Surface Ru-H Bipyridine Complexes-Grafted TiO2 Nanohybrids for Efficient Photocatalytic CO2 Methanation.

A series of novel surface Ru-H bipyridine complexes-grafted TiO2 nanohybrids were for the first time prepared by a combined procedure of surface organometallic chemistry with post-synthetic ligand exchange for photocatalytic conversion of CO2 to CH4 with H2 as electron and proton donors under visible light irradiation. The selectivity toward CH4 increased to 93.4% by the ligand exchange of 4,4'-dimethyl-2,2'-bipyridine (4,4'-bpy) with the surface cyclopentadienyl (Cp)-RuH complex and the CO2 methanation activity was enhanced by 4.4-fold. An impressive rate of 241.2 µL·g-1·h-1 for CH4 production was achieved over the optimal photocatalyst. The femtosecond transient IR absorption results demonstrated that the hot electrons were fast injected in 0.9 ps from the photoexcited surface 4,4'-bpy-RuH complex into the conduction band of TiO2 nanoparticles to form a charge-separated state with an average lifetime of ca. 50.0 ns responsible for the CO2 methanation. The spectral characterizations indicated clearly that the formation of CO2•- radicals by single electron reduction of CO2 molecules adsorbed on surface oxygen vacancies of TiO2 nanoparticles was the most critical step for the methanation. Such radical intermediates were inserted into the explored Ru-H bond to generate Ru-OOCH species and finally CH4 and H2O in the presence of H2.

Combination immunotherapy of PEG-modified preladenant thermosensitive liposomes and PD-1 inhibitor effectively enhances the anti-tumor immune response and therapeutic effects.

Immunotherapy is a promising cancer treatment strategy. In contrast, programmed cell death 1 (PD-1)/programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) inhibitors are associated with low response rates and are only useful in a small group of cancer patients. A combination of treatments may be effective for overcoming this clinical issue. Preladenant is an adenosine (ADO) receptor inhibitor that can block the ADO pathway and improve the tumor microenvironment (TME), thereby enhancing the immunotherapeutic effect of PD-1 inhibitors. However, its poor water solubility and low targeting limit its clinical applications. We designed a PEG-modified thermosensitive-liposome (pTSL) loaded with ADO small molecule inhibitor preladenant (P-pTSL) to overcome these problems and enhance the effect of PD-1 inhibitor on breast cancer immunotherapy. The prepared P-pTSL was round and uniformly distributed with a particle size of (138.9 ± 1.22) nm, PDI: 0.134 ± 0.031, and zeta potential (-10.1 ± 1.63) mV; preladenant was released slowly at 37 °C but released fast at 42 °C from P-pTSL, which was 76.52 ± 0.44%. P-pTSL has good long-term and serum stability and excellent tumor-targeting ability in mice. Moreover, the combination with PD-1 inhibitor significantly enhanced the anti-tumor effect, and the improvement of related factors in serum and lymph was more obvious under the condition of 42 °C thermotherapy in vitro.

Preparation of Lamivudinyl palmitate nanoemulsome for liver-targeting delivery.

The water solubility and side effects of lamivudine limit its application for the treatment of viral hepatitis type B and human immunodeficiency virus. In order to increase the solubility of LA and improve the in vivo membrane permeability of the drug, LA was modified with hexadecane acid to prepare the prodrug lamivudine palmitic acid (LAP) and loaded into nanoemulsome (NES). LAP-NES was prepared by the thin film dispersion method. The LAP-NES showed the sustained release performance up to 72h in pH 7.4 PBS. Moreover, the pharmacokinetics of LAP-NES after tail vein injection in rats and the biodistribution characteristics were evaluated. The tmax of LAP-NES was 2.5h. The t1/2, clearance rate and average retention time of LAP-NES obviously prolonged compared with free LAP. The tissue biodistribution behavior of NES in vivo showed the good targeting in the liver and spleen, with the maximum at 4h and then the fluorescence slowly decreased until 72h. LAP-NES could significantly delay the release of LA in vivo, effectively prolong the elimination time and had obvious liver-targeting ability. In summary, LAP-NES shows great potential for liver-targeting delivery to increase the therapeutic effect and decrease the side effects of LA.

Effect of different carriers on in vitro dissolution behavior and physicochemical characterization of glycyrrhetinic acid solid dispersions.

The effect of PEG 4000, PVP K30, poloxamer 407 and urea as carriers glycyrrhetinic acid solid dispersions (GA-SDs) on dissolution behavior and physicochemical properties were investigated. In vitro dissolution test results show that GA-SDs prepared with four different carriers have better dissolution properties compared with pure drug and corresponding physical mixtures. The enhancement effect of four carriers on dissolution rate and equilibrium solubility shows that PVP K30>PEG 4000>P 407>urea. In addition, the dissolution rate and solubility of the GA-SDs with a carrier-drug ratio of 8:1 were better than the samples of 4:1. The DSC and XRD patterns showed that crystallization of GA-SDs prepared by PVP K30 was significantly inhibited and both were transformed to amorphous. Based on FTIR detection, hydrogen-bond between carriers (PVP K30, PEG 4000 and P 407) and GA molecules were formed. SEM results showed that compared to GA-SDs prepared by the other three carriers, GA-PVP K30-SDs have a smoother surface and clearer boundary. In conclusion, the findings of this study demonstrated that the dissolution performance of the GA-SDs prepared by the solvent method is related to carrier type. The samples with PVP K30 as the carrier have the best dissolution performance.

Quantitative analysis of the synergistic effect of Au nanoparticles on SnO2-rGO nanocomposites for room temperature hydrogen sensing.

Hydrogen detection devices based on gold-tin oxide/reduced graphene oxide (Au-SnO2/rGO) nanohybrids were fabricated by combining a hydrothermal method with sputter coating. The gas sensing performance of the Au-SnO2/rGO sensor was investigated under different concentrations of hydrogen from 0.04% to 1% at room temperature, which indicated a notable sensitive response even for 0.04% hydrogen. The activation energies of hydrogen adsorption/desorption were extracted via Arrhenius analysis which revealed the acceleration effect of gold dopants. This acceleration led to a faster response and recovery during hydrogen sensing. The activation energy analysis provided a more comprehensive understanding on the gas sensing mechanism. A hydrogen detection handheld device is demonstrated by integrating the sensor chip with a portable digital meter for direct readout of test results.

Novel biomimetic nanostructured lipid carriers for cancer therapy: preparation, characterization, and in vitro/in vivo evaluation.

Nanostructured lipid carriers (NLC) have become a research hotspot, wherein cancer-targeting effects are enhanced and side effects of chemotherapy are overcome. Usually, accelerated blood clearance (ABC) occurs after repeated injections, without changing the immunologic profile, despite PEGylation which prolongs the circulation function. To overcome these problems, we designed a red blood cell-membrane-coated NLC (RBCm-NLC), which was round-like, with a particle size of 60.33 ± 3.04 nm and a core-shell structure. Its stability was good, the drug paclitaxel (PTX) release from RBCm-PTX-NLC was less than 30% at pH7.4 and pH6.5, and the integrity of RBC membrane surface protein was maintained before and after preparation. Additionally, in vitro assays showed that, with the RBCm coating, the cellular uptake of the NLC by cancer cells was significantly enhanced. RBCm-NLC can avoid recognition by macrophage cells and prolong circulation time in vivo. In S180 tumor-bearing mice, the DiR-labeled RBCm-NLC group showed a stronger fluorescence signal and longer retention in tumor tissues, indicating a prompt tumor-targeting effect and extended blood circulation. Importantly, RBCm-PTX-NLC enhanced the antitumor effect and extended the survival period significantly in vivo. In summary, biomimetic NLC offered a novel strategy for drug delivery in cancer therapy.

A Comparative Study of the Use of Mesoporous Carbon and Mesoporous Silica as Drug Carriers for Oral Delivery of the Water-Insoluble Drug Carvedilol.

Mesoporous carriers have been extensively applied to improve the dissolution velocity and bioavailability of insoluble drugs. The goal of this work was to compare the drug-loading efficiency (LE) and drug-dissolution properties of mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSN) and mesoporous carbon nanoparticles (MCN) as drug vectors oral delivery of water-insoluble drugs. For this purpose, MSN and MCN with similar particle size, surface area, and mesoporous diameter were prepared to precisely evaluate the effects of different textures on the drug-loading and dissolution behavior of insoluble drugs. Carvedilol (CAR), a Bio-pharmaceutic Classification System (BCS) class II drug, was loaded in the MSN and MCN by the solvent adsorption method and solvent evaporation method with different carrier-drug ratios. The carboxylated MCN (MCN-COOH) had a higher LE for CAR than MSN for both the two loading methods due to the strong adsorption effect and π-π stacking force with CAR. In vitro drug dissolution study showed that both MSN and MCN-COOH could improve the dissolution rate of CAR compared with the micronized CAR. In comparison to MSN, MCN-COOH displayed a slightly slower dissolution profile, which may be ascribed to the strong interaction between MCN-COOH and CAR. Observation of cell cytotoxicity and gastrointestinal mucosa irritation demonstrated the good biocompatibility of both MSN and MCN-COOH. The present study encourages further research of different carriers to determine their potential application in oral administration.

Resonance-Frequency Modulation for Rapid, Point-of-Care Ebola-Glycoprotein Diagnosis with a Graphene-Based Field-Effect Biotransistor.

Recent outbreaks of Ebola-virus infections in several countries demand a rapid point-of-care (POC)-detection strategy. This paper reports on an innovative pathway founded on electronic-resonance-frequency modulation to detect Ebola glycoprotein (GP), on the basis of a carrier-injection-trapping-release-transfer mechanism and the standard antibody-antigen-interaction principle within a dielectric-gated reduced graphene oxide (rGO) field-effect transistor (GFET). The sensitivity of Ebola detection can be significantly enhanced by monitoring the device's electronic-resonance frequency, such as its inflection frequency ( fi), where the phase angle reaches a maximum (θmax). In addition to excellent selectivity, a sensitivity of ∼36-160% and ∼17-40% for 0.001-3.401 mg/L Ebola GP can be achieved at high and low inflection-resonance frequencies, respectively, which are several orders of magnitude higher than the sensitivity from other electronic parameters (e.g., resistance-based sensitivity). Using equivalent circuit modeling for contributions from channel and contact, analytical equations for resonance shifts have been generalized. When matching with the incoming ac-measurement signal, electronic resonance from the phase-angle spectrum evolves from various relaxation processes (e.g., trap and release of injected charges at surface-trap sites of the channel-gate oxide and channel-source or drain interfaces) that are associated with a characteristic emission frequency. Using charge-relaxation dynamics, a high-performance bio-FET sensing platform for healthcare and bioelectronic applications is realized through resonance shifting.

Impedimetric phosphorene field-effect transistors for rapid detection of lead ions.

Stimuli-responsive field-effect transistors (FETs) based on 2D nanomaterials have been considered as attractive candidates for sensing applications due to their rapid response, high sensitivity, and real-time monitoring capabilities. Here we report on an impedance spectroscopy technique for FET sensor applications with ultra-high sensitivity and good reproducibility. An alumina-gated FET, using an ultra-thin black phosphorus flake as the channel material, shows significantly improved stability and ultra-high sensitivity to lead ions in water. In addition, the phase angle in the low frequency region was found to change significantly in the presence of lead ion solutions, whereas it was almost unchanged in the high frequency region. The dominant sensing performance was found at low frequency phase spectrum around 50 Hz and a systematic change in the phase angle in different lead ion concentrations was found. Applying the impedance spectroscopy technique to insulator-gated FET sensors could open a new avenue for real-world sensor applications.

Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharide hydrogel accelerates diabetic wound healing by regulating macrophage polarization.

Impaired macrophage polarization or the high levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) produced by high glucose conditions and bacterial infection are the primary factors that make healing diabetic wounds difficult. Here, we prepared an OGLP-CMC/SA hydrogel with a double network structure that was synthesized with oxidized Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharide (OGLP), sodium alginate (SA) and carboxymethyl chitosan (CMC) as the matrix. The results showed that the OGLP-CMC/SA hydrogel had good mechanical properties, tissue adhesion, oxidation resistance and biocompatibility. Moreover, the hydrogel could effectively improve the proliferation and migration of fibroblasts, also can enhance antibacterial properties. We found that the OGLP-CMC/SA hydrogel can promote the polarization of M1 macrophages towards the M2 and decrease intracellular ROS levels, effectively reduce the inflammatory response, and promote epidermal growth, the development of skin appendages and collagen deposition in wounds, which hasten diabetic wound healing. Therefore, using this versatile biologically active new hydrogel network constructed with OGLP provides a promising therapeutic strategy for chronic diabetic wound repair.

Enhancing Electrochemical Sensing through Molecular Engineering of Reduced Graphene Oxide-Solution Interfaces and Remote Floating-Gate FET Analysis.

Two-dimensional nanomaterials such as reduced graphene oxide (rGO) have captured significant attention in the realm of field-effect transistor (FET) sensors due to their inherent high sensitivity and cost-effective manufacturing. Despite their attraction, a comprehensive understanding of rGO-solution interfaces (specifically, electrochemical interfacial properties influenced by linker molecules and surface chemistry) remains challenging, given the limited capability of analytical tools to directly measure intricate solution interface properties. In this study, we introduce an analytical tool designed to directly measure the surface charge density of the rGO-solution interface leveraging the remote floating-gate FET (RFGFET) platform. Our methodology involves characterizing the electrochemical properties of rGO, which are influenced by adhesion layers between SiO2 and rGO, such as (3-aminopropyl)trimethoxysilane (APTMS) and hexamethyldisilazane (HMDS). The hydrophilic nature of APTMS facilitates the acceptance of oxygen-rich rGO, resulting in a noteworthy pH sensitivity of 56.8 mV/pH at the rGO-solution interface. Conversely, hydrophobic HMDS significantly suppresses the pH sensitivity from the rGO-solution interface, attributed to the graphitic carbon-rich surface of rGO. Consequently, the carbon-rich surface facilitates a denser arrangement of 1-pyrenebutyric acid N-hydroxysuccinimide ester linkers for functionalizing capturing probes on rGO, resulting in an enhanced sensitivity of lead ions by 32% in our proof-of-concept test.

Single-Site Ni-Grafted TiO2 with Diverse Coordination Environments for Visible-Light Hydrogen Production.

Solar hydrogen production at a high efficiency holds the significant importance in the age of energy crisis, while the micro-environment manipulation of active sites on photocatalysts plays a profound role in enhancing the catalytic performance. In this work, a series of well-defined single-site Ni-grafted TiO2 photocatalysts with unique and specific coordination environments, 2,2'-bipyridine-Ni-O-TiO2 (T-Ni Bpy) and 2-Phenylpyridine-Ni-O-TiO2 (T-Ni Phpy), were constructed with the methods of surface organometallic chemistry combined with surface ligand exchange for visible-light-induced photocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). A prominent rate of 33.82 µmol ⋅ g-1 ⋅ h-1 and a turnover frequency of 0.451 h-1 for Ni are achieved over the optimal catalyst T-Ni Bpy for HER, 260-fold higher than those of Ni-O-TiO2 . Fewer electrons trapped oxygen vacancies and a larger portion of long-lived photogenerated electrons (>3 ns, ~52.9 %), which were demonstrated by the electron paramagnetic resonance and femtosecond transient IR absorption, correspond to the photocatalytic HER activity over the T-Ni Bpy. The number of long-lived free electrons injected from the Ni photoabsorber to the conduction band of TiO2 is one of the determining factors for achieving the excellent HER activity.

Optimization of shikonin homogenate extraction from Arnebia euchroma using response surface methodology.

An efficient homogenate extraction technique was employed for extracting shikonin from Arnebia euchroma. The homogenate extraction procedure was optimized and compared with other conventional extraction techniques. The proposed method gave the best result with the highest extraction efficiency in the shortest extraction time. Based on single-factor experiments, a three-factor-three-level experimental design has been developed by Box-Behnken design. The optimal conditions were 78% ethanol as solvent, homogenate extraction time of 4.2 min, 10.3 liquid to solid ratio and two extraction cycles. Moreover, the proposed method was validated by stability, repeatability and recovery experiments. The developed homogenate extraction method provided a good alternative for the extraction of shikonin from A. euchroma. The results indicated that the proposed homogenate extraction was a convenient, rapid and efficient sample preparation technique and was environmental friendly. Furthermore, homogenate extraction has superiority in the extraction of thermally sensitive compounds from plant matrices.

hsa-mir-133a-2 promotes the proliferation and invasion of cervical cancer cells by targeting the LAMB3-mediated PI3K/ATK pathway.

OBJECTIVE: Cervical cancer, one of the common types of malignant tumors progressed in women, is on the rise in developing countries. Numerous previous studies have demonstrated that hsa-mir-133a-2 miRNA is abnormally expressed in cervical cancer cells. However, its fundamental mechanism in cervical cancer needs to be further clarified. Our study set out to investigate the effect of hsa-mir-133a-2 on the phenotypes of cervical cancer cells as well as any potential molecular processes involved in the proliferation and invasion of cervical cancer cells. METHODS: The Cancer Genome Atlas-cervical squamous cell carcinoma and endocervical adenocarcinoma(TCGA-CESC) was adopted in order to verify the expression of hsa-mir-133a-2 in cervical cancer tissues and to identify its potential targets. The interaction between Laminin subunit beta-3(LAMB3) and hsa-mir-133a-2 was verified by TargetScan database as well as Luciferase reporter assay. The Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK8) and transwell methods were utilized to assess the influence of hsa-mir-133a-2 on the proliferation and invasion characteristics of cervical cancer cells. We studied the role that hsa-mir-133a-2 plays in cervical cancer progression through Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG) analysis as well as Western Blot (WB) experiment. RESULTS: Down-regulation of hsa-mir-133a-2 was detected in cervical cancer tissues. It directly targeted LAMB3 and negatively regulated LAMB3 expression. The overexpression of hsa-mir-133a-2 has a significant inhibiting effect on cervical cancer cell proliferation and invasion. The overexpression of hsa-mir-133a-2 significantly inhibits the proliferation and invasion of cervical cancer cells. Moreover, the LAMB3 was able to up-regulate the phosphorylation levels of AKT and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) protein in cervical cancer cells. hsa-mir-133a-2 could also modulate the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway by targeting LAMB3. CONCLUSION: hsa-mir-133a-2 inhibits cervical cancer cell proliferation and invasion by indirectly regulating the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway, providing us with a new clinical treatment strategy for cervical cancer.

Scalable graphene sensor array for real-time toxins monitoring in flowing water.

Risk management for drinking water often requires continuous monitoring of various toxins in flowing water. While they can be readily integrated with existing water infrastructure, two-dimensional (2D) electronic sensors often suffer from device-to-device variations due to the lack of an effective strategy for identifying faulty devices from preselected uniform devices based on electronic properties alone, resulting in sensor inaccuracy and thus slowing down their real-world applications. Here, we report the combination of wet transfer, impedance and noise measurements, and machine learning to facilitate the scalable nanofabrication of graphene-based field-effect transistor (GFET) sensor arrays and the efficient identification of faulty devices. Our sensors were able to perform real-time detection of heavy-metal ions (lead and mercury) and E. coli bacteria simultaneously in flowing tap water. This study offers a reliable quality control protocol to increase the potential of electronic sensors for monitoring pollutants in flowing water.

Density-oriented deep eutectic solvent-based system for the selective separation of polysaccharides from Astragalus membranaceus var. Mongholicus under ultrasound-assisted conditions.

The water extraction and ethanol precipitation method is an extraction method based on the solubility characteristics of polysaccharides that offers wide applicability in the extraction and separation of plant polysaccharides. However, this method leads to large amounts of proteins, nucleic acids, pigments, and other impurities in the polysaccharides products, which makes downstream purification complicated and time-consuming. In this study, a green, high-density natural deep eutectic solvents was used for the high-purity extraction and separation of polysaccharides from Astragalus membranaceus (Fisch) Bge. var. Mongholicus (Bge.) Hsiao roots under ultrasound-assisted conditions. In this study, 16 different natural deep eutectic solvents were designed to screen the best solvent for extracting Astragalus polysaccharides (APSs). Based on the yield and recovery of APSs, a natural deep eutectic solvents composed of choline chloride and oxalic acid with a molar ratio of 1:2 was selected. The related factors affecting polysaccharides extraction and solvent precipitation were investigated. To improve the operating methodology, single-factor trials, a Plackett-Burman design, and a Box-Behnken design were used. The optimal extraction process conditions were obtained as follows: water content of 55%, liquid-solid ratio of 24 mL/g, ultrasonic irradiation time of 54 min, ultrasonic irradiation temperature of 50 °C, ultrasonic irradiation power of 480 W, ethanol precipitation time of 24 h, and ethanol concentration of 75%. Under optimal extraction conditions, the recovery of APSs was 61.4 ± 0.6 mg/g. Considering the special matrix characteristics of A. membranaceus var. Mongholicus roots, physical-technology-based ultrasonic waves promote penetration, and the mass transfer function also solves the bottleneck of high-viscosity deep eutectic solvents in the extraction stage. In comparison with the conventional method, the proposed method based on deep eutectic solvents isolation can significantly increase APSs recovery, which is beneficial to simplifying the process of polysaccharides purification by using solvent properties to separate extracts and reduce impurities in APSs.

An integrated process by ultrasonic enhancement in the deep eutectic solvents system for extraction and separation of chlorogenic acid from Eucommia ulmoides leaves.

This study established an integrated process for the extraction and enrichment of chlorogenic acid(CGA)from Eucommia ulmoides leaves in a deep eutectic solvent system via ultrasonic wave-enhanced adsorption and desorption practices utilizing macroporous resins. Although deep eutectic solvents (DESs) have the advantages of chemical stability, good dissolving capacity, and nonvolatilization, routine solvent recovery operations are not suitable for subsequent separation in this solvent system. Based on the above characteristics, this study integrated the extraction and enrichment processes, in which DESs extracts directly loaded onto the macroporous adsorption resin, avoiding the loss of target components in solvent recovery and redissolution processes. The screening results of solvents and resin types further showed that choline chloride-malic acid (1:1) was the optimal DES, and the NKA-II resin had high adsorption and elution performance for CGA. The viscosities of the DESs were much higher than those of water and conventional organic solvents; thus, the mass transfer resistance was large, which could also affect the adsorption behaviour of the macroporous resin. The thermal and mechanical effects of ultrasound could effectively enhance the efficiency of the mass transfer, adsorption, and desorption in the DES systems. When compared to no sonication treatment, the CGA adsorption at various ultrasonic powers (120-600 W) was examined. At optimal ethanol concentration (60%), the effect of the ultrasonic treatment on the recovery of the DESs (water eluting process) and the desorption capability of CGA were confirmed. The use of three volumes of water elution could recover the DESs without loss of CGA. The adsorption process significantly differed depending on the ultrasonic settings, and the absorption balance time and experimental adsorption capacity at equilibrium were enhanced. Additionally, the adsorption procedure of the NKA-II macroporous resin for CGA under ultrasonic treatment could be clarified by the pseudo second order kinetic equation and the Freundlich isotherm model. Thermodynamic and dynamic parameters indicated that physical adsorption was the main process of the entire procedure, and it was a spontaneous, exothermic, and entropy-reducing physical adsorption process. This study potentially indicates that the use of ultrasonication, as a high-efficiency, environmentally friendly method, can enhance the features of the macroporous resin to better purify target chemicals from a DES extract.

Rapid, Sensitive, Label-Free Electrical Detection of SARS-CoV-2 in Nasal Swab Samples.

Rapid diagnosis of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is key for the long-term control of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) amid renewed threats of mutated SARS-CoV-2 around the world. Here, we report on an electrical label-free detection of SARS-CoV-2 in nasopharyngeal swab samples directly collected from outpatients or in saliva-relevant conditions by using a remote floating-gate field-effect transistor (RFGFET) with a 2-dimensional reduced graphene oxide (rGO) sensing membrane. RFGFET sensors demonstrate rapid detection (<5 min), a 90.6% accuracy from 8 nasal swab samples measured by 4 different devices for each sample, and a coefficient of variation (CV) < 6%. Also, RFGFET sensors display a limit of detection (LOD) of pseudo-SARS-CoV-2 that is 10 000-fold lower than enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, with a comparable LOD to that of reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for patient samples. To achieve this, comprehensive systematic studies were performed regarding interactions between SARS-CoV-2 and spike proteins, neutralizing antibodies, and angiotensin-converting enzyme 2, as either a biomarker (detection target) or a sensing probe (receptor) functionalized on the rGO sensing membrane. Taken together, this work may have an immense effect on positioning FET bioelectronics for rapid SARS-CoV-2 diagnostics.

Antioxidative Activity Evaluation of High Purity and Micronized Tartary Buckwheat Flavonoids Prepared by Antisolvent Recrystallization.

Tartary buckwheat, a healthy food, is associated with a reduced risk of certain human chronic diseases. However, the bioactive component flavonoids in Tartary buckwheat have poor solubility and low absorption in vivo. To improve these points, 60.00% Tartary buckwheat total flavonoids (TFs) were obtained by ethanol refluxing method, which were purified and micronized by antisolvent recrystallization (ASR) using methanol as a solvent and deionized water as an antisolvent. By using High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) and electrospray ionized mass spectrometry (ESI-MS), the main flavonoid in pure flavonoids (PF) were rutin (RU), kaempferol-3-O-rutinoside (KA) and quercetin (QU); the content of TF is 99.81% after purification. It is more worthy of our attention that micronized flavonoids contribute more to antioxidant activity because of good solubility. These results provide a theoretical reference for the micronization of other flavonoids.

TRSA-Net: Task Relation Spatial Co-Attention for Joint Segmentation, Quantification and Uncertainty Estimation on Paired 2D Echocardiography.

Clinical workflow of cardiac assessment on 2D echocardiography requires both accurate segmentation and quantification of the Left Ventricle (LV) from paired apical 4-chamber and 2-chamber. Moreover, uncertainty estimation is significant in clinically understanding the performance of a model. However, current research on 2D echocardiography ignores this vital task while joint segmentation with quantification, hence motivating the need for a unified optimization method. In this paper, we propose a multitask model with Task Relation Spatial co-Attention (referred as TRSA-Net) for joint segmentation, quantification, and uncertainty estimation on paired 2D echo. TRSA-Net achieves multitask joint learning by novelly exploring the spatial correlation between tasks. The task relation spatial co-attention learns the spatial mapping among task-specific features by non-local and co-excitation, which forcibly joints embedded spatial information in the segmentation and quantification. The Boundary-aware Structure Consistency (BSC) and Joint Indices Constraint (JIC) are integrated into the multitask learning optimization objective to guide the learning of segmentation and quantification paths. The BSC creatively promotes structural similarity of predictions, and JIC explores the internal relationship between three quantitative indices. We validate the efficacy of our TRSA-Net on the public CAMUS dataset. Extensive comparison and ablation experiments show that our approach can achieve competitive segmentation performance and highly accurate results on quantification.