SUMMARY The effect of prolonged mental stress on upper small bowel motility was studied in 11 healthy, medical students using a pressure-sensitive radio-pill. During eight hours of continuous observation, subjects were stressed for four hours with a modified dichotomous listening test. During the first two hours of stress, inhibition of fasting motor complexes occurred and this effect was marked in the seven subjects who showed an appreciable cardiovascular response to stress.It is widely assumed, on the basis of every-day experience, that stress affects bowel function and often causes abnormalities such as 'spasm' and disorders of transit and defaecation. Almy1 has pointed out that alteration of bowel function is probably an important adaptive response to stress in man.There are but few published observations of the effects of stress on digestive tract motility. That the results of these studies were inconclusive or contradictory2-8 may have resulted from the failure of the protocols to allow for the normal cyclical variation in fasting motor activity, as it has subsequently become clear that fasting motor activity at any point in the stomach and small bowel is characterised by alternating quiescence and activity with a period of about 90 minutes;9 contractile activity consists of irregular contractions terminating in a sequence of regular phasic contractions lasting about five minutes (the activity front) followed by an abrupt transition to motor quiescence.The indeterminate nature of the stress applied in earlier studies is also open to criticism -for example, 'provocative' interviews as used in some studies7 are not easily standardised. This prompted us to undertake a controlled study of the effect of mental stress on jejunal motility in healthy volunteers. In order to detect variations from normal periodicity, we used a technique for prolonged motility monitoring allied to a sustained, reproducible, and ethical method of applying stress.

ObjectiveTo validate a fat intake questionnaire (FIQ) developed to assess habitual dietary intake while focusing on the assessment of detailed fatty acid intake including total trans unsaturated fatty acids (TUFA).DesignAn 88 food item/food group FIQ was developed using a meal pattern technique. Validation was achieved by comparison with dietary intake assessed by a modified diet history (DH) in a cross-over design. Eighty-four individuals supplied adipose tissue biopsies for linoleic acid and total TUFA analysis as an independent validation of the FIQ and DH.SettingMedical Centre, Dublin Airport, Republic of Ireland.SubjectsOne hundred and five healthy volunteers (43 females and 62 males aged 23–63 years).ResultsSignificant correlations (P < 0.0005) were achieved for intakes of energy (0.78), total fat (0.77), saturated fat (0.77), monounsaturated fat (0.63), polyunsaturated fat (0.73), TUFA (0.67) and linoleic acid (0.71) assessed by the FIQ compared with the DH. Linoleic acid intake assessed by the FIQ and the DH was significantly correlated with adipose tissue concentrations (r = 0.58 and 0.49, respectively; P<0.005); however, total TUFA intake was poorly correlated with adipose tissue concentrations (r = 0.17 and 0.10 for FIQ and DH, respectively).ConclusionsThe FIQ compared favourably with the DH in assessing habitual diet, in particular fatty acid intake. In addition, the FIQ was successfully validated against the linoleic acid composition of adipose tissue, an independent biomarker of relative fatty acid status. The FIQ could therefore be used as an alternative to the DH as it is a shorter, less labour-intensive method.

Abstract:Objective:To validate a fat intake questionnaire (FIQ) developed to assess habitual dietary intake while focusing on the assessment of detailed fatty acid intake including total trans unsaturated fatty acids (TUFA).Design:An 88 food item/food group FIQ was developed using a meal pattern technique. Validation was achieved by comparison with dietary intake assessed by a modified diet history (DH) in a cross-over design. Eighty-four individuals supplied adipose tissue biopsies for linoleic acid and total TUFA analysis as an independent validation of the FIQ and DH.Setting:Medical Centre, Dublin Airport, Republic of Ireland.Subjects:One hundred and five healthy volunteers (43 females and 62 males aged 23–63 years).Results:Significant correlations (P < 0.0005) were achieved for intakes of energy (0.78), total fat (0.77), saturated fat (0.77), monounsaturated fat (0.63), polyunsaturated fat (0.73), TUFA (0.67) and linoleic acid (0.71) assessed by the FIQ compared with the DH. Linoleic acid intake assessed by the FIQ and the DH was significantly correlated with adipose tissue concentrations (r = 0.58 and 0.49, respectively; P<0.005); however, total TUFA intake was poorly correlated with adipose tissue concentrations (r = 0.17 and 0.10 for FIQ and DH, respectively).Conclusions:The FIQ compared favourably with the DH in assessing habitual diet, in particular fatty acid intake. In addition, the FIQ was successfully validated against the linoleic acid composition of adipose tissue, an independent biomarker of relative fatty acid status. The FIQ could therefore be used as an alternative to the DH as it is a shorter, less labour-intensive method.

One hundred consecutive patients had fasting lipids and percutaneous fat biopsy performed at the time of percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty to determine if there was an association between restenosis and lipids or fatty acids. Angiographic follow-up and complete lipid and fatty acid results were available in 82 patients. Restenosis occurred in 37/82 (45%). Total cholesterol, triglyceride, high density lipoprotein, low density lipoprotein, and apolipoproteins A1 and B were not associated with restenosis. There was a significantly lower level of the monounsaturated fat palmitoleic acid (p less than 0.02), a trend towards a lower level of the monounsaturated fat oleic acid (p less than 0.09), and a trend towards a higher level of the saturated fat palmitic acid (p less than 0.08) in the restenosis group. The polyunsaturated fatty acids were not associated with restenosis. We conclude that lipids are not significantly associated with restenosis, and that lower levels of monounsaturated fatty acids may increase the risk of restenosis.

The pharmacokinetics of antipyrine were studied in seven zinc deficient patients with hepatic cirrhosis, before and after zinc supplementation. Each patient received zinc sulphate 660 mg daily for 30 days, restoring zinc status to normal as assessed by leucocyte zinc concentration. Antipyrine clearance was significantly reduced (P less than 0.05) and antipyrine elimination half‐life increased (P less than 0.05) following administration of zinc sulphate without significant alteration in the apparent volume of distribution. It is concluded that supplementation of the zinc deficiency associated with hepatic cirrhosis impaired the hepatic oxidative metabolism of antipyrine.