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Biomedical subjects

E Endert

Publications and source records attributed to E Endert.

At least 127 records · Page 7Linked to original sources

Tumor necrosis factor mimics the metabolic response to acute infection in healthy humans.

To evaluate the role of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) in the initiation of the metabolic response to acute infection, we performed a crossover saline-controlled study in six healthy postabsorptive men, investigating the metabolic effects of a bolus intravenous injection of recombinant human TNF (50 micrograms/m2). TNF induced a transient stress hormone response, associated with an early and sustained rise in plasma glucose concentrations (percentage increase at 2 h 23 +/- 7; P less than 0.05). Glucose turnover, measured 7.5 h postinjection, was 10 +/- 3% higher after TNF administration (P less than 0.05). Plasma free fatty acids (FFA) and glycerol concentrations increased transiently after TNF injection, peaking after 4 h (percentage increase 363 +/- 83 and 67 +/- 14, respectively; both P less than 0.05). FFA turnover, determined 6.5 h postinjection, increased in five subjects to a variable extent (percentage increase 126 +/- 55; P less than 0.05). Finally, resting energy expenditure showed a transient rise after TNF injection (34 +/- 2% at 4 h; P less than 0.05). We conclude that intravenous TNF reproduces many of the metabolic changes observed in septicemia, suggesting that TNF may be an initiating factor in the development of the metabolic response to acute infection.

Acute Disease↗

Decreased glucose oxidation during short-term starvation.

Prolonged fasting (for days or weeks) decreases glucose production and oxidation. The effects of short-term starvation (ie, less than 24 hours) on glucose metabolism are not known. To evaluate this issue, glucose oxidation and glucose turnover were measured after 16-hour and subsequently after 22-hour fasting. Glucose oxidation was calculated by indirect calorimetry in 12 healthy men (age 22 to 44 years); glucose turnover was measured by primed, continuous infusion of 3-3H-glucose in eight of these 12 volunteers. After 16-hour fasting net glucose oxidation was 0.59 +/- 0.17 mg x kg-1 x min-1 and glucose tissue uptake 2.34 +/- 0.12 mg x kg-1 x min-1. No correlation was found between net glucose oxidation and glucose tissue uptake. Prolonging fasting with an additional 6 hours resulted in decreases of respiratory quotient (0.77 +/- 0.01 v 0.72 +/- 0.01) (P less than .005), plasma glucose concentration (4.7 +/- 0.1 v 4.6 +/- 0.1 mmol/L) (P less than .05), glucose tissue uptake (2.10 +/- 0.12 mg x kg-1 x min-1) (P less than .05), net glucose oxidation (0.09 +/- 0.04 mg x kg-1 x min-1) (P less than .005), and plasma insulin concentration (8 +/- 1 v6 +/- 1 mU/L) (P less than .005). Net glucose oxidation expressed as a percentage of glucose tissue uptake decreased from 22% +/- 8% to 2% +/- 1% (P less than .05). There was no net glucose oxidation in seven of 12 controls after 22-hour fasting.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗

Increased resting energy expenditure in human immunodeficiency virus-infected men.

Even in the absence of anorexia and malabsorption, weight loss is frequently observed in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) or AIDS-related complex (ARC). To investigate whether increased resting energy expenditure (REE) might be responsible for this weight loss, indirect calorimetry was performed in 18 human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected men free of clinically active opportunistic infections for at least 2 months. Patients with AIDS (n = 11) or ARC (n = 7) had 9% higher rates of REE when compared with 11 healthy volunteers (P less than .05) with similar food intake and of the same body composition. The results obtained from patients with AIDS or ARC were identical. As no differences were found between patients and controls in plasma concentrations of catecholamines, thyroid hormones, cortisol, or tumor necrosis factor, except for lower concentrations of norepinephrine in the patients (mean +/- SD, 233 +/- 111 v 367 +/- 125 ng/L, patients v controls, P less than .01), this hypermetabolism is not explained by higher levels of these catabolic hormones. The results indicate that even in the absence of acute concomitant infections, increased REE may contribute to the weight loss in patients with AIDS or ARC.

AIDS-Related Complex↗

Pulsatile secretion of thyrotropin during fasting: a decrease of thyrotropin pulse amplitude.

The effect of fasting on circadian and pulsatile TSH secretion was investigated in eight healthy subjects (four men and four women in the follicular phase). Each subject was studied twice, once during 24 h with normal food intake and once during the last 24 h of a 60-h fast. Blood was sampled every 10 min during 24 h for measurement of TSH by a sensitive immunoradiometric assay. Fasting induced a decrease in plasma T3 [1.73 +/- 0.06 vs. 1.36 +/- 0.04 nmol/L; P less than 0.01 (mean +/- SE), control period vs. fasting] and thyroglobulin (52 +/- 8 vs. 35 +/- 7 pmol/L; P less than 0.001) and an increase in plasma rT3 (0.30 +/- 0.06 vs. 0.44 +/- 0.09 nmol/L; P less than 0.02). Plasma T4, thyroid hormone binding index, and free T4 were not statistically different in both periods. The mean plasma 24-h TSH concentration was lower during fasting than in the control period (2.0 +/- 0.3 vs. 1.0 +/- 0.2 mU/L; P less than 0.005). This was associated with a decrease in mean TSH pulse amplitude during fasting (Desade program: 0.6 +/- 0.1 vs. 0.3 +/- 0.1 mU/L; P less than 0.01; Cluster program: 0.5 +/- 0.1 vs. 0.2 +/- 0.1 mU/L; P less than 0.05), whereas TSH pulse frequency during fasting was unchanged (Desade program: 8.4 +/- 0.9 vs. 9.8 +/- 0.8 pulses/24 h; Cluster program: 9.5 +/- 0.5 vs. 7.9 +/- 0.9 pulses/24 h). There was a highly significant correlation between the mean 24-h TSH concentration and the mean TSH pulse amplitude during both the control period and fasting. Although the decrease in TSH concentration during fasting was evident over 24 h, fasting especially decreased the absolute (1.3 +/- 0.3 vs. 0.4 +/- 0.1 mU/L, P less than 0.02) and the relative (101 +/- 18% vs. 40 +/- 14%; P less than 0.02) nocturnal TSH surge (mean TSH 0000-0400 h vs. mean TSH 1500-1900 h). The decreased nocturnal TSH surge during fasting was associated with a significantly decreased TSH pulse amplitude, but with an unaltered number of TSH pulses between 2000-0400 h. In conclusion, fasting decreases 24-h TSH secretion and the nocturnal TSH surge in the absence of a change in plasma T4 concentration. This is associated with a decreased TSH pulse amplitude, whereas TSH pulse frequency remains unchanged.

Adult↗

Orthostatic hypotension caused by sympathectomies performed for hyperhidrosis.

We studied sympathetic cardiovascular control in a patient after sympathectomies and found severe hypoadrenergic orthostatic hypotension before and after, but not during upright exercise. This report is the first to correlate in man anatomical sympathetic lesions with autonomic function test results and to document that in a sequence of sympathectomies orthostatic hypotension does not develop until the major part of splanchnic sympathetic outflow is destroyed.

Adult↗

Lesions of the SDN-POA inhibit sexual behavior of male Wistar rats.

Discrete bilateral lesions in the SDN-POA of sexually naive adult male rats were found to decrease the number of animals ejaculating and/or to increase latencies to the first mount, intromission and ejaculation. The deleterious effects of the lesions disappeared after 4 tests for sexual behavior but were reinstated when the males were tested under suboptimal conditions, i.e., when they were tested with a marginally receptive female or when they had only limited access to the stimulus female. It was subsequently shown that males with a bilaterally lesioned SDN-POA still showed an increase in plasma testosterone. LH and prolactin levels in response to sexual stimulation. Effects of the lesions on scent marking were not found. Together with previous data indicating that SDN-POA-lesions disrupt masculine sexual behavior in females, these data are taken as evidence that the SDN-POA plays a role in the regulation of masculine sexual behavior. The data further suggest that previously reported negative results of SDN-POA-lesions on masculine sexual behavior in male rats might be attributed to the use of sexually experienced instead of sexually inexperienced animals.

Animals↗

Comparison of beclomethasone dipropionate (2 and 3 mg) and prednisolone sodium phosphate enemas (30 mg) in the treatment of ulcerative proctitis. An adrenocortical approach.

Twenty-three patients with attacks of distal ulcerative colitis were treated randomly with either 2 or 3 mg of topically administered beclomethasone dipropionate (BDP) or 30 mg of prednisolone sodium phosphate (PP). The effect of the steroid enemas on adrenocortical function was assessed by ACTH tests, which were performed before and after treatment. Endoscopic, clinical and histological scores were comparable in the three treatment groups in this pilot trial. Fasting cortisol in the PP group decreased significantly from 0.47 +/- 0.12 mumol/l before to 0.22 +/- 0.14 mumol/l (P less than 0.05) after therapy; in the BDP group no significant changes were found. Urinary cortisol excretion in the PP group was not detectable after therapy; in the BDP group no changes were found. It is concluded that in the topical treatment of ulcerative colitis, BDP may be preferable to PP because it exerts a promising anti-inflammatory action without affecting adrenocortical function.

Adult↗

Improved method for the determination of the cortisol production rate using high-performance liquid chromatography and liquid scintillation counting.

Two new methods for the determination of the cortisol production rate using reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography are described. One uses ultraviolet detection at 205 nm, the other on-line post-column derivatization with benzamidine, followed by fluorimetric detection. The specific activity of tetrahydrocortisol and tetrahydrocortisone in urine from patients who had received tritium-labelled cortisol was determined by the indicated methods, followed by fraction collection and liquid scintillation counting. The post-column reaction detection procedure was superior to ultraviolet detection, both in selectivity and analysis time. Intra- and inter-assay variance of the post-column reaction detection procedure were 3.7 and 4.7%, respectively. A good correlation (r = 0.99) was obtained between values determined by this procedure and by a thin-layer chromatographic procedure.

Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid↗

The application of an immunoradiometric assay of plasma thyrotropin (TSH-IRMA) in molar pregnancy.

Plasma thyrotropin was measured by immunoradiometric assay (TSH-IRMA, "Sucrosep", Boots Celltech) in three patients with molar pregnancy. Two patients were hyperthyroid (increased plasma concentrations of FT4, FT4 index, and FT3 index), one patient was euthyroid (normal free thyroid hormone concentrations). TSH-IRMA values were below the detection limit (less than 0.1 mU/L) in the two hyperthyroid patients; the euthyroid patient had a TSH-IRMA value of 0.8 mU/L, within the reference range of normal subjects (0.5-3.3 mU/L). In vitro experiments demonstrated interference of the grossly elevated hCG levels in the TSH-IRMA, resulting in lower values. The observed interference was independent of ambient TSH concentrations, but related to hCG levels. We conclude that despite interference of hCG in TSH-IRMA the clinical usefulness of TSH-IRMA as a first-line test of thyroid function appears to be maintained in molar pregnancy.

Adolescent↗

Effects of lesions of the sexually dimorphic nucleus on sexual behavior of testosterone-treated female Wistar rats.

Discrete bilateral lesions were placed into the sexually dimorphic nucleus (SDN) of the medial preoptic area (MPOA) of ovariectomized female Wistar rats, chronically treated with testosterone (T). Effects of these lesions upon masculine and feminine sexual behavior were studied by comparing the results of pre- and postoperative tests, using sham-operated and unoperated females as controls. Bilaterally-lesioned and, to a lesser extent, unilaterally-lesioned females, showed a marked and significant reduction of masculine sexual behavior (i.e., mounting), especially in the first postoperative tests. Feminine sexual responses, i.e., receptive and proceptive behavior, although slightly lower in bilaterally-lesioned females, did not change significantly. Sexual partner preference, operationalized as the choice between a receptive female and a sexually active male, remained unaffected by the lesions. Plasma levels of testosterone were similar in the various groups. It is concluded that the SDN may be functionally implicated in the control of masculine sexual behavior in T-treated females.

Animals↗

Comparison of beclomethasone dipropionate and prednisolone 21-phosphate enemas in the treatment of ulcerative proctitis.

In a double-blind randomized clinical trial 18 patients with exacerbations of distal ulcerative colitis were treated for 4 weeks with enemas containing either prednisolone 21-phosphate 30 mg (PP) or beclomethasone dipropionate 1 mg (BDP) a surface-active corticosteroid. All 8 patients treated with PP showed clinical and endoscopic improvement in contrast with only 4 of 10 patients treated with BDP. Endocrinologic evaluation showed a significant decrease in morning plasma cortisol, in cortisol increase after synacthen, and in urinary free cortisol excretion after PP therapy, but no changes in these variables after BDP therapy. We conclude that PP enemas are more active in the treatment of ulcerative proctitis, but they cause a suppression of the adrenal cortex, in contrast to BDP.

Adult↗

Gonadal steroid influence upon sexual and aggressive behavior of female rats.

The present experiment investigates the activation of aggressive and sexual behaviors by gonadal hormones in female rats of the S3-strain. In the first experiment three doses of testosterone propionate (TP) were chronically injected. In the second experiment effects of TP were compared to those of estradiol benzoate (EB) and methyltrienelone (R1881), a synthetic, unaromatizable androgen. Females of the S3-strain were tested against TP-treated female Wistar rats as opponents, and masculine and feminine sexual responses were assessed in the test for aggression as well as in separate tests with sexually active stimulus animals. The results of the first experiment indicate that TP in all doses, increased aggressive as well as sexual behavior equally, although plasma testosterone levels differed significantly between the groups. In the second experiment, EB significantly decreased overall aggression as compared to control-treatment. TP- and R1881-stimulated fighting, particularly, as the most offensive parameter of aggression, but did not increase overall levels of aggression. Tests for sexual preference in which the choice between a sexually active male or female was given, indicated that TP-treated females stayed near males with longer durations. Scentmarking frequencies, measured in the semiopenfield test, were effectively activated by TP-treatment. EB- and R1881-treatment resulted in intermediate levels of marking behavior.

Aggression↗

Acute dysautonomia associated with Hodgkin's disease.

A patient is described with acute dysautonomia associated with Hodgkin's disease. Testing of cardiovascular reflex control showed that this patient had a rare manifestation of autonomic cardiovascular neuropathy, namely intact parasympathetic heart rate control in combination with a sympathetic postganglionic lesion affecting the control of the vascular tree.

Adult↗

Hormones in perinatal rat and spiny mouse: relation to altricial and precocial timing of birth.

Rat (Rattus norvegicus) and spiny mouse (Acomys cahirinus) are closely related murine species that, due to their altricial (rat) and precocial (spiny mouse) modes of development, differ in the developmental timing of birth. A comparison between the developmental profiles of plasma glucagon, insulin, thyroxine, triiodothyronine, and glucocorticosteroid hormone was carried out to elucidate the question to what extent these hormonal profiles were related to the timing of birth. Although corticosterone is the major circulating glucocorticosteroid in rat, only cortisol was found in the spiny mouse. The onset of increases in glucocorticosteroid and thyroid hormone levels occurred at the same developmental time points in both species. A neonatal increase in triiodothyronine levels was observed in the spiny mouse only. In both species the immediate perinatal period was characterized by decreases in the ratio of insulin and glucagon levels and the level of glucocorticosteroids. The observed developmental patterns of hormonal levels were found to be consistent with the observed developmental pattern of enzymic maturation in the respiratory and gastrointestinal tract, which play a critical role in the adaptation to the extrauterine environment.

Animals↗

Immunoradiometric assay of thyrotropin in plasma: its value in predicting response to thyroliberin stimulation and assessing thyroid function in amiodarone-treated patients.

We measured thyrotropin in plasma by an ultrasensitive immunoradiometric assay (TSH-IRMA, "Sucrosep," Boots-Celltech), before and after thyroliberin (TRH) stimulation, in 71 patients with suspected thyroid-function disorders. Thirty-three were taking amiodarone; none was receiving (anti)thyroid drugs. The patients were divided into four groups, according to their TSH response to TRH (as measured previously by conventional TSH-RIA) and the concentrations of thyroxin (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3) in their plasma. Observed ranges of plasma TSH-IRMA (milli-int. units/L) before and after TRH were: euthyroid (n = 20), 0.2-3.0 and 1.7-15.5; subclinically hypothyroid (n = 14), 4.3-18.5 and 20-75; hyperthyroid (n = 17), less than 0.09 and less than 0.09-0.4; and subclinically hyperthyroid (n = 20), less than 0.09-1.1 and less than 0.09-2.6. Evidently TSH-IRMA results for a single sample completely distinguish hyperthyroidism from euthyroidism. However, TSH-IRMA values may also be undetectable in subclinical hyperthyroidism. The TSH response to TRH can be predicted from basal TSH-IRMA results less than 0.09 or greater than or equal to 0.8 milli-int. unit/L, intermediate values can be associated with either a normal TSH response (euthyroidism) or a decreased TSH response (subclinical hyperthyroidism only). We advocate TSH-IRMA as the first diagnostic test of thyroid function for amiodarone-treated patients.

Adult↗

The relationship between gluconeogenesis from alanine and insulin, glucagon, cortisol and catecholamines after stomach resection.

A hormonal influence on gluconeogenesis after stomach resection was sought by correlating the degree of carbon flux from alanine to glucose with the plasma levels of insulin, glucagon, adrenaline, noradrenaline and cortisol and with the urinary excretion of catecholamines, (nor)metanephrines and cortisol. No correlation was found, suggesting that none of these hormones has a dominant influence on gluconeogenesis after stomach resection.

Journal Article↗