Evaluation of efficiency of nested multiplex allele-specific PCR assay for detection of multidrug resistant tuberculosis directly from sputum samples.

UNLABELLED: For an effective control of tuberculosis, rapid detection of multidrug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) is necessary. Therefore, we developed a modified nested multiplex allele-specific polymerase chain reaction (MAS-PCR) method that enables rapid MDR-TB detection directly from sputum samples. The efficacy of this method was evaluated using 79 sputum samples collected from suspected tuberculosis patients. The performance of nested MAS-PCR method was compared with other MDR-TB detection methods like drug susceptibility testing (DST) and DNA sequencing. As rifampicin (RIF) resistance conforms to MDR-TB in greater than 90% cases, only the presence of RIF-associated mutations in rpoB gene was determined by DNA sequencing and nested MAS-PCR to detect MDR-TB. The concordance between nested MAS-PCR and DNA sequencing results was found to be 96·3%. When compared with DST, the sensitivity and specificity of nested MAS-PCR for RIF-resistance detection were determined to be 92·9 and 100% respectively. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: For developing- and high-TB burden countries, molecular-based tests have been recommended by the World Health Organization for rapid detection of MDR-TB. The results of this study indicate that, nested MAS-PCR assay might be a practical and relatively cost effective molecular method for rapid detection of MDR-TB from suspected sputum samples in developing countries with resource poor settings.

A study of obliquity of femoral shaft in Eastern Indian population.

In the erect posture, femur is not absolute vertical, being separated above from its fellow by a considerable interval, which corresponds to the breadth of the pelvis, and inclines gradually medially and downward, so as to approach its fellow, for the purpose of bringing the knee joints near the line of gravity of the body. In the present study obliquity of femoral shaft measured in 127 dry femora. Mean obliquity of femoral shaft for 62 left sided femora found 8.431 degrees with standard deviation of 2.361 degrees whereas for 65 right sided femora were found to be 7.708 degrees with standard deviation of 2.425 degrees. When total 127 femora considered, mean bicondylar angle of 8.061 +/- 2.412 degrees was obtained. Though statistically insignificant, mean bicondylar angle determined on left side was higher than that on the right side.

True palmar pattern in vitiligo--a case control study.

Characteristic epidermal ridges formed on the finger pad and on the palm by the end of the second trimester and remain unchanged thereafter and those are responsible for the highly specific finger prints of each individual. These ridges are nither influenced by later prenatal period nor they subject to any influence in the postnatal environmental factors because the formation of ridge patterns gets already completed by about the eighteenth week of gestation. Dermatoglyphics is a scientific study of such epidermal ridges. Dermatoglyphic study of both palms of clinically diagnosed vitiligo patients and control subjects were carried out and statisticaltly analysed in respect to sex and side of hands. The study revealed variable number of deviations of this patterns in Vitiligo patients when compared with that of control. Increased number of true palmar patterns in right hypothenar, right thenar and both inter digital areas 2 (ID-2) and decreased TPP in Rt. ID3, Rt. ID4 in vitiligo male patients and increased TPP in Rt. Hypothenar and Rt. ID1 and decreased TPP in Rt. ID2 and Lt. ID 3 in vitiligo female patients while compared with that of the control group. Some of the variations observed were stastically significant.