Analysis of the evolution of the detection limits of electrochemical DNA biosensors

In this paper we critically review detection limits of electrochemical DNA biosensors enabling DNA detection without target labelling. The review includes transduction principles and latest breakthroughs. To compare the efficiency of each type of electrochemical DNA biosensor, a simple DNA biosensors classification is established on the basis of the nature of the bio-electrochemical transduction.     

Multiband small zeroth-order metamaterial antenna

A novel resonant metamaterial antenna based on the Composite Right/Left-Handed (CRLH) transmission line (TL) model is presented. The proposed small antenna is designed to operate simultaneously over multiple wireless services (UMTS-WLAN-WIMAX)     

Ground state and phonon spectrum of NiSi2

We have studied structural, electronic, elastic and dynamical properties of NiSi₂ by employing the plane wave pseudopotential method based on density functional theory within the local density approximation. The calculated lattice constant, bulk modulus and first-order pressure derivative of the bulk modulus are reported and compared with earlier available experimental and theoretical calculations. Numerical first-principles calculations of the elastic constants were used to calculate C₁₁, C₁₂ and C₄₄ for NiSi₂. The calculated electronic band structure has been compared with angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy experimental data along the [100] and [111] symmetry directions. A linear response approach to density functional theory is used to derive the phonon dispersion curves and phonon partial density of states. Atomic displacement patterns for NiSi₂ at the Γ, X and L symmetry points are also presented.     

Extremal Functions on Sturm–Liouville Hypergroups

We give an application of the theory of reproducing kernels to the Tikhonov regularization on the Sobolev spaces associated with a singular second-order differential operator. Next, we come up with some results regarding the multiplier operators for the Sturm–Liouville transform.     

A novel amperometric inhibition biosensor based on HRP and gold sononanoparticles immobilised onto Sonogel-Carbon electrode for the determination of sulphides

A novel inhibition biosensor used for the detection of sulphides (Na₂S) has been developed. The biosensor is based on the immobilisation of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) on the Sonogel-Carbon (SNGC) electrode using glutaraldehyde, Poly(4-vinylpyridine) and gold sononanoparticles (AuSNPs). The Poly(4-vinylpyridine) was used due to its high affinity for sulphide anions, while the presence of gold sononanoparticles enhances the electron transfer reaction and improves the analytical performance of the biosensor. The amperometric measurements were performed at an applied potential of ?0.15 V vs. Ag/AgCl in 50 mM sodium acetate buffer solution pH = 6.0. The apparent kinetic parameters (K_mapp, V_max) of immobilised HRP were calculated in the absence of inhibitor (sulphide) using caffeic acid as substrate. Under the optimal experimental conditions, the determination of sulphide can be achieved in a dynamic range of 0.4–2.8 µM with a low limit of detection of 0.15 µM. The electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) was also used to characterise the interactions of substrate and inhibitor with the enzyme-modified electrode. The developed biosensor exhibited high sensitivity, selectivity and stability, and can be successfully applied to the detection of sulphide in water.     

Quantitation of Cu+‐catalyzed Decomposition of S‐Nitrosoglutathione Using Saville and Electrochemical Detection: a Pronounced Effect of Glutathione and Copper Concentrations

S‐nitrosothiols (RSNOs) are composed of nitric oxide (NO) bound to the sulfhydryl group of amino acids of peptides or proteins. There is a great interest for their quantitation in biological fluids as they have a crucial impact on physiological and pathophysiological events. Most analytical methodologies for quantitation of RSNOs are based on their decomposition followed by the detection of the released NO. In order to obtain the optimal sensitivity for each detection method, the total decomposition of RSNOs is highly desired. The decomposition of RSNOs can be obtained by using catalytically active metal ions, such as Cu⁺, obtained from CuSO₄ in presence of a reducing agent such as glutathione (GSH) that is naturally present in biological environment. In this work, we have re‐investigated the decomposition of S‐nitrosoglutathione (GSNO) which is the most abundant in vivo low molecular weight RSNO, with a special emphasis on the effect of CuSO₄, GSH, and GSNO concentrations and of their ratio. To this aim, GSNO decomposition optimization was performed by both indirect (Griess assay) and direct (real time electrochemical detection of NO at NO‐microsensor) quantitation methods. Our results show that the ratio between CuSO₄, GSH and GSNO should be adjusted to tune the highest decomposition rate of GSNO and the most efficient electrochemical detection of released NO; also it shows the deleterious effect of very high GSH concentration on the detection of GSNO.     

Some Examples of Extremal Functions on the Dunkl-Type Fock Space $$F_k(\mathbb {C})$$

In this work, we recall some properties of the generalized Fock space \(F_k(\mathbb {C})\) and the Hilbert space \(H_k(\mathbb {C})\) (defined by the squared norm \(\Vert f\Vert ^2_{H_k(\mathbb {C})}:=\Vert f\Vert ^2_{F_k(\mathbb {C})}+\langle zf',f\rangle _{F_k(\mathbb {C})}\)). Next, we give the best approximation of the bounded operators \(L:F_k(\mathbb {C})\rightarrow H_k(\mathbb {C})\). As applications, we come up with some results regarding the approximate formulas for the difference operator, the Dunkl difference operator and the primitive operator.     

Uncertainty Principles for the Segal-Bargmann Transform

We recall some properties of the Segal-Bargmann transform; and we establish for this transform qualitative uncertainty principles: local uncertainty principle, Heisenberg uncertainty principle, Donoho-Stark''s uncertainty principle and Matolcsi-Sz\"ucs uncertainty principle.     

Metallophthalocyanine-based molecular materials as catalysts for electrochemical reactions

Metallophthalocyanines confined on the surface of electrodes are active catalysts for a large variety of electrochemical reactions and electrode surfaces modified by these complexes can be obtained by simple adsorption on graphite and carbon. However, more stable electrodes can be achieved by coating their surfaces with electropolymerized layers of the complexes, that show similar activity than their monomer counterparts. In all cases, fundamental studies carried out with adsorbed layers of these complexes have shown that the redox potential is a very good reactivity index for predicting the catalytic activity of the complexes. Volcano-shaped correlations have been found between the electrocatalytic activity (as log I at constant E) versus the Co(II)/(I) formal potential (E°′) of Co-macrocyclics for the oxidation of several thiols, hydrazine and glucose. For the electroreduction of O₂ only linear correlations between the electrocatalytic activity versus the M(III)/M(II) formal potential have been found using Cr, Mn, Fe and Co phthalocyanines but it is likely that these correlations are “incomplete volcano” correlations. The volcano correlations strongly suggest that E°′, the formal potential of the complex needs to be in a rather narrow potential window for achieving maximum activity, probably corresponding to surface coverages of an M-molecule adduct equal to 0.5 and to standard free energies of adsorption of the reacting molecule on the complex active site equal to zero. These results indicate that the catalytic activity of metallophthalocyanines for the oxidation of several molecules can be “tuned” by manipulating the E°′ formal potential, using proper groups on the macrocyclic ligand. This review emphasizes once more that metallophthalocyanines are extremely versatile materials with many applications in electrocatalysis, electroanalysis, just to mention a few, and they provide very good models for testing their catalytic activity for several reactions. Even though the earlier applications of these complexes were focused on providing active materials for electroreduction of O₂, for making active cathodes for fuel cells, the main trend in the literature nowadays is to use these complexes for making active electrodes for electrochemical sensors.