Exogenous Ghrelin Increases Plasma Insulin Level in Diabetic Rats.

Ghrelin, a 28-amino acid peptide, is a strong growth hormone secretagogue and a regulator of food intake. In addition, ghrelin is thought to play a role in insulin secretion and in glucose homeostasis. A lot of contradictory data have been reported in the literature regarding the co-localization of ghrelin with other hormones in the islet of Langerhans, its role in insulin secretion and attenuation of type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Influence of environmental factors on college alcohol drinking patterns.

Alcohol abuse is a major problem, especially among students on and around college campuses. We use the mathematical framework of [16] and study the role of environmental factors on the long term dynamics of an alcohol drinking population. Sensitivity and uncertainty analyses are carried out on the relevant functions (for example, on the drinking reproduction number and the extinction time of moderate and heavy drinking because of interventions) to understand the impact of environmental interventions on the distributions of drinkers.

Climate change and influenza: the likelihood of early and severe influenza seasons following warmer than average winters.

The 2012-13 influenza season had an unusually early and severe start in the US, succeeding the record mild 2011-12 influenza season, which occurred during the fourth warmest winter on record. Our analysis of climate and past US influenza epidemic seasons between 1997-98 to present indicates that warm winters tend to be followed by severe epidemics with early onset, and that these patterns are seen for both influenza A and B. We posit that fewer people are infected with influenza during warm winters, thereby leaving an unnaturally large fraction of susceptible individuals in the population going into the next season, which can lead to early and severe epidemics.

Nose-only water-pipe smoking effects on airway resistance, inflammation, and oxidative stress in mice.

Water-pipe smoking (WPS) is a common practice in the Middle East and is now gaining popularity in Europe and the United States. However, there is a limited number of studies on the respiratory effects of WPS. More specifically, the underlying pulmonary pathophysiological mechanisms related to WPS exposure are not understood.

Pancreatic peptides in young and elderly Zucker type 2 diabetic fatty rats.

Context: The global prevalence of diabetes mellitus, and in particular type 2 diabetes mellitus is increasing at an alarming rate. Risk factors for development of diabetes include obesity and advancing age.

Objectives: The distribution of insulin, glucagon, somatostatin and pancreatic polypeptide in the pancreatic islets has been investigated in young and elderly type 2 Zucker diabetic fatty (ZDF) rats and age-matched Zucker lean (ZL) controls.

Mechanism of orexin B-stimulated insulin and glucagon release from the pancreas of normal and diabetic rats.

Objectives: To examine the pattern of distribution and effect of orexin B in the islets of normal and diabetic rats.

Methods: Pancreatic tissue fragments collected from normal and diabetic (4 weeks after the onset of diabetes) rats were either processed for immunohistochemistry or treated with different concentrations (10 to 10 mol/L) of orexin B.

Results: Orexin B-positive nerves were observed in the wall of blood vessels of both normal and diabetic rat pancreas.

The effect of a heavy exercise program on the distribution of pancreatic hormones in the streptozotocin-induced diabetic rat.

Context: Exercise training has long been utilized as an adjunct to pharmacotherapy in the management of diabetes.

Objectives: The effects of a heavy exercise training program on the distribution of insulin, glucagon, somatostatin and pancreatic polypeptide in pancreatic islet cells of diabetic rats was investigated.

Animals: Forty male Wistar rats.