Electrografting is a powerful and versatile technique for modifying and decorating conducting surfaces with organic matter. Mainly based on the electro-induced polymerization of dissolved electro-active monomers on metallic or semiconducting surfaces, it finds applications in various fields including biocompatibility, protection against corrosion, lubrication, soldering, functionalization, adhesion, and template chemistry. Starting from experimental observations, this Review highlights the mechanism of the formation of covalent metal-carbon bonds by electro-induced processes, together with major applications such as derivatization of conducting surfaces with biomolecules that can be used in biosensing, lubrication of low-level electrical contacts, reversible trapping of ionic waste on reactive electrografted surfaces as an alternative to ion-exchange resins, and localized modification of conducting surfaces, a one-step process providing submicrometer grafted areas and which is used in microelectronics.

International audienceSelf-assembled monolayers of 1,4-diisocyanobenzene on gold were used to bind ruthenium phthalocyanines to the surface by axial ligation of the macrocycle with isocyanide groups pointing out from the SAM. The 1,4-diisocyanobenzene SAM and the RuPc-1,4-diisocyanobenzene bilayer were characterized by ellipsometry, IRRAS, XPS, and SPM. The grafting of RuPc to the SAM is stable. The thickness of the film increases from 10 to 15 Å upon RuPc ligation. IRRAS reveals that both ends of the 1,4-diisocyanobenzene are affected by the NC to metal interaction occurring at the other end. XPS indicates that each RuPc macrocycle covers ~12 1,4-diisocyanobenzene molecules in the bilayer

Epidemiologic parameters, virologic characteristics and frequency of HLA class II DR and DQ antigens were compared between 63 subjects with spontaneous hepatitis C virus clearance (group 1) and 282 patients with chronic active hepatitis C virus infection (group 2). DRB1*1101 and moreover DQB1*0301 alleles were more frequent in group 1 than in group 2 (33.8% vs. 14.7% and 64.4% vs. 28.6%; P=0.012 and P=0.003, respectively). The frequency of DQB1*02 was lower in group 1 than in group 2 (25.4% vs. 49%; P=0.04). No difference was observed in viral genotype distribution between group 1 and group 2. Univariate analysis showed that female sex and contamination by intravenous drug use were associated with self limited infection. However, by multivariate analysis, the only independent factor associated with hepatitis C virus RNA clearance was female sex (P=0.004). In conclusion, spontaneous hepatitis C virus RNA clearance is determined by class II antigens (mainly DQB1*0301) and female sex, while viral genotype plays no role.