Current trends and hotspots of depressive disorders with colorectal cancer: A bibliometric and visual study.

BACKGROUND: Depression is strongly associated with colorectal cancer (CRC). Few bibliometric analyses have systematically summarized the research focus and recent progress in this field. AIM: To determine the research status and hotspots by bibliometric analysis of relevant publications on the relationship between CRC and depression. METHODS: Articles on depression in CRC patients were collected from the Web of Science Core Collection. CiteSpace and VOSviewer software were used to visualize bibliometric networks. RESULTS: From 2001 to 2022, Supportive Care in Cancer, the United States, Tilburg University, and Mols were the most productive and influential journal, country, institution, and author name. Co-occurrence cluster analysis of keywords placed quality of life, anxiety, and psychological stress in the center of the visual network diagram. Further clustering was performed for the clusters with studies of the relevant mechanism of action, which showed that: (1) Cytokines have a role essential for the occurrence and development of depressive disorders in CRC; (2) MicroRNAs have a role essential for the development of depressive disorders in CRC; (3) Some anticancer drugs have pro-depressant activity; and (4) Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors have both antitumor and antidepressant activity. CONCLUSION: Life quality and psychological nursing of the cancer population were key topics. The roles of cytokines and microRNAs, the pro-depression activity of anticancer drugs and their antitumor properties deserve in-depth study.

A Combination of Astragaloside IV and Hydroxysafflor Yellow A Attenuates Cerebral Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury via NF-κB/NLRP3/Caspase-1/GSDMD Pathway.

Cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI), occurring after blood supply restoration, contributes significantly to stroke-related deaths. This study explored the combined impact and mechanisms of astragaloside IV (AS-IV), hydroxysafflor yellow A (HSYA), and their combination in mitigating IRI. Male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomized to the Sham, MCAO, MCAO+AS-IV, MCAO+HSYA, and MCAO+AS-IV+HSYA groups. Neurological deficits and cerebral infarction were examined after restoring the blood supply to the brain. Pathomorphological changes in the cerebral cortex were observed via HE staining. IL-1ß and IL-18 were quantified using ELISA. The expression of NF-κB and GSDMD in the ischemic cerebrum was analyzed using immunohistochemistry. The expression levels of NLRP3, ASC, IL-1ß, Caspase-1, and GSDMD in the ischemic cerebrum were evaluated using Western blot. The MCAO+AS-IV, MCAO+HSYA, and MCAO+AS-IV+HSYA groups exhibited notably better neurological function and cerebral infarction compared with the MCAO group. The combined treatment demonstrated superior brain tissue injury alleviation. Reductions in NF-κB, GSDMD positive cells, and NLRP3/ASC/IL-1ß/Caspase-1/GSDMD protein expression in the ischemic brain were significantly more pronounced with the combined therapy, indicating a synergistic effect in countering cerebral IRI via the NF-κB/NLRP3/Caspase-1/GSDMD pathway inhibition of cell pyroptosis-induced injury.

The effect of depression status on osteoarthritis: A powerful two-step Mendelian randomization study.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common degenerative disease that affects millions of individuals worldwide. OBJECTIVE: There is no conclusive epidemiological evidence regarding the relationship between OA, depression, and whole-body fat mass. In this study, we conducted a two-step Mendelian randomization analysis to determine the causal relationships between them. DESIGN: The published summary-level data are from genome-wide association studies (GWAS). Our study included 357,957 samples and 10,828,862 SNPs. Finally, the outcome GWAS data for OA came from a GWAS on the genetic architecture of OA using UK Biobank data. This study included 50,508 samples and 15,845,511 SNPs. We used five different modes of analysis, including inverse variance weighted meta-analysis (IVW), MR-Egger regression, weighted median, simple mode, and weighted mode, to explore causal relationships. RESULTS: We found a positive correlation between depression and body fat mass, with depression leading to body fat mass an increase in (IVW result: p = 3.39E-07, OR (95 % CI) =2.16 (1.61, 2.90)). We also found a positive correlation between body fat mass and OA, with body fat mass increasing the risk of OA (IVW result: p = 1.65E-33, OR (95 % CI) = 1.98 (1.77, 2.21). Body fat mass played an important role as a mediator in the causal relationship between depression and OA, with approximately 14 % of the risk of OA caused by depression being mediated by body fat mass. CONCLUSIONS: Our study offers reliable evidence that depression has a detrimental impact on the risk of OA. Future research can support these associations from improving depressed effect, including social, biological, and behavioral factors, to reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as osteoarthritis. And we identified high-risk variation of alleles which associated with OA and depression can be used to predict disease and provide a basis for clinical intervention and treatment of OA.

Vitrification cryo-foil method for shoot tip cryopreservation and virus eradication in apple.

Establishment of a new method for improved shoot tip cryopreservation is crucial to facilitate the long-term preservation of plant germplasm as well as the use of cryotherapy for pathogen eradication. The present study reported a vitrification (V) cryo-foil method for shoot tip cryopreservation and virus eradication in apple. Shoot tip regrowth levels after cryopreservation were comparable among V cryo-foil (53%), V cryo-plate (46%) and conventional droplet vitrification (Dr-vi, 48%). The V cryo-foil is more efficient to perform than Dr-vi as more shoot tips can be cryopreserved by one person. In the histological study applying an image-overlaying strategy, shoot tips cryopreserved by V cryo-foil showed a higher survival chance in the youngest leaf primordia than in the apical dome. When V cryo-foil was tested for virus eradication, fifty-five percent (55%) of cryo-derived shoots were free of the apple stem pitting virus (ASPV), while none and less than 10% were free of the apple stem grooving virus (ASGV) and the apple chlorotic leaf spot virus (ACLSV), respectively. Thus, these two viruses were efficiently preserved by V cryo-foil cryopreservation. Noticeably, although the shoot regrowth level was reduced to 27%, a higher frequency (81%) of ASPV eradication was achieved when a reduced duration of cryoprotectant exposure was applied in V cryo-foil, supporting the use of insufficient cryoprotection for improved virus eradication.

Altered individual-level morphological similarity network in children with growth hormone deficiency.

BACKGROUND: Accumulating evidences indicate regional grey matter (GM) morphology alterations in pediatric growth hormone deficiency (GHD); however, large-scale morphological brain networks (MBNs) undergo these patients remains unclear. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the topological organization of individual-level MBNs in pediatric GHD. METHODS: Sixty-one GHD and 42 typically developing controls (TDs) were enrolled. Inter-regional morphological similarity of GM was taken to construct individual-level MBNs. Between-group differences of topological parameters and network-based statistics analysis were compared. Finally, association relationship between network properties and clinical variables was analyzed. RESULTS: Compared to TDs, GHD indicated a disturbance in the normal small-world organization, reflected by increased Lp, γ, λ, σ and decreased Cp, Eglob (all PFDR < 0.017). Regarding nodal properties, GHD exhibited increased nodal profiles at cerebellum 4-5, central executive network-related left inferior frontal gyrus, limbic regions-related right posterior cingulate gyrus, left hippocampus, and bilateral pallidum, thalamus (all PFDR < 0.05). Meanwhile, GHD exhibited decreased nodal profiles at sensorimotor network -related bilateral paracentral lobule, default-mode network-related left superior frontal gyrus, visual network -related right lingual gyrus, auditory network-related right superior temporal gyrus and bilateral amygdala, right cerebellum 3, bilateral cerebellum 10, vermis 1-2, 3, 4-5, 6 (all PFDR < 0.05). Furthermore, serum markers and behavior scores in GHD group were correlated with altered nodal profiles (P ≤ 0.046, uncorrected). CONCLUSION: GHD undergo an extensive reorganization in large-scale individual-level MBNs, probably due to abnormal cortico-striatal-thalamo-cerebellum loops, cortico-limbic-cerebellum, dorsal visual-sensorimotor-striatal, and auditory-cerebellum circuitry. This study highlights the crucial role of abnormal morphological connectivity underlying GHD, which might result in their relatively slower development in motor, cognitive, and linguistic functional within behavior problem performance.

Optimal tooth sectioning using a surgical handpiece and elevator: a finite element study of horizontally deeply impacted mandibular third molars.

OBJECTIVES: To conduct a finite element analysis of the impact of different variables on tooth sectioning efficiency and trauma to surrounding tissues when utilizing high-speed surgical handpieces and elevators. METHODS: CBCT data from the horizontally impacted third mandibular molar (M3M) of a patient were utilized to establish digital models of the M3M, adjacent M2M, and surrounding bone. To simulate tooth sectioning, a 3D finite element model was established with the following variables: remaining tooth tissue thickness (1-5 mm), tooth section fissure width (1-3 mm), elevator depth in fissure (2-6 mm), elevator position (buccal, lingual, central), elevator width (2-5 mm), and application of force (rotating, levering). Using this model, the distribution of stress on the M3M and the surrounding tissue was assessed while measuring tooth sectioning efficiency and trauma to the surrounding tissue. RESULTS: Factors associated with uniform stress at the site of sectioning included thin (≤ 3 mm) remaining tooth tissue, appropriate fissure width (~ 2 mm), a wide (≥ 4 mm) elevator, and central elevator positioning. Levering the elevator yielded greater stress on the M3M than rotating force. Greater sectioning efficiency was associated with increased stress placed on the distobuccal side of M2M. CONCLUSIONS: Tooth sectioning efficiency can be improved by adjusting the high-speed surgical handpiece and elevator. However, it is important to remain attentive to the trauma to which adjacent teeth are exposed during this process. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: These results offer guidance for approaches to improving operator efficiency and reducing trauma to surrounding tissues during tooth sectioning.

PV and SST neurons in the anterior cingulate cortex regulate social disorders in adulthood induced by sensory abnormalities in childhood.

OBJECTIVE: Childhood sensory abnormalities experience has a crucial influence on the structure and function of the adult brain. The underlying mechanism of neurological function induced by childhood sensory abnormalities experience is still unclear. Our study was to investigate whether the GABAergic neurons in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) regulate social disorders caused by childhood sensory abnormalities experience. METHODS: We used two mouse models, complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) injection mice and bilateral whisker trimming (BWT) mice in childhood. We applied immunofluorescence, chemogenetic and optogenetic to study the mechanism of parvalbumin (PV) neurons and somatostatin (SST) neurons in ACC in regulating social disorders induced by sensory abnormalities in childhood. RESULTS: Inflammatory pain in childhood leads to social preference disorders, while BWT in childhood leads to social novelty disorders in adult mice. Inflammatory pain and BWT in childhood caused an increase in the number of PV and SST neurons, respectively, in adult mice ACC. Inhibiting PV neurons in ACC improved social preference disorders in adult mice that experienced inflammatory pain during childhood. Inhibiting SST neurons in ACC improved social novelty disorders in adult mice that experienced BWT in childhood. CONCLUSIONS: Our study reveals that PV and SST neurons of the ACC may play a critical role in regulating social disorders induced by sensory abnormalities in childhood.

Acupuncture, an effective treatment for post-stroke neurologic dysfunction.

Stroke episodes represent a significant subset of cerebrovascular diseases globally, often resulting in diverse neurological impairments such as hemiparesis, spasticity, dysphagia, sensory dysfunction, cognitive impairment, depression, aphasia, and other sequelae. These dysfunctions markedly diminish patients' quality of life and impose substantial burdens on their families and society. Consequently, the restoration of neurological function post-stroke remains a primary objective of clinical treatment. Acupuncture, a traditional Chinese medicine technique, is endorsed by the World Health Organization (WHO) for stroke treatment due to its distinct advantages in managing cerebrovascular diseases, including ischemic stroke. Numerous clinical studies have substantiated the efficacy of acupuncture in ameliorating neurological dysfunctions following stroke. This review systematically examines the improvements in post-stroke neurological dysfunction attributable to acupuncture treatment and elucidates potential mechanisms of action proposed in recent years. Additionally, this article aims to present novel therapeutic concepts and strategies for the clinical management of post-stroke neurological dysfunction.

Jellyfish Stings: A Review of Skin Symptoms, Pathophysiology, and Management.

With the surge in the human coastal population and the increasing frequency of human activities along the coast, cases of marine envenomation, particularly jellyfish envenomation, have notably risen. Jellyfish stings can induce a spectrum of symptoms that vary in severity, encompassing skin injuries, acute systemic venom effects, delayed indirect sequelae, and even fatality, causing significant distress to patients. Among these manifestations, the occurrence of skin lesions following jellyfish stings is prevalent and substantial. These lesions are characterized by evident blister formation, development of bullae, subcutaneous hemorrhage, erythema, papules, wheal, ecchymosis, and ulceration or skin necrosis. Local cutaneous manifestations may persist for several weeks or even months after the initial sting. Despite aggressive treatment, many skin injuries still result in significant pigmentation or scarring after recovery. To address this issue effectively, it is imperative to conduct comprehensive evidence-based medical research, elucidate various components within jellyfish venom, and elucidate its pathogenic mechanism to develop targeted treatment programs. This article aims to review the skin symptoms, pathophysiology, and management of jellyfish stings. Such considerations can provide comprehensive guidance to medical professionals and the public and minimize the harm caused by jellyfish stings.

Effect of mineralized dentin matrix on the prognosis of bone defect and retained root after coronectomy.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the impact of mineralized dentin matrix (MDM) on the prognosis on bone regeneration and migration of retained roots after coronectomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients were divided into three groups based on the type of bone graft after coronectomy: Group C (n = 20, collagen), Group T (n = 20, tricalcium phosphate (TCP) + collagen), and Group D (n = 20, MDM + collagen). CBCT scans, conducted immediately and 6 months after surgery, were analyzed using digital software. Primary outcomes, including changes in bone defect depth and retained root migration distance, were evaluated 6 months after surgery. RESULTS: After 6 months, both Groups D and T exhibited greater reduction of the bone defect and lesser retained root migration than Group C (p < 0.001). Group D had greater regenerated bone volume in the distal 2 mm (73 mm3 vs. 57 mm3, p = 0.011) and lesser root migration (2.18 mm vs. 2.96 mm, p < 0.001) than Group T. The proportion of completely bone embedded retained roots was also greater in Group D than in Group C (70.0% vs. 42.1%, p = 0.003). CONCLUSIONS: MDM is an appropriate graft material for improving bone defect healing and reducing retained root migration after coronectomy. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: MDM is an autogenous material prepared chairside, which can significantly improve bone healing and reduce the risk of retained root re-eruption. MDM holds promise as a routine bone substitute material after M3M coronectomy.

Engineering Plateau Phase Transition in Quantum Anomalous Hall Multilayers.

The plateau phase transition in quantum anomalous Hall (QAH) insulators corresponds to a quantum state wherein a single magnetic domain gives way to multiple domains and then reconverges back to a single magnetic domain. The layer structure of the sample provides an external knob for adjusting the Chern number C of the QAH insulators. Here, we employ molecular beam epitaxy to grow magnetic topological insulator multilayers and realize the magnetic field-driven plateau phase transition between two QAH states with odd Chern number change ΔC. We find that critical exponents extracted for the plateau phase transitions with ΔC = 1 and ΔC = 3 in QAH insulators are nearly identical. We construct a four-layer Chalker-Coddington network model to understand the consistent critical exponents for the plateau phase transitions with ΔC = 1 and ΔC = 3. This work will motivate further investigations into the critical behaviors of plateau phase transitions with different ΔC in QAH insulators.

The complement regulatory protein CD46 serves as a novel biomarker for cervical cancer diagnosis and prognosis evaluation.

Background: CD46 has been revealed to be a key factor in malignant transformation and cancer treatment. However, the clinical significance of CD46 in cervical cancer remains unclear, and this study aimed to evaluate its role in cervical cancer diagnosis and prognosis evaluation. Methods: A total of 180 patients with an initial diagnosis of cervical cancer were enrolled at Taizhou Hospital of Zhejiang Province, China. The plasma levels of soluble CD46 (sCD46) and the expression of membrane-bound CD46 (mCD46) were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and immunohistochemistry (IHC), respectively. Results: CD46 was found to be significantly upregulated in cervical cancer tissues vs. normal tissues, while no CD46 staining was detected in paired adjacent noncancerous tissues. CD46 staining was more pronounced in cancer cells than in stromal cells in situ (in tissues). Moreover, the plasma levels of sCD46 were able to some extent discriminate between cancer patients and healthy women (AUC=0.6847, 95% CI:0.6152-0.7541). Analysis of Kaplan-Meier survival curves revealed that patients with low CD46 expression had slightly longer overall survival (OS) than patients with high CD46 expression in the tumor microenvironment, but no significant difference. Univariate Cox regression analysis revealed that CD46 (P=0.034) is an independent risk factor for OS in cervical cancer patients. Conclusion: The present study demonstrated that cervical cancer patients exhibit aberrant expression of CD46, which is closely associated with a poor prognosis, suggesting that CD46 plays a key role in promoting cervical carcinogenesis and that CD46 could serve as a promising potential target for precision therapy for cervical cancer.

Cholesterol efflux from C1QB-expressing macrophages is associated with resistance to chimeric antigen receptor T cell therapy in primary refractory diffuse large B cell lymphoma.

Chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cell therapy has demonstrated promising efficacy in early trials for relapsed/refractory diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL). However, its efficacy in treating primary refractory DLBCL has not been comprehensively investigated, and the underlying resistance mechanisms remain unclear. Here, we report the outcomes of a phase I, open-label, single-arm clinical trial of relmacabtagene autoleucel (relma-cel), a CD19-targeted CAR-T cell product, with safety and efficacy as primary endpoints. Among the 12 enrolled patients, 8 experienced grade 4 hematologic toxicity of treatment-emergent adverse event. No grade ≥3 cytokine release syndrome or neurotoxicity occurred. Single-cell RNA sequencing revealed an increase proportion of C1QB-expressing macrophages in patients with progressive disease before CAR-T cell therapy. Cholesterol efflux from M2 macrophages was found to inhibit CAR-T cells cytotoxicity by inducing an immunosuppressive state in CD8+ T cells, leading to their exhaustion. Possible interactions between macrophages and CD8+ T cells, mediating lipid metabolism (AFR1-FAS), immune checkpoint activation, and T cell exhaustion (LGALS9-HAVCR2, CD86-CTLA4, and NECTIN2-TIGIT) were enhanced during disease progression. These findings suggest that cholesterol efflux from macrophages may trigger CD8+ T cell exhaustion, providing a rationale for metabolic reprogramming to counteract CAR-T treatment failure. Chinadrugtrials.org.cn identifier: CTR20200376.

Coexistence of Superconductivity and Antiferromagnetism in Topological Magnet MnBi2Te4 Films.

The interface of two materials can harbor unexpected emergent phenomena. One example is interface-induced superconductivity. In this work, we employ molecular beam epitaxy to grow a series of heterostructures formed by stacking together two nonsuperconducting antiferromagnetic materials, an intrinsic antiferromagnetic topological insulator MnBi2Te4 and an antiferromagnetic iron chalcogenide FeTe. Our electrical transport measurements reveal interface-induced superconductivity in these heterostructures. By performing scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy measurements, we observe a proximity-induced superconducting gap on the top surface of the MnBi2Te4 layer, confirming the coexistence of superconductivity and antiferromagnetism in the MnBi2Te4 layer. Our findings will advance the fundamental inquiries into the topological superconducting phase in hybrid devices and provide a promising platform for the exploration of chiral Majorana physics in MnBi2Te4-based heterostructures.

Effects of eugenol on physicochemical properties of sturgeon skin collagen-chitosan composite membrane.

In this study, a series of collagen-chitosan-eugenol (CO-CS-Eu) flow-casting composite films were prepared using collagen from sturgeon skin, chitosan, and eugenol. The physicochemical properties, mechanical properties, microstructure, as well as antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of the composite membranes were investigated by various characterization techniques. The findings revealed that the inclusion of eugenol augmented the thickness of the film, darkened its color, reduced the transparency, and enhanced the ultraviolet light-blocking capabilities, with the physicochemical properties of the CO-CS-0.25%Eu film being notably favorable. Eugenol generates increasingly intricate matrices that disperse within the system, thereby modifying the optical properties of the material. Furthermore, the tensile strength of the film decreased from 70.97 to 20.32 MPa, indicating that eugenol enhances the fluidity and ductility of the film. Added eugenol also exhibited structural impact by loosening the film cross-section and decreasing its density. The Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy results revealed the occurrence of several intermolecular interactions among collagen, chitosan, and eugenol. Moreover, the incorporation of eugenol bolstered the antioxidant and antimicrobial capabilities of the composite film. This is primarily attributed to the abundant phenolic/hydroxyl groups present in eugenol, which can react with free radicals by forming phenoxy groups and neutralizing hydroxyl groups. Consequently, inclusion of eugenol substantially enhances the freshness retention performance of the composite film. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: ● The CO-CS-Eu film utilizes collagen from sturgeon skin, improving the use of sturgeon resources.● Different concentrations of eugenol altered its synergistic effect with chitosan.● The CO-CS-Eu film is composed of natural products with safe and edible properties.

Logic-Based Strategy for Spatiotemporal Release of Dual Extracellular Vesicles in Osteoarthritis Treatment.

To effectively treat osteoarthritis (OA), the existing inflammation must be reduced before the cartilage damage can be repaired; this cannot be achieved with a single type of extracellular vesicles (EVs). Here, a hydrogel complex with logic-gates function is proposed that can spatiotemporally controlled release two types of EVs: interleukin 10 (IL-10)+ EVs to promote M2 polarization of macrophage, and SRY-box transcription factor 9 (SOX9)+ EVs to increase cartilage matrix synthesis. Following dose-of-action screening, the dual EVs are loaded into a matrix metalloporoteinase 13 (MMP13)-sensitive self-assembled peptide hydrogel (KM13E) and polyethylene glycol diacrylate/gelatin methacryloyl-hydrogel microspheres (PGE), respectively. These materials are mixed to form a "microspheres-in-gel" KM13E@PGE system. In vitro, KM13E@PGE abruptly released IL-10+ EVs after 3 days and slowly released SOX9+ EVs for more than 30 days. In vivo, KM13E@PGE increased the CD206+ M2 macrophage proportion in the synovial tissue and decreased the tumor necrosis factor-α and IL-1ß levels. The aggrecan and SOX9 expressions in the cartilage tissues are significantly elevated following inflammation subsidence. This performance is not achieved using anti-inflammatory or cartilage repair therapy alone. The present study provides an injectable, integrated delivery system with spatiotemporal control release of dual EVs, and may inspire logic-gates strategies for OA treatment.

Two new oleanane triterpenes from Maytenus hookeri.

Two new triterpenes mayteneri A (1), mayteneri B (2), and seven known compounds (3-9) were isolated from stems of Maytenus hookeri Loes. The chemical structures of compounds 1 and 2 were established by 1D, 2D NMR, HRESIMS analysis, and calculating electronic circular dichroism (ECD). The structures of known compounds 3-9 were determined by comparison of their spectral with those reported. Compounds 4-7 showed significant inhibitory activity for NLRP3 inflammasome, with the IC50 values of 2.36-3.44 µM.

Creation of memory-memory entanglement in a metropolitan quantum network.

Towards realizing the future quantum internet1,2, a pivotal milestone entails the transition from two-node proof-of-principle experiments conducted in laboratories to comprehensive multi-node set-ups on large scales. Here we report the creation of memory-memory entanglement in a multi-node quantum network over a metropolitan area. We use three independent memory nodes, each of which is equipped with an atomic ensemble quantum memory3 that has telecom conversion, together with a photonic server where detection of a single photon heralds the success of entanglement generation. The memory nodes are maximally separated apart for 12.5 kilometres. We actively stabilize the phase variance owing to fibre links and control lasers. We demonstrate concurrent entanglement generation between any two memory nodes. The memory lifetime is longer than the round-trip communication time. Our work provides a metropolitan-scale testbed for the evaluation and exploration of multi-node quantum network protocols and starts a stage of quantum internet research.

Rapid and Visual Detection of Volatile Amines Based on Their Gas-Solid Reaction with Tetrachloro-p-Benzoquinone.

The detection of volatile amines is necessary due to the serious toxicity hazards they pose to human skin, respiratory systems, and nervous systems. However, traditional amines detection methods require bulky equipment, high costs, and complex measurements. Herein, we report a new simple, rapid, convenient, and visual method for the detection of volatile amines based on the gas-solid reactions of tetrachloro-p-benzoquinone (TCBQ) and volatile amines. The gas-solid reactions of TCBQ with a variety of volatile amines showed a visually distinct color in a time-dependent manner. Moreover, TCBQ can be easily fabricated into simple and flexible rapid test strips for detecting and distinguishing n-propylamine from other volatile amines, including ethylamine, n-butyamine, n-pentamine, n-butyamine and dimethylamine, in less than 3 s without any equipment assistance.