Midday Samples Research Articles

Urinary Schistosomiasis Among School-age Children in Selected Local Government Areas in Ogun State, Nigeria

Schistosomiasis is the most common parasitic disease in the world caused by digenetic blood trematode worms of the family Schistosomatidae. It is one of the most prevalent neglected tropical diseases and the second most important human parasitic disease in the world, after malaria. Over 700 million people worldwide are at risk of infection, most of whom live in sub-Saharan Africa. While, children are especially vulnerable to the disease, Ogun State was rated as the most endemic state for schistosomiasis infection in Nigeria. Therefore, the epidemiology of Urinary Schistosomiasis among School-age children in Ogun State was conducted in this study. Midday urine samples were collected from 1,812 school-age children from ten selected Local Government Areas in Ogun State and were examined for the presence of haematuria (blood in urine) and Schistosoma haematobium ova. Out of the 1812 school-children examined, 92 (5.1%) tested positive for haematuria and 455 (25.1%) also tested positive for the presence of Schistosome ova. The highest infection prevalence rate (12.9%) was among female students infected with the parasite. The age group 10-12years had the highest rate of infection (12.2%), while the group 4-6 years had the lowest (1.3%) in the study areas. Therefore, urinary schistosomiasis is a major disease of major public health concern in Ogun State that requires prompt attention from relevant government and non-governmental agencies.

Appraisal of acute and chronic arsenic exposure in differently exposed school children with special reference to micronuclei formation in urine epithelial cells: A comparative study in West Bengal, India

Arsenic (As) contaminated dietary intake in daily routine can bring serious health hazards even in children. Considering drinking water ingestion and rice-grain consumption pattern, the daily dietary intake rate of As through drinking water for the exposed children was observed as 17.5 μg/kg bw/day, greater than apparently control group of children (0.2 μg/kg bw/day). Biological samples such as urine, hair and nail for the exposed children showed higher accumulation of As (159 μg/l, 3320 μg/kg and 4460 μg/kg) compared to controlled children (1.92 μg/l, 195 μg/kg and 331 μg/kg). Arsenic toxicity can eventually lead to future cancer risk which is sub-clinically manifested through biological samples along with formation of micronuclei in urine epithelial cells of the affected children. Notably, according to unpaired t-test, the detected numbers of micronuclei were significantly higher in the urine epithelial cells of exposed school children (3.25/1000 epithelial cells) compared to the control children (0.52/1000 epithelial cells). ‘Severity Adjusted Margin of Exposure’ (SAMOE) value also corresponds to the huge amount of risk (class 5) through drinking water consumption. Rice-grain samples from households and mid-day meal samples also fall under the category of Class 4 in exposed area during the risk thermometer study. The average future cancer risk to the school children from the exposed area was found to be 1 × 10−3, 0.4 × 10−3, and 1.4 × 10−3, whilst the control group belongs to an apparently lower cancer risk zone such as 0.016 × 10−3, 0.4 × 10−3, and 0.012 × 10−3 during the intake of domestic tube-well water, rice-grain and school tube-well water, respectively. Simultaneously, non-cancer risk from drinking water is much lower in control children; however, rice-grain poses similar amount of risk for both groups (0.3–2.2). Hence, corrective measures are required for the management of contaminated water along with cooking malpractices.

Prevalence and Molecular Characterization of Dral 1 gene of Schistosoma haematobium Associated with Pathogenesis of Human Urinary Schistosomiasis among School Pupils in Cross River State, Nigeria

Urinary schistosomiasis which is transmitted by schistosome species is the major cause of liver and bladder pathologies and still remains a serious threat in the underdeveloped and developing world. This study evaluates the prevalence of Schistosoma haematobiuminfection among school aged children in Biase, Obubra and Ogoja Local Government Areas of Cross River State. Five hundred (500) pupils were examined and selected randomly from a public primary and secondary schools in the study area. Freshly passed mid-day urine samples were collected and transferred to the laboratory where there were examined for the presence of Schistosoma haematobium eggs. Study participants were grouped into three age groups,8-10 years. 11-13 years, and 14-16 years old. Overall prevalence of S. heamatobium was (13.6%). Infection was more prevalent among the age group of 14-16years, the percentage of prevalence and intensity of infection were higher in males (14.1%) than in females (6.9%). Inter simple sequence repeats of PCR test performed for the collected urine samples using ISSR test of the Dral-1 gene reveals 73% study subjects had a polymorphism for UPA02 and UPA13 primers, while primer UPA13 showed 24% polymorphism. Total number of polymorphic bands were 2 each for primers UPA02 and UPA13 primers while UPA12 showed only one polymorphic band. Major allele frequencies (MAF) were 0.53 for each of UPA02 and UPA 13 primers but showed 0.71 frequency with UPA12 primer. Allele frequencies (AF) also varied slightly among the primers used. UPA02 and UPA 13 had allele frequencies of 8 each while UPA12 had 4 allele frequencies (Table 13). Nei’s genetic diversity indices for the primers revealed variations among the different primers. UPA02 and UPA13 Nei’s gene diversity of 0.64 each while primer UPA12 showed gene diversity of 0.28. Results of polymorphic information content showed that primers UPA02 and UPA13 discriminately revealed a PIC of 0.68 while UPA12 discriminated 0.28 PIC. This study therefore, revealed a critical need for targeting health campaign towards school age children and heads of households in order to empower them with the basic knowledge to recognize, treat and manage their health challenges.Applications of one to two doses of praziquantel considerably reduced the severity of urinary Schistosomiasis in the study area.

Continuous Monitoring of Cotton Stem Water Potential using Sentinel-2 Imagery

Monitoring cotton status during the growing season is critical in increasing production efficiency. The water status in cotton is a key factor for yield and cotton quality. Stem water potential (SWP) is a precise indicator for assessing cotton water status. Satellite remote sensing is an effective approach for monitoring cotton growth at a large scale. The aim of this study is to estimate cotton water stress at a high temporal frequency and at a large scale. In this study, we measured midday SWP samples according to the acquisition dates of Sentinel-2 images and used them to build linear-regression-based and machine-learning-based models to estimate cotton water stress during the growing season (June to August, 2018). For the linear-regression-based method, we estimated SWP based on different Sentinel-2 spectral bands and vegetation indices, where the normalized difference index 45 (NDI45) achieved the best performance (R2 = 0.6269; RMSE = 3.6802 (-1*swp (bars))). For the machine-learning-based method, we used random forest regression to estimate SWP and received even better results (R2 = 0.6709; RMSE = 3.3742 (-1*swp (bars))). To find the best selection of input variables for the machine-learning-based approach, we tried three different data input datasets, including (1) 9 original spectral bands (e.g., blue, green, red, red edge, near infrared (NIR), and shortwave infrared (SWIR)), (2) 21 vegetation indices, and (3) a combination of original Sentinel-2 spectral bands and vegetation indices. The highest accuracy was achieved when only the original spectral bands were used. We also found the SWIR and red edge band were the most important spectral bands, and the vegetation indices based on red edge and NIR bands were particularly helpful. Finally, we applied the best approach for the linear-regression-based and the machine-learning-based methods to generate cotton water potential maps at a large scale and high temporal frequency. Results suggests that the methods developed here has the potential for continuous monitoring of SWP at large scales and the machine-learning-based method is preferred.

A Single Urine Sodium Measurement May Validly Estimate 24-hour Urine Sodium Excretion in Patients With an Ileostomy.

BackgroundSodium deficiency in patients with an ileostomy is associated with chronic dehydration and may be difficult to detect. We aimed to investigate if the sodium concentration in a single spot urine sample may be used as a proxy for 24‐hour urine sodium excretion.MethodsIn a prospective observational study with 8 patients with an ileostomy and 8 volunteers with intact intestines, we investigated the correlations and agreements between spot urine sodium concentrations and 24‐hour urine sodium excretions. Spot urine samples were drawn from every micturition during 24 hours, and relevant blood samples were drawn. All participants documented their food and fluid intakes.ResultsThere was a high and statistically significant correlation between 24‐hour natriuresis and urine sodium concentrations in both morning spot samples (n = 8, Spearman's rho [ρ] = 0.78, P = 0.03) and midday spot samples (n = 8, ρ = 0.82, P = 0.02) in the patients with an ileostomy. The agreement between methods was fair (bias = −1.5, limits of agreement = −32.3 to 29.4). There were no statistically significant associations for evening samples or for samples from volunteers with intact intestines independently of time of day.ConclusionA single spot urine sodium sample obtained in the morning or midday may estimate 24‐hour urine sodium excretion in patients with an ileostomy and thus help to identify sodium depletion.

25-Hydroxyvitamin D variability within-person due to diurnal rhythm and illness: a case report

BackgroundVitamin D nutrition research requires accurate measures of circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D. Our objectives were to test whether a diurnal fluctuation in blood-spot concentrations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D can be demonstrated statistically in a single individual, and whether such fluctuation is affected by the pre-dose versus post-dose timing of the blood draw.Case presentationThe participant in this case study was a generally healthy Caucasian woman in her 40s who has taken 5000 IU vitamin D3 supplement at midday for over 1 year. Each blood sample was drawn individually from a finger prick onto filter paper at morning, midday, or night, on 4 days (three groups of five individual blood samples per collection day). On days 1 and 2, the midday samples were collected approximately 1 hour after the supplement was taken; on days 3 and 4, the midday samples were collected within an hour prior to supplementation (the classical, daily “trough” value for a drug). There was a significant daily pattern of variation in 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations (analysis of variance p ≤ 0.02 for 3 of the 4 days): peak midday mean 25-hydroxyvitamin D was approximately 20% higher than in the morning, and approximately 13% higher than in the evening. Trough sampling produced no significant difference in 25-hydroxyvitamin D compared to sampling an hour after the dose. An incidental finding was that acute illness during the study was related to acutely lower 25-hydroxyvitamin D at every sampling time in the day (p < 0.00001).ConclusionsThere was a consistent diurnal variation in 25-hydroxyvitamin D, with the peak at midday. There was no difference between trough versus post-dose blood draws. Acute illness may acutely lower serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels. Because within-person, within-day variability in 25-hydroxyvitamin D is approximately 20%, sampling time introduces systematic error in vitamin D nutritional assessment that is bigger than random analytical error or choice of assay method.

Transmission Dynamics of Urogenital Schistosomiasis in the Rural Community of Ebonyi State, South Eastern Nigeria.

This study accessed the dynamics of urogenital schistosomiasis transmission in Nkalagu Community. A total of 500 mid-day urine samples were collected and transported to Microbiology Laboratory, Ebonyi State University, for analysis. 10ml each of the urine samples was centrifuged at 2500 rpm for 5 minutes. Transmission potential of snail intermediate host of Schistosomes collected from different sampling station at the transmission sites within the study community was equally accessed. The snail species collected were placed individually into a clean beaker with little quantity of water and then subjected to shedding light for 2 hours. Data obtained were entered in excel spread sheet and analyzed using chi square test. The result obtained shows that 205 (41%) out of 500 individuals examined were excreting S. haematobium ova in their urine. The highest prevalence of infection (23%) was found among 11-20-year age groups. Males were more infected (25.4%) than their female counterparts (15.6%), although this was not statistically significant (p > 0.05). A total of 283 snails belonging to two Bulinus species (B. globosus and B. truncatus) were collected from the four sites sampled. Bulinus globosus recorded the highest species abundance (177) with the highest occurrence in site A. 52 (18.4%) out of 283 snails collected were infected with cercariae, and the highest cercariae infection (12.0%) was recorded among B. globosus. With prevalence of 41% among the human population and the prevalence of 18.4% patent infection among the snail intermediate hosts, urogenital schistosomiasis is still a public health problem in the study area and falls within the WHO classification of endemic area. Public health campaign is recommended in order to educate the people on the mode of transmission and control of the disease.

Urinary Bladder Thickness, Tumor Antigen, and Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms in a Low Schistosoma Haematobium-Endemic Rural Community of Nigeria

Objective: Bladder tumor antigen (BTA) is a common biomarker for urothelial carcinoma while bladder wall thickening (BWT) is a sign of urinary bladder irritation which suggests cystitis or early-stage bladder cancer pathology, most especially in the absence of bladder outlet obstruction. The aim of this study was to find the incidence of urinary bladder thickness and evaluate the relationship between BTA and BWT in a low schistosomiasis-endemic Nigerian village. Materials and Methods: The study was descriptive and cross-sectional. Freshly passed mid-day urine samples of 56 individuals were screened using chemical reagent strips and then diagnosed microscopically for Schistosoma haematobium. Subsequent follow-up involving ultrasound examination was carried out on distended bladder. The lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) were also recorded. Urinary BTA analysis was carried out on the urine samples using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results: The prevalence of urogenital schistosomiasis in the area was 3.6%. The overall prevalence of human BTA and BWT in the individuals was 44.6 and 35.7%, respectively. The LUTS were associated with BWT (P = 0.004; odds ratio = 6.0; 95% confidence interval = 1.8–20.3). BTA, BWT, and LUTS were not sex and age dependent (P &gt; 0.05). In addition, there was no association between urinary BTA, BWT, and LUTS (P &gt; 0.05). The sensitivity of BWT and LUTS (60.0%) was improved than when either was used to diagnose BTA. Conclusion: The high occurrence of BTA and BWT in the individuals suggests that they may be prone to urothelial carcinoma and urinary bladder irritation, respectively. The role of urogenital schistosomiasis in urinary BTA levels needs to be further explored.

Adaptation of Colophospermum mopane to extra-seasonal drought conditions: site-vegetation relations in dry-deciduous forests of Zambezi region (Namibia)

BackgroundThe drought-tolerant tree species Colophospermum mopane is focussed at for an assessment of the impact of water stress, as well as for the specific adaptation potential of the species. Three differing sites (‘Forest’, ‘Shrubs’ and ‘Swamp’) under three different seasonal situations (advanced dry season, drought and early rain season), in the mopane woodland of north-eastern Namibia were studied.MethodsPlant water potentials were measured using a pressure chamber in the field. Pre-dawn water potentials were assessed to reflect the soil water potential of the rhizosphere. Midday water potentials were measured to assess the strongest negative water potential by the sample trees.ResultsThe study reveals significant differences of the water potentials indicated by C. mopane. The different site-vegetation relations specify the impacts of seasonal conditions and site conditions (soil parameters and soil water availability) on the selected species.ConclusionsThe investigation reveals a specific adaptation potential of C. mopane in relation to different soil parameter under seasonal conditions. The impact of the different seasons on the pre-dawn plant water potential (indicating actual soil water availability) was assessed independently of other parameters. The adaptation range of C. mopane is obviously reflected by its ability to cope with water stress situations by midday samples. An advantage of using plant-physiological characteristics as monitoring parameters is the circumstance that these reflect the plant-internal ‘digestibility’ of the evaluated conditions directly on the natural stand. In this consideration, the evaluation of specific site conditions referring to the plant-effective water deficiency and the plant-internal, physiological ability of adaptation towards these, are recommended as key-parameters, for, e.g., investigations of site-species matching for afforestation or reforestation management.

Development of a highly sensitive loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) method for the detection of Loa loa.

The filarial parasite Loa loa, the causative agent of loiasis, is endemic in Central and Western Africa infecting 3–13 million people. L. loa has been associated with fatal encephalopathic reactions in high Loa-infected individuals receiving ivermectin during mass drug administration programs for the control of onchocerciasis and lymphatic filariasis. In endemic areas, the only diagnostic method routinely used is the microscopic examination of mid-day blood samples by thick blood film. Improved methods for detection of L. loa are needed in endemic regions with limited resources, where delayed diagnosis results in high mortality. We have investigated the use of a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay to facilitate rapid, inexpensive, molecular diagnosis of loiasis. Primers for LAMP were designed from a species-specific repetitive DNA sequence from L. loa retrieved from GenBank. Genomic DNA of a L. loa adult worm was used to optimize the LAMP conditions using a thermocycler or a conventional heating block. Amplification of DNA in the LAMP mixture was visually inspected for turbidity as well as addition of fluorescent dye. LAMP specificity was evaluated using DNA from other parasites; sensitivity was evaluated using DNA from L. loa 10-fold serially diluted. Simulated human blood samples spiked with DNA from L. loa were also tested for sensitivity. Upon addition of fluorescent dye, all positive reactions turned green while the negative controls remained orange under ambient light. After electrophoresis on agarose gels, a ladder of multiple bands of different sizes could be observed in positive samples. The detection limit of the assay was found to be as little as 0.5 ag of L. loa genomic DNA when using a heating block. We have designed, for the first time, a highly sensitive LAMP assay for the detection of L. loa which is potentially adaptable for field diagnosis and disease surveillance in loiasis-endemic areas.

Serum Concentrations of p-Cresyl Sulfate and Indoxyl Sulfate, But Not Inflammatory Markers, Increase in Incident Peritoneal Dialysis Patients in Parallel with Loss of Residual Renal Function

High serum concentrations of the protein-bound uremic retention solutes p-cresyl sulfate (PCS) and indoxyl sulfate (IndS) and inflammation are associated with increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in chronic kidney disease. Renal clearance contributes to up to 80% of the total clearance of PCS and IndS in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients. Cross-sectional studies evaluating the impact of residual renal function (RRF) on serum concentrations of PCS, IndS, and circulating inflammatory markers have yielded conflicting results. ♢ To clarify this issue, we carried out a prospective observational cohort study in incident PD patients (n = 35; 19 men; mean age: 55 ± 17 years). Midday blood samples were collected and analyzed for total serum PCS, IndS, C-reactive protein, and high-sensitivity interleukin 6. Peritoneal and renal clearances were calculated from urine and dialysate collections, and RRF was calculated as the mean of renal urea nitrogen and creatinine clearances. Patients were assessed 1, 6, 12, and 24 months after PD start. Differences between time points were analyzed using linear mixed models (LMMs). ♢ Residual renal function declined significantly over time (LMM p < 0.0001). Peritoneal clearances of both toxins tended to increase, but did not compensate for the declining renal clearances. Serum concentrations of PCS and IndS increased significantly over time (LMM p = 0.01; p = 0.0009). In contrast, total mass removal of both toxins remained stable. Circulating inflammatory markers did not change over time. ♢ Our data indicate that serum concentrations of PCS and IndS, but not inflammatory markers, increase in incident PD patients in parallel with loss of RRF.

Anthropogenic and physiologically induced stress responses in captive coyotes

Repeated stressful events can negatively impact overall health by continuous stimulation of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis, which leads to depletion of glucose stores and suppression of immune and reproductive function. The influence of Stressors on survivability is particularly salient for coyote (Canis latrans) populations, because understanding how coyotes cope with Stressors may provide relevant context on coyote adaptation to urbanized ecosystems. Our objectives were to physiologically validate fecal glucocorticoid metabolite (FGM) analysis in coyotes by performing an adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) challenge in 12 captive individuals (6 treatment and 6 control) housed at the United States Department of Agriculture National Wildlife Research Center Predator Research Facility in Millville, Utah; to quantify potential changes in FGM output due to diurnal variation and sex; and to determine the effects of 2 anthropogenic events (placement of a novel cooling fan and state holiday celebrations) on the coyotes' stress responses (via FGM production). Results demonstrated that in response to the ACTH injection, treatment animals (3 males and 3 females) displayed FGM concentration peaks ≥ 5-fold (range: 5- to 30-fold) above their preinjection means approximately 8 h after injection, which was a greater (P = 0.037) response than control animals. FGM output was lowest for morning fecal samples compared with midday (P = 0.001) and evening (P <; 0.001) samples. Within the evening period, FGM output for male samples tended to be higher (P = 0.056) than for female samples, although not significant. The anthropogenic events elicited FGM concentration peaks ≥ 5-fold above pre-event means for several of the study animals occurring approximately 12 and 9 h later, respectively. This study is the 1st to physiologically validate the measurement of stress physiology using FGM analysis in coyotes and demonstrate the impact of anthropogenic events on their stress response. Furthermore, this work provides a foundation for future studies of FGMs, stress, and anthropogenic effects in wild and captive systems.

Do Intraday Volatility Patterns Follow a ‘U’ Curve? Evidence from the Indian Market

This study examines the ‘intraday’ volatility patterns of NSE’s Nifty Index from August 2000 to December 2003. The tick by tick index returns are categorized into three groups – opening price to thirty minutes after opening price (morning sample), thirty minutes after opening price to fifteen minutes before closing price (mid-day sample) and fifteen minutes before closing price to closing price (evening sample). Defining the tick by tick index returns as a measure of deviation between successive prices, new volatility estimates are constructed to compute intraday volatility. The volatility patterns across the samples suggest high volatility during the initial trading period which sustains till 30 opening minutes and further increasing volatility during the last 15 minutes of a trading day. Information bunching and presence of private information are attributed to morning and evening period volatilities respectively. The volatility of intraday index prices of Nifty follows a crude U shaped curve.

Growth and Physiological Response of Fraser Fir [Abies fraseri (Pursh) Poir.] Seedlings to Water Stress: Seasonal and Diurnal Variations in Photosynthetic Pigments and Carbohydrate Concentration

Four-year-old seedlings of Abies fraseri [(Pursh) Poir] (fraser fir) were grown in semicontrolled conditions in hoop houses with five watering regimes (0.00, 0.62, 1.25, 2.50, and 3.70 cm/week) with the goal of determining the seasonal variation in the physiological response to drought stress. Drought stress was monitored by measuring predawn (Ψpd) and midday (Ψmd) potentials in a subset of plants from each treatment. Physiological variables monitored were chlorophyll fluorescence (Fv/Fm), Chl a, Chl b, total carotenes, and total carbohydrate concentrations. Morphological characteristics including height growth, root collar diameter, and terminal shoot growth were also measured. Predawn stem water potential values were generally higher (–0.8 to –1.9 Mpa) than midday values (–1.3 to –2.9 Mpa). Irrigation consistently increased Ψpd and Ψmd compared with non-irrigated treatments. Photosynthetic pigments (Chl a, Chl b, and carotenes) decreased midseason (14 July) and increased toward the end of the season (25 Aug.) in predawn and midday measurements. There was a significant effect (P &lt; 0.05) of drought stress on photosynthetic pigment concentrations in predawn and midday samples in the late-season measurements (25 Aug.). These results were accompanied with a similar significant difference in Fv/Fm between non-irrigated and irrigated trees. We concluded that significant effects observed on photosynthetic pigment concentrations in some of the treatments did not affect carbohydrate concentrations. Exposure of A. fraseri to water stress did not cause a reduction in supply of metabolic carbohydrates; consequently, the decline and mortality in water-stressed plants can only be the result of hydraulic failure caused by xylem cavitation leading to cessation of water flow in tissues, desiccation, and cellular death. Further studies are needed to confirm these preliminary conclusions.

Diel and seasonal variability in the fish community structure of a mud-bottom estuarine habitat in the Gulf of Mexico

We hypothesized that temporal variation in fish species composition and community structure in a low complexity habitat in the Pueblo Viejo Lagoon, Mexico, is influenced by diel light/dark cycles and tidal stage, and by seasonal changes in salinity and temperature. We collected a total of 17,661 individuals during 2-h interval sampling over six bi-monthly 24-h sampling cycles representing 53 species, of which 11 (∼20%) were previously unknown in the system. Diel variation indicated that significantly higher numbers of individuals and species were caught at night, whereas diversity and evenness were higher during the day. Species richness was significantly higher in July and January, whereas diversity and evenness peaked around May; both were correlated with temperature. Diel variation in species composition was influenced primarily by the light/dark cycle. Cluster analyses of each diel cycle separated fish assemblages from midday samples from those of nocturnal samples, separated by an extended wide transition period as fish moved at dawn and during the late afternoon/dusk. Significant shifts (as determined by MANOVA) in assemblage structure occurred between months. Canonical correspondence analysis showed that temperature and day/night effects were the most important environmental variables structuring the fish community. This constrained ordination also defined species with specific habitat preferences as follows: (i) diurnal, warm temperature species (mainly planktivores) (Brevoortia gunteri, Cetengraulis edentulus, Diapterus auratus, and Membras martinica); (ii) nocturnal, warm temperature species (mainly predators) (Citharichthys spilopterus, Cathorops melanopus, and Bairdiella spp.); and (iii) low temperature, diurnal species (Brevoortia patronus and Mugil curema) or those with twilight and nocturnal distributions (Anchoa mitchilli, the most numerically abundant species). Our results indicate that diel and seasonal changes in fish community structure were mainly related to day/night cycles and temperature regimes.

Quantitative Evaluation of Proteinuria by Estimation of the Protein/Creatinine Ratio in a Random Urine Sample

The aim of this study was to evaluate the severity of proteinuria using the protein/creatinine ratio in a random urine sample. In 45 patients (male 28, female 17; mean age 50.68 ± 18.26 years) with proteinuria of various causes, we measured the 24-hour protein excretion per 1.73 m2 of body surface and, during the same day, the protein/creatinine ratio in three different urine samples (8 am, 12 pm, 4 pm). The 24 h proteinuria was defined as mild (<1 g), moderate (1–3.4 g), and severe (>3.4 g) in 7, 27, and 11 patients, respectively. The sensitivity for protein/creatinine ratio compared to the 24 h proteinuria as a method of reference was 86–100% in the mild, 78–100% in the moderate, and 73–82% in the severe proteinuria, whereas the specificity was 84–100%, 78–83%, and 100% respectively. The patients with better renal function had significantly higher proteinuria levels. There was a similarity in the 24 h proteinuria and the protein/creatinine ratio measurements in all renal function and level-of-proteinuria groups. The protein/creatinine ratio of the morning and midday samples had a very good association with the 24 h sample, whereas it was not associated significantly with the evening sample (4 pm). In conclusion, the degree of 24 h proteinuria levels can be evaluated by calculating the protein/creatinine ratio in a random urine sample collected at any time from morning until midday. Protein/creatinine ratio is independent of the severity of proteinuria or renal function, and it can replace in clinical practice the cumbersome 24 h urine collections.

Risk factors &lt;i&gt;Schistosoma hematobium&lt;/i&gt; in Ajelanwa area of Oyo state, Nigeria

Infection with Schistosoma hematobium has been on the rise in developing countries with studies done in Nigeria alluding to the risk factors for infection. However, these risks factors have often not been properly described in the context in which they occurred. This study aims to describe the situation in which these risk factors occur in a rural pcpulation. A cross sectional study of children aged 5 to 24 years was conducted in a rural transborder community in Nigeria using a systematic random sampling method. Five hundred and thirty one participants were interviewed and examined for anaemia, cleanliness and skin infections, while a mid-day urine sample was taken for microscopic identification of S haematobium. A large proportion of respondents were either dirty 271 (51.0%) or unkempt - uncut nails, unkempt hair and tattered clothes 105 (19.8%) with 11 (2.1 %) having scabies. Clinically detectable anaemia was present in 153 (28.8%) of the subjects. The prevalence rate of S haematobium was 14% in the study population with those within the ages 15 and 19 having the highest prevalence figure of 16.5%. Males were also more infected 48 (15.1%) than females 26 (12.2%). The risk factors for infection were water activities like swimming (OR 2.97,95% CI 1.55 - 5.77) and bathing (OR 3.22, 95% CI 1.53 - 6.79). In addition water visitation in the afternoon was also a risk factor for infection (OR 4.21,95% CI 1.85 - 9.93). It is advocated that water contact activities be reduced in areas at increased risk of infection with S haematobium. Nigerian Medical Practitioner Vol. 54 (1) 2008: pp. 3-7

Exploration of gene changes in circadian rhythm in zebrafish eyes using microarray technology

The objective of this research is to determine changes in gene expression levels between day and night in zebrafish eye using microarray technology. Sampling was performed at midday in light adapted fish and midnight in dark adapted fish with the midday sample used as a control. Preliminary results using duplicate samples reveal 256 genes which are differentially regulated under these two conditions (p value &lt;0.05). Among these 256 genes, 62 showed a 2‐fold or greater change expression. We selected 5 genes for further analysis. Among these genes we found that expression zgc:66156 (encoding a motor protein) in the dark was 50% more than its expression level in the light, and expression of zgc:92682 was up‐regulated 2‐fold in the dark. In contrast, expression of the phosphodiesterase zgc:73359 was decreased about 50%, phosphodiesterase zgc:73310 was decreased more than 50% in dark and erbb2 was decreased 50% in the dark. Results will be further confirmed by quantitative PCR and fluorescent in situ hybridization.

Melatonin and estradiol effects on food intake, body weight, and leptin in ovariectomized rats

Objective The study in ovariectomized (Ovx) rats, as a model of menopausal status, of the effects of melatonin (M) and/or estradiol (E), associated or not with food restriction, on body weight (BW) and serum leptin levels. Methods Female SD rats (200–250 g) were Ovx and treated with E, M, E + M or its diluents. Control sham-Ovx rats were treated with E–M diluents. After 7 weeks being fed ad libitum, the animals were exposed for 7 more weeks to a 30% food restriction. We measured: food intake, BW, nocturnal and diurnal urinary excretion of sulphatoxymelatonin (aMT6s), leptin in midday and midnight blood samples, glucose, total cholesterol, LDL, HDL and triglycerides. Results Day/night rhythm of aMT6s excretion was preserved in all cases. The increase of aMT6s excretion in M-treated animals basically affected the nocturnal period. In animals fed ad libitum, E fully prevented Ovx-induced increase of BW, leptin and cholesterol. Melatonin reduced food intake and partially prevented the increase of BW and cholesterol, without changing leptin levels. Under food restriction, M was the most effective treatment in reducing BW and cholesterol. Leptin levels were similar in M, E or E + M treated rats, and lower than in untreated Ovx rats. Conclusions Our result gives a preliminary experimental basis for a post-menopausal co-treatment with estradiol and melatonin. It could combine the effectiveness of estradiol (not modified by melatonin) with the positive effects of melatonin (improvement of sleep quality, prevention of breast cancer, etc.). The possible beneficial effects of melatonin which could justify its use, need to be demonstrated in clinical trials.

Photoinhibition of photosynthesis in leaves of grapevine (Vitis vinifera L. cv. Riesling). Effect of chilling nights

Photoinhibition of photosynthesis was investigated in control (C) and chilling night (CN) leaves of grapevine under natural photoperiod at different sampling time in a day. The degree of photoinhibition was determined by means of the ratio of variable to maximum chlorophyll fluorescence (Fv/Fm) and photosynthetic electron transport measurements. When the potential efficiency of photosystem (PS) 2, Fv/Fm was measured at midday, it markedly declined with significant increase of F0 in CN leaves. In isolated thylakoids, the rate of whole chain and PS2 activity were markedly decreased in CN leaves than control leaves at midday. A smaller inhibition of PS1 activity was also observed in both leaf types. Later, the leaves reached maximum PS2 efficiencies similar to those observed in the morning during sampling at evening. The artificial exogenous electron donors diphenyl carbazide, NH2OH, and Mn2+ failed to restore the PS2 activity in both leaf types at midday. Thus CN enhanced inactivation on the acceptor side of PS2 in grapevine leaves. Quantification of the PS2 reaction centre protein D1 following midday exposure of leaves showed pronounced differences between C and CN leaves. The marked loss of PS2 activity in CN leaves noticed in midday samples was mainly due to the marked loss of D1 protein of the PS2 reaction centre.