A functional interplay between the two BMP-SMAD pathway inhibitors TMPRSS6 and FKBP12 regulates expression in vivo.

The Activin A Receptor type I (ALK2) is a critical component of BMP-SMAD signaling that, in the presence of ligands, phosphorylates cytosolic SMAD1/5/8 and modulates important biological processes, including bone formation and iron metabolism. In hepatocytes, the BMP-SMAD pathway controls the expression of , the liver peptide hormone that regulates body iron homeostasis via the BMP receptors ALK2 and ALK3, and the hemochromatosis proteins. The main negative regulator of the pathway in the liver is transmembrane serine protease 6 (TMPRSS6), which downregulates by cleaving the BMP coreceptor hemojuvelin.

Fast and low-cost analysis of heart rate variability reveals vegetative alterations in noncomplicated diabetic patients.

The aim of the present preliminary study was to describe a simple protocol for the analysis of the heart rate variability (HRV) that can reveal the different autonomic control between noncomplicated diabetic patients and normal subjects within 15 min. The power spectrum of the HRV was evaluated on 5-min-long electrocardiographic recordings in both the supine and the seated positions in 30 noncomplicated non-insulin-dependent diabetic (NIDDM) patients and in 30 healthy volunteers. In healthy subjects the low-frequency (LF) value was higher in seated position than in supine position, while in diabetic patients the LF value in seated position did not differ from that in supine position and did not differ from that in healthy subjects in supine position.

Importance of premeal injection time in insulin therapy: Humalog Mix25 is convenient for improved post-prandial glycemic control in type 2 diabetic patients with Italian dietary habits.

We investigated the use, in a short period, of Humalog Mix25 (Mix25) in a twice-daily administration regimen compared to a twice-daily injection therapy with Humulin 30/70 (30/70) in diabetic patients with Italian dietary habits. We studied 33 type 2 diabetic patients aged 59.1 +/- 8.

[Evaluation of the effect of picotamide on platelet function in diabetic subjects].

In this study the Authors verify the results of Picotamide on platelet aggregation in diabetic subjects. The results suggest that Picotamide has no influence on insulin or oral treatment of diabetic subjects. However, it is certain that platelet aggregation by ADP or collagen decreases due to the effect on thromboxane probably because of the limitation of platelet receptors.

[Effects of ketanserin on glucose metabolism in hypertensive diabetic subjects].

In this report the Authors have verified the effects of Ketanserin on glycaemic metabolism of type II diabetic subjects with a moderately high blood pressure. They think that a therapeutic dose of drug is not able to considerably inhibit insulin production. The Authors can assert that the Ketanserin does not influence the glycaemic regulation by therapeutic dose, neither does it increase the diabetic disease, nor disturb the oral hypoglycaemic therapy though it normalizes high blood pressure.