The latest issue of Analyst is now available online and we have three exciting covers for you to admire.
The colourful front cover is from Hai Luo and colleagues from Peking University. They have studied the complexation reactions of insulin and other proteins with metal ions that are generated from the surface of substrates during laser irradiation as part of the process of laser desorption spray post-ionization mass spectrometry (LDSPI-MS).
By studying the type of sample plate material, laser and metal ions involved, they were able to make recommendations to optimise analysis to get the best possible results.
Unexpected complexation reaction during analysis of proteins using laser desorption spray post-ionization mass spectrometry, Jia Liu, Chengsen Zhang, Jiamu Sun and Hai Luo
Analyst, 2012, 137, 1764-1767, DOI: 10.1039/C2AN16090K
The inside front cover from Hong Chen and Lin Yuan of Soochow University and co-workers has an informative image of a new sandwich ELISA method that has been developed for cancer detection.
Their work has found that an ELISA plate in sandwich format that is modified with a gold nanoparticle layer has an amplified signal and a lower limit of detection compared to other assays. This new assay was tested on a representative biomarker in human plasma and showed superior performance.
Sensitive sandwich ELISA based on a gold nanoparticle layer for cancer detection
Feng Zhou, Mengmeng Wang, Lin Yuan, Zhenping Cheng, Zhaoqiang Wu and Hong Chen
Analyst, 2012, 137, 1779-1784, DOI: 10.1039/C2AN16257A
On the back cover Gobind Das and colleagues from the Nanostructures Division of the Italian Institute of Technology have fabricated a new honey-combed nano-patterned substrate to be used in SERS biosensors. Further work in optimisation is ongoing to produce an inexpensive and disposable biosensor device.
Fabrication of large-area ordered and reproducible nanostructures for SERS biosensor application
Gobind Das, Niranjan Patra, Anisha Gopalakrishnan, Remo Proietti Zaccaria, Andrea Toma, Sanjay Thorat, Enzo Di Fabrizio, Alberto Diaspro and Marco Salerno
Analyst, 2012, 137, 1785-1792, DOI: 10.1039/C2AN16022F
All three cover articles will be free to access for 6 weeks.
