Effect of consuming high-fat diet on the morphological parameters of adrenal gland

OBJECTIVES

The incidence of obesity and obesity-assosiated pathologies continues to increase with profound adverse effects on health status in the developed countries.

BACKGROUND

We aimed to investigate the effect of high fat diet on the adrenal gland morphology.

METHODS

We fed the mice with either high-fat diet (60 % kcal from fat) or low-fat diet (10 % kcal from fat) for nine weeks. Unbiased stereological methods were used to evaluate the adrenal gland morphology. The sections were evaluated using Cavalieri's method and volume fraction approach. We calculated mean volume of adrenal gland, mean volume of adrenal medulla, VVadrenal medulla/adrenal gland, mean diameter of cromaffin cells, number of chromaffin cells in per unit volume (NVcc mm‒3), total number of cromaffin cells, VVzona glomerulosa/adrenal cortex, VVzona fasciculata/adrenal cortex , VVzona reticulosa/adrenal cortex.

RESULTS

The weight of adrenal gland, body weight intraperitoneal adipose tissue and adrenal gland weight in the obese mice significantly increased when compared with the control group. No changes were observed in the mean volume of adrenal gland, mean volume of adrenal medulla, VVzona glomerulosa/adrenal cortex, VVzona fasciculata/adrenal cortex, total number of cromaffin cells and diameter of cromaffin cells. However, NVcc mm-3 and VVzona reticulosa/adrenal cortex in the obese mice considerably increased compared with the control group.

CONCLUSION

The present results suggest that high fat diet adversely affects the adrenal gland morphology (Tab. 2, Fig. 6, Ref. 28).

Bacterial species and total bacterial load in the distal oesophagus in patients with and without clinical gastric reflux

AIMS

The purpose of this study is to compare distal oesophagus of persons with and without gastric reflux in terms of bacterial load and presence of certain bacterial species.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Two biopsy specimens were obtained from the distal oesophagus at 5 cm above the gastroesophageal junction of each of the 50 patients (20 with normal oesophagus and 30 with reflux oesophagitis) under endoscopic examination and used for histological examination and DNA isolation. We used a real-time PCR-based assay to quantify the bacterial load and the presence of certain bacterial species from one of the biopsy samples. The biopsy specimens taken from the patients with reflux oesophagitis were consistent with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). The bacterial load did not significantly differ between the groups (P < 0·005).

CONCLUSION

While there was no difference between the bacterial load in the two groups, variation was observed in bacterial species. Most of the bacteria identified in distal oesophagus of the patients with gastroesophageal reflux were Gram negative.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

The human oesophagus was considered sterile until quite recently. Molecular techniques displayed the presence of a diverse bacterial species in the oesophagus. Although it is known that dysbiosis in the oesophagus causes GERD, and that Barrett's oesophagus can trigger the development of oesophageal adenocarcinoma, its etiopathogenesis is not clear. A limited number of published studies support the importance of the present study.

Factors contributing to the low participation rate of Turkish women to a breast cancer screening program in Antwerp, Belgium

OBJECTIVES

To explore possible factors explaining a low participation rate to breast cancer screening for Turkish women living in Antwerp, Belgium, and to develop ways to increase participation rate.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The authors used focus group discussions with Turkish women to explore their reasons to participate or not to participate in breast cancer screening. Groups consisted of four to six women. Inclusion criteria were: being female, having a Turkish origin, and age between 50 and 69 years. For each focus group, one Turkish women was invited and asked to invite five other women meeting the inclusion criteria.

RESULTS

Three focus group discussions with in total 17 women have taken place. Six women had participated to all consecutive invitations for breast cancer screening. One woman had participated once, but not the next time she was invited. Ten women had never participated to screening mammography, although some of them had undergone diagnostic mammography. In all three focus groups, insufficient knowledge of the Dutch language, the unavailability of a professional interpreter, being careless about healthcare, and a negative influence of the husband, were the main reasons not to participate in breast cancer screening. Invitation letters are not read because they are in a language the woman does not understand. Less frequently mentioned obstacles were being on a holiday or being sick on the day of the scheduled mammography, fear of pain, considering an examination useless when not having any symptoms, being anxious for a positive result, and the physical distance to the screening center. Receiving an invitation in Turkish and knowing that a person speaking Turkish will be available at the screening center were proposed as possible measures to improve participation.

CONCLUSION

The single most important reason why Turkish women living in Antwerp, Belgium, do not participate in breast cancer screening was a language problem; other reasons were a lack of knowledge concerning breast cancer screening and not worrying about breast cancer. The language barrier in this population of older women can possible be overcome by Turkish speaking personnel at the screening centers.

QT Dispersion is Not Increased in Familial Mediterranean Fever

Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is an autoimmune disease inherited as an autosomal recessive trait and is characterized by recurrent attacks of fever and sterile polyserositis. This study examined electrocardiographic ventricular repolarization parameters (QT interval and QT dispersion) in 38 FMF patients and 35 healthy controls. The QT interval was measured manually from the onset of QRS to the end of the T wave (return to the TP baseline). QT dispersion was defined as the difference between the maximum and minimum QT values, and corrected QT was calculated according to the Bazett formula. There were no significant differences between FMF patients and healthy control subjects in any parameter of ventricular repolarization; hence QT dispersion was not affected by FMF. Electrocardiographic assessment of QT interval and QT dispersion are, therefore, of little value for the evaluation of cardiac impairment and risk of arrhythmia in FMF patients.