Facet engineering of CuO for efficient electrochemical glucose sensing.

Background: Accurate monitoring glucose level is significant for human health management, especially in the prevention, diagnosis, and management of diabetes. Electrochemical quantification of glucose is a convenient and rapid detection method, and the crucial aspect in achieving great sensing performance lies in the selection and design of the electrode material. Among them, CuO, with highly catalysis ability, is commonly used as electrocatalyst in non-enzymatic glucose sensing.

Rapid and dual-mode nitrite detection with improved sensitivity by nanointerface-regulated ultrafast Griess assay.

Background: The rapid and sensitive detection of nitrite is important to human health protection due to its carcinogenic and teratogenic risks with excessive intake. The Griess assay is widely applied for the design of nitrite detection system. However, its relatively slow reaction kinetics and sole colorimetry mode might limit it's the sensitivity and practical application.

Rapid on-site colorimetric detection of arsenic(V) by NH-MIL-88(Fe) nanozymes-based ultraviolet-visible spectroscopic and smartphone-assisted sensing platforms.

Background: Because arsenate (As(V)) is a highly toxic pollutant, timely on-site monitoring of its concentration is crucial for mitigating potential environmental and health hazards. Traditional on-site detection methods for As(V) often face limitations of long response time and low sensitivity. Nanozymes are nanomaterials that exhibit enzyme-like catalytic activity.

Wood membrane: A sustainable electrochemical platform for enzyme-free and pretreatment-free monitoring uric acid in bodily fluids.

The detection of biomarkers is crucial for assessing disease status and progression. Uric acid (UA), a common biomarker in body fluids, plays an important role in the diagnosis and monitoring of conditions such as hyperuricemia, chronic kidney disease, and cardiovascular disease. However, the low concentration of UA in non-invasive body fluids, combined with numerous interfering substances, makes its detection challenging.

Selective colorimetric detection of carbosulfan based on its hydrolysis behavior and TiC/AuPt nanozyme.

Background: Carbosulfan (CBS) is a widely used carbamate pesticide in agricultural production, its easy decomposition into hypertoxic carbofuran poses serious threats to human health and food safety. Therefore, sensitive and accurate detection of CBS is of significant importance. Conventional chromatography-based techniques require expensive instruments and complicated sample pretreatment, limiting their application for fast detection.

Development of a portable multi-step microfluidic device for point-of-care nucleic acid diagnostics.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly affected global health, economies, and societies, and highlighted the urgent need for rapid, sensitive, affordable, and portable diagnostic devices for respiratory diseases, especially in areas with limited resources. In recent years, there has been rapid development in integrated equipments using microfluidic chips and biochemical detection technologies. However, these devices are expensive and complex to operate, showing limited feasibility for in point of care tests (PoCTs).

Magnetic relaxation switch biosensor for detection of Vibrio parahaemolyticus based on photocleavable hydrogel.

Background: Foodborne pathogens, particularly Vibrio parahaemolyticus (VP) found in seafood, pose significant health risks, including abdominal pain, nausea, and even death. Rapid, accurate, and sensitive detection of these pathogens is crucial for food safety and public health. However, existing detection methods often require complex sample pretreatment, which limits their practical application.

Structure-switchable branched inhibitors regulate the activity of CRISPR-Cas12a for nucleic acid diagnostics.

Background: In current years, the CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats) based strategies have emerged as the most promising molecular tool in the field of gene editing, intracellular imaging, transcriptional regulation and biosensing. However, the recent CRISPR-based diagnostic technologies still require the incorporation of other amplification strategies (such as polymerase chain reaction) to improve the cis/trans cleavage activity of Cas12a, which complicates the detection workflow and lack of a uniform compatible system to respond to the target in one pot.

Results: To better fully-functioning CRISPR/Cas12a, we reported a novel technique for straightforward nucleic acid detection by incorporating enzyme-responsive steric hindrance-based branched inhibitors with CRISPR/AsCas12a methodology.

A simply synthesized, silver ions-doped porous gold microparticles-based SERS aptamer sensor for ultrasensitive and broad-range quantitative detection of IL-6.

Background: The multifunctional cytokine interleukin-6 (IL-6) plays a pivotal role in chronic and acute inflammatory responses, underscoring the importance of accurately determining IL-6 levels for early diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of inflammation.

Results: This study developed a versatile and innovative single-particle surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) sensing platform for the precise and sensitive quantification of IL-6 in complex samples using a novel one-pot synthesized, silver ions-doped three-dimensional porous gold microparticles (PGMs) with abundant hot spots for robust SERS enhancement. By rationally designing rich cytosine-Ag-cytosine base pairs between IL-6 aptamers and complementary chains on the PGMs, we harnessed the SERS-enhancing effect to achieve highly sensitive and specific IL-6 quantification within a wide range of 10 to 10 mg/mL and a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.

DNAzyme assisted single amplification for FEN1 activity detection using a personal glucose meter.

Flap endonuclease 1 (FEN1) plays a vital role in cancer by modulating DNA repair mechanisms, inducing genomic instability, and serving as a promising biomarker for cancer diagnosis and prognosis. In this work, we present the development of a novel DNAzyme signal amplification-directed point-of-care sensing system (Dz-PGM) for the sensitive and specific detection of FEN1. The Dz-PGM system utilizes DNAzyme signal amplification in conjunction with a personal glucose meter (PGM) for reporting, capitalizing on a biochemical cascade initiated by FEN1 recognition.

Flexible disk ultramicroelectrode: Facile preparation and high-resolution scanning electrochemical microscopy imaging.

Background: Scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) is a kind of scanning probe technology that enables the obtainment of surface morphology and electrochemical information by recording changes in Faraday current triggered by the movement of probe.

Results: In this work, flexible disk ultramicroelectrode (UME) with highly repeatable geometry are fabricated through a simple and universal strategy that involves vacuum pulling the glass capillaries inserted with platinum wire (gold wire, carbon fiber, etc.), followed by a rapidly heated sealing and polishing process.

Portable paper-based microfluidic devices with CuAgS NPs modification for multiplex intelligent visualized detection of adrenaline and glucose simultaneously.

Background: Adrenaline and glucose are essential biomarkers in human body for maintaining metabolic balance. Abnormal levels of adrenaline and glucose are associated with various diseases. Therefore, it is important to design portable, on-site devices for rapid adrenaline and glucose analysis to safeguard health.

Deep eutectic solution elution assisted ligand affinity assay: A useful tool for the active coumarins screening from Fructus cnidii.

Background: Many of the ligand affinity analyses are presented in water environment, and the hydrophilic solution such as methanol is used for dissociating the bound compounds. The obtained dissociation solution needs to be concentrated for improving the sensitivity of the assay. However, it is not good for the analysis of hydrophobic and volatile compounds such as coumarins.

Near-infrared fluorescent probe for visualization of nitroxyl in the plant response to stress.

Background: Nitroxyl (HNO) is an emerging signaling molecule that plays a significant regulatory role in various aspects of plant biology, including stress responses and developmental processes. However, understanding the precise actions of HNO in plants has been challenging due to the absence of highly sensitive and real-time in situ monitoring tools. Consequently, it is crucial to develop effective and accurate detection methods for HNO.

Multi-pass cavity-enhanced Raman spectroscopy of complex natural gas components.

Background: The concentration of natural gas components significantly impacts the transportation, storage, and utilization of natural gas. Consequently, implementing online monitoring and leak detection systems is vital to guarantee the efficient use of natural gas and to uphold its safe and stable operation. Raman spectroscopy offers distinctive benefits, including high selectivity, superior precision, and the capability to detect multiple gas components simultaneously using a single-wavelength laser.

Capillary electrophoresis separations with Betaine:Urea, a deep eutectic solvent as the separation medium.

Background: Capillary electrophoresis (CE) is a highly versatile separation technique widely used in analytical chemistry. Traditionally, CE can be categorized as either aqueous or non-aqueous systems based on the buffer solvents employed. For decades, non-aqueous CE has been predominantly associated with the use of organic solvents, a perception deeply ingrained in the scientific community.

Magnetic optimizing surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) strategy of detection and in-situ monitoring of photodegradation of Benzo[a]pyrene in water.

Background: Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are one of the most dangerous persistent organic pollutants in the environment. Due to the discharge of chemical plants and domestic water, the existence of PAHs in sea water and lake water is harmful to human health. A method for rapid detection and removal of PAHs in water needs to be developed.

Portable dual-function ratio-type triple-emission molecularly imprinted fluorescence sensor for the simultaneous visual detection of hepatitis A and B viruses.

Background: Viral epidemics have long endangered human health and had dramatic impacts on environment and society. The currently known viruses and the rapid emergence of previously unknown viruses lead to an urgent need for effective virus detection strategies. It is important to develop methods that can detect multiple related viruses simultaneously in order to improve detection efficiency and to avoid treatment delays due to misdiagnoses.

Detection of microRNA-21 based on smartly designed ratiometric electrochemical sensor and dual-signal amplification.

MicroRNA (miRNA) serves as an effective and viable biomarker for early diagnosis and monitoring of cancer disorders. It is highly expressed in tumor cells, including lung cancer, liver cancer and lymphoma. Herein, we propose a ratiometric electrochemical sensor for ultrasensitive detection of miRNA-21 using dual signal amplification, hybridization chain reaction and Exo III assisted-amplification.

The current status and future prospects of CRISPR-based detection of monkeypox virus: A review.

Background: The current pandemic of 2022 global mpox (formerly known as monkeypox), caused by infection with monkeypox virus (MPXV), has now reached over 120 countries. This constitutes a critical public health issue requiring effective disease management and surveillance. Rapid and reliable diagnosis is conducive to the control of infection, early intervention, and timely treatment.

Low-potential bionic electrochemiluminescence sensing platform based on SnS/CuNWs synergistic promotion for highly selective detection of glycocholic acid.

Background: Glycholic acid (GCA) can dynamically reflect the process of liver injury, and can be used for early diagnosis and curative effect evaluation of early hepatitis and cirrhosis. The highly sensitive detection of liver injury markers is conducive to a more accurate and effective auxiliary diagnosis of liver diseases. In addition, the low trigger potential helps to avoid more chemical interference and improve the detection sensitivity.

Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS)-based biosensors for advanced extracellular vesicle detection: A review.

Background: Extracellular Vesicles (EVs), as nano-scale vesicles rich in biological information, hold an indispensable status in the biomedical field. However, due to the intrinsic small size and low abundance of EVs, their effective detection presents significant challenges. Although various EV detection techniques exist, their sensitivity and ease of operation still need enhancement.

Single-Cell Heterogeneity of EGFR Pathway Is Linked to Unique Signatures of Drug Response and Malignancy in Patient Derived Glioblastoma Stem Cells.

Purpose: In glioblastoma, the therapeutically intractable and resistant phenotypes can be derived from glioma stem cells, which often have different underlying mechanisms from non-stem glioma cells. Aberrant signaling across the EGFR-PTEN-AKT-mTOR pathways have been shown as common drivers of glioblastoma. Revealing the inter and intra-cellular heterogeneity within glioma stem cell populations in relations to signaling patterns through these pathways may be key to precision diagnostic and therapeutic targeting of these cells.

Intravenous lidocaine for the treatment of sepsis-associated encephalopathy: a retrospective cohort study.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of intraoperative intravenous lidocaine administration in the management of sepsis-associated encephalopathy (SAE).

Methods: This retrospective cohort analysis included 165 patients diagnosed with SAE, who were categorized into two groups: the lidocaine group ( = 55) and the control group ( = 110). The lidocaine group received an intravenous injection of lidocaine at 1.

[The 510th case: fever of unknown origin, acute kidney injury].

A 65-year-old male was admitted to Peking Union Medical College Hospital. The patient had intermittent fever for 2 months with a maximum body temperature of 39.3 ℃ and elevated serum creatinine levels for 1 week.