The performance of the Amplified Mycobacterium Tuberculosis Direct Test (MTD; Gen-Probe, Inc., San Diego, Calif.) for rapid diagnosis of extrapulmonary tuberculosis was evaluated by testing 178 nonrespiratory specimens from 158 patients. Criteria for specimen inclusion were (i) a positive smear for acid-fast bacilli (n = 54) and (ii) the source if the smear was negative (tissue biopsies and asp...

The purpose of this study was to monitor the concentrations of mercury in the edible muscle, gill, liver, and skin of common carp (Cyprinus carpio) and silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix), in the Sanandaj Gheshlagh Reservoir, Iran. Mercury concentrations were assayed using Shimadzu AA 6600 atomic absorption spectrophotometer, and the results were given as µg/g wet weight. The level of mer...

BACKGROUND To determine the association of human papillomavirus infection (HPV) and transitional cell carcinoma (TCC). METHODS Using polymerase chain reaction, fifty-nine bladder tissue specimens of patients with transitional cell carcinoma of bladder compared with 20 bladder samples of cases with non-neoplastic disorders. RESULTS Male to female ratio was similar in the two groups (50/9 vs....

Detection of viral antigens in specimens without prior cultivation in cell culture provides the most rapid method for specific viral diagnosis. A solid-phase, double-antibody enzyme immunoassay was developed for this purpose and tested with clinical specimens containing influenza type A and adenovirus. Polystyrene microtiter wells were the solid phase and were coated with virus-specific guinea ...

A prospective study was conducted of the rapid FASTPlaque-Response test for determination of rifampicin resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis with and without the addition of an antimicrobial supplement containing nystatin, oxacillin and aztreonam (NOA) to control specimen-related contamination. A total of 631 smear-positive sputum specimens was tested. The age of specimens ranged from 0 to ...

copper (cu) is an essential element required by all living organisms, since at least 30 enzymes are known to use cu as a cofactor. cu is also toxic in excess and liver and gills are known to be target organs for it. in the present study, 240 siberian sturgeon juvenile (with initial weight 29.2 ± 3.1 g and initial length 21.8 ± 1.4 cm) were randomly distributed in 12 fiberglass tanks at 4 differ...

Background: The mastic extract of Pistacia species can be considered as a natural herbal source in the pharmaceutical industry. Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of Pistacia atlantica mastic on wound healing, oxidative and blood biochemical parameters. Methods: Topical cream and oral suspension was made of the mastic of P. atlantica, after preparing hydr...

This study evaluated the influence of diet supplementation with propolis and Aloe barbadensis on hematological parameters and parasitism in tilapia. One hundred and eighty fish were distributed among 12 water tanks forming four treatments: fish supplemented with a 1:1 mixture of 0%, 0.5%, 1% and 2% propolis and aloe extracts. After the fish had been fed on the experimental diets for 15 and 21 d...