The development of simple, robust, and reliable microRNA (miRNA) detection methods is of great significance in the studies of the biological function of miRNAs, molecular diagnostics, treatment of diseases, and targeted drugs. In recent years, with the increasing development of miRNA research, lots of novel approaches were developed for the detection of miRNA in terms of sensitivity, specificity, multiplicity, in situ imaging, etc. In particular, nucleic acid amplification-based methods and many detection techniques such as droplet digital PCR (ddPCR), electrochemiluminescence (ECL), surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS), and mass spectrometry (MS) have been employed widely for the highly sensitive detection of miRNA. New progress in miRNA detection has accelerated miRNA functional research and clinical diagnostics. In this review, we summarize the recent progress in the development of miRNA detection methods and new applications. This review will provide guidelines for the development of more advanced miRNA detection methods with high sensitivity and specificity, and applicability to biochemical research, disease diagnosis and therapy.
The kinetically sluggish oxygen evolution reaction (OER) at an anode has always been the bottleneck in the largescale application of electrocatalytic water splitting to produce ecofriendly and sustainable hydrogen. Therefore, replacing the OER with hydrazine oxidation reaction (HzOR), which requires a lower theoretical potential, has been considered as a more energyefficient strategy. Herein, a novel bifunctional Co x P@Co 3 O 4 nanocomposite with grass-like and block-like structures was fabricated on Co foam (defined as P−Co 3 O 4 /Co) via a facile hydrothermal synthesis for Co 3 O 4 and the sodium hypophosphitephosphorization method for cobalt phosphides. Compared with the Co 3 O 4 precursor on Co foam, the heterogeneous P−Co 3 O 4 / Co, composed of a mixture of CoP, Co 2 P, and Co 3 O 4 , possessed superb electrochemical catalytic activity for both the hydrogen evolution reaction and HzOR in 1.0 M KOH and 0.3 M hydrazine medium. Low overpotentials of 106 and 129 mV were required to deliver current densities of 10 and 200 mA cm −2 , respectively. Meanwhile, potentials of −100 and −83 mV are needed to drive current densities of 10 and 200 mA cm −2 , respectively, which exceed those of almost recently reported catalysts. The excellent performance can be attributed to the fact that the synergistic effect between the presence of multiphase of Co x P/Co 3 O 4 and the three-dimensional porous Co foam substrate makes the as-synthesized catalyst possess a large specific surface area and fast charge/ mass transport. Density functional theory calculations unravel that the phosphorization strategy can not only regulate the electronic structure of pristine Co 3 O 4 , enhancing the electronic conductivity, but also optimize the adsorption/desorption strength of H* and alter the free energy change of the dehydrogenation kinetics of NH 2 NH 2 *. Meanwhile, a low cell voltage of 1 V was achieved to deliver a current density of 948 mA cm −2 when P−Co 3 O 4 /Co behaved as both the cathode and anode simultaneously, which was superior to most of the nonprecious metal-based catalysts.
Clean hydrogen energy is regarded as a promising alternative in terms of energy conversion and storage. Meanwhile, transitional metal oxides (TMOs) have stimulated more and more research attention because of their unique performance, holding broad prospects in expediting the tardy oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in electrolyzing water. However, facile and highly efficient synthesis of TMOs to garner excellent electrocatalytic performance has by far remained difficult. Herein, a three-dimensional (3D) self-supported microstrip-like Co3O4 assembled from a tiny nanocube electrocatalyst, grown in situ on commercial Co foam (denoted as Co3O4/Co), is fabricated through a facile one-step hydrothermal synthesis method, where the sluggish anodic OER is replaced by a more thermodynamically oxidized hydrazine oxidation reaction (HzOR) for assisting energy-saving hydrogen generation in alkaline media. The synthesized electrocatalyst shows appreciable HzOR performances, producing a current density of 200 mA cm–2 at −32 mV and a Tafel slope of 53.43 mV dec–1. Remarkably, an ultrasmall-cell voltage of merely 1 V is required to deliver 764 mA cm–2 in a coupled electrode electrolyzer with excellent stability at room temperature, which is outperforming the precious metal catalyst system and the reported noble-metal-free electrocatalysts. Further, the Faradaic efficiency of the as-fabricated electrocatalyst is close to 100%. Considering the high electrocatalytic efficiency for the HzOR, the Co3O4/Co proves to be a kind of energy-saving electrocatalyst for the HzOR with great potential.
Aim: To explore the experiences of patients living with diabetic lower extremity amputation (DLEA) and its post-amputation wound in primary care. Background: DLEA, including both minor and major amputation, is a life-altering condition that brings numerous challenges to an individual’s life. Post-amputation physical wound healing is complicated and challenging because of wound dehiscence and prolonged healing times. Understanding patients’ experiences after DLEA with a post-amputation wound will enable healthcare professionals to develop interventions to assist patients in physical healing and psychosocial recovery. Methods: This study employs a qualitative design using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). A purposive maximum variation sample of nine patients who had had lower extremity amputations and post-amputation wound attributed to diabetes in the previous 12 months was recruited from a primary care setting in Singapore. Semi-structured audio recorded one-to-one interviews with a duration of 45–60 min each were conducted between September 2018 and January 2019. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed using IPA. Findings: The essential meaning of the phenomenon ‘the lived experiences for patients with DLEA and post-amputated wound’ can be interpreted as ‘struggling for “normality”’ which encompasses four domains of sense making: physical loss disrupted normality, emotional impact aggravated the disrupted normality, social challenges further provoked the disrupted normality, and attempt to regain normality. The study highlights the complex physical and psychosocial transition facing patients after DLEA before post-amputation wound closure. In primary care, an amputation, whether minor or major, is a life-altering experience that requires physical healing, emotional recovery, and social adaptation to regain normality. Patients living with DLEA and a post-amputation wound may benefit from an interdisciplinary team care model to assist them with physical and psychosocial adjustment and resume normality.
Breast cancer is one of the most common malignant diseases among women worldwide, and the existence of breast cancer stem cells is closely associated with poor outcomes. Herein, we report an electrochemical phenotyping method to characterize the stemlike phenotype in breast cancer, offering a low-cost but robust choice other than the highly expensive and experience-dependent flow cytometry. Specially, after immune-magnetic beads-assisted enrichment, an in situ programmable DNA circuit is designed using capture probes to bring in the toeholds for DNA assembly and effector probes to accelerate the removal of background signals. The electrochemical phenotyping method could sensitively determine breast cancer stem cells in a wide linear range and exhibit desirable accuracy and reliability. The method can not only monitor the phenotypic transition of breast cancer cells and the drug-reversed effect but also determinate stemlike phenotype in the mice bearing breast cancer xenograft tumor. Overall, the electrochemical phenotyping method may provide promising technical support for precise management of breast tumors.
Synthesis of efficient and low-cost catalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is a pivotal process for large-scale electrocatalytic water splitting to produce hydrogen. Prussian blue analogues (PBAs) prepared by the conventional co-precipitation method, with a less active site density and a poor electrical transport, are often used as precursors for further preparation of PBA derivatives, such as metal oxides, metal alloys, metal phosphides, and so on, due to their poor OER activity. In this report, controllable synthesis of NiFe PBA with Fe2O3 byproducts on a Ni foam substrate was achieved through a facile one-step hydrothermal reaction by adjusting the amount of urea and potassium ferricyanide. After chemical etching and electrochemical activation, NiFe PBA was entirely transformed into amorphous superhydrophilic NiFe PBA (denoted a-NiHCF), which exhibited a remarkable OER performance at a large current density. To drive high current densities of 400 and 800 mA cm–2, only ultralow overpotentials of 280 and 309 mV were required, respectively, which far exceed many recently reported OER catalysts. The superior performance can be attributed to the following: (1) in situ growth on a metal foam substrate can improve the structural stability and provide a faster charge transfer as well as oxygen bubble release; (2) chemical etching allows exposing more surface active sites; (3) an electrochemical activation-induced amorphous surface possesses a larger Brunauer–Emmett–Teller surface area, more high-valent oxidation states, and higher intrinsic OER activity; and (4) the superhydrophilic surface structure is conducive to the adsorption of water molecules. These advantages make a-NiHCF a promising candidate for application in the field of electrocatalytic water splitting.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.