Nanomaterials-Based Urinary Extracellular Vesicles Isolation and Detection for Non-invasive Auxiliary Diagnosis of Prostate Cancer

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are natural nanoparticles secreted by cells in the body and released into the extracellular environment. They are associated with various physiological or pathological processes, and considered as carriers in intercellular information transmission, so that EVs can be used as an important marker of liquid biopsy for disease diagnosis and prognosis. EVs are widely present in various body fluids, among which, urine is easy to obtain in large amount through non-invasive methods and has a small dynamic range of proteins, so it is a good object for studying EVs. However, most of the current isolation and detection of EVs still use traditional methods, which are of low purity, time consuming, and poor efficiency; therefore, more efficient and highly selective techniques are urgently needed. Recently, inspired by the nanoscale of EVs, platforms based on nanomaterials have been innovatively explored for isolation and detection of EVs from body fluids. These newly developed nanotechnologies, with higher selectivity and sensitivity, greatly improve the precision of isolation target EVs from urine. This review focuses on the nanomaterials used in isolation and detection of urinary EVs, discusses the advantages and disadvantages between traditional methods and nanomaterials-based platforms, and presents urinary EV-derived biomarkers for prostate cancer (PCa) diagnosis. We aim to provide a reference for researchers who want to carry out studies about nanomaterial-based platforms to identify urinary EVs, and we hope to summarize the biomarkers in downstream analysis of urinary EVs for auxiliary diagnosis of PCa disease in detail.

Edelman Revisited: Concepts, Achievements, and Challenges

The key message from the 1958 Edelman study states that combinations of external gains or losses of sodium, potassium and water leading to an increase of the fraction (total body sodium plus total body potassium) over total body water will raise the serum sodium concentration ([Na]S), while external gains or losses leading to a decrease in this fraction will lower [Na]S. A variety of studies have supported this concept and current quantitative methods for correcting dysnatremias, including formulas calculating the volume of saline needed for a change in [Na]S are based on it. Not accounting for external losses of sodium, potassium and water during treatment and faulty values for body water inserted in the formulas predicting the change in [Na]S affect the accuracy of these formulas. Newly described factors potentially affecting the change in [Na]S during treatment of dysnatremias include the following: (a) exchanges during development or correction of dysnatremias between osmotically inactive sodium stored in tissues and osmotically active sodium in solution in body fluids; (b) chemical binding of part of body water to macromolecules which would decrease the amount of body water available for osmotic exchanges; and (c) genetic influences on the determination of sodium concentration in body fluids. The effects of these newer developments on the methods of treatment of dysnatremias are not well-established and will need extensive studying. Currently, monitoring of serum sodium concentration remains a critical step during treatment of dysnatremias.

Altered plasma, urine, and tissue profiles of sulfatides and sphingomyelins in patients with renal cell carcinoma

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) represents the most common type of kidney cancer with the highest incidence and mortality rate among all urological malignancies. In this study, we show that RCC-related processes change body fluids sphingolipid concentrations, which may be used to monitor cancer occurrence in low-invasive lipid-based blood and urine tests. We investigate 674 plasma, urine, and tissue samples from 369 RCC patients and controls. For the first time, we show the significant concentration changes of low abundant sulfatides in plasma and urine of RCC patients. Elevated concentrations of lactosylsulfatides, decreased concentrations of sphingomyelines with long saturated N-fatty acyls and sulfatides with hydroxylated fatty acyls are the most crucial alternations in RCC. These changes are stage-dependent and are more emphasized in late-stage RCC. Similar trends in body fluids and tissues indicate that RCC widely influences lipid metabolism and highlights the potential of lipidomic profiling for cancer detection.

Electroanalysis of Fentanyl and Its New Analogs: A Review

The review describes fentanyl and its analogs as new synthetic opioids and the possibilities of their identification and determination using electrochemical methods (e.g., voltammetry, potentiometry, electrochemiluminescence) and electrochemical methods combined with various separation methods. The review also covers the analysis of new synthetic opioids, their parent compounds, and corresponding metabolites in body fluids, such as urine, blood, serum, and plasma, necessary for a fast and accurate diagnosis of intoxication. Identifying and quantifying these addictive and illicit substances and their metabolites is necessary for clinical, toxicological, and forensic purposes. As a reaction to the growing number of new synthetic opioid intoxications and increasing fatalities observed over the past ten years, we provide thorough background for developing new biosensors, screen-printed electrodes, or other point-of-care devices.

Occupational Exposure of Health-Care Workers to Blood and Body Fluids in West Shewa Zone, Ethiopia, 2018: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background. Health-care workers are susceptible to acquiring blood and body fluids borne infections due to their occupations involving contact with patients and their body fluids, although studies conducted in Ethiopia are scarce. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the magnitude of exposure to blood and body fluids among health-care workers in governmental health facilities in West Shewa Zone, Ethiopia. Materials and Methods. A facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted from May 19 to June 25, 2018. A total of 381 health-care workers were selected by simple random sampling from 31 sampled governmental health facilities using proportional to size allocation. Data were collected through self-administered questionnaires, entered into Epi Info version 7, and analyzed by SPSS version 21. Adjusted odds ratio (AOR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) calculated for variables retained in the multivariable logistic regression and significance declared at p < 0.05 . Results. Of 377 health-care workers who participated, the study found that 233 (61.2%) were exposed to blood and body fluids in their lifetime. Previous needlestick injury (AOR = 0.30; 95% CI: 0.12–0.75), type of health facility (AOR = 0.42; 95% CI: 0.26–0.68), handwashing practice (AOR = 0.15; 95% CI: 0.07, 0.31), and perceiving at risk (AOR = 0.16; 95% CI: 0.03, 0.98) were protective factors, whereas long work experience (AOR = 1.47; 95% CI: 1.13–1.93) was a risk factor for the exposure. Conclusions. Exposures to blood and body fluids during patient care were common among health-care workers in the study area. Therefore, health-care workers especially those newly hired and working in hospitals should pay due attention to their occupation’s safety and regularly practice handwashing during critical times.

Occupational exposure of health care workers to blood and body fluids in West Shewa Zone, Oromia, Ethiopia, 2018: A cross-sectional study

Background: Health care workers are susceptible to acquiring blood and body fluids borne infections due to their occupations involving contact with patients and their body fluids, although studies conducted in Ethiopia are scarce. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the magnitude of exposure to blood and body fluids among health care workers in governmental health facilities in West Shewa Zone, Ethiopia.Materials and methods: A facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted from May 19 to June 25, 2018. A total of 381 health care workers were selected by simple random sampling from 31 sampled governmental health facilities using proportional to size allocation. Data were collected through self-administered questionnaires, entered into Epi-info version 7, and analyzed by SPSS version 21. Adjusted odds ratio (AOR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) calculated for variables retained in the multivariable logistic regression and significance declared at p<0.05.Results: Of 377 health care workers who participated, the study found that 233 (61.2%) were exposed to blood and body fluids in their lifetime. Previous needle stick injury (AOR=0.30; 95%CI: 0.12-0.75), type of health facility (AOR=0.42; 95%CI: 0.26-0.68), handwashing practice (AOR=0.15; 95%CI: 0.07, 0.31), and perceiving at risk (AOR=0.16; 95%CI: 0.03, 0.98) were protective factors whereas long work experience (AOR=1.47; 95%CI: 1.13-1.93) was a risk factor for the exposure.Conclusions: Exposures to blood and body fluids during patient care were common among health care workers in the study area. Therefore, health care workers especially those newly hired and working in hospitals should pay due attention to their occupation's safety and regularly practice hand washing during critical times.

Culture and sensitivity patterns of bacteriological agents in children admitted to a tertiary care hospital

Background: Culture from various infected body fluids is one of the commonly used investigations to establish the etiology of infections and helps clinicians to select appropriate antimicrobial therapy. This study is aimed to determine the culture and sensitivity patterns of bacteriological agents grown in children admitted to a tertiary care center. Patients and methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at the Department of Pediatric Medicine, The Children’s Hospital and the Institute of Child Health, Lahore from April 2019 to December 2019. All admitted children of age £ 15 years who fulfilled the criteria of systemic inflammatory response syndrome and sepsis were enrolled in the study. Blood and other body fluids were cultured in appropriate medium as indicated. Profile of microorganisms grown and their sensitivity patterns were noted and recorded on a predesigned data sheet. Statistical analysis was performed by SPSS v.22. Results: A total of 500 patients were enrolled in the study. Eighty-three of them (16.6%) had growth of different microorganisms on culture and were further analyzed. Total 58 of these 83 (69.87%) were <5 years of age, Male to female ratio was 1.2:1. Blood culture was positive in 36 patients (43.37%). Cultures from throat swabs, sputum and tracheal secretions showed growth of organisms in 15 (18.10%), while cerebrospinal fluid culture was positive in 14 (16.87%) and urine culture in 11 (13.25%). Microorganism isolated were: Klebsiella spp. (15.66%), Salmonella spp. (14.45%), Escherichia coli (13.25%), Staphylococcus aureus (12.04%), Acinetobacter (12.04%), Streptococcus pyogenes (10.84%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (10.84%), Enterobacter spp. (7.23%) and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia (3.61%). Klebsiella spp. and E. coli showed resistant to various antibiotics including penicillin, co-amoxiclav, cephalosporin, fluoroquinolones and nalidixic acid. Salmonella spp. was mostly sensitive to meropenem and azithromycin. Staphylococcus aureus was sensitive to cephalosporin, amikacin, vancomycin and linezolid. Conclusion: Commonest micro-organism isolated were Klebsiella spp., Salmonella spp., Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pyogenes. Resistance to commonly used antibiotics was observed in most cultures, which is a whistle blower against inappropriate use of these drugs.