A novel fluorescent probe, carbon dots/gold nanoclusters (CDs/AuNCs), was prepared for ratiometric and colorimetric detection of Pb and Hg simultaneously. The as-prepared probe exhibited two distinct emission peaks at 445 nm and 610 nm. During the detection process, Pb could quench blue fluorescence due to the formation of the CDs-Pb complex and does not affect orange fluorescence.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFA sensitive and recyclable substrate was fabricated through reduction of silver nanoparticles (NPs) on zinc oxide nanorods (NRs). The prepared silver nanoparticles/zinc oxide nanorods/polyamide mesh (Ag/ZnO/PM) substrate exhibited not only excellent surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) performance to R6G with a limit of detection (LOD) of 10 M, mainly attributed to the synergistic effect of the suitable size and the nanoscale gaps of the Ag NPs to produce local surface plasmon resonance (LSPR), but also outstanding self-cleaning property UV irradiation due to its significant photocatalytic property based on the non-equilibrium carriers generated by ZnO and the presence of Schottky junctions between Ag and ZnO. The substrate showed good recycling stability even after five cycles.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Prurigo nodularis (PN) is a chronic inflammatory skin disorder that is characterized by extremely itchy nodules. Proadrenomedullin N-terminal 20 (PAMP) activates mast cell degranulation via Mas-related G protein-coupled receptor X2 (MRGPRX2), which is associated with pruritus in allergic contact dermatitis. However, the mechanisms underlying the action of PAMP and MRGPRX2 in PN remain unclear.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPruritus is the most common symptom of dermatological disorders, and prurigo nodularis (PN) is notorious for intractable and severe itching. Conventional treatments often yield disappointing outcomes, significantly affecting patients' quality of life and psychological well-being. The pathogenesis of PN is associated with a self-sustained "itch-scratch" vicious cycle.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFProbabilistic (p-) computing is a physics-based approach to addressing computational problems which are difficult to solve by conventional von Neumann computers. A key requirement for p-computing is the realization of fast, compact, and energy-efficient probabilistic bits. Stochastic magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs) with low energy barriers, where the relative dwell time in each state is controlled by current, have been proposed as a candidate to implement p-bits.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFerrimagnets are considered an excellent spintronic material candidate which combines ultrafast magnetic dynamics and straightforward electrical detectability. However, efficient routes toward magneto-ionic control of ferrimagnetic order remain elusive. In this study, a solid-state oxygen gating device was designed to control the magnetic properties of the ferrimagnetic CoTb alloy.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFConverting industrial wastes into value-added building products in an environmental management strategy is a challenging yet vital component of the industrial process. Steel slag (SS), an industrial waste by-product from the steel-making process, is typically disposed of in landfill which consumes land resources and pollutes the environment. This paper explores the possibility of a closed-loop system to convert steel slag into a cement material through carbonation activation, thereby significantly reducing the amount of steel slag waste sent to landfills across Canada.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPrurigo nodularis (PN), characterized by inevitable chronicity and severe pruritus, is most frequently associated with atopy compared with other origins. However, the skin transcriptomic profiling of PN arising from atopic dermatitis (AD), so-called atopic PN (APN), remains unclear. We sought to explore the cutaneous transcriptome of APN with severe pruritus and compare it with classic AD.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFLower limb exoskeletons are widely used for rehabilitation training of patients suffering from neurological disorders. To improve the human-robot interaction performance, series elastic actuators (SEAs) with low output impedance have been developed. However, the adaptability and control performance are limited by the constant spring stiffness used in current SEAs.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSoft, low-cost, high-performance generators are highly desirable for harvesting ambient low frequency mechanical energy. Here, a dielectric elastomer nanogenerator (DENG) is reported, which consists of a dielectric elastomer capacitor, an electret electrostatic voltage source, and a charge pump circuit. Under biaxial stretching, DENG can convert tensile mechanical energy into electrical power without any external power supply.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEarly-age carbonation curing of concrete is receiving more interest in terms of performance improvement and emission reduction. However, the volume change of cement-based products subject to carbonation curing may become a concern because of the potential carbonation shrinkage and its related shrinkage cracking. The purpose of this study was to investigate the dimensional stability of cement paste and concrete subject to the early-age carbonation curing.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) is a severely disabling disease that leads to loss of sensation, motor, and autonomic function. As exosomes have great potential in diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of SCI because of their ability to easily cross the blood-brain barrier, the function of Schwann cell-derived exosomes (SCDEs) is still largely unknown.
Methods: A T10 spinal cord contusion was established in adult female mice.
Background: In 2015, a Chinese expert consensus on photopatch testing (PPT) was established, based on European consensus methodology.
Objectives: To update current information on the prevalence of photoallergic contact dermatitis (PACD) to 20 photoallergens and their clinical relevance in the Chinese context.
Methods: A retrospective analysis of 2372 patients who performed PPT in a tertiary referral center in China between 2015 and 2019 was completed.
This paper presents a study on the carbonation reaction heat and products of tricalcium silicate (C₃S) paste exposed to carbon dioxide (CO₂) for rapid curing. Reaction heat was measured using a retrofitted micro-calorimeter. The highest heat flow of a C₃S paste subject to carbonation curing was 200 times higher than that by hydration, and the cumulative heat released by carbonation was three times higher.
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