Electro-optical behaviour of CuFe2O4@rGO nanocomposite for nonenzymatic detection of uric acid via the electrochemical method

Uric acid (UA) is a blood and urine component obtained as a metabolic by-product of purine nucleotides. Abnormalities in UA metabolism cause crystal deposition as monosodium urate and lead to various diseases such as gout, hyperuricemia, Lesch–Nyhan syndrome, etc. Monitoring these diseases requires a rapid, sensitive, selective, and portable detection approach. Therefore, this study demonstrates the hydrothermal synthesis of CuFe₂O₄/reduced graphene oxide (rGO) nanocomposite for selective detection of UA. After the nanocomposite synthesis, characterization was performed by X-ray diffraction spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, UV–visible spectrometry, atomic force spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and electrochemical analysis. Furthermore, from the electrochemical analysis using cyclic voltammetry (CV), kinetic studies were carried out by varying the scan rate to obtain the diffusion coefficient, surface concentration, and rate of charge transfer to achieve a calibration curve that indicates the quasi reversible nature of the fabricated electrode with a linear regression coefficient of oxidation (R²: 0.9992) and reduction (R²: 0.9971) peaks. Moreover, the fabricated nonenzymatic amperometric sensor to detect UA with a linearity (R²: 0.9989) of 1–400 μM was highly sensitive (2.75 × 10⁻⁴ mAμM⁻¹ cm⁻²) and had a lower limit of detection (0.01231 μM) at pH 7.5 in phosphate-buffered saline solution. Therefore, the CuFe₂O₄/rGO/ITO-based nonenzymatic sensor could detect interfering agents and spiked real bovine serum samples with higher sensitivity and selectivity for UA detection.     

The Chinese hamster Alu-equivalent sequence: a conserved highly repetitious, interspersed deoxyribonucleic acid sequence in mammals has a structure suggestive of a transposable element.

A consensus sequence has been determined for a major interspersed deoxyribonucleic acid repeat in the genome of Chinese hamster ovary cells (CHO cells). This sequence is extensively homologous to (i) the human Alu sequence (P. L. Deininger et al., J. Mol. Biol., in press), (ii) the mouse B1 interspersed repetitious sequence (Krayev et al., Nucleic Acids Res. 8:1201-1215, 1980) (iii) an interspersed repetitious sequence from African green monkey deoxyribonucleic acid (Dhruva et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 77:4514-4518, 1980) and (iv) the CHO and mouse 4.5S ribonucleic acid (this report; F. Harada and N. Kato, Nucleic Acids Res. 8:1273-1285, 1980). Because the CHO consensus sequence shows significant homology to the human Alu sequence it is termed the CHO Alu-equivalent sequence. A conserved structure surrounding CHO Alu-equivalent family members can be recognized. It is similar to that surrounding the human Alu and the mouse B1 sequences, and is represented as follows: direct repeat-CHO-Alu-A-rich sequence-direct repeat. A composite interspersed repetitious sequence has been identified. Its structure is represented as follows: direct repeat-residue 47 to 107 of CHO-Alu-non-Alu repetitious sequence-A-rich sequence-direct repeat. Because the Alu flanking sequences resemble those that flank known transposable elements, we think it likely that the Alu sequence dispersed throughout the mammalian genome by transposition.     

Genbank accession #: AF139098

Plant Molecular Biology -     

Lifetime prevalence of mood and anxiety disorders in twin pairs discordant for schizophrenia.

There have been long questions about the relationship of schizophrenia to other mental disorders. Lifetime DSM-III-R diagnoses of mood and anxiety disorders in twins with clinically diagnosed schizophrenia (n = 24) and their non-affected co-twins (n = 24) were compared with twins from pairs without schizophrenia (n = 3327) using a sample from the Vietnam Era Twin Registry. Schizophrenic probands had significantly elevated rates of all included disorders (bipolar disorder, major depression, dysthymia, generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and PTSD) compared with controls (P<0.01). The odd ratios comparing co-twins of schizophrenic probands with controls was greater than three for every disorder, but did not attain statistical significance. A similar pattern was observed when analyses were restricted to only monozygotic twins (n = 12). Consistent with other studies, schizophrenics appeared to have higher rates of a range of mental disorders. Our results suggest that schizophrenia per se represents a risk factor for other psychiatric disorders, but the absence of significantly elevated risk among non-schizophrenic co-twins suggested that family environmental and/or genetic factors that contribute to risk of schizophrenia do not increase the risk of mood and anxiety disorders to the same extent that the risk of these other disorders is increased by the presence of schizophrenia.     

Partial 4q duplication due to inherited der(20), t(4;20)(q25;q13)mat.

A boy with mental and growth retardation associated with congenital anomalies has a partial duplication of the distal 4q chromosome region as a result of inheritance of a t(4:20) from his mother. Comparison with twelve other patients from the literature indicates that similar clinical features may be associated with this chromosome change suggesting a partial 4q duplication syndrome.     

The Chlamydia muridarum-induced IFN-β response is TLR3-dependent in murine oviduct epithelial cells

Epithelial cells lining the murine genital tract act as sentinels for microbial infection, play a major role in the initiation of the early inflammatory response, and can secrete factors that modulate the adaptive immune response when infected with Chlamydia. C. muridarum-infected murine oviduct epithelial cells secrete the inflammatory cytokines IL-6 and GM-CSF in a TLR2-dependent manner. Further, C. muridarum infection induces IFN-β synthesis in the oviduct epithelial cells in a TRIF-dependent manner. Because murine oviduct epithelial cells express TLR3 but not TLRs 4, 7, 8, or 9, we hypothesized that TLR3 or an unknown TRIF-dependent pattern recognition receptor was the critical receptor for IFN-β production. To investigate the role of TLR3 in the Chlamydia-induced IFN-β response in oviduct epithelial cells, we used small interfering RNA, dominant-negative TLR3 mutants, and TLR3-deficient oviduct epithelial cells to show that the IFN-β secreted during C. muridarum infection requires a functional TLR3. Interestingly, we demonstrate that the TLR3 signaling pathway is not required for IFN-β synthesis in C. muridarum-infected macrophages, suggesting that there are alternate and redundant pathways to Chlamydia-induced IFN-β synthesis that seem to be dependent upon the cell type infected. Finally, because there is no obvious dsRNA molecule associated with Chlamydia infection, the requirement for TLR3 in Chlamydia-induced IFN-β synthesis in infected oviduct epithelial cells implicates a novel ligand that binds to and signals through TLR3.     

Influence of lipid membrane rigidity on properties of supporting polymer

Temperature-sensitive hydrogel polymers are utilized as responsive layers in various applications. Although the polymer's native characteristics have been studied extensively, details concerning its properties during interaction with biorelated structures are lacking. This work investigates the interaction between a thermoresponsive polymer cushion and different lipid membrane capping layers probed by neutron reflectometry. N-isopropylacrylamide copolymerized with methacroylbenzophenone first supported a lipid bilayer composed of 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine (DPPE) and subsequently 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DPPC). The polymer-membrane systems were investigated above and below the polymer transition temperature (37 and 25°C). Although the same cushion supported each lipid membrane, the polymer hydration profile and thickness were markedly different for DPPE and DPPC systems. Because DPPE and DPPC have different bending rigidities, these results establish that the polymer-membrane interaction is critically mediated by the mechanics of the membrane, providing better insight into cell-hydrogel interactions.     

Challenges in disposing of anthrax waste

Disasters often create large amounts of waste that must be managed as part of both immediate response and long-term recovery. While many federal, state, and local agencies have debris management plans, these plans often do not address chemical, biological, and radiological contamination. The Interagency Biological Restoration Demonstration's (IBRD) purpose was to holistically assess all aspects of an anthrax incident and assist in the development of a plan for long-term recovery. In the case of wide-area anthrax contamination and the follow-on response and recovery activities, a significant amount of material would require decontamination and disposal. Accordingly, IBRD facilitated the development of debris management plans to address contaminated waste through a series of interviews and workshops with local, state, and federal representatives. The outcome of these discussions was the identification of 3 primary topical areas that must be addressed: planning, unresolved research questions, and resolving regulatory issues.