Designing ternary Co-Ni-Fe layered double hydroxides within a novel 3D cross-flower framework for efficient catalytic performance in oxygen evolution reaction.

In this study, we synthesized novel three-dimensional (3D) cross-flowered Co-Ni metal-organic framework (Co-Ni-MOF) precursors using the chemical precipitation method. Subsequently, we obtained Co-Ni-Fe layered double hydroxides (Co-Ni-Fe-LDHs) through an ion exchange strategy, which preserved their original morphology while consisting of ultrathin layered hydroxide nanosheets. The interlayer spacing of the LDH lamellar structure was finely tuned by varying the ratios of Co to Ni. The results demonstrated that Co-Ni-Fe LDHs, characterized by a unique three-dimensional cross-shaped structure and an optimal composition ratio of Co2+:Ni2+ = 2:1, exhibited increased interlayer spacing. This structural characteristic contributed to their excellent electrochemical performance, positioning them as optimal electrode materials for catalytic oxygen evolution reactions (OER). Our observations revealed that Co-Ni-Fe-LDHs exhibited remarkable OER activity, characterized by a low Tafel slope of 41.82 mV dec-1, a low overpotential of 322 mV at a current density of 10 mA cm-2, and outstanding stability over a 48-hour period. In-situ Raman spectroscopy results indicated that the active site of the composite was γ-CoOOH. Additionally, the room temperature stirring and standing strategy employed in this study is easier to scale up and yields a higher quantity of reaction products compared to traditional high-temperature and high-pressure conditions. This investigation provides novel insights into the design and fabrication of Co-Ni-Fe-LDHs catalyst with 3D cross-flower structures, demonstrating enhanced electrocatalytic activity and commendable stability. These findings suggest promising applications in the field of electrolyzed water.

Evaluation of passive samplers as a cost-effective method to predict the impact of wildfire smoke in grapes and wines.

Wildfire smoke exposure alters grape composition, potentially resulting in "smoke tainted" wines. This has been correlated with elevated levels of smoke-derived volatile phenols (VPs) in grapes and wines. This work sought to create a predictive tool that could correlate levels of VPs in smoke with concentrations in grapes and wines. Therefore, passive samplers and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes were intentionally exposed to various smoke intensities, and wines were made thereafter. As expected, concentrations of VPs in grapes and wines were positively associated with the intensity of smoke exposure. Interestingly, levels of guaiacol in the passive samplers had a strong positive correlation with concentrations in grapes (R2 = 0.9999) and wines (R2 = 0.9998). The passive samplers were able to accurately predict guaiacol levels in smoke exposed grapes and wines with percent errors ranging from 0.08 to 11.3 %. These results suggest the capability of passive samplers to act as a monitoring system in vineyards during smoke events.

Engineering in situ growth of Au nanoclusters on hydrophilic paper fibres for fluorescence calligraphy-based chemical logic gates and information encryption.

Gold nanoclusters (AuNCs) are a type of rising-star fluorescence nanomaterials, but their properties and applications are hindered by the multi-step synthesis and purification routes, as well as the lack of desired supporting substrates. To enhance optical performance and working efficiency, the synthesis and applications of AuNCs are suggested to be merged with emerging substrates. Herein, glutathione-modified hydrophilic rice papers are incubated in chloroauric acid aqueous solutions, and the oxidation-reduction reaction between glutathione and Au ions enables the in situ formation of fluorescent AuNCs on the solid fibres of rice papers. The in situ growth of fluorescent AuNCs on rice papers resulted in eye-catching fluorescence tracks, similar to traditional Chinese conventional calligraphy; thus, this fluoresence calligraphy is defined in this work. The entire process, including synthesis and signal responses, is extremely simple, rapid, and repeatable. Moreover, the diversity of additive chemical reagents in the studied rice papers resulted in responsive fluorescence calligraphy, and the as-synthesized AuNC materials exhibited high reliability and optical stability. Significantly, with the integration of synchronous formation and application of Au nanoclusters on hydrophilic paper substrates, high-performance logical gates and information encryption systems were constructed, remarkably facilitating the progress of molecular sensing and important information transmission.

Dentatacid A: An Unprecedented 2, 3-Seco-arbor-2, 3-dioic Triterpenoid from the Invasive Plant Euphorbia dentata, with Cytotoxicity Effect on Colon Cancer.

Euphorbia dentata Michx. is an invasive plant species in China, known for its toxicity and potential to reduce crop yields, posing numerous threats. To gain a deeper understanding of this invasive plant, phytochemical methods were employed to isolate 13 terpenoids (1-11, 19, 20) and 7 sterols (12-18) from the ethanol extract of E. dentata, identifying one new compound and 19 known compounds. Within spectroscopic methods such as NMR, HR-ESI-MS, and ECD, the structures and absolute configurations of these compounds were established. Among them, dentatacid A (11) possesses an unprecedented 2, 3-seco-arbor-2, 3-dioic skeleton within the potential biosynthetic pathway proposed. Dentatacid A also exhibited excellent anti-proliferative activity against the HT-29 (human colorectal adenocarcinoma) cell line, with an IC50 value of 2.64 ± 0.78 µM, which was further confirmed through network pharmacology and molecular docking. This study significantly expands the chemical diversity of E. dentata and offers new insights into the resource utilization and management of this invasive plant from the perspective of natural product discovery.

[Effect of anterior cruciate ligament integrity on the short- and mid-term effectiveness of mobile-bearing medial unicompartmental knee arthroplasty].

Objective: To investigate the effect of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) integrity on the short- and mid-term effectiveness of mobile-bearing medial unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA). Methods: The clinical data of 128 patients with anteromedial osteoarthritis who underwent mobile-bearing medial UKA between June 2019 and June 2021 was retrospectively analyzed. According to the integrity of ACL structure under direct vision during operation, the patients were divided into normal group (30 cases), synovial defect group (53 cases), and longitudinal split group (45 cases). There was no significant difference in gender, age, body mass index, preoperative knee range of motion (ROM), hip-knee-ankle angle (HKA), Knee Society Score (KSS), Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC), and other baseline data among the 3 groups ( P>0.05). The knee ROM, KSS score (including clinical and functional scores), WOMAC score (including pain, stiffness, and function scores) before operation and at last follow-up, the Lysholm score, International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) score, and Forgetting Joint Score (FJS-12) at last follow-up were recorded and compared among the 3 groups. Imaging examination was performed to evaluate the wear of cartilage in the lateral tibiofemoral compartment and patellofemoral compartment of the knee joint. HKA and posterior tibial slope (PTS) were measured at last follow-up. Results: All the patients of 3 groups were followed up 22-56 months (mean, 40.4 months). There was no significant difference in follow-up time among the 3 groups ( P>0.05). At last follow-up, imaging examination showed no obvious cartilage wear progression of the lateral tibiofemoral compartment and patellofemoral compartment, and no adverse events such as aseptic loosening of the prosthesis, dislocation of the removable pad, or infection occurred during the follow-up. At last follow-up, knee ROM, HKA, KSS scores, and WOMAC scores of the 3 groups significantly improved when compared with preoperative ones ( P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the changes of the above indicators before and after operation, and also the Lysholm score, IKDC score, FJS-12 score, and PTS among the 3 groups ( P>0.05). Conclusion: The integrity of ACL has no significant effect on the short- and mid-term effectiveness of mobile-bearing medial UKA.

Research status of polycystic ovary syndrome treatment: a mini review and a bibliometric analysis from 2010 to 2023.

BACKGROUND: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrine and metabolic disorder in premenopausal women, often linked to abdominal obesity, insulin resistance, and metabolic issues. With its heterogeneous nature, PCOS treatment should be tailored to individual symptoms and patient preferences. This study examines collaboration networks among countries, institutions, authors, references, and journals related to PCOS treatment. METHODS: Web of Science data was analyzed using VOSviewer and CiteSpace for bibliometric visualization. Chinese and Western medicine treatments for PCOS were reviewed, emphasizing symptom-targeted solutions. RESULTS: Data from 4682 records authored by 400 individuals from 515 institutes in 62 countries revealed China as the leading contributor. Notable authors include Monash University and Richard S. Legro. Common research themes include adipocytes, inflammation, insulin sensitivity, oxidative stress, and the gut microbiome. Tailoring treatment to individual needs is essential, focusing on hyperandrogenism, ovulation, and insulin resistance, with lifestyle counseling to address obesity. CONCLUSION: This bibliometric analysis provides valuable insights into the research status of PCOS treatment. China has made significant contributions, and complementary and alternative therapies, such as traditional Chinese medicine and acupuncture, have also shown beneficial effects recently. The research on inflammation, oxidative stress, and the gut microbiome may provide new targets and strategies for the treatment of PCOS. The recognition of the metabolic problems in PCOS patients facilitates the formulation of more personalized treatment plans to improve the prognosis of patients.

An atomically controlled insulator-to-metal transition in iridate/manganite heterostructures.

All-insulator heterostructures with an emerging metallicity are at the forefront of material science, which typically contain at least one band insulator while it is not necessary to be. Here we show emergent phenomena in a series of all-correlated-insulator heterostructures that composed of insulating CaIrO3 and insulating La0.67Sr0.33MnO3. We observed an intriguing insulator-to-metal transition, that depends delicately on the thickness of the iridate component. The simultaneous enhancements of magnetization, electric conductivity, and magnetoresistance effect indicate a percolation-type nature of the insulator-to-metal transition, with the percolation threshold can be reached at an exceptionally low volume fraction of the iridate. Such a drastic transition is induced by an interfacial charge transfer, which interestingly alters the electronic and crystalline structures of the bulk region rather than the limited ultrathin interface. We further showcased the central role of effective correlation in modulating the insulator-to-metal transition, by demonstrating that the critical thickness of iridate for triggering the metallic state can be systematically reduced down to a single unit-cell layer.

Construction of magnetic recoverable porous electron-rich organic frameworks for efficiently enrichment of phenylurea herbicides from water and milk samples prior to HPLC detection.

Porous electron-rich organic frameworks have attracted an increased attention in the adsorption and removal of pollutants due to their abundant electron-rich nitrogen atoms, which can effectively interact with positively charged substance. In this study, a porous electron-rich organic framework (Car-POF) and positively charged amino-functionalized magnetic nanoparticles (Fe3O4-NH2) were used to construct a magnetic electron-rich Fe3O4-NH2@Car-POF for the enrichment of some phenylurea herbicides from water and milk samples prior to high performance liquid chromatographic detection. The adsorption capacity of Fe3O4-NH2@Car-POF for the phenylureas ranged from 14.93 to 28.83 mg g-1. The LODs were observed in the range of 0.05-0.20 ng mL-1 and 0.5-1.5 ng mL-1, and LOQs in the range of 0.17-0.66 ng mL-1 and 1.7-5.0 ng mL-1 for water and milk samples with RSD less than 9.0. The adsorption studies with cationic and anionic dyes revealed that Fe3O4-NH2@Car-POF is favorable for the adsorption of positively charged compounds.

Genome composition-based deep learning predicts oncogenic potential of HPVs.

Human papillomaviruses (HPVs) account for more than 30% of cancer cases, with definite identification of the oncogenic role of viral E6 and E7 genes. However, the identification of high-risk HPV genotypes has largely relied on lagged biological exploration and clinical observation, with types unclassified and oncogenicity unknown for many HPVs. In the present study, we retrieved and cleaned HPV sequence records with high quality and analyzed their genomic compositional traits of dinucleotide (DNT) and DNT representation (DCR) to overview the distribution difference among various types of HPVs. Then, a deep learning model was built to predict the oncogenic potential of all HPVs based on E6 and E7 genes. Our results showed that the main three groups of Alpha, Beta, and Gamma HPVs were clearly separated between/among types in the DCR trait for either E6 or E7 coding sequence (CDS) and were clustered within the same group. Moreover, the DCR data of either E6 or E7 were learnable with a convolutional neural network (CNN) model. Either CNN classifier predicted accurately the oncogenicity label of high and low oncogenic HPVs. In summary, the compositional traits of HPV oncogenicity-related genes E6 and E7 were much different between the high and low oncogenic HPVs, and the compositional trait of the DCR-based deep learning classifier predicted the oncogenic phenotype accurately of HPVs. The trained predictor in this study will facilitate the identification of HPV oncogenicity, particularly for those HPVs without clear genotype or phenotype.

A one-pot hydrothermal synthesis of morphologically controllable yolk-shell structured CoFe glycerate spheres for oxygen evolution reaction.

CoFe-based catalysts are efficient electrocatalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in alkaline media. Here, we present a simple one-pot hydrothermal method for synthesizing a series of CoFe glycerates with controllable surface morphologies and investigate their potential as highly efficient catalysts for the OER in alkaline media. These CoFe glycerates exhibit a unique yolk-shell microsphere structure assembled from ultrathin nanosheets. The adjustment of the surface nanosheet size is achieved by varying the CoFe ratio, ensuring a more efficient electrocatalytic system for the OER process. Due to the abundant active sites provided by the yolk-shell structure and interleaved ultrathin nanosheets, Co3Fe1 glycerate (Co3Fe1 gly) demonstrates a low overpotential (283 mV) and a small Tafel slope (44.61 mV dec-1) at 10 mA cm-2. Additionally, Co3Fe1 gly exhibits excellent durability in alkaline electrolytes. Moreover, a series of characterizations demonstrate that the active sites of Co3Fe1 gly are the high-valence Co species generated during the OER process. This study opens a promising avenue for utilizing efficient and low-cost electrocatalysts to enhance OER performance.

Primary aldosteronism with postoperative elevation of aldosterone treated effectively by finerenone: A case report.

The authors report a case of primary aldosteronism (PA) with postoperative elevation of aldosterone treated effectively by finerenone. The patient was a hypertensive man with a 30-year history of hypertension and sustained an acute myocardial infarction 5 years ago. Bilateral adrenal nodules with hyperplasia were detected and PA was confirmed. His blood potassium, direct renin concentration, and aldosterone level returned to normal after surgery of right adrenalectomy. However, 1 year after surgery, he experienced a decrease in blood potassium and an increase in aldosterone. A saline infusion test revealed an aldosterone level of 124.47 pg/mL. The patient consented to treatment with finerenone. His aldosterone and potassium levels and blood pressure have been controlled well during follow-up. This case highlights the need to screen for secondary hypertension as early as possible. Finerenone may be effective for patients with PA who are not candidates for surgery and those not relieved after surgery.

A Study of MgZnO Thin Film for Hydrogen Sensing Application.

This research introduces a hydrogen sensor made from a thin film of magnesium zinc oxide (MgZnO) deposited using a technique called radiofrequency co-sputtering (RF co-sputtering). Separate magnesium oxide (MgO) and zinc oxide (ZnO) targets were used to deposit the MgZnO film, experimenting with different deposition times and power levels. The sensor performed best (reaching a sensing response of 2.46) when exposed to hydrogen at a concentration of 1000 parts per million (ppm). This peak performance occurred with a MgZnO film thickness of 432 nanometers (nm) at a temperature of 300 °C. Initially, the sensor's responsiveness increased as the film thickness grew. This is because thicker films tend to have more oxygen vacancies, which are imperfections that play a role in the sensor's function. However, further increases in film thickness beyond the optimal point harmed performance. This is attributed to the growth of grains within the film, which hindered its effectiveness. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) were employed to thoroughly characterize the quality of the MgZnO thin film. These techniques provided valuable insights into the film's crystal structure and morphology, crucial factors influencing its performance as a hydrogen sensor.

Oatmeal-derived carbon loaded with Pt nanoparticles using a "two-fold benefit approach" for sensitive detection of the biomolecule adrenaline.

In this study, we innovatively synthesized nitrogen-doped carbon microspheres (NCS) derived from oatmeal. By utilizing polyoxometalates (POM) as both reducing and linking agents, we achieved uniform loading of platinum nanoparticles (Pt NPs) onto the surface of the NCS. The composite nanoparticles constructed from Pt/polyoxometalate/nitrogen-doped carbon microspheres (Pt/POM/NCS) fully exploit the synergistic catalytic effect, demonstrating superior performance in adrenaline detection. The method has a linear range of 2.59 to 1109.59 µM, a detection limit as low as 0.25 µM (S/N = 3), and a sensitivity of 0.74 µA µM-1 cm-2. Additionally, it exhibits high stability and strong anti-interference ability. The recoveries in human serum were 98.51 % to 101.25 %.

NIR-Remote Selectively Triggered Buprenorphine Hydrochloride Release from Microneedle Patches for the Treatment of Neuropathic Pain.

Neuropathic pain is a prevalent form of intermittent chronic pain, affecting approximately 7-10% of the global population. However, the current clinical administration methods, such as injection and oral administration, are mostly one-time administration, which cannot achieve accurate control of pain degree and drug dose. Herein, we developed near-infrared (NIR) light-responsive microneedle patches (MNPs) to spatiotemporally control the drug dose released to treat neuropathic pain according to the onset state. The mechanism of action utilizes upconversion nanoparticles to convert NIR light into visible and ultraviolet light. This conversion triggers the rapid rotation of the azobenzene molecular motor in the mesoporous material, enabling the on-demand controlled release of a drug dose. Additionally, MNs are used to overcome the barrier of the stratum corneum in a minimally invasive and painless manner, effectively promoting the transdermal penetration of drug molecules. The effectiveness of these patches has been demonstrated through significant results. Upon exposure to NIR light for five consecutive cycles, with each cycle lasting 30 s, the patches achieved a precise release of 318 µg of medication. In a mouse model, maximum pain relief was observed within 1 h of one cycle of NIR light exposure, with the effects lasting up to 6 h. The same level of precise treatment efficacy was maintained for subsequent pain episodes with similar light exposure. The NIR-controlled drugs precision-released MNPs provide a novel paradigm for the treatment of intermittent neuropathic pain.

Difluorocarbene-Promoted O-O Bond Activation of Peroxy Acids for Electrophilic Carboxylation of Boronic Acids.

In this study, a difluorocarbene-promoted O-O bond activation of peroxy acids is developed through the insertion of difluorocarbene into O-H bond. This activation strategy in synergy with O-B coordination with boronic acids/ester greatly polarizes the O-O bond for in-situ generation of carboxylium species that reacts with the nucleophilic part of boronic acids in a concerted way to produce esters. Good efficiency and functional group tolerance are demonstrated. Application of this method to the functionalization of a boronic acid drug used as HSL enzyme inhibitor produces smoothly the ester derivative. This difluorocarbene-mediated O-O bond activation strategy is conceptually different from traditional radical type methods, and is also complementary to conventional esterification methods with a distinct retro-synthetic disconnection.

Cysteine-Induced Chirality Evolution of Molybdenum Disulfide Nanodots from a Bottom-Up Strategy.

The transfer of chirality from molecules to synthesized nanomaterials has recently attracted significant attention. Although most studies have focused on graphene and plasmonic metal nanostructures, layered transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), particularly MoS2, have recently garnered considerable attention due to their semiconducting and electrocatalytic characteristics. Herein, we report a new approach for the synthesis of chiral molybdenum sulfide nanomaterials based on a bottom-up synthesis method in the presence of chiral cysteine enantiomers. In the synthesis process, molybdenum trioxide and sodium hydrosulfide serve as molybdenum and sulfur sources, respectively. In addition, ascorbic acid acts as a reducing agent, resulting in the formation of zero-dimensional MoS2 nanodots. Moreover, the addition of cysteine enantiomers to the growth solutions contributes to the chirality evolution of the MoS2 nanostructures. The chirality is attributed to the cysteine enantiomer-induced preferential folding of the MoS2 planes. The growth mechanism and chiral structure of the nanomaterials are confirmed through a series of characterization techniques. This work combines chirality with the bottom-up synthesis of MoS2 nanodots, thereby expanding the synthetic methods for chiral nanomaterials. This simple synthesis approach provides new insights for the construction of other chiral TMD nanomaterials with emerging structures and properties. More significantly, the as-formed MoS2 nanodots exhibited highly defect-rich structures and chiroptical performance, thereby inspiring a high potential for emerging optical and electronic applications.

Impact of urban and rural residents medical insurance on self-rated health of residents in China: a panel study from the China family panel studies national baseline survey.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the health performance of the Urban and Rural Residents Medical Insurance (URRMI) scheme in China and to make practical recommendations and scientific references for its full implementation in China. Methods: This is a panel study that uses data from the China Family Panel Studies from 2018 to 2020, which is separated into treated and control groups each year, utilizing the key approach of propensity score matching and difference-in-difference (PSM-DID). Using 1-to-1 k-nearest neighbor matching, we proportionate the baseline data. Using difference-in-difference model, we examine the mean treatment impact of the outcome variables. Using a 500-time random sample regression model, we validate the robustness of the model estimation. Results: The result was credible after matching, minimizing discrepancies. Good overall performance of self-rated health with an average Hukou status of, respectively, 0.8 and 0.4 in the treated and control group, primarily in rural and urban regions separately. The participation of URRMI significantly impacted self-rated health of residents, with a 0.456-unit improvement probabilities observed (p < 0.1). Additionally, the individuals are categorized into urban and rural, and those with urban hukou had a 0.311 expansion in the probability of having better health status compared to rural hukou (p < 0.05). Other factors, such as age, highest education, annual income, medical expenditure, hospital scale, clinic satisfaction, and napping, also impacted self-rated health. Moreover, elder individuals, higher education levels, and higher medical expenditure having a higher probability of improvement. The study utilized a placebo test to verify the robustness of the URRMI regression. The estimated coefficients showed that basic medical insurance did not significantly improve the health of insured residents under the URRMI scheme. Conclusion: The study demonstrates the crucial role of PSM-DID in determining the influence of URRMI on self-rated health status. It indicates that purchasing in URRMI has a favorable influence on the health of residents, advancing enhanced self-rated health effectiveness. It does, however, reveal geographical disparities in health, with urban dwellers faring far better than those who live in the suburb. Study suggests expanding URRMI coverage, narrowing urban-rural divide, increasing insurance subsidies, reforming laws, and developing effective advertising strategies.

Co-delivery of Siape1 and Melatonin by 125I-loaded PSMA-targeted Nanoparticles for the Treatment of Prostate Cancer.

BACKGROUND: Both apurinic/apyrimidinic endodeoxyribonuclease 1 (APE1) inhibition and melatonin suppress prostate cancer (PCa) growth. OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated the therapeutic efficiency of self-assembled and prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA)-targeted nanocarrier loading 125I radioactive particles and encapsulating siRNA targeting APE1 (siAPE1) and melatonin for PCa. METHODS: The linear polyarginine R12 polypeptide was prepared using Fmoc-Arg-Pbf-OH. The PSMA-targeted polymer was synthesized by conjugating azide-modified R12 peptide to PSMA monoclonal antibody (mAb). Before experiments, the PSMA-R12 nanocarrier was installed with melatonin and siAPE1, which were subsequently labeled by 125I radioactive particles. In vitro biocompatibility and cytotoxicity of nanocomposites were examined in LNCaP cells and in vivo biodistribution and pharmacokinetics were determined using PCa tumor-bearing mice. RESULTS: PSMA-R12 nanocarrier was ~120 nm in size and was increased to ~150 nm by melatonin encapsulation. PSMA-R12 nanoparticles had efficient loading capacities of siAPE1, melatonin, and 125I particles. The co-delivery of melatonin and siAPE1 by PSMA-R12-125I showed synergistic effects on suppressing LNCaP cell proliferation and Bcl-2 expression and promoting cell apoptosis and caspase-3 expression. Pharmacokinetics analysis showed that Mel@PSMA-R12-125I particles had high uptake activity in the liver, spleen, kidney, intestine, and tumor, and were accumulated in the tumor sites within the first 8 h p.i., but was rapidly cleared from all the tested organs at 24 h p.i. Administration of nanoparticles to PCa tumors in vivo showed that Mel@PSMA-R12- 125I/siAPE1 had high efficiency in suppressing PCa tumor growth. CONCLUSION: The PSMA-targeted nanocarrier encapsulating siAPE1 and melatonin is a promising therapeutic strategy for PCa and can provide a theoretical basis for patent applications.

Electrophoretic Microplate Protein Identification Based on Gold Staining of Molybdenum Disulfide Hydrogels.

Numerous high-performance nanotechnologies have been developed, but their practical applications are largely restricted by the nanomaterials' low stabilities and high operation complexity in aqueous substrates. Herein, we develop a simple and high-reliability hydrogel-based nanotechnology based on the in situ formation of Au nanoparticles in molybdenum disulfide (MoS2)-doped agarose (MoS2/AG) hydrogels for electrophoresis-integrated microplate protein recognition. After the incubation of MoS2/AG hydrogels in HAuCl4 solutions, MoS2 nanosheets spontaneously reduce Au ions, and the hydrogels are remarkably stained with the color of as-synthetic plasmonic Au hybrid nanomaterials (Au staining). Proteins can precisely mediate the morphologies and optical properties of Au/MoS2 heterostructures in the hydrogels. Consequently, Au staining-based protein recognition is exhibited, and hydrogels ensure the comparable stabilities and sensitivities of protein analysis. In comparison to the fluorescence imaging and dye staining, enhanced sensitivity and recognition performances of proteins are implemented by Au staining. In Au staining, exfoliated MoS2 semiconductors directly guide the oriented growth of plasmonic Au nanostructures in the presence of formaldehyde, showing environment-friendly features. The Au-stained hydrogels merge the synthesis and recognition applications of plasmonic Au nanomaterials. Significantly, the one-step incubation of the electrophoretic hydrogels leads to high simplicity of operation, largely challenging those multiple-step Ag staining routes which were performed with high complexity and formaldehyde toxicity. Due to its toxic-free, simple, and sensitive merits, the Au staining integrated with electrophoresis-based separation and microplate-based high-throughput measurements exhibits highly promising and improved practicality of those developing nanotechnologies and largely facilitates in-depth understanding of biological information.

Excess multi-cause mortality linked to influenza virus infection in China, 2012-2021: a population-based study.

Objectives: The aim of this study is to estimate the excess mortality burden of influenza virus infection in China from 2012 to 2021, with a concurrent analysis of its associated disease manifestations. Methods: Laboratory surveillance data on influenza, relevant population demographics, and mortality records, including cause of death data in China, spanning the years 2012 to 2021, were incorporated into a comprehensive analysis. A negative binomial regression model was utilized to calculate the excess mortality rate associated with influenza, taking into consideration factors such as year, subtype, and cause of death. Results: There was no evidence to indicate a correlation between malignant neoplasms and any subtype of influenza, despite the examination of the effect of influenza on the mortality burden of eight diseases. A total of 327,520 samples testing positive for influenza virus were isolated between 2012 and 2021, with a significant decrease in the positivity rate observed during the periods of 2012-2013 and 2019-2020. China experienced an average annual influenza-associated excess deaths of 201721.78 and an average annual excess mortality rate of 14.53 per 100,000 people during the research period. Among the causes of mortality that were examined, respiratory and circulatory diseases (R&C) accounted for the most significant proportion (58.50%). Fatalities attributed to respiratory and circulatory diseases exhibited discernible temporal patterns, whereas deaths attributable to other causes were dispersed over the course of the year. Conclusion: Theoretically, the contribution of these disease types to excess influenza-related fatalities can serve as a foundation for early warning and targeted influenza surveillance. Additionally, it is possible to assess the costs of prevention and control measures and the public health repercussions of epidemics with greater precision.