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Dynamics of photoinduced species, as a key parameter for nanomaterials plays a significantly role in the performance of optoelectronic devices. In this work, the origin of broadband optical response for the emerging Ti3C2Tx MXene is revealed by transient spectroscopic analysis. From ultraviolet to infrared, the steady-state and transient optical responses present wavelength-related features. The carrier lifetime is found to change from femtosecond to nanosecond time scale dominated by various photoinduced species, i.e., carrier and surface plasmon. The unique optoelectronic character enables photodetection. This fundamental study on carrier, plasmon dynamics, and application in photodetection is helpful for exploring MXene-based optoelectronic devices.

Providing higher precision Direction of Arrival (DOA) estimation has become a hot topic in the field of array signal processing for parameter estimation in recent years. However, when the physical aperture of the actual array is small, its aperture limitation means that even with super-resolution estimation algorithms, the achievable estimation precision is limited. This paper takes a novel approach by constructing an optimization algorithm using the covariance fitting criterion based on the array output's covariance matrix to fit and obtain the covariance matrix of a large aperture virtual array, thereby providing high-precision angular resolution through virtual aperture expansion. The covariance fitting expansion analysis and discussion are unfolded for both uniform linear arrays (ULAs) and sparse linear arrays (SLAs) under four different scenarios. Theoretical analysis and simulation experiments demonstrate that these methods can enhance the effective performance of angle estimation, especially in low signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) and at small angular intervals by fitting virtual extended aperture data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pathogenic microorganisms play a crucial role in the global disease burden due to their ability to cause various diseases and spread through multiple transmission routes. Immunity tests identify antigens related to these pathogens, thereby confirming past infections and monitoring the host's immune response. Traditional pathogen detection methods, including enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) and chemiluminescent immunoassays (CLIAs), are often labor-intensive, slow, and reliant on sophisticated equipment and skilled personnel, which can be limiting in resource-poor settings. In contrast, the development of microfluidic technologies presents a promising alternative, offering automation, miniaturization, and cost efficiency. These advanced methods are poised to replace traditional assays by streamlining processes and enabling rapid, high-throughput immunity testing for pathogens. This review highlights the latest advancements in microfluidic systems designed for rapid and high-throughput immunity testing, incorporating immunosensors, single molecule arrays (Simoas), a lateral flow assay (LFA), and smartphone integration. It focuses on key pathogenic microorganisms such as SARS-CoV-2, influenza, and the ZIKA virus (ZIKV). Additionally, the review discusses the challenges, commercialization prospects, and future directions to advance microfluidic systems for infectious disease detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Within the fields of infectious disease diagnostics, microfluidic-based integrated technology systems have become a vital technology in enhancing the rapidity, accuracy, and portability of pathogen detection. These systems synergize microfluidic techniques with advanced molecular biology methods, including reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP), and clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR), have been successfully used to identify a diverse array of pathogens, including COVID-19, Ebola, Zika, and dengue fever. This review outlines the advances in pathogen detection, attributing them to the integration of microfluidic technology with traditional molecular biology methods and smartphone- and paper-based diagnostic assays. The cutting-edge diagnostic technologies are of critical importance for disease prevention and epidemic surveillance. Looking ahead, research is expected to focus on increasing detection sensitivity, streamlining testing processes, reducing costs, and enhancing the capability for remote data sharing. These improvements aim to achieve broader coverage and quicker response mechanisms, thereby constructing a more robust defense for global public health security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fine particle (PM 2.5 , less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter) is regarded as a harmful carcinogen. However, the molecular mechanisms of the carcinogenic effects of ambient fine particles have not been fully elucidated, and therapeutic options to address this major public health challenge are lacking. Here, we present global gene-specific DNA methylation and transcriptomic (RNA-Seq) analyses after HBE cells were exposed to fine particles on a portable, small, and all-in-one organ-level lung-mimicking air-liquid interface exposure (MALIE) microfluidic platform. A series of cancer-related signal transduction pathways were activated. ErbB1, ErbB2, and ErbB3 gene expression altered by fine particle exposure was the result of changes in the cellular DNA methylome. The protein expression of ErbB family was inhibited by drugs and could regulate downstream Grb2/Raf pathway and Akt/MDM2 pathway. All of the above results indicated that ErbB family may be promising drug targets for air pollution-related diseases and that inhibitor drugs can be used as therapeutic options to treat these diseases., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Here, we systematically report on the preparation of high-quality few-layered MnPS 3 nanosheets (NSs) by chemical vapor transport (CVT) and mechanical stripping method, and its carrier dynamics and third-order nonlinear optical properties were studied. Using the classical technique of open aperture Z-scan, a typical phenomenon of saturable absorption (SA) was observed at 475 nm, which indicates that the material is expected to be used as a saturable absorber in ultrafast lasers. The typical phenomenon of reverse saturation absorption (RSA) is observed at 800 and 1550 nm, which shows its potential in the field of broadband optical limiting. Compared with graphene, BP, MXene, MoS 2 and other typical two-dimensional materials, MnPS 3 NSs has a higher modulation depth. Using the non-degenerate transient absorption spectroscopy technology at room temperature, a slower cooling process of thermal carrier of MnPS 3 was observed. Moreover, the carrier lifetime can be tuned according to the wavelength. This work is of great significance to the improvement of MnPS 3 based devices, and lays a foundation for the application of MnPS 3 in short-wavelength photovoltaic cell, photoelectric detection and other fields.

Iron oxide (Fe 3 O 4 ), a classical magnetic material, has been widely utilized in the field of biological magnetic resonance imaging Graphene oxide (GO) has also been extensively applied as a drug carrier due to its high specific surface area and other properties. Recently, numerous studies have synthesized Fe 3 O 4 /GO nanomaterials for biological diagnosis and treatments, including photothermal therapy and magnetic thermal therapy. However, the biosafety of the synthesized Fe 3 O 4 /GO nanomaterials still needs to be further identified. Therefore, this research intended to ascertain the cytotoxicity of Fe 3 O 4 /GO after treatment with different conditions in HBE cells. The results indicated the time-dependent and concentration-dependent cytotoxicity of Fe 3 O 4 /GO. Meanwhile, exposure to Fe 3 O 4 /GO nanomaterials increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, calcium ions levels, and oxidative stress in mitochondria produced by these nanomaterials activated Caspase-9 and Caspase-3, ultimately leading to cell apoptosis., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Zhang, Zhang, Yang, Fan, Chen, Zhao, Dai, Zheng and Zhang.)

Quantitative dynamic contrast enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI) can offer information related to tumour perfusion and permeability (K trans ), rate constant (K ep ), extravascular extracellular volume fraction (V e ) and distribution volume (V d ). Different types of gadolinium-based contrast agents (GBCAs) may traverse the vascular wall with different velocities owing to their physicochemical characteristics. The purpose of this article was to compare the DCE-MRI quantitative results (K trans , K ep , V e and V d ) between Magnevist and Eovist in a VX2 rabbit liver tumour model. Sixteen rabbits (body weight, 3 Kg; random gender) containing implanted hepatic VX2 carcinomas were randomly divided into two groups based on the regimen of MRI contrast agent administered, eight rabbits in each group. All rabbits underwent a liver DCE-MRscan before tumour transplantation. Fourteen days after tumour transplantation, the eight rabbits in Group A (Magnevist group) underwent a liver DCE-MR scan in a 3.0 T Magnetom Verio MR scanner (Siemens Healthcare, AD, Germany) after the administration of Magnevist at the flow rate of 1 ml s -1 . The Group B rabbits underwent the same scan except for the administration of Eovist at the same flow rate. Twenty-four hours after the initial DCE-MRI, repeat DCE-MRI was performed with the cross-over GBCA at the same flow rate in each group. Every rabbit received 0.6 ml GBCA (0.2 ml Kg -1 ) during each DCE-MRI. K trans , K ep , V e and V d were measured in the tumour lesion and compared with normal liver tissue in the same slice. A pathologic examination was also performed. Hepatocellular carcinoma was diagnosed in all 16 rabbits by pathologic examination. There were no significant differences in K trans , V e , K ep and V d between the two groups of rabbits ( p  > 0.05). The K trans , V e , K ep and V d of the VX2 rabbit liver tumour model were significantly higher than the normal liver parenchyma (0.742 ± 0.086 vs 0.027 ± 0.002, 7.345 ± 0.043 vs 6.721 ± 0.035, 0.101 ± 0.005 vs 0.101 ± 0.005, 0.419 ± 0.083 vs 0.037 ± 0.005, respectively; p  < 0.01). The K trans , V e and V d of Eovist group were significantly higher compared with the values in the Magnevist group (0.116 ± 0.016 vs 0.010 ± 0.002, respectively, p  < 0.01; 0.101 ± 0.005 vs 0.004 ± 0.0009, respectively, p  < 0.01; 0.419 ± 0.083 vs 0.037 ± 0.005, respectively, p  < 0.001). There was no significant difference in K ep between the Eovist and Magnevist groups (7.345 ± 0.043 vs 6.721 ± 0.035, respectively; p  > 0.05). In the VX2 rabbit liver tumour model, DCE-MRI performed with different types of GBCA can develop different quantitative results with respect to K trans , V e and V d . The liver-specific GBCA, Eovist, is more sensitive than the general GBCA, Magnevist, in detecting tumour perfusion and permeability.