Efficacy of various dietary calcium salts to improve intestinal resistance to Salmonella infection in rats.

Previous animal and human studies have shown protective effects of Ca on the resistance to enteropathogenic infections. Most interventions were performed with calcium phosphate and little is known about the protective effect of other dietary sources of Ca. Therefore, we investigated the efficacy of several Ca salts to enhance intestinal resistance to Salmonella enteritidis infection. Rats (n 7-8 per group) were fed a high-fat, Western human-style, purified diet with a low Ca content (20 mmol calcium phosphate/kg; negative control group) or the same diet supplemented with either (extra) calcium phosphate, milk Ca, calcium chloride or calcium carbonate (total of 100 mmol Ca supplement/kg). Diets contained Cr-EDTA for assessment of incremental changes in intestinal permeability. After an adaptation period of 2 weeks, animals were orally infected with S. enteritidis to mimic a human-relevant foodborne infection. Ca supplement-induced changes on faecal lactobacilli and enterobacteria were studied before infection. Changes in intestinal permeability were determined by measuring urinary Cr with time. Persistence of Salmonella was determined by studying faecal excretion of this pathogen in time. Overall, all Ca salts increased resistance towards Salmonella. After infection, body weight gain and food intake were higher in the calcium phosphate group. Calcium phosphate and milk Ca decreased faecal enterobacteria before infection. All Ca salts decreased infection-induced intestinal permeability and persistence of Salmonella. Calcium phosphate, milk Ca, calcium carbonate and calcium chloride are able to enhance the intestinal resistance to Salmonella in rats.

Designed sound and music environment in postanaesthesia care units--a multicentre study of patients and staff.

A multicentre study in five postanaesthesia care units (PACUs) was performed to investigate patient and staff opinion of a specially designed music environment (DME), related to geographical location. Patients (325) and staff (91) described their opinion by means of a questionnaire-anonymously in the case of staff. Patients were not asked beforehand for permission to play music. Amongst patients 267 (83%) found the sound environment with DME pleasant or very pleasant, 26 (6%) found it unpleasant, whereas 32 (11%) answered "no opinion". The opinion of the patients did not differ significantly with geographical location. A strong correlation (P<0.05) between a positive attitude towards DME and degree of relaxation and satisfaction with stay was found. The staff had an equally positive attitude towards the DME; but theirs varied significantly with location. The opinion of the staff was more similar concerning the beneficial effect on working conditions and distress, but varied still significantly. The opinion of the staff had no demonstrable impact on that of the patients.