Effect of alloxan diabetes on some aspects of lipid metabolism in albino rats

Administration of alloxan (40 mg/kg i.v.) caused a marked decrease in the lipolytic and esterolytic activities of rat aorta. This effect was completely reversed when the diabetic rats were treated with low doses of insulin (2-3 U/die) for 3 days. The insulin-dependence of esterolysis and lipolysis in rat aorta and the role of hydrolases in atherogenesis in experimental diabetes have been discussed.

Activators of serum lipoprotein lipase in alloxan diabetic rats

The amount of free fatty acid (FFA) liberated with intralipid in post-heparin guinea-pig serum, when serum from alloxan diabetic rat is incubated, is higher than that liberated when serum from healthy rats is used. The above effect is probably due to larger quantities of lipoprotein lipase present in the diabetic serum.

Simple analog correlator

An analog correlator has been constructed using a delay unit which is realized by simulation of the sixth-order Pade approximated result of exp(-jomegatau) where j= radical-1, omega the angular frequency of the signals of concern, and tau the delay in seconds. Several sinusoidal signals and a noise spectrum have been autocorrelated with this correlator; also, it has been applied to determine the impulse response of an RC low-pass filter. Results are in good agreement with theoretical predictions. This correlator has been used to study low- frequency signals in the region 1-50 kHz.

The testicular feminization syndrome: a report of two cases

Two cases of complete testicular feminization syndrome are presented. The relevant clinical features and laboratory findings are summarized. Some interesting aspects of this syndrome are surveyed.

Studies on the mechanism of centpiperalone-induced hypoglycemia

The effect of centpiperalone [2-piperazino-4(3H)-quinazolinone monoacetate], a potent hypoglycemic compound on glucose and oxygen uptake, and lactic acid formation by rat hemidiaphragms suspended in glucose-phosphate buffer in Warburg bath at 37 degrees C and 80 shakes/min was studied in vitro. Although centpiperalone enhanced glucose and oxygen uptake by itself, no increment in the above parameters was seen when insulin was added simultaneously along with centpiperalone. Preincubation of hemidiaphragms with centpiperalone and their subsequent incubation with insulin did not indicate any potentiation of insulin action as indicated by uptake of oxygen and glucose. However when 16 times diluted serum from centpiperalone-treated rats was added to hemidiaphragms suspended in glucose-phosphate buffer, significant increase in glycogen content was observed compared to that seen in hemidiaphragms after addition of serum from normal untreated and alloxanized centpiperalone-fed rats. Definite degranulation of B-cells was seen in centpiperalone-fed rats using the aldehyde fuchsin staining technique. These data strongly suggest that centpiperalone induces hypoglycemia through liberation of insulin from B-cells.

A new method for the production of experimental diabetes in rabbits

Oral administration of 250 mg hydrochlorothiazide/kg, with previous i.v. injection of 4 i.u. soluble insulin or s.c. injection of protamine-zinc insulin, has been found to produce stable hyperglycaemia in rabbits irrespective of sex. It is thought that insulin helps the selective action of hydrochlorothiazide on the beta cells by removing the protective glucose barrier. Although stimulation of glucagon or some extra-pancreatic mechanism at the initial stage could not be altogether ruled out, the central action of the drug is supported by the finding that the hydrochlorothiazide-induced hyperglycaemia was lowered by the sulphonylurea derivative, chlorpropamide.

Growth hormone secreting carcinoma of lung and hypertrophic osteoarthropathy

Plasma Human Growth Hormone (HGH) was raised in a patient with bronchial carcinoma and hypertrophic pulmonary osteoarthropathy before radiotherapy to the tumour. Though the soft-tissue swelling and pain of hypertrophic osteoarthropathy disappeared two to three weeks after radiotherapy to the carcinoma the HGH plasma levels were still very high at two months and came back to normal levels at six months and remained so at one year. It is suggested that ectopic production of HGH by the tumour in this case was not responsible for the changes of hypertrophic osterarthropathy.