Nitric Oxide Molecules Research Articles

A ratiometric lysosome-targeted fluorescent probe for imaging SO2 based on the coumarin-quinoline-julolidine molecular system

Similar to nitric oxide (NO) molecule, carbon monoxide (CO) molecule and hydrogen sulfide (H2S) molecule, sulfur dioxide (SO2) is also considered to be another important endogenous signaling molecule. SO2 derivatives are widely used as food antioxidants and antimicrobial agents. However, SO2 is also a toxic environmental pollutant and intake of elevated levels of sulfites can lead to diarrhea, low blood pressure and allergic and asthmatic reactions in susceptible people. The specific physiological effects and transformation processes of SO2 and its derivatives are not well understood due to the limitations of existing detection methods. Therefore, it is an urgent need to develop highly sensitive, high-resolution, real-time in situ assays. Herein, we specifically designed a ratiometric near-infrared fluorescent probe CQT for detecting SO2 derivatives. After the reaction of CQT with HSO3−/SO32−, a gradual decrease in red fluorescence at 662 nm accompanied by an enhanced blue fluorescence at 489 nm, reaching a detection range of 2.8–80 μM. In addition, we found that CQT had high energy transfer efficiency, large Stokes shift and low detection limit, which meant that CQT could sensitively monitor small changes of SO2 concentration in cells and accurately target lysosomes.

Elucidating Λ-doublet splittings and rotational quantum number-dependent collisional broadenings in 2∏1/2 and 2∏3/2 spin-split sub-bands of NO at 5.2 µm

High-resolution ro-vibrational spectroscopic features of nitric oxide (NO) are particularly interesting because of the unpaired electron and non-zero nuclear spin of the nitrogen atom. Here, ultra-sensitive cavity ring-down spectroscopy (CRDS) coupled with an external-cavity quantum cascade laser (EC-QCL) radiation source was employed to measure the rotationally-resolved fine structure Λ-doublet splittings between the parity doublet e and f components in the (2∏1/2 - 2∏1/2) and (2∏3/2 - 2∏3/2) allowed sub-bands of the v = 1 ← 0 fundamental vibrational band of NO molecule near 5.2 µm. Subsequently, we determined several principal spectroscopic parameters such as the Λ-doubling constants, vibrational transition dipole moments and the Herman-Wallis coefficients for both e and f Λ-doublet components by probing various R-branch rotational lines (J = 0.5 to 23.5) of the studied spin-split sub-bands of NO associated with spin–orbit interaction. In addition, we performed the pressure broadening effect on the Λ-doublet splittings in collision with three vital perturbing gases at room temperature (296 K) and accurately determined the pressure broadening coefficients, γi (e,f) in cm-1atm−1 [(i = He, Ar and Zero air (mainly N2 + O2)] along with their dependence on the rotational quantum number (J). We observed the pronounced collision-induced rotational quantum effect and the result of rotationally inelastic collision in the system for each collision partner. All these measured high-resolution new spectroscopic parameters over 33 ro-vibrational transitions via an EC-QCL based CRDS method will help significantly in interpreting fundamental molecular properties of this diatomic NO molecule.

A nitric oxide and hydrogen sulfide dual-donating nanosystem for highly synergistic gas-radiotherapy against hepatocellular carcinoma

A drug delivery system (DDS) based on gold-capped mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSN) is fabricated for loading NOSH-aspirin, a nitric oxide (NO) and hydrogen sulfide (H2S) dual-donating cytotoxic molecule. The liver targeting and tumor microenvironment responsive properties of the nanosystem enable, for the first time, the concurrent delivery of NO and H2S from a DDS into hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells. Combined gas-radiotherapy (GT-RT) from drug-loaded DDS (NOSH@MSN-Au-Gal) and X-ray irradiation shows highly synergistic anti-cancer activity against both normoxic and hypoxic HCC cells. Further studies revealed that the combined GT-RT not only retains the well-known anticancer mechanism of NO, H2S, and X-ray individually, but also alleviates HCC hypoxia via NO- and H2S- involved unique pathways. In mice, the GT-RT greatly slows the growth of both subcutaneous and orthotopic HCC tumors and shows high biocompatibility. The current work is expected to promote the clinical application of combined GT-RT as an effective cancer treatment.

388 The impact of the susceptibility gene NOS2 and its bioactive molecule Nitric oxide in the pathogenesis of Psoriasis

Psoriasis is an immune-mediated systemic skin disorder with a strong genetic predisposition. The gene expression of the psoriasis susceptibility gene Nitric oxide synthase 2 (NOS2) is specifically upregulated in psoriatic involved skin. NOS2 catalyses the synthesis of nitric oxide (NO), a short-lived free radical and pivotal signaling molecule with both pro- and anti-inflammatory properties. In this study, we have investigated the functional relevance of NOS2 expression in psoriasis. Using qPCR, we found that NOS2 mRNA was strongly expressed in the epidermis of psoriatic involved skin compared to healthy skin.

Microscopic Structure of Liquid Nitric Oxide.

The microscopic structure of nitric oxide is investigated using neutron scattering experiments. The measurements are performed at various temperatures between 120 and 144 K and at pressures between 1.1 and 9 bar. Using the technique of empirical potential structure refinement (EPSR), our results show that the dimer is the main form, around 80%, of nitric oxide in the liquid phase at 120 K, but the degree of dissociation to monomers increases with increasing temperature. The reported degree of dissociation of dimers, and its trend with increasing temperature, is consistent with earlier measurements and studies. It is also shown that nonplanar dimers are not inconsistent with the diffraction data and that the possibility of nitric oxide molecules forming longer oligomers, consisting of bonded nitrogen atoms along the backbone, cannot be ruled out in the liquid. A molecular dynamics simulation is used to compare the present EPSR simulations with an earlier proposed intermolecular potential for the liquid.

MXene-Derived Metal-Organic Framework@MXene Heterostructures toward Electrochemical NO Sensing.

The electrochemical sensing of nitric oxide (NO)molecules by metal-organic framework (MOF) catalysts has been impeded, to a large extent, owing to their poor electrical conductivity and weak NO adsorption. In this work, incomplete in situ conversion of V2 CTx (T=terminal atoms) MXene to MOF is adopted, forming MOF@MXene heterostructures, which outperform MXene and MOF monocomponents toward electrochemical NO sensing. Density functional theory (DFT) calculation results indicate metal-like electronic characters for the heterostructure benefiting from the dominating contribution of the V 3d orbitals of the metallic MXene. Moreover, plane-averaged charge density difference shows substantial charge redistribution occurs at the heterointerfaces, producing a built-in field, which facilitates charge transfer. Besides, molecular mechanics-based simulated annealing calculation reveals greatly enhanced adsorption energies of NO molecules on the heterointerfaces than that on separate MOFs and MXenes. Hence, the facilitated charge transfer and preferential NO adsorption are responsible for the dramatically promoted performance toward NO sensing. The prudent design of MOF@MXene heterostructure may spur advanced electrocatalysts for electrochemical sensing.

Calcium and nitric oxide signaling in plant cadmium stress tolerance: A cross talk

Despite its known phytotoxicity, cadmium (Cd) is being added in most arable soils via different agricultural activities. Additionally, information is meager on the Cd-phytotoxicity mitigation strategies employing sustainable approaches. Essential plant nutrient calcium (Ca2+) and signaling molecule nitric oxide (NO) are known as the key regulators of plant biochemical and physiological processes under stress conditions. Though there exists a close functional synergism between Ca2+ and NO in plant stress tolerance, the role of either Ca2+ and/or NO has been explored in plant stress tolerance in isolated reports. Given this, in addition to briefly overviewing the availability, uptake, transport and toxicity (including impact on morpho-physiological traits, photosynthesis, oxidative stress, and genotoxicity), this paper aimed to highlight the general roles, transport, and signaling of Ca2+ and/or NO in plants, and appraises the literature available on their significance in improvements of plant growth, photosynthesis and control of oxidative stress under Cd stress. Effort was also made to present a crosstalk on Ca2+ and NO signaling, and the significance of its outcome in plant Cd-tolerance.

Allelopathic effect of pyrogallic acid on cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa: The regulatory role of nitric oxide and its significance for controlling harmful algal blooms (HABs)

Utilization of allelochemicals to inhibit overgrowth of toxic cyanobacteria is considered to be an environmentally friendly approach. However, the regulatory role of the signaling molecule nitric oxide (NO) on cyanobacteria under allelopathic stress remains unanswered. Here we demonstrate that the effect of NO on the cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa depends on allelopathic stress of pyrogallic acid (PA). The experimental results revealed that general stimulation of M. aeruginosa by PA occurred within the concentration range 0.4–0.8 mg/L. In parallel with increasing concentration of PA (1.6–16.0 mg/L), the growth of M. aeruginosa was observed to decrease. The effect of NO on M. aeruginosa was evaluated by addition of the NO scavenger hemoglobin. In the stimulation stage, intracellular NO was seen to decreased to modulate the level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and to maintain redox homeostasis of the cells. In the inhibition stage, the physiological characteristics of M. aeruginosa were changed significantly. Additionally, the accumulation of S-nitrosothiol by M. aeruginosa indicated that the high concentrations of PA induced nitric oxidative stress in M. aeruginosa. This study provides a new thought to understand the role of NO in controlling harmful algal blooms through the allelopathic effect of aquatic macrophytes.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis exploits MPT64 to generate myeloid-derived suppressor cells to evade the immune system.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) is a smart and successful pathogen since it can persist in the intimidating environment of the host by taming and tuning the immune system. Mtb releases MPT64 (Rv1980c) protein in high amounts in patients with active tuberculosis (TB). Consequently, we were curious to decipher the role of MPT64 on the differentiating dendritic cells (DCs) and its relation to evading the immune system. We observed that pre-exposure of differentiating DCs to MPT64 (DCMPT64) transformed them into a phenotype of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs). DCMPT64 expressed a high level of immunosuppressive molecules PD-L1, TIM-3, nitric oxide (NO), arginase 1, IDO-1, IL-10 and TGF-β, but inhibited the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-12. DCMPT64 chemotaxis function was diminished due to the reduced expression of CCR7. DCMPT64 promoted the generation of regulatory T cells (Tregs) but inhibited the differentiation of Th1 cells and Th17 cells. Further, high lipid and methylglyoxal content, and reduced glucose consumption by DCMPT64, rendered them metabolically quiescent and consequently, reduced DCMPT64 ability to phagocytose Mtb and provided a safer shelter for the intracellular survival of the mycobacterium. The mechanism identified in impairing the function of DCMPT64 was through the increased production and accumulation of methylglyoxal. Hence, for the first time, we demonstrate the novel role of MPT64 in promoting the generation of MDSCs to favor Mtb survival and escape its destruction by the immune system.

Redox potential determination of the Hell’s Gate globin I protein facing multiple exogenous ligands

Methylacidiphilum infernorum is a methanotroph bacterium that survives under extreme temperature and pH conditions in which five globins were identified. Among them, Hell’s Gate Globin I (HGbI) is a hemeprotein that presents peculiar features if compared to other globins, like stability at pH 2.8, very high oxygen affinity, and pH-dependent hexacoordination. All these features are likely related to the FeIII/II ion of the heme group whose redox behavior needs to be understood. Herein, we present the spectroelectrochemical determination of the redox potential of the HGbI protein in the absence and presence of relevant heme-binding molecules (cyanide, imidazole, carbon monoxide, nitric oxide and oxygen) in solution and also at different pH values (3.5 to 9.5). The spectroelectrochemical studies were performed giving midpoint redox potential (Em) values of −305, −338, and −442 mV vs normal hydrogen electrode (NHE) for the HGbI unliganded protein and bonded to imidazole and cyanide, respectively. The impressive negative value of the unliganded HGbI indicates it is very improbable to keep it reduced for binding and/or store O2. Interestingly, it was noticed an unusual high affinity of ferrous HGbI to imidazole and cyanide. In addition, the Em values showed pH-dependence, exhibiting a sigmoidal response whose pKa value was calculated at 6.9 likely associated to a sixth heme ligand. In presence of CO and NO, the spectroelectrochemical curves showed hysteresis due to the complete dissociation of the ligands in the oxidized state. Oxidation potentials of 385 and 130 mV vs NHE were determined for CO-HGbI(FeII) and NO-HGbI(FeII) species, respectively. Altogether, these results suggest HGbI protein is likely not involved in the storage nor in the transport of oxygen in the Methylacidiphilum infernorum microorganism. Nevertheless, it is implied the physiological function of HGbI might be related to redox-based processes, which remains to be further elucidated.

Design, Synthesis, Electronic Properties, and X-ray Structural Characterization of Various Modified Electron-Rich Calixarene Derivatives and Their Conversion to Stable Cation Radical Salts.

We have designed and synthesized electron-rich calixarene derivatives, which undergo reversible electrochemical oxidation in a well-accessible potential range that allows the ready preparation and isolation of the corresponding cation radicals. Preparation of mono- or tetra-radical cation can be achieved by using stable aromatic cation-radical salts such as MA+•, MB+•, and NAP+• as selective organic oxidants. The cation radicals of calixarenes are stable indefinitely at ambient temperatures and can be readily characterized by UV-vis-NIR spectroscopy. These cation radicals bind a single molecule of nitric oxide within its cavity with remarkable efficiency.

Molecular Dynamics Simulations of Nitric Oxide Scattering Off Graphene.

We performed classical molecular dynamics simulations to model the scattering process of nitric oxide, NO, off graphene supported on gold. This is motivated by our desire to probe the energy transfer in collisions with graphene. Since many of these collision systems comprising of graphene and small molecules have been shown to scatter non-reactively, classical molecular dynamics appear to describe such systems sufficiently. We directed thousands of trajectories of NO molecules onto graphene along the surface normal, while varying impact position, but also speed, orientation, and rotational excitation of the nitric oxide, and compare the results with experimental data. While experiment and theory do not match quantitatively, we observe agreement that the relative amount of kinetic energy lost during the collision increases with increasing initial kinetic energy of the NO. Furthermore, while at higher collision energies, all NO molecules lose some energy, and the vast majority of NO is scattered back, in contrast at low impact energies, the fraction of those nitric oxide molecules that are trapped at the surface increases, and some NO molecules even gain some kinetic energy during the collision process. The collision energy seems to preferentially go into the collective motion of the carbon atoms in the graphene sheet.

Interactions of nitric oxide molecules with pure and oxidized silver clusters Agn ±/AgnO± (n=11-13): A computational study.

In this work, we have studied, within density functional theory, the interaction of NO with pure and oxidized silver clusters, both anionic and cationic, composed from 11 to 13 Ag atoms. In that size interval, shell closing effects are not expected, and structural and electronic odd-even effects will determine the strength of interaction. First, we obtained that species Agn ± and AgnO± with odd number of electrons (n = 12) adsorb NO with higher energy than their neighbors (n = 11 and 13). This result is in agreement with the facts observed in recent mass spectroscopy measurements, which were performed, however, at finite temperature. The adsorption energy is about twice for oxidized clusters compared to pure ones and higher for anions than for cations. Second, the adsorption of another NO molecule on AgnNO± forms Agn(NO)2 ±, with the dimer (NO)2 in cis configuration, and binding the two N atoms with two neighbor Ag atoms. The n = 12 species show the higher adsorption energy again. Third, in the absence of reaction barriers, all complexes Agn(NO)2 ± dissociate spontaneously into AgnO± and N2O, except the n = 12 anion. The maximum high barrier along the dissociation path of Ag13(NO)2 - is about 0.7eV. Further analysis of projected density of states for Ag11-13(NO)x ± (x = 0, 1, 2) molecules shows that bonding between NO and Ag clusters mainly occurs in the energy range between -3.0 and 3.0eV. The overlap between 4d of Ag and 2p of N and O is larger for Ag12(NO)2 ± than for neighbor sizes. For n = 12, the d bands are close to the (NO)22π orbital, leading to extra back-donation charge from the 4d of Ag to the closer 2π orbital of (NO)2.

Inhibition of PSD95-nNOS protein-protein interactions decreases morphine reward and relapse vulnerability in rats.

Glutamate signalling through the N‐methyl‐d‐aspartate receptor (NMDAR) activates the enzyme neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) to produce the signalling molecule nitric oxide (NO). We hypothesized that disruption of the protein–protein interaction between nNOS and the scaffolding protein postsynaptic density 95 kDa (PSD95) would block NMDAR‐dependent NO signalling and represent a viable therapeutic route to decrease opioid reward and relapse‐like behaviour without the unwanted side effects of NMDAR antagonists. We used a conditioned place preference (CPP) paradigm to evaluate the impact of two small‐molecule PSD95‐nNOS inhibitors, IC87201 and ZL006, on the rewarding effects of morphine. Both IC87201 and ZL006 blocked morphine‐induced CPP at doses that lacked intrinsic rewarding or aversive properties. Furthermore, in vivo fast‐scan cyclic voltammetry (FSCV) was used to ascertain the impact of ZL006 on morphine‐induced increases in dopamine (DA) efflux in the nucleus accumbens shell (NAc shell) evoked by electrical stimulation of the medial forebrain bundle (MFB). ZL006 attenuated morphine‐induced increases in DA efflux at a dose that did not have intrinsic effects on DA transmission. We also employed multiple intravenous drug self‐administration approaches to examine the impact of ZL006 on the reinforcing effects of morphine. Interestingly, ZL006 did not alter acquisition or maintenance of morphine self‐administration, but reduced lever pressing in a morphine relapse test after forced abstinence. Our results provide behavioural and neurochemical support for the hypothesis that inhibition of PSD95‐nNOS protein–protein interactions decreases morphine reward and relapse‐like behaviour, highlighting a previously unreported application for these novel therapeutics in the treatment of opioid addiction.

Facile Synthesis of Conductive Metal-Organic Frameworks Nanotubes for Ultrahigh-Performance Flexible NO Sensors.

Cu-benzenehexathiol (Cu-BHT) has attracted significant attention due to its record high electrical conductivity and crystal defects Cu2c . However, the nonporous structure and small specific surface area of Cu-BHT with two-dimensional kagome lattice invariably limit its practical application in sensing and catalysis. In this work, Cu-BHT nanotubes (Cu-BHT-NTs) are designed and prepared via a facile homogeneous reaction to solve these problems. Compared with the traditional nanorod-like structure, the Cu-BHT-NTs not only have a higher specific surface area but also possess a higher proportion of crystal defects (66.6%). The successfully configured DPPTT/Cu-BHT-NTs heterostructure organic field-effect transistor (OFET)-based sensor exhibits excellent sensitivity as high as 13610%, a minimum detection limits down to 5ppb, and exceptional selectivity to nitric oxide (NO) toxic gases. Theoretical analysis systematically shows that Cu2c sites in the Cu-BHT-NTs increase the number of electrons transferred from the heterostructure to NO molecules, confirming that the high sensitivity and selectivity result from the high binding between Cu-BHT-NTs and NO molecules. Furthermore, a fully flexible device based on the heterojunction OFET sensor is prepared to ensure the convenience of wearing and carrying gas sensors, opening up a new avenue for the next generation of wearable intelligent electronics.

The role of antioxidant compounds in plant heat tolerance

Plants are sessile organisms, therefore cannot move to more favorable environments; consequently, plant growth and developmental processes are affected, often lethally by stress. High temperature or ‘Heat’ stress is known as major environmental stress that limits plant growth, metabolism, and productivity worldwide. Heat stress is often defined as the rise in temperature beyond a threshold level for a period of time sufficient to cause irreversible damage to plant growth and development. The increase of temperature up to a certain level increases plant growth, photosynthesis, respiration and enzyme activity and after that these parameters tend to decline. One of the ways to deal the with adverse effects of heat stress may involve exploring some molecules that have the potential to protect the plants from the harmful effects of heat stress In recent decades exogenous protectant such as osmoprotectants (proline, glycinebetaine, trehalose, etc.), plant hormone (gibberellic acids, jasmonic acids, brassinosterioids, salicylic acid, etc.), signaling molecules (nitric oxide, hydrogen peroxide, etc.), polyamines (spermidine, spermine, putrescine), trace elements (selenium, silicon, etc.) antioxidants (ascorbic acid, thiamine, glutathione, tocopherol, etc.), have been found effective in mitigating the abiotic stress induced damage in plant. Current report showed that several antioxidants compound such as ascorbic acid and thiamine perform positive effect to combat heat stress in plant is dose dependent manner.

Magnetopriming Actuates Nitric Oxide Synthesis to Regulate Phytohormones for Improving Germination of Soybean Seeds under Salt Stress.

In this study, the role of the signalling molecule nitric oxide (NO) in magnetopriming-mediated induction of salinity tolerance in soybean seeds is established. The cross-talk of NO with germination-related hormones gibberellic acid (GA), abscisic acid (ABA) and auxin (IAA) for their ability to reduce the Na+/K+ ratio in the seeds germinating under salinity is highlighted. Salt tolerance index was significantly high for seedlings emerging from magnetoprimed seeds and sodium nitroprusside (SNP, NO-donor) treatment. The NO and superoxide (O2•−) levels were also increased in both of these treatments under non-saline and saline conditions. NO generation through nitrate reductase (NR) and nitric oxide synthase-like (NOS-like) pathways indicated the major contribution of NO from the NR-catalysed reaction. The relative expression of genes involved in the NO biosynthetic pathways reiterated the indulgence of NR in NO in magnetoprimed seeds, as a 3.86-fold increase in expression was observed over unprimed seeds under salinity. A 23.26-fold increase in relative expression of NR genes by the NO donor (SNP) was observed under salinity, while the NR inhibitor (sodium tungstate, ST) caused maximum reduction in expression of NR genes as compared to other inhibitors [L-NAME (N(G)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester; inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase-like enzyme) and DPI (diphenylene iodonium; NADPH oxidase inhibitor)]. The ratio of ABA/GA and IAA/GA decreased in magnetoprimed and NO donor-treated seeds, suggesting homeostasis amongst hormones during germination under salinity. The magnetoprimed seeds showed low Na+/K+ ratio in all treatments irrespective of NO inhibitors. Altogether, our results indicate that a balance of ABA, GA and IAA is maintained by the signalling molecule NO in magnetoprimed seeds which lowers the Na+/K+ ratio to offset the adverse effects of salinity in soybean seeds.

Nitric Oxide Attenuates Human Cytomegalovirus Infection yet Disrupts Neural Cell Differentiation and Tissue Organization.

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is a prevalent betaherpesvirus that is asymptomatic in healthy individuals but can cause serious disease in immunocompromised patients. HCMV is also the leading cause of virus-mediated birth defects. Many of these defects manifest within the central nervous system and include microcephaly, sensorineural hearing loss, and cognitive developmental delays. Nitric oxide is a critical effector molecule produced as a component of the innate immune response during infection. Congenitally infected fetal brains show regions of brain damage, including necrotic foci with infiltrating macrophages and microglia, cell types that produce nitric oxide during infection. Using a 3-dimensional cortical organoid model, we demonstrate that nitric oxide inhibits HCMV spread and simultaneously disrupts neural rosette structures, resulting in tissue disorganization. Nitric oxide also attenuates HCMV replication in 2-dimensional cultures of neural progenitor cells (NPCs), a prominent cell type in cortical organoids that differentiate into neurons and glial cells. The multipotency factor SOX2 was decreased during nitric oxide exposure, suggesting that early neural differentiation is affected. Nitric oxide also reduced maximal mitochondrial respiration in both uninfected and infected NPCs. We determined that this reduction likely influences neural differentiation, as neurons (Tuj1+ GFAP- Nestin-) and glial populations (Tuj1- GFAP+ Nestin-) were reduced following differentiation. Our studies indicate a prominent, immunopathogenic role of nitric oxide in promoting developmental defects within the brain despite its antiviral activity during congenital HCMV infection. IMPORTANCE Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is the leading cause of virus-mediated congenital birth defects. Congenitally infected infants can have a variety of symptoms manifesting within the central nervous system. The use of 3-dimensional (3-D) cortical organoids to model infection of the fetal brain has advanced the current understanding of development and allowed broader investigation of the mechanisms behind disease. However, the impact of the innate immune molecule nitric oxide during HCMV infection has not been explored in neural cells or cortical 3-D models. Here, we investigated the effect of nitric oxide on cortical development during HCMV infection. We demonstrate that nitric oxide plays an antiviral role during infection yet results in disorganized cortical tissue. Nitric oxide contributes to differentiation defects of neuron and glial cells from neural progenitor cells despite inhibiting viral replication. Our results indicate that immunopathogenic consequences of nitric oxide during congenital infection promote developmental defects that undermine its antiviral activity.

Soft, Disruptive and Wearable Electrochemical Biosensors

Background: Soft wearable electrochemical biosensors are attracting increasing attention over the past several years due to their potential for non-invasive personalized health monitoring in real-time and in-situ. Objective: Herein, we cover the design, fabrication, and applications of soft electrochemical sensing systems. Firstly, we describe key design requirements for fabricating the mechanically compliant electrochemical biosensors. This is followed by a narration of typical sensor configurations and the detecting methodologies. Next, on-body soft electrochemical biosensing and cell/tissue-based “wearable” sensing applications are summarized. Detection of key biochemical markers, including metabolites (glucose, lactate, uric acid and ethanol), electrolytes (Na+ and K+), nutrients (vitamin C), hormones (cortisol) and proteins (TNF-α), as well as cellular signalling molecules (nitric oxide, hydrogen peroxide and serotonin), is the focus of the discussion in this review. Conclusion: We conclude the review with discussions on future opportunities and challenges of the soft and wearable electrochemical biosensors.

Electronic structure and reactivity indexes of cobalt clusters, both pure and mixed with NO and [Formula: see text] ([Formula: see text], [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text]).

Among the most popular motivations for environmental scientists is improving materials that could be useful to fight or avoid pollution. This work shows a study of neutral and cationic cobalt clusters from 4 to 9 atoms ([Formula: see text], q = 0,1 and n = 4-9) to model their separate interaction with contaminant nitric and nitrous oxides. This study is within the framework of the density functional theory in the Kohn-Sham scheme by using BPW91 functional and 6-311G and 6-31G* basis sets to calculate global and local reactivity indexes. The effect of spin multiplicity is also determined. Results on the geometries of pure cobalt clusters agree with previously reported structures. Global minimum energy structures showed a marked preference towards the interaction of nitric and nitrous oxide molecules with cobalt clusters through chemisorptive dissociation, with the dissociation of the corresponding nitrogen oxide. Reactivity indexes reveal an even-odd alternate, which is related to electron counts. Moreover, the chemical potential is lowering after interaction with nitrogen oxides. The Fukui function illustrates the reactive zones with a high probability of chemisorption of more nitrogen oxide molecules.