Inhibition of insulin degradation by nonsuppressible insulin-like activity

Nonsuppressible insulin-like activity, provided by three sources, was evaluated for its effect on the proteolytic degradation of insulin utilizing insulin protease obtained from rat liver homogenate as well as liver cell membranes. All three preparations of nonsuppressible insulin-like activity were found to be competitive inhibitors of insulin degradation. In addition human plasma was fractionated yielding an acetone precipitate which was found to have nonsuppressible insulin-like activity and to be a competitive inhibitor of insulin protease.     

Lateralisation of speech dominance by spectral analysis of evoked potentials

The case of a 72-yr-old woman with osteoarthritis of the shoulder, is described. A mixture of crystals of hydroxyapatite and calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate was identified in the joint tissues using analytical electron microscopy and infra-red spectroscopy.     

The treatment of biological material by Falck's method and its modifications using a device of original design

Automation of the process of detecting adrenergic nerve structures helped obtain reliable positive results even in cases with low mediator concentration in body tissues. We have elaborated a new method of subsequent staining and microphotographing of biological specimens which permit registration of specific features of adrenergic nerve terminals histologic architecture and their cellular microenvironment.     

A comparative study of the action of different doses of prednisone and budesonide on the biochemical indices of bone metabolism in healthy volunteers

Our objective in this study was to determine effects, if any, of different doses of of prednisone and the inhalant steroid budesonide on the indices for bone formation (osteocalcin, PICP levels) and bone resorption (piridinoline, deoxypiridinoline, and hydroxyproline) in healthy volunteers (n = 78). In the two-week study, budesonide administered in daily doses of 0.8 and 1.2 mg failed to significantly decrease serum osteocalcin; even in excessively high doses of 2.4 and 3.2 mg/a day it was found out to be associated with but insignificant decrease of PICP level. Prednisone in both a 10 mg/a day and 40 mg/a day dose appeared to significantly decrease the above measures. We take it that budesonide has a lesser effect on collagen formation than it has on bone mineralization.     

Increased expression of fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) and their receptor by protamine and suramin on Kaposi's sarcoma-derived cells

Growth factors, such as bFGF, have been shown to exert autocrine and paracrine effects on the growth of Kaposi's Sarcoma (KS)-derived cells, which suggested that the inhibitors of angiogenesis may be promising for KS treatment. However, KS lesions have been found to continue to enlarge after patients had been treated with FGF binding antagonists such as suramin. We investigated the effect of protamine and suramine on the growth of KS derived cells in vitro. Although both of these agents which are FGF binding antagonists were found to inhibit the incorporation of 3H thymidine in KS-derived cultured cells, increased expression of bFGF, FGF5 and the FGF receptor was observed after the KS cells were exposed to these substances. These results might explain the clinical observation that FGF binding antagonists such as suramin caused an apparent stimulation of KS tumor growth when administered systemically to patients with AIDS-related KS.