Search

The molecular-level interaction of levofloxacin with lung surfactant was investigated using Langmuir monolayers and atomistic molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. In the simulation, the DPPC/POPC mixed monolayer was used as a lung surfactant model and the molecules of levofloxacin were placed at the air-lipid interface to mimic the adsorption process on the lung surfactant model. The simulation results indicate that amphoteric levofloxacin expands the lung surfactant, also stabilizing the film for levofloxacin fractions until 10% w/w at least. The Langmuir monolayers made with the lung surfactant Curosurf had expanded isotherms upon incorporation of levofloxacin, without changes in monolayer elasticity. In fact, levofloxacin induced film stability with increased collapse pressures in the Curosurf isotherms and delayed the phase transition, according to Brewster angle microscopy (BAM) imaging. Using polarization-modulated infrared reflection-absorption spectroscopy (PM-IRRAS), we found that levofloxacin is preferentially located in the head group region, inducing an increased organization of the Curosurf film. This location of levofloxacin was confirmed with MD simulations. The stability inferred demonstrates that the lung surfactant can be used as a drug delivery system for the administration via inhalation or intratracheal instillation of levofloxacin to treat lung diseases such as pneumonia and respiratory distress syndrome.

Electronic tongues (e-tongues) are promising analytical devices for a variety of applications to address the challenges of quality control in water monitoring and industries of foods, beverages, and pharmaceuticals. A crucial drawback in the current e-tongues is the need to recalibrate the device when one or more sensing units (usually with modified surface) are replaced. Another downside is the necessity to perform subsequent surface modifications and analyses to each of the diverse sensing units, undermining the simplicity and velocity of the method. These features have prevented widespread commercial use of the e-tongues. In this paper, we introduce a microfluidic e-tongue that overcomes all such limitations. The key principle of global selectivity of the e-tongue was achieved by recording only a single response, namely, the equivalent admittance spectrum of an association of resistors in parallel. Such resistors consisted of five nonfunctionalized stainless steel microwires (sensing units), which were short-circuited and coated with gold, platinum, nickel, iron, and aluminum oxide films. The microwires were inserted in a chip composed of a single piece of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). Using impedance spectroscopy, the e-tongue was successfully applied in classification of basic tastes at a concentration below the threshold for the human tongue. In addition, our chip allowed the distinction of various chemicals used in oil industry. Finally, our cleanroom-free prototyping allows the mass production of chips with easily replaceable and reproducible sensing units. Hence, one can now envisage the widespread dissemination of e-tongues with fast and reproducible data.

Mixed monolayers were prepared using phospholipids in order to mimic cell membranes and fractions of capsaicinoids (extracted from Malagueta, Caps-M, and Bhut Jolokia, Caps-B, peppers). According to their surface-pressure isotherms and polarization-modulated infrared reflection absorption spectra (PM-IRRAS), weak molecular-level interactions were observed between Caps and phospholipids. Both Caps-M and Caps-B penetrated into the alkyl tail region of the monolayer, interacted with the phosphate group of the phospholipids and affected hydration of their C O groups. Since the physiological activity of Caps is not governed solely by interaction with cell membranes, it should require participation of a neuronal membrane receptor, e.g. vanilloid receptor (TRPV1).

The capacitive electrolyte–insulator–semiconductor (EIS) structure is a typical device based on a field-effect sensor platform. With a simple silicon-based structure, EIS have been useful for several sensing applications, especially with incorporation of nanostructured films to modulate the ionic transport and the flat-band potential. In this paper, we report on ion transport and changes in flat-band potential in EIS sensors made with layer-by-layer films containing poly(amidoamine) (PAMAM) dendrimer and single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) adsorbed on p-Si/SiO2/Ta2O5 chips with an Al ohmic contact. The impedance spectra were fitted using an equivalent circuit model, from which we could determine parameters such as the double-layer capacitance. This capacitance decreased with the number of bilayers owing to space charge accumulated at the electrolyte–insulator interface, up to three PAMAM/SWNTs bilayers, after which it stabilized. The charge-transfer resistance was also minimum for three bilayers, thus indicating that this is the ideal architecture for an optimized EIS performance. The understanding of the influence of nanostructures and the fine control of operation parameters pave the way for optimizing the design and performance of new EIS sensors.

Natural products such as epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) have been suggested for complementary treatments of cancer, since they lower toxic side effects of anticancer drugs, and possess anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that inhibit carcinogenesis. Their effects on cancer cells depend on interactions with the membrane, which is the motivation to investigate Langmuir monolayers as simplified membrane models. In this study, EGCG was incorporated in zwitterionic dipalmitoyl phosphatidyl choline (DPPC) and anionic dipalmitoyl phosphatidyl serine (DPPS) Langmuir monolayers to simulate healthy and cancer cells membranes, respectively. EGCG induces condensation in surface pressure isotherms for both DPPC and DPPS monolayers, interacting mainly via electrostatic forces and hydrogen bonding with the choline and phosphate groups of the phospholipids, according to data from polarization-modulated infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy (PM-IRRAS). Both monolayers become more compressible upon interaction with EGCG, which may be correlated to the synergy between EGCG and anticancer drugs reported in the literature. The interaction with EGCG is stronger for DPPC, leading to stronger morphological changes in Brewster angle microscopy (BAM) images and higher degree of condensation in the surface pressure isotherms. The changes induced by blue irradiation on DPPC and DPPS monolayers were largely precluded when EGCG was incorporated, thus confirming its antioxidant capacity for both types of membrane.

Made available in DSpace on 2019-10-06T17:13:01Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2019-09-01 Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) Cell membrane models are useful to obtain molecular-level information on the interaction of biologically-relevant molecules such as pesticides whose activity is believed to depend on its effects on the membrane. In this study, we investigated the interaction between the widely used pesticide picloram with Langmuir monolayers of binary and ternary mixtures comprising 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DOPC), sphingomyelin (SM) and cholesterol (Chol), which could be taken as representative of ocular membranes in humans. Picloram expanded the molecular area of DOPC/SM and DOPC/SM/Chol monolayers as the pesticide penetrated the hydrophobic region of the mixtures. A clear correlation was also found between the compressibility modulus (Cs−1) and the presence of cholesterol in the ternary monolayer. Data from polarization-modulated infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy (PM-IRRAS) confirmed that picloram interacts with both the acyl chains and headgroups. Spectral shifts and band broadening were induced by picloram, particularly for the phosphate and choline groups, probably owing to its H-bonding ability. The effects reported here on the lipid monolayers may be evidence of the possible activity of picloram on mammalian cell membranes, which highlights the importance of strict control of the level of exposure of humans dealing with pesticides. Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia (FCT)-Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP)-Presidente Prudente São Carlos Institute of Physics University of Sao Paulo, CP 369 Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia (FCT)-Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP)-Presidente Prudente FAPESP: 2013/14262-7 FAPESP: 2016/06424-5

Catechins are molecules with potential use in different pathologies such as diabetes and cancer, but their pharmaceutical applications are often hindered by their instability in the bloodstream. This issue can be circumvented using liposomes as their nanocarriers for in vivo delivery. In this work, we studied the molecular details of (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) interacting with 1,2-dimyristoyl- sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DMPC) monolayer/bilayer systems to understand the catechin loading ability and liposome stability, using experimental and computational techniques. The molecular dynamics simulations show the EGCG molecules deep inside the lipid bilayer, positioned below the lipid ester groups, generating a concentration-dependent lipid condensation. This effect was also inferred from the surface pressure isotherms of DMPC monolayers. In the polarization-modulated infrared reflection absorption spectra assays, the predominant effect at higher concentrations of EGCG (e.g., 20 mol %) was an increase in lipid tail disorder. The steady-state fluorescence data confirmed this disordered state, indicating that the catechin-induced liposome aggregation outweighs the condensation effects. Therefore, by adding more than 10 mol % EGCG to the liposomes, a destabilization of the vesicles occurs with the ensuing release of entrapped catechins. The loading capacity for DMPC seems to be limited by its disordered lipid arrangements, typical of a fluid phase. To further increase the clinical usefulness of liposomes, lipid bilayers with more stable and organized assemblies should be employed to avoid aggregation at large concentrations of catechin.

Two kinds of flexible ozone (O3) sensors were obtained by placing pristine ZnO nanorods and gold-modified ZnO nanorods (NRs) on a bi-axially oriented poly(ethylene terephthalate) substrate. The chemiresistive sensor is operated at typically 1 V at room temperature under the UV-light illumination. The ZnO nanorods were prepared via a hydrothermal route and have a highly crystalline wurtzite structure, with diameters ranging between 70 and 300 nm and a length varying from 1 to 3 μm. The ZnO NRs were then coated with a ca. 10 nm gold layer whose presence was confirmed with microscopy analysis. This sensor is found to be superior to detect ozone at a room temperature. Typical figures of merit include (a) a sensor response of 108 at 30 ppb ozone for gold-modified ZnO NRs, and (b) a linear range that extends from 30 to 570 ppb. The sensor is stable, reproducible and selective for O3 compared to other oxidizing and reducing gases. The enhanced performance induced by the modification of ZnO nanorods with thin layer of gold is attributed to the increased reaction kinetics compared to pristine ZnO NRs. The sensing mechanism is assumed to be based on the formation of a nano-Schottky type barrier junction at the interface between gold and ZnO.

The controlled assembly of metal nanoparticles into ordered structures interacting with biological molecules is an emerging concept in surface science. Here, bare magnetite nanoparticles (Fe3O4–NPs...

Artepillin C is the major constituent of green propolis, one of the most consumed products in popular medicine owing to its therapeutic effects, including antitumor activity. Artepillin C differs from other cinnamic acid derivatives due to the presence of two prenylated groups in its structure, believed to enhance access to the cell membrane and resulting in pharmacological activity. The membrane outer leaflet of tumor cells is exposed to an acidic extracellular environment, which could modulate the protonation state of antitumor drugs and hence their interaction with the cell membrane. Herein, we investigated the interaction of Artepillin C with Langmuir monolayers and giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs) of 1,2‑dipalmitoyl‑sn‑glycerol‑3‑phosphocholine (DPPC) used as model membranes, in physiological and acidic environments. We observed that protonation of the carboxyl group of Artepillin C is essential for the interaction, with larger shifts induced in the surface pressure isotherms of DPPC monolayers in comparison with deprotonated Artepillin C. Also observed was a decrease in lipid packing inferred from the compressibility modulus and Brewster angle microscopy (BAM) images for monolayers on acidic subphases. Results with microscopy techniques on GUVs confirmed that. Artepillin C causes a curvature stress of the lipid bilayer only in its neutral state, causing the GUVs to burst. The stronger effects of neutral Artepillin C on both monolayers and GUVs were maintained when the ionic strength was increased. Taken together, the results indicate that Artepillin C may have preferential attachment to a more acidic environment which might be an important feature for its antitumor activity.

Optical devices are today based mainly on glass or synthetic polymers, which hinders their use in biological interfaces owing to the lack of biocompatibility and biodegradability. This is why synthetic plastics are progressively being replaced by their bioplastic counterparts, thus bringing new challenges associated with processability, environmental sustainability, and large-scale fabrication of successful products. Natural polymers or biopolymers are fascinating self-assembled block polymer structures of nearly unlimited and inexpensive renewable resources, now finding applications in various fields, including optics. The ability to control the assembly and conformation of natural polymers into optical quality solutions and films brings the opportunity to revisit their application usually restricted to packaging and medical area. Of particular importance is to combine these polymers with metallic nanoparticles whose tunable localized surface plasmon resonance can be exploited in engineering composite materials with enhanced optical properties. The combined advantages also make them an ideal integration platform to foster biodegradable, bioresorbable, environmentally friendly, and sustainable electronic and optoelectronic devices. This chapter provides comprehensive coverage of advances and trends of how natural polymers and natural polymer-metallic nanoparticle composites have been explored for developing optical devices such as colorimetric sensors, transparent electrodes, optical waveguides, and light amplification devices. Examples will be given of optical composites made of chitin and chitosan, bacterial cellulose, silk fibroin, and DNA, with special emphasis on the challenges and ongoing efforts to fabricate useful devices.

This work reports on a low cost microfluidic electronic tongue (e-tongue) made with carbon interdigitated electrodes, printed on paper, and coated with boronic acid-containing hydrogels. Using capacitance measurements, the e-tongue was capable of distinguishing between different types of sugars (e.g. glucose, fructose and sucrose), in addition to distinguishing between commercial brands of apple juice using a small volume of sample (6 μL). The channels of the microfluidic e-tongue were made using a wax printer, and were modified with hydrogels containing acrylamide copolymerized with 5 or 20 mol% 3-(acrylamido) phenyl boronic acid (Am-PBA), or a crosslinked homopolymeric hydrogel based on N-(2-boronobenzyl)-2-hydroxy-N,N-dimethylethan-1-aminium-3-sulfopropyl acrylate (DMA-PBA). Such hydrogels, containing a phenyl boronic acid (PBA) moiety, can bind saccharides. Combining various hydrogels of this nature in an e-tongue device enabled discrimination between apple juices, which are known to contain higher amounts of fructose compared to glucose or sucrose. Changes in capacitance were captured with impedance spectroscopy in the frequency range from 0.1 to 10 MHz for solutions with varying concentrations of glucose, fructose and sucrose (from 0 to 0.056 g mL-1). The capacitance data were treated with Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Interactive Document Map (IDMAP), which then correlated overall sugar content from different brands of apple juice. This low-cost, easy-to-use, disposable e-tongue offers great potential in the routine analysis of food and beverages, while offering comparative performance to alternatives in the literature.

The combination of nanoarchitectonics with microfluidic systems in analytical devices has brought about an innovative platform for sensing and biosensing. This chapter provides a general overview of materials and fabrication techniques in nanoarchitectonics, especially for bridging the gap between proof-of-principle experiments and commercialization. Emphasis is placed on biosensing based on impedance spectroscopy and electrochemical techniques for detecting proteins, genes and biomarkers, where microfluidics offers advantages such as low cost, automation, miniaturization, and high performance in terms of sensitivity and selectivity. Of special importance is the integration of microfluidic systems with diagnostic applications for point-of-care devices, which can also be envisaged with multiplexed detection in a single chip.

Nanostructured capacitive biosensors, combined with inexpensive fabrication technologies, may provide simple, sensitive devices for detecting clinically relevant cancer biomarkers. Herein, we report a novel platform for detecting the pancreatic cancer biomarker CA19-9 using low-cost screen-printed interdigitated electrodes (SPIDEs). The SPIDEs were modified by carbon nano-onions (CNOs) and graphene oxide (GO) films, on which a layer of anti-CA19-9 antibodies was immobilized. The modification with CNOs and GO significantly improved the analytical performance of the biosensor, which displayed superior results to those prepared only with GO. The biossensor exhibited high reproducibility and a relatively low limit of detection of 0.12 U mL-1. Using these devices in combination with information visualization methods we were able to detect CA19-9 in whole cell lysates of colorectal adenocarcinoma. The fabrication of these low-cost, disposable immunosensors is a successful attempt to explore CNOs in capacitive biosensors, which may be extended for detection of different cancer biomarkers., CAPES (001), CNPq, INEO and FAPESP (2012/15543-7, 2013/14262-7, 2015/01770-0, 2016/00991-5 and 2017/12096-3). M.N.C is grateful for the economic support from Vicerrectoria de Investigaciones and the Centro de Excelencia en Nuevos Materiales (CENM) from the Universidad del Valle.

Graphene-based microfluidic devices can be useful for biosensors and for studying biological systems owing to their comparable length scales and flow characteristics. In sensing and biosensing, the goal in microfluidics research is to develop integrated miniaturized devices capable of achieving high sensitivity and selectivity, rapid response, multiplexing, automation and allow for tests with a small sample volume. In this chapter, a description is presented of fabrication techniques of graphene and derivatives, particularly focused on their possible application in microfluidic devices. A major emphasis is placed on the challenges to reach point-of-care diagnostics, which requires considerably more extensive research as only a few graphene-related studies involving microfluidic devices are available in the literature.

Hemoglobin-containing electrochemical biosensors are useful for detecting hydrogen peroxide through oxidation of the iron ion, but high efficiency can only be reached with appropriate immobilization strategies for hemoglobin. In this work, we combined zein from corn seed with carbon black to immobilize hemoglobin, as proof of concept, and form an electroactive film that could determine hydrogen peroxide within the concentration range from 4.9 × 10−6 to 3.9 × 10−4 mo L−1, and limit of detection of 4.0 × 10−6 mol L−1, using differential pulse voltammetry. The biosensor could also detect hydrogen peroxide in commercial samples of oxygenated water, synthetic serum (physiological and glycoside) and milk. The high performance is ascribed to the large surface area and conductive nature of the porous film that had carbon black and hemoglobin anchored on zein microspheres, according to scanning and transmission electron microscopies. It is significant that a protein from renewable sources (zein) combined with a low-cost carbon material (carbon black) serves as matrix for immobilization of biomolecules.

Outbreaks of foodborne diseases demand simple, rapid techniques for detecting pathogenic bacteria beyond the standard methods that are not applicable to routine analysis in the food industry and in the points of food consumption. In this work, we developed a sensitive, rapid and low-cost assay for detecting Escherichia coli (E. coli), Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Salmonella typhimurium (S. typhi) in potable water and apple juice. The assay is based on electrical impedance spectroscopy measurements with screen-printed interdigitated electrodes coupled with magnetite nanoparticles functionalized with the antimicrobial peptide melittin (MLT). The data were analyzed with the information visualization methods Sammon's Mapping and Interactive Document Map to distinguish samples at two levels of contamination from food suitable for consumption. With this approach it has been possible to detect E. coli concentration down to 1 CFU mL−1 in potable water and 3.5 CFU mL−1 in apple juice without sample preparation, within only 25 min. This approach may serve as a low-cost, quick screening procedure to detect bacteria-related food poisoning, especially if the impedance data of several sensing units are combined.

Introduction: The living standards of the human race in the past few decades have grown at a remarkable pace. One of the most critical environmental issues is the monitoring of air quality [1]. Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) is a hazardous gas and has multiple sources like vehicular emission, combustion process, and unvented heaters present in our day-to-day life. Overexposure to this gas becomes a reason for respiratory problems in humans as well as animals. Hence, it is very crucial to detect this toxic analyte selectively at low temperatures. Various metal oxides have been explored to detect NO2 gas; however, selectivity and operation temperature are still challenging [2]. Microsensors using nanostructured oxides/binary oxides are the most suitable to minimize the current problems of gas sensors (lack of sensitivity, selectivity, and stability) since the reduction in dimensions implies a greater contribution of the surface (greater sensitivity) as well as modification of the transport mechanisms (faster processes) [3-4]. This work demonstrates the low temperature, highly sensitive NO2 detection with fast recovery speed based on hierarchical Cobalt Stannate (Co2SnO4) microspheres synthesized by a facile co-precipitation route. Methodology: Hierarchical Cobalt Stannate (Co2SnO4) microspheres were synthesized with the co-precipitation method with a different annealing process. The sensor film was deposited on microsensors features an interdigitated electrode which encircled platinum heater to regulate the operating temperature and ensure its uniformity. The samples' structural and surface properties were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and BET Surface area, especially to verify the nanomorphology and high surface area. Chemiresistive sensing behavior was recorded. The sensor response was calculated using the equation: Sensor Response (%) = (Ra-Rg)/Ra *100, where Ra and Rg are resistance in air and with the sensing gas, respectively. Results and Conclusions: Compared with the traditional metal oxide-based gas sensors, which operates at high temperature (>300 °C), specific accomplishments include (1) synthesis of Co2SnO4 microspheres with the larger surface area for higher sensing response towards NO2 gas; (2) chemiresistive gas responses of the Co2SnO4 sensor down to 1 ppm for NO2 at a low temperature of 90 °C with high sensitivity and long-term stability; (3) the morphology of microspheres for fast adsorption-desorption processes; and (4) the sensor shows the excellent reproducibility and reversibility with less power consumption (5) Co2SnO4 film exhibits a maximum sensor response of ~81 at 90°C towards NO2 with fast response (~ 24 s) and recovery time (~756 s) at one ppm. (6) the resulting sensor exhibits selectivity toward nitrogen dioxide compared to other gases such as CO2, CO, and H2. References: [1] Kevin W. Bowman, Toward the next generation of air quality monitoring: Ozone, Atmospheric Environment 80 (2013) 571-583. doi: 10.1016/j.atmosenv.2013.07.007 [2] Yichuan Wu, Nirav Joshi, Shilong Zhao, Hu Long, Liujiang Zhou, Ge Ma, Bei Peng, Osvaldo N Oliveira Jr., Alex Zettl, and Liwei Lin, NO2 gas sensors based on CVD tungsten diselenide monolayer, Applied Surface Science 529 (2020) 147110. doi: 10.1016/j.apsusc.2020.147110 [3] Sabu Thomas, Nirav Joshi, Vijay K. Tomer, Functional Nanomaterials: Advances in Gas Sensing Technologies. 2020: Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. doi: 10.1007/978-981-15-4810-9 [4] Nirav Joshi, Luís F. da Silva, Harsharaj S. Jadhav, Flavio M. Shimizu, Pedro H. Suman, Jean-Claude M'Peko, Marcelo Ornaghi Orlandi, Valmor R. Mastelaro, Osvaldo N. Oliveira Jr, Yolk-shelled ZnCo2O4 microspheres: Surface properties and gas sensing application, Sensors and Actuators B 257 (2018) 906–915. doi: 10.1016/j.snb.2017.11.041.

Peptides with an active redox molecule are incorporated into nanostructured films for electrochemical biosensors with stable and controllable physicochemical properties. In this study, we synthesized three ferrocene (Fc)-containing peptides with the sequence Fc-Glu-(Ala)n-Cys-NH2, which could form self-assembled monolayers on gold and be attached to antibodies. The peptide with two alanines (n = 2) yielded the immunosensor with the highest performance in detecting C-reactive protein (CRP), a biomarker of inflammation. Using electrochemical impedance-derived capacitive spectroscopy, the limit of detection was 240 pM with a dynamic range that included clinically relevant CRP concentrations. With a combination of electrochemical methods and polarization-modulated infrared reflection–absorption spectroscopy, we identified the chemical groups involved in the antibody-CRP interaction, and were able to relate the highest performance for the peptide with n = 2 to chain length and efficient packing in the organized films. These strategies to design peptides and methods to fabricate the immunosensors are generic, and can be applied to other types of biosensors, including in low cost platforms for point-of-care diagnostics., CNPq, CAPES and FAPESP (2018/22214-6, 2017/24839-0, 2013/07600-3, 2018/18953-8 and 2018/18231-2) supported the work. EMC is a senior researcher of the CNPq (grant 301975/2018-3).

On-site monitoring of pesticides in food, water and in the environment is crucial for human health, and this requires low cost, portable devices for widespread deployment of the technology. In this paper, we report on selective, sensitive detection and discrimination of four classes of pesticides, namely carbendazim (carbamate), diuron (phenylamide), paraquat (bipyridinium) and fenitrothion (organophosphate), using a set of three glove-embedded sensors printed on three fingers of a rubber glove. The sensors consisted of a pre-treated screen-printed carbon electrode and two other such electrodes coated with either carbon spherical shells (CSS) or Printex carbon nanoballs (PCNB). Detection of carbendazim and diuron was performed using differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) and the electrodes coated with CSS and PCNB, respectively, with limits of detection of 4.7 × 10–8 and 9.2 × 10–7 mol L–1. Square wave voltammetry (SWV) was applied to detect paraquat and fenitrothion with limits of detection 2.4 × 10–8 and 6.4 × 10–7 mol L–1 using the pretreated electrode in sulfuric acid solution. The high performance and discrimination of the pesticides at distinct concentrations in real samples of apple and cabbage by simply touching with the glove, and in orange juice by immersing the fingers was demonstrated with multidimensional projections. The sensors were robust against flexion in multiple times, stable and had reproducible response with no interference from other pesticides. With their high selectivity, sensitivity, easy operation and rapid pesticide detection, these glove-embedded sensors may also be employed in on-site analysis of other chemical threats and be extended to environmental and water samples.

Failure to control the levels of emerging pollutants in water supply can affect the quality of human life, and this may be mitigated with a low-cost, real-time monitoring system. Herein, we describe a paper-based fully printed electrochemical sensor with reduced graphene nanoribbons (rGNR) capable of detecting sulfamethoxazole (SMX) and trimethoprim (TMP) antibiotics simultaneously in real water samples. The electrodes were printed on parchment paper, which is environmentally friendly and has an efficient printing capacity. Deposition of rGNRs in the matrix was confirmed with Raman spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS). Optimized sensing performance was obtained using an electrochemical treatment of the electrodes at neutral pH. The paper-based sensor displayed a linear response from 1 μmol l−1 to 10 μmol l−1 for both antibiotics, with detection limits of 0.09 μmol l−1 and 0.04 μmol l−1 for SMX and TMP, respectively. The sensor was reproducible, with an RSD below 5%, and selective for the antibiotics including in real samples, in a demonstration of its potential for real-time monitoring of water supply systems.

The fight against drug resistance in chemotherapy requires a molecular-level understanding of the drug interaction with cell membranes, which today is feasible with membrane models. In this study, we report on the interaction of gemcitabine (GEM), a pyrimidine nucleoside antimetabolite used to treat pancreatic cancer, with Langmuir films that mimic healthy and cancerous cell membranes. The cell membrane models were made with eight compositions of a quaternary mixture containing 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycerol-3-phosphocholine (DPPC), 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoserine (DPPS), sphingomyelin (SM), and cholesterol (CHOL). The relative concentration of SM was increased so that four of these compositions represented cancerous cells. GEM was found to increase the mean molecular area, also increasing their surface elasticity, with stronger interactions being observed for membranes corresponding to cancerous cells. More specifically, GEM penetrated deepest in the membrane with the highest SM concentration (40 mol%), as inferred from polarization-modulated infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy (PM-IRRAS). This finding was confirmed with molecular dynamics simulations that also indicated how GEM approaches the membrane, which could be useful for guiding the design of drug delivery systems. The experimental and simulation results are consistent with the preferential attachment of GEM onto cancerous cells and highlight the role of SM on drug-cell interactions.

Polyethylene glycol (PEG) fatty acid esters are used in various industries for their interfacial properties, especially because their emulsifying characteristics can be varied considerably by altering the size of the PEG or fatty acid chains. In this study, we combine experimental surface-specific methods and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to probe the effects from changing both the hydrophilic and hydrophobic chain sizes. PEG fatty acids containing either stearic or palmitic acid ethoxylated PEG chains of average molecular weight 200 or 400 g mol −1 (referred to as PEG200 and PEG400, respectively) had critical aggregation concentrations between 30 and 50 μM, and formed Langmuir films at the air/water interface with compressibility modulus typical of liquid-expanded phases. The area per molecule was consistently smaller for the PEG200 series owing to an increased ordering of the hydrophilic chains inferred from the polarization-modulated infrared reflection absorption (PM-IRRAS) spectra, which was corroborated by MD simulations. With PM-IRRAS and MD simulations, we also noted that the hydrophobic chain had increased order when its size increased from palmitic to stearic acid, which was attributed to a higher melting temperature for longer saturated hydrocarbon chains.

FAPESP (Brazil) CNPq (Brazil) CAPES (Brazil) nBioNet (Brazil) We report on the interaction between mer-[RuCl3(dppb)(VPy)] (dppb = 1,4-bis(diphenylphosphine)-butane and VPy=4-vinylpyridine) (RuVPy) and dipalmitoyl phosphatidyl serine (DPPS), in Langmuir and Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) films. Interaction of RuVPy with DPPS, which predominates in cancer cell membranes, should be weaker than for other phospholipids since RuVPy is less toxic to cancer cells than to healthy cells. Incorporation of RuVPy induced smaller changes in electrochemical properties of LB films of DPPS than for other phospholipids, but the same did not apply to surface pressure isotherms. This calls for caution in establishing correlations between effects from a single property and phenomena on cell membranes. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. Univ Estadual Ponta Grossa, Appl Chem Program, BR-84035900 Ponta Grossa, PR, Brazil Univ Sao Paulo, Sao Carlos Inst Phys, BR-13560970 Sao Carlos, SP, Brazil Univ Fed Sao Paulo, Dept Exact Sci, BR-09972270 Diadema, SP, Brazil Univ Fed Sao Paulo, Dept Exact Sci, BR-09972270 Diadema, SP, Brazil Web of Science

Our research involves the development of a pH-sensitive chitosan-tetraethyl orthosilicate interpenetrating polymer network (Chi-TEOS IPN) suitable for the introduction of ordered silica nanoparticles. The pH-sensitive properties of the IPN provide an innovative framework for ordered colloidal silica (SiO2) films known as photonic crystals. The pH-sensitive properties of chitosan occur naturally due to its cationic polyelectrolyte structure; cross-linking with TEOS provides mechanical strength and incorporation of the silica photonic crystal provides a means of optical detection for a pH-driven expansion mechanism. Chitosan-tetraethyl orthosilicate-silica (Chi-TEOS-SiO2) composites are formed through a three-step mechanism in which the silica photonic crystal and Chi-TEOS IPN hydrogel are synthesized separately and then combined to form the Chi-TEOS-SiO2 composite. The silica photonic crystals, IPN membranes and final composite structures were analysed separately through optical, mechanical and swelling studies. Through the successful fabrication of a Chi-TEOS-SiO2 composite we propose a membrane suitable for applications in environmental, chemical and biological sensing of pH.

In this study, we show that the bactericidal activity of quaternized chitosans (TMCs) with sulfate, acetate, and halide counterions against Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) correlates with the "availability" of N-quaternized groups [-(+)N(CH3)3] in the TMCs backbones. N,N,N-trimethyl chitosan sulfate (TMCS) and N,N,N-trimethyl chitosan acetate (TMCAc) displayed the highest activities, probably due to their delocalized π system. Among TMCs with halide counterions, activity was higher for N,N,N-trimethyl chitosan chloride (TMCCl), whereas N,N,N-trimethyl chitosan iodide (TMCI) and N,N,N-trimethyl chitosan bromide (TMCBr) exhibited lower, similar values to each other. This is consistent with the shielding of -(+)N(CH3)3 groups inferred from chemical shifts for halide counterions in (1)HNMR spectra. We also demonstrate that TMCs with distinct bactericidal activities can be classified according to their vibrational spectra using principal component analysis. Taken together, these physicochemical characterization approaches represent a predictive tool for the bactericidal activity of chitosan derivatives.

Two-dimensional (2D) transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) are promising for gas sensors owing to their large surface-to-volume ratios, but the long recovery times stemming from the slow molecular desorption have been an important limitation. In this work, we report on a sensor for nitrogen dioxide (NO2) made with a diselenide (WSe2) monolayer synthesized via chemical vapor deposition, which functions within a range of concentrations from 100 ppb to 5 ppm and at various temperatures, including room temperature. When operated at an optimized temperature of 250 °C, the WSe2 sensor exhibited the fast recovery, with the response (τres) and recovery (τrec) times of 18 s and 38 s, respectively, when exposed to 100 ppb NO2. The sensor also features high selectivity toward NO2 in the presence of other target gases, in addition to reversibility and long-term stability within 60 days. The overall characteristics of the WSe2 sensor make it suitable to monitor indoor/outdoor environments, mainly if further optimization is made with sensor design based on a model for the sensing mechanism we present in this paper.

The design of optoelectronic devices made with ZnO superlattices requires the knowledge of the refractive index, which currently can be done only for films thicker than 30 nm. In this work, we present an effective medium approach to determine the refractive index of ZnO layers as thin as 2 nm. The approach was implemented by determining the refractive index of ZnO layers ranging from 2 nm to 20 nm using spectroscopic ellipsometry measurements in multilayers. For a precise control of morphology and thickness, the superlattices were fabricated with atomic layer deposition (ALD) with alternating layers of 2 nm thick Al2O3 and ZnO, labeled as N ZnO-Al2O3, where N = 10, 20, 30, 50, 75 and 100. The total thickness of all superlattices was kept at 100 nm. The approach was validated by applying it to similar superlattices reported in the literature and fitting the transmittance spectra of the superlattices.

Made available in DSpace on 2020-12-12T02:43:22Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2020-09-01 Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) In this work, we employed impedance spectroscopy measurements to investigate the electrical properties of hybrid films obtained with the sol-gel process using 3-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane (GPTMS) and tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS) at different GPTMS/TEOS molar ratios and temperatures of thermal treatment. For the GPTMS/TEOS-derived samples with 1:1 composition, the DC conductivity (σdc) and charge carrier mobility (μdc) increased linearly with heat treatment temperature from 25 to 80 °C, while σdc increased from 3.2 to 22.4 nS/cm with a 7-fold increase in the GPTMS concentration. These results could be rationalized with the Miller-Abraham model using a charge carrier activation energy of 0.54 ± 0.03 eV. Using FTIR spectroscopy we demonstrated that the structural arrangement of the hybrid matrix involves epoxy ring opening, thus favoring proton conduction, which occurs as in the Grotthuss mechanism via hopping between nearest oxygen atoms of polymerized glycidoxypropyl groups. It is significant that electrical properties of organic/silica matrices can be predicted and tuned for tailored applications using the modeling presented here. Department of Physics Sao Paulo State University (UNESP) Institute of Geosciences and Exact Sciences Sao Carlos Institute of Physics University of Sao Paulo (USP), CP 369 Department of Physics Sao Paulo State University (UNESP) Institute of Geosciences and Exact Sciences FAPESP: 2011/18149-5 FAPESP: 2013/14262-7 CNPq: 427220/2018-1 CNPq: 444810/2014-5

The development of simple detection methods aimed at widespread screening and testing is crucial for many infections and diseases, including prostate cancer where early diagnosis increases the chances of cure considerably. In this paper, we report on genosensors with different detection principles for a prostate cancer specific DNA sequence (PCA3). The genosensors were made with carbon printed electrodes or quartz coated with layer-by-layer (LbL) films containing gold nanoparticles and chondroitin sulfate and a layer of a complementary DNA sequence (PCA3 probe). The highest sensitivity was reached with electrochemical impedance spectroscopy with the detection limit of 83 pM in solutions of PCA3, while the limits of detection were 2000 pM and 900 pM for cyclic voltammetry and UV–vis spectroscopy, respectively. That detection could be performed with an optical method is encouraging, as one may envisage extending it to colorimetric tests. Since the morphology of sensing units is known to be affected in detection experiments, we applied machine learning algorithms to classify scanning electron microscopy images of the genosensors and managed to distinguish those exposed to PCA3-containing solutions from control measurements with an accuracy of 99.9%. The performance in distinguishing each individual PCA3 concentration in a multiclass task was lower, with an accuracy of 88.3%, which means that further developments in image analysis are required for this innovative approach., Graphical abstract Image 1, Highlights • Low-cost biosensors fabricated with gold nanoparticles and chondroitin sulfate used for detecting PCA3 biomarker. • PCA3 detection from machine learning with accuracy of 99.9%. • The highest sensitivity was reached with electrochemical impedance spectroscopy with the detection limit of 83 pM.

Cell membrane models have been used to evaluate the interactions of various imidazolium-based ionic liquids (ILs) with Langmuir monolayers of two types of phospholipids and cholesterol. Data from surface pressure isotherms, Brewster angle microscopy (BAM) and polarization-modulated infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy (PM-IRRAS) pointed to significant effects on the monolayers of 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DPPC) and cholesterol, used to mimic the membranes of eukaryotic cells, for ILs containing more than 6 carbon atoms in the alkyl chain (i.e. n > 6). For ILs with less hydrophobic tails (n ≤ 6) and low concentrations, the effects were almost negligible, therefore, such ILs should not be toxic to eukaryotic cells. The hydrophobicity of the anion was also proved to be relevant, with larger impact from ILs containing tetrafluoroborate ([BF4]-) than chloride (Cl-). Molecular dynamics simulations for DPPC monolayers at the surface of aqueous solutions of alkylimidazolium chloride ([Cnmim]Cl) confirm the penetration of the IL cations with longer alkyl chains into the phospholid monolayer and provide information on their location and orientation within the monolayer. For monolayers of dipalmitoylphosphatidyl glycerol (DPPG), which is negatively charged like bacteria cell membranes, the ILs induced much larger effects. Similarly to the results for DPPC and cholesterol, effects increased with the number of carbon atoms in the alkyl chain and with a more hydrophobic anion [BF4]-. Overall, the approach used can provide relevant information of molecular-level interactions behind the toxicity mechanisms and support the design of (quantitative) structure-activity relationship models, which may help design more efficient and environmentally friendly ILs. published

The recent development of silver nanostars (Ag-NSs) is promising for improved surface-enhanced sensing and spectroscopy, which may be further exploited if the mechanisms behind the excitation of localized surface plasmon resonances (LSPRs) are identified. Here, we show that LSPRs in Ag-NSs can be obtained with finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) calculations by considering the nanostars as combination of crossed nanorods (Ag-NRs). In particular, we demonstrate that an apparent tail at large wavelengths ( &lambda, ≳ 700 nm) observed in the extinction spectra of Ag-NSs is due to a strong dipolar plasmon resonance, with no need to invoke heterogeneity (different number of arms) effects as is normally done in the literature. Our description also indicates a way to tune the strongest LSPR at desired wavelengths, which is useful for sensing applications.

Membrane structure is a key factor for the cell`s physiology, pathology, and therapy. Evaluating the importance of lipid species such as N-nervonoyl sphingomyelin (24:1-SM) -able to prevent phase separation- to membrane structuring remains a formidable challenge. This is the first report in which polarization-modulated infrared reflection-absorption spectroscopy (PM-IRRAS) is applied to investigate the lipid-lipid interactions in 16:0 vs 24:1-SM monolayers and their mixtures with 1,2-Dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DOPC) and cholesterol (Chol) (DOPC/SM/Chol 2:1:1). From the results we inferred that the cis double bond (Δ15) in 24:1-SM molecule diminishes intermolecular H-bonding and chain packing density compared to that of 16:0-SM. In ternary mixtures containing 16:0-SM, the relative intensity of the two components of the Amide I band reflected changes in the H-bonding network due to SM-Chol interactions. In contrast, the contribution of the main components of the Amide I band in DOPC/24:1-SM/Chol remained as in 24:1-SM monolayers, with a larger contribution of the non-H-bonded component. The most interesting feature in these ternary films is that the CO stretching mode of DOPC appeared with an intensity similar to that of SM Amide I band in DOPC/16:0-SM/Chol monolayers (a two-phase [Lo/Le] system), whereas an extremely low intensity of the CO band was detected in DOPC/24:1-SM/Chol monolayers (single Le phase). This is evidence that the unsaturation in 24:1-SM affected not only the conformational properties of acyl chains but also the orientation of the chemical groups at the air/water interface. The physical properties and overall H-bonding ability conferred by 24:1-SM may have implications in cell signaling and binding of biomolecules., Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de La Plata, Instituto de Investigaciones Fisicoquímicas Teóricas y Aplicadas

Just Accepted Manuscript, High-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, mainly with HPV16 type, has been increasingly considered as an important etiologic factor in head and neck cancers. Detection of HPV16 is therefore crucial for these types of cancer, but clinical tests are not performed routinely in public health systems owing to the high cost and limitations of the existing tests. In this article, we report on a potentially low-cost genosensor capable of detecting low concentrations of HPV16 in buffer samples and distinguishing, with high accuracy, head and neck cancer cell lines according to their HPV16 status. The genosensor consisted of a microfluidic device that had an active layer of a HPV16 capture DNA probe (cpHPV16) deposited onto a layer-by-layer film of chitosan and chondroitin sulfate. Impedance spectroscopy was the principle of detection utilized, leading to a limit of detection of 10.5 pM for complementary ssDNA HPV16 oligos (ssHPV16). The genosensor was also able to distinguish among HPV16+ and HPV16- cell lines, using the multidimensional projection technique interactive document mapping. Hybridization between the ssHPV16 oligos and cpHPV16 probe was confirmed with polarization-modulated infrared reflection-absorption spectroscopy, where PO2 and amide I and amide II bands from adenine and thymine were monitored. The electrical response could be modeled as resulting from an adsorption process represented in a Freundlich model. Because the fabrication procedures of the microfluidic devices and genosensors and the data collection and analysis can be implemented at low cost, the results presented here amount to a demonstration of possible routine screening for HPV infections., CNPq (150985/2017-7), FAPESP (2013/14262-7) and Barretos Cancer Hospital, info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

Plasmonic biosensing has been used for fast, real-time, and label-free probing of biologically relevant analytes, where the main challenges are to detect small molecules at ultralow concentrations and produce compact devices for point-of-care (PoC) analysis. This review discusses the most recent, or even emerging, trends in plasmonic biosensing, with novel platforms which exploit unique physicochemical properties and versatility of new materials. In addition to the well-established use of localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR), three major areas have been identified in these new trends: chiral plasmonics, magnetoplasmonics, and quantum plasmonics. In describing the recent advances, emphasis is placed on the design and manufacture of portable devices working with low loss in different frequency ranges, from the infrared to the visible.

Made available in DSpace on 2018-12-11T17:37:13Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2018-07-15 Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) Disperse Orange 37 (DO37) is an efficient azo dye for dyeing synthetic textile materials owing to its resistance to degradation that may also be harmful to humans as DO37 is not entirely eliminated in wastewater treatment. In this paper, we demonstrate that DO37 is bleached by reduced glutathione (GSH) in a reaction catalyzed by glutathione-s-transferase (GST), a phase II detoxification enzyme. The reaction included a nucleophilic attack involving sulfhydryl groups, confirmed using density functional theory (DFT) calculations. DO37 also induced quenching in the fluorescence of GST through static suppression. The reaction was determined using differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) by monitoring the oxidation peak at 0.65 V of GSH sulfhydryl group. Quantitative estimation of the product reaction could be made by measuring an additional oxidation peak at 0.91 V which increased linearly with DO37 concentration. These electrochemical determinations were made possible by preconcentrating the reaction product on a graphite-epoxy electrode with immobilization of GST onto magnetite nanoparticles. Straightforward biological implications from the results are associated with the known toxicity of azo dyes such as DO37, which has been proven here to interact strongly with both GSH and the liver enzyme GST, and may induce hepatocarcinogenesis or other types of cancer. Institute of Chemistry São Paulo State University (UNESP) São Carlos Institute of Physics University of São Paulo, P.O Box 369 Institute of Chemistry Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB) Institute of Chemistry São Paulo State University (UNESP) FAPESP: 2012/15543-7 FAPESP: 2013/14262-7 FAPESP: 2016/00991-5

The envisaged ubiquitous sensing and biosensing for varied applications has motivated materials development toward low cost, biocompatible platforms. In this paper, we demonstrate that carbon nanodiamonds (NDs) can be combined with potato starch (PS) and be deposited on a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) in the form of a homogeneous, rough film, with electroanalytical performance tuned by varying the relative ND-PS concentration. As a proof of concept, the ND/PS film served as matrix to immobilize tyrosinase (Tyr) and the resulting Tyr-ND-PS/GCE biosensor was suitable to detect catechol using differential pulse voltammetry with detection limit of 3.9 × 10−7 mol L−1 in the range between 5.0 × 10−6 and 7.4 × 10−4 mol L−1. Catechol could also be detected in river and tap water samples. This high sensitivity, competitive with biosensors made with more sophisticated procedures and materials in the literature, is attributed to the large surface area and conductivity imparted by the small NDs (

In this paper, we discuss the relevance of sensing and biosensing for the ongoing revolution in science and technology as a product of the merging of machine learning and Big Data into affordable technologies and accessible everyday products. Possible scenarios for the next decades are described with examples of intelligent systems for various areas, most of which will rely on ubiquitous sensing. The technological and societal challenges for developing the full potential of such intelligent systems are also addressed.

Advances in nanomaterials have led to tremendous progress in different areas with the development of high performance and multifunctional platforms. However, a relevant gap remains in providing the mass-production of these nanomaterials with reproducible surfaces. Accordingly, the monitoring of such materials across their entire life cycle becomes mandatory to both industry and academy. In this paper, we use a microfluidic electronic tongue (e-tongue) as a user-friendly and cost-effective method to classify nanomaterials according to their surface chemistry. The chip relies on a new single response e-tongue with association of capacitors in parallel, which consisted of stainless steel microwires coated with SiO2, NiO2, Al2O3, and Fe2O3 thin films. Utilizing impedance spectroscopy and a multidimensional projection technique, the chip was sufficiently sensitive to distinguish silica nanoparticles and multiwalled carbon nanotubes dispersed in water in spite of the very small surface modifications induced by ...

We present a nonlinear transfer matrix method for studying the second-harmonic generation (SHG) in nonperiodic metamaterial photonic superlattices. A large enhancement of up to 5 orders of magnitude in SHG efficiency was observed for superlattices made with a Cantor-like quasiperiodic assembly of a nonlinear material and a metamaterial. The enhancement was found to depend much more on the electric field amplitude along the structure because of self-similarity effects than on the amount of nonlinear material, which opens the way to design superlattices for tailored applications in broad-band tunable lasers.

We demonstrate that the excitation of magnetic bulk plasmon-like resonances in μ-near-zero double-negative metamaterial slabs is suitable for the design of new sensing platforms, where light-to-plasmon coupling is reached without requiring a prism or grating coupler. This allows for excitation with light coming directly from the air and for dielectric substrates with any refractive index. In the microwave region this architecture is able to detect changes as small as 10 − 2 in the refractive index of the superstrate. If the metamaterial slab is backed by a metallic substrate, on the other hand, the system can be used as a light-absorber for light harvesting applications.

Accepted Manuscript, The challenge of the early diagnosis of pancreatic cancer in routine clinical practice requires low-cost means of detection, and this may be achieved with immunosensors based on electrical or electrochemical principles. In this paper, we report a potentially low-cost immunosensor built with interdigitated gold electrodes coated with a self-assembled monolayer and a layer of anti-CA19-9 antibodies, which is capable of detecting the pancreatic cancer biomarker CA19-9 using electrical impedance spectroscopy. Due to specific, irreversible adsorption of CA19-9 onto its corresponding antibody, according to data from polarization-modulated infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy (PM-IRRAS), the immunosensor is highly sensitive and selective. It could detect CA19-9 in commercial samples with a limit of detection of 0.68 U mL−1, in addition to distinguishing between blood serum samples from patients with different concentrations of CA19-9. Furthermore, by treating the capacitance data with information visualization methods, we were able to verify the selectivity and robustness of the immunosensor with regard to false positives, as the samples containing higher CA19-9 concentrations, including those from tumor cells, could be distinguished from those with possible interferents., CAPES, FAPESP (Grant 2013/14262-7 and 2012/15543-7), CNPq (150985/2017-7), nBioNet network and Barretos Cancer Hospital for financial support, info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

Made available in DSpace on 2018-11-26T22:40:49Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2018-10-01. Added 1 bitstream(s) on 2019-10-09T18:27:55Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 S0103-50532018001002054.pdf: 1875083 bytes, checksum: d412309b2dfc7b515b1a8e8b893b7ce1 (MD5) Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) LMF/LNNano, Brazil Immunosensors based on impedance spectroscopy for diagnosing hepatitis C are reported where the sensing units were made with the antigenic peptide PPLLESWKDPDYVPPWHG (NS5A-1) derived from the NS5A protein of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) immobilized in layer-by-layer (LbL) films with silk fibroin (SF) and deposited on gold interdigitated electrodes. The electrical response of the sensing units varied upon immersion into solutions containing the antibody anti-HCV owing to the biomolecular recognition of NS5A-1. This was associated with morphological changes on the LbL films caused by adsorption of NS5A-1 and inferred from atomic force microscopy images. Buffer solutions with different anti-HCV concentrations down to 2 ng mL(-1) could be clearly distinguished by analyzing the impedance spectroscopy data with a multidimensional projection technique. The specificity toward anti-HCV antibodies was confirmed in control experiments where no significant changes in the electrical response were measured by exposing the sensing units to solutions containing an anti-human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) antibody. The high sensitivity and selectivity of the units made with LbL films demonstrate the feasibility of measuring electrical impedance as an immunosensing strategy to detect hepatitis C. Univ Estadual Paulista, Inst Quim, BR-14800060 Araraquara, SP, Brazil Univ Fed Mato Grosso do Sul, Inst Fis, CP-549, BR-79070900 Campo Grande, MS, Brazil Univ Sao Paulo, Inst Ciencias Matemat & Comp, BR-13566590 Sao Carlos, SP, Brazil Univ Sao Paulo, Inst Fis Sao Carlos, BR-13566590 Sao Carlos, SP, Brazil Univ Fed Sao Paulo, Inst Ciencia & Tecnol, BR-12231280 Sao Jose Dos Campos, SP, Brazil Univ Estadual Paulista, Inst Quim, BR-14800060 Araraquara, SP, Brazil CAPES: 26 LMF/LNNano, Brazil: LMF 12298

Taste masking is an important strategy for improving adherence of patients, especially children, who have to take pharmaceutical drugs with a bitter taste, as is the case of praziquantel (PZQ) used to treat schistosomiasis. In this work, a modified interfacial polymer deposition method was used to prepare polymer microcapsules and microspheres to encapsulate PZQ, where formulations were optimized to fulfill the stringent requirements for controlled drug release. In vitro release tests confirmed the suitability of the formulation with microcapsules of the anionic copolymer L30D, in which the loading of PZQ was larger than 90% in solutions that were stable at low pH but released PZQ under enteric conditions. We also show that the encapsulation was effective in terms of masking PZQ taste through the analysis with an electronic tongue.