Hydrogel Grating Sensors with Boron Affinity and Molecular Imprinting Effects for Rapid and Sensitive Detection of Tumor Marker Sialic Acid.

Rapid and sensitive detection of the concentration of sialic acid (SA) in serum is crucial for early tumor screening and prognostic assessment; however, it still remains challenging. Here, we propose a novel kind of hydrogel grating sensor with boron affinity and molecular imprinting effects (B-MIP) for the rapid and sensitive detection of SA concentration in serum. The hydrogel gratings feature uniform surface relief microstructures and incorporate highly specific recognition binding sites into SA molecules provided by boron affinity and molecular imprinting.

The impact of organic carbon mineralization on pollution and toxicity of toxic metal in sediments: Yellow Sea and East China Sea study.

Organic carbon mineralization is the main driving force of metal migration and transformation in sediments, greatly influencing the distribution, pollution degree, and toxicity of toxic metals. However, relevant research on this subject is still limited. In this study, the concentration of toxic metals (Cr, Cd, Cu, Pb, Zn, Co, Fe, Mn, Ni, As) in the solid and liquid phase (porewater) of sediments were measured, toxic metal pollution degree and toxicity of the Yellow Sea (YS) and the East China Sea (ECS) were assessed.

Dialdehyde starch cross-linked aminated gelatin sponges with excellent hemostatic performance and biocompatibility.

Developing a hemostatic material suitable for rapid hemostasis remains a challenge. This study presents a novel aminated gelatin sponge cross-linked with dialdehyde starch, exhibiting excellent biocompatibility and hemostatic ability. This aminated gelatin sponge features hydrophilic surface and rich porous structure with a porosity of up to 80 %.

In situ measurement of the three-dimensional distribution of labile copper in sediment pore water using a microneedle sensor with nanoporous structure.

Conventional ex situ analytical methods for sediment pore water are susceptible to disruptions in the speciation equilibrium of metals due to changes in external conditions. This study introduced an innovative in situ method for detecting the three-dimensional distribution of labile copper (Cu) in sediment pore water with high spatial resolution using a highly stable microneedle electrochemical sensor. The sensor featured a nanoporous tip structure and embedded gold nanomaterials with excellent electrocatalytic performance.

Microfluidic fabrication of monodisperse microcapsules with gas cores.

A facile strategy for efficient and continuous fabrication of monodisperse gas-core microcapsules with controllable sizes and excellent ultrasound-induced burst performances is developed based on droplet microfluidics and interfacial polymerization. Monodisperse gas-in-oil-in-water (G/O/W) double emulsion droplets with a gas core and monomer-contained oil layer are fabricated in the upstream of a microfluidic device as templates, and then water-soluble monomers are added into the aqueous continuous phase in the downstream to initiate rapid interfacial polymerization at the O/W interfaces to prepare monodisperse gas-in-oil-in-solid (G/O/S) microcapsules with gas cores. The sizes of both microbubbles and G/O/W droplet templates can be precisely controlled by adjusting the gas supply pressure and the fluid flow rates.

A thermo-responsive hydrogel for body temperature-induced spontaneous information decryption and self-encryption.

A thermo-responsive poly(-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) hydrogel, exhibiting an interesting phenomenon of an opaque-transparent-opaque transition in the successive processes of heating and cooling, is reported. It is fabricated by means of both the porogenic effect of hydroxypropyl cellulose and the cononsolvency effect of PNIPAM in a mixed solvent of dimethyl sulfoxide and water. After being mildly triggered by body temperature, the hydrogel is used to spontaneously decrypt the quick response code within 4 min and then autonomously encrypts the code again within 10 min at room temperature.

The influences of Yellow River input and nutrient dynamics on colloidal Fe migration in the Bohai Sea, China.

The coupling relationship between the <1 kDa, 1-3 kDa, 3-10 kDa, 10-100 kDa, and 100 kDa-0.45 μm Fe fractions and the environmental factors in the Bohai Sea (BS) was investigated. The 1-100 kDa Fe in the surface water exhibited a non-conservative phenomenon during the river-sea mixing process, which was related to the removal of colloidal Fe via flocculation during this process.

Spatial distribution, compositional pattern, and source apportionment of colloidal trace metals in the coastal water of Shandong Peninsula, northeastern China.

The Shandong Peninsula (SP) is the largest peninsula in China hosting rich economic and agricultural activities. In this study, we investigated the behavior of dissolved Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, Cd, and Pb and their colloidal phases in the coastal and estuarine areas of SP. Pb and Zn had the highest contamination factors of 0.

Prediction of multiple types of drug interactions based on multi-scale fusion and dual-view fusion.

Potential drug-drug interactions (DDI) can lead to adverse drug reactions (ADR), and DDI prediction can help pharmacy researchers detect harmful DDI early. However, existing DDI prediction methods fall short in fully capturing drug information. They typically employ a single-view input, focusing solely on drug features or drug networks.

Dissolving microneedle system containing Ag nanoparticle-decorated silk fibroin microspheres and antibiotics for synergistic therapy of bacterial biofilm infection.

Most cases of delayed wound healing are associated with bacterial biofilm infections due to high antibiotic resistance. To improve patient compliance and recovery rates, it is critical to develop minimally invasive and efficient methods to eliminate bacterial biofilms as an alternative to clinical debridement techniques. Herein, we develop a dissolving microneedle system containing Ag nanoparticles (AgNPs)-decorated silk fibroin microspheres (SFM-AgNPs) and antibiotics for synergistic treatment of bacterial biofilm infection.

New insights into estimation of bioavailable inorganic phosphorus in natural coastal seawater.

Considering the impact of the high salinity and high turbidity of coastal seawater on phosphorus forms, a new method was proposed to determine bioavailable inorganic phosphorus (BIP). The phosphorus most relevant to eutrophication is BIP, and traditional analysis methods may underestimate the degree of eutrophication. In this study, a microelectrode of multigold (AuμE) was fabricated for direct voltammetric determination of BIP without filtration, and BIP environmental characteristics including distribution and correlation relationships with environmental factors in typical coastal seawater of Northern China were analyzed.

Field determination and ecological health risk assessment of trace metals in typical mariculture area of China.

Field determination of dissolved trace metals (Cu, Pb and Cd) by using automated electrochemical system had been done in three typical mariculture areas of Yellow Sea (YS), East China Sea (ECS) and South China Sea (SCS) in China. Higher concentrations of Cu and Pb were found in ECS while the Cd concentration showed a decreasing trend from north to south of China. The metal distribution and ecological health risk assessments were also conducted.

Microfluidic Controllable Preparation of Iodine-131-Labeled Microspheres for Radioembolization Therapy of Liver Tumors.

Transcatheter arterial radioembolization (TARE) is of great significance for the treatment of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the existing radioembolic microspheres still have problems such as non-degradability, non-uniform size, and inability to directly monitor in vivo, which hinders the development of TARE. In this paper, a novel radioembolic agent, I-labeled methacrylated gelatin microspheres ( I-GMs), is prepared for the treatment of HCC.

An antifouling gel-protected iridium needle sensor: Long-term, on-site monitoring of copper in seawater.

Copper (Cu), a natural micronutrient with ecotoxicological significance, is involved in the carbon and nitrogen cycles occurring in marine ecosystems. Here, we developed a novel, antifouling gel-protected iridium (Ir) needle electrode modified with gold nanoparticles (G-IrNS) for long-term continuous and steady Cu monitoring. The gel formed an efficient membrane that effectively prevented the fouling of the sensing surface and displayed anti-convective properties, ensuring that mass transport toward the sensor surface was wholly controlled via diffusion.

Designable microfluidic ladder networks from backstepping microflow analysis for mass production of monodisperse microdroplets.

Controllable mass production of monodisperse droplets plays a key role in numerous fields ranging from scientific research to industrial application. Microfluidic ladder networks show great potential in mass production of monodisperse droplets, but their design with uniform microflow distribution remains challenging due to the lack of a rational design strategy. Here an effective design strategy based on backstepping microflow analysis (BMA) is proposed for the rational development of microfluidic ladder networks for mass production of controllable monodisperse microdroplets.

Tip-porous microneedle: A highly stable sensing platform for direct determination of labile metals in natural seawater.

Nanomaterial-functionalized voltammetric microsensors are promising tools for detecting trace metals at low concentrations in the complex environment of natural seawater. However, the sensitivity reduction caused by the loss of modified nanomaterials in the detection process has always been a major problem. Herein, to fabricate a highly stable sensing platform, a microneedle electrode with a hierarchical porous tip was prepared through electrochemical etching technology to firmly embed nanoparticles.

Ultrasensitive hydrogel grating detector for real-time continuous-flow detection of trace threat Pb.

Ultrasensitive real-time detection of trace Pb in continuous flow is vital to effectively and timely eliminate the potential hazards to ecosystem health and sustainability. This work reports on a micro-structured smart hydrogel grating with ultra-sensitivity, high selectivity, good transparency and mechanical property for real-time detection of Pb in continuous flow. The hydrogel grating possesses uniform surface relief microstructures with periodic nano-height ridges made of poly(acrylamide-co-benzo-18-crown-6-acrylamide) networks that crosslinked by tetra-arm star poly(ethylene glycol)acrylamide.

Nanocomposite based on graphene and intercalated covalent organic frameworks with hydrosulphonyl groups for electrochemical determination of heavy metal ions.

An electrochemical sensor constructed by intercalated composites was developed for determination of heavy metal ions. The intercalated composites were composed of hydrosulphonyl functional covalent organic frameworks (COF-SH) and graphene (G). The presence of numerous adsorption sites, such as 18 sulfur atoms and 30 nitrogen atoms per big circle of COFs on COF-SH, was beneficial for the accumulation of heavy metals, while the graphene enhanced the electrical conductivity.

Study on anti-scaling of landfill leachate treated by evaporation method.

In the mechanical vapor recompression (MVR) treatment of landfill leachate, scaling in the evaporator and heat exchanger poses a serious problem. This study explored the reasons for such scaling and proposed acid or ion-exchange pre-treatments to reduce the alkalinity of the landfill leachate nanofiltration concentrate (LLNC) to prevent scaling. The feasibility of these two methods was evaluated and the technical and economic parameters for application were obtained via experiments.

On-site electrochemical determination of phosphate with high sensitivity and anti-interference ability in turbid coastal waters.

Phosphate is considered to be an important biogenic element and responsible for eutrophication in aquatic ecosystems, existing in both dissolved and absorbed forms. Due to the complex matrix of coastal seawater, a high sensitivity and anti-interference method for phosphate detection is required for environmental protection. In this study, a novel electrochemical method was proposed based on reduced graphene oxide-ordered mesoporous carbon screen-printed electrode (rGO-OMC/SPE) analysis, allowing sensitivity and reliable determination of phosphate in turbid coastal waters.

Fabrication of Polymer Composite Fibers Embedding Ultra-Long Micro/Nanowires.

Fabrication of polymer composite fibers embedding ultra-long micro/nanowires via an iterative melt co-drawing and bundling technique is reported in this study. The poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) porous array templates were prepared with section-cutting the PMMA/polystyrene (PS) (shell/core) composite fibers and dissolution of inner PS. The results showed that the PS cores or pores in the PMMA matrix are regularly arranged with hexagonal, and their diameter and spacing exhibits a uniform distribution.

Spatial and environmental characteristics of colloidal trace Cu in the surface water of the Yellow River Estuary, China.

Dynamic variations in chemical composition and size distribution of dissolved copper (Cu) along the river-sea interface in the Yellow River Estuary (China) were investigated. On average, ~64% and ~8% of bulk dissolved Cu (<0.45 μm) were partitioned in the <1 kDa fraction and 1-100 kDa, respectively.

Highly Efficient Silver Catalyst Supported by a Spherical Covalent Organic Framework for the Continuous Reduction of 4-Nitrophenol.

Developing new materials and novel technologies for the highly efficient treatment of toxic organic pollutants is highly desirable. Chemical reduction based on heterogeneous substrate/noble metal catalysts and the reducing agent NaBH has become an effective method in recent years. Here, a spherical covalent organic framework (SCOF) was designed to provide basic sites for Ag ions, by which small Ag NPs were immobilized on the SCOF to form Ag NPs@SCOF microspheres.

Quantitative assessment on soil concentration of heavy metal-contaminated soil with various sample pretreatment techniques and detection methods.

Detection and quantification of heavy metals in soil samples are significant in terms of environmental monitoring and risk assessment for metals. In order to improve the accuracy and precision to detect heavy metal, in this study, four standard samples (NASS-4, NASS-5, NASS-9, and NASS-16) were analyzed by evolving heating (electric heating plate, water bath, and microwave) and acidic systems (includes HCl, HNO, HF, and HClO). The result shows that different pretreatment methods have different effects on the extraction of heavy metal elements and five heavy metal elements (Cu, Zn, Pb, Ni, and Cr) were selected for optimization through pretreatment methods.

A facile synthesis of perforated reduced graphene oxide for high performance electrochemical sensors.

Highly active perforated reduced graphene oxide (P-rGO) was synthesized by a facile methodology based on co-deposition of graphene oxide with sacrificial Prussian blue. Electrode surface properties were characterized by SEM and EDS. The GC/P-rGO electrode exhibited a larger specific surface area than that of GCE.