Real-time evaluation of individual cow milk for higher cheese-milk quality with increased cheese yield.

Cheese was produced in a series of experiments from milk separated in real time during milking by using the Afilab MCS milk classification service (Afikim, Israel), which is installed on the milk line in every stall and sorts milk in real time into 2 target tanks: the A tank for cheese production (CM) and the B tank for fluid milk products (FM). The cheese milk was prepared in varying ratios ranging from ~10:90 to ~90:10 CM:FM by using this system. Cheese was made with corrected protein-to-fat ratio and without it, as well as from milk stored at 4°C for 1, 2, 3, 4, and 8d before production. Cheese weight at 24h increased along the separation cutoff level with no difference in moisture, and dry matter increased. The data compiled allowed a theoretical calculation of cheese yield and comparing it to the original van Slyke equation. Whenever the value of Afi-Cf, which is the optical measure of curd firmness obtained by the Afilab instrument, was used, a better predicted level of cheese yield was obtained. In addition, 27 bulk milk tanks with milk separated at a 50:50 CM:FM ratio resulted in cheese with a significantly higher fat and protein, dry matter, and weight at 24h. Moreover, solids incorporated from the milk into the cheese were significantly higher in cheeses made of milk from A tanks. The influence of storage of milk up to 8d before cheese making was tested. Gross milk composition did not change and no differences were found in cheese moisture, but dry matter and protein incorporated in the cheese dropped significantly along the storage time. These findings confirm that milk stored for several days before processing is prone to physico-chemical deterioration processes, which result in loss of milk constituents to the whey and therefore reduced product yield. The study demonstrates that introducing the unknown parameters for calculating the predicted cheese yield, such as the empiric measured Afi-Cf properties, are more accurate and the increase in cheese yield is more than increasing just the protein level, the value that is being tested by the dairies, or even casein.

The diagnostic utility of hypophosphatemia for differentiating generalized tonic-clonic seizures from syncope in dogs: A case control study.

Transient hypophosphatemia is often detected in humans following generalized tonic-clonic seizures (GTCS), and serum phosphorus concentration (sPi) serves as a marker to differentiate GTCS from syncope. The objective of this retrospective study was to assess the usefulness of hypophosphatemia as a diagnostic marker for GTCS in dogs. Eighty-seven and 26 client-owned dogs with GTCS or syncope, respectively, were enrolled. Dogs were included if the episode occurred ≤ 3 h from presentation, and if sPi and serum creatinine (sCr) were measured. Dogs were excluded if aged < 1 year or if sCr exceeded 176.8 µmol/L. There were no group differences in sCr. Hypophosphatemia (sPi ≤ 0.97 mmol/L) occurred in 28 dogs (32%) in the seizure group, and in no dogs in the syncope group. Median sPi was significantly (P < 0.001) lower in the seizure group (1 mmol/L, [range, 0.31-2.87 mmol/L]) compared to the syncope group (1.35 mmol/L [range, 0.97-2.71 mmol/L]). Furthermore, in dogs presented while seizing (n = 24/87; 28%) median sPi was significantly lower compared to those that were not (0.9 mmol/L [range, 0.3-1.74 mmol/L] vs. 1 mmol/L [range, 0.33-2.18 mmol/L], P = 0.050). ROC analysis of sPi as a marker of GTCS yielded an AUC of 0.757 (95% confidence interval 0.667-0.847), with an optimum cutoff point of 0.97 mmol/L, corresponding to specificity and sensitivity levels of 100% and 44%, respectively. In conclusion, sPi may, in certain cases, serve as an additional diagnostic tool to differentiate GTCS from syncope in dogs. Hypophosphatemia, especially with sPi < 0.97 mmol/L, may be useful in clinical practice to rule in GTCS.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis specimen contamination revisited: the role of laboratory environmental control in a pseudo-outbreak.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate suspected pseudo-outbreaks of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) during August 1994 and July 1995 among patients who did not have clinical findings consistent with tuberculosis. DESIGN: Retrospective and prospective surveys of all clinical and laboratory data using standard epidemiological tools and DNA fingerprinting. SETTING: A university-affiliated community hospital. PATIENTS: Those with positive MTB cultures during periods when we noted that the number of MTB positive cultures greatly outnumbered the usual monthly average (retrospective analysis, 1994) and patients with positive MTB cultures without clinical findings consistent with tuberculosis (prospective survey, 1995). RESULTS: Epidemiological and molecular studies revealed specimen cross-contamination in the laboratory due to a faulty exhaust hood. Improvement in laboratory ventilation and change of the implicated hood prevented further specimen contamination. CONCLUSIONS: The identification of positive MTB cultures from patients without clinical evidence of tuberculosis should be a signal to suspect laboratory contamination and implement control measures. These should include a thorough epidemiological investigation, DNA fingerprint analysis, and an environmental inspection.

Enteral ornithine alpha-ketoglutarate enhances intestinal adaptation to massive resection in rats.

Ornithine alpha-ketoglutarate (OKG) has been advocated in the treatment of critically ill patients for its anabolic effect on protein metabolism. Since OKG is a precursor of glutamine, arginine, and polyamines, key substrates of intestinal metabolism and function, we investigated the influence of OKG on intestinal adaptation and trophicity and on glutamine status after small bowel resection. After massive (80%) small bowel resection, rats were enterally fed for 7 days with a standard diet supplemented with either OKG (2 g/kg/d) or an isonitrogenous amount of glycine. OKG induced an adaptative hyperplasia of the villi, demonstrated in the jejunum by an increase in the villus height to crypt depth ratio (OKG v control, 4.3+/-0.4 v 3.3+/-0.5, P < .01) along with an increase (P < .05) in ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activity (+80%) and ornithine content (+102%). Plasma glutamine (+25%) and muscle glutamine (anterior tibialis [AT], +43%; extensor digitorum longus [EDL], +54%) and protein (AT, +32%) were significantly higher (P < .05) after OKG administration, supporting its role in the restoration of glutamine pools. In summary, enterally administered OKG, which enhances intestinal adaptation after massive resection and improves muscle glutamine and protein content, could contribute significantly to nutritional management after small bowel resection.

Tuberculosis among foreign-born persons in New York City, 1992-1994: implications for tuberculosis control.

OBJECTIVE: To study the pattern of transmission of tuberculosis (TB) among foreign-born persons living in New York City. DESIGN: A retrospective multicenter study comparing 158 foreign-born patients to 231 US-born patients diagnosed with TB between 1992 and 1994. The patients were stratified according to their Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolate DNA fingerprint patterns. RESULTS: Nineteen (16%) of 122 isolates from foreign-born TB patients and 75 (42%) of 180 isolates from US-born TB patients had DNA fingerprint patterns (cluster patterns) indicative of recent exogenous transmission (P < 0.001). All cluster pattern strains from foreign-born cases were identical to those found among US-born patients. The likelihood of infection with a cluster pattern strain among foreign-born persons increased with duration of residence in the US, and was significantly associated with being homeless (P < 0.05), or having multidrug-resistant TB (P = 0.00072). CONCLUSION: Although most (84%) cases of TB among foreign-born persons in New York City appear to result from reactivation of infections they acquired abroad, the ones who acquire new infections become infected with strains that are already circulating among the US-born TB patients in New York City, and they have risk factors similar to those faced by US-born tuberculosis patients.

Campylobacter enteritis presenting with convulsions.

A 14-month old boy presented to the hospital having had a convulsion. Initial work-up was essentially negative except for the presence of a temperature of 40 C. On the second hospital day, the patient began to have diarrhea and Campylobacter jejuni was isolated. This case illustrates that Campylobacter infection may be associated with febrile convulsions, and that these may precede the diarrheal phase of the illness.

Interactions between clay minerals and siderophores affect the respiration of Histoplasma capsulatum.

The reduction in the respiration of Histoplasma capsulatum in broth culture caused by montmorillonite appeared to be the result, in part, of the interference by the clay with the iron nutrition of the fungus. This interference was apparently the result of the adsorption by the clay of the iron-transporting siderophore (deferricoprogen B) produced by the fungus, as the reduction in respiration was partially alleviated by the addition of foreign siderophores. Neither kaolinite nor attapulgite (palygorskite) appeared to adsorb significant amounts of the siderophores, probably because of the low cation exchange capacity and specific surface area of kaolinite and the inaccessibility of adsorption sites in the fibrous attapulgite. These observations, in addition to the adhesion of montmorillonite to the hyphae, suggest mechanisms that may explain the discrete geographic distribution of this fungus, which is pathogenic to humans and which has been isolated essentially only from soils that do not contain montmorillonite.

Adhesion of the clay minerals montmorillonite, kaolinite, and attapulgite reduces respiration of Histoplasma capsulatum.

The respiration of three phenotypes of Histoplasma capsulatum, the causal agent of histoplasmosis in humans, was markedly reduced by low concentrations of montmorillonite but was reduced less by even higher concentrations of kaolinite or attapulgite (palygorskite). The reduction in respiration followed a pattern that suggested saturation-type kinetics: an initial sharp reduction that occurred with low concentrations of clay (0.01 to 0.5% [wt/vol]), followed by a more gradual reduction with higher concentrations (1 to 8%). Increases in viscosity (which could impair the movement of O2) caused by the clays were not responsible for the reduction in respiration, and the clays did not interfere with the availability of nutrients. Scanning electron microscopy after extensive washing showed that the clay particles were tightly bound to the hyphae, suggesting that the clays reduced the rate of respiration of H. capsulatum by adhering to the mycelial surface and, thereby, interfered with the movement of nutrients, metabolites, and gases across the mycelial wall.

Doing it right the first time: quality improvement and the contaminant blood culture.

The aim of the project was to determine whether the rate of contaminant blood cultures could be reduced by using a team of dedicated phlebotomists. Comparisons were made between adult patients requiring blood cultures for suspected bacteremia on medical and surgical units before and after the introduction and withdrawal of a dedicated blood culture team. The results showed that a significant reduction in the contaminant blood culture rate was achieved by the blood culture team (P < 0.001; chi(2) test). Therefore, in our experience, the rate of contaminant blood cultures can be reduced in a teaching hospital by using a team of dedicated phlebotomists. Calculations made with our data and those published by others suggest that cost savings from reducing false-positive blood cultures are greater than the cost of the blood culture team.

Route of nutrient delivery affects insulin sensitivity and liver glucose transporter expression in rat.

To optimize artificial nutrition (AN) techniques for patients suffering from malnutrition or reduced intestinal absorption, utilization of energy fuels, especially glucose, requires better understanding. Because the liver plays a key role in glucose homeostasis, the aim of this study was to assess the effects of continuous intragastric and intravenous nutrition on insulin secretion and several markers of liver glucose metabolism, especially glucose transporter GLUT-2. Wistar male rats underwent catheterization of either stomach (intragastric) or vena cava (intravenous) and received 24 h/day the same all-in-one formula over 7 to 14 days. The metabolic parameters from intragastrically fed rats did not differ significantly from those from orally fed control rats. Intravenous nutrition induced insulin resistance (marked hyperinsulinemia and/or mild hyperglycemia) and reduced liver GLUT-2 protein and mRNA levels. The decrease in liver GLUT-2 gene expression might be mediated either by an inhibitory role of hyperinsulinemia or by the decrease in gut or portal factors. These results suggest that the route of nutrient delivery influences their utilization by the liver.