Bibliographies of all retrieved articles were also searched From

Bibliographies of all retrieved articles were also searched. From 140 relevant reports, 10 randomized clinical trials were selected which compared a non-soy legume diet to control, had a minimum duration of 3 weeks, and reported blood lipid changes during intervention and control. Data on sample size, participant

characteristics, study design, intervention methods, duration, and treatment results were independently Vorinostat purchase abstracted by 2 investigators using a standardized protocol. Data from 10 trials representing 268 participants were examined using a random-effects model. Pooled mean net change in total cholesterol for those treated with a legume diet compared to control was -11.8 mg/dL (95% confidence interval [CI], -16.1 to -7.5); mean net change in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol was -8.0 mg/dL (95% Cl, -11.4 to -4.6).

Conclusion: These results indicate that a diet rich in legumes other than soy decreases total and LDL cholesterol. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.”
“CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ regulatory T cells (Tregs) play a key role in the induction and maintenance of peripheral

tolerance. Rapid and transient production of IFN-gamma by Tregs from mice tolerized to alloantigen in vivo has been shown to be critical for their regulatory function. This IFN-gamma has the potential to affect AZD7762 in vivo the function of cells present in the same local microenvironment as the Tregs, including the Tregs themselves. Here we investigated

the mechanism by which IFN-gamma produced by Tregs triggered signaling pathways in alloantigen reactive Tregs themselves thereby influencing their function in vivo. We show that IFN-gamma production and STAT1 activation was increased, while STAT1-dependent PKB/AKT activation was downregulated in alloantigen reactive Tregs. Further, the activation of STAT1 was blocked in IFN-gamma receptor deficient as well as IFN-gamma-deficient Tregs, suggesting Selleckchem Caspase inhibitor that IFN-gamma produced by the alloantigen reactive Tregs might act in an autocrine manner to induce STAT1 activation. Importantly, STAT1-deficient Tregs failed to control allograft rejection in vivo. Overall, these findings suggest that the IFN-gamma-induced STAT1-PKB/AKT signaling pathway plays a key role in upregulating the ability of alloantigen reactive Tregs to control graft rejection in vivo.”
“The critical current of an internal tin Nb3Sn wire developed by Oxford Instruments, Superconducting Technology for International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) (OST type-I, billet No.


“Solitary fibrous tumor (SFT), which was first described a


“Solitary fibrous tumor (SFT), which was first described as a pleural lesion by Klemperer and Rabin in 1931, is a rare, slow-growing neoplasm characterized

by the proliferation of fibroblast-like spindle cells arranged in a patternless manner with few nuclear atypia. Extrathoracic SFT have increasingly been recognized, but those in the genital tract are extremely rare. Gynecological SFT behave as tumors with low malignant potential to recur, metastasize, or affect nearby organs resulting in infertility. We report a case of vulvar SFT slowly growing for 10 years, and propose a strategy for the diagnosis and treatment of gynecological SFT.”
“Purpose of reviewMale patients check details with lower urinary tract symptoms have historically been managed in a prostate

centric selleck products fashion. Population studies highlighting the prevalence and significance of storage symptoms, including nocturia, have meant a shift in the way men with lower urinary tract symptoms are assessed and managed. We review the recent guidelines and publications that have addressed this change in approach.Recent findingsA new -3 adrenoreceptor agonist has demonstrated significant improvement in storage symptoms and appears to be well tolerated.SummaryWe support a continued move towards a patient-focused and management using the current guidelines.”
“OBJECTIVE: To develop and evaluate a rapid biochip system for the determination of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) in Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates and clinical sputum samples.

DESIGN: We developed a total solution-based system, including a biochip kit, apparatus for sample preparation, hybridisation, washing and data acquisition, and dedicated software for automated diagnosis. The biochip simultaneously identifies M. tuberculosis and detects the most commonly found mutations in the rpoB, katG and inhA genes. The system was assessed

with 330 mycobacterial isolates and 129 sputum samples for rifampicin (RMP), and with 205 isolates and 105 sputum samples for isoniazid (INH), and then compared to DNA sequencing and conventional drug susceptibility testing (DST).

RESULTS: The entire biochip assay took Selleck LY294002 6 h. The concordance rate between the biochip assay and the DNA sequencing results was 100%. Compared to conventional DST, the concordance rates were 91.8% for isolates and 94.6% for sputum samples for RMP resistance, and 70.2% for isolates and 78.1% for sputum samples for INH resistance.

CONCLUSION: The biochip system provides a simple, rapid, reliable and accurate clinical assay for the parallel detection of M. tuberculosis and prevalent MDR-TB in a 6 h procedure, using either culture isolates or sputum samples for diagnosis.

Background: Cochlear implant performance varies greatly among pat

Background: Cochlear implant performance varies greatly among patients. Improved methods to assess and monitor functional hair cell and neural substrate before and during implantation could potentially aid in enhanced nontraumatic intracochlear electrode placement and subsequent improved outcomes.

Methods: Subjects (1-80 yr) undergoing cochlear implantation were included. A monopolar probe was placed at the RW after surgical access was obtained. The cochlear microphonic (CM), summating potential (SP), compound

action potential (CAP), and auditory nerve neurophonic (ANN) were recorded in response to tone bursts at frequencies of 0.25 to 4 kHz at various levels.

Results: Measurable hair cell/neural potentials

were detected to 1 or more frequencies in 23 of 25 subjects. The greatest proportion and magnitude of cochlear 17-AAG cost responses were to low frequencies (<1,000 Hz). At these low frequencies, the ANN, when present, contributed to the ongoing response at the stimulus frequency. In many subjects, the ANN was small or absent, whereas hair cell responses remained.

Conclusion: In cochlear implant recipients, acoustically evoked cochlear potentials are detectable even if hearing is extremely limited. Sensitive measures of cochlear and neural status Selleck Compound C can characterize the state of hair cell and neural function before implantation. Whether this information correlates with speech performance outcomes or can help in tailoring electrode type, placement or audiometric fitting, can be determined in future studies.”
“Objective: To evaluate if there is a difference in mandibular distraction osteogenesis (MDO) treatment success rates and ‘adverse outcomes in newborns, early infants, and older pediatric patients.

Design: Retrospective medical review spanning a nine-year period. check details Ten newborn (<= 35 days old), five early infant (36 days-5 months) and eight older pediatric (>5 months) patients

underwent MDO for treatment of micrognathia with a severe tongue-based obstruction. Success was defined as avoidance of tracheostomy or CPAP, and decannulation of patients with tracheotomies. Postoperative complications were grouped into minor and major.

Results: MDO successfully treated 90% of newborns, 100% of early infants and 100% of older pediatric patients. There was no difference in the rates of success (p = 0.48), minor (p = 1.00) and major (p = 1.00) postoperative complications between newborns and early infants. Older pediatric patients had no treatment failures, tended to have fewer minor (p = 0.18) and significantly fewer major (p = 0.04) postoperative complications compared to younger patients. The distractor pin mobility (9%) and scar revisions (13%) were uncommon.

Conclusions: Mandibular distraction osteogenesis is a reliable method for relieving severe tongue-based obstructions in pediatric patients.

General practitioners recalled inviting a median of two patients

General practitioners recalled inviting a median of two patients with acute low-back pain to participate in the trial over a seven-month period; they reported that they intended to recruit patients, but forgot to approach patients

to participate; and they did not perceive that patients had a strong interest or disinterest in participating. Additional open-ended comments were generally consistent with the quantitative data.

Conclusion: A number of barriers to the recruitment of patients with acute low-back pain by general practitioners in a professional-cluster trial click here were identified. These barriers were similar to those that have been identified in the literature surrounding the recruitment of patients in individual patient randomised trials. To advance the evidence base for patient recruitment strategies in primary care settings, trialists undertaking professional-cluster trials need to develop and evaluate patient recruitment strategies that minimise the efforts required by practice staff to recruit patients, while also meeting privacy and ethical responsibilities and minimising

the risk of selection bias.

Trial registration: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN012606000098538 (date registered 14/03/ 2006).”
“To evaluate morphologic alterations ill the thyroid gland in the second generation in cynomolgus monkeys, pregnant dams were exposed to high doses of thiamazole. In Experiment A, dams received thiamazole intragastrically via a nasogastric catheter Selleck Small molecule library from gestation day (GD) 50 to GD 150 or on the day before

delivery. Initially, the dose level was 20 mg/kg/day (10 mg/kg twice daily); however, the dose level was subsequently decreased to 5 mg/kg/day (2.5 mg/kg twice daily), since deteriorated general conditions were observed in two dams. Six out of seven neonates died on the day of birth. The cause of neonatal death was tracheal compression and suffocation from goiter. The transplacental exposure to thiamazole affected the fetal thyroid glands and induced goiter in all neonates. The surviving neonate was necropsied 767 days after discontinuation a thiamazole exposure and showed reversibility of the induced changes. In Experiment B. dams CCI-779 were intragastrically administered thiamazole at 5 mg/kg/day (2.5 mg/kg twice daily) for treatment periods from GDs 51 to 70, 71 to 90, 91 to 110, 111 to 130 and 131 to 150. All fetuses showed enlarged thyroid glands but were viable. Histopathologically, hypertrophy and/or hyperplastic appearance of the follicular epithelium of the thyroid gland was observed at the end of each treatment period. The most active appearance of the follicular epithelium, consisting of crowded pedunculated structure, was demonstrated at end of the treatment period from GD 131 to 150. This is the first report on the morphology of fetal and neonatal goiter in the cynomolgus monkey. (DOI: 10.1293/tox.24.


“SETTING: A teaching hospital in the Republic

of K


“SETTING: A teaching hospital in the Republic

of Korea, 2003-2009.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of previous tuberculosis (TB) treatment history on sputum smear and culture conversion.

DESIGN: Adriamycin DNA Damage inhibitor Data, including sputum acid-fast bacilli (AFB) results at baseline and at weeks 2, 4, 8, 12, 16, 20 and 24, were collected from patients with AFB sputum smear-positive and culture-confirmed pulmonary TB. Patients with multidrug-resistant TB or those with poor adherence were excluded. AFB conversion was compared between patients with a previous history of anti-tuberculosis treatment and those without.

RESULTS: The median age of the 208 patients was 49.0 years; 58.3% were male, while 43 (20.7%) had a history of previous anti-tuberculosis treatment. Patients with a history of previous treatment had significantly lower sputum smear-negative conversion at 2 weeks of treatment compared with patients without (70.0% vs. 44.8%, P = 0.005). Selleck CA4P However, the two groups did not differ in culture conversion and in smear conversion at 4, 8, 12, 16, 20 and 24 weeks of anti-tuberculosis treatment.

CONCLUSION: Patients with a history of previous anti-tuberculosis treatment are more likely to have positive sputum AFB smear

at 2 weeks of treatment. However, sputum culture conversion is not affected by previous treatment history.”
“Background: Worsening renal function (WRF) is an ominous complication in patients with acute heart failure syndrome (AHFS). Few data are available with regard to the clinical implications of transient versus persistent WRF in this setting.

Methods and Results: We studied 467 patients with AHFS and creatinine measurements at baseline and on days 2, 5, 14, and 30. WRF (>= 0.5 mg/dL increase in serum creatinine above baseline at any time MDV3100 in vivo point) was defined as persistent when serum creatinine remained

mg/dL above baseline throughout day 30, and transient when creatinine levels subsequently decreased to <0.5 mg/dL above baseline. WRF occurred in 115 patients, and was transient in 39 patients (33.9%). The 6-month mortality rates were 17.3%, 20.5%, and 46.1% in patients without WRF, transient WRF, and persistent WRF, respectively. In a multivariable Cox model, compared with patients with stable renal function, the adjusted hazard ratio for mortality was 0.8 (95% CI 0.4-1.7; P = .58) in patients with transient WRF and 3.2 (95% CI 2.1-5.0; P < .0001) in patients with persistent WRF.

Conclusion: Transient WRF is frequent among patients with AHFS. Whereas persistent WRF portends increased mortality, transient WRF appears to be associated with a better outcome as compared with persistent renal failure. (I Cardiac Fail 2010:16:541-547)”
“SETTING: Santiago, Chile, has a mean annual tuberculosis (TB) rate of 13 per 100000 population; however, TB incidence in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infected individuals is at least 20 times higher.

Correlations between these variables were poor to weak For discr

Correlations between these variables were poor to weak. For discrimination of CN horses from CA horses, the SAA assay had sensitivity of

53% and specificity of 94% (diagnostic accuracy, 75%); for the other assessments, accuracy ranged from 59% to 62%. Repeated assessment of SAA concentration in some CA horses revealed a gradual return to normal concentrations.

Conclusions Stem Cell Compound Library and Clinical Relevance-Results indicated that assessment of SAA concentration can provide valuable information regarding the clinical state of horses and may be more useful for patient monitoring and as a prognostic indicator than are traditional markers of inflammation.”
“We report on the experimental observation of a hitherto ignored long-range electromagnetic coupling between self-assembled InAs/GaAs quantum dots (QDs). A 12 times enhancement of the QD exciton lifetime is observed by means of time-resolved differential reflection spectroscopy. The enhancement is due to local field effects within the QD ensemble. The electromagnetic coupling

of the QDs results in a collective Selleckchem HSP990 polarizability, and is observed as a suppression of the emission rate. Our results reveal that the mutual coupling strength can be optically tuned by varying the pump excitation density. This enables us to optically tune the exciton lifetime.”
“In Part Two of our look at unused organs, we examine reasons abdominal organsare left behind.”
“Objective To determine the effects of treatment with platelet- and leukocyte-rich plasma (PRP) on future 2-, 3-, and 4-year-old racing performance AZD4547 order of yearling Thoroughbreds with proximal sesamoid bone inflammation and associated suspensory ligament branch (SLB) desmitis.

Design-Randomized clinical trial.

Animals-39 yearling Thoroughbreds.

Procedures-Yearling Thoroughbreds with radiographic evidence of performance-limiting proximal sesamoid bone inflammation and ultrasonographic evidence of associated SLB desmitis were identified and randomly assigned to undergo PRP (treatment group)

or saline (0.9% NaCl) solution (control group) injection at the affected SLB-proximal sesamoid bone junction. Race records of horses for the 2-, 3-, and 4-year-old racing years were obtained. Data regarding amount of money earned and number of races started were used as outcome measures, and results for groups were compared.

Results-Horses treated with PAP were significantly more likely to start at least 1 race during the 2-year-old racing year than were horses treated with saline solution; no significant differences were detected between groups regarding that variable for the 3- and 4-year-old racing years. No significant differences between groups were detected regarding earnings for any racing year.

Internal reliability was found above 0 7 for

6 of the clu

Internal reliability was found above 0.7 for

6 of the clusters. Concurrent validity was found highly significant for the clusters of conduct and attention and activity. Discriminant validity of these clusters was found acceptable for the attention and learning disability groups. The clusters of conduct, attention and activity, and distress and disruption were found to significantly correlate with the Conners’ teacher scale. The ANSER-PQ may be employed for the assessment of children with attention or learning disabilities.”
“New daily persistent headache (NDPH) is a form of chronic daily headache (CDH) that may have features of both migraine and tension-type headache. In contrast BEZ235 with other types of CDH, NDPH is Selleckchem LY2835219 characterized by patients recalling the specific date their unremitting daily headache began. In comparison, chronic tension-type headache and chronic migraine are preceded by a gradually increasing frequency of headache. After several months, all three of these CDH forms

often have a similar phenotype, making early history a key to diagnosing NDPH. Evaluations to exclude secondary causes are necessary but usually negative. NDPH is difficult to treat and requires a multimodal approach. Questions regarding NDPH remain unanswered. Additional prospective studies are necessary to further understand, characterize, diagnose, and treat NDPH.”
“Introduction: The current management of locally advanced rectal cancer involves total mesorectal excision, which may be preceded selleck by neo-adjuvant chemoradiotherapy (CRT). Individual patient response to CRT is variable and reproducible biomarkers of response are needed. The role of the V-Ki-ras2 Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene (KRAS) in rectal cancer remains equivocal. The aim of the current study was to systematically appraise the effect of KRAS mutation on outcomes following CRT for rectal cancer.

Methods: A comprehensive search for published studies examining the effect of KRAS mutation on outcome after neo-adjuvant CRT in rectal cancer was performed. Each

study was reviewed and data extracted. Random-effects methods were used to combine data.

Results: Data was retrieved from 8 series describing 696 patients. Neo-adjuvant treatment regimens varied in usage of chemotherapeutic agents and interval to surgery. KRAS mutation was present in an average of 33.2 +/- 11.8% of patients with rectal cancer. KRAS mutation was not associated with decreased rates of pathological complete response (odds ratio (OR): 0.778, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.424-1.428, P = 0.418), tumor down-staging (OR: 0.846, 95% CI: 0.331-2.162, P = 0.728) or an increase in cancer related mortality (OR: 1.239, 95% CI: 0.607-2.531, P = 0.555).

Conclusions: Based on these data, the presence of KRAS mutation does not affect tumor down-staging or cancer specific survival following neo-adjuvant CRT and surgery for rectal cancer. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Recent finding

IFN-gamma-producing Th1 cells and IL-17

Recent finding

IFN-gamma-producing Th1 cells and IL-17-producing Th17 cells have been implicated in GCA. Patients with biopsy-positive PND-1186 in vitro GCA underwent two consecutive temporal artery biopsies, one prior to therapy and one while on corticosteroids. In untreated patients, Th1 and Th17 cells co-existed in the vascular lesions. Following therapy, Th17 cells were essentially lost, whereas Th1 cells persisted almost unaffected. In the peripheral blood of untreated patients Th17 frequencies were increased eight-fold, but normalized with therapy. Blood Th1 cells were doubled in frequency, independent of therapy. Corticosteroids functioned by selectively suppressing IL-1 beta, IL-6 and IL-23-releasing antigen-presenting cells (APCs),

disrupting induction of Th17 cells.

Summary

At least two distinct CD4 T-cell subsets promote vascular inflammation in GCA. In early disease, APCs promote differentiation of Th17 as well as Th1 cells. Chronic disease is characterized

by persistent Th1-inducing signals, independent of IL-17-mediated inflammation. More than one disease instigator may trigger APCs to induce multiple T-cell lineages. Cocktails of therapies will be needed for appropriate disease control.”
“Objective: Documentation of examination of brain structural development by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) beyond the neonatal period is scarce for both preterm and small for gestational age (SGA) infants.

Aim: To investigate structural brain development during infancy in preterm children born ATPase inhibitor SGA by MRI.

Methods: A total of 205 preterm infants,

139 appropriate for gestational age (AGA) and 66 SGA, of which 33 had birth weight (BW) <3rd percentile HKI-272 and 33 had BW 3rd-10th percentile, were examined prospectively by brain MRI at the corrected age of 5 months. The total volume of the brain, ventricles and cerebellum, the area of vermis and corpus callosum, and the height of the pituitary, mesencephalon and pons were estimated on MRI.

Results: Brain volume was smaller in the SGA <3rd percentile infants, independent of other perinatal factors. Chronic lung disease was an independent predictor of low brain volume. Pituitary height was greater in SGA <3rd percentile than in AGA infants. The corpus callosum area was less in SGA <3rd percentile than in SGA of 3rd-10th percentile infants.

Conclusions: Preterm infants born SGA with BW <3rd percentile had differences in brain structural measurements at the corrected age of 5 months, compared with preterm AGA infants, which could have implications for their neurocognitive development.”
“Purpose of review

To describe current progress in understanding pyoderma gangraenosum, illustrate clinical observations and discuss therapeutic interventions.

Recent findings

The proline-rich, glutamic acid-rich, serine-rich and threonine-rich (PEST) family of protein tyrosine phosphatases is a critical regulator of adhesion and migration.

The structures were elucidated

on the basis of NMR spectr

The structures were elucidated

on the basis of NMR spectroscopic and mass spectrometry data. (C) 2012 Phytochemical Society of Europe. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.”
“S. haematobium is an important cause of urinary schistosomiasis, and symptomatic female genital infection is a common gynecological finding in areas where S. haematobium is prevalent. On the other hand, genital manifestations of intestinal schistosomas as S. mansoni are not frequent or are misdiagnosed. A case of a 40-year-old woman with abnormal uterine bleeding and asymptomatic tubal infection by S. mansoni identified in histological examination is presented.”
“One new tetrahydroanthraquinone derivative, (2R,3S)-7-ethyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-2,3,8-trihydroxy-6-methoxy- 3-methyl-9,10-anthracenedione (1), together with

five known anthraquinones (2-6), two known phenylethyl alcohols (7-8) ABT-263 chemical structure and one known butanamide (9), were isolated from the mangrove-derived fungus Phomopsis sp. PSU-MA214. Their structures were established by spectroscopic evidence. Compound 1 is a rare ethyltetrahydroanthraquinone and exhibited weak cytotoxicity against breast cancer (MCF-7) cell lines and antibacterial activity against the standard Staphylococcus aureus ATCC25923 and methicillin-resistant S. aureus SK1. (C) 2012 Phytochemical Society of Europe. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.”
“Acute HIV infection is rarely recognized as the signs and symptoms are normally unspecific and can persist for days or weeks. The normal 3-MA supplier HIV course is characterized by a progressive loss of CD4+ cells, which normally leads to severe immunodeficiency after a variable time interval. The mean time from initial infection to development of clinical AIDS

is approximately 8-10 years, but it is variable among individuals and depends on a complex interaction between virus and host. Here we describe an extraordinary case of a man who developed Pneumocisits MLN4924 jiroveci pneumonia within one month after sexual exposure to HIV-1, and then presented with 3 consecutive CD4 counts bellow 200 cells/mm(3) within 3 months, with no other opportunistic disease. Although antiretroviral therapy (AZT+3TC+ATZ/r) was started, with full adherence of the patient, and genotyping indicating no primary antiretroviral resistance mutations, he required more than six months to have a CD4 restoration to levels above 200 cells/mm(3) and 10 months to HIV-RNA to become undetectable.”
“We isolated five bergenin phenylpropanoates, i.e., 11-O-(E)-sinapate (1), 11-O-(E)-ferulate (2), 11-O-(Z)-ferulate (3), 11-O-(E)-coumalate (4), and 11-O-(Z)-coumalate (5), and three bergenin hydroxybenzoates, i.e., 11-O-syringate (6), 11-O-vanillate (7), and 11-O-p-hydroxybenzoate (8), along with bergenin (9), from the leaves of Vatica bantamensis. Moreover, we identified the geometrical isomerization between 2 and 3. These structures were characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR).

The acoustic assistance improves the actuator performance by incr

The acoustic assistance improves the actuator performance by increasing the reversible magnetic-field-induced strain (MFIS) by up to 100% (increase from 0.017 to 0.03 at 10 Hz) for drive frequencies below 150 Hz. For frequencies above 150 Hz, the acoustic-assist effect becomes negligible and the resonant characteristic of the actuator takes over the actuator response. Even though the acoustic assist MI-503 order does not improve the actuation at high frequencies, the MFIS output of 5% can be obtained at the resonant frequency of 450 Hz without acoustic assistance. The

FSMA actuator is shown to be ideal for applications that require large strain at a specific high frequency (C) 2009 American Institute of Physics. [DOI: 10.1063/1.3125307]“
“BACKGROUND: Data on the prognostic utility of interferon-gamma release assays (IGRAs) for active tuberculosis (TB) among human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1) infected individuals are limited.

METHODS: S3I-201 inhibitor Samples from a perinatal cohort of HIV-1-infected women in Kenya, obtained during pregnancy, were tested using T-SPOT (R).TB IGRAs to detect Mycobacterium tuberculosis-specific

interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) responses. IFN-gamma, (cut-off values of >0, >= 6 and >= 10 spot-forming cells [SFC]/well) and CD4 cell count (cut-off values of <250 and <350 cells/mu l) were evaluated to determine sensitivity and specificity using a time-dependent receiver operating selleck chemicals llc characteristic curve and positive predictive value (PPV) using the Kaplan Meier method for future TB within 1 year postpartum.

RESULTS: Of 327 women, 9 developed TB within 1 year postpartum (incidence rate 3.5/100 person-years of follow-up, 95%CI 1.6-6.7). IFN-gamma 6 SFC/well was associated with an optimal trade-off between sensitivity (78%) and specificity (55%) and a PPV of 5.9%. In women with CD4 cell count of <250 cells/mu l, the sensitivity and specificity of IFN–y 6 SFC/well

were respectively 89% and 63%, and the PPV was 19.2%.

CONCLUSION: Among HIV-1 infected women, IFN–y response (>= 6 SFC/well) during pregnancy lacked a high PPV for postpartum TB, but had higher sensitivity and PPV among immunosuppressed women (CD4 cell count of <250 cells/mu l).”
“The effects of Ag doping on the photoluminescence (PL) of low temperature grown ZnO have been investigated. Ag-doped ZnO exhibited distinguished PL characteristics from the undoped material. An intense emission at 3.323 eV from a free electron to bound acceptor transition was observed in the Ag-doped ZnO, while a donor bound exciton transition dominated the band edge emission for undoped ZnO. The acceptor binding energy of 117 meV calculated from the temperature dependent PL is consistent with the reported values. This spectroscopic investigation indicates that Ag can be introduced into the host material by a cost-efficient electrochemical process and is a potential p-type dopant for ZnO. (C) 2009 American Institute of Physics. [DOI: 10.