Supplementing neonatal Jersey calves with a blend of probiotic bacteria improves the pathophysiological response to an oral Salmonella enterica serotype Typhimurium challenge.

The objectives of the current study were to determine the effects of supplementing a blend of probiotic bacteria (Provida Calf, MB Nutritional Sciences, Lubbock, TX) on the pathophysiological response to an oral Salmonella enterica serotype Typhimurium challenge in neonatal Jersey calves. Twenty-four Jersey bull calves within 24 h of birth were acquired from a local calf ranch, blocked by total serum protein and initial body weight, and randomly assigned to 1 of 3 treatments (n = 8). Calves were assigned to either (1) Control (CON); base milk replacer, (2) Control + Salmonella Typhimurium (CON+ST); base milk replacer and challenged with Salmonella Typhimurium on d 7; or (3) Provida Calf probiotics + Salmonella Typhimurium (PRO+ST); same milk replacer supplemented with a proprietary blend of Lactobacillus casei and Enterococcus faecium strains and challenged with Salmonella Typhimurium on d 7. The PRO+ST calves were supplemented for the first 3 d with 2 × 1010 cfu/d and then with 2 × 109 cfu/d for the remainder of the study. The CON+ST and PRO+ST calves were each challenged with approximately 5 × 106 cfu of Salmonella Typhimurium (ATCC# 14028), which was a mild challenge that did not cause scours in the calves. Peripheral blood samples were collected on d 0, 7, 10, 14, and 21 and analyzed for hematology; serum was collected and analyzed for haptoglobin, glucose, and urea N. Rectal temperatures were collected daily from d 6 to 21, when all calves were killed, so that persistent colonization of Salmonella Typhimurium and histomorphology of both the duodenum and ileum could be determined. Serum haptoglobin and urea N concentrations were increased among CON+ST on d 10. In contrast, the peak rectal temperature on d 10 in PRO+ST calves was 40.4°C, which was greater than that for CON and CON-ST (38.9°C and 39.7°C, respectively). The neutrophil percentage in peripheral circulation in PRO+ST calves was 55.4%, which was greater than that for CON and CON+ST (34.8 and 41.8%, respectively). Seven of the 8 PRO+ST calves had elevated neutrophil percentages on d 10 compared with d 7, whereas 4 of the 8 CON+ST calves had reduced neutrophil percentages on d 10 compared with d 7. Villus height-to-crypt depth ratios in the duodenum were greater among CON and PRO+ST calves, being 1.38, 0.84, and 1.43 for CON, CON+ST, and PRO+ST, respectively. In the ileum, the PRO+ST calves had greater villus height-to-crypt depth ratios than both the CON and CON+ST calves (1.64, 1.53, and 2.43 for CON, CON+ST, and PRO+ST, respectively). These data indicate that supplementing neonatal calves with the blend of probiotic bacteria used in the current study can influence the pathophysiological response to a mild enteric Salmonella Typhimurium challenge.

Geographic patterns of disability in the United States.

Geographic patterns of county prevalence rates of disability benefit receipt are shown for the Social Security Administration's Disability Insurance (DI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) programs. Prevalence rates were calculated by dividing each county's December 1990 DI and SSI disability caseloads by the population aged 18-64 for that year in that county. Separate maps were also constructed for men and women recipients. Areas with the highest overall DI prevalence rates included Appalachia, the Southeast Coastal Plains, the Mid-south, northwestern Montana, the coastal counties of Washington, and isolated counties of the Southwest. Areas with the highest SSI prevalence rates included the Mississippi Delta, scattered counties in Oklahoma, the Missouri "Boot Heel," parts of Appalachia, isolated counties in South and North Dakota, the "Four Corners" regions of the Southwest, the Sacramento and San Joaquin Valley regions of California, isolated parts of the upper Great Lakes States, northern Maine, and the coastal region of southwestern Alaska. Disability prevalence rates were also calculated for the overall population and by sex for each of the 10 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services administrative regions.

Diverticula in association with the proximal left subclavian artery: a cause of mediastinal mass lesions.

The case reports of 5 patients with an aortic arch diverticulum associated with the proximal left subclavian artery are presented. In 3 patients, the left subclavian artery arose from a diverticulum off a right aortic arch and traversed the retroesophageal area to the opposite arm. In 1 patient, the left subclavian artery arose from a diverticulum off a left aortic arch; this represents the second instance of this anomaly to be reported in the literature. In 1 patient, the left subclavian artery was not attached to the aorta, and a diverticulum was present in the expected area of attachment. Confusion of these anomalies with solid mediastinal mass lesions and with aortic aneurysms may occur. Treatment is predicted on symptomatology, and resection is usually not indicated. It is necessary to remain cognizant of aortic diverticula and to differentiate them from other mediastinal mass lesions.

Morphologic observations on heart valve prostheses made of fascia lata.

A cooperative, international study permitted morphologic observations on 58 fascia lata heart valve prosthese. Thirty-nine had been in position less than a year, the remainder for periods up to 50 months. The fascial cusps, no matter whether free or stent mounted, underwent changes that included death of the original fascia and vacuolar, degenerative changes if a valve had been in situ more than 3 years. Formation of a pseudointima on a cusp's surface caused it to shrink. The rate of progression and severity of the changes varied from prosthesis to prosthesis. Severe cusp shrinkage caused valve incompetence. That seemed particularly likely in mitral and tricuspid prostheses and explains why their use has been abandoned. Clinically, fascia lata aortic valves function satisfactorily for several years. However, their long-term value is still uncertain. Morphologically, the specter of late calcification and other degenerative changes haunt their use until more, from long-term survivors, are available for study.