| 1. |
- Alexanderson, Camilla, 1978, et al.
(författare)
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A single early postnatal estradiol injection affects morphology and gene expression of the ovary and parametrial adipose tissue in adult female rats.
- 2010
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Ingår i: The Journal of steroid biochemistry and molecular biology. - : Elsevier BV. - 1879-1220 .- 0960-0760. ; 122:1-3, s. 82-90
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Events during early life can affect reproductive and metabolic functions in adulthood. We evaluated the programming effects of a single early postnatal estradiol injection (within 3h after birth) in female rats. We assessed ovarian and parametrial adipose tissue morphology, evaluated gene expression related to follicular development and adipose tissue metabolism, and developed a non-invasive volumetric estimation of parametrial adipose tissue by magnetic resonance imaging. Estradiol reduced ovarian weight, increased antral follicle size and number of atretic antral follicles, and decreased theca interna thickness in atretic antral follicles. Adult estradiol-injected rats also had malformed vaginal openings and lacked corpora lutea, confirming anovulation. Estradiol markedly reduced parametrial adipose tissue mass. Adipocyte size was unchanged, suggesting reduced adipocyte number. Parametrial adipose tissue lipoprotein lipase activity was increased. In ovaries, estradiol increased mRNA expression of adiponectin, complement component 3, estrogen receptor alpha, and glucose transporter 3 and 4; in parametrial adipose tissue, expression of complement component 3 was increased, expression of estrogen receptor alpha was decreased, and expression of leptin, lipoprotein lipase, and hormone-sensitive lipase was unaffected. These findings suggest that early postnatal estradiol exposure of female rats result in long-lasting effects on the ovary and parametrial adipose tissue at adult age.
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| 2. |
- Alexanderson, Camilla, 1978, et al.
(författare)
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Early postnatal oestradiol exposure causes insulin resistance and signs of inflammation in circulation and skeletal muscle.
- 2009
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Ingår i: The Journal of endocrinology. - 1479-6805. ; 201:1, s. 49-58
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Early postnatal events can predispose to metabolic and endocrine disease in adulthood. In this study, we evaluated the programming effects of a single early postnatal oestradiol injection on insulin sensitivity in adult female rats. We also assessed the expression of genes involved in inflammation and glucose metabolism in skeletal muscle and adipose tissue and analysed circulating inflammation markers as possible mediators of insulin resistance. Neonatal oestradiol exposure reduced insulin sensitivity and increased plasma levels of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) and soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1. In skeletal muscle, oestradiol increased the expression of genes encoding complement component 3 (C3), Mcp-1, retinol binding protein-4 (Rbp4) and transforming growth factor beta1 (Tgfbeta1). C3 and MCP-1 are both related to insulin resistance, and C3, MCP-1 and TGFbeta1 are also involved in inflammation. Expression of genes encoding glucose transporter-4 (Glut 4), carnitine-palmitoyl transferase 1b (Cpt1b), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor delta (Ppard) and uncoupling protein 3 (Ucp3), which are connected to glucose uptake, lipid oxidation, and energy uncoupling, was down regulated. Expression of several inflammatory genes in skeletal muscle correlated negatively with whole-body insulin sensitivity. In s.c. inguinal adipose tissue, expression of Tgfbeta1, Ppard and C3 was decreased, while expression of Rbp4 and Cpt1b was increased. Inguinal adipose tissue weight was increased but adipocyte size was unaltered, suggesting an increased number of adipocytes. We suggest that early neonatal oestrogen exposure may reduce insulin sensitivity by inducing chronic, low-grade systemic and skeletal muscle inflammation and disturbances of glucose and lipid metabolism in skeletal muscle in adulthood.
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| 3. |
- Alexanderson, Camilla, 1978, et al.
(författare)
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Postnatal testosterone exposure results in insulin resistance, enlarged mesenteric adipocytes, and an atherogenic lipid profile in adult female rats: comparisons with estradiol and dihydrotestosterone.
- 2007
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Ingår i: Endocrinology. - : The Endocrine Society. - 0013-7227 .- 1945-7170. ; 148:11, s. 5369-76
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Postnatal events contribute to features of the metabolic syndrome in adulthood. In this study, postnatally administered testosterone reduced insulin sensitivity and increased the mesenteric fat depot, the size of mesenteric adipocytes, serum levels of total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and triglycerides, and the atherogenic index in adult female rats. To assess the involvement of estrogen and androgen receptors in these programming effects, we compared testosterone-exposed rats to rats exposed to estradiol or dihydrotestosterone (DHT). Estradiol-treated rats had lower insulin sensitivity than testosterone-treated rats and, like those rats, had enlarged mesenteric adipocytes and increased triglyceride levels. DHT also reduced insulin sensitivity but did not mimic the other metabolic effects of testosterone. All treated rats were probably anovulatory, but only those treated with testosterone had reduced testosterone levels. This study confirms our previous finding that postnatal administration of testosterone reduces insulin sensitivity in adult female rats and shows that this effect is accompanied by unfavorable changes in mesenteric fat tissue and in serum lipid levels. The findings in the estradiol and DHT groups suggest that estrogen receptors exert stronger metabolic programming effects than androgen receptors. Thus, insults such as sex hormone exposure in early life may have long-lasting effects, thereby creating a predisposition to disturbances in insulin sensitivity, adipose tissue, and lipid profile in adulthood.
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| 4. |
- Benrick, Anna, 1979, et al.
(författare)
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Adiponectin protects against development of metabolic disturbances in a PCOS mouse model
- 2017
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Ingår i: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. - : Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. - 0027-8424 .- 1091-6490. ; 114:34, s. E7187-E7196
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Adiponectin, together with adipocyte size, is the strongest factor associated with insulin resistance in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). This study investigates the causal relationship between adiponectin levels and metabolic and reproductive functions in PCOS. Prepubertal mice overexpressing adiponectin from adipose tissue (APNtg), adiponectin knockouts (APNko), and their wild-type (WT) littermate mice were continuously exposed to placebo or dihydrotestosterone (DHT) to induce PCOS-like traits. As expected, DHT exposure led to reproductive dysfunction, as judged by continuous anestrus, smaller ovaries with a decreased number of corpus luteum, and an increased number of cystic/atretic follicles. A two-way between-groups analysis showed that there was a significant main effect for DHT exposure, but not for genotype, indicating adiponectin does not influence follicle development. Adiponectin had, however, some protective effects on ovarian function. Similar to in many women with PCOS, DHT exposure led to reduced adiponectin levels, larger adipocyte size, and reduced insulin sensitivity in WTs. APNtg mice remained metabolically healthy despite DHT exposure, while APNko-DHT mice were even more insulin resistant than their DHT-exposed littermate WTs. DHT exposure also reduced the mRNA expression of genes involved in metabolic pathways in gonadal adipose tissue of WT and APNko, but this effect of DHT was not observed in APNtg mice. Moreover, APNtg-DHT mice displayed increased pancreatic mRNA levels of insulin receptors, Pdx1 and Igf1R, suggesting adiponectin stimulates beta cell viability/hyperplasia in the context of PCOS. In conclusion, adiponectin improves metabolic health but has only minor effects on reproductive functions in this PCOS-like mouse model.
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| 5. |
- Benrick, Anna, 1979, et al.
(författare)
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Enhanced insulin sensitivity and acute regulation of metabolic genes and signaling pathways after a single electrical or manual acupuncture session in female insulin-resistant rats.
- 2014
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Ingår i: Acta Diabetologica. - 0940-5429 .- 1432-5233. ; 51:6, s. 963-972
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- AIM: To compare the effect of a single session of acupuncture with either low-frequency electrical or manual stimulation on insulin sensitivity and molecular pathways in the insulin-resistant dihydrotestosterone-induced rat polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) model. Both stimulations cause activation of afferent nerve fibers. In addition, electrical stimulation causes muscle contractions, enabling us to differentiate changes induced by activation of sensory afferents from contraction-induced changes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Control and PCOS rats were divided into no-stimulation, manual-, and electrical stimulation groups and insulin sensitivity was measured by euglycemic hyperinsulinemic clamp. Manually stimulated needles were rotated 180° ten times every 5 min, or low-frequency electrical stimulation was applied to evoke muscle twitches for 45 min. Gene and protein expression were analyzed by real-time PCR and Western blot. RESULTS: The glucose infusion rate (GIR) was lower in PCOS rats than in controls. Electrical stimulation was superior to manual stimulation during treatment but both methods increased GIR to the same extent in the post-stimulation period. Electrical stimulation decreased mRNA expression of Adipor2, Adrb1, Fndc5, Erk2, and Tfam in soleus muscle and increased ovarian Adrb2 and Pdf. Manual stimulation decreased ovarian mRNA expression of Erk2 and Sdnd. Electrical stimulation increased phosphorylated ERK levels in soleus muscle. CONCLUSIONS: One acupuncture session with electrical stimulation improves insulin sensitivity and modulates skeletal muscle gene and protein expression more than manual stimulation. Although electrical stimulation is superior to manual in enhancing insulin sensitivity during stimulation, they are equally effective after stimulation indicating that it is activation of sensory afferents rather than muscle contraction per se leading to the observed changes.
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| 6. |
- Benrick, Anna, 1979, et al.
(författare)
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Resveratrol Is Not as Effective as Physical Exercise for Improving Reproductive and Metabolic Functions in Rats with Dihydrotestosterone-Induced Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
- 2013
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Ingår i: Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine. - : Hindawi Limited. - 1741-427X .- 1741-4288.
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a reproductive and metabolic disorder associated with obesity and insulin resistance that often precedes the development of type-2 diabetes. Rats continuously exposed to dihydrotestosterone from prepuberty display typical reproductive and metabolic PCOS characteristics including anovulation, polycystic ovaries, insulin resistance, and obesity. Our aim was to investigate if resveratrol improves reproductive and metabolic functions in PCOS rats. The effect was compared to exercise. Control and PCOS rats were treated with vehicle or resveratrol (400 mg · kg−1 · day−1) for 5-6 weeks. Another group of PCOS rats received vehicle treatment and exercised for 5-6 weeks. Insulin sensitivity was determined by euglycemic-hyperinsulinemic clamp. The glucose infusion rate was lower in the PCOS-vehicle group compared to control-vehicle rats (). Exercise increased insulin sensitivity compared with PCOS-vehicle rats (), but resveratrol did not. Resveratrol treatment and exercise resulted in smaller adipocytes, upregulated estrogen-related receptor α gene expression in subcutaneous fat, and improved estrus cyclicity in the previously acyclic PCOS rats. Although resveratrol had positive effects on adiposity and cyclicity in a similar manner to exercise, resveratrol does not seem to be a good candidate for treating insulin resistance associated with PCOS because no improvement in insulin sensitivity was observed in PCOS rats on normal chow.
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| 7. |
- Bergh, Ingrid, 1956, et al.
(författare)
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Comparison of the PainMatcher and the Visual Analogue Scale for assessment of labour pain following administered pain relief treatment.
- 2011
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Ingår i: Midwifery. - : Elsevier BV. - 1532-3099 .- 0266-6138. ; 27:1, s. e134-9
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- OBJECTIVE: during childbirth, it is necessary to assess and monitor experienced pain and to evaluate the effect of pain relief treatment. The aim of this study was to compare the PainMatcher((R)) (PM) with the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) for the assessment of labour pain and the effect of pain relief treatment. DESIGN: randomised controlled trial. SETTING: labour ward with approximately 2500 childbirths per year in western Sweden. PARTICIPANTS: 57 women with labour pain treated with acupuncture or sterile water injections scored their electrical pain threshold and pain intensity with the PM. Pain intensity was also assessed with the VAS. Electrical pain threshold and pain intensity were assessed immediately after a uterine contraction before and 30, 60, 90, 120, 150 and 180minutes after treatment. MEASUREMENTS AND FINDINGS: the results showed a weak correlation (r=0.13, p<0.05) between the pain intensity scores on the PM and the VAS. The PM detected changes (decrease) in pain intensity to a lower degree than the VAS. Surprisingly, in over 10% of sessions, women scored their pain intensity during a uterine contraction lower than their electrical pain threshold with the PM. However, electrical pain thresholds with the PM correlated well throughout all measurements. CONCLUSIONS: the PM is a reliable tool for the assessment of electrical pain threshold; however, the VAS is more sensitive than the PM for recording changes in pain intensity when assessing the effects of treatment on labour pain. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: the PM and the VAS are not interchangeable in the case of labour pain, and there is still a need for research in this area to find a more suitable assessment instrument for the evaluation of labour pain.
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| 8. |
- Billhult, Annika, et al.
(författare)
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Acupuncture with manual and low frequency electrical stimulation as experienced by women with polycystic ovary syndrome: a qualitative study
- 2012
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Ingår i: BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1472-6882. ; 12
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Abstract Background Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) affects 5-10 percent of all fertile women and is associated with anovulation/oligoovulation, hyperandrogenism, and polycystic ovaries. Pharmacological treatment is often effective but associated with unwanted side effects. Acupuncture treatments have been shown to improve menstrual bleeding patterns and ovulation as well as hyperandrogenism, without side effects. The purpose of the present study was to describe the experience of acupuncture for women diagnosed with PCOS. Methods Eight women with PCOS living in western Sweden, were interviewed following repeated acupuncture treatments. Data was analyzed using systematic text condensation as described by Malterud. Results The experience of acupuncture for women diagnosed with PCOS can be described in five categories; the experience of hope, getting results, feelings of responsibility, skepticism and proof of effect, and feeling normal. Conclusion Since acupuncture is a promising treatment for the symptoms of the common syndrome PCOS, the present study adds to the knowledge base by providing the important experiences of patients receiving the treatment. Acupuncture provides a possibility for patients to gain hope as the treatment shows results. The results show that acupuncture empowers the patients to take responsibility for their future well-being, although they may have been initially skeptical to the treatment. Because the syndrome had affected them for some time, even small changes offered a chance for them to feel that their bodies were capable of normal function. Trial Registration The trial is registered at Clinical Trials.gov with Identifier number NCT00484705.
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| 9. |
- Billhult, Annika, et al.
(författare)
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Massage relieves nausea in women with breast cancer who are undergoing chemotherapy.
- 2007
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Ingår i: Journal of alternative and complementary medicine (New York, N.Y.). - : Mary Ann Liebert Inc. - 1075-5535 .- 1557-7708. ; 13:1, s. 53-7
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- OBJECTIVES: The aim of the present study was to examine the effect of massage on nausea, anxiety, and depression in patients with breast cancer undergoing chemotherapy. DESIGN: This work was a single-center, prospective, randomized, controlled trial. SETTINGS/LOCATION: This study was conducted in an oncology clinic, in a hospital in southwestern Sweden. SUBJECTS: Thirty-nine (39) women (mean age = 51.8) with breast cancer undergoing chemotherapy were enrolled. INTERVENTIONS: The patients were randomly assigned to a massage therapy group (20 minutes of massage on five occasions) or a control group (five 20-minute visits). OUTCOME MEASURES: All patients recorded nausea and anxiety on the Visual Analogue Scale before and after each intervention. They also completed the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. RESULTS: Massage treatment significantly reduced nausea compared with control treatment (p = 0.025) when improvement was measured as a percentage of the five treatment periods. Differences in anxiety and depression between the two treatment regimes could not be statistically demonstrated. CONCLUSIONS: This study complements previous studies on the effect of massage and supports the conclusion that massage reduces nausea in these patients.
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| 10. |
- Billhult, Annika, et al.
(författare)
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The effect of massage on cellular immunity, endocrine and psychological factors in women with breast cancer -- a randomized controlled clinical trial.
- 2008
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Ingår i: Autonomic neuroscience : basic & clinical. - : Elsevier BV. - 1566-0702. ; 140:1-2, s. 88-95
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of repeated effleurage massage treatments compared with a visit control group on circulating lymphocytes by studying the number and activity of peripheral blood NK cells, CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in women with breast cancer. Furthermore, the effect of repeated effleurage massage treatments on the levels of cortisol in saliva and oxytocin in plasma as well as degree anxiety, depression and quality of life was studied. DESIGN: A single centre, prospective, randomized, controlled trial. SETTINGS/LOCATION: The study was conducted in a radiation department, in a hospital in south-western Sweden. SUBJECTS: Twenty-two women (mean age=62) with breast cancer undergoing radiation were included in this study. INTERVENTIONS: The patients were randomly assigned to effleurage massage therapy (20 min of effleurage on ten occasions) or to control visits (ten 20-minute visits). OUTCOME MEASURES: Blood samples were collected before the first and last massage/control visit for analysis of peripheral blood NK, T cells and oxytocin. Saliva was analysed for cortisol. In addition, the patients completed the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Life Satisfaction Questionnaire and Spielbergers State Trait Anxiety Inventory prior to the first and last massage/control visit. RESULTS: Effleurage massage treatment had no significant effect on the number, frequencies or activation state of NK cells or CD4+ or CD8+ T cells. Furthermore, no significant changes between groups were detected on cortisol and oxytocin concentrations, anxiety, depression or quality of life. CONCLUSIONS: Significant effect of effleurage massage on cellular immunity, cortisol, oxytocin, anxiety, depression or quality of life could not be demonstrated in this study. Several possible explanations to the results of this study are discussed.
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