Sample records for urine samples results

  1. Substitution of human for horse urine disproves an accusation of doping*.

    PubMed

    Díaz, Silvina; Kienast, Mariana E; Villegas-Castagnasso, Egle E; Pena, Natalia L; Manganare, Marcos M; Posik, Diego; Peral-García, Pilar; Giovambattista, Guillermo

    2008-09-01

    In order to detect switching and/or manipulation of samples, the owner of a stallion asked our lab to perform a DNA test on a positive doping urine sample. The objective was to compare the urine DNA profile versus blood and hair DNA profiles from the same stallion. At first, 10 microsatellite markers were investigated to determine the horse identity. No results were obtained when horse specific markers were typed in the urine sample. In order to confirm the species origin of this sample we analyzed the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene. This analysis from blood and hair samples produced reproducible and clear PCR-RFLP patterns and DNA sequence match with those expected for horse, while the urine sample results were coincident with human. These results allowed us to exclude the urine sample from the questioned stallion and determine its human species origin, confirming the manipulation of urine sample.

  2. Oral fluid vs. Urine Analysis to Monitor Synthetic Cannabinoids and Classic Drugs Recent Exposure

    PubMed Central

    Blandino, Vincent; Wetzel, Jillian; Kim, Jiyoung; Haxhi, Petrit; Curtis, Richard; Concheiro, Marta

    2018-01-01

    Background Urine is a common biological sample to monitor recent drug exposure, and oral fluid is an alternative matrix of increasing interest in clinical and forensic toxicology. Limited data are available about oral fluid vs. urine drug disposition, especially for synthetic cannabinoids. Objective To compare urine and oral fluid as biological matrices to monitor recent drug exposure among HIV-infected homeless individuals. Methods Seventy matched urine and oral fluid samples were collected from 13 participants. Cannabis, amphetamines, benzodiazepines, cocaine and opiates were analyzed in urine by the enzyme-multiplied-immunoassay-technique and in oral fluid by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MSMS). Eleven synthetic cannabinoids were analyzed in urine and in oral fluid by LC-MSMS. Results Five oral fluid samples were positive for AB-FUBINACA. In urine, 4 samples tested positive for synthetic cannabinoids PB-22, 5-Fluoro-PB-22, AB-FUBINACA, and metabolites UR-144 5-pentanoic acid and UR-144 4-hydroxypentyl. In only one case, oral fluid and urine results matched, both specimens being AB-FUBINACA positive. For cannabis, 40 samples tested positive in urine and 30 in oral fluid (85.7% match). For cocaine, 37 urine and 52 oral fluid samples were positive (75.7% match). Twenty-four urine samples were positive for opiates, and 25 in oral fluid (81.4% match). For benzodiazepines, 23 samples were positive in urine and 25 in oral fluid (85.7% match). Conclusion/Discussion These results offer new information about drugs disposition between urine and oral fluid. Oral fluid is a good alternative matrix to urine for monitoring cannabis, cocaine, opiates and benzodiazepines recent use; however, synthetic cannabinoids showed mixed results. PMID:29173162

  3. Oral Fluid vs. Urine Analysis to Monitor Synthetic Cannabinoids and Classic Drugs Recent Exposure.

    PubMed

    Blandino, Vincent; Wetzel, Jillian; Kim, Jiyoung; Haxhi, Petrit; Curtis, Richard; Concheiro, Marta

    2017-01-01

    Urine is a common biological sample to monitor recent drug exposure, and oral fluid is an alternative matrix of increasing interest in clinical and forensic toxicology. Limited data are available about oral fluid vs. urine drug disposition, especially for synthetic cannabinoids. To compare urine and oral fluid as biological matrices to monitor recent drug exposure among HIV-infected homeless individuals. Seventy matched urine and oral fluid samples were collected from 13 participants. Cannabis, amphetamines, benzodiazepines, cocaine and opiates were analyzed in urine by the enzyme-multipliedimmunoassay- technique and in oral fluid by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LCMSMS). Eleven synthetic cannabinoids were analyzed in urine and in oral fluid by LC-MSMS. Five oral fluid samples were positive for AB-FUBINACA. In urine, 4 samples tested positive for synthetic cannabinoids PB-22, 5-Fluoro-PB-22, AB-FUBINACA, and metabolites UR-144 5-pentanoic acid and UR-144 4-hydroxypentyl. In only one case, oral fluid and urine results matched, both specimens being AB-FUBINACA positive. For cannabis, 40 samples tested positive in urine and 30 in oral fluid (85.7% match). For cocaine, 37 urine and 52 oral fluid samples were positive (75.7% match). Twenty-four urine samples were positive for opiates, and 25 in oral fluid (81.4% match). For benzodiazepines, 23 samples were positive in urine and 25 in oral fluid (85.7% match). These results offer new information about drugs disposition between urine and oral fluid. Oral fluid is a good alternative matrix to urine for monitoring cannabis, cocaine, opiates and benzodiazepines recent use; however, synthetic cannabinoids showed mixed results. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

  4. 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.

  5. Long-Term Follow-up of HPV Infection Using Urine and Cervical Quantitative HPV DNA Testing

    PubMed Central

    Vorsters, Alex; Van Keer, Severien; Biesmans, Samantha; Hens, Annick; De Coster, Ilse; Goossens, Herman; Ieven, Margareta; Van Damme, Pierre

    2016-01-01

    The link between infection with high-risk human papillomavirus (hrHPV) and cervical cancer has been clearly demonstrated. Virological end-points showing the absence of persistent HPV infection are now accepted as a way of monitoring the impact of prophylactic vaccination programs and therapeutic vaccine trials. This study investigated the use of urine samples, which can be collected by self-sampling at home, instead of cervical samples for follow-up of an HPV intervention trial. Eighteen initially HPV DNA-positive women participating in an HPV therapeutic vaccine trial were monitored during a three-year follow-up period. A total of 172 urine samples and 85 cervical samples were collected. We obtained a paired urine sample for each of the 85 cervical samples by recovering urine samples from six monthly gynaecological examinations. We performed a small pilot study in which the participating women used a urine collection device at home and returned their urine sample to the laboratory by mail. All samples were analyzed using quantitative real-time HPV DNA PCR. A good association (κ value of 0.65) was found between the presence of HPV DNA in urine and a subsequent cervical sample. Comparisons of the number of HPV DNA copies in urine and paired cervical samples revealed a significant Spearman rho of 0.676. This correlation was superior in women with severe lesions. The HPV DNA results of the small pilot study based on self-collected urine samples at home are consistent with previous and subsequent urine and/or cervical results. We demonstrated that urine sampling may be a valid alternative to cervical samples for the follow-up of HPV intervention trials or programs. The potential clinical value of urine viral load monitoring should be further investigated. PMID:27196899

  6. Long-Term Follow-up of HPV Infection Using Urine and Cervical Quantitative HPV DNA Testing.

    PubMed

    Vorsters, Alex; Van Keer, Severien; Biesmans, Samantha; Hens, Annick; De Coster, Ilse; Goossens, Herman; Ieven, Margareta; Van Damme, Pierre

    2016-05-17

    The link between infection with high-risk human papillomavirus (hrHPV) and cervical cancer has been clearly demonstrated. Virological end-points showing the absence of persistent HPV infection are now accepted as a way of monitoring the impact of prophylactic vaccination programs and therapeutic vaccine trials. This study investigated the use of urine samples, which can be collected by self-sampling at home, instead of cervical samples for follow-up of an HPV intervention trial. Eighteen initially HPV DNA-positive women participating in an HPV therapeutic vaccine trial were monitored during a three-year follow-up period. A total of 172 urine samples and 85 cervical samples were collected. We obtained a paired urine sample for each of the 85 cervical samples by recovering urine samples from six monthly gynaecological examinations. We performed a small pilot study in which the participating women used a urine collection device at home and returned their urine sample to the laboratory by mail. All samples were analyzed using quantitative real-time HPV DNA PCR. A good association (κ value of 0.65) was found between the presence of HPV DNA in urine and a subsequent cervical sample. Comparisons of the number of HPV DNA copies in urine and paired cervical samples revealed a significant Spearman rho of 0.676. This correlation was superior in women with severe lesions. The HPV DNA results of the small pilot study based on self-collected urine samples at home are consistent with previous and subsequent urine and/or cervical results. We demonstrated that urine sampling may be a valid alternative to cervical samples for the follow-up of HPV intervention trials or programs. The potential clinical value of urine viral load monitoring should be further investigated.

  7. 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

  8. 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.

  9. Long-term frozen storage of urine samples: a trouble to get PCR results in Schistosoma spp. DNA detection?

    PubMed

    Fernández-Soto, Pedro; Velasco Tirado, Virginia; Carranza Rodríguez, Cristina; Pérez-Arellano, José Luis; Muro, Antonio

    2013-01-01

    Human schistosomiasis remains a serious worldwide public health problem. At present, a sensitive and specific assay for routine diagnosis of schistosome infection is not yet available. The potential for detecting schistosome-derived DNA by PCR-based methods in human clinical samples is currently being investigated as a diagnostic tool with potential application in routine schistosomiasis diagnosis. Collection of diagnostic samples such as stool or blood is usually difficult in some populations. However, urine is a biological sample that can be collected in a non-invasive method, easy to get from people of all ages and easy in management, but as a sample for PCR diagnosis is still not widely used. This could be due to the high variability in the reported efficiency of detection as a result of the high variation in urine samples' storage or conditions for handling and DNA preservation and extraction methods. We evaluate different commercial DNA extraction methods from a series of long-term frozen storage human urine samples from patients with parasitological confirmed schistosomiasis in order to assess the PCR effectiveness for Schistosoma spp. detection. Patients urine samples were frozen for 18 months up to 7 years until use. Results were compared with those obtained in PCR assays using fresh healthy human urine artificially contaminated with Schistosoma mansoni DNA and urine samples from mice experimentally infected with S. mansoni cercariae stored frozen for at least 12 months before use. PCR results in fresh human artificial urine samples using different DNA based extraction methods were much more effective than those obtained when long-term frozen human urine samples were used as the source of DNA template. Long-term frozen human urine samples are probably not a good source for DNA extraction for use as a template in PCR detection of Schistosoma spp., regardless of the DNA method of extraction used.

  10. NHEXAS PHASE I ARIZONA STUDY--METALS IN URINE ANALYTICAL RESULTS

    EPA Science Inventory

    The Metals in Urine data set contains analytical results for measurements of up to 6 metals in 176 urine samples over 176 households. Each sample was collected from the primary respondent within each household during Stage III of the NHEXAS study. The sample consists of the fir...

  11. Long-Term Frozen Storage of Urine Samples: A Trouble to Get PCR Results in Schistosoma spp. DNA Detection?

    PubMed Central

    Fernández-Soto, Pedro; Velasco Tirado, Virginia; Carranza Rodríguez, Cristina; Pérez-Arellano, José Luis; Muro, Antonio

    2013-01-01

    Background Human schistosomiasis remains a serious worldwide public health problem. At present, a sensitive and specific assay for routine diagnosis of schistosome infection is not yet available. The potential for detecting schistosome-derived DNA by PCR-based methods in human clinical samples is currently being investigated as a diagnostic tool with potential application in routine schistosomiasis diagnosis. Collection of diagnostic samples such as stool or blood is usually difficult in some populations. However, urine is a biological sample that can be collected in a non-invasive method, easy to get from people of all ages and easy in management, but as a sample for PCR diagnosis is still not widely used. This could be due to the high variability in the reported efficiency of detection as a result of the high variation in urine samples’ storage or conditions for handling and DNA preservation and extraction methods. Methodology/Principal Findings We evaluate different commercial DNA extraction methods from a series of long-term frozen storage human urine samples from patients with parasitological confirmed schistosomiasis in order to assess the PCR effectiveness for Schistosoma spp. detection. Patientś urine samples were frozen for 18 months up to 7 years until use. Results were compared with those obtained in PCR assays using fresh healthy human urine artificially contaminated with Schistosoma mansoni DNA and urine samples from mice experimentally infected with S. mansoni cercariae stored frozen for at least 12 months before use. PCR results in fresh human artificial urine samples using different DNA based extraction methods were much more effective than those obtained when long-term frozen human urine samples were used as the source of DNA template. Conclusions/Significance Long-term frozen human urine samples are probably not a good source for DNA extraction for use as a template in PCR detection of Schistosoma spp., regardless of the DNA method of extraction used. PMID:23613907

  12. 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.

  13. Dipstick Spot urine pH does not accurately represent 24 hour urine PH measured by an electrode.

    PubMed

    Omar, Mohamed; Sarkissian, Carl; Jianbo, Li; Calle, Juan; Monga, Manoj

    2016-01-01

    To determine whether spot urine pH measured by dipstick is an accurate representation of 24 hours urine pH measured by an electrode. We retrospectively reviewed urine pH results of patients who presented to the urology stone clinic. For each patient we recorded the most recente pH result measured by dipstick from a spot urine sample that preceded the result of a 24-hour urine pH measured by the use of a pH electrode. Patients were excluded if there was a change in medications or dietary recommendations or if the two samples were more than 4 months apart. A difference of more than 0.5 pH was considered na inaccurate result. A total 600 patients were retrospectively reviewed for the pH results. The mean difference in pH between spot urine value and the 24 hours collection values was 0.52±0.45 pH. Higher pH was associated with lower accuracy (p<0.001). The accuracy of spot urine samples to predict 24-hour pH values of <5.5 was 68.9%, 68.2% for 5.5 to 6.5 and 35% for >6.5. Samples taken more than 75 days apart had only 49% the accuracy of more recent samples (p<0.002). The overall accuracy is lower than 80% (p<0.001). Influence of diurnal variation was not significant (p=0.588). Spot urine pH by dipstick is not an accurate method for evaluation of the patients with urolithiasis. Patients with alkaline urine are more prone to error with reliance on spot urine pH.

  14. U.S.-MEXICO BORDER PROGRAM ARIZONA BORDER STUDY--METALS IN URINE ANALYTICAL RESULTS

    EPA Science Inventory

    The Metals in Urine data set contains analytical results for measurements of up to 7 metals in 86 urine samples over 86 households. Each sample was collected from the primary respondent within each household. The sample consists of the first morning void following the 24-hour d...

  15. Comparison of initial stream urine samples and cervical samples for detection of human papillomavirus.

    PubMed

    Hagihara, Mao; Yamagishi, Yuka; Izumi, Koji; Miyazaki, Narimi; Suzuki, Takayoshi; Kato, Hideo; Nishiyama, Naoya; Koizumi, Yusuke; Suematsu, Hiroyuki; Mikamo, Hiroshige

    2016-08-01

    Uterine cervical cancer is a treatable and preventable cancer. Medical efforts to reduce rates of cervical cancer focus on the promotion of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination and the promotion of routine cervical cancer screening done by cervical cytology and cervical HPV testing. Urine-based HPV testing would be simple and noninvasive approach to screen for cervical cancer. Two biospecimens (clinician-taken sample from cervix and initial stream urine sample) were provided from a total of 240 healthy women attending for cancer screening provided for HPV testing. We have assessed the HPV detection rates among cervical samples and pellet fraction of urine samples using HPV test (Anyplex™ II HPV28 Detection kit, Seegene, Korea). Among 240 samples screened, HPV prevalence was 42.9% in pellet fractions of urine samples. The agreement between the two kinds of samples was 98.4%, k = 0.792. Discordant results were observed in 27 cases; 5 were positive only by urine samples and 22 were positive only by smear samples. Sensitivity and specificity for all HPV DNA in pellet fractions of urine using cervical samples as reference was 68.4% and 99.9%. Comparing methodologies of collection of samples for HPV detection, they showed the higher agreements for almost genotypes between cervical samples and pellet fractions of urine samples. These results suggest that urine could be a good noninvasive tool to monitor HPV infection in women. Additional research in a larger and general screening population would be needed. Copyright © 2016 Japanese Society of Chemotherapy and The Japanese Association for Infectious Diseases. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Importance of sample preparation for molecular diagnosis of lyme borreliosis from urine.

    PubMed

    Bergmann, A R; Schmidt, B L; Derler, A-M; Aberer, E

    2002-12-01

    Urine PCR has been used for the diagnosis of Borrelia burgdorferi infection in recent years but has been abandoned because of its low sensitivity and the irreproducibility of the results. Our study aimed to analyze technical details related to sample preparation and detection methods. Crucial for a successful urine PCR were (i) avoidance of the first morning urine sample; (ii) centrifugation at 36,000 x g; and (iii) the extraction method, with only DNAzol of the seven different extraction methods used yielding positive results with patient urine specimens. Furthermore, storage of frozen urine samples at -80 degrees C reduced the sensitivity of a positive urine PCR result obtained with samples from 72 untreated erythema migrans (EM) patients from 85% in the first 3 months to <30% after more than 3 months. Bands were detected at 276 bp on ethidium bromide-stained agarose gels after amplification by a nested PCR. The specificity of bands for 32 of 33 samples was proven by hybridization with a GEN-ETI-K-DEIA kit and for a 10 further positive amplicons by sequencing. By using all of these steps to optimize the urine PCR technique, B. burgdorferi infection could be diagnosed by using urine samples from EM patients with a sensitivity (85%) substantially better than that of serological methods (50%). This improved method could be of future importance as an additional laboratory technique for the diagnosis of unclear, unrecognized borrelia infections and diseases possibly related to Lyme borreliosis.

  17. NHEXAS PHASE I MARYLAND STUDY--PESTICIDE METABOLITES IN URINE ANALYTICAL RESULTS

    EPA Science Inventory

    The Pesticide Metabolites in Urine data set contains analytical results for measurements of up to 9 pesticides in 345 urine samples over 79 households. Each sample was collected from the primary respondent within each household during the study and represented the first morning ...

  18. NHEXAS PHASE I ARIZONA STUDY--PESTICIDE METABOLITES IN URINE ANALYTICAL RESULTS

    EPA Science Inventory

    The Pesticide Metabolites in Urine data set contains analytical results for measurements of up to 4 pesticide metabolites in 176 urine samples over 176 households. Each sample was collected from the primary respondent within each household during Stage III of the NHEXAS study. ...

  19. Is a pre-analytical process for urinalysis required?

    PubMed

    Petit, Morgane; Beaudeux, Jean-Louis; Majoux, Sandrine; Hennequin, Carole

    2017-10-01

    For the reliable urinary measurement of calcium, phosphate and uric acid, a pre-analytical process by adding acid or base to urine samples at laboratory is recommended in order to dissolve precipitated solutes. Several studies on different kind of samples and analysers have previously shown that a such pre-analytical treatment is useless. The objective was to study the necessity of pre-analytical treatment of urine on samples collected using the V-Monovette ® (Sarstedt) system and measured on the analyser Architect C16000 (Abbott Diagnostics). Sixty urinary samples of hospitalized patients were selected (n=30 for calcium and phosphate, and n=30 for uric acid). After acidification of urine samples for measurement of calcium and phosphate, and alkalinisation for measurement of uric acid respectively, differences between results before and after the pre-analytical treatment were compared to acceptable limits recommended by the French society of clinical biology (SFBC). No difference in concentration between before and after pre-analytical treatment of urine samples exceeded acceptable limits from SFBC for measurement of calcium and uric acid. For phosphate, only one sample exceeded these acceptable limits, showing a result paradoxically lower after acidification. In conclusion, in agreement with previous study, our results show that acidification or alkalinisation of urine samples from 24 h urines or from urination is not a pre-analytical necessity for measurement of calcium, phosphate and uric acid.

  20. NHEXAS PHASE I MARYLAND STUDY--METALS IN URINE ANALYTICAL RESULTS

    EPA Science Inventory

    The Metals in Urine data set contains analytical results for measurements of up to 3 metals in 376 urine samples over 80 households. Each sample was collected from the primary respondent within each household during the study and represented the first morning void of either Day ...

  1. [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.

  2. Evidence for false-positive results for boldenone testing of veal urine due to faecal cross-contamination during sampling.

    PubMed

    Sgoifo Rossi, C A; Arioli, F; Bassini, A; Chiesa, L M; Dell'Orto, V; Montana, M; Pompa, G

    2004-08-01

    European Directive 96/22/EC, which controls veterinary residues in animals, does not permit the presence of synthetic growth promoters in products of animal origin or in livestock. Boldenone is categorized in class A3 (growth promoters -- steroids) and is thus a banned substance. Testing of veal urine for banned substances is part of the European Union statutory programme for animals going into the food chain. In relation to this monitoring, three studies were conducted to investigate the apparent presence of the banned growth promoter boldenone in veal urine, which was suspected as being caused by interference from faecal contamination of the sample. In the first study, urine samples were collected at different times (time 0 and after 30 min) using (1) a conventional zoonotechnical apron and (2) a technique designed specifically to avoid faecal contamination ('kettle'). This resulted in samples that were, respectively, positive and negative for the presence of alpha-boldenone (alpha-BOL). In a second study, urine samples negative to alpha-BOL were collected from eight veal calves, but became positive after deliberate faecal contamination. In a third study, data obtained from the Italian RNP (Residual National Program) indicated that 18.1% of 3295 urine samples collected using the zootechnical apron were positive for alpha-BOL and 2.1% for beta-boldenone (beta-BOL), whilst of 902 samples collected using the kettle, beta-BOL was not detected in any samples and only 0.2% were positive to alpha-BOL, in concentrations lower than 2 ng ml(-1). These results further support the supposition that faecal contamination of the urine during sample collection can lead to false-positive results during boldenone analysis.

  3. Effects of processing delay, temperature, and transport tube type on results of quantitative bacterial culture of canine urine.

    PubMed

    Patterson, Carly A; Bishop, Micah A; Pack, Julie D; Cook, Audrey K; Lawhon, Sara D

    2016-01-15

    To determine the impact of processing delay, temperature, and transport tube type on results of quantitative bacterial culture (QBC) of canine urine. Diagnostic test evaluation. 60 mL of pooled urine from 4 dogs, divided into six 10-mL aliquots. Urine aliquots were spiked with bacteria from 1 of 6 independent Escherichia coli cultures to achieve a target bacterial concentration of 10(5) CFUs/mL. One milliliter from each aliquot was transferred into 5 silicone-coated clot tubes (SCTs) and 5 urine transport tubes (UTTs). Samples were stored at 4°C (39°F) and 25°C (77°F) for 0, 8, and 24 hours, and then standard QBCs were performed. Median bacterial concentration for urine samples stored in a UTT for 24 hours at 4°C was lower than that for samples stored in an SCT under the same conditions. Conversely, a substantial decrease in median bacterial concentration was identified for samples stored for 24 hours in an SCT at 25°C, compared with the median concentration for samples stored in a UTT under the same conditions. Median bacterial concentration in samples stored in an SCT at 25°C for 24 hours (275 CFUs/mL) was less than the cutoff typically used to define clinically important bacteriuria by use of urine samples obtained via cystocentesis (ie, > 1,000 CFUs/mL). Canine urine samples submitted for immediate QBC should be transported in plain sterile tubes such as SCTs. When prolonged (24-hour) storage at room temperature is anticipated, urine samples should be transported in UTTs.

  4. Basic or extended urine sampling to analyse urine production?

    PubMed

    Denys, Marie-Astrid; Kapila, Vansh; Weiss, Jeffrey; Goessaert, An-Sofie; Everaert, Karel

    2017-09-01

    Frequency volume charts are valuable tools to objectify urine production in patients with nocturia, enuresis or nocturnal incontinence. Analyses of daytime and nighttime urine (=basic collection) or analyses of urine samples collected every 3 h (=extended collection) extend this evaluation by describing circadian patterns of water and solute diuresis (=renal function profiles). To assess intra-individual correlation and agreement between renal function profiles provided using basic and extended urine collections, and using two extended urine collections. To create a short-form of the extended collection. This prospective observational study was executed at Ghent University Hospital, Belgium. Study participation was open for anyone visiting the hospital. Participants collected one basic and two extended 24-h urine collections. Urinary levels of osmolality, sodium and creatinine were determined. There was a moderate to strong correlation between results of basic and extended urinalyses. Comparing both extended urinalyses showed a moderate correlation between the eight individual samples and a weak to strong correlation between the mean daytime and nighttime values of renal functions. Different samples could be considered as most representative for mean daytime values, while all samples collected between 03 and 05am showed the highest agreement with mean nighttime values of renal function. Since there is a good correlation and agreement between basic and extended urine collections to study the mechanisms underlying urine production, the choice of urine sampling method to evaluate urine production depends on the purpose. A nighttime-only urine sample collected between 03 and 05am may be the most practical approach. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  5. 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.

  6. 51Cr-EDTA absorption blood test: an easy method for assessing small intestinal permeability in dogs.

    PubMed

    Frias, Rafael; Sankari, Satu; Westermarck, Elias

    2004-01-01

    The 51Cr-EDTA test is a valuable clinical tool for screening intestinal diseases in dogs. The test is performed by calculating the percentage of recovery from urine of a PO-ingested dose of 51Cr-EDTA after 6 or 24 hours. Careful urine collection is a practical limitation of this test in dogs, and our goal was to develop a simpler test that measures 51Cr-EDTA in blood. A 51Cr-EDTA absorption test was simultaneously performed on urine and serum 43 times in healthy Beagle Dogs. Timed blood samples were withdrawn, and urine was collected during a 6-hour period. Percentages of the ingested dose were then calculated in urine and serum. The mean +/- standard deviation (range) percentage in urine after 6 hours was 14.07 +/- 8.72% (3.81-34.18%), whereas results in serum from samples taken at 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 hours were 0.49 +/- 0.45% (0.02-2.13%), 0.75 +/- 0.52% (0.03-1.89%), 0.82 +/- 0.57% (0.13-2.21%), 0.70 +/- 0.53% (0.12-1.99%), and 0.47 +/- 0.44% (0.11-1.79%), respectively. The results for blood specimens showed good concordance with those for urine, especially for the samples taken at 4 hours (r = 0.89). Moreover, the correlation between urine and blood was better when the sum of the percentages of the recovered analyte from various blood samples was compared with urine. The correlation coefficient when summing 4 blood samples was excellent (r = 0.97) and remained excellent when summing only 2 blood samples taken at 3 and 5 hours (r = 0.95) or at 3 and 4 hours (r = 0.94). We conclude that a serum 51Cr-EDTA test determined by summing successive blood samples provides an easier means of estimating small intestinal permeability in dogs and gives results comparable to those of the 6-hour urine test.

  7. Screening for urinary tract infection with the Sysmex UF-1000i urine flow cytometer.

    PubMed

    Broeren, Maarten A C; Bahçeci, Semiha; Vader, Huib L; Arents, Niek L A

    2011-03-01

    The diagnosis of urinary tract infection (UTI) by urine culture is time-consuming and can produce up to 60 to 80% negative results. Fast screening methods that can reduce the necessity for urine cultures will have a large impact on overall turnaround time and laboratory economics. We have evaluated the detection of bacteria and leukocytes by a new urine analyzer, the UF-1000i, to identify negative urine samples that can be excluded from urine culture. In total, 1,577 urine samples were analyzed and compared to urine culture. Urine culture showed growth of ≥10(3) CFU/ml in 939 samples (60%). Receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curves and ROC decision plots were been prepared at three different gold standard definitions of a negative urine culture: no growth, growth of bacteria at <10(4) CFU/ml, and growth of bacteria at <10(5) CFU/ml. Also, the reduction in urine cultures and the percentage of false negatives were calculated. At the most stringent gold standard definition of no growth, a chosen sensitivity of 95% resulted in a cutoff value of 26 bacteria/μl, a specificity of 43% and a reduction in urine cultures of only 20%, of which 14% were false negatives. However, at a gold standard definition of <10(5) CFU/ml and a sensitivity of 95%, the UF-1000i cutoff value was 230 bacteria/μl, the specificity was 80%, and the reduction in urine cultures was 52%, of which 0.3% were false negatives. The applicability of the UF-1000i to screen for negative urine samples strongly depends on population characteristics and the definition of a negative urine culture. In our setting, however, the low workload savings and the high percentage of false-negative results do not warrant the UF-1000i to be used as a screening analyzer.

  8. Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction for Detection of Schistosoma DNA in Small-Volume Urine Samples Reflects Focal Distribution of Urogenital Schistosomiasis in Primary School Girls in KwaZulu Natal, South Africa

    PubMed Central

    Pillay, Pavitra; Taylor, Myra; Zulu, Siphosenkosi G.; Gundersen, Svein G.; Verweij, Jaco J.; Hoekstra, Pytsje; Brienen, Eric A. T.; Kleppa, Elisabeth; Kjetland, Eyrun F.; van Lieshout, Lisette

    2014-01-01

    Schistosoma haematobium eggs and Schistosoma DNA levels were measured in urine samples from 708 girls recruited from 18 randomly sampled primary schools in South Africa. Microscopic analysis of two 10-mL urine subsamples collected on three consecutive days confirmed high day-to-day variation; 103 (14.5%) girls had positive results at all six examinations, and at least one positive sample was seen in 225 (31.8%) girls. Schistosoma-specific DNA, which was measured in a 200-μL urine subsample by using real-time polymerase chain reaction, was detected in 180 (25.4%) cases, and levels of DNA corresponded significantly with average urine egg excretion. In concordance with microscopic results, polymerase chain reaction results were significantly associated with history of gynecologic symptoms and confirmed highly focal distribution of urogenital schistosomiasis. Parasite-specific DNA detection has a sensitivity comparable to single urine microscopy and could be used as a standardized high-throughput procedure to assess distribution of urogenital schistosomiasis in relatively large study populations by using small sample volumes. PMID:24470560

  9. Optimization of HPV DNA detection in urine by improving collection, storage, and extraction.

    PubMed

    Vorsters, A; Van den Bergh, J; Micalessi, I; Biesmans, S; Bogers, J; Hens, A; De Coster, I; Ieven, M; Van Damme, P

    2014-11-01

    The benefits of using urine for the detection of human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA have been evaluated in disease surveillance, epidemiological studies, and screening for cervical cancers in specific subgroups. HPV DNA testing in urine is being considered for important purposes, notably the monitoring of HPV vaccination in adolescent girls and young women who do not wish to have a vaginal examination. The need to optimize and standardize sampling, storage, and processing has been reported.In this paper, we examined the impact of a DNA-conservation buffer, the extraction method, and urine sampling on the detection of HPV DNA and human DNA in urine provided by 44 women with a cytologically normal but HPV DNA-positive cervical sample. Ten women provided first-void and midstream urine samples. DNA analysis was performed using real-time PCR to allow quantification of HPV and human DNA.The results showed that an optimized method for HPV DNA detection in urine should (a) prevent DNA degradation during extraction and storage, (b) recover cell-free HPV DNA in addition to cell-associated DNA, (c) process a sufficient volume of urine, and (d) use a first-void sample.In addition, we found that detectable human DNA in urine may not be a good internal control for sample validity. HPV prevalence data that are based on urine samples collected, stored, and/or processed under suboptimal conditions may underestimate infection rates.

  10. Optimization of analytical and pre-analytical conditions for MALDI-TOF-MS human urine protein profiles.

    PubMed

    Calvano, C D; Aresta, A; Iacovone, M; De Benedetto, G E; Zambonin, C G; Battaglia, M; Ditonno, P; Rutigliano, M; Bettocchi, C

    2010-03-11

    Protein analysis in biological fluids, such as urine, by means of mass spectrometry (MS) still suffers for insufficient standardization in protocols for sample collection, storage and preparation. In this work, the influence of these variables on healthy donors human urine protein profiling performed by matrix assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) was studied. A screening of various urine sample pre-treatment procedures and different sample deposition approaches on the MALDI target was performed. The influence of urine samples storage time and temperature on spectral profiles was evaluated by means of principal component analysis (PCA). The whole optimized procedure was eventually applied to the MALDI-TOF-MS analysis of human urine samples taken from prostate cancer patients. The best results in terms of detected ions number and abundance in the MS spectra were obtained by using home-made microcolumns packed with hydrophilic-lipophilic balance (HLB) resin as sample pre-treatment method; this procedure was also less expensive and suitable for high throughput analyses. Afterwards, the spin coating approach for sample deposition on the MALDI target plate was optimized, obtaining homogenous and reproducible spots. Then, PCA indicated that low storage temperatures of acidified and centrifuged samples, together with short handling time, allowed to obtain reproducible profiles without artifacts contribution due to experimental conditions. Finally, interesting differences were found by comparing the MALDI-TOF-MS protein profiles of pooled urine samples of healthy donors and prostate cancer patients. The results showed that analytical and pre-analytical variables are crucial for the success of urine analysis, to obtain meaningful and reproducible data, even if the intra-patient variability is very difficult to avoid. It has been proven how pooled urine samples can be an interesting way to make easier the comparison between healthy and pathological samples and to individuate possible differences in the protein expression between the two sets of samples. Copyright 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. The resident microflora of voided midstream urine of healthy controls: standard versus expanded urine culture protocols.

    PubMed

    Coorevits, L; Heytens, S; Boelens, J; Claeys, G

    2017-04-01

    The workup and interpretation of urine cultures is not always clear-cut, especially for midstream samples contaminated with commensals. Standard urine culture (SUC) protocols are designed in favor of growth of uropathogens at the expense of commensals. In selected clinical situations, however, it is essential to trace fastidious or new uropathogens by expanding the urine culture conditions (EUC). The aim of our study was to map the microflora in midstream urine specimens from healthy controls by means of EUC, in view of the interpretation of bacterial culture results in symptomatic patients. Midstream urine specimens from 101 healthy controls (86 females and 15 males) were examined using both SUC and EUC. Whilst 73 % of samples examined by SUC showed no growth at 10 3  colony-forming units (CFU)/mL, 91 % of samples examined by EUC grew bacterial species in large numbers (≥10 4  CFU/mL). Asymptomatic bacteriuria, as defined by the European guidelines for urinalysis, was detected in six samples with both protocols. EUC revealed 98 different species, mostly Lactobacillus, Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, and Corynebacterium. None of the samples grew Staphylococcus saprophyticus, Corynebacterium urealyticum, or Aerococcus urinae. Samples from females contained higher bacterial loads and showed higher bacterial diversity compared to males. Midstream urine of healthy controls contains large communities of living bacteria that comprise a resident microflora, only revealed by EUC. Hence, the use of EUC instead of SUC in a routine setting would result in more sensitive but less specific results, requiring critical interpretation. In our view, EUC should be reserved for limited indications.

  12. The influence of freezer storage of urine samples on the BONN-Risk-Index for calcium oxalate crystallization.

    PubMed

    Laube, Norbert; Zimmermann, Diana J

    2004-01-01

    This study was performed to quantify the effect of a 1-week freezer storage of urine on its calcium oxalate crystallization risk. Calcium oxalate is the most common urinary stone material observed in urolithiasis patients in western and affluent countries. The BONN-Risk-Index of calcium oxalate crystallization risk in human urine is determined from a crystallization experiment performed on untreated native urine samples. We tested the influence of a 1-week freezing on the BONN-Risk-Index value as well as the effect of the sample freezing on the urinary osmolality. In vitro crystallization experiments in 49 native urine samples from stone-forming and non-stone forming individuals were performed in order to determine their calcium oxalate crystallization risk according to the BONN-Risk-Index approach. Comparison of the results derived from original sample investigations with those obtained from the thawed aliquots by statistical evaluation shows that i) no significant deviation from linearity between both results exists and ii) both results are identical by statistical means. This is valid for both, the BONN-Risk-Index and the osmolality data. The differences in the BONN-Risk-Index results of both procedures of BONN-Risk-Index determination, however, exceed the clinically acceptable difference. Thus, determination of the urinary calcium oxalate crystallization risk from thawed urine samples cannot be recommended.

  13. Coca tea consumption causes positive urine cocaine assay.

    PubMed

    Mazor, Suzan S; Mycyk, Mark B; Wills, Brandon K; Brace, Larry D; Gussow, Leon; Erickson, Timothy

    2006-12-01

    Coca tea, derived from the same plant that is used to synthesize cocaine, is commonly consumed in South America and easily obtained in the United States. To determine whether consumption of coca tea would result in a positive urine toxicology screen for cocaine metabolites. Five healthy adult volunteers consumed coca tea and underwent serial quantitative urine testing for cocaine metabolites by fluorescence polarization immunoassay. The cutoff for a positive assay was chosen at 300 ng/ml, the National Institute on Drug Abuse standard. Each participant's urine cocaine assay was positive (level exceeding 300 ng/ml) by 2 h after ingestion. Three out of five participants' samples remained positive at 36 h. Mean urine benzoylecgonine concentrations in all postconsumption samples was 1777 ng/ml (95% confidence interval: 1060-2495). Coca tea ingestion resulted in a positive urine assay for cocaine metabolite. Healthcare professionals should consider a history of coca tea ingestion when interpreting urine toxicology results.

  14. Development and evaluation of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method for the measurement of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid in human urine.

    PubMed

    Chuang, Jane C; Emon, Jeanette M Van; Durnford, Joyce; Thomas, Kent

    2005-09-15

    An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method was developed to quantitatively measure 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) in human urine. Samples were diluted (1:5) with phosphate-buffered saline containing 0.05% Tween and 0.02% sodium azide, with analysis by a 96-microwell plate immunoassay format. No clean up was required as dilution step minimized sample interferences. Fifty urine samples were received without identifiers from a subset of pesticide applicators and their spouses in an EPA pesticide exposure study (PES) and analyzed by the ELISA method and a conventional gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) procedure. For the GC/MS analysis, urine samples were extracted with acidic dichloromethane (DCM); methylated by diazomethane and fractionated by a Florisil solid phase extraction (SPE) column prior to GC/MS detection. The percent relative standard deviation (%R.S.D.) of the 96-microwell plate triplicate assays ranged from 1.2 to 22% for the urine samples. Day-to-day variation of the assay results was within +/-20%. Quantitative recoveries (>70%) of 2,4-D were obtained for the spiked urine samples by the ELISA method. Quantitative recoveries (>80%) of 2,4-D were also obtained for these samples by the GC/MS procedure. The overall method precision of these samples was within +/-20% for both the ELISA and GC/MS methods. The estimated quantification limit for 2,4-D in urine was 30ng/mL by ELISA and 0.2ng/mL by GC/MS. A higher quantification limit for the ELISA method is partly due to the requirement of a 1:5 dilution to remove the urine sample matrix effect. The GC/MS method can accommodate a 10:1 concentration factor (10mL of urine converted into 1mL organic solvent for analysis) but requires extraction, methylation and clean up on a solid phase column. The immunoassay and GC/MS data were highly correlated, with a correlation coefficient of 0.94 and a slope of 1.00. Favorable results between the two methods were achieved despite the vast differences in sample preparation. Results indicated that the ELISA method could be used as a high throughput, quantitative monitoring tool for human urine samples to identify individuals with exposure to 2,4-D above the typical background levels.

  15. Stability studies of amphetamine and ephedrine derivatives in urine.

    PubMed

    Jiménez, C; de la Torre, R; Ventura, M; Segura, J; Ventura, R

    2006-10-20

    Knowledge of the stability of drugs in biological specimens is a critical consideration for the interpretation of analytical results. Identification of proper storage conditions has been a matter of concern for most toxicology laboratories (both clinical and forensic), and the stability of drugs of abuse has been extensively studied. This concern should be extended to other areas of analytical chemistry like antidoping control. In this work, the stability of ephedrine derivatives (ephedrine, norephedrine, methylephedrine, pseudoephedrine, and norpseudoephedrine), and amphetamine derivatives (amphetamine, methamphetamine, 3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA), and 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA)) in urine has been studied. Spiked urine samples were prepared for stability testing. Urine samples were quantified by GC/NPD or GC/MS. The homogeneity of each batch of sample was verified before starting the stability study. The stability of analytes was evaluated in sterilized and non-sterilized urine samples at different storage conditions. For long-term stability testing, analyte concentration in urine stored at 4 degrees C and -20 degrees C was determined at different time intervals for 24 months for sterile urine samples, and for 6 months for non-sterile samples. For short-term stability testing, analyte concentration was evaluated in liquid urine stored at 37 degrees C for 7 days. The effect of repeated freezing (at -20 degrees C) and thawing (at room temperature) was also studied in sterile urine for up to three cycles. No significant loss of the analytes under study was observed at any of the investigated conditions. These results show the feasibility of preparing reference materials containing ephedrine and amphetamine derivatives to be used for quality control purposes.

  16. Should acidification of urine be performed before the analysis of calcium, phosphate and magnesium in the presence of crystals?

    PubMed

    Pratumvinit, Busadee; Reesukumal, Kanit; Wongkrajang, Preechaya; Khejonnit, Varanya; Klinbua, Cherdsak; Dangneawnoi, Weerapol

    2013-11-15

    Acidification of urine has been recommended before testing for calcium, phosphate, and magnesium. We investigated the necessity of pre-analytical acidification in both crystallized and non-crystallized urine samples. From 130 urine samples obtained via routine urine analysis, 65 (50%) samples were classified as non-crystallized. All samples were divided into three groups: untreated samples, acidified samples with HCl, and acidified samples after 1h room-temperature incubation. Urine samples were measured for calcium, phosphate, magnesium, and creatinine using Modular P800 and were examined for crystals using light microscopy. In crystallized samples, acidified samples with 1h incubation had significantly higher Ca/Cr, P/Cr, and Mg/Cr than did untreated samples with mean differences of 0.04, 0.03, and 0.01 mg/mg, respectively (P<0.001). In acidified samples that were analyzed immediately, crystallized samples had lower calcium concentrations than those of acidified samples with 1h incubation and a mean difference of 0.21 mg/dl (P = 0.025). None of the sample differences which exceeded the critical difference of urinary Ca, P and Mg was observed. Acidification of urine should be performed before the measurement of Ca, P, and Mg in the presence of urinary crystals. However, the lack of an acidification process does not result in a clinically significant change. © 2013.

  17. Nappy pad urine samples for investigation and treatment of UTI in young children: the ‘DUTY’ prospective diagnostic cohort study

    PubMed Central

    Butler, Christopher C; Sterne, Jonathan AC; Lawton, Michael; O’Brien, Kathryn; Wootton, Mandy; Hood, Kerenza; Hollingworth, William; Little, Paul; Delaney, Brendan C; van der Voort, Judith; Dudley, Jan; Birnie, Kate; Pickles, Timothy; Waldron, Cherry-Ann; Downing, Harriet; Thomas-Jones, Emma; Lisles, Catherine; Rumsby, Kate; Durbaba, Stevo; Whiting, Penny; Harman, Kim; Howe, Robin; MacGowan, Alasdair; Fletcher, Margaret; Hay, Alastair D

    2016-01-01

    Background The added diagnostic utility of nappy pad urine samples and the proportion that are contaminated is unknown. Aim To develop a clinical prediction rule for the diagnosis of urinary tract infection (UTI) based on sampling using the nappy pad method. Design and setting Acutely unwell children <5 years presenting to 233 UK primary care sites. Method Logistic regression to identify independent associations of symptoms, signs, and urine dipstick test results with UTI; diagnostic utility quantified as area under the receiver operator curves (AUROC). Nappy pad rule characteristics, AUROC, and contamination, compared with findings from clean-catch samples. Results Nappy pad samples were obtained from 3205 children (82% aged <2 years; 48% female), culture results were available for 2277 (71.0%) and 30 (1.3%) had a UTI on culture. Female sex, smelly urine, darker urine, and the absence of nappy rash were independently associated with a UTI, with an internally-validated, coefficient model AUROC of 0.81 (0.87 for clean-catch), which increased to 0.87 (0.90 for clean-catch) with the addition of dipstick results. GPs’ ‘working diagnosis’ had an AUROC 0.63 (95% confidence intervals [CI] = 0.53 to 0.72). A total of 12.2% of nappy pad and 1.8% of clean-catch samples were ‘frankly contaminated’ (risk ratio 6.66; 95% CI = 4.95 to 8.96; P<0.001). Conclusion Nappy pad urine culture results, with features that can be reported by parents and dipstick tests, can be clinically useful, but are less accurate and more often contaminated compared with clean-catch urine culture. PMID:27364678

  18. Detection of Novel Visible-Light Region Absorbance Peaks in the Urine after Alkalization in Patients with Alkaptonuria

    PubMed Central

    Tokuhara, Yasunori; Shukuya, Kenichi; Tanaka, Masami; Mouri, Mariko; Ohkawa, Ryunosuke; Fujishiro, Midori; Takahashi, Tomoo; Okubo, Shigeo; Yokota, Hiromitsu; Kurano, Makoto; Ikeda, Hitoshi; Yamaguchi, Seiji; Inagaki, Shinobu; Ishige-Wada, Mika; Usui, Hiromi; Yatomi, Yutaka; Shimosawa, Tatsuo

    2014-01-01

    Background Alkaptonuria, caused by a deficiency of homogentisate 1,2-dioxygenase, results in the accumulation of homogentisic acid (2,5-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid, HGA) in the urine. Alkaptonuria is suspected when the urine changes color after it is left to stand at room temperature for several hours to days; oxidation of homogentisic acid to benzoquinone acetic acid underlies this color change, which is accelerated by the addition of alkali. In an attempt to develop a facile screening test for alkaptonuria, we added alkali to urine samples obtained from patients with alkaptonuria and measured the absorbance spectra in the visible light region. Methods We evaluated the characteristics of the absorption spectra of urine samples obtained from patients with alkaptonuria (n = 2) and compared them with those of urine specimens obtained from healthy volunteers (n = 5) and patients with phenylketonuria (n = 3), and also of synthetic homogentisic acid solution after alkalization. Alkalization of the urine samples and HGA solution was carried out by the addition of NaOH, KOH or NH4OH. The sample solutions were incubated at room temperature for 1 min, followed by measurement of the absorption spectra. Results Addition of alkali to alkaptonuric urine yielded characteristic absorption peaks at 406 nm and 430 nm; an identical result was obtained from HGA solution after alkalization. The absorbance values at both 406 nm and 430 nm increased in a time-dependent manner. In addition, the absorbance values at these peaks were greater in strongly alkaline samples (NaOH- KOH-added) as compared with those in weakly alkaline samples (NH4OH-added). In addition, the peaks disappeared following the addition of ascorbic acid to the samples. Conclusions We found two characteristic peaks at 406 nm and 430 nm in both alkaptonuric urine and HGA solution after alkalization. This new quick and easy method may pave the way for the development of an easy method for the diagnosis of alkaptonuria. PMID:24466168

  19. Diagnostic utility and cost-effectiveness of reflex bacterial culture for the detection of urinary tract infection in dogs with low urine specific gravity.

    PubMed

    Tivapasi, Musavenga T; Hodges, Joanne; Byrne, Barbara A; Christopher, Mary M

    2009-09-01

    Urinary tract infections (UTIs) may be subclinical or difficult to detect in dilute urine as sediment abnormalities may not be observed. In our laboratory, bacterial culture is automatically performed (reflex culture) on samples with urine specific gravity (USG)< or =1.013 to increase the likelihood of detecting infection. The value of routine culture of dilute urine, however, has not been fully assessed. The purpose of this retrospective study was to evaluate the frequency of positive bacterial cultures and analyze the diagnostic utility and cost-effectiveness of culture compared with routine sediment examination for detecting UTI in dilute urine specimens from dogs. Urinalysis and concurrent aerobic bacterial culture results were obtained from the electronic medical record system at the University of California-Davis Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital for samples with USG< or =1.013 analyzed from July 1998 through January 2005. Urine collection method, presence of leukocytes and bacteria, bacterial culture results, and clinical diagnosis were recorded. Cost-effectiveness of reflex culture, based on low USG as the sole criterion, was evaluated. Of 1264 urine specimens, 106 (8.4%) had positive bacterial cultures. Using culture as the gold standard, sediment evaluation had a diagnostic sensitivity of 58.5% and specificity of 98.3% (diagnostic accuracy 94.9%). An additional cost of $60 per patient was incurred, leading to average annual costs of $11,668 for reflex bacterial cultures of all samples with low USG, regardless of collection method. Within our study population, 10 urine samples needed to be cultured for each true positive result. The sensitivity of urine sediment evaluation is low for UTI in dilute urine samples; however, reflex bacterial culture does not appear to be cost-effective in dogs with USG< or =1.013 in the absence of active urine sediment or high clinical suspicion for UTI.

  20. U.S.-MEXICO BORDER PROGRAM ARIZONA BORDER STUDY--PESTICIDE METABOLITES IN URINE ANALYTICAL RESULTS

    EPA Science Inventory

    The Pesticide Metabolites in Urine data set contains the analytical results for measurements of up to 8 pesticide metabolites in 86 samples over 86 households. Each sample was collected form the primary respondent within each household. The sample consists of the first morning ...

  1. Variability of Organophosphorous Pesticide Metabolite Levels in Spot and 24-hr Urine Samples Collected from Young Children during 1 Week

    PubMed Central

    Kogut, Katherine; Eisen, Ellen A.; Jewell, Nicholas P.; Quirós-Alcalá, Lesliam; Castorina, Rosemary; Chevrier, Jonathan; Holland, Nina T.; Barr, Dana Boyd; Kavanagh-Baird, Geri; Eskenazi, Brenda

    2012-01-01

    Background: Dialkyl phosphate (DAP) metabolites in spot urine samples are frequently used to characterize children’s exposures to organophosphorous (OP) pesticides. However, variable exposure and short biological half-lives of OP pesticides could result in highly variable measurements, leading to exposure misclassification. Objective: We examined within- and between-child variability in DAP metabolites in urine samples collected during 1 week. Methods: We collected spot urine samples over 7 consecutive days from 25 children (3–6 years of age). On two of the days, we collected 24-hr voids. We assessed the reproducibility of urinary DAP metabolite concentrations and evaluated the sensitivity and specificity of spot urine samples as predictors of high (top 20%) or elevated (top 40%) weekly average DAP metabolite concentrations. Results: Within-child variance exceeded between-child variance by a factor of two to eight, depending on metabolite grouping. Although total DAP concentrations in single spot urine samples were moderately to strongly associated with concentrations in same-day 24-hr samples (r ≈ 0.6–0.8, p < 0.01), concentrations in spot samples collected > 1 day apart and in 24-hr samples collected 3 days apart were weakly correlated (r ≈ –0.21 to 0.38). Single spot samples predicted high (top 20%) and elevated (top 40%) full-week average total DAP excretion with only moderate sensitivity (≈ 0.52 and ≈ 0.67, respectively) but relatively high specificity (≈ 0.88 and ≈ 0.78, respectively). Conclusions: The high variability we observed in children’s DAP metabolite concentrations suggests that single-day urine samples provide only a brief snapshot of exposure. Sensitivity analyses suggest that classification of cumulative OP exposure based on spot samples is prone to type 2 classification errors. PMID:23052012

  2. Comparison of osmolality and refractometric readings of Hispaniolan Amazon parrot (Amazona ventralis) urine.

    PubMed

    Brock, A Paige; Grunkemeyer, Vanessa L; Fry, Michael M; Hall, James S; Bartges, Joseph W

    2013-12-01

    To evaluate the relationship between osmolality and specific gravity of urine samples from clinically normal adult parrots and to determine a formula to convert urine specific gravity (USG) measured on a reference scale to a more accurate USG value for an avian species, urine samples were collected opportunistically from a colony of Hispaniolan Amazon parrots (Amazona ventralis). Samples were analyzed by using a veterinary refractometer, and specific gravity was measured on both canine and feline scales. Osmolality was measured by vapor pressure osmometry. Specific gravity and osmolality measurements were highly correlated (r = 0.96). The linear relationship between refractivity measurements on a reference scale and osmolality was determined. An equation was calculated to allow specific gravity results from a medical refractometer to be converted to specific gravity values of Hispaniolan Amazon parrots: USGHAp = 0.201 +0.798(USGref). Use of the reference-canine scale to approximate the osmolality of parrot urine leads to an overestimation of the true osmolality of the sample. In addition, this error increases as the concentration of urine increases. Compared with the human-canine scale, the feline scale provides a closer approximation to urine osmolality of Hispaniolan Amazon parrots but still results in overestimation of osmolality.

  3. [Sampling, storage and transport of biological materials collected from living and deceased subjects for determination of concentration levels of ethyl alcohol and similarly acting substances. A proposal of updating the blood and urine sampling protocol].

    PubMed

    Wiergowski, Marek; Reguła, Krystyna; Pieśniak, Dorota; Galer-Tatarowicz, Katarzyna; Szpiech, Beata; Jankowski, Zbigniew

    2007-01-01

    The present paper emphasizes the most common mistakes committed at the beginning of an analytical procedure. To shorten the time and decrease the cost of determinations of substances with similar to alcohol activity, it is postulated to introduce mass-scale screening analysis of saliva collected from a living subject at the site of the event, with all positive results confirmed in blood or urine samples. If no saliva sample is collected for toxicology, a urine sample, allowing for a stat fast screening analysis, and a blood sample, to confirm the result, should be ensured. Inappropriate storage of a blood sample in the tube without a preservative can cause sample spilling and its irretrievable loss. The authors propose updating the "Blood/urine sampling protocol", with the updated version to be introduced into practice following consultations and revisions.

  4. 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.

  5. The efficacy of semi-quantitative urine protein-to-creatinine (P/C) ratio for the detection of significant proteinuria in urine specimens in health screening settings.

    PubMed

    Chang, Chih-Chun; Su, Ming-Jang; Ho, Jung-Li; Tsai, Yu-Hui; Tsai, Wei-Ting; Lee, Shu-Jene; Yen, Tzung-Hai; Chu, Fang-Yeh

    2016-01-01

    Urine protein detection could be underestimated using the conventional dipstick method because of variations in urine aliquots. This study aimed to assess the efficacy of the semi-quantitative urine protein-to-creatinine (P/C) ratio compared with other laboratory methods. Random urine samples were requested from patients undergoing chronic kidney disease screening. Significant proteinuria was determined by the quantitative P/C ratio of at least 150 mg protein/g creatinine. The semi-quantitative P/C ratio, dipstick protein and quantitative protein concentrations were compared and analyzed. In the 2932 urine aliquots, 156 (5.3 %) urine samples were considered as diluted and 60 (39.2 %) were found as significant proteinuria. The semi-quantitative P/C ratio testing had the best sensitivity (70.0 %) and specificity (95.9 %) as well as the lowest underestimation rate (0.37 %) when compared to other laboratory methods in the study. In the semi-quantitative P/C ratio test, 19 (12.2 %) had positive, 52 (33.3 %) had diluted, and 85 (54.5 %) had negative results. Of those with positive results, 7 (36.8 %) were positive detected by traditional dipstick urine protein test, and 9 (47.4 %) were positive detected by quantitative urine protein test. Additionally, of those with diluted results, 25 (48.1 %) had significant proteinuria, and all were assigned as no significant proteinuria by both tests. The semi-quantitative urine P/C ratio is clinically applicable based on its better sensitivity and screening ability for significant proteinuria than other laboratory methods, particularly in diluted urine samples. To establish an effective strategy for CKD prevention, urine protein screening with semi-quantitative P/C ratio could be considered.

  6. Nappy pad urine samples for investigation and treatment of UTI in young children: the 'DUTY' prospective diagnostic cohort study.

    PubMed

    Butler, Christopher C; Sterne, Jonathan Ac; Lawton, Michael; O'Brien, Kathryn; Wootton, Mandy; Hood, Kerenza; Hollingworth, William; Little, Paul; Delaney, Brendan C; van der Voort, Judith; Dudley, Jan; Birnie, Kate; Pickles, Timothy; Waldron, Cherry-Ann; Downing, Harriet; Thomas-Jones, Emma; Lisles, Catherine; Rumsby, Kate; Durbaba, Stevo; Whiting, Penny; Harman, Kim; Howe, Robin; MacGowan, Alasdair; Fletcher, Margaret; Hay, Alastair D

    2016-07-01

    The added diagnostic utility of nappy pad urine samples and the proportion that are contaminated is unknown. To develop a clinical prediction rule for the diagnosis of urinary tract infection (UTI) based on sampling using the nappy pad method. Acutely unwell children <5 years presenting to 233 UK primary care sites. Logistic regression to identify independent associations of symptoms, signs, and urine dipstick test results with UTI; diagnostic utility quantified as area under the receiver operator curves (AUROC). Nappy pad rule characteristics, AUROC, and contamination, compared with findings from clean-catch samples. Nappy pad samples were obtained from 3205 children (82% aged <2 years; 48% female), culture results were available for 2277 (71.0%) and 30 (1.3%) had a UTI on culture. Female sex, smelly urine, darker urine, and the absence of nappy rash were independently associated with a UTI, with an internally-validated, coefficient model AUROC of 0.81 (0.87 for clean-catch), which increased to 0.87 (0.90 for clean-catch) with the addition of dipstick results. GPs' 'working diagnosis' had an AUROC 0.63 (95% confidence intervals [CI] = 0.53 to 0.72). A total of 12.2% of nappy pad and 1.8% of clean-catch samples were 'frankly contaminated' (risk ratio 6.66; 95% CI = 4.95 to 8.96; P<0.001). Nappy pad urine culture results, with features that can be reported by parents and dipstick tests, can be clinically useful, but are less accurate and more often contaminated compared with clean-catch urine culture. © British Journal of General Practice 2016.

  7. Effect of urine creatinine level during pregnancy on dipstick test.

    PubMed

    Baba, Yosuke; Furuta, Itsuko; Zhai, Tianyue; Ohkuchi, Akihide; Yamada, Takahiro; Takahashi, Kayo; Matsubara, Shigeki; Minakami, Hisanori

    2017-06-01

    Dipstick results for proteinuria are affected by urine concentration, and thus urine creatinine concentration ([Cr]). This study was performed to determine whether spot urine [Cr] changes significantly during pregnancy, leading to a significantly different false-negative rate (FNR) on dipstick test between trimester. The [Cr] and protein concentrations ([P]) were analyzed in 631 spot urine samples with negative/equivocal dipstick from 425 pregnant women. False-negative dipstick was defined as [P] : [Cr] ratio (P/Cr) > 0.27 mg/mg. Median [Cr] was 117 mg/dL (range, 6.5-326 mg/dL), 72 mg/dL (range, 4.3-477 mg/dL), and 73 mg/dL (range, 8.4-396 mg/dL) in the first (n = 96), second (n = 344), and third (n = 191) trimester urine samples, respectively (P = 0.000, Kruskal-Wallis). Both [P] and P/Cr increased significantly with advancing gestation. FNR 9.4% (18/191) in the third trimester was significantly higher than that of 0.0% (0/96) in the second trimester and that of 0.5% (2/344) in the third trimester. In the 20 urine samples with false-negative dipstick, median [Cr] was 47.0 mg/dL (range, 11.0-358 mg/dL) and the proportion of samples with dilute urine, that is, [Cr] <47 mg/dL, was significantly higher than in the remaining 611 urine samples (50%, 10/20 vs 28%, 174/611, respectively, P = 0.046). Urine samples in the second and third trimesters were more likely to be diluted compared with the first trimester. This was associated with high FNR in third trimester urine samples. © 2017 Japan Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

  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. Urinalysis in children and adolescents.

    PubMed

    Utsch, Boris; Klaus, Günter

    2014-09-12

    Urinalysis is the most commonly performed biochemical test in infancy and early childhood. The urine sample should be correctly obtained, age-specific aspects should be considered, and age-dependent reference values should be used. This review is based on a selective literature search in electronic databases, textbooks, and guidelines from Germany and abroad on the acquisition of urine samples and the performance of urinalysis in infancy and early childhood. The timing and mode of acquisition of the urine sample affect the assessment of hematuria, proteinuria, leukocyturia, nitrituria, and the uropathogenic bacterial colony count in the urine culture. Dipstick tests can be used for targeted screening for these features. The test results should be interpreted together with the findings of urine microscopy, the medical history, and the physical examination. Proteinuria should be quantified and differentiated; both of these things can be done either from collected urine or (especially in infants and young children) from a spontaneously voided urine sample, by determination of the protein/creatinine quotient. Orthostatic proteinuria in an adolescent requires no further evaluation or treatment. Hematuria should be characterized as either glomerular or non-glomerular erythrocyturia. Asymptomatic, isolated microhematuria in childhood is not uncommon and often transient; in the absence of a family history, it usually does not require an extensive work-up. Proteinuria combined with hematuria should arouse the suspicion of glomerulonephritis. Urinalysis in infancy and early childhood is a simple and informative diagnostic test as long as the urine sample has been obtained properly and the results are interpreted appropriately for this age group.

  10. [Examination about utility of a Streptococcus pneumoniae capsular antigen swiftness search kit urine in a pneumonia patient].

    PubMed

    Hashikita, Giichi; Yamaguti, Toshiyuki; Tachi, Yoshimi; Kishi, Etsuko; Kawamura, Toru; Takahashi, Shun; Arai, Yukie; Koyama, Sachie; Huruhata, Toshihumi; Itabashi, Akira; Oka, Yoko; Yamazaki, Tsutomu; Maesaki, Sigefumi

    2005-01-01

    We investigated the usefullness of Binax NOW urine antigen test, an immunochromatographic assay that binds any soluble Streptococcus pneumoniae antigen (C polysaccharide) for the diagnosis of penumoniae form September 2003 to March 2005. We used 372 samples form the patinets with pneumoniae diagnosed for blood or sputum cultuter or gram-stained sputum smear. Out of 24 culture positive specimens, Binax NOW urine antigen test, showed positive in 18 (75%) specimens. The sensitivity of sputum and blood culture was 71.7% and 83.3%, respectively. Binax NOW urine antigen test was seemed false positives in 55 samples, false negatives in 6 samples. The specificity of Binax NOW urine antigen test was evaluated 84.1%. Overall agreement among tests was 83.6%. When compared to culture, false negative urine antigen may be the result of colonizing S. pneumoniae in sputum or pneumonia caused by an agent other than S. pneumoniae. CRP values for cases were both urine antigen and culture were positive ranged from 40 mg/dl to 10 mg/dl while urine antigen and culture negative cases were predominantly less than 10 mg/dl. Positive blood and pleural fluid culture cases were consistently associated with strongly positive urine antigen tests. Non-agreement between urine antigen, culture, and microscopy may be the result of specimen quality, labile nature of S. pneumoniae and antimicrobial therapy.

  11. Estimating mean change in population salt intake using spot urine samples.

    PubMed

    Petersen, Kristina S; Wu, Jason H Y; Webster, Jacqui; Grimes, Carley; Woodward, Mark; Nowson, Caryl A; Neal, Bruce

    2017-10-01

    Spot urine samples are easier to collect than 24-h urine samples and have been used with estimating equations to derive the mean daily salt intake of a population. Whether equations using data from spot urine samples can also be used to estimate change in mean daily population salt intake over time is unknown. We compared estimates of change in mean daily population salt intake based upon 24-h urine collections with estimates derived using equations based on spot urine samples. Paired and unpaired 24-h urine samples and spot urine samples were collected from individuals in two Australian populations, in 2011 and 2014. Estimates of change in daily mean population salt intake between 2011 and 2014 were obtained directly from the 24-h urine samples and by applying established estimating equations (Kawasaki, Tanaka, Mage, Toft, INTERSALT) to the data from spot urine samples. Differences between 2011 and 2014 were calculated using mixed models. A total of 1000 participants provided a 24-h urine sample and a spot urine sample in 2011, and 1012 did so in 2014 (paired samples n = 870; unpaired samples n = 1142). The participants were community-dwelling individuals living in the State of Victoria or the town of Lithgow in the State of New South Wales, Australia, with a mean age of 55 years in 2011. The mean (95% confidence interval) difference in population salt intake between 2011 and 2014 determined from the 24-h urine samples was -0.48g/day (-0.74 to -0.21; P < 0.001). The corresponding result estimated from the spot urine samples was -0.24 g/day (-0.42 to -0.06; P = 0.01) using the Tanaka equation, -0.42 g/day (-0.70 to -0.13; p = 0.004) using the Kawasaki equation, -0.51 g/day (-1.00 to -0.01; P = 0.046) using the Mage equation, -0.26 g/day (-0.42 to -0.10; P = 0.001) using the Toft equation, -0.20 g/day (-0.32 to -0.09; P = 0.001) using the INTERSALT equation and -0.27 g/day (-0.39 to -0.15; P < 0.001) using the INTERSALT equation with potassium. There was no evidence that the changes detected by the 24-h collections and estimating equations were different (all P > 0.058). Separate analysis of the unpaired and paired data showed that detection of change by the estimating equations was observed only in the paired data. All the estimating equations based upon spot urine samples identified a similar change in daily salt intake to that detected by the 24-h urine samples. Methods based upon spot urine samples may provide an approach to measuring change in mean population salt intake, although further investigation in larger and more diverse population groups is required. © The Author 2016; all rights reserved. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the International Epidemiological Association

  12. Does the Exposure of Urine Samples to Air Affect Diagnostic Tests for Urine Acidification?

    PubMed Central

    Yi, Joo-Hark; Shin, Hyun-Jong; Kim, Sun-Moon; Han, Sang-Woong; Oh, Man-Seok

    2012-01-01

    Summary Background and objectives For accurate measurement of pH, urine collection under oil to limit the escape of CO2 on air exposure is recommended. This study aims to test the hypothesis that urine collection under oil is not necessary in acidic urine in which bicarbonate and CO2 are minor buffers, because loss of CO2 would have little effect on its pH. Design, setting, participants, & measurements One hundred consecutive random urine samples were collected under oil and analyzed for pH, pCO2, and HCO3− immediately and after 5 minutes of vigorous shaking in uncovered flasks to allow CO2 escape. Results The pH values in 97 unshaken samples ranged from 5.03 to 6.83. With shaking, urine pCO2 decreased by 76%, whereas urine HCO3− decreased by 60%. Meanwhile, urine baseline median pH (interquartile range) of 5.84 (5.44–6.25) increased to 5.93 (5.50–6.54) after shaking (ΔpH=0.12 [0.07–0.29], P<0.001). ΔpH with pH≤6.0 was significantly lower than the ΔpH with pH>6.0 (0.08 [0.05–0.12] versus 0.36 [0.23–0.51], P<0.001). Overall, the lower the baseline pH, the smaller the ΔpH. Conclusions The calculation of buffer reactions in a hypothetical acidic urine predicted a negligible effect on urine pH on loss of CO2 by air exposure, which was empirically proven by the experimental study. Therefore, exposure of urine to air does not substantially alter the results of diagnostic tests for urine acidification, and urine collection under oil is not necessary. PMID:22700881

  13. Detection of novel visible-light region absorbance peaks in the urine after alkalization in patients with alkaptonuria.

    PubMed

    Tokuhara, Yasunori; Shukuya, Kenichi; Tanaka, Masami; Mouri, Mariko; Ohkawa, Ryunosuke; Fujishiro, Midori; Takahashi, Tomoo; Okubo, Shigeo; Yokota, Hiromitsu; Kurano, Makoto; Ikeda, Hitoshi; Yamaguchi, Seiji; Inagaki, Shinobu; Ishige-Wada, Mika; Usui, Hiromi; Yatomi, Yutaka; Shimosawa, Tatsuo

    2014-01-01

    Alkaptonuria, caused by a deficiency of homogentisate 1,2-dioxygenase, results in the accumulation of homogentisic acid (2,5-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid, HGA) in the urine. Alkaptonuria is suspected when the urine changes color after it is left to stand at room temperature for several hours to days; oxidation of homogentisic acid to benzoquinone acetic acid underlies this color change, which is accelerated by the addition of alkali. In an attempt to develop a facile screening test for alkaptonuria, we added alkali to urine samples obtained from patients with alkaptonuria and measured the absorbance spectra in the visible light region. We evaluated the characteristics of the absorption spectra of urine samples obtained from patients with alkaptonuria (n = 2) and compared them with those of urine specimens obtained from healthy volunteers (n = 5) and patients with phenylketonuria (n = 3), and also of synthetic homogentisic acid solution after alkalization. Alkalization of the urine samples and HGA solution was carried out by the addition of NaOH, KOH or NH4OH. The sample solutions were incubated at room temperature for 1 min, followed by measurement of the absorption spectra. Addition of alkali to alkaptonuric urine yielded characteristic absorption peaks at 406 nm and 430 nm; an identical result was obtained from HGA solution after alkalization. The absorbance values at both 406 nm and 430 nm increased in a time-dependent manner. In addition, the absorbance values at these peaks were greater in strongly alkaline samples (NaOH- KOH-added) as compared with those in weakly alkaline samples (NH4OH-added). In addition, the peaks disappeared following the addition of ascorbic acid to the samples. We found two characteristic peaks at 406 nm and 430 nm in both alkaptonuric urine and HGA solution after alkalization. This new quick and easy method may pave the way for the development of an easy method for the diagnosis of alkaptonuria.

  14. 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

  15. 24-hour urine protein

    MedlinePlus

    ... one urine sample (protein-to-creatinine ratio). Normal Results The normal value is less than 100 milligrams ... meaning of your specific test results. What Abnormal Results Mean Abnormal results may be due to: A ...

  16. Mutagenicity of urine from individuals exposed to LPG combustion products.

    PubMed

    Yin, X J; Liu, J Z; Kong, X H; Chu, J H; Wang, H; Xiao, Z X

    1998-09-01

    The mutagenicity of urine from individuals exposed to the combustion products of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) was detected with Salmonella typhimurium TA98 and its newly developed derivatives YG1021 (nitroreductase overproducing) and YG1024 (O-acetyltransferase overproducing). The detection showed significantly increased mutagenicity for the two YG strains and increased positive rates for all three strains in the presence of both rat liver S9 and beta-glucuronidase. Further analysis demonstrated that urine samples taken from smoking and non-smoking exposed individuals exhibited significantly higher mutagenic potency (revertants/10 microliters urine concentrate) than their corresponding controls. These results indicate that the increased urine mutagenicity is caused by the exposure to LPG combustion products or smoking. The mutagenic potency of urine samples of all exposed individuals tested with YG1024 was found to be about 7 times higher than with TA98. The difference in mutagenic potency was smaller for the same samples when comparison was made between YG1021 and TA98. This suggests that the mutagenic compounds present in the urine samples contain mainly aromatic compounds as glucuronide conjugates. Our results demonstrate that YG1024 is more sensitive than TA98 in detecting the mutagenicity of these samples. In addition, no significant difference in the mutagenic potency between the 'pure' exposed (non-smokers') and the 'pure' smokers' (unexposed) samples was found in all three tester strains. This might mean that the exposure extent of mutagens/carcinogens in LPG combustion products for exposed individuals roughly corresponds to the smoking level of smokers who smoke 20-40 cigarettes per day. Furthermore, the results also suggest that synergism might exist in the mutagenic effects of exposure to LPG combustion products and cigarette smoking.

  17. Clinicians' interpretations of point of care urine culture versus laboratory culture results: analysis from the four-country POETIC trial of diagnosis of uncomplicated urinary tract infection in primary care.

    PubMed

    Hullegie, Saskia; Wootton, Mandy; Verheij, Theo J M; Thomas-Jones, Emma; Bates, Janine; Hood, Kerenza; Gal, Micaela; Francis, Nick A; Little, Paul; Moore, Michael; Llor, Carl; Pickles, Timothy; Gillespie, David; Kirby, Nigel; Brugman, Curt; Butler, Christopher C

    2017-08-01

    Urine culture at the point of care minimises delay between obtaining the sample and agar inoculation in a microbiology laboratory, and quantification and sensitivity results can be available more rapidly in primary care. To identify the degree to which clinicians' interpretations of a point-of-care-test (POCT) urine culture (Flexicult™ SSI-Urinary Kit) agrees with laboratory culture in women presenting to primary care with symptoms of uncomplicated urinary tract infections (UTI). Primary care clinicians used the Flexicult™-POCT, recorded their findings and took a photograph of the result, which was interpreted by microbiology laboratory technicians. Urine samples were additionally processed in routine care laboratories. Cross tabulations were used to identify important differences in organism identification, quantification and antibiotic susceptibility between these three sources of data. The influence of various laboratory definitions for UTI on culture were assessed. Primary care clinicians identified 202/289 urine samples (69.9%) as positive for UTI using the Flexicult™-POCT, whereas laboratory culture identified 94-190 (32.5-65.7%) as positive, depending on definition thresholds. 82.9% of samples identified positive for E. coli on laboratory culture were also considered positive for E. coli using the Flexicult™ -POCT, and susceptibilities were reasonably concordant. There were major discrepancies between laboratory staff interpretation of Flexicult™ photographs, clinicians' interpretation of the Flexicult™ test, and laboratory culture results. Flexicult™-POCT overestimated the positivity rate of urine samples for UTI when laboratory culture was used as the reference standard. However, it is unclear whether point-of-care or laboratory based urine culture provides the most valid diagnostic information. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  18. Quantitative determination of BAF312, a S1P-R modulator, in human urine by LC-MS/MS: prevention and recovery of lost analyte due to container surface adsorption.

    PubMed

    Li, Wenkui; Luo, Suyi; Smith, Harold T; Tse, Francis L S

    2010-02-15

    Analyte loss due to non-specific binding, especially container surface adsorption, is not uncommon in the quantitative analysis of urine samples. In developing a sensitive LC-MS/MS method for the determination of a drug candidate, BAF312, in human urine, a simple procedure was outlined for identification, confirmation and prevention of analyte non-specific binding to a container surface and to recover the 'non-specific loss' of an analyte, if no transfer has occurred to the original urine samples. Non-specific binding or container surface adsorption can be quickly identified by using freshly spiked urine calibration standards and pre-pooled QC samples during a LC-MS/MS feasibility run. The resulting low recovery of an analyte in urine samples can be prevented through the use of additives, such as the non-ionic surfactant Tween-80, CHAPS and others, to the container prior to urine sample collection. If the urine samples have not been transferred from the bulk container, the 'non-specific binding' of an analyte to the container surface can be reversed by the addition of a specified amount of CHAPS, Tween-80 or bovine serum albumin, followed by appropriate mixing. Among the above agents, Tween-80 is the most cost-effective. beta-cyclodextrin may be suitable in stabilizing the analyte of interest in urine via pre-treating the matrix with the agent. However, post-addition of beta-cyclodextrin to untreated urine samples does not recover the 'lost' analyte due to non-specific binding or container surface adsorption. In the case of BAF312, a dynamic range of 0.0200-20.0 ng/ml in human urine was validated with an overall accuracy and precision for QC sample results ranging from -3.2 to 5.1% (bias) and 3.9 to 10.2% (CV), respectively. Pre- and post-addition of 0.5% (v/v) Tween-80 to the container provided excellent overall analyte recovery and minimal MS signal suppression when a liquid-liquid extraction in combination with an isocratic LC separation was employed. The compound was stable in 0.5% Tween-80 treated human urine QC samples for at least 24 h at room temperature, after three freeze/thaw cycles with storage at < or =-60 degrees C and for at least 3 months when stored at < or =-60 degrees C. The current work could serve as a simple example in trouble shooting non-specific binding or container surface adsorption in quantitative analysis of urine samples. Copyright 2010. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  19. 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.

  20. The Effects of Instrumentation on Urine Cytology and CK-20 Analysis for the Detection of Bladder Cancer.

    PubMed

    Wegelin, Olivier; Bartels, Diny W M; Tromp, Ellen; Kuypers, Karel C; van Melick, Harm H E

    2015-10-01

    To evaluate the effects of cystoscopy on urine cytology and additional cytokeratin-20 (CK-20) staining in patients presenting with gross hematuria. For 83 patients presenting with gross hematuria, spontaneous and instrumented paired urine samples were analyzed. Three patients were excluded. Spontaneous samples were collected within 1 hour before cystoscopy, and the instrumented samples were tapped through the cystoscope. Subsequently, patients underwent cystoscopic evaluation and imaging of the urinary tract. If tumor suspicious lesions were found on cystoscopy or imaging, subjects underwent transurethral resection or ureterorenoscopy. Two blinded uropathological reviewers (DB, KK) evaluated 160 urine samples. Reference standards were results of cystoscopy, imaging, or histopathology. Thirty-seven patients (46.3%) underwent transurethral resection or ureterorenoscopy procedures. In 30 patients (37.5%) tumor presence was confirmed by histopathology. The specificity of urine analysis was significantly higher for spontaneous samples than instrumented samples for both cytology alone (94% vs 72%, P = .01) and for cytology combined with CK-20 analysis (98% vs 84%, P = .02). The difference in sensitivity between spontaneous and instrumented samples was not significant for both cytology alone (40% vs 53%) and combined with CK-20 analysis (67% vs 67%). The addition of CK-20 analysis to cytology significantly increases test sensitivity in spontaneous urine cytology (67% vs 40%, P = .03). Instrumentation significantly decreases specificity of urine cytology. This may lead to unnecessary diagnostic procedures. Additional CK-20 staining in spontaneous urine cytology significantly increases sensitivity but did not improve the already high specificity. We suggest performing urine cytology and CK-20 analysis on spontaneously voided urine. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. Flow meter urine testing: a practical proposition in patients attending for urodynamics?

    PubMed

    Hashim, Hashim; Abrams, Paul

    2006-05-01

    To find a practical way of detecting urinary tract infection (UTI) before invasive urodynamic testing, as UTIs after urodynamics are well documented, but there are no standard guidelines about when urine should be analysed before urodynamics. Before urodynamics all patients are asked to provide a free urine flow; the patient is then catheterized to obtain a catheter-specimen of urine that is tested for infection by a urine dipstick. If the dipstick is found positive for nitrites and/or leukocytes, the test is abandoned and the sample sent for microscopy, culture and sensitivity. In the present study, patients were asked to provide a free urine flow into the flowmeter as usual. Between patients, the flowmeter was washed with soap and water and dried, so that there would be no cross-contamination between patients' urine results. Urine was collected as usual and tested using a dipstick, the patient was then catheterized and another dipstick test done on the catheter specimen of urine (CSU), to compare results. Pairs of urine samples, when positive for nitrite were 100% consistent, and 89% of pairs positive for leukocytes were the same before and after catheterization. The remaining 11% (all women) of the positive leukocyte group had leukocytosis on testing the flowmeter urine but not on the CSU, possibly due to contamination from the vagina. Testing urine by dipstick in the sample from the flowmeter is a feasible option, thus saving the patient an inappropriate catheterization, with the risk of bacteraemia during urodynamics, and allowing the flowrate to be measured.

  2. DNA methylation profiling of genomic DNA isolated from urine in diabetic chronic kidney disease: A pilot study

    PubMed Central

    Sexton-Oates, Alexandra; Carmody, Jake; Ekinci, Elif I.; Dwyer, Karen M.; Saffery, Richard

    2018-01-01

    Aim To characterise the genomic DNA (gDNA) yield from urine and quality of derived methylation data generated from the widely used Illuminia Infinium MethylationEPIC (HM850K) platform and compare this with buffy coat samples. Background DNA methylation is the most widely studied epigenetic mark and variations in DNA methylation profile have been implicated in diabetes which affects approximately 415 million people worldwide. Methods QIAamp Viral RNA Mini Kit and QIAamp DNA micro kit were used to extract DNA from frozen and fresh urine samples as well as increasing volumes of fresh urine. Matched buffy coats to the frozen urine were also obtained and DNA was extracted from the buffy coats using the QIAamp DNA Mini Kit. Genomic DNA of greater concentration than 20μg/ml were used for methylation analysis using the HM850K array. Results Irrespective of extraction technique or the use of fresh versus frozen urine samples, limited genomic DNA was obtained using a starting sample volume of 5ml (0–0.86μg/mL). In order to optimize the yield, we increased starting volumes to 50ml fresh urine, which yielded only 0–9.66μg/mL A different kit, QIAamp DNA Micro Kit, was trialled in six fresh urine samples and ten frozen urine samples with inadequate DNA yields from 0–17.7μg/mL and 0–1.6μg/mL respectively. Sufficient genomic DNA was obtained from only 4 of the initial 41 frozen urine samples (10%) for DNA methylation profiling. In comparison, all four buffy coat samples (100%) provided sufficient genomic DNA. Conclusion High quality data can be obtained provided a sufficient yield of genomic DNA is isolated. Despite optimizing various extraction methodologies, the modest amount of genomic DNA derived from urine, may limit the generalisability of this approach for the identification of DNA methylation biomarkers of chronic diabetic kidney disease. PMID:29462136

  3. Interlaboratory trial for the measurement of total cobalt in equine urine and plasma by ICP-MS.

    PubMed

    Popot, Marie-Agnes; Ho, Emmie N M; Stojiljkovic, Natali; Bagilet, Florian; Remy, Pierre; Maciejewski, Pascal; Loup, Benoit; Chan, George H M; Hargrave, Sabine; Arthur, Rick M; Russo, Charlie; White, James; Hincks, Pamela; Pearce, Clive; Ganio, George; Zahra, Paul; Batty, David; Jarrett, Mark; Brooks, Lydia; Prescott, Lise-Anne; Bailly-Chouriberry, Ludovic; Bonnaire, Yves; Wan, Terence S M

    2017-09-01

    Cobalt is an essential mineral micronutrient and is regularly present in equine nutritional and feed supplements. Therefore, cobalt is naturally present at low concentrations in biological samples. The administration of cobalt chloride is considered to be blood doping and is thus prohibited. To control the misuse of cobalt, it was mandatory to establish an international threshold for cobalt in plasma and/or in urine. To achieve this goal, an international collaboration, consisting of an interlaboratory comparison between 5 laboratories for the urine study and 8 laboratories for the plasma study, has been undertaken. Quantification of cobalt in the biological samples was performed by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Ring tests were based on the analysis of 5 urine samples supplemented at concentrations ranging from 5 up to 500 ng/mL and 5 plasma samples spiked at concentrations ranging from 0.5 up to 25 ng/mL. The results obtained from the different laboratories were collected, compiled, and compared to assess the reproducibility and robustness of cobalt quantification measurements. The statistical approach for the ring test for total cobalt in urine was based on the determination of percentage deviations from the calculated means, while robust statistics based on the calculated median were applied to the ring test for total cobalt in plasma. The inter-laboratory comparisons in urine and in plasma were successful so that 97.6% of the urine samples and 97.5% of the plasma samples gave satisfactory results. Threshold values for cobalt in plasma and urine were established from data only obtained by laboratories involved in the ring test. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  4. 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.

  5. Cross-Reactivity of Pantoprazole with Three Commercial Cannabinoids Immunoassays in Urine.

    PubMed

    Gomila, Isabel; Barceló, Bernardino; Rosell, Antonio; Avella, Sonia; Sahuquillo, Laura; Dastis, Macarena

    2017-11-01

    Pantoprazole is a frequently prescribed proton pump inhibitor (PPI) commonly utilized in the management of gastrointestinal symptoms. Few substances have proved to cause a false-positive cannabinoid urine screen. However, a case of false-positive urine cannabinoid screen in a patient who received a pantoprazole dose has been recently published. The purpose of this study was to determine the potential cross-reactivity of pantoprazole in the cannabinoid immunoassays: Alere Triage® TOX Drug Screen, KIMS® Cannabinoids II and DRI® Cannabinoids Assay. Drug-free urine to which pantoprazole was added up to 12,000 μg/mL produced negative results in the DRI® Cannabinoids and KIMS® Cannabinoids II. Alere Triage® TOX Drug Screen assay gave positive results at pantoprazole concentrations higher than 1,000 μg/mL. Urine samples from 8 pediatric patients were collected at the beginning of their pantoprazole treatment. Alere Triage® TOX Drug Screen assay produced positive test results in all patient samples and KIMS® Cannabinoids II immunoassay produced positive test results in one patient sample. None patient sample gave a false-positive result when analyzed by the DRI® Cannabinoids Assay. Our findings demonstrate that some cannabinoids immunoassays are susceptible to cross-reaction errors resulting from the presence in urine of pantoprazole and the resulting metabolism of the parent drug. Clinicians should be aware of the possibility of false-positive results for cannabinoids after a pantoprazole treatment. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  6. Albumin adsorption onto surfaces of urine collection and analysis containers☆

    PubMed Central

    Robinson, Mary K.; Caudill, Samuel P.; Koch, David D.; Ritchie, James; Hortin, Glen; Eckfeldt, John H.; Sandberg, Sverre; Williams, Desmond; Myers, Gary; Miller, W. Greg

    2017-01-01

    Background Adsorption of albumin onto urine collection and analysis containers may cause falsely low concentrations. Methods We added 125I-labeled human serum albumin to urine and to phosphate buffered solutions, incubated them with 22 plastic container materials and measured adsorption by liquid scintillation counting. Results Adsorption of urine albumin (UA) at 5–6 mg/l was <0.9%; and at 90 mg/l was <0.4%. Adsorption was generally less at pH 8 than pH 5 but only 3 cases had p <0.05. Adsorption from 11 unaltered urine samples with albumin 5–333 mg/l was <0.8%. Albumin adsorption for the material with greatest binding was extrapolated to the surface areas of 100 ml and 2 l collection containers, and to instrument sample cups and showed <1% change in concentration at 5 mg/l and <0.5% change at 20 mg/l or higher concentrations. Adsorption of albumin from phosphate buffered solutions (2–28%) was larger than that from urine. Conclusions Albumin adsorption differed among urine samples and plastic materials, but the total influence of adsorption was <1% for all materials and urine samples tested. Adsorption of albumin from phosphate buffered solutions was larger than that from urine and could be a limitation for preparations used as calibrators. PMID:24513540

  7. Detection and genotyping of HPV in urine samples from Chilean women attending primary health care centers.

    PubMed

    Vergara, Nicolás; Balanda, Monserrat; Hidalgo, Wilma; Martín, Héctor San; Aceituno, Alexis; Roldán, Francisco; Villalón, Tania; Hott, Melissa; Espinoza, Gloria; Quiero, Andrea; Valenzuela, María T; Ramírez, Eugenio

    2018-04-01

    Cervical cancer is the second most common malignant neoplasm in women worldwide representing approximately 10% of all types of cancers. Triage of women through cervical cytology has been an important strategy for the surveillance and control of new cases of cervical cancer. However, in many regions around the world cervical cytology has a low coverage compared to developed countries. The molecular detection of HPV is the most effective method to increase the screening sensitivity of women at risk of developing cervical cancer. There are very few studies about the efficacy of urine testing for detection of HPV in women followed up in primary health care centers. Consequently, the efficacy of using urine HPV screening in these populations has not been addressed yet. Here, we compared the detection of HPV in simultaneous urine and cervical samples of women followed up in primary health care centers. Urine and cervical samples were analyzed in 543 women attending at primary health care centers. HPV was detected by real time PCR, and HPV typing performed by PCR-RLB. A general HPV concordance of 86.2% (κ = 0.72) was determined between urine and cervical samples. The concordance for HPV-16 and 18 was almost perfect (κ = 0.82) and strong (κ = 0.77), respectively. The sensitivity and specificity for all HPV genotypes in urine using cervical samples as reference were 82.1 and 93.7%, respectively. The results showed that urine is a good alternative as clinical sample for HPV screening in women attending primary health care centers. Therefore, urine should be used as an alternative sample for increasing triage coverage either in refractory women participating in Pap surveillance programs or when cervical samples are not available.

  8. Sample preparation and storage can change arsenic speciation in human urine.

    PubMed

    Feldmann, J; Lai, V W; Cullen, W R; Ma, M; Lu, X; Le, X C

    1999-11-01

    Stability of chemical speciation during sample handling and storage is a prerequisite to obtaining reliable results of trace element speciation analysis. There is no comprehensive information on the stability of common arsenic species, such as inorganic arsenite [As(III)], arsenate [As(V)], monomethylarsonic acid, dimethylarsinic acid, and arsenobetaine, in human urine. We compared the effects of the following storage conditions on the stability of these arsenic species: temperature (25, 4, and -20 degrees C), storage time (1, 2, 4, and 8 months), and the use of additives (HCl, sodium azide, benzoic acid, benzyltrimethylammonium chloride, and cetylpyridinium chloride). HPLC with both inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and hydride generation atomic fluorescence detection techniques were used for the speciation of arsenic. We found that all five of the arsenic species were stable for up to 2 months when urine samples were stored at 4 and -20 degrees C without any additives. For longer period of storage (4 and 8 months), the stability of arsenic species was dependent on urine matrices. Whereas the arsenic speciation in some urine samples was stable for the entire 8 months at both 4 and -20 degrees C, other urine samples stored under identical conditions showed substantial changes in the concentration of As(III), As(V), monomethylarsonic acid, and dimethylarsinic acid. The use of additives did not improve the stability of arsenic speciation in urine. The addition of 0.1 mol/L HCl (final concentration) to urine samples produced relative changes in inorganic As(III) and As(V) concentrations. Low temperature (4 and -20 degrees C) conditions are suitable for the storage of urine samples for up to 2 months. Untreated samples maintain their concentration of arsenic species, and additives have no particular benefit. Strong acidification is not appropriate for speciation analysis.

  9. The consequence of delayed fixation on subsequent preservation of urine cells.

    PubMed

    Ahmed, Hussain G; Tom, Murtada Am

    2011-01-01

    Degenerative changes caused by delays in urine preservation contribute to false-negative and false-positive interpretation of urothelial disease in cytology. The aim of this study is to assess whether the delay of fixation of urine samples makes any significant difference to urine cytology and morphology, and the limit of acceptability of delay for routine use in the hospital laboratory. Three cell collection fluids were evaluated by analyzing the preservation and degeneration of cells in urine samples. In this study, 50 voided urine specimens were taken at random from females complaining of vaginal discharge. Each specimen was divided into three sterile containers. The first was immediately centrifugated and the deposit was smeared onto a cleaned micro slide and immediately fixed into 95% ethyl alcohol for 15 minutes. The remaining two were prepared in the same manner, however, the second after two hours of collection and the third after four hours of collection. The degree of degeneration and thus the preservation were assessed by a table of chosen criteria, then ranked and analyzed using Friedman's nonparametric test, at p=0.05. The results showed a significant difference between the preservation and the delay in urine fixation, p<0.0001. Any delay in fixation of urine specimen for cytology affects the preservation of cells, which may result in miss diagnosis. It is recommended that urine samples for cytology should be fixed immediately after collection.

  10. Microanalyzer for Biomonitoring of Lead (Pb) in Blood and Urine

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

    Yantasee, Wassana; Timchalk, Chuck; Lin, Yuehe

    2007-01-01

    Biomonitoring of lead (Pb) in blood and urine enables quantitative evaluation of human occupational and environmental exposures to Pb. The state-of-the-art ICP-MS instruments analyze metals in laboratories, resulting in lengthy turn around time, and are expensive. In response to the growing need for metal analyzer for on-site, real-time monitoring of trace metals in individuals, we developed a portable microanalyzer based on flow-injection/adsorptive stripping voltammetry and used it to analyze Pb in rat blood and urine. Fouling of electrodes by proteins often prevents the effective use of electrochemical sensors in biological matrices. Minimization of such fouling was accomplished with the suitablemore » sample pretreatment and the turbulent flowing of Pb contained blood and urine onto the glassy electrode inside the microanalyzer, which resulted in no apparent electrode fouling even when the samples contained 50% urine or 10% blood by volume. There was no matrix effect on the voltammetric Pb signals even when the samples contained 10% blood or 10% urine. The microanalyzer offered linear concentration range relevant to Pb exposure levels in human (0-20 ppb in 10%-blood samples, 0-50 ppb in 50%-urine samples). The device had excellent sensitivity and reproducibility; Pb detection limits were 0.54 ppb and 0.42 ppb, and % RSDs were 4.9 and 2.4 in 50%-urine and 10%-blood samples, respectively. It offered a high throughput (3 min per sample) and had economical use of samples (60 ?L per measurement), making the collection of blood being less invasive especially to children, and had low reagent consumption (1 ?g of Hg per measurement), thus minimizing the health concerns of mercury use. Being miniaturized in size, the microanalyzer is portable and field-deployable. Thus, it has a great potential to be the next-generation analyzer for biomonitoring of toxic metals.« less

  11. Integrated preservation and sample clean up procedures for studying water ingestion by recreational swimmers via urinary biomarker determination.

    PubMed

    Cantú, Ricardo; Shoemaker, Jody A; Kelty, Catherine A; Wymer, Larry J; Behymer, Thomas D; Dufour, Alfred P; Magnuson, Matthew L

    2017-08-22

    The use of cyanuric acid as a biomarker for ingestion of swimming pool water may lead to quantitative knowledge of the volume of water ingested during swimming, contributing to a better understanding of disease resulting from ingestion of environmental contaminants. When swimming pool water containing chlorinated cyanurates is inadvertently ingested, cyanuric acid is excreted quantitatively within 24 h as a urinary biomarker of ingestion. Because the volume of water ingested can be quantitatively estimated by calculation from the concentration of cyanuric acid in 24 h urine samples, a procedure for preservation, cleanup, and analysis of cyanuric acid was developed to meet the logistical demands of large scale studies. From a practical stand point, urine collected from swimmers cannot be analyzed immediately, given requirements of sample collection, shipping, handling, etc. Thus, to maintain quality control to allow confidence in the results, it is necessary to preserve the samples in a manner that ensures as quantitative analysis as possible. The preservation and clean-up of cyanuric acid in urine is complicated because typical approaches often are incompatible with the keto-enol tautomerization of cyanuric acid, interfering with cyanuric acid sample preparation, chromatography, and detection. Therefore, this paper presents a novel integration of sample preservation, clean-up, chromatography, and detection to determine cyanuric acid in 24 h urine samples. Fortification of urine with cyanuric acid (0.3-3.0 mg/L) demonstrated accuracy (86-93% recovery) and high reproducibility (RSD < 7%). Holding time studies in unpreserved urine suggested sufficient cyanuric acid stability for sample collection procedures, while longer holding times suggested instability of the unpreserved urine. Preserved urine exhibited a loss of around 0.5% after 22 days at refrigerated storage conditions of 4 °C. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  12. Evaluation of a tunable bandpass reaction cell inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer for the determination of selenium in serum and urine

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nixon, David E.; Neubauer, Kenneth R.; Eckdahl, Steven J.; Butz, John A.; Burritt, Mary F.

    2003-01-01

    A Dynamic Reaction Cell™ inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (DRC-ICP-MS) was evaluated for the determination of selenium in serum and urine. Reaction cell conditions were evaluated for the suppression of Ar 2+ dimer at m/ z 78 and 80 using methane as the reaction gas. A diluent containing 10% ethanol, 1% nitric acid, 0.5% Triton X-100 with gallium and yttrium internal standards was used to dilute urine and serum samples. Instrument response calibration was achieved by using aqueous acidic standards spiked into a urine matrix. Slopes for aqueous inorganic selenium, seleno- DL-cystine, seleno- DL-methionine and trimethylselenonium iodide spiked into urine and serum matrices were nearly identical. In general, reagent blank readings and detection limits were significantly lower in the DRC mode (reaction cell pressurized) than the standard mode (cell vented). Average results for the analysis of National Institute of Standards and Technology Standard Reference Material (NIST SRM) 1598 bovine serum (attained over 13 days) are: 43.8±3.6 μg Se/l. Reference concentration is 43.6±3.6 μg Se/l. For NIST SRM 2670 Normal Urine the DRC-ICP-MS results are 30.7±4.6 μg Se/l with a certified concentration of 30±8 μg Se/l. For NIST SRM 2670 Elevated Urine the DRC-ICP-MS results are 463±35 μg Se/l with a certified concentration of 460±30 μg Se/l. The DRC-ICP-MS results for selenium determinations in urine and serum survey samples from the Institut National de Sante Publique du Quebec were compared with the reference concentrations and results produced by conventional ICP-MS. While conventional ICP-MS gave acceptable results for survey samples, DRC-ICP-MS gave excellent results for both urine and sera. Closer correlation was observed for DRC-ICP-MS results with target concentrations than with conventional ICP-MS.

  13. 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.

  14. Simultaneous and confirmative detection of multi-residues of β₂-agonists and β-blockers in urine using LC-MS/MS/MS coupled with β-receptor molecular imprinted polymer SPE clean-up.

    PubMed

    Fan, S; Zou, J H; Miao, H; Zhao, Y F; Chen, H J; Zhao, R; Wu, Y N

    2013-01-01

    A liquid chromatography-linear ion-trap spectrometry (LC-MS³) method using β-receptor molecular-imprinted polymer (MIP) solid-phase extraction (SPE) as clean-up was developed to determine simultaneously and confirmatively residues of 25 β₂-agonists and 21 β-blockers in urine samples. Urine samples were subjected to enzymatic hydrolysis by β-glucoronidase/arylsulphatase, and then extracted with perchloric acid. Sample clean-up was performed using β-receptor MIP SPE. A Supelco Ascentis® express Rp-Amide column was used to separate the analytes, and MS³ detection used an electrospray ionisation source in positive-ion mode. Recovery studies were carried out using blank urine samples fortified with the 46 analytes at the levels of 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 μg l⁻¹. Recoveries were obtained ranging from 60.1% to 109.9% with relative standard deviations (RSDs, n = 7) from 0.5% to 19.4%. The limits of detection (LODs) and limits of quantitation (LOQs) of the 46 analytes in urine were 0.02-0.18 and 0.05-0.60 μg l⁻¹, respectively. As a result of the selective clean-up by MIP SPE and MS³ detection of the target drugs, the sensitivity and accuracy of the present method was high enough for monitoring β₂-agonist and β-blocker residues in urine samples. Satisfactory results were obtained in the process of the determination of positive urine samples.

  15. Quantitative analysis of zopiclone, N-desmethylzopiclone, zopiclone N-oxide and 2-amino-5-chloropyridine in urine using LC-MS-MS.

    PubMed

    Nilsson, Gunnel H; Kugelberg, Fredrik C; Ahlner, Johan; Kronstrand, Robert

    2014-01-01

    A simple liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method was validated to allow determination of zopiclone (ZOP), N-desmethylzopiclone (NDZOP), zopiclone N-oxide (ZOPNO) and 2-amino-5-chloropyridine (ACP) in urine at concentrations up to 3,000 ng/mL within 3.5 min. This method was used for quantitative analysis of the analytes in authentic urine samples obtained 10 h after oral administration of zopiclone (Imovane(®)) and in aliquots of the same urine samples after different storage conditions. In addition, pH of each studied urine sample was measured over time. The results showed that formation of ACP occurred at elevated pH and/or temperature by degradation of ZOP, NDZOP and ZOPNO. This method was also applied to samples obtained from two female victims of drug-facilitated assault. One sample had been exposed to long-term storage conditions at different temperatures and at pH >8.2, which resulted in high concentrations of ACP. The other sample, which was exposed to pH <6.5, showed no formation of ACP. ACP is formed both from ZOP and from its metabolites NDZOP and ZOPNO depending on the pH of the urine, time of storage and/or the temperature conditions. For correct interpretation in forensic cases, ZOP, its major metabolites and ACP should be analyzed. When ACP is identified in urine, the concentrations of ZOP, NDZOP and ZOPNO should be interpreted with great caution. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  16. 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.

  17. Performance of Copan WASP for Routine Urine Microbiology

    PubMed Central

    Quiblier, Chantal; Jetter, Marion; Rominski, Mark; Mouttet, Forouhar; Böttger, Erik C.; Keller, Peter M.

    2015-01-01

    This study compared a manual workup of urine clinical samples with fully automated WASPLab processing. As a first step, two different inocula (1 and 10 μl) and different streaking patterns were compared using WASP and InoqulA BT instrumentation. Significantly more single colonies were produced with the10-μl inoculum than with the 1-μl inoculum, and automated streaking yielded significantly more single colonies than manual streaking on whole plates (P < 0.001). In a second step, 379 clinical urine samples were evaluated using WASP and the manual workup. Average numbers of detected morphologies, recovered species, and CFUs per milliliter of all 379 urine samples showed excellent agreement between WASPLab and the manual workup. The percentage of urine samples clinically categorized as positive or negative did not differ between the automated and manual workflow, but within the positive samples, automated processing by WASPLab resulted in the detection of more potential pathogens. In summary, the present study demonstrates that (i) the streaking pattern, i.e., primarily the number of zigzags/length of streaking lines, is critical for optimizing the number of single colonies yielded from primary cultures of urine samples; (ii) automated streaking by the WASP instrument is superior to manual streaking regarding the number of single colonies yielded (for 32.2% of the samples); and (iii) automated streaking leads to higher numbers of detected morphologies (for 47.5% of the samples), species (for 17.4% of the samples), and pathogens (for 3.4% of the samples). The results of this study point to an improved quality of microbiological analyses and laboratory reports when using automated sample processing by WASP and WASPLab. PMID:26677255

  18. Performing a urine dipstick test with a clean-catch urine sample is an accurate screening method for urinary tract infections in young infants.

    PubMed

    Herreros, María Luisa; Tagarro, Alfredo; García-Pose, Araceli; Sánchez, Aida; Cañete, Alfonso; Gili, Pablo

    2018-01-01

    This study evaluated using urine dipstick tests with the clean-catch method to screen for urinary tract infection (UTI) in febrile infants under 90 days of age. We carried out a comparative diagnostic accuracy study of infants under 90 days old, who were studied for unexplained fever without any source, in the emergency room of a hospital in Madrid from January 2011 to January 2013. We obtained matched samples of urine using two different methods: a clean-catch, standardised stimulation technique and catheterisation collection. The results of the leucocyte esterase test and nitrite test were compared with their urine cultures. We obtained 60 pairs of matched samples. A combined analysis of leukocyte esterase and, or, nitrites yielded a sensitivity of 86% and a specificity of 80% for the diagnosis of UTIs in clean-catch samples. The sensitivity of leukocyte esterase and, or, nitrites in samples obtained by catheterisation were not statistically different to the clean-catch samples (p = 0.592). Performing urine dipstick tests using urine samples obtained by the clean-catch method was an accurate screening test for diagnosing UTIs in febrile infants of less than 90 days old. This provided a good alternative to bladder catheterisation when screening for UTIs. ©2017 Foundation Acta Paediatrica. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  19. DEVELOPMENT AND EVALUATION OF AN ENZYME-LINKED IMMUNOASSAY (ELISA) METHOD FOR THE MEASUREMENT OF 2,4-DICHLOROPHENOXYACETIC ACID IN HUMAN URINE

    EPA Science Inventory

    This paper describes the development of a 96-microwell high sample capacity ELISA method for measuring 2,4-D in urine; the analysis of 2,4-D in real-world urine samples by both ELISA and GC/MS methods; and compares the ELISA and GC/MS results in several key areas: accuracy, preci...

  20. Hair and urine testing to assess drugs of abuse consumption in couples undergoing assisted reproductive technology (ART).

    PubMed

    Pichini, Simona; De Luca, Roberto; Pellegrini, Manuela; Marchei, Emilia; Rotolo, Maria Concetta; Spoletini, Roberta; D'Aloja, Paola; Pacifici, Roberta; Mortali, Claudia; Scaravelli, Giulia

    2012-05-10

    For the first time in Europe hair and urine testing have been applied to assess drugs of abuse consumption in couples undergoing assisted reproductive technology and the eventual association of toxic habits with other lifestyle, health status and sociodemographic factors was also investigated. Couples attending five assisted reproduction centers in Rome were invited to join the study. When they presented at the Centre for the visit, they were asked to answer a structured questionnaire concerning sociodemographic characteristics and lifestyle habits, and at the same time to provide hair and urine samples. Hair and urine testing for drugs of abuse, urinary profile of principal endogenous steroids involved in fertility process (testosterone, epitestosterone, androsterone, etiocholanolone and dehydroepiandrosterone) and of alcohol and tobacco smoke biomarkers were performed with validated methodologies. Of the 594 enrolled individuals (297 couples), 352 (164 couples and 24 single individuals from the couple) completed the questionnaire and gave both hair and urine samples, apart from 3 bald men, who only gave urine samples. Urine testing showed an overall 4.8% (17 individuals) positivity to drugs of abuse: 4.2% to cannabinoids, 1.4% to cocaine and 0.85% to both drugs. Results of 4cm segment hair samples testing matched those from urine samples. Thus, taking together, results of urine and hair testing confirmed repeated use of cannabis, cocaine and both drugs in 3.7, 0.85 and 0.57% examined individuals, respectively. Drug consumers were in a statistically higher percentage active smokers and alcohol drinkers, less prone to physical activity and with a trend towards higher weight than non consumers. Finally, repeated drug consumption was associated with significant lower concentration of urinary testosterone in males and of urinary dehydroepiandrosterone in females. The findings of the present study confirm the suitability of urine testing to disclose recent drugs of abuse consumption and of hair analysis to verify repeated consumption. Association between different toxic habits and sedentary lifestyle is also substantiated by the obtained results in our cohort of couples attending assisted reproduction centers. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Measurements of C-reactive protein (CRP) and nerve-growth-factor (NGF) concentrations in serum and urine samples of dogs with neurologic disorders.

    PubMed

    Kordass, Ulrike; Carlson, Regina; Stein, Veronika Maria; Tipold, Andrea

    2016-01-08

    The purpose of this study was to prove the hypothesis that C-reactive protein (CRP) and nerve growth factor (NGF) may be potential biomarkers for lower urinary tract disorders and may be able to distinguish between micturition dysfunctions of different origin in dogs with spinal cord diseases. NGF- and CRP- concentrations were measured in serum and urine samples using specific ELISA-Kits. Results in urine were standardized by urine-creatinine levels. CRP in serum was detectable in 32/76 and in urine samples in 40/76 patients. NGF could be measured in all serum and in 70/76 urine samples. Urinary CRP concentrations were significantly higher in dogs with micturition dysfunction (p = 0.0009) and in dogs with different neurological diseases (p = 0.0020) compared to the control group. However, comparing dogs with spinal cord disorders with and without associated micturition dysfunction no significant difference could be detected for NGF and CRP values in urine or serum samples. Additionally, levels did not decrease significantly, when measured at the time when the dogs regained the ability to urinate properly (urinary NGF p = 0.7962; urinary CRP p = 0.078). Urine samples with bacteria and/or leukocytes had no significant increase in urinary NGF (p = 0.1112) or CRP (p = 0.0534) concentrations, but higher CRP-levels in urine from dogs with cystitis were found compared to dogs without signs of cystitis. From these data we conclude that neither CRP nor NGF in urine or serum can be considered as reliable biomarkers for micturition disorders in dogs with spinal cord disorders in a clinical setting, but their production might be part of the pathogenesis of such disorders. Significantly higher levels of CRP could be found in the urine of dogs with micturition dysfunctions compared to control dogs. This phenomenon could potentially be explained by unspecific extrahepatic CRP production by smooth muscle cells in the dilated bladder.

  2. Ex vivo spontaneous generation of 19-norandrostenedione and nandrolone detected in equine plasma and urine.

    PubMed

    Guan, Fuyu; Uboh, Cornelius E; Soma, Lawrence R; You, Youwen; Li, Xiaoqing; McDonnell, Sue

    2012-01-01

    19-Norandrostenedione (NAED) and nandrolone are anabolic-androgenic steroids (AASs). Nandrolone was regarded solely as a synthetic AAS until the 1980s when trace concentrations of apparently endogenous nandrolone were detected in urine samples obtained from intact male horses (stallions). Since then, its endogenous origin has been reported in boars and bulls; endogenous NAED and nandrolone have been identified in plasma and urine samples collected from stallions. More recently, however, it was suggested that NAED and nandrolone detected in urine samples from stallions are primarily artifacts due to the analytical procedure. The present study was undertaken to determine whether NAED and nandrolone detected in plasma and urine samples collected from stallions are truly endogenous or artifacts from sample processing. To answer this question, fresh plasma and urine samples from ≥8 stallions were analyzed for the two AASs, soon after collection, by liquid chromatography hyphenated to tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). NAED and nandrolone were not detected in fresh plasma samples but detected in the same samples post storage. Concentrations of both AASs increased with storage time, and the increases were greater at a higher storage temperature (37°C versus 4°C, and ambient temperature versus 4°C). Although NAED was detected in some fresh stallion urine samples, its concentration (<407 pg/mL) was far lower (<0.4%) than that in the same samples post storage (at ambient temperature for 15 days). Nandrolone was not detected in most of fresh urine samples but detected in the same samples post storage. Based on these results, it is concluded that all NAED and nandrolone detected in stored plasma samples of stallions and most of them in the stored urine samples are not from endogenous origins but spontaneously generated during sample storage, most likely from spontaneous decarboxylation of androstenedione-19-oic acid and testosterone-19-oic acid. To our knowledge, it is the first time that all NAED and nandrolone detected in plasma of stallions and most of them detected in the urine have been shown to be spontaneously generated in vitro during sample storage. This finding would have significant implications with regard to the regulation of the two steroids in horse racing. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. 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

  4. Human urine as test material in 1H NMR-based metabonomics: recommendations for sample preparation and storage.

    PubMed

    Lauridsen, Michael; Hansen, Steen H; Jaroszewski, Jerzy W; Cornett, Claus

    2007-02-01

    Metabonomic approaches are believed to have the capability of revolutionizing diagnosis of diseases and assessment of patient conditions after medical interventions. In order to ensure comparability of metabonomic 1H NMR data from different studies, we suggest validated sample preparation guidelines for human urine based on a stability study that evaluates effects of storage time and temperature, freeze-drying, and the presence of preservatives. The results indicated that human urine samples should be stored at or below -25 degrees C, as no changes in the 1H NMR fingerprints have been observed during storage at this temperature for 26 weeks. Formation of acetate, presumably due to microbial contamination, was occasionally observed in samples stored at 4 degrees C without addition of a preservative. Addition of a preserving agent is not mandatory provided that the samples are stored at -25 degrees C. Thus, no differences were observed between 1H NMR spectra of nonpreserved urines and urines with added sodium azide and stored at -25 degrees C, whereas the presence of sodium fluoride caused a shift of especially citrate resonances. Freeze-drying of urine and reconstitution in D2O at pH 7.4 resulted in the disappearance of the creatinine CH2 signal at delta 4.06 due to deuteration. A study evaluating the effects of phosphate buffer concentration on signal variability and assessment of the probability of citrate or creatinine resonances crossing bucket border (a boundary between adjacent integrated regions) led to the conclusion that a minimum buffer concentration of 0.3 M is adequate for normal urines used in this study. However, final buffer concentration of 1 M will be required for very concentrated urines.

  5. Temporal variability of pyrethroid metabolite levels in bedtime, morning, and 24-h urine samples for 50 adults in North Carolina.

    PubMed

    Morgan, Marsha K; Sobus, Jon R; Barr, Dana Boyd; Croghan, Carry W; Chen, Fu-Lin; Walker, Richard; Alston, Lillian; Andersen, Erik; Clifton, Matthew S

    2016-01-01

    Pyrethroid insecticides are widely used to control insects in both agricultural and residential settings worldwide. Few data are available on the temporal variability of pyrethroid metabolites in the urine of non-occupationally exposed adults. In this work, we describe the study design and sampling methodology for the Pilot Study to Estimate Human Exposures to Pyrethroids using an Exposure Reconstruction Approach (Ex-R study). Two major objectives were to quantify the concentrations of several pyrethroid metabolites in bedtime, first morning void (FMV), and 24-h urine samples as concentration (wet weight), specific-gravity (SG) corrected, creatinine (CR) corrected, and excretion rate values for 50 Ex-R adults over a six-week monitoring period and to determine if these correction approaches for urine dilution reduced the variability of the biomarker levels. The Ex-R study was conducted at the United States Environmental Protection Agency's Human Studies Facility in Chapel Hill, North Carolina USA and at participants' homes within a 40-mile radius of this facility. Recruitment of participants and field activities occurred between October 2009 and May 2011. Participants, ages 19-50 years old, provided daily food, activity, and pesticide-use diaries and collected their own urine samples (bedtime, FMV, and 24-h) during weeks 1, 2, and 6 of a six-week monitoring period. A total of 2503 urine samples were collected from the study participants. These samples were analyzed for the pyrethroid metabolites 3-phenoxybenzoic acid (3-PBA), cis/trans-3-(2,2-dichlorovinyl)-2,2-dimethyl-cyclopropane carboxylic acid (cis/trans-DCCA), and 2-methyl-3-phenylbenzoic acid (MPA) using high performance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry. Only 3-PBA was frequently detected (>50%) in the adult urine samples. Median urinary 3-PBA levels were 0.88 ng/mL, 0.96 ng/mL-SG, 1.04 ng/mg, and 1.04 ng/min for concentration, SG-corrected, CR-corrected, and excretion rate values, respectively, across all urine samples. The results showed that median urinary 3-PBA concentrations were consistently the lowest in FMV samples (0.77 ng/mL, 0.68 ng/mL-SG, 0.68 ng/mg, and 0.58 ng/min) and the highest in 24-h samples (0.92 ng/mL, 1.06 ng/mL-SG, 1.18 ng/mg, and 1.19 ng/min) across all four methods. Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) estimates for 3-PBA indicated poor reproducibility (<0.22) for all urine sample types and methods over a day, week, and six weeks. Correcting for urine sample dilution, based on either SG, CR or urine output, introduced additional measurement variability both between- and within-individuals. These results indicate that a single measure of urinary 3-PBA was not sufficient to characterize average exposure regardless of sample type, correction method, and time frame of collection. In addition, the study results can be used to inform the design of exposure characterization strategies in relevant environmental epidemiology studies in the future. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  6. Microbial and Antibiotic Susceptibility Profile among Clinical Samples of Patients with Acute Leukemia.

    PubMed

    Abdollahi, Alireza; Hakimi, Faezeh; Doomanlou, Mahsa; Azadegan, Azadeh

    2016-04-01

    Preventing and starting early treatment of infections in patients whose immunity system is weak due to malignancies like leukemia can reduce mortality. This study aimed to determine microbial and antibiotic resistance patterns in clinical samples of patients with acute leukemia to start early treatment before the results of clinical tests are known. In this cross-sectional study, the clinical samples of all patients hospitalized with the diagnosis of acute leukemia were cultured and their antibiogram was evaluated. Then, the data were analyzed by SPSS 18 based on the objectives of the study. Of a total of 2,366 samples, 18.95% were reported to be positive blood samples, 22.96% were reported to be urine samples and 36% wound samples. E. coli was the most common bacteria isolated from the blood and urine cultures (34% in blood, 32% in urine culture) while Staphylococcus Aureus was the most common in the wound culture (35%). The highest level of sensitivity in the organisms with positive blood culture was to Ciprofloxacin, while in positive urine and wound culture was to Imipenem. The highest resistance in blood, urine and wound culture was to Cotrimoxazole. According to results obtained from this study, it is necessary to conduct appropriate studies on this issue in specific conditions in our country. The findings of this study can be used in clinics for more accurate diagnosis, more effective treatment before the results of clinical tests are known and also for prevention of infection in cancer patients.

  7. Can nail, hair and urine be used for biomonitoring of human exposure to perfluorooctane sulfonate and perfluorooctanoic acid?

    PubMed

    Li, Jingguang; Guo, Feifei; Wang, Yuxin; Zhang, Jialing; Zhong, Yuxin; Zhao, Yunfeng; Wu, Yongning

    2013-03-01

    Because of the disadvantages of invasive sampling, it is desirable to explore non-invasive matrices for human biomonitoring of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). The aim of this study was to evaluate the application of nail, hair and urine for human biomonitoring of PFOS and PFOA. The concentrations of PFOS and PFOA in matched nail, hair, urine and serum samples collected from 64 donors were measured. The chemicals of interest were detected with high detection frequency in these matrices (90%-100%) except for PFOA in urine samples (56%). Generally, the gender influences on the levels of PFOS and PFOA in these non-invasive matrices were in agreement with that in serum. For PFOS, the coefficients of Spearman correlation between serum samples and nail, hair and urine samples were 0.786 (p<0.001), 0.545 (p<0.001) and 0.302 (p<0.05), respectively. For PFOA, the correlation was only observed between nail samples and serum samples with a correlation coefficient of 0.299 (p<0.05). The results suggested that nail has more potential than hair and urine to be applied in human biomonitoring for PFOS and PFOA in general populations. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Improving the Diagnosis and Treatment of Urinary Tract Infection in Young Children in Primary Care: Results from the DUTY Prospective Diagnostic Cohort Study

    PubMed Central

    Hay, Alastair D.; Sterne, Jonathan A. C.; Hood, Kerenza; Little, Paul; Delaney, Brendan; Hollingworth, William; Wootton, Mandy; Howe, Robin; MacGowan, Alasdair; Lawton, Michael; Busby, John; Pickles, Timothy; Birnie, Kate; O’Brien, Kathryn; Waldron, Cherry-Ann; Dudley, Jan; Van Der Voort, Judith; Downing, Harriet; Thomas-Jones, Emma; Harman, Kim; Lisles, Catherine; Rumsby, Kate; Durbaba, Stevo; Whiting, Penny; Butler, Christopher C.

    2016-01-01

    PURPOSE Up to 50% of urinary tract infections (UTIs) in young children are missed in primary care. Urine culture is essential for diagnosis, but urine collection is often difficult. Our aim was to derive and internally validate a 2-step clinical rule using (1) symptoms and signs to select children for urine collection; and (2) symptoms, signs, and dipstick testing to guide antibiotic treatment. METHODS We recruited acutely unwell children aged under 5 years from 233 primary care sites across England and Wales. Index tests were parent-reported symptoms, clinician-reported signs, urine dipstick results, and clinician opinion of UTI likelihood (clinical diagnosis before dipstick and culture). The reference standard was microbiologically confirmed UTI cultured from a clean-catch urine sample. We calculated sensitivity, specificity, and area under the receiver operator characteristic (AUROC) curve of coefficient-based (graded severity) and points-based (dichotomized) symptom/sign logistic regression models, and we then internally validated the AUROC using bootstrapping. RESULTS Three thousand thirty-six children provided urine samples, and culture results were available for 2,740 (90%). Of these results, 60 (2.2%) were positive: the clinical diagnosis was 46.6% sensitive, with an AUROC of 0.77. Previous UTI, increasing pain/crying on passing urine, increasingly smelly urine, absence of severe cough, increasing clinician impression of severe illness, abdominal tenderness on examination, and normal findings on ear examination were associated with UTI. The validated coefficient- and points-based model AUROCs were 0.87 and 0.86, respectively, increasing to 0.90 and 0.90, respectively, by adding dipstick nitrites, leukocytes, and blood. CONCLUSIONS A clinical rule based on symptoms and signs is superior to clinician diagnosis and performs well for identifying young children for noninvasive urine sampling. Dipstick results add further diagnostic value for empiric antibiotic treatment. PMID:27401420

  9. NEW COLUMN SEPARATION METHOD FOR EMERGENCY URINE SAMPLES

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

    Maxwell, S; Brian Culligan, B

    2007-08-28

    The Savannah River Site Environmental Bioassay Lab participated in the 2007 NRIP Emergency Response program administered by the National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST) in May, 2007. A new rapid column separation method was applied directly to the NRIP 2007 emergency urine samples, with only minimal sample preparation to reduce preparation time. Calcium phosphate precipitation, previously used to pre-concentrate actinides and Sr-90 in NRIP 2006 urine and water samples, was not used for the NRIP 2007 urine samples. Instead, the raw urine was acidified and passed directly through the stacked resin columns (TEVA+TRU+SR Resins) to separate the actinides andmore » strontium from the NRIP urine samples more quickly. This improvement reduced sample preparation time for the NRIP 2007 emergency urine analyses significantly. This approach works well for small volume urine samples expected during an emergency response event. Based on initial feedback from NIST, the SRS Environmental Bioassay Lab had the most rapid analysis times for actinides and strontium-90 analyses for NRIP 2007 urine samples.« less

  10. 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.

  11. An investigation of the stability of free and glucuronidated 11-nor-delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol-9-carboxylic acid in authentic urine samples.

    PubMed

    Skopp, Gisela; Pötsch, Lucia

    2004-01-01

    Preanalytical stability of a drug and its major metabolites is an important consideration in pharmacokinetic studies or whenever the analyte pattern is used to estimate drug habits. Firstly, the stability of free and glucuronidated 11-nor-delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol-9-carboxylic acid (THCCOOH, THCCOOglu) in authentic urine samples was investigated. Random urine samples of cannabis users (n = 38) were stored at -20, 4, and 20 degrees C up to 15 days and up to 5 days at 40 degrees C, and alterations of the analyte pattern during storage were followed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Secondly, the influence of pH (range 5.0-8.0) on the stability of the analytes was studied using spiked urine to elucidate the results obtained from authentic samples. In authentic urine samples, the initial pH ranged from 5.1 to 8.8. The glucuronide was found to be highly labile at a storage temperature of 4 degrees C and above. Initially, 18 urine samples tested positive for THCCOOH. After 2 days storage at 20 degrees C, THCCOOH was detectable in a further 4 samples, and 7 more samples tested positive for THCCOOH (5-81 ng/mL) after 15 days. Depending on time and temperature, the glucuronide concentration decreased, resulting in an increase of THCCOOH concentration. However, a loss in mean total THCCOOH concentration was found, which was significantly higher in deteriorated samples than in samples without signs of deterioration after 15 days of storage at 20 degrees C. In the drug-free urine sample separately spiked with THCCOOglu or THCCOOH, the investigations on the stability of the target analytes at various pH values revealed that THCCOOH was stable at pH 5.0. At higher pH values, its concentration slightly decreased with time, and about 69% of the initial THCCOOH concentration was still present at pH 8.0 on day 5. THCCOOglu concentrations rapidly decreased with increasing pH value. For example, only 72% of the initial THCCOOglu concentration could be detected at pH 5.0 on day 1. Degradation of the glucuronide resulted in formation of THCCOOH, which was observed even at pH 5.0. In light of the present findings, advanced forensic interpretations based on the presence of THCCOOH or the pattern of THCCOOH and THCCOOglu in stored urine samples seems questionable.

  12. Prednisolone and prednisone neo-formation in bovine urine after sampling.

    PubMed

    Arioli, F; Casati, A; Fidani, M; Silvestri, M; Pompa, G

    2012-06-01

    The rise in the frequency of detecting prednisolone in bovine urine from northern Italy has come into focus of attention in recent years. The possibility that neo-formation of prednisolone or that prednisone may occur in urine after collection of samples was therefore investigated. Cow urine collected for official routine controls in Lombardy containing more than 80 ng/ml cortisol, and prednisolone and prednisone below the decision limit (CCα) of the method (0.4 and 0.5 ng/ml, respectively) was used. The C1-2 dehydrogenation of naturally present cortisol and cortisone was checked by incubating urine, both contaminated and uncontaminated with faeces, at 37°C and by collecting samples at 0, 1, 2, 4, 6 and 24 h. The influence of Helix pomatia juice was also investigated in order to determine whether deconjugation could influence the reliability of the results. All samples were analysed by HPLC-MS3 for the presence of cortisol, cortisone, prednisolone and prednisone in negative electrospray ionisation mode, utilising the consecutive reaction monitoring of product ions derived from the formate molecular adduct ([M+HCOO]-). The observed neo-formation of prednisolone shows that inappropriate temperatures in sample storage and processing can result in an incorrect accusation of non-compliance. The faecal contamination of urine, performed with the aim to mimic a collection conducted without the necessary care, moreover, evoked a high increase in prednisolone concentration in two out of seven animals. Moreover, H. pomatia juice had no significant effect on the prednisolone concentration, indicating that this corticosteroid is present in its free form in cow urine.

  13. 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.

  14. Surveying Mercury Levels in Hair, Blood and Urine of under 7-Year Old Children from a Coastal City in China

    PubMed Central

    Chen, Guixia; Chen, Xiaoxin; Yan, Chonghuai; Wu, Xingdong; Zeng, Guozhang

    2014-01-01

    Aim: The average mercury load in children under 7-years old was determined in a populated but not overly industrial coastal area in China. Methods: 395 blood samples, 1072 urine samples, and 581 hair samples were collected from 1076 children, aged 0 to 6 years, from eight representative communities of Xiamen, China. Mercury levels in the samples were surveyed. Results: The 95% upper limits of mercury in blood, urine, and hair for the children were 2.30, 1.50 and 2100.00 μg/kg, respectively. Levels tended to increase with age. Correlation analyses showed that mercury levels in blood and urine correlated with those in hair (n = 132), r = 0.49, p < 0.0001 and r = 0.20, p = 0.0008; however, blood mercury levels did not correlate with urine levels (n = 284), r = 0.07, p = 0.35. Conclusions: Surveying the average mercury load in children 0 to 6 years, and the 95% upper limit value of mercury in their blood, urine, and hair should help guide risk assessment and health management for children. PMID:25419876

  15. Lead Quantification in Urine Samples of Athletes by Coupling DLLME with UV-Vis Spectrophotometry.

    PubMed

    Faraji, Hakim; Helalizadeh, Masoumeh

    2017-04-01

    Urine lead level is one of the most employed measures of lead exposure and risk. The urine samples used in this study were obtained from ten healthy male cyclists. Dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction combined with ultraviolet and visible spectrophotometry was utilized for preconcentration, extraction, and determination of lead in urine samples. Optimization of the independent variables was carried out based on chemometric methods in three steps. According to the screening and optimization study, 133 μL of CCl 4 (extracting solvent), 1.34 mL ethanol (dispersing solvent), pH 2.0, 0.00 % of salt, and 0.1 % O,O-diethyl dithiophosphoric (chelating agent) were used as the optimum independent variables for microextraction and determination of lead. Under the optimized conditions, R 2 was 0.9991, and linearity range was 0.01-100 μg L -1 . Precision was evaluated in terms of repeatability and intermediate precision, with relative standard deviations being <9.1 and <15.3 %, respectively. The accuracy was estimated using urine samples of cyclists as real samples and it was confirmed. The relative error of ≤5 % was considered significant in the method specificity study. The lead concentration mean for the cyclists was 3.79 μg L -1 in urine samples. As a result, the proposed method is a robust technique to quantify lead concentrations higher than 11.6 ng L -1 in urine samples.

  16. Determination of γ-hydroxybutyrate in human urine samples by ion exclusion and ion exchange two-dimensional chromatography system.

    PubMed

    Liu, Junwei; Deng, Zhifen; Zhu, Zuoyi; Wang, Yong; Wang, Guoqing; Sun, Yu-An; Zhu, Yan

    2017-12-15

    A two-dimensional ion chromatography system was developed for the determination of γ-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) in human urine samples. Ion exclusion chromatography was used in the first dimensional separation for elimination of urine matrices and detection of GHB above 10mgL -1 , ion exchange chromatography was used in the second dimensional separation via column-switching technique for detection of GHB above 0.08mgL -1 . Under the optimized chromatographic conditions, the ion exclusion and ion exchange chromatography separation system exhibited satisfactory repeatability (RSD<3.1%, n=6) and good linearity in the range of 50-1000mgL -1 and 0.5-100mgL -1 , respectively. By this method, concentrations of GHB in the selected human urine samples were detected in the range of 0-1.57mgL -1 . The urine sample containing 0.89mgL -1 GHB was selected to evaluate the accuracy; the spiked recoveries of GHB were 95.9-102.8%. The results showed that the two-dimensional ion chromatography system was convenient and practical for the determination of GHB in human urine samples. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. RAPID SEPARATION METHOD FOR EMERGENCY WATER AND URINE SAMPLES

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

    Maxwell, S.; Culligan, B.

    2008-08-27

    The Savannah River Site Environmental Bioassay Lab participated in the 2008 NRIP Emergency Response program administered by the National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST) in May, 2008. A new rapid column separation method was used for analysis of actinides and {sup 90}Sr the NRIP 2008 emergency water and urine samples. Significant method improvements were applied to reduce analytical times. As a result, much faster analysis times were achieved, less than 3 hours for determination of {sup 90}Sr and 3-4 hours for actinides. This represents a 25%-33% improvement in analysis times from NRIP 2007 and a {approx}100% improvement compared tomore » NRIP 2006 report times. Column flow rates were increased by a factor of two, with no significant adverse impact on the method performance. Larger sample aliquots, shorter count times, faster cerium fluoride microprecipitation and streamlined calcium phosphate precipitation were also employed. Based on initial feedback from NIST, the SRS Environmental Bioassay Lab had the most rapid analysis times for actinides and {sup 90}Sr analyses for NRIP 2008 emergency urine samples. High levels of potential matrix interferences may be present in emergency samples and rugged methods are essential. Extremely high levels of {sup 210}Po were found to have an adverse effect on the uranium results for the NRIP-08 urine samples, while uranium results for NRIP-08 water samples were not affected. This problem, which was not observed for NRIP-06 or NRIP-07 urine samples, was resolved by using an enhanced {sup 210}Po removal step, which will be described.« less

  18. Improving the Diagnosis and Treatment of Urinary Tract Infection in Young Children in Primary Care: Results from the DUTY Prospective Diagnostic Cohort Study.

    PubMed

    Hay, Alastair D; Sterne, Jonathan A C; Hood, Kerenza; Little, Paul; Delaney, Brendan; Hollingworth, William; Wootton, Mandy; Howe, Robin; MacGowan, Alasdair; Lawton, Michael; Busby, John; Pickles, Timothy; Birnie, Kate; O'Brien, Kathryn; Waldron, Cherry-Ann; Dudley, Jan; Van Der Voort, Judith; Downing, Harriet; Thomas-Jones, Emma; Harman, Kim; Lisles, Catherine; Rumsby, Kate; Durbaba, Stevo; Whiting, Penny; Butler, Christopher C

    2016-07-01

    Up to 50% of urinary tract infections (UTIs) in young children are missed in primary care. Urine culture is essential for diagnosis, but urine collection is often difficult. Our aim was to derive and internally validate a 2-step clinical rule using (1) symptoms and signs to select children for urine collection; and (2) symptoms, signs, and dipstick testing to guide antibiotic treatment. We recruited acutely unwell children aged under 5 years from 233 primary care sites across England and Wales. Index tests were parent-reported symptoms, clinician-reported signs, urine dipstick results, and clinician opinion of UTI likelihood (clinical diagnosis before dipstick and culture). The reference standard was microbiologically confirmed UTI cultured from a clean-catch urine sample. We calculated sensitivity, specificity, and area under the receiver operator characteristic (AUROC) curve of coefficient-based (graded severity) and points-based (dichotomized) symptom/sign logistic regression models, and we then internally validated the AUROC using bootstrapping. Three thousand thirty-six children provided urine samples, and culture results were available for 2,740 (90%). Of these results, 60 (2.2%) were positive: the clinical diagnosis was 46.6% sensitive, with an AUROC of 0.77. Previous UTI, increasing pain/crying on passing urine, increasingly smelly urine, absence of severe cough, increasing clinician impression of severe illness, abdominal tenderness on examination, and normal findings on ear examination were associated with UTI. The validated coefficient- and points-based model AUROCs were 0.87 and 0.86, respectively, increasing to 0.90 and 0.90, respectively, by adding dipstick nitrites, leukocytes, and blood. A clinical rule based on symptoms and signs is superior to clinician diagnosis and performs well for identifying young children for noninvasive urine sampling. Dipstick results add further diagnostic value for empiric antibiotic treatment. © 2016 Annals of Family Medicine, Inc.

  19. Seasonal variation in natural abundance of 2H and 18O in urine samples from rural Nigeria

    PubMed Central

    Dugas, Lara R.; Brieger, William; Tayo, Bamidele O.; Alabi, Tunrayo; Schoeller, Dale A.; Luke, Amy

    2015-01-01

    The doubly labeled water (DLW) method is used to measure free-living energy expenditure in humans. Inherent to this technique is the assumption that natural abundances of stable isotopes 2H and 18O in body water remain constant over the course of the measurement period and after elimination of the loading dose of DLW will return to the same predose level. To determine variability in the natural abundances of 2H and 18O in humans living in a region with seasonal shifts in rain patterns and sources of drinking water, over the course of 12 mo we collected weekly urine samples from four individuals living in southwest Nigeria as well as samples of their drinking water. From ongoing regional studies of hypertension, obesity, and energy expenditure, we estimated average water turnover rate, urine volumes, and sodium and potassium excretion. Results suggest that 2H and 18O in urine, mean concentrations of urinary sodium and potassium, urine volume, and total body turnover differed significantly from dry to rainy season. Additionally, seasonal weather variables (mean monthly maximum temperatures, total monthly rainfall, and minimum relative humidity) were all significantly associated with natural abundances in urine. No seasonal difference was observed in drinking water samples. Findings suggest that natural abundances in urine may not remain constant as assumed, and studies incorporating DLW measurements across the transition of seasons should interpret results with caution unless appropriate doses of the tracers are used. PMID:25977450

  20. Chemical Method of Urine Volume Measurement

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Petrack, P.

    1967-01-01

    A system has been developed and qualified as flight hardware for the measurement of micturition volumes voided by crewmen during Gemini missions. This Chemical Urine Volume Measurement System (CUVMS) is used for obtaining samples of each micturition for post-flight volume determination and laboratory analysis for chemical constituents of physiological interest. The system is versatile with respect to volumes measured, with a capacity beyond the largest micturition expected to be encountered, and with respect to mission duration of inherently indefinite length. The urine sample is used for the measurement of total micturition volume by a tracer dilution technique, in which a fixed, predetermined amount of tritiated water is introduced and mixed into the voided urine, and the resulting concentration of the tracer in the sample is determined with a liquid scintillation spectrometer. The tracer employed does not interfere with the analysis for the chemical constituents of the urine. The CUVMS hardware consists of a four-way selector valve in which an automatically operated tracer metering pump is incorporated, a collection/mixing bag, and tracer storage accumulators. The assembled system interfaces with a urine receiver at the selector valve inlet, sample bags which connect to the side of the selector valve, and a flexible hose which carries the excess urine to the overboard drain connection. Results of testing have demonstrated system volume measurement accuracy within the specification limits of +/-5%, and operating reliability suitable for system use aboard the GT-7 mission, in which it was first used.

  1. Introduction of sample tubes with sodium azide as a preservative for ethyl glucuronide in urine.

    PubMed

    Luginbühl, Marc; Weinmann, Wolfgang; Al-Ahmad, Ali

    2017-09-01

    Ethyl glucuronide (EtG) is a direct alcohol marker, which is widely used for clinical and forensic applications, mainly for abstinence control. However, the instability of EtG in urine against bacterial degradation or the post-collectional synthesis of EtG in contaminated samples may cause false interpretation of EtG results in urine samples. This study evaluates the potential of sodium azide in tubes used for urine collection to hinder degradation of ethyl glucuronide by bacterial metabolism taking place during growth of bacterial colonies. The tubes are part of a commercial oral fluid collection device. The sampling system was tested with different gram-positive and gram-negative bacterial species previously observed in urinary tract infections, such as Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Enterecoccus faecalis, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Enterobacter cloacae, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Inhibition of bacterial growth by sodium azide, resulting in lower numbers of colony forming units compared to control samples, was observed for all tested bacterial species. To test the prevention of EtG degradation by the predominant pathogen in urinary tract infection, sterile-filtered urine and deficient medium were spiked with EtG, and inoculated with E. coli prior to incubation for 4 days at 37 °C in tubes with and without sodium azide. Samples were collected every 24 hours, during four consecutive days, whereby the colony forming units (CFU) were counted on Columbia blood agar plates, and EtG was analyzed by LC-MS/MS. As expected, EtG degradation was observed when standard polypropylene tubes were used for the storage of contaminated samples. However, urine specimens collected in sodium azide tubes showed no or very limited bacterial growth and no EtG degradation. As a conclusion, sodium azide is useful to reduce bacterial growth of gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria. It inhibits the degradation of EtG by E. coli and can be used for the stabilization of EtG in urine samples.

  2. False-positive buprenorphine EIA urine toxicology results due to high dose morphine: a case report.

    PubMed

    Tenore, Peter L

    2012-01-01

    In monitoring a patient with chronic pain who was taking high-dose morphine and oxycodone with weekly urine enzymatic immunoassay (EIA) toxicology testing, the authors noted consistent positives for buprenorphine. The patient was not taking buprenorphine, and gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy (GCMS) testing on multiple samples revealed no buprenorphine, indicating a case of false-positive buprenorphine EIAs in a high-dose opiate case. The authors discontinued oxycodone for a period of time and then discontinued morphine. Urine monitoring with EIAs and GCMS revealed false-positive buprenorphine EIAs, which remained only when the patient was taking morphine. When taking only oxycodone and no morphine, urine samples became buprenorphine negative. When morphine was reintroduced, false-positive buprenorphine results resumed. Medical practitioners should be aware that high-dose morphine (with morphine urine levels turning positive within the 15,000 to 28,000 mg/mL range) may produce false-positive buprenorphine EIAs with standard urine EIA toxicology testing.

  3. Genotyping for DQA1 and PM loci in urine using PCR-based amplification: effects of sample volume, storage temperature, preservatives, and aging on DNA extraction and typing.

    PubMed

    Vu, N T; Chaturvedi, A K; Canfield, D V

    1999-05-31

    Urine is often the sample of choice for drug screening in aviation/general forensic toxicology and in workplace drug testing. In some instances, the origin of the submitted samples may be challenged because of the medicolegal and socioeconomic consequences of a positive drug test. Methods for individualization of biological samples have reached a new boundary with the application of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in DNA profiling, but a successful characterization of the urine specimens depends on the quantity and quality of DNA present in the samples. Therefore, the present study investigated the influence of storage conditions, sample volume, concentration modes, extraction procedures, and chemical preservations on the quantity of DNA recovered, as well as the success rate of PCR-based genotyping for DQA1 and PM loci in urine. Urine specimens from male and female volunteers were divided and stored at various temperatures for up to 30 days. The results suggested that sample purification by dialfiltration, using 3000-100,000 molecular weight cut-off filters, did not enhance DNA recovery and typing rate as compared with simple centrifugation procedures. Extraction of urinary DNA by the organic method and by the resin method gave comparable typing results. Larger sample volume yielded a higher amount of DNA, but the typing rates were not affected for sample volumes between 1 and 5 ml. The quantifiable amounts of DNA present were found to be greater in female (14-200 ng/ml) than in male (4-60 ng/ml) samples and decreased with the elapsed time under both room temperature (RT) and frozen storage. Typing of the male samples also demonstrated that RT storage samples produced significantly higher success rates than that of frozen samples, while there was only marginal difference in the DNA typing rates among the conditions tested using female samples. Successful assignment of DQA1 + PM genotype was achieved for all samples of fresh urine, independent of gender, starting sample volume, or concentration method. Preservation by 0.25% sodium azide was acceptable for sample storage at 4 degrees C during a period of 30 days. For longer storage duration, freezing at -70 degrees C may be more appropriate. Thus, the applicability of the DQA1 + PM typing was clearly demonstrated for individualization of urine samples.

  4. High-throughput analysis of amphetamines in blood and urine with online solid-phase extraction-liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Fernández, María del Mar Ramírez; Wille, Sarah M R; Samyn, Nele; Wood, Michelle; López-Rivadulla, Manuel; De Boeck, Gert

    2009-01-01

    An automated online solid-phase extraction-liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (SPE-LC-MS-MS) method for the analysis of amphetamines in blood and urine was developed and validated. Chromatographic separation was achieved on a Nucleodur Sphinx RP column with an LC gradient (a mixture of 10 mM ammonium formate buffer and acetonitrile), ensuring the elution of amphetamine, methamphetamine, MDMA, MDA, MDEA, PMA, and ephedrine within 11 min. The method was fully validated, according to international guidelines, using only 100 and 50 microL of blood and urine, respectively. The method showed an excellent intra- and interassay precision (relative standard deviation < 11.2% and bias < 13%) for two external quality control samples (QC) for both matrices and three and two 'in house' QCs for blood and urine, respectively. Responses were linear over the investigated range (r(2) > 0.99, 2.5-400 microg/L for blood and 25-1000 microg/L for urine). Limits of quantification were determined to be 2.5 and 25 microg/L for blood and urine, respectively. Limits of detection ranged from 0.05 to 0.5 microg/L for blood and 0.25 to 2.5 microg/L for urine, depending on the compound. Furthermore, the analytes and the processed samples were demonstrated to be stable (in the autosampler for at least 72 h and after three freeze/thaw cycles), and no disturbing matrix effects were observed for all compounds. Moreover, no carryover was observed after the analysis of high concentration samples (15,000 microg/L). The method was subsequently applied to authentic blood and urine samples obtained from forensic cases, which covered a broad range of concentrations. The validation results and actual sample analyses demonstrated that this method is rugged, precise, accurate, and well-suited for routine analysis as more than 72 samples are analyzed non-stop in 24 h with minimum sample handling. The combination of the high-throughput online SPE and the well-known sensitivity and selectivity assured by MS-MS resulted in the elimination of the bottleneck associated with the sample preparation requirements and provided increased sensitivity, accuracy, and precision.

  5. CTEPP STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE FOR COLLECTION OF URINE SAMPLES (SOP-2.14)

    EPA Science Inventory

    This SOP describes the method for collecting urine samples from the study participants (children and their primary caregivers). Urine samples will be approximate 48-hr collections, collected as spot urine samples accumulated over the 48-hr sampling period. If the household or da...

  6. 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 ...

  7. 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.

  8. Creatine transporter deficiency: prevalence among patients with mental retardation and pitfalls in metabolite screening.

    PubMed

    Arias, Angela; Corbella, Marc; Fons, Carmen; Sempere, Angela; García-Villoria, Judit; Ormazabal, Aida; Poo, Pilar; Pineda, Mercé; Vilaseca, María Antonia; Campistol, Jaume; Briones, Paz; Pàmpols, Teresa; Salomons, Gajja S; Ribes, Antonia; Artuch, Rafael

    2007-11-01

    To report the prevalence of creatine transporter deficiency in males with mental retardation and to study whether a protein-rich food intake might be a potential diagnostic pitfall. We determined creatine/creatinine ratio in urine samples from 1600 unrelated male patients with mental retardation and/or autism. Urine creatine was analyzed by HPLC-MS/MS. Thirty-three of 1600 cases showed increased urine creatine/creatinine ratio. Four out of these thirty-three cases were definitively diagnosed with creatine transporter deficiency, while the other 29 were false positive results. Significantly higher values were observed for urine Cr/Crn ratio in healthy volunteers after a meal based on beef or oily fish as compared to eggs, pasta or salad (Wilcoxon test: p<0.005). False positive results may be observed in biochemical screening for creatine transporter deficiency, and they may be due to intake of meals rich in creatine prior to urine samples analysis.

  9. Detection of Methamphetamine and Morphine in Urine and Saliva Using Excitation-Emission Matrix Fluorescence and a Second-Order Calibration Algorithm

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Xu, B. Y.; Ye, Y.; Liao, L. C.

    2016-07-01

    A new method was developed to determine the methamphetamine and morphine concentrations in urine and saliva based on excitation-emission matrix fluorescence coupled to a second-order calibration algorithm. In the case of single-drug abuse, the results showed that the average recoveries of methamphetamine and morphine were 95.3 and 96.7% in urine samples, respectively, and 98.1 and 106.2% in saliva samples, respectively. The relative errors were all below 5%. The simultaneous determination of methamphetamine and morphine in urine using two second-order algorithms was also investigated. Satisfactory results were obtained with a self-weighted alternating trilinear decomposition algorithm. The root-mean-square errors of the predictions were 0.540 and 0.0382 μg/mL for methamphetamine and morphine, respectively. The limits of detection of the proposed methods were very low and sufficient for studying methamphetamine and morphine in urine.

  10. Correlation of the levels of glycosaminoglycans between urine and dried urine in filter paper samples and their stability over time under different storage temperatures.

    PubMed

    Breier, Ana Carolina; Cé, Jaqueline; Coelho, Janice Carneiro

    2014-06-10

    Mucopolysaccharidoses (MPSs) are a group of lysosomal storage diseases caused by the deficiency/absence of enzymes which catalyze the degradation of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs). The use of biological samples dried on filter paper has been increasing because it makes it easy to ship them to reference laboratories. Urinary GAGs are the main biomarkers of MPS and, thus, we studied the correlations of determinations to GAGs and creatinine, as well as compared the GAGs' profile on electrophoresis, between urine and dried urine in filter paper (DUFP) samples. We also assessed the GAG stability over time under different storage temperatures. We quantified the GAG concentration in both sample types and compared the results by Pearson correlation. The results were very similar, with r=0.97 for creatinine and with r=0.94 and r=0.98 for GAGs for controls and patients, respectively, with similar electrophoretic profiles. The GAG stability in DUFP was up to 30days at -20, 4, and 25°C and up to 21days at 37°C. Our proposal assessed urinary GAGs in DUFP and concluded that these samples can be used in the investigation of MPS, replacing urine samples in neonatal screening and monitoring of therapies, due to ease of transportation and storage. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Direct Analysis of Amphetamine Stimulants in a Whole Urine Sample by Atmospheric Solids Analysis Probe Tandem Mass Spectrometry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Crevelin, Eduardo J.; Salami, Fernanda H.; Alves, Marcela N. R.; De Martinis, Bruno S.; Crotti, Antônio E. M.; Moraes, Luiz A. B.

    2016-05-01

    Amphetamine-type stimulants (ATS) are among illicit stimulant drugs that are most often used worldwide. A major challenge is to develop a fast and efficient methodology involving minimal sample preparation to analyze ATS in biological fluids. In this study, a urine pool solution containing amphetamine, methamphetamine, ephedrine, sibutramine, and fenfluramine at concentrations ranging from 0.5 pg/mL to 100 ng/mL was prepared and analyzed by atmospheric solids analysis probe tandem mass spectrometry (ASAP-MS/MS) and multiple reaction monitoring (MRM). A urine sample and saliva collected from a volunteer contributor (V1) were also analyzed. The limit of detection of the tested compounds ranged between 0.002 and 0.4 ng/mL in urine samples; the signal-to-noise ratio was 5. These results demonstrated that the ASAP-MS/MS methodology is applicable for the fast detection of ATS in urine samples with great sensitivity and specificity, without the need for cleanup, preconcentration, or chromatographic separation. Thus ASAP-MS/MS could potentially be used in clinical and forensic toxicology applications.

  12. SELDI-TOF MS of quadruplicate urine and serum samples to evaluate changes related to storage conditions.

    PubMed

    Traum, Avram Z; Wells, Meghan P; Aivado, Manuel; Libermann, Towia A; Ramoni, Marco F; Schachter, Asher D

    2006-03-01

    Proteomic profiling with SELDI-TOF MS has facilitated the discovery of disease-specific protein profiles. However, multicenter studies are often hindered by the logistics required for prompt deep-freezing of samples in liquid nitrogen or dry ice within the clinic setting prior to shipping. We report high concordance between MS profiles within sets of quadruplicate split urine and serum samples deep-frozen at 0, 2, 6, and 24 h after sample collection. Gage R&R results confirm that deep-freezing times are not a statistically significant source of SELDI-TOF MS variability for either blood or urine.

  13. Pyrazine Analogues Are Active Components of Wolf Urine That Induce Avoidance and Freezing Behaviours in Mice

    PubMed Central

    Osada, Kazumi; Kurihara, Kenzo; Izumi, Hiroshi; Kashiwayanagi, Makoto

    2013-01-01

    Background The common grey wolf (Canis lupus) is found throughout the entire Northern hemisphere and preys on many kinds of mammals. The urine of the wolf contains a number of volatile constituents that can potentially be used for predator–prey chemosignalling. Although wolf urine is put to practical use to keep rabbits, rodents, deer and so on at bay, we are unaware of any prior behavioural studies or chemical analyses regarding the fear-inducing impact of wolf urine on laboratory mice. Methodology/Principal Findings Three wolf urine samples harvested at different times were used in this study. All of them induced stereotypical fear-associated behaviors (i.e., avoidance and freezing) in female mice. The levels of certain urinary volatiles varied widely among the samples. To identify the volatiles that provoked avoidance and freezing, behavioural, chemical, and immunohistochemical analyses were performed. One of the urine samples (sample C) had higher levels of 2,6-dimethylpyrazine (DMP), trimethylpyrazine (TMP), and 3-ethyl-2,5-dimethyl pyrazine (EDMP) compared with the other two urine samples (samples A and B). In addition, sample C induced avoidance and freezing behaviours more effectively than samples A and B. Moreover, only sample C led to pronounced expression of Fos-immunoreactive cells in the accessory olfactory bulb (AOB) of female mice. Freezing behaviour and Fos immunoreactivity were markedly enhanced when the mice were confronted with a mixture of purified DMP, TMP, and EDMP vs. any one pyrazine alone. Conclusions/Significance The current results suggest that wolf urinary volatiles can engender aversive and fear-related responses in mice. Pyrazine analogues were identified as the predominant active components among these volatiles to induce avoidance and freezing behaviours via stimulation of the murine AOB. PMID:23637901

  14. 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.

  15. 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

  16. The method of urine sampling is not a valid predictor for vesicoureteral reflux in children after febrile urinary tract infections.

    PubMed

    Haid, Bernhard; Roesch, Judith; Strasser, Christa; Oswald, Josef

    2017-10-01

    The likelihood of detecting vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) after febrile urinary tract infections (UTI) in children logically should correlate with the correct diagnosis of the UTI. Beneath the unspecific symptoms of fever urine analysis is the main diagnostic criterion for the exact diagnosis of febrile UTIs in children. Use of inadequate urine sampling techniques during diagnosis may lead to impaired accuracy in UTI diagnosis. This could lead to the assumption that children, having diagnosed their UTI by the use of possibly inadequate urine sampling techniques should not be evaluated as consequently compared to those, where the diagnosis relied on sterile urine sampling techniques. We hypothesized that children with possibly contaminated urine samples during the initial diagnosis may show a lower rate of VUR in subsequent VCUGs because of a wrong diagnosis initially compared to children, where accurate urine sampling techniques were used. Between 2009 and 2014, a total of 555 patients underwent a primary VCUG at our department indicated because of febrile UTIs. Patients with urine collection methods other than bag urine and catheter/suprapubic aspiration (SPA) were excluded from this study (mid-stream urine, potty urine, n = 149). We evaluated 402 patients (male/female 131/271, mean age 1.91 years), VUR rates and grades were compared between patients where urine was sampled by the use of a urine bag only at the time of diagnosis (n = 296, 73.6%) and those where sterile urine sampling (catheter, suprapubic puncture) was performed (n = 106, 26.3%). 4 patients were excluded due to equivocal data on urine sampling. VUR rate in children after sterile urine sampling using a catheter or SPA accounted to 31.1%. In those where urine samples acquired by the use of urine bags were used, 33.7% showed VUR on subsequent VCUG (p = 0.718). There were no significant differences as to VUR grades or gender, although VUR was much more commonly diagnosed in female patients (37.0% vs 28.2%, p = 0.227) (Figure). Children diagnosed with their UTI by use of bag urine in our experience carried the same risk of showing a VUR in a subsequent VCUG compared to those, where the initial diagnosis relied - beneath clinical criteria - on urine samples acquired by suprapubic puncture or catheterization. Consequently urine-sampling technique during initial UTI diagnosis alone should not be used as predictor for the reliability of UTI diagnosis and should not influence the further management after UTI. Copyright © 2017 Journal of Pediatric Urology Company. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Evaluation of the BinaxNOW® Streptococcus pneumoniae antigen test on fresh, frozen and concentrated urine samples in elderly patients with and without community-acquired pneumonia.

    PubMed

    Saukkoriipi, Annika; Pascal, Thierry; Palmu, Arto A

    2016-02-01

    We evaluated the BinaxNOW® urine antigen test in elderly. For fresh un-concentrated urine samples, the sensitivity for pneumococcal pneumonia was 63% and specificity 97%. After freezing and concentration, the results comparable to positive control line in intensity at 60 min gave high sensitivity (81%) with no loss in specificity (96%). Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. Multiwalled carbon nanotubes as a sorbent material for the solid phase extraction of lead from urine and subsequent determination by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Peña Crecente, Rosa M.; Lovera, Carlha Gutiérrez; García, Julia Barciela; Méndez, Jennifer Álvarez; Martín, Sagrario García; Latorre, Carlos Herrero

    2014-11-01

    The determination of lead in urine is a way of monitoring the chemical exposure to this metal. In the present paper, a new method for the Pb determination by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (ETAAS) in urine at low levels has been developed. Lead was separated from the undesirable urine matrix by means of a solid phase extraction (SPE) procedure. Oxidized multiwalled carbon nanotubes have been used as a sorbent material. Lead from urine was retained at pH 4.0 and was quantitatively eluted using a 0.7 M nitric acid solution and was subsequently measured by ETAAS. The effects of parameters that influence the adsorption-elution process (such as pH, eluent volume and concentration, sampling and elution flow rates) and the atomic spectrometry conditions have been studied by means of different factorial design strategies. Under the optimized conditions, the detection and quantification limits obtained were 0.08 and 0.26 μg Pb L- 1, respectively. The results demonstrate the absence of a urine matrix effect and this is the consequence of the SPE process carried out. Therefore, the developed method is useful for the analysis of Pb at low levels in real samples without the influence of other urine components. The proposed method was applied to the determination of lead in urine samples of unexposed healthy people and satisfactory results were obtained (in the range 3.64-22.9 μg Pb L- 1).

  19. Characterization of subclinical bacteriuria, bacterial cystitis, and pyelonephritis in dogs with chronic kidney disease.

    PubMed

    Foster, Jonathan D; Krishnan, Harathi; Cole, Stephen

    2018-05-15

    OBJECTIVE To determine the prevalence of bacteriuria (ie, a positive microbial culture result for ≥ 1 urine sample) in dogs with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and characterize findings of subclinical bacteriuria (SBU), bacterial cystitis, or pyelonephritis in these patients. DESIGN Retrospective, observational study. ANIMALS 182 dogs. PROCEDURES Medical records from January 2010 through July 2015 were reviewed to identify dogs with CKD that underwent urinalysis and urine microbial culture. Signalment, clinicopathologic data, stage of CKD according to previously published guidelines, results of urinalysis and urine culture, and abdominal ultrasonographic findings were recorded. Dogs with positive urine culture results were categorized as having SBU, bacterial cystitis, or pyelonephritis on the basis of these data. Prevalence of bacteriuria was calculated. Associations between CKD stage, presence of bacteriuria, and diagnosis category were analyzed statistically. RESULTS 33 of 182 (18.1%) dogs (40/235 [17.0%] urine samples) had positive culture results. All dogs received antimicrobials on the basis of culture and susceptibility test findings. Most positive culture results (18/40 [45%] samples) were found for dogs with SBU, followed by dogs with pyelonephritis (16/40 [40%]) and cystitis (6/40 [15%]). Escherichia coli was the most frequently observed isolate (29/40 [73%] cultures from 25/33 dogs). The CKD stage was not associated with presence of bacteriuria or diagnosis category. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE The prevalence of positive urine culture results in dogs with CKD was lower than that reported for dogs with some systemic diseases that may predispose to infection. Prospective research is needed to assess the clinical importance of SBU in dogs with CKD.

  20. Urine sample (image)

    MedlinePlus

    A "clean-catch" urine sample is performed by collecting the sample of urine in midstream. Men or boys should wipe clean the head ... water and rinse well. A small amount of urine should initially fall into the toilet bowl before ...

  1. 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.

  2. Isolation of infectious Zika virus from a urine sample cultured in SIRC cells from a patient suspected of having rubella virus.

    PubMed

    Oliveira, Maria Isabel de; Namiyama, Gislene Mitsue; Cabral, Gabriela Bastos; Ferreira, João Leandro; Taniwaki, Noemi; Afonso, Ana Maria Sardinha; Lima, Isabella Rillo; Brigido, Luís Fernando Macedo de

    2018-01-01

    A great variety of viruses which cause exanthema share other clinical manifestations, making the etiologic identification a very difficult task, relying exclusively on the clinical examination. Rubella virus (RV) infection during the early stages of pregnancy can lead to serious birth defects, known as congenital rubella syndrome (CRS). In the present report, we described the presence of Zika virus (ZIKV) particles in urine samples and also ZIKV isolation in SIRC cells from the urine of a patient in acute phase of suspected rubella disease. The 50-year-old unvaccinated woman living in Sao Paulo, Brazil, was admitted to the emergency room with fever, headache, rash, arthralgia and prostration. Urine samples were collected for virus isolation and RT-qPCR. SIRC and Vero cells were inoculated with urine samples during 7 days. RT-qPCR was performed using measles virus (MV) and RV primers and both were found to be negative. After this result, RT-qPCR was performed for parvovirus B19, herpes virus 6 and ZIKV. The urine sample and the isolate were positive by Real Time PCR for ZIKV and negative for all other viruses tested. The sequences isolated are from the Asiatic lineage.

  3. Advantage of multiple spot urine collections for estimating daily sodium excretion: comparison with two 24-h urine collections as reference.

    PubMed

    Uechi, Ken; Asakura, Keiko; Ri, Yui; Masayasu, Shizuko; Sasaki, Satoshi

    2016-02-01

    Several estimation methods for 24-h sodium excretion using spot urine sample have been reported, but accurate estimation at the individual level remains difficult. We aimed to clarify the most accurate method of estimating 24-h sodium excretion with different numbers of available spot urine samples. A total of 370 participants from throughout Japan collected multiple 24-h urine and spot urine samples independently. Participants were allocated randomly into a development and a validation dataset. Two estimation methods were established in the development dataset using the two 24-h sodium excretion samples as reference: the 'simple mean method' estimated by multiplying the sodium-creatinine ratio by predicted 24-h creatinine excretion, whereas the 'regression method' employed linear regression analysis. The accuracy of the two methods was examined by comparing the estimated means and concordance correlation coefficients (CCC) in the validation dataset. Mean sodium excretion by the simple mean method with three spot urine samples was closest to that by 24-h collection (difference: -1.62  mmol/day). CCC with the simple mean method increased with an increased number of spot urine samples at 0.20, 0.31, and 0.42 using one, two, and three samples, respectively. This method with three spot urine samples yielded higher CCC than the regression method (0.40). When only one spot urine sample was available for each study participant, CCC was higher with the regression method (0.36). The simple mean method with three spot urine samples yielded the most accurate estimates of sodium excretion. When only one spot urine sample was available, the regression method was preferable.

  4. Mutagenic activity and metabolites in the urine of workers exposed to trinitrotoluene (TNT).

    PubMed Central

    Ahlborg, G; Einistö, P; Sorsa, M

    1988-01-01

    Urine samples taken after work and after a free weekend from 50 workers employed in various activities in a chemical plant manufacturing explosives were analysed. On the basis of hygienic surveys, the subjects were divided into three categories of exposure to trinitrotoluene (TNT). The urine analyses consisted of gas chromatographic identification of TNT and its two metabolites, 4-ADNT and 2-ADNT, and a determination of the mutagenic activity. Two frame shift detector strains of Salmonella typhimurium were used, TA 98 and TA 98 NR, the latter being deficient in endogenous nitroreductase activity. On the basis of previous results on TNT mutagenicity, no exogeneous metabolic system was used to test the urine concentrates. Both tester strains showed that the mean urinary mutagenic activity was higher in the after work samples than in post weekend samples from the same subjects, showing that bacterial nitroreductase activity was not significantly responsible for the mutagenicity, although the response was higher with strain TA 98 than with TA 98 NR. The interindividual variation in urine mutagenicity was high, however, and the difference between the two sampling times was statistically significant (p less than 0.05) only for the high exposed group (workers in trotyl foundry and sieve house). Correlation between urinary mutagenicity and concentration of TNT in urine was poor; correlation was significant only with the urinary concentration of 4-ADNT. The correlation between urinary TNT and both metabolites was good (p less than 0.001). These results suggest that analysis of 4-ADNT in urine would be a sufficient biological measure for controlling exposure to TNT. PMID:3378017

  5. Seasonal variation in natural abundance of 2H and 18O in urine samples from rural Nigeria.

    PubMed

    Harbison, Justin E; Dugas, Lara R; Brieger, William; Tayo, Bamidele O; Alabi, Tunrayo; Schoeller, Dale A; Luke, Amy

    2015-07-01

    The doubly labeled water (DLW) method is used to measure free-living energy expenditure in humans. Inherent to this technique is the assumption that natural abundances of stable isotopes (2)H and (18)O in body water remain constant over the course of the measurement period and after elimination of the loading dose of DLW will return to the same predose level. To determine variability in the natural abundances of (2)H and (18)O in humans living in a region with seasonal shifts in rain patterns and sources of drinking water, over the course of 12 mo we collected weekly urine samples from four individuals living in southwest Nigeria as well as samples of their drinking water. From ongoing regional studies of hypertension, obesity, and energy expenditure, we estimated average water turnover rate, urine volumes, and sodium and potassium excretion. Results suggest that (2)H and (18)O in urine, mean concentrations of urinary sodium and potassium, urine volume, and total body turnover differed significantly from dry to rainy season. Additionally, seasonal weather variables (mean monthly maximum temperatures, total monthly rainfall, and minimum relative humidity) were all significantly associated with natural abundances in urine. No seasonal difference was observed in drinking water samples. Findings suggest that natural abundances in urine may not remain constant as assumed, and studies incorporating DLW measurements across the transition of seasons should interpret results with caution unless appropriate doses of the tracers are used. Copyright © 2015 the American Physiological Society.

  6. 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.

  7. Stability of cannabinoids in urine in three storage temperatures.

    PubMed

    Golding Fraga, S; Díaz-Flores Estévez, J; Díaz Romero, C

    1998-01-01

    Stability of cannabinoid compounds in urine samples were evaluated using several storage temperatures. Appreciable losses (> 22.4 percent) were observed in some urine samples, after being stored at room temperature for 10 days. Lower losses (8.1 percent) were observed when the urine samples were refrigerated for 4 weeks. The behavior of urine samples depended on the analyzed urine. This could be due to the different stability of the cannabinoids present in each urine sample. Important losses of 8.0 +/- 10.6, 15.8 +/- 4.2, and 19.6 +/- 6.7 percent were found when the urine samples were frozen during 40 days, 1 year, and 3 years, respectively. Average losses (> > 5 percent) can be observed after one day which could mainly be due to the decrease of the solubility of 11-nor-U9-tetrahydrocannabinol-9-carboxylic acid (THC-COOH) or adsorption process of cannabinoid molecules to the plastic storage containers.

  8. Stability of Zika virus in urine: Specimen processing considerations and implications for the detection of RNA targets in urine.

    PubMed

    Tan, Susanna K; Sahoo, Malaya K; Milligan, Stephen B; Taylor, Nathaniel; Pinsky, Benjamin A

    2017-10-01

    Detection of Zika virus (ZIKV) RNA in urine is of increasing interest for the diagnosis of ZIKV infection. Pre-analytical variables can significantly impact the stability of RNA in urine. To determine optimal specimen processing protocols that would maximize detection of ZIKV RNA in urine by real-time, reverse transcriptase PCR, we investigated the effect of temperature, initial ZIKV concentration, use of nucleic acid stabilizers, and time on ZIKV RNA levels. Urine samples from healthy donors were spiked with ZIKV using the Exact Diagnostics ® ZIKV Verification Panel, a commercially available panel composed of heat-inactivated ZIKV, at concentrations of 5.0 log 10 copies/mL (ZIKV-high) and 4.0 log 10 copies/mL (ZIKV-low). Samples were stored at room temperature, 4°C, or -80°C and frozen aliquots were exposed to no stabilizer (urine), Buffer ATL (Qiagen, Germantown, MD), or DNA/RNA Shield (Zymo Research, Irvine, CA). ZIKV RNA levels in urine declined steadily at room temperature, though was not significant by 48h (ZIKV-high, p=0.09; ZIKV-low, p=0.20). ZIKV RNA titers were consistently higher when stored at 4°C, suggesting that storage at 4°C can slow the progression of RNA degradation. Freezing urine samples at -80°C resulted in a significant loss of detectable ZIKV RNA in the ZIKV-low group. ZIKV RNA was detected in 5/6 replicates at 3days, 1/6 replicates at 10days, and 1/3 replicates at 30days, with findings reproducible on repeat testing. Presence of either nucleic acid stabilizer in urine corrected this effect, and resulted in recovery of ZIKV RNA in all replicates. Use of a nucleic acid stabilizer in the ZIKV-high group did not add incremental benefit for the detection or quantitation of ZIKV RNA. ZIKV RNA is prone to degradation in urine with loss of detectable virus even when specimens are frozen at -80°C for 10days. Detection of ZIKV-positive urine samples, particularly those containing low ZIKV titers may be aided with the addition of a nucleic acid stabilizer during urine specimen processing. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  9. Analytical precision of the Urolizer for the determination of the BONN-Risk-Index (BRI) for calcium oxalate urolithiasis and evaluation of the influence of 24-h urine storage at moderate temperatures on BRI.

    PubMed

    Berg, Wolfgang; Bechler, Robin; Laube, Norbert

    2009-01-01

    Since its first publication in 2000, the BONN-Risk-Index (BRI) has been successfully used to determine the calcium oxalate (CaOx) crystallization risk from urine samples. To date, a BRI-measuring device, the "Urolizer", has been developed, operating automatically and requiring only a minimum of preparation. Two major objectives were pursued: determination of Urolizer precision, and determination of the influence of 24-h urine storage at moderate temperatures on BRI. 24-h urine samples from 52 CaOx stone-formers were collected. A total of 37 urine samples were used for the investigation of Urolizer precision by performing six independent BRI determinations in series. In total, 30 samples were taken for additional investigation of urine storability. Each sample was measured thrice: directly after collection, after 24-h storage at T=21 degrees C, and after 24-h cooling at T=4 degrees C. Outcomes were statistically tested for identity with regard to the immediately obtained results. Repeat measurements for evaluation of Urolizer precision revealed statistical identity of data (p-0.05). 24-h storage of urine at both tested temperatures did not significantly affect BRI (p-0.05). The pilot-run Urolizer shows high analytical reliability. The innovative analysis device may be especially suited for urologists specializing in urolithiasis treatment. The possibility for urine storage at moderate temperatures without loss of analysis quality further demonstrates the applicability of the BRI method.

  10. 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.

  11. Urine melanin test

    MedlinePlus

    Thormahlen's test; Melanin - urine ... A clean-catch urine sample is needed. ... this substance that it shows up in the urine. ... Normally, melanin is not present in urine. Normal value ranges may ... measurements or test different samples. Talk to your health ...

  12. Cross validation of gas chromatography-flame photometric detection and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry methods for measuring dialkylphosphate metabolites of organophosphate pesticides in human urine.

    PubMed

    Prapamontol, Tippawan; Sutan, Kunrunya; Laoyang, Sompong; Hongsibsong, Surat; Lee, Grace; Yano, Yukiko; Hunter, Ronald Elton; Ryan, P Barry; Barr, Dana Boyd; Panuwet, Parinya

    2014-01-01

    We report two analytical methods for the measurement of dialkylphosphate (DAP) metabolites of organophosphate pesticides in human urine. These methods were independently developed/modified and implemented in two separate laboratories and cross validated. The aim was to develop simple, cost effective, and reliable methods that could use available resources and sample matrices in Thailand and the United States. While several methods already exist, we found that direct application of these methods required modification of sample preparation and chromatographic conditions to render accurate, reliable data. The problems encountered with existing methods were attributable to urinary matrix interferences, and differences in the pH of urine samples and reagents used during the extraction and derivatization processes. Thus, we provide information on key parameters that require attention during method modification and execution that affect the ruggedness of the methods. The methods presented here employ gas chromatography (GC) coupled with either flame photometric detection (FPD) or electron impact ionization-mass spectrometry (EI-MS) with isotopic dilution quantification. The limits of detection were reported from 0.10ng/mL urine to 2.5ng/mL urine (for GC-FPD), while the limits of quantification were reported from 0.25ng/mL urine to 2.5ng/mL urine (for GC-MS), for all six common DAP metabolites (i.e., dimethylphosphate, dimethylthiophosphate, dimethyldithiophosphate, diethylphosphate, diethylthiophosphate, and diethyldithiophosphate). Each method showed a relative recovery range of 94-119% (for GC-FPD) and 92-103% (for GC-MS), and relative standard deviations (RSD) of less than 20%. Cross-validation was performed on the same set of urine samples (n=46) collected from pregnant women residing in the agricultural areas of northern Thailand. The results from split sample analysis from both laboratories agreed well for each metabolite, suggesting that each method can produce comparable data. In addition, results from analyses of specimens from the German External Quality Assessment Scheme (G-EQUAS) suggested that the GC-FPD method produced accurate results that can be reasonably compared to other studies. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  13. Low-power, low-cost urinalysis system with integrated dipstick evaluation and microscopic analysis.

    PubMed

    Smith, Gennifer T; Li, Linkai; Zhu, Yue; Bowden, Audrey K

    2018-06-21

    We introduce a coupled dipstick and microscopy device for analyzing urine samples. The device is capable of accurately assessing urine dipstick results while simultaneously imaging the microscopic contents within the sample. We introduce a long working distance, cellphone-based microscope in combination with an oblique illumination scheme to accurately visualize and quantify particles within the urine sample. To facilitate accurate quantification, we couple the imaging set-up with a power-free filtration system. The proposed device is reusable, low-cost, and requires very little power. We show that results obtained with the proposed device and custom-built app are consistent with those obtained with the standard clinical protocol, suggesting the potential clinical utility of the device.

  14. The comparability of oxalate excretion and oxalate:creatinine ratio in the investigation of primary hyperoxaluria: review of data from a referral centre.

    PubMed

    Clifford-Mobley, Oliver; Tims, Christopher; Rumsby, Gill

    2015-01-01

    Urine oxalate measurement is an important investigation in the evaluation of renal stone disease. Primary hyperoxaluria (PH) is a rare inherited metabolic disease characterised by persistently elevated urine oxalate, but the diagnosis may be missed in adults until renal failure has developed. Urine oxalate results were reviewed to compare oxalate:creatinine ratio and oxalate excretion, and to estimate the potential numbers of undiagnosed PH. Urine oxalate results from August 2011 to April 2013 were reviewed. Oxalate excretion and oxalate:creatinine ratio were evaluated for 24 h collections and ratio alone for spot urine samples. Oxalate:creatinine ratio and oxalate excretion were moderately correlated (R=0.63) in 24-h urine collections from patients aged 18 years and above. Sex-related differences were found requiring implementation of male and female reference ranges for oxalate:creatinine ratio. Of samples with both ratio and excretion above the reference range, 7% came from patients with confirmed PH. There were 24 patients with grossly elevated urine oxalate who had not been evaluated for PH. Oxalate:creatinine ratio and oxalate excretion were discordant in many patients, which is likely to be a result of intra-individual variation in creatinine output and imprecision in the collection itself. Some PH patients had urine oxalate within the reference range on occasion, and therefore it is not possible to exclude PH on the finding of a single normal result. A significant number of individuals had urine oxalate results well above the reference range who potentially have undiagnosed PH and are consequently at risk of renal failure. © The Author(s) 2014 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

  15. Interlaboratory and between-specimen comparisons of diagnostic tests for leptospirosis in sheep and cattle.

    PubMed

    Fang, Fang; Collins-Emerson, Julie M; Heuer, Cord; Hill, Fraser I; Tisdall, David J; Wilson, Peter R; Benschop, Jackie

    2014-11-01

    A study was performed to investigate interlaboratory test agreement between a research and a commercial veterinary diagnostic laboratory on blood and urine samples, and to investigate test agreement between blood, urine, and kidney samples (research laboratory) for leptospirosis diagnosis. Samples were sourced from 399 sheep and 146 beef cattle from a local abattoir. Interlaboratory agreement for real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) results on urine samples was almost perfect (kappa = 0.90), despite the use of different amplification targets (DNA gyrase subunit B gene vs. 16s ribosomal RNA gene), chemistries (SYTO9 vs. TaqMan probe), and pre-PCR processing. Interlaboratory agreement for microscopic agglutination test (MAT) positivity was almost perfect (kappa = 0.93) for Leptospira borgpetersenii serovar Hardjo subtype Hardjobovis (Hardjobovis) but moderate (kappa = 0.53) for Leptospira interrogans serovar Pomona (Pomona). Among animals that had different titers recorded, higher Hardjobovis and lower Pomona titers were reported by the commercial laboratory than by the research laboratory (P < 0.005). These interlaboratory comparisons can assist researchers and diagnosticians in interpreting the sometimes discrepant test results. Within the research laboratory, the comparison of qPCR results on urine and kidney showed almost perfect agreement (kappa = 0.84), suggesting that the qPCR on these 2 specimens can be used interchangeably. The agreement between MAT positivity and urine and kidney qPCR results was fair (kappa = 0.32 and kappa = 0.33, respectively). However, the prevalence ratio of urine and kidney qPCR positivity in Hardjobovis-seropositive versus Hardjobovis-seronegative sheep indicated that Hardjobovis seropositivity found in sheep may be able to predict shedding or renal carriage. © 2014 The Author(s).

  16. Comparison of urine specific gravity values from total-solids refractometry and reagent strip method.

    PubMed

    Chatasingh, S; Tapaneya-Olarn, W

    1989-01-01

    The comparison of specific gravity values of 561 urine samples from TS meter and reagent strip was made. The data were divided into two groups: group 1-less than 2+ protein contained urine samples and group 2--equal or more than 2+ protein contained urine samples. The results revealed that the specific gravity values from both methods in both groups were statistically different (p less than 0.01) but they were correlated at r = 0.84 (p less than 0.001) and r = 0.73 (p less than 0.001) in group 1 and group 2, respectively. It was concluded that the reagent strip is suitable for use as a screening test but it should not be considered when precise measurement is necessary.

  17. A rapid method for estimation of Pu-isotopes in urine samples using high volume centrifuge.

    PubMed

    Kumar, Ranjeet; Rao, D D; Dubla, Rupali; Yadav, J R

    2017-07-01

    The conventional radio-analytical technique used for estimation of Pu-isotopes in urine samples involves anion exchange/TEVA column separation followed by alpha spectrometry. This sequence of analysis consumes nearly 3-4 days for completion. Many a times excreta analysis results are required urgently, particularly under repeat and incidental/emergency situations. Therefore, there is need to reduce the analysis time for the estimation of Pu-isotopes in bioassay samples. This paper gives the details of standardization of a rapid method for estimation of Pu-isotopes in urine samples using multi-purpose centrifuge, TEVA resin followed by alpha spectrometry. The rapid method involves oxidation of urine samples, co-precipitation of plutonium along with calcium phosphate followed by sample preparation using high volume centrifuge and separation of Pu using TEVA resin. Pu-fraction was electrodeposited and activity estimated using 236 Pu tracer recovery by alpha spectrometry. Ten routine urine samples of radiation workers were analyzed and consistent radiochemical tracer recovery was obtained in the range 47-88% with a mean and standard deviation of 64.4% and 11.3% respectively. With this newly standardized technique, the whole analytical procedure is completed within 9h (one working day hour). Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Comparison of Sofia Legionella FIA and BinaxNOW® Legionella urinary antigen card in two national reference centers.

    PubMed

    Beraud, L; Gervasoni, K; Freydiere, A M; Descours, G; Ranc, A G; Vandenesch, F; Lina, G; Gaia, V; Jarraud, S

    2015-09-01

    The Sofia Legionella Fluorescence Immunoassay (FIA; Quidel) is a recently introduced rapid immunochromatographic diagnostic test for Legionnaires' disease using immunofluorescence technology designed to enhance its sensitivity. The aim of this study was to evaluate its performance for the detection of urinary antigens for Legionella pneumophila serogroup 1 in two National Reference Centers for Legionella. The sensitivity and specificity of the Sofia Legionella FIA test were determined in concentrated and nonconcentrated urine samples, before and after boiling, in comparison with the BinaxNOW® Legionella Urinary Antigen Card (UAC; Alere). Compared with BinaxNOW® Legionella UAC, the sensitivity of the Sofia Legionella test was slightly higher in nonconcentrated urine samples and was identical in concentrated urine samples. The specificity of the Sofia Legionella FIA test was highly reduced by the concentration of urine samples. In nonconcentrated samples, a lack of specificity was observed in 2.3 % of samples, all of them resolved by heat treatment. The Sofia Legionella FIA is a sensitive test for detecting Legionella urinary antigens with no previous urine concentration. However, all positive samples have to be re-tested after boiling to reach a high specificity. The reading is automatized on the Sofia analyzer, which can be connected to laboratory information systems, facilitating accurate and rapid reporting of results.

  19. Natural calcium isotonic composition of urine as a marker of bone mineral balance

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Skulan, J.; Bullen, T.; Anbar, A.D.; Puzas, J.E.; Shackelford, L.; LeBlanc, A.; Smith, S.M.

    2007-01-01

    Background: We investigated whether changes in the natural isotopic composition of calcium in human urine track changes in net bone mineral balance, as predicted by a model of calcium isotopic behavior in vertebrates. If so, isotopic analysis of natural urine or blood calcium could be used to monitor short-term changes in bone mineral balance that cannot be detected with other techniques. Methods: Calcium isotopic compositions are expressed as ??44Ca, or the difference in parts per thousand between the 44Ca/40Ca of a sample and the 44Ca/ 40Ca of a standard reference material. ??44Ca was measured in urine samples from 10 persons who participated in a study of the effectiveness of countermeasures to bone loss in spaceflight, in which 17 weeks of bed rest was used to induce bone loss. Study participants were assigned to 1 of 3 treatment groups: controls received no treatment, one treatment group received alendronate, and another group performed resistive exercise. Measurements were made on urine samples collected before, at 2 or 3 points during, and after bed rest. Results: Urine ??44Ca values during bed rest were lower in controls than in individuals treated with alendronate (P <0.05, ANOVA) or exercise (P <0.05), and lower than the control group baseline (P <0.05, Mest). Results were consistent with the model and with biochemical and bone mineral density data. Conclusion: Results confirm the predicted relationship between bone mineral balance and calcium isotopes, suggesting that calcium isotopic analysis of urine might be refined into a clinical and research tool. ?? 2007 American Association for Clinical Chemistry.

  20. Reproducibility of urinary biomarkers in multiple 24-h urine samples123

    PubMed Central

    Sun, Qi; Bertrand, Kimberly A; Franke, Adrian A; Rosner, Bernard; Curhan, Gary C; Willett, Walter C

    2017-01-01

    Background: Limited knowledge regarding the reproducibility of biomarkers in 24-h urine samples has hindered the collection and use of the samples in epidemiologic studies. Objective: We aimed to evaluate the reproducibility of various markers in repeat 24-h urine samples. Design: We calculated intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) of biomarkers measured in 24-h urine samples that were collected in 3168 participants in the NHS (Nurses’ Health Study), NHSII (Nurses’ Health Study II), and Health Professionals Follow-Up Study. Results: In 742 women with 4 samples each collected over the course of 1 y, ICCs for sodium were 0.32 in the NHS and 0.34 in the NHSII. In 2439 men and women with 2 samples each collected over 1 wk to ≥1 mo, the ICCs ranged from 0.33 to 0.68 for sodium at various intervals between collections. The urinary excretion of potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphate, sulfate, and other urinary markers showed generally higher reproducibility (ICCs >0.4). In 47 women with two 24-h urine samples, ICCs ranged from 0.15 (catechin) to 0.75 (enterolactone) for polyphenol metabolites. For phthalates, ICCs were generally ≤0.26 except for monobenzyl phthalate (ICC: 0.55), whereas the ICC was 0.39 for bisphenol A (BPA). We further estimated that, for the large majority of the biomarkers, the mean of three 24-h urine samples could provide a correlation of ≥0.8 with true long-term urinary excretion. Conclusions: These data suggest that the urinary excretion of various biomarkers, such as minerals, electrolytes, most polyphenols, and BPA, is reasonably reproducible in 24-h urine samples that are collected within a few days or ≤1 y. Our findings show that three 24-h samples are sufficient for the measurement of long-term exposure status in epidemiologic studies. PMID:28049663

  1. Impedimetric method for measuring ultra-low E. coli concentrations in human urine.

    PubMed

    Settu, Kalpana; Chen, Ching-Jung; Liu, Jen-Tsai; Chen, Chien-Lung; Tsai, Jang-Zern

    2015-04-15

    In this study, we developed an interdigitated gold microelectrode-based impedance sensor to detect Escherichia coli (E. coli) in human urine samples for urinary tract infection (UTI) diagnosis. E. coli growth in human urine samples was successfully monitored during a 12-h culture, and the results showed that the maximum relative changes could be measured at 10Hz. An equivalent electrical circuit model was used for evaluating the variations in impedance characteristics of bacterial growth. The equivalent circuit analysis indicated that the change in impedance values at low frequencies was caused by double layer capacitance due to bacterial attachment and formation of biofilm on electrode surface in urine. A linear relationship between the impedance change and initial E. coli concentration was obtained with the coefficient of determination R(2)>0.90 at various growth times of 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 and 12h in urine. Thus our sensor is capable of detecting a wide range of E. coli concentration, 7×10(0) to 7×10(8) cells/ml, in urine samples with high sensitivity. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  2. [Is the renal excretion of orally applied diatrizoate (Gastrografin) a reliable marker of gastrointestinal perforation or dehiscence of a gastrointestinal anastomosis?].

    PubMed

    Born, M; Axmann, C; Kader, R; von Falkenhausen, M; Manka, C; Willinek, W A; Schild, H

    2004-11-01

    Renal excretion of orally or rectally applied Gastrografin is reported to be a reliable indicator of a perforation or a postoperative anastomotic dehiscence of the GI-tract. The study was conducted to determine whether increased attenuation of the urine measured by CT after oral or rectal application of Gastrografin can give reliable evidence of any leakage from the gastrointestinal tract. Urine samples of 33 patients, who underwent a Gastrografin-enhanced fluoroscopic examination of the esophagus or the GI-tract for different clinical reasons, were examined by CT. The samples had been taken immediately before and 60 to 90 minutes after application of 100 ml Gastrografin. The results were compared with those of 5 healthy volunteers, who took urine samples before, 30, 60, 90, and 120 minutes after drinking 100 ml of Gastrografin. Maximal attenuation of the volunteers' urine samples was achieved 60 to 90 minutes after Gastrografin application with a mean of 50 Hounsfield units (HU), SD = 17 HU. The urine of three patients with radiologically proven fistula or dehiscence of a GI-tract anastomosis had no relevant increase in attenuation. Three other cases without any clinical or radiological evidence of an anastomotic leak had a substantial increase in the attenuation of the urine probes (87, 110, and 290 HU, respectively). The CT-measured urine samples as evidence of renal excretion of orally or rectally applied Gastrografin are not reliable for the detection of leaks from the GI-tract.

  3. Towards a method of rapid extraction of strontium-90 from urine: urine pretreatment and alkali metal removal

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

    Hawkins, C.; Dietz, M.; Kaminski, M.

    2016-03-01

    A technical program to support the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention is being developed to provide an analytical method for rapid extraction of Sr-90 from urine, with the intent of assessing the general population’s exposure during an emergency response to a radiological terrorist event. Results are presented on the progress in urine sample preparation and chemical separation steps that provide an accurate and quantitative detection of Sr-90 based upon an automated column separation sequence and a liquid scintillation assay. Batch extractions were used to evaluate the urine pretreatment and the column separation efficiency and loading capacity based upon commercial,more » extractant-loaded resins. An efficient pretreatment process for decolorizing and removing organics from urine without measurable loss of radiostrontium from the sample was demonstrated. In addition, the Diphonix® resin shows promise for the removal of high concentrations of common strontium interferents in urine as a first separation step for Sr-90 analysis.« less

  4. Diagnostic value of JC/BK virus antibody immunohistochemistry staining in urine samples from posttransplant immunosuppressed patients in relation to polyomavirus reactivation.

    PubMed

    Yuste, Rosario Sanchez; Frías, Carolina; López, Ana; Vallejo, Carlos; Martín, Paloma; Bellas, Carmen

    2008-01-01

    To compare the diagnostic value of cytology and immunohistochemistry staining (IHS) of urine samples for polyomavirus reactivation diagnosis. Sixty-eight urine samples collected from 18 immunosuppressed patients were analyzed by Papanicolaou and IHS with a JC/BK virus-specific monoclonal antibody. Overall, polyomavirus BK (BKV) was positive in 11 of 18 patients (61.1%) (3 of whom developed hemorrhagic cystitis) and in 23 of 68 urine samples (28%). Of 23 samples, 4 (17%) were positive by 1 of the 2 techniques, only. Of 23 samples, 19 (83%) were positive by both methods. In matching urine samples from the same patient, the number of BKV-infected positive cells detected by IHS in urine slides was higher than those detected by Papanicolaou staining (71.3%). The main advantage of LHS is that it allowed confirmation of BKV infection diagnosis in urine samples. IHS detected more BKV-infected cells in samples with few positive urothelial cells, which would have gone undetected if only Papanicolaou staining had been used as the BKV screening method. Urine samples testing for BKV by both techniques will improve diagnosis in asymptomatic patients, allowing early therapeutic intervention and a better clinical outcome.

  5. 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

  6. Evaluation of equine urine reactivity towards phase II metabolites of 17-hydroxy steroids by liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Fidani, M; Gamberini, M C; Pasello, E; Palazzoli, F; De Iuliis, P; Montana, M; Arioli, F

    2009-01-01

    Proper storage conditions of biological samples are fundamental to avoid microbiological contamination that can cause chemical modifications of the target analytes. A simple liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) method through direct injection of diluted samples, without prior extraction, was used to evaluate the stability of phase II metabolites of boldenone and testosterone (glucuronides and sulphates) in intentionally poorly stored equine urine samples. We also considered the stability of some deuterated conjugated steroids generally used as internal standards, such as deuterated testosterone and epitestosterone glucuronides, and deuterated boldenone and testosterone sulphates. The urines were kept for 1 day at room temperature, to mimic poor storage conditions, then spiked with the above steroids and kept at different temperatures (-18 degrees C, 4 degrees C, room temperature). It has been possible to confirm the instability of glucuronide compounds when added to poorly stored equine urine samples. In particular, both 17beta- and 17alpha-glucuronide steroids were exposed to hydrolysis leading to non-conjugated steroids. Only 17beta-hydroxy steroids were exposed to oxidation to their keto derivatives whereas the 17alpha-hydroxy steroids were highly stable. The sulphate compounds were completely stable. The deuterated compounds underwent the same behaviour as the unlabelled compounds. The transformations were observed in urine samples kept at room temperature and at a temperature of 4 degrees C (at a slower rate). No modifications were observed in frozen urine samples. In the light of the latter results, the immediate freezing at -18 degrees C of the collected samples and their instant analysis after thawing is the proposed procedure for preventing the transformations that occur in urine, usually due to microbiological contamination. (c) 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  7. [An investigation of lanthanum and other metals levels in blood, urine and hair among residents in the rare earth mining area of a city in China].

    PubMed

    Bao, T M; Tian, Y; Wang, L X; Wu, T; Lu, L N; Ma, H Y; Wang, L

    2018-02-20

    Objective: To investigate the levels of lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, and neodymium in the blood, urine, and hair samples from residents in the rare earth mining area of a city in China, and to provide a scientific basis for the control of rare earth pollution and the protection of population health. Methods: A total of 147 residents who had lived in the rare earth mining area of a city for a long time were selected as the exposure group, and 108 residents in Guyang County of this city who lived 91 km away from the rare earth mining area were selected as the control group. Blood, urine, and hair samples were collected from the residents in both groups. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry was used to determine the content of lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, and neodymium in blood, urine, and hair samples. Results: In the exposure group, the median levels of lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, and neodymium were 0.854, 1.724, 0.132, and 0.839 μg/L, respectively, in blood samples, 0.420, 0.920, 0.055, and 0.337 μg/L, respectively, in urine samples, and 0.052, 0.106, 0.012, and 0.045 μg/g, respectively, in hair samples. The exposure group had significantly higher levels of the four rare earth elements in blood, urine, and hair samples than the control group ( P <0.01) . Conclusion: The residents in the rare earth mining area of this city have higher content of lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, and neodymium in blood, urine, and hair than those in the non-mining area; the content of cerium is highest, followed by lanthanum, neodymium, and praseodymium.

  8. Microbiological test results using three urine pretreatment regimes with 316L stainless steel

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Huff, Timothy L.

    1993-01-01

    Three urine pretreatments, (1) Oxone (Dupont) and sulfuric acid, (2) sodium hypochlorite and sulfuric acid, (3) and ozone, were studied for their ability to reduce microbial levels in urine and minimize surface attachment to 316L stainless steel coupons. Urine samples inoculated with Bacillus insolitus and a filamentous mold, organisms previously recovered from the vapor compression distillation subsystem of NASA Space Station Freedom water recovery test were tested in glass corrosion cells containing base or weld metal coupons. Microbial levels, changes in pH, color, turbidity, and odor of the fluid were monitored over the course of the 21-day test. Specimen surfaces were examined by scanning electron microscopy at completion of the test for microbial attachment. Ozonated urine samples were less turbid and had lower microbial levels than controls or samples receiving other pretreatments. Base metal coupons receiving pretreatment were relatively free of attached bacteria. However, well-developed biofilms were found in the heat-affected regions of welded coupons receiving Oxone and hypochlorite pretreatments. Few bacteria were observed in the same regions of the ozone pretreatment sample.

  9. Direct identification of bacteria causing urinary tract infections by combining matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry with UF-1000i urine flow cytometry.

    PubMed

    Wang, X-H; Zhang, G; Fan, Y-Y; Yang, X; Sui, W-J; Lu, X-X

    2013-03-01

    Rapid identification of bacterial pathogens from clinical specimens is essential to establish an adequate empirical antibiotic therapy to treat urinary tract infections (UTIs). We used matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) combined with UF-1000i urine flow cytometry of urine specimens to quickly and accurately identify bacteria causing UTIs. We divided each urine sample into three aliquots for conventional identification, UF-1000i, and MALDI-TOF MS, respectively. We compared the results of the conventional method with those of MALDI-TOF MS combined with UF-1000i, and discrepancies were resolved by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. We analyzed 1456 urine samples from patients with UTI symptoms, and 932 (64.0%) were negative using each of the three testing methods. The combined method used UF-1000i to eliminate negative specimens and then MALDI-TOF MS to identify the remaining positive samples. The combined method was consistent with the conventional method in 1373 of 1456 cases (94.3%), and gave the correct result in 1381 of 1456 cases (94.8%). Therefore, the combined method described here can directly provide a rapid, accurate, definitive bacterial identification for the vast majority of urine samples, though the MALDI-TOF MS software analysis capabilities should be improved, with regard to mixed bacterial infection. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Comparison of urine analysis using manual and sedimentation methods.

    PubMed

    Kurup, R; Leich, M

    2012-06-01

    Microscopic examination of urine sediment is an essential part in the evaluation of renal and urinary tract diseases. Traditionally, urine sediments are assessed by microscopic examination of centrifuged urine. However the current method used by the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation Medical Laboratory involves uncentrifuged urine. To encourage high level of care, the results provided to the physician must be accurate and reliable for proper diagnosis. The aim of this study is to determine whether the centrifuge method is more clinically significant than the uncentrifuged method. In this study, a comparison between the results obtained from centrifuged and uncentrifuged methods were performed. A total of 167 urine samples were randomly collected and analysed during the period April-May 2010 at the Medical Laboratory, Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation. The urine samples were first analysed microscopically by the uncentrifuged, and then by the centrifuged method. The results obtained from both methods were recorded in a log book. These results were then entered into a database created in Microsoft Excel, and analysed for differences and similarities using this application. Analysis was further done in SPSS software to compare the results using Pearson ' correlation. When compared using Pearson's correlation coefficient analysis, both methods showed a good correlation between urinary sediments with the exception of white bloods cells. The centrifuged method had a slightly higher identification rate for all of the parameters. There is substantial agreement between the centrifuged and uncentrifuged methods. However the uncentrifuged method provides for a rapid turnaround time.

  11. (32)P measurment of urine samples and internal dose assessment for radiation workers in life science laboratories.

    PubMed

    Yoon, S; Pak, M-J; Park, S; Yoo, J; Ha, W-H; Jang, H-K; Kim, J K

    2014-12-01

    (32)P measurements of urine samples and internal dose assessments were conducted for workers in life science laboratories. A procedure for sample pre-treatment was established and validation was performed to exclude interference and to detect (32)P levels accurately. The detection conditions for Cherenkov radiation were evaluated and the accuracy of Cherenkov radiation measurements validated. The analytical and measurement procedures were applied to urine samples collected from 11 workers from life sciences laboratories. The results of the measurements generally indicated very low background radiation levels, but daily urine samples from two workers were above the minimum detectable activity. The (32)P concentrations for two of the workers were 29.3  ±  10.4 Bq•d(-1) and 24.1  ±  11.8 Bq•d(-1), respectively, at intake levels of 4.12 kBq and 2.61 kBq. The effective doses for these two workers were 4.6 μSv and 2.9 μSv. Overall, the results indicate very low levels of radioactivity, except for cases related to specific working conditions.

  12. Effects of diet composition on mutagenic activity in urine.

    PubMed

    Ohara, Akihiro; Matsuhisa, Tsugio

    2004-01-01

    The effects of dietary habits on mutagenic activity in urine were investigated using the umu test based on the use of the genetically engineered bacteria Salmonella typhimurium TA 1535 pSK1002. Genotoxic effects in sample urine were detected by measuring the activation of the SOS response in the bacteria and recording the beta- galactosidase activity. Human subjects consisted of smokers and non-smokers. Urine from subjects who consumed fish showed the highest mutagenic activity, followed by the urine samples from subjects who ate pork or beef. Chicken induced a low level of mutagenic activity. When the subjects ate fried or roasted animal foods, the urine samples gave higher mutagenicity than the urine samples from the subject who consumed non-fried or non-roasted animal foods. When the subject ate vegetables along with a diet rich in animal foods, the activity in urine decreased. Herbs and spices gave the same tendency toward decline as vegetables. Non-smoker urine shower mutagenic activity than samples from smokers.

  13. 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.

  14. Quantitation of lysergic acid diethylamide in urine using atmospheric pressure matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization ion trap mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Cui, Meng; McCooeye, Margaret A; Fraser, Catharine; Mester, Zoltán

    2004-12-01

    A quantitative method was developed for analysis of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) in urine using atmospheric pressure matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization ion trap mass spectrometry (AP MALDI-ITMS). Following solid-phase extraction of LSD from urine samples, extracts were analyzed by AP MALDI-ITMS. The identity of LSD was confirmed by fragmentation of the [M + H](+) ion using tandem mass spectrometry. The quantification of LSD was achieved using stable-isotope-labeled LSD (LSD-d(3)) as the internal standard. The [M + H](+) ion fragmented to produce a dominant fragment ion, which was used for a selected reaction monitoring (SRM) method for quantitative analysis of LSD. SRM was compared with selected ion monitoring and produced a wider linear range and lower limit of quantification. For SRM analysis of samples of LSD spiked in urine, the calibration curve was linear in the range of 1-100 ng/mL with a coefficient of determination, r(2), of 0.9917. This assay was used to determine LSD in urine samples and the AP MALDI-MS results were comparable to the HPLC/ ESI-MS results.

  15. Antibiotic Screening of Urine Culture for Internal Quality Audit at Amrita Hospital, Kochi.

    PubMed

    Suresh, Aswathy; Gopinathan, Anusha; Dinesh, Kavitha R; Kumar, Anil

    2017-07-01

    Urine antimicrobial activity is a seldom analysed laboratory test which greatly impacts the quantification of urine specimens. Presence of antimicrobial activity in the urine reduces the bacterial load in these specimens. Hence, the chances of erroneously reporting insignificant bacteriuria can be reduced on analysis of the antimicrobial activity in urine. The aim of the study was to measure the antimicrobial activity of urine samples obtained from patients in a tertiary care hospital. A total of 100 urine specimens were collected from the study group. Tests like wet mount, Gram staining and culture were performed. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was done on the bacteria isolated from each specimen. The urine specimens were reported as significant bacteriuria (>105 Colony Forming Unit (CFU)/ml) and insignificant bacteriuria (<105 CFU/ml - clean catch midstream urine; <102 CFU/ml - catheterized urine sample) according to the CFU/ml. Staphylococcus aureus ATCC ® 25923 ™ and Escherichia coli ATCC ® 25922 ™ were used to identify the presence of antimicrobial activity in the urine sample by Urine Anti-Bacterial substance Assay (UABA). McNemar test was used for statistical analysis using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 21.0. On analysis of the antimicrobial activity of urine sample with the prior antibiotic history of the patients, 17 were true positives and 43 were true negatives. Twenty six of samples with UABA positivity were culture negative and 28 samples with UABA positivity were culture positive. Sensitivity and specificity of the test was 85% and 53.8% respectively. Accuracy of the test was 60%. The p-value of UABA was <0.001. Enterobacteriaceae was the most common bacterial family isolated from the urine specimens. A total of 85% patients responded to treatment. Presence of antimicrobial activity in urine has a great impact on the interpretation of urine culture reports. Identification of urine antimicrobial activity helps in evaluating the quantification of bacterial growth reported in urine culture. It facilitates speedy recovery of patients by early administration of antibiotics.

  16. 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.

  17. 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.

  18. 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.

  19. Evaluation of take-home organophosphorus pesticide exposure among agricultural workers and their children.

    PubMed Central

    Curl, Cynthia L; Fenske, Richard A; Kissel, John C; Shirai, Jeffry H; Moate, Thomas F; Griffith, William; Coronado, Gloria; Thompson, Beti

    2002-01-01

    We analyzed organophosphorus pesticide exposure in 218 farm worker households in agricultural communities in Washington State to investigate the take-home pathway of pesticide exposure and to establish baseline exposure levels for a community intervention project. House dust samples (n = 156) were collected from within the homes, and vehicle dust samples (n = 190) were collected from the vehicles used by the farm workers to commute to and from work. Urine samples were obtained from a farm worker (n = 213) and a young child (n = 211) in each household. Dust samples were analyzed for six pesticides, and urine samples were analyzed for five dialkylphosphate (DAP) metabolites. Azinphosmethyl was detected in higher concentrations (p < 0.0001) than the other pesticides: geometric mean concentrations of azinphosmethyl were 0.53 micro g/g in house dust and 0.75 micro g/g in vehicle dust. Dimethyl DAP metabolite concentrations were higher than diethyl DAP metabolite concentrations in both child and adult urine (p < 0.0001). Geometric mean dimethyl DAP concentrations were 0.13 micro mol/L in adult urine and 0.09 micro mol/L in child urine. Creatinine-adjusted geometric mean dimethyl DAP concentrations were 0.09 micro mol/g in adult urine and 0.14 micro mol/g in child urine. Azinphosmethyl concentrations in house dust and vehicle dust from the same household were significantly associated (r2 = 0.41, p < 0.0001). Dimethyl DAP levels in child and adult urine from the same household were also significantly associated (r2 = 0.18, p < 0.0001), and this association remained when the values were creatinine adjusted. The results of this work support the hypothesis that the take-home exposure pathway contributes to residential pesticide contamination in agricultural homes where young children are present. PMID:12460819

  20. Fast screening tests for the simultaneous detection of 11 drugs of abuse in urine specimens. A forensic epidemiology study of 28,298 cases in Tunisia.

    PubMed

    Moslah, B; Araoud, M; Nouioui, M A; Najjar, S; Amira, D; Ben Salah, N; Hedhili, A

    2018-02-01

    Forensic investigation performed on people suspected to be drug abusers covering all Tunisian cities was conducted by monitoring an epidemiological study of human urine samples surveying positive rates of consumption for drugs of abuse. The forensic investigations were conducted on a total of 28,298 arrested individuals suspected to be drug addicts during five years (January 2010-December 2015). An immunoassay screening tests to detect elevated levels of drugs classes in urine samples was performed. These screening assays provide a preliminary qualitative test result. Only positives urine specimens were analyzed with GC-MS for confirmation. Except for cannabis, the results showed insignificant number of positive cases for cocaine, ecstasy (MDMA) and amphetamine consumptions (<1%). Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. Survey of antibiotic residues in Canadian slaughter animals.

    PubMed Central

    Tittiger, F; Kingscote, B; Meldrum, B; Prior, M

    1975-01-01

    Kidneys and urine of cattle, swine, sheep and chickens were tested for bacterial growth inhibitors using Bacillus subtilis and Sarcina lutea as test organisms. Results were as follows: 211 beef kidneys four positive, 611 swine kidneys five positive, 27 sheep and 120 chicken kidneys all negative, 2108 beef urine 76 positive, 2409 swine urine 186 positive, 176 sheep urine 17 positive. Strongest reactions were obtained with B. subtilis on phosphate buffered pH 6.0 plates. Larger zones were produced by urine from injected animals than by tissue samples. PMID:236082

  2. Accuracy of urinary human papillomavirus testing for presence of cervical HPV: systematic review and meta-analysis

    PubMed Central

    Pathak, Neha; Dodds, Julie; Khan, Khalid

    2014-01-01

    Objective To determine the accuracy of testing for human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA in urine in detecting cervical HPV in sexually active women. Design Systematic review and meta-analysis. Data sources Searches of electronic databases from inception until December 2013, checks of reference lists, manual searches of recent issues of relevant journals, and contact with experts. Eligibility criteria Test accuracy studies in sexually active women that compared detection of urine HPV DNA with detection of cervical HPV DNA. Data extraction and synthesis Data relating to patient characteristics, study context, risk of bias, and test accuracy. 2×2 tables were constructed and synthesised by bivariate mixed effects meta-analysis. Results 16 articles reporting on 14 studies (1443 women) were eligible for meta-analysis. Most used commercial polymerase chain reaction methods on first void urine samples. Urine detection of any HPV had a pooled sensitivity of 87% (95% confidence interval 78% to 92%) and specificity of 94% (95% confidence interval 82% to 98%). Urine detection of high risk HPV had a pooled sensitivity of 77% (68% to 84%) and specificity of 88% (58% to 97%). Urine detection of HPV 16 and 18 had a pooled sensitivity of 73% (56% to 86%) and specificity of 98% (91% to 100%). Metaregression revealed an increase in sensitivity when urine samples were collected as first void compared with random or midstream (P=0.004). Limitations The major limitations of this review are the lack of a strictly uniform method for the detection of HPV in urine and the variation in accuracy between individual studies. Conclusions Testing urine for HPV seems to have good accuracy for the detection of cervical HPV, and testing first void urine samples is more accurate than random or midstream sampling. When cervical HPV detection is considered difficult in particular subgroups, urine testing should be regarded as an acceptable alternative. PMID:25232064

  3. Analysis of cannabis in oral fluid specimens by GC-MS with automatic SPE.

    PubMed

    Choi, Hyeyoung; Baeck, Seungkyung; Kim, Eunmi; Lee, Sooyeun; Jang, Moonhee; Lee, Juseon; Choi, Hwakyung; Chung, Heesun

    2009-12-01

    Methamphetamine (MA) is the most commonly abused drug in Korea, followed by cannabis. Traditionally, MA analysis is carried out on both urine and hair samples and cannabis analysis in urine samples only. Despite the fact that oral fluid has become increasingly popular as an alternative specimen in the field of driving under the influence of drugs (DUID) and work place drug testing, its application has not been expanded to drug analysis in Korea. Oral fluid is easy to collect and handle and can provide an indication of recent drug abuse. In this study, we present an analytical method using GC-MS to determine tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and its main metabolite 11-nor-delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol-9-carboxylic acid (THC-COOH) in oral fluid. The validated method was applied to oral fluid samples collected from drug abuse suspects and the results were compared with those in urine. The stability of THC and THC-COOH in oral fluid stored in different containers was also investigated. Oral fluid specimens from 12 drug abuse suspects, submitted by the police, were collected by direct expectoration. The samples were screened with microplate ELISA. For confirmation they were extracted using automated SPE with mixed-mode cation exchange cartridge, derivatized and analyzed by GC-MS using selective ion monitoring (SIM). The concentrations ofTHC and THC-COOH in oral fluid showed a large variation and the results from oral fluid and urine samples from cannabis abusers did not show any correlation. Thus, detailed information about time interval between drug use and sample collection is needed to interpret the oral fluid results properly. In addition, further investigation about the detection time window ofTHC and THC-COOH in oral fluid is required to substitute oral fluid for urine in drug testing.

  4. Stability of urine specimens stored with and without preservatives at room temperature and on ice prior to urinalysis.

    PubMed

    Ercan, Müjgan; Akbulut, Emiş Deniz; Abuşoğlu, Sedat; Yılmaz, Fatma Meriç; Oğuz, Esra Fırat; Topçuoğlu, Canan; Öztekin, Volkan; Boğdaycıoğlu, Nihal

    2015-09-01

    Laboratories determine the most appropriate approach for the collection and transport of urine specimens. We investigated the effect of a chlorhexidine-based preservative tube on sample stability, compared the results of refrigerated polystyrene tubes with no additives, and investigated the effect of temperature on the performance of preservative tubes. Fresh urine specimen (n=48) aliquots in BD Vacutainer® Plus Urinalysis Preservative Tubes and polystyrene tubes were analyzed on an Iris Diagnostics iQ200. Samples in polystyrene tubes were refrigerated for 4 and 8h. Four aliquots in preservative tubes were kept at room temperature for 4, 8, 24, and 72h, while two aliquots were kept on ice for 4 and 8h. There was good agreement for all chemistry and microscopy parameters with the exceptions of white blood cells (WBCs) at 24 and 72h and red blood cells (RBCs) at 72h. Preservative tubes on ice showed a significant decrease in concordance of WBCs and calcium oxalate (CaOx) parameters compared with the results at room temperature. Results of refrigerated polystyrene tubes showed good agreement with the exceptions of WBC clumps and amorphous crystal at 8h. A chlorhexidine-containing preservative tube seems advantageous for urine sample transport from outside healthcare services. A preservative tube offers comparable results with urine samples kept in a refrigerator for 4-8h for the majority of parameters. Keeping samples at room temperature is recommended when preservative tubes are used because ice produces a negative effect on WBCs and CaOx. Copyright © 2015 The Canadian Society of Clinical Chemists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. Amphetamine concentrations in human urine following single-dose administration of the calcium antagonist prenylamine-studies using fluorescence polarization immunoassay (FPIA) and GC-MS.

    PubMed

    Kraemer, Thomas; Roditis, Susanne K; Peters, Frank T; Maurer, Hans H

    2003-03-01

    Prenylamine (R,S-N-(3,3-diphenylpropyl-methyl-2-phenethylamine), a World Health Organization class V calcium antagonist, is known to be metabolized to amphetamine. In this study, amphetamine concentrations after a single-dose administration of prenylamine were determined to check if they reached values that could be of analytical and/or pharmacological importance in clinical and forensic toxicology. Enantiomeric composition of amphetamine was also studied. Five volunteers received a single 120-mg oral dose of prenylamine. Urine samples were analyzed using the Abbott TDx immunoassay Amphetamine/Methamphetamine II and using our routine systematic toxicological analysis (STA) gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) procedure. For quantitation purposes, GC-MS was used in the selected-ion monitoring (SIM) mode (ions m/z 118, 122, 240, 244) after solid-phase extraction (Isolute Confirm HCX) and derivatization (heptafluorobutyric anhydride). Amphetamine-d5 was used as internal standard (IS). Chiral separation of the heptafluorobutyrated amphetamine enantiomers was achieved using an Astec Chiraldex G-PN column. The TDx results showed a great variability for the different volunteers. A urine sample of one volunteer showed results as high as 3200 ng/mL, whereas the urine samples of another volunteer never gave results greater than the TDx detection limit (100 ng/mL). Using the STA procedure, the presence of amphetamine could be confirmed in all urine samples with TDx results greater than the cutoff value (300 ng/mL). Using the GC-MS SIM method, amphetamine concentrations up to 1280 ng/mL were determined. Chiral analysis revealed that both enantiomers of amphetamine were present in the samples with a surplus of the S(+)-enantiomer in the early phase of excretion. Forensic implications are discussed.

  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. 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.

  8. Feasibility of collecting 24-h urine to monitor sodium intake in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey123

    PubMed Central

    Terry, Ana L; Cogswell, Mary E; Wang, Chia-Yih; Chen, Te-Ching; Loria, Catherine M; Wright, Jacqueline D; Zhang, Xinli; Lacher, David A; Merritt, Robert K; Bowman, Barbara A

    2016-01-01

    Background: Twenty-four–hour urine sodium excretion is recommended for monitoring population sodium intake. Because of concerns about participation and completion, sodium excretion has not been collected previously in US nationally representative surveys. Objective: We assessed the feasibility of implementing 24-h urine collections as part of a nationally representative survey. Design: We selected a random half sample of nonpregnant US adults aged 20–69 y in 3 geographic locations of the 2013 NHANES. Participants received explicit instructions, started and ended the urine collection in a urine study mobile examination center, and answered questions about their collection. Among those with a complete 24-h urine collection, a random one-half were asked to collect a second 24-h urine sample. Sodium, potassium, chloride, and creatinine excretion were analyzed. Results: The final NHANES examination response rate for adults aged 20–69 y in these 3 study locations was 71%. Of those examined (n = 476), 282 (59%) were randomly selected to participate in the 24-h urine collection. Of these, 212 persons [75% of those selected for 24-h urine collection; 53% (equal to 71% × 75% of those selected for the NHANES)] collected a complete initial 24-h specimen and 92 persons (85% of 108 selected) collected a second complete 24-h urine sample. More men than women completed an initial collection (P = 0.04); otherwise, completion did not vary by sociodemographic characteristics, body mass index, education, or employment status for either collection. Mean 24-h urine volume and sodium excretion were 1964 ± 1228 mL and 3657 ± 2003 mg, respectively, for the first 24-h urine sample, and 2048 ± 1288 mL and 3773 ± 1891 mg, respectively, for the second collection. Conclusion: Given the 53% final component response rate and 75% completion rate, 24-h urine collections were deemed feasible and implemented in the NHANES 2014 on a subsample of adults aged 20–69 y to assess population sodium intake. This study was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT02723682. PMID:27413136

  9. Comparison of Human Papillomavirus Detections in Urine, Vulvar, and Cervical Samples from Women Attending a Colposcopy Clinic

    PubMed Central

    Gravitt, Patti E.; Dunn, S. Terence; Brown, David; Allen, Richard A.; Eby, Yolanda J.; Smith, Katie; Zuna, Rosemary E.; Zhang, Roy R.; Gold, Michael A.; Schiffman, Mark; Walker, Joan L.; Castle, Philip E.; Wentzensen, Nicolas

    2014-01-01

    While urine-based sampling for human papillomavirus (HPV) is being explored as a simple and noninvasive approach for cervical cancer screening, data comparing HPV genotyping in urine and those in cellular sampling of the cervix and vulva, and their correlation with rigorously confirmed cervical disease status, are sparse. We performed HPV genotyping on voided-urine and clinician-collected vulvar and cervical samples from 72 women undergoing colposcopy. Although urine-based HPV carcinogenic HPV detection was lower (58.3%) than cervical (73.6%) and vulvar (72.1%) detection (P = 0.05 and 0.07, respectively), the agreement of urine HPV with cervical and vulvar HPV was moderate (kappa = 0.55) and substantial (kappa = 0.62), respectively. Urine-based carcinogenic HPV detection had a clinical sensitivity of 80.8% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 60.7 to 93.5) and a specificity of 53.3% (95% CI = 37.9 to 68.3) for diagnosing cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grades 2/3 (CIN2/3) on histology; 90.0% of CIN3 was positive for urine HPV. The corresponding sensitivity and specificity values for vulvar sampling were 92% (95% CI = 74 to 99) and 40.5% (95% CI = 25.6 to 56.7), and those for cervical sampling were 96.2% (95% CI = 80.4 to 99.9) and 40% (95% CI = 25.7 to 55.7), respectively. HPV16 was the most common carcinogenic genotype detectable in 25% of urine, 33.8% of vulvar, and 31.9% of cervical samples overall, with prevalence increasing with cervical disease grade, regardless of the sampling method. Stronger cervical HPV PCR signal strengths were associated with increased frequency of urine HPV detection. In summary, the relatively lower detection rates but comparable clinical performance of urine-based HPV sampling underscore the need for larger studies to evaluate urine-based sampling for cervical cancer screening, epidemiologic studies, and postvaccination HPV disease surveillance. PMID:24197879

  10. Comparison of the Abbott RealTime High Risk HPV test and the Roche cobas 4800 HPV test using urine samples.

    PubMed

    Lim, Myong Cheol; Lee, Do-Hoon; Hwang, Sang-Hyun; Hwang, Na Rae; Lee, Bomyee; Shin, Hye Young; Jun, Jae Kwan; Yoo, Chong Woo; Lee, Dong Ock; Seo, Sang-Soo; Park, Sang-Yoon; Joo, Jungnam

    2017-05-01

    Human papillomavirus (HPV) testing based on cervical samples is important for use in cervical cancer screening. However, cervical sampling is invasive. Therefore, non-invasive methods for detecting HPV, such as urine samples, are needed. For HPV detection in urine samples, two real-time PCR (RQ-PCR) tests, Roche cobas 4800 test (Roche_HPV; Roche Molecular Diagnostics) and Abbott RealTime High Risk HPV test (Abbott_HPV; Abbott Laboratories) were compared to standard cervical samples. The performance of Roche_HPV and Abbott_HPV for HPV detection was evaluated at the National Cancer Center using 100 paired cervical and urine samples. The tests were also compared using urine samples stored at various temperatures and for a range of durations. The overall agreement between the Roche_HPV and Abbott_HPV tests using urine samples for any hrHPV type was substantial (86.0% with a kappa value of 0.7173), and that for HPV 16/18 was nearly perfect (99.0% with a kappa value of 0.9668). The relative sensitivities (based on cervical samples) for HPV 16/18 detection using Roche_HPV and Abbott_HPV with urine samples were 79.2% (95% CI; 57.9-92.9%) and 81.8% (95% CI; 59.7-94.8%), respectively. When the cut-off C T value for Abbott_HPV was extended to 40 for urine samples, the relative sensitivity of Abbott_HPV increased to 91.7% from 81.8% for HPV16/18 detection and to 87.0% from 68.5% for other hrHPV detection. The specificity was not affected by the change in the C T threshold. Roche_HPV and Abbott_HPV showed high concordance. However, HPV DNA detection using urine samples was inferior to HPV DNA detection using cervical samples. Interestingly, when the cut-off C T value was set to 40, Abbott_HPV using urine samples showed high sensitivity and specificity, comparable to those obtained using cervical samples. Fully automated DNA extraction and detection systems, such as Roche_HPV and Abbott_HPV, could reduce the variability in HPV detection and accelerate the standardization of HPV detection in urine. Thus, urine samples may be an effective alternative for HPV detection in women who hesitate to participate in cervical cancer screening programs. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Evaluation of urovysion and cytology for bladder cancer detection: a study of 1835 paired urine samples with clinical and histologic correlation.

    PubMed

    Dimashkieh, Haythem; Wolff, Daynna J; Smith, T Michael; Houser, Patricia M; Nietert, Paul J; Yang, Jack

    2013-10-01

    Urine cytology has been used for screening of bladder cancer but has been limited by its low sensitivity. UroVysion is a multiprobe fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) assay that detects common chromosome abnormalities in bladder cancers. For this study, the authors evaluated the effectiveness of multiprobe FISH and urine cytology in detecting urothelial cell carcinoma (UCC) in the same urine sample. In total, 1835 cases with the following criteria were selected: valid results from both the multiprobe FISH assay and urine cytology in the same urine sample, histologic and/or cystoscopic follow-up within 4 months of the original tests, or at least 3 years of clinical follow-up information. The results of FISH and cytology were correlated with clinical outcomes derived from a combination of histologic, cystoscopic, and clinical follow-up information. Of 1835 cases, 1045 cases were from patients undergoing surveillance of recurrent UCC, and 790 were for hematuria. The overall sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value in detecting UCC were 61.9%, 89.7%, 53.9%, and 92.4%, respectively, for FISH and 29.1%, 96.9%, 64.4%, and 87.5%, respectively, for cytology. The performance of both FISH and cytology generally was better in the surveillance population and in samples with high-grade UCC. In 95 of 296 cases with atypical cytology that were proven to have UCC, 61 cases, mostly high-grade UCC, were positive using the multiprobe FISH assay. The UroVysion multiprobe FISH assay was more sensitive than urine cytology in detecting UCC, but it produced more false-positive results. The current data suggest that the use of FISH as a reflex test after an equivocal cytologic diagnosis may play an effective role in detecting UCC. © 2013 American Cancer Society.

  12. Rapid test by liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry to evaluate equine urine reactivity towards 17beta-OH steroids.

    PubMed

    Fidani, Marco; Casagni, Eleonora; Montana, Marco; Pasello, Emanuela; Pecoraro, Chiara; Gambaro, Veniero

    2006-01-01

    Bacteria frequently found in equine urine samples may cause degradation of 17beta-OH steroids. A simple liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) method has been developed to evaluate the microbiological contamination of equine urine as a marker of poor storage conditions. Norethandrolone was used as the internal standard, and the linearity, sensitivity, precision and accuracy of the method were evaluated. 17beta-OH oxidation was demonstrated for testosterone, nandrolone, trenbolone and boldenone, but did not occur in alpha-epimers such as alpha-boldenone and epitestosterone, demonstrating the stereoselectivity of the reaction. A rapid test was performed by spiking one of the four 17beta-OH steroids in samples of diluted equine urine. The steroids were transformed into their respective ketones in the presence of bacterial activity. The test allows direct injection of diluted samples into the LC/MS system, without the need for prior extraction. Results show that the best method of storage is freezing at -18 degrees C. Urine specimens should be analyzed as soon as possible after thawing. This allows bacterial degradation of equine urine to be arrested temporarily, so that the urine can be used for qualitative or quantitative analysis of 17beta-OH steroids.

  13. 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.

  14. 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

  15. 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.

  16. 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.

  17. Glyphosate and aminomethylphosphonic acid are not detectable in human milk.

    PubMed

    McGuire, Michelle K; McGuire, Mark A; Price, William J; Shafii, Bahman; Carrothers, Janae M; Lackey, Kimberly A; Goldstein, Daniel A; Jensen, Pamela K; Vicini, John L

    2016-05-01

    Although animal studies have shown that exposure to glyphosate (a commonly used herbicide) does not result in glyphosate bioaccumulation in tissues, to our knowledge there are no published data on whether it is detectable in human milk and therefore consumed by breastfed infants. We sought to determine whether glyphosate and its metabolite aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA) could be detected in milk and urine produced by lactating women and, if so, to quantify typical consumption by breastfed infants. We collected milk (n = 41) and urine (n = 40) samples from healthy lactating women living in and around Moscow, Idaho and Pullman, Washington. Milk and urine samples were analyzed for glyphosate and AMPA with the use of highly sensitive liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry methods validated for and optimized to each sample matrix. Our milk assay, which was sensitive down to 1 μg/L for both analytes, detected neither glyphosate nor AMPA in any milk sample. Mean ± SD glyphosate and AMPA concentrations in urine were 0.28 ± 0.38 and 0.30 ± 0.33 μg/L, respectively. Because of the complex nature of milk matrixes, these samples required more dilution before analysis than did urine, thus decreasing the sensitivity of the assay in milk compared with urine. No difference was found in urine glyphosate and AMPA concentrations between subjects consuming organic compared with conventionally grown foods or between women living on or near a farm/ranch and those living in an urban or suburban nonfarming area. Our data provide evidence that glyphosate and AMPA are not detectable in milk produced by women living in this region of the US Pacific Northwest. By extension, our results therefore suggest that dietary glyphosate exposure is not a health concern for breastfed infants. This study was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT02670278. © 2016 American Society for Nutrition.

  18. Determination of 3-hydroxypropylmercapturic acid in urine by three column-switching high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection using a diamond electrode.

    PubMed

    Higashi, Kyohei; Shibasaki, Mana; Kuni, Kyoshiro; Uemura, Takeshi; Waragai, Masaaki; Uemura, Kenichi; Igarashi, Kazuei; Toida, Toshihiko

    2017-09-29

    A three column-switching high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) using an electrochemical detector (ECD) equipped with a diamond electrode was established to determine 3-hydroxypropylmercapturic acid (3-HPMA) in urine. An extracted urine sample was consecutively fractionated using a strong anion-exchange column (first column) and a C8 column (second column) via a switching valve before application on an Octa Decyl Silyl (ODS) column (third column), followed by ECD analysis. The% recovery of 3-HPMA standard throughout the three-column process and limit of detection (LOD) were 94±1% and 0.1pmol, respectively. A solid phase extraction step is required for the sensitive analysis of 3-HPMA in urine by column-switching HPLC-ECD despite a decreased% recovery (55%) of urine sample spiked with 100pmol of 3-HPMA. To test the utility of our column-switching HPLC-ECD method, 3-HPMA levels of 27 urine samples were determined, and the correlation between HPLC-ECD and LC-Electrospray ionization (ESI)-MS/MS method was examined. As a result, the median values of μmol 3-HPMA/g Creatinine (Cre) in urine obtained by column-switching HPLC-ECD and LC-MS/MS were 2.19±2.12μmol/g Cre and 2.13±3.38μmol/g Cre, respectively, and the calibration curve (y=1.5171x-1.007) exhibited good linearity within a defined range (r 2 =0.907). These results indicate that the combination of column-switching HPLC and ECD is a powerful tool for the specific, reliable detection of 3-HPMA in urine. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. The simultaneous detection of trivalent & hexavalent chromium in exhaled breath condensate: A feasibility study comparing workers and controls.

    PubMed

    Leese, Elizabeth; Morton, Jackie; Gardiner, Philip H E; Carolan, Vikki A

    2017-04-01

    The analytical method outlined in this feasibility study has been used to show that trivalent chromium (Cr(III)) and hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) can be detected and measured in exhaled breath condensate (EBC) samples. EBC samples and urine samples were collected from a cohort of 58 workers occupationally exposed to hexavalent chromium compounds and 22 unexposed volunteers (control group). Levels of Cr(III) and Cr(VI) were determined in EBC samples and total chromium levels were determined in urine samples. Pre and post working week samples for both EBC and urine were collected in tandem. Total chromium in urine samples was analysed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Analysis of Cr(III) and Cr(VI) in EBC samples used a hyphenated micro liquid chromatography (μLC) system coupled to an ICP-MS. Separation was achieved using an anion exchange micro-sized column. The results showed that the occupationally exposed workers had significantly higher levels of Cr(III) and Cr(VI) in their EBC samples than the control group, as well as higher levels of total chromium in their urine samples. However, for the exposed workers no significant difference was found between pre and post working week EBC samples for either Cr(III) or Cr(VI). This study has established that Cr(III) and Cr(VI) can simultaneously be detected and measured in 'real' EBC samples and will help in understanding inhalation exposure. Crown Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  20. Estimation of Daily Sodium and Potassium Excretion Using Spot Urine and 24-Hour Urine Samples in a Black Population (Benin).

    PubMed

    Mizéhoun-Adissoda, Carmelle; Houehanou, Corine; Chianéa, Thierry; Dalmay, François; Bigot, André; Preux, Pierre-Marie; Bovet, Pascal; Houinato, Dismand; Desport, Jean-Claude

    2016-07-01

    The 24-hour urine collection method is considered the gold standard for the estimation of ingested potassium and sodium. Because of the impracticalities of collecting all urine over a 24-hour period, spot urine is often used for epidemiological investigations. This study aims to assess the agreement between spot urine and 24-hour urine measurements to determine sodium and potassium intake. A total of 402 participants aged 25 to 64 years were randomly selected in South Benin. Spot urine was taken during the second urination of the day. Twenty-four-hour urine was also collected. Samples (2-mL) were taken and then stored at -20°C. The analysis was carried out using potentiometric dosage. The agreement between spot urine and 24-hour urine measurements was established using Bland-Altman plots. A total of 354 results were analyzed. Daily sodium chloride and potassium chloride urinary excretion means were 10.2±4.9 g/24 h and 2.9±1.4 g/24 h, respectively. Estimated daily sodium chloride and potassium chloride means from the spot urine were 10.7±7.0 g/24 h and 3.9±2.1 g/24 h, respectively. Concordance coefficients were 0.61 at d=-0.5 g, (d±2SD=-11 g and 10.1 g) for sodium chloride and 0.61 at d=-1 g, (d±2SD=-3.8 g and 1.8 g) for potassium chloride. Spot urine method is acceptable for estimating 24-hour urinary sodium and potassium excretion to assess sodium and potassium intake in a black population. However, the confidence interval for the mean difference, which is too large, makes the sodium chloride results inadmissible at a clinical level. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  1. Evaluation of a Urine Pooling Strategy for the Rapid and Cost-Efficient Prevalence Classification of Schistosomiasis.

    PubMed

    Lo, Nathan C; Coulibaly, Jean T; Bendavid, Eran; N'Goran, Eliézer K; Utzinger, Jürg; Keiser, Jennifer; Bogoch, Isaac I; Andrews, Jason R

    2016-08-01

    A key epidemiologic feature of schistosomiasis is its focal distribution, which has important implications for the spatial targeting of preventive chemotherapy programs. We evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of a urine pooling strategy using a point-of-care circulating cathodic antigen (POC-CCA) cassette test for detection of Schistosoma mansoni, and employed simulation modeling to test the classification accuracy and efficiency of this strategy in determining where preventive chemotherapy is needed in low-endemicity settings. We performed a cross-sectional study involving 114 children aged 6-15 years in six neighborhoods in Azaguié Ahoua, south Côte d'Ivoire to characterize the sensitivity and specificity of the POC-CCA cassette test with urine samples that were tested individually and in pools of 4, 8, and 12. We used a Bayesian latent class model to estimate test characteristics for individual POC-CCA and quadruplicate Kato-Katz thick smears on stool samples. We then developed a microsimulation model and used lot quality assurance sampling to test the performance, number of tests, and total cost per school for each pooled testing strategy to predict the binary need for school-based preventive chemotherapy using a 10% prevalence threshold for treatment. The sensitivity of the urine pooling strategy for S. mansoni diagnosis using pool sizes of 4, 8, and 12 was 85.9%, 79.5%, and 65.4%, respectively, when POC-CCA trace results were considered positive, and 61.5%, 47.4%, and 30.8% when POC-CCA trace results were considered negative. The modeled specificity ranged from 94.0-97.7% for the urine pooling strategies (when POC-CCA trace results were considered negative). The urine pooling strategy, regardless of the pool size, gave comparable and often superior classification performance to stool microscopy for the same number of tests. The urine pooling strategy with a pool size of 4 reduced the number of tests and total cost compared to classical stool microscopy. This study introduces a method for rapid and efficient S. mansoni prevalence estimation through examining pooled urine samples with POC-CCA as an alternative to widely used stool microscopy.

  2. Evaluation of a Urine Pooling Strategy for the Rapid and Cost-Efficient Prevalence Classification of Schistosomiasis

    PubMed Central

    Coulibaly, Jean T.; Bendavid, Eran; N’Goran, Eliézer K.; Utzinger, Jürg; Keiser, Jennifer; Bogoch, Isaac I.; Andrews, Jason R.

    2016-01-01

    Background A key epidemiologic feature of schistosomiasis is its focal distribution, which has important implications for the spatial targeting of preventive chemotherapy programs. We evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of a urine pooling strategy using a point-of-care circulating cathodic antigen (POC-CCA) cassette test for detection of Schistosoma mansoni, and employed simulation modeling to test the classification accuracy and efficiency of this strategy in determining where preventive chemotherapy is needed in low-endemicity settings. Methodology We performed a cross-sectional study involving 114 children aged 6–15 years in six neighborhoods in Azaguié Ahoua, south Côte d’Ivoire to characterize the sensitivity and specificity of the POC-CCA cassette test with urine samples that were tested individually and in pools of 4, 8, and 12. We used a Bayesian latent class model to estimate test characteristics for individual POC-CCA and quadruplicate Kato-Katz thick smears on stool samples. We then developed a microsimulation model and used lot quality assurance sampling to test the performance, number of tests, and total cost per school for each pooled testing strategy to predict the binary need for school-based preventive chemotherapy using a 10% prevalence threshold for treatment. Principal Findings The sensitivity of the urine pooling strategy for S. mansoni diagnosis using pool sizes of 4, 8, and 12 was 85.9%, 79.5%, and 65.4%, respectively, when POC-CCA trace results were considered positive, and 61.5%, 47.4%, and 30.8% when POC-CCA trace results were considered negative. The modeled specificity ranged from 94.0–97.7% for the urine pooling strategies (when POC-CCA trace results were considered negative). The urine pooling strategy, regardless of the pool size, gave comparable and often superior classification performance to stool microscopy for the same number of tests. The urine pooling strategy with a pool size of 4 reduced the number of tests and total cost compared to classical stool microscopy. Conclusions/Significance This study introduces a method for rapid and efficient S. mansoni prevalence estimation through examining pooled urine samples with POC-CCA as an alternative to widely used stool microscopy. PMID:27504954

  3. Determination of thiopental in urine sample with high-performance liquid chromatography using iodine-azide reaction as a postcolumn detection system.

    PubMed

    Zakrzewski, Robert; Ciesielski, Witold

    2005-09-25

    The reaction between iodine and azide ions induced by thiopental was utilized as a postcolumn reaction for chromatographic determination of thiopental. The method is based on the separation of thiopental on an Nova-Pak CN HP column with an acetonitrile-aqueous solution of sodium azide as a mobile phase, followed by spectrophotometric measurement of the residual iodine (lambda=350 nm) from the postcolumn iodine-azide reaction induced by thiopental after mixing an iodine solution containing iodide ions with the column effluent containing azide ions and thiopental. Chromatograms obtained for thiopental showed negative peaks as a result of the decrease in background absorbance. The detection limit (defined as S/N=3) was 20 nM (0.4 pmol injected amount) for thiopental. Calibration graphs, plotted as peak area versus concentrations, were linear from 40 nM. The elaborated method was applied to determine thiopental in urine samples. The detection limit (defined as S/N=3) was 0.025 nmol/ml urine. Calibration graphs, plotted as peak area versus concentrations, were linear from 0.05 nmol/ml urine. Authentic urine samples were analyzed, thiopental was determined at nmol/ml urine level.

  4. Value of Routine Dengue Diagnostic Tests in Urine and Saliva Specimens

    PubMed Central

    Andries, Anne-Claire; Duong, Veasna; Ly, Sowath; Cappelle, Julien; Kim, Kim Srorn; Lorn Try, Patrich; Ros, Sopheaktra; Ong, Sivuth; Huy, Rekol; Horwood, Paul; Flamand, Marie; Sakuntabhai, Anavaj; Tarantola, Arnaud; Buchy, Philippe

    2015-01-01

    Background Dengue laboratory diagnosis is essentially based on detection of the virus, its components or antibodies directed against the virus in blood samples. Blood, however, may be difficult to draw in some patients, especially in children, and sampling during outbreak investigations or epidemiological studies may face logistical challenges or limited compliance to invasive procedures from subjects. The aim of this study was to assess the possibility of using saliva and urine samples instead of blood for dengue diagnosis. Methodology/Principal Findings Serial plasma, urine and saliva samples were collected at several time-points between the day of admission to hospital until three months after the onset of fever in children with confirmed dengue disease. Quantitative RT-PCR, NS1 antigen capture and ELISA serology for anti-DENV antibody (IgG, IgM and IgA) detection were performed in parallel on the three body fluids. RT-PCR and NS1 tests demonstrated an overall sensitivity of 85.4%/63.4%, 41.6%/14.5% and 39%/28.3%, in plasma, urine and saliva specimens, respectively. When urine and saliva samples were collected at the same time-points and tested concurrently, the diagnostic sensitivity of RNA and NS1 detection assays was 69.1% and 34.4%, respectively. IgG/IgA detection assays had an overall sensitivity of 54.4%/37.4%, 38.5%/26.8% and 52.9%/28.6% in plasma, urine and saliva specimens, respectively. IgM were detected in 38.1% and 36% of the plasma and saliva samples but never in urine. Conclusions Although the performances of the different diagnostic methods were not as good in saliva and urine as in plasma specimens, the results obtained by qRT-PCR and by anti-DENV antibody ELISA could well justify the use of these two body fluids to detect dengue infection in situations when the collection of blood specimens is not possible. PMID:26406240

  5. 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.

  6. Urine Sample Preparation in 96-Well Filter Plates for Quantitative Clinical Proteomics

    PubMed Central

    2015-01-01

    Urine is an important, noninvasively collected body fluid source for the diagnosis and prognosis of human diseases. Liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC-MS) based shotgun proteomics has evolved as a sensitive and informative technique to discover candidate disease biomarkers from urine specimens. Filter-aided sample preparation (FASP) generates peptide samples from protein mixtures of cell lysate or body fluid origin. Here, we describe a FASP method adapted to 96-well filter plates, named 96FASP. Soluble urine concentrates containing ∼10 μg of total protein were processed by 96FASP and LC-MS resulting in 700–900 protein identifications at a 1% false discovery rate (FDR). The experimental repeatability, as assessed by label-free quantification and Pearson correlation analysis for shared proteins among replicates, was high (R ≥ 0.97). Application to urinary pellet lysates which is of particular interest in the context of urinary tract infection analysis was also demonstrated. On average, 1700 proteins (±398) were identified in five experiments. In a pilot study using 96FASP for analysis of eight soluble urine samples, we demonstrated that protein profiles of technical replicates invariably clustered; the protein profiles for distinct urine donors were very different from each other. Robust, highly parallel methods to generate peptide mixtures from urine and other body fluids are critical to increase cost-effectiveness in clinical proteomics projects. This 96FASP method has potential to become a gold standard for high-throughput quantitative clinical proteomics. PMID:24797144

  7. Concentrations of delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol and 11-nor-9-carboxytetrahydrocannabinol in blood and urine after passive exposure to Cannabis smoke in a coffee shop.

    PubMed

    Röhrich, J; Schimmel, I; Zörntlein, S; Becker, J; Drobnik, S; Kaufmann, T; Kuntz, V; Urban, R

    2010-05-01

    Cannabinoid concentrations in blood and urine after passive exposure to cannabis smoke under real-life conditions were investigated in this study. Eight healthy volunteers were exposed to cannabis smoke for 3 h in a well-attended coffee shop in Maastricht, Netherlands. An initial blood and urine sample was taken from each volunteer before exposure. Blood samples were taken 1.5, 3.5, 6, and 14 h after start of initial exposure, and urine samples were taken after 3.5, 6, 14, 36, 60, and 84 h. The samples were subjected to immunoassay screening for cannabinoids and analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) for Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), 11-nor-hydroxy-Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC-OH), and 11-nor-9-carboxy-Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC-COOH). It could be demonstrated that all volunteers absorbed THC. However, the detected concentrations were rather small. None of the urine samples produced immunoassay results above the cutoff concentration of 25 ng/mL. THC-COOH concentrations up to 5.0 and 7.8 ng/mL before and after hydrolysis, respectively, were found in the quantitative GC-MS analysis of urine. THC could be detected in trace amounts close to the detection limit of the used method in the first two blood samples after initial exposure (1.5 and 3.5 h). In the 6 h blood samples, THC was not detectable anymore. THC-COOH could be detected after 1.5 h and was still found in 3 out of 8 blood samples after 14 h in concentrations between 0.5 and 1.0 ng/mL.

  8. Low cadmium exposure in males and lactating females–estimation of biomarkers

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

    Stajnko, Anja

    Background: Urine cadmium (Cd) and renal function biomarkers, mostly analysed in urine spot samples, are well established biomarkers of occupational exposure. Their use and associations at low environmental level are common, but have recently been questioned, particularly in terms of physiological variability and normalisation bias in the case of urine spot samples. Aim: To determine the appropriateness of spot urine and/or blood Cd exposure biomarkers and their relationships with renal function biomarkers at low levels of exposure. To this end, we used data from Slovenian human biomonitoring program involving 1081 Slovenians (548 males, mean age 31 years; 533 lactating females,more » mean age 29 years; 2007–2015) who have not been exposed to Cd occupationally. Results: Geometric means (GMs) of Cd in blood and spot urine samples were 0.27 ng/mL (0.28 for males and 0.33 for females) and 0.19 ng/mL (0.21 for males and 0.17 for females), respectively. Differing results were obtained when contrasting normalisation by urine creatinine with specific gravity. GMs of urine albumin (Alb), alpha-1-microglobulin (A1M), N-acetyl-beta-glucosaminidase (NAG), and immunoglobulin G (IgG) were far below their upper reference limits. Statistical analysis of unnormalised or normalised urine data often yielded inconsistent and conflicting results (or trends), so association analyses with unnormalised data were taken as more valid. Relatively weak positive associations were observed between urine Cd (ng/mL) and blood Cd (β=0.11, p=0.002 for males and β=0.33, p<0.001 for females) and for females between urine NAG and blood Cd (β=0.14, p=0.04). No associations were found between other renal function biomarkers and blood Cd. Associations between Cd and renal function biomarkers in urine were stronger (p<0.05, β=0.11–0.63). Mostly, all of the associations stayed significant but weakened after normalisation for diuresis. In the case of A1M, its associations with Cd were influenced by current smoking and blood Pb in males and by pre-pregnancy smoking and blood Se in females (β up to 0.34, p<0.001). Statistical analysis of unnormalised or normalised urine data often yielded inconsistent and conflicting results (or trends), so association analyses data with unnormalised were taken as more valid. Conclusions: The observed uncertainties introduced by urine normalisation, particularly by creatinine, confirm blood Cd as a superior low-Cd exposure biomarker versus urine Cd in cases when 24 h urine is unattainable. Evidence that A1M can be positively related to Cd, smoking (current or pre-pregnancy), Pb, and Se status, points to the versatile biological functions of A1M. - Highlights: • Creatinine normalisation of spot urine data is inappropriate at low Cd exposure. • Blood Cd as low-Cd exposure biomarker is superior over spot urine Cd. • Cd in urine, but not in blood, was significantly associated with A1M. • A1M – Cd relations were influenced by smoking, Se and less so by Pb.« less

  9. Rapid and visual detection of Leptospira in urine by LigB-LAMP assay with pre-addition of dye.

    PubMed

    Ali, Syed Atif; Kaur, Gurpreet; Boby, Nongthombam; Sabarinath, T; Solanki, Khushal; Pal, Dheeraj; Chaudhuri, Pallab

    2017-12-01

    Leptospirosis is considered to be the most widespread zoonotic disease caused by pathogenic species of Leptospira. The present study reports a novel set of primers targeting LigB gene for visual detection of pathogenic Leptospira in urine samples through Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP). The results were recorded by using Hydroxyl napthol blue (HNB), SYBR GREEN I and calcein. Analytical sensitivity of LAMP was as few as 10 leptospiral organisms in spiked urine samples from cattle and dog. LigB gene based LAMP, termed as LigB-LAMP, was found 10 times more sensitive than conventional PCR. The diagnostic specificity of LAMP was 100% when compared to SYBR green qPCR for detection of Leptospira in urine samples. Though qPCR was found more sensitive, the rapidity and simplicity in setting LAMP test followed by visual detection of Leptospira infection in clinical samples makes LigB-LAMP an alternative and favourable diagnostic tool in resource poor setting. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. [Cortisol/creatinine ratio in urine (UCC) of healthy cats].

    PubMed

    Zimmer, C; Reusch, C E

    2003-07-01

    In 31 healthy cats urine samples were taken to determine the cortisol/creatinine ratio (UCC) during hospitalisation and at home. The UCC of the samples, which had been taken in the clinic, was significantly higher (0-19 x 10(-6), Median 3 x 10(-6)) than the one of the samples taken at home (0-4 x 10(-6), Median 1 x 10(-6)). The parameter was neither influenced by the cat's age, sex or the fact that the cat stayed inside or outside, nor by the degree of visible agitation. Assay validation achieved good results regarding precision and accuracy of the measuring of cortisol and creatinine in the urine. The study shows that stress--caused by the visit to the veterinarian--can provoke a significant increase of UCC. Therefore, the parameter should be determined only from urine samples taken at home. Furthermore, it is important to notice that cortisol metabolites are measured in varying degree with the different assays. Therefore, it is inevitable that each laboratory generates its own reference values.

  11. Detox agents do not affect the pharmacokinetics of methamphetamine in the rat.

    PubMed

    Lee, Sang Kyu; Kim, Yoon; Suh, Sungill; Suh, Yong Jun; In, Moon Kyo; Kim, Dong-Hyun; Jin, Changbae; Yoo, Hye Hyun

    2009-04-15

    Recently, 'detox' agents have been popularly used as forms of diets or nutritional supplements. Especially, several cases have been reported that these detox agents have been used to mask drug tests among drug abusers. In the present study, capsule and drink types of detox agents were evaluated for their ability to alter the elimination of methamphetamine (MA) in rats. For this study, MA and its major metabolite, amphetamine (AP) in urine samples were determined using LC-tandem mass spectrometry after administration of the detox agents to MA-treated rats. As a result, significant differences were not shown between control and detox-dosed groups in the amounts of MA and AP excreted into urine as well as the volume of excreted urine. This result suggests that the detox agents tested may not affect the metabolism or elimination of MA and further might have minimal effect on narcotics detection in the urine samples of drug abusers.

  12. 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.

  13. Prevalence of isolated non-albumin proteinuria in the US population tested for both, urine total protein and urine albumin: An unexpected discovery.

    PubMed

    Katayev, Alexander; Zebelman, Arthur M; Sharp, Thomas M; Samantha Flynn; Bernstein, Richard K

    2017-04-01

    Isolated non-albumin proteinuria (NAP) is a condition when urine total protein concentrations are elevated without elevation of urine albumin. The prevalence of NAP in the US population tested for both, urine total protein and albumin was assessed in this study. The database of a US nationwide laboratory network was queried for test results when random urine albumin was ordered together with urine total protein and also when timed 24-hour urine albumin was ordered together with urine total protein. The total prevalence of NAP in the US population tested for both, urine total protein and albumin was calculated for patient groups having normal and low-normal urine albumin (random and timed) with elevated and severely increased urine total protein (random and timed). Also, the prevalence of NAP was calculated for patients with normal urine albumin to assess the probability of missing proteinuria if only urine albumin is measured. The prevalence of NAP in the random samples group was 10.1% (15.2% for females and 4.7% for males). Among patients with normal random albumin, there were 20.0% (27.3% of females and 10.7% of males) patients with NAP. The prevalence of NAP in the timed samples group was 24.6% (29.8% for females and 18.5% for males). Among patients with normal timed urine albumin, there were 36.2% (40.0% of females and 30.8% of males) patients with NAP. There was a strong positive association with female gender and NAP in most patients groups. Testing for only urine (micro)albumin can miss up to 40% of females and 30.8% of males with gross proteinuria. Copyright © 2016 The Canadian Society of Clinical Chemists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. Characterization of ultrafiltration of undiluted and diluted stored urine.

    PubMed

    Ouma, J; Septien, S; Velkushanova, K; Pocock, J; Buckley, C

    2016-11-01

    Urine ultrafiltration (UF) was studied in terms of flux, permeability, resistance and fouling. Two types of samples were used: stored urine representing the feedstock obtained from urine diversion dry toilets; and diluted stored urine representing the feedstock obtained from urinals. Three different filtration experiment sets were adopted in this study. For the first case, pressure was set in an ascending order, i.e. from 10 to 60 kPa during filtration of stored urine. For the second case, pressure was set in a descending order, i.e. from 60 to 10 kPa for the same feed stream. The third case involved filtration of diluted urine with pressure in ascending order, i.e. from 10 to 60 kPa. The results indicated that diluted urine had higher flux than undiluted urine with maximum values of 43 and 26 L·m -2 ·h -1 respectively. Cake formation was the dominating fouling mechanism during urine filtration with a contribution of about 90% to the total hydraulic resistance. The contribution of chemically irreversible fouling was low (-2%), unless operating from high to low pressures. Indeed, irreversible fouling appeared to be greater during the experiments starting at higher pressure. Although undiluted urine had a higher fouling potential compared to diluted urine, the specific cake resistance was higher for diluted urine, probably due to a denser cake caused by lower particle sizes in that sample. The permeate obtained after urine filtration had much lower suspended solids content compared to the feedstock, with rejections up to 99%. The concentration of the ionic species remained unchanged, and 75% of the organic compounds and dissolved solids remained in the permeate. Urine UF could then be used as pre-treatment to remove suspended solids.

  15. False-positive LSD testing in urine samples from intensive care patients.

    PubMed

    Röhrich, J; Zörntlein, S; Lotz, J; Becker, J; Kern, T; Rittner, C

    1998-09-01

    Unexpected positive results for lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) were found in urine samples from 12 patients in an intensive care unit in a routine screening using the CEDIA DAU assay. None of these test results could be confirmed by high-performance liquid chromatography analysis, but all samples contained the mucolytic drug ambroxol. Further studies demonstrated that ambroxol exhibits a significant cross-reactivity in the CEDIA DAU LSD assay. Therefore, positive LSD results obtained with the CEDIA DAU assay have to be critically evaluated, particularly during the cold season, when infections of the respiratory tract often result in more frequent use of mucolytic medications.

  16. Spectrophotometric methods for the determination of urea in real samples using silver nanoparticles by standard addition and 2nd order derivative methods

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ali, Nauman; Ismail, Muhammad; Khan, Adnan; Khan, Hamayun; Haider, Sajjad; Kamal, Tahseen

    2018-01-01

    In this work, we have developed simple, sensitive and inexpensive methods for the spectrophotometric determination of urea in urine samples using silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). The standard addition and 2nd order derivative methods were adopted for this purpose. AgNPs were prepared by chemical reduction of AgNO3 with hydrazine using 1,3-di-(1H-imidazol-1-yl)-2-propanol (DIPO) as a stabilizing agent in aqueous medium. The proposed methods were based on the complexation of AgNPs with urea. Using this concept, urea in the urine samples was successfully determined spectrophotometric methods. The results showed high percent recovery with ± RSD. The recoveries of urea in the three urine samples by spectrophotometric standard addition were 99.2% ± 5.37, 96.3% ± 4.49, 104.88% ± 4.99 and that of spectrophotometric 2nd order derivative method were 115.3% ± 5.2, 103.4% ± 2.6, 105.93% ± 0.76. The results show that these methods can open doors for a potential role of AgNPs in the clinical determination of urea in urine, blood, biological, non-biological fluids.

  17. Modulated Raman spectroscopy for enhanced identification of bladder tumor cells in urine samples.

    PubMed

    Canetta, Elisabetta; Mazilu, Michael; De Luca, Anna Chiara; Carruthers, Antonia E; Dholakia, Kishan; Neilson, Sam; Sargeant, Harry; Briscoe, Tina; Herrington, C Simon; Riches, Andrew C

    2011-03-01

    Standard Raman spectroscopy (SRS) is a noninvasive technique that is used in the biomedical field to discriminate between normal and cancer cells. However, the presence of a strong fluorescence background detracts from the use of SRS in real-time clinical applications. Recently, we have reported a novel modulated Raman spectroscopy (MRS) technique to extract the Raman spectra from the background. In this paper, we present the first application of MRS to the identification of human urothelial cells (SV-HUC-1) and bladder cancer cells (MGH) in urine samples. These results are compared to those obtained by SRS. Classification using the principal component analysis clearly shows that MRS allows discrimination between Raman spectra of SV-HUC-1 and MGH cells with high sensitivity (98%) and specificity (95%). MRS is also used to distinguish between SV-HUC-1 and MGH cells after exposure to urine for up to 6 h. We observe a marked change in the MRS of SV-HUC-1 and MGH cells with time in urine, indicating that the conditions of sample collection will be important for the application of this methodology to clinical urine samples.

  18. 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.

  19. Natural calcium isotopic composition of urine as a marker of bone mineral balance.

    PubMed

    Skulan, Joseph; Bullen, Thomas; Anbar, Ariel D; Puzas, J Edward; Shackelford, Linda; LeBlanc, Adrian; Smith, Scott M

    2007-06-01

    We investigated whether changes in the natural isotopic composition of calcium in human urine track changes in net bone mineral balance, as predicted by a model of calcium isotopic behavior in vertebrates. If so, isotopic analysis of natural urine or blood calcium could be used to monitor short-term changes in bone mineral balance that cannot be detected with other techniques. Calcium isotopic compositions are expressed as delta(44)Ca, or the difference in parts per thousand between the (44)Ca/(40)Ca of a sample and the (44)Ca/(40)Ca of a standard reference material. delta(44)Ca was measured in urine samples from 10 persons who participated in a study of the effectiveness of countermeasures to bone loss in spaceflight, in which 17 weeks of bed rest was used to induce bone loss. Study participants were assigned to 1 of 3 treatment groups: controls received no treatment, one treatment group received alendronate, and another group performed resistive exercise. Measurements were made on urine samples collected before, at 2 or 3 points during, and after bed rest. Urine delta(44)Ca values during bed rest were lower in controls than in individuals treated with alendronate (P <0.05, ANOVA) or exercise (P <0.05), and lower than the control group baseline (P <0.05, t-test). Results were consistent with the model and with biochemical and bone mineral density data. Results confirm the predicted relationship between bone mineral balance and calcium isotopes, suggesting that calcium isotopic analysis of urine might be refined into a clinical and research tool.

  20. Evaluation of open versus closed urine collection systems and development of nosocomial bacteriuria in dogs.

    PubMed

    Sullivan, Lauren A; Campbell, Vicki L; Onuma, Serene C

    2010-07-15

    To determine whether use of a closed urine collection system would decrease the incidence of nosocomial bacteriuria in hospitalized dogs, compared with use of an open urine collection system (used, sterile IV bags). Randomized controlled trial. 51 hospitalized dogs requiring indwelling urinary catheterization for >or= 24 hours. Dogs were randomly assigned to an open or closed urine collection system group. A standardized protocol for catheter placement and maintenance was followed for all dogs. A baseline urine sample was collected via cystocentesis for aerobic bacterial culture, with additional urine samples obtained daily from the urine collection reservoir. 27 dogs were assigned to the open urine collection system group, and 24 were assigned to the closed urine collection system group. The incidence of nosocomial bacteriuria in dogs with open urine collection systems (3/27 [11.1%]) was not significantly different from incidence in dogs with closed urine collection systems (2/24 [8.3%]). Median duration of catheterization was 2 days for dogs in both groups; the range was 1 to 7 days for dogs in the open group and 1 to 5 days for dogs in the closed group. Results suggested that for dogs requiring short-term indwelling urinary catheterization, the type of urine collection system (open vs closed) was not associated with likelihood of developing nosocomial bacteriuria. Use of a strict protocol for urinary catheter placement and maintenance was likely key in the low incidence of nosocomial bacteriuria in the present study.

  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. [Mercury and creatinine in urine of employees exposed to magnetic fields. A study of a group electrolysis-operators in Norzink A/S in Odda].

    PubMed

    Schmidt, F; Mannsåker

    1997-01-20

    The results described are based on a study of 26 male cell house employees. They were exposed to a combination of static magnetic fields (3-10 mT) and low frequency oscillating magnetic fields of variable frequency and strength for eight hours a day over a period of four weeks. Every fifth week was spent off work. Urine samples collected at the end of the four weeks of exposure were compared with samples collected at the end of the week off work. The results show that the cell house workers excreted significantly more mercury in their urine after exposure to magnetic fields (p = 0.01). The mercury/creatinine ratio was also significantly higher after exposure (p < 0.01). These results support findings by Schmidt in a study from 1992 when the levels of mercury and creatinine in the urine of cell house workers were compared with the levels in office personnel.

  3. Reliable Quantification of the Potential for Equations Based on Spot Urine Samples to Estimate Population Salt Intake: Protocol for a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

    PubMed

    Huang, Liping; Crino, Michelle; Wu, Jason Hy; Woodward, Mark; Land, Mary-Anne; McLean, Rachael; Webster, Jacqui; Enkhtungalag, Batsaikhan; Nowson, Caryl A; Elliott, Paul; Cogswell, Mary; Toft, Ulla; Mill, Jose G; Furlanetto, Tania W; Ilich, Jasminka Z; Hong, Yet Hoi; Cohall, Damian; Luzardo, Leonella; Noboa, Oscar; Holm, Ellen; Gerbes, Alexander L; Senousy, Bahaa; Pinar Kara, Sonat; Brewster, Lizzy M; Ueshima, Hirotsugu; Subramanian, Srinivas; Teo, Boon Wee; Allen, Norrina; Choudhury, Sohel Reza; Polonia, Jorge; Yasuda, Yoshinari; Campbell, Norm Rc; Neal, Bruce; Petersen, Kristina S

    2016-09-21

    Methods based on spot urine samples (a single sample at one time-point) have been identified as a possible alternative approach to 24-hour urine samples for determining mean population salt intake. The aim of this study is to identify a reliable method for estimating mean population salt intake from spot urine samples. This will be done by comparing the performance of existing equations against one other and against estimates derived from 24-hour urine samples. The effects of factors such as ethnicity, sex, age, body mass index, antihypertensive drug use, health status, and timing of spot urine collection will be explored. The capacity of spot urine samples to measure change in salt intake over time will also be determined. Finally, we aim to develop a novel equation (or equations) that performs better than existing equations to estimate mean population salt intake. A systematic review and meta-analysis of individual participant data will be conducted. A search has been conducted to identify human studies that report salt (or sodium) excretion based upon 24-hour urine samples and spot urine samples. There were no restrictions on language, study sample size, or characteristics of the study population. MEDLINE via OvidSP (1946-present), Premedline via OvidSP, EMBASE, Global Health via OvidSP (1910-present), and the Cochrane Library were searched, and two reviewers identified eligible studies. The authors of these studies will be invited to contribute data according to a standard format. Individual participant records will be compiled and a series of analyses will be completed to: (1) compare existing equations for estimating 24-hour salt intake from spot urine samples with 24-hour urine samples, and assess the degree of bias according to key demographic and clinical characteristics; (2) assess the reliability of using spot urine samples to measure population changes in salt intake overtime; and (3) develop a novel equation that performs better than existing equations to estimate mean population salt intake. The search strategy identified 538 records; 100 records were obtained for review in full text and 73 have been confirmed as eligible. In addition, 68 abstracts were identified, some of which may contain data eligible for inclusion. Individual participant data will be requested from the authors of eligible studies. Many equations for estimating salt intake from spot urine samples have been developed and validated, although most have been studied in very specific settings. This meta-analysis of individual participant data will enable a much broader understanding of the capacity for spot urine samples to estimate population salt intake.

  4. Elucidation of markers for monitoring morphine and its analogs in urine adulterated with pyridinium chlorochromate.

    PubMed

    Luong, Susan; Kuzhiumparambil, Unnikrishnan; Fu, Shanlin

    2015-09-17

    Currently, procedures that identify the drugs 'destroyed' in adulterated urine specimens are very limited. This study aimed to determine the effect of pyridinium chlorochromate (PCC) on routine opiate assays and identify reaction products formed. Results/methodology: Opiate-positive urines adulterated with PCC (20 and 100 mM) were analyzed using CEDIA ® immunoassay and GC-MS. Urine and water samples spiked with 6-monoacetylmorphine, morphine and its glucuronides (10 µg/ml) and PCC (0.02-100 mM) were monitored with LC-MS, and the products characterized. PCC significantly decreased the abundance of morphine, codeine and IS. Adulterated water and urine samples containing 6-monoacetylmorphine, morphine and morphine-3-glucuronide yielded morphinone-3-glucuronide, 7,14-dihydroxy-6-monoacetylmorphine, 7,8-diketo-6-monoacetylmorphine and 7,8-diketo-morphine (tentative assignment). Reaction pathways may be different in the two matrices.

  5. Pathogens and pharmaceuticals in source-separated urine in eThekwini, South Africa.

    PubMed

    Bischel, Heather N; Özel Duygan, Birge D; Strande, Linda; McArdell, Christa S; Udert, Kai M; Kohn, Tamar

    2015-11-15

    In eThekwini, South Africa, the production of agricultural fertilizers from human urine collected from urine-diverting dry toilets is being evaluated at a municipality scale as a way to help finance a decentralized, dry sanitation system. The present study aimed to assess a range of human and environmental health hazards in source-separated urine, which was presumed to be contaminated with feces, by evaluating the presence of human pathogens, pharmaceuticals, and an antibiotic resistance gene. Composite urine samples from households enrolled in a urine collection trial were obtained from urine storage tanks installed in three regions of eThekwini. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays targeted 9 viral and 10 bacterial human pathogens transmitted by the fecal-oral route. The most frequently detected viral pathogens were JC polyomavirus, rotavirus, and human adenovirus in 100%, 34% and 31% of samples, respectively. Aeromonas spp. and Shigella spp. were frequently detected gram negative bacteria, in 94% and 61% of samples, respectively. The gram positive bacterium, Clostridium perfringens, which is known to survive for extended times in urine, was found in 72% of samples. A screening of 41 trace organic compounds in the urine facilitated selection of 12 priority pharmaceuticals for further evaluation. The antibiotics sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim, which are frequently prescribed as prophylaxis for HIV-positive patients, were detected in 95% and 85% of samples, reaching maximum concentrations of 6800 μg/L and 1280 μg/L, respectively. The antiretroviral drug emtricitabine was also detected in 40% of urine samples. A sulfonamide antibiotic resistance gene (sul1) was detected in 100% of urine samples. By coupling analysis of pathogens and pharmaceuticals in geographically dispersed samples in eThekwini, this study reveals a range of human and environmental health hazards in urine intended for fertilizer production. Collection of urine offers the benefit of sequestering contaminants from environmental release and allows for targeted treatment of potential health hazards prior to agricultural application. The efficacy of pathogen and pharmaceutical inactivation, transformation or removal during urine nutrient recovery processes is thus briefly reviewed. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. 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

  7. Comparison between Indirect Immunofluorescence Assay and Shell Vial Culture for Detection of Mumps Virus from Clinical Samples

    PubMed Central

    Reina, Jordi; Ballesteros, Francisca; Ruiz de Gopegui, Enrique; Munar, Maria; Mari, Margarita

    2003-01-01

    We report a prospective comparison of the efficacies of an indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) and shell vial culture (SVC) of throat swab and urine samples from patients with mumps. Throat swab samples were used for the IFA; the urine samples and throat swabs were inoculated into vials of Vero cells. We studied 62 patients by using 62 throat swabs and 50 urine samples (50 patients with both samples). Sixty (96.7%) throat samples were positive in the SVC, and 61 (98.3%) were positive in the IFA. For the 50 patients from whom both samples were available, the IFA was positive in 50 (100%) cases, the urine sample was positive in 49 (98%) cases, and the throat swab was positive in 48 (96%) cases (P > 0.05). This comparison of throat swabs and urine samples has shown that the two clinical samples are similar in efficacy. PMID:14605158

  8. A method for estimating radioactive cesium concentrations in cattle blood using urine samples.

    PubMed

    Sato, Itaru; Yamagishi, Ryoma; Sasaki, Jun; Satoh, Hiroshi; Miura, Kiyoshi; Kikuchi, Kaoru; Otani, Kumiko; Okada, Keiji

    2017-12-01

    In the region contaminated by the Fukushima nuclear accident, radioactive contamination of live cattle should be checked before slaughter. In this study, we establish a precise method for estimating radioactive cesium concentrations in cattle blood using urine samples. Blood and urine samples were collected from a total of 71 cattle on two farms in the 'difficult-to-return zone'. Urine 137 Cs, specific gravity, electrical conductivity, pH, sodium, potassium, calcium, and creatinine were measured and various estimation methods for blood 137 Cs were tested. The average error rate of the estimation was 54.2% without correction. Correcting for urine creatinine, specific gravity, electrical conductivity, or potassium improved the precision of the estimation. Correcting for specific gravity using the following formula gave the most precise estimate (average error rate = 16.9%): [blood 137 Cs] = [urinary 137 Cs]/([specific gravity] - 1)/329. Urine samples are faster to measure than blood samples because urine can be obtained in larger quantities and has a higher 137 Cs concentration than blood. These advantages of urine and the estimation precision demonstrated in our study, indicate that estimation of blood 137 Cs using urine samples is a practical means of monitoring radioactive contamination in live cattle. © 2017 Japanese Society of Animal Science.

  9. Rapid method for direct identification of bacteria in urine and blood culture samples by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry: intact cell vs. extraction method.

    PubMed

    Ferreira, L; Sánchez-Juanes, F; Muñoz-Bellido, J L; González-Buitrago, J M

    2011-07-01

    Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry (MS) is a fast and reliable technology for the identification of microorganisms with proteomics approaches. Here, we compare an intact cell method and a protein extraction method before application on the MALDI plate for the direct identification of microorganisms in both urine and blood culture samples from clinical microbiology laboratories. The results show that the intact cell method provides excellent results for urine and is a good initial method for blood cultures. The extraction method complements the intact cell method, improving microorganism identification from blood culture. Thus, we consider that MALDI-TOF MS performed directly on urine and blood culture samples, with the protocols that we propose, is a suitable technique for microorganism identification, as compared with the routine methods used in the clinical microbiology laboratory. © 2010 The Authors. Clinical Microbiology and Infection © 2010 European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases.

  10. Determination of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) in human urine with mass selective detection.

    PubMed

    Hughes, D L; Ritter, D J; Wilson, R D

    2001-11-01

    Method development and validation studies have been completed on an assay that will allow the determination of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) in human urine. The accurate determination of 2,4-D in urine is an important factor in monitoring worker and population exposure. These studies successfully validated a method for the detection of 2,4-D in urine at a limit of quantitation (LOQ) of 5.00 ppb (parts per billion) using gas chromatography with mass selective detection (GC/MSD). The first study involved the determination of 2,4-D in control human urine and urine samples fortified with 2,4-D. Due to chromatographic interference, a second study was conducted using 14C-2,4-D to verify the recoverability of 2,4-D from human urine at low levels using the GC/MSD method. The second study supports the results of the original data. The 2,4-D was extracted from human urine using a procedure involving hydrolysis using potassium hydroxide, followed by a liquid-liquid extraction into methylene chloride. The extracted samples were derivatized with diazomethane. The methylated fraction was analyzed by GC/MSD. Quantitation was made by comparison to methylated reference standards of 2,4-D. Aliquots fortified at 5-, 50-, and 500-ppb levels were analyzed. The overall mean recovery for all fortified samples was 90.3% with a relative standard deviation of 14.31%.

  11. Evaluation of the BD Vacutainer Plus Urine C&S Preservative Tubes compared with nonpreservative urine samples stored at 4°C and room temperature.

    PubMed

    Eisinger, Stephen W; Schwartz, Matthew; Dam, Lisa; Riedel, Stefan

    2013-09-01

    The stability of urine specimens submitted for culture remains a challenge for many laboratories because of delays in specimen transport. We evaluated the usefulness of BD Vacutainer Plus Urine C&S Preservative Tube in ensuring specimen stability. Clinical urine specimens collected in sterile collection cups (n = 110) were plated onto sheep blood and MacConkey agar following standard laboratory procedures guidelines. Thereafter, specimens were divided into 3 storage conditions: nonpreservative, refrigerated; nonpreservative, room temperature (RT); BD Vacutainer Plus Urine C&S Preservative Tube, RT. For each sample type, additional cultures were set up at 2, 4, 24, and 48 hours. Initially, 18 specimens had no growth, 32 showed mixed skin flora, and 60 yielded at least 1 uropathogen. Increased colony counts of uropathogens were observed for nonpreserved urine samples stored at RT; these changes were statistically significant. Minor differences between refrigerated urine samples and BD Vacutainer Plus Urine C&S Preservative Tube samples were seen but were not statistically significant. The use of preservative-containing collection tubes is desirable to ensure specimen stability when prompt processing or refrigeration is not feasible.

  12. A study on the migration and transformation law of nitrogen in urine in municipal wastewater transportation and treatment.

    PubMed

    Wuang, Ren; Pengkang, Jin; Chenggang, Liang; Xiaochang, Wang; Lei, Zhang

    2013-01-01

    Many studies suggest that the total nitrogen (TN) in urine is around 9,000 mg/L and about 80% of nitrogen in municipal wastewater comes from urine, because nitrogen mainly occurs in the form of urea in fresh human urine. Based on this fact, the study on the migration and transformation law of nitrogen in urine and its influencing factors was carried out. It can be seen from the experimental results that the transformation rate of urea in urine into ammonia nitrogen after standing for 20 days is only about 18.2%, but the urea in urine can be hydrolyzed into ammonia nitrogen rapidly after it is catalyzed directly with free urease or indirectly with microorganism. Adding respectively a certain amount of urease, activated sludge and septic-tank sludge to urine samples can make the maximum transformation rate achieve 85% after 1 day, 2 days and 6 days, respectively. In combination with some corresponding treatment methods, recycling of nitrogen in urine can be achieved. The results are of great significance in guiding denitrification in municipal wastewater treatment.

  13. 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

  14. An optical spot test for the detection of dopamine in human urine using stabilized in air lipid films.

    PubMed

    Nikolelis, Dimitrios P; Drivelos, Dimitrios A; Simantiraki, Maria G; Koinis, Spyros

    2004-04-15

    The present technique describes a simple, sensitive spot test for the rapid one-shot detection of dopamine in human urine using lipid films with incorporated resorcin[4]arene receptor that are synthesized by a chemical reaction with a methacrylate polymer on a glass fiber filter. The lipid films without the receptor provided fluorescence under a UV lamp. The use of the receptor in these films quenched this fluorescence, and the color became similar to that of the filters without the lipid films. A drop of dopamine or urine containing this stimulant provided a "switching on" of the fluorescence, which allows the rapid detection of this stimulant in human urine at 10(-8) M concentrations. The novelty of the present work is that it opens new routes in the field of biosensing, i.e., development of sensitive, rapid, and simple methods for detecting species based on the fluorescence of the lipid membranes on a polymer film, and provides a spot test technique for the rapid detection of dopamine. The effect of potent interferences including a wide range of compounds usually found in human urine (i.e., ascorbic aid, glucose, leucine, glycine, tartrate, citrate, bicarbonate, and caffeine) was examined using an aqueous buffered solution that contained the potent interference and dopamine at two lower concentration levels (i.e., 3 x 10(-8)-10(-8) M). The effect of proteins and lipids was also investigated at these two lower dopamine concentration levels in aqueous buffered solution. The results showed no interferences from all these constituents at concentrations usually found in human urine samples; for example, albumin up to 3.22 g/L concentration levels did not provide any interference (i.e., no fluorescence). A drop of urine containing this stimulant provided similar results, i.e., a "switching on" of the fluorescence that allows a technique for the rapid detection of this stimulant in human urine at 10(-8) M concentrations. The technique is not based on a calibration graph but is a semiquantitative method for the detection of dopamine in real samples of urine that can be complimentary to HPLC methods. The difference in color between the samples containing dopamine at concentration levels of 10(-8)-10(-7) M can be easily distinguished by naked eye and a digital camera. An increase of dopamine concentration from 10(-8) to 10(-7) M makes the color more blue whereas the color of the filters remains purple in the blank test (i.e., addition of a urine sample without dopamine or dopamine at concentration levels of 10(-9) M to the filters that contain the lipid membranes with incorporated receptor). The reproducibility of the method was checked in approximately 100 samples, and all of them were found to provide similar results. Note that it was also found that the colors remain stable in the samples containing dopamine for periods of more than two months.

  15. Measurement of Phenolic Environmental Estrogens in Women with Uterine Leiomyoma

    PubMed Central

    Shen, Yang; Xu, Qian; Ren, Mulan; Feng, Xu; Cai, Yunlang; Gao, Yongxing

    2013-01-01

    Objectives To investigate the effect of phenolic environmental estrogens on uterine leiomyoma from the perspective of clinical epidemiology. Methods Urine and blood samples were collected from Han women with uterine leiomyoma and women without uterine leiomyoma, living in Nanjing, China, between September 2011 and February 2013. A total of 156 urine samples and 214 blood samples were collected from the uterine leiomyoma group and 106 urine samples and 126 blood plasma samples from the control group. Bisphenol A (BPA), nonylphenol (NP) and octylphenol (OP) concentrations were determined by solid-phase extraction (SPE) coupled with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS). Results Phenolic environmental estrogens in the uterine leiomyoma and control groups were compared based on: gravida>3 and gravida ≤ 3. In participants with gravida>3, urine OP concentration was significantly (P<0.05) higher in the uterine leiomyoma group than in the control group. In participants with gravida ≤ 3, urine NP concentration was significantly (P<0.05) higher in the uterine leiomyoma group compared to controls. Despite obstetric history, urine BPA mean exposure concentration was significantly (P<0.05) different between uterine leiomyoma group and control group. The urine BPA concentration was not significantly (P>0.05) different between gravida>3 and gravida ≤ 3 patients. There was no significant (P>0.05) difference in plasma concentrations of BPA, OP and NP between the leiomyoma group and control group. Mean exposure concentration and range of distribution of BPA, OP and NP plasma concentration differed between the uterine leiomyoma and control group. Conclusion Exposure level of phenolic environmental estrogens in human was related with leiomyoma tumorigenesis. PMID:24255718

  16. The effect of boric acid on bacterial culture of canine and feline urine.

    PubMed

    Rowlands, M; Blackwood, L; Mas, A; Cripps, P; Crompton, C; Burrow, R

    2011-10-01

    To identify the optimal method of submission of canine and feline urine for bacterial culture. Cystocentesis samples from 250 animals (200 dogs, 50 cats) suspected of having urinary tract infections were collected. The reference aliquot, without preservative, was processed on site within 2 hours. Two further aliquots (one without preservative, one with boric acid) were stored at room temperature for up to 7 hours and then posted by guaranteed next day delivery to a commercial laboratory for analysis. Forty-seven of the samples were positive on culture in the reference test. There was no significant difference between reference test results and those of samples posted without preservative (P=0·39), but samples posted in boric acid were significantly less likely to give a positive result (P=0·01). Samples posted without preservative had a sensitivity of 82% and a specificity of 98%; for boric acid, sensitivity was 73% and specificity 99%. Postal urine samples should be submitted to the laboratory in a plain sterile tube. © 2011 British Small Animal Veterinary Association.

  17. 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.

  18. Critical study of common conditions of storage of glucocorticoids and catecholamines in 24-h urine collected during resting and exercising conditions.

    PubMed

    Gouarne, C; Foury, A; Duclos, M

    2004-10-01

    Except immediate freezing of the samples, no practical method has been validated for preservation of glucocorticoids and catecholamines in 24-h urine collection. Furthermore, the influence of urine storage at bladder temperature during periods of different lengths and the effect of prior exercise on preservation of these hormones in the bladder have not been investigated until now. Ten healthy volunteers collected their urine both after a resting and after an exercise session. Urine was aliquoted into tubes which were stored during 24 h in the presence or in the absence of preservatives and at different temperatures. Two samples were stored either 3 or 9 h at 37 degrees C (bladder temperature) without additive. When collecting 24-h urine samples for glucocorticoids determination, sample can be stored at room temperature during the 24-h collection period without compromising glucocorticoids preservation. When collecting 24-h urine samples for catecholamines determination, samples have to be chilled without preservative during the whole of the collection period. If the samples have to be stored at room temperature, HCl should be used. Moreover, we report for the first time that catecholamines can be degraded in the bladder and therefore that subjects should urinate every 3 h during either a resting or an exercising day.

  19. 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.

  20. Evaluation of the results of Mycobacterium tuberculosis direct test (MTD) and Mycobacterial culture in urine samples

    PubMed Central

    Sener, Asli Gamze; Kurultay, Nukhet; Afsar, Ilhan

    2008-01-01

    Tuberculosis remains a public health problem in Turkey. Rapid detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis plays a key role in control of infection. In this article, the Gen-Probe Amplified Mycobacterium Tuberculosis Direct Test (MTD) was evaluated for detection of M. tuberculosis in urine samples. The performance of the MTD was very good and appropriate for routine laboratory diagnosis. PMID:24031287

  1. Strong-LAMP: A LAMP Assay for Strongyloides spp. Detection in Stool and Urine Samples. Towards the Diagnosis of Human Strongyloidiasis Starting from a Rodent Model

    PubMed Central

    Gandasegui, Javier; Bajo Santos, Cristina; López-Abán, Julio; Saugar, José María; Rodríguez, Esperanza; Vicente, Belén; Muro, Antonio

    2016-01-01

    Background Strongyloides stercoralis, the chief causative agent of human strongyloidiasis, is a nematode globally distributed but mainly endemic in tropical and subtropical regions. Chronic infection is often clinically asymptomatic but it can result in severe hyperinfection syndrome or disseminated strongyloidiasis in immunocompromised patients. There is a great diversity of techniques used in diagnosing the disease, but definitive diagnosis is accomplished by parasitological examination of stool samples for morphological identification of parasite. Until now, no molecular method has been tested in urine samples as an alternative to stool samples for diagnosing strongyloidiasis. This study aimed to evaluate the use of a new molecular LAMP assay in a well-established Wistar rat experimental infection model using both stool and, for the first time, urine samples. The LAMP assay was also clinically evaluated in patients´ stool samples. Methodology/Principal Findings Stool and urine samples were obtained daily during a 28-day period from rats infected subcutaneously with different infective third-stage larvae doses of S. venezuelensis. The dynamics of parasite infection was determined by daily counting the number of eggs per gram of feces from day 1 to 28 post-infection. A set of primers for LAMP assay based on a DNA partial sequence in the 18S rRNA gene from S. venezuelensis was designed. The set up LAMP assay (namely, Strong-LAMP) allowed the sensitive detection of S. venezuelensis DNA in both stool and urine samples obtained from each infection group of rats and was also effective in S. stercoralis DNA amplification in patients´ stool samples with previously confirmed strongyloidiasis by parasitological and real-time PCR tests. Conclusions/Significance Our Strong-LAMP assay is an useful molecular tool in research of a strongyloidiasis experimental infection model in both stool and urine samples. After further validation, the Strong-LAMP could also be potentially applied for effective diagnosis of strongyloidiasis in a clinical setting. PMID:27415764

  2. Strong-LAMP: A LAMP Assay for Strongyloides spp. Detection in Stool and Urine Samples. Towards the Diagnosis of Human Strongyloidiasis Starting from a Rodent Model.

    PubMed

    Fernández-Soto, Pedro; Sánchez-Hernández, Alicia; Gandasegui, Javier; Bajo Santos, Cristina; López-Abán, Julio; Saugar, José María; Rodríguez, Esperanza; Vicente, Belén; Muro, Antonio

    2016-07-01

    Strongyloides stercoralis, the chief causative agent of human strongyloidiasis, is a nematode globally distributed but mainly endemic in tropical and subtropical regions. Chronic infection is often clinically asymptomatic but it can result in severe hyperinfection syndrome or disseminated strongyloidiasis in immunocompromised patients. There is a great diversity of techniques used in diagnosing the disease, but definitive diagnosis is accomplished by parasitological examination of stool samples for morphological identification of parasite. Until now, no molecular method has been tested in urine samples as an alternative to stool samples for diagnosing strongyloidiasis. This study aimed to evaluate the use of a new molecular LAMP assay in a well-established Wistar rat experimental infection model using both stool and, for the first time, urine samples. The LAMP assay was also clinically evaluated in patients´ stool samples. Stool and urine samples were obtained daily during a 28-day period from rats infected subcutaneously with different infective third-stage larvae doses of S. venezuelensis. The dynamics of parasite infection was determined by daily counting the number of eggs per gram of feces from day 1 to 28 post-infection. A set of primers for LAMP assay based on a DNA partial sequence in the 18S rRNA gene from S. venezuelensis was designed. The set up LAMP assay (namely, Strong-LAMP) allowed the sensitive detection of S. venezuelensis DNA in both stool and urine samples obtained from each infection group of rats and was also effective in S. stercoralis DNA amplification in patients´ stool samples with previously confirmed strongyloidiasis by parasitological and real-time PCR tests. Our Strong-LAMP assay is an useful molecular tool in research of a strongyloidiasis experimental infection model in both stool and urine samples. After further validation, the Strong-LAMP could also be potentially applied for effective diagnosis of strongyloidiasis in a clinical setting.

  3. Urine phenobarbital drug screening: potential use for compliance assessment in neonates.

    PubMed

    Guillet, Ronnie; Kwon, Jennifer M; Chen, Sixaio; McDermott, Michael P

    2012-02-01

    This study was done to determine if urine phenobarbital measurements provide a reliable indicator of presence of the drug in neonates. Urine was collected from neonates treated with phenobarbital for clinical indications within 4 to 6 hours of clinically indicated collection of serum phenobarbital levels. Urine samples were also collected from control neonates not treated with phenobarbital. One aliquot was assayed fresh, another frozen at -30°C and assayed 1 to 3 months later. Phenobarbital was assayed using the ONLINE TDM Roche/Hitachi automated clinical chemistry analyzer. Serum and urine concentrations were compared as were fresh and frozen urine measurements. Serum phenobarbital ranged from 5.6 to 52.7 μg/mL. Matched urine samples were 56.6 ± 12.5% of the serum level. Frozen samples were 98.3 ± 8.0% of the fresh samples. Urine phenobarbital concentrations, either fresh or frozen, can be used in neonates as a noninvasive estimate of drug levels.

  4. The effect of substrate composition and storage time on urine specific gravity in dogs.

    PubMed

    Steinberg, E; Drobatz, K; Aronson, L

    2009-10-01

    The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of substrate composition and storage time on urine specific gravity in dogs. A descriptive cohort study of 15 dogs. The urine specific gravity of free catch urine samples was analysed during a 5-hour time period using three separate storage methods; a closed syringe, a diaper pad and non-absorbable cat litter. The urine specific gravity increased over time in all three substrates. The syringe sample had the least change from baseline and the diaper sample had the greatest change from baseline. The urine specific gravity for the litter and diaper samples had a statistically significant increase from the 1-hour to the 5-hour time point. The urine specific gravity from canine urine stored either on a diaper or in a non-absorbable litter increased over time. Although the change was found to be statistically significant over the 5-hour study period it is unlikely to be clinically significant.

  5. 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 ...

  6. Long-term detection of methyltestosterone (ab-) use by a yeast transactivation system.

    PubMed

    Wolf, Sylvi; Diel, Patrick; Parr, Maria Kristina; Rataj, Felicitas; Schänzer, Willhelm; Vollmer, Günter; Zierau, Oliver

    2011-04-01

    The routinely used analytical method for detecting the abuse of anabolic steroids only allows the detection of molecules with known analytical properties. In our supplementary approach to structure-independent detection, substances are identified by their biological activity. In the present study, urines excreted after oral methyltestosterone (MT) administration were analyzed by a yeast androgen screen (YAS). The aim was to trace the excretion of MT or its metabolites in human urine samples and to compare the results with those from the established analytical method. MT and its two major metabolites were tested as pure compounds in the YAS. In a second step, the ability of the YAS to detect MT and its metabolites in urine samples was analyzed. For this purpose, a human volunteer ingested of a single dose of 5 mg methyltestosterone. Urine samples were collected after different time intervals (0-307 h) and were analyzed in the YAS and in parallel by GC/MS. Whereas the YAS was able to trace MT in urine samples at least for 14 days, the detection limits of the GC/MS method allowed follow-up until day six. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that the yeast reporter gene system could detect the activity of anabolic steroids like methyltestosterone with high sensitivity even in urine. Furthermore, the YAS was able to detect MT abuse for a longer period of time than classical GC/MS. Obviously, the system responds to long-lasting metabolites yet unidentified. Therefore, the YAS can be a powerful (pre-) screening tool with the potential that to be used to identify persistent or late screening metabolites of anabolic steroids, which could be used for an enhancement of the sensitivity of GC/MS detection techniques.

  7. Performance assessment of urine flow cytometry (UFC) to screen urines to reflex to culture in immunocompetent and immunosuppressed hosts.

    PubMed

    Stefanovic, Aleksandra; Roscoe, Diane; Ranasinghe, Romali; Wong, Titus; Bryce, Elizabeth; Porter, Charlene; Lim, Adelina; Grant, Jennifer; Ng, Karen; Pudek, Morris

    2017-09-01

    Urine flow cytometry (UFC) is an automated method to quantify bacterial and white blood cell (WBC) counts. We aimed to determine whether a threshold for these parameters can be set to use UFC as a sensitive screen to predict which urine samples will subsequently grow in culture. Urines submitted to our microbiology laboratory at a tertiary care centre from 22 July 2015-17 February 2016 underwent UFC (Sysmex UF-1000i) analysis, regular urinalysis and urine culture. Positive urine cultures were defined as growth ≥104 c.f.u. ml-1 of organisms associated with urinary tract infections. The correlation of UFC bacterial and WBC counts with urine culture was assessed using receiver operating characteristics curves. The sensitivity (SN), specificity (SP), negative predictive values (NPVs), positive predictive values (PPVs) and false negative rate (FNR) were calculated at various thresholds in immunocompetent and immunosuppressed patients. A total of 15 046 urine specimens were submitted, of which 14 908 were analysable in the study. The average time to UFC result from receipt in the laboratory was 0.76 h (+/-1.04). The test performance at a set threshold of UFC bacteria ≥20 or WBC >5 was: SN=96.0 %, SP=39.2 %, PPV=47.0 %, NPV=94.5 % and FNR=4.0 %. This threshold eliminates 26 % of urine cultures. Immunosuppressed hosts had a lower sensitivity of 90.6 % and a higher FNR of 9.4 %. UFC is a rapid and sensitive method to screen out urine samples that will subsequently be negative and to reflex urines to culture that will subsequently grow. UFC results are available within 1 h from receipt and enable the elimination of culture when the set threshold is not met.

  8. An analysis of workers' tritium concentration in urine samples as a function of time after intake at Korean pressurised heavy water reactors.

    PubMed

    Kim, Hee Geun; Kong, Tae Young

    2012-12-01

    In general, internal exposure from tritium at pressurised heavy water reactors (PHWRs) accounts for ∼20-40 % of the total radiation dose. Tritium usually reaches the equilibrium concentration after a few hours inside the body and is then excreted from the body with an effective half-life in the order of 10 d. In this study, tritium metabolism was reviewed using its excretion rate in urine samples of workers at Korean PHWRs. The tritium concentration in workers' urine samples was also measured as a function of time after intake. On the basis of the monitoring results, changes in the tritium concentration inside the body were then analysed.

  9. Determination of the MRI contrast agent Gd-DTPA by SEC-ICP-MS.

    PubMed

    Loreti, Valeria; Bettmer, Jörg

    2004-08-01

    The simultaneous determination of Gd(3+) and Gd-DTPA (DTPA: diethylenetriamino-pentaacetic acid), often used as contrast agent, is described. The proposed approach combines size-exclusion chromatography (SEC) and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) for element-selective detection in order to determine also high-molecular Gd-complexes if present. This method was applied to the analysis of urine samples of a patient to whom Gd-DTPA was intravenously administered. The results showed that no conversion or adsorption of Gd-DTPA could be observed in any sample, even free Gd(3+) could not be detected. Urine excretion behaviour was monitored and it was proved that Gd-DTPA was almost completely (>99%) excreted by urination within one day. Traces of Gd-DTPA could be measured in hair samples, but extraction with tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH) resulted in degradation of Gd-DTPA.

  10. Consideration of the degree of increase in urine metadrenalines provides superior specificity in the diagnosis of phaeochromocytoma than additional urine catecholamine measurement.

    PubMed

    Scargill, J J; Reed, P; Kane, J

    2013-01-01

    Measurement of fractionated plasma or urine metadrenalines is the recommended screening test in the diagnosis of phaeochromocytoma, with clinical cut-offs geared towards diagnostic sensitivity. Current practice at Salford Royal Hospital is to add urine catecholamines onto samples with raised urine metadrenalines, with the aim of adding specificity to a diagnosis of phaeochromocytoma. This practice was reviewed by identifying a series of patients with raised urine metadrenalines who had catecholamines reflectively added. A total of 358 samples were identified from 242 patients, of which 228 had urine catecholamines measured. A diagnosis of 'phaeochromocytoma' (n = 41) or 'no phaeochromocytoma' (n = 90) was obtained in 131 of 228 patients, giving raised urine metadrenalines a positive predictive value for phaeochromocytoma of 31%. The finding of increased urine catecholamines in samples with raised urine metadrenalines increased specificity for phaeochromocytoma to 70%. However, 95% diagnostic specificity for phaeochromocytoma could be achieved by the introduction of a second cut-off for urine metadrenalines geared towards maximizing specificity. Consideration of the degree of increase in urine metadrenalines is a superior method of determining the likelihood of phaeochromocytoma than measurement of urine catecholamines.

  11. Development of an Inline Urine Monitoring System for the International Space Station

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Broyan, James Lee, Jr.; Cibuzar, Banelle R.

    2008-01-01

    Human exposure to microgravity during spaceflight causes bone loss. Calcium and other metabolic byproducts are excreted in urine voids. Frequent and accurate measurement of urine void volume and constituents is essential to determining crew bone loss and the effectiveness of countermeasures. Previous US Space Shuttle (SS) Urine Monitoring System (UMS) technology was unable to accurately measure urine void volumes due to cross contamination between users and fluid system instabilities. Currently, urine voids must be collected manually in a flexible plastic bag containing a known tracer quantity. The crew member must completely mix the bag then withdraw a representative syringe sample for later ground analysis. The current bag system accuracy is highly dependent on mixing technique. The International Space Station (ISS) UMS has been developed as an automated device that collects urine from the Waste and Hygiene Compartment (WHC) urinal funnel interface, separates the urine, measures the void volume, and allows for syringe sampling. After operations, the ISS UMS delivers the urine to the WHC for normal processing then flushes its plumbing with a small water volume. The current ISS UMS design incorporates an innovative rotary separator that minimizes foaming, greatly reduces cross contamination between urine voids (< 0.5 ml urine), and provides accurate volume measurements (< +/- 2% error for 100 to 1000 ml void volumes). The system performance has been validated with extensive ground tests and reduced gravity aircraft flights. The lockersized ISS UMS is currently being modified to interface with the ISS Node 3 WHC Russian ACY hardware. The operation principles, characteristics, and results are outlined in the paper.

  12. Genital region cleansing wipes: Effects on urine culture contamination.

    PubMed

    Selek, Mehmet Burak; Bektöre, Bayhan; Sezer, Ogün; Kula Atik, Tuğba; Baylan, Orhan; Özyurt, Mustafa

    2017-01-30

    Urine culture is the gold standard test for revealing the microbial agent causing urinary tract infection (UTI). Culture results are affected by sampling techniques; improper sampling leads to contamination of urine and thus contamination of the culture with urogenital flora. We aimed to evaluate the effect of urogenital cleansing, performed with chlorhexidine-containing genital region cleansing wipes (GRCW) on contamination rates. A total of 2,665 patients with UTI-related complaints and with urine culture requests from various outpatient clinics were enrolled in the study. Of the patients, 1,609 in the experimental group used GRCW before sampling, while 1,046 in the control group did not use any wipes. The contamination rate in the experimental group patients was 7.7%, while it was 15.8% in the control group. Contamination rates were significantly higher in the control group than in the experimental group for both women and men. Contamination rates for children and adults were also significantly lower in the experimental group than in the control group. Our study, conducted in a large population, showed that the use of chlorhexidine-containing cleansing wipes significantly reduced urine culture contamination rates in both genders, in both child and adult age groups. Using GRCW, collection of urine after urogenital area cleansing will decrease the contamination problem.

  13. 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.

  14. 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 ...

  15. Understanding arsenic metabolism through a comparative study of arsenic levels in the urine, hair and fingernails of healthy volunteers from three unexposed ethnic groups in the United Kingdom

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

    Brima, Eid I.; Haris, Parvez I.; Jenkins, Richard O.

    2006-10-01

    Very little is known about arsenic (As) metabolism in healthy populations that are not exposed to high concentrations of As in their food or water. Here we present a study with healthy volunteers from three different ethnic groups, residing in Leicester, UK, which reveals statistically significant differences in the levels of total As in urine and fingernail samples. Urine (n = 63), hair (n = 36) and fingernail (n = 36) samples from Asians, Somali Black-Africans and Whites were analysed using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and graphite furnace atomic absorption spectroscopy (GF-AAS). The results clearly show that themore » total concentrations of As in urine and fingernail samples of a Somali Black-African population (urine 7.2 {mu}g/g creatinine; fingernails 723.1 {mu}g/kg) are significantly (P < 0.05) different from the Asian (urine 24.5 {mu}g/g creatinine; fingernails 153.9 {mu}g/kg) and White groups (urine 20.9 {mu}g/g creatinine; fingernails 177.0 {mu}g/kg). The chemical speciation of As in the urine of the three groups was also measured using high performance liquid chromatography coupled to ICP-MS. This showed that the proportion of the total urinary As present as dimethylarsenate (DMA) was higher for the Somali Black-African group (50%) compared to the Asians (16%) and Whites (22%). However, there was no significant difference (P > 0.05) in the level of As in the hair samples from these three groups; Somali Black-Africans (116.0 {mu}g/kg), Asians (117.4 {mu}g/kg) and Whites (141.2 {mu}g/kg). Significantly different levels of total As in fingernail and urine and a higher percentage of urinary DMA in the Somali Black-Africans are suggestive of a different pattern of As metabolism in this ethnic group.« less

  16. Non-invasive Pregnancy Diagnosis from Urine by the Cuboni Reaction and the Barium Chloride Test in Donkeys (Equus asinus) and Alpacas (Vicugna pacos).

    PubMed

    Kubátová, A; Fedorova, T; Skálová, I; Hyniová, L

    2016-09-01

    The aim of the research was to evaluate two chemical tests for non-invasive pregnancy diagnosis from urine, the Cuboni reaction and the barium chloride test, in donkeys (Equus asinus) and alpacas (Vicugna pacos). The research was carried out from April 2013 to September 2014. Urine samples were collected on five private Czech farms from 18 jennies and 12 alpaca females. Urine was collected non-invasively into plastic cups fastened on a telescopic rod, at 6-9 week intervals. In total, 60 and 54 urine samples from alpacas and jennies, respectively, were collected. The Cuboni reaction was performed by the State Veterinary Institute Prague. The barium chloride test was done with 5 ml of urine mixed together with 5 ml of 1% barium chloride solution. Results of the Cuboni reaction were strongly influenced by the reproductive status of jennies; the test was 100% successful throughout the second half of pregnancy. However, no relationship was found between the real reproductive status of alpaca females and results of the Cuboni reaction. It was concluded that the barium chloride test is not suitable for pregnancy diagnosis either in donkeys, due to significant influence of season on the results, or in alpacas, because no relationship between results of the test and the reproductive status of alpaca females was found. In conclusion, the Cuboni reaction has potential to become a standard pregnancy diagnostic method in donkeys.

  17. DNA methylation profiling of genomic DNA isolated from urine in diabetic chronic kidney disease: A pilot study.

    PubMed

    Lecamwasam, Ashani; Sexton-Oates, Alexandra; Carmody, Jake; Ekinci, Elif I; Dwyer, Karen M; Saffery, Richard

    2018-01-01

    To characterise the genomic DNA (gDNA) yield from urine and quality of derived methylation data generated from the widely used Illuminia Infinium MethylationEPIC (HM850K) platform and compare this with buffy coat samples. DNA methylation is the most widely studied epigenetic mark and variations in DNA methylation profile have been implicated in diabetes which affects approximately 415 million people worldwide. QIAamp Viral RNA Mini Kit and QIAamp DNA micro kit were used to extract DNA from frozen and fresh urine samples as well as increasing volumes of fresh urine. Matched buffy coats to the frozen urine were also obtained and DNA was extracted from the buffy coats using the QIAamp DNA Mini Kit. Genomic DNA of greater concentration than 20μg/ml were used for methylation analysis using the HM850K array. Irrespective of extraction technique or the use of fresh versus frozen urine samples, limited genomic DNA was obtained using a starting sample volume of 5ml (0-0.86μg/mL). In order to optimize the yield, we increased starting volumes to 50ml fresh urine, which yielded only 0-9.66μg/mL A different kit, QIAamp DNA Micro Kit, was trialled in six fresh urine samples and ten frozen urine samples with inadequate DNA yields from 0-17.7μg/mL and 0-1.6μg/mL respectively. Sufficient genomic DNA was obtained from only 4 of the initial 41 frozen urine samples (10%) for DNA methylation profiling. In comparison, all four buffy coat samples (100%) provided sufficient genomic DNA. High quality data can be obtained provided a sufficient yield of genomic DNA is isolated. Despite optimizing various extraction methodologies, the modest amount of genomic DNA derived from urine, may limit the generalisability of this approach for the identification of DNA methylation biomarkers of chronic diabetic kidney disease.

  18. Trace Chemical Analysis Methodology

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1980-04-01

    oxidation of nitrite-containing species. Calibration studies were then made in preparation for the analysis of unknown samples of nitrate in urine and...the procedure for nitrate determination was made on two types of samples : human urine , and drinking water from a city water supply. Five samples of...AND URINE Concentration Standard Sample type of NO3, ppm deviation Drinking water 1.29 ±0 04 1.20 ±0.09 1.29 ±0.14 1.15 ±0.08 0.88 ±0.07 Human urine

  19. Stability of Drugs of Abuse in Urine Samples at Room Temperature by Use of a Salts Mixture.

    PubMed

    Pellegrini, Manuela; Graziano, Silvia; Mastrobattista, Luisa; Minutillo, Adele; Busardo, Francesco Paolo; Scarsella, Gianfranco

    2017-01-01

    It has long been recognized that ensuring analyte stability is of crucial importance in the use of any quantitative bioanalytical method. As analyses are usually not performed directly after collection of the biological samples, but after these have been processed and stored, it is essential that analyte stability can be maintained at storage conditions to ensure that the obtained concentration results adequately reflect those directly after sampling. The conservation of urine samples in refrigerated/ frozen conditions is strongly recommended; but not always feasible. The aim of this study was to assess the stability of some well-known drugs of abuse methamphetamine (MA), 11-nor-9-carboxy-Δ9- tetrahydrocannabinol (THC-COOH), benzoylecgonine (BE), and morphine (MOR) in urine samples kept at room temperature by adding a salt mixture (sodium citrate, sodium ascorbate, borax). Two different urine samples were prepared with and without salt mixture, stored at room temperature and then analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry at 0, 1, 7, 15, and 30 days after collection/preparation to look for eventual analyte degradation. Methamphetamine showed no significant changes with respect to the time of collection/ preparation (T0) up to 7 days later (T7), with or without salt mixture addiction. Then a significant degradation occurred in both salted and non salted urine. BE decrease was observed starting from day 1 after sample collection in salted and not salted samples, respectively. Salt addition seemed to reduce at least the initial BE degradation, with a significant difference (p<0.001) at 7 and 15 days of storage. However, the degradation was not more prevented in salted samples at 30 days of storage. A 20% decrease of MOR concentration was observed starting from day 1 after collection/preparation, both in salted and not salted samples with no subsequent decrease. With regard to THCCOOH, a significant decrease was observed starting from 7 days after collection/preparation, with of without adding the salt mixture. However, when comparing salted versus non salted samples at each time point, a statistically significant difference was observed at 7 and 30 days of storage. The results obtained indicate that the degradation of MA, THC-COOH and BE in urine samples kept at room temperature can be slowed by the addition of the salt mixture, whereas it seems to be ineffective in samples containing MOR. This evidence has to be taken into account, in the eventuality of using salted urine to prevent in a certain extent abuse of above-reported drugs of abuse. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

  20. 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

  1. 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.

  2. Evaluation of factors that affect analytic variability of urine protein-to-creatinine ratio determination in dogs.

    PubMed

    Rossi, Gabriele; Giori, Luca; Campagnola, Simona; Zatelli, Andrea; Zini, Eric; Paltrinieri, Saverio

    2012-06-01

    To determine whether preanalytic and analytic factors affect evaluation of the urinary protein-to-creatinine (UPC) ratio in dogs. 50 canine urine samples. The UPC ratio was measured to assess the intra-assay imprecision (20 measurements within a single session), the influence of predilution (1:10, 1:20, and 1:100) for urine creatinine concentration measurement, and the effect of storage at room temperature (approx 20°C), 4°C, and -20°C. The coefficient of variation at room temperature determined with the 1:20 predilution was < 10.0%, with the highest coefficients of variation found in samples with a low protein concentration or low urine specific gravity. This variability could result in misclassification of samples with UPC ratios close to the thresholds defined by the International Renal Interest Society to classify dogs as nonproteinuric (0.2), borderline proteinuric (0.21 to 0.50), or proteinuric (> 0.51). A proportional bias was found in samples prediluted 1:10, compared with samples prediluted 1:20 or 1:100. At room temperature, the UPC ratio did not significantly increase after 2 and 4 hours. After 12 hours at room temperature and at 4°C, the UPC ratio significantly increased. The UPC ratio did not significantly change during 3 months of storage at -20°C. The intra-assay precision of the UPC ratio was sufficiently low to avoid misclassification of samples, except for values close to 0.2 or 0.5. The optimal predilution ratio for urine creatinine concentration measurement was 1:20. A 1:100 predilution is recommended in samples with a urine specific gravity > 1.030. The UPC ratio must be measured as soon as samples are collected. Alternatively, samples should be immediately frozen to increase their stability and minimize the risk of misclassification of proteinuria.

  3. 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.

  4. Comparison of Zika virus (ZIKV) RNA detection in plasma, whole blood and urine - Case series of travel-associated ZIKV infection imported to Italy, 2016.

    PubMed

    Rossini, Giada; Gaibani, Paolo; Vocale, Caterina; Cagarelli, Roberto; Landini, Maria Paola

    2017-09-01

    The capability to detect ZIKV RNA is of crucial importance for cases confirmation. However, due to the short-lived viremia, the detection of ZIKV RNA in plasma/serum is challenging for samples collected more than one week after onset of clinical illness. We compared the window time and detection rate of ZIKV RNA in different specimen types (plasma, whole blood and urine) collected simultaneously at several times post-symptom onset. We examined the presence of ZIKV RNA in matched specimens of whole blood, plasma and urine collected in the same date (3-28 days after symptom onset) from 10 ZIKV infected patients. ZIKV RNA was found in plasma as late as 10 days after symptoms onset and tested positive in all 5 (100%) and in 2 of 6 (33,3%) plasma samples collected 1-5 and 6-10 days after symptoms onset, respectively. ZIKV RNA was positive in urine through the 21st day after symptom onset; the detection rate of ZIKV RNA in urine samples was 100% (11/11) for samples collected 1-10 days from symptoms onset, decreasing at later times of sampling. The detection rate of ZIKV RNA in whole blood was comparable to that in urine samples but extended the window of detection of ZIKV RNA up to 26 days after symptom onset. Our results highlight the usefulness of simultaneously testing multiple specimen types in order to extend the rate and the time frame of ZIKV RNA detection, increasing the possibility of cases confirmation through direct diagnosis in convalescence-phase of infection, supplementing serological data which are often difficult to interpret. Copyright © 2017 The British Infection Association. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Development and validation of a simple and robust method for arsenic speciation in human urine using HPLC/ICP-MS.

    PubMed

    Sen, Indranil; Zou, Wei; Alvaran, Josephine; Nguyen, Linda; Gajek, Ryszard; She, Jianwen

    2015-01-01

    In order to better distinguish the different toxic inorganic and organic forms of arsenic (As) exposure in individuals, we have developed and validated a simple and robust analytical method for determining the following six As species in human urine: arsenous (III) acid (As-III), As (V) acid, monomethylarsonic acid, dimethylarsinic acid, arsenobetaine (AsB), and arsenocholine. In this method, human urine is diluted using a pH 5.8 buffer, separation is performed using an anion exchange column with isocratic HPLC, and detection is achieved using inductively coupled plasma-MS. The method uses a single mobile phase consisting of low concentrations of both phosphate buffer (5 mM) and ammonium nitrate salt (5 mM) at pH 9.0; this minimizes the column equilibration time and overcomes challenges with separation between AsB and As-III. In addition, As-III oxidation is prevented by degassing the sample preparation buffer at pH 5.8, degassing the mobile phase online at pH 9.0, and by the use of low temperature (-70 °C) and flip-cap airtight tubes for long term storage of samples. The method was validated using externally provided reference samples. Results were in agreement with target values at varying concentrations and successfully passed external performance test criteria. Internal QC samples were prepared and repeatedly analyzed to assess the method's long-term precision, and further analyses were completed on anonymous donor urine to assess the quality of the method's baseline separation. Results from analyses of external reference samples agreed with target values at varying concentrations, and results from precision studies yielded absolute CV values of 3-14% and recovery from 82 to 115% for the six As species. Analysis of anonymous donor urine confirmed the well-resolved baseline separation capabilities of the method for real participant samples.

  6. Reproducibility of NMR Analysis of Urine Samples: Impact of Sample Preparation, Storage Conditions, and Animal Health Status

    PubMed Central

    Schreier, Christina; Kremer, Werner; Huber, Fritz; Neumann, Sindy; Pagel, Philipp; Lienemann, Kai; Pestel, Sabine

    2013-01-01

    Introduction. Spectroscopic analysis of urine samples from laboratory animals can be used to predict the efficacy and side effects of drugs. This employs methods combining 1H NMR spectroscopy with quantification of biomarkers or with multivariate data analysis. The most critical steps in data evaluation are analytical reproducibility of NMR data (collection, storage, and processing) and the health status of the animals, which may influence urine pH and osmolarity. Methods. We treated rats with a solvent, a diuretic, or a nephrotoxicant and collected urine samples. Samples were titrated to pH 3 to 9, or salt concentrations increased up to 20-fold. The effects of storage conditions and freeze-thaw cycles were monitored. Selected metabolites and multivariate data analysis were evaluated after 1H NMR spectroscopy. Results. We showed that variation of pH from 3 to 9 and increases in osmolarity up to 6-fold had no effect on the quantification of the metabolites or on multivariate data analysis. Storage led to changes after 14 days at 4°C or after 12 months at −20°C, independent of sample composition. Multiple freeze-thaw cycles did not affect data analysis. Conclusion. Reproducibility of NMR measurements is not dependent on sample composition under physiological or pathological conditions. PMID:23865070

  7. Determination of uromodulin in human urine: influence of storage and processing.

    PubMed

    Youhanna, Sonia; Weber, Julien; Beaujean, Viviane; Glaudemans, Bob; Sobek, Jens; Devuyst, Olivier

    2014-01-01

    Uromodulin (Tamm-Horsfall protein) is the most abundant protein excreted in the urine under physiological conditions. It is exclusively produced in the kidney and secreted into the urine via proteolytic cleavage. The involvement of UMOD, the gene that encodes uromodulin, in rare autosomal dominant diseases, and its robust genome-wide association with the risk of chronic kidney disease suggest that the level of uromodulin in urine could represent a critical biomarker for kidney function. The structure of uromodulin is complex, with multiple disulfide bonds and typical domains of extracellular proteins. Thus far, the conditions influencing stability and measurement of uromodulin in human urine have not been systematically investigated, giving inconsistent results. In this study, we used a robust, in-house ELISA to characterize the conditions of sampling and storage necessary to provide a faithful dosage of uromodulin in the urine. The levels of uromodulin in human urine were significantly affected by centrifugation and vortexing, as well as by the conditions and duration of storage. These results validate a simple, low-cost ELISA and document the optimal conditions of processing and storage for measuring uromodulin in human urine.

  8. Standardizing the experimental conditions for using urine in NMR-based metabolomic studies with a particular focus on diagnostic studies: a review.

    PubMed

    Emwas, Abdul-Hamid; Luchinat, Claudio; Turano, Paola; Tenori, Leonardo; Roy, Raja; Salek, Reza M; Ryan, Danielle; Merzaban, Jasmeen S; Kaddurah-Daouk, Rima; Zeri, Ana Carolina; Nagana Gowda, G A; Raftery, Daniel; Wang, Yulan; Brennan, Lorraine; Wishart, David S

    The metabolic composition of human biofluids can provide important diagnostic and prognostic information. Among the biofluids most commonly analyzed in metabolomic studies, urine appears to be particularly useful. It is abundant, readily available, easily stored and can be collected by simple, noninvasive techniques. Moreover, given its chemical complexity, urine is particularly rich in potential disease biomarkers. This makes it an ideal biofluid for detecting or monitoring disease processes. Among the metabolomic tools available for urine analysis, NMR spectroscopy has proven to be particularly well-suited, because the technique is highly reproducible and requires minimal sample handling. As it permits the identification and quantification of a wide range of compounds, independent of their chemical properties, NMR spectroscopy has been frequently used to detect or discover disease fingerprints and biomarkers in urine. Although protocols for NMR data acquisition and processing have been standardized, no consensus on protocols for urine sample selection, collection, storage and preparation in NMR-based metabolomic studies have been developed. This lack of consensus may be leading to spurious biomarkers being reported and may account for a general lack of reproducibility between laboratories. Here, we review a large number of published studies on NMR-based urine metabolic profiling with the aim of identifying key variables that may affect the results of metabolomics studies. From this survey, we identify a number of issues that require either standardization or careful accounting in experimental design and provide some recommendations for urine collection, sample preparation and data acquisition.

  9. 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. ...

  10. Evaluation of Equations for Predicting 24-Hour Urinary Sodium Excretion from Casual Urine Samples in Asian Adults.

    PubMed

    Whitton, Clare; Gay, Gibson Ming Wei; Lim, Raymond Boon Tar; Tan, Linda Wei Lin; Lim, Wei-Yen; van Dam, Rob M

    2016-08-01

    The collection of 24-h urine samples for the estimation of sodium intake is burdensome, and the utility of spot urine samples in Southeast Asian populations is unclear. We aimed to assess the validity of prediction equations with the use of spot urine concentrations. A sample of 144 Singapore residents of Chinese, Malay, and Indian ethnicity aged 18-79 y were recruited from the Singapore Health 2 Study conducted in 2014. Participants collected urine for 24 h in multiple small bottles on a single day. To determine the optimal collection time for a spot urine sample, a 1-mL sample was taken from a random bottle collected in the morning, afternoon, and evening. Published equations and a newly derived equation were used to predict 24-h sodium excretion from spot urine samples. The mean ± SD concentration of sodium from the 24-h urine sample was 125 ± 53.4 mmol/d, which is equivalent to 7.2 ± 3.1 g salt. Bland-Altman plots showed good agreement at the group level between estimated and actual 24-h sodium excretion, with biases for the morning period of -3.5 mmol (95% CI: -14.8, 7.8 mmol; new equation) and 1.46 mmol (95% CI: -10.0, 13.0 mmol; Intersalt equation). A larger bias of 25.7 mmol (95% CI: 12.2, 39.3 mmol) was observed for the Tanaka equation in the morning period. The prediction accuracy did not differ significantly for spot urine samples collected at different times of the day or at a random time of day (P = 0.11-0.76). This study suggests that the application of both our own newly derived equation and the Intersalt equation to spot urine concentrations may be useful in predicting group means for 24-h sodium excretion in urban Asian populations. © 2016 American Society for Nutrition.

  11. Variability of Urinary Phthalate Metabolite and Bisphenol A Concentrations before and during Pregnancy

    PubMed Central

    Braun, Joe M.; Smith, Kristen W.; Williams, Paige L.; Calafat, Antonia M.; Berry, Katharine; Ehrlich, Shelley

    2012-01-01

    Background: Gestational phthalate and bisphenol A (BPA) exposure may increase the risk of adverse maternal/child health outcomes, but there are few data on the variability of urinary biomarkers before and during pregnancy. Objective: We characterized the variability of urinary phthalate metabolite and BPA concentrations before and during pregnancy and the ability of a single spot urine sample to classify average gestational exposure. Methods: We collected 1,001 urine samples before and during pregnancy from 137 women who were partners in couples attending a Boston fertility clinic and who had a live birth. Women provided spot urine samples before (n ≥ 2) and during (n ≥ 2) pregnancy. We measured urinary concentrations of monoethyl phthalate (MEP), mono-n-butyl phthalate (MBP), mono-iso-butyl phthalate, monobenzyl phthalate (MBzP), four metabolites of di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), and BPA. After adjusting for specific gravity, we characterized biomarker variability using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) and conducted several surrogate category analyses to determine whether a single spot urine sample could adequately classify average gestational exposure. Results: Absolute concentrations of phthalate metabolites and BPA were similar before and during pregnancy. Variability was higher during pregnancy than before pregnancy for BPA and MBzP, but similar during and before pregnancy for MBP, MEP, and ΣDEHP. During pregnancy, MEP (ICC = 0.50) and MBP (ICC = 0.45) were less variable than BPA (ICC = 0.12), MBzP (ICC = 0.25), and ΣDEHP metabolites (ICC = 0.08). Surrogate analyses suggested that a single spot urine sample may reasonably classify MEP and MBP concentrations during pregnancy, but more than one sample may be necessary for MBzP, DEHP, and BPA. Conclusions: Urinary phthalate metabolites and BPA concentrations were variable before and during pregnancy, but the magnitude of variability was biomarker specific. A single spot urine sample adequately classified MBP and MEP concentrations during pregnancy. The present results may be related to unique features of the women studied, and replication in other pregnancy cohorts is recommended. PMID:22262702

  12. Urinary casts

    MedlinePlus

    ... tubular epithelial casts; Waxy casts; Casts in the urine; Fatty casts; Red blood cell casts; White blood ... The urine sample you provide may need to be from your first morning urine. The sample needs to be ...

  13. Urine Cytology

    MedlinePlus

    ... types of cells were found in your urine sample. You may need to repeat the test. Negative. This means no cancer cells were identified in your urine sample. Atypical. This indicates that some abnormalities were found ...

  14. 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.

  15. The Urine Preservative Acetic Acid Degrades Urine Protein: Implications for Urine Biorepositories and the AASK Cohort Study

    PubMed Central

    Almaani, Salem; Hebert, Lee A.; Rovin, Brad H.

    2017-01-01

    Patients enrolled in the African American Study of Kidney Disease and Hypertension (AASK) Cohort Study who exhibited overt proteinuria have been reported to show high nonalbumin proteinuria (NAP), which is characteristic of a tubulopathy. To determine whether African American Study of Kidney Disease and Hypertension nephropathy (AASK-N) is a tubulopathy, we obtained urine samples of 37 patients with AASK-N, with 24-hour protein-to-creatinine ratios (milligrams per milligram) ranging from 0.2 to 1.0, from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive Kidney Diseases repository and tested for seven markers of tubular proteinuria. By protocol, each sample had been collected in acetic acid (0.5%; mean final concentration). Compared with samples from patients with lupus nephritis or healthy black controls, AASK-N samples had lower amounts of six markers. Four markers (albumin, β-2-microglobulin, cystatin C, and osteopontin) were undetectable in most AASK-N samples. Examination by SDS-PAGE followed by protein staining revealed protein profiles indicative of severe protein degradation in 34 of 37 AASK-N urine samples. Treatment of lupus nephritis urine samples with 0.5% acetic acid produced the same protein degradation profile as that of AASK-N urine. We conclude that the increased NAP in AASK-N is an artifact of acetic acid–mediated degradation of albumin. The AASK-N repository urine samples have been compromised by the acetic acid preservative. PMID:28104821

  16. The Urine Preservative Acetic Acid Degrades Urine Protein: Implications for Urine Biorepositories and the AASK Cohort Study.

    PubMed

    Almaani, Salem; Hebert, Lee A; Rovin, Brad H; Birmingham, Daniel J

    2017-05-01

    Patients enrolled in the African American Study of Kidney Disease and Hypertension (AASK) Cohort Study who exhibited overt proteinuria have been reported to show high nonalbumin proteinuria (NAP), which is characteristic of a tubulopathy. To determine whether African American Study of Kidney Disease and Hypertension nephropathy (AASK-N) is a tubulopathy, we obtained urine samples of 37 patients with AASK-N, with 24-hour protein-to-creatinine ratios (milligrams per milligram) ranging from 0.2 to 1.0, from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive Kidney Diseases repository and tested for seven markers of tubular proteinuria. By protocol, each sample had been collected in acetic acid (0.5%; mean final concentration). Compared with samples from patients with lupus nephritis or healthy black controls, AASK-N samples had lower amounts of six markers. Four markers (albumin, β -2-microglobulin, cystatin C, and osteopontin) were undetectable in most AASK-N samples. Examination by SDS-PAGE followed by protein staining revealed protein profiles indicative of severe protein degradation in 34 of 37 AASK-N urine samples. Treatment of lupus nephritis urine samples with 0.5% acetic acid produced the same protein degradation profile as that of AASK-N urine. We conclude that the increased NAP in AASK-N is an artifact of acetic acid-mediated degradation of albumin. The AASK-N repository urine samples have been compromised by the acetic acid preservative. Copyright © 2017 by the American Society of Nephrology.

  17. Volatile organic compounds as biomarkers of bladder cancer: Sensitivity and specificity using trained sniffer dogs.

    PubMed

    Willis, Carolyn M; Britton, Lezlie E; Harris, Rob; Wallace, Joshua; Guest, Claire M

    In a previous canine study, we demonstrated that volatile organic compounds specific to bladder cancer are present in urine headspace, subsequently showing that up to 70% of tumours can be correctly classified using an electronic nose. This study aimed to evaluate the sensitivity and specificity which can be achieved by a group of four trained dogs. In a series of 30 double-blind test runs, each consisting of one bladder cancer urine sample placed alongside six controls, the highest sensitivity achieved by the best performing dog was 73% (95% CI 55-86%), with the group as a whole correctly identifying the cancer samples 64% (95% CI 55-73%) of the time. Specificity of the dogs individually ranged from 92% (95% CI 82-97%) for urine samples obtained from healthy, young volunteers down to 56% (95% CI 42-68%) for those taken from older patients with non-cancerous urological disease. Odds ratio comparisons confirmed a significant decrease in performance as the extent of urine dipstick abnormality and/or pathology amongst the control population increased. Importantly, however, statistical analysis indicated that covariates such as smoking, gender and age, as well as blood, protein and /or leucocytes in the urine did not significantly alter the odds of response to the cancer samples. Our results provide further evidence that volatile biomarkers for bladder cancer exist in urine headspace, and that these have the potential to be exploited for diagnosis.

  18. Temporal variability in urinary levels of drinking water disinfection byproducts dichloroacetic acid and trichloroacetic acid among men

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

    Wang, Yi-Xin; Zeng, Qiang; Wang, Le

    Urinary haloacetic acids (HAAs), such as dichloroacetic acid (DCAA) and trichloroacetic acid (TCAA), have been suggested as potential biomarkers of exposure to drinking water disinfection byproducts (DBPs). However, variable exposure to and the short elimination half-lives of these biomarkers can result in considerable variability in urinary measurements, leading to exposure misclassification. Here we examined the variability of DCAA and TCAA levels in the urine among eleven men who provided urine samples on 8 days over 3 months. The urinary concentrations of DCAA and TCAA were measured by gas chromatography coupled with electron capture detection. We calculated the intraclass correlation coefficientsmore » (ICCs) to characterize the within-person and between-person variances and computed the sensitivity and specificity to assess how well single or multiple urine collections accurately determined personal 3-month average DCAA and TCAA levels. The within-person variance was much higher than the between-person variance for all three sample types (spot, first morning, and 24-h urine samples) for DCAA (ICC=0.08–0.37) and TCAA (ICC=0.09–0.23), regardless of the sampling interval. A single-spot urinary sample predicted high (top 33%) 3-month average DCAA and TCAA levels with high specificity (0.79 and 0.78, respectively) but relatively low sensitivity (0.47 and 0.50, respectively). Collecting two or three urine samples from each participant improved the classification. The poor reproducibility of the measured urinary DCAA and TCAA concentrations indicate that a single measurement may not accurately reflect individual long-term exposure. Collection of multiple urine samples from one person is an option for reducing exposure classification errors in studies exploring the effects of DBP exposure on reproductive health. - Highlights: • We evaluated the variability of DCAA and TCAA levels in the urine among men. • Urinary DCAA and TCAA levels varied greatly over a 3-month period. • Single measurement may not accurately reflect personal long-term exposure levels. • Collecting multiple samples from one person improved the exposure classification.« less

  19. Urinary creatinine concentrations in an industrial workforce and comparison with reference values of the general population.

    PubMed

    Bader, Michael; Messerer, Peter; Will, Wolfgang

    2013-08-01

    Urinary creatinine is an important parameter for the adjustment of metabolite concentrations in differently diluted urine specimens, as a reference dimension for biological limit or guidance values and as a selection criterion for spot urine samples in human biomonitoring. While the creatinine output of the general population has been well described in environmental surveys, this study focused specifically on creatinine concentrations in a large industrial workforce in order to compare these data with the general population and to provide a database for the calculation of a reasonable conversion factor between volume-related and creatinine-adjusted data and vice versa. Urinary creatinine was analysed in 6,438 spot urine samples by a photometric assay in the time period between 1989 and 2009. Basic demographic data (age, sex, body weight, body height) and job category (apprentices, skilled craftsmen, skilled chemical workers, foremen, laboratory staff and executives) were considered in a statistical analysis. The median concentration of urinary creatinine in all urine samples was 1.36 g/L with male employees showing significantly higher values (1.37 g/L, n = 6,148 samples) than female employees (1.00 g/L, n = 290) and concentrations ranging from 0.01 up to 9.76 g/L. Age, body mass index and job category were significant influence factors on urinary creatinine. About 92 % of all samples showed creatinine concentrations between 0.3 and 3.0 g/L, a range recommended by the World Health Organization as a criterion for valid spot urine samples. The results of this study correspond well with data from environmental surveys and with recent data from an active workforce in industry with similar sampling strategies. Therefore, a median of 1.4 g creatinine per litre urine seems to be a reasonable value for general calculations and adjustments. The study data also support the validity of the current recommendations by the WHO and several scientific committees and institutions with respect to creatinine limits in spot urine samples for occupational-medical biomonitoring.

  20. NHEXAS PHASE I ARIZONA STUDY--QA ANALYTICAL RESULTS FOR PESTICIDE METABOLITES IN BLANK SAMPLES

    EPA Science Inventory

    The Pesticide Metabolites in Blank Samples data set contains the analytical results of measurements of up to 4 pesticide metabolites in 3 blank samples from 3 households. Measurements were made in blank samples of urine. Blank samples were used to assess the potential for sampl...

  1. Identification of a three-biomarker panel in urine for early detection of pancreatic adenocarcinoma

    PubMed Central

    Radon, Tomasz P; Massat, Nathalie J; Jones, Richard; Alrawashdeh, Wasfi; Dumartin, Laurent; Ennis, Darren; Duffy, Stephen W; Kocher, Hemant M; Pereira, Stephen P; Nascimento, Cristiane M; Real, Francisco X; Malats, Núria; Neoptolemos, John; Costello, Eithne; Greenhalf, William; Lemoine, Nick R; Crnogorac-Jurcevic, Tatjana

    2015-01-01

    Purpose Non-invasive biomarkers for early detection of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) are currently not available. Here, we aimed to identify a set of urine proteins able to distinguish patients with early stage PDAC from healthy individuals (H). Experimental design Proteomes of 18 urine samples from healthy controls, chronic pancreatitis and PDAC patients (six/group) were assayed using GeLC/MS/MS analysis. The selected biomarkers were subsequently validated using ELISA assays using multiple logistic regression applied to a training dataset in a multicentre cohort comprising 488 urine samples. Results LYVE-1, REG1A and TFF1 were selected as candidate biomarkers. When comparing PDAC (n=192) to healthy (n=87) urines, the resulting areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves (AUCs) of the panel were 0.89 (95%CI 0.84-0.94) in the training (70% of the data), and 0.92 (95%CI 0.86-0.98) in the validation (30% of the data) datasets. When comparing PDAC stage I-II (n=71) to healthy urines, the panel achieved AUCs of 0.90 (95%CI 0.84-0.96) and 0.93 (95%CI 0.84-1.00) in the training and validation datasets, respectively. In PDAC stage I-II and healthy samples with matching plasma CA19.9 the panel achieved a higher AUC of 0.97 (95%CI 0.94-0.99) than CA19.9 (AUC=0.88, 95%CI 0.81-0.95, p=0.005). Adding plasma CA19.9 to the panel increased the AUC from 0.97 (95%CI 0.94-0.99) to 0.99 (95%CI 0.97-1.00, p=0.04) but did not improve the comparison of stage I-IIA PDAC (n=17) to healthy urine. Conclusion We have established a novel, three-protein biomarker panel that is able to detect patients with early stage pancreatic cancer in urine specimens. PMID:26240291

  2. The Impact of Using Different Methods to Assess Completeness of 24-Hour Urine Collection on Estimating Dietary Sodium.

    PubMed

    Wielgosz, Andreas; Robinson, Christopher; Mao, Yang; Jiang, Ying; Campbell, Norm R C; Muthuri, Stella; Morrison, Howard

    2016-06-01

    The standard for population-based surveillance of dietary sodium intake is 24-hour urine testing; however, this may be affected by incomplete urine collection. The impact of different indirect methods of assessing completeness of collection on estimated sodium ingestion has not been established. The authors enlisted 507 participants from an existing community study in 2009 to collect 24-hour urine samples. Several methods of assessing completeness of urine collection were tested. Mean sodium intake varied between 3648 mg/24 h and 7210 mg/24 h depending on the method used. Excluding urine samples collected for longer or shorter than 24 hours increased the estimated urine sodium excretion, even when corrections for the variation in timed collections were applied. Until an accurate method of indirectly assessing completeness of urine collection is identified, the gold standard of administering para-aminobenzoic acid is recommended. Efforts to ensure participants collect complete urine samples are also warranted. ©2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  3. A Schistosoma haematobium-specific real-time PCR for diagnosis of urogenital schistosomiasis in serum samples of international travelers and migrants.

    PubMed

    Cnops, Lieselotte; Soentjens, Patrick; Clerinx, Jan; Van Esbroeck, Marjan

    2013-01-01

    Diagnosis of urogenital schistosomiasis by microscopy and serological tests may be elusive in travelers due to low egg load and the absence of seroconversion upon arrival. There is need for a more sensitive diagnostic test. Therefore, we developed a real-time PCR targeting the Schistosoma haematobium-specific Dra1 sequence. The PCR was evaluated on urine (n = 111), stool (n = 84) and serum samples (n = 135), and one biopsy from travelers and migrants with confirmed or suspected schistosomiasis. PCR revealed a positive result in 7/7 urine samples, 11/11 stool samples and 1/1 biopsy containing S. haematobium eggs as demonstrated by microscopy and in 22/23 serum samples from patients with a parasitological confirmed S. haematobium infection. S. haematobium DNA was additionally detected by PCR in 7 urine, 3 stool and 5 serum samples of patients suspected of having schistosomiasis without egg excretion in urine and feces. None of these suspected patients demonstrated other parasitic infections except one with Blastocystis hominis and Entamoeba cyst in a fecal sample. The PCR was negative in all stool samples containing S. mansoni eggs (n = 21) and in all serum samples of patients with a microscopically confirmed S. mansoni (n = 22), Ascaris lumbricoides (n = 1), Ancylostomidae (n = 1), Strongyloides stercoralis (n = 1) or Trichuris trichuria infection (n = 1). The PCR demonstrated a high specificity, reproducibility and analytical sensitivity (0.5 eggs per gram of feces). The real-time PCR targeting the Dra1 sequence for S. haematobium-specific detection in urine, feces, and particularly serum, is a promising tool to confirm the diagnosis, also during the acute phase of urogenital schistosomiasis.

  4. 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 ...

  5. Detection of Circulating Paracoccidioides brasiliensis Antigen in Urine of Paracoccidioidomycosis Patients before and during Treatment

    PubMed Central

    Salina, Margarete Aparecida; Shikanai-Yasuda, Maria Aparecida; Mendes, Rinaldo Poncio; Barraviera, Benedito; Mendes Giannini, Maria José Soares

    1998-01-01

    For the diagnosis and follow-up of paracoccidioidomycosis patients undergoing therapy, we evaluated two methods (immunoblotting and competition enzyme immunoassay) for the detection of circulating antigen in urine samples. A complex pattern of reactivity was observed in the immunoblot test. Bands of 70 and 43 kDa were detected more often in urine samples from patients before treatment. The immunoblot method detected gp43 and gp70 separately or concurrently in 11 (91.7%) of 12 patients, whereas the competition enzyme immunoassay detected antigenuria in 9 (75%) of 12 patients. Both tests appeared to be highly specific (100%), considering that neither fraction detectable by immunoblotting was present in urine samples from the control group. gp43 remained present in the urine samples collected during the treatment period, with a significant decrease in reactivity in samples collected during clinical recovery and increased reactivity in samples collected during relapses. Reactivity of some bands was also detected in urine specimens from patients with “apparent cure.” The detection of Paracoccidioides brasiliensis antigens in urine appears to be a promising method for diagnosing infection, for evaluating the efficacy of treatment, and for detecting relapse. PMID:9620407

  6. Collection and storage of urine specimens for measurement of urolithiasis risk factors.

    PubMed

    Wu, Wenqi; Yang, Dong; Tiselius, Hans-Goran; Ou, Lili; Mai, Zanlin; Chen, Kang; Zhu, Hanliang; Xu, Shaohong; Zhao, Zhijian; Zeng, Guohua

    2015-02-01

    To evaluate how different methods for storage and preservation of urine samples affected the outcome of analysis of risk factors for stone formation. Spot urine samples were collected from 21 healthy volunteers. Each fresh urine sample was divided into ten 10-mL aliquots: 2 without preservative, 2 with thymol, 2 with toluene, 2 with hydrochloric acid (HCl), and 2 with sodium azide. One sample of each pair was stored at 4 °C and the other at room temperature. The concentrations of calcium, magnesium, sodium, phosphate, urate, oxalate, citrate, and pH in each urine sample were analyzed immediately after collection (0 hour) and after 24 and 48 hours. There were no significant differences in calcium, oxalate, magnesium, phosphate, sodium, urate or pH (without acidification) between samples with different preservation methods (P >.05). Urinary citrate, however, was significantly lower in the urine collected with HCl than when other preservatives were used, both at room temperature and at 4 °C. Urine pH was significantly higher after 48 hours than after 24 hours, whether the samples were stored at room temperature or at 4 °C. Antibacterial preservatives (eg, thymol or toluene) can be recommended as preservatives for 24-hour urine collections. Ideally, the samples should be stored at 4 °C. When HCl is used as a preservative, it seems essential to neutralize the samples before analysis. This is particularly obvious with the chromatographic method used for analysis of citrate that was used in this study. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. 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.

  8. Effect of a commercial anion dietary supplement on acid-base balance, urine volume, and urinary ion excretion in male goats fed oat or grass hay diets.

    PubMed

    Stratton-Phelps, Meri; House, John K

    2004-10-01

    To determine whether feeding a commercial anionic dietary supplement as a urinary acidifier to male goats may be useful for management of urolithiasis. 8 adult sexually intact male Toggenburg, Saanen, and Nubian goats. Goats were randomly assigned by age-, breed-, and weight-matched pairs to an oat or grass hay diet that was fed for 12 days. On days 13 to 14 (early sample collection time before supplementation), measurements were made of blood and urine sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, chloride, phosphorus, and sulfur concentrations; blood and urine pH; urine production; and water consumption. During the next 28 days, the anionic dietary supplement was added to the oat and grass hay diets to achieve a dietary cation-anion difference of 0 mEq/100g of dry matter. Blood and urine samples were analyzed during dietary supplementation on days 12 to 13 (middle sample collection time) and 27 to 28 (late sample collection time). Blood bicarbonate, pH, and urine pH of goats fed grass hay and goats fed oat hay were significantly decreased during the middle and late sample collection times, compared with the early sample collection time. Water consumption and urine production in all goats increased significantly during the late sample collection time, compared with the early sample collection time. The anionic dietary supplement used in our study increases urine volume, alters urine ion concentrations, and is an efficacious urinary acidifier in goats. Goats treated with prolonged anionic dietary supplementation should be monitored for secondary osteoporosis from chronic urinary calcium loss.

  9. 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.

  10. 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.

  11. 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.

  12. A misleading false-negative result using Neisseria gonorrhoeae opa MGB multiplex PCR assay in patient's rectal sample due to partial mutations of the opa gene.

    PubMed

    Vahidnia, Ali; van Empel, Pieter Jan; Costa, Sandra; Oud, Rob T N; van der Straaten, Tahar; Bliekendaal, Harry; Spaargaren, Joke

    2015-07-01

    A 53-year-old homosexual man presented at his general practitioner (GP) practice with a suspicion of sexually transmitted infection. Initial NAAT screening was performed for Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae. The patient was positive for Neisseria gonorrhoeae both for his urine and rectal sample. The subsequent confirmation test for Neisseria gonorrhoeae by a second laboratory was only confirmed for the urine sample and the rectal sample was negative. We report a case of a potential false-negative diagnosis of Neisseria gonorrhoeae due to mutations of DNA sequence in the probe region of opa-MGB assay of the rectal sample. The patient did not suffer any discomfort as diagnosis of Neisseria gonorrhoeae in his urine sample had already led to treatment by prescribing the patient with Ceftriaxone 500 mg IV dissolved in 1 ml lidocaine 2% and 4 mL saline. The patient also received a prescription for Azithromycin (2x500 mg).

  13. 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.

  14. Urine sampling and collection system

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Fogal, G. L.; Mangialardi, J. K.; Reinhardt, C. G.

    1971-01-01

    This specification defines the performance and design requirements for the urine sampling and collection system engineering model and establishes requirements for its design, development, and test. The model shall provide conceptual verification of a system applicable to manned space flight which will automatically provide for collection, volume sensing, and sampling of urine.

  15. Filter paper saturated by urine sample in metabolic disorders detection by proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy.

    PubMed

    Blasco, Hélène; Garrigue, Marie-Ange; De Vos, Aymeric; Antar, Catherine; Labarthe, François; Maillot, François; Andres, Christian R; Nadal-Desbarats, Lydie

    2010-02-01

    NMR spectroscopy of urine samples is able to diagnose many inborn errors of metabolism (IEM). However, urinary metabolites have a poor stability, requiring special care for routine analysis (storage of urine at -20 or -80 degrees C, fast transport). The aim of our study was to investigate the reliability of dried urine filter paper for urine storage and transport and to evaluate the ability of NMR to detect several IEM using this method. Urine samples from five healthy subjects were analyzed by (1)H NMR following different storage conditions (-20 vs 4 degrees C vs dried on filter paper) and at different time points (24 h, 48 h, 96 h, and 7 days). Urine pattern of fresh urine was considered as a reference. We analyzed the conservation of some amino acids and organic acids using Bland and Altman plot with intraclass correlation coefficient determination. Then, we evaluated the use of filter paper to detect four different IEM (methylmalonic and isovaleric acidurias, ornithine transcarbamylase deficiency, and cystinuria). Analysis of urine samples from healthy subjects revealed a high stability of studied molecules (ICC > 0.8) even after 7 days of storage on filter paper. Moreover, an excellent preservation of metabolites specifically accumulated in IEM was observed when analysis of dried urine filter paper was compared to fresh urine (coefficient of variation < 15%). This preliminary study demonstrates that storage of dried urine on filter paper is reliable for (1)H NMR spectroscopy analysis. Preservation of urine molecules over time using that method is convenient for routine clinical practice.

  16. Prevalence of caffeine use in elite athletes following its removal from the World Anti-Doping Agency list of banned substances.

    PubMed

    Del Coso, Juan; Muñoz, Gloria; Muñoz-Guerra, Jesús

    2011-08-01

    The aim of this investigation was to determine the use of caffeine by athletes after its removal from the World Anti-Doping Agency list. For this purpose, we measured the caffeine concentration in 20 686 urine samples obtained for doping control from 2004 to 2008. We utilized only urine samples obtained after official national and international competitions. Urine caffeine concentration was determined using alkaline extraction followed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The limit of detection (LOD) was set at 0.1 µg·mL(-1). The percentage of urine samples below the LOD was 26.2%; the remaining 73.8% of the urine samples contained caffeine. Most urine samples (67.3%) had urinary caffeine concentrations below 5 µg·mL(-1). Only 0.6% of urine samples exceeded the former threshold for caffeine doping (12 µg·mL(-1)). Triathlon (3.3 ± 2.2 µg·mL(-1)), cycling (2.6 ± 2.0 µg·mL(-1)), and rowing (1.9 ± 1.4 µg·mL(-1)) were the sports with the highest levels of urine caffeine concentration; gymnastics was the sport with the lowest urine caffeine concentration (0.5 ± 0.4 µg·mL(-1)). Older competitors (>30 y) had higher levels of caffeine in their urine than younger competitors (<20 y; p < 0.05); there were no differences between males and females. In conclusion, 3 out of 4 athletes had consumed caffeine before or during sports competition. Nevertheless, only a small proportion of these competitors (0.6%) had a urine caffeine concentration higher than 12 µg·mL(-1). Endurance sports were the disciplines showing the highest urine caffeine excretion after competition.

  17. Spot urine and 24-h diet recall estimates of dietary sodium intake from the 2008/09 New Zealand Adult Nutrition Survey: a comparison.

    PubMed

    McLean, Rachael M; Williams, Sheila M; Te Morenga, Lisa A; Mann, Jim I

    2018-05-22

    We aimed to test the difference between estimates of dietary sodium intake using 24-h diet recall and spot urine collection in a large sample of New Zealand adults. We analysed spot urine results, 24-h diet recall, dietary habits questionnaire and anthropometry from a representative sample of 3312 adults aged 15 years and older who participated in the 2008/09 New Zealand Adult Nutrition Survey. Estimates of adult population sodium intake were derived from 24-h diet recall and spot urine sodium using a formula derived from analysis of INTERSALT data. Correlations, limits of agreement and mean difference were calculated for the total sample, and for population subgroups. Estimated total population 24-h urinary sodium excretion (mean (95% CI)) from spot urine samples was 3035 mg (2990, 3079); 3612 mg (3549, 3674) for men and 2507 mg (2466, 2548) for women. Estimated mean usual daily sodium intake from 24-h diet recall data (excluding salt added at the table) was 2564 mg (2519, 2608); 2849 mg (2779, 2920) for men and 2304 mg (2258, 2350) for women. Correlations between estimates were poor, especially for men, and limits of agreement using Bland-Altman mean difference analysis were wide. There is a poor agreement between estimates of individual sodium intake from spot urine collection and those from 24-hour diet recall. Although, both 24-hour dietary recall and estimated urinary excretion based on spot urine indicate mean population sodium intake is greater than 2 g, significant differences in mean intake by method deserve further investigation in relation to the gold standard, 24-hour urinary sodium excretion.

  18. Implementation of bioassay methods to improve assessment of incorporated radionuclides.

    PubMed

    Oeh, U; Andrasi, A; Bouvier-Capely, C; De Carlan, L; Fischer, H; Franck, D; Höllriegl, V; Li, W B; Ritt, J; Roth, P; Schmitzer, Ch; Wahl, W; Zombori, P

    2007-01-01

    The present work which was carried out in the framework of an EU project (IDEA: Internal Dosimetry-Enhancements in Application; Contract Number: FIKR CT2001 00164) shall provide commonly acceptable guidelines for optimum performance of ICP-MS measurements with focus on urinary measurements of uranium, thorium and actinides. From the results of this work it is recommended that, whenever feasible, 24 h urine sampling should be conducted to avoid large uncertainties in the quantitation of daily urinary excretion values. For storage, urine samples should be acidified and kept frozen before analysis. Measurement of total uranium in urine by ICP-MS at physiological levels (<10 ng.l(-1)) requires no sample preparation besides UV photolysis and/or dilution. For the measurement of thorium in urine by ICP-MS, it can be concluded, that salt removal from the urine samples is not recommended. For the measurement of actinides in urine it is shown that ICP-MS is well-suited and a good alternative to alpha-spectrometry for isotopes with T1/2>5x10(4) years. In general, ICP-MS measurements are an easy, fast and cost-saving methodology. New improved measuring techniques (HR-SF-ICP-MS) with detection limits in urine of 150 pg.l(-1) (1.9 microBq.l(-1)) for 238U, 30 pg.l(-1) (2.4 microBq.l(-1)) for 235U and 100 pg.l(-1) (0.4 microBq.l(-1)) for (232)Th, respectively, meet all necessary requirements. This method should therefore become the routine technique for incorporation monitoring of workers and of members of the general public, in particular for uranium contamination.

  19. Development of a near-infrared spectroscopic system for monitoring urine glucose level for the use of long-term home healthcare

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tanaka, Shinobu; Hayakawa, Yuuto; Ogawa, Mitsuhiro; Yamakoshi, Ken-ichi

    2010-08-01

    We have been developing a new technique for measuring urine glucose concentration using near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) in conjunction with the Partial Least Square (PLS) method. In the previous study, we reported some results of preliminary experiments for assessing feasibility of this method using a FT-IR spectrometer. In this study, considering practicability of the system, a flow-through cell with the optical path length of 10 mm was newly introduced. Accuracy of the system was verified by the preliminary experiments using urine samples. From the results obtained, it was clearly demonstrated that the present method had a capability of predicting individual urine glucose level with reasonable accuracy (the minimum value of standard error of prediction: SEP = 22.3 mg/dl) and appeared to be a useful means for long-term home health care. However, mean value of SEP obtained by the urine samples from ten subjects was not satisfactorily low (53.7 mg/dl). For improving the accuracy, (1) mechanical stability of the optical system should be improved, (2) the method for normalizing the spectrum should be reconsidered, and (3) the number of subject should be increased.

  20. 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.

  1. Comparison of urine specimen collection times and testing fractions for the detection of high-risk human papillomavirus and high-grade cervical precancer.

    PubMed

    Senkomago, V; Des Marais, A C; Rahangdale, L; Vibat, C R T; Erlander, M G; Smith, J S

    2016-01-01

    Urine testing for high-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) detection could provide a non-invasive, simple method for cervical cancer screening. We examined whether HR-HPV detection is affected by urine collection time, portion of urine stream, or urine fraction tested, and assessed the performance of HR-HPV testing in urine for detection of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade II or worse (CIN2+). A total of 37 female colposcopy clinic attendees, ≥ 30 years, provided three urine samples: "first void" urine collected at home, and "initial stream" and "mid-stream" urine samples collected at the clinic later in the day. Self- and physician-collected brush specimens were obtained at the same clinic visit. Colposcopy was performed and directed biopsies obtained if clinically indicated. For each urine sample, HR-HPV DNA testing was conducted for unfractionated, pellet, and supernatant fractions using the Trovagene test. HR-HPV mRNA testing was performed on brush specimens using the Aptima HPV assay. HR-HPV prevalence was similar in unfractionated and pellet fractions of all urine samples. For supernatant urine fractions, HR-HPV prevalence appeared lower in mid-stream urine (56.8%[40.8-72.7%]) than in initial stream urine (75.7%[61.9-89.5%]). Sensitivity of CIN2+ detection was identical for initial stream urine and physician-collected cervical specimen (89.9%[95%CI=62.7-99.6%]), and similar to self-collected vaginal specimen (79.1%[48.1-96.6%]). This is among the first studies to compare methodologies for collection and processing of urine for HR-HPV detection. HR-HPV prevalence was similar in first void and initial stream urine, and was highly sensitive for CIN2+ detection. Additional research in a larger and general screening population is needed. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  2. Urine TREM-1 as a marker of urinary tract infection in children.

    PubMed

    Sierra-Diaz, Erick; Bravo Cuéllar, Alejandro; Ortiz Lazareno, Pablo Cesar; García Gutiérrez, Mariana; Georgina, Hernandez Flores; Anaya Prado, Roberto

    2017-04-01

    Objective Triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells (TREM)-1 is a receptor that is thought to improve recognition of patients with true infection. In this study, we investigated whether Triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells (TREM-1) is present in urine samples from children with urinary tract infection (UTI) and in samples from healthy children. Methods A total of 128 samples met the inclusion criteria for the study. Urine samples were processed for culture and urinalysis as a regular protocol for patients with UTI. Samples were classified according to culture and urinalysis results. TREM-1 protein expression was detected with flow cytometry and sTREM-1 was assessed by ELISA. Results Flow cytometry showed detectable expression of TREM-1 in 100% of samples, UTI and non-UTI groups ( p < 0.001). Mean fluorescence intensity of TREM-1 was different between the groups ( p < 0.001). Levels of sTREM-1 were detected in patients with UTI, but not in non-UTI patients. Conclusions All of our patients (healthy and diseased) showed TREM-1 expression. However, TREM-1 levels in patients with UTI tend to be higher and are associated with increased neutrophils and cytokine activity induced by bacteria.

  3. Urine TREM-1 as a marker of urinary tract infection in children

    PubMed Central

    Sierra-Diaz, Erick; Ortiz Lazareno, Pablo Cesar; García Gutiérrez, Mariana; Georgina, Hernandez Flores; Anaya Prado, Roberto

    2017-01-01

    Objective Triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells (TREM)-1 is a receptor that is thought to improve recognition of patients with true infection. In this study, we investigated whether Triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells (TREM-1) is present in urine samples from children with urinary tract infection (UTI) and in samples from healthy children. Methods A total of 128 samples met the inclusion criteria for the study. Urine samples were processed for culture and urinalysis as a regular protocol for patients with UTI. Samples were classified according to culture and urinalysis results. TREM-1 protein expression was detected with flow cytometry and sTREM-1 was assessed by ELISA. Results Flow cytometry showed detectable expression of TREM-1 in 100% of samples, UTI and non-UTI groups (p < 0.001). Mean fluorescence intensity of TREM-1 was different between the groups (p < 0.001). Levels of sTREM-1 were detected in patients with UTI, but not in non-UTI patients. Conclusions All of our patients (healthy and diseased) showed TREM-1 expression. However, TREM-1 levels in patients with UTI tend to be higher and are associated with increased neutrophils and cytokine activity induced by bacteria. PMID:28367708

  4. Results of the Excreta Bioassay Quality Control Program for April 1, 2009 through March 31, 2010

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

    Antonio, Cheryl L.

    2012-07-19

    A total of 58 urine samples and 10 fecal samples were submitted during the report period (April 1, 2009 through March 31, 2010) to General Engineering Laboratories, South Carolina by the Hanford Internal Dosimetry Program (IDP) to check the accuracy, precision, and detection levels of their analyses. Urine analyses for Sr, 238Pu, 239Pu, 241Am, 243Am 235U, 238U, elemental uranium and fecal analyses for 241Am, 238Pu and 239Pu were tested this year as well as four tissue samples for 238Pu, 239Pu, 241Am and 241Pu. The number of QC urine samples submitted during the report period represented 1.3% of the total samplesmore » submitted. In addition to the samples provided by IDP, GEL was also required to conduct their own QC program, and submit the results of analyses to IDP. About 33% of the analyses processed by GEL during the third year of this contract were quality control samples. GEL tested the performance of 21 radioisotopes, all of which met or exceeded the specifications in the Statement of Work within statistical uncertainty (Table 4).« less

  5. Results of The Excreta Bioassay Quality Control Program For April 1, 2010 Through March 31, 2011

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

    Antonio, Cheryl L.

    2012-07-19

    A total of 76 urine samples and 10 spiked fecal samples were submitted during the report period (April 1, 2010 through March 31, 2011) to GEL Laboratories, LLC in South Carolina by the Hanford Internal Dosimetry Program (IDP) to check the accuracy, precision, and detection levels of their analyses. Urine analyses for 14C, Sr, for 238Pu, 239Pu, 241Am, 243Am, 235U, 238U, 238U-mass and fecal analyses for 241Am, 238Pu and 239Pu were tested this year. The number of QC urine samples submitted during the report period represented 1.1% of the total samples submitted. In addition to the samples provided by IDP,more » GEL was also required to conduct their own QC program, and submit the results of analyses to IDP. About 31% of the analyses processed by GEL during the first year of contract 112512 were quality control samples. GEL tested the performance of 23 radioisotopes, all of which met or exceeded the specifications in the Statement of Work within statistical uncertainty except the slightly elevated relative bias for 243,244Cm (Table 4).« less

  6. Smartphone-based, sensitive µPAD detection of urinary tract infection and gonorrhea.

    PubMed

    Cho, Soohee; Park, Tu San; Nahapetian, Tigran G; Yoon, Jeong-Yeol

    2015-12-15

    The presence of bacteria in urine can be used to monitor the onset or prognosis of urinary tract infection (UTI) and some sexually-transmitted diseases (STDs), such as gonorrhea. Typically, bacteria's presence in urine is confirmed by culturing samples overnight on agar plates, followed by a microscopic examination. Additionally, the presence of Escherichia coli in a urine sample can be indirectly confirmed through assaying for nitrite (generated by reducing nitrate in urine), however this is not sufficiently specific and sensitive. Species/strains identification of bacteria in a urine sample provides insight to appropriate antibiotic treatment options. In this work, a microfluidic paper analytical device (µPAD) was designed and fabricated for evaluating UTI (E. coli) and STD (Neisseria gonorrhoeae) from human urine samples. Anti-E. coli or anti-N. gonorrhoeae antibodies were conjugated to submicron particles then pre-loaded and dried in the center of each paper microfluidic channel. Human urine samples (undiluted) spiked with E. coli or N. gonorrhoeae were incubated for 5 min with 1% Tween 80. The bacteria-spiked urine samples were then introduced to the inlet of paper microfluidic channel, which flowed through the channel by capillary force. Data confirms that proteins were not filtered by μPAD, which is essential for this assay. Urobilin, the component responsible for the yellow appearance of urine and green fluorescence emission, was filtered by μPAD, resulting in significantly minimized false-positive signals. This filtration was simultaneously made during the μPAD assay and no pretreatment/purification step was necessary. Antibody-conjugated particles were immunoagglutinated at the center of the paper channel. The extent of immunoagglutination was quantified by angle-specific Mie scatter under ambient lighting conditions, utilizing a smartphone camera as a detector. The total μPAD assay time was less than 30s. The detection limit was 10 CFU/mL for both E. coli and N. gonorrhoeae, while commercially available gonorrhea rapid kit showed a detection limit of 10(6) CFU/mL. A commercially available nitrite assay test strip also had a detection limit of 10(6) CFU/mL, but this method is not antibody-based and thus not sufficiently specific. By optimizing the particle concentration, we were also able to extend the linear range of the assay up to 10(7) CFU/mL. The proposed prototype will serve as a low-cost, point-of-care, sensitive urinalysis biosensor to monitor UTI and gonorrhea from human urine. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. NHEXAS PHASE I ARIZONA STUDY--QA ANALYTICAL RESULTS FOR METALS IN SPIKE SAMPLES

    EPA Science Inventory

    The Metals in Spike Samples data set contains the analytical results of measurements of up to 11 metals in 38 control samples (spikes) from 18 households. Measurements were made in spiked samples of dust, food, beverages, blood, urine, and dermal wipe residue. Spiked samples we...

  8. NHEXAS PHASE I REGION 5 STUDY--QA ANALYTICAL RESULTS FOR METALS IN REPLICATES

    EPA Science Inventory

    This data set includes analytical results for measurements of metals in 490 duplicate (replicate) samples and for particles in 130 duplicate samples. Measurements were made for up to 11 metals in samples of air, dust, water, blood, and urine. Duplicate samples (samples collected ...

  9. NHEXAS PHASE I ARIZONA STUDY--QA ANALYTICAL RESULTS FOR PESTICIDE METABOLITES IN SPIKE SAMPLES

    EPA Science Inventory

    The Pesticide Metabolites in Spike Samples data set contains the analytical results of measurements of up to 4 pesticide metabolites in 3 control samples (spikes) from 3 households. Measurements were made in spiked samples of urine. Spiked samples were used to assess recovery o...

  10. 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.

  11. Power of Orbitrap-based LC-high resolution-MS/MS for comprehensive drug testing in urine with or without conjugate cleavage or using dried urine spots after on-spot cleavage in comparison to established LC-MSn or GC-MS procedures.

    PubMed

    Michely, Julian A; Meyer, Markus R; Maurer, Hans H

    2018-01-01

    Reliable, sensitive, and comprehensive urine screening procedures by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) or liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) with low or high resolution (HR) are of high importance for drug testing, adherence monitoring, or detection of toxic compounds. Besides conventional urine sampling, dried urine spots are of increasing interest. In the present study, the power of LC-HR-MS/MS was investigated for comprehensive drug testing in urine with or without conjugate cleavage or using dried urine spots after on-spot cleavage in comparison to established LC-MS n or GC-MS procedures. Authentic human urine samples (n = 103) were split in 4 parts. One aliquot was prepared by precipitation (UP), one by UP with conjugate cleavage (UglucP), one spot on filter paper cards and prepared by on-spot cleavage followed by liquid extraction (DUSglucE), and one worked-up by acid hydrolysis, liquid-liquid extraction, and acetylation for GC-MS analysis. The 3 series of LC-HR-MS/MS results were compared among themselves, to corresponding published LC-MS n data, and to screening results obtained by conventional GC-MS. The reference libraries used for the 3 techniques contained over 4500 spectra of parent compounds and their metabolites. The number of all detected hits (770 drug intakes) was set to 100%. The LC-HR-MS/MS approach detected 80% of the hits after UP, 89% after UglucP, and 77% after DUSglucE, which meant over one-third more hits in comparison to the corresponding published LC-MS n results with ≤49% detected hits. The GC-MS approach identified 56% of all detected hits. In conclusion, LC-HR-MS/MS provided the best screening results after conjugate cleavage and precipitation. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  12. Utility of Cytospin and Cell block Technology in Evaluation of Body Fluids and Urine Samples: A Comparative Study

    PubMed Central

    Qamar, Irmeen; Rehman, Suhailur; Mehdi, Ghazala; Maheshwari, Veena; Ansari, Hena A.; Chauhan, Sunanda

    2018-01-01

    Background: Cytologic examination of body fluids commonly involves the use of direct or sediment smears, cytocentrifuge preparations, membrane filter preparations, or cell block sections. Cytospin and cell block techniques are extremely useful in improving cell yield of thin serous effusions and urine samples, and ensure high diagnostic efficacy. Materials and Methods: We studied cytospin preparations and cell block sections prepared from 180 samples of body fluids and urine samples to compare the relative efficiency of cell retrieval, preservation of cell morphology, ease of application of special stains, and diagnostic efficacy. Samples were collected and processed to prepare cytospin smears and cell block sections. Results: We observed that overall, cell yield and preservation of individual cell morphology were better in cytospin preparations as compared to cell blocks, while preservation of architectural pattern was better in cell block sections. The number of suspicious cases also decreased on cell block sections, with increased detection of malignancy. It was difficult to prepare cell blocks from urine samples due to low cellularity. Conclusions: Cytospin technology is a quick, efficient, and cost-effective method of increasing cell yield in hypocellular samples, with better preservation of cell morphology. Cell blocks are better prepared from high cellularity fluids; however, tissue architecture is better studied, with improved rate of diagnosis and decrease in ambiguous results. Numerous sections can be prepared from a small amount of material. Special stains and immunochemical stains can be easily applied to cell blocks. It also provides a source of archival material. PMID:29643653

  13. Development of a method which discriminates between endogenous and exogenous beta-boldenone.

    PubMed

    Blokland, M H; van Rossum, H J; Sterk, S S; van Ginkel, L A; Stephany, R W

    2007-03-14

    One potential explanation for the presence of beta-boldenone in calf urine is contamination of the sample with feces containing beta-boldenone. It has been demonstrated that after oral and intramuscular administration of beta-boldenone esters, several metabolites are formed and excreted in urine. One of the (minor) metabolites is 6beta-hydroxy-17alpha-boldenone. This paper describes an analytical method that can discriminate between unconjugated boldenone, its glucuronide- and sulphate-conjugates, 6beta-hydroxy-17alpha/beta-boldenone and coprostanol, a marker for fecal contamination. The method was applied to all samples suspected to contain boldenone within the Dutch National Residue Control Plan. Approximately 10,000 samples of urine were screened (LC-MS) in 2004-2005 by VWA-East, one of the official Dutch control laboratories, from which 261 samples were suspected to contain boldenone. These samples were all analyzed for their conjugation state, 6beta-hydroxy-17alpha/beta-boldenone and for the presence of coprostanol. Alfa-boldenone, the major metabolite in bovine urine after boldenone-ester administration, was found in a large number of these samples. The presence of alpha-boldenone was proven also to be a result of fecal contamination. None of the samples tested contained residues of the metabolite 6beta-hydroxy-17alpha/beta-boldenone. Not finding this metabolite indicates that the origin of alpha-boldenone-conjugates is endogenous. The results confirm that the presence of unconjugated beta-boldenone and alpha-boldenone conjugates next to alpha-boldenone are no indicators for illegal administration of boldenone-esters. No indications were obtained that conjugated beta-boldenone can be of endogenous origin.

  14. Evaluation of Digital PCR as a Technique for Monitoring Acute Rejection in Kidney Transplantation.

    PubMed

    Lee, Hyeseon; Park, Young-Mi; We, Yu-Mee; Han, Duck Jong; Seo, Jung-Woo; Moon, Haena; Lee, Yu-Ho; Kim, Yang-Gyun; Moon, Ju-Young; Lee, Sang-Ho; Lee, Jong-Keuk

    2017-03-01

    Early detection and proper management of kidney rejection are crucial for the long-term health of a transplant recipient. Recipients are normally monitored by serum creatinine measurement and sometimes with graft biopsies. Donor-derived cell-free deoxyribonucleic acid (cfDNA) in the recipient's plasma and/or urine may be a better indicator of acute rejection. We evaluated digital PCR (dPCR) as a system for monitoring graft status using single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)-based detection of donor DNA in plasma or urine. We compared the detection abilities of the QX200, RainDrop, and QuantStudio 3D dPCR systems. The QX200 was the most accurate and sensitive. Plasma and/or urine samples were isolated from 34 kidney recipients at multiple time points after transplantation, and analyzed by dPCR using the QX200. We found that donor DNA was almost undetectable in plasma DNA samples, whereas a high percentage of donor DNA was measured in urine DNA samples, indicating that urine is a good source of cfDNA for patient monitoring. We found that at least 24% of the highly polymorphic SNPs used to identify individuals could also identify donor cfDNA in transplant patient samples. Our results further showed that autosomal, sex-specific, and mitochondrial SNPs were suitable markers for identifying donor cfDNA. Finally, we found that donor-derived cfDNA measurement by dPCR was not sufficient to predict a patient's clinical condition. Our results indicate that donor-derived cfDNA is not an accurate predictor of kidney status in kidney transplant patients.

  15. Effect of acute dietary standardization on the urinary, plasma, and salivary metabolomic profiles of healthy humans.

    PubMed

    Walsh, Marianne C; Brennan, Lorraine; Malthouse, J Paul G; Roche, Helen M; Gibney, Michael J

    2006-09-01

    Metabolomics in human nutrition research is faced with the challenge that changes in metabolic profiles resulting from diet may be difficult to differentiate from normal physiologic variation. We assessed the extent of intra- and interindividual variation in normal human metabolic profiles and investigated the effect of standardizing diet on reducing variation. Urine, plasma, and saliva were collected from 30 healthy volunteers (23 females, 7 males) on 4 separate mornings. For visits 1 and 2, free food choice was permitted on the day before biofluid collection. Food choice on the day before visit 3 was intended to mimic that for visit 2, and all foods were standardized on the day before visit 4. Samples were analyzed by using 1H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy followed by multivariate data analysis. Intra- and interindividual variations were considerable for each biofluid. Visual inspection of the principal components analysis scores plots indicated a reduction in interindividual variation in urine, but not in plasma or saliva, after the standard diet. Partial least-squares discriminant analysis indicated time-dependent changes in urinary and salivary samples, mainly resulting from creatinine in urine and acetate in saliva. The predictive power of each model to classify the samples as either night or morning was 85% for urine and 75% for saliva. Urine represented a sensitive metabolic profile that reflected acute dietary intake, whereas plasma and saliva did not. Future metabolomics studies should consider recent dietary intake and time of sample collection as a means of reducing normal physiologic variation.

  16. Mobile Technology Application for Improved Urine Concentration Measurement Pilot Study.

    PubMed

    Walawender, Laura; Patterson, Jeremy; Strouse, Robert; Ketz, John; Saxena, Vijay; Alexy, Emily; Schwaderer, Andrew

    2018-01-01

    Objectives: Low hydration has a deleterious effect on many conditions. In the absence of a urine concentrating defect, urine concentration is a marker of hydration status. However, markers to evaluate hydration status have not been well studied in children. The objectives of this paper are to compare measures of thirst and urine concentration in children and to develop a novel mobile technology application to measure urine concentration. Study Design: Children age 12-17 years were selected ( n = 21) for this pilot study. Thirst perception, specific gravity (automated dipstick analysis and refractometer), and urine color scale results were correlated to urine osmolality. The technology department developed a mobile technology camera application to measure light penetrance into urine which was tested on 25 random anonymized urine samples. Results: The patients' thirst perception and color scale as well as two researchers color scale did not significantly correlate with osmolality. Correlation between osmolality and hydration markers resulted in the following Pearson coefficients: SG automated dipstick, 0.61 ( P 0.003); SG refractometer, 0.98 ( P < 0.0001); urine color scale (patient), 0.37 ( P 0.10), and light penetrance, -0.77 ( P < 0.0001). The correlation of light penetrance with osmolality was stronger than all measures except SG by refractometer and osmolality. Conclusion: The mobile technology application may be a more accurate tool for urine concentration measurement than specific gravity by automated dipstick, subjective thirst, and urine color scale, but lags behind specific gravity measured by refractometer. The mobile technology application is a step toward patient oriented hydration strategies.

  17. Evaluation of the Sysmex UF1000i flow cytometer for ruling out bacterial urinary tract infection.

    PubMed

    De Rosa, Rita; Grosso, Shamanta; Bruschetta, Graziano; Avolio, Manuela; Stano, Paola; Modolo, Maria Luisa; Camporese, Alessandro

    2010-08-05

    Urine culture is one of the most frequently requested tests in microbiology, and it represents the gold standard for the diagnosis of UTIs. Considering the high prevalence of negative results and the long TAT of the culture test, the use of a rapid and reliable screening method is becoming more and more important, as it reduces the workload, the TAT of negative results, and above all, unnecessary antibiotic prescription. The Sysmex UF1000i is a new urine flow cytometry analyzer capable of quantifying urinary particles, including BACT, WBCs, and YLCs. To evaluate the analytical performance of the UF1000i as a method for ruling out UTIs, we examined 1349 urine samples and compared the UF1000i results with standard urine culture results. With instrument cut-off values of 170BACTx10(6)/L and 150WBCsx10(6)/L, we obtained a sensitivity of 98.8%, a specificity of 76.5%, a NPV of 99.5%, and four false negative results (1.2%), avoiding the culture of 57.1% of samples. The Sysmex UF1000i was capable of improving the efficiency of a routine microbiology laboratory by processing 100samples/h and providing negative results in a few minutes, thus reducing unnecessary testing with an acceptable number of false negative results. In addition, the preliminary evaluation of B_FSC and B_FLH parameters from bacteria histograms seems to be useful for the distinction of bacterial strains detected (Gram-negatives versus Gram-positives). In fact when B_FSC was less than 30 ch, it allowed the distinction of Gram-negative bacteria in 97% of the samples. Copyright 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. [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.

  19. Monitoring cocaine use and abstinence among cocaine users for contingency management interventions.

    PubMed

    Holtyn, August F; Knealing, Todd W; Jarvis, Brantley P; Subramaniam, Shrinidhi; Silverman, Kenneth

    2017-06-01

    During contingency management interventions, reinforcement of cocaine abstinence is arranged by delivering an incentive when a urine sample tests cocaine-negative. The use of qualitative versus quantitative urinalysis testing may have important implications for effects on cocaine abstinence. Qualitative testing (i.e., testing that solely identifies whether a particular substance is present or absent) may not detect short-term cocaine abstinence because a single instance of cocaine use can result in cocaine-positive urine over many days. Quantitative testing (i.e., testing that identifies how much of a substance is present) may be more sensitive to short-term cocaine abstinence; however, the selection of a criterion for distinguishing new use versus carryover from previous use is an important consideration. The present study examined benzoylecgonine concentrations, the primary metabolite of cocaine, in urine samples collected three times per week for 30 weeks from 28 cocaine users who were exposed to a cocaine abstinence contingency. Of the positive urine samples (benzoylecgonine concentration >300 ng/ml), 29%, 21%, 14%, and 5% of the samples decreased in benzoylecgonine concentration by more than 20%, 40%, 60%, and 80% per day, respectively. As the size of the decrease increased, the likelihood of that sample occurring during a period leading to a cocaine-negative urine sample (benzoylecgonine concentration ≤300 ng/ml) also increased. The number of days required to produce a cocaine-negative sample following a positive sample ranged from 1 to 10 days and was significantly correlated with the starting benzoylecgonine level ( r = 0.43, p < 0.001). The present analyses may aid in the development of procedures that allow for the precise reinforcement of recent cocaine abstinence during contingency management interventions.

  20. Nontargeted analysis of the urine nonpolar sulfateome: a pathway to the nonpolar xenobiotic exposome

    PubMed Central

    Yao, Yuanyuan; Wang, Poguang; Shao, Gang; Anzalota Del Toro, Liza V.; Codero, Jose; Giese, Roger W.

    2016-01-01

    RATIONALE Testing the urine nonpolar sulfateome can enable discovery of xenobiotics that are most likely to be bioactive. This is based on the fact that nonpolar xenobiotics are more likely to enter cells where they tend to undergo metabolism, in part, to sulfates that are then largely excreted into the urine. METHODS The following sequence of steps, with conditions that achieve high reproducibility, was applied to large human urine samples: (1) competitive nonpolar extraction with a porous extraction paddle; (2) weak anion exchange extraction with strong organic washing; and (3) UHPLC/negative ion-MALDI-TOF/TOF-MS with recording of ions with S/N ≥ 20 that yielded M-1-80 (loss of SO3) or m/z 97 (HSO4−) upon fragmentation. RESULTS From a collection of urine samples from six pregnant women, the masses of 1129 putative sulfates were measured. Three lists of candidate compounds (preliminary hits) from these masses were formed by searching METLIN, especially via MATLAB, yielding putative xenobiotic contaminants (35 compounds), steroids (122), and flavonoids (1582). CONCLUSION A new way to reveal some of the nonpolar xenobiotic exposome has been developed that applies to urine samples. The value of the method is to suggest xenobiotics for subsequent targeted analysis in the population of people under study, in order to relate the environment to health and disease. PMID:27557133

  1. The Effect of Weight Reduction on the Blood and Urine Measurements of College Wrestlers.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Segurson, Jack

    It has been suggested that the weight reduction practices of wrestlers results in kidney and liver problems. To observe the effect of wrestlers' weight reduction, diagnostic tests for kidney and liver problems were done on the blood and urine samples of 22 college wrestlers over the course of a wrestling season. Results obtained after reduction to…

  2. Detection of human papillomavirus DNA in urine. A review of the literature.

    PubMed

    Vorsters, A; Micalessi, I; Bilcke, J; Ieven, M; Bogers, J; Van Damme, P

    2012-05-01

    The detection of human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA in urine, a specimen easily obtained by a non-invasive self-sampling method, has been the subject of a considerable number of studies. This review provides an overview of 41 published studies; assesses how different methods and settings may contribute to the sometimes contradictory outcomes; and discusses the potential relevance of using urine samples in vaccine trials, disease surveillance, epidemiological studies, and specific settings of cervical cancer screening. Urine sampling, storage conditions, sample preparation, DNA extraction, and DNA amplification may all have an important impact on HPV DNA detection and the form of viral DNA that is detected. Possible trends in HPV DNA prevalence in urine could be inferred from the presence of risk factors or the diagnosis of cervical lesions. HPV DNA detection in urine is feasible and may become a useful tool but necessitates further improvement and standardization.

  3. Cross-reactivity of stimulants found in sports drug testing by two fluorescence polarization immunoassays.

    PubMed

    de la Torre, R; Badia, R; Gonzàlez, G; García, M; Pretel, M J; Farré, M; Segura, J

    1996-01-01

    We investigated the usefulness of immunological methods for presumptive detection of stimulants found in sports drug testing. The ingestion of substances that show no cross-reactivity in tests commercially available for the detection of amphetamines can produce positive results in the urine. Human metabolism contributes to the positive results of some urine samples when the parent compound does not cross-react with the antibodies of the assay. Urine samples from healthy volunteers given stimulants were tested by chromatographic methods and by two different fluorescence polarization immunoassays (FPIA) from Abbott Laboratories for the analysis of amphetamines. According to the results obtained, we classified stimulants into four groups: detectable stimulants that gave rise to amphetamine by human metabolism (group 1); detectable ephedrines and related compounds, appearing in the urine either as parent compounds or originated by metabolism (group 2); detectable stimulants that displayed actual cross-reactivity with amphetamine tests (group 3); and stimulants not detected by FPIA (group 4). Most of the true doping cases due to the ingestion of stimulants may be detected by FPIA. The specificity of the results may be increased by combining immunological assays with different antibodies.

  4. Urine Galactomannan-to-Creatinine Ratio for Detection of Invasive Aspergillosis in Patients with Hematological Malignancies.

    PubMed

    Reischies, Frederike M J; Raggam, Reinhard B; Prattes, Juergen; Krause, Robert; Eigl, Susanne; List, Agnes; Quehenberger, Franz; Strenger, Volker; Wölfler, Albert; Hoenigl, Martin

    2016-03-01

    Galactomannan (GM) testing of urine specimens may provide important advantages, compared to serum testing, such as easy noninvasive sample collection. We evaluated a total of 632 serial urine samples from 71 patients with underlying hematological malignancies and found that the urine GM/creatinine ratio, i.e., (urine GM level × 100)/urine creatinine level, which takes urine dilution into account, reliably detected invasive aspergillosis and may be a promising diagnostic tool for patients with hematological malignancies. (This study has been registered at ClinicalTrials.gov under registration no. NCT01576653.). Copyright © 2016, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

  5. The cocaine cutting agent levamisole is frequently detected in cocaine users.

    PubMed

    Pope, Jeffrey D; Drummer, Olaf H; Schneider, Hans G

    2018-06-21

    Cocaine use in Australia is increasing, with approximately 2.5% of the surveyed population having used cocaine. In the USA, levamisole, a widely used anti-helminthic veterinary drug has been increasingly detected as a cutting agent in cocaine seizures. Levamisole is known to cause agranulocytosis in humans. We ascertained the prevalence of levamisole-adulterated cocaine, detectable in the urine from patients that had undergone a pathology request for a urine drug screen. We assayed routinely requested urines that were positive for cocaine on immunoassay with liquid chromatography high resolution quadrupole time of flight mass spectrometry (LC-QToF). We investigated available urine samples from a period of 2 years that had a positive result for cocaine. In addition, we examined samples that were below the cut-off for cocaine on immunoassay. Specimens were analysed for the presence of levamisole and other 'unknown' drugs. In the period under investigation the laboratory examined 3665 urine samples for cocaine: 1.4% (n = 51) of the samples were positive for cocaine by immunoassay and half of these (n = 26, 51%) were further examined by LC-QToF. In addition, we examined 10 samples that were negative by immunoassay (as defined by AS/NZS 4308:2008). Levamisole was detected in the urine of cocaine users in approximately 75% of cases. Other illicit drugs were also frequently found in this cohort. The most common illicit drugs detected were methamphetamine, ecstasy and cannabis. Australian cocaine is widely adulterated with levamisole. Cocaine users are at risk of levamisole related health problems in addition to the problems related to cocaine. Copyright © 2018 Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Urinary Volatile Organic Compounds for the Detection of Prostate Cancer

    PubMed Central

    Khalid, Tanzeela; Aggio, Raphael; White, Paul; De Lacy Costello, Ben; Persad, Raj; Al-Kateb, Huda; Jones, Peter; Probert, Chris S.; Ratcliffe, Norman

    2015-01-01

    The aim of this work was to investigate volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emanating from urine samples to determine whether they can be used to classify samples into those from prostate cancer and non-cancer groups. Participants were men referred for a trans-rectal ultrasound-guided prostate biopsy because of an elevated prostate specific antigen (PSA) level or abnormal findings on digital rectal examination. Urine samples were collected from patients with prostate cancer (n = 59) and cancer-free controls (n = 43), on the day of their biopsy, prior to their procedure. VOCs from the headspace of basified urine samples were extracted using solid-phase micro-extraction and analysed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Classifiers were developed using Random Forest (RF) and Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA) classification techniques. PSA alone had an accuracy of 62–64% in these samples. A model based on 4 VOCs, 2,6-dimethyl-7-octen-2-ol, pentanal, 3-octanone, and 2-octanone, was marginally more accurate 63–65%. When combined, PSA level and these four VOCs had mean accuracies of 74% and 65%, using RF and LDA, respectively. With repeated double cross-validation, the mean accuracies fell to 71% and 65%, using RF and LDA, respectively. Results from VOC profiling of urine headspace are encouraging and suggest that there are other metabolomic avenues worth exploring which could help improve the stratification of men at risk of prostate cancer. This study also adds to our knowledge on the profile of compounds found in basified urine, from controls and cancer patients, which is useful information for future studies comparing the urine from patients with other disease states. PMID:26599280

  7. Postal urine specimens: are they a feasible method for genital chlamydial infection screening?

    PubMed Central

    Macleod, J; Rowsell, R; Horner, P; Crowley, T; Caul, E O; Low, N; Smith, G D

    1999-01-01

    BACKGROUND: A United Kingdom (UK) screening programme for Chlamydia trachomatis has recently been announced. Pilot projects involving the opportunistic testing of women attending health facilities are due to commence in several sites. There is a danger that this approach will fail to obtain adequate population coverage. The alternative--true systematic population screening--is generally assumed to be unfeasible. Studies in Denmark using postal urine specimens have challenged this assumption. No such studies have been reported from the UK. AIM: To assess the potential of urine specimens sent by post as the basis for a UK population screening strategy for genital chlamydial infection. METHOD: Two hundred patients (100 men, 100 women) aged 18 to 45 years were randomly sampled from the list of one urban group practice. Subjects were mailed an explanatory letter, a urine sample container, a sexual lifestyle questionnaire, and a prepaid return envelope. Non-responders were contacted by telephone; persistent non-responders were visited at home. Samples were tested for Chlamydia by DNA amplification and enzyme immunoassay. RESULTS: Sixty-four (32%) subjects were no longer living at their GP registered address. Of the remaining 136, 126 (93%) responded to the survey and 113 (83%) accepted the request for a urine sample and completed a questionnaire. Acceptance rates were similar for men and women and across age groups. Four samples (3%) were Chlamydia positive. CONCLUSION: Home mailed urine specimen collection in conjunction with a self-completed postal questionnaire is feasible. This could provide a viable basis both for determining population Chlamydia prevalence and for a UK Chlamydia population screening strategy. Overall cost effectiveness of such a strategy will depend on the cost of the test used. Comparative performance characteristics of the different currently available tests in this setting have yet to be fully determined. PMID:10562745

  8. 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

  9. Use of a holder-vacuum tube device to save on-site hands in preparing urine samples for head-space gas-chromatography, and its application to determine the time allowance for sample sealing.

    PubMed

    Kawai, Toshio; Sumino, Kimiaki; Ohashi, Fumiko; Ikeda, Masayuki

    2011-01-01

    To facilitate urine sample preparation prior to head-space gas-chromatographic (HS-GC) analysis. Urine samples containing one of the five solvents (acetone, methanol, methyl ethyl ketone, methyl isobutyl ketone and toluene) at the levels of biological exposure limits were aspirated into a vacuum tube via holder, a device commercially available for venous blood collection (the vacuum tube method). The urine sample, 5 ml, was quantitatively transferred to a 20-ml head-space vial prior to HS-GC analysis. The loaded tubes were stored at +4 ℃ in dark for up to 3 d. The vacuum tube method facilitated on-site procedures of urine sample preparation for HS-GC with no significant loss of solvents in the sample and no need of skilled hands, whereas on-site sample preparation time was significantly reduced. Furthermore, no loss of solvents was detected during the 3-d storage, irrespective of hydrophilic (acetone) or lipophilic solvent (toluene). In a pilot application, high performance of the vacuum tube method in sealing a sample in an air-tight space succeeded to confirm that no solvent will be lost when sealing is completed within 5 min after urine voiding, and that the allowance time is as long as 30 min in case of toluene in urine. The use of the holder-vacuum tube device not only saves hands for transfer of the sample to air-tight space, but facilitates sample storage prior to HS-GC analysis.

  10. Unexpected random urinary protein:creatinine ratio results–limitations of the pyrocatechol violet-dye method

    PubMed Central

    2013-01-01

    Background For clinicians, it is important to rely on accurate laboratory results for patient care and optimal use of health care resources. We sought to explore our observations that urine protein:creatinine ratios (PrCr) ≥30 mg/mmol are seen not infrequently associated with normal pregnancy outcome. Methods Urine samples were collected prospectively from 160 pregnant women attending high-risk maternity clinics at a tertiary care facility. Urinary protein was measured using a pyrocatechol violet assay and urinary creatinine by an enzymatic method on Vitros analysers. Maternal/perinatal outcomes were abstracted from hospital records. Results 91/233 (39.1%) samples had a PrCr ≥30 mg/mmol, especially when urinary creatinine concentration was <3 mM (94.1%) vs. ≥3 mM (16.4%) (p < 0.001). When using the last sample before delivery, 47/160 (29.4%) had a PrCr ≥30 mg/mmol in diluted urine vs. only 17/160 (15.4%) in more concentrated urine (p < 0.001); PrCr positive results were also more frequent among the 32 (20.0%) women with known normal pregnancy outcome (90.9% vs. 0) (p < 0.001). Using the same analyser, 0.12 g/L urinary protein was ‘detected’ in deionised water. Re-analysis of data from two cohorts revealed substantially less inflation of PrCr in dilute urine using a pyrogallol red assay. Conclusions Random urinary PrCr was overestimated in dilute urine when tested using a common pyrocatechol violet dye-based method. This effect was reduced in cohorts when pyrogallol red assays were used. False positive results can impact on diagnosis and patient care. This highlights the need for both clinical and laboratory quality improvement projects and standardization of laboratory protein measurement. PMID:23865673

  11. Effects of storage time and temperature on pH, specific gravity, and crystal formation in urine samples from dogs and cats.

    PubMed

    Albasan, Hasan; Lulich, Jody P; Osborne, Carl A; Lekcharoensuk, Chalermpol; Ulrich, Lisa K; Carpenter, Kathleen A

    2003-01-15

    To determine effects of storage temperature and time on pH and specific gravity of and number and size of crystals in urine samples from dogs and cats. Randomized complete block design. 31 dogs and 8 cats. Aliquots of each urine sample were analyzed within 60 minutes of collection or after storage at room or refrigeration temperatures (20 vs 6 degrees C [68 vs 43 degrees F]) for 6 or 24 hours. Crystals formed in samples from 11 of 39 (28%) animals. Calcium oxalate (CaOx) crystals formed in vitro in samples from 1 cat and 8 dogs. Magnesium ammonium phosphate (MAP) crystals formed in vitro in samples from 2 dogs. Compared with aliquots stored at room temperature, refrigeration increased the number and size of crystals that formed in vitro; however, the increase in number and size of MAP crystals in stored urine samples was not significant. Increased storage time and decreased storage temperature were associated with a significant increase in number of CaOx crystals formed. Greater numbers of crystals formed in urine aliquots stored for 24 hours than in aliquots stored for 6 hours. Storage time and temperature did not have a significant effect on pH or specific gravity. Urine samples should be analyzed within 60 minutes of collection to minimize temperature- and time-dependent effects on in vitro crystal formation. Presence of crystals observed in stored samples should be validated by reevaluation of fresh urine.

  12. The endothelial lipase protein is promising urinary biomarker for diagnosis of gastric cancer

    PubMed Central

    2013-01-01

    Background Gastric cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors in the world. Finding effective diagnostic biomarkers in urine or serum would represent the most ideal solution to detecting gastric cancer during annual physical examination. This study was to evaluate the potential of endothelial lipase (EL) as a urinary biomarker for diagnosis of gastric cancer. Methods The expression levels of EL was measured using Western blotting and immunohistochemical staining experiments on (tissue, serum, and urine) samples of gastric cancer patients versus healthy people. We also checked the EL levels in the urine samples of other cancer types (lung, colon and rectum cancers) and benign lesions (gastritis and gastric leiomyoma) to check if EL was specific to gastric cancer. Result We observed a clear separation between the EL expression levels in the urine samples of 90 gastric cancer patients and of 57 healthy volunteers. It was approximately 9.9 fold average decrease of the EL expression levels in the urine samples of gastric cancer compared to the healthy controls (P <0.0001), achieving a 0.967 AUC value for the ROC (receiver operating characteristic) curve, demonstrating it’s highly accurate as a diagnostic marker for gastric cancer. Interestingly, the expression levels of EL in tissue and serum samples were not nearly as discriminative as in urine samples (P = 0.90 and P = 0.79). In immunohistochemical experiments, positive expression of the EL protein was found in 67% (8/12) of gastric adjacent noncancerous and in 58% (7/12) of gastric cancer samples. There was no significant statistical in the expression levels of this protein between the gastric cancer and the matching noncancerous tissues (P =0.67). Conclusions The urinary EL as a highly accurate gastric cancer biomarker that is potentially applicable to the general screening with high sensitivity and specificity. Virtual Slides The virtual slide(s) for this article can be found here: http://www.diagnosticpathology.diagnomx.eu/vs/4527331618757552 PMID:23510199

  13. Prevalence of urinary tract infection in acutely unwell children in general practice: a prospective study with systematic urine sampling

    PubMed Central

    O’Brien, Kathryn; Edwards, Adrian; Hood, Kerenza; Butler, Christopher C

    2013-01-01

    Background Urinary tract infection (UTI) in children may be associated with long-term complications that could be prevented by prompt treatment. Aim To determine the prevalence of UTI in acutely ill children ≤ 5 years presenting in general practice and to explore patterns of presenting symptoms and urine sampling strategies. Design and setting Prospective observational study with systematic urine sampling, in general practices in Wales, UK. Method In total, 1003 children were recruited from 13 general practices between March 2008 and July 2010. The prevalence of UTI was determined and multivariable analysis performed to determine the probability of UTI. Result Out of 597 (60.0%) children who provided urine samples within 2 days, the prevalence of UTI was 5.9% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 4.3% to 8.0%) overall, 7.3% in those < 3 years and 3.2% in 3–5 year olds. Neither a history of fever nor the absence of an alternative source of infection was associated with UTI (P = 0.64; P = 0.69, respectively). The probability of UTI in children aged ≥3 years without increased urinary frequency or dysuria was 2%. The probability of UTI was ≥5% in all other groups. Urine sampling based purely on GP suspicion would have missed 80% of UTIs, while a sampling strategy based on current guidelines would have missed 50%. Conclusion Approximately 6% of acutely unwell children presenting to UK general practice met the criteria for a laboratory diagnosis of UTI. This higher than previously recognised prior probability of UTI warrants raised awareness of the condition and suggests clinicians should lower their threshold for urine sampling in young children. The absence of fever or presence of an alternative source of infection, as emphasised in current guidelines, may not rule out UTI in young children with adequate certainty. PMID:23561695

  14. Determination of 238u/235u, 236u/238u and uranium concentration in urine using sf-icp-ms and mc-icp-ms: an interlaboratory comparison.

    PubMed

    Parrish, Randall R; Thirlwall, Matthew F; Pickford, Chris; Horstwood, Matthew; Gerdes, Axel; Anderson, James; Coggon, David

    2006-02-01

    Accidental exposure to depleted or enriched uranium may occur in a variety of circumstances. There is a need to quantify such exposure, with the possibility that the testing may post-date exposure by months or years. Therefore, it is important to develop a very sensitive test to measure precisely the isotopic composition of uranium in urine at low levels of concentration. The results of an interlaboratory comparison using sector field (SF)-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and multiple collector (MC)-ICP-MS for the measurement of uranium concentration and U/U and U/U isotopic ratios of human urine samples are presented. Three urine samples were verified to contain uranium at 1-5 ng L and shown to have natural uranium isotopic composition. Portions of these urine batches were doped with depleted uranium (DU) containing small quantities of U, and the solutions were split into 100 mL and 400 mL aliquots that were subsequently measured blind by three laboratories. All methods investigated were able to measure accurately U/U with precisions of approximately 0.5% to approximately 4%, but only selected MC-ICP-MS methods were capable of consistently analyzing U/U to reasonable precision at the approximately 20 fg L level of U abundance. Isotope dilution using a U tracer demonstrates the ability to measure concentrations to better than +/-4% with the MC-ICP-MS method, though sample heterogeneity in urine samples was shown to be problematic in some cases. MC-ICP-MS outperformed SF-ICP-MS methods, as was expected. The MC-ICP-MS methodology described is capable of measuring to approximately 1% precision the U/U of any sample of human urine over the entire range of uranium abundance down to <1 ng L, and detecting very small amounts of DU contained therein.

  15. Classification of type 2 diabetes rats based on urine amino acids metabolic profiling by liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Wang, Chunyan; Zhu, Hongbin; Pi, Zifeng; Song, Fengrui; Liu, Zhiqiang; Liu, Shuying

    2013-09-15

    An analytical method for quantifying underivatized amino acids (AAs) in urine samples of rats was developed by using liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Classification of type 2 diabetes rats was based on urine amino acids metabolic profiling. LC-MS/MS analysis was applied through chromatographic separation and multiple reactions monitoring (MRM) transitions of MS/MS. Multivariate profile-wide predictive models were constructed using partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) by SIMAC-P 11.5 version software package and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) by SPSS 18.0 version software. Some amino acids in urine of rats have significant change. The results of the present study prove that this method could perform the quantification of free AAs in urine of rats by using LC-MS/MS. In summary, the PLS-DA and HCA statistical analysis in our research were preferable to differentiate healthy rats and type 2 diabetes rats by the quantification of AAs in their urine samples. In addition, comparing with health group the seven increased amino acids in urine of type 2 rats were returned to normal under the treatment of acarbose. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. Influence of respiratory tract disease and mode of inhalation on detectability of budesonide in equine urine and plasma.

    PubMed

    Barton, Ann Kristin; Heinemann, Henrike; Schenk, Ina; Machnik, Marc; Gehlen, Heidrun

    2017-02-01

    OBJECTIVE To evaluate the influence of respiratory tract disease (ie, recurrent airway obstruction [RAO]) and mode of inhalation on detectability of inhaled budesonide in equine plasma and urine samples. ANIMALS 16 horses (8 healthy control horses and 8 horses affected by RAO, as determined by results of clinical examination, blood gas analysis, bronchoscopy, and cytologic examination of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid). PROCEDURES 4 horses of each group inhaled budesonide (3 μg/kg) twice daily for 10 days while at rest, and the remaining 4 horses of each group inhaled budesonide during lunging exercise. Plasma and urine samples were obtained 4 to 96 hours after inhalation and evaluated for budesonide and, in urine samples, the metabolites 6β-hydroxybudesonide and 16α-hydroxyprednisolone. RESULTS Detected concentrations of budesonide were significantly higher at all time points for RAO-affected horses, compared with concentrations for the control horses. All samples of RAO-affected horses contained budesonide concentrations above the limit of detection at 96 hours after inhalation, whereas this was found for only 2 control horses. Detected concentrations of budesonide were higher, but not significantly so, at all time points in horses that inhaled budesonide during exercise, compared with concentrations for inhalation at rest. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Results of this study indicated that the time interval between inhalation of a glucocorticoid and participation in sporting events should be increased when inhalation treatment is administered during exercise to horses affected by respiratory tract disease.

  17. Evaluation and comparison of Abbott Jaffe and enzymatic creatinine methods: Could the old method meet the new requirements?

    PubMed

    Küme, Tuncay; Sağlam, Barıs; Ergon, Cem; Sisman, Ali Rıza

    2018-01-01

    The aim of this study is to evaluate and compare the analytical performance characteristics of the two creatinine methods based on the Jaffe and enzymatic methods. Two original creatinine methods, Jaffe and enzymatic, were evaluated on Architect c16000 automated analyzer via limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantitation (LOQ), linearity, intra-assay and inter-assay precision, and comparability in serum and urine samples. The method comparison and bias estimation using patient samples according to CLSI guideline were performed on 230 serum and 141 urine samples by analyzing on the same auto-analyzer. The LODs were determined as 0.1 mg/dL for both serum methods and as 0.25 and 0.07 mg/dL for the Jaffe and the enzymatic urine method respectively. The LOQs were similar with 0.05 mg/dL value for both serum methods, and enzymatic urine method had a lower LOQ than Jaffe urine method, values at 0.5 and 2 mg/dL respectively. Both methods were linear up to 65 mg/dL for serum and 260 mg/dL for urine. The intra-assay and inter-assay precision data were under desirable levels in both methods. The higher correlations were determined between two methods in serum and urine (r=.9994, r=.9998 respectively). On the other hand, Jaffe method gave the higher creatinine results than enzymatic method, especially at the low concentrations in both serum and urine. Both Jaffe and enzymatic methods were found to meet the analytical performance requirements in routine use. However, enzymatic method was found to have better performance in low creatinine levels. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  18. Multiplexed Microsphere Suspension-Array Assay for Urine Mitochondrial DNA Typing by C-Stretch Length in Hypervariable Regions.

    PubMed

    Aoki, Kimiko; Tanaka, Hiroyuki; Kawahara, Takashi

    2018-07-01

    The standard method for personal identification and verification of urine samples in doping control is short tandem repeat (STR) analysis using nuclear DNA (nDNA). The DNA concentration of urine is very low and decreases under most conditions used for sample storage; therefore, the amount of DNA from cryopreserved urine samples may be insufficient for STR analysis. We aimed to establish a multiplexed assay for urine mitochondrial DNA typing containing only trace amounts of DNA, particularly for Japanese populations. A multiplexed suspension-array assay using oligo-tagged microspheres (Luminex MagPlex-TAG) was developed to measure C-stretch length in hypervariable region 1 (HV1) and 2 (HV2), five single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), and one polymorphic indel. Based on these SNPs and the indel, the Japanese population can be classified into five major haplogroups (D4, B, M7a, A, D5). The assay was applied to DNA samples from urine cryopreserved for 1 - 1.5 years (n = 63) and fresh blood (n = 150). The assay with blood DNA enabled Japanese subjects to be categorized into 62 types, exhibiting a discriminatory power of 0.960. The detection limit for cryopreserved urine was 0.005 ng of nDNA. Profiling of blood and urine pairs revealed that 5 of 63 pairs showed different C-stretch patterns in HV1 or HV2. The assay described here yields valuable information in terms of the verification of urine sample sources employing only trace amounts of recovered DNA. However, blood cannot be used as a reference sample.

  19. Urine podocyte mRNAs mark disease activity in IgA nephropathy

    PubMed Central

    Fukuda, Akihiro; Sato, Yuji; Iwakiri, Takashi; Komatsu, Hiroyuki; Kikuchi, Masao; Kitamura, Kazuo; Wiggins, Roger C.; Fujimoto, Shouichi

    2015-01-01

    Background Podocyte depletion is a major mechanism driving glomerulosclerosis. We and others have previously projected from model systems that podocyte-specific mRNAs in the urine pellet might serve as glomerular disease markers. We evaluated IgA nephropathy (IgAN) to test this concept. Methods From 2009 to 2013, early morning voided urine samples and kidney biopsies from IgAN patients (n = 67) were evaluated in comparison with urine samples from healthy age-matched volunteers (n = 28). Urine podocyte (podocin) mRNA expressed in relation to either urine creatinine concentration or a kidney tubular marker (aquaporin 2) was tested as markers. Results Urine podocyte mRNAs were correlated with the severity of active glomerular lesions (segmental glomerulosclerosis and acute extracapillary proliferation), but not with non-glomerular lesions (tubular atrophy/interstitial fibrosis) or with clinical parameters of kidney injury (serum creatinine and estimated glomerular filtration rate), or with degree of accumulated podocyte loss at the time of biopsy. In contrast, proteinuria correlated with all histological and clinical markers. Glomerular tuft podocyte nuclear density (a measure of cumulative podocyte loss) correlated with tubular atrophy/interstitial fibrosis, estimated-glomerular filtration rate and proteinuria, but not with urine podocyte markers. In a subset of the IgA cohort (n = 19, median follow-up period = 37 months), urine podocyte mRNAs were significantly decreased after treatment, in contrast to proteinuria which was not significantly changed. Conclusions Urine podocyte mRNAs reflect active glomerular injury at a given point in time, and therefore provide both different and additional clinical information that can complement proteinuria in the IgAN decision-making paradigm. PMID:25956757

  20. Rapid spot tests for detecting the presence of adulterants in urine specimens submitted for drug testing.

    PubMed

    Dasgupta, Amitava; Wahed, Amer; Wells, Alice

    2002-02-01

    Several adulterants are used to mask tests for abused drugs in urine. Adulterants such as "Klear" and "Whizzies" contain potassium nitrite, and "Urine Luck" contains pyridinium chlorochromate (PCC). The presence of these adulterants cannot be detected by routine specimen integrity checks (pH, specific gravity, and temperature). We developed rapid spot tests for detecting these adulterants in urine. Addition of 3% hydrogen peroxide in urine adulterated with PCC caused rapid formation of a dark brown color. In contrast, unadulterated urine turned colorless when hydrogen peroxide was added. When urine contaminated with nitrite and 2 to 3 drops of 2N hydrochloric acid were added to 2% aqueous potassium permanganate solution, the dark pink permanganate solution turned colorless immediately with effervescence. Urine contaminated with nitrite liberated iodine from potassium iodide solution in the presence of 2N hydrochloric acid. Urine adulterated with PCC also liberated iodine from potassium iodide in acid medium but did not turn potassium permanganate solution colorless. Urine specimens from volunteers and random urine samples that tested negative for drugs did not cause false-positive results. These rapid spot tests are useful for detecting adulterated urine to avoid false-negative drug tests.

  1. Albumin adsorption onto surfaces of urine collection and analysis containers.

    PubMed

    Robinson, Mary K; Caudill, Samuel P; Koch, David D; Ritchie, James; Hortin, Glen; Eckfeldt, John H; Sandberg, Sverre; Williams, Desmond; Myers, Gary; Miller, W Greg

    2014-04-20

    Adsorption of albumin onto urine collection and analysis containers may cause falsely low concentrations. We added (125)I-labeled human serum albumin to urine and to phosphate buffered solutions, incubated them with 22 plastic container materials and measured adsorption by liquid scintillation counting. Adsorption of urine albumin (UA) at 5-6 mg/l was <0.9%; and at 90 mg/l was <0.4%. Adsorption was generally less at pH8 than pH5 but only 3 cases had p<0.05. Adsorption from 11 unaltered urine samples with albumin 5-333 mg/l was <0.8%. Albumin adsorption for the material with greatest binding was extrapolated to the surface areas of 100 ml and 2l collection containers, and to instrument sample cups and showed <1% change in concentration at 5 mg/l and <0.5% change at 20 mg/l or higher concentrations. Adsorption of albumin from phosphate buffered solutions (2-28%) was larger than that from urine. Albumin adsorption differed among urine samples and plastic materials, but the total influence of adsorption was <1% for all materials and urine samples tested. Adsorption of albumin from phosphate buffered solutions was larger than that from urine and could be a limitation for preparations used as calibrators. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  2. HPV Testing from Dried Urine Spots as a Tool for Cervical Cancer Screening in Low-Income Countries.

    PubMed

    Frati, Elena Rosanna; Martinelli, Marianna; Fasoli, Ester; Colzani, Daniela; Bianchi, Silvia; Binda, Sandro; Olivani, Pierfranco; Tanzi, Elisabetta

    2015-01-01

    Nowadays, several screening strategies are available to prevent cervical cancer, but inadequate resources, sociocultural barriers, and sampling issues impede their success in low-income countries. To overcome these issues, this study aimed to evaluate the performance of human papillomavirus (HPV) testing from dried urine spots (DUS). Eighty-eight urine samples (including 56 HPV DNA positive specimens) were spotted on filter paper, dried, and stored in paper-bags. HPV DNA was detected from the DUS after 1 week and 4 weeks of storage using a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay. The sensitivity, specificity, and concordance of the DUS-based HPV test were evaluated by comparing the results with those of HPV testing on fresh urine samples as the gold standard. The sensitivity of the test was 98.21% (95% CI: 90.56-99.68) for DUS stored for 1 week and 96.42% (95% CI: 87.88-99.01) for DUS stored for 4 weeks. The specificity was 100% (95% CI: 89.28-100) at both time points. The concordance between DUS and fresh urine HPV testing was "almost perfect" using the κ statistic. These preliminary data suggest that a DUS-based assay could bypass sociocultural barriers and sampling issues and therefore could be a suitable, effective tool for epidemiological surveillance and screening programs, especially in low-income countries.

  3. HPV Testing from Dried Urine Spots as a Tool for Cervical Cancer Screening in Low-Income Countries

    PubMed Central

    Olivani, Pierfranco

    2015-01-01

    Nowadays, several screening strategies are available to prevent cervical cancer, but inadequate resources, sociocultural barriers, and sampling issues impede their success in low-income countries. To overcome these issues, this study aimed to evaluate the performance of human papillomavirus (HPV) testing from dried urine spots (DUS). Eighty-eight urine samples (including 56 HPV DNA positive specimens) were spotted on filter paper, dried, and stored in paper-bags. HPV DNA was detected from the DUS after 1 week and 4 weeks of storage using a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay. The sensitivity, specificity, and concordance of the DUS-based HPV test were evaluated by comparing the results with those of HPV testing on fresh urine samples as the gold standard. The sensitivity of the test was 98.21% (95% CI: 90.56–99.68) for DUS stored for 1 week and 96.42% (95% CI: 87.88–99.01) for DUS stored for 4 weeks. The specificity was 100% (95% CI: 89.28–100) at both time points. The concordance between DUS and fresh urine HPV testing was “almost perfect” using the κ statistic. These preliminary data suggest that a DUS-based assay could bypass sociocultural barriers and sampling issues and therefore could be a suitable, effective tool for epidemiological surveillance and screening programs, especially in low-income countries. PMID:26180790

  4. Solid phase extraction of 2,4-D from human urine.

    PubMed

    Thompson, T S; Treble, R G

    1996-10-01

    A method for determining urinary concentrations of 2,4-D in samples collected from non-occupationally, environmentally exposed individuals was developed. The 2,4-D was extracted from fortified human urine samples using octadecylsilane solid phase extraction cartridges. The average percent recovery for urine samples spiked at 2 and 20 ng/mL was 100% and 93%, respectively. The method detection limit was estimated to be 0.75 ng of 2,4-D per mL of urine based on a 10 mL sample size. The potential use of 2,4-dichlorophenylacetic acid as a surrogate standard was also investigated.

  5. Determining the authenticity of athlete urine in doping control by DNA analysis.

    PubMed

    Devesse, Laurence; Syndercombe Court, Denise; Cowan, David

    2015-10-01

    The integrity of urine samples collected from athletes for doping control is essential. The authenticity of samples may be contested, leading to the need for a robust sample identification method. DNA typing using short tandem repeats (STR) can be used for identification purposes, but its application to cellular DNA in urine has so far been limited. Here, a reliable and accurate method is reported for the successful identification of urine samples, using reduced final extraction volumes and the STR multiplex kit, Promega® PowerPlex ESI 17, with capillary electrophoretic characterisation of the alleles. Full DNA profiles were obtained for all samples (n = 20) stored for less than 2 days at 4 °C. The effect of different storage conditions on yield of cellular DNA and probability of obtaining a full profile were also investigated. Storage for 21 days at 4 °C resulted in allelic drop-out in some samples, but the random match probabilities obtained demonstrate the high power of discrimination achieved through targeting a large number of STRs. The best solution for long-term storage was centrifugation and removal of supernatant prior to freezing at -20 °C. The method is robust enough for incorporation into current anti-doping protocols, and was successfully applied to 44 athlete samples for anti-doping testing with 100% concordant typing. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  6. Quality assurance in the pre-analytical phase of human urine samples by (1)H NMR spectroscopy.

    PubMed

    Budde, Kathrin; Gök, Ömer-Necmi; Pietzner, Maik; Meisinger, Christine; Leitzmann, Michael; Nauck, Matthias; Köttgen, Anna; Friedrich, Nele

    2016-01-01

    Metabolomic approaches investigate changes in metabolite profiles, which may reflect changes in metabolic pathways and provide information correlated with a specific biological process or pathophysiology. High-resolution (1)H NMR spectroscopy is used to identify metabolites in biofluids and tissue samples qualitatively and quantitatively. This pre-analytical study evaluated the effects of storage time and temperature on (1)H NMR spectra from human urine in two settings. Firstly, to evaluate short time effects probably due to acute delay in sample handling and secondly, the effect of prolonged storage up to one month to find markers of sample miss-handling. A number of statistical procedures were used to assess the differences between samples stored under different conditions, including Projection to Latent Structure Discriminant Analysis (PLS-DA), non-parametric testing as well as mixed effect linear regression analysis. The results indicate that human urine samples can be stored at 10 °C for 24 h or at -80 °C for 1 month, as no relevant changes in (1)H NMR fingerprints were observed during these time periods and temperature conditions. However, some metabolites most likely of microbial origin showed alterations during prolonged storage but without facilitating classification. In conclusion, the presented protocol for urine sample handling and semi-automatic metabolite quantification is suitable for large-scale epidemiological studies. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. A needle extraction utilizing a molecularly imprinted-sol-gel xerogel for on-line microextraction of the lung cancer biomarker bilirubin from plasma and urine samples.

    PubMed

    Moein, Mohammad Mahdi; Jabbar, Dunia; Colmsjö, Anders; Abdel-Rehim, Mohamed

    2014-10-31

    In the present work, a needle trap utilizing a molecularly imprinted sol-gel xerogel was prepared for the on-line microextraction of bilirubin from plasma and urine samples. Each prepared needle could be used for approximately one hundred extractions before it was discarded. Imprinted and non-imprinted sol-gel xerogel were applied for the extraction of bilirubin from plasma and urine samples. The produced molecularly imprinted sol-gel xerogel polymer showed high binding capacity and fast adsorption/desorption kinetics for bilirubin in plasma and urine samples. The adsorption capacity of molecularly imprinted sol-gel xerogel polymer was approximately 60% higher than that of non-imprinted polymer. The effect of the conditioning, washing and elution solvents, pH, extraction time, adsorption capacity and imprinting factor were investigated. The limit of detection and the lower limit of quantification were set to 1.6 and 5nmolL(-1), respectively using plasma or urine samples. The standard calibration curves were obtained within the concentration range of 5-1000nmolL(-1) in both plasma and urine samples. The coefficients of determination values (R(2)) were ≥0.998 for all runs. The extraction recovery was approximately 80% for BR in the human plasma and urine samples. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Testing for nandrolone metabolites in urine samples of professional athletes and sedentary subjects by GC/MS/MS analysis.

    PubMed

    Gambelunghe, Cristiana; Sommavilla, Marco; Rossi, Ruggero

    2002-12-01

    The concentrations of nandrolone metabolites, 19-norandrosterone (19-NA) and 19-noretiocholanolone (19-NE) were analysed in urine samples of professional athletes doing intense physical activity and sedentary subjects to verify if there was endogenous production of nandrolone and if there was any link between physical effort and the urinary metabolites of the steroid. We collected 18 urine samples from professional footballers age range 20-30 years, all from the same team, and 18 urine samples from males not doing any physical activity, age range 20-30 years. Neither group used nandrolone. Qualitative and quantitative analyses of urinary nandrolone metabolites were carried out by GC/MS followed by GC/MS/MS to confirm positive samples. This technique has been demonstrated to be an excellent analytical approach for the determination of anabolic steroids at very low detection limits in complex matrices such as urine. In five urine samples from professional footballers traces of 19-NA were detected. No trace of 19-NA was found in the group of sedentary subjects and no trace of 19-NE was found in any urine sample. The absence of nandrolone metabolites in sedentary subjects supports the hypothesis that the presence of 19-NA and 19-NE could be linked to physical effort even though the origin is not yet clear. Copyright 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  9. The effect of diet enriched with rapeseed meal on endogenous thiouracil contents in urine and milk of cattle.

    PubMed

    Wozniak, Barbara; Matraszek-Zuchowska, Iwona; Witek, Sebastian; Zmudzki, Jan; Posyniak, Andrzej

    2018-01-15

    Thyreostatic compounds, such as thiouracil, are orally active drugs that can be used to increase the weight of cattle before slaughter. Due to potentially teratogenic and carcinogenic effects of their residues on public health, the use of thyreostats in animal production has been banned in the European Union since 1981. Systematic detection of low concentrations of thiouracil in the urine of livestock in many countries is believed to be of endogenous origin due to the use of Brassicaceae plants in the animal diet. Therefore, the purpose of the study was to determine the effects of diets rich in rapeseed meal on formation of thiouracil in urine and milk of dairy cows. For two weeks three cows were subjected to a diet supplemented with rapeseed at 30%, compared to the control cattle diet which contained up to 11% rapeseed. During the experiment, samples of urine and milk were collected and analysed by LC-MS/MS. The increase and decrease of thiouracil concentration in urine samples in different animals was individual and cyclic. The highest concentration of natural thiouracil determined in urine was 3.61 μg l -1 . It has been found that endogenous thiouracil exists in two tautomeric forms. A few days of storage of frozen urine samples affected the stability of natural thiouracil, whereas an acidic medium improved the stability of the compound and its isomer, which remained stable even after two months of storage at temperatures below -18°C. Due to the instability of thiouracil, urine samples upon sampling should be delivered to the laboratory as soon as possible or properly preserved. In milk samples, thiouracil was not found above the decision limit of the applied method of 0.63 μg l -1 . Preliminary studies have shown that faecal examination for banned thiouracil can be a complementary test for urine samples, and may be helpful in determining the origin of the compound present in urine.

  10. Spectral pattern of urinary water as a biomarker of estrus in the giant panda

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kinoshita, Kodzue; Miyazaki, Mari; Morita, Hiroyuki; Vassileva, Maria; Tang, Chunxiang; Li, Desheng; Ishikawa, Osamu; Kusunoki, Hiroshi; Tsenkova, Roumiana

    2012-11-01

    Near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) has been successfully used for non-invasive diagnosis of diseases and abnormalities where water spectral patterns are found to play an important role. The present study investigates water absorbance patterns indicative of estrus in the female giant panda. NIR spectra of urine samples were acquired from the same animal on a daily basis over three consecutive putative estrus periods. Characteristic water absorbance patterns based on 12 specific water absorbance bands were discovered, which displayed high urine spectral variation, suggesting that hydrogen-bonded water structures increase with estrus. Regression analysis of urine spectra and spectra of estrone-3-glucuronide standard concentrations at these water bands showed high correlation with estrogen levels. Cluster analysis of urine spectra grouped together estrus samples from different years. These results open a new avenue for using water structure as a molecular mirror for fast estrus detection.

  11. Spectral pattern of urinary water as a biomarker of estrus in the giant panda.

    PubMed

    Kinoshita, Kodzue; Miyazaki, Mari; Morita, Hiroyuki; Vassileva, Maria; Tang, Chunxiang; Li, Desheng; Ishikawa, Osamu; Kusunoki, Hiroshi; Tsenkova, Roumiana

    2012-01-01

    Near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) has been successfully used for non-invasive diagnosis of diseases and abnormalities where water spectral patterns are found to play an important role. The present study investigates water absorbance patterns indicative of estrus in the female giant panda. NIR spectra of urine samples were acquired from the same animal on a daily basis over three consecutive putative estrus periods. Characteristic water absorbance patterns based on 12 specific water absorbance bands were discovered, which displayed high urine spectral variation, suggesting that hydrogen-bonded water structures increase with estrus. Regression analysis of urine spectra and spectra of estrone-3-glucuronide standard concentrations at these water bands showed high correlation with estrogen levels. Cluster analysis of urine spectra grouped together estrus samples from different years. These results open a new avenue for using water structure as a molecular mirror for fast estrus detection.

  12. Spectral pattern of urinary water as a biomarker of estrus in the giant panda

    PubMed Central

    Kinoshita, Kodzue; Miyazaki, Mari; Morita, Hiroyuki; Vassileva, Maria; Tang, Chunxiang; Li, Desheng; Ishikawa, Osamu; Kusunoki, Hiroshi; Tsenkova, Roumiana

    2012-01-01

    Near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) has been successfully used for non-invasive diagnosis of diseases and abnormalities where water spectral patterns are found to play an important role. The present study investigates water absorbance patterns indicative of estrus in the female giant panda. NIR spectra of urine samples were acquired from the same animal on a daily basis over three consecutive putative estrus periods. Characteristic water absorbance patterns based on 12 specific water absorbance bands were discovered, which displayed high urine spectral variation, suggesting that hydrogen-bonded water structures increase with estrus. Regression analysis of urine spectra and spectra of estrone-3-glucuronide standard concentrations at these water bands showed high correlation with estrogen levels. Cluster analysis of urine spectra grouped together estrus samples from different years. These results open a new avenue for using water structure as a molecular mirror for fast estrus detection. PMID:23181188

  13. Assessment of genotoxic exposure in Swedish coke-oven work by different methods of biological monitoring.

    PubMed

    Reuterwall, C; Aringer, L; Elinder, C G; Rannug, A; Levin, J O; Juringe, L; Onfelt, A

    1991-04-01

    This study evaluated the results of several biological methods used simultaneously to monitor coke-oven work. Blood samples from 44 male coke-oven workers and 48 male referents, matched for age and smoking/snuff consumption, were examined for cytogenetic damage in lymphocytes. Urinary thioether excretion was determined for 62, and urine mutagenicity for 31, of the subjects, who followed a standardized diet during the urine sampling. Exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons varied with work task, the ambient air levels of benzo[a]pyrene sometimes exceeding 5 micrograms/m3. Cytogenetic damage, urine mutagenicity, and thioether excretion did not differ between the groups. The smokers, however, had significantly higher sister chromatid exchange frequencies, urine mutagenicity, and thioether excretion than the nonsmokers. The absence of biological indications of genotoxic exposure was unexpected and indicates that the studied methods are not adequate to assess the carcinogenic risks of Swedish coke-oven workers.

  14. Evaluation of commercial boric acid containing vials for urine culture: low risk of contamination and cost effectiveness considerations.

    PubMed

    Appannanavar, Suma B; Biswal, Manisha; Rajkumari, Nonika; Mohan, Balvinder; Taneja, Neelam

    2013-01-01

    Urine culture is a gold standard in the diagnosis of urinary tract infection. Clean catch midstream urine collection and prompt transportation is essential for appropriate diagnosis. Improper collection and delay in transportation leads to diagnostic dilemma. In developing countries, higher ambient temperatures further complicate the scenario. Here, we have evaluated the role of boric acid as a preservative for urine samples prior to culture in female patients attending outpatient department at our center. Consecutive 104 urine samples were cultured simultaneously in plain uricol (Control-C) and boric acid containing tubes from Becton Dickinson urine culture kit (Boric acid group-BA). In the real-time evaluation, we found that in almost 57% (59/104) of the urine samples tested, it was more effective in maintaining the number of the organisms as compared to samples in the container without any preservative. Our in vitro study of simulated urine cultures revealed that urine samples could be kept up to 12 h before culture in the preservative without any inhibitory effect of boric acid. Though the use of boric acid kit may marginally increase the initial cost but has indirect effects like preventing delays in treatment and avoidance of false prescription of antibiotics. If the man-hours spent on repeat investigations are also taken into consideration, then the economic cost borne by the laboratory would also decrease manifold with the use of these containers.

  15. Urine Antigen Detection as an Aid to Diagnose Invasive Aspergillosis.

    PubMed

    Marr, Kieren A; Datta, Kausik; Mehta, Seema; Ostrander, Darin B; Rock, Michelle; Francis, Jesse; Feldmesser, Marta

    2018-04-19

    Establishing rapid diagnoses of invasive aspergillosis (IA) is priority, given poor outcomes of late therapy. Non-culture based tests that detect galactomannan and β-D glucan are available, but are technically cumbersome and rely on invasive sampling (blood or bronchoalveolar lavage). We optimized a lateral flow dipstick assay using the galactofuranose -specific monoclonal antibody (mAb476), which was previously shown to recognize urine antigens after Aspergillus fumigatus pulmonary infection in an`imals. Urine samples were obtained from a cohort of 78 subjects undergoing clinical evaluation for suspected invasive fungal infections, and stored frozen until testing. Urine was processed by centrifugation through desalting columns and exposed to dipsticks. Reviewers blinded to EORTC/MSG clinical diagnoses graded results. Western blots were performed on urines from two subjects to characterize mAb476-reactive antigens. Per-patient sensitivity and specificity for diagnosis of proven or probable IA in the overall cohort was 80% (95% CI: 61.4-92.3) and 92% (95% CI 74-99). In the sub-group with cancer, sensitivity was 89.5% (95% CI 66.7-98.7) and specificity was 90.9% (95% CI 58.7 - 99.8); amongst all others, sensitivity and specificity were 63.6 (95% CI 30.8 - 89.1) and 92.9 (66.1 - 99.8), respectively. Eliminating lung transplant recipients with airway disease increased sensitivity in the non-cancer cohort (85.7%, 95% CI 42.1-99.6%). Semi-quantitative urine assay results correlated with serum galactomannan indices. Western blots demonstrated mAb476-reactive antigens in urine from cases, ranging between 26 - 35kDa in size. Urine testing using mAb476 may be used as an aid to diagnose IA in high-risk patients.

  16. 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.

  17. NHEXAS PHASE I ARIZONA STUDY--QA ANALYTICAL RESULTS FOR PESTICIDES IN BLANK SAMPLES

    EPA Science Inventory

    The Pesticides in Blank Samples data set contains the analytical results of measurements of up to 4 pesticides in 43 blank samples from 29 households. Measurements were made in blank samples of dust, indoor and outdoor air, food and beverages, blood, urine, and dermal wipe resid...

  18. NHEXAS PHASE I MARYLAND STUDY--QA ANALYTICAL RESULTS FOR PESTICIDE METABOLITES IN BLANKS

    EPA Science Inventory

    The Pesticide Metabolites in Blanks data set contains the analytical results of measurements of up to 4 pesticide metabolites in 14 blank samples from 13 households. Measurements were made in blank samples of urine. Blank samples were used to assess the potential for sample con...

  19. COLLECTING URINE SAMPLES FROM YOUNG CHILDREN FOR PESTICIDE STUDIES

    EPA Science Inventory

    To estimate pesticide exposure for young children wearing diapers, a method for collecting urine samples for analysis of pesticide metabolites is needed. To find a practical method, two possibilities were investigated: (1) analysis of expressed urine from cotton diaper inserts ...

  20. Employment-based abstinence reinforcement promotes opiate and cocaine abstinence in out-of-treatment injection drug users.

    PubMed

    Holtyn, August F; Koffarnus, Mikhail N; DeFulio, Anthony; Sigurdsson, Sigurdur O; Strain, Eric C; Schwartz, Robert P; Silverman, Kenneth

    2014-01-01

    We examined the use of employment-based abstinence reinforcement in out-of-treatment injection drug users, in this secondary analysis of a previously reported trial. Participants (N = 33) could work in the therapeutic workplace, a model employment-based program for drug addiction, for 30 weeks and could earn approximately $10 per hr. During a 4-week induction, participants only had to work to earn pay. After induction, access to the workplace was contingent on enrollment in methadone treatment. After participants met the methadone contingency for 3 weeks, they had to provide opiate-negative urine samples to maintain maximum pay. After participants met those contingencies for 3 weeks, they had to provide opiate- and cocaine-negative urine samples to maintain maximum pay. The percentage of drug-negative urine samples remained stable until the abstinence reinforcement contingency for each drug was applied. The percentage of opiate- and cocaine-negative urine samples increased abruptly and significantly after the opiate- and cocaine-abstinence contingencies, respectively, were applied. These results demonstrate that the sequential administration of employment-based abstinence reinforcement can increase opiate and cocaine abstinence among out-of-treatment injection drug users. © Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior.

  1. EMPLOYMENT-BASED ABSTINENCE REINFORCEMENT PROMOTES OPIATE AND COCAINE ABSTINENCE IN OUT-OF-TREATMENT INJECTION DRUG USERS

    PubMed Central

    Holtyn, August F.; Koffarnus, Mikhail N.; DeFulio, Anthony; Sigurdsson, Sigurdur O.; Strain, Eric C.; Schwartz, Robert P.; Silverman, Kenneth

    2016-01-01

    We examined the use of employment-based abstinence reinforcement in out-of-treatment injection drug users, in this secondary analysis of a previously reported trial. Participants (N = 33) could work in the therapeutic workplace, a model employment-based program for drug addiction, for 30 weeks and could earn approximately $10 per hr. During a 4-week induction, participants only had to work to earn pay. After induction, access to the workplace was contingent on enrollment in methadone treatment. After participants met the methadone contingency for 3 weeks, they had to provide opiate-negative urine samples to maintain maximum pay. After participants met those contingencies for 3 weeks, they had to provide opiate- and cocaine-negative urine samples to maintain maximum pay. The percentage of drug-negative urine samples remained stable until the abstinence reinforcement contingency for each drug was applied. The percentage of opiate- and cocaine-negative urine samples increased abruptly and significantly after the opiate- and cocaine-abstinence contingencies, respectively, were applied. These results demonstrate that the sequential administration of employment-based abstinence reinforcement can increase opiate and cocaine abstinence among out-of-treatment injection drug users. PMID:25292399

  2. A randomized trial of employment-based reinforcement of cocaine abstinence in injection drug users.

    PubMed

    Silverman, Kenneth; Wong, Conrad J; Needham, Mick; Diemer, Karly N; Knealing, Todd; Crone-Todd, Darlene; Fingerhood, Michael; Nuzzo, Paul; Kolodner, Kenneth

    2007-01-01

    High-magnitude and long-duration abstinence reinforcement can promote drug abstinence but can be difficult to finance. Employment may be a vehicle for arranging high-magnitude and long-duration abstinence reinforcement. This study determined if employment-based abstinence reinforcement could increase cocaine abstinence in adults who inject drugs and use cocaine during methadone treatment. Participants could work 4 hr every weekday in a workplace where they could earn about $10.00 per hour in vouchers; they were required to provide routine urine samples. Participants who attended the workplace and provided cocaine-positive urine samples during the initial 4 weeks were invited to work 26 weeks and were randomly assigned to an abstinence-and-work (n = 28) or work-only (n = 28) group. Abstinence-and-work participants had to provide urine samples showing cocaine abstinence to work and maintain maximum pay. Work-only participants could work independent of their urinalysis results. Abstinence-and-work participants provided more (p = .004; OR = 5.80, 95% CI = 2.03-16.56) cocaine-negative urine samples (29%) than did work-only participants (10%). Employment-based abstinence reinforcement can increase cocaine abstinence.

  3. Gene expression signature in urine for diagnosing and assessing aggressiveness of bladder urothelial carcinoma.

    PubMed

    Mengual, Lourdes; Burset, Moisès; Ribal, María José; Ars, Elisabet; Marín-Aguilera, Mercedes; Fernández, Manuel; Ingelmo-Torres, Mercedes; Villavicencio, Humberto; Alcaraz, Antonio

    2010-05-01

    To develop an accurate and noninvasive method for bladder cancer diagnosis and prediction of disease aggressiveness based on the gene expression patterns of urine samples. Gene expression patterns of 341 urine samples from bladder urothelial cell carcinoma (UCC) patients and 235 controls were analyzed via TaqMan Arrays. In a first phase of the study, three consecutive gene selection steps were done to identify a gene set expression signature to detect and stratify UCC in urine. Subsequently, those genes more informative for UCC diagnosis and prediction of tumor aggressiveness were combined to obtain a classification system of bladder cancer samples. In a second phase, the obtained gene set signature was evaluated in a routine clinical scenario analyzing only voided urine samples. We have identified a 12+2 gene expression signature for UCC diagnosis and prediction of tumor aggressiveness on urine samples. Overall, this gene set panel had 98% sensitivity (SN) and 99% specificity (SP) in discriminating between UCC and control samples and 79% SN and 92% SP in predicting tumor aggressiveness. The translation of the model to the clinically applicable format corroborates that the 12+2 gene set panel described maintains a high accuracy for UCC diagnosis (SN = 89% and SP = 95%) and tumor aggressiveness prediction (SN = 79% and SP = 91%) in voided urine samples. The 12+2 gene expression signature described in urine is able to identify patients suffering from UCC and predict tumor aggressiveness. We show that a panel of molecular markers may improve the schedule for diagnosis and follow-up in UCC patients. Copyright 2010 AACR.

  4. Quantitative determination of metformin, glyburide and its metabolites in plasma and urine of pregnant patients by LC-MS/MS.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Xing; Wang, Xiaoming; Vernikovskaya, Daria I; Fokina, Valentina M; Nanovskaya, Tatiana N; Hankins, Gary D V; Ahmed, Mahmoud S

    2015-04-01

    This report describes the development and validation of an LC-MS/MS method for the quantitative determination of glyburide (GLB), its five metabolites (M1, M2a, M2b, M3 and M4) and metformin (MET) in plasma and urine of pregnant patients under treatment with a combination of the two medications. The extraction recovery of the analytes from plasma samples was 87-99%, and that from urine samples was 85-95%. The differences in retention times among the analytes and the wide range of the concentrations of the medications and their metabolites in plasma and urine patient samples required the development of three LC methods. The lower limit of quantitation (LLOQ) of the analytes in plasma samples was as follows: GLB, 1.02 ng/mL; its five metabolites, 0.100-0.113 ng/mL; and MET, 4.95 ng/mL. The LLOQ in urine samples was 0.0594 ng/mL for GLB, 0.984-1.02 ng/mL for its five metabolites and 30.0 µg/mL for MET. The relative deviation of this method was <14% for intra-day and inter-day assays in plasma and urine samples, and the accuracy was 86-114% in plasma, and 94-105% in urine. The method described in this report was successfully utilized for determining the concentrations of the two medications in patient plasma and urine. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  5. Quantitative determination of metformin, glyburide and its metabolites in plasma and urine of pregnant patients by LC-MS/MS

    PubMed Central

    Zhang, Xing; Wang, Xiaoming; Vernikovskaya, Daria I.; Fokina, Valentina M.; Nanovskaya, Tatiana N.; Hankins, Gary D.V.; Ahmed, Mahmoud S.

    2014-01-01

    This report describes the development and validation of an LC-MS/MS method for the quantitative determination of glyburide (GLB), its five metabolites (M1, M2a, M2b, M3, and M4) and metformin (MET) in plasma and urine of pregnant patients under treatment with a combination of the two medications. The extraction recovery of the analytes from plasma samples ranged between 87% and 99%, and 85%–95% for urine samples. The differences in retention times among the analytes, and the wide range of the concentrations of the medications and their metabolites in plasma and urine patient samples required the development of three LC methods. The lower limit of quantitation (LLOQ) of the analytes in plasma samples was as follows: GLB, 1.02 ng/mL; its five metabolites, 0.100–0.113 ng/mL and 4.95 ng/mL for MET. LLOQ in urine samples was 0.0594 ng/mL for GLB, 0.984–1.02 ng/mL for its five metabolites and 30.0 μg/mL for MET. The relative deviation of this method was < 14% for intra-day and inter-day assays in plasma and urine samples, and the accuracy ranged between 86% and 114% in plasma, and 94% to 105% in urine. The method described in this report was successfully utilized for determining the concentrations of the two medications in patient plasma and urine. PMID:25164921

  6. A novel way to monitor urine concentration: fluorescent concentration matrices.

    PubMed

    Dubayova, Katarina; Luckova, Iveta; Sabo, Jan; Karabinos, Anton

    2015-01-01

    The amount of water found in urine is important diagnostic information; nevertheless it is not yet directly determined. Indirectly, the water content in urine is expressed by its density (specific gravity). However, without the diuresis value it is not possible to determine whether the increase in density of urine is due to a decrease in water secretion or an increase in the concentration of secreted substances. This problem can be solved by the use of fluorescent concentration 3D-matrices which characterise urine concentration through the pφ (or -logφ) value of the first fluorescence centre. The urine fluorescent concentration 3D-matrix was created by the alignment of the synchronous spectra of the dilution series of urine starting from undiluted (pφ = 0) to 1000-fold diluted urine (pφ = 3). Using the fluorescence concentration 3D-matrix analysis of the urine samples from healthy individuals, a reference range was established for the value pφ, determining the normal, concentrated or diluted type of urine. The diagnostic potential of this approach was tested on urine samples from two patients with a chronic glomerulonephritis. The pφ value of the urine fluorescence concentration 3D-matrix analysis determines whether the urine sample falls within the normal, concentrated or diluted type of urine. This parameter can be directly utilised in sportsmen's hydration state monitoring, as well as in the diagnosis and treatment of serious diseases. An important advantage of this novel diagnostic approach is that a 12/24 h urine collection is not required, which predetermines it for use especially within paediatrics.

  7. Extended Detection of Amphetamine and Methamphetamine in Oral Fluid.

    PubMed

    Andås, Hilde T; Enger, Asle; Øiestad, Åse Marit L; Vindenes, Vigdis; Christophersen, Asbjørg S; Huestis, Marilyn A; Øiestad, Elisabeth L

    2016-02-01

    Amphetamine and methamphetamine are popular drugs of abuse worldwide and are important components of drug monitoring programs. Windows of detection for amphetamine and methamphetamine in oral fluid after high doses have not been investigated. Repeated high-dose ingestions are likely to cause positive samples for extended periods. Common routes of administration of amphetamine/methamphetamine in Norway are oral intake or injection. The aim of this study was to investigate windows of detection for amphetamine and methamphetamine in oral fluid from drug addicts under sustained abstinence during detoxification. Twenty-five patients admitted to a closed detoxification unit were included in this study. Oral fluid samples were collected daily in the morning and evening, and urine every morning for 10 days. A blood sample was drawn during the first 5 days after admission if the patient consented. Oral fluid results were compared with urine results to determine whether a new ingestion occurred. Oral fluid was collected with the Intercept oral fluid collection device. In-house cutoff concentrations for amphetamine and methamphetamine were 6.8 and 7.5 mcg/L, respectively, in oral fluid, and 135 and 149 mcg/L, respectively, in urine. Amphetamines were detected in 11 oral fluid, 5 urine, and 2 blood specimens from 25 patients. Patients self-reported amphetamines intake of up to 0.5-2 g daily. Windows of detection for amphetamine and methamphetamine in oral fluid were up to 8 days, longer than in urine at the applied cutoff values. These data confirm that oral fluid is a viable alternative to urine for monitoring amphetamine abuse, and that these substances might be detected in oral fluid for at least 1 week after ingestion of high doses. Such long detection times were, as far as we are aware, never reported previously for oral fluid amphetamines.

  8. High-precision measurement of variations in calcium isotope ratios in urine by multiple collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Morgan, J.L.L.; Gordon, G.W.; Arrua, R.C.; Skulan, J.L.; Anbar, A.D.; Bullen, T.D.

    2011-01-01

    We describe a new chemical separation method to isolate Ca from other matrix elements in biological samples, developed with the long-term goal of making high-precision measurement of natural stable Ca isotope variations a clinically applicable tool to assess bone mineral balance. A new two-column procedure utilizing HBr achieves the purity required to accurately and precisely measure two Ca isotope ratios (44Ca/42Ca and 44Ca/43Ca) on a Neptune multiple collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (MC-ICPMS) in urine. Purification requirements for Sr, Ti, and K (Ca/Sr > 10000; Ca/Ti > 10000000; and Ca/K > 10) were determined by addition of these elements to Ca standards of known isotopic composition. Accuracy was determined by (1) comparing Ca isotope results for samples and standards to published data obtained using thermal ionization mass spectrometry (TIMS), (2) adding a Ca standard of known isotopic composition to a urine sample purified of Ca, and (3) analyzing mixtures of urine samples and standards in varying proportions. The accuracy and precision of δ44/42Ca measurements of purified samples containing 25 μg of Ca can be determined with typical errors less than ±0.2‰ (2σ).

  9. Reliable determination of new lipid peroxidation compounds as potential early Alzheimer Disease biomarkers.

    PubMed

    García-Blanco, Ana; Peña-Bautista, Carmen; Oger, Camille; Vigor, Claire; Galano, Jean-Marie; Durand, Thierry; Martín-Ibáñez, Nuria; Baquero, Miguel; Vento, Máximo; Cháfer-Pericás, Consuelo

    2018-07-01

    Lipid peroxidation plays an important role in Alzheimer Disease, so corresponding metabolites found in urine samples could be potential biomarkers. The aim of this work is to develop a reliable ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry analytical method to determine a new set of lipid peroxidation compounds in urine samples. Excellent sensitivity was achieved with limits of detection between 0.08 and 17 nmol L -1 , which renders this method suitable to monitor analytes concentrations in real samples. The method's precision was satisfactory with coefficients of variation around 5-17% (intra-day) and 8-19% (inter-day). The accuracy of the method was assessed by analysis of spiked urine samples obtaining recoveries between 70% and 120% for most of the analytes. The utility of the described method was tested by analyzing urine samples from patients early diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment or mild dementia Alzheimer Disease following the clinical standard criteria. As preliminary results, some analytes (17(RS)-10-epi-SC-Δ 15 -11-dihomo-IsoF, PGE 2 ) and total parameters (Neuroprostanes, Isoprostanes, Isofurans) show differences between the control and the clinical groups. So, these analytes could be potential early Alzheimer Disease biomarkers assessing the patients' pro-oxidant condition. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Influence of Freezing and Storage Procedure on Human Urine Samples in NMR-Based Metabolomics

    PubMed Central

    Rist, Manuela J.; Muhle-Goll, Claudia; Görling, Benjamin; Bub, Achim; Heissler, Stefan; Watzl, Bernhard; Luy, Burkhard

    2013-01-01

    It is consensus in the metabolomics community that standardized protocols should be followed for sample handling, storage and analysis, as it is of utmost importance to maintain constant measurement conditions to identify subtle biological differences. The aim of this work, therefore, was to systematically investigate the influence of freezing procedures and storage temperatures and their effect on NMR spectra as a potentially disturbing aspect for NMR-based metabolomics studies. Urine samples were collected from two healthy volunteers, centrifuged and divided into aliquots. Urine aliquots were frozen either at −20 °C, on dry ice, at −80 °C or in liquid nitrogen and then stored at −20 °C, −80 °C or in liquid nitrogen vapor phase for 1–5 weeks before NMR analysis. Results show spectral changes depending on the freezing procedure, with samples frozen on dry ice showing the largest deviations. The effect was found to be based on pH differences, which were caused by variations in CO2 concentrations introduced by the freezing procedure. Thus, we recommend that urine samples should be frozen at −20 °C and transferred to lower storage temperatures within one week and that freezing procedures should be part of the publication protocol. PMID:24957990

  11. Influence of Freezing and Storage Procedure on Human Urine Samples in NMR-Based Metabolomics.

    PubMed

    Rist, Manuela J; Muhle-Goll, Claudia; Görling, Benjamin; Bub, Achim; Heissler, Stefan; Watzl, Bernhard; Luy, Burkhard

    2013-04-09

    It is consensus in the metabolomics community that standardized protocols should be followed for sample handling, storage and analysis, as it is of utmost importance to maintain constant measurement conditions to identify subtle biological differences. The aim of this work, therefore, was to systematically investigate the influence of freezing procedures and storage temperatures and their effect on NMR spectra as a potentially disturbing aspect for NMR-based metabolomics studies. Urine samples were collected from two healthy volunteers, centrifuged and divided into aliquots. Urine aliquots were frozen either at -20 °C, on dry ice, at -80 °C or in liquid nitrogen and then stored at -20 °C, -80 °C or in liquid nitrogen vapor phase for 1-5 weeks before NMR analysis. Results show spectral changes depending on the freezing procedure, with samples frozen on dry ice showing the largest deviations. The effect was found to be based on pH differences, which were caused by variations in CO2 concentrations introduced by the freezing procedure. Thus, we recommend that urine samples should be frozen at -20 °C and transferred to lower storage temperatures within one week and that freezing procedures should be part of the publication protocol.

  12. A surrogate analyte-based LC-MS/MS method for the determination of γ-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) in human urine and variation of endogenous urinary concentrations of GHB.

    PubMed

    Kang, Soyoung; Oh, Seung Min; Chung, Kyu Hyuck; Lee, Sooyeun

    2014-09-01

    γ-Hydroxybutyrate (GHB) is a drug of abuse with a strong anesthetic effect; however, proving its ingestion through the quantification of GHB in biological specimens is not straightforward due to the endogenous presence of GHB in human blood, urine, saliva, etc. In the present study, a surrogate analyte approach was applied to accurate quantitative determination of GHB in human urine using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) in order to overcome this issue. For this, (2)H6-GHB and (13)C2-dl-3-hydroxybutyrate were used as a surrogate standard and as an internal standard, respectively, and parallelism between the surrogate analyte approach and standard addition was investigated at the initial step. The validation results proved the method to be selective, accurate, and precise, with acceptable linearity within calibration ranges (0.1-1μg/ml). The limit of detection and the limit of quantification of (2)H6-GHB were 0.05 and 0.1μg/ml, respectively. No significant variations were observed among urine matrices from different sources. The stability of (2)H6-GHB was satisfactory under sample storage and in-process conditions. However, in vitro production of endogenous GHB was observed when the urine sample was kept under the in-process condition for 4h and under the storage conditions of 4 and -20°C. In order to facilitate the practical interpretation of urinary GHB, endogenous GHB was accurately measured in urine samples from 79 healthy volunteers using the surrogate analyte-based LC-MS/MS method developed in the present study. The unadjusted and creatinine-adjusted GHB concentrations in 74 urine samples with quantitative results ranged from 0.09 to 1.8μg/ml and from 4.5 to 530μg/mmol creatinine, respectively. No significant correlation was observed between the unadjusted and creatinine-adjusted GHB concentrations. The urinary endogenous GHB concentrations were affected by gender and age while they were not significantly influenced by habitual smoking, alcohol drinking, or caffeine-containing beverage drinking. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Improved sensitivity of the urine CAA lateral-flow assay for diagnosing active Schistosoma infections by using larger sample volumes.

    PubMed

    Corstjens, Paul L A M; Nyakundi, Ruth K; de Dood, Claudia J; Kariuki, Thomas M; Ochola, Elizabeth A; Karanja, Diana M S; Mwinzi, Pauline N M; van Dam, Govert J

    2015-04-22

    Accurate determination of Schistosoma infection rates in low endemic regions to examine progress towards interruption of transmission and elimination requires highly sensitive diagnostic tools. An existing lateral flow (LF) based test demonstrating ongoing infections through detection of worm circulating anodic antigen (CAA), was improved for sensitivity through implementation of a protocol allowing increased sample input. Urine is the preferred sample as collection is non-invasive and sample volume is generally not a restriction. Centrifugal filtration devices provided a method to concentrate supernatant of urine samples extracted with trichloroacetic acid (TCA). For field trials a practical sample volume of 2 mL urine allowed detection of CAA down to 0.3 pg/mL. The method was evaluated on a set of urine samples (n = 113) from an S. mansoni endemic region (Kisumu, Kenya) and compared to stool microscopy (Kato Katz, KK). In this analysis true positivity was defined as a sample with either a positive KK or UCAA test. Implementation of the concentration method increased clinical sensitivity (Sn) from 44 to 98% when moving from the standard 10 μL (UCAA10 assay) to 2000 μL (UCAA2000 assay) urine sample input. Sn for KK varied between 23 and 35% for a duplicate KK (single stool, two slides) to 52% for a six-fold KK (three consecutive day stools, two slides). The UCAA2000 assay indicated 47 positive samples with CAA concentration above 0.3 pg/mL. The six-fold KK detected 25 egg positives; 1 sample with 2 eggs detected in the 6-fold KK was not identified with the UCAA2000 assay. Larger sample input increased Sn of the UCAA assay to a level indicating 'true' infection. Only a single 2 mL urine sample is needed, but analysing larger sample volumes could still increase test accuracy. The UCAA2000 test is an appropriate candidate for accurate identification of all infected individuals in low-endemic regions. Assay materials do not require refrigeration and collected urine samples may be stored and transported to central test laboratories without the need to be frozen.

  14. 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

  15. Daily sodium and potassium excretion can be estimated by scheduled spot urine collections.

    PubMed

    Doenyas-Barak, Keren; Beberashvili, Ilia; Bar-Chaim, Adina; Averbukh, Zhan; Vogel, Ofir; Efrati, Shai

    2015-01-01

    The evaluation of sodium and potassium intake is part of the optimal management of hypertension, metabolic syndrome, renal stones, and other conditions. To date, no convenient method for its evaluation exists, as the gold standard method of 24-hour urine collection is cumbersome and often incorrectly performed, and methods that use spot or shorter collections are not accurate enough to replace the gold standard. The aim of this study was to evaluate the correlation and agreement between a new method that uses multiple-scheduled spot urine collection and the gold standard method of 24-hour urine collection. The urine sodium or potassium to creatinine ratios were determined for four scheduled spot urine samples. The mean ratios of the four spot samples and the ratios of each of the single spot samples were corrected for estimated creatinine excretion and compared to the gold standard. A significant linear correlation was demonstrated between the 24-hour urinary solute excretions and estimated excretion evaluated by any of the scheduled spot urine samples. The correlation of the mean of the four spots was better than for any of the single spots. Bland-Altman plots showed that the differences between these measurements were within the limits of agreement. Four scheduled spot urine samples can be used as a convenient method for estimation of 24-hour sodium or potassium excretion. © 2015 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  16. Estimating population salt intake in India using spot urine samples.

    PubMed

    Petersen, Kristina S; Johnson, Claire; Mohan, Sailesh; Rogers, Kris; Shivashankar, Roopa; Thout, Sudhir Raj; Gupta, Priti; He, Feng J; MacGregor, Graham A; Webster, Jacqui; Santos, Joseph Alvin; Krishnan, Anand; Maulik, Pallab K; Reddy, K Srinath; Gupta, Ruby; Prabhakaran, Dorairaj; Neal, Bruce

    2017-11-01

    To compare estimates of mean population salt intake in North and South India derived from spot urine samples versus 24-h urine collections. In a cross-sectional survey, participants were sampled from slum, urban and rural communities in North and in South India. Participants provided 24-h urine collections, and random morning spot urine samples. Salt intake was estimated from the spot urine samples using a series of established estimating equations. Salt intake data from the 24-h urine collections and spot urine equations were weighted to provide estimates of salt intake for Delhi and Haryana, and Andhra Pradesh. A total of 957 individuals provided a complete 24-h urine collection and a spot urine sample. Weighted mean salt intake based on the 24-h urine collection, was 8.59 (95% confidence interval 7.73-9.45) and 9.46 g/day (8.95-9.96) in Delhi and Haryana, and Andhra Pradesh, respectively. Corresponding estimates based on the Tanaka equation [9.04 (8.63-9.45) and 9.79 g/day (9.62-9.96) for Delhi and Haryana, and Andhra Pradesh, respectively], the Mage equation [8.80 (7.67-9.94) and 10.19 g/day (95% CI 9.59-10.79)], the INTERSALT equation [7.99 (7.61-8.37) and 8.64 g/day (8.04-9.23)] and the INTERSALT equation with potassium [8.13 (7.74-8.52) and 8.81 g/day (8.16-9.46)] were all within 1 g/day of the estimate based upon 24-h collections. For the Toft equation, estimates were 1-2 g/day higher [9.94 (9.24-10.64) and 10.69 g/day (9.44-11.93)] and for the Kawasaki equation they were 3-4 g/day higher [12.14 (11.30-12.97) and 13.64 g/day (13.15-14.12)]. In urban and rural areas in North and South India, most spot urine-based equations provided reasonable estimates of mean population salt intake. Equations that did not provide good estimates may have failed because specimen collection was not aligned with the original method.

  17. The diagnosis of urinary tract infections in young children (DUTY): protocol for a diagnostic and prospective observational study to derive and validate a clinical algorithm for the diagnosis of UTI in children presenting to primary care with an acute illness.

    PubMed

    Downing, Harriet; Thomas-Jones, Emma; Gal, Micaela; Waldron, Cherry-Ann; Sterne, Jonathan; Hollingworth, William; Hood, Kerenza; Delaney, Brendan; Little, Paul; Howe, Robin; Wootton, Mandy; Macgowan, Alastair; Butler, Christopher C; Hay, Alastair D

    2012-07-19

    Urinary tract infection (UTI) is common in children, and may cause serious illness and recurrent symptoms. However, obtaining a urine sample from young children in primary care is challenging and not feasible for large numbers. Evidence regarding the predictive value of symptoms, signs and urinalysis for UTI in young children is urgently needed to help primary care clinicians better identify children who should be investigated for UTI. This paper describes the protocol for the Diagnosis of Urinary Tract infection in Young children (DUTY) study. The overall study aim is to derive and validate a cost-effective clinical algorithm for the diagnosis of UTI in children presenting to primary care acutely unwell. DUTY is a multicentre, diagnostic and prospective observational study aiming to recruit at least 7,000 children aged before their fifth birthday, being assessed in primary care for any acute, non-traumatic, illness of ≤ 28 days duration. Urine samples will be obtained from eligible consented children, and data collected on medical history and presenting symptoms and signs. Urine samples will be dipstick tested in general practice and sent for microbiological analysis. All children with culture positive urines and a random sample of children with urine culture results in other, non-positive categories will be followed up to record symptom duration and healthcare resource use. A diagnostic algorithm will be constructed and validated and an economic evaluation conducted.The primary outcome will be a validated diagnostic algorithm using a reference standard of a pure/predominant growth of at least >103, but usually >105 CFU/mL of one, but no more than two uropathogens.We will use logistic regression to identify the clinical predictors (i.e. demographic, medical history, presenting signs and symptoms and urine dipstick analysis results) most strongly associated with a positive urine culture result. We will then use economic evaluation to compare the cost effectiveness of the candidate prediction rules. This study will provide novel, clinically important information on the diagnostic features of childhood UTI and the cost effectiveness of a validated prediction rule, to help primary care clinicians improve the efficiency of their diagnostic strategy for UTI in young children.

  18. The diagnosis of urinary tract infections in young children (DUTY): protocol for a diagnostic and prospective observational study to derive and validate a clinical algorithm for the diagnosis of UTI in children presenting to primary care with an acute illness

    PubMed Central

    2012-01-01

    Background Urinary tract infection (UTI) is common in children, and may cause serious illness and recurrent symptoms. However, obtaining a urine sample from young children in primary care is challenging and not feasible for large numbers. Evidence regarding the predictive value of symptoms, signs and urinalysis for UTI in young children is urgently needed to help primary care clinicians better identify children who should be investigated for UTI. This paper describes the protocol for the Diagnosis of Urinary Tract infection in Young children (DUTY) study. The overall study aim is to derive and validate a cost-effective clinical algorithm for the diagnosis of UTI in children presenting to primary care acutely unwell. Methods/design DUTY is a multicentre, diagnostic and prospective observational study aiming to recruit at least 7,000 children aged before their fifth birthday, being assessed in primary care for any acute, non-traumatic, illness of ≤ 28 days duration. Urine samples will be obtained from eligible consented children, and data collected on medical history and presenting symptoms and signs. Urine samples will be dipstick tested in general practice and sent for microbiological analysis. All children with culture positive urines and a random sample of children with urine culture results in other, non-positive categories will be followed up to record symptom duration and healthcare resource use. A diagnostic algorithm will be constructed and validated and an economic evaluation conducted. The primary outcome will be a validated diagnostic algorithm using a reference standard of a pure/predominant growth of at least >103, but usually >105 CFU/mL of one, but no more than two uropathogens. We will use logistic regression to identify the clinical predictors (i.e. demographic, medical history, presenting signs and symptoms and urine dipstick analysis results) most strongly associated with a positive urine culture result. We will then use economic evaluation to compare the cost effectiveness of the candidate prediction rules. Discussion This study will provide novel, clinically important information on the diagnostic features of childhood UTI and the cost effectiveness of a validated prediction rule, to help primary care clinicians improve the efficiency of their diagnostic strategy for UTI in young children. PMID:22812651

  19. Relationship between mercury in kidney, blood, and urine in environmentally exposed individuals, and implications for biomonitoring

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

    Akerstrom, Magnus, E-mail: magnus.akerstrom@amm.gu

    Background: Individuals without occupational exposure are exposed to mercury (Hg) from diet and dental amalgam. The kidney is a critical organ, but there is limited information regarding the relationship between Hg in kidney (K-Hg), urine (U-Hg), blood (B-Hg), and plasma (P-Hg). Objectives: The aim was to determine the relationship between K-Hg, U-Hg, B-Hg, and P-Hg among environmentally exposed individuals, estimate the biological half-time of K-Hg, and provide information useful for biomonitoring of Hg. Methods: Kidney cortex biopsies and urine and blood samples were collected from 109 living kidney donors. Total Hg concentrations were determined and the relationships between K-Hg, U-Hg,more » P-Hg, and B-Hg were investigated in regression models. The half-time of K-Hg was estimated from the elimination constant. Results: There were strong associations between K-Hg and all measures of U-Hg and P-Hg (r{sub p} = 0.65–0.84, p < 0.001), while the association with B-Hg was weaker (r{sub p} = 0.29, p = 0.002). Mean ratios between K-Hg (in μg/g) and U-Hg/24h (in μg) and B-Hg (in μg/L) were 0.22 and 0.19 respectively. Estimates of the biological half-time varied between 30 and 92 days, with significantly slower elimination in women. Adjusting overnight urine samples for dilution using urinary creatinine resulted in less bias in relation to K-Hg or U-Hg/24h, compared with other adjustment techniques. Conclusions: The relationship between K-Hg and U-Hg is approximately linear. K-Hg can be estimated using U-Hg and gender. Women have longer half-time of Hg in kidney compared to men. Adjusting overnight urine samples for creatinine concentration resulted in less bias. - Highlights: • The first study of the relation between Hg in kidney, blood and urine at low U-Hg • Simultaneous samples were collected from healthy kidney donors. • There was a linear relationship between mercury in kidney and urine. • Kidney Hg can be estimated using U-Hg and gender. • Women have longer half-time of Hg in kidney compared to men.« less

  20. Separation and quantitation of debrisoquine and 4-hydroxydebrisoquine in human urine by capillary electrophoresis and high-performance liquid chromatography.

    PubMed

    Cifuentes, A; Valencia, J; Sanz, E; Sánchez, M J; Rodríguez-Delgado, M A

    1997-08-22

    A comparative study on the use of reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) and capillary electrophoresis (CE) for the determination of debrisoquine (D) and its metabolite, 4-hydroxydebrisoquine (4-HD), in human urine is presented. Four different urine pre-treatments are compared for purification of samples prior to their injection in HPLC and CE. The use of a solid-phase extraction with a C18 cartridge provides the best results for the urine sample treatment, with good recoveries, i.e., 94.5% for D and 93.4% for 4-HD, and high reproducibility, i.e., R.S.D. N = 10 values of 1.7% and 1.2%, respectively. Under our separation conditions it is shown that CE is twice as fast and provides slightly better analysis time reproducibility than HPLC for this type of sample. Both the sensitivity and peak area reproducibility are better when HPLC is used. The two techniques show good agreement when employed for determination of phenotypes for hydroxylation, which seems to corroborate the usefulness of CE for this type of study.

  1. Simple DNA extraction of urine samples: Effects of storage temperature and storage time.

    PubMed

    Ng, Huey Hian; Ang, Hwee Chen; Hoe, See Ying; Lim, Mae-Lynn; Tai, Hua Eng; Soh, Richard Choon Hock; Syn, Christopher Kiu-Choong

    2018-06-01

    Urine samples are commonly analysed in cases with suspected illicit drug consumption. In events of alleged sample mishandling, urine sample source identification may be necessary. A simple DNA extraction procedure suitable for STR typing of urine samples was established on the Promega Maxwell ® 16 paramagnetic silica bead platform. A small sample volume of 1.7mL was used. Samples were stored at room temperature, 4°C and -20°C for 100days to investigate the influence of storage temperature and time on extracted DNA quantity and success rate of STR typing. Samples stored at room temperature exhibited a faster decline in DNA yield with time and lower typing success rates as compared to those at 4°C and -20°C. This trend can likely be attributed to DNA degradation. In conclusion, this study presents a quick and effective DNA extraction protocol from a small urine volume stored for up to 100days at 4°C and -20°C. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  2. Exploring the concurrent presence of hepatitis A virus genome in serum, stool, saliva, and urine samples of hepatitis A patients.

    PubMed

    Joshi, Madhuri S; Bhalla, Shilpa; Kalrao, Vijay R; Dhongade, Ramchandra K; Chitambar, Shobha D

    2014-04-01

    The use of saliva and urine as an alternative to serum samples for detection of anti-hepatitis A virus (HAV) IgM antibodies has been documented. However, these samples remain underreported or unexplored for shedding of HAV. To address this issue, paired serum, stool, saliva, and urine samples collected from hepatitis A patients were screened by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction for detection of HAV RNA. HAV RNA was detected in 67.6% (44/65), 52.3% (34/65), 8.7% (5/57), and 12.3% (8/65) of the serum, stool, saliva, and urine samples, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis of nucleotide sequences obtained for partial RNA polymerase region grouped HAV strains from all of the clinical samples of the study in subgenotype IIIA. Low frequency of HAV nucleic acid in saliva and urine samples indicates limited utility of these samples in genomic studies on HAV but suggests its potential for transmission and infection of hepatitis A. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. 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

  4. 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.

  5. Urinary proteomics in renal pathophysiology: Impact of proteinuria.

    PubMed

    Sancho-Martínez, Sandra M; Prieto-García, Laura; Blanco-Gozalo, Víctor; Fontecha-Barriuso, Miguel; López-Novoa, José M; López-Hernández, Francisco J

    2015-06-01

    Urinary differential proteomics is used to study renal pathophysiological mechanisms, find novel markers of biological processes and renal diseases, and stratify patients according to proteomic profiles. The proteomic procedure determines the pathophysiological meaning and clinical relevance of results. Urine samples for differential proteomic studies are usually normalized by protein content, regardless of its pathophysiological characteristics. In the field of nephrology, this approach translates into the comparison of a different fraction of the total daily urine output between proteinuric and nonproteinuric samples. Accordingly, alterations in the level of specific proteins found by this method reflect the relative presence of individual proteins in the urine; but they do not necessarily show alterations in their daily excretion, which is a key parameter for the understanding of the pathophysiological meaning of urinary components. For renal pathophysiology studies and clinical biomarker identification or determination, an alternative proteomic concept providing complementary information is based on sample normalization by daily urine output, which directly informs on changes in the daily excretion of individual proteins. This is clinically important because daily excretion (rather than absolute or relative concentration) is the only self-normalized way to evaluate the real meaning of urinary parameters, which is also independent of urine concentration. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  6. Development of a nanogold-based immunochromatographic assay for detection of morphine in urine using the Amor-HK16 monoclonal antibody.

    PubMed

    Dehghannezhad, Ardeshir; Paknejad, Maliheh; Rasaee, Mohammad Javad; Omidfar, Kobra; Seyyed Ebrahimi, Shadi Sadat; Ghahremani, Hossein

    2012-12-01

    A simple, rapid competitive immunochromatography (ICG) strip test was developed to detect morphine in urine samples using a monoclonal antibody produced in-house and conjugated to gold nanoparticles. Hybridoma cells were cultured and the Amor-HK16 monoclonal antibody against morphine was obtained from the supernatant after purification by salting out and passing through a Protein G-Agarose affinity column. Morphine was obtained from morphine sulfate and a C6-hemisuccinate derivative of morphine was prepared, conjugated to bovine serum albumin, and immobilized to a nitrocellulose membrane as the test line. Goat anti-mouse antibody was used as a binder in the control line in the detection zone of the strip. Colloidal gold particles of diameter approximately 20 nm were prepared and conjugated to the monoclonal antibody. The detection limit of the test strip was found to be 2000 ng/mL of morphine in urine samples. Reliability was determined by performing the ICG test on 103 urine samples and comparing the results with those obtained by thin-layer chromatography. The sensitivity of the test was 100%, and the analysis time for the assay was approximately 5 min. The new ICG method was adequately sensitive and accurate for the rapid screening of morphine in urine.

  7. Suitability of bovine bile compared to urine for detection of free, sulfate and glucuronate boldenone, androstadienedione, cortisol, cortisone, prednisolone, prednisone and dexamethasone by LC-MS/MS.

    PubMed

    Chiesa, Luca; Nobile, Maria; Panseri, Sara; Vigo, Daniele; Pavlovic, Radmila; Arioli, Francesco

    2015-12-01

    The administration of boldenone and androstadienedione to cattle is forbidden in the European Union, while prednisolone is permitted for therapeutic purposes. They are pseudoendogenous substances (endogenously produced under certain circumstances). The commonly used matrices in control analyses are urine or liver. With the aim of improving the residue controls, we previously validated a method for steroid analysis in bile. We now compare urine (a 'classic' matrix) to bile, both collected at the slaughterhouse, to understand whether the detection of steroids in the latter is easier. With the aim of having clearer results, we tested the presence of the synthetic corticosteroid dexamethasone. The results show that bile does not substantially improve the detection of boldenone, or its conjugates, prednisolone and prednisone. Dexamethasone, instead, was found in 10 out of 53 bovine bile samples, but only in one urine sample from the same animals. Bile could constitute a novel matrix for the analysis of residues in food-producing animals, and possibly not only of synthetic corticosteroids. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. 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.

  9. Genetic DNA profile in urine and hair follicles from patients who have undergone allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

    PubMed

    Santurtún, Ana; Riancho, José A; Santurtún, Maite; Richard, Carlos; Colorado, M Mercedes; García Unzueta, Mayte; Zarrabeitia, María T

    2017-09-01

    Biological samples from patients who have undergone allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) constitute a challenge for individual identification. In this study we analyzed the genetic profiles (by the amplification of 15 autosomic STRs) of HSCT patients found in different types of samples (blood, hair and urine) that may be the source of DNA in civil or criminal forensic cases. Our results show that while in hair follicles the donor component was not detected in any patient, thus being a reliable source of biological material for forensic identification, mixed chimerism was detected in urine samples from all patient, and no correlation was found between the time elapsed from the transplant and the percentage of chimerism. These results certainly have practical implications if the urine is being considered as a source of DNA for identification purposes in HSTC patients. Moreover, taking into consideration that chimerism was found not only in patients with leukocyturia (given the hematopoietic origin of leukocytes, this was expected), but also in those without observable leukocytes in the sediment, we conclude that an alternative source or sources of donor DNA must be implicated. Copyright © 2017 The Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Simultaneous LC-MS/MS determination of phenylbutyrate, phenylacetate benzoate and their corresponding metabolites phenylacetylglutamine and hippurate in blood and urine.

    PubMed

    Laryea, Maurice D; Herebian, Diran; Meissner, Thomas; Mayatepek, Ertan

    2010-12-01

    Inborn errors of urea metabolism result in hyperammonemia. Treatment of urea cycle disorders can effectively lower plasma ammonium levels and results in survival in the majority of patients. Available medications for treating urea cycle disorders include sodium benzoate (BA), sodium phenylacetate (PAA), and sodium phenylbutyrate (PBA) and are given to provide alternate routes for disposition of waste nitrogen excretion. In this study, we develop and validate a liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method for simultaneous determination of benzoic acid, phenylacetic acid, phenylbutyric acid, phenylacetylglutamine, and hippuric acid in plasma and urine from children with inborn errors of urea synthesis. Plasma extracts and diluted urine samples were injected on a reverse-phase column and identified and quantified by selected reaction monitoring (SRM) in negative ion mode. Deuterated analogues served as internal standards. Analysis time was 7 min. Assay precision, accuracy, and linearity and sample stability were determined using enriched samples. Quantification limits of the method were 100 ng/ml (0.3-0.8 μmol/L) for all analytes, and recoveries were >90%. Inter- and intraday relative standard deviations were <10%. Our newly developed LC-MS/MS represents a robust, sensitive, and rapid method that allows simultaneous determination of the five compounds in plasma and urine.

  11. Assessing the potential for racial bias in hair analysis for cocaine: examining the relative risk of positive outcomes when comparing urine samples to hair samples.

    PubMed

    Mieczkowski, Tom

    2011-03-20

    This article examines the conjecture that hair analysis, performed to detect cocaine use or exposure, is biased against African Americans. It does so by comparing the outcomes of 33,928 hair and 105,792 urine samples collected from both African American and white subjects. In making this comparison the analysis seeks to determine if there is a departure in rates of positive and negative outcomes when comparing the results of hair analysis for cocaine to the results from urinalysis for cocaine by racial group. It treats urine as an unbiased test. It compares both the relative ratios of positive outcomes when comparing the two groups and it calculates the relative risk of outcomes for each group for having positive or negative outcomes. The findings show that the ratios of each racial group are effectively same for hair and urine assays, and they also show that the relative risk and risk estimates for positive and negative outcomes are the same for both racial groups. Considering all samples, the cocaine positive risk estimate for the hair samples comparing the two racial groups is 3.28 and for urinalysis the risk estimate is 3.10 (Breslow-Day χ(2) .250, 1 df, p = 0.617) a non-significant difference in risk. For pre-employment samples, the cocaine positive risk estimate for the hair samples comparing the two racial groups is 3.10 and for urinalysis the risk estimate is 2.90 (Breslow-Day χ(2) .281, df = 1, p = 0.595), also a non-significant difference in risk. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Jet Fuel Exposure and Neurological Health in Military Personnel

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2011-07-01

    and dermal samples E Absorbed Dose measure: Exhaled breath, urine , blood F Lifestyle factors (smoking), use of protective equipment (gloves...toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene, and naphthalene. To assess personal absorbed dose levels to JP8 components, exhaled breath and urine samples were...the following primary analytes of interest were measured: benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene, and naphthalene. Pre- and post- shift urine samples

  13. The examination of urine samples for pathogenic microbes by the luciferase assay for ATP. 1: The effect of the presence of fungi, fungal like bacteria and kidney cells in urine samples

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Bush, V. N.

    1973-01-01

    A method for accurately determining urinary tract infections in man is introduced. The method is based on adenosine triphosphate (ATP) concentration in urine samples after removing nonbacterial ATP. Adenosine triphosphate concentration is measured from the bioluminescent reaction of luciferase when mixed with ATP. An examination was also made of the effectiveness of rupturing agents on monkey kidney cells Candia albicans, a Rhodotorula species, and a Streptomyces species in determining whether these cells could contribute ATP to the bacterial ATP value of a urine sample.

  14. Development of an immunochromatographic assay for the β-adrenergic agonist feed additive zilpaterol.

    PubMed

    Shelver, Weilin L; Smith, David J

    2018-06-06

    Zilpaterol is a β-adrenergic agonist feed additive approved in the United States to increase weight gain and improve feed efficiency of cattle. A zilpaterol immunochromatographic assay was developed as an economical and user-friendly rapid detection method for zilpaterol and validated using urine and tissue samples derived from animal studies. The assay sensitivity was 1.7-23.2 ng g -1 or mL -1 across a variety of feed and animal matrices and did not cross-react with clenbuterol or ractopamine. No sample pre-treatment of cattle and sheep urine was needed, but horse urine and feed required dilution; skeletal muscle required solvent extraction prior to testing. Of 32 incurred sheep urine samples tested, zilpaterol content was correctly identified in all but 2 samples. Horse urine containing >10 ng mL -1 of incurred zilpaterol residue (n = 48) was correctly identified as zilpaterol positive. The assay correctly identified 0-day withdrawal sheep muscle samples as zilpaterol positive and the control and longer withdrawal day sheep muscle samples as negative. Zilpaterol was demonstrated to be stable in horse urine when stored at -20°C for 7 years.

  15. Quantification of sulfatides in dried blood and urine spots from metachromatic leukodystrophy patients by liquid chromatography/electrospray tandem mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Barcenas, Mariana; Suhr, Teryn R; Scott, C Ronald; Turecek, Frantisek; Gelb, Michael H

    2014-06-10

    Treatments are being developed for metachromatic leukodystrophy (MLD), suggesting the need for eventual newborn screening. Previous studies have shown that sulfatide molecular species are increased in the urine of MLD patients compared to samples from non-MLD individuals, but there is no data using dried blood spots (DBS), the most common sample available for newborn screening laboratories. We used ultra-high performance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC/MS/MS) to quantify sulfatides in DBS and dried urine spots from 14 MLD patients and 50 non-MLD individuals. Several sulfatide molecular species were increased in dried urine samples from all MLD samples compared to non-MLD samples. Sulfatides, especially low molecular species, were increased in DBS from MLD patients, but the sulfatide levels were relatively low. There was good separation in sulfatide levels between MLD and non-MLD samples when dried urine spots were used, but not with DBS, because DBS from non-MLD individuals have measurable levels of sulfatides. Sulfatide accumulation studies in urine, but not in DBS, emerges as the method of choice if newborn screening is to be proposed for MLD. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. The Accuracy of the Sysmex UF-1000i in Urine Bacterial Detection Compared With the Standard Urine Analysis and Culture.

    PubMed

    Erdman, Patrick; Anderson, Brian; Zacko, J Christopher; Taylor, Kirk; Donaldson, Keri

    2017-11-01

    - Urinary tract infections are characterized by the presence of microbial pathogens within the urinary tract. They represent one of the most common infections in hospitalized and clinic patients. - To model the parameters of the Sysmex UF-1000i to the gold standard, urine culture, and to compare the detection of dipstick leukocyte esterase and nitrates to urine cultures and UF-1000i results. - Data were compared from urine samples collected in sterile containers for bacterial culture and microscopic analysis. One sample was used to inoculate a 5% sheep blood agar and MacConkey agar plate using a 0.001-mL calibrated loop. The second sample was analyzed by urinalysis-associated microscopy. The media plates were investigated for growth after 18 to 24 hours of aerobic incubation at 37°C. The second sample was analyzed for bacteria and leukocytes with the Sysmex UF-1000i according to the manufacturer's guidelines. Three definitions for culture results, sensitivity, and specificity at different cutoff values were calculated for the UF-1000i. - The negative predictive value for any positive culture in the adult population included in the study was 95.5%, and the negative predictive value for positive cultures containing growth of 100 000 or more colony-forming units was 99.3% using the Sysmex UF-1000i. - Sysmex UF-1000i showed 98% sensitivity and 93.7% specificity with a 95.5% negative predictive value. Thus, a negative screen with the UF-1000i using defined thresholds for white blood cell counts and bacteria was likely to be a true negative, decreasing the need for presumptive antibiotics.

  17. Determination of Urine Albumin by New Simple High-Performance Liquid Chromatography Method.

    PubMed

    Klapkova, Eva; Fortova, Magdalena; Prusa, Richard; Moravcova, Libuse; Kotaska, Karel

    2016-11-01

    A simple high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method was developed for the determination of albumin in patients' urine samples without coeluting proteins and was compared with the immunoturbidimetric determination of albumin. Urine albumin is important biomarker in diabetic patients, but part of it is immuno-nonreactive. Albumin was determined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), UV detection at 280 nm, Zorbax 300SB-C3 column. Immunoturbidimetric analysis was performed using commercial kit on automatic biochemistry analyzer COBAS INTEGRA ® 400, Roche Diagnostics GmbH, Manheim, Germany. The HLPC method was fully validated. No significant interference with other proteins (transferrin, α-1-acid glycoprotein, α-1-antichymotrypsin, antitrypsin, hemopexin) was found. The results from 301 urine samples were compared with immunochemical determination. We found a statistically significant difference between these methods (P = 0.0001, Mann-Whitney test). New simple HPLC method was developed for the determination of urine albumin without coeluting proteins. Our data indicate that the HPLC method is highly specific and more sensitive than immunoturbidimetry. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  18. Measurement of Non-Invasive Blood Glucose Level Based Sensor Color TCS3200 and Arduino

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kurniadi Wardana, Humaidillah; Indahwati, Elly; Arifah Fitriyah, Lina

    2018-04-01

    Design and measurement of Arduino-based urinary (non-invasive) urine glucose using RGB tcs3200 sensor. This research was conducted by making use of the urine in diabetes patients detected by sensor colours then measured levels of colour based on the RGB colour of the urine of diabetics. The detection is done on 4 urine samples with each consisting of 3 diabetics and 1 non-diabetics. Equipment used in this research, among others, Arduino Uno, colour sensor tcs3200, LCD 16x4. The results showed that the detection of RGB values in diabetics 230 with blue and not diabetics 200 with red.

  19. MicroRNAs in urine are not biomarkers of multiple myeloma.

    PubMed

    Sedlaříková, Lenka; Bešše, Lenka; Novosadová, Soňa; Kubaczková, Veronika; Radová, Lenka; Staník, Michal; Krejčí, Marta; Hájek, Roman; Ševčíková, Sabina

    2015-09-23

    In this study, we aimed to identify microRNA from urine of multiple myeloma patients that could serve as a biomarker for the disease. Analysis of urine samples was performed using Serum/Plasma Focus PCR MicroRNA Panel (Exiqon) and verified using individual TaqMan miRNA assays for qPCR. We found 20 deregulated microRNA (p < 0.05); for further validation, we chose 8 of them. Nevertheless, only differences in expression levels of miR-22-3p remained close to statistical significance. Our preliminary results did not confirm urine microRNA as a potential biomarker for multiple myeloma.

  20. Performance of polymerase chain reaction for the diagnosis of cystic echinococcosis using serum, urine, and cyst fluid samples

    PubMed Central

    Chaya, DR; Parija, Subhash Chandra

    2014-01-01

    Introduction: Cystic echinococcosis (CE) is a chronic zoonosis which presents with variable clinical manifestations. Currently the diagnosis of this disease is based on radiological findings and serological tests which lack specificity. Although antigen detection from the cyst fluid is the most specific, it is seldom done due to the complications involved. Detecting the presence of Echinococcus granulosus specific deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) could provide a definitive diagnosis of CE. Materials and Methods: An in-house PCR assay was devised to detect E. granulosus specific DNA in serum, urine and hydatid cyst fluid. The ability of the PCR to detect E. granulosus in the above mentioned samples were observed in comparison with other antigen and antibody detection tests. Results: Serum samples from surgically confirmed patients of CE with ruptured cysts contained the corresponding DNA while the in the majority of cases who had an intact cyst had no DNA of E. granulosus in their serum. DNA of E. granulosus was not found to be excreted in urine. PCR performed equal to antigen detection ELISA while testing hydatid cyst fluid samples. Conclusions: Serum and urine might not serve as useful samples for the molecular diagnosis of cystic echinococcosis. However, PCR can be useful on serum samples to detect ruptured hydatid cysts and on hydatid cyst fluid to confirm the parasitic diagnosis. PMID:24754027

  1. 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.

  2. USE OF DISPOSABLE DIAPERS TO COLLECT URINE IN EXPOSURE STUDIES

    EPA Science Inventory

    Large studies of children's health as it relates to exposures to chemicals in the environment often require measurements of biomarkers of chemical exposures or effects in urine samples. But collection of urine samples from infants and toddlers is difficult. For large exposure s...

  3. 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.

  4. Pilot Study: Colostomy and Urine Collection Protocol for Investigating Potential Inciting Causes of Hen Diuresis Syndrome.

    PubMed

    Jones, Kelli; Turner, Bradley; Brandão, João; Hubbard, Sue Ann; Magee, Danny; Baughman, Brittany; Wills, Robert; Tully, Thomas

    2015-06-01

    Hen diuresis syndrome has emerged over the past 5 yr as a significant cause of mortality in the U.S. broiler breeder industry. The condition affects hens in production and is characterized by transient muscle weakness in the vent region, transient diuresis, and often urate deposits on the skin below the vent. Affected hens are often seen straining to lay an egg, which suggests oviduct contraction is also impaired. Related hen mortality, often reaching 1% or more a week, is believed to be primarily the result of male aggression of the vent region (Turner et al., "Investigating Causes of Excessive Urate Production in Broiler Breeder Hens Associated with Peritonitis and Cannibalism Mortality," Oral Presentation at The American Association of Avian Pathologists Annual Meeting, p. 139, 2010). The exact association between the cause of mortality and this syndrome is unknown, but it may be the consequence of transient partial to full oviduct prolapse, which predisposes or stimulates cannibalism and aggression. Based on unpublished work done prior to this study (Turner et al., ibid.), the evidence suggests the underlying problem is metabolic. We feel that urine collection and analysis is an essential component to understanding this condition. This study serves as a pilot study for future investigations that attempt to identify the nature and cause of the metabolic disturbance through paired urine and serum collection and analysis. For the purpose of this study, a small sample of 10 affected and 10 unaffected birds was used for sample collection. In order to collect pure urine, the birds were surgically colostomized. Colostomy did prove to be a useful means of collecting urine free of feces, and for the purposes of our study it yielded adequate urine samples for analysis. There were statistically relevant urine values observed. Affected birds had a higher presence of blood in the urine, a lower uric acid excretion rate (mg/hr), higher concentration (mEq/L) of urine Na+, and a lower concentration (mEq/L) of urine K+ than unaffected birds. This pilot study helps to address some of the pitfalls previously associated with colostomy and to determine when collection can begin postoperatively so that we can better understand when and how to begin our sampling in future trials to address the etiology of this condition.

  5. The Use of Chlorhexidine/n-Propyl Gallate (CPG) as an Ambient-Temperature Urine Preservative

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Nillen, Jeannie L.; Smith, Scott M.

    2003-01-01

    A safe, effective ambient temperature urine preservative, chlorhexidine/n-propyl gallate (CPG), has been formulated for use during spacefli ght that reduces the effects of oxidation and bacterial contamination on sample integrity while maintaining urine pH. The ability of this preservative to maintain stability of nine key analytes was evaluated for a period of one year. CPG effectively maintained stability of a mmonia, total nitrogen, 3-methylhistidine, chloride, sodium, potassiu m, and urea; however, creatinine and osmolality were not preserved by CPG. These data indicate that CPG offers prolonged room-temperature storage for multiple urine analytes, reducing the requirements for f rozen urine storage on future spaceflights. Iii medical applications on Earth, this technology can allow urine samples to be collected in remote settings and eliminate the need to ship frozen samples.

  6. Modular biowaste monitoring system

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Fogal, G. L.

    1975-01-01

    The objective of the Modular Biowaste Monitoring System Program was to generate and evaluate hardware for supporting shuttle life science experimental and diagnostic programs. An initial conceptual design effort established requirements and defined an overall modular system for the collection, measurement, sampling and storage of urine and feces biowastes. This conceptual design effort was followed by the design, fabrication and performance evaluation of a flight prototype model urine collection, volume measurement and sampling capability. No operational or performance deficiencies were uncovered as a result of the performance evaluation tests.

  7. Strategies for improving the collection of 24-hour urine for analysis in the clinical laboratory: redesigned instructions, opinion surveys, and application of reference change value to micturition.

    PubMed

    Tormo, Consuelo; Lumbreras, Blanca; Santos, Ana; Romero, Luis; Conca, Minerva

    2009-12-01

    -The preanalytic phase of 24-hour urine collection, before clinical analysis, requires the active participation of patients and usually takes place outside the laboratory. -We verify whether distribution of adequate information to health care personnel and patients will result in fewer preanalytic incidents. We also determine the intraindividual biologic variability associated with micturition and the corresponding reference change value (RCV). -The intervention provided training for 24-hour urine collection to the health care personnel of the 20th health district of the Valencian community in Spain. The preanalytic incidents related to 24-hour micturition were estimated before and after the intervention. An opinion survey on the problems involved in urine collection was also conducted among patients. The Harris formula was used to calculate the RCV. -Before the intervention, 130 preanalytic incidents were recorded (11.5%) and after the intervention, 76 (8.6%) (P = .04) were recorded. Of the 130 incidents recorded before the intervention, 63 (48.5%) involved omission to indicate the urine volume, and of the 76 incidents recorded after the intervention, only 1 (1.3%) (P < .001) involved this omission. Forty of 302 patients (13.2%) surveyed reported problems and more than half (175; 57.9%) had to collect various urine samples sequentially. The RCV determined was 54.5% for a percentage of variation in volume of 24-hour urine (PVVI) of 19.0 +/- 16.5%. Therefore, micturition associated with a PVVI >+/-54.5% suggests that 24-hour urine collection by the patient was incomplete. The results obtained when applying the RCV after the intervention showed that 6.3% of the 24-hour urine samples should be rejected. -The percentage of preanalytic incidents was reduced by providing health care personnel with information and training. The percentage of variation in volume of 24-hour urine can be used to evaluate the variation in patients' micturition. Reference change value was shown to be useful when determining whether 24-hour urine was properly collected.

  8. Glucose urine test

    MedlinePlus

    Urine sugar test; Urine glucose test; Glucosuria test; Glycosuria test ... After you provide a urine sample, it is tested right away. The health care provider uses a dipstick made with a color-sensitive pad. The ...

  9. 24-hour urinary aldosterone excretion test

    MedlinePlus

    Aldosterone - urine; Addison disease - urine aldosterone; Cirrhosis - serum aldosterone ... A 24-hour urine sample is needed. You will need to collect your urine over 24 hours . Your health care provider will tell ...

  10. 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.

  11. Comparison of Cannabinoid Concentrations in Plasma, Oral Fluid and Urine in Occasional Cannabis Smokers After Smoking Cannabis Cigarette.

    PubMed

    Marsot, Amélie; Audebert, Christine; Attolini, Laurence; Lacarelle, Bruno; Micallef, Joelle; Blin, Olivier

    A randomized cross-over, double blind placebo controlled study of smoked cannabis was carried out on occasional cannabis smokers. The objective of this research was to describe the pharmacokinetic parameters of THC and its metabolites in plasma, oral fluid and urine, from samples obtained simultaneously to provide estimations of THC and metabolites concentrations after smoking a cannabis cigarette. Blood, oral fluid and urine samples were collected until up to 72 h after smoking the cannabis cigarette (4% of delta-9-tetrathydrocannabinol (THC)). THC, 11-OH-THC and THC-COOH were analyzed by gas-chromatography-mass spectrometry. Pharmacokinetic parameters were estimated from these data. Eighteen male healthy adults participated in the study. In total, 560 plasma, 288 oral fluid and 448 urine samples were quantified for cannabinoids. Plasma, oral fluid and urine pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated. A wide range of median THC Cmax (1.6-160.0 µg/L and 55.4-123120.0 µg/L in plasma and oral fluid, respectively), 11-OH-THC Cmax (0-11.1 µg/L in plasma) and THC-COOH Cmax (1.0-56.3 µg/L in plasma) was observed. When expressed as a percentage of the total available THC dose, and corrected for molar equivalents, mean percentage of total THC dose excreted was 1.9 +/-2.5 % with range of 0.2-7.5%. This high inter-individual variability was also observed on other calculated pharmacokinetic parameters. Prediction of plasma THC concentration from THC oral fluid concentration or from THC-COOH urinary concentrations is not feasible due to the large variations observed. The results from this study support the assumption that a positive oral fluid THC result or a positive urine fluid result are indicative of a recent cannabis exposure. This article is open to POST-PUBLICATION REVIEW. Registered readers (see "For Readers") may comment by clicking on ABSTRACT on the issue's contents page.

  12. Rapid Diagnosis of Tuberculosis from Analysis of Urine Volatile Organic Compounds

    PubMed Central

    Lim, Sung H.; Martino, Raymond; Anikst, Victoria; Xu, Zeyu; Mix, Samantha; Benjamin, Robert; Schub, Herbert; Eiden, Michael; Rhodes, Paul A.; Banaei, Niaz

    2017-01-01

    The World Health Organization has called for simple, sensitive, and non-sputum diagnostics for tuberculosis. We report development of a urine tuberculosis test using a colorimetric sensor array (CSA). The sensor comprised of 73 different indicators captures high-dimensional, spatiotemporal signatures of volatile chemicals emitted by human urine samples. The sensor responses to 63 urine samples collected from 22 tuberculosis cases and 41 symptomatic controls were measured under five different urine test conditions. Basified testing condition yielded the best accuracy with 85.5% sensitivity and 79.5% specificity. The CSA urine assay offers desired features needed for tuberculosis diagnosis in endemic settings. PMID:29057329

  13. Pharmacokinetic Modeling of Intranasal Scopolamine in Plasma Saliva and Urine

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Wu, L.; Tam, V. H.; Chow, D. S. L.; Putcha, L.

    2015-01-01

    An intranasal gel dosage formulation of scopolamine (INSCOP) was developed for the treatment of Space Motion Sickness (SMS). The bioavailability and pharmacokinetics (PK) were evaluated under IND (Investigational New Drug) guidelines. The aim of the project was to develop a PK model that can predict the relationships among plasma, saliva and urinary scopolamine concentrations using data collected from the IND clinical trial protocol with INSCOP. Twelve healthy human subjects were administered at three dose levels (0.1, 0.2 and 0.4 mg) of INSCOP. Serial blood, saliva and urine samples were collected between 5 min to 24 h after dosing and scopolamine concentrations were measured by using a validated LC-MS-MS assay. PK compartmental models, using actual dosing and sampling time, were established using Phoenix (version 1.2). Model selection was based on a likelihood ratio test on the difference of criteria (-2LL (i.e. log-likelihood ratio test)) and comparison of the quality of fit plots. The results: Predictable correlations among scopolamine concentrations in compartments of plasma, saliva and urine were established, and for the first time the model satisfactorily predicted the population and individual PK of INSCOP in plasma, saliva and urine. The model can be utilized to predict the INSCOP plasma concentration by saliva and urine data, and it will be useful for monitoring the PK of scopolamine in space and other remote environments using non-invasive sampling of saliva and/or urine.

  14. Long-term urine biobanking: storage stability of clinical chemical parameters under moderate freezing conditions without use of preservatives.

    PubMed

    Remer, Thomas; Montenegro-Bethancourt, Gabriela; Shi, Lijie

    2014-12-01

    To examine the long-term stability and validity of analyte concentrations of 21 clinical biochemistry parameters in 24-h urine samples stored for 12 or 15 yr at -22°C and preservative free. Healthy children's 24-h urine samples in which the respective analytes had been measured shortly after sample collection (baseline) were reanalyzed. Second measurement was performed after 12 yr (organic acids) and 15 yr (creatinine, urea, osmolality, iodine, nitrogen, anions, cations, acid-base parameters) with the same analytical methodology. Paired comparisons and correlations between the baseline and repeated measurements were done. Recovery rates were calculated. More than half of the analytes (creatinine, urea, iodine, nitrogen, sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, ammonium, bicarbonate, citric & uric acid) showed measurement values after >10 yr of storage not significantly different from baseline. 15 of the 21 parameters were highly correlated (r=0.99) between baseline and second measurement. Poorest correlation was r=0.77 for oxalate. Recovery ranged from 73% (oxalate) to 105% (phosphate). Our results suggest high long-term stability and measurement validity for numerous clinical chemistry parameters stored at -22°C without addition of any urine preservative. Prospective storage of urine aliquots at -22°C for periods even exceeding 10 yr, appears to be an acceptable and valid tool in epidemiological settings for later quantification of several urine analytes. Copyright © 2014 The Canadian Society of Clinical Chemists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Simple, fast and reliable liquid chromatographic and spectrophotometric methods for the determination of theophylline in urine, saliva and plasma samples.

    PubMed

    Charehsaz, Mohammad; Gürbay, Aylin; Aydin, Ahmet; Sahin, Gönül

    2014-01-01

    In this study, a high-performance liquid chromatographic method (HPLC) and UV spectrophotometric method were developed, validated and applied for the determination of theophylline in biological fluids. Liquid- liquid extraction is performed for isolation of the drug and elimination of plasma and saliva interferences. Urine samples were applied without any extraction. The chromatographic separation was achieved on a C18 column by using 60:40 methanol:water as mobile phase under isocratic conditions at a flow rate of 0.75 mL/min with UV detection at 280 nm in HPLC method. UV spectrophotometric analysis was performed at 275 nm. the limit of quantification: 1.1 µg/mL for urine, 1.9 µg/mL for saliva, 3.1 µg/mL for plasma; recovery: 94.85% for plasma, 100.45% for saliva, 101.39% for urine; intra-day precision: 0.22-2.33%, inter-day precision: 3.17-13.12%. Spectrophotometric analysis results were as follows: the limit of quantitation: 5.23 µg/mL for plasma, 8.7 µg/mL for urine; recovery: 98.27% for plasma, 95.25% for urine; intra-day precision: 2.37 - 3.00%, inter-day precision: 5.43-7.91%. It can be concluded that this validated HPLC method is easy, precise, accurate, sensitive and selective for determination of theophylline in biological samples. Also spectrophotometric analysis can be used where it can be applicable.

  16. A pilot study of urinary microRNA as a biomarker for urothelial cancer

    PubMed Central

    Snowdon, Jaime; Boag, Sandy; Feilotter, Harriet; Izard, Jason; Siemens, D. Robert

    2013-01-01

    Objective: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are part of a class of small ribonucleic acid (RNAs). They are important regulatory molecules, involved in several cell processes, such as developmental timing, stem cell division and apoptosis. Dysregulated miRNAs have been identified in several human malignancies, including bladder cancer tissue samples, and may confer a “tumour signature” that can be exploited for diagnostic purposes. We report on a prospective pilot study investigating the diagnostic capability of miRNAs in the urine of patients with urothelial cancer. Methods: Voided urine samples were collected from patients with urothelial carcinoma just prior to bladder tumour resection, as well as age-matched healthy control patients. Pathology demonstrated both low- and high-grade cancer. Total RNA was isolated and quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction was performed on the RNA extracts using primers for 4 miRNAs shown previously to be dysregulated in solid urothelial carcinomas with RNU6B as the endogenous control. Standard urine cytology was performed on all samples in a blinded fashion. Results: Two miRNAs of interest were dysregulated in the urine from cancer patients with miR-125b showing an average 10.42-fold decrease (p < 0.01) and miR-126 showing an average 2.70-fold increase (p = 0.30) in the cancer samples compared to the normal controls. The sensitivity and specificity of the cytology on the same urine samples were 50% and 80%, respectively. Using these 2 miRNAs only, a decision-tree prediction model was generated for a validation cohort of patients yielding a specificity of 100% and a sensitivity of 80%. Discussion: This preliminary study of candidate urinary miRNA in patients with low- and high-grade urothelial cancer demonstrated a significantly improved diagnostic accuracy over cytology. These results provide rationale for further studies on discovery and validation of candidate miRNAs in voided urine and may potentially lead to the development of a non-invasive and sensitive test for bladder cancer diagnosis and prognosis. PMID:22630336

  17. Reversion of High-level Mecillinam Resistance to Susceptibility in Escherichia coli During Growth in Urine.

    PubMed

    Thulin, Elisabeth; Thulin, Måns; Andersson, Dan I

    2017-09-01

    Mecillinam (amdinocillin) is a β-lactam antibiotic used to treat uncomplicated urinary tract infections (UTIs). We have previously shown that inactivation of the Escherichia coli cysB gene is the major cause of mecillinam resistance (Mec R ) in clinical isolates. In this study, we used different E. coli strains (laboratory and clinical isolates) that were Mec R due to cysB mutations to determine how mecillinam susceptibility was affected during growth in urine compared to growth in the commonly used growth medium Mueller Hinton (MHB). We also examined mecillinam susceptibility when bacteria were grown in urine obtained from 48 different healthy volunteers. Metabolome analysis was done on the urine samples and the association between the mecillinam susceptibility patterns of the bacteria and urine metabolite levels was studied. Two major findings with clinical significance are reported. First, Mec R E. coli cysB mutant strains (both laboratory and clinical isolates) were always more susceptible to mecillinam when grown in urine as compared to laboratory medium, with many strains showing complete phenotypic susceptibility in urine. Second, the degree of reversion to susceptibility varied between urine samples obtained from different individuals. This difference was correlated with osmolality such that in urine with low osmolality the Mec R mutants were more susceptible to mecillinam than in urine with high osmolality. This is the first example describing conditional resistance where a genetically stable antibiotic resistance can be phenotypically reverted to susceptibility by metabolites present in urine. These findings have several important clinical implications regarding the use of mecillinam to treat UTIs. First, they suggest that mecillinam can be used to treat also those clinical strains that are identified as Mec R in standard laboratory tests. Second, the results suggest that testing of mecillinam susceptibility in the laboratory ought to be performed in media that mimics urine to obtain clinically relevant susceptibility testing results. Third, these findings imply that changes in patient behavior, such as increased water intake or use of diuretics to reduce urine osmolality and increased intake of cysteine, might induce antibiotic susceptibility in an infecting Mec R E. coli strain and thereby increase treatment efficiency. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. NHEXAS PHASE I ARIZONA STUDY--QA ANALYTICAL RESULTS FOR METALS IN BLANK SAMPLES

    EPA Science Inventory

    The Metals in Blank Samples data set contains the analytical results of measurements of up to 27 metals in 82 blank samples from 26 households. Measurements were made in blank samples of dust, indoor and outdoor air, personal air, food, beverages, blood, urine, and dermal wipe r...

  19. NHEXAS PHASE I REGION 5 STUDY--QA ANALYTICAL RESULTS FOR METALS IN BLANKS

    EPA Science Inventory

    This data set includes analytical results for measurements of metals in 205 blank samples and for particles in 64 blank samples. Measurements were made for up to 12 metals in blank samples of air, dust, soil, water, food and beverages, blood, hair, and urine. Blank samples were u...

  20. Fast analysis of doping agents in urine by ultra-high-pressure liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry I. Screening analysis.

    PubMed

    Badoud, F; Grata, E; Perrenoud, L; Avois, L; Saugy, M; Rudaz, S; Veuthey, J-L

    2009-05-15

    The general strategy to perform anti-doping analyses of urine samples starts with the screening for a wide range of compounds. This step should be fast, generic and able to detect any sample that may contain a prohibited substance while avoiding false negatives and reducing false positive results. The experiments presented in this work were based on ultra-high-pressure liquid chromatography coupled to hybrid quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Thanks to the high sensitivity of the method, urine samples could be diluted 2-fold prior to injection. One hundred and three forbidden substances from various classes (such as stimulants, diuretics, narcotics, anti-estrogens) were analysed on a C(18) reversed-phase column in two gradients of 9min (including two 3min equilibration periods) for positive and negative electrospray ionisation and detected in the MS full scan mode. The automatic identification of analytes was based on retention time and mass accuracy, with an automated tool for peak picking. The method was validated according to the International Standard for Laboratories described in the World Anti-Doping Code and was selective enough to comply with the World Anti-Doping Agency recommendations. In addition, the matrix effect on MS response was measured on all investigated analytes spiked in urine samples. The limits of detection ranged from 1 to 500ng/mL, allowing the identification of all tested compounds in urine. When a sample was reported positive during the screening, a fast additional pre-confirmatory step was performed to reduce the number of confirmatory analyses.

  1. Effect of injected rotenone on the production and composition of urine from the rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri)

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Erickson, D.A.; Gingerich, W.H.

    1986-01-01

    Renal function was evaluated in adult rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri) dosed i.a. with rotenone at 225 and 275 μg/kg. The chemical composition of urine samples and urine flow rates collected over a 5-h pretreatment period were compared with hourly urine samples collected over a 5-h posttreatment period. Significant increases in osmolality and in concentrations of sodium, potassium, chloride, glucose, and total protein were observed in the urine of treated fish. Urine solute concentrations reached maximum values within 1 to 3 h after treatment and decreased thereafter, indicating that the effects were reversible. Concentrations of sodium and chloride were highly correlated in 2-h posttreatment urine samples at the low (r = 0.922) and high (r = 0.981) rotenone treatments. Urine flow rates were reduced in trout at each dose of rotenone but the decrease in volume of urine voided was not dose-dependent. In a separate study, [14C]polyethylene glycol was used as a filtration marker to determine the effect of rotenone treatment (225 &mu:g/kg) on urine flow rate, glomerular filtration rate, and renal water reabsorption. We showed that posttreatment urine flow rates were reduced partly by reduced glomerular filtration and partly by increased water reabsorption. Transient increases in plasma osmolality and hematocrit also were observed 0.5 h after rotenone treatment.

  2. Influence of storage conditions on aluminum concentrations in serum, dialysis fluid, urine, and tap water.

    PubMed

    Wilhelm, M; Ohnesorge, F K

    1990-01-01

    The influence of storage temperature, vessel type, and treatment on alterations of aluminum (Al) concentrations in serum, urine, and dialysis fluid samples was studied at three different concentrations for each sample over an 18-month period. Furthermore, the influence of acidification on Al levels in tap water, urine, and dialysis fluid samples was studied over a four-month period. Al was measured by atomic absorption spectrometry. Sample storage in glass vessels was unsuitable, whereas only minor alterations of Al levels were observed with storage in polypropylene tubes, polystyrene tubes, and Monovettes. By using appropriate plastic containers, acid washing of the vessels showed no improvement. Frozen storage was superior compared with 4 degrees C, whereas storage at -80 degrees C offered no advantage compared with storage at -20 degrees C. Acidification of tap water samples was necessary to stabilize Al levels during storage. No striking effect of acidification on Al levels in urine and dialysis fluid samples was found. It is concluded that longterm storage of serum, urine, tap water, and dialysis fluid samples is possible if appropriate conditions are used.

  3. Modelling the acid/base 1H NMR chemical shift limits of metabolites in human urine.

    PubMed

    Tredwell, Gregory D; Bundy, Jacob G; De Iorio, Maria; Ebbels, Timothy M D

    2016-01-01

    Despite the use of buffering agents the 1 H NMR spectra of biofluid samples in metabolic profiling investigations typically suffer from extensive peak frequency shifting between spectra. These chemical shift changes are mainly due to differences in pH and divalent metal ion concentrations between the samples. This frequency shifting results in a correspondence problem: it can be hard to register the same peak as belonging to the same molecule across multiple samples. The problem is especially acute for urine, which can have a wide range of ionic concentrations between different samples. To investigate the acid, base and metal ion dependent 1 H NMR chemical shift variations and limits of the main metabolites in a complex biological mixture. Urine samples from five different individuals were collected and pooled, and pre-treated with Chelex-100 ion exchange resin. Urine samples were either treated with either HCl or NaOH, or were supplemented with various concentrations of CaCl 2 , MgCl 2 , NaCl or KCl, and their 1 H NMR spectra were acquired. Nonlinear fitting was used to derive acid dissociation constants and acid and base chemical shift limits for peaks from 33 identified metabolites. Peak pH titration curves for a further 65 unidentified peaks were also obtained for future reference. Furthermore, the peak variations induced by the main metal ions present in urine, Na + , K + , Ca 2+ and Mg 2+ , were also measured. These data will be a valuable resource for 1 H NMR metabolite profiling experiments and for the development of automated metabolite alignment and identification algorithms for 1 H NMR spectra.

  4. Diagnostic accuracy, incremental yield and prognostic value of Determine TB-LAM for routine diagnostic testing for tuberculosis in HIV-infected patients requiring acute hospital admission in South Africa: a prospective cohort.

    PubMed

    Lawn, Stephen D; Kerkhoff, Andrew D; Burton, Rosie; Schutz, Charlotte; Boulle, Andrew; Vogt, Monica; Gupta-Wright, Ankur; Nicol, Mark P; Meintjes, Graeme

    2017-03-21

    We previously reported that one-third of HIV-positive adults requiring medical admission to a South African district hospital had laboratory-confirmed tuberculosis (TB) and that almost two-thirds of cases could be rapidly diagnosed using Xpert MTB/RIF-testing of concentrated urine samples obtained on the first day of admission. Implementation of urine-based, routine, point-of-care TB screening is an attractive intervention that might be facilitated by use of a simple, low-cost diagnostic tool, such as the Determine TB-LAM lateral-flow rapid test for HIV-associated TB. Sputum, urine and blood samples were systematically obtained from unselected HIV-positive adults within 24 hours of admission to a South African township hospital. Additional clinical samples were obtained during hospitalization as clinically indicated. TB was defined by the detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in any sample using Xpert MTB/RIF or liquid culture. The diagnostic yield, accuracy and prognostic value of urine-lipoarabinomannan (LAM) testing were determined, but urine-LAM results did not inform treatment decisions. Consecutive HIV-positive adult acute medical admissions not already receiving TB treatment (n = 427) were enrolled regardless of clinical presentation or symptoms. TB was diagnosed in 139 patients (TB prevalence 32.6%; median CD4 count 80 cells/μL). In the first 24 hours of admission, sputum (spot and/or induced) samples were obtained from 37.0% of patients and urine samples from 99.5% of patients (P < 0.001). The diagnostic yields from these specimens were 19.4% (n = 27/139) for sputum-microscopy, 26.6% (n = 37/139) for sputum-Xpert, 38.1% (n = 53/139) for urine-LAM and 52.5% (n = 73/139) for sputum-Xpert/urine-LAM combined (P < 0.01). Corresponding yields among patients with CD4 counts <100 cells/μL were 18.9%, 24.3%, 55.4% and 63.5%, respectively (P < 0.01). The diagnostic yield of urine-LAM was unrelated to respiratory symptoms, and LAM assay specificity (using a grade-2 cut-off) was 98.9% (274/277; 95% confidence interval [CI] 96.9-99.8). Among TB cases, positive urine-LAM status was strongly associated with mortality at 90 days (adjusted hazard ratio 4.20; 95% CI 1.50-11.75). Routine testing for TB in newly admitted HIV-positive adults using Determine TB-LAM to test urine provides major incremental diagnostic yield with very high specificity when used in combination with sputum testing and has important utility among those without respiratory TB symptoms and/or unable to produce sputum. The assay also rapidly identifies individuals with a poor prognosis.

  5. Comparison of urinary excretion of radon from the human body before and after radon bath therapy.

    PubMed

    Kávási, Norbert; Kovács, Tibor; Somlai, János; Jobbágy, Viktor; Nagy, Katalin; Deák, Eszter; Berhés, István; Bender, Tamás; Ishikawa, Tetsuo; Tokonami, Shinji

    2011-07-01

    Theoretically, the human body absorbs radon through the lungs and the skin and excretes it through the lungs and the excretory organs during radon bath therapy. To check this theory, the radon concentrations in urine samples were compared before and after radon bath therapy. During the therapy, the geometric mean (GM) and the geometric standard deviation of the radon concentration in air and in the bath water were 979 Bq m(-3), 1.58 and 73.6 Bq dm(-3), 1.1, respectively. Since radon was detected in each urine sample (GM around 3.0 Bq dm(-3)), urinary excretion of radon was confirmed. The results of this study can neither reject nor confirm the hypothesis of radon absorption through the skin. A 15 times higher increment of inhaled radon level did not cause significant changes in radon of urine samples.

  6. Cloud point extraction thermospray flame quartz furnace atomic absorption spectrometry for determination of ultratrace cadmium in water and urine

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wu, Peng; Zhang, Yunchang; Lv, Yi; Hou, Xiandeng

    2006-12-01

    A simple, low cost and highly sensitive method based on cloud point extraction (CPE) for separation/preconcentration and thermospray flame quartz furnace atomic absorption spectrometry was proposed for the determination of ultratrace cadmium in water and urine samples. The analytical procedure involved the formation of analyte-entrapped surfactant micelles by mixing the analyte solution with an ammonium pyrrolidinedithiocarbamate (APDC) solution and a Triton X-114 solution. When the temperature of the system was higher than the cloud point of Triton X-114, the complex of cadmium-PDC entered the surfactant-rich phase and thus separation of the analyte from the matrix was achieved. Under optimal chemical and instrumental conditions, the limit of detection was 0.04 μg/L for cadmium with a sample volume of 10 mL. The analytical results of cadmium in water and urine samples agreed well with those by ICP-MS.

  7. Detection of urinary creatinine using gold nanoparticles after solid phase extraction

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sittiwong, Jarinya; Unob, Fuangfa

    2015-03-01

    Label-free gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) were utilized in the detection of creatinine in human urine after a sample preparation by extraction of creatinine on sulfonic acid functionalized silica gel. With the proposed sample preparation method, the interfering effects of the urine matrix on creatinine detection by AuNPs were eliminated. Parameters affecting creatinine extraction were investigated. The aggregation of AuNPs induced by creatinine resulted in a change in the surface plasmon resonance signal with a concomitant color change that could be observed by the naked eye and quantified spectrometrically. The effect of AuNP concentration and reaction time on AuNP aggregation was investigated. The method described herein provides a determination of creatinine in a range of 15-40 mg L-1 with a detection limit of 13.7 mg L-1 and it was successfully used in the detection of creatinine in human urine samples.

  8. Development of an In-line Urine Monitoring System for the International Space Station

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

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

    2009-01-01

    Exposure to microgravity during space flight causes bone loss when calcium and other metabolic by-products are excreted in urine voids. Frequent and accurate measurement of urine void volume and constituents is thus essential in determining crew bone loss and the effectiveness of the countermeasures that are taken to minimize this loss. Earlier space shuttle Urine Monitoring System (UMS) technology was unable to accurately measure urine void volumes due to the cross-contamination that took place between users, as well as to fluid system instabilities. Crew urine voids are currently collected manually in a flexible plastic bag that contains a known tracer quantity. A crew member must completely mix the contents of this bag before withdrawing a representative syringe sample for later ground analysis. The existing bag system accuracy is therefore highly dependent on mixing technique. The International Space Station (ISS) UMS has been developed as an automated device that collects urine from the Waste and Hygiene Compartment (WHC) urinal funnel interface, separates the urine, measures void volume, and allows for syringe sampling. After the ISS UMS has been used by a crew member, it delivers urine to the WHC for normal processing. The UMS plumbing is then flushed with a small volume of water. The current ISS UMS design incorporates an innovative rotary separator that minimizes foaming, consequently greatly reducing cross-contamination among urine voids (less than 0.5 mL urine) while also providing accurate volume measurements (less than 2 percent error for 100 to 1,000 mL void volumes). ISS UMS performance has been validated through extensive ground tests and reduced-gravity aircraft flights. The locker-sized ISS UMS is currently undergoing a design modification that will permit it to interface with the ISS Node 3 WHC Russian toilet (ACY) hardware. The operating principles, characteristics, and results of this design modification are outlined here.

  9. Tracer techniques for urine volume determination and urine collection and sampling back-up system

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Ramirez, R. V.

    1971-01-01

    The feasibility, functionality, and overall accuracy of the use of lithium were investigated as a chemical tracer in urine for providing a means of indirect determination of total urine volume by the atomic absorption spectrophotometry method. Experiments were conducted to investigate the parameters of instrumentation, tracer concentration, mixing times, and methods for incorporating the tracer material in the urine collection bag, and to refine and optimize the urine tracer technique to comply with the Skylab scheme and operational parameters of + or - 2% of volume error and + or - 1% accuracy of amount of tracer added to each container. In addition, a back-up method for urine collection and sampling system was developed and evaluated. This back-up method incorporates the tracer technique for volume determination in event of failure of the primary urine collection and preservation system. One chemical preservative was selected and evaluated as a contingency chemical preservative for the storage of urine in event of failure of the urine cooling system.

  10. Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinolic acid A (THC-A) in urine of a 15-month-old child: A case report.

    PubMed

    Morini, Luca; Quaiotti, Jessica; Moretti, Matteo; Osculati, Antonio Marco Maria; Tajana, Luca; Groppi, Angelo; Vignali, Claudia

    2018-05-01

    The acidic forms of cannabinoids, THC-A and CBD-A are naturally present in cannabis plants and preparations and are generally decarboxylated to the active compounds before the use (e.g. thermally decarboxylated through smoking). Hence, the identification of the acidic compounds in urine could be an evidence of cannabis ingestion rather than a passive exposure to smoke. This case report described a 15-month-old child that suffered an acute intoxication by accidental cannabis ingestion. It is important to assess the ingestion and to discriminate it from a passive exposure to better interpret the clinical findings and to establish the correct therapeutic procedure. Urine samples were simply diluted in deionized water and directly injected in the LC-MS/MS system. D 3 -THCCOOH was used as internal standard. Chromatographic separation of THCCOOH, THC-A and CBD-A was carried out in reversed phase on a c18 column. A triple quad in MRM negative mode was used to monitor the three analytes. The developed LC-MS/MS method was simple and fast. A LOD of 3.0ng/mL and a LOQ of 10.0ng/mL were measured for the three compounds. The analytical procedure was validated accordingly to international guidelines. The two urine samples collected from the 15-month-old child at the hospitalization and after three days provided positive results for THCCOOH (130.0 and 10.0ng/mL respectively). THC-A was found only in the urine sample collected at the hospitalization (concentration: 70.0ng/mL). THC-A was detected and quantitated in a urine sample of a 15-month-old child. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Size-exclusion chromatography-based enrichment of extracellular vesicles from urine samples

    PubMed Central

    Lozano-Ramos, Inés; Bancu, Ioana; Oliveira-Tercero, Anna; Armengol, María Pilar; Menezes-Neto, Armando; Del Portillo, Hernando A.; Lauzurica-Valdemoros, Ricardo; Borràs, Francesc E.

    2015-01-01

    Renal biopsy is the gold-standard procedure to diagnose most of renal pathologies. However, this invasive method is of limited repeatability and often describes an irreversible renal damage. Urine is an easily accessible fluid and urinary extracellular vesicles (EVs) may be ideal to describe new biomarkers associated with renal pathologies. Several methods to enrich EVs have been described. Most of them contain a mixture of proteins, lipoproteins and cell debris that may be masking relevant biomarkers. Here, we evaluated size-exclusion chromatography (SEC) as a suitable method to isolate urinary EVs. Following a conventional centrifugation to eliminate cell debris and apoptotic bodies, urine samples were concentrated using ultrafiltration and loaded on a SEC column. Collected fractions were analysed by protein content and flow cytometry to determine the presence of tetraspanin markers (CD63 and CD9). The highest tetraspanin content was routinely detected in fractions well before the bulk of proteins eluted. These tetraspanin-peak fractions were analysed by cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) and nanoparticle tracking analysis revealing the presence of EVs. When analysed by sodium dodecyl sulphate–polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, tetraspanin-peak fractions from urine concentrated samples contained multiple bands but the main urine proteins (such as Tamm–Horsfall protein) were absent. Furthermore, a preliminary proteomic study of these fractions revealed the presence of EV-related proteins, suggesting their enrichment in concentrated samples. In addition, RNA profiling also showed the presence of vesicular small RNA species. To summarize, our results demonstrated that concentrated urine followed by SEC is a suitable option to isolate EVs with low presence of soluble contaminants. This methodology could permit more accurate analyses of EV-related biomarkers when further characterized by -omics technologies compared with other approaches. PMID:26025625

  12. Chicago area methyl parathion response.

    PubMed

    McCann, Kenneth G; Moomey, C Michael; Runkle, Kenny D; Hryhorczuk, Daniel O; Clark, J Milton; Barr, Dana B

    2002-12-01

    The Illinois Department of Public Health participated in the Chicago, Illinois, area methyl parathion (MP) response with several other federal, state, and local government agencies beginning in April 1997. This response was initiated on evidence that hundreds of homes in the Chicago area were illegally treated for cockroaches with MP over a period of several years. Through applicator receipt books and information reported by property owners and tenants, 968 homes were identified as having been treated with MP. Upon implementation of a response plan developed by the Methyl Parathion Health Sciences Steering Committee, environmental sampling and urine monitoring were provided for eligible households. Environmental sampling was conducted in 903 homes, with MP detected above levels of concern in 596 residences. Residents of these homes were offered urine sampling to determine the extent of exposure to MP. Urine samples were collected and analyzed for p-nitrophenol in 1,913 individuals. Implementation of the protocol resulted in 550 residents being relocated during the remediation of 100 households.

  13. Utility of Cytospin and Cell block Technology in Evaluation of Body Fluids and Urine Samples: A Comparative Study.

    PubMed

    Qamar, Irmeen; Rehman, Suhailur; Mehdi, Ghazala; Maheshwari, Veena; Ansari, Hena A; Chauhan, Sunanda

    2018-01-01

    Cytologic examination of body fluids commonly involves the use of direct or sediment smears, cytocentrifuge preparations, membrane filter preparations, or cell block sections. Cytospin and cell block techniques are extremely useful in improving cell yield of thin serous effusions and urine samples, and ensure high diagnostic efficacy. We studied cytospin preparations and cell block sections prepared from 180 samples of body fluids and urine samples to compare the relative efficiency of cell retrieval, preservation of cell morphology, ease of application of special stains, and diagnostic efficacy. Samples were collected and processed to prepare cytospin smears and cell block sections. We observed that overall, cell yield and preservation of individual cell morphology were better in cytospin preparations as compared to cell blocks, while preservation of architectural pattern was better in cell block sections. The number of suspicious cases also decreased on cell block sections, with increased detection of malignancy. It was difficult to prepare cell blocks from urine samples due to low cellularity. Cytospin technology is a quick, efficient, and cost-effective method of increasing cell yield in hypocellular samples, with better preservation of cell morphology. Cell blocks are better prepared from high cellularity fluids; however, tissue architecture is better studied, with improved rate of diagnosis and decrease in ambiguous results. Numerous sections can be prepared from a small amount of material. Special stains and immunochemical stains can be easily applied to cell blocks. It also provides a source of archival material.

  14. Determination of n-hexane metabolites by liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry. 2. Glucuronide-conjugated metabolites in untreated urine samples by electrospray ionization.

    PubMed

    Manini, P; Andreoli, R; Mutti, A; Bergamaschi, E; Niessen, W M

    1998-01-01

    A liquid chromatography atmospheric pressure electrospray mass spectrometry (ESI-LC/MS) system was evaluated for the identification and characterization of n-hexane conjugated metabolites (glucuronides) in untreated urine samples. Chromatography of glucuronides was obtained under ion-suppressed reversed-phase conditions, by using high-speed (3 cm, 3 microns) columns and formic acid (2 mM) as modifier in the mobile phase. The mass spectrometer was operated in negative ion (NI) mode. For the first time, four glucuronides were identified by ESI-LC/MS in untreated urine samples of rats exposed to n-hexane: 2-hexanol-glucuronide, 5-hydroxy-2-hexanone-glucuronide, 2,5-hexanediol-glucuronide and 4,5-dihydroxy-2-hexanone-glucuronide. Confirmation of the conjugated metabolites was obtained by LC/MS/MS experiments. Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) and atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) LC/MS analyses were performed on the same samples. An integrated approach GC/MS-LC/MS for the semi-quantitative analysis of n-hexane glucuronides, whose standards are not commercially available, is discussed and proposed here. In order to understand the fate of the metabolites during sample pre-treatment, a study about the effects of enzymatic and acid hydrolysis on urine samples was conducted on glucuronides isolated by solid-phase extraction. Combined analyses by GC/MS and LC/MS enabled us to distinguish 'true' n-hexane metabolites from compounds resulting from sample treatment and handling (i.e. enzymatic and acid hydrolysis, extraction and GC injection).

  15. First-void urine: A potential biomarker source for triage of high-risk human papillomavirus infected women.

    PubMed

    Van Keer, Severien; Pattyn, Jade; Tjalma, Wiebren A A; Van Ostade, Xaveer; Ieven, Margareta; Van Damme, Pierre; Vorsters, Alex

    2017-09-01

    Great interest has been directed towards the use of first-void urine as a liquid biopsy for high-risk human papillomavirus DNA testing. Despite the high correlations established between urinary and cervical infections, human papillomavirus testing is unable to distinguish between productive and transforming high-risk infections that have the tendency to progress to cervical cancer. Thus far, investigations have been primarily confined to the identification of biomarkers for triage of high-risk human papillomavirus-positive women in cervicovaginal specimens and tissue biopsies. This paper reviews urinary biomarkers for cervical cancer and triage of high-risk human papillomavirus infections and elaborates on the opportunities and challenges that have emerged regarding the use of first-void urine as a liquid biopsy for the analysis of both morphological- (conventional cytology and novel immunohistochemical techniques) and molecular-based (HPV16/18 genotyping, host/viral gene methylation, RNA, and proteins) biomarkers. A literature search was performed in PubMed and Web of Science for studies investigating the use of urine as a biomarker source for cervical cancer screening. Five studies were identified reporting on biomarkers that are still in preclinical exploratory or clinical assay development phases and on assessments of non-invasive (urine) samples. Although large-scale validation studies are still needed, we conclude that methylation of both host and viral genes in urine has been proven feasible for use as a molecular cervical cancer triage and screening biomarker in phase two studies. This is especially promising and underscores our hypothesis that human papillomavirus DNA and candidate human and viral biomarkers are washed away with the initial, first-void urine, together with exfoliated cells, debris and impurities that line the urethra opening. Similar to the limitations of self-collected cervicovaginal samples, first-void urine will likely not fulfil the high-quality cellularity standards required for morphological biomarkers. Molecular biomarkers will likely overcome this issue to yield high-throughput, objective, and reproducible results. When using proper sampling, transport, storage, preanalytical biomarker concentration techniques, and clinically validated assays, first-void urine is expected to be a valuable source of molecular biomarkers for cervical cancer screening. Furthermore, as first-void urine can be easily and non-invasively collected, it is a highly preferred technique among women and offers the ability to test both primary high-risk human papillomavirus and biomarkers in the same sample. In addition, the use of first-void urine confers opportunities to reduce loss-to follow-up and non-adherence to screening subjects. Copyright © 2017 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. Cannabis Use Surveillance by Sweat Analysis.

    PubMed

    Gambelunghe, Cristiana; Fucci, Nadia; Aroni, Kyriaki; Bacci, Mauro; Marcelli, Antonio; Rossi, Riccardo

    2016-10-01

    Sweat testing, an alternative matrix for establishing drug abuse, offers additional benefits to the more common biological samples. The authors developed a procedure using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry to test for Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol, 11-nor-Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol-9-carboxylic acid, cannabinol (CBN), and cannabidiol (CBD) in a sweat patch. The results were compared with urine and hair sample results. Urine, hair, and sweat samples were simultaneously collected from 12 patients who were involved, respectively, in forensic case and monitoring abuse. Selectivity, linearity, limit of detection (LOD), limit of quantification (LOQ), recovery, intraday and interday imprecision, and inaccuracy of the quantification procedure were validated. LODs in hair were 0.05 ng/mg for Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol, CBN, and CBD, and 0.005 ng/mg for 11-nor-Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol-9-carboxylic acid. The LOD for sweat was 0.30 ng/patch for all substances. The LOQ in hair was 0.1 ng/mg for Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol, CBN, and CBD, and 0.01 ng/mg for 11-nor-Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol-9-carboxylic acid. The LOQ was 0.4 ng/patch in sweat for each analyte. Cannabinoid in urine was determined by means of immunochemical screening (cutoff 11-nor-Δ-tetrahydrocannabinol-9-carboxylic acid 50 ng/mL). All subjects tested positive for 11-nor-Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol-9-carboxylic acid and Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol in urine and hair. In sweat samples, Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol was found in all patches (0.4-2.0 ng/patch); 6 cases were positive for CBN (0.4-0.5 ng/patch) and 3 for CBD (0.4-0.6 ng/patch); 11-nor-Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol-9-carboxylic acid was never detected in patches. Present sweat analysis results integrated the information from hair and urine and showed that sweat analysis is a suitable, noninvasive method for monitoring compliance with rehabilitation therapy and for detecting recent cumulative use of cannabinoids.

  17. Determination of Cd in urine by cloud point extraction-tungsten coil atomic absorption spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Donati, George L; Pharr, Kathryn E; Calloway, Clifton P; Nóbrega, Joaquim A; Jones, Bradley T

    2008-09-15

    Cadmium concentrations in human urine are typically at or below the 1 microgL(-1) level, so only a handful of techniques may be appropriate for this application. These include sophisticated methods such as graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. While tungsten coil atomic absorption spectrometry is a simpler and less expensive technique, its practical detection limits often prohibit the detection of Cd in normal urine samples. In addition, the nature of the urine matrix often necessitates accurate background correction techniques, which would add expense and complexity to the tungsten coil instrument. This manuscript describes a cloud point extraction method that reduces matrix interference while preconcentrating Cd by a factor of 15. Ammonium pyrrolidinedithiocarbamate and Triton X-114 are used as complexing agent and surfactant, respectively, in the extraction procedure. Triton X-114 forms an extractant coacervate surfactant-rich phase that is denser than water, so the aqueous supernatant is easily removed leaving the metal-containing surfactant layer intact. A 25 microL aliquot of this preconcentrated sample is placed directly onto the tungsten coil for analysis. The cloud point extraction procedure allows for simple background correction based either on the measurement of absorption at a nearby wavelength, or measurement of absorption at a time in the atomization step immediately prior to the onset of the Cd signal. Seven human urine samples are analyzed by this technique and the results are compared to those found by the inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry analysis of the same samples performed at a different institution. The limit of detection for Cd in urine is 5 ngL(-1) for cloud point extraction tungsten coil atomic absorption spectrometry. The accuracy of the method is determined with a standard reference material (toxic metals in freeze-dried urine) and the determined values agree with the reported levels at the 95% confidence level.

  18. Direct trace-elemental analysis of urine samples by laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry after sample deposition on clinical filter papers.

    PubMed

    Aramendía, Maite; Rello, Luis; Vanhaecke, Frank; Resano, Martín

    2012-10-16

    Collection of biological fluids on clinical filter papers shows important advantages from a logistic point of view, although analysis of these specimens is far from straightforward. Concerning urine analysis, and particularly when direct trace elemental analysis by laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICPMS) is aimed at, several problems arise, such as lack of sensitivity or different distribution of the analytes on the filter paper, rendering obtaining reliable quantitative results quite difficult. In this paper, a novel approach for urine collection is proposed, which circumvents many of these problems. This methodology consists on the use of precut filter paper discs where large amounts of sample can be retained upon a single deposition. This provides higher amounts of the target analytes and, thus, sufficient sensitivity, and allows addition of an adequate internal standard at the clinical lab prior to analysis, therefore making it suitable for a strategy based on unsupervised sample collection and ulterior analysis at referral centers. On the basis of this sampling methodology, an analytical method was developed for the direct determination of several elements in urine (Be, Bi, Cd, Co, Cu, Ni, Sb, Sn, Tl, Pb, and V) at the low μg L(-1) level by means of LA-ICPMS. The method developed provides good results in terms of accuracy and LODs (≤1 μg L(-1) for most of the analytes tested), with a precision in the range of 15%, fit-for-purpose for clinical control analysis.

  19. 1-Hydroxypyrene concentrations in first morning voids and 24-h composite urine: intra- and inter-individual comparisons.

    PubMed

    Han, In-Kyu; Duan, Xiaoli; Zhang, Lin; Yang, Hongbiao; Rhoads, George G; Wei, Fusheng; Zhang, Junfeng

    2008-09-01

    Urinary 1-hydroxypyrene (1-OHP) has been suggested as an exposure biomarker for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). However, it remains unknown whether a first morning urine sample can be used to reflect average exposure. In this paper, we examine intra-individual differences and inter-individual associations between first morning voids and 24-h composite urine samples. The analysis was performed using data collected from 100 adults who had a wide range of PAH exposure due to differences in their occupation, e.g., coke oven workers vs. non-coke oven workers. For each subject, all the urine voids within each of two 24-h measurement periods were collected. Results showed a significant (40% to 62%) intra-individual difference between first morning voids and 24-h urinary 1-OHP concentrations (in ng/ml urine). Creatinine adjustments of 1-OHP concentrations (in micromol/mol urinary creatinine) reduced the intra-individual difference by approximately 10%. Across all the subjects, a high overall correlation (r=0.76) was observed between first morning and 24-h average 1-OHP concentrations. Work environment and sampling season were found to significantly affect the relationship between first morning and 24-h 1-OHP concentrations. An increase of 1 ng/ml of first morning urinary 1-OHP predicted an increase of 0.5 and 0.25 ng/ml of 24-h urinary 1-OHP for coke oven workers and non-coke oven workers, respectively. Data collected in a winter season showed a higher correlation between first morning and 24-h concentrations than data collected in a fall season. Creatinine adjustments did not significantly improve overall correlations between first morning void and 24-h measurements, but increased total variances for 24-h urines explained by first morning urines in coke workers.

  20. Sensitive and simple determination of zwitterionic morphine in human urine based on liquid-liquid micro-extraction coupled with surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy.

    PubMed

    Yu, Borong; Cao, Chentai; Li, Pan; Mao, Mei; Xie, Qiwen; Yang, Liangbao

    2018-08-15

    Morphine, a kind of illicit drugs, is also one of the main heroin metabolites. In consideration of a noninvasive way to monitor and identify drug abuse during forensic cases, the urine samples are usually detected. Here, colloidal gold nanorods (Au NRs) were introduced to act as active substrate, because of the strong optical extinction and spectral tunability of the longitudinal surface plasmon resonance (SPR). Thus, well surface-enhanced Raman spectra of morphine even at low concentrations could be obtained by portable Raman spectrometer. For the complex matrix environment of urine, liquid-liquid micro-extraction (LLME), a simple and inexpensive pretreatment, was employed to avoid the interferences. And then, the coupled surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) can give full play to the advantages of high sensitivity and unique spectroscopic fingerprint. According to the zwitterionic structure and physicochemical parameters of morphine molecules, the pH value of urine sample was adjusted to about 9 by buffer solution (KOH/NaB 4 O 7 ) and the mixture of chloroform and isopropyl alcohol (V/V=9:1) was chosen as extractant. Moreover, such pretreatment was proved to be appropriate for separation and concentration of morphine from urine. The developed LLME-SERS method could provide a detection limit less than 1 ppm in the human urine environment and the whole process of detection just needed take 5-6 min. What's more, the results of urine samples from heroin users exhibited application value of the proposed technique. The excellent performance makes it promising to become a rapid, reliable, and on-spot analyzer, especially for public safety and healthcare. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. [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.

  2. Presence of Cytomegalovirus in urine and blood of pregnant women with primary infection might be associated with fetal infection.

    PubMed

    Delforge, Marie-Luce; Costa, Elena; Brancart, Françoise; Goldman, Deborah; Montesinos, Isabel; Zaytouni, Siham; Marchant, Arnaud; Donner, Catherine

    2017-05-01

    Cytomegalovirus (CMV) congenital infection can result from primary infection, reinfection or reactivation among pregnant women. The risk of vertical transmission is much higher in case of primary infection, and the transmission rate increases with gestational age. However there are still many questions about maternal markers that can predict whether the virus will be transmitted to the fetus. To investigate the relationship between the presence and the quantity of CMV in urine and blood of women presenting a primary CMV infection during pregnancy and the presence of congenital infection in their offspring. Detection and quantification of CMV DNA was performed on 150 urine samples and 114 blood samples from 150 pregnant women with proven CMV primary infection. Transmission rate was 36.7% (55/150). A statistically significant association was found between the presence of CMV in maternal urine and newborn infection (OR 2.03 95%CI 1.03-3.99). A clearly significant association was found between the presence of CMV in maternal blood and newborn infection (OR 3.14 95% CI 1.38-7.16). Taking into consideration those samples that are positive for CMV in maternal urine, the median value of viral load was significantly higher in those patients who transmitted to offspring (P=0.015). No significant association between viral load in maternal blood and newborn infection was observed. The presence of CMV in maternal urine and maternal blood correlated to the transmission of CMV to offspring in our cohort. The median viral load in urine is higher in women who transmitted. These markers may help to identify pregnant women at risk to transmit to the fetus. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Comparative Study of Seven Commercial Kits for Human DNA Extraction from Urine Samples Suitable for DNA Biomarker-Based Public Health Studies

    PubMed Central

    El Bali, Latifa; Diman, Aurélie; Bernard, Alfred; Roosens, Nancy H. C.; De Keersmaecker, Sigrid C. J.

    2014-01-01

    Human genomic DNA extracted from urine could be an interesting tool for large-scale public health studies involving characterization of genetic variations or DNA biomarkers as a result of the simple and noninvasive collection method. These studies, involving many samples, require a rapid, easy, and standardized extraction protocol. Moreover, for practicability, there is a necessity to collect urine at a moment different from the first void and to store it appropriately until analysis. The present study compared seven commercial kits to select the most appropriate urinary human DNA extraction procedure for epidemiological studies. DNA yield has been determined using different quantification methods: two classical, i.e., NanoDrop and PicoGreen, and two species-specific real-time quantitative (q)PCR assays, as DNA extracted from urine contains, besides human, microbial DNA also, which largely contributes to the total DNA yield. In addition, the kits giving a good yield were also tested for the presence of PCR inhibitors. Further comparisons were performed regarding the sampling time and the storage conditions. Finally, as a proof-of-concept, an important gene related to smoking has been genotyped using the developed tools. We could select one well-performing kit for the human DNA extraction from urine suitable for molecular diagnostic real-time qPCR-based assays targeting genetic variations, applicable to large-scale studies. In addition, successful genotyping was possible using DNA extracted from urine stored at −20°C for several months, and an acceptable yield could also be obtained from urine collected at different moments during the day, which is particularly important for public health studies. PMID:25365790

  4. Concentrations of Phthalate Metabolites in Milk, Urine, Saliva, and Serum of Lactating North Carolina Women

    PubMed Central

    Hines, Erin P.; Calafat, Antonia M.; Silva, Manori J.; Mendola, Pauline; Fenton, Suzanne E.

    2009-01-01

    Background Phthalates are ubiquitous in the environment, but concentrations in multiple media from breast-feeding U.S. women have not been evaluated. Objectives The objective of this study was to accurately measure and compare the concentrations of oxidative monoester phthalate metabolites in milk and surrogate fluids (serum, saliva, and urine) of 33 lactating North Carolina women. Methods We analyzed serum, saliva, urine, and milk for the oxidative phthalate metabolites mono(3-carboxypropyl) phthalate, mono(2-ethyl-5-carboxypentyl) phthalate (MECPP), mono(2-ethyl-5-hydroxyhexyl) phthalate, and mono(2-ethyl-5-oxohexyl) phthalate using isotope-dilution high-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectroscopy. Because only urine lacks esterases, we analyzed it for the hydrolytic phthalate monoesters. Results We detected phthalate metabolites in few milk (< 10%) and saliva samples. MECPP was detected in > 80% of serum samples, but other metabolites were less common (3–22%). Seven of the 10 urinary metabolites were detectable in ≥ 85% of samples. Monoethyl phthalate had the highest mean concentration in urine. Metabolite concentrations differed by body fluid (urine > serum > milk and saliva). Questionnaire data suggest that frequent nail polish use, immunoglobulin A, and fasting serum glucose and triglyceride levels were increased among women with higher concentrations of urinary and/or serum phthalate metabolites; motor vehicle age was inversely correlated with certain urinary phthalate concentrations. Conclusions Our data suggest that phthalate metabolites are most frequently detected in urine of lactating women and are less often detected in serum, milk, or saliva. Urinary phthalate concentrations reflect maternal exposure and do not represent the concentrations of oxidative metabolites in other body fluids, especially milk. PMID:19165392

  5. Urine 1,6-Hexamethylene Diamine (HDA) Levels Among Workers Exposed to 1,6-Hexamethylene Diisocyanate (HDI)

    PubMed Central

    Gaines, Linda G. T.; Fent, Kenneth W.; Flack, Sheila L.; Thomasen, Jennifer M.; Ball, Louise M.; Richardson, David B.; Ding, Kai; Whittaker, Stephen G.; Nylander-french, Leena A.

    2010-01-01

    Urinary 1,6-hexamethylene diamine (HDA) may serve as a biomarker for systemic exposure to 1,6-hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI) in occupationally exposed populations. However, the quantitative relationships between dermal and inhalation exposure to HDI and urine HDA levels have not been established. We measured acid-hydrolyzed urine HDA levels along with dermal and breathing-zone levels of HDI in 48 automotive spray painters. These measurements were conducted over the course of an entire workday for up to three separate workdays that were spaced approximately 1 month apart. One urine sample was collected before the start of work with HDI-containing paints and subsequent samples were collected during the workday. HDA levels varied throughout the day and ranged from nondetectable to 65.9 μg l−1 with a geometric mean and geometric standard deviation of 0.10 μg l−1 ± 6.68. Dermal exposure and inhalation exposure levels, adjusted for the type of respirator worn, were both significant predictors of urine HDA levels in the linear mixed models. Creatinine was a significant covariate when used as an independent variable along with dermal and respirator-adjusted inhalation exposure. Consequently, exposure assessment models must account for the water content of a urine sample. These findings indicate that HDA exhibits a biphasic elimination pattern, with a half-life of 2.9 h for the fast elimination phase. Our results also indicate that urine HDA level is significantly associated with systemic HDI exposure through both the skin and the lungs. We conclude that urinary HDA may be used as a biomarker of exposure to HDI, but biological monitoring should be tailored to reliably capture the intermittent exposure pattern typical in this industry. PMID:20530123

  6. Urine 1,6-hexamethylene diamine (HDA) levels among workers exposed to 1,6-hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI).

    PubMed

    Gaines, Linda G T; Fent, Kenneth W; Flack, Sheila L; Thomasen, Jennifer M; Ball, Louise M; Richardson, David B; Ding, Kai; Whittaker, Stephen G; Nylander-French, Leena A

    2010-08-01

    Urinary 1,6-hexamethylene diamine (HDA) may serve as a biomarker for systemic exposure to 1,6-hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI) in occupationally exposed populations. However, the quantitative relationships between dermal and inhalation exposure to HDI and urine HDA levels have not been established. We measured acid-hydrolyzed urine HDA levels along with dermal and breathing-zone levels of HDI in 48 automotive spray painters. These measurements were conducted over the course of an entire workday for up to three separate workdays that were spaced approximately 1 month apart. One urine sample was collected before the start of work with HDI-containing paints and subsequent samples were collected during the workday. HDA levels varied throughout the day and ranged from nondetectable to 65.9 microg l(-1) with a geometric mean and geometric standard deviation of 0.10 microg l(-1) +/- 6.68. Dermal exposure and inhalation exposure levels, adjusted for the type of respirator worn, were both significant predictors of urine HDA levels in the linear mixed models. Creatinine was a significant covariate when used as an independent variable along with dermal and respirator-adjusted inhalation exposure. Consequently, exposure assessment models must account for the water content of a urine sample. These findings indicate that HDA exhibits a biphasic elimination pattern, with a half-life of 2.9 h for the fast elimination phase. Our results also indicate that urine HDA level is significantly associated with systemic HDI exposure through both the skin and the lungs. We conclude that urinary HDA may be used as a biomarker of exposure to HDI, but biological monitoring should be tailored to reliably capture the intermittent exposure pattern typical in this industry.

  7. NHEXAS PHASE I MARYLAND STUDY--QA ANALYTICAL RESULTS FOR METALS IN BLANKS

    EPA Science Inventory

    The Metals in Blanks data set contains the analytical results of measurements of up to 11 metals in 115 blank samples from 58 households. Measurements were made in blank samples of indoor and outdoor air, drinking water, beverages, urine, and blood. Blank samples were used to a...

  8. Gram-stain plus MALDI-TOF MS (Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization-Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry) for a rapid diagnosis of urinary tract infection.

    PubMed

    Burillo, Almudena; Rodríguez-Sánchez, Belén; Ramiro, Ana; Cercenado, Emilia; Rodríguez-Créixems, Marta; Bouza, Emilio

    2014-01-01

    Microbiological confirmation of a urinary tract infection (UTI) takes 24-48 h. In the meantime, patients are usually given empirical antibiotics, sometimes inappropriately. We assessed the feasibility of sequentially performing a Gram stain and MALDI-TOF MS mass spectrometry (MS) on urine samples to anticipate clinically useful information. In May-June 2012, we randomly selected 1000 urine samples from patients with suspected UTI. All were Gram stained and those yielding bacteria of a single morphotype were processed for MALDI-TOF MS. Our sequential algorithm was correlated with the standard semiquantitative urine culture result as follows: Match, the information provided was anticipative of culture result; Minor error, the information provided was partially anticipative of culture result; Major error, the information provided was incorrect, potentially leading to inappropriate changes in antimicrobial therapy. A positive culture was obtained in 242/1000 samples. The Gram stain revealed a single morphotype in 207 samples, which were subjected to MALDI-TOF MS. The diagnostic performance of the Gram stain was: sensitivity (Se) 81.3%, specificity (Sp) 93.2%, positive predictive value (PPV) 81.3%, negative predictive value (NPV) 93.2%, positive likelihood ratio (+LR) 11.91, negative likelihood ratio (-LR) 0.20 and accuracy 90.0% while that of MALDI-TOF MS was: Se 79.2%, Sp 73.5, +LR 2.99, -LR 0.28 and accuracy 78.3%. The use of both techniques provided information anticipative of the culture result in 82.7% of cases, information with minor errors in 13.4% and information with major errors in 3.9%. Results were available within 1 h. Our serial algorithm provided information that was consistent or showed minor errors for 96.1% of urine samples from patients with suspected UTI. The clinical impacts of this rapid UTI diagnosis strategy need to be assessed through indicators of adequacy of treatment such as a reduced time to appropriate empirical treatment or earlier withdrawal of unnecessary antibiotics.

  9. Percutaneous absorption of selenium sulfide

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

    Farley, J.; Skelly, E.M.; Weber, C.B.

    1986-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to determine selenium levels in the urine of Tinea patients before and after overnight application of a 2.5% selenium sulfide lotion. Selenium was measured by atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS). Hydride generation and carbon rod atomization were studied. It was concluded from this study that selenium is absorbed through intact skin. Selenium is then excreted, at least partially, in urine, for at least a week following treatment. The data show that absorption and excretion of selenium vary on an individual basis. Selenium levels in urine following a single application of selenium sulfide lotion do notmore » indicate that toxic amounts of selenium are being absorbed. Repeated treatments with SeS/sub 2/ result in selenium concentrations in urine which are significantly higher than normal. Significant matrix effects are observed in the carbon rod atomization of urine samples for selenium determinations, even in the presence of a matrix modifier such as nickel. The method of standard additions is required to obtain accurate results in the direct determination of selenium in urine by carbon rod AAS.« less

  10. Evaluation of the Urine Protein/Creatinine Ratio Measured with the Dipsticks Clinitek Atlas PRO 12.

    PubMed

    Hermida, Fernando J; Soto, Sonia; Benitez, Alfonso J

    2016-01-01

    Screening for urine proteins is recommended for the detection of albuminuria in high risk groups. The aim of this study was to compare the Clinitek Atlas PRO12 reagent urine strip with quantitative methods for the determination of protein/creatinine ratio and to evaluate the usefulness of the semi-quantitative Clinitek Atlas PRO12 reagent urine strip as a tool in the early detection of albuminuria among the general population. Six hundred first morning urine specimens were collected from outpatients with various clinical conditions. The results showed that the test data for the urine dipstick Clinitek Atlas PRO12 show good agreement with the quantitative measurement of protein, creatinine and protein/creatinine ratio. In addition, this study shows that 97.2% of the samples which gave "normal" protein/creatinine ratios by the semi-quantitative method, showed albumin/creatinine ratio < 30 mg/g by the quantitative methods. Our results show that Clinitek Atlas PRO12 reagent strips can be used for the purposes of albuminuria screening in the general population.

  11. Occupational exposure to HDI: progress and challenges in biomarker analysis.

    PubMed

    Flack, Sheila L; Ball, Louise M; Nylander-French, Leena A

    2010-10-01

    1,6-Hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI) is extensively used in the automotive repair industry and is a commonly reported cause of occupational asthma in industrialized populations. However, the exact pathological mechanism remains uncertain. Characterization and quantification of biomarkers resulting from HDI exposure can fill important knowledge gaps between exposure, susceptibility, and the rise of immunological reactions and sensitization leading to asthma. Here, we discuss existing challenges in HDI biomarker analysis including the quantification of N-acetyl-1,6-hexamethylene diamine (monoacetyl-HDA) and N,N'-diacetyl-1,6-hexamethylene diamine (diacetyl-HDA) in urine samples based on previously established methods for HDA analysis. In addition, we describe the optimization of reaction conditions for the synthesis of monoacetyl-HDA and diacetyl-HDA, and utilize these standards for the quantification of these metabolites in the urine of three occupationally exposed workers. Diacetyl-HDA was present in untreated urine at 0.015-0.060 μg/l. Using base hydrolysis, the concentration range of monoacetyl-HDA in urine was 0.19-2.2 μg/l, 60-fold higher than in the untreated samples on average. HDA was detected only in one sample after base hydrolysis (0.026 μg/l). In contrast, acid hydrolysis yielded HDA concentrations ranging from 0.36 to 10.1 μg/l in these three samples. These findings demonstrate HDI metabolism via N-acetylation metabolic pathway and protein adduct formation resulting from occupational exposure to HDI. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. The Diagnostic Accuracy of Urine-Based Xpert MTB/RIF in HIV-Infected Hospitalized Patients Who Are Smear-Negative or Sputum Scarce

    PubMed Central

    Peter, Jonathan G.; Theron, Grant; Muchinga, Tapuwa E.; Govender, Ureshnie; Dheda, Keertan

    2012-01-01

    Background Hospitals in sub-Saharan Africa are inundated with HIV-infected patients and tuberculosis (TB) is the commonest opportunistic infection in this sub-group. Up to one third of TB-HIV co-infected patients fail to produce a sputum sample (sputum scarce) and diagnosis is thus often delayed or missed. We investigated the sensitivity of urine-based methods (Xpert MTB/RIF, LAM strip test and LAM ELISA) in such patients. Methodology/Principal Findings 281 HIV-infected hospitalised patients with clinically suspected TB provided a spot urine sample. The reference standard was culture positivity for Mycobacterium tuberculosis on ≥1 sputum or extra-pulmonary sample. MTB/RIF was performed using 1 ml of both unprocessed and, when possible, concentrated urine. Each unconcentrated urine sample was also tested using the Clearview LAM ELISA and Alere LAM strip test. 42% (116/242) of patients had culture-proven TB. 18% (20/54) were sputum scarce. In sputum-scarce patients, the sensitivity of urine MTB/RIF and LAM ELISA was 40% (95%CI: 22–61) and 60% (95%CI: 39–78), respectively. Urine MTB/RIF specificity was 98% (95%CI: 95–100). Combined sensitivity of urine LAM ELISA and MTB/RIF was better than MTB/RIF alone [MTB/RIF and LAM: 70% (95%CI: 48–85) vs. MTB/RIF: 40% (95%CI: 22–61), p = 0.03]. Significant predictors of urine MTB/RIF positivity were CD4<50 cells/ml (p = 0.001), elevated protein-to-creatinine ratio (p<0.001) and LAM ELISA positivity (p<0.001). Urine centrifugation and pelleting significantly increased the sensitivity of MTB/RIF over unprocessed urine in paired samples [42% (95%CI: 26–58) vs. 8% (95%CI: 0–16), p<0.001]. Urine MTB/RIF-generated CT values correlated poorly with markers of bacillary burden (smear grade and time-to-positivity). Conclusions/Significance This preliminary study indicates that urine-based MTB/RIF, alone or in combination with LAM antigen detection, may potentially aid the diagnosis of TB in HIV-infected patients with advanced immunosuppression when sputum-based diagnosis is not possible. Concentration of urine prior to MTB/RIF-testing significantly improves sensitivity. PMID:22815718

  13. Rapid determination of phenylethanolamine A in biological samples by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and lateral-flow immunoassay.

    PubMed

    Li, Xiangmei; Wang, Wenjun; Wang, Limiao; Wang, Qi; Pei, Xingyao; Jiang, Haiyang

    2015-10-01

    Phenylethanolamine A (PA) is a β-adrenergic agonist, which was first used in animal husbandry as a growth promoter in China in 2010. In this study, a monoclonal-antibody (mAb)-based indirect competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (icELISA) and lateral-flow immunoassay (LFA) for the detection of PA in swine urine and pork were developed. The immunogen was prepared by linking PA hapten with carrier protein via a diazotization method. The IC50 value of the optimized icELISA was 0.44 ng mL(-1). The limits of detection of the icELISA for PA in swine urine and pork were 0.13 ng mL(-1) and 0.39 ng g(-1), respectively. The recoveries of PA from spiked swine urine and pork were in the range 82.0-107.4 % and 81.8-113.3%, respectively, with the coefficients of variation in the range 4.1-16.2% and 1.2-6.3%, respectively. The mAbs had negligible cross reactivity with 10 other β-agonists. In contrast, the LFA had a cut-off level of 5 ng mL(-1) (g) in swine urine and pork, and the results could be achieved within 5 min. Ten blind samples of swine urine were analyzed simultaneously by icELISA, LFA, and ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, and the results of the three methods agreed well. Therefore, the combination of two immunoassays provides an effective and rapid screening method for detection of PA residues in biological samples.

  14. Trace elements levels in the serum, urine, and semen of patients with infertility.

    PubMed

    Sağlam, Hasan Salih; Altundağ, Hüseyin; Atik, Yavuz Tarık; Dündar, Mustafa Şahin; Adsan, Öztug

    2015-01-01

    Studies suggest that trace elements may have an adverse impact on male reproduction, even at low levels. We tried to investigate the relationships between these metals and semen quality in various body fluids among men with infertility. A total of 255 samples of blood, semen, and urine were collected from 85 men suffering from infertility. Inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry was used for the determination of 22 trace elements. We compared the results of the semen parameters with the results of the element determinations. Because of the high proportion of samples with values lower than the limit of detection for a number of the elements, only 8 of a total 22 trace elements were determined in the samples. When the concentrations of sperm were classified according to the World Health Organization's guidelines for normospermia, oligospermia, and azoospermia, statistically significant differences were found among Zn, Ca, Al, Cu, Mg, Se, and Sr concentrations in various serum, sperm, and urine samples (P < 0.05). In the present study, we found significant correlations between concentrations of Zn, Ca, Al, Cu, Mg, Se, and Sr and semen parameters in various body fluids.

  15. Cleaved Form of Osteopontin in Urine as a Clinical Marker of Lupus Nephritis

    PubMed Central

    Kitagori, Koji; Yoshifuji, Hajime; Oku, Takuma; Sasaki, Chiyomi; Miyata, Hitomi; Mori, Keita P.; Nakajima, Toshiki; Ohmura, Koichiro; Kawabata, Daisuke; Yukawa, Naoichiro; Imura, Yoshitaka; Murakami, Kosaku; Nakashima, Ran; Usui, Takashi; Fujii, Takao; Sakai, Kaoru; Yanagita, Motoko; Hirayama, Yoshitaka; Mimori, Tsuneyo

    2016-01-01

    We assessed the utility of two forms of osteopontin (OPN), OPN full and its cleaved form (OPN N-half), in plasma and urine as markers of disease activity in lupus nephritis (LN). Samples were collected from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) (LN: N = 29, non-LN: N = 27), IgA nephropathy (IgAN) (N = 14), minimal change nephrotic syndrome (MCNS) (N = 5), diabetic nephropathy (DN) (N = 14) and healthy volunteers (HC) (N = 17). While there was no significant difference in urine OPN full concentration between groups, urine OPN N-half concentration was significantly higher in patients with LN than HC (p < 0.05). Moreover, urine OPN N-half was higher in LN patients with overt proteinuria (urine protein/creatinine ratio: P/C > 0.5) than LN patients with minimal proteinuria (P/C < 0.5, p < 0.0001), and also higher than in DN patients with overt proteinuria (P/C > 0.5, p < 0.01). Urine thrombin activity correlated with urine OPN N-half concentration (p < 0.0001), but not with urine OPN full concentration. These results suggest that urine OPN N-half concentration reflects renal inflammation. Thus, urine OPN N-half may be a novel disease activity marker for LN. PMID:27992535

  16. Development of Technologies for Early Detection and Stratification of Breast Cancer

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2014-10-01

    cancer. Similar screening has been done in urine samples with CYR61 and LCN2 (Figure 2a-b). The Moses lab provided breast cancer urine samples and two ...diseased samples, while CYR61 appears to have two different populations whereas diseased urine samples have lower levels of the protein present. More... system for eDAR so that each isolated cell can be deposited into a well of a 96-well plate for high-throughput downstream single-cell digital

  17. DNA typing for personal identification of urine after long-term preservation for testing in doping control.

    PubMed

    Aoki, Kimiko; Tanaka, Hiroyuki; Ueki, Makoto

    2017-08-01

    When the tampering of a urine sample is suspected in doping control, personal identification of the sample needs to be determined by short tandem repeat (STR) analysis using DNA. We established a method for extracting DNA from urine samples stored at -20 °C without using any additives or procedures, which is consistent with how samples are required to be managed for doping control. The method, using the Puregene® Blood Core kit followed by NucleoSpin® gDNA Clean-up or NucleoSpin® gDNA Clean-up XS kit, does not need any special instrument and can provide a purified extract with high-quality DNA from up to 40 mL of urine suitable for STR analysis using an AmpFlSTR® Identifiler® PCR amplification kit. Storing urine at -20 °C is detrimental to the stability of DNA. The DNA concentration of preserved urine could not be predicted by specific gravity or creatinine level at the time of urine collection. The DNA concentration of a purified extract (10 μL) was required to be >0.06 ng/μL to ensure a successful STR analysis. Thus, the required extraction volumes of urine preserved for 3-7 years at -20 °C were estimated to be 30 mL and 20 mL to succeed in at least 86% of men and 91% of women, respectively. Considering the long half-life of DNA during long-term preservation, our extraction method is applicable to urine samples stored even for 10 years, which is currently the storage duration allowed (increased from 8 years) before re-examination in doping control. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  18. Carbon coated magnetic nanoparticles as a novel magnetic solid phase extraction adsorbent for simultaneous extraction of methamphetamine and ephedrine from urine samples.

    PubMed

    Taghvimi, Arezou; Hamishehkar, Hamed

    2017-01-15

    This paper develops a highly selective, specific and efficient method for simultaneous determination of ephedrine and methamphetamine by a new carbon coated magnetic nanoparticles (C/MNPs) as a magnetic solid phase extraction (MSPE) adsorbent in biological urine medium. The characterization of synthesized magnetic nano adsorbent was completely carried out by various characterization techniques like Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, powder x-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). Nine important parameters influencing extraction efficiency including amount of adsorbent, amounts of sample volume, pH, type and amount of extraction organic solvent, time of extraction and desorption, agitation rate and ionic strength of extraction medium, were studied and optimized. Under optimized extraction conditions, a good linearity was observed in the concentration range of 100-2000ng/mL for ephedrine and 100-2500ng/mL for methamphetamine. Analysis of positive urine samples was carried out by proposed method with the recovery of 98.71 and 97.87% for ephedrine and methamphetamine, respectively. The results indicated that carbon coated magnetic nanoparticles could be applied in clinical and forensic laboratories for simultaneous determination of abused drugs in urine media. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. Metabolite profiling of ginsenosides in rat plasma, urine and feces by LC-MS/MS and its application to a pharmacokinetic study after oral administration of Panax ginseng extract.

    PubMed

    Dong, Wei-Wei; Han, Xiong-Zhe; Zhao, Jinhua; Zhong, Fei-Liang; Ma, Rui; Wu, Songquan; Li, Donghao; Quan, Lin-Hu; Jiang, Jun

    2018-03-01

    Panax ginseng is widely consumed as a functional food in the form of tea, powder, capsules, among others, and possesses a range of pharmacological activities including adaptogenic, immune-modulatory, anti-tumor, anti-aging and anti-inflammatory effects. The aim of this study was to identify and quantify the major ginsenosides and their metabolites in rat plasma, urine and feces after administration of P. ginseng extract using LC-MS/MS. We collected rat plasma samples at 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 8, 12, 24 and 48 h, and the amounts of urine and fecal samples accumulated in 24 h. Fourteen major ginsenosides and their metabolites were observed in fecal samples at high levels; however, low levels of 11 ginsenosides were detected in urine samples. The pharmacokinetics of the major ginsenosides and their metabolites was investigated in plasma. The results indicated that the maximum plasma concentration, time to maximum concentration and area under the curve of compound K were significantly greater than those of other ginsenosides. This study thus provides valuable information for drug development and clinical application of P. ginseng. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  20. A Randomized Trial of Employment-Based Reinforcement of Cocaine Abstinence in Injection Drug Users

    PubMed Central

    Silverman, Kenneth; Wong, Conrad J; Needham, Mick; Diemer, Karly N; Knealing, Todd; Crone-Todd, Darlene; Fingerhood, Michael; Nuzzo, Paul; Kolodner, Kenneth

    2007-01-01

    High-magnitude and long-duration abstinence reinforcement can promote drug abstinence but can be difficult to finance. Employment may be a vehicle for arranging high-magnitude and long-duration abstinence reinforcement. This study determined if employment-based abstinence reinforcement could increase cocaine abstinence in adults who inject drugs and use cocaine during methadone treatment. Participants could work 4 hr every weekday in a workplace where they could earn about $10.00 per hour in vouchers; they were required to provide routine urine samples. Participants who attended the workplace and provided cocaine-positive urine samples during the initial 4 weeks were invited to work 26 weeks and were randomly assigned to an abstinence-and-work (n  =  28) or work-only (n  =  28) group. Abstinence-and-work participants had to provide urine samples showing cocaine abstinence to work and maintain maximum pay. Work-only participants could work independent of their urinalysis results. Abstinence-and-work participants provided more (p  =  .004; OR  =  5.80, 95% CI  =  2.03–16.56) cocaine-negative urine samples (29%) than did work-only participants (10%). Employment-based abstinence reinforcement can increase cocaine abstinence. PMID:17970256

  1. Arsenic in the breast milk of lactating women in arsenic-affected areas of West Bengal, India and its effect on infants.

    PubMed

    Samanta, Gautam; Das, Dipankar; Mandal, Badal K; Chowdhury, Tarit Roy; Chakraborti, Dipankar; Pal, Arup; Ahamed, Sad

    2007-10-01

    Two hundred and twenty-six breast milk samples were collected from lactating women from 3 blocks of North-24 Paragans, one of the arsenic-affected districts of West Bengal, India. Out of 226 samples, only in 39 samples arsenic was detected. Urine, hair, and nail samples were also analyzed to know the arsenic body burden of the lactating women. Arsenic in drinking water was also analyzed. Principle component analysis (PCA) revealed that hair and nail arsenic was highly correlated with water arsenic concentrations, whereas arsenic in urine and breast milk did not cluster with water arsenic. Our present study indicated that among the lactating women who had high arsenic body burden and arsenical skin lesions, they had elevated level of arsenic in their breast milk. Arsenic in hair, nails, and urine samples of infants were analyzed, and the results showed significantly high-body burden of infants in those areas. PCA showed the age-dependent relationship between the hair and nail arsenic concentrations of the mothers and their babies.

  2. Adulteration of urine by "Urine Luck".

    PubMed

    Wu, A H; Bristol, B; Sexton, K; Cassella-McLane, G; Holtman, V; Hill, D W

    1999-07-01

    In vitro adulterants are used to invalidate assays for urine drugs of abuse. The present study examined the effect of pyridinium chlorochromate (PCC) found in the product "Urine Luck". PCC was prepared and added to positive urine controls at concentrations of 0, 10, 50, and 100 g/L. The controls were assayed for methamphetamine, benzoylecgonine (BE), codeine and morphine, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), and phencyclidine (PCP) with the Emit II (Syva) and Abuscreen Online (Roche) immunoassays, and by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Two tests were also developed to detect PCC in urine: a spot test to detect chromate ions using 10 g/L 1,5-diphenylcarbazide as the indicator, and a GC/MS assay for pyridine. We tested 150 samples submitted for routine urinalysis, compliance, and workplace drug testing for PCC, using these assays. Response rates decreased at 100 g/L PCC for all Emit II drug assays and for the Abuscreen morphine and THC assays. In contrast, the Abuscreen amphetamine assay produced apparently higher results, and no effect was seen on the results for BE or PCP. The PCC did not affect the GC/MS recovery of methamphetamine, BE, PCP, or their deuterated internal standards, but decreased GC/MS recovery of the opiates at both intermediate (50 g/L) and high (100 g/L) PCC concentrations and apparent concentrations of THC and THC-d3 at all PCC concentrations. Two of 50 samples submitted for workplace drug testing under chain-of-custody conditions were positive for PCC, whereas none of the remaining 100 specimens submitted for routine urinalysis or compliance drug testing were positive. PCC is an effective adulterant for urine drug testing of THC and opiates. Identification of PCC use can be accomplished with use of a spot test for the oxidant.

  3. Immunoreactive LH in long-term frozen human urine samples.

    PubMed

    Singh, Gurmeet Kaur Surindar; Jimenez, Mark; Newman, Ron; Handelsman, David J

    2014-04-01

    Urine provides a convenient non-invasive alternative to blood sampling for measurement of certain hormones. Urinary luteinizing hormone (LH) measurements have been used for endocrinology research and anti-doping testing. However, the commercially available LH immunoassays are developed and validated for human blood samples but not urine so that LH assays intended for use with urine samples need thorough validation. Therefore, the present study evaluated the measurement of urinary LH immunoreactivity using previously validated immunofluorometric (IF) and immunochemiluminometric (ICL) LH assays after prolonged frozen storage. LH was measured in serial urine samples following administration of a single injection of one of two doses of recombinant human chorionic hormone (rhCG) with assays run at the end of study (2008) and again after four years of frozen (-20 °C) storage where samples were stored without adding preservatives. The ICL assay showed quantitatively reproducible LH measurements after prolonged -20 °C storage. However, the IF immunoassay gave consistently lower LH levels relative to ICL (2008) with a further proportionate reduction after four years of sample storage (2012). Yet, both the assays displayed similar patterns of the time-course of urine LH measurement both before and after four years of frozen storage. In conclusion, we found that both immunoassays are suitable for urinary LH measurements with ICL assay being more robust for quantitative urinary LH measurement such as for anti-doping purposes, whereas the IF could be applicable for research studies where urine LH levels are compared within-study but not in absolute terms. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  4. 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.

  5. Urinary levoglucosan as a biomarker for woodsmoke exposure in wildland firefighters.

    PubMed

    Naeher, Luke P; Barr, Dana Boyd; Adetona, Olorunfemi; Simpson, Christopher D

    2013-01-01

    Levoglucosan, a sugar anhydride and a combustion breakdown product of cellulose is a dominant organic constituent of particles in woodsmoke. After exposure, levoglucosan is excreted unmetabolized in urine. Urinary levoglucosan was assessed as a biomarker of occupational woodsmoke exposure among wildland firefighters. Urine samples were collected from wildland firefighters before and after their work-shifts on days when they worked at prescribed burns. A total of 97 pairs of pre- and post-shift urine samples were collected from 19 firefighters over 10 prescribed burn shifts. The urine samples were analyzed to determine whether there was an increase in the concentration of levoglucosan from pre- to post-shift after the firefighters had worked at the prescribed burns. Overall, there was an increase in both the urinary volume-based and creatinine corrected levoglucosan concentrations from pre- to post-shift (P < 0.05). However, the direction of change in the concentrations was not consistent. There were increases in urinary levoglucosan concentration from pre- to post-shift in 63% of the person-day samples, and in only 58% of the person-day samples for the creatinine corrected concentrations. Although there was an overall increase in urinary concentrations of levoglucosan, results suggest that other sources apart from woodsmoke affected the urinary levels of this biomarker in wildland firefighters. Therefore, urinary levoglucosan may not be effective as a biomarker of woodsmoke exposure in this setting.

  6. 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.

  7. Optimizing Urine Processing Protocols for Protein and Metabolite Detection.

    PubMed

    Siddiqui, Nazema Y; DuBois, Laura G; St John-Williams, Lisa; Will, Thompson J; Grenier, Carole; Burke, Emily; Fraser, Matthew O; Amundsen, Cindy L; Murphy, Susan K

    In urine, factors such as timing of voids, and duration at room temperature (RT) may affect the quality of recovered protein and metabolite data. Additives may aid with detection, but can add more complexity in sample collection or analysis. We aimed to identify the optimal urine processing protocol for clinically-obtained urine samples that allows for the highest protein and metabolite yields with minimal degradation. Healthy women provided multiple urine samples during the same day. Women collected their first morning (1 st AM) void and another "random void". Random voids were aliquotted with: 1) no additive; 2) boric acid (BA); 3) protease inhibitor (PI); or 4) both BA + PI. Of these aliquots, some were immediately stored at 4°C, and some were left at RT for 4 hours. Proteins and individual metabolites were quantified, normalized to creatinine concentrations, and compared across processing conditions. Sample pools corresponding to each processing condition were analyzed using mass spectrometry to assess protein degradation. Ten Caucasian women between 35-65 years of age provided paired 1 st morning and random voided urine samples. Normalized protein concentrations were slightly higher in 1 st AM compared to random "spot" voids. The addition of BA did not significantly change proteins, while PI significantly improved normalized protein concentrations, regardless of whether samples were immediately cooled or left at RT for 4 hours. In pooled samples, there were minimal differences in protein degradation under the various conditions we tested. In metabolite analyses, there were significant differences in individual amino acids based on the timing of the void. For comparative translational research using urine, information about void timing should be collected and standardized. For urine samples processed in the same day, BA does not appear to be necessary while the addition of PI enhances protein yields, regardless of 4°C or RT storage temperature.

  8. Fully automated methods for the determination of hydrochlorothiazide in human plasma and urine.

    PubMed

    Hsieh, J Y; Lin, C; Matuszewski, B K; Dobrinska, M R

    1994-12-01

    LC assays utilizing fully automated sample preparation procedures on Zymark PyTechnology Robot and BenchMate Workstation for the quantification of hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) in human plasma and urine have been developed. After aliquoting plasma and urine samples, and adding internal standard (IS) manually, the robot executed buffer and organic solvent addition, liquid-liquid extraction, solvent evaporation and on-line LC injection steps for plasma samples, whereas, BenchMate performed buffer and organic solvent addition, liquid-liquid and solid-phase extractions, and on-line LC injection steps for urine samples. Chromatographic separations were carried out on Beckman Octyl Ultrasphere column using the mobile phase composed of 12% (v/v) acetonitrile and 88% of either an ion-pairing reagent (plasma) or 0.1% trifluoroacetic acid (urine). The eluent from the column was monitored with UV detector (271 nm). Peak heights for HCTZ and IS were automatically processed using a PE-Nelson ACCESS*CHROM laboratory automation system. The assays have been validated in the concentration range of 2-100 ng ml-1 in plasma and 0.1-20 micrograms ml-1 in urine. Both plasma and urine assays have the sensitivity and specificity necessary to determine plasma and urine concentrations of HCTZ from low dose (6.25/12.5 mg) administration of HCTZ to human subjects in the presence or absence of losartan.

  9. 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.

  10. Comparison of Depletion Strategies for the Enrichment of Low-Abundance Proteins in Urine.

    PubMed

    Filip, Szymon; Vougas, Konstantinos; Zoidakis, Jerome; Latosinska, Agnieszka; Mullen, William; Spasovski, Goce; Mischak, Harald; Vlahou, Antonia; Jankowski, Joachim

    2015-01-01

    Proteome analysis of complex biological samples for biomarker identification remains challenging, among others due to the extended range of protein concentrations. High-abundance proteins like albumin or IgG of plasma and urine, may interfere with the detection of potential disease biomarkers. Currently, several options are available for the depletion of abundant proteins in plasma. However, the applicability of these methods in urine has not been thoroughly investigated. In this study, we compared different, commercially available immunodepletion and ion-exchange based approaches on urine samples from both healthy subjects and CKD patients, for their reproducibility and efficiency in protein depletion. A starting urine volume of 500 μL was used to simulate conditions of a multi-institutional biomarker discovery study. All depletion approaches showed satisfactory reproducibility (n=5) in protein identification as well as protein abundance. Comparison of the depletion efficiency between the unfractionated and fractionated samples and the different depletion strategies, showed efficient depletion in all cases, with the exception of the ion-exchange kit. The depletion efficiency was found slightly higher in normal than in CKD samples and normal samples yielded more protein identifications than CKD samples when using both initial as well as corresponding depleted fractions. Along these lines, decrease in the amount of albumin and other targets as applicable, following depletion, was observed. Nevertheless, these depletion strategies did not yield a higher number of identifications in neither the urine from normal nor CKD patients. Collectively, when analyzing urine in the context of CKD biomarker identification, no added value of depletion strategies can be observed and analysis of unfractionated starting urine appears to be preferable.

  11. Comparison of Depletion Strategies for the Enrichment of Low-Abundance Proteins in Urine

    PubMed Central

    Filip, Szymon; Vougas, Konstantinos; Zoidakis, Jerome; Latosinska, Agnieszka; Mullen, William; Spasovski, Goce; Mischak, Harald; Vlahou, Antonia; Jankowski, Joachim

    2015-01-01

    Proteome analysis of complex biological samples for biomarker identification remains challenging, among others due to the extended range of protein concentrations. High-abundance proteins like albumin or IgG of plasma and urine, may interfere with the detection of potential disease biomarkers. Currently, several options are available for the depletion of abundant proteins in plasma. However, the applicability of these methods in urine has not been thoroughly investigated. In this study, we compared different, commercially available immunodepletion and ion-exchange based approaches on urine samples from both healthy subjects and CKD patients, for their reproducibility and efficiency in protein depletion. A starting urine volume of 500 μL was used to simulate conditions of a multi-institutional biomarker discovery study. All depletion approaches showed satisfactory reproducibility (n=5) in protein identification as well as protein abundance. Comparison of the depletion efficiency between the unfractionated and fractionated samples and the different depletion strategies, showed efficient depletion in all cases, with the exception of the ion-exchange kit. The depletion efficiency was found slightly higher in normal than in CKD samples and normal samples yielded more protein identifications than CKD samples when using both initial as well as corresponding depleted fractions. Along these lines, decrease in the amount of albumin and other targets as applicable, following depletion, was observed. Nevertheless, these depletion strategies did not yield a higher number of identifications in neither the urine from normal nor CKD patients. Collectively, when analyzing urine in the context of CKD biomarker identification, no added value of depletion strategies can be observed and analysis of unfractionated starting urine appears to be preferable. PMID:26208298

  12. Improved bacterial identification directly from urine samples with matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Kitagawa, Koichi; Shigemura, Katsumi; Onuma, Ken-Ichiro; Nishida, Masako; Fujiwara, Mayu; Kobayashi, Saori; Yamasaki, Mika; Nakamura, Tatsuya; Yamamichi, Fukashi; Shirakawa, Toshiro; Tokimatsu, Issei; Fujisawa, Masato

    2018-03-01

    Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) contributes to rapid identification of pathogens in the clinic but has not yet performed especially well for Gram-positive cocci (GPC) causing complicated urinary tract infection (UTI). The goal of this study was to investigate the possible clinical use of MALDI-TOF MS as a rapid method for bacterial identification directly from urine in complicated UTI. MALDI-TOF MS was applied to urine samples gathered from 142 suspected complicated UTI patients in 2015-2017. We modified the standard procedure (Method 1) for sample preparation by adding an initial 10 minutes of ultrasonication followed by centrifugation at 500 g for 1 minutes to remove debris such as epithelial cells and leukocytes from the urine (Method 2). In 133 urine culture-positive bacteria, the rate of corresponded with urine culture in GPC by MALDI-TOF MS in urine with standard sample preparation (Method 1) was 16.7%, but the modified sample preparation (Method 2) significantly improved that rate to 52.2% (P=.045). Method 2 also improved the identification accuracy for Gram-negative rods (GNR) from 77.1% to 94.2% (P=.022). The modified Method 2 significantly improved the average MALDI score from 1.408±0.153 to 2.166±0.045 (P=.000) for GPC and slightly improved the score from 2.107±0.061 to 2.164±0.037 for GNR. The modified sample preparation for MALDI-TOF MS can improve identification accuracy for complicated UTI causative bacteria. This simple modification offers a rapid and accurate routine diagnosis for UTI, and may possibly be a substitute for urine cultures. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  13. Integrated next-generation sequencing of 16S rDNA and metaproteomics differentiate the healthy urine microbiome from asymptomatic bacteriuria in neuropathic bladder associated with spinal cord injury

    PubMed Central

    2012-01-01

    Background Clinical dogma is that healthy urine is sterile and the presence of bacteria with an inflammatory response is indicative of urinary tract infection (UTI). Asymptomatic bacteriuria (ABU) represents the state in which bacteria are present but the inflammatory response is negligible. Differentiating ABU from UTI is diagnostically challenging, but critical because overtreatment of ABU can perpetuate antimicrobial resistance while undertreatment of UTI can result in increased morbidity and mortality. In this study, we describe key characteristics of the healthy and ABU urine microbiomes utilizing 16S rRNA gene (16S rDNA) sequencing and metaproteomics, with the future goal of utilizing this information to personalize the treatment of UTI based on key individual characteristics. Methods A cross-sectional study of 26 healthy controls and 27 healthy subjects at risk for ABU due to spinal cord injury-related neuropathic bladder (NB) was conducted. Of the 27 subjects with NB, 8 voided normally, 8 utilized intermittent catheterization, and 11 utilized indwelling Foley urethral catheterization for bladder drainage. Urine was obtained by clean catch in voiders, or directly from the catheter in subjects utilizing catheters. Urinalysis, urine culture and 16S rDNA sequencing were performed on all samples, with metaproteomic analysis performed on a subsample. Results A total of 589454 quality-filtered 16S rDNA sequence reads were processed through a NextGen 16S rDNA analysis pipeline. Urine microbiomes differ by normal bladder function vs. NB, gender, type of bladder catheter utilized, and duration of NB. The top ten bacterial taxa showing the most relative abundance and change among samples were Lactobacillales, Enterobacteriales, Actinomycetales, Bacillales, Clostridiales, Bacteroidales, Burkholderiales, Pseudomonadales, Bifidobacteriales and Coriobacteriales. Metaproteomics confirmed the 16S rDNA results, and functional human protein-pathogen interactions were noted in subjects where host defenses were initiated. Conclusions Counter to clinical belief, healthy urine is not sterile. The healthy urine microbiome is characterized by a preponderance of Lactobacillales in women and Corynebacterium in men. The presence and duration of NB and method of urinary catheterization alter the healthy urine microbiome. An integrated approach of 16S rDNA sequencing with metaproteomics improves our understanding of healthy urine and facilitates a more personalized approach to prevention and treatment of infection. PMID:22929533

  14. Potentiometric detection in UPLC as an easy alternative to determine cocaine in biological samples.

    PubMed

    Daems, Devin; van Nuijs, Alexander L N; Covaci, Adrian; Hamidi-Asl, Ezat; Van Camp, Guy; Nagels, Luc J

    2015-07-01

    The analytical methods which are often used for the determination of cocaine in complex biological matrices are a prescreening immunoassay and confirmation by chromatography combined with mass spectrometry. We suggest an ultra-high-pressure liquid chromatography combined with a potentiometric detector, as a fast and practical method to detect and quantify cocaine in biological samples. An adsorption/desorption model was used to investigate the usefulness of the potentiometric detector to determine cocaine in complex matrices. Detection limits of 6.3 ng mL(-1) were obtained in plasma and urine, which is below the maximum residue limit (MRL) of 25 ng mL(-1). A set of seven plasma samples and 10 urine samples were classified identically by both methods as exceeding the MRL or being inferior to it. The results obtained with the UPLC/potentiometric detection method were compared with the results obtained with the UPLC/MS method for samples spiked with varying cocaine concentrations. The intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.997 for serum (n =7) and 0.977 for urine (n =8). As liquid chromatography is an established technique, and as potentiometry is very simple and cost-effective in terms of equipment, we believe that this method is potentially easy, inexpensive, fast and reliable. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  15. Automated biowaste sampling system urine subsystem operating model, part 1

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Fogal, G. L.; Mangialardi, J. K.; Rosen, F.

    1973-01-01

    The urine subsystem automatically provides for the collection, volume sensing, and sampling of urine from six subjects during space flight. Verification of the subsystem design was a primary objective of the current effort which was accomplished thru the detail design, fabrication, and verification testing of an operating model of the subsystem.

  16. Rapid screening of selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors in urine samples using solid-phase microextraction gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Salgado-Petinal, Carmen; Lamas, J Pablo; Garcia-Jares, Carmen; Llompart, Maria; Cela, Rafael

    2005-07-01

    In this paper a solid-phase microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (SPME-GC-MS) method is proposed for a rapid analysis of some frequently prescribed selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRI)-venlafaxine, fluvoxamine, mirtazapine, fluoxetine, citalopram, and sertraline-in urine samples. The SPME-based method enables simultaneous determination of the target SSRI after simple in-situ derivatization of some of the target compounds. Calibration curves in water and in urine were validated and statistically compared. This revealed the absence of matrix effect and, in consequence, the possibility of quantifying SSRI in urine samples by external water calibration. Intra-day and inter-day precision was satisfactory for all the target compounds (relative standard deviation, RSD, <14%) and the detection limits achieved were <0.4 ng mL(-1) urine. The time required for the SPME step and for GC analysis (30 min each) enables high throughput. The method was applied to real urine samples from different patients being treated with some of these pharmaceuticals. Some SSRI metabolites were also detected and tentatively identified.

  17. Major Odorants Released as Urinary Volatiles by Urinary Incontinent Patients

    PubMed Central

    Pandey, Sudhir Kumar; Kim, Ki-Hyun; Choi, Si On; Sa, In Young; Oh, Soo Yeon

    2013-01-01

    In this study, volatile urinary components were collected using three different types of samples from patients suffering from urinary incontinence (UI): (1) urine (A); (2) urine + non-used pad (B); and (3) urine + used pad (C). In addition, urine + non-used pad (D) samples from non-patients were also collected as a reference. The collection of urinary volatiles was conducted with the aid of a glass impinger-based mini-chamber method. Each of the four sample types (A through D) was placed in a glass impinger and incubated for 4 hours at 37 °C. Ultra pure air was then passed through the chamber, and volatile urine gas components were collected into Tedlar bags at the other end. These bag samples were then analyzed for a wide range of VOCs and major offensive odorants (e.g., reduced sulfur compounds (RSCs), carbonyls, trimethylamine (TMA), ammonia, etc.). Among the various odorants, sulfur compounds (methanethiol and hydrogen sulfide) and aldehydes (acetaldehyde, butylaldehyde, and isovaleraldehyde) were detected above odor threshold and predicted to contribute most effectively to odor intensity of urine incontinence. PMID:23823973

  18. Determination of inorganic arsenic and its organic metabolites in urine by flow-injection hydride generation atomic absorption spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Hanna, C P; Tyson, J F; McIntosh, S

    1993-08-01

    A method has been developed for the determination of inorganic arsenic [As(III) and As(V)] and its organic metabolites (monomethylarsenic and dimethylarsenic) in urine by flow-injection hydride generation atomic absorption spectrometry. The nontoxic seafood-derived arsenobetaine and arsenocholine species were first separated by a solid-phase extraction procedure. The remaining sample was digested with a mixture of nitric and sulfuric acids and potassium dichromate, followed by attack with hydrogen peroxide. The resulting As(V) was reduced to As(III) with potassium iodide in hydrochloric acid before injection into the flow-injection manifold. The percentage analytical recoveries (mean +/- 95% confidence interval) of various arsenic species added to a urine specimen at 250 micrograms/L were 108 +/- 2, 112 +/- 11, 104 +/- 7, and 95 +/- 5 for As(III), As(V), monomethylarsenic, and dimethylarsenic, respectively. For the determination of arsenic in Standard Reference Material 2670 (toxic metals in human urine), results agreed with the certified value (480 +/- 100 micrograms/L). Analyses of samples for the Centre de Toxicologie du Quebec, containing seafood-derived species, demonstrated the viability of the separation procedure. Detection limits were between 0.1 and 0.2 microgram/L in the solution injected into the manifold, and precision at 10 micrograms/L was between 2% and 3% (CV). These preliminary results show that the method might be applicable to determinations of arsenic in a range of clinical urine specimens.

  19. Detection time for THC in oral fluid after frequent cannabis smoking.

    PubMed

    Andås, Hilde T; Krabseth, Hege-Merete; Enger, Asle; Marcussen, Bjarne N; Haneborg, An-Magritt; Christophersen, Asbjørg S; Vindenes, Vigdis; Øiestad, Elisabeth L

    2014-12-01

    The use of oral fluid for detecting drugs of abuse has become increasingly more frequent. Few studies have, however, investigated the detection times for drugs of abuse in oral fluid, compared with that of in urine or in blood. Cannabis is the world's most widely used drug of abuse, and the detection times for cannabis, in different types of matrixes, are therefore important information to the laboratories or institutions performing and evaluating drugs of abuse analyses. It is well known that frequent use of high dosages of cannabis, for longer periods of time, might lead to prolonged detection times for THC-COOH in urine. Cannabis intake is detected in oral fluid as THC, and a positive finding is considered to be a result of recent smoking, although some studies have already reported longer detection times. The aim of this study was to investigate the detection time for THC in oral fluid, collected from drug addicts admitted for detoxification. Findings in oral fluid were compared with findings in urine, among 26 patients admitted to a closed detoxification unit. The study, being the first in doing so, describes the concentration-time profiles for THC in oral fluid among chronic cannabis users, during monitored abstinence, using the Intercept collection kit. The study also includes the concentration-time profiles for creatinine-corrected THC-COOH ratios in urine samples, included to monitor for the possibility of new intakes. THC was detected in oral fluid collected from 11 of the 26 patients in the study. The elimination curves for THC in oral fluid revealed that negative samples could be interspersed among positive samples several days after cessation, whereas the THC-COOH concentrations in urine were decreasing. THC was, in this study, detected in oral fluid for up to 8 days after admission. The study shows that frequent use of high dosages of cannabis may lead to prolonged detection times, and that positive samples can be interspersed among negative samples. These results are of great importance when THC results from oral fluid analyses are to be interpreted.

  20. 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.

  1. Detection of Soluble Antigen and DNA of Trypanosoma cruzi in Urine Is Independent of Renal Injury in the Guinea Pig Model

    PubMed Central

    Castro-Sesquen, Yagahira E.; Gilman, Robert H.; Yauri, Verónica; Cok, Jaime; Angulo, Noelia; Escalante, Hermes; Bern, Caryn

    2013-01-01

    The diagnosis of Chagas disease in humans is generally limited to the detection of specific antibodies. Detection of T. cruzi antigens in urine has been reported previously, but is not used in the diagnosis. In this study, soluble T. cruzi antigens and DNA were detected in urine samples and were associated with kidney injury and systemic detection of the parasite. We used 72 guinea pigs infected with T. cruzi Y strain and 18 non-infected guinea pigs. Blood, kidney, heart and urine samples were collected during the acute phase and chronic phase. Urine samples were concentrated by ultrafiltration. Antigens were detected by Western Blot using a polyclonal antibody against trypomastigote excretory-secretory antigen (TESA). T. cruzi DNA was detected by PCR using primers 121/122 and TcZ1/TcZ2. Levels of T. cruzi DNA in blood, heart and kidney were determined by quantitative PCR. T. cruzi antigens (75 kDa, 80 kDa, 120 kDa, 150 kDa) were detected in the acute phase (67.5%) and the chronic phase (45%). Parasite DNA in urine was detected only in the acute phase (45%). Kidney injury was characterized by high levels of proteinuria, kidney injury molecule-1 (KIM-1) and urea, and some histopathological changes such as inflammation, necrosis, fibrosis and scarce parasites. The detection of antigens and DNA in urine was associated with the presence of parasite DNA in blood and heart and with high levels of parasite DNA in blood, but not with the presence of parasite in kidney or kidney injury. These results suggest that the detection of T. cruzi in urine could be improved to be a valuable method for the diagnosis of Chagas disease, particularly in congenital Chagas disease and in immunocompromised patients. PMID:23520515

  2. Urine pH is an indicator of dietary acid-base load, fruit and vegetables and meat intakes: results from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC)-Norfolk population study.

    PubMed

    Welch, Ailsa A; Mulligan, Angela; Bingham, Sheila A; Khaw, Kay-Tee

    2008-06-01

    Evidence exists that a more acidic diet is detrimental to bone health. Although more precise methods exist for measurement of acid-base balance, urine pH reflects acid-base balance and is readily measurable but has not been related to habitual dietary intake in general populations. The present study investigated the relationship between urine pH and dietary acid-base load (potential renal acid load; PRAL) and its contributory food groups (fruit and vegetables, meats, cereal and dairy foods). There were 22,034 men and women aged 39-78 years living in Norfolk (UK) with casual urine samples and dietary intakes from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC)-Norfolk FFQ. A sub-study (n 363) compared pH in casual samples and 24 h urine and intakes from a 7 d diary and the FFQ. A more alkaline diet (low PRAL), high fruit and vegetable intake and lower consumption of meat was significantly associated with a more alkaline urine pH before and after adjustment for age, BMI, physical activity and smoking habit and also after excluding for urinary protein, glucose, ketones, diagnosed high blood pressure and diuretic medication. In the sub-study the strongest relationship was found between the 24 h urine and the 7 d diary. In conclusion, a more alkaline diet, higher fruit and vegetable and lower meat intake were related to more alkaline urine with a magnitude similar to intervention studies. As urine pH relates to dietary acid-base load its use to monitor change in consumption of fruit and vegetables, in individuals, warrants further investigation.

  3. Identification of the inactivating factors and mechanisms exerted on MS2 coliphage in concentrated synthetic urine.

    PubMed

    Oishi, Wakana; Sano, Daisuke; Decrey, Loic; Kadoya, Syunsuke; Kohn, Tamar; Funamizu, Naoyuki

    2017-11-15

    Volume reduction (condensation) is a key for the practical usage of human urine as a fertilizer because it enables the saving of storage space and the reduction of transportation cost. However, concentrated urine may carry infectious disease risks resulting from human pathogens frequently present in excreta, though the survival of pathogens in concentrated urine is not well understood. In this study, the inactivation of MS2 coliphage, a surrogate for single-stranded RNA human enteric viruses, in concentrated synthetic urine was investigated. The infectious titer reduction of MS2 coliphage in synthetic urine samples was measured by plaque assay, and the reduction of genome copy number was monitored by reverse transcription-quantitative PCR (RTqPCR). Among chemical-physical conditions such as pH and osmotic pressure, uncharged ammonia was shown to be the predominant factor responsible for MS2 inactivation, independently of urine concentration level. The reduction rate of the viral genome number varied among genome regions, but the comprehensive reduction rate of six genome regions was well correlated with that of the infectious titer of MS2 coliphage. This indicates that genome degradation is the main mechanism driving loss of infectivity, and that RT-qPCR targeting the six genome regions can be used as a culture-independent assay for monitoring infectivity loss of the coliphage in urine. MS2 inactivation rate constants were well predicted by a model using ion composition and speciation in synthetic urine samples, which suggests that MS2 infectivity loss can be estimated solely based on the solution composition, temperature and pH, without explicitly accounting for effects of osmotic pressure. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. ECLSS Sustaining Compatibility Testing on Urine Processor Assembly Nonmetallic Materials for Reformulation of Pretreated Urine Solution

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Wingard, C. D.

    2015-01-01

    On International Space Station (ISS), the Urine Processor Assembly (UPA) converts human urine and flush water into potable water. The urine is acid-pretreated primarily to control microbial growth. In recent years, the sulfuric acid (H2SO4) pretreatment was believed to be largely responsible for producing salt crystals capable of plugging filters in UPA components and significantly reducing the percentage of water recovery from urine. In 2012, ISS management decided to change the acid pretreatment for urine from sulfuric to phosphoric with the goal of eliminating or minimizing formation of salt crystals. In 2013-2014, as part of the qualification of the phosphoric acid (H3PO4) formulation, samples of 12 nonmetallic materials used in UPA components were immersed for up to one year in pretreated urine and brine solutions made with the new H3PO4 formulation. Dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) was used to measure modulus (stiffness) of the immersed samples compared to virgin control samples. Such compatibility data obtained by DMA for the H3PO4-based solutions were compared to DMA data obtained for the H2SO4-based solutions in 2002-2003.

  5. Reproducibility of urinary biomarkers in multiple 24-h urine samples.

    PubMed

    Sun, Qi; Bertrand, Kimberly A; Franke, Adrian A; Rosner, Bernard; Curhan, Gary C; Willett, Walter C

    2017-01-01

    Limited knowledge regarding the reproducibility of biomarkers in 24-h urine samples has hindered the collection and use of the samples in epidemiologic studies. We aimed to evaluate the reproducibility of various markers in repeat 24-h urine samples. We calculated intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) of biomarkers measured in 24-h urine samples that were collected in 3168 participants in the NHS (Nurses' Health Study), NHSII (Nurses' Health Study II), and Health Professionals Follow-Up Study. In 742 women with 4 samples each collected over the course of 1 y, ICCs for sodium were 0.32 in the NHS and 0.34 in the NHSII. In 2439 men and women with 2 samples each collected over 1 wk to ≥1 mo, the ICCs ranged from 0.33 to 0.68 for sodium at various intervals between collections. The urinary excretion of potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphate, sulfate, and other urinary markers showed generally higher reproducibility (ICCs >0.4). In 47 women with two 24-h urine samples, ICCs ranged from 0.15 (catechin) to 0.75 (enterolactone) for polyphenol metabolites. For phthalates, ICCs were generally ≤0.26 except for monobenzyl phthalate (ICC: 0.55), whereas the ICC was 0.39 for bisphenol A (BPA). We further estimated that, for the large majority of the biomarkers, the mean of three 24-h urine samples could provide a correlation of ≥0.8 with true long-term urinary excretion. These data suggest that the urinary excretion of various biomarkers, such as minerals, electrolytes, most polyphenols, and BPA, is reasonably reproducible in 24-h urine samples that are collected within a few days or ≤1 y. Our findings show that three 24-h samples are sufficient for the measurement of long-term exposure status in epidemiologic studies. © 2017 American Society for Nutrition.

  6. Simultaneous determination of parabens, alkylphenols, phenylphenols, bisphenol A and triclosan in human urine, blood and breast milk by continuous solid-phase extraction and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Azzouz, Abdelmonaim; Rascón, Andrés J; Ballesteros, Evaristo

    2016-02-05

    A highly sensitive gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) method for the determination of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) including parabens, alkylphenols, phenylphenols, bisphenol A and triclosan in human breast milk, blood and urine samples is proposed. Blood and milk require a pretreatment to remove proteins and other substances potentially interfering with the continuous solid-phase extraction (SPE) system used; on the other hand, urine samples can be directly introduced into the system after filtering. Analytes are retained on a LiChrolut EN column and derivatized by silylation following elution with acetonitrile. The resulting trimethylsilyl derivatives are determined by GC-MS. The proposed method exhibited good linearity (r(2)>0.995) for all target EDCs over the concentration range 0.7-10,000ng/l in urine, and 3.3-50,000ng/l in blood and milk. Also, it provided low limits of detection (0.2-1.8ng/l in urine, and 1.0-9.0ng/l in blood and milk), good precision (relative standard deviations less than 7%) and recoveries from 86 to 104%. A total of 24 human fluid samples were analyzed and most found to contain some target EDC at concentrations from 0.10 to 14μg/l. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. 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.

  8. Confirmatory analysis of 17beta-boldenone, 17alpha-boldenone and androsta-1,4-diene-3,17-dione in bovine urine, faeces, feed and skin swab samples by liquid chromatography-electrospray ionisation tandem mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Nielen, Michel W F; Rutgers, Paula; van Bennekom, Eric O; Lasaroms, Johan J P; van Rhijn, J A Hans

    2004-03-05

    The origin, i.e. natural occurrence or illegal treatment, of findings of 17alpha-boldenone (alpha-Bol) and 17beta-boldenone (beta-Bol) in urine and faeces of cattle is under debate within the European Union. A liquid chromatographic positive ion electrospray tandem mass spectrometric method is presented for the confirmatory analysis of 17beta-boldenone, 17alpha-boldenone and an important metabolite/precursor androsta-1,4-diene-3,17-dione (ADD), using deuterium-labelled 17beta-boldenone (beta-Bol-d3) as internal standard. Detailed sample preparation procedures were developed for a variety of sample matrices such as bovine urine, faeces, feed and skin swab samples. The method was validated as a quantitative confirmatory method according to the latest EU guidelines and shows good precision, linearity and accuracy data, and CCalpha and CCbeta values of 0.1-0.3 and 0.4-1.0 ng/ml, respectively. Currently, the method has been successfully applied to suspect urine samples for more than a year, and occasionally to faeces, feed and swab samples as well. Results obtained from untreated and treated animals are given and their impact on the debate about the origin of residues of 17beta-boldenone is critically discussed. Finally, preliminary data about the degree of conjugation of boldenone residues are presented and a simple procedure for discrimination between residues from abuse versus natural origin is proposed.

  9. Laboratory and clinical evaluation of on-site urine drug testing.

    PubMed

    Beck, Olof; Carlsson, Sten; Tusic, Marinela; Olsson, Robert; Franzen, Lisa; Hulten, Peter

    2014-11-01

    Products for on-site urine drug testing offer the possibility to perform screening for drugs of abuse directly at the point-of-care. This is a well-established routine in emergency and dependency clinics but further evaluation of performance is needed due to inherent limitations with the available products. Urine drug testing by an on-site product was compared with routine laboratory methods. First, on-site testing was performed at the laboratory in addition to the routine method. Second, the on-site testing was performed at a dependency clinic and urine samples were subsequently sent to the laboratory for additional analytical investigation. The on-site testing products did not perform with assigned cut-off levels. The subjective reading between the presence of a spot (i.e. negative test result) being present or no spot (positive result) was difficult in 3.2% of the cases, and occurred for all parameters. The tests performed more accurately in drug negative samples (specificity 96%) but less accurately for detecting positives (sensitivity 79%). Of all incorrect results by the on-site test the proportion of false negatives was 42%. The overall agreement between on-site and laboratory testing was 95% in the laboratory study and 98% in the clinical study. Although a high degree of agreement was observed between on-site and routine laboratory urine drug testing, the performance of on-site testing was not acceptable due to significant number of false negative results. The limited sensitivity of on-site testing compared to laboratory testing reduces the applicability of these tests.

  10. A study examining the bias of albumin and albumin/creatinine ratio measurements in urine.

    PubMed

    Jacobson, Beryl E; Seccombe, David W; Katayev, Alex; Levin, Adeera

    2015-10-01

    The objective of the study was to examine the bias of albumin and albumin/creatinine (ACR) measurements in urine. Pools of normal human urine were augmented with purified human serum albumin to generate a series of 12 samples covering the clinical range of interest for the measurement of ACR. Albumin and creatinine concentrations in these samples were analyzed three times on each of 3 days by 24 accredited laboratories in Canada and the USA. Reference values (RV) for albumin measurements were assigned by a liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) comparative method and gravimetrically. Ten random urine samples (check samples) were analyzed as singlets and albumin and ACR values reported according to the routine practices of each laboratory. Augmented urine pools were shown to be commutable. Gravimetrically assigned target values were corrected for the presence of endogenous albumin using the LC-MS/MS comparative method. There was excellent agreement between the RVs as assigned by these two methods. All laboratory medians demonstrated a negative bias for the measurement of albumin in urine over the concentration range examined. The magnitude of this bias tended to decrease with increasing albumin concentrations. At baseline, only 10% of the patient ACR values met a performance limit of RV ± 15%. This increased to 84% and 86% following post-analytical correction for albumin and creatinine calibration bias, respectively. International organizations should take a leading role in the standardization of albumin measurements in urine. In the interim, accuracy based urine quality control samples may be used by clinical laboratories for monitoring the accuracy of their urinary albumin measurements.

  11. Mining the human urine proteome for monitoring renal transplant injury

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

    Sigdel, Tara K.; Gao, Yuqian; He, Jintang

    The human urinary proteome reflects systemic and inherent renal injury perturbations and can be analyzed to harness specific biomarkers for different kidney transplant injury states. 396 unique urine samples were collected contemporaneously with an allograft biopsy from 396 unique kidney transplant recipients. Centralized, blinded histology on the graft was used to classify matched urine samples into categories of acute rejection (AR), chronic allograft nephropathy (CAN), BK virus nephritis (BKVN), and stable graft (STA). Liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC-MS) based proteomics using iTRAQ based discovery (n=108) and global label-free LC-MS analyses of individual samples (n=137) for quantitative proteome assessment were used inmore » the discovery step. Selected reaction monitoring (SRM) was applied to identify and validate minimal urine protein/peptide biomarkers to accurately segregate organ injury causation and pathology on unique urine samples (n=151). A total of 958 proteins were initially quantified by iTRAQ, 87% of which were also identified among 1574 urine proteins detected in LC-MS validation. 103 urine proteins were significantly (p<0.05) perturbed in injury and enriched for humoral immunity, complement activation, and lymphocyte trafficking. A set of 131 peptides corresponding to 78 proteins were assessed by SRM for their significance in an independent sample cohort. A minimal set of 35 peptides mapping to 33 proteins, were modeled to segregate different injury groups (AUC =93% for AR, 99% for CAN, 83% for BKVN). Urinary proteome discovery and targeted validation identified urine protein fingerprints for non-invasive differentiation of kidney transplant injuries, thus opening the door for personalized immune risk assessment and therapy.« less

  12. Estimation of nitrite in source-separated nitrified urine with UV spectrophotometry.

    PubMed

    Mašić, Alma; Santos, Ana T L; Etter, Bastian; Udert, Kai M; Villez, Kris

    2015-11-15

    Monitoring of nitrite is essential for an immediate response and prevention of irreversible failure of decentralized biological urine nitrification reactors. Although a few sensors are available for nitrite measurement, none of them are suitable for applications in which both nitrite and nitrate are present in very high concentrations. Such is the case in collected source-separated urine, stabilized by nitrification for long-term storage. Ultraviolet (UV) spectrophotometry in combination with chemometrics is a promising option for monitoring of nitrite. In this study, an immersible in situ UV sensor is investigated for the first time so to establish a relationship between UV absorbance spectra and nitrite concentrations in nitrified urine. The study focuses on the effects of suspended particles and saturation on the absorbance spectra and the chemometric model performance. Detailed analysis indicates that suspended particles in nitrified urine have a negligible effect on nitrite estimation, concluding that sample filtration is not necessary as pretreatment. In contrast, saturation due to very high concentrations affects the model performance severely, suggesting dilution as an essential sample preparation step. However, this can also be mitigated by simple removal of the saturated, lower end of the UV absorbance spectra, and extraction of information from the secondary, weaker nitrite absorbance peak. This approach allows for estimation of nitrite with a simple chemometric model and without sample dilution. These results are promising for a practical application of the UV sensor as an in situ nitrite measurement in a urine nitrification reactor given the exceptional quality of the nitrite estimates in comparison to previous studies. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Evaluation of urine for Leishmania infantum DNA detection by real-time quantitative PCR.

    PubMed

    Pessoa-E-Silva, Rômulo; Mendonça Trajano-Silva, Lays Adrianne; Lopes da Silva, Maria Almerice; da Cunha Gonçalves-de-Albuquerque, Suênia; de Goes, Tayná Correia; Silva de Morais, Rayana Carla; Lopes de Melo, Fábio; de Paiva-Cavalcanti, Milena

    2016-12-01

    The availability of some sorts of biological samples which require noninvasive collection methods has led to an even greater interest in applying molecular biology on visceral leishmaniasis (VL) diagnosis, since these samples increase the safety and comfort of both patients and health professionals. In this context, this work aimed to evaluate the suitability of the urine as a specimen for Leishmania infantum kinetoplast DNA detection by real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR). Subsequent to the reproducibility analysis, the detection limit of the qPCR assay was set at 5fg (~0.025 parasites) per μL of urine. From the comparative analysis performed with a set of diagnostic criteria (serological and molecular reference tests), concordance value of 96.08% was obtained (VL-suspected and HIV/AIDS patients, n=51) (P>0.05). Kappa coefficient (95% CI) indicated a good agreement between the test and the set of diagnostic criteria (k=0.778±0.151). The detection of Leishmania DNA in urine by qPCR was possible in untreated individuals, and in those with or without suggestive renal impairment. Fast depletion of the parasite's DNA in urine after treatment (from one dose of meglumine antimoniate) was suggested by negative qPCR results, thus indicating it as a potential alternative specimen to follow up the efficacy of therapeutic approaches. Even when evaluated in a clinically heterogeneous set of patients, the urine showed good prospect as sample for VL diagnosis by qPCR, also indicating a good negative predictive value for untreated suspected patients. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. Se status in normal and pathological human individuals before and after Se supplementation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bellisola, G.; Cinque, G.; Galassini, S.; Guidi, G. C.; Liu, N. Q.; Moschini, G.

    1996-04-01

    The determination of selenium in plasma and in urine samples has been suggested for the assessment of Se status in human individuals. The kidney is of fundamental importance in Se homeostasis: with low Se intake its excretion will be decreased and with high Se intake it will be increased. In 21 patients with kidney disease (8 with normal kidney function and 13 with moderate renal failure) Se was measured in 1 ml of urine by PIXE after preconcentration of the sample. The total urine volume was measured to calculate total daily Se excretion. The same procedure was applied to 14 normal individuals for comparison. All individuals were then supplemented orally with selenite for 8 weeks (Se = 600 μg/day) and the procedure was repeated. The behaviour of the major selenoproteins was also investigated by measuring glutathione peroxidase activities in plasma, in platelets and in erythrocyte samples. For renal function, serum and urine creatinine concentrations were utilised and creatinine clearances were calculated. Results obtained were compared before and after Se treatment and between groups. Some correlation studies were carried out between Se and kidney functions and/or selenoperoxidase activities.

  15. Comparison of Uriswab to alternative methods for urine culture collection and transport: confirmation of standard culture methodology for investigation of urinary tract infections.

    PubMed

    Rennie, Robert P; Turnbull, Lee-Ann; Gauchier-Pitts, Kaylee; Bennett, Tracy; Dyrland, Debbie; Blonski, Susan

    2016-08-01

    The ability to isolate and identify causative agents of urinary tract infections relies primarily on the quality of the urine sample that is submitted to the microbiology. The most important factors are the method of collection, the maintenance of viability of the potential pathogens during transport, and standardization of the culturing of the urine sample. This report is a composite of several investigations comparing collection and transport on urine culture paddles, with a preservative urine sponge (Uriswab), and a comparison of Uriswab with the BD preservative transport tube as methods of preservation of urinary pathogens. Primary studies showed that Uriswab maintained significantly more urinary pathogens than the urine culture paddle with fewer mixed or contaminated cultures. The two preservative transport systems were comparable for maintenance of viability of the pathogens, but there were fewer mixed cultures when samples were collected with Uriswab. This study confirms the importance of a standard volume of 1 μL of urine for culture. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. Urine cell-based DNA methylation classifier for monitoring bladder cancer.

    PubMed

    van der Heijden, Antoine G; Mengual, Lourdes; Ingelmo-Torres, Mercedes; Lozano, Juan J; van Rijt-van de Westerlo, Cindy C M; Baixauli, Montserrat; Geavlete, Bogdan; Moldoveanud, Cristian; Ene, Cosmin; Dinney, Colin P; Czerniak, Bogdan; Schalken, Jack A; Kiemeney, Lambertus A L M; Ribal, Maria J; Witjes, J Alfred; Alcaraz, Antonio

    2018-01-01

    Current standard methods used to detect and monitor bladder cancer (BC) are invasive or have low sensitivity. This study aimed to develop a urine methylation biomarker classifier for BC monitoring and validate this classifier in patients in follow-up for bladder cancer (PFBC). Voided urine samples ( N  = 725) from BC patients, controls, and PFBC were prospectively collected in four centers. Finally, 626 urine samples were available for analysis. DNA was extracted from the urinary cells and bisulfite modificated, and methylation status was analyzed using pyrosequencing. Cytology was available from a subset of patients ( N  = 399). In the discovery phase, seven selected genes from the literature ( CDH13 , CFTR , NID2 , SALL3 , TMEFF2 , TWIST1 , and VIM2 ) were studied in 111 BC and 57 control samples. This training set was used to develop a gene classifier by logistic regression and was validated in 458 PFBC samples (173 with recurrence). A three-gene methylation classifier containing CFTR , SALL3 , and TWIST1 was developed in the training set (AUC 0.874). The classifier achieved an AUC of 0.741 in the validation series. Cytology results were available for 308 samples from the validation set. Cytology achieved AUC 0.696 whereas the classifier in this subset of patients reached an AUC 0.768. Combining the methylation classifier with cytology results achieved an AUC 0.86 in the validation set, with a sensitivity of 96%, a specificity of 40%, and a positive and negative predictive value of 56 and 92%, respectively. The combination of the three-gene methylation classifier and cytology results has high sensitivity and high negative predictive value in a real clinical scenario (PFBC). The proposed classifier is a useful test for predicting BC recurrence and decrease the number of cystoscopies in the follow-up of BC patients. If only patients with a positive combined classifier result would be cystoscopied, 36% of all cystoscopies can be prevented.

  17. Multiresidue determination of chlorophenoxy acid herbicides in human urine samples by use of solid-phase extraction and capillary LC-UV detection.

    PubMed

    Rosales-Conrado, N; León-González, M E; Pérez-Arribas, L V; Polo-Díez, L M

    2008-01-01

    Chlorophenoxy acid herbicides are intensively applied to get rid of unwanted plants because of their low cost and selectivity. Due to their toxicity, which depends on their chemical form, the European Community has established legal directives to restrict their use and to control their maximum residue levels in several matrices. Determination of chlorophenoxy acids-2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), 4-chloro-2-methylphenoxyacetic acid (MCPA), 2-(2,4-dichlorophenoxy)propanoic acid (2,4-DP), 2-(4-chloro-2-methylphenoxy)propanoic acid (MCPP), 4-(4-chloro-2-methylphenoxy)butanoic acid (MCPB) and 2-(2,4,5-trichlorophenoxy)propanoic acid (2,4,5-TP) in spiked human urine samples has been carried out by capillary LC, after solid-phase extraction on a column packed with silica C18 restricted-access material. Chromatographic analysis was performed in gradient-elution mode at 25 degrees C, with injection of 20 microL low-organic-solvent composition herbicide solutions for focusing purposes on the head of the capillary column, and diode array detection at 232 nm. Urine samples collected during 24 h from healthy and unexposed volunteers were spiked in the concentration range 25-150 microg L(-1); recoveries obtained were between 66 and 100% (n = 6 for each spiked level) and RSDs (relative standard deviations) were between 1 and 5%. Detection limits in the urine samples from volunteers were between 3.5 and 6.0 microg L(-1). The developed methodology has allowed the clean-up and preconcentration of low volumes of untreated human urine without previous treatment, showing the effectiveness of the employed SPE sorbent for extracting the target analytes and ultimately resulting in the reduction of the sample-preparation time.

  18. Validation and Assessment of Three Methods to Estimate 24-h Urinary Sodium Excretion from Spot Urine Samples in High-Risk Elder Patients of Stroke from the Rural Areas of Shaanxi Province

    PubMed Central

    Ma, Wenxia; Yin, Xuejun; Zhang, Ruijuan; Liu, Furong; Yang, Danrong; Fan, Yameng; Rong, Jie; Tian, Maoyi; Yu, Yan

    2017-01-01

    Background: 24-h urine collection is regarded as the “gold standard” for monitoring sodium intake at the population level, but ensuring high quality urine samples is difficult to achieve. The Kawasaki, International Study of Sodium, Potassium, and Blood Pressure (INTERSALT) and Tanaka methods have been used to estimate 24-h urinary sodium excretion from spot urine samples in some countries, but few studies have been performed to compare and validate these methods in the Chinese population. Objective: To compare and validate the Kawasaki, INTERSALT and Tanaka formulas in predicting 24-h urinary sodium excretion using spot urine samples in 365 high-risk elder patients of strokefrom the rural areas of Shaanxi province. Methods: Data were collected from a sub-sample of theSalt Substitute and Stroke Study. 365 high-risk elder patients of stroke from the rural areas of Shaanxi province participated and their spot and 24-h urine specimens were collected. The concentrations of sodium, potassium and creatinine in spot and 24-h urine samples wereanalysed. Estimated 24-h sodium excretion was predicted from spot urine concentration using the Kawasaki, INTERSALT, and Tanaka formulas. Pearson correlation coefficients and agreement by Bland-Altman method were computed for estimated and measured 24-h urinary sodium excretion. Results: The average 24-h urinary sodium excretion was 162.0 mmol/day, which representing a salt intake of 9.5 g/day. Three predictive equations had low correlation with the measured 24-h sodium excretion (r = 0.38, p < 0.01; ICC = 0.38, p < 0.01 for the Kawasaki; r = 0.35, p < 0.01; ICC = 0.31, p < 0.01 for the INTERSALT; r = 0.37, p < 0.01; ICC = 0.34, p < 0.01 for the Tanaka). Significant biases between estimated and measured 24-h sodium excretion were observed (all p < 0.01 for three methods). Among the three methods, the Kawasaki method was the least biased compared with the other two methods (mean bias: 31.90, 95% Cl: 23.84, 39.97). Overestimation occurred when the Kawasaki and Tanaka methods were used while the INTERSALT method underestimated 24-h sodium excretion. Conclusion: The Kawasaki, INTERSALT and Tanaka methods for estimation of 24-h urinary sodium excretion from spot urine specimens were inadequate for the assessment of sodium intake at the population level in high-risk elder patients of stroke from the rural areas of Shaanxi province, although the Kawasaki method was the least biased compared with the other two methods. PMID:29019912

  19. Validation and Assessment of Three Methods to Estimate 24-h Urinary Sodium Excretion from Spot Urine Samples in High-Risk Elder Patients of Stroke from the Rural Areas of Shaanxi Province.

    PubMed

    Ma, Wenxia; Yin, Xuejun; Zhang, Ruijuan; Liu, Furong; Yang, Danrong; Fan, Yameng; Rong, Jie; Tian, Maoyi; Yu, Yan

    2017-10-11

    Background : 24-h urine collection is regarded as the "gold standard" for monitoring sodium intake at the population level, but ensuring high quality urine samples is difficult to achieve. The Kawasaki, International Study of Sodium, Potassium, and Blood Pressure (INTERSALT) and Tanaka methods have been used to estimate 24-h urinary sodium excretion from spot urine samples in some countries, but few studies have been performed to compare and validate these methods in the Chinese population. Objective : To compare and validate the Kawasaki, INTERSALT and Tanaka formulas in predicting 24-h urinary sodium excretion using spot urine samples in 365 high-risk elder patients of strokefrom the rural areas of Shaanxi province. Methods : Data were collected from a sub-sample of theSalt Substitute and Stroke Study. 365 high-risk elder patients of stroke from the rural areas of Shaanxi province participated and their spot and 24-h urine specimens were collected. The concentrations of sodium, potassium and creatinine in spot and 24-h urine samples wereanalysed. Estimated 24-h sodium excretion was predicted from spot urine concentration using the Kawasaki, INTERSALT, and Tanaka formulas. Pearson correlation coefficients and agreement by Bland-Altman method were computed for estimated and measured 24-h urinary sodium excretion. Results : The average 24-h urinary sodium excretion was 162.0 mmol/day, which representing a salt intake of 9.5 g/day. Three predictive equations had low correlation with the measured 24-h sodium excretion (r = 0.38, p < 0.01; ICC = 0.38, p < 0.01 for the Kawasaki; r = 0.35, p < 0.01; ICC = 0.31, p < 0.01 for the INTERSALT; r = 0.37, p < 0.01; ICC = 0.34, p < 0.01 for the Tanaka). Significant biases between estimated and measured 24-h sodium excretion were observed (all p < 0.01 for three methods). Among the three methods, the Kawasaki method was the least biased compared with the other two methods (mean bias: 31.90, 95% Cl: 23.84, 39.97). Overestimation occurred when the Kawasaki and Tanaka methods were used while the INTERSALT method underestimated 24-h sodium excretion. Conclusion : The Kawasaki, INTERSALT and Tanaka methods for estimation of 24-h urinary sodium excretion from spot urine specimens were inadequate for the assessment of sodium intake at the population level in high-risk elder patients of stroke from the rural areas of Shaanxi province, although the Kawasaki method was the least biased compared with the other two methods.

  20. NHEXAS PHASE I REGION 5 STUDY--QA ANALYTICAL RESULTS FOR METALS IN SPIKES

    EPA Science Inventory

    This data set includes analytical results for measurements of metals in 49 field control samples (spikes). Measurements were made for up to 11 metals in samples of water, blood, and urine. Field controls were used to assess recovery of target analytes from a sample media during s...

  1. NHEXAS PHASE I MARYLAND STUDY--QA ANALYTICAL RESULTS FOR METALS IN SPIKE SAMPLES

    EPA Science Inventory

    The Metals in Spikes data set contains the analytical results of measurements of up to 4 metals in 71 control samples (spikes) from 47 households. Measurements were made in samples of indoor and outdoor air, blood, and urine. Controls were used to assess recovery of target anal...

  2. Quantifying creatinine and urea in human urine through Raman spectroscopy aiming at diagnosis of kidney disease

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Saatkamp, Cassiano Junior; de Almeida, Maurício Liberal; Bispo, Jeyse Aliana Martins; Pinheiro, Antonio Luiz Barbosa; Fernandes, Adriana Barrinha; Silveira, Landulfo, Jr.

    2016-03-01

    Due to their importance in the regulation of metabolites, the kidneys need continuous monitoring to check for correct functioning, mainly by urea and creatinine urinalysis. This study aimed to develop a model to estimate the concentrations of urea and creatinine in urine by means of Raman spectroscopy (RS) that could be used to diagnose kidney disease. Midstream urine samples were obtained from 54 volunteers with no kidney complaints. Samples were subjected to a standard colorimetric assay of urea and creatinine and submitted to spectroscopic analysis by means of a dispersive Raman spectrometer (830 nm, 350 mW, 30 s). The Raman spectra of urine showed peaks related mainly to urea and creatinine. Partial least squares models were developed using selected Raman bands related to urea and creatinine and the biochemical concentrations in urine measured by the colorimetric method, resulting in r=0.90 and 0.91 for urea and creatinine, respectively, with root mean square error of cross-validation (RMSEcv) of 312 and 25.2 mg/dL, respectively. RS may become a technique for rapid urinalysis, with concentration errors suitable for population screening aimed at the prevention of renal diseases.

  3. Pethidinic acid: corroboration of a doctor's denial of pethidine re-use.

    PubMed

    Lewis, John; Shimmon, Ronald; Fu, Shanlin

    2013-04-01

    Pethidine (meperidine), a synthetic opiate, formally used as an analgesic in surgery and obstetrics, has been an abused drug of choice for some doctors. A case is presented in which a doctor, who previously admitted to using pethidine, was suspected of re-using, following a second positive urine test. A laboratory had reported the presence of pethidine in the doctor's urine; however, the doctor denied re-use. The norpethidine (normeperidine) metabolite, normally found in urine, had not been detected, raising concern over the laboratory's conclusion and necessitating an independent investigation. Because the major metabolite of pethidine is pethidinic acid (meperidinic acid), accounting for approximately 40% of the excreted dose, its presence or absence were deemed to be important criteria in interpreting the laboratory result. Pethidinic acid was synthesized by alkaline hydrolysis of pethidine and used as a control. Urine samples from a patient receiving pethidine for pain, from the previous pethidine use of the doctor, and the urine under question plus the control were analyzed for the presence of pethidinic acid using electrospray mass spectrometry. Pethidinic acid was found in all samples except the one under dispute. The absence of pethidinic acid appeared to corroborate the doctor's denial of re-use.

  4. Excretion profile of boldenone in urine of veal calves fed two different milk replacers.

    PubMed

    Draisci, R; Merlanti, R; Ferretti, G; Fantozzi, L; Ferranti, C; Capolongo, F; Segato, S; Montesissa, C

    2007-03-14

    The residue profiles of 17alpha-/17beta-boldenone conjugated (17alpha/beta-Bol) and ADD were investigated by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) in urine of male veal calves fed two commercial milk replacers, with different content of cholesterol and phytosterols. The urine samples were collected within 4 h after feeding and further from all the animals. Detectable amounts of 17alpha-Bol conjugated were measured in urine collected from all calves, but the concentrations of 17alpha-Bol were higher in urine from calves receiving the milk replacer with the greater amount of phytosterols. During the whole experiment, 17beta-Bol and ADD were never detected in urine samples collected.

  5. Chemical profile analysis and comparison of two versions of the classic TCM formula Danggui Buxue Tang by HPLC-DAD-ESI-IT-TOF-MSn.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Ya-Zhou; Xu, Feng; Yi, Tao; Zhang, Jian-Ye; Xu, Jun; Tang, Yi-Na; He, Xi-Chen; Liu, Jing; Chen, Hu-Biao

    2014-04-30

    Danggui Buxue Tang (DBT) is a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) formula primarily used to treat symptoms associated with menopause in women. Usually, DBT is composed of one portion of Radix Angelicae Sinensis (RAS) and five portions of Radix Astragali (RA). Clinically, Radix Hedysari (RH) is sometimes used by TCM physicians to replace RA in DBT. In order to verity whether the chemical constituents of the DBT1 (RA:RAS = 5:1, w/w) and DBT2 (RH:RAS = 5:1, w/w) share similarities the chemical profiles of the two DBTs crude extracts and urine samples were analyzed and compared with the aid of HPLC-DAD-ESI-IT-TOF-MSn, which determines the total ion chromatogram (TIC) and multi-stage mass spectra (MSn). Then, the DBT1 and DBT2 were identified and compared on the basis of the TIC and the MSn. In the first experiment (with crude extracts), 69 compounds (C1-C69) were identified from the DBT1; 46 compounds (c1-c46) were identified from the DBT2. In the second experiment(with urine samples), 44 compounds (M1-M44) were identified from the urine samples of rats that had been administered DBT1, and 34 compounds (m1-m34) were identified from the urine samples of rats that had been administered DBT2. Identification and comparison of the chemical compositions were carried out between the DBT1 and DBT2 of the crude extracts and urine samples respectively. Our results showed that the two crude extracts of the DBTs have quite different chemical profiles. The reasons for their differences were that the special astragalosides in DBT1 and the isoflavonoid glycosides formed the malonic acid esters undergo single esterification and acetyl esters undergo acetylation in DBT1. In contrast, the urine from DBT1-treated rats strongly resembled that of DBT2-treated rats. These metabolites originate mainly from formononetin, calycosin and their related glycosides, and they were formed mainly by the metabolic process of reduction, deglycosylation, demethylation, hydrogenation and sulfation. The HPLC-DAD-ESI-IT-TOF-MSn method was successfully applied for the rapid chemical profiles evaluation of two DBTs and their related urine samples.

  6. 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.

  7. Bioanalysis works in the IAA AMS facility: Comparison of AMS analytical method with LSC method in human mass balance study

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Miyaoka, Teiji; Isono, Yoshimi; Setani, Kaoru; Sakai, Kumiko; Yamada, Ichimaro; Sato, Yoshiaki; Gunji, Shinobu; Matsui, Takao

    2007-06-01

    Institute of Accelerator Analysis Ltd. (IAA) is the first Contract Research Organization in Japan providing Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS) analysis services for carbon dating and bioanalysis works. The 3 MV AMS machines are maintained by validated analysis methods using multiple control compounds. It is confirmed that these AMS systems have reliabilities and sensitivities enough for each objective. The graphitization of samples for bioanalysis is prepared by our own purification lines including the measurement of total carbon content in the sample automatically. In this paper, we present the use of AMS analysis in human mass balance and metabolism profiling studies with IAA 3 MV AMS, comparing results obtained from the same samples with liquid scintillation counting (LSC). Human samples such as plasma, urine and feces were obtained from four healthy volunteers orally administered a 14C-labeled drug Y-700, a novel xanthine oxidase inhibitor, of which radioactivity was about 3 MBq (85 μCi). For AMS measurement, these samples were diluted 100-10,000-fold with pure-water or blank samples. The results indicated that AMS method had a good correlation with LSC method (e.g. plasma: r = 0.998, urine: r = 0.997, feces: r = 0.997), and that the drug recovery in the excreta exceeded 92%. The metabolite profiles of plasma, urine and feces obtained with HPLC-AMS corresponded to radio-HPLC results measured at much higher radioactivity level. These results revealed that AMS analysis at IAA is useful to measure 14C-concentration in bioanalysis studies at very low radioactivity level.

  8. Comparison of Lateral Flow Assay, Kidney Inhibition Swab, and Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry for the Detection of Penicillin G Residues in Sow Urine.

    PubMed

    Shelver, Weilin L; Chakrabarty, Shubhashis; Smith, David J

    2017-03-01

    Sows (n = 126) were administered penicillin G; urine, collected at slaughter, was screened by kidney inhibition swab (KIS; 4 h testing time) and then stored at -80 °C (∼1200 days) until analysis by lateral flow assay (LF, ∼5 min testing time) and tandem quadrupole LC-MS/MS (TQ) analysis. The stability of penicillin in urine during storage was verified using TQ analyses. Quantitative results were well-correlated (R 2 = 0.98) with only a ∼10% decrease in penicillin concentration during the 3-year storage period. KIS retesting of stored samples returned results consistent with the original analyses. Lateral flow assay results were highly correlated with the KIS and TQ results. A KIS positive sample, which was not confirmed by TQ or LF, was assayed by Triple-TOF LC-MS to determine the cause of the apparent false positive. This study suggests LF can be used to quickly and efficiently screen for penicillin G residues before slaughter.

  9. Sample handling for mass spectrometric proteomic investigations of human urine.

    PubMed

    Petri, Anette Lykke; Høgdall, Claus; Christensen, Ib Jarle; Simonsen, Anja Hviid; T'jampens, Davy; Hellmann, Marja-Leena; Kjaer, Susanne Krüger; Fung, Eric T; Høgdall, Estrid

    2008-09-01

    Because of its non-invasive sample collection method, human urine is an attractive biological material both for discovering biomarkers and for use in future screening trials for different diseases. Before urine can be used for these applications, standardized protocols for sample handling that optimize protein stability are required. In this explorative study, we examine the influence of different urine collection methods, storage temperatures, storage times, and repetitive freeze-thaw procedures on the protein profiles obtained by surface-enhanced laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (SELDI-TOF-MS). Prospectively collected urine samples from 11 women were collected as either morning or midday specimens. The effects of storage temperature, time to freezing, and freeze-thaw cycles were assessed by calculating the number, intensity, and reproducibility of peaks visualized by SELDI-TOF-MS. On the CM10 array, 122 peaks were detected and 28 peaks were found to be significantly different between urine types, storage temperature and time to freezing. On the IMAC-Cu array, 65 peaks were detected and 1 peak was found to be significantly different according to time to freezing. No significant differences were demonstrated for freeze-thaw cycles. Optimal handling and storage conditions are necessary in clinical urine proteomic investigations. Collection of urine with a single and consistently performed protocol is needed to reduce analytical bias. Collecting only one urine type, which is stored for a limited period at 4°C until freezing at -80°C prior to analysis will provide the most stable profiles. Copyright © 2008 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  10. NHEXAS PHASE I REGION 5 STUDY--STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE--HUMAN BIOLOGICAL MARKERS:BLOOD AND URINE SAMPLE COLLECTION AND ANALYSES (EOHSI-AP-209-040)

    EPA Science Inventory

    This procedure describes the process for collecting and analyzing blood and urine samples. The presence of chemical contaminants in biological specimens such as blood, urine, and hair represent a measure of the internal dose or body burden for a given individual derived from the ...

  11. Factors affecting variability in the urinary biomarker 1,6-hexamethylene diamine in workers exposed to 1,6-hexamethylene diisocyanate.

    PubMed

    Gaines, Linda G T; Fent, Kenneth W; Flack, Sheila L; Thomasen, Jennifer M; Whittaker, Stephen G; Nylander-French, Leena A

    2011-01-01

    Although urinary 1,6-hexamethylene diamine (HDA) is a useful biomarker of exposure to 1,6-hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI), a large degree of unexplained intra- and inter-individual variability exists between estimated HDI exposure and urine HDA levels. We investigated the effect of individual and workplace factors on urine HDA levels using quantitative dermal and inhalation exposure data derived from a survey of automotive spray painters exposed to HDI. Painters' dermal and breathing-zone HDI-exposures were monitored over an entire workday for up to three separate workdays, spaced approximately one month apart. One urine sample was collected before the start of work with HDI-containing paints, and multiple samples were collected throughout the workday. Using mixed effects multiple linear regression modeling, coverall use resulted in significantly lower HDA levels (p = 0.12), and weekday contributed to significant variability in HDA levels (p = 0.056). We also investigated differences in urine HDA levels stratified by dichotomous and classification covariates using analysis of variance. Use of coveralls (p = 0.05), respirator type worn (p = 0.06), smoker status (p = 0.12), paint-booth type (p = 0.02), and more than one painter at the shop (p = 0.10) were all found to significantly affect urine HDA levels adjusted for creatinine concentration. Coverall use remained significant (p = 0.10), even after adjusting for respirator type. These results indicate that the variation in urine HDA level is mainly due to workplace factors and that appropriate dermal and inhalation protection is required to prevent HDI exposure.

  12. Studies on absorption and elimination of dietary maillard reaction products.

    PubMed

    Förster, Anke; Kühne, Yvonne; Henle, Thomas

    2005-06-01

    A nine-day dietary study involving 18 healthy volunteers was performed in order to investigate the influence of nutrition on the urinary excretion of the Maillard reaction products (MRPs) fructoselysine, pyrraline, and pentosidine. From day two through day eight, most types of Maillard product-containing food had to be avoided. On day five, participants were divided into four groups, three of them receiving a test meal (pretzel sticks, brewed coffee, or custard) containing defined amounts of MRPs. The fourth group served as a control. Urine samples taken over a 24-h period were analyzed for MRPs using chromatographic means. As a result of the MRP-free diet, urinary excretion of free pyrraline and fructoselysine, which was calculated from furosine analysis, were lowered about 90%. Excretion of pentosidine decreased about 40%. Consumption of pretzel sticks and coffee on day five resulted in increased amounts of pyrraline and pentosidine in urine samples on days five to seven. Related to the supplied amounts of pyrraline, about 50% were recovered in the urine samples after ingestion of the pretzel sticks. For pentosidine, 60% of the ingested free derivative from coffee brew and 2% of the peptide-bound amino acid ingested with the bakery product were recovered in the urine samples, indicating a better bioavailability for free pentosidine compared to the protein-bound form. For peptide-bound Amadori products, no influence on the excretion was observed after ingestion of the test foods, indicating degradation in the intestine or plasma to yet-unknown metabolites. In conclusion, differences concerning the excretion rate of individual MRPs point to individual resorption and metabolic pathways. These results are of importance for the discussion of a possible (patho)physiological role of dietary advanced glycation end products (AGEs).

  13. Storage Time and Urine Biomarker Levels in the ASSESS-AKI Study

    PubMed Central

    Liu, Kathleen D.; Siew, Edward D.; Reeves, W. Brian; Himmelfarb, Jonathan; Go, Alan S.; Hsu, Chi-yuan; Bennett, Michael R.; Devarajan, Prasad; Ikizler, T. Alp; Kaufman, James S.; Kimmel, Paul L.; Chinchilli, Vernon M.; Parikh, Chirag R.

    2016-01-01

    Background Although stored urine samples are often used in biomarker studies focused on acute and chronic kidney disease, how storage time impacts biomarker levels is not well understood. Methods 866 subjects enrolled in the NIDDK-sponsored ASsessment, Serial Evaluation, and Subsequent Sequelae in Acute Kidney Injury (ASSESS-AKI) Study were included. Samples were processed under standard conditions and stored at -70°C until analyzed. Kidney injury molecule-1 (KIM-1), neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL), interleukin-18 (IL-18), and liver fatty acid binding protein (L-FABP) were measured in urine samples collected during the index hospitalization or an outpatient visit 3 months later. Mixed effects models were used to determine the effect of storage time on biomarker levels and stratified by visit. Results Median storage was 17.8 months (25–75% IQR 10.6–23.7) for samples from the index hospitalization and 14.6 months (IQR 7.3–20.4) for outpatient samples. In the mixed effects models, the only significant association between storage time and biomarker concentration was for KIM-1 in outpatient samples, where each month of storage was associated with a 1.7% decrease (95% CI -3% to -0.3%). There was no relationship between storage time and KIM-1 levels in samples from the index hospitalization. Conclusion There was no significant impact of storage time over a median of 18 months on urine KIM-1, NGAL, IL-18 or L-FABP in hospitalized samples; a statistically significant effect towards a decrease over time was noted for KIM-1 in outpatient samples. Additional studies are needed to determine whether longer periods of storage at -70°C systematically impact levels of these analytes. PMID:27788160

  14. Application of dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction for the preconcentration of eight parabens in real samples and their determination by high-performance liquid chromatography.

    PubMed

    Shen, Xiong; Liang, Jian; Zheng, Luxia; Lv, Qianzhou; Wang, Hong

    2017-11-01

    A simple and sensitive method for the simultaneous determination of eight parabens in human plasma and urine samples was developed. The samples were preconcentrated using dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction based on the solidification of floating organic drops and determined by high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection. The influence of variables affecting the extraction efficiency was investigated and optimized using Placket-Burman design and Box-Behnken design. The optimized values were: 58 μL of 1-decanol (as extraction solvent), 0.65 mL methanol (as disperser solvent), 1.5% w/v NaCl in 5.0 mL of sample solution, pH 10.6, and 4.0 min centrifugation at 4000 rpm. The extract was injected into the high-performance liquid chromatography system for analysis. Under the optimum conditions, the linear ranges for eight parabens in plasma and urine were 1.0-1000 ng/mL, with correlation coefficients above 0.994. The limit of detection was 0.2-0.4 and 0.1-0.4 ng/mL for plasma and urine samples, respectively. Relative recoveries were between 80.3 and 110.7%, while relative standard deviations were less than 5.4%. Finally, the method was applied to analyze the parabens in 98 patients of primary breast cancer. Results showed that parabens existed widely, at least one paraben detected in 96.9% (95/98) of plasma samples and 98.0% (96/98) of urine samples. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  15. Bisphenol A concentrations in maternal breast milk and infant urine

    PubMed Central

    Mendonca, K.; Hauser, R.; Calafat, A.M.; Arbuckle, T.E.; Duty, S.M.

    2013-01-01

    Purpose The present report describes the distribution of breast milk and urinary free and total bisphenol A (BPA) concentrations, from 27 post-partum women and their 31 infants, and explores the influence of age, sex, and nutritional source on infant BPA urinary concentration. Methods Both free (unconjugated) and total (free plus conjugated) BPA concentrations from women’s breast milk samples and infants’ urine samples were measured by online solid-phase extraction coupled to high-performance liquid chromatography–isotope dilution tandem mass spectrometry. Descriptive statistics and non-parametric tests of group comparisons were conducted. Results Total BPA was detected in 93% of urine samples in this healthy infant population aged 3–15 months who were without known environmental exposure to BPA (interquartile range [IQR]=1.2 – 4.4 μg/L). Similarly, 75% of the mothers’ breast milk samples had detectable concentrations of total BPA (IQR=0.4 – 1.4 μg/L). The magnitude and frequency of detection of free BPA in the children’s urine and the mothers’ breast milk were much lower than the total concentrations. Conclusions Total BPA was detected in 93% of this healthy infant population aged 3–15 months who are without known environmental exposure to BPA. Neither free nor total BPA urinary concentrations differed significantly by infant’s sex or by nutritional source (breast milk and/or formula) while age group was of borderline significance. There were no significant correlations between free or total BPA concentrations in mothers’ breast milk and their infants’ urine. PMID:23212895

  16. Comparison of Cobas 6500 and Iris IQ200 fully-automated urine analyzers to manual urine microscopy

    PubMed Central

    Bakan, Ebubekir; Ozturk, Nurinnisa; Baygutalp, Nurcan Kilic; Polat, Elif; Akpinar, Kadriye; Dorman, Emrullah; Polat, Harun; Bakan, Nuri

    2016-01-01

    Introduction Urine screening is achieved by either automated or manual microscopic analysis. The aim of the study was to compare Cobas 6500 and Iris IQ200 urine analyzers, and manual urine microscopic analysis. Materials and methods A total of 540 urine samples sent to the laboratory for chemical and sediment analysis were analyzed on Cobas 6500 and Iris IQ200 within 1 hour from sampling. One hundred and fifty three samples were found to have pathological sediment results and were subjected to manual microscopic analysis performed by laboratory staff blinded to the study. Spearman’s and Gamma statistics were used for correlation analyses, and the McNemar test for the comparison of the two automated analyzers. Results The comparison of Cobas u701 to the manual method yielded the following regression equations: y = - 0.12 (95% CI: - 1.09 to 0.67) + 0.78 (95% CI: 0.65 to 0.95) x for WBC and y = 0.06 (95% CI: - 0.09 to 0.25) + 0.66 (95% CI: 0.57 to 0.73) x for RBC. The comparison of IQ200 Elite to manual method the following equations: y = 0.03 (95% CI: - 1.00 to 1.00) + 0.88 (95% CI: 0.66 to 1.00) x for WBC and y = - 0.22 (95% CI: - 0.80 to 0.20) + 0.40 (95% CI: 0.32 to 0.50) x for RBC. IQ200 Elite compared to Cobas u701 yielded the following equations: y = - 0.95 (95% CI: - 2.13 to 0.11) + 1.25 (95% CI: 1.08 to 1.44) x for WBC and y = - 1.20 (95% CI: - 1.80 to -0.30) + 0. 80 (95% CI: 0.55 to 1.00) x for RBC. Conclusions The two analyzers showed similar performances and good compatibility to manual microscopy. However, they are still inadequate in the determination of WBC, RBC, and EC in highly-pathological samples. Thus, confirmation by manual microscopic analysis may be useful. PMID:27812305

  17. Comparison of sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, zinc, copper and iron concentrations of elements in 24-h urine and spot urine in hypertensive patients with healthy renal function.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Tianjing; Chang, Xiaoyu; Liu, Wanlu; Li, Xiaoxia; Wang, Faxuan; Huang, Liping; Liao, Sha; Liu, Xiuying; Zhang, Yuhong; Zhao, Yi

    2017-12-01

    Sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, zinc, copper and iron are associated with the sequela of hypertension. The most reliable method for testing those elements is by collecting 24-h urine samples. However, this is cumbersome and collection of spot urine is more convenient in some circumstance. The aim of this study was to compare the concentrations of different elements in 24-h urine and spot urine. Data was collected from a sub-study of China Salt Substitute and Stroke Study. 240 participants were recruited randomly from 12 villages in two counties in Ningxia, China. Both spot and 24-h urine specimens were collected from each patient. Routine urine test was conducted, and concentration of elements was measured using microwave digestion and Inductively Coupled Plasma-Optical Emission Spectrometry. Partial correlation analysis and Spearman correlation analysis were used to investigate the concentration of different elements and the relationship between 24- h urine and spot urine. A partial correlation in sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium and iron was found between paired 24-h urine and spot urine samples except copper and zinc: 0.430, 0.426, 0.550, 0.221 and 0.191 respectively. Spot urine can replace 24-h urine for estimating some of the elements in hypertensive patients with normal renal function. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  18. Impact of urine preservation methods and duration of storage on measured levels of environmental contaminants.

    PubMed

    Hoppin, Jane A; Ulmer, Ross; Calafat, Antonia M; Barr, Dana B; Baker, Susan V; Meltzer, Helle M; Rønningen, Kjersti S

    2006-01-01

    Collection of urine samples in human studies involves choices regarding shipping, sample preservation, and storage that may ultimately influence future analysis. As more studies collect and archive urine samples to evaluate environmental exposures in the future, we were interested in assessing the impact of urine preservative, storage temperature, and time since collection on nonpersistent contaminants in urine samples. In spiked urine samples stored in three types of urine vacutainers (no preservative, boric acid, and chlorhexidine), we measured five groups of contaminants to assess the levels of these analytes at five time points (0, 24, 48, and 72 h, and 1 week) and at two temperatures (room temperature and 4 degrees C). The target chemicals were bisphenol A (BPA), metabolites of organophosphate (OP), carbamate, and pyrethroid insecticides, chlorinated phenols, and phthalate monoesters, and were measured using five different mass spectrometry-based methods. Three samples were analyzed at each time point, with the exception of BPA. Repeated measures analysis of variance was used to evaluate effects of storage time, temperature, and preservative. Stability was summarized with percent change in mean concentration from time 0. In general, most analytes were stable under all conditions with changes in mean concentration over time, temperature, and preservative being generally less than 20%, with the exception of the OP metabolites in the presence of boric acid. The effect of storage temperature was less important than time since collection. The precision of the laboratory measurements was high allowing us to observe small differences, which may not be important when categorizing individuals into broader exposure groups.

  19. [USING URINARY STRIPS].

    PubMed

    Barbeito García, Ana; Sampayo Montenegro, Ana

    2015-10-01

    Urinalysis using reactive strip is a commonly used in clinical practice. Although mainly indicated as first step test when a urine infection it suspected, it may also be a helpful tool in the management of a wide range of disorders. Standard urine test strips may comprise of up to 10 different chemical pads or reagents (leukocytes, nitrites, pH, glucose, proteins, ketones, bilirubin, urobilinogen, density and blood) that allow a qualitative and semiquantitative analysis of a urine sample. The test method consists of immersing the strip completely in a well-mixed sample of urine and left to stand for the time necessary for the reactions to occur (which is variable depending on the manufacturer). Finally the colors that appear are compared against a specific chromatic scale provided. Several factors may influence the results causing a significant number of false positives and negatives. Such limitations should always be taken into account when reading the test. Despite clinical features lead to the suspicion of an infection, urine test strips is a fast screening test that may reinforce the diagnosis. The combination of dysuria, frequency and emergency, hematuria, pain and sensibility in the pelvis reaches a positive predictive value to identified a urine infection of 90 %. When only dysuria and emergency or high frequency are present, the such probability diminishes to 70-80%, and, when dysuria is the only symptom, it drops to 25%. Despite urine test strips is a fast, easy and cheap method for the diagnosis and follow-up of several diseases, results are fairly heterogeneous and may be influenced by external factors. Therefore a cautious interpretation if advised. Sensibility and specificity of urine test strips is widely variable (S 46%-86% and E 17%-93%). Although the highest diagnostic values are obtained at primary care centers, where such tests are routinely used in a diverse population, the number of false positives is still high. This issue should be taken into account and a proper differential diagnosis of a positive result is mandatory in all cases. More studies are needed to assess the real sensibility and specificity of urinary reactive strips.

  20. Epidemiological investigation of the UGT2B17 polymorphism in doping control urine samples and its correlation to T/E ratios.

    PubMed

    Anielski, Patricia; Simmchen, Juliane; Wassill, Lars; Ganghofner, Dirk; Thieme, Detlef

    2011-10-01

    The deletion polymorphism of the enzyme UGT2B17 is known to correlate with the level of the testosterone to epitestosterone (T/E) ratio in urine specimen. Due to the importance of the T/E ratio to detect testosterone abuse in doping analysis, a PCR-ELISA system (Genotype® UGT test, AmplexDiagnostics) was established to identify the UGT2B17 phenotype in urine samples. Epidemiological investigations in a set of 674 routine doping controls (in- and out-of-competition) resulted in 22.8% homozygote gene-deleted and 74.5% UGT2B17-positive athletes. The validated test system has shown to be robust and sensitive: in only 18 cases (2.7%) isolation of cell material from urine failed. Following hydrolysis of glucuronidated conjugates, steroids were analyzed as bis-TMS derivatives by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), for example, testosterone (T) and epitestosterone (E). Additionally, isotope ration mass spectrometry (IRMS) analysis and luteinizing hormone (LH) measurement were applied. Mean T/E ratios significantly correlated with the UGT2B17 phenotype (del: T/E 0.9; pos: 1.7), however the values did not differ as distinctive as reported in previous studies. Additionally, the T/E ratios in the gene-deleted group did not show a normal curve of distribution (median of T/E 0.5). Obviously, beside the UGT2B17 deletion further influences have to be taken into account, for example, polymorphisms or induction of other metabolizing enzymes. Our results indicate that the UGT2B17 polymorphism might be insufficient when utilized solely as a crucial parameter for individual interpretation of T/E in urine. Nevertheless, the detection of the UGT2B17-gene deletion in urine samples would provide additional information important for gathering evidence in analysis of steroids in doping control. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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