Adult Urine Research Articles

Endemic fluorosis in Huangyuan county Qinghai province in 2009: an analysis of surveillance results

Objective To investigate the prevalence change of drinking water type of endemic fluorosis and the effect of control measures implemented in Huangyuan county of Qinghai province. Methods In 2009, all the endemic fluorosis villages in Huangyuan county were divided into two degrees, light and medium, according to the water fluorosis content before implementing the improving water project, 1 to 2 villages were selected from each degree village, respectively,as monitoring sites, and a total of 3 villages were selected. Source water and tap water samples were collected from each village and water fluoride concentration was determined. Dental fluorosis of all children aged 8 to 12 of monitoring villages was examined, and urine samples were collected by age group of children for determination of urinary fluoride. skeletal fluorosis of adults over 16 years of age was examined, and 20 copies of adults urine samples were collected to determine urinary fluoride. One village was selected in the 3 villages monitored to conduct X-rays examination of skeletal fluorosis. fluoride was tested in accordance with the Non-metallic Targets Test Methods for Drinking Water (GB/T 5750.6-2006); urinary fluoride was tested by fluoride ion-selective electrode method (WS/T 89-1996); dental fluorosis was diagnosed using Dean method;adult skeletal fluorosis was diagnosed by Clinical Diagnostic Criteria for Endemic Skeletal Fluorosis(WS 192-2008). Results Twelve water samples were assayed, water fluoride was (0.35 ± 0.43) mg/L. The detectable rate of dental fluorosis of 122 children aged 8-12 was 34.43%(42/122) and the geometric mean urinary fluoride was 0.89 mg/L of the 96 children. Of the 834 adults aged 16 and over, clinical detection of skeletal fluorosis was 47.72% (398/836) and geometric mean urinary fluoride was 1.10 mg/L of the 65 cases of adult urine samples assayed, detection rate of X-rays was 31.4% (11/35) in Gangou village of the 35 adults examined.Conclusions In Huangyuan county, water fluoride of the 3 surveyed villages are normal but the endemic fluorosis is still serious. It should strengthen monitoring and analyze the causes and improve prevention measures. Key words: Fluorosis; Drinking; Data collection; Osteofluorosis

A cultural practice of drinking realgar wine leading to elevated urinary arsenic and its potential health risk

Toasting friends and family with realgar wines and painting children's foreheads and limbs with the leftover realgar/alcohol slurries is an important customary ritual during the Dragon Boat Festival (DBF); a Chinese national holiday and ancient feast day celebrated throughout Asia. Realgar is an arsenic sulfide mineral, and source of highly toxic inorganic arsenic. Despite the long history of realgar use during the DBF, associated risk to human health by arsenic ingestion or percutaneous adsorption is unknown. To address this urine samples were collected from a cohort of volunteers who were partaking in the DBF festivities. The total concentration of arsenic in the wine consumed was 70mgL−1 with all the arsenic found to be inorganic. Total arsenic concentrations in adult urine reached a maximum of ca. 550μgL−1 (mean 220.2μgL−1) after 16h post-ingestion of realgar wine, while face painting caused arsenic levels in children's urine to soar to 100μgL−1 (mean 85.3μgL−1) 40h after the initial paint application. The average concentration of inorganic arsenic in the urine of realgar wine drinkers on average doubled 16h after drinking, although this was not permanent and levels subsided after 28h. As would be expected in young children, the proportions of organic arsenic in the urine remained high throughout the 88-h monitoring period. However, even when arsenic concentrations in the urine peaked at 40h after paint application, concentrations in the urine only declined slightly thereafter, suggesting pronounced longer term dermal accumulation and penetration of arsenic. Drinking wines blended with realgar or using realgar based paints on children does result in the significant absorption of arsenic and therefore presents a potentially serious and currently unquantified health risk.

Results and analysis on the national key monitoring of endemic arsenism in Jilin Province in 2005 and 2006

Objective To explore the present condition of endemic arsenism, the implementation of control measures and the effect of the monitored county (Tongyu County) and the monitoring spot (Baiyintuhai Village) in 2006 and 2007. Methods According to the National Survey Scheme of Endemic Arsenism, the progress of anti-arsenic water in Tongyu, and the management and running of all engineering projects and the arsenic content in water were surveyed. The patients with endemic arsenism in Tongyu were generally surveyed. The arsenic content of the improved drinking water in Tongyu and the arsenic in urine of children aged 8-12 and adults over 18 years of age were determinted. The causes of resident death in the monitoring spot from the year of 2006 and 2007 were investigated. Arsenic content of drinking water and the urine of local residents was examined with Model AFS-930 Double-Channel Atomic Fluorescence Spectrometer. Results There were 30 endemic arsenism areas, 157 areas with high arsenic content and all population of 57 576 in Tongyu. Six areas had improved water till 2006, where 20.0% of water had improved, and six water-improving projects were all running normally, benefiting a population of 1670. Eight high arsenic areas changed water, in a rate of 5.09%. Eight water-improving projects were functioning well, benefiting a population of 4350. Until 2007, 28 areas had improved water in Tongyu, accounting for 93.33%. These 28 projects were well running, covering a population of 7980. One hundred and fouty-eight high arsenic areas had changed water, reaching a rate of 94.27%. One hundred and fouty-eight projects changedg water were running normally, benefiting a population of 46 214. In the surveyed spots, arsenic content was between 0.004 mg/L and 0.005 mg/L in 2006 and between 0.010 mg/L and 0.021 mg/L in 2007, all in the normal range to the time being. The arsenic contents in urine of the children aged 8-12 in the monitoring spots were determinted, averaging at 0.024 mg/L in 15 samples, fluctuating between 0.005 mg/L and 0.048 mg/L in 2006. The average content in urine from adults was 0.019 mg/L in 53 samples, fluctuating between 0.005 mg/L and 0.087 mg/L in 2007. The arsenic contents in urine were all in the normal range in 2006 and 2007. In 2006 14 endemic arsenism patients, all in light symptoms, had been checked out, the morbidity being 6.19%. In 2007, 17 patients who were all in light symptoms were identified in a rate of 6.94%. There was no significant difference of morbidity between the two years(χ2=0.1059, P>0.05). Two patients died, unrelating with drinking high arsenic water in 2006 and 2007. Conclusions The prevention and control measures are well implemented in Tongyu. The water-improving projects are functioning well. The condition of endemic arsenism is slight and hasn't changed so much in these two years. The arsenic contents in urine of children and adults within the normal range, showing that improving water can control the occurrence and the development of endemic arsenism. Key words: Arsenic poisoning; Drinking; Environmental monitoring; Population surveillance

Intravenous neonatal paracetamol dosing: the magic of 10 days

Intravenous (i.v.) paracetamol (acetaminophen) is gaining increasing use in neonates (1–3), despite an off-label status in some countries. Product information for i.v. paracetamol does not consider the clearance maturation with age in neonates in its dosing recommendations. In Australasia the same dose of 15 mgAEkg 6 h is suggested for neonates over 10 days of age and for infants and children up to 33 kg. A reduced dose of 7.5 mgAEkg 6 h is proposed in term neonates <10 days of age. In Europe there is no labeled use for neonates <10 days of age. The registered dose is 7.5 mgAEkg 6 h for neonates after 10 days of age through to infants of 10 kg. A dose of 15 mgAEkg 6 h (max daily dose 60 mgAEkg) is recommended between 10 and 40 kg. These dosing regimens suggest something magic about 10 days. There are data concerning the pharmacokinetics of this formulation in neonates. Population pharmacokinetics of the i.v. prodrug (propacetamol) have been studied in neonates following single (4,5) and repeat dose administration (6). Parameter estimates from neonates given repeat doses of i.v. paracetamol over a median of 4 days duration are consistent with those estimated using propacetamol (7). Dosing regimens used in some institutions for neonates have been published in Pediatric Anesthesia (2,8), but there are few data validating the safety or effectiveness of these regimens. The idea that a target effect and associated target concentration can be used to make rational individual dose decisions has acceptance (9). A knowledge of neonatal pharmacokinetics assists with dose prediction to achieve the target concentration. There are, however, flaws and constraints of current knowledge that limit implementation of this approach to dosing.

Intra- and Inter-Individual Variations of Blood and Urinary Water-Soluble Vitamins in Japanese Young Adults Consuming a Semi-Purified Diet for 7 Days

We have previously reported the levels of water-soluble vitamins in the blood and urine of Japanese young adults. In the present paper, to assess the variations in these water-soluble vitamin markers during the above experiment, we comprehensively determined the intra- and inter-individual variations of blood and urinary water-soluble vitamins to exactly the same amount of water-soluble vitamin intakes in the same experiment. The blood samples before breakfast and the 24-h urine samples were periodically collected from Japanese college male (n=10) and female (n=10) students consuming a semi-purified diet with water-soluble vitamins based on Japanese Dietary Reference Intakes for 7 d, and the intra- and inter-individual variations of blood and urinary water-soluble vitamins or their metabolites in blood and urine samples after adaptation were calculated. Although urinary excretion of vitamin B(12) and vitamin C showed high intra-individual variations in both males and females, other urinary vitamins and all blood vitamins showed less than 20% of within-subject coefficients of variance in either male or female. Those showing more than 20% of between-subject coefficients of variances in both male and female were blood vitamin B(6), vitamin B(12) and folate levels, and urinary vitamin B(1), vitamin B(2), vitamin B(12), nicotinamide metabolites, pantothenic acid, biotin and vitamin C. These results showed that oral administration of constant of water-soluble vitamins generally decreased intra-individual variation, while individual differences in urinary vitamin excretion were observed.

Male panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) urine contains kinship information

Chemical communication plays an important role in kin selection and mate choice in mammals. The covariance of odor-genes of rodents has been documented and kinship odor has been proposed and termed, yet little is known of the relationship between genetic relatedness and chemical composition of kinship odors. Giant pandas (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) rely substantially on chemical communication to mediate their social interactions. To examine the relationship between genetic relatedness and compounds in the urine/anogenital gland secretions, we compared the similarities between genetic relatedness and the chemical profiles of anogenital gland secretions and urine via lineage construction and GC-MS (gas chromatography and mass spectrometry). We found that information about kinship odors was present only in the urine of male adults in the mating season but absent in the non-mating season. Adult females and all sub-adults did not have such kinship odors in either mating or non-mating season. Therefore, kinship odor in the panda was contingent on age, sex, and season. This is the first report about the condition-dependent expression of kinship odor, which may have a significant implication in the practice of panda conservation in relation to chemical communication and sexual selection.

Enzyme Immunoassay of Testosterone, 17β-Estradiol, and Progesterone in Perspiration and Urine of Preadolescents and Young Adults: Exceptional Levels in Men's Axillary Perspiration

Enzyme immunoassays for testosterone, 17beta-estradiol, and progesterone were validated for human facial and axillary perspiration and compared to levels in urine. In study 1, these assays were applied to samples from preadolescent girls and boys and young women and men. Men's axillary perspiration contained substantially higher levels of steroids than seen in other substrates from men or in any sample from women, boys, and girls. Male axillary steroid levels were very variable across individuals, and on average they exceeded levels in facial perspiration by 90-fold for testosterone and 45-fold for estradiol. Men's urinary testosterone also exceeded urinary levels of the other subjects. In study 2, axillary perspiration, urine, and saliva were collected from young men. Substantial axillary levels of testosterone and estradiol were again observed. Correlations of the same hormone among the different substrates were generally very low, except for a small correlation between estradiol levels measured in axillary perspiration and urine in study 2. High unconjugated steroid content in men's axillary excretions could, if absorbed by women during intimacy, be implicated in pheromonal activity.

The Identification of Attractive Volatiles in Aged Male Mouse Urine

In many species, older males are often preferred mates because they carry "good" genes that account for their viability. In some animals, including mice, which rely heavily on chemical communication, there is some indication that an animal's age can be determined by its scent. In order to identify the attractants in aged male mouse urine, chemical and behavioral studies were performed. We herein show that aged mice have higher levels of 3,4-dehydro-exo- brevicomin (DB), 2-sec-butyl-4,5-dihydrothiazole (BT), and 2-isopropyl-4,5-dihydrothiazole (IT) and a lower level of 6-hydroxy-6-methyl-3-heptanone relative to adult male mice. We also demonstrate that the attraction of females to the odor of male mouse urine is greater when the urine is from aged males. However, the attraction of aged urine odor was offset by the ultrafiltration of adult and aged mouse urine. When DB, BT, and IT were added to adult urine, the attraction of the urine was enhanced. Our results suggest that inbred aged male mice develop an aging odor that is attractive to female mice in an experimental setting and that this attraction is due to increased mouse pheromone signaling.

Changes in the β-adrenergic and M-cholinergic modulating activities of the blood serum and urine in bronchial asthma

Biological tests showed that bronchial asthma is associated with decreased contents of the endogenous sensitizer of β-adrenoreceptors (ESBAR) and the endogenous blocker of M-cholinoreceptors (EBMCR) and an increased content of the endogenous blocker of β-adrenoreceptors (EBBAR) in the blood and urine of children and adults. These phenomena are considered to be causes of bronchial asthma.

Squamous Cell Abnormalities in Exfoliated Cells from the Urine of Schistosoma haematobium-Infected Adults in a Rural Fishing Community in Nigeria

Schistosoma haematobium infection is endemic in Nigeria, with substantial transmissions in all the states of the federation and a high prevalence rate in schools. Literature has linked bladder cancer, mostly squamous cell type, with long-term S. haematobium infections. The objective of this descriptive study was to screen exfoliated cells in the urine of S. haematobium-infected patients for squamous cell abnormalities through cytopathological examinations. Study participants were drawn from Imala Odo, a community near Oyan Dam in Abeokuta North Local Government Area, Ogun state, Southwest Nigeria. Due to a considerable day-to-day variation of S. haematobium eggs in urine, 3 rounds of 200 ml of urine samples were collected on 3 different days from 32 infected patients and 10 uninfected controls and examined. Cytological preparations of the infected 15 males and 8 females and 10 controls (5 males and 5 females) were screened for squamous cell abnormalities. Severely dysplastic to frankly malignant squamous cells were observed in 1 (3.1%) male and 2 (6.3%) females, while no abnormality was observed in the controls.

Adult and children's exposure to 2,4-D from multiple sources and pathways

In this study, we investigated the 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) herbicide exposures of 135 preschool-aged children and their adult caregivers at 135 homes in North Carolina (NC) and Ohio (OH). Participants were randomly recruited from six NC and six OH counties. Monitoring was performed over a 48-h period at the participants' homes. Environmental samples included soil, outdoor air, indoor air, and carpet dust. Personal samples collected by the adult caregivers concerning themselves and their children consisted of solid food, liquid food, hand wipe, and spot urine samples. All samples were analyzed for 2,4-D (free acid form) by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. 2,4-D was detected in all types of environmental samples but most often in carpet dust samples, with detection frequencies of 83% and 98% in NC and OH, respectively. The median level of 2,4-D in the carpet dust samples was about three times higher in OH homes compared to NC homes (156 vs. 47.5 ng/g, P<0.0002). For personal samples, 2,4-D was more frequently detected in the hand wipe samples from OH participants (>48%) than from NC participants (<9%). Hand wipe levels at the 95th percentile were about five times higher for OH children (0.1 ng/cm(2)) and adults (0.03 ng/cm(2)) than for the NC children (0.02 ng/cm(2)) and adults (<0.005 ng/cm(2)). 2,4-D was detected in more than 85% of the child and adult urine samples in both states. The median urinary 2,4-D concentration was more than twice as high for OH children compared to NC children (1.2 vs. 0.5 ng/ml, P<0.0001); however, the median concentration was identical at 0.7 ng/ml for both NC and OH adults. The intraclass correlation coefficient of reliability for an individual's urinary 2,4-D measurements, estimated from the unadjusted (0.31-0.62) and specific gravity-adjusted (0.37-0.73) values, were somewhat low for each group in this study. The variability in urinary 2,4-D measurements over the 48-h period for both children and adults in NC and OH suggests that several spot samples were needed to adequately assess these participants' exposures to 2,4-D in residential settings. Results from this study showed that children and their adult caregivers in NC and OH were likely exposed to 2,4-D through several pathways at their homes. In addition, our findings suggest that the OH children might have been exposed to higher levels of 2,4-D through the dermal and nondietary routes of exposure than the NC children and the NC and OH adults.

Seasonal Changes in Urinary Prostate‐Specific Antigenic Activity in Male Japanese Macaques (Macaca fuscaa fuscata)

Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is usually detected in male adult urine and semen according to the Tanner stage development of males from birth to adolescence. To further study the pituitary-testicular axis in males, we determined urinary PSA levels in primates. Urinary PSA was detected with the use of anti-human PSA monoclonal antibody in male adult Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscaa fuscata) of seasonal breeding status. PSA activity in aseasonal animals (crab-eating macaques, Macaca fascisularis) did not change throughout the year; however, alterations in PSA activity were observed in Japanese macaques during breeding season, with the highest levels observed between October and January, the lowest levels between January and June, and a gradual increase in PSA activity observed from August until October. Although primate urinary PSA produces 2 polypeptide bands of approximately 55 and 33 kd, in addition to a band corresponding to human urinary PSA, the 33-kd polypeptide band was less pronounced during nonbreeding season in Japanese macaques. Urinary testosterone (T) levels in seasonally breeding animals (Japanese macaques) changed in parallel with urinary PSA levels. When urinary PSA and T levels were compared among animals during the breeding season (from October to February) and the nonbreeding season (from March to September), significantly increased PSA and T levels were observed during the breeding season. Furthermore, PSA and T levels in a monkey housed in a cage placed between 2 female cages were elevated compared with other monkeys. Increased PSA activity was observed concurrent with menstrual blood loss in females. These results suggest a link between PSA activity and testosterone levels, which could be influenced by changes in the female menstrual cycle.

Audit on the use of magnesium sulphate in asthma

Introduction: It is often difficult to collect urine from infants. The use of specifically designed urine collection pads gives reliable results for routine biochemistry tests of adult urine. Paediatric urine may have a different composition, and whether these pads give reliable results for metabolic investigations is unknown. Our aim was to evaluate whether the pads give reliable results for routine and metabolic biochemistry tests in paediatric urine. Methods: Urine collected by bag or clean-catch from infants under 2 years of age without metabolic disorders was divided into two aliquots, one of which was added to a collection pad, incubated for 15 minutes at 37 °C and then recovered by aspiration. Routine and metabolic analyses were performed on pad/ non-pad aliquots. Additionally, selected metabolic analyses were performed on pad/non-pad urine from patients with diagnosed inborn errors and urine spiked to simulate metabolic disorders. For quantitative analyses, pad/non-pad results were compared using Bland–Altman bias plots, Passing and Bablok regression and paired t-tests. Results: Routine tests (urea, electrolytes, creatinine, osmolality, calcium:creatinine, phosphate:creatinine, magnesium: creatinine, urate:creatinine; n = 32) showed close concordance with no clinically significant pad/non-pad differences. In infants without metabolic disorders, amino acids (n = 10), organic acids (n = 12) and mucopolysaccharides (n = 8), and in patients with metabolic disorders – phenylketonuria (n = 1), mucopolysaccharidoses II (n = 2) and III (n = 1), inborn errors of organic acid metabolism (n = 6) and cystinuria (n = 3) – all showed excellent pad/non-pad concordance. Sugar chromatography showed identical staining intensity in pad/non-pad samples. Conclusions: Urine collection pads give reliable results for a wide range of routine and metabolic tests in paediatric urine.

Twenty years of the German Environmental Survey (GerES): Human biomonitoring – Temporal and spatial (West Germany/East Germany) differences in population exposure

The German Environmental Surveys (GerESs) are nationwide population studies, which have repeatedly been carried out in Germany since the mid-1980s. The subjects were representatively selected from the regional registration offices with regard to age, gender and community size. The first survey for adults (GerES I) was carried out in 1985/1986 (West Germany) followed by GerES IIa in 1990/1991 (West Germany) and GerES IIb in 1991/1992 (East Germany). In GerES II children were also included to some extent. In 1998, the third GerES for adults was conducted in both parts of Germany (GerES III). The current survey 2003/2006 (GerES IV) is focussing exclusively on children. A 1-year pilot study was conducted in 2001–2002 to collect information on parameters influencing the response rate and to test the suitability of the different instruments intended to be used for the main study. The main goal of the surveys is to analyse and document the extent, distribution and determinants of exposure to environmental pollutants of the German general population. Three main instruments of investigation were comprised in GerES: human biomonitoring (HBM), monitoring of the domestic environment, and collecting information on exposure pathways and living conditions via questionnaires. This paper is focussed on the general design of the GerESs, the trend over time and spatial differences (West Germany and East Germany) for HBM data on arsenic, cadmium, lead, mercury, pentachlorophenol (PCP), and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH). These substances have been determined in blood and/or morning urine of adults and children. All GerESs have been conducted in close connection with the National Health Interview and Examination Surveys performed by the Robert Koch-Institute, Berlin.

Human biomonitoring system in the Czech Republic

The human biomonitoring (HBM) is an integral part of Environmental Health Monitoring System in the Czech Republic since 1994. Selected biomarkers of the internal dose (heavy metals, PCBs) and cytogenetic analysis of peripheral lymphocytes as a biomarker of the exposure/effect to/of environmental genotoxic factors are systematically followed up in the blood and urine of adults (blood donors), in children aged 8 to 10 years, and in the breast milk of nursing mothers. Selected outputs documented the declining trend of blood lead levels, with the recent reference value of 80 mg/l for men, and the rising trend of blood selenium levels in adults, but not in children. PCBs and chlorinated pesticides in human milk show a long-term downward trend, but still higher than in neighbouring countries. The frequency of aberrant cells revealed a downward trend, but the increase obtained in the last monitored period needs to be explained. Further HBM activities are required to demonstrate the corresponding trends and to reduce human exposure and health risks.

PURPLE DIAPER SYNDROME IN GERIATRICS

To the Editor: Blue diaper syndrome is a rare metabolic disorder in infants with autosomal recessive inheritance and is characterized by bluish urine–stained diapers due to indigo and hypercalcemia with nephrocalcinosis.1 A defect in the intestinal transport of tryptophan causes this syndrome. Bacterial degradation of tryptophan in the colon leads to the presence of excessive indole and consequently to indicanuria.1 Here we report that a similar bluish-purple staining was found in the diapers of an elderly nursing home resident, which led to early recognition and treatment of an underlying severe urinary tract infection. Purple diaper syndrome may be analogous to the more familiar “purple urine bag syndrome” (PUBS)2 characterized by a purple discoloration of the urinary catheter bag and tube. This is typically seen in immobile elderly women with chronic constipation and urinary tract infection. The patient, a 90-year-old female nursing home resident, had a 3-year history of Alzheimer's disease and chronic heart failure, and she was unable to do anything without the assistance of caregivers except eat and turn in bed. Examination revealed moderate dementia, with a Mini-Mental State Examination score of 8 of 30 and frailty, as indicated by a low Functional Independence Measure score (21/126). Laboratory findings were normal, including calcium serum level. Because she had incontinence, the patient required diapers. The patient was constipated and needed habitual use of laxatives. Six months after placement, a bluish-purple urine staining was noticed on her diapers over several days, followed by lethargy and loss of appetite and mobility, although there was no fever. Urinary catheterization yielded brownish-red turbid urine with an odor of putrefaction. Urinalysis revealed a highly alkaline urine pH of 8.5 and a moderate number of leukocytes, and the urine culture grew Escherichia coli (>100, 000 colony forming units/mL). The blood leukocyte count rose to 15,200/μL and C-reactive protein was 21.7 mg/dL. It was not possible to assay urinary indican, because there is no commercial laboratory service in Japan that can perform the analysis. There are conflicting results in the literature regarding indican, which is present in the urine of healthy adults,3 whereas indicanuria has not been detected in an otherwise typical patient with PUBS.4 The bluish-purple discoloration of the diapers disappeared shortly after antibiotic treatment, which was similar to that seen in cases of PUBS.4-6 PUBS is an uncommon syndrome associated with urinary tract infections and is mainly observed in chronically catheterized and constipated women. The urinary catheter drainage changes color from light violet or blue to deep indigo or purple. Indigo blue and indirubin red are responsible for these colors.7 Similar to blue diaper syndrome,1 the origin of PUBS begins with dietary tryptophan metabolized by gut bacteria.2 Bacterial overgrowth associated with constipation produces excessive indole, which is absorbed and converted into indican (indoxyl sulfate) in the liver. Indican excreted in the urine oxidizes to insoluble indigo and indirubin after bacterial enzymatic degradation7 and exposure to air.8 Bacterial enzyme–induced urine alkalization also facilitates PUBS.5, 9 A recent case-controlled study showed no causative relationship between bacterial species and PUBS.5 By contrast, a high bacterial count is a major factor indicative of PUBS.5 Although PUBS is generally considered to be a benign clinical condition,5, 8 it has reportedly resulted in severe urinary tract infections and subsequent sepsis.4, 6 Urinary tract infections are one of the most common problems in older people, and the clinical manifestations can be atypical; thus, we suggest that purple diaper syndrome, albeit rare, is a useful clue for caregivers indicating the possibility of urinary tract infection. An insoluble bluish-purple pigment is precipitated on the pad surface after the urine is absorbed into the diaper. By contrast to PUBS, purple diaper syndrome may have escaped recognition, not only because of an unfounded attribution to food or medications, but also because of the paucity of relevant observations from geriatric health professionals. Financial Disclosure: None. Author Contributions: Atsushi Komiyama was the sole author of this letter. Sponsor's Role: None.

Attenuation of the Production of Inositol 1,4,5-Trisphosphate in the Mouse Vomeronasal Organ by Antibodies Against the q/11 Subfamily of G-Proteins

The social and reproductive behaviors of most mammals are modulated by pheromones, which are perceived by the vomeronasal organ (VNO). Vomeronasal transduction in vertebrates is activated through G-protein-coupled receptors, which in turn leads to the generation of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP(3)) and diacylglycerol (DAG) by the activity of phospholipase C. DAG has been shown to gate the transient receptor potential channel 2, whereas IP(3) may play a role in stimulating the release of calcium from the endoplasmic reticulum store. To investigate the role of the alpha subunits of G(q/11) in the transduction process, microvillar membranes from female mice VNO were preincubated with a selective C-terminal peptide antibody against Galpha(q/11) and then stimulated with adult male urine. Incubation of VNO membranes with antibodies against Galpha(q/11) blocked the production of IP(3) in a dose-dependent manner. We were also able to impair the production of IP(3) when we stimulated with 2-heptanone or 2,5-dimethylpyrazine in the presence of antibodies against the alpha subunit of G(q/11). 2-Heptanone is a known pheromone that has been linked to VIR receptors. Thus, our observations indicate that the alpha subunits of G(q/11) play a role in pheromonal signaling in the VNO.

Use of a Zinc Fluorophore to Measure Labile Pools of Zinc in Body Fluids and Cell-Conditioned Media

Here we describe a rapid and sensitive zinquin-based fluorometric assay that enables one to monitor levels of labile Zn(II) in body fluids, buffers, and cell-conditioned culture media as well as changes in these pools in disease. Labile pools of Zn(II) are free or loosely bound pools and more tightly bound but zinquin-accessible pools in contrast to the fixed pools of Zn(II) within metalloproteins. In human plasma, mean labile Zn(II) was 8.1 microM (SEM 0.53; n = 81) and constituted about 70% of the total plasma Zn(II) and >90% of human plasma albumin Zn(II). Plasma labile Zn(II) was significantly depleted after 7 days of Zn(II) deprivation in mice, despite only small changes in body weight. Labile Zn(II) concentrations were also measured in the induced sputum plugs, saliva, and urine of normal adults and were 1.30 microM (SEM 0.27; n = 73), 0.11 microM (SEM 0.11; n = 6), and 0.23 microM (SEM 0.08; n = 8), respectively. Urinary labile Zn(II) concentration was significantly increased in some patients with type II diabetes mellitus (overall mean was 0.90 microM, SEM 0.30; n = 12). The technique may be particularly useful in assessing extracellular Zn(II) levels in diseases associated with altered Zn(II) homeostasis, identifying those subjects most in need of Zn(II) supplementation, and defining the optimum concentrations of available Zn(II) in buffers and culture media.

John Arthur Luetscher, Jr (1913–2005)

Dr John Luetscher was born in Baltimore, Md, the son of a practicing physician. After attending Princeton University, he entered Johns Hopkins Medical School to follow his father’s footsteps as a physician. He was attracted to the intellectual stimulation and challenge of academic medicine by the Hopkins environment and pursued a research fellowship in physical chemistry at Harvard University after completing his internship. During his fellowship, he was exposed to the rigorous and critical approach to science that was to characterize his entire scientific career. His fellowship work focused on plasma proteins and their participation in salt and water metabolism. He returned to Hopkins to complete his clinical training and in 1942 was offered a faculty position in the Department of Medicine there. In 1948, he left Hopkins to become Associate Professor of Medicine at the fledgling Stanford University Medical School, based at that time in San Francisco, where he joined Dr Thomas Addis, a well-known expert in renal disease. John’s interest in salt and water metabolism was enhanced by the discovery of an adrenal principle, “electrocortin,” which had been shown to influence sodium and potassium excretion. This steroid subsequently was named aldosterone, and John, in conjunction with his research associates, Quentin “Chip” Deming and Ben Johnson, was able to isolate aldosterone from the urine of humans with nephrotic syndrome and congestive heart failure.1,2 He is acknowledged to share the identification of aldosterone with the Taits, Jim and Sylvia Simpson, with whom he also shared the prestigious CIBA (now Novartis) Award of the American Heart Association Council for High …

Inositol phosphoglycan putative insulin mediator in human amniotic fluid

Background. Many hormones such as insulin, insulin-like growth factors, and the glucocorticoids are involved in regulating fetal growth. Inositol phosphoglycans (IPGs), a family of putative second messengers of insulin, are reported to exert several of insulin's metabolic effects.Methods. A prospective cross-sectional study was carried out to investigate IPG P-type (P-IPG) in human amniotic fluid and in adult urine under physiological conditions. An amniotic fluid sample was taken from 78 women undergoing early amniocentesis and a mid-stream urine specimen was collected from 109 healthy pregnant and 66 non-pregnant women. All samples were assessed using a polyclonal antibody-based ELISA.Results. The P-IPG content was a thousand times higher in the amniotic fluid than in the urine (p < 0.0001). Urinary specimens showed a four-fold higher P-IPG content during pregnancy than in healthy non-pregnant women (p < 0.001).Conclusions. Under physiological conditions, human amniotic fluid was found to be enriched in P-IPG compared with maternal urine, suggesting a possible fetal origin. Therefore, IPGs may play a role in insulin sensitivity and fetal growth and, perhaps, be involved in some of its abnormalities such as macrosomia and intrauterine growth restriction.