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Lead poses severe effects on living organisms, and since Pb2+ ions tend to accumulate in different organs, it is crucial to monitor Pb2+ concentration in samples such as water and soil. One of the approaches is the utilization of biosensors combined with aptamer-based layers for the electrochemical detection of lead ions. Herein, we present the studies of applying miniaturized screen-printed transducers as solid surfaces to fabricate aptamer layers. As the research is the direct continuation of our previous studies regarding the use of gold disk electrodes, the working parameters of elaborated aptasensors were defined, including the range of linear response (10–100 nM), selectivity as well as stability, regeneration, and feasibility of application for the analysis of real samples. This was achieved using voltammetric techniques including cyclic and square-wave voltammetry in the presence of methylene blue redox indicator.

This article reports findings on screen-printed electrodes employed in microfluidic diagnostic devices. The research described includes developing a series of graphene- and other carbon form-based printing pastes compared to their rheological parameters, such as viscosity in static and shear-thinning conditions, yield stress, and shear rate required for thinning. In addition, the morphology, electrical conductivity, and electrochemical properties of the electrodes, printed with the examined pastes, were investigated. Correlation analysis was performed between all measured parameters for six electrode materials, yielding highly significant (p-value between 0.002 and 0.017) correlations between electron transfer resistance (Ret), redox peak separation, and static viscosity and thinning shear-rate threshold. The observed more electrochemically accessible surface was explained according to the fluid mechanics of heterophase suspensions. Under changing shear stress, the agglomeration enhanced by the graphene nanoplatelets’ interparticle affinity led to phase separation. Less viscous pastes were thinned to a lesser degree, allowing non-permanent clusters to de-agglomerate. Thus, the breaking of temporary agglomerates yielded an unblocked electrode surface. Since the mechanism of phase ordering through agglomeration and de-agglomeration is affected by the pastes’ rheology and stress during the printing process and requires no further treatment, it can be appropriately labeled as a self-assembling electrode material.

Recently nucleic acids gained considerable attention as selective receptors of metal ions. This is because of the possibility of adjusting their sequences in new aptamers selection, as well as the convenience of elaborating new detection mechanisms. Such a flexibility allows for easy utilization of newly emerging nanomaterials for the development of detection devices. This, in turn, can significantly increase, e.g., analytical signal intensity, both optical and electrochemical, and the same can allow for obtaining exceptionally low detection limits and fast biosensor responses. All these properties, together with low power consumption, make nucleic acids biosensors perfect candidates as detection elements of fully automatic portable microfluidic devices. This review provides current progress in nucleic acids application in monitoring environmentally and clinically important metal ions in the electrochemical or optical manner. In addition, several examples of such biosensor applications in portable microfluidic devices are shown.

This paper focuses on the current state of art as well as on future trends in electrochemical aptasensors application in medical diagnostics. The origin of aptamers is presented along with the description of the process known as SELEX. This is followed by the description of the broad spectrum of aptamer-based sensors for the electrochemical detection of various diagnostically relevant analytes, including metal cations, abused drugs, neurotransmitters, cancer, cardiac and coagulation biomarkers, circulating tumor cells, and viruses. We described also possible future perspectives of aptasensors development. This concerns (i) the approaches to lowering the detection limit and improvement of the electrochemical aptasensors selectivity by application of the hybrid aptamer–antibody receptor layers and/or nanomaterials; and (ii) electrochemical aptasensors integration with more advanced microfluidic devices as user-friendly medical instruments for medical diagnostic of the future.

Lead poses severe effects on living organisms, and since Pb2+ ions tend to accumulate in different organs, it is crucial to monitor Pb2+ concentration in samples such as water and soil. One of the approaches is the utilization of biosensors combined with aptamer-based layers for the electrochemical detection of lead ions. Herein, we present the studies of applying miniaturized screen-printed transducers as solid surfaces to fabricate aptamer layers. As the research is the direct continuation of our previous studies regarding the use of gold disk electrodes, the working parameters of elaborated aptasensors were defined, including the range of linear response (10–100 nM), selectivity as well as stability, regeneration, and feasibility of application for the analysis of real samples. This was achieved using voltammetric techniques including cyclic and square-wave voltammetry in the presence of methylene blue redox indicator. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

I Toxins i was able to uphold its high standards for published papers due to the outstanding efforts of our reviewers. [Extracted from the article]

This article reports findings on screen-printed electrodes employed in microfluidic diagnostic devices. The research described includes developing a series of graphene- and other carbon form-based printing pastes compared to their rheological parameters, such as viscosity in static and shear-thinning conditions, yield stress, and shear rate required for thinning. In addition, the morphology, electrical conductivity, and electrochemical properties of the electrodes, printed with the examined pastes, were investigated. Correlation analysis was performed between all measured parameters for six electrode materials, yielding highly significant (p-value between 0.002 and 0.017) correlations between electron transfer resistance (Ret), redox peak separation, and static viscosity and thinning shear-rate threshold. The observed more electrochemically accessible surface was explained according to the fluid mechanics of heterophase suspensions. Under changing shear stress, the agglomeration enhanced by the graphene nanoplatelets' interparticle affinity led to phase separation. Less viscous pastes were thinned to a lesser degree, allowing non-permanent clusters to de-agglomerate. Thus, the breaking of temporary agglomerates yielded an unblocked electrode surface. Since the mechanism of phase ordering through agglomeration and de-agglomeration is affected by the pastes' rheology and stress during the printing process and requires no further treatment, it can be appropriately labeled as a self-assembling electrode material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently nucleic acids gained considerable attention as selective receptors of metal ions. This is because of the possibility of adjusting their sequences in new aptamers selection, as well as the convenience of elaborating new detection mechanisms. Such a flexibility allows for easy utilization of newly emerging nanomaterials for the development of detection devices. This, in turn, can significantly increase, e.g., analytical signal intensity, both optical and electrochemical, and the same can allow for obtaining exceptionally low detection limits and fast biosensor responses. All these properties, together with low power consumption, make nucleic acids biosensors perfect candidates as detection elements of fully automatic portable microfluidic devices. This review provides current progress in nucleic acids application in monitoring environmentally and clinically important metal ions in the electrochemical or optical manner. In addition, several examples of such biosensor applications in portable microfluidic devices are shown. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As cancer diseases are the second main cause of death it is necessary to elaborate fast and efficient early diagnosis methods for their detection. One of the possibilities is the analysis of protein biomarkers, which abnormal concentration in physiological fluids might be an indication of cancer disease progression. Herein, we present the studies on the development of affinity‐based biosensors for electrochemical detection of HER2 protein, which is a common biomarker of breast cancer. The main objective was to verify the possibility of fabrication of HER2‐specific hybrid aptamer‐polyclonal antibody and antibody‐based sandwich sensing layer on gold electrode surface. The effectiveness of each electrode modification step was confirmed using voltammetric and impedimetric techniques in the presence of ferri/ferrocyanide redox couple. It was observed that hybrid construct was unlikely to be formed on the gold electrode due to a higher affinity of secondary polyclonal antibody towards target protein, which resulted in the separation of HER2‐antibody complex from the electrode surface. On the contrary, an antibody‐based sandwich receptor layer allowed for protein discrimination in the range from 1 to 100 ng mL−1 by the application of TMB/H2O2 system and chronoamperometry detection technique. Though, the occurrence of interactions between interfering proteins and antibody‐based layer was noted, it led to at least two times smaller current responses than for HER2 protein. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: C‐reactive protein (CRP) is one of the crucial biomarkers of inflammation, as well as cardiovascular and cancer diseases. Hence, the development of a sensitive and selective technique for CRP detection is of special importance. One of the possibilities is the application of biosensors containing receptor elements formed of RNA aptamers, as they exhibit high affinity towards C‐reactive protein. Herein, the capability of utilization of thiolated RNA aptamers as sensing layers was verified. The occurrence of aptamer ‐ C‐reactive protein interaction was confirmed by quartz crystal microbalance experiments. The voltammetric measurements performed in the presence of methylene blue redox indicator showed a linear current decrease within 1–100 pmol L−1 range of protein concentration. The interaction between surface‐tethered aptamer and CRP was distinguished with dissociation constant of 25.9 pmol L−1. The developed assay demonstrated a pronounced selectivity to CRP over interfering proteins as well as capability of CRP analysis in serum sample. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Przeglad Socjologiczny is the property of Lodz Scientific Society / Lodzkie Towarzystwo Naukowe and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

An introduction is presented which discusses various reports within the issue on topics including vesicular exocytosis and microdevices-microelectrode arrays along with a list of members of editorial board and information for authors on submission of manuscripts.

Protein biomarkers of cancer allow a dramatic improvement in cancer diagnostics as compared to the traditional histological characterisation of tumours by enabling a non-invasive analysis of cancer development and treatment. Here, an electrochemical label-free assay for urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA), a universal biomarker of several cancers, has been developed based on the recently selected uPA-specific fluorinated RNA aptamer, tethered to a gold electrode via a phosphorothioated dA tag, and soluble redox indicators. The binding properties of the uPA–aptamer couple and interference from the non-specific adsorption of bovine serum albumin (BSA) were modulated by the electrode surface charge. A nM uPA electroanalysis at positively charged surfaces, complicated by the competitive adsorption of BSA, was tuned to the pM uPA analysis at negative surface charges of the electrode, being improved in the presence of negatively charged BSA. The aptamer affinity for uPA displayed via the binding/dissociation constant relationship correspondingly increased, ca. three orders of magnitude, from 0.441 to 367. Under optimal conditions, the aptasensor allowed 10−12–10−9 M uPA analysis, also in serum, being practically useful for clinical applications. The proposed strategy for optimization of the electrochemical protein sensing is of particular importance for the assessment and optimization of in vivo protein ligand binding by surface-tethered aptamers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rigorous peer-reviews are the basis of high-quality academic publishing. Thanks to the contribution of our reviewers, in 2021, the median time to first decision was 16 days and the median time to publication was 40 days. Thanks to the great efforts of our reviewers, I Sensors i was able to maintain its standards for the high quality of its published papers. [Extracted from the article]

This paper focuses on the current state of art as well as on future trends in electrochemical aptasensors application in medical diagnostics. The origin of aptamers is presented along with the description of the process known as SELEX. This is followed by the description of the broad spectrum of aptamer-based sensors for the electrochemical detection of various diagnostically relevant analytes, including metal cations, abused drugs, neurotransmitters, cancer, cardiac and coagulation biomarkers, circulating tumor cells, and viruses. We described also possible future perspectives of aptasensors development. This concerns (i) the approaches to lowering the detection limit and improvement of the electrochemical aptasensors selectivity by application of the hybrid aptamer–antibody receptor layers and/or nanomaterials; and (ii) electrochemical aptasensors integration with more advanced microfluidic devices as user-friendly medical instruments for medical diagnostic of the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The extensive use of chromium by several industries conducts to the discharge of an immense quantity of its various forms in the environment which affects drastically the ecological and biological lives especially in the case of hexavalent chromium. Electrochemical sensors and biosensors are useful devices for chromium determination. In the last five years, several sensors based on the modification of electrode surface by different nanomaterials (fluorine tin oxide, titanium dioxide, carbon nanomaterials, metallic nanoparticles and nanocomposite) and biosensors with different biorecognition elements (microbial fuel cell, bacteria, enzyme, DNA) were employed for chromium monitoring. Herein, recent advances related to the use of electrochemical approaches for measurement of trivalent and hexavalent chromium from 2015 to 2020 are reported. A discussion of both chromium species detections and speciation studies is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heavy metals are one of the major pollutants found in drinking water and their abnormal level may pose a threat to human's health and life. Manganese also belongs to heavy metals group, and it is generally used in production of batteries, fertilizers, and ceramics. Even though, Mn is necessary for proper development of central nervous system, its elevated concentration might lead to certain diseases such as epilepsies, cell death in focal cerebral ischemia as well as neurodegenerative diseases such as Huntington and Alzheimer. Hence, it is crucial to elaborate novel methods for manganese ions detection that could be applied for in situ analysis of water samples. Herein, we present the studies on the electrochemical detection of manganese ions using aptamer-modified electrodes. This is the first attempt of application of aptamer strands as receptor layers for electrochemical analysis of manganese ions and for that purpose gold disk electrodes served as transducers, which were further modified with disulfide - based aptamers and 6-mercapto-1-hexanol blocking agent. The electrochemical measurements concerned the choice of the conditions for formation of aptamer receptor layer as well as the type of redox indicator that served as the source of current signal. The studies referred to the definition of aptasensor working parameters including the verification of the possibility of manganese ion detection in cell culture media. It was shown that it was possible to detect Mn 2+ ions within 25 nM-1 μM concentration and the proposed aptasensor exhibited high selectivity towards target analyte for which at least 2 - times higher response was recorded than for interfering ions. Moreover, the possibility of Mn 2+ detection in real samples was depicted followed by stability and regeneration studies., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests:Marcin Olszewski reports financial support was provided by The National Centre for Research and Development. Marta Jarczewska has patent #Aptamer, aptasensor containing aptamer and aptamer application for selective detection of manganese ions, P.446,262 pending to Assignee. If there are other authors, they declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)