The effects of 17 h food deprivation and stimulation by five concentrations (0.05-0.8 M) of sucrose solutions on the licking behavior of rats were investigated. Food deprivation increased the intake of the three lowest concentrations (0.05, 0.1, and 0.2 M) but had no effect on the volume ingested of the two highest concentrations (0.4 and 0.8 M). Food deprivation had no significant effect on the duration of the meals of any of the sucrose solutions; rather it affected the rate of ingestion. In those cases where food deprivation did affect volume intake, it did so by increasing the initial rate of ingestion. Although food deprivation had no effect on the volume ingested of the two strongest concentrations of sucrose, it nevertheless affected the ingestive behavior by increasing the duration of the sustained periods of bursts of licking and decreasing their number. Deprivation also significantly decreased the rate of licking within these sustained bouts of licking. The results indicate that food deprivation can affect the ingestive behavior of rats in ways that are not revealed by measuring volumetric intake alone. The data also support the view that food deprivation increases the palatability of the test solutions.

Selective progesterone receptor modulators (SPRMs) represent a new class of progesterone receptor ligands. SPRMs exert clinically relevant tissue-selective progesterone agonist, antagonist, or mixed agonist/antagonist effects on various progesterone target tissues in vivo. Asoprisnil (J867) is the first SPRM to reach an advanced stage of clinical development for the treatment of symptomatic uterine fibroids and endometriosis. Asoprisnil belongs to the class of 11beta-benzaldoxime-substituted estratrienes that exhibit partial progesterone agonist/antagonist effects with high progesterone receptor specificity in animals and humans. Asoprisnil has no antiglucocorticoid activity in humans at therapeutic doses. It exhibits endometrial antiproliferative effects on the endometrium and breast in primates. Unlike progesterone antagonists, asoprisnil does not induce labor in relevant models of pregnancy and parturition. It induces amenorrhea primarily by targeting the endometrium. In human subjects with uterine fibroids, asoprisnil suppressed both the duration and intensity of uterine bleeding in a dose-dependent manner and reduced tumor volume in the absence of estrogen deprivation. In subjects with endometriosis, asoprisnil was effective in reducing nonmenstrual pain and dysmenorrhea. Asoprisnil may, therefore, provide a novel, tissue-selective approach to control endometriosis-related pain. SPRMs have the potential to become a novel treatment of uterine fibroids and endometriosis.

SUMMARY BackgroundThe proportion of patients who respond to proton pump inhibitor (PPI) therapy is about 20% lower in those with non-erosive reflux disease (NERD) than in those with erosive oesophagitis.

SUMMARY BackgroundDexlansoprazole MR employs a dual delayed-release delivery system that extends drug exposure and prolongs pH control compared with lansoprazole.

Approximately 14 -20 % of US adults experience gastroesophageal refl ux disease (GERD) weekly ( 1,2 ), which translates to more than 60 million adults ( 3 ). Among those reporting GERD symptoms, up to 89 % report nocturnal symptoms ( 1,4 -6 ), resulting in impairment in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and signifi cantly worse sleep quality ( 7,8 ). Because continued sleep disruption leads to increased daytime sleepiness ( 9 ), nocturnal heartburn can reduce productivity while patients are present at work, as well as reduce function when performing normal daily activities ( 7,8,10,11 ). Th e continued presence of nocturnal heartburn despite routine medical treatment is strongly associated with decreases in HRQoL ( 12 ). In addition, the majority of GERD patients participating in a Gallup survey were not completely satisfi ed with their over-the-counter or prescription medication due to persistent nocturnal symptoms ( 6 ).Th e aims of this study were to assess, in patients with symptomatic GERD, the effi cacy and safety of dexlansoprazole MR 30 mg Nocturnal heartburn and related sleep disturbances are common among patients with gastroesophageal refl ux disease (GERD). This study evaluated the effi cacy of dexlansoprazole MR 30 mg in relieving nocturnal heartburn and GERD-related sleep disturbances, improving work productivity, and decreasing nocturnal symptom severity in patients with symptomatic GERD. METHODS:Patients ( N = 305) with frequent, moderate-to-very severe nocturnal heartburn and associated sleep disturbances were randomized 1:1 in a double-blind fashion to receive dexlansoprazole MR or placebo once daily for 4 weeks. The primary end point was the percentage of nights without heartburn. Secondary end points were the percentage of patients with relief of nocturnal heartburn and of GERD-related sleep disturbances over the last 7 days of treatment. At baseline and week 4 / fi nal visit, patients completed questionnaires that assessed sleep quality, work productivity, and the severity and impact of nocturnal GERD symptoms. RESULTS:Dexlansoprazole MR 30 mg ( n = 152) was superior to placebo ( n = 153) in median percentage of nights without heartburn (73.1 vs. 35.7 % , respectively; P < 0.001). Dexlansoprazole MR was signifi cantly better than placebo in percentage of patients with relief of nocturnal heartburn and GERD-related sleep disturbances (47.5 vs. 19.6 % , 69.7 vs. 47.9 % , respectively; P < 0.001), and led to signifi cantly greater improvements in sleep quality and work productivity and decreased nocturnal symptom severity. Adverse events were similar across treatment groups.CONCLUSIONS: In patients with symptomatic GERD, dexlansoprazole MR 30 mg is signifi cantly more effi cacious than placebo in providing relief from nocturnal heartburn, in reducing GERD-related sleep disturbances and the consequent impairments in work productivity, and in improving sleep quality / quality of life.SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL is linked to the online version of the paper at