Abstract: Cyclic voltammetry (CV) may be used with novel sensors for identifying the presence of target sequences complementary to probe sequences. The sensor may include an electrode layer (which is used as a working electrode in a CV system), a conductive polymer layer, and probes immobilized (e.g., via sulfur) on the conductive polymer layer. The conductive polymer layer may be polyaniline, or the like. The probes may be immobilized on the polymer layer using an electro-chemical immobilization technique in the presence of nucleophiles, such as thiol groups for example. The probes may be oligionucleotides. Thus, the sensors may be used for identifying genomic sequence variations and detecting mismatch base pairs, such as single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) for example.

Abstract: Ionic interactions are monitored to detect hybridization. The measurement may be done measuring the potential change in the solution with the ion sensitive electrode (which may be the conducting polymer (e.g., polyaniline) itself), without applying any external energy during the binding. The double helix formation during the complimentary hybridization makes this electrode act as an ion selective electrode—the nucleotide hydrogen bonding is specific and thus monitoring the ionic phosphate group addition becomes selective. Polyaniline on the surface of nylon film forms a positively charged polymer film. Thiol linkage can be utilized for polyaniline modification and thiol-modified single strand oligonucleotide chains can be added to polyaniline. The sensitivity is because the double helix formation during the complimentary hybridization makes this electrode act as an ion selective electrode as the nucleotide hydrogen bonding is specific and thus monitoring the ionic phosphate group addition becomes selective.

Abstract: An inhibitor of sporeforming pathogens or agents. In one embodiment, the inhibitor has at least one glycoconjugate that is bondable to a sporeforming pathogen or agent. The glycoconjugate is a molecule containing a carbohydrate moiety that is glycosylated. The glycosylated carbohydrate moiety may comprise a glycoprotein or a glycolipid. In one embodiment, the glycosylated carbohydrate moiety comprises at least one disaccharide moiety or higher polysaccharide. In another embodiment, the glycosylated carbohydrate moiety comprises a plurality of copies of same monosaccharide units or different monosaccharide units.

Abstract: Methods for preparing an oligomer exhibiting supramolecular extension of ?-conjugation are described. The manipulation of intra-oligomeric properties such as ?-conjugation length and the precise architecture(s) resulting from inter-oligomeric variations resulting from supramolecular chemistry offers great promise in the design of nanoscale devices. As shown, self-assembly of the supramolecular structure can be induced by causing a molecule:dopant molar ratio to go beyond the predicted theoretical fully-doped molar ratio.

Abstract: A real-time, portable peptide-containing potentiometric biosensor that can directly identify bacterial spores. Two peptides for specific recognition of B. subtilis and B. anthracis Sterne may be immobilized by a polysiloxane monolayer immobilization (PMI) technique. The sensors translate the biological recognition event into a potential change by detecting, for example, B. subtilis spores in a concentration range of 0.08-7.3×104 CFU/ml. The sensor exhibited highly selective recognition properties towards Bacillus subtilis spores over other kinds of spores. The selectivity coefficients of the sensors for other kinds of spores are in the range of 0-1.0×10?5. The biosensor system not only has the specificity to distinguish Bacillus subtilis spores in a mixture of B. subtilis and B. thuringiensis (thur.) Kurstaki spores, but also can discriminate between live and dead B. subtilis spores. Furthermore, the sensor can distinguish a Bacillus subtilis 1A700 from other B. subtilis strain.

Abstract: Specific ionic interactions with a sensing material that is electrically coupled with the floating gate of a floating gate-based ion sensitive field effect transistor (FGISFET) may be used to sense a target material. For example, an FGISFET can use (e.g., previously demonstrated) ionic interaction-based sensing techniques with the floating gate of floating gate field effect transistors. The floating gate can serves as a probe and an interface to convert chemical and/or biological signals to electrical signals, which can be measured by monitoring the change in the device's threshold voltage, VT.

Abstract: Enantiomeric resolution is realized by combining an electrochemical method with ligand exchange (LE) in a novel electrochemical method named chiral ligand exchange potentiometry. Chiral selector ligands preferentially recognize certain enantiomers and undergo ligand exchange with the enantiomeric labile coordination complexes to form diastereoisomeric complexes. These complexes can form in solution and be recognized by an unmodified electrode, or they can be immobilized on the surface of a modified electrode (chiral sensor) incorporated with the chiral selector ligand by polysiloxane monolayer immobilization (PMI). Considerable stereoselectivity occurs in the formation of these diastereoisomeric complexes, and their net charges (Nernst factors) are different, thus enabling enantiomers to be distinguished by potentiometric electrodes without any pre-separation processes.

Abstract: A glycoconjugate sensor specific to a target biological entity may be fabricated by coating a support surface with polymers appended with carbohydrates. The carbohydrates appended to the polymers may be chosen by (i) identifying the surface glycoconjugates of a target biological entity and (ii) selecting corresponding carbohydrates that may specifically bind with the identified TAMPs, such as glycoconjugates. An ELISA platform may be used as the glycoconjugate sensor for detecting specific carbohydrate binding of the sensor to spores.

Abstract: Surface-molecularly imprinted sensors were fabricated for detecting ionic molecules. Target molecules are recognized by the combination of a hydrophobic interaction with the imprinted polymer layer to provide specificity and an electrostatic interaction to provide sensitivity Coupling surface imprinting techniques with an electrochemical detection method, such as potentiometry, allows specific recognition of target molecules and translation of the recognition event into an output signal by the sensor.

Abstract: Enantiomeric resolution is realized by combining an electrochemical method with ligand exchange (LE) in a novel electrochemical method named chiral ligand exchange potentiometry. Chiral selector ligands preferentially recognize certain enantiomers and undergo ligand exchange with the enantiomeric labile coordination complexes to form diastereoisomeric complexes. These complexes can form in solution and be recognized by an unmodified electrode, or they can be immobilized on the surface of a modified electrode (chiral sensor) incorporated with the chiral selector ligand by polysiloxane monolayer immobilization (PMI). Considerable stereoselectivity occurs in the formation of these diastereoisomeric complexes, and their net charges (Nernst factors) are different, thus enabling enantiomers to be distinguished by potentiometric electrodes without any pre-separation processes.

Abstract: The present invention includes a method for preparing polymer hydrogel spherical particles on a nanometer scale (nanogels). The method includes encapsulating hydrogel-forming components into liposomes, diluting the large unilamellar liposomes suspension to prevent polymerization outside the liposomes, and polymerizing the encapsulated hydrogel-forming components. The lipid bilayer may be solubilized with detergent. The phospholipid and detergent molecules and their micelles may then be removed by dialysis. The resulting nanogels may then be dried by evaporation in a temperature gradient. Poly(acrylamide), poly(N-isopropylacrylamide), and poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-1-vinylimidazole) hydrogel particles with a diameter from 30 to 300 nm were detected and characterized by dynamic light scattering technique. The solvent, temperature, pH, and ionic sensitivities of the nanogels were studied.

Abstract: Lipobeads (liposome-encapsulated hydrogels) combine properties of hydrogels and liposomes to create systems that are sensitive to environmental conditions and respond to changes in those conditions in a fast time scale. Lipobeads may be produced by polymerizing anchored or unanchored hydrogels within liposomes or by mixing anchored or unanchored hydrogels with liposomes. Giant lipobeads may be produced by shrinking unanchored nanogels in lipobeads and fusing the resulting lipobead aggregates, long-term aging of anchored or unanchored lipobeads, or mixing anchored or unanchored aggregated nanogels with liposomes. Poly(acrylamide), poly(N-isopropylacrylamide), and poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-1-vinylimidazole) lipobeads were produced and characterized.

Abstract: An electrically conducting plastic material is produced by blending a polyaniline or a derivative thereof with an organic sulfonic acid or a derivative thereof. A reaction product or blend of a polyaniline or a derivative thereon with an organic sulfonic acid or a derivative thereof can be brought to an easy-to-handle or directly melt-processable form through a heat-treatment process carried out at approx. +40.degree. to +250.degree. C. The obtained plastic material is advantageously further improved by blending the heat-treated reaction product or blend with a thermoplastic polymer and then melt-processing the mixed blend. The properties of the resulting compound material exhibit complete compatibility of the heat-treated reaction product or blend with the thermoplastic polymer.

Abstract: The present invention concerns electrically conducting polymer blends, processs for production thereof, and fibers and films essentially consisting of electrically conducting polymer blends. According to the invention, the polymer blends comprise matrix polymers and electrically conducting polymer components possessing liquid-crystal properties. In particular, the liquid-crystal polymer components comprise a main chain incorporating conjugated double bonds, the monomer units of the main chain being linked to side chains which, together with the main chain, render the polymer liquid-crystal properties at elevated temperatures. The blends are prepared by melt blending a matrix polymer and a liquid-crystal polymer and by treating the blend thus prepared with a dopant to make the liquid-crystal polymer conducting. The polymer blends can be processed into fibers or films using conventional processing methods of plastics such as die extrusion, injection molding, injection molding, ram molding or film blowing.

Abstract: An electrically conducting plastic material is produced by blending a polyaniline or a derivative thereof with an organic sulfonic acid or a derivative thereof. A reaction product or blend of a polyaniline or a derivative thereof with an organic sulfonic acid or a derivative thereof can be brought to an easy-to-handle or directly melt-processable form through a heat-treatment process carried out at approx. +40.degree. to +250.degree. C. The obtained plastic material is advantageously further improved by blending the heat-treated reaction product or blend with a thermoplastic polymer and then melt-processing the mixed blend. The properties of the resulting compound material exhibit complete compatibility of the heat-treated reaction product or blend with the thermoplastic polymer.

Abstract: A polymer that has been made of lignen and that contains sulphur, and into which a compound that activates the conductivity, such as iodine or ferric chloride, has been doped. The doped lignin polymer has properties of a semiconductor.