Bitbow Enables Highly Efficient Neuronal Lineage Tracing and Morphology Reconstruction in Single Brains.

Identifying the cellular origins and mapping the dendritic and axonal arbors of neurons have been century old quests to understand the heterogeneity among these brain cells. Current Brainbow based transgenic animals take the advantage of multispectral labeling to differentiate neighboring cells or lineages, however, their applications are limited by the color capacity. To improve the analysis throughput, we designed Bitbow, a digital format of Brainbow which exponentially expands the color palette to provide tens of thousands of spectrally resolved unique labels.

Prevalence and predictors of the metabolic syndrome in women with polycystic ovary syndrome.

Context: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and the metabolic syndrome have many features in common and may share the same pathogenesis.

Objective: This study was performed to determine the prevalence and predictors of the metabolic syndrome in PCOS.

Design: The clinical, hormonal, and oral glucose tolerance test results were analyzed in 394 PCOS women who were screened for participation in a multicenter trial to evaluate the effects of troglitazone on ovulation and hirsutism.

Effects of race and family history of type 2 diabetes on metabolic status of women with polycystic ovary syndrome.

Racial origin and family history of type 2 diabetes impact upon the risk of developing impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) and type 2 diabetes, both of which are common in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). We examined the effects of race and family history of type 2 diabetes on the risk of IGT and type 2 diabetes in a large cohort of women with PCOS. Data obtained at baseline were analyzed from 408 premenopausal women with PCOS.

Minimal response of circulating lipids in women with polycystic ovary syndrome to improvement in insulin sensitivity with troglitazone.

We hypothesized that the administration of troglitazone (TGZ), an insulin-sensitizing agent of the thiazolidinedione class, would improve dyslipidemia associated with insulin resistance in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Three hundred and ninety-eight women with PCOS in a multicenter, double-blind trial were randomly assigned to 44 wk of treatment with: placebo or troglitazone (150, 300, or 600 mg/d). We examined the responses of circulating lipid and lipoproteins [total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and triglycerides (TTG)] by treatment arm, and the influence of glycemic parameters on baseline levels and response to treatment.

Rationale for use of an exercise end point and design for the ADVANCE (A Dose evaluation of a Vasopressin ANtagonist in CHF patients undergoing Exercise) trial.

Background: Exercise intolerance is a primary characteristic of chronic congestive heart failure. Exercise testing is therefore widely used to evaluate the degree of functional impairment, prognosis of underlying cardiac disease, and response to treatment. Historically, studies that used exercise tolerance as an end point to evaluate the efficacy of pharmacologic interventions have been confounded by methodologic differences involving protocols, exercise end points, absence or misuse of gas exchange data, and study design.

Acute hemodynamic effects of conivaptan, a dual V(1A) and V(2) vasopressin receptor antagonist, in patients with advanced heart failure.

Background: Arginine vasopressin may contribute to abnormalities in hemodynamics and fluid balance in heart failure through its actions on V(1A) (vascular and myocardial effects) and V(2) receptors (renal effects). Inhibiting the action of vasopressin may be beneficial in patients with heart failure.

Methods And Results: A total of 142 patients with symptomatic heart failure (New York Heart Association class III and IV) were randomized to double-blind, short-term treatment with conivaptan, a dual V(1a)/V(2) vasopressin receptor antagonist, at a single intravenous dose (10, 20, or 40 mg) or placebo.

The effect of a thiazolidinedione drug, troglitazone, on glycemia in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus poorly controlled with sulfonylurea and metformin. A multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

Background: The thiazolidinediones are a new class of antidiabetes medication that enhances the actions of insulin in muscle, liver, and adipose tissue. Data have been lacking on their use in combination with both sulfonylurea and metformin among patients for whom insulin is the usual therapeutic alternative for improved glycemic control.

Objective: To determine the effects of troglitazone on hemoglobin A(1c) level in patients treated with maximum tolerated doses of sulfonylurea and metformin who have hemoglobin A(1c) levels of at least 0.

Troglitazone improves ovulation and hirsutism in the polycystic ovary syndrome: a multicenter, double blind, placebo-controlled trial.

We hypothesized that the administration of troglitazone, an insulin-sensitizing agent of the thiazolidinedione class, would improve the ovulatory dysfunction, hirsutism, hyperandrogenemia, and hyperinsulinemia of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) patients. Four hundred and ten premenopausal women with PCOS in a multicenter, double blind trial were randomly assigned to 44 weeks of treatment with placebo (PBO) or troglitazone [150 mg/day (TGZ-150), 300 mg/day (TGZ-300), or 600 mg/day (TGZ-600)]. We compared changes in ovulatory function (by monitoring the urinary level of pregnanediol-3-glucuronide daily), hirsutism (by a modified Ferriman-Gallwey scoring method), hormonal levels (total and free testosterone, androstenedione, sex hormone-binding globulin, LH, FSH, and the LH/FSH ratio), and measures of glycemic parameters (fasting levels of glucose, insulin, hemoglobin A(1c), and the glucose and insulin areas under the curve during an oral glucose challenge) among study groups.

Troglitazone monotherapy improves glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a randomized, controlled study. The Troglitazone Study Group.

To assess the effects of troglitazone monotherapy on glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, we carried out a 6-month, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study in 24 hospital and outpatient clinics in the United States and Canada. Troglitazone 100, 200, 400, or 600 mg or placebo once daily with breakfast was administered to 402 patients with type 2 diabetes with fasting serum glucose (FSG) > 140 mg/dL, glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) > 6.5%, and fasting C-peptide > or = 1.

Troglitazone in combination with sulfonylurea restores glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes. The Troglitazone Study Group.

Objective: To determine if the combination of troglitazone (a peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma activator) and sulfonylurea will provide efficacy not attainable by either medication alone.

Research Design And Methods: There were 552 patients inadequately controlled on maximum doses of sulfonylurea who participated in a 52-week randomized active-controlled multicenter study. Patients were randomized to micronized glyburide 12 mg q.

Nonclassical secretory dynamics of LH revealed by hypothalamo-hypophyseal portal sampling of sheep.

Continuous withdrawal of hypophyseal portal blood from unrestrained sheep has permitted detailed assessments of the pulsatile secretion of gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH). To determine if this blood can also be used to characterize the sensory dynamics of pituitary hormones, patterns of luteinizing hormone (LH) in the hypophyseal portal blood of ovariectomized ewes was compared with previous patterns of GnRH and peripheral LH. Hypophyseal portal blood and jugular vein blood were collected every 5 min from six ovariectomized ewes over 6-12 h.

Cardiac and glycemic benefits of troglitazone treatment in NIDDM. The Troglitazone Study Group.

Troglitazone is a thiazolidinedione under development for the treatment of NIDDM and potentially other insulin-resistant disease states. Treatment with troglitazone is associated with an improvement in hyperglycemia, hyperinsulinemia, and insulin-mediated glucose disposal. No significant side effects have been observed in humans.

Continuous on-line hydrogen ion monitoring to study flow dynamics of perifusion systems and cellular metabolism.

Time-dependent concentration profiles of input signals and feedback of metabolic products can strongly influence cellular responsiveness. To study these parameters, we developed a perifusion system that can deliver biological signals to cells with minimal dispersion, monitor real time responses, and remove waste products continuously. By monitoring pH with miniature hydrogen ion-selective electrodes at intervals of 1 s, effects of dispersion, flow rate, pumping system, and changes in cellular metabolism were demonstrated.