105 research outputs found
Magnetic Field and Pressure Phase Diagrams of Uranium Heavy-Fermion Compound UZn
We have performed magnetization measurements at high magnetic fields of up to
53 T on single crystals of a uranium heavy-fermion compound UZn
grown by the Bridgman method. In the antiferromagnetic state below the N\'{e}el
temperature = 9.7 K, a metamagnetic transition is found at
32 T for the field along the [110] direction (-axis). The
magnetic phase diagram for the field along the [110] direction is
given. The magnetization curve shows a nonlinear increase at 35
T in the paramagnetic state above up to a characteristic
temperature where the magnetic susceptibility or
electrical resistivity shows a maximum value. This metamagnetic behavior of the
magnetization at is discussed in comparison with the metamagnetic
magnetism of the heavy-fermion superconductors UPt, URuSi, and
UPdAl. We have also carried out high-pressure resistivity measurement
on UZn using a diamond anvil cell up to 8.7 GPa. Noble gas argon was
used as a pressure-transmitting medium to ensure a good hydrostatic
environment. The N\'{e}el temperature is almost
pressure-independent up to 4.7 GPa and starts to increase in the
higher-pressure region. The pressure dependences of the coefficient of the
term in the electrical resistivity , the antiferromagnetic gap
, and the characteristic temperature are
discussed. It is found that the effect of pressure on the electronic states in
UZn is weak compared with those in the other heavy fermion
compounds
Associations of Insulin and Insulin-Like Growth Factors with Physical Performance in Old Age in the Boyd Orr and Caerphilly Studies
Objective
Insulin and the insulin-like growth factor (IGF) system regulate growth and are involved in determining muscle mass, strength and body composition. We hypothesised that IGF-I and IGF-II are associated with improved, and insulin with worse, physical performance in old age.
Methods
Physical performance was measured using the get-up and go timed walk and flamingo balance test at 63–86 years. We examined prospective associations of insulin, IGF-I, IGF-II and IGFBP-3 with physical performance in the UK-based Caerphilly Prospective Study (CaPS; n = 739 men); and cross-sectional insulin, IGF-I, IGF-II, IGFBP-2 and IGFBP-3 in the Boyd Orr cohort (n = 182 men, 223 women).
Results
In confounder-adjusted models, there was some evidence in CaPS that a standard deviation (SD) increase in IGF-I was associated with 1.5% faster get-up and go test times (95% CI: −0.2%, 3.2%; p = 0.08), but little association with poor balance, 19 years later. Coefficients in Boyd Orr were in the same direction as CaPS, but consistent with chance. Higher levels of insulin were weakly associated with worse physical performance (CaPS and Boyd Orr combined: get-up and go time = 1.3% slower per SD log-transformed insulin; 95% CI: 0.0%, 2.7%; p = 0.07; OR poor balance 1.13; 95% CI; 0.98, 1.29; p = 0.08), although associations were attenuated after controlling for body mass index (BMI) and co-morbidities. In Boyd Orr, a one SD increase in IGFBP-2 was associated with 2.6% slower get-up and go times (95% CI: 0.4%, 4.8% slower; p = 0.02), but this was only seen when controlling for BMI and co-morbidities. There was no consistent evidence of associations of IGF-II, or IGFBP-3 with physical performance.
Conclusions
There was some evidence that high IGF-I and low insulin levels in middle-age were associated with improved physical performance in old age, but estimates were imprecise. Larger cohorts are required to confirm or refute the findings
Recombinant human growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor-1 do not affect mitochondrial derived highly reactive oxygen species production in peripheral blood mononuclear cells under conditions of substrate saturation in-vitro
Recombinant Human Growth Hormone and Rosiglitazone for Abdominal Fat Accumulation in HIV- Infected Patients with Insulin Resistance: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Factorial Trial
Background: Recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) reduces visceral adipose tissue (VAT) volume in HIV-infected patients but can worsen glucose homeostasis and lipoatrophy. We aimed to determine if adding rosiglitazone to rhGH would abrogate the adverse effects of rhGH on insulin sensitivity (SI) and subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) volume. Methodology/Principal Findings: Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter trial using a 262 factorial design in which HIV-infected subjects with abdominal obesity and insulin resistance were randomized to rhGH 3 mg daily, rosiglitazone 4 mg twice daily, combination rhGH + rosiglitazone, or double placebo (control) for 12 weeks. The primary endpoint was change in SI by frequently sampled intravenous glucose tolerance test from entry to week 12. Body composition was assessed by whole body magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and dual Xray absorptiometry (DEXA). Seventy-seven subjects were randomized of whom 72 initiated study drugs. Change in SI from entry to week 12 differed across the 4 arms by 1-way ANCOVA (P = 0.02); by pair-wise comparisons, only rhGH (decreasing SI; P = 0.03) differed significantly from control. Changes from entry to week 12 in fasting glucose and glucose area under the curve on 2- hour oral glucose tolerance test differed across arms (1-way ANCOVA P = 0.004), increasing in the rhGH arm relative to control. VAT decreased significantly in the rhGH arms (217.5% in rhGH/rosiglitazone and 222.7% in rhGH) but not in the rosiglitazone alone (22.5%) or control arms (21.9%). SAT did not change significantly in any arm. DEXA results were consistent with the MRI data. There was no significant rhGH x rosiglitazone interaction for any body composition parameter. Conclusions/Significance: The addition of rosiglitazone abrogated the adverse effects of rhGH on insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance while not significantly modifying the lowering effect of rhGH on VAT
GROWTH HORMONE RESPONSIVENESS TO HUMAN PANCREATIC GROWTH HORMONE RELEASING FACTOR IN ACROMEGALY: MODULATORY EFFECTS OF BASAL HORMONE LEVELS AND OF CONCOMITANT SOMATOSTATIN ADMINISTRATION
Responsiveness of muscle protein synthesis to growth hormone administration in HIV-infected individuals declines with severity of disease.
- …