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A versatile fabrication technique for plasmonic silver (Ag) nanostructures that uses visible light exposure for micropatterning and plasmon resonance tuning is presented. The surface of a glass substrate modified with gold (Au) nanoseeds by a thermal dewetting process was used as a Ag plating platform. When a solution containing silver nitrate and sodium citrate was dropped on the Au nanoseeds under visible light exposure, the plasmon-mediated reduction of Ag ions was induced on the Au nanoseeds to form Ag nanostructures. The plasmon resonance spectra of Ag nanostructures were examined by an absorption spectral measurement and a finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) simulation. Some examples of Ag nanostructure patterning were demonstrated by means of light exposure through a photomask, direct writing with a focused laser beam, and the interference between two laser beams. Surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) of 4-aminothiophenol (4-ATP) was conducted with fabricated Ag nanostructures.

Rationale Aortic aneurysm (AA) is a serious condition that largely increases the risk of aortic dissection and sudden death. Exploring the global burden of disease and changes in risk factors for AA is essential for public health policy development. Objective To project the death burden from AA and its attributable risk factors in the following decade based on the epidemiological data over the past 30 years. Methods and Results We analysed the death burden of AA and trends of four risk factors from 1990–2019 using the updated 2019 Global Burden of Disease study database by Joinpoint regression analysis. Furthermore, we project the AA-related death burden for the next decade using the Bayesian age-period-cohort model. This study discovered that the global burden of death attributable to AA began to increase after decreasing for two decades. This upward trend will continue in the subsequent decade (average annual percent change: 0.318%, 95% CI: 0.288 to 0.348). Meanwhile, the disease burdens in all economic regions except high-middle socio-demographic index (SDI) regions will continuously increase in the next decade, with the fastest acceleration in the low-middle SDI region (average annual percent change: 1.183%, 95% CI: 1.166 to 1.200). Notably, high systolic blood pressure will surpass the contribution of smoking to become the most important risk factor for mortality due to AA. Conclusion This study discovered a rebounding trend in the aortic aneurysm-related death burden globally. High systolic blood pressure will be the top risk factor attributed to death from AA. Therefore, it should be considered as the first-degree risk factor in the guidance of AA management and criteria for population-based screening programs. Key messages The death burden of aortic aneurysms is beginning to rebound globally, and the trend will continue for the next decade. High systolic blood pressure will replace smoking as the most important risk factor associated with aortic aneurysm death.

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