Improved detection of DNA Schistosoma haematobium from eggs extracted by bead beating in urine

Parasitology Research - Diagnosis of Schistosoma haematobium relies primarily on microscopical analysis of urine. The method is time consuming and requires some expertise. Genus-specific real-time...     

Associations between digit ratio (2D4D), mood,and autonomic stress response in healthy men

The ratio between the length of the second (index) and the fourth (ring) finger (2D4D) is a putative biomarker of prenatal testosterone (T) exposure, with higher exposure leading to a smaller ratio. 2D4D has further been linked to mental and somatic disorders. Healthy male Swiss recruits (N = 245; M_age = 20.30 years) underwent a psychosocial stress test. Mood and salivary alpha‐amylase (sAA) were assessed before and after the stress test, while heart rate (HR) and heart rate variability (HRV) were measured continuously. Additionally, 2D4D (right: R2D4D; left: L2D4D) was determined and divided into quartile groups. Correlation analysis showed no associations between R/L2D4D and outcome measures. Comparing calculated quartiles for R2D4D, subjects in the lowest R2D4D quartile expressed trendwise (p < 0.10) lower positive and higher negative affect, significantly elevated sAA activity (p < 0.05), but no HR and HRV differences at baseline as compared to subjects in the upper three quartiles. With regard to acute stress, subjects in the lowest as compared to subjects in the upper three R2D4D quartiles showed a higher increase of negative affect and a stronger cardiac response (p < 0.05), but no alterations in positive affect and sAA activity. Young healthy men in the lowest R2D4D quartile revealed a more negative affect and increased physiological activity at baseline and in response to acute stress. An exposure to high levels of prenatal T might constitute a risk factor potentially increasing vulnerability to stress‐related disorders in men.     

Comparison of two malignancy risk indices based on serum CA125, ultrasound score and menopausal status in the diagnosis of ovarian masses

Objective To evaluate the ability of two malignancy risk indices (RMI 1 and Rh4I 2) incorporating menopausal status, serum CA125 level and ultrasound findings, to discriminate a benign from a malignant pelvic mass.
Design A retrospective study.
Setting Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Siena, Italy.
Population One hundred and twenty-four women over 30 years of age admitted consecutively between January 1995 and December 1997 for surgical excision of ovarian masses.
Main outcome measures The sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive value of serum CA125, ultrasound findings and menopausal status, separately and combined into the RMI 1 and RMI 2, to diagnose ovarian cancer.
Results The RMI 1 and RMI 2 were more accurate than menopausal status, ultrasound findings, and CA125 separately in diagnosing cancer. For all cut off values between 80 and 250, RMI 2 performed better than RMI 1. The RMI 2 at a cut off level of 125 gave a sensitivity of 81%, specificity of 90%, and positive predictive value of 74%.
Conclusions We found that RMI 2 was more reliable in discriminating benign and malignant ovarian disease than RMI 1. RMI is a simple method which can be used in gynaecology clinics and less specialised centres.     

Detection of doxorubicin hydrochloride accumulation in the rat brain after morphine treatment by mass spectrometry

Purpose  

The blood–brain barrier discriminates the access of several molecules to the brain. This hampers the use of some drugs, as doxorubicin, potentially active for treatment of brain tumors. We explored the feasibility of active modification of the blood–brain barrier protection, by using morphine pretreatment, to allow doxorubicin accumulation in the brain in an animal model.     

Safety and tolerability of antiepileptic drug treatment in children with epilepsy

The aim of treating epilepsy is to control or at least decrease seizures without producing unacceptable adverse effects that impair quality of life. Antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) have been considered amongst the drugs most frequently associated with fatal suspected adverse drug reactions. Physicians must therefore be as familiar with safety and tolerability data of AEDs as they are with the expected therapeutic effects. AEDs may cause dose-related adverse effects (i.e. drowsiness, fatigue, dizziness, blurry vision and incoordination) that, in most cases, may be obviated by lowering the dosage, reducing the number of drugs or switching to a better tolerated AED. AEDs also have the potential of precipitating idiosyncratic adverse effects (i.e. serious cutaneous, haematological and hepatic events), which are more common in children and usually require withdrawal of the AED. Although occurrence of idiosyncratic adverse effects can only rarely be predicted or prevented, there are known risk factors that can help in identifying patients at high risk. Occurrence of an idiosyncratic event in a close relative, a concomitant autoimmune disease, co-treatment with specific drugs, history of a previous allergic drug reaction, starting treatment with high doses and rapid titration have all been associated with a higher risk of idiosyncratic adverse effects. New AEDs have been developed in the last two decades with the aim of improving the benefit-risk balance of AED therapy. Available evidence suggests that the newer AEDs are no more effective but may be somewhat better tolerated than older molecules. We performed a literature review with the aim of evaluating safety and tolerability of second- and third-generation AEDs in children. A PubMed search was conducted with the purpose of identifying English-language studies published between 1 January 1989 and 1 January 2011 that reported any adverse event having occurred in children with epilepsy in whom second- and third-generation AEDs were administered.     

Immune cell-derived vesicles: modulators and mediators of inflammation

Most cell types can release vesicles. Cell-derived vesicles are increasingly recognized as an evolutionary wide-spread mechanism of intercellular communication. The paracrine and long range activity of vesicles and their regulated cargo-composition endows these vesicles with regulatory properties beyond that of the parental cell. The release and biogenesis of cell-derived vesicles is a dynamic and tightly controlled process. In the past years it has become clear that these vesicles exert a plethora of biological effects. This has sparked the intense interest in these vesicles in relation to (patho)physiological processes. This review focuses on the role of cell-derived vesicles in inflammation, with emphasis on the immune modulating capacity of immune cell-derived vesicles. The biological activity of different leukocyte-derived vesicles is compared, and potential explanations for the strong biological effects exhibited by vesicles are provided. The role of cell-derived vesicles in inflammatory processes is discussed by speculating how these vesicles can contribute to allergic inflammation.     

Genetic and biochemical approach to early prenatal diagnosis in a family with mut methylmalonic aciduria

Genetic and biochemical prenatal diagnosis was performed at 11 weeks of gestation in a family with a proband affected by mut methylmalonic aciduria (MMA) and homozygotes for the MUT gene c.643G>A (p.Gly215Ser) mutation. Both chorionic villus and amniotic fluid samples were used. The presence of high levels of methylmalonic acid and propionylcarnitine determined by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry and LC/MS/MS analysis, respectively, and the identification of the p.Gly215Ser at a homozygous level in foetal DNA allowed a certain, rapid and early diagnosis. To our knowledge, this is the first mut MMA prenatal diagnosis carried out by genetic and biochemical approach.