Comparison of rapid colorimetric method with conventional method in the isolation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis

The aim of the study was to evaluate two methods (colorimetric and conventional) for isolation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. A total of 500 clinical specimens were processed by modified Petroff's method and then inoculated into MB/BacT-240 system bottles and on LJ medium slopes. The specimens included 242 sputum, 95 gastric aspirates, 47 pleural fluids, 45 CSF, 32 urine, 18 pus, 11 bronchoalveolar lavage, 3 tissue, 2 stool, 2 lymphnode specimens, 2 synovial fluid and 1 bronchial wash specimens. The isolation rate was 16.4% by the colorimetric method and 2.2% by the conventional method. The mean detection time was 16 days and 26 days respectively. Among 36 direct smear positive samples, 63.9%(23/36) and 30%(11/36) were positive by colorimetric and conventional methods respectively. Out of 464 direct smear negative samples 12.9%(60/464) and 0.6%(3/464) were positive by colorimetric and conventional methods respectively. Therefore, colorimetric method enables rapid detection leading to early diagnosis and drug susceptibility testing.     

Rational Use of Protein Supplements in the Elderly—Relevance of Gastrointestinal Mechanisms

Protein supplements are increasingly used by older people to maintain nutrition and prevent or treat loss of muscle function. Daily protein requirements in older people are in the range of 1.2 gm/kg/day or higher. Many older adults do not consume this much protein and are likely to benefit from higher consumption. Protein supplements are probably best taken twice daily, if possible soon after exercise, in doses that achieve protein intakes of 30 gm or more per episode. It is probably not important to give these supplements between meals, as we have shown no suppressive effects of 30 gm whey drinks, and little if any suppression of 70 gm given to older subjects at varying time intervals from meals. Many gastrointestinal mechanisms controlling food intake change with age, but their contributions to changes in responses to protein are not yet well understood. There may be benefits in giving the supplement with rather than between meals, to achieve protein intakes above the effective anabolic threshold with lower supplement doses, and have favourable effects on food-induced blood glucose increases in older people with, or at risk of developing, type 2 diabetes mellitus; combined protein and glucose drinks lower blood glucose compared with glucose alone in older people.     

Genomic diversity and prevalence of Rotavirus in cow and buffalo calves in northern India

Faecal samples were collected from seventy-eight diarrhoeic cow and buffalo calves between November 1998 and February 1999 to study the genomic diversity and prevalence of Rotavirus infection by ribonucleic acid polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (RNA-PAGE) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). In the organised dairy farm (where daily production and health records were maintained), the overall prevalence of infection with Rotavirus, recorded by RNA-PAGE and ELISA, was 27.02% (10/37) in both cow and buffalo calves. In unorganised dairy herds (where no production or health records were maintained), RNA-PAGE and ELISA detected infection with Rotavirus in 26.8% (11/41) of cow and 19.5% (8/41) of buffalo calves. Five distinct electropherotypes were found to circulate in cow and buffalo calves. All were short electropherotypes except the single long electropherotype observed in a buffalo calf in an unorganised dairy herd. Some differences in RNA migration pattern were observed when these electropherotypes were compared with the neonatal calf diarrhoea virus strain of Rotavirus. Some electropherotypes were restricted to one farm while others were found in both organised and unorganised dairy herds and in both cow and buffalo calves.