Ninety-nine patients suspected of having pancreatic carcinoma were studied prospectively for carbohydrate tolerance. Thirty-two patients were proven subsequently to have pancreatic carcinoma; the remainder served as a control group. There was an increased incidence of carbohydrate intolerance in patients with pancreatic carcinoma compared to the control group. Insulin and C-peptide measurements during glucose tolerance tests suggest abnormal beta cell function and possibly insulin resistance as causes for this abnormality. Although factors related to malignancy in general could partly account for the results, a specific factor occurring in patients with pancreatic carcinoma must also be considered as it could serve as a marker for the early detection of this disease.

Serial serum assays of immunoreactive FSH before, during and after a 4 h intravenous infusion of human follicle stimulating hormone (hFSH) in five healthy men revealed two disappearance rate constants with corresponding mean half-lives of 2.9 and 50.6 h. The mean distribution spaces calculated for the fast and slow component were 4.36 I and 75.9 1 respectively. The average value for the metabolic clearance rate was 17.2 ml/min and for the 225 Acta endocr. 81, 2 là I. Kinetics of human follicle stimulating hormone

Plasma glucagon (IRG), insulin and glucose responses to intravenous arginine infusion in the rat were studied. Three doses of arginine hydrochloride were infused into fasted rats: 0.2 gm/kg b.w., 0.5 gm/kg b.w., and 1 gm/kg b.w. The 0.2 gm/kg dose did not result in significant elevation of plasma IRG or insulin. Both the 0.5 and 1 gm/kg doses produced a significant increase in glucagon and insulin levels within 5 minutes of starting the infusion. The 1 gm/kg dose was most effective in stimulating secretion of both hormones. This dose produced a 250% rise in the plasma IRG compared to 80% peak rise with the 0.5 gm/kg dose (p less than .01) and 1055% rise in insulin levels compared to a peak level of 225% above baseline with the 0.5 gm/kg dose (p less than .001). These results demonstrate the effectiveness of intravenous arginine in the stimulation of glucagon and insulin secretion in the rat.