Selenium levels in whole blood of Finnish volunteers before and during organic and inorganic selenium supplementation.

High selenium barley biscuits containing 1 mumol (70 micrograms) organic Se were administered to healthy male volunteers for 5 weeks at doses of 2.1 mumol Se (group A) or 6.4 mumol (group B). In addition, 2 mg Na-selenate capsules (5.4 mumol Se) were given to two other groups at daily doses of 2 mg (group C) or 8 mg (group D). Groups A, B and C each comprised eight healthy men and group D eight healthy women and three men. The initial median concentration of whole blood selenium (B-Se for groups A, B and C were 1.0-1.1 mumol/l (range 0.7-1.7) and for group D 1.3 mumol/l (range 0.9-1.8). In 1-2 weeks time the B-Se concentrations rose to 1.6 mumol/l for groups A and C, to 1.8 mumol/l for group B, and to 2.2 mumol/l for group D. There was no decrease 1 week after the Se intake ceased. As expected, the level of B-Se increased more (in relation to dose) in those given organic Se than in those given inorganic Se. Groups A, B and C, however, had rather moderate increases. The daily dose required to raise the B-Se of Finns up to the North American level (2.2 mumol/l) was as high as 8 mg Na-selenate (21.5 mumol or 1700 micrograms Se), but the dose of organic Se which would be required to achieve this level is not yet known.

25-OH-D3 concentrations in serum from healthy and paretic post parturient cows.

The serum 25-OH-D3, Ca, P, and Mg concentrations in thirty-seven cows that had calved in March--April were studied in this trial. Twenty-three had puerperal paresis. Values observed in this group were Ca, 1.27 +/- 0.3 mmol/l, P, 1.63 +/- 0.82 mmol/l, Mg, 1.14 +/- 0.27 mmol/l, and 25-OH-D3, 32.7 +/- 22 micrograms/l. In the fourteen age-matched healthy control cows from the same herd values were Ca, 1.93 +/- 0.5 mmol/l, P, 3.09 +/- 1.28 mmol/l, Mg, 1.01 +/- 0.3 mmol/l and 25-OH-D3, 31.5 +/- 19.7 micrograms/l. The range of values for the cows serum 25-OH-D3 concentration was less than 3.2 to 76 micrograms/l. No differences could be established in terms of 25-OH-D3 concentrations between the groups.

Chlorine residues in farm milk following the use of two disinfectants of different solubilities.

The incidence of chlorine residues in milk derived from two kinds of chlorine-based disinfectants of differing solubilities was investigated by Wode's test in a total of 420 samples from 30 dairy farms using milk tanks in December 1976 and January 1977. The less soluble of the two disinfectants caused a positive reaction for free chlorine in 4.29 per cent and a weakly positive reaction in 20 per cent of the 210 samples tested. The readily soluble disinfectant caused a weakly positive reaction only, in 3.33 per cent of the samples tested. The difference was statistically significant. In cases where Wode's test gave a positive or a weakly positive reaction, the identification test for antibiotics and chemotherapeutics was made by agar diffusion tests. The results showed that chlorine residues in milk cause small inhibition zones.