Group Psychoeducational Intervention for Grandparents of Young Children with ASD: An Open Feasibility Study.

This initial open feasibility trial reports on feasibility and preliminary effectiveness of the manualized, group-based psychoeducational intervention for grandparents of preschool-aged children with ASD provided by the outpatient habilitation services in Stockholm, Sweden. One hundred and twenty non-custodial grandparents participated in a 6-h intervention program. The study demonstrated good feasibility: 114 (95%) grandparents completed both pre- and post-intervention measures and evaluations and reported high intervention acceptability. The results also indicated that grandparents increased their knowledge about ASD from pre-intervention to post-intervention, gained skills about strategies of supporting their grandchildren and adult children, and appreciated the opportunity to meet and share experiences with other grandparents. Follow-up with a randomized controlled trial design is needed to firmly establish efficacy of this intervention.

Effects of Bilberry and Oat intake on lipids, inflammation and exercise capacity after Acute Myocardial Infarction (BIOAMI): study protocol for a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Bilberries from Sweden, rich in polyphenols, have shown cholesterol-lowering effects in small studies, and the cholesterol-lowering properties of oats, with abundant beta-glucans and potentially bioactive phytochemicals, are well established. Both may provide cardiometabolic benefits following acute myocardial infarction (AMI), but large studies of adequate statistical power and appropriate duration are needed to confirm clinically relevant treatment effects. No previous study has evaluated the potential additive or synergistic effects of bilberry combined with oats on cardiometabolic risk factors. Our primary objective is to assess cardioprotective effects of diet supplementation with dried bilberry or with bioprocessed oat bran, with a secondary explorative objective of assessing their combination, compared with a neutral isocaloric reference supplement, initiated within 5 days following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for AMI. METHODS: The effects of Bilberry and Oat intake on lipids, inflammation and exercise capacity after Acute Myocardial Infarction (BIOAMI) trial is a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial. A total of 900 patients will be randomized post-PCI to one of four dietary intervention arms. After randomization, subjects will receive beverages with bilberry powder (active), beverages with high-fiber bioprocessed oat bran (active), beverages with bilberry and oats combined (active), or reference beverages containing no active bilberry or active oats, for consumption twice daily during a 3-month intervention. The primary endpoint is the difference in LDL cholesterol change between the intervention groups after 3 months. The major secondary endpoint is exercise capacity at 3 months. Other secondary endpoints include plasma concentrations of biochemical markers of inflammation, metabolomics, and gut microbiota composition after 3 months. DISCUSSION: Controlling hyperlipidemia and inflammation is critical to preventing new cardiovascular events, but novel pharmacological treatments for these conditions are expensive and associated with negative side effects. If bilberry and/or oat, in addition to standard medical therapy, can lower LDL cholesterol and inflammation more than standard therapy alone, this could be a cost-effective and safe dietary strategy for secondary prevention after AMI. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03620266 . Registered on August 8, 2018.

A novel nutritional supplement containing amino acids and chromium decreases postprandial glucose response in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study.

High postprandial blood glucose levels are associated with increased mortality, cardiovascular events and development of diabetes in the general population. Interventions targeting postprandial glucose have been shown to prevent both cardiovascular events and diabetes. This study evaluates the efficacy and safety of a novel nutritional supplement targeting postprandial glucose excursions in non-diabetic adults. Sixty overweight healthy male and female participants were recruited at two centers and randomized in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover design. The supplement, a water-based drink containing 2.6g of amino acids (L-Leucine, L-Threonine, L-Lysine Monohydrochloride, L-Isoleucine, L-Valine) and 250 mcg of chromium picolinate, was consumed with a standardized carbohydrate-rich meal. The primary endpoint was the incremental area under the curve (iAUC) for venous blood glucose from 0 to 120 minutes. Secondary endpoints included glucose iAUC 0-180 minutes and the maximum glucose concentration (Cmax), for both venous and capillary blood glucose. In the intention-to-treat-analysis (n = 60) the supplement resulted in a decreased venous blood glucose iAUC0-120min compared to placebo, mean (SE) of 68.7 (6.6) versus 52.2 (6.8) respectively, a difference of -16.5 mmol/L•min (95% CI -3.1 to -30.0, p = 0.017). The Cmax for venous blood glucose for the supplement and placebo were 6.45 (0.12) versus 6.10 (<0.12), respectively, a difference of -0.35 mmol/L (95% CI -0.17 to -0.53, p<0.001). In the per protocol-analysis (n = 48), the supplement resulted in a decreased Cmax compared to placebo from 6.42 (0.14) to 6.12 (0.14), a difference of -0.29 mmol/L (95% CI -0.12 to -0.47, p = 0.002). No significant differences in capillary blood glucose were found, as measured by regular bed-side glucometers. The nutritional supplement drink containing amino acids and chromium improves the postprandial glucose homeostasis in overweight adults without diabetes. Future studies should clarify, whether regular consumption of the supplement improves markers of disease or could play a role in a diet aiming at preventing the development of diabetes.

Wholegrain oat diet changes the expression of genes associated with intestinal bile acid transport.

SCOPE: The molecular mechanisms underlying the cholesterol-lowering properties of oats are only partly known. To study possible pathways involved, we investigated gene expressions in the liver and small intestine of mice fed oats. METHOD AND RESULTS: Cholesterol and bile acids were analyzed in plasma and feces from LDL-receptor deficient (LDLr-/- ) mice fed Western diet with wholegrain oats. A transcriptome analysis of mRNA from liver and jejunum was performed together with quantitative RT-PCR. Oat-fed mice had lower levels of plasma lipids and increased levels of bile acids and cholesterol in feces compared with controls. Two hundred thirty nine genes in jejunum and 25 genes in liver were differentially expressed (FDR corrected p < 0.05). The most affected biological process in jejunum was lipid biosynthesis and regulation. The apical sodium-dependent bile acid transporter (ASBT, Slc10a) and the intracellular bile acid binding protein (Fabp6) were both upregulated, whereas small heterodimer partner-1 (Shp-1) and apolipoprotein CII (Apoc2) were downregulated. CONCLUSIONS: Whole oats attenuated responses typically induced by high-fat diet. Increased expression of genes for intestinal bile acid uptake following oat consumption suggests retention in the gut lumen rather than decreased uptake capacity as cause for the increased bile acid excretion and the concomitant reduction of plasma cholesterol.

Loneliness despite the presence of others - adolescents' experiences of having a parent who becomes ill with cancer.

AIM: The aim of this study was to describe young adults' own perspectives on the experience of having a parent who developed cancer when the young adult was an adolescent. METHOD: Narrative interviews were conducted with six young adults aged between 20 and 26. The interviews were analysed using qualitative content analysis. RESULTS: The main message that the young adults communicated in the interviews was interpreted as the overarching theme 'Loneliness despite the presence of others'. Two domains with three categories each emerged: distance, comprising a feeling of loneliness, lacking the tools to understand, and grief and anger; and closeness, comprising belief in the future, comfort and relief, and a need for support. The young adults felt a loneliness that they had never experienced before, and they lacked the tools to understand the situation. They felt grief and anger over what the cancer had caused. However, they had still managed to regain faith in the future. They found comfort and relief in the thought that this would not necessarily happen to them again, and they gained support from talking to family and friends. CONCLUSION: If all family members are given the same information, it becomes easier to talk about what is happening. This can reduce adolescent children's experience of loneliness. Contact with health care professionals should be maintained throughout the period of illness. Many short informal contacts create relationships and trust that can be helpful if the worst happens and the parent dies.

Diverse effects of oats on cholesterol metabolism in C57BL/6 mice correlate with expression of hepatic bile acid-producing enzymes.

PURPOSE: We previously reported that two substrains of C57BL/6 mice respond differently to oats with respect to reduction in plasma cholesterol. Analysis of this difference might offer clues to mechanisms behind the cholesterol-lowering effect of oats. Here, we address the possible roles of hepatic steroid metabolism and the intestinal microbiota in this respect. METHODS: Female C57BL/6 mice were fed an atherogenic diet with oat bran (27 %) or control fibres for 4 weeks. RESULTS: C57BL/6 NCrl mice responded to oat bran with 19 ± 1 % (P < 0.001) lower plasma cholesterol, 40 ± 5% (P < 0.01) higher excretion of bile acids and increased expression of the bile acid-producing hepatic enzymes CYP7A1 and CYP8B1, but none of these effects were found in C57BL/6JBomTac mice. However, on control diet, C57BL/6JBomTac had tenfold higher expression of CYP7A1 and levels of hepatic cholesterol esters than C57BL/6NCrl mice. Plasma levels of fructosamine indicated improved glycemic control by oat bran in C57BL/6NCrl but not in C57BL/6JBomTac. C57BL/6JBomTac had higher intestinal microbiota diversity, but lower numbers of Enterobacteriaceae, Akkermansia and Bacteroides Fragilis than C57BL/6NCrl mice. Oat bran increased bacterial numbers in both substrains. Microbiota diversity was reduced by oats in C57BL/6JBomTac, but unaffected in C57BL/6NCrl. CONCLUSIONS: Our data do not support a connection between altered microbiota diversity and reduced plasma cholesterol, but the bacterial composition in the intestine may influence the effects of added fibres. The cholesterol-lowering properties of oats involve increased production of bile acids via the classical pathway with up-regulation of CYP7A1 and CYP8B1. Altered cholesterol or bile acid metabolism may interfere with the potential of oats to reduce plasma cholesterol.

Late onset vascular dysfunction in the R6/1 model of Huntington's disease.

Huntington's disease is a neurodegenerative disorder that also gives raise to widespread changes in peripheral organs and tissues. We tested the hypothesis that vascular dysfunction may occur in Huntington's disease by studying R6/1 mice which express exon 1 of the mutant huntingtin gene. We assessed arterial function in R6/1 and wild type (WT) mice using myography. Arterial contractility was largely unaltered in R6/1 arteries at 15 and 32 weeks of age. By 40 weeks, contractility was impaired irrespective of which vasoconstrictor we tested. Endothelium-dependent relaxation was not affected, and we observed no changes in arterial geometry or expression of contractile proteins, such as myosin regulatory light chains or smooth muscle α-actin. The frequency of calcium oscillations in R6/1 arterial smooth muscle cells was higher than in WT control tissue, whereas myosin phosphorylation was unaltered. Impairment of force by the mitochondrial inhibitors cyanide and rotenone was less pronounced in R6/1 than in WT arteries and mitochondria were enlarged, in keeping with an effect related to altered mitochondrial function. Our results reveal that arteries in the R6/1 model of Huntington's disease exhibit an age-dependent impairment of contractility and that they depend less on mitochondrial function when they contract.

Effects of Pediococcus parvulus 2.6 and its exopolysaccharide on plasma cholesterol levels and inflammatory markers in mice.

Intake of dietary fibres may reduce the prevalence of physiological risk factors of the metabolic syndrome, such as high plasma lipid levels and low-grade inflammatory state. Dietary fibres are usually of plant origin however microbial exopolysaccharides (EPSs) have analogue structures that could potentially exert similar physiological effects. Pediococcus parvulus 2.6 (Pd 2.6) excretes a ropy EPS and has previously shown probiotic potential. The aim of this work was to evaluate physiological effects of Pd 2.6 and its EPS in vivo. The live Pd 2.6 (both the ropy and non-ropy isogenic variant) and its purified EPS were fed to hypercholesterolemic LDL-receptor deficient mice for 6 weeks to investigate their effects on cholesterol levels and the inflammatory tone of the animals. Both variants of Pd 2.6 survived passage through the mouse gut fulfilling an important criterion of probiotics. The ability to produce EPS was conferring an advantage to survival (faecal recovery of 3.7 (1.9-8.7) vs. 0.21 (0.14-0.34) *108 CFU, P < 0.001, median and 25th and 75th percentiles). The ropy Pd 2.6 decreased the levels of soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 compared to the EPS alone (591 ± 14 vs. 646 ± 13 ng/ml, P < 0.05). An increase in liver weight in mice fed the purified EPS was observed, but with no change in liver lipids. No changes in blood lipids were detected in any group. Further the EPS induced growth of the caecal tissue and increased the amount of caecal content showing bulking properties like that of a dietary fibre.

Dietary oats and modulation of atherogenic pathways.

Consumption of oats has long been known to lower plasma total and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels, an effect usually attributed to the soluble fibers ß-glucans. On the basis of this cholesterol-lowering effect, oats are ascribed cardiovascular health-promoting properties. However, besides cholesterol levels, effects of oats on parameters relating to atherosclerosis development have not been extensively investigated. Since oxidation of lipoproteins and inflammation are characteristics of atherosclerosis in addition to lipid accumulation in the vessel wall, micronutrients in oats (phytochemicals) with antioxidative and anti-inflammatory properties may contribute to an atheroprotective action. Here, we summarize evidence on antiatherogenic properties of oats obtained from in vitro assays, animal experiments, and human studies. Possible effects involving anti-inflammatory and antioxidative actions, as well as preservation of endothelial function, are considered in addition to those related to reduction of plasma cholesterol. Since results of in vitro assays with isolated oat components are difficult to compare with effects of whole oats in humans and experimental animals, more observational studies with isolated oat components or fractions of oats are warranted. Also, there is a lack of epidemiological studies focusing on effects of oat intake on the cardiovascular disease panorama.

Improvac does not modify the expression and activities of the major drug metabolizing enzymes cytochrome P450 3A and 2C in pigs.

In the present study, we investigated hepatic mRNA expression and activities of CYP3A and 2C in entire, surgically castrated and pigs vaccinated with Improvac. Additionally, we examined the mRNA expression of the two nuclear receptors pregnane X receptor (PXR) and constitutive androstane receptor (CAR), known to regulate CYP3A and 2C mRNA expression, respectively. Activities of CYP3A and 2C were estimated as a rate of 7-benzyloxy-4-trifluoromethylcoumarin and 7-benzyloxyquinoline metabolism (CYP3A) and tolbutamide metabolism (CYP2C). We found no effect of Improvac treatment or surgical castration on either CYP3A or 2C activities. Similarly, the mRNA expressions of CYP3A29, 2C33 and PXR were not changed. CAR mRNA expression differed only between entire and surgically castrated male pigs (p=0.005), being greater in surgically castrated pigs. Our results indicated that neither CYP3A nor 2C are affected by Improvac.

Early immunocastration of male pigs with Improvac(®) - effect on boar taint, hormones and reproductive organs.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of a vaccine against gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH), Improvac(®) (Pfizer Ltd), administered at a pre- or early pubertal stage on boar taint, hormonal status and reproductive organs. Crossbred male pigs (Swedish Yorkshire dams×Swedish Landrace sires or Swedish Yorkshire sires, n=192) were at birth randomly allocated to four groups: one group of pigs surgically castrated without anaesthesia before age 1 week, a second group of early vaccinated pigs given Improvac at ages 10 and 14 weeks, a third group of standard vaccinated pigs given Improvac at ages 16 and 20 weeks, and a fourth group of entire male pigs. Following the second vaccine injection, antibody titres increased rapidly, accompanied by a rapid decrease in testosterone and a slower decrease of skatole in plasma to the same low levels as for surgically castrated pigs. At slaughter, the levels of androstenone and skatole in adipose tissue were low in surgically castrated and vaccinated pigs, whereas entire male pigs had elevated levels (p<0.001). Similarly, oestradiol was at low levels for surgically castrated and vaccinated pigs, whereas entire male pigs had elevated levels (p<0.001). IGF-1 was lowest for surgically castrated pigs and highest for entire male pigs, with vaccinated pigs at an intermediate level (p<0.001). At slaughter, reproductive organs were small in pigs vaccinated with Improvac, and smaller in pigs vaccinated early (p<0.001). Under our experimental conditions, early vaccination with Improvac can be used as an alternative to the recommended schedule with maintained control of boar taint and testicular secretory activity.

Effects of early vaccination with Improvac(®) on the development and function of reproductive organs of male pigs.

Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) vaccine (Improvac(®)) is effective at diminishing boar taint by interfering with testis function. Early pre-pubertal vaccination at 10 and 14 weeks-of-age could be desirable if sufficient and sustained effects could be achieved. Crossbred male pigs (n=24) were randomly assigned to three groups each with eight individuals: an unvaccinated control group, one group vaccinated with Improvac(®) early at ages 10 and 14 weeks, and a third group vaccinated with Improvac at the standard ages of 16 and 20 weeks. The average age at slaughter was 25 weeks. At slaughter, reductions in testes weight and bulbourethral gland length of vaccinated pigs compared with controls were observed (P<0.001), accompanied by lowered testosterone concentrations in peripheral blood (P<0.001). The diameter of tubuli seminiferi was affected; being 18% smaller in standard and 38% smaller in early vaccinated males, compared with controls (P<0.01). Leydig cells in vaccinated pigs became pycnotic, and their number decreased in early vaccinated pigs. Spermatogenesis was disrupted, evidenced by spermatocyte loss among standard vaccinated pigs to severe spermatogenic arrest among early vaccinated pigs. This histological picture was reflected in the absence of epididymal spermatozoa in 5 of 8 early vaccinated pigs and a dramatic reduction in the remaining 3 early vaccinated pigs. Among standard vaccinated pigs, 5% of the spermatozoa were morphologically normal (>70% in controls, P<0.01). Early vaccination caused a more severe disruption of testicular structure and function than standard vaccination, thus providing an alternative for immunocastration of male pigs.

Simultaneous intake of oat bran and atorvastatin reduces their efficacy to lower lipid levels and atherosclerosis in LDLr-/- mice.

The present study aimed to investigate the effects of separate and simultaneous dietary intake of atorvastatin (ATO) and the soluble fiber oat bran on serum and hepatic lipid levels and the degree of atherosclerosis. Ninety female LDL-receptor-deficient (LDLr-/-) mice were fed a Western-type diet containing either low dose (0.0025%), high dose (0.01%) or no ATO, with or without oat bran (27%) (n=15 per group) for 16 weeks. Both ATO and oat bran were effective in reducing serum total cholesterol levels (low ATO: -5.48, high ATO: -9.12, oat bran: -3.82 mmol/l, compared to control (no ATO/no oat bran), all p<0.0001). When oat bran was added to a low dose ATO, the cholesterol-lowering effects of this combination were 50% smaller compared to the low dose ATO diet alone (between-group difference: 2.77 mmol/l, p=0.002), whereas total cholesterol decreased to a similar extent in the groups fed a high dose ATO, with or without oat bran (between-group difference: 1.10 mmol/l, p=0.21). Serum LDL- and HDL-cholesterol, triglycerides, hepatic lipid levels and atherosclerotic lesion development showed a similar pattern. In conclusion, the efficacy of oat bran and atorvastatin to lower lipid levels and atherosclerosis is reduced after simultaneous intake. We hypothesize that oat bran inhibits the intestinal absorption of atorvastatin, and consequently its cholesterol-lowering effects. The effects are likely dependent on the type of statin and dietary fiber, and on the relative timing of intake of the statin and the dietary fiber. Future studies should focus on these aspects to provide further insight into the exact mechanism of this food-drug interaction.

Effects of oat bran, processed to different molecular weights of beta-glucan, on plasma lipids and caecal formation of SCFA in mice.

In the present study, we evaluated the cholesterol-lowering effects of different oat bran (OB) preparations, differing regarding their peak molecular weight (MWp) of beta-glucans (2348, 1311, 241, 56, 21 or < 10 kDa), in C57BL/6NCrl mice. The diets were designed to be atherogenic (0.8 % cholesterol and 0.1 % cholic acid), and they reflected the Western diet pattern (41 % energy fat). All OB preparations that were investigated significantly reduced plasma cholesterol when compared with a cellulose-containing control diet, regardless of the molecular weight of beta-glucan. Moreover, the difference in viscous properties between the processed OB (from 0.11 to 17.7 l/g) did not appear to play a major role in the cholesterol-lowering properties. In addition, there was no correlation between the molecular weight of beta-glucan and the amount of propionic acid formed in caecum. Interestingly, however, there was a significant correlation between the ratio of (propionic acid+butyric acid)/acetic acid and the MWp of beta-glucans: the ratio increased with increasing molecular weight. The results of the present study suggest that the molecular weights and viscous properties of beta-glucan in oat products may not be crucial parameters for their cholesterol-lowering effects.

Down-regulation of endothelial cell estrogen receptor expression by the inflammation promoter LPS.

Endothelial cells express both estrogen receptor (ER) alpha and beta. The objective of this study was to investigate if and how mediators of inflammation regulate endothelial cell ERalpha and ERbeta expression. ERalpha and ERbeta transcript and protein expression were determined by real-time quantitative PCR and Western blotting, respectively, in endothelial cell line bEnd.3 cells stimulated with the inflammation promoter lipopolysaccharide (E. coli LPS). Stimulation with LPS (500 ng/ml and 10 microg/ml) for 4 days reduced both ERalpha and ERbeta mRNA levels. The glucocorticoid dexamethasone (1 microM) had no effect on LPS-induced attenuation of ERalpha and beta transcript expression. Full-length 66-67 kDa ERalpha protein was unaffected by 4 days stimulation with LPS, while the 46-kDa ERalpha isoform was reduced by about 20%. ERbeta protein was reduced by about 40% by LPS at 4 days. Treatment with 17beta-estradiol (E(2), 100 nM) for 4 days increased ERbeta mRNA by about 8 times but had no effect on ERalpha mRNA level. The E(2)-induced increase in ERbeta transcript was not associated with increased ERbeta protein. E(2) increased ERbeta mRNA expression also in the presence of LPS, suggesting that inflammation-induced impairment of ERbeta signalling is rescued by estrogen.

Effects of oats on plasma cholesterol and lipoproteins in C57BL/6 mice are substrain specific.

Cholesterol-lowering effects of oats have been demonstrated in both animals and human subjects. However, the crucial properties of oat-containing diets that determine their health effects need to be further investigated to optimise their use. A mouse model would be a valuable tool, but few such studies have been published to date. We investigated the effects of oat bran on plasma cholesterol and lipoproteins in two substrains of C57BL/6 mice. Western diet was made atherogenic by the addition of 0.8 % cholesterol and 0.1 % cholic acid. After 4 weeks on atherogenic diet, total plasma cholesterol had increased from 1.86-2.53 to 3.77-4.40 mmol/l. In C57BL/6NCrl mice, inclusion of 27 and 40 % oat bran reduced total plasma cholesterol by 19 and 24 %, respectively, reduced the shift from HDL to LDL+VLDL and caused increased faecal cholesterol excretion. There was no effect of oat bran on plasma levels of the inflammatory markers fibrinogen, serum amyloid A or TNF-alpha. Contrary to findings in C57BL/6NCrl mice, there was no sustained effect of oat bran (27 or 40 %) on plasma cholesterol in C57BL/6JBomTac mice after 4 weeks of feeding. Thus, C57BL/6NCrl mice fed an atherogenic diet are a good model for studies of physiological effects of oats, whereas a substrain derived from C57BL/6J, raised in a different breeding environment and likely possessing functional genetic differences from C57BL/6N, is considerably less responsive to oats. The present finding that two substrains of mice respond differently to oats is of practical value, but can also help to elucidate mechanisms of the cholesterol-lowering effect of oats.

Synthesis of new sugar-based surfactants and evaluation of their hemolytic activities.

The synthesis of four sugar-based surfactants derived from glucose and (R)-12-hydroxystearic acid is described. The surfactants have a hydroxy group in the hydrophobic part, which is either free or acylated using acetyl chloride, hexanoyl chloride, or myristoyl chloride. Three of the synthesized surfactants are water-soluble and are evaluated with respect to their CMCs and hemolytic activities. The fourth surfactant has limited water solubility and is not further included in the study. The investigated surfactants are all hemolytic close to their respective CMC indicating that their use in parenteral formulations may be limited. Nevertheless, surfactants having the proposed structure appear as promising alternatives to existing solubilizing agents for pharmaceutical applications.

Coercion in psychiatric care - patients' and relatives' experiences from four Swedish psychiatric services.

The aim of this study was to explore possible regional differences in the use of coercion in psychiatric care as experienced by patients and relatives. At four psychiatric care settings in different parts of Sweden, 138 committed and 144 voluntarily admitted patients were interviewed at admission using the Nordic Admission Interview. At discharge or, if the care episode was still ongoing, after 3 weeks of care, a follow-up patient interview and an interview with 162 relatives of these patients took place. In one of the centers, where involuntarily admitted patients were treated without locking the doors of the wards, the patients reported less coercion at admission than in the other three centers. Regarding the patients' reports of the use of coercive measures, personal treatment and outcome of care, and concerning the relatives' experiences, few differences were found between centers among committed and voluntarily admitted patients, respectively. Coercion in psychiatric care, as reported by patients and relatives, was not always legally based, and many of the patients reported they felt violated during the admission process. Only a minority of patients and relatives reported participation in treatment and care planning, as regulated by law. Still, a majority of both committed and voluntarily admitted patients reported they had been well treated by the personnel at admission as well as during the stay at the ward, and that they had been improved in their mental health after the psychiatric care episode.

Stereoselective synthesis of polyhydroxyl surfactants. Stereochemical influence on Langmuir monolayers.

Herein is described the synthesis of surfactants featuring polyhydroxylated head groups. Three head groups were prepared via consecutive stereoselective dihydroxylations of a diene. By coupling of these with lipophilic tail groups six novel surfactants have been prepared. The monolayers prepared from four of these have been investigated at the air-water interface. Significant differences were observed between monolayers consisting of enantiomerically pure surfactants contra racemates as well as between diastereomers.

Differences in meat quality between organically and conventionally produced pigs.

This study compared organic pig meat production with conventional production with regard to carcass- and meat quality traits. 80 crossbred female and castrated male pigs were used [(Swedish Landrace × Swedish Yorkshire) × Hampshire] of which 40 were raised under organic conditions and the other 40 were raised in a conventional production system. The organic pigs were raised outdoors in one large group following the regulations for organic standards. The conventionally raised animals were kept indoors in groups of eight and were given a conventional feed mixture. It was found that meat of organically raised non-carriers of the RN(-) allele was of poorer quality (higher drip loss and increased shear force values) compared with meat from the other animals. The RN genotype had a relatively small effect on carcass and technological traits in this study. The sex of the animals affected carcass traits.