The usefulness of PCR amplification of the IS6110 insertion element of M. tuberculosis complex in ascitic fluid of patients with peritoneal tuberculosis.

Background: The diagnosis of tuberculous peritonitis (TP) may be difficult and elusive. The present study was designed to demonstrate the diagnostic usefulness of a nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay, specific for the IS6110 insertion element of M. tuberculosis complex, in patients with ascites who were suspected of having TP in order to achieve a more timely diagnosis and treatment.

Low expression of interferon regulatory factor-1 and identification of novel exons skipping in patients with chronic myeloid leukaemia.

Chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) is a malignant clonal disorder of the haematopoietic stem cell. Treatment of CML patients with interferon alpha (IFN-alpha) has induced haematological and cytogenetic remission. Interferons transcriptionally activate target genes through the JAK-STAT and interferon regulated factors (IRFs) family pathways.