Disguised protein in lunch after low-protein breakfast conditions food-flavor preferences dependent on recent lack of protein intake.

As in the conditioning of appetite for protein in the rat, human preference for and intake of a food at lunch was increased when the flavor of that food was paired with an adequate supply of protein, following a breakfast lacking in protein. Men and women rated their preferences for two flavors in tasted foods (soup and cornflour dessert) on test days before and after a day when one flavor was eaten in very low protein food and another day with a different flavor eaten in food containing protein, but with minimal sensory differences between these foods. Subjects given a low-protein drink preload preferred the protein-paired flavor, while those receiving a high-protein drink did not. In a second experiment, preferences were measured by intake as well as ratings, and the difference in amount of protein between high- and low-protein lunches was increased. By both measures, relative preference for high-protein-paired dessert flavors increased from before to after pairing. The increase in intake preference ratio for the protein-paired flavor was abolished by a high-protein preload. Thus, people have a learning mechanism whereby a lack in protein intake comes to cue the selection of protein-rich foods that are not known to be such, and/or loading with protein might trigger avoidance specifically of a high-protein diet.

Endocrine function of granulosa cell tumors in vivo.

Two patients with granulosa cell tumors of the ovary, endometrial hyperplasia, elevated serum estradiol (E2) concentrations and depressed FSH levels were studied preoperatively using intravenous administration of FSH, LH and gonadotropin-releasing hormone. In patient 1, serum E2 increased from a baseline of 72.7 to 116.8 pg/ml 60 min after hCG stimulation, with a peak level of 571.4 pg/ml 96 h after hCG administration; there was a rapid postoperative decline to 16 pg/ml. Ovarian venous E2 on the tumor side was 6,979 pg/ml. In patient 2, E2 increased from a baseline of 91 to 449 pg/ml at 20 h after FSH administration. Intraoperative ovarian venous E2 was 9,788 pg/ml. Inhibin, which was elevated in patient 1 prior to stimulation (736 fmol/ml), peaked 96 h after hCG administration. Ovarian venous inhibin concentration in patient 1 was 2,911 fmol/ml. The baseline inhibin concentration in patient 2 was not elevated (249 fmol/ml), but there was an elevation of inhibin in response to FSH administration (757 fmol/ml), but no response to hCG. Ovarian inhibin concentration was not different between the tumor and contralateral sides in patient 2. Both granulosa cell tumors were responsive to exogenous gonadotropin stimulation. Although only one tumor made significant baseline levels of inhibin, the production of inhibin by both tumors was apparently stimulated by FSH.

Relaxin, CA-125, progesterone, estradiol, Schwangerschaft protein, and human chorionic gonadotropin as predictors of outcome in threatened and nonthreatened pregnancies.

Progesterone (P), estradiol (E2), relaxin, CA-125, Schwangerschaft protein, and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) were measured in 221 pregnancies (less than or equal to 77 days gestation). The cohort was divided into asymptomatic subjects (group I, n = 117) and those with threatening symptoms (group II, n = 104). Outcome was ascertained as viable (normal at 14 weeks, n = 131), spontaneous abortion (n = 58), or ectopic gestation (n = 32). Statistical analysis revealed no differences in the mean maternal or gestational ages among the viable pregnancies, abortions, and ectopics in group I and group II. In group I, significant differences in the means were noted for P, hCG, relaxin, and CA-125 among those destined to abort, compared with those who were not. In group II, differences were noted in P, hCG, relaxin, and E2 when viable and nonviable pregnancies were compared. Within group II, there were significant differences between the means of E2 and CA-125 when the aborters were contrasted with ectopics. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis revealed that P was the single most reliable predictor and was most effective in threatened pregnancies. Stepwise logistic regression of the six markers in group II provided an equation of possible clinical utility in differentiating abortion versus ectopic pregnancy in threatened gestations based on CA-125 and E2 levels.