Equine stomachs harbor an abundant and diverse mucosal microbiota.

Little is known about the gastric mucosal microbiota in healthy horses, and its role in gastric disease has not been critically examined. The present study used a combination of 16S rRNA bacterial tag-encoded pyrosequencing (bTEFAP) and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) to characterize the composition and spatial distribution of selected gastric mucosal microbiota of healthy horses. Biopsy specimens of the squamous, glandular, antral, and any ulcerated mucosa were obtained from 6 healthy horses by gastroscopy and from 3 horses immediately postmortem. Pyrosequencing was performed on biopsy specimens from 6 of the horses and yielded 53,920 reads in total, with 631 to 4,345 reads in each region per horse. The microbiome segregated into two distinct clusters comprised of horses that were stabled, fed hay, and sampled at postmortem (cluster 1) and horses that were pastured on grass, fed hay, and biopsied gastroscopically after a 12-h fast (cluster 2). The types of bacteria obtained from different anatomic regions clustered by horse rather than region. The dominant bacteria in cluster 1 were Firmicutes (>83% reads/sample), mainly Streptococcus spp., Lactobacillus spp. and, Sarcina spp. Cluster 2 was more diverse, with predominantly Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Firmicutes, consisting of Actinobacillus spp. Moraxella spp., Prevotella spp., and Porphyromonas spp. Helicobacter sp. sequences were not identified in any of 53,920 reads. FISH (n = 9) revealed bacteria throughout the stomach in close apposition to the mucosa, with significantly more Streptococcus spp. present in the glandular region of the stomach. The equine stomach harbors an abundant and diverse mucosal microbiota that varies by individual.

Effectiveness of altering serum cholesterol levels without drugs.

Drug therapy with statins and other agents can result in dramatic lipid-lowering effects. Despite the wealth of data supporting the beneficial effects of pharmacologic therapy on cardiovascular risk, patients often express a desire to accomplish similar goals with diet alone. And, except for patients with extreme cholesterol elevations, consensus panels all promote dietary therapy as an initial step in the treatment of hyperlipidemia. This review examines a variety of dietary strategies designed to lower lipid levels, including the American Heart Association diet, the Ornish diet, the Mediterranean diet, exercise, phytosterols, fiber, soy products, and fish oil. Though the declines in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels with these methods range from 0% to 37%, cardiovascular risk may be more significantly impacted than would be predicted from these changes alone. Significant benefits can be reaped from nonpharmacologic measures.

Dental fellowships in developmental disabilities help broaden care of disabled.

Continuation of the national trend toward deinstitutionalization and community placement for persons with developmental disabilities, physical handicaps and other medical problems will mean increased demand for dentists trained to care for this segment of the population. The New York State Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities now offers dental fellowships in developmental disabilities to help fill the learning gap.

Immunochemical differences between glucocorticoid receptors from corticoid-sensitive and -resistant malignant lymphocytes.

We have explored the possibility of using antibodies against purified rat liver glucocorticoid receptors to study the immunochemical properties of glucocorticoid receptors from murine and human malignant lymphocytes. For this purpose, purified immune immunoglobulin G was covalently linked to Sepharose CL-4B. We then examined the ability of the affinity gel to recognize cytosolic [3H]triamcinolone acetonide-receptor complexes from the corticoid-sensitive (CS) and -resistant strains of mouse lymphoma P1798, from CS lymphocytes of patients with chronic lymphatic leukemia, and from a CS clone of human leukemic lymphoblasts in tissue culture (CH6). Mouse thymus was used as a source of glucocorticoid receptor from normal CS lymphocytes. Whereas the immunoaffinity column retained 70 to 84% of the 58- to 62-A (Stokes radius) [3H]triamcinolone acetonide-receptor complexes characteristic of the CS mouse and human lymphocytes, it failed to recognize the 27- to 28-A (Stokes radius) glucocorticoid receptor present in corticoid-resistant mouse lymphoma P1798 cells. Therefore, under appropriate experimental conditions, it was possible to demonstrate cross-reactivity between the antiserum against rat liver glucocorticoid receptor and the 58- to 62-A (Stokes radius) glucocorticoid receptor from species as diverse as mouse and humans.

Intensive therapy for hepatic coma.

Of 45 patients observed in the ICU with severe acute hepatic insufficiency, 15 patients were in hepatic coma. All patients received combined treatment consisting of standard conservative methods (drug therapy) and surgical methods for temporary support of liver function (hemodialysis, exchange blood transfusion, pig liver perfusion). Intensive therapy which began during the early phase of hepatic coma enabled us to bring six patients out of the coma, four of whom completely recovered. These studies showed that of the diseases causing hepatic coma, the worst results were obtained with viral hepatitis. This may be explained both by the extensive liver damage and marked metabolic disturbances, which led to failure of other vital organs and systems. At present, the combined therapy contributes to a greater percentage of recovery of patients with hepatic failure and coma.

A simple test to determine the need for occlusal treatment.

This report has described simple confirmation tests which show the direct relationship between a patient's occlusal interferences and his neuromuscular or temporomandibular articulation dysfunction. These tests are simple to perform, take only a few minutes, and aid in confirming the need for occlusal therapy.

Chronic myofascial pain-dysfunction syndrome with chest pain.

A patient with a myofascial pain-dysfunction (MPD) syndrome with pain radiating into the chest has been described. A direct relationship between a dental malocclusion and the chest pain was confirmed by tests. The patient was treated for MPD syndrome related to the malocclusion, and the chest pain symptoms were relieved. This report demonstrates the need for the dentist to consider not only the muscles of mastication in the management of problems of the neuromuscular apparatus but also the delicate balance which exists between the masticatory apparatus and the postural muscles of the head and neck.

Aspects of anaesthetic management of heterologous extracorporeal hepatic support in patients with acute liver failure.

Some anaesthetic aspects of heterologous extracorporeal hepatic support for patients with acute liver failure have been investigated in animals and men. Two types of anaesthesia during hepatectomy in pigs were performed in 20 experiments divided into two groups. A convenient anaesthetic technique was found to be the combined use of neuroleptanalgesics, gamma-OH, small doses of thiopental sodium and nitrous oxide--oxygen mixture. The necessity for care in the procedure of temporary liver support for 'poor-risk' patients is outlined. A minimal use of drugs which are metabolized by the liver, and avoidance of potent analgesics, narcotics, hypotension and hypoxia are the main principles for safe extracorporeal hepatic assistance to critically ill patients.