Status of vitamins E and A and β-carotene and health in organic dairy cows fed a diet without synthetic vitamins

Synthetic vitamin supplementation is not consistent with organic production, so it is important to investigate whether dairy cows can maintain their health and production without synthetic vitamins being added to their diet. In basic dairy cow diets, provitamin A (β-carotene) and vitamin E are mainly found in pasture and in grass and legume silages, but the concentrations are highly variable. This study compared the vitamin status and health of cows without synthetic vitamin supplementation (NSV group) with control cows (CON group) fed synthetic vitamins according to Swedish recommendations (600 IU of vitamin E and 80,000 IU of vitamin A per cow per day) to investigate whether dairy cows can fulfill their requirements of vitamins A and E without supplementation with synthetic vitamins. Vitamin concentrations in blood plasma and milk, health, fertility, milk yield, and milk composition were measured in Swedish Holstein cows (n=28) during 2 complete lactations. All cows were fed a 100% organic diet containing grass-legume silage, cold-pressed rapeseed cake, peas, cereal grains, and minerals. Blood samples were collected from each cow 3 wk before expected calving, at calving, and 3 wk, 3 to 5 mo, and 7 to 9 mo after calving. Samples of colostrum were taken and milk samples were collected 4d after calving and at the same time as the 3 blood samplings after calving. The only difference in vitamin status between groups was found in colostrum in yr 1, when CON cows tended to have a higher concentration of α-tocopherol, and their β-carotene concentration was higher compared with NSV cows. The NSV cows tended to have more cases of mastitis than CON cows in yr 2. Within the NSV group, fewer cows were healthy and more cases of mastitis were observed in yr 2 than in yr 1. The groups did not differ in production parameters. In conclusion, the vitamin status in blood and milk of the studied cows indicated that cows in organic dairy production can fulfill their requirements of vitamins A and E without any supplementation of synthetic vitamins, except at the time around calving, when the requirements are high. However, the impaired health of NSV cows in yr 2 may indicate a long-term negative health effect in cows fed no synthetic vitamins.

Evaluation of dosage, safety and effects of methylphenidate on post-traumatic brain injury symptoms with a focus on mental fatigue and pain

OBJECTIVE

The neurobehavioural symptoms and pain following traumatic brain injury (TBI) can be long-lasting. The condition impairs the persons' ability to function in their work, studies and gatherings with family and friends. The aim of this study was to investigate dosage, safety and effects of methylphenidate on mental fatigue and pain.

METHODS

Twenty-nine physically-well rehabilitated TBI victims, 28 with a mild TBI and one with TBI and also with pain in the neck, shoulders and head were included in the study. Methylphenidate was tested in each patient using three treatment strategies: no medication, low dose (5 mg × 3) and normal dose (20 mg × 3) for 4 weeks using a randomized cross-over design.

RESULTS

Twenty-four patients completed the three treatment periods. Five participants discontinued, four females due to adverse reactions and one male due to attenuated motivation. Only minor adverse events were reported. Methylphenidate significantly decreased mental fatigue, as evaluated by the Mental Fatigue Scale (p < 0.001), and the effects on mental fatigue were dose-dependent. No effect on pain was detected.

CONCLUSIONS

Methylphenidate decreased mental fatigue for subjects suffering a traumatic brain injury, the treatment is considered to be safe and is recommended, starting with a low dose.

The influence of intensity and duration of a painful conditioning stimulation on conditioned pain modulation in volunteers

BACKGROUND AND METHOD

The aim was to investigate influence from variations in intensity of a painful conditioning stimulation (CS) on early (0-6 min) and prolonged (6-12 min) conditioned pain modulation (CPM) in volunteers during concurrent exposure to test stimuli (TS). CS was applied to either forearm using painful heat with an intensity of 2/10 and 5/10, respectively, rated on a 0-10 numerical pain rating scale. At a second session, CS with an intensity of 7/10 was applied to the arm using a tourniquet. Threshold and suprathreshold painful heat and pressure as well as painful repeated monofilament pricking (RMP) were assessed as TS.

RESULTS

Regardless of TS, there was no significant difference in the magnitude of CPM within the same stimulus modality during the various intensities and phases of the CS. Significant modulation of heat pain thresholds (HPTs) was found during the early phase at 5/10 and 7/10, but not at 2/10. Only at 5/10 the prolonged CS resulted in a significant additional increase in HPT. During the early CS phase, CPM of suprathreshold heat pain was found at 2/10 and 5/10. The prolonged CS resulted in a significant additional temperature increase at 5/10. Only during the early phase significant CPM of pressure pain thresholds were found for all three pain intensities in conjunction with a significant CPM of suprathreshold pressure pain at 5/10. There was no CPM of RMP.

CONCLUSION

The CS intensity and the duration of CPM modulated pain sensitivity differentially across TS modalities.

Adhesion of the iron-chromium oxide interface from first-principles theory

We determine the interface energy and the work of separation of the Fe/Cr2O3 interface using first-principles density functional theory. Starting from different structures, we put forward a realistic interface model that is suitable to study the complex metal-oxide interaction. This model has the lowest formation energy and corresponds to an interface between Fe and oxygen terminated Cr2O3. The work of separation is calculated to be smaller than the intrinsic adhesion energy of pure Fe or Cr2O3, suggesting that stainless steel surfaces should preferentially break along the metal-oxide interface. The relative stabilities and magnetic interactions of the different interfaces are discussed. Next we introduce Cr atoms into the Fe matrix at different positions relative to the interface. We find that metallic Cr segregates very strongly to the (FeCr)/Cr2O3 interface, and increases the separation energy of the interface, making the adhesion of the oxide scale mechanically more stable. The Cr segregation is explained by the enthalpy of formation.

Surface parameters of ferritic iron-rich Fe-Cr alloy

Using first-principles density functional theory in the implementation of the exact muffin-tin orbitals method and the coherent potential approximation, we studied the surface energy and the surface stress of the thermodynamically most stable surface facet (100) of the homogeneous disordered body-centred cubic iron-chromium system in the concentration interval up to 20 at.% Cr. For the low-index surface facets of Fe and Cr, the surface energy of Cr is slightly larger than that of Fe, while the surface stress of Cr is considerably smaller than that of Fe. We find that Cr addition to Fe generally increases the surface energy of the Fe-Cr alloy; however, an increase of the bulk amount of Cr also increases the surface stress. As a result of this unexpected trend, the (100) surface of Fe-Cr becomes more stable against reconstruction with increasing Cr concentration. We show that the observed trends are of magnetic origin. In addition to the homogeneous alloy case, we also investigated the impact of surface segregation on both surface parameters.

Increased concentrations of chlordane in adipose tissue from non-Hodgkin's lymphoma patients compared with controls without a malignant disease

Chlordane is a pesticide which is lipophilic, bioaccumulates, and may cause immunological impairment in exposed subjects. The aim of this study was to determine the concentrations of chlordane and its metabolites in cases with NHL and surgical controls without a malignant disease. Adipose tissue was obtained from the abdominal wall and analysis was performed using gas chromatograph coupled to mass spectrometer. The study included 27 NHL cases of the B-cell type and 17 controls. Significantly increased concentrations were found in NHL patients versus (vs) controls of trans-nonachlor, mean 98.9 vs 47.0, range 24.9-389 vs 16.3-88.2 ng/g lipid (p = 0.002), cis-nonachlor, mean 17.1 vs 7.4, range 4.1-68.3 vs 1.7-13.6 (p = 0.010), oxy-chlordane, mean 39.7 vs 24.5, range 8.5-144 vs 8.9-49.0, (p = 0.028) nonachlor III, mean 18.4 vs 8.7, range 6.3-67.6 vs 3.0-19.3 (p = 0.002) and sum of chlordanes, 180 vs 92.8, range 48.3-678 vs 37.0-164 ng/g lipid (p = 0.002). For cases with a concentration higher than the median for all subjects significantly increased odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated for trans-nonachlor (OR = 4.1, CI = 1.1-15), nonachlor LII (OR = 6.5, CI = 1.7-25), and sum of chlordanes (OR = 4.1, CI = 1.1-15); median concentrations were 61.2, 11.3, and 119 ng/g lipid, respectively.

Clonal chromosome-aberrations in fibrocystic breast disease-associated with increased risk of cancer

Short-term cultures of 29 samples of fibrocystic breast disease were cytogenetically analyzed. Clonal chromosome aberrations were found in six specimens, whereas the remaining 23 had a normal karyotype. Three of the abnormal samples displayed karyotypic anomalies previously associated with breast cancer, i.e., gain of Iq, trisomy 18 and cytogenetic multiclonality. Furthermore, all cytogenetically aberrant specimens had either proliferative disease without atypia or atypical hyperplasia, features of fibrocystic disease considered risk factors for subsequent breast cancer development. The cytogenetic similarities between breast carcinomas and proliferative fibrocystic breast disease add further support for classifying certain types of fibrocystic disease as a premalignant condition. Whether cytogenetically abnormal fibrocystic lesions are the ones that subsequently progress to cancer remains to be elucidated.

Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) improves long-term mental fatigue after stroke or traumatic brain injury

OBJECTIVE

Patients who suffer from mental fatigue after a stroke or traumatic brain injury (TBI) have a drastically reduced capacity for work and for participating in social activities. Since no effective therapy exists, the aim was to implement a novel, non-pharmacological strategy aimed at improving the condition of these patients.

METHODS

This study tested a treatment with mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR). The results of the programme were evaluated using a self-assessment scale for mental fatigue and neuropsychological tests. Eighteen participants with stroke and 11 with TBI were included. All the subjects were well rehabilitated physically with no gross impairment to cognitive functions other than the symptom mental fatigue. Fifteen participants were randomized for inclusion in the MBSR programme for 8 weeks, while the other 14 served as controls and received no active treatment. Those who received no active treatment were offered MBSR during the next 8 weeks.

RESULTS

Statistically significant improvements were achieved in the primary end-point--the self-assessment for mental fatigue--and in the secondary end-point--neuropsychological tests; Digit Symbol-Coding and Trail Making Test.

CONCLUSION

The results from the present study show that MBSR may be a promising non-pharmacological treatment for mental fatigue after a stroke or TBI.

Lattice dynamics and superconductivity in cerium at high pressure

We have measured phonon dispersion relations of the high-pressure phase cerium-oC4 (α' phase with the α-uranium crystal structure) at 6.5 GPa by using inelastic x-ray scattering. Pronounced phonon anomalies are observed, which are remarkably similar to those of α-U. First-principles electronic structure calculations reproduce the anomalies and allow us to identify strong electron-phonon coupling as their origin. At the low-pressure end of its stability range, Ce-oC4 is on the verge of a lattice-dynamical instability and possibly a charge density wave. The superconducting transition temperatures of the fcc, oC4, and mC4 phases of Ce have been calculated, and the superconductivity observed experimentally by Wittig and Probst is attributed to the oC4 phase.