Surface-enhanced Raman imaging through sprayed probes for the application in chemical visualization of methamphetamine within fingerprints.

For fingerprint-involved forensic investigations, cyanoacrylates and inorganic nanophosphors are mostly used for fingerprint visualization. However, methods to simultaneously report fingerprint images and the corresponding specific chemical information have yet to be realized. In this work, chemical visualization of the analytes in fingerprints is achieved through surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) measurements with the aid of spray-dispersed gold nanorods (AuNRs). The optimal coverage of AuNRs was studied by theoretical simulations and experimental operations. A rapid sampling of fingerprints with the chemical of interest was developed by tuning the spray parameters. In particular, the SERS imaging of methamphetamine in fingerprint latent was attempted by addressing the SERS spectral features of methamphetamine. This chemical visualization method reflects both the graphical and chemical characteristics of fingerprints in a single batch measurement, in which methamphetamine can be detected and mapped at the concentration of 10-5 M. The data processing approach was also modified by employing relevant logical judgments. The improved SERS images with sharpened patterns of fingerprints were obtained by involving the scored multi-peak judgments.

Structure Performance Correlation of N-Heterocyclic Oligomer Leveler for Acid Copper Plating of Advanced Interconnects.

Levelers, as an essential part of organic additives in copper electroplating, play a crucial role in the fabrication of sophisticated interconnects in integrated circuits, packaging substrates, and printed circuit boards. In this work, four N-heterocyclic oligomers were synthesized and characterized, along with investigations of their electrochemical behaviors and their synergism with other bath components. The corresponding effects of the oligomers on the deposited copper films were analyzed by morphological and compositional characterizations. The leveling mechanism of the oligomers was further discussed with the aid of quantum chemical calculations. The results exhibit that each of these N-heterocyclic oligomers holds a particular degree of leveling ability. The oligomer of 1,3-bis(1-imidazolyl)propane and 1,3-dichloro-2-propanol (IPIEP) is the best leveler for THs plating compared with the other three oligomers. It was found that the hydroxyl group in IPIEP enhances the hydrophilicity of the modified molecule and triggers a more stable complexation between IPIEP and H2O-Cu(I)-MPS. Moreover, imidazole demonstrates a better practicality than piperazine. This work recommends the combination of N-heterocycles in planar conformation with modification by the hydroxyl group to synthesize high-performance straight-chain levelers.

Mechanism of TangGanJian on nonalcoholic fatty liver disease with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

CONTEXT: TangGanJian (TGJ) has a curative effect in the clinical treatment of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), while the mechanism involved in the treatment process remains unclear. OBJECTIVE: This study details the mechanism of TGJ on the treatment of NAFLD with T2DM. MATERIALS AND METHODS: NAFLD was induced in T2DM rat model. Male Wistar rats were assigned into six groups: Group I (control), Group II (model), Group III (pioglitazone, 0.5 mg/kg), Group IV (high dose of TGJ, 24.8 g/kg), Group V (middle dose of TGJ, 12.4 g/kg) and Group VI (low dose of TGJ, 6.2 g/kg). All rats in each group were treated with the corresponding drugs by gavage for 8 weeks. Haematoxylin and eosin analysis was conducted. The indicators of inflammatory and oxidative stress were analysed utilizing one-way ANOVA. RESULTS: The contents of TNF-α (15.794 ± 3.302 pg/mL), IL-6 (76.801 ± 8.491 pg/mL), IL-1ß (100.101 ± 13.150 pg/mL), CRP (1.052 ± 0.079 pg/mL) and MDA (3.972 ± 0.159 pg/mL) were obviously elevated in NAFLD with T2DM rats compared to controls. Except for the IL-6, the levels of other markers declined in a dose-dependent manner after treatment with TGJ. The SOD (14.139 ± 1.479 U/mgprot) and GSH-PX (81.511 ± 5.276 U/mgprot) levels significantly decreased in NAFLD with T2DM rats, while the levels of these indicators increased after treatment with TGJ. CONCLUSIONS: TGJ may be a therapy for the NAFLD with T2DM rats by modulating the inflammatory response and the oxidative stress capacity.

Fabrication of an Optoplasmonic Raft with Improved SERS Performance Detecting Methamphetamine through Bubble Enrichment.

In this work, a novel raft-like structure that combines noble metal nanoparticles (NPs) with an interconnected layer of hemispherical dielectric shell was fabricated and characterized. It was discovered that this hybrid material can enhance the optoplasmonic interaction between plasmonic and dielectric components, thereby improving the sensing performance in surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). Varied geometric parameters of the fabricated optoplasmonic raft, including the inner diameter and thickness of the dielectric shell, were attempted and analyzed through numerical simulation and experimental SERS measurements. With particular size, thickness, and incident orientation, the silica shell focuses the incident optical flow into the deposited silver NPs, undergoing similar near-field focusing behavior in comparison with other optoplasmonic entities. This optoplasmonic raft floating on the water surface is able to harvest the target molecules effectively through bubble enrichment, which rapidly captures and concentrates analytes from the aqueous phase. With a limited sampling time, the sensing performance of the developed optoplasmonic raft is improved by applying the optimized parameters involved in bubble enrichment. The substrates and corresponding enrichment method were implemented in the detection of methamphetamine (METH), achieving a limit of detection (LOD) down to 0.035 nM. As for practical onsite detection, the developed substrate and bubbling strategy were applied in an assembled set, employing a portable Raman spectrometer and an air pump. This set is able to detect METH dissolved in regular commercial beer, which is quite competent in the investigation of drug abuse.

A new approach causing the patterns fabricated by silver nanoparticles to be conductive without sintering.

Silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) with a mean size of about 90 nm were synthesized by polyol reduction of silver nitrate with ethylene glycol (EG) in the presence of poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP). The Ag NPs undergo a spontaneous coalescence in the presence of chloride ions even without a traditional sintering process which occurs at a relatively high temperature. Such behavior can cause a rapid decrease in the resistivity of the patterns fabricated by Ag NPs. Conductive silver lines were successfully fabricated on FR-4 substrate using this method. The resulting conductivity of the silver lines reached about 16% of the bulk silver value, which enables fabrication of conductive patterns on some electronic devices.

Efficacy and Safety of Transurethral Columnar Balloon Dilation of the Prostate for the Treatment of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia: A Multicenter Trial.

Objective: To observe the efficacy and safety of transurethral columnar balloon dilation of the prostate (TUCBDP) for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) in a multicenter trial. Method: This multicenter study included 2050 patients with BPH who underwent TUCBDP from 11 cities of Zhejiang Province, from September 2015 to June 2021. Clinical assessment included recording and measurement of preoperative and postoperative data including prostate volume, serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels, IPSS score, quality of life (QoL), maximum urinary flow rate (Qmax), postvoid residual urine (PVR), International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5), and Male Sexual Health Questionnaire-Ejaculatory Dysfunction Short Form (MSHQ-EjD-SF). Additionally, the correlation of the indicators was analyzed using linear regression and early postoperative complications were also recorded. Results: One month after surgery, the patients' IPSS score, QoL, and PVR were significantly decreased, while the Qmax, IIEF-5, and MSHQ-EjD-SF scores were increased considerably, compared with preoperative data. After surgery, the patient's IPSS score, QoL, and Qmax were improved year by year, while PVR gradually decreased. Three months after TUCBDP, IIEF-5 and MSHQ-EjD-SF levels reached the climax. Linear regression analysis showed that the serum PSA level was significantly positively correlated with Qmax at 3 months after TUCBDP, while at 6 months after surgery, it was negatively related to IPSS and QoL. Early postoperative complications appeared in 384 cases during follow-up. Conclusion: Collectively, TUCBDP may effectively improve the urinary and sexual function of BPH patients, with fewer postoperative complications, and its efficacy is not limited by age and prostate volume. It can be considered a better treatment option for BPH.

Enhanced Activity of Oxygen Reduction Reaction on Pr6O11-Assisted PtPr Alloy Electrocatalysts.

Pt-based alloy catalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) with outstanding performance have been well-studied in recent years. Among these, Pt-lanthanide alloy catalysts have been developed with quite a competitive ORR activity. However, to promote practical applications of a proton-exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC), catalysts with superior activity are still being explored. Herein, we present the Pr6O11-assisted Pt-Pr catalyst exhibiting further improved ORR activity than the state-of-the-art Pt/C. A simple annealing treatment is applied after the synthesis of the Pt-Pr alloy, obtaining Pr6O11 nanoparticles attached to the surface of the Pt-Pr alloy to form a Pt-Pr/Pr6O11 composite catalyst. Experimental and theoretical studies reveal that the electronic state of Pt in the Pt-Pr/Pr6O11 system is modified. It was found that the strong oxophilicity of Pr adjusts the active site of Pt and promotes the adsorption and dissociation of O2. The preeminent intrinsic ORR activity on the Pt-Pr/Pr6O11 catalyst reaches the promoted specific activity (2.01 mA cm-2) and mass activity (1.3 A mgPt-1), which were 5.91- and 5.90-fold higher than those obtained by the state-of-the-art Pt/C catalyst (0.34 mA cm-2 and 0.22 A mgPt-1). This study provides us with an idea that the ORR performance of Pt-based alloy could be enhanced with the assistance of the metal oxide phase.

A multicenter retrospective study of transurethral prostate split for benign prostate hyperplasia.

Background: Transurethral split of the prostate (TUSP) is effective in treating benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). However, there is still a lack of research focusing on the optimal target population for TUSP. This study aimed to compare the efficacy of TUSP in patients with different prostate volumes or ages. Methods: The study was a multicenter retrospective study. The outcomes of TUSP in BPH patients with different prostate volumes or different ages were compared. A total of 439 patients were included in the study. Patients were divided into two groups according to prostate volume, with a cut-off value of 50 mL. Similarly, the cut-off value for the age groups was 70 years. Baseline patient characteristics and perioperative outcomes were recorded. Follow-up was performed at 1, 6, and 12 months after surgery. Results: The mean age of the patients was 73.4 years, and the mean prostate volume was 51.2 mL. At 12-month follow-up after TUSP treatment, the patients' International Prostate Symptom Scores (IPSS), quality of life (QoL) scores, and postvoid residual (PVR) volumes decreased significantly, while peak urinary flow rate (Qmax) increased significantly. Intraoperative hemoglobin (Hb) reduction was significantly lower in the small volume group than in the large volume group. The incidence of postoperative urinary urgency and transient incontinence was lower in the small volume group. IPSS score, PVR, and Qmax in the small volume group showed more remarkable changes at several time points compared to the preoperative period. Postoperative pain scores were higher in the small volume group than in the large volume group. There were no differences between the two groups in terms of long-term complications. The younger group showed greater variation in PVR and Qmax at some time points but less variation in QoL than the older group. Conclusions: TUSP is overall safe and effective in treating BPH. This study showed differences in the outcomes of TUSP in treating different prostate volumes or ages of BPH patients. The optimal surgical approach for BPH patients might be selected clinically based on a combination of prostate volume or patient age.

Optoplasmonic Hybrid Materials for Trace Detection of Methamphetamine in Biological Fluids through SERS.

Optoplasmonic materials comprising both photonic and plasmonic elements are of particular interest for the development of substrates for surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). In this work, a layer of analyte-carrying dielectric nano/microspheres is placed on top of a monolayer of gold nanoparticles to enhance the intensity of the electric (E-) field localization and to enrich the analyte close to the electromagnetic hot spots. Numerical simulations of the hybrid structure confirm an increased and spatially expanded E-field enhancement at the interface. Due to a decreasing filling fraction with increasing size of the dielectric spheres, simulations predict a saturated SERS enhancement for dielectric microspheres with a diameter larger than 4 µm, which is confirmed by experimental SERS measurements. The dielectric microsphere can be functionalized with surface ligands that facilitate the binding of target molecules in solution. The deposition of the analyte-loaded microspheres on the self-assembled gold nanoparticle ensures a high local concentration of analytes in the electromagnetic "hot" surface. The performance of the optoplasmonic SERS approach for detecting methamphetamine in saliva and urine is tested, and the detection of analytes at nanomolar (nM) concentrations is demonstrated.

Copolymer of Pyrrole and 1,4-Butanediol Diglycidyl as an Efficient Additive Leveler for Through-Hole Copper Electroplating.

A copolymer comprising of pyrrole and 1,4-butanediol diglycidyl ether (PBDGE) was designed and synthesized as a leveler to improve the throwing power for printed circuit board (PCB) through-hole electroplating. The results of linear sweep voltammetry (LSV), galvanostatic measurements (GMs), and cyclic voltammetry (CV) reveal the strong coordination effect of PBDGE with other additives and confirm the advantageous performance of PBDGE to effectively assist the electroplating of through-hole. An increment of 35.5% in the throwing power was achieved under the addition of PBDGE in through-hole plating. Additionally, the reaction mechanism was studied by quantum chemical calculations and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, indicating that the pyrrole rings of the PBDGE molecule are adsorbed on the copper surface as the adsorption sites to balance the copper plating regardless of the through-hole position differences.

Label-free diagnosis for colorectal cancer through coffee ring-assisted surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy on blood serum.

Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is garnering considerable attention for the swift diagnosis of pathogens and abnormal biological status, that is, cancers. In this work, a simple, fast and inexpensive optical sensing platform is developed by the design of SERS sampling and data analysis. The pretreatment of spectral measurement employed gold nanoparticle colloid mixing with the serum from patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). The droplet of particle-serum mixture formed coffee-ring-like region at the rim, providing strong and stable SERS profiles. The obtained spectra from cancer patients and healthy volunteers were analyzed by unsupervised principal component analysis (PCA) and supervised machine learning model, such as support-vector machine (SVM), respectively. The results demonstrate that the SVM model provides the superior performance in the classification of CRC diagnosis compared with PCA. In addition, the values of carcinoembryonic antigen from the blood samples were compiled with the corresponding SERS spectra for SVM calculation, yielding improved prediction results.

Compatible Ag+ Complex-Assisted Ultrafine Copper Pattern Deposition on Poly(ethylene terephtalate) Film with Micro Inkjet Printing.

Firm immobilization of catalysts on the predesigned position over substrates is an essential process for producing flexible circuits by the electroless deposition (ELD) process. In this work, a compatible Ag+ complex was developed and directly printed on the poly(ethylene terephtalate) (PET) film through a micro inkjet printing instrument to trigger the deposition of ultrafine copper patterns with approximately 20 µm in width. Morphological and elementary characterization verified that the nanosized silver catalyst was uniformly distributed in the bridge layer, which could enhance the adhesion between the PET film and deposited copper patterns. Moreover, after 30 min of ELD, the copper patterns exhibited a low resistivity of 2.68 × 10-6 Ω·cm and maintained considerable conductivity even after 2000 times of cyclical bending. These interesting conductive and mechanical features demonstrate the tremendous potential of this Ag+ complex-assisted copper deposition in the interconnection of high-density integrated flexible electronics.