BACKGROUND Two TB control strategies appropriate for South Asia (a community-based DOTS [CBD] strategy and a family-based DOTS [FBD] strategy) have been shown to be effective in Nepal in meeting the global target for the proportion of registered patients successfully treated. Here we estimate the costs and cost-effectiveness of the two strategies. This information is essential to allow meaningf...

Here we report a simple strategy for selective detection of cadmium ions by manipulating the electron transfer pathways of surface-engineered quantum dots.

BACKGROUND Tuberculosis (TB) in prisons is a major health problem in countries of high and intermediate TB endemicity such as Brazil. For operational reasons, TB control strategies in prisons cannot be compared through population based intervention studies. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS A mathematical model is proposed to simulate the TB dynamics in prison and evaluate the potential impact o...

Luminescent colloidal semiconductor nanocrystals (quantum dots) are robust inorganic fluoro phores that have the potential to circumvent some of the functional limitations encountered by organic dyes in sensing and biotechnological applications. Quantum dots exhibit size-dependent tunable, narrow fluorescence emission spectra that span the visible spectrum and have broad absorption spectra. Thi...

In order to couple high cellular uptake and target specificity of dendrimer molecule with excellent optical properties of semiconductor nanoparticles, the interaction of cysteine-capped CdTe quantum dots with dendrimer was investigated through spectroscopic techniques. NH(2)-terminated dendrimer molecule quenched the photoluminescence of CdTe quantum dots. The binding constants and binding capa...

Optical labels enable visualization and detection of molecules, cells, and tissues. These labels have limited multiplexing capabilities, blink on/off at the single-molecule level, and, in many cases, they have low brightness. We address each of these issues through the development of a sub-50 nm barcoded optical label system by coating fluorescent quantum dots onto the surface of plasmonic nano...

BACKGROUND In the last 20 years, China ramped up a DOTS (directly observed treatment, short-course)-based tuberculosis (TB) control program with 80% population coverage, achieving the 2015 Millennium Development Goal of a 50% reduction in TB prevalence and mortality. Recently, the World Health Organization developed the End TB Strategy, with an overall goal of a 90% reduction in TB incidence an...

OBJECTIVE To realize a retrospective study of the characterization, results, and effectiveness of directly observed therapy, short course (DOTS) in the regional health area of Santiago de Compostela (population 453 068) between 1996 and 2006. DESIGN Tuberculosis (TB) patient cases involved in DOTS treatment were reviewed. The studied variables included: age, sex, type of TB, TB location, micr...