Microsatellite DNA typing for assessment of genetic variability in Tharparkar breed of Indian zebu (Bos indicus) cattle, a major breed of Rajasthan.

The present study estimates genetic variability with a set of 25 microsatellite markers in a random sample of 50 animals of Tharparkar breed of Indian zebu (Bos indicus) cattle. Tharparkar is a dual-purpose breed, valued for its milk as well as draught utility, and is adapted to the inhospitable Thar desert conditions of Rajasthan typified by summer temperature hovering above 50 degrees C, sparse rainfall and vegetation, and scarcity of even drinking water. The observed number of alleles ranged from 4 (ETH3, ILSTS030, INRA5, INRA63 and MM8) to 11 (HEL9 and ILSTS034), with allelic diversity (average number of observed alleles per locus) of 6.20. Observed and expected heterozygosity ranged from 0.25 (INRA63) to 0.77 (ETH10), and from 0.51 (HEL5 and HAUT27) to 0.88 (HEL9) respectively. Wide range of genetic variability supported the utility of these microsatellite loci in measurement of genetic diversity indices in other Indian cattle breeds too. Various average genetic variability measures, namely allele diversity (6.20), observed heterozygosity (0.57), expected heterozygosity (0.67) and mean polymorphism information content (0.60) values showed substantial within-breed genetic variability in this major breed of Rajasthan, despite accumulated inbreeding as reflected by high average inbreeding coefficient (F(IS) = 0.39). The Tharparkar population has not experienced a bottleneck in the recent past.

Epidemiology of cervical cancer--a case control study on north Indian population.

The present case control study on married women with cervical cancer and controls (100 each) revealed the association of age at marriage, socioeconomic status, education status and parity with cervical cancer but young age at marriage (rr 3.79) and low socioeconomic status (rr -3.81) emerged as independent predictors of disease status.

Anti-66 kDa antileishmanial antibodies as specific immunodiagnostic probe for visceral leishmaniasis.

A 66 kDa plasma membrane associated molecule of promastigotes of Leishmania donovani (MHOM/IN/1978/UR6) was affinity purified under acidic conditions. Employing purified 66 kDa antigen in micro ELISA, 36 (97.3%) of the 37 patients of visceral leishmaniasis (bone marrow aspirates positive for Leishman Donovan bodies) had detectable levels of anti 66 kDa anti leishmanial antibodies. The sera of the patients confirmed to have visceral leishmaniasis had significantly (P < 0.001) higher optical density values (0.636 +/- 0.230) as compared to sera (OD 0.185 +/- 0.131) from patients clinically suspected to have visceral leishmaniasis (bone marrow aspirates negative for Leishman Donovan bodies). None of the 35 sera from apparently healthy subjects from non endemic area had anti 66 kDa antibodies. However, sera from one (8.3%) of the 12 healthy subjects, who was a first degree relative of a patient of visceral leishmaniasis and residing in an area endemic for visceral leishmaniasis, had anti 66 kDa antibodies. It is felt that detection of anti 66 kDa antibodies in a micro ELISA assay provides a highly sensitive and specific tool for confirming ongoing visceral leishmaniasis.