Exenatide regulates pancreatic islet integrity and insulin sensitivity in the nonhuman primate baboon Papio hamadryas.

The glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist exenatide improves glycemic control by several and not completely understood mechanisms. Herein, we examined the effects of chronic intravenous exenatide infusion on insulin sensitivity, β cell and α cell function and relative volumes, and islet cell apoptosis and replication in nondiabetic nonhuman primates (baboons). At baseline, baboons received a 2-step hyperglycemic clamp followed by an l-arginine bolus (HC/A).

Virus and Mycoplasma pneumoniae prevalence in a selected pediatric population with acute asthma exacerbation.

Objective: To determine the prevalence of viral and atypical bacteria Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection in children experiencing asthma exacerbation and compare positive and negative subjects with regard to exacerbation severity, need for hospitalization, and treatment.

Methods: One hundred sixty-nine asthmatic children aged 2-15 years old who were admitted to emergency rooms in Bogota, Colombia for acute asthma exacerbation were interviewed. Nasopharyngeal aspirates were taken for DNA and RNA extraction.

A patient with a unique frameshift mutation in GPC3, causing Simpson-Golabi-Behmel syndrome, presenting with craniosynostosis, penoscrotal hypospadias, and a large prostatic utricle.

We present a Hispanic male with the clinical and molecular diagnosis of Simpson-Golabi-Behmel syndrome (SGBS). The patient was born with multiple anomalies not entirely typical of SGBS patients, including penoscrotal hypospadias, a large prostatic utricle, and left coronal craniosynostosis. In addition, he demonstrated endocrine anomalies including a low random cortisol level suspicious for adrenal insufficiency and low testosterone level.

Coordinated defects in hepatic long chain fatty acid metabolism and triglyceride accumulation contribute to insulin resistance in non-human primates.

Unlabelled: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is characterized by accumulation of triglycerides (TG) in hepatocytes, which may also trigger cirrhosis. The mechanisms of NAFLD are not fully understood, but insulin resistance has been proposed as a key determinant.

Aims: To determine the TG content and long chain fatty acyl CoA composition profile in liver from obese non-diabetic insulin resistant (IR) and lean insulin sensitive (IS) baboons in relation with hepatic and peripheral insulin sensitivity.

Effects of 4-methylpyrazole on ethanol neurobehavioral toxicity in CD-1 mice.

Objectives: 4-Methylpyrazole (4-MP), an alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) antagonist, is used for the treatment of ethylene glycol and methanol ingestions. However, ethanol is frequently co-ingested by those who ingest these more toxic alcohols. Several in vitro and in vivo studies have shown a decrease in the elimination rate of ethanol after the administration of 4-MP, but none has evaluated the effects of 4-MP administration on the neurobehavioral toxicity of ethanol.