Aggregation-Induced Plasmon Coupling-Enhanced One- and Two-Photon Excitation Fluorescence by Silver Nanoparticles.

Plasmon coupling-induced intense local electrical field in the gap of closely packed metal nanoparticles (NPs) has been known capable of significantly enhancing optical properties of chromophores. Here, we have investigated aggregation-induced plasmon coupling-enhanced one-photon excitation (1PE) and two-photon excitation (2PE) fluorescence of dyes using Ag NPs of three different sizes (20, 36, and 48 nm). The fluorescence of a model dye, Rhodamine B isothiocyanate (RiTC), was prequenched by attaching to Ag NPs and subsequently enhanced upon forming aggregates of Ag NPs. It was found that aggregates of larger sized Ag NPs gave larger 1PE and 2PE fluorescence enhancement on the basis of free dyes, while aggregates of smaller counterparts displayed larger enhancement on the basis of the corresponding prequenched ones. 1PE and 2PE fluorescence were enhanced by 2.5- and 10.2-fold by aggregated 48 nm Ag NPs compared to free dyes and by 8.0- and 22.5-fold by aggregated 20 nm Ag NPs compared to the quenched ones, respectively. This scheme achieved fluorescence enhancement significantly beyond the level of fluorescence recovery, much larger than conventional turn-on fluorescence probes, which is attractive for developing sensitive fluorescence turn-on-based detection with reduced background.

Highly stable enhanced near-infrared amplified spontaneous emission in solution-processed perovskite films by employing polymer and gold nanorods.

Solution-processed organo-lead halide perovskites have emerged as promising optical gain media for tunable coherent light sources. The lasing performance is generally determined by the as-synthesized crystal quality. Noble metal nanostructures have been widely utilized to enhance optical responses due to their unique property of localized surface plasmon resonance. Herein, we report a simple method to enhance the near-infrared amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) performance of MAPbI3 polycrystalline films by solution-processing a PMMA spacer layer and an Au NR-doped PMMA top layer on perovskite thin films. As a result, the ASE threshold of the triple-layer perovskite film was significantly reduced by around 36% and the ASE intensity increased by 13.9-fold, compared to the pristine film. The underlying mechanism was attributed to the combined effects of surface passivation by PMMA and plasmon resonance enhancement of Au NRs. The passivation effect results in suppressing the nonradiative recombination and prolonging excited state decay, which have been investigated by transient absorption and pump-probe measurements. The plasmon effect is systematically studied through distance-dependent and spectra-dependent plasmon enhanced emission. The perovskite films with PMMA and Au NR coating showed great stability for 180 min under intense pulse laser continuous irradiation. The improved ASE performance still remained after leaving the film under the atmosphere for more than one month. We have successfully demonstrated a highly stable and sustained ASE output from MAPbI3 films under pulse laser excitation. This study provides a general approach for exploring plasmonic nanostructures in combination with polymers in the development and application of low-cost solution-processed semiconductor lasers.

[Removal of mixed waste gases by the biotrickling filter].

A biotrickling filter (BTF) was designed for treating mixed waste gases, which contained hydrogen sulfide (H2S), tetrahydrofuran (THF) and dichloromethane (DCM) at the start-up and steady states. The removal efficiency of H2S and DCM could maintain about 99% and 60%, respectively, and the removal efficiency of DCM was reduced from 90% to 37% with the shortening empty bed retention time (EBRT) form 50 to 20 seconds when the inlet concentrations were 200, 100, 100 mg x m(-3) of H2S, THF, DCM, respectively. In the theoretical study, the biodegradation efficiency of contaminants was H2S > THF > DCM by analyzing the Michaelis-Menten Dynamic model.

[An analysis of articles published from 1996-2005 in the Chinese Journal of Hepatology (Zhonghua Ganzangbing Zazhi].

OBJECTIVE: To study the academic level, subject location, influence, readership, degree of usage and recognition by the readers of the Chinese Journal of Hepatology. METHODS: By referring to the "Chinese & T Journal Citation Reports" edited by the Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China, the numbers, types, pertinent diseases, funding statues, citing, and the intervals between receiving and the publication of all the articles published in the 72 issues of the Chinese Journal of Hepatology were statistically analyzed. The work units and the geographic locations of the authors were also analyzed. RESULTS: During the past ten years, 2,437 articles were published, 27.4 percent of the total received. Of the published articles 892 were on viral hepatitis (36.6%), 428 on liver fibrosis or cirrhosis (17.6%), 421 on liver cancer (17.3%), and 696 on other subjects (28.6%). The impact factor and the total cited numbers of the articles of the journal were among the top five in the profession. Some other reference indexes used to evaluate the periodicals of the journal were better than average level of other periodicals in China. The number of references of each original article in this journal averaged 4.6, most of which were English ones. The average number of the authors of each articles were 4.5, and 89.7 percent of all the articles were written by two authors. Only one article was from an American author (first author), and the others first authors were all from 31 provinces, main cities and PLA institutions in China. Of the total 2,437 articles, 71.7% (1,744) were from the following: Chongqing (387), Shanghai (381), Beijing (315), Guangdong (227), PLA institutions (212), Zhejiang (115), and Hubei (107). CONCLUSION: The Chinese Journal of Hepatology is a periodical which has been highly regarded by professionals and has a great influence in academic fields.

[Citation analysis of the Chinese Journal of Hepatology (Zhonghua Ganzangbing Zazhi) in the year 2005].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the academic level and the popularity of the Chinese Journal of Hepatology in China in 2005. METHODS: We used bibliometrics to analyze statistically the original articles of the Chinese Journal of Hepatology cited by Chinese periodicals included in the Wanfang Data in 2005. RESULTS: (1) 699 published papers in the journal in 2005 were cited 1673 times and 44 of them were cited 720 times in total. (2) The papers published in the Chinese Journal of Hepatology were cited by journals in China starting from 1993 through 2005. Of all the cited articles, 1.49% of them were cited in the same year as they were published. (3) Non-specific rate of the Chinese Journal of Hepatology was 96.17%, and self-cite rate was 3.83%. (4) Papers published in the Chinese Journal of Hepatology were cited by 400 Chinese periodicals, 99 of them are journals included in the Chinese Science Citation Database, and 110 of them are Chinese core periodicals. CONCLUSION: The Chinese Journal of Hepatology is one of the high level academic Chinese periodicals. This journal reflects the progress in research on liver diseases in China.

Replication of hepatitis B virus in primary duck hepatocytes transfected with linear viral DNA.

AIM: To explore the expression and replication of hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA in primary duck hepatocytes (PDHs). METHODS: Complete HBV genome was transfected into PDHs by electroporation (transfected group, 1.19 x 10(12) copies of linear HBV DNA/1 x 10(7) PDHs). After 1-5 d of transfection, HBsAg and HBeAg in the supernatant and lysate of PDHs were measured with the IMX System. Meanwhile, replicative intermediates of HBV DNA were analyzed by Southern blotting and Dot blotting. PDHs electroporated were used as control group. RESULTS: HBsAg in the hepatocyte lysates of transfected group was 15.24 (1 d), 14.55 (3 d) and 5.13 (5 d; P/N values, positive > or =2.1) respectively. HBeAg was negative (<2.1). Both HBsAg and HBeAg were negative in the supernatant of transfected group. Dot blotting revealed that HBV DNA was strongly positive in the transfected group and negative in the control group. Southern blot analysis of intracellular total DNA indicated that there were relaxed circular (rc DNA), covalently closed circular (ccc DNA), and single-stranded (ss DNA) HBV DNA replicative intermediates in the transfected group, there was no integrated HBV DNA in the cellular genome. These parameters were negative in control group. CONCLUSION: Expression and replication of HBV genes can occur in hepatocytes from non-mammalian species. HBV replication has no critical species-specificity, and yet hepatic-specific regulating factors in hepatocytes may be essential for viral replication.

[A study of the dosage and efficacy of entecavir for treating hepatitis B virus].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the antiviral activity and safety of entecavir in patients with chronic HBV infection as a preliminarily step in selecting 0.1 mg or 0.5 mg as a better dosage for a further large scale clinical trial. METHODS: This was a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled and dose-ranging trial of entecavir usage in 212 patients with chronic HBV infection. The patients were randomly assigned to 3 groups: 0.1 mg entecavir (69), 0.5 mg entecavir (72) and, placebo (71) groups and treated for 28 days. The patients were then followed for 56 days without treatment. RESULTS: The proportion of subjects who achieved the primary endpoint at day 28, with their HBV DNA level decreased >2 log or undetectable, was significantly greater in the entecavir 0.1 mg and 0.5 mg dose groups compared with the placebo group (P < 0.01 for both comparisons). The mean change from baseline in HBV DNA levels at day 28 was greater for entecavir 0.1mg and 0.5 mg groups compared with the placebo group (both P < 0.01). The mean change from baseline in HBV DNA levels at day 28 for entecavir 0.5 mg group was greater than that of the entecavir 0.1 mg group (P < 0.01). During the 56-day post-dosing follow-up phase, the entecavir 0.5 mg group was associated with greater and more sustained suppression of viral replication than the entecavir 0.1 mg group (P < 0.01). There were no clinically meaningful differences in the incidence of any adverse events between the entecavir dosing and the placebo groups. CONCLUSION: Entecavir at both 0.1 mg and 0.5 mg doses demonstrated superior antiviral activity compared with a placebo. Since the entecavir 0.5 mg dose appears to have greater antiviral activity than the 0.1 mg dose and with a comparable safety and tolerability profile, the 0.5 mg entecavir dose could be used in further trials.

[Clinical investigation of famciclovir in chronic hepatitis B patients irresponsive to alpha interferon treatment].

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of famciclovir on the decreasing levels of serum HBV-DNA and ALT and HBeAg/antiHBe seroconversion in chronic hepatitis B patients irresponsive to 3 months treatment with alpha interferon. METHODS: Two hundred and nineteen patients with chronic HBV infection, defined as positive HBsAg, HBeAg and HBV DNA, were enrolled and randomly half-and- half put into famciclovir and placebo groups. The two groups received either famciclovir 500 mg tid or a placebo treatment for 24 weeks, and then were followed-up for another 24 weeks with no treatment. RESULTS: At the end of 24 weeks, the log value of HBV DNA dropped from 6.54+/-1.26 to 5.70+/-2.03 in the famciclovirt group and were elevated from 6.30+/-1.32 to 6.51+/-1.65 in the placebo group (P < 0.01). The rate of cases with persistence HBV DNA dropped 2 log of quantity in the famciclovir group and was 28.28% (28/99); it was 9.47% (9/95) in the placebo group (P < 0.01). Those with persistence negative HBV DNA was 28.28% (28/99) in the flamciclovir treated group and 14.74% (14/95) in the placebo group (P < 0.05). Those persistently being HBeAg negative were 7.69% (7/91) in the famciclovir treated group and 3.33% (3/90) in the placebo group (P > 0.05). The HBeAg/antiHBe seroconversion was 4.40% (4/91) in the famciclovir group and 2.22% (2/90) in the placebo group (P > 0.05). The percentage of cases with normal of ALT level was 15.15% in the famciclovir group and 6.35% in the placebo group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Famciclovir is effective in inhibiting HBV DNA replication and in decreasing serum ALT levels. The rate of HBeAg/antiHBe seroconversion in the famciclovir treated group was similar to that of the placebo group. Famciclovir was well tolerated without severe adverse effects during our treatment.

[Comprehensive evaluation of the Chinese Journal of Hepatology (Zhonghua Ganzangbing Zazhi) from 1999 to 2003].

OBJECTIVE: The Chinese Journal of Hepatology is a key journal in the research field of liver diseases in China. Ranked by the impact factor, which was issued and used by the Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China, it is in fourth position among medical journals in China. In order to evaluate the journal, some facts about it were surveyed, including the number of pages, the number of papers in each issue, organizations of the authors, funding for their works, the impact factor, immediacy index, statuses of the articles' references, and a listing of their being cited. METHODS: The number of pages of each issue, the number of papers in every volume, and citations were quantitatively analyzed. Funding, impact factor, immediacy index, citations and organizations of the authors were analyzed by weighted Rank Sum Ratio (RSRw). RESULTS: In the five years, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, and 2003, (1) The Chinese authors came from 26 of the 31 provinces and cities in China. 48.8% in 1999 to 71.7% in 2003 of the authors were working in medical universities or medical colleges, and some authors were overseas experts. (2) The number of articles cited in the five years were 702, 1158, 1087, 1178 and 1744. (3) The number of papers published were 248, 221, 242, 212 and 336. (4) Impact factors of the journal were 0.897, 0.931, 1.421, 1.858, 1.440. With the cites, immediacy index, cited rate, ratios of research provided by national or international funds and number of organizations of authors evaluated, the RSRw results of the five years were 0.2750, 0.3417, 0.5000, 0.5000 and 0.5000. CONCLUSION: The Chinese Journal of Hepatology is well-known and is one of the highest academic quality medical journals in China. It reflects the progress of liver disease research in China.