Because it is unclear whether elemental diet-induced immune suppression is an indirect effect caused by the translocating bacteria or is directly caused by the elemental diet, we tested whether prevention of diet-induced bacterial translocation or disruption of the gut microflora ecology would prevent diet-induced impaired lymphocyte function in a rat elemental diet model. Prevention of diet-induced bacterial translocation was accomplished by the addition of cellulose fiber or oral antibiotics (penicillin and streptomycin) to the elemental diet feeding regimen. Control groups consisted of rat food-fed and elemental diet-fed (4.25% amino acids; 28% glucose) rats. Immune function was quantitated by measuring the mitogen-induced blastogenic response of peripheral blood or splenic mononuclear cells to the mitogens concanavalin A and phytohemagglutinin. Bacterial translocation from the gut to the mesenteric lymph node and cecal bacterial population levels were measured in all groups. Although the incidence of elemental diet-induced bacterial translocation was reduced from 100% to 25% (p < .01) by the addition of dietary fiber, fiber did not prevent diet-induced impaired lymphocyte function. Because fiber supplementation of the elemental diet did not completely prevent diet-induced intestinal bacterial overgrowth or bacterial translocation, the experiment was repeated in antibiotic-decontaminated rats. Antibiotic decontamination completely prevented diet-induced intestinal bacterial overgrowth and bacterial translocation. Although antibiotic decontamination reduced the magnitude of lymphocyte mitogen suppression (p < .05), it was not fully effective in reversing the diet-induced lymphocyte suppression. These results indicate that elemental diet-induced lymphocyte blastogenic suppression is related to both bacterial and dietary factors.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Acute facial palsy. Some clinical and virological observations.

A prospective clinical and virological study on 44 patients with acute, peripheral facial paralysis was carried out in consecutive cases during one year. In 9 cases varicella-zoster infections were serologically established. In 5 additional patients an associated varicella-zoster, or herpes simplex, infection was possible. Of the 9 confirmed cases, 6 were clinically diagnosed as zoster oticus, whereas on clinical grounds, 3 were regarded as Bell's palsy. No evidence was obtained of associated enterovirus, mumps, measles, cytomegalovirus, tick-borne encephalitis virus, para-influenza virus, mononucleosis or Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection.

Acute Disease↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Spectrum of care treatment planning: application of the model in older adults.

A model for treatment planning is presented to help emphasize the most important elements of the clinical decision-making process for older adult patients. The patient's concerns and needs in the domains of function, symptoms, pathology, and esthetics are the central elements of the process. With sophisticated assessment methods and creative interventions, the dentist can work with each patient to identify and successfully address his or her needs and concerns. This model is applied to two clinical cases which illustrate the importance of considering innovative treatment plans, even when the patient is advanced in years.

Aged↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Capillaries of the myocardium of Lama (Lama glama)].

The heart of 12 adult llamas, one female and 11 males, 2-7 years of age, was studied gross-anatomically (absolute and relative heart weight) and microscopic-anatomically (left and right ventricular wall, left auricle). Comparing the 9 younger animals (2-3 years old) with the 3 older llamas (5-7 years old) a significant increase of the absolute heart weight and of the number of capillaries per mm2 and a significant decrease of the intercapillary distance in the left ventricular wall was found. This results in an increase of capillarity in the studied heart regions (5.5% compared to 6.9%). The simultaneous increase of the capillary-to-myocyte-ratios from 0.9 to 1.1 shows a significant correlation to the cross-sectional area of the myocytes (r = 0.79) and an also significant but negative correlation to the number of myocytes per mm2 (r = -0.82). In both groups the cross-sectional area of the myocytes and their diameter differs significantly in the three regions of the heart (left ventricular wall--214 micron 2 resp. 17.5 microns; right ventricular wall--156 micron 2 resp. 15.5 microns; left auricle--96 micron 2 resp. 11.5 microns). It is to be supposed, that the morphological conditions of the cardiac vascular supply of llamas living in an altitude of 4000 m are improving with age.

Age Factors↗