Influence of Early Life Factors, including breast milk Composition, on the Microbiome of Infants Born to Mothers with and without Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Herein we analysed the influence of early life factors, including breast milk composition, on the development of the intestinal microbiota of infants born to mothers with and without IBD. METHODS: The MECONIUM [Exploring MEChanisms Of disease traNsmission In Utero through the Microbiome] study is a prospective cohort study consisting of pregnant women with or without IBD and their infants. Longitudinal stool samples were collected from babies and analysed using 16s rRNA sequencing and faecal calprotectin. Breast milk proteomics was profiled using Olink inflammation panel. RESULTS: We analysed gut microbiota of 1034 faecal samples from 294 infants [80 born to mothers with and 214 to mothers without IBD]. Alpha diversity was driven by maternal IBD status and time point. The major influencers of the overall composition of the microbiota were mode of delivery, feeding, and maternal IBD status. Specific taxa were associated with these exposures, and maternal IBD was associated with a reduction in Bifidobacterium. In 312 breast milk samples [91 from mothers with IBD], mothers with IBD displayed lower abundance of proteins involved in immune regulation, such as thymic stromal lymphopoietin, interleukin-12 subunit beta, tumour necrosis factor-beta, and C-C motif chemokine 20, as compared with control mothers [adjusted p = 0.0016, 0.049, 0.049, and 0.049, respectively], with negative correlations with baby´s calprotectin, and microbiome at different time points. CONCLUSION: Maternal IBD diagnosis influences microbiota in their offspring during early life. The proteomic profile of breast milk of women with IBD differs from that of women without IBD, with distinct time-dependent associations with baby's gut microbiome and feacal calprotectin.

Development of a database management/analysis system for field research activities within a coordinated research project.

There are several ways a database/analysis system can assist a scientist engaged in field research. Specifically, it can assist the scientist with accurate data collection and more rigorous data analyses. The database management portion of this system allows accurate data collection and provides easy data entry through the use of forms. In addition, it can provide the scientist with structured methods of error checking data entry and checking for implausible values and false zeros. The system can also assist the scientist with the organization of the data and provide easy methods of sorting, grouping, and selecting data for analysis. Data can then be exported to a data analysis program where the first step is data validation. A menu of analyses using examples from the coordinated research project (CRP) are demonstrated using statistical methods that test continuous and categorical data.

Rubella susceptibility in women of childbearing age.

OBJECTIVE: The major purpose of the study was to determine the number of rubella-susceptible women attending an urban family-planning clinic. DESIGN: A retrospective, descriptive survey was conducted of all new clients attending the clinic over a 3-month period. SETTING: A family-planning clinic located in a small city in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States. The clinic offers primary health care to women of childbearing age. PARTICIPANTS: The 325 clients involved in the study were young women (mean age = 20 years) from racially diverse backgrounds. INTERVENTIONS: Educational programs for both the health-care provider and the consumer regarding rubella susceptibility are necessary. Rubella screening and re-immunization also must be a major focus of nursing care. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Hematologic screening for rubella immunity. RESULTS: Of the 325 clients surveyed, 35, or 10.7%, were found to be susceptible to rubella. CONCLUSIONS: Although rubella is usually a mild disease for the women it infects, it can have devastating consequences for their offspring if women are infected during their 1st trimester of pregnancy. The study found a sufficient number of women susceptible to rubella to warrant screening for all women of childbearing age.

Financial assessment of results of intervention to correct a housing-system problem on a dairy farm.

OBJECTIVE: To monitor effects that improvements in housing facilities would have on herd performance. Financial measures were calculated to estimate whether improvements resulted in an improved financial status for the farm. DESIGN: Prospective, observational study. ANIMALS: 160-cow dairy herd. PROCEDURE: Farm visits were conducted from 1990 to 1994. Areas for improvement were identified, and changes were recommended. Herd production and farm financial records were analyzed before, during, and after adoption of recommended changes. RESULTS: After improving facilities, somatic cell count was somewhat constant, but tended to decrease during the last 16 months of the study. During the last 8 months of the study, incidence for clinical cases of mastitis decreased to 3.3% per month. Reproductive variables improved dramatically after implementing use of a bull for breeding. Subjective evaluation of cow comfort and lameness indicated apparent improvements in each area. However, milk production remained fairly constant from January 1991 through December 1994. Review of the arm's financial status revealed that costs of production increased from 1990 through 1993, but decreased in 1994. Slow financial response to improvements were attributed to a large decrease in milk price in 1991 and a poor crop harvest in 1993. Thus, although progress was made toward financial stability, approximately 55% of the farm's assets (determined on a market-basis value) were represented by debt. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: It is important to monitor financial status when managing complex health problems that involve several aspects of a farm's operation.

Epidemiologic study of on-farm management practices associated with prevalence of Mycobacterium paratuberculosis infections in dairy cattle.

OBJECTIVE: To use an on-farm recording form to quantity the effect of specific management practices on apparent prevalence of Mycobacterium paratuberculosis in dairy cattle herds. DESIGN: Epidemiologic survey. ANIMALS: 26 commercial Wisconsin dairy farms. PROCEDURES: An instrument was developed on the basis of literature review and expert interviews to quantify on-farm management practices associated with increased apparent prevalence of M paratuberculosis. On-farm visits were conducted to assess how specific management practices were conducted. Apparent prevalence of M paratuberculosis infection was measured for all animals > 20 months old on all farms, using a commercial ELISA. Regression analysis was used to identify management variables that were significantly associated with apparent prevalence of M paratuberculosis. RESULTS: Regression analysis (R2 = 0.90) identified that high scores for environmental conditions, newborn calf care, grower calf care, bred heifer care, and manure handling were significantly associated with M paratuberculosis apparent prevalence in Wisconsin dairy herds. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Environmental conditions, newborn calf care, grower calf management, bred heifer management, and manure handling factors may serve as a prioritized checklist for instructing owners and managers where to place emphasis in changing management practices to limit M paratuberculosis prevalence. Likewise, the factors identified as having low association with apparent prevalence may be de-emphasized in control programs, allowing dairy managers to focus time and finances on more effective components of an M paratuberculosis control program.

[Evaluation of an enzyme immunoassay for the rapid diagnosis of paucibacillary tuberculosis in adults]. / Evaluación del enzimoinmunoensayo para el diagnóstico rápido de la tuberculosis paucibacilar del adulto.

The ELISA has been extensively evaluated as a serodiagnostic method for tuberculosis. However, there is scarce information about its application to cases that cannot be diagnosed by microscopic examination: those with closed lesions or undergoing early stages of the disease. Since a reliable serological test might substantially contribute to their prompt detection, the objective of the present study was to determine the diagnostic value of an ELISA applied to adult smear-negative cases of tuberculosis. Sera from 235 patients with active tuberculosis--176 pulmonary and 59 extrapulmonary cases--and 181 control subjects were tested for IgG antibodies to PPD by ELISA. Eleven cases of non tuberculous mycobacterial (MOTT) disease and 33 cases of mycosis were also included in this group. With the adopted cut-off value, 73.9% (105/142) of smear positive and 52.7% (49/93) of smear negative tuberculosis cases, were correctly classified. Particularly in the latter, the test was positive in 55.2% (32/58) of patients with positive cultures for Mycobacterium tuberculosis and in 48.6% (17/35) of patients diagnosed by clinical, radiological and or histopathological findings. No antibody activity was demonstrated in 92.7% of sera from the control population which included 92 healthy volunteers, 32 non tuberculous diseased subjects and 13 household contacts of smear-positive cases. Among those control subjects who were skin tested, ELISA results were not related to the tuberculin reactivity: 93.7% (30/32) of tuberculin negative and 95.2% (40/42) of tuberculin positive healthy individuals had no detectable antibodies.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Evaluación del enzimoinmunoensayo para el diagnóstico rápido de la tuberculosis paucibacilar del adulto. / [Evaluation of an enzyme immunoassay for the rapid diagnosis of paucibacillary tuberculosis in adults]

The ELISA has been extensively evaluated as a serodiagnostic method for tuberculosis. However, there is scarce information about its application to cases that cannot be diagnosed by microscopic examination: those with closed lesions or undergoing early stages of the disease. Since a reliable serological test might substantially contribute to their prompt detection, the objective of the present study was to determine the diagnostic value of an ELISA applied to adult smear-negative cases of tuberculosis. Sera from 235 patients with active tuberculosis--176 pulmonary and 59 extrapulmonary cases--and 181 control subjects were tested for IgG antibodies to PPD by ELISA. Eleven cases of non tuberculous mycobacterial (MOTT) disease and 33 cases of mycosis were also included in this group. With the adopted cut-off value, 73.9

(105/142) of smear positive and 52.7

(49/93) of smear negative tuberculosis cases, were correctly classified. Particularly in the latter, the test was positive in 55.2

(32/58) of patients with positive cultures for Mycobacterium tuberculosis and in 48.6

(17/35) of patients diagnosed by clinical, radiological and or histopathological findings. No antibody activity was demonstrated in 92.7

of sera from the control population which included 92 healthy volunteers, 32 non tuberculous diseased subjects and 13 household contacts of smear-positive cases. Among those control subjects who were skin tested, ELISA results were not related to the tuberculin reactivity: 93.7

(30/32) of tuberculin negative and 95.2

(40/42) of tuberculin positive healthy individuals had no detectable antibodies.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Evaluacion del enzimoinmunoensayo para el diagnostico rapido de la tuberculosis paucibacilar del adulto / Evaluation of an enzymoimmunoassay for the rapid diagnosis of adult tuberculosis

Se evaluó un enzimoinmunoensayo (EIE) para la detección de anticuerpos IgG circulantes anti-PPD en el diagnóstico de la tuberculosis paucibacilar del adulto. El 73,9% de 142 pacientes bacilíferos y el 52,7% de 93 casos con baciloscopia negativa resultaron seropositivos por EIE. Particularmente en este último grupo la prueba fue positiva en el 55,25 de 58 pacientes diagnosticados por cultivo y en el 48,6% de 35 pacientes con diagnóstico clínico-radiológico de tuberculosis. El 92,7% de 137 sueros de la población control carecia de anticuerpos detectables. En los sujetos sanos que fueron tuberculinizados los resultados del EIE no se realacionaron con la respuesta tuberculínica: el 93.7% (30/32) de los tuberuclino negativos y el 95,2% (40/42) de los reactores a la tuberculina fueron negativos por EIE. Trece de 33 casos de PPD. Ciertamente el EIE tuvo máxima sensibilidad en la detección de casos bacilíferos, no obstante permitió identificar también a más de la mitad de los pacientes con baciloscopia negativa. Por lo tanto, puede ser considerado um método útil para el diagnóstico presuntivo rápido de la tuberculosis paucibacilar, excepto en los casos en los que se plantee el diagnóstico diferencial con micosis o con otras micobacterosis (AU)

Evaluacion del enzimoinmunoensayo para el diagnostico rapido de la tuberculosis paucibacilar del adulto / Evaluation of an enzymoimmunoassay for the rapid diagnosis of adult tuberculosis

Se evaluó un enzimoinmunoensayo (EIE) para la detección de anticuerpos IgG circulantes anti-PPD en el diagnóstico de la tuberculosis paucibacilar del adulto. El 73,9% de 142 pacientes bacilíferos y el 52,7% de 93 casos con baciloscopia negativa resultaron seropositivos por EIE. Particularmente en este último grupo la prueba fue positiva en el 55,25 de 58 pacientes diagnosticados por cultivo y en el 48,6% de 35 pacientes con diagnóstico clínico-radiológico de tuberculosis. El 92,7% de 137 sueros de la población control carecia de anticuerpos detectables. En los sujetos sanos que fueron tuberculinizados los resultados del EIE no se realacionaron con la respuesta tuberculínica: el 93.7% (30/32) de los tuberuclino negativos y el 95,2% (40/42) de los reactores a la tuberculina fueron negativos por EIE. Trece de 33 casos de PPD. Ciertamente el EIE tuvo máxima sensibilidad en la detección de casos bacilíferos, no obstante permitió identificar también a más de la mitad de los pacientes con baciloscopia negativa. Por lo tanto, puede ser considerado um método útil para el diagnóstico presuntivo rápido de la tuberculosis paucibacilar, excepto en los casos en los que se plantee el diagnóstico diferencial con micosis o con otras micobacterosis