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Biomedical subjects

J Huber

Publications and source records attributed to J Huber.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1999

Low dose oral contraceptives and quality of life.

This study investigated the effects of a low dose oral contraceptive (OC) (Mercilon) on women's satisfaction and quality of life based on a detailed questionnaire. A total of 614 first-time users of oral contraceptives were enrolled by 102 gynecologists for a treatment period of > or = 4 months. The Quality of Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnaire (Q-LES-Q) was filled in both before and during pill intake. The total quality of life score was significantly increased under OC intake. In contrast to older preparations, modern low dose OCs appear to act favorably on a number of psychological parameters, thus increasing satisfaction with various aspects of daily life and, consequently, improving quality of life.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Efficacy, tolerability, and rare side effects of tibolone treatment in postmenopausal women.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to assess the tolerability and side effects of tibolone (Livial, Organon), a synthetic steroid analogue for the treatment of postmenopausal symptoms, in a large population of patients. METHOD: 1189 postmenopausal patients were included in this study. The patients' blood pressure, body weight, general complaints, and the severity of their climacteric complaints were documented at baseline and after 4 months of tibolone treatment. RESULTS: Tibolone significantly relieved all of the classical menopausal complaints. The proportion of patients with bleeding problems dropped significantly from 15.9% to 6.8%. Other complaints, such as headache, vertigo, nervousness, breast tenderness, and hirsutism were also significantly less frequent than before treatment. Only few women reported other rare side effects, and only 14.4% of women discontinued treatment prematurely. CONCLUSION: Tibolone provides an efficient and safe means of treating the postmenopausal syndrome in every-day practice.

Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal↗
PubMed1999

Distribution of the sacral neurones of origin of the ascending spinal tracts with axons passing through the lateral funiculi of the lowermost thoracic segments: an experimental HRP study in the cat.

The locations of 249 cell bodies of the ascending tract neurones in the grey matter of S1-S3 segments of the spinal cord were reconstructed by histochemical staining, after their axons (or axonal collaterals) at the level of the Thl3 segment were injected with horseradish peroxidase (HRP). In three cats in which the injections of HRP were restricted to the lateral part of the lateral funiculi (llf), about 84% of 159 retrogradely labelled cells were found on the contralateral side, while about 16% were located ipsilaterally. They were the most numerous in S2, S3 and S1 segments, respectively, and the neurones were distributed mainly in the lateral laminae I-VII, medial laminae V, VI and lamina VIII. In three other animals in which the injections of the marker were limited to the dorsal part of the lateral funiculi (dlf), 84 of the 90 ascending tract neurones were found to be distributed in the S2 and S3 segments both ipsi- (lateral laminae III-V) and contralaterally, (lateral laminae IV and V as well as the medial laminae VII and VIII) in similar numbers. The remaining six of the 90 cells with only contralateral projections at the dorsolateral funiculus at Thl3 were scattered within the S1 segment. These data are consistent with the results of studies on sacral spinocerebellar, spinothalamic and spinoreticular projections, as well as the localization of sacral spinocervical and priopriospinal neurones. They may also imply the importance of the bilateral fiber course of the neurones of origin of ascending tracts in the S2 and S3 segments within the dorsolateral funiculus.

Afferent Pathways↗
PubMed1999

Spinoreticular neurons in the second sacral segment of the feline spinal cord.

In continuation of previous electrophysiological studies on the location of ascending tract neurones within the second sacral segment of the feline spinal cord, the spinoreticular projections of these neurones have been investigated. Following electrical stimulation of the axonal terminals of 37 spinoreticular neurons via a tungsten electrode placed stereotactically in the contralateral nucleus reticularis gigantocellularis, antidromic potentials from their cell bodies were recorded with glass microelectrodes both extra- and intracellularly. The axons of these neurones were additionally excited from the dorsolateral funiculi of the contralateral (n = 37) and ipsilateral (n = 30) side at the lowermost thoracic spinal level. The latencies of antidromic excitation from the brainstem to the second sacral segment ranged from 3.2 to 11.8 ms (mean, 5.9 ms), whereas the corresponding axonal conduction velocities were between 27.1 and 100 m/s. The neurones examined in this study were found to be situated in the medial lamina VII of Rexed and the area adjacent to the central canal (n = 13), the medial lamina VIII (n = 12), medial laminae V and VI (n = 10) and in laminae II and III (n = 2). Three medium-sized (40-60 microm) of triangular- or oval-shaped neurones were visualized in medial laminae VII and VIII following the intracellular labelling with horseradish peroxidase.

Afferent Pathways↗
PubMed1999

The influence of female sex hormones on nasal reactivity in seasonal allergic rhinitis.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to investigate whether the hormone peaks of estrogen and progesterone could influence the extent of the allergic reaction in grass-pollen-allergic women. METHODS: Twenty-three allergic women with seasonal allergic rhinitis due to grass pollen were included in this trial. Twelve were taking oral contraceptives (OC) (control group), and 11 were taking no pill (target group). The subjects were challenged with grass pollen by nasal provocation test around day 14 of their menstrual cycle (ovulation day) and again at the end of the cycle (day 27). The primary criteria were the subjective nasal symptoms rhinorrhea, nasal blockage, itching, and sneezing. A further criterion was the objectively measured nasal mucosal swelling, assessed by active anterior rhinomanometry. All criteria were evaluated before and 15 min after provocation, and the hormone status was determined on each investigation day. RESULTS: Comparisons of symptoms between the groups resulted in P values of > 0.05 for all symptoms at both visits except the symptom blocked nose, which was significantly lower (P=0.03) in the patients with OC intake at visit 2, and the symptom sneezing, which showed a significantly (P=0.02) higher increase in patients taking OC at the end of the cycle. The flow decrease reached a greater extent in the target group than in the controls. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate a correlation of the hormonal situation and the nasal allergic reactivity. OC intake led to an intensifying of neurogenic symptoms near the end of pill intake, a result which could be due to a protective effect of the endogenous progesterone, in contrast to the orally administered hormones.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Role of group II secretory phospholipase A2 in atherosclerosis: 2. Potential involvement of biologically active oxidized phospholipids.

Secretory nonpancreatic phospholipase A2 (group II sPLA2) is induced in inflammation and present in atherosclerotic lesions. In an accompanying publication we demonstrate that transgenic mice expressing group II sPLA2 developed severe atherosclerosis. The current study was undertaken to determine whether 1 mechanism by which group II sPLA2 might contribute to the progression of inflammation and atherosclerosis is by increasing the formation of biologically active oxidized phospholipids. In vivo measurements of bioactive lipids were performed, and in vitro studies tested the hypothesis that sPLA2 can increase the accumulation of bioactive phospholipids. We have shown previously that 3 oxidized phospholipids derived from the oxidation of 1-palmitoyl-2-arachidonoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphorylcholine (PAPC) stimulated endothelial cells to bind monocytes, a process that is known to be an important step in atherogenesis. We now show that these 3 biologically active phospholipids are significantly increased in livers of sPLA2 transgenic mice fed a high-fat diet as compared with nontransgenic littermates. We present in vitro evidence for several mechanisms by which these phospholipids may be increased in sPLA2 transgenics. These studies demonstrated that polyunsaturated free fatty acids, which are liberated by sPLA2, increased the formation of bioactive phospholipids in LDL, resulting in increased ability to stimulate monocyte-endothelial interactions. Moreover, sPLA2-treated LDL was oxidized by cocultures of human aortic endothelial cells and smooth muscle cells more efficiently than untreated LDL. Analysis by electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry revealed that the bioactive phospholipids, compared with unoxidized PAPC, were less susceptible to hydrolysis by human recombinant group II sPLA2. In addition, HDL from the transgenic mice and human HDL treated with recombinant sPLA2 in vitro failed, in the coculture system, to protect against the formation of biologically active phospholipids in LDL. This lack of protection may in part relate to the decreased levels of paraoxonase seen in the HDL isolated from the transgenic animals. Taken together, these studies show that levels of biologically active oxidized phospholipids are increased in sPLA2 transgenic mice; they also suggest that this increase may be mediated by effects of sPLA2 on both LDL and HDL.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

[Drug therapy of endometriosis].

Surgical treatment of endometriosis should be done during laparoscopy, which is obligatory for the diagnosis of the disease. In case of continuing postoperative symptoms, a medical treatment should be administered. As endometriosis is a hormone-dependent disease, hormones are the matter of choice (progestogens, danazol, gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists). Because all agents do not differ significantly in efficacy, the therapy has to be adapted individually. The side-effects and metabolic changes have to be taken into account. In case of infertility, a beneficial effect of medical treatment is not proven.

Danazol↗
PubMed1999

Body composition characteristics, sex hormone levels and circadian gonadotropin fluctuations in infertile young women.

The present study dealt with the interaction between body composition estimated by means of dual energy x-ray absorptiometry, sex-specific fat distribution and sex hormone levels (LH, FSH, estradiol, prolactin, DHEA-S, androstendione, testosterone and SHBG) as well as LH and FSH fluctuations in infertile young women ageing between 18 and 30 years (x = 23.4 yr). Twenty patients suffered from polycystic ovaries (PCO), 15 women suffering from a mild anorexia nervosa were amenorrhoeic for more than one year. Marked associations between estradiol, testosterone, SHBG as well as the FSH output and body fat, bone mass and fat distribution were documented. PCO patients exhibited a high weight status and a typical android fat distribution which signals infertility comparable to postmenopausal women. In contrast, although anorexia patients had pathological decreased estrogen levels and were infertile at the time of investigation, their fat distribution was be classified as 'ypergynoid' and signals potential reproductive capability after a sufficient weight gain.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Snurportin1, an m3G-cap-specific nuclear import receptor with a novel domain structure.

The nuclear import of the spliceosomal snRNPs U1, U2, U4 and U5, is dependent on the presence of a complex nuclear localization signal (NLS). The latter is composed of the 5'-2,2,7-terminal trimethylguanosine (m3G) cap structure of the U snRNA and the Sm core domain. Here, we describe the isolation and cDNA cloning of a 45 kDa protein, termed snurportin1, which interacts specifically with m3G-cap but not m7G-cap structures. Snurportin1 enhances the m3G-capdependent nuclear import of U snRNPs in both Xenopus laevis oocytes and digitonin-permeabilized HeLa cells, demonstrating that it functions as an snRNP-specific nuclear import receptor. Interestingly, solely the m3G-cap and not the Sm core NLS appears to be recognized by snurportin1, indicating that at least two distinct import receptors interact with the complex snRNP NLS. Snurportin1 represents a novel nuclear import receptor which contains an N-terminal importin beta binding (IBB) domain, essential for function, and a C-terminal m3G-cap-binding region with no structural similarity to the arm repeat domain of importin alpha.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1998

[Hormonal etiology of secondary amenorrhea].

Over a 12-month period we evaluated 185 patients who consulted our outpatient department with symptoms of secondary amenorrhoea. Hormonal levels and body mass index were determined and an assessment made, on the basis of specific questioning. of the occurrence of possible mental alterations in the patients before they became amenorrhoic. Of our collective, 36 patients (19.5%) showed normal hormonal values, 50 patients (26%) were hypoestrogenemic, 46 women (25%) had elevated androgens, 15 patients (8%) had increased gonadotropins, 4 patients (2%) suffered from hyperprolactinemia, and 2 women (1%) had thyroid dysfunction. The remaining 32 amenorrhoic patients (17.2%) demonstrated different combinations of altered hormone values. The hypoestrogenemic patients showed a significant difference (p < 0.043) in body mass index in comparison with patients demonstrating normal hormone values. In contrast to reports in the literature hypoestrogenemia was the most frequent cause of secondary amenorrhoea in our study.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Aspects of progestin activity on the breast. European Progestin Club.

On 9-11 May 1997, the second Meeting of the European Progestin Club was held in Turin, Italy. Aspects of progestin use on the breast were discussed, based on the currently available scientific data. The paper covers topics addressed at the meeting and summarizes the recommendations which could be agreed on by the participants.

Breast↗
PubMed1998

Impact of the age at menarche on adult body composition in healthy pre- and postmenopausal women.

The present study focuses on the impact of age at menarche on body composition development during adulthood. With 459 healthy middle-class women between 18 and 67 years (x = 41.5) the association between age at menarche and body composition was tested. Body composition, described by absolute and relative amount of fat mass, lean body mass, and bone mass, was estimated by means of dual energy x-ray absorptiometry. In order to exclude the influence of the menopausal transition on body composition, pre- and postmenopausal females were examined separately. The absolute amount of body fat was significantly lower within the group of women whose menarche occurred later. However, postmenopausal females exhibit less significant relations between the two trait systems than premenopausal women. This may be due to the impact of menopausal transition which affected the hormone levels and body composition development independently from the adolescent hormonal transition. While in both proband groups the quantitative amount of body fat was significantly related to menarcheal age, a significant relation between menarcheal age and adult body fat distribution could not be verified.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

Risk and preventive factors for cot death in The Netherlands, a low-incidence country.

UNLABELLED: In the Netherlands an 18 months case control study into cot death was undertaken as part of the European Concerted Action (ECAS) on sudden infant death syndrome to determine the relative risk of prone sleeping and other sleep practices. Physicians in the Netherlands were asked to report to the study centre all sudden and unexpected deaths of children between 1 week and 2 years of age. Non cot death cases were deleted from further analysis after a consensus was reached by three pathologists, not primarily involved in the post mortem diagnosis. A positive response of families was achieved in 91% of cases registered in the Central Bureau of Statistics. The study comprised 73 cot deaths and 146 controls, two for each case and matched for date of birth. All families were visited at home for completion of a questionnaire. The cot death rate has dropped considerably over the past 10 years after the recommendations on supine sleeping to a low of 0.26 per 1000 live born infants. In addition to the ECAS objective, we wanted to establish whether previously found risk factors are still valid in the present situation or that new factors might have emerged, some of them possibly protective. CONCLUSION: Placing an infant prone or on side on last occasion, secondary prone position (not placed prone but turned to prone), inexperienced prone sleeping and use of a duvet, leading to head and body being covered, were shown to be risk factors. Preventive factors were using a cotton sleeping-sack and a dummy. Even in a low incidence country, such as the Netherlands, there are indications that further prevention is possible.

Bedding and Linens↗
PubMed1998

Pharmacokinetics of etonogestrel released from the contraceptive implant Implanon.

Eight healthy women between 22 and 40 years of age participated in this prospective open study of 2 years' duration. Either on or between days 1 to 7 of a spontaneous menses, an intravenous bolus dose of 150 micrograms etonogestrel (3-ketodesogestrel) was given. During days 1-5 of a subsequent spontaneous cycle, the single-rod contraceptive implant (Implanon) was inserted in the upper arm of the volunteer. One year after placement of the implant, another intravenous bolus dose was given (implant in place), and a third bolus dose was given after 2 years, with the implant removed. Frequent serum sampling immediately after the intravenous dosings of etonogestrel was done to study the primary pharmacokinetic parameters, i.e., volume of distribution and clearance, allowing the calculation of the absorption rate and bioavailability of the implant, as a function of time. Results showed that etonogestrel released from Implanon has an absorption rate of approximately 60 micrograms/day after 3 months, which slowly decreases to 30 micrograms/day at the end of 2 years. The bioavailability over this period of time was constant and close to 100%. The clearance remained around 7.5 L/h. With a bioavailability and clearance that remained constant, it may be concluded that there is no accumulation of etonogestrel.

Absorption↗
PubMed1998

RETRACTED: Pharmacokinetics of Implanon. An integrated analysis.

The aims of this paper were to present data on the pharmacokinetics, clearance, bioavailability, and in vivo absorption of etonogestrel (ENG); to present the results of a longitudinal analysis of the plasma concentration-time curves of ENG; and to present the results of a cross-sectional analysis on the association of body weight with serum ENG concentrations. Implanon had an absorption rate of almost 60 micrograms/day after 3 months, which slowly decreased to 30 micrograms/day at the end of 2 years. The bioavailability over this period of time was constant and close to 100%. The clearance remained around 7.5 L/h. With a bioavailability and clearance that remained constant, it was concluded that accumulation of ENG does not occur. After Implanon insertion, serum concentrations increased within 8 h to concentrations associated with ovulation inhibition. Maximum mean serum concentrations (Cmax) amounted to 813 pg/mL and the time (tmax) to reach Cmax was 4 days. After reaching Cmax, ENG serum concentrations declined to about 196 pg/mL at the end of the first year, followed by a slow decline to 156 pg/mL at the end of the third year. After removal of Implanon, serum ENG concentrations declined to levels less than the detection limit of the assay (20 pg/mL) within 1 week. Lower body weight was associated with higher serum ENG concentrations.

Absorption↗
PubMed1998

Hormonal response pattern in the combined DEX-CRH test is stable over time in subjects at high familial risk for affective disorders.

One of the major neurobiological alterations in depressive disorders consists in a disturbed regulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) system. This is reflected by a pathological increase in the adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) and cortisol release after pretreatment with 1.5 mg dexamethasone (DEX) the previous night and a challenge with 100 micrograms corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) the next day. The changes evoked by this combined DEX-CRH test recede partially with an improvement of the psychopathological symptoms of depressed patients. It is still unclear, however, whether this long-lasting disturbance of the HPA system is due to acquired changes in the acute illness or whether it plays a causal role and could be considered as a trait or vulnerability marker for depression. In a previous study we have examined the HPA function of healthy probands with a high genetic load for affective disorders. We found that this group of high-risk probands (HRPs) showed abnormal DEX-CRH test results with a cortisol release that was between that of a control group and a group of patients with depression. In a follow-up study we now reexamined 14 of the 47 HRPs about 4 years after the index investigation and found surprisingly constant DEX-CRH test results, so that one of the requirements for a vulnerability marker is fulfilled.

Adrenocorticotropic Hormone↗
PubMed1998

The impact of nutritional status on body fat distribution patterns in pre- and postmenopausal females.

This study examines the impact of nutritional status, classified by body mass index, on sex specific fat distribution patterns dependent on menopausal status in 467 pre-, peri- or postmenopausal females. Absolute and relative amounts of upper and lower body fat were estimated by means of dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. It was found that low weight, independent of menopausal status, leads to the typical gynoid pattern of fat distribution while excess weight and obesity result in the android pattern of distribution in pre- and postmenopausal women.

Adipose Tissue↗