Low fecal elastase: potentially related to transient small bowel damage resulting from enteric pathogens

Fecal elastase is considered to be a highly sensitive and specific non-invasive exocrine pancreatic function test. However, enteropathy may theoretically cause decreased exocrine pancreatic enzyme secretion through alteration of enteric hormone release. Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the possible influence of transient small bowel damage on pancreatic elastase secretion. Methods: We studied 166 children (aged 4 months to 14 years, mean 2 years); 114 of these children had acute enteritis and 52 children were control subjects (with gastro-intestinal symptoms or extra-intestinal diseases). Feces were collected from each patient 3 days after the onset of diarrhea and then tested for fecal elastase, bacterial pathogens, Rotavirus, and Adenovirus. Liquid fecal samples were not considered eligible for elastase measurement. Pancreatic elastase was measured using an ELISA method (Sche.Bo.Tech, Germany). We classified the results, expressed in \u3bcg/g stool, as: severe pancreatic insufficiency (200 \u3bcg/g). Results: In the acute enteritis group we found severe levels in 14 (12%) children, moderate levels in 18 children (16%), and normal levels in 82 children (72%). In contrast, 52 of 52 (100%) control subjects demonstrated normal results. Statistical analysis (Wilcoxon rank test) demonstrated a significant difference between the enteritis and control groups (P < 0.01). Serial measurement of fecal elastase performed in 10 patients with enteritis showed a progressive increase of levels in 6 patients and an early decline with subsequent increases in the other 4 patients. Conclusions: Transient exocrine pancreatic insufficiency may be present in transient small bowel disease, caused by both bacterial and viral infections, possibly related to reduced enteric CCK secretion

Low fecal elastase: could it also be related to small bowel damage?

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Analysis of recombination and mutation events for 12 X-CHR STR loci: a collaborative family study of the Italian Speaking Working Group Ge.F.I.

According to ISFG guidelines on the use of X-chromosome, the biostatistical evaluation in kinship analysis is based on a likelihood ratio approach, but linkage and recombination events should be accounted for in calculation, therefore it is important to have an accurate estimate of haplotype frequencies of the reference population, as well as the knowledge of mutation and recombination rates of X-markers analyzed. The increased demand to forensic laboratories for kinship investigations in complex cases explains the need to increase the Italian population database for 12 X-STRs routinely used for forensic applications. Indeed, due to the mode of genetic transmission and physical location, sometimes X-chromosome markers can be more informative than autosomal STRs and their analysis could be considered a supplementary tool in DNA testing. A collaborative exercise involving 17 laboratories of the Italian Speaking Working Group Ge.F.I. was organized to evaluate mutation and recombination events in 12 X-STRs included in the Investigator Argus X12. In order to explore the segregation stability, 50 three-generation families (grandpa-mother-son) and 109 two-generation families (mother-sons) were analyzed and calculation to estimate the recombination fractions between pairs of markers and mutation rates were performed. Evidence of mutation as well as inter- and intra-cluster recombination events were observed. Moreover, 1042 unrelated male individuals from different regions of Italy were typed to expand the existing Italian X-chromosome haplotype frequencies database. Population genetic parameters of forensic interest and genetic distances between the Italian sample and worldwide populations are reported

Validation of a large Italian Database of 15 STR loci.

Results from a collaborative exercise with proficiency testing conducted by 20 Italian laboratories on the 15 loci included in the Identifiler1 kit were analyzed by allele sharing methods and by standard population genetics tests. The validated database,including about 1500 subjects, was merged with that of a previous exercise conducted on nine loci, and the resulting allele frequencies, subdivided by Italian region, were published on-line

Validation of a large Italian Database of 15 STR loci

Results from a collaborative exercise with proficiency testing conducted by 20 Italian laboratories on the 15 loci included in the Identifiler® kit were analyzed by allele sharing methods and by standard population genetics tests. The validated database, including about 1500 subjects, was merged with that of a previous exercise conducted on nine loci, and the resulting allele frequencies, subdivided by Italian region, were published on-lin