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In this paper, humic acid (HA) was used as stabilizer to prepare silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) by chemically reducing silver salts in water phase, which were employed to produce Ag NPs inks for inkjet printing conductive silver patterns. The obtained silver nanoparticles stabilized with HA (HA-Ag NPs) were all in spherical shape and the particle size was about 7–12 nm. By re-dispersing HA-Ag NPs in ultrapure water, conductive ink with excellent storage stability was prepared, which can be placed at room temperature for 30 days without any precipitation. The as-prepared HA-Ag NPs conductive ink was printed onto photopapers to fabricate conductive silver patterns with a domestic inkjet printer. The resistivity of the printed pattern could reach 135 μΩ cm after printed for 40 layers and sintered at 180 °C for 60 min. In addition, the printed conductive silver patterns could be integrated into a LED device or alarm apparatus, indicating it could be widely used in flexible printing electronics.

In this paper, carboxyl-terminated hyperbranched polymer (CHBP)-stabilized silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) were synthesized via chemical reduction in an aqueous phase and used to prepare a conductive ink that could be employed to fabricate conductive patterns via inkjet printing. The as-prepared CHBP-stabilized Ag NPs (CHBP-Ag NPs) were nearly uniform and monodisperse with a diameter of about 10–20 nm. The obtained CHBP-Ag NPs could be kept for several months in their solid form stably, which is convenient for transportation and storage. By simply dispersing CHBP-Ag NPs solid powder into ultrapure water, CHBP-Ag NPs aqueous ink could be obtained. And conductive patterns could be printed using the as-prepared CHBP-Ag NPs ink via a common color inkjet printer. Moreover, the printed patterns demonstrated a relatively low sheet resistance (1.31 Ω □−1) under ambient conditions; after sintering at 180 °C, the sheet resistance could be further decreased to 0.16 Ω □−1. The resistivity was 10.83 μΩ cm, which was about 7 times that of bulk silver (1.58 μΩ cm). Finally, the inkjet-printed conductive patterns were successfully integrated into an LED device circuit, indicating that the ink has great potential for application in flexible printed electronics.

Water-dispersible copper nanoparticles (Cu NPs) with good antioxidation properties are facilely synthesized in aqueous solution without inert gas protection employing tannic acid (TA) as the stabilizer and protectant. The sizes of as-prepared tannic acid capped copper nanoparticles (TA-Cu NPs) are in the range of 20–40 nm with a narrow size distribution. Owing to the protection of TA layer, TA-Cu NPs exhibit excellent anti-oxidation power and no oxidation was observed even after being stored under ambient conditions for 90 days. In addition, homogenous Cu NPs inks could be synthesized via the simple dispersion of TA-Cu NPs in water, which can be inkjet-printed onto flexible substrates into conductive patterns using a common color printer.

We describe the process of retinal development in mandarinfish Siniperca chuatsi from larvae to young fish. The developmental characteristics of the retinal structure and related cells were identified. Siniperca chuatsi were found to exhibit an altricial mode of retinal development that required considerable time to be completed after hatching. The retina was classed as a pure cone type during the early developmental stage. In the subsequent developmental stages, however, double cones gradually occupied the majority of the cone cells, while rod cells represented the majority of the photoreceptor cells. The outer segment (OS) of the rod cells were significantly longer compared with other morphological features, the OS of the two kinds of cone cells were significantly elongated and the diameters of the inner segment (IS) and OS of the double cone cells were significantly narrower in the later developmental stages. Combined with the scattered arrangement of cone cells at the different stages, the retina was found to have sacrificed a considerable part of visual acuity in the developmental process. The distribution of cone cells was observed to have gradually become regionalised during development. The findings of the present study also indicated that S. chuatsi have a high photosensitivity under dim light conditions as a result of specialised structures of the OS of photoreceptor cells and an increased number of rod cells. The loose arrangement of the cone mosaic presumably resulted in a poor imaging quality and, to some extent, the regionalisation of the cone-cell distribution compensated for the above shortcomings, which would enhance the ability of S. chuatsi to perceive targets in important directions for effective predation behaviour.

We have compared mutation analysis by Amplification Refractory Mutation System (ARMS) and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutant-specific antibodies for their ability to detect two common activating EGFR mutations in a cohort of 115 advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), including cytology material, core biopsy, and bronchoscopic biopsies. Assessment of EGFR mutation status was performed by using antibodies and ARMS assay specific to the two major forms of mutant EGFR, exon 19 deletion E746-A750 (c.2235_2249del15 or c.2236_2250del15, p. Glu746_Ala750 del) and exon 21 L858R point mutation (c.2573T>G, p.Leu858Arg). In this study the optimal buffer for antigen retrieval was sodium citrate (pH 6.0). Q score was used to evaluate the specific mutant EGFR proteins expression. Validation using clinical material showed deletions in exon 19 were detected in 19.1% and L858R mutation in 20% of all cases by ARMS assay. A cutoff value of score 1 was used as positive by IHC. No wild type cases were immuno-reactive. The antibodies performed well in cytology, core biopsies and bronchoscopic biopsies. There were only one false positive case using L858R IHC (sensitivity 100%, specificity 98.5%, positive predictive value 96%, negative predictive value 100%). All 23 E746-A750 exon 19 deletions identified by mutation analysis were positive by IHC. The sensitivity of exon 19 IHC for E746-A750 was 100%, specificity 100%, positive predictive value 100% and negative predictive value 100%. The result of the IHC stains was finely correlated with mutations status determined by ARMS assay. Although inferior to molecular genetic analysis of the EGFR gene, IHC is highly specific and sensitive for the targeted EGFR mutations. The antibodies are likely to be of clinical value in cases especially where limited tumor material is available, or in situations where molecular genetic analysis is not readily available.