The World Health Organization has identified India as a major hot-spot region for Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection. We have characterized the sequences of the loci associated with multidrug resistance in 126 clinical isolates of M. tuberculosis from India to identify the respective mutations. The loci selected were rpoB (rifampin), katG and the ribosomal binding site of inhA (isoniazid), gyrA and gyrB (ofloxacin), and rpsL and rrs (streptomycin). We found known as well as novel mutations at these loci. Few of the mutations at the rpoB locus could be correlated with the drug resistance levels exhibited by the M. tuberculosis isolates and occurred with frequencies different from those reported earlier. Missense mutations at codons 526 to 531 seemed to be crucial in conferring a high degree of resistance to rifampin. We identified a common Arg463Leu substitution in the katG locus and certain novel insertions and deletions. Mutations were also mapped in the ribosomal binding site of the inhA gene. A Ser95Thr substitution in the gyrA locus was the most common mutation observed in ofloxacin-resistant isolates. A few isolates showed other mutations in this locus. Seven streptomycin-resistant isolates had a silent mutation at the lysine residue at position 121. While certain mutations are widely present, pointing to the magnitude of the polymorphisms at these loci, others are not common, suggesting diversity in the multidrug-resistant M. tuberculosis strains prevalent in this region. Our results additionally have implications for the development of methods for multidrug resistance detection and are also relevant in the shaping of future clinical treatment regimens and drug design strategies.

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The objective of the present research was to study the efficacy of Laksha Guggulu, Snehana, Swedana & Traction in the management of Osteoarthritis (Knee joint). For the present work, 30 clinically diagnosed patients were selected and randomly divided into three groups. Group A treated with Laksha Guggulu orally, Group B treated with snehana & swedana traction, Group C treated with Laksha Guggulu, Snehana, Swedana & Knee Joint Traction. The various criteria worked upon were joint pain, oedema, tenderness, restriction of joint movement, stiffness, local crepitation, walking distance. Significant results were obtained on pain in joint movement, restriction in joint movement, joint stiffness , local crepitation nearly in all the groups with best result in combined group or group C.

Recently collected data have shown that natural organic matter (NOM) source is an important parameter influencing the toxicity of silver to the freshwater crustacean Daphnia magna. The present study attempted to correlate the physicochemical properties of 11 naturally isolated and commercially available NOM sources with their ameliorative effects. The protection offered by these samples was standardized to the protective effect of Aldrich humic acid using geochemical modeling approaches that accounted for associated changes in water chemistry and, consequently, silver speciation. The protective ability of NOM was not correlated with reactive sulfide or nitrogen content, which are considered to be strong silver-binding ligands. Color (specific absorbance coefficient) was positively correlated with protection but narrowly eluded statistical significance. The peak wavelength of emission fluorescence following excitation at 370 nm and the fluorescence index values of NOM samples were significantly correlated with protective effects, suggesting that aromatic carbon content may govern the ameliorative actions of NOM. Simple optical properties may therefore act as a suitable indicator for the ability of a given NOM to protect against waterborne silver toxicity to D. magna as long as changes in water chemistry and, thus, silver speciation, are considered.

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