An Assessment of Relevance of Sputum Sample Examination in Patients with Tuberculous Pleural Effusion

Background: Utility of chest-X ray findings as a reference diagnostic modality in cases of tubercular pleural effusion is well acknowledged. In advent of increasing reports, regarding the absence of visible lung lesions among patients suffering with tubercular pleural effusion, reliability on radiographic findings alone is questionable. In this context, need for a more reliable diagnostic tool in addressing this diagnostic challenge arises. Aim: The present study was undertaken to evaluate the relevance and utility of sputum specimen and adenosine deaminase (ADA) level examination in patients with tubercular pleural effusion, having no visible lesions on radiological examination. Materials and methods Methods: A total 81 cases of suspected tubercular pleural effusion were selected from the inpatient wards of a tertiary care hospital, over a period of eight months (May to December, 2013). Sputum and pleural fluid specimens from all these patients were collected for microbiological investigations such as smear microscopy using Ziehl-Neelsen and Auramine-O staining, mycobacterial culture using conventional method. ADA level was also tested from all pleural fluid specimens. Results: Of the 81 cases, culture positivity from sputum specimens was observed among 13 (16.1%), smear positivity from sputum specimens (3, 3.7%) and smear and culture positivity from pleural fluid specimens (1, 1.23%) cases. High levels of ADA, ranging from 115 IU/L to 203 IU/L were observed among (8, 22.2%) subjects. Conclusion: Our study findings suggest the reliability of smear examination and culture from sputum specimens over pleural fluids specimens and also high sensitivity of ADA as a biomarker in the diagnosis of tubercular pleural effusion.Keywords: Tuberculous pleural effusion, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Diagnosis, Adenosine deaminase (ADA

Diet-Induced Overweight Conditions: Effect on Brain Structure, Cognitive Function, and Neurogenesis

Obesity, a chronic condition that is currently prevalent in both developed and developing nations, is associated with pathological features that ultimately put individuals at risk for a number of negative health issues. Cognitive decline and insulin resistance are two aspects of metabolic syndrome that are closely linked to neurological dysfunction during obesity. Several studies suggest that obesity is associated with regional structural changes, especially signs of cortical thinning in specific brain regions like the hippocampus, and reduced microstructural integrity of the white matter tract is associated with an overall lower academic performance. Obesity causes a loss of brain size and volume indicating a loss of neurons which leads to poor cognitive performance and reduced neurogenesis. An increase in the production of free fatty acids seen with HFD eating might result in increased oxidative stress and increased production of reactive oxygen species. The main cause of systemic inflammation in obesity is the build-up of adipose as it releases TNFα, PAI-1, CRP, IL-1β, and IL-6 which contribute to a pro-inflammatory state in the central nervous system. These elements can all lead to the central IKK/NF-B inflammatory signalling cascade being activated, which can cause a vicious inflammatory cycle that quickens and causes neurodegeneration and cognitive decline

Evaluation of an In-house Indirect ELISA for Differential Detection of IgM and IgG anti-Brucella Antibodies in Human Brucellosis

Brucellosis caused by various species of the genus Brucella is one of the most important zoonotic diseases of global importance with veterinary, public health, and economic concerns. The study aimed to standardize IgM and IgG-based iELISA to detect anti-Brucella antibodies for serodiagnosis of acute and chronic human brucellosis. The test was standardized using 1:320 dilution of smooth lipopolysaccharide (sLPS) antigen from B. abortus S99 strain, 1:80 serum dilution, 1:4000 anti-human IgM and IgG conjugates, respectively for both IgM and IgG iELISA. The cut-off using 50 each brucellosis positive and negative human sera panel samples was set at ≥ 42 for both IgM and IgG iELISA. A total of 700 human sera samples were evaluated (137 veterinary doctors, 157 artificial inseminators, and 406 veterinary assistants). Overall, the study detected 8.3%, 8.1%, 8%, and 6.1% positivity by in-house IgG iELISA, RBPT, IgM iELISA, and SAT tests, respectively. Considering commercial iELISA kit as a gold standard, the sensitivities of IgM and IgG iELISA were 90% and 97.9%, respectively, whereas, specificities were >99%. The study established >98% specificity and >90% sensitivity for differential detection of immunoglobulin classes in the standardized iELISA. The developed assay outperformed the other evaluated tests with a shorter assay time and can be implemented in both endemic and non-endemic regions for surveillance and diagnosis of human brucellosis

HERA Phase I Limits on the Cosmic 21 cm Signal: Constraints on Astrophysics and Cosmology during the Epoch of Reionization

Recently, the Hydrogen Epoch of Reionization Array (HERA) has produced the experiment's first upper limits on the power spectrum of 21 cm fluctuations at z ~ 8 and 10. Here, we use several independent theoretical models to infer constraints on the intergalactic medium (IGM) and galaxies during the epoch of reionization from these limits. We find that the IGM must have been heated above the adiabatic-cooling threshold by z ~ 8, independent of uncertainties about IGM ionization and the radio background. Combining HERA limits with complementary observations constrains the spin temperature of the z ~ 8 neutral IGM to 27 K $\langle {\overline{T}}_{S}\rangle$ 630 K (2.3 K $\langle {\overline{T}}_{S}\rangle$ 640 K) at 68% (95%) confidence. They therefore also place a lower bound on X-ray heating, a previously unconstrained aspects of early galaxies. For example, if the cosmic microwave background dominates the z ~ 8 radio background, the new HERA limits imply that the first galaxies produced X-rays more efficiently than local ones. The z ~ 10 limits require even earlier heating if dark-matter interactions cool the hydrogen gas. If an extra radio background is produced by galaxies, we rule out (at 95% confidence) the combination of high radio and low X-ray luminosities of L r,ν /SFR > 4 × 1024 W Hz-1 ${M}_{\odot }^{-1}$ yr and L X /SFR 39 erg s-1 ${M}_{\odot }^{-1}$ yr. The new HERA upper limits neither support nor disfavor a cosmological interpretation of the recent Experiment to Detect the Global EOR Signature (EDGES) measurement. The framework described here provides a foundation for the interpretation of future HERA results

Functional properties of bamboo/polyester blended knitted apparel fabrics

231-237The functional properties of bamboo/polyester blended knitted fabrics, intended to be used for summer clothing, have been studied. It is observed that with increasing bamboo content the yarn hairiness and unevenness increase and the tenacity decreases. It is also found that the increase in bamboo content in the blend increases the ultra-violet protection factor, water vapour permeability and wickability. On the other hand, with the increase in bamboo content in the fabric there is a decrease in bursting strength, air permeability and thermal resistance. The fabrics loose their anti-bacterial property when bamboo is gradually replaced by polyester. The findings of the study suggest that polyester/bamboo blends must contain more than 80% bamboo fibres in order to retain sufficient anti-bacterial property of bamboo fibres in the fabrics

Study of refractive index and physical thickness of porous silica films with ageing in hydrated ammonia and air

Colloidal silica sol-based porous films were deposited onto circular glass disc of soda lime silica by the spinning technique (RPM range, 3500-5500) and cured in air and hydrated ammonia atmospheres at ambient temperature for about 20 days. In both cases, the film shrinkage with time was observed initially, followed by little swelling and compression on further ageing the films. These observations were reflected in the evaluated physical thickness and R.I. values. The porosity of the films was in accordance to their R.I. values. The stretching frequency due to -OH group of chemisorbed hydrated ammonia changed significantly with ageing of the films. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved

Electrochemical separation and purification of no-carrier-added 177Lu for radiopharmaceutical preparation: Translation from bench to bed

The entry of no-carrier-added (NCA) 177Lu in the arena of clinical nuclear medicine has revolutionized the practice of targeted radionuclide tumor therapy. In this study, we report the development of an electrochemical separation and purification procedure to obtain NCA 177Lu in a clinically usable form. The overall yield of the process developed was > 70% and it was reproducible in multiple batches. The effective specific activity of NCA 177Lu was 3.32 ± 0.04 TBq/mg and the radioisotope was found suitable for formulation of therapeutically relevant doses of [177Lu]Lu-DOTA-TATE with >98% radiolabeling yield. As a proof of concept, [177Lu]Lu-DOTA-TATE synthesized using electrochemically purified NCA 177Lu was administered in patients with proven neuroendocrine tumor (NET) and satisfactory preliminary clinical outcome was obtained. The feasibility of recovery of enriched (in 176Yb) target in chemical form suitable for reuse in the production of a fresh batch of NCA 177Lu was demonstrated, which makes the process economically viable. Overall, this robust and efficient radiochemical separation and purification technology might aid towards introduction of new 177Lu-based radiopharmaceuticals for use in clinical context in the foreseeable future

Study of refractive index and physical thickness of porous silica films with ageing in hydrated ammonia and air

Colloidal silica sol-based porous films were deposited onto circular glass disc of soda lime silica by the spinning technique (RPM range, 3500–5500) and cured in air and hydrated ammonia atmospheres at ambient temperature for about 20 days. In both cases, the film shrinkage with time was observed initially, followed by little swelling and compression on further ageing the films. These observations were reflected in the evaluated physical thickness and R.I. values. The porosity of the films was in accordance to their R.I. values. The stretching frequency due to –OH group of chemisorbed hydrated ammonia changed significantly with ageing of the films

Identification and organization of chloroplastic and cytosolic l-myo-inositol 1-phosphate synthase coding gene(s) in Oryza sativa: comparison with the wild halophytic rice, Porteresia coarctata

The gene coding for rice chloroplastic L-myo-inositol-1-phosphate synthase (MIPS; EC 5.5.1.4) has been identified by matrix-assisted laser desorption time-of-flight mass spectrometry analysis of the purified and immunologically cross-reactive ~60 kDa chloroplastic protein following two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, which exhibited sequence identity with the cytosolic MIPS coded by OsINO1-1 gene. A possible chloroplastic transit peptide sequence was identified upstream of the OsINO1-1 gene upon analysis of rice genome. RT-PCR and confocal microscope studies confirmed transcription, effective translation and its functioning as a chloroplast transit peptide. Bioinformatic analysis mapped the chloroplastic MIPS (OsINO1-1) gene on chromosome 3, and a second MIPS gene (OsINO1-2) on chromosome 10 which lacks conventional chloroplast transit peptide sequence as in OsINO1-1. Two new PcINO1 genes, with characteristic promoter activity and upstream cis-elements were identified and cloned, but whether these proteins can be translocated to the chloroplast or not is yet to be ascertained. Electrophoretic mobility shift assay carried out with nuclear extract of Porteresia coarctata leaves grown under both control and stressed condition shows binding of nuclear proteins with the upstream elements. Nucleotide divergence among the different Oryza and Porteresia INO1 genes were calculated and compared