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Cell Death Discov 2020 Nov 26;6(1):131. Epub 2020 Nov 26.

Torvergata Oncoscience Research Centre of Excellence, TOR, Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133, Rome, Italy.

The development of the sequencing technologies allowed the generation of huge amounts of molecular data from a single cancer specimen, allowing the clinical oncology to enter the era of the precision medicine. This massive amount of data is highlighting new details on cancer pathogenesis but still relies on tissue biopsies, which are unable to capture the dynamic nature of cancer through its evolution. This assumption led to the exploration of non-tissue sources of tumoral material opening the field of liquid biopsies. Read More

PLoS One 2020 31;15(8):e0238479. Epub 2020 Aug 31.

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky, United States of America.

The performances of the ImmuView Streptococcus pneumoniae (Sp) and Legionella pneumophila (Lp) urinary antigen test were compared to that of the BinaxNOW Sp and Lp assays, using frozen urine from 166 patients with Legionnaires' disease (LD) and 59 patients with pneumococcal pneumonia. Thirty Sp-positive or contrived cerebrospinal fluids (CSF) were also tested. Test specimens were collected and tested at different sites, with each site testing unique specimens by technologists blinded to expected results. Read More

Biochimie 2020 Nov 10;178:26-38. Epub 2020 Jul 10.

Univ-Lyon, CarMeN Laboratory, Inserm U1060, INRAe U1397, INSA Lyon, Villeurbanne, France. Electronic address:

Bis(monoacylglycero)phosphate (BMP), also known as lysobisphosphatidic acid (LBPA), is a phospholipid specifically enriched in the late endosome-lysosome compartment playing a crucial role for the fate of endocytosed components. Due to its presence in extracellular fluids during diseases associated with endolysosomal dysfunction, it is considered as a possible biomarker of disorders such as genetic lysosomal storage diseases and cationic amphiphilic drug-induced phospholipidosis. However, there is no true validation of this biomarker in human studies, nor a clear identification of the carrier of this endolysosome-specific lipid in biofluids. Read More

J Prev Med Hyg 2019 Dec 20;60(4):E327-E336. Epub 2019 Dec 20.

Department of Health Sciences, University of Genoa, Italy.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are released from cells and enter into body fluids thereby providing a toxicological mechanism of cell-cell communication. The present study aimed at assessing (a) the presence of EVs in mouse body fluids under physiological conditions, (b) the effect of exposure of mice to cigarette smoke for 8 weeks, and (c) modulation of smoke-related alterations by the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug celecoxib, a selective cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor. To this purpose, ICR (CD-1) mice were either unexposed or exposed to cigarette smoke, either treated or untreated with oral celecoxib. Read More

Environ Pollut 2019 Dec 10;255(Pt 1):113171. Epub 2019 Sep 10.

Univ Rennes, Inserm, EHESP, Irset (Institut de recherche en santé environnement et travail) - UMR_S 1085, F-35000, Rennes, France. Electronic address:

Environmental contaminants, to which humans are widely exposed, cause or worsen several diseases, like cardiovascular diseases and cancers. Among these molecules, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) stand out since they are ubiquitous pollutants found in ambient air and diet. Because of their toxic effects, public Health agencies promote development of research studies aiming at increasing the knowledge about PAHs and the discovery of biomarkers of exposure and/or effects. Read More

J Neurovirol 2020 02 9;26(1):70-76. Epub 2019 Sep 9.

Laboratory of Pediatric Infectology, Jundiaí School of Medicine, Rua Francisco Telles, 250, Vila Arens, Jundiaí, SP, 13202-550, Brazil.

Paired maternal and newborn urine and amniotic fluid from 138 subjects collected during a Zika virus (ZIKV) outbreak was analyzed for ZIKV by gene amplification (RT-qPCR), and the findings were correlated with clinical symptoms and neurological anomalies in the babies. ZIKV was detected in 1 of 9 symptomatic women (11.1%) and in 19 of 129 asymptomatic women (14. Read More

J Anal Toxicol 2019 Aug;43(7):571-578

Service de biochimie générale, Hôpital universitaire Necker-Enfants Malades, AP-HP, rue de Sèvres, Paris, France.

A 38-year-old man was admitted in the intensive care unit (ICU) after supposed ingestion of 504 sustained-release tablets of Theralithe™ corresponding ~200 g of lithium carbonate. At the admission, ~19.5 h after ingestion, the patient was conscious with trembling limbs, intense thirst, profuse sweats and vomiting and lithium serum concentration was 14. Read More

J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med 2020 Oct 7;33(19):3279-3285. Epub 2019 Feb 7.

Maternal Neonatal Department, Obstetrics and Gynecology Unit, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria (AOU), Cagliari, Italy.

Premature rupture of membranes (PROM) and preterm premature rupture of membranes (pPROM) are frequent conditions with a not fully understood multifactorial etiology. It has been suggested that infection may be the leading cause of pPROM. Metabolomics is nowadays recognized as a successful and versatile approach for the investigation of several pathological conditions, including pregnancy-related ones. Read More

Infect Genet Evol 2018 09 27;63:257-268. Epub 2018 May 27.

Service Parasitologie-Mycologie, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Nice (CHU Nice), France; IRD, Montpellier University, MIVEGEC, Montpellier, France. Electronic address:

The diagnosis of leishmaniasis relies mainly on the use of invasive processes, to collect the biological material for detecting Leishmania parasites. Body fluids, which can be collected by non-invasive process, would greatly facilitate the leishmaniasis diagnosis. In the present study, we investigated the potency of urine immunoblotting to diagnose cutaneous and visceral leishmaniasis and we compared with routine molecular methods. Read More

PLoS One 2018 24;13(5):e0197940. Epub 2018 May 24.

Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America.

Kava is regaining its popularity with detailed characterizations warranted. We developed an ultraperformance liquid chromatography high-resolution tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) method for major kavalactones (kavain, dihydrokavain, methysticin, dihydromethysticin and desmethoxyyangonin) with excellent selectivity and specificity. The method has been validated for different matrices following the Food and Drug Administration guidance of analytical procedures and methods validation. Read More

Mater Sci Eng C Mater Biol Appl 2018 Aug 4;89:140-148. Epub 2018 Apr 4.

Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, Gamaa Street, Giza 12613, Egypt.

We report on highly-sensitive ion-selective electrodes (ISEs) for potentiometric determining of galantamine hydrobromide (GB) in physiological fluids. Galantamine hydrobromide (GB) was selected for this study due to its previous medical importance for treating Alzheimer's disease. Three different types of ISEs were investigated: PVC membrane electrode (PVCE), carbon-paste electrode (CPE), and coated-wire electrode (CWE). Read More

Anal Chim Acta 2018 Aug 20;1019:84-92. Epub 2018 Feb 20.

University of Vienna, Faculty of Chemistry, Department of Food Chemistry and Toxicology, Währinger Str. 38, A-1090 Vienna, Austria. Electronic address:

There is a critical need to better understand the patterns, levels and combinatory effects of exposures we are facing through our diet and environment. Mycotoxin mixtures are of particular concern due to chronic low dose exposures caused by naturally contaminated food. To facilitate new insights into their role in chronic disease, mycotoxins and their metabolites are quantified in bio-fluids as biomarkers of exposure. Read More

Int J Pharm 2018 May 8;543(1-2):73-82. Epub 2018 Mar 8.

Department of Pharmacy, University of Napoli Federico II, Via Domenico Montesano 49, 80131 Napoli, Italy.

This study reports novel food-grade granules for co-delivery of L. plantarum 299v and a standardized extract of Olea europaea leaves (Phenolea®) as oral carrier of probiotics and hydroxytyrosol. Different granule formulations containing either L. Read More

Am J Physiol Renal Physiol 2018 04 20;314(4):F623-F629. Epub 2017 Dec 20.

Department of Medicine, University of Chicago Medicine , Chicago, Illinois.

Regulation of acid-base metabolism maintains the pH of body fluids within a tight range. Urine pH (UpH) is also regulated under normal conditions. Median pH of 24-h urines is ~6, but others have noted that UpH in women is higher than men, which has been attributed to differences in diet. Read More

Nutr Neurosci 2019 Feb 10;22(2):132-144. Epub 2017 Aug 10.

c Scientific Institute, IRCCS Eugenio Medea , Via Don Luigi Monza, 20-23842 Bosisio Parini , LC , Italy.

Gene-environment interaction is an emerging hypothesis to expound not only the autism pathogenesis but also the increased incidence of neurodevelopmental disorders (such as autistic spectrum disorder, attention-deficit, hyperactivity disorder). Among xenobiotics, mycotoxins are worldwide contaminants of food that provoke toxicological effects, crucially resembling several symptoms associated with autism such as oxidative stress, intestinal permeability, and inflammation. Here, we focused on a group of mycotoxins to test their role in the manifestation of autism, try to explain their mechanism of action, and discuss possible preventive and therapeutic interventions. Read More

Toxicol Lett 2017 Jun 23;275:19-26. Epub 2017 Apr 23.

Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors (IfADo), Ardeystr. 67, D-44139 Dortmund, Germany. Electronic address:

Ochratoxin A (OTA), a mycotoxin known for its nephrotoxic and carcinogenic properties, is a worldwide occurring contaminant in a variety of food commodities. Biomonitoring (i.e. Read More

Transl Res 2017 06 7;184:108-117. Epub 2017 Apr 7.

Institute of Genetics and Biophysics "A. Buzzati Traverso", National Research Council (CNR), Naples, Italy. Electronic address:

Several reports over the last 10 years provided evidence that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are often altered in bladder cancers. lncRNAs are longer than 200 nucleotides and function as important regulators of gene expression, interacting with the major pathways of cell growth, proliferation, differentiation, and survival. A large number of lncRNAs has oncogenic function and is more expressed in tumor compared with normal tissues. Read More

Clin Oral Investig 2017 Sep 10;21(7):2157-2164. Epub 2016 Nov 10.

Institut Pasteur, Laboratory of Pharmacology of Pain, Paris, France.

Objectives: Idiopathic Burning mouth syndrome (iBMS) is a poorly understood affection characterized by persistent pain in the oral cavity without any clinical or biological abnormality. Opiorphin is a natural inhibitor of enkephalin-inactivating ectopeptidases, mainly produced by salivary glands, that has demonstrated analgesic properties. The objective of the present case-control study was to test the hypothesis of a decrease in opiorphin levels in iBMS patients. Read More

Mycotoxin Res 2017 Feb 9;33(1):39-47. Epub 2016 Nov 9.

Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors (IfADo), Ardeystrasse 67, 44139, Dortmund, Germany.

Ochratoxin A (OTA), a mycotoxin with nephrotoxic and carcinogenic properties, is an important contaminant of food and feed. Analysis of OTA in human biological fluids (blood, urine, or breast milk) has documented frequent exposure to this mycotoxin, yet at quite variable levels in different population groups across the world. Urine is the preferred matrix in biomonitoring since sample collection is non-invasive and better accepted by study participants. Read More

Mycoses 2017 Feb 29;60(2):118-123. Epub 2016 Sep 29.

Infectious Diseases Unit, Istituto Giannina Gaslini Children's Hospital, Genoa, Italy.

To describe the epidemiology of invasive Candida infection in a tertiary care paediatric hospital. Prospective single-centre survey on all Candida strains isolated from normally sterile fluids and urines in the period 2005-2015 . A total of 299 ICI were documented in 262 patients. Read More

J Proteomics 2016 Mar 2;136:25-34. Epub 2016 Feb 2.

Dipartimento di Farmacia, Laboratorio di Biochimica, Università di Genova, Genoa, Italy. Electronic address:

Unlabelled: Exosomes are 40-100-nm vesicles released by most cell types after fusion of multivesicular endosomes with the plasma membrane. Exosomes, ubiquitary in body fluids including urines, contain proteins and RNA species specific of the tissue of origin. Exosomes from urine have been extensively studied as a promising reservoir for disease biomarkers. Read More

Ann Pathol 2015 Oct 12;35(5):378-86. Epub 2015 Sep 12.

Service d'anatomie et cytologie pathologiques, hôpital Tenon, CHUG Paris-Est, AP-HP, 4, rue de la Chine, 75020 Paris, France.

Introduction: The pre-analytical step includes sample collection, preparation, transportation and storage in the pathology unit where the diagnosis is performed. The pathologist ensures that pre-analytical conditions are in line with expectations. The lack of standardization for handling cytological samples makes this pre-analytical step difficult to harmonize. Read More

Sci Rep 2015 Jan 14;5:7785. Epub 2015 Jan 14.

Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Biology and Medicine (Ministry of Education), Department of Chemistry, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China.

RNA contains a large number of modified nucleosides. In the metabolic re-exchange of RNA, modified nucleosides cannot be recycled and are thus excreted from cells into biological fluids. Determination of endogenous modified nucleosides in biological fluids may serve as non-invasive cancers diagnostic methods. Read More

Urolithiasis 2015 Jan 20;43 Suppl 1:93-107. Epub 2014 Nov 20.

Nuffield Department of Surgical Sciences, John Radcliffe Hospital, Headley Way, Headington, Oxford, OX3 9DU, UK,

This article describes an updated computer model which attempts to simulate known renal reabsorption and secretion activity through the nephron (NEPHROSIM) and its possible relevance to the initiation of calcium-containing renal stones. The model shows that, under certain conditions of plasma composition, de novo nucleation of both calcium oxalate (CaOx) and calcium phosphate (CaP) can take place at the end of the descending limb of the Loop of Henle (DLH), particularly in untreated, recurrent idiopathic CaOx stone-formers (RSF). The model incorporates a number of hydrodynamic factors that may influence the subsequent growth of crystals nucleated at the end of the DLH as they progress down the renal tubules. Read More

Arch Environ Occup Health 2014 ;69(3):131-8

a Institute of Occupational Safety and Hazard Prevention, Hungkuang University , Taichung , Taiwan , Republic of China.

Metalworking fluids (MWFs) aerosols are known to have carcinogenic potential to humans that monitoring of MWFs is necessary to reduce risks. This study summarizes biological monitoring and occupational hygiene findings from a survey of metalworkers exposed to heavy metals in a socket manufacturing plant. Manganese, nickel, iron, copper, chromium, and zinc were selected for target metals. Read More

Mol Cell Proteomics 2012 Dec 17;11(12):1870-84. Epub 2012 Sep 17.

Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.

Current protocols for the screening of prostate cancer cannot accurately discriminate clinically indolent tumors from more aggressive ones. One reliable indicator of outcome has been the determination of organ-confined versus nonorgan-confined disease but even this determination is often only made following prostatectomy. This underscores the need to explore alternate avenues to enhance outcome prediction of prostate cancer patients. Read More

J Mass Spectrom 2012 Sep;47(9):1221-31

Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell'Emilia Romagna, B. Ubertini, Via Bianchi 9, 25124, Brescia, Italy.

Since 2008, the analyses carried out in the Lombardia region as part of National Residue Control Plans have evidenced unexpected frequent detection of the corticosteroid prednisolone (PRED) in cow urine samples taken to the slaughterhouse. Considering the scarce plausibility of these high frequent findings, analytical investigations were started to ascertain the real presence of this corticosteroid. The applied confirmatory method involved liquid-chromatography low-resolution tandem mass spectrometry (triple quadrupole) as instrumental technique, and it was validated in compliance with the requirements of the Commission Decision 2002/657/EC. Read More

J Proteome Res 2012 Apr 29;11(4):2386-96. Epub 2012 Feb 29.

Ontario Cancer Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Canada.

Urinary expressed prostatic secretion or "EPS-urine" is proximal tissue fluid that is collected after a digital rectal exam (DRE). EPS-urine is a rich source of prostate-derived proteins that can be used for biomarker discovery for prostate cancer (PCa) and other prostatic diseases. We previously conducted a comprehensive proteome analysis of direct expressed prostatic secretions (EPS). Read More

Eur Respir J 2012 Aug 12;40(2):442-7. Epub 2012 Jan 12.

Emerging Bacterial Pathogens Unit, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, via Olgettina 58, 20132 Milan, Italy.

Extrapulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB) accounts for more than 20% of tuberculosis (TB) cases. Xpert MTB/RIF (Xpert) (Cepheid, Sunnyvale, CA, USA) is a fully automated amplification system, for which excellent results in the diagnosis of pulmonary TB in highly endemic countries have been recently reported. We aimed to assess the performance of the Xpert system in diagnosing EPTB in a low incidence setting. Read More

J Biomed Biotechnol 2011 27;2011:534139. Epub 2011 Oct 27.

UMR-Phan 1280, Place Alexis Ricordeau, 44000 Nantes, France.

The recovery of exfoliated cells from biological fluids is a noninvasive technology which is in high demand in the field of translational research. Exfoliated epithelial cells can be isolated from several body fluids (i.e. Read More