Analyst Blog

Youngkyoo Kim from the Kyungpook National University, Republic of Korea, and colleagues have developed an artificial nose that can mimic the real thing! Olfactory sensory neurons from rats were cultured onto indium-tin oxide electrodes and direct voltage and current signals were then measured when it was exposed to odorants. It is hoped the present system can help advance the work in biomimetic artificial noses, which have a number of applications in medical diagnosis, anti-bioterror devices and environmental monitoring.

Direct measurement of extracellular electrical signals from mammalian olfactory sensory neurons in planar triode devices
Hwajeong Kim, So Yeun Kim, Sungho Nam, Gabriele V. Ronnett, Hyung Soo Han, Cheil Moon and Youngkyoo Kim
Analyst , 2012, Advance Article
DOI : 10.1039/C2AN16205A

In this HOT article Xiu-Ping Yan and colleagues from Nankai University have developed a colourimetric method to determine the presence of histidine in urine. The method is detectable by the naked-eye, with an obvious colour change from yellow to purple. The detection of histidine, an amino acid found in many proteins, is used to help with the diagnosis of histidine metabolism disorders and other diseases such as epilepsy and Parkinson’s disease.

Yan et al., Analyst, 2012, Advance Article

Take a look at their paper, it will be free to read for 2 weeks.

An indicator-displacement assay for naked-eye detection and quantification of histidine in human urine
Shao-Kai Sun, Kai-Xiong Tu and Xiu-Ping Yan
Analyst, 2012, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C2AN35126A

The latest issue of Analyst features quite a few HOT articles for you to take a look at! Featuring logic gates, environmental monitoring, clinical analysis and analytical probes, there’s a little something for everyone.

Don’t forget you can browse the whole issue via the Analyst homepage.

Analyst, 2012, Issue 8, Pages 1741 to 1972

Analysis of biomarkers characteristic of porcine liver injury—from biomolecular logic gates to an animal model
Lenka Halámková, Jan Halámek, Vera Bocharova , Steven Wolf, Kristine E. Mulier, Greg Beilman, Joseph Wang and Evgeny Katz
Analyst, 2012, 137, 1768-1770
DOI: 10.1039/C2AN00014H

A novel nanoaggregation detection technique of TNT using selective and ultrasensitive nanocurcumin as a probe
Alok Pandya, Heena Goswami, Anand Lodha and Shobhana K. Menon
Analyst, 2012, 137, 1771-1774
DOI: 10.1039/C2AN35131E

Coherent two-dimensional infrared spectroscopy: Quantitative analysis of protein secondary structure in solution
Carlos R. Baiz, Chunte Sam Peng, Mike E. Reppert, Kevin C. Jones and Andrei Tokmakoff
Analyst, 2012, 137, 1793-1799
DOI: 10.1039/C2AN16031E

Visual detection of copper(II) ions in blood samples by controlling the leaching of protein-capped gold nanoparticles
Yen-Fei Lee, Ting-Wei Deng, Wei-Jane Chiu, Tsao-Yen Wei, Prathik Roy and Chih-Ching Huang
Analyst, 2012, 137, 1800-1806
DOI: 10.1039/C2AN16270A

On-line solid phase extraction of humic acid from environmental water and monitoring with flow-through chemiluminescence
Jingya Qu, Hui Chen, Chao Lu, Zhihua Wang and Jin-Ming Lin
Analyst, 2012, 137, 1824-1830
DOI: 10.1039/C2AN16002A

Characterization of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):tosylate conductive polymer microelectrodes for transmitter detection
Simon T. Larsen, Richard F. Vreeland, Michael L. Heien and Rafael Taboryski
Analyst, 2012, 137, 1831-1836
DOI: 10.1039/C2AN16288A

Two-photon fluorescent probe for cadmium imaging in cells
Yongyou Liu, Xiaohu Dong, Jian Sun, Cheng Zhong, Boheng Li, Ximeng You, Bifeng Liu and Zhihong Liu
Analyst, 2012, 137, 1837-1845
DOI: 10.1039/C2AN16254G

Polypyrrole hollow fiber for solid phase extraction
Tian Tian, Jianjun Deng, Zhuoying Xie, Yuanjin Zhao, Zhangqi Feng, Xuejun Kang and Zhongze Gu
Analyst, 2012, 137, 1846-1852
DOI: 10.1039/C2AN16266K

A chromo- and fluorogenic sensor for probing the cancer biomarker lysophosphatidic acid
Wenwen Zhao, Weimin Liu, Wenjun Zhang, Lintao Zeng, Zhiyuan Fan, Jiasheng Wu and Pengfei Wang
Analyst, 2012, 137, 1853-1859
DOI: 10.1039/C2AN16153B

A faster, more informative way to probe protein structures, which are vital to understanding protein function, has been devised by researchers in the US.

Proteins drive most biological processes but the majority of studies on them are performed under non-biological conditions where key dynamic effects can’t be captured.  For example, crystallography uses solid state, and mass spectrometry is in the gas phase and can be denaturing.

This method, developed by Carlos Baiz from the Andrei Tokmakoff group at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, uses two-dimensional infrared spectroscopy, and offers ultrafast time resolution, and enables study in solution, which provides the potential to look at protein folding/unfolding pathways; this could considerably expand scientists’ understanding of the protein structure/function relationship.

Coherent two-dimensional infrared spectroscopy: Quantitative analysis of protein secondary structure in solution
Carlos R. Baiz, Chunte Sam Peng, Mike E. Reppert, Kevin C. Jones and Andrei Tokmakoff
Analyst, 2012, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C2AN16031E

Baiz et al., Analyst, 2012, Advance Article

Wang et al., Analyst, 2012, 137, 1618-1623

There are a few HOT Comms and papers we’d like to bring to your attention in the latest issue of Analyst.

Featuring fluorescence assays, nanoparticle-based methods, multivariate regression in analytical chemistry,  and chromatography: we hope you’ll find something to interest you.

Don’t forget to browse Issue 7 via the Analyst homepage.

See what’s HOT and access all the papers in full

The latest issue of Analyst features several HOT articles and a Minireview on single-stranded DNA production, all of which will be free to access until the 15th March 2012.  Don’t forget you can browse the whole issue via the Analyst homepage, or register for our free e-alerts.

Minireview

Single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) production in DNA aptamer generation, Citartan Marimuthu, Thean-Hock Tang, Junji Tominaga, Soo-Choon Tan and Subash C. B. Gopinath, Analyst, 2012, 137, 1307-1315

Find out what’s HOT in Issue 6

There are two reviews and a handful of HOT papers to see in the latest Analyst issue.  All these articles will be free to access until the end of February.  Don’t forget you can browse the whole issue via the Analyst homepage.

Reviews

Mònica Campàs and colleagues review the incorporation of novel nanobiotechnological concepts such as aptamers, nanoparticles, nanotubes and magnetic beads in sensing and transducing strategies, which is providing high-performance electrochemical biosensors for toxin detection:

Critical Review: Novel nanobiotechnological concepts in electrochemical biosensors for the analysis of toxins
Mònica Campàs, Diana Garibo and Beatriz Prieto-Simón
Analyst, 2012, 137, 1055-1067
DOI: 10.1039/C2AN15736E

Richard Compton and colleagues present a thorough review of generator-collector systems, covering classic experiments of the 1950s up to very recent new geometries:

Tutorial Review: Generator-collector double electrode systems
Edward O. Barnes, Grace E. M. Lewis, Sara E. C. Dale, Frank Marken and Richard G. Compton
Analyst, 2012, 137, 1068-1081
DOI: 10.1039/C2AN16174E

HOT articles

Communication: Rapid detection of urushiol allergens of Toxicodendron genus using leaf spray mass spectrometry
Fatkhulla K. Tadjimukhamedov, Guangming Huang, Zheng Ouyang and R. Graham Cooks
Analyst, 2012, 137, 1082-1084
DOI: 10.1039/C2AN16077C

Identifying and localizing intracellular nanoparticles using Raman spectroscopy
Jennifer Dorney, Franck Bonnier, Amaya Garcia, Alan Casey, Gordon Chambers and Hugh J. Byrne
Analyst, 2012, 137, 1111-1119
DOI: 10.1039/C2AN15977E

Detection of Staphylococcus aureus cell walls by enzyme-linked immunoassay using antibodies prepared from a semi-synthetic peptidoglycan precursor
Sandeep Sandhu, James A. Schouten, Julie Thompson, Mark Davis and Timothy D. H. Bugg
Analyst, 2012, 137, 1130-1136
DOI: 10.1039/C2AN16036F

Colorimetric quantification of galactose using a nanostructured multi-catalyst system entrapping galactose oxidase and magnetic nanoparticles as peroxidase mimetics
Moon Il Kim, Jongmin Shim, Taihua Li, Min-Ah Woo, Daeyeon Cho, Jinwoo Lee and Hyun Gyu Park
Analyst, 2012, 137, 1137-1143
DOI: 10.1039/C2AN15889B

Size selective DNA transport through a nanoporous membrane in a PDMS microfluidic device
Yixiao Sheng and Michael T. Bowser
Analyst, 2012, 137, 1144-1151
DOI: 10.1039/C2AN15966J

(CdSe/ZnS QDs)-ionic liquid-based headspace single drop microextraction for the fluorimetric determination of trimethylamine in fish
Carolina Carrillo-Carrión, Bartolomé M. Simonet and Miguel Valcárcel
Analyst, 2012, 137, 1152-1159
DOI: 10.1039/C2AN15914G

Exonucleolytic degradation of high-density labeled DNA studied by fluorescence correlation spectroscopy
Nicky Ehrlich, Katrin Anhalt, Hauke Paulsen, Susanne Brakmann and Christian G. Hübner
Analyst, 2012, 137, 1160-1167
DOI: 10.1039/C2AN15879E

The latest issue of Analyst is now online and below are the Hot articles included in this issue.  These articles have all been made free to access until the 13th February 2012, so why not make the most of this and take a look…

And don’t forget to stay informed of all our latest content by signing up to our e-alert or following us on Twitter: @analystrsc

Development of an electrochemical immunosensor for the detection of HbA1c in serum, Guozhen Liu, Sook Mei Khor, Sridhar G. Iyengar and J. Justin Gooding, Analyst, 2012, 137, 829-832     (From the Future Electroanalytical Developments collection)

A microfluidic device for the automated derivatization of free fatty acids to fatty acid methyl esters, Cindy T. Duong and Michael G. Roper, Analyst, 2012, 137, 840-846

Activity monitoring of functional OprM using a biomimetic microfluidic device, Wei Wang, Laura Monlezun, Martin Picard, Philippe Benas, Olivier Français, Isabelle Broutin and Bruno Le Pioufle, Analyst, 2012, 137, 847-852

Electric field standing wave artefacts in FTIR micro-spectroscopy of biological materials, Jacob Filik, Mark D. Frogley, Jacek K. Pijanka, Katia Wehbe and Gianfelice Cinque, Analyst, 2012, 137, 853-861

Recognize three different human telomeric G-quadruplex conformations by quinacrine, Hongxia Sun, Junfeng Xiang, Qian Li, Yan Liu, Lin Li, Qian Shang, Guangzhi Xu and Yalin Tang, Analyst, 2012, 137, 862-867

Resonance Rayleigh scattering spectra of Cu²⁺–adenine–WO₄²⁻ system and its analytical application, Qianying Xu, Zhongfang Liu, Xiaoli Hu, Ling Kong and Shaopu Liu, Analyst, 2012, 137, 868-874

Determination of selected natural hormones and endocrine disrupting compounds in domestic wastewater treatment plants by liquid chromatography electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry after solid phase extraction, Melis Muz, M. Selcen Sönmez, Okan Tarık Komesli, Sezgin Bakırdere and Celal Ferdi Gökçay, Analyst, 2012, 137, 884-889

Here at Analyst we like to make it as easy as possible for you to access the latest high-impact analytical science.  So, from now on we’ll let you know which HOT articles feature in each new issue.  Look out for updates, and for longer posts on some of the most exciting new research published.

In Issue 3, you can enjoy the following HOT papers, which will be free to access for 2 weeks:

Minireview: Surface enhanced Raman scattering for multiplexed detection
Jennifer A. Dougan and Karen Faulds
Analyst, 2012, 137, 545-554
DOI: 10.1039/C2AN15979A

Communication: Nonradiative deactivation of europium(III) luminescence as a detection scheme for moisture
Astrid C. Knall, Martin Tscherner, Nadja Noormofidi, Andreas Pein, Robert Saf, Kurt Mereiter, Volker Ribitsch, Franz Stelzer and Christian Slugovc
Analyst, 2012, 137, 563-566
DOI: 10.1039/C1AN15987A

Novel cathodic electrochemiluminescence of tris(bipyridine) ruthenium(II) on a gold electrode in acidic solution
Xiaoquan Lu, Dong liu, Jie Du, Haifeng Wang, Zhonghua Xue, Xiuhui Liu and Xibin Zhou
Analyst, 2012, 137, 588-594
DOI: 10.1039/C1AN15862G

Quantitative analysis of urea in human urine and serum by ¹H nuclear magnetic resonance
Lingyan Liu, Huaping Mo, Siwei Wei and Daniel Raftery
Analyst, 2012, 137, 595-600
DOI: 10.1039/C2AN15780B

Colorimetric assay for parallel detection of Cd²⁺, Ni²⁺ and Co²⁺ using peptide-modified gold nanoparticles
Min Zhang, Yu-Qiang Liu and Bang-Ce Ye
Analyst, 2012, 137, 601-607
DOI: 10.1039/C1AN15909G

Hollow mesoporous silica microspheres as sensitive labels for immunoassay of prostate-specific antigen
Dan Wu, Ru Li, Haixia Wang, Shiquan Liu, Huan Wang, Qin Wei and Bin Du
Analyst, 2012, 137, 608-613
DOI: 10.1039/C2AN16033A

A stannum–bismuth composite film electrode for simultaneous determination of zinc(II) and cadmium(II) using differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry
Nian Bing Li, Wei Wei Zhu, Jun Hua Luo and Hong Qun Luo
Analyst, 2012, 137, 614-617
DOI: 10.1039/C1AN15753A
From a web theme on Future Electroanalytical Developments