Metabolization of the Amadori Product -ε-Fructosyllysine by Probiotic Bacteria.

Glycation reactions in food lead to the formation of the Amadori rearrangement product (ARP) -ε-fructosyllysine (fructoselysine, FL), which is taken up with the daily diet and comes into contact with the gut microbiota during digestion. In the present study, nine commercially available probiotic preparations as well as single pure strains thereof were investigated for their FL-degrading capability under anaerobic conditions. One of the commercial preparations as well as three single pure strains thereof was able to completely degrade 0.

Determinants of children's health care use: an investigation of psychosocial factors.

Factors related to the amount of health care used by 5- to 11-year-old children in a health maintenance organization (HMO) were investigated using a comprehensive multivariate model that assessed the contribution of child health need, mental health, and social functioning; maternal mental health, social support and health care utilization; and family functioning and life events. Mothers reported on the 450 participating children. Health care visits for a two-year retrospective period were obtained from the computerized encounter system.

Driving in patients with dementia.

These pilot data suggest that driving among individuals with incapacitating dementing illness may be an unrecognized, potentially serious problem. A simple 20-item screening questionnaire was administered to 72 referrals to the Dementia Research (outpatient) Clinic of the Johns Hopkins Hospital. Thirty percent of the patient sample had at least one accident since the onset of symptoms of dementia.

Self-care capacity and anticholinergic drug levels in nursing home patients.

The serum anticholinergic levels of 22 demented nursing home patients were related to their cognition and capacity for self-care. The patients with high anticholinergic levels had greater impairment in self-care capacity than patients with low levels.

Prevalence of mental illness in a community nursing home.

A research psychiatrist using a standardized interview found that 94% of a random sample of residents at a large, intermediate-care nursing home had mental disorders according to DSM-III criteria. Primary degenerative dementia and multi-infarct dementia were the most common diagnoses. In addition, the majority of demented patients also had noncognitive symptoms such as delusions and hallucinations, and these residents were significantly more likely to have an associated behavioral disorder than were residents without delusions or hallucinations.