Additive effects of gastric volumes and macronutrient composition on the sensation of postprandial fullness in humans.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Intake of food or fluid distends the stomach and triggers mechanoreceptors and vagal afferents. Wall stretch and tension produces a feeling of fullness. Duodenal infusion studies assessing gastric sensitivity by barostat have shown that the products of fat digestion have a greater effect on the sensation of fullness and also dyspeptic symptoms than carbohydrates. We tested here the hypothesis that fat and carbohydrate have different effects on gastric sensation under physiological conditions using non-invasive magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to measure gastric volumes. SUBJECTS/METHODS: Thirteen healthy subjects received a rice pudding test meal with added fat or added carbohydrate on two separate occasions and underwent serial postprandial MRI scans for 4.5 h. Fullness was assessed on a 100-mm visual analogue scale. RESULTS: Gastric half emptying time was significantly slower for the high-carbohydrate meal than for the high-fat meal, P=0.0327. Fullness significantly correlated with gastric volumes for both meals; however, the change from baseline in fullness scores was higher for the high-fat meal for any given change in stomach volume (P=0.0147), despite the lower energy content and faster gastric emptying of the high-fat meal. CONCLUSIONS: Total gastric volume correlates positively and linearly with postprandial fullness and ingestion of a high-fat meal increases this sensation compared with high-carbohydrate meal. These findings can be of clinical interest in patients presenting with postprandial dyspepsia whereby manipulating gastric sensitivity by dietary intervention may help to control digestive sensations.

A comparison study of histochemical staining of various tissues after Carnoy's and formalin fixation

Background: The potential problems related to the use of formalin in histopathology; such as health hazards; deterioration of nuclei acids are well-known. The aim of this study was to evaluate the utilization of a Carnoy's solution fixation in comparison with formalin on subsequent tissue sectioning and histochemical staining. Materials and Methods: Corresponding sections of 25 tissue biopsies of rabbit's different organs were fixed in Carnoy's solution and in 10neutral buffered formalin. Samples were processed using the conventional method and then stained applying five histochemical methods. The degree of the quality of the staining was assessed for each method by scoring system (1-10) depending on comparison of the stained tissue sections with illustrated photomicrographs. Results: For the quality of cutting; the best quality was obtained by Formalin (mean = 4.76) then Carnoy's fixative (mean =3.84). The best quality of Haematoxylin and Eosin staining was obtained by formalin (mean =5.28) then Carnoy's (mean = 4.00). For Alcian blue and Perl's Prussian blue; the best staining qualities were obtained by Formalin (mean = 4.76 and 5.64 respectively) followed by Carnoy's (mean = 2.88 and 3.92 respectively). For periodic Acid Schiff's the best staining quality was obtained following Carnoy's fixation (mean = 4.52) then; the formalin (mean = 3.76). Conclusion: Although; Carnoy's fluid is a safe fixative and can rapidly penetrate the tissues; but it can't be a substitute for formalin

Evaluation of preoperative predictive values of serum CA15-3 and CEA within Sudanese women with breast cancer

Objectives: Early detection of cancer comprises early diagnosis in symptomatic and screening of asymptomatic individuals.Our aim was to evaluate the significant values of carbohydrate antigen 15-3 (CA15-3) and/or carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) in women with breast cancer.Design and setting: This case control study was conducted in Khartoum Teaching Hospital; Khartoum; Sudan. Application of such measurement may be helpful within screening and early detection efforts in such a country like Sudan with poor resources.Methods: We examined by serological radioimmuno-assay methods; significant elevation of CA15-3 and CEA serum samples obtained from 100 women of whom 40and 35were patients with histopathologically confirmed breast cancer and benign breast lumps respectively and the remaining 25were apparently healthy controls. Statistical analysis: Data were analyzed by using a computer SPSS program.Results: Among the 75 patients with breast lumps; 33 (44) and 31(37.3) showed high CA15-3 and CEA levels respectively. Of the 40 carcinomas; high expressions of CA15-3 and CEA were found among 28(70) and 24(60) respectively. Notably; only 2(8) of the controls showed lightly elevated CEA. Conclusions: The obtained Specificity of 85.7; 80and sensitivity of 70; 60for CA15-3 and CEA correspondingly; support the combined application of both markers in screening for breast cancer

Temporal relationship of the prolactin-dependent LH-induced LH receptor to the LH stimulus.

The time course for LH induction of luteinizing hormone (LH) receptors as reflected in binding of 125I-labeled hCG was investigated in hypophysectomized adult male rats. A low dose of oLH (10 micrograms) was administered to hypophysectomized adult male rats following pretreatments with prolactin, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), growth hormone (GH), or saline. Testicular binding of hCG was determined at different times following the LH injection using Leydig cell membrane preparations from a testicular homogenate. Seven days after hypophysectomy, hCG binding was at a nadir of 19 +/- 7% (mean +/- SD) of control values. Pretreatment with prolactin (100 micrograms/day) for 7 days was associated with a nonsignificantly different hCG binding that was 30 +/- 5% of control values. Prolactin pretreatment plus a single 10 micrograms LH i.p. injection increased 125I hCG binding up to 56 +/- 10% of control values within 30 minutes of the LH injection. Luteinizing hormone-induced hCG binding persisted at a high level (51 +/- 4% of control values) for 2 hours but returned to hypophysectomized control levels 6 hours after the i.p. LH injection. Seven days pretreatment with FSH or GH at 100 micrograms/day plus 10-micrograms LH injections was also tested. Neither FSH nor GH had a statistically significant effect on hCG binding nor could they mimic the ability of prolactin to allow for LH induction of hCG binding in the hypophysectomized adult male rats. These studies suggest that the induction or "up-regulation" of Leydig cell hCG binding by ovine LH is rapid and specifically dependent upon pre-exposure to prolactin.

Characteristics of prolactin-modulated LH induction of LH/hCG receptors. Transient inhibition of receptor induction following prolactin exposure.

The temporal relationship between exposure to prolactin (PRL) and luteinizing hormone (LH) induction of LH receptors was investigated in hypophysectomized adult male rats. Testicular homogenate membrane preparations were incubated with [125I]hCG for analysis of LH/hCG binding. Seven days after hypophysectomy, the rats were injected with 100 micrograms/day of PRL for another 7 days and then given a single 10-micrograms dose of LH at 2, 4, 6, 12, 24, or 36 hours after the last PRL injection. The priming effect of PRL on LH induction of receptors was not observed if LH was administered 2 to 12 hours from the last PRL injection. However, after this inhibitory period, injections of LH to PRL-primed rats resulted in induction of LH receptors and the effect persisted for 36 hours. This study supports previous reports demonstrating a unique dependence upon PRL for LH up-regulation of the LH receptor and characterizes the brief refractory period following exposure to PRL.

Sex steroid inhibition of LH induction of the LH receptor.

Testosterone and estrogen were tested as possible mediators of the prolactin-dependent LH induction of LH receptors in hypophysectomized adult male rats. Animals were injected s.c. with saline, prolactin (100 micrograms/day), or combinations of testosterone (1 mg/day) or estrogen (1 mg/day) and prolactin for 7 days following a 7-day period of hypophysectomy. Twenty-four hours after the last saline or prolactin injection, the animals were given a single i.p. injection of either saline or oLH (10 micrograms) to evaluate LH-induced LH receptor induction. Membrane preparations from testicular homogenates were incubated with [125I]hCG as the binding ligand for determination of the receptor response and capacity. Neither testosterone nor estrogen were able to mimic the ability of prolactin to allow LH to induce the LH receptor. However, both testosterone and estrogen significantly inhibited prolactin-mediated, LH induction of its homologous receptor.

Serum corticosterone levels in embryos, newly hatched, and young turkey poults.

The objectives of these experiments were to determine the concentration of corticosterone, the principal adrenocortical steroid in avian species, in serum of turkey embryos (12 to 28 days of development), newly hatched turkey poults (pipped and up to 6 hr posthatch), and poults between 1 and 15 days of age. The effect of giving exogenous doses of corticosterone at a physiological concentration on hatching was also determined. A significant (P less than .01) increase in serum corticosterone from .69 to 1.26 ng/ml occurred in the embryos between 17 and 18 days of development; a second significant increase to 4 ng/ml was just prior to hatching. A decrease in serum corticosterone concentration was noted during hatching and for the first 6 hr after hatching. Concentrations of corticosterone in serum fluctuated as posthatch corticosterone secretion became established between 1 and 15 days posthatch. Treatment of embryos 2 days prior to hatching with exogenous doses of corticosterone (540 ng/embryo) suggested a trend toward shorter mean incubation time and significantly increased hatchability.