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Objective:Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) is a metabolic regulator of glucose and lipid metabolism. The physiological role of FGF21 is not yet fully elucidated, however, administration of FGF21 lowers blood glucose in diabetic animals. Moreover, increased levels of FGF21 are found in obese and diabetic rodents and humans compared with lean/non-diabetic controls.Methods:Adult male rhesus macaque monkeys were chronically maintained on a high-fat diet (HFD) or a standard diet (control, CTR). Plasma levels of FGF21, triglycerides and cholesterol were measured and body weight was record. Glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) and glucose clearance was determined during an intravenous glucose tolerance test. Furthermore, expression of FGF21 and its receptors were determined in liver, pancreas, three white adipose tissues (WATs) and two skeletal muscles.Results:A cohort of the high-fat fed monkeys responded to the HFD with increasing body weight, plasma lipids, total cholesterol, GSIS and decreased glucose tolerance. These monkeys were termed HFD sensitive. Another cohort of monkeys did not become obese and maintained normal insulin sensitivity. These animals were defined as HFD resistant. Plasma FGF21 levels were significantly increased in all HFD fed monkeys compared with the CTR group. The HFD-sensitive monkeys showed a significant increase in FGF21 mRNA expression in all examined tissues compared with CTR, whereas FGF21 expression in the HFD-resistant group was only increased in the liver, pancreas and the retroperitoneal WAT. In the WAT, the co-receptor β-klotho was downregulated in the HFD-sensitive monkeys compared with the HFD-resistant group.Conclusion:This study demonstrates that HFD changes FGF21 and FGF21 receptor expression in a tissue-specific manner in rhesus monkeys; differential regulation is moreover observed between HFD-sensitive and -resistant monkeys. Monkeys that maintain normal levels of the FGF21 co-receptor β-klotho in the WAT on HFD were protected toward development of dyslipidemia and hyperglycemia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Erythropoietin (EPO) is neuroprotective in experimental models of stroke and subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH) and possibly in patients with thromboembolic stroke. We studied the efficacy and safety of EPO in patients with SAH. Methods. A larger scale clinical trial was planned but preliminarily terminated because of a lower than expected inclusion rate. However, 73 patients were randomised to treatment with EPO (500 IU/kg/day for three days) or placebo. The primary endpoint was Glasgow Outcome Score at six months. We further studied surrogate measures of secondary ischaemia, i.e. transcranial Doppler (TCD) flow velocity, symptomatic vasospasm, cerebral metabolism (microdialysis) and jugular venous oximetry, biochemical markers of brain damage (S-100β and neuron specific enolase) and blood–brain barrier integrity. Findings. The limited sample size precluded our primary hypotheses being verified and refuted. However, data from this study are important for any other study of SAH and as much raw data as possible are presented and can be included in future meta analyses. On admission the proportion of patients in a poor condition was higher in the EPO group compared with the placebo group but the difference was statistically insignificant. In the EPO-treated patients the CSF concentration of EPO increased 600-fold. Except for a higher extracelullar concentration of glycerol in the EPO group probably caused by the poorer clinical condition of these patients, there were no statistically significant group differences in the primary or secondary outcome measures. EPO was well tolerated. Conclusions. Beneficial effects of EPO in patients with SAH cannot be excluded or concluded on the basis of this study and larger scale trials are warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a randomized triple-blind multicentre study, injections with the anti-androgenic agent oxendolone were compared with placebo in the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia. Thirty patients were treated with weekly injections of oxendolone 200 mg during a 3 months' period, and 30 patients were allocated to placebo treatment. During oxendolone treatment the maximum urinary flow rate increased statistically significantly (from 6.8 ml/s to 8.2 ml/s). However compared to placebo, the oxendolone effect was statistically insignificant. A slight but statistically significant improvement of the symptoms 'sensation of retention', 'urgency' and 'frequency', was observed following oxendolone treatment, but an almost identical effect was seen in the placebo group. Following either treatment no change was observed in the residual urine volumes, in prostatic volume as measured by transrectal ultrasonotomography, or in any other therapeutic parameters. Conservative treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia with the antiandrogen oxendolone in a dose of 200 mg a week cannot be recommended for clinical use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new surgical procedure is presented in which a levator ani muscle repair is performed via an abdominal approach. The method is discussed in light of the traditional techniques. The preliminary results in 50 patients treated by this method are presented. Clinical and objective cure was found to a high extent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the period 1979-85, 22 patients underwent operation for hydronephrosis. The surgical method chosen was the Anderson-Hynes pyeloplasty. Nine patients out of 15 with impaired function of the affected kidney showed an improvement in function after surgery. Seventy-seven per cent of the patients were totally free of symptoms, 18% improved following operation. The Anderson-Hynes pyeloplasty is recommended for patients with symptoms of hydronephrosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The conventional investigations, gynaecological examination and cystoscopy give very little information about the causes of incontinence. History taking makes it possible to divide the symptoms into either stress- or urge incontinence. Cystometry, lateral voiding cysto-urethrography and urodynamic examination including sphincter EMG enable us to divide the pathological conditions into suspension defects and bladder dysfunctions. The suspension defects are bladder base insufficiency, vesical descensus and trigonocele. The operation of choice for these conditions depends on whether the suspension defect is anterior or posterior. The bladder dysfunctions are supranuclear and infranuclear neurogenic dysfunctions. The treatment in these cases will ordinarily be medical. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The literature on uroflowmetry in women is presented and evaluated. Uroflowmeters are described and found generally sufficiently accurate, although the errors arising from electronic evaluation may invalidate the test. Six flow curve patterns are proposed in accordance with described pathological conditions. From the literature it is summarized that the normal Qmax is 20–36 ml/s. Qmax is linearly correlated to the voided volume, increasing by 5.6 ml/s/100 ml. Pregnancy, age and menstrual cycle do not influence Qmax. Several pathological conditions have been associated with specific flow curve patterns. These conditions are described and associations with the proposed flow definitions made. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study was designed to show whether there was any relation between muscle capillary basement membrane thickness, HLA-antigens, antiinsulin antibodies and proliferative retinopathy. Electron microscopic measurements of muscle capillary basement membrane thickness were performed on muscle biopsies from 15 insulin-dependent diabetics with severe proliferative retinopathy, 24 insulindependent diabetics with minimal retinopathy and 18 age-and sex matched non-diabetics. All the patients had had diabetes for 20 years or more. None had biochemical or clinical evidence of diabetic nephropathy. Basement membrane thickness was measured according to the methods of Siperstein and Williamson. Muscle capillary basement membrane thickening occurred in 32 of 39 diabetics, using the Siperstein method, but patients with proliferative retinopathy did not exhibit thicker basement membranes than patients with no or minimal changes in the retina. There were apparrent differences in HLA-antigens between diabetics with and without proliferative retinopathy, but they did not reach statistical significance. There was no correlation between muscle capillary basement membrane thickness and the quantity of insulin antibodies. The results indicate that factors other than basement membrane thickening and genetic factors in the HLA-region, are responsible for the development of proliferative retinopathy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Islets of Langerhans were isolated from four human kidney donors, aged 16 to 21 years, by the collagenase method described for isolation of rodent islets. So far the human islets have been kept in tissue culture, without attachment, in medium RPMI 1640 supplemented with 10% calf serum for more than 9 months, with preservation of the ability to release insulin in response to glucose stimulation. Replacement of calf serum with serum from normal human subjects did not affect B-cell survival, but resulted in elevated insulin values partly due to lower insulin degrading activity. Thus the described technique presents a valuable tool for studying chronic effects of metabolites and hormones on islet function, as well as for islet storage prior to transplantation into humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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A total of 70 women with stress urinary incontinence were randomly allocated to either colposuspension or transperitoneal levator ani repair. Preoperatively, 92% of the patients had anterior suspension defects on colpocystourethrography. At follow-up after $$2{\raise0.5ex\hbox{$\scriptstyle 1$}\kern-0.1em/\kern-0.15em\lower0.25ex\hbox{$\scriptstyle 2$}}$$ years the subjective results of the operation, urinary flow rate, cystometry, colpocystourethrography and operative complications were evaluated. In the colposuspended group, 81% of the patients were continent or had improved continence versus 50% in the levator ani repair group. Both operations carried some operative complications. It was concluded that colposuspension was superior to the levator ani repair for operative correction of anterior suspension defects in stress incontinent women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]