The controllable fabrication of AIE gold nanoclusters and utilizing as portable ultrasensitive detection sensor for silver ions via smartphone.

Heavy metal pollution is life-threatening, the detection of heavy metals is crucial to human health and environment. In this work, AIE featured LA-stabilized gold nanoclusters (NL-AuNCs) were designed and fabricated by modulating precursors in various reaction conditions, and utilized as an efficient fluorescent sensor for portable detecting Ag with high sensitivity and selectivity. The NL-AuNCs exhibited intense red fluorescence at 625 nm via the secondary reducing agent N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC), achieving a quantum yield (QY) of 15.

Dual-polarization reconfigurable metasurface for broadband vortex beam generation.

Recently, reconfigurable metasurfaces integrated with adaptable devices have demonstrated exceptional dynamic controllability across various applications, garnering considerable attention. However, many reported metasurfaces, particularly those supporting dual-polarization adjustability, exhibit limited broadband electromagnetic performance. To address this limitation, we propose a dual-polarized reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS) with a distinctive metal layer design.

Modeling the electron cyclotron emission radiation signature from suprathermal electrons in a tokamak.

An Electron Cyclotron Emission (ECE) modeling code has been developed to model ECE radiation with an arbitrary electron momentum distribution, a small oblique angle, both ordinary (O-mode) and extraordinary polarizations (X-mode), and multiple cyclotron frequency harmonics. The emission and absorption coefficients are calculated using the Poynting theorem from the cold plasma dispersion and the electron-microwave interaction from the full anti-Hermitian tensor. The modeling shows several ECE radiation signatures that can be used to diagnose the population of suprathermal electrons in a tokamak.

On-mask detection of SARS-CoV-2 related substances by surface enhanced Raman scattering.

We have developed a convenient surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) platform based on vertical standing gold nanowires (v-AuNWs) which enabled the on-mask detection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) related substances such as the Spike-1 protein and the corresponding pseudo-virus. The Spike-1 protein was clearly distinguished from BSA protein with an accuracy above 99 %, and the detection limit could be achieved down to 0.01 μg/mL.

Variations in soil microbial community structure and extracellular enzymatic activities along a forest-wetland ecotone in high-latitude permafrost regions.

Permafrost degradation by global warming is expected to alter the hydrological processes, which results in changes in vegetation species composition and gives rise to community succession. Ecotones are sensitive transition areas between ecosystem boundaries, attract particular interest due to their ecological importance and prompt responses to the environmental variables. However, the characteristics of soil microbial communities and extracellular enzymes along the forest-wetland ecotone in high-latitude permafrost region remain poorly understood.

Investigation on mechanical properties deterioration of concrete subjected to freeze-thaw cycles.

Concrete structures in cold regions are usually suffer from froze and thaw action. A combined investigation of nanoindentation technique and X-ray diffraction were adopted to demonstrate the microstructure change and micromechanical properties deterioration of concrete subjected to freeze-thaw (F-T) cycles in this study. The results showed that the indentation modulus and hardness of the main compositions in mortar, such as calcium-silicate-hydrates and calcium hydroxide, both gradually decreases as the F-T cycles increase, with the greatest reduction approximate 38% after 1500 F-T cycles, while the corresponding greatest reduction of the main compositions in interfacial transition zone (ITZ) is close to 50%.

Smartphone surface plasmon resonance imaging for the simultaneous and sensitive detection of acute kidney injury biomarkers with noninvasive urinalysis.

A surface plasmon resonance imaging (SPRi) platform integrated with a smartphone was constructed for the simultaneous and sensitive detection of acute kidney injury (AKI) biomarkers. The smartphone SPRi platform was developed without the requirement of additional light and power sources. The LED flash of the smartphone was used as the light source for the excitation of surface plasmon resonance of a gold sensor chip based on the Kretschmann configuration, while the reflected light was collected by the camera of the smartphone.

Lens Autofluorescence Based Advanced Glycation End Products (AGEs) Measurement to Assess Risk of Osteopenia Among Individuals Under the Age of 50.

Introduction: Simple non-invasive biomarker is urgently needed to detect the largely silent osteopenia in order to prevent osteoporosis-related fracture later in life. The accumulation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) has been related to reduced bone density and osteoporotic fractures. Whether lens autofluorescence (LAF) based AGEs (LAF-AGEs) measurement could be used to assess the risk of osteopenia is aimed to investigate in this paper.

Smart Contact Lens with Dual-Sensing Platform for Monitoring Intraocular Pressure and Matrix Metalloproteinase-9.

Contact lenses have become a popular health-monitoring wearable device due to their direct contact with the eyes. By integrating biosensors into contact lenses, real-time and noninvasive diagnoses of various diseases can be realized. However, current contact lens sensors often require complex electronics, which may obstruct the user's vision or even damage the cornea.

Fast modulating electron cyclotron emission (FMECE) diagnostic for tokamaks.

Utilizing variable-frequency channels, e.g., yttrium iron garnet (YIG) bandpass filters, in the intermediate frequency (IF) section of an electron cyclotron emission (ECE) radiometer facilitates flexibility in the volume viewed by the ECE channels as well as high resolution electron temperature and temperature fluctuation measurements in tokamaks.

Sediment record of heavy metals over the last 150 years in Northeast China: implications for regional anthropogenic activities.

Evidence from terrestrial sedimentary heavy metals record is a robust indicator of anthropogenic activity changes. Heavy metals and particle sizes in Pb-dated sediment cores extracted from Hulun and Chagan lakes were measured to reconstruct the sediment record and evaluated health risk of heavy metals in the last 150 years in Northeast China. In general, the particle size of Hulun Lake was finer with more contents of clay than Chagan Lake, while the concentrations of most heavy metals in Hulun Lake was lower.

Nanostructured carbon black for simultaneous electrochemical determination of trace lead and cadmium by differential pulse stripping voltammetry.

Nanostructured carbon black (CB) was first employed directly in this paper for the simultaneous electrochemical determination of trace Pb(II) and Cd(II) using differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry. The morphology and surface properties of conductive CB were characterized by transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy. Special pore structures, as well as surface chemical functional groups, endow CB with excellent catalytic and adsorption properties.