochemical impedance strategy was developed on a porous self-assembly monolayer (pSAM) supported bilayer lipid membrane (BLM). The pSAM was prepared by selectively electrochemical reductive desorption of the mercaptopropionic acid in a mixed mercaptopropionic acid/11-mercaptoundecanoic acid self-assembled monolayer, which created plenty of nanopores with tens of nanometers in diameter and several nanometers in height (defined as inner-pores). The ultralow aspect ratio of the inner-pores was advantageous to the mass transfer of electrochemical probe [Fe(CN)6]3-/4-, simplifying the equivalent electric circuit for electrochemical impedance spectroscopy analysis at the electrode/membrane interface. [Fe(CN)6]3-/4- transferring from the bulk solution into the inner-pore induce significant changes of the interfacial impedance properties, improving the detection sensitivity. Based on these, the different membrane damage pathways were effectively distinguished and sensitively monitored with the normalized resistance-capacitance changes of inner-pore-related parameters including the electrolyte resistance within the pore length ( Rpore) and the metal/inner-pore interfacial capacitance ( Cpore) and the charge-transfer resistance ( Rct-in) at the metal/inner-pore interface.

Light-Up Nonthiolated Aptasensor for Low-Mass, Soluble Amyloid-ß40 Oligomers at High Salt Concentrations.

Herein, a light-up nonthiolated aptasensor was developed for low-mass, soluble amyloid-ß40 oligomers (LS-Aß40-O). Au nanoparticles (AuNP) were employed as colorimetric probes, and the nonthiolated aptamers (Apt) were adsorbed on AuNP surfaces, acting as binding elements for LS-Aß40-O. The aggregation of AuNPs was induced when Apt-modified AuNPs (Apt@AuNPs) were under high-salt conditions. However, upon the addition of LS-Aß40-O into the Apt@AuNP solution, the salt tolerance of the AuNPs was greatly enhanced. Further studies confirmed that the formed LS-Aß40-O-Apt complex attached onto the AuNP surfaces via interactions between LS-Aß40-O and Au, which led to electrostatic and steric stabilization of the AuNPs under high-salt conditions. On the basis of this outcome, a sensitive light-up nonthiolated aptasensor for LS-Aß40-O was achieved with a detection limit of 10.0 nM and a linear range from 35.0 to 700 nM in a 175 mM NaCl solution. Cerebrospinal-fluid (CSF) samples from healthy persons and Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients were successfully distinguished by using this proposed method. The concentrations of LS-Aß40-O in the CSF of AD patients were of nanomolar grade, but there was no detectable LS-Aß40-O in those of the healthy persons. This work provides a new insight into the interaction between Apt@AuNPs and Aß40-O and also develops a simple, rapid, highly selective and sensitive, and applicable method for LS-Aß40-O detection in real CSF samples, which is significant for the diagnosis of AD.

Preoperative prediction of sentinel lymph node metastasis in breast cancer based on radiomics of T2-weighted fat-suppression and diffusion-weighted MRI.

OBJECTIVES: To predict sentinel lymph node (SLN) metastasis in breast cancer patients using radiomics based on T2-weighted fat suppression (T2-FS) and diffusion-weighted MRI (DWI). METHODS: We enrolled 146 patients with histologically proven breast cancer. All underwent pretreatment T2-FS and DWI MRI scan. In all, 10,962 texture and four non-texture features were extracted for each patient. The 0.623 + bootstrap method and the area under the curve (AUC) were used to select the features. We constructed ten logistic regression models (orders of 1-10) based on different combination of image features using stepwise forward method. RESULTS: For T2-FS, model 10 with ten features yielded the highest AUC of 0.847 in the training set and 0.770 in the validation set. For DWI, model 8 with eight features reached the highest AUC of 0.847 in the training set and 0.787 in the validation set. For joint T2-FS and DWI, model 10 with ten features yielded an AUC of 0.863 in the training set and 0.805 in the validation set. CONCLUSIONS: Full utilisation of breast cancer-specific textural features extracted from anatomical and functional MRI images improves the performance of radiomics in predicting SLN metastasis, providing a non-invasive approach in clinical practice. KEY POINTS: • SLN biopsy to access breast cancer metastasis has multiple complications. • Radiomics uses features extracted from medical images to characterise intratumour heterogeneity. • We combined T 2 -FS and DWI textural features to predict SLN metastasis non-invasively.

High-Performance Ratiometric Electrochemical Method Based on the Combination of Signal Probe and Inner Reference Probe in One Hairpin-Structured DNA.

In this work, the dual signal-tagged hairpin structured DNA (dhDNA)-based ratiometric probe was developed by the combination of ferrocene-labeled signal probe (Fc-sP) and methylene blue-modified inner reference probe (MB-rP) in one hairpin-structured DNA. On the basis of this, a high-performance ratiometric electrochemical method was proposed for biomarker detection. In contrast to the conventional ratiometric electrochemical probe, this dhDNA ratiometric probe integrated sP and rP into one structure, which ensured the completely same modification condition and the interdependence of sP and rP on one sensing interface. As a result, the dhDNA ratiometric probe possesses a stronger ability to eliminate the disturbance of environmental change, which was proven by the fact that the changes of the surface roughness and pH value had no significant effects on the reproducibility and stability of the sensor. Moreover, in the proposed strategy, the initial ratio responses of Fc-sP to MB-rP ((IFc-sP/IMB-rP)0) are controllable and can be kept constant at 1:1, which is favorable for the increase in signal-to-noise ratio and sensitivity. When the sequence of Fc-sP is designed as the aptamer of mucin 1 (MUC1), the dhDNA ratiometric sensor with signal amplification of Au nanoparticles becomes feasible for the sensitive detection of MUC1 by one-step incubation procedure. Compared with the conventional ratiometric sensor, the proposed dhDNA sensor has higher reproducibility, accuracy, stability, sensitivity, and simplicity, which are significant for the development of the sensor in various fields for practical applications.

Anti-CD45RB and donor-specific spleen cells transfusion inhibition allograft skin rejection mediated by memory T cells.

Donor-reactive memory T (Tm)cells mediate accelerated rejection, which is known as a barrier to the survival of transplanted organs. Selective interference with the anti-CD45RB monoclonal antibody (α-CD45RB) reliably induces donor-specific tolerance. In this study, pre-sensitization to female C57BL/6 mice with the skin of female BLAB/c mice generated a large number of Tm cells and resulted in rapid rejection of the secondly transplanted allografts. α-CD45RB did induce the tolerance to skin allograft primarily transplanted but failed to induce tolerance in the pre-sensitized mice. Donor-specific spleen cell transfusion (DST) alone also failed to induce the tolerance in the pre-sensitized recipients. Interestingly, combination of α-CD45RB with DST inhibited the rejection induced by memory T cells in the pre-sensitized mice. CD25+ T-cell depletion in α-CD45RB combined with DST therapy recipients could prevent skin allograft tolerance from establishing. In addition, adoptive transfer of donor-primed memory T cells into the tolerant recipients markedly broke the established tolerance. Our findings indicate that α-CD45RB and DST can synergistically inhibit the accelerated rejection mediated by memory T cells and induce long-term skin allograft acceptance in mice.