Comparison of Xpert MTB/RIF with line probe assay for detection of rifampin-monoresistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

The MTBDRplus line probe assay (LPA) and Xpert MTB/RIF have been endorsed by the World Health Organization for the rapid diagnosis of drug-resistant tuberculosis. However, there is no clarity regarding the superiority of one over the other. In a double-blinded prospective study, we evaluated the efficacy of the Xpert MTB/RIF on samples that were first tested by LPA under the revised national tuberculosis control program of India.

Comparison of an in-house multiplex PCR with two commercial immuno-chromatographic tests for rapid identification and differentiation of MTB from NTM isolates.

Background: Species specific diagnosis of mycobacterial infection is crucial because treatment of infections caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) differs from that of non-tuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) species. The species identification used to be cumbersome and non-reproducible a decade ago.

Objectives: Recently, some commercial tests have been made available to differentiate the MTB and NTM growths in culture media.

Analgesic and anti-inflammatory activity of root bark of Grewia asiatica Linn. in rodents.

Background: Grewia asiatica Linn. (Family: Tiliaceae), called Phalsa in Hindi is an Indian medicinal plant used for a variety of therapeutic and nutritional uses. The root bark of the plant is traditionally used in rheumatism (painful chronic inflammatory condition).

Identification of potential vaccine candidates against Streptococcus pneumoniae by reverse vaccinology approach.

In the past few decades, genome-based approaches have contributed significantly to vaccine development. Our aim was to identify the most conserved and immunogenic antigens of Streptococcus pneumoniae, which can be potential vaccine candidates in the future. BLASTn was done to identify the most conserved antigens.

Next-generation sequencing of disseminated tumor cells.

Disseminated tumor cells (DTCs) detected in the bone marrow have been shown as an independent prognostic factor for women with breast cancer. However, the mechanisms behind the tumor cell dissemination are still unclear and more detailed knowledge is needed to fully understand why some cells remain dormant and others metastasize. Sequencing of single cells has opened for the possibility to dissect the genetic content of subclones of a primary tumor, as well as DTCs.

High degree of multi-drug resistance and hetero-resistance in pulmonary TB patients from Punjab state of India.

Line Probe Assays (LPAs) have been recommended for rapid screening of MDR-TB. Aims of this study were (1) to compare the performance of LPA with standard Bactec MGIT 960 system and (2) to ascertain the pattern of genetic mutations in the resistance isolates. In phase I, a total of 141 Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates from our routine laboratory were tested by LPA and Bactec MGIT 960 for DST.

Disparity in actions of rosiglitazone against cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity in female Sprague-Dawley rats.

Cisplatin is one of the most common chemotherapeutic drugs used against various solid, tumours. Despite of its therapeutic benefits, its use in clinical practice is often limited because of dose, related toxicity. The nephrotoxic potential of cisplatin has been ascribed to its accumulation in the, renal tubular cells generating reactive oxygen species (ROS), activation of Bax, increased secretion of, TNFα and activation of certain inflammatory mediators like cytokines.

Heat fixed but unstained slide smears are infectious to laboratory staff.

Background And Aim: In a clinical microbiology laboratory, heat fixed slide smears are commonly transported from one place to another for staining with different stains and also for onsite proficiency testing of laboratory technicians for accreditation of the laboratories. These smears are frequently handled without gloves by the staff in developing countries. Therefore, this study was conducted to check the survivability of tubercle bacilli on smears after physical and chemical treatments.

Expression pattern of glucose metabolism genes in relation to development rate of buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) oocytes and in vitro-produced embryos.

The expression pattern of glucose metabolism genes (hexokinase, phosphofructokinase, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase [G6PDH], lactate dehydrogenase [LDH], and pyruvate dehydrogenase [PDH]) were studied in buffalo in vitro-matured oocytes and in vitro-produced embryos cultured under different glucose concentrations (0 mM, 1.5 mM, 5.6 mM, and 10 mM) during in vitro maturation of oocytes and culture of IVF produced embryos.

The transcriptional co-repressor myeloid translocation gene 16 inhibits glycolysis and stimulates mitochondrial respiration.

The myeloid translocation gene 16 product MTG16 is found in multiple transcription factor-containing complexes as a regulator of gene expression implicated in development and tumorigenesis. A stable Tet-On system for doxycycline-dependent expression of MTG16 was established in B-lymphoblastoid Raji cells to unravel its molecular functions in transformed cells. A noticeable finding was that expression of certain genes involved in tumor cell metabolism including 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase/fructose-2,6-biphosphatase 3 and 4 (PFKFB3 and PFKFB4), and pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase isoenzyme 1 (PDK1) was rapidly diminished when MTG16 was expressed.

Relation between the diffusivity, viscosity, and ionic radius of LiCl in water, methanol, and ethylene glycol: a molecular dynamics simulation.

A molecular dynamics (MD) investigation of LiCl in water, methanol, and ethylene glycol (EG) at 298 K is reported. Several structural and dynamical properties of the ions as well as the solvent such as self-diffusivity, radial distribution functions, void and neck distributions, velocity autocorrelation functions, and mean residence times of solvent in the first solvation shell have been computed. The results show that the reciprocal relationship between the self-diffusivity of the ions and the viscosity is valid in almost all solvents with the exception of water.

Protective effect of Trigonella foenum-graecum Linn. on monosodium glutamate-induced dyslipidemia and oxidative stress in rats.

Objectives: The present study was designed to evaluate the effect of aqueous extract of Trigonella foenum-graecum(AqE-TFG) seeds on monosodium glutamate (MSG)-induced dyslipidemia and oxidative stress in Wistar rats.

Materials And Methods: Neonatal Wistar rats were treated subcutaneously with MSG (4 g/kg b.w.

Meander: visually exploring the structural variome using space-filling curves.

The introduction of next generation sequencing methods in genome studies has made it possible to shift research from a gene-centric approach to a genome wide view. Although methods and tools to detect single nucleotide polymorphisms are becoming more mature, methods to identify and visualize structural variation (SV) are still in their infancy. Most genome browsers can only compare a given sequence to a reference genome; therefore, direct comparison of multiple individuals still remains a challenge.

Rapid Identification and Drug Susceptibility Testing of Mycobacterium tuberculosis: Standard Operating Procedure for Non-Commercial Assays: Part 3: Colorimetric Redox Indicator Assay v1.3.12.

The previous two standard operating procedures (SOPs) related to the culture and drug susceptibility testing (DST) of Mycobacterium tuberculosis with the microscopic observation drug susceptibility assay (Part 1) and nitrate reductase assay (Part 2). The present SOP is devoted to a third non-commercial culture and DST method known as colorimetric redox indicator assay (CRI). As its name indicates, the CRI detects the ability of the M.

Rapid Identification and Drug Susceptibility Testing of Mycobacterium tuberculosis: Standard Operating Procedure for Non-Commercial Assays: Part 2: Nitrate Reductase Assay v1.3.12.

In the previous part, we presented the standard operating procedure (SOP) of the microscopic observation drug susceptibility assay drug susceptibility testing (DST) for Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The present SOP is devoted to another non-commercial culture and DST method known as nitrate reductase assay (NRA). As the name implies, the NRA detects the ability of M.

Rapid Identification and Drug Susceptibility Testing of Mycobacterium tuberculosis: Standard Operating Procedure for Non-Commercial Assays: Part 1: Microscopic Observation Drug Susceptibility Assay v2.4.12.

Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis is an increasing public health concern in many parts of the world, especially in low-income countries, where most cases occur. Traditional mycobacteria culture and drug susceptibility testing (DST) is either time-consuming or expensive and for that reason uptake of these technologies has remained limited in many resource-constrained settings. However, several non-commercial culture and DST methods that do not require sophisticated infrastructure and techniques have been developed.

Anti-mycobacterial activity of plumericin and isoplumericin against MDR Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Background And Objectives: Because of the developing resistance of Mycobacterium species against currently available anti-mycobacterial drugs, there is an urgent need for new drug development. In this study, we have evaluated the in vitro anti-mycobacterial activity of Plumeria bicolor extract and its phytoconstituents - plumericin and isoplumericin against multi-drug resistance Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Methods: The in vitro anti-mycobacterial activity of chloroform extract of P.

Genome-wide copy number profiling of single cells in S-phase reveals DNA-replication domains.

Single-cell genomics is revolutionizing basic genome research and clinical genetic diagnosis. However, none of the current research or clinical methods for single-cell analysis distinguishes between the analysis of a cell in G1-, S- or G2/M-phase of the cell cycle. Here, we demonstrate by means of array comparative genomic hybridization that charting the DNA copy number landscape of a cell in S-phase requires conceptually different approaches to that of a cell in G1- or G2/M-phase.

Identification of stable reference genes for gene expression studies using quantitative real time PCR in buffalo oocytes and embryos.

The present study was aimed to validate expression stability of 6 housekeeping genes (viz. YWHAZ, SDHA, GAPDH, RPS15, RPS18 and RN18S1) in the oocytes and embryos of different stages in buffalo. A modified Trizol protocol was optimized for RNA isolation from as few as five oocytes.

Fixing latent fingermarks developed by iodine fuming: a new method.

The latent fingermarks developed with iodine fumes are not permanent due to the sublimation of iodine. In this paper a new method has been proposed to fix the latent fingermarks developed with iodine fumes. Latent fingermarks were developed on both porous as well as non-porous substrates which were subsequently fixed by treating them with brucine based reagent.

A reporter promoter assay confirmed the role of a distal promoter NOBOX binding element in enhancing expression of GDF9 gene in buffalo oocytes.

Growth differentiation factor 9 is primarily expressed in oocytes and plays a vital role in oocyte cumulus crosstalk. Earlier studies with buffalo oocytes revealed differential expression of this gene under different media stimulation conditions which, in turn, are correlated with the blastocyst yield. In this study, different germ cell specific cis elements including a NOBOX binding elements (NBE) and several E-boxes were identified at the 5' upstream region of buffalo GDF9 gene and their potential role in GDF9 expression was investigated.

Effect of pressure on the ionic conductivity of Li+ and Cl- ions in water.

A molecular dynamics simulation study of aqueous solution of LiCl is reported as a function of pressure. Experimental measurements of conductivity of Li(+) ion as a function of pressure shows an increase in conductivity with pressure. Our simulations are able to reproduce the observed trend in conductivity.