Biomedical subjects

J M Permezel

Publications and source records attributed to J M Permezel.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2001

Glucose-induced release of tumour necrosis factor-alpha from human placental and adipose tissues in gestational diabetes mellitus.

AIMS: The cytokine tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) has been implicated in the pathogenesis of insulin resistance in Type 2 diabetes mellitus, but limited data are available in relation to gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), a disease in which similar biochemical abnormalities exist. We investigated the effect of exogenous glucose on the release of TNF-alpha from placental and adipose (omental and subcutaneous) tissue obtained from normal pregnant women, and women with GDM. METHODS: Human tissue explants were incubated for up to 24 h and TNF-alpha concentration in the incubation medium quantified by ELISA. The effect of normal (5 mmol/l) and high (15 and 25 mmol/l) glucose concentrations on the release of TNF-alpha was assessed. RESULTS: In placental and subcutaneous adipose tissues obtained from women with GDM (n = 6), TNF-alpha release was significantly greater under conditions of high glucose compared with normal glucose (placenta, 25 mmol/l 5915.7 +/- 2579.6 and 15 mmol/l 4547.1 +/- 2039.1 vs. 5 mmol/l 1897.1 +/- 545.5; subcutaneous adipose tissue, 25 mmol/l 423.5 +/- 207.0 and 15 mmol/l 278.5 +/- 138.7 vs. 5 mmol/l 65.3 +/- 28.5 pg/mg protein; P < 0.05). In contrast, there was no stimulatory effect of high glucose on TNF-alpha release by tissues obtained from normal pregnant women (n = 6) (placenta, 25 mmol/l 1542.1 +/- 486.2 and 15 mmol/l 4263.3 +/- 2737.7 vs. 5 mmol/l 5422.4 +/- 1599.0; subcutaneous adipose tissue, 25 mmol/l 189.8 +/- 120.4 and 15 mmol/l 124.5 +/- 32.3 vs. 5 mmol/l 217.9 +/- 103.5 pg/mg protein). CONCLUSIONS: These observations suggest that tissues from patients with GDM release greater amounts of TNF-alpha in response to high glucose. As TNF-alpha has been previously implicated in the regulation of glucose and lipid metabolism, and of insulin resistance, these data are consistent with the hypothesis that TNF-alpha may be involved in the pathogenesis and/or progression of GDM.

Adipose Tissue↗

PubMed1989

Acute effects of progesterone and the antiprogestin RU 486 on gonadotropin secretion in the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle.

Considerable controversy still exists concerning the role of progesterone in the initiation of the midcycle gonadotropin surge in humans. We, therefore, carried out a prospective randomized study to determine the potential of progesterone to initiate a gonadotropin surge and the acute effects of a potent progesterone antagonist (RU 486) on follicular phase gonadotropin secretion in normal women. The women underwent frequent blood sampling for 4 in the midfollicular (day 6) or late follicular phase (day 10). They then received either progesterone (10 mg, im) or RU 486 (10 or 100 mg, orally), and blood sampling was continued for an additional 8 h. Four women received each of the drug regimens in the early follicular phase, and four received each regimen in the late follicular phase. Two additional women were studied as control subjects at each stage of the cycle. Progesterone administration in the mid- and late follicular phases resulted in an acute increase in plasma LH and FSH concentrations, and the increases correlated with the base line plasma estradiol concentrations (P less than 0.05). In contrast to progesterone, the women who received RU 486 in the mid- and late follicular phases had a reduction in plasma LH and FSH concentrations after drug administration. The response in the mid-follicular phase was considerably less than that in the late follicular phase, and the extent of the response correlated with the baseline plasma estradiol concentrations (P less than 0.005). The changes were similar in response to both RU 486 doses. We conclude that progesterone can initiate a gonadotropin surge in the late follicular phase of the menstrual cycle. The inhibitory effect of the progesterone antagonist RU 486 suggests that a positive feedback mechanism involving progesterone may be influential some time before the surge onset.

Adult↗

PubMed1987

Unexpected problems in patients selected for birthing unit delivery.

Although delivery in the Family Birthing Unit of our hospital has been associated with good perinatal results, unexpected serious complications were observed necessitating the availability of immediate resuscitation facilities for both mother and baby. Of the 1,794 patients initially selected for confinement in the Family Birthing Unit, 326 were transferred out because of antenatal complications, 241 were transferred out because of intrapartum complications, and the incidence of postpartum haemorrhage and/or neonatal asphyxia in the remaining lowest risk patients were 3.7% and 1.3% respectively. Ten of these lowest risk patients required blood transfusions and 4 babies required admission to the Special Care Baby Unit because of neonatal asphyxia.

Delivery, Obstetric↗

PubMed1984

Opportunistic pasteurella multocida meningitis.

Pasteurella multocida bacteraemia and meningitis followed elective surgery on the sinuses. The organism is thought to have been derived from close contact with dogs, and the infection responded to appropriate antimicrobial drugs, the patient making a complete recovery.

Ampicillin↗