Concentration of urine samples improves sensitivity in detection of Strongyloides -specific IgG antibody in urine for diagnosis of strongyloidiasis

Detection of IgG in urine is an efficient method comparable to that in serum for diagnosis of strongyloidiasis but effects of daily variation in urine dilution on diagnostic accuracy is not clearly known. This study evaluated effects of urine concentration on detection of parasite-specific IgG by urine enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), particularly in individuals with border-line results or false-negative diagnosis. Optimal concentration conditions were established by comparing Strongyloides -specific IgG antibody levels between unconcentrated and concentrated urine in participants with different infection intensities, namely healthy control (HC), low-negative (LN), high-negative (HN) and low-positive (LP) groups. The optimal condition was selected and validated in a field-trial study. The final urine concentration protocol required centrifugation at 4,000 g at 4°C for 10 mins using the Amicon® concentrator tube. This protocol was validated in groups of participants with varying diagnoses according to urine ELISA and fecal examination (n=148). The concentrated-urine ELISA increased the proportion of positive results in the LN group by 68.2% and by 100% in the HN group. Significantly elevated IgG antibody levels were seen in the LP group. In the group that was false negative by urine ELISA but positive by fecal examination (n=28), concentrated-urine ELISA yielded 100% positive results. Overall, the frequency estimates of S. stercoralis were 23.6% by fecal culture, 27% by standard urine ELISA and 90.5% by concentrated-urine ELISA. Concentration of urine samples prior to analysis by ELISA improved the sensitivity for diagnosis and is potentially useful in diagnosis of strongyloidiasis in immunocompromised individuals or in low-prevalence areas.

Desenvolvimento de espécies de pimentas sobre efeito de doses urina de vaca

<p class="Default"><span>A crescente demanda do mercado de pimentas tem impulsionado o aumento da área cultivada no Brasil anualmente, no Nordeste brasileiro esse cultivo vem sendo feito não apenas em hortas caseiras para o consumo doméstico, como também em áreas comerciais que abastecem o mercado local e externo. Diante disso objetivou-se verificar os efeitos da utilização da adubação orgânica no cultivo de espécies de pimenta no intuito de possibilitar aos agricultores desenvolverem sua produção utilizando-se de práticas onde produtos alternativos e de baixo custo econômico e ambiental disponíveis em suas propriedades como é o caso da urina de vaca que pode ser utilizados como fertilizante além de possuir outras propriedades favoráveis a este cultivo. Foram usadas as espécies Cambuci, Dedo-de-moça, Bode Amarela e as proporções de urina de vaca utilizadas nas pulverizações foram de 1 a 5%. As variáveis analisadas foram à altura, diâmetro do caule e matéria seca do caule das plantas após a semeadura. A dosagem de urina nas concentrações a partir de 2%, 4% e 5% obtiveram médias maiores de alturas que nas demais concentrações exercendo maior influência sobre o desenvolvimento das plantas. No diâmetro do caule verificou-se um desenvolvimento maior nas aplicações com concentração de urina aplicada a 4%, 5%. E na matéria seca os melhores resultados foram obtidos nas plantas que receberam adubação com urina a 3 a 5% na maioria das amostras indicando que os melhores efeitos foram atingidos nas maiores concentrações. </span></p><p align="center"><strong><em>Development of pepper species on effect of doses of cow urine</em></strong></p><p class="Default"><strong>Abstract</strong><strong>: </strong>The growing demand of the peppers market has driven the increase of cultivated area in Brazil annually, in the Brazilian Northeast this cultivation has been done not only in home gardens for domestic consumption, as well as in commercial gardens that supply the local and foreign markets. Therefore, it was decided to observe the effects of the use of organic fertilization on the cultivation of peppers in order to enable farmers to develop their production using practices where alternative products and low economic and environmental cost available on their properties as is the case of Cow urine that can be used as fertilizer besides possessing other properties favorable to this crop. The species Cambuci, Finger, Yellow Goat and the proportions of cow urine used in spraying were 1 to 5%.The analyzed variables were the height, stem diameter and dry matter of the stem of the plants after sowing. Urine dosage at concentrations of 2%, 4% and 5% obtained higher mean values of heights than the other concentrations exerting greater influence on the development of plants. In the diameter of the stem a greater development was observed in the applications with concentration of urine applied to 4%, 5%. And in the dry matter the best results were obtained in the plants that received fertilization with 3 to 5% urine in the majority of the samples indicating that the best effects were reached in the highest concentrations.</p><p class="Default"><span><br /></span></p>