Search

It is of great significance to on-site detection of organophosphate pesticides (OPs) for pollution monitoring and poisoning estimation. Herein, we developed a portable hydrogel test kit for on-site detection of OPs, which is based on the integration of agarose hydrogel with dual-emission coordination polymers (CPs) nanocomposite comprised of Ru(bpy)

Sulfur-doped Fe–Cu–La trimetallic oxides (S-FeCuLaO) were synthesized by a coprecipitation method and applied as a novel magnetic adsorbent for the removal of As(III) and As(V) in water. Batch experimental results demonstrated that the material exhibited excellent adsorption properties for both As(III) and As(V) in a wide pH range and the maximum adsorption capacities of S-FeCuLaO at initial pH 6.0 were 181 mg g−1 for As(III) and 250 mg g−1 for As(V), respectively. Both As(III) and As(V) (10 mg L−1) were completely removed by the regenerated adsorbent after the third cycle. Furthermore, the residual As(III) concentration in well water containing 1 mg L−1 As(III) decreased to below 10 μg L−1 after adsorption for 8 h. The adsorption process complied with the Langmuir isothermal model and the pseudo-second-order kinetic model. Among the five coexisting ions investigated (Cl−, NO3−, SO42−, CO32− and PO43−), only PO43− could significantly inhibit the adsorption of As(III) and As(V) by competing for active adsorption sites. The removal mechanism of arsenic was proposed as (1) the oxidization of As(III) to As(V) by superoxide radicals (O2˙−) produced between Cu(I) and the dissolved O2 and (2) the adsorption of As(V) through electrostatic attraction and the further formation of inner-sphere complexes via ligand exchange. Thus, S-FeCuLaO could be used as an attractive material for arsenic removal from wastewater and groundwater.

White-light emitting lanthanide(iii) metal-organic coordination polymers (LMOCPs) were prepared via a green synthesis method performed in pure aqueous solution at room temperature without using toxic solvent and reagents. This kind of LMOCP, denoted as adenosine monophosphate (AMP)/Ln-CIP, was composed of Ln3+ {Ln = Tb (1), Eu (2), and Gd (3)}, hydrosoluble biomolecule of AMP, and nonpoisonous antenna ligand of CIP (ciprofloxacin). The complex of Tb(1), Eu(2), and Gd(3) in AMP/Ln-CIP emits strong green, red, and blue light, respectively. With careful adjustment of the doping mole ratio of the three lanthanide ions {Ln = Tb:Eu:Gd = 0.1:0.9:99.0} in one framework, white light-emission can indeed be achieved. AMP/Ln-CIP is network-structural and amorphous by transmission electron microscope and X-ray diffraction analysis. The fluorescence lifetime and quantum yield of AMP/Ln-CIP are 4.36 ms and 36.5%, respectively.

In this study, microscale zinc–copper (mZn/Cu) bimetallic particles were prepared through precipitating Cu on the surface of Zn and applied in the degradation of p-nitrophenol (PNP). To optimize re...

The frequency domain analysis method was used to analyze the changes of the vertical spectrum of the non-driving end, the vertical spectrum of the driving end, the horizontal spectrum of the non-driving end and the horizontal spectrum of the driving end of the pump unit under different operating conditions. And the relationship between the vibration value of the motor and the temperature was summarized. The results show that the motor vibration signal components are mainly fundamental frequency and second harmonic, and there are third harmonic components; The motor vibration value increases with the increase of bearing bush temperature and winding temperature. The reason for the failure of the pump unit is that the motor heat is too large, which leads to the high temperature of the motor bearing bush and winding, and the rotor appears bending and expanding deformation, which leads to the increase of the vibration value of the motor. The results show that the frequency domain analysis method has a good application effect in vibration analysis and fault diagnosis of oil transfer pump unit.

The purpose of this paper is to present research findings on the effects of mindfulness meditation training on four weekly self-report measures among three groups: those receiving training delivered in-person (M-IP) or in a virtual world (M-VW), and a waitlist control group (WLC). Participants (n = 191) were US military active duty service members and veterans. The M-IP and M-VW groups reported their stress, energy, pain, and sleepiness before/after each mindfulness training class, while the control group answered the same questions once a week for the 8-week duration of training. The M-IP and M-VW groups showed greater reductions in stress over the 8 weeks than the control group (1.70, 0.80, and 0.30 points, respectively; p = .028). Meaningful improvements (> 20%) pre- to post-training were seen for stress, pain, and sleepiness in the M-IP group, for pain only in the VW group, and for none in the WLC group. Those experiencing high levels of stress or pain before training experienced reductions in their stress or pain post mindfulness training, while those with lower initial levels did not (p

Recently, lanthanide coordination polymers (LCPs) have emerged as promising materials for biosensing due to their tunability. In this study, utilizing terbium ion (Tb3+) as a luminescence center and guanosine-5′-monophosphate (GMP) as an organic ligand, we designed a Tb–GMP LCP-based biosensor for citrate (Cit) detection. Tb–GMP is weakly luminescent in nature; however, interestingly, after the addition of Cit, a 6.5 times fluorescence enhancement was observed owing to the removal of coordinated water molecules by Cit and the intramolecular energy transfer from GMP to Tb3+. In this assay, the fluorescent intensity of Tb–GMP exhibited a good linear response to Cit concentrations in the range of 4–300 μM with a detection limit of 4 μM. Due to its capability of eliminating autofluorescence, we also applied Tb–GMP for time-gated detection of Cit in urine with promising results. We believe that the current strategy would inspire the development of more LCP-based fluorescent assays or medical imaging platforms for various biological applications.

Improving drug utilization of water-based pesticide formulations is facile and feasible to efficiently avoid serious pesticide residues and reduce the resulting environmental pollution. A co-delivery system of two- or multi-pesticides within one formulation could enhance drug efficiency and decrease usage amounts of pesticides due to the synergistic effect of the loaded multiple pesticides. Herein, we reported a porous polylactide (PLA) microcapsule formulation for co-delivery of avermectin (Av) and chlorantraniliprole (CAP). A double emulsion method combined with premix membrane emulsion (PME) was adopted to produce the Av/CAP-loaded porous microcapsules (Av/CAP P-MCs) with prolonged drug release, high loading content and entrapment efficiency, as well as good light and thermal stability. Compared with single Av- or CAP-loaded microcapsule formulations, the Av/CAP P-MCs exhibited higher biotoxicity against Plutella xylostella. These results reveal that the Av/CAP co-delivery system may be a promising candidate to be further explored as a facile, effective and environmentally-friendly pesticide formulation.

Metal organic coordination polymers have emerged as a new class of functional nanomaterials because of their flexible components and diverse architecture. Here, we report the synthesis of a luminescent sensing nucleotide/Tb

Summary Background The management of latent Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection is a new priority action for the WHO End Tuberculosis (TB) Strategy. However, national guidelines on latent tuberculosis infection testing and treatment have not yet been developed in China. Here, we present the results from the 2-year follow-up of a study that aimed to track the development of active disease in individuals with latent tuberculosis infection, identify priority populations for latent infection management, and explore the most suitable latent infection diagnostic approach. Methods A population-based multicentre prospective study was done in four sites in rural China, between 2013 and 2015. The baseline survey in 2013 measured the prevalence of latent tuberculosis infection using QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube (QFT) and tuberculin skin test (TST) in eligible participants. During the follow-up phase between 2014–15, we assessed individuals who had tuberculosis infection at baseline (QFT-positivity or TST tuberculin reaction size [induration] of ≥10 mm) for the development of active disease through active case finding. Eligible participants included in follow-up survey had a birth date before June 1, 2008 (5 years or older in 2013), and continuous residence at the study site for 6 months or longer in the past year. Participants with current active tuberculosis at baseline survey were excluded. Findings Between Sept 1, 2013, and Aug 31, 2015, 7505 eligible participants (aged 5 years or older) were included in tuberculosis infection test positive cohorts (4455 were QFT positive, 6404 had TST induration ≥10 mm, and 3354 were positive for both tests) after baseline examination. During the 2-year follow-up period, 84 incident cases of active tuberculosis were diagnosed. Of participants who developed active tuberculosis, 75 were diagnosed with latent infection by QFT, 62 were diagnosed by TST, and 53 were diagnosed by both tests. An incidence rate of 0·87 (95% CI 0·68–1·07) per 100 person-years was observed for individuals who tested positive with QFT, 0·50 (0·38–0·63) per 100 person-years for those who tested positive with TST (p Interpretation Our results suggest that high-risk populations in communities in rural China, such as individuals at a high risk of disease reactivation from previous tuberculosis, should be targeted for latent infection screening and treatment with an interferon-γ releasing assay rather than a TST. Funding National Science and Technology Major Project of China, Program for Changjiang Scholars and Innovative Research Team in University of China, CAMS Innovation Fund for Medical Sciences, and Sanming Project of Medicine in Shenzhen.

BACKGROUND Music and meditation have affirmative effects on the parasympathetic nervous system. OBJECTIVE To investigate individual preferences for background sounds during meditation, using a series of paired, forced-choice comparisons. METHOD Interventions included music with a distinct melody (one sample) and without a distinct melody (MWDM) (three samples), nature sounds with embedded alpha brainwave pulses (one sample), alpha brainwave pulses alone (one sample), and silence. Participants rated how much they liked hearing a sample during meditation and whether they felt they could meditate deeply while listening to it. Heart rhythm coherence scores were recorded using HeartMath emWavePro software and hardware. Participants were ranked as novice or adept meditators (NM vs AM) based on coherence scores. Rankings were based on preference selections, rating scales, and coherence scores. RESULTS Rankings were highest for silence and MWDM. AMs preferred silence, followed by MWDM. NMs preferred listening to MWDM during meditation. DISCUSSION Those with greater experience preferred meditating in silence. A preference was also seen for a composition style that incorporated altering arrhythmic and rhythmic patterns, and alternating asynchronous and synchronous patterns. CONCLUSION These results indicate a compelling case for further research investigating meditation, music, and the potential interactive effect of the two on mind, body, and personal performance.

Inorganic perovskite oxide photosensitizer have shown versatile practical applications, owing to fruitful chemistries of photoelectric materials. This work reports a straightforward and general protocol via the use of Co/Ba co-doped KNbO3 (KBCNO) photosensitizer coupled with TiO2 nanorods to boost photoelectricity property. In the representative system, KBCNO with different doping concentrations and TiO2 nanorods were used as photosensitizer and electron transfer layer, respectively. The synthetic process implicated that KBCNO with various concentration prepared by pulsed laser deposition technique and TiO2 nanorods were used as an active optical absorption layer and electrode, and the specific physicochemical, optical characterization and photoelectrochemical (PEC) performance were all discussed in detail in the detection of the obtained photoelectrodes. This work is also an effective extension of previous studies on the category of inorganic perovskite oxide photosensitizers, which has not been reported by other research group. Given that KNbO3-based compounds can be easily obtained in abundance and variety, this work enjoys great advantages in PEC performance of numerous other inorganic perovskite oxide photosensitizer.

In this paper, TiO 2 nanorod arrays were prepared via seed-free and seed-assisted method and denoted as TA-SF and TA-SA respectively. TA-SF exhibited higher photoelectrochemical performance due to decreased resistance, prolonged electron lifetime obtained from electrochemical impedance spectra (EIS). A novel photo-reduction method was then employed to deposit and manipulate the loading amount of Au decoration. The Au/TA-SF photoanodes were then used in photoelectrochemical cells and the influences of the Au loading amount on the PEC performances were studied in detail. Due to the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) effect of Au nanoparticle, charge transfer resistance was decreased and Au/TA-SF hybrid arrays exhibited improved photocurrent density compared with TA-SF arrays. Typically, Au/TA-SF exhibited higher photocurrent density of 1.1 mA/cm 2 , which is much higher than that of Au/TA-SA.

Lanthanide coordination polymers (LCPs) have recently emerged as attractive biosensor materials due to their flexible components, high tailorable properties and unique luminescence features. In this work, we designed a smart LCP probe of Tb-CIP/AMP {(CIP, ciprofloxacin) (AMP, adenosine monophosphate)} for Hg 2+ detection by using lanthanide ions as metal nodes, CIP as ligand molecule, and AMP as bridging linker and recognition unit. Tb-CIP/AMP emits strong green luminescence due to the inclusion of AMP, which withdraws the coordinated water molecules and shields Tb 3+ from the quenching effect of O–H vibration in water molecules. The subsequent addition of Hg 2+ into Tb-CIP/AMP can strongly quench the fluorescence because of the specific coordination interaction between AMP and Hg 2+ . As a kind of Hg 2+ nanosensor, the probe exhibited excellent selectivity for Hg 2+ and high sensitivity with detection limit of 0.16 nM. In addition, the probe has long fluorescence lifetime up to millisecond and has been applied to detect Hg 2+ in drinking water and human urine samples with satisfactory results. We envision that our strategy, in the future, could be extended to the designation of other LCP-based hypersensitive time-gated luminescence assays in biological media and biomedical imaging.

In this study, rice straw biochar modified by copper oxide (RSBC-CuO) was successfully fabricated via a hydrothermal method and used as a catalyst for the degradation of organic pollutants by peroxydisulfate (PDS). RSBC-CuO-activated PDS exhibited an outstanding performance on the decomposition of phenacetin (PNT). Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) confirmed that the reactive oxygen species (ROS) included SO4 −, OH, O2 − radicals and singlet oxygen (1O2), which were in charge of the PNT destruction. Scavenger experiments further conformed that 1O2 and O2 − played the crucial role in the PNT removal. RSBC-CuO also displayed an excellent stability and reusability. The rate of PNT removal after four consecutive cycles declined slightly. Furthermore, the combination of RSBC-CuO and PDS possessed a universal degradation potential towards various organic pollutants, and the degradation efficiencies of the pollutants such as paracetamol, aniline, p-chlorobenzoic acid, sulfamethazine and 2,4,6-Trichlorophenol reached a range of 86 to 100% within 10 to 30 min. Thus, it is concluded that RSBC-CuO-activated PDS is a novel and feasible approach to the removal of organic contaminants from aqueous solution.

Well-designed agents for enhanced multimodal imaging have attracted great interests in recent years. In this work, we adopted a premix membrane emulsification (PME) method to prepare uniform PEGylated poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) microcapsules (MCs) with superparamagnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticles (NPs) embedded in the shell (Fe3O4@PEG-PLGA MCs) for ultrasound (US)/magnetic resonance (MR) bimodal imaging. Compared to Fe3O4@PLGA MCs without PEGylation, Fe3O4@PEG-PLGA MCs could more stably and homogeneously disperse in physiological solutions. In vitro and in vivo trials demonstrated that Fe3O4@PEG-PLGA MCs (∼3.7 μm) with very narrow size distribution (PDI=0.03) could function as efficient dual-modality contrast agents to simultaneously enhance US and MR imaging performance greatly. In vitro cell toxicity and careful histological examinations illustrated no appreciable cytotoxicity and embolism of Fe3O4@PEG-PLGA MCs to mice even at high dose. The uniform composite MCs developed here can act as clinical bimodal contrast agents to improve hybrid US/MR imaging contrast, which is promising for accurate diagnosis and real-time monitoring of difficult and complicated diseases.

Maintaining attention during tasks that require sustained, focused attention can be difficult and is influenced by motivation, feedback, sleep, and stress. The purpose of this research was to investigate the impact of age and mood state on two sustained performance tasks. Active duty military and veterans (n=211) completed a demographic survey, the Running Memory Continuous Performance Test and the Standard Continuous Performance Test using the Automated Neuropsychological Assessment Metric software program. Results revealed that younger age and greater happiness yield faster reaction times, older age and greater depression and fatigue yield slower reaction times on various sustained performance measures (p < .05). The discussion includes both theoretical, as well as practical implications. While one cannot change their age, it is suggested that one can be aware of how their age influences reaction times. In addition, an individual can influence their own mood state or choose to avoid sustained attention tasks that depend on quick reactions when fatigued or depressed.

Microcapsule formulations have been widely developed and used in agriculture to improve pesticide utilization and reduce environmental pollution. However, commercial formulations of chlorantraniliprole (CAP) are only traditional formulations due to poor solubility of CAP in organic solvents. Here, adopting a solid in oil in water (S/O/W) double-emulsion method combined with premix membrane emulsion, we successfully constructed CAP microcapsule formulations with a high loading content. The microcapsule formulations with good light and thermal stability showed a significantly sustained release for a long period, which could be optimally regulated by tuning the surface porosity and size of the porous microcapsules. Bioassay studies showed that control efficacy of the porous microcapsule formulations against Plutella xylostella was superior to that of the commercial formulation. These results demonstrated that such a porous microcapsule delivery system should have great potential for further exploration as a commercial CAP formulation.

Mindfulness meditation training has been shown to reduce stress and improve short-term memory for military personnel. However, no studies have investigated the effects of in-person and virtual world (VW) mindfulness training on Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) symptoms. In this study, U.S. military active duty service members and veterans were pseudo-randomized into two mindfulness training groups: in-person (IP) and online via a VW, and a wait-list control group. Volunteers answered a demographic questionnaire, and completed the PTSD Checklist-Military Version (PCL-M) and ADHD Current Symptoms Scale before and after training. The results showed practical and clinically relevant reductions in PTSD symptoms, particular for the IP group, but did not show statistical relevance with hypothesis testing. Results also showed post-training reductions in ADHD symptoms for both IP and VW groups, but no change for the control group. To investigate the effects of initial ADHD symptoms, IP and VW groups were combined into a single Mindfulness Training group. Those with high-initial ADHD symptoms attending training showed improvements, but the control group did not. These results expand research on the mindfulness training, and suggest that IP mindfulness training, rather than VW training, may be of greater benefit for those with PTSD symptoms, while either delivery system appears adequate for reducing attentional symptoms.

Metal-organic coordination polymers have emerged as attractive functional materials due to their tunable structures and unique properties. In this work, by the self-assembly of citrate (Cit) and lanthanide ions, we developed lanthanide coordination polymer nanoparticles (LCPNPs), Cit/Tb, for fluorescence sensing of guanosine-5-monophosphate (GMP). The LCPNP-based Cit/Tb sensor alone displayed weak luminescence, however, the addition of GMP to Cit/Tb led to the formation of a ternary LCPNP, Cit/Tb-GMP, with a significantly enhanced luminescence (15-fold) owing to the intramolecular energy transfer from GMP to Cit/Tb and the hydrophobic environment in the polymer interior. This luminescence turn-on assay exhibited excellent selectivity and high sensitivity for GMP with detection limit of 100 nmol L−1. Furthermore, the Cit/Tb LCPNP possesses a long luminescence lifetime of up to a millisecond, which is important for detecting GMP in complicated samples of infant formula and ham by time-resolved fluorimetry. We believe that the presented Cit-based nanosensor would inspire the development of various new LCPNP-based fluorescent assays by utilizing Cit or other water-soluble, non-toxic organic ligands for a variety of applications in fluorescence sensing, bio-imaging, drug delivery and so on.

An ultrasound contrast agent (UCA) plays a key role in ultrasound imaging to precisely diagnose coronary heart disease. Microcapsules composed of inner gas and shell materials are most commonly employed as ultrasound contrast agents. The ultrasonic properties of the microcapsules are significantly dependent on their size and size distribution. Herein, we prepared several uniform sized biodegradable polylactone microcapsules by combining a premix membrane emulsification technique and W/O/W method. We investigated various size-dependent factors to optimize the size and size distribution of the microcapsules. After evaluation for ultrasound imaging, ∼4 μm PLLA (poly(L-lactide)) microcapsules generated more intense ultrasound signals than PLGA7030 or PLGA5050 (poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid), the molar ratio of lactic acid and glycolic acid being 70:30 or 50:50), PEG-b-PLGA7030 (poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid)), PLC5050 (poly(L-lactide-co-caprolactone), the molar ratio of lactide and caprolactone being 50:50) and PEG-b-PLLA microcapsules. The signal duration of the PLLA and PEG-PLLA microcapsules could reach ca. 3 and 3.5 min continuously. The ultrasound signal intensity and duration of the signals of PLLA microcapsules were considerably stronger and longer than those of commercially available UCAs, showing that the PLLA microcapsules have a great potential as more efficient UCAs for biomedical imaging.

We report on a novel method for visual detection silver(I) ion. It is based on the finding that Ag(I) ions are rapidly reduced by hydroquinone to form a shell of silver on the surface of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) which act as catalysts for this reaction. This leads to a color change from red to yellow which can be seen with bare eyes. This scheme is sensitive and highly specific for Ag(I) ions. The detection limits are 5 μM for visual inspection and 1 μM for photometric readout, respectively. The method was successfully applied to the determination of Ag(I) ions in spiked lake water and soil.

Sustained attention is critical for military service members in operational environments. This study explored the relationship between sustained attention and mindfulness among military personnel and veterans (n = 247). Volunteers completed a sustained attention task (Integrated Visual and Auditory Continuous Performance Test), and two mindfulness surveys (Mindful Awareness and Attention Scale [MAAS] and the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire [FFMQ]). Results revealed positive correlations between the MAAS and Full Scale Response Control Quotient (FSRCQ) and Full Scale Attention Quotient (FSAQ) scores. For the FFMQ, Acting with Awareness was positively correlated with the FSRCQ and FSAQ; Describing was correlated with FSRCQ; and Non-judging was correlated with FSAQ. Thus, increases in mindfulness were associated with increases in sustained visual and auditory attention, and certain facets of mindfulness were more closely aligned with sustained performance than others. These results suggest mindfulness training may assist with improving sustained attention, and that research in this area is warranted.

Personal resilience refers to the ability to constructively adjust and move forward with ones’ life following tragic events or situations. However, few studies have examined the characteristics of highly resilient active duty military or veterans. This study examined the relationships between personal resiliency scores (The Resiliency Scale), demographics, general Self-Reported Health (SRH), and health symptomatology (Patient Health Questionnaire-15) among 263 U.S. active duty and veteran service members. Pearson Product-Moment Correlations, an Analysis of Variance, and Regression Analysis were used with a significance level of 0.05. Results showed that active duty service members were more resilient than the veterans in this population (p < 0.05). Findings also demonstrated that a higher education level, longer time on active duty, higher SRH, and lower symptomology were correlated with (p < 0.05) and contributed to greater resilience [F(4, 258) = 26.18, p < 0.01), R2 = 0.54]. These results demonstrate the importance of health and education, perhaps pointing toward a protective qualities that may also include longer service time.

U.S. military personnel face challenging situations including frequent deployments, family separations, and exposure to war. Identifying coping strategies used by the most resilient service members and veterans could positively influence military resiliency training programs.The purposes of this paper are to investigate the relationship between coping and resilience among U.S. military active service members and veterans, to identify the coping strategies used by those considered most resilient, and to discuss coping and resilience as they relate to the workplace.U.S. military active service members and veterans (N = 191) completed a demographic survey and two self-report questionnaires: The 14-Item Resilience Scale [1] and the Brief COPE [2].Active duty service members had higher resilience scores than veterans (p 0.05), but both fell into the moderate range. Coping strategies were not significantly different between the two groups (p 0.05). Active service members' resilience was predicted by their use of positive reframing and less use of self-blame as coping strategies, accounting for 52.3% of the variance (R2 = 0.523, F(2, 60) = 32.92, p = 0.000). Veterans' resilience was predicted by longer time-in-service, greater use of humor, and less use of self-blame as coping strategies, explaining 44.8% of the variance (R2 = 0.448, F(3, 116) = 31.408, p = 0.000).This research identifies the positive coping strategies, and least-used negative coping strategies, of the U.S. service members and veterans in our study population with higher resilience scores. Incorporating this information into military- or veteran-based resilience training is likely to increase training effectiveness.

BACKGROUND: Interest in resilience has increased in recent years. The U.S. military focus is on personal health and adaptation following exposure to battle, while the civilian interest centers on adjustments subsequent to disastrous events. Coping skills are also relevant, yet the relationships between coping and resilience are unclear. OBJECTIVE: This brief review examines personal resilience and individual coping strategies, exploring definitions of each, along with their potential relationships to one another. Their potential contributions within a work setting are described. METHODS: A literature review was conducted using search terms of resilience, resiliency, personal resilience, coping and resilient coping. RESULTS: Coping refers to one’s using purposeful actions to handle life situations. Coping techniques can be functional or dysfunctional and the situations one copes with may be acute or long term, severe or minor. Resilience refers to positive and functional handling of oneself and ones’ life, referring to the ability to recover, recuperate, and regenerate following tragic events. While coping and resilience are related to one another, they are distinct concepts. Positive coping techniques may contribute to resilience. However, which coping techniques improve resilience, and in what circumstances, are questions for future research.

Lanthanide coordination polymers (LCPs) have emerged as fascinating materials because of their specific structure and properties. In this work, utilizing hydrosoluble biomolecule of guanosine-5'-monophosphate (GMP) as bridging linker, lanthanide terbium ions (Tb3+) as metal nodes, and silver ions (Ag+) as sensitizers, we synthesized a pH responsive luminescent lanthanide CP probe of Tb/GMP/Ag. The probe possesses high luminescence due to the sensitization of Ag+; While in alkaline solutions, Ag+ in Tb/GMP/Ag immediately binds to OH-, forming Ag2O precipitation and resulting in a distinct fluorescence quenching of Tb/GMP/Ag. This probe displays high selectivity for OH- and a broader pH detection range of 7.5-13.0. In addition, based on the high anti-interference ability in serum, we applied Tb/GMP/Ag to measure pH in undiluted human serum samples, yielding satisfactory results.

The electrostatic repulsion between metal nanoparticles has an important effect on the colorimetric assays based on the aggregation of nanoparticles. In this work, an Hg2+ colorimetric sensor based on silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) was used as a model system to study the effects of electrostatic repulsion. Adenine nucleotides carrying different numbers of phosphate groups, adenosine monophosphate (AMP), adenosine diphosphate, and adenosine triphosphate, were used to functionalize AgNPs, respectively. Three kinds of AgNPs displayed different responses to Hg2+ ions due to the difference in electrostatic repulsion force, which is resulted from the varying of the number of phosphate groups. The density of negative charges on the surface of AgNPs exhibited a great affect on the size of the AgNPs, detection sensitivity and response range for Hg2+ ions. On these bases, the AMP-modified AgNPs were developed into highly sensitive colorimetric sensor to determine Hg2+ ions in aqueous solution, which showed a high sensitivity of 0.5 nM and excellent selectivity for Hg2+. The Hg2+ levels in water samples were determined using AMP-AgNPs with satisfied recovery. The studies on the role of electrostatic repulsion in the colorimetric assays will facilitate the development of more sensitive colorimetric sensors.

The metal-organic coordination polymers at the nanoscale have emerged as attractive nanomaterials due to their tunable nature. In this work, we for the first time prepared an adenine-based lanthanide coordination polymer nanoparticle (CPNP) with fluorescence sensing function. This kind of CPNP was composed of adenine, terbium ion (Tb(3+)), and dipicolinic acid (DPA) as an auxiliary linking molecule that can sensitize the fluorescence of Tb(3+). The fluorescence of the CPNPs is very weak due to the existence of photoinduced electron transfer (PET) from adenine to DPA, which prevents the intramolecular energy transfer from DPA to Tb(3+), leading to the quench of fluorescence of the CPNPs. In the presence of Hg(2+), however, significant enhancement in the fluorescence of CPNPs was observed because of the suppression of the PET process by the coordination of Hg(2+) with adenine. As a kind of Hg(2+) nanosensor, the CPNPs exhibit excellent selectivity and ultrahigh sensitivity up to the 0.2 nM detection limit. The CPNPs also possess an approximately millisecond-scale-long fluorescence lifetime due to the inclusion of Tb(3+) ions. We envision that the CPNPs could find great potential applications in ultrasensitive time-resolved fluorometric assays and biomedical imaging in the future owing to their long emission lifetimes, excellent dispersion, and stability in aqueous solution.

The metal–organic coordination polymer has emerged as a new family of functional nanomaterials. In this work, we prepared a luminescence coordination polymer based on spontaneous self-assembling of nucleotide (AMP) and Eu3+ ions in aqueous solution. After antenna ligand tetracycline (Tc) was introduced to the coordination polymer (AMP/Eu), a strong europium luminescence was observed due to the intramolecular energy transfer from tetracycline to Eu3+. Because of the hydrophobic environment of the polymer interior, the luminescence intensity of AMP/Eu incorporated tetracycline (AMP/Eu–Tc) was 30 times higher than that of AMP/Eu in a solution containing the same amount of tetracycline. AMP/Eu–Tc displays a long emission lifetime, excellent dispersion, and stability in aqueous solution. The coordination polymers based on antenna ligands possess great potential in the applications of ultrasensitive time-resolved fluorometric assays and biological imaging.

We have developed a colorimetric method for the determination of Pb(II) ions. It is based on the use of gold nanoparticles and a guanine-rich synthetic oligonucleotide. On addition of Pb(II), the color of the solution turns from red to blue. The ratio of the UV-vis absorption at 630 nm and 525 nm is proportional to the concentration of Pb(II) ions in the range from 10 to 100 nM, and the detection limit is 20 nM. Other metal ions do not interfere if present in up to a 10-fold molar excess. The method was successfully applied to the detection of Pb(II) in lake water and urine. The recovery in case of spiked samples is 92%. The results show that this method is sensitive, simple and fast.

A new ruthenium-based complex 1 [(bis(4,4′-dimethylphosphonic-2,2′-bipyridine) dithiocyanato ruthenium (II))] was developed as a colorimetric probe for the detection of Hg(II) and Cys (Cysteine). The obtained compound 1 can give interconversional color changes upon the alternating addition of Hg(II) and Cys in 100% aqueous solution. The specific coordination between NCS groups with Hg(II) can lead to the formation of 1-Hg2 + complex, which can induce a remarkable spectral changes of probe 1. Afterwards the formed 1-Hg2 + complex can act as effective colorimetric sensor for Cys. Owing to the stronger binding affinity of sulfhydryl group to Hg2 +, Cys can extract Hg2 + from 1-Hg2 + complex resulting in the release of 1 and the revival of absorption profile of the probe 1. By introducing the hydrophilic phosphonic acid groups, the proposed probe exhibited excellent water solubility. The limits of detection (LODs) of the assay for Hg2 + and Cys are calculated to be 15 nM and 200 nM, respectively.

In recent years, starch microparticles have gained interest in many fields. However, low production, uncontrollable size, and varying size distribution hinder their practical application. Here, we adopt a premix membrane emulsification (PME) method to prepare starch microcapsules at high production rates. The process conditions were optimized to fabricate uniform microcapsules with controllable sizes and narrow size distribution (PDI < 0.1). Through encapsulating avermectin (Av), a kind of water-insoluble pesticide, into the shell of the microcapsules in situ during the process, we developed a pesticide delivery system that enabled a controlled and consistent release of Av over a period of 2 weeks. Kinetic analysis indicated that the mechanisms of Av release involved non-Fickian and Case-II transport. The diameters (0.70-4.8 mu m) of the microcapsules and Av contents (16-47%) were adjusted to achieve suitable release profiles. The results will lay the foundation for further field experiments. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Two experiments are reported in which observers judged the sign and magnitude of surface curvature from shaded images of an indoor scene. The depicted surfaces were illuminated by an area light in the ceiling or floor, and the illumination was attenuated with distance in a physically correct manner. The displays were presented both with and without cast shadows, specular highlights and surface inter-reflections in all possible combinations. The overall pattern of results revealed a strong perceptual bias to interpret the images as convex rather than concave, and a weaker bias to prefer illumination from above rather than from below, though there were large individual differences in the relative strengths of these biases. For displays that did not contain cast shadows or specular highlights, the accuracy of observers' judgments about the sign of surface curvature was no greater than chance, but performance was significantly improved when those aspects of normal shading were included in the rendering model. An analysis of the apparent depth magnitudes revealed that convex surfaces produce much greater perceived depth than concave surfaces with comparable relief.

Bone tuberculosis (TB) is one of the most common extrapulmonary TB. Effective integration of chemotherapy and bone regeneration is an optimal solution for bone TB therapy. Herein, we produce a composite scaffold drug delivery system fabricated with an isoniazid conjugated star poly(lactide-coglycolide) (PLGA-INH4) and beta-TCP. The cytological assay indicated the composite system possesses good biocompatibility. The in vitro and in vivo drug release evaluations showed that the composite system can intactly release the pristine INH and maintain effective INH concentration in a controlled manner for more than 100 days, and achieve high localized drug concentration and low systemic drug concentration. The rabbit radius repair experiment testified the scaffold has good bone regeneration capacity. Our work demonstrate the composite system can simultaneously achieve localized long-term drug controlled release and bone regeneration, which provides a promising route for improved bone TB treatment. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Metal organic coordination polymers have received great attention because of their flexible compositions and architecture. Here, we report the design and synthesis of a responsive lanthanide coordination polymer (LCP) for hydrogen sulfide (H2S), utilizing self-assembling of biomolecule nucleotide with luminescent terbium ion (Tb(3+)) and sensitizing silver ion (Ag(+)) in aqueous solution. LCP is highly fluorescent due to the inclusion of Ag(+) ions, which sensitized the fluorescence of Tb(3+) ions. H2S can strongly quench the fluorescence of LCP through its high affinity for Ag(+) ions. Such configurated LCP material from initial building blocks showed high sensitivity and selectivity for H2S and was applied to the determination of H2S in human serum. LCP with Tb(3+) ions also has a long fluorescence lifetime, which allows for time-resolved fluorescence assays, possessing particular advantages to probing H2S in biological systems with autofluorescence.

A novel assay of chromium(III) ion based on upconversion fluorescence resonance energy transfer was designed and established. Lysine-capped NaYF 4 :Yb/Er upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) and dimercaptosuccinic acid-capped gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) were used as the energy donor and acceptor, respectively. They were bound together via electrostatic interaction, resulting in the quenching of the fluorescence of UCNPs by AuNPs. Chromium(III) ions can specifically and strongly interact with dimercaptosuccinic acid that was modified on the surface of AuNPs, leading to the separation of AuNPs from UCNPs and the recovery of fluorescence of UCNPs. The fluorescence recovery of UCNPs showed a good linear response to Cr 3+ concentration in the range of 2–500 nM with a detection limit of 0.8 nM. This method was further applied to determine the levels of Cr 3+ in urine. Compared with other fluorescence methods, current method displayed very high sensitivity and signal-to-noise ratio because of the excitation of near-infrared that can eliminate autofluorescence, providing a promising examination of biological samples for the diagnostic purposes.

The thermal behavior of vitamin D3 was studied based on pyrolysis-GC-MS technique. It was pyrolyzed at 600 degrees C, 750 degrees C, 900 degrees C, respectively. The pyrolysis product were separated With an HP-5 column and identified by the NIST mass spectral search program in combination with the correlation of boiling point and retention time (BP-RT). There are totally 50 components, including mono aromatics and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), were determined. It is shown that the contents of the PAHs are increasing with the increasing of the pyrolysis temperature. The contents of the determined components vary from 0.04% to 37.08%.

When two slanted surfaces are placed in proximity, the perceived slant difference between them is exaggerated. This effect has been called slant contrast. When a partial occluder is presented in front of the gap between them, the perceived slant difference between the surfaces is reduced. We refer to this reduction in perceived slant difference as stereo-slant assimilation. We investigated two properties of the occluder that might affect perceived stereo-slant difference. Three vertically aligned random-dot patterns were presented either with a partial occluder over the gaps between them or without it. Observers judged the perceived slant difference between the center pattern and two surround random-dot patterns that had the same slant. The perceived slant difference was reduced when the partial occluder was present. We varied stereo-depth and slant of the occluder and found that the decreased perceived slant difference was not due to either of these. Note that the surfaces were all simulated and presented on a computer screen and the results may not apply to real surfaces. The effect of the occluder on perceived slant differences could have resulted from either a reduction of slant contrast or an increase of slant assimilation.

We have investigated the potential stages of visual processing at which adaptation may occur to a slanted surface produced by horizontal magnification. Predictions of three hypotheses were tested utilizing a property of depth from binocular disparity, namely that slant scales with distance. If adaptation occurs at the disparity level, then the after-effect expressed in units of horizontal magnification will be independent of the test distance. If adaptation occurs at either a perceived slant or mapping level, then the after-effect, expressed in units of slant, will be independent of the test distance. If adaptation is contingent on distance, then the after-effect will not transfer over distance. Subjects adapted to a stereo-defined slanted surface at a distance of 57 cm. The after-effect was measured with a test stimulus at a distance of 28, 57, 85, or 114 cm by means of a nulling method. When the after-effect was expressed in units of slant, we found that it was larger at the adapting distance than other test distances, and that the after-effect was constant at test distances different from the adaptation distance. These results suggest that two types of adaptation occurred, namely adaptation on a mapping/perception level and adaptation contingent on distance.