Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry method for rapid identification and differentiation of Burkholderia pseudomallei and Burkholderia mallei from each other, Burkholderia thailandensis and several members of the Burkholderia cepacia complex.

AIMS: To develop a simple gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) method for the detection and differentiation of Burkholderia pseudomallei and Burkholderia mallei from each other, Burkholderia thailandensis and several members of the Burkholderia cepacia complex. METHODS AND RESULTS: Biomarkers were generated by one-step thermochemolysis (TCM) and analysed using a GC-MS system. Fragments of poly-3-hydroxybutyrate-co-hydroxyvalerate [poly(3HBA-co-3HVA)] produced by TCM were useful biomarkers. Several cellular fatty acid methyl esters were important in differentiating the various Burkholderia species. A statistical discrimination algorithm was constructed using a combination of biomarkers. The identities of four B. pseudomallei strains, four B. mallei strains and one strain of each near neighbour were confirmed in a statistically designed test using the algorithm. The detection limit for this method was found to be approximately 4000 cells. CONCLUSIONS: The method is fast, accurate and easy to use. The algorithm is robust against different growth conditions (medium and temperature). SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: This assay may prove beneficial in a clinical diagnostic setting, where the rapid identification of B. pseudomallei is essential to effective treatment. This method could also be easily employed after a biological attack to confirm the presence of either B. pseudomallei or B. mallei.

Comparative psychopathology of women who experienced intra-familial versus extra-familial sexual abuse.

The Diagnostic Inventory of Personality and Symptoms (DIPS) was used to assess psychopathology in a clinical sample of 30 women with histories of intra-familial sexual victimization, 22 women with histories of extra-familial sexual victimization, and 30 women with no victimization experiences. The present study examines whether the relative/nonrelative issue is significant to the impact of sexual victimization experiences. A clinical comparison of two point code types indicated that both sexually abused groups could be characterized as suffering an Affective Depressed-Dissociative Disorder. However, profile shapes produced for the intra- and extra-familial abused groups differed. A discriminant function developed via step wise selection procedures incorporated 12 of the 14 scales, correctly classifying 94% of the individuals (49 of 52) as members of the extra or intra-familial groups. Profile analyses, discriminant analyses, clinically descriptive comparisons, and post hoc analyses of individual scales all revealed that psychopathology is much more evident in those who have experienced sexual abuse. Methodological considerations are highlighted and implications for treatment and research are addressed.

Blood pressure-independent effect of angiotensin inhibition on vascular lesions of chronic renal failure.

Previous studies in experimental models of progressive renal failure have shown that the capacity of antihypertensive drugs to protect glomeruli from sclerosis is often unpredictable from their effect on systemic blood pressure. The present study was undertaken to ascertain whether this systemic blood pressure-independent structure-preserving effect of antihypertensives, particularly angiotensin II converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEI), is confined to the glomerulus or not, as well as whether this effect is mediated via angiotensin II (Ang II). The following experimental drug regimens were used in the rat model of subtotal nephrectomy (sNPX): so-called triple therapy [TRX; a combination of reserpine 5 mg/liter drinking water (DW), hydralazine 80 mg/liter DW and hydrochlorothiazide 25 mg/liter DW], or ACEI (either captopril, CPL, 600 mg/liter DW, enalapril, ENL, 400 mg/liter DW or lisinopril, LSL, 200 mg/liter DW), or a novel Ang II receptor antagonist (Ang IIR, L-158,809, 20 mg/liter DW). These dosages were identified in pilot studies to be the minimum required to control systemic blood pressure in the early phase up to 12 weeks. In addition, a separate group was treated with a higher dose of L-158,809 (80 mg/liter DW) with equipotent systemic pressor effect. Treatment was initiated eight weeks after subtotal nephrectomy following renal biopsy, and animals were sacrificed at 16 weeks. In ACEI treated rats, carotid arterial wall thickening (WT), defined as ratio of media thickening to radius of outer vessel wall, was similar to normal age-matched control (0.073 in all ACEI treated rats, vs. 0.074 in normal control) and significantly less than with TRX (ratio 0.118) or untreated sNPX (0.130). Even more remarkably, coronary arteriole WT in ACEI-treated rats averaged 0.139, a value less than one half and one third of TRX (0.298) and untreated sNPX control (0.388), respectively. Similar results were obtained for mesenteric artery WT. These findings were closely paralleled by changes of glomerular sclerosis. In untreated sNPX control rats, glomerular sclerosis increased from biopsy to autopsy specimens by an average of 458%. Although TRX dampened the degree of increase in sclerosis to on average 212%, this protective effect was far less than that achieved by ACEI. In the latter, sclerosis increased on average only 65% from biopsy to autopsy. Although all ACEIs were more effective than TRX, captopril and lisinopril groups showed greatest benefit at these doses. Ang IIR also protected renal and extrarenal structures with 34% increase of sclerosis index in low dose and WT 0.088, 0.117 and 0.112, respectively in carotid, mesenteric and coronary arteries.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Glucocorticoid activates glomerular antioxidant enzymes and protects glomeruli from oxidant injuries.

We examined the effect of glucocorticoid on intrinsic glomerular antioxidant enzyme (AOE) activities. Munich-Wistar rats were treated with daily i.p. injection of vehicle or methylprednisolone [MP, 15 mg/kg body wt, (MP15)] either for three days or nine days. Glomeruli isolated from rats given MP15 had significantly higher activities of total (T-) and manganese (Mn-) superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and catalase than vehicle-treated rats (P less than 0.05). MP15-treated rats were subjected to intrarenal arterial infusion of hydrogen peroxide (35 mumol over 1 hr). Values for urinary protein excretion rate (UprV) after hydrogen peroxide infusion were markedly lower in rats pretreated with MP15 for both three days and nine days than in untreated rats (109 +/- 18 and 55 +/- 24 vs. 416 +/- 73 micrograms/min, respectively, both P less than 0.005). To test whether the same therapeutic intervention attenuates reactive oxygen species (ROS)-mediated glomerular injury in another model, rats given a single i.v. dose of puromycin aminonucleoside (PAN) (50 mg/kg body wt) were treated with daily i.p. injection of vehicle or MP15. Two days after PAN administration, when compared to vehicle-treated controls, PAN rats given MP15 had significantly higher activities of Mn-SOD, GSH-Px and catalase. After eight days of PAN injection, T- and Mn-SOD activities were, likewise, significantly higher in MP15- than vehicle-treated PAN rats. PAN rats given MP15 also had substantially less proteinuria, compared to PAN rats given vehicle alone, UprV averaging 32.3 +/- 9.4 versus 159.0 +/- 13.8 mg/24 hr (P less than 0.05). Elevated glomerular malondialdehyde (MDA) level characteristic of PAN rats was absent in rats treated with MP15. Moreover, epithelial foot process fusion and cell vacuolization seen in vehicle-treated PAN rats were markedly attenuated in MP15-treated PAN rats. These data indicate that the mechanism for therapeutic effect of glucocorticoids on ROS-mediated renal injuries includes an enhancement of endogenous glomerular AOE activities, which attenuates lipid peroxidation of glomerular tissue.

Role of intrinsic antioxidant enzymes in renal oxidant injury.

To investigate the functional role of renal intrinsic antioxidant enzymes (AOEs), the levels of AOE activities in isolated glomeruli and the changes in renal function to oxidant insults were assessed in normal control rats (NC, N = 23) and rats subjected to 30-minutes of complete renal ischemia for three days (day-3, N = 20) or six days (day-6, N = 23) prior to study. When compared to NC, the activities of total and manganese (cyanide-insensitive) superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and catalase were increased more than twofold in day-6 animals, on average, from 36 +/- 4 U/mg protein, 9 +/- 1 U/mg protein, 129 +/- 21 U/mg protein and 1.32 +/- 0.20 k/mg protein, respectively, to 80 +/- 5, 27 +/- 3, 283 +/- 41 and 3.20 +/- 0.20, respectively (P less than 0.05 for all). There were no changes in AOE activities in day-3 animals. In day-6 animals, however, the activities of non-AOEs, LDH and fumarase were found to be unaffected. Separate groups of NC (N = 12), day-3 (N = 5) and day-6 (N = 12) rats were subjected to either 30 minutes of ischemia plus 60 minutes of reperfusion (I/R) or unilateral i.a. infusion of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2, 35 mu moles in 1 hr). The degree of reduction in inulin and para-amino hippurate clearance rates following I/R were significantly less in day-6 (-21 +/- 3% and -12 +/- 2, respectively) compared to NC (-69 +/- 9% and -59 +/- 11, respectively) or day-3 rats (-73 +/- 7% and -62 +/- 10, respectively).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Osmotic error in erythrocyte volume determinations.

Because of osmotic effects erythrocytes suspended in their native plasma do not have the same volume as the same erythrocytes suspended in Isoton. The discrepancy varies depending upon the osmolality and composition of the native plasma and the length of time the cells have been suspended in Isoton. consequently, the MCV recorded in an electronic particle counter (Coulter in this case) may differ markedly from the true in vivo MCV. A similar error affects the Coulter hematocrit, which is calculated from the MCV and the erythrocyte count. This matrix effect should be taken into account in any laboratory quality assurance program.

19-Hydroxy-prostaglandin E and infertility in human males.

We measured the content of 19-hydroxy-prostaglandin E (19-OH-PGE) and prostaglandin E (PGE) in the semen of 10 infertile males by alkaline dehydration, thin layer chromatographic separation and ultraviolet spectrophotometry. 7 fertile males were also studied. In both groups the content of seminal 6-keto-prostaglandin F1 alpha (6-keto-PGF1 alpha) also was measured by thin layer chromatographic separation and highly specific radioimmunoassay. The amounts of 19-OH-PGE and PGE were significantly lower (p < .02, p < .05) in the infertile group than the fertile group. Differences in mean seminal 6-keto-F1 alpha were not significant. The uterine stimulatory actions of 19-OH-PGE demonstrable in the monkey may apply to fertility in man.

Neutrophilic hypersegmentation as an indicator of incipient folic acid deficiency.

The authors have identified a group of subjects with neutrophilic hypersegmentation who are normal or near-normal with respect to other hematologic indices (hemoglobin, mean corpuscular volume). In a high proportion of these subjects, serum folate levels are abnormally low. In this group and a non-hypersegmented-neutrophil control group there was a significant negative correlation between average numbers of neutrophilic lobes and serum folate levels. In the subjects with hypersegmented neutrophils the predominant alteration is a shift from three-lobed to five-lobed neutrophils. It is believed that neutrophilic hypersegmentation can be a valuable adjunct in documenting and/or uncovering incipient folate deficiency.

Selective release of archidonic acid from the phospholipids of human platelets in response to thrombin.

Arachidonic acid is unique amongst human platelet fatty acids in that it is the precursor of prostaglandins and thromboxanes. Since a number of these oxygenated products of arachidonic acid have potent effects on platelet function, an understanding of the metabolsim of their precursor is important. Human platelets have a mechanism for incorporating arachidonic acid from plasma into their phospholipids and, in response to thrombin, they reveal mechanisms for hydrolyzing this arachidonic acid from platelet phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylinositol. This report deals with the specificity of these mechanisms. The present studies show that human platelets contain phospholipase A2 activities that preferentially release arachidonic acid. One of these activities specifically utilizes 1-acyl-2-arachidonyl-phosphatidyl-choline. Another utilizes platelet phosphatidylinositol and/or phosphatidylserine, both of which are highly enriched with arachidonic acid.

Metabolism of [14C]arachidonic acid by human platelets.

A time dependent incorporation of [1-14C] arachidonic acid into platelet phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylinositol, phosphatidylethanolamine, and phosphatidylserine was observed in platelet-rich plasma. When platelets, so labelled, were washed and treated with thrombin, there was a major decrease in the radioactivity of phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylinositol. This decrease was accounted for by the appearance of several previously identified (Hamberg and Samuelsson (1974) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S. 71, 3400) 14C-labelled oxygenated products of arachidonic acid.