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Tests on Naturally Voided Body Fluids
Published in Robert B. Northrop, Non-Invasive Instrumentation and Measurement in Medical Diagnosis, 2017
Other urine dipsticks are color-sensitive to acetoacetic acid and acetone, both of which are found in the urine of persons with ketonuria. Ketonuria is present in uncontrolled diabetes mellitus, starvation, and occasionally in ethanol intoxication. Hematuria, or Hb in the urine can also be sensed by a dipstick color test. Hematuria is symptomatic of acute renal failure. In nitrituria, the dipstick responds to the conversion of nitrate from dietary metabolites to nitrite by certain bacteria in the urine. Normally, no nitrite is present. Thus, a positive nitrituria test is seen in about 80% of bladder infections (bacteriuria). The urine with nitrate needs to incubate in the bladder in the presence of the bacteria at least 4 hours. Urinary pH is also measured with a color dipstick responsive in the range from 5 to 9. Knowledge of the urine pH helps to identify crystals (e.g., oxalate, phosphate, urate) that may be found on microscopic examination. All dipstick color tests are of low accuracy, 3-bit (1 part in 8) at the most.
Cylindrospermopsin toxicity in mice following a 90-d oral exposure
Published in Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health, Part A, 2018
N. Chernoff, D.J. Hill, I. Chorus, D.L. Diggs, H. Huang, D. King, J.R. Lang, T.-T. Le, J.E. Schmid, G.S. Travlos, E.M. Whitley, R.E. Wilson, C.R. Wood
Cyanobacteria are photosynthetic organisms that are found on all continents and virtually all ecosystems, but are primarily inhabitants of both freshwater and saltwater. There are many species that produce chemicals that are toxic to mammals (Zurawell et al. 2005). One of the most widespread freshwater toxins is the alkaloid, cylindrospermopsin (CYN), a tricyclic guanidine joined to uracil by a carbon bridge (Ohtani, Moore, and Runnegar 2002), which has been associated with severe toxicity in humans and livestock. The discovery of CYN followed an episode of poisoning that took place in the Palm Island community of Australia during 1979 (Byth 1980). The drinking water in the town was obtained from a reservoir and it was observed that people using well water did not become ill (Hawkins et al. 1985). The reservoir was thought to have had an algal bloom for 2 months since the water had taste and odor issues during that time, and was treated with the algaecide, copper sulfate (CuSO4). One week after the application of the algaecide, individuals began to get sick and 138 eventually required hospital treatment. The initial symptoms included constipation, vomiting, anorexia, headache, hepatomegaly, glucosuria, proteinuria, and ketonuria. In 1 to 3 d following the initial signs, the illness progressed and severe electrolyte imbalance was noted including hypokalemia and resultant acidotic shock and hypovolemia; diarrhea, often containing blood that persisted up to three weeks; accompanied by hyperemia or bleeding mucous membranes. Subsequently, CYN was associated with the death of cattle after ingestion of water with an ongoing cyanobacterial bloom. The animals exhibited symptoms that included hepatomegaly, hepatic degeneration and necrosis, and extensive intestinal hemorrhages (Saker, Thomas, and Norton 1999; Thomas et al. 1998).