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Study Design: Multicentre, cross-sectional study., Objectives: To determine if clinical measures of poor mental health (MH-) and neuropathic pain (NP) are related to increased CVD risk in individuals with chronic spinal cord injury (SCI), and further elucidate the relationships between CVD risk, autonomic function, NP, and MH-., Setting: Eight SCI rehabilitation centres in the Netherlands., Methods: Individuals (n = 257) with a traumatic, chronic (≥10 yrs) SCI, with age at injury between 18-35 years, completed a self-report questionnaire and a one-day visit to a rehabilitation centre for testing. CVD risk was calculated using Framingham risk score. NP was inferred using The Douleur Neuropathique 4 clinical examination, and MH- was assessed using the five-item Mental Health Inventory questionnaire. Cardiovascular autonomic function was determined from peak heart rate during maximal exercise (HR peak )., Results: There was a high prevalence of both NP (39%) and MH- (45%) following SCI. MH- was significantly correlated with an adverse CVD risk profile (r = 0.174; p = 0.01), increased the odds of adverse 30-year CVD risk by 2.2 (CI 0.92-2.81, p = 0.02), and is an important variable in determining CVD risk (importance=0.74, p = 0.05). Females (p = 0.05) and those with a higher HR peak (p = 0.046) tended to be more likely to have NP., Conclusions: Clinical measures of MH-, but not NP, are important factors for increased CVD risk following SCI. NP tended to be more prevalent in those with more preserved cardiovascular autonomic function. The interrelationships between secondary consequences of SCI are complex and need further exploration., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to International Spinal Cord Society.)

Background: This study aimed to identify the incidence of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo following head trauma., Methods: This study is a prospective cross-sectional study. Initially, a targeted search for the identification of patients with the international classification of diseases (ICD-10) diagnosis of cerebral commotio at relevant emergency units in the Northern Region of Denmark was done. This was followed by a clinical examination to determine the incidence of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) within this population. Of the 295 patients diagnosed with commotio cerebri during a 4-and-a-half month period, 85 patients were included. All patients underwent clinical examination in a mechanical repositional chair wearing Video Frenzel Goggles. Additional examinations included a complete video head impulse test., Results: A total of six patients were identified with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) following minor head trauma. Bilateral BPPV, multicanal BPPV, and BPPV of a single semicircular canal were identified. All patients experienced relief of benign paroxysmal positional vertigorelated symptoms within 3 treatment sessions. Five patients were identified with a pathological video head impulse test, 54 with an inconclusive examination, and 15 with a normal video head impulse test., Conclusion: The incidence of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo following minor head trauma was 7%. A relatively high number of atypical subtypes of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo was found. When applying strict criteria for the interpretation of video head impulse test examination, the number of patients with inconclusive video head impulse test examination was higher than expected and 6.7% of patients had a pathological video head impulse test examination. No relationship between benign paroxysmal positional vertigo and pathological video head impulse test was observed.

The rise of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has led to a deeper understanding of cortical processing of pain. Central to these advances has been the identification and analysis of "functional networks", often derived from groups of pre-selected pain regions. In this study our main objective was to identify functional brain networks related to pain perception by examining whole-brain activation, avoiding the need for a priori selection of regions. We applied a data-driven technique-Constrained Principal Component Analysis for fMRI (fMRI-CPCA)-that identifies networks without assuming their anatomical or temporal properties. Open-source fMRI data collected during a thermal pain task (33 healthy participants) were subjected to fMRI-CPCA for network extraction, and networks were associated with pain perception by modelling subjective pain ratings as a function of network activation intensities. Three functional networks emerged: a sensorimotor response network, a salience-mediated attention network, and the default-mode network. Together, these networks constituted a brain state that explained variability in pain perception, both within and between individuals, demonstrating the potential of data-driven, whole-brain functional network techniques for the analysis of pain imaging data., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

Study Design: Multicentre, cross-sectional study., Objectives: To identify which markers of obesity, injury characteristics and autonomic function variables are related to cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk after spinal cord injury (SCI), and establish cut-points for detection and risk management., Setting: Eight SCI rehabilitation centres in the Netherlands., Methods: Individuals (n = 257) with a traumatic, chronic (≥10 years) SCI, with age at injury between 18 and 35 years, completed a self-report questionnaire and a one-day visit to a rehabilitation centre for testing. Three anthropometric measures were tested: body mass index (BMI); waist circumference (WC); and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR). Injury characteristics included: American Spinal Injury Association impairment scale (AIS); duration of injury (DOI); and neurological level of injury (LOI). Cardiovascular autonomic function was assessed from peak heart rate during maximal exercise (HR peak ). Systolic arterial pressure (SAP) and aerobic capacity (VO 2peak ) were also determined. CVD risk was calculated using the Framingham risk score (FRS)., Results: All anthropometric variables were associated with FRS, with WC showing the strongest correlation (r = 0.41, p < 0.001) and greatest area under the curve (0.73) for 10-year CVD risk (%). WC, DOI, SAP, HR peak , LOI, and VO 2peak (variable importance: 0.81, 1.0, 0.98, 0.98, 0.66, 0.68, respectively) were important predictive variables for 10-year CVD risk in individuals with SCI., Conclusions: We confirm that WC is a simple, practical measure of CVD risk, and along with DOI and markers of cardiovascular autonomic function, plays a role in the increased CVD risk following SCI.

Participation in enjoyable activities is instrumental to improving individuals' quality of life. Previous studies have indicated engagement in community-based activities and physical exercise are beneficial to individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID). The purpose of this study was to understand, from their perceptions, fun activities in which individuals with ID engaged. One hundred and sixty-nine participants with ID provided 561 responses, which described what they do for fun. A multidisciplinary research team utilized a Consensual Qualitative Research (CQR) approach to differentiate responses into a list of categories that fit into six central domains. Domains (with frequency of responses) included: Community and Relationship Building Activities (130), Sports and Other Physical Activities (123), Technology and Gaming (105), Music and Other Preforming Arts (69), Mentally-Stimulating Activities (51), and Categories Outside of a Domain (82). These findings indicate that individuals with ID have a variety of interests. Our discussion, which reviews literature on individuals with and without ID, suggests similar leisure activity engagement among both groups. This literature also suggests individuals with ID experience similar benefits to their peers without ID when engaging in leisure activities. Our results provide a framework to explore self-care routines that can improve quality of life for individuals with ID., Competing Interests: No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors., (© The British Society of Developmental Disabilities 2021.)

Study Design: Multicenter prospective cohort., Objective: To discern neurological- and functional recovery in patients with a traumatic thoracic spinal cord injury (TSCI), conus medullaris syndrome (CMS), and cauda equina syndrome (CES)., Setting: Specialized spinal cord injury centers in Europe., Method: Lower extremity motor score (LEMS) and spinal cord independent measure (SCIM) scores from patients with traumatic TSCI, CMS, and CES were extracted from the EMSCI database. Scores from admittance and during rehabilitation at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months were compared. Linear mixed models were used to statistically analyse differences in outcome, which were corrected for the ASIA Impairment Scale (AIS) in the acute phase., Results: Data from 1573 individuals were analysed. Except for the LEMS in patients with a CES AIS A, LEMS, and SCIM significantly improved over time for patients with a TSCI, CMS, and CES. Irrespectively of the AIS score, recovery in 12 months after trauma as measured by the LEMS showed a statistically significant difference between patients with a TSCI, CMS, and CES. Analysis of SCIM score showed no difference between patients with TSCI, CMS, or CES., Conclusion: Difference in recovery between patients with a traumatic paraplegia is based on neurological (motor) recovery. Regardless the ceiling effect in CES patients, patients with a mixed upper and lower motor neuron syndrome (CMS) showed a better recovery compared with patients with a upper motor neuron syndrome (TSCI). These findings enable stratifications of patients with paraplegia according to the level and severity of SCI.

Purpose: Based on a deep learning neural network (NN) algorithm, a super fast and easy to implement data analysis method was proposed for myelin water imaging (MWI) to calculate the myelin water fraction (MWF)., Methods: A NN was constructed and trained on MWI data acquired by a 32-echo 3D gradient and spin echo (GRASE) sequence. Ground truth labels were created by regularized non-negative least squares (NNLS) with stimulated echo corrections. Voxel-wise GRASE data from 5 brains (4 healthy, 1 multiple sclerosis (MS)) were used for NN training. The trained NN was tested on 2 healthy brains, 1 MS brain with segmented lesions, 1 healthy spinal cord, and 1 healthy brain acquired from a different scanner., Results: Production of whole brain MWF maps in approximately 33 ​s can be achieved by a trained NN without graphics card acceleration. For all testing regions, no visual differences between NN and NNLS MWF maps were observed, and no obvious regional biases were found. Quantitatively, all voxels exhibited excellent agreement between NN and NNLS (all R 2 >0.98, p ​< ​0.001, mean absolute error <0.01)., Conclusion: The time for accurate MWF calculation can be dramatically reduced to less than 1 ​min by the proposed NN, addressing one of the barriers facing future clinical feasibility of MWI., (Copyright © 2020 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The vestibular end-organs encode for linear and angular head accelerations in space contributing to our internal representation of self-motion. Activation of the vestibular system with transmastoid electrical current has recently grown in popularity; however, a direct relationship between electrically evoked and mechanically evoked vestibular responses remains elusive in humans. We have developed and tested a mechanical-to-electrical vestibular stimulus conversion model incorporating physiological activation of primary vestibular afferents identified in nonhuman primates. We compared ocular torsional responses between mechanical (chair rotation) and model-derived electrical (binaural-bipolar) stimuli in separate experiments for an angular velocity step change (±10 deg/s over 1 s, ±4-mA peak amplitude; n = 10) and multisine angular velocities (±10 deg/s, 9.7 mA peak to peak, 0.05-1 Hz; n = 5), respectively. Perception of whole body rotation ( n = 18) to our step-change stimuli was also evaluated. Ocular torsional slow-phase velocity responses between stimulation types were similar (paired two one-sided tests of equivalence: multiple P < 0.002; one-sample t test: P = 0.178) and correlated (Pearson's coefficient: multiple P < 0.001). Bootstrap analysis of perceived angular velocity likewise showed similarity in perceptual decay dynamics. These data suggest that central processing between stimuli was similar, and our vestibular stimulus conversion model with a conversion factor of ∼0.4 mA per deg/s for an angular velocity step change can generate electrical stimuli that replicates dynamic vestibular activation elicited by mechanical whole body rotations. This proposed vestibular conversion model represents an initial framework for using electrical stimuli to generate mechanically equivalent activation of primary vestibular afferents for use in biomedical applications and immersive reality technologies. NEW & NOTEWORTHY With the growing popularity of electrical vestibular stimulation in biomedical and immersive reality applications, a direct conversion model between electrical and mechanical vestibular stimuli is needed. We developed a model to generate electrical stimuli mimicking the physiological activation of vestibular afferents evoked by mechanical rotations. Ocular and perceptual responses evoked by mechanical and model-derived electrical stimuli were similar, thus providing a critical first step toward generation of electrically induced vestibular responses that have a realistic mechanical equivalent.

Background: Recent observational studies have shown an association between gabapentinoid anticonvulsants and greater motor recovery after spinal cord injury. There is preclinical evidence to suggest that other anticonvulsants, such as sodium channel blockers, may also confer beneficial effects., Purpose: The aim of the current study was to determine if non-gabapentinoid anticonvulsants were associated with neurological recovery after acute, traumatic spinal cord injury., Methods: This was an observational cohort study using data from the Sygen clinical trial. The primary outcome was total motor score recovery in the first year after injury. Anticonvulsant use was extracted from concomitant medication records; individuals were classified based on early administration (within 30 days of injury), or late/no administration. Motor recovery was compared using linear mixed effects regression models with a drug-by-time interaction, and adjustment for confounders. A secondary analysis incorporated a propensity score matched cohort., Results: Of the cohort (n = 570), 6% received anticonvulsants (carbamazepine, phenytoin, clonazepam, phenobarbital, and valproic acid) early after injury. After adjustments for initial injury level and severity, early exposure to non-gabapentinoid anticonvulsants was not associated with motor neurological outcomes (p = 0.38 for all anticonvulsants, p = 0.83 for sodium channel blockers, p = 0.82 in propensity-matched cohort)., Conclusion: Non-gabapentinoid anticonvulsant exposure was not associated with greater or lesser neurological recovery. This suggests that these medications, as administered for the acute management of spinal cord injury, do not impact long-term neurological outcomes.

Recent temporal trends in the population prevalence of chronic pain in Canada on a national and provincial level are unknown. Five cycles of the Canadian Community Health Survey (2000/2001, 2007/2008, 2009/2010, 2011/2012, and 2013/2014) were used to derive population-based estimates of the self-reported prevalence of chronic pain. Sensitivity analyses examined chronic pain prevalence among those reporting no other chronic health conditions. The prevalence of chronic pain among the general Canadian population increased by almost 4.0% (to 21.0%) in 2011/2012, after being in the range of 15.7 to 17.2% from 2000 to 2009/2010. The sudden increase in prevalence was observed 1) across all provinces in Canada, 2) in all age categories, and 3) among Canadians with no other chronic health conditions. Increasing chronic pain prevalence in Canada, most significantly occurring between 2010 and 2012, and including among healthy and young individuals, emphasizes the need for targeted research and resources to help alleviate chronic pain. PERSPECTIVE: This study uncovers a significant increase in chronic pain prevalence in Canada between 2009/2010 and 2011/2012, driven by younger Canadians that are free of the most common chronic health conditions. This discovery emphasizes the importance of further directed research and resources to help mitigate the trend of increasing chronic pain., (Copyright © 2018 the American Pain Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: The prevalence of pain among people with a variety of individual neurological conditions has been estimated. However, information is limited about chronic pain among people with neurological conditions overall, and about the conditions for which chronic pain is most prevalent. To fill these information gaps, a common method of pain assessment is required., Data and Methods: The data are from the Survey on Living with Neurological Conditions in Canada, a cross-sectional national survey. Based on self-reports, chronic pain was assessed for 16 neurological conditions. Multivariable logistic regression was used to produce odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CIs)., Results: Close to 1.5 million individuals aged 15 or older who lived in private households reported having been diagnosed with a neurological condition. The overall prevalence of chronic pain for the 16 neurological conditions combined was 36% (95% CI: 31% to 42%). The odds of chronic pain were significantly elevated among individuals with spinal cord trauma., Discussion: Chronic pain is highly prevalent among people with neurological conditions, particularly those with spinal cord trauma. These results suggest a need to target health services and direct research to improved pain management, and thereby reduce the burden of neurological disease.

The anticonvulsant pregabalin promotes neural regeneration in a mouse model of spinal cord injury (SCI). We have also previously observed that anticonvulsants improve motor outcomes following human SCI. The present study examined the optimal timing and type of anticonvulsants administered in a large, prospective, multi-center, cohort study in acute SCI. Mixed-effects regression techniques were used to model total motor scores at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months post injury. We found that early (not late) administration of anticonvulsants significantly improved motor recovery (6.25 points over 1 year). The beneficial effect of anticonvulsants remained significant after adjustment for differences in 1-month motor scores and injury characteristics. A review of a subset of patients revealed that gabapentinoids were the most frequently administrated anticonvulsant. Together with preclinical findings, intervention with anticonvulsants represents a potential pharmacological strategy to improve motor function after SCI., (Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The objective of the present study was to assess the fatty acid composition of horse-meat available at the retail market in northern Spain. Horse steaks (Longissimus thoracis et lumborum muscle; n=82) were purchased from butcher-shops and large grocery stores throughout six northern regions of Spain in two different seasons. Fat content differed significantly among regions (1.12 to 2.77%). Samples with higher intramuscular fat content presented the highest percentages of total monounsaturated fatty acids and the lowest contents of dimethylacetal and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), while the opposite was found in the leanest samples. A high variability was observed in the muscle and subcutaneous n-3 PUFA content. Overall, total n-3 PUFA content ranged between 1.17% and 18.9% in muscle fat and between 1.52% and 27.9% in backfat. Interestingly, almost 5% of surveyed loins from horse carcasses (4 out of 82) contained over 300mg of linolenic acid per 100g of meat which could have been marketed as a "source" of n-3 FAs according to Commission Regulation (EU) No 116/2010., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

It was previously demonstrated that Fourier transform near infrared (FT-NIR) spectroscopy and partial least squares (PLS1) were successfully used to assess whether an olive oil was extra virgin, and if adulterated, with which type of vegetable oil and by how much using previously developed PLS1 calibration models. This last prediction required an initial set of four PLS1 calibration models that were based on gravimetrically prepared mixtures of a specific variety of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) spiked with adulterants. The current study was undertaken after obtaining a range of EVOO varieties grown in different countries. It was found that all the different types of EVOO varieties investigated belonged to four distinct groups, and each required the development of additional sets of specific PLS1 calibration models to ensure that they can be used to predict low concentrations of vegetable oils high in linoleic, oleic, or palmitic acid, and/or refined olive oil. These four distinct sets of PLS1 calibration models were required to cover the range of EVOO varieties with a linoleic acid content from 1.3 to 15.5 % of total fatty acids. An FT-NIR library was established with 66 EVOO products obtained from California and Europe. The quality and/or purity of EVOO were assessed by determining the FT-NIR Index, a measure of the volatile content of EVOO. The use of these PLS1 calibration models made it possible to predict the authenticity of EVOO and the identity and quantity of potential adulterant oils in minutes.

Background Approximately 60% of patients suffering from acute spinal cord injury (SCI) develop pain within days to weeks after injury, which ultimately persists into chronic stages. To date, the consequences of pain after SCI have been largely examined in terms of interfering with quality of life. Objective The objective of this study was to examine the effects of pain and pain management on neurological recovery after SCI. Methods We analyzed clinical data in a prospective multicenter observational cohort study in patients with SCI. Using mixed effects regression techniques, total motor and sensory scores were modelled at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months postinjury. Results A total of 225 individuals were included in the study (mean age: 45.8 ± 18 years, 80% male). At 1 month postinjury, 28% of individuals with SCI reported at- or below-level neuropathic pain. While pain classification showed no effect on neurological outcomes, individuals administered anticonvulsant medications at 1 month postinjury showed significant reductions in pain intensity (2 points over 1 year; P < .05) and greater recovery in total motor scores (7.3 points over 1 year; P < .05). This drug effect on motor recovery remained significant after adjustment for injury level and injury severity, pain classification, and pain intensity. Conclusion While initial pain classification and intensity did not reveal an effect on motor recovery following acute SCI, anticonvulsants conferred a significant beneficial effect on motor outcomes. Early intervention with anticonvulsants may have effects beyond pain management and warrant further studies to evaluate the therapeutic effectiveness in human SCI., (© The Author(s) 2016.)

A survey of commercially available lamb meat was performed in northern Spain in order to evaluate their fatty acid (FA) composition with emphasis on trans fatty acid (TFA) and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) isomers. Samples were collected in spring (n=24) and winter (n=24) of 2013, and were obtained in about equal numbers from grocery stores and butcher-shops. Subcutaneous fat, known to be a sensitive indicator of TFA content in ruminants, was analyzed by GC-FID. In general, very few differences were observed between collection periods and type of stores because of the high variability within the groups that was believed to be associated with differences in genetics and feeding strategies. However, the 10t/11t ratio of all samples showed two clearly identifiable groups irrespective of the source: 1) when 10t/11t was >1, 10t-shifted samples; 2) when 10t/11t was ≤1, non-shifted samples where 11t-18:1 was the predominant isomer. These two groups were clearly identified and associated with distinct FAs using principal component analysis., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The consumption of horse-meat is currently not popular in most countries, but because of its availability and recognized nutritional value consumption is slowly increasing in several western European countries based on claims that it could be an alternative red meat. In this review, horse-meat production, trade and supply values have been summarized. In addition, the advantage of horse production is noted because of its lower methane emissions and increased uptake, particularly of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), which is based on its digestive physiology. Of particular interest in this review is the unique fatty acid composition of horse-meat with its high level of the nutritionally desirable PUFAs in both the adipose and muscle fat. Because of its large frame size and digestive physiology, the horse can be considered an alternative to bovine meat, with large advantages regarding the maintenance of less favored mountain grazing areas and its facility to transfer PUFA from feed to meat., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Migraine headaches are a common neurological condition, negatively impacting health and quality of life. The association between migraines and spinal cord injury (SCI) is intriguing to consider from the perspective that migraine headaches may be acquired in response to damage in the spinal cord [corrected].The primary objective of this study was to further examine the association between SCI and migraine headache, controlling for potential confounding variables. A secondary objective was to determine the impact of migraine headaches on self-perceived health. Data from a sample of 61,047 participants were obtained from the cross-sectional Canadian Community Health Survey. Multivariable logistic regression was used to explore the association between SCI and migraine headache using probability weights and adjusting for confounders. The multivariable age- and sex-adjusted model revealed a strong association between SCI and migraine headache, with an adjusted odds ratio for migraine of 4.82 (95% confidence interval [3.02, 7.67]) among those with SCI compared to those without SCI. Further, individuals who experienced both SCI and migraine tended to report poorer perceived general health compared with the other groups (i.e., SCI and no migraine). In conclusion, this study established a strong association between SCI and migraine headache. Further research is needed to explore the possible mechanisms underlying this relationship. Improvements in clinical practice to minimize this issue could result in significant improvements in quality of life.

A new, rapid Fourier transform near infrared (FT-NIR) spectroscopic procedure is described to screen for the authenticity of extra virgin olive oils (EVOO) and to determine the kind and amount of an adulterant in EVOO. To screen EVOO, a partial least squares (PLS1) calibration model was developed to estimate a newly created FT-NIR index based mainly on the relative intensities of two unique carbonyl overtone absorptions in the FT-NIR spectra of EVOO and other mixtures attributed to volatile (5280 cm(-1)) and non-volatile (5180 cm(-1)) components. Spectra were also used to predict the fatty acid (FA) composition of EVOO or samples spiked with an adulterant using previously developed PLS1 calibration models. Some adulterated mixtures could be identified provided the FA profile was sufficiently different from those of EVOO. To identify the type and determine the quantity of an adulterant, gravimetric mixtures were prepared by spiking EVOO with different concentrations of each adulterant. Based on FT-NIR spectra, four PLS1 calibration models were developed for four specific groups of adulterants, each with a characteristic FA composition. Using these different PLS1 calibration models for prediction, plots of predicted vs. gravimetric concentrations of an adulterant in EVOO yielded linear regression functions with four unique sets of slopes, one for each group of adulterants. Four corresponding slope rules were defined that allowed for the determination of the nature and concentration of an adulterant in EVOO products by applying these four calibration models. The standard addition technique was used for confirmation.

Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the association between chronic respiratory diseases (asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) and spinal cord injury (SCI) in a large representative sample., Methods: Data were compiled from more than 60,000 individuals from the 2010 cycle of the cross-sectional Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS). Multivariable logistic regression analysis was conducted to examine this relationship, adjusting for confounders, and using probability weighting to account for the CCHS sampling method., Results: After adjusting for age, sex, and smoking status, SCI was associated with a significant increased odds of asthma (adjusted odds ratio = 1.59 [95% confidence interval 1.11, 2.26]; p < 0.05) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (1.87 [1.20, 2.91]; p < 0.05)., Conclusions: These heightened odds highlight the exigent need for targeted interventions and prevention strategies for respiratory health among individuals with SCI., (© 2015 American Academy of Neurology.)

Background: Individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) have a more than twofold increased risk of heart disease and stroke compared with able-bodied individuals. The increased risk appears to be in excess of the risk conferred by several well-established risk factors, including diabetes, hypertension, and sex. This raises the question whether other factors, secondary to SCI, are also contributing to the development of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Two potential factors associated with SCI and CVD are pain and depression. Both are frequently reported among individuals with SCI, develop in the acute stages of injury, and are commonly described as severe. Therefore, the primary aim of this study was to examine the relationship between pain (and types of pain) and depression with CVD among individuals with SCI., Methods: A total of 1,493 individuals (referred sample) with chronic SCI participated in a self-report cross-sectional multicenter Canada-wide survey from 2011-2012 (mean age ± standard deviation: 49.6 ± 13.9 years)., Results: After adjustment for age, sex, and injury characteristics, neuropathic pain and depression were significantly and independently associated with CVD (adjusted odds ratio and 95% confidence interval: 2.27 (1.21, 4.60) for neuropathic pain; 4.07 (2.10, 7.87) for depression). In contrast to neuropathic pain, non-neuropathic pain was not significantly associated with CVD (p = 0.13)., Conclusion: In conclusion, these data illustrate important interrelationships between secondary complications following SCI, as well as raise the possibility of neuropathic pain (versus nociceptive pain) as a novel and emerging risk factor for CVD., (© 2015 S. Karger AG, Basel.)

Currently, there are no direct and reliable methods to measure the body fat content of women during pregnancy. Estimates of fat accretion can significantly affect calculations of energy requirements. We report here the first direct measurement of determining the body fat content of two women during pregnancy using the Fourier transform near-infrared spectroscopy (FT-NIR) method. Fourier transform near-infrared spectroscopy was shown to provide comparable results to dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and magnetic resonance imaging. These latter methods, even though very reliable to measure body fat levels, cannot be used to measure the body fat of women during pregnancy because of health concerns, while FT-NIR poses no health risk. The FT-NIR results showed the percent body fat remained relatively constant throughout pregnancy, but fat mass and fat free mass increased. Fat mass followed an S curve with a maximum increase between 15 to 25 weeks of gestation that was only detected by repeated measurements using the FT-NIR technique. These results demonstrate the value of the FT-NIR method to directly measure the fat content of pregnant women in minutes instead of relying on indirect calculations or taking measurements before and after pregnancy to track gestational fat mass accretion.

A serial slaughter study, involving 45 individually housed Yorkshire female pigs, was conducted to evaluate the impact of feeding diets containing ground flaxseed (FS) during either the grower or late finisher phase on the incorporation of α-linolenic acid (18:3n-3) and n-3 highly unsaturated fatty acid metabolites (n-3 HUFA; all n-3 PUFA excluding 18:3n-3) in trimmed loin (longissimus dorsi) and belly (cross-section cut). Growth performance, carcass characteristics, and pork quality were also monitored. The three feeding regimens were 1) feeding a diet containing 10% FS between 25 and 50 kg BW, followed by FS-free diets (low n-3 PUFA content) until 110 kg BW (FS early, FSE; n = 16), 2) feeding no FS diets between 25 and 85 kg BW, followed by a diet containing 6% FS until 110 kg BW (FS late, FSL; n = 17), and 3) feeding FS-free diets between 25 and 110 kg BW (CON; n = 8). Pigs were assigned to 1 of 3 target slaughter weights for determining whole nutrient retention: 50 kg (n = 4 and 5 for FSE and FSL, respectively), 85 kg (n = 4 for FSE and FSL), and 110 kg (n = 8 pigs for FSE, FSL, and CON). An additional 4 pigs were slaughtered to determine initial body composition at 25 kg BW. Pigs on treatments FSE and FSL consumed equal cumulative amounts of FS (5.1 vs. 5.2 kg). Fatty acid content was expressed as milligrams per 100 g of fresh tissue. No treatment effect was observed for growth performance, body composition, carcass characteristics, loin meat quality, and fat content in the loin and belly samples. In the loin, the content of 18:3n-3 at 110 kg BW was greater for FSL than FSE and CON (P < 0.01; 143, 76.4, and 37 mg/100 g, respectively), whereas the contents of 18:3n-3 in the belly were greater for both FSL and FSE than CON (752, 667, and 207 mg/100 g for FSL, FSE, and CON, respectively). Within tissues, the content of n-3 HUFA was similar for FSL and FSE, and both were greater (P < 0.01) than CON for loin (41.7, 30.3, and 17.9 mg/100 g, respectively) and belly (168, 179, and 71.2 mg/100 g, respectively), except for docosahexaenoic acid (22:6n-3) in the loin. Feeding FS tended to reduce the content of arachidonic acid (20:4n-6) and adrenic acid (22:4n-6; P < 0.10) in the loin and belly. In the belly but not in the loin, feeding FS reduced the content of total SFA (P = 0.05) and tended to reduce the content of the sum of MUFA (P = 0.09). Within the loin and belly, the ratio of n-6 to n-3 PUFA and the content of n-3 HUFA were similar for FSE and FSL, with the exception of 18:3n-3 and 20:4n-6 in the loin, for which contents were greater for FSL than FSE (P < 0.05). These results indicate that providing modest amounts of FS leads to a substantial enrichment of 18:3n-3 and n-3 HUFA in pork products. The enrichment of n-3 HUFA appears to be independent of timing of feeding FS, providing flexibility as to when n-3 PUFA can be fed to generate n-3 PUFA-enriched pork products.

The fatty acids contained in marine oils or products are traditionally analyzed by gas chromatography using capillary columns coated with polyethylene glycol phases. Recent reports indicate that 100 % cyanopropyl siloxane phases should also be used when the analyzed samples contain trans fatty acids. We investigated the separation of the fatty acid methyl esters prepared from menhaden oil using the more polar SLB-IL111 (200 m × 0.25 mm) ionic liquid capillary column and the chromatographic conditions previously optimized for the separation of the complex mixture of fatty acid methyl esters prepared from milk fat. Identifications of fatty acids were achieved by applying Ag(+)-HPLC fractionation and GC-TOF/MS analysis in CI(+) mode with isobutane as the ionization reagent. Calculation of equivalent chain lengths confirmed the assignment of double bond positions. This methodology allowed the identification of 125 fatty acids in menhaden oil, including isoprenoid and furanoid fatty acids, and the novel 7-methyl-6-hexadecenoic and 7-methyl-6-octadecenoic fatty acids. The chromatographic conditions applied in this study showed the potential of separating in a single 90-min analysis, among others, the short chain and trans fatty acids contained in dairy products, and the polyunsaturated fatty acids contained in marine products.

An experiment was conducted to quantify the ileal flow and apparent ileal digestibility (AID) of fatty acids (FA) in growing gilts fed corn, wheat, and soybean meal based diets without (CON) or with ground flaxseed (FS). A total of 20 healthy purebred Yorkshire female pigs, weighing approximately 25 kg BW, were allotted to 1 of 3 feeding regimens: R1 (n = 5 pigs), feeding a diet containing 10% FS between 25 and 50 kg BW and CON diet thereafter, R2 (n = 10 pigs), feeding CON diet between 25 and 85 kg BW and a diet containing 6% FS thereafter, and R3 (n = 5 pigs), feeding CON diet between 25 and 110 kg BW. Titanium dioxide was used as an indigestible marker to assess AID and ileal flows of crude fat and FA. At 110 kg BW, pigs were slaughtered and representative digesta samples were obtained from the distal ileum. Ileal flows and AID of crude fat and individual FA did not differ (P > 0.10) between R1 and R3, and therefore, results from these 2 feeding regimens were combined to give 2 dietary treatments (CON and FS). There were no treatment effects on AID of crude fat and the sum of all FA, SFA, or MUFA. However, the AID of individual SFA decreased with chain length (linear; P < 0.05) for both FS and CON. The AID of myristic acid (14:0), individual trans-18:1 FA (6t-8t-18:1 to 12t-18:1), myristoleic acid (9c-14:1), and palmitoleic acid (9c-16:1) were greater for CON than FS (P < 0.05) whereas no diet effect was observed for the AID of linoleic acid (18:2n-6; 80.2 and 86.1% for FS and CON, respectively) and α-linolenic acid (18:3n-3; 86.7 and 89.8% for FS and CON, respectively). Ileal flows of rumenic acid (9c11t-CLA), n-3 PUFA, and highly unsaturated FA (HUFA; arachidonic, eicosatrienoic, eicosapentaenoic, docosapentaenoic, and docosahexaenoic acids) exceeded their intakes, indicating net appearance of these FA in the upper gut of the pig. It remains to be determined whether enteric microbiota can elongate and desaturate 18:2n-6 and 18:3n-3 and isomerize 18:2n-6. The contribution of endogenous FA losses from the host to the ileal flow of these FA should also be considered. Further studies are needed to quantify production of CLA isomers and PUFA in the small intestine of pigs, specifically the n-3 HUFA, and to assess their contribution to the FA supply of the host.

This study was designed to compare the quality of veal produced from 'Tudanca×Charolais' cross (n=6) and Limousin (n=6) breeds when allowed to feed freely on mountain pastures and suckle naturally from birth to 7 months of age. After 80 days of age calves also had access to concentrate (maximum of 3 kg/day), while mothers did not. At slaughter, Limousin calves were heavier (P<0.01) and provided better carcass yield (P<0.05) and conformation (P<0.001) than Tudanca calves. Tudanca beef provided higher fat content (P<0.05) was less tough (P<0.05), and was scored as more tender and juicy (P<0.1) with higher acceptability than Limousin beef (P<0.1). In general, Tudanca had a better fatty acid profile than Limousin beef, especially in terms of the content of polyunsaturated (P<0.05), long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (P<0.05) and their n-6/n-3 ratios (P<0.1), as well as vaccenic acid (P<0.1) and the overall trans-18:1 isomer profile., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The fatty acid composition of beef and pork has been stigmatized due to their relationships with several diseases from cardiovascular disease to cancer. Meat lipids are, however, one of the few components of meat that can be modified in content and composition, and can present opportunities for value added production and health promotion. Until regulations and policies are in place to define requirements for fatty acid enrichment, however, the process remains relatively academic. Once practical goals are in place for fatty acid enrichment in meat, both theory and practice need to converge for successful production of fatty acid enriched meat. The present review covers aspects of policy in Canada, and requirements for research networks to respond to theoretical and practical challenges associated with production of fatty acid enriched meat. Finally, needs for education and marketing are outlined which must be in place to truly realize a transition of meat lipids from perceived disease and waste to health and opportunity., (Crown Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Rumen metabolism (e.g., biohydrogenation) of dietary unsaturated fatty acids (FA) is one of the main reasons why ruminant fats tend to be highly saturated and contain many isomerized FA intermediates. The process by which long-chain (20- to 24-carbon FA) polyunsaturated FA (LC-PUFA) are metabolized by rumen bacteria is not as well understood as that of linoleic or linolenic acids. In order to better understand the fate of LC-PUFA in the rumen several concentrations of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) were evaluated in in vitro batch incubations ranging from 100 to 1,500 μg per 6 mL of incubation volume using rumen fluid from sheep and incubated for 0, 1, 2, 3, and 6 h. From the results, it was shown that DHA was extensively metabolized at low (100 to 300 μg/6 mL incubation volume), but not at high level of inclusion (800 μg). At 300 μg of DHA most of the depleted DHA was recovered as LC-DHA metabolites within the first 6 h of incubation, and at the lowest levels (100 μg of incubation volume) further metabolism is apparent at 6 h. Using SP-2560 GC columns several LC-DHA metabolites were shown to elute after 24:0 and just past DHA, a region generally free of interfering FA. The present in vitro study would appear to be a useful method to evaluate the production of DHA metabolites in combination with its depletion.

The effect of partially replacing rolled barley (86.6% of control diet) with 20% wheat dried distillers grains plus solubles (DDGS), 40% wheat DDGS, 20% corn DDGS, or 40% corn DDGS (dietary DM basis) on rumen fluid fatty acid (FA) composition and some rumen bacterial communities was evaluated using 100 steers (20 per treatment). Wheat DDGS increased the 11t- to 10t-18:1 ratio (P < 0.05) in rumen fluid and there was evidence that the conversion of trans-18:1 to 18:0 was reduced in the control and wheat DDGS diets but not in the corn DDGS diet. Bacterial community profiles obtained using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis and evaluated by Pearson correlation similarity matrices were not consistent for diet and, therefore, these could not be linked to different specific rumen FA. This inconsistency may be related to the nature of diets fed (dominant effect of barley), limited change in dietary composition as the result of DDGS inclusion, large animal-to-animal variation, and possibly additional stress as a result of transport just before slaughter. Ruminal densities of a key fiber-digesting bacteria specie that produces 11t-18:1 from linoleic and linolenic acids (Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens), and a lactate producer originally thought responsible for production of 10t,12c-18:2 (Megasphaera elsdenii) were not influenced by diet (P > 0.05).

The content of trans fat in foods is most commonly determined by summing the levels of individual trans fatty acids (FAs), analyzed as FA methyl esters (FAME) by gas chromatography. Current Official Methods of the American Oil Chemists' Society (AOCS) enable quantitation of total trans fat in foods but were not designed for the determination of transFA isomeric compositions. In the present study, the content of trans fat in 32 representative fast food samples ranged from 0.1 to 3.1 g per serving, as determined according to AOCS Official Method Ce 1j-07. Further analysis of FAME using the 200 m SLB-IL111 ionic liquid column yielded quantitative results of total, trans, saturated, and cis unsaturated fat that were comparable to those of Method Ce 1j-07 and also allowed for the complementary determination of individual trans 18:1, trans 18:2, and trans 18:3 FA isomeric compositions under conditions suitable for routine sample analysis.

The SLB-IL111, a new ionic liquid capillary column for gas chromatography available from Supelco Inc., was recently shown to provide enhanced separation of unsaturated geometric and positional isomers of fatty acid (FAs) when it was compared to cyanopropylsiloxane (CPS) columns currently recommended for the analysis of fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs). A 200 m SLB-IL111 capillary column, operated under a combined temperature and eluent flow gradient, was successfully used to resolve most of the FAs contained in milk fat in a single 80 min chromatographic separation. The selected chromatographic conditions provided a balanced, simultaneous separation of short-chain (from 4:0), long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), and most of the unsaturated FA positional/geometric isomers contained in milk fat. Among the monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs), these conditions separated t11-18:1 and t10-18:1 FAs, the two most abundant trans fatty acids (t-FA) contained in most dairy products. These t-FAs reportedly have different biological activities. The conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) isomers commonly found in dairy products were separated from each other, including t7,c9-18:2 from c9,t11-18:2, which eliminated the need for their complementary silver ion HPLC analysis. The application of the SLB-IL111 column provided a complementary elution profile of FAMEs to those obtained by CPS columns, allowing for a more comprehensive FA analysis of total milk fat. The FAMEs were identified by the use of available reference materials, previously synthesized and characterized reference mixtures, and prior separations of the milk fat FAMEs by silver ion chromatography based on the number/geometry of double bonds., (Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Commercial fish oils and foods containing fish may contain trans and/or isomerized fatty acids (FA) produced during processing or as part of prepared foods. The current American Oil Chemists' Society (AOCS) official method for marine oils (method Ce 1i-07) is based on separation by use of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) columns, for example Supelcowax-10 or equivalent, which do not resolve most unsaturated FA geometric isomers. Highly polar 100-m cyanopropyl siloxane (CPS) columns, for example SP-2560 and CP Sil 88 are recommended for separation of geometric FA isomers. Complementary separations were achieved by use of two different elution temperature programs with the same CPS column. This study is the first direct comparison of the separations achieved by use of 30-m Supelcowax-10 and 100-m SP-2560 columns for fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) prepared from the same fish oil and fish muscle sample. To simplify the identification of the FA in these fish samples, FA were fractionated on the basis of the number and type of double bonds by silver-ion solid-phase extraction (Ag⁺-SPE) before GC analysis. The results showed that a combination of the three GC separations was necessary to resolve and identify most of the unsaturated FA, FA isomers, and other components of fish products, for example phytanic and phytenic acids. Equivalent chain length (ECL) values of most FAME in fish were calculated from the separations achieved by use of both GC columns; the values obtained were shown to be consistent with previously reported values for the Supelcowax-10 column. ECL values were also calculated for the FA separated on the SP-2560 column. The calculated ECL values were equally valid under isothermal and temperature-programmed elution GC conditions, and were valuable for confirmation of the identity of several unsaturated FAME in the fish samples. When analyzing commercially prepared fish foods, deodorized marine oils, or foods fortified with marine oils it is strongly recommended that quantitative data acquired by use of PEG columns is complemented with data obtained from separations using highly polar CPS columns.

This study was conducted to investigate changes in fatty acid profiles of beef cows fed grass hay or barley silage based diets, with or without flaxseed supplementation. Both flaxseed and hay feeding increased levels of α-linolenic acid (LNA; 18:3n-3) in longissimus thoracis and backfat (P<0.001). A forage type by flaxseed level interaction was observed for most LNA biohydrogenation intermediates (P<0.05) that indicated feeding hay combined with flaxseed led to the greatest levels of total conjugated linolenic acid, total conjugated linoleic acid, total non-conjugated dienes and total trans-18:1. Predominant biohydrogenation intermediates included t11,c15-18:2, rumenic acid (c9,t11-18:2) and vaccenic acid (t11-18:1)., (Crown Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The organic cation transporter 1 (Oct1) has been shown to be one of the most abundant uptake transporters responsible for the uptake of xenobiotics from the sinusoidal blood across the basolateral membrane of hepatocytes. On the same membrane the multidrug resistance-associated protein 3 (Mrp3) mediates the efflux of xenobiotics or their metabolites from the hepatocytes to the blood allowing their systemic exposure. In the present study we investigated the expression and activity of Oct1 and Mrp3 in suspensions and in monolayer- and sandwich cultures, and activities of CYP2B1/2, 2D1, and 3A1 in monolayer- and sandwich cultures of cryopreserved rat hepatocytes. Oct1-mediated active uptake of 10 μM [(3)H]-1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP+) into hepatocytes was assessed in the presence of quinidine (1 mM). The results showed the presence of active uptake of MPP+ in suspended hepatocytes (~91 pmol/min/mg protein). In hepatocytes in cultures (monolayer and sandwich) a time-dependent decrease in MPP+ uptake was observed from day 0 to 4, from 80 to 90 pmol/min/mg protein at day 0 to ca. 17 pmol/min/mg protein at day 4. Mrp3 activity in suspensions and in monolayer- and sandwich cultures were investigated by measuring the efflux of [(3)H]-taurocholate from hepatocytes in the presence of the Mrp3 inhibitor taurolithocholate-3-sulfate (TLC-S) (500μM). Cells in suspensions showed efflux of taurocholate by an active transport mechanism indicating Mrp3 activity. Experiments in monolayer- and sandwich cultures also showed Mrp3 activity at day 0 and 1 in culture whereas experiments performed at day 2-4 showed no difference in efflux of taurocholate in the presence or absence of TLC-S, suggesting an absence of Mrp3 activity. The time-dependent decrease in Oct1 activity from day 0 to day 4 in cultures was confirmed by qPCR data also showing a time-dependent decrease in mRNA expression, whereas qPCR data did not support the observed time-dependent decrease in Mrp3 activity in cultures. Time-course activities of CYP2B1/2, 2D1, and 3A1 were also investigated by using bupropion, bufuralol, and midazolam as respective substrates. Activities of CYP2D1 and 3A1 were reduced by ~75% and ~80%, respectively, from day 0 to day 4 in cultures, whereas activity of CYP2B1/2 was reduced by ~50% from day 0 to day 4., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Intensively finishing cattle on a high-grain diet is generally used to enhance marbling, whereas extensively finishing on grass is known to provide improved muscle fatty acid profiles. The objective of this study was to evaluate to what extent intensive concentrate finishing (0, 1 or 2 months) can be combined with forage feeding without negatively affecting the fatty acid profile of genetically lean animals. Bulls from the 'Asturiana de los Valles' breed were reared under grazing conditions with/without final finishing on a barley-based concentrate: 0 months (control; n=7), 1 month (n=10) and 2 months (n=7). Yearling bulls were slaughtered commercially at an average live weight of 516±9.8 kg. Increasing the finishing time on concentrate significantly increased the saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids, whereas polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) tended to decrease and it was not possible to increase the long-chain PUFA content in muscle tissue of this breed. An increase was observed for total trans-18:1 (average 5.5% with grain v. 3.7% for grass). The 11t-18:1/10t-18:1 ratio was significantly higher in grass-fed (average 8.1) compared with grain-finished animals (average 1.1). Grass or limited concentrate finishing reduced the n-6/n-3 ratio in muscle tissue (average 3.6 for 0 and 1 month, and 4.9 for 2 months on grain finishing). The beef was within or close to the recommended values for human consumption (i.e. polyunsaturated/saturated>0.45, n-6/n-3<4.0), and total trans-FA content was low. However, finishing increased the content of undesirable trans-18:1 and conjugated linoleic acid isomers, particularly after 2 months, whereas grass finishing was judged to provide a healthier beef fatty acid profile.

Even though BMI is the most commonly used method for assessing and monitoring obesity, it does not take into account the individual's body fat content assuming instead that body mass is closely associated with body fat, which is a tenuous assumption. The aim of this study was to make a direct comparison between measurements of body fat content using a convenient and rapid Fourier transform near-infrared (FT-NIR) spectroscopy and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). We recruited 52, premenopausal women (age range 19-45), all of whom had a BMI that classified them as either overweight or obese (range: 27-40 kg/m(2), mean: 31.1 ± 3.7 kg/m(2)) and indicated a statistically significant linear relationship between the fat content in kilograms measured by FT-NIR and DXA (r = 0.95, P < 0.001). Bland-Altman analysis showed that almost all the differences between two measurements fell within 2 s.d. We report here that the FT-NIR method provided comparable measurements of subcutaneous body fat content similar to those of total fat obtained using DXA. The FT-NIR method is a lower cost, easy to use and transport, and, based on comparison with DXA, an accurate method to measure body fat content. We propose that FT-NIR is an ideal method for safe repeat measurements in large trials or in screening and monitoring individuals during interventions in which changes in body fat will occur.

Study Design: Retrospective, longitudinal analysis of motor recovery data from individuals with cervical (C4-C7) sensorimotor complete spinal cord injury (SCI) according to the International Standards for Neurological Classification of Spinal Cord Injury (ISNCSCI)., Objectives: To analyze the extent and patterns of spontaneous motor recovery over the first year after traumatic cervical sensorimotor complete SCI., Methods: Datasets from the European multicenter study about SCI (EMSCI) and the Sygen randomized clinical trial were examined for conversion of American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) Impairment Scale (AIS) grade, change in upper extremity motor score (UEMS) or motor level, as well as relationships between these measures., Results: There were no overall differences between the EMSCI and Sygen datasets in motor recovery patterns. After 1 year, up to 70% of subjects spontaneously recovered at least one motor level, but only 30% recovered two or more motor levels, with lesser values at intermediate time points. AIS grade conversion did not significantly influence motor level changes. At 1 year, the average spontaneous improvement in bilateral UEMS was 10-11 motor points. There was only moderate relationship between a change in UEMS and a change in cervical motor level (r(2)=0.30, P<0.05). Regardless of initial cervical motor level, most individuals recover a similar number of motor points or motor levels., Conclusion: Careful tracking of cervical motor recovery outcomes may provide the necessary sensitivity and accuracy to reliably detect a subtle, but meaningful treatment effect after sensorimotor complete cervical SCI. The distribution of the UEMS change may be more important functionally than the total UEMS recovered.

The ionic liquid SLB-IL111 column, available from Supelco Inc., is a novel fused capillary gas chromatography (GC) column capable of providing enhanced separations of fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) compared to the highly polar cyanopropyl siloxane columns currently recommended for the separation of cis- and trans isomers of fatty acids (FAs), and marketed as SP-2560 and CP-Sil 88. The SLB-IL111 column was operated isothermal at 168°C, with hydrogen as carrier gas at 1.0 mL/min, and the elution profile was characterized using authentic GC standards and synthetic mono-unsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) isomers as test mixtures. The SLB-IL111 column provided an improved separation of cis- and trans-18:1 and cis/trans CLA isomers. This is the first direct GC separation of c9,t11- from t7,c9-CLA, and t15-18:1 from c9-18:1, both of which previously required complimentary techniques for their analysis using cyanopropyl siloxane columns. The SLB-IL111 column also provided partial resolution of t13/t14-18:1, c8- from c6/c7-18:1, and for several t,t-CLA isomer pairs. This column also provided elution profiles of the geometric and positional isomers of the 16:1, 20:1 and 18:3 FAMEs that were complementary to those obtained using the cyanopropyl siloxane columns. However, on the SLB-IL111 column the saturated FAs eluted between the cis- and trans MUFAs unlike cyanopropyl siloxane columns that gave a clear separation of most saturated FAs. These differences in elution pattern can be exploited to obtain a more complete analysis of complex lipid mixtures present in ruminant fats., (Published by Elsevier B.V.)

This article investigated the mycochemical profiles and the antioxidant activities of the lipophilic extracts of the white and brown button mushrooms. We found that only free ergosterols were present in both mushrooms at 2.04-4.82 mg/g dry matter (DM). Ergosterol concentration was higher in early growth stages but decreased as the mushrooms grew, and it distributed evenly between the caps and stems during early developmental stages but accumulated more in the caps after maturation. The photochemiluminescence (PCL) values of the two mushrooms were 5.49-10.48 nmol trolox equivalent/mg DM, and the EC50 values of 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay ranged 20.19-41.49 mg DM/μg DPPH. The ergosterol content positively correlated with the antioxidant activities (r2>0.89). The total fatty acid content was 8.7 mg/g DM in the white and 5.1 mg/g DM in the brown button mushroom and contained mainly linoleic, palmitic, and stearic acids. Our data provide guidance for optimized harvesting time of mushrooms and maximized health benefits.

It was hypothesized that differences in starch degradability account for observed differences in rumen vaccenic acid (t11-18:1) and milk rumenic acid (RA) concentrations. To test this hypothesis, starch degradability was varied through grain source and by processing. Eight Holstein cows in mid-lactation were assigned to two 4 × 4 Latin squares with four 21-day periods and four diets: dry rolled barley, ground barley, dry rolled corn and ground corn. Diets contained similar starch content and were supplemented with whole sunflower seed to provide similar total polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) (18:2n-6 + 18:3n-3) contents. Forage/concentrate ratios of all diets were 42 : 58. Rumen, plasma and milk samples were collected in the third week of each period. In situ degradation rates (%/h) for rolled corn, ground corn, rolled barley and ground barley were 5.4, 8.9, 17.0 and 19.4, respectively, for dry matter (DM) and 6.3, 10.8, 25.3 and 43.8, respectively, for starch. DM intakes were greater for corn-based diets (CBD) than for barley-based diets (BBD) with no difference between rolled and ground diets. Daily minimum rumen pH was less (5.2 v. 5.5) and pH duration <5.8 (h/d) was greater (7.4 v. 4.3) for BBD than for CBD. Milk fat content and yield were less for BBD than for CBD with greater values observed for rolling compared with grinding. Variability in milk fat yield was strongly related (R2 = 0.55; P < 0.01) to total starch intake (45%) and milk c9t11-CLA (10%) and none of the t-18:1 isomers or CLA isomers that are typically associated with milk fat depression entered the model. The concentrations (%) of t10-18:1 and t11-18:1 were greater for BBD than for CBD in rumen contents (t10-18:1, 3.5 v. 1.3; t11-18:1, 3.2 v. 1.9), plasma (t10-18:1, 1.2 v. 0.2; t11-18:1, 0.97 v. 0.58) and milk (t10-18:1, 3.8 v. 1.0; t11-18:1, 2.6 v. 1.7) despite greater total PUFA intakes for CBD. Milk RA concentration was greater for BBD than for CBD (1.46 v. 0.89) but was not influenced by the method of grain processing. This study clearly demonstrated that the milk content and profile of t-18:1 and CLA isomers were more strongly influenced by the source of grain starch (barley > corn) than by the method of grain processing indicating that factors inherent in the source of starch were responsible for the observed differences and these factors could not be modified by the processing methods used in this study.

Background: Dermatomal somatosensory evoked potentials (dSSEPs) not only provide a neurophysiological readout comparable with conventional SSEPs but also provide an opportunity to track changes in sensory function corresponding to individual dermatomes (ie, a single spinal segment) above, at, and below the level of spinal cord injury (SCI)., Objectives: This study aimed to determine the reliability and responsiveness of dSSEPs and electrical perception thresholds (EPTs) to monitor changes in sensory function after cervical SCI., Methods: Initial and follow-up dSSEPs and EPTs were recorded from cervical dermatomes (C4-C8) of patients with traumatic tetraplegia (C3-C8; ASIA Impairment Scale A-D) during recovery after SCI (n = 18)., Results: Follow-up examination of 74 initial dSSEPs unaffected by SCI (n = 18) revealed no significant change in latency (Delta = 0.0 +/- 1.4 ms; P = .9) or EPT sensitivity (Delta = 0.1 +/- 0.8 mA; P = .3). In 41 dSSEPs initially delayed after SCI (n = 14), latencies significantly decreased on follow-up examination (Delta = -3.1 +/- 2.9 ms; P < .01) without a corresponding increase in sensitivity of the EPT (Delta = 0.2 +/- 3.4 mA; P = .7). dSSEPs that were not measurable initially were subsequently recorded in 11 dermatomes (n = 5) on follow-up examination. This conversion of abolished-to-recordable dSSEPs was often preceded by the perception of an initial EPT and associated with a concomitant recovery of EPT at follow-up., Conclusion: SSEPs and EPT can be reliably recorded to monitor changes in sensory function for each individual spinal segment after cervical SCI. dSSEPs may be potentially useful to monitor the safety of a therapeutic drug or cell transplant in early-phase (I/II) clinical trials as well as document the potential efficacy of interventions where the standard neurological assessment might not detect subtle therapeutic effects.

In western Canada, ethanol is produced mainly from wheat. As the demand for wheat increases, so do grain prices, which in turn creates incentives for feeding reduced-cost distillers coproducts to livestock. Substitution of wheat dried distillers grains plus solubles (DDGS) for barley grain may also create opportunities for enhancing beef fatty acid profiles because reducing starch concomitantly increases dietary fiber and oil and may shift PUFA biohydrogenation toward a healthier trans and CLA profile. To study this potential, heifers were fed diets containing 0, 20, 40, or 60% wheat DDGS (DM basis) substituted for rolled barley (n = 24; 133-d finishing period). Adding DDGS increased dietary oil (from 1.9 to 3.7%), but dietary fatty acid compositions remained consistent. Feeding increasing amounts of DDGS linearly decreased total diaphragm fatty acids on a milligram per gram basis (P = 0.031). For both brisket fat and diaphragm, feeding increasing amounts of DDGS caused linear increases in percentages of 18:2n-6 (P = 0.001) and total n-6 fatty acids (P = 0.001) but did not change the concentrations of individual or total n-3 fatty acids. Feeding increasing amounts of DDGS did not change the content of total trans MUFA in either brisket fat or diaphragm but led to linear decreases in 10t-18:1 (P = 0.033, brisket fat; P = 0.004, diaphragm) and increases in 11t-18:1 (P = 0.005, brisket fat; P = 0.003, diaphragm). Feeding increasing amounts of DDGS also caused a linear increase in 9c11t-18:2 (P = 0.044, brisket fat; P = 0.023, diaphragm) and total CLA (P = 0.086, brisket fat; P = 0.039, diaphragm). Overall, feeding DDGS enhanced the fatty acid composition of beef by decreasing 10t-18:1 while increasing the major CLA isomer (9c,11t-18:2) and its precursor 11t-18:1.

Ninety-six European crossbred steers were fed a barley-based finishing diet for differing lengths of time (34-104 days) to investigate if adding dietary buffer (sodium sesquicarbonate at 1.5% as fed) could improve the trans-18:1 (GC-FID) and CLA (Ag(+)-HPLC-DAD) content and isomeric profile of beef produced. Results indicate that the addition of buffer to diets of cattle fed high concentrate diets has limited effects on the overall fatty acid composition of backfat and muscle tissues. However, buffer addition can help to prevent a 10t- shift by maintaining a better (higher) 11t-/10t-18:1 ratio in both meat and backfat during the first 30-60 days of feeding a high grain diet. Over time, however, the effect is lost becoming equal in tissues from animals with or without buffer addition to their diets., (Crown Copyright 2009. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)