Surface-enhanced Raman scattering nanotag of tunable ZIF-8 shell-encapsulated magnetic core-plasmonic satellites for disentangling chemical enhancement from electromagnetic enhancement.

To enhance the stability of Raman reporters, these reporters were trapped in a metal organic framework (MOF) exoskeleton that was grown and compressed on FeO@Au core-satellites, producing recyclable surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) nanotags. Furthermore, encapsulation of Raman reporters in the assembled MOF-based nanocomposites was divided into two types of patterns, pre-enrichment and post-enrichment, in order to disentangle chemical enhancement of charge transfer (CT) from electromagnetic enhancement (EM) in SERS. Hence, to demonstrate the effect of encapsulation, a typical non-thiolated Raman reporter, for example crystal violet (CV) trapped in a core-satellite nanoassembly-based zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF-8) shell, was selected.

Environmental taxes, technological innovation and firm performance: Evidence from China's manufacturing firms.

Based on panel data from 2011 to 2019 for heavily polluting listed firms in the manufacturing industry, this paper examines the impact of environmental taxes on technological innovation and firm performance using the propensity score matching (PSM) and differences-in-differences (DID) methods. The empirical results show the following: (i) Firm performance and innovation quantity are positively affected by environmental taxes. The average effects of environmental taxes on firm performance and innovation quantity are 1.

Environmental taxes, enterprise innovation, and environmental total factor productivity-effect test based on Porter's hypothesis.

Under the increasingly severe environmental constraints, improving environmental total factor productivity (ETFP) is the fundamental way for the sustainable development of heavily polluting enterprises. Based on 3463 panel data of A-share listed companies in China from 2011 to 2019, this paper employs Porter's hypothesis (PH) framework to explore the impact of environmental tax (EN_T) on enterprise innovation and environmental total factor productivity for the heavily polluting manufacturing industry using the propensity score matching (PSM) method. The empirical results show the following.

Ethical Risk Factors and Mechanisms in Artificial Intelligence Decision Making.

While artificial intelligence (AI) technology can enhance social wellbeing and progress, it also generates ethical decision-making dilemmas such as algorithmic discrimination, data bias, and unclear accountability. In this paper, we identify the ethical risk factors of AI decision making from the perspective of qualitative research, construct a risk-factor model of AI decision making ethical risks using rooting theory, and explore the mechanisms of interaction between risks through system dynamics, based on which risk management strategies are proposed. We find that technological uncertainty, incomplete data, and management errors are the main sources of ethical risks in AI decision making and that the intervention of risk governance elements can effectively block the social risks arising from algorithmic, technological, and data risks.

Au@Ag core-shell nanoparticles for microRNA-21 determination based on duplex-specific nuclease signal amplification and surface-enhanced Raman scattering.

A novel surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) analysis strategy has been designed combining Au@DTNB@Ag core-shell nanoparticles (DTNB attachment on gold nanoparticles, then encapsulated in Ag shell nanoparticles named as ADANPs) and duplex-specific nuclease signal amplification (DSNSA) platform. Firstly, ADANPs and magnetic substrate of FeO nanoparticles were covalently attached to the 3'- and 5'- end of capture probe (CP) targeting miRNA-21. Upon the addition of target miRNA-21, these heteroduplexes were specifically cleaved by DSN and resulted in ADANPs that were released from the surface of FeO nanoparticles (FeO NPs).

A highly sensitive DNAzyme-based SERS biosensor for quantitative detection of lead ions in human serum.

Lead ions (Pb), one form of the toxic heavy metal, have drawn significant attention due to their harmful effects on human health and the environment. Although many analytical techniques have been developed over the past few decades, the development of a sensitive, selective, and rapid method to detect Pb remains a challenge. In this work, we developed a sensitive surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) biosensor for highly sensitive detection of Pb by using DNAzyme-modified FeO@Au@Ag nanoparticles (FeO@Au@Ag NPs).

A "turn-off" SERS aptasensor based DNAzyme-gold nanorod for ultrasensitive lead ion detection.

It is great significance to precisely monitor lead (II) ions (Pb) for environment protection and human health monitoring. We designed a sensitive detection strategy for sensitive and selective determination of Pb, based on a Pb-specific DNAzyme as the catalytic unit, Cy3-labeled DNA modified gold nanorods (AuNRs) as SERS reporter. Firstly, AuNRs surface were employed as a platform for the immobilization of thiolated probe DNA, and then hybridized with DNAzyme catalytic beacons.

A Neutrosophic Forecasting Model for Time Series Based on First-Order State and Information Entropy of High-Order Fluctuation.

In time series forecasting, information presentation directly affects prediction efficiency. Most existing time series forecasting models follow logical rules according to the relationships between neighboring states, without considering the inconsistency of fluctuations for a related period. In this paper, we propose a new perspective to study the problem of prediction, in which inconsistency is quantified and regarded as a key characteristic of prediction rules.

A graphene oxide-based hairpin probe coupling duplex-specific nuclease signal amplification for detection and imaging of mRNA in living cells.

In situ imaging of mRNA in living cells can help to monitor the real time mRNA expression and also useful for diagnosis and prognosis of the diseases. In this study, a new strategy was designed for simple, sensitive, and selective platform to detect the mRNA levels by combining a hairpin probe-graphene oxide (HP1/GO) and duplex-specific nuclease signal amplification (DSNSA). Initially, the DNA probe was adsorbed on the surface of GO to protect it from enzymatic digestion.

A Forecasting Model Based on High-Order Fluctuation Trends and Information Entropy.

Most existing high-order prediction models abstract logical rules that are based on historical discrete states without considering historical inconsistency and fluctuation trends. In fact, these two characteristics are important for describing historical fluctuations. This paper proposes a model based on logical rules abstracted from historical dynamic fluctuation trends and the corresponding inconsistencies.

Cube-like Fe3O4@SiO2@Au@Ag magnetic nanoparticles: a highly efficient SERS substrate for detection of pesticide.

As a novel SERS nanocomposities, cube-like Fe3O4@SiO2@Au@Ag magnetic nanoparticles have been synthesized for the first time. Cube-like α-Fe2O3 NPs with uniform size can be achieved by optimizing reaction temperature and time. Firstly, the cube-like Fe3O4@SiO2 with good dispersity were achieved by calcining α-Fe2O3@SiO2 NPs in hydrogen atmosphere at 360 °C for 2.

A novel stock forecasting model based on High-order-fuzzy-fluctuation Trends and Back Propagation Neural Network.

In this paper, we propose a hybrid method to forecast the stock prices called High-order-fuzzy-fluctuation-Trends-based Back Propagation(HTBP)Neural Network model. First, we compare each value of the historical training data with the previous day's value to obtain a fluctuation trend time series (FTTS). On this basis, the FTTS blur into fuzzy time series (FFTS) based on the fluctuation of the increasing, equality, decreasing amplitude and direction.

Facile Fabrication of Large-Scale Silver Nanowire Bilayer Films and Its Application as Sensitive and Reproducible Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering Substrates.

The homogeneous surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) active hot spots on a SERS substrate is the most crucial factor in ensuring their application as reproducible and ultrasensitive sensing platforms. In this paper, we report on a simply shaking-assisted liquid–liquid (water-chloroform) interfacial assembly process for fabricating aligned Ag nanowire (AgNW) bilayer films on solid substrates. A scalable fabrication process can be easily realized by using a large size of container.

DeAnnCNV: a tool for online detection and annotation of copy number variations from whole-exome sequencing data.

With the decrease in costs, whole-exome sequencing (WES) has become a very popular and powerful tool for the identification of genetic variants underlying human diseases. However, integrated tools to precisely detect and systematically annotate copy number variations (CNVs) from WES data are still in great demand. Here, we present an online tool, DeAnnCNV (Detection and Annotation of Copy Number Variations from WES data), to meet the current demands of WES users.

Hierarchically assembled NiCo@SiO2@Ag magnetic core-shell microspheres as highly efficient and recyclable 3D SERS substrates.

The hierarchically nanosheet-assembled NiCo@SiO2@Ag (NSA) core-shell microspheres have been synthesized by a layer-by-layer procedure at ambient temperature. The mean particle size of NSA microspheres is about 1.7 μm, which is made up of some nanosheets with an average thickness of ∼20 nm.

Controlled synthesis of Au-Fe₃O₄ hybrid hollow spheres with excellent SERS activity and catalytic properties.

Au-Fe3O4 hybrid hollow spheres have been successfully synthesized by a one-pot process via the hydrothermal treatment of FeCl3, HAuCl4, citrate, urea, and polyacrylamide (PAM). The amount of Au nanoparticles located in the hybrid hollow spheres can be tuned by changing the molar ratio of Au/Fe precursors. A possible synthetic mechanism of the Au-Fe3O4 hybrid hollow spheres has been proposed.

A simple and highly efficient route to the synthesis of NaLnF4-Ag hybrid nanorice with excellent SERS performances.

This paper reports the synthesis of a new class of NaLnF(4)-Ag (Ln = Nd, Sm, Eu, Tb, Ho) hybrid nanorice and its application as a surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrate in chemical analyses. Rice-shaped NaLnF(4) nanoparticles as templates are prepared by a modified hydrothermal method. Then, the NaLnF(4) nanorice particles are decorated with Ag nanoparticles by magnetron sputtering method to form NaLnF(4)-Ag hybrid nanostructures.

A facile strategy for obtaining fresh Ag as SERS active substrates.

A facile strategy has been reported to obtain on-line fresh Ag as surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) active substrates by making AgCl nanoparticles exposed to the laser beam of Raman spectrometer. The composition and morphology of AgCl nanoparticles were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV-visible (UV-vis) spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The laser-driven evolvement and possible formation mechanism of cubic AgCl nanoparticles to Ag/AgCl composites were also investigated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM).