SERS chip fabricated by the thermal effect in a double-metal-cladding waveguide.

Different from ordinary planar waveguide structure, we designed a double-metal-cladding waveguide (DMCW) for easier light coupling into the guiding layer from free space. In contrast to evanescent waves in a surface plasmon polariton waveguide, an oscillating wave is generated in the guiding layer. and a similar Fabry-Perot (FP) cavity can be formed by the DMCW. In past work, the FP cavity excited by the DMCW was used to study the refractive index of light, while in this work, the FP cavity is used to excite the photothermal effect of the metal substrate. It is a good connection between light and heat. The photothermal effect is investigated to promote the galvanic replacement reaction in the substrate. Although the experiment process is destructive to the DMCW structure, a surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) chip is prepared on the basis of the photothermal effect in the DMCW. It shows that the DMCW can convert the energy of incident light into thermal energy, and then prepare the SERS chip. The chip has better uniformity, stronger activity, and higher sensitivity. The results demonstrate that the morphology of the SERS substrate created via the DMCW is far more elaborate than that via the surface plasmon polariton waveguide.

A ratiometric fluorescent DNA nanoprobe for cerebral adenosine triphosphate assay.

A silver nanocluster-based ratiometric fluorescent nanosensor was developed for the determination of ATP in the cerebrospinal fluid of a mouse brain. Using this useful tool with good stability and high selectivity as well as a wide linear detection range, it was found that the ATP concentration in a mouse brain with Alzheimer's disease was 2300-fold higher than that in a normal one.

CRP, IL­2 and TNF­α level in patients with uremia receiving hemodialysis.

Uremia is a serious threat to health. Infection associated with inflammation frequently occurs in patients with uremia during hemodialysis. This study aimed to investigate the association between serum inflammatory factors and uremia in patients prior to and following hemodialysis. Patients with uremia (n=200) receiving continuous high throughput hemodialysis that had hospital­acquired infection were enrolled between August 2013 and August 2015. Additionally, 200 cases of healthy volunteers were selected as the control. Reverse transcription­polymerase chain reaction, ELISA and western blotting were performed to determine serum C­reactive protein (CRP), interleukin 2 (IL­2), and tumor necrosis factorα levels (TNF­α) prior to hemodialysis and 8 months after hemodialysis to explore the association of CRP, IL­2 and TNF­α with uremia. CRP, IL­2 and TNF­α levels were lower at 8 months after hemodialysis than before, and the difference was statistically significant. CRP, IL­2 and TNF­α levels in uremia patients at 8 months after hemodialysis were similar with that in the normal control. CRP expression in patients with uremia was positively correlated with IL­2 and TNF­α expression. Patients with uremia with hospital­acquired infection receiving continuous high throughput blood purification presented increased levels of inflammatory factor in the serum. In conclusion, uremia patients receiving maintenance hemodialysis with hospital­acquired infection had increased serum inflammatory factors and high throughput hemodialysis significantly decreased CRP, IL­2 and TNF­α levels in the serum, suggesting that high throughput hemodialysis may be beneficial for the prevention of the infections in uremia patients.