The American journal of the medical sciences
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Rat diabetes was induced by intraperitoneal injection of STZ. The mRNA and protein levels of insulin and PDX1 were determined by real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry. Serum levels of C-peptide and insulin were analyzed using radioimmunoassay kits. ⋯ Therapy with EGF plus gastrin corrected hyperglycemia and maintained insulin content in STZ-induced diabetic rats via up-regulation of PDX1 expression, suggesting that this combination treatment may provide a valuable approach for pancreatic islet neogenesis in vivo.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Serum angiotensin I-converting enzyme levels and the therapeutic effects of octreotide in esophageal variceal hemorrhage.
The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between serum angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE) levels and therapeutic effects of octreotide in the treatment of esophageal variceal hemorrhage (EVH) as a result of liver cirrhosis. ⋯ Octreotide treatment in patients with EVH can result in decreased serum ACE levels, which correlated with the dose of octreotide. The decline in serum ACE levels may be involved in the mechanisms by which octreotide lowers portal vein pressure in EVH treatment.
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Prevention of osteoporotic fractures is desirable to decrease morbidity, mortality and health care costs. The World Health Organization Fracture Assessment Tool (FRAX) enhances physician treatment decisions by combining epidemiologic fracture risk calculations with bone density. The authors sought to determine the effect of reporting FRAX results and treatment recommendations in bone density reports on clinician prescribing behavior. ⋯ Despite the potential benefit of using FRAX, the authors found that: (1) prescribing behavior was not influenced by including FRAX in the bone density report and (2) increased education of FRAX fracture risk assessment is needed.