Effect of selenite and selenised yeast supplementation on selenium concentration of Finnish organic milk – a farm study.

Experiment was conducted at 15 certified organic dairy farms in Eastern Finland during spring 2008. Farms were allocated to three balanced groups according annual milk yield, herd size and housing system. Three types of selenium (Se) supplementations: selenium yeast (SY), sodium selenite (SS) or their (50:50) combination (SYS) was used. Daily Se doses were adjusted according to milk yield basis (average 3 mg/d). Experimental model was 3 X 3 Latin square, consisting from 3 experiment periods. The length of each period was 28 days. RehuRaisio provided experimental feeds. In the end of each period bulk-tank milk samples were collected and analysed for Se at MTT Agrifood Research Finland. The Se supplementation form was crucial for milk Se concentration (P<0.001), when Se concentration of basic fodder was extreme low (<0.01 mg/kg DM). SS (n=15) resulted to milk Se concentration of 0.012 mg/kg, but SYS (n=15) resulted to 1.9-fold and SY (n=14) to 2.3-fold higher milk Se concentrations

Monitoring programme of Finnish arable land : agua regia extractable trace elements in cultivated soils in 1998

The main aim of this study was to produce internationally comparable knowledge on the status of cultivated soils in Finland. From the soil material collected during the latest sampling process under the national monitoring programme in 1998, 338 samples were selected for this investigation. The sampling sites were situated evenly over the whole cultivated area in Finland. Samples taken as four sub-samples from the plough layer were analysed for arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), nickel (Ni), selenium (Se), vanadium (V) and zinc (Zn) using aqua regia extraction according to an international standard method (ISO 11466). General statistical indicators of the analytical results of trace element concentrations are presented by soil type groups and by plant cultivation zones. Distributions of the results into the concentration classes are shown graphically and geographical distributions of the trace element concentrations are presented on the thematic maps

Selenium supplemented fertilization - effects on the selenium content of foods and the selenium intake in Finland

The effect of Se fertilization was distinct. Winter cereals were not affected as much as spring cereals due to the different cultivation and fertilization practice. The variation between the farms was large. In organic cultivation Se content of cereals was low

Proceedings : twenty years of selenium fertilization, September 8-9, 2005, Helsinki, Finland

With the workshop theme "Twenty years of selenium fertilization" the organizers wanted to summarize the 20-year research period of Finnish selenium supplemented fertilization and bring togehter people interested in selenium. The main areas of the program and proceedings are: selenium fertilization, selenium in foods and diets and selenium and health. The proceedings include 13 short papers written by the speakers, and 26 abstracts of poster presentations

Treatment response and thromboembolic complications in neoadjuvant-treated pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, the most typical pancreatic malignancy, is usually referred to as pancreatic cancer. With a 5-year survival rate of 10%, it is the third most common cancer-related cause of death. The poor survival rate is due to the aggressive and systemic nature of the disease, lack of early symptoms, and strong therapeutic resistance. These factors also enable the survival rate as low as 25% for resectable disease. Neoadjuvant therapy (NAT) offers a systemic treatment solution administered early in the treatment course before surgery. NAT improves the survival of surgically treated patients. The use of NAT will increase in the future. However, the histological treatment response rates remain low. Additionally, to the aggressive nature of the disease, pancreatic cancer is one of the most prothrombotic cancers, with venous thromboembolism (VTE) incidence rates up to 40%. VTE is a fatal complication of cancer, and factors such as chemotherapy and abdominal surgery increase the risk of VTE in pancreatic cancer. Patients experiencing VTE have shorter overall survival and more morbidity. The studies in this thesis explored the histological NAT response rates and examined the factors associated with a strong response, hence analyzing who is to benefit from NAT. Additionally, markers for response were analyzed, and histological changes in the tumors of responders were investigated. The thesis examined the prognostic histological markers of neoadjuvant-treated pancreatic cancer. Further, the thesis explored the burden of VTE in neoadjuvant-treated pancreatic cancer patients and the factors associated with VTE. These studies show that a strong NAT response remains rare and that only the strongly responding patients benefit from NAT in terms of survival. The thesis demonstrates the differences in histological marker expressions of podocalyxin, beta-catenin, and PROX1 between treatment response groups. Furthermore, it establishes the associations of the markers with patient survival by investigating the differences in the associations between response groups. Additionally, it shows the increased burden of VTE amongst NAT patients compared to patients with upfront surgery and enlightens the factors associated with VTE.Haimasyövästä puhuttaessa tarkoitetaan yleensä haiman duktaalista adenokarsinoomaa, joka on haiman yleisin pahanlaatuinen tauti. Haimasyöpä aiheuttaa kolmanneksi eniten syöpäliitännäisiä kuolemia, ja sen 5-vuotis eloonjäämisennuste on 10 %. Huono ennuste johtuu taudin aggressiivisesta ja systeemisestä luonteesta, aikaisin ilmaantuvien oireiden puutteesta ja vahvasta hoitoresistenssistä. Nämä tekijät johtavat niinkin matalaan kuin 20 %:n 5-vuotis eloonjäämisennusteen myös leikkauskelpoisilla potilailla. Neoadjuvanttihoitoa voidaan käyttää systeemisesti haimasyövän hoitoon jo aikaisessa vaiheessa ennen leikkausta. Neoadjuvanttihoito pidentää leikkauksella hoidettavien potilaiden elinajanennustetta ja sen käyttö tulee tulevaisuudessa lisääntymään. Kuitenkin hoitovasteet jäävät usein heikoksi. Taudin aggressiivisen luonteen lisäksi haimasyöpä on myös yksi eniten verisuonitukoksia aiheuttavista syövistä ja jopa 40 % haimasyöpäpotilaista voi saada laskimotukoksen. Laskimotukos on kuolettava syövän komplikaatio, joka lyhentää elinaikaa ja lisää sairastavuutta. Esimerkiksi kemoterapia ja leikkaukset kasvattavat tukosriskiä haimasyöpäpotilailla. Tässä väitöstutkimuksessa tutkittiin neoadjuvanttihoidon vasteita ja tekijöitä, jotka ovat yhteydessä vahvaan hoitovasteeseen selvittäen, kuka hyötyisi neoadjuvanttihoidosta. Lisäksi tutkittiin neoadjuvanttipotilaiden histologisia ennuste- ja vastemerkkiaineita sekä histologisia muutoksia hyvän hoitovasteen kasvaimissa. Edelleen analysoitiin neoadjuvanttihoidon aiheuttamia laskimotukoskomplikaatioita ja laskimotukokseen yhdistyviä tekijöitä. Tutkimukset osoittavat, että vahva neoadjuvanttivaste on harvinainen, ja että eloonjäämislukuja tarkastellen vain vahvan hoitovasteen omaavat potilaat hyötyvät neoadjuvantista. Väitöskirja demonstroi erot histologisten merkkiaineiden, podocalyxiinin, beta-cateniinin ja PROX1:n ekspressiossa eri hoitovasteryhmien välillä. Lisäksi tutkimukset demonstroivat yhteyden merkkiaineiden ekspressiossa ja ennusteessa tutkien eroja näissä yhteyksissä eri vasteryhmien välillä. Väitöskirja osoittaa, että neoadjuvanttihoidetuilla potilailla on lisääntynyt laskimotukosriski suoraan leikattuihin potilaisiin verrattuna ja erottelee tekijöitä, jotka ovat liitännäisiä laskimotukokseen

Trace elements in rye - comparison of organic and conventional cultivation

The trials included comparison of four rye cultivars grown in organic and conventional farming systems at three locations during 1999-2002

Oil, protein, chlorophyll, cadmium and lead contents of seeds in oil and fiber flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) cultivars and in oil hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) cultivar Finola cultivated in south-western part of Finland

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Contents of trichothecenes in oats during official variety, organic cultivation and nitrogen fertilization trials in Finland

Natural toxins, such as mycotoxins, have emerged as a significant factor affecting the safety image of cereal grains as a raw material for the food and feed industry. The aim of the present study was to investigate the contents of trichothecenes in representative samples of oats during official variety, nitrogen fertilization and organic farming trials in Finland, 1997–1999. Further objectives were to promote industry and commerce by selection of high-quality oat varieties for various applications. The official variety trials conducted at 8–10 locations were managed following standard protocol. There were 2 types of agronomy trial, the first included comparison of oat cultivars grown in conventional and organic farming systems at 6 locations, and the second used 5 nitrogen rates (0, 40, 80, 120 and 160 kg N ha-1) at 2 locations. Regardless of wet cold summer occurring in Finland during 1998, the concentrations of Fusarium toxins were lowest during this 3 year monitoring period. More mycotoxins were produced during the warm, dry summers of 1997 and 1999 than in 1998. In all, 55% of the oat samples in the official variety trials contained deoxynivalenol (DON) within the range of 50– 896 µ g kg-1. The differences in DON concentrations between organic and conventional cultivation were small. The results showed also that the use of various nitrogen fertilization levels only slightly affected the trichothecene concentrations. The contents of trichothecenes in Finnish grains appeared to be similar to or lower than those reported earlier in the Northern Hemisphere

Selenium content of Finnish oats in 1997-1999: effect of cultivars and cultivation techniques

Se-supplemented fertilization is the main factor affecting the selenium (Se) contents of cereals in Finland. Soil and climatic conditions determine the activity of selenate added to soils and bioavailability to plants. In the present study the Se contents and its variation in Finnish oats, the differences between oat cultivars and cultivation techniques were examined. The selenium (Se) contents of oats (Avena sativa L.) in Finland were examined during 1997-1999 in 3 types of trial: official variety, organic cultivation variety and organic vs. conventional cultivation trials. Farm samples were also examined. The mean Se contents of oats in official variety trials were 0.110, 0.120 and 0.160 mg kg-1 dry weight (dw) range 0.016-0.460 mg kg-1dw in 1997-1999, respectively. The mean Se contents in farm samples were 0.050 and 0.130 mg kg-1dw in 1998 and 1999, ranging between < 0.010 and 0.330 mg kg-1 dw. Considerable regional and seasonal variations existed. The Se contents of oats were significantly higher in 1999 probably due to the combined effect of not increased fertilizer level (from 6 to 10 mg Se kg-1 fertilizer) and very low precipitation in 1999. The Se contents of oats were significantly lower in organic cultivation, due to the absence of Se-supplemented fertilization. Significant (P < 0.001) cultivar differences were detected in official variety trials. The cultivars Veli and Leila showed higher levels of Se

Selenium concentration of Finnish organic milk - a farm survey

Bulk-tank milk samples were collected in January (2008) from 45 organic farms in Eastern Finland to examine their milk quality. Beside diets, current Se supplementation practices were also documented