Sudha Srivastava

Immobilization strategy for enhancing sensitivity of immunosensors: L-Asparagine–AuNPs as a promising alternative of EDC–NHS activated citrate–AuNPs for antibody immobilization

This paper addresses the question - Is EDC-NHS activated gold nanoparticles modified electrode surface the best available option for antibody immobilization for immunosensor fabrication? Is there any other alternative covalent immobilization strategy for orthogonal orientation of antibody, ensuring enhanced sensitivity of immunosensors? Does EDC-NHS activation of carboxyl functionalized nanoparticles surface really leads to orthogonal or directed immobilization of antibody? Gold nanoparticles synthesized using L-Asparagine as reducing and stabilization agent were employed for orthogonal immobilization of antibody for immunosensor fabrication. Anti-CA125 antibody was used as a model system for immunosensor fabrication. A comparative evaluation of immunosensors fabricated using L-Asparagine stabilized gold nanoparticles and citrate stabilized gold nanoparticles via different immobilization strategies/chemistries was done. The three strategies involved immobilization of Anti-CA125 antibody - (1) after EDC-NHS activation of citrate stabilized gold nanoparticles, (2) directly onto citrate stabilized gold nanoparticles and (3) directly onto L-Asparagine stabilized gold nanoparticles modified electrode surfaces. Comparative evaluation of Impedimetric response characteristics showed 2.5 times increase in sensitivity (349.36 Ω/(IU/mL)/cm(2)) in case of third strategy as compared to first (147.53 Ω/(IU/mL)/cm(2)) and twice that of second strategy (166.24 Ω/(IU/mL)/cm(2)). Additionally, an extended dynamic range of 0-750 IU/mL was observed while for others it was up to 500 IU/mL. Amino acid coated gold nanoparticles ensured orthogonal immobilization, lesser randomization, with 88% of active antibody available for antigen binding as opposed to other two strategies with less than 30% active antibody.

Modulating electron transfer properties of gold nanoparticles for efficient biosensing.

Present study concerns modulating the electron transfer properties of gold nanoparticles through amino acid induced coupling among them. In addition to conductivity, the amino functionalization of the nanoparticles results in enhanced activity and operational stability of the biosensor fabricated using the same. Nanoparticles synthesized using amino acid as reducing agent (average diameter-20 nm), incorporate the natural coupling property of amino acids and are seen to align in a chain-like arrangement. The coupling of the individual nanoparticles to form chain like structure was confirmed by both absorption spectroscopy as well as transmission electron microscopy. The glucose biosensor developed by adsorption of glucose oxidase (GOx) enzyme onto these coupled gold nanoparticles showed enhanced efficiency as compared to the one with glucose oxidase immobilized onto gold nanoparticles synthesized using the conventional method (trisodium citrate as reducing agent). The fabricated biosensor demonstrated a wide linear concentration range from 1 μM-5mM and a high sensitivity of 47.2 μA mM(-1) cm(-2). Also, an enhanced selectivity to glucose was observed with negligible interference in the physiological range, from easily oxidizable biospecies, e.g. uric acid and ascorbic acid. Furthermore, the electrochemical biosensor has excellent long term stability- retaining greater than 85% of the biosensor activity up to 60 days.

Advances in ovarian cancer diagnosis: A journey from immunoassays to immunosensors.

This review focuses on the technological advancements, challenges and trends in immunoassay technologies for ovarian cancer diagnosis. Emphasis is placed on the principles of the technologies, their merits and limitations and on the evolution from laboratory-based methods to point-of-care devices. While the current market is predominantly associated with clinical immunoassay kits, over the last decade a major thrust in development of immunosensors is evident due to their potential in point-of-care devices. Technological advancements in immunosensors, extending from labeled to label-free detection, with and without mediators, for enhancing proficiencies and reliability have been dealt with in detail. Aspects of the utilisation of nanomaterials and immobilization strategies for enhancing sensitivity and altering the detection range have also been addressed. Finally, we have discussed some distinct characteristics and limitations associated with the recently commericalised technologies used for quantitation of relevant ovarian cancer markers.

Fragility and Boson peak formation in a supercooled liquid

Abstract We analyze results for the Boson peak from the neutron time of flight spectroscopy data on Ge–As–Se, and Raman spectra data on m-TCP and OTP, using a recent mode coupling model that takes into account the coupling of density fluctuations with vibrational modes in presence of defects in the supercooled state. From the experimental results for different materials we observe that for more fragile systems characterized by increasing fragility parameter m, a slower relaxation of the defect–density correlation is needed to give rise to the observed peak in the spectra.

Gold microwires based amperometric biosensor exploiting microbial architecture

Amalgamation of nanotechnology and biology has opened new horizons for controlled synthesis of nanomaterials of nano and micro-lengthscales for diverse sensing, catalytic and electromechanical applications. Inspired from nature and driven by the need to have nanostructures of desired morphology, microbial architecture has been exploited as a template in the present work. Biocompatible 1-D gold microwires, generated by assembly of amino acid functionalized AuNPs over the proliferating fungal hyphae, served as potential microelectrodes for electron transfer between enzyme and electrode surface. Delocalization of electrons over longer length scales, large surface area provided by assembled AuNPs and high biocompatibility yielded excellent analytical performance characteristics with high sensitivity of 43.2 µA/mM/cm(2) with standard deviation of 0.88% and wide linear range from 5 µM to 20 mM of glucose. The gold microwires thus generated demonstrate appreciable repeatability over 20 cycles in a cyclic voltammogram, and reproducibility with root mean square deviation as low as 1.3%. High stability and biocompatibility attribute these microwires with myriad potential biosensing and catalytic applications in varied domains.

Biodegradation of Carbazole and Dibenzothiophene by Bacteria Isolated from Petroleum-Contaminated Sites

ABSTRACT This study reports the isolation of bacterial cultures, capable of selective removal of nitrogen and sulfur from carbazole and dibenzothiophene, respectively. The isolates utilizing carbazole were found to be suitable for biorefining. These were designated as P10 and P11, and were identified as Pseudomonas sp. Growing cells of P10 and P11 could utilize 77% carbazole in 250 and 120 h, respectively. Isolates showing utilization of dibenzothiophene were not suitable for biorefining industry. Results suggest these Pseudomonas isolates may be useful in petroleum biorefining for the selective removal of organically bound nitrogen from petroleum.

A schematic model of glassy relaxation through dynamic coupling with defect motions

Abstract A self-consistent mode-coupling model for relaxation of density fluctuations in a supercooled liquid in the presence of slowly relaxing defect densities is proposed. The time scale for the final relaxation of the density correlations, in the glassy dynamics is self-consistently determined with that of the defects present in the amorphous system. The exponents of relaxation over various time scales and contribution to the transport coefficients from the mode-coupling effects are calculated.

Tailoring oxides of copper-Cu2O and CuO nanoparticles and evaluation of organic dyes degradation

We report a simple one-pot colloidal synthesis strategy tailoring cuprous or cupric nano-oxides in pure state. NaOH provided alkaline conditions (pH 12.5 -13) for nano-oxides formation, while its concentration regulated the oxidation state of the nano-oxides. The morphological, structural and optical properties of synthesized Cu2O and CuO nanoparticles were studied by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-Ray diffraction (XRD) and UV-vis spectroscopy. Dye degradation capability of CuO and Cu2O nanoparticles was evaluated using four organic dyes - Malachite green, Methylene blue, Methyl orange and Methyl red. The results demonstrate effective degradation of all four dyes employing with almost comparable activity both Cu2O and CuO nanoparticles.

Transport coefficients at metastable densities from models of generalized hydrodynamics

The fully wave vector dependent extended mode coupling model is studied with the inclusion of an additional slow variable of the defect density for the amorphous system. We use the extremely slow relaxation of the density correlation function observed in the light scattering experiments on colloids to estimate the input parameters for the model. We demonstrate here that even in the case of colloids, the mode coupling model with an ergodicity restoring mechanism is applicable. We compute the enhancement in the long time transport coefficients which in the present case are finite unlike the simple version of the model.

Ultrasensitive direct impedimetric immunosensor for detection of serum HER2

Assesment of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 status is a key factor prompting definitive treatment decisions that help in reducing mortality rates associated with breast cancer. In this article, highly sensitive and low-cost impedimetric immunosensor using single-chain fragment variable antibody fragments was developed for quantitative detection of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 from serum employing gold nanoparticle-modified disposable screen-printed carbon electrodes. The gold nanoparticles facilitate fast electron transfer and offer a biocompatible surface for immobilization of small antibody fragments in an oriented manner, resulting in improved antigen binding efficiency. The single-chain fragment variable antibody fragment-modified screen printed immunosensor exhibits wide dynamic range of 0.01-100 ng mL-1 and detection limit of 0.01 ng mL-1. The advantages offered by this platform in terms of high sensitivity, broad dynamic range and low-cost demonstrates great potential for improved monitoring of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 levels for the management of breast and other cancers.