Is there a color line in death? An examination of end-of-life care in the African American community.

Although the goals of end-of-life care and hospice are to mitigate suffering and improve quality of life for patients with terminal illnesses, they remain underutilized by a significant number of African Americans. While sociocultural issues play a role in the underutilization of these resources among African Americans, other confounding factors affect the ability of African Americans to adequately access quality care at the end of life. Here, the authors examine the various barriers preventing increased use of hospice care and palliative therapy among African Americans.

Evaluation of five probiotic products for label claims by DNA extraction and polymerase chain reaction analysis.

Label claims were evaluated for five probiotic products. Specific oligonucleotide primers were designed for 11 species from the Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, and Streptococcus genera. Polymerase chain reaction, gel electrophoresis, and amplicon excision with DNA sequencing were performed: Sequence analysis and DNA homology comparisons followed.

Probiotics in health maintenance and disease prevention.

Probiotic microflora display numerous health benefits beyond providing basic nutritional value. They cooperatively maintain a delicate balance between the gastrointestinal tract and immune system. When this balance is disrupted, disease and inflammation result.