Overview of significant examples of electrochemical sensor arrays designed for detection of nitric oxide and relevant species in a biological environment

Ultramicroelectrode sensor arrays in which each electrode, or groups of electrodes, are individually addressable are of particular interest for detection of several species concomitantly, by using specific sensing chemistry for each analyte, or for mapping of one analyte to achieve spatio–temporal analysis. Microfabrication technology, for example photolitography, is usually used for fabrication of these arrays. The most widespread geometries produced by photolithography are thin-film microdisc electrode arrays with different electrode distributions (square, hexagonal, or random). In this paper we review different electrochemical sensor arrays developed to monitor, in vivo, NO levels produced by cultured cells or sliced tissues. Simultaneous detection of NO and analytes interacting with or released at the same time as NO is also discussed.     

Infrared determination of calcium or lithium nitrate in acetone solution determination of calcium or lithium in the presence of strontium or barium

A method is proposed for the infrared determination of calcium or lithium in the presence of strontium or barium. A mixture of the nitrates is treated with acetone which dissolves only the calcium or lithium nitrate. The strontium or barium nitrate is filtered off. The nitrate is evaporated to about 2 ml with a stream of dry air and then diluted to 5 ml with acetone. The infrared spectrum is scanned from 860 to 800 cm(-1) and the nitrate peak at 824 cm(-1) for calcium and 827 cm(-1) for lithium is measured. The recommended range is 1-80 mg of calcium or lithium nitrate in the presence of up to about 200 mg of strontium or barium nitrate.     

Peculiarities of Thermochemical Investigations of Acid-Base Equilibria in Complexon Solutions

Polymorphic transitions of α-phenylcinnamic acid stereoisomers crystallized from various solvents (CHCl3, ethanol, diethyl ether), precipitated with different acids (acetic acid or HCl) or sublimed have been studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Measurements were also supplemented by powder X-ray diffractometry (XRD). Polymorphic transitions were not found for any of the E isomer samples irrespective of the method of treatment. However, in heating-cooling cycles reversible transitions could be detected for the Z isomer. On heating an exothermic peak was registered on samples sublimed, crystallized from ethanol or diethyl ether before melting, while samples precipitated by HCl or crystallized from chloroform exhibited more complex transitions. Here, endothermic effects were also observed. Enthalpy values for transformations (either for melting or polymorphic and other transitions) are also given. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Use of nanomaterials for impedimetric DNA sensors: A review

This review presents the state of the art of DNA sensors (or genosensors) that utilize electrochemical impedance spectroscopy as the transduction technique. As issue of current interest, it is centered on the use of nanomaterials to develop or to improve performance of these specific biosensors. It will describe the different principles that may be employed in the measuring step and the different formats adopted for detection of a DNA sequence or confirmation or amplification of the finally obtained signal. The use of nanomaterials for the above listed aspects, viz. the use of carbon nanotubes or other nanoscopic elements in the construction of the electrodes, or the use of nanoparticles, mainly gold or quantum dots, for signal enhancement will be fully revised.     

Detection of bioactive surfactants in aqueous solutions on the basis of H2O2-voltammetry

The voltammetric determination of surfactants at the hanging mercury drop electrode in aqueous solutions is described, based on the shift of the peak potential deltaEp or the increase of the peak height deltaip of the electroreduction of hydrogen peroxide or of the second oxygen reduction step, with increasing concentration of surfactants. Although the selectivity of this method is rather limited, it could be utilized, e.g., for monitoring the absence (or presence) or for the determination of the contents of specified surfactants by comparing the obtained deltaip (deltaEp) signal with the reference state of the system or with that of a selected reference surface active substance. As model surfactants n-octanol, tetrabutylammonium chloride and sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate were used, the regular adsorption behavior of which is well known. The method was successfully applied to control the presence of a commercial detergent in water for rinsing bottles for infusion solutions.     

A comparison of methods to compute the potential of mean force.

Most processes occurring in a system are determined by the relative free energy between two or more states because the free energy is a measure of the probability of finding the system in a given state. When the two states of interest are connected by a pathway, usually called reaction coordinate, along which the free-energy profile is determined, this profile or potential of mean force (PMF) will also yield the relative free energy of the two states. Twelve different methods to compute a PMF are reviewed and compared, with regard to their precision, for a system consisting of a pair of methane molecules in aqueous solution. We analyze all combinations of the type of sampling (unbiased, umbrella-biased or constraint-biased), how to compute free energies (from density of states or force averaging) and the type of coordinate system (internal or Cartesian) used for the PMF degree of freedom. The method of choice is constraint-bias simulation combined with force averaging for either an internal or a Cartesian PMF degree of freedom.     

Theoretical studies of symmetric five-membered heterocycle derivatives of carbazole and fluorene: precursors of conducting polymers

Structures, electron ionization and excitation energies, and electron density distribution are studied for carbazole and fluorene derivatives substituted symmetrically by thiophene, ethylenodioxythiophene, furane, or pyrrole. The calculated properties of the molecules directly or indirectly mimic molecular parameters that are important for the design of processes of polymerization or for modeling the final polymer. The studies have been focused on the variation in the properties as a function of the chemical composition of the central fragment and the external rings. The calculated properties of consecutive oligomers indicate their fast convergence to values characterizing polymers.     

Effect of size of catalytically active phases in the dehydrogenation of alcohols and the challenging selective oxidation of hydrocarbons

The size of the active phase is one of the most important factors in determining the catalytic behaviour of a heterogeneous catalyst. This Feature Article focuses on the size effects in two types of reactions, i.e., the metal nanoparticle-catalysed dehydrogenation of alcohols and the metal oxide nanocluster-catalysed selective oxidation of hydrocarbons (including the selective oxidation of methane and ethane and the epoxidation of propylene). For Pd or Au nanoparticle-catalysed oxidative or non-oxidative dehydrogenation of alcohols, the size of metal nanoparticles mainly controls the catalytic activity by affecting the activation of reactants (either alcohol or O(2)). The size of oxidic molybdenum species loaded on SBA-15 determines not only the activity but also the selectivity of oxygenates in the selective oxidation of ethane; highly dispersed molybdenum species are suitable for acetaldehyde formation, while molybdenum oxide nanoparticles exhibit higher formaldehyde selectivity. Cu(II) and Fe(III) isolated on mesoporous silica are highly efficient for the selective oxidation of methane to formaldehyde, while the corresponding oxide clusters mainly catalyse the complete oxidation of methane. The lattice oxygen in iron or copper oxide clusters is responsible for the complete oxidation, while the isolated Cu(I) or Fe(II) generated during the reaction can activate molecular oxygen forming active oxygen species for the selective oxidation of methane. Highly dispersed Cu(I) and Fe(II) species also function for the epoxidation of propylene by O(2) and N(2)O, respectively. Alkali metal ions work as promoters for the epoxidation of propylene by enhancing the dispersion of copper or iron species and weakening the acidity.     

Postcolumn derivatization for chromatographic analysis of carbohydrates

Various methods for postcolumn derivatization of carbohydrates for photometric (P), fluorimetric (F) and electrochemical (E) detection are summarized. The major methods include conversion to furfurals (with strong mineral acids, reducing carbohydrates, for P), formaldehyde (with periodate, carbohydrates in general, for P and F), glycamines (by reductive amination, reducing carbohydrates, for P and F), etc., followed by condensation with appropriate chromogenic or fluorogenic reagents; direct or indirect coloration of leuco compounds (for P) or chelating agents (for P and E), respectively, by utilizaing the reducibility of reducing carbohydrates; reactions with fluorogenic reagents such as aliphatic amines (for F), 2-cyanoacetamide (for P, F and E), arginine (for F), benzamidines (for F), etc., in neutral or weakly alkaline media; and coloration of the condensates with hydrazino compounds in alkali (for P). The characteristics features of individual methods and their optimized conditions are reviewed.     

A Review of Cellulose and Cellulose Blends for Preparation of Bio-derived and Conventional Membranes,Nanostructured Thin Films,and Composites

Cellulose has been used as a raw material for the manufacture of membranes and fibers for many years. This review gives the background of the most recent methods of treating or dissolving cellulose, and its derivatives to form polymer films or membranes for a variety of applications. Indeed, some potential applications of bacterial cellulose, nanofibrillar cellulose (NFC) for films showing enhanced barrier characteristics are reviewed as well as the utilization of cellulose nanonocrystals (CNC) for production of highly oriented super strong films or thin films is discussed. Because of the success of the Lyocell process as well as the amine/metal thiocyanate solvent blends of cellulose and other polysaccharides like starch, chitosan, and other natural polymers. Consequently, the use of cellulose (or its derivatives) and another polysaccharide dissolved as a blend is also elaborated. It is our hope that the reader will want to follow up and investigate these new systems and use them to develop end use materials for all sorts of applications, from medical to water filtration, or electrogels for use in batteries.     

On-line and off-line preconcentration of trace and ultratrace amounts of lanthanides

The need for preconcentration of trace and ultratrace amounts of lanthanides from environmental, geological and biological samples is brought out in introductory part. Both on-line and off-line preconcentration procedures developed for lanthanides since 1980 are reviewed. The preconcentration techniques covered in this review include liquid-liquid extraction (LLE), ion-exchange, co-precipitation, and solid phase or solid-liquid extraction. Separate sections are devoted to each of the preconcentration techniques employed for enrichment of individual or mixtures of lanthanides. Future trends in singular or multielement preconcentration of lanthanides are also discussed.     

An integration method of enzyme analysis

The application of an integration method of kinetic analysis to first-order and second-order reactions is discussed with particular emphasis on enzyme analyses. Transducer signals or concentrations of products or substrates are integrated for a Fixed time and the net integral of the increased or decreased signal or concentration is related to the initial substrate or enzyme concentration. Equations are developed describing the dependence of the integrals on enzyme and substrate concentrations for first- and second-order reactions, and examples are presented illustrating different cases. The application of this method to complicated enzymatic systems is discussed.     

Organic-inorganic nanohybrids through the direct tailoring of semiconductor nanocrystals with conjugated polymers

Two main synthetic strategies are used to prepare conjugated oligomer- or polymer-nanocrystal nanohybrids. In the first strategy ligand exchange is invoked to either replace with a bifunctional ligand, which contains a second functional group for coupling with conjugated oligomers or polymers (COs or CPs), or exchange for the functionalized COs or CPs in a "grafting-onto" process. Alternatively, in the second strategy the nanocrystal (NC) is passivated with functional ligands from which COs or CPs are directly grown in the absence of ligand exchange. The well-defined interface between the COs or CPs and NCs facilitates an efficient charge-transfer between them.     

A Comparison of the Efficiency of Nucleotide Extraction by Several Procedures and the Analysis of Nucleotides from Extracts of Liver and Isolated Hepatocytes by HPLC

Abstract

A high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) system was developed, capable of resolving most 5′-nucleotides and nucleotide-sugars present in liver tissue. Using three different extraction procedures, the recovery of the twelve major 5′-ribonucleotides from solutions of nucleotide standards, or liver samples, or isolated hepatocytes was compared. Nucleotides were obtained from acid extracts for HPLC analysis by adsorbing the nucleotides on charcoal, or precipitating the acid (perchloric acid) by KOH, or extracting the acid with alamine/ freon. The last two procedures were found to be superior to the charcoal adsorption procedure for recovering nucleotides from acid extracts. The recovery of nucleotides from either liver samples or isolated hepatocytes by these two procedures was similar; however, the recovery of nucleotides from standard solutions was slightly higher for the alamine/freon procedure than the KOH precipitation procedure.     

Electrochemical determination of trace amounts of environmentally important dyes

A number of dyes exhibit genotoxic or ecotoxic properties leading to the need for sensitive and selective methods for their determination. Because of the easy reducibility of dyes, modern polarographic and voltammetric methods (differential pulse polarography on classical dropping mercury electrode, differential pulse voltammetry on hanging mercury drop electrode or adsorptive stripping voltammetry) are suitable for the determination of trace amounts of these substances in the general environment in the vicinity of production plants. The scope and limitations of these methods is reviewed and optimum conditions for recently developed methods are summarized. It is shown that the sensitivity of newly developed polarographic and voltammetric methods is sufficient even for the most demanding applications and their selectivity can be increased by their combination with preliminary separation using thin layer chromatography or liquid extraction.     

Titration curves of compleximetric titrations of mixtures of metal ions with one ligand : Part II. Conditions for sharp end-points

Conditions are derived for sharp end-points in compleximetric titration curves for mixtures of two metals with visual or potentiometric indication. Special attention is given to end-point detection by means of a mercury or silver indicator electrode.     

核蛋白的生物功能及核肽的合成和应用

核蛋白或核肽是一类其侧链羟基通过磷酸二酯键连接到DNA 或RNA 的3′或5′端的天然生物大分子, 具有广泛的生物学效应, 包括DNA 及RNA 的复制、DNA 的转录、插入、缺失和重组等。核肽也指合成的核蛋白结合位点的片断, 作为一种新的工具既可用于研究核蛋白产生生物效应的机理, 又为开发新一类抗病毒、抗肿瘤药物开辟了道路。     

Synthesis of series of 1- and 3-differently substituted xanthines from imidazoles

A new and general method is described for the synthesis, in three steps and in good overall yields, of tetrasubstituted xanthines from an easily prepared imidazole precursor. The method is especially useful for the preparation in standardized conditions of series of xanthines combining a broad variety of primary or secondary alkyl, benzyl or aryl groups at N1 and of alkyl or arylmethyl groups at N3, that are not readily available by other methods.     

The use of amperometric oxygen electrodes for measurements of enzyme reactions

Amperometric oxygen electrodes are useful transducers for enzymatic analyses. One must, however, account for contributions from oxygen incorporation or depletion caused by sample introduction, stirring and diffusion, or non-enzymatic reactions, as well as for instrumental response time. Examples of various characteristics of these contributions are shown and discussed from a theoretical basis.     

The use of modified acrylic copolymers for the preparation of immunoadsorbents

Summary Copolymer beads from acrylonitrile and ethyl either butyl acrylate or vinyl acetate, with amino, hydroxyl or carboxyl groups were activated with glutaraldehyde or water-soluble carbodiimide and coupled to human serum albumin. The obtained immunoadsorbents were applied to the isolation of anti-human albumin anibody from rabbit antiserum. Among the 22 studied copolymers only a few showed satisfactory effectiveness for immunoaffinity chromatography, similar to that noted for immunoadsorbents from commerical polymers.