Electrochemical Sensor for Bilirubin Detection Using Paper-Based Screen-Printed Electrodes Functionalized with Silver Nanoparticles.

A notable diagnostic for the detection of hemolytic diseases is bilirubin, a by-product of haemoglobin breakdown. The concentration of bilirubin ranges from 0.3 to 1.9 mg in 100 mL of blood. Low blood bilirubin levels are associated with a greater risk of coronary heart disease and anaemia. Hyperbilirubinemia results from a serum bilirubin level of more than 2.5 mg/100 mL. Therefore, it is very crucial to check the serum bilirubin level. Analytical equipment for point-of-care testing must be portable, small, and affordable. A unique method is used to detect bilirubin selectively using paper-based screen-printed carbon electrodes that were covalently linked with nanoparticles, that serves as a key biomarker for jaundice. In order to create an electrochemical biosensor, bilirubin oxidase was immobilised on electrodes modified with AgNPs. The morphology of Ag nanoparticles in terms of size and shape was determined using both UV- Vis Spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The biosensor's analytical response was assessed using potentiostat (Cyclic voltammetry (CV) and linear sweep voltammetry (LSV)). The developed paper-based sensor provided optimum feedback and a broad linear range of 1 to 9 µg/mL for bilirubin, with a lower LOD of 1 µg/mL. Through tests of bilirubin in artificial blood serum, the viability is confirmed. The method that is being used makes it possible to create and use an inexpensive, miniature electrochemical sensor.

Adaptive molecular evolution of virulence genes of avian influenza - A virus subtype H5N1: An analysis of host radiation.

The phenomenon of host radiation is strongly influenced by the rates of mutation of their virulence genes. We have studied the molecular evolution of virulence genes (HA, NS, PB2) of the Avian Influenza Virus H5N1 from avian to human hosts. We used a site-specific comparison of synonymous (silent) and non-synonymous (amino acid altering) nucleotide substitutions for the three chosen genes in parasite populations from different hosts. Analyses were made using Maximum Likelihood (ML) genealogies for the null and alternate hypothesis based on differential gamma distribution rates. The null hypothesis had a higher rate of substitution and was found to be more suitable for all the studied genes by Likelihood Ratio Test (LRT). The study showed the NS gene to be having the fastest rate of evolution.