Graphene-DNAzyme based biosensor for amplified fluorescence "turn-on" detection of Pb2+ with a high selectivity

On the basis of the remarkable difference in affinity of graphene (GO) with ssDNA containing a different number of bases in length, we for the first time report a GO-DNAzyme based biosensor for amplified fluorescence "turn-on" detection of Pb(2+). A FAM-labeled DNAzyme-substrate hybrid acted as both a molecular recognition module and signal reporter and GO as a superquencher. By taking advantage of the super fluorescence quenching efficiency of GO, our proposed biosensor exhibits a high sensitivity toward the target with a detection limit of 300 pM for Pb(2+), which is lower than previously reported for catalytic beacons. Moreover, with the choice of a classic Pb(2+)-dependent GR-5 DNAzyme instead of 8-17 DNAzyme as the catalytic unit, the newly designed sensing system also shows an obviously improved selectivity than previously reported methods. Moreover, the sensing system was used for the determination of Pb(2+) in river water samples with satisfying results.     

Single-Site Sn?O?Cu Pairs with Interfacial Electron Transfer Effect for Enhanced Electrochemical Catalysis and Sensing

As advanced electrochemical catalysts, single-atom catalysts have made great progress in the field of catalysis and sensing due to their high atomic utilization efficiency and excellent catalytic performance. Herein, stannum-doped copper oxide (CuO Sn₁) nanosheets with single-site Sn O Cu pairs as active sites are synthesized as electrocatalysts for biological molecule detection. Compared with CuO-based electrochemical sensors, the CuO Sn₁-based electrochemical sensors have improved detection sensitivity with a rapid electrochemical response. Theoretical calculation reveals that the single-site Sn O Cu pairs induced interfacial electronic transfer effect can strengthen hydroxy adsorption and thus reduce the energy barrier of the biological molecule oxidation process. As a concept application, electrochemical detection of dopamine and uric acid molecules is achieved, exhibiting satisfactory sensitivity and selectivity. This work demonstrates the advantages of single-site Sn O Cu pairs in electrochemical catalysis and sensing, which provides theoretical guidance for understanding the structure-activity relationship for sensitive electrochemical sensing.     

Nucleic acid-based fluorescence sensors for detecting proteins

We report here development of a rapid, homogeneous, aptamer-based fluorescence assay ("molecular beacons") for detecting proteins. The assay involves protein-induced coassociation of two aptamers recognizing two distinct epitopes of the protein. The aptamers contain short fluorophore-labeled complementary "signaling" oligonucleotides attached to the aptamer by non-DNA linker. Coassociation of the two aptamers with the protein results in bringing the two "signaling" oligonucleotides into proximity, producing a large change of fluorescence resonance energy transfer between the fluorophores. We used thrombin as a model system to provide proof-of-principle evidence validating this molecular beacon design. Thrombin beacon was capable of detecting the protein with high selectivity (also in complex biological mixtures), picomolar sensitivity, and high signal-to-background ratio. This is a homogeneous assay requiring no sample manipulation. Since the design of molecular beacons described here is not limited to any specific protein, it will be possible to develop these beacons to detect a variety of target proteins of biomedical importance.     

Bioinspired structural color sensors based on responsive soft materials

Structural colors in nature have inspired the design of diverse photonic structures, which can interact with light via interference, diffraction or scattering. Among them, responsive soft material-involved photonic structures uniquely feature large volumetric changes upon external stimuli. The volumetric changes result in peak/valley shift of reflection spectra and perceptible color changes, providing responsive soft material-based structural color systems capability of serving as sensors for detecting chemical and biological analytes. Synthetic polymers and some natural materials are the most studied and utilized responsive soft materials for constructing structural color sensors, by tuning the thickness and morphology of formed films, or incorporating them into template structures, or their self-assembling. In this review article, structural colors in nature are firstly introduced, followed by discussing recent developments of promising responsive soft material-based structural color sensors, including the design of structural color sensors based on synthetic polymers and natural materials, as well as their applications for chemical sensing, biosensing, and multi-analyte sensing with sensor arrays. For specific sensing of chemicals and biomolecules, the sensing performance is evaluated in terms of detection range, sensitivity, response time, and selectivity. For multi-analyte sensing, cross-reactive structural sensor arrays based on simply a single soft material will be shown capable of discriminating various series of similar compounds. The future development of structural color sensors is also proposed and discussed.     

In2O3基酒敏材料的催化及气敏性能

采用微反-气相色谱联用装置和气敏性能测试设备,系统评价了不同粒径、不同掺杂的Ia2O3材料对乙醇的催化、气敏性能.研究表明,采用纳米材料可将乙醇灵敏度由6.0提高到16.0,掺杂碱性金属氧化物将灵敏度提高到14.0;掺杂贵金属可大幅度提高材料对乙醇的催化活性,但降低对乙醇的灵敏度.材料的气敏性能和催化性能存在密切的联系,浅析了材料对乙醇的敏感机理.     

Rapid detection of urinary tract infections using isotachophoresis and molecular beacons

We present a novel assay for rapid detection and identification of bacterial urinary tract infections using isotachophoresis (ITP) and molecular beacons. We applied on-chip ITP to extract and focus 16S rRNA directly from bacterial lysate and used molecular beacons to achieve detection of bacteria specific sequences. We demonstrated detection of E. coli in bacteria cultures as well as in patient urine samples in the clinically relevant range 1E6-1E8 cfu/mL. For bacterial cultures we further demonstrate quantification in this range. The assay requires minimal sample preparation (a single centrifugation and dilution), and can be completed, from beginning of lysing to detection, in under 15 min. We believe that the principles presented here can be used for design of other rapid diagnostics or detection methods for pathogenic diseases.     

Nucleic acid-functionalized Pt nanoparticles: Catalytic labels for the amplified electrochemical detection of biomolecules

Nucleic acid-functionalized Pt nanoparticles (Pt-NPs) act as catalytic labels for the amplified electrochemical detection of DNA hybridization and aptamer/protein recognition. Hybridization of the nucleic acid-modified Pt-NPs with a sensing nucleic acid/analyte DNA complex associated with an electrode enables the amperometric, amplified, detection of the DNA by the Pt NP electrocatalyzed reduction of H2O2 (sensitivity limit, 1 x 10(-11) M). Similarly, the association of aptamer-functionalized Pt- NPs to a thrombin aptamer/thrombin complex associated with an electrode allowed the amplified, electrocatalytic detection of thrombin with a sensitivity limit corresponding to 1 x 10(-9) M.     

Cascadic meshfree method for the elliptic Monge–Ampère equation

The elliptic Monge–Ampère equation is a fully nonlinear partial differential equation, which originated in geometric surface theory and has been widely applied in dynamic meteorology, elasticity, geometric optics, image processing and others. The numerical solution of the elliptic Monge–Ampère equation has been a subject of increasing interest recently. In this paper, we design a cascadic algorithm which is meshfree. We first generate hierarchical scattered data sets. Then on each successive refinement levels, the Monge–Ampère equation can be solved by Kansa's method. We call this method as cascadic meshfree method (CMF). Different from cascadic multigrid method, CMF avoids tedious interpolation and is more easy for implementation and coding. Finally, numerical experiments confirm the efficiency and robustness of CMF method.     

一种新型的自基准哈特曼波前传感器

根据波前径向斜率测量原理,提出一种利用五棱镜扫描方法实现了新型自基准哈特曼波前传感器,其突出优点和特点是毋需任何外部信标或标准大平面反射镜提供工作基准。理论分析和实验结果表明,该传感器波前传感灵敏度与干涉仪相当,而对工作环境和光源并无苛刻要求,可用于天基主动光学系统、地基天文望远镜和大口径平行光管等的装校检验。     

High sensitivity molecular detection with enzyme-linked immuno-sorbent assay (ELISA)-type immunosensing

Here we describe an immunosensing method, which is designed for high sensitivity sensing of various substances utilizing specificity of antigen-antibody (ELISA-type) interaction. The building up of the nanostructured sensing interface and the immunointeraction at the surface were characterized by atomic force microscopy. The proposed design makes potentially feasible attaining ultimate single-molecule sensitivity upon optimization of the system. The first non-optimized prototype described here has already demonstrated sensitivity to the presence of dinitrophenyl (DNP) in concentrations as low as 10?pM, which is 100 times better than reported limits of detection of DNP with a traditional enzyme-linked immuno-sorbent assay setup.     

Chiral recognition of proteins having L-histidine residues on the surface with lanthanide ion complex incorporated-molecularly imprinted fluorescent nanoparticles

In this study, lanthanide ion complex incorporated molecularly imprinted fluorescent nanoparticles were synthesized. A combination of three novel approaches was applied for the purpose. First, lanthanide ions [Terbium(III)] were complexed with N-methacryloyl-L-histidine (MAH), polymerizable derivative of L-histidine amino acid, in order to incorporate the complex directly into the polymeric backbone. At the second stage, L-histidine molecules imprinted nanoparticles were utilized instead of whole protein imprinting in order to avoid whole drawbacks such as fragility, complexity, denaturation tendency, and conformation dependency. At the third stage following the first two steps mentioned above, imprinted L-histidine was coordinated with cupric ions [Cu(II)] to conduct the study under mild conditions. Then, molecularly imprinted fluorescent nanoparticles synthesized were used for L-histidine adsorption from aqueous solution to optimize conditions for adsorption and fluorimetric detection. Finally, usability of nanoparticles was investigated for chiral biorecognition using stereoisomer, D-histidine, racemic mixture, D,L-histidine, proteins with surface L-histidine residue, lysozyme, cytochrome C, or without ribonuclease A. The results revealed that the proposed polymerization strategy could make significant contribution to the solution of chronic problems of fluorescent component introduction into polymers. Additionally, the fluorescent nanoparticles reported here could be used for selective separation and fluorescent monitoring purposes.     

Signal architecture for a distributed magnetic local positioning system

This paper presents a sensing system which can be used by a mobile robot to measure absolute position and attitude, even in the cluttered environment of an office building or warehouse. The system is based on extremely-low frequency magnetic fields, which have excellent characteristics for penetrating line-of-sight obstructions. Multiple beacons distributed throughout a building are used to generate the magnetic signals, which are based on sets of pseudorandom codes. This signal architecture results in low overall frequency content, reducing eddy field noise and enabling the system to have a large number of beacons and extended coverage volume.     

"Off-On" Electrochemical Hairpin-DNA-Based Genosensor for Cancer Diagnostics

A simple and robust "off-on" signaling genosensor platform with improved selectivity for single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) detection based on the electronic DNA hairpin molecular beacons has been developed. The DNA beacons were immobilized onto gold electrodes in their folded states through the alkanethiol linker at the 3'-end, while the 5'-end was labeled with a methylene blue (MB) redox probe. A typical "on-off" change of the electrochemical signal was observed upon hybridization of the 27-33 nucleotide (nt) long hairpin DNA to the target DNA, in agreement with all the hitherto published data. Truncation of the DNA hairpin beacons down to 20 nts provided improved genosensor selectivity for SNP and allowed switching of the electrochemical genosensor response from the on-off to the off-on mode. Switching was consistent with the variation in the mechanism of the electron transfer reaction between the electrode and the MB redox label, for the folded beacon being characteristic of the electrochemistry of adsorbed species, while for the "open" duplex structure being formally controlled by the diffusion of the redox label within the adsorbate layer. The relative current intensities of both processes were governed by the length of the formed DNA duplex, potential scan rate, and apparent diffusion coefficient of the redox species. The off-on genosensor design used for detection of a cancer biomarker TP53 gene sequence favored discrimination between the healthy and SNP-containing DNA sequences, which was particularly pronounced at short hybridization times.     

微陀螺动力学建模与非线性分析

建立了微陀螺的动力学模型,采用多尺度方法对微陀螺的非线性模型进行求解,探讨了驱动微弹性梁和检测微弹性梁的非线性刚度对微陀螺输出的影响规律,研究了微陀螺的带宽在非线性刚度作用下的设计原则,结果表明:微陀螺振动系统的检测灵敏度和带宽呈反比关系;微弹性梁的非线性刚度会使得输入角速度与检测输出呈非线性关系。因此,从微弹性梁的设计角度出发,可根据较大的输出或者较小的非线性要求选取合适的驱动微弹性梁;而检测微弹性梁则需要选取较小的非线性刚度。     

Spectroscopic features of dual fluorescence/luminescence resonance energy-transfer molecular beacons

Molecular beacons have the potential to become a powerful tool in gene detection and quantification in living cells. Here we report a novel dual molecular beacons approach to reduce false-positive signals in detecting target nucleic acids in homogeneous assays. A pair of molecular beacons, each containing a fluorescence quencher and a reporter fluorophore, one with a donor and a second with an acceptor fluorophore, hybridize to adjacent regions on the same target resulting in fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET). The detection of a FRET signal leads to a substantially increased signal-to-background ratio compared with that seen in single molecular beacon assays and enables discrimination between fluorescence due to specific probe/target hybridization and a variety of possible false-positive events. Further, when a lanthanide chelate is used as a donor in a dual-probe assay, extremely high signal-to-background ratios can be achieved owing to the long lifetime and sharp emission peaks of the donor and the time-gated detection of acceptor fluorescence emission. These new approaches allow for the ultrasensitive detection of target molecules in a way that could be readily applied to real-time imaging of gene expression in living cells.     

PEDOT-Au nanocomposite films for electrochemical sensing of dopamine and uric acid

In this work, conducting polymer impregnated gold nanoparticles are synthesized through a sequence of chemical and electrochemical routes. The nanocomposite film is characterized using UV-vis, FTIR spectroscopy, and SEM techniques to study the formation of oxidized PEDOT and Au0. The advantages of these films are demonstrated for sensing biologically important compounds such as dopamine and uric acid in presence of excess ascorbic acid, one of the major interferants in the detection of DA and UA (mimicking the physiological conditions), with superior selectivity and sensitivity when compared to the polymer film alone. Simultaneous determination is realized at 115 mV and 246 mV for DA and UA, respectively. The PEDOT matrix is recognized to be responsible for the peak separation (selectivity) while also favouring catalytic oxidation of the above compounds and the nanometer-sized gold particles allow nanomolar sensing of DA and UA (sensitivity). Thus, it is possible to detect nanomolar levels of DA and UA in presence of excess of AA. The combined effect of Au nanoparticles and the PEDOT matrix is rationalized that the Aunano surrounded by a "hydrophobic sheath (PEDOT)" tending to reside within these hydrophobic regions of PEDOT, thus favouring the selectivity and sensitivity of the DA/UA detection. This new generation of nanocomposites is expected to enhance the value of electroanalytical techniques, as it is possible to tune their properties suiting the analytical needs.     

Advances in the Application of Magnetic Nanoparticles for Sensing

Magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) are of high significance in sensing as they provide viable solutions to the enduring challenges related to lower detection limits and nonspecific effects. The rapid expansion in the applications of MNPs creates a need to overview the current state of the field of MNPs for sensing applications. In this review, the trends and concepts in the literature are critically appraised in terms of the opportunities and limitations of MNPs used for the most advanced sensing applications. The latest progress in MNP sensor technologies is overviewed with a focus on MNP structures and properties, as well as the strategies of incorporating these MNPs into devices. By looking at recent synthetic advancements, and the key challenges that face nanoparticle‐based sensors, this review aims to outline how to design, synthesize, and use MNPs to make the most effective and sensitive sensors.     

Modeling optical microfiber loops for seawater sensing

Based on resonant and waveguiding properties of optical microfiber loops, we theoretically investigated silica microfiber loop resonators (MLRs) for refractive index (RI) and salinity sensing of seawater. Dependences of sensitivity and detection limit on probing wavelength, fiber diameter, and ring diameter are calculated with typical parameters of seawater. Our results show that the sensitivity of MLRs increases with the increasing wavelength and the decreasing diameter of the microfiber. Bending loss and absorption loss are both important factors to determine the detection limit. By optimizing the parameters of the sensing system, RI sensitivity and salinity detection limit can reach 10(-6) RI units (RIU) and 10(-2) ‰ (10 ppm), respectively. The model presented here may be helpful for developing microscale fiber sensors for seawater detection with high sensitivity, low detection limit, and miniaturized sizes.     

Error analysis for estimation of trace vapor concentration pathlength in stack plumes

Near-infrared hyperspectral imaging is finding utility in remote sensing applications such as detection and quantification of chemical vapor effluents in stack plumes. Optimizing the sensing system or quantification algorithms is difficult because reference images are rarely well characterized. The present work uses a radiance model for a down-looking scene and a detailed noise model for dispersive and Fourier transform spectrometers to generate well-characterized synthetic data. These data were used with a classical least-squares-based estimator in an error analysis to obtain estimates of different sources of concentration-pathlength quantification error in the remote sensing problem. Contributions to the overall quantification error were the sum of individual error terms related to estimating the background, atmospheric corrections, plume temperature, and instrument signal-to-noise ratio. It was found that the quantification error depended strongly on errors in the background estimate and second-most on instrument signal-to-noise ratio. Decreases in net analyte signal (e.g., due to low analyte absorbance or increasing the number of analytes in the plume) led to increases in the quantification error as expected. These observations have implications on instrument design and strategies for quantification. The outlined approach could be used to estimate detection limits or perform variable selection for given sensing problems.     

Synthetic pores with reactive signal amplifiers as artificial tongues

The sensation of taste is mediated by activation or deactivation of transmembrane pores. Artificial stimulus-responsive pores are enormously appealing as sensor components because changes in their activity are readily detectable in many different ways. However, the detection of multiple components in complex matrices (such as foods) with one pore sensor has so far remained elusive because the specificity necessary for sensing a target compound in complex mixtures is incompatible with the broad applicability needed for the detection of multiple components. Here, we present synthetic pores that, like our tongues, can sense flavours in food and in addition make them visibly detectable. Differential sensing and pattern recognition are solutions based on empirical and biomimetic approaches. They have been explored with synthetic receptor arrays and electronic tongues. In contrast, our approach is non-empirical as it exploits reactive amplifiers that covalently capture elusive analytes after enzymatic signal generation and drag them into synthetic pores for blockage. Reactive amplification proved to be highly sensitive and adaptable to various analytes and pores. Moreover, it can be combined with reactive filtration for minimizing interference. The system was tested on real food samples for detection of sucrose, lactose, lactate, acetate, citrate and glutamate to demonstrate the feasibility of these synthetic pores as universal sensors.