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Conducting polymers (CPs) have emerged as promising materials for gas sensors due to their organic nature coupled with unique and versatile optical, electrical, chemical, and electrochemical properties. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the latest developments in conducting polymer-based gas sensors. First, the fundamental gas sensing mechanisms in CPs-based sensors are elucidated, covering diverse transduction modes including electrochemical, chemiresistive, optical, piezoelectric, and field-effect transistor-based sensing. Next, the various types of conducting polymers employed in gas sensors, such as polypyrrole, polyaniline, polythiophene, and their composites are introduced, with emphasis on their synthesis methods, structural characteristics, and gas sensing response properties. Finally, the wide range of applications of these sensors is discussed, spanning industrial process control, environmental monitoring, food safety, biomedical diagnosis, and other fields, as well as existing issues such as long-term stability and humidity interference, and a summary of the biocompatibility and regulatory standards of these conductive polymers is provided. By integrating insights from sensing mechanisms, materials, and applications, this review offers a holistic understanding of CPs-based gas sensors. It also highlights future research directions, including device miniaturization, AI-assisted gas identification, multifunctional integrated sensing systems, wearable and flexible sensor platforms, and enhanced sensitivity, selectivity, and on-site detection capabilities.

Pneumoconiosis, as the most widely distributed occupational disease globally, poses serious health and social hazards. Its diagnostic techniques have evolved from conventional imaging and computer-assisted analysis to emerging sensor strategies covering biomarker analysis, routine breath sensing, integrated electronic nose (E-nose), etc. All of them both have special advantages and face shortcomings or challenges in practical application. In recent years, the emergence of advanced data analysis technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), has provided opportunities for large-scale screening of pneumoconiosis. On the basis of a deep analysis of the characteristics of the technologies for screening and diagnosis of pneumoconiosis, this paper comprehensively and systematically reviews the current development of these technologies, especially focusing on the research progress of emerging sensor technologies, and provides a forecast for their future development.

Poly (3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) stands out as a renowned commercial conducting polymer composite, boasting extensive and promising applications in the realm of film electronics. In this study, we have made a concerted effort to overcome the inherent drawbacks of PEDOT:PSS films (especially, high moisture absorption, mechanical damage vulnerability, insufficient substrate adhesion ability, etc.) by uniformly blending them with polydimethylsiloxane polyurea (PDMS-PUa) and silica (SiO2) nanoparticles through a feasible mechanical stirring process, which effectively harnesses the intermolecular interactions, as well as the morphological and structural characteristics, among the various components. The Si−O bonds within PDMS-PUa and the −CH3 groups attached to Si atoms significantly enhance the hydrophobicity of the composite film (as evidenced by a water contact angle of 132.89° under optimized component ratios). Meanwhile, SiO2 microscopically modifies the surface morphology, resulting in increased surface roughness. This composite film not only maintains high conductivity (1.21 S/cm, in contrast to 0.83 S/cm for the PEDOT:PSS film) but also preserves its hydrophobicity and electrical properties under rigorous conditions, including high-temperature exposure (60–200 °C), ultraviolet (UV) aging (365.0 nm, 1.32 mW/cm2), and abradability testing (2000 CW abrasive paper, drag force of approximately 0.98 N, 40 cycles). Furthermore, the film demonstrates enhanced resistance to both acidic (1 mol/L, 24 h) and alkaline (1 mol/L, 24 h) environments, along with excellent self-cleaning and de-icing capabilities (−6 °C), and satisfactory adhesion (Level 2). Notably, the dried composite film can be re-dispersed into a solution with the aid of isopropanol through simple magnetic stirring, and the sequentially coated films also exhibit good surface hydrophobicity (136.49°), equivalent to that of the pristine film. This research aims to overcome the intrinsic performance drawbacks of PEDOT:PSS-based materials, enabling them to meet the demands of complex application scenarios in the field of organic electronics while endowing them with multifunctionality.

Poly (3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) stands out as a renowned commercial conducting polymer composite, boasting extensive and promising applications in the realm of film electronics. In this study, we have made a concerted effort to overcome the inherent drawbacks of PEDOT:PSS films (especially, high moisture absorption, mechanical damage vulnerability, insufficient substrate adhesion ability, etc.) by uniformly blending them with polydimethylsiloxane polyurea (PDMS-PUa) and silica (SiO[sub.2]) nanoparticles through a feasible mechanical stirring process, which effectively harnesses the intermolecular interactions, as well as the morphological and structural characteristics, among the various components. The Si−O bonds within PDMS-PUa and the −CH[sub.3] groups attached to Si atoms significantly enhance the hydrophobicity of the composite film (as evidenced by a water contact angle of 132.89° under optimized component ratios). Meanwhile, SiO[sub.2] microscopically modifies the surface morphology, resulting in increased surface roughness. This composite film not only maintains high conductivity (1.21 S/cm, in contrast to 0.83 S/cm for the PEDOT:PSS film) but also preserves its hydrophobicity and electrical properties under rigorous conditions, including high-temperature exposure (60–200 °C), ultraviolet (UV) aging (365.0 nm, 1.32 mW/cm[sup.2]), and abradability testing (2000 CW abrasive paper, drag force of approximately 0.98 N, 40 cycles). Furthermore, the film demonstrates enhanced resistance to both acidic (1 mol/L, 24 h) and alkaline (1 mol/L, 24 h) environments, along with excellent self-cleaning and de-icing capabilities (−6 °C), and satisfactory adhesion (Level 2). Notably, the dried composite film can be re-dispersed into a solution with the aid of isopropanol through simple magnetic stirring, and the sequentially coated films also exhibit good surface hydrophobicity (136.49°), equivalent to that of the pristine film. This research aims to overcome the intrinsic performance drawbacks of PEDOT:PSS-based materials, enabling them to meet the demands of complex application scenarios in the field of organic electronics while endowing them with multifunctionality.

Unsaturated magnetoresistance （MR） has been reported in type-II Weyl semimetal WTe2, manifested as a perfect compensation of opposite carriers. We report linear MR （LMR） in WTe2 crystals, the onset of which was identified by constructing the MR mobility spectra for weak fields. The LMR further increased and became dominant for fields stronger than 20 T, while the parabolic MR gradually decayed. The LMR was also observed in high-pressure conditions.

Rabies continues to be a significant global public health concern, particularly in the Asia region where it is associated with high mortality rate. The administration of effective vaccination is essential in preventing this potentially fatal viral infection. The objective of this study was to evaluate the immunogenicity and safety of two rabies vaccination schedules: the Zagreb (2-1-1) and Essen (1-1-1-1-1) regimens, in a cohort of healthy Chinese individuals aged 10-60 years. We conducted a randomized, open-label, controlled, non-inferiority phase 3 trial from July 2021 to November 2022, enrolling a total of 1200 participants. Participants were randomly assigned to receive either the Zagreb or Essen vaccination regimen. The primary outcomes were safety, immunogenicity, and immune persistence. Safety was monitored through adverse event reporting, while immunogenicity was determined by measuring rabies-virus-neutralizing antibody (RVNA) concentrations using the rapid fluorescent focus inhibition test (RFFIT). Immune persistence was evaluated at 3, 6, and 12 months post-vaccination. The two vaccination regimens exhibited comparable safety records, with mild and transient adverse events predominantly occurring within 0-3 days post-vaccination. The Zagreb regimen demonstrated non-inferiority in terms of seroconversion rates and geometric mean concentrations (GMCs) of antibodies compared to the Essen regimen at both 14 days post-first vaccination and 14 days post-full vaccination. Additionally, both groups displayed nearly 100% seropositivity rate at 3,6, and 12 months. No serious adverse events associated with vaccination were reported. The findings of this Phase 3 clinical trial provide compelling evidence that the Zagreb regimen is a feasible alternative when compared to the Essen regimen for rabies vaccination, offering a more pragmatic and cost-efficient approach to rabies prevention and control. http://www.chinadrugtrials.org.cn, identifier CTR20210426.

In response to SARS-CoV-2 mutations and waning antibody levels after two-dose inactivated vaccines, we assessed whether a third dose of recombinant protein subunit vaccine (ZF2001) boosts immune responses. An open-label single-center non-random trial was conducted on people aged 18 years and above at five sites in China. All participants received a two-dose inactivated vaccine (CoronaVac) as their prime doses within 3-9 months of the trial. Primary outcomes were safety and immunogenicity, primarily the geometric mean titers (GMTs) of neutralizing antibodies to live wildtype SARS-CoV-2. A total of 480 participants (median age, 51; range 21-84 years) previously vaccinated with two-dose CoronaVac received a third booster dose of ZF2001 3-4, 5-6, or 7-9-months later. The overall incidence of adverse reactions within 30 days after vaccination was 5.83% (28/480). No serious adverse reactions were reported after the third dose of ZF2001. GMTs in the 3-4-, 5-6-, and 7-9-month groups before vaccination were 3.96, 4.60, and 3.78, respectively. On Day 14, GMTs increased to 33.06, 47.51, and 44.12, respectively. After the booster, GMTs showed no significant difference among the three prime-boost interval groups (all P>0.05). Additionally, GMTs in older adults were lower than those in younger adults on Day 14 for the three groups (P=0.0005, P<0.0001, and P<0.0001). Heterologous boosting with ZF2001 was safe and immunogenic, and prime-boost intervals did not affect the immune response. The immune response was weaker in older than younger adults.

Studying extreme meteorology and its frequency under climate change is helpful to guide flood and drought control. The original achievements and objective of this study are to further contribute to the literature on how to analyze the impact of climate change on extreme rainfall and extreme temperature more reasonably and comprehensively for a karst basin. The Mann–Kendall method, Heuristic segmentation method, cross-wavelet analysis method, generalized extreme value (GEV) model, and generalized Pareto distribution (GPD) model were applied in this paper. The 55-year (1963–2017) extreme rainfall and temperature data recorded in the Chengbi River Basin were applied. The results show that extreme rainfall showed a downward trend (−0.169 and −8.735 mm/10a), while the trends of extreme temperatures were not obvious (Sen's slope estimate is 0). The mutation points range from 1981 to 2002 and the mutation point of extreme rainfall series is earlier than that of extreme temperatures. Compared with the GEV model, the parameters of the GPD model show a smaller variation before and after climate change, and the extreme meteorology values corresponding to the same recurrence period show a decreasing trend after climate change. The performance of GEV and GPD models after climate change is generally more fit than that before climate change.

No data on the safety and efficacy of a live attenuated influenza vaccine in China have ever been reported. At a site of a phase 3 randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial in eastern China, eligible healthy children aged 3–17 years underwent randomization to receive live attenuated vaccine or placebo at a ratio of 1:1. The primary objective of the study was the prevention of laboratory-confirmed influenza illness during the surveillance period, starting on day 15 after vaccination. A total of 2000 participants were enrolled, with 998 receiving the vaccine and 1001 receiving placebo. Sixty-four cases of influenza-like illness were observed, of which, 44 were laboratory-confirmed (12 in vaccine group versus 32 in placebo group). Vaccine efficacy was 62.5% (95%CI: 27.6–80.6) against all types of influenza and 63.3% (95%CI: 27.5–81.5) against influenza H3N2 illness. 11 severe adverse events reported (7 in LAIV group versus 4 in placebo group) were all deemed to be non-vaccine-related. Adverse events occurred in 412 (41.3%) participants in the vaccine group versus 389 (38.9%; p = 0.274) participants in the placebo group. Significant increase incidence of fever was observed in participants in the vaccine group, especially in those aged 3–9 years. The live attenuated influenza vaccine showed good efficacy and safety among 3- to 17-year-olds children during the 2016–2017 season at a site in eastern China. Clinical Trial Registry Number: NCT02964065.

Unsaturated magnetoresistance (MR) has been reported in type-II Weyl semimetal WTe 2, manifested as a perfect compensation of opposite carriers. We report linear MR (LMR) in WTe 2 crystals, the onset of which was identified by constructing the MR mobility spectra for weak fields. The LMR further increased and became dominant for fields stronger than 20 T, while the parabolic MR gradually decayed. The LMR was also observed in high-pressure conditions.