Changes in the level of insulin-containing erythrocytes in the blood of animals and man under the influence of ethanol

It has been shown by cytochemistry that the insulin-containing red cell count in blood of rats, rabbits and humans significantly decreases under the effect of ethanol. The changes disappear as ethanol is eliminated from the body.     

Changes in relationship between blood glucose level and plasma 1,5-anhydroglucitol level in KK mice

We compared the relationship of the blood glucose level to the plasma 1,5-anhydroglucitol (1,5AG) level between KK mice with abnormal glucose metabolism and ICR mice as controls. Although the plasma 1,5AG level did not show any significant correlation with the blood glucose level in the controls, it tended to logarithmically decrease with the rise in the blood glucose level in KK mice. Thus it is possible that the plasma 1,5AG level is specifically related to the abnormal glucose metabolism in this model of diabetes mellitus and that its routine examination in diabetic patients may help delineate the metabolic derangement in the disease.     

Changes in anxiety level of Wistar rats under the influence of maximally-diluted solution of a plant alkaloid

A very dilute solution of Nux Vomica 200 plant alkaloid was applied onto the tongue of Wistar rats. The level of rats' anxiety was estimated by their behavior in elevated plus-maze. The dry application led to substantial changes in rats' behavior. In "passive" rats previously defined by the forced swimming tests changes in behavior were most prominent. The possible influence of the drug under study on the adaptive abilities of this group of animals is discussed.     

Changes in the "shape reaction" and "orientation reaction" of cell nuclei as a consequence of neoplastic transformation

Reactions of cell nuclei on curvature of cylindrical surfaces (curvature radii 333, 75 or 61 mcm) in 9 lines of cultured transformed human, Syrian hamster, rat and murine fibroblasts were studied quantitatively. The nuclear elongation was assessed as a ratio of long to short axes. Contact orientation was characterized by values derived from the angles, formed by long nuclear axes with the direction of cylinder axis. Due to transformation, cells lost the ability to elongate their nuclei in response to cultivation on cylindrical surfaces. The ability of cells cultured on cylindrical surfaces to increase the contact orientation values was also lost or weakened considerably.     

Changes in the growth and enzyme level of Zymomonas mobilis under oxygen-limited conditions at low glucose concentration

Zymomonas mobilis growing aerobically with 20 g glucose^–1 (carbon-limited) in a chemostat exhibited an increase in both the molar growth yield (Y_x/s) and the maximum molar growth yield (Y_x/s ^max) and a decrease in both the specific substrate consumption rate (q_s) and the maintenance energy consumption rate (m_e). Stepwise increase in the input oxygen partial pressure showed that anaerobic-to-aerobic transitional adaptation occurred in four stages: anaerobic (0 mm HgO₂), oxygen-limited (7.6– 230 mm HgO₂), intermediate (273 mm HgO₂), and oxygen excess (290 mm HgO₂). The steady-state biomass concentration, Y_x/s, and intracellular ATP content increased between oxygen partial pressures of 7.6 and 120 mm HgO₂, accompanied by a decrease in the q_s and the specific acid production rate. The membrane ATPase activity decreased with increasing oxygen partial pressure and reached its lowest levels at 273 mm HgO₂, which was the highest input oxygen partial pressure where steady-state conditions were possible. Glucokinase, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, and alcohol dehydrogenase activities also decreased when the oxygen partial pressure was increased above 15 mm Hg, whereas pyruvate decarboxylase was unaffected by aeration. Growth inhibition at 290 mm HgO₂ was characterised by a drastic reduction in the pyruvate kinase activity and a collapse in the intracellular ATP pool. The growth and enzyme data suggest that at low glucose concentrations and oxygen-limited conditions, the increase in biomass yields is a reflection of a redirection of ATP usage rather than a net increase in energy production. Received: 14 August 1996 / Accepted: 31 January 1997     

Changes in cephalic and peripheral use of glucose and glutamine under the influence of hyperammonemia in rats]

Arterio-venous differences of glucose and glutamine were determined across the brain and across the hind limb in normal and ammonium salt infused rats, before and during an insulin tolerance test, in an attempt to study the effect of hyperammonemia on cephalic and muscular metabolism. The results demonstrate that 1) hyperammonemia reduces the hind limb uptake of glucose without affect the cephalic uptake of glucose which is lowered during hypoglycemia, 2) the reduction of the cephalic and muscular glutamine output induced by the hypoglycemia is masked in presence of an hyperammonemia. In conclusion, it may be assume that, at the concentration obtained in this study, hyperammonemia does not act directly in the pathogenesis of hepatic coma in which a decrease in cerebral glucose uptake described; on the other hand, ammonium plays an important role in the muscle metabolism.     

Changes in cytosolic glucose level in ATP stimulated live astrocytes

Astrocytes which lie between brain capillaries and neuronal terminals are the primary site of glucose uptake and have a key role in coupling synaptic activity to glucose utilization in the central nervous system (CNS). We used a fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) based approach to monitor cytosolic glucose in astrocytes. We determined the effect of increasing extracellular glucose concentrations on FRET ratio as a measure of increased cytosolic glucose in astrocytes. By briefly raising extracellular glucose concentration, astrocytes responded promptly by increased cytosolic glucose levels, which was manifested by decreased time-dependent FRET ratio. The FRET ratio fall-time recorded at low extracellular d-glucose concentration change (from 0 to 0.5 mM) was 53 s, whereas 17 s was recorded by raising extracellular concentration of d-glucose from 0 to 10 mM, which is likely due to facilitated d-glucose entry along the increased d-glucose gradient across the plasmalemma. The relationship between the extracellular glucose concentration and the FRET ratio change is limited to the maximal ratio change, where the d-glucose plasma membrane permeability is balanced by the cytosolic utilization. We measured the effect of extracellular ATP, an important extracellular messenger for astrocyte-to-astrocyte communication, on intracellular glucose concentration. The results show that stimulation of astrocytes with ATP (1 mM) decreases cytosolic glucose concentration with a time constant of ∼145 s. The mechanism of this change is discussed.     

Oral insulin preparation for regulation of the blood glucose level

Oral administration of diluted solutions of insulin to healthy volunteers and animals with diabetes mellitus results in the hypoglycemic effect. It is suggested that diluted insulin solutions may be used for the development of a novel strategy for treatment of diabetes mellitus.     

Influence of oral glucose load upon blood glucose level in relation to the time of day

Blood glucose levels were estimated at different times of day in fasted rats and after 30, 60,90 and 120 min, since oral glucose load. Circadian variations in basal glucose levels and in the levels after glucose load were observed with the highest values noted between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m., and the lowest ones about midnight. These variations were most prominent when the measurements were performed 60 min after glucose load. Circadian variation in glucose tolerance was also revealed with the best tolerance at about midnight while the worst one was noted at noon and in the afternoon.