Inflammatory and neurodegeneration markers during asymptomatic HSV-1 reactivation.

PubMed

Martin, Carolina; Aguila, Blanca; Araya, Paulina; Vio, Karin; Valdivia, Sharin; Zambrano, Angara; Concha, Margarita I; Otth, Carola

2014-01-01

Currently, it is unclear whether asymptomatic recurrent reactivations of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) occur in the central nervous systems of infected people, and if these events could lead to a progressive deterioration of neuronal function. In this context, HSV-1 constitutes an important candidate to be included among the risk factors for the development of neuropathies associated with chronic neuroinflammation. The aim of this study was to assess in vivo inflammatory and neurodegenerative markers in the brain during productive and latent HSV-1 infection using a mouse model of herpes simplex encephalitis. Neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration markers were evaluated in mice trigeminal ganglia and cerebral cortex during HSV-1 infection, by immunohistochemistry, western blot, and RT-PCR. Neuronal ICP4 viral antigen expression indicative of a reactivation episode during asymptomatic latency of HSV-1 infection in mice was accompanied by upregulation of neuroinflammatory (toll-like receptor-4, interferon α/β, and p-IRF3) and early neurodegenerative markers (phospho-tau and TauC3). HSV-1 reactivation from latency induced neuroinflammatory and neurodegenerative markers in the brain of asymptomatic mice suggesting that recurrent reactivations could be associated with cumulative neuronal dysfunctions.

Asymptomatic bacteriuria.

PubMed

Nicolle, Lindsay E

2014-02-01

Asymptomatic bacteriuria is a common finding. Inappropriate antimicrobial treatment of asymptomatic bacteriuria has been identified as a major issue for antimicrobial stewardship programs. This review summarizes and evaluates recent studies which extend our knowledge of the occurrence, management, and outcomes of bacteriuria. The reported prevalence of bacteriuria is higher in some developing countries than generally reported for developed countries, but reasons for this remain unclear. Clinical studies of young women, renal transplant patients, and patients undergoing minor nontraumatic urologic procedures confirm that treatment of asymptomatic bacteriuria for these populations is not beneficial, and may be harmful. There is also no benefit for treatment of asymptomatic bacteriuria prior to orthopedic surgery to decrease postoperative surgical site infection. Studies continue to report substantial inappropriate antimicrobial use for treatment of asymptomatic bacteriuria. Recent publications confirm that asymptomatic bacteriuria is benign in most patients. Management strategies for pregnant women with recurrent bacteriuria require further clarification. There is a continuing problem with inappropriate treatment of asymptomatic bacteriuria, and sustainable strategies to optimize antimicrobial use for this problem are needed.

Prospective, comprehensive, and effective viral monitoring in Cuban children undergoing solid organ transplantation.

PubMed

Kourí, Vivian; Correa, Consuelo; Martínez, Pedro A; Sanchez, Lizet; Alvarez, Alina; González, Grehete; Silverio, César E; Hondal, Norma; Florin, Jose; Pérez, Lourdes; Duran, Diana P; Perez, Yardelis; Cazorla, Nancy; Gonzalez, Dalmaris; Jaime, Juan C; Arencibia, Alberto; Sarduy, Sandra; Pérez, Lissette; Soto, Yudira; González, Mabel; Alvarez, Iliana; Dorticós, Elvira; Marchena, Juan J; Solar, Luis; Acosta, Belsy; Savón, Clara; Hengge, Ulrich

2014-01-01

In Cuba, viral monitoring in the post-transplant period was not routinely performed. The aim of this research is to identify the most frequent viruses that affect transplanted Cuban children, by implementing a viral follow-up during the post-transplant period. The study population included all Cuban pediatric patients who underwent solid organ transplantation (SOT) between November 2009 and December 2012. A total of 34 transplanted pediatric patients of kidney (n = 11) and liver (n = 23) were prospectively monitored during a 34-week period for viral DNAemia and DNAuria by simultaneous detection of cytomegalovirus (CMV), Epstein-Barr virus, herpes simplex virus type 1 and 2, varicella zoster virus, human herpesvirus 6, human adenovirus, and polyomaviruses (BKV and JCV) using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Viral genome of at least one virus was detected in 21 of 34 recipients, 18 patients excreted virus in urine while 12 presented DNAemia. CMV (41.2%) and BKV (35.3%) were the most frequent viruses detected during the follow-up. CMV was the virus mainly associated with clinical symptoms and DNAemia. Its excretion in urine (with cut off value of 219 copies/mL) was associated with detection in plasma (p < 0.001); furthermore, CMV viruria was predictive of CMV viremia (OR:8.4, CI:2.4-29.1, p = 0.001). There was no association between high viral load and clinical complications, due to the prompt initiation of preemptive ganciclovir. This comprehensive viral monitoring program effectively prevents the development of critical viral disease, thus urge the implementation of qRT-PCR as routine for viral monitoring of transplanted Cuban organ recipients.

Fenofibrate causes elevation of betaine excretion but not excretion of other osmolytes by healthy adults.

PubMed

Lever, Michael; McEntyre, Christopher J; George, Peter M; Slow, Sandy; Chambers, Stephen T; Foucher, Christelle

2014-01-01

Cross-sectional data suggest that bezafibrate increases betaine excretion in dyslipidemic patients. We aimed to demonstrate that fenofibrate induces increased betaine excretion in normal subjects and explore whether other 1-carbon metabolites and osmolytes are similarly affected. Urine was collected from 26 healthy adults before and after treatment with fenofibrate (145 mg/day for 6 weeks). Excretions of betaine, N,N-dimethylglycine, free choline, myo-inositol, taurine, trimethylamine-N-oxide, carnitine, and acetylcarnitine were measured by liquid chromatography with mass spectrometric detection. Fenofibrate increased the median betaine excretion from 7.5 to 25.8 mmol/mole creatinine (median increase 3-fold), P < .001. The median increase in N,N-dimethylglycine excretion was 2-fold (P < .001). Median choline excretion increased 12% (significant, P = .029). Participants with higher initial excretions tended to have larger increases (P < .001 in all 3 cases). Fenofibrate did not significantly change the median excretions of myo-inositol, taurine, trimethylamine-N-oxide, and carnitine. The excretion of acetylcarnitine decreased 4-fold on treatment, with no correlation between the baseline and after-treatment excretions. Changes in all urine components tested, except trimethylamine-N-oxide, positively correlated with changes in betaine excretion even when the median excretions before and after were not significantly different. Fibrates increase betaine, and to a lesser extent N,N-dimethylglycine and choline, excretion. Other osmolytes are not elevated. Because the increase in betaine excretion depends on the baseline excretion, large increases in excretion in the metabolic syndrome and diabetes (where baseline excretions are high) could be expected. Replacement with betaine supplements may be considered. Copyright © 2014 National Lipid Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Diagnosis and treatment of viral diseases in recipients of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Viral infections are important causes of morbidity and mortality after allogeneic stem cell hematopoietic transplantation (allo-HSCT). Although most viral infections present with asymptomatic or subclinical manifestations, viruses may result in fatal complications in severe immunocompromised recipients. Reactivation of latent viruses, such as herpesviruses, is frequent during the immunosuppression that occurs with allo-HSCT. Viruses acquired from community, such as the respiratory and gastrointestinal viruses, are also important pathogens of post-transplant viral diseases. Currently, molecular diagnostic methods have replaced or supplemented traditional methods, such as viral culture and antigen detection, in diagnosis of viral infections. The utilization of polymerase chain reaction facilitates the early diagnosis. In view of lacking efficacious agents for treatment of viral diseases, prevention of viral infections is extremely valuable. Application of prophylactic strategies including preemptive therapy reduces viral infections and diseases. Adoptive cellular therapy for restoring virus-specific immunity is a promising method in the treatment of viral diseases. PMID:24341630

Herpesviruses viral loads and levels of proinflammatory cytokines in apical periodontitis.

PubMed

Jakovljevic, A; Knezevic, A; Nikolic, N; Soldatovic, I; Jovanovic, T; Milasin, J; Andric, M

2018-07-01

This study aimed to analyse Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) viral loads in symptomatic and asymptomatic apical periodontitis lesions, to determine levels of TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6 in these lesions and to investigate a possible correlation between herpesviral copy numbers and levels of proinflammatory cytokines. A total of 100 samples of apical periodontitis were subjected to HCMV and EBV copy numbers analysis by nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and TaqMan real-time PCR. The concentrations of TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6 were determined by ELISA method. SPSS software was used for statistical analysis. There were no significant differences in the occurrence of EBV and HCMV between symptomatic and asymptomatic periapical lesions (p = .686, p = .879, respectively). Only 12 of 74 EBV (16.2%) and four of 54 HCMV (13.5%) nested PCR-positive samples showed increased viral copy numbers above the limit of 125 copies/ml. There was no significant correlation between the levels of analysed proinflammatory cytokines and herpesviral copy numbers in our sample. The observed low viral loads point to a relatively rare occurrence of active EBV and HCMV infection in our sample. Latent herpesviral infection does not enhance the production of investigated proinflammatory cytokines. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cancer, Warts, or Asymptomatic Infections: Clinical Presentation Matches Codon Usage Preferences in Human Papillomaviruses

PubMed Central

Félez-Sánchez, Marta; Trösemeier, Jan-Hendrik; Bedhomme, Stéphanie; González-Bravo, Maria Isabel; Kamp, Christel; Bravo, Ignacio G.

2015-01-01

Viruses rely completely on the hosts’ machinery for translation of viral transcripts. However, for most viruses infecting humans, codon usage preferences (CUPrefs) do not match those of the host. Human papillomaviruses (HPVs) are a showcase to tackle this paradox: they present a large genotypic diversity and a broad range of phenotypic presentations, from asymptomatic infections to productive lesions and cancer. By applying phylogenetic inference and dimensionality reduction methods, we demonstrate first that genes in HPVs are poorly adapted to the average human CUPrefs, the only exception being capsid genes in viruses causing productive lesions. Phylogenetic relationships between HPVs explained only a small proportion of CUPrefs variation. Instead, the most important explanatory factor for viral CUPrefs was infection phenotype, as orthologous genes in viruses with similar clinical presentation displayed similar CUPrefs. Moreover, viral genes with similar spatiotemporal expression patterns also showed similar CUPrefs. Our results suggest that CUPrefs in HPVs reflect either variations in the mutation bias or differential selection pressures depending on the clinical presentation and expression timing. We propose that poor viral CUPrefs may be central to a trade-off between strong viral gene expression and the potential for eliciting protective immune response. PMID:26139833

Asymptomatic bacteriuria in pregnancy.

PubMed

Smaill, Fiona

2007-06-01

Screening for asymptomatic bacteriuria is a standard of obstetrical care and is included in most antenatal guidelines. There is good evidence that treatment of asymptomatic bacteriuria will decrease the incidence of pyelonephritis. All pregnant women should be screened for asymptomatic bacteriuria, and there are no new data that would indicate otherwise. Antibiotic treatment of asymptomatic bacteriuria is associated with a decrease in the incidence of preterm delivery or low birth weight, but the methodological quality of the studies means any conclusion about the strength of this association needs to be drawn cautiously. A better understanding of the mechanism by which treatment of asymptomatic bacteriuria could prevent preterm delivery is needed. While several rapid screening tests have been evaluated, none perform adequately to replace urine culture for detecting asymptomatic bacteriuria. Until there are data from well-designed trials that establish the optimal duration of therapy for asymptomatic bacteriuria, standard treatment courses are recommended.

Activation of innate anti-viral immune response genes in symptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia

PubMed Central

Madigan, Allison A.; Sobek, Kathryn M.; Cummings, Jessica L.; Green, William R.; Bacich, Dean J.; O’Keefe, Denise S.

2012-01-01

Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH)is the most common urologic disease in men over age 50. Symptoms include acute urinary retention, urgency to urinate and nocturia. For patients with severe symptoms, surgical treatment is used to remove the affected tissue. Interestingly, the presence of histologic BPH does not always correlate with symptoms. The molecular basis of symptomatic BPH and how it differs from asymptomatic BPH is unknown. Investigation into the molecular players involved in symptomatic BPH will likely give insight into novel therapeutic, and potentially preventative, targets. We determined the expression of genes involved in the innate anti-viral immune response in tissues from patients undergoing surgery to alleviate the symptoms of BPH, and compared the results to prostate tissue with histologic BPH, but from patients with few urinary issues (asymptomatic BPH). We found that expression of CFI, APOBEC3G, OAS2, and IFIT1, four genes whose protein products are involved in the innate anti-viral immune response, were significantly transcriptionally upregulated in symptomatic BPH. Additionally we observe hypomethylation and concomitant expression of ancient retroviral-like sequences, the LINE-1 retrotransposons, in symptomatic BPH when compared to normal prostate tissue. These findings merit further investigation into the anti-viral immune response in symptomatic BPH. PMID:22952051

Comparison of Standardized Cytomegalovirus (CMV) Viral Load Thresholds in Whole Blood and Plasma of Solid Organ and Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant Recipients with CMV Infection and Disease.

PubMed

Dioverti, M Veronica; Lahr, Brian D; Germer, Jeffrey J; Yao, Joseph D; Gartner, Michelle L; Razonable, Raymund R

2017-01-01

Quantification of cytomegalovirus (CMV) deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) has important diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic implications in the management of transplant recipients. We aimed to assess a viral load in plasma and whole blood that distinguishes CMV disease from asymptomatic infection in a cohort of solid organ and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. We prospectively measured and compared CMV viral load in paired plasma and whole blood samples collected from transplant recipients with CMV infection and disease. Cytomegalovirus viral loads were determined by a commercially available US Food and Drug Administration-approved quantitative assay (COBAS AmpliPrep/COBAS TaqMan CMV Test [CAP/CTM CMV]) calibrated to the first World Health Organization International Standard for CMV DNA quantification. Moderate agreement of CMV viral load was observed between plasma and whole blood, with 31% of samples having discordant findings, particularly among samples with low DNA levels. Among the subset of samples where both paired samples had quantifiable levels, we observed a systematic bias that reflected higher viral load in whole blood compared with plasma. Based on receiver operating curve analysis, an initial plasma CMV viral load threshold of 1700 IU/mL in solid organ transplant recipients (sensitivity 80%, specificity 74%) and 1350 IU/mL in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients (sensitivity 87%, specificity 87%) distinguished CMV disease and asymptomatic infection. This study identifies standardized viral load thresholds that distinguish CMV disease from asymptomatic infection using CAP/CTM CMV assay. We propose these thresholds as potential triggers to be evaluated in prospective studies of preemptive therapy. Plasma was better than whole blood for measuring viral load using the CAP/CTM CMV assay.

Monitoring for HHV-6 infection after renal transplantation: evaluation of risk factors for sustained viral replication.

PubMed

Luiz, Claudia R; Machado, Clarisse M; Canto, Cynthia L M; Christ, Silvia C C; Pestana, Jose O M; Kotton, Camille N; Camargo, Luis F A

2013-03-27

Human herpesvirus-6 (HHV-6) is known to reactivate after renal transplantation and has been associated with several clinical manifestations. Risk factors for sustained viral replication, however, remain unclear. Thirty consecutive kidney transplant patients were prospectively followed for HHV-6 replication between February 2007 and February 2008. Plasma samples for DNA detection were collected from the donor and the recipient before transplantation and from the recipient weekly for the first 2 months after transplantation and then every 2 weeks for 2 additional months. HHV-6 active infection was defined as detection of viral DNA in plasma, by polymerase chain reaction, in at least two consecutive samples over an interval of at least 1 week. Active viral infection was detected in 25% of the recipients before transplantation and 27% (8 of 30) of the patients after transplantation. The mean time to onset of viral replication was 28.1 days after transplantation and 7 of 8 (87.5%) were asymptomatic. Risk factors associated with active HHV-6 infection were receiving an organ from a living donor (P=0.028), recipients with IgM antibodies detected before transplantation (P=0.005), and pretransplantation recipient HHV-6 viral load more than 10,000 copies/mL plasma (P=0.034). Active HHV-6 infection occurs early after renal transplantation and is mostly asymptomatic. Donor or recipient infection may occur at the time of transplantation and are related to higher rates of posttransplantation infections.

Excretion of moxidectin into breast milk and pharmacokinetics in healthy lactating women.

PubMed

Korth-Bradley, Joan M; Parks, Virginia; Chalon, Stephan; Gourley, Ian; Matschke, Kyle; Gossart, Sophie; Bryson, Philip; Fleckenstein, Lawrence

2011-11-01

Moxidectin, registered worldwide as a veterinary antiparasitic agent, is currently under development for humans for the treatment of onchocerciasis in collaboration with the World Health Organization. The objective of this study was to assess the pharmacokinetics of moxidectin in healthy lactating women, including the excretion into breast milk. Twelve women, ages 23 to 38 years, weighing 54 to 79 kg, all more than 5 months postpartum, were enrolled, following their plan to wean their infants and provision of informed consent. A single 8-mg, open-label dose was administered orally after consumption of a standard breakfast. Complete milk collection was done for approximately 28 days, and plasma samples were collected for 90 days. Moxidectin concentrations were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with fluorescence detection, with a validated range of 0.08 to 120 ng/ml. Noncompartmental pharmacokinetic methods were used to find the following results: peak concentration in plasma (C(max)), 87 ± 25 ng/ml; time to C(max) (t(max)), 4.18 ± 1.59 h; terminal-phase elimination half-life (t(1/2)), 832 ± 321 h; total area under the concentration-time curve (AUC), 4,046 ± 1,796 ng · h/ml; apparent oral dose clearance (CL/F), 2.35 ± 1.07 l/h; ratio of CL/F to the terminal-phase disposition rate constant, λ(z) (Vλ(z)/F), 2,526 ± 772 liters; percentage of maternal dose excreted in milk, 0.701 ± 0.299%; absolute amount excreted in milk, 0.056 ± 0.024 mg; relative infant dose, 8.73 ± 3.17% of maternal dose assuming complete absorption; clearance in milk (CL(milk)), 0.016 ± 0.009 liter/h. Nine of 12 subjects reported adverse events, all of which were considered treatment emergent but not drug related and were mostly reported during the long outpatient period 8 to 90 days after dose administration. The most frequently reported adverse events were headache and nausea (n = 4), oropharyngeal pain (n = 2), rhinitis, viral pharyngitis, and viral upper

Asymptomatic bacteriuria in adults.

PubMed

Colgan, Richard; Nicolle, Lindsay E; McGlone, Andrew; Hooton, Thomas M

2006-09-15

A common dilemma in clinical medicine is whether to treat asymptomatic patients who present with bacteria in their urine. There are few scenarios in which antibiotic treatment of asymptomatic bacteruria has been shown to improve patient outcomes. Because of increasing antimicrobial resistance, it is important not to treat patients with asymptomatic bacteriuria unless there is evidence of potential benefit. Women who are pregnant should be screened for asymptomatic bacteriuria in the first trimester and treated, if positive. Treating asymptomatic bacteriuria in patients with diabetes, older persons, patients with or without indwelling catheters, or patients with spinal cord injuries has not been found to improve outcomes.

PREVALENCE AND RISK FACTORS FOR ASYMPTOMATIC INTESTINAL MICROSPORIDIOSIS AMONG ABORIGINAL SCHOOL CHILDREN IN PAHANG, MALAYSIA.

PubMed

Anuar, Tengku Shahrul; Bakar, Nur Hazirah Abu; Al-Mekhlafi, Hesham M; Moktar, Norhayati; Osman, Emelia

2016-05-01

The epidemiology and environmental factors affecting transmission of human microsporidiosis are poorly understood. We conducted the present study to determine the prevalence and risk factors associated with asymptomatic intestinal microsporidiosis among aboriginal school children in the Kuala Krau District, Pahang State, Malaysia. We collected stool samples from 255 school children and examined the samples using Gram-chromotrope Kinyoun stain. We also collected demographic, socioeconomic, environmental and personal hygiene information using a pre-tested questionnaire. Sixty-nine of the children was positive for microsporidia: 72.5% and 27.5% were low (1+) and moderate (2+) excretions of microsporidia spores, respectively. Univariate and multivariate analyses showed being aged 10 years (p = 0.026), using an unsafe water supply as a source for drinking water (p = 0.044) and having close contact with domestic animals (p = 0.031) were all significantly associated with microsporidial infection among study subjects. Our findings suggest asymptomatic intestinal microsporidiosis is common in the study population, more than previously reported. In the study population, control measures need to be implemented, such as good personal hygiene, proper sanitation and safe drinking water supply.

Latent Herpes Viral Reactivation in Astronauts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pierson, D. L.; Mehta, S. K.; Stowe, R.

2008-01-01

Latent viruses are ubiquitous and reactivate during stressful periods with and without symptoms. Latent herpes virus reactivation is used as a tool to predict changes in the immune status in astronauts and to evaluate associated health risks. Methods: Viral DNA was detected by real time polymerase chain reaction in saliva and urine from astronauts before, during and after short and long-duration space flights. Results and Discussion: EpsteinBarr virus (EBV), cytomegalovirus (CMV), and varicella zoster virus (VZV) reactivated, and viral DNA was shed in saliva (EBV and VZV) or urine (CMV). EBV levels in saliva during flight were 10fold higher than baseline levels. Elevations in EBV specific CD8+ T-cells, viral antibody titers, and specific cytokines were consistent with viral reactivation. Intracellular levels of cytokines were reduced in EBVspecific Tcells. CMV, rarely present in urine of healthy individuals, was shed in urine of 27% of astronauts during all phases of spaceflight. VZV, not found in saliva of asymptomatic individuals, was found in saliva of 50% of astronauts during spaceflight and 35 days after flight. VZV recovered from astronaut saliva was found to be live, infectious virus. DNA sequencing demonstrated that the VZV recovered from astronauts was from the common European strain of VZV. Elevation of stress hormones accompanied viral reactivation indicating involvement of the hypothalmic-pituitary-adrenal and sympathetic adrenal-medullary axes in the mechanism of viral reactivation in astronauts. A study of 53 shingles patients found that all shingles patients shed VZV DNA in their saliva and the VZV levels correlated with the severity of the disease. Lower VZV levels in shingles patients were similar to those observed in astronauts. We proposed a rapid, simple, and cost-effective assay to detect VZV in saliva of patients with suspected shingles. Early detection of VZV infection allows early medical intervention.

Asymptomatic bacteriuria during pregnancy.

PubMed

Sheiner, Eyal; Mazor-Drey, Efrat; Levy, Amalia

2009-05-01

The present study was aimed to test the association between asymptomatic bacteriuria during pregnancy, among patients in whom antibiotic treatment was recommended, and perinatal outcome. Our study was also designed to characterize common bacteria and risk factors associated with asymptomatic bacteriuria during pregnancy. A retrospective population-based study comparing all singleton pregnancies of women with and asymptomatic bacteriuria was conducted. Patients with urinary tract infection were excluded from the analysis. Multiple logistic regression model was used to control for confounders. Out of 199,093 deliveries, 2.5% (n = 4890) were in patients with asymptomatic bacteriuria. E. coli was the most common pathogen associated with asymptomatic bacteriuria, representing 78.6% of the cultures with specified growth. Patients with asymptomatic bacteriuria were more likely to deliver preterm (PTD, 13.3%vs. 7.6%, odd ratio (OR) = 1.9, 95% confidence interval CI 1.7-2.0; P < 0.001) and deliver low birth-weight neonates (<2500 g, 13.3%vs. 7.9%, OR = 1.8; 95% CI 1.6-2.0; P < 0.001). Asymptomatic bacteriuria was independently associated with PTD (adjusted OR = 1.6; 95% CI 1.5-1.7; P < 0.001), fertility treatments, hypertensive disorders, recurrent abortions, diabetes mellitus, intrauterine growth restriction, polyhydramnion and oligohydramnion, premature rupture of membranes and labour induction, in a multivariable analysis with backwards elimination. Perinatal mortality rates (1.5%vs. 1.4%; P = 0.707) as well as low 5 min Apgar scores (0.8%vs. 0.6%; P = 0.065) were comparable between the groups. Asymptomatic bacteriuria is an independent risk factor for preterm delivery.

Estimation model for habitual 24-hour urinary-sodium excretion using simple questionnaires from normotensive Koreans.

PubMed

Kong, Ji-Sook; Lee, Yeon-Kyung; Kim, Mi Kyung; Choi, Mi-Kyeong; Heo, Young-Ran; Hyun, Taisun; Kim, Sun Mee; Lyu, Eun-Soon; Oh, Se-Young; Park, Hae-Ryun; Rhee, Moo-Yong; Ro, Hee-Kyong; Song, Mi Kyung

2018-01-01

This study was conducted to develop an equation for estimation of 24-h urinary-sodium excretion that can serve as an alternative to 24-h dietary recall and 24-h urine collection for normotensive Korean adults. In total, data on 640 healthy Korean adults aged 19 to 69 years from 4 regions of the country were collected as a training set. In order to externally validate the equation developed from that training set, 200 subjects were recruited independently as a validation set. Due to heterogeneity by gender, we constructed a gender-specific equation for estimation of 24-h urinary-sodium excretion by using a multivariable linear regression model and assessed the performance of the developed equation in validation set. The best model consisted of age, body weight, dietary behavior ('eating salty food', 'Kimchi consumption', 'Korean soup or stew consumption', 'soy sauce or red pepper paste consumption'), and smoking status in men, and age, body weight, dietary behavior ('salt preference', 'eating salty food', 'checking sodium content for processed foods', 'nut consumption'), and smoking status in women, respectively. When this model was tested in the external validation set, the mean bias between the measured and estimated 24-h urinary-sodium excretion from Bland-Altman plots was -1.92 (95% CI: -113, 110) mmol/d for men and -1.51 (95% CI: -90.6, 87.6) mmol/d for women. The cut-points of sodium intake calculated based on the equations were ≥4,000 mg/d for men and ≥3,500 mg/d for women, with 89.8 and 76.6% sensitivity and 29.3 and 64.2% specificity, respectively. In this study, a habitual 24-hour urinary-sodium-excretion-estimation model of normotensive Korean adults based on anthropometric and lifestyle factors was developed and showed feasibility for an asymptomatic population.

Estimation model for habitual 24-hour urinary-sodium excretion using simple questionnaires from normotensive Koreans

PubMed Central

Choi, Mi-Kyeong; Heo, Young-Ran; Hyun, Taisun; Kim, Sun Mee; Lyu, Eun-Soon; Oh, Se-Young; Park, Hae-Ryun; Rhee, Moo-Yong; Ro, Hee-Kyong; Song, Mi Kyung

2018-01-01

This study was conducted to develop an equation for estimation of 24-h urinary-sodium excretion that can serve as an alternative to 24-h dietary recall and 24-h urine collection for normotensive Korean adults. In total, data on 640 healthy Korean adults aged 19 to 69 years from 4 regions of the country were collected as a training set. In order to externally validate the equation developed from that training set, 200 subjects were recruited independently as a validation set. Due to heterogeneity by gender, we constructed a gender-specific equation for estimation of 24-h urinary-sodium excretion by using a multivariable linear regression model and assessed the performance of the developed equation in validation set. The best model consisted of age, body weight, dietary behavior (‘eating salty food’, ‘Kimchi consumption’, ‘Korean soup or stew consumption’, ‘soy sauce or red pepper paste consumption’), and smoking status in men, and age, body weight, dietary behavior (‘salt preference’, ‘eating salty food’, ‘checking sodium content for processed foods’, ‘nut consumption’), and smoking status in women, respectively. When this model was tested in the external validation set, the mean bias between the measured and estimated 24-h urinary-sodium excretion from Bland-Altman plots was -1.92 (95% CI: -113, 110) mmol/d for men and -1.51 (95% CI: -90.6, 87.6) mmol/d for women. The cut-points of sodium intake calculated based on the equations were ≥4,000 mg/d for men and ≥3,500 mg/d for women, with 89.8 and 76.6% sensitivity and 29.3 and 64.2% specificity, respectively. In this study, a habitual 24-hour urinary-sodium-excretion-estimation model of normotensive Korean adults based on anthropometric and lifestyle factors was developed and showed feasibility for an asymptomatic population. PMID:29447201

Mathematical models of immune effector responses to viral infections: Virus control versus the development of pathology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wodarz, Dominik

2005-12-01

This article reviews mathematical models which have investigated the importance of lytic and non-lytic immune responses for the control of viral infections. Lytic immune responses fight the virus by killing infected cells, while non-lytic immune responses fight the virus by inhibiting viral replication while leaving the infected cell alive. The models suggest which types or combinations of immune responses are required to resolve infections which vary in their characteristics, such as the rate of viral replication and the rate of virus-induced target cell death. This framework is then applied to persistent infections and viral evolution. It is investigated how viral evolution and antigenic escape can influence the relative balance of lytic and non-lytic responses over time, and how this might correlate with the transition from an asymptomatic infection to pathology. This is discussed in the specific context of hepatitis C virus infection.

Asymptomatic Cerebrospinal Fluid HIV-1 Viral Blips and Viral Escape During Antiretroviral Therapy: A Longitudinal Study.

PubMed

Edén, Arvid; Nilsson, Staffan; Hagberg, Lars; Fuchs, Dietmar; Zetterberg, Henrik; Svennerholm, Bo; Gisslén, Magnus

2016-12-15

We examined longitudinal cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples (median, 5 samples/patients; interquartile range [IQR], 3-8 samples/patient) in 75 neurologically asymptomatic human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients receiving antiretroviral therapy. Twenty-seven patients (36%) had ≥1 CSF HIV RNA load of >20 copies/mL (23% had ≥1 load of >50 copies/mL), with a median HIV RNA load of 50 copies/mL (IQR, 32-77 copies/mL). In plasma, 42 subjects (52%) and 22 subjects (29%) had an HIV RNA load of >20 and >50 copies/mL, respectively. Two subjects had an increasing virus load in consecutive CSF samples, representing possible CSF escape. Of 418 samples, 9% had a CSF HIV RNA load of >20 copies/mL (5% had a load of >50 copies/mL) and 19% had a plasma HIV RNA load of >20 copies/mL (8% had a load of >50 copies/mL). A CSF-associated virus load of >20 copies/mL was associated with higher CSF level of neopterin. In conclusion, CSF escape was rare, and increased CSF HIV RNA loads usually represented CSF virus load blips. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, e-mail journals.permissions@oup.com.

[Viral and drug-induced liver damage in children with tuberculosis: prevalence, clinical features].

PubMed

Borzakova, S N; Aksenova, V A; Reĭzis, A R

2013-01-01

THE AIM OF THE RESEARCH: Improving the effectiveness of diagnostics and treatment of viral and drug-induced lesions of the liver (DILL) at a tuberculosis in children by identifying the frequency of their distribution, peculiarities of diagnostics and clinics. We examined 242 children in the age from 2 months to 17 years, the patients with different forms of tuberculosis. The prevalence of hepatitis in children with tuberculosis: B - 1,2%, C-0.4%, G - 4,6%, TT - 8,7%. DILL was diagnosed in 67.5% of children - TB patients, in 48% of the children with DILL an asymptomatic course of the disease was noted, however, in 54.4% of the children with DILL cytolitic syndrome was expressed (ALT> standards). The prevalence of viral hepatitis B and C among children with TB is low. The infection with viruses of hepatitis G and TT is more often, but has no significant impact as on the course of tuberculosis, and on the severity of the liver damage. Drug-induced liver damage is a dominant view of pathology of the liver in children - TB patients and is mostly asymptomatic, but with a pronounced cytolitic syndrome.

Vasopressin regulates renal calcium excretion in humans

PubMed Central

Hanouna, Guillaume; Haymann, Jean-Philippe; Baud, Laurent; Letavernier, Emmanuel

2015-01-01

Antidiuretic hormone or arginine vasopressin (AVP) increases water reabsorption in the collecting ducts of the kidney. Three decades ago, experimental models have shown that AVP may increase calcium reabsorption in rat kidney. The objective of this study was to assess whether AVP modulates renal calcium excretion in humans. We analyzed calcium, potassium, and sodium fractional excretion in eight patients affected by insipidus diabetes (nephrogenic or central) under acute vasopressin receptor agonist action and in 10 patients undergoing oral water load test affected or not by inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion (SIADH). Synthetic V2 receptor agonist (dDAVP) reduced significantly calcium fractional excretion from 1.71% to 0.58% (P < 0.05) in patients with central diabetes insipidus. In patients with nephrogenic diabetes insipidus (resistant to AVP), calcium fractional excretion did not change significantly after injection (0.48–0.68%, P = NS). In normal subjects undergoing oral water load test, calcium fractional excretion increased significantly from 1.02% to 2.54% (P < 0.05). Patients affected by SIADH had a high calcium fractional excretion at baseline that remained stable during test from 3.30% to 3.33% (P = NS), possibly resulting from a reduced calcium absorption in renal proximal tubule. In both groups, there was a significant correlation between urine output and calcium renal excretion. In humans, dDAVP decreases calcium fractional excretion in the short term. Conversely, water intake, which lowers AVP concentration, increases calcium fractional excretion. The correlation between urine output and calcium excretion suggests that AVP-related antidiuresis increases calcium reabsorption in collecting ducts. PMID:26620256

Tax secretion from peripheral blood mononuclear cells and Tax detection in plasma of patients with human T-lymphotropic virus-type 1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis and asymptomatic carriers.

PubMed

Medina, Fernando; Quintremil, Sebastián; Alberti, Carolina; Godoy, Fabián; Pando, María E; Bustamante, Andrés; Barriga, Andrés; Cartier, Luis; Puente, Javier; Tanaka, Yuetsu; Valenzuela, María A; Ramírez, Eugenio

2016-03-01

Human T-lymphotropic virus-type 1 (HTLV-1) is the etiologic agent of the neurologic disease HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP). Tax viral protein plays a critical role in viral pathogenesis. Previous studies suggested that extracellular Tax might involve cytokine-like extracellular effects. We evaluated Tax secretion in 18 h-ex vivo peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) cultures from 15 HAM/TSP patients and 15 asymptomatic carriers. Futhermore, Tax plasma level was evaluated from other 12 HAM/TSP patients and 10 asymptomatic carriers. Proviral load and mRNA encoding Tax were quantified by PCR and real-time RT-PCR, respectively. Intracellular Tax in CD4(+)CD25(+) cells occurred in 100% and 86.7% of HAM/TSP patients and asymptomatic carriers, respectively. Percentage of CD4(+)CD25(+) Tax+, proviral load and mRNA encoding Tax were significantly higher in HAM/TSP patients. Western blot analyses showed higher secretion levels of ubiquitinated Tax in HAM/TSP patients than in asymptomatic carriers. In HTLV-1-infected subjects, Western blot of plasma Tax showed higher levels in HAM/TSP patients than in asymptomatic carriers, whereas no Tax was found in non-infected subjects. Immunoprecipitated plasma Tax resolved on SDS-PAGE gave two major bands of 57 and 48 kDa allowing identification of Tax and Ubiquitin peptides by mass spectrometry. Relative percentage of either CD4(+)CD25(+) Tax+ cells, or Tax protein released from PBMCs, or plasma Tax, correlates neither with tax mRNA nor with proviral load. This fact could be explained by a complex regulation of Tax expression. Tax secreted from PBMCs or present in plasma could potentially become a biomarker to distinguish between HAM/TSP patients and asymptomatic carriers. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Impact of rectal gonorrhoea and chlamydia on HIV viral load in the rectum: potential significance for onward transmission.

PubMed

Davies, Olubanke; Costelloe, Sinead; Cross, Gemma; Dew, Tracy; O'Shea, Siobhan; White, John; Fox, Julie

2017-09-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of asymptomatic rectal bacterial sexually transmitted infections (STIs) on rectal HIV viral load (VL). A prospective cohort study of HIV-positive men who have sex with men attending a tertiary centre in London, UK, for their routine HIV care was performed. Forty-two HIV-positive men who have sex with men were recruited between January and August 2014. In participants on antiretroviral therapy (ART), there was no significant difference in rectal VL in those with and without STI ( p = 0.4). All rectal HIV VLs were below the limit of detection (<100 copies/µg of total RNA) whether an STI was present or not. In those not on ART, rectal HIV VL was on average 0.6log 10 lower post STI treatment. The presence of asymptomatic rectal chlamydia and gonorrhoea was not associated with increased rectal HIV VL in those fully suppressed on ART. In the context of effective ART, the presence of rectal gonorrhoea or chlamydia does not appear to increase rectal HIV VL and the risk of increased viral infectivity.

Research progress of asymptomatic bacteriuria before arthroplasty

PubMed Central

Zhang, Qingyu; Liu, Lihua; Sun, Wei; Gao, Fuqiang; Cheng, Liming; Li, Zirong

2018-01-01

Abstract Background: A high prevalence of asymptomatic bacteriuria exists in patients prior to arthroplasty, and urinary tract infection is considered to be a source of postoperative superficial wound and prosthetic joint infections. There is no consensus whether to screen for and treat asymptomatic bacteriuria before arthroplasty. Objective: To summarize the association between asymptomatic bacteriuria and complications after arthroplasty and to evaluate the clinical benefits of treating asymptomatic bacteriuria prior to arthroplasty. Method: We systematically searched PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library to retrieve potentially eligible articles. By screening the titles and abstracts of retrieved records and then reading the full texts of the remaining papers, we finally included 8 English-language articles in this systematic review. Results: Asymptomatic bacteriuria prior to arthroplasty is significantly associated with an increased occurrence of postoperative prosthetic joint and superficial wound infections. However, there is little evidence for direct or hematogenous seeding of urinary infections, and treating asymptomatic bacteriuria before arthroplasty did not decrease the incidence of postoperative infectious complications. Conclusion: Asymptomatic bacteriuria is not a contraindication for arthroplasty, and the practice of routine preoperative screening for and treatment of asymptomatic bacteriuria should not be continued. PMID:29443741

[Prolonged leucopenia in asymptomatic children].

PubMed

Kaczorowska-Hać, Barbara; Maciejka-Kapuścińska, Lucyna; Reszczyńska, Iwona; Wiśniewski, Jakub; Buchowiecki, Lech; Kozłowska, Marta; Adamkiewicz-Drożyńska, Elżbieta

2014-01-01

The term leucopenia is still a challenge for clinicists in cases of unknown reasons. There are two main groups of leucopenia: 1. Severe, chronic leucopenia (cyclic, inborn, and idiopathic); 2. Acquired or secondary (reasons: some drugs, infections, viral mainly, autoimmune diseases, haematological abnormalities, neoplasms, hiperspleenism and metabolic diseases). The aim of this investigation was an analysis of asymptomatic, lasting over three months leucopenia myelograms of childhood. 21 children (6 girls and 15 boys, aged 10-17 years, mean 13.6, median 12 years) were analysed. The children were referred to our clinic by family physicians to investigate the reason of asymptomatic, lasting over three months leucopenia. These children are still under our observation from one till four years. Despite the fact of lasting over three months leucopenia, the general condition of the patients is good. In all the patients the myelogram analysis was performed after May-Grumwald-Giemsa dying, three slides of one hundred cells were counted. Statistical analysis was made using STATISTICA (Stat Soft Polska) programme. Mean number of leucocytes was 3.06x109/ l (median 2.75x109/l, values from 2.46x109/l to 3.53x109/l), mean number of neutrocytes was 1.15x109/l (median 1.07 x 109/l, values from 0.62x109/l to 1470x109/l). Hemoglobin concentration and platelets number were normal. Mean number of marrow cells were within references. However mean number of myelocytes, metamyelocytes, bands and eosynophils were lower than mean number of general population marrow cells (p<0.05). Mean values of myeloblasts, neutrophils, and monocytes were statistically higher than in general population (p<0.05). 1. Hypothesis of obtained differencess in numer of marrow cells would need to be investigated in broad population of patients. 2. Considering that three children presented with positive familial leucopenia history (in one of them grandmother, in two anothers fathers) genetic predisposition can be

High viral load in lymph nodes and latent human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in peripheral blood cells of HIV-1-infected chimpanzees.

PubMed Central

Saksela, K; Muchmore, E; Girard, M; Fultz, P; Baltimore, D

1993-01-01

We have examined human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection in chimpanzees by analyzing HIV-1 DNA and RNA in lymph nodes and peripheral mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Like certain asymptomatic HIV-infected persons, these chimpanzees had no detectable viral replication in their PBMCs. However, viral replication and a high viral load were observed in the lymphatic tissue. Despite the absence of viral replication in PBMCs, 1/1,000 to 1/10,000 of the PBMCs contained HIV-1 proviral DNA, and HIV transcription could be rapidly induced in these cells in vitro. These results provide direct evidence of cellular latency of HIV in vivo and suggest that HIV infection in chimpanzees may be a useful model for clinical latency of HIV infection in humans. Images PMID:8230463

Spontaneous asymptomatic gallbladder perforation

PubMed Central

Seçil, Mustafa

2014-01-01

Gallstone disease is common. However, a proportion of patients are asymptomatic and remain undiagnosed until the occurrence of complications. Common complications include acute cholecystitis, biliary obstruction, acute pancreatitis and cholangitis. Severe complications include gallbladder perforation, Mirizzi syndrome and fistula formation are usually associated with significant morbidity and mortality. We report a case of asymptomatic spotaneous gallbladder perforation due to acute cholecystitis. PMID:24914424

Ammonia excretion increased and urea excretion decreased in urine of a new world nectarivorous bat with decreased nitrogen intake.

PubMed

Herrera M, L Gerardo; Ramirez P, Nicte; Miron M, Leticia

2006-01-01

We determined the effect of water and nitrogen intake on nitrogenous waste composition in the nectarivorous Pallas's long-tongued bat Glossophaga soricina (Phyllostomidae) to test the hypothesis that bats reduce excretion of urea nitrogen and increase the excretion of ammonia nitrogen as nitrogen intake decreases and water intake decreases. Because changes in urine nitrogen composition are expected only in animals whose natural diets are low in nitrogen and high in water content, we also measured maintenance nitrogen requirements (MNR). We hypothesized that, similar to other plant-eating vertebrates, nectarivorous bats have low MNR. Our nitrogen excretion hypothesis was partly proved correct. There was an increase in the proportion of N excreted as ammonia and a decrease in the proportion excreted as urea in low-nitrogen diets. The proportion of N excreted as ammonia and urea was independent of water intake. Most individuals were ureotelic (n = 28), and only a few were ureo-ammonotelic (n = 3) or ammonotelic (n = 2). According to our nitrogen requirement hypothesis, apparent MNR (60 mg kg(-0.75) d(-1)) and truly digestible MNR (54 mg N kg(-0.75) d(-1)) were low. A decrease in urea excretion in low-nitrogen diets may result from urea recycling from liver to the gut functioning as a nitrogen salvage system in nectarivorous bats. This mechanism probably contributes to the low MNR found in Pallas's long-tongued bats.

Nordihydroguaiaretic acid (NDGA) inhibits replication and viral morphogenesis of dengue virus.

PubMed

Soto-Acosta, Rubén; Bautista-Carbajal, Patricia; Syed, Gulam H; Siddiqui, Aleem; Del Angel, Rosa M

2014-09-01

Dengue is the most common mosquito borne viral disease in humans. The infection with any of the 4 dengue virus serotypes (DENV) can either be asymptomatic or manifest in two clinical forms, the mild dengue fever or the more severe dengue hemorrhagic fever that may progress into dengue shock syndrome. A DENV replicative cycle relies on host lipid metabolism; specifically, DENV infection modulates cholesterol and fatty acid synthesis, generating a lipid-enriched cellular environment necessary for viral replication. Thus, the aim of this work was to evaluate the anti-DENV effect of the Nordihydroguaiaretic acid (NDGA), a hypolipidemic agent with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. A dose-dependent inhibition in viral yield and NS1 secretion was observed in supernatants of infected cells treated for 24 and 48 h with different concentrations of NDGA. To evaluate the effect of NDGA in DENV replication, a DENV4 replicon transfected Vero cells were treated with different concentrations of NDGA. NDGA treatment significantly reduced DENV replication, reiterating the importance of lipids in viral replication. NDGA treatment also led to reduction in number of lipid droplets (LDs), the neutral lipid storage organelles involved in DENV morphogenesis that are known to increase in number during DENV infection. Furthermore, NDGA treatment resulted in dissociation of the C protein from LDs. Overall our results suggest that NDGA inhibits DENV infection by targeting genome replication and viral assembly. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

[Asymptomatic bacteriuria in pregnancy].

PubMed

Caputo, S; Ciardo, A

2001-01-01

Pregnancy is a predisposing factor for urinary tract infection and pregnant women suffering from this pathology are exposed to dangerous risks which may condition maternal wellbeing and fetal prognosis. Asymptomatic bacteriuria is the common bacterial infection requiring medical treatment in pregnancy. Diagnosis and treatment of asymptomatic bacteriuria is important as approximately 20-40% of these women, if untreated during pregnancy, will develop a symptomatic urinary tract infection.

Dengue virus life cycle: viral and host factors modulating infectivity.

PubMed

Rodenhuis-Zybert, Izabela A; Wilschut, Jan; Smit, Jolanda M

2010-08-01

Dengue virus (DENV 1-4) represents a major emerging arthropod-borne pathogen. All four DENV serotypes are prevalent in the (sub) tropical regions of the world and infect 50-100 million individuals annually. Whereas the majority of DENV infections proceed asymptomatically or result in self-limited dengue fever, an increasing number of patients present more severe manifestations, such as dengue hemorrhagic fever and dengue shock syndrome. In this review we will give an overview of the infectious life cycle of DENV and will discuss the viral and host factors that are important in controlling DENV infection.

Asymptomatic bacteriuria

MedlinePlus

Dull RB, Friedman SK, Risoldi ZM, Rice EC, Starlin RC, Destache CJ. Antimicrobial treatment of asymptomatic bacteriuria in noncatheterized adults: a systematic review. Pharmacotherapy . 2014;34(9):941-960. PMID: 24807583 ...

Vitamin C modulates lead excretion in rats.

PubMed

Lihm, Hoseob; Kim, Hyun; Chang, Heekyung; Yoon, Myunghee; Lee, Kayoung; Choi, Jongsoon

2013-12-01

Lead, one of the most toxic heavy metals, takes longer time to be excreted from the body than other heavy metals. The purpose of this study is, by measuring lead excretion via urine and feces, to find out the effect of vitamin C in lead chelation. Thirty-six rats were randomly assorted into four groups. All 33 rats except for the control group were administered with lead, before orally administered with different doses of vitamin C per kilogram of body weight. The lead excretion levels in urine and feces as well as the survival rate were then measured for each group. The rats with lead administrations (10/13, 76.9%) with lead administrations only, 10/11 rats (90.9%) with lead administrations and low dose of vitamin C, 9/9 rats (100%) with lead administrations and high dose of vitamin C survived. Among the 29 surviving rats, low vitamin C intake group exhibited higher urinary excretion than the lead only group. The urinary excretion level in high dose vitamin C intakegroup was significantly higher than the lead only group. In addition, fecal lead excretion seemed to be increased in the high dose vitamin C intake group, compared to the group with lead administrations only with statistical significance. Through animal experiment, it was found out that administrating high dose of vitamin C accelerated the excretion of lead in body compared to low dose of vitamin C.

Evaluation of adults with acute viral hepatitis a and review of the literature.

PubMed

Tekin, R; Yolbas, I; Dal, T; Demirpençe, Ö; Kaya, S; Bozkurt, F; Deveci, Ö; Çelen, M K; Tekin, A

2013-01-01

In developing countries HAV infection is very common in the first years of life and it is often asymptomatic. However especially in regions of intermediate endemicity, exposure to the virus may delay and outbreaks of hepatitis A may be encountered in adults. The aim of this study is to evaluate the clinical and laboratory findings and risk factors of adults with acute viral hepatitis A. In present study we evaluated 203 patient with acute viral hepatitis A, who were admitted to four different hospitals of three cities of Turkey between January 2000-December 2011, retrospectively. The diagnosis of acute viral hepatitis A was performed by laboratory findings and clinically. In a total of 203 patients, 120 (59.1%) patients were male and 83 (40.9%) were female. Mean age of cases with acute viral hepatitis A was 24.7 +11.8 years (ranged 15 to 82 years old). Acute viral hepatitis A were seen in patient who were 15-20 years and 21-30 years old, commonly. Jaundice (74%), fatigue (68%), nausea- vomiting (56%) and dark urine (48%) were the most common symptoms in cases. Prolonged cholestasis (6.8%) was the most common atypical manifestation. Prolonged jaundice was more frequent in the cases with positive HBsAg (P < 0.001). Acute viral hepatitis A can cause atypical presentations such as prolonged cholestasis, acute kidney injury and fulminant hepatitis. Some precautions such as routine vaccination program, improvement of hygiene conditions and informing people about it, should be taken for reducing of acute viral hepatitis A infection incidence.

Pharmacokinetics and Biliary Excretion of Fisetin in Rats.

PubMed

Huang, Miao-Chan; Hsueh, Thomas Y; Cheng, Yung-Yi; Lin, Lie-Chwen; Tsai, Tung-Hu

2018-06-14

The hypothesis of this study is that fisetin and phase II conjugated forms of fisetin may partly undergo biliary excretion. To investigate this hypothesis, male Sprague-Dawley rats were used for the experiment, and their bile ducts were cannulated with polyethylene tubes for bile sampling. The pharmacokinetic results demonstrated that the average area-under-the-curve (AUC) ratios ( k (%) = AUC conjugate /AUC free-form ) of fisetin, its glucuronides, and its sulfates were 1:6:21 in plasma and 1:4:75 in bile, respectively. Particularly, the sulfated metabolites were the main forms that underwent biliary excretion. The biliary excretion rate ( k BE (%) = AUC bile /AUC plasma ) indicates the amount of fisetin eliminated by biliary excretion. The biliary excretion rates of fisetin, its glucuronide conjugates, and its sulfate conjugates were approximately 144, 109, and 823%, respectively, after fisetin administration (30 mg/kg, iv). Furthermore, biliary excretion of fisetin is mediated by P-glycoprotein.

Influence of hypernatraemia and urea excretion on the ability to excrete a maximally hypertonic urine in the rat

PubMed Central

Cheema-Dhadli, Surinder; Halperin, Mitchell L

2002-01-01

Rats normally excrete 20-25 mmol of sodium (Na+) + potassium (K+) per kilogram per day. To minimize the need for a large water intake, they must excrete urine with a very high electrolyte concentration (tonicity). Our objective was to evaluate two potential factors that could influence the maximum urine tonicity, hypernatraemia and the rate of urea excretion. Balance studies were carried out in vasopressin-treated rats fed a low-electrolyte diet. In the first series, the drinking solution contained an equivalent sodium chloride (NaCl) load at 150 or 600 mmol l−1. In the second series, the maximum urine tonicity was evaluated in rats consuming 600 mmol l−1 NaCl with an 8-fold range of urea excretion. Hypernatraemia (148 ± 1 mmol l−1) developed in all rats that drank 600 mmol l−1 saline. Although the rate of Na+ + K+ excretion was similar in both saline groups, the maximum urine total cation concentration was significantly higher in the hypernatraemic group (731 ± 31 vs. 412 ± 37 mmol l−1). Only when the rate of excretion of urea was very low, was there a further increase in the maximum urine total cation concentration (1099 ± 118 mmol l−1). Thus hypernatraemia was the most important factor associated with a higher urine tonicity. PMID:12068051

Crucial parameter of the outcome in Crimean Congo hemorrhagic fever: Viral load.

PubMed

Hasanoglu, Imran; Guner, Rahmet; Carhan, Ahmet; Kocak Tufan, Zeliha; Yagci-Caglayik, Dilek; Guven, Tumer; Yilmaz, Gul Ruhsar; Tasyaran, Mehmet A

2016-02-01

Crimean Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is a fatal disease with a mortality rate of 5-30%. CCHF can be asymptomatic or it may progress with bleeding and cause mortality. To evaluate relation of viral load with mortality, clinical and laboratory findings in CCHF. A total of 126 CCHF patients were included. Serum samples obtained from all patients on admission for measurement of viral load. In our study, mortality rate was 11.1%. The most important prognostic factor was viral load. Mean viral load was 8.3×10(7)copy/ml and 4.6×10(9)copy/ml in survived and dead patients, respectively (p<0.005). Probability of survival is found to be significantly reduced where AST >1130U/l, ALT >490U/l, CPK >505U/l, LDH >980U/l, platelet count <23×10(3)/l, creatinine >1.4mg/dl, INR >1.3, d-dimer >7100ng/dl, and viral load >1.03×10(8)copy/ml. Patients with 10(8)copy/ml or higher viral load had diarrhea, headache, unconsciousness, bleeding, and seizure significantly more frequently (p<0.05). WBC, hemoglobin, platelet counts were significantly lower whereas AST, ALT, CPK, LDH, creatinine levels, PT and aPTT time, d-dimer levels, and INR were found to be significantly higher in these group. There are several severity criteria for prognosis of CCHF. In addition to these parameters, we introduce creatinine as a predictive factor for prognosis. Our study, which has the largest number of patients among studies that evaluate viral load on CCHF shows that viral load is the most effective parameter on mortality. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Should asymptomatic bacteriuria be screened in pregnancy?

PubMed

Uncu, Y; Uncu, G; Esmer, A; Bilgel, N

2002-01-01

The incidence of asymptomatic bacteriuria is reported as 2-14% during pregnancy. Fetal and maternal complications like acute pyelonephritis, hypertension, anemia, preterm labor, low-birth-weight infants and intrauterine growth retardation can be expected. The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence of asymptomatic bacteriuria during pregnancy and its relation to pregnancy complications. The study involved 270 pregnant women up to 32 gestational weeks during a 9-month period. At the initial visit, they were screened with urine culture in order to detect asymptomatic bacteriuria. A control group was formed in a retrospective manner from the first day of the study with 186 pregnant women who delivered in our clinic and who were not screened for asymptomatic bacteriuria. The incidence of asymptomatic bacteriuria was 9.31%. Escherichia coli accounted for 79%, which was the most frequent of the isolates. We observed recurrence and had to apply treatment again to 21.7% of the women. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive and negative predictive values of leucocyturia as a screening test for asymptomatic bacteriuria were 91.3%, 83.6%, 45.6% and 98.5%, respectively. We diagnosed preterm labor in six of 23 (26%) with asymptomatic bacteriuria and 16 in 163 (9.3%) women in the urine culture negative group. The ratio acute pyelonephritis in the group which was routinely screened and treated for asymtomatic bacteriuria was 0.5% while the prevalence was 2.1% in the nonscreened group. Considering the relatively high incidence of asymptomatic bacteriuria during pregnancy and the relevant complications, we propose to screen and treat asymptomatic bacteriuria routinely in all pregnant women.

Urinary sodium and potassium excretion, mortality, and cardiovascular events.

PubMed

O'Donnell, Martin; Mente, Andrew; Rangarajan, Sumathy; McQueen, Matthew J; Wang, Xingyu; Liu, Lisheng; Yan, Hou; Lee, Shun Fu; Mony, Prem; Devanath, Anitha; Rosengren, Annika; Lopez-Jaramillo, Patricio; Diaz, Rafael; Avezum, Alvaro; Lanas, Fernando; Yusoff, Khalid; Iqbal, Romaina; Ilow, Rafal; Mohammadifard, Noushin; Gulec, Sadi; Yusufali, Afzal Hussein; Kruger, Lanthe; Yusuf, Rita; Chifamba, Jephat; Kabali, Conrad; Dagenais, Gilles; Lear, Scott A; Teo, Koon; Yusuf, Salim

2014-08-14

The optimal range of sodium intake for cardiovascular health is controversial. We obtained morning fasting urine samples from 101,945 persons in 17 countries and estimated 24-hour sodium and potassium excretion (used as a surrogate for intake). We examined the association between estimated urinary sodium and potassium excretion and the composite outcome of death and major cardiovascular events. The mean estimated sodium and potassium excretion was 4.93 g per day and 2.12 g per day, respectively. With a mean follow-up of 3.7 years, the composite outcome occurred in 3317 participants (3.3%). As compared with an estimated sodium excretion of 4.00 to 5.99 g per day (reference range), a higher estimated sodium excretion (≥ 7.00 g per day) was associated with an increased risk of the composite outcome (odds ratio, 1.15; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.02 to 1.30), as well as increased risks of death and major cardiovascular events considered separately. The association between a high estimated sodium excretion and the composite outcome was strongest among participants with hypertension (P=0.02 for interaction), with an increased risk at an estimated sodium excretion of 6.00 g or more per day. As compared with the reference range, an estimated sodium excretion that was below 3.00 g per day was also associated with an increased risk of the composite outcome (odds ratio, 1.27; 95% CI, 1.12 to 1.44). As compared with an estimated potassium excretion that was less than 1.50 g per day, higher potassium excretion was associated with a reduced risk of the composite outcome. In this study in which sodium intake was estimated on the basis of measured urinary excretion, an estimated sodium intake between 3 g per day and 6 g per day was associated with a lower risk of death and cardiovascular events than was either a higher or lower estimated level of intake. As compared with an estimated potassium excretion that was less than 1.50 g per day, higher potassium excretion was

The Paradigm Shift to Non-Treatment of Asymptomatic Bacteriuria

PubMed Central

Nicolle, Lindsay E.

2016-01-01

Asymptomatic bacteriuria, also called asymptomatic urinary infection, is a common finding in healthy women, and in women and men with abnormalities of the genitourinary tract. The characterization and introduction of the quantitative urine culture in the 1950s first allowed the reliable recognition of asymptomatic bacteriuria. The observations that a substantial proportion of patients with chronic pyelonephritis at autopsy had no history of symptomatic urinary infection, and the high frequency of pyelonephritis observed in pregnant women with untreated asymptomatic bacteriuria, supported a conclusion that asymptomatic bacteriuria was harmful. Subsequent screening and long term follow-up programs for asymptomatic bacteriuria in schoolgirls and women reported an increased frequency of symptomatic urinary tract infection for subjects with asymptomatic bacteriuria, but no increased morbidity from renal failure or hypertension, or increased mortality. Treatment of asymptomatic bacteriuria did not decrease the frequency of symptomatic infection. Prospective, randomized, comparative trials enrolling premenopausal women, children, elderly populations, patients with long term catheters, and diabetic patients consistently report no benefits with antimicrobial treatment of asymptomatic bacteriuria, and some evidence of harm. Several studies have also reported that antimicrobial treatment of asymptomatic bacteriuria increases the short term risk of pyelonephritis. Current investigations are exploring the potential therapeutic intervention of establishing asymptomatic bacteriuria with an avirulent Escherichia coli strain to prevent symptomatic urinary tract infection for selected patients. PMID:27104571

The Paradigm Shift to Non-Treatment of Asymptomatic Bacteriuria.

PubMed

Nicolle, Lindsay E

2016-04-19

Asymptomatic bacteriuria, also called asymptomatic urinary infection, is a common finding in healthy women, and in women and men with abnormalities of the genitourinary tract. The characterization and introduction of the quantitative urine culture in the 1950s first allowed the reliable recognition of asymptomatic bacteriuria. The observations that a substantial proportion of patients with chronic pyelonephritis at autopsy had no history of symptomatic urinary infection, and the high frequency of pyelonephritis observed in pregnant women with untreated asymptomatic bacteriuria, supported a conclusion that asymptomatic bacteriuria was harmful. Subsequent screening and long term follow-up programs for asymptomatic bacteriuria in schoolgirls and women reported an increased frequency of symptomatic urinary tract infection for subjects with asymptomatic bacteriuria, but no increased morbidity from renal failure or hypertension, or increased mortality. Treatment of asymptomatic bacteriuria did not decrease the frequency of symptomatic infection. Prospective, randomized, comparative trials enrolling premenopausal women, children, elderly populations, patients with long term catheters, and diabetic patients consistently report no benefits with antimicrobial treatment of asymptomatic bacteriuria, and some evidence of harm. Several studies have also reported that antimicrobial treatment of asymptomatic bacteriuria increases the short term risk of pyelonephritis. Current investigations are exploring the potential therapeutic intervention of establishing asymptomatic bacteriuria with an avirulent Escherichia coli strain to prevent symptomatic urinary tract infection for selected patients.

Foodborne gastroenteritis outbreak in an Austrian healthcare facility caused by asymptomatic, norovirus-excreting kitchen staff.

PubMed

Schmid, D; Kuo, H-W; Hell, M; Kasper, S; Lederer, I; Mikula, C; Springer, B; Allerberger, F

2011-03-01

An outbreak of norovirus GGII.4 2006b affected an Austrian 600-bed healthcare facility from 15 to 27 March 2009. A total of 204 patients, residents and staff fitted the outbreak case definition; 17 (8.3%) were laboratory-confirmed. Foodborne origin was suspected in the 114 patient and resident cases with onset 15-18 March. A case-cohort study was performed to test the hypothesis that consumption of dishes offered on 14, 15 and 16 March (risk days) was associated with increased risk of infection. Data on food exposure of 62% (317/510) of the patient and resident cohort were available for a simultaneous retrospective cohort study. The case-cohort analysis revealed that consumption of sliced cold sausage offered on 15 March [odds ratio (OR): 3.98; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.18-14.1], a meat dish with salad (adjusted OR: 2.2; 95% CI: 1.19-4.08) and a rolled spinach pancake (adjusted OR: 2.17; 95% CI: 1.27-3.71) on 16 March were independent risk factors. It is likely that one of the five asymptomatic excretors among the kitchen staff on duty on the risk days was the source of food contamination. The case-cohort study design was found to be a valid alternative to the retrospective cohort study design for the investigation of a suspected foodborne outbreak in a large cohort. Copyright © 2010 The Hospital Infection Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Asymptomatic Bacteriuria and Bacterial Interference.

PubMed

Nicolle, Lindsay E

2015-10-01

Asymptomatic bacteriuria is very common. In healthy women, asymptomatic bacteriuria increases with age, from <1% in newborns to 10% to 20% of women age 80 years, but is uncommon in men until after age 50 years. Individuals with underlying genitourinary abnormalities, including indwelling devices, may also have a high frequency of asymptomatic bacteriuria, irrespective of age or gender. The prevalence is very high in residents of long-term-care facilities, from 25% to 50% of women and 15% to 40% of men. Escherichia coli is the most frequent organism isolated, but a wide variety of other organisms may occur. Bacteriuria may be transient or persist for a prolonged period. Pregnant women with asymptomatic bacteriuria identified in early pregnancy and who are untreated have a risk of pyelonephritis later in pregnancy of 20% to 30%. Bacteremia is frequent in bacteriuric subjects following mucosal trauma with bleeding, with 5% to 10% of patients developing severe sepsis or septic shock. These two groups with clear evidence of negative outcomes should be screened for bacteriuria and appropriately treated. Asymptomatic bacteriuria in other populations is benign and screening and treatment are not indicated. Antimicrobial treatment has no benefits but is associated with negative outcomes including reinfection with antimicrobial resistant organisms and a short-term increased frequency of symptomatic infection post-treatment. The observation of increased symptomatic infection post-treatment, however, has led to active investigation of bacterial interference as a strategy to prevent symptomatic episodes in selected high risk patients.

Foodborne norovirus outbreak: the role of an asymptomatic food handler.

PubMed

Barrabeig, Irene; Rovira, Ariadna; Buesa, Javier; Bartolomé, Rosa; Pintó, Rosa; Prellezo, Hortènsia; Domínguez, Angela

2010-09-15

In July 2005 an outbreak of acute gastroenteritis occurred on a residential summer camp in the province of Barcelona (northeast of Spain). Forty-four people were affected among residents and employees. All of them had in common a meal at lunch time on 13 July (paella, round of beef and fruit). The aim of this study was to investigate a foodborne norovirus outbreak that occurred in the residential summer camp and in which the implication of a food handler was demonstrated by laboratory tests. A retrospective cohort study was designed. Personal or telephone interview was carried out to collect demographic, clinical and microbiological data of the exposed people, as well as food consumption in the suspected lunch. Food handlers of the mentioned summer camp were interviewed.Ten stool samples were requested from symptomatic exposed residents and the three food handlers that prepared the suspected food. Stools were tested for bacteries and noroviruses. Norovirus was detected using RT-PCR and sequence analysis.Attack rate, relative risks (RR) and its 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated to assess the association between food consumption and disease. The global attack rate of the outbreak was 55%. The main symptoms were abdominal pain (90%), nausea (85%), vomiting (70%) and diarrhoea (42.5%). The disease remitted in 24-48 hours. Norovirus was detected in seven faecal samples, one of them was from an asymptomatic food handler who had not eaten the suspected food (round of beef), but cooked and served the lunch. Analysis of the two suspected foods isolated no pathogenic bacteria and detected no viruses. Molecular analysis showed that the viral strain was the same in ill patients and in the asymptomatic food handler (genotype GII.2 Melksham-like). In outbreaks of foodborne disease, the search for viruses in affected patients and all food handlers, even in those that are asymptomatic, is essential. Health education of food handlers with respect to hand washing should

Ecdysteroid excretion by adult Hymenolepis diminuta in vitro.

PubMed

Mercer, J G; Munn, A E; Arme, C; Rees, H H

1987-12-01

Both patent and prepatent adult Hymenolepis diminuta excreted 20-hydroxyecdysone into the culture medium when maintained in vitro. Patent worms also excreted ecdysone and comparatively large quantities of unidentified immunoreactive material of a relatively apolar nature. This latter material was shown to be depleted from the endogenous free ecdysteroids of patent adults during the culture period. Ecdysteroid excretion was affected both qualitatively and quantitatively when culturing conditions were varied.

[Research on sexually transmitted infections in asymptomatic heterosexual males whose partners have cervical intraepithelial neoplasia].

PubMed

Varela, José A; Otero, Luis; Junquera, Maria Luisa; Melón, Santiago; del Valle, Asunción; Vázquez, Fernando

2006-06-01

Human papillomaviruses (HPV) are the etiological agents of genital warts and of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN), and they are sexually transmitted. The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence of sexually transmitted infections (STI) in asymptomatic heterosexual males who consult their physicians seeking advice after their partners have been diagnosed with CIN. 181 asymptomatic males whose partners were women diagnosed with CIN were studied at the STI unit in Gijón over a five-year period (1999-2003). The same diagnostic protocol was used in all cases: clinical exam, genitoscopy and the taking of samples for bacterial, fungus and Trichomonas cultures, as well as samples for the genomic detection of Chlamydia, and syphilis, HIV and viral hepatitis serology. 101 infections were diagnosed in 85 patients (47 %). By order of greatest prevalence, these were: urethritis from Ureaplasma urealyticum (35/181; 19.3 %), genital warts (31/181; 17.1 %), Haemophilus spp. (12 de 181; 6.6 %) and mycotic balanoposthitis (10/181; 5.5 %). The prevalence of STI in the partners of women with CIN is high, and in these cases it is necessary to establish STI detection and control programs in both members of the couple.

[Respiratory viral infections in a cohort of children during the first year of life and their role in the development of wheezing].

PubMed

Calvo, Cristina; Aguado, Isabel; García-García, María Luz; Ruiz-Chercoles, Esther; Díaz-Martinez, Eloisa; Albañil, Rosa María; Campelo, Olga; Olivas, Antonio; Muñóz-Gonzalez, Luisa; Pozo, Francisco; Fernandez-Arroyo, Rosa; Fernandez-Rincón, Adelaida; Calderon, Ana; Casas, Inmaculada

2017-08-01

It is known that infants with viral respiratory infections severe enough to require hospital admission have a high risk of developing recurrent wheezing. Few data have been published on unselected populations. The main aim of this study was to analyse symptomatic and asymptomatic respiratory viral infections during the first year of life in a cohort of infants, recruited at birth, and the development of recurrent wheezing. A total of 302 newborns were recruited. A nasopharyngeal aspirate was taken when the patients had a respiratory infection, as well as in the visits for vaccination at 2, 4, 6, and 12 months. RT-nested PCR assays were performed to detect 16 viruses. A total of 1,293 samples were analysed (1,005 healthy controls and 288 respiratory infections). Samples taken during routine check-ups were positive in 30.8% of cases, while those with respiratory infection were positive in 77.8%, P<.001 (OR: 3, 95% CI: 2.4-3.8). A total of 239 (79%) infants had at least 1 positive respiratory viral infection detected. The most frequent virus (71%) was rhinovirus (RV). Recurrent wheezing was found in 27 (11%) children during their first year of life (1.2 episodes, SD 2.9). Recurrent wheezing was present in 58.3% of patients admitted to hospital during their first viral infection, vs. 8.6% of infants when the first infection was mild or who had asymptomatic viral detection, P<.001 (OR: 2.18; 95% CI: 1.05-4.5). In our series, severe respiratory infections leading to hospitalisation in the first months of life are risk factors for developing wheezing, but not in the case of mild RV infections. Copyright © 2016 Asociación Española de Pediatría. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Maggot excretions inhibit biofilm formation on biomaterials.

PubMed

Cazander, Gwendolyn; van de Veerdonk, Mariëlle C; Vandenbroucke-Grauls, Christina M J E; Schreurs, Marco W J; Jukema, Gerrolt N

2010-10-01

Biofilm-associated infections in trauma surgery are difficult to treat with conventional therapies. Therefore, it is important to develop new treatment modalities. Maggots in captured bags, which are permeable for larval excretions/secretions, aid in healing severe, infected wounds, suspect for biofilm formation. Therefore we presumed maggot excretions/secretions would reduce biofilm formation. We studied biofilm formation of Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Klebsiella oxytoca, Enterococcus faecalis, and Enterobacter cloacae on polyethylene, titanium, and stainless steel. We compared the quantities of biofilm formation between the bacterial species on the various biomaterials and the quantity of biofilm formation after various incubation times. Maggot excretions/secretions were added to existing biofilms to examine their effect. Comb-like models of the biomaterials, made to fit in a 96-well microtiter plate, were incubated with bacterial suspension. The formed biofilms were stained in crystal violet, which was eluted in ethanol. The optical density (at 595 nm) of the eluate was determined to quantify biofilm formation. Maggot excretions/secretions were pipetted in different concentrations to (nonstained) 7-day-old biofilms, incubated 24 hours, and finally measured. The strongest biofilms were formed by S. aureus and S. epidermidis on polyethylene and the weakest on titanium. The highest quantity of biofilm formation was reached within 7 days for both bacteria. The presence of excretions/secretions reduced biofilm formation on all biomaterials. A maximum of 92% of biofilm reduction was measured. Our observations suggest maggot excretions/secretions decrease biofilm formation and could provide a new treatment for biofilm formation on infected biomaterials.

Virus Excretion from Foot-And-Mouth Disease Virus Carrier Cattle and Their Potential Role in Causing New Outbreaks.

PubMed

Parthiban, Aravindh Babu R; Mahapatra, Mana; Gubbins, Simon; Parida, Satya

2015-01-01

The role of foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) carrier cattle in causing new outbreaks is still a matter of debate and it is important to find out these carrier animals by post-outbreak serosurveillance to declare freedom from FMDV infection. In this study we explore the differences in viral shedding between carrier and non-carrier animals, quantify the transmission rate of FMDV infection from carriers to susceptible animals and identify potential viral determinants of viral persistence. We collected nasal and saliva samples from 32 vaccinated and 7 unvaccinated FMDV carrier cattle and 48 vaccinated and 13 unvaccinated non-carrier cattle (total n=100) during the acute phase of infection (up to 28 days post-challenge) and then from limited number of animals up to a maximum 168 days post-challenge. We demonstrate that unvaccinated cattle excrete significantly higher levels of virus for longer periods compared with vaccinated cattle and this is independent of whether or not they subsequently become carriers. By introducing naïve cattle in to the FMDV carrier population we show the risk of new outbreaks is clearly very low in controlled conditions, although there could still be a potential threat of these carrier animals causing new outbreaks in the field situation. Finally, we compared the complete genome sequences of viruses from carrier cattle with the challenge virus and found no evidence for viral determinants of the carrier state.

Antibiotics for asymptomatic bacteriuria in pregnancy.

PubMed

Smaill, F

2000-01-01

Up to 30% of mothers develop acute pyelonephritis if asymptomatic bacteriuria is untreated. Asymptomatic bacteriuria may have a role in preterm birth, or it may be a marker for low socioeconomic status and thus, low birth weight. The objective of this review was to assess the effect of antibiotic treatment for asymptomatic bacteriuria on persistent bacteriuria during pregnancy, the risk of preterm delivery and the development of pyelonephritis after delivery. I searched the Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group trials register. Randomised trials comparing antibiotic treatment with placebo or no treatment in pregnant women with asymptomatic bacteriuria found on antenatal screening. Trial quality was assessed. Thirteen studies were included. Overall the study quality was not strong. Antibiotic treatment compared to placebo or no treatment was effective in clearing asymptomatic bacteriuria (odds ratio 0.07, 95% confidence interval 0.05 to 0.10). The incidence of pyelonephritis was reduced (odds ratio 0.25, 95% confidence interval 0.19 to 0.32). Antibiotic treatment was also associated with a reduction in the incidence of preterm delivery or low birth weight babies (odds ratio 0.60, 95% confidence interval 0.45 to 0.80). Antibiotic treatment appears to be effective in reducing the risk of pyelonephritis in pregnancy. An apparent reduction in preterm delivery is consistent with current theories about the role of infection in preterm birth, but this association should be interpreted with caution.

Antimicrobial Treatment of Asymptomatic Bacteriuria in Healthy Ambulatory Subjects.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhanel, George G.

1990-01-01

The treatment of urinary tract infections is discussed. Specific issues considered include the definition of asymptomatic bacteriuria, the prevalence of asymptomatic bacteriuria, the controversies of who should be treated, and antimicrobial treatment of asymptomatic bacteriuria. (MLW)

Ethosuximide: liver enzyme induction and D-glucaric acid excretion.

PubMed

Gilbert, J C; Scott, A K; Galloway, D B; Petrie, J C

1974-06-01

1 A study has been carried out to determine if ethosuximide induces liver enzymes. 2 Ethosuximide did not affect the urinary excretion of D-glucaric acid by healthy adult subjects nor was the mean daily D-glucaric acid excretion of three epileptic children on long term ethosuximide therapy different from that of three matched controls. 3 Ethosuximide (10 mg/kg or 50 mg/kg daily) did not influence D-glucaric acid excretion or liver microsomal protein and cytochrome P450 contents of guinea pigs but at a dose of 100 mg/kg daily in rats it increased liver microsomal protein and cytochrome P450 without altering D-glucaric acid excretion. 4 These results suggest that at anticonvulsant doses ethosuximide is unlikely to induce liver enzymes. The precise relationship between D-glucaric acid excretion and liver enzyme induction remains in doubt.

A Cluster of Hepatitis A Viral Infection in HSE South.

PubMed

Ferris, H A; Dillon, A; O'Sullivan, M B

2017-06-09

Hepatitis A is an acute viral infection of the liver that produces clinical features ranging from asymptomatic infection to fulminant hepatitis 1 . The authors report a cluster of 5 serologically-confirmed cases of acute Hepatitis A Virus (HAV), all serum IgM positive for HAV Genotype 1A. This is on a background of only 2 other cases notified to HSE-South in 2016 to date, both travel related. There was a considerable delay in notification in two out of 5 cases. This case report highlights the importance of prompt notification of Hepatitis A, as timely notification would have facilitated prompt contact vaccination and might well have prevented illness in two subsequent household contacts.

Identifying predictors of time-inhomogeneous viral evolutionary processes.

PubMed

Bielejec, Filip; Baele, Guy; Rodrigo, Allen G; Suchard, Marc A; Lemey, Philippe

2016-07-01

Various factors determine the rate at which mutations are generated and fixed in viral genomes. Viral evolutionary rates may vary over the course of a single persistent infection and can reflect changes in replication rates and selective dynamics. Dedicated statistical inference approaches are required to understand how the complex interplay of these processes shapes the genetic diversity and divergence in viral populations. Although evolutionary models accommodating a high degree of complexity can now be formalized, adequately informing these models by potentially sparse data, and assessing the association of the resulting estimates with external predictors, remains a major challenge. In this article, we present a novel Bayesian evolutionary inference method, which integrates multiple potential predictors and tests their association with variation in the absolute rates of synonymous and non-synonymous substitutions along the evolutionary history. We consider clinical and virological measures as predictors, but also changes in population size trajectories that are simultaneously inferred using coalescent modelling. We demonstrate the potential of our method in an application to within-host HIV-1 sequence data sampled throughout the infection of multiple patients. While analyses of individual patient populations lack statistical power, we detect significant evidence for an abrupt drop in non-synonymous rates in late stage infection and a more gradual increase in synonymous rates over the course of infection in a joint analysis across all patients. The former is predicted by the immune relaxation hypothesis while the latter may be in line with increasing replicative fitness during the asymptomatic stage.

[Asymptomatic kidney stones: active surveillance vs. treatment].

PubMed

Neisius, A; Thomas, C; Roos, F C; Hampel, C; Fritsche, H-M; Bach, T; Thüroff, J W; Knoll, T

2015-09-01

The prevalence of kidney stones is increasing worldwide. Asymptomatic non-obstructing kidney stones are increasingly detected as an incidental finding on radiologic imaging, which has been performed more frequently over the last decades. Beside the current interventional treatment modalities such as extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy (ESWL), ureterorenoscopy (URS) and percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PNL), active surveillance of asymptomatic kidney stones has been a focus of discussion lately, not only for attending physicians, but even more so for patients. The current German and European guidelines recommend active surveillance for patients with asymptomatic kidney stones if no interventional therapy is mandatory because of pain or medical factors. Herein we review the current literature on risks and benefits of active surveillance of asymptomatic non-obstructing kidney stones. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Viral evolution in HLA-B27-restricted CTL epitopes in human immunodeficiency virus type 1-infected individuals.

PubMed

Setiawan, Laurentia C; Gijsbers, Esther F; van Nuenen, Adrianus C; Kootstra, Neeltje A

2015-08-01

The HLA-B27 allele is over-represented among human immunodeficiency virus type 1-infected long-term non-progressors. In these patients, strong CTL responses targeting HLA-B27-restricted viral epitopes have been associated with long-term asymptomatic survival. Indeed, loss of control of viraemia in HLA-B27 patients has been associated with CTL escape at position 264 in the immunodominant KK10 epitope. This CTL escape mutation in the viral Gag protein has been associated with severe viral attenuation and may require the presence of compensatory mutations before emerging. Here, we studied sequence evolution within HLA-B27-restricted CTL epitopes in the viral Gag protein during the course of infection of seven HLA-B27-positive patients. Longitudinal gag sequences obtained at different time points around the time of AIDS diagnosis were obtained and analysed for the presence of mutations in epitopes restricted by HLA-B27, and for potential compensatory mutations. Sequence variations were observed in the HLA-B27-restricted CTL epitopes IK9 and DR11, and the immunodominant KK10 epitope. However, the presence of sequence variations in the HLA-B27-restricted CTL epitopes could not be associated with an increase in viraemia in the majority of the patients studied. Furthermore, we observed low genetic diversity in the gag region of the viral variants throughout the course of infection, which is indicative of low viral replication and corresponds to the low viral load observed in the HLA-B27-positive patients. These data indicated that control of viral replication can be maintained in HLA-B27-positive patients despite the emergence of viral mutations in HLA-B27-restricted epitopes.

Urinary sodium excretion after gastric bypass surgery.

PubMed

Docherty, Neil G; Fändriks, Lars; le Roux, Carel W; Hallersund, Peter; Werling, Malin

2017-09-01

Gut-kidney signaling is implicated in sodium homeostasis and thus blood pressure regulation. Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) surgery for morbid obesity confers a pronounced and long-lasting blood pressure lowering effect in addition to significant weight loss. We set out to establish whether RYGB is associated with an intrinsic change in urinary sodium excretion that may contribute to the reported blood pressure lowering effects of the procedure. University hospital METHODS: Five female patients (age range: 28-50 yr) without metabolic or hypertensive co-morbidities were included in a study involving four 24-hour residential visits: once before surgery and 10 days, 3 months, and 20 months after surgery. Creatinine and sodium were measured in fasting plasma samples and 24-hour urine samples and creatinine clearance, estimated glomerular filtration rate, and indices of urinary sodium excretion were calculated. Fasting and 60-minute postprandial blood samples from each study day were assayed for pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP). Increases in weight-normalized urinary sodium excretion of up to 2.3-fold in magnitude occurred at 20 months after surgery. Median fractional excretion of sodium at 20 months was double that seen before surgery. Fasting NT-proBNP levels were stable or increased (1.5- to 5-fold). Moreover, a small postprandial increase in NT-proBNP was observed after surgery. Renal fractional excretion of sodium is increased after RYGB. A shift toward increased postoperative basal and meal associated levels of NT-proBNP coincides with increased urinary sodium excretion. The data support a working hypothesis that an enhanced natriuretic gut-kidney signal after RYGB may be of mechanistic importance in the blood pressure lowering effects of this procedure. Copyright © 2017 American Society for Bariatric Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

HPV/Chlamydia trachomatis co-infection: metagenomic analysis of cervical microbiota in asymptomatic women.

PubMed

Di Pietro, Marisa; Filardo, Simone; Porpora, Maria Grazia; Recine, Nadia; Latino, Maria Agnese; Sessa, Rosa

2018-01-01

HPV and Chlamydia trachomatis are the most common causes of sexually transmitted diseases worldwide. Most infections are asymptomatic and left untreated lead to severe reproductive tract sequelae such as cervical cancer and infertility. Interestingly, C. trachomatis may also increase the susceptibility to HPV infection as well as contribute to viral persistence. Recently, a growing body of evidence has suggested that the composition of the cervico-vaginal microbiota plays a key role in the susceptibility and outcome of genital infections caused by several pathogens, including HPV and C. trachomatis. The aim of our study was to undertake a metagenomic analysis of sequenced 16s rRNA gene amplicons to characterize the cervical microbiota from asymptomatic women with HPV/C. trachomatis co-infection. The composition of the cervical microbiota from HPV-positive or C. trachomatis-positive women was also analysed. The main finding of our study showed that the cervical microbiota in HPV/C. trachomatis co-infected women had a higher microbial diversity than the cervical microbiota in healthy controls (p<0.05). In addition, Aerococcus christensenii was associated with C. trachomatis infection. In conclusion, the increased cervical microbial diversity observed in HPV/C. trachomatis co-infected women and the detection of potential microbiological biomarkers of C. trachomatis infection will open the way to innovative approaches that may be helpful to identify women at risk of co-infection.

Contribution of dietary oxalate to urinary oxalate excretion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Holmes, R. P.; Goodman, H. O.; Assimos, D. G.

2001-01-01

BACKGROUND: The amount of oxalate excreted in urine has a significant impact on calcium oxalate supersaturation and stone formation. Dietary oxalate is believed to make only a minor (10 to 20%) contribution to the amount of oxalate excreted in urine, but the validity of the experimental observations that support this conclusion can be questioned. An understanding of the actual contribution of dietary oxalate to urinary oxalate excretion is important, as it is potentially modifiable. METHODS: We varied the amount of dietary oxalate consumed by a group of adult individuals using formula diets and controlled, solid-food diets with a known oxalate content, determined by a recently developed analytical procedure. Controlled solid-food diets were consumed containing 10, 50, and 250 mg of oxalate/2500 kcal, as well as formula diets containing 0 and 180 mg oxalate/2500 kcal. Changes in the content of oxalate and other ions were assessed in 24-hour urine collections. RESULTS: Urinary oxalate excretion increased as dietary oxalate intake increased. With oxalate-containing diets, the mean contribution of dietary oxalate to urinary oxalate excretion ranged from 24.4 +/- 15.5% on the 10 mg/2500 kcal/day diet to 41.5 +/- 9.1% on the 250 mg/2500 kcal/day diet, much higher than previously estimated. When the calcium content of a diet containing 250 mg of oxalate was reduced from 1002 mg to 391 mg, urinary oxalate excretion increased by a mean of 28.2 +/- 4.8%, and the mean dietary contribution increased to 52.6 +/- 8.6%. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that dietary oxalate makes a much greater contribution to urinary oxalate excretion than previously recognized, that dietary calcium influences the bioavailability of ingested oxalate, and that the absorption of dietary oxalate may be an important factor in calcium oxalate stone formation.

Asymptomatic bacteriuria: review and discussion of the IDSA guidelines.

PubMed

Nicolle, Lindsay E

2006-08-01

Asymptomatic bacteriuria is a common finding, but is usually benign. Screening and treatment of asymptomatic bacteriuria is only recommended for pregnant women, or for patients prior to selected invasive genitourinary procedures. Healthy women identified with asymptomatic bacteriuria on population screening subsequently experience more frequent episodes of symptomatic infection, but antimicrobial treatment of asymptomatic bacteriuria does not decrease the occurrence of these episodes. Clinical trials in spinal-cord injury patients, diabetic women, patients with indwelling urethral catheters, and elderly nursing home residents have consistently found no benefits with treatment of asymptomatic bacteriuria. Negative outcomes with antimicrobial treatment do occur, including adverse drug effects and re-infection with organisms of increasing resistance. Optimal management of asymptomatic bacteriuria requires appropriate implementation of screening strategies to promote timely identification of the selected patients for whom treatment is beneficial, and avoidance of antimicrobial therapy where no benefit has been shown.

Clinical implications of asymptomatic Plasmodium falciparum infections in Malawi.

PubMed

Buchwald, Andrea G; Sixpence, Alick; Chimenya, Mabvuto; Damson, Milius; Sorkin, John D; Wilson, Mark L; Seydel, Karl; Hochman, Sarah; Mathanga, Don P; Taylor, Terrie E; Laufer, Miriam K

2018-05-16

Asymptomatic Plasmodium falciparum infections are common in Malawi, however, the implications of these infections for the burden of malaria illness are unknown. Whether asymptomatic infections eventually progress to malaria illness, persist without causing symptoms, or clear spontaneously remains undetermined. We identified asymptomatic infections and evaluated the associations between persistent asymptomatic infections and malaria illness. Children and adults (N = 120) who presented at a health facility with uncomplicated malaria were followed monthly for two years. During follow-up visits, participants with malaria symptoms were tested and treated if positive. Samples from all visits were tested for parasites using both microscopy and PCR, and all malaria infections underwent genotyping. Cox frailty models were used to estimate the temporal association between asymptomatic infections and malaria illness episodes. Mixed models were used to estimate the odds of clinical symptoms associated with new versus persistent infections. Participants had a median follow-up time of 720 days. Asymptomatic infections were detected during 23% of visits. Persistent asymptomatic infections were associated with decreased risk of malaria illness in all ages (HR 0.50, p < 0.001). When asymptomatic infections preceded malaria illness, newly acquired infections were detected at 92% of subsequent clinical episodes, independent of presence of persistent infections. Malaria illness among children was more likely due to newly acquired infections (OR 1.4, 95%CI 1.3-1.5) than to persistent infections. Asymptomatic P. falciparum infections are associated with decreased incidence of malaria illness but do not protect against disease when new infection occurs.

Antibiotics for asymptomatic bacteriuria in pregnancy.

PubMed

Smaill, F

2001-01-01

Up to 30% of mothers develop acute pyelonephritis if asymptomatic bacteriuria is untreated. Asymptomatic bacteriuria may have a role in preterm birth or it may be a marker for low socioeconomic status which is associated with low birth weight. The objective of this review was to assess the effect of antibiotic treatment for asymptomatic bacteriuria on persistent bacteriuria during pregnancy, the risk of preterm delivery, and the development of pyelonephritis. I searched the Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group trials register. Date of last search: December 2000. Randomised trials comparing antibiotic treatment with placebo or no treatment in pregnant women with asymptomatic bacteriuria found on antenatal screening. Trial quality was assessed. Fourteen studies were included. Overall the study quality was not strong. Antibiotic treatment compared to placebo or no treatment was effective in clearing asymptomatic bacteriuria (odds ratio 0.07, 95% confidence interval 0.05 to 0.10). The incidence of pyelonephritis was reduced (odds ratio 0.24, 95% confidence interval 0.19 to 0.32). Antibiotic treatment was also associated with a reduction in the incidence of preterm delivery or low birth weight babies (odds ratio 0.60, 95% confidence interval 0.45 to 0.80). Antibiotic treatment is effective in reducing the risk of pyelonephritis in pregnancy. An apparent reduction in preterm delivery is consistent with current theories about the role of infection in preterm birth, but this association should be interpreted with caution.

Antibiotics for asymptomatic bacteriuria in pregnancy.

PubMed

Smaill, F; Vazquez, J C

2007-04-18

Asymptomatic bacteriuria occurs in 2% to 10% of pregnancies and, if not treated, up to 30% of mothers will develop acute pyelonephritis. Asymptomatic bacteriuria has been associated with low birthweight and preterm delivery. To assess the effect of antibiotic treatment for asymptomatic bacteriuria on persistent bacteriuria during pregnancy, the development of pyelonephritis and the risk of low birthweight and preterm delivery. We searched the Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group's Trials Register (January 2007). Randomized trials comparing antibiotic treatment with placebo or no treatment in pregnant women with asymptomatic bacteriuria found on antenatal screening. We assessed trial quality. Fourteen studies were included. Overall the study quality was poor. Antibiotic treatment compared to placebo or no treatment was effective in clearing asymptomatic bacteriuria (risk ratio (RR) 0.25, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.14 to 0.48). The incidence of pyelonephritis was reduced (RR 0.23, 95% CI 0.13 to 0.41). Antibiotic treatment was also associated with a reduction in the incidence of low birthweight babies (RR 0.66, 95% CI 0.49 to 0.89) but a difference in preterm delivery was not seen. Antibiotic treatment is effective in reducing the risk of pyelonephritis in pregnancy. A reduction in low birthweight is consistent with current theories about the role of infection in adverse pregnancy outcomes, but this association should be interpreted with caution given the poor quality of the included studies.

Immunological and molecular epidemiological characteristics of acute and fulminant viral hepatitis A.

PubMed

Hussain, Zahid; Husain, Syed A; Almajhdi, Fahad N; Kar, Premashis

2011-05-23

Hepatitis A virus is an infection of liver; it is hyperendemic in vast areas of the world including India. In most cases it causes an acute self limited illness but rarely fulminant. There is growing concern about change in pattern from asymptomatic childhood infection to an increased incidence of symptomatic disease in the adult population. In-depth analysis of immunological, viral quantification and genotype of acute and fulminant hepatitis A virus. Serum samples obtained from 1009 cases of suspected acute viral hepatitis was employed for different biochemical and serological examination. RNA was extracted from blood serum, reverse transcribed into cDNA and amplified using nested PCR for viral quantification, sequencing and genotyping. Immunological cell count from freshly collected whole blood was carried out by fluorescence activated cell sorter. Fulminant hepatitis A was mostly detected with other hepatic viruses. CD8+ T cells count increases in fulminant hepatitis to a significantly high level (P = 0.005) compared to normal healthy control. The immunological helper/suppressor (CD4+/CD8+) ratio of fulminant hepatitis was significantly lower compared to acute cases. The serologically positive patients were confirmed by RT-PCR and total of 72 (69.2%) were quantified and sequenced. The average quantitative viral load of fulminant cases was significantly higher (P < 0.05). There was similar genotypic distribution in both acute and fulminant category, with predominance of genotype IIIA (70%) compared to IA (30%). Immunological factors in combination with viral load defines the severity of the fulminant hepatitis A. Phylogenetic analysis of acute and fulminant hepatitis A confirmed genotypes IIIA as predominant against IA with no preference of disease severity.

Immunological and molecular epidemiological characteristics of acute and fulminant viral hepatitis A

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Hepatitis A virus is an infection of liver; it is hyperendemic in vast areas of the world including India. In most cases it causes an acute self limited illness but rarely fulminant. There is growing concern about change in pattern from asymptomatic childhood infection to an increased incidence of symptomatic disease in the adult population. Objective In-depth analysis of immunological, viral quantification and genotype of acute and fulminant hepatitis A virus. Methods Serum samples obtained from 1009 cases of suspected acute viral hepatitis was employed for different biochemical and serological examination. RNA was extracted from blood serum, reverse transcribed into cDNA and amplified using nested PCR for viral quantification, sequencing and genotyping. Immunological cell count from freshly collected whole blood was carried out by fluorescence activated cell sorter. Results Fulminant hepatitis A was mostly detected with other hepatic viruses. CD8+ T cells count increases in fulminant hepatitis to a significantly high level (P = 0.005) compared to normal healthy control. The immunological helper/suppressor (CD4+/CD8+) ratio of fulminant hepatitis was significantly lower compared to acute cases. The serologically positive patients were confirmed by RT-PCR and total of 72 (69.2%) were quantified and sequenced. The average quantitative viral load of fulminant cases was significantly higher (P < 0.05). There was similar genotypic distribution in both acute and fulminant category, with predominance of genotype IIIA (70%) compared to IA (30%). Conclusions Immunological factors in combination with viral load defines the severity of the fulminant hepatitis A. Phylogenetic analysis of acute and fulminant hepatitis A confirmed genotypes IIIA as predominant against IA with no preference of disease severity. PMID:21605420

Poliovirus Excretion in Children with Primary Immunodeficiency Disorders, India

PubMed Central

Madkaikar, Manisha Rajan; Desai, Mukesh; Taur, Prasad; Nalavade, Uma Prajwal; Sharma, Deepa Kailash; Gupta, Maya; Dalvi, Aparna; Shabrish, Snehal; Kulkarni, Manasi; Aluri, Jahnavi; Deshpande, Jagadish Mohanrao

2017-01-01

Prolonged excretion of poliovirus can occur in immunodeficient patients who receive oral polio vaccine, which may lead to propagation of highly divergent vaccine-derived polioviruses (VDPVs), posing a concern for global polio eradication. This study aimed to estimate the proportion of primary immunodeficient children with enterovirus infection and to identify the long-term polio/nonpolio enterovirus excreters in a tertiary care unit in Mumbai, India. During September 2014–April 2017, 151 patients received diagnoses of primary immunodeficiency (PID). We isolated 8 enteroviruses (3 polioviruses and 5 nonpolio enteroviruses) in cell culture of 105 fecal samples collected from 42 patients. Only 1 patient with severe combined immunodeficiency was identified as a long-term VDPV3 excreter (for 2 years after identification of infection). Our results show that the risk of enterovirus excretion among children in India with PID is low; however, systematic screening is necessary to identify long-term poliovirus excreters until the use of oral polio vaccine is stopped. PMID:28930011

Poliovirus Excretion in Children with Primary Immunodeficiency Disorders, India.

PubMed

Mohanty, Madhu Chhanda; Madkaikar, Manisha Rajan; Desai, Mukesh; Taur, Prasad; Nalavade, Uma Prajwal; Sharma, Deepa Kailash; Gupta, Maya; Dalvi, Aparna; Shabrish, Snehal; Kulkarni, Manasi; Aluri, Jahnavi; Deshpande, Jagadish Mohanrao

2017-10-01

Prolonged excretion of poliovirus can occur in immunodeficient patients who receive oral polio vaccine, which may lead to propagation of highly divergent vaccine-derived polioviruses (VDPVs), posing a concern for global polio eradication. This study aimed to estimate the proportion of primary immunodeficient children with enterovirus infection and to identify the long-term polio/nonpolio enterovirus excreters in a tertiary care unit in Mumbai, India. During September 2014-April 2017, 151 patients received diagnoses of primary immunodeficiency (PID). We isolated 8 enteroviruses (3 polioviruses and 5 nonpolio enteroviruses) in cell culture of 105 fecal samples collected from 42 patients. Only 1 patient with severe combined immunodeficiency was identified as a long-term VDPV3 excreter (for 2 years after identification of infection). Our results show that the risk of enterovirus excretion among children in India with PID is low; however, systematic screening is necessary to identify long-term poliovirus excreters until the use of oral polio vaccine is stopped.

Urinary potassium excretion and risk of cardiovascular events.

PubMed

Kieneker, Lyanne M; Gansevoort, Ron T; de Boer, Rudolf A; Brouwers, Frank P; Feskens, Edith Jm; Geleijnse, Johanna M; Navis, Gerjan; Bakker, Stephan Jl; Joosten, Michel M

2016-05-01

Observational studies on dietary potassium and risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) have reported weak-to-modest inverse associations. Long-term prospective studies with multiple 24-h urinary samples for accurate estimation of habitual potassium intake, however, are scarce. We examined the association between urinary potassium excretion and risk of blood pressure-related cardiovascular outcomes. We studied 7795 subjects free of cardiovascular events at baseline in the Prevention of Renal and Vascular End-stage Disease study, a prospective, observational cohort with oversampling of subjects with albuminuria at baseline. Main cardiovascular outcomes were CVD [including ischemic heart disease (IHD), stroke, and vascular interventions], IHD, stroke, and new-onset heart failure (HF). Potassium excretion was measured in two 24-h urine specimens at the start of the study (1997-1998) and midway through follow-up (2001-2003). Baseline median urinary potassium excretion was 70 mmol/24 h (IQR: 56-84 mmol/24 h). During a median follow-up of 10.5 y (IQR: 9.9-10.8 y), a total of 641 CVD, 465 IHD, 172 stroke, and 265 HF events occurred. After adjustment for age and sex, inverse associations were observed between potassium excretion and risk [HR per each 26-mmol/24-h (1-g/d) increase; 95% CI] of CVD (0.87; 0.78, 0.97) and IHD (0.86; 0.75, 0.97), as well as nonsignificant inverse associations for risk of stroke (0.85; 0.68, 1.06) and HF (0.94; 0.80, 1.10). After further adjustment for body mass index, smoking, alcohol consumption, education, and urinary sodium and magnesium excretion, urinary potassium excretion was not statistically significantly associated with risk (multivariable-adjusted HR per 1-g/d increment; 95% CI) of CVD (0.96; 0.85, 1.09), IHD (0.90; 0.81, 1.04), stroke (1.09; 0.86, 1.39), or HF (0.99; 0.83, 1.18). No associations were observed between the sodium-to-potassium excretion ratio and risk of CVD, IHD, stroke, or HF. In this cohort with oversampling of subjects

Asymptomatic bacteriuria among an obstetric population in Ibadan.

PubMed

Awonuga, D O; Dada-Adegbola, H O; Fawole, A O; Olala, F A; Onimisi-Smith, H O

2011-01-01

Asymptomatic bacteriuria in pregnancy is the major risk factor for symptomatic urinary tract infection during pregnancy. Screening and identification of bacteriuria during pregnancy have been recommended. To determine the prevalence and pattern of asymptomatic bacteriuria associated with pregnancy. The study was a descriptive, cross sectional survey of pattern of asymptomatic bacteriuria among consecutive patients presenting for the first antenatal visit at a University College Hospital, during a period of two months. Relevant information obtained from all the patients recruited for the study included age, parity, educational level, gestational age and occupation of participant. Haemoglobin electrophoresis patterns were also retrieved and recorded. Main outcome measures were prevalence of asymptomatic bacteriuria, bacterial isolates and their antibiotic sensitivities. There were 205 eligible participants with a mean age of 30.6 ± 4.3 years and a mean gestational age at booking of 20.9 ±7.0 weeks. The prevalence of asymptomatic bacteriuria was 22(10.7%). The isolated pathogens were predominantly coliforms (Klebsiella and E. coli) accounting for 45.5% and Staphylococcus saprophyticus (27.3%). Only gentamycin, nitrofurantoin and ofloxacin demonstrated high efficacy against these uropathogens with antibiotic sensitivity rates of 72.7%-81.8%. Prevalence of asymptomatic bacteriuria in this centre is relatively high. This underscores the need for routine screening of pregnant women for bacteriuria.

Desmopressin resistant nocturnal polyuria secondary to increased nocturnal osmotic excretion.

PubMed

Dehoorne, Jo L; Raes, Ann M; van Laecke, Erik; Hoebeke, Piet; Vande Walle, Johan G

2006-08-01

We investigated the role of increased solute excretion in children with desmopressin resistant nocturnal enuresis and nocturnal polyuria. A total of 42 children with monosymptomatic nocturnal enuresis and significant nocturnal polyuria with high nocturnal urinary osmolality (more than 850 mmol/l) were not responding to desmopressin. A 24-hour urinary concentration profile was obtained with measurement of urine volume, osmolality, osmotic excretion and creatinine. The control group consisted of 100 children without enuresis. Based on osmotic excretion patients were classified into 3 groups. Group 1 had 24-hour increased osmotic excretion, most likely secondary to a high renal osmotic load. This was probably diet related since 11 of these 12 patients were obese. Group 2 had increased osmotic excretion in the evening and night, probably due to a high renal osmotic load caused by the diet characteristics of the evening meal. Group 3 had deficient osmotic excretion during the day, secondary to extremely low fluid intake to compensate for small bladder capacity. Nocturnal polyuria with high urinary osmolality in our patients with desmopressin resistant monosymptomatic nocturnal enuresis is related to abnormal increased osmotic excretion. This may be explained by their fluid and diet habits, eg daytime fluid restriction, and high protein and salt intake.

Research progress of asymptomatic bacteriuria before arthroplasty: A systematic review.

PubMed

Zhang, Qingyu; Liu, Lihua; Sun, Wei; Gao, Fuqiang; Cheng, Liming; Li, Zirong

2018-02-01

A high prevalence of asymptomatic bacteriuria exists in patients prior to arthroplasty, and urinary tract infection is considered to be a source of postoperative superficial wound and prosthetic joint infections. There is no consensus whether to screen for and treat asymptomatic bacteriuria before arthroplasty. To summarize the association between asymptomatic bacteriuria and complications after arthroplasty and to evaluate the clinical benefits of treating asymptomatic bacteriuria prior to arthroplasty. We systematically searched PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library to retrieve potentially eligible articles. By screening the titles and abstracts of retrieved records and then reading the full texts of the remaining papers, we finally included 8 English-language articles in this systematic review. Asymptomatic bacteriuria prior to arthroplasty is significantly associated with an increased occurrence of postoperative prosthetic joint and superficial wound infections. However, there is little evidence for direct or hematogenous seeding of urinary infections, and treating asymptomatic bacteriuria before arthroplasty did not decrease the incidence of postoperative infectious complications. Asymptomatic bacteriuria is not a contraindication for arthroplasty, and the practice of routine preoperative screening for and treatment of asymptomatic bacteriuria should not be continued.

Asymptomatic plasmodial infection in Colombian pregnant women.

PubMed

Carmona-Fonseca, Jaime; Agudelo, Olga M; Arango, Eliana M

2017-08-01

Information about asymptomatic plasmodial infection is scarce in the world, and the current antimalarial program goals (control, elimination, and eradication) demand this evidence to be well documented in different populations and malaria transmission settings. This study aimed to measure the prevalence of API in Colombian pregnant women at delivery. A retrospective prevalence survey was used. Women were recruited at hospital obstetric facility in each of the municipalities of Turbo, Necoclí in Antioquia department, and Puerto Libertador in Córdoba department. Malaria infection was tested by thick blood smear (TBS) and real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR). Ninety-six pregnant women at delivery were studied: 95% were asymptomatic (91/96), 45% had asymptomatic plasmodial infection (API) by qPCR (41/91), and only 8% (7/91) had API by microscopy. The prevalence of submicroscopic infections (TBS negative and qPCR positive) was very high, 37% (34/91) in asymptomatic women and 41% (39/96) in total women studied (91 asymptomatic and 5 symptomatic). The prevalence of API in Colombian pregnant women is much higher than which is expected for a country that does not have the level of malaria transmission as Sub-Saharan African countries. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Fractional excretion of sodium

MedlinePlus

FE sodium; FENa ... a lab. There, they are examined for salt (sodium) and creatinine levels. Creatinine is a chemical waste ... Chernecky CC, Berger BJ. Excretion fraction of filtered sodium-blood and urine. In: Chernecky CC, Berger BJ, ...

[Comparison of clinical and laboratory characteristics of viral hepatitis A and E in Montenegro].

PubMed

Terzić, Dragica; Mijović, Gordana; Dupanović, Brankica; Drasković, Nenad; Svirtlih, Neda

2010-01-01

Hepatitis E has many similarities in with hepatitis A concerning clinical picture, route of transmission and nonexistence of chronicity. Comparison of clinical and laboratory parameters of patients with hepatitis A and E to estimate characteristics of these diseases. Total of 54 patients divided into two groups was investigated: 27 had hepatitis A, others had hepatitis E. Detailed history past, clinical examination, liver function tests and ultrasonography of the upper abdomen, were done in all patients. Aetiology of viral hepatitis was investigated serologically by enzyme immunoassay (ELISA) using commercial kits for following viruses: Hepatitis A-E viruses, cytomegalovirus, and Epstein-Barr virus. Asymptomatic infections (29.6%) and clinical forms without jaundice (59.3%) were more frequent in patients with hepatitis E. Splenomegaly was found more frequent in patients with hepatitis A than in hepatitis E (66.7% vs. 33.3%). Patients with hepatitis E had significantly lower activity of aminotransferases than patients with hepatitis A. A significant increase of gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase was found in patients with hepatitis E (mean value: 120 IU/L). Our results are in concordance with other reports that hepatitis E virus infection is more common asymptomatic disease than hepatitis A. In addition, hepatocyte necrosis in hepatitis E is less extensive than in hepatitis A measured by the activity of aminotransferases. Contrary to that the value of gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase is more increased in hepatitis E than in hepatitis A without exact explanation so far: Viral hepatitis E and A have differences in some clinical features and laboratory parameters although both diseases principally have resolved without consequences after 6-8 weeks.

Urinary 24-h creatinine excretion in adults and its use as a simple tool for the estimation of daily urinary analyte excretion from analyte/creatinine ratios in populations.

PubMed

Johner, S A; Boeing, H; Thamm, M; Remer, T

2015-12-01

The assessment of urinary excretion of specific nutrients (e.g. iodine, sodium) is frequently used to monitor a population's nutrient status. However, when only spot urines are available, always a risk of hydration-status-dependent dilution effects and related misinterpretations exists. The aim of the present study was to establish mean values of 24-h creatinine excretion widely applicable for an appropriate estimation of 24-h excretion rates of analytes from spot urines in adults. Twenty-four-hour creatinine excretion from the formerly representative cross-sectional German VERA Study (n=1463, 20-79 years old) was analysed. Linear regression analysis was performed to identify the most important influencing factors of creatinine excretion. In a subsample of the German DONALD Study (n=176, 20-29 years old), the applicability of the 24-h creatinine excretion values of VERA for the estimation of 24-h sodium and iodine excretion from urinary concentration measurements was tested. In the VERA Study, mean 24-h creatinine excretion was 15.4 mmol per day in men and 11.1 mmol per day in women, significantly dependent on sex, age, body weight and body mass index. Based on the established 24-h creatinine excretion values, mean 24-h iodine and sodium excretions could be estimated from respective analyte/creatinine concentrations, with average deviations <10% compared with the actual 24-h means. The present mean values of 24-h creatinine excretion are suggested as a useful tool to derive realistic hydration-status-independent average 24-h excretion rates from urinary analyte/creatinine ratios. We propose to apply these creatinine reference means routinely in biomarker-based studies aiming at characterizing the nutrient or metabolite status of adult populations by simply measuring metabolite/creatinine ratios in spot urines.

Airway hyperreactivity in asymptomatic military personnel.

PubMed

Morris, Michael J; Schwartz, Darin S; Nohrenberg, Jana L; Dooley, Sean N

2007-11-01

Asthma is frequently diagnosed in military personnel despite strict guidelines that disqualify persons with active disease or a recent history of asthma. It is generally considered incompatible with military service, because of the regular physical training, outdoor training exercises, and deployments to remote locations. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of airway hyperreactivity in asymptomatic military personnel, as an estimate of subclinical reactive airway disease. A prospective study of healthy, asymptomatic, military personnel with no previous history of asthma and <1 year on active duty status was conducted. After completion of a screening questionnaire, personnel underwent baseline spirometry with a portable spirometer. Personnel with obstructive indices (based on published guidelines) and matched control subjects participated in an exercise test (1.5-mile run), with pre- and postexercise spirometry. A total of 222 asymptomatic military personnel completed baseline spirometry, and 31 (14%) were found have airway obstruction. A normal matched control group of 31 military personnel and 26 personnel with obstruction performed exercise spirometry. Twenty-three percent of the participants with obstruction demonstrated increased airway hyper-reactivity after exercise, based on a reduction in forced expiratory volume at 1 second, compared with 19% of control subjects. Asymptomatic airway obstruction has a prevalence of 14% in young military personnel. A significant percentage of individuals also have evidence of worsening obstruction during exercise. These data suggest that screening spirometry may identify early reactive airway disease in asymptomatic individuals and should be considered as a method to identify persons predisposed to developing symptomatic asthma.

Cerebral embolization in asymptomatic versus symptomatic patients after carotid stenting.

PubMed

Tulip, Hans H; Rosero, Eric B; Higuera, Adriana J; Ilarraza, Adriana; Valentine, R James; Timaran, Carlos H

2012-12-01

Previous studies have investigated the development of new ischemic brain lesions on diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DW-MRI) after carotid artery stenting (CAS). The rate of ischemic brain injury after CAS for asymptomatic stenosis has not been extensively studied but is presumed to be less likely than in symptomatic patients. This study assessed the occurrence of cerebral embolization after CAS for asymptomatic vs symptomatic carotid stenosis. During an 18-month period, 40 patients undergoing CAS under filter embolic protection were prospectively evaluated. Transcranial Doppler (TCD) during CAS and preprocedural and 24-hour postprocedural DW-MRI were used to assess cerebral embolization. Univariate and nonparametric analyses were used to compare differences in cerebral embolization after CAS in asymptomatic and symptomatic patients. CAS was performed for 23 asymptomatic (58%) and 17 symptomatic (42%) carotid stenoses. The median microembolic counts detected by TCD were 285 (interquartile range [IQR], 182-376) for asymptomatic and 313 (IQR, 170-426) for symptomatic carotid stenosis (P=.6). DW-MRI was available for assessment in 20 asymptomatic and 14 symptomatic patients. New acute cerebral emboli detected with DW-MRI occurred in 10 asymptomatic (50%) and 7 symptomatic patients (50%) undergoing CAS (P=.9). The ipsilateral and total median number of DW-MRI lesions between groups were not statistically significantly different at, respectively, 1 (IQR, 0-2.5) and 1.5 (IQR, 0-3) for asymptomatic vs 0.5 (IQR, 0-2) and 0.5 (IQR, 0-3) for symptomatic carotid stenosis (P>.5). One asymptomatic patient sustained a minor stroke after CAS. No new neurologic events occurred in symptomatic patients. The 30-day stroke-death rate was 2.5% in this series. Cerebral embolization, as detected by TCD and DW-MRI, occurs with a similar frequency after CAS for asymptomatic and symptomatic carotid stenosis. Because postprocedural ischemic brain injury occurs in approximately

Identification and chromosomal localization of ecogenetic components of electrolyte excretion.

PubMed

Dumas, Pierre; Kren, Vladimír; Krenová, Drahomíra; Pravenec, Michal; Hamet, Pavel; Tremblay, Johanne

2002-02-01

To determine to what extent urinary excretion of blood pressure-modulating electrolytes is genetically determined, and to identify their chromosomal localization. Twenty-six rat recombinant inbred strains (RIS) originating from reciprocal crosses of normotensive Brown Norway (BN.Lx) and spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) were used. A pilot experiment on a subset of strains determined that fasting decreases the impact of environmental noise and increases that of heritability. Twenty-four-hour urinary collections were obtained from fasting rats aged 6-12 weeks (3-8 rats per strain). Sodium (Na), potassium (K) and calcium (Ca) excretions were measured, and the Na/K ratio calculated. These phenotypes served as quantitative traits for the search of quantitative trait loci (QTLs) by scanning the RIS genome that was mapped with 475 polymorphic markers. Constant Na intake resulted in a low heritability for Na excretion, reflecting the environmental impact (intake = excretion), whereas fasting revealed a gradient among RIS indicative of the genetic component of the traits. In the fasting state, a locus on chromosome 14 was found to be significantly associated with K excretion (Alb, P = 0.00002, r = -0.69, logarithm of the odds score (LOD) 3.9), whereas another locus on chromosome 10 (D10Cebrp97s5, P = 0.0003, r = -0.69, LOD 3.0) and one on chromosome 6 (D6Cebrp97s14, P = 0.0007, r = -0.65, LOD 1.9) were more significantly associated with Na excretion and the Na/K ratio respectively. The observed correlations were all negative for Na, K and Na/K, indicating a higher excretion of Na and K and a greater Na/K ratio in rats bearing BN.Lx alleles at these loci, i.e. salt retention in fasting SHR. These three loci accounted for 47-55% of variance of their associated trait, suggesting that they are the main genetic determinants for these phenotypes in basal fasting conditions. Rats bearing the Y chromosome of SHR origin had significantly higher K excretion that, in turn, led to

Pyruvate production and excretion by the luminous marine bacteria.

PubMed Central

Ruby, E G; Nealson, K H

1977-01-01

During aerobic growth on glucose, several species of luminous marine bacteria exhibited an imcomplete oxidative catabolism of substrate. Pyruvate, one of the products of glucose metabolism, was excreted into the medium during exponential growth and accounted for up to 50% of the substrate carbon metabolized. When glucose was depleted from the medium, the excreted pyruvate was promptly utilized, demonstrating that the cells are capable of pyruvate catabolism. Pyruvate excretion is not a general phenomenon of carbohydrate metabolism since it does not occur during the utilization of glycerol or maltose. When cells pregrown on glycerol were exposed to glucose, they began to excrete pyruvate, even if protein synthesis was blocked with chloramphenicol. Glucose thus appears to have an effect on the activity of preexisting catabolic enzymes. PMID:303077

Association between feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) plasma viral RNA load, concentration of acute phase proteins and disease severity.

PubMed

Kann, Rebecca K C; Seddon, Jennifer M; Kyaw-Tanner, Myat T; Henning, Joerg; Meers, Joanne

2014-08-01

Veterinarians have few tools to predict the rate of disease progression in FIV-infected cats. In contrast, in HIV infection, plasma viral RNA load and acute phase protein concentrations are commonly used as predictors of disease progression. This study evaluated these predictors in cats naturally infected with FIV. In older cats (>5 years), log10 FIV RNA load was higher in the terminal stages of disease compared to the asymptomatic stage. There was a significant association between log10 FIV RNA load and both log10 serum amyloid A concentration and age in unwell FIV-infected cats. This study suggests that viral RNA load and serum amyloid A warrant further investigation as predictors of disease status and prognosis in FIV-infected cats. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Asymptomatic embolisation for prediction of stroke in the Asymptomatic Carotid Emboli Study (ACES): a prospective observational study

PubMed Central

Markus, Hugh S; King, Alice; Shipley, Martin; Topakian, Raffi; Cullinane, Marisa; Reihill, Sheila; Bornstein, Natan M; Schaafsma, Arjen

2010-01-01

Summary Background Whether surgery is beneficial for patients with asymptomatic carotid stenosis is controversial. Better methods of identifying patients who are likely to develop stroke would improve the risk–benefit ratio for carotid endarterectomy. We aimed to investigate whether detection of asymptomatic embolic signals by use of transcranial doppler (TCD) could predict stroke risk in patients with asymptomatic carotid stenosis. Methods The Asymptomatic Carotid Emboli Study (ACES) was a prospective observational study in patients with asymptomatic carotid stenosis of at least 70% from 26 centres worldwide. To detect the presence of embolic signals, patients had two 1 h TCD recordings from the ipsilateral middle cerebral artery at baseline and one 1 h recording at 6, 12, and 18 months. Patients were followed up for 2 years. The primary endpoint was ipsilateral stroke and transient ischaemic attack. All recordings were analysed centrally by investigators masked to patient identity. Findings 482 patients were recruited, of whom 467 had evaluable recordings. Embolic signals were present in 77 of 467 patients at baseline. The hazard ratio for the risk of ipsilateral stroke and transient ischaemic attack from baseline to 2 years in patients with embolic signals compared with those without was 2·54 (95% CI 1·20–5·36; p=0·015). For ipsilateral stroke alone, the hazard ratio was 5·57 (1·61–19·32; p=0·007). The absolute annual risk of ipsilateral stroke or transient ischaemic attack between baseline and 2 years was 7·13% in patients with embolic signals and 3·04% in those without, and for ipsilateral stroke was 3·62% in patients with embolic signals and 0·70% in those without. The hazard ratio for the risk of ipsilateral stroke and transient ischaemic attack for patients who had embolic signals on the recording preceding the next 6-month follow-up compared with those who did not was 2·63 (95% CI 1·01–6·88; p=0·049), and for ipsilateral stroke

Faecal carriage of extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae and Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli in asymptomatic nursery children in Lower Saxony (Germany), 2014.

PubMed

Harries, M; Dreesman, J; Rettenbacher-Riefler, S; Mertens, E

2016-09-09

Children may be at higher risk for carriage of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria because of higher usage of antimicrobials. They also have higher rates of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) infections than other population groups. Some infections, particularly in children, are asymptomatic, but still lead to the excretion of large numbers of bacteria and viruses that may cause clinical disease in other individuals. That is one reason why, in Lower Saxony as in other German federal states - asymptomatic carriers of STEC are excluded from nurseries and schools until three consecutive stool samples test negative in order to prevent secondary cases. The prevalence of children who are asymptomatic STEC carriers is unknown. But if it is high, this measure would have substantial socioeconomic effects on families. Infections with extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (ESBL-E) are an increasing problem for public health, especially for hospitals. However, there are no reliable estimates of the prevalence of asymptomatic ESBL-E carriers in Lower Saxony, as there is no mandatory requirement to report these carriers. In order to discuss the exclusion policies for children attending nurseries and ascertain a baseline of ESBL-E carriers, we conducted a cross-sectional study. The aim was to determine the prevalence of ESBL-E and STEC and identify risk factors for carriage in nursery children without diarrhoea (asymptomatic) aged 0-6 years in four selected districts in Northern Germany. During April-September 2014, we collected stool specimens with the support of voluntarily participating nurseries. We tested for STEC by PCR and for ESBL-E on chromogenic agar. Questionnaires answered by parents contained data on eating and drinking habits, outdoor activities, prior antibiotic treatment and animal contact for each participating child. We compared the epidemiological characteristics of ESBL-E carriers vs. non-carriers by using univariable analysis (P

Urinary Angiotensinogen and Renin Excretion are Associated with Chronic Kidney Disease.

PubMed

Juretzko, Annett; Steinbach, Antje; Hannemann, Anke; Endlich, Karlhans; Endlich, Nicole; Friedrich, Nele; Lendeckel, Uwe; Stracke, Sylvia; Rettig, Rainer

2017-01-01

Several studies sought to identify new biomarkers for chronic kidney disease (CKD). As the renal renin-angiotensin system is activated in CKD, urinary angiotensinogen or renin excretion may be suitable candidates. We tested whether urinary angiotensinogen or renin excretion is elevated in CKD and whether these parameters are associated with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). We further tested whether urinary angiotensinogen or renin excretion may convey additional information beyond that provided by albuminuria. We measured urinary and plasma angiotensinogen, renin, albumin and creatinine in 177 CKD patients from the Greifswald Approach to Individualized Medicine project and in 283 healthy controls from the Study of Health in Pomerania. The urinary excretion of specific proteins is given as protein-to-creatinine ratio. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, spearman correlation coefficients and linear regression models were calculated. Urinary angiotensinogen [2,511 (196-31,909) vs. 18.6 (8.3-44.0) pmol/g, *P<0.01] and renin excretion [0.311 (0.135-1.155) vs. 0.069 (0.045-0.148) pmol/g, *P<0.01] were significantly higher in CKD patients than in healthy controls. The area under the ROC curve was significantly larger when urinary angiotensinogen, renin and albumin excretion were combined than with urinary albumin excretion alone. Urinary angiotensinogen (ß-coefficient -2.405, standard error 0.117, P<0.01) and renin excretion (ß-coefficient -0.793, standard error 0.061, P<0.01) were inversely associated with eGFR. Adjustment for albuminuria, age, sex, systolic blood pressure and body mass index did not significantly affect the results. Urinary angiotensinogen and renin excretion are elevated in CKD patients. Both parameters are negatively associated with eGFR and these associations are independent of urinary albumin excretion. In CKD patients urinary angiotensinogen and renin excretion may convey additional information beyond that provided by

Plasma potassium and diurnal cyclic potassium excretion in the rat.

PubMed

Rabinowitz, L; Berlin, R; Yamauchi, H

1987-12-01

The relation of the plasma potassium concentration to the daily cyclic variation in potassium excretion was examined in undisturbed, unanesthetized male Sprague-Dawley rats maintained on a liquid diet in a 12-h light-dark environment. Potassium excretion increased from a light-phase minimum of 16 mu eq/h to a peak of 256 mu eq/h 3 h after the beginning of the dark phase. Plasma potassium concentration in arterial blood, sampled in rats at 90-min intervals during these changes in potassium excretion, showed no significant change and was in the range 4.50-4.99 meq/liter. In adrenalectomized rats receiving aldosterone and dexamethasone at constant basal rates by implanted pumps, the daily cycle of potassium excretion was the same as in the intact rats, and plasma potassium was not significantly different when measured at the time of minimum and maximum rates of potassium excretion (4.79 +/- 0.42 vs 5.16 +/- 0.47 meq/liter, mean +/- SD). These results indicate that plasma potassium concentration is not the efferent factor controlling diurnal cyclic changes in potassium excretion in adrenal intact rats and may not be the only significant factor in adrenalectomized-steroid replaced rats.

Effects of diet on titratable acid-base excretion in grasshoppers.

PubMed

Frazier, M R; Harrison, J F; Behmer, S T

2000-01-01

Despite the potential for diet to affect organismal acid-base status, especially in herbivores, little is known about the effects of diet on acid-base loading and excretion. We tested the effects of diet on acid-base loading and excretion in grasshoppers by (a) comparing the fecal acid-base content of 15 grasshopper species collected from the field and (b) comparing fecal acid-base excretion rates of Schistocerca americana grasshoppers fed vegetable diets that differed in their ashed and raw acid-base contents. The field experiments indicated that grass-feeding species excrete fairly neutral fecal pellets, while forb/mixed-feeding species vary widely in their fecal acid-base contents. In the laboratory experiment, acid-base excretion rates were positively correlated with dietary ashed base intake rates but were not correlated with the acid-base content of raw, unashed diet or feeding rate. These experiments suggest that some diets could strongly challenge the acid-base homeostasis of herbivores; in some grasshoppers, dietary acid-base loads could produce certainly lethal 1-unit changes in average body pH within 6 h if they were not excreted.

Asymptomatic proteinuria. Clinical significance.

PubMed

Papper, S

1977-09-01

Patients with asymptomatic proteinuria have varied reasons for the proteinuria and travel diverse courses. In the individual with normal renal function and no systemic cause, ie, idiopathic asymptomatic proteinuria, the outlook is generally favorable. Microscopic hematuria probably raises some degree of question about prognosis. The kidney shows normal glomeruli, subtle changes, or an identifiable lesion. The initial approach includes a clinical and laboratory search for systemic disease, repeated urinalyses, quantitative measurements of proteinuria, determination of creatinine clearance, protein electrophoresis where indicated, and intravenous pyelography. The need for regularly scheduled follow-up evaluation is emphasized. Although the initial approach need not include renal biopsy, a decline in creatinine clearance, an increase in proteinuria, or both are indications for biopsy and consideration of drug therapy.

Biliary excretion of intravenous (/sup 14/C) omeprazole in humans

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lind, T.; Andersson, T.; Skanberg, I.O.

1987-11-01

We have studied the biliary excretion of (/sup 14/C) omeprazole in humans. The study was performed in eight healthy subjects and the technique used was based on multiple marker dilution principles with double-lumen tubes placed in both the stomach and intestine. The results obtained show a 16% biliary excretion of (/sup 14/C) omeprazole. These data suggest a minimal spillover of omeprazole from the gastric mucosa into the gastric lumen in humans. The results also agree with previous data of the fecal recovery of radiolabeled omeprazole that suggest that the fecal excretion of intravenous omeprazole in humans is entirely accounted formore » by biliary excretion.« less

Clinical, biochemical, virological and sonographic profile of incidentally detected asymptomatic HBsAg positive subjects, in Bangladesh.

PubMed

Ishaque, S M; Mahmuduzzaman, M; Rahman, M A; Uddoula, M S; Rahman, M Z; Khan, M R; Chowdhury, M S

2014-01-01

Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) is known to be the significant cause of Liver related morbidity and mortality, affecting 400 million people worldwide and a major public health problem in Bangladesh where carrier rates of HBV infection varies from 7.5 to 10%. In Bangladesh prevalence of asymptomatic HBV infection and incidentally detected HBsAg positive subjects were not well studied. The aim of this study is to evaluate the disease activity, replicative status of the virus and to find out the stages of chronic liver disease among incidentally detected asymptomatic HBsAg positive Bangladeshi subjects. Two hundred (200) incidentally detected healthy HBsAg positive subject were evaluated clinically, biochemically, serologically and ultrasonographically from January 2004 to June 2008. HBeAg was found positive in 17(8.5%), anti-HBe was positive in 174(87%), raised serum ALT (>45iu/L) in 45(22.5%), prothrombine time (PT) >3 sec of control in 33(16.5%). Ultrasonography showed coarse hepatic echotexture in 13(6.5%). Evidence of active viral replication and signs of chronic liver disease were observed among incidentally detected healthy HBsAg positive subjects. Such individuals should be followed up at regular interval to evaluate the replicative status of the virus and disease activity so that appropriate measures could be initiated in time.

Asymptomatic bacteriuria: when to screen and when to treat.

PubMed

Nicolle, Lindsay E

2003-06-01

Asymptomatic bacteriuria is common. Populations with structural or functional abnormalities of the genitourinary tract may have an exceedingly high prevalence of bacteriuria, but even healthy individuals frequently have positive urine cultures. Asymptomatic bacteriuria is seldom associated with adverse outcomes. Pregnant women and individuals who are to undergo traumatic genitourinary interventions are at risk for complications of bacteriuria and benefit from screening and treatment programs. Although screening is recommended for renal transplant recipients, the benefits for these patients are less clear. For other populations, including most bacteriuric individuals, negative outcomes attributable to asymptomatic bacteriuria have not been described. Treatment of asymptomatic bacteriuria in these patients is not beneficial and, in fact, may be associated with harmful outcomes, such as increased short-term frequency of symptomatic infection, adverse drug effects, and reinfection with organisms of increased antimicrobial resistance. Screening for asymptomatic bacteriuria and treatment is recommended for only selected groups where benefit has been shown. Many research questions still need to be addressed. Different populations have unique risk factors, and the benefits and risks of different management approaches for asymptomatic bacteriuria must continue to be addressed systematically in appropriate clinical trials.

Dietary intake and urinary excretion of lignans in Finnish men.

PubMed

Nurmi, Tarja; Mursu, Jaakko; Peñalvo, José L; Poulsen, Henrik E; Voutilainen, Sari

2010-03-01

Intake of lignans has been assessed in different study populations, but so far none of the studies has compared the daily intake of lignans and the urinary excretion of plant and enterolignans. We assessed the intake of lariciresinol, pinoresinol, secoisolariciresinol and matairesinol in 100 Finnish men consuming their habitual omnivorous diet, and measured the 24 h urinary excretion of plant and enterolignans to compare the intake and metabolism. Dietary determinants of lignan intake and their urinary excretion were also determined. The mean intake of lignans was 1224 (sd 539) mug/d, of which lariciresinol and pinoresinol covered 78 %. Almost half (47 %) of the intake of lignans was explained by the intake of rye products, berries, coffee, tea and roots. The urinary excretion of plant lignans corresponded to 17 % and enterolignans to 92 % of the intake of lignans. The urinary excretion of plant lignans was explained 14 % by the intake of rye products and intake of coffee, and consequently 3-7 % by the intake of water-insoluble fibre. The urinary excretion of enterolactone was explained 11 % by the intake of vegetables and rye products, 14 % by the intake of water-soluble fibre and only 4 % by the intake of lariciresinol. Although the assessed intake of lignans corresponded well with the urinary excretion of lignans, the enterolactone production in the human body depended more on the dietary sources of lignans than the absolute intake of lignans.

Evaluating the frequency of asymptomatic Ebola virus infection.

PubMed

Mbala, Placide; Baguelin, Marc; Ngay, Ipos; Rosello, Alicia; Mulembakani, Prime; Demiris, Nikolaos; Edmunds, W John; Muyembe, Jean-Jacques

2017-05-26

The potential for asymptomatic infection from Ebola viruses has long been questioned. Knowing the proportion of infections that are asymptomatic substantially changes the predictions made by mathematical models and alters the corresponding decisions based upon these models. To assess the degree of asymptomatic infection occurring during an Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak, we carried out a serological survey in the Djera district of the Equateur province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo affected by an Ebola outbreak in 2014. We sampled all asymptomatic residents ( n = 182) of 48 households where at least one case of EVD was detected. To control for potential background seroprevalence of Ebola antibodies in the population, we also sampled 188 individuals from 92 households in an unaffected area with a similar demographic background. We tested the sera collected for anti-Ebola IgG and IgM antibodies at four different dilutions. We then developed a mixture model to estimate the likely number of asymptomatic patients who developed IgM and IgG responses to Ebola antigens in both groups. While we detected an association between medium to high titres and age, we did not detect any evidence of increased asymptomatic infection in the individuals who resided in the same household as cases.This article is part of the themed issue 'The 2013-2016 West African Ebola epidemic: data, decision-making and disease control'. © 2017 The Author(s).

Increased leukotriene E4 excretion in systemic mastocytosis.

PubMed

Butterfield, Joseph H

2010-06-01

Cysteinyl leukotrienes such as LTE(4) are produced by mast cells, neutrophils, eosinophils, and macrophages. LTE(4) levels have not been reported in systemic mastocytosis, a disorder with a large increase in mast cell numbers. Urinary LTE(4) from patients referred for symptoms potentially due to mast cell degranulation or systemic mastocytosis was measured by a commercial cysteinyl leukotriene enzyme immunoassay kit. The diagnosis of systemic mastocytosis was established using current World Health Organization criteria. Compared with a control group of patients with various potential mast cell-related symptoms (e.g., "spells"), patients with systemic mastocytosis had a significant (P=.01) increase in urinary LTE(4) excretion, whether expressed as LTE(4) ng/g creatinine or as LTE(4) ng/24h. There was a moderate correlation of LTE(4) ng/24h with excretion of N-methyl histamine and serum tryptase but not with urinary 11beta-prostaglandin F(2alpha) (11beta-PGF(2alpha)) excretion. LTE(4) excretion is increased in patients with systemic mastocytosis and potentially contributes to clinical symptoms. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Ribonucleic Acid Synthesis and Glutamate Excretion in Escherichia coli

PubMed Central

Broda, Paul

1968-01-01

Cultures of Escherichia coli excreted glutamate into the medium when protein synthesis was blocked in RCrel strains or when it was blocked with chloramphenicol in either RCstr or RCrel strains. Both of these conditions resulted in continued ribonucleic acid (RNA) synthesis in the absence of protein synthesis. Glutamate was also excreted by both RCstr and RCrel strains when RNA synthesis was inhibited by uracil starvation or by treatment with actinomycin D. It is proposed that, in each of these cases, glutamate excretion resulted from an increase in the permeability of the cell membrane. PMID:4973126

A viral deubiquitylating enzyme targets viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase and affects viral infectivity

PubMed Central

Chenon, Mélanie; Camborde, Laurent; Cheminant, Soizic; Jupin, Isabelle

2012-01-01

Selective protein degradation via the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) plays an essential role in many major cellular processes, including host–pathogen interactions. We previously reported that the tightly regulated viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) of the positive-strand RNA virus Turnip yellow mosaic virus (TYMV) is degraded by the UPS in infected cells, a process that affects viral infectivity. Here, we show that the TYMV 98K replication protein can counteract this degradation process thanks to its proteinase domain. In-vitro assays revealed that the recombinant proteinase domain is a functional ovarian tumour (OTU)-like deubiquitylating enzyme (DUB), as is the 98K produced during viral infection. We also demonstrate that 98K mediates in-vivo deubiquitylation of TYMV RdRp protein—its binding partner within replication complexes—leading to its stabilization. Finally, we show that this DUB activity contributes to viral infectivity in plant cells. The identification of viral RdRp as a specific substrate of the viral DUB enzyme thus reveals the intricate interplay between ubiquitylation, deubiquitylation and the interaction between viral proteins in controlling levels of RdRp and viral infectivity. PMID:22117220

Effect of monofluoroacetate on renal H+ excretion in the rat.

PubMed

Simonnet, H; Gauthier, C; Pellet, M V

1979-05-01

In order to investigate the effect of monofluoroacetate (MFA) on renal H+ excretion, anesthetized rats under mannitol diuresis were given intraperitoneally MFA and some of the acido-basic status parameters were determined. Urinary pH and pCO2 did not change after MFA administration, while urinary flow rate increased. MFA induced a decrease in H+ net excretion and in ammonia excretion. Titratable acidity did not change significantly within the experiment.

EXCRETION OF P$sup 32$ AFTER THERAPY FOR POLYCYTHEMIA RUBRA VERA

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Weijer, D.L.; Duggan, H.E.; Scott, D.B.

1962-09-01

Fifteen subjects undergoing treatment for polycythemia rubra vera were given P/sup 32/. Carrier-free P/sup 32/ was administered intravenously in 11 and orally in 6. Total excretion studies were carried out in each case for periods of 5 to 22 days. Average urinary excretion of P/sup 32/, as a percentage of the initial dose to the end of 3 days for the entire series, was 14.3%, with limits of 6.4 and 18.7%. The corresponding 5-day average amounted to 17.8%, with limits of 7.5 and 22.5%. In the six patients treated orally, the average 3-day urinary excretion was 11.2% and for 5more » days was 14.2%. For the 11 patients treated intravenously, the average 3-day excretion was 16.1%, the average 5-day excretion 19.8%. The average fecal excretion as a percentage of the initial dose to the end of 3 days was 1.7%, with limits of 0.1 and 5.5%, and the average 5-day excretion was 2.5%, with limits 0.5 and 5.9%. In the orally treated fasting group the total stool excretion to the end of 3 days was 2.0 and 2.5% at the end of 5 days. Of the 10 polycythemia patients treated intravenously, the stool excretion to the end of 3 days was 1.5% and at 5 days 2.5%. Under fasting conditions (both before and after the administration of P/sup 32/) with little or no carrier added, the fecal excretion of P/sup 32/is small. Thus, the total excretion of P/sup 32/ does not differ significantly for oral and intravenous administration. Hence, despite contrary reports, it appears that under fasting conditions of administration it is not necessary to increase the oral dose of P/ sup 32/ to 4/3 of the intravenous dose in order to obtain equivalent absorption of the administered dose. It is concluded that the P/sup 32/ content of urine in the first 24 hr after therapy, by either route of administration, indicates whether or not a particular patient will retain the dose within normal limits. (BBB)« less

Asymptomatic bacteriuria and symptomatic urinary tract infections in pregnancy.

PubMed

Schnarr, J; Smaill, F

2008-10-01

Symptomatic and asymptomatic bacteriuria is common in pregnant women. A history of previous urinary tract infections and low socioeconomic status are risk factors for bacteriuria in pregnancy. Escherichia coli is the most common aetiologic agent in both symptomatic and asymptomatic infection and quantitative culture is the gold standard for diagnosis. Treatment of asymptomatic bacteriuria has been shown to reduce the rate of pyelonephritis in pregnancy and therefore screening for and treatment of asymptomatic bacteriuria has become a standard of obstetrical care. Antibiotic treatment of asymptomatic bacteriuria is associated with a decrease in the incidence of low birth weight, but the methodological quality of the studies limits the strength of the conclusions that can be drawn. Debate exists in the literature as to whether treated pyelonephritis is associated with adverse fetal outcomes. There is no clear consensus in the literature on antibiotic choice or duration of therapy for infection. With increasing antibiotic resistance, consideration of local resistance rates is necessary when choosing therapy.

Asymptomatic dystrophinopathy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Morrone, A.; Hoffman, E.P.; Hoop, R.C.

1997-03-31

A 4-year-old girl was referred for evaluation for a mild but persistent serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST) elevation detected incidentally during routine blood screening for a skin infection. Serum creatine kinase activity was found to be increased. Immuno-histochemical study for dystrophin in her muscle biopsy showed results consistent with a carrier state for muscular dystrophy. Molecular work-up showed the proposita to be a carrier of a deletion mutation of exon 48 of the dystrophin gene. Four male relatives also had the deletion mutation, yet showed no clinical symptoms of muscular dystrophy (age range 8-58 yrs). Linkage analysis of the dystrophin genemore » in the family showed a spontaneous change of an STR45 allele, which could be due to either an intragenic double recombination event, or CA repeat length mutation leading to identical size alleles. To our knowledge, this is the first documentation of an asymptomatic dystrophinopathy in multiple males of advanced age. Based on molecular findings, this family would be given a diagnosis of Becker muscular dystrophy. This diagnosis implies the development of clinical symptoms, even though this family is clearly asymptomatic. This report underscores the caution which must be exercised when giving presymptomatic diagnoses based on molecular studies. 28 refs., 4 figs., 1 tab.« less

Psychiatric morbidity in asymptomatic human immunodeficiency virus patients.

PubMed

Chauhan, V S; Chaudhury, Suprakash; Sudarsanan, S; Srivastava, Kalpana

2013-07-01

Psychiatric morbidity in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) patients is being studied all over the world. There is paucity of Indian literature particularly in asymptomatic HIV individuals. The aim of the following study is to establish the prevalence and the determinants of psychiatric morbidity in asymptomatic HIV patients. A cross-sectional study was undertaken to assess psychiatric morbidity as per ICD-10 dacryocystorhinostomy criteria in 100 consecutive asymptomatic seropositive HIV patients and an equal number of age, sex, education, economic and marital status matched HIV seronegative control. All subjects were assessed with the general health questionnaire (GHQ), mini mental status examination, hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS) and sensation seeking scale (SSS) and the scores were analyzed statistically. Asymptomatic HIV positive patients had significantly higher GHQ caseness and depression but not anxiety on HADS as compared to HIV seronegative controls. On SSS asymptomatic HIV seropositive subjects showed significant higher scores in thrill and adventure seeking, experience seeking and boredom susceptibility as compared to controls. HIV seropositive patients had significantly higher incidence of total psychiatric morbidity. Among the individual disorders, alcohol dependence syndrome, sexual dysfunction and adjustment disorder were significantly increased compared with HIV seronegative controls. Psychiatric morbidity is higher in asymptomatic HIV patients when compared to HIV seronegative controls. Among the individual disorders, alcohol dependence syndrome, sexual dysfunction and adjustment disorder were significantly increased compared with HIV seronegative controls. High sensation seeking and substance abuse found in HIV seropositive patients may play a vital role in engaging in high-risk behavior resulting in this dreaded illness.

Control of potassium excretion: a Paleolithic perspective.

PubMed

Halperin, Mitchell L; Cheema-Dhadli, Surinder; Lin, Shih-Hua; Kamel, Kamel S

2006-07-01

Regulation of potassium (K) excretion was examined in an experimental setting that reflects the dietary conditions for humans in Paleolithic times (high, episodic intake of K with organic anions; low intake of NaCl), because this is when major control mechanisms were likely to have developed. The major control of K secretion in this setting is to regulate the number of luminal K channels in the cortical collecting duct. Following a KCl load, the K concentration in the medullary interstitial compartment rose; the likely source of this medullary K was its absorption by the H/K-ATPase in the inner medullary collecting duct. As a result of the higher medullary K concentration, the absorption of Na and Cl was inhibited in the loop of Henle, and this led to an increased distal delivery of a sufficient quantity of Na to raise K excretion markedly, while avoiding a large natriuresis. In addition, because K in the diet was accompanied by 'future' bicarbonate, a role for bicarbonate in the control of K secretion via 'selecting' whether aldosterone would be a NaCl-conserving or a kaliuretic hormone is discussed. This way of examining the control of K excretion provides new insights into clinical disorders with an abnormal plasma K concentration secondary to altered K excretion, and also into the pathophysiology of calcium-containing kidney stones.

Interplay of biopharmaceutics, biopharmaceutics drug disposition and salivary excretion classification systems

PubMed Central

Idkaidek, Nasir M.

2013-01-01

The aim of this commentary is to investigate the interplay of Biopharmaceutics Classification System (BCS), Biopharmaceutics Drug Disposition Classification System (BDDCS) and Salivary Excretion Classification System (SECS). BCS first classified drugs based on permeability and solubility for the purpose of predicting oral drug absorption. Then BDDCS linked permeability with hepatic metabolism and classified drugs based on metabolism and solubility for the purpose of predicting oral drug disposition. On the other hand, SECS classified drugs based on permeability and protein binding for the purpose of predicting the salivary excretion of drugs. The role of metabolism, rather than permeability, on salivary excretion is investigated and the results are not in agreement with BDDCS. Conclusion The proposed Salivary Excretion Classification System (SECS) can be used as a guide for drug salivary excretion based on permeability (not metabolism) and protein binding. PMID:24493977

Urine alkalization facilitates uric acid excretion

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background Increase in the incidence of hyperuricemia associated with gout as well as hypertension, renal diseases and cardiovascular diseases has been a public health concern. We examined the possibility of facilitated excretion of uric acid by change in urine pH by managing food materials. Methods Within the framework of the Japanese government's health promotion program, we made recipes which consist of protein-rich and less vegetable-fruit food materials for H+-load (acid diet) and others composed of less protein but vegetable-fruit rich food materials (alkali diet). Healthy female students were enrolled in this consecutive 5-day study for each test. From whole-day collected urine, total volume, pH, organic acid, creatinine, uric acid and all cations (Na+,K+,Ca2+,Mg2+,NH4+) and anions (Cl-,SO42-,PO4-) necessary for the estimation of acid-base balance were measured. Results Urine pH reached a steady state 3 days after switching from ordinary daily diets to specified regimens. The amount of acid generated ([SO42-] +organic acid-gut alkai) were linearly related with those of the excretion of acid (titratable acidity+ [NH4+] - [HCO3-]), indicating that H+ in urine is generated by the metabolic degradation of food materials. Uric acid and excreted urine pH retained a linear relationship, where uric acid excretion increased from 302 mg/day at pH 5.9 to 413 mg/day at pH 6.5, despite the fact that the alkali diet contained a smaller purine load than the acid diet. Conclusion We conclude that alkalization of urine by eating nutritionally well-designed food is effective for removing uric acid from the body. PMID:20955624

Salivary glucose concentration and excretion in normal and diabetic subjects.

PubMed

Jurysta, Cedric; Bulur, Nurdan; Oguzhan, Berrin; Satman, Ilhan; Yilmaz, Temel M; Malaisse, Willy J; Sener, Abdullah

2009-01-01

The present report aims mainly at a reevaluation of salivary glucose concentration and excretion in unstimulated and mechanically stimulated saliva in both normal and diabetic subjects. In normal subjects, a decrease in saliva glucose concentration, an increase in salivary flow, but an unchanged glucose excretion rate were recorded when comparing stimulated saliva to unstimulated saliva. In diabetic patients, an increase in salivary flow with unchanged salivary glucose concentration and glucose excretion rate were observed under the same experimental conditions. Salivary glucose concentration and excretion were much higher in diabetic patients than in control subjects, whether in unstimulated or stimulated saliva. No significant correlation between glycemia and either glucose concentration or glucose excretion rate was found in the diabetic patients, whether in unstimulated or stimulated saliva. In the latter patients, as compared to control subjects, the relative magnitude of the increase in saliva glucose concentration was comparable, however, to that of blood glucose concentration. The relationship between these two variables was also documented in normal subjects and diabetic patients undergoing an oral glucose tolerance test.

Asymptomatic Bacteriuria Caused by Chromobacterium violaceum in an Immunocompetent Adult.

PubMed

Pant, Narayan Dutt; Sharma, Manisha; Khatiwada, Saroj

2015-01-01

Because of increasing antimicrobial resistance, the treatment of the asymptomatic bacteriuria is not considered except in specific circumstances like during pregnancy or before invasive urologic procedures. We are reporting a first case of asymptomatic bacteriuria caused by Chromobacterium violaceum in a 16-year-old male. With the reporting of the C. violaceum which is notorious for its high propensity for hematogenous dissemination causing fatal sepsis (with reported mortality rate up to 65-80%) if prompt proper treatment is not given, as causative agent of asymptomatic bacteriuria, it is recommended to treat the asymptomatic bacteriuria caused by this organism.

Variability of urinary salt excretion estimated by spot urine in treated hypertensive patients.

PubMed

Arakawa, Kimika; Sakaki, Minako; Sakata, Satoko; Oniki, Hideyuki; Tominaga, Mitsuhiro; Tsuchihashi, Takuya

2015-01-01

Among the several methods used to assess salt intake, estimating 24 h urinary salt excretion by spot urine seems appropriate for clinical practice. In this study, we investigated variability in urinary salt excretion using spot urine in hypertensive outpatients. Participants included 200 hypertensive patients who underwent spot urinary salt excretion at least three times during the observation period. Mean urinary salt excretion and the coefficient of the variation were 8.62 ± 1.96 g/day and 19.0 ± 10.2%, respectively. In the analysis of participants who underwent assessment of urinary salt excretion at least eight times (n = 54), a significant reduction in mean urinary salt excretion was found at the 5th measurement. On the contrary, the coefficient of the variation of urinary salt excretion continued to increase until the 5th measurement, and became stable thereafter. Mean urinary salt excretion was positively correlated with mean clinic diastolic blood pressure (r = 0.27, p < 0.05). Clinic diastolic blood pressure in the high urinary salt excretion group (≥ 10 g/day) was significantly higher than that of the low group (76.2 ± 7.5 vs 73.4 ± 8.3 mmHg, p < 0.05). Mean urinary salt excretion in summer was significantly lower than that of the other seasons (7.75 ± 1.94 vs 9.09 ± 2.68 (spring), 8.72 ± 2.12 (autumn), 8.92 ± 2.17 (winter) g/day, p < 0.01). In conclusion, repeated measurements of urinary salt excretion using spot urine are required to assess daily salt intake of hypertensive patients.

Detection of African swine fever virus DNA in blood samples stored on FTA cards from asymptomatic pigs in Mbeya region, Tanzania.

PubMed

Braae, U C; Johansen, M V; Ngowi, H A; Rasmussen, T B; Nielsen, J; Uttenthal, Å

2015-02-01

The aim of the study was to assess whether blood samples collected onto FTA(®) cards could be used in combination with real-time PCR for the detection of African swine fever virus (ASFV) DNA in samples from resource-poor settings under the assumption that asymptomatically (sub-clinically) infected pigs may be present. Blood samples were collected from clinically healthy pigs from Mbeya Region, Tanzania. The blood samples were stored on FTA(®) cards and analysed by real-time PCR assays in duplicate; three pigs had high levels of viral DNA (Ct values of 27-29), and three pigs had a low level of viral DNA (Ct 36-45). Four pigs were positive in one of the duplicate samples only, but clear products of the expected size were obtained when the reactions were analysed by gel electrophoresis. For comparison, blood samples from pigs experimentally infected with either a pathogenic (OURT T88/1) or a non-pathogenic (OURT T88/3) isolate of ASFV were collected, stored on FTA(®) cards and analysed in the same way. The blood from pigs infected with the OURT T88/1 isolate showed high levels of viral DNA (Ct 22-33), whereas infection with non-pathogenic OURT T88/3 isolate resulted in only low levels of viral DNA (Ct 39) in samples collected at 10-14 days after inoculation. © 2013 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Viral Infections

MedlinePlus

... to fight it off. For most viral infections, treatments can only help with symptoms while you wait ... for viral infections. There are antiviral medicines to treat some viral infections. Vaccines can help prevent you ...

Nuclear targeting of viral and non-viral DNA.

PubMed

Chowdhury, E H

2009-07-01

The nuclear envelope presents a major barrier to transgene delivery and expression using a non-viral vector. Virus is capable of overcoming the barrier to deliver their genetic materials efficiently into the nucleus by virtue of the specialized protein components with the unique amino acid sequences recognizing cellular nuclear transport machinery. However, considering the safety issues in the clinical gene therapy for treating critical human diseases, non-viral systems are highly promising compared with their viral counterparts. This review summarizes the progress on exploring the nuclear traffic mechanisms for the prominent viral vectors and the technological innovations for the nuclear delivery of non-viral DNA by mimicking those natural processes evolved for the viruses as well as for many cellular proteins.

Relation of Urinary Calcium and Magnesium Excretion to Blood Pressure

PubMed Central

Kesteloot†, Hugo; Tzoulaki, Ioanna; Brown, Ian J.; Chan, Queenie; Wijeyesekera, Anisha; Ueshima, Hirotsugu; Zhao, Liancheng; Dyer, Alan R.; Unwin, Robert J.; Stamler, Jeremiah; Elliott, Paul

2011-01-01

Data indicate an inverse association between dietary calcium and magnesium intakes and blood pressure (BP); however, much less is known about associations between urinary calcium and magnesium excretion and BP in general populations. The authors assessed the relation of BP to 24-hour excretion of calcium and magnesium in 2 cross-sectional studies. The International Study of Macro- and Micro-Nutrients and Blood Pressure (INTERMAP) comprised 4,679 persons aged 40–59 years from 17 population samples in China, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States, and the International Cooperative Study on Salt, Other Factors, and Blood Pressure (INTERSALT) comprised 10,067 persons aged 20–59 years from 52 samples around the world. Timed 24-hour urine collections, BP measurements, and nutrient data from four 24-hour dietary recalls (INTERMAP) were collected. In multiple linear regression analyses, urinary calcium excretion was directly associated with BP. After adjustment for multiple confounders (including weight, height, alcohol intake, calcium intake, urinary sodium level, and urinary potassium intake), systolic BP was 1.9 mm Hg higher per each 4.1 mmol per 24 hours (2 standard deviations) of higher urinary calcium excretion (associations were smaller for diastolic BP) in INTERMAP. Qualitatively similar associations were observed in INTERSALT analyses. Associations between magnesium excretion and BP were small and nonsignificant for most of the models examined. The present data suggest that altered calcium homoeostasis, as exhibited by increased calcium excretion, is associated with higher BP levels. PMID:21624957

Pharmacokinetics, tissue distribution, and excretion of zinc oxide nanoparticles

PubMed Central

Baek, Miri; Chung, Hae-Eun; Yu, Jin; Lee, Jung-A; Kim, Tae-Hyun; Oh, Jae-Min; Lee, Won-Jae; Paek, Seung-Min; Lee, Jong Kwon; Jeong, Jayoung; Choy, Jin-Ho; Choi, Soo-Jin

2012-01-01

Background This study explored the pharmacokinetics, tissue distribution, and excretion profile of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles with respect to their particle size in rats. Methods Two ZnO nanoparticles of different size (20 nm and 70 nm) were orally administered to male and female rats, respectively. The area under the plasma concentration-time curve, tissue distribution, excretion, and the fate of the nanoparticles in organs were analyzed. Results The plasma zinc concentration of both sizes of ZnO nanoparticles increased during the 24 hours after administration in a dose-dependent manner. They were mainly distributed to organs such as the liver, lung, and kidney within 72 hours without any significant difference being found according to particle size or rat gender. Elimination kinetics showed that a small amount of ZnO nanoparticles was excreted via the urine, while most of nanoparticles were excreted via the feces. Transmission electron microscopy and x-ray absorption spectroscopy studies in the tissues showed no noticeable ZnO nanoparticles, while new Zn-S bonds were observed in tissues. Conclusion ZnO nanoparticles of different size were not easily absorbed into the bloodstream via the gastrointestinal tract after a single oral dose. The liver, lung, and kidney could be possible target organs for accumulation and toxicity of ZnO nanoparticles was independent of particle size or gender. ZnO nanoparticles appear to be absorbed in the organs in an ionic form rather than in a particulate form due to newly formed Zn-S bonds. The nanoparticles were mainly excreted via the feces, and smaller particles were cleared more rapidly than the larger ones. ZnO nanoparticles at a concentration below 300 mg/kg were distributed in tissues and excreted within 24 hours. These findings provide crucial information on possible acute and chronic toxicity of ZnO nanoparticles in potential target organs. PMID:22811602

Catecholamine, Corticosteroid and Ketone Excretion in Exercise and Hypoxia,

DTIC Science & Technology

OHCS excretion tended to be higher during the experimental period and subsequently lower overnight during the hypoxia week. Ketosis occurred in two...subjects. In one of these it could be readily related to previous extraneous stress. Excretion of unidentified ketones in overnight urines was sometimes suspected and occurred beyond doubt following gross ketosis . (Author)

Duration of treatment for asymptomatic bacteriuria during pregnancy.

PubMed

Widmer, Mariana; Gülmezoglu, A Metin; Mignini, Luciano; Roganti, Ariel

2011-12-07

A Cochrane systematic review has shown that drug treatment of asymptomatic bacteriuria in pregnant women substantially decreases the risk of pyelonephritis and reduces the risk of preterm delivery. However, it is not clear whether single-dose therapy is as effective as longer conventional antibiotic treatment. To assess the effects of different durations of treatment for asymptomatic bacteriuria in pregnancy. We searched the Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group's Trials Register (31 August 2011) and reference lists of identified articles. Randomized and quasi-randomized trials comparing antimicrobial therapeutic regimens that differed in duration (particularly comparing single dose with longer duration regimens) in pregnant women diagnosed with asymptomatic bacteriuria. We assessed trial quality and extracted data independently. We included 13 studies, involving 1622 women. All were comparisons of single-dose treatment with four- to seven-day treatments. The trials were generally of limited quality. The 'no cure rate' for asymptomatic bacteriuria in pregnant women was slightly higher for the single-dose than for the short-course treatment; however, these results were not statistically significant and showed heterogeneity. When comparing the trials that used the same antibiotic in both treatment and control groups with the trials that used different antibiotics in both groups, the 'no cure rate' risk ratio was similar. There was no statistically significant difference in the recurrence of asymptomatic bacteriuria rate between treatment and control groups. Slight differences were detected for preterm births and pyelonephritis although, apart from one trial, the sample size of the trials was inadequate. Single-dose treatment was associated with a decrease in reports of 'any side-effects' . Single-dose regimen of antibiotics may be less effective than the seven-day regimen. Women with asymptomatic bacteriuria in pregnancy should be treated by the standard regimen of

Association of Urinary Calcium Excretion with Serum Calcium and Vitamin D Levels

PubMed Central

Rathod, Anita; Bonny, Olivier; Guessous, Idris; Suter, Paolo M.; Conen, David; Erne, Paul; Binet, Isabelle; Gabutti, Luca; Gallino, Augusto; Muggli, Franco; Hayoz, Daniel; Péchère-Bertschi, Antoinette; Paccaud, Fred

2015-01-01

Background and objectives Population-based data on urinary calcium excretion are scarce. The association of serum calcium and circulating levels of vitamin D [25(OH)D2 or D3] with urinary calcium excretion in men and women from a population-based study was explored. Design, settings, participants, & measurements Multivariable linear regression was used to explore factors associated with square root–transformed 24-hour urinary calcium excretion (milligrams per 24 hours) taken as the dependent variable with a focus on month-specific vitamin D tertiles and serum calcium in the Swiss Survey on Salt Study. Results In total, 624 men and 669 women were studied with mean ages of 49.2 and 47.0 years, respectively (age range=15–95 years). Mean urinary calcium excretion was higher in men than in women (183.05 versus 144.60 mg/24 h; P<0.001). In adjusted models, the association (95% confidence interval) of square root urinary calcium excretion with protein–corrected serum calcium was 1.78 (95% confidence interval, 1.21 to 2.34) mg/24 h per milligram per deciliter in women and 0.59 (95% confidence interval, −0.11 to 1.29) mg/24 h per milligram per deciliter in men. Men in the third 25(OH)D3 tertile had higher square root urinary calcium excretion than men in the first tertile (0.99; 95% confidence interval, 0.36 to 1.63 mg/24 h per nanogram per milliliter), and the corresponding association was 0.32 (95% confidence interval, −0.22 to 0.85) mg/24 h per nanogram per milliliter in women. These sex differences were more marked under conditions of high urinary sodium or urea excretions. Conclusions There was a positive association of serum calcium with urinary calcium excretion in women but not men. Vitamin 25(OH)D3 was associated with urinary calcium excretion in men but not women. These results suggest important sex differences in the hormonal and dietary control of urinary calcium excretion. PMID:25518946

Association of urinary calcium excretion with serum calcium and vitamin D levels.

PubMed

Rathod, Anita; Bonny, Olivier; Guessous, Idris; Suter, Paolo M; Conen, David; Erne, Paul; Binet, Isabelle; Gabutti, Luca; Gallino, Augusto; Muggli, Franco; Hayoz, Daniel; Péchère-Bertschi, Antoinette; Paccaud, Fred; Burnier, Michel; Bochud, Murielle

2015-03-06

Population-based data on urinary calcium excretion are scarce. The association of serum calcium and circulating levels of vitamin D [25(OH)D2 or D3] with urinary calcium excretion in men and women from a population-based study was explored. Multivariable linear regression was used to explore factors associated with square root-transformed 24-hour urinary calcium excretion (milligrams per 24 hours) taken as the dependent variable with a focus on month-specific vitamin D tertiles and serum calcium in the Swiss Survey on Salt Study. In total, 624 men and 669 women were studied with mean ages of 49.2 and 47.0 years, respectively (age range=15-95 years). Mean urinary calcium excretion was higher in men than in women (183.05 versus 144.60 mg/24 h; P<0.001). In adjusted models, the association (95% confidence interval) of square root urinary calcium excretion with protein-corrected serum calcium was 1.78 (95% confidence interval, 1.21 to 2.34) mg/24 h per milligram per deciliter in women and 0.59 (95% confidence interval, -0.11 to 1.29) mg/24 h per milligram per deciliter in men. Men in the third 25(OH)D3 tertile had higher square root urinary calcium excretion than men in the first tertile (0.99; 95% confidence interval, 0.36 to 1.63 mg/24 h per nanogram per milliliter), and the corresponding association was 0.32 (95% confidence interval, -0.22 to 0.85) mg/24 h per nanogram per milliliter in women. These sex differences were more marked under conditions of high urinary sodium or urea excretions. There was a positive association of serum calcium with urinary calcium excretion in women but not men. Vitamin 25(OH)D3 was associated with urinary calcium excretion in men but not women. These results suggest important sex differences in the hormonal and dietary control of urinary calcium excretion. Copyright © 2015 by the American Society of Nephrology.

Urban commuting: crowdedness and catecholamine excretion.

PubMed

Lundberg, U

1976-09-01

Male passengers regularly commuting by train on the Stockholm-Nynäshamn line were investigated on two morning trips to Stockholm. These trips were made under different levels of crowding, before (Trip 1) and after (Trip 2) a period of gas rationing during the oil crisis in 1974. However, seats were available for almost everyone during both trips. One group of subjects boarded the train at its first stop (Nynäshamn), the other midway on its route (Västerhaninge). Physiological reactions were assessed from the rate of catecholamine excretion in urine and subjective experiences were measured by self-ratings. The results showed that feelings of discomfort grew more intense as the train approached Stockholm and the number of passengers increased. Perceived crowdedness increased as the square of the number of passengers. During both trips the subjects from Nynäshamn (longer trip) had a lower rate of adrenaline and noradrenaline excretion on the train than those from Västerhaninge. Furthermore, it was found that the rate of adrenaline excretion was higher for both groups during Trip 2, when the train was more crowded. The results support previous findings indicating that the stress involved in travelling by train varies more with the social and ecological conditions of the trip than with its length or duration.

Urea and Ammonia Metabolism and the Control of Renal Nitrogen Excretion

PubMed Central

Mitch, William E.; Sands, Jeff M.

2015-01-01

Renal nitrogen metabolism primarily involves urea and ammonia metabolism, and is essential to normal health. Urea is the largest circulating pool of nitrogen, excluding nitrogen in circulating proteins, and its production changes in parallel to the degradation of dietary and endogenous proteins. In addition to serving as a way to excrete nitrogen, urea transport, mediated through specific urea transport proteins, mediates a central role in the urine concentrating mechanism. Renal ammonia excretion, although often considered only in the context of acid-base homeostasis, accounts for approximately 10% of total renal nitrogen excretion under basal conditions, but can increase substantially in a variety of clinical conditions. Because renal ammonia metabolism requires intrarenal ammoniagenesis from glutamine, changes in factors regulating renal ammonia metabolism can have important effects on glutamine in addition to nitrogen balance. This review covers aspects of protein metabolism and the control of the two major molecules involved in renal nitrogen excretion: urea and ammonia. Both urea and ammonia transport can be altered by glucocorticoids and hypokalemia, two conditions that also affect protein metabolism. Clinical conditions associated with altered urine concentrating ability or water homeostasis can result in changes in urea excretion and urea transporters. Clinical conditions associated with altered ammonia excretion can have important effects on nitrogen balance. PMID:25078422

Biological signatures of asymptomatic extra- and intracranial atherosclerosis: the Barcelona-AsIA (Asymptomatic Intracranial Atherosclerosis) study.

PubMed

López-Cancio, Elena; Galán, Amparo; Dorado, Laura; Jiménez, Marta; Hernández, María; Millán, Mónica; Reverté, Silvia; Suñol, Anna; Barallat, Jaume; Massuet, Anna; Alzamora, Maria Teresa; Dávalos, Antonio; Arenillas, Juan Francisco

2012-10-01

Intracranial atherosclerotic disease (ICAD) remains a challenge for stroke primary and secondary prevention. Molecular pathways involved in the development of ICAD from its asymptomatic stages are largely unknown. In our population-based study, we aimed to compare the risk factor and biomarker profiles associated with intracranial and extracranial asymptomatic cerebral atherosclerosis. The Asymptomatic Intracranial Atherosclerosis (AsIA) study cohort includes a random sample population of 933 white subjects >50 years with a moderate to high vascular risk (based on REGICOR score) and without a history of stroke (64% males; mean age, 66 years). Carotid and intracranial atherosclerosis were screened by cervical and transcranial color-coded Duplex ultrasound, being moderate to severe stenoses confirmed by MR angiography. We registered clinical and anthropometric data and created a biobank with blood samples at baseline. A panel of biomarkers involved in atherothrombogenesis was determined: C-reactive protein, asymmetric-dimethylarginine, resistin, and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1. Insulin resistance was quantified by Homeostasis Model Assessment index. After multinomial regression analyses, male sex, hypertension, smoking, and alcoholic habits were independent risk factors of isolated extracranial atherosclerotic disease. Diabetes and metabolic syndrome conferred a higher risk for ICAD than for extracranial atherosclerotic disease. Moreover, metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance were independent risk factors of moderate to severe ICAD but were not risk factors of moderate to severe extracranial atherosclerotic disease. Regarding biomarkers, asymmetric-dimethylarginine was independently associated with isolated ICAD and resistin with combined ICAD-extracranial atherosclerotic disease. Our findings show distinct clinical and biological profiles in subclinical ICAD and extracranial atherosclerotic disease. Insulin resistance emerged as an important molecular

Abnormal Excretion of Corticosteroid Sulphates in Patients with Breast Cancer

PubMed Central

Ghosh, P. C.; Lockwood, E.; Pennington, G. W.

1973-01-01

In a preliminary study, the 24-hour urinary excretion of corticosteroid sulphates and free cortisol have been measured in a group of patients with breast cancer and compared with the excretion of the same compounds in a group of normal women of similar age. Excretion of corticosteroid sulphates in the breast cancer group was found to be markedly raised. In a small number of patients with localized cancer of sites other than the breast the level of corticosteroid sulphate was not raised. If proved metastases were present a noticeable rise was observed. Imagesp330-a PMID:4685623

Fractional excretion of urea in pre-eclampsia: a clinical observation.

PubMed

Zar, Tausif; Kohn, Orly F; Kaplan, Andre A

2011-11-01

Pre-eclampsia is one of the leading causes of maternal and fetal mortality and morbidity. It occurs in 7% of all the pregnancies and accounts for 80% of the cases of pregnancy-induced hypertension. Diagnosis of pre-eclampsia in patients with pre-existing chronic kidney disease, proteinuria, and hypertension is a dilemma. The fractional excretion of urea has been described as a marker for renal perfusion. Since pre-eclampsia is associated with a marked decline in renal perfusion, we explored the utility of the fractional excretion of urea as a marker for pre-eclampsia. Urine and serum chemistries were evaluated in 6 pregnant women with pre-eclampsia on their first visit, immediately prior to delivery, and postpartum. For each of these three measurements, the fractional excretion of urea was calculated and proteinuria was assessed by random urine protein-creatinine ratio or 24-hour urine protein studies. In patients diagnosed with pre-eclampsia, the fractional excretion of urea decreased substantially from higher values obtained during the 3rd trimester to values consistent with renal hypoperfusion (< 35%) just prior to delivery, and it rapidly normalized immediately after delivery. Alterations in fractional excretion of urea, which suggest a decreased renal perfusion, may be a useful tool in supporting the diagnosis of preeclampsia.

Excretion of Hepatitis A Virus (HAV) in Adults: Comparison of Immunologic and Molecular Detection Methods and Relationship between HAV Positivity and Infectivity in Tamarins

PubMed Central

Polish, Louis B.; Robertson, Betty H.; Khanna, Bhawna; Krawczynski, Krzysztof; Spelbring, John; Olson, Fred; Shapiro, Craig N.

1999-01-01

Fecal excretion of hepatitis A virus (HAV) in 18 patients with HAV infection was evaluated by enzyme immunoassay (EIA) to detect viral antigen and by reverse transcription-PCR amplification followed by ethidium bromide staining (PCR-ETBr) or nucleic acid hybridization (PCR-NA) to detect viral genetic material. A gradation of sensitivity was observed in the detection of virus by the three methods. In persons who had detectable virus, serial stool samples were found to be positive by EIA for up to 24 days after the peak elevation of liver enzymes. Viral genetic material could be detected by PCR-ETBr for up to 34 days and by PCR-NA for up to 54 days after the peak elevation of liver enzymes. After intravenous inoculation of tamarins with stool suspensions categorized as highly reactive for HAV (positive by EIA, PCR-ETBr, and PCR-NA), moderately reactive (positive by PCR-ETBr and PCR-NA), or weakly reactive (positive by PCR-NA), only tamarins infected with highly reactive stool suspensions (EIA positive) developed HAV infection. We conclude that positivity of stool specimens for HAV by PCR-ETBr or PCR-NA indicates a lower potential for infectivity, compared to that of EIA-positive stools. PMID:10523563

Urea and Ammonia Metabolism and the Control of Renal Nitrogen Excretion.

PubMed

Weiner, I David; Mitch, William E; Sands, Jeff M

2015-08-07

Renal nitrogen metabolism primarily involves urea and ammonia metabolism, and is essential to normal health. Urea is the largest circulating pool of nitrogen, excluding nitrogen in circulating proteins, and its production changes in parallel to the degradation of dietary and endogenous proteins. In addition to serving as a way to excrete nitrogen, urea transport, mediated through specific urea transport proteins, mediates a central role in the urine concentrating mechanism. Renal ammonia excretion, although often considered only in the context of acid-base homeostasis, accounts for approximately 10% of total renal nitrogen excretion under basal conditions, but can increase substantially in a variety of clinical conditions. Because renal ammonia metabolism requires intrarenal ammoniagenesis from glutamine, changes in factors regulating renal ammonia metabolism can have important effects on glutamine in addition to nitrogen balance. This review covers aspects of protein metabolism and the control of the two major molecules involved in renal nitrogen excretion: urea and ammonia. Both urea and ammonia transport can be altered by glucocorticoids and hypokalemia, two conditions that also affect protein metabolism. Clinical conditions associated with altered urine concentrating ability or water homeostasis can result in changes in urea excretion and urea transporters. Clinical conditions associated with altered ammonia excretion can have important effects on nitrogen balance. Copyright © 2015 by the American Society of Nephrology.

Clinical Utility of Serologic Testing for Celiac Disease in Asymptomatic Patients

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Executive Summary Objective The objective of this evidence-based analysis was to evaluate the clinical utility of serologic testing for celiac disease in asymptomatic individuals presenting with one of the non-gastrointestinal conditions evaluated in this report. The clinical utility was based on the effects of a gluten-free diet (GFD) on outcomes specific to each of these conditions. The prevalence of celiac disease in asymptomatic individuals and one of these non-gastrointestinal conditions was also evaluated. Clinical Need and Target Population Celiac Disease Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease characterized by a chronic inflammatory state of the proximal small bowel mucosa accompanied by structural and functional changes. Technology Under Evaluation Serologic Tests for Celiac Disease There are a number of serologic tests for celiac disease available. Serologic tests are automated with the exception of the anti-endomysial antibody test, which is more time-consuming and operator-dependent than the other tests. Research Questions What is the prevalence of asymptomatic celiac disease in patients presenting with one of the non-gastrointestinal conditions evaluated? What is the effect of the gluten-free diet on condition-specific outcomes in patients with asymptomatic celiac disease presenting with one of the non-gastrointestinal conditions evaluated? What is the clinical utility of serologic testing for celiac disease in asymptomatic patients presenting with one of the non-gastrointestinal conditions evaluated? The clinical utility was defined as the impact of the GFD on disease specific outcomes. What is the risk of all-cause mortality and lymphoma in individuals with asymptomatic celiac disease? What is the budget impact of serologic testing for celiac disease in asymptomatic subjects presenting with one of the non-gastrointestinal conditions evaluated? Research Methods Study Population The study population consisted of individuals with newly diagnosed celiac

HIV-1 Viral Escape in Cerebrospinal Fluid of Subjects on Suppressive Antiretroviral Treatment

PubMed Central

Edén, Arvid; Fuchs, Dietmar; Hagberg, Lars; Nilsson, Staffan; Spudich, Serena; Svennerholm, Bo; Price, Richard W.; Gisslén, Magnus

2010-01-01

Background. Occasional cases of viral escape in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) despite suppression of plasma human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) RNA have been reported. We investigated CSF viral escape in subjects treated with commonly used antiretroviral therapy regimens in relation to intrathecal immune activation and central nervous system penetration effectiveness (CPE) rank. Methods. Sixty-nine neurologically asymptomatic subjects treated with antiretroviral therapy >6 months and plasma HIV-1 RNA <50 copies/mL were cross-sectionally included in the analysis. Antiretroviral therapy regimens included efavirenz, lopinavir/ritonavir or atazanavir/ritonavir combined with tenofovir, abacavir, or zidovudine and emtricitabine or lamivudine. HIV-1 RNA was analyzed with real-time polymerase chain reaction assays. Neopterin was analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results. Seven (10%) of the 69 subjects had detectable CSF HIV-1 RNA, in median 121 copies/mL (interquartile range, 54–213 copies/mL). Subjects with detectable CSF virus had significantly higher CSF neopterin and longer duration of treatment. Previous treatment interruptions were more common in subjects with CSF escape. Central nervous system penetration effectiveness rank was not a significant predictor of detectable CSF virus or CSF neopterin levels. Conclusions. Viral escape in CSF is more common than previously reported, suggesting that low-grade central nervous system infection may continue in treated patients. Although these findings need extension in longitudinal studies, they suggest the utility of monitoring CSF responses, as new treatment combinations and strategies modify clinical practice. PMID:21050119

HIV-1 viral escape in cerebrospinal fluid of subjects on suppressive antiretroviral treatment.

PubMed

Edén, Arvid; Fuchs, Dietmar; Hagberg, Lars; Nilsson, Staffan; Spudich, Serena; Svennerholm, Bo; Price, Richard W; Gisslén, Magnus

2010-12-15

Occasional cases of viral escape in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) despite suppression of plasma human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) RNA have been reported. We investigated CSF viral escape in subjects treated with commonly used antiretroviral therapy regimens in relation to intrathecal immune activation and central nervous system penetration effectiveness (CPE) rank. Sixty-nine neurologically asymptomatic subjects treated with antiretroviral therapy >6 months and plasma HIV-1 RNA <50 copies/mL were cross-sectionally included in the analysis. Antiretroviral therapy regimens included efavirenz, lopinavir/ritonavir or atazanavir/ritonavir combined with tenofovir, abacavir, or zidovudine and emtricitabine or lamivudine. HIV-1 RNA was analyzed with real-time polymerase chain reaction assays. Neopterin was analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Seven (10%) of the 69 subjects had detectable CSF HIV-1 RNA, in median 121 copies/mL (interquartile range, 54-213 copies/mL). Subjects with detectable CSF virus had significantly higher CSF neopterin and longer duration of treatment. Previous treatment interruptions were more common in subjects with CSF escape. Central nervous system penetration effectiveness rank was not a significant predictor of detectable CSF virus or CSF neopterin levels. Viral escape in CSF is more common than previously reported, suggesting that low-grade central nervous system infection may continue in treated patients. Although these findings need extension in longitudinal studies, they suggest the utility of monitoring CSF responses, as new treatment combinations and strategies modify clinical practice.

Behavioral and perceived stressor effects on urinary catecholamine excretion in adult Samoans.

PubMed

Bergey, Meredith R; Steele, Matthew S; Bereiter, David A; Viali, Satupaitea; McGarvey, Stephen T

2011-01-01

The effects of perceptions and behaviors related to culturally patterned socioeconomic obligations on catecholamine excretion rates were studied in a cross-sectional sample of Samoan adults. A total of 378 participants, ages 29-62 years, from 9 villages throughout Samoa, provided timed overnight urine specimens, and self-reported perceptions and behaviors associated with contributions to one's family, aiga, and chief, matai, and communal gift exchanges, fa'alavelave. Urinary norepinephrine and epinephrine excretion rates were measured by high performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection. Age (≤40 vs. >40 years) and gender-specific regression models were estimated to detect associations with catecholamine excretion. Young women who contribute more to their matai, who consider fa'alavelave to be a financial strain, and who view their contribution to their matai to be "just right," had significantly higher residence-adjusted norepinephrine excretion. Young women who contribute more to their matai, who consider fa'alavelave to be a financial strain, and who consider their contribution to their aiga not to be a burden, had higher epinephrine excretion. Older men who contribute more to their aiga and who perceive their contribution to their aiga to be "just right" had increased residence-adjusted epinephrine excretion. Individual-level perceptions and behaviors related to traditional socioeconomic obligations are a significant correlate of increased overnight catecholamine excretion rates. Higher excretion rates may be attributed to psychosocial stress arousal associated with a discordance between personal desires for upward social mobility, and family and community-based socioeconomic obligations. Changes in patterns of individual-level psychosocial stress arousal may contribute to cardiovascular disease risk in modernizing Samoans. Copyright © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Human giardiasis in Serbia: asymptomatic vs symptomatic infection*

PubMed Central

Nikolić, A.; Klun, I.; Bobić, B.; Ivović, V.; Vujanić, M.; Živković, T.; Djurković-Djaković, O.

2011-01-01

Despite the public health importance of giardiasis in all of Europe, reliable data on the incidence and prevalence in Western Balkan Countries (Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro and FYR Macedonia) are scarce, and the relative contribution of waterborne and food-borne, or person-to-person and/or animalto- person, transmission of human giardiasis is not yet clear. To provide baseline data for the estimation of the public health risk caused by Giardia, we here review the information available on the epidemiological characteristics of asymptomatic and symptomatic human infection in Serbia. Although asymptomatic cases of Giardia represent a major proportion of the total cases of infection, high rates of Giardia infection were found in both asymptomatic and symptomatic populations. No waterborne outbreaks of giardiasis have been reported, and it thus seems that giardiasis mostly occurs sporadically in our milieu. Under such circumstances, control measures to reduce the high prevalence of giardiasis in Serbia have focused on person-to-person transmission, encouraging proper hygiene, but for more targeted intervention measures, studies to identify other risk factors for asymptomatic and symptomatic infections are needed. PMID:21678797

Impact of Chloroquine on Viral Load in Breast Milk

PubMed Central

Semrau, Katherine; Kuhn, Louise; Kasonde, Prisca; Sinkala, Moses; Kankasa, Chipepo; Shutes, Erin; Vwalika, Cheswa; Ghosh, Mrinal; Aldrovandi, Grace; Thea, Donald M.

2006-01-01

Summary The anti-malarial agent chloroquine has activity against HIV. We compared the effect of chloroquine (n = 18) to an anti-malarial agent without known anti-HIV-activity, sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (n = 12), on breast milk HIV RNA levels among HIV-infected breastfeeding women in Zambia. After adjusting for CD4 count and plasma viral load, chloroquine was associated with a trend towards lower levels of HIV RNA in breast milk compared with sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (P 0.05). Higher breastmilk viral load was also observed among women receiving presumptive treatment = for symptomatic malaria compared with asymptomatic controls and among controls reporting fever in the prior week. Further research is needed to determine the potential role of chloroquine in prevention of HIV transmission through breastfeeding. Impacte de la chloroquine sur la charge virale dans le lait maternelle La chloroquine, agent antimalarique, a une activité contre le VIH. Nous avons comparé l’effet de la chloroquine à celui d’un autre agent antimalarique, la sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine, dont l’activité sur le VIH n’est pas connue, en mesurant les taux d’ARN de VIH dans le lait maternel de femmes allaitantes infectées par le VIH en Zambie. Après ajustement pour les taux de CD4 et la charge virale dans le plasma, la chloroquine comparée à la sulfadoxine pyrimethamine était associée à une tendance vers des teneurs plus bas en ARN de VIH dans le lait maternel (P = 0,05). Des charges virales plus élevées dans le lait maternel étaient aussi observées chez des femmes recevant un traitement présomptif pour des symptômes de malaria par rapport aux contrôles asymptomatiques et par rapport à des contrôles rapportant de la fièvre durant la première semaine. Des études supplémentaires sont nécessaires pour déterminer le rôle potentiel de la chloroquine dans la prévention de la transmission du VIH par l’allaitement maternel. mots clésVIH, malaria, allaitement maternel

Sodium and potassium excretion are related to bone mineral density in women with coeliac disease.

PubMed

Turner, Kirsty M; Clifton, Peter M; Keogh, Jennifer B

2015-04-01

Women with coeliac disease may have a lower bone mineral density due to the malabsorption of calcium before diagnosis. A high sodium excretion is associated with increased calcium and bone loss. Our aim was to describe the bone mineral density (BMD) and sodium excretion in women with coeliac disease. In a cross-sectional study BMD of the lumbar spine and hip was assessed by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. Sodium, potassium and calcium excretion were measured from a 24 h urine collection. In 33 women (51 ± 16 yr) BMD was 1.14 ± 0.19 g/cm(2) and 0.94 ± 0.14 g/cm(2) at the lumbar spine and hip respectively. Age matched Z-scores were -0.1 ± 1.2 and -0.3 ± 1.1 at lumbar spine and hip respectively. Sodium excretion was 107 ± 51 mmol/d; 14 (42%) had a sodium excretion >100 mmol Na/d (145 ± 45 mmol/d). Potassium and calcium excretion were 87 ± 25 mmol/d and 4.1 ± 2.0 mmol/d respectively. In women with Na excretion >100 mmol Na/d, Ca excretion was significantly greater than those with <100 mmol/d (4.9 ± 2.0 vs 3.4 ± 1.8, p < 0.05). Sodium excretion and BMI were positively correlated (r = 0.61, p < 0.001) as were sodium and calcium excretion (r = 0.43, p < 0.05). Sodium excretion was inversely related to femoral neck BMD (t = -2.4 p = 0.023) after adjustment for weight, age, years since diagnosis and potassium excretion. Weight, but no other variable, was a predictor of BMD at the lumbar spine (t = 2.58 p = 0.018). Sodium excretion was inversely related and potassium excretion positively related to femoral neck density which was similar to age matched women without coeliac disease. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd and European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism. All rights reserved.

Urine Potassium Excretion, Kidney Failure, and Mortality in CKD.

PubMed

Leonberg-Yoo, Amanda K; Tighiouart, Hocine; Levey, Andrew S; Beck, Gerald J; Sarnak, Mark J

2017-03-01

Low urine potassium excretion, as a surrogate for dietary potassium intake, is associated with higher risk for hypertension and cardiovascular disease in a general population. Few studies have investigated the relationship of urine potassium with clinical outcomes in chronic kidney disease (CKD). Longitudinal cohort study. The MDRD (Modification of Diet in Renal Disease) Study was a randomized controlled trial (N = 840) conducted in 1989 to 1993 to examine the effects of blood pressure control and dietary protein restriction on kidney disease progression in adults aged 18 to 70 years with CKD stages 2 to 4. This post hoc analysis included 812 participants. The primary predictor variable was 24-hour urine potassium excretion, measured at baseline and at multiple time points (presented as time-updated average urine potassium excretion). Kidney failure, defined as initiation of dialysis therapy or transplantation, was determined from US Renal Data System data. All-cause mortality was assessed using the National Death Index. Median follow-up for kidney failure was 6.1 (IQR, 3.5-11.7) years, with 9 events/100 patient-years. Median all-cause mortality follow-up was 19.2 (IQR, 10.8-20.6) years, with 3 deaths/100 patient-years. Baseline mean urine potassium excretion was 2.39±0.89 (SD) g/d. Each 1-SD higher baseline urine potassium level was associated with an adjusted HR of 0.95 (95% CI, 0.87-1.04) for kidney failure and 0.83 (95% CI, 0.74-0.94) for all-cause mortality. Results were consistent using time-updated average urine potassium measurements. Analyses were performed using urine potassium excretion as a surrogate for dietary potassium intake. Results are obtained from a primarily young, nondiabetic, and advanced CKD population and may not be generalizable to the general CKD population. Higher urine potassium excretion was associated with lower risk for all-cause mortality, but not kidney failure. Copyright © 2016 National Kidney Foundation, Inc. Published by

Reduction in fecal excretion of Giardia cysts: effect of cholestasis and diet.

PubMed

Erlandsen, Stanley

2005-12-01

Bile is a major growth factor for the proliferation of Giardia spp. trophozoites in the small intestine and, at high concentrations, stimulates encystment of trophozoites. This report demonstrates that surgical cholestasis to interrupt the flow of bile from liver to intestine or the use of bile-binding resins in the diet can both dramatically decrease the fecal excretion of Giardia muris cysts. Cholestasis produced a 3 log reduction in excretion of G. muris cysts within 24 hr of surgery and a 4 log reduction after 3 days. Sham controls showed no difference in cyst excretion from presurgical control values. Two isocaloric diets were studied: a control diet (N) of Purina mouse chow containing 5% celufil and an experimental diet (CR) containing 5% cholestyramine, a resin that binds bile. Compared with the N diet, the CR diet was associated with reductions in cyst excretion of 3 logs within 1 day. Despite lowered excretion of G. muris cysts in mice fed the cholestyramine diet, the trophozoite recovery from the duodenum was similar with both diets. Cyclic feeding of the CR diet and the N diet at 3-day intervals produced significant oscillations (changes of 3-4 logs) in fecal cyst shedding. The significant reductions in fecal excretion of cysts observed with agents that bind bile suggests that diets capable of binding bile might be a therapeutic means to minimize the fecal excretion of cysts and thereby may help to reduce the risk of spreading giardiasis through fecal-oral contamination.

Asymptomatic petechial eruption on the lower legs.

PubMed

Mendese, Gary; Grande, Donald

2013-09-01

The authors report an unusual case of Rocky Mountain spotted fever that presented as an asymptomatic petechial eruption on the lower legs. Rocky Mountain spotted fever is rare in New England and, as such, is typically not on the differential diagnosis when presented with such patients. What began as an asymptomatic eruption progressed to more classic signs of the disease, including a positive Rocky Mountain spotted fever titer. The patient was successfully treated with doxycydine and within a short period of time, was completely back at baseline.

Lessons from a large norovirus outbreak: impact of viral load, patient age and ward design on duration of symptoms and shedding and likelihood of transmission.

PubMed

Partridge, D G; Evans, C M; Raza, M; Kudesia, G; Parsons, H K

2012-05-01

Hospital norovirus outbreaks cause significant financial and operational disruption which should be minimised by optimal handling of affected areas and use of isolation facilities. To identify factors associated with increased duration of symptoms and viral excretion and increased probability of transmission. Retrospective observational study of a large norovirus outbreak at a UK teaching hospital in the winter of 2009-2010 where patients were diagnosed using a real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay. Symptom duration was significantly associated with patient age (Spearman rank correlation coefficient: 0.197; P = 0.002) but not with PCR cycle threshold (C(T)) value. Duration of viral excretion was found to be longer in patients with higher viral loads. Transmission within a ward bay was not significantly associated either with age or with C(T) value but was more likely to occur in some ward blocks than others, which may relate to differences in ward design. Transfer of patients into isolation rooms or cohorted area within two days of symptom onset did not significantly influence probability of onward transmission (52% vs 47%; P = 0.67). The presented data suggest that C(T) value may guide timing of repeat sample collection if ongoing gastrointestinal symptoms may relate to other pathologies, and that patients developing symptoms of norovirus may remain in their current bay rather than being moved into isolation facilities. The bay or ward should be closed to new admissions but it should be anticipated that duration of symptoms and therefore closure will be longer when the outbreak involves elderly patients. Copyright © 2012 The Healthcare Infection Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Salt excretion in Suaeda fruticosa.

PubMed

Labidi, Nehla; Ammari, Manel; Mssedi, Dorsaf; Benzerti, Maali; Snoussi, Sana; Abdelly, C

2010-09-01

Suaeda fruticosa is a perennial "includer" halophyte devoid of glands or trichomes with a strong ability of accumulating and sequestrating Na(+) and Cl(-). We were interested in determining whether leaf cuticle salt excretion could be involved as a further mechanism in salt response of this species after long-term treatment with high salinity levels. Seedlings had been treated for three months with seawater (SW) diluted with tap water (0, 25, 50 and 75% SW). Leaf scanning electron microscopy revealed a convex adaxial side sculpture and a higher accumulation of saline crystals at the lamina margin, with a large variability on repartition and size between treatments. No salt gland or salt bladder was found. Threedimensional wax decorations were the only structures found on leaf surface. Washing the leaf surface with water indicated that sodium and chloride predominated in excreted salts, and that potassium was poorly represented. Optimal growth of whole plant was recorded at 25% SW, correlating with maximum Na(+) and Cl(-) absolute secretion rate. The leaves of plants treated with SW retained more water than those of plants treated with tap water due to lower solute potential, especially at 25% SW. Analysis of compatible solute, such as proline, total soluble carbohydrates and glycinebetaine disclosed strong relationship between glycinebetaine and osmotic potential (r = 0.92) suggesting that tissue hydration was partly maintained by glycinebetaine accumulation. Thus in S. fruticosa , increased solute accumulation associated with water retention, and steady intracellular ion homeostasis confirms the "includer" strategy of salt tolerance previously demonstrated. However, salt excretion at leaf surface also participated in conferring to this species a capacity in high salinity tolerance.

Urinary excretion of platinum from South African precious metals refinery workers.

PubMed

Linde, Stephanus J L; Franken, Anja; du Plessis, Johannes L

2018-03-30

Urinary platinum (Pt) excretion is a reliable biomarker for occupational Pt exposure and has been previously reported for precious metals refinery workers in Europe but not for South Africa, the world's largest producer of Pt. This study aimed to quantify the urinary Pt excretion of South African precious metals refinery workers. Spot urine samples were collected from 40 workers (directly and indirectly exposed to Pt) at two South African precious metals refineries on three consecutive mornings prior to their shifts. Urine samples were analysed for Pt using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry and were corrected for creatinine content. The urinary Pt excretion of workers did not differ significantly between sampling days. Urinary Pt excretions ranged from <0.1 to 3.0 µg Pt/g creatinine with a geometric mean of 0.21 µg Pt/g creatinine (95% CI 0.17 to 0.26 µg Pt/g creatinine). The work area (P=0.0006; η 2 =0.567) and the number of years workers were employed at the refineries (P=0.003; η 2 =0.261) influenced their urinary Pt excretion according to effect size analyses. Directly exposed workers had significantly higher urinary Pt excretion compared with indirectly exposed workers (P=0.007). The urinary Pt excretion of South African precious metals refinery workers reported in this study is comparable with that of seven other studies conducted in precious metals refineries and automotive catalyst plants in Europe. The Pt body burden of workers is predominantly determined by their work area, years of employment in the refineries and whether they are directly or indirectly exposed to Pt. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

K+ Excretion: The Other Purpose for Puddling Behavior in Japanese Papilio Butterflies

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

To elucidate the purpose of butterfly puddling, we measured the amounts of Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+ that were absorbed or excreted during puddling by male Japanese Papilio butterflies through a urine test. All of the butterflies that sipped water with a Na+ concentration of 13 mM absorbed Na+ and excreted K+, although certain butterflies that sipped solutions with high concentrations of Na+ excreted Na+. According to the Na+ concentrations observed in naturally occurring water sources, water with a Na+ concentration of up to 10 mM appears to be optimal for the health of male Japanese Papilio butterflies. The molar ratio of K+ to Na+ observed in leaves was 43.94 and that observed in flower nectars was 10.93. The Na+ amount in 100 g of host plant leaves ranged from 2.11 to 16.40 mg, and the amount in 100 g of flower nectar ranged from 1.24 to 108.21 mg. Differences in host plants did not explain the differences in the frequency of puddling observed for different Japanese Papilio species. The amounts of Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+ in the meconium of both male and female butterflies were also measured, and both males and females excreted more K+ than the other three ions. Thus, the fluid that was excreted by butterflies at emergence also had a role in the excretion of the excessive K+ in their bodies. The quantities of Na+ and K+ observed in butterfly eggs were approximately 0.50 μg and 4.15 μg, respectively; thus, female butterflies required more K+ than male butterflies. Therefore, female butterflies did not puddle to excrete K+. In conclusion, the purpose of puddling for male Papilio butterflies is not only to absorb Na+ to correct deficiencies but also to excrete excessive K+. PMID:25955856

K+ excretion: the other purpose for puddling behavior in Japanese Papilio butterflies.

PubMed

Inoue, Takashi A; Ito, Tetsuo; Hagiya, Hiroshi; Hata, Tamako; Asaoka, Kiyoshi; Yokohari, Fumio; Niihara, Kinuko

2015-01-01

To elucidate the purpose of butterfly puddling, we measured the amounts of Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+ that were absorbed or excreted during puddling by male Japanese Papilio butterflies through a urine test. All of the butterflies that sipped water with a Na+ concentration of 13 mM absorbed Na+ and excreted K+, although certain butterflies that sipped solutions with high concentrations of Na+ excreted Na+. According to the Na+ concentrations observed in naturally occurring water sources, water with a Na+ concentration of up to 10 mM appears to be optimal for the health of male Japanese Papilio butterflies. The molar ratio of K+ to Na+ observed in leaves was 43.94 and that observed in flower nectars was 10.93. The Na+ amount in 100 g of host plant leaves ranged from 2.11 to 16.40 mg, and the amount in 100 g of flower nectar ranged from 1.24 to 108.21 mg. Differences in host plants did not explain the differences in the frequency of puddling observed for different Japanese Papilio species. The amounts of Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+ in the meconium of both male and female butterflies were also measured, and both males and females excreted more K+ than the other three ions. Thus, the fluid that was excreted by butterflies at emergence also had a role in the excretion of the excessive K+ in their bodies. The quantities of Na+ and K+ observed in butterfly eggs were approximately 0.50 μg and 4.15 μg, respectively; thus, female butterflies required more K+ than male butterflies. Therefore, female butterflies did not puddle to excrete K+. In conclusion, the purpose of puddling for male Papilio butterflies is not only to absorb Na+ to correct deficiencies but also to excrete excessive K+.

Greater bile acid excretion with soy bean than with cow milk in infants.

PubMed

Potter, J M; Nestel, P J

1976-05-01

The excretion of fecal sterols and bile acids was measured in five infants from the 1st week of life to 2 or 3 months of age as the composition of their diet was changed from cow milk to soy bean milk. Bile acid excretion, adjusted for body weight, was initially lower during the 1st than during the 3rd week, when it reached adult values. The average excretion of bile acids was 6.8 mg/kg per day with soy bean milk and 3.6 mg/kg per day with cow milk. Net sterol excretion (total sterol output minus cholesterol intake) was also twice as high with soy bean milk and probably reflected enhancement of cholesterol re-excretion as well as of synthesis since the cholesterol content of soy beans is nil. However, net sterol excretion remained higher with soy bean than with cow milk even when egg yolk cholesterol was added to the soy bean milk. It is concluded that the substitution of soy bean milk for cow milk, which lowered the plasma cholesterol in all infants (even in the presence of dietary cholesterol) leads to an increase in bile acids and probably also in cholesterol excretion in young infants.

Metabolism of isotretinoin. Biliary excretion of isotretinoin glucuronide in the rat.

PubMed

Meloche, S; Besner, J G

1986-01-01

The biliary metabolites of isotretinoin were examined after iv administration of 4-20-mg/kg doses to vitamin A-normal bile duct-cannulated rats. Analysis of bile by reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography showed that injection of isotretinoin is followed by a rapid excretion of metabolites in bile. Isotretinoin glucuronide was identified as the major metabolite in bile. A specific high performance liquid chromatography method based on the assay of generated isotretinoin in beta-glucuronidase-treated bile was developed for the determination of isotretinoin glucuronide in bile samples. The excretion rate of isotretinoin glucuronide increased rapidly to reach a maximum 55 min after dosing and then declined exponentially. After 330 min of collection, biliary excretion of isotretinoin glucuronide was almost complete, and the metabolite accounted for 34.8-37.9% of the dose. These results indicate that conjugation with glucuronic acid represents a major pathway for the metabolism of pharmacological doses of isotretinoin. The maximum excretion rate of isotretinoin glucuronide in bile increased in a linear manner with the dose of isotretinoin, and no delay was observed after the larger doses. These data suggest that glucuronidation and biliary excretion are not saturated at high pharmacological doses of isotretinoin.

Viral meningitis.

PubMed

Chadwick, David R

2005-01-01

Viruses probably account for most cases of acute meningitis. Viral meningitis is often assumed to be a largely benign disease. For the commonest pathogens causing meningitis, enteroviruses, this is usually the case; however, for many of the other pathogens causing viral meningitis, and for common pathogens in the immunocompromised or infants, viral meningitis is frequently associated with substantial neurological complications and a significant mortality. Diagnostic methods for rapid and accurate identification of pathogens have improved over recent years, permitting more precise and earlier diagnoses. There have been fewer developments in therapies for viral meningitis, and there remain no effective therapies for most pathogens, emphasising the importance of prevention and early diagnosis. This review focuses on the presentation, diagnosis and management of viral meningitis and also covers the prevention of meningitis for pathogens where effective vaccines are available.

Screening of alginate lyase-excreting microorganisms from the surface of brown algae.

PubMed

Wang, Mingpeng; Chen, Lei; Zhang, Zhaojie; Wang, Xuejiang; Qin, Song; Yan, Peisheng

2017-12-01

Alginate lyase is a biocatalyst that degrades alginate to produce oligosaccharides, which have many bioactive functions and could be used as renewable biofuels. Here we report a simple and sensitive plate assay for screening alginate lyase-excreting microorganisms from brown algae. Brown algae Laminaria japonica, Sargassum horneri and Sargassum siliquatrum were cultured in sterile water. Bacteria growing on the surface of seaweeds were identified and their capacity of excreting alginate lyase was analyzed. A total of 196 strains were recovered from the three different algae samples and 12 different bacterial strains were identified capable of excreting alginate lyases. Sequence analysis of the 16S rRNA gene revealed that these alginate lyase-excreting strains belong to eight genera: Paenibacillus (4/12), Bacillus (2/12), Leclercia (1/12), Isoptericola (1/12), Planomicrobium (1/12), Pseudomonas (1/12), Lysinibacillus (1/12) and Sphingomonas (1/12). Further analysis showed that the LJ-3 strain (Bacillus halosaccharovorans) had the highest enzyme activity. To our best knowledge, this is the first report regarding alginate lyase-excreting strains in Paenibacillus, Planomicrobium and Leclercia. We believe that our method used in this study is relatively easy and reliable for large-scale screening of alginate lyase-excreting microorganisms.

Accuracy of diagnostic tests to detect asymptomatic bacteriuria during pregnancy.

PubMed

Mignini, Luciano; Carroli, Guillermo; Abalos, Edgardo; Widmer, Mariana; Amigot, Susana; Nardin, Juan Manuel; Giordano, Daniel; Merialdi, Mario; Arciero, Graciela; Del Carmen Hourquescos, Maria

2009-02-01

A dipslide is a plastic paddle coated with agar that is attached to a plastic cap that screws onto a sterile plastic vial. Our objective was to estimate the diagnostic accuracy of the dipslide culture technique to detect asymptomatic bacteriuria during pregnancy and to evaluate the accuracy of nitrate and leucocyte esterase dipslides for screening. This was an ancillary study within a trial comparing single-day with 7-day therapy in treating asymptomatic bacteriuria. Clean-catch midstream samples were collected from pregnant women seeking routine care. Positive and negative likelihood ratios and sensitivity and specificity for the culture-based dipslide to detect and chemical dipsticks (nitrites, leukocyte esterase, or both) to screen were estimated using traditional urine culture as the "gold standard." : A total of 3,048 eligible pregnant women were screened. The prevalence of asymptomatic bacteriuria was 15%, with Escherichia coli the most prevalent organism. The likelihood ratio for detecting asymptomatic bacteriuria with a positive dipslide test was 225 (95% confidence interval [CI] 113-449), increasing the probability of asymptomatic bacteriuria to 98%; the likelihood ratio for a negative dipslide test was 0.02 (95% CI 0.01-0.05), reducing the probability of bacteriuria to less than 1%. The positive likelihood ratio of leukocyte esterase and nitrite dipsticks (when both or either one was positive) was 6.95 (95% CI 5.80-8.33), increasing the probability of bacteriuria to only 54%; the negative likelihood ratio was 0.50 (95% CI 0.45-0.57), reducing the probability to 8%. A pregnant woman with a positive dipslide test is very likely to have a definitive diagnosis of asymptomatic bacteriuria, whereas a negative result effectively rules out the presence of bacteriuria. Dipsticks that measure nitrites and leukocyte esterase have low sensitivity for use in screening for asymptomatic bacteriuria during gestation. ISRCTN, isrctn.org, 1196608 II.

Virus present in the reproductive tract of asymptomatic drones of honey bee (Apis mellifera l.), and possible infection of queen during mating.

PubMed

Da Cruz-Landim, Carminda; Roat, Thaisa C; Fernadez, Fernanda C

2012-07-01

Virus particles and viral inclusions were detected by transmission electron microscopy examination of sections of the seminal vesicles and mucus gland of asymptomatic young drones from colonies of Apis mellifera lightly infested by Varroa mite. In the mucus gland the infection was found in the muscular sheath and epithelium, while in the seminal vesicle in cells of the outer serosa. Isolated viral particles were also observed in the hemolymph occupying the intercellular spaces of the muscular sheath fibers. In the muscle the virus appeared as polygonal crystalloid inclusions, while in the epithelium mainly inside cytoplasmic vesicles. The infected cells apparently are not damaged. The virus particles are present in the hemolymph and forming more mature structures, as crystalloids, in the muscle. This suggests that the virus is liberated in the body fluid and infects the tissues penetrating the cells through endocytosis. The presence of virus in mucus gland epithelial vesicles raise the possibility of its transference to the gland secretion and therefore, to the semen. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Papillomaviruses: Viral evolution, cancer and evolutionary medicine.

PubMed

Bravo, Ignacio G; Félez-Sánchez, Marta

2015-01-28

Papillomaviruses (PVs) are a numerous family of small dsDNA viruses infecting virtually all mammals. PVs cause infections without triggering a strong immune response, and natural infection provides only limited protection against reinfection. Most PVs are part and parcel of the skin microbiota. In some cases, infections by certain PVs take diverse clinical presentations from highly productive self-limited warts to invasive cancers. We propose PVs as an excellent model system to study the evolutionary interactions between the immune system and pathogens causing chronic infections: genotypically, PVs are very diverse, with hundreds of different genotypes infecting skin and mucosa; phenotypically, they display extremely broad gradients and trade-offs between key phenotypic traits, namely productivity, immunogenicity, prevalence, oncogenicity and clinical presentation. Public health interventions have been launched to decrease the burden of PV-associated cancers, including massive vaccination against the most oncogenic human PVs, as well as systematic screening for PV chronic anogenital infections. Anti-PVs vaccines elicit protection against infection, induce cross-protection against closely related viruses and result in herd immunity. However, our knowledge on the ecological and intrapatient dynamics of PV infections remains fragmentary. We still need to understand how the novel anthropogenic selection pressures posed by vaccination and screening will affect viral circulation and epidemiology. We present here an overview of PV evolution and the connection between PV genotypes and the phenotypic, clinical manifestations of the diseases they cause. This differential link between viral evolution and the gradient cancer-warts-asymptomatic infections makes PVs a privileged playground for evolutionary medicine research. © The Author(s) 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Foundation for Evolution, Medicine, and Public Health.

Implications of asymptomatic carriers for infectious disease transmission and control.

PubMed

Chisholm, Rebecca H; Campbell, Patricia T; Wu, Yue; Tong, Steven Y C; McVernon, Jodie; Geard, Nicholas

2018-02-01

For infectious pathogens such as Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pneumoniae , some hosts may carry the pathogen and transmit it to others, yet display no symptoms themselves. These asymptomatic carriers contribute to the spread of disease but go largely undetected and can therefore undermine efforts to control transmission. Understanding the natural history of carriage and its relationship to disease is important for the design of effective interventions to control transmission. Mathematical models of infectious diseases are frequently used to inform decisions about control and should therefore accurately capture the role played by asymptomatic carriers. In practice, incorporating asymptomatic carriers into models is challenging due to the sparsity of direct evidence. This absence of data leads to uncertainty in estimates of model parameters and, more fundamentally, in the selection of an appropriate model structure. To assess the implications of this uncertainty, we systematically reviewed published models of carriage and propose a new model of disease transmission with asymptomatic carriage. Analysis of our model shows how different assumptions about the role of asymptomatic carriers can lead to different conclusions about the transmission and control of disease. Critically, selecting an inappropriate model structure, even when parameters are correctly estimated, may lead to over- or under-estimates of intervention effectiveness. Our results provide a more complete understanding of the role of asymptomatic carriers in transmission and highlight the importance of accurately incorporating carriers into models used to make decisions about disease control.

Asymptomatic Petechial Eruption on the Lower Legs

PubMed Central

Grande, Donald

2013-01-01

The authors report an unusual case of Rocky Mountain spotted fever that presented as an asymptomatic petechial eruption on the lower legs. Rocky Mountain spotted fever is rare in New England and, as such, is typically not on the differential diagnosis when presented with such patients. What began as an asymptomatic eruption progressed to more classic signs of the disease, including a positive Rocky Mountain spotted fever titer. The patient was successfully treated with doxycydine and within a short period of time, was completely back at baseline. PMID:24062875

Excretion pattern of enrofloxacin after oral treatment of chicken broilers.

PubMed

Slana, M; Pahor, V; Cvitkovič Maričič, L; Sollner-Dolenc, M

2014-12-01

The metabolism and excretion of enrofloxacin were studied when applied as oral solution to chicken broilers for five consecutive days. Sixty 9-day-old broilers were isolated within an intensively rearing poultry farm during enrofloxacin therapy (15.5 mg/kg per day). The excreta of the isolated broilers were collected daily, 9 days after therapy termination, for 13 consecutive days, and analyzed for the presence of enrofloxacin and its metabolites [ciprofloxacin, desethylene-enrofloxacin (DES-EF) and desethylene-ciprofloxacin (DES-CF)]. Enrofloxacin was excreted predominantly in the form of the parent compound between days 1 and 13. Ciprofloxacin was detected in the excreta between days 1 and 6, whereas minor amounts of DES-EF and DES-CF were excreted only between days 1-7 and 1-6, respectively. In conclusion, the analysis of the excreta showed that approximately 74% of orally applied enrofloxacin was excreted as the parent compound, approximately 25% as the main metabolite ciprofloxacin, and approximately 1% as the minor metabolites desethylene-enrofloxacin and desethylene-ciprofloxacin. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Exercise testing in asymptomatic severe aortic stenosis.

PubMed

Magne, Julien; Lancellotti, Patrizio; Piérard, Luc A

2014-02-01

The management and the clinical decision making in asymptomatic patients with aortic stenosis are challenging. An "aggressive" management, including early aortic valve replacement, is debated in these patients. However, the optimal timing for surgery remains controversial due to the lack of prospective data on the determinants of aortic stenosis progression, multicenter studies on risk stratification, and randomized studies on patient management. Exercise stress testing with or without imaging is strictly contraindicated in symptomatic patients with severe aortic stenosis. Exercise stress test is now recommended by current guidelines in asymptomatic patients and may provide incremental prognostic value. Indeed, the development of symptoms during exercise or an abnormal blood pressure response are associated with poor outcome and should be considered as an indication for surgery, as suggested by the most recently updated European Society of Cardiology 2012 guidelines. Exercise stress echocardiography may also improve the risk stratification and identify asymptomatic patients at higher risk of a cardiac event. When the test is combined with imaging, echocardiography during exercise should be recommended rather than post-exercise echocardiography. During exercise, an increase >18 to 20 mm Hg in mean pressure gradient, absence of improvement in left ventricular ejection fraction (i.e., absence of contractile reserve), and/or a systolic pulmonary arterial pressure >60 mm Hg (i.e., exercise pulmonary hypertension) are suggestive signs of advanced stages of the disease and impaired prognosis. Hence, exercise stress test may identify resting asymptomatic patients who develop exercise abnormalities and in whom surgery is recommended according to current guidelines. Exercise stress echocardiography may further unmask a subset of asymptomatic patients (i.e., without exercise stress test abnormalities) who are at high risk of reduced cardiac event free survival. In these

Transient Asymptomatic Pulmonary Opacities Occurring during Osimertinib Treatment.

PubMed

Noonan, Sinead A; Sachs, Peter B; Camidge, D Ross

2016-12-01

Osimertinib is an EGFR inhibitor licensed for the treatment of EGFR-mutant, T790M-positive NSCLC. Previously unreported, frequent transient asymptomatic pulmonary opacities were noted in patients during osimertinib therapy at the University of Colorado. Computed tomography imaging and clinical notes on patients with NSCLC who had been treated with osimertinib at the University of Colorado were retrospectively reviewed. Transient asymptomatic pulmonary opacities developed in seven of 20 patients (35%) while they were receiving osimertinib. The radiological patterns seen included ground-glass opacities with or without nodular consolidation. The median time to development of the first lesion was 8.7 weeks (range 1.6-43 weeks), the median time to resolution during continued osimertinib was 6 weeks (range 1-11 weeks). Transient asymptomatic pulmonary opacities may be a previously unrecognized, benign feature associated with osimertinib therapy that may be mistaken for isolated pulmonary progression or the beginning of more severe pneumonitis. If new-onset pulmonary lesions, especially those associated with ground-glass appearances, are asymptomatic and localized and there is no evidence of disease progression elsewhere, it may be reasonable to continue treatment with osimertinib and monitor the lesions for resolution. Copyright © 2016 International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Asymptomatic bacteriuria in pregnancy: maternal and fetal complications.

PubMed

Grio, R; Porpiglia, M; Vetro, E; Uligini, R; Piacentino, R; Minì, D; Marchino, G L

1994-12-01

From an analysis of the data reported in the literature it is clear that pregnancy is a predisposing factor for urinary tract infection and that pregnant women with this pathology are exposed to dangerous risks which may influence maternal wellbeing and fetal prognosis. Authors do not concur on the specific risks to the mother and fetus, one reason being that the statistics reported to date reveal discrepancies relating to the presence of disorders prior to pregnancy and the environmental, working and socio-hygienic conditions of the populations studied. The apparently paradoxical finding of a higher incidence of perinatal problems in pregnant women with asymptomatic bacteriuria compared to manifest forms can be attributed to the fact that the latter are treated with adequate therapies whereas asymptomatic bacteriuria, which is difficult to diagnose, may persist throughout pregnancy. This underlines the importance of early diagnosis using a protocol which entails the execution of serial urine tests and urine cultures and adequate treatment of all cases of asymptomatic bacteriuria in order to reduce the incidence of urinary tract infections and materno-fetal complications. Non-treated asymptomatic bacteriuria in fact represents a considerable risk factor since it may lead to the onset of acute pyelonephritis in approximately 5% of pregnant women and may increase the risk of fetal mortality.

[How often is breast fibroadenomatosis asymptomatic?].

PubMed

Li, L A; Martyniuk, V V; Neĭshtadt, E L

1999-01-01

The results of clinico-morphological examinations of 386 women having no complains of discomfort in the mammary glands are presented. Methods of palpation, mammography and morphological investigation have detected fibroadenomatosis without subjective symptoms of the disease in 38%, 67% and 78% of the patients correspondingly. This variant of the disease is called asymptomatic since the woman can not notice it and so it is out of the field of attention of oncologists. High incidence of asymptomatic fibroadenomatosis requires a revision of the current assessment of it as a disease because it does not take into account a variant of the disease when the patient has no complains of painful indurations in the mammary glands.

Emergency department screening for asymptomatic sexually transmitted infections.

PubMed Central

Todd, C S; Haase, C; Stoner, B P

2001-01-01

OBJECTIVES: This study assessed the prevalence and correlates of asymptomatic genital tract infection with Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Chlamydia trachomatis among emergency department patients. METHODS: Individuals seeking emergency department evaluation for nongenitourinary complaints provided urine samples for N gonorrhoeae and C trachomatis testing by ligase chain reaction and completed a sociodemographic and behavioral questionnaire. RESULTS: Asymptomatic N gonorrhoeae or C trachomatis was found in 9.7% of persons tested. Correlates of C trachomatis infection included younger age, residence in high-morbidity zip code areas, previous history of N gonorrhoeae or C trachomatis, and number of sex partners in the past year. CONCLUSIONS: Urine-based screening of asymptomatic emergency department patients detected significant numbers of N gonorrhoeae and C trachomatis infections. Targeted screening programs may contribute to community-level prevention and control of sexually transmitted infections. PMID:11236416

Comparison of endogenous and radiolabeled bile acid excretion in patients with idiopathic chronic diarrhea

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Schiller, L.R.; Bilhartz, L.E.; Santa Ana, C.A.

Fecal recovery of radioactivity after ingestion of a bolus of radiolabeled bile acid is abnormally high in most patients with idiopathic chronic diarrhea. To evaluate the significance of this malabsorption, concurrent fecal excretion of both exogenous radiolabeled bile acid and endogenous (unlabeled) bile acid were measured in patients with idiopathic chronic diarrhea. Subjects received a 2.5-microCi oral dose of taurocholic acid labeled with 14C in the 24th position of the steroid moiety. Endogenous bile acid excretion was measured by a hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase assay on a concurrent 72-h stool collection. Both radiolabeled and endogenous bile acid excretion were abnormally high inmore » most patients with chronic diarrhea compared with normal subjects, even when equivoluminous diarrhea was induced in normal subjects by ingestion of osmotically active solutions. The correlation between radiolabeled and endogenous bile acid excretion was good. However, neither radiolabeled nor endogenous bile acid excretion was as abnormal as is typically seen in patients with ileal resection, and none of these diarrhea patients responded to treatment with cholestyramine with stool weights less than 200 g. These results suggest (a) that this radiolabeled bile acid excretion test accurately reflects excess endogenous bile acid excretion; (b) that excess endogenous bile acid excretion is not caused by diarrhea per se; (c) that spontaneously occurring idiopathic chronic diarrhea is often associated with increased endogenous bile acid excretion; and (d) that bile acid malabsorption is not likely to be the primary cause of diarrhea in most of these patients.« less

Bacterial and viral pathogen spectra of acute respiratory infections in under-5 children in hospital settings in Dhaka city

PubMed Central

Bhuyan, Golam Sarower; Hossain, Mohammad Amir; Sarker, Suprovath Kumar; Rahat, Asifuzzaman; Islam, Md Tarikul; Haque, Tanjina Noor; Begum, Noorjahan; Qadri, Syeda Kashfi; Muraduzzaman, A. K. M.; Islam, Nafisa Nawal; Islam, Mohammad Sazzadul; Sultana, Nusrat; Jony, Manjur Hossain Khan; Khanam, Farhana; Mowla, Golam; Matin, Abdul; Begum, Firoza; Shirin, Tahmina; Ahmed, Dilruba; Saha, Narayan; Qadri, Firdausi

2017-01-01

The study aimed to examine for the first time the spectra of viral and bacterial pathogens along with the antibiotic susceptibility of the isolated bacteria in under-5 children with acute respiratory infections (ARIs) in hospital settings of Dhaka, Bangladesh. Nasal swabs were collected from 200 under-five children hospitalized with clinical signs of ARIs. Nasal swabs from 30 asymptomatic children were also collected. Screening of viral pathogens targeted ten respiratory viruses using RT-qPCR. Bacterial pathogens were identified by bacteriological culture methods and antimicrobial susceptibility of the isolates was determined following CLSI guidelines. About 82.5% (n = 165) of specimens were positive for pathogens. Of 165 infected cases, 3% (n = 6) had only single bacterial pathogens, whereas 43.5% (n = 87) cases had only single viral pathogens. The remaining 36% (n = 72) cases had coinfections. In symptomatic cases, human rhinovirus was detected as the predominant virus (31.5%), followed by RSV (31%), HMPV (13%), HBoV (11%), HPIV-3 (10.5%), and adenovirus (7%). Streptococcus pneumoniae was the most frequently isolated bacterial pathogen (9%), whereas Klebsiella pneumaniae, Streptococcus spp., Enterobacter agglomerans, and Haemophilus influenzae were 5.5%, 5%, 2%, and 1.5%, respectively. Of 15 multidrug-resistant bacteria, a Klebsiella pneumoniae isolate and an Enterobacter agglomerans isolate exhibited resistance against more than 10 different antibiotics. Both ARI incidence and predominant pathogen detection rates were higher during post-monsoon and winter, peaking in September. Pathogen detection rates and coinfection incidence in less than 1-year group were significantly higher (P = 0.0034 and 0.049, respectively) than in 1–5 years age group. Pathogen detection rate (43%) in asymptomatic cases was significantly lower compared to symptomatic group (P<0.0001). Human rhinovirus, HPIV-3, adenovirus, Streptococcus pneumonia, and Klebsiella pneumaniae had

Effects of chronic lithium administration on renal acid excretion in humans and rats

PubMed Central

Weiner, I. David; Leader, John P.; Bedford, Jennifer J.; Verlander, Jill W.; Ellis, Gaye; Kalita, Priyakshi; Vos, Frederiek; de Jong, Sylvia; Walker, Robert J.

2014-01-01

Abstract Lithium therapy's most common side effects affecting the kidney are nephrogenic diabetes insipidus (NDI) and chronic kidney disease. Lithium may also induce a distal renal tubular acidosis. This study investigated the effect of chronic lithium exposure on renal acid–base homeostasis, with emphasis on ammonia and citrate excretion. We compared 11 individuals on long‐term lithium therapy with six healthy individuals. Under basal conditions, lithium‐treated individuals excreted significantly more urinary ammonia than did control subjects. Following an acute acid load, urinary ammonia excretion increased approximately twofold above basal rates in both lithium‐treated and control humans. There were no significant differences between lithium‐treated and control subjects in urinary pH or urinary citrate excretion. To elucidate possible mechanisms, rats were randomized to diets containing lithium or regular diet for 6 months. Similar to humans, basal ammonia excretion was significantly higher in lithium‐treated rats; in addition, urinary citrate excretion was also significantly greater. There were no differences in urinary pH. Expression of the critical ammonia transporter, Rhesus C Glycoprotein (Rhcg), was substantially greater in lithium‐treated rats than in control rats. We conclude that chronic lithium exposure increases renal ammonia excretion through mechanisms independent of urinary pH and likely to involve increased collecting duct ammonia secretion via the ammonia transporter, Rhcg. PMID:25501430

Nitrogen excretion factors of livestock in the European Union: a review.

PubMed

Velthof, Gerard L; Hou, Yong; Oenema, Oene

2015-12-01

Livestock manures are major sources of nutrients, used for the fertilisation of cropland and grassland. Accurate estimates of the amounts of nutrients in livestock manures are required for nutrient management planning, but also for estimating nitrogen (N) budgets and emissions to the environment. Here we report on N excretion factors for a range of animal categories in policy reports by member states of the European Union (EU). Nitrogen excretion is defined in this paper as the total amount of N excreted by livestock per year as urine and faeces. We discuss the guidelines and methodologies for the estimation of N excretion factors by the EU Nitrates Directive, the OECD/Eurostat gross N balance guidebook, the EMEP/EEA Guidebook and the IPCC Guidelines. Our results show that N excretion factors for dairy cattle, other cattle, pigs, laying hens, broilers, sheep, and goats differ significantly between policy reports and between countries. Part of these differences may be related to differences in animal production (e.g. production of meat, milk and eggs), size/weight of the animals, and feed composition, but partly also to differences in the aggregation of livestock categories and estimation procedures. The methodologies and data used by member states are often not well described. There is a need for a common, harmonised methodology and procedure for the estimation of N excretion factors, to arrive at a common basis for the estimation of the production of manure N and N balances, and emissions of ammonia (NH3 ) and nitrous oxide (N2 O) across the EU. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry.

Anthropometry-based 24-h urinary creatinine excretion reference for Chinese children

PubMed Central

Wang, Wei; Du, Cong; Lin, Laixiang; Chen, Wen; Tan, Long; Shen, Jun; Pearce, Elizabeth N.; Zhang, Yixin; Gao, Min; Bian, Jianchao; Wang, Xiaoming; Zhang, Wanqi

2018-01-01

To establish 24-h urinary creatinine excretion reference ranges based on anthropometry in healthy Chinese children, a cross-sectional survey was conducted using twice-sampled 24-h urine and anthropometric variables. Age- and sex-specific 24-h creatinine excretion reference ranges (crude and related to individual anthropometric variables) were derived. During October 2013 and May 2014, urine samples were collected. Anthropometric variables were measured in the first survey. Data of 710 children (377 boys and 333 girls) aged 8–13 years who completed the study were analyzed. No significant difference was observed in 24-h urine volumes between the two samples (median [interquartile range): 855.0 [600.0–1272.0) mL vs. 900.0 [660.0–1220.0) mL, P = 0.277). The mean 24-h urine creatinine excretion was regarded as representative of absolute daily creatinine excretion in children. Sex-specific, body-weight-adjusted creatinine excretion reference values were 15.3 mg/kg/day (0.1353 mmol/kg/day) for boys and 14.3 mg/kg/day (0.1264 mmol/kg/day) for girls. Differences were significant between boys and girls within the same age group but not across different age groups within the same sex. Ideal 24-h creatinine excretion values for height were derived for potential determination of the creatinine height index. These data can serve as reference ranges to calculate ratios of analyte to creatinine. The creatinine height index can be used to assess somatic protein status. PMID:29791502

Prevalence and risk factors of asymptomatic peptic ulcer disease in Taiwan

PubMed Central

Wang, Fu-Wei; Tu, Ming-Shium; Mar, Guang-Yuan; Chuang, Hung-Yi; Yu, Hsien-Chung; Cheng, Lung-Chih; Hsu, Ping-I

2011-01-01

AIM: To investigate the prevalence and risk factors of asymptomatic peptic ulcer disease (PUD) in a general Taiwanese population. METHODS: From January to August 2008, consecutive asymptomatic subjects undergoing a routine health check-up were evaluated by upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. Gastroduodenal mucosal breaks were carefully assessed, and a complete medical history and demographic data were obtained from each patient. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to identify independent risk factors for asymptomatic PUD. RESULTS: Of the 572 asymptomatic subjects, 54 (9.4%) were diagnosed as having PUD. The prevalence of gastric ulcer, duodenal ulcer and both gastric and duodenal ulcers were 4.7%, 3.9%, and 0.9%, respectively. Multivariate analysis revealed that prior history of PUD [odds ratio (OR), 2.0, 95% CI: 1.3-2.9], high body mass index [body mass index (BMI) 25-30: OR, 1.5, 95% CI: 1.0-2.2; BMI > 30 kg/m2: OR, 3.6, 95% CI: 1.5-8.7] and current smoker (OR, 2.6, 95% CI: 1.6-4.4) were independent predictors of asymptomatic PUD. In contrast, high education level was a negative predictor of PUD (years of education 10-12: OR, 0.5, 95% CI: 0.3-0.8; years of education > 12: OR, 0.6, 95% CI: 0.3-0.9). CONCLUSION: The prevalence of PUD in asymptomatic subjects is 9.4% in Taiwan. Prior history of PUD, low education level, a high BMI and current smoker are independent risk factors for developing asymptomatic PUD. PMID:21448426

Relationship between plasma uridine and urinary urea excretion.

PubMed

Ka, Tuneyoshi; Inokuchi, Taku; Tamada, Daisuke; Suda, Michio; Tsutsumi, Zenta; Okuda, Chihiro; Yamamoto, Asako; Takahashi, Sumio; Moriwaki, Yuji; Yamamoto, Tetsuya

2010-03-01

To investigate whether the concentration of uridine in plasma is related to the urinary excretion of urea, 45 healthy male subjects with normouricemia and normal blood pressure were studied after providing informed consent. Immediately after collection of 24-hour urine, blood samples were drawn after an overnight fast except for water. The contents of ingested foods during the 24-hour urine collection period were described by the subjects and analyzed by a dietician. Simple regression analysis showed that plasma uridine was correlated with the urinary excretions of urea (R = 0.41, P < .01), uric acid (R = 0.36, P < .05), and uridine (R = 0.30, P < .05), as well as uric acid clearance (R = 0.35, P < .05) and purine intake (R = 0.30, P < .05). In contrast, multiple regression analysis showed a positive relationship only between plasma uridine and urinary excretion of urea. These results suggest that an increase in de novo pyrimidine synthesis leads to an increased concentration of uridine in plasma via nitrogen catabolism in healthy subjects with normouricemia and normal blood pressure. (c) 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Neuropsychological performance in patients with asymptomatic HIV-1 infection.

PubMed

Martínez-Banfi, Martha; Vélez, Jorge I; Perea, M Victoria; García, Ricardo; Puentes-Rozo, Pedro J; Mebarak Chams, Moises; Ladera, Valentina

2018-05-01

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) lead to neurocognitive disorders; however, there is still much knowledge to be gained regarding HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders. The purpose of this study was to assess the cognitive performance, instrumental activities of daily living, depression, and anxiety in patients with asymptomatic HIV-1 infections compared with seronegative participants without neurocognitive impairment. We studied a sample consisted of 60 patients with asymptomatic HIV-1 infections and 60 seronegative participants without neurocognitive impairment from the city of Barranquilla, Colombia, with a mean age of 36.07 years. A protocol of neuropsychological and psychopathological tests was applied to the participants. The group of patients with asymptomatic HIV infections significantly underperformed on tasks that assessed global cognitive screening, attention span, learning, phonemic verbal fluency, auditory-verbal comprehension, information processing speed, cognitive flexibility, and motor skills compared to the group of seronegative participants. No significant differences were found in memory, visual confrontation naming, vocabulary, inhibition, and instrumental activities of daily living. Additionally, the patients with asymptomatic HIV-1 infection had a higher anxiety index than the seronegative participants, but no significant difference was found in depression. A correlation was found between depression and anxiety. In conclusion, the patients with asymptomatic HIV-1 infection had lower cognitive performances than the seronegative participants in the cognitive functions mentioned above and more anxiety but still performed the instrumental activities of daily living.

The excretion of biotrace elements using the multitracer technique in tumour-bearing mice.

PubMed

Wang, X; Tian, J; Yin, X M; Zhang, X; Wang, Q Z

2000-12-01

A radioactive multitracer solution obtained from the nuclear reaction of selenium with 25 MeV/nucleon 40Ar ions was used for investigation of trace element excretion into the faeces and urine of cancerous mice. The excretion rates of 22 elements (Na, K, Rb, Mg, Ca, Sr, Ga, As, Sc, V, Cr, Mn, Co, Fe, Y, Zr, Mo, Nb, Tc, Ru, Ag and In) were simultaneously measured under strictly identical experimental conditions, in order to clarify the excretion behavior of these elements in cancerous mice. The faecal and urinary excretion rates of Mg, Sr, Ga, As, Sc, V, Cr, Mn, Co, Fe, Y, Zr, Nb, Ru and Mo in cancerous mice, showed the in highest value at 0-8 hours. The accumulative excretion of Ca, Mo, Y and Zr was decreased and Na, Fe, Mn and Co increased in tumour-bearing mice, when compared to normal mice.

Screening and treatment of asymptomatic bacteriuria in pregnancy prevent pyelonephritis.

PubMed

Gratacós, E; Torres, P J; Vila, J; Alonso, P L; Cararach, V

1994-06-01

Although asymptomatic bacteriuria during pregnancy is associated with an increased risk of developing pyelonephritis, the effectiveness of screening programs to reduce this risk is controversial. A sharp reduction in the annual incidence of pyelonephritis (1.8% to 0.6%, P < .001) occurred after the introduction of a program to screen and treat asymptomatic bacteriuria among pregnant women followed at a large teaching hospital. The data provide retrospective and prospective evidence that screening and treatment programs for asymptomatic bacteriuria during pregnancy reduce the risk of pyelonephritis in a population with a moderate to high prevalence of bacteriuria.

Increased Renal Solute Excretion in Rats Following Space Flight

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wade, Charles E.; Moore, A. L.; Morey-Holton, E.

1995-01-01

Following space flight a diuresis, due to an increase in free water clearance, has been suggested in humans. To assess the effects of space flight on renal function, rats were flown in space for 14 days. Rats were divided into three groups; vivarium controls (V;n=6; housed 2/shoe box cage), flight controls (FC;n=6; group housed in a flight cage), and flight animals (F;n=6). Upon landing all animals were placed into individual metabolic cages. Urine was collected daily for 7 days and every other day for 14 days. Urine output was increased (p less than 0.05; ANOVA) following flight for 3 days. On postflight day 1, flow rates were, V=6.8 plus or minus 0.9, FC=8.711.8 and F=16.6 plus or minus 2.7 microliter/min. Excretion rates of Na+ and K+ were increased, resulting in an increased osmotic excretion rate (V=7.9 plus or minus 0.9, FC=6.1 plus or minus 0.7 and F=13.5 plus or minus 0.7 uOsm/min). Creatinine excretion rate was increased over the first two postflight days. In the absence of changes in plasma creatinine, Na+, or K+ (samples obtained immediately post flight from similar rats compared to Day 14), GFR was increased following space flight. The increased excretion of solute was thus the result of increased delivery and decreased reabsorption. Osmotic clearance was increased (V=28, FC=27 and F=51 microliter/min), while free water clearance was decreased post flight (V=-21,FC=-18 and F=-34 microliter/min). In rats, the postflight diuresis is the result of an increase in solute (osmotic) excretion with an accompanying reduction in free water clearance.

Duration of treatment for asymptomatic bacteriuria during pregnancy.

PubMed

Villar, J; Lydon-Rochelle, M T; Gülmezoglu, A M; Roganti, A

2000-01-01

A Cochrane systematic review has shown that drug treatment of asymptomatic bacteriuria in pregnant women substantially decreases the risk of pyelonephritis and reduces the risk of preterm delivery. However, it is not clear whether single dose therapy is as effective as longer conventional antibiotic treatment. The objective of this review was to assess the effects of different durations of treatment for asymptomatic bacteriuria in pregnancy. We searched the Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group trials register, the Cochrane Controlled Trials Register and the reference lists of articles. Randomised and quasi-randomised trials comparing antimicrobial therapeutic regimens that differed in duration (particularly comparing single dose with longer duration regimens) in pregnant women diagnosed with asymptomatic bacteriuria. Trial quality was assessed and data were extracted independently by the reviewers. Eight studies involving over 400 women were included. All were comparisons of single dose treatment with four to seven day treatments. The trials were generally of poor quality. No difference in 'no-cure' rate was detected between single dose and short course (4-7 day) treatment for asymptomatic bacteriuria in pregnant women (relative risk 1.13, 95% confidence interval 0.82 to 1.54) as well as in the recurrent asymptomtic bacteriuria (relative risk 1.08, 95% confidence interval 0.70 to 1.66). However these results showed significant heterogeneity. No differences were detected for preterm births and pyelonephritis although sample size of trials was small. Longer duration treatment was associated with an increase in reports of adverse effects (relative risk 0.53, 95% confidence interval 0.31 to 0.91). There is not enough evidence to evaluate whether single dose or longer duration doses are more effective in treating asymptomatic bacteriuria in pregnant women. Because single dose has lower cost and increases compliance, this comparison should be explored in a properly

The relationship between sodium excretion and blood pressure, urine albumin, central retinal arteriolar equivalent.

PubMed

Huang, Feng; Yu, Peng; Yuan, Yin; Li, Qiaowei; Lin, Fan; Gao, Zhonghai; Chen, Falin; Zhu, Pengli

2016-10-11

Many studies showed an association between dietary salt intake, blood pressure and increased CVD risk. The potential reason may be related to vascular structural and functional changes, through alterations in endothelial function. The central retinal arteriolar equivalent and urinary albumin reflected vascular endothelial dysfunction in different part of the body. The urinary sodium-creatinine ratio of causal urine specimens could represent the 24-h urinary sodium intake to estimate sodium intake. The 24-h sodium excretion was estimated by urinary sodium-creatinine ratio. Urinary albumin-creatinine ratio (UACR), reflecting renal arterial damage, was also determined. The central retinal arteriolar equivalent (CRAE) was detected by fundus photography and was further analyzed by semi-quantitative software. Participants included 951 hypertensive patients with the average sodium excretion of 11.62 ± 3.01 g. The sodium excretion was significantly higher (P < 0.01) in the hypertensive as compared to that of the non-hypertensive participants. Prevalence of hypertension was increased with increasing sodium excretion. The sodium excretion was positively correlated with systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP), respectively (r = 0.20 and 0.14; P < 0.01). Furthermore, UACR and CRAE were significantly (P < 0.01) different within the sodium excretion quartiles (Q1-Q4). After adjusting the confounding variables, such as age and sex, the binary logistic regression analysis showed that sodium excretion was an independent factor of UACR and CRAE (P < 0.01). Our results suggest that sodium excretion in the hypertensive participants were higher. The high sodium excretion was related with the renal arterial damage as well as retinal arteriolar changes.

Polyomavirus JCV excretion and genotype analysis in HIV-infected patients receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lednicky, John A.; Vilchez, Regis A.; Keitel, Wendy A.; Visnegarwala, Fehmida; White, Zoe S.; Kozinetz, Claudia A.; Lewis, Dorothy E.; Butel, Janet S.

2003-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To assess the frequency of shedding of polyomavirus JC virus (JCV) genotypes in urine of HIV-infected patients receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). METHODS: Single samples of urine and blood were collected prospectively from 70 adult HIV-infected patients and 68 uninfected volunteers. Inclusion criteria for HIV-infected patients included an HIV RNA viral load < 1000 copies, CD4 cell count of 200-700 x 106 cells/l, and stable HAART regimen. PCR assays and sequence analysis were carried out using JCV-specific primers against different regions of the virus genome. RESULTS: JCV excretion in urine was more common in HIV-positive patients but not significantly different from that of the HIV-negative group [22/70 (31%) versus 13/68 (19%); P = 0.09]. HIV-positive patients lost the age-related pattern of JCV shedding (P = 0.13) displayed by uninfected subjects (P = 0.01). Among HIV-infected patients significant differences in JCV shedding were related to CD4 cell counts (P = 0.03). Sequence analysis of the JCV regulatory region from both HIV-infected patients and uninfected volunteers revealed all to be JCV archetypal strains. JCV genotypes 1 (36%) and 4 (36%) were the most common among HIV-infected patients, whereas type 2 (77%) was the most frequently detected among HIV-uninfected volunteers. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that JCV shedding is enhanced by modest depressions in immune function during HIV infection. JCV shedding occurred in younger HIV-positive persons than in the healthy controls. As the common types of JCV excreted varied among ethnic groups, JCV genotypes associated with progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy may reflect demographics of those infected patient populations.

Renal excretion of water-soluble contrast media after enema in the neonatal period.

PubMed

Kim, Hee Sun; Je, Bo-Kyung; Cha, Sang Hoon; Choi, Byung Min; Lee, Ki Yeol; Lee, Seung Hwa

2014-08-01

When abdominal distention occurs or bowel obstruction is suspected in the neonatal period, a water-soluble contrast enema is helpful for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. The water-soluble contrast medium is evacuated through the anus as well as excreted via the kidneys in some babies. This study was designed to evaluate the incidence of renal excretion after enemas using water-soluble contrast media and presume the causes. Contrast enemas using diluted water-soluble contrast media were performed in 23 patients under 2 months of age. After the enema, patients were followed with simple abdominal radiographs to assess the improvement in bowel distention, and we could also detect the presence of renal excretion of contrast media on the radiographs. Reviewing the medical records and imaging studies, including enemas and consecutive abdominal radiographs, we evaluated the incidence of renal excretion of water-soluble contrast media and counted the stay duration of contrast media in urinary tract, bladder, and colon. Among 23 patients, 12 patients (52%) experienced the renal excretion of water-soluble contrast media. In these patients, stay-in-bladder durations of contrast media were 1-3 days and stay-in-colon durations of contrast media were 1-10 days, while stay-in-colon durations of contrast media were 1-3 days in the patients not showing renal excretion of contrast media. The Mann-Whitney test for stay-in-colon durations demonstrated the later evacuation of contrast media in the patients with renal excretion of contrast media (p = 0.07). The review of the medical records showed that 19 patients were finally diagnosed as intestinal diseases, including Hirschsprung's disease, meconium ileum, meconium plug syndrome, and small bowel atresia or stenosis. Fisher's exact test between the presence of urinary excretion and intestinal diseases indicated a statistically significant difference (p = 0.04). The intestinal diseases causing bowel obstruction may increase the

Urine sodium excretion increased slightly among U.S. adults between 1988 and 2010.

PubMed

Pfeiffer, Christine M; Hughes, Jeffery P; Cogswell, Mary E; Burt, Vicki L; Lacher, David A; Lavoie, Donna J; Rabinowitz, Daniel J; Johnson, Clifford L; Pirkle, James L

2014-05-01

Little information is available on temporal trends in sodium intake in the U.S. population using urine sodium excretion as a biomarker. Our aim was to assess 1988-2010 trends in estimated 24-h urine sodium (24hUNa) excretion among U.S. adults (age 20-59 y) participating in the cross-sectional NHANES. We used subsamples from a 1988-1994 convenience sample, a 2003-2006 one-third random sample, and a 2010 one-third random sample to comply with resource constraints. We estimated 24hUNa excretion from measured sodium concentrations in spot urine samples by use of calibration equations (for men and women) derived from the International Cooperative Study on Salt, Other Factors, and Blood Pressure study. Estimated 24hUNa excretion increased over the 20-y period [1988-1994, 2003-2006, and 2010; means ± SEMs (n): 3160 ± 38.4 mg/d (1249), 3290 ± 29.4 mg/d (1235), and 3290 ± 44.4 mg/d (525), respectively; P-trend = 0.022]. We observed significantly higher mean estimated 24hUNa excretion in each survey period (P < 0.001) for men compared with women (31-33%) and for persons with a higher body mass index (BMI; 32-35% for obese vs. normal weight) or blood pressure (17-26% for hypertensive vs. normal blood pressure). After adjusting for age, sex, and race-ethnicity, temporal trends in mean estimated 24hUNa excretion remained significant (P-trend = 0.004). We observed no temporal trends in mean estimated 24hUNa excretion among BMI subgroups, nor after adjusting for BMI. Although several limitations apply to this analysis (the use of a convenience sample in 1988-1994 and using estimated 24hUNa excretion as a biomarker of sodium intake), these first NHANES data suggest that mean estimated 24hUNa excretion increased slightly in U.S. adults over the past 2 decades, and this increase may be explained by a shift in the distribution of BMI.

Excretion of Avenanthramides, Phenolic Acids and their Major Metabolites Following Intake of Oat Bran

PubMed Central

Schär, Manuel Y.; Corona, Giulia; Soycan, Gulten; Dine, Clemence; Kristek, Angelika; Alsharif, Sarah N. S.; Behrends, Volker; Lovegrove, Alison; Shewry, Peter R.

2017-01-01

Scope Wholegrain has been associated with reduced chronic disease mortality, with oat intake particularly notable for lowering blood cholesterol and glycemia. To better understand the complex nutrient profile of oats, we studied urinary excretion of phenolic acids and avenanthramides after ingestion of oat bran in humans. Methods and results After a 2‐d (poly)phenol‐low diet, seven healthy men provided urine 12 h before and 48 h after consuming 60 g oat bran (7.8 μmol avenanthramides, 139.2 μmol phenolic acids) or a phenolic‐low (traces of phenolics) control in a crossover design. Analysis by ultra‐high performance liquid chromatography (UPLC)–MS/MS showed that oat bran intake resulted in an elevation in urinary excretion of 30 phenolics relative to the control, suggesting that they are oat bran‐derived. Mean excretion levels were elevated between 0–2 and 4–8 h, following oat bran intake, and amounted to a total of 33.7 ± 7.3 μmol total excretion (mean recovery: 22.9 ± 5.0%), relative to control. The predominant metabolites included: vanillic acid, 4‐ and 3‐hydroxyhippuric acids, and sulfate‐conjugates of benzoic and ferulic acids, which accounted collectively for two thirds of total excretion. Conclusion Oat bran phenolics follow a relatively rapid urinary excretion, with 30 metabolites excreted within 8 h of intake. These levels of excretion suggest that bound phenolics are, in part, rapidly released by the microbiota. PMID:29024323

Identification, using sera from exposed animals, of putative viral antigens in livers of primates with callitrichid hepatitis.

PubMed Central

Stephensen, C B; Montali, R J; Ramsay, E C; Holmes, K V

1990-01-01

Callitrichid hepatitis (CH) is an acute, frequently fatal viral hepatitis which affects members of the primate family Callitrichidae (R. J. Montali, E. C. Ramsay, C. B. Stephensen, M. Worley, J. A. Davis, and K. V. Holmes, J. Infect. Dis. 160:759-765, 1989; E. C. Ramsay, R. J. Montali, M. Worley, C. B. Stephensen, and K. V. Holmes, J. Zoo Wildlife Med. 20:178-183, 1989). Outbreaks of the disease occur in zoos and animal parks. In this study, CH-specific antigens were identified in the livers of infected animals by using immune sera from primates with CH and CH-exposed asymptomatic animals. Three CH-specific antigens with apparent molecular masses of 34, 54, and 65 kDa were identified. A polyclonal antiserum was raised against the 54-kDa antigen. These antigens were not found in the livers of uninfected animals and may be viral proteins. Our results suggest that at least five of the six outbreaks of CH considered here were caused by the same virus or by an antigenically related virus. Images PMID:2123012

Sodium and potassium urinary excretion levels of preschool children: Individual, daily, and seasonal differences.

PubMed

Yasutake, Kenichiro; Nagafuchi, Mikako; Izu, Ryoji; Kajiyama, Tomomi; Imai, Katsumi; Murata, Yusuke; Ohe, Kenji; Enjoji, Munechika; Tsuchihashi, Takuya

2017-06-01

In this study, the authors measured sodium and potassium concentrations in spot urine samples of preschool children on multiple days, and evaluated individual, daily, and seasonal effects. A total of 104 healthy preschool children aged 4 to 5 years were studied. Urine samples were collected from the first urine of the day after waking for three consecutive days (Monday-Wednesday) four times a year (spring, summer, autumn, winter). The authors estimated the daily urine volume as 500 mL and daily creatinine excretion as 300 mg, and used these to calculate daily sodium and potassium excretion levels. Daily sodium and potassium excretion levels and sodium to potassium ratios were highly variable. The coefficient variant in the children's excretion levels were also high within and between individuals. Sodium excretion levels and sodium to potassium ratios were higher on Monday (weekend sodium intakes) than Tuesday. Season had no effect on sodium or potassium excretion levels, but the sodium to potassium ratio was higher in summer than in winter. In conclusion, levels of urinary sodium excretion are comparatively high and those of potassium are low in preschool students, with high variability within and between individuals. ©2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Role of vasopressin in regulation of renal kinin excretion in Long-Evans and diabetes insipidus rats.

PubMed Central

Kauker, M L; Crofton, J T; Share, L; Nasjletti, A

1984-01-01

To study the relationship between vasopressin and the renal kallikrein-kinin system we measured the rate of excretion of kinins into the urine of anesthetized rats during conditions of increased and decreased vasopressin level. The excretion of immunoreactive kinins in Brattleboro rats with hereditary diabetes insipidus (DI) (24 +/- 3 pg min-1 kg-1) was lower than in the control Long Evans (LE) rats (182 +/- 22 pg min-1 kg-1; P less than 0.05). The DI rats also exhibited negligible urinary excretion of immunoreactive vasopressin, reduced urine osmolality, and increased urine flow and kininogenase excretion. In LE rats, volume expansion by infusion of 0.45% NaCl-2.5% dextrose to lower vasopressin secretion reduced (P less than 0.05) kinin excretion, vasopressin excretion, and urine osmolality to 41, 26, and 15% of their respective control values, while increasing (P less than 0.05) urine flow and kininogenase excretion. On the other hand, the infusion of 5% NaCl, which promotes vasopressin secretion, increased (P less than 0.05) the urinary excretion of kinins and vasopressin to 165 and 396% of control, while increasing (P less than 0.05) urine flow and kininogenase excretion. Infusion of vasopressin (1.2 mU/h, intravenous) enhanced (P less than 0.05) kinin excretion by two to threefold in DI rats and in LE rats during volume expansion with 0.45% NaCl-2.5% dextrose, while decreasing urine flow and increasing urine osmolality. This study demonstrates that the urinary excretion of immunoreactive kinins varies in relation to the urinary level of vasopressin, irrespective of urine volume and osmolality and of the urinary excretions of sodium and kininogenase. The study suggests a role for vasopressin in promoting the activity of the renal kallikrein-kinin system in the rat. PMID:6561201

Pharyngitis - viral

MedlinePlus

... throat is due to a viral infection. The antibiotics will not help. Using them to treat viral infections helps bacteria become resistant to antibiotics. With some sore throats (such as those caused ...

BILIARY EXCRETION AND TISSUE DISTRIBUTION OF CADMIUM-109 ADMINISTERED TO RATS

EPA Science Inventory

The difference in the excretion of cadmium in urine and feces was measured in rats with either ligated or intact bile ducts. Three days following a single oral-administration of cadmium-109 plus stabe cadmium chloride, 0.004 percent of the dose was excreted in the urine of rats w...

Association of urinary sodium and potassium excretion with blood pressure.

PubMed

Mente, Andrew; O'Donnell, Martin J; Rangarajan, Sumathy; McQueen, Matthew J; Poirier, Paul; Wielgosz, Andreas; Morrison, Howard; Li, Wei; Wang, Xingyu; Di, Chen; Mony, Prem; Devanath, Anitha; Rosengren, Annika; Oguz, Aytekin; Zatonska, Katarzyna; Yusufali, Afzal Hussein; Lopez-Jaramillo, Patricio; Avezum, Alvaro; Ismail, Noorhassim; Lanas, Fernando; Puoane, Thandi; Diaz, Rafael; Kelishadi, Roya; Iqbal, Romaina; Yusuf, Rita; Chifamba, Jephat; Khatib, Rasha; Teo, Koon; Yusuf, Salim

2014-08-14

Higher levels of sodium intake are reported to be associated with higher blood pressure. Whether this relationship varies according to levels of sodium or potassium intake and in different populations is unknown. We studied 102,216 adults from 18 countries. Estimates of 24-hour sodium and potassium excretion were made from a single fasting morning urine specimen and were used as surrogates for intake. We assessed the relationship between electrolyte excretion and blood pressure, as measured with an automated device. Regression analyses showed increments of 2.11 mm Hg in systolic blood pressure and 0.78 mm Hg in diastolic blood pressure for each 1-g increment in estimated sodium excretion. The slope of this association was steeper with higher sodium intake (an increment of 2.58 mm Hg in systolic blood pressure per gram for sodium excretion >5 g per day, 1.74 mm Hg per gram for 3 to 5 g per day, and 0.74 mm Hg per gram for <3 g per day; P<0.001 for interaction). The slope of association was steeper for persons with hypertension (2.49 mm Hg per gram) than for those without hypertension (1.30 mm Hg per gram, P<0.001 for interaction) and was steeper with increased age (2.97 mm Hg per gram at >55 years of age, 2.43 mm Hg per gram at 45 to 55 years of age, and 1.96 mm Hg per gram at <45 years of age; P<0.001 for interaction). Potassium excretion was inversely associated with systolic blood pressure, with a steeper slope of association for persons with hypertension than for those without it (P<0.001) and a steeper slope with increased age (P<0.001). In this study, the association of estimated intake of sodium and potassium, as determined from measurements of excretion of these cations, with blood pressure was nonlinear and was most pronounced in persons consuming high-sodium diets, persons with hypertension, and older persons. (Funded by the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario and others.).

Flavonoid from Carica papaya inhibits NS2B-NS3 protease and prevents Dengue 2 viral assembly.

PubMed

Senthilvel, Padmanaban; Lavanya, Pandian; Kumar, Kalavathi Murugan; Swetha, Rayapadi; Anitha, Parimelzaghan; Bag, Susmita; Sarveswari, Sundaramoorthy; Vijayakumar, Vijayaparthasarathi; Ramaiah, Sudha; Anbarasu, Anand

2013-01-01

Dengue virus belongs to the virus family Flaviviridae. Dengue hemorrhagic disease caused by dengue virus is a public health problem worldwide. The viral non structural 2B and 3 (NS2B-NS3) protease complex is crucial for virus replication and hence, it is considered to be a good anti-viral target. Leaf extracts from Carica papaya is generally prescribed for patients with dengue fever, but there are no scientific evidences for its anti-dengue activity; hence we intended to investigate the anti-viral activity of compounds present in the leaves of Carica papaya against dengue 2 virus (DENV-2). We analysed the anti-dengue activities of the extracts from Carica papaya by using bioinformatics tools. Interestingly, we find the flavonoid quercetin with highest binding energy against NS2B-NS3 protease which is evident by the formation of six hydrogen bonds with the amino acid residues at the binding site of the receptor. Our results suggest that the flavonoids from Carica papaya have significant anti-dengue activities. ADME - Absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion, BBB - Blood brain barrier, CYP - Cytochrome P450, DENV - - Dengue virus, DHF - Dengue hemorrhagic fever, DSS - Dengue shock syndrome, GCMS - - Gas chromatography- Mass spectrometry, MOLCAD - Molecular Computer Aided Design, NS - Non structural, PDB - Protein data bank, PMF - Potential Mean Force.

The impact of viral load and time to onset of cytomegalovirus replication on long-term graft survival after kidney transplantation.

PubMed

Reischig, Tomas; Kacer, Martin; Hruba, Petra; Jindra, Pavel; Hes, Ondrej; Lysak, Daniel; Bouda, Mirko; Viklicky, Ondrej

2017-01-01

Asymptomatic cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is associated with graft dysfunction and failure. However, no study assessed CMV viral load in terms of the risk for graft failure. In a prospective cohort of kidney transplant recipients, we assessed the impact of CMV DNAemia on the overall graft survival and the incidence of moderate-to-severe interstitial fibrosis and tubular atrophy (IF/TA) in protocol biopsy at 36 months. CMV DNAemia was stratified by viral load in whole blood. A total of 180 patients transplanted from October 2003 through January 2011 were included and followed for 4 years; 87 (48%) patients received 3-month prophylaxis with valacyclovir and 45 (25%) with valganciclovir; 48 (27%) were managed by pre-emptive therapy. Within 12 months of transplantation, CMV DNAemia developed in 102 (57%) patients with 36 (20%) having a viral load of ≥2,000 copies/ml. Multivariate Cox analysis identified CMV DNAemia as an independent risk factor for graft loss (hazard ratio 3.42; P=0.020); however, after stratification by viral load, only CMV DNAemia ≥2,000 copies/ml (hazard ratio 7.62; P<0.001) remained significant. Both early-onset (<3 months; P=0.048) and late-onset (>3 months; P<0.001) CMV DNAemia ≥2,000 copies/ml were risk factors for graft loss. The incidence of moderate-to-severe IF/TA was not significantly influenced by CMV DNAemia. Kidney transplant recipients having CMV DNAemia with a higher viral load irrespective of the time to onset are at increased risk for graft loss.

Antibiotics for asymptomatic bacteriuria in kidney transplant recipients.

PubMed

Coussement, Julien; Scemla, Anne; Abramowicz, Daniel; Nagler, Evi V; Webster, Angela C

2018-02-01

Asymptomatic bacteriuria, defined as bacteriuria without signs or symptoms of urinary tract infection (UTI), occurs in 17% to 51% of kidney transplant recipients and is thought to increase the risk for a subsequent UTI. No consensus exists on the role of antibiotics for asymptomatic bacteriuria in kidney transplantation. To assess the benefits and harms of treating asymptomatic bacteriuria in kidney transplant recipients with antimicrobial agents to prevent symptomatic UTI, all-cause mortality and the indirect effects of UTI (acute rejection, graft loss, worsening of graft function). We searched the Cochrane Kidney and Transplant Register of Studies up to 1 September 2017 through contact with the Information Specialist using search terms relevant to this review. Studies in the Register are identified through searches of CENTRAL, MEDLINE, and EMBASE, conference proceedings, the International Clinical Trials Register (ICTRP) Search Portal, and ClinicalTrials.gov. All randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and quasi-RCTs in any language assessing treatment of asymptomatic bacteriuria in kidney transplant recipients at any time-point after transplantation. Two authors independently determined study eligibility, assessed quality and extracted data. Primary outcomes were incidence of symptomatic UTI and incidence of antimicrobial resistance. Other outcomes included incidences of all-cause mortality, graft loss, graft rejection, graft function, hospitalisation for UTI, adverse reactions to antimicrobial agents and relapse or persistence of asymptomatic bacteriuria. We expressed dichotomous outcomes as absolute risk difference (RD) or risk ratio (RR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) and continuous data as mean differences (MD) with 95% CI. Data were pooled using the random effects model. We included two studies (212 participants) comparing antibiotics versus no treatment, and identified three on-going studies. Overall, incidence of symptomatic UTI varied between 19% and 31

Lowering urinary oxalate excretion to decrease calcium oxalate stone disease

PubMed Central

Knight, John; Assimos, Dean G.

2016-01-01

Dietary modifications should be considered as a first line approach in the treatment of idiopathic calcium oxalate nephrolithiasis. The amounts of oxalate and calcium consumed in the diet are significant factors in the development of the disease due to their impact on urinary oxalate excretion. There are a number of strategies that can be employed to reduce oxalate excretion. The consumption of oxalate-rich foods should be avoided and calcium intake adjusted to 1000–1200 mg/day. To encourage compliance it should be emphasized to patients that they be vigilant with this diet as a deviation in any meal or snack could potentially result in significant stone growth. The evidence underlying these two modifications is outlined and other strategies to reduce urinary oxalate excretion are reviewed. PMID:26614109

[Renal excretion of methylene-diphosphate-technium-99m. Preliminary observations].

PubMed

Vattimo, A; Martini, G

1983-11-30

The purpose of this study is to elucidate the mechanism of the renal excretion of 99mTc-MDP in man. We compared the renal clearance of 99mTc-MDP and 51Cr-EDTA (glomerular filtration rate agent). Since the 99mTc-MDP is bound to the plasma protein, the free fraction was calculated by dialysis. The clearances were obtained by single-injection technique. The plasma disappearance of the tracers was resolved into three exponential functions and area was calculated. The clearance was calculated by dividing the amount of the tracers excreted during the first four hours and the plasma area. In this study no difference was found in the clearance of the two agents. These findings suggest that the renal excretion of diphosphonate is related to the glomerular filtration rate.

Optimizing protocols for risk prediction in asymptomatic carotid stenosis using embolic signal detection: the Asymptomatic Carotid Emboli Study.

PubMed

King, Alice; Shipley, Martin; Markus, Hugh

2011-10-01

Improved methods are required to identify patients with asymptomatic carotid stenosis at high risk for stroke. The Asymptomatic Carotid Emboli Study recently showed embolic signals (ES) detected by transcranial Doppler on 2 recordings that lasted 1-hour independently predict 2-year stroke risk. ES detection is time-consuming, and whether similar predictive information could be obtained from simpler recording protocols is unknown. In a predefined secondary analysis of Asymptomatic Carotid Emboli Study, we looked at the temporal variation of ES. We determined the predictive yield associated with different recording protocols and with the use of a higher threshold to indicate increased risk (≥2 ES). To compare the different recording protocols, sensitivity and specificity analyses were performed using analysis of receiver-operator characteristic curves. Of 477 patients, 467 had baseline recordings adequate for analysis; 77 of these had ES on 1 or both of the 2 recordings. ES status on the 2 recordings was significantly associated (P<0.0001), but there was poor agreement between ES positivity on the 2 recordings (κ=0.266). For the primary outcome of ipsilateral stroke or transient ischemic attack, the use of 2 baseline recordings lasting 1 hour had greater predictive accuracy than either the first baseline recording alone (P=0.0005), a single 30-minute (P<0.0001) recording, or 2 recordings lasting 30 minutes (P<0.0001). For the outcome of ipsilateral stroke alone, two recordings lasting 1 hour had greater predictive accuracy when compared to all other recording protocols (all P<0.0001). Our analysis demonstrates the relative predictive yield of different recording protocols that can be used in application of the technique in clinical practice. Two baseline recordings lasting 1 hour as used in Asymptomatic Carotid Emboli Study gave the best risk prediction.

The Role of Research in Viral Disease Eradication and Elimination Programs: Lessons for Malaria Eradication

PubMed Central

Breman, Joel G.; de Quadros, Ciro A.; Dowdle, Walter R.; Foege, William H.; Henderson, Donald A.; John, T. Jacob; Levine, Myron M.

2011-01-01

By examining the role research has played in eradication or regional elimination initiatives for three viral diseases—smallpox, poliomyelitis, and measles—we derive nine cross-cutting lessons applicable to malaria eradication. In these initiatives, some types of research commenced as the programs began and proceeded in parallel. Basic laboratory, clinical, and field research all contributed notably to progress made in the viral programs. For each program, vaccine was the lynchpin intervention, but as the programs progressed, research was required to improve vaccine formulations, delivery methods, and immunization schedules. Surveillance was fundamental to all three programs, whilst polio eradication also required improved diagnostic methods to identify asymptomatic infections. Molecular characterization of pathogen isolates strengthened surveillance and allowed insights into the geographic source of infections and their spread. Anthropologic, sociologic, and behavioural research were needed to address cultural and religious beliefs to expand community acceptance. The last phases of elimination and eradication became increasingly difficult, as a nil incidence was approached. Any eradication initiative for malaria must incorporate flexible research agendas that can adapt to changing epidemiologic contingencies and allow planning for posteradication scenarios. PMID:21311582

High prevalence of dengue antibodies and the arginine variant of the FcγRIIa polymorphism in asymptomatic individuals in a population of Minas Gerais State, Southeast Brazil.

PubMed

Pereira, Anna Carolina Toledo da Cunha; de Siqueira, Tatiane Ribeiro; de Oliveira Prado, Andressa Anunciação; da Silva, Camila Almeida Veiga; de Fátima Silva Moraes, Thaís; Aleixo, Alan Alex; de Magalhaes, José Carlos; de Souza, Gabriel Augusto Pires; Drumond, Betânia Paiva; Ferreira, Gustavo Portela; de Mello Silva, Breno; de Brito Magalhães, Cintia Lopes; Santos, Luciana Lara; Ferreira, Jaqueline Maria Siqueira; Malaquias, Luiz Cosme Cotta; Coelho, Luiz Felipe Leomil

2018-06-01

Dengue is the most prevalent arthropod-borne viral illness in humans worldwide. Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in genes involved in the immune response, such as dendritic cell-specific intercellular adhesion molecule-3-grabbing non-integrin (DC-SIGN), IgG Fc receptor II-A (FcγRIIa), vitamin D receptor (VDR), and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), were previously reported to be associated with susceptibility to dengue disease in different human populations. Therefore, due to the relevant association of host immune and genetic status with disease susceptibility/severity of dengue, this work aims to verify the frequency of anti-dengue virus antibodies and some dengue-associated risk SNPs in a population in Minas Gerais State, Southeast Brazil. A total of 1560 individuals were genotyped for polymorphisms in DC-SIGN (rs4804803), FcγRIIa (rs1801274), VDR (rs7975232), and TNF-α (rs1800629). The presence of anti-dengue antibodies (IgM and/or IgG) in these samples was also assayed. Anti-dengue antibodies were detected at an overall frequency of 16.86%, indicating a virus infection in asymptomatic individuals. The genotypic frequencies of all SNPs studied did not differ between the asymptomatic and control groups. Regarding the allelic frequencies of the four SNPs analyzed, a higher frequency was detected of the G allele of FcγRIIa/rs1801274 in the asymptomatic individuals when compared to that in the control group (p = 0.03). Therefore, the results showed a high prevalence of asymptomatic individuals in Minas Gerais State, with a potential association between the presence of the G allele of FcγRIIa/rs1801274 and protection against symptomatic disease.

Comparing viral metagenomics methods using a highly multiplexed human viral pathogens reagent

PubMed Central

Li, Linlin; Deng, Xutao; Mee, Edward T.; Collot-Teixeira, Sophie; Anderson, Rob; Schepelmann, Silke; Minor, Philip D.; Delwart, Eric

2014-01-01

Unbiased metagenomic sequencing holds significant potential as a diagnostic tool for the simultaneous detection of any previously genetically described viral nucleic acids in clinical samples. Viral genome sequences can also inform on likely phenotypes including drug susceptibility or neutralization serotypes. In this study, different variables of the laboratory methods often used to generate viral metagenomics libraries on the efficiency of viral detection and virus genome coverage were compared. A biological reagent consisting of 25 different human RNA and DNA viral pathogens was used to estimate the effect of filtration and nuclease digestion, DNA/RNA extraction methods, pre-amplification and the use of different library preparation kits on the detection of viral nucleic acids. Filtration and nuclease treatment led to slight decreases in the percentage of viral sequence reads and number of viruses detected. For nucleic acid extractions silica spin columns improved viral sequence recovery relative to magnetic beads and Trizol extraction. Pre-amplification using random RT-PCR while generating more viral sequence reads resulted in detection of fewer viruses, more overlapping sequences, and lower genome coverage. The ScriptSeq library preparation method retrieved more viruses and a greater fraction of their genomes than the TruSeq and Nextera methods. Viral metagenomics sequencing was able to simultaneously detect up to 22 different viruses in the biological reagent analyzed including all those detected by qPCR. Further optimization will be required for the detection of viruses in biologically more complex samples such as tissues, blood, or feces. PMID:25497414

[Esophageal motor disorders in asymptomatic subjects with Trypanosoma cruzi infection].

PubMed

Torres-Aguilera, M; Remes-Troche, J M; Roesch-Dietlen, F; Vázquez-Jiménez, J G; De la Cruz-Patiño, E; Grube-Pagola, P; Ruiz-Juárez, I

2011-01-01

The indeterminate chronic or "asymptomatic" phase of Trypanosoma cruzi (Chagas' disease) infection is characterized by the absence of gastrointestinal symptoms, and has an estimated duration of 20 to 30 years. However, the intramural denervation that induces dysfunction of the gastrointestinal tract is progressive. Recently, epidemiological studies have shown that the seroprevalence for this infection in our area ranges between 2% and 3% of the population. To detect the presence of esophageal motor disorders in asymptomatic individuals chronically infected with Trypanosoma cruzi using standard esophageal manometry. A cross sectional study in 28 asymptomatic subjects (27 men, age 40.39 ± 10.79) with serological evidence of infection with Trypanosoma cruzi was performed. In all cases demographic characteristics, gastrointestinal symptoms and esophageal motility disorders using conventional manometry were analyzed. In this study 54% (n = 15) of asymptomatic subjects had an esophageal motor disorder: 5 (18%) had nutcracker esophagus, 5 (18%) nonspecific esophageal motor disorders, 3 (11%) hypertensive lower esophageal sphincter (LES), 1 (4%) an incomplete relaxation of the LES and 1 (4%) had chagasic achalasia. More than half of patients that course with Chagas' disease in the indeterminate phase and that are apparently asymptomatic have impaired esophageal motility. Presence of hypertensive LES raises the possibility that this alteration represents an early stage in the development of chagasic achalasia.

The complexities of malaria disease manifestations with a focus on asymptomatic malaria

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Malaria is a serious parasitic disease in the developing world, causing high morbidity and mortality. The pathogenesis of malaria is complex, and the clinical presentation of disease ranges from severe and complicated, to mild and uncomplicated, to asymptomatic malaria. Despite a wealth of studies on the clinical severity of disease, asymptomatic malaria infections are still poorly understood. Asymptomatic malaria remains a challenge for malaria control programs as it significantly influences transmission dynamics. A thorough understanding of the interaction between hosts and parasites in the development of different clinical outcomes is required. In this review, the problems and obstacles to the study and control of asymptomatic malaria are discussed. The human and parasite factors associated with differential clinical outcomes are described and the management and treatment strategies for the control of the disease are outlined. Further, the crucial gaps in the knowledge of asymptomatic malaria that should be the focus of future research towards development of more effective malaria control strategies are highlighted. PMID:22289302

Carotid artery stiffness in patients with symptomatic carotid artery disease with contralateral asymptomatic carotid artery disease and in patients with bilateral asymptomatic carotid artery disease: a cine phase-contrast carotid MR study.

PubMed

Sadat, Umar; Usman, Ammara; Howarth, Simon P S; Tang, Tjun Y; Alam, Fahreyar; Graves, Martin J; Gillard, Jonathan H

2014-04-01

Atherosclerosis is a systemic inflammatory disease that may affect multiple arterial beds simultaneously. Vascular distensibility is increasingly used in the clinical assessment of patients with atherosclerotic disease. In this study, we assess distensibility of symptomatic atherosclerotic carotid artery and of contralateral asymptomatic side. We also investigate the distensibility of bilaterally asymptomatic atherosclerotic carotid arteries using cine phase-contrast carotid magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. Nineteen patients with bilateral carotid artery disease underwent cine phase-contrast carotid imaging on a 1.5 T MR system. Ten patients had ipsilateral symptomatic carotid artery disease and contralateral asymptomatic stenosis. Nine additional patients with bilateral asymptomatic carotid artery disease constituted historical control group. Cine phase-contrast MR imaging acquired at the common carotid artery, maximum luminal stenosis, and internal carotid artery was used to determine carotid distensibility bilaterally for carotid arteries in both patient groups. Symptomatic carotid arteries were found to be significantly less distensible (mean distensibility coefficient [DC] 35.4 ± 6.12 × 10(-3)/kPa) than the contralateral asymptomatic vessels (mean DC 54.4 ± 7.88 × 10(-3)/kPa, P = .03) at the level of the common carotid artery. A similar trend of high distensibility for asymptomatic side in the area of maximum stenosis and the internal carotid artery was seen, but it was not found to be statistically significant. Plaque burden was comparable between the 2 groups at all locations. DC was comparable for patients with bilateral asymptomatic carotid artery stenoses. Distensibility of bilaterally asymptomatic carotid arteries was greater than that of asymptomatic carotid artery contralateral to the symptomatic side. Symptomatic carotid artery is stiffer than the contralateral asymptomatic side, despite comparable plaque burden. Patients with bilateral

Saccharomyces cerevisiae proteinase A excretion and wine making.

PubMed

Song, Lulu; Chen, Yefu; Du, Yongjing; Wang, Xibin; Guo, Xuewu; Dong, Jian; Xiao, Dongguang

2017-11-09

Proteinase A (PrA), the major protease in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, plays an essential role in zymogen activation, sporulation, and other physiological processes in vivo. The extracellular secretion of PrA often occurs during alcoholic fermentation, especially in the later stages when the yeast cells are under stress conditions, and affects the quality and safety of fermented products. Thus, the mechanism underlying PrA excretion must be explored to improve the quality and safety of fermented products. This paper briefly introduces the structure and physiological function of PrA. Two transport routes of PrA, namely, the Golgi-to-vacuole pathway and the constitutive Golgi-to-plasma membrane pathway, are also discussed. Moreover, the research history and developments on the mechanism of extracellular PrA secretion are described. In addition, it is briefly discussed that calcium homeostasis plays an important role in the secretory pathway of proteins, implying that the regulation of PrA delivery to the plasma membrane requires the involvement of calcium ion. Finally, this review focuses on the effects of PrA excretion on wine making (including Chinese rice wine, grape wine, and beer brewage) and presents strategies to control PrA excretion.

Asymptomatic group B streptococcal bacteriuria among pregnant women in Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Ahmad, S

2015-01-01

This study aims to determine the asymptomatic bacteriuria in pregnancy due to GBS and its antimicrobial sensitivity pattern for planning strategy for the management of these cases and also to determine the relationship between asymptomatic bacteriuria and pyuria. A total of 3863 consecutive urine specimens were collected from 3863 pregnant women with asymptomatic bacteriuria attending the obstetrics and gynaecology department of our hospital over a period of two years. Specimens were processed using standard microbiological procedures. All the subjects were evaluated for bacteriuria. The prevalence of asymptomatic bacteriuria due to group B streptococci (GBS) was 82/3863 (2.1%) among pregnant women in Saudi Arabia. Among these, 69/82 patients (84.2%) had clinical and microbiological features consistent with cystitis, versus 13/82 (15.8%) for pyelonephritis. About 51.2% (42/82) of the patients who had urine analysis performed had positive results based on positive urinary leucocyte esterase and pyuria. Disc-diffusion analysis of all 82 GBS isolates showed that they were highly susceptible to Augmentin and linezolid. Screening for bacteriuria in pregnancy and proper treatment must be considered as an essential part of antenatal care in this community. To prevent asymptomatic bacteriuria complications, all pregnant women should be screened at the first antenatal visit. A negative test for pyuria is not a reliable indicator of the absence of asymptomatic bacteriuria in pregnant women. Further, ongoing surveillance and evaluation of outcomes in pregnancies complicated by GBS bacteriuria is required to optimise maternal and newborn care.

[Asymptomatic classical hereditary xanthinuria type 1].

PubMed

Yakubov, Renata; Nir, Vered; Kassem, Eiass; Klein-Kremer, Adi

2012-06-01

We report on a girl who was diagnosed with classical hereditary xanthinuria due to an incidental finding of extremely low Levels of uric acid in the blood. The girl is compLetely asymptomatic. Hereditary xanthinuria is a rare autosomal recessive disease that usually causes early urolithiasis but may cause rheumatoid arthritis-like disease and even be associated with defects in the formation of bone, hair and teeth. In Israel it has mostly been described in patients of Bedouin origin. Throughout the world, only about 150 cases have been described; about two thirds of these patients were asymptomatic. Since the clinical presentation and age of symptom appearance are diverse, the case raises questions as to the required follow-up of these patients and as to whether a low oxalate diet should be initiated.

The comparison of detection methods of asymptomatic malaria in hypoendemic areas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Siahaan, L.; Panggabean, M.; Panggabean, Y. C.

2018-03-01

Malaria is still a problem that disrupts public health in North Sumatera. Late diagnosis will increase the chances of increased morbidity and mortality due to malaria. The early detection of asymptomatic malaria is one of the best efforts to reduce the transmission of the disease. Early detection is certainly must be done on suspect patients who have no malaria complaints. Passive Case Detection (PCD) methods seem hard to find asymptomatic malaria. This study was conducted to compare ACD (Active Case Detection) and PCD methods in asymptomatic malaria detection in the hypoendemic areas of malaria. ACD method is done by going to the sample based on secondary data. Meanwhile, PCD is done on samples that come to health services. Samples were taken randomly and diagnosis was confirmed by microscopic examination with 3% Giemsa staining, as gold standard of malaria diagnostics. There was a significant difference between ACD and PCD detection methods (p = 0.034), where ACD method was seen superior in detecting malaria patients in all categories, such as: clinical malaria (65.2%), asymptomatic malaria (65.1%) and submicroscopic malaria (58.5%). ACD detection methods are superior in detecting malaria sufferers, especially asymptomatic malaria sufferers.

Dosing-time-dependent variation in biliary excretion of flomoxef in rats.

PubMed

Hishikawa, Shuji; Sugimoto, Koh-ichi; Kobayashi, Eiji; Kumagai, Yuji; Fujimura, Akio

2003-05-01

We previously reported that the biliary excretion of flomoxef, an oxacephem antibiotic, was greater after dosing at 21:00 than at 09:00 h in diurnally active human subjects. The present study was undertaken to examine whether the biliary excretion of flomoxef is also dependent on its dosing time in rats. Adult male Wistar rats were housed under light on at 07:00 h and off at 19:00 h. Bile fluid was completely drained through a polyethylene catheter from conscious animals. Flomoxef (20 mg/kg) was injected into the tail vein at 09:00 or 21:00 h by a cross-over design, and drained bile fluid was collected for 8 h after each dosing. The maximum concentration of biliary flomoxef was significantly greater and its total excretion tended to be greater after dosing at 09:00 than 21:00 h. These results suggest the biliary excretion of flomoxef is enhanced after dosing at the beginning of the rest period in rats, as it is in humans.

The excretion and metabolism of oral 14C-pyridostigmine in the rat

PubMed Central

Husain, M. A.; Roberts, J. B.; Thomas, B. H.; Wilson, A.

1968-01-01

1. Pyridostigmine labelled with carbon-14 in the methyl group of the quaternary nitrogen has been used to investigate the excretion and metabolism of the drug after administration of single doses (500 μg) to the rat by stomach tube. 2. Pyridostigmine is slowly excreted in the urine; the maximum excretion occurs between 1-3 hr after administration. In 24 hr 42% of the dose is excreted in urine and 38.4% is present in faeces and intestinal contents. 3. The peak concentration of radioactivity in liver and blood occurs about 2 hr after administration. 4. About 75% of the radioactivity in urine is present as unchanged pyridostigmine, the remainder as metabolite. 5. The results are compared with those previously obtained after oral administration of neostigmine. 6. It is concluded that after oral administration the absorption of pyridostigmine is greater and the metabolism substantially less than that of neostigmine. PMID:5687596

Decrease in Urinary Creatinine Excretion in Early Stage Chronic Kidney Disease

PubMed Central

Tynkevich, Elena; Flamant, Martin; Haymann, Jean-Philippe; Metzger, Marie; Thervet, Eric; Boffa, Jean-Jacques; Vrtovsnik, François; Houillier, Pascal; Froissart, Marc; Stengel, Bénédicte

2014-01-01

Background Little is known about muscle mass loss in early stage chronic kidney disease (CKD). We used 24-hour urinary creatinine excretion rate to assess determinants of muscle mass and its evolution with kidney function decline. We also described the range of urinary creatinine concentration in this population. Methods We included 1072 men and 537 women with non-dialysis CKD stages 1 to 5, all of them with repeated measurements of glomerular filtration rate (mGFR) by 51Cr-EDTA renal clearance and several nutritional markers. In those with stage 1 to 4 at baseline, we used a mixed model to study factors associated with urinary creatinine excretion rate and its change over time. Results Baseline mean urinary creatinine excretion decreased from 15.3±3.1 to 12.1±3.3 mmol/24 h (0.20±0.03 to 0.15±0.04 mmol/kg/24 h) in men, with mGFR falling from ≥60 to <15 mL/min/1.73 m2, and from 9.6±1.9 to 7.6±2.5 (0.16±0.03 to 0.12±0.03) in women. In addition to mGFR, an older age, diabetes, and lower levels of body mass index, proteinuria, and protein intake assessed by urinary urea were associated with lower mean urinary creatinine excretion at baseline. Mean annual decline in mGFR was 1.53±0.12 mL/min/1.73 m2 per year and that of urinary creatinine excretion rate, 0.28±0.02 mmol/24 h per year. Patients with fast annual decline in mGFR of 5 mL/min/1.73 m2 had a decrease in urinary creatinine excretion more than twice as big as in those with stable mGFR, independent of changes in urinary urea as well as of other determinants of low muscle mass. Conclusions Decrease in 24-hour urinary creatinine excretion rate may appear early in CKD patients, and is greater the more mGFR declines independent of lowering protein intake assessed by 24-hour urinary urea. Normalizing urine analytes for creatininuria may overestimate their concentration in patients with reduced kidney function and low muscle mass. PMID:25401694

2,5-Hexanedione excretion after occupational exposure to n-hexane.

PubMed Central

Ahonen, I; Schimberg, R W

1988-01-01

The urinary excretion of the n-hexane metabolite 2,5-hexanedione (HD) was determined in four shoe factory workers during four workingdays that were preceded by four free days and followed by two free days. The correlation between excretion of HD and the n-hexane concentrations in the workroom air was evaluated. The air concentrations of n-hexane and those of acetone, toluene, and other organic solvents were monitored with charcoal tubes. All the urine from each worker was collected at freely chosen intervals during the experimental period and the following two free days. The samples were analysed by gas chromatography. The relative excretion of HD increased as the exposure to n-hexane increased, although it seemed that HD accumulated progressively in the body at the highest n-hexane concentrations and at higher total solvent concentrations. Images PMID:3342196

Marine, freshwater and aerially acclimated mangrove rivulus (Kryptolebias marmoratus) use different strategies for cutaneous ammonia excretion

PubMed Central

Cooper, Christopher A.; Wilson, Jonathan M.

2013-01-01

Rhesus (Rh) glycoproteins are ammonia gas (NH3) channels known to be involved in ammonia transport in animals. Because of the different osmoregulatory and ionoregulatory challenges faced by teleost fishes in marine and freshwater (FW) environments, we hypothesized that ammonia excretion strategies would differ between environments. Also, we hypothesized that cutaneous NH3 volatilization in air-acclimated fish is facilitated by base secretion. To test these hypotheses, we used the skin of the euryhaline amphibious mangrove rivulus (Kryptolebias marmoratus). The skin excretes ammonia and expresses Rh glycoproteins. Serosal-to-mucosal cutaneous ammonia flux was saturable (0–16 mmol/l ammonia, Km of 6.42 mmol/l). In FW, ammonia excretion increased in response to low mucosal pH but decreased with pharmacological inhibition of Na+/H+ exchangers (NHE) and H+ ATPase. Conversely, in brackish water (BW), lowering the mucosal pH significantly decreased ammonia excretion. Inhibitors of NHE also decreased ammonia excretion in BW fish. Immunofluorescence microscopy demonstrated that both the Rh isoform, Rhcg1, and NHE3 proteins colocalized in Na+/K+ ATPase expressing mitochondrion-rich cells in the gills, kidney, and skin. We propose that the mechanisms of cutaneous ammonia excretion in FW K. marmoratus are consistent with the model for branchial ammonia excretion in FW teleost fish. NH4+ excretion appeared to play a stronger role in BW. NH4+ excretion in BW may be facilitated by apical NHE and/or diffuse through paracellular pathways. In aerially acclimated fish, inhibition of NHE and H+ ATPase, but not the Cl−/HCO3− exchanger, significantly affected cutaneous surface pH, suggesting that direct base excretion is not critical for NH3 volatilization. Overall, K. marmoratus use different strategies for excreting ammonia in three different environments, FW, BW, and air, and Rh glycoproteins and NHE are integral to all. PMID:23389109

Prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in asymptomatic smokers.

PubMed

Sansores, Raúl H; Velázquez-Uncal, Mónica; Pérez-Bautista, Oliver; Villalba-Caloca, Jaime; Falfán-Valencia, Ramcés; Ramírez-Venegas, Alejandra

2015-01-01

Physicians do not routinely recommend smokers to undergo spirometry unless they are symptomatic. To test the hypothesis that there are a significant number of asymptomatic smokers with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), we estimated the prevalence of COPD in a group of asymptomatic smokers. Two thousand nine hundred and sixty-one smokers with a cumulative consumption history of at least 10 pack-years, either smokers with symptoms or smokers without symptoms (WOS) were invited to perform a spirometry and complete a symptom questionnaire. Six hundred and thirty-seven (21.5%) smokers had no symptoms, whereas 2,324 (78.5%) had at least one symptom. The prevalence of COPD in subjects WOS was 1.5% when considering the whole group of smokers (45/2,961) and 7% when considering only the group WOS (45/637). From 329 smokers with COPD, 13.7% were WOS. Subjects WOS were younger, had better lung function and lower cumulative consumption of cigarettes, estimated as both cigarettes per day and pack-years. According to severity of airflow limitation, 69% vs 87% of subjects were classified as Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease stages I-II in the WOS and smokers with symptoms groups, respectively (P<0.001). A multivariate analysis showed that forced expiratory volume in 1 second (mL) was the only predictive factor for COPD in asymptomatic smokers. Prevalence of COPD in asymptomatic smokers is 1.5%. This number of asymptomatic smokers may be excluded from the benefit of an "early" intervention, not just pharmacological but also from smoking cessation counseling. The higher forced expiratory volume in 1 second may contribute to prevent early diagnosis.

Asymptomatic Wolff-Parkinson-White Pattern ECG in USAF Aviators.

PubMed

Davenport, Eddie D; Rupp, Karen A N; Palileo, Edwin; Haynes, Jared

2017-01-01

Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) pattern is occasionally found in asymptomatic aviators during routine ECGs. Aeromedical concerns regarding WPW pattern include risk of dysrhythmia or sudden cardiac death (SCD), thus affecting the safety of flight. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence and outcomes of aviators with asymptomatic WPW pattern and assess for risk factors that contribute to progression to dysrhythmia or symptoms. The U.S. Air Force (USAF) ECG library database containing over 1.2 million ECGs collected over the past 68 yr was used to identify 638 individual aviators with WPW pattern. Demographic, medical history, and outcome data were obtained by medical record review. Aviators who developed high risk features defined as symptoms, arrhythmia, or ablation of a high risk pathway, were compared to those who remained asymptomatic. Prevalence of WPW pattern was 0.30% among all USAF aviators. Of the 638 individuals, 64 (10%) progressed to the combined endpoint of SCD, arrhythmia, and/or ablation of a high risk pathway over 6868 patient years, with average follow-up of 10.5 yr. There were two sudden cardiac deaths (0.3%). Annual risk of possible sudden incapacitation was 0.95% and of SCD 0.03%. Those that progressed to high risk were significantly younger, had lower diastolic blood pressure, lower total cholesterol, and better physical fitness testing scores. WPW pattern on ECG found in asymptomatic aviators confers < 1% annual risk of arrhythmia or incapacitating events with the highest risk in the younger, healthier, and most fit populations.Davenport ED, Rupp KAN, Palileo E, Haynes J. Asymptomatic Wolff-Parkinson-White pattern ECG in USAF aviators. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2017; 88(1):56-60.

Urinary Tract Infections and Asymptomatic Bacteriuria in Renal Transplant Recipients

PubMed Central

Yacoub, Rabi; Akl, Nader Kassis

2011-01-01

Asymptomatic bacteriuria and urinary tract infection are common complications after kidney transplantation. In this population, if urinary tract infection occurred in the first six months post procedure, it carries a grave impact on both graft and patient survival. Renal transplant recipients with urinary tract infection are often clinically asymptomatic as a consequence of immunosuppression. Urinary tract infection, however, may progress to acute pyelonephritis, bacteremia and the full blown picture of urosepsis. PubMed and Cochrane databases were searched. The purpose of this review is to discuss the screening and treatment of urinary tract infection and asymptomatic bacteriuria in renal transplant recipients and to evaluate the guidelines on the basis of a review of published evidence. PMID:22224004

Evaluation of Different Antiretroviral Drug Protocols on Naturally Infected Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) Cats in the late Phase of the Asymptomatic Stage of Infection

PubMed Central

Gómez, Nélida V.; Fontanals, Adriana; Castillo, Víctor; Gisbert, María A.; Suraniti, Adriana; Mira, Graciela; Pisano, Paola B.

2012-01-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of the antiretrovirals: Zidovudine (ZDV) alone; ZDV + Recombinant Human Interferon-α (rHuIFN-α); ZDV + Lamivudine (3TC) and ZDV + valproic acid (Valp) on naturally feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV)-infected cats, in the late phase of the asymptomatic stage of infection. The follow-up was performed over one year, through clinical evaluation and the determination of viral loads and CD4+/CD8+ ratios. Neurological signs were studied by visual and auditory evoked potentials (VEP, AEP) and the responses were abnormal in 80% of the FIV-infected cats. After one year, an improvement in VEP and AEP was observed in the ZDV + Valp group and a worsening in the group receiving ZDV + rHuIFN-α. The CD4+/CD8+ ratio showed a significant increase (both intra and inter-groups) only in ZDV and ZDV + 3TC, between their pre-treatment and one year values, as well as among the other groups. Viral load only showed a significant decrease in ZDV and ZDV + 3TC groups, when comparing the values at one year of treatment vs. pre-treatment values and when the different groups were compared. In addition, the viral load decrease was significantly more pronounced in the ZDV + 3TC vs. ZDV group. We conclude that ZDV and ZDV + 3TC produce significant reductions in viral load and stimulate a recovery of the CD4+/CD8+ ratio, compared with the other protocols. It is clear that the addition of 3TC resulted in a greater reduction in viral load than use of ZDV as a single drug. Therefore, the combination ZDV + 3TC could be more effective than the sole use of ZDV. PMID:22816032

Urinary Sodium and Potassium Excretion and Dietary Sources of Sodium in Maputo, Mozambique.

PubMed

Queiroz, Ana; Damasceno, Albertino; Jessen, Neusa; Novela, Célia; Moreira, Pedro; Lunet, Nuno; Padrão, Patrícia

2017-08-03

This study aimed to evaluate the urinary excretion of sodium and potassium, and to estimate the main food sources of sodium in Maputo dwellers. A cross-sectional evaluation of a sample of 100 hospital workers was conducted between October 2012 and May 2013. Sodium and potassium urinary excretion was assessed in a 24-h urine sample; creatinine excretion was used to exclude unlikely urine values. Food intake in the same period of urine collection was assessed using a 24-h dietary recall. The Food Processor Plus ® was used to estimate sodium intake corresponding to naturally occurring sodium and sodium added to processed foods (non-discretionary sodium). Salt added during culinary preparations (discretionary sodium) was computed as the difference between urinary sodium excretion and non-discretionary sodium. The mean (standard deviation) urinary sodium excretion was 4220 (1830) mg/day, and 92% of the participants were above the World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations. Discretionary sodium contributed 60.1% of total dietary sodium intake, followed by sodium from processed foods (29.0%) and naturally occurring sodium (10.9%). The mean (standard deviation) urinary potassium excretion was 1909 (778) mg/day, and 96% of the participants were below the WHO potassium intake recommendation. The mean (standard deviation) sodium to potassium molar ratio was 4.2 (2.4). Interventions to decrease sodium and increase potassium intake are needed in Mozambique.

Urinary Sodium and Potassium Excretion and Dietary Sources of Sodium in Maputo, Mozambique

PubMed Central

Queiroz, Ana; Damasceno, Albertino; Jessen, Neusa; Novela, Célia; Moreira, Pedro; Lunet, Nuno

2017-01-01

This study aimed to evaluate the urinary excretion of sodium and potassium, and to estimate the main food sources of sodium in Maputo dwellers. A cross-sectional evaluation of a sample of 100 hospital workers was conducted between October 2012 and May 2013. Sodium and potassium urinary excretion was assessed in a 24-h urine sample; creatinine excretion was used to exclude unlikely urine values. Food intake in the same period of urine collection was assessed using a 24-h dietary recall. The Food Processor Plus® was used to estimate sodium intake corresponding to naturally occurring sodium and sodium added to processed foods (non-discretionary sodium). Salt added during culinary preparations (discretionary sodium) was computed as the difference between urinary sodium excretion and non-discretionary sodium. The mean (standard deviation) urinary sodium excretion was 4220 (1830) mg/day, and 92% of the participants were above the World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations. Discretionary sodium contributed 60.1% of total dietary sodium intake, followed by sodium from processed foods (29.0%) and naturally occurring sodium (10.9%). The mean (standard deviation) urinary potassium excretion was 1909 (778) mg/day, and 96% of the participants were below the WHO potassium intake recommendation. The mean (standard deviation) sodium to potassium molar ratio was 4.2 (2.4). Interventions to decrease sodium and increase potassium intake are needed in Mozambique. PMID:28771193

Intracerebral Borna Disease Virus Infection of Bank Voles Leading to Peripheral Spread and Reverse Transcription of Viral RNA

PubMed Central

Kinnunen, Paula Maria; Inkeroinen, Hanna; Ilander, Mette; Kallio, Eva Riikka; Heikkilä, Henna Pauliina; Koskela, Esa; Mappes, Tapio; Palva, Airi; Vaheri, Antti; Kipar, Anja; Vapalahti, Olli

2011-01-01

Bornaviruses, which chronically infect many species, can cause severe neurological diseases in some animal species; their association with human neuropsychiatric disorders is, however, debatable. The epidemiology of Borna disease virus (BDV), as for other members of the family Bornaviridae, is largely unknown, although evidence exists for a reservoir in small mammals, for example bank voles (Myodes glareolus). In addition to the current exogenous infections and despite the fact that bornaviruses have an RNA genome, bornavirus sequences integrated into the genomes of several vertebrates millions of years ago. Our hypothesis is that the bank vole, a common wild rodent species in traditional BDV-endemic areas, can serve as a viral host; we therefore explored whether this species can be infected with BDV, and if so, how the virus spreads and whether viral RNA is transcribed into DNA in vivo. We infected neonate bank voles intracerebrally with BDV and euthanized them 2 to 8 weeks post-infection. Specific Ig antibodies were detectable in 41%. Histological evaluation revealed no significant pathological alterations, but BDV RNA and antigen were detectable in all infected brains. Immunohistology demonstrated centrifugal spread throughout the nervous tissue, because viral antigen was widespread in peripheral nerves and ganglia, including the mediastinum, esophagus, and urinary bladder. This was associated with viral shedding in feces, of which 54% were BDV RNA-positive, and urine at 17%. BDV nucleocapsid gene DNA occurred in 66% of the infected voles, and, surprisingly, occasionally also phosphoprotein DNA. Thus, intracerebral BDV infection of bank vole led to systemic infection of the nervous tissue and viral excretion, as well as frequent reverse transcription of the BDV genome, enabling genomic integration. This first experimental bornavirus infection in wild mammals confirms the recent findings regarding bornavirus DNA, and suggests that bank voles are capable of

Asymptomatic myelolipoma of the adrenal.

PubMed

Hadjigeorgi, C; Lafoyianni, S; Pontikis, Y; Van Vliet-Constantinidou, C

1992-01-01

Myelolipoma of the adrenal gland is a rare benign tumour which seldom produces symptoms unless it attains considerable size or hemorrhages into itself. Histologically the tumor is composed of varying proportions of fat and bone marrow elements. We present a case of a male child, with homozygous beta thalassemia and asymptomatic myelolipoma.

Prevalence and activity of Epstein-Barr virus and human cytomegalovirus in symptomatic and asymptomatic apical periodontitis lesions.

PubMed

Hernádi, Katinka; Szalmás, Anita; Mogyorósi, Richárd; Czompa, Levente; Veress, György; Csoma, Eszter; Márton, Ildikó; Kónya, József

2010-09-01

Apical periodontitis is a polymicrobial inflammation with a dominant flora of opportunistic Gram-negative bacteria; however, a pathogenic role of human herpesviruses such as Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) has been implicated recently. The aims of this study were to determine the prevalence, activity, and disease association of EBV and HCMV in apical periodontitis in an Eastern Hungarian population. Forty samples with apical periodontitis (17 symptomatic and 23 asymptomatic) and 40 healthy pulp controls were collected. EBV and HCMV prevalences were measured by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) detection of the viral DNA and viral activity was tested by reverse-transcription PCR amplification of viral messenger RNA. EBV DNA and EBNA-2 messenger RNA were found in apical periodontitis lesions at significantly (p < 0.0001) higher frequencies (72.5% and 50%, respectively) than in controls (both 2.5%). The occurrence of HCMV infection was rare in both apical lesions (10%) and controls (0%). The presence of EBV DNA in apical lesions was associated significantly with large (> or = 5 mm) lesion size (p = 0.02) but not with symptoms (p = 0.30). Symptomatic manifestation was significantly associated with the co-occurrence (odds ratio [OR], 8.80; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.69-45.76) but not the sole occurrences of EBNA-2 messenger RNA (OR, 2.29; 95% CI, 0.48-11.06) and large lesion size (OR, 4.02; 95% CI, 0.81-19.89). EBV infection is a frequent event in apical periodontitis, whereas the involvement of HCMV still remains to be elucidated. This study showed that symptomatic manifestation was likely to occur if a large-sized apical periodontitis lesion is aggravated with active EBV infection. Copyright 2010 American Association of Endodontists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Summary of the practice guideline 'Viral hepatitis and other liver diseases' (second revision) from the Dutch College of General Practitioners].

PubMed

Bouma, M; van Geldrop, W J; Numans, M E; Wiersma, Tj; Goudswaard, A N

2008-12-06

The revised Dutch College of General Practitioners' practice guideline 'Viral hepatitis and other liver diseases' offers advice in the diagnosis and management of viral hepatitis A, B and C and other liver diseases. The guideline is important for general practitioners as well as specialists in internal medicine and gastroenterology. The emphasis is on the management of chronic hepatitis B en C, because the prevalence of these diseases has increased in the Netherlands and, in addition, the treatment options for chronic hepatitis have improved. Consequently, timely recognition and adequate referral of patients with chronic hepatitis B or hepatitis C have become more important. However, many patients with a chronic liver disease have no symptoms. Therefore, the general practitioner should be aware that a patient visiting the practice with fatigue and malaise could have a liver disease if he or she belongs to a high-risk group or has had high-risk contacts. If the general practitioner repeatedly finds increased liver transaminase values during routine examination of asymptomatic patients, additional diagnostic tests should be performed. Further tests should focus on viral hepatitis as well as on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis or, depending on the history-taking, liver damage due to excessive alcohol, medication or drug use.

Translation Stress Positively Regulates MscL-Dependent Excretion of Cytoplasmic Proteins

PubMed Central

Morra, Rosa; Del Carratore, Francesco; Muhamadali, Howbeer; Horga, Luminita Gabriela; Halliwell, Samantha

2018-01-01

ABSTRACT The apparent mislocalization or excretion of cytoplasmic proteins is a commonly observed phenomenon in both bacteria and eukaryotes. However, reports on the mechanistic basis and the cellular function of this so-called “nonclassical protein secretion” are limited. Here we report that protein overexpression in recombinant cells and antibiotic-induced translation stress in wild-type Escherichia coli cells both lead to excretion of cytoplasmic protein (ECP). Condition-specific metabolomic and proteomic analyses, combined with genetic knockouts, indicate a role for both the large mechanosensitive channel (MscL) and the alternative ribosome rescue factor A (ArfA) in ECP. Collectively, the findings indicate that MscL-dependent protein excretion is positively regulated in response to both osmotic stress and arfA-mediated translational stress. PMID:29382730

THE EXCRETION OF Na$sup 22$ IN SWEAT

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Weigel, H.W.; Parsons, J.; Elrick, H.

A new method for measuring sodium excretion in sweat, utilizing Na/sup 22/, is described. The physical characteristics of the radioisotope are very favorable and the test procedure is simple. The method has been applied to 50 control subjects, 20 patients with chronic lung disease, and 4 patients with fibrocystic disease of the pancreas. The results show a significant elevation of sweat Na excretion in patients with chronic lung disease, but not to the degree seen in patients with cystic fibrosis of the pancreas. These findings are compatible with the concept that some patients with chronic lung disease may have amore » form of pancreatic fibrosis not clinically detectable. (auth)« less

Canine viral infections.

PubMed

Willis, A M

2000-09-01

The ophthalmic effects of viral infection are varied. With the added possibility for pathologic effects of attenuated vaccine viruses, the diagnosis of viral diseases can be a challenge. In many cases, ocular manifestations can provide added support to a presumptive diagnosis of viral disease, thereby underscoring the benefit of thorough ophthalmic examination of any animal with nonspecific signs of illness.

Viral Epitranscriptomics

PubMed Central

Kennedy, Edward M.; Courtney, David G.; Tsai, Kevin

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Although it has been known for over 40 years that eukaryotic mRNAs bear internal base modifications, it is only in the last 5 years that the importance of these modifications has begun to come into focus. The most common mRNA modification, the addition of a methyl group to the N6 position of adenosine (m6A), has been shown to affect splicing, translation, and stability, and m6A is also essential for embryonic development in organisms ranging from plants to mice. While all viral transcripts examined so far have been found to be extensively m6A modified, the role, if any, of m6A in regulating viral gene expression and replication was previously unknown. However, recent data generated using HIV-1 as a model system strongly suggest that sites of m6A addition not only are evolutionarily conserved but also enhance virus replication. It is therefore likely that the field of viral epitranscriptomics, which can be defined as the study of functionally relevant posttranscriptional modifications of viral RNA transcripts that do not change the nucleotide sequence of that RNA, is poised for a major expansion in scientific interest and may well fundamentally change our understanding of how viral replication is regulated. PMID:28250115

Cervical range of motion discriminates between asymptomatic persons and those with whiplash.

PubMed

Dall'Alba, P T; Sterling, M M; Treleaven, J M; Edwards, S L; Jull, G A

2001-10-01

A comparative study of cervical range of motion in asymptomatic persons and those with whiplash. To compare the primary and conjunct ranges of motion of the cervical spine in asymptomatic persons and those with persistent whiplash-associated disorders, and to investigate the ability of these measures of range of motion to discriminate between the groups. Evidence that range of motion is an effective indicator of physical impairment in the cervical spine is not conclusive. Few studies have evaluated the ability to discriminate between asymptomatic persons and those with whiplash on the basis of range of motion or compared three-dimensional in vivo measures of range of motion in asymptomatic persons and those with whiplash-associated disorders. The study participants were 89 asymptomatic volunteers (41 men, 48 women; mean age 39.2 years) and 114 patients with persistent whiplash-associated disorders (22 men, 93 women; mean age 37.2 years) referred to a whiplash research unit for assessment of their cervical region. Range of cervical motion was measured in three dimensions with a computerized, electromagnetic, motion-tracking device. The movements assessed were flexion, extension, left and right lateral flexion, and left and right rotation. Range of motion was reduced in all primary movements in patients with persistent whiplash-associated disorder. Sagittal plane movements were proportionally the most affected. On the basis of primary and conjunct range of motion, age, and gender, 90.3% of study participants could be correctly categorized as asymptomatic or as having whiplash (sensitivity 86.2%, specificity 95.3%). Range of motion was capable of discriminating between asymptomatic persons and those with persistent whiplash-associated disorders.

Reference limits for urinary fractional excretion of electrolytes in adult non-racing Greyhound dogs.

PubMed

Bennett, S L; Abraham, L A; Anderson, G A; Holloway, S A; Parry, B W

2006-11-01

To determine reference limits for urinary fractional excretion of electrolytes in Greyhound dogs. Urinary fractional excretion was calculated using a spot clearance method preceded by a 16 to 20 hour fast in 48 Greyhound dogs. Raw data analysed using the bootstrap estimate was used to calculate the reference limits. The observed range for urinary fractional excretion in Greyhound dogs was 0.0 to 0.77% for sodium, 0.9 to 14.7% for potassium, 0 to 0.66% for chloride, 0.03 to 0.22% for calcium and 0.4 to 20.1% for phosphate. Expressed as percentages, the suggested reference limits for fractional excretion in Greyhound dogs are as follows: sodium < or = 0.72, potassium < or = 12.2, chloride < or = 0.55, calcium < or = 0.13 and phosphate < or = 16.5. Veterinary practitioners may use these reference limits for urinary electrolyte fractional excretion when investigating renal tubular disease in Greyhound dogs.

Prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in asymptomatic smokers

PubMed Central

Sansores, Raúl H; Velázquez-Uncal, Mónica; Pérez-Bautista, Oliver; Villalba-Caloca, Jaime; Falfán-Valencia, Ramcés; Ramírez-Venegas, Alejandra

2015-01-01

Background Physicians do not routinely recommend smokers to undergo spirometry unless they are symptomatic. Objective To test the hypothesis that there are a significant number of asymptomatic smokers with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), we estimated the prevalence of COPD in a group of asymptomatic smokers. Methods Two thousand nine hundred and sixty-one smokers with a cumulative consumption history of at least 10 pack-years, either smokers with symptoms or smokers without symptoms (WOS) were invited to perform a spirometry and complete a symptom questionnaire. Results Six hundred and thirty-seven (21.5%) smokers had no symptoms, whereas 2,324 (78.5%) had at least one symptom. The prevalence of COPD in subjects WOS was 1.5% when considering the whole group of smokers (45/2,961) and 7% when considering only the group WOS (45/637). From 329 smokers with COPD, 13.7% were WOS. Subjects WOS were younger, had better lung function and lower cumulative consumption of cigarettes, estimated as both cigarettes per day and pack-years. According to severity of airflow limitation, 69% vs 87% of subjects were classified as Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease stages I–II in the WOS and smokers with symptoms groups, respectively (P<0.001). A multivariate analysis showed that forced expiratory volume in 1 second (mL) was the only predictive factor for COPD in asymptomatic smokers. Conclusion Prevalence of COPD in asymptomatic smokers is 1.5%. This number of asymptomatic smokers may be excluded from the benefit of an “early” intervention, not just pharmacological but also from smoking cessation counseling. The higher forced expiratory volume in 1 second may contribute to prevent early diagnosis. PMID:26586941

Urinary Excretion of Niacin Metabolites in Humans After Coffee Consumption.

PubMed

Kremer, Jonathan Isaak; Gömpel, Katharina; Bakuradze, Tamara; Eisenbrand, Gerhard; Richling, Elke

2018-04-01

Coffee is a major natural source of niacin in the human diet, as it is formed during coffee roasting from the alkaloid trigonelline. The intention of our study was to monitor the urinary excretion of niacin metabolites after coffee consumption under controlled diet. We performed a 4-day human intervention study on the excretion of major niacin metabolites in the urine of volunteers after ingestion of 500 mL regular coffee containing 34.8 μmol nicotinic acid (NA) and 0.58 μmol nicotinamide (NAM). In addition to NA and NAM, the metabolites N 1 -methylnicotinamide (NMNAM), N 1 -methyl-2-pyridone-5-carboxamide (2-Py), and nicotinuric acid (NUA) were identified and quantified in the collected urine samples by stable isotope dilution analysis (SIVA) using HPLC-ESI-MS/MS. Rapid urinary excretion was observed for the main metabolites (NA, NAM, NMNAM, and 2-Py), with t max values within the first hour after ingestion. NUA appeared in traces even more rapidly. In sum, 972 nmol h -1 of NA, NAM, NMNAM, and 2-Py were excreted within 12 h after coffee consumption, corresponding to 6% of the ingested NA and NAM. The results indicate regular coffee consumption to be a source of niacin in human diet. © 2018 The Authors. Published by WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Relationship Between Urinary Nitrate Excretion and Blood Pressure in the InChianti Cohort.

PubMed

Smallwood, Miranda J; Ble, Alessandro; Melzer, David; Winyard, Paul G; Benjamin, Nigel; Shore, Angela C; Gilchrist, Mark

2017-07-01

Inorganic nitrate from the oxidation of endogenously synthesized nitric oxide (NO) or consumed in the diet can be reduced to NO via a complex enterosalivary circulation pathway. The relationship between total nitrate exposure by measured urinary nitrate excretion and blood pressure in a large population sample has not been assessed previously. For this cross-sectional study, 24-hour urinary nitrate excretion was measured by spectrophotometry in the 919 participants from the InChianti cohort at baseline and blood pressure measured with a mercury sphygmomanometer. After adjusting for age and sex only, diastolic blood pressure was 1.9 mm Hg lower in subjects with ≥2 mmol urinary nitrate excretion compared with those excreting <1 mmol nitrate in 24 hours: systolic blood pressure was 3.4 mm Hg (95% confidence interval (CI): -3.5 to -0.4) lower in subjects for the same comparison. Effect sizes in fully adjusted models (for age, sex, potassium intake, use of antihypertensive medications, diabetes, HS-CRP, or current smoking status) were marginally larger: systolic blood pressure in the ≥2 mmol urinary nitrate excretion group was 3.9 (CI: -7.1 to -0.7) mm Hg lower than in the comparison <1 mmol excretion group. Modest differences in total nitrate exposure are associated with lower blood pressure. These differences are at least equivalent to those seen from substantial (100 mmol) reductions in sodium intake. © American Journal of Hypertension, Ltd 2017. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com

Increased urinary excretion of thioether in new rubber workers

PubMed Central

Kilpikari, I; Savolainen, H

1982-01-01

ABSTRACT Urinary excretion of thioether before starting work and in the early work period in a rubber factory was measured in urine samples collected after one, two to four, and five or more months of starting work. The study population consisted of 84 new workers. The urinary excretion of thioether decreased after one month's exposure and increased thereafter up to five months. Measurement of urinary thioethers in groups of new workers is therefore informative of exposure to alkylating agents only after several months from starting work. This effect may be mediated by the induction of the pertinent metabolic pathway. PMID:7138800

Contribution of activity to the circadian rhythm in excretion of magnesium and calcium.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1968-03-01

Eight subjects were maintained on a standard dietary regimen ingested every four hours for 120 hours. Measurements of the magnesium and calcium excretion in these subjects revealed a circadian periodicity with maximal levels of excretion for both ion...

Short-term starvation effects on nitrogen and phosphorus excretion by the chaetognath Sagitta enflata

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Szyper, James P.

1981-12-01

Freshly captured Sagitta enflata exhibited specific excretion rates of ammonium and phosphate (expressed as percentage body content of N or P per hour) that were not significantly related to the size of individual animals. The degree of crowding in experimental vessels was positively correlated with specific excretion rates of ammonium. Excretion rates, under conditions that precluded feeding, decreased sharply during the first several hours' incubation time, approaching the rates exhibited by animals starved overnight. The practice of holding freshly captured zooplankton for a time before determining excretion rates may seriously affect those rates, if the animals are unable to feed. Animals captured during the day in Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, having no food items in their guts, had mean specific excretion rates (± S.D.) of 0·81±0·51% body content of N h -1 for ammonium, and 1·29±1·24% body content of P h -1 for phosphate. Minimal estimates of natural excretion rates, made from the first hour of incubation in further experiments, were 1·19±0·47% h -1 for nitrogen and 3·8±3·95% h -1 for phosphorus. Sagitta is not a large contributor to nutrient regeneration in Kaneohe Bay.

[13C]Nandrolone excretion in trained athletes: interindividual variability in metabolism.

PubMed

Baume, Norbert; Avois, Lidia; Schweizer, Carine; Cardis, Christine; Dvorak, Jiri; Cauderay, Michel; Mangin, Patrice; Saugy, Martial

2004-02-01

Nandrolone is one of the most abused anabolic steroids, and its use in doping is increasing, as revealed by numerous positive cases during recent years in various sports. Different authors have reported the possible natural production of nandrolone metabolites in humans, and some of these authors argued that exhaustive exercise could increase nandrolone production in the body or induce dehydration and consequently lead to an increase of nandrolone metabolites in urine. Volunteers (n = 22) ingested two 25-mg doses of [(13)C]nandrolone at 24-h intervals and collected urine specimens for 5 days. The labeled nandrolone metabolites 19-norandrosterone and 19-noretiocholanolone were identified and quantified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Interindividual variability was observed in nandrolone excretion patterns and kinetics, as well as for the noretiocholanolone:norandrosterone ratio. The amounts of nandrolone metabolites measured at the excretion peak varied between 1180 and 38 661 microg/L for norandrosterone and 576 and 12 328 microg/L for noretiocholanolone. At the end of the excretion period, the noretiocholanolone:norandrosterone ratio was sometimes >1. The analysis of numerous spot-urine samples allowed the determination of an acceptable correlation between urinary creatinine and specific gravity for placebo- and steroid-treated individuals: y = 0.0052ln(x) + 1.0178 (r(2) = 0.8142) and y = 0.0068ln(x) + 1.0172 (r(2) = 0.7730), respectively. The excretion kinetics and patterns of labeled nandrolone show interindividual variability. More investigations are currently underway to estimate the influence of exhaustive exercises on excretion of labeled nandrolone metabolites in urine.

Circadian rhythmicity of the urinary excretion of mercury, potassium and catecholamines in unconventional shift-work systems.

PubMed

Vokac, Z; Gundersen, N; Magnus, P; Jebens, E; Bakka, T

1980-09-01

The round the clock urinary excretion rates of mercury were assessed for two series of unconventional patterns of activity and sleep in subjects who were not exposed to occupational, medical, or other obvious sources of mercury. In the first series the urine was collected in 3-h periods from six subjects during the first and last 2 d of a four-week, continuous 6-h shift (car ferry, watches either 0800--1400 and 2000--0200 or 1400--2000 and 0200--0800). In the second series the urine was collected in 4-h periods from five subjects working an 8-h experimental rotation shift compressed into 5 d (work two mornings--8-h interval--work two nights--8-h interval--work two afternoons). The mean daily excretion rate of the 11 subjects (48 investigation days, 334 urine samples) was 14.5 pmol of mercury/min (range 5.5--24.4 pmol of mercury/min). The mercury excretion oscillated regularly during 24 h by +/- 20--25% of the individual's daily mean excretion rates. The peak excretion rates were found at 0652 in the first and 0642 in the second series (cosinor treatment). Due to the circadian rhythm the mean 24-h excretion rates were best represented (correlation coefficient 0.92) by analyses of urine produced around noon (spot samples, collection periods 1100--1400 and 1000-1400, respectively). The circadian oscillations of mercury excretion were not influenced by the widely different and varying activity-sleep patterns of the two series. The rhythmicity of potassium excretion (peaks at around 1400) was more irregular. The stable oscillations of mercury excretion contrasted most with the excretion of adrenaline and noradrenaline, which, without losing the basic 24-h rhythmicity, closely followed the unconventional patterns of activity and sleep.

Association between 24-h urinary sodium excretion and obesity in Korean adults: A multicenter study.

PubMed

Nam, Ga Eun; Kim, Seon Mee; Choi, Mi-Kyeong; Heo, Young-Ran; Hyun, Tai-Sun; Lyu, Eun-Soon; Oh, Se-Young; Park, Hae-Ryun; Ro, Hee-Kyong; Han, Kyungdo; Lee, Yeon Kyung

2017-09-01

The aim of this study was to explore the association between sodium intake, as assessed by 24-h urinary sodium excretion, and various obesity parameters among South Korean adults. The associations of 24-h urinary sodium excretion and sodium intake calculated from the dietary questionnaire with obesity parameters also were compared. This multicenter, cross-sectional study analyzed data of 640 healthy adults from eight provinces in South Korea. Obesity was assessed by body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR). Mean 24-h urinary sodium excretion was calculated from repeatedly collected 24-h urine samples. Participants' dietary intake was assessed by 24-h dietary recall interview on the days before 24-h urine collection. In both sexes, the means of all anthropometric measurements tended to increase proportionally with 24-h urinary sodium excretion quartiles, regardless of adjustment. Men in the highest quartile (Q4) of 24-h urinary sodium excretion had increased odds of obesity (as assessed by BMI, WC, WHR, and WHtR) compared with men in the three lower quartiles (Q1-Q3) of 24-h urinary sodium excretion. Women in Q4 of 24-h urinary sodium excretion exhibited a higher chance of general obesity and abdominal obesity. Sodium intake calculated from the dietary questionnaire was not significantly associated with obesity in either sex. In Korean adults, there was a positive association between higher sodium intake as assessed by 24-h urinary sodium excretion and obesity independent of energy intake. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Screening of parasitic diseases in the asymptomatic immigrant population].

PubMed

Goterris, Lidia; Bocanegra, Cristina; Serre-Delcor, Núria; Moure, Zaira; Treviño, Begoña; Zarzuela, Francesc; Espasa, Mateu; Sulleiro, Elena

2016-07-01

Parasitic diseases suppose an important health problem in people from high endemic areas, so these must be discarded properly. Usually, these infections develop asymptomatically but, in propitious situations, are likely to reactivate themselves and can cause clinical symptoms and/or complications in the receiving country. Moreover, in some cases it is possible local transmission. Early diagnosis of these parasitic diseases made by appropriate parasitological techniques and its specific treatment will benefit both, the individual and the community. These techniques must be selected according to geoepidemiological criteria, patient's origin, migration route or time spent outside the endemic area; but other factors must also be considered as its sensitivity and specificity, implementation experience and availability. Given the high prevalence of intestinal parasites on asymptomatic immigrants, it is recommended to conduct a study by coproparasitological techniques. Because of its potential severity, the screening of asymptomatic malaria with sensitive techniques such as PCR (polymerase chain reaction) is also advisable. Serological screening for Chagas disease should be performed on all Latin American immigrants, except for people from the Caribbean islands. Other important parasites, which should be excluded, are filariasis and urinary schistosomiasis, by using microscopic examination. The aim of this paper is to review the different techniques for the screening of parasitic diseases and its advices within the care protocols for asymptomatic immigrants. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Predictors of asymptomatic bacteriuria among obstetric population in Ibadan.

PubMed

Awonuga, D O; Awonuga, D A; Fawole, A O; Dada-Adegbola, H O; Dada-Adegbola, H A; Olola, F A; Awonuga, O M

2010-01-01

Asymptomatic bacteriuria in pregnancy is the major risk factor for symptomatic urinary tract infection during pregnancy. Screening and identification of bacteriuria during pregnancy have been recommended. The general objective of the study was to determine the pattern as well as possible predictors of asymptomatic bacteriuria at the University College Hospital, Ibadan. The study was a descriptive, cross sectional, exploratory survey of the pattern of asymptomatic bacteriuria among all consecutive patients presenting for the first antenatal visit at the University College Hospital, Ibadan during the study period. The prevalence of asymptomatic bacteriuria was 10.7%. Although no statistically significant association was found, the prevalence was higher among women aged between 26 - 35 years (11.5%) and those with only secondary education (14.6%). Other demographic parameters characterized by high rates of bacteriuria were Christian women (12.7% compared to 4.3% among Muslims) and genotypes AS and AC (16.4% and 16.7% respectively). Low parity (para 1-2), 2nd and 3rd trimesters of pregnancy were the identified possible obstetric predictors of bacteriuria in pregnancy. Staphylococcus species constitute the predominant isolates in 3rd trimester and among Muslim pregnant women. Since no statistically significant predictors for bacteriuria in pregnancy were found, routine screening of all our pregnant women for this condition in 2nd trimester is recommended.

cGMP stimulates bile acid-independent bile formation and biliary bicarbonate excretion.

PubMed

Myers, N C; Grune, S; Jameson, H L; Sawkat-Anwer, M

1996-03-01

The effect of guanosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cGMP) on hepatic bile formation was studied in isolated perfused rat livers and rat hepatocytes. Studies in isolated perfused rat livers showed that infusion of 8-bromoguanosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (8-BrcGMP, 3 micromol/min or 100 microM) 1) increased bile flow without affecting biliary excretion of simultaneously infused taurocholate, 2) increased biliary concentration and excretion of HCO3(-) but did not affect biliary excretion of glutathione, and 3) increased net perfusate H+ efflux without affecting hepatic O2 uptake. Studies in isolated rat hepatocytes showed that 1) 8-BrcGMP increased intracellular pH in the presence (but not in the absence) of extracellular HCO-3, and effect inhibited by 4,4' -diisothiocyanostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid and Na+ replacement, 2) 8-BrcGMP did not affect taurocholate uptake and intracellular [Ca2+], and 3) bile acids, like ursodeoxycholate and cholate, did not increase cellular cGMP. Taken together, these results indicate that cGMP stimulates bile acid-independent bile formation, in part by stimulating biliary HCO3- excretion. cGMP may increase HCO3- excretion by stimulating sinusoidal Na+ - HCO3- cotransport, but not Na+/H+ exchange. cGMP, unlike adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate, may not regulate hepatic taurocholate transport, and bile acid-induced HCO3- rich choleresis may not be mediated via cGMP.

Asymptomatic rotator cuff tears: Patient demographics and baseline shoulder function

PubMed Central

Keener, Jay D.; Steger-May, Karen; Stobbs, Georgia; Yamaguchi, Ken

2010-01-01

Background The purpose of this study is to characterize the demographic features and physical function of subjects with asymptomatic rotator cuff tears and to compare their shoulder function to controls with an intact rotator cuff. Materials and Methods 196 subjects with an asymptomatic rotator cuff tear and 54 subjects with an intact rotator cuff presenting with a painful rotator cuff tear in the contralateral shoulder were enrolled. Various demographic features, shoulder function (ASES score and SST score), range of motion and strength were compared. Results The demographic features of the study and control groups were similar. Hand dominance was associated with the presence of shoulder pain (p < .05). Subjects with an intact rotator cuff had greater but clinically insignificant ASES (p < .05) and SST scores (p < .05) than those with an asymptomatic tear. No differences in functional scores, range of motion or strength were seen between partial (n=61) and full-thickness tears (n=135). Of the full-thickness tears, 36 (27%) were classified as small, 85 (63%) as medium and 14 (10%) as large tears. No differences were seen in functional scores between full-thickness tears of various sizes. Conclusions When asymptomatic, a rotator cuff tear is associated with a clinically insignificant loss of shoulder function compared to those with an intact rotator cuff. Therefore, a clinically detectable decline in shoulder function may indicate an “at-risk” asymptomatic tear. The presence of pain is important in cuff deficient shoulders for creating a measurable loss of shoulder function. Hand dominance appears to be an important risk factor for pain. PMID:21030274

Viral Disease Networks?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gulbahce, Natali; Yan, Han; Vidal, Marc; Barabasi, Albert-Laszlo

2010-03-01

Viral infections induce multiple perturbations that spread along the links of the biological networks of the host cells. Understanding the impact of these cascading perturbations requires an exhaustive knowledge of the cellular machinery as well as a systems biology approach that reveals how individual components of the cellular system function together. Here we describe an integrative method that provides a new approach to studying virus-human interactions and its correlations with diseases. Our method involves the combined utilization of protein - protein interactions, protein -- DNA interactions, metabolomics and gene - disease associations to build a ``viraldiseasome''. By solely using high-throughput data, we map well-known viral associated diseases and predict new candidate viral diseases. We use microarray data of virus-infected tissues and patient medical history data to further test the implications of the viral diseasome. We apply this method to Epstein-Barr virus and Human Papillomavirus and shed light into molecular development of viral diseases and disease pathways.

Asymptomatic urinary tract infection in gynaecological outpatients.

PubMed

Williams, J D; Thomlinson, J L; Cole, J G; Cope, E

1969-01-04

In this study mid-stream specimens of urine were collected from all new patients attending a gynaecological outpatient department and tested for significant bacteriuria. Those having an asymptomatic infection were folloWed up, treated, and investigated adiologically.Of 1,506 women screened for bacteriuria 82 (5.4%) were found to have a persistent infection. The predominant organism was Escherichia coli, present in 83% of infections. Treatment with sulphonamides produced a good cure rate, which was improved by ampicillin given to failures. Some patients, however, had infections that persisted or recurred despite several antibiotics. The radiological investigations showed that a high proportion of women with asymptomatic urinary infection had severe renal disease which was quite symptomless. This was more pronounced in those with persistent or recurrent infections.

Itchy fish and viral dermatopathies: sampling, diagnosis, and management of common viral diseases.

PubMed

Weber, E P Scott

2013-09-01

Viral dermatopathies of fish bear clinical signs similar to those of dermatopathies from other causes. This article offers an overview to approaching dermatologic presentations in fish, with an emphasis on sampling, diagnosis, and management of viral dermatopathies, building on previous publications. It is vital to recognize clinical signs associated with viral dermatopathies because there are currently no treatments available. Avoidance and prevention is the key to controlling viral diseases in fish. Optimizing husbandry practices and providing appropriate quarantine procedures can help prevent viral disease outbreaks in collection and aquaculture stocks. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Malaria prevalence in asymptomatic and symptomatic children in Kiwangwa, Bagamoyo district, Tanzania.

PubMed

Sumari, Deborah; Mwingira, Felista; Selemani, Majige; Mugasa, Joseph; Mugittu, Kefas; Gwakisa, Paul

2017-05-25

Malaria prevalence continues to decline across sub-Saharan Africa as a result of various intervention strategies. However, the diseases still poses a public health concern in the region. While symptomatic malaria is recognized and treated, asymptomatic infections become increasingly important for interrupting transmission. A cross-sectional survey was conducted to assess malaria prevalence in symptomatic and asymptomatic children in Kiwangwa ward in Bagamoyo District in Tanzania. Four hundred school-aged children in Kiwanga ward were recruited in the study; 200 from Kiwangwa dispensary and 200 from nearby schools. Primary health parameters were examined and blood samples collected and examined for Plasmodium falciparum prevalence using rapid diagnostic test (RDT), light microscopy (LM) and reverse transcription quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) targeting transcripts of A-type 18s rRNA of P. falciparum. Gametocytes were detected by LM and RT-qPCR targeting transcripts of gametocyte specific marker, Pfs25. Overall P. falciparum prevalence was 73.3, 40.8 and 36.3% by RT-qPCR, RDT and LM in the study area, respectively (P < 0.001). As expected symptomatic children had a significantly higher prevalence of 89, 67.5 and 64.5% by qPCR, RDT and LM, compared to 57.5, 14 and 8% in the asymptomatic group, respectively. However, gametocyte prevalence in asymptomatic individuals was higher by both LM (2%) and qPCR (14%) than in symptomatic individuals LM (0.5%) and qPCR (3%). A substantial difference in prevalence of symptomatic and asymptomatic infections observed in Kiwangwa ward underpins the use of molecular tools in malaria surveillance aiming at estimating prevalence and transmission. Notably, the higher gametocytaemia observed in asymptomatic children indicates the reservoir infections and points to the need for detection and treatment of both asymptomatic and symptomatic malaria.

Long Terminal Repeat Circular DNA as Markers of Active Viral Replication of Human T Lymphotropic Virus-1 in Vivo.

PubMed

Fox, James M; Hilburn, Silva; Demontis, Maria-Antonietta; Brighty, David W; Rios Grassi, Maria Fernanda; Galvão-Castro, Bernardo; Taylor, Graham P; Martin, Fabiola

2016-03-14

Clonal expansion of human T-lymphotropic virus type-1 (HTLV-1) infected cells in vivo is well documented. Unlike human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1), HTLV-1 plasma RNA is sparse. The contribution of the "mitotic" spread of HTLV-1 compared with infectious spread of the virus to HTLV-1 viral burden in established infection is uncertain. Since extrachromosomal long terminal repeat (LTR) DNA circles are indicators of viral replication in HIV-1 carriers with undetectable plasma HIV RNA, we hypothesised that HTLV-1 LTR circles could indicate reverse transcriptase (RT) usage and infectious activity. 1LTR and 2LTR DNA circles were measured in HTLV-1 cell lines and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of asymptomatic carriers (ACs) and patients with HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) or adult T cell leukaemia/lymphoma (ATLL). 1LTR DNA circles were detected in 14/20 patients at a mean of 1.38/100 PBMC but did not differentiate disease status nor correlate with HTLV-1 DNA copies. 2LTR DNA circles were detected in 30/31 patients and at higher concentrations in patients with HTLV-1-associated diseases, independent of HTLV-1 DNA load. In an incident case the 2LTR DNA circle concentration increased 2.1 fold at the onset of HAM/TSP compared to baseline. Detectable and fluctuating levels of HTLV-1 DNA circles in patients indicate viral RT usage and virus replication. Our results indicate HTLV-1 viral replication capacity is maintained in chronic infection and may be associated with disease onset.

Tissue distribution and excretion kinetics of orally administered silica nanoparticles in rats

PubMed Central

Lee, Jeong-A; Kim, Mi-Kyung; Paek, Hee-Jeong; Kim, Yu-Ri; Kim, Meyoung-Kon; Lee, Jong-Kwon; Jeong, Jayoung; Choi, Soo-Jin

2014-01-01

Purpose The effects of particle size on the tissue distribution and excretion kinetics of silica nanoparticles and their biological fates were investigated following a single oral administration to male and female rats. Methods Silica nanoparticles of two different sizes (20 nm and 100 nm) were orally administered to male and female rats, respectively. Tissue distribution kinetics, excretion profiles, and fates in tissues were analyzed using elemental analysis and transmission electron microscopy. Results The differently sized silica nanoparticles mainly distributed to kidneys and liver for 3 days post-administration and, to some extent, to lungs and spleen for 2 days post-administration, regardless of particle size or sex. Transmission electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy studies in tissues demonstrated almost intact particles in liver, but partially decomposed particles with an irregular morphology were found in kidneys, especially in rats that had been administered 20 nm nanoparticles. Size-dependent excretion kinetics were apparent and the smaller 20 nm particles were found to be more rapidly eliminated than the larger 100 nm particles. Elimination profiles showed 7%–8% of silica nanoparticles were excreted via urine, but most nanoparticles were excreted via feces, regardless of particle size or sex. Conclusion The kidneys, liver, lungs, and spleen were found to be the target organs of orally-administered silica nanoparticles in rats, and this organ distribution was not affected by particle size or animal sex. In vivo, silica nanoparticles were found to retain their particulate form, although more decomposition was observed in kidneys, especially for 20 nm particles. Urinary and fecal excretion pathways were determined to play roles in the elimination of silica nanoparticles, but 20 nm particles were secreted more rapidly, presumably because they are more easily decomposed. These findings will be of interest to those seeking to predict

Alteration of renal excretion pathways in gentamicin-induced renal injury in rats.

PubMed

Ma, Yan-Rong; Luo, Xuan; Wu, Yan-Fang; Zhang, Tiffany; Zhang, Fan; Zhang, Guo-Qiang; Wu, Xin-An

2018-07-01

The kidney plays a major part in the elimination of many drugs and their metabolites, and drug-induced kidney injury commonly alters either glomerular filtration or tubular transport, or both. However, the renal excretion pathway of drugs has not been fully elucidated at different stages of renal injury. This study aimed to evaluate the alteration of renal excretion pathways in gentamicin (GEN)-induced renal injury in rats. Results showed that serum cystatin C, creatinine and urea nitrogen levels were greatly increased by the exposure of GEN (100 mg kg -1 ), and creatinine concentration was increased by 39.7% by GEN (50 mg kg -1 ). GEN dose-dependently upregulated the protein expression of rOCT1, downregulated rOCT2 and rOAT1, but not affected rOAT2. Efflux transporters, rMRP2, rMRP4 and rBCRP expressions were significantly increased by GEN(100), and the rMATE1 level was markedly increased by GEN(50) but decreased by GEN(100). GEN(50) did not alter the urinary excretion of inulin, but increased metformin and furosemide excretion. However, GEN(100) resulted in a significant decrease of the urinary excretion of inulin, metformin and p-aminohippurate. In addition, urinary metformin excretions in vivo were significantly decreased by GEN(100), but slightly increased by GEN(50). These results suggested that GEN(50) resulted in the induction of rOCTs-rMATE1 and rOAT3-rMRPs pathway, but not changed the glomerular filtration rate, and GEN(100)-induced acute kidney injury caused the downregulated function of glomerular filtration -rOCTs-rMATE1 and -rOAT1-rMRPs pathway. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Prevalence of Asymptomatic Poliovirus Infection in Older Children and Adults in Northern India: Analysis of Contact and Enhanced Community Surveillance, 2009

PubMed Central

Mach, Ondrej; Verma, Harish; Khandait, Devendra W.; Sutter, Roland W.; O'Connor, Patrick M.; Pallansch, Mark A.; Cochi, Stephen L.; Linkins, Robert W.; Chu, Susan Y.; Wolff, Chris; Jafari, Hamid S.

2015-01-01

Background In 2009, enhanced poliovirus surveillance was established in polio-endemic areas of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, India, to assess poliovirus infection in older individuals. Methods In Uttar Pradesh, stool specimens from asymptomatic household and neighborhood contacts of patients with laboratory-confirmed polio were tested for polioviruses. In Bihar, in community-based surveillance, children and adults from 250 randomly selected households in the Kosi River area provided stool and pharyngeal swab samples that were tested for polioviruses. A descriptive analysis of surveillance data was performed. Results In Uttar Pradesh, 89 of 1842 healthy contacts of case patients with polio (4.8%) were shedding wild poliovirus (WPV); 54 of 85 (63.5%) were ≥5 years of age. Shedding was significantly higher in index households than in neighborhood households (P < .05). In Bihar, 11 of 451 healthy persons (2.4%) were shedding WPV in their stool; 6 of 11 (54.5%) were ≥5 years of age. Mean viral titer was similar in older and younger children. Conclusions A high proportion of persons ≥5 years of age were asymptomatically shedding polioviruses. These findings provide indirect evidence that older individuals could have contributed to community transmission of WPV in India. Polio vaccination campaigns generally target children <5 years of age. Expanding this target age group in polio-endemic areas could accelerate polio eradication. PMID:25316843

Iodine Excretion in 24-hour Urine Collection and Its Dietary Determinants in Healthy Japanese Adults

PubMed Central

Katagiri, Ryoko; Asakura, Keiko; Uechi, Ken; Masayasu, Shizuko; Sasaki, Satoshi

2016-01-01

Background Since seaweed is a common component of the Japanese diet, iodine intake in Japanese is expected to be high. However, urinary iodine excretion, measured using 24-hour urine samples, and its dietary determinants are not known. Methods Apparently healthy adults aged 20 to 69 years living in 20 areas throughout Japan were recruited in February and March, 2013. Urinary iodine excretion was evaluated using 24-hour urine collected from 713 subjects (362 men and 351 women), and the difference among age groups was assessed. The association between dietary intake of food groups and urinary iodine excretion was assessed among 358 subjects who completed a semi-weighed 4-day diet record (DR) and urine collection. The correlations between iodine intake and iodine excretion were also evaluated, and correlation coefficients were calculated for iodine intake in the DR of the overlapping day or the DR 1 day before and after urine collection. Results Median iodine excretion in 24-hour urine was 365 µg, and excretion was significantly higher in older subjects. Iodine intake estimated by the DRs was significantly correlated with urinary iodine excretion when DRs and urine collection were obtained on the same day (r = 0.37). After adjustment for confounding factors, iodine excretion was significantly associated with intakes of kelp and soup stock from kelp and fish. Conclusions Although multiple measurements for urinary iodine are required to confirm our results, this study showed the current iodine status of healthy Japanese adults. The results suggest that kelp and fish are the main contributors to Japanese iodine status measured by 24-hour urine. PMID:27374137

Increased risk and severity of ERCP-related complications associated with asymptomatic common bile duct stones.

PubMed

Saito, Hirokazu; Kakuma, Tatsuyuki; Kadono, Yoshihiro; Urata, Atsushi; Kamikawa, Kentaro; Imamura, Haruo; Tada, Shuji

2017-09-01

 Endoscopic removal of asymptomatic common bile duct stones (CBDS) is generally recommended. Although many reports have described the risk of complications in endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), no studies have addressed this problem in the context of asymptomatic CBDS. This study examines the risk of complications arising in ERCP for asymptomatic CBDS.  This retrospective study included 425 patients with naive papilla who underwent therapeutic ERCP for choledocholithiasis at 2 institutions in Japan for 2 years. The risk of complications was examined in patients who were divided into the asymptomatic and symptomatic CBDS groups. We used propensity score analysis to adjust for confounding effects.  Complications were observed in 32 (7.5 %) of the 425 patients. Of the 358 patients with symptomatic CBDS, 14 patients (3.9 %) had complications. In contrast, of the 67 patients with asymptomatic CBDS, 18 patients (26.9 %) had complications. Propensity score analysis revealed that asymptomatic CBDS was a significant risk factor, with a significantly higher incidence of complications compared with symptomatic CBDS (odds ratio, 5.3). Moderate to severe complications were observed in 15 of 18 patients (83.3 %) in the asymptomatic CBDS group, with significantly more moderate to severe complications than those in the symptomatic CBDS (odds ratio, 6.7).  Asymptomatic CBDS carried a high risk of ERCP-related complications, and these were often more severe. In asymptomatic CBDS, endoscopic treatment should be carefully performed after considering the patient's background, and detailed explanation of its possible complications should be given to patients in advance.

The Effect of Concentrate Supplementation on Creatinine Excretion in Thin-Tailed Lambs and Sheep

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Purnami, N. A.; Prima, A.

2018-02-01

An experimental study was carried out to examine the effect of concentrates supplementation on creatinine excretion in lambs and sheep. The study used 8 male thin tailed lambs (aged ±3-4 months, weighed ±15.20 kg) and 8 sheep (aged ±1 year and weighed ±22.71kg). The animals were fed the diet contained 100% napier grass (100G) and 50% napier grass 50% concentrate as much as 3.5% of body weight (50G50C). This study used a complete randomized nested design. The parameters observed were dry matter intake (DMI) and creatinine excretion. The results showed that the diet significantly affect (P<0.05) DMI. The consumption of 100G was lower than that of 50G50C both lambs (0.32 vs 0.62 kg/d) and sheep (0.47 vs 0.88 kg/d). On the other hand, the diet did not affect the creatinine excretion (P 0.05) either G100 or G50C50 in lambs or sheep. However, the creatinine excretion in sheep (185.66 mg/d) was higher than that of lambs (299.1 md/d) (P<0.05). It can be concluded that concentrate supplementation of grass diet increased DMI but did not affect creatinine excretion. The creatinine excretion of sheep was higher than that of lambs .

Q Fever in Pregnant Goats: Pathogenesis and Excretion of Coxiella burnetii

PubMed Central

Roest, Hendrik-Jan; van Gelderen, Betty; Dinkla, Annemieke; Frangoulidis, Dimitrios; van Zijderveld, Fred; Rebel, Johanna; van Keulen, Lucien

2012-01-01

Coxiella burnetii is an intracellular bacterial pathogen that causes Q fever. Infected pregnant goats are a major source of human infection. However, the tissue dissemination and excretion pathway of the pathogen in goats are still poorly understood. To better understand Q fever pathogenesis, we inoculated groups of pregnant goats via the intranasal route with a recent Dutch outbreak C. burnetii isolate. Tissue dissemination and excretion of the pathogen were followed for up to 95 days after parturition. Goats were successfully infected via the intranasal route. PCR and immunohistochemistry showed strong tropism of C. burnetii towards the placenta at two to four weeks after inoculation. Bacterial replication seemed to occur predominantly in the trophoblasts of the placenta and not in other organs of goats and kids. The amount of C. burnetii DNA in the organs of goats and kids increased towards parturition. After parturition it decreased to undetectable levels: after 81 days post-parturition in goats and after 28 days post-parturition in kids. Infected goats gave birth to live or dead kids. High numbers of C. burnetii were excreted during abortion, but also during parturition of liveborn kids. C. burnetii was not detected in faeces or vaginal mucus before parturition. Our results are the first to demonstrate that pregnant goats can be infected via the intranasal route. C. burnetii has a strong tropism for the trophoblasts of the placenta and is not excreted before parturition; pathogen excretion occurs during birth of dead as well as healthy animals. Besides abortions, normal deliveries in C. burnetii-infected goats should be considered as a major zoonotic risk for Q fever in humans. PMID:23152826

Q fever in pregnant goats: pathogenesis and excretion of Coxiella burnetii.

PubMed

Roest, Hendrik-Jan; van Gelderen, Betty; Dinkla, Annemieke; Frangoulidis, Dimitrios; van Zijderveld, Fred; Rebel, Johanna; van Keulen, Lucien

2012-01-01

Coxiella burnetii is an intracellular bacterial pathogen that causes Q fever. Infected pregnant goats are a major source of human infection. However, the tissue dissemination and excretion pathway of the pathogen in goats are still poorly understood. To better understand Q fever pathogenesis, we inoculated groups of pregnant goats via the intranasal route with a recent Dutch outbreak C. burnetii isolate. Tissue dissemination and excretion of the pathogen were followed for up to 95 days after parturition. Goats were successfully infected via the intranasal route. PCR and immunohistochemistry showed strong tropism of C. burnetii towards the placenta at two to four weeks after inoculation. Bacterial replication seemed to occur predominantly in the trophoblasts of the placenta and not in other organs of goats and kids. The amount of C. burnetii DNA in the organs of goats and kids increased towards parturition. After parturition it decreased to undetectable levels: after 81 days post-parturition in goats and after 28 days post-parturition in kids. Infected goats gave birth to live or dead kids. High numbers of C. burnetii were excreted during abortion, but also during parturition of liveborn kids. C. burnetii was not detected in faeces or vaginal mucus before parturition. Our results are the first to demonstrate that pregnant goats can be infected via the intranasal route. C. burnetii has a strong tropism for the trophoblasts of the placenta and is not excreted before parturition; pathogen excretion occurs during birth of dead as well as healthy animals. Besides abortions, normal deliveries in C. burnetii-infected goats should be considered as a major zoonotic risk for Q fever in humans.

Prevalence of asymptomatic bacteriuria among pregnant women in Benin City, Nigeria.

PubMed

Akerele, J; Abhulimen, P; Okonofua, F

2001-03-01

A semi-quantitative screening for asymptomatic bacteriuria was carried out in the first trimester of 500 consecutive pregnant women in Benin City. The purpose was to provide baseline data and rational therapy for asymptomatic bacteriuria in pregnant women. Of the 500 women screened, 433 clinical specimens showed significant bacteriuria, representing an incidence of 86.6%. Of this number, 38 (7.4%) were of mixed bacterial colonies while 395 (91%) were of single bacterial colonies. Staphylococcus aureus (29.8%), Escherichia coli (29.1%) and Klebsiella pneumoniae (21.5%) were the most frequently isolated pathogens. The high incidence of asymptomatic bacteriuria in pregnancy correlated significantly (P < 0.05) with the observed high proportion of pyuria. On average, sensitivity of the pathogens was ciprofloxacin 99.7%; ceftazidime 81.6%; co-trimoxazole 79.4%; augmentin 71.4%; nalidixic acid 61.7%; nitrofurantoin 61.%; gentamycin 56.9% and ampicillin 25.4%. S. aureus was most sensitive, while Proteus mirabilis was least sensitive among the pathogens. Rational therapy of asymptomatic bacteriuria in pregnant women may prevent associated risks such as pyelonephritis and pre-eclampsia.

Acidosis and Urinary Calcium Excretion: Insights from Genetic Disorders

PubMed Central

Cordat, Emmanuelle; Chambrey, Régine; Dimke, Henrik; Eladari, Dominique

2016-01-01

Metabolic acidosis is associated with increased urinary calcium excretion and related sequelae, including nephrocalcinosis and nephrolithiasis. The increased urinary calcium excretion induced by metabolic acidosis predominantly results from increased mobilization of calcium out of bone and inhibition of calcium transport processes within the renal tubule. The mechanisms whereby acid alters the integrity and stability of bone have been examined extensively in the published literature. Here, after briefly reviewing this literature, we consider the effects of acid on calcium transport in the renal tubule and then discuss why not all gene defects that cause renal tubular acidosis are associated with hypercalciuria and nephrocalcinosis. PMID:27468975

Abnormal findings on knee magnetic resonance imaging in asymptomatic NBA players.

PubMed

Walczak, Brian E; McCulloch, Patrick C; Kang, Richard W; Zelazny, Anthony; Tedeschi, Fred; Cole, Brian J

2008-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the knees of asymptomatic National Basketball Association (NBA) players via magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and confirm or dispute findings reported in the previous literature. It is thought that a variety of significant abnormalities affecting the knee exist in asymptomatic patients and that these findings can be accurately identified on MRI. Two months prior to the 2005 season, bilateral knee MRI examinations of 14 asymptomatic NBA players (28 knees) were evaluated for abnormalities of the articular cartilage, menisci, and patellar and quadriceps tendons. The presence of joint effusion, subchondral edema, and cystic lesions and the integrity of the collateral and cruciate ligaments were also assessed.

Sonographic evaluation of the plantar fascia in asymptomatic subjects.

PubMed

Gadalla, N; Kichouh, M; Boulet, C; Machiels, F; De Mey, J; De Maeseneer, M

2014-01-01

To evaluate the appearance of the plantar fascia in asymptomatic subjects. Thirty-one asymptomatic subjects were examined by 2 musculoskeletal radiologists. The plantar fascia was evaluated for thickness, echogenicity, vascularity on power Doppler, rupture, fluid adjacent to the fascia, andcalcifications. The study included 14 men and 17 women (age, 17-79 years; mean, 45 years). The mean thickness of the plantar fascia in men was 3.7 mm (range 2.5-7 mm), and in women 3.5 mm (range, 1.7-5.1 mm). The thickness was greater than 4 mm in 4 men (bilateral in 2). The mean thickness of fascias thicker than 4 mm in men was 5.4 mm (range, 4.3-7 mm). The thickness was greater than 4 mm in 5 women ( bilateral in 4). The mean thickness of fascias thicker than 4 mm in women was 4.7 mm (range, 4.2-5.1 mm). There was no statistically significant difference between men and women and between both heels. Hypoechogenicity was observed in 3 men (bilateral in 2), and in 5 women (bilateral in 6). Hypervascularity, rupture, fluid adjacent to the fascia, and calcifications were not observed. A thickness greater than 4 mm and hypoechogenicity, are common in the plantar fascia of asymptomatic subjects. Findings that were not seen in asymptomatic subjects include a thickness greater than 7 mm, hypervascularity on power Doppler, rupture, fluid adjacent to the fascia, and calcifications.

Prevalence of asymptomatic Zika virus infection: a systematic review

PubMed Central

Pinart, Mariona; Elias, Vanessa; Reveiz, Ludovic

2018-01-01

Abstract Objective To conduct a systematic review to estimate the prevalence of asymptomatic Zika virus infection in the general population and in specific population groups. Methods We searched PubMed®, Embase® and LILACS online databases from inception to 26 January 2018. We included observational epidemiological studies where laboratory testing was used to confirm positive exposure of participants to Zika virus and in which Zika virus symptom status was also recorded. We excluded studies in which having symptoms of Zika virus was a criterion for inclusion. The main outcome assessed was percentage of all Zika virus-positive participants who were asymptomatic. We used a quality-effects approach and the double arcsine transformation for the meta-analysis. Findings We assessed 753 studies for inclusion, of which 23 were included in the meta-analysis, totalling 11 305 Zika virus-positive participants. The high degree of heterogeneity in the studies (I2 = 99%) suggests that the pooled prevalence of asymptomatic Zika virus-positive participants was probably not a robust estimate. Analysis based on subgroups of the population (general population, returned travellers, blood donors, adults with Guillain–Barré syndrome, pregnant women and babies with microcephaly) was not able to explain the heterogeneity. Funnel and Doi plots showed major asymmetry, suggesting selection bias or true heterogeneity. Conclusion Better-quality research is needed, using standardized methods, to determine the true prevalence of asymptomatic Zika virus and whether it varies between populations or over time. PMID:29904223

Prevalence of asymptomatic Zika virus infection: a systematic review.

PubMed

Haby, Michelle M; Pinart, Mariona; Elias, Vanessa; Reveiz, Ludovic

2018-06-01

To conduct a systematic review to estimate the prevalence of asymptomatic Zika virus infection in the general population and in specific population groups. We searched PubMed®, Embase® and LILACS online databases from inception to 26 January 2018. We included observational epidemiological studies where laboratory testing was used to confirm positive exposure of participants to Zika virus and in which Zika virus symptom status was also recorded. We excluded studies in which having symptoms of Zika virus was a criterion for inclusion. The main outcome assessed was percentage of all Zika virus-positive participants who were asymptomatic. We used a quality-effects approach and the double arcsine transformation for the meta-analysis. We assessed 753 studies for inclusion, of which 23 were included in the meta-analysis, totalling 11 305 Zika virus-positive participants. The high degree of heterogeneity in the studies ( I 2  = 99%) suggests that the pooled prevalence of asymptomatic Zika virus-positive participants was probably not a robust estimate. Analysis based on subgroups of the population (general population, returned travellers, blood donors, adults with Guillain-Barré syndrome, pregnant women and babies with microcephaly) was not able to explain the heterogeneity. Funnel and Doi plots showed major asymmetry, suggesting selection bias or true heterogeneity. Better-quality research is needed, using standardized methods, to determine the true prevalence of asymptomatic Zika virus and whether it varies between populations or over time.

Growth and development of infants with asymptomatic congenital cytomegalovirus infection.

PubMed

Shan, Ruobing; Wang, Xiaoliang; Fu, Ping

2009-10-31

To observe changes in audiology, intellectual development, behavior development, and physical growth during systematic follow-up of infants with asymptomatic congenital human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection. Fifty-two infants diagnosed with asymptomatic congenital HCMV infection from July 2003 to July 2007 served as the infection group, and 21 healthy infants served as the control group. All infants were confirmed to have HCMV infection by Fluorescent Quantative polymerase chain reaction (FQ-PCR). In both the infection and control groups, the neonates and infants at 3 months, 6 months, and 1 year of age underwent examinations. 1) 20 items of National Black Nurses Association (NBNA) scores of neonates 12-14 days after birth in 2 groups were 38.3 +/- 1.95 and 38.5 +/- 2.29, without significant differences. 2) Auditory test: 50 ears of 25 cases in the infection group showed abnormal auditory thresholds in V waves with an abnormal rate of 14%, while no abnormalities were found in 21 cases in the control group. 3) Mental and psychomotor development index scores in the control group (107.49 +/- 11.31 and 107.19 +/- 10.98) were compared with those in 41 asymptomatically infected infants at 1 year of age (107.21 +/- 9.96 and 108.31 +/- 11.25), and no statistically significant difference was noted. 1) An elevated threshold in the V wave was present in asymptomatically infected infants, but could not be detected through otoacoustic emission (OAE) screening. 2) Either in the neonatal or infant periods, asymptomatic congenital HCMV infection did not have a significant influence on nervous behavior or on physical and intellectual development.

Viral posterior uveitis

PubMed Central

Lee, Joanne H.; Agarwal, Aniruddha; Mahendradas, Padmamalini; Lee, Cecilia S.; Gupta, Vishali; Pavesio, Carlos E.; Agrawal, Rupesh

2017-01-01

The causes of posterior uveitis can be divided into infectious, autoimmune, or masquerade syndromes. Viral infections, a significant cause of sight-threatening ocular diseases in the posterior segment, include human herpesviruses, measles, rubella, and arboviruses such as dengue, West Nile, and chikungunya virus. Viral posterior uveitis may occur as an isolated ocular disease in congenital or acquired infections or as part of a systemic viral illness. Many viruses remain latent in the infected host with a risk of reactivation that depends on various factors, including virulence and host immunity, age, and comorbidities. Although some viral illnesses are self-limiting and have a good visual prognosis, others, such as cytomegalovirus retinitis or acute retinal necrosis, may result in serious complications and profound vision loss. Since some of these infections may respond well to antiviral therapy, it is important to work up all cases of posterior uveitis to rule out an infectious etiology. We review the clinical features, diagnostic tools, treatment regimens, and long-term outcomes for each of these viral posterior uveitides. PMID:28012878

Excretion is Faster Than Diagenesis for Nutrient Recycling in Lake Michigan Benthos

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aguilar, C.; Cuhel, R. L.

2013-12-01

Regeneration of phytoplankton growth nutrients including ammonium (NH4+) and phosphate (HPO4=) occurs in aquatic systems worldwide through biogeochemical processes of diagenesis. Organic matter falling to the bottom accumulates in sediments, and bacterial decomposition removes oxygen from the sub-surface. Anaerobic metabolism is energetically inefficient, and bacteria a few cm below the surface respire or ferment organic matter into carbon dioxide or organic acids, excreting nitrogen (NH4+) or phosphorus inorganic 'waste'. Subsurface production of bacterial metabolic products often leads to sharp gradients in porewater concentrations of NH4+ and HPO4=, which drive diffusive flux out of the sediments into overlying water. Aquatic systems with totally aerobic water overlying anoxic sediment (e.g., Lake Michigan) have muted efflux of certain inorganic nutrients arising from organic matter decomposition. For example, NH4+ is oxidized to nitrate in the upper few mm of surficial sediments by nitrifying bacteria. Strong subsurface porewater gradients, especially of redox- or geochemically-reactive compounds, often decline to low values well below the sediment-water interface, indicating transformation by sediment bacterial populations, or by purely geochemical processes such as calcium hydroxyphosphate (apatite) precipitation. For these, little flux to the water column occurs. In Lake Michigan, neither NH4+ nor HPO4= escapes substantially from the biogeochemical barriers between their diagenetic sources and overlying waters, either before or after ecosystem alteration by invasive quagga mussels (QM). Silicate and total CO2 evade unimpeded in the same cores. The organic matter deposited from the water column is also the nutrition of benthic bivalve filter feeders such as QM in Lake Michigan, or the Asian Clam in San Francisco Bay. In animal metabolism for energy production, only the carbon component is oxidized through respiration, with NH4+ (from protein) and HPO4= (from

Cichorium intybus L. promotes intestinal uric acid excretion by modulating ABCG2 in experimental hyperuricemia.

PubMed

Wang, Yu; Lin, Zhijian; Zhang, Bing; Nie, Anzheng; Bian, Meng

2017-01-01

Excessive production and/or reduced excretion of uric acid could lead to hyperuricemia, which could be a major cause of disability. Hyperuricemia has received increasing attention in the last few decades due to its global prevalence. Cichorium intybus L., commonly known as chicory, is a perennial herb of the asteraceae family. It was previously shown to exert potent hypouricemic effects linked with decreasing uric acid formation in the liver by down-regulating the activity of xanthine oxidase, and increasing uric acid excretion by up-regulating the renal OAT3 mRNA expression. The present study aimed to evaluate its extra-renal excretion and possible molecular mechanism underlying the transporter responsible for intestinal uric acid excretion in vivo. Chicory was administered intragastrically to hyperuricemic rats induced by drinking 10% fructose water. The uricosuric effect was evaluated by determining the serum uric acid level as well as the intestinal uric acid excretion by HPLC. The location and expression levels of ATP-binding cassette transporter, sub-family G, member 2 (ABCG2) in jejunum and ileum were analyzed. The administration of chicory decreased the serum uric acid level significantly and increased the intestinal uric acid excretion obviously in hyperuricemic rats induced by 10% fructose drinking. Staining showed that ABCG2 was expressed in the apical membrane of the epithelium and glands of the jejunum and ileum in rats. Further examination showed that chicory enhanced the mRNA and protein expressions of ABCG2 markedly in a dose-dependent manner in jejunum and ileum. These findings indicate that chicory increases uric acid excretion by intestines, which may be related to the stimulation of intestinal uric acid excretion via down-regulating the mRNA and protein expressions of ABCG2.

Role of renal metabolism and excretion in 5-nitrofuran-induced uroepithelial cancer in the rat.

PubMed Central

Spry, L A; Zenser, T V; Cohen, S M; Davis, B B

1985-01-01

5-Nitrofurans have been used in the study of chemical carcinogenesis. There is substantial evidence that N-[4-(5-nitro-2-furyl)-2-thiazolyl] formamide (FANFT) is deformylated to 2-amino-4-(5-nitro-2-furyl)thiazole (ANFT) in the process of FANFT-induced bladder cancer. Paradoxically, ANFT is less potent as a uroepithelial carcinogen than FANFT when fed to rats. Feeding aspirin with FANFT to rats decreases the incidence of bladder cancer. Isolated kidneys were perfused with 5-nitrofurans to determine renal clearances and whether aspirin acts to decrease urinary excretion of the carcinogen. In FANFT-perfused kidneys, FANFT was deformylated to ANFT and excreted (1.06 +/- 0.22 nmol/min) at a rate eightfold higher than excretion of FANFT. In kidneys perfused with equimolar ANFT, excretion of ANFT was 0.25 +/- 0.05 nmol/min, which suggests a coupling of renal deformylation of FANFT to excretion of ANFT in FANFT-perfused kidneys. Neither aspirin nor probenecid altered the urinary excretion or half-life of FANFT or ANFT. In rats fed 0.2% FANFT as part of their diet, coadministration of aspirin (0.5%) increased urinary excretion of ANFT during a 12-wk feeding study, which suggests decreased tissue binding or metabolism of ANFT. Kidney perfusion with acetylated ANFT (NFTA), a much less potent uroepithelial carcinogen, resulted in no ANFT excretion or accumulation, which indicates the specificity of renal deformylase. Renal deformylase activity was found in broken cell preparations of rat and human kidney. These data describe a unique renal metabolic/excretory coupling for these compounds that appears to explain the differential carcinogenic potential of the 5-nitrofurans tested. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that aspirin decreases activation of ANFT by inhibiting prostaglandin H synthase. PMID:4044826

Osseous spurs at the fovea capitis femoris-a frequent finding in asymptomatic volunteers.

PubMed

Bensler, Susanne; Agten, Christoph A; Pfirrmann, Christian W A; Sutter, Reto

2018-01-01

To investigate the different morphologic types of the fovea capitis femoris and the spectrum of osseous spurs/osteophytes of the fovea in asymptomatic volunteers and patients with hip osteoarthritis. Sixty-five patients (mean age 63.6 years) with radiographically confirmed osteoarthritis of the hip and 59 asymptomatic healthy volunteers (mean age 33.9 years) underwent non-contrast MRI of the hip joint. Two radiologists independently evaluated all images. Fovea morphology (standard type, diamond type, flat type, triangular type) as well as the frequency, size and location of spurs/osteophytes of the fovea were assessed. Descriptive and inferential statistics were applied. The most frequent morphologic type of the fovea capitis femoris was the standard type for both asymptomatic volunteers (average 45%) and patients (average 49%). Osseous spurs were detected in 70% of the asymptomatic volunteers, and 97% of the patients had osteophytes. Spur size at all locations was significantly smaller in asymptomatic volunteers (range 1-2 mm) than osteophyte size in patients (range 1-4 mm) (p ≤ 0.035). In volunteers and patients, the spurs/osteophytes were most frequently located at the anterior border of the fovea capitis femoris. Smaller osseous spurs (<2 mm) at the border of the fovea capitis femoris are very common in asymptomatic volunteers and do not seem to be pathologic.

Increased risk and severity of ERCP-related complications associated with asymptomatic common bile duct stones

PubMed Central

Saito, Hirokazu; Kakuma, Tatsuyuki; Kadono, Yoshihiro; Urata, Atsushi; Kamikawa, Kentaro; Imamura, Haruo; Tada, Shuji

2017-01-01

Background and study aims  Endoscopic removal of asymptomatic common bile duct stones (CBDS) is generally recommended. Although many reports have described the risk of complications in endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), no studies have addressed this problem in the context of asymptomatic CBDS. This study examines the risk of complications arising in ERCP for asymptomatic CBDS. Patients and methods  This retrospective study included 425 patients with naive papilla who underwent therapeutic ERCP for choledocholithiasis at 2 institutions in Japan for 2 years. The risk of complications was examined in patients who were divided into the asymptomatic and symptomatic CBDS groups. We used propensity score analysis to adjust for confounding effects. Results  Complications were observed in 32 (7.5 %) of the 425 patients. Of the 358 patients with symptomatic CBDS, 14 patients (3.9 %) had complications. In contrast, of the 67 patients with asymptomatic CBDS, 18 patients (26.9 %) had complications. Propensity score analysis revealed that asymptomatic CBDS was a significant risk factor, with a significantly higher incidence of complications compared with symptomatic CBDS (odds ratio, 5.3). Moderate to severe complications were observed in 15 of 18 patients (83.3 %) in the asymptomatic CBDS group, with significantly more moderate to severe complications than those in the symptomatic CBDS (odds ratio, 6.7). Conclusions  Asymptomatic CBDS carried a high risk of ERCP-related complications, and these were often more severe. In asymptomatic CBDS, endoscopic treatment should be carefully performed after considering the patient’s background, and detailed explanation of its possible complications should be given to patients in advance. PMID:28879226

Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers

MedlinePlus

... Controls Cancel Submit Search the CDC Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers (VHFs) Note: Javascript is disabled or is not ... visit this page: About CDC.gov . Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers (VHFs) Virus Families Arenaviruses Old World/New World ...

Hepatitis E virus as an etiology of acute exacerbation of previously unrecognized asymptomatic patients with hepatitis B virus-related chronic liver disease.

PubMed

Kumar, Manoj; Sharma, Barjesh C; Sarin, Shiv K

2008-06-01

convalescence, there was no significant difference between histological activity index score (median [range] 8 [4-11]vs 8 [4-16] weeks, P = 0.629) and fibrosis scores (median [range] 3.5 [1-4]vs 2 [1-4] weeks, P = 0.099] on liver biopsy after recovery among patients with acute exacerbation due to superinfection and spontaneous exacerbation. Acute exacerbations in HBeAg (+) patients are most often due to spontaneous viral activation, while in HBeAg (-) patients, superinfection with non-B hepatitis viruses and spontaneous viral activation are equally common. HEV is an important cause of acute exacerbation in previously asymptomatic and unrecognized patients with HBV-related CLD.

Asymptomatic Malaria and its Challenges in the Malaria Elimination Program in Iran: a Systematic Review.

PubMed

Hassanpour, Gholmreza; Mohebali, Mehdi; Zeraati, Hojjat; Raeisi, Ahmad; Keshavarz, Hossein

2017-06-01

The objective of this study was to find an appropriate approach to asymptomatic malaria in elimination setting through a systematic review. A broad search was conducted to find articles with the words 'malaria' in their titles and 'asymptomatic' or 'submicroscopic' in their texts, irrespective of the type of study conducted. The Cochrane, Medline/Pub Med, and Scopus databases, as well as Google Scholar were systematically searched for English articles and reports and Iran's databases-Iran Medex, SID and Magiran were searched for Persian reports and articles, with no time limitation. The study was qualitatively summarized if it contained precise information on the role of asymptomatic malaria in the elimination phase. Six articles were selected from the initial 2645 articles. The results all re-emphasize the significance of asymptomatic malaria in the elimination phase, and emphasize the significance of diagnostic tests of higher sensitivity to locate these patients and perform interventions to reduce the asymptomatic parasitic reservoirs particularly in regions of low transmission. However, we may infer from the results that the current evidence cannot yet specify an accurate strategy on the role of asymptomatic malaria in the elimination phase. To eliminate malaria, alongside vector control, and treatment of symptomatic and asymptomatic patients, active and inactive methods of case detection need to be employed. The precise monitoring of asymptomatic individuals and submicroscopic cases of malaria through molecular assays and valid serological methods, especially in regions where seasonal and low transmission exists can be very helpful at this phase.

Effectiveness of screening hospital admissions to detect asymptomatic carriers of Clostridium difficile: a modeling evaluation.

PubMed

Lanzas, Cristina; Dubberke, Erik R

2014-08-01

Both asymptomatic and symptomatic Clostridium difficile carriers contribute to new colonizations and infections within a hospital, but current control strategies focus only on preventing transmission from symptomatic carriers. Our objective was to evaluate the potential effectiveness of methods targeting asymptomatic carriers to control C. difficile colonization and infection (CDI) rates in a hospital ward: screening patients at admission to detect asymptomatic C. difficile carriers and placing positive patients into contact precautions. We developed an agent-based transmission model for C. difficile that incorporates screening and contact precautions for asymptomatic carriers in a hospital ward. We simulated scenarios that vary according to screening test characteristics, colonization prevalence, and type of strain present at admission. In our baseline scenario, on average, 42% of CDI cases were community-onset cases. Within the hospital-onset (HO) cases, approximately half were patients admitted as asymptomatic carriers who became symptomatic in the ward. On average, testing for asymptomatic carriers reduced the number of new colonizations and HO-CDI cases by 40%-50% and 10%-25%, respectively, compared with the baseline scenario. Test sensitivity, turnaround time, colonization prevalence at admission, and strain type had significant effects on testing efficacy. Testing for asymptomatic carriers at admission may reduce both the number of new colonizations and HO-CDI cases. Additional reductions could be achieved by preventing disease in patients who are admitted as asymptomatic carriers and developed CDI during the hospital stay.

Population-based association between urinary excretion of sodium, potassium and its ratio with albuminuria in Chinese.

PubMed

Yan, Liuxia; Guo, Xiaolei; Wang, Huicheng; Zhang, Jiyu; Tang, Junli; Lu, Zilong; Cai, Xiaoning; Liu, Longjian; Gracely, Edward J; Ma, Jixiang

2016-12-01

Albuminuria is a risk factor for cardiovascular and renal disease. However, little is known about the association of 24 h urinary sodium and potassium excretion with albuminuria in China. The aim of this study was to examine this association by analyzing the data from 1,975 Chinese adults living in north China. Excretion of urinary sodium, potassium and albumin was assessed in a single 24-h urine sample for each participant. Height, weight, waist circumference and blood pressure were measured and body mass index was determined as weight divided by square height. Fasting blood sample was collected and fasting glucose was measured. The average 24-h urinary sodium and potassium excretion were 232 mmol and 40.8 mmol, resulting a mean sodium to potassium ratio of 6.7. The median (Q1-Q3) 24-h urinary albuminuria excretion was 6.1 mg (4.5-8.7 mg). Overall, urinary sodium excretion was positively associated with albumin excretion (β=0.029, p<0.001). This association was independent of major cardiovascular risk factors including age, gender, systolic blood pressure, body mass index, fasting glucose, waist circumference, hypertensive drug treatment, and smoking. Moreover, the relation of sodium and albumin was similar in the subgroups stratified by gender, adiposity and diabetic status. No significant associations of potassium excretion or sodium to potassium ratio with urinary albumin excretion were observed. In cross-sectional analyses, high sodium intake was shown to be associated with increased urinary albuminuria in the general Chinese adult population, supporting salt restriction for renal and cardiovascular health benefit.

Improved sexual history taking in the 2012 BASHH asymptomatic screening re-audit.

PubMed

Menon-Johansson, A S; McClean, H; Carne, C A; Estreich, S; Knapper, C; Sethi, G; Smith, A; Sullivan, A K

2014-04-01

Effective asymptomatic screening for sexually transmitted infections is an important public health service because a significant proportion of sexually transmitted infections do not present with symptoms. In 2009, the National Audit Group of the British Association of Sexual Health and HIV (BASHH) audited the management of asymptomatic patients and recommended increased documentation about oral and anal sex, regional strategies for nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT) use for gonorrhoea, improved screening for hepatitis B in men who have sex with men and an increase in screening for HIV. The 2012 audit used web-based forms to collect submissions from 180 consultant-led centres (65% response rate) that included episodes of care from 6669 asymptomatic patients. An improvement was demonstrated for all the areas measured during the 2009 audit. A doubling of gonorrhoea testing using NAATs was seen and yet 10% of asymptomatic patients continued to have microscopy despite these tests not being recommended by BASHH guidelines. This audit recommends universal adoption of gonorrhoea NAATs across the United Kingdom.

Screening for asymptomatic bacteriuria in adults: U.S. Preventive Services Task Force reaffirmation recommendation statement.

PubMed

2008-07-01

Reaffirmation of the 2004 U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommendation statement about screening for asymptomatic bacteriuria in adults. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force did a targeted literature search for evidence on the benefits and harms of screening for asymptomatic bacteriuria in pregnant women, nonpregnant women, and men. Screen for asymptomatic bacteriuria with urine culture in pregnant women at 12 to 16 weeks' gestation or at the first prenatal visit, if later. (Grade A recommendation.) Do not screen for asymptomatic bacteriuria in men and nonpregnant women. (Grade D recommendation.).

Intercalated cell-specific Rh B glycoprotein deletion diminishes renal ammonia excretion response to hypokalemia

PubMed Central

Bishop, Jesse M.; Lee, Hyun-Wook; Handlogten, Mary E.; Han, Ki-Hwan; Verlander, Jill W.

2013-01-01

The ammonia transporter family member, Rh B Glycoprotein (Rhbg), is an ammonia-specific transporter heavily expressed in the kidney and is necessary for the normal increase in ammonia excretion in response to metabolic acidosis. Hypokalemia is a common clinical condition in which there is increased renal ammonia excretion despite the absence of metabolic acidosis. The purpose of this study was to examine Rhbg's role in this response through the use of mice with intercalated cell-specific Rhbg deletion (IC-Rhbg-KO). Hypokalemia induced by feeding a K+-free diet increased urinary ammonia excretion significantly. In mice with intact Rhbg expression, hypokalemia increased Rhbg protein expression in intercalated cells in the cortical collecting duct (CCD) and in the outer medullary collecting duct (OMCD). Deletion of Rhbg from intercalated cells inhibited hypokalemia-induced changes in urinary total ammonia excretion significantly and completely prevented hypokalemia-induced increases in urinary ammonia concentration, but did not alter urinary pH. We conclude that hypokalemia increases Rhbg expression in intercalated cells in the cortex and outer medulla and that intercalated cell Rhbg expression is necessary for the normal increase in renal ammonia excretion in response to hypokalemia. PMID:23220726

Diet, but not oral probiotics, effectively reduces urinary oxalate excretion and calcium oxalate supersaturation.

PubMed

Lieske, John C; Tremaine, William J; De Simone, Claudio; O'Connor, Helen M; Li, Xujian; Bergstralh, Eric J; Goldfarb, David S

2010-12-01

We examined the effect of a controlled diet and two probiotic preparations on urinary oxalate excretion, a risk factor for calcium oxalate kidney stone formation, in patients with mild hyperoxaluria. Patients were randomized to a placebo, a probiotic, or a synbiotic preparation. This tested whether these probiotic preparations can increase oxalate metabolism in the intestine and/or decrease oxalate absorption from the gut. Patients were maintained on a controlled diet to remove the confounding variable of differing oxalate intake from food. Urinary oxalate excretion and calcium oxalate supersaturation on the controlled diet were significantly lower compared with baseline on a free-choice diet. Neither study preparation reduced urinary oxalate excretion nor calcium oxalate supersaturation. Fecal lactobacilli colony counts increased on both preparations, whereas enterococcal and yeast colony counts were increased on the synbiotic. Total urine volume and the excretion of oxalate and calcium were all strong independent determinants of urinary calcium oxalate supersaturation. Hence, dietary oxalate restriction reduced urinary oxalate excretion, but the tested probiotics did not influence urinary oxalate levels in patients on a restricted oxalate diet. However, this study suggests that dietary oxalate restriction is useful for kidney stone prevention.

Cortisol-mediated synchronization of circadian rhythm in urinary potassium excretion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moore-Ede, M. C.; Schmelzer, W. S.; Kass, D. A.; Herd, J. A.

1977-01-01

Conscious chair-acclimatized squirrel monkeys (Saimiri sciureus) studied with lights on (600 lx) from 0800 to 2000 hr daily (LD 12:12) display a prominent circadian rhythm in renal potassium excretion. The characteristics of this rhythm were reproduced in adrenalectomized monkeys by infusing 5 mg cortisol and 0.001 mg aldosterone, or 5 mg cortisol alone, between 0800 and 0900 kr daily. When the timing of cortisol administration (with or without aldosterone) was phase-delayed by 8 hr, the urinary potassium rhythm resynchronized by 80% of the cortisol phase shift, but only after a transient response lasting 3-4 days. With the same daily dose of adrenal steroids given as a continuous infusion throughout each 24 hr, urinary potassium excretion showed free-running oscillations no longer synchronized to the light-dark cycle. These results indicate that the circadian rhythm of plasma cortisol concentration acts as an internal mediator in the circadian timing system, synchronizing a potentially autonomous oscillation in renal potassium excretion to environmental time cues and to other circadian rhythms within the animal.

Viral neurotropism, peripheral neuropathy and other morphological abnormalities in bovine ephemeral fever virus-infected downer cattle.

PubMed

Barigye, R; Davis, S; Hunt, R; Hunt, N; Walsh, S; Elliott, N; Burnup, C; Aumann, S; Day, C; Dyrting, K; Weir, R; Melville, L F

2016-10-01

This study assessed the neurotropism of bovine ephemeral fever (BEF) virus (BEFV) and described histomorphological abnormalities of the brain, spinal cord and peripheral nerves that may causally contribute to paresis or paralysis in BEF. Four paralysed and six asymptomatic but virus-infected cattle were monitored, and blood and serum samples screened by qRT-PCR, virus isolation and neutralisation tests. Fresh brain, spinal cord, peripheral nerve and other tissues were qRT-PCR-tested for viral RNA, while formalin-fixed specimens were processed routinely and immunohistochemically evaluated for histomorphological abnormalities and viral antigen distribution, respectively. The neurotropism of BEFV was immunohistochemically confirmed in the brain and peripheral nerves and peripheral neuropathy was demonstrated in three paralysed but not the six aneurological but virus-infected animals. Wallerian degeneration (WD) was present in the ventral funicular white matter of the lumbar spinal cord of a paralysed steer and in cervical and thoracic spinal cord segments of three paralysed animals. Although no spinal cord lesions were seen in the steer euthanased within 7 days of illness, peripheral neuropathy was present and more severe in nerves of the brachial plexuses than in the gluteal or fibular nerves. The only steer with WD in the lumbar spinal cord also showed intrahistiocytic cell viral antigen that was spatially distributed within areas of moderate brain stem encephalitis. The data confirmed neurotropism of BEFV in cattle and documented histomorphological abnormalities in peripheral nerves and brain which, together with spinal cord lesions, may contribute to chronic paralysis in BEFV-infected downer cattle. © 2016 Australian Veterinary Association.

Increased urinary excretion of platelet activating factor in mice with lupus nephritis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Macconi, D.; Noris, M.; Benfenati, E.

1991-01-01

Platelet activating factor (PAF) is present in urine from humans and experimental animals in normal conditions. Very little is known about changes in PAF urinary excretion under pathologic conditions and no data are available about the origin of PAF in the urine. In the present study we explored the possibility that immunologic renal disease is associated with an increase in PAF urinary excretion using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry technique. To clarify the renal or extrarenal origin of urinary PAF we evaluated whether exogenously administered PAF (1-(1{prime},2{prime}-{sup 3}H)alkyl) is filtered through the glomerulus and excreted in the urine. The results show that:more » (1) urine from mice with lupus nephritis in the early phase of the disease contained amounts of PAF comparable to those excreted in normal mouse urine, (2) PAF levels increased when animals started to develop high grade proteinuria, (3) after intravenous injection of ({sup 3}H) PAF In nephritic mice, a negligible amount of ({sup 3}H) ether lipid, corresponding to ({sup 3}H)1-alkyl -2-acyl-3-phosphocholine (alkyl-2-acyl-GPC), was recovered from the 24 h urine extract.« less

Iron excretion in iron dextran-overloaded mice

PubMed Central

Musumeci, Marco; Maccari, Sonia; Massimi, Alessia; Stati, Tonino; Sestili, Paola; Corritore, Elisa; Pastorelli, Augusto; Stacchini, Paolo; Marano, Giuseppe; Catalano, Liviana

2014-01-01

Background Iron homeostasis in humans is tightly regulated by mechanisms aimed to conserve iron for reutilisation, with a negligible role played by excretory mechanisms. In a previous study we found that mice have an astonishing ability to tolerate very high doses of parenterally administered iron dextran. Whether this ability is linked to the existence of an excretory pathway remains to be ascertained. Materials and methods Iron overload was generated by intraperitoneal injections of iron dextran (1 g/kg) administered once a week for 8 weeks in two different mouse strains (C57bl/6 and B6D2F1). Urinary and faecal iron excretion was assessed by inductively coupling plasma-mass spectrometry, whereas cardiac and liver architecture was evaluated by echocardiography and histological methods. For both strains, 24-hour faeces and urine samples were collected and iron concentration was determined on days 0, 1 and 2 after iron administration. Results In iron-overloaded C57bl/6 mice, the faecal iron concentration increased by 218% and 157% on days 1 and 2, respectively (p<0.01). The iron excreted represented a loss of 14% of total iron administered. Similar but smaller changes was also found in B6D2F1 mice. Conversely, we found no significant changes in the concentration of iron in the urine in either of the strains of mice. In both strains, histological examination showed accumulation of iron in the liver and heart which tended to decrease over time. Conclusions This study indicates that mice have a mechanism for removal of excess body iron and provides insights into the possible mechanisms of excretion. PMID:24960657

Early Experience With CliniMACS Prodigy CCS (IFN-gamma) System in Selection of Virus-specific T Cells From Third-party Donors for Pediatric Patients With Severe Viral Infections After Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation.

PubMed

Kállay, Krisztián; Kassa, Csaba; Réti, Marienn; Karászi, Éva; Sinkó, János; Goda, Vera; Stréhn, Anita; Csordás, Katalin; Horváth, Orsolya; Szederjesi, Attila; Tasnády, Szabolcs; Hardi, Apor; Kriván, Gergely

2018-04-01

Viral reactivation is a frequent complication of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation especially in children. For refractory cases, rapid virus-specific T-cell therapy would be ideally implemented within a few days. Over the course of a year in our pediatric cohort of 43 allogeneic transplantation, 9 patients fulfilled criteria for virus-specific T-cell therapy. Viral infections were due to cytomegalovirus (CMV) in 3, Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in 2, and adenovirus (AdV) in 1 case, whereas >1 virus was detected in 3 cases. Viral diseases necessitating a T-cell therapy were CMV pneumonitis and colitis, AdV enteritis and cystitis, and EBV-induced posttransplantation lymphoproliferative disease. Cells were produced by the CliniMACS Prodigy CCS (IFN-gamma) System within 24 hours after mononuclear leukapheresis. Eight patients became completely asymptomatic, whereas 7 also cleared the virus. Six patients are alive without viral illness or sequelae demonstrating viral DNA clearance in peripheral blood with a median follow-up of 535 (350-786) days. One patient with CMV pneumonitis died of respiratory insufficiency. In 2 cases the viral illness improved or cleared, however, the patients died of invasive aspergillosis. No cases of graft-versus-host disease, rejection, organ toxicity, or recurrent infection were noticed. Virus-specific T-cell therapy implemented by the CliniMACS Prodigy CCS (IFN-gamma) System is an automated, fast, safe, and probably effective way to control resistant viral diseases after pediatric hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Prevalence of asymptomatic femoroacetabular impingement in Turkey; cross sectional study.

PubMed

Polat, Gökhan; Şahin, Koray; Arzu, Ufuk; Kendirci, Alper Şükrü; Aşık, Mehmet

2018-01-01

Femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) is one of the causes of hip pain in young-adult patients. The purpose of our study is to determine the prevalence of radiological FAI findings in asymptomatic population in Turkey. Trauma patients aged 18-65 years who applied to the emergency service between September 2015 and September 2016 were retrospectively evaluated for this study. After a preliminary study and power analysis, 2152 hips of the 1076 previously asymptomatic patients were evaluated radiologically with pelvis antero-posterior and frog-leg radiographs. On radiographs of these patients; alpha angle, lateral central edge angle (LCEA), Tönnis angle (TA) and collodiaphyseal angle were measured. Alpha angle values higher than 55° were noted as cam type FAI. TA values lower than 0° or LCEA values higher than 39° were noted as pincer type FAI. LCEA values lower than 25° or TA values higher than 10° were noted as acetabular dysplasia. Mean age of 1076 patients (602 female, 474 male) was 42.1 ± 15.6 years. The assessment showed that 15.9% of the patients had cam type, 10.6% had pincer type, 3.1% had combined type FAI and 9.3% had findings of acetabular dysplasia. The prevalence of asymptomatic FAI is significantly more in males (46%) in comparison to females (17%) in Turkey. Even though FAI is considered to be a pathology associated with hip osteoarthritis; it is very common in asymptomatic population. In this respect, our study showed that prevalence of radiological FAI findings in asymptomatic adult population was 29.6% in Turkey. Copyright © 2017 Turkish Association of Orthopaedics and Traumatology. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Symptomatic rotator cuff tears show higher radioisotope uptake on bone scintigraphy compared with asymptomatic tears.

PubMed

Koike, Yoichi; Sano, Hirotaka; Kita, Atushi; Itoi, Eiji

2013-09-01

Some patients with rotator cuff tears complain of pain, whereas others are asymptomatic. Previous studies have pointed out the presence of active bone metabolism in the painful shoulder, identified with increased radioisotope uptake during bone scintigraphy. Shoulders with symptomatic rotator cuff tears will demonstrate higher radioisotope uptake than shoulders with asymptomatic tears with bone scintigraphy, reflecting active bone metabolism in symptomatic tears. Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3. The study consisted of 3 groups: patients with symptomatic tears (symptomatic group), patients with asymptomatic tears (asymptomatic group), and controls (no tear group). The symptomatic group consisted of 28 shoulders from 28 patients with symptomatic rotator cuff tears (pain score ≤4 on the University of California, Los Angeles [UCLA] shoulder evaluation form) who underwent bone scintigraphy followed by rotator cuff repair. Of 70 volunteers who had previously undergone bone scintigraphy for diseases unrelated to their shoulder, 34 were selected for the asymptomatic group (pain score ≥8 on the UCLA shoulder form), and 32 were selected for the no tear group. The mean radioisotope uptake in the symptomatic group was significantly higher than that in the asymptomatic group (P = .02) and the no tear group (P = .02). Ten of 28 shoulders (36%) in the symptomatic group showed increased radioisotope uptake exceeding 2 standard deviations from the mean of the no tear group. This percentage was significantly higher when compared with the asymptomatic group (0%) (P < .01). Shoulders with a symptomatic rotator cuff tear showed higher radioisotope uptake on bone scintigraphy than those with an asymptomatic tear. The radioisotope uptake in shoulders with an asymptomatic tear was comparable with that in shoulders without a tear. Positive radioisotope uptake may be associated with pain in a subgroup of patients with rotator cuff tears.

Viral hemorrhagic septicemia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Batts, William N.; Winton, James R.

2012-01-01

Viral hemorrhagic septicemia (VHS) is one of the most important viral diseases of finfish worldwide. In the past, VHS was thought to affect mainly rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss reared at freshwater facilities in Western Europe where it was known by various names including Egtved disease and infectious kidney swelling and liver degeneration (Wolf 1988). Today, VHS is known as an important source of mortality for cultured and wild fish in freshwater and marine environments in several regions of the northern hemisphere (Dixon 1999; Gagné et al. 2007; Kim and Faisal 2011; Lumsden et al. 2007; Marty et al. 1998, 2003; Meyers and Winton 1995; Skall et al. 2005b; Smail 1999; Takano et al. 2001). Viral hemorrhagic septicemia is caused by the fish rhabdovirus, viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus (VHSV), a member of the genus Novirhabdovirus of the family Rhabdoviridae

Urinary D-lactate excretion in infants receiving Lactobacillus johnsonii with formula.

PubMed

Haschke-Becher, Elisabeth; Brunser, Oscar; Cruchet, Sylvia; Gotteland, Martin; Haschke, Ferdinand; Bachmann, Claude

2008-01-01

Supplementation with certain probiotics can improve gut microbial flora and immune function but should not have adverse effects. This study aimed to assess the risk of D-lactate accumulation and subsequent metabolic acidosis in infants fed on formula containing Lactobacillus johnsonii (La1). In the framework of a double-blind, randomized controlled trial enrolling 71 infants aged 4-5 months, morning urine samples were collected before and 4 weeks after being fed formulas with or without La1 (1 x 10(8)/g powder) or being breastfed. Urinary D- and L-lactate concentrations were assayed by enzymatic, fluorimetric methods and excretion was normalized per mol creatinine. At baseline, no significant differences in urinary D-/L-lactate excretion among the formula-fed and breastfed groups were found. After 4 weeks, D-lactate excretion did not differ between the two formula groups, but was higher in both formula groups than in breastfed infants. In all infants receiving La1, urinary D-lactate concentrations remained within the concentration ranges of age-matched healthy infants which had been determined in an earlier study using the same analytical method. Urinary L-lactate also did not vary over time or among groups. Supplementation of La1 to formula did not affect urinary lactate excretion and there is no evidence of an increased risk of lactic acidosis. Copyright 2008 S. Karger AG, Basel.

[Clinical characteristics and renal uric acid excretion in early-onset gout patients].

PubMed

Li, Q H; Liang, J J; Chen, L X; Mo, Y Q; Wei, X N; Zheng, D H; Dai, L

2018-03-01

Objective: To investigate clinical characteristics and renal uric acid excretion in early-onset gout patients. Methods: Consecutive inpatients with primary gout were recruited between 2013 and 2017. The patients with gout onset younger than 30 were defined as early-onset group while the others were enrolled as control group. Clinical characteristics and uric acid (UA) indicators were compared between two groups. Results: Among 202 recruited patients, the early-onset group included 36 patients (17.8%). Compared with control group, the early-onset group presented more patients with obesity [13 patients (36.1%) vs. 22 patients (13.3%), P< 0.05], significantly higher serum UA level [(634±124)μmol/L vs.(527±169)μmol/L] and glomerular load of UA[(7.2±2.8)mg·min(-1)·1.73m(-2) vs. (4.4±2.2)mg·min(-1)·1.73m(-2)] and estimated glomerular filtration rate (GFR) [(83±21)ml·min(-1)·1.73m(-2) vs. (67±21)ml·min(-1)·1.73m(-2)] (all P< 0.05), lower fractional excretion of UA [4.4% (3.4%,6.1%) vs. 7.2% (5.2%,9.6%), P< 0.05], whereas 24h urinary UA excretion was comparable [(2 788±882)μmol/1.73m(2) vs. (2 645±1 140)μmol/1.73m(2), P= 0.274]. Subgroup analysis of patients without chronic kidney disease showed significantly lower fractional excretion of UA in the early-onset group [4.5%(3.3%,6.1%) vs. 6.7% (5.1%,8.7%), P< 0.05]. Logistic regression analysis showed that obesity ( OR= 3.25) and fractional excretion of UA less than 7% ( OR= 9.01, all P< 0.05) were risk factors of gout early onset. Conclusion: The gout patients with early-onset younger than 30 present high serum and glomerular load of uric acid which might be due to obesity and relative under-excretion of renal uric acid.

A proteolytic modification of AIM promotes its renal excretion

PubMed Central

Yamazaki, Tomoko; Sugisawa, Ryoichi; Hiramoto, Emiri; Takai, Ryosuke; Matsumoto, Ayaka; Senda, Yoshie; Nakashima, Katsuhiko; Nelson, Peter S.; Lucas, Jared M.; Morgan, Andrew; Li, Zhenghua; Yamamura, Ken-ichi; Arai, Satoko; Miyazaki, Toru

2016-01-01

Apoptosis inhibitor of macrophage (AIM, encoded by cd5l) is a multi-functional circulating protein that has a beneficial role in the regulation of a broad range of diseases, some of which are ameliorated by AIM administration in mice. In blood, AIM is stabilized by association with IgM pentamers and maintains its high circulating levels. The mechanism regulating the excessive accumulation of blood AIM remains unknown, although it is important, since a constitutive increase in AIM levels promotes chronic inflammation. Here we found a physiological AIM-cleavage process that induces destabilization of AIM and its excretion in urine. In blood, IgM-free AIM appeared to be cleaved and reduced in size approximately 10 kDa. Cleaved AIM was unable to bind to IgM and was selectively filtered by the glomerulus, thereby excreted in urine. Amino acid substitution at the cleavage site resulted in no renal excretion of AIM. Interestingly, cleaved AIM retained a comparable potency with full-length AIM in facilitating the clearance of dead cell debris in injured kidney, which is a key response in the recovery of acute kidney injury. Identification of AIM-cleavage and resulting functional modification could be the basis for designing safe and efficient AIM therapy for various diseases. PMID:27929116

Bovine Enteroviruses as Indicators of Fecal Contamination

PubMed Central

Ley, Victoria; Higgins, James; Fayer, Ronald

2002-01-01

Surface waters frequently have been contaminated with human enteric viruses, and it is likely that animal enteric viruses have contaminated surface waters also. Bovine enteroviruses (BEV), found in cattle worldwide, usually cause asymptomatic infections and are excreted in the feces of infected animals in large numbers. In this study, the prevalence and genotype of BEV in a closed herd of cattle were evaluated and compared with BEV found in animals in the immediate environment and in environmental specimens. BEV was found in feces from 76% of cattle, 38% of white-tailed deer, and one of three Canada geese sharing the same pastures, as well as the water obtained from animal watering tanks, from the pasture, from streams running from the pasture to an adjacent river, and from the river, which emptied into the Chesapeake Bay. Furthermore, BEV was found in oysters collected from that river downstream from the farm. These findings suggest that BEV could be used as an indicator of fecal pollution originating from animals (cattle and/or deer). Partial sequence analysis of the viral genomes indicates that different viral variants coexist in the same area. The possibility of identifying the viral strains found in the animals and in the contaminated areas by sequencing the RNA genome, could provide a tool to find the origin of the contamination and should be useful for epidemiological and viral molecular evolution studies. PMID:12089028

Prolonged illness after infectious mononucleosis is associated with altered immunity but not with increased viral load.

PubMed

Cameron, Barbara; Bharadwaj, Mandvi; Burrows, Jacqueline; Fazou, Chrysa; Wakefield, Denis; Hickie, Ian; Ffrench, Rosemary; Khanna, Rajiv; Lloyd, Andrew

2006-03-01

Primary Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection causes a spectrum of characteristics that range from asymptomatic seroconversion to severe infectious mononucleosis (IM), sometimes with prolonged symptoms and disability. We examined the relationships between clinical course, number of viral copies, and immunological parameters in a prospective cohort of subjects with recent IM. Eight case patients with at least 6 months of disabling symptoms and 31 matched control subjects who had recovered promptly were included. Symptom scores were recorded at regular intervals over the course of 12 months. Cellular EBV load, EBV-specific antibody responses, lymphocyte subsets, and EBV-specific interferon (IFN)- gamma induction were measured. In case patients with prolonged illness, the severity of acute-phase symptoms was greater, the development of anti-EBV nuclear antigen-1 immunoglobulin G was more rapid, and the time to development of the peak IFN- gamma response to the majority of latent-cycle EBV peptides was generally slower than those in control subjects. However, in both groups, neither viral nor immune parameters correlated with the severity or duration of symptoms. The resolution of symptomatic IM is not determined by control of viremia, nor is it easily explained by altered host responses to EBV infection. The detailed determinants of delayed recovery remain to be elucidated.

Low colony counts of asymptomatic group B streptococcus bacteriuria: a survey of practice patterns.

PubMed

Aungst, Matthew; King, Jeremy; Steele, Andrew; Gordon, Michael

2004-10-01

The purpose of this study was to survey expert opinion on the management of low colony counts (< 100,000 colony forming units/mL) of asymptomatic group B streptococcus (GBS) bacteriuria discovered in the first trimester. A survey was sent to the 241 senior obstetricians affiliated with each of the Obstetrics and Gynecology training programs in the United States on July 10, 2002. Surveys received by the deadline (September 1, 2002) were included in the dataset. Eighty-five completed surveys were returned for a response rate of 35%. Seventy-seven percent reported treating low colony counts of asymptomatic GBS bacteriuria in the first trimester at the time of diagnosis, whereas 23% stated they did not treat prior to labor (margin of error 7.5% with 95% confidence). Nine percent stated that their institution had a written protocol for the treatment of low colony counts of asymptomatic GBS bacteriuria. Two physicians indicated that they screened for asymptomatic GBS bacteriuria at 28 weeks. Currently, no generally accepted protocol for the management of low colony counts of asymptomatic GBS bacteriuria exists. This survey indicates that most of the responding senior obstetricians at United States training programs treat low colony counts of asymptomatic GBS bacteriuria in the first trimester.

Successful Surgical Excision of a Large Cardiac Fibroma in an Asymptomatic Child.

PubMed

Borodinova, Olga; Ostras, Oleksii; Raad, Tammo; Yemets, Illya

2017-03-01

Cardiac fibroma is a rare disease, and the management of asymptomatic patients is controversial. We report a case of successful surgical excision of a large cardiac fibroma in an asymptomatic child. Surgery should be considered for such a patient, as sudden cardiac death may occur in the absence of premonitory symptoms.

Asymptomatic Congenital Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt.

PubMed

Brown, Karen M; Hal, Hassan

2009-01-01

Congenital (spontaneous) intrahepatic portosystemic shunt is rare in the English literature. Most cases of portosystemic shunt occur after trauma, surgery, liver biopsy or as a result of chronic portal hypertension. Chronic shunting may result in encephalopathy, bleeding or hyperinsulinism. We report a case of an asymptomatic adult female with a presumed congenital intrahepatic portosystemic shunt and discuss the pertinent imaging findings and important key concepts related to this condition.

Inductively coupled plasma mass-spectrometric determination of platinum in excretion products of client-owned pet dogs.

PubMed

Janssens, T; Brouwers, E E M; de Vos, J P; de Vries, N; Schellens, J H M; Beijnen, J H

2015-06-01

Residues of antineoplastic drugs in canine excretion products may represent exposure risks to veterinary personnel, owners of pet dogs and other animal care-takers. The aim of this study was to measure the extent and duration of platinum (Pt) excretion in pet dogs treated with carboplatin. Samples were collected before and up to 21 days after administration of carboplatin. We used validated, ultra-sensitive, inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry assays to measure Pt in canine urine, faeces, saliva, sebum and cerumen. Results showed that urine is the major route of elimination of Pt in dogs. In addition, excretion occurs via faeces and saliva, with the highest amounts eliminated during the first 5 days. The amount of excreted Pt decreased over time but was still quantifiable at 21 days after administration of carboplatin. In conclusion, increased Pt levels were found in all measured excretion products up to 21 days after administration of carboplatin to pet dogs, with urine as the main route of excretion. These findings may be used to further adapt current veterinary guidelines on safe handling of antineoplastic drugs and treated animals. © 2013 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Immunization with Live Attenuated Leishmania donovani Centrin−/− Parasites Is Efficacious in Asymptomatic Infection

PubMed Central

Ismail, Nevien; Kaul, Amit; Bhattacharya, Parna; Gannavaram, Sreenivas; Nakhasi, Hira L.

2017-01-01

Currently, there is no vaccine against visceral leishmaniasis (VL). Toward developing an effective vaccine, we have reported extensively on the immunogenicity of live attenuated LdCentrin−/− mutants in naive animal models. In VL endemic areas, asymptomatic carriers outnumber symptomatic cases of VL and are considered to be a reservoir of infection. Vaccination of asymptomatic cases represents a viable strategy to eliminate VL. Immunological correlates of protection thus derived might have limited applicability in conditions where the immunized host has prior exposure to virulent infection. To examine whether LdCen−/− parasites can induce protective immunity in experimental hosts that have low-level parasitemia from a previous exposure mimicking an asymptomatic condition, we infected C57Bl/6 mice with wild-type Leishmania donovani parasites expressing LLO epitope (LdWTLLO 103, i.v.). After 3 weeks, the mice with low levels of parasitemia were immunized with LdCen−/− parasites expressing 2W epitope (LdCen−/−2W 3 × 106 i.v.) to characterize the immune responses in the same host. Antigen experienced CD4+ T cells from the asymptomatic (LdWTLLO infected) LdCen−/−2W immunized, and other control groups were enriched using LLO- and 2W-specific tetramers, followed by Flow cytometric analysis. Our analysis showed that comparable CD4+ T cell proliferation and CD4+ memory T cell responses (TCM) represented by CD62Lhi, CCR7+, and IL-7R+ T cell populations were induced with LdCen−/−2W in both asymptomatic and naive animals that received LdCen−/− immunization. Upon restimulation with peptide, TCM cells differentiated into effector T cells and there was no significant difference in the recall response in animals with asymptomatic infection. Following virulent challenge, comparable reduction in splenic parasite burden was observed in both asymptomatic and naive LdCen−/− immunized animals concomitant with the development of multifunctional CD4

Formic acid excretion in rats exposed to trichloroethylene: a possible explanation for renal toxicity in long-term studies.

PubMed

Green, T; Dow, J; Foster, J R; Hext, P M

1998-05-15

Rats exposed to trichloroethylene, either by gavage or by inhalation, excreted large amounts of formic acid in urine which was accompanied by a change in urinary pH, increased excretion of ammonia, and slight increases in the excretion of calcium. Following a single 6-h exposure to 500 ppm trichloroethylene, the excretion of formic acid was comparable to that seen after a 500 mg/kg dose of formic acid itself, yet the half-life was markedly different. Formate excretion in trichloroethylene treated rats reached a maximum on day 2 and had a half-life of 4-5 days, whereas urinary excretion was complete within 24 h following a single dose of formic acid itself. Formic acid was shown not to be a metabolite of trichloroethylene. When rats were exposed to 250 or 500 ppm trichloroethylene, 6 h/day, for 28 days, the only significant effects were increased formic acid and ammonia excretion, and a change in urinary pH. There was no evidence of morphological liver or kidney damage. Long-term exposure to formic acid is known to cause kidney damage suggesting that excretion of this acid may contribute to the kidney damage seen in the long-term studies with trichloroethylene.

Urinary free cortisol and cortisone excretion in healthy individuals: influence of water loading.

PubMed

Fenske, Martin

2006-11-01

The influence of water loading on urinary excretion of free cortisol and cortisone was investigated in healthy men. The results were as follows: water loading tests (intake of 0.25-1.5 L) in a single individual showed that a water load of 1.5 L reliably increased the excretion of urine, free cortisol and cortisone (p < 0.01). Regression analyses gave significant correlations of urine volume with free cortisol and free cortisone, and of free cortisol and free cortisone. Corresponding results were obtained when water loading tests were performed in males who ingested 1.5 L of water (n = 8): the excretion of urine, free cortisol and free cortisone were significantly augmented; correlated was urine volume with free cortisol and free cortisone, and free cortisol with free cortisone. In a third set of tests, volunteers collected one 5 h urine (10:00-15:00 h) after the intake of 3 x 0.1 or 0.5 L at 11:00, 12:00 and 14:00 h. Excretion of urine, free cortisol and free cortisone in males of the low water loading group (3 x 0.1 L) was 0.59 mL/min, and 8.2 or 15.0 microg/5 h; corresponding values in individuals ingesting 3 x 0.5 L of water were 1.5 mL/min (p < 0.01), 12.3 microg/5 h (p > 0.05) and 26.3 microg/5 h (p < 0.02). In summary, urinary free cortisol and cortisone excretion in healthy men depends on urine volume, especially during water diuresis. Thus, interpretation of free cortisol and especially of free cortisone excretion is only possible if subjects strictly control their fluid intake and if urine volume is considered an important pre-analytical parameter-otherwise, interpretation of urinary free cortisol results is difficult and of urinary free cortisone data remains tenuous at best.

Excretion and measurement of corticosterone and testosterone metabolites in bank voles (Myodes glareolus).

PubMed

Sipari, Saana; Ylönen, Hannu; Palme, Rupert

2017-03-01

The bank vole is a commonly used model species in behavioral and ecophysiological studies. Thus, presenting a validated method for noninvasive monitoring of corticosterone and testosterone secretion is of high relevance. Here, we evaluated the effect of time of day and an ACTH challenge test on measured fecal corticosterone (FCM) and testosterone (FTM) metabolites in both sexes. Furthermore, we performed radiometabolism experiments for both steroids and sexes to study metabolism and excretion of 3 H-corticosterone and 3 H-testosterone. FCM and FTM were analysed with a 5α-pregnane-3β,11β,21-triol-20-one enzyme immunoassay (EIA) and a testosterone (measuring 17β-hydroxyandrostanes) EIA, respectively. Males had significantly higher FCM levels than females and their main excretion route was via the feces (∼72%), whereas females excreted nearly equal portions in both feces and urine. For testosterone the main excretion route was via the feces in both sexes (∼80%). The time course of excretion was similar in both sexes, but for the first time a significant difference between injected steroids was found: Corticosterone was excreted faster than testosterone, both in urine (median of peak levels: 4h vs 6h) and feces (6h vs 8h). Several metabolites were present in the feces and the tested EIAs reacted with some of them. Time of day had a significant effect on measured fecal steroid metabolites. As expected, males had significantly higher FTM levels than females. ACTH administration significantly increased FCM values; peaks were observed 4-8h after injection. In conclusion, both tested EIAs proved suited for a noninvasive measurement of glucocorticoids and androgens in bank voles. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Endogenous Cholesterol Excretion Is Negatively Associated With Carotid Intima-Media Thickness in Humans.

PubMed

Lin, Xiaobo; Racette, Susan B; Ma, Lina; Wallendorf, Michael; Dávila-Román, Victor G; Ostlund, Richard E

2017-12-01

Epidemiological studies strongly suggest that lipid factors independent of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol contribute significantly to cardiovascular disease risk. Because circulating lipoproteins comprise only a small fraction of total body cholesterol, the mobilization and excretion of cholesterol from plasma and tissue pools may be an important determinant of cardiovascular disease risk. Our hypothesis is that fecal excretion of endogenous cholesterol is protective against atherosclerosis. Cholesterol metabolism and carotid intima-media thickness were quantitated in 86 nondiabetic adults. Plasma cholesterol was labeled by intravenous infusion of cholesterol-d 7 solubilized in a lipid emulsion and dietary cholesterol by cholesterol-d 5 and the nonabsorbable stool marker sitostanol-d 4 . Plasma and stool samples were collected while subjects consumed a cholesterol- and phytosterol-controlled metabolic kitchen diet and were analyzed by mass spectrometry. Carotid intima-media thickness was negatively correlated with fecal excretion of endogenous cholesterol ( r =-0.426; P <0.0001), total cholesterol ( r =-0.472; P ≤0.0001), and daily percent excretion of cholesterol from the rapidly mixing cholesterol pool ( r =-0.343; P =0.0012) and was positively correlated with percent cholesterol absorption ( r =+0.279; P =0.0092). In a linear regression model controlling for age, sex, systolic blood pressure, hemoglobin A1c, low-density lipoprotein, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and statin drug use, fecal excretion of endogenous cholesterol remained significant ( P =0.0008). Excretion of endogenous cholesterol is strongly, independently, and negatively associated with carotid intima-media thickness. The reverse cholesterol transport pathway comprising the intestine and the rapidly mixing plasma, and tissue cholesterol pool could be an unrecognized determinant of cardiovascular disease risk not reflected in circulating lipoproteins. Further work is needed to relate

Increased frequency of anti-retina antibodies in asymptomatic patients with chronic t. gondii infection

PubMed Central

Cursino, Sylvia Regina Temer; da Costa, Thaís Boccia; Yamamoto, Joyce Hisae; Meireles, Luciana Regina; Silva, Maria Antonieta Longo Galvão; de Andrade Junior, Heitor Franco

2010-01-01

PURPOSE: To search for anti-retina antibodies that serve as markers for eye disease in uveitis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Stored sera from patients with uveitis, ocular toxoplasmosis (n = 30) and non-infectious, immune-mediated uveitis (n = 50) and from asymptomatic individuals who were positive (n = 250) and negative (n = 250) for anti-Toxoplasma antibodies were tested. Serum anti-retina IgG was detected by an optimized ELISA using a solid-phase whole human retina extract, bovine S-antigen or interphotoreceptor retinoid-binding protein. RESULTS: Uveitis patients showed a higher mean reactivity to whole human retina extract, interphotoreceptor retinoid-binding protein and S-antigen in comparison to the asymptomatic population. These findings were independent of the uveitis origin and allowed the determination of the lower anti-retina antibody cut-off for the three antigens. Asymptomatic anti-Toxoplasma serum-positive individuals showed a higher frequency of anti-human whole retina extract antibodies in comparison to asymptomatic anti-Toxoplasma serum-negative patients. The bovine S-antigen and interphotoreceptor retinoid-binding protein ELISAs also showed a higher mean reactivity in the uveitis groups compared to the asymptomatic group, but the observed reactivities were lower and overlapped without discrimination. CONCLUSION: We detected higher levels of anti-retina antibodies in uveitis patients and in a small fraction of asymptomatic patients with chronic toxoplasmosis. The presence of anti-retina antibodies in sera might be a marker of eye disease in asymptomatic patients, especially when whole human retina extract is used in a solid-phase ELISA. PMID:21120306

Controlled exercise effects on chromium excretion of trained and untrained runners consuming a constant diet

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Anderson, R.A.; Bryden, N.A.; Polansky, M.M.

1986-03-05

To determine if degree of training effects urinary Cr losses, Cr excretion of 8 adult trained and 5 untrained runners was determined on rest days and following exercise at 90% of maximal oxygen uptake on a treadmill to exhaustion with 30 second exercise and 30 second rest periods. Subjects were fed a constant daily diet containing 9 ..mu..g of Cr per 1000 calories to minimize changes due to diet. Maximal oxygen consumption of the trained runners was in the good or above range based upon their age and that of the untrained runners was average or below. While consuming themore » control diet, basal urinary Cr excretion of subjects who exercise regularly was significantly lower than that of the sedentary control subjects, 0.09 +/- 0.01 and 0.21 +/- 0.03 ..mu..g/day (mean +/- SEM), respectively. Daily urinary Cr excretion of trained subjects was significantly higher on the day of a single exercise bout at 90% of maximal oxygen consumption compared to nonexercise days, 0.12 +/- 0.02 and 0.09 +/- 0.01 ..mu..g/day, respectively. Urinary Cr excretion of 5 untrained subjects was not altered following controlled exercise. These data demonstrate that basal urinary Cr excretion and excretion in response to exercise are related to maximal oxygen consumption and therefore degree of fitness.« less

Modeling Viral Spread

PubMed Central

Graw, Frederik; Perelson, Alan S.

2016-01-01

The way in which a viral infection spreads within a host is a complex process that is not well understood. Different viruses, such as human immunodeficiency virus type 1 and hepatitis C virus, have evolved different strategies, including direct cell-to-cell transmission and cell-free transmission, to spread within a host. To what extent these two modes of transmission are exploited in vivo is still unknown. Mathematical modeling has been an essential tool to get a better systematic and quantitative understanding of viral processes that are difficult to discern through strictly experimental approaches. In this review, we discuss recent attempts that combine experimental data and mathematical modeling in order to determine and quantify viral transmission modes. We also discuss the current challenges for a systems-level understanding of viral spread, and we highlight the promises and challenges that novel experimental techniques and data will bring to the field. PMID:27618637

High prevalence of asymptomatic Plasmodium falciparum infection in Gabonese adults.

PubMed

Dal-Bianco, Matthias P; Köster, Kai B; Kombila, Ulrich D; Kun, Jürgen F J; Grobusch, Martin P; Ngoma, Ghyslain Mombo; Matsiegui, Pierre B; Supan, Christian; Salazar, Carmen L Ospina; Missinou, Michel A; Issifou, Saadou; Lell, Bertrand; Kremsner, Peter

2007-11-01

Plasmodium falciparum, the most common malarial parasite in sub-Saharan Africa, accounts for a high number of deaths in children less than five years of age. In malaria-endemic countries with stable transmission, semi-immunity is usually acquired after childhood. For adults, severe malaria is rare. Infected adults have either uncomplicated malaria or asymptomatic parasitemia. During a period of one year, we screened 497 afebrile males to investigate the prevalence of asymptomatic P. falciparum parasitemia in villages near Lambaréné, Gabon by use of three different methods. A total of 52% of the individuals had parasites detected by a subtelomeric variable open reading frame polymerase chain reaction (stevor-PCR), 27% of the rapid diagnostic test results were positive, and 12% of the thick blood smears with low parasitemias had P. falciparum. Most positive cases were only detected by the stevor-PCR. Asymptomatic P. falciparum parasitemia in adults living in a malaria-endemic country is frequent.

[Chronic elevation of enzymes of pancreatic origin in asymptomatic patients].

PubMed

Quílez, C; Martínez, J; Gómez, A; Trigo, C; Palazón, J M; Belda, G; Pérez-Mateo, M

1998-05-01

Chronic asymptomatic elevation of pancreatic enzymes is a well known entity although little has been reported. In most cases chronic asymptomatic elevation of amylase is due to a salival isoamylase increase or macroamylasemia. However, we have studied 10 cases with an increase in amylases due to pancreatic isoamylase and an increase in the remaining pancreatic enzymes which remained elevated during the follow up period ranging from 2 to 60 months. The amylase values ranged from 186 to 1,600; the lipase from 176 to 3,989, trypsin from 476 to 2,430 and pancreatic isoamylase from 122 to 1,263. In all patients CT and echography were carried out, which discarded structural damage. Nonetheless, an indirect test of pancreatic function presented unexplained pathologic values in 4 out of 10 patients. In conclusion, we suggest that chronic asymptomatic elevation of pancreatic enzymes is of unknown etiology with no associated structural pancreatic pathology demonstrable by the usual study methods.

[Trans-intestinal cholesterol excretion (TICE): a new route for cholesterol excretion].

PubMed

Blanchard, Claire; Moreau, François; Cariou, Bertrand; Le May, Cédric

2014-10-01

The small intestine plays a crucial role in dietary and biliary cholesterol absorption, as well as its lymphatic secretion as chylomicrons (lipoprotein exogenous way). Recently, a new metabolic pathway called TICE (trans-intestinal excretion of cholesterol) that plays a central role in cholesterol metabolism has emerged. TICE is an inducible way, complementary to the hepatobiliary pathway, allowing the elimination of the plasma cholesterol directly into the intestine lumen through the enterocytes. This pathway is poorly characterized but several molecular actors of TICE have been recently identified. Although it is a matter of debate, two independent studies suggest that TICE is involved in the anti-atherogenic reverse cholesterol transport pathway. Thus, TICE is an innovative drug target to reduce -cardiovascular diseases. © 2014 médecine/sciences – Inserm.

Relationships between urinary electrolytes excretion and central hemodynamics, and arterial stiffness in hypertensive patients.

PubMed

Han, Weizhong; Han, Xiao; Sun, Ningling; Chen, Yunchao; Jiang, Shiliang; Li, Min

2017-08-01

High sodium intake plays an important role in the onset and exacerbation of hypertension. However, the relationships between urinary electrolytes excretion and central hemodynamics and between urinary electrolyte excretion and arterial stiffness are still the subject of debate. This study sought to clarify the associations of salt intake with central aortic pressure and arterial stiffness indicators. A total of 431 untreated hypertensive individuals were recruited into the study. Twenty-four-hour urinary samples were collected to measure the excretion of urinary electrolytes. Central hemodynamics parameters and brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) were measured. We evaluated the independent relationship between urinary sodium or potassium excretion and the abovementioned indices. The mean 24-h urinary sodium of all subjects was 166.6±70.0 mmol/24 h. With increases in urinary sodium excretion, central blood pressure and baPWV values markedly increased. Multiple regression analysis showed that urinary sodium was independently associated with increases in central systolic blood pressure, central diastolic blood pressure, the augmentation index, and baPWV. Significant correlations were identified between high dietary sodium and central hemodynamics and between high dietary sodium and arterial elasticity. Prospective interventional studies in hypertensive patients may be required to determine the effect of salt intake on central hemodynamics.

Marine Viral Pathogens.

DTIC Science & Technology

1998-05-13

coccolithophorid Emiliania huxleyi. Experiments are continuing to determine whether the pathogens are viral. We have continued the development of PCR primers... Emiliania huxleyi; further work will be required to determine if the pathogen is viral. We have also continued methodological work to improve our ability

Should patients with abnormal liver function tests in primary care be tested for chronic viral hepatitis: cost minimisation analysis based on a comprehensively tested cohort.

PubMed

Arnold, David T; Bentham, Louise M; Jacob, Ruth P; Lilford, Richard J; Girling, Alan J

2011-03-03

Liver function tests (LFTs) are ordered in large numbers in primary care, and the Birmingham and Lambeth Liver Evaluation Testing Strategies (BALLETS) study was set up to assess their usefulness in patients with no pre-existing or self-evident liver disease. All patients were tested for chronic viral hepatitis thereby providing an opportunity to compare various strategies for detection of this serious treatable disease. This study uses data from the BALLETS cohort to compare various testing strategies for viral hepatitis in patients who had received an abnormal LFT result. The aim was to inform a strategy for identification of patients with chronic viral hepatitis. We used a cost-minimisation analysis to define a base case and then calculated the incremental cost per case detected to inform a strategy that could guide testing for chronic viral hepatitis. Of the 1,236 study patients with an abnormal LFT, 13 had chronic viral hepatitis (nine hepatitis B and four hepatitis C). The strategy advocated by the current guidelines (repeating the LFT with a view to testing for specific disease if it remained abnormal) was less efficient (more expensive per case detected) than a simple policy of testing all patients for viral hepatitis without repeating LFTs. A more selective strategy of viral testing all patients for viral hepatitis if they were born in countries where viral hepatitis was prevalent provided high efficiency with little loss of sensitivity. A notably high alanine aminotransferase (ALT) level (greater than twice the upper limit of normal) on the initial ALT test had high predictive value, but was insensitive, missing half the cases of viral infection. Based on this analysis and on widely accepted clinical principles, a "fast and frugal" heuristic was produced to guide general practitioners with respect to diagnosing cases of viral hepatitis in asymptomatic patients with abnormal LFTs. It recommends testing all patients where a clear clinical indication of

Ethnicity is important for creatinine excretion among Inuit and Caucasians in Greenland.

PubMed

Andersen, Stig; Dehnfeld, Marie; Laurberg, Peter

2015-01-01

Human nutrition, contamination and renal function are commonly assessed by the analysis of urine. A complete 24-hour urine sample is the ideal but it is inconvenient and unreliable. Thus, spot urine sampling with creatinine adjustment is widely used. Stratification for age and gender is recommended. Still, ethnicity may influence creatinine excretion. We collected 104 24-h urine samples among Inuit and non-Inuit living in Greenland. Completeness of sampling was checked by using para-amino benzoic acid (PABA) that also allowed for compensation of creatinine excretion when sampling was incomplete. We measured creatinine using the Jaffe method and PABA by the HPLC method. Participants were recruited from the capital city, a major town and a settlement (n = 36/48/20). They were aged 30-69 years with 78 Inuit and 26 non-Inuit. Inuit were smaller than non-Inuit (Caucasians): height, 163 vs. 177 cm, p < 0.001; weight, 71 vs. 84 kg, p = 0.001 with similar BMI. Creatinine excretion was lower in Inuit compared to non-Inuit (men, 1344/1807 mg/24 h; women 894/1259 mg/24 h; p = 0.002; 0.02). It was influenced by age (p < 0.001), gender (p < 0.001), weight (p = 0.001) and ethnicity (p = 0.030) while not by the intake of the protein-rich Inuit diet in the adjusted analysis. Creatinine excretion was described by: Inuit men, 1925 mg - (13.1 × age); Inuit women, 1701 mg - (17.0 × age). Inuit and Caucasians have different creatinine excretion. It is recommended to stratify by ethnicity in addition to adjustment for age and gender when using creatinine correction of spot urine samples.

Genomic features of intertypic recombinant sabin poliovirus strains excreted by primary vaccinees.

PubMed

Cuervo, N S; Guillot, S; Romanenkova, N; Combiescu, M; Aubert-Combiescu, A; Seghier, M; Caro, V; Crainic, R; Delpeyroux, F

2001-07-01

The trivalent oral poliomyelitis vaccine (OPV) contains three different poliovirus serotypes. It use therefore creates particularly favorable conditions for mixed infection of gut cells, and indeed intertypic vaccine-derived recombinants (VdRec) have been frequently found in patients with vaccine-associated paralytic poliomyelitis. Nevertheless, there have not been extensive searches for VdRec in healthy vaccinees following immunization with OPV. To determine the incidence of VdRec and their excretion kinetics in primary vaccinees, and to establish the general genomic features of the corresponding recombinant genomes, we characterized poliovirus isolates excreted by vaccinees following primary immunization with OPV. Isolates were collected from 67 children 2 to 60 days following vaccination. Recombinant strains were identified by multiple restriction fragment length polymorphism assays. The localization of junction sites in recombinant genomes was also determined. VdRec excreted by vaccinees were first detected 2 to 4 days after vaccination. The highest rate of recombinants was on day 14. The frequency of VdRec depends strongly on the serotype of the analyzed isolates (2, 53, and 79% of recombinant strains in the last-excreted type 1, 2, and 3 isolates, respectively). Particular associations of genomic segments were preferred in the recombinant genomes, and recombination junctions were found in the genomic region encoding the nonstructural proteins. Recombination junctions generally clustered in particular subgenomic regions that were dependent on the serotype of the isolate and/or on the associations of genomic segments in recombinants. Thus, VdRec are frequently excreted by vaccinees, and the poliovirus replication machinery requirements or selection factors appear to act in vivo to shape the features of the recombinant genomes.

Vesicoureteral reflux in asymptomatic siblings of patients with known reflux: radionuclide cystography

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Van den Abbeele, A.D.; Treves, S.T.; Lebowitz, R.L.

1987-01-01

The familial nature of vesicoureteral reflux among siblings of patients with vesicoureteral reflux has been reported to be from 8% to 32%. These included both symptomatic and asymptomatic siblings. The incidence of vesicoureteral reflux in asymptomatic siblings, however, has not been studied extensively. Sixty asymptomatic siblings of patients known to have vesicoureteral reflux were studied with radionuclide voiding cystography. Their ages ranged from 2 months to 15 years (mean, 4.2 years). Vesicoureteral reflux was detected in 27 of 60 (45%) of the siblings. Vesicoureteral reflux was unilateral in 15 and bilateral in 12 of the siblings. Radionuclide cystography is moremore » sensitive than radiographic cystography and results in a very low radiation dose to the patient. The gonadal dose with radionuclide cystography is only 1.0 to 2.0 mrads. Because of these features, radionuclide cystography is a nearly ideal technique for the diagnosis of vesicoureteral reflux in siblings of patients with known vesicoureteral reflux. All siblings (symptomatic or asymptomatic) of patients with known vesicoureteral reflux should have a screening radionuclide cystography.« less

Intake and urinary excretion of sodium chloride under varying conditions of effort and environment heat

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zohar, E.; Adar, R.; Tennenbaum, J.; Kesten, M.

1982-01-01

Intake and urinary excretion of sodium were investigated in a group of young, healthy and acclimated men. The sodium excretions of workers and of machinists in the engine rooms of a ship were also investigated.

Cryptic and Asymptomatic Opisthorchis felineus Infections

PubMed Central

Armignacco, Orlando; Ferri, Fabrizio; Gomez-Morales, Maria Angeles; Caterini, Luciano; Pozio, Edoardo

2013-01-01

We describe the diagnostic difficulties experienced during an opisthorchiasis outbreak. Of 31 infected individuals, 61.3% were asymptomatic, and in the 12 symptomatic individuals, the duration of non-pathognomonic symptoms was shorter than 4 weeks. Serology by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and polymerase chain reaction fecal analysis were shown to be the most sensitive diagnostic tools. PMID:23249682

Association between urinary sodium excretion and uric acid, and its interaction on the risk of prehypertension among Chinese young adults.

PubMed

Wang, Yang; Hu, Jia-Wen; Qu, Peng-Fei; Wang, Ke-Ke; Yan, Yu; Chu, Chao; Zheng, Wen-Ling; Xu, Xian-Jing; Lv, Yong-Bo; Ma, Qiong; Gao, Ke; Yuan, Yue; Li, Hao; Yuan, Zu-Yi; Mu, Jian-Jun

2018-05-17

High uric acid (UA) level and high salt intake are reportedly associated with cardiovascular disease. This study investigated the association between UA and urinary sodium excretion, as well as its interaction on the risk of prehypertension. A total of 1869 participants without hypertension were recruited from a previously established cohort in Shaanxi Province, China. The participants were classified as normotensive or prehypertensive on the basis of their blood pressure. Increasing quartiles of sodium excretion were associated with high urinary UA/creatinine levels in prehypertensive participants. Estimated sodium excretion positively correlated with urinary UA/creatinine excretions in the prehypertensive group. In addition, the multivariate-adjusted odds ratios for prehypertension compared with normotension were 1.68 (1.27-2.22) for sodium excretion and 1.71 (1.21-2.42) for serum UA. Increasing sodium excretion and serum UA were associated with higher risk of prehypertension. Compared with the lowest quartiles, the highest sodium excretion and serum UA quartiles entailed 3.48 times greater risk of prehypertension. Sodium excretion is associated with urinary UA excretion in prehypertensive participants. The present study shows that high levels of salt intake and serum UA simultaneously are associated with a higher risk of prehypertension.

[Urinary excretion of catecholamines in obese subjects and in diabetics (author's transl)].

PubMed

Giorgino, R; Nardelli, G M; Scardapane, R

1976-03-01

95 obese subjects, 40 diabetics and 22 normal controls were investigated. The weight of all obese subjects was at least 20% higher than the ideal weight. Catecholamine excretion was determined a few days after hospitalization to minimize the influence of environmental changes. Spectrofluorimetric estimation of adrenaline and noradrenaline in the urine was carried out according to the method of von Euler and Lihajko. Statistical analysis of the results showed a significant increase in both adrenaline and noradrenaline excretion in the group of obeses subjects compared with the diabetics. The increased catecholamine excretion may represent the response of the adrenal medulla to the stress of the disease. Such an increase may be responsible for perpheral insulin resistence and hence acts as a diabetogenic factor. The results obtained emphasize the influence of catecholamines on insulin responsiveness, possibly constituting a major contribution to the diabetic state.

Collagen cross-link excretion during space flight and bed rest

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, S. M.; Nillen, J. L.; Leblanc, A.; Lipton, A.; Demers, L. M.; Lane, H. W.; Leach, C. S.; LeBlanc, A. (Principal Investigator)

1998-01-01

Extended exposure to weightlessness results in bone loss. However, little information exists as to the precise nature or time course of this bone loss. Bone resorption results in the release of collagen breakdown products, including N-telopeptide and the pyridinium (PYD) cross-links, pyridinoline and deoxypyridinoline. Urinary pyridinoline and deoxypyridinoline are known to increase during bed rest. We assessed excretion of PYD cross-links and N-telopeptide before, during, and after long (28-day, 59-day, and 84-day) Skylab missions, as well as during short (14-day) and long (119-day) bed-rest studies. During space flight, the urinary cross-link excretion level was twice those observed before flight. Urinary excretion levels of the collagen breakdown products were also 40-50% higher, during short and long bed rest, than before. These results clearly show that the changes in bone metabolism associated with space flight involve increased resorption. The rate of response (i.e. within days to weeks) suggests that alterations in bone metabolism are an early effect of weightlessness. These studies are important for a better understanding of bone metabolism in space crews and in those who are bedridden.

Viral infection, inflammation and schizophrenia

PubMed Central

Kneeland, Rachel E.; Fatemi, S. Hossein

2012-01-01

Schizophrenia is a severe neurodevelopmental disorder with genetic and environmental etiologies. Prenatal viral/bacterial infections and inflammation play major roles in the genesis of schizophrenia. In this review, we describe a viral model of schizophrenia tested in mice whereby the offspring of mice prenatally infected with influenza at E7, E9, E16, and E18 show significant gene, protein, and brain structural abnormalities postnatally. Similarly, we describe data on rodents exposed to bacterial infection or injected with a synthetic viral mimic (PolyI:C) also demonstrating brain structural and behavioral abnormalities. Moreover, human serologic data has been indispensible in supporting the viral theory of schizophrenia. Individuals born seropositive for bacterial and viral agents are at a significantly elevated risk of developing schizophrenia. While the specific mechanisms of prenatal viral/bacterial infections and brain disorder are unclear, recent findings suggest that the maternal inflammatory response may be associated with fetal brain injury. Preventive and therapeutic treatment options are also proposed. This review presents data related to epidemiology, human serology, and experimental animal models which support the viral model of schizophrenia. PMID:22349576

The controversy of treatment of asymptomatic bacteriuria in non-pregnant women--resolved.

PubMed

Gleckman, R

1976-12-01

Data derived from longitudinal studies demonstrate that asymptomatic bacteriuria in non-pregnant women without stones or obstructive uropathy is a benign pathological condition. Evidence has accumulated that untreated asymptomatic bacteriuria in otherwise healthy women does not result in hypertension and/or a decline in renal function, and that this condition required neither detection nor antimicrobial therapy.

Treatment of asymptomatic UTI in older delirious medical in-patients: A prospective cohort study.

PubMed

Dasgupta, Monidipa; Brymer, Chris; Elsayed, Sameer

2017-09-01

Despite clinical practice guidelines, asymptomatic bacteriuria (ASB) in older people is frequently treated. A common reason for treating ASB is a change in mental status. To determine how often asymptomatic UTI is treated in older medically ill delirious individuals and its association with functional recovery. Consecutive older medical in-patients were screened for delirium, and followed in hospital. Treatment for asymptomatic UTI was defined as documented treatment for a possible urinary tract infection with antibiotics, without concurrent infectious or urinary symptoms. The primary outcome was functional recovery at discharge or 3 months post-discharge. Poor functional recovery was defined by any one of death, new permanent long-term institutionalization or decreased ability to perform activities of daily living. The study sample comprised 343 delirious in-patients, of which 237 (69%) had poor functional recovery. Ninety two (27%) delirious in-patients were treated for asymptomatic UTI. Treatment for asymptomatic UTI was associated with poor functional recovery compared to other delirious in-patients (RR 1.30, 95% CI: 1.14-1.48 overall). Similar results were seen when the analysis was restricted to only bacteriuric delirious individuals. Seven (7.5%) individuals treated for asymptomatic UTI developed Clostridium difficile infection compared to eight (3.2%) in the remainder of the delirious cohort (OR 2.45, 95% CI: 0.86-6.96). These results suggest that treatment of asymptomatic UTI in older medical in-patients with delirium is common, and of questionable benefit. Further research is needed to establish guidelines to minimize over-treatment of UTI in older delirious in-patients. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Human urinary excretion profile after smoking and oral administration of ( sup 14 C)delta 1-tetrahydrocannabinol

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Johansson, E.; Gillespie, H.K.; Halldin, M.M.

The urinary excretion profiles of delta 1-tetrahydrocannabinol (delta 1-THC) metabolites have been evaluated in two chronic and two naive marijuana users after smoking and oral administration of ({sup 14}C)delta 1-THC. Urine was collected for five days after each administration route and analyzed for total delta 1-THC metabolites by radioactivity determination, for delta 1-THC-7-oic acid by high-performance liquid chromatography, and for cross-reacting cannabinoids by the EMIT d.a.u. cannabinoid assay. The average urinary excretion half-life of {sup 14}C-labeled delta 1-THC metabolites was calculated to be 18.2 +/- 4.9 h (+/- SD). The excretion profiles of delta 1-THC-7-oic acid and EMIT readings weremore » similar to the excretion profile of {sup 14}C-labeled metabolites in the naive users. However, in the chronic users the excretion profiles of delta 1-THC-7-oic acid and EMIT readings did not resemble the radioactive excretion due to the heavy influence from previous Cannabis use. Between 8-14% of the radioactive dose was recovered in the urine in both user groups after oral administration. Lower urinary recovery was obtained both in the chronic and naive users after smoking--5 and 2%, respectively.« less

Temporal Dynamics of Host Molecular Responses Differentiate Symptomatic and Asymptomatic Influenza A Infection

PubMed Central

Huang, Yongsheng; Zaas, Aimee K.; Rao, Arvind; Dobigeon, Nicolas; Woolf, Peter J.; Veldman, Timothy; Øien, N. Christine; McClain, Micah T.; Varkey, Jay B.; Nicholson, Bradley; Carin, Lawrence; Kingsmore, Stephen; Woods, Christopher W.; Ginsburg, Geoffrey S.; Hero, Alfred O.

2011-01-01

Exposure to influenza viruses is necessary, but not sufficient, for healthy human hosts to develop symptomatic illness. The host response is an important determinant of disease progression. In order to delineate host molecular responses that differentiate symptomatic and asymptomatic Influenza A infection, we inoculated 17 healthy adults with live influenza (H3N2/Wisconsin) and examined changes in host peripheral blood gene expression at 16 timepoints over 132 hours. Here we present distinct transcriptional dynamics of host responses unique to asymptomatic and symptomatic infections. We show that symptomatic hosts invoke, simultaneously, multiple pattern recognition receptors-mediated antiviral and inflammatory responses that may relate to virus-induced oxidative stress. In contrast, asymptomatic subjects tightly regulate these responses and exhibit elevated expression of genes that function in antioxidant responses and cell-mediated responses. We reveal an ab initio molecular signature that strongly correlates to symptomatic clinical disease and biomarkers whose expression patterns best discriminate early from late phases of infection. Our results establish a temporal pattern of host molecular responses that differentiates symptomatic from asymptomatic infections and reveals an asymptomatic host-unique non-passive response signature, suggesting novel putative molecular targets for both prognostic assessment and ameliorative therapeutic intervention in seasonal and pandemic influenza. PMID:21901105

Viral respiratory diseases.

PubMed

Moise, N S

1985-09-01

An overview of the more commonly encountered viral diseases of the dog and cat is presented. The reader is acquainted with the principles of antiviral therapy and the drugs that have been studied for use in animal viral respiratory diseases. An update on vaccination principles and guidelines is provided.

Antibiotics for asymptomatic bacteriuria in pregnancy.

PubMed

Smaill, Fiona M; Vazquez, Juan C

2015-08-07

Asymptomatic bacteriuria occurs in 2% to 10% of pregnancies and, if not treated, up to 30% of mothers will develop acute pyelonephritis. Asymptomatic bacteriuria has been associated with low birthweight and preterm birth. To assess the effect of antibiotic treatment for asymptomatic bacteriuria on the development of pyelonephritis and the risk of low birthweight and preterm birth. We searched the Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group's Trials Register (19 March 2015) and reference lists of retrieved studies. Randomized trials comparing antibiotic treatment with placebo or no treatment in pregnant women with asymptomatic bacteriuria found on antenatal screening. Two review authors independently assessed trials for inclusion and risk of bias, extracted data and checked them for accuracy. Fourteen studies, involving almost 2000 women, were included. Antibiotic treatment compared with placebo or no treatment reduced the incidence of pyelonephritis (average risk ratio (RR) 0.23, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.13 to 0.41; 11 studies, 1932 women; very low quality evidence). Antibiotic treatment was also associated with a reduction in the incidence of low birthweight babies (average RR 0.64, 95% CI 0.45 to 0.93; six studies, 1437 babies; low quality evidence) and preterm birth (RR 0.27, 95% CI 0.11 to 0.62; two studies, 242 women; low quality evidence). A reduction in persistent bacteriuria at the time of delivery was seen (average RR 0.30, 95% CI 0.18 to 0.53; four studies; 596 women). There were very limited data on which to estimate the effect of antibiotics on other infant outcomes and maternal adverse effects were rarely described.Overall, all 14 studies were assessed as being at high or unclear risk of bias. While many studies lacked an adequate description of methods and the risk of bias could only be assessed as unclear, in almost all studies there was at least one domain where the risk of bias was judged as high. The three primary outcomes were assessed with

Prevalence of Sexually Transmitted Diseases in Asymptomatic Renal Transplant Recipients.

PubMed

Sarier, Mehmet; Sepin Ozen, Nevgun; Guler, Hicran; Duman, Ibrahim; Yüksel, Yücel; Tekin, Sabri; Yavuz, Asuman Havva; Yucetin, Levent; Erdogan Yilmaz, Mine

2018-04-04

Sexually transmitted diseases, which may be asymptomatic, have the potential to cause serious health problems in renal transplant recipients. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of sexually transmitted diseases in sexually active asymptomatic renal transplant patients by using real-time multiplex polymerase chain reaction assays. This prospective controlled study was conducted between November 2016 and January 2017 in our hospital. Our study group included 80 consecutive, sexually active asymptomatic patients (40 men and 40 women) who had undergone renal transplant in our hospital and who presented to our outpatient clinic for routine follow-up. We also included a control group of 80 consecutive, sexually active nontransplant patients (40 men and 40 women). All patient samples were tested for Gardnerella vaginalis and obligate anaerobes (Prevotella bivia, Porphyromonas species), Candida species, Mycoplasma hominis, Mycoplasma genitalium, Ureaplasma species, Trichomonas vaginalis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Chlamydia trachomatis, herpes simplex virus 1 and 2, and Cytomegalovirus by real-time multiplex polymerase chain reaction. The prevalences of infection with Gardnerella vaginalis and obligate anaerobes (P = .043), Ureaplasma species (P = .02), and Cytomegalovirus (P = .016) were found to be significantly higher in the study group versus the control group. However, there was no difference between the 2 groups regarding the prevalence of Mycoplasma infection (P = .70). Sexually transmitted diseases may occur more frequently in sexually active asymptomatic renal transplant recipients than in nontransplanted individuals. Real-time multiplex polymerase chain reaction analysis may be a suitable method for determining these pathogens.

Genetic variation underlying renal uric acid excretion in Hispanic children: the Viva La Familia Study.

PubMed

Chittoor, Geetha; Haack, Karin; Mehta, Nitesh R; Laston, Sandra; Cole, Shelley A; Comuzzie, Anthony G; Butte, Nancy F; Voruganti, V Saroja

2017-01-17

Reduced renal excretion of uric acid plays a significant role in the development of hyperuricemia and gout in adults. Hyperuricemia has been associated with chronic kidney disease and cardiovascular disease in children and adults. There are limited genome-wide association studies associating genetic polymorphisms with renal urate excretion measures. Therefore, we investigated the genetic factors that influence the excretion of uric acid and related indices in 768 Hispanic children of the Viva La Familia Study. We performed a genome-wide association analysis for 24-h urinary excretion measures such as urinary uric acid/urinary creatinine ratio, uric acid clearance, fractional excretion of uric acid, and glomerular load of uric acid in SOLAR, while accounting for non-independence among family members. All renal urate excretion measures were significantly heritable (p <2 × 10 -6 ) and ranged from 0.41 to 0.74. Empirical threshold for genome-wide significance was set at p <1 × 10 -7 . We observed a strong association (p < 8 × 10 -8 ) of uric acid clearance with a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in zinc finger protein 446 (ZNF446) (rs2033711 (A/G), MAF: 0.30). The minor allele (G) was associated with increased uric acid clearance. Also, we found suggestive associations of uric acid clearance with SNPs in ZNF324, ZNF584, and ZNF132 (in a 72 kb region of 19q13; p <1 × 10 -6 , MAFs: 0.28-0.31). For the first time, we showed the importance of 19q13 region in the regulation of renal urate excretion in Hispanic children. Our findings indicate differences in inherent genetic architecture and shared environmental risk factors between our cohort and other pediatric and adult populations.

Evaluation of the Impact of Alveolar Nitrogen Excretion on Indices Derived from Multiple Breath Nitrogen Washout

PubMed Central

Nielsen, Niklas; Nielsen, Jorgen G.; Horsley, Alex R.

2013-01-01

Background A large body of evidence has now accumulated describing the advantages of multiple breath washout tests over conventional spirometry in cystic fibrosis (CF). Although the majority of studies have used exogenous sulphur hexafluoride (SF6) as the tracer gas this has also led to an increased interest in nitrogen washout tests, despite the differences between these methods. The impact of body nitrogen excreted across the alveoli has previously been ignored. Methods A two-compartment lung model was developed that included ventilation heterogeneity and dead space (DS) effects, but also incorporated experimental data on nitrogen excretion. The model was used to assess the impact of nitrogen excretion on washout progress and accuracy of functional residual capacity (FRC) and lung clearance index (LCI) measurements. Results Excreted nitrogen had a small effect on accuracy of FRC (1.8%) in the healthy adult model. The error in LCI calculated with true FRC was greater (6.3%), and excreted nitrogen contributed 21% of the total nitrogen concentration at the end of the washout. Increasing DS and ventilation heterogeneity both caused further increase in measurement error. LCI was increased by 6–13% in a CF child model, and excreted nitrogen increased the end of washout nitrogen concentration by 24–49%. Conclusions Excreted nitrogen appears to have complex but clinically significant effects on washout progress, particularly in the presence of abnormal gas mixing. This may explain much of the previously described differences in washout outcomes between SF6 and nitrogen. PMID:24039916

Viral-associated lymphoid proliferations☆

PubMed Central

Pittaluga, Stefania

2013-01-01

The histological spectrum of viral-associated lymphoid proliferations is quite broad, ranging from reactive lymphadenitis to atypical proliferations mimicking classical Hodgkin lymphoma or non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Virally associated reactive lesions can appear quite alarming on histological examination, because of direct (cytopathic) and indirect viral-induced changes eliciting a polymorphic cellular host response. In addition, the atypical lymphoid proliferation may show aberrant phenotypic features as well as restricted/clonal gene immunoglobulin or T-cell receptor rearrangements, further complicating the interpretation. In order to achieve an accurate diagnosis, it is important to be aware of the clinical history, including family history and ethnic background, clinical presentation, symptoms, and extent of the disease. Among the clinical data, particular emphasis should be placed on serology and viral load studies, and the use of immunosuppressive drugs. The clinical course and outcome vary greatly, from an indolent, self-limited to aggressive clinical course, blurring at times the distinction between neoplastic and reactive proliferations. It is now recognized that immunosenescence also plays a significant role in the development of these viral-associated lymphoid proliferations, and new entities have been described in recent years. In this review we discuss mostly Epstein–Barr virus-associated viral proliferations that may be confused with lymphomas, which the practicing pathologist may encounter. PMID:23537914

The urinary excretion of assayable vitamin B12 and radioactivity after parenteral 58Co B12 in man

PubMed Central

Adams, J. F.

1961-01-01

Evidence is presented that after injection of radioactive vitamin B12 in man, there is a close correlation between the amount of radioactivity excreted and the amount of assayable vitamin B12 excreted, and thus that the amount of radioactivity excreted is a true measure of the vitamin B12 excreted. The possible reasons for this occurrence are discussed and it is suggested that in the body vitamin B12 does not exist as such but as an analogue or active derivative. PMID:13681399

Asymptomatic malaria, growth status, and anaemia among children in Lao People's Democratic Republic: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Akiyama, Takeshi; Pongvongsa, Tiengkham; Phrommala, Souraxay; Taniguchi, Tomoyo; Inamine, Yuba; Takeuchi, Rie; Watanabe, Tadashi; Nishimoto, Futoshi; Moji, Kazuhiko; Kano, Shigeyuki; Watanabe, Hisami; Kobayashi, Jun

2016-10-18

Asymptomatic malaria can be observed in both stable endemic areas and unstable transmission areas. However, although much attention has been given to acute malaria infections, relatively little attention has been paid to asymptomatic malaria. Nonetheless, because the asymptomatic host serves as a reservoir for the malaria parasite, asymptomatic malaria is now recognized as an important obstacle to malaria elimination. Asymptomatic malaria is also associated with anaemia, a global public health problem with serious consequences on human health as well as social and economic development. In Lao People's Democratic Republic (Lao PDR), malaria, anaemia, and malnutrition are serious public health concerns. However, few studies have focused on the relationship between these variables. Therefore, this study investigated the relationship between asymptomatic malaria, growth status, and the prevalence of anaemia among children aged 120 months old or younger in rural villages in Lao PDR. In December 2010 and March 2011, data were collected from five villages in Savannakhet province. Anthropometric measurements, blood samples, and malaria rapid diagnostic tests were conducted. The presence of malaria was confirmed with polymerase chain reaction assays for Plasmodium falciparum. Underweight status, stunting, and anaemia were defined according to World Health Organization standards. The mean age of participants (n = 319) was 88.3 months old (Standard Deviation: 20.6, ranged from 30-119 months old), and 20 participants (6.3 %) had an asymptomatic malaria infection, 92 (28.8 %) were anaemic, 123 (38.6 %) were underweight, and 137 (42.9 %) were stunted. Stunted children were more likely to be infected with asymptomatic malaria [odds ratio (OR) 3.34, 95 % confidence interval (CI) 1.25-8.93], and asymptomatic malaria was associated with anaemia [OR 5.17, 95 % CI 1.99-13.43]. These results suggest a significant association between asymptomatic malaria and anaemia in

[Absence of effect of propranolol on urinary excretion of 3-methylhistidine in hyperthyroidism].

PubMed

Beylot, M; Riou, J P; Sautot, G; Mornex, R

Lean body mass and muscle protein breakdown were evaluated in euthyroid and hyperthyroid subjects by measuring the urinary excretion of creatinine and 3-methylhistidine. Since catecholamines probably have an inhibitory effect on muscle protein catabolism through a beta-receptor mechanism, the effects of propranolol on 3-methylhistidine excretion were also evaluated in hyperthyroid subjects. Hyperthyroid subjects had a lower lean body mass (34.9 +/- 6.3 kg versus 47.7 +/- 8.9 kg, p less than 0.001) and a greater 3-methylhistidine excretion (25.1 +/- 7.4 versus 19.0 +/- 4.8 mumol/mmol creatinine, p less than 0.05) than euthyroid subjects. Propranolol administered orally to hyperthyroid subjects decreased pulse rate (p less than 0.01) and plasma triiodothyronine concentrations (from 5.40 +/- 2.28 to 3.61 +/- 1.61 nmol/l, p less than 0.01), but did not modify urinary 3-methylhistidine excretion (24.8 +/- 8.7 versus 25.1 +/- 7.4 mumol/mmol creatinine). These results suggest that muscle wasting in hyperthyroidism is related to increased protein catabolism. This increased protein breakdown is not modified by short term administration of propranolol, a beta-blocking agent widely used in the management of hyperthyroidism.

The urinary excretion of metformin, ceftizoxime and ofloxacin in high serum creatinine rats: Can creatinine predict renal tubular elimination?

PubMed

Ma, Yan-Rong; Zhou, Yan; Huang, Jing; Qin, Hong-Yan; Wang, Pei; Wu, Xin-An

2018-03-01

The renal excretion of creatinine and most drugs are the net result of glomerular filtration and tubular secretion, and their tubular secretions are mediated by individual transporters. Thus, we hypothesized that the increase of serum creatinine (SCr) levels attributing to inhibiting tubular transporters but not glomerular filtration rate (GFR) could be used to evaluate the tubular excretion of drugs mediated by identical or partial overlap transporter with creatinine. In this work, we firstly developed the creatinine excretion inhibition model with normal GFR by competitively inhibiting tubular transporters, and investigated the renal excretion of metformin, ceftizoxime and ofloxacin in vivo and in vitro. The results showed that the 24-hour urinary excretion of metformin and ceftizoxime in model rats were decreased by 25% and 17% compared to that in control rats, respectively. The uptake amount and urinary excretion of metformin and ceftizoxime could be inhibited by creatinine in renal cortical slices and isolated kidney perfusion. However, the urinary excretion of ofloxacin was not affected by high SCr. These results showed that the inhibition of tubular creatinine transporters by high SCr resulted to the decrease of urinary excretion of metformin and ceftizoxime, but not ofloxacin, which implied that the increase of SCr could also be used to evaluate the tubular excretion of drugs mediated by identical or partial overlap transporter with creatinine in normal GFR rats. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Increased urinary excretion of acidic mucopolysaccharides in exophthalmos

PubMed Central

Winand, Roger J.

1968-01-01

The excretion of mucopolysaccharides normally found in urine (chondroitin, chondroitin sulfates A and C, keratosulfate, and heparitin sulfate) is increased approximately twofold in patients with progresive exophthalmos. A threefold elevation of total serum mucopolysaccharides is also found. These increases are unrelated to thyroid function. PMID:4235688

Urinary Excretion of N-Nitroso Compounds in Rats Fed Sodium Nitrite and/or Hot Dogs

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

Nitrite-treated meat is a reported risk factor for colon cancer. Mice that ingested sodium nitrite (NaNO2) or hot dogs (a nitrite-treated product) showed increased fecal excretion of apparent N-nitroso compounds (ANC). Here, we investigated for the first time whether rats excrete increased amounts of ANC in their urine after they are fed NaNO2 and/or hot dogs. Rats were treated for 7 days with NaNO2 in drinking water or were fed hot dogs. Their 24 h urine samples were analyzed for ANC by thermal energy analysis on days 1–4 after nitrite or hot dog treatment was stopped. For two rats fed 480 mg NaNO2/L drinking water, mean urinary ANC excretion on days 1–4 was 30, 5.2, 2.5, and 0.8 nmol/day, respectively. For two to eight rats/dose given varied NaNO2 doses, mean urinary ANC output on day 1 increased from 0.9 (for no nitrite) to 37 (for 1000 mg NaNO2/L drinking water) nmol ANC/day. Urine samples of four rats fed 40–60% hot dogs contained 12–13 nmol ANC on day 1. Linear regression analysis showed highly significant correlations between urinary ANC excretion on day 1 after stopping treatment and varied (a) NaNO2 level in drinking water for rats fed semipurified or commercials diet and (b) hot dog levels in the diet. Some correlations remained significant up to 4 days after nitrite treatment was stopped. Urinary output of ANC precursors (compounds that yield ANC after mild nitrosation) for rats fed semipurified or commercial diet was 11–17 or 23–48 μmol/day, respectively. Nitrosothiols and iron nitrosyls were not detected in urinary ANC and ANCP. Excretion of urinary ANC was about 60% of fecal ANC excretion for 1 to 2 days after NaNO2 was fed. Administered NaNO2 was not excreted unchanged in rat urine. We conclude that urinary ANC excretion in humans could usefully be surveyed to indicate exposure to N-nitroso compounds. PMID:25183213

Cannabinoids and Viral Infections

PubMed Central

Reiss, Carol Shoshkes

2010-01-01

Exogenous cannabinoids or receptor antagonists may influence many cellular and systemic host responses. The anti-inflammatory activity of cannabinoids may compromise host inflammatory responses to acute viral infections, but may be beneficial in persistent infections. In neurons, where innate antiviral/pro-resolution responses include the activation of NOS-1, inhibition of Ca2+ activity by cannabinoids, increased viral replication and disease. This review examines the effect(s) of cannabinoids and their antagonists in viral infections. PMID:20634917

Asymptomatic Malaria and its Challenges in the Malaria Elimination Program in Iran: a Systematic Review

PubMed Central

Hassanpour, Gholmreza; Mohebali, Mehdi; Zeraati, Hojjat; Raeisi, Ahmad; Keshavarz, Hossein

2017-01-01

Background: The objective of this study was to find an appropriate approach to asymptomatic malaria in elimination setting through a systematic review. Methods: A broad search was conducted to find articles with the words ‘malaria’ in their titles and ‘asymptomatic’ or ‘submicroscopic’ in their texts, irrespective of the type of study conducted. The Cochrane, Medline/Pub Med, and Scopus databases, as well as Google Scholar were systematically searched for English articles and reports and Iran’s databases-Iran Medex, SID and Magiran were searched for Persian reports and articles, with no time limitation. The study was qualitatively summarized if it contained precise information on the role of asymptomatic malaria in the elimination phase. Results: Six articles were selected from the initial 2645 articles. The results all re-emphasize the significance of asymptomatic malaria in the elimination phase, and emphasize the significance of diagnostic tests of higher sensitivity to locate these patients and perform interventions to reduce the asymptomatic parasitic reservoirs particularly in regions of low transmission. However, we may infer from the results that the current evidence cannot yet specify an accurate strategy on the role of asymptomatic malaria in the elimination phase. Conclusion: To eliminate malaria, alongside vector control, and treatment of symptomatic and asymptomatic patients, active and inactive methods of case detection need to be employed. The precise monitoring of asymptomatic individuals and submicroscopic cases of malaria through molecular assays and valid serological methods, especially in regions where seasonal and low transmission exists can be very helpful at this phase. PMID:29062842

P‐TEFb goes viral

PubMed Central

Zaborowska, Justyna; Isa, Nur F.

2015-01-01

Positive transcription elongation factor b (P‐TEFb), which comprises cyclin‐dependent kinase 9 (CDK9) kinase and cyclin T subunits, is an essential kinase complex in human cells. Phosphorylation of the negative elongation factors by P‐TEFb is required for productive elongation of transcription of protein‐coding genes by RNA polymerase II (pol II). In addition, P‐TEFb‐mediated phosphorylation of the carboxyl‐terminal domain (CTD) of the largest subunit of pol II mediates the recruitment of transcription and RNA processing factors during the transcription cycle. CDK9 also phosphorylates p53, a tumor suppressor that plays a central role in cellular responses to a range of stress factors. Many viral factors affect transcription by recruiting or modulating the activity of CDK9. In this review, we will focus on how the function of CDK9 is regulated by viral gene products. The central role of CDK9 in viral life cycles suggests that drugs targeting the interaction between viral products and P‐TEFb could be effective anti‐viral agents. PMID:27398404

Urinary excretion of uranium in adult inhabitants of the Czech Republic.

PubMed

Malátová, Irena; Bečková, Věra; Kotík, Lukáš

2016-02-01

The main aim of this study was to determine and evaluate urinary excretion of uranium in the general public of the Czech Republic. This value should serve as a baseline for distinguishing possible increase in uranium content in population living near legacy sites of mining and processing uranium ores and also to help to distinguish the proportion of the uranium content in urine among uranium miners resulting from inhaled dust. The geometric mean of the uranium concentration in urine of 74 inhabitants of the Czech Republic was 0.091 mBq/L (7.4 ng/L) with the 95% confidence interval 0.071-0.12 mBq/L (5.7-9.6 ng/L) respectively. The geometric mean of the daily excretion was 0.15 mBq/d (12.4 ng/d) with the 95% confidence interval 0.12-0.20 mBq/d (9.5-16.1 ng/d) respectively. Despite the legacy of uranium mines and plants processing uranium ore in the Czech Republic, the levels of uranium in urine and therefore, also human body content of uranium, is similar to other countries, esp. Germany, Slovenia and USA. Significant difference in the daily urinary excretion of uranium was found between individuals using public supply and private water wells as a source of drinking water. Age dependence of daily urinary excretion of uranium was not found. Mean values and their range are comparable to other countries, esp. Germany, Slovenia and USA. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Fish Oil Supplementation and Urinary Oxalate Excretion in Normal Subjects on a Low-oxalate Diet

PubMed Central

Lange, Jessica N.; Mufarrij, Patrick W.; Easter, Linda; Knight, John; Holmes, Ross P.; Assimos, Dean G.

2014-01-01

OBJECTIVE To determine if fish oil supplementation reduces endogenous oxalate synthesis in healthy subjects. MATERIALS AND METHODS Fifteen healthy non–stone-forming adults participated in this study. Subjects first abstained from using vitamins, medications, or foods enriched in omega-3 fatty acids for 30 days. Next, they collected two 24-hour urine specimens while consuming a self-selected diet. Subjects consumed an extremely low-oxalate and normal-calcium diet for 5 days and collected 24-hour urine specimens on the last 3 days of this diet. Next, the subjects took 2 fish oil capsules containing 650-mg eicosapentaenoic acid and 450-mg docosahexaenoic acid twice daily for 30 days. They consumed a self-selected diet on days 1–25 and the controlled diet on days 26–30. Twenty-four-hour urine samples were collected on days 28–30. Excretion levels of urinary analytes including oxalate and glycolate were analyzed. RESULTS Although there was a significant reduction in urinary oxalate, magnesium, and potassium excretions and an increase in uric acid excretion during the controlled dietary phases compared with the self-selected diet, there were no significant differences in their excretion during controlled diet phases with and without fish oil supplementation. CONCLUSION These results suggest that fish oil supplementation does not reduce endogenous oxalate synthesis or urinary oxalate excretion in normal adults during periods of extremely low oxalate intake. However, these results do not challenge the previously described reduction in urinary oxalate excretion demonstrated in normal subjects consuming a moderate amount of oxalate in conjunction with fish oil. PMID:25102784

A new screening pathway for identifying asymptomatic patients using dental panoramic radiographs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hayashi, Tatsuro; Matsumoto, Takuya; Sawagashira, Tsuyoshi; Tagami, Motoki; Katsumata, Akitoshi; Hayashi, Yoshinori; Muramatsu, Chisako; Zhou, Xiangrong; Iida, Yukihiro; Matsuoka, Masato; Katagi, Kiyoji; Fujita, Hiroshi

2012-03-01

To identify asymptomatic patients is the challenging task and the essential first step in diagnosis. Findings of dental panoramic radiographs include not only dental conditions but also radiographic signs that are suggestive of possible systemic diseases such as osteoporosis, arteriosclerosis, and maxillary sinusitis. Detection of such signs on panoramic radiographs has a potential to provide supplemental benefits for patients. However, it is not easy for general dental practitioners to pay careful attention to such signs. We addressed the development of a computer-aided detection (CAD) system that detects radiographic signs of pathology on panoramic images, and the design of the framework of new screening pathway by cooperation of dentists and our CAD system. The performance evaluation of our CAD system showed the sensitivity and specificity in the identification of osteoporotic patients were 92.6 % and 100 %, respectively, and those of the maxillary sinus abnormality were 89.6 % and 73.6 %, respectively. The detection rate of carotid artery calcifications that suggests the need for further medical evaluation was approximately 93.6 % with 4.4 false-positives per image. To validate the utility of the new screening pathway, preliminary clinical trials by using our CAD system were conducted. To date, 223 panoramic images were processed and 4 asymptomatic patients with suspected osteoporosis, 7 asymptomatic patients with suspected calcifications, and 40 asymptomatic patients with suspected maxillary sinusitis were detected in our initial trial. It was suggested that our new screening pathway could be useful to identify asymptomatic patients with systemic diseases.

Metabolism Goes Viral

PubMed Central

Miyake-Stoner, Shigeki J.; O’Shea, Clodagh C.

2014-01-01

Viral and cellular oncogenes converge in targeting critical protein interaction networks to reprogram the cellular DNA and protein replication machinery for pathological replication. In this issue, Thai et al. (2014) show that adenovirus E4ORF1 activates MYC glycolytic targets to induce a Warburg-like effect that converts glucose into nucleotides for viral replication. PMID:24703688

Sodium-bicarbonated mineral water decreases aldosterone levels without affecting urinary excretion of bone minerals.

PubMed

Schoppen, Stefanie; Pérez-Granados, Ana M; Carbajal, Angeles; Sarriá, Beatriz; Navas-Carretero, Santiago; Pilar Vaquero, M

2008-06-01

AIM To assess in healthy postmenopausal women the influence of consuming sodium-bicarbonated mineral water on postprandial evolution of serum aldosterone and urinary electrolyte excretion. Eighteen postmenopausal women consumed 500 ml of two sodium-bicarbonated mineral waters (sodium-bicarbonated mineral water 1 and sodium-bicarbonated mineral water 2) and a low-mineral water with a standard meal. Postprandial blood samples were taken at 60, 120, 240, 360 and 420 min and aldosterone concentrations were measured. Postprandial urinary minerals were determined. Urinary and total mineral excretion and urinary mineral concentrations did not differ except for sodium concentration, which was significantly higher with sodium-bicarbonated mineral water 1 than with low-mineral water (P = 0.005). There was a time effect (P = 0.003) on the aldosterone concentration. At 120 min, aldosterone concentrations were lower with sodium-bicarbonated mineral water 1 (P = 0.021) and sodium-bicarbonated mineral water 2 (P = 0.030) compared with low-mineral water. Drinking a sodium-rich bicarbonated mineral water with a meal increases urinary sodium concentration excretion without changes in the excretion of potassium and bone minerals.

Asymptomatic and sub-microscopic malaria infection in Kayah State, eastern Myanmar.

PubMed

Zaw, Myo Thiha; Thant, Myo; Hlaing, Tin Maung; Aung, Naing Zin; Thu, Min; Phumchuea, Kanit; Phusri, Kanokwan; Saeseu, Teerawat; Yorsaeng, Ritthideach; Nguitragool, Wang; Felger, Ingrid; Kaewkungwal, Jaranit; Cui, Liwang; Sattabongkot, Jetsumon

2017-04-04

Myanmar has the heaviest burden of malaria in the Greater Mekong Sub-region. Asymptomatic Plasmodium spp. infections are common in this region and may represent an important reservoir of transmission that must be targeted for malaria elimination. A mass blood survey was conducted among 485 individuals from six villages in Kayah State, an area of endemic but low transmission malaria in eastern Myanmar. Malaria infection was screened by rapid diagnostic test (RDT), light microscopy and real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and its association with demographic factors was explored. The prevalence of asymptomatic Plasmodium spp. infection was 2.3% (11/485) by real-time PCR. Plasmodium vivax accounted for 72.7% (8/11) and Plasmodium falciparum for 27.3% (3/11) of infections. Men were at greater risk of infection by Plasmodium spp. than women. Individuals who worked as farmers or wood and bamboo cutters had an increased risk of infection. A combination of RDT, light microscopy and PCR diagnostics were used to identify asymptomatic malaria infection, providing additional information on asymptomatic cases in addition to the routine statistics on symptomatic cases, so as to determine the true burden of disease in the area. Such information and risk factors can improve malaria risk stratification and guide decision-makers towards better design and delivery of targeted interventions in small villages, representative of Kayah State.

Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potentials (VEMP) Can Detect Asymptomatic Saccular Hydrops

PubMed Central

Lin, Ming-Yee; Timmer, Ferdinand C. A.; Oriel, Brad S.; Zhou, Guangwei; Guinan, John J.; Kujawa, Sharon G.; Herrmann, Barbara S.; Merchant, Saumil N.; Rauch, Steven D.

2009-01-01

Objective The objective of this study was to explore the useful of vestibular evoked myogenic potential (VEMP) testing for detecting endolymphatic hydrops, especially in the second ear of patients with unilateral Ménière disease (MD). Methods This study was performed at a tertiary care academic medical center. Part I consisted of postmortem temporal bone specimens from the temporal bone collection of the Massachusetts Eye & Ear Infirmary; part II consisted of consecutive consenting adult patients (n = 82) with unilateral MD by American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery criteria case histories. Out-come measures consisted of VEMP thresholds in patients and histologic saccular endolymphatic hydrops in postmortem temporal bones. Results Saccular hydrops was observed in the asymptomatic ear in six of 17 (35%) of temporal bones from donors with unilateral MD. Clinic patients with unilateral MD showed elevated mean VEMP thresholds and altered VEMP tuning in their symptomatic ears and, to a lesser degree, in their asymptomatic ears. Specific VEMP frequency and tuning criteria were used to define a “Ménière-like” response. This “Ménière-like” response was seen in 27% of asymptomatic ears of our patients with unilateral MD. Conclusions Bilateral involvement is seen in approximately one third of MD cases. Saccular hydrops appears to precede symptoms in bilateral MD. Changes in VEMP threshold and tuning appear to be sensitive to these structural changes in the saccule. If so, then VEMP may be useful as a detector of asymptomatic saccular hydrops and as a predictor of evolving bilateral MD. PMID:16735912

Vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (VEMP) can detect asymptomatic saccular hydrops.

PubMed

Lin, Ming-Yee; Timmer, Ferdinand C A; Oriel, Brad S; Zhou, Guangwei; Guinan, John J; Kujawa, Sharon G; Herrmann, Barbara S; Merchant, Saumil N; Rauch, Steven D

2006-06-01

The objective of this study was to explore the useful of vestibular evoked myogenic potential (VEMP) testing for detecting endolymphatic hydrops, especially in the second ear of patients with unilateral Ménière disease (MD). This study was performed at a tertiary care academic medical center. Part I consisted of postmortem temporal bone specimens from the temporal bone collection of the Massachusetts Eye & Ear Infirmary; part II consisted of consecutive consenting adult patients (n = 82) with unilateral MD by American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery criteria case histories. Outcome measures consisted of VEMP thresholds in patients and histologic saccular endolymphatic hydrops in postmortem temporal bones. Saccular hydrops was observed in the asymptomatic ear in six of 17 (35%) of temporal bones from donors with unilateral MD. Clinic patients with unilateral MD showed elevated mean VEMP thresholds and altered VEMP tuning in their symptomatic ears and, to a lesser degree, in their asymptomatic ears. Specific VEMP frequency and tuning criteria were used to define a "Ménière-like" response. This "Ménière-like" response was seen in 27% of asymptomatic ears of our patients with unilateral MD. Bilateral involvement is seen in approximately one third of MD cases. Saccular hydrops appears to precede symptoms in bilateral MD. Changes in VEMP threshold and tuning appear to be sensitive to these structural changes in the saccule. If so, then VEMP may be useful as a detector of asymptomatic saccular hydrops and as a predictor of evolving bilateral MD.

Renal Regulation of Acid-Base Balance: Ammonia Excretion.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tanner, George A.

1984-01-01

Describes an experiment which demonstrates changes in ammonia excretion and urine pH that occur in response to metabolic acidosis (induced by ammonium chloride ingestion) or metabolic alkalosis (produced by sodium bicarbonate ingestion). List of materials needed and background information are included. Typical results are provided and discussed.…

Urinary isoflavonoid excretion as a biomarker of dietary soy intake during two randomized soy trials

PubMed Central

Morimoto, Yukiko; Beckford, Fanchon; Franke, Adrian A.; Maskarinec, Gertraud

2014-01-01

We evaluated urinary isoflavonoid excretion as a biomarker of dietary isoflavone intake during two randomized soy trials (13–24 months) among 256 premenopausal women with a total of 1,385 repeated urine samples. Participants consumed a high-soy diet (2 servings/day) and a low-soy diet (<3 servings/week), completed 7 unannounced 24-hour dietary recalls, and donated repeated urine samples, which were analyzed for isoflavonoid excretion by liquid chromatography methods. We computed correlation coefficients and applied logistic regression to estimate the area under the curve. Median daily dietary isoflavone intakes at baseline, during low- and high-soy diet were 0.5, 0.2, and 67.7 mg aglycone equivalents, respectively. The corresponding urinary isoflavonoid excretion values were 0.9, 1.1, and 43.9 nmol/mg creatinine. Across diets, urinary isoflavonoid excretion was significantly associated with dietary isoflavone intake (rs=0.51, AUC=0.85; p<0.0001) but not within diet periods (rs=0.05–0.06, AUC=0.565–0.573). Urinary isoflavonoid excretion is an excellent biomarker to discriminate between low- and high-soy diets across populations, but the association with dietary isoflavone intake is weak when the range of soy intake is small. PMID:24901088

Kinetics of Rituximab Excretion into Urine and Peritoneal Fluid in Two Patients with Nephrotic Syndrome.

PubMed

Stahl, Klaus; Duong, Michelle; Schwarz, Anke; Wagner, A D; Haller, Hermann; Schiffer, Mario; Jacobs, Roland

2017-01-01

Clinical observations suggest that treatment of Rituximab might be less effective in patients with nephrotic range proteinuria when compared to nonnephrotic patients. It is conceivable that the reason for this is that significant amounts of Rituximab might be lost in the urine in a nephrotic patient and that these patients require a repeated or higher dosage. However, this has not been systematically studied. In this case report we describe two different patients with nephrotic range proteinuria receiving Rituximab. The first patient received Rituximab for therapy resistant cryoglobulinemic membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis and the other for second line treatment of Felty's syndrome. We employed flow cytometry to determine the amount of Rituximab excretion in both urine and peritoneal fluid specimens in these patients following administration of Rituximab. We found that a significant amount of Rituximab is lost from the circulation by excretion into the urine. Furthermore we saw a close correlation of the excretion of Rituximab to the excretion of IgG molecules suggesting selectivity of proteinuria as the determining factor of Rituximab excretion. Further larger scale clinical studies could have the potential to evaluate an optimal cut-off value of IgG urinary loss before a possible administration of Rituximab therefore contributing to a more individualized treatment approach in patients with nonselective and nephrotic range proteinuria.

Computational clustering for viral reference proteomes

PubMed Central

Chen, Chuming; Huang, Hongzhan; Mazumder, Raja; Natale, Darren A.; McGarvey, Peter B.; Zhang, Jian; Polson, Shawn W.; Wang, Yuqi; Wu, Cathy H.

2016-01-01

Motivation: The enormous number of redundant sequenced genomes has hindered efforts to analyze and functionally annotate proteins. As the taxonomy of viruses is not uniformly defined, viral proteomes pose special challenges in this regard. Grouping viruses based on the similarity of their proteins at proteome scale can normalize against potential taxonomic nomenclature anomalies. Results: We present Viral Reference Proteomes (Viral RPs), which are computed from complete virus proteomes within UniProtKB. Viral RPs based on 95, 75, 55, 35 and 15% co-membership in proteome similarity based clusters are provided. Comparison of our computational Viral RPs with UniProt’s curator-selected Reference Proteomes indicates that the two sets are consistent and complementary. Furthermore, each Viral RP represents a cluster of virus proteomes that was consistent with virus or host taxonomy. We provide BLASTP search and FTP download of Viral RP protein sequences, and a browser to facilitate the visualization of Viral RPs. Availability and implementation: http://proteininformationresource.org/rps/viruses/ Contact: chenc@udel.edu Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online. PMID:27153712

The prevalence of sacroiliac joint degeneration in asymptomatic adults.

PubMed

Eno, Jonathan-James T; Boone, Christopher R; Bellino, Michael J; Bishop, Julius A

2015-06-03

Degenerative changes of the sacroiliac joint have been implicated as a cause of lower back pain in adults. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of sacroiliac joint degeneration in asymptomatic patients. Five hundred consecutive pelvic computed tomography (CT) scans, made at a tertiary-care medical center, of patients with no history of pain in the lower back or pelvic girdle were retrospectively reviewed and analyzed for degenerative changes of the sacroiliac joint. After exclusion criteria were applied, 373 CT scans (746 sacroiliac joints) were evaluated for degenerative changes. Regression analysis was used to determine the association between age and the degree of sacroiliac joint degeneration. The prevalence of sacroiliac joint degeneration was 65.1%, with substantial degeneration occurring in 30.5% of asymptomatic subjects. The prevalence steadily increased with age, with 91% of subjects in the ninth decade of life displaying degenerative changes. Radiographic evidence of sacroiliac joint degeneration is highly prevalent in the asymptomatic population and is associated with age. Caution must be exercised when attributing lower back or pelvic girdle pain to sacroiliac joint degeneration seen on imaging. Prognostic Level IV. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence. Copyright © 2015 by The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, Incorporated.

Asymptomatic bacteriuria in pregnancy: a diagnostic and therapeutic approach.

PubMed

Grio, R; Porpiglia, M; Vetro, E; Uligini, R; Piacentino, R; Minì, D; Marchino, G L

1994-12-01

Pregnancy is a predisposing factor for urinary tract infection and pregnant women suffering from this pathology are exposed to dangerous risks which may condition maternal wellbeing and fetal prognosis. The apparently paradoxal finding of a higher incidence of perinatal problems in pregnant women with asymptomatic bacteriuria compared to those with manifest infections may be explained by the fact that the latter are adequately treated, whereas asymptomatic bacteriuria, which is difficult to diagnose, may continue in a subtle form for the entire duration of pregnancy. This emphasises the importance of the early diagnosis of infection using a protocol based on urine tests and urine culture and the adequate treatment of all cases of asymptomatic bacteriuria in order to reduce the incidence of maternal and fetal complications (acute pyelonephritis, increased fetal morbidity and mortality). The choice of the antibiotic to be used must be made on the basis of the urine culture test, the stage of gestation, maternal clinical data and the characteristics of the antibiotic itself (pharmacokinetics, maternal and fetal toxicity). With regard to the treatment protocol, the "single-dose" protocol is currently preferred. After negative urine culture tests, all patients must carry out a complete urine test each month with hormonal and echographic monitoring of the fetoplacental unit.

High viral abundance as a consequence of low viral decay in the Baltic Sea redoxcline

PubMed Central

Scharnreitner, Lisa; Jürgens, Klaus; Labrenz, Matthias; Herndl, Gerhard J.; Winter, Christian

2017-01-01

Throughout the Baltic Sea redoxcline, virus production and the frequency of lytically-infected prokaryotic cells were estimated from parallel incubations of undiluted seawater and seawater that contained prokaryotes with substantially reduced numbers of viruses (virus dilution approach), effectively preventing viral reinfection during the incubation period. Undiluted seawater incubations resulted in much higher estimates of virus production (6–35×104 mL-1 h-1) and the frequency of infected cells (5–84%) than the virus dilution approach (virus production: 1–3×104 mL-1 h-1; frequency of infected cells: 1–11%). Viral production and the frequency of infected cells from both approaches, however, cannot be directly compared, as data obtained from undiluted incubations were biased by viral reinfection and other uncontrollable processes during the incubation period. High in situ viral abundance (1–2×107 mL-1) together with low virus production rates based on the virus dilution approach resulted in some of the longest viral turnover times (24–84 d) ever reported for the epipelagial. Throughout a wide range of environmental conditions, viral turnover time and burst size were negatively correlated. Given that viral decay estimated in ultra-filtered water was below the detection limit and the burst size was low (1–17), we conclude that prokaryotic viruses in the Baltic Sea redoxcline are investing most of their resources into stress defense (strong capsids) rather than proliferation (high burst size). In summary, the Baltic Sea redoxcline constitutes an environment where low virus production is found in combination with low viral decay, resulting in high viral abundance. PMID:28594863

Analysis of host genetic diversity and viral entry as sources of between-host variation in viral load

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wargo, Andrew R.; Kell, Alison M.; Scott, Robert J.; Thorgaard, Gary H.; Kurath, Gael

2012-01-01

Little is known about the factors that drive the high levels of between-host variation in pathogen burden that are frequently observed in viral infections. Here, two factors thought to impact viral load variability, host genetic diversity and stochastic processes linked with viral entry into the host, were examined. This work was conducted with the aquatic vertebrate virus, Infectious hematopoietic necrosis virus (IHNV), in its natural host, rainbow trout. It was found that in controlled in vivo infections of IHNV, a suggestive trend of reduced between-fish viral load variation was observed in a clonal population of isogenic trout compared to a genetically diverse population of out-bred trout. However, this trend was not statistically significant for any of the four viral genotypes examined, and high levels of fish-to-fish variation persisted even in the isogenic trout population. A decrease in fish-to-fish viral load variation was also observed in virus injection challenges that bypassed the host entry step, compared to fish exposed to the virus through the natural water-borne immersion route of infection. This trend was significant for three of the four virus genotypes examined and suggests host entry may play a role in viral load variability. However, high levels of viral load variation also remained in the injection challenges. Together, these results indicate that although host genetic diversity and viral entry may play some role in between-fish viral load variation, they are not major factors. Other biological and non-biological parameters that may influence viral load variation are discussed.

Attitude towards one's illness vs. attitude towards a surgical operation, displayed by patients diagnosed with asymptomatic abdominal aortic aneurysm and asymptomatic internal carotid artery stenosis.

PubMed

Stanisić, M; Rzepa, T

2012-08-01

Two most frequent asymptomatic diseases qualifying for vascular surgery are abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) and internal carotid artery stenosis (ICAS). Emotions experienced by the patient activate processes of dealing with the cognitive dissonance of asymptomatic disease. The aim of this paper was to compare the reasons involved in decision making on surgery in two asymptomatic vascular pathologies. Fifty patients were divided into two groups: the ICAS group-27 (CAS or CEA) and the AAA group-23 (EVAR or open surgical operation (OSR). Specific questionnaire regarding: 1) self-image; 2) attitude to one's illness; 3) reasons for decision on surgery was applied for the study. The χ² test was used to for the analysis. The AAA patients reacted emotionally (88.2%) comparing to ICAS patients reacting "rationally" (59.3%) (α=0.05). In AAA patients attitude towards themselves had worsened (α=0.001) AAA patients were less likely to seek support in decision on surgery (α=0.01). ICAS patients are internally motivated (78.7%), whereas AAA patients are externally motivated (63.9%) (α=0.001). Reasons underlying the decision on surgery, were predominantly rational (55.8%). In the process of decision-making on surgery by asymptomatic patients, evolutionary transformation takes place - the emotional attitude to one's illness leads to rationally evaluated decision. Regardless of the causes the process of making a decision on surgical operation tended to run more smoothly in ICAS patients. The ICAS patients tended to display a rational attitude to their illness. AAA patients displayed a distinctly emotional attitude towards their illness.

Laboratory procedures to generate viral metagenomes.

PubMed

Thurber, Rebecca V; Haynes, Matthew; Breitbart, Mya; Wegley, Linda; Rohwer, Forest

2009-01-01

This collection of laboratory protocols describes the steps to collect viruses from various samples with the specific aim of generating viral metagenome sequence libraries (viromes). Viral metagenomics, the study of uncultured viral nucleic acid sequences from different biomes, relies on several concentration, purification, extraction, sequencing and heuristic bioinformatic methods. No single technique can provide an all-inclusive approach, and therefore the protocols presented here will be discussed in terms of hypothetical projects. However, care must be taken to individualize each step depending on the source and type of viral-particles. This protocol is a description of the processes we have successfully used to: (i) concentrate viral particles from various types of samples, (ii) eliminate contaminating cells and free nucleic acids and (iii) extract, amplify and purify viral nucleic acids. Overall, a sample can be processed to isolate viral nucleic acids suitable for high-throughput sequencing in approximately 1 week.

Office diagnosis of asymptomatic bacteriuria in pregnant women.

PubMed

Van Dorsten, J P; Bannister, E R

1986-10-01

Diagnosis and treatment of asymptomatic bacteriuria in pregnant patients can virtually eliminate pyelonephritis, the most common medical cause for antepartum hospitalization. However, the ever-increasing cost of the urine culture has led most clinicians away from routine urine screening. Uricult dip-slide paddles provide an inexpensive, efficient way to screen urine. Clean-catch urine specimens were obtained from 544 consecutive asymptomatic pregnant patients seen in the outpatient obstetric clinic at the Medical University of South Carolina. Specimens were analyzed by both traditional culture techniques and the Uricult dip-slide paddles. By comparison, the Uricult test detected 55 of the 56 significant gram-negative urinary pathogens found by culture. Detection of potential gram-positive pathogens is more difficult. A scheme is proposed that allows reliable, inexpensive surveillance in all pregnant patients. Hopefully, this algorithm will rekindle the obstetrician's interest in urine screening.

Hepatitis A through E (Viral Hepatitis)

MedlinePlus

... Treatment Eating, Diet, & Nutrition Clinical Trials Wilson Disease Hepatitis (Viral) View or Print All Sections What is Viral Hepatitis? Viral hepatitis is an infection that causes liver inflammation ...

Clostridium difficile rates in asymptomatic and symptomatic hospitalized patients using nucleic acid testing.

PubMed

Truong, Cynthia; Schroeder, Lee F; Gaur, Rajiv; Anikst, Victoria Emma; Komo, Ikuko; Watters, Colleen; McCalley, Erin; Kulik, Carole; Pickham, David; Lee, Nancy J; Banaei, Niaz

2017-04-01

The Clostridium difficile rate in symptomatic patients represents both those with C. difficile infection (CDI) and those with colonization. To predict the extent of CDI overdiagnosis, we compared the asymptomatic colonization rate to the symptomatic positivity rate in hospitalized patients using nucleic acid testing. Between July 2014 and April 2015, formed stool samples were collected from asymptomatic patients after admission to 3 hospital wards at the Stanford Hospital. Stool samples from symptomatic patients with suspected CDI in the same wards were collected for testing per provider order. The GeneXpert C. difficile tcdB polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay (Cepheid, Sunnyvale, CA, USA) was performed on all stool samples and PCR cycle threshold was used as a measure of genomic equivalents. Chart review was performed to obtain clinical history and medication exposure. We found an asymptomatic C. difficile carriage rate of 11.8% (43/365) (95% confidence interval [CI], 8.5-15.1%) and a positivity rate in symptomatic patients of 15.4% (54/351) (95% CI, 11.6-19.2%; P=0.19). The median PCR cycle thresholds was not significantly different between asymptomatic carriers and symptomatic positives (29.5 versus 27.3; P=0.07). Among asymptomatic patients, 11.6% (5/43) of carriers and 8.4% (27/322; P=0.56) of noncarriers subsequently became symptomatic CDI suspects within the same hospitalization. Single and multivariate analysis did not identify any demographic or clinical factors as being significantly associated with C. difficile carriage. Asymptomatic C. difficile carriage rate was similar to symptomatic positivity rate. This suggests the majority of PCR-positive results in symptomatic patients are likely due to C. difficile colonization. Disease-specific biomarkers are needed to accurately diagnose patients with C. difficile disease. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Nature of Iron Deposits Differs between Symptomatic and Asymptomatic Carotid Atherosclerotic Plaques

PubMed Central

Kopriva, David; Kisheev, Anastasye; Meena, Deiter; Pelle, Shaneen; Karnitsky, Max; Lavoie, Andrea; Buttigieg, Josef

2015-01-01

Iron within atherosclerotic plaque has been implicated as a catalyst of oxidative stress that causes progression of plaque, and plaque rupture. Iron is believed to accumulate within plaque by incorporation of erythrocytes following plaque rupture and hemorrhage. There is only indirect evidence to support this hypothesis. Plaque specimens were obtained from ten symptomatic and fifteen asymptomatic patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy at a single institution. Plaques were sectioned for study using synchrotron radiation induced X-ray fluorescence the study the distribution of zinc, calcium and iron. Histologic staining was carried out with Prussian Blue, and immunohistochemical staining was done to localize macrophages with CD68. Data were compared against patient clinical variables. Ten symptomatic (15 ± 10 days between index symptoms and surgery) and fifteen asymptomatic carotid plaques were studied. Zinc and calcium co-localized in mineralized areas of symptomatic and asymptomatic plaque. Iron was identified away from zinc and calcium in both symptomatic and asymptomatic plaques. Within the symptomatic plaques, iron was found within the thrombus associated with plaque rupture and hemorrhage. It did not stain with Prussian Blue, but was found in association with CD68 positive macrophages. In symptomatic plaques, the abundance of iron showed an association with the source patient’s LDL cholesterol (R2 = 0.39, Significance F = 0.05). Iron in asymptomatic plaque was present as hemosiderin/ferritin that stained positive with Prussian Blue, and was observed in association with CD68 positive macrophages. Iron in acutely symptomatic plaques is found within thrombus, in the presence of macrophages. The abundance of iron in symptomatic plaques is associated with the source patient’s LDL cholesterol. Within asymptomatic plaques, iron is found in association with macrophages, as hemosiderin/ferritin. PMID:26606178

The nature of iron deposits differs between symptomatic and asymptomatic carotid atherosclerotic plaques

DOE PAGES

Kopriva, David; Kisheev, Anastasye; Meena, Deiter; ...

2015-11-25

Iron within atherosclerotic plaque has been implicated as a catalyst of oxidative stress that causes progression of plaque, and plaque rupture. Iron is believed to accumulate within plaque by incorporation of erythrocytes following plaque rupture and hemorrhage. There is only indirect evidence to support this hypothesis. Plaque specimens were obtained from ten symptomatic and fifteen asymptomatic patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy at a single institution. Plaques were sectioned for study using synchrotron radiation induced X-ray fluorescence the study the distribution of zinc, calcium and iron. Histologic staining was carried out with Prussian Blue, and immunohistochemical staining was done to localize macrophagesmore » with CD68. Data were compared against patient clinical variables. Ten symptomatic (15 ± 10 days between index symptoms and surgery) and fifteen asymptomatic carotid plaques were studied. Zinc and calcium co-localized in mineralized areas of symptomatic and asymptomatic plaque. Iron was identified away from zinc and calcium in both symptomatic and asymptomatic plaques. Within the symptomatic plaques, iron was found within the thrombus associated with plaque rupture and hemorrhage. It did not stain with Prussian Blue, but was found in association with CD68 positive macrophages. In symptomatic plaques, the abundance of iron showed an association with the source patient’s LDL cholesterol (R 2 = 0.39, Significance F = 0.05). Iron in asymptomatic plaque was present as hemosiderin/ferritin that stained positive with Prussian Blue, and was observed in association with CD68 positive macrophages. Iron in acutely symptomatic plaques is found within thrombus, in the presence of macrophages. Moreover, the abundance of iron in symptomatic plaques is associated with the source patient’s LDL cholesterol. Within asymptomatic plaques, iron is found in association with macrophages, as hemosiderin/ferritin.« less

The nature of iron deposits differs between symptomatic and asymptomatic carotid atherosclerotic plaques

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kopriva, David; Kisheev, Anastasye; Meena, Deiter

Iron within atherosclerotic plaque has been implicated as a catalyst of oxidative stress that causes progression of plaque, and plaque rupture. Iron is believed to accumulate within plaque by incorporation of erythrocytes following plaque rupture and hemorrhage. There is only indirect evidence to support this hypothesis. Plaque specimens were obtained from ten symptomatic and fifteen asymptomatic patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy at a single institution. Plaques were sectioned for study using synchrotron radiation induced X-ray fluorescence the study the distribution of zinc, calcium and iron. Histologic staining was carried out with Prussian Blue, and immunohistochemical staining was done to localize macrophagesmore » with CD68. Data were compared against patient clinical variables. Ten symptomatic (15 ± 10 days between index symptoms and surgery) and fifteen asymptomatic carotid plaques were studied. Zinc and calcium co-localized in mineralized areas of symptomatic and asymptomatic plaque. Iron was identified away from zinc and calcium in both symptomatic and asymptomatic plaques. Within the symptomatic plaques, iron was found within the thrombus associated with plaque rupture and hemorrhage. It did not stain with Prussian Blue, but was found in association with CD68 positive macrophages. In symptomatic plaques, the abundance of iron showed an association with the source patient’s LDL cholesterol (R 2 = 0.39, Significance F = 0.05). Iron in asymptomatic plaque was present as hemosiderin/ferritin that stained positive with Prussian Blue, and was observed in association with CD68 positive macrophages. Iron in acutely symptomatic plaques is found within thrombus, in the presence of macrophages. Moreover, the abundance of iron in symptomatic plaques is associated with the source patient’s LDL cholesterol. Within asymptomatic plaques, iron is found in association with macrophages, as hemosiderin/ferritin.« less

Catecholamine excretion rates in relation to life-styles in the male population of Otmoor, Oxfordshire.

PubMed

Reynolds, V; Jenner, D A; Palmer, C D; Harrison, G A

1981-01-01

The paper gives the results of the number of analyses of aspects of life-style and dietary patterns of members of the Otmoor population, in relation to their catecholamine excretion rates. The data reported here are restricted to males. Feelings of boredom were associated with low adrenaline excretion rates. Reported physical tiredness was associated with low adrenaline levels, while mental tiredness seems to be related to high adrenaline levels. People who regarded themselves as having a competitive personality, as being faced by a large number of life challenges, as having to meet self-set deadlines, as choosing to focus on more than one task at the same time, or as being under time pressure had high rates. Cigarette smoking and coffee consumption were related to high adrenaline excretion rates. Taken together these variables can explain 16-20% of variance in adrenaline excretion. Smoking and coffee consumption are of primary importance. The results of similar analyses of noradrenaline are reported.

Long-term excretion of vaccine-derived poliovirus by a healthy child.

PubMed

Martín, Javier; Odoom, Kofi; Tuite, Gráinne; Dunn, Glynis; Hopewell, Nicola; Cooper, Gill; Fitzharris, Catherine; Butler, Karina; Hall, William W; Minor, Philip D

2004-12-01

A child was found to be excreting type 1 vaccine-derived poliovirus (VDPV) with a 1.1% sequence drift from Sabin type 1 vaccine strain in the VP1 coding region 6 months after he was immunized with oral live polio vaccine. Seventeen type 1 poliovirus isolates were recovered from stools taken from this child during the following 4 months. Contrary to expectation, the child was not deficient in humoral immunity and showed high levels of serum neutralization against poliovirus. Selected virus isolates were characterized in terms of their antigenic properties, virulence in transgenic mice, sensitivity for growth at high temperatures, and differences in nucleotide sequence from the Sabin type 1 strain. The VDPV isolates showed mutations at key nucleotide positions that correlated with the observed reversion to biological properties typical of wild polioviruses. A number of capsid mutations mapped at known antigenic sites leading to changes in the viral antigenic structure. Estimates of sequence evolution based on the accumulation of nucleotide changes in the VP1 coding region detected a "defective" molecular clock running at an apparent faster speed of 2.05% nucleotide changes per year versus 1% shown in previous studies. Remarkably, when compared to several type 1 VDPV strains of different origins, isolates from this child showed a much higher proportion of nonsynonymous versus synonymous nucleotide changes in the capsid coding region. This anomaly could explain the high VP1 sequence drift found and the ability of these virus strains to replicate in the gut for a longer period than expected.

Uric Acid Excretion Predicts Increased Blood Pressure Among American Adolescents of African Descent.

PubMed

Mrug, Sylvie; Mrug, Michal; Morris, Anjana Madan; Reynolds, Nina; Patel, Anita; Hill, Danielle C; Feig, Daniel I

2017-04-01

Hyperuricemia predicts the incidence of hypertension in adults and its treatment has blood pressure (BP)-lowering effects in adolescents. To date, no studies have examined the predictive usage of hyperuricemia or urinary uric acid excretion on BP changes in adolescents. Mechanistic models suggest that uric acid impairs both endothelial function and vascular compliance, which would potentially exacerbate a myriad of hypertensive mechanisms, yet little is known about interaction of uric acid and other hypertension risk factors. The primary study was aimed at the effects of stress on BP in adolescents. A community sample of 84 low-income, urban adolescents (50% male, 95% African American, mean age = 13.36 ± 1 years) was recruited from public schools. Youth completed a 12-hour (overnight) urine collection at home and their BP was measured during rest and in response to acute psychosocial stress. Seventy-six of the adolescents participated in a follow-up visit at 1.5 years when their resting BP was reassessed. In this substudy, we assessed the relationship of renal urate excretion and BP reactivity. After adjusting for resting BP levels at baseline and other covariates, higher levels of uric acid excretion predicted greater BP reactivity to acute psychosocial stress and higher resting BP at 18 months. Urinary excretion of uric acid can serve as an alternative, noninvasive measure of serum uric acid levels that are predictive of BP changes. As hyperuricemia-associated hypertension is treatable, urban adolescents may benefit from routine screening for hyperuricemia or high uric acid excretion. Copyright © 2017 Southern Society for Clinical Investigation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Asymptomatic bacteriuria in pregnant women attending Boo-Ali Hospital Tehran Iran: Urine analysis vs. urine culture.

PubMed

Etminan-Bakhsh, Mina; Tadi, Sima; Darabi, Roksana

2017-11-01

Asymptomatic bacteriuria is one of the common problems in pregnancy. Asymptomatic bacteriuria is associated with pyelonephritis, preterm labor and low birth weight infants. The physiological and anatomical changes in pregnancy facilitate urinary tract infection (UTI) during pregnancy. Several tests are available for diagnosis of asymptomatic bacteriuria. The urine culture is a gold standard diagnostic test for asymptomatic bacteriuria but it is expensive and time-consuming. Screening methods may be useful in detecting high-risk pregnant women for asymptomatic bacteriuria. The aim of the present study was to compare urine analysis as a rapid screening test to urine culture in diagnosis of asymptomatic bacteriuria. A total of 123 pregnant women attending the obstetrics clinic of Boo-Ali hospital in Tehran, Iran from March 2013 to September 2014 were included in the present diagnostic cross-sectional study. One hundred twenty three mid-stream urine samples were inoculated into cultures and were processed by dipstick (nitrite test and leucocyte esterase test) and microscopic pus cell count. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of nitrite test, leucocyte esterase test and microscopic pus cell count were compared with urine culture in diagnosis of asymptomatic bacteriuria by using SPSS version 19. Of 123 urine samples, significant asymptomatic bacteriuria (≥10 4 cfu/Ml) was detected in 8 (6.5%) subjects. The sensitivity and specificity of nitrite test were 37% and 100% respectively. The sensitivity of pus cell count alone and leucocyte esterase test alone were 100% but the specificity of them were 64% and 65% respectively. We found high negative predictive value by Pus cell count and the leucocyte esterase test (100%) and low positive predictive value by them (16% and 17% respectively). Urine culture is the most useful test for diagnosis of asymptomatic bacteriuria. None of our screening tests had a sensitivity and

Asymptomatic bacteriuria in pregnant women attending Boo-Ali Hospital Tehran Iran: Urine analysis vs. urine culture

PubMed Central

Etminan-Bakhsh, Mina; Tadi, Sima; Darabi, Roksana

2017-01-01

Background Asymptomatic bacteriuria is one of the common problems in pregnancy. Asymptomatic bacteriuria is associated with pyelonephritis, preterm labor and low birth weight infants. The physiological and anatomical changes in pregnancy facilitate urinary tract infection (UTI) during pregnancy. Several tests are available for diagnosis of asymptomatic bacteriuria. The urine culture is a gold standard diagnostic test for asymptomatic bacteriuria but it is expensive and time-consuming. Screening methods may be useful in detecting high-risk pregnant women for asymptomatic bacteriuria. Objective The aim of the present study was to compare urine analysis as a rapid screening test to urine culture in diagnosis of asymptomatic bacteriuria. Methods A total of 123 pregnant women attending the obstetrics clinic of Boo-Ali hospital in Tehran, Iran from March 2013 to September 2014 were included in the present diagnostic cross-sectional study. One hundred twenty three mid-stream urine samples were inoculated into cultures and were processed by dipstick (nitrite test and leucocyte esterase test) and microscopic pus cell count. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of nitrite test, leucocyte esterase test and microscopic pus cell count were compared with urine culture in diagnosis of asymptomatic bacteriuria by using SPSS version 19. Results Of 123 urine samples, significant asymptomatic bacteriuria (≥104 cfu/Ml) was detected in 8 (6.5%) subjects. The sensitivity and specificity of nitrite test were 37% and 100% respectively. The sensitivity of pus cell count alone and leucocyte esterase test alone were 100% but the specificity of them were 64% and 65% respectively. We found high negative predictive value by Pus cell count and the leucocyte esterase test (100%) and low positive predictive value by them (16% and 17% respectively). Conclusion Urine culture is the most useful test for diagnosis of asymptomatic bacteriuria. None of

Transcriptional regulation differs in affected facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy patients compared to asymptomatic related carriers

PubMed Central

Arashiro, Patricia; Eisenberg, Iris; Kho, Alvin T.; Cerqueira, Antonia M. P.; Canovas, Marta; Silva, Helga C. A.; Pavanello, Rita C. M.; Verjovski-Almeida, Sergio; Kunkel, Louis M.; Zatz, Mayana

2009-01-01

Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) is a progressive muscle disorder that has been associated with a contraction of 3.3-kb repeats on chromosome 4q35. FSHD is characterized by a wide clinical inter- and intrafamilial variability, ranging from wheelchair-bound patients to asymptomatic carriers. Our study is unique in comparing the gene expression profiles from related affected, asymptomatic carrier, and control individuals. Our results suggest that the expression of genes on chromosome 4q is altered in affected and asymptomatic individuals. Remarkably, the changes seen in asymptomatic samples are largely in products of genes encoding several chemokines, whereas the changes seen in affected samples are largely in genes governing the synthesis of GPI-linked proteins and histone acetylation. Besides this, the affected patient and related asymptomatic carrier share the 4qA161 haplotype. Thus, these polymorphisms by themselves do not explain the pathogenicity of the contracted allele. Interestingly, our results also suggest that the miRNAs might mediate the regulatory network in FSHD. Together, our results support the previous evidence that FSHD may be caused by transcriptional dysregulation of multiple genes, in cis and in trans, and suggest some factors potentially important for FSHD pathogenesis. The study of the gene expression profiles from asymptomatic carriers and related affected patients is a unique approach to try to enhance our understanding of the missing link between the contraction in D4Z4 repeats and muscle disease, while minimizing the effects of differences resulting from genetic background. PMID:19339494

Gray matter volumes in symptomatic and asymptomatic offspring of parents diagnosed with bipolar disorder.

PubMed

Hanford, Lindsay C; Hall, Geoffrey B; Minuzzi, Luciano; Sassi, Roberto B

2016-09-01

Children of parents diagnosed with bipolar disorder (BD), termed high-risk offspring (HRO), are at greater risk of developing psychiatric disorders compared to healthy children of healthy parents (HCO). Gray matter volume (GMV) abnormalities have been observed in HRO, however, these reports are inconsistent. We posit that this variability may be attributed to differences in methodology among offspring studies; in particular, the presence of psychiatric symptoms in HRO. Here, we directly compared GMVs between symptomatic and asymptomatic HRO, and HCO. High-resolution T1-weighted MR images were collected from 31 HRO (18 symptomatic and 13 asymptomatic) and 20 age- and sex-matched HCO. HRO had at least one parent diagnosed with BD. Symptomatic HRO were defined as having a psychiatric diagnosis other than BD, while asymptomatic HRO were required to be free of any psychiatric diagnosis. Scans were processed using voxel-based morphometry methods and between group analyses were performed in SPM. Compared to HCO, the HRO group showed decreased GMV in the right inferior orbitofrontal, right middle frontal, and bilateral superior and middle temporal regions. Both symptomatic and asymptomatic HRO groups showed decreased GMV in these regions separately when compared to HCO. When comparing symptomatic and asymptomatic HRO, GMVs were comparable in all regions except the lateral occipital cortex. Our study compared symptomatic and asymptomatic HRO directly. In doing so, we provided further support for the presence of discrete GMV deficits in HRO, and confirmed that these deficits are present irrespective of the presence of symptoms in HRO.

Prophylactic accessory-pathway ablation in asymptomatic patients with a Wolff-Parkinson-White electrocardiographic pattern.

PubMed

Ozenc, S; Iscen, S; Kibrisli, E; Tok, D; Parlak, A; Altinel, O; Altinel, S

2014-01-01

The optimal approach is controversial in asymptomatic patients who are coincidentally found to have evidence of an accessory pathway (AP) on an ECG. The risk of sudden cardiac death (SCD) is low, and the risk of developing symptoms also appears to be low, although a wide range of incidences have been reported. In our trial, we tested the hypothesis that if prophylactic accessory-pathway ablation performed at the time of the initial electrophysiological testing would improve the long-term outcome in asymptomatic patients with a Wolff-Parkinson-White electrocardiographic pattern. Recruitment of patients began on February 1, 2004, and ended on February 5, 2009. All 110 asymptomatic patients were hospitalized and underwent electrophysiological testing the same day to assess the inducibility of atrioventricular reciprocating tachycardia. The anterograde effective refractory period of the accessory pathway was defined as the longest coupling interval at which anterograde block in the bypass tract was observed. For the statistical analysis, the statistical software SPSS version 15.0 for Windows (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA). Of 110 asymptomatic patients with a Wolff-Parkinson-White electrocardiographic pattern, 80 patients were ablated. Ablation group consisted of these patients. Control group consisted of remaining 30 and were divided into two groups according to the anterograde effective refractory period of the accessory pathway. There was no significant difference between three groups in terms of arrhythmic events (p: 0.58). Asymptomatic patients with the Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome do not require prophylactic ablation, since they remain asymptomatic for many years.

Urinary excretion of purine derivatives as an index of microbial protein synthesis in the camel (Camelus dromedarius).

PubMed

Guerouali, Abdelhai; El Gass, Youssef; Balcells, Joaquim; Belenguer, Alvaro; Nolan, John

2004-08-01

Five experiments were carried out to extend knowledge of purine metabolism in the camel (Camelus dromedarius) and to establish a model to enable microbial protein outflow from the forestomachs to be estimated from the urinary excretion of purine derivatives (PD; i.e. xanthine, hypoxanthine, uric acid, allantoin). In experiment 1, four camels were fasted for five consecutive days to enable endogenous PD excretion in urine to be determined. Total PD excretion decreased during the fasting period to 267 (SE 41.5) micromol/kg body weight (W)0.75 per d. Allantoin and xanthine + hypoxanthine were consistently 86 and 6.1 % of total urinary PD during this period but uric acid increased from 3.6 % to 7.4 %. Xanthine oxidase activity in tissues (experiment 2) was (micromol/min per g fresh tissue) 0.038 in liver and 0.005 in gut mucosa but was not detected in plasma. In experiment 3, the duodenal supply of yeast containing exogenous purines produced a linear increase in urinary PD excretion rate with the slope indicating that 0.63 was excreted in urine. After taking account of endogenous PD excretion, the relationship can be used to predict purine outflow from the rumen. From the latter prediction, and also the purine:protein ratio in bacteria determined in experiment 5, we predicted the net microbial outflow from the rumen. In experiment 4, with increasing food intake, the rate of PD excretion in the urine increased linearly by about 11.1 mmol PD/kg digestible organic matter intake (DOMI), equivalent to 95 g microbial protein/kg DOMI.

Poliovirus excretion among persons with primary immune deficiency disorders: summary of a seven-country study series.

PubMed

Li, Li; Ivanova, Olga; Driss, Nadia; Tiongco-Recto, Marysia; da Silva, Rajiva; Shahmahmoodi, Shohreh; Sazzad, Hossain M S; Mach, Ondrej; Kahn, Anna-Lea; Sutter, Roland W

2014-11-01

Persons with primary immune deficiency disorders (PID), especially those disorders affecting the B-cell system, are at substantially increased risk of paralytic poliomyelitis and can excrete poliovirus chronically. However, the risk of prolonged or chronic excretion is not well characterized in developing countries. We present a summary of a country study series on poliovirus excretion among PID cases. Cases with PID from participating institutions were enrolled during the first year and after obtaining informed consent were tested for polioviruses in stool samples. Those cases excreting poliovirus were followed on a monthly basis during the second year until 2 negative stool samples were obtained. A total of 562 cases were enrolled in Bangladesh, China, Iran, Philippines, Russia, Sri Lanka, and Tunisia during 2008-2013. Of these, 17 (3%) shed poliovirus, including 2 cases with immunodeficient vaccine-derived poliovirus. Poliovirus was detected in a single sample from 5/17 (29%) cases. One case excreted for more than 6 months. None of the cases developed paralysis during the study period. Chronic polioviruses excretion remains a rare event even among individuals with PID. Nevertheless, because these individuals were not paralyzed they would have been missed by current surveillance; therefore, surveillance for polioviruses among PID should be established. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Duration of treatment for asymptomatic bacteriuria during pregnancy.

PubMed

Widmer, Mariana; Lopez, Ivana; Gülmezoglu, A Metin; Mignini, Luciano; Roganti, Ariel

2015-11-11

A previous Cochrane systematic review has shown that antibiotic drug treatment of asymptomatic bacteriuria in pregnant women substantially decreases the risk of pyelonephritis and reduces the risk of preterm delivery. However, it is not clear whether single-dose therapy is as effective as longer conventional antibiotic treatment. To assess the effects of different durations of treatment for asymptomatic bacteriuria in pregnancy. We searched the Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group's Trials Register (31 August 2015) and reference lists of identified articles. Randomized and quasi-randomized trials comparing antimicrobial therapeutic regimens that differed in duration (particularly comparing single dose with longer duration regimens) in pregnant women diagnosed with asymptomatic bacteriuria. Two review authors independently assessed trials for inclusion and risk of bias, extracted data and checked them for accuracy. We assessed the quality of the evidence using the GRADE approach. We included 13 studies, involving 1622 women. All were comparisons of single-dose treatment with short-course (four- to seven-day) treatments. The risk of bias of trials included in this review was largely unclear, and most trials were at high risk of performance bias. The quality of the evidence was assessed using the GRADE approach. When the any antibiotic agent was used, the 'no cure' rate for asymptomatic bacteriuria in pregnant women was slightly lower for the short-course treatment over the single-dose treatment, although there was evidence of statistical heterogeneity (average risk ratio (RR) 1.28, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.87 to 1.88; women = 1502, studies = 13; I² = 56%; very low quality evidence). Data from only good quality trials also showed better cure rates with short (four- to seven-day) regimens of the same microbial agent (average RR 1.72, 95% CI 1.27 to 2.33; women = 803, studies = two; I² = 0%; high quality evidence). There was no clear difference in the

Bioaccessibility and excretion of arsenic in Niu Huang Jie Du Pian pills

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Koch, Iris; Sylvester, Steven; Lai, Vivian W.-M.

2007-08-01

Traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) often contain significant levels of potentially toxic elements, including arsenic. Niu Huang Jie Du Pian pills were analyzed to determine the concentration, bioaccessibility (arsenic fraction soluble in the human gastrointestinal system) and chemical form (speciation) of arsenic. Arsenic excretion in urine (including speciation) and facial hair were studied after a one-time ingestion. The pills contained arsenic in the form of realgar, and although the total arsenic that was present in a single pill was high (28 mg), the low bioaccessibility of this form of arsenic predicted that only 4% of it was available for absorption intomore » the bloodstream (1 mg of arsenic per pill). The species of arsenic that were solubilized were inorganic arsenate (As(V)) and arsenite (As(III)) but DMAA and MMAA were detected in urine. Two urinary arsenic excretion peaks were observed: an initial peak several (4-8) hours after ingestion corresponding to the excretion of predominantly As(III), and a larger peak at 14 h corresponding predominantly to DMAA and MMAA. No methylated As(III) species were observed. Facial hair analysis revealed that arsenic concentrations did not increase significantly as a result of the ingestion. Arsenic is incompletely soluble under human gastrointestinal conditions, and is metabolized from the inorganic to organic forms found in urine. Bioaccessible arsenic is comparable to the quantity excreted. Facial hair as a bio-indicator should be further tested.« less

The natural history of nonobstructing asymptomatic renal stones managed with active surveillance.

PubMed

Dropkin, Benjamin M; Moses, Rachel A; Sharma, Devang; Pais, Vernon M

2015-04-01

We documented the natural history of asymptomatic nonobstructing renal calculi managed with active surveillance and explored factors predicting stone related events to better inform shared decision making. Patients with asymptomatic nonobstructing renal calculi electing active surveillance of their stone(s) were retrospectively reviewed. Stone characteristics, patient characteristics, and stone related events were collected. We evaluated the effects of stone size and location on development of symptoms, spontaneous passage, requirement for surgical intervention, and stone growth. We identified 160 stones with an average size of 7.0 ± 4.2 mm among 110 patients with average followup of 41 ± 19 months. Forty-five (28% of total) stones caused symptoms during followup. Notably 3 stones (3% of asymptomatic subgroup, 2% of total stones) caused painless silent obstruction necessitating intervention after an average of 37 ± 17 months. The only significant predictor of spontaneous passage or symptom development was location. Upper pole/mid renal stones were more likely than lower pole stones to become symptomatic (40.6% vs 24.3%, p = 0.047) and to pass spontaneously (14.5% vs 2.9%, p = 0.016). Among asymptomatic nonobstructing renal calculi managed with active surveillance, most remained asymptomatic through an average followup of more than 3 years. Less than 30% caused renal colic, less than 20% were operated on for pain and 7% spontaneously passed. Lower poles stones were significantly less likely to cause symptoms or pass spontaneously. Despite 3 stones causing silent hydronephrosis suggestive of obstruction, regular followup imaging facilitated interventions that prevented renal loss. Copyright © 2015 American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Viral genetic variation accounts for a third of variability in HIV-1 set-point viral load in Europe

PubMed Central

Wymant, Chris; Cornelissen, Marion; Gall, Astrid; Bakker, Margreet; Bezemer, Daniela; Hall, Matthew; Hillebregt, Mariska; Ong, Swee Hoe; Albert, Jan; Bannert, Norbert; Fellay, Jacques; Fransen, Katrien; Gourlay, Annabelle J.; Grabowski, M. Kate; Gunsenheimer-Bartmeyer, Barbara; Günthard, Huldrych F.; Kivelä, Pia; Kouyos, Roger; Laeyendecker, Oliver; Liitsola, Kirsi; Meyer, Laurence; Porter, Kholoud; Ristola, Matti; van Sighem, Ard; Vanham, Guido; Berkhout, Ben; Kellam, Paul; Reiss, Peter; Fraser, Christophe

2017-01-01

HIV-1 set-point viral load—the approximately stable value of viraemia in the first years of chronic infection—is a strong predictor of clinical outcome and is highly variable across infected individuals. To better understand HIV-1 pathogenesis and the evolution of the viral population, we must quantify the heritability of set-point viral load, which is the fraction of variation in this phenotype attributable to viral genetic variation. However, current estimates of heritability vary widely, from 6% to 59%. Here we used a dataset of 2,028 seroconverters infected between 1985 and 2013 from 5 European countries (Belgium, Switzerland, France, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom) and estimated the heritability of set-point viral load at 31% (CI 15%–43%). Specifically, heritability was measured using models of character evolution describing how viral load evolves on the phylogeny of whole-genome viral sequences. In contrast to previous studies, (i) we measured viral loads using standardized assays on a sample collected in a strict time window of 6 to 24 months after infection, from which the viral genome was also sequenced; (ii) we compared 2 models of character evolution, the classical “Brownian motion” model and another model (“Ornstein–Uhlenbeck”) that includes stabilising selection on viral load; (iii) we controlled for covariates, including age and sex, which may inflate estimates of heritability; and (iv) we developed a goodness of fit test based on the correlation of viral loads in cherries of the phylogenetic tree, showing that both models of character evolution fit the data well. An overall heritability of 31% (CI 15%–43%) is consistent with other studies based on regression of viral load in donor–recipient pairs. Thus, about a third of variation in HIV-1 virulence is attributable to viral genetic variation. PMID:28604782

Viral genetic variation accounts for a third of variability in HIV-1 set-point viral load in Europe.

PubMed

Blanquart, François; Wymant, Chris; Cornelissen, Marion; Gall, Astrid; Bakker, Margreet; Bezemer, Daniela; Hall, Matthew; Hillebregt, Mariska; Ong, Swee Hoe; Albert, Jan; Bannert, Norbert; Fellay, Jacques; Fransen, Katrien; Gourlay, Annabelle J; Grabowski, M Kate; Gunsenheimer-Bartmeyer, Barbara; Günthard, Huldrych F; Kivelä, Pia; Kouyos, Roger; Laeyendecker, Oliver; Liitsola, Kirsi; Meyer, Laurence; Porter, Kholoud; Ristola, Matti; van Sighem, Ard; Vanham, Guido; Berkhout, Ben; Kellam, Paul; Reiss, Peter; Fraser, Christophe

2017-06-01

HIV-1 set-point viral load-the approximately stable value of viraemia in the first years of chronic infection-is a strong predictor of clinical outcome and is highly variable across infected individuals. To better understand HIV-1 pathogenesis and the evolution of the viral population, we must quantify the heritability of set-point viral load, which is the fraction of variation in this phenotype attributable to viral genetic variation. However, current estimates of heritability vary widely, from 6% to 59%. Here we used a dataset of 2,028 seroconverters infected between 1985 and 2013 from 5 European countries (Belgium, Switzerland, France, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom) and estimated the heritability of set-point viral load at 31% (CI 15%-43%). Specifically, heritability was measured using models of character evolution describing how viral load evolves on the phylogeny of whole-genome viral sequences. In contrast to previous studies, (i) we measured viral loads using standardized assays on a sample collected in a strict time window of 6 to 24 months after infection, from which the viral genome was also sequenced; (ii) we compared 2 models of character evolution, the classical "Brownian motion" model and another model ("Ornstein-Uhlenbeck") that includes stabilising selection on viral load; (iii) we controlled for covariates, including age and sex, which may inflate estimates of heritability; and (iv) we developed a goodness of fit test based on the correlation of viral loads in cherries of the phylogenetic tree, showing that both models of character evolution fit the data well. An overall heritability of 31% (CI 15%-43%) is consistent with other studies based on regression of viral load in donor-recipient pairs. Thus, about a third of variation in HIV-1 virulence is attributable to viral genetic variation.

Asymptomatic bacteriuria. Clinical significance and management.

PubMed

Raz, Raul

2003-10-01

The clinical significance and management of asymptomatic bacteriuria (ASB) differs according to different groups of patients. ASB requires antibiotic treatment in pregnant women, children aged 5-6 years and prior to invasive genitourinary procedures. However, there is a consensus that ASB in the elderly, healthy school girls and young women, diabetic women and patients with indwelling catheters or intermittent catheterization has no clinical significance and antibiotic prescription is not indicated.

Metabolism goes viral.

PubMed

Miyake-Stoner, Shigeki J; O'Shea, Clodagh C

2014-04-01

Viral and cellular oncogenes converge in targeting critical protein interaction networks to reprogram the cellular DNA and protein replication machinery for pathological replication. In this issue, Thai et al. (2014) show that adenovirus E4ORF1 activates MYC glycolytic targets to induce a Warburg-like effect that converts glucose into nucleotides for viral replication. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Postoperative Compensatory Ammonium Excretion Subsequent to Systemic Acidosis in Cardiac Patients.

PubMed

Roehrborn, Friederike; Dohle, Daniel-Sebastian; Waack, Indra N; Tsagakis, Konstantinos; Jakob, Heinz; Teloh, Johanna K

2017-01-01

Postoperative acid-base imbalances, usually acidosis, frequently occur after cardiac surgery. In most cases, the human body, not suffering from any severe preexisting illnesses regarding lung, liver, and kidney, is capable of transient compensation and final correction. The aim of this study was to correlate the appearance of postoperatively occurring acidosis with renal ammonium excretion. Between 07/2014 and 10/2014, a total of 25 consecutive patients scheduled for elective isolated coronary artery bypass grafting with cardiopulmonary bypass were enrolled in this prospective observational study. During the operative procedure and the first two postoperative days, blood gas analyses were carried out and urine samples collected. Urine samples were analyzed for the absolute amount of ammonium. Of all patients, thirteen patients developed acidosis as an initial disturbance in the postoperative period: five of respiratory and eight of metabolic origin. Four patients with respiratory acidosis but none of those with metabolic acidosis subsequently developed a base excess > +2 mEq/L. Ammonium excretion correlated with the increase in base excess. The acidosis origin seems to have a large influence on renal compensation in terms of ammonium excretion and the possibility of an overcorrection.

Ammonium excretion and oxygen respiration of tropical copepods and euphausiids exposed to oxygen minimum zone conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kiko, Rainer; Hauss, Helena; Buchholz, Friedrich; Melzner, Frank

2016-04-01

Calanoid copepods and euphausiids are key components of marine zooplankton communities worldwide. Most euphausiids and several copepod species perform diel vertical migrations (DVMs) that contribute to the export of particulate and dissolved matter to midwater depths. In vast areas of the global ocean, and in particular in the eastern tropical Atlantic and Pacific, the daytime distribution depth of many migrating organisms corresponds to the core of the oxygen minimum zone (OMZ). At depth, the animals experience reduced temperature and oxygen partial pressure (pO2) and an increased carbon dioxide partial pressure (pCO2) compared to their near-surface nighttime habitat. Although it is well known that low oxygen levels can inhibit respiratory activity, the respiration response of tropical copepods and euphausiids to relevant pCO2, pO2, and temperature conditions remains poorly parameterized. Further, the regulation of ammonium excretion at OMZ conditions is generally not well understood. It was recently estimated that DVM-mediated ammonium supply could fuel bacterial anaerobic ammonium oxidation - a major loss process for fixed nitrogen in the ocean considerably. These estimates were based on the implicit assumption that hypoxia or anoxia in combination with hypercapnia (elevated pCO2) does not result in a down-regulation of ammonium excretion. We exposed calanoid copepods from the Eastern Tropical North Atlantic (ETNA; Undinula vulgaris and Pleuromamma abdominalis) and euphausiids from the Eastern Tropical South Pacific (ETSP; Euphausia mucronata) and the ETNA (Euphausia gibboides) to different temperatures, carbon dioxide and oxygen levels to study their survival, respiration and excretion rates at these conditions. An increase in temperature by 10 °C led to an approximately 2-fold increase of the respiration and excretion rates of U. vulgaris (Q10, respiration = 1.4; Q10, NH4-excretion = 1.6), P. abdominalis (Q10, respiration = 2.0; Q10, NH4-excretion = 2.4) and

[Severe asymptomatic carotid stenosis: a neurological perspective].

PubMed

de la Cruz-Cosme, Carlos; Segura, Tomás

2012-09-01

Asymptomatic carotid stenosis is a relatively frequent pathology, although when considering the possibility of managing it surgically, there is still an important amount of disagreement concerning the criteria to be taken into account. This study conducts a broad examination of the condition, from its concept and epidemiology to the studies that triggered the boom in its surgical treatment during the nineties. The research also reviews the tools available for a better selection of cases that could potentially benefit most from surgery, the presence of silent brain lesions, the severity of the stenosis, its progression, the characteristics of the plaque, colaterality and vasoreactivity studies, the detection of micro-emboli, the presence of risk factors independently associated to the symptomatic conversion of the stenosis, and other elements that have recently been reported either clinically or experimentally. Finally, the article outlines the current state of the surgical technique and the advances being made in its pharmacological treatment. This review is not intended to be a set of clinical practice guidelines, but to offer a global integrating overview of the management of high-grade asymptomatic carotid stenosis.

Enhanced urinalysis in the detection of asymptomatic bacteriuria in pregnancy.

PubMed

Aigere, E O S; Okusanya, B O; Eigbefoh, J O; Okome, G B O

2013-01-01

Detection and treatment of asymptomatic bacteriuria (ASB) in pregnancy is important to avert the attendant maternal and fetal morbidity. Other than urine culture, no other screening test is unequivocal. The use of enhanced urinalysis test to detect ASB in pregnancy was investigated. This was a prospective observational study which compared enhanced urinalysis with dipstick tests and urine culture. Clean catch midstream urine specimen was collected from 150 consecutive asymptomatic pregnant women. Tests of validity were used for comparison. Enhanced urinalysis detected bacteriuria as much as urine culture (4% vs. 4.7%). Itwas 57.1% sensitive and 98.6% specific. It had a false negative rate of 42.9% and was 96.7% accurate when compared to urine culture. Enhanced urinalysis took 1-2 hours to be done and required skills to use the microscope and was more expensive than dipstick urinalysis. The accuracy of enhanced urinalysis and its ability to detect ASB as much as urine culture connotes that it can be used to detect asymptomatic bacteriuria in pregnancy albeit only in secondary and tertiary health centres because of the cost and technicality involved.

Branchial ammonia excretion in the Asian weatherloach Misgurnus anguillicaudatus.

PubMed

Moreira-Silva, J; Tsui, T K N; Coimbra, J; Vijayan, M M; Ip, Y K; Wilson, J M

2010-01-01

The weatherloach, Misgurnus anguillicaudatus, is a freshwater, facultative air-breathing fish that lives in streams and rice paddy fields, where it may experience drought and/or high environmental ammonia (HEA) conditions. The aim of this study was to determine what roles branchial Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase, H(+)-ATPase, and Rhcg have in ammonia tolerance and how the weatherloach copes with ammonia loading conditions. The loach's high ammonia tolerance was confirmed as was evident from its high 96 h LC(50) value and high tissue tolerance to ammonia. The weatherloach does not appear to make use of Na(+)/NH(4)(+)-ATPase facilitated transport to excrete ammonia when exposed to HEA or to high environmental pH since no changes in activity were observed. Using immunofluorescence microscopy, distinct populations of vacuolar (V)-type H(+)-ATPase and Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase immunoreactive cells were identified in branchial epithelia, with apical and basolateral staining patterns, respectively. Rhesus C glycoprotein (Rhcg1), an ammonia transport protein, immunoreactivity was also found in a similar pattern as H(+)-ATPase. Rhcg1 (Slc42a3) mRNA expression also increased significantly during aerial exposure, although not significantly under ammonia loading conditions. The colocalization of H(+)-ATPase and Rhcg1 to the similar non-Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase immunoreactive cell type would support a role for H(+)-ATPase in ammonia excretion via Rhcg by NH(4)(+) trapping. The importance of gill boundary layer acidification in net ammonia excretion was confirmed in this fish; however, it was not associated with an increase in H(+)-ATPase expression, since tissue activity and protein levels did not increase with high environmental pH and/or HEA. However the V-ATPase inhibitor, bafilomycin, did decrease net ammonia flux whereas other ion transport inhibitors (amiloride, SITS) had no effect. H(+)-ATPase inhibition also resulted in a consequent elevation in plasma ammonia levels and a decrease in the net acid

Reverse spillover of avian viral vaccine strains from domesticated poultry to wild birds.

PubMed

Rohaim, M A; El Naggar, R F; Helal, A M; Hussein, H A; Munir, Muhammad

2017-06-16

Transmission of viruses from the commercial poultry to wild birds is an emerging paradigm of livestock-wildlife interface. Here, we report the identification and isolation of vaccine strains of avian paramyxovirus serotype 1 (APMV1) and avian coronaviruses (ACoV) from different wild bird species across eight Egyptian governorates between January 2014 and December 2015. Surveillance of avian respiratory viruses in free-ranging wild birds (n=297) identified three species that harboured or excreted APMV1 and ACoVs. Genetic characterization and phylogenetic analysis of recovered viruses revealed a close association with the most widely utilized vaccine strains in the country. These results highlight the potential spillover of vaccine-viruses probably due to extensive use of live-attenuated vaccines in the commercial poultry, and close interaction between domesticated and wild bird populations. Further exploring the full spectrum of vaccine-derived viral vaccine strains in wild birds might help to assess the emergence of future wild-birds origin viruses. Crown Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mechanisms of viral mutation.

PubMed

Sanjuán, Rafael; Domingo-Calap, Pilar

2016-12-01

The remarkable capacity of some viruses to adapt to new hosts and environments is highly dependent on their ability to generate de novo diversity in a short period of time. Rates of spontaneous mutation vary amply among viruses. RNA viruses mutate faster than DNA viruses, single-stranded viruses mutate faster than double-strand virus, and genome size appears to correlate negatively with mutation rate. Viral mutation rates are modulated at different levels, including polymerase fidelity, sequence context, template secondary structure, cellular microenvironment, replication mechanisms, proofreading, and access to post-replicative repair. Additionally, massive numbers of mutations can be introduced by some virus-encoded diversity-generating elements, as well as by host-encoded cytidine/adenine deaminases. Our current knowledge of viral mutation rates indicates that viral genetic diversity is determined by multiple virus- and host-dependent processes, and that viral mutation rates can evolve in response to specific selective pressures.

Relation between Plasmodium falciparum asymptomatic infection and malaria attacks in a cohort of Senegalese children

PubMed Central

Le Port, Agnès; Cot, Michel; Etard, Jean-François; Gaye, Oumar; Migot-Nabias, Florence; Garcia, André

2008-01-01

Background It is important to establish whether or not the presence of malaria parasites in peripheral blood of asymptomatic individuals is a predictor of future clinical mild malaria attacks (MMA). The aim of this study was to determine how an asymptomatic positive thick blood smear could be related to the occurrence of a MMA during the nine following days. Methods The study was conducted in a cohort of 569 Senegalese children, who were investigated for Plasmodium falciparum asymptomatic carriage at two different times of the transmission season, the beginning (September) and the end (November). The occurrence of MMA was investigated in asymptomatic carriers and non-carriers, every three days for nine consecutive days. Survival analysis was performed and risk estimates were calculated by Cox proportional hazards model. Results At the beginning of the transmission season, 27.8% (147/529) of the children were asymptomatic carriers (ACs) and 5.4% (8/147) of MMA occurred among these, versus 1% (4/382) among non-carriers (RR = 5.32; IC = [1.56–18.15], p = 0.008). At the end of the transmission season, the frequency of asymptomatic carriers was similar to that observed at the beginning of the season (31.9%, p = 0.15), but no MMA was detected during this period. Conclusion A significant association between P. falciparum asymptomatic carriage and the occurrence of MMA at the beginning of the transmission season was demonstrated, with a five-fold increase in the risk of developing a MMA in ACs. In the context of a possible distribution of IPTc in the future, drug strategies may have dramatic consequences due to the existence of ACs (both long term and short term), as they seem to play an important role in the individual protection to malaria, in the most exposed age groups. PMID:18823542

Urinary excretion of LH and testosterone from male rats during exposure to increased gravity: post-spaceflight and centrifugation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ortiz, R. M.; Wade, C. E.; Morey-Holton, E.

2000-01-01

A dissociation between plasma luteinizing hormone (LH) and testosterone (T) appears to exist during exposure to altered gravity. The pulsatile nature of LH release and the diurnal variability of T secretion may mask or bias the effects of altered gravity on the pituitary-gonadal axis when analyzing plasma concentrations. Therefore, we examined the relationship between the excretion of urinary LH and T in male Sprague-Dawley rats during exposure to increased gravity upon return to Earth following a 14-day spaceflight (n = 6) and by 12 days of centrifugation at 2g (n = 8). Excreted LH and T were elevated on the first 3 days postflight. Excreted T was elevated between Days 1 and 8 of centrifugation; however, excreted LH was reduced on Days 2 and 3 compared with control animals. Excreted LH and T were significantly correlated (R = 0.731 and 0.706, respectively) in postspaceflight and centrifuged animals. Correlation curves had similar slopes (0.0213 and 0.023, respectively), but different y-intercepts (-1.43 and 3.32, respectively). The sustained increase in excreted T during centrifugation suggests that the pituitary-gonadal axis in postspaceflight animals may adapt quicker to increased gravity. The upward shift in the correlation curve exhibited by the centrifuged animals suggests that the sensitivity of LH-induced T release is increased in these animals. The previous dissociation between plasma LH and T during altered gravity was not observed in the present study in which excreted LH and T were measured.

Long term follow up of kidney donors with asymptomatic renal stones.

PubMed

Serur, David; Charlton, Marian; Juluru, Krishna; Salama, Gayle; Locastro, Eve; Bretzlaff, Gretchen; Hartono, Choli

2017-08-01

Patients with asymptomatic kidney stones have a high rate of progression to becoming symptomatic kidney stones when followed for several years. Small kidney stones are often found incidentally on imaging when evaluating patients for kidney donation, and there is a concern that after nephrectomy, the donor may become symptomatic and incur damage to the remaining kidney. We reviewed kidney donors at our institution with asymptomatic stones and surveyed them several years after donation to see if the stones became clinically active. © 2017 Asian Pacific Society of Nephrology.

Symptomatic and asymptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia: Molecular differentiation by using microarrays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prakash, Kulkarni; Pirozzi, Gregorio; Elashoff, Michael; Munger, William; Waga, Iwao; Dhir, Rajiv; Kakehi, Yoshiyuki; Getzenberg, Robert H.

2002-05-01

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a disease of unknown etiology that significantly affects the quality of life in aging men. Histologic BPH may present itself either as symptomatic or asymptomatic in nature. To elucidate the molecular differences underlying BPH, gene expression profiles from the prostate transition zone tissue have been analyzed by using microarrays. A set of 511 differentially expressed genes distinguished symptomatic and asymptomatic BPH. This genetic signature separates BPH from normal tissue but does not seem to change with age. These data could provide novel approaches for alleviating symptoms and hyperplasia in BPH.

Urate-Lowering Agents in Asymptomatic Hyperuricemia: Role of Urine Sediment Analysis and Musculoskeletal Ultrasound.

PubMed

Viggiano, Davide; Gigliotti, Giuseppe; Vallone, Gianfranco; Giammarino, Anna; Nigro, Michelangelo; Capasso, Giovambattista

2018-01-01

Current urate-lowering therapy (ULT) includes three direct acting drugs (allopurinol, febuxostat, Rasburicase) and at least four 'indirect' drugs with other important targets (canagliflozin, losartan, fenofibrate and sevelamer). Moreover, the alcalinization of urines using bicarbonate can be used to dissolve urate crystals and the clinician may discontinue several drugs are known to increase serum levels of uric acid, such as diuretics, aspirin, cyclosporine, theophylline, mycophenolate and ACE inhibitors. While there is a consensus to start ULT in cases of symptomatic hyperuricemia (gout, urate-nephrolithiasis), the very frequent conditions of asymptomatic hyperuricemia remains a major conundrum. The effect of asymptomatic hyperuricemia on kidney function has had fluctuating positions over decades. The conflicting results might indicate: (i) the presence of counterbalancing positive and negative effects on kidney function of both serum uric acid and urate-lowering agents, (ii) the presence of a subpopulation of patients, as yet unidentified, which could truly benefit from a urate-lowering therapy. Therefore, today the treatment of asymptomatic hyperuricemia is not recommended nor excluded by current guidelines. Here we suggest that a possible guide for the treatment of asymptomatic hyperuricemia might be the presence of urate crystals in the urine sediment and/or signs of asymptomatic articular damage by urates, identified by musculo-skeletal ultrasound. Moreover, a watchful analysis of the trend in creatinine/eGFR, proteinuria or urate levels might also guide the clinician. Initiation of ULT and follow-up in cases of asymptomatic hyperuricemia should consider urine sediment analysis, musculoskeletal ultrasound and trends in creatinine, proteinuria and serum urate levels. © 2018 The Author(s). Published by S. Karger AG, Basel.

Prevalence of asymptomatic bacteriuria and its consequences in pregnancy in a rural community of Bangladesh.

PubMed

Ullah, M Anayet; Barman, A; Siddique, M A; Haque, A K M E

2007-08-01

This was a cross-sectional followed by cohort type of study conducted among the pregnant mothers of second trimester in the rural areas of Rajshahi district. Initially 1800 pregnant mothers ofsecond trimester were selected from 18 unions applying 2-stage random sampling. A total of 216 pregnant mothers with asymptomatic bacteriuria were paired among the rest of the healthy pregnant mothers (without bacteriuria) on the basis of age, gravida and economic status for cohort study to relate asymptomatic bacteriuria with the incidence of symptomatic bacteriuria, hypertensive disorders in pregnancy (HDP) and pre-term delivery. The matched paired pregnant mothers werefollowed monthly interval up to delivery. The prevalence of asymptomatic bacteriuria was 12% among the pregnant mothers in rural Rajshahi. E. Coli was the commonest causative agent of both asymptomatic and symptomatic bacteriuria. The results of this study suggest that asymptomatic bacteriuria were more prone to develop symptomatic bacteriuria, hypertensive disorders in pregnancy and pre-term delivery than that of the healthy mothers (without bacteriuria). Screening of bacteriuria in pregnancy and proper treatment must be considered as an essential part of antenatal care in this rural community.

Asymptomatic bacteriuria in pregnancy: epidemiological, clinical and microbiological approach.

PubMed

Gebre-Selassie, S

1998-07-01

Asymptomatic urinary tract infection is a risk factor for fetal and maternal morbidity including development of pyelonephritis, premature labor and impaired intra-uterine development. In this study, 326 pregnant and 100 non-pregnant control women were screened for significant asymptomatic bacteriuria from April 8 to July 25, 1997 to gain insight into the prevalence rate, clinical characteristics of the disease and microbiological assessments of the causative agents. All the subjects were clinically identified to have no signs and symptoms of urinary tract infection (UTI). The age ranges of the study and control groups were between 15-40 years for both groups with mean of 25.1 and 25.3 years, respectively. Bacteriological screening of mid-stream urine (MSU) revealed that 24/326 (7%) and 3/100 (3%) were positive for asymptomatic bacteriuria in the study group and controls, respectively (P < 0.05). Further biochemical species identification showed that Escherichia coli was found in 11/24 (46%) followed by coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS) in 8/24 (33%) and Citrobacter freundii in 2/24 (8%). Others found in smaller number included Staphylococcus aureus, Enterobacter cloacae and Proteus rettgeri in 1/24 (4%) each. Antimicrobial susceptibility test revealed that 10/11 (91%) of the E. coli isolates were resistant to ampicillin and amoxicillin and 10/11 (91%) of them sensitive to nitrofurantoin.

Dietary hydroxypropyl methylcellulose increases excretion of saturated and trans fats by hamsters fed fast food diets.

PubMed

Yokoyama, Wallace; Anderson, William H K; Albers, David R; Hong, Yun-Jeong; Langhorst, Marsha L; Hung, Shao-Ching; Lin, Jiann-Tsyh; Young, Scott A

2011-10-26

In animal studies, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) intake results in increased fecal fat excretion; however, the effects on dietary saturated fatty acids (SATs) and trans-fatty acids (TRANS) remain unknown. This study investigated the effect of HPMC on digestion and absorption of lipids in male Golden Syrian hamsters fed either freeze-dried ground pizza (PZ), pound cake (PC), or hamburger and fries (BF) supplemented with dietary fiber from either HPMC or microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) for 3 weeks. We observed greater excretion of SATs and TRANS by both diets supplemented with HPMC or MCC as compared to the feed. SAT, TRANS, and unsaturated fatty acids (UNSAT) contents of feces of the PZ diet supplemented with HPMC were 5-8 times higher than diets supplemented with MCC and tended to be higher in the PC- and BF-HPMC supplemented diets as well. We also observed significant increases in fecal excretion of bile acids (2.6-3-fold; P < 0.05), sterols (1.1-1.5-fold; P < 0.05), and unsaturated fatty acids (UNSAT, 1.7-4.5-fold; P < 0.05). The animal body weight gain was inversely correlated with the excretion of fecal lipid concentrations of bile acids (r = -0.56; P < 0.005), sterols (r = -0.48; P < 0.005), SAT (r = -0.69; P < 0.005), UNSAT (r = -0.67; P < 0.005), and TRANS (r = -0.62; P < 0.005). Therefore, HPMC may be facilitating fat excretion in a biased manner with preferential fecal excretion of both TRANS and SAT in hamsters fed fast food diets.

New Method To Estimate Total Polyphenol Excretion: Comparison of Fast Blue BB versus Folin-Ciocalteu Performance in Urine.

PubMed

Hinojosa-Nogueira, Daniel; Muros, Joaquín; Rufián-Henares, José A; Pastoriza, Silvia

2017-05-24

Polyphenols are bioactive substances of vegetal origin with a significant impact on human health. The assessment of polyphenol intake and excretion is therefore important. The Folin-Ciocalteu (F-C) method is the reference assay to measure polyphenols in foods as well as their excretion in urine. However, many substances can influence the method, making it necessary to conduct a prior cleanup using solid-phase extraction (SPE) cartridges. In this paper, we demonstrate the use of the Fast Blue BB reagent (FBBB) as a new tool to measure the excretion of polyphenols in urine. Contrary to F-C, FBBB showed no interference in urine, negating the time-consuming and costly SPE cleanup. In addition, it showed excellent linearity (r 2 = 0.9997), with a recovery of 96.4% and a precision of 1.86-2.11%. The FBBB method was validated to measure the excretion of polyphenols in spot urine samples from Spanish children, showing a good correlation between polyphenol intake and excretion.

Sodium Excretion and the Risk of Cardiovascular Disease in Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease

PubMed Central

Mills, Katherine T.; Chen, Jing; Yang, Wei; Appel, Lawrence J.; Kusek, John W.; Alper, Arnold; Delafontaine, Patrice; Keane, Martin G.; Mohler, Emile; Ojo, Akinlolu; Rahman, Mahboob; Ricardo, Ana C.; Soliman, Elsayed Z.; Steigerwalt, Susan; Townsend, Raymond; He, Jiang

2016-01-01

IMPORTANCE Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) are at an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) compared with the general population. Prior studies have produced contradictory results on the association of dietary sodium intake with risk of CVD, and this relationship has not been investigated in patients with CKD. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the association between urinary sodium excretion and clinical CVD events among patients with CKD. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS A prospective cohort study of patients with CKD from 7 locations in the United States enrolled in the Chronic Renal Insufficiency Cohort Study and followed up from May 2003 to March 2013. EXPOSURES The cumulative mean of urinary sodium excretion from three 24-hour urinary measurements and calibrated to sex-specific mean 24-hour urinary creatinine excretion. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES A composite of CVD events defined as congestive heart failure, stroke, ormyocardial infarction. Events were reported every 6 months and confirmed by medical record adjudication. RESULTS Among 3757 participants (mean age, 58 years; 45% women), 804 composite CVD events (575 heart failure, 305 myocardial infarction, and 148 stroke) occurred during a median 6.8 years of follow-up. From lowest (<2894 mg/24 hours) to highest (≥4548 mg/24 hours) quartile of calibrated sodium excretion, 174, 159, 198, and 273 composite CVD events occurred, and the cumulative incidence was 18.4%, 16.5%, 20.6%, and 29.8% at median follow-up. In addition, the cumulative incidence of CVD events in the highest quartile of calibrated sodium excretion compared with the lowest was 23.2% vs 13.3% for heart failure, 10.9% vs 7.8% for myocardial infarction, and 6.4% vs 2.7% for stroke at median follow-up. Hazard ratios of the highest quartile compared with the lowest quartile were 1.36 (95% CI, 1.09–1.70; P = .007) for composite CVD events, 1.34 (95% CI, 1.03–1.74; P = .03) for heart failure, and 1.81 (95% CI, 1.08–3.02; P = .02) for

Night-rest urinary catecholamine excretion in relation to aspects of free time, work and background data in a teacher group.

PubMed

Kinnunen, U; Vihko, V

1991-01-01

Free time, work and background data were related to night-rest catecholamine excretion rates in a teacher group (n = 137) during an autumn term. The explained interindividual variance increased slightly towards the end of the term. Adrenaline excretion was predicted better than noradrenaline, notedly by coffee consumption, amount of physical activity, and subjective stress feelings which explained 16% of the variance in adrenaline excretion during night rest. However, the results indicated that the differences in catecholamine excretion during night rest remained mostly unpredictable.

Daily sodium and potassium excretion can be estimated by scheduled spot urine collections.

PubMed

Doenyas-Barak, Keren; Beberashvili, Ilia; Bar-Chaim, Adina; Averbukh, Zhan; Vogel, Ofir; Efrati, Shai

2015-01-01

The evaluation of sodium and potassium intake is part of the optimal management of hypertension, metabolic syndrome, renal stones, and other conditions. To date, no convenient method for its evaluation exists, as the gold standard method of 24-hour urine collection is cumbersome and often incorrectly performed, and methods that use spot or shorter collections are not accurate enough to replace the gold standard. The aim of this study was to evaluate the correlation and agreement between a new method that uses multiple-scheduled spot urine collection and the gold standard method of 24-hour urine collection. The urine sodium or potassium to creatinine ratios were determined for four scheduled spot urine samples. The mean ratios of the four spot samples and the ratios of each of the single spot samples were corrected for estimated creatinine excretion and compared to the gold standard. A significant linear correlation was demonstrated between the 24-hour urinary solute excretions and estimated excretion evaluated by any of the scheduled spot urine samples. The correlation of the mean of the four spots was better than for any of the single spots. Bland-Altman plots showed that the differences between these measurements were within the limits of agreement. Four scheduled spot urine samples can be used as a convenient method for estimation of 24-hour sodium or potassium excretion. © 2015 S. Karger AG, Basel.

[Assessment of dietary intake and urinary excretion of sodium and potassium in adults].

PubMed

Cornejo, Karen; Pizarro, Fernando; Atalah, Eduardo; Galgani, José E

2014-06-01

Hypertension is associated with elevated sodium and low potassium intakes. The determination of sodium and potassium intake by dietary records is inaccurate, being its measurement from 24-h urine collection the reference method. To determine urinary sodium and potassium excretion in adults. To compare dietary sodium and potassium intake and their excretion from an isolated urine sample against the reference method. Seventy healthy adults aged 35 ± 8 years with a body mass index 25 ± 2 kg/m² (36 women) were studied. Urine was collected over 24 h, including an isolated urine sample taken in fasting conditions. Additionally, three 24-h dietary records were performed. Reported sodium and potassium intake was 2,720 ± 567 and 1,068 ± 433 mg/day, respectively. In turn, urinary excretion of sodium and potassium was 4,770 ± 1,532 and 1,852 ± 559 mg/day, respectively. These latter values were significantly higher than those obtained by dietary records. Furthermore, the urinary sodium and potassium excretion estimated from an isolated urine sample was 4,839 ± 1,355 and 1,845 ± 494 mg/day, respectively. These values were similar to those obtained with a 24 h urine collection. Dietary records underestimated electrolyte intake when compared with the reference method. Using an isolated urine sample to estimate electrolyte intake may be a reliable alternative.

A case series of 12 patients with incidental asymptomatic Dandy-Walker syndrome and management.

PubMed

Jha, Vikas Chandra; Kumar, Raj; Srivastav, Arun Kumar; Mehrotra, Anant; Sahu, Rabi Narayan

2012-06-01

Incidentally detected asymptomatic Dandy-Walker syndrome (DWS) is sparsely reported in literature at extremes of age (from 1 to 75 years) in association with different diseases. Precipitating factors causing DWS in these cases to manifest in late adulthood are still unidentified. We tried to hypothesize the aetiology and the natural course of disease based on review of literature Twelve cases of asymptomatic DWS were selected retrospectively in this study while being treated for some unrelated disease over a period of 15 years. All the cases had vermian hypoplasia with sizeable fourth ventricular cyst (more than 3 cm), large posterior fossa and with no or borderline ventriculomegaly on CT/MRI. The age ranged from 1 to 65 years. Five cases presented with head injury and four cases presented with enlarged head size with suboccipital protuberance (noticed in children more than 5 years). Remaining cases presented with either occipital encephalocele or right trigeminal neuralgia or fixed atlantoaxial dislocation. They were asymptomatic for DWS following treatment of the presenting complaints on follow-up of average duration of 4.5 years. Presentation at extremes of age signifies that slow degenerative changes in communicating channels between fourth ventricular cyst and surrounding basal cisterns may cause asymptomatic DWS to manifest, but cases having good communication between these structures can remain asymptomatic throughout their life.

Asymptomatic carotid bruit: long term outcome of patients having endarterectomy compared with unoperated controls.

PubMed

Thompson, J E; Patman, R D; Talkington, C M

1978-09-01

During 20 years (1957-1977), 1286 carotid endarterectomies were performed on 1022 private patients with cerebrovascular insufficiency. Included were 132 patients undergoing 167 endarterectomies for asymptomatic cervical carotid bruits. Ages ranged from 42 to 82 years (mean: 64.7). Operative mortality was zero. There were two transient and two permanent operation-related neurologic deficits. Complete follow-up was achieved, extending to 184 months. During postoperative follow-up, six patients (4.5%) developed TIA's appropriate to the unoperated artery, three patients had strokes (2.3%), and three patients died of strokes (2.3%). To characterize the natural history of asymptomatic bruit and determine proper indications for prophylactic endarterectomy, a control series of 138 additional patients with asymptomatic bruit not operated upon when the bruit was discovered was studied. Ages ranged from 39 to 86 years (mean: 65.7). During follow-up extending to 180 months, 77 patients (55.8%) remained neurologically asymptomatic, 37 patients (26.8%) developed TIA's one month to 99 months after detection of bruit, and 24 patients (17.4%) sustained mild to profound frank strokes one week to 124 months postdetection. Three of these 24 (2.2%) died of stroke. Asymptomatic carotid bruits may be potential stroke hazards, the risk of which can be significantly reduced by appropriately applied endarterectomy. A protocol for managment is presented.

Asymptomatic malaria correlates with anaemia in pregnant women at Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.

PubMed

Douamba, Zoenabo; Bisseye, Cyrille; Djigma, Florencia W; Compaoré, Tegwinde R; Bazie, Valérie Jean Telesphore; Pietra, Virginio; Nikiema, Jean-Baptiste; Simpore, Jacques

2012-01-01

Sub-Saharan Africa records each year about thirty-two million pregnant women living in areas of high transmission of Plasmodium falciparum causing malaria. The aim of this study was to carve out the prevalence of asymptomatic malaria among pregnant women and to emphasize its influence on haematological markers. The prevalence of Plasmodium falciparum asymptomatic infection among pregnant women was 30% and 24% with rapid detection test (RDT) and microscopy, respectively. The prevalence of P. falciparum asymptomatic malaria was reduced among pregnant women using sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine's intermittent preventive treatment and 61% of them were anaemic. Anaemia was significantly more common in women infected with P. falciparum compared with the uninfected pregnant women. Most of the women had normal levels of homocysteine and low levels of folate, respectively. Therefore, the systematic diagnosis of malaria should be introduced to pregnant women as a part of the antenatal care.

Association between aortic valve calcification and myocardial ischemia, especially in asymptomatic patients.

PubMed

Yamazato, Ryo; Yamamoto, Hideya; Tadehara, Futoshi; Teragawa, Hiroki; Kurisu, Satoshi; Dohi, Yoshihiro; Ishibashi, Ken; Kunita, Eiji; Utsunomiya, Hiroto; Oka, Toshiharu; Kihara, Yasuki

2012-08-01

Aortic valve calcification (AVC) is recognized as a manifestation of systemic arteriosclerosis. However, it is unclear whether AVC is associated with myocardial ischemia. Stress myocardial perfusion SPECT (MPS) is widely used for the diagnosis of myocardial ischemia. However, routine MPS is not recommended, particularly in asymptomatic patients. Accordingly, we investigated the hypothesis that the presence of AVC is strongly associated with inducible myocardial ischemia, even among asymptomatic patients. We investigated 669 consecutive patients who underwent both adenosine stress (201)Tl MPS and echocardiography. We evaluated the extent and severity of myocardial ischemia by the summed difference score (SDS). We defined the presence of myocardial ischemia as SDS ≥ 3 and moderate to severe ischemia as SDS ≥ 8. We classified the severity of AVC according to the number of affected aortic leaflets. We also compared the mean SDS and the prevalence of SDS ≥ 3 and SDS ≥ 8 among patients stratified by the severity of AVC. The presence of AVC was significantly associated with myocardial ischemia (odds ratio [OR], 1.56; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.10-2.23; P = 0.013) and moderate to severe ischemia (OR, 2.16; 95% CI, 1.26-3.80; P = 0.0061). In 311 asymptomatic patients, AVC was strongly associated with moderate to severe ischemia (OR, 4.31; 95% CI, 1.67-12.8; P = 0.0043). However, the SDS value and the prevalence of SDS ≥ 3 and SDS ≥ 8 did not increase with increasing number of affected aortic leaflets. The presence of AVC may be associated with the presence of myocardial ischemia, particularly in asymptomatic patients. However, we found no association between the extent of AVC and inducible myocardial ischemia. The presence of AVC may be a useful anatomic marker to help identify patients at high risk of myocardial ischemia, particularly asymptomatic patients.

Heart rate variability and repolarization characteristics in symptomatic and asymptomatic Brugada syndrome.

PubMed

Behar, Nathalie; Petit, Bertrand; Probst, Vincent; Sacher, Frederic; Kervio, Gaelle; Mansourati, Jacques; Bru, Paul; Hernandez, Alfredo; Mabo, Philippe

2017-10-01

Modulation of ST-segment elevation (STE) and tachyarrhythmic events by the autonomic nervous system (ANS) has been reported in patients with Brugada syndrome (BS). This study examined and compared the autonomic characteristics and STE in symptomatic vs. asymptomatic patients with BS. We studied 40 symptomatic and 78 asymptomatic patients (mean age = 46.1 ± 13.7 years; 88 men) who underwent 24 h, 12-lead electrocardiograms, and exercise and a head-up tilt tests. Heart rate variability was examined and STE was measured at 5 points between 100 and 140 ms after the onset of 1 min averaged QRS complexes, and the type 1 Brugada pattern was automatically identified. 'Type 1 Brugada burden' was the percentage of averaged type 1 complexes. All measurements were made over 24 h, and during day and night times. During daytime, the variation coefficients of standard deviation of normal-to-normal intervals were 39.0 ± 12.3 vs. 34.1 ± 14.5 ms (P< 0.05) and high frequency normalized units were 39.9 ± 16.9 vs. 33.9 ± 16.2% (P< 0.05) in symptomatic vs. asymptomatic patients, respectively. ST-segment elevation was similar in symptomatic and asymptomatic patients at all time points. The type 1 Brugada burden in V2 was 38.7 ± 33.6% in the symptomatic vs. 24.3 ± 35.2% in the asymptomatic sample, a statistically non-significant difference. This analysis of ANS did not identify sensitive predictors of arrhythmic events in patients with BS. We observed, however, greater fluctuations in sinus node response to ANS in symptomatic patients. The type 1 Brugada electrocardiographic pattern was not as reliable a predictor of arrhythmic risk as previously reported. Published on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved. © The Author 2016. For permissions please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

VIRAL INFECTIONS DURING PREGNANCY

PubMed Central

Silasi, Michelle; Cardenas, Ingrid; Racicot, Karen; Kwon, Ja-Young; Aldo, Paula; Mor, Gil

2015-01-01

Viral infections during pregnancy have long been considered benign conditions with a few notable exceptions, such as herpes virus. The recent Ebola outbreak and other viral epidemics and pandemics show how pregnant women suffer worse outcomes (such as preterm labor and adverse fetal outcomes) than the general population and non-pregnant women. New knowledge about the ways the maternal-fetal interface and placenta interact with the maternal immune system may explain these findings. Once thought to be “immunosuppressed”, the pregnant woman actually undergoes an immunological transformation, where the immune system is necessary to promote and support the pregnancy and growing fetus. When this protection is breached, as in a viral infection, this security is weakened and infection with other microorganisms can then propagate and lead to outcomes, such as preterm labor. In this manuscript, we review the major viral infections relevant to pregnancy, and offer potential mechanisms for the associated adverse pregnancy outcomes. PMID:25582523

Underreporting of viral encephalitis and viral meningitis, Ireland, 2005-2008.

PubMed

Kelly, Tara A; O'Lorcain, Piaras; Moran, Joanne; Garvey, Patricia; McKeown, Paul; Connell, Jeff; Cotter, Suzanne

2013-01-01

Viral encephalitis (VE) and viral meningitis (VM) have been notifiable infectious diseases under surveillance in the Republic of Ireland since 1981. Laboratories have reported confirmed cases by detection of viral nucleic acid in cerebrospinal fluid since 2004. To determine the prevalence of these diseases in Ireland during 2005-2008, we analyzed 3 data sources: Hospital In-patient Enquiry data (from hospitalized following patients discharge) accessed through Health Intelligence Ireland, laboratory confirmations from the National Virus Reference Laboratory, and events from the Computerised Infectious Disease Reporting surveillance system. We found that the national surveillance system underestimates the incidence of these diseases in Ireland with a 10-fold higher VE hospitalization rate and 3-fold higher VM hospitalization rate than the reporting rate. Herpesviruses were responsible for most specified VE and enteroviruses for most specified VM from all 3 sources. Recommendations from this study have been implemented to improve the surveillance of these diseases in Ireland.

Different antibiotic regimens for treating asymptomatic bacteriuria in pregnancy

PubMed Central

Guinto, Valerie T; De Guia, Blanca; Festin, Mario R; Dowswell, Therese

2014-01-01

Background Asymptomatic bacteriuria occurs in 5% to 10% of pregnancies and, if left untreated, can lead to serious complications. Objectives To assess which antibiotic is most effective and least harmful as initial treatment for asymptomatic bacteriuria in pregnancy. Search methods We searched the Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group’s Trials Register (March 2010) and reference lists of retrieved studies. Selection criteria Randomized controlled trials comparing two antibiotic regimens for treating asymptomatic bacteriuria. Data collection and analysis Review authors independently screened the studies for inclusion and extracted data. Main results We included five studies involving 1140 women with asymptomatic bacteriuria. We did not perform meta-analysis; each trial examined different antibiotic regimens and so we were not able to pool results. In a study comparing a single dose of fosfomycin trometamol 3 g with a five-day course of cefuroxime, there was no significant difference in persistent infection (risk ratio (RR) 1.36, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.24 to 7.75), shift to other antibiotics (RR 0.08, 95% CI 0.00 to 1.45), or in allergy or pruritus (RR 2.73, 95% CI 0.11 to 65.24). A comparison of seven-day courses of 400 mg pivmecillinam versus 500 mg ampicillin, both given four times daily, showed no significant difference in persistent infection at two weeks or recurrent infection, but there was an increase in vomiting (RR 4.57, 95% CI 1.40 to 14.90) and women were more likely to stop treatment early with pivmecillinam (RR 8.82, 95% CI 1.16 to 66.95). When cephalexin 1 g versus Miraxid® (pivmecillinam 200 mg and pivampicillin 250 mg) were given twice-daily for three days, there was no significant difference in persistent or recurrent infection. A one- versus seven-day course of nitrofurantoin resulted in more persistent infection with the shorter course (RR 1.76, 95% CI 1.29 to 2.40), but no significant difference in symptomatic infection at two weeks

Different antibiotic regimens for treating asymptomatic bacteriuria in pregnancy.

PubMed

Guinto, Valerie T; De Guia, Blanca; Festin, Mario R; Dowswell, Therese

2010-09-08

Asymptomatic bacteriuria occurs in 5% to 10% of pregnancies and, if left untreated, can lead to serious complications. To assess which antibiotic is most effective and least harmful as initial treatment for asymptomatic bacteriuria in pregnancy. We searched the Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group's Trials Register (March 2010) and reference lists of retrieved studies. Randomized controlled trials comparing two antibiotic regimens for treating asymptomatic bacteriuria. Review authors independently screened the studies for inclusion and extracted data. We included five studies involving 1140 women with asymptomatic bacteriuria. We did not perform meta-analysis; each trial examined different antibiotic regimens and so we were not able to pool results. In a study comparing a single dose of fosfomycin trometamol 3 g with a five-day course of cefuroxime, there was no significant difference in persistent infection (risk ratio (RR) 1.36, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.24 to 7.75), shift to other antibiotics (RR 0.08, 95% CI 0.00 to 1.45), or in allergy or pruritus (RR 2.73, 95% CI 0.11 to 65.24). A comparison of seven-day courses of 400 mg pivmecillinam versus 500 mg ampicillin, both given four times daily, showed no significant difference in persistent infection at two weeks or recurrent infection, but there was an increase in vomiting (RR 4.57, 95% CI 1.40 to 14.90) and women were more likely to stop treatment early with pivmecillinam (RR 8.82, 95% CI 1.16 to 66.95). When cephalexin 1 g versus Miraxid(R) (pivmecillinam 200 mg and pivampicillin 250 mg) were given twice-daily for three days, there was no significant difference in persistent or recurrent infection. A one- versus seven-day course of nitrofurantoin resulted in more persistent infection with the shorter course (RR 1.76, 95% CI 1.29 to 2.40), but no significant difference in symptomatic infection at two weeks, nausea, or preterm birth. Comparing cycloserine with sulphadimidine, no significant differences in

Asymptomatic urinary tract infection: Cause of postoperative wound infection.

PubMed

Ashraf, Irfan; Umer, Masood

2014-12-01

To determine the rate of urinary tract infection in patients given incomplete treatment before undergoing hip fracture surgery. The descriptive case series was conducted at Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, From October 25, 2012 to April 24, 2013. 84 postmenopausal women having hip fracture along with asymptomatic urinary tract infection. The infection was treated incompletely and postoperatively wound infection rate was determined. The SPSS version 17 was used to analyze the data. The overall mean age of the 84 patients in the study was 63.57+10.34 years. Overall, 14(16.7%) patients had wound infection after orthopaedic implant surgery for hip fracture. There was a high occurrence of wound infection after hip implant surgery in patients having preoperative asymptomatic urinary tract infection who were treated incompletely.

Viral Hepatitis in South Korea

PubMed Central

Alastal, Yaseen; Khan, Zubair; Darr, Umar

2017-01-01

In South Korea (S. Korea), viral hepatitis is a major public health burden. Advances in healthcare policy, evidence-based medicine, and therapeutic strategies in S. Korea have brought a rapid change in the sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of viral hepatitis. This review discusses the innovative approaches that S. Korea has taken to curb the epidemic of viral hepatitis. In addition, the efficacy of various preventive and therapeutic modalities is discussed. This review aims to provide a brief overview to guide future research direction and healthcare policy changes. How to cite this article: Pak SC, Alastal Y, Khan Z, Darr U. Viral Hepatitis in South Korea. Euroasian J Hepato-Gastroenterol 2017;7(2):163-165. PMID:29201801

Corticosterone excretion patterns and affiliative behavior over development in ravens (Corvus corax)

PubMed Central

Stöwe, Mareike; Bugnyar, Thomas; Schloegl, Christian; Heinrich, Bernd; Kotrschal, Kurt; Möstl, Erich

2015-01-01

Averse effects of social stress may be buffered by the presence of social allies, which mainly has been demonstrated in mammals and recently also in birds. However, effects of socio-positive behavior prior to fledging in relation to corticosterone excretion in altricial birds have not been investigated yet. We here monitored corticosterone excretion patterns in three groups of hand raised juvenile ravens (n=5, 6 and 11) in the nest, post-fledging (May–July) and when ravens would be independent from their parents (September–November). We related these corticosterone excretion patterns to socio-positive behavior. Behavioral data were collected via focal sampling in each developmental period considered. We analyzed amounts of excreted immunoreactive corticosterone metabolites (CM) using enzyme immuno assays. We collected fecal samples in each developmental period considered and evaluated the most appropriate assay via an isolation stress experiment. Basal CM was significantly higher during the nestling period than post-fledging or when birds were independent. The time nestlings spent allopreening correlated negatively with mean CM. Post-fledging, individuals with higher CM levels sat close to (distance <50 cm) conspecifics more frequently and tended to preen them longer. When birds were independent and a stable rank hierarchy was established, dominant individuals were preened significantly longer than subordinates. These patterns observed in ravens parallel those described for primates, which could indicate that animal species living in a complex social environment may deal with social problems in a similar way that is not restricted to mammals or primates. PMID:18022623

Renal excretion in coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) after acute exposure to 3-trifluoromethyl-4-nitrophenol

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hunn, J.B.; Allen, J.L.

1975-01-01

COHO SALMON (ONCORHYNCHUS KISUTCH) EXPOSED TO AN ACUTE, SUBLETHAL CONCENTRATION OF 3-TRIFLUOROMETHLY 1-4 NITROPHENOL (TFM) EXHIBITED AN INCREASED OUTPUT OF URINE WHEN COMPARED WITH CONTROLS, BUT THE URINARY EXCRETION OF NA, K, CA, MG AND C1 WAS NOT AFFECTED. ABOUT 35 TIMES MORE CONJUGATED TFM THAN FREE TFM WAS EXCRETED DURING THE 24-HOUR STUDY PERIOD.

Treatment of asymptomatic carriers with artemether-lumefantrine: an opportunity to reduce the burden of malaria?

PubMed

Ogutu, Bernhards; Tiono, Alfred B; Makanga, Michael; Premji, Zulfiqarali; Gbadoé, Adama Dodji; Ubben, David; Marrast, Anne Claire; Gaye, Oumar

2010-01-22

Increased investment and commitment to malaria prevention and treatment strategies across Africa has produced impressive reductions in the incidence of this disease. Nevertheless, it is clear that further interventions will be necessary to meet the international target of a reversal in the incidence of malaria by 2015. This article discusses the prospective role of an innovative malaria control strategy - the community-based treatment of asymptomatic carriers of Plasmodium falciparum, with artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT). The potential of this intervention was considered by key scientists in the field at an Advisory Board meeting held in Basel, in April 2009. This article summarizes the discussions that took place among the participants. Asymptomatic carriers do not seek treatment for their infection and, therefore, constitute a reservoir of parasites and thus a real public-health risk. The systematic identification and treatment of individuals with asymptomatic P. falciparum as part of a surveillance intervention strategy should reduce the parasite reservoir, and if this pool is greatly reduced, it will impact disease transmission. This article considers the populations that could benefit from such a strategy and examines the ethical issues associated with the treatment of apparently healthy individuals, who represent a neglected public health risk. The potential for the treatment of asymptomatic carriers to impair the development of protective immunity, resulting in a 'rebound' and age escalation of malaria incidence, is also discussed.For policymakers to consider the treatment of asymptomatic carriers with ACT as a new tool in their malaria control programmes, it will be important to demonstrate that such a strategy can produce significant benefits, without having a negative impact on the efficacy of ACT and the health of the target population. The treatment of asymptomatic carriers with ACT is an innovative and essential tool for breaking the cycle

Ultrasound of the coracoacromial ligament in asymptomatic volunteers and patients with shoulder impingement.

PubMed

Dietrich, Tobias J; Jonczy, Maciej; Buck, Florian M; Sutter, Reto; Puskas, Gabor J; Pfirrmann, Christian Wa

2016-08-01

The coracoacromial ligament is part of the coracoacromial arch, which is considered to be involved in shoulder impingement. To compare the coracoacromial ligament on ultrasound in asymptomatic volunteers and in patients with subacromial shoulder impingement. Twenty-nine asymptomatic volunteers (mean age, 35.5 years) and 29 patients (mean age, 49.9 years) with shoulder impingement, diagnosed by experienced shoulder surgeons, were prospectively included. Two radiologists obtained and analyzed ultrasound images of the coracoacromial ligament in the longitudinal axis. The ligament thickness was 1.4 ± 0.2 mm at its midportion, 1.8 ± 0.4 mm at the coracoid, and 2.1 ± 0.6 mm at the acromion in asymptomatic volunteers compared with 1.3 ± 0.2 mm, 1.9 ± 0.5 mm, and 1.9 ± 0.5 mm in impingement patients for observer 1. The ligament length was 30.6 ± 2.4 mm in asymptomatic volunteers compared with 30.4 ± 3.6 mm in impingement patients for observer 1. An anteriorly convex shape of the superficial contour of the coracoacromial ligament was significantly more frequent in impingement patients compared with asymptomatic volunteers for both observers (observer 1: 10% (3/29) versus 45% (13/29), P value <0.01; observer 2: 10% (3/29) versus 38% (11/29), P value <0.03). The comparison of the remaining parameters of the coracoacromial ligament, such as the thickness, length, echogenicity, and fibrillation did not reveal significant differences between volunteers and patients. While thickness or length of the coracoacromial ligament were similar in volunteers and patients with shoulder impingement, an anteriorly convex shape of the superficial contour of the coracoacromial ligament was significantly more frequent in impingement patients compared with asymptomatic volunteers. © The Foundation Acta Radiologica 2015.

A metagenomic viral discovery approach identifies potential zoonotic and novel mammalian viruses in Neoromicia bats within South Africa.

PubMed

Geldenhuys, Marike; Mortlock, Marinda; Weyer, Jacqueline; Bezuidt, Oliver; Seamark, Ernest C J; Kearney, Teresa; Gleasner, Cheryl; Erkkila, Tracy H; Cui, Helen; Markotter, Wanda

2018-01-01

Species within the Neoromicia bat genus are abundant and widely distributed in Africa. It is common for these insectivorous bats to roost in anthropogenic structures in urban regions. Additionally, Neoromicia capensis have previously been identified as potential hosts for Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS)-related coronaviruses. This study aimed to ascertain the gastrointestinal virome of these bats, as viruses excreted in fecal material or which may be replicating in rectal or intestinal tissues have the greatest opportunities of coming into contact with other hosts. Samples were collected in five regions of South Africa over eight years. Initial virome composition was determined by viral metagenomic sequencing by pooling samples and enriching for viral particles. Libraries were sequenced on the Illumina MiSeq and NextSeq500 platforms, producing a combined 37 million reads. Bioinformatics analysis of the high throughput sequencing data detected the full genome of a novel species of the Circoviridae family, and also identified sequence data from the Adenoviridae, Coronaviridae, Herpesviridae, Parvoviridae, Papillomaviridae, Phenuiviridae, and Picornaviridae families. Metagenomic sequencing data was insufficient to determine the viral diversity of certain families due to the fragmented coverage of genomes and lack of suitable sequencing depth, as some viruses were detected from the analysis of reads-data only. Follow up conventional PCR assays targeting conserved gene regions for the Adenoviridae, Coronaviridae, and Herpesviridae families were used to confirm metagenomic data and generate additional sequences to determine genetic diversity. The complete coding genome of a MERS-related coronavirus was recovered with additional amplicon sequencing on the MiSeq platform. The new genome shared 97.2% overall nucleotide identity to a previous Neoromicia-associated MERS-related virus, also from South Africa. Conventional PCR analysis detected diverse adenovirus and

Ultrasonographic findings of shoulder teno-muscular structures in symptomatic and asymptomatic dogs.

PubMed

Barella, Gabriele; Lodi, Matteo; Faverzani, Stefano

2017-11-14

B-mode sonographic evaluation of shoulder joint in dogs provides qualitative information concerning mainly tendon and muscles structures. Although the sonographic findings of tenomuscular lesions have been described previously, their frequency in symptomatic and asymptomatic patients has not been reported yet. Aim of the study was to describe and compare qualitative ultrasonographic findings of shoulder joint in clinically symptomatic and asymptomatic dogs and to speculate which lesions might be considered major responsible for lameness. Fifty-two dogs with shoulder lameness and 58 asymptomatic dogs (both with unremarkable radiographic findings) underwent ultrasonographic B-mode examination of the scapulohumeral joint. Lesions detected were recorded and statistically compared between groups. Significant differences between groups were observed for the number of ultrasonographic abnormalities detected and for fluid accumulation, biceps brachii tendon (BT) lesions and bone surface irregularities. Sonography was considered useful for the determination of lesions absence and for the detection of BT lesions, fluid accumulation, muscle lacerations and bone surface irregularities. The odds for symptomatic dogs were greater than for asymptomatic patients to ultrasonographically diagnose BT lesions, fluid accumulation and bone surface irregularities. Ultrasound has proven to be a useful tool in the evaluation of tenomusculoskeletal structures of shoulder in dogs with unremarkable radiographic findings. Our results suggest that ultrasonography is useful in the diagnosis of tendon abnormalities, fluid accumulation, muscle lacerations and bone surface irregularities as potential contributors to shoulder lameness in dogs.

Persistent Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus Infection in Domestic and Wild Small Ruminants and Camelids Including the Mountain Goat (Oreamnos americanus)

PubMed Central

Nelson, Danielle D.; Duprau, Jennifer L.; Wolff, Peregrine L.; Evermann, James F.

2016-01-01

Bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) is a pestivirus best known for causing a variety of disease syndromes in cattle, including gastrointestinal disease, reproductive insufficiency, immunosuppression, mucosal disease, and hemorrhagic syndrome. The virus can be spread by transiently infected individuals and by persistently infected animals that may be asymptomatic while shedding large amounts of virus throughout their lifetime. BVDV has been reported in over 40 domestic and free-ranging species, and persistent infection has been described in eight of those species: white-tailed deer, mule deer, eland, mousedeer, mountain goats, alpacas, sheep, and domestic swine. This paper reviews the various aspects of BVDV transmission, disease syndromes, diagnosis, control, and prevention, as well as examines BVDV infection in domestic and wild small ruminants and camelids including mountain goats (Oreamnos americanus). PMID:26779126

Asymptomatic Effluent Protozoa Colonization in Peritoneal Dialysis Patients.

PubMed

Simões-Silva, Liliana; Correia, Inês; Barbosa, Joana; Santos-Araujo, Carla; Sousa, Maria João; Pestana, Manuel; Soares-Silva, Isabel; Sampaio-Maia, Benedita

Currently, chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a global health problem. Considering the impaired immunity of CKD patients, the relevance of infection in peritoneal dialysis (PD), and the increased prevalence of parasites in CKD patients, protozoa colonization was evaluated in PD effluent from CKD patients undergoing PD. Overnight PD effluent was obtained from 49 asymptomatic stable PD patients. Protozoa analysis was performed microscopically by searching cysts and trophozoites in direct wet mount of PD effluent and after staining smears. Protozoa were found in PD effluent of 10.2% of evaluated PD patients, namely Blastocystis hominis, in 2 patients, and Entamoeba sp., Giardia sp., and Endolimax nana in the other 3 patients, respectively. None of these patients presented clinical signs or symptoms of peritonitis at the time of protozoa screening. Our results demonstrate that PD effluent may be susceptible to asymptomatic protozoa colonization. The clinical impact of this finding should be further investigated. Copyright © 2016 International Society for Peritoneal Dialysis.

Predicting nutrient excretion of aquatic animals with metabolic ecology and ecological stoichiometry: a global synthesis.

PubMed

Vanni, Michael J; McIntyre, Peter B

2016-12-01

The metabolic theory of ecology (MTE) and ecological stoichiometry (ES) are both prominent frameworks for understanding energy and nutrient budgets of organisms. We tested their separate and joint power to predict nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) excretion rates of ectothermic aquatic invertebrate and vertebrate animals (10,534 observations worldwide). MTE variables (body size, temperature) performed better than ES variables (trophic guild, vertebrate classification, body N:P) in predicting excretion rates, but the best models included variables from both frameworks. Size scaling coefficients were significantly lower than predicted by MTE (<0.75), were lower for P than N, and varied greatly among species. Contrary to expectations under ES, vertebrates excreted both N and P at higher rates than invertebrates despite having more nutrient-rich bodies, and primary consumers excreted as much nutrients as carnivores despite having nutrient-poor diets. Accounting for body N:P hardly improved upon predictions from treating vertebrate classification categorically. We conclude that basic data on body size, water temperature, trophic guild, and vertebrate classification are sufficient to make general estimates of nutrient excretion rates for any animal taxon or aquatic ecosystem. Nonetheless, dramatic interspecific variation in size-scaling coefficients and counter-intuitive patterns with respect to diet and body composition underscore the need for field data on consumption and egestion rates. Together, MTE and ES provide a powerful conceptual basis for interpreting and predicting nutrient recycling rates of aquatic animals worldwide. © 2016 by the Ecological Society of America.

Urinary Angiotensinogen Excretion Level Is Associated With Elevated Blood Pressure in the Normotensive General Population.

PubMed

Sato, Emiko; Wang, An Yi; Satoh, Michihiro; Nishikiori, Yoko; Oba-Yabana, Ikuko; Yoshida, Mai; Sato, Hiroshi; Ito, Sadayoshi; Hida, Wataru; Mori, Takefumi

2018-05-07

Inflammation, intrarenal renin-angiotensin system (RAS) activation, oxidative stress, and carbonyl stress have been postulated to play a fundamental role in controlling blood pressure. However, little is known about the association among renal RAS activation, carbonyl stress, and blood pressure elevation. We evaluated the relationship between blood pressure elevation and either renal RAS activity or carbonyl stress in the general population (N = 355) in Japan. To minimize the effect of antihypertensive drug therapy, we divided participants into 3 groups (normotensive, hypertensive-with-non-medication, and hypertensive-with-medication). Intrarenal RAS activity and carbonyl stress were indicated by the urinary angiotensinogen (AGT) and carbonyl compound excretion levels, respectively. The urinary AGT and carbonyl compound excretion levels were significantly associated with blood pressure. Using a stepwise multiple regression analysis, we found that the urinary AGT excretion levels were strongly associated with blood pressure elevation, compared with inflammation, oxidative stress, and carbonyl stress markers, in all groups. Urinary carbonyl compound excretion was significantly associated with blood pressure in only the hypertensive-without-medication group. Furthermore, blood pressure was significantly increased in these participants, and both the urinary AGT and carbonyl compound levels were high. The urinary AGT excretion levels were strongly associated with elevated blood pressure in normotensive people, and inappropriate renal RAS activity and carbonyl stress independently contributed to the development of hypertension. These findings suggest that RAS activation, particularly renal RAS activation exert a fundamental role in the pathogenesis of hypertension in the general population.

Diurnal variation in the biliary excretion of flomoxef in patients with percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage

PubMed Central

Hishikawa, Shuji; Kobayashi, Eiji; Sugimoto, Koh-ichi; Miyata, Michio; Fujimura, Akio

2001-01-01

Aims To examine diurnal variation in biliary excretion of flomoxef. Methods Flomoxef (1 g) was injected intravenously in eight patients with percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography with drainage at 09.00 h and 21.00 h by a cross-over design with a 36 h washout period. Drained biliary fluid was collected for 6 h after each dosing. These patients still had mild to moderate hepatic dysfunction. Results Bile flow and bile acid excretion for 6 h after dosing did not differ significantly between the 09.00 h and 21.00 h treatments. The maximum concentration of biliary flomoxef was significantly greater and its total excretion for 6 h tended to be greater after the 21.00 h dose [maximum concentration (µg ml−1): 34.2 ± 29.9 (09.00 h dose) vs 43.5 ± 28.3 (21.00 h dose) (95% confidence interval for difference: 2.6∼15.9, P = 0.013); total excretion (mg 6 h−1): 1.4 ± 1.3 (09.00 h dose) vs 1.6 ± 1.2 (21.00 h dose) (95% confidence interval for difference: −26.8, 313.7, P = 0.087)]. The period that biliary flomoxef remained above the minimal inhibitory concentration did not differ significantly between the two treatment times. Conclusions These results suggest that biliary excretion of flomoxef shows diurnal variation. However, as the difference was relatively small, flomoxef could be given at any time of day without any dosage adjustments. PMID:11453891

Diurnal variation in the biliary excretion of flomoxef in patients with percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage.

PubMed

Hishikawa, S; Kobayashi, E; Sugimoto , K; Miyata, M; Fujimura, A

2001-07-01

To examine diurnal variation in biliary excretion of flomoxef. Flomoxef (1 g) was injected intravenously in eight patients with percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography with drainage at 09.00 h and 21.00 h by a cross-over design with a 36 h washout period. Drained biliary fluid was collected for 6 h after each dosing. These patients still had mild to moderate hepatic dysfunction. Bile flow and bile acid excretion for 6 h after dosing did not differ significantly between the 09.00 h and 21.00 h treatments. The maximum concentration of biliary flomoxef was significantly greater and its total excretion for 6 h tended to be greater after the 21.00 h dose [maximum concentration (microg ml(-1)): 34.2 +/- 29.9 (09.00 h dose) vs 43.5 +/- 28.3 (21.00 h dose) (95% confidence interval for difference: 2.6 approximately 15.9, P = 0.013); total excretion (mg 6 h(-1)): 1.4 +/- 1.3 (09.00 h dose) vs 1.6 +/- 1.2 (21.00 h dose) (95% confidence interval for difference: -26.8, 313.7, P = 0.087)]. The period that biliary flomoxef remained above the minimal inhibitory concentration did not differ significantly between the two treatment times. These results suggest that biliary excretion of flomoxef shows diurnal variation. However, as the difference was relatively small, flomoxef could be given at any time of day without any dosage adjustments.

Breath Methane Excretion Is not An Accurate Marker of Colonic Methane Production in Irritable Bowel Syndrome.

PubMed

Di Stefano, Michele; Mengoli, Caterina; Bergonzi, Manuela; Klersy, Catherine; Pagani, Elisabetta; Miceli, Emanuela; Corazza, Gino Roberto

2015-06-01

The role of colonic methane production in functional bowel disorders is still uncertain. In small samples of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) patients, it was shown that methane breath excretion correlates with clinical presentation and delayed gastrointestinal transit time. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between intestinal production and breath excretion of CH4 and to correlate CH4 production with the presence and the severity of symptoms, in a large cohort of IBS patients and in a group of healthy volunteers. A group of 103 IBS patients and a group of 28 healthy volunteers were enrolled. The presence and severity of symptoms and gastrointestinal transit were evaluated in all subjects, who underwent breath H2/CH4 measurement for 7 h after lactulose to identify breath excretors of these gases; H2 and CH4 were also measured in rectal samples to identify colonic producers. Cumulative H2 and CH4 excretion and production were evaluated by the area under the time-concentration curve calculation (AUC). In IBS patients, CH4 was detected in rectal samples in 48 patients (47%), but only 27 of them (26% of the 103 enrolled patients) excreted this gas with breath. In CH4 producers, the prevalence and severity of symptoms and gastrointestinal transit time were not significantly different with respect to non-producers. IBS subtypes were homogeneously represented in CH4 producers and in non-producers. Healthy volunteers, compared with IBS patients, showed a significantly lower prevalence of CH4 excretion, whereas no difference was found in the prevalence of colonic CH4 production; moreover, in healthy volunteers compared with IBS, CH4 breath excretion and CH4 production were not different in quantitative terms. Our data show that colonic CH4 production is not associated with clinical presentation in IBS patients and does not correlate with symptom severity or with gastrointestinal transit time. Clinical inferences based on breath CH4 excretion should

Early effects of synthetic bovine parathyroid hormone and synthetic salmon calcitonin on urinary excretion of cyclic AMP, phosphate and calcium in man.

PubMed

Caniggia, A; Gennari, C; Vattimo, A; Nardi, P; Nuti, R; Galli, M

1976-04-20

Bovine synthetic parathyroid hormone infused intravenously in man increased both the urinary excretion of cyclic AMP and the urinary excretion of phosphate whereas a Salmon synthetic calcitonin infusion increased the urinary excretion of phosphate without change in urinary excretion of cyclic AMP. These data are consistent with the hypothesis that different renal mechanisms are involved in the response to each hormone.

Detection of Zika virus RNA in semen of asymptomatic blood donors.

PubMed

Musso, D; Richard, V; Teissier, A; Stone, M; Lanteri, M C; Latoni, G; Alsina, J; Reik, R; Busch, M P

2017-12-01

Zika virus (ZIKV) transmission through semen donation has never been reported but the risk is supported by the detection of ZIKV in semen and the demonstration of ZIKV sexual transmission. The potential impact of ZIKV on assisted reproductive procedures should be evaluated. We tested longitudinally collected semen samples provided by asymptomatic blood donors who tested positive for ZIKV RNA in plasma during ZIKV outbreaks in Puerto Rico and Florida in 2016. Five of the 14 (35.7%) asymptomatic blood donors provided semen samples that tested positive for ZIKV RNA, with ZIKV RNA loads ranging from 8.03 × 10 3 to 2.55 × 10 6 copies/mL. Plasma collected at the same time as the semen tested negative for ZIKV RNA for most ZIKV RNA-positive semen collections; all corresponding plasma samples tested positive or equivocal for anti-ZIKV IgG antibodies and all except one tested positive for ZIKV IgM antibodies. The rate of detection of ZIKV RNA in semen in asymptomatic donors is not significantly different from the rate previously reported for symptomatic patients. Our results that show a high percentage of detection of ZIKV RNA in the semen of asymptomatic men confirm that ZIKV is a new threat for reproductive medicine and should have important implications for assisted reproductive technology. We recommend that semen donations from men at risk for ZIKV infection should be tested for ZIKV RNA, regardless of symptoms of ZIKV infection. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Postoperative Compensatory Ammonium Excretion Subsequent to Systemic Acidosis in Cardiac Patients

PubMed Central

Roehrborn, Friederike; Dohle, Daniel-Sebastian; Tsagakis, Konstantinos; Jakob, Heinz

2017-01-01

Background Postoperative acid-base imbalances, usually acidosis, frequently occur after cardiac surgery. In most cases, the human body, not suffering from any severe preexisting illnesses regarding lung, liver, and kidney, is capable of transient compensation and final correction. The aim of this study was to correlate the appearance of postoperatively occurring acidosis with renal ammonium excretion. Materials and Methods Between 07/2014 and 10/2014, a total of 25 consecutive patients scheduled for elective isolated coronary artery bypass grafting with cardiopulmonary bypass were enrolled in this prospective observational study. During the operative procedure and the first two postoperative days, blood gas analyses were carried out and urine samples collected. Urine samples were analyzed for the absolute amount of ammonium. Results Of all patients, thirteen patients developed acidosis as an initial disturbance in the postoperative period: five of respiratory and eight of metabolic origin. Four patients with respiratory acidosis but none of those with metabolic acidosis subsequently developed a base excess > +2 mEq/L. Conclusion Ammonium excretion correlated with the increase in base excess. The acidosis origin seems to have a large influence on renal compensation in terms of ammonium excretion and the possibility of an overcorrection. PMID:28612026

Marked increase in urinary excretion of apolipoproteins in children with nephrolithiasis associated with hypercalciuria.

PubMed

Kovacevic, Larisa; Lu, Hong; Caruso, Joseph A; Govil-Dalela, Tuhina; Thomas, Ronald; Lakshmanan, Yegappan

2017-06-01

Using a proteomic approach, we aimed to identify and compare the urinary excretion of proteins involved in lipid transport and metabolism in children with kidney stones and hypercalciuria (CAL), hypocitraturia (CIT), and normal metabolic work-up (NM), and in healthy controls (HCs). Additionally, we aimed to confirm these results using ELISA, and to examine the relationship between the urinary excretion of selected proteins with demographic, dietary, blood, and urinary parameters. Prospective, controlled, pilot study of pooled urine from CAL, CIT, and NM versus age- and gender-matched HCs, using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Relative protein abundance was estimated using spectral counting. Results were confirmed by ELISA performed on individual samples. Of the 1,813 proteins identified, 230 met the above criteria. Of those, 5 proteins (apolipoprotein A-II [APOA2]; apolipoprotein A-IV [APOA4]; apolipoprotein C-III [APOA3]; fatty acid-binding protein, liver [FABPL]; fatty acid-binding protein, adipocyte [FABP4]) involved in lipid metabolism and transport were found in the CAL group, with significant differences compared with HCs. ELISA analysis indicated statistically significant differences in the urinary excretion of APOC3, APOA4, and FABPL in the CAL group compared with HCs. Twenty-four-hour urinary calcium excretion correlated significantly with concentrations of ApoC3 (r = 0.77, p < 0.001), and FABPL (r = 0.80, p = 0.005). We provide proteomic data showing increased urinary excretion of lipid metabolism/transport-related proteins in children with kidney stones and hypercalciuria. These findings suggest that abnormalities in lipid metabolism might play a role in kidney stone formation.

Absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion of peginesatide, a novel erythropoiesis-stimulating agent, in rats

PubMed Central

Woodburn, Kathryn W.; Holmes, Christopher P.; Wilson, Susan D.; Fong, Kei-Lai; Press, Randall J.; Moriya, Yuu; Tagawa, Yoshihiko

2011-01-01

The pharmacokinetics(PK) (absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion) of peginesatide.a synthetic, PEGylated, investigational, peptide-based erythropoiesis-stimulating agent (ESA), was evaluated in rats. The PK profile was evaluated at 0.1-5 mg·kg−1 IV using unlabeled or [14C]-labeled peginesatide. Mass balance, tissue distribution and metabolism were evaluated following IV administration of 5 mg·kg−1 [14C]-peginesatide, with tissue distribution also evaluated by quantitative whole-body autoradiography (QWBA) following an IV dose of 17 mg·kg−1[14C]-peginesatide. Plasma clearance was slow and elimination was biphasic with unchanged peginesatide representing >90% of the total radioactivity of the total radioactive exposure. Slow uptake of the radiolabeled compound from the vascular compartment into the tissues was observed. Biodistribution to bone marrow and extramedullary hematopoietic sites, and to highly vascularized lymphatic and excretory tissues occurred. A predominant degradation event to occur in vivo was the loss of one PEG chain from the branched PEG moiety to generate mono-PEG. Renal excretion was the primary mechanism (41%) of elimination, with parent molecule (67%) the major moiety excreted. In conclusion, elimination of [14C]-peginesatide-derived radioactivity was extended, retention preferentially occurred at sites of erythropoiesis (bone marrow), and urinary excretion was the primary elimination route. PMID:22188389

Self-monitoring urinary salt excretion in adults: A novel education program for restricting dietary salt intake

PubMed Central

YASUTAKE, KENICHIRO; SAWANO, KAYOKO; YAMAGUCHI, SHOKO; SAKAI, HIROKO; AMADERA, HATSUMI; TSUCHIHASHI, TAKUYA

2011-01-01

This study aimed to examine the usefulness of the self-monitoring of urinary salt excretion for educating individuals about the risk of excessive dietary salt intake. The subjects were 30 volunteers (15 men and 15 women) not consuming anti-hypertensive medication. The subjects measured urinary salt excretion at home for 4 weeks using a self-monitoring device. Blood pressure (BP), anthropometric variables and nutritional variables (by a dietary-habits questionnaire) were measured before and after the measurement of urinary salt excretion. Statistical analyses were performed, including paired t-tests, Chi-square test, Pearson’s product moment correlation coefficient and multiple linear regression analysis. In all subjects, the average urinary salt excretion over 4 weeks was 8.05±1.61 g/day and the range (maximum-minimum value) was 5.58±2.15 g/day. Salt excretion decreased significantly in weeks 3 and 4 (P<0.05 and P<0.01, respectively). Diastolic BP decreased from 77.7±14.3 (at baseline) to 74.3±13.3 after 4 weeks (P<0.05), while systolic BP and anthropometric variables remained unchanged. Nutrition surveys indicated that energy intake was correlated with salt intake both before and after the measurements; changes in both variables during the observation period were correlated (r=0.40, P<0.05). The percentage of subjects who were aware of the restriction in dietary salt intake increased from 47 to 90%. In conclusion, daily monitoring of the amount of urinary salt excretion using a self-monitoring device appears to be an effective educational tool for improving the quality of life of healthy adults. PMID:22977549

Self-monitoring urinary salt excretion in adults: A novel education program for restricting dietary salt intake.

PubMed

Yasutake, Kenichiro; Sawano, Kayoko; Yamaguchi, Shoko; Sakai, Hiroko; Amadera, Hatsumi; Tsuchihashi, Takuya

2011-07-01

This study aimed to examine the usefulness of the self-monitoring of urinary salt excretion for educating individuals about the risk of excessive dietary salt intake. The subjects were 30 volunteers (15 men and 15 women) not consuming anti-hypertensive medication. The subjects measured urinary salt excretion at home for 4 weeks using a self-monitoring device. Blood pressure (BP), anthropometric variables and nutritional variables (by a dietary-habits questionnaire) were measured before and after the measurement of urinary salt excretion. Statistical analyses were performed, including paired t-tests, Chi-square test, Pearson's product moment correlation coefficient and multiple linear regression analysis. In all subjects, the average urinary salt excretion over 4 weeks was 8.05±1.61 g/day and the range (maximum-minimum value) was 5.58±2.15 g/day. Salt excretion decreased significantly in weeks 3 and 4 (P<0.05 and P<0.01, respectively). Diastolic BP decreased from 77.7±14.3 (at baseline) to 74.3±13.3 after 4 weeks (P<0.05), while systolic BP and anthropometric variables remained unchanged. Nutrition surveys indicated that energy intake was correlated with salt intake both before and after the measurements; changes in both variables during the observation period were correlated (r=0.40, P<0.05). The percentage of subjects who were aware of the restriction in dietary salt intake increased from 47 to 90%. In conclusion, daily monitoring of the amount of urinary salt excretion using a self-monitoring device appears to be an effective educational tool for improving the quality of life of healthy adults.

Aseptic meningitis and viral myelitis.

PubMed

Irani, David N

2008-08-01

Meningitis and myelitis represent common and very infrequent viral infections of the central nervous system, respectively. The number of cases of viral meningitis that occurs annually exceeds the total number of meningitis cases caused by all other etiologies combined. Focal central nervous system infections, such as occur in the spinal cord with viral myelitis, are much less common and may be confused with noninfectious disorders that cause acute flaccid paralysis. This article reviews some of the important clinical features, epidemiology, diagnostic approaches, and management strategies for patients with aseptic meningitis and viral myelitis. Particular focus is placed on the diseases caused by enteroviruses, which as a group account for most aseptic meningitis cases and many focal infections of the spinal cord.

Production of non viral DNA vectors.

PubMed

Schleef, Martin; Blaesen, Markus; Schmeer, Marco; Baier, Ruth; Marie, Corinne; Dickson, George; Scherman, Daniel

2010-12-01

After some decades of research, development and first clinical approaches to use DNA vectors in gene therapy, cell therapy and DNA vaccination, the requirements for the pharmaceutical manufacturing of gene vectors has improved significantly step by step. Even the expression level and specificity of non viral DNA vectors were significantly modified and followed the success of viral vectors. The strict separation of "viral" and "non viral" gene transfer are historic borders between scientist and we will show that both fields together are able to allow the next step towards successful prevention and therapy. Here we summarize the features of producing and modifying these non-viral gene vectors to ensure the required quality to modify cells and to treat human and animals.

Asymptomatic ratio for seasonal H1N1 influenza infection among schoolchildren in Taiwan.

PubMed

Hsieh, Ying-Hen; Tsai, Chen-An; Lin, Chien-Yu; Chen, Jin-Hua; King, Chwan-Chuen; Chao, Day-Yu; Cheng, Kuang-Fu

2014-02-12

Studies indicate that asymptomatic infections do indeed occur frequently for both seasonal and pandemic influenza, accounting for about one-third of influenza infections. Studies carried out during the 2009 pH1N1 pandemic have found significant antibody response against seasonal H1N1 and H3N2 vaccine strains in schoolchildren receiving only pandemic H1N1 monovalent vaccine, yet reported either no symptoms or only mild symptoms. Serum samples of 255 schoolchildren, who had not received vaccination and had pre-season HI Ab serotiters <40, were collected from urban, rural areas and an isolated island in Taiwan during the 2005-2006 influenza season. Their hemagglutination inhibition antibody (HI Ab) serotiters against the 2005 A/New Caledonia/20/99 (H1N1) vaccine strain at pre-season and post-season were measured to determine the symptoms with the highest correlation with infection, as defined by 4-fold rise in HI titer. We estimate the asymptomatic ratio, or the proportion of asymptomatic infections, for schoolchildren during the 2005-6 influenza season when this vaccine strain was found to be antigenically related to the circulating H1N1 strain. Fever has the highest correlation with the 2005-06 seasonal influenza A(H1N1) infection, followed by headache, cough, vomiting, and sore throat. Asymptomatic ratio for the schoolchildren is found to range between 55.6% (95% CI: 44.7-66.4)-77.9% (68.8-87.0) using different sets of predictive symptoms. Moreover, the asymptomatic ratio was 66.9% (56.6-77.2) when using US-CDC criterion of fever + (cough/sore throat), and 73.0 (63.3-82.8) when under Taiwan CDC definition of Fever + (cough or sore throat or nose) + ( headache or pain or fatigue). Asymptomatic ratio for children is found to be substantially higher than that of the general population in literature. In providing reasonable quantification of the asymptomatic infected children spreading pathogens to others in a seasonal epidemic or a pandemic, our estimates

Excretion of common neutral steroids in healthy subjects as estimated by multi-column chromatography.

PubMed

Vestergaard, P

1978-01-01

Excretion data for common neutral urinary steroids from a total of 330 healthy subjects from different parts of the world and of different sex and age are given. The estimations, which have been performed by multi-column liquid chromatography, include 24 h excretion values for both common 17-oxosteroids and the common metabolites of cortisol, including the cortolones and the cortols. Comparisons are made with values from the world literature and with isotope experiments.

Postepizootic Persistence of Asymptomatic Mycoplasma conjunctivae Infection in Iberian Ibex

PubMed Central

Cabezón, Oscar; Granados, José Enrique; Frey, Joachim; Serrano, Emmanuel; Velarde, Roser; Cano-Manuel, Francisco Javier; Mentaberre, Gregorio; Ráez-Bravo, Arián; Fandos, Paulino

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT The susceptibility of the Iberian ibex (Capra pyrenaica) to Mycoplasma conjunctivae ocular infection and the changes in their interaction over time were studied in terms of clinical outcome, molecular detection, and IgG immune response in a captive population that underwent a severe infectious keratoconjunctivitis (IKC) outbreak. Mycoplasma conjunctivae was detected in the Iberian ibex, coinciding with the IKC outbreak. Its prevalence had a decreasing trend in 2013 that was consistent with the clinical resolution (August, 35.4%; September, 8.7%; November, 4.3%). Infections without clinical outcome were, however, still detected in the last handling in November. Sequencing and cluster analyses of the M. conjunctivae strains found 1 year later in the ibex population confirmed the persistence of the same strain lineage that caused the IKC outbreak but with a high prevalence (75.3%) of mostly asymptomatic infections and with lower DNA load of M. conjunctivae in the eyes (mean quantitative PCR [qPCR] cycle threshold [CT], 36.1 versus 20.3 in severe IKC). Significant age-related differences of M. conjunctivae prevalence were observed only under IKC epizootic conditions. No substantial effect of systemic IgG on M. conjunctivae DNA in the eye was evidenced with a linear mixed-models selection, which indicated that systemic IgG does not necessarily drive the resolution of M. conjunctivae infection and does not explain the epidemiological changes observed. The results show how both epidemiological scenarios, i.e., severe IKC outbreak and mostly asymptomatic infections, can consecutively occur by entailing mycoplasma persistence. IMPORTANCE Mycoplasma infections are reported in a wide range of epidemiological scenarios that involve severe disease to asymptomatic infections. This study allows a better understanding of the transition between two different Mycoplasma conjunctivae epidemiological scenarios described in wild host populations and highlights the ability of M

Prediction of manure nitrogen and organic matter excretion for young Holstein cattle fed on grass silage-based diets.

PubMed

Jiao, H P; Yan, T; McDowell, D A

2014-07-01

The objectives of the present study were to evaluate the effects of sex (steers vs. heifers) of young Holstein cattle on N and OM excretion in feces and urine and to use these data to develop prediction models for N and OM excretion. Data used were derived from a study with 20 autumn-born Holstein cattle (10 steers and 10 heifers) with N and OM intake and output measured at age of 6, 12, 18, and 22 mo, respectively. The cattle were offered a typical diet used on U.K. commercial farms containing a single grass silage mixed with concentrates. In each period, the cattle were housed as a single group in cubicle accommodation for the first 20 d, individually in metabolism units for the next 3 d, and then in calorimeter chambers for the final 5 d with feed intake, feces, and urine excretion measured during the final 4 d. Within each period, sex had no effect (P > 0.05) on N or OM intake or excretion or N utilization efficiency, with exceptions of steers having a greater intake of N (P = 0.036) and OM (P = 0.018) at age of 18 mo and a lower ratio of fecal N:N intake (P = 0.023) at age of 6 mo. A range of regression relationships (P < 0.05) were developed for prediction of N (g/d) and OM (kg/d) excretion in feces and urine. The present data were also used to calculate accumulated N and OM intake (kg) and excretion for the 2 sexes. Sex had no effects (P > 0.05) on accumulated N or OM intake or N or OM excretion in feces and urine or retained N and OM during the first or second year of life. On average for the 2 sexes at first and second year of age, the accumulated N excretions in feces were 11.4 and 21.1 kg and in urine 11.6 and 30.6 kg, respectively, and the corresponding values for accumulated OM excretions were respectively 241.5, 565.7, 30.3 and 81.5 kg. A number of equations were developed to predict accumulated N and OM excretion in feces and urine (kg) using BW (kg; P < 0.001, r(2) = 0.95 to 0.97). The accurate prediction of N and OM excretion in feces and urine is

Whites excrete a water load more rapidly than blacks.

PubMed

Weder, Alan B; Gleiberman, Lillian; Sachdeva, Amit

2009-04-01

A recent report demonstrated a racial difference in response to furosemide compatible with increased ion reabsorption in the thick ascending limb of the loop of Henle in blacks. Urinary dilution is another function of the loop-diuretic-sensitive Na,K,2Cl cotransporter in the thick ascending limb, and racial differences in urinary diluting capacity have not been reported previously. We assessed diluting segment (cortical thick ascending limb and distal convoluted tubule) function in black and white normotensives in 2 studies using a water-loading approach. In both studies, we found that whites excreted a water load more rapidly than blacks. In the first study, the final free water clearance rates (mean+/-SD) were 7.3+/-4.7 mL/min in whites (n=17, 7 females and 10 males) and 3.8+/-3.6 mL/min in blacks (n=14, 9 females and 5 males; P<0.03). In the second study, final free water clearance rates were 8.3+/-2.6 mL/min in whites (n=17, 8 females and 9 males) and 6.4+/-1.8 mL/min in blacks (n=11, 8 females and 3 males; P<0.01). We found no evidence of a racial difference in renal proximal tubular fluid reabsorption as assessed by renal endogenous lithium clearance or in plasma vasopressin level that could explain the difference in free water excretion. We conclude that our observations are most consistent with a lower capacity of ion reabsorption in the renal diluting segment in blacks. Slower excretion of an acute water load may have been an advantage during natural selection of humans living in arid, hot climates.

Prevalence of asymptomatic infections in sexually transmitted diseases attendees diagnosed with bacterial vaginosis, vaginal candidiasis, and trichomoniasis.

PubMed

Rajalakshmi, R; Kalaivani, S

2016-01-01

Sexually transmitted diseases (STD) are a major health problem affecting mostly young people in both developing and developed countries. STD in women causes both acute morbidity and complications such as infertility, ectopic pregnancy, low-birth weight, and prematurity. The aim of the study is to assess the prevalence of bacterial vaginosis, vaginal candidiasis, and trichomoniasis among asymptomatic females attending STD outpatient department in a tertiary care hospital in South India. A retrospective analysis of data collected from clinical records of 3000 female patients of age 18 to 49 over a period of 12 months (July 2014 to June 2015) was carried out at the Institute of Venereology, Madras Medical College. Complete epidemiological, clinical, and investigational data were recorded and analyzed for the prevalence of bacterial vaginosis, vaginal candidiasis, and trichomoniasis among asymptomatic patients. About 48.37% (228/470) of bacterial vaginosis patients were asymptomatic. Nearly 45.38% (116/235) of vaginal candidiasis patients were asymptomatic and 30.35% (26/87) of trichomoniasis patients were asymptomatic. The above infections were common in the age group 25-35. Holistic screening protocol was incorporated for all female patients attending STD clinic even if asymptomatic and should be treated accordingly to prevent the acquisition of other serious sexually transmitted infections.

Dental attrition models predicting temporomandibular joint disease or masticatory muscle pain versus asymptomatic controls.

PubMed

Seligman, D A; Pullinger, A G

2006-11-01

To determine whether patients with temporomandibular joint disease or masticatory muscle pain can be usefully differentiated from asymptomatic controls using multifactorial classification tree models of attrition severity and/or rates. Measures of attrition severity and rates in patients diagnosed with disc displacement (n = 52), osteoarthrosis (n = 74), or masticatory muscle pain only (n = 43) were compared against those in asymptomatic controls (n = 132). Cross-validated classification tree models were tested for fit with sensitivity, specificity, accuracy and log likelihood accountability. The model for identifying asymptomatic controls only required the three measures of attrition severity (anterior, mediotrusive and laterotrusive posterior) to be differentiated from the patients with a 74.2 +/- 3.8% cross-validation accuracy. This compared with cross-validation accuracies of 69.7 +/- 3.7% for differentiating disc displacement using anterior and laterotrusive attrition severity, 68.7 +/- 3.9% for differentiating disc displacement using anterior and laterotrusive attrition rates, 70.9 +/- 3.3% for differentiating osteoarthrosis using anterior attrition severity and rates, 94.6 +/- 2.1% for differentiating myofascial pain using mediotrusive and laterotrusive attrition severity, and 92.0 +/- 2.1% for differentiating myofascial pain using mediotrusive and anterior attrition rates. The myofascial pain models exceeded the > or =75% sensitivity and > or =90% specificity thresholds recommended for diagnostic tests, and the asymptomatic control model approached these thresholds. Multifactorial models using attrition severity and rates may differentiate masticatory muscle pain patients from asymptomatic controls, and have some predictive value for differentiating intracapsular temporomandibular disorder patients as well.

Diurnal fluctuations in nematode egg excretion in naturally and in experimentally infected chickens.

PubMed

Wongrak, Kalyakorn; Gauly, Matthias; Daş, Gürbüz

2015-03-15

We investigated whether nematode egg excretion through feces of naturally or experimentally infected chickens follow certain patterns within a day, which may allow determining the most appropriate sampling time for the highest parasite egg concentration. Feces samples (n=864) from chickens (n=36) with naturally occurring mixed nematode infections (trials N1, N2) or with an experimental Ascaridia galli infection (E) were collected quantitatively every 4h for four consecutive days. Number of eggs per gram of feces (EPG) was determined, and accumulative egg output (AEO) at each sampling time as well as total number of eggs excreted within 24h (eggs per day, EPD) were then estimated. At the end of the collection period, the hens were necropsied and their worm burdens determined. Naturally infected hens harbored Heterakis gallinarum (100%), Capillaria spp. (95.7%) and A. galli (91.3%). The experimental A. galli infection produced patent infections in all the birds. In general, both fecal egg concentration (EPG) and the amount of feces increased (P<0.05) sharply from the early morning to early-noon (10:00 a.m.) and remained at a high level until evenings which thereafter decreased to their initial levels during the night both in naturally and experimentally infected birds. This resulted in a more apparent increase or a decrease in AEO at the corresponding time points, respectively, and led to much higher egg excretions during the daytime than the nights. Despite the apparent within day fluctuations in egg excretion, neither EPG (P=0.704) nor AEO (P=0.499) nor EPD (P=0.149) was significantly different among the four collection days. Similarly, there was no significant interaction (P>0.05) between effects of sampling hours and days on EPG and AEO, suggesting the existence of repeatable diurnal fluctuations within each day. Although an association between climatic parameters (e.g., ambient temperature and relative humidity) and the nematode egg excretion was quantified, a

Microbial aetiology and sensitivity of asymptomatic bacteriuria among ante-natal mothers in Mulago hospital, Uganda.

PubMed

Andabati, G; Byamugisha, J

2010-12-01

Asymptomatic bacteriuria in pregnancy is associated with potential urinary and obstetric complications. However the prevalence aetiology and antimicrobial sensitivity patterns of asymptomatic bacteriurea among women attending ante-natal care in our Hospital is not known. To determine the prevalence and identify the aetiological agents associated with asymptomatic bacteriurea in antenatal mothers in Mulago Hospital. We also intended to determine the anti-microbial sensitivity patterns of the common uropathogen in this population We performed culture and anti-microbial sensitivity tests on urine samples from 218 consecutive ante-natal mothers in Mulago Hospital. All participants did not have any clinical symptoms attributable to urinary tract infection. Twenty nine (13.3%) of the samples had significant bacterial growth and E.coli was the commonest isolate (51.2%). There was a high level (20-62%) of anti-bacterial resistance to the commonly used antibiotics. Asymptomatic bacteriuria is common among ante-natal mothers in Mulago. E. Coli that is resistant to the most commonly used antibiotics is the commonest isolate."

Renal excretion of prostaglandin metabolites, arginine vasopressin, and sodium during endotoxin and endogenous pyrogen induced fever in the goat.

PubMed

Jónasson, H; Basu, S; Andersson, B; Kindahl, H

1984-04-01

Responses to intravenous injections of an endotoxin (E. coli-lipopolysaccharide, 1 microgram/kg b.wt.) and endogenous pyrogen were studied in euhydrated and hyperhydrated goats. The biphasic febrile response to the endotoxin was associated with a pronounced increase in the renal excretion of measured prostaglandin (PG) metabolites (11-ketotetranor PGF metabolites). This increase was time-correlated with the elevation of the rectal temperature, and (in hyperhydrated animals) with an inhibition of the water diuresis and an increase in renal excretion of arginine vasopressin (AVP). Other effects of the endotoxin were an immediate depression of renal Na and K excretion followed by the development of pronounced natriuresis, and a reduction of plasma Fe and Zn concentrations. The appearance of the febrile reactions (peripheral vasoconstriction and shivering) was accompanied by miosis. The maximum elevation of the rectal temperature was significantly greater during euhydration than during hyperhydration. Also endogenous pyrogen elicited miosis concomitant with febrile reactions, and an elevation of the renal excretion of PG metabolites which was closely correlated in time with the monophasic febrile response, and (during hyperhydration) with temporary inhibition of the water diuresis and an increase in the renal AVP excretion. However, the responses were much weaker than the corresponding endotoxin effects. No appreciable changes in renal excretion of Na and K were observed in response to the endogenous pyrogen. It is concluded that the observed effects on renal cation excretion were manifestations of direct endotoxin influences on kidney function.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Viral infections in transplant recipients.

PubMed

Razonable, R R; Eid, A J

2009-12-01

Solid organ and hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients are uniquely predisposed to develop clinical illness, often with increased severity, due to a variety of common and opportunistic viruses. Patients may acquire viral infections from the donor (donor-derived infections), from reactivation of endogenous latent virus, or from the community. Herpes viruses, most notably cytomegalovirus and Epstein Barr virus, are the most common among opportunistic viral pathogens that cause infection after solid organ and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. The polyoma BK virus causes opportunistic clinical syndromes predominantly in kidney and allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients. The agents of viral hepatitis B and C present unique challenges particularly among liver transplant recipients. Respiratory viral illnesses due to influenza, respiratory syncytial virus, and parainfluenza virus may affect all types of transplant recipients, although severe clinical disease is observed more commonly among lung and allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients. Less common viral infections affecting transplant recipients include those caused by adenoviruses, parvovirus B19, and West Nile virus. Treatment for viruses with proven effective antiviral drug therapies should be complemented by reduction in the degree of immunosuppression. For others with no proven antiviral drugs for therapy, reduction in the degree of immunosuppression remains as the sole effective strategy for management. Prevention of viral infections is therefore of utmost importance, and this may be accomplished through vaccination, antiviral strategies, and aggressive infection control measures.

[Viral hepatitis in travellers].

PubMed

Abreu, Cândida

2007-01-01

Considering the geographical asymmetric distribution of viral hepatitis A, B and E, having a much higher prevalence in the less developed world, travellers from developed countries are exposed to a considerable and often underestimated risk of hepatitis infection. In fact a significant percentage of viral hepatitis occurring in developed countries is travel related. This results from globalization and increased mobility from tourism, international work, humanitarian and religious missions or other travel related activities. Several studies published in Europe and North America shown that more than 50% of reported cases of hepatitis A are travel related. On the other hand frequent outbreaks of hepatitis A and E in specific geographic areas raise the risk of infection in these restricted zones and that should be clearly identified. Selected aspects related with the distribution of hepatitis A, B and E are reviewed, particularly the situation in Portugal according to the published studies, as well as relevant clinical manifestations and differential diagnosis of viral hepatitis. Basic prevention rules considering enteric transmitted hepatitis (hepatitis A and hepatitis E) and parenteral transmitted (hepatitis B) are reviewed as well as hepatitis A and B immunoprophylaxis. Common clinical situations and daily practice "pre travel" advice issues are discussed according to WHO/CDC recommendations and the Portuguese National Vaccination Program. Implications from near future availability of a hepatitis E vaccine, a currently in phase 2 trial, are highlighted. Potential indications for travellers to endemic countries like India, Nepal and some regions of China, where up to 30% of sporadic cases of acute viral hepatitis are caused by hepatitis E virus, are considered. Continued epidemiological surveillance for viral hepatitis is essential to recognize and control possible outbreaks, but also to identify new viral hepatitis agents that may emerge as important global health

18F-FDG PET/CT in the detection of asymptomatic malignant melanoma recurrence.

PubMed

Lawal, Ismaheel; Lengana, Thabo; Ololade, Kehinde; Boshomane, Tebatso; Reyneke, Florette; Modiselle, Moshe; Vorster, Mariza; Sathekge, Mike

2017-06-12

To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of FDG PET/CT in the detection of asymptomatic recurrence in patients with malignant melanoma who have had resection of their primary lesion. We also aimed to determine the pattern and factors predisposing to disease recurrence. Patients with malignant melanoma who have had surgical resection of their disease and without any clinical evidence of disease recurrence were followed-up with FDG PET/CT. The diagnostic accuracy of FDG PET/CT, pattern of recurrence and factors predictive of disease recurrence were determined. A total of 144 patients were followed-up for a median period of 50.50 months. Asymptomatic recurrence was seen in 37 patients (25.7 %) with a median time to recurrence of 20 months. Lymph node was the commonest site of asymptomatic recurrence. Sex, tumour depth, histology type and presence of nodal metastasis were significant predictors of tumour recurrence. Age, race, site of primary lesion, type of lymph node resection were not significant predictors of disease recurrence. Race has a significant effect on the histological subtype of tumour (nodular maligna was more common in Caucasian while acral lentiginous was more prevalent in the Blacks) and the site of the primary lesion (lower limb in Blacks and trunk in Caucasians). Sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of FDG PET/CT for the detection of disease recurrence were 94.5 %, 87.6 % and 89.6 % respectively. FDG PET/CT is a suitable modality for early detection of asymptomatic recurrence of malignant melanoma. Asymptomatic recurrence most commonly occurs in lymph nodes. Sex, nodal metastasis and tumour pathologic features are predictors of recurrence.

Viral Perturbations of Host Networks Reflect Disease Etiology

PubMed Central

Dricot, Amélie; Padi, Megha; Byrdsong, Danielle; Franchi, Rachel; Lee, Deok-Sun; Rozenblatt-Rosen, Orit; Mar, Jessica C.; Calderwood, Michael A.; Baldwin, Amy; Zhao, Bo; Santhanam, Balaji; Braun, Pascal; Simonis, Nicolas; Huh, Kyung-Won; Hellner, Karin; Grace, Miranda; Chen, Alyce; Rubio, Renee; Marto, Jarrod A.; Christakis, Nicholas A.; Kieff, Elliott; Roth, Frederick P.; Roecklein-Canfield, Jennifer; DeCaprio, James A.; Cusick, Michael E.; Quackenbush, John; Hill, David E.; Münger, Karl; Vidal, Marc; Barabási, Albert-László

2012-01-01

Many human diseases, arising from mutations of disease susceptibility genes (genetic diseases), are also associated with viral infections (virally implicated diseases), either in a directly causal manner or by indirect associations. Here we examine whether viral perturbations of host interactome may underlie such virally implicated disease relationships. Using as models two different human viruses, Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and human papillomavirus (HPV), we find that host targets of viral proteins reside in network proximity to products of disease susceptibility genes. Expression changes in virally implicated disease tissues and comorbidity patterns cluster significantly in the network vicinity of viral targets. The topological proximity found between cellular targets of viral proteins and disease genes was exploited to uncover a novel pathway linking HPV to Fanconi anemia. PMID:22761553

Viral Space Situational Awareness

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gleckler, A.; Butterfield, M. C.

2012-09-01

Viral SSA takes advantage of the amateur astronomy community to provide an extremely low-cost and geographically-diverse network of optical SSA sites. In the spirit of programs such as DARPA's Grand Challenge and the National Weather Service's program of providing amateur meteorologists with weather stations linked to a central professional meteorological facility, we form a cooperative bond with a willing community of technically-minded individuals. We term this program "viral" because we will qualify an initial set of astronomers for SSA operation and then use word of mouth in the astronomy community, as well as an outreach program, to pull in new observers. The use of modern remote controlled telescopes allows the incorporation of certified amateur, university, and commercial telescope systems. The availability of the local Viral SSA member for troubleshooting eliminates most significant costs of operating a large network. In this talk, we discuss the key concepts of Viral SSA and the route to a network of 100+ sites in a three year or less timeframe.

Modeling Viral Capsid Assembly

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

I present a review of the theoretical and computational methodologies that have been used to model the assembly of viral capsids. I discuss the capabilities and limitations of approaches ranging from equilibrium continuum theories to molecular dynamics simulations, and I give an overview of some of the important conclusions about virus assembly that have resulted from these modeling efforts. Topics include the assembly of empty viral shells, assembly around single-stranded nucleic acids to form viral particles, and assembly around synthetic polymers or charged nanoparticles for nanotechnology or biomedical applications. I present some examples in which modeling efforts have promoted experimental breakthroughs, as well as directions in which the connection between modeling and experiment can be strengthened. PMID:25663722

Decreased urinary glycosaminoglycan excretion following alfuzosin treatment on ureteral stent-related symptoms: a prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled study.

PubMed

Liu, Shucheng; Yu, Ying; Gao, Yang; Yang, Xiong; Pang, Zili

2016-04-01

The objectives of the study were to evaluate changes in ureteral stent-related symptoms and urinary glycosaminoglycan (GAG) excretion after alfuzosin treatment, and to further investigate the relationship between stent-related symptoms and loss of urinary GAGs. Seventy consecutive patients scheduled for unilateral retrograde ureteroscopy with stent placement were recruited. Patients were randomly assigned to treatment with alfuzosin 10 mg/day or placebo for 3 weeks starting on the third postoperative day. The ureteral stent was removed when treatment stopped. International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), visual analog scale (VAS) score, and urinary GAG excretion were determined before treatment at 1, 2, and 3 weeks after treatment, and at 3 weeks after stent removal. Fifty-nine patients completed the study. IPSS, VAS score, and urinary GAG excretion were significantly lower in the alfuzosin group, compared with the placebo group, at 1, 2, and 3 weeks after treatment (P < 0.01). In both groups, IPSS, VAS score, and urinary GAG excretion were significantly lower at 3 weeks after stent removal compared with those before stent removal. No significant differences in IPSS, VAS score, or urinary GAG excretion were observed between the two groups at baseline and 3 weeks after stent removal (P > 0.05). Positive correlations were found between urinary GAG excretion (R(2) = 0.65, P < 0.001) and IPSS and between urinary GAG excretion and VAS score (R(2) = 0.33, P < 0.001). Stent placement contributes to loss of urinary GAGs. However, alfuzosin effectively reduces such loss and improves ureteral stent-related symptoms. Loss of urinary GAGs plays a role in these symptoms.

Spatio-Temporal Dynamics of Asymptomatic Malaria: Bridging the Gap Between Annual Malaria Resurgences in a Sahelian Environment.

PubMed

Coulibaly, Drissa; Travassos, Mark A; Tolo, Youssouf; Laurens, Matthew B; Kone, Abdoulaye K; Traore, Karim; Sissoko, Mody; Niangaly, Amadou; Diarra, Issa; Daou, Modibo; Guindo, Boureima; Rebaudet, Stanislas; Kouriba, Bourema; Dessay, Nadine; Piarroux, Renaud; Plowe, Christopher V; Doumbo, Ogobara K; Thera, Mahamadou A; Gaudart, Jean

2017-12-01

In areas of seasonal malaria transmission, the incidence rate of malaria infection is presumed to be near zero at the end of the dry season. Asymptomatic individuals may constitute a major parasite reservoir during this time. We conducted a longitudinal analysis of the spatio-temporal distribution of clinical malaria and asymptomatic parasitemia over time in a Malian town to highlight these malaria transmission dynamics. For a cohort of 300 rural children followed over 2009-2014, periodicity and phase shift between malaria and rainfall were determined by spectral analysis. Spatial risk clusters of clinical episodes or carriage were identified. A nested-case-control study was conducted to assess the parasite carriage factors. Malaria infection persisted over the entire year with seasonal peaks. High transmission periods began 2-3 months after the rains began. A cluster with a low risk of clinical malaria in the town center persisted in high and low transmission periods. Throughout 2009-2014, cluster locations did not vary from year to year. Asymptomatic and gametocyte carriage were persistent, even during low transmission periods. For high transmission periods, the ratio of asymptomatic to clinical cases was approximately 0.5, but was five times higher during low transmission periods. Clinical episodes at previous high transmission periods were a protective factor for asymptomatic carriage, but carrying parasites without symptoms at a previous high transmission period was a risk factor for asymptomatic carriage. Stable malaria transmission was associated with sustained asymptomatic carriage during dry seasons. Control strategies should target persistent low-level parasitemia clusters to interrupt transmission.

Neurocognitive function in HIV-infected persons with asymptomatic cryptococcal antigenemia: a comparison of three prospective cohorts.

PubMed

Montgomery, Martha P; Nakasujja, Noeline; Morawski, Bozena M; Rajasingham, Radha; Rhein, Joshua; Nalintya, Elizabeth; Williams, Darlisha A; Huppler Hullsiek, Kathy; Kiragga, Agnes; Rolfes, Melissa A; Donahue Carlson, Renee; Bahr, Nathan C; Birkenkamp, Kate E; Manabe, Yukari C; Bohjanen, Paul R; Kaplan, Jonathan E; Kambugu, Andrew; Meya, David B; Boulware, David R

2017-06-12

HIV-infected persons with detectable cryptococcal antigen (CrAg) in blood have increased morbidity and mortality compared with HIV-infected persons who are CrAg-negative. This study examined neurocognitive function among persons with asymptomatic cryptococcal antigenemia. Participants from three prospective HIV cohorts underwent neurocognitive testing at the time of antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation. Cohorts included persons with cryptococcal meningitis (N = 90), asymptomatic CrAg + (N = 87), and HIV-infected persons without central nervous system infection (N = 125). Z-scores for each neurocognitive test were calculated relative to an HIV-negative Ugandan population with a composite quantitative neurocognitive performance Z-score (QNPZ-8) created from eight tested domains. Neurocognitive function was measured pre-ART for all three cohorts and additionally after 4 weeks of ART (and 6 weeks of pre-emptive fluconazole) treatment among asymptomatic CrAg + participants. Cryptococcal meningitis and asymptomatic CrAg + participants had lower median CD4 counts (17 and 26 cells/μL, respectively) than the HIV-infected control cohort (233 cells/μL) as well as lower Karnofsky performance status (60 and 70 vs. 90, respectively). The composite QNPZ-8 for asymptomatic CrAg + (-1.80 Z-score) fell between the cryptococcal meningitis cohort (-2.22 Z-score, P = 0.02) and HIV-infected controls (-1.36, P = 0.003). After four weeks of ART and six weeks of fluconazole, the asymptomatic CrAg + cohort neurocognitive performance improved (-1.0 Z-score, P < 0.001). Significant deficits in neurocognitive function were identified in asymptomatic CrAg + persons with advanced HIV/AIDS even without signs or sequelae of meningitis. Neurocognitive function in this group improves over time after initiation of pre-emptive fluconazole treatment and ART, but short term adherence support may be necessary.

Microembolic Signals Detected with Transcranial Doppler Sonography Differ between Symptomatic and Asymptomatic Middle Cerebral Artery Stenoses in Northeast China

PubMed Central

Wu, Xiujuan; Zhang, Hongliang; Liu, Haiyu; Xing, Yingqi; Liu, Kangding

2014-01-01

Although microembolus monitoring has been widely used for ischemic cerebrovascular disease, the clinical significance of microembolic signal (MES) in asymptomatic middle cerebral artery (MCA) stenosis remains unclear. We aim to investigate the frequency of MES and the value of MES in predicting ischemic stroke secondary to asymptomatic MCA stenosis. From June 2011 to December 2012, microembolus monitoring was performed in 83 asymptomatic and 126 symptomatic subjects. By comparing the demographics and risk factors between the symptomatic and asymptomatic subjects, we found that the ratio of male sexuality and smoking history differed (101/126 vs 43/83, and 88/126 vs 38/83, respectively, p<0.01). The frequency of MES was significantly higher in the symptomatic group than in the asymptomatic group (49/126 vs 2/108, p<0.01). Specifically, the frequency of MES in the symptomatic and asymptomatic groups with mild stenosis, moderate stenosis, severe stenosis and occlusion groups was 4/18 (22.22%) vs 0/30 (0), 13/31 (41.94%) vs 1/28 (3.57%), 30/62 (48.39%) vs 1/39 (2.56%), 2/15 (13.33%) vs 0/11 (0), respectively. Except for the occlusive group, the frequency of MES is correlated with stenosis degree and symptom. Two patients in the asymptomatic group were found positive for MES, and the MES number was 1 for both. During the one-year follow-up, neither of them developed ischemic stroke. In conclusion, MES detected with TCD differs between symptomatic and asymptomatic MCA stenoses. Due to the low frequency, the value of MES as a predictor of subsequent ischemic stroke in patients with asymptomatic MCA stenosis might be limited. PMID:24551204

Thousands of Viral Populations Recovered from Peatland Soil Metagenomes Reveal Viral Impacts on Carbon Cycling in Thawing Permafrost

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Emerson, J. B.; Brum, J. R.; Roux, S.; Bolduc, B.; Woodcroft, B. J.; Singleton, C. M.; Boyd, J. A.; Hodgkins, S. B.; Wilson, R.; Trubl, G. G.; Jang, H. B.; Crill, P. M.; Chanton, J.; Saleska, S. R.; Rich, V. I.; Tyson, G. W.; Sullivan, M. B.

2016-12-01

Methane and carbon dioxide emissions, which are under significant microbial control, provide positive feedbacks to climate change in thawing permafrost peatlands. Although viruses in marine systems have been shown to impact microbial ecology and biogeochemical cycling through host cell lysis, horizontal gene transfer, and auxiliary metabolic gene expression, viral ecology in permafrost and other soils remains virtually unstudied due to methodological challenges. Here, we identified viral sequences in 208 assembled bulk soil metagenomes derived from a permafrost thaw gradient in Stordalen Mire, northern Sweden, from 2010-2012. 2,048 viral populations were recovered, which genome- and network-based classification revealed to be largely novel, increasing known viral genera globally by 40%. Ecologically, viral communities differed significantly across the thaw gradient and by soil depth. Co-occurring microbial community composition, soil moisture, and pH were predictors of viral community composition, indicative of biological and biogeochemical feedbacks as permafrost thaws. Host prediction—achieved through clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPRs), tetranucleotide frequency patterns, and other sequence similarities to binned microbial population genomes—was able to link 38% of the viral populations to a microbial host. 5% of the implicated hosts were archaea, predominantly methanogens and ammonia-oxidizing Nitrososphaera, 45% were Acidobacteria or Verrucomicrobia (mostly predicted heterotrophic complex carbon degraders), and 21% were Proteobacteria, including methane oxidizers. Recovered viral genome fragments also contained auxiliary metabolic genes involved in carbon and nitrogen cycling. Together, these data reveal multiple levels of previously unknown viral contributions to biogeochemical cycling, including to carbon gas emissions, in peatland soils undergoing and contributing to climate change. This work represents a significant step

Ethical Considerations in Research Participation Virality.

PubMed

Ellis-Barton, Carol

2016-07-01

This article seeks to commence and encourage discussion around the upcoming ethical challenges of virality in network structures. When the call for participation in a research project on lupus in Ireland went from an advertisement in a newsletter to a meme (unit of transmissible information) on a closed Facebook page, the ethical considerations of virality were raised. The article analyzes the Association of Internet Researchers guidelines, Facebook policies, and the context of privacy in relation to virality. Virality creates the leverage for methodological pluralism. The nature of the inquiry can determine the method rather than the other way around. Viral ethical considerations are evolving due to the cyber world becoming the primary meme of communication, with flexibility in the researcher's protocol providing opportunities for efficient, cost-effective, and diverse recruitment. © The Author(s) 2016.

INFLUENCE OF DIETARY ARSENIC ON URINARY ARSENIC METABOLITE EXCRETION

EPA Science Inventory

Influence of Dietary Arsenic on Urinary Arsenic Metabolite Excretion

Cara L. Carty, M.S., Edward E. Hudgens, B.Sc., Rebecca L. Calderon, Ph.D., M.S.P.H., Richard Kwok, M.S.P.H., Epidemiology and Biomarkers Branch/HSD, NHEERL/US EPA; David J. Thomas, Ph.D., Pharmacokinetics...

Kaposi's Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus mRNA Accumulation in Nuclear Foci Is Influenced by Viral DNA Replication and Viral Noncoding Polyadenylated Nuclear RNA.

PubMed

Vallery, Tenaya K; Withers, Johanna B; Andoh, Joana A; Steitz, Joan A

2018-07-01

Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV), like other herpesviruses, replicates within the nuclei of its human cell host and hijacks host machinery for expression of its genes. The activities that culminate in viral DNA synthesis and assembly of viral proteins into capsids physically concentrate in nuclear areas termed viral replication compartments. We sought to better understand the spatiotemporal regulation of viral RNAs during the KSHV lytic phase by examining and quantifying the subcellular localization of select viral transcripts. We found that viral mRNAs, as expected, localized to the cytoplasm throughout the lytic phase. However, dependent on active viral DNA replication, viral transcripts also accumulated in the nucleus, often in foci in and around replication compartments, independent of the host shutoff effect. Our data point to involvement of the viral long noncoding polyadenylated nuclear (PAN) RNA in the localization of an early, intronless viral mRNA encoding ORF59-58 to nuclear foci that are associated with replication compartments. IMPORTANCE Late in the lytic phase, mRNAs from Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus accumulate in the host cell nucleus near viral replication compartments, centers of viral DNA synthesis and virion production. This work contributes spatiotemporal data on herpesviral mRNAs within the lytic host cell and suggests a mechanism for viral RNA accumulation. Our findings indicate that the mechanism is independent of the host shutoff effect and splicing but dependent on active viral DNA synthesis and in part on the viral noncoding RNA, PAN RNA. PAN RNA is essential for the viral life cycle, and its contribution to the nuclear accumulation of viral messages may facilitate propagation of the virus. Copyright © 2018 American Society for Microbiology.

[Neuropsychiatric sequelae of viral meningitis in adults].

PubMed

Damsgaard, Jesper; Hjerrild, Simon; Renvillard, Signe Groth; Leutscher, Peter Derek Christian

2011-10-10

Viral meningitis is considered to be a benign illness with only mild symptoms. In contrast to viral encephalitis and bacterial meningitis, the prognosis is usually good. However, retrospective studies have demonstrated that patients suffering from viral meningitis may experience cognitive impairment following the acute course of infection. Larger controlled studies are needed to elucidate the potential neuropsychiatric adverse outcome of viral meningitis.

Aedes aegypti Rhesus glycoproteins contribute to ammonia excretion by larval anal papillae.

PubMed

Durant, Andrea C; Chasiotis, Helen; Misyura, Lidiya; Donini, Andrew

2017-02-15

In larval Aedes aegypti , transcripts of the Rhesus-like glycoproteins AeRh50-1 and AeRh50-2 have been detected in the anal papillae, sites of ammonia (NH 3 /NH 4 + ) excretion; however, these putative ammonia transporters have not been previously localized or functionally characterized. In this study, we show that the AeRh50s co-immunolocalize with apical V-type H + -ATPase as well as with basal Na + /K + -ATPase in the epithelium of anal papillae. The double-stranded RNA-mediated knockdown of AeRh50-1 and AeRh50-2 resulted in a significant reduction in AeRh50 protein abundance in the anal papillae, and this was coupled to decreased ammonia excretion. The knockdown of AeRh50-1 resulted in decreased hemolymph [NH 4 + ] and pH whereas knockdown of AeRh50-2 had no effect on these parameters. We conclude that the AeRh50s are important contributors to ammonia excretion at the anal papillae of larval A. aegypti , which may be the basis for their ability to inhabit areas with high ammonia levels. © 2017. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

High Prolactin Excretion in Patients with Diabetes Mellitus and Impaired Renal Function.

PubMed

Triebel, Jakob; Moreno-Vega, Aura Ileana; Vázquez-Membrillo, Miguel; Nava, Gabriel; García-Franco, Renata; López-Star, Ellery; Baldivieso-Hurtado, Olivia; Ochoa, Daniel; Macotela, Yazmín; Bertsch, Thomas; Martinez de la Escalera, Gonzalo; Clapp, Carmen

2015-01-01

The metabolic clearance of prolactin (PRL) is partially executed by the kidney. Here, we investigate the urine excretion of PRL in patients with Diabetes Mellitus and renal impairment. Serum and urine samples were collected from male, mestizo patients in central Mexico employing a cross-sectional study design. Ninety-eight individuals had either no diabetes and normal renal function (control), diabetes and normal renal function, or diabetes with impaired renal function. PRL was determined by a chemiluminescent immunometric assay; protein, albumin, and creatinine were evaluated using quantitative colorimetric assays. The results were analyzed using ANOVA-testing. Patients with Diabetes Mellitus and renal impairment had significantly higher urine PRL levels than patients with Diabetes Mellitus and normal renal function and control patients. Higher urine PRL levels were associated with lower glomerular filtration rates, higher serum creatinine, and higher urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratios (UACR). Urine PRL levels correlated positively with UACR. Serum PRL levels were similar among groups. Patients with Diabetes Mellitus and impaired renal function demonstrate a high urinary PRL excretion. Urinary PRL excretion in the context of proteinuria could contribute to PRL dysregulation in renal impairment.