EVIDENCE THAT HUMAN AND PORCINE INSULIN DIFFERENTLY AFFECT THE HUMAN INSULIN-RECEPTOR - STUDIES WITH MONOCLONAL ANTIINSULIN RECEPTOR ANTIBODIES

Binding studies have been carried out with radioiodinated monoclonal antibodies directed to various epitopes of the insulin receptor in order to detect differences between human and porcine insulin in the interaction with the human insulin receptor. Human insulin was more effective that porcine insulin at inhibiting the binding of I-125-MA-5 to IM-9 cells, Hep-2 human larynx cells and human placenta membranes. On the contrary, human and porcine insulin showed similar inhibitory effect on the binding of two other labeled anti-insulin receptor monoclonal antibodies, thus ruling out the possibility that results were due to experimental artifacts. Although several interpretations are possible, data reported suggest that human insulin and porcine insulin might differently affect the insulin receptor, even if, the biological significance of these findings remains unknown

The Effect of Phonetic Complexity On Speaker Height and Weight Identification

Our purpose was to determine the effect of phonetic complexity on speaker height and weight identification in an attempt to establish the minimal acoustic cues necessary for distinguishing speakers' heights and weights. A total of 28 speakers, 14 females and 14 males, recorded 16 utterances representing four levels of phonetic complexity: isolated vowels, monosyllabic words, bisyllabic words and sentences. Eight master tapes were constructed, one for each of the four levels of phonetic complexity and the two sex groups. Twenty-four female judges participated in four experimental sessions, one for each level of phonetic complexity. In each session they heard the female and male tapes of one kind of stimulus and were asked to make direct estimations of the speakers' heights and weights. Results show that listeners are capable of accurate height and weight identification at all levels of phonetic complexity investigated. Differences in listener accuracy are, on average, only 0.41 inches and 1.44 lbs. Moreover, no regular, progressive trend is evident in listener accuracy from the simplest to the most complex stimuli. Implications of these findings and suggestions for future research are discussed. </jats:p

Two subtypes of mucinous adenocarcinoma of the colorectum: clinicopathological and genetic features

BACKGROUND: This work is aimed at comparing mucinous colorectal adenocarcinomas (MUC) and non-mucinous colorectal adenocarcinomas (non-MUC), and at verifying the existence of two different subgroups of MUC, in terms of clinicopathological features, chromosomal alterations, and outcome, in a geographical area where mucinous colorectal cancer resulted as being very frequent. METHODS: One hundred and fifty-six unselected patients who underwent curative colorectal resection for sporadic colorectal cancer over a 4-year period were evaluated for histological classification as to MUC and non-MUC subtype, for microsatellite instability (MSI) using six microsatellite markers, and for the presence of p27, Fhit, and cyclooxygenase-2 (Cox-2). Molecular data, immunohistochemical results, recurrence frequency, and patient survival were analyzed statistically in relation to histological subtypes. RESULTS: MUC accounted for 38.5% of all colorectal carcinomas. Compared to non-MUCs, MUCs were more frequently located in the proximal colon (p < 0.001), and more frequently showed MSI phenotype (p < 0.001), altered protein expression of hMlh1 (p = 0.030), Fhit (p <0.001), and p27 (p < 0.001). Compared to MUC with microsatellite-stable (MSS) phenotype, MUC with MSI more frequently resulted as being located in the proximal colon (p = 0.013), and more frequently showed altered expression of hMlh1 (p < 0.001), hMsh2 (p = 0.008), Fhit (p < 0.001), and p27 (p = 0.015). Significantly better survival of patients with proximal MUC (p = 0,012), with MSI MUC (p = 0.017), and with MUC with altered p27 expression (p = 0.02). CONCLUSION: The results of the present study confirm that MUC represents distinct clinicopathological and genetic features as compared to non-mucinous tumors and support the hypothesis that MUC includes two subtypes with different genetic pathways and behavior