In recent years, the demand for detection and diagnostic methods has consistently risen due to the aging of the population and the increase in the number of patients with chronic diseases. Label-free ...biomedical detection techniques have emerged as indispensable instruments for diagnosing a variety of diseases. The development of label-free and highly sensitive near-infrared (NIR) biomedical detection technology has attracted considerable attention. As a label-free, swift, and cost-effective analytical technique, it has demonstrated immense potential for a wide range of applications. We successfully assembled FAPbI3 near-infrared perovskite quantum dots (NIPQDs) into SiO2 shells using a rapid room-temperature atmospheric synthesis method, obtaining monodisperse FAPbI3@SiO2 nanocomposites (NCs) with a high photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) of 72%. Additionally, the incorporation of hydrophobic multi-branched trioctylphosphine oxide effectively passivated the surface defects of FAPbI3 NIPQDs and suppressed the hydrolysis rate of tetraethoxysilane, enabling the formation of a highly stable and high PLQY nanoscale-particle level within the FAPbI3@SiO2 core–shell structure. Notably, we successfully incorporated FAPbI3@SiO2 core–shell NCs onto InGaN blue chip as NIR excitation light sources for surface plasmon resonance sensing platforms, providing a novel platform for bioanalytical detection. With a detection sensitivity of 6302.5 nm/RIU, the system demonstrated high sensitivity, stability, and dependability. This achievement expands the biomedical research field’s capacity for diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment.
Cancer immunotherapies are treatments that use drugs or cells to activate patients' own immune systems against cancer cells. Among them, cancer vaccines have recently been rapidly developed. Based on ...tumor-specific antigens referred to as neoantigens, these vaccines can be in various forms such as messenger (m)RNA and synthetic peptides to activate cytotoxic T cells and act with or without dendritic cells. Growing evidence suggests that neoantigen-based cancer vaccines possess a very promising future, yet the processes of immune recognition and activation to relay identification of a neoantigen through the histocompatibility complex (MHC) and T-cell receptor (TCR) remain unclear. Here, we describe features of neoantigens and the biological process of validating neoantigens, along with a discussion of recent progress in the scientific development and clinical applications of neoantigen-based cancer vaccines.
All-inorganic CsPbX3 perovskite quantum dots have attracted substantial research interest because of their great potential for application on the photoelectronic materials. However, CsPbX3 is ...sensitive to polar substances and thermal treatment, both of which severely degrade the photoluminescence (PL) properties. In this study, highly stable CsPbIBr2 nanocrystals with nitrogen-doped graphene quantum dots (N-GQD-CsPbIBr2 nanocrystals) were successfully synthesized. The nanocrystals exhibit excellent thermal stability and high chemical stability in a polar environment. Titanium dioxide (TiO2) was combined with N-GQD-CsPbIBr2 nanocrystals to obtain a N-GQD-CsPbIBr2/TiO2 nanocomposite. Photocatalytic activity was assessed by testing the rate of rhodamine B (RhB) degradation under visible-light irradiation. The N-GQD-CsPbIBr2/TiO2 nanocomposite exhibited more efficient RhB degradation after 1 h (90% efficiency) than the N-GQDs, TiO2, the N-GQD-CsPbIBr2 nanocrystals, and the N-GQD/TiO2 nanocomposite. The degradation efficiency of the N-GQDs, TiO2, the N-GQD-CsPbIBr2 nanocrystals after 1 h of approximately 2%, 5%, 3%, and 45% respectively. This enhanced photodegradation was attributed to electron and hole transport in opposite directions at the junction of the N-GQD-CsPbIBr2/TiO2 nanocomposite and reduced recombination of charge carriers, which enable the rapid generation of active species (•OH radicals and •O2− ions).
Display omitted
•The N-GQDs-CsPbIBr2 nanocrystals were prepared with N-GQDs being used as the ligand.•The highly stable N-GQDs-CsPbIBr2 nanocrystal in different temperature and in polar solvents is obtained.•90% of RhB was photo degraded using GQDs-CsPbIBr2/TiO2 nanocomposites after visible light irradiation for 1 h.•The reaction rate constant of GQDs-CsPbIBr2/TiO2 nanocomposites was 20 times better than that of TiO2.•GQDs-CsPbIBr2/TiO nanocomposites is found to be efficient and stable for several repeated cycles.
Heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) significantly impacts health-related quality of life (HR-QoL). Existing HR-QoL questionnaires can show inconsistencies, potentially ...misrepresenting patient self-reports. This study examines the variation in HR-QoL measurement tools for HFrEF patients, identifying related determinants.
We retrospectively analysed 134 hospitalized patients with acute decompensated HFrEF at a Taiwanese tertiary centre's Heart Failure Post-Acute-Care (HF-PAC) programme. Participants completed the EuroQol-5 dimension (EQ-5D) questionnaire, the EQ-5D visual analogue scale (VAS), and the Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire (MLHFQ). Utility values were obtained from the EQ-5D questionnaire. Demographic features were depicted using descriptive statistics, while multivariate regression was used to ascertain relationships between HR-QoL measurements and determinants. Average scores for EQ-5D, MLHFQ, EQ-5D utility, and VAS were 6.1 ± 1.6, 21.8 ± 21.3, 81.7 ± 27.0, and 59.5 ± 14.6, respectively. Significant correlations were observed among the three tools. The New York Heart Association functional class showed a notable association with all tool scores. Other associations encompassed EQ-5D with coronary artery disease, mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists, and the 6 min walk test; EQ-5D VAS with chronic kidney disease; and MLHFQ with age.
This study illuminates the variance in HR-QoL measurement tools for Taiwanese HFrEF patients. Using a range of these tools is beneficial in unveiling diverse determinants and approaching comprehensive patient-centred care. However, for a more precise HR-QoL assessment in Taiwanese HFrEF patients, recalibrating the EQ-5D-derived utility scores might be necessary, emphasizing the importance of patient-specific considerations within the HF-PAC programme.
Medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) oil consists of 8-12 carbons with higher absorption and provides better calories than long-chain triglyceride oil. This study was to explore the effect of MCT oil ...massage on growth in preterm infants.
A prospective, single-blind, randomized (two treatments and one control) study was conducted. Preterm infants weighing between 1500 and 2000 g were recruited and randomly assigned to three groups: the MCT oil massage, massage alone and no massage groups. The standardized massage intervention consisted of two 5-min phases, including tactile and kinesthetic stimulation, which were given three times a day for 7 consecutive days. Premature infants in the oil massage group received massage with 10 mL/kg/day of MCT oil divided equally into three applications. Weight, length and head circumference were measured in the three groups at birth and on study days 1 to 7.
Forty-eight neonates were evaluated with 16 in each of three groups. The linear mixed effect model was adjusted for other factors, and results showed that weight gain on the 4th day in the oil massage group was greater than that in the no massage group (P < .05). From the 5th to 7th day, weight gain in the oil massage group was greater than that in the other two groups (P < .05). Regarding head circumference and height, this study found that the MCT oil massage group did not have better results than the other two groups. No adverse events were noted in the massage groups.
The results indicate that preterm infant daily massage with MCT oil is an effective intervention for weight gain that should be recognized as part of low-birth-weight infant developmental care.
clinicaltrials.gov identifier NCT04281563, Registered on 24 February 2020.
Designated eye position (DEP) and viewing zone (VZ) are important optical parameters for designing a two-view autostereoscopic display. Although much research has been done to date, little empirical ...evidence has been found to establish a direct relationship between design and measurement. More rigorous studies and verifications to investigate DEP and to ascertain the VZ criterion will be valuable. We propose evaluation metrics based on equivalent luminance (EL) and binocular luminance (BL) to figure out DEP and VZ for a two-view autostereoscopic display. Simulation and experimental results prove that our proposed evaluation metrics can be used to find the DEP and VZ accurately.
Oral cancer represents a significant global public health challenge, contributing substantially to the incidence and mortality of cancer. Despite established risk factors such as tobacco use and ...alcohol consumption, early detection remains crucial for effective treatment. This study introduces a novel approach using a transistor-based biosensor system for detecting the P90 (CIP2A) protein. We tested the presence of CIP2A in human leukoplakia samples, which can undergo malignant conversion into aggressive oral squamous cell carcinoma. The method used commercially available glucose test strips functionalized with P90 antibodies, providing high sensitivity and a low limit of detection which was five orders lower than that of commercial ELISA kits. A specially designed printed circuit board (PCB) facilitated accurate measurements, and the device’s performance was optimized through characteristic tests. Human sample testing validated the biosensor’s effectiveness in distinguishing samples after cell lysis. This study contributes to advancing accurate and cost-effective diagnostic approaches for oral pre-cancer and cancer tissues.
Recording ion fluctuations surrounding biological cells with a nanoelectronic device offers seamless integration of nanotechnology into living organisms and is essential for understanding cellular ...activities. The concentration of potassium ion in the extracellular fluid ( C K + ex ) is a critical determinant of cell membrane potential and must be maintained within an appropriate range. Alteration in C K + ex can affect neuronal excitability, induce heart arrhythmias, and even trigger seizure-like reactions in the brain. Therefore, monitoring local fluctuations in real time provides an early diagnosis of the occurrence of the K+-induced pathophysiological responses. Here, we modified the surface of a silicon nanowire field-effect transistor (SiNW-FET) with K+-specific DNA-aptamers (AptK+ ) to monitor the real-time variations of C K + ex in primary cultured rat embryonic cortical neurons or human embryonic stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes. The binding affinity of AptK+ to K+, determined by measuring the dissociation constant of the AptK+ –K+ complex (K d = 10.1 ± 0.9 mM), is at least 38-fold higher than other ions (e.g., Na+, Ca2+, and Mg2+). By placing cultured cortical neurons over an AptK+ /SiNW-FET device, α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) stimulation raised the C K + ex dose-dependently to 16 mM when AMPA concentration was >10 μM; this elevation could be significantly suppressed by an AMPA receptor antagonist, 6,7-dinitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione. Likewise, the stimulation of isoproterenol to cardiomyocytes raised the C K + ex to 6–8 mM, with a concomitant increase in the beating rate. This study utilizing a robust nanobiosensor to detect real-time ion fluctuations surrounding excitable cells underlies the importance of ion homeostasis and offers the feasibility of developing an implant device for real-time monitoring.
PDF
