Questionnaire assessment of intake of specific carotenoids.

We determined whether estimation of intake of specific carotenoids with a standard food-frequency questionnaire (FFQ) could be improved by collection of additional data on the intake of carotenoid-rich food items. The foods included on an addendum to the standard FFQ were potentially important dietary contributors of alpha- and beta-carotene, beta-cryptoxanthin, lutein, zeaxanthin, or lycopene. Participants (n = 215), ages 50-74 years, provided fasting blood samples and completed the FFQ and the addendum.

Ketone EC50 values in the Microtox test.

The Microtox EC50 values for the following ketones are reported in the following homologous series: straight chain methyl ketones (acetone, 2-butanone, 2-pentanone, 2-hepatonone, 2-octanone, 2-decanone, and 2-tridecanone); methyl ketones substituted at one alpha carbon (3-methyl-2-butanone; 3,3-dimethyl-2-butanone); methyl substituted at two alpha carbons (2,4-dimethyl-3-pentanone; 2,2,4,4-tetramethyl-3-pentanone); phenyl groups replacing methyl in acetone (acetophenone; benzophenone); methyl groups substituted at the alpha carbons of cyclohexanone; and 2,3- 2,4-, and 2,5-hexanediones, most for the first time. While there were linear relationships between log EC50 and MW for the straight chain methyl ketones, and for methyl substitution at the alpha carbon for methyl ketones, there were no other linear relationships. As molecular weight increased, the EC50 values of soluble ketones decreased; as distance between two carbonyl groups decreased so too did EC50 values.

A 1-y trial of the effect of high-selenium bread on selenium concentrations in blood and toenails.

The concentration of selenium in toenail clippings and blood reflects dietary intake better than does intake calculated from dietary data because of the highly variable selenium concentration in different samples of the same food. However, the time course of selenium intake in relation to subsequent concentrations in toenail clippings is unclear. Therefore, 12 males were fed high-dose (4.