Tuberculosis detection from raw sputum samples using Au-electroplated screen-printed electrodes as E-DNA sensor.

Tuberculosis (TB) remains a leading cause of death globally, especially in underdeveloped nations. The main impediment to TB eradication is a lack of efficient diagnostic tools for disease diagnosis. In this work, label free and ultrasensitive electrochemical DNA biosensor for detecting Mycobacterium tuberculosis has been developed based on the electrodeposition of gold nanoparticles on the surface of carbon screen-printed carbon electrode (Zensors) for signal amplification. Particularly, screen-printed electrodes were modified by electrochemical deposition of Au to enhance the conductivity and facilitate the immobilization of ssDNA probes via Au-S bonds. The electrochemically modified SPEs were characterized using Scanning electron microscopy/Energy Dispersive X-Ray Analysis (SEM/EDX) and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD). Cyclic voltammetry (CV) and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) techniques were used to investigate the DNA hybridization between single-stranded (ssDNA) probe and target DNA (tDNA). Under the ideal conditions, DPV exhibited a correlation coefficient R2 = 0.97, when analyzed with different tDNA concentrations. The proposed DNA biosensor exhibits a good detection range from 2 to 10 nm with a low detection limit of 1.91 nm, as well as high selectivity that, under ideal conditions, distinguishes non-complementary DNA from perfectly matched tDNA. By eliminating the need for DNA purification, this work paves the path for creating disposable biosensors capable of detecting DNA from raw sputum samples.

Effectiveness of 20 years of conservation investments in protecting orangutans.

Conservation strategies are rarely systematically evaluated, which reduces transparency, hinders the cost-effective deployment of resources, and hides what works best in different contexts. Using data on the iconic and critically endangered orangutan (Pongo spp.), we developed a novel spatiotemporal framework for evaluating conservation investments. We show that around USD 1 billion was invested between 2000 and 2019 into orangutan conservation by governments, nongovernmental organizations, companies, and communities. Broken down by allocation to different conservation strategies, we find that habitat protection, patrolling, and public outreach had the greatest return on investment for maintaining orangutan populations. Given the variability in threats, land-use opportunity costs, and baseline remunerations in different regions, there were differential benefits per dollar invested across conservation activities and regions. We show that although challenging from a data and analysis perspective, it is possible to fully understand the relationships between conservation investments and outcomes and the external factors that influence these outcomes. Such analyses can provide improved guidance toward a more effective biodiversity conservation. Insights into the spatiotemporal interplays between the costs and benefits driving effectiveness can inform decisions about the most suitable orangutan conservation strategies for halting population declines. Although our study focuses on the three extant orangutan species of Sumatra and Borneo, our findings have broad application for evidence-based conservation science and practice worldwide.

Dietary regulation of the renal sodium-phosphate (Na+/Pi) transporter during early ontogeny in the rat.

Phosphates are necessary for proper skeletal growth and function, as well as for growth and development of cells. Phosphate repletion depends partly on the function of the renal sodium-phosphate (Na+/Pi) transport system that functions to recover filtered urinary phosphate. It has been suggested that in order to meet the higher phosphate requirement of the developing animal, the weanling rat would have a greater adaptive response to chronic phosphate deprivation than the adolescent rat. The current study sought to characterize the adaptive response to dietary phosphate deprivation in terms of Na+/Pi transporter activity, and mRNA and immunoreactive protein levels. Weanling and adolescent rats were pair fed either a low-phosphate diet (LPD) or a control-phosphate diet (CPD) for 1 week. Maximal rates of transport (Vmax) were not different in weanling or adolescent rats on CPD (weanling 2.13 +/- 0.29 nmol/mg protein/10 sec, and adolescent 1.41 +/- 0.036 nmol/mg protein/10 sec, n = 3). K(m) values were not different in either group on CPD (weanling 0.15 +/- 0.08 mM Pi, and adolescent 0.22 +/- 0.13 mM Pi). There were no difference in mRNA abundance (Na+/Pi transporter/1B15 = 0.194 +/- 0.12 for weanling and 0.230 +/- 0.03 for adolescents, n = 3) or immunoreactive protein levels (Na+/Pi transporter/beta-actin = 0.232 +/- 0.01 for weanlings and 0.300 +/- 0.05 for adolescents, n = 3) in the two groups when fed CPD. After chronic Pi deprivation, the weanling rat showed a greater adaptive response than the adolescent as measured by Vmax values (weanling LPD/CPD = 2.01, P < 0.01; adolescent LPD/CPD not different; n = 3), mRNA signal intensity (weanling LPD/CPD = 1.86, P < 0.05; adolescent LPD/CPD not different; n = 3), and protein signal intensity (weanling LPD/CPD = 3.63, P < 0.01, and adolescent LPD/CPD 1.91, P < 0.05; n = 3). K(m) values were not affected by LPD. Immunohistochemical analysis of kidney cortex showed greater apical staining in both groups on LPD, with the increase being noticeably greater in the weanlings. Furthermore, two-way analysis of variance demonstrates a significant adaptive response in the weanling period in regard to maximum transport capacity (Vmax) and immunoreactive protein (Western), suggesting a synergistic effect between the developmental stage and low-phosphate diet. Therefore, it appears that the adaptive response is greater in the more rapidly developing animal (the weanling), and these results suggest a compensatory mechanism to conserve phosphate during periods of rapid growth.

Posttranscriptional mechanisms regulate ontogenic changes in rat renal sodium-phosphate transporter.

The present investigation sought to characterize the relationship between ontogeny and Na(+)-P(i) transporter expression in the rat kidney. Results showed that the maximal reaction rate (nmol.mg protein-1.10 s-1) of Na(+)-P(i) transport was highest in 21-day-old rats (2.26 +/- 0.26), was lower in 42- to 45-day-old rats (1.44 +/- 0.19) and 4-mo-old rats (0.78 +/- 0.15), and was lowest in 14-day-old rats (0.50 +/- 0.16) (P = 0.0009, n = 3). The Michaelis constants (mM Pi) were not significantly different in the four age groups. Northern blot analysis revealed that the abundance of Na(+)-P(i) transporter mRNA was similar in all four age groups (n = 5). Western blot analysis demonstrated the highest immunoreactive protein signal in the 21-day-old rat (Na(+)-P(i)/beta-actin = 4.15 +/- 1.16), followed by decreasing protein levels in 42-day-old rats (2.13 +/- 0.22), 4-mo-old rats (0.85 +/- 0.25), and 14-day-old rats (0.75 +/- 0.37) (P = 0.022, n = 5). Immunohistochemical analysis of kidney cortex in the four age groups showed specific staining of only apical membranes in all samples. We conclude that posttranscriptional mechanisms play a role in regulating this transporter during rat ontogeny.

Recurrent necrotizing jejunitis in a child.

We report the case of a 5-year-old boy with segmental necrotizing jejunitis, present a review of the literature including a single previously described North American child, and give evidence to document disease recurrence. This uncommon disease must be differentiated from Crohn disease because the treatment and prognosis are different.