scholarly journals The Diagnostic Role of Urinary N-Acetyl-β-D-glucosaminidase (NAG) Activity in the Detection of Renal Tubular Impairment

2005 ◽  
Vol 48 (2) ◽  
pp. 75-80 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sylva Skálová

The kidney function can be assessed by a number of methods. The urinary excretion of enzymes, in particular N-acetyl-β-D-glucosaminidase (NAG), is considered a relatively simple, cheap, fast and non-invasive method in the detection and follow-up of renal tubular function under various conditions. The determination of urinary NAG provides a very sensitive and reliable indicator of renal damage, such as injury or dysfunction due to diabetes mellitus, nephrotic syndrome, inflammation, vesicoureteral reflux, urinary tract infection, hypercalciuria, urolithiasis, nephrocalcinosis, perinatal asphyxia, hypoxia, hypertension, heavy metals poisoning, treatment with aminoglycosides, valproate, or other nephrotoxic drugs. This paper gives an overview of the current use of urinary NAG in the detection of renal injury.

Author(s):  
Andrei Răzvan CODEA ◽  
Mircea MIRCEAN ◽  
Orsolya SARPATAKI ◽  
Bogdan SEVASTRE ◽  
Gavril GIURGIU ◽  
...  

Reference values have a major importance in describing the diversity of healthy individuals variables. These are population reference ranges (RIs) that comprise 95% of the healthy population. The determination of biological markers, like urinary NAG and creatinine, is considered a simple, rapid and non-invasive method for detecting and monitoring renal tubular function under different conditions. Calculation of the urinary NAG index provides a good estimate of the excretion of the two markers over a 24 hour period. An increase of the urinary NAG index may precede increases in standard parameters used in the diagnosis of renal disease, especially in cases of acute tubular lesions. With the purpose of detecting deviations of the urinary NAG index, this study established the reference values in Wistar rats. Urine samples were collected from 100 healthy Wistar rats, 50 males and 50 females. NAG and creatinine were determined, and subsequently the NAG index was calculated for reference value establishing. The mean value of NAG index was found to be 5.81±1.68 (U / g) for healthy females and 4.10±0.90 (U / g) for healthy males.


Author(s):  
Strahinja ĆIBIĆ ◽  
Miloš PAVLOVIĆ

Ultrasound Real time 2D diagnostics, being an available and non-invasive method, issuccessfully used in human medicine, veterinary medicine and biology to diagnose bothphysiological and pathological conditions. In the case of small animals, the ultrasound is often usedto diagnose gravidity, number, size and vitality of fetuses as well as to diagnose pathologicalconditions present in the genital tract, and is also used to examine testicles and prostate of maleanimals. Today's advanced use of the ultrasound diagnostics provides us with an opportunity todetect numerous pathological conditions of reproductive tract of both female and male animals, andthose conditions directly affect health status of other internal organs. The aim of this study is todiagnose primary genital tract disorders using the ultrasound diagnostics, as well as proving itsconnection to the changes in parenchymal organs. The ultrasound examination was performed onthe total of 12 dogs, 6 male and 6 female dogs. Ovaries, uterus and the organs in the abdominal areawere examined using a transducer ranging from 5 to 8 MHz. A transducer of 7.5 MHz was used toexamine prostates and testicles. The patients were in dorsal position. Three out of six examined maledogs exhibited changes on their prostates, and the remaining one had a tumor on the testicles. Cystitisand hyperplasia of prostate were also found upon the examination of these dogs. One out of sixexamined female dogs, had cystic endometrial hyperplasia, three of them had pyometra, and one ofthem was diagnosed with an follicular cyst. In addition to these pathological conditions, changeswere noticed in the liver and pancreas. Along with the detection of primary changes in the genitaltract of both male and female animals, the ultrasound diagnostics can be used to discover consequentchanges in parenchymal organs.


Author(s):  
P. M. Kotlyarov ◽  
N. V. Chernichenko ◽  
V. P. Kharchenko

The aim of the study was to evaluate the role of virtual bronchoscopy (VB) in traumatic rupture of the main bronchus Material and methods. Тhe data of virtual bronchoscopy of multispiral computed tomography (MSCT) with multiplanar and 3D reconstructions of 10 patients with traumatic separation of the main bronchus were analyzed. MSCT was carried out by the computer tomograph AquilionONE (320-slice) according to the previously described technique. Results of the study. VB MSCT allowed to determine the presence of a complete or partial rupture of the main bronchus, its distance to the bifurcation of the trachea, the state of the collapsed lung, the presence of fluid in the hemithorax, secondary changes in the bone structures of the chest. The World Bank played an important role in monitoring the adequacy of reconstructive measures on the damaged bronchus, excluding the occurrence of postoperative stenosis. The conclusion. Virtual bronchoscopy of multispiral computed tomography with the capabilities of multiplanar and volumetric reconstructions, postprocessing image processing is an optimal non-invasive method for determining the traumatic lesion of the main bronchi and monitoring the success of the reconstructive surgical manual.


Kardiologiia ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 61 (4) ◽  
pp. 46-52
Author(s):  
M. V. Zhatkina ◽  
N. E. Gavrilova ◽  
V. A. Metelskaya ◽  
E. B. Yarovaya ◽  
B. A. Rudenko ◽  
...  

Aim      To evaluate quantitative and qualitative characteristics of atherosclerotic plaques (ASP) in carotid arteries (CA) and femoral arteries (FA) and to use these data for developing a visual scale (VS) for noninvasive diagnosis and determination of severity of coronary atherosclerosis.Material and methods  This study included 216 patients (115 men and 101 women) aged 24 to 87 years (mean age, 61.5±10.73 years). All patients underwent coronary angiography (CAG) for detecting and determining severity of CA atherosclerosis and duplex scanning (DS) for detecting atherosclerosis of CA and FA.Results Analysis of ultrasound parameters of ASP in CA and FA showed that the maximal ASP height, moderate stenosis and maximal stenosis of the arterial bed had higher predictive values than other ultrasound parameters. These parameters were used for forming diagnostic complexes, on the basis of which two individual VSs for CA and FA were developed. Based on the high prognostic value of both scales, they were combined into one that was named VSCOMB. A ROC analysis determined cut-off points of the VSCOMB for diagnosis of CA atherosclerosis of various severity. VSCOMB scores  >4 indicated pronounced CA atherosclerosis with sensitivity of 86.1 % and specificity of 87.5 % whereas VSCOMB scores  ≤4 excluded it. Thus, VSCOMB score 0–1 indicated the absence of CA atherosclerosis; score 2–4 indicated the presence of subclinical CA atherosclerosis; and score >4 indicated severe CA atherosclerosis.Conclusion      A VSCOMB was developed that includes a set of ultrasound parameters for CA and FA and is useful for noninvasive diagnosis of CA atherosclerosis of various severity. Simple and convenient use of VSCOMB allows it to be used at the screening stage to detect subclinical CA atherosclerosis and to prevent its progression. 


2016 ◽  
Vol 85 (4) ◽  
pp. 363-366 ◽  
Author(s):  
Petra Bolechová ◽  
Kateřina Ječmínková ◽  
Michal Hradec ◽  
Tomáš Kott ◽  
Jana Doležalová

Gibbons of the genus Nomascus have a strong sexual dimorphism and dichromatism. As they mature, both sexes develop sex-specific pelage colour. In combination with physical similarities in the genitalia with both sexes, there are problems with determining the sex of young individuals compared to other genus of gibbons. This is a pilot study applying a multiplex polymerase chain reactions based on a non-invasive method for sex determination of gibbons. The study was conducted on 22 faecal samples from gibbons of the genus Nomascus. The animals were monitored by staff so that the samples were identified correctly and each sample was collected immediately after the defecation. Results confirmed the sex in all adult and juvenile animals with known sex; and 2 females and 5 males in juveniles were determined with unknown sex. The results of direct examination completely corresponded with the PCR results. The PCR reaction with template DNA isolated from faecal material required BSA usage, however, we observed the occurrence of nonspecific fragments. This did not affect the reliability of our results and we confirmed the usability of this method for this genus.


Author(s):  
Carlotta Giani ◽  
Liborio Torregrossa ◽  
Ramone Teresa ◽  
Romei Cristina ◽  
Antonio Matrone ◽  
...  

Abstract Context Tumour capsule integrity is becoming a relevant issue to predict the biological behaviour of human tumours, including thyroid cancer. Aim To verify if a whole tumour capsule in the classical variant of PTC (CVPTC) could have a predictive role of a good outcome as for follicular variant (FVPTC). Methods FVPTC (n=600) and CVPTC (n=554) cases, were analysed. We distinguished encapsulated-FVPTC (E-FVPTC) and encapsulated-CVPTC (E-CVPTC) and, thereafter, invasive (Ei-FVPTC and Ei-CVPTC) and non-invasive (En-FVPTC and En-CVPTC) tumours, according to the invasion or integrity of tumour capsule, respectively. Cases without tumour capsule were indicated as invasive-FVPTC (I-FVPTC) and invasive-CVPTC (I-CVPTC). Sub-group of each variant was evaluated for BRAF mutations. Results E-FVPTC was more frequent than E-CVPTC (p<0.0001). No differences were found between En-FVPTC and En-CVPTC or between Ei-FVPTC and Ei-CVPTC. After 18 years of follow-up, a greater number of not-cured cases were observed in Ei-CVPTC with respect to Ei-FVPTC, but not in En-CVPTC to En-FVPTC. Multivariate clustering analysis showed that En-FVPTC, En-CVPTC, and Ei-FVPTC have similar features but different from I-FVPTC and I-CVPTC and, to a lesser extent, from Ei-CVPTC. 177/614 (28.8%) cases were BRAF  V600E-mutated and 10/614(1.6%) carried BRAF-rare alterations. Significantly higher rate of En-CVPTC (22/49,44.9%) than En-FVPTC (15/195,7.7%) (p<0.0001) were BRAF  V600E-mutated. Conclusions En-CVPTC is less prevalent than En-FVPTC. However, they have a good clinical/ pathological behavior comparable to En-FVPTC. This finding confirms the good prognostic role of a whole tumour capsule also in CVPTC. New nomenclature for En-CVPTC, similar to that introduced for En-FVPTC (i.e, NIFTP) could be envisaged.


2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (17) ◽  
pp. 6390
Author(s):  
Olga Martinez-Arroyo ◽  
Ana Ortega ◽  
Miriam Galera ◽  
Elena Solaz ◽  
Sergio Martinez-Hervas ◽  
...  

Sirtuins have become important players in renal damage in hypertension and diabetes, but their value as biomarkers is poorly assessed. The aims of the study were to evaluate the levels of sirtuin1 (SIRT1), and two miRNAs that regulate SIRT1 expression in hypertensive patients with incipient renal damage with and without diabetes. We quantified urinary SIRT1 and claudin 1 (CLDN1) mRNA and miR34-a and miR-200a levels by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) from patients and in cultured podocytes treated with high glucose and angiotensin II. Western blot and fluorescence analyses were also performed. We found decreased SIRT1 levels in patients with increased urinary albumin excretion (UAE), the lowest with diabetes presence, and a strong association with UAE, discriminating incipient renal damage. In vitro experiments also showed SIRT1 overall decreases in podocyte cultures under treatment conditions. In urine samples, miR-34a was reduced and miR-200a increased, both related to UAE levels. However, both miRNAs were generally increased in podocyte cultures under high glucose and angiotensin-II treatment. These results show a significant urinary SIRT1 decrease in albuminuric hypertensive patients, strongly associated with albuminuria, suggesting that SIRT1 could be a potential and non-invasive method to assess incipient renal damage in hypertensive patients.


Cancers ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (6) ◽  
pp. 1493 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carmelo Messina ◽  
Rodolfo Bignone ◽  
Alberto Bruno ◽  
Antonio Bruno ◽  
Federico Bruno ◽  
...  

To date, diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) is included in routine magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) protocols for several cancers. The real additive role of DWI lies in the “functional” information obtained by probing the free diffusivity of water molecules into intra and inter-cellular spaces that in tumors mainly depend on cellularity. Although DWI has not gained much space in some oncologic scenarios, this non-invasive tool is routinely used in clinical practice and still remains a hot research topic: it has been tested in almost all cancers to differentiate malignant from benign lesions, to distinguish different malignant histotypes or tumor grades, to predict and/or assess treatment responses, and to identify residual or recurrent tumors in follow-up examinations. In this review, we provide an up-to-date overview on the application of DWI in oncology.


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