Evaluation of a web-based ECG-interpretation programme for undergraduate medical students.

Background: Most clinicians and teachers agree that knowledge about ECG is of importance in the medical curriculum. Students at Karolinska Institute have asked for more training in ECG-interpretation during their undergraduate studies. Clinical tutors, however, have difficulties in meeting these demands due to shortage of time.

Effect of C-peptide on diabetic neuropathy in patients with type 1 diabetes.

Recent results indicate that proinsulin C-peptide, contrary to previous views, exerts important physiological effects and shows the characteristics of a bioactive peptide. Studies in type 1 diabetes, involving animal models as well as patients, demonstrate that C-peptide in replacement doses has the ability to improve peripheral nerve function and prevent or reverse the development of nerve structural abnormalities. Peripheral nerve function, as evaluated by determination of sensory nerve conduction velocity and quantitative sensory testing, is improved by C-peptide replacement in diabetes type 1 patients with early stage neuropathy.

Evaluation of multi-modal high salt binding ion exchange materials.

The performance and selectivity of novel cation and anion exchange multi-modal chromatographic materials were evaluated. Desorption profiles of 13 proteins possessing a range of properties (e.g.

C-Peptide replacement therapy and sensory nerve function in type 1 diabetic neuropathy.

Objective: C-peptide replacement in animals results in amelioration of diabetes-induced functional and structural abnormalities in peripheral nerves. The present study was undertaken to examine whether C-peptide administration to patients with type 1 diabetes and peripheral neuropathy improves sensory nerve function.

Research Design And Methods: This was an exploratory, double-blinded, randomized, and placebo-controlled study with three study groups that was carried out at five centers in Sweden.

Quantitative determination of the ligand content in Benzamidine Sepharose 4 Fast Flow media with ion-pair chromatography.

A quantitative hydrochloric acid hydrolysis-HPLC method was developed for the analysis of the ligand content of Benzamidine Sepharose 4 Fast Flow media. The method requires about 100 mg of dried sample and simple reaction vials can be utilised. Release of the ligand (p-aminobenzamidine) from the base matrix (Sepharose 4 Fast Flow) was obtained after hydrolysis for 180min at 70 degrees C in concentrated hydrochloric acid.

C-peptide prevents glomerular hypertrophy and mesangial matrix expansion in diabetic rats.

Background: There is accumulating evidence that C-peptide exerts beneficial renal effects in type-1 diabetes by reducing glomerular hyperfiltration, albuminuria and glomerular hypertrophy in the early stage of nephropathy. The aim of this study was to clarify further the effects of C-peptide on renal structural changes in type-1 diabetic rats.

Methods: The effects of C-peptide or placebo on glomerular volume, mesangial expansion, glomerular basement membrane thickness, albuminuria and glomerular filtration rate (GFR) were studied in three groups of rats: a non-diabetic group (N, n=9) and two groups that, during 8 weeks of diabetes, were left untreated for 4 weeks and then given a subcutaneous infusion of either placebo (D, n=11) or C-peptide (DCp, n=11) during the next 4 weeks.

Surface chemical analysis of carbohydrate materials used for chromatography media by time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry.

The surface chemical structure of two raw materials (agarose and dextran) and four base matrixes used in the manufacture of chromatography media were analyzed using time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS). The results show that the small differences in molecular structure between these materials result in significant differences in the TOF-SIMS spectra and that these differences can be identified and quantified using either of two different approaches. In a novel approach, fragment ion distributions were extracted from the TOF-SIMS spectra for each material, providing an immediate and systematic overview of the spectral features.

C-peptide and captopril are equally effective in lowering glomerular hyperfiltration in diabetic rats.

Background: C-peptide has been shown to reduce glomerular hyperfiltration, glomerular hypertrophy and urinary albumin excretion in type 1 diabetes, but its effect has not been compared with that of an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI) in the early stage of renal involvement in diabetes.

Methods: Glomerular filtration rate (GFR) was measured in terms of inulin clearance and renal blood flow, using ultrasound technique, in four groups of streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats before and after a 60 min infusion of C-peptide (D-Cp), captopril (D-ACEI), C-peptide and captopril (D-Cp-ACEI) or placebo (D-placebo). In addition, a non-diabetic control group was studied before and after captopril infusion (C-ACEI).

Chemical characterisation of different separation media based on agarose by static time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry.

In this paper, the novel application of time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS) for qualitative and semi-quantitative investigation of the surface chemistry of separation media based on beaded agarose is reported. Five different media were studied: DEAE Sepharose Fast Flow, Q Sepharose Fast Flow, SP Sepharose Fast Flow, Phenyl Sepharose Fast Flow at ligand densities between 7 and 33% (w/w) and the base matrix Sepharose 6 Fast Flow. The obtained TOF-SIMS spectra reveal significant chemical information regarding the ligands (DEAE, Q, SP and Phenyl) which are covalently attached to the agarose-based matrix Sepharose 6 Fast Flow.

Preparation and characterization of prototypes for multi-modal separation aimed for capture of positively charged biomolecules at high-salt conditions.

Several prototypes of aromatic (Ar) and non-aromatic (NoAr) cation-exchange ligands suitable for capture of proteins from high conductivity (ca. 30 mS/cm) mobile phases were coupled to Sepharose 6 Fast Flow. These new prototypes of multi-modal cation-exchangers were found by screening a diverse library of multi-modal ligands and selecting cation-exchangers resulting in elution of test proteins at high ionic-strength.

Preparation and characterization of prototypes for multi-modal separation media aimed for capture of negatively charged biomolecules at high salt conditions.

Several prototypes of multi-modal ligands suitable for the capture of negatively charged proteins from high conductivity (28 mS/cm) mobile phases were coupled to Sepharose 6 Fast Flow. These new prototypes of multi-modal anion-exchangers were found by screening a diverse library of multi-modal ligands and selecting anion-exchangers resulting in elution of test proteins at high ionic strength. Candidates were then tested with respect to breakthrough capacity of BSA in a buffer adjusted to a high conductivity (20 mM Piperazine and 0.

C-peptide improves adenosine-induced myocardial vasodilation in type 1 diabetes patients.

Patients with type 1 (insulin-dependent) diabetes show reduced skeletal muscle blood flow and coronary vasodilatory function despite intensive insulin therapy and good metabolic control. Administration of proinsulin C-peptide increases skeletal muscle blood flow in these patients, but a possible influence of C-peptide on myocardial vasodilatory function in type 1 diabetes has not been investigated. Ten otherwise healthy young male type 1 diabetic patients (Hb A1c 6.

C-peptide increases forearm blood flow in patients with type 1 diabetes via a nitric oxide-dependent mechanism.

Proinsulin C-peptide has been shown to increase muscle blood flow in type 1 diabetic patients. The underlying mechanism is not fully understood. The aim of this study was to evaluate if the vasodilator effect of C-peptide is mediated by nitric oxide (NO).

Amelioration of sensory nerve dysfunction by C-Peptide in patients with type 1 diabetes.

Studies have demonstrated that proinsulin C-peptide stimulates the activities of Na(+),K(+)-ATPase and endothelial nitric oxide synthase, both of which are enzyme systems of importance for nerve function and known to be deficient in type 1 diabetes. The aim of this randomized double-blind placebo-controlled study was to investigate whether C-peptide replacement improves nerve function in patients with type 1 diabetes. Forty-nine patients without symptoms of peripheral neuropathy were randomized to either 3 months of treatment with C-peptide (600 nmol/24 h, four doses s.

Loss of temporal lobe beta power in young adults with type 1 diabetes mellitus.

Cognitive defects have been reported in type 1 diabetes mellitus with possible correlation to recurrent episodes of hypoglycemia. The purpose of the present study was to identify signs of brain dysfunction with quantitative EEG in adults with insulin-dependent (type 1) diabetes. Patients (n = 49) with type 1 diabetes and controls (n = 51) were recruited.

C-peptide exerts beneficial effects on myocardial blood flow and function in patients with type 1 diabetes.

Myocardial dysfunction, perfusion abnormalities, and the extent to which these abnormalities may be reversed by C-peptide administration was assessed in type 1 diabetic patients. Eight patients were studied before and during a 0.84-mg/kg dipyridamole administration using a randomized double-blind crossover protocol with infusion of C-peptide (6 pmol x kg(-1) x min(-1)) or saline during 60 min on two different days.

Insulin, but not proinsulin C-peptide, enhances platelet fibrinogen binding in vitro in Type 1 diabetes mellitus patients and healthy subjects.

Introduction: Insulin treatment is essential in Type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM). However, previous studies have shown complex effects of insulin on platelet function. Proinsulin C-peptide has shown beneficial effects in Type 1 DM, but it is not known if it can affect platelet activation.

In vivo biodistribution and pharmacokinetics of (18)F-labeled human C-peptide: evaluation in monkeys using positron emission tomography.

The recently observed beneficial effects exerted by C-peptide in insulin-dependent diabetes patients (IDDM) have instigated research into the mechanisms of C-peptide action as well as the location for it. Here we report in vivo biodistribution studies performed in monkeys using positron emission tomography (PET) and C-peptide labeled in the N-terminal with fluorine-18. Following iv injection of the radiotracer, dynamic decay data were collected over the chest and/or abdomens of the monkeys.

Combined endothelin receptor blockade evokes enhanced vasodilatation in patients with atherosclerosis.

Endothelin (ET)-1 causes vasoconstriction via ET(A) and ET(B) receptors located on vascular smooth muscle cells and vasodilatation via ET(B) receptors on endothelial cells. Studies in vitro indicate an upregulation of ET(B) receptors in atherosclerosis. The present study investigated the vascular effects evoked by endogenous ET-1 in atherosclerotic patients.

Enhanced vasoconstrictor effect of big endothelin-1 in patients with atherosclerosis: relation to conversion to endothelin-1.

The enhanced production of endothelin-1 (ET-1) in atherosclerotic arteries may be related to increased activity of the endothelin converting enzyme (ECE) which converts big ET-1 to ET-1. The purpose of the present study was to investigate whether the vasoconstrictor activity of big ET-1 is altered as a result of increased conversion to ET-1 in patients with atherosclerosis. Big ET-1 was infused into the brachial artery of nine patients with atherosclerosis and nine healthy controls.