One-to-Nine Single Spectroscopic Intelligent Probe for Risk Assessment of Multiple Metals in Drinking Water.

26% of the world's population lacks access to clean drinking water; clean water and sanitation are major global challenges highlighted by the UN Sustainable Development Goals, indicating water security in public water systems is at stake today. Water monitoring using precise instruments by skilled operators is one of the most promising solutions. Despite decades of research, the professionalism-convenience trade-off when monitoring ubiquitous metal ions remains the major challenge for public water safety. Thus, to overcome these disadvantages, an easy-to-use and highly sensitive visual method is desirable. Herein, an innovative strategy for one-to-nine metal detection is proposed, in which a novel thiourea spectroscopic probe with high 9-metal affinity is synthesized, acting as "one", and is detected based on the 9 metal-thiourea complexes within portable spectrometers in the public water field; this is accomplished by nonspecialized personnel as is also required. During the processing of multimetal analysis, issues arise due to signal overlap and reproducibility problems, leading to constrained sensitivity. In this innovative endeavor, machine learning (ML) algorithms were employed to extract key features from the composite spectral signature, addressing multipeak overlap, and completing the detection within 30-300 s, thus achieving a detection limit of 0.01 mg/L and meeting established conventional water quality standards. This method provides a convenient approach for public drinking water safety testing.

Few-Shot Learning-Based, Long-Term Stable, Sensitive Chemosensor for On-Site Colorimetric Detection of Cr(VI).

The rapid emergence of deep learning, e.g., deep convolutional neural networks (DCNNs) as one-click image analysis with super-resolution, has already revolutionized colorimetric determination. But it is severely limited by its data-hungry nature, which is overcome by combining the generative adversarial network (GAN), i.e., few-shot learning (FSL). Using the same amount of real sample data, i.e., 414 and 447 samples as training and test sets, respectively, the accuracy could be increased from 51.26 to 85.00% because 13,500 antagonistic samples are created and used by GAN as the training set. Meanwhile, the generated image quality with GAN is better than that with the commonly used convolution self-encoder method. The simple and rapid on-site determination of Cr(VI) with 1,5-diphenylcarbazide (DPC)-based test paper is a favorite for environment monitoring but is limited by unstable DPC, poor sensitivity, and narrow linear range. The chromogenic agent of DPC is protected by the blending of polyacrylonitrile (PAN) and then loaded onto thin chromatographic silica gel (SG) as a Cr(VI) colorimetric sensor (DPC/PAN/SG); its stability could be prolonged from 18 h to more than 30 days, and its repeatable reproducibility is realized via facile electrospinning. By replacing the traditional Ed method with DCNN, the detection limit is greatly improved from 1.571 mg/L to 50.00 µg/L, and the detection range is prolonged from 1.571-8.000 to 0.0500-20.00 mg/L. The complete test time is shortened to 3 min. Even without time-consuming and easily stained enrichment processing, its detection limit of Cr(VI) in the drinking water can meet on-site detection requirements by USEPA, WHO, and China.

Chemical profiling and mechanistic studies of Zhi-Shang-Feng granules against influenza virus by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with Q exactive focus hybrid quadrupole orbitrap high-resolution mass spectrometry in combination with network pharmacology analysis.

Zhi-Shang-Feng Granules are used in the clinical treatment of influenza to relieve headaches, chills and fever, bronchitis, nasal congestion, neuralgia and other symptoms. To decipher the components responsible for therapeutic effects of Zhi-Shang-Feng g ranules against influenza virus, an analytical method based on high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with Q exactive focus hybrid quadrupole orbitrap high resolution mass spectrometry was developed and the chemical profile of Zhi-Shang-Feng granules was characterized. Then, the identified components were used to conduct network pharmacological analysis and determine the potential mechanism of Zhi-Shang-Feng Granules. As a result, 177 compounds were putatively identified through comprehensive analysis by liquid chromatography coupled with high-resolution mass spectrometry, of which 23 compounds were unambiguously confirmed with reference standards. Components in Zhi-Shang-Feng Granules were found to specifically act on different enzymes, G-protein-coupled receptors, ion channels and transporters in the immune, endocrine, nervous, and circulatory systems. The potential mechanism was related to several biological processes, including cell growth and death, pattern recognition receptor signalling, signalling by interleukins, and lipid metabolism. The combination of chemical profile characterization and network construction provided useful insight into the overall chemical composition of Zhi-Shang-Feng granules and revealed their potential anti-infection, anti-inflammatory and immunoregulatory mechanisms against influenza virus infected disease.

[Quality evaluation of Commelina communis from different origins based on multicomponent content determination combined with chemometrics].

This research established a high-performance liquid chromatography(HPLC) method for simultaneous determination of isoorientin, orientin, vitexin, and isovitexin in Commelina communis to conduct content difference analysis and quality evaluation of 62 batches of C. communis from different origins. The HPLC content determination was performed on a Dikma Platisil ODS chromatographic column(4.6 mm×250 mm, 5 µm), with acetonitrile-0.1% formic acid(14∶86) as the mobile phase. The detection wavelength was set at 348 nm, the flow rate was 1.0 mL·min~(-1), and the column temperature was 35 ℃. The differences in origins and quality of 62 batches of C. communis were studied by chemometrics. The results showed that the determination of four components mani-fested a good linear relationship in the range of mass concentration(r>0.999 9), and the average recovery rate was 96.17%-103.0%. The relative standard deviations(RSDs) of precision, stability, and repeatability were all less than 2.0%. The content of four components from high to low was isoorientin>isovitexin>orientin>vitexin. Forty-seven batches of C. communis with clear origins were classified into six categories by chemometrics. C. communis from different origins had different qualities. Generally, C. communis from Western China, Central China, and South of China had superior qualities. The HPLC method established in this study is specific, simple, and efficient, which provides references for the comprehensive evaluation of the quality of C. communis. The chemometrics shows that the qualities of C. communis from different origins are largely different. Isoorientin can be used as an index to determine the content of C. communis, and its content limit should be set no less than 0.023%.

Requests for health education from Chinese cancer patients during their recovery period: a cross-sectional study.

To determine the prevalence of posttreatment patient requests for health information from Chinese cancer patients during their recovery period, a cross-sectional, descriptive study using a mailed survey was conducted among 374 patients selected randomly. The survey addressed what types of information patients actually wanted but did not receive from their care providers. Questionnaires from 360 patients were received and analyzed. Approximately 76.0% of the patients did not receive health information and expressed the need for the information. The information about how to reduce emotional distress (90.1%), rehabilitation (76.2%), disease symptoms (59.3%), and nutritional support (56.8%) were paramount among patients' concerns. Only 12.8% hoped to acquire information on sexual health. Health information for cancer patients at the recovery stage in China is poor. A tripartite involvement of the hospital-family-community and the combined intervention related to physical sequelae and psychosocial factors are needed at the recovery stage.

Long-term stable, high accuracy, and visual detection platform for In-field analysis of nitrite in food based on colorimetric test paper and deep convolutional neural networks.

Nitrite is one of the most common carcinogens in daily food. Its simple, rapid, inexpensive, and in-field measurement is important for food safety, based on the requirements of the standard from Codex Alimentarius Commission and China. Using polyacrylonitrile (PAN) and thin layer silica gel (SG), p-aminophenylcyclic acid (SA) and naphthalene ethylenediamine hydrochloride (NEH), as carriers and chromogenic agents, respectively, PAN-NSS as nitrite color sensor is proposed. After fixing and protecting of SA and NEH with layer-upon-layer PAN, the validity period of the test paper can be prolonged from 7 days to more than 30 days. The reproducibility of PAN-NSS preparation is ensured by electrospinning. Combined with PAN-NSS, deep convolutional neural network (DCNN) and APP as a visual monitoring platform, which has the functions of rapid sampling, data processing and transmission, intuitive feedback, etc., and provides a fully integrated detection system for field detection.

Liver cancer mortality characteristics and trends in China from 1991 to 2012.

PURPOSE: To investigate the distribution of liver cancer mortality as well as its developing trend from l991 to 2012, forecast the future five-year trend, and provide a basis for the comprehensive prevention and management. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Mortality data for liver cancer in China from 1991 to 2012 were used to describe characteristics and distribution of liver cancer mortality. Trend surface analysis was used to study the geographical distribution of liver cancer mortality. Curve estimation, time series modeling, gray modeling (GM) and joinpoint regression were used to predict and forecast future trends. RESULTS: The mortality rate of liver cancer has constantly increased in China since 1991. Rates in rural areas are higher than in urban areas, and in males are higher than in females. In addition, our data predicted that the trend will continue to increase in the next 5 years. The age-specific mortality of liver cancer increases with age and peaks in the group of 80-84 years old. Geographical analysis showed the liver mortality rate was higher in the southeast provinces, such as Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Guangdong, and southwest regions like Guangxi Province. CONCLUSIONS: The standardized mortality rate of liver cancer in China has consistently increased from 1991 to 2012, and the upward trend is predicted to continue in the future. Much better prevention and management of liver cancer is needed in high mortality areas (the southwestern and southeastern parts of China) and high mortality age groups (80- to 84-year-olds), especially in rural areas.

A survey on injury incidence in school children in Shantou City, China.

OBJECTIVES: To study incidence characteristics and causes of injury, and its medical consequences in school children of China. METHODS: A total of 2,553 school children aged 7-16 years were recruited from Shantou City in Gunagdong by cluster sampling method, and were investigated with questionnaires on cases of injuries occurred among them from October 1, 1996 to September 30, 1997. RESULTS: Injuries tended to increase with children's age, with an overall incidence rate of 37.96%, higher in boys than in girls (P<0.05); and 38.1% of children had more than two episodes of injury during this period. Falls took leading place of injury incidence both in boys and girls and in all age groups. Most injuries occurred when they were playing, sporting, riding and walking at home or in school. Self-inflicted injury ranked the first place of all injuries, followed by hurt caused by others (classmates, sibling or others). Moderate and serious injuries accounted for 8% of the total with a disability rate of 121.4/100,000. CONCLUSIONS: Currently, injury has become one of the serious public health problems in China. For the improvement of children survival, it is crucial to reduce their injury to strengthen research on child safety and to implement safety-promotion programs.

Epidemiological characteristics and prediction of esophageal cancer mortality in China from 1991 to 2012.

BACKGROUND: To analyze the mortality distribution of esophageal cancer in China from 1991 to 2012, to forecast the mortality in the future five years, and to provide evidence for prevention and treatment of esophageal cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Mortality data for esophageal cancer in China from 1991 to 2012 were used to describe its epidemiological characteristics, such as the change of the standardized mortality rate, urban-rural differences, sex and age differences. Trend-surface analysis was used to study the geographical distribution of the mortality. Curve estimation, time series, gray modeling, and joinpoint regression were used to predict the mortality for the next five years in the future. RESULTS: In China, the incidence rate of esophageal cancer from 2007 and the mortality rate of esophageal cancer from 2008 increased yearly, with males at 8.72/105 being higher than females, and the countryside at 15.5/105 being higher than in the city. The mortality rate increased from age 45. Geographical analysis showed the mortality rate increased from southern to eastern China, and from northeast to central China. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence rate and the standardized mortality rate of esophageal cancer are rising. The regional disease control for esophageal cancer should be focused on eastern, central and northern regions China, and the key targets for prevention and treatment are rural men more than 45 years old. The mortality of esophageal cancer will rise in the next five years.