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.     

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.     

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.     

Bacterial infection (BI)-INDEX: an improved and simplified rapid flow cytometric bacterial infection marker

The aim of this study was to develop a rapid and simple flow cytometric bacterial infection marker. In this prospective comparative study, quantitative flow cytometric analysis of CD10, CD35, CD66b, CD282, and MHC Class I molecules on human neutrophils, monocytes, and B-lymphocytes from 141 hospitalized febrile patients with suspected infection and from 50 healthy controls was performed. We developed a flow cytometric marker of local and systemic bacterial infections, designated “bacterial infection (BI)-INDEX”, incorporating the quantitative analysis of CD10, CD35, MHCI, CD66b, and CD282 on neutrophils, monocytes, and B-lymphocytes, which displayed 90% sensitivity and 96% specificity in distinguishing between microbiologically confirmed bacterial (n = 31) and viral infections (n = 27) within a 1-h time-frame. We propose that our novel rapid BI-INDEX test will be useful in assisting physicians to ascertain whether antibiotic treatment is required, thus limiting unnecessary antimicrobial usage.     

Intravenous drug dependence in adolescence

Purpose To explore psychosocial background and preceding substance use related to intravenous drug dependence (IDD) among adolescents.

Methods A clinical sample of 278 adolescents (age 12–17) admitted to psychiatric inpatient hospitalization between April 2001 and January 2004 was studied. Data concerning psychosocial variables and substance use were gathered from the Schedule for Affective Disorder and Schizophrenia for School‐Age Children Present and Lifetime (K‐SADS‐PL), the European Addiction Severity Index (EuropASI) and the interview schedule of the First Treatment Demand protocol of the Pompidou Group of the Council of Europe.

Results The prevalence of IDD was increased if the adolescent was living without biological father or mother, had history of truancy or had been transferred to special class. Initiation age of IDD was significantly lower if the adolescent was living without biological father or mother, the mother of the adolescent was employed full‐time or if the adolescent had been transferred to special class. Early substance experiment was associated with IDD and with earlier initiation of intravenous use. The progression from regular tobacco use to IDD was faster among girls compared to boys.

Implications Common milestones in the progression of IDD are school problems, disturbed relations to parents and previous substance experiments at young age.