http://www.mdpi.com/journal/sensors/special_issues/photoactive_nanomate/ Sensitive and selective determination of various analyzes using photoactive nanomaterials will be covered in this special issue. In recent years, several types of photoactive nanomaterials have been developed and applied to ultrasensitive determination of trace amount of analytes. In general, these nanomaterials are used as a signaling reagent or a sample carrier. Compared to traditional signaling reagents, the photoactive nanomaterials provide excellent signaling characteristics and high photostability for a wide variety of analyses. In this special issue different photoactive nanomaterials and their applications in ultrasensitive determination will be described. These include: quantum dots, PEBBLEs, polymer fluorescent nanoparticles, silica fluorescent nanoparticles, gold nanoparticles and silver nanoparticles etc. Submission Sensors (http://www.mdpi.org/sensors/) is a highly rated journal with a 1.573 impact factor in 2007. Sensors is indexed and abstracted very quickly by Chemical Abstracts, Analytical Abstracts, Science Citation Index Expanded, Chemistry Citation Index, Scopus and Google Scholar. All papers should be submitted to sensors@mdpi.org with copy to the guest editors. To be published continuously until the deadline and papers will be listed together at the special websites. Please visit the instructions for authors at http://www.mdpi.org/sensors/publguid.htm before submitting a paper. Open Access publication fees are 1050 CHF per paper. English correction fees (250 CHF) will be added in certain cases (1300 CHF per paper for those papers that require extensive additional formatting and/or English corrections.). http://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/8/9/5942/ A variety of recent developments and applications of electrogenerated chemiluminescence (ECL) for sensors are described. While tris(2,2′-bipyridyl)-ruthenium(II) and luminol have dominated and continue to pervade the field of ECL-based sensors, recent work has focused on use of these lumophores with micro- and nanomaterials. It has also extended to inherently luminescent nanomaterials, such as quantum dots. Sensor configurations including microelectrode arrays and microfluidics are reviewed and, with the recent trend toward increased use of nanomaterials, special attention has been given to sensors which include thin films, nanoparticles and nanotubes. Applications of ECL labels and examples of label-free sensing that incorporate nanomaterials are also discussed. http://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/8/9/5942/ Thu, 25 Sep 2008 00:00:00 CEST Sensors 2008-09-25 8 9 Review 5942 5960 1424-8220 Developments and Applications of Electrogenerated Chemiluminescence Sensors Based on Micro- and Nanomaterials 2008-09-25 doi: 10.3390/s8095942 Sandra G. Hazelton Xingwang Zheng Julia Xiaojun Zhao David T. Pierce http://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/8/5/3082/ Near-infrared fluorescent (NIRF) materials are promising labeling reagents for sensitive determination and imaging of biological targets. In the near-infrared region biological samples have low background fluorescence signals, providing high signal to noise ratio. Meanwhile, near-infrared radiation can penetrate into sample matrices deeply due to low light scattering. Thus, in vivo and in vitro imaging of biological samples can be achieved by employing the NIRF probes. To take full advantage of NIRF materials in the biological and biomedical field, one of the key issues is to develop intense and biocompatible NIRF probes. In this review, a number of NIRF materials are discussed including traditional NIRF dye molecules, newly developed NIRF quantum dots and single-walled carbon nanotubes, as well as rare earth metal compounds. The use of some NIRF materials in various nanostructures is illustrated. The enhancement of NIRF using metal nanostructures is covered as well. The fluorescence mechanism and bioapplications of each type of the NIRF materials are discussed in details. http://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/8/5/3082/ Thu, 08 May 2008 00:00:00 CEST Sensors 2008-05-08 8 5 Review 3082 3105 1424-8220 Near-Infrared Fluorescent Materials for Sensing of Biological Targets 2008-05-08 doi: 10.3390/s8053082 Carrie L. Amiot Shuping Xu Song Liang Lingyun Pan Julia Xiaojun Zhao http://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/8/2/886/ Utrasensitive detection of trace analytes by fluorescence benefits forfluorescence amplifying substrates. We review here our recent work concerned withunderstanding of enhancement mechanisms and formation of three such substrates: silverfractals, silver coated gold nanoparticles deposited on glass and fluorescence enhancinggold colloids. http://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/8/2/886/ Fri, 08 Feb 2008 00:00:00 CET Sensors 2008-02-08 8 2 Review 886 896 1424-8220 Metallic Nanomaterials for Sensitivity Enhancement of Fluorescence Detection 2008-02-08 doi: 10.3390/s8020886 Ewa M. Goldys Fang Xie