Plasmonic nanoparticle assemblies are a materials platform in which optical modes, resonant frequencies, and near-field intensities can be specified by the number and position of nanoparticles in a cluster. A current challenge is to achieve clusters with higher yields and new types of shapes. In this Letter, we show that a broad range of plasmonic nanoshell nanoclusters can be assembled onto a lithographically defined elastomeric substrate with relatively high yields using templated assembly. We assemble and measure the optical properties of three cluster types: Fano-resonant heptamers, linear chains, and rings of nanoparticles. The yield of heptamer clusters is measured to be over 30%. The assembly of plasmonic nanoclusters on an elastomer paves the way for new classes of plasmonic nanocircuits and colloidal metamaterials that can be transfer-printed onto various substrate media.

BackgroundSmartphones and their applications (apps) impact society and health care. With the growth of smartphone users and app downloads in China, patients with chronic diseases have access to a self-management strategy for physical activity. Although studies report physical activity apps improve the physical activity of patients, data is limited concerning their use of these apps. Therefore, this study investigated the current usage, willingness to use, and barriers to using physical activity apps of Chinese patients with chronic diseases.MethodsWe designed a questionnaire to collect data from chronic disease patients in a tertiary hospital in Beijing, which was sent to 250 patients in four departments.ResultsTwo hundred eighteen questionnaires were returned (87.2% response rate). Most (92.7%) respondents owned a smartphone, 34.9% had used a physical activity app, and 18.8% were current users. Additionally, 53.7% were willing to use a physical activity app designed for them. Respondents more likely to use physical activity apps were younger (i.e., ≤ 44 years), more educated, current smartphone users, and previous users of physical activity apps; moreover, they believed they needed exercise, their disease required exercise instruction and support, and their physical status needed monitored when exercising (p < 0.05). Main barriers to using apps reported were insufficient function, difficulty of use, extra cost, and security issues.ConclusionsOur results indicate sizeable smartphone ownership among Chinese patients with chronic diseases; moreover, over half of our participants report they would use a physical activity app designed for them. This information can be leveraged by healthcare workers managing patients with chronic diseases.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12911-017-0446-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Background: Antiretroviral therapy (ART) demonstrates high efficacy in reducing the risk of HIV transmission to sexual partners. However, it is not clear if the use of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) in HIV-1-serodiscordant couples is necessary during natural conception when the HIV-positive partner exhibits a suppressed viral load. The purpose of this study was to assess the role of PrEP during natural conception in this population. Methods: A retrospective, multicenter study was conducted in a cohort of HIV-1-serodiscordant couples (positive man, negative woman) with childbearing desires. HIV-positive male partners were treated with ART and achieved viral suppression for more than half a year. The HIV-negative female partners were either treated with PrEP or not treated with PrEP, and outcomes were compared between the two treatment groups. Results: Of 246 HIV-1-serodiscordant couples in whom the HIV-positive partner achieved viral suppression, 104 seronegative women were treated with PrEP during natural conception and 142 seronegative women were not treated with PrEP. There were 410 condom-less sexual acts in couples treated with PrEP and 615 condom-less sexual acts in couples not treated with PrEP. We observed no instances of HIV transmission in HIV-1-serodiscordant couples with or without the use of PrEP during the process of natural conception. Conclusions: Our results show that PrEP had minimal influence in reducing the risk of HIV transmission during natural conception in HIV-1-serodiscordant couples with a stably suppressed viral load. Thus, it may be an acceptable option for HIV-negative partners to not use PrEP during the process of natural conception if the HIV-positive partner has achieved viral suppression for more than half a year.

Background and objectivesThe research work in the past years showed that detection of phospholipase A2 receptor (PLA2R) antigen and its dominant IgG4 autoantibody in glomerular deposits of patients with membranous nephropathy (MN) was useful for the differentiation between primary MN (PMN) and secondary MN (SMN), but so far such research data from large Chinese patient series is little. Here, we are going to report a research work in a Chinese cohort.Design, setting, participants, & measurementsThis study enrolled 179 patients with PMN, 40 patients with membranous lupus nephritis (LN-MN), 26 patients with hepatitis B virus-associated MN (HBV-MN), 2 patients with malignancy-associated MN (M-MN) and one patient with IgG4-related MN (IgG4-MN). PLA2R and IgG subclasses in glomerular deposits of these patients were examined by immunofluorescence and/or immunohistochemical staining, and the potential value of the above examinations for differential diagnosis of PMN and SMN was evaluated.ResultsGlomerular PLA2R deposition was present in 92.2% patients with PMN and 7.7% patients with HBV-MN, but none of the patients with LN-MN. Predominant/codominant IgG4 deposition was found in 93.3% patients with PMN and 11.5% patients with HBV-MN, but none of the patients with LN-MN. The two M-MN patients both had glomerular PLA2R and predominant/codominant IgG4 deposition. The one IgG4-MN patient had deeply staining IgG4 but no PLA2R in glomeruli.ConclusionsThe glomerular PLA2R and predominant/codominant IgG4 deposition is frequently observed in Chinese patients with PMN. Immunofluorescence and immunohistochemical staining of renal biopsy tissue for detection of glomerular PLA2R and IgG subclasses deposition can help to distinguish PMN from LN-MN and most of HBV-MN.