Use of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for detection of Chlamydia trachomatis infection in cervical swab samples.

A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) based method has been set up for detection of Chlamydia trachomatis (C. trachomatis) infection in single cervical swab samples. A primer pair specific to the major outer membrane protein (MOMP) gene common to all serotypes of C.

Age-related changes in bone turnover markers and ovarian hormones in premenopausal and postmenopausal Indian women.

This study characterizes age-related changes in bone turnover markers in relation to ovarian hormones. The data (N = 236) were divided into 5-year age bands and three groups: premenopausal (Group I, N = 139), perimenopausal (Group II, N = 30), and postmenopausal (Group III, N = 67). Age-related increases in mean parathyroid hormone (PTH), osteocalcin (OC), and collagen telopeptide (CTx) levels were observed.

Reproductive health problems and help seeking behavior among adolescents in urban India.

Objective: To assess their reproductive health problems and help seeking behaviour among urban school going adolescents.

Method: A sample of 300 urban school going adolescents between 11-14 years were chosen at random and assessed using four tools namely, self administered questionnaire : provision of adolescent friendly services; medical screening and focus group discussions.

Results: Seventy two percent girls and 56% boys reported health problems during survey with an average of 1.

Extraction, purification, and development of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for osteocalcin.

The present study describes the isolation and purification of osteocalcin (OC) from bovine bones and the development of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for OC as a marker of bone formation, for assessing bone health. Bone proteins were extracted from about 90 g of bovine bone powder using 20% formic acid. The protein extract was fractionated by gel permeation chromatography on Sephadex G-50 column followed by fast protein liquid chromatography (FPLC) on a MONO-Q column.

Improved performance of ELISAs for fertility assessment using common reagents and assay protocol as evidence from quality control studies.

At our Institute, a panel of reproductive hormones, viz., estrone glucuronide (E1G), pregnanediol glucuronide (PdG), luteinising hormone (LH), and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) are estimated by ELISA for the assessment of fertility from a single urine sample collected from a subject. In order to make the estimates less cumbersome, the selection and mode of presentation of immunoreagents of the assay were modified in such a way that, either on reconstitution or single dilution, would result in ready-to-use reagents in the assay.