Rapid Electrochemical Assessment of Tumor Suppressor Gene Methylations in Raw Human Serum and Tumor Cells and Tissues Using Immunomagnetic Beads and Selective DNA Hybridization

We report a rapid and sensitive electrochemical strategy for the detection of gene‐specific 5‐methylcytosine DNA methylation. Magnetic beads (MBs) modified with an antibody for 5‐methylcytosines (5‐mC) are used for the capture of any 5‐mC methylated single‐stranded (ss)DNA sequence. A flanking region next to the 5‐mCs of the captured methylated ssDNA is recognized by hybridization with a synthetic biotinylated DNA sequence. Amperometric transduction at disposable screen‐printed carbon electrodes (SPCEs) is employed. The developed biosensor has a dynamic range from 3.9 to 500 pm and a limit of detection of 1.2 pm for the methylated synthetic sequence of the tumor suppressor gene O‐6‐methylguanine‐DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) promoter region. The method is applied in the 45‐min analysis of specific methylation in the MGMT promoter region directly in raw spiked human serum samples and in genomic DNA extracted from U‐87 glioblastoma cells and paraffin‐embedded brain tumor tissues without any amplification and pretreatment step.     

Adsorption of designed pyrimidine derivative ligands on an activated carbon for the removal of Cu(II) ions from aqueous solution

The adsorption of five Nalpha-substituted amino acids with a 5-nitroso-6-oxo pyrimidine as substituent on a commercial activated carbon (AC) has been studied in aqueous solution at several pH values. The adsorption processes of these organic compounds have been analyzed on the basis of the electrolytic behavior of the adsorbates. In all cases, the adsorption process is highly irreversible due to strong pi-pi interactions between the arene centers of the AC and the pyrimidine residue of the adsorbates. This interaction is consistent with XPS data and HOMO-LUMO theoretical calculations. The adsorption of these organic compounds provides a new route for the functionalization of the AC surface with carboxyl groups. In addition, the adsorption capacity of the AC/organic compound systems for Cu(II) ions in aqueous solution has been studied at different pH values. These systems show an increase of the adsorption capacity for Cu(II) compared to the AC, which is related to the AC functionalization with carboxyl groups due to the adsorbed organic compounds.     

Viscosities for Ionic Liquid Binary Mixtures with a Common Ion

At present, there is a considerable amount of work devoted to the study of the thermophysical properties of pure ionic liquids, which contrasts with the few data available for their mixtures. One of the most appealing characteristics of ionic liquids is the capability of subtly changing the chemical structure of the cation and anion in order to design appropriate solvents for specific applications. Mixtures of ionic liquids increase enormously this specificity, due to the unlimited combinations that arise from mixing two or more ionic liquids. In this context, the study of the thermophysical properties of these mixtures is revealed as a fundamental task. In this work the viscosities of the ionic liquid binary mixtures with a common ion ([C₆mim] + [C₂mim])[BF₄], ([C₆mim] + [C₄mim])[BF₄], [C₄mim]([BF₄] + [MeSO₄]) and [C₄mim]([PF₆] + [BF₄]) were determined within the temperature range (298.15–308.15) K. The temperature dependence of the viscosity for pure liquids is analyzed by means of the Vogel-Tammann-Fulcher equation and several mixing rules are applied for the mixtures.     

Role of carbon nanotubes in electroanalytical chemistry: a review

This review covers recent advances in the development of new designs of electrochemical sensors and biosensors that make use of electrode surfaces modification with carbon nanotubes. Applications based on carbon nanotubes-driven electrocatalytic effects, and the construction and analytical usefulness of new hybrid materials with polymers or other nanomaterials will be treated. Moreover, electrochemical detection using carbon nanotubes-modified electrodes as detecting systems in separation techniques such as high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) or capillary electrophoresis (CE) will be also considered. Finally, the preparation of electrochemical biosensors, including enzyme electrodes, immunosensors and DNA biosensors, in which carbon nanotubes play a significant role in their sensing performance will be separately considered.     

New calibration methodology for calorimetric determination of isobaric thermal expansivity of liquids as a function of temperature and pressure

A new method for determining isobaric thermal expansivity of liquids as a function of temperature and pressure through calorimetric measurements against pressure is described. It is based on a previously reported measurement technique, but due to the different kind of calorimeter and experimental set up, a new calibration procedure was developed. Two isobaric thermal expansivity standards are needed; in this work, with a view on the quality of the available literature data, hexane and water are chosen. The measurements were carried out in the temperature and pressure intervals (278.15 to 348.15) K and (0.5 to 55) MPa for a set of liquids, and experimental values are compared with the available literature data in order to evaluate the precision of the experimental procedure. The analysis of the results reveals that the proposed methodology is highly accurate for isobaric thermal expansivity determination, and it allows obtaining a precise characterisation of the temperature and pressure dependence of this thermodynamic coefficient.     

Isobaric thermal expansivity of the binary system 1-hexanol + n-hexane as a function of temperature and pressure

The isobaric thermal expansivity against temperature and pressure for the system 1-hexanol + n-hexane was directly determined by means of a calorimetric method. From these data, the excess isobaric thermal expansivity is calculated at representative temperatures and pressures. The obtained results for this excess quantity are qualitatively discussed by applying well-known arguments often used for explaining the thermodynamic behavior of alcohol + alkane mixtures. In order to check the consistency of these data with those of literature, the derivative of excess molar volume against temperature and that of excess isobaric molar heat capacity against pressure are calculated and compared with those obtained from literature data. Very good coherence between both data sources is obtained.     

Biological activity of Fe(III) aquo-complexes towards ferric chelate reductase (FCR)

In this study we have obtained experimental evidence that confirms the high activity of aquo complexes III and IV towards the enzyme FCR, responsible for the reduction of Fe(III) to Fe(II) in the process of iron acquisition by plants. The in vivo FCR assays in roots of stressed cucumber plants have shown a higher efficiency of the family of complexes III and a striking structure-activity relationship with the nature of the substituent placed in a phenyl group far away from the metal center. The results obtained in this work demonstrate that all the aquo compounds tested interact efficiently with the enzyme FCR and hence constitute a new concept of iron chelates that could be of great use in agronomy.     

Capillary electrophoresis-mass spectrometry of a new cross-linker with acrylic functionality

Analytical characterization of dimethacrylate-tyrosine-lysine-tyrosine (DMTLT, a new biodegradable acrylic cross-linker synthesized at our laboratory) is carried out using CE-MS. DMTLT is a pseudopeptide composed by tyrosine-lysine-tyrosine amino acids linked through urea bonds with two methacrylic groups, one at each end of the molecule, making this compound an excellent cross-linker for polymerization reactions and for obtaining new biodegradable materials. A new CE-MS method is developed for the characterization of DMTLT and its products of degradation after basic hydrolysis. In order to carry out an exhaustive examination of such degradation products methods based on CE coupled to IT and TOF-MS are employed. Based on CE-IT-MS results and the elemental composition of the degradation products obtained by CE-TOF-MS, conclusions on the mechanism and kinetic of hydrolysis of DMTLT are obtained confirming both the usefulness of CE-MS to characterize new biomaterials and the applicability of DMTLT for preparing new biodegradable polymers. These results are corroborated through the CE-MS detection of the identified products of degradation in a dimethyl acrylamide polymer cross-linked with DMTLT.