A 50-year-old man was admitted with a complicated pneumonia. During his long-term inpatient stay, a plastic urinary catheter was positioned. A month after admission the patient’s urine became purple (Picture 1). The patient was apyretic and did not have lower urinary tract symptoms but was constipated. Urinalysis revealed pH 7.8, leucocyturia and negative nitrites. Urine culture isolated Proteu...

We have determined that the organic matrix of calcium oxalate kidney stones contains a glycoprotein inhibitor of calcium oxalate crystal growth (nephrocalcin) that resembles nephrocalcin present in the urine of patients with calcium oxalate stones and differs from nephrocalcin from the urine of normal people. Pulverized calcium oxalate renal stones were extracted with 0.05M EDTA, pH 8.0; nephro...

Purple urine bag syndrome (PUBS) is purple discoloration of urinary catheter, tubing and bag and it is a rare and uncommon manifestation of urinary tract infection. Female gender, constipation, urinary tract infection, dementia, alkaline urine and high urinary bacterial counts are main risk factors. Here we report a 70 year old woman living in a nursing home presented with diarrhea, decreased o...

Cefpirome, which is a fourth-generation cephalosporin, was analyzed for the first time at glassy carbon electrode using differential pulse voltammetry in this novel method. Different experimental conditions were optimized, such as pH and electrolyte type, to achieve high peak current. Under optimum conditions, oxidation of cefpirome exhibited diffusion-controlled process depending on pH. Cefpir...

The incidence of nephrolithiasis (kidney stones) is rising worldwide, especially in women and with increasing age. Kidney stones are associated with chronic kidney disease. Preventing recurrence is largely specific to the type of stone (e.g., calcium oxalate, calcium phosphate, cystine, struvite [magnesium ammonium phosphate]), and uric acid stones); however, even when the stone cannot be retri...

Two major nitrogenous waste products, urea and ammonium (NH(4)(+)), are produced in humans when proteins are oxidized, and in this manuscript their excretions are examined from two perspectives. First, the specific physiology of each nitrogenous waste is reviewed and the current dogmas summarized. Second, their excretions are considered in the context of integrative physiology, i.e. the need to...

AIMS Contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) is a frequent complication of many radiological procedures involving the application of contrast media. It represents a significant health problem that causes the increase in mortality, morbidity, and medical costs. For the prevention of CIN, a number of methods have been proposed to be effective. Among them, alkalinization of urine takes an important pla...