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Boron-doped diamond (BDD) has attracted much attention as a promising electrode material especially for electrochemical sensing systems, because it has excellent properties such as a wide potential window and low background current. It is known that the electrochemical properties of BDD electrodes are very sensitive to the surface termination such as to whether it is hydrogen- or oxygen-terminated. Pretreating BDD electrodes by cathodic reduction (CR) to hydrogenate the surface has been widely used to achieve high sensitivity. However, little is known about the effects of the CR treatment conditions on surface hydrogenation. In this Article, we report on a systematic study of CR treatments that can achieve effective surface hydrogenation. As a result, we found that the surface hydrogenation could be improved by applying a more negative potential in a lower pH solution. This is because hydrogen atoms generated from protons in the CR treatment contribute to the surface hydrogenation. After CR treatments, BDD surface could be hydrogenated not completely but sufficiently to achieve high sensitivity for electrochemical sensing. In addition, we confirmed that hydrogenation with high repeatability could be achieved.

A previous dose-escalation study of sulfasalazine (SSZ), an inhibitor of cystine-glutamate exchange transporter xc (-), in the variant form of CD44 (CD44v)-positive cancer stem cells (CSCs) suggested that administration of SSZ induces the reduction of CD44v-positive cells and intracellular reduced glutathione (GSH) levels in patients with advanced gastric cancer (AGC). Here we report a study to evaluate SSZ in combination with cisplatin in patients with CD44v-expressing AGC refractory to cisplatin. SSZ was given by oral administration four times daily with 2 weeks on and 1 week off. Cisplatin at 60 mg/m 2 was administered every 3 weeks. Of the 15 patients who underwent prescreening of CD44v expression, 8 patients were positive, and 7 patients were treated with the dose level of SSZ at 6 g/day. One patient experienced dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) as grade 3 anorexia. Although no other patients experienced DLT, 4 patients required dose interruption or reduction of SSZ; thus, we terminated further dose escalation. No patient achieved objective response, but 1 patient completed six cycles with stable disease for more than 4 months as well as reduction of intratumoral GSH level. The combination of SSZ plus cisplatin was manageable, although dose modification was frequently required during a short observational period.

Real-time recording of the kinetics of systemically administered drugs in in vivo microenvironments may accelerate the development of effective medical therapies. However, conventional methods require considerable analyte quantities, have low sampling rates and do not address how drug kinetics correlate with target function over time. Here, we describe the development and application of a drug-sensing system consisting of a glass microelectrode and a microsensor composed of boron-doped diamond with a tip of around 40 μm in diameter. We show that, in the guinea pig cochlea, the system can measure-simultaneously and in real time-changes in the concentration of bumetanide (a diuretic that is ototoxic but applicable to epilepsy treatment) and the endocochlear potential underlying hearing. In the rat brain, we tracked the kinetics of the drug and the local field potentials representing neuronal activity. We also show that the actions of the antiepileptic drug lamotrigine and the anticancer reagent doxorubicin can be monitored in vivo. Our microsensing system offers the potential to detect pharmacological and physiological responses that might otherwise remain undetected.

The electrochemical oxidation behavior of hydroxide ions at the surface of boron-doped diamond (BDD) electrodes is presented. The hydroxide ion oxidation behavior was found to be affected by the surface conditions of the BDD electrode. Over the NaOH concentration range of 0.5-10 mM, a well-defined voltammetric wave attributed to hydroxide ion oxidation was observed at ∼1.25 V versus a Ag/AgCl reference electrode when using an anodically oxidized BDD (AO-BDD) electrode, while it was observed at around ∼1.15 V when a cathodically reduced BDD (CR-BDD) electrode was used. Although the hydroxide ion oxidation profiles were slightly different for the AO-BDD and CR-BDD electrodes, the peak currents was each found to have linear relationships with the NaOH concentration over the same range.

A novel neutral heteroleptic Fe III complex from two kinds of π-extended tridentate ligands was designed and prepared. The π-ligands formed a three-dimensional purely π-stacking interaction network. The present complex proved to be the first neutral spin-crossover (SCO) Fe III complex with a N 3 O 3 coordination sphere exhibiting an abrupt SCO transition with a thermal hysteresis of 10 K and the light-induced excited spin-state trapping effect.

Background: Cancer stem cells (CSCs) have enhanced mechanisms of protection from oxidative stress. A variant form of CD44 (CD44v), a major CSC marker, was shown to interact with xCT, a subunit of cystine-glutamate transporter, which maintains high levels of intracellular reduced glutathione (GSH) which defend the cell against oxidative stress. Sulfasalazine (SSZ) is an inhibitor of xCT and was shown to suppress the survival of CD44v-positive stem-like cancer cells both in vitro and in vivo. To find the dose of SSZ which can safely reduce the population of CD44v-positive cells in tumors, a dose-escalation study in patients with advanced gastric cancer was conducted., Methods: SSZ was given four times daily by oral administration with 2 weeks as one cycle. Tumor biopsies were obtained before and after 14 days of administration of SSZ to evaluate expression of CD44v and the intratumoral level of GSH., Results: Eleven patients were enrolled and received a dosage from 8 to 12 g/day. Safety was confirmed up to a dosage of 12 g/day, which was considered the maximum tolerated dose. Among the eight patients with CD44v-positive cells in their pretreatment biopsy samples, the CD44v-positive cancer cell population appeared to be reduced in the posttreatment biopsy tissues of four patients. Intratumoral GSH levels were also decreased in two patients, suggesting biological effectiveness of SSZ at 8 g/day or greater., Conclusions: This is the first study of SSZ as an xCT inhibitor for targeting CSCs. Reduction of the levels of CD44v-positive cells and GSH was observed in some patients, consistent with the mode of action of SSZ in CSCs.

Boron-doped diamond (BDD) electrodes are recognized as being superior to other electrode materials due to their outstanding chemical and dimensional stability, their exceptionally low background current, the extremely wide potential window for water electrolysis that they have, and their excellent biocompatibility. However, whereas these properties have been utilized in the rapid development of electroanalytical applications, very few studies have been done in relation to their applications in electrocatalysis or electrosynthesis. In this report, following on from reports of the electrosynthesis of various products through anodic and cathodic reactions using BDD electrodes, the potential use of these electrodes in electrosynthesis is discussed.

A novel co-reactant-free electrogenerated chemiluminescence (ECL) system is developed where Ru(bpy) 3 2+ emission is obtained on boron-doped diamond (BDD) electrodes. The method exploits the unique ability of BDD to operate at very high oxidation potential in aqueous solutions and to promote the conversion of inert SO 4 2- into the reactive co-reactant S 2 O 8 2- . This novel procedure is rather straightforward, not requiring any particular electrode geometry, and since the co-reactant is only generated in situ, the interference with biological samples is minimized. The underlying mechanism is similar to that of the Ru(bpy) 3 2+ /S 2 O 8 2- system; however, the intensity of the emitted signal increases linearly with [SO 4 2- ] up to ∼0.6 M, with possible implications for analytical uses of the proposed procedure.

Electrolytic corrosion of boron-doped diamond (BDD) electrodes after applying a high positive potential to decompose organic compounds in aqueous solution was studied. Scanning electron microscopy images, Raman spectra, and glow discharge optical emission spectroscopy revealed that relatively highly boron-doped domains were primarily corroded and relatively low boron-doped domains remained after electrolysis. The corrosion due to electrolysis was observed especially in aqueous solutions of acetic acid or propionic acid, while it was not observed in other organic compounds such as formic acid, glucose, and methanol. Electron spin resonance measurements after electrolysis in the acetic acid solution revealed the generation of methyl radicals on the BDD electrodes. Here, the possible mechanisms for the corrosion are discussed. Dangling bonds may be formed due to abstraction of OH groups from C-OH functional groups by methyl radicals generated on the surface of the BDD electrodes. As a result, the sp 3 diamond structure would be converted to the sp 2 carbon structure, which can be easily etched. Furthermore, to prevent electrolytic corrosion during electrolysis, both the current density and the pH condition in the aqueous solution were optimized. At low current densities or high pH, the BDD electrodes were stable without electrolytic corrosion even in the acetic acid aqueous solution.

The magnetic properties of layered double hydroxides (LDH) containing transition metal ions can still develop, compared with layered metal hydroxide salts which exhibit structure-dependent magnetism. In this article, we report the preparation of a hybrid magnet composed of Co-Ni LDH and n-alkylsulfonate anions (Co-Ni-CnSO3 LDH). As Co-Ni LDH is anion-exchangeable, we can systematically control the interlayer spacing by intercalating n-alkylsulfonates with different carbon numbers. The magnetic properties were examined with temperature- and field-dependent magnetization measurements. As a result, we have revealed that the coercive field depends on the basal spacing. It is suggested that increasing the basal spacing varies the competition between the in-plane superexchange interactions and long-range out-of-plane dipolar interactions. Moreover, a jump in the coercive field at around 20 Å of the basal spacing is assumed to be the modification of the magnetic ordering in Co-Ni-CnSO3 LDH.

The electrochemical detection of oxytocin using boron-doped diamond (BDD) electrodes was studied. Cyclic voltammetry of oxytocin in a phosphate buffer solution exhibits an oxidation peak at +0.7 V (vs. Ag/AgCl), which is attributable to oxidation of the phenolic group in the tyrosyl moiety. Furthermore, the linearity of the current peaks obtained in flow injection analysis (FIA) using BDD microelectrodes over the oxytocin concentration range from 0.1 to 10.0 μM with a detection limit of 50 nM (S/N = 3) was high (R(2) = 0.995). Although the voltammograms of oxytocin and vasopressin observed with an as-deposited BDD electrode, as well as with a cathodically-reduced BDD electrode, were similar, a clear distinction was observed with anodically-oxidized BDD electrodes due to the attractive interaction between vasopressin and the oxidized BDD surface. By means of this distinction, selective measurements using chronoamperometry combined with flow injection analysis at an optimized potential were demonstrated, indicating the possibility of making selective in situ or in vivo measurements of oxytocin.

The progression of influenza varies according to age and the presence of an underlying disease; appropriate treatment is therefore required to prevent severe disease. Anti-influenza therapy, such as with neuraminidase inhibitors, is effective, but diagnosis at an early phase of infection before viral propagation is critical. Here, we show that several dozen plaque-forming units (pfu) of influenza virus (IFV) can be detected using a boron-doped diamond (BDD) electrode terminated with a sialic acid-mimic peptide. The peptide was used instead of the sialyloligosaccharide receptor, which is the common receptor of influenza A and B viruses required during the early phase of infection, to capture IFV particles. The peptide, which was previously identified by phage-display technology, was immobilized by click chemistry on the BDD electrode, which has excellent electrochemical characteristics such as low background current and weak adsorption of biomolecules. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy revealed that H1N1 and H3N2 IFVs were detectable in the range of 20-500 pfu by using the peptide-terminated BDD electrode. Our results demonstrate that the BDD device integrated with the receptor-mimic peptide has high sensitivity for detection of a low number of virus particles in the early phase of infection.

Heterometallic Prussian blue analogues are known to exhibit thermally induced charge transfer, resulting in switching of optical and magnetic properties. However, charge-transfer phase transitions have not been reported for the simplest FeFe cyanide-bridged systems. A mixed-valence Fe(II) /Fe(III) cyanide-bridged coordination polymer, {[Fe(Tp)(CN)3 ]2 Fe(bpe)⋅5 H2 O}n , which demonstrates a thermally induced charge-transfer phase transition, is described. As a result of the charge transfer during this phase transition, the high-spin state of the whole system does not change to a low-spin state. This result is in contrast to FeCo cyanide-bridged systems that exhibit charge-transfer-induced spin transitions., (© 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

Gold nanoparticles-modified boron-doped diamond (AuNPs-BDD) electrodes, which were prepared with a self-assembly deposition of AuNPs at amine-terminated boron-doped diamond, were examined for voltammetric detection of neuraminidase (NA). The detection method was performed based on the difference of electrochemical responses of zanamivir at gold surface before and after the reaction with NA in phosphate buffer solution (PBS, pH 5.5). A linear calibration curve for zanamivir in 0.1 M PBS in the absence of NA was achieved in the concentration range of 1 × 10(-6) to 1 × 10(-5) M (R(2) = 0.99) with an estimated limit of detection (LOD) of 2.29 × 10(-6) M. Furthermore, using its reaction with 1.00 × 10(-5) M zanamivir, a linear calibration curve of NA can be obtained in the concentration range of 0-12 mU (R(2) = 0.99) with an estimated LOD of 0.12 mU. High reproducibility was shown with a relative standard deviation (RSD) of 1.14% (n = 30). These performances could be maintained when the detection was performed in mucin matrix. Comparison performed using gold-modified BDD (Au-BDD) electrodes suggested that the good performance of the detection method is due to the stability of the gold particles position at the BDD surface., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Unprecedented anionic Fe(III) spin crossover (SCO) complexes involving a weak-field O,N,O-tridentate ligand were discovered. The SCO transition was evidenced by the temperature variations in magnetic susceptibility, Mössbauer spectrum, and coordination structure. The DFT calculations suggested that larger coefficients on the azo group in the HOMO-1 of a ligand might contribute to the enhancement of a ligand-field splitting energy. The present anionic SCO complex also exhibited the light- induced excited-spin-state trapping effect., (© 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

We have developed a lab-on-a-chip (LOC) platform for electrochemical detection and degradation of the pesticide atrazine (Atz). It is based on boron-doped diamond (BDD) electrodes and a competitive magneto-enzyme immunoassay (EIA) that enables high sensitivity. To detect the enzymatic reaction, we employed a BDD electrode modified with platinum nanoparticles (PtNPs), as a highly conductive catalytic transducer. Chronoamperometry revealed a limit of detection (LOD) of 3.5 pM for atrazine, which, to the best of our knowledge, is one of the lowest value published to date. Finally, we degraded Atz in the same platform, using a bare BDD electrode that features remarkable corrosion stability, a wide potential window, and much higher O2 overvoltage as compared to conventional electrodes. These characteristics enable the electrode to produce a greater amount of HO• on the anode surface than do conventional electrodes and consequently, to destroy the pollutant more rapidly. Our new LOC platform might prove interesting as a smart system for detection and remediation of diverse pesticides and other contaminants.

Electrolytic cells for electrochemical oxygen demand (ECOD) measurements based on total electrolytic decomposition at a boron-doped diamond (BDD) electrode were developed for rapid measurement of organic pollutants at low concentrations. Using improved electrolytic cells designed for efficient mass transfer, the ECOD for 10 μM potassium hydrogen phthalate (theoretical ECOD: 2.3 mg-O 2 L -1 ) was determined in a relatively short electrolysis time. Thus, ECOD measurements using these cells would be useful for estimating organic water pollution in industrial waste and lake water.

The whole mol-ecule of the title compound, C22H28Br2O2, is generated by twofold rotation symmetry. The dihedral angle of the biphenyl moiety is 85.05 (11)°. The hy-droxy groups show intra-molecular O-H⋯π inter-actions without any other hydrogen-bond acceptors. In the crystal, there are no other significant inter-molecular inter-actions present.

Anodic stripping voltammetry (ASV) of colloidal gold-nanoparticles (AuNPs) was investigated at boron-doped diamond (BDD) electrodes in 50 mM HClO4. A deposition time of 300 s at-0.2 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) was fixed as the condition for the ASV. The voltammograms showed oxidation peaks that could be attributed to the oxidation of gold. These oxidation peaks were then investigated for potential application in immunochromatographic strip tests for the selective and quantitative detection of melamine, in which AuNPs were used as the label for the antibody of melamine. Linear regression of the oxidation peak currents appeared in the concentration range from 0.05-0.6 μg/mL melamine standard, with an estimated LOD of 0.069 μg/mL and an average relative standard deviation of 8.0%. This indicated that the method could be considered as an alternative method for selective and quantitative immunochromatographic applications. The validity was examined by the measurements of melamine injected into milk samples, which showed good recovery percentages during the measurements., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The electroreduction reaction of methyl cinnamate on a boron-doped diamond (BDD) electrode was investigated. The hydrodimer, dimethyl 3,4-diphenylhexanedioate (racemate/meso = 74:26), was obtained in 85% yield as the major product, along with small amounts of cyclic methyl 5-oxo-2,3-diphenylcyclopentane-1-carboxylate. Two new neolignan-type products were synthesized from the hydrodimer.

A key issue in molecular electronics is the control of electronic states by optical stimuli, which enables fast and high-density data storage and temporal-spatial control over molecular processes. In this article, we report preparation of a photoswitchable superconductor using a heavily boron-doped diamond (BDD) with a photochromic azobenzene (AZ) molecular layer. BDDs electrode properties allow for electrochemical immobilization, followed by copper(I)-catalyzed alkyne-azide cycloaddition (a "click" reaction). Superconducting properties were examined with magnetic and electrical transport measurements, such as field-dependent isothermal magnetization, temperature-dependent resistance, and the low-temperature voltage-current response. These measurements revealed reversible amplification of the critical current density by 55% upon photoisomerization. This effect is explained as the reversible photoisomerization of AZ inducing an inhomogeneous electron distribution along the BDD surface that renormalizes the surface pinning contribution to the critical current.

A gold nanoparticle modified boron-doped diamond electrode was developed as a transducer for biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) measurements. Rhodotorula mucilaginosa UICC Y-181 was immobilized in a sodium alginate matrix, and used as a biosensing agent. Cyclic voltammetry was applied to study the oxygen reduction reaction at the electrode, while amperometry was employed to detect oxygen, which was not consumed by the microorganisms. The optimum waiting time of 25 min was observed using 1-mm thickness of yeast film. A comparison against the system with free yeast cells shows less sensitivity of the current responses with a linear dynamic range (R(2) = 0.99) of from 0.10 mM to 0.90 mM glucose (equivalent to 10 - 90 mg/L BOD) with an estimated limit of detection of 1.90 mg/L BOD. However, a better stability of the current responses could be achieved with an RSD of 3.35%. Moreover, less influence from the presence of copper ions was observed. The results indicate that the yeast-immobilized BOD sensors is more suitable to be applied in a real condition.

A simple and reliable enzymatic system for organophosporus pesticide detection was successfully developed, by exploiting the synergy between the magnetic beads collection capacity and the outstanding electrochemistry property of boron-doped diamond electrodes. The determination of an organophosphate pesticide, chlorpyrifos (CPF), was performed based on the inhibition system of the enzyme acetylcholinesterase bonded to magnetic beads through a biotin-streptavidin complex system. A better sensitivity was found for a system with magnetic beads in the concentration range of 10(-9) to 10(-5) M. The estimated limits of detection based on IC10 (10% acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibition) have been detected and optimized to be 5.7 × 10(-10) M CPF. Spiked samples of water of Yokohama (Japan) have been measured to validate the efficiency of the enzymatic system. The results suggested that the use of magnetic beads to immobilize biomolecules or biosensing agents is suitable to maintain the superiority of BDD electrodes.

Although oxidoreductases are widely used in many applications, such as biosensors and biofuel cells, improvements in the function of existing oxidoreductases or the discovery of novel oxidoreductases with greater activities is desired. To increase the activity of oxidoreductases by directed evolution, a powerful screening technique for oxidoreductases is required. In this study, we demonstrate the utility of boron-doped diamond (BDD) microelectrodes for quantitative and potentially high-throughput measurement of the activity of NAD(P)-dependent oxidoreductases. We first confirmed that BDD microelectrodes can quantify the activity of low concentrations (10-100 pM) of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and alcohol dehydrogenase with a measuring time of 1 ms per sample. In addition, we found that poisoning of BDD microelectrodes can be repressed by optimizing the pH and by adding l-arginine to the enzyme solution as an antiaggregation agent. Finally, we fabricated a microfluidic device containing a BDD electrode for the first time and observed the elevation of the oxidation current of NADH with increasing flow rate. These results imply that the combination of a BDD microelectrode and microfluidics can be used for high-throughput screening of an oxidoreductase library containing a large number (>10(6)) of samples, each with a small (nanoliter) sample volume.

We developed a double-quantum mechanical/molecular mechanical (d-QM/MM) method for investigation of full outer-sphere electron transfer (ET) processes between a donor and an acceptor (DA) in condensed matter. In the d-QM/MM method, which employs the novel concept of multiple QM regions, one can easily specify the number of electrons, spin states and appropriate exchange-correlation treatment in each QM region, which is especially important in the cases of ET involving transition metal sites. We investigated Fe(2+/3+) self-exchange and Fe(3+) + Ru(2+) → Fe(2+) + Ru(3+) in aqueous solution as model reactions, and demonstrated that the d-QM/MM method gives reasonable accuracy for the redox potential, reorganization free energy and electronic coupling. In particular, the DA distance dependencies of those quantities are clearly shown at the density functional theory hybrid functional level. The present d-QM/MM method allows us to explore the intermediate DA distance region, important for long-range ET phenomena observed in electrochemistry (on the solid-liquid interfaces) and biochemistry, which cannot be dealt by the half-reaction scheme with the conventional QM/MM.

Chemical oxygen demand (COD) was measured directly with a simple electrochemical method using a boron-doped diamond (BDD) electrode. By applying a highly positive potential (+2.5 V vs Ag/AgCl) to an aqueous electrolyte containing potassium hydrogen phthalate, glucose, and lactic acid or sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate using a BDD electrode, an anodic current corresponding to the electrolytic decomposition of these organic compounds was observed. No such current was seen on glassy carbon or platinum electrodes due to a significant background current caused by the oxygen evolution reaction. The electric charge for the anodic current observed at the BDD electrode was found to be consistent with the theoretical charge required for the electrolytic decomposition of the organic compounds to CO2 and was used to calculate COD. This analysis was performed by a simple I-t measurement at constant potential using a BDD electrode, and no calibration was needed. This new simple indicator, "ECOD" (electrochemical oxygen demand), will be useful for continuous monitoring of industrial wastewater with low protein concentrations and on-site instant analysis of natural water with a BDD electrode-based portable ECOD meter.

To introduce halogen-bond interactions between a cation and an anion, a novel Fe(III) complex from iodine-substituted ligands involving a paramagnetic nickel dithiolene anion was prepared and characterized. The compound exhibited the synergy between a spin-crossover transition and a spin-Peierls-like singlet formation. The halogen-bond interactions between the iodine and the sulfur atoms stabilized the paramagnetic state of π-spins and played a crucial role in the synergistic magnetic transition between d- and π-spins. In addition, the compound showed the light-induced excited spin state trapping effect., (Copyright © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

The catalytic, electrocatalytic, or photocatalytic conversion of CO2 into useful chemicals in high yield for industrial applications has so far proven difficult. Herein, we present our work on the electrochemical reduction of CO2 in seawater using a boron-doped diamond (BDD) electrode under ambient conditions to produce formaldehyde. This method overcomes the usual limitation of the low yield of higher-order products, and also reduces the generation of H2 . In comparison with other electrode materials, BDD electrodes have a wide potential window and high electrochemical stability, and, moreover, exhibit very high Faradaic efficiency (74%) for the production of formaldehyde, using either methanol, aqueous NaCl, or seawater as the electrolyte. The high Faradaic efficiency is attributed to the sp(3)-bonded carbon of the BDD. Our results have wide ranging implications for the efficient and cost-effective conversion of CO2., (Copyright © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

We have prepared photomagnetic Langmuir-Blodgett films composed of an amphiphilic azobenzene and a magnetic polyoxometalate. The obtained film possesses a well-organized layered structure where polyoxometalate anions are sandwiched by azobenzene cations in a single-layered manner. Reversible photoisomerization of azobenzene was achieved even at low temperature, accompanying intensity changes in the d-d transition of polyoxometalate anions. The photomagnetic effect was observed reversibly upon alternate UV and visible light irradiation. Based on polarized spectroscopy, the observed photomagnetic effect is ascribed to the structure-distortion of polyoxometalate layers.

This study presents the in vivo electrochemical monitoring of pH using boron doped diamond (BDD) microelectrode and silver needles for potential application in medical diagnosis. Accurate calibration curve for pH determination were obtained through in vitro electrochemical measurements. The increase induced in stomach pH by treatment with pantoprazole was used to demonstrate that it is possible to monitor the pH in vivo using the simple and noninvasive system proposed herein. Using the results of the in vivo and in vitro experiments, a quantitative analysis of the increase in stomach pH is also presented. It is proposed that the catheter-free pH monitoring system presented in this study could be potentially employed in any biological environment.

The mononuclear ferric compound Fe(H-5-Cl-thsa-Me)(5-Cl-thsa-Me)·H2O () was synthesized and characterized using powder/single-crystal X-ray diffraction, Mössbauer spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and magnetic susceptibility measurements. This photo-responsive compound shows reversible, two-step spin-crossover behaviour. Moreover, dielectric anomalies were observed during the spin transitions, demonstrating the multifunctional properties of compound .

The electrochemical detection of dissolved ozone in water was examined using boron-doped diamond (BDD) electrodes. A well-defined reduction peak was observed at ~380 mV for H-terminated BDD, whereas it was observed at ~200 mV in the case of O-terminated BDD for an ozone solution in a 0.1 M phosphate buffer solution at pH 7. The peak potential for ozone reduction was selective with respect to oxygen reduction at both H- and O-terminated BDD electrodes, whereas it occurred at approximately the same potential as oxygen reduction at other types of solid electrodes, including glassy-carbon, platinum, and gold electrodes. Interference from chlorine was not observed in lower concentration than 300 μM ClO(-). Furthermore, in order to apply the detection technique to electrolyte-free media, BDD microelectrodes were also used. A linear calibration curve for dissolved ozone in water could be achieved between concentrations of 0.49 and 740 μM, with an estimated detection limit (S/N = 3) of 0.185 μM (S/N = 3). Excellent stability was demonstrated for repetitions of these calibration curves performed in 3 consecutive days.

Individual and simultaneous electrochemical detection of iodide and iodine has been performed via cyclic voltammetry on boron doped diamond (BDD) electrodes in a 1M NaClO(4) (pH 8) solution, representative of typical environmental water conditions. It is feasible to compute accurate calibration curve for both compounds using cyclic voltammetry measurements by determining the peak current intensities as a function of the concentration. A lower detection limit of about 20 μM was obtained for iodide and 10 μM for iodine. Based on the comparison between the peak current intensities reported during the oxidation of KI, it is probable that iodide (I(-)) is first oxidized in a single step to yield iodine (I(2)). The latter is further oxidized to obtain IO(3)(-). This technique, however, did not allow for a reasonably accurate detection of iodate (IO(3)(-)) on a BDD electrode., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Selective anodic stripping voltammetry of trace metal ions in a mixture solution with another interfering metal was developed based on Fick's law concerning the diffusion profile of interfering metals at the electrode surface after electrolysis treatment. A boron-doped diamond film was used as the sensing electrode, while a perforated carbon sheet was used for the interference-depleting electrode. The influence of the electrode distance and the time of electrolysis on the formation of the diffusion profile was studied. As a working model, the detection of cadmium with copper interference was investigated. The advantage of the method in comparison to general electrolysis was also discussed. The method offers a new perspective for improving the selective detection of metal ions by analyzing the diffusion profiles of the interfering species at the surface of electrodes.

Gold-modified boron doped diamond (BDD) electrodes were examined for the amperometric detection of oxygen as well as a detector for measuring biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) using Rhodotorula mucilaginosa UICC Y-181. An optimum potential of -0.5 V (vs Ag/AgCl) was applied, and the optimum waiting time was observed to be 20 min. A linear calibration curve for oxygen reduction was achieved with a sensitivity of 1.4 μA mg(-1) L oxygen. Furthermore, a linear calibration curve in the glucose concentration range of 0.1-0.5 mM (equivalent to 10-50 mg L(-1) BOD) was obtained with an estimated detection limit of 4 mg L(-1) BOD. Excellent reproducibility of the BOD sensor was shown with an RSD of 0.9%. Moreover, the BOD sensor showed good tolerance against the presence of copper ions up to a maximum concentration of 0.80 μM (equivalent to 50 ppb). The sensor was applied to BOD measurements of the water from a lake at the University of Indonesia in Jakarta, Indonesia, with results comparable to those made using a standard method for BOD measurement.

Magnetically bistable solid solutions of Prussian blue analogues with chemical formulas of K(α)Ni(1-x)Co(x)[Fe(CN)(6)](β)·nH(2)O (Ni(1-x)Co(x)Fe) and K(α)Co(γ)[Fe(CN)(6)](y)[Cr(CN)(6)](1-y)·nH(2)O (CoFe(y)Cr(1-y)) have been synthesized and studied using mass spectrometry, Mössbauer spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, temperature-dependent infrared spectroscopy, and dc magnetometry. These compounds provide insight into interfaces between the photomagnetic Co-Fe Prussian blue analogue and the high-T(C) Ni-Cr Prussian blue analogue that exist in high-T(C) photomagnetic heterostructures. This investigation shows that the bistability of Co-Fe is strongly modified by metal substitution, with Ni(1-x)Co(x)Fe stabilizing high-spin cobalt-iron pairs and CoFe(y)Cr(1-y) stabilizing low-spin cobalt-iron pairs, while both types of substitution cause a dramatic decrease in the bistability of the material., (© 2012 American Chemical Society)

The in vitro and in vivo electrochemical detection of the reduced form of glutathione (L-γ-glutamyl-L-cysteinyl-glycine, GSH) using boron doped diamond (BDD) microelectrode for potential application in the assessment of cancerous tumors is presented. Accurate calibration curve for the determination of GSH could be obtained by the in vitro electrochemical measurements. Additionally, it was shown that it was possible to separate the detection of GSH from the oxidized form of glutathione (GSSG) using chronoamperometry measurements. In vivo GSH detection measurements have been performed in human cancer cells inoculated in immunodeficient mice. These measurements have shown that the difference of GSH level between cancerous and normal tissues can be detected. Moreover, GSH detection measurements carried out before and after X-ray irradiation have proved that it is possible to assess in vivo the decrease in GSH concentration in the tumor after a specific treatment.

The boron doped diamond (BDD) electrode is presented as an appropriate candidate for next generation glass-free, highly stable and accurate pH sensors. The method used in this study is based on the potential change related to the hydrogen evolution reaction following a current step, which is pH dependent. Alkali cations in the solution have no influence on the accuracy of the pH calibration curve, which provides an advantage with respect to the conventional pH glass electrode. The unwanted influence of electrochemically active compounds in solution can be avoided by adjusting the current density applied during chronopotentiometric measurements. The accuracy of the pH measurements is due to the excellent stability as well as the wide potential window and low background current of BDD electrodes. This faculty was not observed when using conventional electrode materials. The efficacy of this new type of pH sensor has been tested using tap water as a typical real sample.

Reward-induced burst firing of dopaminergic neurons has mainly been studied in the primate midbrain. Voltammetry allows high-speed detection of dopamine release in the projection area. Although voltammetry has revealed presynaptic modulation of dopamine release in the striatum, to date, reward-induced release in awakened brains has been recorded only in rodents. To make such recordings, it is possible to use conventional carbon fibres in monkey brains but the use of these fibres is limited by their physical fragility. In this study, constant-potential amperometry was applied to novel diamond microelectrodes for high-speed detection of dopamine. In primate brains during Pavlovian cue-reward trials, a sharp response to a reward cue was detected in the caudate of Japanese monkeys. Overall, this method allows measurements of monoamine release in specific target areas of large brains, the findings from which will expand the knowledge of reward responses obtained by unit recordings., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd and the Japan Neuroscience Society. All rights reserved.)

Fouling of electrode surfaces by electrode reaction products or by biological spectator species is known to inactivate electrochemical sensors and thus limit their use in biological conditions. Here we present an investigation on the stability of boron doped diamond (BDD) electrodes with different levels of doping. Three different doping levels were used (0.1, 1 and 5% in the carbon phase). The highly doped (5%) BDD is of particular interest as it is here used for the first time for biological applications. Three different redox reactions were examined based on their electrode reaction characteristics: ruthenium(III) hexaammine (outer sphere), ferrocyanide (surface dependent), dopamine (adsorption mediated). The effect of albumin at blood concentration was studied. All results were compared with glassy carbon. There were no significant differences for the outer sphere electrochemistry, but all the BDDs showed improved resistance to fouling for the ferrocyanide oxidation. The electrocatalytic activity of BBD towards dopamine oxidation increased with increased boron content. However, this appears to be due to a larger number of defect sites which also increases the vulnerability to fouling by albumin and by electrode reaction products and the 5% BDD had similar properties to glassy carbon in this regard. These results suggest that it is possible to optimise the BDD performance for specific applications and that the large potential window for BDD may be due, at least in part, to its relatively poor electrocatalytic activity.

In this report, we determined protein tyrosine kinase (PTKs) activity in human epidermoid carcinoma cells (A431) by employing a novel electrochemical method using boron-doped diamond (BDD) electrodes that enables the electrochemical oxidation of tyrosine (Tyr), phosphorylated Tyr (Tyr-P) and sulfated Tyr (Tyr-S) in water-based solutions. Cyclic voltammetry for Tyr, Tyr-P and Tyr-S showed well-defined oxidation peaks at 0.8 V for Tyr, 1.4V for Tyr-P and 1.7 V for Tyr-S, respectively. Very little work has been reported previously on the detection of Tyr-P and Tyr-S, probably due to their high oxidation potentials. We utilized electrochemical methods for the detection of kinase activity in connection with poly(Glu-Tyr) modified magnetic beads. Linear-sweep voltammograms for the electrochemical detection of PTKs activity were carried out using BDD electrodes consisting of peptide-modified magnetic beads. Without phosphorylation of the peptide-modified magnetic beads using PTKs, we observed clear oxidation peaks for Tyr oxidation and no significant electrochemical responses for Tyr-P oxidation at 1.4V for the background. On the other hand, with phosphorylation of the beads using PTKs, the peak oxidation current at 1.4V clearly increased, while the peak oxidation current for Tyr oxidation decreased. This indicates that PTKs activity could be successfully detected by using electrochemical methods employing BDD electrodes. This method was utilized for the in vitro kinase activity detection of human cell lysate, and the electrochemical measurements were compatible with the Enzyme-Linked ImmunoSorbent Assay based method. Our results indicate that the electrochemical method can be applied to real samples such as cell lysate., (Copyright 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Dendritic polyphenylazomethines (DPA) could encapsulate ferroceniums by complexation of the electron-donating skeleton of the DPA imines. Upon addition of ferroceniums to a series of dendritic polyphenylazomethines (DPAGX, where X is the generation number, X = 1-4), the UV-vis spectra showed changes in a manner similar to that observed for the complexation of metal ions with DPAGX. Stepwise shifts in the isosbestic point were consistently observed with the number of imine groups in the first and second layers of the generation-4 dendrimer (DPAG4). DPAG2 and DPAG3 were also found to trap 6 equiv of ferroceniums. To investigate the complexation, UV-vis spectroscopy, (57)Fe Mossbauer spectroscopy, electrospray ionization-mass spectroscopy (ESI-MS), cyclic voltammetry (CV), and fluorescence spectroscopy were performed. We confirmed that neutral ferrocenes cannot complex with the imine group while ferroceniums can. Utilizing the redox property of ferrocenes, we were able to electrochemically control the encapsulation and release of ferrocenes into the DPA in a manner similar to redox-responsive proteins such as ferritin. In addition to ferrocenes, oligoferrocenes could also be trapped in the DPA. The biferrocene cation(1+) was particularly suitable for electrochemical switching due to its stable mixed valence condition. The terferrocene dication(2+) encapsulated into DPAG4 could be fabricated into a thin film, which exhibited the near-infrared absorption of an intervalence charge-transfer (IV-CT) band, pointing the way toward the use of such systems in material science.

A one-dimensional iron(II) spin-crossover compound [Fe(3py-im)(2)(NCS)(2)].7H(2)O (1) (3py-im = 2,4,5-tris(4-pyridly)-imidazole) has been solvothermally synthesized and structurally characterized. Compound 1 crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P2/c with a = 11.9078(2), b = 9.9474(1), c = 17.7290(3) and beta = 102.361(2) degrees at 105 K. Studies on the variable-temperature magnetic susceptibilities and Mössbauer spectra suggest that compound undergoes incomplete spin transition behaviour. Pressure effects on the transition behaviour have also been investigated, the thermal-induced spin transition becomes more gradual and the critical temperature shifts towards slightly higher temperature range when external pressure increases. However, the spin transition can not be completed by applying external pressure even as high as 0.79 GPa.

An array of TCNQ (TCNQ = 7,7,8,8-tetracyano-p-quinodimethane) lanthanide complexes, namely, [Ln2(TCNQ)4(H2O)10(EtOH)2][2TCNQ] x xH2O [Ln = La (1, x = 5), Pr (2, x = 3)], [Ln2(TCNQ)4(H2O)10][2TCNQ] x yH2O [Ln = Gd (3, y = 6), Dy (4, y = 5)] and [Ln(TCNQ)2(H2O)6][TCNQ] x H2O x MeOH [Ln = Er (5), Lu (6)], have been synthesized by salt-elimination reactions. X-ray crystallographic analysis indicates that 1-6 are discrete ion complexes. Cations of 1-4 adopt a dimer structure, while cations of 5 and 6 display a monomer structure. The magnetic study proposes that an antiferromagnetic interaction between TCNQ radicals exists in 1-6. The depopulation of the Stark levels for 2 and 5 leads to a continuous decrease in mT when the samples are cooled from 300 K to 2 K. The desolvated 3, namely, 3a exhibits a unique magnetic conversion from the magnetic disordering to the magnetic ordering at 4 K. 4 shows a ferromagnetic coupling between paramagnetic centers.

Ultrathin films composed of titania nanosheets and Prussian Blue were prepared by using the modified Langmuir-Blodgett technique. The ultrathin films could be deposited in a layer-by-layer manner with lamellar structure. Upon band gap excitation of titania nanosheets, the generated electrons were injected into ferromagnetic Prussian Blue, resulting in reduction to paramagnetic Prussian White. It was revealed that the reaction could proceed only in the presence of hole-scavenging interlayer water molecules.

A non-enzymatic glucose sensor, consisting of a regular array of nickel microdisks on a diamond electrode substrate designed to control the diffusion processes of glucose and interfering species such as ascorbic acid and uric acid, was fabricated. Each nickel microdisk acts as a microelectrode for glucose (hemispherical diffusion) due to the inactive diamond surface for glucose oxidation while interfering species are oxidized at the diamond surface (linear diffusion). The difference in diffusion profiles gives a difference in the time dependence of the amperometric response. That is, the glucose concentration gives rise to a constant amperometric response whereas the concentration of mixed interfering species gives rise to a time dependent response, because the hemispherical diffusion profile yields a constant response and the linear diffusion profile yields a transient current following Cottrell's equation. The results show that the fabricated electrodes exhibit a high selectivity for glucose in solutions containing ascorbic and uric acids.

We have observed the emergence of a large anisotropic magnetization and significant photoinduced changes in the magentization that appear at the interface between a gold film and an azobenzene-containing self-assembled monolayer. The magnetization value was extremely high, up to 50 mu(B) per adsorbed molecule. These photomagnetic effects can be attributed to a photoinduced change in the loss of d charge due to photoisomerization of the azobenzene monolayer, which is accompanied by inversion of the surface dipoles. Furthermore, we have also observed reversible changes in the work function of the gold film by alternating UV and visible light, showing that the value of the surface dipole moment is changed as a result of photoisomerization. This allowed us to control the magnetization by alternating the photoillumination between UV and visible light, and we have clarified the mechanism for these photomagnetic effects. A novel strategy such as this, which enables significant reversible phototuning of the magnetic order, has great potential for applications in future magneto-optical devices.