A simple one-vial-method was developed for the quantitative determination of sphingomyelinase activity in human leukocytes and urine, using [14C-methyl] sphingomyelin. The measured activities of healthy control persons show a higher scatter in (n=50) urine (1.2 +/- 0.5 nmol/h . ml urine) than in (n=9) leukocytes (2.15 +/- 0.35 nmol/h . mg protein). Long term tests showed that the enzyme activities in urine can best be correlated to the 24-h-creatinine excretion. A distinct loss of enzyme activity was found in dialyzed urine starting at about the third day; this did not occur in undialyzed urine. The method also shows good reproducibility in micro-tests. It is therefore suitable for screening tests (urine of persons suffering from Niemann Pick disease) and for the prenatal diagnosis of sphingomyelinosis. For one out of two children with symptoms of sphingomyelinosis (hepatosplenomegaly, mental retardation, and neurological deterioration) the diagnosis was confirmed by morphological examination of tissues obtained by biopsy. In both cases leukocytes and urine revealed normal sphingomyelinase activity. These biochemical results in conjunction with the clinical and morphological picture were indicative of type C Niemann-Pick disease.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1515/cclm.1978.16.7.407 | DOI Listing |
Diagn Microbiol Infect Dis
January 2025
Microbiology Service, Hospital Clínico Universitario, INCLIVA Research Institute, Valencia, Spain. Electronic address:
We aimed to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of screening for sexually transmitted infections (STI), Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Mycoplasma genitalium, and Trichomonas vaginalis in patients with suspected urinary tract infection (UTI) but negative urine cultures, using a pooled sampling method. A cohort of 200 patients was analyzed. A decision tree model based on cost-effectiveness was used to evaluate the following five diagnostic strategies: (A) no screening;(B) screening only men;(C) screening only women;(D) screening men and women with high leukocyte counts (>70cells/µL);(E) screening all men and women.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFront Immunol
January 2025
School of Nursing, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, China.
Background: Most patients initially diagnosed with non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) still have frequent recurrence after urethral bladder tumor electrodesiccation supplemented with intravesical instillation therapy, and their risk of recurrence is difficult to predict. Risk prediction models used to predict postoperative recurrence in patients with NMIBC have limitations, such as a limited number of included cases and a lack of validation. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop new models to compensate for the shortcomings and potentially provide evidence for predicting postoperative recurrence in NMIBC patients.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFRes Sq
January 2025
Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University.
Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs) in pregnant women can lead to pyelonephritis and preterm birth. We assessed UTI prevalence, etiology, antimicrobial resistance, and associated risk factors among pregnant women receiving antenatal care in rural Amhara, Ethiopia. 604 pregnant women were screened for UTI at ≤ 24 weeks gestational age from August 2020 to June 2022.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSpectrochim Acta A Mol Biomol Spectrosc
January 2025
Department of Analytical Chemistry, University of Valencia, Dr. Moliner 50, 46100 Burjassot, Spain. Electronic address:
The presence of cells in urine and in particular White Blood Cells (WBCs) is often associated with Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs) and other diseases. Non-invasive screening of WBCs requires the development of cost-effective point of care diagnostic tools. Infrared (IR) spectroscopy has the potential to identify and quantify cells in urine.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPathogens
January 2025
Department of Virology, Croatian Institute of Public Health, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia.
Neuroinvasive flaviviruses such as tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) and West Nile virus (WNV) are widely distributed in continental Croatian regions. We analyzed clinical characteristics, laboratory parameters, and molecular epidemiology of neuroinvasive flavivirus infections in eastern Croatia. A total of 43 patients with confirmed flavivirus infection hospitalized from 2017 to 2023 were included in the study.
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