The central melanocortin system is comprised of discrete populations of neurons and circuits that play a key role in maintaining energy balance. This system can sense levels of peripheral energy stores and can integrate a variety of nutrient, neuronal and hormonal signals to regulate food intake, energy expenditure and nutrient metabolism. Disruption of this system at multiple levels causes obe...

AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is an energy sensor that regulates cellular metabolism. When activated by a deficit in nutrient status, AMPK stimulates glucose uptake and lipid oxidation to produce energy, while turning off energy-consuming processes including glucose and lipid production to restore energy balance. AMPK controls whole-body glucose homeostasis by regulating metabolism in mul...

In a randomised study of 34 patients undergoing elective operations of moderate severity naftidrofuryl infusion significantly improved postoperative nitrogen balance. The control group excreted 26.2 +/- 2.7 g nitrogen in the first three postoperative days. A group treated with naftidrofuryl excreted 18.0 +/- 1.6 g nitrogen in the same period (p less than 0.0005). The preoperative nutritional st...

Introduction Extracellular fluid volume and arterial blood pressure are principally determined by total body sodium via osmoregulation. Dysregulation of mechanisms involved in maintaining sodium balance are therefore implicated in the development of hypertension. Hormonal mechanisms are thought to be critically involved in the regulation of natriuresis, and modification of these mechanisms may ...

We are now probably all more aware of "hormonal imbalances" than ever before. Investigators of problems in experimental endocrinology have been aware of hormonal imbalances or balances for many years. Now the terms are used more frequently because they are being considered in connection with the production and treatment of tumors and cancer. An environment in which both the applied and fundamen...

Many elements are implicated in fetal and postnatal growth ; the hormonal factors are discussed in this review. In the first section, general hormonal effects on the growth of domestic animals are reviewed with special emphasis on the role of the pituitary and its hormones (growth hormone, prolactin, ACTH) ; somatomedin action is considered in this perspective. The effects of the thyroid and it...

Research Fellow and Clinician, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Medical University Vienna, Vienna, Austria Research Fellow and Clinician, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Medical University Vienna, Vienna, Austria Research Fellow and Clinician, Department of General Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria Research Fellow and Clinician, Department of Gynecology and...

The early (2-4 d) effects of slowly imposed soil water deficit on Lupinus albus photosynthetic performance, carbon metabolism, and hormonal balance in different organs (leaf blade, stem stele, stem cortex, and root) were evaluated on 23-d-old plants (growth chamber assay). Our work shows that several metabolic adjustments occurred prior to alteration of the plant water status, implying that wat...

BACKGROUND The multinational CHOICE (Contraceptive Health Research Of Informed Choice Experience) study evaluated the effects of structured counseling on women's contraceptive decisions, their reasons for making those decisions, and their perceptions of combined hormonal contraceptive (CHC) methods in eleven countries. The aim of this paper to present data from the 1,802 women participating in ...