(A1-D-alanine) insulin (author's transl)]

Starting from porcine insulin, A1-glycine was substituted by D-alanine and by L-alanine for comparison. Replacement of A1-glycine by L-alanine revealed the known decrease in the biological activity. [A1-D-Alanine]insulin, however, has the same blood sugar lowering activity as insulin and is slightly more active in its influence on the glucose uptake into the rat diaphragm. The specific binding to insulin receptors of rat liver is decreased as, compared to insulin, but increased as compared to the L-alanine analogue.     

Semisynthetic sheep des-A1-glycine insulin (author's transl)]

The synthetic Des-1-glycine-A-chain of sheep insulin as the monomeric cyclic bisdisulfide and native bovine B-chain bissulfonate were reduced together with mercaptoethanol. They combined at pH 10.6 to yield Des-A1-glycine-insulin. This was purified by gel and ion exchange chromatography. The low insulin activity (0.4 - 0.6%) as measured by the fat cell test as well as the change in the CD spectrum indicated that the loss of the N-terminal glycine of the A-chain results in fully inactive insulin. This confirms the results obtained earlier by partial synthesis of Des-A1-glycine-insulin.     

Effect of alloxan in pancreatectomized rats (author's transl)]

Sensitivty to alloxan of pancreatectomized rats is studied injecting on the seventh day after surgical resection with different dose of monohydrated alloxan. Totally pancreatectomized rats develop a strong diabetes just the same as the control group, but the former present higher glycemias and longer survival.     

Multiple osteosarcoma in spontaneously hypertensive rats (author's transl)]

For period from 1971 to 1975, 18 cases of osteosarcoma were experienced among 9132 spontaneously hypertensive rats. The onset was at 72 to 145 days of age and death occurred before 423 days of age. The tumors were multiple being distributed in the skull (11 of 14 cases), caudal vertebrae (8 of 14 cases), and fore- and hind-limb. All the tumors were mainly composed of sarcomatous tissue with some osteoid and cartilage. Metastasis was never observed. Serum A1-P levels of tumor bearing animals were 2 times higher than those without tumor. Bronchiectasis and abscess formation of submaxillary lymph nodes were noted in most affected animals.     

Adrenocortical responses to ACTH (author's transl)]

To characterize by a mathematical model the dynamics of adrenocortical responses to ACTH, the concentration of plasma corticosterone was measured following a series of injections and perfusions of ACTH to dexamethasone-treated male rats. A similar slope was observed during the rise of plasma corticosterone following graded pulse inputs, and the steady-state corticosterone secretion rate was shown to increase proportionally to the perfusion rate of ACTH up to saturation corresponding to maximal secretion. The data will be used, concurrently with our model of the dynamics of plasma cortiscosterone, for the identification of a mathematical model of the adrenocortical response to ACTH.     

A new bifunctional reagent for the intramolecular crosslinking of insulin (author's transl)]

Reaction of bis-[2-(succinimidooxycarbonyloxy)ethyl]sulfone [SO2(Eoc-ONSu)2] with insulin in 1N NaHCO3/dimethylformamide forms NalphaA1,NepsilonA1,NepsilonB29-2,2'-sulfonylbis(ethoxycarbonyl)insulin [SO2(Eoc)2-insulin] in 20 - 35% yield. The product can be purified by partition chromatography. After cleavage of the disulfide bridges, reoxidation in very dilute solution reconstitutes about 60% of the original insulin activity. Cleavage of the crosslinking moiety can be achieved with 0.5N NaOH at 0 degrees C in only a few seconds, rendering a biologically fully active insulin.     

How to stimulate the placental function (author's transl)]

Imminent abortion, habitual abortion and threatened premature labor, all constitute difficult clinical problems. Those cases require on every occasion a diagnosis as acurate as possible, and unfortunately our present methods of biochemical determinations only represent a means to evaluate placental function. On those cases where a faulty placental function is detected thru the tests presently available, the authors recommend the utilization of a placentotropic substance, Gestanon, that is capable to stimulate and normalize the placental function, a is demostrated by the statistical results published in the international medical bibliography.