Abstract
Targeting mitochondrial oxidative stress is an effective therapeutic strategy. In this context, a rational design of mitochondriotropic antioxidants (compounds 22-27) based on a dietary antioxidant (caffeic acid) was performed. Jointly named as AntiOxCINs, these molecules take advantage of the known ability of the triphenylphosphonium cation to target active molecules to mitochondria. The study was guided by structure-activity-toxicity-property relationships, and we demonstrate in this work that the novel AntiOxCINs act as mitochondriotropic antioxidants. In general, AntiOxCINs derivatives prevented lipid peroxidation and acted as inhibitors of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore. AntiOxCINs toxicity profile was found to be dependent on the structural modifications performed on the dietary antioxidant. On the basis of mitochondrial and cytotoxicity/antioxidant cellular data, compound 25 emerged as a potential candidate for the development of a drug candidate with therapeutic application in mitochondrial oxidative stress-related diseases. Compound 25 increased GSH intracellular levels and showed no toxicity on mitochondrial morphology and function.

Abstract
An electrochemical biosensor was developed by merging the features of Molecular Imprinting technique and Screen-Printed Electrode (SPE) for the simple and fast screening of cardiac biomarker myoglobin (Myo) in point-of-care (POC). The MIP artificial receptor for Myo was prepared by electrooxidative polymerization of phenol (Ph) on a AuSPE in the presence of Myo as template molecule. The choice of the most effective protein extraction procedure from the various extraction methods tested (mildly acidic/basic solutions, pure/mixed organic solvents, solutions containing surfactants and enzymatic digestion methods), and the optimization of the thickness of the polymer film was carefully undertaken in order to improve binding characteristics of Myo to the imprinted polymer receptor and increase the sensitivity of the MIP biosensor. The film thickness was optimized by adjusting scan rate and the number of cycles during cyclic voltammetric electropolymerization of Ph. The thickness of the polyphenol nanocoating of only few nanometres (similar to 4.4 nm), and similar to the protein diameter, brought in significant improvements in terms of sensor sensitivity. The binding affinity of MIP receptor film was estimated by fitting the experimental data to Freundlich isotherm and a similar to 8 fold increase in the binding affinity of Myo to the imprinted polymer (K-F = 0.119 +/- 0.002 ng(-1) mL) when compared to the non- imprinted polymer (K-F = 0.015 +/- 0.002 ng(-1) mL) which demonstrated excellent (re) binding affinity for the imprinted protein. The incubation of the Myo MIP receptor modified electrode with increasing concentration of protein (from 0.001 ng mL(-1) to 100 mu g mL(-1)) resulted in a decrease of the ferro/ferricyanide redox current. LODs of 2.1 and 14 pg mL(-1) were obtained from calibration curves built in neutral buffer and diluted artificial serum, respectively, using SWV technique, enabling the detection of the protein biomarker at clinically relevant levels. The prepared MIP biosensor was applied to the determination of Myo spiked serum samples with satisfactory results.

Abstract
The detection of thrombin based on aptamer binding is studied using two different optical fiber-based configurations: long period gratings coated with a thin layer of titanium dioxide and surface plasmon resonance devices in optical fibers coated with a multilayer of gold and titanium dioxide. These structures are functionalized and the performance to detect thrombin in the range 10 to 100 nM is compared in transmission mode. The sensitivity to the surrounding refractive index (RI) of the plasmonic device is higher than 3100 nmRIU(-1) in the RI range 1.335 to 1.355, a factor of 20 greater than the sensitivity of the coated grating. The detection of 10 nM of thrombin was accomplished with a wavelength shift of 3.5 nm and a resolution of 0.54 nM. (C) 2016 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE)

Abstract
A fiber-optic refractive index (RI) sensor based on a long period fiber grating (LPFG) coated with a zinc oxide (ZnO) thin film was fabricated and characterized. A method to overcoat the LPFG's with a homogeneous ZnO thin films was developed. Characterization of ZnO thin films, deposited simultaneously on silicon (Si) planar substrates, was performed using Scanning Electron Microscope, Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy. The LPFGs with ZnO coatings from 29 to 145 nm of thickness were characterized and compared in terms of the wavelength shift and the intensity of the attenuation bands changing the surrounding refractive index (SRI) from 1.300 to 1.600. An average wavelength sensitivity of similar to 7162 nm/RIU was achieved in the RI range from 1.440 to 1.456 and more than 12,000 nm/RIU at 1.440 RI. Using a ZnO film thickness of 116 nm and in the RI region between 1.320 and 1.360 the average sensitivity of similar to 806 nm/RIU was measured for a 145 nm thick film. Working as an intensity sensing device, the 87 nm coated LPFG shows a linear sensitivity of 216.4 dB/RIU in a wide range of RI from 1.340 to 1.420.

Abstract
Sensors based on long-period fiber gratings (LPFGs) over coated with metal oxide were fabricated and characterized for refractive index (RI) sensing. Oxidation of Ni, Ti, Al, and Cr was monitored in real time by following the features of the LPFG attenuation band. Themetals were deposited simultaneously on top of Si substrates for further chemical and morphological analysis. Wavelength sensitivities (nm/RIU) of about 10 437 at 1.432, 1150 at 1.400, 20 125 at 1.448, and 875 at 1.420 were achieved for LPFGs coated, with 68 nm of Ni, 60 nm of TiO2, 50 nm of Al2O3, and 62 nm of Cr2O3, respectively. For surrounding RI higher than the cladding RI, the wavelength sensitivities are 1937, 6801, 5762, and 3051 nm/RIU at 1.457 for the Ni, Ti, Al, and Cr oxides, respectively. Working as intensity sensing devices sensitivities up to 167 dB/RIU were measured. Metal oxide coated LPFGs leads to wavelength sensitivity enhancement comparing to bare LPFGs and may be used in systems with RI higher than the fiber cladding, a region where bare LPFGs are insensitive.

Abstract
A palladium (Pd)-based optical metamaterial has been designed, fabricated and characterized for its application in hydrogen sensing. The metamaterial can replace Pd thin films in optical transmission schemes for sensing with performances far superior to those of conventional sensors. This artificial material consists of a palladium-alumina metamaterial fabricated using inexpensive and industrial-friendly bottom-up techniques. During the exposure to hydrogen, the system exhibits anomalous optical absorption when compared to the well-known response of Pd thin films, this phenomenon being the key factor for the sensor sensitivity. The exposure to hydrogen produces a large variation in the light transmission through the metamembrane (more than 30% with 4% in volume hydrogen-nitrogen gas mixture at room temperature and atmospheric pressure), thus avoiding the need for sophisticated optical detection systems. An optical homogenization model is proposed to explain the metamaterial response. These results contribute to the development of reliable and low-cost hydrogen sensors with potential applications in the hydrogen economy and industrial processes to name a few, and also open the door to optically study the hydrogen diffusion processes in Pd nanostructures.