Covalent immobilization of luminescent oxygen indicators reduces cytotoxicity.

Luminescence-based oxygen sensing is a widely used tool in cell culture applications. In a typical configuration, the luminescent oxygen indicators are embedded in a solid, oxygen-permeable matrix in contact with the culture medium. However, in sensitive cell cultures even minimal leaching of the potentially cytotoxic indicators can become an issue.

GeneXpert in stool: Diagnostic yield in Intestinal Tuberculosis.

Background: Diagnosing intestinal (Luminal) tuberculosis is challenging due to limited yield of diagnostic modalities like CT scan, colonoscopy with blind ileal biopsies. GeneXpert MTB/RIF (Xpert) assays for diagnosing tuberculosis have been performed in the body secretions with excellent results. Its yield in stool is tested in this study.

Non-invasive assessment of large esophageal varices with liver cirrhosis ; a study conducted in Pakistan.

The assessment of non-invasive parameters for the prediction of large esophageal varices among patients with liver cirrhosisis is of utmost importance. In this study, non-invasive parameters for prediction of large esophageal varices were retrospectively evaluated. The presence of esophageal varices grade III and IV was classified as large esophageal varices positive while no varices or grade I and II were classified as large esophageal varices negative.

Progress on Electrolytes Development in Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells.

Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) have been intensely researched for more than two decades. Electrolyte formulations are one of the bottlenecks to their successful commercialization, since these result in trade-offs between the photovoltaic performance and long-term performance stability. The corrosive nature of the redox shuttles in the electrolytes is an additional limitation for industrial-scale production of DSSCs, especially with low cost metallic electrodes.

Disseminated strongyloidiasis in an immunocompetent male: A Case Report.

Strongyloidiasis is a human parasitic disease caused by infection of Strongyloidesstercoralis. It can manifest from asymptomatic eosinophilia in an immunocompetent host and disseminate the disease in the immunocompromised ones. The inconsistency of eosinophilia and low sensitivity of a standard microscopic stool examination makes it difficult to diagnose the disease.

Fever of unknown origin at a teritiary care teaching hospital in Pakistan.

The aim of this study was to determine the causes of fever of unknown origin (FUO) at a tertiary care teaching hospital in Pakistan. We conducted this cross sectional descriptive study at the Department of Medicine, Civil Hospital Karachi, from January 2006 to December 2011. We reviewed the medical records of all patients aged > 12 years with a primary diagnosis of FUO.

Dyspepsia in a rural cohort.

Objective: To determine the etiology of dyspepsia in the rural population of the province of Sindh, Pakistan.

Design: Observational study.

Place And Duration Of Study: The study was carried out at Baqai Medical University and spread over three years from May 1998 to April 2001.