Sample records for include difficulty urinating

  1. Urination - difficulty with flow

    MedlinePlus

    ... page: //medlineplus.gov/ency/article/003143.htm Urination - difficulty with flow To use the sharing features on ... Duplication for commercial use must be authorized in writing by ADAM Health Solutions. About MedlinePlus Site Map ...

  2. Thioridazine overdose

    MedlinePlus

    ... AND THROAT Blurred vision Drooling Dry mouth Nasal congestion Swallowing difficulties Ulcers in the mouth, on the ... urine tests Breathing support, including oxygen and a tube through the mouth into the lungs CT scan ( ...

  3. Forgotten hardware: how to urinate in a spacesuit.

    PubMed

    Hollins, Hunter

    2013-06-01

    On May 5, 1961, astronaut Alan Shepard became the first American to fly in space. Although National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) had discounted the need for him to urinate, Shepard did, in his spacesuit, short circuiting his electronic biosensors. With the development of the pressure suit needed for high-altitude and space flight during the 1950s, technicians had developed the means for urine collection. However, cultural mores, combined with a lack of interagency communication, and the technical difficulties of spaceflight made human waste collection a difficult task. Despite the difficulties, technicians at NASA created a successful urine collection device that John Glenn wore on the first Mercury orbital flight on February 20, 1962. With minor modifications, male astronauts used this system to collect urine until the Space Shuttle program. John Glenn's urine collection device is at the National Air and Space Museum and has been on view to the public since 1976.

  4. Maple syrup urine disease: mechanisms and management.

    PubMed

    Blackburn, Patrick R; Gass, Jennifer M; Vairo, Filippo Pinto E; Farnham, Kristen M; Atwal, Herjot K; Macklin, Sarah; Klee, Eric W; Atwal, Paldeep S

    2017-01-01

    Maple syrup urine disease (MSUD) is an inborn error of metabolism caused by defects in the branched-chain α-ketoacid dehydrogenase complex, which results in elevations of the branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) in plasma, α-ketoacids in urine, and production of the pathognomonic disease marker, alloisoleucine. The disorder varies in severity and the clinical spectrum is quite broad with five recognized clinical variants that have no known association with genotype. The classic presentation occurs in the neonatal period with developmental delay, failure to thrive, feeding difficulties, and maple syrup odor in the cerumen and urine, and can lead to irreversible neurological complications, including stereotypical movements, metabolic decompensation, and death if left untreated. Treatment consists of dietary restriction of BCAAs and close metabolic monitoring. Clinical outcomes are generally good in patients where treatment is initiated early. Newborn screening for MSUD is now commonplace in the United States and is included on the Recommended Uniform Screening Panel (RUSP). We review this disorder including its presentation, screening and clinical diagnosis, treatment, and other relevant aspects pertaining to the care of patients.

  5. Maple syrup urine disease: mechanisms and management

    PubMed Central

    Farnham, Kristen M; Atwal, Herjot K; Macklin, Sarah; Klee, Eric W; Atwal, Paldeep S

    2017-01-01

    Maple syrup urine disease (MSUD) is an inborn error of metabolism caused by defects in the branched-chain α-ketoacid dehydrogenase complex, which results in elevations of the branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) in plasma, α-ketoacids in urine, and production of the pathognomonic disease marker, alloisoleucine. The disorder varies in severity and the clinical spectrum is quite broad with five recognized clinical variants that have no known association with genotype. The classic presentation occurs in the neonatal period with developmental delay, failure to thrive, feeding difficulties, and maple syrup odor in the cerumen and urine, and can lead to irreversible neurological complications, including stereotypical movements, metabolic decompensation, and death if left untreated. Treatment consists of dietary restriction of BCAAs and close metabolic monitoring. Clinical outcomes are generally good in patients where treatment is initiated early. Newborn screening for MSUD is now commonplace in the United States and is included on the Recommended Uniform Screening Panel (RUSP). We review this disorder including its presentation, screening and clinical diagnosis, treatment, and other relevant aspects pertaining to the care of patients. PMID:28919799

  6. Urinary incontinence - vaginal sling procedures

    MedlinePlus

    ... you are numb and feel no pain. A catheter (tube) is placed in your bladder to drain urine from your bladder. The doctor ... to urinate more often More difficulty emptying your bladder, and the need to use a catheter Worsening of urine leakage Before the Procedure Tell ...

  7. Doxylamine and Pyridoxine

    MedlinePlus

    ... It works by blocking the action of certain natural substances in the body that may contribute to ... of the eyes) difficulty urinating or painful urination fast, irregular, or ... the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting ...

  8. MRI and low back pain

    MedlinePlus

    ... back pain: Cannot pass urine or stools Cannot control your urine or stools Difficulty with walking and balance Back pain that is severe in children Fever History of cancer Other signs or symptoms of cancer Recent serious fall or injury Back pain that is very severe, ...

  9. Diagnosis and Management of Lower Urinary Tract Dysfunction.

    PubMed

    McDonough, Robert C; Ryan, Stephen T

    2016-06-01

    Lower urinary tract dysfunction is an umbrella diagnosis that covers difficulty evacuating urine from the bladder. In its most simple form, it is either an inability to store urine or an inability to empty the bladder of urine appropriately. The normal and the abnormal bladder, the role of urodynamics in evaluation of lower urinary tract dysfunction, and the medical and behavioral management of some of these disorders are reviewed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. Herpes simplex virus proctitis in homosexual men. Clinical, sigmoidoscopic, and histopathological features.

    PubMed

    Goodell, S E; Quinn, T C; Mkrtichian, E; Schuffler, M D; Holmes, K K; Corey, L

    1983-04-14

    Acute herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection was detected in 23 of 102 consecutively examined, sexually active male homosexuals who presented with anorectal pain, discharge, tenesmus, or hematochezia, as compared with 3 of 75 homosexual men without gastrointestinal symptoms (P less than 0.01). Findings that were significantly more frequent in men with HSV proctitis than in men with proctitis due to other infectious causes included fever (48 per cent), difficulty in urinating (48 per cent), sacral paresthesias (26 per cent), inguinal lymphadenopathy (57 per cent), severe anorectal pain (100 per cent), tenesmus (100 per cent), constipation (78 per cent), perianal ulcerations (70 per cent), and the presence of diffuse ulcerative or discrete vesicular or pustular lesions in the distal 5 cm of the rectum (50 per cent). Serologic evidence indicated that 85 per cent of the men with symptomatic HSV proctitis were having their first episode of HSV-2 infection. The diagnosis of HSV proctitis is suggested by the presence of severe anorectal pain, difficulty in urinating, sacral paresthesias or pain, and diffuse ulceration of the distal rectal mucosa.

  11. Length of time domestic dogs (Canis familiaris) spend smelling urine of gonadectomised and intact conspecifics.

    PubMed

    Riach, Anna C; Asquith, Rachel; Fallon, Melissa L D

    2017-09-01

    Domestic dogs (Canis familiaris) use urine to communicate among themselves, however, it is unknown whether the gonadectomy (neutering or spaying) of a dog affects this communication in anyway. Urine samples from 10 intact and 10 gonadectomised, unfamiliar dogs were presented to 12 tester dogs to sniff under controlled conditions in a pilot study. The amount of time the tester dogs spent sniffing each sample was recorded. Overall, tester dogs were recorded smelling the urine of gonadectomised individuals for a longer time. In addition to the type of urine sample, the result is likely to have been influenced by the sex and status (gonadectomised or intact) of the tester dogs. The observed increase in the length of time spent sniffing urine from gonadectomised individuals could be explained by the tester dogs experiencing more difficulty in gaining information from the urine or facing more confusion while analysing the urine compared to the intact urine they have evolved to smell. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. Indexing and Exploiting a Discourse History to Generate Context-Sensitive Explanations

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1993-01-01

    facility as part of two intelligent systems. The first is a patient education system intended to provide patients with information about their disease...with our patient education system, and is based upon phenomena we observed in nat- urally occurring interviews with physicians. The responses shown in...Elavil has other possible side effects including dry mouth, difficulty urinating, and weight gain. Figure 2: Actual Dialogue with Patient Education System

  13. The Kuwait Oil Fire Health Risk Assessment Biological Surveillance Initiative.

    PubMed

    Deeter, David P

    2011-07-01

    An important environmental concern during the first Gulf War (Operation Desert Storm) was assessing exposures and potential health effects in U.S. forces exposed to the Kuwait oil fires. With only 3 weeks for planning, a Biological Surveillance Initiative (BSI) was developed and implemented for a U.S. Army unit. The BSI included blood and urine collections, questionnaire administration, and other elements during the predeployment, deployment, and post-deployment phases. Many BSI objectives were accomplished. Difficulties encountered included planning failures, loss of data and information, and difficulty in interpreting laboratory results. In order for biological surveillance initiatives to provide useful information for future deployments where environmental exposures may be a concern, meaningful, detailed, and realistic planning and preparation must occur long before the deployment is initiated.

  14. Clinical Guideline for Female Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms.

    PubMed

    Takahashi, Satoru; Takei, Mineo; Nishizawa, Osamu; Yamaguchi, Osamu; Kato, Kumiko; Gotoh, Momokazu; Yoshimura, Yasukuni; Takeyama, Masami; Ozawa, Hideo; Shimada, Makoto; Yamanishi, Tomonori; Yoshida, Masaki; Tomoe, Hikaru; Yokoyama, Osamu; Koyama, Masayasu

    2016-01-01

    The "Japanese Clinical Guideline for Female Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms," published in Japan in November 2013, contains two algorithms (a primary and a specialized treatment algorithm) that are novel worldwide as they cover female lower urinary tract symptoms other than urinary incontinence. For primary treatment, necessary types of evaluation include querying the patient regarding symptoms and medical history, examining physical findings, and performing urinalysis. The types of evaluations that should be performed for select cases include evaluation with symptom/quality of life (QOL) questionnaires, urination records, residual urine measurement, urine cytology, urine culture, serum creatinine measurement, and ultrasonography. If the main symptoms are voiding/post-voiding, specialized treatment should be considered because multiple conditions may be involved. When storage difficulties are the main symptoms, the patient should be assessed using the primary algorithm. When conditions such as overactive bladder or stress incontinence are diagnosed and treatment is administered, but sufficient improvement is not achieved, the specialized algorithm should be considered. In case of specialized treatment, physiological re-evaluation, urinary tract/pelvic imaging evaluation, and urodynamic testing are conducted for conditions such as refractory overactive bladder and stress incontinence. There are two causes of voiding/post-voiding symptoms: lower urinary tract obstruction and detrusor underactivity. Lower urinary tract obstruction caused by pelvic organ prolapse may be improved by surgery. © 2015 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

  15. Meperidine

    MedlinePlus

    ... doctor if you have or have ever had pheochromocytoma (a type of tumor); difficulty urinating; irregular heartbeat; ... effects. Call your doctor if you have any unusual problems while taking this medication.If you experience ...

  16. Midodrine

    MedlinePlus

    ... tell your doctor if you have difficulty urinating, pheochromocytoma (tumor on a small gland near the kidneys), ... effects. Call your doctor if you have any unusual problems while taking this medication.If you experience ...

  17. Clinical use of low-profile cystostomy tubes in four dogs and a cat.

    PubMed

    Stiffler, Kevin S; McCrackin Stevenson, M A; Cornell, Karen K; Glerum, Leigh E; Smith, Julie D; Miller, Nathan A; Rawlings, Clarence A

    2003-08-01

    Traditional cystostomy tubes (used for temporary or permanent diversion of urine in dogs and cats) are long (> or = 22 cm) and cumbersome to stabilize, requiring sutures or bandages to hold the tube against the body. Use of a low-profile gastrostomy port system as a low-profile cystostomy tube (LPCT) in 4 dogs and a cat was investigated; owner satisfaction with the device was assessed. Technical difficulty associated with placement and management of LPCTs was similar to that for traditional cystostomy tubes; with LPCTs, activity and mobility of pets was not compromised, and bandaging was not required. Complications included lower urinary tract infection, mild peristomal leakage of urine and leakage from components of the system, and subcutaneous peristomal infection. Four of 5 owners considered the tube to be easy to use; all owners said they would be comfortable repeating their decision to use the LPCT in their pet.

  18. Machado-Joseph Disease

    MedlinePlus

    ... for drunkenness, difficulty with speech and swallowing, involuntary eye movements, double vision, and frequent urination. Some individuals also ... color and/or contrast, and inability to control eye movements. × Definition Machado-Joseph disease (MJD), which is also ...

  19. Selected Organochlorines in Human Blood and Urine in the South of the Russian Far East.

    PubMed

    Tsygankov, Vasiliy Yu; Khristoforova, Nadezhda K; Lukyanova, Olga N; Boyarova, Margarita D; Kiku, Pavel F; Yarygina, Marina V

    2017-10-01

    The trace OCP concentrations, such as α-, β-, and γ-HCH, DDT and its metabolites (DDD and DDE) in blood and urine of residents from the south of the Russian Far East was revealed. A large range of OCPs was found in the urine: α- and γ-isomers of HCH, DDT and DDE. The only β-HCH was detected in the blood; this indicates its persistence and the difficulty of excretion this substance from the organism. The total trace OCP concentration, found in the biological fluids of residents of the south of the Russian Far East, providing further evidence that these organic contaminants persist in the environment.

  20. Clinical Significance of Prostatic Calculi: A Review

    PubMed Central

    2018-01-01

    Prostatic calculi often occur in middle-aged and old men. Prostatic calculi are usually classified as primary/endogenous stones or secondary/extrinsic stones. Endogenous stones are commonly caused by obstruction of the prostatic ducts around the enlarged prostate by benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) or by chronic inflammation. Extrinsic stones occur mainly around the urethra, because they are caused by urine reflux. The exact prevalence of prostatic calculi is not known, and it has been reported to vary widely, from 7% to 70%. Most cases of prostatic calculi are not accompanied by symptoms. Therefore, most cases are found incidentally during the diagnosis of BPH using transrectal ultrasonography (TRUS). However, prostatic calculi associated with chronic prostatitis may be accompanied by chronic pelvic pain. Rare cases have been reported in which extrinsic prostatic calculi caused by urine reflux have led to voiding difficulty due to their size. More than 80% of prostatic calculi are composed of calcium phosphate. Prostatic calculi can be easily diagnosed using TRUS or computed tomography. Treatment is often unnecessary, but if an individual experiences difficulty in urination or chronic pain, prostatic calculi can be easily removed using a transurethral electroresection loop or holmium laser. PMID:29076299

  1. Do adult men with untreated hypospadias have adverse outcomes? A pilot study using a social media advertised survey

    PubMed Central

    Schlomer, Bruce; Breyer, Benjamin; Copp, Hillary; Baskin, Laurence; DiSandro, Michael

    2014-01-01

    Objective Hypospadias is usually treated in childhood. Therefore, the natural history of untreated mild hypospadias is unknown. We hypothesized that men with untreated hypospadias, especially mild, do not have adverse outcomes. Materials Facebook was used to advertise an electronic survey to men older than 18 years. Men with untreated hypospadias identified themselves and indicated the severity of hypospadias with a series of questions. Outcomes included: Sexual Health Inventory for Men (SHIM), penile curvature and difficulty with intercourse, International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), Penile Perception Score (PPS), psychosexual milestones, paternity, infertility, sitting to urinate, and the CDC HRQOL-4 module. Results 736 men completed self-anatomy questions and 52 (7.1%) self-identified with untreated hypospadias. Untreated hypospadias participants reported worse SHIM (p < 0.001) and IPSS scores (p = 0.05), more ventral penile curvature (p = 0.003) and resulting difficulty with intercourse (p < 0.001), worse satisfaction with meatus (p = 0.011) and penile curvature (p = 0.048), and more sitting to urinate (p = 0.07). When stratified by mild and severe hypospadias, severe hypospadias was associated with more adverse outcomes than mild hypospadias. Conclusion Men with untreated hypospadias reported worse outcomes compared with non-hypospadiac men. Mild untreated hypospadias had fewer adverse outcomes than severe hypospadias. Research is needed to determine if treatment of childhood hypospadias improves outcomes in adults, especially for mild hypospadias. PMID:24613143

  2. Detection of Synthetic Testosterone Use by Novel Comprehensive Two-Dimensional Gas Chromatography Combustion Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry (GC×GCC-IRMS)

    PubMed Central

    Tobias, Herbert J.; Zhang, Ying; Auchus, Richard J.; Brenna, J. Thomas

    2011-01-01

    We report the first demonstration of Comprehensive Two-dimensional Gas Chromatography Combustion Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry (GC×GCC-IRMS) for the analysis of urinary steroids to detect illicit synthetic testosterone use, of interest in sport doping. GC coupled to IRMS (GCC-IRMS) is currently used to measure the carbon isotope ratios (CIR, δ13C) of urinary steroids in anti-doping efforts; however, extensive cleanup of urine extracts is required prior to analysis to enable baseline separation of target steroids. With its greater separation capabilities, GC×GC has the potential to reduce sample preparation requirements and enable CIR analysis of minimally processed urine extracts. Challenges addressed include on-line reactors with minimized dimensions to retain narrow peaks shapes, baseline separation of peaks in some cases, and reconstruction of isotopic information from sliced steroid chromatographic peaks. Difficulties remaining include long-term robustness of on-line reactors and urine matrix effects that preclude baseline separation and isotopic analysis of low concentration and trace components. In this work, steroids were extracted, acetylated, and analyzed using a refined, home-built GC×GCC-IRMS system. 11-hydroxy-androsterone (11OHA) and 11-ketoetiocolanolone (11KE) were chosen as endogenous reference compounds (ERC) because of their satisfactory signal intensity, and their CIR was compared to target compounds (TC) androsterone (A) and etiocholanolone (E). Separately, a GC×GC-qMS system was used to measure testosterone (T)/EpiT concentration ratios. Urinary extracts of urine pooled from professional athletes, and urine from one individual that received testosterone gel (T-gel) and one individual that received testosterone injections (T-shot) were analyzed. The average precisions of δ13C and Δδ13C measurements were SD(δ13C) approximately ± 1‰ (n=11). The T-shot sample resulted in a positive for T use with a T/EpiT ratio of > 9 and CIR measurements of Δδ13C > 5‰, both fulfilling World Anti-Doping Agency criteria. These data show for the first time that synthetic steroid use is detectable by GC×GCC-IRMS without need for extensive urine cleanup. PMID:21846122

  3. The further development of the active urine collection device: a novel continence management system.

    PubMed

    Tinnion, E; Jowitt, F; Clarke-O'Neill, S; Cottenden, A M; Fader, M; Sutherland, I

    2003-01-01

    Continence difficulties affect the lives of a substantial minority of the population. Women are far more likely than men to be affected by urinary incontinence but the range of management options for them is limited. There has been considerable interest in developing an external urine collection system for women but without success to date. This paper describes the development and preliminary clinical testing of an active urine collection device (AUCD), which could provide a solution for sufferers. The device uses stored vacuum, protected by a high bubble point filter, to remove urine as quickly as it is produced. This allows a small battery-operated pump to provide the required vacuum, enabling the device to be portable. Two different types of non-invasive patient/device interface were developed, and tested by volunteers: urinal and small pad. The slimline urinal was popular with users although liquid noise was a problem. The pad interface was successful on occasions but further work is necessary to produce a reliable pad. This study has successfully demonstrated that a prototype AUCD liquid handling system can remove urine at clinically relevant flowrates. While further development is required, volunteer tests have shown that the AUCD could be a useful advance in continence management.

  4. Antifungal susceptibilities of Candida species isolated from urine culture.

    PubMed

    Toka Özer, Türkan; Durmaz, Süleyman; Yula, Erkan

    2016-09-01

    Candida spp. are the most common opportunistic mycosis worldwide. Although Candida albicans is the most common cause of urinary tract infections, the frequency of non-albicans Candida species is increasing with common use of antifungal in the prophylaxis and treatment. This may lead to difficulties in treatment. Antifungal tests should be applied with identification of species for effective treatment. In this study, identification of Candida species isolated from urine culture and investigation of susceptibility of these strains to amphotericin B, flucytosine, fluconazole, voriconazole was aimed. In this study, 58 Candida strains isolated from urine cultures at Osmaniye State Hospital between January 2012 and April 2013 were included. Urine culture and antifungal susceptibility tests were applied. Incidence rate of Candida spp. was determined as C. albicans (56.9%), Candida glabrata (20.6%), Candida tropicalis (10.3%), Candida parapsilosis (7%), Candida krusei (3.4%), Candida kefyr (1.8%). Most of the isolates were susceptible to amphotericin B, flucytosine, fluconazole, voriconazole. Twenty three (39.7%) Candida strains were isolated from internal medical branches and Intensive Care Unit and 12 (20.6%) from the Surgical Medical Branches. C. albicans and C. glabrata species were isolated most frequently as a candiduria factor in this hospital between January 2012 and April 2013. The analysis of antifungal susceptibility profile shows no significant resistance to antifungals. Copyright © 2016 Japanese Society of Chemotherapy and The Japanese Association for Infectious Diseases. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Filtration Device for On-Site Collection, Storage and Shipment of Cells from Urine and Its Application to DNA-Based Detection of Bladder Cancer.

    PubMed

    Andersson, Elin; Dahmcke, Christina M; Steven, Kenneth; Larsen, Louise K; Guldberg, Per

    2015-01-01

    Molecular analysis of cells from urine provides a convenient approach to non-invasive detection of bladder cancer. The practical use of urinary cell-based tests is often hampered by difficulties in handling and analyzing large sample volumes, the need for rapid sample processing to avoid degradation of cellular content, and low sensitivity due to a high background of normal cells. We present a filtration device, designed for home or point-of-care use, which enables collection, storage and shipment of urinary cells. A special feature of this device is a removable cartridge housing a membrane filter, which after filtration of urine can be transferred to a storage unit containing an appropriate preserving solution. In spiking experiments, the use of this device provided efficient recovery of bladder cancer cells with elimination of >99% of excess smaller-sized cells. The performance of the device was further evaluated by DNA-based analysis of urinary cells collected from 57 patients subjected to transurethral resection following flexible cystoscopy indicating the presence of a tumor. All samples were tested for FGFR3 mutations and seven DNA methylation markers (BCL2, CCNA1, EOMES, HOXA9, POU4F2, SALL3 and VIM). In the group of patients where a transitional cell tumor was confirmed at histopathological evaluation, urine DNA was positive for one or more markers in 29 out of 31 cases (94%), including 19 with FGFR3 mutation (61%). In the group of patients with benign histopathology, urine DNA was positive for methylation markers in 13 out of 26 cases (50%). Only one patient in this group was positive for a FGFR3 mutation. This patient had a stage Ta tumor resected 6 months later. The ability to easily collect, store and ship diagnostic cells from urine using the presented device may facilitate non-invasive testing for bladder cancer.

  6. Filtration Device for On-Site Collection, Storage and Shipment of Cells from Urine and Its Application to DNA-Based Detection of Bladder Cancer

    PubMed Central

    Andersson, Elin; Dahmcke, Christina M.; Steven, Kenneth; Larsen, Louise K.; Guldberg, Per

    2015-01-01

    Molecular analysis of cells from urine provides a convenient approach to non-invasive detection of bladder cancer. The practical use of urinary cell-based tests is often hampered by difficulties in handling and analyzing large sample volumes, the need for rapid sample processing to avoid degradation of cellular content, and low sensitivity due to a high background of normal cells. We present a filtration device, designed for home or point-of-care use, which enables collection, storage and shipment of urinary cells. A special feature of this device is a removable cartridge housing a membrane filter, which after filtration of urine can be transferred to a storage unit containing an appropriate preserving solution. In spiking experiments, the use of this device provided efficient recovery of bladder cancer cells with elimination of >99% of excess smaller-sized cells. The performance of the device was further evaluated by DNA-based analysis of urinary cells collected from 57 patients subjected to transurethral resection following flexible cystoscopy indicating the presence of a tumor. All samples were tested for FGFR3 mutations and seven DNA methylation markers (BCL2, CCNA1, EOMES, HOXA9, POU4F2, SALL3 and VIM). In the group of patients where a transitional cell tumor was confirmed at histopathological evaluation, urine DNA was positive for one or more markers in 29 out of 31 cases (94%), including 19 with FGFR3 mutation (61%). In the group of patients with benign histopathology, urine DNA was positive for methylation markers in 13 out of 26 cases (50%). Only one patient in this group was positive for a FGFR3 mutation. This patient had a stage Ta tumor resected 6 months later. The ability to easily collect, store and ship diagnostic cells from urine using the presented device may facilitate non-invasive testing for bladder cancer. PMID:26151138

  7. Water Prescription in Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease: A Pilot Study

    PubMed Central

    Creed, Catherine; Winklhofer, Franz T.; Grantham, Jared J.

    2011-01-01

    Summary Background and objectives In animal models of polycystic kidney disease, the ingestion of large amounts of water promotes diuresis by suppressing plasma levels of arginine vasopressin (AVP) and renal levels of cAMP, slowing cyst progression. Whether simple water ingestion is a potential therapeutic strategy for individuals with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is unknown. In this study, a simple method to quantify the amount of water to achieve a specific mean urine osmolality target in patients with ADPKD was developed and tested. Design, setting, participants, & measurements In eight ADPKD patients eating typical diets, osmolality and volume were measured in 24-hour urine collections. The amount of additional ingested water required daily to achieve a mean urine osmolality of 285 ± 45 mosm/kg was determined. Participants were instructed to distribute the prescribed water over waking hours for each of 5 days. Blood chemistries, 24-hour urine collections, BP, and weight were measured before and after the period of supplemental water intake. Results Five patients achieved the 285 mosm/kg urine target without difficulty. Mean urine osmolality decreased and mean urine volume increased; serum sodium, weight, and BP were unchanged. Daily osmolar excretion remained constant, indicating a stable ad lib dietary intake of solutes and protein over the 2-week study period. Conclusions The amount of additional water needed to achieve a urine osmolality target can be approximated from the urine osmolar excretion in ADPKD patients eating typical diets, providing a quantitative method to prescribe supplemental water for such individuals. PMID:20876670

  8. Do adult men with untreated hypospadias have adverse outcomes? A pilot study using a social media advertised survey.

    PubMed

    Schlomer, Bruce; Breyer, Benjamin; Copp, Hillary; Baskin, Laurence; DiSandro, Michael

    2014-08-01

    Hypospadias is usually treated in childhood. Therefore, the natural history of untreated mild hypospadias is unknown. We hypothesized that men with untreated hypospadias, especially mild, do not have adverse outcomes. Facebook was used to advertise an electronic survey to men older than 18 years. Men with untreated hypospadias identified themselves and indicated the severity of hypospadias with a series of questions. Outcomes included: Sexual Health Inventory for Men (SHIM), penile curvature and difficulty with intercourse, International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), Penile Perception Score (PPS), psychosexual milestones, paternity, infertility, sitting to urinate, and the CDC HRQOL-4 module. 736 men completed self-anatomy questions and 52 (7.1%) self-identified with untreated hypospadias. Untreated hypospadias participants reported worse SHIM (p < 0.001) and IPSS scores (p = 0.05), more ventral penile curvature (p = 0.003) and resulting difficulty with intercourse (p < 0.001), worse satisfaction with meatus (p = 0.011) and penile curvature (p = 0.048), and more sitting to urinate (p = 0.07). When stratified by mild and severe hypospadias, severe hypospadias was associated with more adverse outcomes than mild hypospadias. Men with untreated hypospadias reported worse outcomes compared with non-hypospadiac men. Mild untreated hypospadias had fewer adverse outcomes than severe hypospadias. Research is needed to determine if treatment of childhood hypospadias improves outcomes in adults, especially for mild hypospadias. Copyright © 2014 Journal of Pediatric Urology Company. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Immune cells and type 1 IFN in urine of SLE patients correlate with immunopathology in the kidney.

    PubMed

    Scott, Eric; Dooley, Mary Anne; Vilen, Barbara J; Clarke, Stephen H

    2016-07-01

    The immunopathological events in the kidneys of lupus nephritis (LN) patients are poorly understood due in part to the difficulty in acquiring serial biopsies and the inherent limitations in their analysis. To identify a means to circumvent these limitations, we investigated whether immune cells of kidney origin are present in patient urine and whether they correlate with kidney pathology. Flow cytometry analysis was performed on peripheral blood and urine cells of 69 SLE patients, of whom 41 were LN patients. In addition, type I IFN (IFNα/β) levels were determined in plasma and urine by bioassay. Approximately 60% of non-LN patients had urine lymphocytes. In these patients, T cells were always present and predominantly CD8(+), while B cells were either absent or a mixture of naïve and memory B cells. In contrast, >90% of LN patients had urine lymphocytes. In half, the B and T cells resembled those in non-LN patient urine; however, in the remaining patients, the B cells were exclusively Ig-secreting plasmablasts or plasma cells (PB/PCs) and the T cells were predominantly CD4(+). In addition, pDCs and IFNα/β frequently accompanied PB/PCs. The majority of patients with urine PB/PCs presented with proliferative nephritis and a significant loss of kidney function, which in some cases had progressed to end stage renal disease (ESRD). In conclusion, urine can provide access to cells of kidney resident populations for phenotypic and functional characterization. Analysis of these cells provides insight into the kidney immunopathology and may serve as biomarkers to identify patients at risk for developing LN and progressing to ESRD. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. Impact of the uranium (VI) speciation in mineralised urines on its extraction by calix[6]arene bearing hydroxamic groups used in chromatography columns.

    PubMed

    Baghdadi, S; Bouvier-Capely, C; Ritt, A; Peroux, A; Fevrier, L; Rebiere, F; Agarande, M; Cote, G

    2015-11-01

    Actinides determination in urine samples is part of the analyses performed to monitor internal contamination in case of an accident or a terrorist attack involving nuclear matter. Mineralisation is the first step of any of these analyses. It aims at reducing the sample volume and at destroying all organic compounds present. The mineralisation protocol is usually based on a wet ashing step, followed by actinides co-precipitation and a furnace ashing step, before redissolution and the quantification of the actinides by the appropriate techniques. Amongst the existing methods to perform the actinides co-precipitation, alkali-earth (typically calcium) precipitation is widely used. In the present work, the extraction of uranium(VI), plutonium(IV) and americium(III) from the redissolution solutions (called "mineralised urines") on calix[6]arene columns bearing hydroxamic groups was investigated as such an extraction is a necessary step before their determination by ICP-MS or alpha spectrometry. Difficulties were encountered in the transfer of uranium(VI) from raw to mineralised urines, with yield of transfer ranging between 0% and 85%, compared to about 90% for Pu and Am, depending on the starting raw urines. To understand the origin of such a difficulty, the speciation of uranium (VI) in mineralised urines was investigated by computer simulation using the MEDUSA software and the associated HYDRA database, compiled with recently published data. These calculations showed that the presence of phosphates in the "mineralised urines" leads to the formation of strong uranyl-phosphate complexes (such as UO2HPO4) which compete with the uranium (VI) extraction by the calix[6]arene bearing hydroxamic groups. The extraction constant of uranium (VI) by calix[6]arene bearing hydroxamic groups was determined in a 0.04 mol L(-1) sodium nitrate solution (logK=4.86±0.03) and implemented in an extraction model taking into account the speciation in the aqueous phase. This model allowed to simulate satisfactorily the experimental uranium extraction data and to support the preliminary conclusions about the role of the phosphates present in mineralised urines. These calculations also showed that the phosphate/calcium ratio is a key parameter as far as the efficiency of the uranium (VI) extraction by the calix[6]arene columns is concerned. It predicted that the addition of CaCl2 in mineralised urines would release uranium (VI) from phosphates by forming calcium (II)-phosphate complexes and thus facilitate the uranium (VI) extraction on calix[6]arene columns. These predictions were confirmed experimentally as the addition of 0.1 mol L(-1) CaCl2 to a mineralised urine containing naturally a high concentration of phosphate (typically 0.04 mol L(-1)) significantly increased the percentage of uranium (VI) extraction on the calix[6]arene columns. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Temporal trends in bisphenol A exposure in the United States from 2003-2012 and factors associated with BPA exposure: Spot samples and urine dilution complicate data interpretation.

    PubMed

    LaKind, Judy S; Naiman, Daniel Q

    2015-10-01

    Nationally representative data on urinary levels of BPA and its metabolites in the United States from the 2003-2004 to 2011-2012 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES) were used to estimate daily BPA intakes and examine temporal trends. Additionally, NHANES data on lifestyle/demographic/dietary factors previously reported to be associated with BPA exposures were examined to assess the resiliency of the reported associations (whether the association is maintained across the five surveys). Finally, various approaches for addressing issues with the use of BPA concentration data from spot urine samples were examined for their effect on trends and associations. Three approaches were assessed here: (i) use of generic literature-based 24-h urine excretion volumes, (ii) use of creatinine adjustments, and (iii) use of individual urine flow rate data from NHANES. Based on 2011-2012 NHANES urinary BPA data and assumptions described in this paper, the median daily intake for the overall population is approximately 25 ng/kg day; median intake estimates were approximately two to three orders of magnitude below current health-based guidance values. Estimates of daily BPA intake have decreased significantly compared to those from the 2003-2004 NHANES. Estimates of associations between lifestyle/demographic/dietary factors and BPA exposure revealed inconsistencies related to both NHANES survey year and the three approaches listed above; these results demonstrate the difficulties in interpreting urinary BPA data, despite efforts to account for urine dilution and translation of spot sample data to 24-h data. The results further underscore the importance of continued research on how to best utilize urinary measures of environmental chemicals in exposure research. Until a consensus is achieved regarding the best biomonitoring approaches for assessing exposures to short-lived chemicals using urine samples, research on factors associated with BPA exposures should include - and report results from - assessments using both volume-based urinary BPA and creatinine-adjusted urinary BPA data. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Estimation of daily protein intake based on spot urine urea nitrogen concentration in chronic kidney disease patients.

    PubMed

    Kanno, Hiroko; Kanda, Eiichiro; Sato, Asako; Sakamoto, Kaori; Kanno, Yoshihiko

    2016-04-01

    Determination of daily protein intake in the management of chronic kidney disease (CKD) requires precision. Inaccuracies in recording dietary intake occur, and estimation from total urea excretion presents hurdles owing to the difficulty of collecting whole urine for 24 h. Spot urine has been used for measuring daily sodium intake and urinary protein excretion. In this cross-sectional study, we investigated whether urea nitrogen (UN) concentration in spot urine can be used to predict daily protein intake instead of the 24-h urine collection in 193 Japanese CKD patients (Stages G1-G5). After patient randomization into 2 datasets for the development and validation of models, bootstrapping was used to develop protein intake estimation models. The parameters for the candidate multivariate regression models were male gender, age, body mass index (BMI), diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, proteinuria, estimated glomerular filtration rate, serum albumin level, spot urinary UN and creatinine level, and spot urinary UN/creatinine levels. The final model contained BMI and spot urinary UN level. The final model was selected because of the higher correlation between the predicted and measured protein intakes r = 0.558 (95 % confidence interval 0.400, 0.683), and the smaller distribution of the difference between the measured and predicted protein intakes than those of the other models. The results suggest that UN concentration in spot urine may be used to estimate daily protein intake and that a prediction formula would be useful for nutritional control in CKD patients.

  13. Urine Anion Gap to Predict Urine Ammonium and Related Outcomes in Kidney Disease.

    PubMed

    Raphael, Kalani L; Gilligan, Sarah; Ix, Joachim H

    2018-02-07

    Low urine ammonium excretion is associated with ESRD in CKD. Few laboratories measure urine ammonium, limiting clinical application. We determined correlations between urine ammonium, the standard urine anion gap, and a modified urine anion gap that includes sulfate and phosphate and compared risks of ESRD or death between these ammonium estimates and directly measured ammonium. We measured ammonium, sodium, potassium, chloride, phosphate, and sulfate from baseline 24-hour urine collections in 1044 African-American Study of Kidney Disease and Hypertension participants. We evaluated the cross-sectional correlations between urine ammonium, the standard urine anion gap (sodium + potassium - chloride), and a modified urine anion gap that includes urine phosphate and sulfate in the calculation. Multivariable-adjusted Cox models determined the associations of the standard urine anion gap and the modified urine anion gap with the composite end point of death or ESRD; these results were compared with results using urine ammonium as the predictor of interest. The standard urine anion gap had a weak and direct correlation with urine ammonium ( r =0.18), whereas the modified urine anion gap had a modest inverse relationship with urine ammonium ( r =-0.58). Compared with the highest tertile of urine ammonium, those in the lowest urine ammonium tertile had higher risk of ESRD or death (hazard ratio, 1.46; 95% confidence interval, 1.13 to 1.87) after adjusting for demographics, GFR, proteinuria, and other confounders. In comparison, participants in the corresponding standard urine anion gap tertile did not have higher risk of ESRD or death (hazard ratio, 0.82; 95% confidence interval, 0.64 to 1.07), whereas the risk for those in the corresponding modified urine anion gap tertile (hazard ratio, 1.32; 95% confidence interval, 1.03 to 1.68) approximated that of directly measured urine ammonium. Urine anion gap is a poor surrogate of urine ammonium in CKD unless phosphate and sulfate are included in the calculation. Because the modified urine anion gap merely estimates urine ammonium and requires five measurements, direct measurements of urine ammonium are preferable in CKD. Copyright © 2018 by the American Society of Nephrology.

  14. Evaluation of laser diode thermal desorption-tandem mass spectrometry (LDTD-MS-MS) in forensic toxicology.

    PubMed

    Bynum, Nichole D; Moore, Katherine N; Grabenauer, Megan

    2014-10-01

    Many forensic laboratories experience backlogs due to increased drug-related cases. Laser diode thermal desorption (LDTD) has demonstrated its applicability in other scientific areas by providing data comparable with instrumentation, such as liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, in less time. LDTD-MS-MS was used to validate 48 compounds in drug-free human urine and blood for screening or quantitative analysis. Carryover, interference, limit of detection, limit of quantitation, matrix effect, linearity, precision and accuracy and stability were evaluated. Quantitative analysis indicated that LDTD-MS-MS produced precise and accurate results with the average overall within-run precision in urine and blood represented by a %CV <14.0 and <7.0, respectively. The accuracy for all drugs in urine ranged from 88.9 to 104.5% and 91.9 to 107.1% in blood. Overall, LDTD has the potential for use in forensic toxicology but before it can be successfully implemented that there are some challenges that must be addressed. Although the advantages of the LDTD system include minimal maintenance and rapid analysis (∼10 s per sample) which makes it ideal for high-throughput forensic laboratories, a major disadvantage is its inability or difficulty analyzing isomers and isobars due to the lack of chromatography without the use of high-resolution MS; therefore, it would be best implemented as a screening technique. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  15. Cannabis and sport.

    PubMed

    Saugy, M; Avois, L; Saudan, C; Robinson, N; Giroud, C; Mangin, P; Dvorak, J

    2006-07-01

    Cannabis is on the list of prohibited substances in the practice of sport, although its performance enhancing effect has not yet been proved. Its popularity among the younger generations as a social drug puts cannabis at the top of the list of compounds detected by the anti-doping laboratories accredited by the World Anti-Doping Agency worldwide. The management of the results of urine analysis is quite difficult for the medical and disciplinary committees not only because of the social use of the substance, but also because of the interpretation of the analytical data from urine samples. This paper gives an overview of what is presently known about cannabis in relation with the practice of sport. Review of literature on the cannabis and exercise, its effect in the body, and the problems with interpretation of results when it is detected in urine. The paper outlines the major effects of cannabis in the context of its social use and its use for sport activities. The difficulties in the interpretation of urine sample analysis results because of the protracted excretion time of the main metabolite, long after the intake, are described. There is an urgent need for sport authorities to take measures necessary to avoid players misusing cannabis.

  16. Risk factors of urinary tract infection in pregnancy.

    PubMed

    Haider, Gulfareen; Zehra, Nishat; Munir, Aftab Afroze; Haider, Ambreen

    2010-03-01

    To determine the frequency, risk factors and pattern of urinary complaints during pregnancy. A descriptive study was conducted in the Obstetric and Gynaecology Department of Isra University Hospital, Hyderabad from 1st January to 30th August 2008. Total 232 women were selected to ascertain the frequency and pattern of urinary symptoms as well as the risk factors of urinary tract infection (UTI) such as age, parity, education, past history of UTI and haemoglobin among women attending an antenatal clinic. All pregnant women irrespective of age, parity and gestational age were included, while women with known underlying renal pathology, chronic renal disease, renal transplant, diabetes or taking immunosuppressant therapy were excluded. Informed consent was taken and data collected on a self designed proforma. All the women underwent complete examination of urine. Dipstick test was performed on midstream urine and urine was cultured incase of positive dipstick test and women with urinary symptoms. Data was analyzed on SPSS version 11. Odds ratio and 95% confidence interval were calculated among the categorical parameters by applying the Fisher's exact test. Out of 232 women, 108(46.5%) reported urinary symptoms which were due to pregnancy induced changes on urinary system as no growth was obtained on urine culture, while 10 (4.3%) were due to underlying UTI. Most common urinary symptom in these women was abnormal voiding pattern 85 (40.3%) followed by irritative symptoms and voiding difficulties. Illiteracy, history of sexual activity, low socioeconomic (monthly income < Rs. 10,000 / month) group, past history of UTI and multiparity were found to be risk factors for UTI in these women. On complete urine examination, 222 (95.6%) patients either did not reveal any pus cells or had less than 5 WBC/HPF. Out of 108 cultures, only 10 (4.3%) specimens showed growth. E-coli was the most commonly detected organism 7 (3%) followed by S-aureus in 3 (1.3%). The common urinary symptoms encountered in the studied women were abnormal voiding pattern followed by irritative symptoms. Majority of urinary symptoms were due to pregnancy related changes in the urinary system. Past history of UTI, sexual activity, lower socioeconomic group and multi parity were significant risk factors for UTI.

  17. Update on nandrolone and norsteroids: how endogenous or xenobiotic are these substances?

    PubMed

    Bricout, V; Wright, F

    2004-06-01

    Norsteroids are xenobiotics with androgenic and anabolic properties known since as far back as the 1930s. In doping controls, the use of the banned xenobiotic norsteroids is detected in the competitor's urines by the measurement of norandrosterone (19-NA) and noretiocholanolone (19-NE), which are the main metabolites for nandrolone (NT) and most norsteroids with anabolic properties. In 1996, the IOC subcommission "Doping and Biochemistry of Sport" informed the Heads of the "IOC Accredited Laboratories" that the recommended cut-off limit for reporting an offence was to be 1-2 ng ml(-1) urine for either 19-NA or 19-NE. We will discuss how technical progress in gas chromatography coupled to high-resolution mass spectrometry permitted a dramatic increase in sensitivity with a detection limit of 1 pg ml(-1) urine, or less, and an assay limit of 20-50 pg ml(-1) urine, for either 19-NA or 19-NE. As a paradox, norsteroids have been known for decades as not only xenobiotics but also obligatory endogenous intermediates in the biosynthesis of estrogens from androgens in all species, man included. It is this biochemical observation which fed the active scientific and medical controversy initiated in 1998 over the possibly endogenous production of nandrolone and metabolites well over the new IOC's recommended cut-off limit of 2 ng ml(-1) urine. Notwithstanding the particular technical difficulties attached, we will provide data and discuss the minute endogenous levels detected and measured in man either at rest, after performance or training and compare them to the relatively high levels reported in male athlete's doping controls today. We will also discuss data on the pharmacological effects of some contraceptive therapies containing norsteroids in women. In view of the well-documented noxious effects repeatedly observed after anabolic steroid misuse, the confirmation and implementation of technically proven procedures for reporting norsteroid abuse in sports seems an important enough goal to protect athlete's health against such abuses and justifies up dating the review of the patent scientific and medical experience and knowledge gained over the last 50 years on nandrolone and its minor production in man and woman.

  18. Pattern of Antibiotic Resistance Among Community Derived Isolates of Enterobacteriaceae Using Urine Sample: A Study From Northern India

    PubMed Central

    Lohiya, Ayush; Kapil, Arti; Gupta, Sanjeev Kumar; Misra, Puneet; Rai, Sanjay K.

    2015-01-01

    Background Despite world-wide evidence of increased antibiotic resistance, there is scarce data on antibiotic resistance in community settings. One of the reason being difficulty in collection of biological specimen (traditionally stool) in community from apparently healthy individuals. Hence, finding an alternative specimen that is easier to obtain in a community setting or in large scale surveys for the purpose, is crucial. We conducted this study to explore the feasibility of using urine samples for deriving community based estimates of antibiotic resistance and to estimate the magnitude of resistance among urinary isolates of Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumonia against multiple antibiotics in apparently healthy individuals residing in a rural community of Haryana, North India. Materials and Methods Eligible individuals were apparently healthy, aged 18 years or older. Using the health management information system (HMIS) of Ballabgarh Health Demographic Surveillance System (HDSS), sampling frame was prepared. Potential individuals were identified using simple random sampling. Random urine sample was collected in a sterile container and transported to laboratory under ambient condition. Species identification and antibiotic susceptibility testing for Enterobacteriaceae was done using Clinical Laboratory and Standards Institute (CLSI) 2012 guidelines. Multi-drug resistant (MDR) Enterobacteriaceae, Extended Spectrum Beta Lactamase (ESBL) producing Enterobacteriaceae, and Carbapenem producing Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) were identified from the urine samples. Results A total of 433 individuals participated in the study (non-response rate – 13.4%), out of which 58 (13.4%) were positive for Enterobacteriaceae, 8.1% for E. coli and 5.3% for K. pneumoniae. Resistance against penicillin (amoxicillin/ampicillin) for E. coli and K. pneumoniae was 62.8% and 100.0% respectively. Isolates resistant to co-trimoxazole were 5.7% and 0.0% respectively. None of the isolates were resistant to imipenem, and meropenem. Conclusion and recommendations It is feasible to use urine sample to study magnitude of antibiotic resistance in population based surveys. At community level, resistance to amoxicillin was considerable, negligible for co-trimoxazole, and to higher antibiotics including carbapenems. PMID:26393150

  19. Life cycle comparison of centralized wastewater treatment and urine source separation with struvite precipitation: Focus on urine nutrient management.

    PubMed

    Ishii, Stephanie K L; Boyer, Treavor H

    2015-08-01

    Alternative approaches to wastewater management including urine source separation have the potential to simultaneously improve multiple aspects of wastewater treatment, including reduced use of potable water for waste conveyance and improved contaminant removal, especially nutrients. In order to pursue such radical changes, system-level evaluations of urine source separation in community contexts are required. The focus of this life cycle assessment (LCA) is managing nutrients from urine produced in a residential setting with urine source separation and struvite precipitation, as compared with a centralized wastewater treatment approach. The life cycle impacts evaluated in this study pertain to construction of the urine source separation system and operation of drinking water treatment, decentralized urine treatment, and centralized wastewater treatment. System boundaries include fertilizer offsets resulting from the production of urine based struvite fertilizer. As calculated by the Tool for the Reduction and Assessment of Chemical and Other Environmental Impacts (TRACI), urine source separation with MgO addition for subsequent struvite precipitation with high P recovery (Scenario B) has the smallest environmental cost relative to existing centralized wastewater treatment (Scenario A) and urine source separation with MgO and Na3PO4 addition for subsequent struvite precipitation with concurrent high P and N recovery (Scenario C). Preliminary economic evaluations show that the three urine management scenarios are relatively equal on a monetary basis (<13% difference). The impacts of each urine management scenario are most sensitive to the assumed urine composition, the selected urine storage time, and the assumed electricity required to treat influent urine and toilet water used to convey urine at the centralized wastewater treatment plant. The importance of full nutrient recovery from urine in combination with the substantial chemical inputs required for N recovery via struvite precipitation indicate the need for alternative methods of N recovery. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Enlarged prostate

    MedlinePlus

    ... gland. Other tests may include: Urine flow rate Post-void residual urine test to see how much urine is left in your bladder after you urinate Pressure-flow studies to measure the pressure in the bladder as ...

  1. Optimization for Peptide Sample Preparation for Urine Peptidomics

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

    Sigdel, Tara K.; Nicora, Carrie D.; Hsieh, Szu-Chuan

    2014-02-25

    Analysis of native or endogenous peptides in biofluids can provide valuable insights into disease mechanisms. Furthermore, the detected peptides may also have utility as potential biomarkers for non-invasive monitoring of human diseases. The non-invasive nature of urine collection and the abundance of peptides in the urine makes analysis by high-throughput ‘peptidomics’ methods , an attractive approach for investigating the pathogenesis of renal disease. However, urine peptidomics methodologies can be problematic with regards to difficulties associated with sample preparation. The urine matrix can provide significant background interference in making the analytical measurements that it hampers both the identification of peptides andmore » the depth of the peptidomics read when utilizing LC-MS based peptidome analysis. We report on a novel adaptation of the standard solid phase extraction (SPE) method to a modified SPE (mSPE) approach for improved peptide yield and analysis sensitivity with LC-MS based peptidomics in terms of time, cost, clogging of the LC-MS column, peptide yield, peptide quality, and number of peptides identified by each method. Expense and time requirements were comparable for both SPE and mSPE, but more interfering contaminants from the urine matrix were evident in the SPE preparations (e.g., clogging of the LC-MS columns, yellowish background coloration of prepared samples due to retained urobilin, lower peptide yields) when compared to the mSPE method. When we compared data from technical replicates of 4 runs, the mSPE method provided significantly improved efficiencies for the preparation of samples from urine (e.g., mSPE peptide identification 82% versus 18% with SPE; p = 8.92E-05). Additionally, peptide identifications, when applying the mSPE method, highlighted the biology of differential activation of urine peptidases during acute renal transplant rejection with distinct laddering of specific peptides, which was obscured for most proteins when utilizing the conventional SPE method. In conclusion, the mSPE method was found to be superior to the conventional, standard SPE method for urine peptide sample preparation when applying LC-MS peptidomics analysis due to the optimized sample clean up that provided improved experimental inference from the confidently identified peptides.« less

  2. Prevalence and characteristics of voiding difficulties in women: are subjective symptoms substantiated by objective urodynamic data?

    PubMed

    Groutz, A; Gordon, D; Lessing, J B; Wolman, I; Jaffa, A; David, M P

    1999-08-01

    To examine the prevalence and characteristics of voiding difficulties in women. Two hundred six consecutive female patients who attended a urogynecology clinic were recruited. Patients were interviewed regarding the presence and severity of symptoms that would suggest voiding difficulties (ie, hesitancy, straining to void, weak or prolonged stream, intermittent stream, double voiding, incomplete emptying, reduction, and positional changes to start or complete voiding). Urodynamic evidence of voiding difficulty was considered as a peak flow rate less than 12 mL/s (voided volume greater than 100 mL), or residual urine volume greater than 150 mL, on two or more readings. Residual urinary volume, flow patterns, and pressure-flow parameters were analyzed and compared between symptomatic and asymptomatic patients who had urodynamic parameters of voiding difficulties. One hundred twenty-seven (61.7%) women reported having voiding difficulty symptoms; 79 others (38.3%) were free of such symptoms. Urodynamic diagnosis of voiding difficulty was made in 40 women (19.4% of the study population): 27 in the symptomatic group and 13 in the asymptomatic group (21.2% and 16.5%, respectively). Only 1 patient had voiding difficulty due to bladder outlet obstruction. All other cases of low flow rate were due to impaired detrusor contractility. Objective evidence of voiding difficulty may be found in both symptomatic and asymptomatic patients and is usually due to impaired detrusor contractility. The clinical significance of the abnormal flow parameters in asymptomatic patients is unclear.

  3. Burbank performs the WHC Yearly Maintenance in the Node 3

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2012-01-11

    ISS030-E-032750 (11 Jan. 2012) --- NASA astronaut Dan Burbank, Expedition 30 flight commander, performs the Waste and Hygiene Compartment (WHC) yearly maintenance in the Tranquility node of the International Space Station. The maintenance included removing and replacing the urine hydraulic components which include urine lines, urine valve block and urine pressure sensors, and removing and replacing the Flush Water Tank Pressure Sensor.

  4. A case study of chewed Truvada® for PrEP maintaining protective drug levels as measured by a novel urine tenofovir assay.

    PubMed

    Lalley-Chareczko, Linden; Clark, Devon; Zuppa, Athena F; Moorthy, Ganesh; Conyngham, Caitlin; Mounzer, Karam; Koenig, Helen

    2017-01-01

    Emtricitabine/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (FTC/TDF; Truvada ® ) given as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) successfully blocks HIV when taken once daily prior to potential HIV exposure. A 22-year-old male reported difficulty swallowing FTC/TDF for PrEP and subsequently began chewing the FTC/TDF tablets. Monthly urine samples assessed using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) indicated tenofovir levels >1,000 ng/ml, indicative of protection from HIV acquisition, over a 48-week period. Data from observational studies of HIV-positive patients details the successful treatment of HIV using crushed FTC/TDF delivered via feeding and gastronomy tubes while small, randomized trials of healthy volunteers demonstrate bioequivalence between whole and crushed FTC/TDF.

  5. Designer Drugs: A Synthetic Catastrophe.

    PubMed

    Fratantonio, James; Andrade, Lawrence; Febo, Marcelo

    Synthetic stimulants can cause hallucinations, aggressive behaviors, death and are sometimes legal. These substances are sold as plant food and bath salts that are "Not for Human Consumption", therefore skirting the 1986 Federal Analogue Act and giving a false pretense of safety. Studies have proved that these substances are toxic, have a high abuse potential, and are becoming extremely prevalent in the United States. This creates a dilemma for law enforcement agents, hospitals, and substance use disorder treatment centers. Urine Drug Testing is utilized as a clinical diagnostic tool in substance use disorder treatment centers, and the furious pace at which new synthetic stimulants are introduced to the black market are making the detection via urine increasingly difficult. This article will discuss the prevalence, pharmacology and difficulty developing laboratory assays to detect synthetic stimulants.

  6. Diabetes Insipidus—Difficulties in Diagnosis and Treatment; Use of Synthetic Lysine-8 Vasopressin in Patients Intolerant of Other Therapy

    PubMed Central

    Eisenberg, Eugene

    1965-01-01

    Frequent errors in the diagnosis of diabetes insipidus arise from (1) failure to produce an adequate stimulus for release of antidiuretic hormone, and (2) failure to appreciate acute or chronic changes in renal function that may obscure test results. Properly timed determination of body weight, urine volume and serum and urine osmolarity during the course of water deprivation, and comparison of these values with those obtained after administration of exogenous vasopressin, eliminates most diagnostic errors. In four patients who had experienced local and systemic reactions to other exogenous forms of vasopressin, diabetes insipidus was satisfactorily controlled by administration of synthetic lysine-8 vasopressin in nasal spray. A fifth patient was also treated satisfactorily with this preparation. PMID:14290932

  7. Preliminary flight prototype waste collection subsystem. [performance of waste disposal system in weightless environment

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Swider, J. E., Jr.

    1974-01-01

    The zero gravity test program demonstrated the feasibility and practicability of collecting urine from both male and female crew members in a zero gravity environment in an earthlike manner not requiring any manual handling of urine containers. In addition, the testing demonstrated that a seat which is comfortable in both regimes of operation could be designed for use on the ground and in zero-gravity. Further, the tests showed that the vortex liquid/air separator is an effective liquid/air separation method in zero gravity. Visual observations indicate essentially zero liquid carry over. The system also demonstrated its ability to handle post elimination wipes without difficulty. The designs utilized in the WCS were verified as acceptable for usage in the space shuttle or other space vehicles.

  8. The development and validation of different decision-making tools to predict urine culture growth out of urine flow cytometry parameter.

    PubMed

    Müller, Martin; Seidenberg, Ruth; Schuh, Sabine K; Exadaktylos, Aristomenis K; Schechter, Clyde B; Leichtle, Alexander B; Hautz, Wolf E

    2018-01-01

    Patients presenting with suspected urinary tract infection are common in every day emergency practice. Urine flow cytometry has replaced microscopic urine evaluation in many emergency departments, but interpretation of the results remains challenging. The aim of this study was to develop and validate tools that predict urine culture growth out of urine flow cytometry parameter. This retrospective study included all adult patients that presented in a large emergency department between January and July 2017 with a suspected urinary tract infection and had a urine flow cytometry as well as a urine culture obtained. The objective was to identify urine flow cytometry parameters that reliably predict urine culture growth and mixed flora growth. The data set was split into a training (70%) and a validation set (30%) and different decision-making approaches were developed and validated. Relevant urine culture growth (respectively mixed flora growth) was found in 40.2% (7.2% respectively) of the 613 patients included. The number of leukocytes and bacteria in flow cytometry were highly associated with urine culture growth, but mixed flora growth could not be sufficiently predicted from the urine flow cytometry parameters. A decision tree, predictive value figures, a nomogram, and a cut-off table to predict urine culture growth from bacteria and leukocyte count were developed, validated and compared. Urine flow cytometry parameters are insufficient to predict mixed flora growth. However, the prediction of urine culture growth based on bacteria and leukocyte count is highly accurate and the developed tools should be used as part of the decision-making process of ordering a urine culture or starting an antibiotic therapy if a urogenital infection is suspected.

  9. The development and validation of different decision-making tools to predict urine culture growth out of urine flow cytometry parameter

    PubMed Central

    Seidenberg, Ruth; Schuh, Sabine K.; Exadaktylos, Aristomenis K.; Schechter, Clyde B.; Leichtle, Alexander B.; Hautz, Wolf E.

    2018-01-01

    Objective Patients presenting with suspected urinary tract infection are common in every day emergency practice. Urine flow cytometry has replaced microscopic urine evaluation in many emergency departments, but interpretation of the results remains challenging. The aim of this study was to develop and validate tools that predict urine culture growth out of urine flow cytometry parameter. Methods This retrospective study included all adult patients that presented in a large emergency department between January and July 2017 with a suspected urinary tract infection and had a urine flow cytometry as well as a urine culture obtained. The objective was to identify urine flow cytometry parameters that reliably predict urine culture growth and mixed flora growth. The data set was split into a training (70%) and a validation set (30%) and different decision-making approaches were developed and validated. Results Relevant urine culture growth (respectively mixed flora growth) was found in 40.2% (7.2% respectively) of the 613 patients included. The number of leukocytes and bacteria in flow cytometry were highly associated with urine culture growth, but mixed flora growth could not be sufficiently predicted from the urine flow cytometry parameters. A decision tree, predictive value figures, a nomogram, and a cut-off table to predict urine culture growth from bacteria and leukocyte count were developed, validated and compared. Conclusions Urine flow cytometry parameters are insufficient to predict mixed flora growth. However, the prediction of urine culture growth based on bacteria and leukocyte count is highly accurate and the developed tools should be used as part of the decision-making process of ordering a urine culture or starting an antibiotic therapy if a urogenital infection is suspected. PMID:29474463

  10. Analysis of Urine as Indicators of Specific Body Conditions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dey, Souradeep; Saha, Triya; Narendrakumar, Uttamchand

    2017-11-01

    Urinalysis can be defined as a procedure for examining various factors of urine, which include physical properties, particulate matter, cells, casts, crystals, organisms and solutes. Urinalysis is recommended to be a part of the initial examination of all patients as its cheap, feasible and gives productive results. This paper focuses on the analysis of urine collected at specific body conditions. Here we illustrate the urine profile of different persons having various body conditions, which include, having urinary tract infection, undergoing strenuous exercise, having back pain regularly, having very low urine output and a person who is on 24 hours of diet. Examination of urine collected from different persons having specific body conditions usually helps us in the diagnosis of various diseases, which it indicates.

  11. Urinary excretion study following consumption of various poppy seed products and investigation of the new potential street heroin marker ATM4G.

    PubMed

    Maas, Alexandra; Krämer, Michael; Sydow, Konrad; Chen, Pai-Shan; Dame, Torsten; Musshoff, Frank; Diehl, Bernd W K; Madea, Burkhard; Hess, Cornelius

    2017-03-01

    Discrimination between street heroin consumption and poppy seed ingestion represents a major toxicological challenge in daily routine work. Several difficulties associated with conventional street heroin markers originate from their versatile occurrence in various poppy seed products and medications, respectively, as well as to small windows of detection. A novel opportunity to overcome these hindrances is represented by the new potential street heroin marker acetylated-thebaine-4-metabolite glucuronide (ATM4G), originating from thebaine during street heroin synthesis followed by metabolic reactions after administration. In this study, urine samples after consumption of different German poppy seed products and urine samples from subjects with suspicion of preceding heroin consumption were tested for ATM4G, 6-AC (6-acetylcodeine), papaverine, noscapine, 6-MAM (6-monoacetylmorphine), morphine, and codeine. Neither 6-AC and 6-MAM nor ATM4G but morphine and codeine could be detected in urine samples following poppy seed ingestion. As well, neither papaverine nor noscapine could be observed even after consumption of poppy seeds containing up to 37 µg noscapine and up to 9.8 µg papaverine, respectively. Concerning the urine samples with suspicion of preceding heroin consumption, ATM4G could be detected in 9 of 43 cases. By contrast, evidence of 6-AC and 6-MAM, respectively, could only be seen in 7 urine samples. In conclusion, ATM4G should be measured additionally in cases requiring discrimination of street heroin consumption from poppy seed intake. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  12. Aggressive angiomyxoma of the vulva: case report.

    PubMed

    Ribeiro, José Carlos Castelo Branco; Vieira, Sabas Carlos; Silva, Benedito Borges da; Santos, Lina Gomes dos; Costa, Pedro Vítor Lopes; Fonsêca, Lia Andréa Costa da

    2015-01-01

    Female patient, 42-years-old, complaining of difficulty in urinating and swelling in the vulvar area for one year. Her gynecological examination showed extensive injury in the vulvar region and the biopsy done was inconclusive. The removal of the lesion was conducted. After the procedure, the patient remains free of recurrence for 15 months. This case highlights the need to consider angiomyxoma in the differential diagnosis for tumors of unknown cause in the vulvar region.

  13. Detection of anabolic androgenic steroid abuse in doping control using mammalian reporter gene bioassays.

    PubMed

    Houtman, Corine J; Sterk, Saskia S; van de Heijning, Monique P M; Brouwer, Abraham; Stephany, Rainer W; van der Burg, Bart; Sonneveld, Edwin

    2009-04-01

    Anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS) are a class of steroid hormones related to the male hormone testosterone. They are frequently detected as drugs in sport doping control. Being similar to or derived from natural male hormones, AAS share the activation of the androgen receptor (AR) as common mechanism of action. The mammalian androgen responsive reporter gene assay (AR CALUX bioassay), measuring compounds interacting with the AR can be used for the analysis of AAS without the necessity of knowing their chemical structure beforehand, whereas current chemical-analytical approaches may have difficulty in detecting compounds with unknown structures, such as designer steroids. This study demonstrated that AAS prohibited in sports and potential designer AAS can be detected with this AR reporter gene assay, but that also additional steroid activities of AAS could be found using additional mammalian bioassays for other types of steroid hormones. Mixtures of AAS were found to behave additively in the AR reporter gene assay showing that it is possible to use this method for complex mixtures as are found in doping control samples, including mixtures that are a result of multi drug use. To test if mammalian reporter gene assays could be used for the detection of AAS in urine samples, background steroidal activities were measured. AAS-spiked urine samples, mimicking doping positive samples, showed significantly higher androgenic activities than unspiked samples. GC-MS analysis of endogenous androgens and AR reporter gene assay analysis of urine samples showed how a combined chemical-analytical and bioassay approach can be used to identify samples containing AAS. The results indicate that the AR reporter gene assay, in addition to chemical-analytical methods, can be a valuable tool for the analysis of AAS for doping control purposes.

  14. Safety and efficacy of transurethral pneumatic lithotripsy for bladder calculi in children.

    PubMed

    Khosa, Ali Sher; Hussain, Muhammad; Hussain, Manzoor

    2012-12-01

    To determine the safety and efficacy of transurethral pneumatic lithotripsy for bladder calculi in children. The study included 100 children up to 15 years of age undergoing pneumatic cystolithoclast for bladder stones. The descriptive study was conducted from September 2006 to February 2007 at the Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation, Karachi. The inclusion criteria was children up to 15 years of age with a bladder stone of up to 3cm, pre-operative negative urine culture, no coagulopathy and fit for general anaesthesia. An X-ray and ultrasound of Kidney and Urinary Bladder (KUB) was mandatory. The procedure was done under general anaesthesia with a single dose of pre-operative antibiotic. A mini-scope of 4FR or a semi-rigid ureteroscope of 7/8.5 FR with pneumatic wolf lithoclast was used for the fragmentation of stones. Duration of procedure, any per-operative and post-operative complications and the duration of hospital stay were recorded. Post-operatively, the patient underwent ultrasound Kidney and Urinary Bladder at the first follow-up to assess stone clearance after one week. Mean patients age was 4.95 +/- 3.3 years. The male-to-female ratio was 11.5: 1 The mean hospital stay was 9.2 +/- 2.5 hours. The mean operating time was 25 (10 -65) minutes. Ten (10%) patients developed minor complications out of which 5 (5%) developed haematuria and 4 (4%) developed difficulty in passing urine. One (1%) of the patients developed post-operative retention of urine. All the patients were stone-free after the procedure. The transurethral pneumatic lithoclast is very effective and safe in children with bladder stones up to 3cm.

  15. Interaction of melamine and di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate exposure on markers of early renal damage in children: The 2011 Taiwan food scandal.

    PubMed

    Wu, Chia-Fang; Hsiung, Chao A; Tsai, Hui-Ju; Tsai, Yi-Chun; Hsieh, Hui-Min; Chen, Bai-Hsiun; Wu, Ming-Tsang

    2018-04-01

    Melamine and phthalate, mainly di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), are ubiquitously present in the general environment. We investigated whether urine melamine levels can modify the relationship between DEHP exposure and markers of early renal damage in children. A nationwide health survey for Children aged ≤12 years possibly exposed to phthalates were enrolled between August 2012 and January 2013. They were administered questionnaires to collect details regarding past DEHP exposure to phthalate-tainted foodstuffs. Urine samples were measured melamine levels, phthalate metabolites and biomarkers of renal damage, including urine microalbumin/creatinine ratio (ACR), N-acetyl-beta-d-glucosaminidase (NAG), and β2-microglobulin. The study included 224 children who had a median urine melamine level (μg/mmol creatinine) of 1.61 ranging 0.18-47.42. Positive correlations were found between urine melamine levels and urine ACR as well as urine NAG levels (both Spearman correlation coefficients r = 0.24, n = 224, p < .001). The higher the past DEHP exposure or urine melamine levels, the higher the prevalence of microalbuminuria. An interaction effect was also found between urine melamine levels and past DEHP exposure on urine ACR. Melamine levels may further modify the effect of past DEHP exposure on urine ACR in children. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  16. Comparison of routine urinalysis and urine Gram stain for detection of bacteriuria in dogs.

    PubMed

    Way, Leilani Ireland; Sullivan, Lauren A; Johnson, Valerie; Morley, Paul S

    2013-01-01

    To determine the utility of performing urine Gram stain for detection of bacteriuria compared to routine urine sediment examination and bacterial aerobic urine culture. Prospective, observational study. University teaching hospital. Urine samples acquired via cystocentesis through convenience sampling from 103 dogs presenting to a tertiary referral institution. All samples underwent routine urinalysis, including sediment examination, as well as urine Gram stain and quantitative bacterial aerobic urine culture. The urine Gram stain demonstrated improved sensitivity (96% versus 76%), specificity (100% versus 77%), positive predictive value (100% versus 83%), and negative predictive value (93% versus 69%) when identifying bacteriuria, compared to routine urine sediment examination. The urine Gram stain is highly sensitive and specific when detecting the presence of bacteria in canine urine samples. Gram staining should be considered when bacteriuria is highly suspected and requires rapid identification while bacterial culture is pending. © Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Society 2013.

  17. Medullary cystic kidney disease

    MedlinePlus

    ... Tests that may be done include: 24-hour urine volume and electrolytes Blood urea nitrogen (BUN) Complete blood count (CBC) Creatinine blood test Creatinine clearance -- blood and urine Uric acid blood test Urine specific gravity (will ...

  18. EDRN Pre-Validation of Multiplex Biomarker in Urine — EDRN Public Portal

    Cancer.gov

    The goal of this proposal is to begin to establish an EDRN “pre-validation” trial of a multiplex set of transcripts, including the ETS gene fusions, in post-DRE urine sediments. As can be evidenced by our preliminary data, we have established the utility of this multiplex urine test (which includes TMPRSS-ERG, SPINK1, PCA3 and GOLPH2) in a cohort of prospectively collected urine sediments from the University of Michigan EDRN CEVC site (collected by co-I, Dr. John Wei). In this proposal, we will run this multiplex assay on prospectively collected post-DRE urines collected from other EDRN sites. The idea is to couple this “pre-validation” study with an EDRN validation trial under consideration for the Gen-Probe PCA3 urine test (directed by Drs. John Wei and Harry Rittenhouse).

  19. Unveiling massive numbers of cancer-related urinary-microRNA candidates via nanowires

    PubMed Central

    Yasui, Takao; Yanagida, Takeshi; Ito, Satoru; Konakade, Yuki; Takeshita, Daiki; Naganawa, Tsuyoshi; Nagashima, Kazuki; Shimada, Taisuke; Kaji, Noritada; Nakamura, Yuta; Thiodorus, Ivan Adiyasa; He, Yong; Rahong, Sakon; Kanai, Masaki; Yukawa, Hiroshi; Ochiya, Takahiro; Kawai, Tomoji; Baba, Yoshinobu

    2017-01-01

    Analyzing microRNAs (miRNAs) within urine extracellular vesicles (EVs) is important for realizing miRNA-based, simple, and noninvasive early disease diagnoses and timely medical checkups. However, the inherent difficulty in collecting dilute concentrations of EVs (<0.01 volume %) from urine has hindered the development of these diagnoses and medical checkups. We propose a device composed of nanowires anchored into a microfluidic substrate. This device enables EV collections at high efficiency and in situ extractions of various miRNAs of different sequences (around 1000 types) that significantly exceed the number of species being extracted by the conventional ultracentrifugation method. The mechanical stability of nanowires anchored into substrates during buffer flow and the electrostatic collection of EVs onto the nanowires are the two key mechanisms that ensure the success of the proposed device. In addition, we use our methodology to identify urinary miRNAs that could potentially serve as biomarkers for cancer not only for urologic malignancies (bladder and prostate) but also for nonurologic ones (lung, pancreas, and liver). The present device concept will provide a foundation for work toward the long-term goal of urine-based early diagnoses and medical checkups for cancer. PMID:29291244

  20. Dual Fan Separator within the Universal Waste Management System

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Stapleton, Tom; Converse, Dave; Broyan, James Lee, Jr.

    2014-01-01

    Since NASA's new spacecraft in development for both LEO and Deep Space capability have considerable crew volume reduction in comparison to the Space Shuttle, it is clear that NASA requires a smaller and less expensive commode. The UTAS Universal Waste Management System (UWMS) was designed to address these new constraints, resulting in an 80% volume reduction in the cabin while enhancing performance. Whereas all of the current space commodes use air flow to capture both urine and feces and separate air from the captured air/urine mixture, the UWMS commode and urine fans and the urine separator were combined into a single unit. This unit enables use of a single motor and motor controller, which provides considerable packaging and weight efficiency. In some of the intended platform applications for the UWMS, the urine is pumped to a water reclamation system. The ISS Urine Processor Assembly (UPA) system requires delivered urine to include less than 0.25% air inclusion. Air inclusion in centrifugal urine separators is greatly dependent on its rotational speed. To satisfy this requirement, a gear reducer was included, allowing the fans to rotate at a much higher speed than the separator. This new design, the Dual Fan Separator (DFS) has been designed, prototyped and tested. This paper will outline the studies and analysis performed to develop the design configuration for testing. The studies included a configuration trade study, dynamic stability analysis of the rotating bodies and a performance analysis of included labyrinth seals. NASA is considereing a program to fly the UWMS aboard the ISS as a flight experiment. The goal of the design activity is to elevate the Technical Readiness Level (TRL) of the Dual Fan Separator and determine if the concept is ready to be included in flight experiment deliverable.

  1. Aggressive angiomyxoma of the vulva: case report

    PubMed Central

    Ribeiro, José Carlos Castelo Branco; Vieira, Sabas Carlos; da Silva, Benedito Borges; dos Santos, Lina Gomes; Costa, Pedro Vítor Lopes; da Fonsêca, Lia Andréa Costa

    2015-01-01

    Female patient, 42-years-old, complaining of difficulty in urinating and swelling in the vulvar area for one year. Her gynecological examination showed extensive injury in the vulvar region and the biopsy done was inconclusive. The removal of the lesion was conducted. After the procedure, the patient remains free of recurrence for 15 months. This case highlights the need to consider angiomyxoma in the differential diagnosis for tumors of unknown cause in the vulvar region. PMID:26061077

  2. Uric acid, an important screening tool to detect inborn errors of metabolism: a case series.

    PubMed

    Jasinge, Eresha; Kularatnam, Grace Angeline Malarnangai; Dilanthi, Hewa Warawitage; Vidanapathirana, Dinesha Maduri; Jayasena, Kandana Liyanage Subhashinie Priyadarshika Kapilani Menike; Chandrasiri, Nambage Dona Priyani Dhammika; Indika, Neluwa Liyanage Ruwan; Ratnayake, Pyara Dilani; Gunasekara, Vindya Nandani; Fairbanks, Lynette Dianne; Stiburkova, Blanka

    2017-09-06

    Uric acid is the metabolic end product of purine metabolism in humans. Altered serum and urine uric acid level (both above and below the reference ranges) is an indispensable marker in detecting rare inborn errors of metabolism. We describe different case scenarios of 4 Sri Lankan patients related to abnormal uric acid levels in blood and urine. CASE 1: A one-and-half-year-old boy was investigated for haematuria and a calculus in the bladder. Xanthine crystals were seen in microscopic examination of urine sediment. Low uric acid concentrations in serum and low urinary fractional excretion of uric acid associated with high urinary excretion of xanthine and hypoxanthine were compatible with xanthine oxidase deficiency. CASE 2: An 8-month-old boy presented with intractable seizures, feeding difficulties, screaming episodes, microcephaly, facial dysmorphism and severe neuro developmental delay. Low uric acid level in serum, low fractional excretion of uric acid and radiological findings were consistent with possible molybdenum cofactor deficiency. Diagnosis was confirmed by elevated levels of xanthine, hypoxanthine and sulfocysteine levels in urine. CASE 3: A 3-year-10-month-old boy presented with global developmental delay, failure to thrive, dystonia and self-destructive behaviour. High uric acid levels in serum, increased fractional excretion of uric acid and absent hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase enzyme level confirmed the diagnosis of Lesch-Nyhan syndrome. CASE 4: A 9-year-old boy was investigated for lower abdominal pain, gross haematuria and right renal calculus. Low uric acid level in serum and increased fractional excretion of uric acid pointed towards hereditary renal hypouricaemia which was confirmed by genetic studies. Abnormal uric acid level in blood and urine is a valuable tool in screening for clinical conditions related to derangement of the nucleic acid metabolic pathway.

  3. Space motion sickness medications: interference with biomedical parameters

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Vernikos-Danellis, J.; Winget, C. M.; Leach, C. S.; Rosenblatt, L. S.; Lyman, J.; Beljan, J. R.

    1977-01-01

    The possibility that drugs administered to Skylab 3 (SL-3) and 4 (SL-4) crewmen for space motion sickness may have interfered with their biomedical evaluation in space was investigated. Healthy volunteers received combinations of Scopolamine/Dexedrine for four days in regimens similar to those used in these missions. Urine samples, heart rate, body temperature, mood and performance were analyzed for drug-related changes. Twenty-four hour urine samples were analyzed by the same procedures as those used to analyze the flight samples. Hormone concentrations determined included cortisol, epinephrine, norepinephrine, aldosterone and antidiuretic hormone (ADH). In addition, volume, specific gravity, osmolarity, sodium (Na), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), chloride (Cl), inorganic phosphate, uric acid and creatinine were measured. Performance was not affected by the Scopolamine/Dexedrine. The drug combination increased daily mean heart rate (HR) significantly in all the subjects and daily mean rectal temperature (RT) in some of the subjects. A 2-4 hr phase shift in the HR circadian rhythm was also observed which indicates that internal circadian synchrony was disturbed by the drugs. Psychological and subjective evaluation indicated that the subjects could usually identify which days they were given the drugs by an increase in tension and anxiety, decreased patience, restlessness, decreased appetite, difficulty in sleeping and feelings of increased heart rate and body temperature. Urinary electrolytes were not changed significantly by the drug, but marked and significant changes occurred in urine volume and hormone excretion patterns. Scopolamine/Dexedrine caused consistent elevations in urinary cortisol and epinephrine and a transient elevation in ADH. Norepinephrine excretion was decreased, but there was no significant change in aldosterone excretion or in 24 hr urine volume. A comparison of these findings with the first four days of inflight data from the SL-3 and SL-4 missions leads to the conclusion that the dramatic increases in aldosterone excretion during the first three days of spaceflight probably can be directly attributed to weightlessness, whereas the antimotion sickness medication could have substantially contributed to the early increased excretion of epinephrine and cortisol during these missions.

  4. Prevalence and antimicrobial sensitivity pattern of urinary tract infection among children with cerebral palsy, Moshi, Tanzania

    PubMed Central

    Ryakitimbo, Amon; Philemon, Rune; Mazuguni, Festo; Msuya, Levina

    2018-01-01

    Background Urinary tract infection (UTI) in children with cerebral palsy (CP) is a challenging yet common clinical condition. Children with CP bare the greatest risk of contracting UTI because of their difficulties in neuromotor control which lead to delay of bladder control, causing incomplete bladder emptying and urine retention. Method This was an analytical cross-sectional study that was conducted from September 2016 to March 2017 at Comprehensive Community Based Rehabilitation in Tanzania – Moshi and Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre Neurological Pediatrics Outpatient Clinic. All children who met the inclusion criteria were studied. Urine samples were collected at one point by catheterization, and urine dipstick and urine culture were done. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 20. Results A total of 99 children were enrolled in the study. The median age was 4 years (3–8 years); 53.5% were aged between 2 and 4 years. More than half were male. UTI was detected in 13.1% (n=13) of the children. Five causative agents of UTI were isolated, namely Escherichia coli, Proteus mirabilis, Klebsiella pneumonia, Staphylococcus aureus, and Enterococcus faecalis. The two most common organisms, E. coli and P. mirabilis, both had low sensitivity to ampicillin and co-trimoxazole while they were sensitive to ciprofloxacin and ceftriaxone. Conclusion UTI is a common finding among children with CP. E. coli and P. mirabilis are the commonest causative agents and are sensitive to ciprofloxacin and ceftriaxone but have low sensitivity to ampicillin and co-trimoxazole. PMID:29774893

  5. [Microbiota of urine and vagina of healthy postmenopausal women (a pilot study)].

    PubMed

    Naboka, Yu L; Rymashevsky, A N; Kogan, M I; Gudima, I A; Borovleva, O A; Jalagonia, K T; Zarutskiy, S A

    2016-02-01

    Studying microbiota of different urogenital tract habitats in healthy postmenopausal women is of practical importance in deciding on the appropriateness of correction of dysbiotic disorders. The aim of this study was to examine the vaginal and urine microbiota of healthy postmenopausal women. The study included 20 healthy postmenopausal women (mean age 59,0+/-2,1 years). Duration of menopause in all subjects was more than 8 years. Bacteriological testing of urine and vaginal specimen was carried out on the extended media (15) for cultivating facultative anaerobic bacteria (FAB) and nonclostridial anaerobic bacteria (NAB) and included PCR of midstream morning urine. Among FAB in the urine and vagina dominated coagulase-negative staphylococci and NAB. Bacterial patterns of studied habitats turned out to be similar in many respects. In the urine Megasphaera spp., Veillonella spp., Prevotella spp., Mobiluncus spp., Fusobacterium spp. were found, whereas in the vagina these microorganisms were not present. Cluster analysis revealed no significant differences in the concentration of the same microorganisms isolated from the urine and vagina. When comparing the frequency of microorganism detection in urine by bacteriological method and by PCR, bacterial patterns were identical in 56% of cases.

  6. Urine cup for collection of urine from cows.

    PubMed

    Fellner, V; Weiss, M F; Belo, A T; Belyea, R L; Martz, F A; Orma, A H

    1988-08-01

    A urine cup for continuous and complete collection of urine from cows was constructed from Plastisol, cotton webb strapping, Velcro Brand touch fasteners [corrected], snap-fasteners, denim patches, weather stripping, and vacuum hose. The urine cup was made from Plastisol using a heated lead mold. It was large enough to enclose a 9 cm x 6 cm area around the vulva of a cow and was attached by strapping and Velcro Brand touch fasteners [corrected] to patches glued to the rump. Urine cups were used repeatedly and provided for long-term collection of urine from cows, eliminating the need for indwelling catheters. Applications include long-term nutrient balance, radioisotope, and metabolism studies.

  7. Elevated post-void residual volume in a geriatric post-hip fracture assessment in women-associated factors and risk of mortality.

    PubMed

    Nuotio, Maria S; Luukkaala, Tiina; Tammela, Teuvo

    2018-04-09

    Multiple factors contribute to elevated post-void residual urine volumes (PVR), but they may indicate detrusor underactivity (DU), especially in older women. The aim here was to examine factors associated with and prognostic significance of elevated PVR in a geriatric post-hip fracture assessment in a female population. Consecutive female hip fracture patients (n = 409) aged 65 years and older were included. PVR was measured by bladder scanner. PVR of 160 ml or more was deemed elevated. Age-adjusted univariate logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine the association of the domains of the comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) with elevated PVR. Cox proportional hazards model was used to determine the age-adjusted association of an elevated PVR with 1-year mortality. Of the patients, 64 (15.6%) had elevated PVR. Having urinary or fecal incontinence, difficulties in physical activities of daily living, malnutrition, poor performance on Timed Up and Go and Elderly Mobility Scale were significantly associated with elevated PVR. Difficulties in instrumental activities of daily living, renal dysfunction, constipation, polypharmacy, nocturia, cognitive impairment and depressive mood were not associated with elevated PVR. Elevated PVR significantly increased the risk of mortality 1 year post hip fracture. Elevated PVR is relatively common in older female hip fracture patients and associated with physical functioning, malnutrition and risk of mortality. Even though a causal relationship cannot be confirmed, the findings may suggest a relationship between DU and physical frailty. PVR deserves to be included in the CGA of frail older patients including women.

  8. Determinants of practice patterns in pediatric UTI management.

    PubMed

    Selekman, R E; Allen, I E; Copp, H L

    2016-10-01

    Urinary tract infection (UTI) affects 10% of girls and 3% of boys by age 16. Both the American Academy of Pediatrics and National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence Guidelines recommend urine testing prior to initiation of antibiotic treatment and the use of local antibiograms to guide empiric antibiotic therapy. Urine culture results not only provide the opportunity to halt empiric therapy if there is no bacterial growth, but also allow for tailoring of broad-spectrum therapy. Additionally, the use of antiobiograms improves empiric antibiotic selection based on local resistance patterns. However, execution of guideline recommendations has proved challenging. Understanding barriers in implementation is critical to developing targeted interventions aimed to improve adherence to these guidelines. The present study sought to investigate practice patterns and factors that influence urine testing and antibiogram use in the setting of empiric antibiotic treatment of UTI in children to ultimately improve adherence to UTI management guidelines. A random, national sample of physicians caring for children was surveyed from the American Medical Association Masterfile. Participants were queried regarding practice type, length of time in practice, factors influencing urine testing, urine specimen collection method, and antibiogram utilization. Logistic regression was used to assess factors associated with use of urine testing, bagged specimens, and antibiograms. Of respondents who acknowledged contact by surveyors, 47% completed the survey (n = 366). Most respondents (84%) obtain urinalysis and culture prior to treatment for UTI. Physicians report they would more likely order testing if the specimen were easier to collect (46%) and if results were available immediately (48%) (Table). Urine collection by bag was more common in circumcised boys (>30%) compared with girls (20%) and uncircumcised boys (20%) (P = 0.02). The most common reasons for collection by bag were parental refusal for (49%) and difficulty with (42%) catheterization (Table). Of the 70% of respondents reporting antibiogram access (n = 256), 50% report its use the majority of the time with empiric prescription (n = 128). While most practitioners report following guidelines to obtain urine testing prior to antibiotic prescription for UTI, urine collection by bag is common. Additionally, <50% of practitioners adhere to guideline recommendations for empiric antibiotic selection based on local antibiograms. Interventions to improve adherence to UTI management guidelines should focus on (1) improving catheterization practices, (2) educating parents regarding the value of catheterization, and (3) incorporating local antibiograms into electronic medical records. Copyright © 2016 Journal of Pediatric Urology Company. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Surgical management of vulvovaginal agglutination due to lichen planus.

    PubMed

    Fairchild, Pamela S; Haefner, Hope K

    2016-02-01

    Lichen planus is a rare dermatological disorder that is often associated with painful and disfiguring vulvovaginal effects. At the University of Michigan Center for Vulvar Diseases, we see many women with vulvovaginal lichen planus each year, with marked scarring and vulvovaginal agglutination that precludes vaginal intercourse and causes difficulty with urination. Through our experience, we developed a protocol for the operative management and postoperative care for severe vulvovaginal agglutination. Our objective is to share this protocol with a wider audience so that providers who see patients with these devastating effects of lichen planus can benefit from our experience to better serve this patient population. The figure represents a case of erosive lichen planus with early vaginal agglutination. The video reviews the pathophysiology and presentation of lichen planus. We then present a case of scarring and agglutination in a young woman, including our surgical management and postoperative care recommendations. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. Urine culture guided antibiotic interventions: A pharmacist driven antimicrobial stewardship effort in the ED.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Xi; Rowan, Nicole; Pflugeisen, Bethann Mangel; Alajbegovic, Sanjin

    2017-04-01

    Antibiotics are overprescribed for abnormal urine tests including asymptomatic bacteriuria (AB), contributing to rising antimicrobial resistance rates. Pharmacists reviewed urine cultures daily from emergency department (ED) encounters to assess antibiotic appropriateness. We studied antibiotic prescribing practices and assessed compliance to national guidelines, correlations with urine analysis (UA) components, and opportunities for antimicrobial stewardship in the ED. This quality improvement project (QIP) was a prospective cohort study at a community hospital ED, with data collected from finalized urine cultures resulting October 30, 2014 through January 5, 2015. Analyses were conducted using Chi-squared and Fisher Exact tests and stepwise multiple logistic regression. Urine cultures from 457 encounters were reviewed, of which 136 met the inclusion criteria as non-pregnant and asymptomatic for urinary tract infection (UTI). 43% of 136 patients were treated with antibiotics, for a total of 426 antibiotic days. Pharmacist interventions for these patients resulted in 122/426 (29%) of potential antibiotic days saved. Factors found to significantly increase the odds of antibiotic prescribing in asymptomatic patients included presence of leukocyte esterase (OR=4.5, 95% CI: 1.2-17.2; p=0.03) or nitrites (OR=10.8, 95% CI: 1.7-68.1; p=0.01) in the urine and age≥75 (OR=3.5, 95% CI: 1.2-9.6, p=0.02). Pharmacist intervention in discontinuing or modifying antibiotics for asymptomatic patients with urine cultures reduced unnecessary antibiotic exposure and was a first step in antimicrobial stewardship efforts in the ED. Future work includes limiting urine tests and subsequent antibiotic therapy for non-pregnant asymptomatic patients. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. E coli enteritis

    MedlinePlus

    ... often bloody. Other symptoms may include: Fever Gas Loss of appetite Stomach cramping Vomiting (rare) Symptoms of a rare but severe E coli infection include: Bruises that happen easily Pale skin Red or bloody urine Reduced amount of urine

  12. Use of Urine Biomarkers to Assess Sodium Intake: Challenges and Opportunities

    PubMed Central

    Maalouf, Joyce; Elliott, Paul; Loria, Catherine M.; Patel, Sheena; Bowman, Barbara A.

    2017-01-01

    This article summarizes current data and approaches to assess sodium intake in individuals and populations. A review of the literature on sodium excretion and intake estimation supports the continued use of 24-h urine collections for assessing population and individual sodium intake. Since 2000, 29 studies used urine biomarkers to estimate population sodium intake, primarily among adults. More than half used 24-h urine; the rest used a spot/casual, overnight, or 12-h specimen. Associations between individual sodium intake and health outcomes were investigated in 13 prospective cohort studies published since 2000. Only three included an indicator of long-term individual sodium intake, i.e., multiple 24-h urine specimens collected several days apart. Although not insurmountable, logistic challenges of 24-h urine collection remain a barrier for research on the relationship of sodium intake and chronic disease. Newer approaches, including modeling based on shorter collections, offer promise for estimating population sodium intake in some groups. PMID:25974702

  13. For reliable urine cultures in the detection of complicated urinary tract infection, do we use urine specimens obtained with urethral catheter or a nephrostomy tube?

    PubMed

    Dede, Gülay; Deveci, Özcan; Dede, Onur; Utanğac, Mazhar; Dağgulli, Mansur; Penbegül, Necmettin; Hatipoğlu, Namık Kemal

    2016-12-01

    The aim of this study was to compare the results of urine cultures obtained either from urethral, and percutaneous nephrostomy (PCN) catheters. This study included 328 consecutive patients that underwent PCN at our institution with complicated urinary tract infections (UTIs) between July 2010 and April 2015. Results of urine cultures obtained from the urethral and nephrostomy catheters were compared. This study included 152 male and 176 female patients. Mean age of the patients was 46.2±24.3 years. The main indications were obstructive uropathy due to urolithiasis complicated with pyonephrosis 145 (44%), malignant disease (n=87; 26%), pregnancy (n=26; 8%), and anatomical abnormality (n=23; 7%). One hundred and twenty three patients had diabetes mellitus. The most common causative organisms were Escherichia coli , Klebsiella pneumoniae , and Pseudomonas aeruginosa . Blood cultures showed the same results for the PCN and bladder urine cultures. The bladder urine culture was positive in 304 patients, while the PCN urine culture in 314 patients. PCN is an important treatment for the management of pyonephrosis. Cultures from the PCN yield valuable information that is not available from urethral urine cultures, and is a guiding tool for antibiotic therapy selection.

  14. Mean population salt intake estimated from 24-h urine samples and spot urine samples: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

    PubMed

    Huang, Liping; Crino, Michelle; Wu, Jason H Y; Woodward, Mark; Barzi, Federica; Land, Mary-Anne; McLean, Rachael; Webster, Jacqui; Enkhtungalag, Batsaikhan; Neal, Bruce

    2016-02-01

    Estimating equations based on spot urine samples have been identified as a possible alternative approach to 24-h urine collections for determining mean population salt intake. This review compares estimates of mean population salt intake based upon spot and 24-h urine samples. We systematically searched for all studies that reported estimates of daily salt intake based upon both spot and 24-h urine samples for the same population. The associations between the two were quantified and compared overall and in subsets of studies. A total of 538 records were identified, 108 were assessed as full text and 29 were included. The included studies involved 10,414 participants from 34 countries and made 71 comparisons available for the primary analysis. Overall average population salt intake estimated from 24-h urine samples was 9.3 g/day compared with 9.0 g/day estimated from the spot urine samples. Estimates based upon spot urine samples had excellent sensitivity (97%) and specificity (100%) at classifying mean population salt intake as above or below the World Health Organization maximum target of 5 g/day. Compared with the 24-h samples, estimates based upon spot urine overestimated intake at lower levels of consumption and underestimated intake at higher levels of consumption. Estimates of mean population salt intake based upon spot urine samples can provide countries with a good indication of mean population salt intake and whether action on salt consumption is required. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the International Epidemiological Association 2015. This work is written by US Government employees and is in the public domain in the US.

  15. Urine Pretreat Injection System

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1995-01-01

    A new method of introducing the OXONE (Registered Trademark) Monopersulfate Compound for urine pretreat into a two-phase urine/air flow stream has been successfully tested and evaluated. The feasibility of this innovative method has been established for purposes of providing a simple, convenient, and safe method of handling a chemical pretreat required for urine processing in a microgravity space environment. Also, the Oxone portion of the urine pretreat has demonstrated the following advantages during real time collection of 750 pounds of urine in a Space Station design two-phase urine Fan/Separator: Eliminated urine precipitate buildup on internal hardware and plumbing; Minimized odor from collected urine; and Virtually eliminated airborne bacteria. The urine pretreat, as presently defined for the Space Station program for proper downstream processing of urine, is a two-part chemical treatment of 5.0 grams of Oxone and 2.3 ml of H2SO4 per liter of urine. This study program and test demonstrated only the addition of the proper ratio of Oxone into the urine collection system upstream of the Fan/Separator. This program was divided into the following three major tasks: (1) A trade study, to define and recommend the type of Oxone injection method to pursue further; (2) The design and fabrication of the selected method; and (3) A test program using high fidelity hardware and fresh urine to demonstrate the method feasibility. The trade study was conducted which included defining several methods for injecting Oxone in different forms into a urine system. Oxone was considered in a liquid, solid, paste and powered form. The trade study and the resulting recommendation were presented at a trade study review held at Hamilton Standard on 24-25 October 94. An agreement was reached at the meeting to continue the solid tablet in a bag concept which included a series of tablets suspended in the urine/air flow stream. These Oxone tablets would slowly dissolve at a controlled rate providing the proper concentration in the collected urine. To implement the solid tablet in a bag approach, a design concept was completed with prototype drawings of the complete urine pretreat prefilter assembly. A successful fabrication technique was developed for retaining the Oxone tablets in a fabric casing attached to the end of the existing Space Station Waste Collection System urine prefilter assembly. The final pretreat prefilter configuration held sufficient Oxone in a tablet form to allow normal scheduled daily (or twice daily) change out of the urine filter depending on the use rate of the Space Station urine collection system. The actual tests to prove the concept were conducted using the Urine Fan/Separator assembly that was originally used in the STS-52 Design Test Objective (DTO) urinal assembly. Other related tests were conducted to demonstrate the actual minimum ratio of Oxone to urine that will control microbial growth.

  16. Latent association between low urine pH and low body weight in an apparently healthy population.

    PubMed

    Nakajima, Kei; Oda, Eiji; Kanda, Eiichiro

    2016-01-01

    Low urine pH, a plausible predictor for chronic kidney disease and metabolic disorders, is often observed in obese individuals. However, the association between low urine pH and low body weight is equivocal. We examined clinical parameters including urine pH and body mass index (BMI) in a cross-sectional study of 3629 apparently healthy Japanese adults aged 25-80 years who underwent a health-screening check-up. Urine pH was lower and the prevalence of proteinuria was significantly higher in subjects with BMI of ≥ 27.0 kg/m(2) compared with those with BMI of 21.0-22.9 kg/m(2). By contrast, hematuria was more prevalent in subjects with BMI of ≤ 20.9 kg/m(2). Logistic regression analysis showed that BMI of ≥ 27.0 kg/m(2) was significantly associated with low urine pH (≤ 5.5), which remained significant after adjustment for relevant confounders including age, sex, proteinuria, estimated glomerular filtration rate, urine density, hematuria, smoking status, and daily alcohol drinking. However, the association disappeared after further adjustment for serum uric acid. In contrast, the association between low urine pH and BMI of ≤ 19.0 kg/m(2) was significant after adjustment for age and sex and rather strengthened by the further adjustment for serum uric acid. In conclusion, low urine pH may be independently associated with low BMI. However, the underlying mechanisms of low urine pH in low body weight may differ from those in high body weight.

  17. Urine benzodiazepines screening of involuntarily drugged and robbed or raped patients.

    PubMed

    Boussairi, A; Dupeyron, J P; Hernandez, B; Delaitre, D; Beugnet, L; Espinoza, P; Diamant-Berger, O

    1996-01-01

    This study involved 35 patients who claimed to have been drugged before being robbed or raped, despite urine negative toxicologic screening by immunoenzymatic methods. The urines were frozen for further investigations, including enzymatic hydrolysis of urinary conjugates, liquid-solid extraction and, finally, immunoenzymatic screening of concentrated urine extract. Urine benzodiazepines were analyzed by immunoenzymatic assay before and after enzymatic hydrolysis combined with extraction. On direct immunoenzymatic screening, 17 of the 35 urine samples were benzodiazepine positive. Enrichment of preserved specimens improved the detection threshold from 200 ng/mL to 50 ng/mL and 10 of the 18 negative urines became positive. This method allowed us to demonstrate the benzodiazepines in half of previously negative urine samples. Benzodiazepine screening is particularly problematic because of low dosage, rapid elimination, failure to detect conjugated metabolites by immunoenzymatic reagents and high threshold of sensitivity for certain substances.

  18. Urine collection device

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Michaud, R. B. (Inventor)

    1981-01-01

    A urine collection device for females is described. It is comprised of a collection element defining a urine collection chamber and an inlet opening into the chamber and is adapted to be disposed in surrounding relation to the urethral opening of the user. A drainage conduit is connected to the collection element in communication with the chamber whereby the chamber and conduit together comprise a urine flow pathway for carrying urine generally away from the inlet. A first body of wicking material is mounted adjacent the collection element and extends at least partially into the flow pathway. The device preferably also comprise a vaginal insert element including a seal portion for preventing the entry of urine into the vagina.

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

    Weaver, Virginia M., E-mail: vweaver@jhsph.edu; Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD; Welch Center for Prevention, Epidemiology, and Clinical Research, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD

    Positive associations between urine toxicant levels and measures of glomerular filtration rate (GFR) have been reported recently in a range of populations. The explanation for these associations, in a direction opposite that of traditional nephrotoxicity, is uncertain. Variation in associations by urine concentration adjustment approach has also been observed. Associations of urine cadmium, thallium and uranium in models of serum creatinine- and cystatin-C-based estimated GFR (eGFR) were examined using multiple linear regression in a cross-sectional study of adolescents residing near a lead smelter complex. Urine concentration adjustment approaches compared included urine creatinine, urine osmolality and no adjustment. Median age, bloodmore » lead and urine cadmium, thallium and uranium were 13.9 years, 4.0 μg/dL, 0.22, 0.27 and 0.04 g/g creatinine, respectively, in 512 adolescents. Urine cadmium and thallium were positively associated with serum creatinine-based eGFR only when urine creatinine was used to adjust for urine concentration (β coefficient=3.1 mL/min/1.73 m{sup 2}; 95% confidence interval=1.4, 4.8 per each doubling of urine cadmium). Weaker positive associations, also only with urine creatinine adjustment, were observed between these metals and serum cystatin-C-based eGFR and between urine uranium and serum creatinine-based eGFR. Additional research using non-creatinine-based methods of adjustment for urine concentration is necessary. - Highlights: • Positive associations between urine metals and creatinine-based eGFR are unexpected. • Optimal approach to urine concentration adjustment for urine biomarkers uncertain. • We compared urine concentration adjustment methods. • Positive associations observed only with urine creatinine adjustment. • Additional research using non-creatinine-based methods of adjustment needed.« less

  20. Bladder Diseases

    MedlinePlus

    ... frequent, urgent urination Bladder cancer Doctors diagnose bladder diseases using different tests. These include urine tests, x- ... National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

  1. Recommendations for provoked challenge urine testing.

    PubMed

    Ruha, Anne-Michelle

    2013-12-01

    "Urine mobilization test," "challenge test," and "provoked urine test" are all terms used to describe the administration of a chelating agent to a person prior to collection of their urine to test for metals. There is no standard, validated challenge test. Despite recommendations by professional and government organizations against the use of provoked urine testing, the tests are still commonly used and recommended by some practitioners. Challenge testing utilizes a variety of chelating agents, including dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA), dimercaptopropanesulfonate (DMPS), and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA). The agents are given by a variety of routes of administration, doses used are inconsistent, and urine collection procedures vary. Additional problems with challenge tests include comparison of results to inappropriate reference ranges and creatinine correction of urine obtained within hours of chelator administration. Human volunteer studies demonstrate that mercury is detected in the urine of most people even in the absence of known exposure or chelator administration, and that urinary mercury excretion rises after administration of a chelator, regardless of exposure history and in an unpredictable fashion. Studies also demonstrate that challenge testing fails to reveal a "body burden" of mercury due to remote exposure. Chelating agents have been associated with adverse reactions. Current evidence does not support the use of DMPS, DMSA, or other chelation challenge tests for the diagnosis of metal toxicity. Since there are no established reference ranges for provoked urine samples in healthy subjects, no reliable evidence to support a diagnostic value for the tests, and potential harm, these tests should not be utilized.

  2. Combined quantification of paclitaxel, docetaxel and ritonavir in human feces and urine using LC-MS/MS.

    PubMed

    Hendrikx, Jeroen J M A; Rosing, Hilde; Schinkel, Alfred H; Schellens, Jan H M; Beijnen, Jos H

    2014-02-01

    A combined assay for the determination of paclitaxel, docetaxel and ritonavir in human feces and urine is described. The drugs were extracted from 200 μL urine or 50 mg feces followed by high-performance liquid chromatography analysis coupled with positive ionization electrospray tandem mass spectrometry. The validation program included calibration model, accuracy and precision, carry-over, dilution test, specificity and selectivity, matrix effect, recovery and stability. Acceptance criteria were according to US Food and Drug Administration guidelines on bioanalytical method validation. The validated range was 0.5-500 ng/mL for paclitaxel and docetaxel, 2-2000 ng/mL for ritonavir in urine, 2-2000 ng/mg for paclitaxel and docetaxel, and 8-8000 ng/mg for ritonavir in feces. Inter-assay accuracy and precision were tested for all analytes at four concentration levels and were within 8.5% and <10.2%, respectively, in both matrices. Recovery at three concentration levels was between 77 and 94% in feces samples and between 69 and 85% in urine samples. Method development, including feces homogenization and spiking blank urine samples, are discussed. We demonstrated that each of the applied drugs could be quantified successfully in urine and feces using the described assay. The method was successfully applied for quantification of the analytes in feces and urine samples of patients. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  3. Do adult men with untreated ventral penile curvature have adverse outcomes?

    PubMed

    Menon, Vani; Breyer, Benjamin; Copp, Hillary L; Baskin, Laurence; Disandro, Michael; Schlomer, Bruce J

    2016-02-01

    Congenital ventral penile curvature without hypospadias is often treated surgically in childhood. The history of untreated ventral curvature is unknown. This study's aim was to examine the association of untreated ventral penile curvature with various sexual and psychosexual outcomes. An electronic survey was advertised to men older than 18 years on Facebook. Men with possible ventral penile curvature identified themselves by choosing sketches that most closely represented their anatomy. Outcomes assessed included: Sexual Health Inventory for Men, difficulty of intercourse because of curvature, International Prostate Symptom Score, Penile Perception Score, psychosexual milestones, paternity, infertility, sitting to urinate, and the CDC HRQOL-4 module. Among participants, 81 out of 684 men (11.8%) reported untreated ventral penile curvature. Participants with self-reported curvature noted more difficulty with intercourse because of curvature (4.5 vs 4.9, p < 0.001), more unhealthy mental days (8.6 vs 6.2, p = 0.02), and increased dissatisfaction with penile self-perception compared with men without reported curvature (8.6 vs 9.5, p < 0.001). Men with possible untreated ventral curvature reported worse penile perception scores, more mentally unhealthy days, and increased difficulty with intercourse secondary to curvature compared with men without curvature. A limitation to this study is selection bias; responses collected were self-reported from survey volunteers. Additionally, the question identifying ventral penile curvature is not validated but performed well in pretesting. Most questions were from validated surveys, but some were modeled after validated surveys and/or contained high face validity types of questions. Men with possible untreated ventral penile curvature reported more dissatisfaction with penile appearance, increased difficulty with intercourse, and more unhealthy mental days. Given high success rates, low complications, and improved outcomes after surgical correction of penile curvature reported in the literature, our results support correction of congenital penile curvature in childhood. Copyright © 2015 Journal of Pediatric Urology Company. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Do adult men with untreated ventral penile curvature have adverse outcomes?

    PubMed Central

    Menon, Vani; Breyer, Benjamin; Copp, Hillary L.; Baskin, Laurence; Disandro, Michael; Schlomer, Bruce J.

    2016-01-01

    Summary Introduction Congenital ventral penile curvature without hypospadias is often treated surgically in childhood. The history of untreated ventral curvature is unknown. Objective This study’s aim was to examine the association of untreated ventral penile curvature with various sexual and psychosexual outcomes. Study design An electronic survey was advertised to men older than 18 years on Facebook. Men with possible ventral penile curvature identified themselves by choosing sketches that most closely represented their anatomy. Outcomes assessed included: Sexual Health Inventory for Men, difficulty of intercourse because of curvature, International Prostate Symptom Score, Penile Perception Score, psychosexual milestones, paternity, infertility, sitting to urinate, and the CDC HRQOL-4 module. Results Among participants, 81 out of 684 men (11.8%) reported untreated ventral penile curvature. Participants with self-reported curvature noted more difficulty with intercourse because of curvature (4.5 vs 4.9, p < 0.001), more unhealthy mental days (8.6 vs 6.2, p = 0.02), and increased dissatisfaction with penile self-perception compared with men without reported curvature (8.6 vs 9.5, p < 0.001). Discussion Men with possible untreated ventral curvature reported worse penile perception scores, more mentally unhealthy days, and increased difficulty with intercourse secondary to curvature compared with men without curvature. A limitation to this study is selection bias; responses collected were self-reported from survey volunteers. Additionally, the question identifying ventral penile curvature is not validated but performed well in pretesting. Most questions were from validated surveys, but some were modeled after validated surveys and/or contained high face validity types of questions. Conclusion Men with possible untreated ventral penile curvature reported more dissatisfaction with penile appearance, increased difficulty with intercourse, and more unhealthy mental days. Given high success rates, low complications, and improved outcomes after surgical correction of penile curvature reported in the literature, our results support correction of congenital penile curvature in childhood. PMID:26776946

  5. A comparison of enhancement techniques for footwear impressions on dark and patterned fabrics.

    PubMed

    Farrugia, Kevin J; Bandey, Helen; Dawson, Lorna; Daéid, Niamh Nic

    2013-11-01

    The use of chemical enhancement techniques on porous substrates, such as fabrics, poses several challenges predominantly due to the occurrence of background staining and diffusion as well as visualization difficulties. A range of readily available chemical and lighting techniques were utilized to enhance footwear impressions made in blood, soil, and urine on dark and patterned fabrics. Footwear impressions were all prepared at a set force using a specifically built footwear rig. In most cases, results demonstrated that fluorescent chemical techniques were required for visualization as nonfluorescent techniques provided little or no contrast with the background. Occasionally, this contrast was improved by oblique lighting. Successful results were obtained for the enhancement of footwear impressions in blood; however, the enhancement of footwear impressions in urine and soil on dark and patterned fabrics was much more limited. The results demonstrate that visualization and fluorescent enhancement on porous substrates such as fabrics is possible. © 2013 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

  6. Performance Characteristics of Urinary Tract Cytology: Observations From the College of American Pathologists Interlaboratory Comparison Program in Nongynecologic Cytopathology.

    PubMed

    Barkan, Güliz A; Laucirica, Rodolfo; Auger, Manon; Khalbuss, Walid; Padmanabhan, Vijyalakshmi; Souers, Rhona; Moriarty, Ann T

    2015-08-01

    Urine cytology is used in the evaluation of hematuria or to follow patients with known urothelial neoplasia. To investigate the performance characteristics of urinary cytology challenges in the College of American Pathologists Interlaboratory Comparison Program in Nongynecologic Cytopathology. Participant responses from 2000 to 2010 were evaluated for the reference diagnoses of high-grade urothelial carcinoma (HGUC), squamous cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma, and benign diagnoses (including polyomavirus infection and ileal loop urine). Responses were compared for differences in sample preparation (conventional, liquid based, and cytospin) and participant type (laboratory, pathologist, cytotechnologist). There were 96 093 responses (46 637 pathologists [48.5%], 29 976 cytotechnologists [31.2%], and 19 480 laboratories [20.3%]); 69 814 of 74 821 responses (93.3%) for the general category positive for malignancy and 18 698 of 21 272 responses (87.9%) for positive for malignancy were concordant. Of the malignant reference diagnoses, 83.3% (59 985 of 71 581), 43.9% (732 of 1667), and 49.1% (370 of 756) were correctly identified as HGUC, adenocarcinoma, and squamous cell carcinoma, respectively. However, 802 of 1669 adenocarcinoma challenges (48.1%) and 275 of 755 squamous cell carcinoma challenges (36.4%) were misdiagnosed as HGUC. For the benign cases, the most common diagnostic pitfall was overinterpretation of ileal loop urines (330 of 5291; 6.2%) and Polyomavirus challenges (220 of 3535; 6.2%) as HGUC. For the general diagnosis of positive for malignancy, cytotechnologists performed slightly better that pathologists (94.5% [23 553 of 24 924] versus 92.3% [36 210 of 39 230]), whereas the reverse occurred for the negative category (85.6% [6423 of 7503] versus 88.8% [10 427 of 11 742]). Although the participants performed well in accurately classifying cases as benign and malignant, there were difficulties with the correct identification of adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma cases and with overinterpretation of ileal loop and Polyomavirus challenges as HGUC.

  7. Prevalence and spot urine risk factors for renal stones in children taking topiramate.

    PubMed

    Corbin Bush, Nicol; Twombley, Katherine; Ahn, Justin; Oliveira, Carlos; Arnold, Susan; Maalouf, Naim M; Sakhaee, Khashayar

    2013-12-01

    Topiramate (TPM), an anti-epileptic drug with >4 million users, increases renal stones in adults. We screened outpatient TPM-treated children without history of stones to estimate the prevalence of renal stones and to characterize urine stone-risk profiles. Children taking TPM ≥1 month underwent an interview, renal ultrasound, and spot urine testing in this prospective study. Normal spot urine values were defined as: calcium/creatinine ratio ≤0.20 mg/mg (>12 months) or ≤0.60 mg/mg (≤12 months), citrate/creatinine ratio >0.50 mg/mg, and pH ≤ 6.7. Of 41 patients with average age of 9.2 years (range 0.5-18.7), mean TPM dose of 8.0 mg/kg/day (range 1.4-23.6), and mean treatment duration of 27 months (range 1-112), two (4.9%) had renal stones. The majority of children taking TPM had lithogenic abnormalities on spot urine testing, including 21 (51%) with hypercalciuria, 38 (93%) with hypocitraturia, and 28 (68%) with pH ≥ 6.7. Hypercalciuria and hypocitraturia were independent of TPM dose and duration; urine pH increased with dose. 24-h urine parameters improved in 1 stone-former once TPM was weaned. Asymptomatic stones were found in 2/41 (4.8%) children taking TPM. Risk factors for stones were present in the spot urine of most children, including hypocitraturia (93%) and hypercalciuria (51%), independent of TPM dose and duration. High urine pH, found in 68%, correlated with TPM dose. Pediatric specialists should be aware of increased risks for stones, hypercalciuria, hypocitraturia, and alkaline urine in children taking TPM. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  8. Absence of bacterial DNA in culture-negative urine from cats with and without lower urinary tract disease.

    PubMed

    Lund, Heidi Sjetne; Skogtun, Gaute; Sørum, Henning; Eggertsdóttir, Anna Vigdís

    2015-10-01

    A diagnosis of bacterial cystitis commonly relies on a positive microbiological culture demonstrating the presence of a significant number of colony-forming units/ml urine, as urine within the upper urinary tract, bladder and proximal urethra generally is considered sterile. Recent studies from human and veterinary medicine indicate the presence of non-culturable bacteria in culture-negative urine samples. The aim of the present study was to determine the occurrence of bacterial DNA in culture-negative urine samples from cats with signs of feline lower urinary tract disease (FLUTD) and healthy control cats by 16S ribosomal DNA PCR and subsequent sequencing. The study sample included 38 culture-negative urine samples from cats with FLUTD and 43 culture-negative samples from control cats. Eight culture-positive urine samples from cats with FLUTD were included as external positive controls in addition to negative reaction controls. Of possible methodological limitations, degradation of DNA due to storage, the use of non-sedimented urine for DNA isolation and lack of internal positive reaction controls should be mentioned. The positive controls were recognised, but occurrence of bacterial DNA in culture-negative urine from cats with or without signs of lower urinary tract disease was not demonstrated. However, considering the possible methodological limitations, the presence of bacterial DNA in the urine of culture-negative FLUTD cats cannot be excluded based on the present results alone. Therefore, a prospective study reducing the possibility of degradation of DNA due to storage, in combination with modifications enhancing the chance of detecting even lower levels of bacterial DNA in culture-negative samples, seems warranted. © ISFM and AAFP 2014.

  9. Comparison between Urine and Cervical Samples for HPV DNA Detection and Typing in Young Women in Colombia.

    PubMed

    Cómbita, Alba Lucía; Gheit, Tarik; González, Paula; Puerto, Devi; Murillo, Raúl Hernando; Montoya, Luisa; Vorsters, Alex; Van Keer, Severien; Van Damme, Pierre; Tommasino, Massimo; Hernández-Suárez, Gustavo; Sánchez, Laura; Herrero, Rolando; Wiesner, Carolina

    2016-09-01

    Urine sampling for HPV DNA detection has been proposed as an effective method for monitoring the impact of HPV vaccination programs; however, conflicting results have been reported. The goal of this study was to evaluate the performance of optimized urine HPV DNA testing in women aged 19 to 25 years. Optimization process included the use of first void urine, immediate mixing of urine with DNA preservative, and the concentration of all HPV DNA, including cell-free DNA fragments. Urine and cervical samples were collected from 535 young women attending cervical screening at health centers from two Colombian cities. HPV DNA detection and genotyping was performed using an HPV type-specific multiplex genotyping assay, which combines multiplex polymerase chain reaction with bead-based Luminex technology. Concordance between HPV DNA detection in urine and cervical samples was determined using kappa statistics and McNemar tests. The accuracy of HPV DNA testing in urine samples was evaluated measuring sensitivity and specificity using as reference the results obtained from cervical samples. Statistical analysis was performed using STATA11.2 software. The findings revealed an overall HPV prevalence of 60.00% in cervical samples and 64.72% in urine samples, HPV-16 being the most frequent HPV type detected in both specimens. Moreover, our results indicate that detection of HPV DNA in first void urine provides similar results to those obtained with cervical samples and can be used to monitor HPV vaccination trials and programs as evidenced by the substantial concordance found for the detection of the four vaccine types. Cancer Prev Res; 9(9); 766-71. ©2016 AACR. ©2016 American Association for Cancer Research.

  10. Primary Care Providers’ Experiences with Urine Toxicology Tests to Manage Prescription Opioid Misuse and Substance Use Among Chronic Non-Cancer Pain Patients in Safety Net Healthcare Settings

    PubMed Central

    Ceasar, Rachel; Chang, Jamie; Zamora, Kara; Hurstak, Emily; Kushel, Margot; Miaskowski, Christine; Knight, Kelly

    2016-01-01

    Background Guideline recommendations to reduce prescription opioid misuse among patients with chronic non-cancer pain include the routine use of urine toxicology tests for high-risk patients. Yet little is known about how the implementation of urine toxicology tests among patients with co-occurring chronic non-cancer pain and substance use impacts primary care providers’ management of misuse. In this paper, we present clinicians’ perspectives on the benefits and challenges of implementing urine toxicology tests in the monitoring of opioid misuse and substance use in safety net healthcare settings. Methods We interviewed 23 primary care providers from six safety net healthcare settings whose patients had a diagnosis of co-occurring chronic non-cancer pain and substance use. We transcribed, coded, and analyzed interviews using grounded theory methodology. Results The benefits of implementing urine toxicology tests for primary care providers included less reliance on intuition to assess for misuse and the ability to identify unknown opioid misuse and/or substance use. The challenges of implementing urine toxicology tests included insufficient education and training about how to interpret and implement tests, and a lack of clarity on how and when to act on tests that indicated misuse and/or substance use. Conclusions These data suggest that primary care clinicians’ lack of education and training to interpret and implement urine toxicology tests may impact their management of patient opioid misuse and/or substance use. Clinicians may benefit from additional education and training about the clinical implementation and use of urine toxicology tests. Additional research is needed on how primary care providers implementation and use of urine toxicology tests impacts chronic non-cancer pain management in primary care and safety net healthcare settings among patients with co-occurring chronic non-cancer pain and substance use. PMID:26682471

  11. Nonhazardous Urine Pretreatment Method

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Akse, James R.; Holtsnider, John T.

    2012-01-01

    A method combines solid phase acidification with two non-toxic biocides to prevent ammonia volatilization and microbial proliferation. The safe, non-oxidizing biocide combination consists of a quaternary amine and a food preservative. This combination has exhibited excellent stabilization of both acidified and unacidified urine. During pretreatment tests, composite urine collected from donors was challenged with a microorganism known to proliferate in urine, and then was processed using the nonhazardous urine pre-treatment method. The challenge microorganisms included Escherichia coli, a common gram-negative bacteria; Enterococcus faecalis, a ureolytic gram-positive bacteria; Candida albicans, a yeast commonly found in urine; and Aspergillus niger, a problematic mold that resists urine pre-treatment. Urine processed in this manner remained microbially stable for over 57 days. Such effective urine stabilization was achieved using non-toxic, non-oxidizing biocides at higher pH (3.6 to 5.8) than previous methods in use or projected for use aboard the International Space Station (ISS). ISS urine pretreatment methods employ strong oxidants including ozone and hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)), a carcinogenic material, under very acidic conditions (pH = 1.8 to 2.4). The method described here offers a much more benign chemical environment than previous pretreatment methods, and will lower equivalent system mass (ESM) by reducing containment volume and mass, system complexity, and crew time needed to handle pre-treatment chemicals. The biocides, being non-oxidizing, minimize the potential for chemical reactions with urine constituents to produce volatile, airborne contaminants such as cyanogen chloride. Additionally, the biocides are active under significantly less acidic conditions than those used in the current system, thereby reducing the degree of required acidification. A simple flow-through solid phase acidification (SPA) bed is employed to overcome the natural buffering capacity of urine, and to lower the pH to levels that fix ammoniacal nitrogen in the non-volatile and highly water soluble NH4 + form. Citric acid, a highly soluble, solid tricarboxylic acid essential to cellular metabolism, and typically used as a food preservative, has also been shown to efficiently acidify urine in conjunction with non-oxidizing biocides to provide effective stabilization with respect to both microbial growth and ammonia volatilization.

  12. A look at risk factors of proteinuria in subjects without impaired renal filtration function in a general population in Owerri, Nigeria.

    PubMed

    Anyabolu, Ernest Ndukaife; Chukwuonye, Innocent Ijezie; Anyabolu, Arthur Ebelenna; Enwere, Okezie

    2016-01-01

    Proteinuria is a common marker of kidney damage. This study aimed at determining predictors of proteinuria in subjects without impaired renal filtration function in Owerri, Nigeria. This was a cross-sectional study involving 136 subjects, consecutively drawn from Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Owerri, Nigeria. Relevant investigations were performed, including 24-hour urine protein (24HUP). Correlation and multivariate linear regression analysis were used to determine the association and strength of variables to predict proteinuria. Proteinuria was defined as 24HUP ≥0.300g and impaired renal filtration function as creatinine clearance (ClCr) <90mls/min. P<0.05 was taken as statistically significant. Mean age of subjects was 38.58 ±11.79 years. Female/male ratio was 3:1. High 24-hour urine volume (24HUV) (p<0.001), high spot urine protein/creatinine ratio (SUPCR) (p<0.001), high 24-hour urine protein/creatinine ratio (24HUPCR) (p<0.001), high 24-hour urine protein/osmolality ratio (24HUPOR) (p<0.001), low 24-hour urine creatinine/osmolality ratio (24HUCOR) (p<0.001), and low spot urine protein/osmolality ratio (SUPOR) (p<0.001), predicted proteinuria in this study. The risk factors of proteinuria in subjects without impaired renal filtration function in Owerri, Nigeria, included 24HUV, SUPCR, 24HUPCR, 24HUPOR, 24HUCOR and SUPOR. Further research should explore the relationship between urine creatinine and urine osmolality, and how this relationship may affect progression of kidney damage, with or without impaired renal filtration function.

  13. Comparison of vacuum and non-vacuum urine tubes for urinary sediment analysis.

    PubMed

    Topcuoglu, Canan; Sezer, Sevilay; Kosem, Arzu; Ercan, Mujgan; Turhan, Turan

    2017-12-01

    Urine collection systems with aspiration system for vacuum tubes are becoming increasingly common for urinalysis, especially for microscopic examination of the urine. In this study, we aimed to examine whether vacuum aspiration of the urine sample has any adverse effect on sediment analysis by comparing results from vacuum and non-vacuum urine tubes. The study included totally 213 urine samples obtained from inpatients and outpatients in our hospital. Urine samples were collected to containers with aspiration system for vacuum tubes. Each sample was aliquoted to both vacuum and non-vacuum urine tubes. Urinary sediment analysis was performed using manual microscope. Results were evaluated using chi-square test. Comparison of the sediment analysis results from vacuum and non-vacuum urine tubes showed that results were highly concordant for erythrocyte, leukocyte and epithelial cells (gamma values 1, 0.997, and 0.994, respectively; p < .001). Results were also concordant for urinary casts, crystals and yeast (kappa values 0.815, 0.945 and 1, respectively; p < .001). The results show that in urinary sediment analysis, vacuum aspiration has no adverse effect on the cellular components except on casts.

  14. Stabilization of source-separated human urine by chemical oxidation.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Yang; Li, Zifu; Zhao, Yuan; Chen, Shuangling; Mahmood, Ibrahim Babatunde

    2013-01-01

    The inhibitory effect of ozone and hydrogen peroxide (HP) on urea hydrolysis in stored urine was investigated and compared. Ozone showed less effect on urea hydrolysis due to the complicated composition of urine (including a large amount of urease-producing bacteria) and bacteria regeneration. Ozone concentration and total heterotrophic bacteria analysis demonstrated that residual ozone concentration decreased by 43% within 15 hr from 13.50 to 7.72 mg/L in the one-time ozonation urine test, and finally completely decomposed within 4 days. In addition, bacteria regenerated quickly after ozone completely decomposed. However, HP showed a significant effect on inhibiting urea hydrolysis not only in stored urine but also in fecal-contaminated urine. The suitable doses of applied HP to inhibit urea hydrolysis in stored urine, concentrations of 0.5 and 1.0 g feces per liter of fecal-contaminated urine, were 0.03, 0.16 and 0.23 mol/L, respectively. The urea concentrations after 2 months stored were 7,145, 7,109 and 7,234 mg/L, respectively.

  15. Potential of non-invasive esophagus cancer detection based on urine surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Huang, Shaohua; Wang, Lan; Chen, Weisheng; Feng, Shangyuan; Lin, Juqiang; Huang, Zufang; Chen, Guannan; Li, Buhong; Chen, Rong

    2014-11-01

    Non-invasive esophagus cancer detection based on urine surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) analysis was presented. Urine SERS spectra were measured on esophagus cancer patients (n = 56) and healthy volunteers (n = 36) for control analysis. Tentative assignments of the urine SERS spectra indicated some interesting esophagus cancer-specific biomolecular changes, including a decrease in the relative content of urea and an increase in the percentage of uric acid in the urine of esophagus cancer patients compared to that of healthy subjects. Principal component analysis (PCA) combined with linear discriminant analysis (LDA) was employed to analyze and differentiate the SERS spectra between normal and esophagus cancer urine. The diagnostic algorithms utilizing a multivariate analysis method achieved a diagnostic sensitivity of 89.3% and specificity of 83.3% for separating esophagus cancer samples from normal urine samples. These results from the explorative work suggested that silver nano particle-based urine SERS analysis coupled with PCA-LDA multivariate analysis has potential for non-invasive detection of esophagus cancer.

  16. The fascinating story of urine examination: From uroscopy to the era of microscopy and beyond.

    PubMed

    Magiorkinis, Emmanouil; Diamantis, Aristidis

    2015-12-01

    The purpose of this study was to present the evolution of ideas on the examination of urine from antiquity till our days. A thorough study of texts, medical books from antiquity till twentieth century along with a thorough review of the available literature in PubMed was conducted. The first observation on urine examination can be traced back to the Babylonian and Sumerian texts. Almost all physicians in antiquity including Hippocrates referred to the value of urine examination in the diagnosis and prognosis of diseases. The construction of first compound microscope lead to the examination of urine sediment and the development of Urine Cytology which was revolutionized during the twentieth century with the studies of important cytologists such as George Papanicolaou, Geoffrey Krabbe, and Leopold Koss. The introduction of molecular tests in the diagnosis of urothelial cancer inaugurated a new era in the study of urine cytology. The history of urine examination spans a period of 6,000 years. The application of microscope in the examination of urine sediment during the nineteenth century established urine analysis as an important diagnostic tool in clinical practice. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  17. Urine osmolality in the US population: Implications for environmental biomonitoring

    PubMed Central

    Yeh, Hung-Chieh; Lin, Yu-Sheng; Kuo, Chin-Chi; Weidemann, Darcy; Weaver, Virginia; Fadrowski, Jeffrey; Neu, Alicia; Navas-Acien, Ana

    2018-01-01

    Background For many environmental chemicals, concentrations in spot urine samples are considered valid surrogates of exposure and internal dose. To correct for urine dilution, spot urine concentrations are commonly adjusted for urinary creatinine. There are, however, several concerns about the use of urine creatinine. While urine osmolality is an attractive alternative; its characteristics and determinants in the general population remain unknown. Our objective was to describe the determinants of urine osmolality and to contrast the difference between osmolality and creatinine in urine. Methods From the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2009–2012, 10,769 participants aged 16 years or older with measured urine osmolality and creatinine were used in the analysis. Very dilute and very concentrated urine was defined as urine creatinine lower than 0.3 g/l and higher than 3 g/l, respectively. Linear and logistic regression analyses were performed to investigate the associations of interest. Results Urine osmolality and creatinine were highly correlated (Pearson correlation coefficient = 0.75) and their respective median values were 648 mOsm/kg and 1.07 g/l. The prevalence of very dilute and very concentrated urine samples was 8.1% and 3.1%, respectively. Factors associated in the same direction with both urine osmolality and urine creatinine included age, sex, race, body mass index (BMI), hypertension, water intake, and blood osmolality. The magnitude of associations expressed as percent change was significantly stronger with creatinine than osmolality. Compared to urine creatinine, urine osmolality did not vary by diabetes status but was affected by daily total protein intake. Participants with chronic kidney disease (CKD) had significantly higher urine creatinine concentrations but lower urine osmolality. Both very dilute and concentrated urine were associated with a diverse array of sociodemographic, medical conditions, and dietary factors. For instance, females were approximately 3.3 times more likely to have urine over-dilution than male [the adjusted odds ratios (95% CI) = 3.27 (2.10–5.10)]. Conclusion Although the determinants of urine osmolality were generally similar to those of urine creatinine, the relative influence of socio-demographic and medical conditions was less on urine osmolality than on urine creatinine. Protocols for spot urine sample collection could recommend avoiding excessive and insufficient water intake before urine sampling to improve urine adequacy. The feasibility of adopting urine osmolality adjustment and water intake recommendations before providing spot urine samples for environmental biomonitoring merits further investigation. PMID:25460670

  18. Biologically Pre-Treated Habitation Waste Water as a Sustainable Green Urine Pre-Treat Solution

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Jackson, W. Andrew; Thompson, Bret; Sevanthi, Ritesh; Morse, Audra; Meyer, Caitlin; Callahan, Michael

    2017-01-01

    The ability to recover water from urine and flush water is a critical process to allow long term sustainable human habitation in space or bases on the moon or mars. Organic N present as urea or similar compounds can hydrolyze producing free ammonia. This reaction results in an increase in the pH converting ammonium to ammonia which is volatile and not removed by distillation. The increase in pH will also cause precipitation reactions to occur. In order to prevent this, urine on ISS is combined with a pretreat solution. While use of a pretreatment solution has been successful, there are numerous draw backs including: storage and use of highly hazardous solutions, limitations on water recovery (less than 85%), and production of brine with pore dewatering characteristics. We evaluated the use of biologically treated habitation wastewaters (ISS and early planetary base) to replace the current pretreat solution. We evaluated both amended and un-amended bioreactor effluent. For the amended effluent, we evaluated "green" pretreat chemicals including citric acid and citric acid amended with benzoic acid. We used a mock urine/air separator modeled after the urine collection assembly on ISS. The urine/air separator was challenged continually for >6 months. Depending on the test point, the separator was challenged daily with donated urine and flushed with amended or un-amended reactor effluent. We monitored the pH of the urine, flush solution and residual pH in the urine/air separator after each urine event. We also evaluated solids production and biological growth. Our results support the use of both un-amended and amended bioreactor effluent to maintain the operability of the urine /air separator. The ability to use bioreactor effluent could decrease consumable cost, reduce hazards associated with current pre-treat chemicals, allow other membrane based desalination processes to be utilized, and improve brine characteristics.

  19. Voided urine versus bladder washing cytology for detection of urothelial carcinoma: which is better?

    PubMed

    Keller, Anna Krarup; Jensen, Jørgen Bjerggaard

    2017-08-01

    Cytology is recommended as part of the follow-up of high-grade non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC). However, currently there are no solid guideline recommendations regarding the use of voided urine versus bladder washing for cytology as part of the diagnosis or follow-up of NMIBC. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the cytological outcome was equal regarding the two techniques. The authors reviewed all outpatient flexible cystoscopies carried out in their department in 2013. Patient records in the registry of pathology were examined and those with simultaneous urine and bladder washing cytology were included. Previous urothelial disease and positive histology within 3 months after the cystoscopy were registered. A total of 1458 patients had both voided urine and bladder washing cytology and were included in the study, of whom 643 (44%) had a history of urothelial disease. An equal outcome of urine and bladder washing cytology was found in 1447 patients (99.2%). For the remaining 11 patients, only four patients underwent further examinations based on cytology findings in addition to what had already been planned after cystoscopy. Of the included patients, 100 (6.9%) had a positive histological outcome within 3 months. In most patients, no relevant difference between voided urine and bladder washing cytology was observed. Therefore, if cytology is indicated, it is recommended to use the test that is most readily available locally. The additional gain in using both urine and bladder wash is minimal, and can therefore be discarded.

  20. Urine: Waste product or biologically active tissue?

    PubMed

    2018-03-01

    Historically, urine has been viewed primarily as a waste product with little biological role in the overall health of an individual. Increasingly, data suggest that urine plays a role in human health beyond waste excretion. For example, urine might act as an irritant and contribute to symptoms through interaction with-and potential compromise of-the urothelium. To explore the concept that urine may be a vehicle for agents with potential or occult bioactivity and to discuss existing evidence and novel research questions that may yield insight into such a role, the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease invited experts in the fields of comparative evolutionary physiology, basic science, nephrology, urology, pediatrics, metabolomics, and proteomics (among others) to a Urinology Think Tank meeting on February 9, 2015. This report reflects ideas that evolved from this meeting and current literature, including the concept of urine quality, the biological, chemical, and physical characteristics of urine, including the microbiota, cells, exosomes, pH, metabolites, proteins, and specific gravity (among others). Additionally, the manuscript presents speculative, and hopefully testable, ideas about the functional roles of urine constituents in health and disease. Moving forward, there are several questions that need further understanding and pursuit. There were suggestions to consider actively using various animal models and their biological specimens to elaborate on basic mechanistic information regarding human bladder dysfunction. Published 2018. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

  1. Urine test for HPV genotypes as a predictor of precancerous cervical lesions and for cervical cancer screening.

    PubMed

    Maged, Ahmed M; Saad, Hany; Salah, Emad; Meshaal, Hadeer; AbdElbar, Mostafa; Omran, Eman; Eldaly, Ashraf

    2018-06-01

    To assess the sensitivity of a urine test for high-risk HPV DNA genotypes in the detection of high-grade squamous intra-epithelial lesion (HSIL) and its correlation with pathologic precancerous lesions. The present prospective cross-sectional study included women referred to Kasr AlAiny Medical School, Cairo, Egypt, for cervical smear anomalies, a history of cervical smear anomalies, or for suspicious cervix between May 1, 2015, and April 30, 2017. Paired urine tests and cervical smears were performed. HPV DNA was detected in urine using polymerase chain reaction and cervical smears were performed with a cervical spatula and a cytobrush. Agreement between urine test results and pathology was examined. In total, 1375 women were included. Urine test for high-risk HPV DNA demonstrated 97.8% (95% confidence interval [CI] 92.1%-99.7%) sensitivity and 100% (95% CI 99.7%-100.0%) specificity for HSIL. Overall, 87 women had a positive urine test for high-risk HPV; of these, 82 (94.3%, 95% CI 87.1%-98.1%) had pathologic findings of cervical intra-epithelial neoplasia 2 or 3 (CIN2/3). Similarly, 89 women had HSIL cytology; again, 82 had CIN2/3 (92.1%; 95% CI, 84.3%-96.4%). There was good agreement between a positive urine test for high-risk HPV DNA genotypes and pathologic findings of CIN2/3. © 2018 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics.

  2. Workplace drug testing in Italy: findings about second-stage testing.

    PubMed

    Vignali, Claudia; Stramesi, Cristiana; Morini, Luca; San Bartolomeo, Paolo; Groppi, Angelo

    2015-03-01

    Workplace Drug Testing (WDT) in Italy includes two levels of monitoring: a first stage concerning drug testing on urine samples and a second involving both urine and hair analysis. The second stage is performed only on workers who tested positive at the first level. We analyzed urine and hair specimens from 120 workers undergoing second-level testing between 2009 and 2012. Eighty percent of them had tested positive for cannabinoids during the first level analysis, and 15.8% for cocaine. Both urine and hair samples were analyzed in order to find the following drugs of abuse: amphetamines, buprenorphine, cannabinoids, cocaine, ecstasy, methadone, and opiates. Urine analyses were performed by immunological screening (EMIT); urine confirmatory tests and hair analyses were performed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). As regards second-stage testing on urine samples, 71.2% of workers were always negative, whereas 23.9% tested positive at least once for cannabinoids and 2.5% for cocaine. Hair analyses produced surprising results: 61.9% of hair samples tested negative, only 6.2% tested positive for cannabinoids, whereas 28.8% tested positive for cocaine. These findings confirm that second-level surveillance of WDT, which includes hair analysis, is very effective because it highlights drug intake - sometimes heavy - that cannot be revealed only through urine analyses. The employees for whom drug addiction is proved can begin rehabilitation, while keeping their job. Eventually, our results confirmed the widespread and undeclared use of cocaine in Italy. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  3. Kidney Tests

    MedlinePlus

    ... taking out waste products and making urine. Kidney tests check to see how well your kidneys are working. They include blood, urine, and imaging tests. Early kidney disease usually does not have signs ...

  4. Adulterants in Urine Drug Testing.

    PubMed

    Fu, S

    Urine drug testing plays an important role in monitoring licit and illicit drug use for both medico-legal and clinical purposes. One of the major challenges of urine drug testing is adulteration, a practice involving manipulation of a urine specimen with chemical adulterants to produce a false negative test result. This problem is compounded by the number of easily obtained chemicals that can effectively adulterate a urine specimen. Common adulterants include some household chemicals such as hypochlorite bleach, laundry detergent, table salt, and toilet bowl cleaner and many commercial products such as UrinAid (glutaraldehyde), Stealth® (containing peroxidase and peroxide), Urine Luck (pyridinium chlorochromate, PCC), and Klear® (potassium nitrite) available through the Internet. These adulterants can invalidate a screening test result, a confirmatory test result, or both. To counteract urine adulteration, drug testing laboratories have developed a number of analytical methods to detect adulterants in a urine specimen. While these methods are useful in detecting urine adulteration when such activities are suspected, they do not reveal what types of drugs are being concealed. This is particularly the case when oxidizing urine adulterants are involved as these oxidants are capable of destroying drugs and their metabolites in urine, rendering the drug analytes undetectable by any testing technology. One promising approach to address this current limitation has been the use of unique oxidation products formed from reaction of drug analytes with oxidizing adulterants as markers for monitoring drug misuse and urine adulteration. This novel approach will ultimately improve the effectiveness of the current urine drug testing programs. © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. Practical and quality-control aspects of multi-element analysis with quadrupole ICP-MS with special attention to urine and whole blood.

    PubMed

    De Boer, Jan L M; Ritsema, Rob; Piso, Sjoerd; Van Staden, Hans; Van Den Beld, Wilbert

    2004-07-01

    Two screening methods were developed for rapid analysis of a great number of urine and blood samples within the framework of an exposure check of the population after a firework explosion. A total of 56 elements was measured including major elements. Sample preparation consisted of simple dilution. Extensive quality controls were applied including element addition and the use of certified reference materials. Relevant results at levels similar to those found in the literature were obtained for Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Sr, Cd, Sn, Sb, Ba, Tl, and Pb in urine and for the same elements except Ni, Sn, Sb, and Ba in blood. However, quadrupole ICP-MS has limitations, mainly related to spectral interferences, for the analysis of urine and blood, and these cause higher detection limits. The general aspects discussed in the paper give it wider applicability than just for analysis of blood and urine-it can for example be used in environmental analysis.

  6. Use of a midstream clean catch mobile application did not lower urine contamination rates in an ED.

    PubMed

    Jacob, Mary S; Kulie, Paige; Benedict, Cameron; Ordoobadi, Alexander J; Sikka, Neal; Steinmetz, Erika; McCarthy, Melissa L

    2018-01-01

    Urine microscopy is a common test performed in emergency departments (EDs). Urine specimens can easily become contaminated by different factors, including the collection method. The midstream clean-catch (MSCC) collection technique is commonly used to reduce urine contamination. The urine culture contamination rate from specimens collected in our ED is 30%. We developed an instructional application (app) to show ED patients how to provide a MSCC urine sample. We hypothesized that ED patients who viewed our instructional app would have significantly lower urine contamination rates compared to patients who did not. We prospectively enrolled 257 subjects with a urinalysis and/or urine culture test ordered in the ED and asked them to watch our MSCC instructional app. After prospective enrollment was complete, we retrospectively matched each enrolled subject to an ED patient who did not watch the instructional app. Controls were matched to cases based on gender, type of urine specimen provided, ED visit date and shift. Urinalysis and urine culture contamination results were compared between the matched pairs using McNemar's test. The overall urine culture contamination rate of the 514 subjects was 38%. The majority of the matched pairs had a urinalysis (63%) or urinalysis plus urine culture (35%) test done. There were no significant differences in our urine contamination rates between the matched pairs overall or when stratified by gender, by prior knowledge of the clean catch process or by type of urine specimen. We did not see a lower contamination rate for patients who viewed our instructional app compared to patients who did not. It is possible that MSCC is not effective for decreasing urine specimen contamination. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. Clinical efficacy and palatability of pradofloxacin 2.5% oral suspension for the treatment of bacterial lower urinary tract infections in cats.

    PubMed

    Litster, Annette; Moss, Susan; Honnery, Mary; Rees, Bob; Edingloh, Markus; Trott, Darren

    2007-01-01

    Pradofloxacin is a 3rd generation veterinary fluoroquinolone designed to restrict the emergence of antimicrobial resistance during therapy. Pradofloxacin 2.5% oral suspension is a safe, efficacious, and palatable treatment for bacterial urinary tract infections (UTI) in cats. Seventy-eight cats presented with lower urinary tract signs and were positive on bacterial culture of urine. Cats were allocated into 3 treatment groups depending on bacterial susceptibility results: pradofloxacin (n = 27), doxycycline (n = 23), or amoxicillin-clavulanic acid (n = 28). All antimicrobials were presented in palatable liquid form. Posttreatment urine specimens were collected after completion of the course of treatment and submitted for bacterial culture and sensitivity. Owners were questioned before and after treatment about their experiences with administering oral medication to their cats. Posttreatment urine culture was negative in all cats in the pradofloxacin group, but there were 3 treatment failures in each of the other groups. Owners' perceptions of the difficulty of administering oral medication to their cats was more positive posttreatment than pretreatment (P = .001; P < .001). There was no difference in palatability among the treatment groups (P > .05). We conclude that pradofloxacin 2.5% oral suspension is a highly effective and safe antimicrobial treatment for bacterial lower urinary tract infection in cats, and that the palatable formulation optimizes owner compliance. These findings make pradofloxacin a useful addition to the veterinary formulary.

  8. Using hair, nail and urine samples for human exposure assessment of legacy and emerging per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances.

    PubMed

    Wang, Yuan; Shi, Yali; Vestergren, Robin; Zhou, Zhen; Liang, Yong; Cai, Yaqi

    2018-09-15

    Non-invasive samples present ethical and practical benefits for investigating human exposure to hazardous contaminants, but analytical challenges and difficulties to interpret the results limit their application in biomonitoring. Here we investigated the potential for using hair, nail and urine samples as a measure of internal exposure to an array of legacy and emerging per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in two populations with different exposure conditions. Paired urine-serum measurements of PFASs from a group of highly exposed fishery employees displayed strong correlations for PFASs with three to eight perfluorinated carbons (ρ > 0.653; p < 0.01). Consistent statistical correlations and transfer ratios in nails and hair from both populations demonstrated that these non-invasive samples can be used as a measure of internal exposure to perfluorooctane sulfonic acid and C8 chlorinated polyfluoralkyl ether sulfonic acid (C8 Cl-PFESA). Contrastingly, the infrequent detections and/or lack of consistent transfer ratios for perfluorooctanoic acid, perfluorononanoic acid and short-chain PFASs in hair and nail samples indicate passive uptake from the external environment rather than uptake and internal distribution. Collectively, the study supports the use of urine samples as a valid measure of internal exposure for a range of short- and medium-chain PFASs, while the validity of nail and hair samples as a measure of internal exposure may vary for different PFASs and populations. The ubiquitous detection of C8 Cl-PFESA in all sample matrices from both populations indicates widespread exposure to this contaminant of emerging concern in China. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. Stability and reproducibility of a single-sample urinary C-peptide/creatinine ratio and its correlation with 24-h urinary C-peptide.

    PubMed

    McDonald, Tim J; Knight, Bridget A; Shields, Beverley M; Bowman, Pamela; Salzmann, Maurice B; Hattersley, Andrew T

    2009-11-01

    C-peptide measurement in blood or 24-h urine samples provides useful information regarding endogenous insulin secretion, but problems related to the rapid degradation of C-peptide in blood and difficulty of 24-h urine collection have limited widespread routine clinical use of this test. We assessed the feasibility of measuring urinary C-peptide (UCP) with correction for creatinine concentration in single urine samples. We analyzed UCP using a routine electrochemiluminescence immunoassay in samples from 21 healthy volunteers. We investigated the stability of UCP with different preservatives and storage conditions and compared the reproducibility of urinary C-peptide/creatinine ratio (UCPCR) in first- and second-void fasting urines, then assessed correlations with 24-h collections. UCPCR was unchanged at room temperature for 24 h and at 4 degrees C for 72 h even in the absence of preservative. UCPCR collected in boric acid was stable at room temperature for 72 h. UCPCR remained stable after 7 freeze-thaw cycles but decreased with freezer storage time and dropped to 82%-84% of baseline by 90 days at -20 degrees C. Second-void fasting UCPCRs were lower than first-void (median 0.78 vs 1.31, P = 0.0003) and showed less variation (CV 33% vs 52%), as second-void UCPCRs were not influenced by evening food-related insulin secretion. Second-void fasting UCPCR was highly correlated with 24-h UCP (r = 0.8, P = 0.00006). Second-void fasting UCPCR is a reproducible measure that correlates well with 24-h UCP in normal samples. The 3-day stability of UCPCR at room temperature greatly increases its potential clinical utility.

  10. 49 CFR 40.41 - Where does a urine collection for a DOT drug test take place?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... shipping of urine specimens to a laboratory, and a suitable clean surface for writing. (d) Your collection... section. (e) The first, and preferred, type of facility for urination that a collection site may include... event of a directly observed collection. (2) You must have a source of water for washing hands, that, if...

  11. Urinary tract infections and post-operative fever in percutaneous nephrolithotomy.

    PubMed

    Gutierrez, Jorge; Smith, Arthur; Geavlete, Petrisor; Shah, Hemendra; Kural, Ali Riza; de Sio, Marco; Amón Sesmero, José H; Hoznek, András; de la Rosette, Jean

    2013-10-01

    To review the incidence of UTIs, post-operative fever, and risk factors for post-operative fever in PCNL patients. Between 2007 and 2009, consecutive PCNL patients were enrolled from 96 centers participating in the PCNL Global Study. Only data from patients with pre-operative urine samples and who received antibiotic prophylaxis were included. Pre-operative bladder urine culture and post-operative fever (>38.5°C) were assessed. Relationship between various patient and operative factors and occurrence of post-operative fever was assessed using logistic regression analyses. Eight hundred and sixty-five (16.2%) patients had a positive urine culture; Escherichia coli was the most common micro-organism found in urine of the 350 patients (6.5%). Of the patients with negative pre-operative urine cultures, 8.8% developed a fever post-PCNL, in contrast to 18.2% of patients with positive urine cultures. Fever developed more often among the patients whose urine cultures consisted of Gram-negative micro-organisms (19.4-23.8%) versus those with Gram-positive micro-organisms (9.7-14.5%). Multivariate analysis indicated that a positive urine culture (odds ratio [OR] = 2.12, CI [1.69-2.65]), staghorn calculus (OR = 1.59, CI [1.28-1.96]), pre-operative nephrostomy (OR = 1.61, CI [1.19-2.17]), lower patient age (OR for each year of 0.99, CI [0.99-1.00]), and diabetes (OR = 1.38, CI [1.05-1.81]) all increased the risk of post-operative fever. Limitations include the use of fever as a predictor of systemic infection. Approximately 10% of PCNL-treated patients developed fever in the post-operative period despite receiving antibiotic prophylaxis. Risk of post-operative fever increased in the presence of a positive urine bacterial culture, diabetes, staghorn calculi, and a pre-operative nephrostomy.

  12. Urinating more at night

    MedlinePlus

    ... blood calcium level Certain medicines, including water pills (diuretics) Diabetes insipidus Waking often during the night to ... cause. If excessive nighttime urination is due to diuretic medicines, you may be told to take your ...

  13. Atypical squamous cells in the urine revealing endometrioid adenocarcinoma of the endometrium with squamous cell differentiation: a case report.

    PubMed

    Wang, Yinong; Otis, Christopher N; Florence, Roxanne R

    2015-01-01

    Urine cytology is mainly used to detect urothelial carcinoma (UC), especially for high-grade lesions including urothelial carcinoma in situ. Benign squamous cells are often seen in the urine specimens of women, they are either exfoliated from the trigone area of the bladder, the urethra, or the cervicovaginal region. However, abnormal squamous cells in the urine raise concerns of abnormalities of the urinary tract and cervicovaginal area which range from squamous metaplasia of the urothelium, a cervicovaginal squamous intraepithelial lesion, condyloma acuminatum of the bladder, UC with squamous differentiation, and squamous cell carcinoma. We present here a unique case of atypical squamous cells (ASCs) in the urine subsequently leading to the diagnosis of endometrioid adenocarcinoma of the endometrium with squamous differentiation. The presence of ASCs in voided urine is a rare finding that may indicate an underlying malignancy. Careful evaluation of squamous cells in the urine is an important part of our daily cytopathology practice. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  14. [Percutaneous renal puncture guide by a novel real-time needle-tracking ultrasound system for percutaneous nephrolithotomy: analysis of 16 cases].

    PubMed

    Ma, Kai; Huang, Xiao-bo; Xiong, Liu-lin; Xu, Qing-quan; Xu, Tao; Ye, Hai-yun; Yu, Lu-ping; Wang, Xiao-feng

    2014-08-18

    To evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of percutaneous renal puncture in percutaneous nephrolithotomy guided by novel needle-tracking ultrasound system. From may to october 2013, 16 cases of percutaneous nephrolithotomy were performed under the guidance of ultrasound system. The clinical data including the time of completing percutaneous renal puncture, the color of urine sucked out from the kidney calices, and the complications were analyzed retrospectively. Of the 16 patients, 18 percutaneous renal access were established guided by ultrasound system. All of them were successtul for the first time, and the average time of completing percutaneous renal punctures was (26.90 ± 11.37) s (15 to 54 s). After the operation, the hemoglobin decreased by (9.56 ± 5.27)%(1.41% to 24.06%), and no complications occurred except for postoperative fever in 2 case. The novel ultrasound system is a safe and effective technique that can reduce the technical difficulty of percutaneous renal puncture in percutaneous nephrolithotomy.

  15. Skeletal Fluorosis Due To Inhalation Abuse Of A Difluoroethane-Containing Computer Cleaner

    PubMed Central

    Tucci, Joseph R.; Whitford, Gary M.; McAlister, William H.; Novack, Deborah; Mumm, Steven; Keaveny, Tony M.; Whyte, Michael P.

    2018-01-01

    Skeletal fluorosis (SF) is endemic in many countries and millions of people are affected worldwide, whereas in the United States SF is rare with occasional descriptions of unique cases. We report a 28-year-old American man who was healthy until two years earlier when he gradually experienced difficulty walking and an abnormal gait, left hip pain, loss of mobility in his right wrist and forearm, and progressive deformities including enlargement of the digits of both hands. Dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) of his lumbar spine, femoral neck, total hip, and the one-third forearm revealed bone mineral density (BMD) Z-scores of +6.2, +4.8, +3.0, and -0.2, respectively. Serum, urine, and bone fluoride levels were all elevated and ultimately explained by chronic sniffing abuse of a computer cleaner containing 1,1-difluoroethane. Our findings reflect SF due to the unusual cause of inhalation abuse of difluoroethane. Because this practice seems widespread, particularly in the young, there may be many more such cases. PMID:27449958

  16. The management of neonatal acute and chronic renal failure: A review.

    PubMed

    Coulthard, Malcolm G

    2016-11-01

    Most babies with chronic renal failure are identified antenatally, and over half that are treated with peritoneal dialysis receive kidney transplants before school age. Most infants that develop acute renal failure have hypotension following cardiac surgery, or multiple organ failure. Sometimes the falls in glomerular filtration and urine output are physiological and reversible, and sometimes due to kidney injury, but (illogically) it is now common to define them all as having 'acute kidney injury'. Contrary to widespread opinion, careful interpretation of the plasma creatinine concentrations can provide sensitive evidence of early acute renal failure. Conservative management frequently leads to under-nutrition or fluid overload. Acute peritoneal dialysis is often technically fraught in very small patients, and haemotherapies have been limited by vascular access and anticoagulation requirements, the need to blood-prime circuits, and serious limitations in regulating fluid removal. Newer devices, including the Nidus, have been specifically designed to reduce these difficulties. Crown Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Type I female genital mutilation: a cause of completely closed vagina.

    PubMed

    Rouzi, Abdulrahim A; Sahly, Nora; Alhachim, Estabraq; Abduljabbar, Hassan

    2014-09-01

    Female genital mutilation (FGM) ranges in severity from a nick of the clitoris to partial or total removal of the external genitalia. Sexual complications after FGM include sexual dysfunction, difficult intercourse, and dyspareunia. We report a case of Type I FGM presenting as complete vaginal closure and urinary retention. A 16-year-old adolescent was referred for obliterated vagina and urinary retention. She had recurrent urinary tract infections, difficulty in voiding, and cyclic hematuria. At the age of 1 year she had been taken by her mother to a pediatric surgeon to have a Type I FGM procedure. On examination, the urethral meatus and vaginal orifices were completely closed by the FGM scar. She underwent uneventful surgical opening of the vagina. A normal vaginal orifice was created and normal flow of urine and menses occurred. Type I FGM can present as complete vaginal closure and urinary retention. Proper diagnosis and treatment are of paramount importance. © 2014 International Society for Sexual Medicine.

  18. Peri-partum and pelvic floor dysfunction.

    PubMed

    McClurg, Doreen

    2014-01-01

    Pelvic floor muscles (PFM) are the layer of muscles that support the pelvic organs and span the bottom of the pelvis. Weakened PFM mean the internal organs are not fully supported and can lead to difficulties controlling the release of urine, faeces or flatus. Pregnancy and vaginal birth are a recognised cause of PFM weakness; however it has been shown that PFM exercises, if carried out correctly and routinely, can reduce the severity of symptoms. Midwives need to be pro-active in teaching PFM exercises and identifying women who may need to be referred on for more specialist treatment.

  19. [Delayed testing for the diagnosis of fungi in the urines. Evaluation of the BD Vacutainer C&S tubes for the storage of urine samples at room temperature].

    PubMed

    Baixench, M T; Al-Sheikh, M; Paugam, A

    2005-01-01

    The study included 37 urine samples which have been artificially infected with low levels (10(3) CFU/mL) of various fungi strains. We compared the effects of sample storage, up to 48 hours, at room temperature, in a urine evacuated tube containing specific additives with storage at + 4 degrees C, for the same length of time, in a urine evacuated tube without any additives. There have been no differences of results (speed of growth and colony size) between the 2 modes of storage. However, the experience has shown that samples needed a careful mixing before seeding to avoid underdetection of the strains. Based on the study results, the BD Vacutainer C&S tubes are suitable for delayed testing for the diagnosis of urine fungal infection.

  20. Extended testing of compression distillation.

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Bambenek, R. A.; Nuccio, P. P.

    1972-01-01

    During the past eight years, the NASA Manned Spacecraft Center has supported the development of an integrated water and waste management system which includes the compression distillation process for recovering useable water from urine, urinal flush water, humidity condensate, commode flush water, and concentrated wash water. This paper describes the design of the compression distillation unit, developed for this system, and the testing performed to demonstrate its reliability and performance. In addition, this paper summarizes the work performed on pretreatment and post-treatment processes, to assure the recovery of sterile potable water from urine and treated urinal flush water.

  1. Conceptual Data Model for Administrative Functions of a Typical Naval Ship, to Include: Personnel, Training, Ship Secretary, Welfare and Recreation, Command Career Counselor, Public Affairs Officer, Educational Services Officer, Master at Arms, and Legal

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1991-09-01

    DEPARTMENT DEPARTMENT DEPARTMENT DEPARTMENT REPAIR DEPARTMENT DEEP AIR WIN AIR REACTOR SUBMERGENCE PARIEMDT DEPDTMENT EPARTMENT (EMBARKED MAINTENANCECOMMAND...URIN DRUG L C,45 N URINALYS E SC: Name o druog 1E to which test was sent for testing URINALYSIS MEMBER BOTTLE INITIAL URIN MBR 9O L N URINALYS E SC...Indicates that meabiei initialed bottle that it was his urine URINALYSIS MEMBER SIGNATURE URIN MBR SI L N URINALYS E SC: Indicates that meber signed log

  2. Feline urine metabolomic signature: characterization of low-molecular-weight substances in urine from domestic cats.

    PubMed

    Rivera-Vélez, Sol-Maiam; Villarino, Nicolas F

    2018-02-01

    Objectives This aim of this study was to characterize the composition and content of the feline urine metabolome. Methods Eight healthy domestic cats were acclimated at least 10 days before starting the study. Urine samples (~2 ml) were collected by ultrasound-guided cystocentesis. Samples were centrifuged at 1000 × g for 8 mins, and the supernatant was analyzed by gas chromatography/time-of-flight mass spectrometery. The urine metabolome was characterized using an untargeted metabolomics approach. Results Three hundred and eighteen metabolites were detected in the urine of the eight cats. These molecules are key components of at least 100 metabolic pathways. Feline urine appears to be dominated by carbohydrates, carbohydrate conjugates, organic acid and derivatives, and amino acids and analogs. The five most abundant molecules were phenaceturic acid, hippuric acid, pseudouridine phosphate and 3-(4-hydroxyphenyl) propionic acid. Conclusions and relevance This study is the first to characterize the feline urine metabolome. The results of this study revealed the presence of multiple low-molecular-weight substances that were not known to be present in feline urine. As expected, the origin of the metabolites detected in urine was diverse, including endogenous compounds and molecules biosynthesized by microbes. Also, the diet seemed to have had a relevant role on the urine metabolome. Further exploration of the urine metabolic phenotype will open a window for discovering unknown, or poorly understood, metabolic pathways. In turn, this will advance our understanding of feline biology and lead to new insights in feline physiology, nutrition and medicine.

  3. Changes in urine composition after trauma facilitate bacterial growth

    PubMed Central

    2012-01-01

    Background Critically ill patients including trauma patients are at high risk of urinary tract infection (UTI). The composition of urine in trauma patients may be modified due to inflammation, systemic stress, rhabdomyolysis, life support treatment and/or urinary catheter insertion. Methods Prospective, single-centre, observational study conducted in patients with severe trauma and without a history of UTIs or recent antibiotic treatment. The 24-hour urine samples were collected on the first and the fifth days and the growth of Escherichia coli in urine from patients and healthy volunteers was compared. Biochemical and hormonal modifications in urine that could potentially influence bacterial growth were explored. Results Growth of E. coli in urine from trauma patients was significantly higher on days 1 and 5 than in urine of healthy volunteers. Several significant modifications of urine composition could explain these findings. On days 1 and 5, trauma patients had an increase in glycosuria, in urine iron concentration, and in the concentrations of several amino acids compared to healthy volunteers. On day 1, the urinary osmotic pressure was significantly lower than for healthy volunteers. Conclusion We showed that urine of trauma patients facilitated growth of E. coli when compared to urine from healthy volunteers. This effect was present in the first 24 hours and until at least the fifth day after trauma. This phenomenon may be involved in the pathophysiology of UTIs in trauma patients. Further studies are required to define the exact causes of such modifications. PMID:23194649

  4. Lupus nephritis

    MedlinePlus

    ... time, kidney failure can result. Symptoms Symptoms of lupus nephritis include: Blood in the urine Foamy appearance to urine Swelling (edema) of any area of the body High blood pressure Exams and Tests The health care provider will perform a physical ...

  5. Importance of Urine Dipstick in Evaluation of Young Febrile Infants With Positive Urine Culture: A Spanish Pediatric Emergency Research Group Study.

    PubMed

    Velasco, Roberto; Benito, Helvia; Mozun, Rebeca; Trujillo, Juan E; Merino, Pedro A; de la Torre, Mercedes; Gomez, Borja; Mintegi, Santiago

    2016-12-01

    Guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics define urinary tract infection (UTI) as the growth of greater than 50,000 ufc/mL of a single bacterium in a urine culture with a positive urine dipstick or with a urinalysis associated. Our objective was to evaluate the adequacy of this cutoff point for the diagnosis of UTI in young febrile infants. Subanalysis of a prospective multicenter study developed in RISeuP-SPERG Network between October 11 and September 13. To carry out the study, it was performed a comparison of analytical and microbiological characteristics of patients younger than 90 days with fever without focus, taking into account the results of urine dipstick and urine culture. Of a total of 3333 infants younger than 90 days with fever without focus which were included in the study, 538 were classified as UTI in accordance with American Academy of Pediatrics' guidelines. These patients were similar to those who had a positive urine dipstick and a urine culture yielding of 10,000 to 50,000 ufc/mL, and they were different from those who had a normal urine dipstick and a urine culture >50,000 ufc/mL, being focused on the isolated bacteria and blood biomarkers values. Forty-five invasive bacterial infections were diagnosed (5.9% of the 756 with a urine culture >10,000 ufc/mL). Half of the infants with a normal urine dipstick diagnosed with invasive bacterial infections were younger than 15 days. It might be inadequate to use a threshold of 50,000 cfu/mL to consider a urine culture as positive in young febrile infants given the fact that it would misdiagnose several UTIs.

  6. Evaluation of the performance of Human Papillomavirus testing in paired urine and clinician-collected cervical samples among women aged over 30 years in Bhutan.

    PubMed

    Tshomo, Ugyen; Franceschi, Silvia; Tshokey, Tshokey; Tobgay, Tashi; Baussano, Iacopo; Tenet, Vanessa; Snijders, Peter J F; Gheit, Tarik; Tommasino, Massimo; Vorsters, Alex; Clifford, Gary M

    2017-04-08

    Urine sampling may offer a less invasive solution than cervical sampling to test for human papillomavirus (HPV) for HPV vaccine impact monitoring. Paired samples of urine and exfoliated cervical cells were obtained for 89 women with history of high-risk (HR) HPV-positive normal cytology in Bhutan. Urine sampling protocol included self-collection of first-void urine immediately into a conservation medium and procedures to optimize DNA yield. Colposcopical abnormalities were biopsied. Two HPV assays were used: a multiplex type-specific PCR (E7-MPG) and a less analytically sensitive GP5+/6+ PCR followed by reverse line blot. HPV positivity for 21 types common to both assays was similar in urine and cells by E7-MPG (62.9% and 57.3%, respectively, p = 0.32) but lower in urine by GP5+/6+ (30.3% and 40.4%, p = 0.05). HPV6/11/16/18 positivity did not significantly differ between urine and cells by either assay. Sensitivity of urine (using cells as gold standard) to detect 21 HPV types was 80% and 58% for E7-MPG and GP5+/6+, respectively, with specificity 61% and 89%. HPV type distribution in urine and cells was similar, regardless of assay. The 5 detected CIN3+ were HR-HPV positive in cells by both assays, compared to 4 and 3 by E7-MPG and GP5+/6+, respectively, in urine samples. For the monitoring of vaccine impact, we demonstrate validity of a urine sampling protocol to obtain HPV prevalence data that are broadly comparable to that from cervical cells. However, detection of HPV in urine varies according to assay sensitivity, presumably because low level infections are frequent.

  7. Predictors, Including Blood, Urine, Anthropometry, and Nutritional Indices, of All-Cause Mortality among Institutionalized Individuals with Intellectual Disability

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ohwada, Hiroko; Nakayama, Takeo; Tomono, Yuji; Yamanaka, Keiko

    2013-01-01

    As the life expectancy of people with intellectual disability (ID) increases, it is becoming necessary to understand factors affecting survival. However, predictors that are typically assessed among healthy people have not been examined. Predictors of all-cause mortality, including blood, urine, anthropometry, and nutritional indices, were…

  8. Tuberculous spondylitis diagnosed through Xpert MTB/RIF assay in urine: a case report.

    PubMed

    Sikalengo, George; Ramirez, Adria; Faini, Diana; Mwamelo, Kim; Battegay, Manuel; Jugheli, Levan; Hatz, Christoph; Reither, Klaus; Letang, Emilio

    2016-09-26

    Extrapulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB) is associated with high rates of morbidity and mortality. Diagnosis of EPTB is challenging in resource-limited settings due to difficulties in obtaining samples, as well as the paucibacillarity of the specimens. Skeletal tuberculosis accounts for 10-35 % of EPTB cases, with vertebral osteomyelitis (Pott's disease) representing 50 % of the cases. We present two cases of suspected Pott's disease, diagnosed through GeneXpert MTB/RIF assay in urine at a rural Tanzanian hospital. Case I A 49-year old male, HIV-1 positive, on co-formulated tenofovir disoproxil fumarate/lamivudine/efavirenz since 2009 and CD4 counts of 205 cells/μL (13 %). He presented with lower back pain and progressive lower limb weakness for two weeks prior to admission. The physical examination revealed bilateral flaccid paraplegia with reduced reflexes, but otherwise unremarkable findings. A lateral lumbar X-ray showed noticeable reduction of intervertebral space between L4 and L5, and a small calcification in the anterior longitudinal ligament between L4 and L5, being compatible with focal spondylosis deformans but inconclusive with regard to tuberculous spondylitis. An abdominal ultrasound showed normal kidneys, bladder and prostate gland. The urinalysis and complete blood counts (CBC) were normal. M. Tuberculosis was detected through GeneXpert MTB/RIF in centrifuged urine, with no resistance to rifampicin. Case II A 76-year old female, HIV-1 negative, presented with lower back pain and progressive weakness and numbness of the lower limbs for two months prior to admission. The physical examination revealed paraplegia, but otherwise unremarkable findings. The lumbosacral X-ray findings were compatible with spondylosis deformans of the lumbar spine and possible tuberculous spondylitis in L3-L4. The abdominal and renal ultrasound showed normal kidneys and bladder. The urinalysis and CBC were normal. M. Tuberculosis was detected through GeneXpert MTB/RIF in centrifuged urine, with no resistance to rifampicin. We report two cases of suspected tuberculous spondylitis diagnosed through Xpert MTB/RIF in urine samples from a rural Tanzanian hospital. Urine testing using Xpert MTB/RIF reflects disseminated disease and renal involvement, and may offer a feasible additional diagnostic approach for Pott's disease in rural Africa.

  9. Non-invasive optical detection of esophagus cancer based on urine surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Huang, Shaohua; Wang, Lan; Chen, Weiwei; Lin, Duo; Huang, Lingling; Wu, Shanshan; Feng, Shangyuan; Chen, Rong

    2014-09-01

    A surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) approach was utilized for urine biochemical analysis with the aim to develop a label-free and non-invasive optical diagnostic method for esophagus cancer detection. SERS spectrums were acquired from 31 normal urine samples and 47 malignant esophagus cancer (EC) urine samples. Tentative assignments of urine SERS bands demonstrated esophagus cancer specific changes, including an increase in the relative amounts of urea and a decrease in the percentage of uric acid in the urine of normal compared with EC. The empirical algorithm integrated with linear discriminant analysis (LDA) were employed to identify some important urine SERS bands for differentiation between healthy subjects and EC urine. The empirical diagnostic approach based on the ratio of the SERS peak intensity at 527 to 1002 cm-1 and 725 to 1002 cm-1 coupled with LDA yielded a diagnostic sensitivity of 72.3% and specificity of 96.8%, respectively. The area under the receive operating characteristic (ROC) curve was 0.954, which further evaluate the performance of the diagnostic algorithm based on the ratio of the SERS peak intensity combined with LDA analysis. This work demonstrated that the urine SERS spectra associated with empirical algorithm has potential for noninvasive diagnosis of esophagus cancer.

  10. LC-MS-sMRM Method Development and Validation of Different Classes of Pain Panel Drugs and Analysis of Clinical Urine Samples.

    PubMed

    Athar Masood, M; Veenstra, Timothy D

    2017-08-26

    Urine Drug Testing (UDT) is an important analytical/bio-analytical technique that has inevitably become an integral and vital part of a testing program for diagnostic purposes. This manuscript presents a tailor-made LC-MS/MS quantitative assay method development and validation for a custom group of 33 pain panel drugs and their metabolites belonging to different classes (opiates, opioids, benzodiazepines, illicit, amphetamines, etc.) that are prescribed in pain management and depressant therapies. The LC-MS/MS method incorporates two experiments to enhance the sensitivity of the assay and has a run time of about 7 min. with no prior purification of the samples required and a flow rate of 0.7 mL/min. The method also includes the second stage metabolites for some drugs that belong to different classes but have first stage similar metabolic pathways that will enable to correctly identify the right drug or to flag the drug that might be due to specimen tampering. Some real case examples and difficulties in peak picking were provided with some of the analytes in subject samples. Finally, the method was deliberated with some randomly selected de-identified clinical subject samples, and the data evaluated from "direct dilute and shoot analysis" and after "glucuronide hydrolysis" were compared. This method is now used to run routinely more than 100 clinical subjects samples on a daily basis. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

  11. Diagnostic and treatment difficulties of pyelonephritis in pregnancy in resource-limited settings.

    PubMed

    McGready, Rose; Wuthiekanun, Vanaporn; Ashley, Elizabeth A; Tan, Saw Oo; Pimanpanarak, Mupawjay; Viladpai-Nguen, Samuel Jacher; Jesadapanpong, Wilarat; Blacksell, Stuart D; Proux, Stephane; Day, Nicholas P; Singhasivanon, Pratap; White, Nicholas J; Nosten, François; Peacock, Sharon J

    2010-12-01

    Limited microbiology services impede adequate diagnosis and treatment of common infections such as pyelonephritis in resource-limited settings. Febrile pregnant women attending antenatal clinics at Shoklo Malaria Research Unit were offered urine dipstick, sediment microscopy, urine culture, and a 5-mL blood culture. The incidence of pyelonephritis was 11/1,000 deliveries (N = 53 in 4,819 pregnancies) between January 7, 2004 and May 17, 2006. Pyelonephritis accounted for 20.2% (41/203) of fever cases in pregnancy. Escherichia coli was the most commonly isolated pathogen: 87.5% (28/32) of organisms cultured. Susceptibility of E. coli to ampicillin (14%), cotrimoxazole (21%), and amoxicillin-clavulanic acid (48%) was very low. E. coli was susceptible to ceftriaxone and ciprofloxacin. The rate of extended spectrum β-lactamase (4.2%; 95% confidence interval = 0.7-19.5) was low. The rate and causes of pyelonephritis in pregnant refugee and migrant women were comparable with those described in developed countries. Diagnostic innovation in microbiology that permits affordable access is a high priority for resource-poor settings.

  12. Central diabetes insipidus: alert for dehydration in very low birth weight infants during the neonatal period. A case report.

    PubMed

    Ferlin, Maria Lúcia Silveira; Sales, Débora Simone; Celini, Fábia Pereira Martins; Martinelli Junior, Carlos Eduardo

    2015-02-01

    Central diabetes insipidus (CDI) is a rare cause of hypernatremia during the neonatal period. The diagnosis is particularly difficult in very low birth weight (VLBW) newborns. We report on a preterm newborn who presented CDI soon after birth. On the third day of life, signs of dehydration were present despite normal fluid supply. The diuresis rate was 4.4 ml/kg/h. Although the fluid supply was then increased, the dehydration continued, with hypernatremia, normal glycemia, diuresis of 7.4 ml/kg/h and urine density of 1005 mOsmol/l. Thus, a diagnostic hypothesis of diabetes insipidus was raised. A test with a nasal vasopressin analogue (dDAVP) was performed and CDI was confirmed. Reduction of the fluid supply became possible through appropriate treatment. The diagnosis of CDI is rarely made during the neonatal period, especially in VLBW newborns, because of the difficulty in detecting elevated diuresis. Persistent hypernatremia, usually accompanied by hyperthermia despite abundant fluid supply, weight loss and low urine osmolality are important signs of alert.

  13. Diaper-Embedded Urinary Tract Infection Monitoring Sensor Module Powered by Urine-Activated Batteries.

    PubMed

    Seo, Weeseong; Yu, Wuyang; Tan, Tianlin; Ziaie, Babak; Jung, Byunghoo

    2017-06-01

    Urinary tract infection (UTI) is one of the most common infections in humans. UTI is easily treatable using antibiotics if identified in early stage. However, without early identification and treatment, UTI can be a major source of serious complications in geriatric patients, in particular, those suffering from neurodegenerative diseases. Also, for infants who have difficulty in describing their symptoms, UTI may lead to serious development of the disease making early identification of UTI crucial. In this paper, we present a diaper-embedded, wireless, self-powered, and autonomous UTI monitoring sensor module that allows an early detection of UTI with minimal effort. The sensor module consists of a paper-based colorimetric nitrite sensor, urine-activated batteries, a boost dc-dc converter, a low-power sensor interface utilizing pulse width modulation, and a Bluetooth low energy module for wireless transmission. Experimental results show a better detection of nitrite, a surrogate of UTI, than that of conventional dipstick testing. The proposed sensor module achieves a sensitivity of 1.35 ms/(mg/L) and a detection limit of 4 mg/L for nitrite.

  14. Mucus in Urine: MedlinePlus Lab Test Information

    MedlinePlus

    ... is normal. An excess amount may indicate a urinary tract infection (UTI) or other medical condition. A test called urinalysis ... your urinalysis if you have symptoms of a UTI. These include: Frequent urge to urinate, but little ...

  15. Recovery After Stroke: Bladder and Bowel Function

    MedlinePlus

    ... of urine back to the kidneys) or a urinary tract infection (UTI). A UTI needs immediate treatment, so see your doctor as soon as you notice symptoms. UTI symptoms include:  Urine with a bad smell, cloudiness, ...

  16. The association between a low urine pH and the components of metabolic syndrome in the Korean population: Findings based on the 2010 Korea National health and nutrition examination survey

    PubMed Central

    Cho, Young Hye; Lee, Sang Yeoup; Jeong, Dong Wook; Choi, Eun Jung; Nam, Kyung Jee; Kim, Yun Jin; Lee, Jeong Gyu; Yi, Yu Hyone; Tak, Young Jin; Cho, Byung Mann; Lee, Soo Bong; Lee, Ka Young

    2014-01-01

    Background: Low urine pH is related to obesity and insulin resistance, which are components of metabolic syndrome (MS). The aim of this study was to identify the relation between a low urine pH and MS after controlled for other covariates including demographic and lifestyle factors in adult Korean population. Materials and Methods: We analyzed data from the 2010 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, a cross-sectional and nationally representative survey and 1960 men and 2702 women were included in this study. Study subjects were divided into the group with urine pH <5.5 and the group with urine pH ≥5.5 refer to literature. We then evaluated the association between low urine pH and MS. Results: After adjusting for age, sex, smoking status, drinking status, regular exercise, and blood urea nitrogen level, the odds ratio (OR) for the presence of MS in the group with urine pH <5.5 was 1.350 (95% confidence interval [95% CI]: 1.158-1.573) using the American Heart Association/National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute criteria or 1.304 (95% CI: 1.082-1.572) using the International Diabetes Federation criteria. Among MS components, elevated fasting glucose (OR: 1.231, 95% CI: 1.058-1.433, P = 0.007) and elevated triglyceride (TG) (OR: 1.389, 95% CI: 1.189-1.623, P < 0.001) showed a significantly high OR. Conclusion: The findings confirmed that low urine pH is associated with MS in the Korean population. Among MS components, elevated fasting glucose and elevated TG showed a significantly high OR. PMID:25364357

  17. Urine drug testing results and paired oral fluid comparison from patients enrolled in long-term medication-assisted treatment in Tennessee.

    PubMed

    Miller, Katie L; Puet, Brandi L; Roberts, Ali; Hild, Cheryl; Carter, Jason; Black, David L

    2017-05-01

    Urine drug testing is recommended for individuals receiving medication-assisted treatment. It provides objective information for practitioners to consider and may serve as a protective factor against drug-related mortality. The primary objective of our study was to describe urine drug testing results for patients undergoing long-term medication-assisted treatment (≥6months). The secondary objective was to provide further evidence to establish oral fluid as a reliable alternative to urine. All subjects (n=639) included in the study were enrolled in one of five treatment centers in the state of Tennessee, and all urine specimens were positive for either methadone or buprenorphine. Nicotine (87%), caffeine (70%), marijuana (15%), alcohol (14%) and gabapentin (10%) were the most prevalent substances identified through urine drug testing. The presence of non-maintenance opioids (prescription and/or heroin) may represent relapse; these drugs were present in 10% of specimens tested. Evidence of illicit drug use (cocaine, heroin, marijuana and/or methamphetamine) was detected in 19% specimens. For 126 of the 639 subjects included in the study, paired oral fluid and urine test results were compared for agreement. Of the total paired urine and oral fluid tests, approximately 7% were positive for a drug in both specimen types and 91% were negative in both, resulting in an overall agreement of 98%. The study demonstrates continued use of illicit and commercially available medications in a medication-assisted treatment population undergoing long-term treatment. The results affirm the reliability of oral fluid as an alternative specimen type for compliance testing in this population. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Dual Fan Separator within the Universal Waste Management System

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Stapleton, Tom; Converse, Dave; Broyan, James Lee, Jr.

    2014-01-01

    Since NASA's new spacecraft in development for both LEO and Deep Space capability have considerable crew volume reduction in comparison to the Space Shuttle, the need became apparent for a smaller commode. In response the Universal Waste Management System (UWMS) was designed, resulting in an 80% volume reduction from the last US commode, while enhancing performance. The ISS WMS and previous shuttle commodes have a fan supplying air flow to capture feces and a separator to capture urine and separate air from the captured air/urine mixture. The UWMS combined both rotating equipment components into a single unit, referred to at the Dual Fan Separator (DFS). The combination of these components resulted in considerable packaging efficiency and weight reduction, removing inter-component plumbing, individual mounting configurations and required only a single motor and motor controller, in some of the intended UWMS platform applications the urine is pumped to the ISS Urine Processor Assembly (UPA) system. It requires the DFS to include less than 2.00% air inclusion, by volume, in the delivered urine. The rotational speed needs to be kept as low as possible in centrifugal urine separators to reduce air inclusion in the pumped fluid, while fans depend on rotational speed to develop delivered head. To satisfy these conflicting requirements, a gear reducer was included, allowing the fans to rotate at a much higher speed than the separator. This paper outlines the studies and analysis performed to develop the DFS configuration. The studies included a configuration trade study, dynamic stability analysis of the rotating bodies and a performance analysis of included labyrinth seals. NASA is considering a program to fly the UWMS aboard the ISS as a flight experiment. The goal of this activity is to advance the Technical Readiness Level (TRL) of the DFS and determine if the concept is ready to be included as part of the flight experiment deliverable.

  19. Bladder cancer biomarker discovery using global metabolomic profiling of urine.

    PubMed

    Wittmann, Bryan M; Stirdivant, Steven M; Mitchell, Matthew W; Wulff, Jacob E; McDunn, Jonathan E; Li, Zhen; Dennis-Barrie, Aphrihl; Neri, Bruce P; Milburn, Michael V; Lotan, Yair; Wolfert, Robert L

    2014-01-01

    Bladder cancer (BCa) is a common malignancy worldwide and has a high probability of recurrence after initial diagnosis and treatment. As a result, recurrent surveillance, primarily involving repeated cystoscopies, is a critical component of post diagnosis patient management. Since cystoscopy is invasive, expensive and a possible deterrent to patient compliance with regular follow-up screening, new non-invasive technologies to aid in the detection of recurrent and/or primary bladder cancer are strongly needed. In this study, mass spectrometry based metabolomics was employed to identify biochemical signatures in human urine that differentiate bladder cancer from non-cancer controls. Over 1000 distinct compounds were measured including 587 named compounds of known chemical identity. Initial biomarker identification was conducted using a 332 subject sample set of retrospective urine samples (cohort 1), which included 66 BCa positive samples. A set of 25 candidate biomarkers was selected based on statistical significance, fold difference and metabolic pathway coverage. The 25 candidate biomarkers were tested against an independent urine sample set (cohort 2) using random forest analysis, with palmitoyl sphingomyelin, lactate, adenosine and succinate providing the strongest predictive power for differentiating cohort 2 cancer from non-cancer urines. Cohort 2 metabolite profiling revealed additional metabolites, including arachidonate, that were higher in cohort 2 cancer vs. non-cancer controls, but were below quantitation limits in the cohort 1 profiling. Metabolites related to lipid metabolism may be especially interesting biomarkers. The results suggest that urine metabolites may provide a much needed non-invasive adjunct diagnostic to cystoscopy for detection of bladder cancer and recurrent disease management.

  20. The Rapid-Heat LAMPellet Method: A Potential Diagnostic Method for Human Urogenital Schistosomiasis

    PubMed Central

    Carranza-Rodríguez, Cristina; Pérez-Arellano, José Luis; Vicente, Belén; López-Abán, Julio; Muro, Antonio

    2015-01-01

    Background Urogenital schistosomiasis due to Schistosoma haematobium is a serious underestimated public health problem affecting 112 million people - particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. Microscopic examination of urine samples to detect parasite eggs still remains as definitive diagnosis. This work was focussed on developing a novel loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay for detection of S. haematobium DNA in human urine samples as a high-throughput, simple, accurate and affordable diagnostic tool to use in diagnosis of urogenital schistosomiasis. Methodology/Principal Findings A LAMP assay targeting a species specific sequence of S. haematobium ribosomal intergenic spacer was designed. The effectiveness of our LAMP was assessed in a number of patients´ urine samples with microscopy confirmed S. haematobium infection. For potentially large-scale application in field conditions, different DNA extraction methods, including a commercial kit, a modified NaOH extraction method and a rapid heating method were tested using small volumes of urine fractions (whole urine, supernatants and pellets). The heating of pellets from clinical samples was the most efficient method to obtain good-quality DNA detectable by LAMP. The detection limit of our LAMP was 1 fg/µL of S. haematobium DNA in urine samples. When testing all patients´ urine samples included in our study, diagnostic parameters for sensitivity and specificity were calculated for LAMP assay, 100% sensitivity (95% CI: 81.32%-100%) and 86.67% specificity (95% CI: 75.40%-94.05%), and also for microscopy detection of eggs in urine samples, 69.23% sensitivity (95% CI: 48.21% -85.63%) and 100% specificity (95% CI: 93.08%-100%). Conclusions/Significance We have developed and evaluated, for the first time, a LAMP assay for detection of S. haematobium DNA in heated pellets from patients´ urine samples using no complicated requirement procedure for DNA extraction. The procedure has been named the Rapid-Heat LAMPellet method and has the potential to be developed further as a field diagnostic tool for use in urogenital schistosomiasis-endemic areas. PMID:26230990

  1. Evaluation of ames Multistix-SG for urine specific gravity versus refractometer specific gravity.

    PubMed

    Adams, L J

    1983-12-01

    A comparison of urine specific gravity by a commercially available multiple reagent strip (Multistix-SG; Ames Division, Miles Laboratory) versus refractometer specific gravity (TS Meter; American Optical Corporation) was performed on 214 routine urine specimens. Agreement to +/- 0.005 was found in 72% of the specimens (r = 0.80). Urine specific gravity by the Multistix-SG showed a significant positive bias at urine pHs less than or equal to 6.0 and a negative bias at urine pHs greater than 7.0 in comparison to refractometer specific gravity. At concentrated (specific gravity greater than or equal to 1.020) specific gravities, up to 25% of urine specimens were misclassified as not concentrated by Multistix-SG specific gravity in comparison to refractometer specific gravity. The additional cost of the specific gravity reagent to a multiple reagent test strip in addition to the poor performance relative to refractometer specific gravity leads to the conclusion that including this specific gravity methodology on a multiple reagent strip is neither cost effective nor clinically useful.

  2. Diagnostic accuracy of spot urine protein-to-creatinine ratio for proteinuria and its association with adverse pregnancy outcomes in Chinese pregnant patients with pre-eclampsia.

    PubMed

    Cheung, H C; Leung, K Y; Choi, C H

    2016-06-01

    International guidelines have endorsed spot urine protein-to-creatinine ratio of >30 mg protein/mmol creatinine as an alternative to a 24-hour urine sample to represent significant proteinuria. This study aimed to determine the accuracy of spot urine protein-to-creatinine ratio in predicting significant proteinuria and adverse pregnancy outcome. This case series was conducted in a regional obstetric unit in Hong Kong. A total of 120 Chinese pregnant patients with pre-eclampsia delivered at Queen Elizabeth Hospital from January 2011 to December 2013 were included. Relationship of spot urine protein-to-creatinine ratio and 24-hour proteinuria; accuracy of the ratio against 24-hour urine protein at different cut-offs; and relationship of such ratio and adverse pregnancy outcome were studied. Spot urine protein-to-creatinine ratio was correlated with 24-hour urine protein with Pearson correlation coefficient of 0.914 (P<0.0001) when the ratio was <200 mg/mmol. The optimal threshold of spot urine protein-to-creatinine ratio for diagnosing proteinuria in Chinese pregnant patients (33 mg/mmol) was similar to that stated in the international literature (30 mg/mmol). A cut-off of 20 mg/mmol provided a 100% sensitivity, and 52 mg/mmol provided a 100% specificity. There was no significant difference in spot urine protein-to-creatinine ratio between cases with and without adverse pregnancy outcome. Spot urine protein-to-creatinine ratio had a positive and significant correlation with 24-hour urine results in Chinese pre-eclamptic women when the ratio was <200 mg/mmol. Nonetheless, this ratio was not predictive of adverse pregnancy outcome.

  3. Low urine pH and acid excretion do not predict bone fractures or the loss of bone mineral density: a prospective cohort study.

    PubMed

    Fenton, Tanis R; Eliasziw, Misha; Tough, Suzanne C; Lyon, Andrew W; Brown, Jacques P; Hanley, David A

    2010-05-10

    The acid-ash hypothesis, the alkaline diet, and related products are marketed to the general public. Websites, lay literature, and direct mail marketing encourage people to measure their urine pH to assess their health status and their risk of osteoporosis.The objectives of this study were to determine whether 1) low urine pH, or 2) acid excretion in urine [sulfate + chloride + 1.8x phosphate + organic acids] minus [sodium + potassium + 2x calcium + 2x magnesium mEq] in fasting morning urine predict: a) fragility fractures; and b) five-year change of bone mineral density (BMD) in adults. Cohort study: the prospective population-based Canadian Multicentre Osteoporosis Study. Multiple logistic regression was used to examine associations between acid excretion (urine pH and urine acid excretion) in fasting morning with the incidence of fractures (6804 person years). Multiple linear regression was used to examine associations between acid excretion with changes in BMD over 5-years at three sites: lumbar spine, femoral neck, and total hip (n = 651). Potential confounders controlled included: age, gender, family history of osteoporosis, physical activity, smoking, calcium intake, vitamin D status, estrogen status, medications, renal function, urine creatinine, body mass index, and change of body mass index. There were no associations between either urine pH or acid excretion and either the incidence of fractures or change of BMD after adjustment for confounders. Urine pH and urine acid excretion do not predict osteoporosis risk.

  4. Clinical and biochemical profiles of maple syrup urine disease in malaysian children.

    PubMed

    Yunus, Z Md; Kamaludin, Dp Abg; Mamat, M; Choy, Y S; Ngu, Lh

    2012-01-01

    Maple Syrup Urine Disease (MSUD) is an autosomal recessive disorder caused by defects in the branched-chain α-ketoacid dehydrogenase complex resulting in accumulation of branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) and corresponding branched-chain ketoacids (BCKAs) in tissues and plasma, which are neurotoxic. Early diagnosis and subsequent nutritional modification management can reduce the morbidity and mortality. Prior to 1990s, the diagnosis of MSUD and other inborn errors of metabolism (IEM) in Malaysia were merely based on clinical suspicion and qualitative one-dimensional thin layer chromatography technique. We have successfully established specific laboratory diagnostic techniques to diagnose MSUD and other IEM. We described here our experience in performing high-risk screening for IEM in Malaysia from 1999 to 2006. We analysed the clinical and biochemical profiles of 25 patients with MSUD. A total of 12,728 plasma and urine samples from patients suspected of having IEM were received from physicians all over Malaysia. Plasma amino acids quantitation using fully automated amino acid analyzer and identification of urinary organic acids using Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (GCMS). Patients' clinical information were obtained from the request forms and case records Results: Twenty-five patients were diagnosed MSUD. Nineteen patients (76%) were affected by classical MSUD, whereas six patients had non-classical MSUD. Delayed diagnosis was common among our case series, and 80% of patients had survived with treatment with mild-to-moderate learning difficulties. Our findings suggested that MSUD is not uncommon in Malaysia especially among the Malay and early laboratory diagnosis is crucial.

  5. Disseminated protothecosis associated with diskospondylitis in a dog.

    PubMed

    Manino, Paul M; Oliveira, Fabiano; Ficken, Martin; Swinford, Amy; Burney, Derek

    2014-01-01

    A 6 yr old female Labrador retriever was evaluated for an acute onset of difficulty walking and a head tilt. Initial physical examination revealed bilateral retinal detachment, a left-sided head tilt, positional rotary nystagmus, and lumbar hyperpathia. Pertinent preliminary diagnostic findings included systemic hypertension, bony lysis and adjacent sclerosis of the vertebral endplates of the first and second lumbar vertebrae, and positive urine and blood cultures for a yeast identified as Candida spp. Concerned about disseminated candidiasis after subsequent subretinal aspirates confirmed the presence of a yeast-like organism, therapy with voriconazole was initiated. Because of progressive clinical deterioration and the poor prognosis for recovery, the dog was eventually euthanized. Postmortem histological examination of tissues, including the affected vertebral endplates, revealed numerous intralesional algae compatible with Prototheca spp. To the authors' knowledge, this report is the first to document a case of protothecal diskospondylitis with possible concurrent candidiasis in a dog. Although typically associated with signs referable to the gastrointestinal tract, this report underscores the importance of not excluding protothecosis as a differential diagnosis when such signs are absent. Lastly, the use of voriconazole appears ineffective for reversing the clinical course of late-stage disseminated protothecosis.

  6. Monitoring of occupational exposure to methylene chloride: sampling protocol and stability of urine samples.

    PubMed

    Hoffer, Erica; Tabak, Arek; Shcherb, Inna; Wiener, Avi; Bentur, Yedidia

    2005-01-01

    A sampling protocol for biomonitoring of the volatile solvent methylene chloride (MeCl(2)) by analysis of urine from exposed workers was established. Storage temperature, sample volume in headspace vial (HSV), and time to sealing HSV on determination of MeCl(2) in urine were evaluated. MeCl(2) was analyzed by a solid-phase microextraction technique combined with gas chromatography. Volume of urine in HSV has no effect on MeCl(2) analysis. Delays of 30 and 60 min from collection of urine until sealing the HSV caused 14.47 +/- 6.98% and 26.17 +/- 9.57% decreases from baseline concentration, respectively. MeCl(2) concentration in spiked urine samples stored in sealed HSVs decreased on day 2 and then remained stable for 2 weeks. Refrigeration did not improve recovery although it seems to be associated with less variability. MeCl(2) in urine samples of seven exposed workers was in the range of 0.02-0.06 mg/L. Sampling of MeCl(2)-containing urine should include collection of urine in closed plastic bottles, transfer to HSV within 15 min, sealing and clamping of HSV within 15 s, and storage of HSV in refrigeration until analysis, but no longer than 2 weeks. Standard samples should be prepared on the day of test sample collection and handled under the same conditions.

  7. International Space Station Urine Monitoring System Functional Integration and Science Testing

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Rodriquez, Branelle R.; Broyan, James Lee, Jr.

    2011-01-01

    Exposure to microgravity during human spaceflight needs to be better understood as the human exploration of space requires longer duration missions. It is known that long term exposure to microgravity causes bone loss. Measuring the calcium and other metabolic byproducts in a crew member s urine can evaluate the effectiveness of bone loss countermeasures. The International Space Station (ISS) Urine Monitoring System (UMS) is an automated urine collection device designed to collect urine, separate the urine and air, measure the void volume, and allow for syringe sampling. Accurate measuring and minimal cross-contamination is essential to determine bone loss and the effectiveness of countermeasures. The ISS UMS provides minimal cross-contamination (<0.7 mL urine) and has volume accuracy of 2% between 100 to 1000 mL urine voids. Designed to provide a non-invasive means to collect urine samples from crew members, the ISS UMS operates in-line with the Node 3 Waste and Hygiene Compartment (WHC). The ISS UMS has undergone modifications required to interface with the WHC, including material changes, science algorithm improvements, and software platform revisions. Integrated functional testing was performed to determine the pressure drop, air flow rate, and the maximum amount of fluid capable of being discharged from the UMS to the WHC. This paper will detail the results of the science and the functional integration tests.

  8. Hemoglobinuria Misidentified as Hematuria: Review of Discolored Urine and Paroxysmal Nocturnal Hemoglobinuria

    PubMed Central

    Veerreddy, Prashant

    2013-01-01

    Discolored urine is a common reason for office visits to a primary care physician and urology referral. Early differentiation of the type or cause of discolored urine is necessary for accurate diagnosis and prompt management. Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria is a clonal disorder caused by acquired somatic mutations in the PIG-A gene on the X- chromosome of hemopoietic stem cells and leads to deficiency of surface membrane anchor proteins. The deficiency of these proteins leads to an increased risk of hemolysis of erythrocytes and structural damage of platelets, resulting in a clinical syndrome characterized by complement-mediated intravascular hemolytic anemia, bone marrow failure, and venous thrombosis. Patients with this clinical syndrome present with paroxysms of hemolysis, causing hemoglobinuria manifesting as discolored urine. This can be easily confused with other common causes of discolored urine and result in extensive urologic work-up. Three commonly confused entities of discolored urine include hematuria, hemoglobinuria, and myoglobinuria. Specific characteristics in a dipstick test or urinalysis can guide differentiation of these three causes of discolored urine. This article begins with a case summary of a woman presenting with cranberry-colored urine and a final delayed diagnosis of paryxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria. Her hemoglobinuria was misdiagnosed as hematuria, leading to extensive urologic work-up. The article also gives an overview of the approach to diagnosing and treating discolored urine. PMID:25512715

  9. Evolving Changes in the Management of Burns and Environmental Injuries

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2012-01-01

    Visceral protein levels including prealbumin, retinol-binding protein, and transferrin correlate weakly with nitrogen balance. We measure urine urea ...sheet for documentation of hourly fluid input and output improved a combined endpoint of mortality and ACS. Urine output remains the indicator most...providers use (95%) to titrate resuscitative fluids.8 In adults, the goal for urine output is 30 to 50 mL/h (alter- natively, 0.5–1.0 mL/kg/h); in

  10. Volatile constituents of wolf (Canis lupus) urine as related to gender and season

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Raymer, J.; Wiesler, D.; Novotny, M.; Asa, C.; Seal, U.S.; Mech, L.D.

    1984-01-01

    The volatile constituents of wolf urine were examined via capillary gas chromatography and compared among male, female, and castrate male. Several compounds including methyl isopentyl sulfide, 3,5-dimethyl-2-octanone, and acetophenone were clearly associated with the gender of the animal and many displayed a seasonal dependence. In addition, 2 long-chain aldehydes isolated from urine samples by an HPLC procedure also correlated with the endrocrine status of the animal.

  11. Metabolite profiling of bendamustine in urine of cancer patients after administration of [14C]bendamustine.

    PubMed

    Dubbelman, Anne-Charlotte; Jansen, Robert S; Rosing, Hilde; Darwish, Mona; Hellriegel, Edward; Robertson, Philmore; Schellens, Jan H M; Beijnen, Jos H

    2012-07-01

    Bendamustine is an alkylating agent consisting of a mechlorethamine derivative, a benzimidazole group, and a butyric acid substituent. A human mass balance study showed that bendamustine is extensively metabolized and subsequently excreted in urine. However, limited information is available on the metabolite profile of bendamustine in human urine. The objective of this study was to elucidate the metabolic pathways of bendamustine in humans by identification of its metabolites excreted in urine. Human urine samples were collected up to 168 h after an intravenous infusion of 120 mg/m(2) (80-95 μCi) [(14)C]bendamustine. Metabolites of [(14)C]bendamustine were identified using liquid chromatography (high-resolution)-tandem mass spectrometry with off-line radioactivity detection. Bendamustine and a total of 25 bendamustine-related compounds were detected. Observed metabolic conversions at the benzimidazole and butyric acid moiety were N-demethylation and γ-hydroxylation. In addition, various other combinations of these conversions with modifications at the mechlorethamine moiety were observed, including hydrolysis (the primary metabolic pathway), cysteine conjugation, and subsequent biotransformation to mercapturic acid and thiol derivatives, N-dealkylation, oxidation, and conjugation with phosphate, creatinine, and uric acid. Bendamustine-derived products containing phosphate, creatinine, and uric acid conjugates were also detected in control urine incubated with bendamustine. Metabolites that were excreted up to 168 h after the infusion included products of dihydrolysis and cysteine conjugation of bendamustine and γ-hydroxybendamustine. The range of metabolic reactions is generally consistent with those reported for rat urine and bile, suggesting that the overall processes involved in metabolic elimination are qualitatively the same in rats and humans.

  12. Do Mixed-Flora Preoperative Urine Cultures Matter?

    PubMed

    Polin, Michael R; Kawasaki, Amie; Amundsen, Cindy L; Weidner, Alison C; Siddiqui, Nazema Y

    2017-06-01

    To determine whether mixed-flora preoperative urine cultures, as compared with no-growth preoperative urine cultures, are associated with a higher prevalence of postoperative urinary tract infections (UTIs). This was a retrospective cohort study. Women who underwent urogynecologic surgery were included if their preoperative clean-catch urine culture result was mixed flora or no growth. Women were excluded if they received postoperative antibiotics for reasons other than treatment of a UTI. Women were divided into two cohorts based on preoperative urine culture results-mixed flora or no growth; the prevalence of postoperative UTI was compared between cohorts. Baseline characteristics were compared using χ 2 or Student t tests. A logistic regression analysis then was performed. We included 282 women who were predominantly postmenopausal, white, and overweight. There were many concomitant procedures; 46% underwent a midurethral sling procedure and 68% underwent pelvic organ prolapse surgery. Preoperative urine cultures resulted as mixed flora in 192 (68%) and no growth in 90 (32%) patients. Overall, 14% were treated for a UTI postoperatively. There was no difference in the proportion of patients treated for a postoperative UTI between the two cohorts (25 mixed flora vs 13 no growth, P = 0.77). These results remained when controlling for potentially confounding variables in a logistic regression model (adjusted odds ratio 0.92, 95% confidence interval 0.43-1.96). In women with mixed-flora compared with no-growth preoperative urine cultures, there were no differences in the prevalence of postoperative UTI. The clinical practice of interpreting mixed-flora cultures as negative is appropriate.

  13. Responses of tabanids to Nzi traps baited with octenol, cow urine and phenols in Canada.

    PubMed

    Mihok, S; Mulye, H

    2010-09-01

    Cow urine and the two phenols responsible for the attraction of biting flies to cow urine (4-methylphenol, 3-n-propylphenol) were compared with octenol (1-octen-3-ol) as baits for Tabanidae. Relative to an unbaited Nzi trap, catches of the horseflies Hybomitra lasiophthalma (Macquart), Tabanus similis Macquart and Tabanus quinquevittatus Wiedemann (Diptera: Tabanidae) were increased by 1.5-2.6, 1.4-2.0 and 1.4-1.9 times, respectively, whenever a bait included octenol released at either 0.13 mg/h or 1.5 mg/h, regardless of the presence of phenols or urine. Catches were not affected when traps were baited with phenols alone at evaporation rates of 0.38 mg/h (4-methylphenol) and 0.022 mg/h (3-n-propylphenol). Catches of Hybomitra horseflies were increased by 1.5-1.9 times with cow urine and 2.6 times with cow urine + octenol. This bait combination could prove to be particularly useful for Hybomitra horseflies, the common tabanids of northern environments.

  14. Creating a urine black hole

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hurd, Randy; Pan, Zhao; Meritt, Andrew; Belden, Jesse; Truscott, Tadd

    2015-11-01

    Since the mid-nineteenth century, both enlisted and fashion-conscious owners of khaki trousers have been plagued by undesired speckle patterns resulting from splash-back while urinating. In recent years, industrial designers and hygiene-driven entrepreneurs have sought to limit this splashing by creating urinal inserts, with the effectiveness of their inventions varying drastically. From this large assortment of inserts, designs consisting of macroscopic pillar arrays seem to be the most effective splash suppressers. Interestingly this design partially mimics the geometry of the water capturing moss Syntrichia caninervis, which exhibits a notable ability to suppress splash and quickly absorb water from impacting rain droplets. With this natural splash suppressor in mind, we search for the ideal urine black hole by performing experiments of simulated urine streams (water droplet streams) impacting macroscopic pillar arrays with varying parameters including pillar height and spacing, draining and material properties. We propose improved urinal insert designs based on our experimental data in hopes of reducing potential embarrassment inherent in wearing khakis.

  15. Proteomic Investigation of the Response of Enterococcus faecalis V583 when Cultivated in Urine

    PubMed Central

    Arntzen, Magnus Øverlie; Karlskås, Ingrid Lea; Skaugen, Morten; Eijsink, Vincent G. H.; Mathiesen, Geir

    2015-01-01

    Enterococcus faecalis is a robust bacterium, which is able to survive in and adapt to hostile environments such as the urinary tract and bladder. In this label-free quantitative proteomic study based on MaxQuant LFQ algorithms, we identified 127 proteins present in the secretome of the clinical vancomycin-resistant isolate E. faecalis V583 and we compared proteins secreted in the initial phase of cultivation in urine with the secretome during cultivation in standard laboratory medium, 2xYT. Of the 54 identified proteins predicted to be secreted, six were exclusively found after cultivation in urine including the virulence factor EfaA (“endocarditis specific antigen”) and its homologue EF0577 (“adhesion lipoprotein”). These two proteins are both involved in manganese transport, known to be an important determinant of colonization and infection, and may additionally function as adhesins. Other detected urine-specific proteins are involved in peptide transport (EF0063 and EF3106) and protease inhibition (EF3054). In addition, we found an uncharacterized protein (EF0764), which had not previously been linked to the adaptation of V583 to a urine environment, and which is unique to E. faecalis. Proteins found in both environments included a histone-like protein, EF1550, that was up-regulated during cultivation in urine and that has a homologue in streptococci (HlpA) known to be involved in bacterial adhesion to host cells. Up-regulated secreted proteins included autolysins. These results from secretome analyses are largely compatible with previously published data from transcriptomics studies. All in all, the present data indicate that transport, in particular metal transport, adhesion, cell wall remodelling and the unknown function carried out by the unique EF0764 are important for enterococcal adaptation to the urine environment. These results provide a basis for a more targeted exploration of novel proteins involved in the adaptability and pathogenicity of E. faecalis. PMID:25915650

  16. Proteomic Investigation of the Response of Enterococcus faecalis V583 when Cultivated in Urine.

    PubMed

    Arntzen, Magnus Øverlie; Karlskås, Ingrid Lea; Skaugen, Morten; Eijsink, Vincent G H; Mathiesen, Geir

    2015-01-01

    Enterococcus faecalis is a robust bacterium, which is able to survive in and adapt to hostile environments such as the urinary tract and bladder. In this label-free quantitative proteomic study based on MaxQuant LFQ algorithms, we identified 127 proteins present in the secretome of the clinical vancomycin-resistant isolate E. faecalis V583 and we compared proteins secreted in the initial phase of cultivation in urine with the secretome during cultivation in standard laboratory medium, 2xYT. Of the 54 identified proteins predicted to be secreted, six were exclusively found after cultivation in urine including the virulence factor EfaA ("endocarditis specific antigen") and its homologue EF0577 ("adhesion lipoprotein"). These two proteins are both involved in manganese transport, known to be an important determinant of colonization and infection, and may additionally function as adhesins. Other detected urine-specific proteins are involved in peptide transport (EF0063 and EF3106) and protease inhibition (EF3054). In addition, we found an uncharacterized protein (EF0764), which had not previously been linked to the adaptation of V583 to a urine environment, and which is unique to E. faecalis. Proteins found in both environments included a histone-like protein, EF1550, that was up-regulated during cultivation in urine and that has a homologue in streptococci (HlpA) known to be involved in bacterial adhesion to host cells. Up-regulated secreted proteins included autolysins. These results from secretome analyses are largely compatible with previously published data from transcriptomics studies. All in all, the present data indicate that transport, in particular metal transport, adhesion, cell wall remodelling and the unknown function carried out by the unique EF0764 are important for enterococcal adaptation to the urine environment. These results provide a basis for a more targeted exploration of novel proteins involved in the adaptability and pathogenicity of E. faecalis.

  17. [Clinical characteristics and analysis of mass spectrometric data in 33 patients with maple syrup urine disease].

    PubMed

    Yang, Nan; Han, Lian-shu; Ye, Jun; Qiu, Wen-juan; Zhang, Hui-wen; Gao, Xiao-lan; Wang, Yu; Li, Xiao-yan; Xu, Hao; Gu, Xue-fan

    2012-10-30

    To explore the clinical characteristics and the diagnostic method of maple syrup urine disease (MSUD). From January 2003 to December 2011, a total of 14 000 patients with suspected inherited metabolism diseases were tested. The blood levels of leucine and valine of these patients were detected by tandem mass spectrometry. The urinary level of branched-chain α-ketoacids was tested by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. And the diagnosis was based on the elevated levels of leucine and valine in blood and branched-chain α-ketoacids in urine. Thirty-three MSUD patients were confirmed. Their median age of initial visit was 0.17 years old (range: 7 days to 30 years old). The peak onset age of them was 2-30 days old, including 28 cases of neonatal onset (84.8%). The presenting symptoms of 28 cases were feeding difficulties (n=14), poor response, lethargy and seizures. Their median blood levels of leucine and valine (1901 (458-5804) and 600 (315-1617) µmol/L) were significantly higher than their normal levels ((50-300) and (60-250) µmol/L, both P<0.01). Their urinary levels of 2-OH-isovaleric acid, 2-keto-isovaleric acid, 2-keto-3-methylvaleric acid, 2-keto-isocaproic and acetylglycine (262.5 (5.4-624.3), 35.8 (1.9-156.0), 133.8 (7.4-611.5), 518.7 (17.2-2121.2) and 280.5 (11.0-1087.9) respectively) significantly higher than their normal levels (0, <0.1, 0, 0, <0.1 respectively, all P<0.01). In 5 intermittent MSUD patients, their blood levels of leucine and valine (402 (348-958) and 556 (322-808) µmol/L) were significantly higher than their normal levels (both P<0.01). The urinary level of 2-OH-isovaleric acid was significantly higher than its normal levels (P<0.01) while the urinary levels of other α-ketoacids were normal. The confirmation of MSUD remains difficult because of a lack of specific clinical features. The detections of tandem mass spectrometry and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry may aid its early diagnosis.

  18. Maple syrup urine disease (MSUD)--clinical profile of 47 Filipino patients.

    PubMed

    Lee, J Y; Chiong, M A; Estrada, S C; Cutiongco-De la Paz, E M; Silao, C L T; Padilla, C D

    2008-12-01

    Maple syrup urine disease (MSUD) is a very rare disorder of branched-chain amino acid metabolism. However, it is the most common inborn error of metabolism in the Philippines. We present a retrospective review of 21 patients diagnosed with MSUD between 1999 and 2004. The patients presented clinically between 2 and 14 days of life (mean 5 days) and the diagnosis of MSUD was established between 6 days and 11 months of age (mean 39 days). The classical burnt sugar odour was noted in the majority of patients (81%). The diagnosis of MSUD was initially based on clinical suspicion and confirmed biochemically by measurement of leucine/isoleucine levels by thin-layer chromatography. The acute management included removal of accumulated branched-chain amino acids by peritoneal dialysis in 62% of the patients. Mortality rate of this group of patients was 24% and follow-up rate was 87%. We compared this series with a previously reported series of 26 patients to determine whether diagnosis and the management of MSUD improved over the two periods. Four cases have been diagnosed early since 1992, the majority of whom had the classic form of MSUD with the onset of symptoms in the first two weeks of life. A small subset of patients with early nonspecific symptoms was diagnosed much later owing to a low-level clinical suspicion among clinicians. Overall, however, there appears to be a small but general trend towards earlier diagnosis, reduced mortality and long-term follow up in the later series. Although we are able to diagnose and manage MSUD in the Philippines, we recognize that the clinical outcome remains poor and is due mainly to late referral of cases and inadequate long-term management. In the Philippines, we recommend that all newborns who are considered to be septic, have feeding difficulties, fail to regain their birth weight or present with any other symptoms suggestive of MSUD be evaluated in the first instance by analysis of urine for ketones and if they are positive have blood collected and sent to our laboratory for leucine/isoleucine measurement.

  19. Prevalence of urinary tract infection (UTI) in sequential acutely unwell children presenting in primary care: exploratory study.

    PubMed

    O'Brien, Kathryn; Stanton, Naomi; Edwards, Adrian; Hood, Kerenza; Butler, Christopher C

    2011-03-01

    Due to the non-specific nature of symptoms of UTI in children and low levels of urine sampling, the prevalence of UTI amongst acutely ill children in primary care is unknown. To undertake an exploratory study of acutely ill children consulting in primary care, determine the feasibility of obtaining urine samples, and describe presenting symptoms and signs, and the proportion with UTI. Exploratory, observational study. Four general practices in South Wales. A total of 99 sequential attendees with acute illness aged less than five years. UTI defined by >10(5) organisms/ml on laboratory culture of urine. Urine samples were obtained in 75 (76%) children. Three (4%) met microbiological criteria for UTI. GPs indicated they would not normally have obtained urine samples in any of these three children. However, all had received antibiotics for suspected alternative infections. Urine sample collection is feasible from the majority of acutely ill children in primary care, including infants. Some cases of UTI may be missed if children thought to have an alternative site of infection are excluded from urine sampling. A larger study is needed to more accurately determine the prevalence of UTI in children consulting with acute illness in primary care, and to explore which symptoms and signs might help clinicians effectively target urine sampling.

  20. Comparison of urine and bladder or urethral mucosal biopsy culture obtained by transurethral cystoscopy in dogs with chronic lower urinary tract disease: 41 cases (2002 to 2011).

    PubMed

    Sycamore, K F; Poorbaugh, V R; Pullin, S S; Ward, C R

    2014-07-01

    To compare aerobic bacterial culture of urine to cystoscopically obtained mucosal biopsies of the lower urinary tract in dogs. Retrospective review of case records from dogs that had transurethral cystoscopy at a veterinary teaching hospital between 2002 and 2011. Dogs that had culture results from cystocentesis obtained urine and transurethral cystoscopically obtained mucosal samples were included in the study. Pathogens identified were compared between sampling methods. Forty dogs underwent transurethral cystoscopy for lower urinary tract disease on 41 occasions. There was significant (P = 0 · 0003) agreement between urine and mucosal biopsy cultures. Both cultures were negative in 66% and positive in 17% of dogs. There was a 17% disagreement between the sampling methods. Although not statistically significant, more mucosal samples than urine cultures were positive for Escherichia coli. There was a good agreement between pathogen identification from urine and lower urinary tract mucosal cultures. These results do not support the utilisation of transurethral cystoscopy to obtain biopsy samples for culture in dogs with urinary tract infection and positive urine culture. Individual cases with possible chronic urinary tract infection and negative urine culture may benefit from transurethral cystoscopy to obtain biopsies for culture. © 2014 British Small Animal Veterinary Association.

  1. Misclassification of iodine intake level from morning spot urine samples with high iodine excretion among Inuit and non-Inuit in Greenland.

    PubMed

    Andersen, Stig; Waagepetersen, Rasmus; Laurberg, Peter

    2015-05-14

    Iodine nutrition is commonly assessed from iodine excretion in urine. A 24 h urine sample is ideal, but it is cumbersome and inconvenient. Hence, spot urine samples with creatinine to adjust for differences in void volume are widely used. Still, the importance of ethnicity and the timing of spot urine samples need to be settled. We, thus, collected 104 early morning spot urine samples and 24 h urine samples from Inuit and non-Inuit living in Greenland. Diet was assessed by a FFQ. Demographic data were collected from the national registry and by questionnaires. Iodine was measured using the Sandell-Kolthoff reaction, creatinine using the Jaffe method and para-amino benzoic acid by the HPLC method for the estimation of completeness of urine sampling and compensation of incomplete urine samples to 24 h excretion. A population-based recruitment was done from the capital city, a major town and a settlement (n 36/48/20). Participants were seventy-eight Inuit and twenty-six non-Inuit. The median 24 h iodine excretion was 138 (25th-75th percentile 89-225) μg/97 (25th-75th percentile 72-124) μg in Inuit/non-Inuit (P= 0.030), and 153 (25th-75th percentile 97-251) μg/102 (25th-75th percentile 73-138) μg (P= 0.026) when including compensated iodine excretion. Iodine excretion in 24 h urine samples increased with a rising intake of traditional Inuit foods (P= 0.005). Iodine excretion was lower in morning spot urine samples than in 24 h urine samples (P< 0.001). This difference was associated with iodine intake levels (P< 0.001), and was statistically significant when the iodine excretion level was above 150 μg/24 h. In conclusion, the iodine intake level was underestimated from morning spot urine samples if iodine excretion was above the recommended level.

  2. [Validity of the assessment of urinary protein excretion by spot urine in patients with chronic kidney disease].

    PubMed

    Hayashi, Ami; Okada, Tomonari; Matsumoto, Hiroshi; Nagaoka, Yume; Wada, Toshikazu; Gondo, Asako; Nango, Tomoka; Miyaoka, Yoshitaka; Watanabe, Kanna; Iwata, Azusa; Nakao, Toshiyuki

    2013-01-01

    We investigate the validity of the assessment of urinary protein excretion by spot urine samples collected by different methods in outpatients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). SUBJECTS AND METHODS We obtained 24-hour urine and two spot urine samples, including the first morning urine and daytime urine in 159 CKD patients. Urinary protein excretion was assessed by the protein/creatinine ratio from spot urine samples (morning: m-UP (g/gCr), daytime: d-UP (g/gCr) ]. We examined the correlations and the differences among m-UP, d-UP and the actual urinary protein excretion obtained by 24-hour urine (a-UP(g/day) . Significant correlations were found between m-UP and a-UP, and between d-UP and a-UP (r = 0.88, 0.85; p < 0.001). Correlations between m-UP and a-UP were greater relative to those between d-UP and a-UP in patients with less than 3.5 g/day of a-UP and in patients with CKD stages 1 to approximately 3. The percent difference between m-UP and a-UP was--16.0 +/- 40.5%, and that between d-UP and a-UP was 27.1 +/- 72.9%. The absolute value of the percent difference between d-UP and a-UP tended to be greater than that between m-UP and a-UP (34.9 +/- 25.9% vs. 49.9 +/- 59.9%, p = 0.06). Urinary protein/creatinie ratio of the first morning urine is better approximate the urinary protein excretion obtained by 24-hour urine compared with that of spot urine in the daytime.

  3. [Evaluation of transperineal sonography for lower urinary tract symptoms after pelvic floor reconstruction].

    PubMed

    Zhong, X L; Song, J; Xu, Y L; Lyu, X L; Zhong, X H; Wang, A P; Song, Y F

    2017-09-25

    Objective: To evaluate transperineal sonography for lower urinary tract symptoms after pelvic floor reconstruction. Methods: Eighty-three patients with severe pelvic organ prolapse received surgeries in Fuzhou General Hospital from September 2014 to September 2015, dividing into two groups: 27 patients were selected to receive transvaginal mesh (TVM) pelvic floor reconstruction surgery with tension-free vaginal tape-Abbrevo (TVT-Abbrevo) incontinence surgery, named TVM+TVT-Abbrevo group; 56 patients were selected to receive TVM pelvic floor reconstruction surgery only, named TVM group. The ultrasonic parameters at rest, on contraction and Valsalva condition respectively were observed and measured, including the bladder neck descent (BND), urethral rotation angle, retrovesical angle, levator urethra gap (LUG), the existence of bladder neck funneling, position of the tape, by using 2D and 3D transperineal ultrasound. Results: The two groups were compared with the ultrasonic parameters before and after operation: two groups of patients with postoperative BND [(2.3±0.5) versus (3.1±0.7) cm, (1.6±0.4) versus (3.6±0.4) cm] were significantly reduced, the difference was statistically significant ( P= 0.02, P< 0.01). The two groups of LUG before and after operation [(3.62±0.45) versus (3.26±0.92) cm, (2.96±0.47) versus (2.72±0.38) cm] both had significant difference by maximum Valsalva ( P< 0.01, P= 0.04). There was statistical significance difference of urethral rotation angle in TVM+TVT-Abbrevo group by maximum Valsalva ( P= 0.01). Observation of morphology: (1) 2 patients with difficulty in urination in TVM+TVT-Abbrevo group, ultrasound showed when the position of the bladder down the urethra discount; 4 patients with stress urinary incontinence (SUI), ultrasound showed slings off or release. (2) One patient with difficulty in urination in TVM group, but ultrasound showed lower urinary tract anatomy were normal; 5 patients with SUI, ultrasound showed the position of the bladder neck were significantly lower in 3 patients, showing high mobility, and the other 2 patients had a larger urethral diameter, showing a tendency of natural deletion. Conclusion: s Anatomy of lower urinary tract could be clearly showed by transperineal sonography. This could provide imaging support for the diagnosis of lower urinary tract symptoms after pelvic floor reconstruction.

  4. Increasing fruits and vegetables in midlife women: a feasibility study.

    PubMed

    Gunn, Caroline A; Weber, Janet L; Coad, Jane; Kruger, Marlena C

    2013-07-01

    The positive link between bone health and fruit/vegetable consumption has been attributed to the lower renal acid load of a diet high in alkaline-forming fruit/vegetables. Other important dietary determinants of bone health include micronutrients and bioactives found in fruit/vegetables. We hypothesized that increased intake of fruit/vegetables to 9 or more servings a day would lower net endogenous acid production (NEAP) significantly (~20 mEq/d) and increase urine pH (0.5 pH units). This 8-week feasibility study investigated if 21 midlife women (age, 40-65 years) currently consuming 5 or less servings a day of fruit/vegetables could increase their intake to 9 or more servings a day to substantially lower NEAP and include specific vegetables daily. Three-day diet diaries were completed at baseline and the end of the study and assessed for NEAP (estimated) and number of servings from all food groups. Urine pH dipsticks were provided for the participants to assess and record their fasting urine pH daily (second void). Seventy-six percent of women achieved the study aim, which was to increase to 9 or more servings of fruit/vegetables for at least 5 d/wk. There was a reduction in the number of bread/cereal servings. Net endogenous acid production (estimated) was reduced significantly, with a mean urine pH increase of 0.68 pH units (95% confidence interval, 0.46-1.14); however, daily urine pH measures showed high variability. This study demonstrated that a group of midlife women can change their diet for 8 weeks by significantly increasing fruit/vegetable servings and include specific "bone friendly" vegetables daily, resulting in a significant decrease in estimated dietary NEAP and an increase in urine pH. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. Prediction of long-term prognosis by heteroplasmy levels of the m.3243A>G mutation in patients with the mitochondrial encephalomyopathy, lactic acidosis and stroke-like episodes syndrome.

    PubMed

    Fayssoil, A; Laforêt, P; Bougouin, W; Jardel, C; Lombès, A; Bécane, H M; Berber, N; Stojkovic, T; Béhin, A; Eymard, B; Duboc, D; Wahbi, K

    2017-02-01

    Our aim was to determine the prognostic value of urine and blood heteroplasmy in patients with the m.3243A>G mutation. Adults with the m.3243A>G mutation referred to our institution between January 2000 and May 2014 were retrospectively included. The relationship between their baseline clinical characteristics, their mutation load in urine and blood, and major adverse events (MAEs) during follow-up, defined as medical complications requiring a hospitalization or complicated by death, was studied. Of the 43 patients (age 45.6 ± 13.3 years) included in the study, 36 patients were symptomatic, including nine with evidence of focal brain involvement, and seven were asymptomatic. Over a 5.5 ± 4.0 year mean follow-up duration, 14 patients (33%) developed MAEs. Patients with MAEs had a higher mutation load than others in urine (60.1% ± 13.8% vs. 40.6% ± 26.2%, P = 0.01) and in blood (26.9% ± 18.4% vs. 16.0% ± 12.1%, P = 0.03). Optimal cutoff values for the prediction of MAEs were 45% for urine and 35% for blood. In multivariate analysis, mutation load in urine ≥45% [odds ratio 25.3; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.1-567.8; P = 0.04], left ventricular hypertrophy (odds ratio 16.7; 95% CI 1.3- 222.5; P = 0.03) and seizures (odds ratio 48.3; 95% CI 2.5-933; P = 0.01) were associated with MAEs. Patients with the m.3243A>G mutation are at high risk of MAEs, which can be independently predicted by mutation load in urine ≥45%, a personal history of seizures, and left ventricular hypertrophy. © 2016 EAN.

  6. Myalgia Cruris Epidemica: an unusual presentation of dengue fever.

    PubMed

    Ahmad, Rashidi; Abdul Latiff, Abdul Kursi; Abdul Razak, Salmi

    2007-11-01

    We describe a 5-year-old girl who had sudden onset difficulty in walking after 3 days of febrile illness. In the emergency department her creatine kinase level was elevated but urine myoglobin was normal. She was diagnosed as having benign acute childhood myositis. Because of poor oral intake and dehydration, she was admitted to the pediatric ward. The next day she had a petechial rash over the antecubital fossa, and dengue IgM back was positive. She was treated conservatively and recovered uneventfully. Despite dengue fever being endemic in Malaysia, this is the first case report of myositis following dengue infection in Malaysia.

  7. [Intrauterine device: about a rare complication and literature review].

    PubMed

    Kallat, Adil; Ibrahimi, Ahmed; Fahsi, Otheman; El Sayegh, Hachem; Iken, Ali; Benslimane, Lounis; Nouini, Yassine

    2017-01-01

    The intrauterine device (IUD) is the most common contraceptive method used in the world. Transuterine migration is a rare complication, accounting for 1/350 - 1/10000 insertions in the literature. We report the case of a 40-year old patient, who had had an IUD insertion 12-year before, presenting with pelvic and right lower back pain associated with intermittent hematuria and burning during urination. Radiological assessment showed calcific deposits on intra bladder IUD. The patient underwent cystostomy, without any difficulty, allowing stone and IUD extraction. A urinary catheter was left in place for 5 days and then withdrawn. The postoperative course was uneventful.

  8. Translocation of mineralo-organic nanoparticles from blood to urine: a new mechanism for the formation of kidney stones?

    PubMed

    Martel, Jan; Wu, Cheng-Yeu; Young, John D

    2016-09-01

    Recent studies indicate that mineralo-organic nanoparticles form in various human body fluids, including blood and urine. These nanoparticles may form within renal tubules and increase in size in supersaturated urine, eventually leading to the formation of kidney stones. Here, we present observations suggesting that mineralo-organic nanoparticles found in blood may induce kidney stone formation via an alternative mechanism in which the particles translocate through endothelial and renal epithelial cells to reach urine. We propose that this alternative mechanism of kidney stone formation and the study of mineralo-organic nanoparticles in general may provide novel strategies for the early detection and treatment of ectopic calcifications and kidney stones.

  9. Identification of volatile components of bobcat (Lynx rufus) urine.

    PubMed

    Mattina, M J; Pignatello, J J; Swihart, R K

    1991-02-01

    Bobcat (Lynx rufus) urine reduces scent-marking activity of woodchucks (Marmota monax) and feeding activity of snowshoe hares (Lepus americanus) and deer (Odocoileus virginianus, O. hemionus). In order to identify the semiochemicals responsible for these behavior modifications, a dichloromethane extract of the bobcat urine was analyzed by GC-MS. Among the known compounds identified in the extract are phenol, indole, dimethyl sulfone, and 3-mercapto-3-methylbutanol. Compounds for which spectroscopic data are presented for the first time include one sulfide, two disulfides, and two trisulfides. The sulfur compounds are derived from an amino acid,S-(l,1-dimethyl-3-hydroxypropyl)cysteine ("felinine"), which was identified several years ago in the urine of the domestic cat (Felis domesticus).

  10. Urine specimen validity test for drug abuse testing in workplace and court settings.

    PubMed

    Lin, Shin-Yu; Lee, Hei-Hwa; Lee, Jong-Feng; Chen, Bai-Hsiun

    2018-01-01

    In recent decades, urine drug testing in the workplace has become common in many countries in the world. There have been several studies concerning the use of the urine specimen validity test (SVT) for drug abuse testing administered in the workplace. However, very little data exists concerning the urine SVT on drug abuse tests from court specimens, including dilute, substituted, adulterated, and invalid tests. We investigated 21,696 submitted urine drug test samples for SVT from workplace and court settings in southern Taiwan over 5 years. All immunoassay screen-positive urine specimen drug tests were confirmed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. We found that the mean 5-year prevalence of tampering (dilute, substituted, or invalid tests) in urine specimens from the workplace and court settings were 1.09% and 3.81%, respectively. The mean 5-year percentage of dilute, substituted, and invalid urine specimens from the workplace were 89.2%, 6.8%, and 4.1%, respectively. The mean 5-year percentage of dilute, substituted, and invalid urine specimens from the court were 94.8%, 1.4%, and 3.8%, respectively. No adulterated cases were found among the workplace or court samples. The most common drug identified from the workplace specimens was amphetamine, followed by opiates. The most common drug identified from the court specimens was ketamine, followed by amphetamine. We suggest that all urine specimens taken for drug testing from both the workplace and court settings need to be tested for validity. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  11. Uncertainties of Mayak urine data

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

    Miller, Guthrie; Vostrotin, Vadim; Vvdensky, Vladimir

    2008-01-01

    For internal dose calculations for the Mayak worker epidemiological study, quantitative estimates of uncertainty of the urine measurements are necessary. Some of the data consist of measurements of 24h urine excretion on successive days (e.g. 3 or 4 days). In a recent publication, dose calculations were done where the uncertainty of the urine measurements was estimated starting from the statistical standard deviation of these replicate mesurements. This approach is straightforward and accurate when the number of replicate measurements is large, however, a Monte Carlo study showed it to be problematic for the actual number of replicate measurements (median from 3more » to 4). Also, it is sometimes important to characterize the uncertainty of a single urine measurement. Therefore this alternate method has been developed. A method of parameterizing the uncertainty of Mayak urine bioassay measmements is described. The Poisson lognormal model is assumed and data from 63 cases (1099 urine measurements in all) are used to empirically determine the lognormal normalization uncertainty, given the measurement uncertainties obtained from count quantities. The natural logarithm of the geometric standard deviation of the normalization uncertainty is found to be in the range 0.31 to 0.35 including a measurement component estimated to be 0.2.« less

  12. Evaluation of the automated urine particle analyzer UF-1000i screening for urinary tract infection in nonpregnant women.

    PubMed

    Dai, Qingkai; Jiang, Yongmei; Shi, Hua; Zhou, Wei; Zhou, Shengjie; Yang, Hui

    2014-01-01

    Urinary tract infection (UTI) is a widespread disease in women. Urine culture is still the "gold standard" diagnostic test for UTI, but most of them are negative. To reduce unnecessary culture, we evaluated the automated urine particle analyzer UF-1000i screening for UTI in nonpregnant women. The urine specimens submitted to our laboratory were submitted for culture and tested by the Sysmex UF-1000i. Bacteria and white blood cell (WBC) counts were compared to standard urine culture results to assess the best cutoff values. In this study, 272 urine samples were included, of which 98 (36.0%) were culture positive with a bacterial cutoff value of 10 x 10(5) CFU/mL. A combination of bacterial (> 95/microL) and/or WBC count (> 24/microL) provided the best screening for UTI, with a sensitivity of 0.99 and a specificity of 0.82 compared with the urine culture. Sysmex UF-1000i could be used as a screening test for UTI in nonpregnant women. According to the distribution and range of the bacterial scattergram, we could primarily identify and differentiate between Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria.

  13. Pretreatment Solution for Water Recovery Systems

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Muirhead, Dean (Inventor)

    2018-01-01

    Chemical pretreatments are used to produce usable water by treating a water source with a chemical pretreatment that contains a hexavalent chromium and an acid to generate a treated water source, wherein the concentration of sulfate compounds in the acid is negligible, and wherein the treated water source remains substantially free of precipitates after the addition of the chemical pretreatment. Other methods include reducing the pH in urine to be distilled for potable water extraction by pretreating the urine before distillation with a pretreatment solution comprising one or more acid sources selected from a group consisting of phosphoric acid, hydrochloric acid, and nitric acid, wherein the urine remains substantially precipitate free after the addition of the pretreatment solution. Another method described comprises a process for reducing precipitation in urine to be processed for water extraction by mixing the urine with a pretreatment solution comprising hexavalent chromium compound and phosphoric acid.

  14. Central Diabetes Insipidus Linked to Rathke's Cleft Cyst, Polyuria in a 17-year-old Girl.

    PubMed

    Kim, Ha Yeon; Lee, Seung Jin; Bae, Eun Hui; Ma, Seong Kwon; Kim, Soo Wan

    2017-09-01

    A 17-year-old girl presented with polyuria (7 L/day) and polydipsia for one year. Initial urine osmolality was 113mOsm/kg H 2 O. Following 6 h of fluid restriction, serum plasma osmolality reached 300mOsm/kg H 2 O, whereas urine osmolality was 108mOsm/kg H 2 O. Urine osmolality was increased by 427% from 108 to 557mOsm/kg after vasopressin challenge. The patient was diagnosed with central diabetes insipidus, possibly derived from the atypical occupation of a Rathke's cleft cyst at the pituitary stalk following magnetic resonance imaging with enhancement. She was discharged with desmopressin nasal spray (10 µg); urine output was maintained at 2-3 L/day, and urine osmolality was >300 mOsm/kg. Additional pituitary image studies and evaluation of hypopituitarism should be included in the differential diagnosis of patients with central diabetes insipidus.

  15. Development of online NIR urine analyzing system based on AOTF

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wan, Feng; Sun, Zhendong; Li, Xiaoxia

    2006-09-01

    In this paper, some key techniques on development of on-line MR urine analyzing system based on AOTF (Acousto - Optics Tunable Filter) are introduced. Problems about designing the optical system including collimation of incident light and working distance (the shortest distance for separating incident light and diffracted light) are analyzed and researched. DDS (Direct Digital Synthesizer) controlled by microprocessor is used to realize the wavelength scan. The experiment results show that this MR urine analyzing system based on. AOTF has 10000 - 4000cm -1 wavelength range and O.3ms wavelength transfer rate. Compare with the conventional Fourier Transform NIP. spectrophotometer for analyzing multi-components in urine, this system features low cost, small volume and on-line measurement function. Unscrambler software (multivariate statistical software by CAMO Inc. Norway) is selected as the software for processing the data. This system can realize on line quantitative analysis of protein, urea and creatinine in urine.

  16. [Systematic review of the validity of urine cultures collected by sterile perineal bags].

    PubMed

    Ochoa Sangrador, C; Pascual Terrazas, A

    2016-02-01

    The perineal adhesive bag is the most used method in our country for urine culture collection in infants, despite having a high risk of contamination and false-positive results. We aim to quantify both types of risks through a systematic review. Search updated in May 2014 in PUBMED, SCOPUS (includes EMBASE), IBECS; CINAHL, LILACS AND CUIDEN, without language or time limits. Percentages of contaminated urines, false positives, sensitivity and specificity (with respect to catheterization or bladder puncture) were recorded. A total of 21 studies of medium quality (7,659 samples) were selected. The pooled percentage of contaminated urines was 46.6% (15 studies; 6856 samples; 95% confidence interval [95% CI]: 35.6 to 57.8%; I(2): 97.3%). The pooled percentage of false positives was 61.1% (12 studies; 575 samples; 95% CI: 37.9 to 82.2%; I(2): 96.2%). Sensitivity (88%; 95% CI: 81-93%; I(2): 55.2%), and specificity (82%; 95% CI: 75-89%; I(2): 41.3%) were estimated in five studies, but without including contaminated urines. The perineal adhesive bag is not a valid enough method for urine culture collection, because almost half are contaminated and, if they are positive, two out of three are false. Although these estimates are imprecise, because of their great heterogeneity, they should be considered when choosing the method of urine collection. The estimates of sensitivity and specificity are not applicable because they do not take into account the risk of contamination. Copyright © 2015 Asociación Española de Pediatría. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  17. Acute kidney injury mediated by oxidative stress in Egyptian horses with exertional rhabdomyolysis.

    PubMed

    el-Ashker, Maged R

    2011-06-01

    The present study was carried out to evaluate the role of oxidative stress in the pathophysiologic process of acute renal failure associated with exertional rhabdomyolysis (ER) in Egyptian horses. ER was tentatively diagnosed in 31 Baladi horses based on case history, physical examination findings and confirmed by elevation of plasma creatine kinase (CK) and urine myoglobin concentrations. According to severity of the condition, the diseased horses were categorized into two main groups; the first group included 18 horses with minimal clinical signs and plasma CK <60 000 IU/L; whereas, the second group included 13 horses with overt clinical signs and plasma CK >100 000 IU/L). It was found that plasma creatol (CTL) was positively correlated (p < 0.01) with plasma malondialdehyde (MDA) (r = 0.775), nitric oxide (NO) (r = 0.768), methyguanididne (MG) (r = 0.995), CK (r = 0.768), urine glucose (r = 0.778), urine protein (r = 0.767), renal failure index (RFI) (r = 0.814) and urine sodium (r = 0.799) and negatively correlated (p < 0.01) with total antioxidant capacity (TAC) (r = -0.795), superoxide dismutase (SOD) (r = -0.815), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) (r = -0.675), Vitamin C (r = -0.830), urine creatinine (r = -0.800), urine/plasma creatinine ratio (r = -0.827) and urine/plasma urea ratio (r = -0.807). The correlation between these biochemical variables might suggest a possible role of oxidative stress in renal injury associated with severe rhabdomyolysis in horses. It is suggested that exaggeration of oxidative stress associated with increased muscle membrane leakage plays a key role in acute kidney injury in Baladi horses with severe rhabdomyolysis.

  18. Temporal variability of urinary cadmium in spot urine samples and first morning voids.

    PubMed

    Vacchi-Suzzi, Caterina; Porucznik, Christina A; Cox, Kyley J; Zhao, Yuan; Ahn, Hongshik; Harrington, James M; Levine, Keith E; Demple, Bruce; Marsit, Carmen J; Gonzalez, Adam; Luft, Benjamin; Meliker, Jaymie R

    2017-05-01

    Cadmium is a carcinogenic heavy metal. Urinary levels of cadmium are considered to be an indicator of long-term body burden, as cadmium accumulates in the kidneys and has a half-life of at least 10 years. However, the temporal stability of the biomarker in urine samples from a non-occupationally exposed population has not been rigorously established. We used repeated measurements of urinary cadmium (U-Cd) in spot urine samples and first morning voids from two separate cohorts, to assess the temporal stability of the samples. Urine samples from two cohorts including individuals of both sexes were measured for cadmium and creatinine. The first cohort (Home Observation of Perinatal Exposure (HOPE)) consisted of 21 never-smokers, who provided four first morning urine samples 2-5 days apart, and one additional sample roughly 1 month later. The second cohort (World Trade Center-Health Program (WTC-HP)) consisted of 78 individuals, including 52 never-smokers, 22 former smokers and 4 current smokers, who provided 2 spot urine samples 6 months apart, on average. Intra-class correlation was computed for groups of replicates from each individual to assess temporal variability. The median creatinine-adjusted U-Cd level (0.19 and 0.21 μg/g in the HOPE and WTC-HP, respectively) was similar to levels recorded in the United States by the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The intra-class correlation (ICC) was high (0.76 and 0.78 for HOPE and WTC-HP, respectively) and similar between cohorts, irrespective of whether samples were collected days or months apart. Both single spot or first morning urine cadmium samples show good to excellent reproducibility in low-exposure populations.

  19. Doping control study of AICAR in post-race urine and plasma samples from horses.

    PubMed

    Wong, Jenny K Y; Kwok, Wai Him; Chan, George H M; Choi, Timmy L S; Ho, Emmie N M; Jaubert, Murielle; Bailly-Chouriberry, Ludovic; Bonnaire, Yves; Cawley, Adam; Ming Williams, H; Keledjian, John; Brooks, Lydia; Chambers, Adam; Lin, Yuanyuan; Wan, Terence S M

    2017-09-01

    Acadesine, 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide-1-β-D-ribofuranoside, commonly known as AICAR, is a naturally occurring adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activator in many mammals, including humans and horses. AICAR has attracted considerable attention recently in the field of doping control because of a study showing the enhancement of endurance performance in unexercised or untrained mice, resulting in the term 'exercise pill'. Its use has been classified as gene doping by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), and since it is endogenous, it may only be possible to control deliberate administration of AICAR to racehorses after establishment of an appropriate threshold. Herein we report our studies of AICAR in post-race equine urine and plasma samples including statistical studies of AICAR concentrations determined from 1,470 urine samples collected from thoroughbreds and standardbreds and analyzed in Australia, France, and Hong Kong. Quantification methods in equine urine and plasma using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry were developed by the laboratories in each country. An exchange of spiked urine and plasma samples between the three countries was conducted, confirming no significant differences in the methods. However, the concentration of AICAR in plasma was found to increase upon haemolysis of whole blood samples, impeding the establishment of a suitable threshold in equine plasma. A possible urine screening cut-off at 600 ng/mL for the control of AICAR in racehorses could be considered for adoption. Application of the proposed screening cut-off to urine samples collected after intravenous administration of a small dose (2 g) of AICAR to a mare yielded a short detection time of approximately 4.5 h. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  20. Values of iodine metabolism biomarkers in assessing the iodine nutrition status in surgically treated patients with thyroid disease.

    PubMed

    Han, Jian-hua; Wu, Lian; Yu, Song-lin; Fang, Hui-ling; Kamg, Wei-ming; Cheng, Xin-qi; Lu, Jie; Yu, Jian-chun; Qiu, Ling

    2015-04-01

    To assess the clinical application value of iodine metabolism biomarkers in assessing iodine nutrition status in surgically treated patients with thyroid disease. Blood,morning urine and 24-hour urine samples were collected in 31 healthy volunteers and in 30 surgically treated patients with thyroid disease before and after surgery. Iodine concentration was analyzed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The iodine metabolism biomarkers including serum iodine (SI), morning urine iodine(UI), morning urine iodine/urine creatinine ratio (UI/UCr), 24-hour urine iodine (24 h UI), and 24-hour urine iodine excretion (24 h UIE) were evaluated in these two groups. In addition, the validation coincidence rate of iodine metabolism biomarkers in healthy volunteers to different reference ranges including World Health Organization, Mayo Clinic, and Quest Diagnostics were calculated. The UI/UCr ratio of pre-operative thyroid disease patients was significantly lower than that of healthy volunteers (P<0.05), while the other biomarkers showed no significant differences (all P>0.05) between these two groups. The SI, UI ,and 24 h UI in postoperative thyroid disease patients were significantly higher than those of the pre-operative patients (all P<0.05). Though the medians of all biomarkers in healthy volunteers were within the reference ranges,only the validation coincidence rates of SI, UI, and UI/UCr in the 41-70-year populations were over than 90% according to Mayo Clinic; furthermore, the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve about UI/UCr ratio (0.737) was the biggest within the iodine metabolism biomarkers. The UI/UCr ratio may be used for iodine nutrition evaluation in surgically treated patients with thyroid disease.

  1. Inpatient Urine Cultures Are Frequently Performed Without Urinalysis or Microscopy: Findings From a Large Academic Medical Center.

    PubMed

    Carlson, Abigail L; Munigala, Satish; Russo, Anthony J; McMullen, Kathleen M; Wood, Helen; Jackups, Ronald; Warren, David K

    2017-04-01

    OBJECTIVE To describe the frequency of urine cultures performed in inpatients without additional testing for pyuria DESIGN Retrospective cohort study SETTING A 1,250-bed academic tertiary referral center PATIENTS Hospitalized adults METHODS This study included urine cultures drawn on 4 medical and 2 surgical wards from 2009 to 2013 and in the medical and surgical intensive care units (ICUs) from 2012 to 2013. Patient and laboratory data were abstracted from the hospital's medical informatics database. We identified catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) in the ICUs by routine infection prevention surveillance. Cultures without urinalysis or urine microscopy were defined as "isolated." The primary outcome was the proportion of isolated urine cultures obtained. We used multivariable logistic regression to assess predictors of isolated cultures. RESULTS During the study period, 14,743 urine cultures were obtained (63.5 cultures per 1,000 patient days) during 11,820 patient admissions. Of these, 2,973 cultures (20.2%) were isolated cultures. Of the 61 CAUTIs identified, 31 (50.8%) were identified by an isolated culture. Predictors for having an isolated culture included male gender (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.22; 95%; confidence interval [CI], 1.11-1.35], urinary catheterization (aOR, 2.15; 95% CI, 1.89-2.46), ICU admission (medical ICU aOR, 1.72; 95% CI, 1.47-2.00; surgical ICU aOR, 1.82; 95% CI, 1.51-2.19), and obtaining the urine culture ≥1 calendar day after admission (1-7 days aOR, 1.91; 95% CI. 1.71-2.12; >7 days after admission aOR, 2.81; 95% CI, 2.37-3.34). CONCLUSIONS Isolated urine cultures are common in hospitalized patients, particularly in patients with urinary catheters and those in ICUs. Interventions targeting inpatient culturing practices may improve the diagnosis of urinary tract infections. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2017;38:455-460.

  2. Retrograde contamination and practical handling of urine-meters: a comparison of three systems for the measurement of hourly diuresis in an experimental bladder-drainage model and in clinical use.

    PubMed

    Rasmussen, A; Frimodt-Møller, N; Espersen, F; Roed, M; Frimodt-Møller, C

    1996-08-01

    To compare three different urine metering systems for their ability to prevent retrograde contamination in an in vitro model of a closed urinary drainage system and for qualities important to their practical handling in a clinical setting. Using three urine-meters (the Braun Ureofix 511, the Kendall Curity 4000 and the Unoplast Unometer 500) the in vitro model was constantly flushed with a solution of Mueller-Hinton broth diluted with saline. On the first day, the urine collecting bag was inoculated with 10(8) cells of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The system was operated for 12 days with daily sampling of the model bladder to detect any contamination. After 12 days the experiment was stopped and sampling performed at various locations, including the urine-meter and the tubing. Nine of each type of urine-meter were tested, i.e. three in three different experiments. In the clinical study, 45 patients were randomized to each of the three urine-meters and the nurses attending them were asked to complete a questionnaire on the practical handling of the urine-meters. When the urine-meters was omitted from the model system, the 'bladder' became contaminated with the test bacteria within 3 days. None of the nine Unometer 500 systems became contaminated, compared with four of each of the other two systems (P < 0.05). In clinical use, the Unometer 500 and Ureofix 511 were easier to suspend and empty than was the Curity 4000. The Unometer 500 was significantly easier to handle when the collecting bag was emptied. Urine-meters can prevent retrograde contamination in a closed bladder-drainage model, but the degree of prevention depends upon the type of urine-meter. In daily practice, there were differences in the ease of suspension of the systems and in the emptying of the urine-meter and collecting bag.

  3. Comparison of Plasma and Urine Biomarker Performance in Acute Kidney Injury

    PubMed Central

    Schley, Gunnar; Köberle, Carmen; Manuilova, Ekaterina; Rutz, Sandra; Forster, Christian; Weyand, Michael; Formentini, Ivan; Kientsch-Engel, Rosemarie; Eckardt, Kai-Uwe; Willam, Carsten

    2015-01-01

    Background New renal biomarkers measured in urine promise to increase specificity for risk stratification and early diagnosis of acute kidney injury (AKI) but concomitantly may be altered by urine concentration effects and chronic renal insufficiency. This study therefore directly compared the performance of AKI biomarkers in urine and plasma. Methods This single-center, prospective cohort study included 110 unselected adults undergoing cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass between 2009 and 2010. Plasma and/or urine concentrations of creatinine, cystatin C, neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL), liver fatty acid-binding protein (L-FABP), kidney injury molecule 1 (KIM1), and albumin as well as 15 additional biomarkers in plasma and urine were measured during the perioperative period. The primary outcome was AKI defined by AKIN serum creatinine criteria within 72 hours after surgery. Results Biomarkers in plasma showed markedly better discriminative performance for preoperative risk stratification and early postoperative (within 24h after surgery) detection of AKI than urine biomarkers. Discriminative power of urine biomarkers improved when concentrations were normalized to urinary creatinine, but urine biomarkers had still lower AUC values than plasma biomarkers. Best diagnostic performance 4h after surgery had plasma NGAL (AUC 0.83), cystatin C (0.76), MIG (0.74), and L-FAPB (0.73). Combinations of multiple biomarkers did not improve their diagnostic power. Preoperative clinical scoring systems (EuroSCORE and Cleveland Clinic Foundation Score) predicted the risk for AKI (AUC 0.76 and 0.71) and were not inferior to biomarkers. Preexisting chronic kidney disease limited the diagnostic performance of both plasma and urine biomarkers. Conclusions In our cohort plasma biomarkers had higher discriminative power for risk stratification and early diagnosis of AKI than urine biomarkers. For preoperative risk stratification of AKI clinical models showed similar discriminative performance to biomarkers. The discriminative performance of both plasma and urine biomarkers was reduced by preexisting chronic kidney disease. PMID:26669323

  4. Immunodetection and molecular determination of visceral and cutaneous Leishmania infection using patients' urine.

    PubMed

    Mirzaei, Asad; Ahmadipour, Fereshteh; Cannet, Arnaud; Marty, Pierre; Delaunay, Pascal; Perrin, Pascale; Dorkeld, Franck; Sereno, Denis; Akhoundi, Mohammad

    2018-05-27

    The diagnosis of leishmaniasis relies mainly on the use of invasive processes, to collect the biological material for detecting Leishmania parasites. Body fluids, which can be collected by non-invasive process, would greatly facilitate the leishmaniasis diagnosis. In the present study, we investigated the potency of urine immunoblotting to diagnose cutaneous and visceral leishmaniasis and we compared with routine molecular methods. A total of 80 samples, including 40 sera and their 40 corresponding urine samples were collected from 37 suspected patients with cutaneous and visceral leishmaniasis, and 3 healthy individuals (as control), in Ilam and Ardabil provinces of Iran. All sera and urine samples were analyzed, using immunoblotting. The confirmation of leishmaniasis infection was performed, using conventional and quantitative PCRs as well as by sequencing the amplicons. Among 37 suspected patients, 23 patients presented cutaneous lesions (CL) and 14 exhibited clinical symptoms reminiscent of visceral leishmaniasis (L. infantum). Among cutaneous patients, 15 were positive for zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis (L. major), and eight for anthroponotic cutaneous leishmaniasis (L. tropica). Molecular quantification of Leishmania parasites was performed on sera, urines and cutaneous biopsies of CL and VL patients, demonstrating that parasite load is lower in urines, compared to sera or biopsy. DNA can be detected in 20 out of 23 (86.9%) CL urine samples and in 13 out of 14 (92.8%) VL urine samples. Immunodetection analysis demonstrates that 22 out of 23 (95.6%) sera from CL patients and all patients suspected with VL are positive. For urine samples, 18 out of 23 (78.2%) urine of CL patients and 13 out of 14 (92.8%) urine of VL patients were positive, using Western blot. Therefore, immunodetection and molecular analysis using urine samples can be used as a diagnostic tool for surveying cutaneous and visceral leishmaniasis. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  5. Detection of inflammatory biomarkers in saliva and urine: Potential in diagnosis, prevention, and treatment for chronic diseases

    PubMed Central

    Tyagi, Amit K; Aggarwal, Bharat B

    2016-01-01

    Inflammation is a part of the complex biological response of inflammatory cells to harmful stimuli, such as pathogens, irritants, or damaged cells. This inflammation has been linked to several chronic diseases including cancer, atherosclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, and multiple sclerosis. Major biomarkers of inflammation include tumor necrosis factor, interleukins (IL)-1, IL-6, IL-8, chemokines, cyclooxygenase, 5-lipooxygenase, and C-reactive protein, all of which are regulated by the transcription factor nuclear factor-kappaB. Although examining inflammatory biomarkers in blood is a standard practice, its identification in saliva and/or urine is more convenient and non-invasive. In this review, we aim to (1) discuss the detection of these inflammatory biomarkers in urine and saliva; (2) advantages of using salivary and urinary inflammatory biomarkers over blood, while also weighing on the challenges and/or limitations of their use; (3) examine their role(s) in connection with diagnosis, prevention, treatment, and drug development for several chronic diseases with inflammatory consequences, including cancer; and (4) explore the use of innovative salivary and urine based biosensor strategies that may permit the testing of biomarkers quickly, reliably, and cost-effectively, in a decentralized setting. PMID:27013544

  6. Increased urine acylcarnitines in diabetic ApoE-/- mice: Hydroxytetradecadienoylcarnitine (C14:2-OH) reflects diabetic nephropathy in a context of hyperlipidemia

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

    Mirzoyan, Koryun; Université Toulouse III Paul-Sabatier Toulouse; Klavins, Kristaps

    Hyperlipidemia is a risk factor for initiation and progression of diabetic nephropathy but the metabolic pathways altered in the diabetic kidney in a context of hyperlipidemia remain incompletely described. Assuming that changes in urine composition reflect the alteration of renal metabolism and function, we analyzed the urine metabolite composition of diabetic (streptozotocin-treatment) and control (non diabetic) ApoE−/− mice fed a high cholesterol diet using targeted quantitative metabolomics. Urine metabolome was also compared to the plasma metabolome of the same animals. As previously shown, urine albuminuria/urine creatinine ratio (uACR) and glomerular area and plasma lipids (cholesterol, triglycerides) were more elevated inmore » diabetic mice compared to control. After adjustment to urine creatinine, the abundance of 52 urine metabolites was significantly different in diabetic mice compared to control. Among them was a unique metabolite, C14:2-OH (3-hydroxytetradecadienoylcarnitine) that, in diabetic mice, was positively and significantly correlated with uACR, glomerular hypertrophy, blood glucose and plasma lipids. That metabolite was not detected in plasma. C14:2-OH is a long-chain acylcarnitine reminiscent of altered fatty acid beta oxidation. Other acylcarnitines, particularly the short chains C3-OH, C3-DC, C4:1, C5-DC, C5-M-DC, C5-OH that are reminiscent of altered oxidation of branched and aromatic amino acids were also exclusively detected in urine but were only correlated with plasma lipids. Finally, the renal gene expression of several enzymes involved in fatty acid and/or amino acid oxidation was significantly reduced in diabetic mice compared to control. This included the bifunctional enoyl-CoA hydratase/3-hydroxyacyl-CoA (Ehhadh) that might play a central role in C14:2-OH production. This study indicate that the development of diabetes in a context of hyperlipidemia is associated with a reduced capacity of kidney to oxidize fatty acids and amino acids with the consequence of an elevation of urinary acetylcarnitines including C14:2-OH that specifically reflects diabetic nephropathy.« less

  7. Increased urine acylcarnitines in diabetic ApoE-/- mice: Hydroxytetradecadienoylcarnitine (C14:2-OH) reflects diabetic nephropathy in a context of hyperlipidemia.

    PubMed

    Mirzoyan, Koryun; Klavins, Kristaps; Koal, Therese; Gillet, Marion; Marsal, Dimitri; Denis, Colette; Klein, Julie; Bascands, Jean-Loup; Schanstra, Joost P; Saulnier-Blache, Jean-Sébastien

    2017-05-20

    Hyperlipidemia is a risk factor for initiation and progression of diabetic nephropathy but the metabolic pathways altered in the diabetic kidney in a context of hyperlipidemia remain incompletely described. Assuming that changes in urine composition reflect the alteration of renal metabolism and function, we analyzed the urine metabolite composition of diabetic (streptozotocin-treatment) and control (non diabetic) ApoE-/- mice fed a high cholesterol diet using targeted quantitative metabolomics. Urine metabolome was also compared to the plasma metabolome of the same animals. As previously shown, urine albuminuria/urine creatinine ratio (uACR) and glomerular area and plasma lipids (cholesterol, triglycerides) were more elevated in diabetic mice compared to control. After adjustment to urine creatinine, the abundance of 52 urine metabolites was significantly different in diabetic mice compared to control. Among them was a unique metabolite, C14:2-OH (3-hydroxytetradecadienoylcarnitine) that, in diabetic mice, was positively and significantly correlated with uACR, glomerular hypertrophy, blood glucose and plasma lipids. That metabolite was not detected in plasma. C14:2-OH is a long-chain acylcarnitine reminiscent of altered fatty acid beta oxidation. Other acylcarnitines, particularly the short chains C3-OH, C3-DC, C4:1, C5-DC, C5-M-DC, C5-OH that are reminiscent of altered oxidation of branched and aromatic amino acids were also exclusively detected in urine but were only correlated with plasma lipids. Finally, the renal gene expression of several enzymes involved in fatty acid and/or amino acid oxidation was significantly reduced in diabetic mice compared to control. This included the bifunctional enoyl-CoA hydratase/3-hydroxyacyl-CoA (Ehhadh) that might play a central role in C14:2-OH production. This study indicate that the development of diabetes in a context of hyperlipidemia is associated with a reduced capacity of kidney to oxidize fatty acids and amino acids with the consequence of an elevation of urinary acetylcarnitines including C14:2-OH that specifically reflects diabetic nephropathy. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. Effect of Ramadan fasting on urinary risk factors for calculus formation.

    PubMed

    Miladipour, Amir Hossein; Shakhssalim, Nasser; Parvin, Mahmoud; Azadvari, Mohaddeseh

    2012-01-01

    Even though dehydration could aggravate formation of urinary calculi, the effects of fluid and food restriction on calculus formation is not thoroughly defined. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of fluid and food restriction in Ramadan fasting on urinary factors in kidney and urinary calculus formation. Fifty-seven men aged 30 to 55 years old, including 37 recurrent calcium calculus formers and 20 with no history of kidney calculi were evaluated for blood tests, ultrasonography investigations, urinalysis, urine culture, and also 24-hour urine collection test. Metabolites including calcium, oxalate, citrate, uric acid, magnesium, phosphate, potassium, sodium, and creatinine were measured before and during Ramadan fasting. The values of calculus-precipitating solutes as well as inhibitory factors were documented thoroughly. Total excretion of calcium, phosphate, and magnesium in 24-hour urine and also urine volume during fasting were significantly lower than those in the nonfasting period. Urine concentration of calcium during fasting was significantly lower than nonfasting (P < .001). Urine concentrations of uric acid, citrate, phosphate, sodium, and potassium during fasting were significantly higher than nonfasting. Uric acid supersaturation was accentuated, and calcium phosphate supersaturation was decreased significantly during fasting. There was no significant increase in calcium oxalate supersaturation during the fasting period. Fasting during Ramadan has different effects on total excretion and concentrations of urinary precipitate and inhibitory factors contributing to calculus formation. We did not find enough evidence in favor of increased risks of calculus formation during Ramadan fasting.

  9. Association of CKD with Disability in the United States

    PubMed Central

    Plantinga, Laura C.; Johansen, Kirsten; Crews, Deidra C.; Shahinian, Vahakn B.; Robinson, Bruce M.; Saran, Rajiv; Burrows, Nilka Rios; Williams, Desmond E.; Powe, Neil R.

    2010-01-01

    Background Little is known about disability in early-stage chronic kidney disease (CKD). Study Design Cross-sectional national survey (National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999–2006). Setting and Participants Community-based survey of 16,011 non-institutionalized U.S. civilian adults (≥20 years). Predictor CKD, categorized as: no CKD, stages 1 and 2 [albuminuria and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) ≥60 ml/min/1.73 m2], and stages 3 and 4 (eGFR 15–59). Outcome Self-reported disability, defined by limitations in working, walking, and cognition; and difficulties in activities of daily living (ADL), instrumental ADL, leisure and social activities, lower extremity mobility, and general physical activity. Measurements Albuminuria and eGFR assessed from urine and blood samples; disability, demographics, access to care, and comorbid conditions assessed by standardized questionnaire. Results Age-adjusted prevalence of reported limitations was generally significantly greater with CKD: e.g., difficulty with ADLs was reported by 17.6%, 24.7%, and 23.9% of older (≥65 years) and 6.8%, 11.9%, and 11.0% of younger (20–64 years) adults with no CKD, stages 1 and 2, and stages 3 and 4, respectively. CKD was also associated with greater reported limitations and difficulty in other activities after age adjustment, including instrumental ADL, leisure and social activities, lower extremity mobility, and general physical activity. Other demographics, socioeconomic status, and access to care generally only slightly attenuated the observed associations, particularly among older individuals; adjustment for cardiovascular disease, arthritis, and cancer attenuated most associations such that statistical significance was no longer achieved. Limitations Inability to establish causality and possible unmeasured confounding. Conclusion CKD is associated with higher prevalence of disability in the United States. Age and other comorbid conditions account for most, but not all, of this association. PMID:21036441

  10. SERS quantitative urine creatinine measurement of human subject

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Tsuei Lian; Chiang, Hui-hua K.; Lu, Hui-hsin; Hung, Yung-da

    2005-03-01

    SERS method for biomolecular analysis has several potentials and advantages over traditional biochemical approaches, including less specimen contact, non-destructive to specimen, and multiple components analysis. Urine is an easily available body fluid for monitoring the metabolites and renal function of human body. We developed surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) technique using 50nm size gold colloidal particles for quantitative human urine creatinine measurements. This paper shows that SERS shifts of creatinine (104mg/dl) in artificial urine is from 1400cm-1 to 1500cm-1 which was analyzed for quantitative creatinine measurement. Ten human urine samples were obtained from ten healthy persons and analyzed by the SERS technique. Partial least square cross-validation (PLSCV) method was utilized to obtain the estimated creatinine concentration in clinically relevant (55.9mg/dl to 208mg/dl) concentration range. The root-mean square error of cross validation (RMSECV) is 26.1mg/dl. This research demonstrates the feasibility of using SERS for human subject urine creatinine detection, and establishes the SERS platform technique for bodily fluids measurement.

  11. Effectiveness of a Communication for Behavioral Impact (COMBI) Intervention to Reduce Salt Intake in a Vietnamese Province Based on Estimations From Spot Urine Samples.

    PubMed

    Do, Ha Thi Phuong; Santos, Joseph Alvin; Trieu, Kathy; Petersen, Kristina; Le, Mai Bach; Lai, Duc Truong; Bauman, Adrian; Webster, Jacqui

    2016-11-01

    This study evaluated the effectiveness of the Communication for Behavioral Impact (COMBI)-Eat Less Salt intervention conducted in Viet Tri, Vietnam. The behavior change intervention was implemented in four wards and four communes for one year, which included mass media communication, school interventions, community programs, and focus on high-risk groups. Mean sodium excretion was estimated from spot urine samples using different equations. A subsample provided 24-hour urine to validate estimates from spot urine. Information about salt-related knowledge and behaviors was also collected. There were 513 participants at both baseline and follow-up. Mean sodium excretion estimated from spot urines fell significantly from 8.48 g/d at baseline to 8.05 g/d at follow-up (P=.001). All spot equations demonstrated a significant reduction in sodium levels; however, the change was smaller than the measured 24-hour urine. Participants showed improved knowledge and behaviors following the intervention. The COMBI intervention was effective in lowering average population salt intake and improving knowledge and behaviors. ©2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  12. Preoperative Bladder Urine Culture as a Predictor of Intraoperative Stone Culture Results: Clinical Implications and Relationship to Stone Composition

    PubMed Central

    Paonessa, Jessica E.; Gnessin, Ehud; Bhojani, Naeem; Williams, James C.; Lingeman, James E.

    2018-01-01

    Purpose We examine the relationship between urine and stone cultures in a large cohort of patients undergoing percutaneous stone removal and compare the findings in infectious vs metabolic calculi. Materials and Methods A total of 776 patients treated with percutaneous nephrolithotomy who had preoperative urine cultures and intraoperative stone cultures were included in the study. Statistical analysis used chi-square or logistic fit analysis as appropriate. Results Preoperative urine culture was positive in 352 patients (45.4%) and stone cultures were positive in 300 patients (38.7%). There were 75 patients (9.7%) with negative preoperative cultures who had positive stone cultures, and in patients with both cultures positive the organisms differed in 103 (13.3%). Gram-positive organisms predominated in preoperative urine and stone cultures. Conclusions Preoperative urine cultures in patients undergoing percutaneous nephrolithotomy are unreliable as there is a discordance with intraoperative stone cultures in almost a quarter of cases. There has been a notable shift toward gram-positive organisms in this cohort of patients. PMID:27038771

  13. Prevalence of symptomatic urinary calculi in Kerman, Iran.

    PubMed

    Ketabchi, Ali Asghar; Aziziolahi, Gholam Abbas

    2008-01-01

    In a cross-sectional study, we evaluated the prevalence of symptomatic urinary calculi in Kerman, Iran. A total of 2431 citizens of Kerman were surveyed from September of 2005 to April 2006. The study population was selected by cluster method from 5 different areas, and 100 houses in each area were randomly approached. Questions on the urinary symptoms consisted of flank pain, urogenital pain, dysuria or any difficulty in urination, and alterations in urine color. Individuals with a suspicion of urinary calculi based on their symptoms were evaluated by physical examination, laboratory investigations, and plain abdominal radiography. Ultrasonography and intravenous urography were done if required to confirm the diagnoses. Of 2431 individuals, 196 (8.1%) had symptoms in favor of urinary calculus diagnosis, of whom 47 (24.0%) had urinary calculi (prevalence of symptomatic urolithiasis was 1.9%). Of the patients, 35 (74.5%) were underweight. Compared to the other participants, the patients with urinary calculus were younger (P = .001) and a larger proportion of them had a positive family history of urinary calculi (14.9% versus 6.5%; P = .02) and were rug weavers and office employees. Dependency on opium and its derivative was significantly more frequent in patients with urinary calculi (25.5% versus 0.2%; P = .001). This study showed that the prevalence of symptomatic urinary calculi in this hot and dry area is relatively high. According to our findings, the other factors including specific occupations, malnutrition, and substance use may also have influence on the rate of urinary calculus formation. Therefore, to prevention and early treatment of urinary calculi, evaluation of potential predisposing conditions should be considered with special attention to regional factors.

  14. Racing problems in the U.S.A.

    PubMed Central

    Jaggard, G.

    1976-01-01

    The major problems of racing in the United States at the present time are caused by too much racing. This has led to too few horses and small fields. Consequently many owners and trainers are trying to enter their horses too frequently and to race them when they are not really fit to run. The desire to race horses as frequently as possible has led to constant pressure from horsemen through their organizations for so called "permissive medication". Started in the state of Colorado approximately ten years ago this has grown until finally there are only a few states, notably New York and New Jersey that have resisted the pressure. The drug that gave the opening wedge to permissive medication was phenylbutazone, but this in many states has led to the inclusion of other drugs including analgesics and drugs that veterinarians claim are needed for therapeutic purposes. Some states have endeavoured to control phenylbutazone medication by quantitation and while lower limits cause little difficulty, maximum allowable limits have caused problems and are not practical. While there has been no publicity to my knowledge about frusemide (furosemide, lasix) the abuse of this drug for so called "bleeders" is an example that may seriously interfere with drug detection in urine and its use should be confined to proven "bleeders" (i.e. horses suffering from epistaxis). Pre-race blood testing began roughly ten years ago at the harness tracks and has been resisted by our flat tracks rather successfully up to the present time. The blood testing methods and those used by the same laboratories in post-race urine testing is inadequate and will not detect many illegal drugs. PMID:1000162

  15. Implementation and evaluation of a harm-reduction model for clinical care of substance using pregnant women

    PubMed Central

    2012-01-01

    Background Methamphetamine (MA) use during pregnancy is associated with many pregnancy complications, including preterm birth, small for gestational age, preeclampsia, and abruption. Hawaii has lead the nation in MA use for many years, yet prior to 2007, did not have a comprehensive plan to care for pregnant substance-using women. In 2006, the Hawaii State Legislature funded a pilot perinatal addiction clinic. The Perinatal Addiction Treatment Clinic of Hawaii was built on a harm-reduction model, encompassing perinatal care, transportation, child-care, social services, family planning, motivational incentives, and addiction medicine. We present the implementation model and results from our first one hundred three infants (103) seen over 3 years of operation of the program. Methods Referrals came from community health centers, hospitals, addiction treatment facilities, private physician offices, homeless outreach services and self-referral through word-of-mouth and bus ads. Data to describe sample characteristics and outcome was obtained prospectively and retrospectively from chart abstraction and delivery data. Drug use data was obtained from the women's self-report and random urine toxicology during the pregnancy, as well as urine toxicology at the time of birth on mothers, and urine and meconium toxicology on the infants. Post-partum depression was measured in mothers with the Edinburgh Post-Partum depression scale. Data from Path clinic patients were compared with a representative cohort of women delivering at Kapiolani Medical Center for Women and Children during the same time frame, who were enrolled in another study of pregnancy outcomes. Ethical approval for this study was obtained through the University of Hawaii Committee for Human Studies. Results Between April 2007 and August 2010, 213 women with a past or present history of addiction were seen, 132 were pregnant and 97 delivered during that time. 103 live-born infants were delivered. There were 3 first-trimester Spontaneous Abortions, two 28-week intrauterine fetal deaths, and two sets of twins and 4 repeat pregnancies. Over 50% of the women had lost custody of previous children due to substance use. The majority of women who delivered used methamphetamine (86%), either in the year before pregnancy or during pregnancy. Other drugs include marijuana (59.8%), cocaine (33%), opiates (9.6%), and alcohol (15.2%). Of the women served, 85% smoked cigarettes upon enrollment. Of the 97 women delivered during this period, all but 4 (96%) had negative urine toxicology at the time of delivery. Of the 103 infants, 13 (12.6%) were born preterm, equal to the state and national average, despite having many risk factors for prematurity, including poverty, poor diet, smoking and polysubstance use. Overwhelmingly, the women are parenting their children, > 90% retained custody at 8 weeks. Long-term follow-up showed that women who maintained custody chose long-acting contraceptive methods; while those who lost custody had a very high (> 50%) repeat pregnancy rate at 9 months post delivery. Conclusion Methamphetamine use during pregnancy doesn't exist is isolation. It is often combined with a multitude of other adverse circumstances, including poverty, interpersonal violence, psychiatric comorbidity, polysubstance use, nutritional deficiencies, inadequate health care and stressful life experiences. A comprehensive harm reduction model of perinatal care, which aims to ameliorate some of these difficulties for substance-using women without mandating abstinence, provides exceptional birth outcomes and can be implemented with limited resources. PMID:22260315

  16. Implementation and evaluation of a harm-reduction model for clinical care of substance using pregnant women.

    PubMed

    Wright, Tricia E; Schuetter, Renee; Fombonne, Eric; Stephenson, Jessica; Haning, William F

    2012-01-19

    Methamphetamine (MA) use during pregnancy is associated with many pregnancy complications, including preterm birth, small for gestational age, preeclampsia, and abruption. Hawaii has lead the nation in MA use for many years, yet prior to 2007, did not have a comprehensive plan to care for pregnant substance-using women. In 2006, the Hawaii State Legislature funded a pilot perinatal addiction clinic. The Perinatal Addiction Treatment Clinic of Hawaii was built on a harm-reduction model, encompassing perinatal care, transportation, child-care, social services, family planning, motivational incentives, and addiction medicine. We present the implementation model and results from our first one hundred three infants (103) seen over 3 years of operation of the program. Referrals came from community health centers, hospitals, addiction treatment facilities, private physician offices, homeless outreach services and self-referral through word-of-mouth and bus ads. Data to describe sample characteristics and outcome was obtained prospectively and retrospectively from chart abstraction and delivery data. Drug use data was obtained from the women's self-report and random urine toxicology during the pregnancy, as well as urine toxicology at the time of birth on mothers, and urine and meconium toxicology on the infants. Post-partum depression was measured in mothers with the Edinburgh Post-Partum depression scale. Data from Path clinic patients were compared with a representative cohort of women delivering at Kapiolani Medical Center for Women and Children during the same time frame, who were enrolled in another study of pregnancy outcomes. Ethical approval for this study was obtained through the University of Hawaii Committee for Human Studies. Between April 2007 and August 2010, 213 women with a past or present history of addiction were seen, 132 were pregnant and 97 delivered during that time. 103 live-born infants were delivered. There were 3 first-trimester Spontaneous Abortions, two 28-week intrauterine fetal deaths, and two sets of twins and 4 repeat pregnancies. Over 50% of the women had lost custody of previous children due to substance use. The majority of women who delivered used methamphetamine (86%), either in the year before pregnancy or during pregnancy. Other drugs include marijuana (59.8%), cocaine (33%), opiates (9.6%), and alcohol (15.2%). Of the women served, 85% smoked cigarettes upon enrollment. Of the 97 women delivered during this period, all but 4 (96%) had negative urine toxicology at the time of delivery. Of the 103 infants, 13 (12.6%) were born preterm, equal to the state and national average, despite having many risk factors for prematurity, including poverty, poor diet, smoking and polysubstance use. Overwhelmingly, the women are parenting their children, > 90% retained custody at 8 weeks. Long-term follow-up showed that women who maintained custody chose long-acting contraceptive methods; while those who lost custody had a very high (> 50%) repeat pregnancy rate at 9 months post delivery. Methamphetamine use during pregnancy doesn't exist is isolation. It is often combined with a multitude of other adverse circumstances, including poverty, interpersonal violence, psychiatric comorbidity, polysubstance use, nutritional deficiencies, inadequate health care and stressful life experiences. A comprehensive harm reduction model of perinatal care, which aims to ameliorate some of these difficulties for substance-using women without mandating abstinence, provides exceptional birth outcomes and can be implemented with limited resources.

  17. Urine testing and urinary tract infections in febrile infants seen in office settings: the Pediatric Research in Office Settings' Febrile Infant Study.

    PubMed

    Newman, Thomas B; Bernzweig, Jane A; Takayama, John I; Finch, Stacia A; Wasserman, Richard C; Pantell, Robert H

    2002-01-01

    To determine the predictors and results of urine testing of young febrile infants seen in office settings. Prospective cohort study. Offices of 573 pediatric practitioners from 219 practices in the American Academy of Pediatrics Pediatric Research in Office Settings' research network. A total of 3066 infants 3 months or younger with temperatures of 38 degrees C or higher were evaluated and treated according to the judgment of their practitioners. Urine testing results, early and late urinary tract infections (UTIs), and UTIs with bacteremia. Fifty-four percent of the infants initially had urine tested, of whom 10% had a UTI. The height of the fever was associated with urine testing and a UTI among those tested (adjusted odds ratio per degree Celsius, 2.2 for both). Younger age, ill appearance, and lack of a fever source were associated with urine testing but not with a UTI, whereas lack of circumcision (adjusted odds ratio, 11.6), female sex (adjusted odds ratio, 5.4), and longer duration of fever (adjusted odds ratio, 1.8 for fever lasting > or = 24 hours) were not associated with urine testing but were associated with a UTI. Bacteremia accompanied the UTI in 10% of the patients, including 17% of those younger than 1 month. Among 807 infants not initially tested or treated with antibiotics, only 2 had a subsequent documented UTI; both did well. Practitioners order urine tests selectively, focusing on younger and more ill-appearing infants and on those without an apparent fever source. Such selective urine testing, with close follow-up, was associated with few late UTIs in this large study. Urine testing should focus particularly on uncircumcised boys, girls, the youngest and sickest infants, and those with persistent fever.

  18. Urine Culture on Admission Impacts Antibiotic Use and Length of Stay: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

    PubMed

    Horstman, Molly J; Spiegelman, Andrew M; Naik, Aanand D; Trautner, Barbara W

    2018-05-01

    OBJECTIVETo examine the impact of urine culture testing on day 1 of admission on inpatient antibiotic use and hospital length of stay (LOS).DESIGNWe performed a retrospective cohort study using a national dataset from 2009 to 2014.SETTINGThe study used data from 230 hospitals in the United States.PARTICIPANTSAdmissions for adults 18 years and older were included in this study. Hospitalizations were matched with coarsened exact matching by facility, patient age, gender, Medicare severity-diagnosis related group (MS-DRG), and 3 measures of disease severity.METHODSA multilevel Poisson model and a multilevel linear regression model were used to determine the impact of an admission urine culture on inpatient antibiotic use and LOS.RESULTSMatching produced a cohort of 88,481 patients (n=41,070 with a culture on day 1, n=47,411 without a culture). A urine culture on admission led to an increase in days of inpatient antibiotic use (incidence rate ratio, 1.26; P<.001) and resulted in an additional 36,607 days of inpatient antibiotic treatment. Urine culture on admission resulted in a 2.1% increase in LOS (P=.004). The predicted difference in bed days of care between admissions with and without a urine culture resulted in 6,071 additional bed days of care. The impact of urine culture testing varied by admitting diagnosis.CONCLUSIONSPatients with a urine culture sent on day 1 of hospital admission receive more days of antibiotics and have a longer hospital stay than patients who do not have a urine culture. Targeted interventions may reduce the potential harms associated with low-yield urine cultures on day 1.Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2018;39:547-554.

  19. Design and use of mouse control DNA for DNA biomarker extraction and PCR detection from urine: application for transrenal Mycobacterium tuberculosis DNA detection

    PubMed Central

    Bordelon, Hali; Ricks, Keersten M.; Pask, Megan E.; Russ, Patricia K.; Solinas, Francesca; Baglia, Mark L.; Short, Philip A.; Nel, Andrew; Blackburn, Jonathan; Dheda, Keertan; Zamudio, Carlos; Cáceres, Tatiana; Wright, David W.; Haselton, Frederick R.; Pettit, April C.

    2017-01-01

    Urine samples are increasingly used for diagnosing infections including Escherichia coli, Ebola virus, and Zika virus. However, extraction and concentration of nucleic acid biomarkers from urine is necessary for many molecular detection strategies such as polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Since urine samples typically have large volumes with dilute biomarker concentrations making them prone to false negatives, another impediment for urine-based diagnostics is the establishment of appropriate controls particularly to rule out false negatives. In this study, a mouse glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) DNA target was added to retrospectively collected urine samples from tuberculosis (TB)-infected and TB-uninfected patients to indicate extraction of intact DNA and removal of PCR inhibitors from urine samples. We tested this design on surrogate urine samples, retrospective 1 milliliter (mL) urine samples from patients in Lima, Peru and retrospective 5 mL urine samples from patients in Cape Town, South Africa. Extraction/PCR control DNA was detectable in 97% of clinical samples with no statistically significant differences among groups. Despite the inclusion of this control, there was no difference in the amount of TB IS6110 Tr-DNA detected between TB-infected and TB-uninfected groups except for samples from known HIV-infected patients. We found a increase in TB IS6110 Tr-DNA between TB/HIV co-infected patients compared to TB-uninfected/HIV-infected patients (N=18, p=0.037). The inclusion of an extraction/PCR control DNA to indicate successful DNA extraction and removal of PCR inhibitors should be easily adaptable as a sample preparation control for other acellular sample types. PMID:28285168

  20. A Prospective Blinded Evaluation of Urine-DNA Testing for Detection of Urothelial Bladder Carcinoma in Patients with Gross Hematuria.

    PubMed

    Dahmcke, Christina M; Steven, Kenneth E; Larsen, Louise K; Poulsen, Asger L; Abdul-Al, Ahmad; Dahl, Christina; Guldberg, Per

    2016-12-01

    Retrospective studies have provided proof of principle that bladder cancer can be detected by testing for the presence of tumor DNA in urine. We have conducted a prospective blinded study to determine whether a urine-based DNA test can replace flexible cystoscopy in the initial assessment of gross hematuria. A total of 475 consecutive patients underwent standard urological examination including flexible cystoscopy and computed tomography urography, and provided urine samples immediately before (n=461) and after (n=444) cystoscopy. Urine cells were collected using a filtration device and tested for eight DNA mutation and methylation biomarkers. Clinical evaluation identified 99 (20.8%) patients with urothelial bladder tumors. With this result as a reference and based on the analysis of all urine samples, the DNA test had a sensitivity of 97.0%, a specificity of 76.9%, a positive predictive value of 52.5%, and a negative predictive value of 99.0%. In three patients with a positive urine-DNA test without clinical evidence of cancer, a tumor was detected at repeat cystoscopy within 16 mo. Our results suggest that urine-DNA testing can be used to identify a large subgroup of patients with gross hematuria in whom cystoscopy is not required. We tested the possibility of using a urine-based DNA test to check for bladder cancer in patients with visible blood in the urine. Our results show that the test efficiently detects bladder cancer and therefore may be used to greatly reduce the number of patients who would need to undergo cystoscopy. Copyright © 2016 European Association of Urology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. Design and use of mouse control DNA for DNA biomarker extraction and PCR detection from urine: Application for transrenal Mycobacterium tuberculosis DNA detection.

    PubMed

    Bordelon, Hali; Ricks, Keersten M; Pask, Megan E; Russ, Patricia K; Solinas, Francesca; Baglia, Mark L; Short, Philip A; Nel, Andrew; Blackburn, Jonathan; Dheda, Keertan; Zamudio, Carlos; Cáceres, Tatiana; Wright, David W; Haselton, Frederick R; Pettit, April C

    2017-05-01

    Urine samples are increasingly used for diagnosing infections including Escherichia coli, Ebola virus, and Zika virus. However, extraction and concentration of nucleic acid biomarkers from urine is necessary for many molecular detection strategies such as polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Since urine samples typically have large volumes with dilute biomarker concentrations making them prone to false negatives, another impediment for urine-based diagnostics is the establishment of appropriate controls particularly to rule out false negatives. In this study, a mouse glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) DNA target was added to retrospectively collected urine samples from tuberculosis (TB)-infected and TB-uninfected patients to indicate extraction of intact DNA and removal of PCR inhibitors from urine samples. We tested this design on surrogate urine samples, retrospective 1milliliter (mL) urine samples from patients in Lima, Peru and retrospective 5mL urine samples from patients in Cape Town, South Africa. Extraction/PCR control DNA was detectable in 97% of clinical samples with no statistically significant differences among groups. Despite the inclusion of this control, there was no difference in the amount of TB IS6110 Tr-DNA detected between TB-infected and TB-uninfected groups except for samples from known HIV-infected patients. We found an increase in TB IS6110 Tr-DNA between TB/HIV co-infected patients compared to TB-uninfected/HIV-infected patients (N=18, p=0.037). The inclusion of an extraction/PCR control DNA to indicate successful DNA extraction and removal of PCR inhibitors should be easily adaptable as a sample preparation control for other acellular sample types. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  2. Fluorescence And Alternative Methods In Urine Drug Testing

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jain, Naresh C.

    1988-04-01

    Drug abuse has become-one of the most compelling realities _ ot contemporary society. It has penetrated every segment ot our population: trom schools to sports and trom organized crime to board rooms . Drugs in tie w9rkplace allegedly cost government agencies and business millions ot dollars each year in increased absenteeism,. poor work performance, thefts,accidents andwastedtime. The President's Commission on Organized Crime and the federal government are in tavor ot urine drug testing. In fact many employers are now resorting to urine drug testing on current and prospective employees. This presep.tation discusses different laboratory methods used in urine drug.testing, including immunoassays, fluorescence polarization, thin layer chromatography, high pressure liquid chromatography, gas chromatography and gas-chromatography-mass spectrometry.

  3. Temporary Urine and Brine Stowage System (TUBSS) Development

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Dries, Kevin; Carrigan, Caitlin

    2011-01-01

    International Space Station (ISS) crew liquid human waste is treated with chromic and sulfuric acids to maintain stability prior to processing to recover water. This pre-treated urine (PTU) and its processed by-product, brine, are highly toxic fluids that require special containment for on-orbit stowage. The temporary urine and brine stowage syste m (TUBSS) is an assembly used to store and transfer pre-treated urine (PTU) and brine for processing or disposal at a later date. This paper describes the development of the TUBSS, including design for two-fault tolerance and materials selection to maintain a soft, collapsible container. In addition, this paper will provide results of testing as well as lessons learned from the project, culminating in the successful launch of the hardware.

  4. Bladder Cancer Symptoms, Tests, Prognosis, and Stages (PDQ®)—Patient Version

    Cancer.gov

    There are three types of bladder cancer. Transitional cell carcinoma, or urothelial carcinoma, is the most common type. Signs of bladder cancer can include blood in the urine and pain during urination. Find out about other symptoms, risk factors, tests to diagnose, and stages of bladder cancer.

  5. Skeletal Fluorosis Due To Inhalation Abuse of a Difluoroethane-Containing Computer Cleaner.

    PubMed

    Tucci, Joseph R; Whitford, Gary M; McAlister, William H; Novack, Deborah V; Mumm, Steven; Keaveny, Tony M; Whyte, Michael P

    2017-01-01

    Skeletal fluorosis (SF) is endemic in many countries and millions of people are affected worldwide, whereas in the United States SF is rare with occasional descriptions of unique cases. We report a 28-year-old American man who was healthy until 2 years earlier when he gradually experienced difficulty walking and an abnormal gait, left hip pain, loss of mobility in his right wrist and forearm, and progressive deformities including enlargement of the digits of both hands. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) of his lumbar spine, femoral neck, total hip, and the one-third forearm revealed bone mineral density (BMD) Z-scores of +6.2, +4.8, +3.0, and -0.2, respectively. Serum, urine, and bone fluoride levels were all elevated and ultimately explained by chronic sniffing abuse of a computer cleaner containing 1,1-difluoroethane. Our findings reflect SF due to the unusual cause of inhalation abuse of difluoroethane. Because this practice seems widespread, particularly in the young, there may be many more such cases. © 2016 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research. © 2016 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.

  6. Association of 3-methylglutaconic aciduria with sensori-neural deafness, encephalopathy, and Leigh-like syndrome (MEGDEL association) in four patients with a disorder of the oxidative phosphorylation.

    PubMed

    Wortmann, S; Rodenburg, R J T; Huizing, M; Loupatty, F J; de Koning, T; Kluijtmans, L A J; Engelke, U; Wevers, R; Smeitink, J A M; Morava, E

    2006-05-01

    In this paper, we describe a distinct clinical subtype of 3-methylglutaconic aciduria. 3-Methylglutaconic aciduria is a group of different metabolic disorders biochemically characterized by increased urinary excretion of 3-methylglutaconic acid. We performed biochemical and genetic investigations, including urine organic acid analysis, NMR spectroscopy, measurement of 3-methylglutaconyl-CoA hydratase activity, cardiolipin levels, OPA3 gene analysis and measurement of the oxidative phosphorylation in four female patients with 3-methylglutaconic aciduria. 3-Methylglutaconic aciduria type I, Barth syndrome, and Costeff syndrome were excluded as the activity of 3-methylglutaconyl-CoA hydratase, the cardiolipin levels, and molecular analysis of the OPA3 gene, respectively, showed no abnormalities. The children presented with characteristic association of hearing loss and the neuro-radiological evidence of Leigh disease. They also had neonatal hypotonia, recurrent lactic acidemia, episodes with hypoglycemia and severe recurrent infections, feeding difficulties, failure to thrive, developmental delay, and progressive spasticity with extrapyramidal symptoms. Our patients were further biochemically characterized by a mitochondrial dysfunction and persistent urinary excretion of 3-methylglutaconic acid.

  7. [Congenital buried penis in the child: about a case].

    PubMed

    Rami, Mohamed; Bakkaly, Achraf El; Bouljrouf, Jaouad; Lafia, Toualouth; Bouhafs, Mohammed Amine; Belkacem, Rachid

    2017-01-01

    Congenital buried penis in the child is a congenital malformation where the penis appears small in size while all the parts of the organ are normal (the urethra, the erectile tissue and the glans penis). Our study aimed to describe our experience in the surgical treatment of this abnormality. We report the case of a 18-months old infant with bilateral hydrocele initially admitted to the Emergency Department and then referred to our Department. Clinical examination showed buried penis with tight foreskin and a dilation of the preputial reservoir due to urine. Surgical procedure included several steps: Z-shaped incision, pulling back of the foreskin of the penis, release of the adhesions surrounding the corpus cavernosum and ventral penile skin coverage using bladder catheter kept for a week to protect the wound healing. Aesthetic and functional result was satisfactory after 1-year follow-up. Congenital buried penis is a very debated subject in the literature. Our technique was simple and easily reproducible. Voiding difficulties and urinary infection are the main indications of this surgical procedure.

  8. Treatment of extensive urethral hemangioma with KTP/532 laser.

    PubMed

    Lauvetz, R W; Malek, R S; Husmann, D A

    1996-01-01

    Urethral hemangiomas are rare. They vary in size from pinpoint masses to extensive honeycomb-shape deformities leading to significant hematuria. For extensive lesions, therapeutic options have included extensive surgical resection and reconstruction or multistaged neodymium:yttrium-aluminum-garnet (Nd:YAG) laser photocoagulation. We report our experience with the use of potassium titanyl phosphate (KTP/532) laser for treatment of the extensive form. A 7-year-old boy presented with a 2-week history of urethral bleeding. He had extensive hemangiomas of the genital and perineal regions. Cystourethroscopy disclosed diffusely scattered honeycomb-shape hemangiomatous malformation of the anterior urethra. KTP/532 laser energy was delivered transurethrally to the hemangiomatous areas until they blanched. The Foley catheter was removed 24 hours postoperatively, and the patient voided clear urine without difficulty. He has remained trouble-free for more than 2 years. Judicious endoscopic single-stage therapy with KTP/532 laser may obviate open surgical intervention in most cases of extensive and symptomatic urethral hemangiomas. In view of our observation and the literature, KTP/532 laser therapy should be considered the first line of treatment.

  9. Urine-derived podocytes-lineage cells: A promising tool for precision medicine in Alport Syndrome.

    PubMed

    Daga, Sergio; Baldassarri, Margherita; Lo Rizzo, Caterina; Fallerini, Chiara; Imperatore, Valentina; Longo, Ilaria; Frullanti, Elisa; Landucci, Elisa; Massella, Laura; Pecoraro, Carmine; Garosi, Guido; Ariani, Francesca; Mencarelli, Maria Antonietta; Mari, Francesca; Renieri, Alessandra; Pinto, Anna Maria

    2018-02-01

    Alport Syndrome (ATS) is a rare genetic disorder caused by collagen IV genes mutations, leading to glomerular basement membrane damage up to end-stage renal disease. Podocytes, the main component of the glomerular structure, are the only cells able to produce all the three collagens IV alpha chains associated with ATS and thus, they are key players in ATS pathogenesis. However, podocytes-targeted therapeutic strategies have been hampered by the difficulty of non-invasively isolating them and transcripts-based diagnostic approaches are complicated by the inaccessibility of other COL4 chains-expressing cells. We firstly isolated podocyte-lineage cells from ATS patients' urine samples, in a non-invasive way. RT-PCR analysis revealed COL4A3, COL4A4, and COL4A5 expression. Transcripts analysis on RNA extracted from patient's urine derived podocyte-lineage cells allowed defining the pathogenic role of intronic variants, namely one mutation in COL4A3 (c.3882+5G>A), three mutations in COL4A4 (c.1623+2T>A, c.3699_3706+1del, c.2545+143T>A), and one mutation in COL4A5 (c.3454+2T>C). Therefore, our cellular model represents a novel tool, essential to unequivocally prove the effect of spliceogenic intronic variants on transcripts expressed exclusively at a glomerular level. This process is a key step for providing the patient with a definite molecular diagnosis and with a proper recurrence risk. The established system also opens up the possibility of testing personalized therapeutic approaches on disease-relevant cells. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  10. Reproductive Endocrinology and Musth Indicators in a Captive Asian Elephant (Elephas maximus).

    PubMed

    Duer, Connie; Tomasi, Tom; Abramson, Charles I

    2016-12-01

    Even in the best situations, the artificial social constructs of captivity alter natural elephant behavior and unfortunately create distress. Asian elephants are powerful and intelligent animals that require consideration for their well-being and prudent management. The males present particular difficulties due to a temporary state of heightened aggressive behavior unique to male elephants called "musth." When he is in this state, the danger the elephant poses to other animals and the people around him is considerable. In addition to antagonistic behavior, musth is also characterized by temporal gland secretion and urine dribbling. In previous studies, musth has been attributed to elevated testosterone levels. This study attempted to enhance the knowledge base concerning these phenomena by examining hormone concentrations (n = 357) in Onyx, a male Asian elephant housed at Dickerson Park Zoo, with intermittent access to females (n = 1-5) over a 12-year period. Behavior and signs of musth also were recorded daily by elephant department staff. Musth indicators (temporal gland secretion, aggression, urine dribbling) increased with musth but not prior to it. We confirmed that temporal gland secretion was a better indicator of behavioral musth than urine dribbling. Hormones concentrations increased as musth approached, and presumably initiated musth indicators, but variability was high. Therefore, these hormones cannot be used to predict the onset of musth in this individual. Rather, the free/total testosterone ratio was a good indication of the 60-day pre-musth period. In addition, testosterone production and musth indicators increased in intensity when a young bull at the zoo started entering musth. © The Author(s) 2016.

  11. Identification of and Screening for Human Helicobacter cinaedi Infections and Carriers via Nested PCR

    PubMed Central

    Oyama, Kohta; Khan, Shahzada; Okamoto, Tatsuya; Fujii, Shigemoto; Ono, Katsuhiko; Matsunaga, Tetsuro; Yoshitake, Jun; Sawa, Tomohiro; Tomida, Junko; Kawamura, Yoshiaki

    2012-01-01

    Helicobacter cinaedi is the most frequently reported enterohepatic Helicobacter species isolated from humans. Earlier research suggested that certain patients with H. cinaedi infection may remain undiagnosed or incorrectly diagnosed because of difficulties in detecting the bacteria by conventional culture methods. Here, we report a nested PCR assay that rapidly detects the cytolethal distending toxin gene (cdt) of H. cinaedi with high specificity and sensitivity. Specificity of the assay was validated by using different species of Helicobacter and Campylobacter, as well as known H. cinaedi-positive and -negative samples. The sensitivity of detection for the cdt gene in the assay was 102 CFU/ml urine or 102 CFU/105 infected RAW 264.7 cells. In an H. cinaedi-infected mouse model, the cdt gene of H. cinaedi was effectively detected via the assay with urine (6/7), stool (2/3), and blood (2/6) samples. Importantly, it detected H. cinaedi in blood, urine, and stool samples from one patient with a suspected H. cinaedi infection and three patients with known infections. The assay was further used clinically to follow up two H. cinaedi-infected patients after antibiotic treatment. Stool samples from these two patients evaluated by nested PCR after antibiotic therapy showed clearance of bacterial DNA. Finally, analysis of stool specimens from healthy volunteers showed occasional positive reactions (4/30) to H. cinaedi DNA, which suggests intestinal colonization by H. cinaedi in healthy subjects. In conclusion, this nested PCR assay may be useful for the rapid diagnosis, antimicrobial treatment evaluation, and epidemiological study of H. cinaedi infection. PMID:23015666

  12. Nonkeratinised Squamous Metaplasia of the Urinary Bladder in Children: A Report of Case Experiences

    PubMed Central

    Jurkiewicz, Beata

    2014-01-01

    Background. Squamous metaplasia refers to the pathological transformation of the urothelium leading to nonkeratinised stratified squamous metaplasia (N-KSM). Objective. To present our experiences in the diagnosis and treatment of N-KSM of the urinary bladder in children. Materials and Methods. In this study, we present our experiences in the diagnosis and treatment of N-KSM of the urinary bladder in children aged from 5 to 17 years. From 2005 to 2013, metaplasia was diagnosed in 119 patients. The reasons behind visiting the hospital were nonspecific intense pain in the abdomen, recurrent urinary tract infections, and urination disorders. The most common symptoms of urinary bladder dysfunction were pollakiuria and difficulties in initiating micturition and retention of urine (reduced detrusor muscle activity). Results. In 20/119 patients (16.8%), metaplasia was incidentally diagnosed during cystoscopy performed for other causes. The changes characteristic for squamous metaplasia were diagnosed—in all these patients, a biopsy was performed. In all 119 patients, a squamous metaplasia was histopathologically diagnosed. Conclusions. Squamous metaplasia of the urinary bladder mucosa occurs in children and adolescents. Symptomatic treatment is administered mainly to improve the patients' quality of life and disease prognosis. PMID:24822222

  13. Spiny lobsters use urine-borne olfactory signaling and physical aggressive behaviors to influence social status of conspecifics.

    PubMed

    Shabani, Shkelzen; Kamio, Michiya; Derby, Charles D

    2009-08-01

    Decapod crustaceans, like many other animals, engage in agonistic behaviors that enhance their ability to compete for resources with conspecifics. These agonistic behaviors include the release of chemical signals as well as physical aggressive and submissive behaviors. In this study, we report that Caribbean spiny lobsters, Panulirus argus, use both urine-borne chemical signaling and physical aggressive behaviors during interactions with conspecifics, and that these agonistic behaviors can influence the behavior and eventual social status of the interactants. Spiny lobsters that engaged primarily in physical aggressive behaviors became dominant, whereas spiny lobsters that received these physical aggressive behaviors responded with avoidance behaviors and became subordinates. Dominant animals frequently released urine during social interactions, more than when they were not in contact with subordinates and more than when they were not paired with another animal. Subordinates released urine significantly less often than dominants, and no more than when not paired. Preventing release of urine by catheterizing the animals resulted in an increase in the number and duration of physical interactions, and this increase was primarily driven by dominants initiating interactions through physical aggressive behaviors. Introducing urine from one of the catheterized animals into an aquarium reduced physical aggressive behavior by dominant animals to normal levels. Urine-borne signals alone were capable of inducing avoidance behaviors from solitary spiny lobsters in both laboratory and field conditions. We conclude that urine serves as a chemical signal that communicates social status to the interactants. Ablation experiments showed that that these urine signals are detected primarily by aesthetasc sensilla of the olfactory pathway.

  14. Is specific gravity a good estimate of urine osmolality?

    PubMed

    Imran, Sethi; Eva, Goldwater; Christopher, Shutty; Flynn, Ethan; Henner, David

    2010-01-01

    Urine specific gravity (USG) is often used by clinicians to estimate urine osmolality. USG is measured either by refractometry or by reagent strip. We studied the correlation of USG obtained by either method with a concurrently obtained osmolality. Using our laboratory's records, we retrospectively gathered data on 504 urine specimens on patients on whom a simultaneously drawn USG and an osmolality were available. Out of these, 253 USG's were measured by automated refractometry and 251 USG's were measured by reagent strip. Urinalysis data on these subjects were used to determine the correlation between USG and osmolality, adjusting for other variables that may impact the relationship. The other variables considered were pH, protein, glucose, ketones, nitrates, bilirubin, urobilinogen, hemoglobin, and leukocyte esterase. The relationships were analyzed by linear regression. This study demonstrated that USG obtained by both reagent strip and refractometry had a correlation of approximately 0.75 with urine osmolality. The variables affecting the correlation included pH, ketones, bilirubin, urobilinogen, glucose, and protein for the reagent strip and ketones, bilirubin, and hemoglobin for the refractometry method. At a pH of 7 and with an USG of 1.010 predicted osmolality is approximately 300  mosm/kg/H(2)O for either method. For an increase in SG of 0.010, predicted osmolality increases by 182  mosm/kg/H(2) O for the reagent strip and 203  mosm/kg/H(2)O for refractometry. Pathological urines had significantly poorer correlation between USG and osmolality than "clean" urines. In pathological urines, direct measurement of urine osmolality should be used. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

  15. Differences in urine cadmium associations with kidney outcomes based on serum creatinine and cystatin C

    PubMed Central

    Weaver, Virginia M.; Kim, Nam-Soo; Lee, Byung-Kook; Parsons, Patrick J.; Spector, June; Fadrowski, Jeffrey; Jaar, Bernard G.; Steuerwald, Amy J.; Todd, Andrew C.; Simon, David; Schwartz, Brian S.

    2011-01-01

    Cadmium is a well known nephrotoxicant; chronic exposure increases risk for chronic kidney disease. Recently, however, associations between urine cadmium and higher creatinine-based estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) have been reported. Analyses utilizing alternate biomarkers of kidney function allow evaluation of potential mechanisms for these observations. We compared associations of urine cadmium with kidney function measures based on serum cystatin C to those with serum creatinine in 712 lead workers. Mean (standard deviation) molybdenum-corrected urine cadmium, Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD) eGFR and multi-variable cystatin C eGFR were 1.02 (0.65) μg/g creatinine, and 97.4 (19.2) and 112.0 (17.7) mL/min/1.73 m2, respectively. The eGFR measures were moderately correlated (rs = 0.5; p less than 0.001). After adjustment, ln(urine cadmium) was not associated with serum cystatin-C-based measures. However, higher ln(urine cadmium) was associated with higher creatinine-based eGFRs including the MDRD and an equation incorporating serum cystatin C and creatinine (beta-coefficient = 4.1 ml/min/1.73 m2; 95% confidence interval =1.6, 6.6). Urine creatinine was associated with serum creatinine-based but not cystatin-C-based eGFRs. These results support a biomarker-specific, rather than a kidney function, effect underlying the associations observed between higher urine cadmium and creatinine-based kidney function measures. Given the routine use of serum and urine creatinine in kidney and biomarker research, additional research to elucidate the mechanism(s) for these associations is essential. PMID:21871619

  16. Role of bicarbonate supplementation on urine uric acid crystals and diabetic tubulopathy in adults with type 1 diabetes.

    PubMed

    Bjornstad, Petter; Maahs, David M; Roncal, Carlos A; Snell-Bergeon, Janet K; Shah, Viral N; Milagres, Tamara; Ellis, Samuel L; Hatch, Matthew; Chung, Linh T; Rewers, Marian J; Garg, Satish; Cherney, David Z; Pyle, Laura; Nadeau, Kristen J; Johnson, Richard J

    2018-07-01

    Uricosuria and crystallization are increasingly recognized risk factors for diabetic tubulopathy. This pilot clinical trial aimed to determine the acute effect of urinary alkalinization using oral sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO 3 ) on UA crystals in adults with type 1 diabetes (T1D). Adults with T1D, ages 18 to 65 years (n = 45, 60% female, HbA1c, 7.5 ± 1.2%, 20.2 ± 9.3 years duration) without chronic kidney disease (eGFR ≥60 mL/min/1.73 m 2 and albumin-to-creatinine ratio < 30 mg/g) received 2 doses of 1950 mg oral NaHCO 3 over 24 hours. Fasting urine and serum were collected pre- and post-intervention. UA crystals were identified under polarized microscopy. Urine measurements included: osmolality, pH, UA, creatinine and kidney injury molecule-1 (KIM-1). NaHCO 3 therapy increased mean ± SD urine pH from 6.1 ± 0.7 to 6.5 ± 0.7 (P < .0001). Prior to therapy, 31.0% of participants had UA crystals vs 6.7% post therapy (P = .005). Change in urine pH inversely correlated with change in urine KIM-1 (r:-0.51, P = .0003). In addition, change in urine UA over 24 hours correlated with change in urine KIM-1 (r:0.37, P = .01). In conclusion, oral NaHCO 3 normalized urine pH and decreased UA crystals, and may hold promise as an inexpensive and safe tubulo-protective intervention in individuals with T1D. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  17. Urine ethanol concentration and alcohol hangover severity.

    PubMed

    Van de Loo, Aurora; Mackus, Marlou; Korte-Bouws, Gerdien; Brookhuis, Karel; Garssen, Johan; Verster, Joris

    2017-01-01

    The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between urine ethanol concentration and alcohol hangover severity. N = 36 healthy social drinkers participated in a naturalistic study, comprising a hangover day and a control day. N = 18 of them have regular hangovers (the hangover group), while the other N = 18 claim to be hangover immune (hangover-immune group). On each test day at 9.30 am, urine samples were collected. Participants rated their overall hangover severity on a scale from 0 (absent) to 10 (extreme), as well as 18 individual hangover symptoms. Urine ethanol concentration was significantly higher on the hangover day when compared to the control day (p = 0.006). On the hangover day, urine ethanol concentration was significantly lower in the hangover-immune group when compared to the hangover group (p = 0.027). In the hangover-immune group, none of the correlations of urine ethanol concentration with individual hangover symptoms was significant. In contrast, in the hangover group, significant correlations were found with a variety of hangover symptoms, including nausea, concentration problems, sleepiness, weakness, apathy, sweating, stomach pain, thirst, heart racing, anxiety, and sleep problems. Urine ethanol levels are significantly associated with the presence and severity of several hangover symptoms.

  18. Distribution of chloramphenicol to tissues, plasma and urine in pigs after oral intake of low doses.

    PubMed

    Aspenström-Fagerlund, Bitte; Nordkvist, Erik; Törnkvist, Anna; Wallgren, Per; Hoogenboom, Ron; Berendsen, Bjorn; Granelli, Kristina

    2016-09-01

    Toxic effects of chloramphenicol in humans caused the ban for its use in food-producing animals in the EU. A minimum required performance level (MRPL) was specified for chloramphenicol at 0.3 μg kg(-1) for various matrices, including urine. In 2012, residues of chloramphenicol were found in pig urine and muscle without signs of illegal use. Regarding its natural occurrence in straw, it was hypothesised that this might be the source, straw being compulsory for use as bedding material for pigs in Sweden. Therefore, we investigated if low daily doses of chloramphenicol (4, 40 and 400 μg/pig) given orally during 14 days could result in residues in pig tissues and urine. A dose-related increase of residues was found in muscle, plasma, kidney and urine (showing the highest levels), but no chloramphenicol was found in the liver. At the lowest dose, residues were below the MRPL in all tissues except in the urine. However, in the middle dose, residues were above the MRPL in all tissues except muscle, and at the highest dose in all matrices. This study proves that exposure of pigs to chloramphenicol in doses occurring naturally in straw could result in residues above the MRPL in plasma, kidney and especially urine.

  19. Chemical UPLC-ESI-MS/MS profiling of aconitum alkaloids and their metabolites in rat plasma and urine after oral administration of Aconitum carmichaelii Debx. Root extract.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Mingjie; Wang, Manman; Liang, Jiajia; Wen, Yongqing; Xiong, Zhili

    2018-02-01

    In this paper, an ultra high performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometric (UPLC-ESI-MS/MS) method in positive ion mode was established to systematically identify and to compare the major aconitum alkaloids and their metabolites in rat plasma and urine after oral administration of Fuzi extract. A total twenty-nine components including twenty-five C19-diterpenoid alkaloids and four C20-diterpenoid alkaloids were identified in Fuzi extract. Thirteen of the parent components and five metabolites were detected in rat plasma and sixteen parent compounds and six metabolites in urine. These parent components found in rat plasma and urine were mainly C19-diterpenoid alkaloids. All of the metabolites in vivo were demethylated metabolites (phase I metabolites), which suggested that demethylation was the major metabolic pathway of aconitum alkaloids in vivo. A comparison of the parent components in rat plasma and urine revealed that 3-deoxyacontine was found in plasma but not in urine, while kalacolidine, senbusine and 16-β-hydroxycardiopetaline existed in urine but not in plasma, which indicated that most alkaloids components were disposed and excreted in prototype form. This research provides some important information for further metabolic investigations of Fuzi in vivo. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  20. Development and evaluation of adsorption sheet (HD safe sheet-U) using active carbon for the purpose of the preventing the contamination diffusion of urinary excreted anticancer drug.

    PubMed

    Sato, Junya; Ohkubo, Haruka; Sasaki, Yuki; Yokoi, Makoto; Hotta, Yasunori; Kudo, Kenzo

    2017-01-01

    Certain amount of anticancer drugs is excreted in the urine of patients receiving anticancer drugs, and urinary scattering including anticancer drugs at excretion has become a route of anticancer drug contamination. Therefore, we developed an active carbon sheet (HD safe sheet-U) that prevented diffusion by adsorbing anticancer drugs including that excreted in urine. The present study conducted a performance evaluation of this sheet. The adsorption performance of active carbon to anticancer drug in the urine was evaluated by determining concentration changes in the active carbon suspension (5 mg/mL) of 14 kinds of anticancer drugs (cyclophosphamide, ifosfamide, carboplatin, cisplatin, methotrexate, 5-fluorouracil, cytarabine, gemcitabine, doxorubicin, epirubicin, paclitaxel, docetaxel, etoposide, and irinotecan) diluted with artificial urine. Adhesion of the anticancer drug dropping on the sheet to a slipper sole was evaluated because urine including anticancer drugs is scattered on the floor, which can spread by adhering to shoe soles of patients and healthcare workers. The performance of the active carbon sheet was compared with two other types of medical adsorption sheets used as control sheets. Anticancer drugs diluted with artificial urine (1 mL) were dropped on the active carbon sheet and the two control sheets. The sheets were trod with slippers made by polyvinyl chloride. The adhered anticancer drug was wiped off and its quantity was determined. A remarkable decrease in anticancer drug concentrations, except for cisplatin, was detected by mixture of active carbon in the artificial urine (0-79.6%). The quantity of anticancer drug adhesion to slipper soles from the active carbon sheet was significantly lower compared with that observed for the two control sheets for eight kinds of anticancer drugs (cyclophosphamide, ifosfamide, carboplatin, methotrexate, cytarabine, gemcitabine, doxorubicin, and docetaxel). There was no adhesion in cyclophosphamide and docetaxel. Furthermore, the quantities of adhesion in cytarabine, gemcitabine, doxorubicin, paclitaxel, and irinotecan were lower than determination limit. Active carbon might be effective in adsorbing urinary anticancer drugs. The active carbon sheet adsorbed urinary excreted anticancer drugs, and use of such sheets might prevent diffusion of contamination due to urinary excreted anticancer drugs.

  1. Weighting of orthostatic intolerance time measurements with standing difficulty score stratifies ME/CFS symptom severity and analyte detection.

    PubMed

    Richardson, Alice M; Lewis, Don P; Kita, Badia; Ludlow, Helen; Groome, Nigel P; Hedger, Mark P; de Kretser, David M; Lidbury, Brett A

    2018-04-12

    Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) is clinically defined and characterised by persistent disabling tiredness and exertional malaise, leading to functional impairment. This study introduces the weighted standing time (WST) as a proxy for ME/CFS severity, and investigates its behaviour in an Australian cohort. WST was calculated from standing time and subjective standing difficulty data, collected via orthostatic intolerance assessments. The distribution of WST for healthy controls and ME/CFS patients was correlated with the clinical criteria, as well as pathology and cytokine markers. Included in the WST cytokine analyses were activins A and B, cytokines causally linked to inflammation, and previously demonstrated to separate ME/CFS from healthy controls. Forty-five ME/CFS patients were recruited from the CFS Discovery Clinic (Victoria) between 2011 and 2013. Seventeen healthy controls were recruited concurrently and identically assessed. WST distribution was significantly different between ME/CFS participants and controls, with six diagnostic criteria, five analytes and one cytokine also significantly different when comparing severity via WST. On direct comparison of ME/CFS to study controls, only serum activin B was significantly elevated, with no significant variation observed for a broad range of serum and urine markers, or other serum cytokines. The enhanced understanding of standing test behaviour to reflect orthostatic intolerance as a ME/CFS symptom, and the subsequent calculation of WST, will encourage the greater implementation of this simple test as a measure of ME/CFS diagnosis, and symptom severity, to the benefit of improved diagnosis and guidance for potential treatments.

  2. Role of Urine Drug Testing in the Current Opioid Epidemic.

    PubMed

    Mahajan, Gagan

    2017-12-01

    While the evidence for urine drug testing for patients on chronic opioid therapy is weak, the guidelines created by numerous medical societies and state and federal regulatory agencies recommend that it be included as one of the tools used to monitor patients for compliance with chronic opioid therapy. To get the most comprehensive results, clinicians should order both an immunoassay screen and confirmatory urine drug test. The immunoassay screen, which can be performed as an in-office point-of-care test or as a laboratory-based test, is a cheap and convenient study to order. Limitations of an immunoassay screen, however, include having a high threshold of detectability and only providing qualitative information about a select number of drug classes. Because of these restrictions, clinicians should understand that immunoassay screens have high false-positive and false-negative rates. Despite these limitations, though, the results can assist the clinician with making preliminary treatment decisions. In comparison, a confirmatory urine drug test, which can only be performed as a laboratory-based test, has a lower threshold of detectability and provides both qualitative and quantitative information. A urine drug test's greater degree of specificity allows for a relatively low false-negative and false-positive rate in contrast to an immunoassay screen. Like any other diagnostic test, an immunoassay screen and a confirmatory urine drug test both possess limitations. Clinicians must keep this in mind when interpreting an unexpected test result and consult with their laboratory when in doubt about the meaning of the test result to avoid making erroneous decisions that negatively impact both the patient and clinician.

  3. Urine Pretreatment Configuration and Test Results for Space Applications

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Howard, Stanley G.; Hutchens, Cindy F.; Rethke, Donald W.; Swartley, Vernon L.; Marsh, Robert W.

    1998-01-01

    Pretreatment of urine using Oxone and sulfuric acid is baselined in the International Space Station (ISS) waste water reclamation system to control odors, fix urea and control microbial growth. In addition, pretreatment is recommended for long term flight use of urine collection and two phase separation to reduce or eliminate fouling of the associated hardware and plumbing with urine precipitates. This is important for ISS application because the amount of maintenance time for cleaning and repairing hardware must be minimized. This paper describes the development of a chemical pretreatment system based on solid tablet shapes which are positioned in the urine collection hose and are dissolved by the intrained urine at the proper ratio of pretreatment to urine. Building upon the prior success of the developed and tested solid Oxone tablet a trade study was completed to confirm if a similar approach, or alternative, would be appropriate for the sulfuric acid injection method. In addition, a recommended handling and packaging approach of the solid tablets for long term, safe and convenient use on ISS was addressed. Consequently, the solid tablet concept with suitable packaging was identified as the Urine Pretreat / Prefilter Assembly (UPPA). Testing of the UPPA configuration confirmed the disolution rates and ratios required by ISS were achieved. This testing included laboratory controlled methods as well as a 'real world' test evaluation that occurred during the 150 day Stage 10 Water Recovery Test (WRT) conducted at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC).

  4. Association between urine aldosterone and diastolic function in patients with primary aldosteronism and essential hypertension.

    PubMed

    Chang, Yi-Yao; Lee, Hsiu-Hao; Hung, Chi-Sheng; Wu, Xue-Ming; Lee, Jen-Kuang; Wang, Shuo-Meng; Liao, Min-Tsun; Chen, Ying-Hsien; Wu, Vin-Cent; Wu, Kwan-Dun; Lin, Yen-Hung

    2014-09-01

    To investigate the association between aldosterone and cardiac diastolic dysfunction. We prospectively enrolled 20 patients with primary aldosteronism (PA) and 22 patients with essential hypertension (EH). Plasma aldosterone concentration, plasma renin activity, and 24-h urine aldosterone level were measured. Echocardiography, including tissue Doppler image recordings, was performed. PA patients had a significantly higher left ventricular (LV) mass index and worse LV diastolic function than those in EH patients. Among various measures of aldosterone, log-transformed 24-h urine aldosterone level had the most consistent correlation with diastolic function. Aldosterone is strongly associated with LV diastolic dysfunction. Twenty-four hour urine aldosterone is a good indicator to evaluate the impact of aldosterone on LV diastolic function. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  5. Ammonia Inactivation of Ascaris Ova in Ecological Compost by Using Urine and Ash

    PubMed Central

    Parzen, Rebecca E.; Mercado Guzmán, Álvaro

    2012-01-01

    Viable ova of Ascaris lumbricoides, an indicator organism for pathogens, are frequently found in feces-derived compost produced from ecological toilets, demonstrating that threshold levels of time, temperature, pH, and moisture content for pathogen inactivation are not routinely met. Previous studies have determined that NH3 has ovicidal properties for pathogens, including Ascaris ova. This research attempted to achieve Ascaris inactivation via NH3 under environmental conditions commonly found in ecological toilets and using materials universally available in an ecological sanitation setting, including compost (feces and sawdust), urine, and ash. Compost mixed with stored urine and ash produced the most rapid inactivation, with significant inactivation observed after 2 weeks and with a time to 99% ovum inactivation (T99) of 8 weeks. Compost mixed with fresh urine and ash achieved a T99 of 15 weeks, after a 4-week lag phase. Both matrices had relatively high total-ammonia concentrations and pH values of >9.24 (pKa of ammonia). In compost mixed with ash only, and in compost mixed with fresh urine only, inactivation was observed after an 11-week lag phase. These matrices contained NH3 concentrations of 164 to 173 and 102 to 277 mg/liter, respectively, when inactivation occurred, which was below the previously hypothesized threshold for inactivation (280 mg/liter), suggesting that a lower threshold NH3 concentration may be possible with a longer contact time. Other significant results include the hydrolysis of urea to ammonia between pH values of 10.4 and 11.6, above the literature threshold pH of 10. PMID:22582051

  6. Ammonia inactivation of Ascaris ova in ecological compost by using urine and ash.

    PubMed

    McKinley, James W; Parzen, Rebecca E; Mercado Guzmán, Álvaro

    2012-08-01

    Viable ova of Ascaris lumbricoides, an indicator organism for pathogens, are frequently found in feces-derived compost produced from ecological toilets, demonstrating that threshold levels of time, temperature, pH, and moisture content for pathogen inactivation are not routinely met. Previous studies have determined that NH(3) has ovicidal properties for pathogens, including Ascaris ova. This research attempted to achieve Ascaris inactivation via NH(3) under environmental conditions commonly found in ecological toilets and using materials universally available in an ecological sanitation setting, including compost (feces and sawdust), urine, and ash. Compost mixed with stored urine and ash produced the most rapid inactivation, with significant inactivation observed after 2 weeks and with a time to 99% ovum inactivation (T(99)) of 8 weeks. Compost mixed with fresh urine and ash achieved a T(99) of 15 weeks, after a 4-week lag phase. Both matrices had relatively high total-ammonia concentrations and pH values of >9.24 (pK(a) of ammonia). In compost mixed with ash only, and in compost mixed with fresh urine only, inactivation was observed after an 11-week lag phase. These matrices contained NH(3) concentrations of 164 to 173 and 102 to 277 mg/liter, respectively, when inactivation occurred, which was below the previously hypothesized threshold for inactivation (280 mg/liter), suggesting that a lower threshold NH(3) concentration may be possible with a longer contact time. Other significant results include the hydrolysis of urea to ammonia between pH values of 10.4 and 11.6, above the literature threshold pH of 10.

  7. Effect of urine pH on the effectiveness of shock wave lithotripsy: A pilot study.

    PubMed

    Majzoub, Ahmad; Al-Ani, Ammar; Gul, Tawiz; Kamkoum, Hatem; Al-Jalham, Khalid

    2016-01-01

    Shock wave lithotripsy (SWL) is a well-established modality in the treatment of urolithiasis. Studying the effect of urine pH on SWL success is appealing as pH can be manipulated before SWL to insure a better outcome. This is a prospective study performed at a tertiary medical center. Patients presenting to the SWL unit with a single renal stone <2 cm in size were included in this study. In addition to standard laboratory and radiologic investigations, urine pH measurement was performed on all patients before their procedure. The number of sessions performed, and the stone-free rate (SFR) were assessed. Patients were divided into two groups according to stone clearance. Group 1 was stone-free, whereas Group 2 had residual stones after three sessions of SWL. Data was also classified according to different pH ranges. Influential factors were compared among the study groups and pH ranges. A total of 175 patients were included in this study. The SFR was 54.3%. The mean number of sessions performed was 2.2 ± 0.8. Group 1 included 95 patients, whereas Group 2 had eighty patients. Among all studied factors, stone size (P = 0.03) and skin to stone distance (P = 0.04) significantly affected SFR with SWL. Urine pH was not found to have a statistically significant influence on SWL outcome (P = 0.51). Urine pH was not found in this study population to influence the effectiveness of SWL. Further experimental studies are required to help investigate this notion.

  8. Correlation between some parameters of lead absorption and lead intoxication

    PubMed Central

    Waldron, H. A.

    1971-01-01

    Waldron, H. A. (1971).Brit. J. industr. Med.,28, 195-199. Correlation between some parameters of lead absorption and lead intoxication. Use has been made of data collected over a number of years from workers exposed to a lead hazard in a motor-car factory. The correlations between various parameters of lead absorption and lead intoxication were computed, including blood and urine lead concentrations, urinary coproporphyrin, ALA and PBG concentrations, and haemoglobin concentration. In all, 15 correlation coefficients were calculated, of which only six showed a statistically significant result (i.e., P<0·05). These six were blood lead and urine lead (r = 0·38, P<0·001), urine lead and coproporphyrin (r = 0·42, P<0·001), urine lead and ALA (r = 0·43, P<0·001), coproporphyrin and ALA (r = 0·75, P<0·001), ALA and PBG (r = 0·49, P<0·001), and urine lead and PBG (r = 0·19, P<0·05). PMID:5572689

  9. Oligosaccharides in Urine, Blood, and Feces of Piglets Fed Milk Replacer Containing Galacto-oligosaccharides.

    PubMed

    Difilippo, Elisabetta; Bettonvil, Monique; Willems, Rianne H A M; Braber, Saskia; Fink-Gremmels, Johanna; Jeurink, Prescilla V; Schoterman, Margriet H C; Gruppen, Harry; Schols, Henk A

    2015-12-23

    Human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) are absorbed into the blood (about 1% of the HMO intake) and subsequently excreted in urine, where they may protect the infant from pathogen infection. As dietary galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS) have partial structural similarities with HMOs, this study investigated the presence of GOS and oligosaccharides originating from milk replacer in blood serum, urine, and cecal and fecal samples of piglets, as a model for human infants. Using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and capillary electrophoresis with fluorescence detection, oligosaccharides originating from piglet diet including 3'-sialyllactose and specific GOS ranging from degree of polymerization 3 to 6 were detected in blood serum and in urine of piglets. In blood serum, GOS levels ranged from 16 to 23 μg/mL, representing about 0.1% of the GOS daily intake. In urine, approximately 0.85 g of GOS/g of creatinine was found. Cecum digesta and feces contained low amounts of oligosaccharides, suggesting an extensive GOS intestinal fermentation in piglets.

  10. Urinalysis and Urinary Tract Infection: Update for Clinicians

    PubMed Central

    Young, Jennifer L.

    2001-01-01

    Dysuria is a common presenting complaint of women and urinalysis is a valuable tool in the initial evaluation of this presentation. Clinicians need to be aware that pyuria is the best determinate of bacteriuria requiring therapy and that values significant for infection differ depending on the method of analysis. A hemocytometer yields a value of ≥ 10 WBC/ mm3 significant for bacteriuria, while manual microscopy studies show ≥ 8 WBC/high-power field reliably predicts a positive urine culture. In cases of uncomplicated symptomatic urinary tract infection, a positive value for nitrites and leukocyte esterase by urine dipstick can be treated without the need for a urine culture. Automated urinalysis used widely in large volume laboratories provides more sensitive detection of leukocytes and bacteria in the urine.With automated microscopy, a value of > 2 WBC/hpf is significant pyuria indicative of inflammation of the urinary tract. In complicated cases such as pregnancy, recurrent infection or renal involvement, further evaluation is necessary including manual microscopy and urine culture with sensitivities. PMID:11916184

  11. [Enuresis].

    PubMed

    Bruézière, J

    1992-01-01

    The word "enuresis" is the greek word for incontinence. Enuresis has to be considered as a symptom and not as a disease. We have to keep in mind that urine leaking may be due to an anatomical anomaly (epispadias, ectopic ureter, spinal coral lesion, urethral obstacle) in which case treatment of the underlying disease constitutes treatment of enuresis. Nevertheless, enuresis is isolated in 95% of cases. Three groups are defined depending on whether the bladder is normal, hyperactive or retentionnist with bladder-sphincter dyssynergia. We emphasize the frequency of coexistence of these three aspects and the gravity of a wrong diagnosis. The onset or presence of bladder-sphincter dyssynergia is a major concern for the pediatric urologist due to its severity and the difficulties of treatment.

  12. Pitfall in the Diagnosis of Diabetes Insipidus and Pregnancy

    PubMed Central

    Fleischer, Jessica B.; Khandji, Alexander G.; Wardlaw, Sharon L.

    2017-01-01

    Diabetes insipidus (DI) during pregnancy and the perinatal period is an uncommon medical problem characterized by polyuria and excessive thirst. Diagnosis of DI may be overlooked in the setting of pregnancy, a time when increased water intake and urine output are commonly reported. We report two cases: one of transient DI in a young woman during her third trimester of twin pregnancy in association with acute fatty liver and hypertension and one of postpartum DI secondary to Sheehan syndrome from rupture of a splenic artery aneurysm. These cases illustrate the spectrum with which DI related to pregnancy and delivery can present and highlight the difficulty in making the diagnosis since the symptoms are often initially overlooked. PMID:28819576

  13. The urine metabolome differs between lean and overweight Labrador Retriever dogs during a feed-challenge.

    PubMed

    Söder, Josefin; Hagman, Ragnvi; Dicksved, Johan; Lindåse, Sanna; Malmlöf, Kjell; Agback, Peter; Moazzami, Ali; Höglund, Katja; Wernersson, Sara

    2017-01-01

    Obesity in dogs is an increasing problem and better knowledge of the metabolism of overweight dogs is needed. Identification of molecular changes related to overweight may lead to new methods to improve obesity prevention and treatment. The aim of the study was firstly to investigate whether Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) based metabolomics could be used to differentiate postprandial from fasting urine in dogs, and secondly to investigate whether metabolite profiles differ between lean and overweight dogs in fasting and postprandial urine, respectively. Twenty-eight healthy intact male Labrador Retrievers were included, 12 of which were classified as lean (body condition score (BCS) 4-5 on a 9-point scale) and 16 as overweight (BCS 6-8). After overnight fasting, a voided morning urine sample was collected. Dogs were then fed a high-fat mixed meal and postprandial urine was collected after 3 hours. Metabolic profiles were generated using NMR and 45 metabolites identified from the spectral data were evaluated using multivariate data analysis. The results revealed that fasting and postprandial urine differed in relative metabolite concentration (partial least-squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) 1 comp: R2Y = 0.4, Q2Y = 0.32; cross-validated ANOVA: P = 0.00006). Univariate analyses of discriminant metabolites showed that taurine and citrate concentrations were elevated in postprandial urine, while allantoin concentration had decreased. Interestingly, lean and overweight dogs differed in terms of relative metabolite concentrations in postprandial urine (PLS-DA 1 comp: R2Y = 0.5, Q2Y = 0.36, cross-validated ANOVA: P = 0.005) but not in fasting urine. Overweight dogs had lower postprandial taurine and a trend of higher allantoin concentrations compared with lean dogs. These findings demonstrate that metabolomics can differentiate 3-hour postprandial urine from fasting urine in dogs, and that postprandial urine metabolites may be more useful than fasting metabolites for identification of metabolic alterations linked to overweight. The lowered urinary taurine concentration in overweight dogs could indicate alterations in lipid metabolism and merits further investigation.

  14. The urine metabolome differs between lean and overweight Labrador Retriever dogs during a feed-challenge

    PubMed Central

    Söder, Josefin; Hagman, Ragnvi; Dicksved, Johan; Lindåse, Sanna; Malmlöf, Kjell; Agback, Peter; Moazzami, Ali; Höglund, Katja; Wernersson, Sara

    2017-01-01

    Obesity in dogs is an increasing problem and better knowledge of the metabolism of overweight dogs is needed. Identification of molecular changes related to overweight may lead to new methods to improve obesity prevention and treatment. The aim of the study was firstly to investigate whether Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) based metabolomics could be used to differentiate postprandial from fasting urine in dogs, and secondly to investigate whether metabolite profiles differ between lean and overweight dogs in fasting and postprandial urine, respectively. Twenty-eight healthy intact male Labrador Retrievers were included, 12 of which were classified as lean (body condition score (BCS) 4–5 on a 9-point scale) and 16 as overweight (BCS 6–8). After overnight fasting, a voided morning urine sample was collected. Dogs were then fed a high-fat mixed meal and postprandial urine was collected after 3 hours. Metabolic profiles were generated using NMR and 45 metabolites identified from the spectral data were evaluated using multivariate data analysis. The results revealed that fasting and postprandial urine differed in relative metabolite concentration (partial least-squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) 1 comp: R2Y = 0.4, Q2Y = 0.32; cross-validated ANOVA: P = 0.00006). Univariate analyses of discriminant metabolites showed that taurine and citrate concentrations were elevated in postprandial urine, while allantoin concentration had decreased. Interestingly, lean and overweight dogs differed in terms of relative metabolite concentrations in postprandial urine (PLS-DA 1 comp: R2Y = 0.5, Q2Y = 0.36, cross-validated ANOVA: P = 0.005) but not in fasting urine. Overweight dogs had lower postprandial taurine and a trend of higher allantoin concentrations compared with lean dogs. These findings demonstrate that metabolomics can differentiate 3-hour postprandial urine from fasting urine in dogs, and that postprandial urine metabolites may be more useful than fasting metabolites for identification of metabolic alterations linked to overweight. The lowered urinary taurine concentration in overweight dogs could indicate alterations in lipid metabolism and merits further investigation. PMID:28662207

  15. Analyte variations in consecutive 24-hour urine collections in children.

    PubMed

    Ellison, Jonathan S; Hollingsworth, John M; Langman, Craig B; Asplin, John R; Schwaderer, Andrew L; Yan, Phyllis; Bierlein, Maggie; Barraza, Mark A; Defoor, William R; Figueroa, T Ernesto; Jackson, Elizabeth C; Jayanthi, Venkata R; Johnson, Emilie K; Joseph, David B; Shnorhavorian, Margarett

    2017-12-01

    The metabolic evaluation of children with nephrolithiasis begins with a 24-h urine collection. For adults, the diagnostic yield increases with consecutive collections; however, little is known regarding the variability of multiple 24-h studies in the pediatric population. We sought to evaluate the variability of consecutive 24-h urine collection in children through a multi-institutional study hypothesizing that compared with a single collection, consecutive 24-h urine collections would reveal a greater degree of clinically useful information in the evaluation of children at risk for nephrolithiasis. Including data from six institutions, we identified children less than 18 years of age considered at risk for recurrent nephrolithiasis, undergoing metabolic evaluation. We evaluated a subset of patients performing two collections with urine creatinine varying by 10% or less during a 7-day period. Discordance between repeat collections based on normative urine chemistry values was evaluated. A total of 733 children met inclusion criteria, and in over a third both urine calcium and urine volume differed by 30% or more between samples. Urine oxalate demonstrated greater variation between collections in children <5 years than among older children (p = 0.030) while variation in other parameters did not differ by age. Discordance between repeat samples based on normative values was most common for urine oxalate (22.5%) and the derived relative supersaturation ratios for both calcium phosphate (25.1%) and calcium oxalate (20.5%). The proportion of discordant samples, based on normative thresholds, as well as variability greater ≥30% and 50%, respectively, are shown in the table. Our analysis indicates that stone risk in as many as one in four children may be misclassified if normative values of only a single 24-h urine are used. In light of these findings, repeat 24-h urine collections prior to targeted intervention to modify stone risk are advised to increase diagnostic yield in children at risk for nephrolithiasis. Copyright © 2017 Journal of Pediatric Urology Company. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. External quality assurance in nongynecologic cytology: The Australasian experience.

    PubMed

    Shield, Paul W; Frost, Felicity; Finnimore, Jo L; Wright, R Gordon; Cummings, Margaret C

    2017-05-01

    The Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia Cytopathology Quality Assurance Program has operated an external quality assurance program in nongynecologic cytopathology since 1993. Glass slide preparations of a wide range of nongynecologic cases were circulated to approximately 200 cytopathology laboratories in 16 countries. General nongynecologic cytology cases were manufactured from residual specimens after routine diagnosis. Fine-needle aspiration (FNA) cases were made by sampling fresh tissue and making direct specimens. The majority of cases consisted of both air-dried and fixed preparations. Results returned to laboratories included illustrated case discussions highlighting diagnostic features, key differential diagnoses, and useful adjunctive tests. The current study reviewed >22,000 results for 123 nongynecologic cases. Cases found to cause the most diagnostic difficulties included serous effusion cases with metastatic carcinoma in a dispersed pattern, well-differentiated carcinoma, and cellular reactive cases; urine specimens with sparse malignant cells; reactive pneumocytes in a bronchoalveolar lavage; breast FNA cases with papillary lesions; gestational specimens; and fibroadenoma. FNA specimens from the lung and thyroid, particularly papillary thyroid carcinoma, generally were well reported. The use of multiple preparations of the same specimen has allowed interlaboratory comparison, and the quality assurance program has played an educational role as well as informing the laboratory accreditation process. Cancer Cytopathol 2017;125:349-361. © 2017 American Cancer Society. © 2017 American Cancer Society.

  17. Molecular markers in disease detection and follow-up of patients with non-muscle invasive bladder cancer.

    PubMed

    Maas, Moritz; Walz, Simon; Stühler, Viktoria; Aufderklamm, Stefan; Rausch, Steffen; Bedke, Jens; Stenzl, Arnulf; Todenhöfer, Tilman

    2018-05-01

    Diagnosis and surveillance of non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) is mainly based on endoscopic bladder evaluation and urine cytology. Several assays for determining additional molecular markers (urine-, tissue- or blood-based) have been developed in recent years but have not been included in clinical guidelines so far. Areas covered: This review gives an update on different molecular markers in the urine and evaluates their role in patients with NMIBC in disease detection and surveillance. Moreover, the potential of recent approaches such as DNA methylation assays, multi-panel RNA gene expression assays and cell-free DNA analysis is assessed. Expert commentary: Most studies on various molecular urine markers have mainly focused on a potential replacement of cystoscopy. New developments in high throughput technologies and urine markers may offer further advantages as they may represent a non-invasive approach for molecular characterization of the disease. This opens new options for individualized surveillance strategies and may help to choose the best therapeutic option. The implementation of these technologies in well-designed clinical trials is essential to further promote the use of urine diagnostics in the management of patients with NMIBC.

  18. Human Excretion of Bisphenol A: Blood, Urine, and Sweat (BUS) Study

    PubMed Central

    Genuis, Stephen J.; Beesoon, Sanjay; Birkholz, Detlef; Lobo, Rebecca A.

    2012-01-01

    Background. Bisphenol A (BPA) is an ubiquitous chemical contaminant that has recently been associated with adverse effects on human health. There is incomplete understanding of BPA toxicokinetics, and there are no established interventions to eliminate this compound from the human body. Using 20 study participants, this study was designed to assess the relative concentration of BPA in three body fluids—blood, urine, and sweat—and to determine whether induced sweating may be a therapeutic intervention with potential to facilitate elimination of this compound. Methods. Blood, urine, and sweat were collected from 20 individuals (10 healthy participants and 10 participants with assorted health problems) and analyzed for various environmental toxicants including BPA. Results. BPA was found to differing degrees in each of blood, urine, and sweat. In 16 of 20 participants, BPA was identified in sweat, even in some individuals with no BPA detected in their serum or urine samples. Conclusions. Biomonitoring of BPA through blood and/or urine testing may underestimate the total body burden of this potential toxicant. Sweat analysis should be considered as an additional method for monitoring bioaccumulation of BPA in humans. Induced sweating appears to be a potential method for elimination of BPA. PMID:22253637

  19. A urine-fuelled soil-based bioregenerative life support system for long-term and long-distance manned space missions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Maggi, Federico; Tang, Fiona H. M.; Pallud, Céline; Gu, Chuanhui

    2018-05-01

    A soil-based cropping unit fuelled with human urine for long-term manned space missions was investigated with the aim to analyze whether a closed-loop nutrient cycle from human liquid wastes was achievable. Its ecohydrology and biogeochemistry were analysed in microgravity with the use of an advanced computational tool. Urine from the crew was used to supply primary (N, P, and K) and secondary (S, Ca and Mg) nutrients to wheat and soybean plants in the controlled cropping unit. Breakdown of urine compounds into primary and secondary nutrients as well as byproduct gases, adsorbed, and uptake fractions were tracked over a period of 20 years. Results suggested that human urine could satisfy the demand of at least 3 to 4 out of 6 nutrients with an offset in pH and salinity tolerable by plants. It was therefore inferred that a urine-fuelled life support system can introduce a number of advantages including: (1) recycling of liquids wastes and production of food; (2) forgiveness of neglect as compared to engineered electro-mechanical systems that may fail under unexpected or unplanned conditions; and (3) reduction of supply and waste loads during space missions.

  20. Application of duckweed for human urine treatment in Bioregenerative Life Support System

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Manukovsky, Nickolay; Kovalev, Vladimir

    The object of the study was the common duckweed Lemna minor L. Thanks to the ability to assimilate mineral and organic substances, duckweed is used to purify water in sewage lagoons. In addition, duckweed biomass is known to be a potential high-protein feed resource for domestic animals and fish. The aim of the study was to estimate an application of duckweed in a two-stage treatment of human urine in Bioregenerative Life Support System (BLSS). At the first stage, the urine’s organic matter is oxidized by hydrogen peroxide. Diluted solution of oxidized urine is used for cultivation of duckweed. The appointment of duckweed is the assimilation of mineralized substances of urine. Part of the duckweed biomass yield directly or after composting could be embedded in the soil-like substrate as organic fertilizer to compensate the carry-over in consequence of plant growing. The rest duckweed biomass could be used as a feed for animals in BLSS. Then, the residual culture liquid is concentrated and used as a source of dietary salt. It takes 10-15 m2 of duckweed culture per crewmember to treat oxidized urine. The BLSS configuration including two-component subsystem of urine treatment is presented.

  1. Advances in the Diagnosis of Human Opisthorchiasis: Development of Opisthorchis viverrini Antigen Detection in Urine

    PubMed Central

    Duenngai, Kunyarat; Wangboon, Chompunoot; Sithithaworn, Jiraporn; Watwiengkam, Nattaya; Namwat, Nisana; Techasen, Anchalee; Loilome, Watcharin; Yongvanit, Puangrat; Loukas, Alex; Sithithaworn, Paiboon; Bethony, Jeffrey M.

    2015-01-01

    Background Many strategies to control opisthorchiasis have been employed in Thailand, but not in the other neighbouring countries. Specific control methods include mass drug administration (MDA) and health education to reduce raw fish consumption. These control efforts have greatly shifted the epidemiology of Opisthorchis viverrini (OV) infection over the last decade from presenting as densely concentrated "heavy" infections in single villages to widespread "light" OV infections distributed over wide geographical areas. Currently, the "gold standard" detection method for OV infection is formalin ethyl-acetate concentration technique (FECT), which has limited diagnostic sensitivity and diagnostic specificity for light OV infections, with OV eggs often confused with eggs of minute intestinal flukes (MIFs) in feces. In this study, we developed and evaluated the diagnostic performance of a monoclonal antibody-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for the measurement of OV excretory-secretory (ES) antigens in urine (urine OV-ES assay) for the diagnosis of opisthorchiasis compared to the gold standard detection FECT method. Methodology We tested several methods for pre-treating urine samples prior to testing the diagnostic performance of the urine OV-ES assay. Using trichloroacetic acid (TCA) pre-treated urine, we compared detection and quantification of OV infection using the urine OV-ES assay versus FECT in OV-endemic areas in Northeastern Thailand. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to determine the diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of the urine OV-ES assay using TCA pre-treated urine, and to establish diagnostic positivity thresholds. The Positive Predictive Value as well as the likelihood of obtaining a positive test result (LR+) or a negative test result (LR-) were calculated for the established diagnostic positivity threshold. Diagnostic risks (Odds Ratios) were estimated using logistic regression. Results When urine samples were pre-treated with TCA prior to use in the urine OV-ES assay, the analytical sensitivity was significantly improved. Using TCA pre-treatment of urine, the urine OV-ES assay had a limit of detection (LoD) of 39 ng/ml compared to the LoD of 52 ng/mL reported for coprological antigen detection methods. Similarly, the urine OV-ES assay correlated significantly with intensity of OV infection as measured by FECT. The urine OV-ES assay was also able to detect 28 individuals as positive from the 63 (44.4%) individuals previously determined to be negative using FECT. The likelihood of a positive diagnosis of OV infection by urine OV-ES assay increased significantly with the intensity of OV infection as determined by FECT. With reference to FECT, the sensitivity and specificity of the urine OV-ES assay was 81% and 70%, respectively. Conclusion The detection of OV-infection by the urine OV-ES assay showed much greater diagnostic sensitivity and diagnostic specificity than the current "gold standard" FECT method for the detection and quantification of OV infection. Due to its ease-of-use, and noninvasive sample collection (urine), the urine OV-ES assay offers the potential to revolutionize the diagnosis of liver fluke infection and provide an effective tool for control and elimination of these tumorigenic parasites. PMID:26485024

  2. Usefulness of Urine Output Criteria for Early Detection of Acute Kidney Injury after Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation

    PubMed Central

    Shacham, Yacov; Rofe, Maytal; Leshem-Rubinow, Eran; Gal-Oz, Amir; Arbel, Yaron; Keren, Gad; Roth, Arie; Ben-Assa, Eyal; Halkin, Amir; Finkelstein, Ariel; Banai, Shmuel; Steinvil, Arie

    2014-01-01

    Background Previous studies demonstrated that acute kidney injury (AKI) following transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) is frequent and associated with adverse outcomes. However, these studies only applied the serum creatinine (sCr) criteria while ignoring the urine output criteria. We hypothesized that adding the urine output criteria might contribute to an earlier diagnosis of AKI. Methods We included 143 patients with severe aortic stenosis who underwent transfemoral TAVI between December 2012 and April 2014. Urine output was assessed hourly for at least 24 h following TAVI, and sCr was assessed at least daily until discharge. Based on the Valve Academic Research Consortium-2 (VARC-2), AKI was determined using both sCr and urine output criteria. We compared the incidence of AKI and time to AKI diagnosis based on these two methods. Results The mean age was 81 ± 6 years (range 61-94) and 56% were male. AKI occurred in 27 (19%) patients, 13 (9%) of whom had AKI defined by sCr criteria. Twenty (14%) patients had AKI defined by urine output criteria, only 6 of whom had AKI also defined by sCr criteria. The use of urine output criteria resulted in earlier identification of AKI (18 ± 4 vs. 64 ± 57 h, p = 0.02) and was associated with lower sCr elevation in patients having AKI defined by only urine output criteria (0.03 ± 0.12 vs. 0.37 ± 0.06 mg/dl, p < 0.001). Conclusion The use of the VARC-2 urine output criteria significantly increased the incidence of AKI and shortened the time to AKI diagnosis. PMID:25737679

  3. Differences in urine cadmium associations with kidney outcomes based on serum creatinine and cystatin C

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

    Weaver, Virginia M., E-mail: vweaver@jhsph.edu; Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD; Welch Center for Prevention, Epidemiology and Clinical Research, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD

    Cadmium is a well-known nephrotoxicant; chronic exposure increases risk for chronic kidney disease. Recently, however, associations between urine cadmium and higher creatinine-based estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) have been reported. Analyses utilizing alternate biomarkers of kidney function allow evaluation of potential mechanisms for these observations. We compared associations of urine cadmium with kidney function measures based on serum cystatin C to those with serum creatinine in 712 lead workers. Mean (standard deviation) molybdenum-corrected urine cadmium, Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD) eGFR and multi-variable cystatin C eGFR were 1.02 (0.65) {mu}g/g creatinine, and 97.4 (19.2) and 112.0 (17.7) mL/min/1.73more » m{sup 2}, respectively. The eGFR measures were moderately correlated (r{sub s}=0.5; p<0.001). After adjustment, ln (urine cadmium) was not associated with serum cystatin-C-based measures. However, higher ln (urine cadmium) was associated with higher creatinine-based eGFRs including the MDRD and an equation incorporating serum cystatin C and creatinine (beta-coefficient=4.1 mL/min/1.73 m{sup 2}; 95% confidence interval=1.6, 6.6). Urine creatinine was associated with serum creatinine-based but not cystatin-C-based eGFRs. These results support a biomarker-specific, rather than a kidney function, effect underlying the associations observed between higher urine cadmium and creatinine-based kidney function measures. Given the routine use of serum and urine creatinine in kidney and biomarker research, additional research to elucidate the mechanism(s) for these associations is essential.« less

  4. Urine Culture Testing in Community Nursing Homes: Gateway to Antibiotic Overprescribing.

    PubMed

    Sloane, Philip D; Kistler, Christine E; Reed, David; Weber, David J; Ward, Kimberly; Zimmerman, Sheryl

    2017-05-01

    OBJECTIVE To describe current practice around urine testing and identify factors leading to overtreatment of asymptomatic bacteriuria in community nursing homes (NHs) DESIGN Observational study of a stratified random sample of NH patients who had urine cultures ordered in NHs within a 1-month study period SETTING 31 NHs in North Carolina PARTICIPANTS 254 NH residents who had a urine culture ordered within the 1-month study period METHODS We conducted an NH record audit of clinical and laboratory information during the 2 days before and 7 days after a urine culture was ordered. We compared these results with the urine antibiogram from the 31 NHs. RESULTS Empirical treatment was started in 30% of cases. When cultures were reported, previously untreated cases received antibiotics 89% of the time for colony counts of ≥100,000 CFU/mL and in 35% of cases with colony counts of 10,000-99,000 CFU/mL. Due to the high rate of prescribing when culture results returned, 74% of these patients ultimately received a full course of antibiotics. Treated and untreated patients did not significantly differ in temperature, frequency of urinary signs and symptoms, or presence of Loeb criteria for antibiotic initiation. Factors most commonly associated with urine culture ordering were acute mental status changes (32%); change in the urine color, odor, or sediment (17%); and dysuria (15%). CONCLUSIONS Urine cultures play a significant role in antibiotic overprescribing. Antibiotic stewardship efforts in NHs should include reduction in culture ordering for factors not associated with infection-related morbidity as well as more scrutiny of patient condition when results become available. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2017;38:524-531.

  5. Using human urine as food for cyanobacteria in LSS

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kalacheva, Galina; Gribovskaya, Iliada; Kolmakova, Angela

    In biological LSS: human, higher plants, algae, united by common cycle of matter, native human urine is the most problematic substance for using in inter-link exchange. It contains urea, ammonium compounds and up to 10 g/l of NaCl. Each of the mentioned components is toxic for growing higher plants. As for inferior plants, experiments showed that cyanobacteria of genus Spirulina platensis and similar genus Oscillatoria deflexa can grow at NaCl concentrations up to 20 g/l and NH4Cl concentrations up to 800 mg/l. These cyanobacteria can be used in LSS as a photosynthesizing link. Besides, S. platensis is edible for humans and fish. To use urine as food for algae, it is necessary to remove urea and organics. All previously used methods for urine treatment aimed at urea destruction: heating to 300oC, ultraviolet exposure, freezing, oxidation on reactor with hydrogen peroxide, had no effect. We used the following method of urine treatment: urine evaporation till dry residue, subsequent combustion in muffle furnace at 450-500oC and creation of ash water extract of the same volume as the initial urine. Comparison of standard Zarrouk's solution for S. platensis and O. deflexa with the water extract of urine ash showed that the concentrations of K, Ca, Mg, P, S were similar. Successful experiments were made with O. deflexa that were grown on nutrient solution made of the water extract of urine ash with 10 g/l of NaHCO3 and 2 g/l of NaNO3. The sources of intersystem production of HCO3 and NO3 were shown, and the biochemical composition of the investigated algae species, including mineral composition, protein, carbohydrate, amino acid, lipid and vitamin content were studied.

  6. Dual mechanism of brain injury and novel treatment strategy in maple syrup urine disease.

    PubMed

    Zinnanti, William J; Lazovic, Jelena; Griffin, Kathleen; Skvorak, Kristen J; Paul, Harbhajan S; Homanics, Gregg E; Bewley, Maria C; Cheng, Keith C; Lanoue, Kathryn F; Flanagan, John M

    2009-04-01

    Maple syrup urine disease (MSUD) is an inherited disorder of branched-chain amino acid metabolism presenting with life-threatening cerebral oedema and dysmyelination in affected individuals. Treatment requires life-long dietary restriction and monitoring of branched-chain amino acids to avoid brain injury. Despite careful management, children commonly suffer metabolic decompensation in the context of catabolic stress associated with non-specific illness. The mechanisms underlying this decompensation and brain injury are poorly understood. Using recently developed mouse models of classic and intermediate maple syrup urine disease, we assessed biochemical, behavioural and neuropathological changes that occurred during encephalopathy in these mice. Here, we show that rapid brain leucine accumulation displaces other essential amino acids resulting in neurotransmitter depletion and disruption of normal brain growth and development. A novel approach of administering norleucine to heterozygous mothers of classic maple syrup urine disease pups reduced branched-chain amino acid accumulation in milk as well as blood and brain of these pups to enhance survival. Similarly, norleucine substantially delayed encephalopathy in intermediate maple syrup urine disease mice placed on a high protein diet that mimics the catabolic stress shown to cause encephalopathy in human maple syrup urine disease. Current findings suggest two converging mechanisms of brain injury in maple syrup urine disease including: (i) neurotransmitter deficiencies and growth restriction associated with branched-chain amino acid accumulation and (ii) energy deprivation through Krebs cycle disruption associated with branched-chain ketoacid accumulation. Both classic and intermediate models appear to be useful to study the mechanism of brain injury and potential treatment strategies for maple syrup urine disease. Norleucine should be further tested as a potential treatment to prevent encephalopathy in children with maple syrup urine disease during catabolic stress.

  7. [Blood anticoagulation system and urine fibrinolysis in newborn infants with suppurative-inflammatory diseases].

    PubMed

    Samsygina, G A; Vykhristiuk, O F

    1989-01-01

    The anticoagulative blood system, blood and urine fibrinolysis were studied in 95 children with pyo-inflammatory diseases (PID) and in 56 normal neonates aged 2 to 28 days. The patients afflicted with PID were distributed into 3 groups; group I included patients with uneventful localized PID, group II consisted of patients with grave PID, and group III of patients with sepsis. Hemostasis and urine fibrinolysis were compared according to 20 indicators. The intensity and involvement of certain components of the fibrinolytic and anticoagulative blood systems in PID turned out different and were dependent on the disease gravity.

  8. The determination of ethanol in blood and urine by mass fragmentography

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Pereira, W. E.; Summons, R. E.; Rindfleisch, T. C.; Duffield, A. M.

    1974-01-01

    A mass fragmentographic technique for a rapid, specific and sensitive determination of ethanol in blood and urine is described. A Varian gas chromatograph coupled through an all-glass membrane separator to a Finnigan quadripole mass spectrometer and interfaced to a computer system is used for ethanol determination in blood and urine samples. A procedure for plotting calibration curves for ethanol quantitation is also described. Quantitation is achieved by plotting the peak area ratios of undeuterated-to-deuterated ethanol fragment ions against the amount of ethanol added. Representative results obtained by this technique are included.

  9. A multiregional Italian cohort of 24-hour urine metabolic evaluation in renal stone formers.

    PubMed

    Esperto, Francesco; Marangella, Martino; Trinchieri, Alberto; Petrarulo, Michele; Miano, Roberto

    2018-02-01

    Nephrolithiasis is a common condition with several studies documenting an increased prevalence over the past four decades. EAU and AUA guidelines recommend 24-hour urine metabolic evaluation in high-risk stone formers. Aim of this study is to retrospectively evaluate the first three years of experience with LithoTest® (Biohealth Italia Srl, Turin, Italy) through the analysis of demographic, clinical and biochemical data collected from a large cohort of patients with kidney stones. We retrospectively analyzed data from the LithoCenter database, including data from outpatient consultations, between January 2007 and December 2009 from all over Italy. LithoTest® was performed through a 24-hour urine collection and included measurements of urine volume and pH, 24-hour excretion of creatinine as well as main cations and anions, including calcium, magnesium sodium potassium, ammonium, uric acid, oxalate, citrate, phosphate, inorganic sulphate and chloride. Urine state of saturation for calcium oxalate (βCaOx), calcium hydrogen phosphate or brushite (βbsh) and uric acid (βUA) were also calculated by means of the computer program LithoRisk. Brand's test for cystinuria was also carried out. Statistical analysis was performed using the S-PSS software v. 22.0. The number of patients with data available for analysis was 435, of whom 236 were male (54%) and 199 female (46%). Complete 24-hour urine measurements were available for all 435 patients. Compared to men, women had significantly lower values for creatinine, urate, oxalate, phosphate, sodium, potassium, magnesium and chloride excretion, whereas 24-hour pH and citrate excretion were higher. No significant differences were found for the other examined variables. βCaOx and βUA were significantly higher in men than women, whereas no significant difference was found for βbsh. There was a direct relationship between calcium and sodium urine excretion. Excessive sodium excretion was recorded in 191 patients (44%) and low urine volumes in 201 (46.2%). Hyperoxaluria was observed in 118 patients (27.3%), hypercalciuria in 115 (26.6%), hyperuricosuria in 153 (35.4%), hypomagnesuria in 96 (22.2%), and hypocitraturia in 134 patients (31%). Hyperexcretion of sodium, hypocitraturia and hyperoxaluria were most frequent in males. βCaOx was significantly higher in the setting of hypercalciuria, hypocitraturia, hyperoxaluria and urine pH below 5.5. Our findings in a large cohort of high-risk stone-forming patients show significant differences in urinary metabolic profiles between men and women. Carrying on the collection and analysis of data by LithoTest® from 2009 to 2015 and matching urinary and dietary data could eventually improve our understanding on the metabolic profile of stone-formers in Italy.

  10. Reassessing the utility of routine urine culture with urodynamics: UTI incidence and risk factors.

    PubMed

    Snow-Lisy, Devon C; Halline, Christopher; Johnson, Emilie K; Diaz-Saldano, Dawn; Meyer, Theresa; Yerkes, Elizabeth B

    2017-08-01

    There is no consensus regarding use of periprocedural antibiotics or routine urine cultures during urodynamics study (UDS) in children. At our hospital, we historically have obtained urine cultures during UDS. However, even with positive cultures, few patients require treatment. Most are successfully managed with increased hydration and frequent bladder emptying. To evaluate clinical characteristics, antibiotic treatment, and outcomes in patients undergoing UDS to identify (1) risk factors for urinary tract infection (UTI) after UDS, and (2) patients who may benefit from routine urine culture. Retrospective review of 769 patients who underwent 1057 UDS between January 2013 and January 2015. Positive urine culture was defined as ≥10 4 colony forming units/ml. Afebrile UTI was defined as new symptoms within 7 days. Febrile UTI was new symptoms with fever (≥38.5 °C). Fisher's exact test was used for comparative analyses. Nearly all patients had a urine culture taken immediately prior to UDS (94%, 993/1057). Patients on clean intermittent catheterization (CIC) were more likely to be on pre-UDS antibiotics, 22.8% (106/464) vs. 17.9% of those not on CIC (106/593) (p = 0.04). Of patients who had a urine culture, it was positive in 40% (402/993) with more positive cultures in patients on CIC vs. not (72.0%, 316/439 vs. 15.5%, 86/554, p < 0.0001). Factors significantly associated with clinical/possible post-UDS UTI included clinical UTI within 30 days before UDS, immunosuppression, overnight Foley catheter use, febrile UTI as indication, and symptoms on day of procedure (Table). Fifteen patients (1.4%, 95% confidence interval 0.7-2.1%) developed a clinical/possible post-UDS UTI, of which 40% (6/15) were febrile, with one requiring hospitalization. Of patients with post-UDS UTIs, 33% (5/15) had negative cultures at the time of UDS. If urine cultures were obtained selectively based on our study findings, 78% of pre-UDS urine cultures could be eliminated, while "missing" clinically relevant cultures in only 0.4% (4/1057). Study limitations include the retrospective design. However, prospective data collection will now be possible by using standardized, templated UDS and post-UDS follow-up notes with extractable data elements that automatically populate a database. Post-UDS UTI is uncommon (1.4%), even in the setting of bacteriuria. This finding calls into question the utility of routine pre-UDS urine culture. Data from this study and a future prospective study will be used to refine a new working protocol, with the goal of targeting future urine cultures to a high-risk subset of patients. Copyright © 2017 Journal of Pediatric Urology Company. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Urine human papillomavirus prevalence in women with high-grade cervical lesions.

    PubMed

    Nicolau, P; Mancebo, G; Agramunt, S; Solé-Sedeño, J M; Bellosillo, B; Muset, M M; Lloveras, B; Alameda, F; Carreras, R

    2014-12-01

    To determine the prevalence of human papillomavirus (HPV) in urine samples from women with high-grade cervical lesions. Secondary objectives are to identify the influence of socio-demographic factors and the different genotypes with urinary HPV positivity. 75 women with a positive biopsy for CIN2+ were included in the study from October 2010 to July 2011. A sample of urine was collected immediately before conization at the outpatient clinic. We analyzed the presence of HPV using a PCR technique. The mean age of the patients was 34.8 years (range 24 to 61). All patients had histological CIN2+, of whom 54.67% had CIN3. The prevalence of HPV in urine test was 58.82% in CIN2 population versus 78.05% in CIN3 patients (p 0.072). 31 different genotypes were found. The most frequent HPV genotype was 16-HPV, which was identified in 58% of women with positive HPV-DNA in urine samples. No demographic characteristics were significantly associated to urinary HPV prevalence. Most of the patients with CIN2+ showed positive results for urine HPV test. The prevalence of positive urinary HPV test was higher for patients with CIN3. HPV urine detection could be considered as an acceptable option for high-risk population who skip regular screening programs. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Ionic Liquid Dispersive Liquid-Liquid Microextraction Method for the Determination of Irinotecan, an Anticancer Drug, in Water and Urine Samples Using UV-Vis Spectrophotometry.

    PubMed

    Uysal, Deniz; Karadaş, Cennet; Kara, Derya

    2017-05-01

    A new, simple, efficient, and environmentally friendly ionic liquid dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction method was developed for the determination of irinotecan, an anticancer drug, in water and urine samples using UV-Vis spectrophotometry. The ionic liquid 1-hexyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate was used as the extraction solvent, and ethanol was used as the disperser solvent. The main parameters affecting the extraction efficiency, including sample pH, volume of the ionic liquid, choice of the dispersive solvent and its volume, concentration of NaCl, and extraction and centrifugation times, were investigated and optimized. The effect of interfering species on the recovery of irinotecan was also examined. Under optimal conditions, the LOD (3σ) was 48.7 μg/L without any preconcentration. Because the urine sample was diluted 10-fold, the LOD for urine would be 487 μg/L. However, this could be improved 16-fold if preconcentration using a 40 mL aliquot of the sample is used. The proposed method was successfully applied to the determination of irinotecan in tap water, river water, and urine samples spiked with 10.20 mg/L for the water samples and 8.32 mg/L for the urine sample. The average recovery values of irinotecan determined were 99.1% for tap water, 109.4% for river water, and 96.1% for urine.

  13. Presence of infective Epstein-Barr virus in the urine of patients with infectious mononucleosis.

    PubMed

    Landau, Z; Gross, R; Sanilevich, A; Friedmann, A; Mitrani-Rosenbaum, S

    1994-11-01

    The presence of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in the blood and urine of 20 patients with infectious mononucleosis (IM) was investigated together with the clinical course of the disease, and in 9 patients up to 2-7 months after recovery. EBV DNA, analyzed by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), was detected in the blood of all 20 patients from the first sample obtained and detected between 3 to 42 days from the beginning of symptoms and up to 2-3 months after recovery. In the urine, EBV DNA was detected in 15 out of 16 (93%) patients in the first sample obtained and detected between 3 to 50 days during the clinical course of the disease. In four patients EBV DNA was detected in the urine up to 3 months after full recovery. Seventeen out of 26 (65%) urine samples including 3 which were obtained 2-7 months after recovery infected B cells as assessed by PCR. Nine out of 12 (75%) urine samples tested induced Epstein-Barr nuclear antigen (EBNA) in the infected B-cell line. In addition to the persistence of EBV in the blood of IM patients, these studies show for the first time the presence of infective EBV in the urine during the clinical course of the disease and up to 7 months after full clinical recovery.

  14. [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.

  15. Leukocyte counts in urine reflect the risk of concomitant sepsis in bacteriuric infants: a retrospective cohort study.

    PubMed

    Bonsu, Bema K; Harper, Marvin B

    2007-06-13

    When urine infections are missed in febrile young infants with normal urinalysis, clinicians may worry about the risk--hitherto unverified--of concomitant invasion of blood and cerebrospinal fluid by uropathogens. In this study, we determine the extent of this risk. In a retrospective cohort study of febrile 0-89 day old infants evaluated for sepsis in an urban academic pediatric emergency department (1993-1999), we estimated rates of bacteriuric sepsis (urinary tract infections complicated by sepsis) after stratifying infants by urine leukocyte counts higher, or lower than 10 cells/hpf. We compared the global accuracy of leukocytes in urine, leukocytes in peripheral blood, body temperature, and age for predicting bacteruric sepsis. The global accuracy of each test was estimated by calculating the area under its receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). Chi-square and Fisher exact tests compared count data. Medians for data not normally distributed were compared by the Kruskal-Wallis test. Two thousand two hundred forty-nine young infants had a normal screening dipstick. None of these developed bacteremia or meningitis despite positive urine culture in 41 (1.8%). Of 1516 additional urine specimens sent for formal urinalysis, 1279 had 0-9 leukocytes/hpf. Urine pathogens were isolated less commonly (6% vs. 76%) and at lower concentrations in infants with few, compared to many urine leukocytes. Urine leukocytes (AUC: 0.94) were the most accurate predictors of bacteruric sepsis. Infants with urinary leukocytes < 10 cells/hpf were significantly less likely (0%; CI:0-0.3%) than those with higher leukocyte counts (5%; CI:2.6-8.7%) to have urinary tract infections complicated by bacteremia (N = 11) or bacterial meningitis (N = 1)--relative risk, 0 (CI:0-0.06) [RR, 0 (CI: 0-0.02), when including infants with negative dipstick]. Bands in peripheral blood had modest value for detecting bacteriuric sepsis (AUC: 0.78). Cases of sepsis without concomitant bacteriuria were comparatively rare (0.8%) and equally common in febrile young infants with low and high concentrations of urine leukocytes. In young infants evaluated for fever, leukocytes in urine reflect the likelihood of bacteriuric sepsis. Infants with urinary tract infections missed because of few leukocytes in urine are at relatively low risk of invasive bacterial sepsis by pathogens isolated from urine.

  16. Lower urinary tract infection and bacterial colonization in patient with double J ureteral stent.

    PubMed

    Joshi, R; Singh, D R; Sharma, S

    2011-10-01

    The aim of this study is to investigate the bacteriology of urinary tract infection associated with indwelling DJ stent. A total of 60 patients were included and 14 lost during follow up. Study period was for 6 months carried out in the department of surgery, Kathmandu Medical College. Prophylactic antibiotic was given at the time of intervention. Mid stream urine samples for routine and culture were sent before intervention. Urine samples during DJ removal and DJ tip cultures were also sent. All patients were "stented" during the various open and endourolgical procedures. Patients were clinically followed for a period till the DJ was removed. Statistical Package for Scientific Study (SPSS) 11, Chi square Test was used for statistical analysis. A total of 46 cases were included. Mean age in years was 35.70 (10-78 years). Male were 22 and female 24. Eleven patients (23.91%) had stent placed less than 30 days and 35 patients (76.08%) had it for equal or more than 30 days. DJ indwelling time was in between 12-86 days. Bacterial colonies were found in 28.3% (13 of 46) of the urine samples and 30.4% (14 of 46) from the tip of the DJ stent segment. Of the pathogens identified, E. coli was found to be the most common. An increased stent colonization rate was associated with implantation time, female sex. On urine culture 70.21% had no growth, 14.89% E. coli, 4.25% Klebsiella, Actinobacter, 2.12% E. coli/kleb, multiple org, psuedomonas. Ten patients (21.7%) had positive urine culture before stent insertion. Thirteen patients (28.3%) were shown to have positive urine culture on stent removal. Fourteen patients (30.4%) had positive DJ stent culture. Positive urine culture and positive DJ tip cultures had strong correlation. Longer duration of placement of stent showed stent colonization. The commonest pathogen was E. coli.

  17. Differentiating Calcium Oxalate and Hydroxyapatite Stones In Vivo Using Dual-Energy CT and Urine Supersaturation and pH Values

    PubMed Central

    Liu, Yu; Qu, Mingliang; Carter, Rickey E.; Leng, Shuai; Ramirez-Giraldo, Juan Carlos; Jaramillo, Giselle; Krambeck, Amy E.; Lieske, John C.; Vrtiska, Terri J.; McCollough, Cynthia H.

    2014-01-01

    Rationale and Objectives Knowledge of urinary stone composition can guide therapeutic intervention for patients with calcium oxalate (CaOx) or hydroxyapatite (HA) stones. In this study, we determined the accuracy of noninvasive differentiation of these two stone types using dual-energy CT (DECT) and urine supersaturation (SS) and pH values. Materials and Methods Patients who underwent clinically indicated DECT scanning for stone disease and subsequent surgical intervention were enrolled. Stone composition was determined using infrared spectroscopy. DECT images were processed using custom-developed software that evaluated the ratio of CT numbers between low- and high-energy images. Clinical information, including patient age, gender, and urine pH and supersaturation profile, was obtained from electronic medical records. Simple and multiple logistic regressions were used to determine if the ratio of CT numbers could discriminate CaOx from HA stones alone or in conjunction with urine supersaturation and pH. Results Urinary stones (CaOx n = 43, HA n = 18) from 61 patients were included in this study. In a univariate model, DECT data, urine SS-HA, and urine pH had an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.78 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.66–0.91, P = .016), 0.76 (95%CI 0.61–0.91, P = .003), and 0.60 (95% CI 0.44–0.75, P = .20), respectively, for predicting stone composition. The combination of CT data and the urinary SS-HA had an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.79 (95%CI 0.66–0.92, P = .007) for correctly differentiating these two stone types. Conclusions DECT differentiated between CaOx and HA stones similarly to SS-HA, whereas pH was a poor discriminator. The combination of DECT and urine SS or pH data did not improve this performance. PMID:24200478

  18. Risk factors for human papillomavirus detection in urine samples of heterosexual men visiting urological clinics in Japan.

    PubMed

    Nakashima, Kazufumi; Shigehara, Kazuyoshi; Kitamura, Tadaichi; Yaegashi, Hiroshi; Shimamura, Masayoshi; Kawaguchi, Shohei; Izumi, Kouji; Kadono, Yoshifumi; Mizokami, Atsushi

    2018-05-11

    The present study aimed to investigate human papillomavirus (HPV) prevalence and identify risk factors for HPV detection in urine samples among heterosexual men attending urological clinics. Spot urine samples including initial stream were collected from 845 participants, and the cell pellets were preserved into liquid-based cytological solution. After DNA extraction from each sample, HPV-DNA amplification and genotyping were performed using Luminex multiplex polymerase chain reaction. Participants completed a questionnaire on their age, education, smoking status, sexuality, age of sexual debut, marital status, and present history of sexually transmitted infections. Data from 803 patients were included in the analysis. Overall HPV and high-risk (HR)HPV prevalence in urine samples were 6.2% and 3.1%, respectively. HPV and HR-HPV prevalences were the highest in men with urethritis, and were significantly higher than those without urethritis. HPV detection was the most common in men aged 40-49 years, although significant detection differences were not age-related. Urethritis was an independent risk factor for HPV detection from urine samples, with an odds ratio (OR) of 4.548 (95%CI; 1.802-11.476) (p = 0.001). On the other hand, a sub-analysis excluding men with urethritis demonstrated that prostate cancer was a significant risk factor for HPV detection, with OR of 2.844 (95%CI; 1.046-7.732) (p = 0.0410), whereas was not a significant risk for HR-HPV detection in urine samples. Prostate cancer may represent a risk factor for HPV detection in the urine of men without urethritis. The authors did not register to Clinical Trial because this is observational and cross-sectional study. Copyright © 2018 Japanese Society of Chemotherapy and The Japanese Association for Infectious Diseases. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. A disposable adhesive patch for stress urinary incontinence.

    PubMed

    North, B B

    1998-04-01

    Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) affects 5 million women in the United States. Current surgical and pharmacological management options are often unsuccessful, forcing many sufferers to rely on bulky and uncomfortable sanitary protection. This study evaluated the safety, efficacy, and acceptability of a small, disposable adhesive patch designed to seal the urethral opening and prevent urine leakage. Thirty-seven women with mild-to-moderate SUI were recruited from a suburban community. Each volunteer participated in a 21-week protocol that included a 1-week qualifying period, 4-week (pretest) control period, 12-week patch-use period, and 4-week (posttest) control period. Patch efficacy was evaluated with quantitative (leakage into sanitary napkin) and qualitative (voiding diary) measures of urine leakage. Symptom questionnaires were also completed. Overall leakage was reduced by 60%, from 1.1 +/- .3 standard error of the mean (SEM) to .44 +/- .11 (SEM) grams of urine per hour. Perception of dryness, measured by voiding diaries, improved 67%, from 13.3 +/- 1.9 (SEM) to 4.3 +/- 0.9 (SEM) leakage episodes per week. Safety evaluation included peri-urethral cytology, urinalysis and urine culture, and vaginal cultures. All measures were unaffected by 3 months of patch use. Acceptability was assessed with questionnaires that measured the impact of patch use on activities of daily living and overall quality of life. Women reported a significant improvement in both measures. All but one volunteer found that the patch was comfortable and were able to place it correctly between the inner labia with written instructions only. The disposable patch significantly reduced urine leakage resulting from SUI in community-based women. Dryness improved significantly, both by measurement of actual leakage and by the subject's perception of dryness. The maturation index of the vestibular tissues showed an increase in the number of superficial cells during patch use. Otherwise, there were no significant changes in vulvar tissues, urine composition, or microbial flora (in vaginal and urine samples). Volunteers reported that the patch improved their overall quality of life.

  20. Serum and urine metabolomic fingerprinting in diagnostics of inflammatory bowel diseases.

    PubMed

    Dawiskiba, Tomasz; Deja, Stanisław; Mulak, Agata; Ząbek, Adam; Jawień, Ewa; Pawełka, Dorota; Banasik, Mirosław; Mastalerz-Migas, Agnieszka; Balcerzak, Waldemar; Kaliszewski, Krzysztof; Skóra, Jan; Barć, Piotr; Korta, Krzysztof; Pormańczuk, Kornel; Szyber, Przemyslaw; Litarski, Adam; Młynarz, Piotr

    2014-01-07

    To evaluate the utility of serum and urine metabolomic analysis in diagnosing and monitoring of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). Serum and urine samples were collected from 24 patients with ulcerative colitis (UC), 19 patients with the Crohn's disease (CD) and 17 healthy controls. The activity of UC was assessed with the Simple Clinical Colitis Activity Index, while the activity of CD was determined using the Harvey-Bradshaw Index. The analysis of serum and urine samples was performed using proton nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. All spectra were exported to Matlab for preprocessing which resulted in two data matrixes for serum and urine. Prior to the chemometric analysis, both data sets were unit variance scaled. The differences in metabolite fingerprints were assessed using partial least-squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA). Receiver operating characteristic curves and area under curves were used to evaluate the quality and prediction performance of the obtained PLS-DA models. Metabolites responsible for separation in models were tested using STATISTICA 10 with the Mann-Whitney-Wilcoxon test and the Student's t test (α = 0.05). The comparison between the group of patients with active IBD and the group with IBD in remission provided good PLS-DA models (P value 0.002 for serum and 0.003 for urine). The metabolites that allowed to distinguish these groups were: N-acetylated compounds and phenylalanine (up-regulated in serum), low-density lipoproteins and very low-density lipoproteins (decreased in serum) as well as glycine (increased in urine) and acetoacetate (decreased in urine). The significant differences in metabolomic profiles were also found between the group of patients with active IBD and healthy control subjects providing the PLS-DA models with a very good separation (P value < 0.001 for serum and 0.003 for urine). The metabolites that were found to be the strongest biomarkers included in this case: leucine, isoleucine, 3-hydroxybutyric acid, N-acetylated compounds, acetoacetate, glycine, phenylalanine and lactate (increased in serum), creatine, dimethyl sulfone, histidine, choline and its derivatives (decreased in serum), as well as citrate, hippurate, trigonelline, taurine, succinate and 2-hydroxyisobutyrate (decreased in urine). No clear separation in PLS-DA models was found between CD and UC patients based on the analysis of serum and urine samples, although one metabolite (formate) in univariate statistical analysis was significantly lower in serum of patients with active CD, and two metabolites (alanine and N-acetylated compounds) were significantly higher in serum of patients with CD when comparing jointly patients in the remission and active phase of the diseases. Contrary to the results obtained from the serum samples, the analysis of urine samples allowed to distinguish patients with IBD in remission from healthy control subjects. The metabolites of importance included in this case up-regulated acetoacetate and down-regulated citrate, hippurate, taurine, succinate, glycine, alanine and formate. NMR-based metabolomic fingerprinting of serum and urine has the potential to be a useful tool in distinguishing patients with active IBD from those in remission.

  1. Serum and urine metabolomic fingerprinting in diagnostics of inflammatory bowel diseases

    PubMed Central

    Dawiskiba, Tomasz; Deja, Stanisław; Mulak, Agata; Ząbek, Adam; Jawień, Ewa; Pawełka, Dorota; Banasik, Mirosław; Mastalerz-Migas, Agnieszka; Balcerzak, Waldemar; Kaliszewski, Krzysztof; Skóra, Jan; Barć, Piotr; Korta, Krzysztof; Pormańczuk, Kornel; Szyber, Przemyslaw; Litarski, Adam; Młynarz, Piotr

    2014-01-01

    AIM: To evaluate the utility of serum and urine metabolomic analysis in diagnosing and monitoring of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). METHODS: Serum and urine samples were collected from 24 patients with ulcerative colitis (UC), 19 patients with the Crohn’s disease (CD) and 17 healthy controls. The activity of UC was assessed with the Simple Clinical Colitis Activity Index, while the activity of CD was determined using the Harvey-Bradshaw Index. The analysis of serum and urine samples was performed using proton nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. All spectra were exported to Matlab for preprocessing which resulted in two data matrixes for serum and urine. Prior to the chemometric analysis, both data sets were unit variance scaled. The differences in metabolite fingerprints were assessed using partial least-squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA). Receiver operating characteristic curves and area under curves were used to evaluate the quality and prediction performance of the obtained PLS-DA models. Metabolites responsible for separation in models were tested using STATISTICA 10 with the Mann-Whitney-Wilcoxon test and the Student’s t test (α = 0.05). RESULTS: The comparison between the group of patients with active IBD and the group with IBD in remission provided good PLS-DA models (P value 0.002 for serum and 0.003 for urine). The metabolites that allowed to distinguish these groups were: N-acetylated compounds and phenylalanine (up-regulated in serum), low-density lipoproteins and very low-density lipoproteins (decreased in serum) as well as glycine (increased in urine) and acetoacetate (decreased in urine). The significant differences in metabolomic profiles were also found between the group of patients with active IBD and healthy control subjects providing the PLS-DA models with a very good separation (P value < 0.001 for serum and 0.003 for urine). The metabolites that were found to be the strongest biomarkers included in this case: leucine, isoleucine, 3-hydroxybutyric acid, N-acetylated compounds, acetoacetate, glycine, phenylalanine and lactate (increased in serum), creatine, dimethyl sulfone, histidine, choline and its derivatives (decreased in serum), as well as citrate, hippurate, trigonelline, taurine, succinate and 2-hydroxyisobutyrate (decreased in urine). No clear separation in PLS-DA models was found between CD and UC patients based on the analysis of serum and urine samples, although one metabolite (formate) in univariate statistical analysis was significantly lower in serum of patients with active CD, and two metabolites (alanine and N-acetylated compounds) were significantly higher in serum of patients with CD when comparing jointly patients in the remission and active phase of the diseases. Contrary to the results obtained from the serum samples, the analysis of urine samples allowed to distinguish patients with IBD in remission from healthy control subjects. The metabolites of importance included in this case up-regulated acetoacetate and down-regulated citrate, hippurate, taurine, succinate, glycine, alanine and formate. CONCLUSION: NMR-based metabolomic fingerprinting of serum and urine has the potential to be a useful tool in distinguishing patients with active IBD from those in remission. PMID:24415869

  2. High serum uric acid level and low urine pH as predictors of metabolic syndrome: a retrospective cohort study in a Japanese urban population.

    PubMed

    Hara, Shigeko; Tsuji, Hiroshi; Ohmoto, Yuki; Amakawa, Kazuhisa; Hsieh, Shiun Dong; Arase, Yasuji; Nakajima, Hiromu

    2012-02-01

    The objective of this study was to evaluate whether hyperuricemia, acidic urine, or their combination predicts metabolic syndrome (MetS). In study 1, 69,094 subjects who received a general health checkup between 1985 and 2005 were included in a cross-sectional study of serum uric acid (SUA) and urine pH in relation to MetS. In study 2, the association of SUA and urine pH with MetS development over a 5-year period was evaluated in 5617 subjects with body mass index less than 25 kg/m(2) at the first examination. In study 1, higher SUA and lower urine pH were both positively correlated to MetS status (P < .001). The combination of high SUA and low urine pH was significantly associated with higher MetS prevalence compared with the combination of low SUA and high urine pH (odds ratio, 3.383; 95% confidence interval [CI], 3.034-3.784 in men; odds ratio, 4.000; 95% CI, 2.992-5.452 in women). In study 2, the top quartile of SUA levels was associated with higher MetS development compared with the bottom quartile during the 5-year period in men (hazard ratio [HR], 1.793; 95% CI, 1.084-2.966; P = .023). In women, the HR was 3.732 (95% CI, 0.391-35.62; P = .252) for the upper vs the lower half of SUA levels. For urine pH, the HR was 1.955 (95% CI, 1.089-3.509; P = .025) for the bottom vs the top quartile in men. A likelihood ratio test confirmed that high SUA and low urine pH act synergistically in the development of MetS. High SUA, low urine pH, and their combination are predictive risk factors for MetS development. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. 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 specificity of 100%, whereas we can only refer the pregnant women with positive leucocyte esterase test and significant pyuria to the urine culture.

  4. Mass spectrometric based approaches in urine metabolomics and biomarker discovery.

    PubMed

    Khamis, Mona M; Adamko, Darryl J; El-Aneed, Anas

    2017-03-01

    Urine metabolomics has recently emerged as a prominent field for the discovery of non-invasive biomarkers that can detect subtle metabolic discrepancies in response to a specific disease or therapeutic intervention. Urine, compared to other biofluids, is characterized by its ease of collection, richness in metabolites and its ability to reflect imbalances of all biochemical pathways within the body. Following urine collection for metabolomic analysis, samples must be immediately frozen to quench any biogenic and/or non-biogenic chemical reactions. According to the aim of the experiment; sample preparation can vary from simple procedures such as filtration to more specific extraction protocols such as liquid-liquid extraction. Due to the lack of comprehensive studies on urine metabolome stability, higher storage temperatures (i.e. 4°C) and repetitive freeze-thaw cycles should be avoided. To date, among all analytical techniques, mass spectrometry (MS) provides the best sensitivity, selectivity and identification capabilities to analyze the majority of the metabolite composition in the urine. Combined with the qualitative and quantitative capabilities of MS, and due to the continuous improvements in its related technologies (i.e. ultra high-performance liquid chromatography [UPLC] and hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography [HILIC]), liquid chromatography (LC)-MS is unequivocally the most utilized and the most informative analytical tool employed in urine metabolomics. Furthermore, differential isotope tagging techniques has provided a solution to ion suppression from urine matrix thus allowing for quantitative analysis. In addition to LC-MS, other MS-based technologies have been utilized in urine metabolomics. These include direct injection (infusion)-MS, capillary electrophoresis-MS and gas chromatography-MS. In this article, the current progresses of different MS-based techniques in exploring the urine metabolome as well as the recent findings in providing potentially diagnostic urinary biomarkers are discussed. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Mass Spec Rev 36:115-134, 2017. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  5. 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 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  6. Clinical utility of urine kidney injury molecule-1 (KIM-1) and gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) in the diagnosis of canine acute kidney injury.

    PubMed

    Lippi, Ilaria; Perondi, F; Meucci, V; Bruno, B; Gazzano, V; Guidi, G

    2018-06-01

    The aim of the present study was to evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of urine KIM-1 and urine GGT for the detection of naturally-occurring AKI, compared to healthy control dogs, dogs with stable chronic kidney disease (CKD), and dogs with lower urinary tract disorders (LUTD). The study included AKI grade 1 (n = 21), AKI grade 2 to 5 (n = 11), stable CKD (n = 11), LUTD (n = 15), and healthy dogs (n = 37). Urine KIM-1 (ng/mg) and GGT (U/l) were normalized to urine creatinine (uCr). Statistically significant difference in KIM/uCr (p = 0.0007) and GGT/uCr (p < 0.0001) was found among the study groups. Area under the curve (AUC) for KIM-1/uCr and GGT/uCr as predictors of AKI was 0.81 and 0.91 respectively. Values of KIM-1/uCr of 0.73 ng/mg and of GGT/uCr of 54.33 showed the best combination of sensitivity and specificity (75% and 75.6%; 85.7% and 89.1% respectively). A significant positive correlation (p < 0.0001) between KIM-1/uCr and GGT/uCr was found. Both urine KIM-1/uCr and GGT/uCr seemed to be potentially good markers for the diagnosis of AKI. Dogs with AKI showed significantly higher levels of urine KIM-1/uCr and urine GGT/uCr, compared with healthy dogs. Caution should be used in the evaluation of elevated urine KIM-1/uCr and GGT/uCr in dogs with pre-existing CKD and/or LUTD. Urine KIM-1/uCr and GGT/uCr might have a significant clinical utility, as complementary test, particularly in diagnosis early, non-azotemic stages of AKI.

  7. Improved micromethod for mezlocillin quantitation in serum and urine by high-pressure liquid chromatography.

    PubMed Central

    Fiore, D; Auger, F A; Drusano, G L; Dandu, V R; Lesko, L J

    1984-01-01

    A rapid, sensitive, and specific method of analysis for mezlocillin in serum and urine by high-pressure liquid chromatography is described. A solid-phase extraction column was used to remove interfering substances from samples before chromatography. Quantitation included the use of an internal standard, nafcillin. Mezlocillin was chromatographed with a phosphate buffer-acetonitrile (73:27) mobile phase and a C-18 reverse-phase column and detected at a wavelength of 220 nm. The assay had a sensitivity of 1.6 micrograms/ml and a linearity of up to 600 micrograms/ml and 16 mg/ml in serum and urine, respectively, with only 0.1 ml of sample. The interday and intraday coefficients of variation for replicate analyses of spiked serum and urine specimens were less than 6.5%. PMID:6517560

  8. Urine sampling techniques in symptomatic primary-care patients: a diagnostic accuracy review.

    PubMed

    Holm, Anne; Aabenhus, Rune

    2016-06-08

    Choice of urine sampling technique in urinary tract infection may impact diagnostic accuracy and thus lead to possible over- or undertreatment. Currently no evidencebased consensus exists regarding correct sampling technique of urine from women with symptoms of urinary tract infection in primary care. The aim of this study was to determine the accuracy of urine culture from different sampling-techniques in symptomatic non-pregnant women in primary care. A systematic review was conducted by searching Medline and Embase for clinical studies conducted in primary care using a randomized or paired design to compare the result of urine culture obtained with two or more collection techniques in adult, female, non-pregnant patients with symptoms of urinary tract infection. We evaluated quality of the studies and compared accuracy based on dichotomized outcomes. We included seven studies investigating urine sampling technique in 1062 symptomatic patients in primary care. Mid-stream-clean-catch had a positive predictive value of 0.79 to 0.95 and a negative predictive value close to 1 compared to sterile techniques. Two randomized controlled trials found no difference in infection rate between mid-stream-clean-catch, mid-stream-urine and random samples. At present, no evidence suggests that sampling technique affects the accuracy of the microbiological diagnosis in non-pregnant women with symptoms of urinary tract infection in primary care. However, the evidence presented is in-direct and the difference between mid-stream-clean-catch, mid-stream-urine and random samples remains to be investigated in a paired design to verify the present findings.

  9. No need for a urine culture in elderly hospitalized patients with a negative dipstick test result.

    PubMed

    Shimoni, Zvi; Hermush, Vered; Glick, Joseph; Froom, Paul

    2018-05-18

    To determine the clinical utility/disutility of canceling urine cultures in elderly patients with a negative dipstick. The cohort included consecutive patients aged ≥ 65 years hospitalized in internal medicine departments with an admission urinalysis and urine culture (January 1, 2014 to December 31, 2016). We calculated the sensitivity of the dipstick (either a trace leukocyte esterase or a positive nitrite test result) to detect patients with bacteriuria, and the decrease in urine cultures resulting from cancelation in patients with a negative dipstick. We reviewed the charts of patients with a positive culture but negative dipstick to determine if they received appropriate antibiotic therapy and if the culture results had clinical utility, defined as changes in antibiotic therapy made according to culture results in a patient who did not respond to initial antibiotic therapy. The sensitivity of the dipstick for bacteriuria was 90.8% (95% CI, 89.6-92.0%). Of the 210 patients with a positive culture but negative dipstick, 132 (62.9%) had a diagnosis clearly outside the urinary tract. Thirty-five patients (16.7%) received inappropriate differential antibiotic therapy. Urine cultures did not have clinical utility and canceling urine cultures in those with a negative dipstick would result in a 41.5% (95% CI, 40.3-42.7%) decrease in urine cultures. We conclude that canceling orders for urine cultures in the elderly patient with a negative dipstick did not have clinical disutility and would decrease inappropriate antibiotic therapy. Extrapolation to other settings is dependent on urinalysis methodology, patient selection, and physician ordering and treatment behaviors.

  10. Is electrolyte transfer across the urothelium important?: ICI-RS 2015.

    PubMed

    McCloskey, Karen D; Vahabi, Bahareh; Fry, Christopher H

    2017-04-01

    This article summarizes discussion at the International Consultation on Incontinence Research Society (ICI-RS) 2015 meeting of urine modification in the urinary tract by the urothelium. It considers the literature and proposes pertinent questions that need to be addressed to understand this phenomenon within a physiological context. Following the ICI-RS meeting, publications in PubMed relating to urine modification in the renal pelvis, ureter, and bladder were reviewed. Historically, the urothelium has been simply considered as a passive, impermeable barrier, preventing contact between urine and the underlying cells. In addition to the ability of the umbrella cells to modify the surface area of the urothelium during bladder filling, the urothelium may also be involved in modifying urine composition. Several lines of evidence support the hypothesis that electrolytes and water can be reabsorbed by the urothelium and that this may have physiological relevance. Firstly, urothelial cells express several types of aquaporins and ion channels; the membrane expression of which is modulated by the extracellular concentration of ions including Na + . Secondly, studies of urine composition in the renal pelvis and bladder demonstrate urine modification, indicating that water and/or electrolyte transport has occurred. Thirdly, hibernating mammals, with urothelial and bladder wall histology similar to non-hibernating mammals are known to produce and reabsorb urine daily, during long periods of hibernation. The phenomenon of urine modification by the urothelium may be physiologically important during normal bladder filling. Research should be focused on investigating how this may change in conditions of urinary dysfunction. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  11. The effectiveness of BD Vacutainer® Plus Urinalysis Preservative Tubes in preservation of urine for chemical strip analysis and particle counting.

    PubMed

    Ekşioğlu, Merve Kaymak; Madenci, Özlem Çakır; Yücel, Nihal; Elçi, Abdullah; Turhan, Bülent; Orhan, Gani; Orçun, Asuman

    2016-01-01

    The aim of this study was to evaluate the stability of urine collected in preservative tubes for chemistry strip analyses and particle counting to determine whether the transport of urine samples with all of their constituents is possible. 275 pathologic urine specimens were included. Each urine sample was evaluated after 4, 8, 12, 24, and 48 hours of storage in BD Vacutainer(®) Plus Urinalysis Preservative (BD UAP) tubes and compared with refrigeration at 4 °C. All analyses were peformed on H-800 and FUS-200 automatic modular urine analyzers (Dirui Industry, Changchun, China). The kappa coefficients (κ), false positive (FP) and false negative (FN) rates were evaluated. κ > 0.8 was accepted as good agreement. Haemoglobin (Hb), leucocyte esterase (LE), and protein (Pro) analyses should be performed within 4 hours, whereas glucose (Glc) was stable until the end of 48 hours in both storage conditions. Nitrite (Nit) was well preserved in BD UAP tubes for 24 hours but was stable only up to 8 hours at 4 °C. Bilirubin (Bil) had very high FN rates even at 4 hours in both conditions. The particle counting showed high FN rates for white blood cells (WBC) and red blood cells (RBC), whereas squamous epithelial cells (EC) were stable up to 8 hours in both conditions. Preanalytical requirements for both urine chemical strip analyses and particle counting in a unique sample were not met in either condition. Thus, the transfer of urine samples for centralization of urinalysis is not yet feasible.

  12. [Comparison of the Conventional Centrifuged and Filtrated Preparations in Urine Cytology].

    PubMed

    Sekita, Nobuyuki; Shimosakai, Hirofumi; Nishikawa, Rika; Sato, Hiroaki; Kouno, Hiroyoshi; Fujimura, Masaaki; Mikami, Kazuo

    2016-03-01

    The urine cytology test is one of the most important tools for the diagnosis of malignant urinary tract tumors. This test is also of great value for predicting malignancy. However, the sensitivity of this test is not high enough to screen for malignant cells. In our laboratory, we were able to attain a high sensitivity of urine cytology tests after changing the preparation method of urine samples. The differences in the cytodiagnosis between the two methods are discussed here. From January 2012 to June 2013, 2,031 urine samples were prepared using the conventional centrifuge method (C method) ; and from September 2013 to March 2015, 2,453 urine samples were prepared using the filtration method (F method) for the cytology test. When the samples included in category 4 or 5, were defined as cytological positive, the sensitivities of this test with samples prepared using the F method were significantly high compared with samples prepared using the C method (72% vs 28%, p<0.001). The number of cells on the glass slides prepared by the F method was significantly higher than that of the samples prepared by the C method (p<0.001). After introduction of the F method, the number of f alse negative cases was decreased in the urine cytology test because a larger number of cells was seen and easily detected as atypical or malignant epithelial cells. Therefore, this method has a higher sensitivity than the conventional C method as the sensitivity of urine cytology tests relies partially on the number of cells visualized in the prepared samples.

  13. Validation of a urine color scale for assessment of urine osmolality in healthy children.

    PubMed

    Kavouras, Stavros A; Johnson, Evan C; Bougatsas, Dimitris; Arnaoutis, Giannis; Panagiotakos, Demosthenes B; Perrier, Erica; Klein, Alexis

    2016-04-01

    Urine color (UC) is a practical tool for hydration assessment. The technique has been validated in adults, but has not been tested in children. The purpose of the study was to test the validity of the urine color scale in young, healthy boys and girls, as a marker of urine concentration, investigate its diagnostic ability of detecting hypohydration and examine the ability of children to self-assess UC. A total of 210 children participated (age: 8-14 years, body mass: 43.4 ± 12.6 kg, height: 1.49 ± 0.13 m, body fat: 25.2 ± 7.8 %). Data collection included: two single urine samples (first morning and before lunch) and 24-h sampling. Hydration status was assessed via urine osmolality (UOsmo) and UC via the eight-point color scale. Mean UC was 3 ± 1 and UOsmo 686 ± 223 mmol kg(-1). UC displayed a positive relationship as a predictor of UOsmo (R (2): 0.45, P < 0.001). Based on the receiver operating curve, UC has good overall classification ability for the three samples (area under the curve 85-92 %), with good sensitivity (92-98 %) and specificity (55-68 %) for detecting hypohydration. The overall accuracy of the self-assessment of UC in the morning or the noon samples ranged from 67 to 78 %. Further threshold analysis indicated that the optimal self-assessed UC threshold for hypohydration was ≥4. The classical eight-point urine color scale is a valid method to assess hydration in children of age 8-14 years, either by researchers or self-assessment.

  14. Sole Dependence on Urine Testing Strips and the Ability to Identify Clinically Significant Disease: Challenging the Current Paradigm for Heme Detection in General Clinical Situations.

    PubMed

    Rothschild, Bruce

    2016-05-01

    The ability of health care professionals to provide patient care is potentially compromised when predicated on untested, although longstanding, perspectives. One such example is urinalysis testing, which has been currently simplified to use only urine testing strips for detection of microscopic hematuria. To determine whether urine testing strips are sufficient for identification of clinically significant findings in urinalysis. To determine the presence of microscopic hematuria, I examined a collection of urine specimens that had tested heme negative during the 3-month study period. Of the 342 patients from whom urine specimens were examined during this interval, 50 had microscopic hematuria, despite having tested negative for heme via urine testing strip. Also, 30% were not receiving any medication known to produce microscopic hematuria, and 18% had clinically significant pathology. Diagnosis of significant clinical pathologic manifestations would have been compromised had microscopic examination not been performed on the urine specimens from the cohort individuals. Examination of the novel approach of including microscopic examination of specimens in a specific clinical situation challenges the dominant paradigm of reliance on assaying using urine testing strips only, revealing that the current method is not only unreliable for determining microscopic hematuria but also is less than optimal in general clinical practice. The findings of this study provide evidence of the importance of microscopic evaluation as a routine component of urinalysis. © American Society for Clinical Pathology, 2016. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  15. High apoptotic index in urine cytology is associated with high-grade urothelial carcinoma.

    PubMed

    Yang, Chi-Shun; Chen, Shaoxiong; Cramer, Harvey M; Wu, Howard H

    2016-08-01

    The significance of apoptosis and its association with high-grade urothelial carcinoma (HGUC) in urine cytology has yet to be determined. A computerized search of the study laboratory information system was performed over a 3-year period for all urine cytology specimens processed using the SurePath liquid-based preparation technique. Only those cases with correlating surgical pathology obtained within 6 months after the urine cytologic samples were included in the current study. Cases from ileal conduit samples were excluded. A semiquantitative numerical scoring system (apoptotic index) was used to assess the amount of pyknosis or karyorrhexis, with 0 indicating none, 1 indicating < 10 per 10 high-power fields, 2 indicating 10 to 30 per 10 high-power fields, and 3 indicating > 30 per 10 high-power fields. Statistical analysis using the Pearson chi-square test was performed. A total of 228 cases including 105 benign cases, 79 cases of HGUC, and 44 cases of low-grade urothelial carcinoma (LGUC) diagnosed on follow-up surgical pathology were selected. A score of 0 was observed in 70 benign, 11 HGUC, and 8 LGUC cases; a score of 1 was observed in 31 benign, 21 HGUC, and 23 LGUC cases; a score of 2 was observed in 3 benign, 27 HGUC, and 9 LGUC cases; and a score of 3 was observed in 1 benign, 20 HGUC, and 4 LGUC cases. Excluding ileal conduit urine specimens, the finding of a high apoptotic index (score ≥ 2) with the presence of pyknosis or karyorrhexis in ≥10 per 10 high-power fields in the urine cytology appears to be significantly associated with HGUC (P<.05). Cancer Cytopathol 2016;124:546-51. © 2016 American Cancer Society. © 2016 American Cancer Society.

  16. An ancillary method in urine cytology: Nucleolar/nuclear volume ratio for discrimination between benign and malignant urothelial cells.

    PubMed

    Tone, Kiyoshi; Kojima, Keiko; Hoshiai, Keita; Kumagai, Naoya; Kijima, Hiroshi; Kurose, Akira

    2016-06-01

    The essential of urine cytology for the diagnosis and the follow-up of urothelial neoplasia has been widely recognized. However, there are some cases in which a definitive diagnosis cannot be made due to difficulty in discriminating between benign and malignant. This study evaluated the practicality of nucleolar/nuclear volume ratio (%) for the discrimination. Using Papanicolaou-stained slides, 253 benign urothelial cells and 282 malignant urothelial cells were selected and divided into a benign urothelial cell and an urothelial carcinoma (UC) cell groups. Three suspicious cases and four cases in which discrimination between benign and malignant was difficult were prepared for verification test. Subject cells were decolorized and stained with 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole for detection of the nuclei and the nucleoli. Z-stack method was performed to analyze. When the cutoff point of 1.514% discriminating benign urothelial cells and UC cells from nucleolar/nuclear volume ratio (%) was utilized, the sensitivity was 56.0%, the specificity was 88.5%, the positive predictive value was 84.5%, and the negative predictive value was 64.4%. Nuclear and nucleolar volume, number of the nucleoli, and nucleolar/nuclear volume ratio (%) were significantly higher in the UC cell group than in the benign urothelial cell group (P <0.001). In the verification test using the nucleolar/nuclear ratio (%), four of the seven cases were concordant with the final diagnosis. This study analyzed the nuclear and nucleolar volume to establish an index for discrimination of benign and malignant urothelial cells, providing possible additional information in urine cytology. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2016;44:483-491. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  17. Ad vesice dolorem et ad eos qui urinam non faciunt (For bladder pain and when a person cannot urinate): nephrological disorders in Anglo-Saxon medicine.

    PubMed

    D'Aronco, Maria A

    2009-01-01

    The attitude of 19th century (and even of 20th century) scholars toward medieval and, particularly, Anglo-Saxon medicine has been of severe criticism. According to them it was filled with superstition and stupidities. However, in these last fifty years research has proved that, compared with the Continent, Anglo-Saxon England was not a backwater. At the end of the ninth century, medical compendia in Old English began to appear, similar in structure and contents to the Latin dynamidia and to the Latin herbals. These medical treatises were written in the vernacular of the Anglo-Saxons, not in Latin, the western European language for all significant and valuable works on medicine. Bladder, kidney and urinating problems are mentioned throughout the Old English medical treatises together with their cures, that is remedies from herbs and animals. These texts contain no theoretical reflections, only very concise descriptions of symptoms (pain in the bladder, in the kidneys, difficulty in urinating etc.), while prognosis is limited to affirmations such as "he will heal very quickly," "soon there will be no pain," "it will soon be healed," etc. Remedies are made basically out of a body of medicinal plants and materials which can be traced to Greek and Roman medicine. The remedies from plants reflect a wide rational and practical knowledge of medicinal herbs. As a matter of fact, not only there is no amuletic use of plants, but most of the herbs that appear in these recipes have diuretic or analgesic properties and have been in use for centuries.

  18. Urine chemistry

    MedlinePlus

    ... rate 24-hour urine protein Acid loading test (pH) Adrenalin - urine test Amylase - urine Bilirubin - urine Calcium - urine Citric acid ... Urine dermatan sulfate Urine - hemoglobin Urine metanephrine Urine pH Urine specific gravity Vanillylmandelic acid (VMA)

  19. Protein and microRNA biomarkers from lavage, urine, and serum in military personnel evaluated for dyspnea

    PubMed Central

    2014-01-01

    Background We have identified candidate protein and microRNA (miRNA) biomarkers for dyspnea by studying serum, lavage fluid, and urine from military personnel who reported serious respiratory symptoms after they were deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan. Methods Forty-seven soldiers with the complaint of dyspnea who enrolled in the STudy of Active Duty Military Personnel for Environmental Dust Exposure (STAMPEDE) underwent comprehensive pulmonary evaluations at the San Antonio Military Medical Center. The evaluation included fiber-optic bronchoscopy with bronchoalveolar lavage. The clinical findings from the STAMPEDE subjects pointed to seven general underlying diagnoses or findings including airway hyperreactivity, asthma, low diffusivity of carbon monoxide, and abnormal cell counts. The largest category was undiagnosed. As an exploratory study, not a classification study, we profiled proteins or miRNAs in lavage fluid, serum, or urine in this group to look for any underlying molecular patterns that might lead to biomarkers. Proteins in lavage fluid and urine were identified by accurate mass tag (database-driven) proteomics methods while miRNAs were profiled by a hybridization assay applied to serum, urine, and lavage fluid. Results Over seventy differentially expressed proteins were reliably identified both from lavage and from urine in forty-eight dyspnea subjects compared to fifteen controls with no known lung disorder. Six of these proteins were detected both in urine and lavage. One group of subjects was distinguished from controls by expressing a characteristic group of proteins. A related group of dyspnea subjects expressed a unique group of miRNAs that included one miRNA that was differentially overexpressed in all three fluids studied. The levels of several miRNAs also showed modest but direct associations with several standard clinical measures of lung health such as forced vital capacity or gas exchange efficiency. Conclusions Candidate proteins and miRNAs associated with the general diagnosis of dyspnea have been identified in subjects with differing medical diagnoses. Since these markers can be measured in readily obtained clinical samples, further studies are possible that test the value of these findings in more formal classification or case–control studies in much larger cohorts of subjects with specific lung diseases such as asthma, emphysema, or some other well-defined lung disease. PMID:25282157

  20. Protein and microRNA biomarkers from lavage, urine, and serum in military personnel evaluated for dyspnea.

    PubMed

    Brown, Joseph N; Brewer, Heather M; Nicora, Carrie D; Weitz, Karl K; Morris, Michael J; Skabelund, Andrew J; Adkins, Joshua N; Smith, Richard D; Cho, Ji-Hoon; Gelinas, Richard

    2014-10-05

    We have identified candidate protein and microRNA (miRNA) biomarkers for dyspnea by studying serum, lavage fluid, and urine from military personnel who reported serious respiratory symptoms after they were deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan. Forty-seven soldiers with the complaint of dyspnea who enrolled in the STudy of Active Duty Military Personnel for Environmental Dust Exposure (STAMPEDE) underwent comprehensive pulmonary evaluations at the San Antonio Military Medical Center. The evaluation included fiber-optic bronchoscopy with bronchoalveolar lavage. The clinical findings from the STAMPEDE subjects pointed to seven general underlying diagnoses or findings including airway hyperreactivity, asthma, low diffusivity of carbon monoxide, and abnormal cell counts. The largest category was undiagnosed. As an exploratory study, not a classification study, we profiled proteins or miRNAs in lavage fluid, serum, or urine in this group to look for any underlying molecular patterns that might lead to biomarkers. Proteins in lavage fluid and urine were identified by accurate mass tag (database-driven) proteomics methods while miRNAs were profiled by a hybridization assay applied to serum, urine, and lavage fluid. Over seventy differentially expressed proteins were reliably identified both from lavage and from urine in forty-eight dyspnea subjects compared to fifteen controls with no known lung disorder. Six of these proteins were detected both in urine and lavage. One group of subjects was distinguished from controls by expressing a characteristic group of proteins. A related group of dyspnea subjects expressed a unique group of miRNAs that included one miRNA that was differentially overexpressed in all three fluids studied. The levels of several miRNAs also showed modest but direct associations with several standard clinical measures of lung health such as forced vital capacity or gas exchange efficiency. Candidate proteins and miRNAs associated with the general diagnosis of dyspnea have been identified in subjects with differing medical diagnoses. Since these markers can be measured in readily obtained clinical samples, further studies are possible that test the value of these findings in more formal classification or case-control studies in much larger cohorts of subjects with specific lung diseases such as asthma, emphysema, or some other well-defined lung disease.

  1. Protein and microRNA biomarkers from lavage, urine, and serum in military personnel evaluated for dyspnea

    DOE PAGES

    Brown, Joseph N.; Brewer, Heather M.; Nicora, Carrie D.; ...

    2014-10-05

    Background: We have identified candidate protein and microRNA (miRNA) biomarkers for dyspnea by studying serum, lavage fluid, and urine from military personnel who reported serious respiratory symptoms after they were deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan. Methods: Forty-seven soldiers with the complaint of dyspnea who enrolled in the STudy of Active Duty Military Personnel for Environmental Dust Exposure (STAMPEDE) underwent comprehensive pulmonary evaluations at the San Antonio Military Medical Center. The evaluation included fiber-optic bronchoscopy with bronchoalveolar lavage. The clinical findings from the STAMPEDE subjects pointed to seven general underlying diagnoses or findings including airway hyperreactivity, asthma, low diffusivity of carbonmore » monoxide, and abnormal cell counts. The largest category was undiagnosed. As an exploratory study, not a classification study, we profiled proteins or miRNAs in lavage fluid, serum, or urine in this group to look for any underlying molecular patterns that might lead to biomarkers. Proteins in lavage fluid and urine were identified by accurate mass tag (database-driven) proteomics methods while miRNAs were profiled by a hybridization assay applied to serum, urine, and lavage fluid. Results: Over seventy differentially expressed proteins were reliably identified both from lavage and from urine in forty-eight dyspnea subjects compared to fifteen controls with no known lung disorder. Six of these proteins were detected both in urine and lavage. One group of subjects was distinguished from controls by expressing a characteristic group of proteins. A related group of dyspnea subjects expressed a unique group of miRNAs that included one miRNA that was differentially overexpressed in all three fluids studied. The levels of several miRNAs also showed modest but direct associations with several standard clinical measures of lung health such as forced vital capacity or gas exchange efficiency. Conclusions: Candidate proteins and miRNAs associated with the general diagnosis of dyspnea have been identified in subjects with differing medical diagnoses. Since these markers can be measured in readily obtained clinical samples, further studies are possible that test the value of these findings in more formal classification or case–control studies in much larger cohorts of subjects with specific lung diseases such as asthma, emphysema, or some other well-defined lung disease.« less

  2. Association of arsenobetaine with beta-cell function assessed by homeostasis model assessment (HOMA) in nondiabetic Koreans: data from the fourth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) 2008-2009.

    PubMed

    Baek, Kiook; Lee, Namhoon; Chung, Insung

    2017-01-01

    Arsenic is known as an endocrine disruptor that people are exposed to through various sources such as drinking water and indigestion of marine products. Although some epidemiological and animal studies have reported a correlation between arsenic exposure and diabetes development, there are limited studies regarding the toxic effects of organic arsenic including arsenobetaine on the human body. Here, we analyzed the association between urine arsenobetaine and the homeostasis model assessment of β-cell function (HOMA-β), which is an index for predicting diabetes development and reflecting the function of pancreatic β-cells. In the fourth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES), health and nutrition surveys and screening tests were performed. Of the total survey population, people with confirmed values for urine total arsenic and arsenobetaine were included, and known diabetic patients were excluded. A total 369 participants were finally included in the study. We collected surveys on health, height, body weight, body mass index, blood mercury level, fasting glucose level, and serum insulin level and calculated HOMA index. Owing to sexual discrepancy, we performed sexually stratified analysis. Urine total arsenic and total arsenic minus arsenobetaine was not associated with HOMA-IR and HOMA-β in univariate analysis or in sexually stratified analysis. However, urine arsenobetaine showed a statistically significant relationship with HOMA-β in univariate analysis, and only male participants showed a significant correlation in sexually stratified analysis. In the analysis adjusted for age, BMI, smoking, alcohol drinking, physical activity and blood mercury, the HOMA-β value in the group below the 25th percentile of arsenobetaine was significantly higher than the group between 50 and 75th percentile, while no difference was shown for HOMA-IR. In sexually stratified analysis, The value of HOMA-β was significantly higher in male participants with below the 25th percentile urine arsenobetaine than the group between 25 and 50th and between 50 and 75th, while no difference was shown for HOMA-IR. However, female participants did not demonstrate a relationship between HOMA-IR, HOMA-β and urine arsenobetaine. This study revealed the association between urine arsenobetaine and pancreatic β-cell function assessed by HOMA-β in the normal population (without diabetes), especially in males, despite adjusting for factors affecting pancreatic β-cell function and diabetes.

  3. Protein and microRNA biomarkers from lavage, urine, and serum in military personnel evaluated for dyspnea

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

    Brown, Joseph N.; Brewer, Heather M.; Nicora, Carrie D.

    Background: We have identified candidate protein and microRNA (miRNA) biomarkers for dyspnea by studying serum, lavage fluid, and urine from military personnel who reported serious respiratory symptoms after they were deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan. Methods: Forty-seven soldiers with the complaint of dyspnea who enrolled in the STudy of Active Duty Military Personnel for Environmental Dust Exposure (STAMPEDE) underwent comprehensive pulmonary evaluations at the San Antonio Military Medical Center. The evaluation included fiber-optic bronchoscopy with bronchoalveolar lavage. The clinical findings from the STAMPEDE subjects pointed to seven general underlying diagnoses or findings including airway hyperreactivity, asthma, low diffusivity of carbonmore » monoxide, and abnormal cell counts. The largest category was undiagnosed. As an exploratory study, not a classification study, we profiled proteins or miRNAs in lavage fluid, serum, or urine in this group to look for any underlying molecular patterns that might lead to biomarkers. Proteins in lavage fluid and urine were identified by accurate mass tag (database-driven) proteomics methods while miRNAs were profiled by a hybridization assay applied to serum, urine, and lavage fluid. Results: Over seventy differentially expressed proteins were reliably identified both from lavage and from urine in forty-eight dyspnea subjects compared to fifteen controls with no known lung disorder. Six of these proteins were detected both in urine and lavage. One group of subjects was distinguished from controls by expressing a characteristic group of proteins. A related group of dyspnea subjects expressed a unique group of miRNAs that included one miRNA that was differentially overexpressed in all three fluids studied. The levels of several miRNAs also showed modest but direct associations with several standard clinical measures of lung health such as forced vital capacity or gas exchange efficiency. Conclusions: Candidate proteins and miRNAs associated with the general diagnosis of dyspnea have been identified in subjects with differing medical diagnoses. Since these markers can be measured in readily obtained clinical samples, further studies are possible that test the value of these findings in more formal classification or case–control studies in much larger cohorts of subjects with specific lung diseases such as asthma, emphysema, or some other well-defined lung disease.« less

  4. Diagnosis and effects of urine contamination in cooled-extended stallion semen.

    PubMed

    Ellerbrock, R; Canisso, I; Feijo, L; Lima, F; Shipley, C; Kline, K

    2016-04-15

    Urospermia is known to affect semen quality in many mammals, including stallions. Determinations of semen pH and creatinine and urea concentrations have been used to diagnose urine contamination in raw stallion semen. Unfortunately, practitioners suspecting urine contamination in cooled-shipped samples have no proven means to confirm the presence of urine. Therefore, the objectives of this study were (1) to assess the effects of urine contamination on sperm motility of extended fresh and cooled-stored stallion semen, (2) to evaluate the usefulness of semen color, odor, pH, and creatinine and urea concentrations for urospermia diagnosis, and (3) to evaluate the accuracy of a commercial blood urea nitrogen test strip in diagnosing urine contamination in extended-cooled stallion semen. Thirty-seven ejaculates were obtained from 11 stallions with no history of urospermia before division into 5 mL aliquots, and contamination with stallion urine. Each resulting sample was assessed for sperm motility, color, odor, pH, creatinine, and urea nitrogen concentration using both a semiquantitative test strip (Azostix), and a quantitative automated analyzer before and after cooling for 24 hour. Sperm motility parameters, pH, and creatinine and urea concentrations were analyzed using mixed models. Urine contamination decreased total and progressive motility in all samples before and after cooling (P < 0.05). Mean control total motility was 80% at 0 hour and 67% at 24 hours, whereas urine-contaminated samples ranged from 30% to 71% at 0 hour and 27% to 61% at 24 hours. Control mean urea (29 mg/dL) and creatinine (0.6 mg/dL) concentrations were significantly different (P < 0.05) from all urine-contaminated samples (158 mg/dL and 11.6 mg/dL, respectively) at 0 hour. Similarly, control mean urea (8 mg/dL) and creatinine (0.9 mg/dL) concentrations were significantly different than all urine-contaminated samples at 24 hours. Odor assessment presented moderate sensitivity (65%) and high specificity (100%), while color assessment presented low sensitivity (47%) and moderate specificity (79%) for urine in extended semen. Azostix strips were highly sensitive (95%) and specific (97%). Assessment of color, odor, and pH are not reliable methods to diagnose urine in experimentally contaminated cooled-stored stallion semen. Sperm motility parameters (in raw and cooled semen) are significantly reduced by the presence of urine in a concentration dependent. The results of the present study indicated that determination of urea and creatinine concentrations can be used to diagnose urospermia and that Azostix can be used as a point care method for diagnosing urine contamination in extended cooled stallion semen. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. NHEXAS PHASE I REGION 5 STUDY--STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE--COMPENDIUM OF METHOD SUMMARIES FOR COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS OF METALS AND VOCS IN BLOOD AND URINE (CDC-COMPENDIUM)

    EPA Science Inventory

    This compendium includes method summaries provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/National Center for Environmental Health (CDC/NCEH) for collection and shipping of blood and urine samples for analysis of metals and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). It provide...

  6. NHEXAS PHASE I MARYLAND STUDY--STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE--COMPENDIUM OF METHOD SUMMARIES FOR COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS OF METALS, PESTICIDE METABOLITES, AND VOCS IN BLOOD AND URINE (CDC-COMPENDIUM)

    EPA Science Inventory

    This compendium includes method summaries provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/National Center for Environmental Health (CDC/NCEH) for the collection and shipping of blood and urine samples for analysis of metals and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). It pro...

  7. NHEXAS PHASE I ARIZONA STUDY--STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE--COMPENDIUM OF METHOD SUMMARIES FOR COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS OF METALS, PESTICIDE METABOLITES, AND VOC IN BLOOD AND URINE (CDC-COMPENDIUM)

    EPA Science Inventory

    This compendium includes method summaries provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/National Center for Environmental Health (CDC/NCEH) for the collection and shipping of blood and urine samples for analysis of metals and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). It pro...

  8. Intermediate water recovery system

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Deckman, G.; Anderson, A. R. (Editor)

    1973-01-01

    A water recovery system for collecting, storing, and processing urine, wash water, and humidity condensates from a crew of three aboard a spacecraft is described. The results of a 30-day test performed on a breadboard system are presented. The intermediate water recovery system produced clear, sterile, water with a 96.4 percent recovery rate from the processed urine. Recommendations for improving the system are included.

  9. Depleted uranium exposure and health effects in Gulf War veterans

    PubMed Central

    Squibb, Katherine S; McDiarmid, Melissa A

    2006-01-01

    Health effects stemming from depleted uranium (DU) exposure in a cohort of Gulf War veterans who were in or on US Army vehicles hit by friendly fire involving DU munitions are being carefully monitored through the Baltimore Veterans Affairs (VA) DU Follow-Up Program initiated in 1993. DU exposure in this cohort has been directly measured using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometer (ICP-MS) isotopic analysis for DU in urine specimens. Soldiers with embedded DU fragments continue to excrete elevated concentrations of U in their urine, documenting ongoing systemic exposure to U released from their fragments. Biennial surveillance visits provide a detailed health assessment that includes basic clinical measures and surveillance for early changes in kidney function, an expected target organ for U. Tests also include measurements of genotoxicity and neuroendocrine, neurocognitive and reproductive function. With the exception of the elevated urine U excretion, no clinically significant expected U-related health effects have been identified to date. Subtle changes in renal function and genotoxicity markers in veterans with urine U concentrations greater than 0.1 μg−1 creatinine, however, indicate the need for continued surveillance of these DU-exposed veterans. PMID:16687268

  10. Electrolytic pretreatment unit gaseous effluent conditioning

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Colombo, G. V.; Putnam, D. F.

    1976-01-01

    The electrolytic pretreatment of urine is an advanced process that eliminates the need for handling and storing the highly corrosive chemicals that are normally used in water reclamation systems. The electrolytic pretreatment process also converts the organic materials in urine to gases (N2 and O2) that can be used to replenish those lost to space by leakage, venting, and air lock operations. The electrolytic process is more than a pretreatment, since it decreases the urine solids content by approximately one third, thus reducing the load and eventual solids storage requirements of the urine processing system. The evolved gases from the pretreatment step cannot, however, be returned directly to the atmosphere of a spacecraft without first removing several impurities including hydrogen, chlorine, and certain organic compounds. A treatment concept was developed that would decrease the impurities in the gas stream that emanates from an electrolysis unit to levels sufficiently low to allow the conditioned gas stream to be safely discharged to a spacecraft atmosphere. Two methods were experimentally demonstrated that can accomplish the desired cleanup. The bases of the two methods are, repectively: (1) raw urine scrubbing and (2) silica gel sorption.

  11. Effect of freeze/thaw cycles on several biomarkers in urine from patients with kidney disease.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Yinan; Luo, Yi; Lu, Huijuan; Wang, Niansong; Shen, Yixie; Chen, Ruihua; Fang, Pingyan; Yu, Hong; Wang, Congrong; Jia, Weiping

    2015-04-01

    Urine samples were collected from eleven randomly selected patients with kidney disease, including diabetic nephropathy, chronic nephritis, and nephritic syndrome. Urine samples were treated with one of four protocols for freezing and thawing: freeze directly and thaw directly; freeze directly and thaw by temperature gradient; freeze by temperature gradient and thaw directly; and freeze by temperature gradient and thaw by temperature gradient. After one to six freeze/thaw cycles at -20°C or -80°C, different biomarkers showed differential stabilities. The concentrations of total protein, calcium, and potassium did not change significantly after five freeze/thaw cycles at either -20°C or -80°C. Albumin could only sustain three freeze/thaw cycles at -20°C before it started to degrade. We recommend that urine be stored at -80°C as albumin and the organic ions could sustain five and six freeze/thaw cycles, respectively, using the simple "direct freeze and direct thaw" protocol. Furthermore, in most cases, gradient freeze/thaw cycles are not necessary for urine sample storage.

  12. Quantitative determination of 5-hydroxy-N-methylpyrrolidone in urine for biological monitoring of N-methylpyrrolidone exposure.

    PubMed

    Ligocka, D; Lison, D; Haufroid, V

    2002-10-05

    The aim of this work was to validate a sensitive method for quantitative analysis of 5-hydroxy-N-methylpyrrolidone (5-HNMP) in urine. This compound has been recommended as a marker for biological monitoring of N-methylpyrrolidone (NMP) exposure. Different solvents and alternative methods of extraction including liquid-liquid extraction (LLE) on Chem Elut and solid-phase extraction (SPE) on Oasis HLB columns were tested. The most efficient extraction of 5-HNMP in urine was LLE with Chem Elut columns and dichloromethane as a solvent (consistently 22% of recovery). The urinary extracts were derivatized by bis(trimethylsilyl)trifluoroacetamide and analysed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) with tetradeutered 5-HNMP as an internal standard. The detection limit of this method is 0.017 mg/l urine with an intraassay precision of 1.6-2.6%. The proposed method of extraction is simple and reproducible. Four different m/z signal ratios of TMS-5-HNMP and tetralabelled TMS-5-HNMP have been validated and could be indifferently used in case of unexpected impurities from urine matrix. Copyright 2002 Elsevier Science B.V.

  13. Speciation analysis of organotin compounds in human urine by headspace solid-phase micro-extraction and gas chromatography with pulsed flame photometric detection.

    PubMed

    Valenzuela, Aníbal; Lespes, Gaëtane; Quiroz, Waldo; Aguilar, Luis F; Bravo, Manuel A

    2014-07-01

    A new headspace solid-phase micro-extraction (HS-SPME) method followed by gas chromatography with pulsed flame photometric detection (GC-PFPD) analysis has been developed for the simultaneous determination of 11 organotin compounds, including methyl-, butyl-, phenyl- and octyltin derivates, in human urine. The methodology has been validated by the analysis of urine samples fortified with all analytes at different concentration levels, and recovery rates above 87% and relative precisions between 2% and 7% were obtained. Additionally, an experimental-design approach has been used to model the storage stability of organotin compounds in human urine, demonstrating that organotins are highly degraded in this medium, although their stability is satisfactory during the first 4 days of storage at 4 °C and pH=4. Finally, this methodology was applied to urine samples collected from harbor workers exposed to antifouling paints; methyl- and butyltins were detected, confirming human exposure in this type of work environment. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. Soy isoflavone metabolism in cats compared with other species: Urinary metabolite concentrations and glucuronidation by liver microsomes

    PubMed Central

    Redmon, Joanna M.; Shrestha, Binu; Cerundolo, Rosario; Court, Michael H.

    2016-01-01

    Soybean is a common source of protein in many pet foods. Slow glucuronidation of soy-derived isoflavones in cats has been hypothesized to result in accumulation with adverse health consequences. Here we evaluated species’ differences in soy isoflavone glucuronidation using urine samples from cats and dogs fed a soy-based diet and liver microsomes from cats compared with microsomes from 12 other species.Significant concentrations of conjugated (but not unconjugated) genistein, daidzein, and glycitein, and the gut microbiome metabolites, dihydrogenistein and dihydrodaidzein were found in cat and dog urine samples. Substantial amounts of conjugated equol were also found in cat urine but not in dog urine.β-glucuronidase treatment showed that all these compounds were significantly glucuronidated in dog urine while only daidzein (11%) and glycitein (37%) showed any glucuronidation in cat urine suggesting that alternate metabolic pathways including sulfation predominate in cats.Glucuronidation rates of genistein, daidzein, and equol by cat livers were consistently ranked within the lowest three out of 13 species’ livers evaluated. Ferret and mongoose livers were also ranked in the lowest four species.Our results demonstrate that glucuronidation is a minor pathway for soy isoflavone metabolism in cats compared with most other species. PMID:26366946

  15. Challenges for Detecting Valproic Acid in a Nontargeted Urine Drug Screening Method.

    PubMed

    Pope, Jeffrey D; Black, Marion J; Drummer, Olaf H; Schneider, Hans G

    2017-08-01

    Valproic acid (VPA) is a widely prescribed medicine, and acute toxicity is possible. As such, it should be included in any nontargeted urine drug screening method. In many published liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS/MS) methods, VPA is usually measured using a pseudo-multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) transition. We investigate a simple ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight (QTof) approach to detect the presence of VPA with more confidence. Three commercially sourced VPA metabolites were characterized and added to a nontargeted high-resolution MS urine drug screening method. All analyses were performed on a Waters Xevo G2-XS LC-QTof in negative electrospray ionization mode. The mass detector was operated in MS mode, and data were processed with UNIFI software. Sixty-eight patient urine samples, which were previously identified by a well-established gas chromatography-MS method as containing VPA, were analyzed on the Waters Xevo G2-XS LC-QTof, to validate this approach. VPA metabolite standards were characterized, and their detection data were added to the broad drug screening library. VPA metabolites were readily detectable in the urine of patients taking VPA. The inclusion of characterized VPA metabolites provides a simple and reliable method enabling the detection of VPA in nontargeted urine drug screening.

  16. Soy isoflavone metabolism in cats compared with other species: urinary metabolite concentrations and glucuronidation by liver microsomes.

    PubMed

    Redmon, Joanna M; Shrestha, Binu; Cerundolo, Rosario; Court, Michael H

    2016-01-01

    1. Soybean is a common source of protein in many pet foods. Slow glucuronidation of soy-derived isoflavones in cats has been hypothesized to result in accumulation with adverse health consequences. Here, we evaluated species' differences in soy isoflavone glucuronidation using urine samples from cats and dogs fed a soy-based diet and liver microsomes from cats compared with microsomes from 12 other species. 2. Significant concentrations of conjugated (but not unconjugated) genistein, daidzein and glycitein, and the gut microbiome metabolites, dihydrogenistein and dihydrodaidzein, were found in cat and dog urine samples. Substantial amounts of conjugated equol were also found in cat urine but not in dog urine. 3. β-Glucuronidase treatment showed that all these compounds were significantly glucuronidated in dog urine while only daidzein (11%) and glycitein (37%) showed any glucuronidation in cat urine suggesting that alternate metabolic pathways including sulfation predominate in cats. 4. Glucuronidation rates of genistein, daidzein and equol by cat livers were consistently ranked within the lowest 3 out of 13 species' livers evaluated. Ferret and mongoose livers were also ranked in the lowest four species. 5. Our results demonstrate that glucuronidation is a minor pathway for soy isoflavone metabolism in cats compared with most other species.

  17. Siderophore biosynthesis coordinately modulated the virulence-associated interactive metabolome of uropathogenic Escherichia coli and human urine

    PubMed Central

    Su, Qiao; Guan, Tianbing; Lv, Haitao

    2016-01-01

    Uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) growth in women’s bladders during urinary tract infection (UTI) incurs substantial chemical exchange, termed the “interactive metabolome”, which primarily accounts for the metabolic costs (utilized metabolome) and metabolic donations (excreted metabolome) between UPEC and human urine. Here, we attempted to identify the individualized interactive metabolome between UPEC and human urine. We were able to distinguish UPEC from non-UPEC by employing a combination of metabolomics and genetics. Our results revealed that the interactive metabolome between UPEC and human urine was markedly different from that between non-UPEC and human urine, and that UPEC triggered much stronger perturbations in the interactive metabolome in human urine. Furthermore, siderophore biosynthesis coordinately modulated the individualized interactive metabolome, which we found to be a critical component of UPEC virulence. The individualized virulence-associated interactive metabolome contained 31 different metabolites and 17 central metabolic pathways that were annotated to host these different metabolites, including energetic metabolism, amino acid metabolism, and gut microbe metabolism. Changes in the activities of these pathways mechanistically pinpointed the virulent capability of siderophore biosynthesis. Together, our findings provide novel insights into UPEC virulence, and we propose that siderophores are potential targets for further discovery of drugs to treat UPEC-induced UTI. PMID:27076285

  18. Siderophore biosynthesis coordinately modulated the virulence-associated interactive metabolome of uropathogenic Escherichia coli and human urine.

    PubMed

    Su, Qiao; Guan, Tianbing; Lv, Haitao

    2016-04-14

    Uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) growth in women's bladders during urinary tract infection (UTI) incurs substantial chemical exchange, termed the "interactive metabolome", which primarily accounts for the metabolic costs (utilized metabolome) and metabolic donations (excreted metabolome) between UPEC and human urine. Here, we attempted to identify the individualized interactive metabolome between UPEC and human urine. We were able to distinguish UPEC from non-UPEC by employing a combination of metabolomics and genetics. Our results revealed that the interactive metabolome between UPEC and human urine was markedly different from that between non-UPEC and human urine, and that UPEC triggered much stronger perturbations in the interactive metabolome in human urine. Furthermore, siderophore biosynthesis coordinately modulated the individualized interactive metabolome, which we found to be a critical component of UPEC virulence. The individualized virulence-associated interactive metabolome contained 31 different metabolites and 17 central metabolic pathways that were annotated to host these different metabolites, including energetic metabolism, amino acid metabolism, and gut microbe metabolism. Changes in the activities of these pathways mechanistically pinpointed the virulent capability of siderophore biosynthesis. Together, our findings provide novel insights into UPEC virulence, and we propose that siderophores are potential targets for further discovery of drugs to treat UPEC-induced UTI.

  19. A urine-fuelled soil-based bioregenerative life support system for long-term and long-distance manned space missions.

    PubMed

    Maggi, Federico; Tang, Fiona H M; Pallud, Céline; Gu, Chuanhui

    2018-05-01

    A soil-based cropping unit fuelled with human urine for long-term manned space missions was investigated with the aim to analyze whether a closed-loop nutrient cycle from human liquid wastes was achievable. Its ecohydrology and biogeochemistry were analysed in microgravity with the use of an advanced computational tool. Urine from the crew was used to supply primary (N, P, and K) and secondary (S, Ca and Mg) nutrients to wheat and soybean plants in the controlled cropping unit. Breakdown of urine compounds into primary and secondary nutrients as well as byproduct gases, adsorbed, and uptake fractions were tracked over a period of 20 years. Results suggested that human urine could satisfy the demand of at least 3 to 4 out of 6 nutrients with an offset in pH and salinity tolerable by plants. It was therefore inferred that a urine-fuelled life support system can introduce a number of advantages including: (1) recycling of liquids wastes and production of food; (2) forgiveness of neglect as compared to engineered electro-mechanical systems that may fail under unexpected or unplanned conditions; and (3) reduction of supply and waste loads during space missions. Copyright © 2018 The Committee on Space Research (COSPAR). Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. On-Demand Urine Analyzer

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Farquharson, Stuart; Inscore, Frank; Shende, Chetan

    2010-01-01

    A lab-on-a-chip was developed that is capable of extracting biochemical indicators from urine samples and generating their surface-enhanced Raman spectra (SERS) so that the indicators can be quantified and identified. The development was motivated by the need to monitor and assess the effects of extended weightlessness, which include space motion sickness and loss of bone and muscle mass. The results may lead to developments of effective exercise programs and drug regimes that would maintain astronaut health. The analyzer containing the lab-on-a- chip includes materials to extract 3- methylhistidine (a muscle-loss indicator) and Risedronate (a bone-loss indicator) from the urine sample and detect them at the required concentrations using a Raman analyzer. The lab-on- a-chip has both an extractive material and a SERS-active material. The analyzer could be used to monitor the onset of diseases, such as osteoporosis.

  1. Simultaneous analysis method for GHB, ketamine, norketamine, phenobarbital, thiopental, zolpidem, zopiclone and phenytoin in urine, using C18 poroshell column.

    PubMed

    Anilanmert, Beril; Çavuş, Fatma; Narin, Ibrahim; Cengiz, Salih; Sertler, Şefika; Özdemir, Ali Acar; Açikkol, Münevver

    2016-06-01

    Date-rape drugs have the potential to be used in drug-facilitated sexual assault, organ theft and property theft. Since they are colorless, tasteless and odorless, victims can drink without noticing, when added to the beverages. These drugs must be detected in time, before they are cleared up from the biofluids. A simultaneous extraction and determination method in urine for GHB, ketamine, norketamine, phenobarbital, thiopental, zolpidem, zopiclone and phenytoin (an anticonvulsant and antiepileptic drug) with LC-MS/MS was developed for the first time with analytically acceptable recoveries and validated. A 4 steps liquid-liquid extraction was applied, using only 1.000mL urine. A new age commercial C18 poroshell column with high column efficiency was used for LC-MS/MS analysis with a fast isocratic elution as 5.5min. A new MS transition were introduced for barbital. 222.7>179.8 with the effect of acetonitrile. Recoveries (%) were between 80.98-99.27 for all analytes, except for GHB which was 71.46. LOD and LOQ values were found in the ranges of 0.59-49.50 and 9.20-80.80ngmL(-1) for all the analytes (except for GHB:3.44 and 6.00μgmL(-1)). HorRat values calculated (between 0.25-1.21), revealed that the inter-day and interanalist precisions (RSD%≤14.54%) acceptable. The simultaneous extraction and determination of these 8 analytes in urine is challenging because of the difficulty arising from the different chemical properties of some. Since the procedure can extract drugs from a wide range of polarity and pKa, it increases the window of detection. Group representatives from barbiturates, z-drugs, ketamine, phenytoin and polar acidic drugs (GHB) have been successfully analyzed in this study with low detection limits. The method is important from the point of determining the combined or single use of these drugs in crimes and finding out the reasons of deaths related to these drugs. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  2. An aggregate urine analysis tool to detect acute dehydration.

    PubMed

    Hahn, Robert G; Waldréus, Nana

    2013-08-01

    Urine sampling has previously been evaluated for detecting dehydration in young male athletes. The present study investigated whether urine analysis can serve as a measure of dehydration in men and women of a wide age span. Urine sampling and body weight measurement were undertaken before and after recreational physical exercise (median time: 90 min) in 57 volunteers age 17-69 years (mean age: 42). Urine analysis included urine color, osmolality, specific gravity, and creatinine. The volunteers' body weight decreased 1.1% (mean) while they exercised. There were strong correlations between all 4 urinary markers of dehydration (r = .73-.84, p < .001). Researchers constructed a composite dehydration index graded from 1 to 6 based on these markers. This index changed from 2.70 before exercising to 3.55 after exercising, which corresponded to dehydration of 1.0% as given by a preliminary reference curve based on seven previous studies in athletes. Men were slightly dehydrated at baseline (mean: 1.9%) compared with women (mean: 0.7%; p < .001), though age had no influence on the results. A final reference curve that considered both the present results and the 7 previous studies was constructed in which exercise-induced weight loss (x) was predicted by the exponential equation x = 0.20 dehydration index1.86. Urine sampling can be used to estimate weight loss due to dehydration in adults up to age 70. A robust dehydration index based on four indicators reduces the influence of confounders.

  3. Measuring dynamic kidney function in an undergraduate physiology laboratory.

    PubMed

    Medler, Scott; Harrington, Frederick

    2013-12-01

    Most undergraduate physiology laboratories are very limited in how they treat renal physiology. It is common to find teaching laboratories equipped with the capability for high-resolution digital recordings of physiological functions (muscle twitches, ECG, action potentials, respiratory responses, etc.), but most urinary laboratories still rely on a "dipstick" approach of urinalysis. Although this technique can provide some basic insights into the functioning of the kidneys, it overlooks the dynamic processes of filtration, reabsorption, and secretion. In the present article, we provide a straightforward approach of using renal clearance measurements to estimate glomerular filtration rate, fractional water reabsorption, glucose clearance, and other physiologically relevant parameters. The estimated values from our measurements in laboratory are in close agreement with those anticipated based on textbook parameters. For example, we found glomerular filtration rate to average 124 ± 45 ml/min, serum creatinine to be 1.23 ± 0.4 mg/dl, and fractional water reabsorption to be ∼96.8%. Furthermore, analyses for the class data revealed significant correlations between parameters like fractional water reabsorption and urine concentration, providing opportunities to discuss urine concentrating mechanisms and other physiological processes. The procedures outlined here are general enough that most undergraduate physiology laboratory courses should be able to implement them without difficulty.

  4. Fistula repair after hypospadias surgery using buccal mucosal graft.

    PubMed

    Hosseini, Jalil; Kaviani, Ali; Mohammadhosseini, Mojtaba; Rezaei, Alireza; Rezaei, Iraj; Javanmard, Babak

    2009-01-01

    The aim of this study was to evaluate the success rate of urethrocutaneous fistula repair using buccal mucosal graft in patients with a previous hypospadias repair. We reviewed records of our patients with urethrocutaneous fistula developed after hypospadias repair in whom buccal mucosal graft fistula repair had been performed. All of the patients had been followed up for 24 postoperative months. A successful surgical operation was defined as no fistula recurrence or urethral stricture. Retrograde urethrography and urethrocystoscopy would be performed in patients who had any history of decreased force and caliber of urine or any difficulty in urination. Fistula repair using buccal mucosa patch graft had been done in 14 children with urethrocutaneous fistula developing after hypospadias reconstruction. The mean age of the children was 8.70 +/- 1.99 years old (range, 4 to 11 years). Seven fistulas were in the midshaft, 4 were in the penoscrotal region, and 3 were in the coronal region. Repair of the fistulas was successful in 11 of 14 patients (78.6%). In the remaining children, the diameter of the fistula was smaller than that before the operation, offering a good opportunity for subsequent closure. Our findings showed that fistula repair using buccal mucosal graft can be one of the acceptable techniques for repairing fistulas developed after hypospadias repair.

  5. Does UTI cause prolonged jaundice in otherwise well infants?

    PubMed

    Chowdhury, Tanzila; Kisat, Hamudi; Tullus, Kjell

    2015-07-01

    The symptoms of urinary tract infections in infants are very non-specific and have historically included prolonged hyperbilirubinaemia. We studied the results of routine urine samples in 319 infants with prolonged jaundice. Convincing findings of UTI was not found in any of these children even if one of them was treated with antibiotics after four consecutive urine cultures with different bacteria. A urine culture might thus not be an appropriate investigation in a child with prolonged jaundice without any other symptoms of UTI. • The symptoms of UTI in infancy are very non-specific. • Old studies suggest that prolonged hyperbilirubinaemia is one such symptom; more modern studies give more conflicting results. What is New: • Our study could not confirm that children with prolonged jaundice have an increased risk of UTI. • Routine urine testing is thus not needed in otherwise healthy infants with prolonged jaundice.

  6. Development of Urine Receptacle Assembly for the Crew Exploration Vehicle

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Cibuzar, Branelle Rae; Thomas, Evan; Peterson, Laurie; Goforth, Johanna

    2008-01-01

    The Urine Receptacle Assembly (URA) initially was developed for Apollo as a primary means of urine collection. The aluminum housing with stainless steel honeycomb insert provided all male crewmembers with a non-invasive means of micturating into a urine capturing device and then venting to space. The performance of the URA was a substantial improvement over previous devices but its performance was not well understood. The Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV) program is exploring the URA as a contingency liquid waste management system for the vehicle. URA improvements are required to meet CEV requirements, including: consumables minimization, flow performance, acceptable hygiene standards, crew comfort, and female crewmember capability. This paper presents the results of a historical review of URA performance during the Apollo program, recent URA performance tests on the reduced gravity aircraft flight under varying flow conditions, and a proposed development plan for the URA to meet CEV needs.

  7. Excreta Sampling as an Alternative to In Vivo Measurements at the Hanford Site.

    PubMed

    Carbaugh, Eugene H; Antonio, Cheryl L; Lynch, Timothy P

    2015-08-01

    The capabilities of indirect radiobioassay by urine and fecal sample analysis were compared with the direct radiobioassay methods of whole body counting and lung counting for the most common radionuclides and inhalation exposure scenarios encountered by Hanford workers. Radionuclides addressed by in vivo measurement included 137Cs, 60Co, 154Eu, and 241Am as an indicator for plutonium mixtures. The same radionuclides were addressed using gamma energy analysis of urine samples, augmented by radiochemistry and alpha spectrometry methods for plutonium in urine and fecal samples. It was concluded that in vivo whole body counting and lung counting capability should be maintained at the Hanford Site for the foreseeable future, however, urine and fecal sample analysis could provide adequate, though degraded, monitoring capability for workers as a short-term alternative, should in vivo capability be lost due to planned or unplanned circumstances.

  8. Assessment of dietary sodium intake using a food frequency questionnaire and 24-hour urinary sodium excretion: a systematic literature review.

    PubMed

    McLean, Rachael M; Farmer, Victoria L; Nettleton, Alice; Cameron, Claire M; Cook, Nancy R; Campbell, Norman R C

    2017-12-01

    Food frequency questionnaires (FFQs) are often used to assess dietary sodium intake, although 24-hour urinary excretion is the most accurate measure of intake. The authors conducted a systematic review to investigate whether FFQs are a reliable and valid way of measuring usual dietary sodium intake. Results from 18 studies are described in this review, including 16 validation studies. The methods of study design and analysis varied widely with respect to FFQ instrument, number of 24-hour urine collections collected per participant, methods used to assess completeness of urine collections, and statistical analysis. Overall, there was poor agreement between estimates from FFQ and 24-hour urine. The authors suggest a framework for validation and reporting based on a consensus statement (2004), and recommend that all FFQs used to estimate dietary sodium intake undergo validation against multiple 24-hour urine collections. ©2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  9. Effect of the application of cattle urine with or without the nitrification inhibitor DCD, and dung on greenhouse gas emissions from a UK grassland soil.

    PubMed

    Cardenas, L M; Misselbrook, T M; Hodgson, C; Donovan, N; Gilhespy, S; Smith, K A; Dhanoa, M S; Chadwick, D

    2016-11-01

    Emissions of nitrous oxide (N 2 O) from soils from grazed grasslands have large uncertainty due to the great spatial variability of excreta deposition, resulting in heterogeneous distribution of nutrients. The contribution of urine to the labile N pool, much larger than that from dung, is likely to be a major source of emissions so efforts to determine N 2 O emission factors (EFs) from urine and dung deposition are required to improve the inventory of greenhouse gases from agriculture. We investigated the effect of the application of cattle urine and dung at different times of the grazing season on N 2 O emissions from a grassland clay loam soil. Methane emissions were also quantified. We assessed the effect of a nitrification inhibitor, dicyandiamide (DCD), on N 2 O emissions from urine application and also included an artificial urine treatment. There were significant differences in N 2 O EFs between treatments in the spring (largest from urine and lowest from dung) but not in the summer and autumn applications. We also found that there was a significant effect of season (largest in spring) but not of treatment on the N 2 O EFs. The resulting EF values were 2.96, 0.56 and 0.11% of applied N for urine for spring, summer and autumn applications, respectively. The N 2 O EF values for dung were 0.14, 0.39 and 0.10% for spring, summer and autumn applications, respectively. The inhibitor was effective in reducing N 2 O emissions for the spring application only. Methane emissions were larger from the dung application but there were no significant differences between treatments across season of application.

  10. Dipstick screening for urinary tract infection in febrile infants.

    PubMed

    Glissmeyer, Eric W; Korgenski, E Kent; Wilkes, Jacob; Schunk, Jeff E; Sheng, Xiaoming; Blaschke, Anne J; Byington, Carrie L

    2014-05-01

    This study compares the performance of urine dipstick alone with urine microscopy and with both tests combined as a screen for urinary tract infection (UTI) in febrile infants aged 1 to 90 days. We queried the Intermountain Healthcare data warehouse to identify febrile infants with urine dipstick, microscopy, and culture performed between 2004 and 2011. UTI was defined as >50 000 colony-forming units per milliliter of a urinary pathogen. We compared the performance of urine dipstick with unstained microscopy or both tests combined ("combined urinalysis") to identify UTI in infants aged 1 to 90 days. Of 13 030 febrile infants identified, 6394 (49%) had all tests performed and were included in the analysis. Of these, 770 (12%) had UTI. Urine culture results were positive within 24 hours in 83% of UTIs. The negative predictive value (NPV) was >98% for all tests. The combined urinalysis NPV was 99.2% (95% confidence interval: 99.1%-99.3%) and was significantly greater than the dipstick NPV of 98.7% (98.6%-98.8%). The dipstick positive predictive value was significantly greater than combined urinalysis (66.8% [66.2%-67.4%] vs 51.2% [50.6%-51.8%]). These data suggest 8 febrile infants would be predicted to have a false-positive combined urinalysis for every 1 infant with UTI initially missed by dipstick screening. Urine dipstick testing compares favorably with both microscopy and combined urinalysis in febrile infants aged 1 to 90 days. The urine dipstick test may be an adequate stand-alone screen for UTI in febrile infants while awaiting urine culture results. Copyright © 2014 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

  11. Urine temperature as an index for the core temperature of industrial workers in hot or cold environments

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kawanami, Shoko; Horie, Seichi; Inoue, Jinro; Yamashita, Makiko

    2012-11-01

    Workers working in hot or cold environments are at risk for heat stroke and hypothermia. In Japan, 1718 people including 47 workers died of heat stroke in 2010 (Ministry of Health Labour and Welfare, Japan 2011). While the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) recommendation lists the abnormal core temperature of workers as a criterion for halting work, no method has been established for reliably measuring core temperatures at workplaces. ISO 9886 (Ergonomics-evaluation of thermal strain by physiological measurements. ISO copyright office, Geneva, pp 3-14; 2004) recognizes urine temperature as an index of core temperature only at normal temperature. In this study we ascertained whether or not urine temperature could serve as an index for core temperature at temperatures above and below the ISO range. We measured urine temperature of 31 subjects (29.8 ± 11.9 years) using a thermocouple sensor placed in the toilet bowl at ambient temperature settings of 40, 20, and 5˚C, and compared them with rectal temperature. At all ambient temperature settings, urine temperature correlated closely with rectal temperature exhibiting small mean bias. Urine temperature changed in a synchronized manner with rectal temperature at 40˚C. A Bland and Altman analysis showed that the limits of agreement (mean bias ± 2SD) between rectal and urine temperatures were -0.39 to +0.15˚C at 40˚C (95%CI -0.44 to +0.20˚C) and -0.79 to +0.29˚C at 5˚C (-0.89 to +0.39˚C). Hence, urine temperature as measured by the present method is a practical surrogate index for rectal temperature and represents a highly reliable biological monitoring index for assessing hot and cold stresses of workers at actual workplaces.

  12. Pre-analytical Factors Influence Accuracy of Urine Spot Iodine Assessment in Epidemiological Surveys.

    PubMed

    Doggui, Radhouene; El Ati-Hellal, Myriam; Traissac, Pierre; El Ati, Jalila

    2018-03-26

    Urinary iodine concentration (UIC) is commonly used to assess iodine status of subjects in epidemiological surveys. As pre-analytical factors are an important source of measurement error and studies about this phase are scarce, our objective was to assess the influence of urine sampling conditions on UIC, i.e., whether the child ate breakfast or not, urine void rank of the day, and time span between last meal and urine collection. A nationwide, two-stage, stratified, cross-sectional study including 1560 children (6-12 years) was performed in 2012. UIC was determined by the Sandell-Kolthoff method. Pre-analytical factors were assessed from children's mothers by using a questionnaire. Association between iodine status and pre-analytical factors were adjusted for one another and socio-economic characteristics by multivariate linear and multinomial regression models (RPR: relative prevalence ratios). Skipping breakfast prior to morning urine sampling decreased UIC by 40 to 50 μg/L and the proportion of UIC < 100 μg/L was higher among children having those skipped breakfast (RPR = 3.2[1.0-10.4]). In unadjusted analyses, UIC was less among children sampled more than 5 h from their last meal. UIC decreased with rank of urine void (e.g., first vs. second, P < 0.001); also, the proportion of UIC < 100 μg/L was greater among 4th rank samples (vs. second RPR = 2.1[1.1-4.0]). Subjects' breakfast status and urine void rank should be accounted for when assessing iodine status. Providing recommendations to standardize pre-analytical factors is a key step toward improving accuracy and comparability of survey results for assessing iodine status from spot urine samples. These recommendations have to be evaluated by future research.

  13. Urine flow is a novel hemodynamic monitoring tool for the detection of hypovolemia.

    PubMed

    Shamir, Micha Y; Kaplan, Leonid; Marans, Rachel S; Willner, Dafna; Klein, Yoram

    2011-03-01

    Noticeable changes in vital signs indicating hypovolemia occur only after 15% of the blood volume is lost. More sensitive variables (e.g., cardiac output, systolic pressure variation and its Δdown component) are invasive and difficult to obtain in the early phase of bleeding. Lately, a new technology for continuous optical measurements of minute-to-minute urine flow rates has become available. We performed a preliminary evaluation to determine whether urine flow can act as an early and sensitive warning of hypovolemia. Eleven patients (ASA physical status I-II) undergoing posterior spine fusion surgery were studied prospectively. Study variables included heart rate, blood pressure (systolic and diastolic), systolic pressure variation and Δdown, minute urinary flow, hemoglobin, blood and urinary sodium, and creatinine in the blood and urine. Urine flow rate was measured using URINFO 2000™ (FlowSense Medical, Misgav, Israel). After recording baseline variables, 10 mL/kg of the patient's blood was shed and a second set of variables was recorded. Subsequently, hypovolemia was reversed by infusing colloid solution (hetastarch 6%) followed by recording a third set of variables. These 3 observations were then compared. An average of 614 ± 143 mL (mean ± SD) of blood was shed. During phlebotomy, the mean urine flow rate decreased from 5.7 ± 8 mL/min to 1.07 ± 2.5 mL/min. Systolic blood pressure and hemoglobin also decreased. Δdown increased. After rehydration, urine flow, blood pressure, and Δdown values returned to baseline. The hemoglobin concentration decreased whereas other variables did not change significantly. Urine flow rate is a dynamic variable that seems to be a reliable indicator of changes in blood volume. These results justify further investigation.

  14. Detection of gluten immunogenic peptides in the urine of patients with coeliac disease reveals transgressions in the gluten-free diet and incomplete mucosal healing

    PubMed Central

    Moreno, María de Lourdes; Cebolla, Ángel; Muñoz-Suano, Alba; Carrillo-Carrion, Carolina; Comino, Isabel; Pizarro, Ángeles; León, Francisco; Rodríguez-Herrera, Alfonso; Sousa, Carolina

    2017-01-01

    Objective Gluten-free diet (GFD) is the only management for coeliac disease (CD). Available methods to assess GFD compliance are insufficiently sensitive to detect occasional dietary transgressions that may cause gut mucosal damage. We aimed to develop a method to determine gluten intake and monitor GFD compliance in patients with CD and to evaluate its correlation with mucosal damage. Design Urine samples of 76 healthy subjects and 58 patients with CD subjected to different gluten dietary conditions were collected. A lateral flow test (LFT) with the highly sensitive and specific G12 monoclonal antibody for the most dominant gluten immunogenic peptides (GIP) and a LFT reader were used to quantify GIP in solid-phase extracted urines. Results GIP were detectable in concentrated urines from healthy individuals previously subjected to GFD as early as 4–6 h after single gluten intake, and remained detectable for 1–2 days. The urine assay revealed infringement of the GFD in about 50% of the patients. Analysis of duodenal biopsies revealed that most of patients with CD (89%) with no villous atrophy had no detectable GIP in urine, while all patients with quantifiable GIP in urine showed incomplete intestinal mucosa recovery. Conclusion GIP are detected in urine after gluten consumption, enabling a new and non-invasive method to monitor GFD compliance and transgressions. The method was sensitive, specific and simple enough to be convenient for clinical monitoring of patients with CD as well as for basic and clinical research applications including drug development. Trial registration number NCT02344758. PMID:26608460

  15. Detection of gluten immunogenic peptides in the urine of patients with coeliac disease reveals transgressions in the gluten-free diet and incomplete mucosal healing.

    PubMed

    Moreno, María de Lourdes; Cebolla, Ángel; Muñoz-Suano, Alba; Carrillo-Carrion, Carolina; Comino, Isabel; Pizarro, Ángeles; León, Francisco; Rodríguez-Herrera, Alfonso; Sousa, Carolina

    2017-02-01

    Gluten-free diet (GFD) is the only management for coeliac disease (CD). Available methods to assess GFD compliance are insufficiently sensitive to detect occasional dietary transgressions that may cause gut mucosal damage. We aimed to develop a method to determine gluten intake and monitor GFD compliance in patients with CD and to evaluate its correlation with mucosal damage. Urine samples of 76 healthy subjects and 58 patients with CD subjected to different gluten dietary conditions were collected. A lateral flow test (LFT) with the highly sensitive and specific G12 monoclonal antibody for the most dominant gluten immunogenic peptides (GIP) and a LFT reader were used to quantify GIP in solid-phase extracted urines. GIP were detectable in concentrated urines from healthy individuals previously subjected to GFD as early as 4-6 h after single gluten intake, and remained detectable for 1-2 days. The urine assay revealed infringement of the GFD in about 50% of the patients. Analysis of duodenal biopsies revealed that most of patients with CD (89%) with no villous atrophy had no detectable GIP in urine, while all patients with quantifiable GIP in urine showed incomplete intestinal mucosa recovery. GIP are detected in urine after gluten consumption, enabling a new and non-invasive method to monitor GFD compliance and transgressions. The method was sensitive, specific and simple enough to be convenient for clinical monitoring of patients with CD as well as for basic and clinical research applications including drug development. NCT02344758. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

  16. The effectiveness of BD Vacutainer® Plus Urinalysis Preservative Tubes in preservation of urine for chemical strip analysis and particle counting

    PubMed Central

    Ekşioğlu, Merve Kaymak; Madenci, Özlem Çakır; Yücel, Nihal; Elçi, Abdullah; Turhan, Bülent; Orhan, Gani; Orçun, Asuman

    2016-01-01

    Introduction The aim of this study was to evaluate the stability of urine collected in preservative tubes for chemistry strip analyses and particle counting to determine whether the transport of urine samples with all of their constituents is possible. Materials and methods 275 pathologic urine specimens were included. Each urine sample was evaluated after 4, 8, 12, 24, and 48 hours of storage in BD Vacutainer® Plus Urinalysis Preservative (BD UAP) tubes and compared with refrigeration at 4 °C. All analyses were peformed on H-800 and FUS-200 automatic modular urine analyzers (Dirui Industry, Changchun, China). The kappa coefficients (κ), false positive (FP) and false negative (FN) rates were evaluated. κ > 0.8 was accepted as good agreement. Results Haemoglobin (Hb), leucocyte esterase (LE), and protein (Pro) analyses should be performed within 4 hours, whereas glucose (Glc) was stable until the end of 48 hours in both storage conditions. Nitrite (Nit) was well preserved in BD UAP tubes for 24 hours but was stable only up to 8 hours at 4 °C. Bilirubin (Bil) had very high FN rates even at 4 hours in both conditions. The particle counting showed high FN rates for white blood cells (WBC) and red blood cells (RBC), whereas squamous epithelial cells (EC) were stable up to 8 hours in both conditions. Conclusions Preanalytical requirements for both urine chemical strip analyses and particle counting in a unique sample were not met in either condition. Thus, the transfer of urine samples for centralization of urinalysis is not yet feasible. PMID:27346967

  17. Comparison of enteral and parenteral methods of urine alkalinization in patients receiving high-dose methotrexate.

    PubMed

    Rouch, Jamie A; Burton, Bradley; Dabb, Alix; Brown, Vicky; Seung, Amy H; Kinsman, Katharine; Holdhoff, Matthias

    2017-01-01

    Purpose Hyperhydration and urinary alkalinization is implemented with all high-dose (HD)-methotrexate infusions to promote excretion and prevent precipitation of methotrexate in the renal tubules. Our institution utilized enteral alkalinizing agents (sodium bicarbonate tablets and sodium citrate/citric acid solution) to alkalinize the urine of patients receiving HD-methotrexate during a parenteral sodium bicarbonate and sodium acetate shortage. The purpose of this study is to establish the safety and efficacy of the enteral route for urine alkalinization. Methods A single-center, retrospective, cohort study was conducted comparing cycles of HD-methotrexate using enteral alkalinizing agents to parenteral sodium bicarbonate. The primary objective was to compare the time, in hours, from administration of first inpatient administered dose of alkalinizing agent to time of achieving goal urine pH. Secondary objectives evaluated total dose of sodium bicarbonate required to achieve goal urine pH, time from start of urine alkalinizing agent until time of achieving methotrexate level safe for discharge, and toxicities associated with methotrexate and the alkalinizing agents. Results A total of 118 patients were included in this study, equally divided into two cohorts based on parenteral versus enteral routes of administration. No statistical difference was determined between the two cohorts regarding time to goal urine pH (6.5 h versus 7.9 h, P = 0.051) or regarding time to methotrexate level deemed safe for discharge (63.5 h versus 62.5 h, p = 0.835). There were no significant differences in methotrexate-induced toxicities. Conclusion Our study found enteral routes of urine alkalinization to be a viable alternative to the traditional parenteral sodium bicarbonate, especially during parenteral sodium bicarbonate and acetate shortages.

  18. Evaluation of quantitative parameters for distinguishing pheochromocytoma from other adrenal tumors.

    PubMed

    Ohno, Youichi; Sone, Masakatsu; Taura, Daisuke; Yamasaki, Toshinari; Kojima, Katsutoshi; Honda-Kohmo, Kyoko; Fukuda, Yorihide; Matsuo, Koji; Fujii, Toshihito; Yasoda, Akihiro; Ogawa, Osamu; Inagaki, Nobuya

    2018-03-01

    Adrenal tumors are increasingly found incidentally during imaging examinations. It is important to distinguish pheochromocytomas from other adrenal tumors because of the risk of hypertensive crisis. Although catecholamines and their metabolites are generally used to diagnose pheochromocytoma, false-positive test results are common. An effective screening method to distinguish pheochromocytoma from adrenal incidentalomas is needed. We analyzed 297 consecutive patients with adrenal incidentalomas. Our findings included 162 non-functioning tumors, 47 aldosterone-producing adenomas, 26 metastases, 22 cases of subclinical Cushing's syndrome, 21 pheochromocytomas, 12 cases of Cushing's syndrome, and 7 adrenocortical cancers. We checked quantitative parameters such as age, blood, and urine catecholamines and their metabolites, neuron-specific enolase, size and computed tomography (CT) attenuation values. Among catecholamine-related parameters, the sum of urine metanephrine and normetanephrine (urineMNM) levels produced the highest area under the receiver operating characteristic curve regarding discrimination of pheochromocytoma from other lesions. Size and CT attenuation values also differed significantly. However, size was correlated with catecholamine levels. CT attenuation was not correlated with other factors. The optimal thresholds were 19 Hounsfield units (HU) for CT attenuation (sensitivity, 100%; specificity, 60%) and 0.43 mg/24 h for urineMNM (sensitivity, 89%; specificity, 96%). No pheochromocytomas were evident when CT attenuation values were under 19 HU. Even in adrenal tumors with CT attenuation values ≥ 19 HU, when urineMNM was < 0.43 mg/24 h, the frequency of pheochromocytoma was only 4.3%, when urineMNM was ≥ 0.43 mg/24 h, the frequency of pheochromocytoma was 93% and when urineMNM was > 0.77 mg/24 h the frequency of pheochromocytoma was 100%. CT attenuation value and urineMNM represented the most useful combination for diagnosis of pheochromocytoma.

  19. Urine Cultures in Hospitalized Geriatric Patients Presenting With Fever.

    PubMed

    Shimoni, Zvi; Avdiaev, Ruslan; Froom, Paul

    2017-01-01

    Urine cultures are commonly ordered in geriatric patients presenting with fever in the emergency department, but it is unclear if indiscriminate urine culture testing is warranted. We selected 708 consecutive geriatric patients with a chief complaint of fever to determine the clinical usage (changes in antibiotic therapy according to culture results) and the costs of culturing the urine that included the need for catheterization to obtain a sample for culture and complications from catheterization. We divided the patients into those with and without an extraurinary tract source for fever on admission. Urine cultures were performed in 74.9% (233/312) of the patients with a source for the fever outside the urinary tract and required urinary catheterization to obtain a sample in 36.8% (95/233) of those patients. Cultures were positive for bacteria 29.6% of the time (69/233), but did not result in the change of antibiotic treatment in any of the patients. Urine cultures were performed in 92.6% (326/352) of the patients without an extraurinary tract source for the fever, required catheterization in 49.7% (162/326) of the patients and 58.3% (190/326) of the cultures were positive for bacteria. Urine culture sensitivities changed antibiotic therapy in 24.2% (46/190) of the patients. There were no patients in either group with complications from urinary catheterization, but indwelling catheter rates increased inappropriately in both the groups. We conclude that urine culture testing is unnecessary in hospitalized geriatric patients who on admission have an extraurinary tract source for their fever, but it has clinical usage when the source for the fever on admission is unclear. Copyright © 2017 Southern Society for Clinical Investigation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. Spot Urine Protein-to-Creatinine Ratio to Predict the Magnitude of 24-Hour Total Proteinuria in Preeclampsia of Varying Severity.

    PubMed

    Kucukgoz Gulec, Umran; Sucu, Mete; Ozgunen, Fatma Tuncay; Buyukkurt, Selim; Guzel, Ahmet Baris; Paydas, Saime

    2017-10-01

    The predictive value of spot urine protein-to-creatinine ratio (PCR) for estimating total 24-hour proteinuria in severe preeclampsia is unclear. This study aimed to assess the diagnostic accuracy of spot urine PCR for ascertaining the magnitude of proteinuria in women with preeclampsia of varying severity. A total of 205 patients with prediagnosed preeclampsia were included in this prospective cohort study. Patients were allocated into one of the three groups categorized by severity of disease, as follows: gestational hypertension, group 1 (n = 41); preeclampsia, group 2 (n = 88); and severe preeclampsia, group 3 (n = 76). We assessed the spot urine PCRs to determine significant proteinuria and the magnitude of proteinuria in these groups. The spot urine PCR was 0.53, with 81% sensitivity and 93% specificity to detect significant proteinuria. A significant correlation was found between PCR and 24-hour total proteinuria in group 1 (r = 0.473, P = 0.002). There were also significant correlations in group 2 (r = 0.814, P < 0.001) and group 3 (r = 0.912, P < 0.001). The established formula using spot urine PCR to estimate 24-hour total proteinuria in severe preeclampsia was Y = 832.02X + 378.74 mg (r 2  = 0.8304). Although 24-hour urine collection remains a merely reliable test to determine the degree of total proteinuria, our findings suggest that it is likely to assess the magnitude of proteinuria by the spot urine PCR, especially in severe preeclampsia. www.clinicaltrials.govNCT01623791. Copyright © 2017 The Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada/La Société des obstétriciens et gynécologues du Canada. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. Urine chemokines indicate pathogenic association of obesity with BPH/LUTS.

    PubMed

    Tyagi, Pradeep; Motley, Saundra S; Kashyap, Mahendra; Pore, Subrata; Gingrich, Jeffrey; Wang, Zhou; Yoshimura, Naoki; Fowke, Jay H

    2015-07-01

    High prevalence of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) consistent with benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) is associated with obesity and prostatic inflammation. Here, we investigated whether chemokines associated with obesity and prostatic inflammation can be measured in normally voided urine of BPH/LUTS patients to demonstrate the mechanistic association between obesity and BPH/LUTS. Frozen urine specimens of BPH/LUTS patients enrolled in the Nashville Men's Health Study were sent for blinded analysis to University of Pittsburgh. Thirty patients were blocked by their AUA-SI (>7 or ≤7) and prostatic enlargement (<40, 40-60, >60 cc). Clinical parameters including age, prostate size, and medications were derived from chart review. CXC chemokines (CXCL-1, CXCL-8, and CXCL-10), CC chemokines (CCL2 and CCL3), and sIL-1ra were measured in thawed urine using Luminex™ xMAP(®) technology and ELISA for NGF. Urinary CCL2 levels were several fold higher compared with the other six proteins, of which CCL3 was detectable in less than one-fourth of patients. Urine levels of sIL-1ra and CXCL-8 were significantly associated with increasing BMI and waist circumference in BPH patients. CXCL-8 showed a marginal association with overall AUA-SI scores, as well as obstructive (p = 0.08) symptom subscores. Prostate volume was inversely and marginally associated with urinary CXCL-10 (p = 0.09). Urine levels of CXCL-8, CXCL-10, and sIL-1ra were associated with varying degrees with LUTS severity, prostate size, and obesity, respectively. These findings in urine are consistent with past studies of chemokine levels from expressed prostatic secretions and demonstrate the potential of noninvasively measured chemokine in urine to objectively classify BPH/LUTS patients.

  2. Simple diagnosis of benign acute childhood myositis: Lessons from a case report

    PubMed Central

    Terlizzi, Vito; Improta, Federica; Raia, Valeria

    2014-01-01

    Acute muscle pain and walking difficulty are symptoms compatible with both benign and severe degenerative diseases. As a consequence, in some cases invasive tests and hospitalizations are improperly scheduled. We report the case of a 7-year-old child suffering from acute calf pain and abnormal gait following flu-like symptoms. A review of the literature will be helpful to better define differential diagnosis in cases of muscle pain in children. Daily physical examination and urine dipstick are sufficient to confirm the diagnosis of benign acute childhood myositis (BACM) during the acute phase, to promptly detect severe complications and to rule out degenerative diseases. Children with BACM do not require hospitalization, medical interventions or long-term follow-up. PMID:25624939

  3. Simple diagnosis of benign acute childhood myositis: Lessons from a case report.

    PubMed

    Terlizzi, Vito; Improta, Federica; Raia, Valeria

    2014-01-01

    Acute muscle pain and walking difficulty are symptoms compatible with both benign and severe degenerative diseases. As a consequence, in some cases invasive tests and hospitalizations are improperly scheduled. We report the case of a 7-year-old child suffering from acute calf pain and abnormal gait following flu-like symptoms. A review of the literature will be helpful to better define differential diagnosis in cases of muscle pain in children. Daily physical examination and urine dipstick are sufficient to confirm the diagnosis of benign acute childhood myositis (BACM) during the acute phase, to promptly detect severe complications and to rule out degenerative diseases. Children with BACM do not require hospitalization, medical interventions or long-term follow-up.

  4. Diet effects on urine composition of cattle and N2O emissions.

    PubMed

    Dijkstra, J; Oenema, O; van Groenigen, J W; Spek, J W; van Vuuren, A M; Bannink, A

    2013-06-01

    Ruminant production contributes to emissions of nitrogen (N) to the environment, principally ammonia (NH3), nitrous oxide (N2O) and di-nitrogen (N2) to air, nitrate (NO3 -) to groundwater and particulate N to surface waters. Variation in dietary N intake will particularly affect excretion of urinary N, which is much more vulnerable to losses than is faecal N. Our objective is to review dietary effects on the level and form of N excreted in cattle urine, as well as its consequences for emissions of N2O. The quantity of N excreted in urine varies widely. Urinary N excretion, in particular that of urea N, is decreased upon reduction of dietary N intake or an increase in the supply of energy to the rumen microorganisms and to the host animal itself. Most of the N in urine (from 50% to well over 90%) is present in the form of urea. Other nitrogenous components include purine derivatives (PD), hippuric acid, creatine and creatinine. Excretion of PD is related to rumen microbial protein synthesis, and that of hippuric acid to dietary concentration of degradable phenolic acids. The N concentration of cattle urine ranges from 3 to 20 g/l. High-dietary mineral levels increase urine volume and lead to reduced urinary N concentration as well as reduced urea concentration in plasma and milk. In lactating dairy cattle, variation in urine volume affects the relationship between milk urea and urinary N excretion, which hampers the use of milk urea as an accurate indicator of urinary N excretion. Following its deposition in pastures or in animal houses, ubiquitous microorganisms in soil and waters transform urinary N components into ammonium (NH4 +), and thereafter into NO3 - and ultimately in N2 accompanied with the release of N2O. Urinary hippuric acid, creatine and creatinine decompose more slowly than urea. Hippuric acid may act as a natural inhibitor of N2O emissions, but inhibition conditions have not been defined properly yet. Environmental and soil conditions at the site of urine deposition or manure application strongly influence N2O release. Major dietary strategies to mitigating N2O emission from cattle operations include reducing dietary N content or increasing energy content, and increasing dietary mineral content to increase urine volume. For further reduction of N2O emission, an integrated animal nutrition and excreta management approach is required.

  5. Vascular Disease and Kidney Stones: Abdominal Aortic Calcifications Are Associated with Low Urine pH and Hypocitraturia.

    PubMed

    Patel, Nishant D; Ward, Ryan D; Calle, Juan; Remer, Erick M; Monga, Manoj

    2017-09-01

    Vascular calcifications are associated with nephrolithiasis. Although studies have demonstrated correlations with vascular disease and calcium stones in kidney stone formers (KSF), an etiologic link has remained elusive. As a noncontrast CT (NCCT) scan is typically part of a stone evaluation, our objective was to evaluate the association of NCCT-based assessment of abdominal aortic calcifications (AACs) with 24-hour urine parameters and stone composition. Ninety-seven KSF were included with CT imaging and 24-hour urine studies. For each patient, semi-automated CT software was utilized to provide an AAC Agatston score from the celiac axis to the aortic bifurcation. Univariate analysis was performed to compare patients with or without AAC. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to assess for variables associated with 24-hour urine parameters and stone composition. The presence of AAC was associated with hypertension, diabetes, peripheral vascular disease, and coronary artery disease. Patients with any AAC showed lower 24-hour urine citrate (399 vs 593 mg/day, p < 0.001) and lower 24-hour urine pH (5.862 vs 6.328, p = 0.003). When controlling for age, system comorbidities, the presence of AAC was associated with low urine pH <6 (odds ratio [OR] 2.86, p = 0.032) and hypocitraturia <320 mg/day (OR 4.37, p = 0.005). The receiver operating characteristic curve showed that increasing AAC was associated with low urine pH (area under the curve [AUC] 0.683, p = 0.002) and uric acid stone formation (AUC 0.698, p = 0.045). NCCT-based diagnosis of AAC is associated with low urine pH, hypocitraturia, and uric acid stone formation. The presence of AAC could be considered an additional prognosticator for the utility of alkalinization therapy.

  6. Internal validation of the renal pelvic score: a novel marker of renal pelvic anatomy that predicts urine leak after partial nephrectomy.

    PubMed

    Tomaszewski, Jeffrey J; Smaldone, Marc C; Cung, Bic; Li, Tianyu; Mehrazin, Reza; Kutikov, Alexander; Canter, Daniel J; Viterbo, Rosalia; Chen, David Y T; Greenberg, Richard E; Uzzo, Robert G

    2014-08-01

    To internally validate the renal pelvic score (RPS) in an expanded cohort of patients undergoing partial nephrectomy (PN). Our prospective institutional renal cell carcinoma database was used to identify all patients undergoing PN for localized renal cell carcinoma from 2007 to 2013. Patients were classified by RPS as having an intraparenchymal or extraparenchymal renal pelvis. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to examine the relationship between RPS and urine leak. Eight hundred thirty-one patients (median age, 60 ± 11.6 years; 65.1% male) undergoing PN (57.3% robotic) for low (28.9%), intermediate (56.5%), and high complexity (14.5%) localized renal tumors (median size, 3.0 ± 2.3 cm; median nephrometry score, 7.0 ± 2.6) were included. Fifty-four patients (6.5%) developed a clinically significant or radiographically identified urine leak. Seventy-two of 831 renal pelvises (8.7%) were classified as intraparenchymal. Intrarenal pelvic anatomy was associated with a markedly increased risk of urine leak (43.1% vs 3.0%; P <.001), major urine leak requiring intervention (23.6% vs 1.7%; P <.001), and minor urine leak (19.4% vs 1.2%; P <.001) compared with that in patients with an extrarenal pelvis. After multivariate adjustment, RPS (intraparenchymal renal pelvis; odds ratio [OR], 24.8; confidence interval [CI], 11.5-53.4; P <.001) was the most predictive of urine leak as was tumor endophyticity ("E" score of 3 [OR, 4.5; CI, 1.3-15.5; P = .018]), and intraoperative collecting system entry (OR, 6.1; CI, 2.5-14.9; P <.001). Renal pelvic anatomy as measured by the RPS best predicts urine leak after open and robotic partial nephrectomy. Although external validation of the RPS is required, preoperative identification of patients at increased risk for urine leak should be considered in perioperative management and counseling algorithms. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. US Army Institute of Surgical Research Annual Research Progress Report for Fiscal Year 1987.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1987-10-01

    oases, respiratory rate, chest roentgenograms), cardiovascular (blood pressure, central venous pressure, cardiac output), and renal (urine output, urine...Monitoring includes the precordial and/or esophageal stethoscope, peripheral pulse, blood pressure, central venous pressure, Swan-Ganz catheter... central venous , peripheral venous , and Swan-Ganz (7F, American Edward Laboratories, Irvine CA) catheters and an esophageal balloon were inserted. After a 2

  8. U.S.-MEXICO BORDER PROGRAM ARIZONA BORDER STUDY--STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE--COMPENDIUM OF METHOD SUMMARIES FOR COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS OF METALS, PESTICIDE METABOLITES, AND VOC IN BLOOD AND URINE (CDC-COMPENDIUM)

    EPA Science Inventory

    This compendium includes method summaries provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/National Center for Environmental Health (CDC/NCEH) for the collection and shipping of blood and urine samples for analysis of metals and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The pr...

  9. Mass Spectrometric Rapid Diagnosis of Infectious Diseases.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1980-01-01

    the analytical procedures to warrant reporting anew the whole analytical procedure. A. Sample Collection and Storage Procedure Urine samples were...positives or false-negatives. Next we have carried out a longitudinal study on urine samples obtained from groups of volunteer subjects vaccinated with...sterilization and storage procedures. 2. Developed new, simpler sample preparation techniques including one to handle tissue culture media. 3. Improved on the

  10. Estimation of Vasopressin Excretion in the Urine as a Method of Monitoring Vasopressin Secretion During Space Flight

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Moran, W. H.

    1972-01-01

    It is demonstrated that, under the circumstances of space flight, the measurement of plasma ADH levels might be misleading and that only the urinary ADH levels provide reliable information. The results of a partially completed survey of ADH levels in urine samples from human subjects in which simultaneous plasma ADH levels were available are included.

  11. Effectiveness of Preanalytic Practices on Contamination and Diagnostic Accuracy of Urine Cultures: a Laboratory Medicine Best Practices Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

    PubMed Central

    Franek, Jacob; Leibach, Elizabeth K.; Weissfeld, Alice S.; Kraft, Colleen S.; Sautter, Robert L.; Baselski, Vickie; Rodahl, Debra; Peterson, Edward J.; Cornish, Nancy E.

    2015-01-01

    SUMMARY Background. Urinary tract infection (UTI) in the United States is the most common bacterial infection, and urine cultures often make up the largest portion of workload for a hospital-based microbiology laboratory. Appropriately managing the factors affecting the preanalytic phase of urine culture contributes significantly to the generation of meaningful culture results that ultimately affect patient diagnosis and management. Urine culture contamination can be reduced with proper techniques for urine collection, preservation, storage, and transport, the major factors affecting the preanalytic phase of urine culture. Objectives. The purposes of this review were to identify and evaluate preanalytic practices associated with urine specimens and to assess their impact on the accuracy of urine culture microbiology. Specific practices included collection methods for men, women, and children; preservation of urine samples in boric acid solutions; and the effect of refrigeration on stored urine. Practice efficacy and effectiveness were measured by two parameters: reduction of urine culture contamination and increased accuracy of patient diagnosis. The CDC Laboratory Medicine Best Practices (LMBP) initiative's systematic review method for assessment of quality improvement (QI) practices was employed. Results were then translated into evidence-based practice guidelines. Search strategy. A search of three electronic bibliographic databases (PubMed, SCOPUS, and CINAHL), as well as hand searching of bibliographies from relevant information sources, for English-language articles published between 1965 and 2014 was conducted. Selection criteria. The search contained the following medical subject headings and key text words: urinary tract infections, UTI, urine/analysis, urine/microbiology, urinalysis, specimen handling, preservation, biological, preservation, boric acid, boric acid/borate, refrigeration, storage, time factors, transportation, transport time, time delay, time factor, timing, urine specimen collection, catheters, indwelling, urinary reservoirs, continent, urinary catheterization, intermittent urethral catheterization, clean voided, midstream, Foley, suprapubic, bacteriological techniques, and microbiological techniques. Main results. Both boric acid and refrigeration adequately preserved urine specimens prior to their processing for up to 24 h. Urine held at room temperature for more than 4 h showed overgrowth of both clinically significant and contaminating microorganisms. The overall strength of this body of evidence, however, was rated as low. For urine specimens collected from women, there was no difference in rates of contamination for midstream urine specimens collected with or without cleansing. The overall strength of this evidence was rated as high. The levels of diagnostic accuracy of midstream urine collection with or without cleansing were similar, although the overall strength of this evidence was rated as low. For urine specimens collected from men, there was a reduction in contamination in favor of midstream clean-catch over first-void specimen collection. The strength of this evidence was rated as high. Only one study compared midstream collection with cleansing to midstream collection without cleansing. Results showed no difference in contamination between the two methods of collection. However, imprecision was due largely to the small event size. The diagnostic accuracy of midstream urine collection from men compared to straight catheterization or suprapubic aspiration was high. However, the overall strength of this body of evidence was rated as low. For urine specimens collected from children and infants, the evidence comparing contamination rates for midstream urine collection with cleansing, midstream collection without cleansing, sterile urine bag collection, and diaper collection pointed to larger reductions in the odds of contamination in favor of midstream collection with cleansing over the other methods of collection. This body of evidence was rated as high. The accuracy of diagnosis of urinary tract infection from midstream clean-catch urine specimens, sterile urine bag specimens, or diaper specimens compared to straight catheterization or suprapubic aspiration was varied. Authors' conclusions. No recommendation for or against is made for delayed processing of urine stored at room temperature, refrigerated, or preserved in boric acid. This does not preclude the use of refrigeration or chemical preservatives in clinical practice. It does indicate, however, that more systematic studies evaluating the utility of these measures are needed. If noninvasive collection is being considered for women, midstream collection with cleansing is recommended, but no recommendation for or against is made for midstream collection without cleansing. If noninvasive collection is being considered for men, midstream collection with cleansing is recommended and collection of first-void urine is not recommended. No recommendation for or against is made for collection of midstream urine without cleansing. If noninvasive collection is being considered for children, midstream collection with cleansing is recommended and collection in sterile urine bags, from diapers, or midstream without cleansing is not recommended. Whether midstream collection with cleansing can be routinely used in place of catheterization or suprapubic aspiration is unclear. The data suggest that midstream collection with cleansing is accurate for the diagnosis of urinary tract infections in infants and children and has higher average accuracy than sterile urine bag collection (data for diaper collection were lacking); however, the overall strength of evidence was low, as multivariate modeling could not be performed, and thus no recommendation for or against can be made. PMID:26598386

  12. Psychiatric Comorbidity and Substance Use Outcomes in an Office-Based Buprenorphine Program Six Months Following Hurricane Sandy.

    PubMed

    Tofighi, Babak; Grossman, Ellie; Goldfeld, Keith S; Williams, Arthur Robinson; Rotrosen, John; Lee, Joshua D

    2015-01-01

    On October 2012, Hurricane Sandy struck New York City, resulting in unprecedented damages, including the temporary closure of Bellevue Hospital Center and its primary care office-based buprenorphine program. At 6 months, we assessed factors associated with higher rates of substance use in buprenorphine program participants that completed a baseline survey one month post-Sandy (i.e. shorter length of time in treatment, exposure to storm losses, a pre-storm history of positive opiate urine drug screens, and post-disaster psychiatric symptoms). Risk factors of interest extracted from the electronic medical records included pre-disaster diagnosis of Axis I and/or II disorders and length of treatment up to the disaster. Factors collected from the baseline survey conducted approximately one month post-Sandy included self-reported buprenorphine supply disruption, health insurance status, disaster exposure, and post-Sandy screenings for PTSD and depression. Outcome variables reviewed 6 months post-Sandy included missed appointments, urine drug results for opioids, cocaine, and benzodiazepines. 129 (98%) patients remained in treatment at 6 months, and had no sustained increases in opioid-, cocaine-, and benzodiazepine-positive urine drug tests in any sub-groups with elevated substance use in the baseline survey. Contrary to our initial hypothesis, diagnosis of Axis I and/or II disorders pre-Sandy were associated with significantly less opioid-positive urine drug findings in the 6 months following Sandy compared to the rest of the clinic population. These findings demonstrate the adaptability of a safety net buprenorphine program to ensure positive treatment outcomes despite disaster-related factors.

  13. Subacute motor neuron hyperexcitability with mercury poisoning: a case series and literature review.

    PubMed

    Zhou, Zhibin; Zhang, Xingwen; Cui, Fang; Liu, Ruozhuo; Dong, Zhao; Wang, Xiaolin; Yu, Shengyuan

    2014-01-01

    Motor neuron hyperexcitability (MNH) indicates a disorder characterized by an ectopic motor nerve discharge on electromyogram (EMG). Here, we present a series of three cases of subacute MNH with mercury poisoning. The first case showed hyperhidrosis, insomnia, generalied myokymia, cramps, tremor, weight loss, and myokymic and neuromyotonic discharges, followed by encephalopathy with confusion, hallucinations, and memory decrease. The second case was similar to the former but without encephalopathic features. The third case showed widespread fasciculation, fatigue, insomnia, weight loss, and autonomic dysfunction, including constipation, micturition difficulty, and impotence, with multiple fibrillation, unstable fasciculation, widened motor neuron potential, and an incremental response at high-rate stimulation in repetitive nerve stimulation. Based on the symptoms, the three cases were diagnosed as Morvan's syndrome, Isaacs' syndrome, and Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome with ALS-like syndrome, respectively. Mercury poisoning in the three cases was confirmed by analysis of blood and urine samples. All cases recovered several months after chelation therapy and were in good condition at follow-up. Very few cases of MNH linked with mercury exposure have been reported in the literature. The mechanism of mercury-induced MNH may be associated with ion channel dysfunction. © 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  14. Gamma-hydroxybutyric acid endogenous production and post-mortem behaviour - the importance of different biological matrices, cut-off reference values, sample collection and storage conditions.

    PubMed

    Castro, André L; Dias, Mário; Reis, Flávio; Teixeira, Helena M

    2014-10-01

    Gamma-Hydroxybutyric Acid (GHB) is an endogenous compound with a story of clinical use, since the 1960's. However, due to its secondary effects, it has become a controlled substance, entering the illicit market for recreational and "dance club scene" use, muscle enhancement purposes and drug-facilitated sexual assaults. Its endogenous context can bring some difficulties when interpreting, in a forensic context, the analytical values achieved in biological samples. This manuscript reviewed several crucial aspects related to GHB forensic toxicology evaluation, such as its post-mortem behaviour in biological samples; endogenous production values, whether in in vivo and in post-mortem samples; sampling and storage conditions (including stability tests); and cut-off reference values evaluation for different biological samples, such as whole blood, plasma, serum, urine, saliva, bile, vitreous humour and hair. This revision highlights the need of specific sampling care, storage conditions, and cut-off reference values interpretation in different biological samples, essential for proper practical application in forensic toxicology. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.

  15. A magnetic bead-based method for concentrating DNA from human urine for downstream detection.

    PubMed

    Bordelon, Hali; Russ, Patricia K; Wright, David W; Haselton, Frederick R

    2013-01-01

    Due to the presence of PCR inhibitors, PCR cannot be used directly on most clinical samples, including human urine, without pre-treatment. A magnetic bead-based strategy is one potential method to collect biomarkers from urine samples and separate the biomarkers from PCR inhibitors. In this report, a 1 mL urine sample was mixed within the bulb of a transfer pipette containing lyophilized nucleic acid-silica adsorption buffer and silica-coated magnetic beads. After mixing, the sample was transferred from the pipette bulb to a small diameter tube, and captured biomarkers were concentrated using magnetic entrainment of beads through pre-arrayed wash solutions separated by small air gaps. Feasibility was tested using synthetic segments of the 140 bp tuberculosis IS6110 DNA sequence spiked into pooled human urine samples. DNA recovery was evaluated by qPCR. Despite the presence of spiked DNA, no DNA was detectable in unextracted urine samples, presumably due to the presence of PCR inhibitors. However, following extraction with the magnetic bead-based method, we found that ∼50% of spiked TB DNA was recovered from human urine containing roughly 5×10(3) to 5×10(8) copies of IS6110 DNA. In addition, the DNA was concentrated approximately ten-fold into water. The final concentration of DNA in the eluate was 5×10(6), 14×10(6), and 8×10(6) copies/µL for 1, 3, and 5 mL urine samples, respectively. Lyophilized and freshly prepared reagents within the transfer pipette produced similar results, suggesting that long-term storage without refrigeration is possible. DNA recovery increased with the length of the spiked DNA segments from 10±0.9% for a 75 bp DNA sequence to 42±4% for a 100 bp segment and 58±9% for a 140 bp segment. The estimated LOD was 77 copies of DNA/µL of urine. The strategy presented here provides a simple means to achieve high nucleic acid recovery from easily obtained urine samples, which does not contain inhibitors of PCR.

  16. A Magnetic Bead-Based Method for Concentrating DNA from Human Urine for Downstream Detection

    PubMed Central

    Bordelon, Hali; Russ, Patricia K.; Wright, David W.; Haselton, Frederick R.

    2013-01-01

    Due to the presence of PCR inhibitors, PCR cannot be used directly on most clinical samples, including human urine, without pre-treatment. A magnetic bead-based strategy is one potential method to collect biomarkers from urine samples and separate the biomarkers from PCR inhibitors. In this report, a 1 mL urine sample was mixed within the bulb of a transfer pipette containing lyophilized nucleic acid-silica adsorption buffer and silica-coated magnetic beads. After mixing, the sample was transferred from the pipette bulb to a small diameter tube, and captured biomarkers were concentrated using magnetic entrainment of beads through pre-arrayed wash solutions separated by small air gaps. Feasibility was tested using synthetic segments of the 140 bp tuberculosis IS6110 DNA sequence spiked into pooled human urine samples. DNA recovery was evaluated by qPCR. Despite the presence of spiked DNA, no DNA was detectable in unextracted urine samples, presumably due to the presence of PCR inhibitors. However, following extraction with the magnetic bead-based method, we found that ∼50% of spiked TB DNA was recovered from human urine containing roughly 5×103 to 5×108 copies of IS6110 DNA. In addition, the DNA was concentrated approximately ten-fold into water. The final concentration of DNA in the eluate was 5×106, 14×106, and 8×106 copies/µL for 1, 3, and 5 mL urine samples, respectively. Lyophilized and freshly prepared reagents within the transfer pipette produced similar results, suggesting that long-term storage without refrigeration is possible. DNA recovery increased with the length of the spiked DNA segments from 10±0.9% for a 75 bp DNA sequence to 42±4% for a 100 bp segment and 58±9% for a 140 bp segment. The estimated LOD was 77 copies of DNA/µL of urine. The strategy presented here provides a simple means to achieve high nucleic acid recovery from easily obtained urine samples, which does not contain inhibitors of PCR. PMID:23861895

  17. 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 our screening tests had a sensitivity and specificity of 100%, whereas we can only refer the pregnant women with positive leucocyte esterase test and significant pyuria to the urine culture. PMID:29403616

  18. Urine Volume and Change in Estimated GFR in a Community-Based Cohort Study

    PubMed Central

    Sontrop, Jessica M.; Macnab, Jennifer J.; Suri, Rita S.; Moist, Louise; Salvadori, Marina; Garg, Amit X.

    2011-01-01

    Summary Background and objectives The effect of increased fluid intake on kidney function is unclear. This study evaluates the relationship between urine volume and renal decline over 6 years in a large community-based cohort. Design, setting, participants, & measurements This prospective cohort study was undertaken in Canada from 2002 to 2008. We obtained 24-hour urine samples from adult participants with an estimated GFR (eGFR) ≥60ml/min per 1.73 m2 at study entry. Percentage annual change in eGFR from baseline was categorized as average decline <1% per year, between 1% and 4.9% (mild-to-moderate decline) or ≥5% (rapid decline). Results 2148 participants provided valid 24-hour urine samples, grouped as <1 L/d (14.5%); 1 to 1.9 L/d (51.5%); 2 to 2.9 L/d (26.3%); and ≥3 L/d (7.7%). Baseline eGFR for each category of urine volume was 90, 88, 84, and 87 ml/min per 1.73 m2, respectively. Overall, eGFR declined by 1% per year, with 10% demonstrating rapid decline and 40% demonstrating mild-to-moderate decline. An inverse, graded relationship was evident between urine volume and eGFR decline: For each increasing category of 24-hour urine volume, percentage annual eGFR decline was progressively slower, from 1.3%, 1.0%, 0.8%, to 0.5%, respectively; P = 0.02. Compared with those with urine volume 1 to 1.9 L/d, those with urine volume ≥3 L/d were significantly less likely to demonstrate mild-to-moderate decline (adjusted odds ratio 0.66; 95% confidence interval 0.46 to 0.94) or rapid decline (adjusted odds ratio 0.46; 95% confidence interval 0.23 to 0.92); adjusted for age, gender, baseline eGFR, medication use for hypertension (including diuretics), proteinuria, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Conclusions In this community-based cohort, decline in kidney function was significantly slower in those with higher versus lower urine volume. PMID:21885793

  19. Urine analysis concerning xenon for doping control purposes.

    PubMed

    Thevis, Mario; Piper, Thomas; Geyer, Hans; Schaefer, Maximilian S; Schneemann, Julia; Kienbaum, Peter; Schänzer, Wilhelm

    2015-01-15

    On September 1(st) 2014, a modified Prohibited List as established by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) became effective featuring xenon as a banned substance categorized as hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) activator. Consequently, the analysis of xenon from commonly provided doping control specimens such as blood and urine is desirable, and first data on the determination of xenon from urine in the context of human sports drug testing, are presented. In accordance to earlier studies utilizing plasma as doping control matrix, urine was enriched to saturation with xenon, sequentially diluted, and the target analyte was detected as supported by the internal standard d6 -cyclohexanone by means of gas chromatography/triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (GC/MS/MS) using headspace injection. Three major xenon isotopes at m/z 128.9, 130.9 and 131.9 were targeted in (pseudo) selected reaction monitoring mode enabling the unambiguous identification of the prohibited substance. Assay characteristics including limit of detection (LOD), intraday/interday precision, and specificity as well as analyte recovery under different storage conditions were determined. Proof-of-concept data were generated by applying the established method to urine samples collected from five patients before, during and after (up to 48 h) xenon-based general anesthesia. Xenon was traceable in enriched human urine samples down to the detection limit of approximately 0.5 nmol/mL. The intraday and interday imprecision values of the method were found below 25%, and specificity was demonstrated by analyzing 20 different blank urine samples that corroborated the fitness-for-purpose of the analytical approach to unequivocally detect xenon at non-physiological concentrations in human urine. The patients' urine specimens returned 'xenon-positive' test results up to 40 h post-anesthesia, indicating the limits of the expected doping control detection window. Since xenon has been considered a prohibited substance according to WADA regulations in September 2014, its analysis from common specimens of routine sports drug testing is desirable. In previous studies, its traceability in whole blood and plasma was shown, and herein a complementary approach utilizing doping control urine samples for the GC/MS/MS analysis of xenon was reported. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  20. Vulvar Epidermoid Cyst and Type 2 Radical Genital Mutilation

    PubMed Central

    Birge, Ozer; Ozbey, Ertugrul Gazi; Arslan, Deniz; Erkan, Mustafa Melih; Demir, Feyza; Akgor, Utku

    2015-01-01

    About 100 million women are estimated to be circumcised globally. Various rates of complications have been encountered, especially after circumcision, such as bleeding, infection, shock, menstrual irregularity, difficulty in urination or common urinary tract infections, inguinal pain, difficulty in sexual intercourse, and genital circumcision scar especially at the vulvar region, and cystic or solid character mass in short and long term. Furthermore, the maternal-fetal morbidity and mortality increase due to bleeding and fistula, which develop after prolonged labor, travail, and difficult labors. Our aim in this paper was to discuss a 42-year-old multiparous female case who had undergone type 2 radical genital mutilation (circumcision) when she was 7 years of age, along with the literature, which has been evaluated for the gradually growing mass at the left inguinal canal region in the last 10 years and diagnosed as epidermoid inclusion cyst developing secondary to postcircumcision surgical ground trauma, since there was no other case found in the literature search that had been circumcised at such an early age and developing after circumcision at such advanced age, and, therefore, this is suggested to be the first case on this subject. PMID:26682078

  1. Catecholamines - urine

    MedlinePlus

    Dopamine - urine test; Epinephrine - urine test; Adrenalin - urine test; Urine metanephrine; Normetanephrine; Norepinephrine - urine test; Urine catecholamines; VMA; HVA; Metanephrine; Homovanillic ...

  2. Bacteria on Urine Microscopy Is Not Associated with Systemic Infection in Patients with Obstructing Urolithiasis.

    PubMed

    Cheung, Felix; Loeb, Charles A; Croglio, Michael P; Waltzer, Wayne C; Weissbart, Steven J

    2017-09-01

    Determining whether bacterial presence in urine microscopy represents infection is important as ureteral stent placement is indicated in patients with obstructing urolithiasis and infection. We aim to investigate whether the presence of bacteria on urine microscopy is associated with other markers of infection in patients with obstructing urolithiasis presenting to the emergency room. We performed a cross-sectional study of 199 patients with obstructing urolithiasis and divided patients into two groups according to the presence of bacteria on urine microscopy. The primary outcome was serum white blood cell count and secondary outcomes were objective fever, subjective fever, tachycardia, pyuria, and final urine culture. Univariate and multivariate analysis were used to assess whether the presence of bacteria on microscopy was associated with other markers of infection. The study included 72 patients in the bacteriuria group and 127 without bacteriuria. On univariate analysis, the presence of bacteria was not associated with leukocytosis, objective fever, or subjective fever, but it was associated with gender (p < 0.001), pyuria (p < 0.001), positive nitrites (p = 0.001), positive leukocyte esterase (p < 0.001), and squamous epithelial cells (p = 0.002). In a multilinear regression model including the presence of squamous cells, age, and sex, the presence of bacteriuria was not related to serum white blood cell count (coefficient -0.47; 95% confidence interval [CI] -1.1, 0.2; p = 0.17), heart rate (coefficient 0.85; 95% CI -2.5, 4.2; p = 0.62), presence of subjective or objective fever (odds ratio [OR] 1.5; 95% CI 0.8, 3.1; p = 0.18), or the presence of squamous epithelial cells (coefficient -4.4; 95% CI -10, 1.2; p = 0.12). However, the presence of bacteriuria was related to only the degree of pyuria (coefficient 16.4; 95% CI 9.6, 23.3; p < 0.001). Bacteria on urine microscopy is not associated with other markers of systemic infection and may largely represent a contaminant. Renal colic may be a risk factor for providing a contaminated urine specimen.

  3. Integrated water management system - Description and test results. [for Space Station waste water processing

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Elden, N. C.; Winkler, H. E.; Price, D. F.; Reysa, R. P.

    1983-01-01

    Water recovery subsystems are being tested at the NASA Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center for Space Station use to process waste water generated from urine and wash water collection facilities. These subsystems are being integrated into a water management system that will incorporate wash water and urine processing through the use of hyperfiltration and vapor compression distillation subsystems. Other hardware in the water management system includes a whole body shower, a clothes washing facility, a urine collection and pretreatment unit, a recovered water post-treatment system, and a water quality monitor. This paper describes the integrated test configuration, pertinent performance data, and feasibility and design compatibility conclusions of the integrated water management system.

  4. Effect of Processing Delay and Storage Conditions on Urine Albumin-to-Creatinine Ratio.

    PubMed

    Herrington, William; Illingworth, Nicola; Staplin, Natalie; Kumar, Aishwarya; Storey, Ben; Hrusecka, Renata; Judge, Parminder; Mahmood, Maria; Parish, Sarah; Landray, Martin; Haynes, Richard; Baigent, Colin; Hill, Michael; Clark, Sarah

    2016-10-07

    Because there is substantial biologic intraindividual variation in albumin excretion, randomized trials of albuminuria-reducing therapies may need multiple urine samples to estimate daily urinary albumin excretion. Mailing spot urine samples could offer a convenient and cost-effective method to collect multiple samples, but urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio stability in samples stored at ambient temperatures for several days is unknown. Patients with kidney disease provided fresh urine samples in two tubes (with and without boric acid preservative). Reference aliquots from each participant were analyzed immediately, whereas remaining aliquots were subject to different handling/storage conditions before analysis, including delayed processing for up to 7 days at three different storage temperatures (4°C, 18°C, and 30°C), multiple freeze-thaw cycles, and long-term frozen storage at -80°C, -40°C, and -20°C. We calculated the mean percentage change in urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio for each condition, and we considered samples stable if the 95% confidence interval was within a ±5% threshold. Ninety-three patients provided samples with detectable albuminuria in the reference aliquot. Median (interquartile range) urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio was 87 (20-499) mg/g. The inclusion of preservative had minimal effect on fresh urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio measurements but reduced the changes in albumin and creatinine in samples subject to processing delay and storage conditions. The urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio was stable for 7 days in samples containing preservative at 4°C and 18°C and 2 days when stored at 30°C. It was also stable in samples with preservative after three freeze-thaw cycles and in frozen storage for 6 months at -80°C or -40°C but not at -20°C. Mailed urine samples collected with preservative and received within 7 days if ambient temperature is ≤18°C, or within 2 days if the temperature is higher but does not exceed 30°C, are suitable for the measurement of urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio in randomized trials. Preserved samples frozen to -40°C or -80°C for 6 months before analysis also seem suitable. Copyright © 2016 by the American Society of Nephrology.

  5. Effect of Processing Delay and Storage Conditions on Urine Albumin-to-Creatinine Ratio

    PubMed Central

    Illingworth, Nicola; Staplin, Natalie; Kumar, Aishwarya; Storey, Ben; Hrusecka, Renata; Judge, Parminder; Mahmood, Maria; Parish, Sarah; Landray, Martin; Haynes, Richard; Baigent, Colin; Hill, Michael; Clark, Sarah

    2016-01-01

    Background and objectives Because there is substantial biologic intraindividual variation in albumin excretion, randomized trials of albuminuria-reducing therapies may need multiple urine samples to estimate daily urinary albumin excretion. Mailing spot urine samples could offer a convenient and cost-effective method to collect multiple samples, but urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio stability in samples stored at ambient temperatures for several days is unknown. Design, setting, participants, & measurements Patients with kidney disease provided fresh urine samples in two tubes (with and without boric acid preservative). Reference aliquots from each participant were analyzed immediately, whereas remaining aliquots were subject to different handling/storage conditions before analysis, including delayed processing for up to 7 days at three different storage temperatures (4°C, 18°C, and 30°C), multiple freeze-thaw cycles, and long–term frozen storage at −80°C, −40°C, and −20°C. We calculated the mean percentage change in urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio for each condition, and we considered samples stable if the 95% confidence interval was within a ±5% threshold. Results Ninety-three patients provided samples with detectable albuminuria in the reference aliquot. Median (interquartile range) urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio was 87 (20–499) mg/g. The inclusion of preservative had minimal effect on fresh urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio measurements but reduced the changes in albumin and creatinine in samples subject to processing delay and storage conditions. The urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio was stable for 7 days in samples containing preservative at 4°C and 18°C and 2 days when stored at 30°C. It was also stable in samples with preservative after three freeze-thaw cycles and in frozen storage for 6 months at −80°C or −40°C but not at −20°C. Conclusions Mailed urine samples collected with preservative and received within 7 days if ambient temperature is ≤18°C, or within 2 days if the temperature is higher but does not exceed 30°C, are suitable for the measurement of urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio in randomized trials. Preserved samples frozen to −40°C or −80°C for 6 months before analysis also seem suitable. PMID:27654930

  6. Laboratory aspects of asymptomatic bacteriuria in pregnancy.

    PubMed

    Mohammad, Marlyn; Mahdy, Zaleha A; Omar, Jamil; Maan, Noorashikin; Jamil, M A

    2002-09-01

    A total of 1,661 pregnant women aged between 13 and 45 years were screened for bacteriuria by urine culture. Of the 1,661 culture results, 615 (37%) yielded no growth; 728 (43.8%) yielded no significant growth (presence of <10(5) organisms/ml urine of one or more types of bacteria); 286 (17.2%) yielded mixed growth (presence of >10(5) organisms/ml urine of more than one type of bacteria) and only 32 (1.9%) showed significant growth (presence of >10(5) organisms/ml urine of a single bacterium). Urine microscopy was also conducted. Two hundred and twenty-four (13.5%) specimens had >10 white blood cells/ml urine, of which 66 had >100 white blood cells; 13 were from the significant growth group. Three hundred and seventy-four (22.5%) specimens showed the presence of bacteria, 42 (2.5%) had red blood cells, 370 (22.3%) had epithelial cells, 58 (3.5%) had crystals, and 14 (0.8%) had yeasts. The most common bacterium isolated was Escherichia coli (12; 40%); the others included group B Streptococcus (5; 15%), Klebsiella spp (5; 15%), Diphtheroids (2), and Candida albicans (2). Fifty-two percent of tested strains were sensitive to ampicillin; 24 of 28 strains (85.7%) were sensitive to ciprofloxacin; all 7 strains tested were sensitive to nitrofurantoin and all 20 strains tested were sensitive to cotrimoxazole; 14/20 (70%) and 16/17 (94.1%) were sensitive to cephalexin and cefuroxime respectively. This study shows that asymptomatic bacteriuria does occur in pregnant women, albeit at a very low rate in an urban setting like Cheras. Urine microscopy is not specific and only serves as a guide to bacteriuria. The commonest causative organisms are those from the gastrointestinal tract and vagina. The antibiogram showed that cefuroxime and cephalexin are likely to be effective in treating bacteriuria: ampicillin must be reserved for Gram-negative organisms. For Gram-positive organisms, of which Group B Streptococcus is important, ampicillin is still effective in vitro. Nitrofurantion and cotrimoxazole have excellent activity in vitro and should be considered for therapy. 17.2% of the urine culture yielded mixed growth: likely to indicate that contamination of urine specimens still happens despite the strict instructions given to patients about the collection of a midstream urine specimen. Proper collection, appropriate transport, and the early processing of urine specimens remain essential.

  7. Protocol for accuracy of point of care (POC) or in-office urine drug testing (immunoassay) in chronic pain patients: a prospective analysis of immunoassay and liquid chromatography tandem mass spectometry (LC/MS/MS).

    PubMed

    Manchikanti, Laxmaiah; Malla, Yogesh; Wargo, Bradley W; Cash, Kimberly A; Pampati, Vidyasagar; Damron, Kim S; McManus, Carla D; Brandon, Doris E

    2010-01-01

    Therapeutic use, overuse, abuse, and diversion of controlled substances in managing chronic non-cancer pain continues to be an issue for physicians and patients. It has been stated that physicians, along with the public and federal, state, and local government; professional associations; and pharmaceutical companies all share responsibility for preventing abuse of controlled prescription drugs. The challenge is to eliminate or significantly curtail abuse of controlled prescription drugs while still assuring the proper treatment of those patients. A number of techniques, instruments, and tools have been described to monitor controlled substance use and abuse. Thus, multiple techniques and tools available for adherence monitoring include urine drug testing in conjunction with prescription monitoring programs and other screening tests. However, urine drug testing is associated with multiple methodological flaws. Multiple authors have provided conflicting results in relation to diagnostic accuracy with differing opinions about how to monitor adherence in a non-systematic fashion. Thus far, there have not been any studies systematically assessing the diagnostic accuracy of immunoassay with laboratory testing. A diagnostic accuracy study of urine drug testing. An interventional pain management practice, a specialty referral center, a private practice setting in the United States. To compare the information obtained by point of care (POC) or in-office urine drug testing (index test) to the information found when all drugs and analytes are tested by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectroscopy (LC/MS/MS) reference test in the same urine sample. The study is designed to include 1,000 patients with chronic pain receiving controlled substances. The primary outcome measure is the diagnostic accuracy. Patients will be tested for various controlled substances, including opioids, benzodiazepines, and illicit drugs. The diagnostic accuracy study is performed utilizing the Standards for Reporting of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies (STARD) initiative which established reporting guidelines for diagnostic accuracy studies to improve the quality of reporting. The prototypical flow diagram of diagnostic accuracy study as described by STARD will be utilized. Results of diagnostic accuracy and correlation of clinical factors in relation to threshold levels, prevalence of abuse, false-positives, false-negatives, influence of other drugs, and demographic characteristics will be calculated. The limitations include lack of availability of POC testing with lower cutoff levels. This article presents a protocol for a diagnostic accuracy study of urine drug testing. The protocol also will permit correlation of various clinical factors in relation to threshold levels, prevalence of abuse, false-positives, false-negatives, influence of other drugs, and demographic characteristics. NCT 01052155.

  8. Characterization of the canine urinary proteome.

    PubMed

    Brandt, Laura E; Ehrhart, E J; Scherman, Hataichanok; Olver, Christine S; Bohn, Andrea A; Prenni, Jessica E

    2014-06-01

    Urine is an attractive biofluid for biomarker discovery as it is easy and minimally invasive to obtain. While numerous studies have focused on the characterization of human urine, much less research has focused on canine urine. The objectives of this study were to characterize the universal canine urinary proteome (both soluble and exosomal), to determine the overlap between the canine proteome and a representative human urinary proteome study, to generate a resource for future canine studies, and to determine the suitability of the dog as a large animal model for human diseases. The soluble and exosomal fractions of normal canine urine were characterized using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Biological Networks Gene Ontology (BiNGO) software was utilized to assign the canine urinary proteome to respective Gene Ontology categories, such as Cellular Component, Molecular Function, and Biological Process. Over 500 proteins were confidently identified in normal canine urine. Gene Ontology analysis revealed that exosomal proteins were largely derived from an intracellular location, while soluble proteins included both extracellular and membrane proteins. Exosome proteins were assigned to metabolic processes and localization, while soluble proteins were primarily annotated to specific localization processes. Several proteins identified in normal canine urine have previously been identified in human urine where these proteins are related to various extrarenal and renal diseases. The results of this study illustrate the potential of the dog as an animal model for human disease states and provide the framework for future studies of canine renal diseases. © 2014 American Society for Veterinary Clinical Pathology and European Society for Veterinary Clinical Pathology.

  9. Baby care product development: artificial urine in vitro assay is useful for cosmetic product assessment.

    PubMed

    Degouy, Arnaud; Gomez-Berrada, Marie-Pierre; Ferret, Pierre-Jacques

    2014-02-01

    As a result of infants' inability to control urination, the skin of the diaper area has special needs for protection from irritating effects of urine and prevention of diaper dermatitis such as products for cleansing and protection of the skin. Several in vitro models are currently available to assess tolerance. In vitro testing using artificial urine allows the protective effects of diaper-region cosmetics to be ascertained. Thus, a new model defined as "artificial urine in vitro assay" has been added to our traditional pre-clinical in vitro testing program. IL1-α is a highly active and pleiotropic pro-inflammatory cytokine. It plays a key role in inflammation and is the biological mirror of irritation induced by diaper dermatitis. This study determines, on human skin explants, if a cosmetic formula is (1) tolerated equally as well in the presence of artificial urine as in its absence and (2) is able to decrease IL1-α production induced by artificial urine or Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate. 31 tests including 17 in-house formulas, 10 bench-markers and 4 combinations of products were performed and data obtained are represented on a simple four-point scale (from practically non protective to very protective). It allows determination of formula-type groups that will have predictable protective properties in subsequent clinical trials and comparison with competitors' products. It is a useful aid in the formulation stage and provides readily-useable data for the cosmetic risk assessment. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Diagnosis and Inflammatory Response of Patients with Candiduria

    PubMed Central

    Helbig, S.; Achkar, J. M.; Jain, N.; Wang, X.; Gialanella, P.; Levi, M; Fries, B.C.

    2012-01-01

    Summary Background Candiduria is common in hospitalized patients but the clinical relevance is still unclear. Objective This study was done to further our knowledge on detection of and host responses to candiduria. Patients Urines and clinical data from 136 patients in whom presence of yeast was diagnosed by microscopic urinalysis were collected. Diagnosis by standard urine culture methods on blood and MacConkey agar as well as on fungal culture medium (Sabouraud dextrose agar) was compared. Inflammatory parameters (IL-6 and IL-17, Ig) were quantified in the urine and compared to levels in control patients without candiduria. Results and Conclusions Standard urine culture methods detected only 37% of Candida spp. in urine. Sensitivity was especially low (23%) for C. glabrata and was independent of fungal burden. Candida specific IgG but not IgA was significantly elevated when compared to control patients (p<0.0001 and 0.07, respectively). In addition, urine levels of IL-6 and IL-17 were significantly higher in candiduric patients when compared to control patients (p<0.001). Multivariate analysis documented an independent association between an increased IgG (odds ratio (OR) 136.0, 95% confidence interval (CI) 25.7 to 719.2; p<0.0001), an increased IL-17 (OR 17.4, 95% CI 5.3–57.0; p<0.0001) and an increased IL-6 level (OR 4.9, 95% CI 1.9–12.4; p=0.001) and candiduria. In summary, our data indicate that clinical studies on candiduria should include fungal urine culture and that inflammatory parameters may be helpful to identify patients with clinically relevant candiduria. PMID:22574854

  11. OSMOTIC DIURESIS AND ITS EFFECT ON TOTAL ELECTROLYTE DISTRIBUTION IN PLASMA AND URINE OF THE AGLOMERULAR TELEOST, LOPHIUS AMERICANUS

    PubMed Central

    Forster, Roy P.; Berglund, Fredrik

    1956-01-01

    Quantitative evaluations have been made of the chief anions and cations in plasma, urine, and pericardial fluid taken both from freshly captured goosefish and from those undergoing "laboratory diuresis." Measurements included: Na, K, Ca, Mg, Cl, SO4, PO4, protein, HCO3, NH3, pH, titratable acidity, freezing point depression, creatine, trimethylamine oxide, and plasma volume. The total patterns of electrolyte distribution in these body fluids are presented. The morphologically undifferentiated aglomerular tubule acts as a barrier to the free diffusion of monovalent electrolytes, while transporting actively the divalent ions, especially Mg. Urine taken from freshly captured fish is hypotonic to plasma, low in electrolyte, and as much as 50 per cent of its total osmolarity is accounted for by nitrogenous components. Of these creatine is transported most actively by the renal tubule cells. With the onset of diuresis immediately after capture, plasma osmolarity slowly rises and urine suddenly becomes isotonic with plasma as chloride floods into the urine. The active movement of Mg continues during diuresis and urine/plasma concentration ratios of 100 or more are sustained for days while the animals are kept in the laboratory. Na follows chloride and never reaches 50 per cent of plasma values, and K never appears in urine in more than mere traces. Electrolytes in this system are viewed as not being in true equilibrium but rather as constituting a biological steady state with the distribution across renal cells being maintained against passive diffusion by the expenditure of cellular energy. PMID:13286453

  12. Impact of probability estimation on frequency of urine culture requests in ambulatory settings.

    PubMed

    Gul, Naheed; Quadri, Mujtaba

    2012-07-01

    To determine the perceptions of the medical community about urine culture in diagnosing urinary tract infections. The cross-sectional survey based of consecutive sampling was conducted at Shifa International Hospital, Islamabad, on 200 doctors, including medical students of the Shifa College of Medicine, from April to October 2010. A questionnaire with three common clinical scenarios of low, intermediate and high pre-test probability for urinary tract infection was used to assess the behaviour of the respondents to make a decision for urine culture test. The differences between the reference estimates and the respondents' estimates of pre- and post-test probability were assessed. The association of estimated probabilities with the number of tests ordered was also evaluated. The respondents were also asked about the cost effectiveness and safety of urine culture and sensitivity. Data was analysed using SPSS version 15. In low pre-test probability settings, the disease probability was over-estimated, suggesting the participants' inability to rule out the disease. The post-test probabilities were, however, under-estimated by the doctors as compared to the students. In intermediate and high pre-test probability settings, both over- and underestimation of probabilities were noticed. Doctors were more likely to consider ordering the test as the disease probability increased. Most of the respondents were of the opinion that urine culture was a cost-effective test and there was no associated potential harm. The wide variation in the clinical use of urine culture necessitates the formulation of appropriate guidelines for the diagnostic use of urine culture, and application of Bayesian probabilistic thinking to real clinical situations.

  13. Development and validation of a ultra performance LC-ESI/MS method for analysis of metabolic phenotypes of healthy men in day and night urine samples.

    PubMed

    Wang, Xijun; Lv, Haitao; Zhang, Guangmei; Sun, Wenjun; Zhou, Dixin; Jiao, Guozheng; Yu, Yang

    2008-09-01

    Ultra-performance LC coupled to quadrupole TOF/MS (UPLC-QTOF/MS) in positive and negative ESI was developed and validated to analyze metabolite profiles for urine from healthy men during the day and at night. Data analysis using principal components analysis (PCA) revealed differences between metabolic phenotypes of urine in healthy men during the day and at night. Positive ions with mass-to-charge ratio (m/z) 310.24 (5.35 min), 286.24 (4.74 min) and 310.24 (5.63 min) were elevated in the urine from healthy men at night compared to that during the day. Negative ions elevated in day urine samples of healthy men included m/z 167.02 (0.66 min), 263.12 (2.55 min) and 191.03 (0.73 min), whilst ions m/z 212.01 (4.77 min) were at a lower concentration in urine of healthy men during the day compared to that at night. The ions m/z 212.01 (4.77 min), 191.03 (0.73 min) and 310.24 (5.35 min) preliminarily correspond to indoxyl sulfate, citric acid and N-acetylneuraminic acid, providing further support for an involvement of phenotypic difference in urine of healthy men in day and night samples, which may be associated with notably different activities of gut microbiota, velocity of tricarboxylic acid cycle and activity of sialic acid biosynthesis in healthy men as regulated by circadian rhythm of the mammalian bioclock.

  14. Estimated amount of 24-hour urine sodium excretion is positively correlated with stomach and breast cancer prevalence in Korea.

    PubMed

    Park, Jung Hwan; Kim, Yong Chul; Koo, Ho Seok; Oh, Se Won; Kim, Suhnggwon; Chin, Ho Jun

    2014-09-01

    Stomach cancer is one of the most common cancers in Korea. The aim of this study was to identify the association between the prevalence of cancer, particularly stomach cancer, and the amount of 24-hr urine sodium excretion estimated from spot urine specimens. The study included 19,083 subjects who took part in the Korean National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey between 2009 and 2011. The total amount of urine sodium excreted in a 24-hr period was estimated by using two equations based on the values for spot urine sodium and creatinine. In subjects who had an estimated 24-hr urine sodium excretion of more than two standard deviations above the mean (group 2), the prevalence of stomach cancer was higher than in subjects with lower 24-hr sodium excretion (group 1). By using the Tanaka equation to estimate it, the prevalence of stomach cancer was 0.6% (114/18,331) in group 1, whereas it was 1.6% (9/568) in group 2 (P=0.006). By using the Korean equation, the prevalence was 0.6% (115/18,392) in group 1, and 1.6% in group 2 (8/507) (P=0.010). By using the Tanaka equation, breast cancer in women is more prevalent in group 2 (1.9%, 6/324) than group 1 (0.8%, 78/9,985, P=0.039). Higher salt intake, as defined by the estimated amount of 24-hr urine sodium excretion, is positively correlated with a higher prevalence of stomach or breast cancer in the Korean population.

  15. Clinical and metabolic evaluation of patients with history of renal calculi in Qazvin, Iran.

    PubMed

    Charkhchian, Maliheh; Samani, Simin; Merat, Ehsan

    2015-12-01

    Nephrolithiasis is a common clinical disorder with significant health and economic burden. We conducted this study to evaluate clinical and metabolic parameters in adult patients with history of renal calculi. A total of 213 patients with history of nephrolithiasis participated in this study. Evaluation included the measurement of serum calcium, uric acid, parathormone, renal function tests, urinalysis, and urinary tests for cystinuria. Also, parameters such as volume, creatinine, calcium, uric acid, citrate, and oxalate levels were measured on 24-h urine. All patients underwent urinary tract system sonography. Of total patients, 52% were males and 48% females. The mean age was 45.16 ± 13.16 years. Also, 51.2% of subjects had positive family history of nephrolithiasis. The mean body mass index was (26.8 ± 4.2) kg/m(2). The mean 24-h urine biochemical profiles were volume (1,748 ± 860 ml), Ca (183 ± 115), uric acid (544 ± 220), citrate (490 ± 351), and oxalate (17.1 ± 15.3) mg/day; urine calcium to creatinine ratio (0.15 ± 0.10) mg/mg, and urine calcium to weight ratio (2.4 ± 1.7) mg/kg. While there were weak positive correlations between the body mass index and urinary calcium (r = 0.101, P < 0.001) and uric acid (r = 0.200, P < 0.001), a weak negative correlation with urine pH (r = -0.104, P < 0.001) was found. Urine calcium, uric acid, and oxalate excretion were low in our patients while urine citrate was relatively high. Higher BMI maybe a risk factor for nephrolithiasis.

  16. Association of malodorous urine with urinary tract infection in children aged 1 to 36 months.

    PubMed

    Gauthier, Marie; Gouin, Serge; Phan, Véronique; Gravel, Jocelyn

    2012-05-01

    To determine whether parental reporting of malodorous urine is associated with urinary tract infection (UTI) in children. We conducted a prospective consecutive cohort study in the emergency department of a pediatric hospital from July 31, 2009 to April 30, 2011. All children aged between 1 and 36 months for whom a urine culture was prescribed for suspected UTI (ie, unexplained fever, irritability, or vomiting) were assessed for eligibility. A standardized questionnaire was administered to the parents by a research assistant. The primary outcome measure was a UTI. Three hundred ninety-six children were initially enrolled, but 65 were excluded a posteriori either because a urine culture, although prescribed, was not done (11), was collected by bag (39), and/or showed gross contamination (25). Therefore, 331 children were included in the final analysis. Their median age was 12 months (range, 1-36). Criteria for UTI were fulfilled in 51 (15%). A malodorous urine was reported by parents in 57% of children with UTI and in 32% of children without UTI. On logistic regression, malodorous urine was associated with UTI (odds ratio 2.83, 95% confidence interval: 1.54-5.20). This association remained statistically significant when adjusted for gender and the presence of vesicoureteral reflux (odds ratio 2.73, 95% confidence interval: 1.46-5.08). Parental reporting of malodorous urine increases the probability of UTI among young children being evaluated for suspected UTI. However, this association is not strong enough to definitely rule in or out a diagnosis of UTI.

  17. Preparation of magnetic ODS-PAN thin-films for microextraction of quetiapine and clozapine in plasma and urine samples followed by HPLC-UV detection.

    PubMed

    Li, Dan; Zou, Juan; Cai, Pei-Shan; Xiong, Chao-Mei; Ruan, Jin-Lan

    2016-06-05

    In this study, conventional thin-film microextraction (TFME) was endowed with magnetic by introducing superparamagnetic SiO2@Fe3O4 nanoparticles in thin-films. Novel magnetic octadecylsilane (ODS)-polyacrylonitrile (PAN) thin-films were prepared by spraying, and used for the microextraction of quetiapine and clozapine in plasma and urine samples, followed by the detection of HPLC-UV. The influencing factors on the extraction efficiency of magnetic ODS-PAN TFME, including pH, extraction time, desorption solvent, desorption time, and ion strength were investigated systematically. Under the optimal conditions, both analytes showed good linearity over ranges of 0.070-9.000μgmL(-1) and 0.012-9.000μgmL(-1) in plasma and urine samples, respectively, with correlation coefficients (R(2)) above 0.9990. Limits of detection (LODs) for quetiapine in plasma and urine samples were 0.013 and 0.003μgmL(-1), respectively. LODs for clozapine in plasma and urine samples were 0.015 and 0.003μgmL(-1), respectively. The relative standard deviations (RSDs) for quetiapine and clozapine were less than 9.23%. After the validation, the protocol was successfully applied for the determination of quetiapine and clozapine in patients' plasma and urine samples with satisfactory recoveries between 99-110%. The proposed magnetic ODS-PAN TFME was very simple, fast and easy to handle. It showed high potential as a powerful pretreatment technology for routine therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) in plasma and urine samples. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. Enhancing quality practice for prevention and diagnosis of urinary tract infection during inpatient spinal cord rehabilitation.

    PubMed

    Alavinia, Seyed Mohammad; Omidvar, Maryam; Farahani, Farnoosh; Bayley, Mark; Zee, Joana; Craven, Beverley Catharine

    2017-11-01

    To reduce the incidence of Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) in subacute SCI individuals admitted for tertiary inpatient rehabilitation. A quality improvement team was assembled to improve UTI prevention/diagnosis. To plan data collection, UTI-related factors were mapped in an Ishikawa (fishbone) driver diagram. Data including patient demographics, presence and frequency of signs and/or symptoms of UTI and antibiotic initiation from August to December 2015 were recorded. Sensitivity, Specificity, Positive and Negative Predictive Values (PPV, NPV), and Likelihood Ratios (LR) were calculated for each sign and symptom. Tertiary SCI Rehabilitation Results: Among 55 inpatients with subacute SCI who had signs/symptoms prompting urine culture and sensitivity (C&S), 32 (58.18%) were diagnosed with a UTI. The most frequent symptoms were foul smelling urine (41%), change in urine color (31%), and incontinence (25%), and the most common sign was fever (34%). Most UTIs (81%) occurred among individuals using Clean Intermittent Catheterization (CIC), with 46% of catheterizations performed by nurses. Foul smelling urine had the highest sensitivity (0.50, 95% CI: 0.31-0.69), and new incontinence had the highest specificity (0.88, 95% CI: 0.69-0.97) for UTI diagnosis. The highest PPV belonged to the cloudy urine (0.71, 95% CI: 0.42-0.92). The combination of cloudy and foul smelling urine increased the PPV to 78% (95% CI: (0.40-0.97). The concurrent presence of cloudy and foul smelling urine is predicted of UTI diagnosis inpatients tertiary setting. SCI inpatients are susceptible to UTI when learning CIC technique from nurses.

  19. Long-term therapeutic efficacy of photo-selective vaporization of prostate

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Arum, Carl-Jørgen; Muller, Camilla; Romundstad, Pal; Stokkan, Inger; Mjønes, Jan

    2010-02-01

    OBJECTIVES: We evaluated the long term therapeutic efficacy of 80 watt photo-selective vaporization of the prostate (PVP) in patients suffering from lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) secondary to prostatic obstruction. MATERIAL & METHODS: 150 unselected patients at the average age 73 (range 51-92) and a mean American Society of Anesthesiologists score of 2.4 (median 2.0), of whom 33% were medicated with acetylsalicylic acid and 5% were anticoagulated with warfarin. Inclusion/exclusion criteria were the same as for TUR-P at our institution. First patient was operated March 2004 and yearly follow-up of all patients has been attempted for 5 years. Follow-up variables have included yearly creatinine, PSA, IPSS, ØOL, post-void residual urin and maximum/average urine flow rate. RESULTS: At 12 and 24 months postoperatively, the following parameters were significantly (p<0.001) improved: trans-rectal ultrasound, international prostate symptom score, quality of life score, post-void residual urine volume, flow max/average, opening pressure, pressure @ flow-max, and micturition resistance. At 48 and 60 months creatinine, PSA, IPSS, ØOL, post-void residual urin and maximum/average urine flow rates were still significantly (p<0.001) improved compared to pre-operative values. CONCLUSION: Up to 5 year follow-up reveals that 80 watt PVP provides significant and stable symptom relief as well as objective improvement in residual urine and flowmetric outcomes.

  20. Postoperative bacteriuria, pyuria and urinary tract infection in patients with an orthotopic sigmoid colon neobladder replacement.

    PubMed

    Shigemura, Katsumi; Tanaka, Kazushi; Arakawa, Soichi; Miyake, Hideaki; Fujisawa, Masato

    2014-02-01

    The purpose of this study is to investigate the prevalence of postoperative bacteriuria, pyuria and urine culture in patients with an orthotopic sigmoid colon neobladder replacement. Urine samples for bacteriuria, pyuria and urine culture, if necessary, were collected at 1, 3, 6, 9 and 12 months after surgery and the presence of blood culture and antibiotic-resistant strains, and their treatments on positive urine culture cases were investigated. Of 209 for bacteriuria and 207 for pyuria urine samples with evaluable data, 95 (45.5%) were positive for bacteriuria and 76 (36.7%) had pyuria (10 or more white blood cells per high-power field). Totally, 30 bacteria were isolated from urine culture of urinary tract infection (UTI) and Klebisiella pneumoniae, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcos aureus and Enterococcus spp. strains were representatively isolated. The incidence of pyuria significantly decreased over time (P=0.041) but that of bacteriuria did not (P=0.107). In them, there were six bacteria (20.7%) with antibiotic-resistant strains. The antibiotics used for their treatments representatively were levofloxacin in five cases, tazobactam/piperacillin in three cases and sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim and cefepime, meropenem in two cases, respectively. In conclusion, these findings suggest that physicians taking care of sigmoid colon neobladder patients need to be aware of these high ratios of bacteriuria, pyuria and UTI, including bacteremia.

  1. The Basics of Bacteriuria: Strategies of Microbes for Persistence in Urine

    PubMed Central

    Ipe, Deepak S.; Horton, Ella; Ulett, Glen C.

    2016-01-01

    Bacteriuria, the presence of bacteria in urine, is associated with asymptomatic, as well as symptomatic, urinary tract infection (UTI). Bacteriuria underpins some of the dynamics of microbial colonization of the urinary tract, and probably impacts the progression and persistence of infection in some individuals. Recent molecular discoveries in vitro have elucidated how some key bacterial traits can enable organisms to survive and grow in human urine as a means of microbial fitness adaptation for UTI. Several microbial characteristics that confer bacteruric potential have been identified including de novo synthesis of guanine, relative resistance to D-serine, and catabolism of malic acid. Microbial characteristics such as these are increasingly being defined through the use of synthetic human urine (SHU) in vitro as a model to mimic the in vivo environment that bacteria encounter in the bladder. There is considerable variation in the SHU model systems that have been used to study bacteriuria to date, and this influences the utility of these models. In this review, we discuss recent advances in our understanding of bacteruric potential with a focus on the specific mechanisms underlying traits that promote the growth of bacteria in urine. We also review the application of SHU in research studies modeling UTI and discuss the chemical makeup, and benefits and limitations that are encountered in utilizing SHU to study bacterial growth in urine in vitro. PMID:26904513

  2. Olfactory and behavioural responses of tabanid horseflies to octenol, phenols and aged horse urine.

    PubMed

    Baldacchino, F; Manon, S; Puech, L; Buatois, B; Dormont, L; Jay-Robert, P

    2014-06-01

    Electrophysiological and behavioural responses of females of two tabanid species, Tabanus bromius L. and Atylotus quadrifarius (Loew) (Diptera: Tabanidae), to ammonia, octenol (1-octen-3-ol), phenols and aged horse urine were compared. Electroantennogram (EAG) responses in both species to octenol, 4-methylphenol (4MP), 3-propylphenol (3PP) and a phenol mixture (4MP and 3PP at a ratio of 16 : 1) increased in a dose-dependent fashion. The most effective stimulus was 4MP and synergism between the two phenols may exist. Aged horse urine also elicited strong EAG responses in both species. Using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis, we identified 29 compounds in horse urine, which included, in particular, ketones, fatty alcohols and phenols, among which 4MP was the most abundant component (~ 80%). Trapping experiments were carried out using Nzi traps baited with various odours. Octenol and the phenol mixture in combination with ammonia increased catches of tabanids by 1.8-2.8 times relative to ammonia alone. Aged horse urine increased catches of T. bromius and A. quadrifarius by 2.2 and 4.1 times, respectively. The high attractiveness of aged horse urine, especially for A. quadrifarius, is not likely to derive from 4MP alone, but from the mixture of various active compounds used in host location. © 2013 The Royal Entomological Society.

  3. The Basics of Bacteriuria: Strategies of Microbes for Persistence in Urine.

    PubMed

    Ipe, Deepak S; Horton, Ella; Ulett, Glen C

    2016-01-01

    Bacteriuria, the presence of bacteria in urine, is associated with asymptomatic, as well as symptomatic, urinary tract infection (UTI). Bacteriuria underpins some of the dynamics of microbial colonization of the urinary tract, and probably impacts the progression and persistence of infection in some individuals. Recent molecular discoveries in vitro have elucidated how some key bacterial traits can enable organisms to survive and grow in human urine as a means of microbial fitness adaptation for UTI. Several microbial characteristics that confer bacteruric potential have been identified including de novo synthesis of guanine, relative resistance to D-serine, and catabolism of malic acid. Microbial characteristics such as these are increasingly being defined through the use of synthetic human urine (SHU) in vitro as a model to mimic the in vivo environment that bacteria encounter in the bladder. There is considerable variation in the SHU model systems that have been used to study bacteriuria to date, and this influences the utility of these models. In this review, we discuss recent advances in our understanding of bacteruric potential with a focus on the specific mechanisms underlying traits that promote the growth of bacteria in urine. We also review the application of SHU in research studies modeling UTI and discuss the chemical makeup, and benefits and limitations that are encountered in utilizing SHU to study bacterial growth in urine in vitro.

  4. Can routine automated urinalysis reduce culture requests?

    PubMed

    Kayalp, Damla; Dogan, Kubra; Ceylan, Gozde; Senes, Mehmet; Yucel, Dogan

    2013-09-01

    There are a substantial number of unnecessary urine culture requests. We aimed to investigate whether urine dipstick and microscopy results could accurately rule out urinary tract infection (UTI) without urine culture. The study included a total of 32,998 patients (11,928 men and 21,070 women, mean age: 39 ± 32 years) with a preliminary diagnosis of UTI and both urinalysis and urinary culture were requested. All urine cultures were retrospectively reviewed; association of culture positivity with a positive urinalysis result for leukocyte esterase (LE) and nitrite in chemical analysis and pyuria (WBC) and bacteriuria in microscopy was determined. Diagnostic performance of urinalysis parameters for detection of UTI was evaluated. In total, 758 (2.3%) patients were positive by urine culture. Out of these culture positive samples, ratios of positive dipstick results for LE and nitrite were 71.0% (n=538) and 17.7% (n=134), respectively. The positive microscopy results for WBC and bacteria were 68.2% (n=517) and 78.8% (n=597), respectively. Negative predictive values for LE, nitrite, bacteriuria and WBC were very close to 100%. Most of the samples have no or insignificant bacterial growth. Urine dipstick and microscopy can accurately rule out UTI. Automated urinalysis is a practicable and faster screening test which may prevent unnecessary culture requests for majority of patients. © 2013. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. Urinalysis: MedlinePlus Health Topic

    MedlinePlus

    ... Urine odor (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish Urine pH test (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish Urine specific gravity ... Urine - abnormal color Urine - bloody Urine odor Urine pH test Urine specific gravity test Show More Show Less ...

  6. Association of Urogenital Symptoms with History of Water Contact in Young Women in Areas Endemic for S. haematobium. A Cross-Sectional Study in Rural South Africa.

    PubMed

    Galappaththi-Arachchige, Hashini Nilushika; Amlie Hegertun, Ingrid Elise; Holmen, Sigve; Qvigstad, Erik; Kleppa, Elisabeth; Sebitloane, Motshedisi; Ndhlovu, Patricia Doris; Vennervald, Birgitte Jyding; Gundersen, Svein Gunnar; Taylor, Myra; Kjetland, Eyrun Floerecke

    2016-11-14

    Female genital schistosomiasis is a neglected tropical disease caused by Schistosoma haematobium . Infected females may suffer from symptoms mimicking sexually transmitted infections. We explored if self-reported history of unsafe water contact could be used as a simple predictor of genital schistosomiasis. In a cross-sectional study in rural South Africa, 883 sexually active women aged 16-22 years were included. Questions were asked about urogenital symptoms and water contact history. Urine samples were tested for S. haematobium ova. A score based on self-reported water contact was calculated and the association with symptoms was explored while adjusting for other genital infections using multivariable logistic regression analyses. S. haematobium ova were detected in the urine of 30.5% of subjects. Having ova in the urine was associated with the water contact score ( p < 0.001). Symptoms that were associated with water contact included burning sensation in the genitals ( p = 0.005), spot bleeding ( p = 0.012), abnormal discharge smell ( p = 0.018), bloody discharge ( p = 0.020), genital ulcer ( p = 0.038), red urine ( p < 0.001), stress incontinence ( p = 0.001) and lower abdominal pain ( p = 0.028). In S. haematobium endemic areas, self-reported water contact was strongly associated with urogenital symptoms. In low-resource settings, a simple history including risk of water contact behaviour can serve as an indicator of urogenital schistosomiasis.

  7. Nitrous oxide emission factors for urine and dung from sheep fed either fresh forage rape (Brassica napus L.) or fresh perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.).

    PubMed

    Luo, J; Sun, X Z; Pacheco, D; Ledgard, S F; Lindsey, S B; Hoogendoorn, C J; Wise, B; Watkins, N L

    2015-03-01

    In New Zealand, agriculture is predominantly based on pastoral grazing systems and animal excreta deposited on soil during grazing have been identified as a major source of nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions. Forage brassicas (Brassica spp.) have been increasingly used to improve lamb performance. Compared with conventional forage perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.), a common forage in New Zealand, forage brassicas have faster growth rates, higher dry matter production and higher nutritive value. The aim of this study was to determine the partitioning of dietary nitrogen (N) between urine and dung in the excreta from sheep fed forage brassica rape (B. napus subsp. oleifera L.) or ryegrass, and then to measure N2O emissions when the excreta from the two different feed sources were applied to a pasture soil. A sheep metabolism study was conducted to determine urine and dung-N outputs from sheep fed forage rape or ryegrass, and N partitioning between urine and dung. Urine and dung were collected and then used in a field plot experiment for measuring N2O emissions. The experimental site contained a perennial ryegrass/white clover pasture on a poorly drained silt-loam soil. The treatments included urine from sheep fed forage rape or ryegrass, dung from sheep fed forage rape or ryegrass, and a control without dung or urine applied. N2O emission measurements were carried out using a static chamber technique. For each excreta type, the total N2O emissions and emission factor (EF3; N2O-N emitted during the 3- or 8-month measurement period as a per cent of animal urine or dung-N applied, respectively) were calculated. Our results indicate that, in terms of per unit of N intake, a similar amount of N was excreted in urine from sheep fed either forage rape or ryegrass, but less dung N was excreted from sheep fed forage rape than ryegrass. The EF3 for urine from sheep fed forage rape was lower compared with urine from sheep fed ryegrass. This may have been because of plant secondary metabolites, such as glucosinolates in forage rape and their degradation products, are transferred to urine and affect soil N transformation processes. However, the difference in the EF3 for dung from sheep fed ryegrass and forage rape was not significant.

  8. Determination of actinides in urine and fecal samples

    DOEpatents

    McKibbin, Terry T.

    1993-01-01

    A method of determining the radioactivity of specific actinides that are carried in urine or fecal sample material is disclosed. The samples are ashed in a muffle furnace, dissolved in an acid, and then treated in a series of steps of reduction, oxidation, dissolution, and precipitation, including a unique step of passing a solution through a chloride form anion exchange resin for separation of uranium and plutonium from americium.

  9. Determination of actinides in urine and fecal samples

    DOEpatents

    McKibbin, T.T.

    1993-03-02

    A method of determining the radioactivity of specific actinides that are carried in urine or fecal sample material is disclosed. The samples are ashed in a muffle furnace, dissolved in an acid, and then treated in a series of steps of reduction, oxidation, dissolution, and precipitation, including a unique step of passing a solution through a chloride form anion exchange resin for separation of uranium and plutonium from americium.

  10. New and developing diagnostic technologies for urinary tract infections

    PubMed Central

    Davenport, Michael; Mach, Kathleen E.; Dairiki Shortliffe, Linda M.; Banaei, Niaz; Wang, Tza-Huei; Liao, Joseph C.

    2017-01-01

    Timely and accurate identification and determination of the antimicrobial susceptibility of uropathogens is central to the management of UTIs. Urine dipsticks are fast and amenable to point-of-care testing, but do not have adequate diagnostic accuracy or provide microbiological diagnosis. Urine culture with antimicrobial susceptibility testing takes 2 3 days and requires a clinical laboratory. The common use of empirical antibiotics has contributed to the rise of multidrug-resistant organisms, reducing treatment options and increasing costs. In addition to improved antimicrobial stewardship and the development of new antimicrobials, novel diagnostics are needed for timely microbial identification and determination of antimicrobial susceptibilities. New diagnostic platforms, including nucleic acid tests and mass spectrometry, have been approved for clinical use and have improved the speed and accuracy of pathogen identification from primary cultures. Optimization for direct urine testing would reduce the time to diagnosis, yet these technologies do not provide comprehensive information on antimicrobial susceptibility. Emerging technologies including biosensors, microfluidics, and other integrated platforms could improve UTI diagnosis via direct pathogen detection from urine samples, rapid antimicrobial susceptibility testing, and point-of-care testing. Successful development and implementation of these technologies has the potential to usher in an era of precision medicine to improve patient care and public health. PMID:28248946

  11. Management of a Woman With Maple Syrup Urine Disease During Pregnancy, Delivery, and Lactation.

    PubMed

    Wessel, Ann E; Mogensen, Kris M; Rohr, Frances; Erick, Miriam; Neilan, Edward G; Chopra, Sameer; Levy, Harvey L; Gray, Kathryn J; Wilkins-Haug, Louise; Berry, Gerard T

    2015-09-01

    Maple syrup urine disease (MSUD) is an inherited disorder of metabolism of the branched-chain amino acids leucine, isoleucine, and valine. Complications of acute elevation in plasma leucine include ketoacidosis and risk of cerebral edema, which can be fatal. Individuals with MSUD are at risk of metabolic crisis throughout life, especially at times of physiological stress. We present a case of successful management of a woman with MSUD through pregnancy, delivery, postpartum, and lactation, including nutrition therapy using modified parenteral nutrition. © 2014 American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition.

  12. Factors affecting urine EIA sensitivity in the detection of Chlamydia trachomatis in men.

    PubMed Central

    Talbot, H; Romanowski, B

    1994-01-01

    OBJECTIVE--This study examined the effects of four variables on the detection of Chlamydia trachomatis in urine from men by enzyme immunoassay (EIA). These variables were: symptoms and signs of urethritis, urine polymorphonuclear leucocytes (PMN), inclusion counts from urethral chlamydia cell cultures and the time between testing and last voiding. METHODS--Included were patients with and without symptoms and/or signs of urethritis attending the Edmonton Sexually Transmitted Disease Clinic. Men were asked to submit a 20 ml volume urine sample. Urethral swabs were collected for gram stain, chlamydia and gonorrhea culture. RESULTS--A total of 318 men were evaluated of whom 47 had chlamydia. Excluding six men who were coinfected with gonorrhoea, sensitivities and specificities of the Microtrak, Chlamydiazyme and IDEIA systems were 78.1% and 99.6%, 75.6% and 100%, and 80.5% and 97.8% respectively. Last void time did not affect the sensitivity. However, sensitivity was best when applied to men with severe evidence of urethritis. CONCLUSION--There is evidence that urine EIA could be used to detect chlamydia in men with acute urethritis but not in those without signs of urethritis. PMID:8206466

  13. Development of a Targeted Urine Proteome Assay for kidney diseases.

    PubMed

    Cantley, Lloyd G; Colangelo, Christopher M; Stone, Kathryn L; Chung, Lisa; Belcher, Justin; Abbott, Thomas; Cantley, Jennifer L; Williams, Kenneth R; Parikh, Chirag R

    2016-01-01

    Since human urine is the most readily available biofluid whose proteome changes in response to disease, it is a logical sample for identifying protein biomarkers for kidney diseases. Potential biomarkers were identified by using a multiproteomics workflow to compare urine proteomes of kidney transplant patients with immediate and delayed graft function. Differentially expressed proteins were identified, and corresponding stable isotope labeled internal peptide standards were synthesized for scheduled MRM. The Targeted Urine Proteome Assay (TUPA) was then developed by identifying those peptides for which there were at least two transitions for which interference in a urine matrix across 156 MRM runs was <30%. This resulted in an assay that monitors 224 peptides from 167 quantifiable proteins. TUPA opens the way for using a robust mass spectrometric technology, MRM, for quantifying and validating biomarkers from among 167 urinary proteins. This approach, while developed using differentially expressed urinary proteins from patients with delayed versus immediate graft function after kidney transplant, can be expanded to include differentially expressed urinary proteins in multiple kidney diseases. Thus, TUPA could provide a single assay to help diagnose, prognose, and manage many kidney diseases. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  14. First evidence of subclinical renal tubular injury during sickle-cell crisis.

    PubMed

    Audard, Vincent; Moutereau, Stéphane; Vandemelebrouck, Gaetana; Habibi, Anoosha; Khellaf, Mehdi; Grimbert, Philippe; Levy, Yves; Loric, Sylvain; Renaud, Bertrand; Lang, Philippe; Godeau, Bertrand; Galactéros, Frédéric; Bartolucci, Pablo

    2014-04-29

    The pathophysiologic mechanisms classically involved in sickle-cell nephropathy include endothelial dysfunction and vascular occlusion. Arguments demonstrating that ischemia-reperfusion injury-related kidney damage might coincide with vaso-occlusive crisis (VOC) are lacking. In this prospective study, we sought to determine whether tubular cells and glomerular permeability might be altered during VOC. Urine neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) levels and albumin-excretion rates (AER) of 25 patients were evaluated prospectively during 25 VOC episodes and compared to their steady state (ST) values. During VOC, white blood-cell counts (WBC) and C-reactive protein (CRP) were significantly higher than at ST but creatinine levels were comparable. Urine NGAL levels were significantly increased during VOC vs ST (P = 0.007) and remained significant when normalized to urine creatinine (P = 0.004), while AER did not change significantly. The higher urine NGAL concentration was not associated with subsequent (24-48 hour) acute kidney injury. Univariate analysis identified no significant correlations between urine NGAL levels and laboratory parameters during VOC. These results demonstrated that subclinical ischemia-reperfusion tubular injury is common during VOC and highlight the importance of hydroelectrolyte monitoring and correction during VOC.

  15. Measurement of natural carbon isotopic composition of acetone in human urine.

    PubMed

    Yamada, Keita; Ohishi, Kazuki; Gilbert, Alexis; Akasaka, Mai; Yoshida, Naohiro; Yoshimura, Ryoko

    2016-02-01

    The natural carbon isotopic composition of acetone in urine was measured in healthy subjects using gas chromatography-combustion-isotope ratio mass spectrometry combined with headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME-GC-C-IRMS). Before applying the technique to a urine sample, we optimized the measurement conditions of HS-SPME-GC-C-IRMS using aqueous solutions of commercial acetone reagents. The optimization enabled us to determine the carbon isotopic compositions within ±0.2 ‰ of precision and ±0.3‰ of error using 0.05 or 0.2 mL of aqueous solutions with acetone concentrations of 0.3-121 mg/L. For several days, we monitored the carbon isotopic compositions and concentrations of acetone in urine from three subjects who lived a daily life with no restrictions. We also monitored one subject for 3 days including a fasting period of 24 h. These results suggest that changes in the availability of glucose in the liver are reflected in changes in the carbon isotopic compositions of urine acetone. Results demonstrate that carbon isotopic measurement of metabolites in human biological samples at natural abundance levels has great potential as a tool for detecting metabolic changes caused by changes in physiological states and disease.

  16. Non-invasive prediction of recurrence in bladder cancer by detecting somatic TERT promoter mutations in urine.

    PubMed

    Descotes, Françoise; Kara, Norelyakin; Decaussin-Petrucci, Myriam; Piaton, Eric; Geiguer, Florence; Rodriguez-Lafrasse, Claire; Terrier, Jean E; Lopez, Jonathan; Ruffion, Alain

    2017-08-08

    Urothelial bladder cancer (UBC) is characterised by a high risk of recurrence. Patient monitoring is currently based on iterative cystoscopy and on urine cytology with low sensitivity in non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC). Telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) is frequently reactivated in UBC by promoter mutations. We studied whether detection of TERT mutation in urine could be a predictor of UBC recurrence and compared this to cytology/cystoscopy for patient follow-up. A total of 348 patients treated by transurethral bladder resection for UBC were included together with 167 control patients. Overall sensitivity was 80.5% and specificity 89.8%, and was not greatly impacted by inflammation or infection. TERT remaining positive after initial surgery was associated with residual carcinoma in situ. TERT in urine was a reliable and dynamic predictor of recurrence in NMIBC (P<0.0001). In univariate analysis, TERT positive-status after initial surgery increased risk of recurrence by 5.34-fold (P=0.0004). TERT positive-status was still associated with recurrence in the subset of patients with negative cystoscopy (P=0.034). TERT mutations in urine might be helpful for early detection of recurrence in UBC, especially in NMIBC.

  17. Anticodeine aptamer immobilized on a Whatman cellulose paper for thin-film microextraction of codeine from urine followed by electrospray ionization ion mobility spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Hashemian, Zahra; Khayamian, Taghi; Saraji, Mohammad

    2015-02-01

    A combination of thin-film microextaction based on an aptamer immobilized on modified Whatman cellulose paper followed by electrospray ionization ion mobility spectrometry has been developed for the analysis of codeine in urine samples. The immobilization is based on the covalent linking of an amino-modified anticodeine aptamer to aldehyde groups of the oxidized cellulose paper. The covalent bonds were examined by infrared spectroscopy and elemental analysis. The effect of the extraction parameters, including the elution conditions (solvent type and volume), extraction time, and extraction temperature, on the extraction efficiency were investigated. Under the optimized conditions, the linear dynamic range was found to be 10-300 ng/mL with a detection limit of 3.4 ng/mL for codeine in urine. The relative standard deviation was 6.8% for three replicate measurements of codeine at 100 ng/mL in urine. Furthermore, the samples were analyzed with a standard method for the analysis of codeine using high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection. The comparison of the results validates the accuracy of the proposed method as an alternative method for the analysis of codeine in urine samples.

  18. Uric Acid Nephrolithiasis: A Systemic Metabolic Disorder

    PubMed Central

    Moe, Orson W.

    2014-01-01

    Uric acid nephrolithiasis is characteristically a manifestation of a systemic metabolic disorder. It has a prevalence of about 10% among all stone formers, the third most common type of kidney stone in the industrialized world. Uric acid stones form primarily due to an unduly acid urine; less deciding factors are hyperuricosuria and a low urine volume. The vast majority of uric acid stone formers have the metabolic syndrome, and not infrequently, clinical gout is present as well. A universal finding is a low baseline urine pH plus insufficient production of urinary ammonium buffer. Persons with gastrointestinal disorders, in particular chronic diarrhea or ostomies, and patients with malignancies with a large tumor mass and high cell turnover comprise a less common but nevertheless important subset. Pure uric acid stones are radiolucent but well visualized on renal ultrasound. A 24 h urine collection for stone risk analysis provides essential insight into the pathophysiology of stone formation and may guide therapy. Management includes a liberal fluid intake and dietary modification. Potassium citrate to alkalinize the urine to a goal pH between 6 and 6.5 is essential, as undissociated uric acid deprotonates into its much more soluble urate form. PMID:25045326

  19. Monitoring of PAEMs and beta-agonists in urine for a small group of experimental subjects and PAEs and beta-agonists in drinking water consumed by the same subjects.

    PubMed

    Liou, Saou-Hsing; Yang, Gordon C C; Wang, Chih-Lung; Chiu, Yu-Han

    2014-07-30

    This 5-month study contains two parts: (1) to monitor the concentrations of 11 phthalate esters metabolites (PAEMs) and two beta-agonists in human urine samples collected from a small group of consented participants including 16 females and five males; and (2) to analyze the residues of phthalate esters (PAEs) and beta-agonists in various categories of drinking water consumed by the same group of subjects. Each category of human urine and drinking water had 183 samples of its own. The analytical results showed that nine PAEMs were detected in human urine and eight PAEs were detected in drinking water samples. It was found that average concentrations of PAEMs increased as the age increased, but no significant difference between sexes. Further, using the principal component analysis, the loadings of age effect were found to be two times greater than that of gender effect in terms of four DEHP metabolites. Regarding beta-agonists of concern (i.e., ractopamine and salbutamol), they were neither detected in human urine nor drinking water samples in this study. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. Point-of-care Helicobacter pylori urine antibody detection in a multi-ethnic adult population in the United States.

    PubMed

    Opekun, Antone R; Luu, Phong; Gotschall, Ann B; Abdalla, Nageeb; Torres, Elizabeth; Rudd, Summer B; Graham, David Y; Nurgalieva, Zhannat Z; Tsuchiya, Kyoko

    2006-07-01

    A need exists for accurate point-of-care tests for diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection to evaluate a rapid urine-H. pylori antibody test device for detection of H. pylori infection in a point-of-care setting in the United States. A multi-center study in a multi-ethnic population compared the RAPIRUN urine antibody test with the (13)C-urea breath test (C-UBT) and a traditional serologic test, the high-molecular-weight cell-associated protein enzyme immunoassay (HM-CAP EIA). The primary comparator was with "definite positive" and "definite negative" patients defined as a concordance of combined results of the UBT and the HM-CAP IgG EIA. Overall, 188 eligible patients were enrolled (61 men, age range: 18-73 years, including 84 Hispanics, 73 Asian-Pacific Americans, 22 Black African-Americans, 6 non-Hispanic Caucasians, and 3 of "other" ethnicity). Compared with "definite positive" and "definite negative" results, the sensitivity and specificity of the urine antibody test were 0.9 and 1.0, respectively. The urine antibody test proved suitable for point-of-care rapid diagnosis of anti-H. pylori antibodies indicative of active or past H. pylori infection.

  1. BioCycle study: design of the longitudinal study of the oxidative stress and hormone variation during the menstrual cycle

    PubMed Central

    Wactawski-Wende, Jean; Schisterman, Enrique F.; Hovey, Kathleen M.; Howards, Penelope P.; Browne, Richard W.; Hediger, Mary; Liu, Aiyi; Trevisan, Maurizio

    2009-01-01

    Summary Studies in both human and animal species have suggested that oxidative stress may be associated with health outcomes, including the risk of infertility in both males and females. Sex hormones have been shown to have antioxidant properties. The difficulty in studying the role of oxidative stress in females is partly due to fluctuation in these endogenous sex hormones across the menstrual cycle. The aim of this study was to determine the association of oxidative stress levels with endogenous reproductive hormone levels and antioxidants, including vitamin levels, across the menstrual cycle in a prospective cohort of premenopausal women. The goal was to enrol 250 healthy, regularly menstruating premenopausal women for two menstrual cycles. Participants visited the clinic up to 8 times per cycle, at which time blood and urine were collected. The visits occurred at key hormonally defined phases of the menstrual cycle, with the help of an algorithm based on cycle length and data from a fertility monitor. In addition, participants were administered standardised questionnaires, had various physical measures taken, and had other pertinent data collected. A total of 259 women were enrolled in this study, with 250 completing two cycles, despite a demanding study protocol which participants were required to follow. This report describes the study design, baseline characteristics and visit completion rate for the BioCycle study. PMID:19159403

  2. New drugs of abuse.

    PubMed

    Rech, Megan A; Donahey, Elisabeth; Cappiello Dziedzic, Jacqueline M; Oh, Laura; Greenhalgh, Elizabeth

    2015-02-01

    Drug abuse is a common problem and growing concern in the United States, and over the past decade, novel or atypical drugs have emerged and have become increasingly popular. Recognition and treatment of new drugs of abuse pose many challenges for health care providers due to lack of quantitative reporting and routine surveillance, and the difficulty of detection in routine blood and urine analyses. Furthermore, street manufacturers are able to rapidly adapt and develop new synthetic isolates of older drugs as soon as law enforcement agencies render them illegal. In this article, we describe the clinical and adverse effects and purported pharmacology of several new classes of drugs of abuse including synthetic cannabinoids, synthetic cathinones, salvia, desomorphine, and kratom. Because many of these substances can have severe or life-threatening adverse effects, knowledge of general toxicology is key in recognizing acute intoxication and overdose; however, typical toxidromes (e.g., cholinergic, sympathomimetic, opioid, etc.) are not precipitated by many of these agents. Medical management of patients who abuse or overdose on these drugs largely consists of supportive care, although naloxone may be used as an antidote for desomorphine overdose. Symptoms of aggression and psychosis may be treated with sedation (benzodiazepines, propofol) and antipsychotics (haloperidol or atypical agents such as quetiapine or ziprasidone). Other facets of management to consider include treatment for withdrawal or addiction, nutrition support, and potential for transmission of infectious diseases. © 2014 Pharmacotherapy Publications, Inc.

  3. Dietary phytochemicals for possible preventive and therapeutic option of uterine fibroids: Signaling pathways as target.

    PubMed

    Islam, Md Soriful; Segars, James H; Castellucci, Mario; Ciarmela, Pasquapina

    2017-02-01

    A growing interest has emerged on dietary phytochemicals to control diverse pathological conditions. Unfortunately, dietary phytochemical research in uterine fibroids is still under construction. Uterine fibroids/leiomyomas are benign tumors developing from the myometrium of the uterus in premenopausal women. They may occur in more than 70% of women, and approximately 25% of women show clinically significant symptoms. These include heavy and prolonged menstrual bleeding, pelvic pressure (urinary frequency, incontinence, and difficulty with urination), pelvic pain, pelvic mass, infertility, and reproductive dysfunction. Due to lack of medical treatments surgery has been definitive choice for fibroid management. Moreover, surgery negatively affects women's quality of life, and its associated cost appears to be expensive. The molecular mechanism of fibroids development and growth is not fully elucidated. However, accumulated evidence shows that several signaling pathways, including Smad 2/3, PI3K/AKT/mTOR, ERK 1/2 and β-catenin are involved in the leiomyoma pathogenesis, indicating that they could serve as targets for prevention and/or treatment of this tumor. Therefore, in this review, we discuss the involvement of signaling pathways in leiomyoma development and growth, and introduce some potential dietary phytochemicals that could modulate those signaling pathways. Copyright © 2016 Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences. Published by Elsevier Urban & Partner Sp. z o.o. All rights reserved.

  4. Choice of urine collection methods for the diagnosis of urinary tract infection in young, febrile infants.

    PubMed

    Schroeder, Alan R; Newman, Thomas B; Wasserman, Richard C; Finch, Stacia A; Pantell, Robert H

    2005-10-01

    The optimal method of urine collection in febrile infants is debatable; catheterization, considered more accurate, is technically difficult and invasive. To determine predictors of urethral catheterization in febrile infants and to compare bag and catheterized urine test performance characteristics. Prospective analysis of infants enrolled in the Pediatric Research in Office Settings' Febrile Infant Study. A total of 219 practices from within the Pediatric Research in Office Settings' network, including 44 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. A total of 3066 infants aged 0 to 3 months with temperatures of 38 degrees C or higher. We calculated adjusted odds ratios for predictors of catheterization. Diagnostic test characteristics were compared between bag and catheterization. Urinary tract infection was defined as pure growth of 100 000 CFU/mL or more (bag) and 20 000 CFU/mL or more (catheterization). Seventy percent of urine samples were obtained by catheterization. Predictors of catheterization included female sex, practitioner older than 40 years, Medicaid, Hispanic ethnicity, nighttime evaluation, and severe dehydration. For leukocyte esterase levels, bag specimens demonstrated no difference in sensitivity but somewhat lower specificity (84% [bag] vs 94% [catheterization], P<.001) and a lower area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for white blood cells (0.71 [bag] vs 0.86 [catheterization], P = .01). Infection rates were similar in bag and catheterized specimens (8.5% vs 10.8%). Ambiguous cultures were more common in bag specimens (7.4% vs 2.7%, P<.001), but 21 catheterized specimens are needed to avoid each ambiguous bag result. Most practitioners obtain urine from febrile infants via catheterization, but choice of method is not related to the risk of urinary tract infection. Although both urine cultures and urinalyses are more accurate in catheterized specimens, the magnitude of difference is small but should be factored into clinical decision making.

  5. Serum and ascitic fluid serotonin levels and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid urine excretion in the liver of cirrhotic patients with encephalopathy.

    PubMed

    Chojnacki, C; Walecka-Kapica, E; Stepien, A; Pawlowicz, M; Wachowska-Kelly, P; Chojnacki, J

    2013-01-01

    The excess and deficit of serotonin can be the cause of somatic and mental disorders. The aim of this study was to evaluate serotonin levels in blood and ascitic fluid as well as excretion of 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) in urine in patients with hepatic encephalopathy (HE). The study included 75 alcoholic cirrhotic patients divided into 3 groups (HE1, HE2, HE3), 25 patients each, with grade 1, 2 and 3 of hepatic encephalopathy according to West-Haven classification. The control group (C) included 25 clinically healthy volunteers. Venous blood and ascitic fluid were collected in fasting. On the same day a 24-hour urine collection was performed. Immunoenzymatic method was used to determine the serotonin level in serum and ascitic fluid, and 5-HIAA in urine (IBL-RE-59121, RE-59131). In the control group, mean serum serotonin level (ng/ml) was 155.5 ± 38.1 and in the 3 study groups: HE1 - 175.2 ± 32.4 (NS), HE2 - 137.2 ± 28.6 (NS), HE3 - 108.3 ± 46.3 (p<0.001). Serotonin concentration in ascitic fluid was on the average about 25% of its level in serum. The excretion of 5-HIAA in urine (mg/24h) in all groups, was: C - 5.9 ± 2.1, HE1 - 5.8 ± 1.8 (NS), HE2 - 4.8 ± 1.2(NS), HE3 - 4.3 ± 1.3 (p<0.05). The results of our study indicate that serum and ascitic fluid level of serotonin and urine excretion of 5-HIAA depends on the grade of hepatic encephalopathy. In patients with severe hepatic encephalopathy serotonin concentration in blood is decreased which can affect some clinical manifestation of this disease.

  6. Comparison of the Impact of High-Flux Dialysis on Mortality in Hemodialysis Patients with and without Residual Renal Function

    PubMed Central

    Kim, Hyung Wook; Kim, Su-Hyun; Kim, Young Ok; Jin, Dong Chan; Song, Ho Chul; Choi, Euy Jin; Kim, Yong-Lim; Kim, Yon-Su; Kang, Shin-Wook; Kim, Nam-Ho; Yang, Chul Woo; Kim, Yong Kyun

    2014-01-01

    Background The effect of flux membranes on mortality in hemodialysis (HD) patients is controversial. Residual renal function (RRF) has shown to not only be as a predictor of mortality but also a contributor to β2-microglobulin clearance in HD patients. Our study aimed to determine the interaction of residual renal function with dialyzer membrane flux on mortality in HD patients. Methods HD Patients were included from the Clinical Research Center registry for End Stage Renal Disease, a prospective observational cohort study in Korea. Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to study the association between use of high-flux dialysis membranes and all-cause mortality with RRF and without RRF. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality. Results This study included 893 patients with 24 h-residual urine volume ≥100 ml (569 and 324 dialyzed using low-flux and high-flux dialysis membranes, respectively) and 913 patients with 24 h-residual urine volume <100 ml (570 and 343 dialyzed using low-flux and high-flux dialysis membranes, respectively). After a median follow-up period of 31 months, mortality was not significantly different between the high and low-flux groups in patients with 24 h-residual urine volume ≥100 ml (HR 0.86, 95% CI, 0.38–1.95, P = 0.723). In patients with 24 h-residual urine volume <100 ml, HD using high-flux dialysis membrane was associated with decreased mortality compared to HD using low-flux dialysis membrane in multivariate analysis (HR 0.40, 95% CI, 0.21–0.78, P = 0.007). Conclusions Our data showed that HD using high-flux dialysis membranes had a survival benefit in patients with 24 h-residual urine volume <100 ml, but not in patients with 24 h-residual urine volume ≥100 ml. These findings suggest that high-flux dialysis rather than low-flux dialysis might be considered in HD patients without RRF. PMID:24906205

  7. Liquid Biopsy Analysis of FGFR3 and PIK3CA Hotspot Mutations for Disease Surveillance in Bladder Cancer.

    PubMed

    Christensen, Emil; Birkenkamp-Demtröder, Karin; Nordentoft, Iver; Høyer, Søren; van der Keur, Kirstin; van Kessel, Kim; Zwarthoff, Ellen; Agerbæk, Mads; Ørntoft, Torben Falck; Jensen, Jørgen Bjerggaard; Dyrskjøt, Lars

    2017-06-01

    Disease surveillance in patients with bladder cancer is important for early diagnosis of progression and metastasis and for optimised treatment. To develop urine and plasma assays for disease surveillance for patients with FGFR3 and PIK3CA tumour mutations. Droplet digital polymerase chain reaction (ddPCR) assays were developed and tumour DNA from two patient cohorts was screened for FGFR3 and PIK3CA hotspot mutations. One cohort included 363 patients with non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC). The other cohort included 468 patients with bladder cancer undergoing radical cystectomy (Cx). Urine supernatants (NMIBC n=216, Cx n=27) and plasma samples (NMIBC n=39, Cx n=27) from patients harbouring mutations were subsequently screened using ddPCR assays. Progression-free survival, recurrence-free survival, and overall survival were measured. Fisher's exact test, the Wilcoxon rank-sum test and Cox regression analysis were applied. In total, 36% of the NMIBC patients (129/363) and 11% of the Cx patients (44/403) harboured at least one FGFR3 or PIK3CA mutation. Screening of DNA from serial urine supernatants from the NMIBC cohort revealed that high levels of tumour DNA (tDNA) were associated with later disease progression in NMIBC (p=0.003). Furthermore, high levels of tDNA in plasma samples were associated with recurrence in the Cx cohort (p=0.016). A positive correlation between tDNA levels in urine and plasma was observed (correlation coefficient 0.6). The retrospective study design and low volumes of plasma available for analysis were limitations of the study. Increased levels of FGFR3 and PIK3CA mutated DNA in urine and plasma are indicative of later progression and metastasis in bladder cancer. Urine and plasma from patients with bladder cancer may be monitored for diagnosis of progression and metastasis using mutation assays. Copyright © 2016 European Association of Urology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Urine-Based Nested PCR for the Diagnosis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis: A Comparative Study Between HIV-Positive and HIV-Negative Patients.

    PubMed

    Jamshidi Makiani, Mahin; Davoodian, Parivash; Baghershiroodi, Mahnaz; Nejatizadeh, Abdol Azim; Fakkhar, Farideh; Zangeneh, Mehrangiz; Jahangiri, Nadia

    2016-08-01

    While tuberculosis (TB) can be diagnosed by microscopy and culture, the sensitivity of Ziehl-Neelsen staining is variable and culture results require 4 - 8 weeks to be determined. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and its modifications, including nested PCR, might be promising methods for the rapid diagnosis of TB. This study aimed to evaluate the performance of nested PCR on urine samples of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive and -negative patients with different manifestations of clinical TB. In a prospective study, three early-morning urine samples from 100 patients with pulmonary TB (PTB) or extrapulmonary TB (EPTB) were evaluated using a molecular target with insertion element IS6110, specific to the Mycobacterium tuberculosis genome, and nested PCR was performed. The results were analyzed with SPSS version 22. A total of 100 patients, including 74 (74%) with PTB and 26 (26%) with EPTB, were enrolled. Positive smears were seen in 38 patients (38%). Lymph nodes were the most commonly involved organ in 14 of the 26 (53.8%) EPTB patients (13.5%). Seven (23.1%) of the EPTB patients were HIV-positive. Urine PCR was positive in only 28 patients (28%). Seven HIV-positive patients with PTB showed positive urine PCR results. Moreover, PCR results were positive in only one of the seven HIV-positive subjects with EPTB. Positive PCR results were found in 20 of the 73 HIV-negative patients (27.4%) and in 8 of the 27 HIV-positive patients (29.6%). Therefore, there was no significant difference between the HIV-negative and HIV-positive patients for urine PCR (sensitivity 29.6%, specificity 72.6%; positive and negative predictive values 28% and 72%, respectively; P = 0.138). Nested PCR showed the same sensitivity in HIV-positive and HIV-negative patients. It can be applied as a rapid technique for the diagnosis of TB.

  9. Dehydration

    MedlinePlus

    ... chronic illness have a greater risk. Signs of dehydration in adults include Being thirsty Urinating less often ... skin Feeling tired Dizziness and fainting Signs of dehydration in babies and young children include a dry ...

  10. Evaluation of Technologies to Prevent Precipitation During Water Recovery from Urine

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Broyan, James L., Jr.; Pickering, Karen D.; Adam, Niklas M.; Mitchell, Julie L.; Anderson, Molly S.; Carter, Layne; Muirhead, Dean; Gazda, Daniel B.

    2011-01-01

    The International Space Station (ISS) Urine Processor Assembly (UPA) experienced a hardware failure in the Distillation Assembly (DA) in October 2010. Initially the UPA was operated to recover 85% of the water from urine through distillation, concentrating the contaminants in the remaining urine. The DA failed due to precipitation of calcium sulfate (gypsum) which caused a loss of UPA function. The ISS UPA operations have been modified to only recover 70% of the water minimizing gypsum precipitation risk but substantially increasing water resupply needs. This paper describes the feasibility assessment of several technologies (ion exchange, chelating agents, threshold inhibitors, and Lorentz devices) to prevent gypsum precipitation. The feasibility assessment includes the development of assessment methods, chemical modeling, bench top testing, and validation testing in a flight-like ground UPA unit. Ion exchange technology has been successfully demonstrated and has been recommended for further development. The incorporation of the selected technology will enable water recovery to be increased from 70% back to the original 85% and improve the ISS water balance.

  11. Delayed Diagnosis of Vesicouterine Fistula After Treatment for Mixed Urinary Incontinence: Menstrual Cup Management and Diagnosis.

    PubMed

    Goldberg, Leah; Elsamra, Sammy; Hutchinson-Colas, Juana; Segal, Saya

    2016-01-01

    A vesicouterine fistula is a rare form of urogenital fistula, yet there is increasing prevalence in the United States because of the rising rate of cesarean deliveries. Vesicouterine fistulas have various presentations including menouria, hematuria, or urinary incontinence. A 39-year-old multiparous woman presented with urine leakage after her third cesarean delivery. She had been treated for mixed urinary incontinence with overactive bladder medications and a midurethral sling with continued complaints of urine leakage. The patient noticed her symptoms of urine leakage improved during menses when she used a menstrual cup. After confirmation of vesicouterine fistula, the patient underwent robotic-assisted surgery and her symptoms of insensible urine leakage resolved. When evaluating women with urinary incontinence and a history of cesarean deliveries, use of menstrual cup may aid in the diagnosis of vesicouterine fistula. Robotic-assisted laparoscopic repair with tissue interposition flap is an efficacious minimally invasive method for treatment of vesicouterine fistula.

  12. Selection of a Brine Processor Technology for NASA Manned Missions

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Carter, Donald L.; Gleich, Andrew F.

    2016-01-01

    The current ISS Water Recovery System (WRS) reclaims water from crew urine, humidity condensate, and Sabatier product water. Urine is initially processed by the Urine Processor Assembly (UPA) which recovers 75% of the urine as distillate. The remainder of the water is present in the waste brine which is currently disposed of as trash on ISS. For future missions this additional water must be reclaimed due to the significant resupply penalty for missions beyond Low Earth Orbit (LEO). NASA has pursued various technology development programs for a brine processor in the past several years. This effort has culminated in a technology down-select to identify the optimum technology for future manned missions. The technology selection is based on various criteria, including mass, power, reliability, maintainability, and safety. Beginning in 2016 the selected technology will be transitioned to a flight hardware program for demonstration on ISS. This paper summarizes the technology selection process, the competing technologies, and the rationale for the technology selected for future manned missions.

  13. [The value of serum free light chain in differential diagnosis of monoclonal gammopathy of renal significance].

    PubMed

    Li, C; Wen, Y B; Li, H; Su, W; Li, J; Cai, J F; Chen, L M; Li, X M; Li, X W

    2017-08-08

    Objective: To investigate the value of serum free light chain (FLC) in differential diagnosis of monoclonal gammopathy of renal significance (MGRS). Methods: Forty-nine hospitalized patients who underwent renal biopsy in Peking Union Medical College Hospital between January 2013 and December 2015 were included. Monoclonal gammopathy was detected by serum protein electrophoresis (SPE), serum immunofixation electrophoresis (IFE), urine IFE and serum FLC. All patients were classified as MGRS ( n =32) and monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) ( n =17). Results: Renal lesions in MGRS subgroup included light chain amyloidosis ( n =24, 75.0%), light chain deposition disease ( n =7, 21.9%), and fibrillary glomerulopathy ( n =1, 3.1%). Renal diseases in MGUS subgroup included membranous nephropathy ( n =10), focal segmental glomerulosclerosi (FSGS) ( n =3), diabetic glomerulopathy ( n =1), Henoch-Schonlein purpura nephritis ( n =1), anti-GBM disease concurrent with membranous nephropathy ( n =1) and glomerulomegaly ( n =1). Positive number of SPE, serum IFE, urine IFE and abnormal number of serum FLC ratio in MGRS subgroup were 12, 16, 23 and 30, respectively. Positive number of SPE, serum IFE, urine IFE and abnormal number of serum FLC ratio in MGUS subgroup were 11, 17, 6 and 3, respectively. MGRS and MGUS subgroups differed significantly in positive rate of serum IFE ( P <0.001), as well as positive rate of urine IFE ( P =0.02) and abnormal rate of serum FLC ratio ( P <0.001). The sensitivity, specificity, total consistent rate of serum FLC ratio for diagnosis of MGRS were 93.8%, 82.4%, and 89.8% respectively. The sensitivity for diagnosing MGRS could be increased to 100% by combining serum FLC ratio and urine IFE. Conclusions: The significance of monoclonal gammopathy in patients with renal disease should be evaluated by renal pathology.On the premise of excluding lymphoplasmacytic malignancy, serum FLC ratio had promising diagnostic value for MGRS, which was helpful for differential diagnosis of patients who had contraindication to renal biopsy.

  14. Study of tamoxifen urinary metabolites in rat by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Domínguez-Romero, Juan C; García-Reyes, Juan F; Beneito-Cambra, Miriam; Martínez-Romero, Rubén; Martinez-Lara, Esther; Del Moral-Leal, María L; Molina-Díaz, Antonio

    2015-08-01

    Tamoxifen (TMX) is a nonsteroidal estrogen antagonist drug used for the treatment of breast cancer. It is also included in the list of banned substances of the World Anti Doping Agency (WADA) prohibited in and out of competition. In this work, the excretion of urinary metabolites of TMX after a single therapeutic dose administration in rats has been studied using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography electrospray time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-TOFMS). A systematic strategy based on the search of typical biotransformations that a xenobiotic can undergo in living organisms, based on their corresponding molecular formula modification and accurate mass shifts, was applied for the identification of TMX metabolites. Prior to UHPLC-TOFMS analyses, a solid-phase extraction step with polymeric cartridges was applied to urine samples. Up to 38 TMX metabolites were detected. Additional collision induced dissociation (CID) MS/MS fragmentation was performed using UHPLC-QTOFMS. Compared with recent previous studies in human urine and plasma, new metabolites have been reported for the first time in urine. Metabolites identified in rat urine include the oxygen addition, owing to different possibilities for the hydroxylation of the rings in different positions (m/z 388.2271), the incorporation of two oxygen atoms (m/z 404.2220) (including dihydroxylated derivatives or alternatives such as epoxidation plus hydroxylation or N-oxidation and hydroxylation), epoxide formation or hydroxylation and dehydrogenation [m/z 386.2114 (+O -H2 )], hydroxylation of the ring accompanied by N-desmethylation (m/z 374.2115), combined hydroxylation and methoxylation (m/z 418.2377), desaturated TMX derivate (m/z 370.2165) and its N-desmethylated derivate (m/z 356.2009), the two latter modifications not previously being reported in urine. These findings confirm the usefulness of the proposed approach based on UHPLC-TOFMS. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  15. Next-generation sequencing of urine specimens: A novel platform for genomic analysis in patients with non-muscle-invasive urothelial carcinoma treated with bacille Calmette-Guérin.

    PubMed

    Scott, Sasinya N; Ostrovnaya, Irina; Lin, Caroline M; Bouvier, Nancy; Bochner, Bernard H; Iyer, Gopakumar; Solit, David; Berger, Michael F; Lin, Oscar

    2017-06-01

    Biopsies from patients with high-risk (HR) non-muscle-invasive urothelial carcinoma (NMIUC), especially flat urothelial carcinoma in situ, frequently contain scant diagnostic material or denuded mucosa only, and this precludes further extensive genomic analysis. This study evaluated the use of next-generation sequencing (NGS) analysis of urine cytology material from patients with HR NMIUC in an attempt to identify genetic alterations that might correlate with clinical features and responses to bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) treatment. Forty-one cytology slides from patients with HR NMIUC treated with intravesical BCG were selected for this study. Histological confirmation was available for all cases. The specimens were subjected to NGS analysis with a customized targeted exome capture assay composed of 341 genes. In this cohort, genomic alterations were successfully identified in all cytology samples. Mutations were detected down to a 2% allele frequency and chromosomal rearrangements including copy number alterations and gene fusions were identified. The most frequently altered genes included telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT), tumor protein 53 (TP53), Erb-B2 receptor tyrosine kinase 2 (ERBB2), and chromatin remodeling genes such as lysine demethylase 6A (KDM6A) and AT-rich interaction domain 1A (ARID1A). For patients with matched tumor tissue, cytology specimens revealed all mutations detected in tissue as well as additional mutations, and this suggested that urine might more effectively capture the full genetic heterogeneity of disease than an individual cystectomy. Alterations in multiple genes correlated with clinical and histopathological features, including responses to BCG treatment, flat architecture versus papillary architecture, and smoking history. Urine specimens can replace tissue as a substrate for NGS analysis of HR NMIUC. Several genomic alterations identified in urine specimens might be associated with histological features and clinical characteristics. Cancer Cytopathol 2017;125:416-26. © 2017 American Cancer Society. © 2017 American Cancer Society.

  16. Identification of potential bladder cancer markers in urine by abundant-protein depletion coupled with quantitative proteomics.

    PubMed

    Chen, Chien-Lun; Lin, Tsung-Shih; Tsai, Cheng-Han; Wu, Chih-Ching; Chung, Ting; Chien, Kun-Yi; Wu, Maureen; Chang, Yu-Sun; Yu, Jau-Song; Chen, Yi-Ting

    2013-06-24

    In this study, we evaluated the reproducibility of abundant urine protein depletion by hexapeptide-based library beads and an antibody-based affinity column using the iTRAQ technique. The antibody-based affinity-depletion approach, which proved superior, was then applied in conjunction with iTRAQ to discover proteins that were differentially expressed between pooled urine samples from hernia and bladder cancer patients. Several proteins, including seven apolipoproteins, TIM, SAA4, and proEGF were further verified in 111 to 203 individual urine samples from patients with hernia, bladder cancer, or kidney cancer. Six apolipoproteins (APOA1, APOA2, APOB, APOC2, APOC3, and APOE) were able to differentiate bladder cancer from hernia. SAA4 was significantly increased in bladder cancer subgroups, whereas ProEGF was significantly decreased in bladder cancer subgroups. Additionally, the combination of SAA4 and ProEGF exhibited higher diagnostic capacity (AUC=0.80 and p<0.001) in discriminating bladder cancer from hernia than either marker alone. Using MetaCore software to interpret global changes of the urine proteome caused by bladder cancer, we found that the most notable alterations were in immune-response/alternative complement and blood-coagulation pathways. This study confirmed the clinical significance of the urine proteome in the development of non-invasive biomarkers for the detection of bladder cancer. In this study, we evaluated the reproducibility of abundant urine protein depletion by hexapeptide-based library beads and an antibody-based affinity column using the iTRAQ technique. The antibody-based affinity-depletion approach, which proved superior, was then applied in conjunction with iTRAQ to discover proteins that were differentially expressed between pooled urine samples from hernia and bladder cancer patients. Several proteins, including seven apolipoproteins, TIM, SAA4, and proEGF were further verified in 111 to 203 individual urine samples from patients with hernia, bladder cancer, or kidney cancer. SAA4 was significantly increased in bladder cancer subgroups, whereas ProEGF was significantly decreased in bladder cancer subgroups. Additionally, the combination of SAA4 and ProEGF exhibited higher diagnostic capacity in discriminating bladder cancer from hernia than either marker alone. A marker panel composed by two novel biomarker candidates, SAA4 and proEGF, was first discovered and verified successfully using Western blotting. To the best of our knowledge, the associations of urinary SAA4 and proEGF with bladder tumor and kidney cancer have not been mentioned before. In the present study, we discovered and verified SAA4 and proEGF as potential bladder cancer biomarker for the first time. Copyright © 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. Management of Asymptomatic Bacteriuria, Urinary Catheters and Symptomatic Urinary Tract Infections in Patients Undergoing Surgery for Joint Replacement: A Position Paper of the Expert Group 'Infection' of swissorthopaedics

    PubMed Central

    Sendi, Parham; Borens, Olivier; Wahl, Peter; Clauss, Martin; Uçkay, Ilker

    2017-01-01

    In this position paper, we review definitions related to this subject and the corresponding literature. Our recommendations include the following statements. Asymptomatic bacteriuria, asymptomatic leukocyturia, urine discolouration, odd smell or positive nitrite sediments are not an indication for antimicrobial treatment. Antimicrobial treatment of asymptomatic bacteriuria does not prevent periprosthetic joint infection, but is associated with adverse events, costs and antibiotic resistance development. Urine analyses or urine cultures in asymptomatic patients undergoing orthopaedic implants should be avoided. Indwelling urinary catheters are the most frequent reason for healthcare-associated urinary tract infections and should be avoided or removed as soon as possible. PMID:28894690

  18. Epididymitis

    MedlinePlus

    ... infection, including sexually transmitted infections (STIs), such as gonorrhea or chlamydia. Sometimes, a testicle also becomes inflamed — ... you urinate. Causes Causes of epididymitis include: STIs. Gonorrhea and chlamydia are the most common causes of ...

  19. Towards a future molecular diagnosis of autism: Recent advances in biomarkers research from saliva samples.

    PubMed

    Galiana-Simal, Adrian; Muñoz-Martinez, Victoria; Calero-Bueno, Paloma; Vela-Romero, Maria; Beato-Fernandez, Luis

    2018-06-01

    Autism spectrum disorder diagnosis is currently based on clinical observations and behavioral evaluations exclusively, without any biological determination. Molecular biomarkers are usually obtained from biological fluids, such as blood or urine, generally through invasive and uncomfortable procedures. Patients with autism are characterized by sensory reactivity and behavioral difficulties which make sample collection problematic. Saliva has emerged as a feasible alternative to obtain relevant biological information and is especially indicated in the case of children with autism due to its painless and noninvasive sampling characteristics. Furthermore, saliva represents a valuable resource to study candidate biomarkers of autism. This has resulted in a number of interesting studies reported during the last 5 years that we have gathered and briefly discussed. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  20. KSC-08pd1457

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2008-05-28

    CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Replacement parts for the Zvezda service module toilet on the International Space Station are inspected following their arrival at Kennedy Space Center. The toilet malfunctioned last week and was initially repaired by replacing a microprocessor valve. After the station crew members experienced additional difficulties with the toilet, they were directed to use Soyuz toilet facilities at first and are using the main toilet again after rigging a urine bypass. The spare toilet parts have been added to space shuttle Discovery’s manifest for delivery to the station on the STS-124 mission. On the 14-day mission, Discovery and its crew will deliver the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Japanese Experiment Module – Pressurized Module and the Japanese Remote Manipulator System. Launch is scheduled for 5:02 p.m. EDT May 31. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

  1. KSC-08pd1458

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2008-05-28

    CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Replacement parts for the Zvezda service module toilet on the International Space Station are inspected following their arrival at Kennedy Space Center. The toilet malfunctioned last week and was initially repaired by replacing a microprocessor valve. After the station crew members experienced additional difficulties with the toilet, they were directed to use Soyuz toilet facilities at first and are using the main toilet again after rigging a urine bypass. The spare toilet parts have been added to space shuttle Discovery’s manifest for delivery to the station on the STS-124 mission. On the 14-day mission, Discovery and its crew will deliver the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Japanese Experiment Module – Pressurized Module and the Japanese Remote Manipulator System. Launch is scheduled for 5:02 p.m. EDT May 31. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

  2. DNA markers in molecular diagnostics for hepatocellular carcinoma

    PubMed Central

    Su, Ying-Hsiu; Lin, Selena Y; Song, Wei; Jain, Surbhi

    2015-01-01

    Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the one of the leading causes of cancer mortality in the world, mainly due to the difficulty of early detection and limited therapeutic options. The implementation of HCC surveillance programs in well-defined, high-risk populations were only able to detect about 40–50% of HCC at curative stages (Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer stages 0 & 1) due to the low sensitivities of the current screening methods. The advance of sequencing technologies has identified numerous modifications as potential candidate DNA markers for diagnosis/surveillance. Here we aim to provide an overview of the DNA alterations that result in activation of cancer pathways known to potentially drive HCC carcinogenesis and to summarize performance characteristics of each DNA marker in the periphery (blood or urine) for HCC screening. PMID:25098554

  3. Myoglobin urine test

    MedlinePlus

    Urine myoglobin; Heart attack - myoglobin urine test; Myositis - myoglobin urine test; Rhabdomyolysis - myoglobin urine test ... The test involves only normal urination, which should cause no discomfort.

  4. Biomarkers of Coordinate Metabolic Reprogramming in Colorectal Tumors in Mice and Humans

    PubMed Central

    Manna, Soumen K.; Tanaka, Naoki; Krausz, Kristopher W.; Haznadar, Majda; Xue, Xiang; Matsubara, Tsutomu; Bowman, Elise D.; Fearon, Eric R.; Harris, Curtis C.; Shah, Yatrik M.; Gonzalez, Frank J.

    2014-01-01

    BACKGROUND & AIMS There are no robust noninvasive methods for colorectal cancer screening and diagnosis. Metabolomic and gene expression analyses of urine and tissue samples from mice and humans were used to identify markers of colorectal carcinogenesis. METHODS Mass spectrometry-based metabolomic analyses of urine and tissues from wild-type C57BL/6J and ApcMin/+ mice, as well as from mice with azoxymethane-induced tumors, was employed in tandem with gene expression analysis. Metabolomics profiles were also determined on colon tumor and adjacent non-tumor tissues from 39 patients. The effects of β-catenin activity on metabolic profiles were assessed in mice with colon-specific disruption of Apc. RESULTS Thirteen markers were found in urine associated with development of colorectal tumors in ApcMin/+ mice. Metabolites related to polyamine metabolism, nucleic acid metabolism, and methylation, identified tumor-bearing mice with 100% accuracy, and also accurately identified mice with polyps. Changes in gene expression in tumor samples from mice reflected the observed changes in metabolic products detected in urine; similar changes were observed in mice with azoxymethane-induced tumors and mice with colon-specific activation of β-catenin. The metabolic alterations indicated by markers in urine therefore appear to occur during early stages of tumorigenesis, when cancer cells are proliferating. In tissues from patients, tumors had stage-dependent increases in 12 metabolites associated with the same metabolic pathways identified in mice (including amino acid metabolism and polyamine metabolism). Ten metabolites that were increased in tumor tissues, compared with non-tumor tissues (proline, threonine, glutamic acid, arginine, N1-acetylspermidine, xanthine, uracil, betaine, symmetric dimethylarginine, and asymmetric-dimethylarginine), were also increased in urine from tumor-bearing mice. CONCLUSIONS Gene expression and metabolomic profiles of urine and tissue samples from mice with colorectal tumors and of colorectal tumor samples from patients revealed metabolites associated with specific metabolic changes that are indicative of early-stage tumor development. These urine and tissue markers might be used in early detection of colorectal cancer. PMID:24440673

  5. An Initial Evaluation of a Comprehensive Continuing Care Intervention for Clients with Substance Use Disorders: My First Year of Recovery (MyFYR).

    PubMed

    McKay, James R; Knepper, Cheryl; Deneke, Erin; O'Reilly, Christopher; DuPont, Robert L

    2016-08-01

    Physician health programs (PHPs) generate high rates of sustained abstinence in addicted physicians, through a combination of formal treatment, self-help involvement, regular monitoring via random urine toxicology tests, and powerful incentives generated by the threat of losing one's medical license. Recently, Caron Treatment Centers developed a new continuing care intervention, "My First Year of Recovery" (MyFYR), which is modeled after PHPs but provides extended recovery support to a broader segment of those with substance use disorders. This paper presents initial outcome data from MyFYR. MyFYR features frequent outcomes monitoring via urine toxicology tests, and also includes a web-based social platform to coordinate efforts of recovery coaches, family members, and others (e.g., employers, probation officers). Participants were the first 198 clients who enrolled in MyFYR after participating in residential treatment at Caron. Substance use outcomes were determined by a combination of urine toxicology tests, client self-report, and information from family members obtained during a 12-month period following entry into MyFYR. Clients in MyFYR provided 70% of scheduled urine samples, for an average of 16.4 urine samples per client. Only 4.1% of the samples tested positive for alcohol or any drug. As determined by urine toxicology and client and family reports, 54% of the participants had some use of alcohol or drugs during the follow-up. Of these relapsed clients, 70.1% were retained or re-engaged in MyFYR, and of these, half were able to re-establish abstinence of two months duration or more, as documented by urine toxicology. These initial results are extremely promising, as they document high rates of sustained participation in urine drug test monitoring and positive outcome in clients not under the threat of losing a professional license or incarceration. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  6. MicroRNA-224 is Readily Detectable in Urine of Individuals with Diabetes Mellitus and is a Potential Indicator of Beta-Cell Demise

    PubMed Central

    Bacon, Siobhán; Engelbrecht, Britta; Schmid, Jasmin; Pfeiffer, Shona; Gallagher, Ross; McCarthy, Ailbhe; Burke, Marie; Concannon, Caoimhín; Prehn, Jochen H. M.; Byrne, Maria M.

    2015-01-01

    MicroRNA (miRNA) are a class of non-coding, 19–25 nucleotide RNA critical for network-level regulation of gene expression. miRNA serve as paracrine signaling molecules. Using an unbiased array approach, we previously identified elevated levels of miR-224 and miR-103 to be associated with a monogenic form of diabetes; HNF1A-MODY. miR-224 is a novel miRNA in the field of diabetes. We sought to explore the role of miR-224 as a potential biomarker in diabetes, and whether such diabetes-associated-miRNA can also be detected in the urine of patients. Absolute levels of miR-224 and miR-103 were determined in the urine of n = 144 individuals including carriers of a HNF1A mutation, participants with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM), type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and normal controls. Expression levels were correlated with clinical and biochemical parameters. miR-224 was significantly elevated in the urine of carriers of a HNF1A mutation and participants with T1DM. miR-103 was highly expressed in urine across all diabetes cohorts when compared to controls. For both miR-224 and-103, we found a significant correlation between serum and urine levels (p < 0.01). We demonstrate that miRNA can be readily detected in the urine independent of clinical indices of renal dysfunction. We surmise that the differential expression levels of miR-224 in both HNF1A-MODY mutation carriers and T1DM may be an attempt to compensate for beta-cell demise. PMID:26110317

  7. Direct detection of glucuronide metabolites of lidocaine in sheep urine.

    PubMed

    Doran, Gregory S; Smith, Alistair K; Rothwell, Jim T; Edwards, Scott H

    2018-02-15

    The anaesthetic lidocaine is metabolised quickly to produce a series of metabolites, including several hydroxylated metabolites, which are further metabolised by addition of a glucuronic acid moiety. Analysis of these glucuronide metabolites in urine is performed indirectly by cleaving the glucuronic acid group using β-glucuronidase. However, direct analysis of intact glucuronide conjugates is a more straightforward approach as it negates the need for long hydrolysis incubations, and minimises the oxidation of sensitive hydrolysis products, while also distinguishing between the two forms of hydroxylated metabolites. A method was developed to identify three intact glucuronides of lidocaine in sheep urine using LC-MS/MS, which was further confirmed by the synthesis of glucuronide derivatives of 3OH-MEGX and 4OH-LIDO. Direct analysis of urine allowed the detection of the glucuronide metabolites of hydroxylidocaine (OH-LIDO), hydroxyl-monoethylglycinexylidide (OH-MEGX), and hydroxy-2,6-xylidine (OH-XYL). Analysis of urine before and after β-glucuronidase digestion showed that the efficiency of hydrolysis of these glucuronide metabolites may be underestimated in some studies. Analysis of urine in the current study from three different sheep with similar glucuronide metabolite concentrations resulted in different hydrolysis efficiencies, which may have been a result of different levels of substrate binding by matrix components, preventing enzyme cleavage. The use of direct analysis of intact glucuronides has the benefit of being less influenced by these matrix effects, while also allowing analysis of unstable metabolites like 4OH-XYL, which rapidly oxidises after hydrolysis. Additionally, direct analysis is less expensive and less time consuming, while providing more information about the status of hydroxylated metabolites in urine. Crown Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Development of a new protocol for rapid bacterial identification and susceptibility testing directly from urine samples.

    PubMed

    Zboromyrska, Y; Rubio, E; Alejo, I; Vergara, A; Mons, A; Campo, I; Bosch, J; Marco, F; Vila, J

    2016-06-01

    The current gold standard method for the diagnosis of urinary tract infections (UTI) is urine culture that requires 18-48 h for the identification of the causative microorganisms and an additional 24 h until the results of antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) are available. The aim of this study was to shorten the time of urine sample processing by a combination of flow cytometry for screening and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) for bacterial identification followed by AST directly from urine. The study was divided into two parts. During the first part, 675 urine samples were processed by a flow cytometry device and a cut-off value of bacterial count was determined to select samples for direct identification by MALDI-TOF-MS at ≥5 × 10(6) bacteria/mL. During the second part, 163 of 1029 processed samples reached the cut-off value. The sample preparation protocol for direct identification included two centrifugation and two washing steps. Direct AST was performed by the disc diffusion method if a reliable direct identification was obtained. Direct MALDI-TOF-MS identification was performed in 140 urine samples; 125 of the samples were positive by urine culture, 12 were contaminated and 3 were negative. Reliable direct identification was obtained in 108 (86.4%) of the 125 positive samples. AST was performed in 102 identified samples, and the results were fully concordant with the routine method among 83 monomicrobial infections. In conclusion, the turnaround time of the protocol described to diagnose UTI was about 1 h for microbial identification and 18-24 h for AST. Copyright © 2016 European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. A population study of urine glycerol concentrations in elite athletes competing in North America.

    PubMed

    Kelly, Brian N; Madsen, Myke; Sharpe, Ken; Nair, Vinod; Eichner, Daniel

    2013-01-01

    Glycerol is an endogenous substance that is on the World Anti-Doping Agency's list of prohibited threshold substances due to its potential use as a plasma volume expansion agent. The WADA has set the threshold for urine glycerol, including measurement uncertainty, at 1.3 mg/mL. Glycerol in circulation largely comes from metabolism of triglycerides in order to meet energy requirements and when the renal threshold is eclipsed, glycerol is excreted into urine. In part due to ethnic differences in postprandial triglyceride concentrations, we investigated urine glycerol concentrations in a population of elite athletes competing in North America and compared the results to those of athletes competing in Europe. 959 urine samples from elite athletes competing in North America collected for anti-doping purposes were analyzed for urine glycerol concentrations by a gas chromatography mass-spectrometry method. Samples were divided into groups according to: Timing (in- or out-of-competition), Class (strength, game, or endurance sports) and Gender. 333 (34.7%) samples had undetectable amounts of glycerol (<1 μg/mL). 861 (89.8%) of the samples had glycerol concentrations ≤20 μg/mL. The highest glycerol concentration observed was 652 μg/mL. Analysis of the data finds the effects of each category to be statistically significant. The largest estimate of the 99.9(th) percentile, from the in-competition, female, strength athlete samples, was 1813 μg/mL with a 95% confidence range from 774 to 4251 μg/mL. This suggests a conservative threshold of 4.3 mg/mL, which would result in a reasonable detection window for urine samples collected in-competition for all genders and sport classes. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  10. Biomarkers of Secondhand Smoke Exposure in Waterpipe Tobacco Venue Employees in Istanbul, Moscow, and Cairo.

    PubMed

    Moon, Katherine A; Rule, Ana M; Magid, Hoda S; Ferguson, Jacqueline M; Susan, Jolie; Sun, Zhuolu; Torrey, Christine; Abubaker, Salahaddin; Levshin, Vladimir; Çarkoglu, Asli; Radwan, Ghada Nasr; El-Rabbat, Maha; Cohen, Joanna E; Strickland, Paul; Breysse, Patrick N; Navas-Acien, Ana

    2018-03-06

    Most smoke-free legislation to reduce secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure exempts waterpipe (hookah) smoking venues. Few studies have examined SHS exposure in waterpipe venues and their employees. We surveyed 276 employees of 46 waterpipe tobacco venues in Istanbul, Moscow, and Cairo. We interviewed venue managers and employees and collected biological samples from employees to measure exhaled carbon monoxide (CO), hair nicotine, saliva cotinine, urine cotinine, urine 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanol (NNAL), and urine 1-hydroxypyrene glucuronide (1-OHPG). We estimated adjusted geometric mean ratios (GMR) of each SHS biomarker by employee characteristics and indoor air SHS measures. There were 73 nonsmoking employees and 203 current smokers of cigarettes or waterpipe. In nonsmokers, the median (interquartile) range concentrations of SHS biomarkers were 1.1 (0.2, 40.9) µg/g creatinine urine cotinine, 5.5 (2, 15) ng/mL saliva cotinine, 0.95 (0.36, 5.02) ng/mg hair nicotine, 1.48 (0.98, 3.97) pg/mg creatinine urine NNAL, 0.54 (0.25, 0.97) pmol/mg creatinine urine 1-OHPG, and 1.67 (1.33, 2.33) ppm exhaled CO. An 8-hour increase in work hours was associated with higher urine cotinine (GMR: 1.68, 95% CI: 1.20, 2.37) and hair nicotine (GMR: 1.22, 95% CI: 1.05, 1.43). Lighting waterpipes was associated with higher saliva cotinine (GMR: 2.83, 95% CI: 1.05, 7.62). Nonsmoking employees of waterpipe tobacco venues were exposed to high levels of SHS, including measurable levels of carcinogenic biomarkers (tobacco-specific nitrosamines and PAHs). Smoke-free regulation should be extended to waterpipe venues to protect nonsmoking employees and patrons from the adverse health effects of SHS.

  11. PubMed

    Poupeau, Céline; Roland, Christel; Bussières, Jean-François

    2016-01-01

    There is increasing evidence that traces of hazardous drugs occur in the urine of health care professionals who are exposed to these drugs. To review the scientific literature regarding urinary monitoring of health care professionals exposed to antineoplastic drugs through their work. A search of PubMed using the Medical Subject Headings 'occupational exposure' and 'antineoplastic agents' and of Google Scholar using the terms 'antineoplastic', 'urine', and 'occupational exposure'. The analysis covered all articles in English or French pertaining to health care professionals exposed to hazardous drugs in the workplace, published from January 1, 2010, to December 31, 2015. Articles that did not discuss the results of urine tests and those concerning veterinarians, as well as literature reviews, editorials, letters to the editor, and conference abstracts, were excluded. Twenty-four articles were retained. The studies were conducted in 52 health care institutions in 7 countries. They included 826 workers exposed to hazardous drugs and 175 controls, specifically nurses ( n = 16 studies), pharmacists ( n = 10), pharmacy technicians ( n = 8), physicians ( n = 7), health care aides ( n = 2), and others ( n = 8). Various analytical methods were used to quantify the presence of 13 hazardous drugs, primarily cyclophosphamide ( n = 16 studies), platinum-based drugs ( n = 7), and alpha-fluoro-beta-alanine, a urine metabolite derived from 5-fluorouracil ( n = 3). The proportion of workers with positive results ranged from 0% ( n = 10 studies) to 100% ( n = 4). Considering only those studies that allowed calculation of the rate of workers with at least one positive urine sample ( n = 23), the total proportion was 21% (173/809 workers, for all methods and drugs combined). Twenty-four studies on urine monitoring were conducted in 7 countries between 2010 and 2015. In several studies, no traces of drugs were detected in urine.

  12. Water-loss (intracellular) dehydration assessed using urinary tests: how well do they work? Diagnostic accuracy in older people.

    PubMed

    Hooper, Lee; Bunn, Diane K; Abdelhamid, Asmaa; Gillings, Rachel; Jennings, Amy; Maas, Katie; Millar, Sophie; Twomlow, Elizabeth; Hunter, Paul R; Shepstone, Lee; Potter, John F; Fairweather-Tait, Susan J

    2016-07-01

    Water-loss dehydration (hypertonic, hyperosmotic, or intracellular dehydration) is due to insufficient fluid intake and is distinct from hypovolemia due to excess fluid losses. Water-loss dehydration is associated with poor health outcomes such as disability and mortality in older people. Urine specific gravity (USG), urine color, and urine osmolality have been widely advocated for screening for dehydration in older adults. We assessed the diagnostic accuracy of urinary measures to screen for water-loss dehydration in older people. This was a diagnostic accuracy study of people aged ≥65 y taking part in the DRIE (Dehydration Recognition In our Elders; living in long-term care) or NU-AGE (Dietary Strategies for Healthy Ageing in Europe; living in the community) studies. The reference standard was serum osmolality, and index tests included USG, urine color, urine osmolality, urine cloudiness, additional dipstick measures, ability to provide a urine sample, and the volume of a random urine sample. Minimum useful diagnostic accuracy was set at sensitivity and specificity ≥70% or a receiver operating characteristic plot area under the curve ≥0.70. DRIE participants (women: 67%; mean age: 86 y; n = 162) had more limited cognitive and functional abilities than did NU-AGE participants (women: 64%; mean age: 70 y; n = 151). Nineteen percent of DRIE participants and 22% of NU-AGE participants were dehydrated (serum osmolality >300 mOsm/kg). Neither USG nor any other potential urinary tests were usefully diagnostic for water-loss dehydration. Although USG, urine color, and urinary osmolality have been widely advocated for screening for dehydration in older adults, we show, in the largest study to date to our knowledge, that their diagnostic accuracy is too low to be useful, and these measures should not be used to indicate hydration status in older people (either alone or as part of a wider tranche of tests). There is a need to develop simple, inexpensive, and noninvasive tools for the assessment of dehydration in older people. The DRIE study was registered at www.researchregister.org.uk as 122273. The NU-AGE trial was registered at clinicialtrials.gov as NCT01754012. © 2016 American Society for Nutrition.

  13. Determination of hydroxylated polychlorinated biphenyls (OH-PCBs) in human urine in a highly occupationally exposed German cohort: New prospects for urinary biomarkers of PCB exposure.

    PubMed

    Quinete, Natalia; Esser, André; Kraus, Thomas; Schettgen, Thomas

    2016-12-01

    The present study evaluates for the first time the determination of 20 hydroxylated polychlorinated biphenyl (OH-PCB) congeners and their glucuronide and sulfate conjugates in urine as a biomarker of exposure to PCBs in humans. Thereby, a fast, sensitive and selective online solid phase extraction (SPE) method coupled to LC-MS/MS was validated for the determination of OH-PCBs in human urine, being previously successfully developed and applied for the separation and quantitation of OH-PCBs in human plasma. The lowest limit of quantification (LLOQ) ranged from 0.01 to 0.19ngmL -1 and average extraction recoveries from 79 to 125% for all hydroxylated congeners. Within-run precision and between-run precision were between 2 and 17%. Extraction recovery tests were also performed in urine with different creatinine contents (0.52-3.92gL -1 ) for an estimation of matrix influences and ranged between 69 and 125%. In order to evaluate the applicability of the method, the study was conducted in three different groups, which were distinctly separated as non-exposed to known sources of PCBs (N=21), low-to-moderate PCB-exposed individuals (N=25) and highly occupationally PCB-exposed individuals (N=25), which included workers of a transformer recycling plant, their relatives and workers of surrounding companies from a German cohort. As part of the biomonitoring program HELPcB (Health Effects in High-Level Exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls), urine and blood samples were collected annually from 2010 to 2014. In this way, OH-PCB elimination profile in urine over time, correlations between OH-PCB levels in human plasma and urine, and associations with their parent compounds in plasma of the studied PCB cohort could be also assessed. Tri-chlorinated OH-PCBs were the predominant congeners in urine with concentrations up to 174ngmL -1 . High chlorinated OH-PCBs (penta- through hepta-chlorinated OH-PCBs) were also frequently detected in urine samples from non-exposed and occupationally exposed individuals, although levels were in general very low or lower than LLOQ. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Do English NHS Microbiology laboratories offer adequate services for the diagnosis of UTI in children? Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership (HQIP) Audit of Standard Operational Procedures.

    PubMed

    McNulty, Cliodna A M; Verlander, Neville Q; Moore, Philippa C L; Larcombe, James; Dudley, Jan; Banerjee, Jaydip; Jadresic, Lyda

    2015-09-01

    The National Institute of Care Excellence (NICE) 2007 guidance CG54, on urinary tract infection (UTI) in children, states that clinicians should use urgent microscopy and culture as the preferred method for diagnosing UTI in the hospital setting for severe illness in children under 3 years old and from the GP setting in children under 3 years old with intermediate risk of severe illness. NICE also recommends that all 'infants and children with atypical UTI (including non-Escherichia coli infections) should have renal imaging after a first infection'. We surveyed all microbiology laboratories in England with Clinical Pathology Accreditation to determine standard operating procedures (SOPs) for urgent microscopy, culture and reporting of children's urine and to ascertain whether the SOPs facilitate compliance with NICE guidance. We undertook a computer search in six microbiology laboratories in south-west England to determine urine submissions and urine reports in children under 3 years. Seventy-three per cent of laboratories (110/150) participated. Enterobacteriaceae that were not E. coli were reported only as coliforms (rather than non-E. coli coliforms) by 61% (67/110) of laboratories. Eighty-eight per cent of laboratories (97/110) provided urgent microscopy for hospital and 54% for general practice (GP) paediatric urines; 61% of laboratories (confidence interval 52-70%) cultured 1 μl volume of urine, which equates to one colony if the bacterial load is 106 c.f.u. l(-1). Only 22% (24/110) of laboratories reported non-E. coli coliforms and provided urgent microscopy for both hospital and GP childhood urines; only three laboratories also cultured a 5 μl volume of urine. Only one of six laboratories in our submission audit had a significant increase in urine submissions and urines reported from children less than 3 years old between the predicted pre-2007 level in the absence of guidance and the 2008 level following publication of the NICE guidance. Less than a quarter of laboratories were providing a service that would allow clinicians to fully comply with the first line recommendations in the 2007 NICE UTI in children guidance. Laboratory urine submission report figures suggest that the guidance has not led to an increase in diagnosis of UTI in children under 3 years old.

  15. Direct urine polymerase chain reaction for chlamydia and gonorrhoea: a simple means of bringing high-throughput rapid testing to remote settings?

    PubMed

    Rahimi, Frashta; Goire, Namraj; Guy, Rebecca; Kaldor, John M; Ward, James; Nissen, Michael D; Sloots, Theo P; Whiley, David M

    2013-08-01

    Background Rapid point-of-care tests (POCTs) for chlamydia (Chlamydia trachomatis) and gonorrhoea (Neisseria gonorrhoeae) have the potential to confer health benefits in certain populations even at moderate sensitivities; however, suitable POCTs for these organisms are currently lacking. In this study, we investigated the use of direct urine polymerase chain reaction (PCR), with the view of implementing a simplified PCR strategy for high-throughput chlamydia and gonorrhoea screening in remote settings. Briefly, a simple dilution of the urine was performed before adding it directly to a real-time PCR reaction. The method was evaluated using 134 stored urine specimens that had been submitted for chlamydia and gonorrhoea testing and had been tested using a commercial C. trachomatis and N. gonorrhoeae PCR method. These included samples that were PCR-positive for chlamydia (n=87), gonorrhoea (n=16) or both (n=2). Direct urine testing was conducted using previously described in-house real-time PCR methods for C. trachomatis and N. gonorrhoeae as well as for recognised N.gonorrhoeae antimicrobial resistance mechanisms. The overall sensitivities and specificities of the direct urine PCR were 78% and 100% for chlamydia, and 83% and 100% for gonorrhoea. N.gonorrhoeae penicillin and quinolone resistance mechanisms were characterised in 14 of the 18 N. gonorrhoeae-positive samples. The results of this study show that the simplified PCR strategy may be a feasible approach for rapid screening and improving chlamydia and gonorrhoea treatment in remote settings.

  16. Urine collection in the emergency department: what really happens in there?

    PubMed

    Frazee, Bradley W; Frausto, Kenneth; Cisse, Bitou; White, Douglas E A; Alter, Harrison

    2012-11-01

    In women with suspected urinary tract infection (UTI), a non-contaminated voided specimen is considered important for valid urinalysis and culture results. We assess whether midstream parted-labia catch (MSPC) instructions were provided by nurses, understood, and performed correctly, according to the patient. We conducted a cross-sectional survey of English- and Spanish-speaking female patients submitting voided urine samples for urinalysis for suspected UTI. The survey was conducted in a public teaching hospital emergency department (ED) from June to December 2010, beginning 2 months after development and dissemination of a nursing MSPC instructions protocol. Research assistants administered the survey within 2 hours of urine collection. Nurses were unaware of the study purpose. Of 129 patients approached, 74 (57%) consented and were included in the analysis. Median age was 35; 44% were Latino. Regarding instructions from nurses, patients reported the following: 45 (61%; 95% CI 50-72%) received any instructions; of whom 37 (82%; 95% CI 71-93%) understood them completely. Sixteen (36%; 95% CI 22-51%) were instructed to collect midstream; and 7 (16%; 95% CI 6-29%) to part the labia. Regardless of receiving or understanding instructions, 33 (45%; 95% CI 33-57%) reported actually collecting midstream, and 11 (15%, 95% CI 8-25%) parting the labia. In this ED, instructions for MSPC urine collection frequently were not given, despite a nursing protocol, and patients rarely performed the essential steps. An evidence-based approach to urine testing in the ED that considers urine collection technique, is needed.

  17. Simultaneous immunostaining with anti-S100P and anti-SV40 antibodies revealed the origin of BK virus-infected decoy cells in voided urine samples.

    PubMed

    Ariyasu, S; Yanai, H; Sato, M; Shinno, Y; Taniguchi, K; Yamadori, I; Miki, Y; Sato, Y; Yoshino, T; Takahashi, K

    2015-08-01

    Methods for determining the origin of BK virus (BKV)-infected cells (decoy cells) in clinical urine samples have not been established although they could enhance the diagnosis of BKV infection in immunocompromised patients. We performed simultaneous immunostaining with anti-S100P (a urothelial marker) and anti-SV40 antibodies in 66 clinical urine samples exhibiting SV40 positivity and a decoy-cell appearance on Papanicolaou staining. The clinical voided urine samples included seven cases of renal transplantation, 47 cases of cancer therapy and 12 cases of non-neoplastic disease. SurePath(™) liquid-based cytology was used for the urine samples. BKV-infected cells were categorized as SV40(+)/S100P(+) and SV40 (+)/S100p(-). SV40(+)/S100P(-) cells were found in 55 cases (83.4%); nine cases (13.6%) carried both SV40(+)/S100P(-) and SV40(+)/S100P(+) cells. The former were identified as BKV infection in renal tubules and the latter in both the renal tubules and urothelial epithelia. The remaining two cases (3.0%) had only SV40(+)/S100P(+) cells of urothelial origin. Simultaneous immunostaining with anti-S100P and anti-SV40 is a useful method for determining the origin of BKV-infected cells in clinical urine samples from immunocompromised patients such as renal transplantation recipients. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  18. Enhanced MFC power production and struvite recovery by the addition of sea salts to urine.

    PubMed

    Merino-Jimenez, Irene; Celorrio, Veronica; Fermin, David J; Greenman, John; Ieropoulos, Ioannis

    2017-02-01

    Urine is an excellent fuel for electricity generation in Microbial Fuel Cells (MFCs), especially with practical implementations in mind. Moreover, urine has a high content in nutrients which can be easily recovered. Struvite (MgNH 4 PO 4 ·6H 2 O) crystals naturally precipitate in urine, but this reaction can be enhanced by the introduction of additional magnesium. In this work, the effect of magnesium additives on the power output of the MFCs and on the catholyte generation is evaluated. Several magnesium sources including MgCl 2 , artificial sea water and a commercially available sea salts mixture for seawater preparation (SeaMix) were mixed with real fresh human urine in order to enhance struvite precipitation. The supernatant of each mixture was tested as a feedstock for the MFCs and it was evaluated in terms of power output and catholyte generation. The commercial SeaMix showed the best performance in terms of struvite precipitation, increasing the amount of struvite in the solid collected from 21% to 94%. Moreover, the SeaMix increased the maximum power performance of the MFCs by over 10% and it also changed the properties of the catholyte collected by increasing the pH, conductivity and the concentration of chloride ions. These results demonstrate that the addition of sea-salts to real urine is beneficial for both struvite recovery and electricity generation in MFCs. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  19. Promoting appropriate urine culture management to improve health care outcomes and the accuracy of catheter-associated urinary tract infections.

    PubMed

    Garcia, Robert; Spitzer, Eric D

    2017-10-01

    Published literature indicates that the unjustified ordering or improper collection of urine for urinalysis or culture from either catheterized patients or those without indwelling devices, or misinterpretation of positive results, often leads to adverse health care events, including increased financial burdens, overreporting of mandated catheter-associated urinary tract infection events, overtreatment of patients with antimicrobial agents, selection of multidrug-resistant organisms, and Clostridium difficile infection. Moreover, national guidelines that provide evidence-based direction on core processes that form the basis for subsequent clinical therapy decisions or surveillance interpretations; that is, the appropriate ordering and collection of urine for laboratory testing and the treatment of patients with symptomatic urinary tract infection, are not widely known or lack adherence. This article provides published evidence on the influence of inappropriate ordering of urine specimens and subsequent treatment of asymptomatic bacteriuria and associated adverse effects; reviews research on bacterial contamination and preservation; and delineates best practices in the collection, handling, and testing of urine specimens for culture or for biochemical analysis in both catheterized and noncatheterized patients. The goal is to provide infection preventionists (IPs) with a cohesive evidence-based framework that will assist them in facilitating the implementation of a urine culture management program that reduces patient harms, enhances the accuracy of catheter-associated urinary tract infection surveillance, improves antibiotic stewardship, and reduces costs. Copyright © 2017 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. Nephrology in A Medicinal Dictionary of Robert James (1703-1776).

    PubMed

    Bisaccia, Carmela; De Santo, Natale G; Cirillo, Massimo; Perna, Alessandra; De Santo, Rosalba; Richet, Gabriel

    2011-01-01

    Robert James was a member of the College of Physicians at Cambridge and a practitioner. He was considered one of the "three best known characters in London--perhaps in Europe. The other two being the lexycographer Samuel Johnson and the Shakespearean actor David Garrick." James became famous for his powerful ability to write and publish, which produced many books, including the ponderous A Medicinal Dictionary, With a History of Drugs, in 3 volumes in folio, published in London in the years 1743-1745, and dedicated to the famous professor and royal physician John Mead. The Dictionary was translated into French by Denis Diderot, François-Vincent Toussaint and Marc Antoine Eidous, and was revised by Juliene T. Busson, president of the University of Paris. During the translation, Diderot learned much biology and medicine, which he used subsequently in developing his Encyclopédie. Interesting chapters are devoted to urine, predictions from urine, bloody urine, good urine, bad urine, urine portending death, diabetes, dropsy, nephritis, stone, ischury, dysury and urine incontinence. In general their strength resides in their accurate clinical descriptions. The paragraphs on urine are concise and clinically sound, and the description of procedures for urine analysis and the utilization of results (quantity, quantity, colors, sediments and consistency) in diagnosis and prognosis of bloody urine is accurate. The section on diabetes is excellent and is comparable to that of Desault written decades later in the Encyclopédie of Diderot. In the chapter on dropsy (he does not use the word oedema), patients are well described and their remedies are appropriate for the time. The contributions of kidney and liver are clear. The plants for renal treatment can be traced to Dioscorides. Concerning dosage, he is precise and helpful to his readers. The chapter on stones is a real masterpiece, clinically well centered and giving all the pertinent information to localize them, their medical treatment and the risks of surgery. The entry on nephritis is short and rather confusing. Here James even lacks the usual accurate description of cases which could have made it understandable. Blood letting was extensively used in those days, and he is a man of his time, but James was aware of the clinical conditions where it fails. It is understandable that he underlines its role in certain bloody urines in patients with a plethoric constitution. Was James referring to patients with acute nephritis and possibly high blood pressure.

  1. Ketones urine test

    MedlinePlus

    Ketone bodies - urine; Urine ketones; Ketoacidosis - urine ketones test; Diabetic ketoacidosis - urine ketones test ... Urine ketones are usually measured as a "spot test." This is available in a test kit that ...

  2. Sensitivity to monetary reward is most severely compromised in recently abstaining cocaine addicted individuals: A cross-sectional ERP study

    PubMed Central

    Parvaz, Muhammad A.; Maloney, Thomas; Moeller, Scott J.; Woicik, Patricia A.; Alia-Klein, Nelly; Telang, Frank; Wang, Gene-Jack; Squires, Nancy K.; Volkow, Nora D.; Goldstein, Rita Z.

    2012-01-01

    Recent studies suggest that drug addicted individuals have a dampened cortical response to non-drug rewards. However, it remains unclear whether recency of drug use impacts this impairment. Therefore, in this study, recency of cocaine use was objectively determined by measuring cocaine in urine on study day. Thirty-five individuals with current cocaine use disorder [CUD: 21 testing positive (CUD+) and 14 testing negative (CUD−) for cocaine in urine] and 23 healthy controls completed a sustained attention task with graded monetary incentives (0¢, 1¢ and 45¢). Unlike in controls, in both CUD subgroups P300 amplitude was not modulated by the varying amounts of money and the CUD− showed the most severe impairment as documented by the lowest P300 amplitudes and task accuracy. Moreover, while recency of drug use was associated with better accuracy and higher P300 amplitudes, chronic drug use was associated with lower sensitivity to money. These results extend our previous findings of decreased sustained sensitivity to monetary reward in CUD+ to recently abstaining individuals, where level of impairment was most severe. Taken together, these results support the self-medication hypothesis, where CUD may be self-administering cocaine to avoid or compensate for underlying cognitive and emotional difficulties albeit with a long-term detrimental effect on sensitivity to non-drug reward. PMID:22841343

  3. The Key to Life Nutrition Program: results from a community-based dietary sodium reduction trial

    PubMed Central

    Robare, Joseph F; Milas, N Carole; Bayles, Constance M; Williams, Kathy; Newman, Anne B; Lovalekar, Mita T; Boudreau, Robert; McTigue, Kathleen; Albert, Steven M; Kuller, Lewis H

    2016-01-01

    Objective Evaluation of a dietary Na reduction trial in a community setting. Design Community-based randomized trial. Ten-week nutrition intervention activities focused on lifestyle modification to decrease dietary Na intake, under the supervision of a registered dietitian. Twenty-four hour urine specimens were collected at baseline and follow-up visits to determine 24 h urinary Na excretion. Setting The University of Pittsburgh Center for Healthy Aging, Key to Life Nutrition Program. Subjects Hypertensive adults at least 65 years of age. Results Mean age of participants was 75 years. Twenty-four hour mean urinary Na excretion at baseline was 3174 mg/d. This reduced to 2944 mg/d (P = 0·30) and 2875 mg/d (P ≤ 0·03) at 6-and 12-month follow-ups, respectively. In a sub-sample (urine volume of ≥ 1000 ml, baseline to 12 months), mean urinary Na excretion decreased from 3220 mg/d to 2875 mg/d (P ≤ 0·02). Conclusions Significant reductions in mean 24 h urinary Na were reported, but results fell short of the recommended guidelines of 1500 mg/d for at-risk individuals. Our results reiterate the difficulty in implementing these guidelines in community-based programmes. More aggressive public health efforts, food industry support and health policy changes are needed to decrease Na levels in older adults to the recommended guidelines. PMID:19781124

  4. Urinary C-peptide as a method for monitoring body mass changes in captive bonobos (Pan paniscus).

    PubMed

    Deschner, Tobias; Kratzsch, Jürgen; Hohmann, Gottfried

    2008-11-01

    In recent years methodological improvements have allowed for more precise estimates of nutrient intake in wild primates. However, estimates of energetic condition have remained relatively imprecise due to the difficulties of estimating digestive efficiency and energy expenditure in these animals. In the absence of a reliable intake-expenditure calculation, a method is needed that directly links changes in energetic condition, such as body mass, to physiological changes that can be detected via markers in body excretions such as urine or feces. One promising marker is C-peptide, a metabolic byproduct of insulin synthesis. Here we present the results of a food restriction experiment carried out in a group of captive bonobos (Pan paniscus). We measured changes in food availability and body mass and determined urinary C-peptide levels with the help of a time-resolved fluoroimmunoassay routinely used for measuring C-peptide in human blood. Urinary C-peptide levels decreased during a period of food restriction and increased again when food availability was continuously increased. During this refeeding phase an increase in body mass was significantly correlated with an increase in urinary C-peptide levels. Our results suggest that urinary C-peptide levels are an accurate indicator of individual energy balance. In conclusion, measuring C-peptide in urine is a promising method to quantify the energetic condition of wild apes.

  5. Toward Precision Medicine: A Cancer Molecular Subtyping Nano-Strategy for RNA Biomarkers in Tumor and Urine.

    PubMed

    Koo, Kevin M; Wee, Eugene J H; Mainwaring, Paul N; Wang, Yuling; Trau, Matt

    2016-12-01

    Cancer is a heterogeneous disease which manifests as different molecular subtypes due to the complex nature of tumor initiation, progression, and metastasis. The concept of precision medicine aims to exploit this cancer heterogeneity by incorporating diagnostic technology to characterize each cancer patient's molecular subtype for tailored treatments. To characterize cancer molecular subtypes accurately, a suite of multiplexed bioassays have currently been developed to detect multiple oncogenic biomarkers. Despite the reliability of current multiplexed detection techniques, novel strategies are still needed to resolve limitations such as long assay time, complex protocols, and difficulty in interpreting broad overlapping spectral peaks of conventional fluorescence readouts. Herein a rapid (80 min) multiplexed platform strategy for subtyping prostate cancer tumor and urine samples based on their RNA biomarker profiles is presented. This is achieved by combining rapid multiplexed isothermal reverse transcription-recombinase polymerase amplification (RT-RPA) of target RNA biomarkers with surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) nanotags for "one-pot" readout. This is the first translational application of a RT-RPA/SERS-based platform for multiplexed cancer biomarker detection to address a clinical need. With excellent sensitivity of 200 zmol (100 copies) and specificity, we believed that this platform methodology could be a useful tool for rapid multiplexed subtyping of cancers. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  6. Improving the Diagnosis of Legionella Pneumonia within a Healthcare System through a Systematic Consultation and Testing Program.

    PubMed

    Decker, Brooke K; Harris, Patricia L; Muder, Robert R; Hong, Jae H; Singh, Nina; Sonel, Ali F; Clancy, Cornelius J

    2016-08-01

    Legionella testing is not recommended for all patients with pneumonia, but rather for particular patient subgroups. As a result, the overall incidence of Legionella pneumonia may be underestimated. To determine the incidence of Legionella pneumonia in a veteran population in an endemic area after introduction of a systematic infectious diseases consultation and testing program. In response to a 2011-2012 outbreak, the VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System mandated infectious diseases consultations and testing for Legionella by urine antigen and sputum culture in all patients with pneumonia. Between January 2013 and December 2015, 1,579 cases of pneumonia were identified. The incidence of pneumonia was 788/100,000 veterans per year, including 352/100,000 veterans per year and 436/100,000 veterans per year with community-associated pneumonia (CAP) and health care-associated pneumonia, respectively. Ninety-eight percent of patients with suspected pneumonia were tested for Legionella by at least one method. Legionella accounted for 1% of pneumonia cases (n = 16), including 1.7% (12/706) and 0.6% (4/873) of CAP and health care-associated pneumonia, respectively. The yearly incidences of Legionella pneumonia and Legionella CAP were 7.99 and 5.99/100,000 veterans, respectively. The sensitivities of urine antigen and sputum culture were 81% and 60%, respectively; the specificity of urine antigen was >99.97%. Urine antigen testing and Legionella cultures increased by 65% and 330%, respectively, after introduction of our program. Systematic testing of veterans in an endemic area revealed a higher incidence of Legionella pneumonia and CAP than previously reported. Widespread urine antigen testing was not limited by false positivity.

  7. Environmental Chemicals in Urine and Blood: Improving Methods for Creatinine and Lipid Adjustment

    PubMed Central

    O’Brien, Katie M.; Upson, Kristen; Cook, Nancy R.; Weinberg, Clarice R.

    2015-01-01

    Background Investigators measuring exposure biomarkers in urine typically adjust for creatinine to account for dilution-dependent sample variation in urine concentrations. Similarly, it is standard to adjust for serum lipids when measuring lipophilic chemicals in serum. However, there is controversy regarding the best approach, and existing methods may not effectively correct for measurement error. Objectives We compared adjustment methods, including novel approaches, using simulated case–control data. Methods Using a directed acyclic graph framework, we defined six causal scenarios for epidemiologic studies of environmental chemicals measured in urine or serum. The scenarios include variables known to influence creatinine (e.g., age and hydration) or serum lipid levels (e.g., body mass index and recent fat intake). Over a range of true effect sizes, we analyzed each scenario using seven adjustment approaches and estimated the corresponding bias and confidence interval coverage across 1,000 simulated studies. Results For urinary biomarker measurements, our novel method, which incorporates both covariate-adjusted standardization and the inclusion of creatinine as a covariate in the regression model, had low bias and possessed 95% confidence interval coverage of nearly 95% for most simulated scenarios. For serum biomarker measurements, a similar approach involving standardization plus serum lipid level adjustment generally performed well. Conclusions To control measurement error bias caused by variations in serum lipids or by urinary diluteness, we recommend improved methods for standardizing exposure concentrations across individuals. Citation O’Brien KM, Upson K, Cook NR, Weinberg CR. 2016. Environmental chemicals in urine and blood: improving methods for creatinine and lipid adjustment. Environ Health Perspect 124:220–227; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1509693 PMID:26219104

  8. Cost and Efficacy Assessment of an Alternative Medication Compliance Urine Drug Testing Strategy.

    PubMed

    Doyle, Kelly; Strathmann, Frederick G

    2017-02-01

    This study investigates the frequency at which quantitative results provide additional clinical benefit compared to qualitative results alone. A comparison between alternative urine drug screens and conventional screens including the assessment of cost-to-payer differences, accuracy of prescription compliance or polypharmacy/substance abuse was also included. In a reference laboratory evaluation of urine specimens from across the United States, 213 urine specimens with provided prescription medication information (302 prescriptions) were analyzed by two testing algorithms: 1) conventional immunoassay screen with subsequent reflexive testing of positive results by quantitative mass spectrometry; and 2) a combined immunoassay/qualitative mass-spectrometry screen that substantially reduced the need for subsequent testing. The qualitative screen was superior to immunoassay with reflex to mass spectrometry in confirming compliance per prescription (226/302 vs 205/302), and identifying non-prescription abuse (97 vs 71). Pharmaceutical impurities and inconsistent drug metabolite patterns were detected in only 3.8% of specimens, suggesting that quantitative results have limited benefit. The percentage difference between the conventional testing algorithm and the alternative screen was projected to be 55%, and a 2-year evaluation of test utilization as a measure of test order volume follows an exponential trend for alternative screen test orders over conventional immunoassay screens that require subsequent confirmation testing. Alternative, qualitative urine drug screens provide a less expensive, faster, and more comprehensive evaluation of patient medication compliance and drug abuse. The vast majority of results were interpretable with qualitative results alone indicating a reduced need to automatically reflex to quantitation or provide quantitation for the majority of patients. This strategy highlights a successful approach using an alternative strategy for both the laboratory and physician to align clinical needs while being mindful of costs.

  9. Urine protein profiling identified alpha-1-microglobulin and haptoglobin as biomarkers for early diagnosis of acute allograft rejection following kidney transplantation.

    PubMed

    Stubendorff, Beatrice; Finke, Stephanie; Walter, Martina; Kniemeyer, Olaf; von Eggeling, Ferdinand; Gruschwitz, Torsten; Steiner, Thomas; Ott, Undine; Wolf, Gunter; Wunderlich, Heiko; Junker, Kerstin

    2014-12-01

    Early diagnosis of acute rejection and effective immunosuppressive therapy lead to improvement in graft survival following kidney transplantation. In this study, we aimed to establish a urinary protein profile suitable to distinguish between patients with rejection and stable graft function and to predict acute rejection based on postoperatively collected urine samples. A further objective was to identify candidate proteins for the use as biomarkers in clinical practice. Urine samples of 116 kidney recipients were included. Rejection was proven by biopsy (n = 58), and stable transplant function was monitored for at least 2 years (n = 58). Postoperative urine samples were collected between 3rd and 10th day following transplantation. Urinary protein profiles were obtained by surface-enhanced laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Protein identification and validation were performed using multiplex fluorescence 2DE, peptide mass fingerprinting and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. A protein profile including four mass peaks differentiated acute rejection from stable transplants at the time point of rejection and at the postoperative state with 73 % sensitivity and 88 % specificity. Alpha-1-microglobulin (A1MG) and Haptoglobin (Hp) were identified as putative rejection biomarkers. Protein levels were significantly higher in postoperative urine from patients with rejection (A1MG 29.13 vs. 22.06 μg/ml, p = 0.001; Hp 628.34 vs. 248.57 ng/ml, p = 0.003). The combination of both proteins enabled the diagnosis of early rejection with 85 % sensitivity and 80 % specificity. Protein profiling using mass spectrometry is suitable for noninvasive detection of rejection-specific changes following kidney transplantation. A specific protein profile enables the prediction of early acute allograft rejection in the immediate postoperative period. A1MG and Hp appear to be reliable rejection biomarkers.

  10. Validation of reliable and selective methods for direct determination of glyphosate and aminomethylphosphonic acid in milk and urine using LC-MS/MS.

    PubMed

    Jensen, Pamela K; Wujcik, Chad E; McGuire, Michelle K; McGuire, Mark A

    2016-01-01

    Simple high-throughput procedures were developed for the direct analysis of glyphosate [N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine] and aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA) in human and bovine milk and human urine matrices. Samples were extracted with an acidified aqueous solution on a high-speed shaker. Stable isotope labeled internal standards were added with the extraction solvent to ensure accurate tracking and quantitation. An additional cleanup procedure using partitioning with methylene chloride was required for milk matrices to minimize the presence of matrix components that can impact the longevity of the analytical column. Both analytes were analyzed directly, without derivatization, by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry using two separate precursor-to-product transitions that ensure and confirm the accuracy of the measured results. Method performance was evaluated during validation through a series of assessments that included linearity, accuracy, precision, selectivity, ionization effects and carryover. Limits of quantitation (LOQ) were determined to be 0.1 and 10 µg/L (ppb) for urine and milk, respectively, for both glyphosate and AMPA. Mean recoveries for all matrices were within 89-107% at three separate fortification levels including the LOQ. Precision for replicates was ≤ 7.4% relative standard deviation (RSD) for milk and ≤ 11.4% RSD for urine across all fortification levels. All human and bovine milk samples used for selectivity and ionization effects assessments were free of any detectable levels of glyphosate and AMPA. Some of the human urine samples contained trace levels of glyphosate and AMPA, which were background subtracted for accuracy assessments. Ionization effects testing showed no significant biases from the matrix. A successful independent external validation was conducted using the more complicated milk matrices to demonstrate method transferability.

  11. Ground Test of the Urine Processing Assembly for Accelerations and Transfer Functions

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Houston, Janice; Almond, Deborah F. (Technical Monitor)

    2001-01-01

    This viewgraph presentation gives an overview of the ground test of the urine processing assembly for accelerations and transfer functions. Details are given on the test setup, test data, data analysis, analytical results, and microgravity assessment. The conclusions of the tests include the following: (1) the single input/multiple output method is useful if the data is acquired by tri-axial accelerometers and inputs can be considered uncorrelated; (2) tying coherence with the matrix yields higher confidence in results; (3) the WRS#2 rack ORUs need to be isolated; (4) and future work includes a plan for characterizing performance of isolation materials.

  12. Development of a preprototype vapor compression distillation water recovery subsystem

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Johnson, K. L.

    1978-01-01

    The activities involved in the design, development, and test of a preprototype vapor compression distillation water recovery subsystem are described. This subsystem, part of a larger regenerative life support evaluation system, is designed to recover usable water from urine, urinal rinse water, and concentrated shower and laundry brine collected from three space vehicle crewmen for a period of 180 days without resupply. Details of preliminary design and testing as well as component developments are included. Trade studies, considerations leading to concept selections, problems encountered, and test data are also presented. The rework of existing hardware, subsystem development including computer programs, assembly verification, and comprehensive baseline test results are discussed.

  13. Anti-doping analyses at the Sochi Olympic and Paralympic Games 2014.

    PubMed

    Sobolevsky, Tim; Krotov, Grigory; Dikunets, Marina; Nikitina, Maria; Mochalova, Elena; Rodchenkov, Grigory

    2014-01-01

    The laboratory anti-doping services during XXII Winter Olympic and XI Paralympic games in Sochi in 2014 were provided by a satellite laboratory facility located within the strictly secured Olympic Park. This laboratory, established and operated by the personnel of Antidoping Center, Moscow, has been authorized by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) to conduct doping control analyses. The 4-floor building accommodated the most advanced analytical instrumentation and became a place of attraction for more than 50 Russian specialists and 25 foreign experts, including independent observers. In total, 2134 urine and 479 blood samples were delivered to the laboratory and analyzed during the Olympic Games (OG), and 403 urine and 108 blood samples - during the Paralympic Games (PG). The number of erythropoietin tests requested in urine was 946 and 166 at the OG and PG, respectively. Though included in the test distribution plan, a growth hormone analysis was cancelled by the Organizing Committee just before the Games. Several adverse analytical findings have been reported including pseudoephedrine (1 case), methylhexaneamine (4 cases), trimetazidine (1 case), dehydrochloromethyltestosterone (1 case), clostebol (1 case), and a designer stimulant N-ethyl-1-phenylbutan-2-amine (1 case). Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  14. GOING WITH THE FLOW: QUALITY OF LIFE OUTCOMES OF CANCER SURVIVORS WITH URINARY DIVERSION

    PubMed Central

    Gemmill, Robin; Sun, Virginia; Ferrell, Betty; Krouse, Robert S.; Grant, Marcia

    2012-01-01

    Purpose The purpose of this descriptive study is to describe health related quality of life (HRQOL) concerns among cancer patients with continent and incontinent urinary diversions (UD). Subjects and Settings Study participants were accrued from members of the California United Ostomy Association and two cancer centers in Southern California. Instruments The City of Hope HRQOL-Ostomy Questionnaire (COHHRQOL-O) is a modified HRQOL measurement tool based on the original work done over a number of years by Grant and colleagues. Methods The COHHRQOL-O was mailed to 2890 individuals. Of the 1600 returns there were 307 responses from patients with UD indicating they had a UD and a diagnosis that clearly indicated cancer. Results The majority of respondents were diagnosed with bladder cancer and the average time since surgery was 9.5 years. While most patients reported being sexually active prior to UD less than 27% resumed sexual activity after surgery. Over 75% of patients also reported difficulty in adjusting to their UD with the majority reporting difficulty with urine leakage. Those who were incontinent reported a range of bothersome issues, such as skin problems around the UD, difficulties in managing UD care, fear of recurrence, financial worries, family distress, and uncertainty about the future. Conclusions The results of this study add to our understanding of how patients adjust to a UD and what problems and issues can occur, even years after the initial surgery. Mastering UD care is best done under guidance of a WOC nurse and access to WOC nurse is essential when problems occur. PMID:20075694

  15. Going with the flow: quality-of-life outcomes of cancer survivors with urinary diversion.

    PubMed

    Gemmill, Robin; Sun, Virginia; Ferrell, Betty; Krouse, Robert S; Grant, Marcia

    2010-01-01

    The purpose of this descriptive study was to describe health-related quality of life (HRQOL) concerns among cancer patients with continent urinary diversion (UD) and incontinent UD. Study participants were accrued from members of the California United Ostomy Association and 2 cancer centers in Southern California. The City of Hope HRQOL-Ostomy Questionnaire (COHHRQOL-O) is a modified HRQOL measurement tool based on the original work done over a number of years by Grant and colleagues. The COHHRQOL-O was mailed to 2,890 individuals. Of the 1,600 returns, there were 307 responses from patients with UD, indicating that they had a UD and a diagnosis that clearly indicated cancer. The majority of respondents were diagnosed with bladder cancer, and the average time since surgery was 9.5 years. While most patients reported being sexually active prior to UD, less than 27% resumed sexual activity after surgery. More than 75% of patients also reported difficulty in adjusting to their UD, with the majority reporting difficulty with urine leakage. Those who were incontinent reported a range of bothersome issues, such as skin problems around the UD, difficulties in managing UD care, fear of recurrence, financial worries, family distress, and uncertainty about the future. The results of this study add to our understanding of how patients adjust to a UD and what problems and issues can occur, even years after the initial surgery. Mastering UD care is best done under the guidance of a WOC nurse, and access to WOC nurse is essential when problems occur.

  16. Immunoelectrophoresis - urine

    MedlinePlus

    Immunoglobulin electrophoresis - urine; Gamma globulin electrophoresis - urine; Urine immunoglobulin electrophoresis; IEP - urine ... A clean-catch urine sample is needed. The clean-catch method is used to prevent germs from the penis or vagina from getting ...

  17. Inorganic mercury poisoning associated with skin-lightening cosmetic products.

    PubMed

    Chan, Thomas Y K

    2011-12-01

    Mercury and mercury salts, including mercurous chloride and mercurous oxide, are prohibited for use in cosmetic products as skin-lightening agents because of their high toxicity. Yet, the public continue to have access to these products. Reports of skin-lightening cosmetic products containing mercury and cases of mercury poisoning following the use of such products were identified using Medline (1950 - 28 March 2011) with mercury, mercury compounds, mercury poisoning, cosmetics and skin absorption as the subject headings. These searches identified 118 citations of which 31 were relevant. The rate of dermal absorption increases with the concentration of mercury and prior hydration of the skin. The degree of dermal absorption varies with the skin integrity and lipid solubility of the vehicle in the cosmetic products. Ingestion may occur after topical application around the mouth and hand-to-mouth contact. After absorption, inorganic mercury is distributed widely and elimination occurs primarily through the urine and feces. With long-term exposure, urinary excretion is the major route of elimination. The half-life is approximately 1-2 months. The kidneys are the major site of inorganic mercury deposition; renal damage includes reversible proteinuria, acute tubular necrosis and nephrotic syndrome. Gastrointestinal symptoms include a metallic taste, gingivostomatitis, nausea and hypersalivation. Although penetration of the blood-brain barrier by inorganic mercury is poor, prolonged exposure can result in central nervous system (CNS) accumulation and neurotoxicity. Inorganic mercury poisoning following the use of skin-lightening creams has been reported from Africa, Europe, USA, Mexico, Australia and Hong Kong. Nephrotic syndrome (mainly due to minimal change or membranous nephropathy) and neurotoxicity were the most common presenting features. As mercury-containing cosmetic products can contaminate the home, some close household contacts were also reported to have elevated urine mercury concentrations. Prevention from further exposure is the first step. Cream users and their close contacts should be evaluated for evidence of mercury exposure, the presence of target organ damage and the need for chelation treatment. Laboratory evaluation of affected subjects should include a complete blood count, serum electrolytes, liver and renal function tests, urinalysis, urine and blood mercury concentrations. Since blood mercury concentrations tend to return to normal within days of exposure, blood samples are useful primarily in short-term, higher-level exposures. Estimation of the urine mercury concentration is the best marker of exposure to inorganic mercury and indicator of body burden. A 24-hour urine for measurement of mercury excretion is preferred; a spot urine mercury concentration should be corrected for creatinine output. Chelation therapy is indicated in patients with features of mercury poisoning and elevated blood and/or urine mercury concentrations. Unithiol (2,3-dimercapto-1-propanesulfonic acid, DMPS) is the preferred antidote though succimer (dimercaptosuccinic acid, DMSA) has also been employed. The use of mercury in cosmetic products should be strictly prohibited. The public should be warned not to use such products as their use can result in systemic absorption and accumulation of mercury causing renal, gastrointestinal and CNS toxicity.

  18. The olfactory hole-board test in rats: a new paradigm to study aversion and preferences to odors

    PubMed Central

    Wernecke, Kerstin E. A.; Fendt, Markus

    2015-01-01

    Odors of biological relevance (e.g., predator odors, sex odors) are known to effectively influence basic survival needs of rodents such as anti-predatory defensiveness and mating behaviors. Research focused on the effects of these odors on rats’ behavior mostly includes multi-trial paradigms where animals experience single odor exposures in subsequent, separated experimental sessions. In the present study, we introduce a modification of the olfactory hole-board test that allows studying the effects of different odors on rats’ behavior within single trials. First, we demonstrated that the corner holes of the hole-board were preferentially visited by rats. The placement of different odors under the corner holes changed this hole preference. We showed that holes with carnivore urine samples were avoided, while corner holes with female rat urine samples were preferred. Furthermore, corner holes with urine samples from a carnivore, herbivore, and omnivore were differentially visited indicating that rats can discriminate these odors. To test whether anxiolytic treatment specifically modulates the avoidance of carnivore urine holes, we treated rats with buspirone. Buspirone treatment completely abolished the avoidance of carnivore urine holes. Taken together, our findings indicate that the olfactory hole-board test is a valuable tool for measuring avoidance and preference responses to biologically relevant odors. PMID:26379516

  19. [Effects of aluminum on neurobehavioral function and metabolism of monoamine neurotransmitter].

    PubMed

    Yang, H; Zheng, Y; Liang, Y

    1998-03-01

    To evaluate the effects of occupational exposure to aluminum on neurobahavioral function and metabolism of monoamine neurotransmitter. Thirty-three workers exposed to aluminum and 40 controls were studied. Air aluminum concentrations in workplace environment were detected with an atomic absorption spectrophotometer, homovanillic acid (HVA) and vanilylmandellic acid (VMA) in urine and aluminum in serum and urine were detected with high perfolmance liquid chromatography. Neurobehavioral function was tested with Neurobehavioral Core Test Battery recommended by WHO. Geometric time-weighted average of aluminum in workplace environment was 0.95 mg/m3, ranging from 0.31 to 4.12 mg/m3, and urine aluminum levels in workers exposed to aluminum averaged 12.25 micrograms/L, significantly higher than that in controls (5.78 micrograms/L). There was no significant difference in serum aluminum between the exposed and controls. Both urine VMA and HVA levels were higher in the workers exposed to aluminum, and urine VMA level in the exposed was significantly higher than that in controls. There was significant difference in neurobehavioral test, including Santa Ana, digit symbol and Benton tests between the exposed and control workers. It suggests that occupational exposure to low level of aluminum can affect the neurobehavioral function and metabolism of monoamine neurotransmitter.

  20. Effects of Histidine Supplementation on Global Serum and Urine 1H NMR-based Metabolomics and Serum Amino Acid Profiles in Obese Women from a Randomized Controlled Study.

    PubMed

    Du, Shanshan; Sun, Shuhong; Liu, Liyan; Zhang, Qiao; Guo, Fuchuan; Li, Chunlong; Feng, Rennan; Sun, Changhao

    2017-06-02

    The aim of current study was to investigate the metabolic changes associated with histidine supplementation in serum and urine metabolic signatures and serum amino acid (AA) profiles. Serum and urine 1 H NMR-based metabolomics and serum AA profiles were employed in 32 and 37 obese women with metabolic syndrome (MetS) intervened with placebo or histidine for 12 weeks. Multivariable statistical analysis were conducted to define characteristic metabolites. In serum 1 H NMR metabolic profiles, increases in histidine, glutamine, aspartate, glycine, choline, and trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO) were observed; meanwhile, decreases in cholesterol, triglycerides, fatty acids and unsaturated lipids, acetone, and α/β-glucose were exhibited after histidine supplement. In urine 1 H NMR metabolic profiles, citrate, creatinine/creatine, methylguanidine, and betaine + TMAO were higher, while hippurate was lower in histidine supplement group. In serum AA profiles, 10 AAs changed after histidine supplementation, including increased histidine, glycine, alanine, lysine, asparagine, and tyrosine and decreased leucine, isoleucine, ornithine, and citrulline. The study showed a systemic metabolic response in serum and urine metabolomics and AA profiles to histidine supplementation, showing significantly changed metabolism in AAs, lipid, and glucose in obese women with MetS.

  1. Associations between Bisphenol A Exposure and Reproductive Hormones among Female Workers

    PubMed Central

    Miao, Maohua; Yuan, Wei; Yang, Fen; Liang, Hong; Zhou, Zhijun; Li, Runsheng; Gao, Ersheng; Li, De-Kun

    2015-01-01

    The associations between Bisphenol-A (BPA) exposure and reproductive hormone levels among women are unclear. A cross-sectional study was conducted among female workers from BPA-exposed and unexposed factories in China. Women’s blood samples were collected for assay of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), 17β-Estradiol (E2), prolactin (PRL), and progesterone (PROG). Their urine samples were collected for BPA measurement. In the exposed group, time weighted average exposure to BPA for an 8-h shift (TWA8), a measure incorporating historic exposure level, was generated based on personal air sampling. Multiple linear regression analyses were used to examine linear associations between urine BPA concentration and reproductive hormones after controlling for potential confounders. A total of 106 exposed and 250 unexposed female workers were included in this study. A significant positive association between increased urine BPA concentration and higher PRL and PROG levels were observed. Similar associations were observed after the analysis was carried out separately among the exposed and unexposed workers. In addition, a positive association between urine BPA and E2 was observed among exposed workers with borderline significance, while a statistically significant inverse association between urine BPA and FSH was observed among unexposed group. The results suggest that BPA exposure may lead to alterations in female reproductive hormone levels. PMID:26506366

  2. Associations between Bisphenol A Exposure and Reproductive Hormones among Female Workers.

    PubMed

    Miao, Maohua; Yuan, Wei; Yang, Fen; Liang, Hong; Zhou, Zhijun; Li, Runsheng; Gao, Ersheng; Li, De-Kun

    2015-10-22

    The associations between Bisphenol-A (BPA) exposure and reproductive hormone levels among women are unclear. A cross-sectional study was conducted among female workers from BPA-exposed and unexposed factories in China. Women's blood samples were collected for assay of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), 17β-Estradiol (E2), prolactin (PRL), and progesterone (PROG). Their urine samples were collected for BPA measurement. In the exposed group, time weighted average exposure to BPA for an 8-h shift (TWA8), a measure incorporating historic exposure level, was generated based on personal air sampling. Multiple linear regression analyses were used to examine linear associations between urine BPA concentration and reproductive hormones after controlling for potential confounders. A total of 106 exposed and 250 unexposed female workers were included in this study. A significant positive association between increased urine BPA concentration and higher PRL and PROG levels were observed. Similar associations were observed after the analysis was carried out separately among the exposed and unexposed workers. In addition, a positive association between urine BPA and E2 was observed among exposed workers with borderline significance, while a statistically significant inverse association between urine BPA and FSH was observed among unexposed group. The results suggest that BPA exposure may lead to alterations in female reproductive hormone levels.

  3. [Evaluation and clinical management of urination disorders in 1,025 patients in a geriatric department].

    PubMed

    Abrahamik, A; Leblond, J B; Perilliat, I; Henry, O; Loison, M; De Madet, M; Cotteret, R

    1993-01-01

    Evaluation of voluntary urination and measurement of the post-voiding residue enabled the identification of 6 groups among 1,025 patients 83 +/- 7 years old: 400 normal patients (N); 97 with retention but without incontinence (R); 133 incontinent without retention (I); 50 incontinent with retention (IR); 236 who failed to urinate voluntarily (MO); 109 with indwelling catheters (SAD). Incontinence and indwelling catheters were more common in women; men more frequently failed to urinate voluntarily (p < 0.01). The IR and SAD groups had more urinary infections (p < 0.01) and included more invalids (p < 0.001). The MO and SAD groups had more demented members (p < 0.001) and a higher death rate (p < 0.001). Management consisted of a 48-hour diary of urinations (R and IR groups), scheduled micturitions (I and MO groups) and treatment of urinary infections. Evaluation of bladder sphincter function (n = 291) showed that bladder hypoesthesia was prevalent in groups R and IR and that bladder hyperactivity was predominant in groups I, MO and SAD. Among the 314 patients discharged from the hospital, 181 were reevaluated: good results were obtained for 43% of the initially incontinent and for 53% of those with retention. The indwelling catheters were removed from 82% of the SAD group.

  4. Identification of a founder mutation for maple syrup urine disease in Hutterites.

    PubMed

    Mroch, Amelia; Davis-Keppen, Laura; Matthes, Cindy; Stein, Quinn

    2014-04-01

    Maple syrup urine disease (MSUD) is an organic acidemia detected on newborn screening. The condition has been reported with increased frequency in certain founder populations including Hutterites. We present a case of MSUD in a Hutterite boy. Mutation analysis was completed and identified a candidate founder mutation in the BCKDHB gene, specifically c.595_596delAG. Further testing of other Hutterites with MSUD is needed to determine whether additional mutations may exist.

  5. Correlation of Urine Biomarkers: Microalbuminuria and Spot Urine Protein among Diabetic Patients. Application of Spot Urine Protein in Diabetic Kidney Disease, Nephropathy, Proteinuria Estimation, Diagnosing and Monitoring.

    PubMed

    Aziz, Kamran M A

    2015-01-01

    Current study has invented a new method for utilizing spot urine protein among diabetic patients. There have been various efforts and strategies in research internationally to detect, diagnose and monitor nephropathy/DKD. Although 24-hour urine studies are gold standard, however, there exist some controversies about microalbuminuria and spot urine protein. The current study was designed to utilize spot urine protein among diabetic patients and to find its association with routine dipstick urine test for albumin, and microalbuminuria. The study demonstrated significant association of spot urine protein with urine dipstick albumin, and has demonstrated increasing spot urine protein with increasing albumin in urine (p-value < 0.0001). This study also demonstrated significantly higher levels of spot urine protein between the groups with nephropathy/DKD as compared to those without nephropathy/DKD (p-value < 0.0001). Similarly, spot urine protein and spot urine protein/creatinine were also significantly associated with microalbumin and microalbumin/creatinine in urine. Significant regression models for spot urine protein and microalbuminuria were also developed and proposed to detect and estimate microalbumin in urine while utilizing spot urine protein (< 0.0001). Synthesized regression equations and models can be used confidently to detect, rule out and monitor proteinuria and DKD. ROC curves were utilized to detect spot urine protein cutoff points for nephropathy and DKD with high specificity and sensitivity. Some important patents were also discussed in the paper regarding albuminuria/proteinuria detection and management. Current study has demonstrated and concluded, for the first time, that there exists a significant association of spot urine protein with routine dipstick albumin in urine and microalbuminuria. It is also essential to detect early, monitor and manage proteinuria, hypertension and dyslipidemia with good glycemic control to prevent diabetes complications.

  6. Experience of the Manitoba Perinatal Screening Program, 1965-85.

    PubMed Central

    Fox, J G

    1987-01-01

    The Manitoba Perinatal Screening Program is guided by a committee of medical specialists with skills in the diagnosis and management of disorders of metabolism in the newborn. The program is voluntary and is centralized at Cadham Provincial Laboratory, in Winnipeg. A filter card blood specimen is collected from newborns on discharge from hospital, and a filter card urine sample is collected and mailed to the laboratory by the mother when the infant is about 2 weeks of age. The overall compliance rates for the blood and urine specimens are approximately 100% and 84% respectively. The blood specimen is screened for phenylalanine and other amino acids, thyroxine, galactose, galactose-1-phosphate and biotinidase. The urine specimen is screened for amino acids, including cystine, as well as methylmalonic acid and homocystine. Between 1965 and 1985, 83 cases of metabolic disorders were detected, including 23 cases of primary hypothyroidism, 14 of classic phenylketonuria, 5 of galactosemia variants, 3 of galactosemia, 2 of maple syrup urine disease and 1 of hereditary tyrosinemia. The direct cost per infant screened is $5.50, and the cost:benefit ratio is approximately 7.5:1. Maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein screening is being made available as the necessary supporting clinical facilities become available. On the basis of this experience, the author outlines the components that are important for an effective screening program. PMID:3676929

  7. Prevalence of vaginal infections and associated lifestyles of students in the university of Cape Coast, Ghana

    PubMed Central

    Aubyn, Gloria Baaba; Tagoe, Daniel Nii Aryee

    2013-01-01

    Objective To determine the prevalence of vaginal infections and associated lifestyles of students visiting the University of Cape Coast Hospital. Methods Fifty female students presenting with clinical symptoms of vaginitis were sampled. One hundred samples made up of 50 urine and 50 higher vaginal swabs (HVS) were obtained from patients and questionnaire administered. Samples were wet prepared, examined microscopically, and cultured on blood and chocolate agars for 24 h at (35±2) °C. Colonial morphology, Gram reactions and biochemical tests were used for the identification of isolates. Results There were high percentages of pus cells (64%), epithelial cells (62%) and yeast cells (56%) in all urine samples. Bacterial isolates included Staphylococcus aureus (28%) and (22%), Klebsiella spp. (6%) and (4%) in urine and HVS samples respectively; Escherichia coli in urine (18%) and Candida in HVS (16%). The overall prevalence of vaginitis was 66%, including bacterial vaginosis 28%, Candida infection 22% and co-infection of bacterial and Candida 16%. Lifestyle data showed all sampled students were sexually active, 48% used contraceptives, 54% used antimicrobial agents, and 92% prefered wearing of trousers and shorts. Conclusions The present study indicates prevalence of vaginal infection among female students, which strongly correlates with student lifestyle. Education on lifestyle modifications will go a long way in reducing the prevalence of vaginitis.

  8. Environmental Chemicals in Urine and Blood: Improving Methods for Creatinine and Lipid Adjustment.

    PubMed

    O'Brien, Katie M; Upson, Kristen; Cook, Nancy R; Weinberg, Clarice R

    2016-02-01

    Investigators measuring exposure biomarkers in urine typically adjust for creatinine to account for dilution-dependent sample variation in urine concentrations. Similarly, it is standard to adjust for serum lipids when measuring lipophilic chemicals in serum. However, there is controversy regarding the best approach, and existing methods may not effectively correct for measurement error. We compared adjustment methods, including novel approaches, using simulated case-control data. Using a directed acyclic graph framework, we defined six causal scenarios for epidemiologic studies of environmental chemicals measured in urine or serum. The scenarios include variables known to influence creatinine (e.g., age and hydration) or serum lipid levels (e.g., body mass index and recent fat intake). Over a range of true effect sizes, we analyzed each scenario using seven adjustment approaches and estimated the corresponding bias and confidence interval coverage across 1,000 simulated studies. For urinary biomarker measurements, our novel method, which incorporates both covariate-adjusted standardization and the inclusion of creatinine as a covariate in the regression model, had low bias and possessed 95% confidence interval coverage of nearly 95% for most simulated scenarios. For serum biomarker measurements, a similar approach involving standardization plus serum lipid level adjustment generally performed well. To control measurement error bias caused by variations in serum lipids or by urinary diluteness, we recommend improved methods for standardizing exposure concentrations across individuals.

  9. Investigation of Variations in the Human Urine Metabolome Amongst European Populations. An Exploratory Search for Biomarkers of People at Risk-of-Poverty.

    PubMed

    Trimigno, Alessia; Khakimov, Bekzod; Savorani, Francesco; Tenori, Leonardo; Hendrixson, Vaiva; Čivilis, Alminas; Glibetic, Marija; Gurinovic, Mirjana; Pentikäinen, Saara; Sallinen, Janne; Garduno Diaz, Sara; Pasqui, Francesca; Khokhar, Santosh; Luchinat, Claudio; Bordoni, Alessandra; Capozzi, Francesco; Balling Engelsen, Søren

    2018-05-14

    According to Eurostat 2016, approximately 119 million European citizens live at-risk-of-poverty (ROP). This subpopulation is highly diverse by ethnicity, age and culture in the different EU states, but they all have in common a low income, that could represent an increased risk of nutrients deficiencies due to poor nutritional habits. This study aims to investigate the human urine metabolome in the search of common biomarkers representing dietary deficiencies amongst European populations at ROP. 2732 urine samples were collected from 1391 subjects across five different European countries including the United Kingdom, Finland, Italy, Lithuania and Serbia, and analysed using 1 H-NMR spectroscopy. The resulting urine metabolome data were explored according to study design factors including economic status, country and gender. Partitioning of the effects derived from the study design factors using ANOVA-Simultaneous Component Analysis (ASCA) revealed that country and gender effects were responsible for most of the systematic variation. The effect of economic status was as expected much weaker than country and gender, but more pronounced in Lithuania than in other countries. Citrate and hippurate were among the most powerful ROP biomarkers. The possible relationship between these markers and nutritional deficiencies amongst the ROP population is discussed. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

  10. Interpretation of urine drug testing results in patients using transdermal buprenorphine preparations for the treatment of chronic noncancer pain.

    PubMed

    Markman, John D; Barbosa, William A; Gewandter, Jennifer S; Frazer, Maria; Rast, Shirley; Dugan, Michelle; Nandigam, Kiran; Villareal, Armando; Kwong, Tai C

    2015-06-01

    To determine whether the prevailing liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectroscopy assay (LC-MS/MS) assay designed to monitor buprenorphine compliance of the sublingual formulation used in the substance abuse treatment setting can be extrapolated to the transdermal formulation used in the chronic pain treatment setting, which is 1000-fold less concentrated. Retrospective chart review. Self-reported compliant patients using the transdermal or sublingual formulations of buprenorhphine. Transdermal patch application was also visually confirmed during clinic visits. Urine drug test results from a LC-MS/MS were compared between samples from transdermal and sublingual patients. While all sublingual patients tested positive for at least one metabolite of buprenorphine, only 69% of the transdermal patients did so. In addition, the most abundant metabolite in the transdermal patients was buprenorphine-glucuronide, as compared with norbuprenorphine-glucuronide in sublingual patients. These data suggest that currently available urine drug tests for buprenorphine, including the more expensive LC-MS/MS based assays, may not be sufficiently sensitive to detect the metabolites from transdermal buprenorphine patients. This study highlights the need to evaluate the value and sensitivity of urine drug tests given the wide range of buprenorphine dosing in clinical practice. These results underscore the need for additional cost benefit analyses comparing different confirmatory drug testing techniques including many commercially available drug testing options. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  11. HCG in urine

    MedlinePlus

    Beta-HCG - urine; Human chorionic gonadotropin - urine; Pregnancy test - hCG in urine ... To collect a urine sample, you urinate into a special (sterile) cup. Home pregnancy tests require the test strip to be dipped into ...

  12. Diagnostic yield of hair and urine toxicology testing in potential child abuse cases.

    PubMed

    Stauffer, Stephanie L; Wood, Stephanie M; Krasowski, Matthew D

    2015-07-01

    Detection of drugs in a child may be the first objective finding that can be reported in cases of suspected child abuse. Hair and urine toxicology testing, when performed as part of the initial clinical evaluation for suspected child abuse or maltreatment, may serve to facilitate the identification of at-risk children. Furthermore, significant environmental exposure to a drug (considered by law to constitute child abuse in some states) may be identified by toxicology testing of unwashed hair specimens. In order to determine the clinical utility of hair and urine toxicology testing in this population we performed a retrospective chart review on all children for whom hair toxicology testing was ordered at our academic medical center between January 2004 and April 2014. The medical records of 616 children aged 0-17.5 years were reviewed for injury history, previous medication and illicit drug use by caregiver(s), urine drug screen result (if performed), hair toxicology result, medication list, and outcome of any child abuse evaluation. Hair toxicology testing was positive for at least one compound in 106 cases (17.2%), with unexplained drugs in 82 cases (13.3%). Of these, there were 48 cases in which multiple compounds (including combination of parent drugs and/or metabolites within the same drug class) were identified in the sample of one patient. The compounds most frequently identified in the hair of our study population included cocaine, benzoylecgonine, native (unmetabolized) tetrahydrocannabinol, and methamphetamine. There were 68 instances in which a parent drug was identified in the hair without any of its potential metabolites, suggesting environmental exposure. Among the 82 cases in which hair toxicology testing was positive for unexplained drugs, a change in clinical outcome was noted in 71 cases (86.5%). Urine drug screens (UDS) were performed in 457 of the 616 reviewed cases. Of these, over 95% of positive UDS results could be explained by iatrogenic drug administration. There were no cases in which a urine drug screen alone altered the outcome of a case. In summary, hair toxicology testing proved clinically useful in the evaluation of a child for suspected abuse; in contrast, urine drug testing showed low clinical yield. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.

  13. Diagnostic Accuracy of Urine Protein/Creatinine Ratio Is Influenced by Urine Concentration

    PubMed Central

    Yang, Chih-Yu; Chen, Fu-An; Chen, Chun-Fan; Liu, Wen-Sheng; Shih, Chia-Jen; Ou, Shuo-Ming; Yang, Wu-Chang; Lin, Chih-Ching; Yang, An-Hang

    2015-01-01

    Background The usage of urine protein/creatinine ratio to estimate daily urine protein excretion is prevalent, but relatively little attention has been paid to the influence of urine concentration and its impact on test accuracy. We took advantage of 24-hour urine collection to examine both urine protein/creatinine ratio (UPCR) and daily urine protein excretion, with the latter as the reference standard. Specific gravity from a concomitant urinalysis of the same urine sample was used to indicate the urine concentration. Methods During 2010 to 2014, there were 540 adequately collected 24h urine samples with protein concentration, creatinine concentration, total volume, and a concomitant urinalysis of the same sample. Variables associated with an accurate UPCR estimation were determined by multivariate linear regression analysis. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were generated to determine the discriminant cut-off values of urine creatinine concentration for predicting an accurate UPCR estimation in either dilute or concentrated urine samples. Results Our findings indicated that for dilute urine, as indicated by a low urine specific gravity, UPCR is more likely to overestimate the actual daily urine protein excretion. On the contrary, UPCR of concentrated urine is more likely to result in an underestimation. By ROC curve analysis, the best cut-off value of urine creatinine concentration for predicting overestimation by UPCR of dilute urine (specific gravity ≦ 1.005) was ≦ 38.8 mg/dL, whereas the best cut-off values of urine creatinine for predicting underestimation by UPCR of thick urine were ≧ 63.6 mg/dL (specific gravity ≧ 1.015), ≧ 62.1 mg/dL (specific gravity ≧ 1.020), ≧ 61.5 mg/dL (specific gravity ≧ 1.025), respectively. We also compared distribution patterns of urine creatinine concentration of 24h urine cohort with a concurrent spot urine cohort and found that the underestimation might be more profound in single voided samples. Conclusions The UPCR in samples with low or high specific gravity is more likely to overestimate or underestimate actual daily urine protein amount, respectively, especially in a dilute urine sample with its creatinine below 38.8 mg/dL or a concentrated sample with its creatinine above 61.5 mg/dL. In particular, UPCR results should be interpreted with caution in cases that involve dilute urine samples because its overestimation may lead to an erroneous diagnosis of proteinuric renal disease or an incorrect staging of chronic kidney disease. PMID:26353117

  14. Diagnostic Accuracy of Urine Protein/Creatinine Ratio Is Influenced by Urine Concentration.

    PubMed

    Yang, Chih-Yu; Chen, Fu-An; Chen, Chun-Fan; Liu, Wen-Sheng; Shih, Chia-Jen; Ou, Shuo-Ming; Yang, Wu-Chang; Lin, Chih-Ching; Yang, An-Hang

    2015-01-01

    The usage of urine protein/creatinine ratio to estimate daily urine protein excretion is prevalent, but relatively little attention has been paid to the influence of urine concentration and its impact on test accuracy. We took advantage of 24-hour urine collection to examine both urine protein/creatinine ratio (UPCR) and daily urine protein excretion, with the latter as the reference standard. Specific gravity from a concomitant urinalysis of the same urine sample was used to indicate the urine concentration. During 2010 to 2014, there were 540 adequately collected 24h urine samples with protein concentration, creatinine concentration, total volume, and a concomitant urinalysis of the same sample. Variables associated with an accurate UPCR estimation were determined by multivariate linear regression analysis. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were generated to determine the discriminant cut-off values of urine creatinine concentration for predicting an accurate UPCR estimation in either dilute or concentrated urine samples. Our findings indicated that for dilute urine, as indicated by a low urine specific gravity, UPCR is more likely to overestimate the actual daily urine protein excretion. On the contrary, UPCR of concentrated urine is more likely to result in an underestimation. By ROC curve analysis, the best cut-off value of urine creatinine concentration for predicting overestimation by UPCR of dilute urine (specific gravity ≦ 1.005) was ≦ 38.8 mg/dL, whereas the best cut-off values of urine creatinine for predicting underestimation by UPCR of thick urine were ≧ 63.6 mg/dL (specific gravity ≧ 1.015), ≧ 62.1 mg/dL (specific gravity ≧ 1.020), ≧ 61.5 mg/dL (specific gravity ≧ 1.025), respectively. We also compared distribution patterns of urine creatinine concentration of 24h urine cohort with a concurrent spot urine cohort and found that the underestimation might be more profound in single voided samples. The UPCR in samples with low or high specific gravity is more likely to overestimate or underestimate actual daily urine protein amount, respectively, especially in a dilute urine sample with its creatinine below 38.8 mg/dL or a concentrated sample with its creatinine above 61.5 mg/dL. In particular, UPCR results should be interpreted with caution in cases that involve dilute urine samples because its overestimation may lead to an erroneous diagnosis of proteinuric renal disease or an incorrect staging of chronic kidney disease.

  15. Calcium - urine

    MedlinePlus

    Urinary Ca+2; Kidney stones - calcium in urine; Renal calculi - calcium in your urine; Parathyroid - calcium in urine ... A 24-hour urine sample is most often needed: On day 1, urinate into the toilet when you wake up in the morning. ...

  16. Salt as a mitigation option for decreasing nitrogen leaching losses from grazed pastures.

    PubMed

    Ledgard, Stewart F; Welten, Brendon; Betteridge, Keith

    2015-12-01

    The main source of nitrogen (N) leaching from grazed pastures is animal urine with a high N deposition rate (i.e. per urine patch), particularly between late summer and early winter. Salt is a potential mitigation option as a diuretic to induce greater drinking-water intake, increase urination frequency, decrease urine N concentration and urine N deposition rate, and thereby potentially decrease N leaching. This hypothesis was tested in three phases: a cattle metabolism stall study to examine effects of salt supplementation rate on water consumption, urination frequency and urine N concentration; a grazing trial to assess effects of salt (150 g per heifer per day) on urination frequency; and a lysimeter study on effects of urine N rate on N leaching. Salt supplementation increased cattle water intake. Urination frequency increased by up to 69%, with a similar decrease in urine N deposition rate and no change in individual urination volume. Under field grazing, sensors showed increased urination frequency by 17%. Lysimeter studies showed a proportionally greater decrease in N leaching with decreased urine N rate. Modelling revealed that this could decrease per-hectare N leaching by 10-22%. Salt supplementation increases cattle water intake and urination frequency, resulting in a lower urine N deposition rate and proportionally greater decrease in urine N leaching. Strategic salt supplementation in autumn/early winter with feed is a practical mitigation option to decrease N leaching in grazed pastures. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry.

  17. Organophosphorus pesticide poisonings in humans: determination of residues and metabolites in tissues and urine.

    PubMed

    Lores, E M; Bradway, D E; Moseman, R F

    1978-01-01

    The analyses of four organophosphorus pesticide poisoning cases, three of which resulted in death, are reported. The case histories of the subjects, along with the analysis of tissues, urine, and blood for the levels of pesticides and metabolites are given. The pesticides involved include dicrotophos, chlorpyrifos, malathion, and parathion. The methods of analysis were adapted from previously published methods that provide a very rapid means of identification of organophosphorus pesticides in the tissues or in the blood of poisoned patients.

  18. Use of liquid chromatography hybrid triple-quadrupole mass spectrometry for the detection of emodin metabolites in rat bile and urine.

    PubMed

    Wu, Songyan; Zhang, Yaqing; Zhang, Zunjian; Song, Rui

    2017-10-01

    Emodin is the representative form of rhubarb, which is widely used in traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of purgative, anti-inflammatory, antioxidative and antiviral, etc. Previous reports demonstrated that emodin glucuronide was the major metabolite in plasma. Owing to the extensive conjugation reactions of polyphenols, the aim of this study was to identify the metabolites of emodin in rat bile and urine. Neutral loss and precursor ion scan methods of triple-quadrupole mass spectrometer revealed 13 conjugated metabolites in rat bile and 22 metabolites in rat urine, which included four phase I and 18 phase II metabolites. The major metabolites in rat biosamples were emodin glucuronoconjugates. Moreover, rhein monoglucuronide, chrysophanol monoglucuronide and rhein sulfate were proposed for the first time after oral administration of emodin. Overall, liquid chromatography hybrid triple-quadrupole mass spectrometry analysis leads to the discovery of several novel emodin metabolites in rat bile and urine and underscores that conjugated with glucuronic acid is the main metabolic pathway. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  19. Leptospirosis: risks during recreational activities.

    PubMed

    Monahan, A M; Miller, I S; Nally, J E

    2009-09-01

    Summary Rats, dogs, cattle, bats and sea lions, exemplify the diversity of mammalian species that can facilitate transmission of the zoonotic disease leptospirosis. The causative agent, pathogenic species of Leptospira, is shed in urine of chronically infected hosts. Direct contact with infected urine, or indirectly with water sources contaminated with infected urine, poses a risk of infection for humans exposed during water-related recreational and occupational activities. New serovars of Leptospira and maintenance hosts continue to be identified. In the western world, incidences of recreational exposure are increasing, while incidences of occupational exposure are decreasing. Adventure travellers returning from tropical regions, are presenting at clinics with symptoms of leptospirosis following participation in high risk activities including white water rafting, triathlons, endurance races and caving. Risks of infection can be reduced with increased awareness of how the disease is contracted, by avoiding contact with high risk water sources and the use of prophylaxis during high risk activities. Molecular techniques can be used to provide risk assessments prior to competition, to supplement epidemiology, and to assess shedding of Leptospira in urine samples.

  20. Rational use and interpretation of urine drug testing in chronic opioid therapy.

    PubMed

    Reisfield, Gary M; Salazar, Elaine; Bertholf, Roger L

    2007-01-01

    Urine drug testing (UDT) has become an essential feature of pain management, as physicians seek to verify adherence to prescribed opioid regimens and to detect the use of illicit or unauthorized licit drugs. Results of urine drug tests have important consequences in regard to therapeutic decisions and the trust between physician and patient. However, reliance on UDT to confirm adherence can be problematic if the results are not interpreted correctly, and evidence suggests that many physicians lack an adequate understanding of the complexities of UDT and the factors that can affect test results. These factors include metabolic conversion between drugs, genetic variations in drug metabolism, the sensitivity and specificity of the analytical method for a particular drug or metabolite, and the effects of intentional and unintentional interferants. In this review, we focus on the technical features and limitations of analytical methods used for detecting drugs or their metabolites in urine, the statistical constructs that are pertinent to ordering UDT and interpreting test results, and the application of these concepts to the clinical monitoring of patients maintained on chronic opioid therapy.

  1. Profile and Content of Betalains in Plasma and Urine of Volunteers after Long-Term Exposure to Fermented Red Beet Juice.

    PubMed

    Sawicki, Tomasz; Topolska, Joanna; Romaszko, Ewa; Wiczkowski, Wiesław

    2018-04-25

    The aim of this study was to determine profile and content of betalains in volunteers' plasma and urine after long-term exposure to fermented red beet juice. During 6 weeks, 24 healthy volunteers consumed juice with a dose of 0.7 mg betalains/kg body weight. Betalains were analyzed by means of micro-HPLC-MS/MS. Twelve betalain derivatives were found in blood plasma and urine after juice intake. The highest betalains level in blood plasma (87.65 ± 15.71 nmol/L) and urine (1.14 ± 0.12 μmol) was found after the first and second week of juice intake, respectively. During juice consumption, the contribution of betalain metabolites was higher than that of native betalains, and interindividual variability in profile and content of betalains was observed. Summarizing, it was observed that long-term and regular consumption of the juice causes stabilization of profile and content of betalains in physiological fluids of volunteers, which include native compounds and their decarboxylated and dehydrogenated metabolites.

  2. Exploring the Role of Different Neonatal Nutrition Regimens during the First Week of Life by Urinary GC-MS Metabolomics

    PubMed Central

    Dessì, Angelica; Murgia, Antonio; Agostino, Rocco; Pattumelli, Maria Grazia; Schirru, Andrea; Scano, Paola; Fanos, Vassilios; Caboni, Pierluigi

    2016-01-01

    In this study, a gas-chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS) metabolomics study was applied to examine urine metabolite profiles of different classes of neonates under different nutrition regimens. The study population included 35 neonates, exclusively either breastfed or formula milk fed, in a seven-day timeframe. Urine samples were collected from intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), large for gestational age (LGA), and appropriate gestational age (AGA) neonates. At birth, IUGR and LGA neonates showed similarities in their urine metabolite profiles that differed from AGA. When neonates started milk feeding, their metabolite excretion profile was strongly characterized by the different diet regimens. After three days of formula milk nutrition, urine had higher levels of glucose, galactose, glycine and myo-inositol, while up-regulated aconitic acid, aminomalonic acid and adipic acid were found in breast milk fed neonates. At seven days, neonates fed with formula milk shared higher levels of pseudouridine with IUGR and LGA at birth. Breastfed neonates shared up-regulated pyroglutamic acid, citric acid, and homoserine, with AGA at birth. The role of most important metabolites is herein discussed. PMID:26907266

  3. Extraction and Determination of Cyproheptadine in Human Urine by DLLME-HPLC Method.

    PubMed

    Maham, Mehdi; Kiarostami, Vahid; Waqif-Husain, Syed; Abroomand-Azar, Parviz; Tehrani, Mohammad Saber; Khoeini Sharifabadi, Malihe; Afrouzi, Hossein; Shapouri, Mahmoudreza; Karami-Osboo, Rouhollah

    2013-01-01

    Novel dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (DLLME), coupled with high performance liquid chromatography with photodiode array detection (HPLC-DAD) has been applied for the extraction and determination of cyproheptadine (CPH), an antihistamine, in human urine samples. In this method, 0.6 mL of acetonitrile (disperser solvent) containing 30 μL of carbon tetrachloride (extraction solvent) was rapidly injected by a syringe into 5 mL urine sample. After centrifugation, the sedimented phase containing enriched analyte was dissolved in acetonitrile and an aliquot of this solution injected into the HPLC system for analysis. Development of DLLME procedure includes optimization of some important parameters such as kind and volume of extraction and disperser solvent, pH and salt addition. The proposed method has good linearity in the range of 0.02-4.5 μg mL(-1) and low detection limit (13.1 ng mL(-1)). The repeatability of the method, expressed as relative standard deviation was 4.9% (n = 3). This method has also been applied to the analysis of real urine samples with satisfactory relative recoveries in the range of 91.6-101.0%.

  4. Human Urine-Derived Renal Progenitors for Personalized Modeling of Genetic Kidney Disorders

    PubMed Central

    Ronconi, Elisa; Angelotti, Maria Lucia; Peired, Anna; Mazzinghi, Benedetta; Becherucci, Francesca; Conti, Sara; Sansavini, Giulia; Sisti, Alessandro; Ravaglia, Fiammetta; Lombardi, Duccio; Provenzano, Aldesia; Manonelles, Anna; Cruzado, Josep M.; Giglio, Sabrina; Roperto, Rosa Maria; Materassi, Marco; Lasagni, Laura

    2015-01-01

    The critical role of genetic and epigenetic factors in the pathogenesis of kidney disorders is gradually becoming clear, and the need for disease models that recapitulate human kidney disorders in a personalized manner is paramount. In this study, we describe a method to select and amplify renal progenitor cultures from the urine of patients with kidney disorders. Urine-derived human renal progenitors exhibited phenotype and functional properties identical to those purified from kidney tissue, including the capacity to differentiate into tubular cells and podocytes, as demonstrated by confocal microscopy, Western blot analysis of podocyte-specific proteins, and scanning electron microscopy. Lineage tracing studies performed with conditional transgenic mice, in which podocytes are irreversibly tagged upon tamoxifen treatment (NPHS2.iCreER;mT/mG), that were subjected to doxorubicin nephropathy demonstrated that renal progenitors are the only urinary cell population that can be amplified in long-term culture. To validate the use of these cells for personalized modeling of kidney disorders, renal progenitors were obtained from (1) the urine of children with nephrotic syndrome and carrying potentially pathogenic mutations in genes encoding for podocyte proteins and (2) the urine of children without genetic alterations, as validated by next-generation sequencing. Renal progenitors obtained from patients carrying pathogenic mutations generated podocytes that exhibited an abnormal cytoskeleton structure and functional abnormalities compared with those obtained from patients with proteinuria but without genetic mutations. The results of this study demonstrate that urine-derived patient-specific renal progenitor cultures may be an innovative research tool for modeling of genetic kidney disorders. PMID:25568173

  5. Utility of the urine reagent strip leucocyte esterase assay for the diagnosis of meningitis in resource-limited settings: meta-analysis

    PubMed Central

    Bortcosh, William; Siedner, Mark; Carroll, Ryan W.

    2018-01-01

    OBJECTIVE Diagnosis of bacterial meningitis often requires cytometry, chemistry and/or microbiologic culture capabilities. Unfortunately, laboratory resources in low-resource settings (LRS) often lack the capacity to perform these studies. We sought to determine whether the presence of white blood cells in CSF detected by commercially available urine reagent strips could aid in the diagnosis of bacterial meningitis. METHODS We searched PubMed for studies published between 1980 and 2016 that investigated the use of urine reagent strips to identify cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pleocytosis. We assessed studies in any language that enrolled subjects who underwent lumbar puncture and had cerebrospinal fluid testing by both standard laboratory assays and urine reagent strips. We abstracted true-positive, false-negative, false-positive and true-negative counts for each study using a diagnostic threshold of ≥10 white blood cells per microlitre for suspected bacterial meningitis and performed mixed regression modelling with random effects to estimate pooled diagnostic accuracy across studies. RESULTS Our search returned 13 studies including 2235 participants. Urine reagent strips detected CSF pleocytosis with a pooled sensitivity of 92% (95% CI: 84–96), a pooled specificity of 98% (95% CI: 94–99) and a negative predictive value of 99% when the bacterial meningitis prevalence is 10%. CONCLUSIONS Urine reagent strips could provide a rapid and accurate tool to detect CSF pleocytosis, which, if negative, can be used to exclude diagnosis of bacterial meningitis in settings without laboratory infrastructure. Further investigation of the diagnostic value of using protein, glucose and bacteria components of these strips is warranted. PMID:28627004

  6. Impact of collection conditions on the metabolite content of human urine samples as analyzed by liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy.

    PubMed

    Roux, Aurélie; Thévenot, Etienne A; Seguin, François; Olivier, Marie-Françoise; Junot, Christophe

    There is a lack of comprehensive studies documenting the impact of sample collection conditions on metabolic composition of human urine. To address this issue, two experiments were performed at a 3-month interval, in which midstream urine samples from healthy individuals were collected, pooled, divided into several aliquots and kept under specific conditions (room temperature, 4 °C, with or without preservative) up to 72 h before storage at -80 °C. Samples were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to high-resolution mass spectrometry and bacterial contamination was monitored by turbidimetry. Multivariate analyses showed that urinary metabolic fingerprints were affected by the presence of preservatives and also by storage at room temperature from 24 to 72 h, whereas no change was observed for urine samples stored at 4 °C over a 72-h period. Investigations were then focused on 280 metabolites previously identified in urine: 19 of them were impacted by the kind of sample collection protocol in both experiments, including 12 metabolites affected by bacterial contamination and 7 exhibiting poor chemical stability. Finally, our results emphasize that the use of preservative prevents bacterial overgrowth, but does not avoid metabolite instability in solution, whereas storage at 4 °C inhibits bacterial overgrowth at least over a 72-h period and slows the chemical degradation process. Consequently, and for further LC/MS analyses, human urine samples should be kept at 4 °C if their collection is performed over 24 h.

  7. Can a Simplified 12-Hour Nighttime Urine Collection Predict Urinary Stone Risk?

    PubMed

    Hinck, Bryan D; Ganesan, Vishnuvardhan; Tarplin, Sarah; Asplin, John; Granja, Ignacio; Calle, Juan; Sivalingam, Sri; Monga, Manoj

    2017-10-01

    To determine if there is correlation between nighttime 12-hour and traditional 24-hour urine collection in regard to chemistry values and the supersaturations of calcium oxalate, calcium phosphate, and uric acid for the metabolic evaluation of nephrolithiasis. Ninety-five patients were prospectively enrolled from 2013 to 2015. Patients >18 years of age who presented to a tertiary stone clinic and who would normally be counseled for 24-hour urine collection were eligible for the study. Participants completed 24-hour urine collections twice, with each divided into 2 separate 12-hour collections. Day-time collection began after the first morning void and continued for 12 hours. The night collection proceeded for the next 12 hours through the first morning void. Forty-nine 24-hour samples from 35 patients met inclusion criteria and were included in the analysis. Overall, there was strong correlation between the night 12-hour and the 24-hour urine collections with R 2 ranging from 0.76 for pH to 0.96 for Citrate. In our analysis of variability, the nighttime 12-hour collection differed from the 24-hour collection by 30% in 1-9 patients (2.0%-18.4%) based on individual chemistry value. Diagnosis of underlying metabolic abnormalities was concordant in 92% of patients. A 12-hour nighttime collection has strong correlation with 24-hour urine collection. As such, simplifying the metabolic evaluation to a 12-hour overnight collection may be feasible-improving compliance and decreasing patient burden. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. Acid mucopolysaccharides

    MedlinePlus

    AMP; Dermatan sulfate - urine; Urine heparan sulfate; Urine dermatan sulfate; Heparan sulfate - urine ... the smaller special container and then transfer that urine into the other larger container. On day 1, ...

  9. Challenges with Operating a Water Recovery System (WRS) in the Microgravity Environment of the International Space Station (ISS)

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Carter, Donald Layne

    2017-01-01

    The ISS WRS produces potable water from crew urine, crew latent, and Sabatier product water. This system has been operational on ISS since November 2008, producing over 30,000 L of water during that time. The WRS includes a Urine Processor Assembly (UPA) to produce a distillate from the crew urine. This distillate is combined with the crew latent and Sabatier product water and further processed by the Water Processor Assembly (WPA) to the potable water. The UPA and WPA use technologies commonly used on ISS for water purification, including filtration, distillation, adsorption, ion exchange, and catalytic oxidation. The primary challenge with the design and operation of the WRS has been with implementing these technologies in microgravity. The absence of gravity has created unique issues that impact the constituency of the waste streams, alter two-phase fluid dynamics, and increases the impact of particulates on system performance. NASA personnel continue to pursue upgrades to the existing design to improve reliability while also addressing their viability for missions beyond ISS.

  10. Screening and Identification of the Metabolites in Rat Plasma and Urine after Oral Administration of Areca catechu L. Nut Extract by Ultra-High-Pressure Liquid Chromatography Coupled with Linear Ion Trap-Orbitrap Tandem Mass Spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Li, Lulu; Luo, Zhiqiang; Liu, Yang; Wang, Hao; Liu, Aoxue; Yu, Guohua; Li, Mengwei; Yang, Ruirui; Chen, Xinjing; Zhu, Jialian; Zhao, Baosheng

    2017-06-21

    Areca catechu L. nut, a well-known toxic traditional herbal medicine, has been widely used to treat various diseases in China and many other Asian countries for centuries. However, to date the in vivo absorption and metabolism of its multiple bioactive or toxic components still remain unclear. In this study, liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry was used to analyze the major components and their metabolites in rat plasma and urine after oral administration of Areca catechu L. nut extract (ACNE). A total of 12 compounds, including 6 alkaloids, 3 tannins and 3 amino acids, were confirmed or tentatively identified from ACNE. In vivo, 40 constituents, including 8 prototypes and 32 metabolites were identified in rat plasma and urine samples. In summary, this study showed an insight into the metabolism of ACNE in vivo, which may provide helpful chemical information for better understanding of the toxicological and pharmacological profiles of ACNE.

  11. Replacing cystoscopy by urine markers in the follow-up of patients with low-risk non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer?-An International Bladder Cancer Network project.

    PubMed

    Schmitz-Dräger, Claudia; Bonberg, Nadine; Pesch, Beate; Todenhöfer, Tilman; Sahin, Sevim; Behrens, Thomas; Brüning, Thomas; Schmitz-Dräger, Bernd J

    2016-10-01

    Numerous molecular urine markers for the diagnosis of bladder cancer have been developed and evaluated mostly in case-control settings through the past decades. However, despite all efforts none of them has been included into clinical decision-making and guideline recommendations until today. The aim of this retrospective longitudinal analysis was to investigate if a molecular marker might be able to replace cystoscopy as a primary examination in diagnosis and follow-up of patients with pTa grade 1-2 bladder cancer. Totally 36 patients (32 men) with pTa grade 1-2 bladder cancer underwent 232 follow-up examinations including urine analysis, cytology, immunocytology (uCyt+), and urethrocystoscopy (UC). Mean age at study entry was 63 years. Patients were observed through a median follow-up interval of 3.8 years. In summary, 47 Transurethral Resection of Bladder Tumors (TURB) procedures were indicated based upon a positive UC (44) or as re-TURB (3) and 33 tumors (plus 1 case of pTa G0) were histopathologically confirmed. Although uCyt+was positive in 12/13 primary tumors (92.3%), sensitivity dropped to 13/20 (65%) in tumor recurrence presumably because of their smaller size. Urine cytology had a sensitivity and a specificity of 30.3% and 94.9%, respectively, but did not improve the sensitivity of uCyt+alone. If UC was based upon a positive uCyt+test, 8/33 tumors (24.2%) would have been overlooked or diagnosed late. In contrast, 173 UCs (74%) would have been saved and 5 presumably unnecessary TURB procedures would not have been indicated. This longitudinal study suggests a potential of molecular urine tests in replacing cystoscopy in the follow-up of patients with pTa G1-2 bladder cancer. The use of additional markers might further improve sensitivity of urine testing. A prospective randomized study has been initiated to prospectively investigate the performance of a marker panel against UC. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Impacts of feedlot floor condition, deposition frequency, and inhibitors on N2O and CH4 emissions from feedlot dung and urine patches.

    PubMed

    Liao, Wenhua; Liu, Chunjing; Gao, Zhiling

    2018-04-09

    Patches of dung and urine are major contributors to the feedlot gas emissions. This study investigated the impacts of dung deposition frequency (partly reflecting animal stocking density of a feedlot), dairy feedlot floor conditions (old floor indicated with the presence of consolidated manure pad [CMP] vs. new floor with the absence of consolidated manure pad [CMPn]), and application of dicyandiamide (DCD) and hydroquinone (HQ) on nitrous oxide (N 2 O) and methane (CH 4 ) emissions from patches in the laboratory, and the integrative impacts were expressed in terms of global warming potential (CO 2 -equivalent). Dung deposition frequency, feedlot floor condition, and application of inhibitors showed inverse impacts on N 2 O and CH 4 emissions from patches. Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the dung, urine, and dung+urine patches on the CMP feedlot surface were approximately 7.48, 87.35, and 7.10 times those on the CMPn feedlot surface (P < 0.05). Meanwhile, GHG emissions from CMP and CMPn feedlot surfaces under high deposition frequency condition were approximately 10 and 1.7 times those under low-frequency condition. Moreover, application of HQ slightly reduced the GHG emission from urine patches, by 14.9% (P > 0.05), while applying DCD or DCD+HQ significantly reduced the GHG, by 60.3% and 65.0%, respectively (P < 0.05). Overall, it is necessary to include feedlot management such as animal stocking density and feedlot floor condition to the process of determining emission factors for feedlots. In the future, field measurements to quantitatively evaluate the relative contribution of nitrification and denitrification to the N 2 O emissions of feedlot surfaces are highly required for effective N 2 O control. This study shows that feedlot CH 4 and N 2 O emissions inversely respond to the dicyandiamide (DCD) application. Applying DCD significantly reduces GHG emissions of feedlot urine patches. Feedlot floor condition and stocking density strongly impact feedlot GHG emissions. Including feedlot floor condition and stocking density in the feedlot EF determining process is necessary.

  13. Porphyrins - urine test

    MedlinePlus

    Urine uroporphyrin; Urine coproporphyrin; Porphyria - uroporphyrin ... After you provide a urine sample, it is tested in the lab. This is called a random urine sample. If needed, your health care provider ...

  14. Rubber band ligation of hemorrhoids: A guide for complications

    PubMed Central

    Albuquerque, Andreia

    2016-01-01

    Rubber band ligation is one of the most important, cost-effective and commonly used treatments for internal hemorrhoids. Different technical approaches were developed mainly to improve efficacy and safety. The technique can be employed using an endoscope with forward-view or retroflexion or without an endoscope, using a suction elastic band ligator or a forceps ligator. Single or multiple ligations can be performed in a single session. Local anaesthetic after ligation can also be used to reduce the post-procedure pain. Mild bleeding, pain, vaso-vagal symptoms, slippage of bands, priapism, difficulty in urination, anal fissure, and chronic longitudinal ulcers are normally considered minor complications, more frequently encountered. Massive bleeding, thrombosed hemorrhoids, severe pain, urinary retention needing catheterization, pelvic sepsis and death are uncommon major complications. Mild pain after rubber band ligation is the most common complication with a high frequency in some studies. Secondary bleeding normally occurs 10 to 14 d after banding and patients taking anti-platelet and/or anti-coagulant medication have a higher risk, with some reports of massive life-threatening haemorrhage. Several infectious complications have also been reported including pelvic sepsis, Fournier’s gangrene, liver abscesses, tetanus and bacterial endocarditis. To date, seven deaths due to these infectious complications were described. Early recognition and immediate treatment of complications are fundamental for a favourable prognosis. PMID:27721924

  15. Water Recovery from Brines to Further Close the Water Recovery Loop in Human Spaceflight

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Jackson, W. Andrew; Barta, Daniel J.; Anderson, Molly S.; Lange, Kevin E.; Hanford, Anthony J.; Shull, Sarah A.; Carter, D. Layne

    2014-01-01

    Further closure of water recovery systems will be necessary for future long duration human exploration missions. NASA's Space Technology Roadmap for Human Health, Life Support and Habitation Systems specified a milestone to advance water management technologies during the 2015 to 2019 timeframe to achieve 98% H2O recovery from a mixed wastewater stream containing condensate, urine, hygiene, laundry, and water derived from waste. This goal can only be achieved by either reducing the amount of brines produced by a water recovery system or by recovering water from wastewater brines. NASA convened a Technical Interchange Meeting (TIM) on the topic of Water Recovery from Brines (WRB) that was held on January14-15th, 2014 at Johnson Space Center. Objectives of the TIM were to review systems and architectures that are sources of brines and the composition of brines they produce, review the state of the art in NASA technology development and perspectives from other industries, capture the challenges and difficulties in developing brine processing hardware, identify key figures of merit and requirements to focus technology development and evaluate candidate technologies, and identify other critical issues including microgravity sensitivity, and concepts of operation, safety. This paper represents an initial summary of findings from the workshop.

  16. The ongoing violence against women: Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting.

    PubMed

    Muteshi, Jacinta K; Miller, Suellen; Belizán, José M

    2016-04-18

    Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C) comprises different practices involving cutting, pricking, removing and sometimes sewing up external female genitalia for non-medical reasons. The practice of FGM/C is highly concentrated in a band of African countries from the Atlantic coast to the Horn of Africa, in areas of the Middle East such as Iraq and Yemen, and in some countries in Asia like Indonesia. Girls exposed to FGM/C are at risk of immediate physical consequences such as severe pain, bleeding, and shock, difficulty in passing urine and faeces, and sepsis. Long-term consequences can include chronic pain and infections. FGM/C is a deeply entrenched social norm, perpetrated by families for a variety of reasons, but the results are harmful. FGM/C is a human rights issue that affects girls and women worldwide. The practice is decreasing, due to intensive advocacy activities of international, national, and grassroots agencies. An adolescent girl today is about a third less likely to be cut than 30 years ago. However, the rates of abandonment are not high enough, and change is not happening as rapidly as necessary. Multiple interventions have been implemented, but the evidence base on what works is lacking. We in reproductive health must work harder to find strategies to help communities and families abandon these harmful practices.

  17. Rubber band ligation of hemorrhoids: A guide for complications.

    PubMed

    Albuquerque, Andreia

    2016-09-27

    Rubber band ligation is one of the most important, cost-effective and commonly used treatments for internal hemorrhoids. Different technical approaches were developed mainly to improve efficacy and safety. The technique can be employed using an endoscope with forward-view or retroflexion or without an endoscope, using a suction elastic band ligator or a forceps ligator. Single or multiple ligations can be performed in a single session. Local anaesthetic after ligation can also be used to reduce the post-procedure pain. Mild bleeding, pain, vaso-vagal symptoms, slippage of bands, priapism, difficulty in urination, anal fissure, and chronic longitudinal ulcers are normally considered minor complications, more frequently encountered. Massive bleeding, thrombosed hemorrhoids, severe pain, urinary retention needing catheterization, pelvic sepsis and death are uncommon major complications. Mild pain after rubber band ligation is the most common complication with a high frequency in some studies. Secondary bleeding normally occurs 10 to 14 d after banding and patients taking anti-platelet and/or anti-coagulant medication have a higher risk, with some reports of massive life-threatening haemorrhage. Several infectious complications have also been reported including pelvic sepsis, Fournier's gangrene, liver abscesses, tetanus and bacterial endocarditis. To date, seven deaths due to these infectious complications were described. Early recognition and immediate treatment of complications are fundamental for a favourable prognosis.

  18. Do English NHS Microbiology laboratories offer adequate services for the diagnosis of UTI in children? Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership (HQIP) Audit of Standard Operational Procedures

    PubMed Central

    Verlander, Neville Q.; Moore, Philippa C. L.; Larcombe, James; Dudley, Jan; Banerjee, Jaydip; Jadresic, Lyda

    2015-01-01

    The National Institute of Care Excellence (NICE) 2007 guidance CG54, on urinary tract infection (UTI) in children, states that clinicians should use urgent microscopy and culture as the preferred method for diagnosing UTI in the hospital setting for severe illness in children under 3 years old and from the GP setting in children under 3 years old with intermediate risk of severe illness. NICE also recommends that all ‘infants and children with atypical UTI (including non-Escherichia coli infections) should have renal imaging after a first infection’. We surveyed all microbiology laboratories in England with Clinical Pathology Accreditation to determine standard operating procedures (SOPs) for urgent microscopy, culture and reporting of children's urine and to ascertain whether the SOPs facilitate compliance with NICE guidance. We undertook a computer search in six microbiology laboratories in south-west England to determine urine submissions and urine reports in children under 3 years. Seventy-three per cent of laboratories (110/150) participated. Enterobacteriaceae that were not E. coli were reported only as coliforms (rather than non-E. coli coliforms) by 61 % (67/110) of laboratories. Eighty-eight per cent of laboratories (97/110) provided urgent microscopy for hospital and 54 % for general practice (GP) paediatric urines; 61 % of laboratories (confidence interval 52–70 %) cultured 1 μl volume of urine, which equates to one colony if the bacterial load is 106 c.f.u. l− 1. Only 22 % (24/110) of laboratories reported non-E. coli coliforms and provided urgent microscopy for both hospital and GP childhood urines; only three laboratories also cultured a 5 μl volume of urine. Only one of six laboratories in our submission audit had a significant increase in urine submissions and urines reported from children less than 3 years old between the predicted pre-2007 level in the absence of guidance and the 2008 level following publication of the NICE guidance. Less than a quarter of laboratories were providing a service that would allow clinicians to fully comply with the first line recommendations in the 2007 NICE UTI in children guidance. Laboratory urine submission report figures suggest that the guidance has not led to an increase in diagnosis of UTI in children under 3 years old. PMID:26297550

  19. The effects of ambient temperature, humidity and season of year on urine composition in patients with nephrolithiasis.

    PubMed

    Eisner, Brian H; Sheth, Sonali; Herrick, Benjamin; Pais, Vernon M; Sawyer, Mark; Miller, Nicole; Hurd, Kimberly J; Humphreys, Mitchell R

    2012-12-01

    Study Type--Prognosis (cohort series) Level of Evidence 2b. What's known on the subject? and What does the study add? Epidemiologic studies have shown that warmer climates are associated with increased incidence of nephrolithiasis. Many hypothesize that this is due to dehydration and lower urine volumes. The current study of stone formers reports that greater temperatures are associated with significant increases in urine calcium which may shed light on the mechanism underlying the increased stone incidence associated with increased ambient temperature. • To understand the effects of temperature, humidity and season of year on 24-h urine composition in patients with nephrolithiasis. • A retrospective review was performed of patients evaluated at four metabolic stone clinics. • Multivariate linear regression models examined the relationship between mean temperature, average humidity, season of year and 24-h urine composition. • Multivariate models adjusted for known risk factors for stone disease. • Mean temperature and average humidity data were obtained from http://www.weatherunderground.com based on patient-provided addresses. • A total of 599 patients were included in the study, comprising 239 women and 360 men with a mean age of 53.6 years (sd 15.0). • Mean temperature was 16.9 °C (sd 4.8, range -21.1 to 38.3 °C) and average humidity was 58.1% (sd 23.5, range 11-100%). • On multivariate linear regression, increasing temperature was associated with increasing urine calcium (β = 11.3, 95% CI 2.2-20.0), super-saturation of calcium oxalate (β = 0.6, 95% CI 0.2-0.9), super-saturation of calcium phosphate (β = 0.14, 95% CI 0.03-0.2), and decreasing urine sodium (β = -5.2, 95% CI -10.3 to -0.1). • As seasons become warmer (i.e. from winter to autumn to spring to summer), changes were increased urine volume (β = 0.09, 95% CI 0.01-0.2) and decreased super-saturation of calcium phosphate (β = -0.2, 95% CI -0.3 to -0.03). • There were no associations between quintile of humidity and any 24-h urine constituents. • Increasing temperature may increase stone risk by increasing urine excretion of calcium, and the super-saturation of calcium oxalate and calcium phosphate. • These findings were independent of humidity and of season of year. • This appears to be related to a physiological impact of temperature itself, rather than to geographic location. © 2012 BJU INTERNATIONAL.

  20. Relationship between conventional culture and flow cytometry for the diagnosis of urinary tract infection.

    PubMed

    García-Coca, Marta; Gadea, Ignacio; Esteban, Jaime

    2017-06-01

    Urine culture is the gold standard for the diagnosis of urinary tract infections (UTI). The use of flow cytometry analyzers (FCA) prior to culture allows for the quantification and recognition of cell components in urine to be automated and makes it possible to relate these data to the urine pathogens subsequently identified in cultures. Urine samples were assessed with the Sysmex UF-1000i analyzer. Those that met the criteria for culture (> 25 leukocytes/μL or > 385 bacteria/μL) were subjected to quantitative urine culture on chromogenic agar. Counts of red blood cells (RBC), white blood cells (WBC), epithelial cells (EC), and the kind of microorganisms identified in cultures were evaluated. A total of 17,483 samples were processed by FCA. Of these, 9057 met the criteria for culture. Urine cultures were reduced by 48.2%. The most common urine pathogen was Escherichia coli (60.3%). Negative urine cultures were significantly (p < 0.001) associated with a lower WBC count than urine with E. coli, Klebsiella spp. and Proteus spp., but urine with Enterococcus spp. had a lower WBC than negative urine. Contaminated urine had a significantly (p < 0.001) lower WBC than urine with E. coli, Klebsiella spp. and Proteus spp., but no differences were found for Enterococcus spp. (p = 0.729). Negative urine cultures had significantly (p < 0.05) higher EC than all positive urine samples. Contaminated urine was associated (p < 0.001) with higher EC than cultures with E. coli and Klebsiella spp., in comparison with cultures with Enterococcus spp. (p = 0.091) and Proteus spp. (p = 0.251). The use of the Sysmex UF-1000i flow cytometer for screening urine samples allows for a reduction in the number of urine cultures. WBC values correlate well with the main urine pathogens related to UTI. The results observed for Enterococcus spp. suggest a low impact of these pathogens as a cause of UTI.

  1. Trace gas emissions following deposition of excreta by grazing dairy cows in eastern Canada

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rochette, P.; Pelster, D. E.; Chantigny, M. H.; Angers, D. A.; Liang, C.; Belanger, G.; Ziadi, N.; Charbonneau, E.; Pellerin, D.

    2012-04-01

    The N2O emission factor proposed for cattle excreta N by the Tier I IPCC methodology (EF3) is 2% (IPCC, 2006). While N2O emissions from excreta deposited by grazing animals have been reported in several publications, relatively few estimated EF3 values because measurements did not cover the entire year. This study measured N2O and CH4 flux and crop dry matter (DM) yield over two years (2009 to 2011) from a clay and a sandy loam soil cultivated with Timothy grass (Phleum pratense L.). A split-plot design was used on each soil type, with different application dates (either spring, summer or autumn application) as main plots and treatment (U-50: urine 50 g N m-2, U-100: urine 100 g N m-2, dung: 60 g N m-2, and control) as the sub-plots. Regardless of application time, annual DM yield increased in all treated plots when compared to the control. Also, DM yields were generally greater when urine as opposed to dung was applied suggesting greater N-availability from the urine application. The CH4 flux from the dung plots increased for only the first two weeks after treatment while the flux from the urine plots was similar to the control plots. Cumulative N2O emissions on the U-50 and U-100 plots increased linearly with urine N rate on both soils, resulting in nearly identical mean emission factors for both urine rates. The emission factor for the urine was three times greater on the clay (1.02% of applied N on both rates) than on the sandy loam soil (0.26% (U100) and 0.31% (U50) of applied N). Cumulative N2O emissions from dung plots also differed between soil types; however the impact of soil type on N2O emissions was opposite to that of urine, with greater losses from the sandy loam (0.15%) compared with the clay soil (0.07%). These results suggest that estimates of soil N2O emissions by grazing cattle in Eastern Canada obtained using the IPCC default methodology are overestimates of actual values and that these estimates for should include a stratification according to soil type.

  2. The relationship between body iron stores and blood and urine cadmium concentrations in US never-smoking, non-pregnant women aged 20-49 years

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

    Gallagher, Carolyn M., E-mail: 2crgallagher@optonline.net; Chen, John J.; Kovach, John S.

    Background: Cadmium is a ubiquitous environmental pollutant associated with increased risk of leading causes of mortality and morbidity in women, including breast cancer and osteoporosis. Iron deficiency increases absorption of dietary cadmium, rendering women, who tend to have lower iron stores than men, more susceptible to cadmium uptake. We used body iron, a measure that incorporates both serum ferritin and soluble transferrin receptor, as recommended by the World Health Organization, to evaluate the relationships between iron status and urine and blood cadmium. Methods: Serum ferritin, soluble transferrin receptor, urine and blood cadmium values in never-smoking, non-pregnant, non-lactating, non-menopausal women agedmore » 20-49 years (n=599) were obtained from the 2003-2008 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys. Body iron was calculated from serum ferritin and soluble transferrin receptor, and iron deficiency defined as body iron <0 mg/kg. Robust linear regression was used to evaluate the relationships between body iron and blood and urine cadmium, adjusted for age, race, poverty, body mass index, and parity. Results: Per incremental (mg/kg) increase in body iron, urine cadmium decreased by 0.003 {mu}g/g creatinine and blood cadmium decreased by 0.014 {mu}g/L. Iron deficiency was associated with 0.044 {mu}g/g creatinine greater urine cadmium (95% CI=0.020, 0.069) and 0.162 {mu}g/L greater blood cadmium (95% CI=0.132, 0.193). Conclusions: Iron deficiency is a risk factor for increased blood and urine cadmium among never-smoking, pre-menopausal, non-pregnant US women, independent of age, race, poverty, body mass index and parity. Expanding programs to detect and correct iron deficiency among non-pregnant women merits consideration as a potential means to reduce the risk of cadmium associated diseases. - Highlights: {yields} Body iron was calculated from serum ferritin and soluble transferrin receptor. {yields} Body iron was inversely associated with blood and urine cadmium in US women. {yields} Inverse associations with blood cadmium were evident in all race/ethnic subsamples. {yields} Inverse associations with urine cadmium were evident in women of other/multi-race. {yields} Black women had lower mean body iron compared to white women.« less

  3. The International Space Station Urine Monitoring System (UMS)

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Feeback, Daniel L.; Cibuzar, Branelle R.; Milstead, Jeffery R.; Pietrzyk,, Robert A.; Clark, Mark S.F.

    2009-01-01

    A device capable of making in-flight volume measurements of single void urine samples, the Urine Monitoring System (UMS), was developed and flown on seven U.S. Space Shuttle missions. This device provided volume data for each urine void from multiple crewmembers and allowed samples of each to be taken and returned to Earth for post-flight analysis. There were a number of design flaws in the original instrument including the presence of liquid carry-over producing invalid "actual" micturition volumes and cross-contamination between successive users from residual urine in "dead" spots". Additionally, high or low volume voids could not be accurately measured, the on-orbit calibration and nominal use sequence was time intensive, and the unit had to be returned and disassembled to retrieve the volume data. These problems have been resolved in a new version, the International Space Station (ISS) UMS, that has been designed to provide real-time in-flight volume data with accuracy and precision equivalent to measurements made on Earth and the ability to provide urine samples that are unadulterated by the device. Originally conceived to be interfaced with a U.S.-built Waste Collection System (WCS), the unit now has been modified to interface with the Russian-supplied Sanitary Hygiene Device (ASY). The ISS UMS provides significant advantages over the current method of collecting urine samples into Urine Collection Devices (UCDs), from which samples are removed and returned to Earth for analyses. A significant future advantage of the UMS is that it can provide an interface to analytical instrumentation that will allow real-time measurement of urine bioanalytes allowing monitoring of crewmember health status during flight and the ability to provide medical interventions based on the results of these measurements. Currently, the ISS UMS is scheduled to launch along with Node-3 on STS-130 (20A) in December 2009. UMS will be installed and scientific/functional verification completed prior to placing the instrument into operation. Samples collected during the verification sequence will be returned for analyses on STS-131 (19A) currently scheduled for launch in March 2010. The presence of a UMS on ISS will provide the capability to conduct additional collaborative human life science investigations among the ISS International Partners.

  4. Diagnosis of neonatal group B Streptococcus sepsis by nested-PCR of residual urine samples

    PubMed Central

    Cezarino, Bruno Nicolino; Yamamoto, Lidia; Del Negro, Gilda Maria Barbaro; Rocha, Daisy; Okay, Thelma Suely

    2008-01-01

    Group B streptococcus (GBS) remains the most common cause of early-onset sepsis in newborns. Laboratory gold-standard, broth culture methods are highly specific, but lack sensitivity. The aim of this study was to validate a nested-PCR and to determine whether residue volumes of urine samples obtained by non invasive, non sterile methods could be used to confirm neonatal GBS sepsis. The nested-PCR was performed with primers of the major GBS surface antigen. Unavailability of biological samples to perform life supporting exams, as well as others to elucidate the etiology of infections is a frequent problem concerning newborn patients. Nevertheless, we decided to include cases according to strict criteria: newborns had to present with signs and symptoms compatible with GBS infection; at least one of the following biological samples had to be sent for culture: blood, urine, or cerebrospinal fluid; availability of residue volumes of the samples sent for cultures, or of others collected on the day of hospitalization, prior to antibiotic therapy prescription, to be analyzed by PCR; favorable outcome after GBS empiric treatment. In only one newborn GBS infection was confirmed by cultures, while infection was only presumptive in the other three patients (they fulfilled inclusion criteria but were GBS-culture negative). From a total of 12 biological samples (5 blood, 3 CSF and 4 urine specimen), eight were tested by culture methods (2/8 were positive), and 8 were tested by PCR (7/8 were positive), and only 4 samples were simultaneously tested by both methods (1 positive by culture and 3 by PCR). In conclusion, although based on a restricted number of neonates and samples, our results suggest that the proposed nested-PCR might be used to diagnose GBS sepsis as it has successfully amplified the three types of biological samples analyzed (blood, urine and cerebrospinal fluid), and was more sensitive than culture methods as PCR in urine confirmed diagnosis in all four patients. Moreover, PCR has enabled us to use residue volumes of urine samples collected by non invasive, non sterile methods, what is technically adequate as GBS is not part of the normal urine flora, thus avoiding invasive procedures such as suprapubic bladder punction or transurethral catheterization. At the same time, the use of urine instead of blood samples could help preventing newborns blood spoliation. PMID:24031170

  5. Outcomes Associated with Reducing the Urine Alkalinization Threshold in Patients Receiving High-Dose Methotrexate.

    PubMed

    Drost, Sarah A; Wentzell, Jason R; Giguère, Pierre; McLurg, Darcy L; Sabloff, Mitchell; Kanji, Salmaan; Nguyen, Tiffany T

    2017-06-01

    Urine alkalinization increases methotrexate (MTX) solubility and reduces the risk of nephrotoxicity. The objectives of this study were to determine whether a reduction in the urine pH threshold from 8 to 7 in patients receiving high-dose methotrexate (HDMTX) results in a shorter length of hospital stay, delayed MTX clearance, or higher rates of nephrotoxicity; and to determine whether specific factors were associated with prolonged MTX clearance. Retrospective cohort study. Hematology service of a large university-affiliated teaching hospital in Ottawa, Canada. Sixty-five adults with 150 HDMTX exposures who had elective admissions for HDMTX between September 1, 2014, and December 18, 2015, were included. Thirty-four patients (with 79 HDMTX exposures) had their urine alkalinized to a pH of 8 or higher, and 31 patients (with 71 HDMTX exposures) had their urine alkalinized to a pH of 7 or higher, after an institutional change in the urine pH threshold from 8 to 7 was implemented on May 1, 2015. Data related to patient demographics, urine alkalinization, MTX serum concentration monitoring, hospital length of stay, and renal function were collected retrospectively from patients' electronic health records. Lowering the urine pH threshold from 8 to 7 did not significantly affect hospital length of stay (absolute difference 3.5 hrs, 95% confidence interval -4.0 to 10.9) or clearance of MTX (elimination rate constant 0.058 in the pH of 7 or higher group vs 0.064 in the pH of 8 or higher group, p=0.233). Nephrotoxicity rates were similar between groups (15.5% in the pH of 7 or higher group vs 10.1% in the pH of 8 or higher group, p=0.34). Higher MTX dose and interacting medications (e.g., proton pump inhibitors and sulfonamide antibiotics) were significantly associated with delayed MTX elimination. No significant differences in HDMTX-associated hospital length of stay, MTX clearance, or rates of nephrotoxicity were noted between patients in the urine pH of 7 or higher and 8 or higher groups. Interacting medications and higher MTX dose were associated with delayed MTX elimination, suggesting that a closer review of interacting medications before HDMTX administration may be warranted. © 2017 Pharmacotherapy Publications, Inc.

  6. Salt-losing nephropathy in hypothyroidism.

    PubMed

    Bautista, Aileen Azul; Duya, Jose Eduardo De Leon; Sandoval, Mark Anthony Santiago

    2014-05-21

    A 35-year-old man presented with recurrent lower extremity weakness associated with polyuria later progressing to generalised weakness with difficulty in breathing. The patient was hypotensive and dry, with normal thyroid and chest examination, weak lower extremity and carpopedal spasm. Workup revealed hypokalaemia, hyponatraemia, hypocalcaemia, hypomagnesaemia, hypochloraemia and hypophosphataemia. Arterial blood gas showed respiratory alkalosis with good oxygenation. Twenty-four-hour urine collection showed normal volume with electrolyte wasting. Thyroid function test revealed overt hypothyroidism with negative antithyroid peroxidase. The patient was well after treatment with levothyroxine, volume and electrolyte replacement and was discharged. Thyroid hormones are related to the expression of the Na-K-ATPase, Na-Pi cotransporter, Mg-ATPase and Na-Ca exchanger pumps in the renal tubules. Sodium, potassium, phosphate, calcium, magnesium and water losses result from decreased expression of these pumps. 2014 BMJ Publishing Group Ltd.

  7. A Patient with MSUD: Acute Management with Sodium Phenylacetate/Sodium Benzoate and Sodium Phenylbutyrate.

    PubMed

    Köse, Melis; Canda, Ebru; Kagnici, Mehtap; Uçar, Sema Kalkan; Çoker, Mahmut

    2017-01-01

    In treatment of metabolic imbalances caused by maple syrup urine disease (MSUD), peritoneal dialysis, and hemofiltration, pharmacological treatments for elimination of toxic metabolites can be used in addition to basic dietary modifications. Therapy with sodium phenylacetate/benzoate or sodium phenylbutyrate (NaPB) in urea-cycle disorder cases has been associated with a reduction in branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) concentrations when the patients are on adequate dietary protein intake. Moreover, NaPB in treatment of MSUD patients is also associated with reduction of BCAA levels in a limited number of cases. However, there are not enough studies in the literature about application and efficacy of this treatment. Our case report sets an example of an alternative treatment's efficacy when extracorporeal procedures are not available due to technical difficulties during attack period of the disease.

  8. KSC-08pd1462

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2008-05-29

    CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At Launch Pad 39A at Kennedy Space Center, replacement parts for the Zvezda service module toilet on the International Space Station are loaded aboard space shuttle Discovery. The toilet malfunctioned last week and was initially repaired by replacing a microprocessor valve. After the station crew members experienced additional difficulties with the toilet, they were directed to use Soyuz toilet facilities at first and are using the main toilet again after rigging a urine bypass. The spare toilet parts have been added to Discovery’s manifest for delivery to the station on the STS-124 mission. On the 14-day mission, Discovery and its crew will deliver the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Japanese Experiment Module – Pressurized Module and the Japanese Remote Manipulator System. Launch is scheduled for 5:02 p.m. EDT May 31. Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis

  9. KSC-08pd1459

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2008-05-28

    CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- A replacement part for the Zvezda service module toilet on the International Space Station is inspected following its arrival at Kennedy Space Center. The toilet malfunctioned last week and was initially repaired by replacing a microprocessor valve. After the station crew members experienced additional difficulties with the toilet, they were directed to use Soyuz toilet facilities at first and are using the main toilet again after rigging a urine bypass. The spare toilet parts have been added to space shuttle Discovery’s manifest for delivery to the station on the STS-124 mission. On the 14-day mission, Discovery and its crew will deliver the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Japanese Experiment Module – Pressurized Module and the Japanese Remote Manipulator System. Launch is scheduled for 5:02 p.m. EDT May 31. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

  10. KSC-08pd1464

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2008-05-29

    CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At Launch Pad 39A at Kennedy Space Center, technicians load replacement parts for the Zvezda service module toilet on the International Space Station aboard space shuttle Discovery. The toilet malfunctioned last week and was initially repaired by replacing a microprocessor valve. After the station crew members experienced additional difficulties with the toilet, they were directed to use Soyuz toilet facilities at first and are using the main toilet again after rigging a urine bypass. The spare toilet parts have been added to Discovery’s manifest for delivery to the station on the STS-124 mission. On the 14-day mission, Discovery and its crew will deliver the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Japanese Experiment Module – Pressurized Module and the Japanese Remote Manipulator System. Launch is scheduled for 5:02 p.m. EDT May 31. Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis

  11. KSC-08pd1460

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2008-05-28

    CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- A technician inspects a replacement part for the Zvezda service module toilet on the International Space Station following its arrival at Kennedy Space Center. The toilet malfunctioned last week and was initially repaired by replacing a microprocessor valve. After the station crew members experienced additional difficulties with the toilet, they were directed to use Soyuz toilet facilities at first and are using the main toilet again after rigging a urine bypass. The spare toilet parts have been added to space shuttle Discovery’s manifest for delivery to the station on the STS-124 mission. On the 14-day mission, Discovery and its crew will deliver the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Japanese Experiment Module – Pressurized Module and the Japanese Remote Manipulator System. Launch is scheduled for 5:02 p.m. EDT May 31. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

  12. KSC-08pd1463

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2008-05-29

    CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At Launch Pad 39A at Kennedy Space Center, technicians load replacement parts for the Zvezda service module toilet on the International Space Station aboard space shuttle Discovery. The toilet malfunctioned last week and was initially repaired by replacing a microprocessor valve. After the station crew members experienced additional difficulties with the toilet, they were directed to use Soyuz toilet facilities at first and are using the main toilet again after rigging a urine bypass. The spare toilet parts have been added to Discovery’s manifest for delivery to the station on the STS-124 mission. On the 14-day mission, Discovery and its crew will deliver the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Japanese Experiment Module – Pressurized Module and the Japanese Remote Manipulator System. Launch is scheduled for 5:02 p.m. EDT May 31. Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis

  13. KSC-08pd1465

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2008-05-29

    CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At Launch Pad 39A at Kennedy Space Center, a technician loads replacement parts for the Zvezda service module toilet on the International Space Station aboard space shuttle Discovery. The toilet malfunctioned last week and was initially repaired by replacing a microprocessor valve. After the station crew members experienced additional difficulties with the toilet, they were directed to use Soyuz toilet facilities at first and are using the main toilet again after rigging a urine bypass. The spare toilet parts have been added to Discovery’s manifest for delivery to the station on the STS-124 mission. On the 14-day mission, Discovery and its crew will deliver the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Japanese Experiment Module – Pressurized Module and the Japanese Remote Manipulator System. Launch is scheduled for 5:02 p.m. EDT May 31. Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis

  14. KSC-08pd1461

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2008-05-28

    CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- A technician inspects a replacement part for the Zvezda service module toilet on the International Space Station following its arrival at Kennedy Space Center. The toilet malfunctioned last week and was initially repaired by replacing a microprocessor valve. After the station crew members experienced additional difficulties with the toilet, they were directed to use Soyuz toilet facilities at first and are using the main toilet again after rigging a urine bypass. The spare toilet parts have been added to space shuttle Discovery’s manifest for delivery to the station on the STS-124 mission. On the 14-day mission, Discovery and its crew will deliver the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Japanese Experiment Module – Pressurized Module and the Japanese Remote Manipulator System. Launch is scheduled for 5:02 p.m. EDT May 31. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

  15. A Patient with MSUD: Acute Management with Sodium Phenylacetate/Sodium Benzoate and Sodium Phenylbutyrate

    PubMed Central

    Canda, Ebru; Kagnici, Mehtap; Uçar, Sema Kalkan; Çoker, Mahmut

    2017-01-01

    In treatment of metabolic imbalances caused by maple syrup urine disease (MSUD), peritoneal dialysis, and hemofiltration, pharmacological treatments for elimination of toxic metabolites can be used in addition to basic dietary modifications. Therapy with sodium phenylacetate/benzoate or sodium phenylbutyrate (NaPB) in urea-cycle disorder cases has been associated with a reduction in branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) concentrations when the patients are on adequate dietary protein intake. Moreover, NaPB in treatment of MSUD patients is also associated with reduction of BCAA levels in a limited number of cases. However, there are not enough studies in the literature about application and efficacy of this treatment. Our case report sets an example of an alternative treatment's efficacy when extracorporeal procedures are not available due to technical difficulties during attack period of the disease. PMID:28589054

  16. Use of ferric chloride to identify salicylate-containing poisons.

    PubMed

    Hoffman, Robert J; Nelson, Lewis S; Hoffman, Robert S

    2002-01-01

    Ferric chloride (FeCl3) is used to qualitatively test the urine of patients with presumed salicylate exposure. FeCl3 testing of an unidentified poison might provide evidence of salicylate exposure in situations where FeCl3 urine testing cannot be used. Such situations include the absence of a urine sample, immediately after ingestion before urine contains a detectable quantity of salicylate, or for patients chronically using salicylatesfor which FeCl3 testing is unhelpful. This study seeks to determine if FeCl3 can be used to identify salicylate-containing products. We assessed the reactivity of FeCl3 with commercially available salicylate-containing products. We applied 0.1 mL of 10% FeCl3 solution to each of 15 various salicylate-containing products including: regular and buffered acetylsalicylic acid, bismuth subsalicylate, methylsalicylate, physostigmine salicylate, salicylic acid, trolamine salicylate, and herbal tablets with salicin-containing white willow bark (Salix sp.). These products tested were: regular and enteric-coatedpills (n = 4), powder (n = 1), topical creams (n = 5), topical liquids (n = 4), and intravenous solution (n = 1). FeCl3 was applied to crushed tablets and added directly to liquids and creams. Fifteen salicylate-free controls including liquids, pills, and creams similar in appearance to experimental samples were also tested. Three blinded physiciansfamiliar with FeCl3 testing independently observed the addition of FeCl3 to each sample and rated a positive or negative result. All salicylate-containing products were interpreted to be clearly FeCl3 positive and all control samples were interpreted to be clearly FeCl3 negative. Salicylate-containing products may be identified using FeCl33. When using FeCl3

  17. Protein urine test

    MedlinePlus

    Urine protein; Albumin - urine; Urine albumin; Proteinuria; Albuminuria ... After you provide a urine sample, it is tested. The health care provider uses a dipstick made with a color-sensitive pad. The color change ...

  18. Automated color classification of urine dipstick image in urine examination

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rahmat, R. F.; Royananda; Muchtar, M. A.; Taqiuddin, R.; Adnan, S.; Anugrahwaty, R.; Budiarto, R.

    2018-03-01

    Urine examination using urine dipstick has long been used to determine the health status of a person. The economical and convenient use of urine dipstick is one of the reasons urine dipstick is still used to check people health status. The real-life implementation of urine dipstick is done manually, in general, that is by comparing it with the reference color visually. This resulted perception differences in the color reading of the examination results. In this research, authors used a scanner to obtain the urine dipstick color image. The use of scanner can be one of the solutions in reading the result of urine dipstick because the light produced is consistent. A method is required to overcome the problems of urine dipstick color matching and the test reference color that have been conducted manually. The method proposed by authors is Euclidean Distance, Otsu along with RGB color feature extraction method to match the colors on the urine dipstick with the standard reference color of urine examination. The result shows that the proposed approach was able to classify the colors on a urine dipstick with an accuracy of 95.45%. The accuracy of color classification on urine dipstick against the standard reference color is influenced by the level of scanner resolution used, the higher the scanner resolution level, the higher the accuracy.

  19. Urine creatinine in treatment-naïve HIV subjects in eastern Nigeria

    PubMed Central

    Anyabolu, Ernest Ndukaife

    2016-01-01

    Introduction Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is a global healthcare problem. Some diseases and physiological states may be altered in HIV-infected individuals. Our objective was to evaluate urine creatinine and factors that influence urine creatinine in treatment-naïve HIV subjects in Nigeria. Methods This was a cross-sectional study involving treatment-naïve HIV subjects in a tertiary hospital in Nigeria. Creatinine in spot and 24-hour urine samples and other relevant investigations were performed. Low urine creatinine or dilute urine was defined as 24-hour urine creatinine (24HUCr) <300mg, normal urine creatinine as 24HUCr 300-3000mg and high urine creatinine or concentrated urine as 24HUCr>3000mg.Theassociation of low urine creatinine and high urine creatinine with potential risk factors was determined. Results The mean spot urine creatinine (SUCr) of the treatment-naïve HIV subjects was 137.21± 98.47(mg/dl), minimum value 13.3mg/dl, maximum value 533.3mg/dl and range of values 520.0mg/dl. The mean 24HUCr was 1507±781mg, minimum value 206mg, maximum value 4849mg and range of values 4643mg. Twenty four-hour urine creatinine<300mg was observed in 2(0.5%) subjects, normal 24HUCr 300-3000mgin 349(93.1%) subjects and 24HUCr>3000mg in 24(6.4%) subjects. There was significant association between 24HUCr and serum low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL),serum high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL). There was high correlation between 24HUCr>3000mg and 24-hour urine osmolality (24HUOsm) (r=0.95), body mass index (BMI) (r=0.74), CD4 cells count (r=-0.71), serum HDL (r=-0.73). Conclusion The prevalence of dilute urine and concentrated urine was low. Twenty-four hour urine osmolality. BMI, CD4 cells count and HDL were strong correlates of high urine creatinine. Lipid abnormalities were common in treatment-naïve HIV subjects with high urine creatinine. There is need for clinicians to routinely conduct urine creatinine and further search for abnormalities of serum lipids, weight changes, depressed immunity and anemia in HIV subjects with dilute or concentrated urine in the early stages of the infection. PMID:28292101

  20. Urine creatinine in treatment-naïve HIV subjects in eastern Nigeria.

    PubMed

    Anyabolu, Ernest Ndukaife

    2016-01-01

    Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is a global healthcare problem. Some diseases and physiological states may be altered in HIV-infected individuals. Our objective was to evaluate urine creatinine and factors that influence urine creatinine in treatment-naïve HIV subjects in Nigeria. This was a cross-sectional study involving treatment-naïve HIV subjects in a tertiary hospital in Nigeria. Creatinine in spot and 24-hour urine samples and other relevant investigations were performed. Low urine creatinine or dilute urine was defined as 24-hour urine creatinine (24HUCr) <300mg, normal urine creatinine as 24HUCr 300-3000mg and high urine creatinine or concentrated urine as 24HUCr>3000mg.Theassociation of low urine creatinine and high urine creatinine with potential risk factors was determined. The mean spot urine creatinine (SUCr) of the treatment-naïve HIV subjects was 137.21± 98.47(mg/dl), minimum value 13.3mg/dl, maximum value 533.3mg/dl and range of values 520.0mg/dl. The mean 24HUCr was 1507±781mg, minimum value 206mg, maximum value 4849mg and range of values 4643mg. Twenty four-hour urine creatinine<300mg was observed in 2(0.5%) subjects, normal 24HUCr 300-3000mgin 349(93.1%) subjects and 24HUCr>3000mg in 24(6.4%) subjects. There was significant association between 24HUCr and serum low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL),serum high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL). There was high correlation between 24HUCr>3000mg and 24-hour urine osmolality (24HUOsm) (r=0.95), body mass index (BMI) (r=0.74), CD4 cells count (r=-0.71), serum HDL (r=-0.73). The prevalence of dilute urine and concentrated urine was low. Twenty-four hour urine osmolality. BMI, CD4 cells count and HDL were strong correlates of high urine creatinine. Lipid abnormalities were common in treatment-naïve HIV subjects with high urine creatinine. There is need for clinicians to routinely conduct urine creatinine and further search for abnormalities of serum lipids, weight changes, depressed immunity and anemia in HIV subjects with dilute or concentrated urine in the early stages of the infection.

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