Polyamines and polyamine-metabolizing enzyme activities in human semen

The content of polyamines putrescine, spermidine and spermine as well as the activities of some polyamine-metabolizing enzymes have been analyzed from normal and pathological human semen samples. Seminal fluid from semen samples showing no apparent abnormalities in semen analyses contained about 0.2 mM of putrescine, 0.1 mM of spermidine and 3 mM of spermine. Seminal plasma was found to be an exceptionally rich source of diamine oxidase activity (EC 1.4.3.6). In addition, polyamine-synthesizing enzyme activities, S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase and spermidine synthase, were invariably found in seminal plasma. Spermatozoa contained very low or undetectable activities of 5-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase and spermidine synthase; however, a definitive diamine oxidase activity was found also in the cellular component of the semen.The activity of diamine oxidase, and especially that of spermidine synthase, was relatively high in semen samples having low sperm density (less than 20 × 10⁶ spermatozoa per ml). With increasing number of spermatozoa there was a slight decrease in both activities, but as the sperm count exceeded 100 × 10⁶ per ml the activity of diamine oxidase and spermidine synthase sharply increased. The concentration of spermine in seminal plasma showed only minor changes in relation to the number of spermatozoa in semen, the changes being roughly opposite as compared to the changes of the enzyme activities. A significant negative correlation was found between the concentration of putrescine and the activity of diamine oxidase in seminal plasma.Several properties of diamine oxidase from human seminal plasma were found to be comparable to those of other mammalian diamine oxidases. Using radioactive putrescine as the substrate the enzyme activity was inhibited by addition of unlabelled histamine, cadaverine, spermidine and spermine. The enzyme was also powerfully inhibited by various carbonyl reagents and methylglyoxal bis-(guanylhydrazone).     

Cladophialophora bantiana as an Emerging Pathogen in Animals: Case Report of Equine Endometritis and Review of the Literature

We present an unusual equine endometritis case associated with Cladophialophora bantiana in a 15-year-old mare. The mare displayed infertility and uterine fluid accumulation with numerous black, hairy granules. Microscopically, the fluid revealed numerous septate, dark fungal hyphae and conidia in chains. Culture yielded C. bantiana (CBS 138271); the species was confirmed by internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequencing. Treatment was unsuccessful. C. bantiana causes cerebral phaeohyphomycosis in humans, while animal cases are rare. Animal cases are reviewed.     

Cumulative use of salivary markers with an adaptive design improves detection of periodontal disease over fixed biomarker thresholds

Objective: Aim was to analyze the diagnostic ability of cumulative risk score (CRS), which uses salivary levels of Porphyromonas gingivalis, interleukin (IL)-1β, and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-8 in an adaptive design, compared to previously reported thresholds of each marker alone.

Materials and Methods: Oral and general health information of 463 participants were included in the analysis. Having the percentage of bleeding on probing (BOP)?>?25%, having at least two sites with probing pocket depth (PPD) of 4–5?mm or having at least one tooth with alveolar bone loss (ABL) of at least 1/3 of the root length were accepted as outcome variables. Being above the salivary threshold concentrations of P. gingivalis, IL-1β, and MMP-8 and CRS values were used as explanatory variables. Receiver operating characteristics (ROC) producing an area under the curve (AUC) and multinomial regression analysis were used in statistical analysis.

Results: CRS provided AUCs larger than any other tested biomarker threshold. Sensitivity and specificity of CRS for detecting clinical markers of periodontitis were acceptable, and a strong association was observed between the highest CRS score and having at least two sites with PPD of 4–5?mm.

Conclusion: CRS brings additional power over fixed thresholds of single biomarkers in detecting periodontitis.     

The effect of peritoneal exudate on peritoneal morphology in experimental acute pancreatitis. A histologic and scanning electron microscopic study

Changes in peritoneal morphology were examined histologically and by scanning electron microscopy during porcine acute hemorrhagic (n = 8) and edematous (n = 9) pancreatitis and after intraperitoneal installation of hemorrhagic pancreatitis-associated peritoneal exudate in healthy piglets (n = 3). In all experimental groups peritoneal inflammatory changes with mesothelial damage were evident already 1 h after the induction of the disease, and increased with time. Hemorrhagic pancreatitis caused desquamation of mesothelial cells and denudation of the basal membrane. Intraperitoneal installation of hemorrhagic pancreatitis-associated peritoneal exudate in healthy piglets caused similar changes, whereas the changes in edematous pancreatitis were much less extensive. Peritoneal exudate accumulating in the peritoneal cavity during hemorrhagic pancreatitis caused early chemical peritonitis characterized by severe inflammation of the peritoneum with destruction of the mesothelial cell layer, leading to denudation of the underlying connective tissue. The significance of these changes in the pathophysiology of acute fulminant pancreatitis remains to be further studied.     

Asthma Programme in Finland: the quality of primary care spirometry is good

AIMS: To assess the quality of primary care spirometry by visual inspection of the flow-volume expiratory curve and to study the quantity of clinical information provided on the spirometry report sheets. METHODS: Retrospective audit of 868 expiratory flow-volume curves referred to three pulmonary clinics assessed against five predefined quality criteria. Clinical information included on the spirometry report sheets was also collected. RESULTS: Quality was good in 78% of pre-bronchodilation curves and in 80% of post-bronchodilation curves. Obtaining a sharp PEF value and full vital capacity exhalation seemed to be the critical points of measurement. Inter-rater reliability of the curve assessment was mainly good. Data on where the spirometry took place, and comments on the use of respiratory medication and patient co-operation were often lacking. CONCLUSIONS: The quality of primary care spirometry was good. Adequate clinical information on the report sheets would further improve the quality of this diagnostic process.     

Peritoneal blood flow during acute experimental pancreatitis. The role of peritoneal exudate

Peritoneal blood flow is closely related to the pathophysiology of peritoneal exudate during acute pancreatitis. Peritoneal blood flow was determined by the radioactive microsphere method before and 5 h after the beginning of the experiment in 39 piglets with acute hemorrhagic pancreatis, acute edemic pancreatitis, or slowly progressing hypovolemia. The effect of hemorrhagic ascitic fluid was also studied. Cardiac output was determined by thermodilution. Acute experimental hemorrhagic pancreatitis and intraperitoneally injected hemorrhagic ascitic fluid per se caused similar and significant increases in peritoneal blood flow, the increase being unaffected by the correction of the secondary hypovolemia in acute hemorrhagic pancreatitis. Laparotomy combined with duodenotomy also caused a similar increase in peritoneal blood flow. Hypovolemia alone caused only insignificant reduction in peritoneal blood flow. Peritoneal exudate accumulating in the peritoneal cavity during early acute experimental hemorrhagic pancreatitis causes a significant increase in peritoneal blood flow which is unaffected by the correction of the secondary hypovolemia during acute pancreatitis. The inflammatory increase in peritoneal blood flow during acute pancreatitis is evidently a major factor in the accumulation of peritoneal exudate during the disease.     

Toxic acute hepatitis and hepatic fibrosis after consumption of chaparral tablets

In this report we describe a young, previously healthy woman who developed severe acute hepatitis after consumption of chaparral tablets, a commonly used herbal product. In this case, the elimination-rechallenge event and the exclusion of other possible aetiologic factors strongly supported true causality between the herbal product and the liver damage. Primary liver biopsy showed severe toxic hepatitis consistent with previous reports of chaparral-induced liver damage. Later, 6 months after the liver function tests had normalized, permanent hepatic fibrosis could still be seen.     

Incidence of juvenile idiopathic arthritis in the Nordic countries. A population based study with special reference to the validity of the ILAR and EULAR criteria

OBJECTIVE: To find the incidence of juvenile arthritis according to the ILAR and EULAR criteria within defined areas in the Nordic countries, and to study the validity of the ILAR and EULAR criteria from this perspective. METHOD: A longitudinal, prospective, population based study with patients enrolled according to the ILAR and EULAR criteria. Twenty doctors in Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Finland collected data from the incidence cases within their catchment areas over a period of 1.5 years, beginning July 1, 1997. Clinical and serological data from the first year of the disease were collected. RESULTS: In the whole group of 315 patients, the incidence rate was 15 per 100,000 children/year (95% CI 13-17) according to the ILAR criteria, varying from 7 (1-13) in Iceland, 19 (7-31) and 23 (10-36) from 2 different regions in Norway, and 9 (5-12) and 16 (9-23) from 2 different areas in Denmark, to 15 (12-18) in Sweden and 21/100,000/year (15-26) in the Helsinki region in Finland. An early peak in distribution for age of onset was found in girls but not in boys. The number of antinuclear antibody (ANA) positive children in the whole group, made up of children who had undergone at least one analyzed ANA test, was 123/315 (39%). Girls were ANA positive in 83/197 (42%) and boys in 40/118 (34%). Uveitis developed in 27/315 (8.6%) children during the first 6 months of the disease. CONCLUSION: Incidence rates of juvenile arthritis for areas within the Nordic countries were in accord with previous data. The ILAR criteria present slightly higher incidence rates, with a shorter disease duration for inclusion, compared to the EULAR criteria. Patients in one subgroup in either of the criteria sets do not necessarily belong to the expected subgroup in the other set of criteria; e.g., for juvenile ankylosing spondylitis (EULAR) and enthesitis related arthritis (ILAR). Our epidemiological findings are a reminder to be aware of possible new subgroups in children with juvenile arthritis.