Colorimetric aptasensor for tobramycin based on a highly stabilized aptamer-enhanced enzyme-mimicking activity of iron oxide/graphene oxide nanospheres.

Antibiotic contaminants in food are associated with detrimental health issues, and thus, the design of rapid and reliable detection methods to monitor them is in high demand. Although colorimetric aptamer sensing methods can achieve accurate and quick visual read-out analysis, they still have morphological defects that affect the detection efficiency and stability of the aptasensor. Hence, a simple and highly selective iron oxide/graphene oxide (FeO/GO) nanospheres was developed and modified with an aptamer as nanozymes for colorimetric detection of tobramycin (Tob).

Preparation of Metal Nanocluster Supraparticles for Ultrasensitive Sensing of Tetracycline Based on Multiple Interactions between a Target and Sensor.

New strategies for enhancing the fluorescence emission of metal nanoclusters (MNCs) are very crucial for the highly sensitive sensing of food hazards. In this work, we prepared MNC supraparticles (Sc-CB/AuNCs) by simultaneously introducing cucurbit[7]uril (CB[7]) and Sc ions into ATT-AuNCs for the first time. The obtained supraparticles exhibited strong emission enhancement due to synergistic aggregation-induced emission enhancement and restriction of intramolecular motion effects.

Gold/DNA-Cu Complex Nanozyme-Based Aptamer Lateral Flow Assay for Highly Sensitive Detection of Kanamycin.

Aptamer-based lateral flow analysis (Apt-LFAs) has promising applications in many fields. Nanozymes have demonstrated high potential in improving the performance of Apt-LFAs and have been increasingly utilized in recent studies. In this study, we developed a nanozyme-based Apt-LFA for the rapid and sensitive detection of kanamycin by using a novel dual-functionalized AuNPs@polyA-DNA/GpG-Cu nanozyme as a nanoprobe.

Histological features of chronic hepatitis B patients with normal alanine aminotransferase according to different criteria.

Background: The upper limits of normal (ULNs) for alanine aminotransferase (ALT) are different among international guidelines for chronic hepatitis B (CHB). We aimed to investigate the proportion of significant histological disease in Asian patients with CHB with detectable hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA under diverse ALT ULNs.

Methods: Consecutive patients with CHB and detectable HBV DNA who underwent liver biopsy were retrospectively included from four tertiary hospitals.

Serum CXCL16: A new predictor of liver inflammation in patients with chronic hepatitis B.

The prompt initiation of antiviral therapy is essential in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB), especially when severe liver inflammation is detected. However, transcutaneous liver puncture, the gold standard for assessing liver inflammation, is invasive and its widespread application is limited. Therefore, there is an urgent need for more non-invasive markers to predict liver inflammation.

The presence of baseline HBsAb-Specific B cells can predict HBsAg or HBeAg seroconversion of chronic hepatitis B on treatment.

Indices for predicting HBsAg or HBeAg seroconversion in patients with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection during antiviral therapy remain elusive. We aimed to investigate if the presence of HBsAb-specific B cells at baseline can predict HBsAg or HBeAg seroconversion. In this study, 134 treatment-naive patients with chronic HBV were enrolled.

Circulating Th2-biased T follicular helper cells impede antiviral humoral responses during chronic hepatitis B infection through upregulating CTLA4.

Failure in curing chronic hepatitis B (CHB) caused by hepatitis B virus (HBV) can lead to functional impairment of B cells. Cytotoxic T-lymphocyte associated antigen 4 (CTLA4) regulates B cell and T follicular helper (Tfh) cell differentiation. In addition, Tfh cells play a critical role in helping B cells generate antibodies upon pathogen exposure.

A Reservoir Computing with Boosted Topology Model to Predict Encephalitis and Mortality for Patients with Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome: A Retrospective Multicenter Study.

Introduction: Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (SFTSV) is an emerging tick-borne virus associated with a high rate of mortality, as well as encephalitis. We aim to develop and validate a machine learning model to early predict the potential life-threatening conditions of SFTS.

Methods: The clinical presentation, demographic information, and laboratory parameters from 327 patients with SFTS at admission in three large tertiary hospitals in Jiangsu, China between 2010 to 2022 are retrieved.

A longitudinal study of humoral immune responses induced by a 3-dose inactivated COVID-19 vaccine in an observational, prospective cohort.

Background: To determine the dynamic SARS-CoV-2 specific antibody levels induced by 3 doses of an inactivated COVID-19 vaccine, CoronaVac. An observational, prospective cohort study was performed with 93 healthy healthcare workers from a tertiary hospital in Nanjing, China. Serum SARS-CoV-2 specific IgM, IgG, and neutralizing antibodies (NAb) were measured at different time points among participants who received 3 doses of inactivated COVID-19 vaccine.

Significant histological disease of patients with chronic hepatitis B virus infection in the grey zone.

Background: Many patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) do not meet the definitions of the traditional natural phases and are classified as being in the grey zone (GZ).

Aims: To investigate liver histology, and to establish a management strategy for patients with CHB in the GZ.

Methods: This study included 1043 patients with CHB who underwent liver biopsy.

Accelerated CRISPR/Cas12a-based small molecule detection using bivalent aptamer.

CRISPR/Cas holds great promise for biosensing applications, however, restricted to nucleic acid targets. Here, we broaden the sensing target of CRISPR/Cas to small molecules via integrating a bivalent aptamer as a recognition component. Using adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP) as a model molecule, we found that a bivalent aptamer we selected could shorten the binding time between the aptamer and ATP from 30 min to 3 min, thus dramatically accelerating the detection of ATP.

The Third dose of CoronVac vaccination induces broad and potent adaptive immune responses that recognize SARS-CoV-2 Delta and Omicron variants.

The waning humoral immunity and emerging contagious severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants resulted in the necessity of the booster vaccination of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The inactivated vaccine, CoronaVac, is the most widely supplied COVID-19 vaccine globally. Whether the CoronaVac booster elicited adaptive responses that cross-recognize SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VoCs) among 77 healthy subjects receiving the third dose of CoronaVac were explored.

Design and optimizing gold nanoparticle-cDNA nanoprobes for aptamer-based lateral flow assay: Application to rapid detection of acetamiprid.

The aptamer-based lateral flow assay strips (Apt-LFAs) have shown promising application prospects in the detection of small molecules. The general principle of Apt-LFAs used for the detection of small molecules is based on the target-induced dissociation (TID) competitive binding among the aptamer, target and gold nanoparticle (AuNP)-complementary DNA (cDNA) nanoprobes. One of the most important components in this device is AuNP-cDNA nanoprobe, which has strong effect on the sensitivity and specificity of Apt-LFAs.

Presence of Liver Inflammation in Asian Patients With Chronic Hepatitis B With Normal ALT and Detectable HBV DNA in Absence of Liver Fibrosis.

Liver biopsies are recommended to exclude significant liver inflammation in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) with elevated HBV DNA but without other indications for antiviral treatment. We aimed to investigate the proportions and determinants of significant inflammation in Asian patients with CHB with detectable HBV DNA. We conducted a cross-sectional study that retrospectively included 581 patients with CHB with detectable HBV DNA who had undergone liver biopsy.

Dynamic SARS-CoV-2-specific B-cell and T-cell responses following immunization with an inactivated COVID-19 vaccine.

Objective: The dynamic adaptive immune responses elicited by the inactivated virus vaccine CoronaVac remain elusive.

Methods: In a prospective cohort of 100 healthcare professionals naïve for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) who received two doses of CoronaVac, we analysed SARS-CoV-2-specific humoral and cellular responses at four different timepoints, including before vaccination (T1), 2 weeks after the first dose (T2), 2 weeks after the booster dose (T3), and 8-10 weeks after the booster dose (T4). SARS-CoV-2-specific antibodies, serum neutralizing activities, peripheral B cells, CD4 and CD8 T cells and their memory subsets were simultaneously measured in this cohort.

A Fluorescent Detection for Paraquat Based on β-CDs-Enhanced Fluorescent Gold Nanoclusters.

In this report, a fluorescent sensing method for paraquat based on gold nanoclusters (AuNCs) is proposed. It was found that paraquat could quench both glutathione-capped AuNCs (GSH-AuNCs) and β-cyclodextrin-modified GSH-AuNCs (GSH/β-CDs-AuNCs). The modification of β-CDs on the surface of GSH-AuNCs obviously enhanced the fluorescence intensity of GSH-AuNCs and improved the sensitivity of paraquat sensing more than 4-fold.

DNA-Gold Nanozyme-Modified Paper Device for Enhanced Colorimetric Detection of Mercury Ions.

In this work, a paper device consisted of a patterned paper chip, wicking pads, and a base was fabricated. On the paper chip, DNA-gold nanoparticles (DNA-AuNPs) were deposited and Hg ions could be adsorbed by the DNA-AuNPs. The formed DNA-AuNP/Hg nanozyme could catalyze the tetramethylbenzidine (TMB)-HO chromogenic reaction.