Superhydrophilic PANI/Ag/TA@PVDF Composite Membrane with Antifouling Property for Oil-Water Separation.

The current membrane materials used for oil-water separation suffer from low separation efficiency and poor durability, and membrane contamination is also a key issue that must be addressed urgently. In this paper, a superhydrophilic PANI/Ag/TA@PVDF composite membrane with PANI-Ag NPs heterojunction structure was prepared via chelation and reduction of Ag+ by tannic acid (TA) and in situ growth of hydrochloric acid-doped polyaniline (PANI). TA endows the prepared composite membrane with excellent superhydrophilicity and underwater oleophobicity, remarkable oil-water separation capacity (the separation efficiency of more than 97% for soybean oil), and extraordinary antifouling properties. Notably, the range of photodegradation is expanded from UV to visible light by the construction of a Schottky heterostructure between PANI and Ag NPs, the photocatalytic degradation ability of composite membrane for organic pollutants has been improved obviously, and the degradation efficiency for crystal violet (CV) is 97.9%. Considering these merits, the PANI/Ag/TA@PVDF composite membrane provides an effective strategy to overcome the shortcomings of existing membrane materials, presenting enormous potential in the treatment and purification of oily wastewater.

Proteomic analysis of DEN and CCl4-induced hepatocellular carcinoma mouse model.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) seriously threatens human health, mostly developed from liver fibrosis or cirrhosis. Since diethylnitrosamine (DEN) and carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced HCC mouse model almost recapitulates the characteristic of HCC with fibrosis and inflammation, it is taken as an essential tool to investigate the pathogenesis of HCC. However, a comprehensive understanding of the protein expression profile of this model is little. In this study, we performed proteomic analysis of this model to elucidate its proteomic characteristics. Compared with normal liver tissues, 432 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) were identified in tumor tissues, among which 365 were up-regulated and 67 were down-regulated. Through Gene Ontology (GO) analysis, Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA), protein-protein interaction networks (PPI) analysis and Gene-set enrichment analysis (GSEA) analysis of DEPs, we identified two distinguishing features of DEN and CCl4-induced HCC mouse model in protein expression, the upregulation of actin cytoskeleton and branched-chain amino acids metabolic reprogramming. In addition, matching DEPs from the mouse model to homologous proteins in the human HCC cohort revealed that the DEN and CCl4-induced HCC mouse model was relatively similar to the subtype of HCC with poor prognosis. Finally, combining clinical information from the HCC cohort, we screened seven proteins with prognostic significance, SMAD2, PTPN1, PCNA, MTHFD1L, MBOAT7, FABP5, and AGRN. Overall, we provided proteomic data of the DEN and CCl4-induced HCC mouse model and highlighted the important proteins and pathways in it, contributing to the rational application of this model in HCC research.

Apple Fruit Edge Detection Model Using a Rough Set and Convolutional Neural Network.

Accurately and effectively detecting the growth position and contour size of apple fruits is crucial for achieving intelligent picking and yield predictions. Thus, an effective fruit edge detection algorithm is necessary. In this study, a fusion edge detection model (RED) based on a convolutional neural network and rough sets was proposed. The Faster-RCNN was used to segment multiple apple images into a single apple image for edge detection, greatly reducing the surrounding noise of the target. Moreover, the K-means clustering algorithm was used to segment the target of a single apple image for further noise reduction. Considering the influence of illumination, complex backgrounds and dense occlusions, rough set was applied to obtain the edge image of the target for the upper and lower approximation images, and the results were compared with those of relevant algorithms in this field. The experimental results showed that the RED model in this paper had high accuracy and robustness, and its detection accuracy and stability were significantly improved compared to those of traditional operators, especially under the influence of illumination and complex backgrounds. The RED model is expected to provide a promising basis for intelligent fruit picking and yield prediction.

Synthesis of the Ag2S/PANI@PES Composite Membrane and Its Antipollution Properties.

Membrane separation technology offers a sustainable and efficient solution to wastewater management; however, membrane fouling significantly impedes its application. Photocatalytic membranes, integrating photocatalytic and membrane separation technologies, enhance membrane separation efficacy while effectively mitigating organic and biological contaminations. In this work, Ag2S/PANI@PES composite membranes were prepared via a facile in situ polymerization and successive layer adsorption technique. The modified poly(ether sulfone) (PES) membrane demonstrated improved hydrophilicity and separation performance, and its heterostructure between polyaniline (PANI), Ag0, and Ag2S effectively addressed organic fouling issues. Moreover, Ag2S/PANI@PES exhibited outstanding antimicrobial properties, as well as chemical and mechanical stability.

Mechanistic Study of Glycyrrhizic Acid Improving Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease by Modulating the SHP1/SYK Signaling Pathway in Macrophages.

Objective: To investigate glycyrrhizin's effects and molecular mechanisms on the progression of alcoholic fatty liver. Methods: An alcoholic fatty liver model was established, followed by the administration of glycyrrhizin ammonium (20 mg/kg). Liver tissue pathological changes were observed using oil red O staining, and pyroptotic bodies were observed using transmission electron microscopy. Western blot was used to detect the expression of related proteins. To establish a model of alcoholic fatty liver cells to explore the molecular mechanism of glycolic acid in this disease. Results: Glycyrrhizin ammonium reduced the area of oil red staining in liver tissue and the number of pyroptotic bodies decreased the relative protein expression of NOX2, NOX3, p-SYK, STING, p-PDE4B, NLRP3, IL-1ß, GSDMD, Caspase-1, and Caspase-4, and increased the relative protein expression of p-SHP1 and Nrf2. Conclusion: Glycyrrhizin ameliorates the progression of alcoholic fatty liver by modulating the SHP1/SYK signaling pathway in macrophages, thereby inhibiting hepatic lipid peroxidation and pyroptosis.

Nonreciprocal toroidal dipole resonance and one-way quasi-bound state in the continuum.

Bound states in the continuum (BICs) provide an alternative way of trapping light at nanoscale. Although the last 10 years have witnessed tremendous progress on BICs from fundamentals to applications, nonreciprocal BICs and their potential applications have not been fully exploited yet. In this study, we demonstrated a one-way quasi-BIC by leveraging an all-dielectric magneto-optical (MO) metasurface. We show that the key point for achieving a one-way quasi-BIC is to excite a magnetization-induced leaky resonance. Here we adopt the longitudinal toroidal dipole (TD) resonance characterized by a vortex distribution of head-to-tail magnetic dipoles parallel to the plane of the MO metasurface. We show that, by breaking the time-reversal symmetry, at critical conditions, the TD resonance can be enhanced in the forward channel and perfectly canceled in the time-reversed channel, resulting in a one-way quasi-BIC. The demonstrated phenomena hold significant promise for practical applications such as magnetic field optical sensing, nonreciprocal optical switching, isolation, and modulation.

Music combined with dexmedetomidine relieves preoperative anxiety and promotes postoperative recovery in patients undergoing gynecologic laparoscopic surgery: a randomized clinical trial.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the effects of music combined with dexmedetomidine on perioperative anxiety and postoperative recovery in gynecologic laparoscopic patients. METHODS: A total of 82 female patients were enrolled in this study. Patients were randomized to the patient-preferred Music+Dexmedetomidine group (M+DEX group, n=41) and the Dexmedetomidine group (DEX group, n=41). Prior to the induction of anesthesia, dexmedetomidine was pumped intravenously at 0.5 µg/kg for 10 minutes in both groups and then maintained at 0.2 µg/kg/hour until 30 minutes before the end of surgery. In contrast to the patients in the DEX group, the patients in the M+DEX group listened to 5 minutes of their favorite music during dexmedetomidine infusion. The primary outcome was the patient's preoperative State Anxiety Inventory (SAI) score. The secondary outcomes included visual analog scale (VAS) pain scores and QoR-15 scores at 24 hours postoperatively. RESULTS: The clinical data of a total of 82 patients were analyzed. After the music intervention, we found that the preoperative SAI scores were lower in the M+DEX group than in the DEX group (37.9±5.6 vs. 41.5±6.9; P=0.01). The M+DEX group had lower VAS scores at 24 hours postoperatively than the DEX group (1 (1.0, 2.0) vs. 2 (2.0, 3.0), P < 0.01), and the M+DEX group had higher QoR-15 scores at 24 hours after the surgery than the DEX group (127.7±10.0 vs. 122.3±11.2; P=0.03). CONCLUSION: Patients undergoing gynecologic laparoscopic surgery who listened to their favorite music before the induction of anesthesia had less preoperative anxiety and recovered better 24 hours postoperatively than those who only received dexmedetomidine.

Thermal-Adaptation-Behavior-Based Thermal Sensation Evaluation Model with Surveillance Cameras.

The construction sector is responsible for almost 30% of the world's total energy consumption, with a significant portion of this energy being used by heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems to ensure people's thermal comfort. In practical applications, the conventional approach to HVAC management in buildings typically involves the manual control of temperature setpoints by facility operators. Nevertheless, the implementation of real-time alterations that are based on the thermal comfort levels of humans inside a building has the potential to dramatically improve the energy efficiency of the structure. Therefore, we propose a model for non-intrusive, dynamic inference of occupant thermal comfort based on building indoor surveillance camera data. It is based on a two-stream transformer-augmented adaptive graph convolutional network to identify people's heat-related adaptive behaviors. The transformer specifically strengthens the original adaptive graph convolution network module, resulting in further improvement to the accuracy of the detection of thermal adaptation behavior. The experiment is conducted on a dataset including 16 distinct temperature adaption behaviors. The findings indicate that the suggested strategy significantly improves the behavior recognition accuracy of the proposed model to 96.56%. The proposed model provides the possibility to realize energy savings and emission reductions in intelligent buildings and dynamic decision making in energy management systems.

The anoikis-related gene signature predicts survival and correlates with immune infiltration in osteosarcoma.

Anoikis is essential for the progression of many malignant tumors. However, the understanding of anoikis' roles in osteosarcoma remains scarce. This study conducted an extensive bioinformatics analysis to identify anoikis-related genes (ARGs), developed ARGs modeles for predicting OS and RFS, and evaluated the effect of these ARGs on osteosarcoma cell migration and invasion. The GSE16088 and GSE28425 datasets provided the differentially expressed genes (DEGs). The prognostic significance and functions of these DEGs were systematically investigated using several bioinformatics techniques. Transwell assays were conducted to determine the effect of OGT on osteosarcoma cell migration and invasion. Seven genes were identified as hub genes, including FN1, CD44, HRAS, TP53, PPARG, CTNNB1, and VEGFA, while 71 ARGs were identified as DEGs. Four ARGs-BRMS, COL4A2, FGF2, and OGT-were used to develop an RFS-predicting model, whereas seven ARGs-CD24, FASN, MMP2, EIF2AK3, ID2, PPARG, and PIK3R3-were used to develop an OS-predicting model in patients with osteosarcoma. In both the training and validation cohorts, high-risk group patients had significantly shorter OS and RFS duration than low-risk group patients. Furthermore, using the aforementioned ARGs, we developed clinically applicable nomograms for OS and RFS prediction. The proportion of tumor-infiltrating immune cells was significantly linked to risk scores. In vitro experiments revealed that knocking down OGT significantly inhibited the ability of MG63 and U2OS cells to invade and migrate. ARG-based gene signatures reliably predicted RFS and OS in osteosarcoma, and OGT showed promise as a potential biomarker. These findings contribute to a better understanding of ARGs' prognostic roles in osteosarcoma.

Unconventional luminescent CS-PEC-based composite hemostasis sponge with antibacterial activity and visual monitoring for wound healing.

Multifunctional wound dressings are promising medical materials for various applications. Among them, dressings with antimicrobial activity, high biosafety, and real-time monitoring have attracted considerable research interest. Herein, a biodegradable hemostatic sponge comprising a chitosan skeleton and polyelectrolyte-surfactant complex (CS-PEC) was developed as a versatile wound dressing for wound pH monitoring and inhibition of bacterial infection. CS-PEC sponge with high porosity exhibited satisfactory fluid absorption capacity and biocompatibility, along with antibacterial properties against E. coli and S. aureus. In vivo experiments in rat liver trauma model revealed that wounds treated with the CS-PEC sponge recorded less blood loss (97.1 mg) and shorter hemostasis time (27.2 s) than those treated with commercial gelatin sponge (309.1 mg and 163.5 s, respectively). Furthermore, PECs based on unconventional luminescent molecules (L-C16-Hyp) were used as pH fluorescent indicators, which endowed the sponge with fluorescence-responsive behavior to wound pH changes in the range of 5.0-8.5. Visual images can be captured using a smartphone and converted to RGB color mode values for on-site assessment of wound status. This study sheds light on the design and application of unconventional luminescent materials in wound dressing and provides a smart and effective solution for wound management.

Positive Synergy between the Helical Poly(phenylacetylene) Backbones and the Helical L-Proline Oligopeptide Pendants for Enhanced Enantioseparation Properties.

A series of optically active helical poly(phenylacetylene)s (PPA-Pro1, PPA-Pro3, PPA-Pro6, PPA-Pro9, and PPA-Pro12) bearing different chain lengths of L-proline oligopeptide in the side chains were obtained by polymerizing the corresponding novel phenylacetylene monomers. The monomer adopted a trans-rich helix structure when the L-proline oligopeptide chain length was longer, according to the optical activities and 2D-NMR analysis. The helical structure could be maintained and significantly influenced the polymers' helical conformation by introducing the L-proline oligopeptide to the pendants. By the way, the morphology of PPA-Pro3 was observed by atomic force microscope (AFM) on highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG), and the information on the helix direction, pitch, and chain arrangement was obtained. Also, the chiral separation properties of these polymer-based chiral stationary phases (CSPs) were investigated using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The poly(phenylacetylene)s showed enhanced enantioseparation properties toward various racemates depending on the longer chain length of the L-proline oligopeptide in the pendants and the positive synergy between the helical backbone and helical side chains. Particularly, PPA-Pro9 showed comparable or even superior enantioseparation properties for racemates 2 and 9 to four commercial columns (Daicel Chiralpak or Chiralcel AD, AS, OD, and OT), indicating that these poly(phenylacetylene)-based CSPs have potential practical values. This work presented here provides inspiration for the further development of CSPs based on a new paradigm.

The function role of HIGD1A in nonalcoholic steatohepatitis from chronic hepatitis B.

BACKGROUND: Accompanied by the growing prevalence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), the coexistence of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and NAFLD has increased. In the context of CHB, there is limited understanding of the factors that influence the development of NASH. METHODS: We enrolled CHB combined NAFLD patients who had liver biopsy and divided them to NASH vs. non-NASH groups. A whole transcriptome chip was used to examine the expression profiles of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) and mRNA in biopsied liver tissues. The function analysis of HIGD1A were performed. We knocked down or overexpressed HIGD1A in HepG2.2.15 cells by transient transfection of siRNA-HIGD1A or pcDNA-HIGD1A. In vivo investigations were conducted using hepatitis B virus (HBV) transgenic mice. RESULTS: In 65 patients with CHB and NAFLD, 28 were patients with NASH, and 37 were those without NASH. After screening 582 differentially expressed mRNAs, GO analysis revealed differentially expressed mRNAs acting on nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH), which influenced redox enzyme activity. KEGG analysis also shown that they were involved in the NAFLD signaling pathway. The function analysis revealed that HIGD1A was associated with the mitochondrion. Then, both in vivo and in vitro CHB model, HIGD1A was significantly higher in the NASH group than in the non-NASH group. HIGD1A knockdown impaired mitochondrial transmembrane potential and induced cell apoptosis in HepG2.2.15 cells added oleic acid and palmitate. On the contrary, hepatic HIGD1A overexpression ameliorated free fatty acids-induced apoptosis and oxidative stress. Furthermore, HIGD1A reduced reactive oxygen species (ROS) level by increasing glutathione (GSH) expression, but Adenosine 5'-monophosphate (AMP)-activated protein kinase (AMPK)/Acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) pathway was not involved. CONCLUSION: Both in vivo and in vitro CHB model, an upward trend of HIGD1A was observed in the NASH-related inflammatory response. HIGDIA played a protective role in cells against oxidative stress. Our data suggested that HIGD1A may be a positive regulator of NASH within the CHB context.

Development and internal validation of a clinical prediction model for spontaneous abortion risk in early pregnancy.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to develop and internally validate a prediction model for estimating the risk of spontaneous abortion in early pregnancy. METHODS: This prospective cohort study included 9,895 pregnant women who received prenatal care at a maternal health facility in China from January 2021 to December 2022. Data on demographics, medical history, lifestyle factors, and mental health were collected. A multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to develop the prediction model with spontaneous abortion as the outcome. The model was internally validated using bootstrapping techniques, and its discrimination and calibration were assessed. RESULTS: The spontaneous abortion rate was 5.95% (589/9,895) 1. The final prediction model included nine variables: maternal age, history of embryonic arrest, thyroid dysfunction, polycystic ovary syndrome, assisted reproduction, exposure to pollution, recent home renovation, depression score, and stress score 1. The model showed good discrimination with a C-statistic of 0.88 (95% CI 0.87‒0.90) 1, and its calibration was adequate based on the Hosmer-Lemeshow test (p = 0.27). CONCLUSIONS: The prediction model demonstrated good performance in estimating spontaneous abortion risk in early pregnancy based on demographic, clinical, and psychosocial factors. Further external validation is recommended before clinical application.

Development and internal validation of a clinical prediction model for spontaneous abortion risk in early pregnancy

Abstract Objective: This study aimed to develop and internally validate a prediction model for estimating the risk of spontaneous abortion in early pregnancy. Methods: This prospective cohort study included 9,895 pregnant women who received prenatal care at a maternal health facility in China from January 2021 to December 2022. Data on demographics, medical history, lifestyle factors, and mental health were collected. A multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to develop the prediction model with spontaneous abortion as the outcome. The model was internally validated using bootstrapping techniques, and its discrimination and calibration were assessed. Results: The spontaneous abortion rate was 5.95% (589/9,895) 1. The final prediction model included nine variables: maternal age, history of embryonic arrest, thyroid dysfunction, polycystic ovary syndrome, assisted reproduction, exposure to pollution, recent home renovation, depression score, and stress score 1. The model showed good discrimination with a C-statistic of 0.88 (95% CI 0.87‒0.90) 1, and its calibration was adequate based on the Hosmer-Lemeshow test (p = 0.27). Conclusions: The prediction model demonstrated good performance in estimating spontaneous abortion risk in early pregnancy based on demographic, clinical, and psychosocial factors. Further external validation is recommended before clinical application.

Bioinspired Zn-MOF doped radial porous chitosan-based sponge with antibacterial and antioxidant properties for rapid hemostasis and wound healing.

Herein, a novel bioinspired radial porous zinc-based metal-organic framework (Zn-MOF) doped sodium alginate/chitosan derivatives/pullulan-based SA/PSCS/Pul/Zn-MOF (SPCP/Zn) composites sponge with excellent antioxidant and antibacterial properties was fabricated by the ice-templating method. Boric acid (BA) and Ca2+, which were respectively used as hydrogen- and ionic- bonding cross-linkers, provided strong mechanical properties for sponge matrix composed of SA, PSCS, and Pul. The obtained SPCP/Zn sponge exhibited uniform porous morphology, proper hydrophilicity, and admirable biocompatibility. In addition, the SPCP/Zn sponge achieved a sustained release of Zn2+ and gallic acid, which displayed powerful antibacterial and antioxidant activities. Importantly, the SPCP/Zn sponge exhibited shorter rapid hemostasis (20.4 ± 2.9 s) and lower blood loss (19.8 ± 4.3 mg). The SPCP/Zn sponge also showed faster wound closure ratio for the rat full-thickness skin defect model. It was revealed that SPCP/Zn sponge could significantly accelerate and enhance wound healing through downregulating inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6) and increasing the expression of growth factors (VEGF). Due to its excellent properties, the SPCP/Zn sponge may have promising potential in wound healing applications.

Unidirectional asymmetry transmission based on quasi-accidental bound states in the continuum.

The unidirectional asymmetry transmission is demonstrated based on quasi-accidental bound states in the continuum by a one-dimensional chiral photonic crystal slab (CPhCs) composed of tilted silicon nano-pillars. The chirality breaks symmetries on the far field polarization and radiation Q-factor between the upward and downward radiation channels. Accordingly, the CPhCs only supports the unidirectional maximal asymmetry transmission at fixed incident and conical angles. The numerical simulation indicates that the CPhCs obtains a circular dichroism of 0.99 and Q-factor of 753.7 at λ = 1.565 µm. In addition, the handedness of polarization is also effectively converted between the incidence and transmission, and the handedness depends on the incident direction and conical angle. Our scheme provides a feasible route for applications in manipulating polarization and chiral sensing.

Analyzing the epidemic situation and influencing factors of childhood pneumonia during the COVID-19 epidemic period in Laiwu, China.

This study aimed to analyze the trends of childhood pneumonia before and after the corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in Laiwu, China, and explore the associated risk factors to provide a reference for the prevention, control, and treatment of childhood pneumonia. In this cross-sectional study, data were collected from 11,716 children aged 3 to 12 years who underwent chest radiography/computed tomography from January 2018 to December 2021 in Laiwu, China. The generalized estimating equation model was used to analyze the time trend of the pneumonia detection rate. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the risk factors for pneumonia in children. The overall pneumonia detection rate was 40.3% (4721/11,716). The pneumonia detection rate was 41.5% and 39.5% in 2018 and 2019, respectively, before the COVID-19 pandemic, which decreased to 38.1% in 2020 during the pandemic and increased to 40.7% in 2021 after the pandemic. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that preterm birth (odds ratio [OR] = 1.68), frequent exposure to secondhand smoke (OR = 1.79), hospitalization ≥ 1 time in half a year (OR = 2.13), and history of allergic rhinitis (OR = 2.14) were risk factors for pneumonia in children. Wearing masks when outdoors (OR = 0.89) and engaging in regular physical activity (OR = 0.65) were protective factors. The pneumonia detection rate in children showed a decreasing trend during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 but an increasing trend after the pandemic in 2021. Premature birth, exposure to secondhand smoke, frequent hospitalization, and allergic rhinitis were risk factors for pneumonia in children. Wearing masks when outdoors and exercising may reduce the risk of pneumonia in children.

SLC17A9 expression levels in a pan­cancer panel and validation of the role of SLC17A9 as a novel prognostic biomarker for osteosarcoma.

Previous studies have demonstrated the involvement of the solute carrier family 17 member 9 (SLC17A9) in certain types of cancer; however, the precise role of SLC17A9 is not well defined. In the present study, a comprehensive analysis was performed to determine the involvement of SLC17A9 in a pan-cancer panel. First, data on SLC17A9 expression levels from publicly available databases were obtained to determine SLC17A9 expression profiles in various types of cancer. Next, the involvement of SLC17A9 in the prognosis of patients, stemness indices and the immune microenvironment was examined in 34 types of cancer. Furthermore, CCK-8 and colony-formation assays were performed to determine the effect of SLC17A9 on osteosarcoma (OSS) cells. In a pan-cancer panel, a difference in SLC17A9 expression levels was observed in the tumor tissues as compared with healthy tissues. Furthermore, survival analysis revealed a significant association between SLC17A9 expression levels and the prognosis of patients with various cancer types, including adrenocortical carcinoma, kidney renal clear cell carcinoma, glioblastoma, kidney renal papillary cell carcinoma, low grade glioma, liver hepatocellular carcinoma, mesothelioma, lung adenocarcinoma, skin cutaneous melanoma, uveal melanoma, stomach adenocarcinoma and OSS. The results of the present study revealed correlations between stemness indices, tumor immunity and SLC17A9 expression levels. Furthermore, univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses indicated that SLC17A9 may be utilized as an independent risk factor for overall survival of patients with OSS. In vitro experiments demonstrated that SLC17A9 promotes the proliferation and viability of OSS cells. Taken together, the results of the present study suggest an association between SLC17A9 and the prognosis of patients as well as tumor immunity in various cancer types. SLC17A9 may serve as a novel prognostic biomarker and target for improving the prognosis of patients with OSS.

Biotemplate synthesis of a Co3O4 microtube sensor for fast triethylamine detection.

A low operating temperature and short response/recovery time are essential factors for sensors. Hence, it is necessary to create a sensor that can quickly detect target gas at a relatively low temperature. In this work, Co3O4 microtube based sensors were fabricated by a bio-template method using absorbent cotton. Co3O4 microtube sensors prepared in different concentrations of a salt solution displayed different sensitivities to triethylamine (TEA). The Co3O4-0.10 microtube sensor exhibited excellent sensitivity to TEA at 160 °C. The response of the Co3O4-0.10 sensor to 100 ppm TEA gas was 31.27 and the detection limit of TEA was 50 ppb. Meanwhile, the Co3O4-0.10 sensor also showed a short response/recovery time, such as 95 s/38 s to 100 ppm TEA, high selectivity, a good linear relationship (R2 = 0.994 for 1-100 ppm TEA and R2 = 0.991 for 50-1000 ppb TEA gas), fine repeatability and long-term stability, and strong humidity resistance. Thus, Co3O4 microtube based sensors prepared using a bio-template method have potential application prospects for the detection of TEA gas.