We measured effects of continuous vs twice-daily feeding, the addition of unsaturated fat to the diet, and monensin on milk production, milk composition, feed intake, and CO2-methane production in four experiments in a herd of 88 to 109 milking Holsteins. Methane and CO2 production increased with twice-daily feeding, but the CO2:CH4 ratio remained unchanged. Soybean oil did not affect the milkfat percentages, but fatty acid composition was changed. All saturated fatty acids up to and including 16:0 decreased (P < .01), whereas 18:0 and trans 18:1 increased (P < .001). The 18:2 conjugated dienes also increased (P < .01) when the cows were fed soybean oil. Monensin addition to the diet at 24 ppm decreased methane production (P < .01); the CO2:CH4 ratios reached 15, milk production increased (P < .01), and milkfat percentage and total milkfat output decreased (P < .01), as did feed consumption, compared with cows fed diets without monensin (P < .05). Milk fatty acid composition showed evidence of depressed ruminal biohydrogenation: saturated fatty acids (P < .05) decreased and 18:1 increased (P < .001); most of the increase was seen in the trans 18:1 isomer. As with soybean oil feeding, addition of monensin also increased (P < .05) the concentration of conjugated dienes. The monensin feeding trial was repeated 161 d later with 88 cows, of which 67 received monensin in the diet in the first trial and 21 cows were newly freshened and had never received monensin. Methane production again decreased (P < .05), but this time the CO2:CH4 ratio did not change and all other monensin-related effects were absent. The ruminal microflora in the cows that had previously received monensin seemed to have undergone some adaptive changes and no longer responded as before.

Methane and CO2 emissions from a herd of 118 lactating cows were measured directly by continuous monitoring with an infrared gas analyzer from 24 gas sampling locations. A total of 112 d of gas output was recorded between June 1993 and November 1993. Recordings were integrated at .5-h intervals, so that there were 48 data points for each 24-h period. The mean 24-h CH4 emission per cow was 587 +/- 61.3 L; the range was 436 to 721 L. The mean 24-h CO2 emission per cow was 6137 +/- 505 L, and the range was 5032 to 7427 L. These values were not corrected for gas emissions from stored manure, which contributed 5.8 and 6.1%, respectively, to CH4 and CO2 output under conditions of this experiment.

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Characteristics of the subjective symptomatology of asthma were explored within a group of 100 asthma inpatients. Patients rated the relative frequency with which 77 symptom adjectives were associated with asthma attacks. Key cluster analysis of the full set of 77 adjectives identified 5 symptom clusters: Two Mood clusters, Panic-Fear and Irritability, describe affective states concomitant with asthma, while two Somatic clusters, Hyperventilation-Hypocapnia and Bronchoconstriction, describe reports of more specific bodily symptoms. The fifth symptom cluster, Fatigue, describes the reduced energy level accompanying acute asthma. For the Mood symptom clusters, an increase in Panic-Fear and Irritability was reported to occur frequently by 42% and 34% of the patients respectively. For the Somatic symptom clusters, 9% and 91% of the patients reported the frequent occurrence of Hyperventilation-Hypocapnia and Bronchoconstriction symptoms. Seventy-eight percent (78%) reported the frequent occurrence of Fatigue. Reports of Bronchoconstriction were almost independent of the Mood clusters, Panic-Fear (r = 0.20) and Irritability (r = 0.18), although associated with increased reports of Fatigue (r = 0.43). In contrast, Hyperventilation-Hypocapnia was more highly related to both reports of Panic-Fear (r = 0.38) and Irritability (r = 0.39) during acute asthma episodes. This study suggests that complex patterning of subjective symptomatology is common in asthma. Symptom patterns described across each of the 5 symptom clusters may help to define coping styles related to the role of emotions in asthma and the course of illness.Clinical descriptions of asthma only occasionally describe the subjective symptomatology associated •with episodes of bronchoconstriction, although dyspnea, syncope, fear, depression, and fatigue have been reported (1-4). While the importance of subjective symptoms for

A 22-item MMPI alexithymia scale was derived from the Beth Israel Psychosomatic Questionnaire (BIQ). The new MMPI scale yields an 82% hit rate when predicting to BIQ alexithymia scores and has been shown to have impressive stability over time. The new scale should provide a rapid, standardized means of assessing alexithymia in a variety of populations.

Subjective symptoms and experiences were explored within a group of 146 severe, chronic bronchitis and emphysema patients. Eighty-nine symptoms and experiences, derived from initial interviews with 29 patients, were rated according to the frequency of occurrence during breathing difficulties. Key cluster analyses were used to derive a Bronchitis-Emphysema Symptom Checklist (BESC) measuring 11 symptom categories: Helplessness-Hopelessness, Decathexis, Fatigue, Poor Memory, Peripheral-Sensory Complaints, Dyspnea, Congestion, Sleep Difficulties, Irritability, Anxiety, and Alienation. The BESC symptom categories are highly reliable and the relationships among categories are stable across two subgroups of patients. The BESC provides one way to describe how patients cope with and experience chronic bronchitis and emphysema.

The Asthma Symptom Checklist (ASC), describing the subjective symptoms reported to occur during asthmatic attacks, has been developed previously. In the present study, the ASC key cluster solution was replicated and refined within a sample of 374 asthmatic inpatients. All of the original symptom categories were reporduced, including two mood categories, Panic-Fear and Irritability, a Fatigue category, and two somatic categories. Hyperventilation-Hypocapnia and Airway Obstruction. Two refinements were notable: (1) The Airway Obstruction category was empirically divided into two conceptually clear components, Dyspnea anc Congestion, and (2) three secondary mood categories, Worry, Loneliness, and Anger, were identified, which describe a continuum of mood between the polar extremes of panic and irritability. Of the symptom categories, only Panic-Fear was related to the intensity of the discharge drug regimens recommended 2 to 6 mouths after ASC administration. Panic-Fear scores were independent of pulmonary function measurements. A combined index based on pulmonary functions and panic-fear yielded the best prediction of discharge steroid regiments. Finally, those physicians rated highest in "sensitivity" to their patients by their supervisors prescribed less steroids overall, but most frequently prescribed discharge steriod regimens in relation to their patients' Panic-Fear scores. In contrast, physicians rated lower on sensitivity prescribed higher steroid regimens overall, but based these drug recommendations more cleary on objective pulmonary functioning, and not in relation to their patients' Panic-Fear scores. The results strongly suggest that the ASC Panic-Fear scale is associated with coping behaviors that importantly affect the patient's overall clinical picture by increasing the apparent severity of the asthma, thereby leading to intensified treatment. The findings stress the need to evaluate independently the objective medical condition and subjective symptomatology with its related coping behavior, in order to direct appropriate modes of therapy to each.

No abstract