The persistence of micronucleated erythrocytes in the peripheral circulation of normal and splenectomized Fischer 344 rats: implications for cytogenetic screening

Micronucleated erythrocytes are selectively removed from the peripheral circulation of normal rats. Splenectomy prevents this selective removal. In normal rats treated daily for 20 days with 0.2 mg/kg triethylenemelamine (TEM), micronucleated normochromatic (mature) erythrocytes did not accumulate in peripheral blood. In these same animals, the frequencies of micronucleated cells among polychromatic (newly formed) erythrocytes increased from 0.21 to 5.25 per thousand in peripheral blood and from 1.75 to 31.5 per thousand in bone marrow. Since both control and induced frequencies in peripheral blood were approximately 15% of those in bone marrow, the removal appears to be equally efficient for cells containing either spontaneously occurring or clastogen-induced micronuclei. In splenectomized rats treated daily for 11 days with 0.2 mg/kg TEM, the frequency of micronucleated normochromatic erythrocytes (NCEs) in the peripheral blood rose rapidly to 9 times the control value and remained elevated for 50-55 days, indicating a life span approximately equivalent to that of normal erythrocytes. Among splenectomized rats exposed to either 0.15 mg/kg triethylenemelamine, 6.5 mg/kg cyclophosphamide, or 300 mg/kg urethane for periods exceeding the erythrocyte life span, the incidences of micronucleated NCEs in the peripheral blood rose steadily from a control value of 1.0 per thousand to maximum values of 15.0, 12.7 and 8.9 per thousand, respectively. During these extended exposures, the mean frequencies of micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes (PCEs) in peripheral blood increased from a spontaneous value of 0.9 per thousand to 23.0, 13.0 and 6.6 per thousand, respectively, reflecting the frequencies among PCEs in the bone marrow and approximating the maximum values among NCEs in the peripheral blood. Thus, the frequency of micronucleated erythrocytes in the peripheral blood of splenectomized rats can be used as an index of both acute and cumulative chromosomal damage, while in normal rats the use of peripheral blood for cytogenetic monitoring is restricted by the selective removal of these micronucleated cells.     

Gamma ray induced bone marrow micronucleated erythrocytes in seven strains of mouse

We have investigated the effect of gamma-radiation on the frequency of bone marrow micronucleated erythrocytes in seven inbred strains of adult male mice. Twenty animals of each strain viz. Swiss, C57BL/6, C57BR/cd, C3H, CBA, DBA, and AKR were irradiated at 0.0, 0.125, 0.25, 0.50, and 1.00Gy of gamma-rays at a dose rate of 0.46Gy/min using a 60Co-teletharapy machine. Animals were sacrificed 24h post-irradiation, bone marrow smears were made and stained in May-Grunwald Giemsa for evaluating the frequency of micronucleated erythrocytes as indicators of chromosomal damage. About 2000 polychromatic erythrocytes (PCEs) and the corresponding normochromatic erythrocytes (NCEs) were scored for each mouse. Thus, at least 8000 PCEs were scored for each dose point in all the groups. The spontaneous frequency of mn-PCEs per thousand (per thousand ) cells varied considerably among the strains with C57BR/cd (3.47 per thousand ) exhibiting highest as compared to CBA (2.47 per thousand ) and DBA (2.35 per thousand). Radiation exposure, even at lowest dose of 0.125Gy, induced a significant increase in the frequency of mn-PCEs and a dose dependent response was observed among all the strains. However, the animals irradiated at lower doses (0.125-0.50Gy) showed marked differences in the extent of radiation induced chromosomal damage among the various genotypes. At highest dose of radiation (1.00Gy), genotype dependent variability in the frequency of mn-PCEs was not so marked but relatively comparable among the various strains. This study clearly shows that the magnitude of variability of radiation induced chromosomal damage among different strains of mouse can be different at different doses. Therefore, use of single dose point comparisons and/or use of only higher doses of radiation for ascertainment of genotype dependent variability in mouse may lead to erroneous conclusions.     

Effect of intraperitoneal administration of amino acids on the food intake of piglets on a liquid diet during the first month after birth

The effect of single intraperitoneal 1 g.kg-1 doses of a solution of 20 amino acids (AA) on food intake was investigated in 20 piglets examined repeatedly between 2 and 26 days of age. The animals were reared individually from day 1 after birth in cages and bottle-fed a liquid diet nine times per day at two-hour intervals from 6 to 22 h. Although amino acid administration did not significantly affect plasma concentrations of total free AA throughout the experiment (as measured just before and 2 and 5 h after AA administration in blood withdrawn from the external jugular vein) it did produce a downward trend in food intake of piglets at 9-10 d of age. In older animals, the depressive effect on food intake was significantly greater and lasted longer. It is suggested that the aminostatic component of food intake regulation in piglets does not begin to operate until the weaning period.     

Circadian Eating and Sleeping Patterns in the Night Eating Syndrome

Objective: To compare the eating and sleep‐wake patterns of persons with the night eating syndrome (NES) with those of matched control subjects. Research Methods and Procedures: Forty‐six overweight/obese NES subjects (mean age 43.3 ± 9.8 years; 32 women) and 43 similar controls (mean age 39.0 ± 11.0 years; 28 women) wore wrist actigraphs for 7 days and completed sleep and food diaries at home. Results: There was no difference between the total energy intake of the NES and the control subjects, but the pattern of energy intake differed greatly. Relative to control subjects, the temporal pattern of food intake of night eaters was delayed. Food intake after the evening meal, as a proportion of the 24‐hour intake, was more than 3‐fold greater in NES subjects than in controls (34.6 ± 10.1% vs. 10.0 ± 6.9%, p = 0.001). NES subjects had sleep onset, offset, and total sleep duration times comparable with those of controls. NES subjects reported more nocturnal awakenings than did controls (1.5 ± 1.0 per night vs. 0.5 ± 0.5; p < 0.001), and their actigraphically monitored arousals occurred earlier during sleep (at 128 minutes after sleep onset vs. 193 minutes, p = 0.01). NES subjects consumed food on 74% of the awakenings vs. 0% for the controls. Discussion: The pattern of cumulative energy intake of the night eaters suggests a phase delay in energy consumption relative to sleep‐wake times. NES may involve a dissociation of the circadian control of eating relative to sleep.     

Spontaneous and benzo[a]pyrene-induced micronuclei in the embryos of the black-headed gull (Larus ridibundus L.)

The spontaneous levels of micronuclei in erythrocytes were established in embryos of the black-headed gull of two natural populations. In total 216 blood samples from the same number of individuals were examined. A statistically significant decrease in the number of spontaneous micronucleated erythrocytes was found after 13 days of incubation. We found no statistically significant difference in the spontaneous frequencies of micronucleated erythrocytes in the embryos of the two colonies studied, although they differed in anthropogenic load. Results of analysis of variance indicated that egg incubation time was the only variable significantly (P=0.0001) affecting spontaneous frequency of micronucleated erythrocytes in the embryos of black-headed gulls. We also took 78 eggs of different developmental stages from both colonies and exposed them for a further 24h to a dose of benzo[a]pyrene (30 microg per egg). After exposure to benzo[a]pyrene, the frequency of micronucleated erythrocytes was not increased in the embryos incubated for a total period of 13 days. A statistically significant increase in the number of micronucleated erythrocytes was recorded in the benzo[a]pyrene-treated embryos incubated for a total period of 14 days. Decrease in numbers of spontaneous micronucleated erythrocytes after the 13 day of incubation and increased levels of benzo[a]pyrene-induced micronuclei after the 13 day of incubation were discussed to be caused by changes in spleen and liver function in advanced developmental stages of the embryo.     

The effects of ovariectomy on binge eating proneness in adult female rats

Ovarian hormones are associated with binge eating in women, however findings are limited by the lack of experimental control inherent in human studies. Animal research that manipulates ovarian hormone status and examines individual differences in extreme binge eating proneness is needed to model clinical phenotypes in humans and to confirm causal effects. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of adult ovariectomy on overall binge eating risk and extreme binge eating phenotypes using the binge eating resistant (BER)/binge eating prone (BEP) rat model. We predicted that palatable food consumption would significantly increase after ovariectomy in all rats because ovarian hormones generally suppress food intake. If differences in responsiveness to ovarian hormones underlie BER/BEP phenotypes, then differences in binge eating between BER and BEP rats would be eliminated or diminished after ovariectomy. Changes in palatable food (PF) intake were compared in BER and BEP rats before and after ovariectomy in two samples of adult females. Findings were highly similar in the two samples. PF intake increased significantly following ovariectomy in all rats. However, BEP rats consistently consumed larger amounts of PF than BER rats, both before and after ovariectomy. The consistency of findings across two samples of rats provides strong support for activational effects of ovarian hormones on binge eating. However, the immunity of extreme binge eating phenotypes to ovarian hormone ablation suggests that other, earlier mechanisms (e.g., organizational hormone effects or hormone-independent effects) determine the expression of binge eating phenotypes.     

Determination of the daily selenium intake in slovakia

Three models were used to determine the daily dietary Selenium intake in Slovakia. The Selenium content of food produced and consumed in the Slovak Republic was used to estimate and calculate the daily Selenium intake based on food consumption data per capita and seven days, (24 h) eating protocol models. In a duplicate portion model, Selenium was analyzed in a whole day hospital diet during an eight-day period. According to these models the daily dietary Selenium intake was 38.2 μg; 43.3 ±6.5 μg for men and 32.6 ±6.6 μg for women; 27.1 ±7.8 μg for normal and 32.3 ±4.8 μg for nourishing hospital diets. The main contributors of Selenium to daily intake were the following: eggs, pork, and poultry. The obtained results indicate that the daily dietary intake of Selenium of the Slovak people is below the recommended values.     

Automation of mouse micronucleus genotoxicity assay by laser scanning cytometry

BACKGROUND: The evaluation of the safety of drugs and other chemicals is an important aspect of toxicology work. The mouse micronucleus assay is a standard in vivo genotoxicity assay. Chromosomal damage is an indicator of genotoxicity, which manifests in the formation of micronuclei in polychromatic erythrocytes from bone marrow and in peripheral blood erythrocytes. The assay is laborious to perform by manual counting. The laser scanning cytometer allows automated and rapid quantitation of cellular and subcellular fluorescence in monodisperse cell samples on a microscope slide. The object of this study was to evaluate the application of this new technology in the mouse micronucleus genotoxicity assay. Materials and Methods One hundred forty-four mice of various strains were dosed with combinations of carcinogens and antioxidants. Duplicate blood films were prepared 3 days later. One set of slides was stained with acridine orange, and the proportion of micronucleated erythrocytes was counted in 5,000 cells per slide. The duplicates were stained with propidium iodide (40 microg/ml). Five thousand cells per sample were examined using a laser scanning cytometer. The proportion of micronucleated erythrocytes was measured. RESULTS: A coefficient of correlation of 0.96 was found between the data from the two assays. The automation of the assay on the LSC produced a considerable time saving and efficiency gain. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that with further development, laser scanning cytometry is likely to become the preferred modality for the performance of standard genotoxicity assays.     

Temporal pattern of eating in night shift workers

ABSTRACT

Understanding shift workers dietary intake patterns may inform interventions targeted at lowering chronic disease risk. This study examined the temporal distribution of food intake as shift workers rotate between night shifts, day shift and/or days off to identify differences in energy intake, eating frequency, and adherence to dietary guidelines by shift type (night shift vs. day). Night shift (NS) workers completed a four-day food diary that included a minimum of two night shifts and one-day shift (DS)/day off (DO), recording all food, beverages and time of consumption. Comparisons were between shift types, using ANOVA for continuous data and generalized estimating equations for count data, data reported as mean (SE). When comparing NS and DSDO, there were no differences in energy intake (24 h) (8853 (702) vs. 9041 (605) kJ, n = 22) or adherence to dietary guidelines. There was no difference between the number of eating occasions on NS and DSDO (5.6(0.3) vs 5.1(0.6) occasions) but less energy per eating occasion at night (1661(125) vs 1933(159) kJ). When working NS compared with DSDO there was higher total sugar (%E, 19.1(2.0) vs 15.0(2.4)) and lower saturated fat (%E, 13.8(1.2) vs 15.7(1.3)). Further, DSDO were characterized by a pattern of three main meals and a prolonged fasting period. It is important to determine if reducing eating occasions and providing opportunities for fasting improves metabolic health.     

Effects of CCK-8 on independent ingestion and central c-Fos-like immunoreactivity in rats on postnatal days 10 and 11

Controls of the independent ingestion of food in the preweanling rat emerge in the second postnatal week. We investigated the effects of CCK-8 (0, 1, 5, or 10 microg/kg IP) on intake and c-Fos-like immunoreactive (CFLI) cells in hindbrain and forebrain on postnatal days 10 and 11. Five micrograms per kilogram decreased intake and increased the number of CFLI cells in four subnuclei of the nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS), in arcuate nucleus (ARC), and in central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA). Ten micrograms per kilogram decreased intake and increased CFLI in three NTS subnuclei as much as 5 microg/kg did, but was more potent than 5 microg/kg in the medial NTS subnucleus. Ten micrograms per kilogram increased CFLI in paraventricular (PVN) and supraoptic (SON) nuclei, but 5 microg/kg did not. Thus, reduction of intake by CCK-8 on days 10 and 11 is associated with increased hindbrain and forebrain CFLI.     

The dose-response relationship at very low doses of acrylamide is linear in the flow cytometer-based mouse micronucleus assay

Acrylamide (AA) is genotoxic and has been classified as a probable human carcinogen. Human exposure to AA may be high by the consumption of starch-based food that has been treated at high temperature, e.g. potato chips and crisps. For risk assessment, extrapolation to the expected low doses to humans will be more reliable when data from low experimental doses can be used. We have registered the effects of a series of low doses in the sensitive flow cytometer-based micronucleus assay in mice, paying special attention to deviations from the expected linear dose-response function. Two experiments were performed with CBA mice, injected i.p. with different doses of AA. In one experiment the effects of 22 doses (two mice per dose) ranging from 0 to 100 mg/kg b.w. were studied. In the second experiment seven doses (five mice per dose) ranging from 0 to 30 mg/kg b.w. were used. In both experiments, a clear increase of the frequency of micronucleated erythrocytes was seen, already at the lowest doses used. The dose-response function was found to be linear with a tendency to have a steeper rise at the lowest doses. The low DNA content of the micronuclei indicated an absence of whole chromosomes, i.e. no aneugenic effect of AA.     

Inhibitory effect of 7,8-benzoflavone on DMBA- and BaP-induced bone marrow micronuclei in mouse

Frequencies of micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes (PCE) were analyzed in bone-marrow cells of mice injected with 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA), benzo[a]pyrene (BaP), 7,8-benzoflavone (-naphthoflavone) and the combination of either 7,8-benzoflavone and DMBA or 7,8-benzoflavone and BaP. 7,8-Benzoflavone was injected 48 and 24 h before injecting mice either with DMBA or BaP. Bone-marrow samples were collected at 24, 48, 72 and 96 h. The observed maximum mean number of micronucleated PCE per 500 PCE was 8.6 at 48 h with DMBA and 11.6 at 72 h with BaP. 7,8-Benzoflavone reduced the number of micronucleated PCE in the above treatments with DMBA by 90% and in the case of BaP by 75%. In other words, 7,8-benzoflavone acted as a potent inhibitor in preventing chromosomal breaks caused by DMBA or BaP.     

Frequency and Circadian Timing of Eating May Influence Biomarkers of Inflammation and Insulin Resistance Associated with Breast Cancer Risk

Emerging evidence suggests that there is interplay between the frequency and circadian timing of eating and metabolic health. We examined the associations of eating frequency and timing with metabolic and inflammatory biomarkers putatively associated with breast cancer risk in women participating in the National Health and Nutrition Examination 2009–2010 Survey. Eating frequency and timing variables were calculated from 24-hour food records and included (1) proportion of calories consumed in the evening (5pm-midnight), (2) number of eating episodes per day, and (3) nighttime fasting duration. Linear regression models examined each eating frequency and timing exposure variable with C-reactive protein (CRP) concentrations and the Homeostatic Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR). Each 10 percent increase in the proportion of calories consumed in the evening was associated with a 3 percent increase in CRP. Conversely, eating one additional meal or snack per day was associated with an 8 percent reduction in CRP. There was a significant interaction between proportion of calories consumed in the evening and fasting duration with CRP (p = 0.02). A longer nighttime fasting duration was associated with an 8 percent lower CRP only among women who ate less than 30% of their total daily calories in the evening (p = 0.01). None of the eating frequency and timing variables were significantly associated with HOMA-IR. These findings suggest that eating more frequently, reducing evening energy intake, and fasting for longer nightly intervals may lower systemic inflammation and subsequently reduce breast cancer risk. Randomized trials are needed to validate these associations.     

Salmon calcitonin reduces food intake through changes in meal sizes in male rhesus monkeys

Amylinergic mechanisms are believed to be involved in the control of appetite. This study examined the effects of the amylin agonist, salmon calcitonin, on food intake and meal patterns in adult male rhesus monkeys. Fifteen minutes before the onset of their 6-h daily feeding period, monkeys received intramuscular injections of various doses of salmon calcitonin (0.032, 0.056, 0.1, 0.32, and 1 microg/kg) or saline. Salmon calcitonin dose dependently reduced total daily and hourly food intake, with significant decreases at the 0.1, 0.32, and 1 microg/kg doses. Daily food intake was reduced by approximately 35%, 62%, and 96%, at these doses, respectively. An analysis of meal patterns revealed that size of the first meal was significantly reduced across the dose range of 0.056 to 1 microg/kg, while average meal size was reduced with the 0.32 and 1 microg/kg doses. Meal number was only affected at the 1 microg/kg dose. Repeated 5-day administration of the 0.1 microg/kg dose resulted in a reduction in daily food intake only on injection day 2, while significant reductions in food intake were observed on all five injection days with a 0.32 microg/kg dose. Daily food intake was also reduced for 1 day after the termination of the 5-day injections of the 0.32 microg/kg salmon calcitonin dose. These sustained reductions in intake were expressed through decreases in meal size. These data demonstrate that salmon calcitonin acutely and consistently decreases food intake mainly through reductions in meal sizes in nonhuman primates.     

Eating Frequency is Associated With Energy Intake but Not Obesity in Midlife Women

Midlife women tend to gain weight with age, thus increasing risk of chronic disease. The purpose of this study was to examine associations between overweight/obesity and behavioral factors, including eating frequency, in a cross‐sectional national sample of midlife women (n = 1,099) (mean age = 49.7 years, and BMI = 27.7 kg/m²). Eating behaviors and food and nutrient intakes were based on a mailed 1‐day food record. BMI was calculated from self‐reported height and weight, and level of physical activity was assessed by self‐reported questionnaire. After exclusion of low‐energy reporters (32% of sample), eating frequency was not associated with overweight/obesity (P > 0.05) and was not different between BMI groups (normal, 5.21 ± 1.79; overweight, 5.16 ± 1.74; obese, 5.12 ± 1.68, P = 0.769). Adjusted logistic regression showed that eating frequency, snacking frequency, breakfast consumption, eating after 10 pm and consuming meals with children or other adults were not significantly associated with overweight/obesity. Total energy intake increased as eating frequency increased in all BMI groups, however, obese women had greater energy intake compared to normal weight women who consumed the same number of meals and snacks. Intake of fruit and vegetables, whole grains, dietary fiber, dairy, and added sugars also increased as eating frequency increased. While eating frequency was not associated with overweight/obesity, it was associated with energy intake. Thus, addressing total energy intake rather than eating frequency may be more appropriate to prevent weight gain among midlife women.     

The GLP-1 agonist exendin-4 reduces food intake in nonhuman primates through changes in meal size

Exendin-4 (Ex4), a long-acting glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist, has been shown to reduce food intake and suppress gastric emptying in rodents and humans. In this study we investigated the effects of peripheral administration of Ex4 on food intake and meal patterns in adult male rhesus macaques. Rhesus macaques (n = 4) that had been trained to lever press for food pellets were injected intramuscularly 15 min before the start of their 6-h daily feeding period. Ex4 was given at doses of 0.10, 0.32, 0.56, 1.0, and 3.0 microg/kg. Ex4 suppressed food intake in a dose-dependent manner, with the 3.0 microg/kg dose completely preventing feeding during the 6-h period and the 0.10 microg/kg dose suppressing intake by 17%. Doses of 0.32, 0.56, 1.0, and 3.0 microg/kg caused significant reductions in cumulative intake at all six hourly time points. Ex4 inhibited food intake through a specific effect on meal size. Meal size was significantly reduced in a dose-dependent manner with significant reductions at the 0.32 and 1.0 microg/kg doses (P < 0.05). Day 2 and 3 intakes returned to baseline levels with no compensation for Ex4-induced feeding suppression. Administration of doses of 0.32 and 0.56 microg/kg Ex4 over 5 consecutive days led to sustained reductions in intake with no evidence of compensation. Again, these reductions were due to specific effects on meal size. These results demonstrate that activation of GLP-1 pathways has potent effects on the controls of meal size and overall food intake in a nonhuman primate model.     

Feeding behaviour of sheep fed lucerne v. grass hays with controlled post-ingestive consequences

Understanding what determines feeding behaviour in herbivores is essential to optimise the use of forages in breeding systems. Herbivores can evaluate foods by associative learning of their pre-ingestive characteristics (taste, odour, etc.) and their post-ingestive consequences. Post-ingestive consequences are acknowledged as influencing intake and food choices, but the role of pre-ingestive characteristics is still being debated. Our experiment was designed to test their separate effects on daily dry matter intake (DMI), intake patterns and short-term choices in sheep by crossing the nature of the hay orally consumed (o) ad libitum, lucerne (L) or grass (G), with the nature of the hay introduced into the rumen (r), L or G, at a rate of half the total amount of hay received the day before. We applied four treatments, Go/Gr, Go/Lr, Lo/Gr and Lo/Lr, to test the effects of (i) post-ingestive consequences with similar pre-ingestive characteristics (Go/Gr v. Go/Lr; Lo/Gr v. Lo/Lr) and (ii) pre-ingestive characteristics with similar post-ingestive consequences at the end of the feeding period (Go/Lr v. Lo/Gr). Six rumen-fistulated sheep underwent all the treatments over 11-day periods in a latin square design. Eating time was restricted to 6 h/day, intraruminal introductions were performed just before food offer and choice tests were conducted after food removal. For similar pre-ingestive characteristics, DMI increased when L hay was introduced into the rumen rather than G (P < 0.05), possibly owing to a lower fill effect of L due to its lower NDF content and higher rumen degradability. The increased DMI resulted from longer eating time when G was orally consumed (149 v. 192 min, P < 0.05), whereas it resulted from higher intake rate with L (4.8 v. 6.1 g/min, P < 0.05). For similar post-ingestive consequences at the end of the feeding period (Go/Lr and Lo/Gr), DMI were similar (P > 0.05). Pre-ingestive characteristics or palatability per se did not therefore influence daily intake, although they influenced eating patterns. Pre-ingestive characteristics also greatly influenced short-term choices in favour of the hay that was not previously consumed, independently of any post-ingestive influence. This study confirms the effects of post-ingestive consequences on daily intake, but demonstrates that these variations are obtained by different behavioural adjustments under the influence of pre-ingestive characteristics. Preference for novelty, regardless of post-ingestive consequences, thus suggests that sheep may seek a diverse diet more for pleasure than for functional purposes, with implications for animal welfare.     

Effect of intake on whole body plasma amino acid kinetics in sheep

While both the quantity and quality of food ingested are potent regulators of whole body protein metabolism in ruminants, little data are available on responses across a wide range of intakes. The current study examined the responses in whole body protein flux (PrF) to such intake changes and compared these with the responses across the hind-quarters (in a companion study). Six growing sheep (6-8 months, 30-35 kg) received each of four intakes of dried grass pellets (0.5, 1.0, 1.5 and 2.5 times maintenance energy; M) for a minimum of 7 days. At each intake, a mixture of U-13C amino-acids (AA) was infused intravenously for 10 h. Arterial plasma and blood were obtained over the last 4 h of infusion and the concentrations and the enrichments of thirteen 13C labelled AA were determined. The absolute values for plasma Irreversible Loss Rate (ILR) but also converted PrF varied between the AA. PrF values were lower for histidine, methionine, aspartate, glycine and proline (range 68 to 174 g x d(-1) at 1.5 M) than for isoleucine, leucine, valine and glutamate (range 275 to 400 g x d(-1) at 1.5 M). These discrepancies may be explained by (1) the differential AA removal by the splanchnic tissues, (2) the de novo synthesis of the non-essential AA, (3) the transfer of AA from the erythrocytes or plasma to the tissues. The first two assumptions require further investigation whereas recent work has shown a minor role for AA transfers between erythrocytes and tissues. For most AA, ILR and PrF responded linearly to intake but curvilinear responses were observed for phenylalanine, lysine, leucine, isoleucine and tyrosine. These differences were not due to hind-quarter metabolism and may involve the digestive tract and liver.     

Patterns in food intake correlate with body mass index

Quantifying eating behavior may give clues to both the physiological and behavioral mechanisms behind weight regulation. We analyzed year-long dietary records of 29 stable-weight subjects. The records showed wide daily variations of food intake. We computed the temporal autocorrelation and skewness of food intake mass, energy, carbohydrate, fat, and protein. We also computed the cross-correlation coefficient between intake mass and intake energy. The mass of the food intake exhibited long-term trends that were positively skewed, with wide variability among individuals. The average duration of the trends (P = 0.003) and the skewness (P = 0.006) of the food intake mass were significantly correlated with mean body mass index (BMI). We also found that the lower the correlation coefficient between the energy content and the mass of food intake, the higher the BMI. Our results imply that humans in neutral energy balance eating ad libitum exhibit a long-term positive bias in the food intake that operates partially through the mass of food eaten to defend against eating too little more vigorously than eating too much.     

Vision and Eating Behavior in Obese Subjects

Objective: Vision is one of a number of factors influencing the amount of food consumed during a meal. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of vision on the microstructure of the eating behavior of obese subjects. Research Methods and Procedures: Eighteen obese subjects with a body mass index (mean ± SD) of 39.1 ± 6.3 kg/m² twice consumed a standardized test meal in excess, once with and once without a blindfold. The microstructure of the eating behavior was registered by VIKTOR, a computerized eating monitor. Subjective motivation to eat (i.e., desire to eat, hunger, satiety, and prospective consumption) was rated by visual analogue scales (VASs) before, immediately after, and then hourly up to 3 hours after the test meals. Results: The obese subjects ate 24% less food when blindfolded (359 ± 194 g vs. 472 ± 179 g; p < 0.01). Despite a smaller amount of food consumed when blindfolded, there were no significant differences with or without the blindfold for any of the VASs measuring subjective motivation to eat after test meals. Discussion: The importance of vision in regulating our eating behavior was demonstrated in this study. The obese subjects ate 24% less food blindfolded without feeling less full. Eating blindfolded could be tested as a didactic tool to make obese subjects aware of what factors affect the termination of eating.