Multicentre study of nitrate reductase assay for rapid detection of rifampicin-resistant M. tuberculosis.

Setting: Four regional laboratories belonging to the Mycobacteria Reference Laboratory of São Paulo State, Brazil.

Objective: To evaluate the nitrate reductase assay (NRA) for rifampicin (RMP) susceptibility testing of Mycobacterium tuberculosis directly from clinical sputum samples of patients with pulmonary tuberculosis (TB).

Design: Performance of the NRA for detection of M.

Sociocultural change and health status among the Seri Indians of Sonora, Mexico.

The influence of changes in sociocultural status on obesity, arterial blood pressure, and depression was examined in a cohort of 81 Seri Indians living in two communities in Sonora, Mexico. Residents of the less acculturated and modernized community, Desemboque, exhibited significantly higher waist circumference and prevalence of obesity than did residents of the more acculturated and modernized community of Punta Chueca. The prevalence of obesity was also significantly associated with low levels of acculturation and modernization, while the prevalence of clinically significant depressive symptoms was associated with low levels of modernization and household income.

Effect of vitamin B6 on L-glutamate dehydrogenase activity in mice brain.

Investigations were carried out to obtain information on the effect of vitamin B6 level on L-glutamate dehydrogenase activity in mice brain. Subcutaneous and intracerebral injection of pyridoxal phosphate or pyridoxamine resulted in a significant enhancement of the L-glutamate dehydrogenase activity. In the case of pyridoxine, much larger doses and more prolonged time were necessary to exhibit the effect.