Evaluation of different techniques used for diagnosis of chlamydia pneumoniae infection

Chlamydia pneumoniae is a common respiratory tract pathogen. Serological methods currently used for the diagnosis of C. pneumoniae infection lack specificity, give ambiguous results from a single serum sample and often provide only a retrospective diagnosis. Many studies were undertaken to assess whether polymerase chain reaction [PCR] could be a useful addition to the serological techniques routinely practiced for diagnosis. This study investigated 100 patients with a diagnosis of acute respiratory tract infection. Nasopharyngeal swab [NPS] obtained from these 100 patients were evaluated by PCR- enzyme immunoassay [PCR - EIA] for the presence of C pneumoniae DNA and by direct immunofluorescence [DIF] and staining by Giemsa stain for detection of its antigens. Serological determination of IgG antibodies against C. pneumoniae were performed by means of an enzyme linked immunosorbant assay [rELISA]. Seventeen patients [17 percent] were positive by both PCR and rELISA, while 5 patients [5 percent] were positive by rELISA and negative by PCR. By using DIP test, 13 patients [13 percent] were positive. There were 8 patients [8 percent] positive by Giemsa staining. Better definition of the serological criteria and improved performance of the PCR technique, are necessary to confirm the etiological role of C. pneumoniae in acute and chronic respiratory infections

Evaluation of thermal hazard of azobisisobuty ronitrile using acicular assign rate calorimetry

The thermal decomposition of Azobisisobutyronitrile [AIBN] has been studied under fully adiabatic conditions in a sealed bomb using an accelerating rate calorimetry technique [ARC]. Data relating temperature, pressure and time has been generated. AIBN decomposes exthothermally and the onset of the decomposition occurs at 56.19°C. The reaction reaches its maximum at 112.28°C. During this temperature range, the self-heat rate, and the time to maximum rate of the reaction were evaluated. The experimental data has been also treated to evaluate the activation energy of the potential runaway reaction

Effect of aldehyde initiated polymerization on some properties of monolayer and bilayer model membranes

In this work lecithin phospholipids monolayers are formed using Longmuir technique. The changes in surface pressure and other physical properties of monolayer as a function of added formaldehyde and pH conditions are studied. General solidifying effect and marked decrease in compressibility are associated with both formaldehyde addition and acidic shift in the pH of the subphase. The effect of adding glutaraldehyde on the stability, electrical conductivity, and gramicidin A single channel characteristics within the bimolecular black lipid membranes are studied. A noticeable increase in the life time of the membrane was noticed but no significant change has occurred in the conductance due to the addition of gramicidin A single channel even with the addition of glutaraldehyde

Effect of added trace elements on the dielectric properties of bone

The dielectric properties [dielectric constant and dielectric loss] of hydrated solid and powdered bone are determined at 10 kHz and at the temperature range 25C-230C. The effect of mixing dehydrated powdered bone with certain added trace elements [Li2CO3, Na2CO3, MgO, Al2O3, PbO and ZnO] in 10% proportions by weight on the dielectric properties was also studied. Measurements were carried out, on disc shaped samples using standard bridge techniques. Results on dielectric constant and its variation with temperature show that addition of Li2CO3, ZnO and PbO had desired effects. The results also showed how the dielectric properties are related to the structure of bone material