Extreme environments demand smarter sensors! A team from Zhejiang University has developed a laser-induced, in-situ fabrication method for thin-film temperature sensors with no complex layering, no extra coatings.

💡 Their approach forms conductive & antioxidative layers simultaneously, enabling real-time monitoring from −50 °C to 950 °C with remarkable stability.
📈 Just 1.2% drift over 20 hours under heat, shock, wear, and vibration.

Tuberculosis (TB) belongs to infectious diseases leading to the high mortality and morbidity worldwide. Since long-term bacilli burden leads to metabolic disorders in TB patients, metabolic biomarkers with diagnosis and prognosis potential are worthy of elucidation. In this study, 1H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H NMR)-based plasma metabolomics were investigated dynamically in onset TB patients undergoing conventional anti-TB chemotherapy before and along with the treatment. We found that metabolomic profiles altered before and after the treatment of 2 and 4 months, among which four amino acids, including 4-aminobenzoate, phenylalanine, serine, and threonine, were screened out with significant decrease at 6 months after anti-TB therapy in the training longitudinal samples and validated in another longitudinal samples. Moreover, we have also confirmed the increase of 4 amino acid contents in the periphery of active TB patients when compared to those in healthy controls (HCs). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis revealed that the combination of 4 amino acids was able to distinguish TB patients from HC with an area under the curve (AUC) value of 0.912 ± 0.031 (P < 0.0001). Therefore, our study has identified an amino acid panel with increased levels in active TB patients and declined along with conventional anti-TB treatment, which might be potential in distinguishing TB patients from HCs as well as prognosis candidates in clinics.

Objective: To describe the case of V. ​vulnificus infection and to review the literature, emphasizing the importance of laboratory pathogen biology examination in clinical diagnosis and treatment. Methods: A retrospective review and analyzed a case of a patient infected with septic shock secondary to V. ​vulnificus due to trauma in Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University on August 9, 2023. This includes an examination of the symptoms, laboratory results, and treatment process. The BD Phoenix-M50 automatic bacterial identification analyzer was used to identify and test the susceptibility of cultured bacteria, the French Mérieux VITEK® MS IND MALDI TOF was used for identification by mass spectrometry. Results: Skin secretion culture and blood cultures are Vibrio vulnificus bacteria, according to select sensitive antimicrobial drug susceptibility results and surgical treatment after calcitonin original and CRP in patients with infective index returned to normal. Conclusions: Vibrio vulnificus can infect humans through damaged skin and cause wound infection and bloodstream infection. Early wound culture and blood culture are must. Early surgical operation combined with anti-infection therapy is the key to the treatment of Vibrio vulnificus infection to prevent secondary infection endangers the patient’s life. In addition, publicity and education such as preventive measures can also effectively reduce the infection rate of vibrio vulnificus.

The hole transport layer (HTL)-free carbon-based perovskite solar cells (C-PSCs) are promising for commercialization owing to their excellent operational stability and simple fabrication process. However, the power conversion efficiencies (PCE) of C-PSCs are inferior to the metal electrode-based devices due to their open-circuit voltage (V_oc) loss. Herein, time-resolved confocal photoluminescence microscopy reveals that grain boundary defects at the perovskite/carbon interface are very likely to function as nonradiative recombination centers in HTL-free C-PSCs. A versatile additive Li₂CO₃ is used to modify the conformal tin oxide electron transport layer for HTL-free C-PSCs. Li₂CO₃ modification can result in enhanced charge extraction and optimized energy alignment at electron transport layer/perovskite interface, as well as suppressed defects at perovskite top surface due to Li₂CO₃-induced formation of PbI₂ crystallites. Such dual interfacial passivation ultimately leads to significantly improved V_oc up to 1.142 V, which is comparable to the metal electrode-based devices with HTL. Moreover, a record-high PCE of 33.2% is achieved for Li₂CO₃-modified C-PSCs under weak light illumination conditions, demonstrating excellent indoor photovoltaic performance. This work provides a practical approach to fabricate low-cost, highly efficient carbon-based perovskite solar cells.

A novel three-dimensional carbon current collector was developed, and Zn–N_x active sites were introduced to effectively tune its electronic structure, thereby improving the cycling stability of anode-free sodium metal batteries.

This research introduces a novel strategy for regulating internal crystalline forces to enhance pollutant degradation efficiency, opening a new avenue for developing advanced catalytic strategies for water remediation.

Pregnancy is one of life's most exciting chapters, but it also brings real health challenges. When nutrition during pregnancy is overlooked, it can affect the well-being of both the mother and the baby.

Personalized nutrition, guided by genetic insights, reduces risks, improves outcomes, and supports lifelong health by tailoring food and supplement choices to each mother's body.

This study reveals epitaxial growth of gold-rich pyrite rims on pre-existing cores in Carlin-type deposits, driven by fluid-carbonate interactions. Consistent crystallographic orientations and geochemical zoning highlight the critical role of precursor pyrite in gold mineralization.

Researchers introduced malate biosynthetic capability into the yeast Candida glabrata to improve the oxidative stress tolerance. Due to the fact that malate biosynthesis activated the anti-oxidative defense system, the oxidative stress tolerance of C. glabrata exhibited a significant improvement. This strategy has application potential for the biosynthesis of pharmaceutical chemicals.