Early versus delayed surgery following neoadjuvant chemoradiation for esophageal cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT) followed by surgery, is the mainstay of managing locally advanced esophageal cancer. However, the optimal timing of surgery after neoadjuvant therapy is not defined clearly.

Methods: A systematic search of PubMed, Embase and Cochrane databases was conducted.

Tuberculosis Burden among Household Pediatric Contacts of Adult Tuberculosis Patients.

Objectives: To find out the prevalence of latent tuberculosis (TB) infection and TB disease among pediatric household contacts of adult drug resistant (MDR) and drug susceptible (DS) TB patients and to identify the risk factors for occurrence of TB infection in the contacts.

Methods: Pediatric household contacts (less than 15 y age) of adult TB patients (both MDR and DS) were included in the study. They were categorized as latent TB infection (LTBI), TB disease and TB exposed based on the results of tuberculin skin testing (TST), clinical examination and chest X-ray.

Isolation of a lytic bacteriophage against virulent Aeromonas hydrophila from an organized equine farm.

A bacteriophage (VTCCBPA6) against a pathogenic strain of Aeromonas hydrophila was isolated from the sewage of an organized equine breeding farm. On the basis of TEM analysis, phage belonged to family Myoviridae. PCR amplification and sequence analysis of gp23 gene (encoding for major capsid protein) revealed phylogenetic resemblance to T4 like virus genus.

Real time PCR in childhood tuberculosis: a valuable diagnostic tool.

The present study was conducted to detect and quantitate Mycobacterium tuberculosis from various body fluid specimens of cases of tuberculosis by real time PCR technique and compare results with conventional PCR technique and culture. One hundred fifteen children (<18 y) with tuberculosis (diagnosed as per IAP guidelines) and 32 disease matched controls from the Department of Pediatrics, S.N.