Fluorescence, UV and visible and EPR spectroscopy studies were performed on normal human lenses ranging in age from 1 day to 92 years and on various cataractous lenses. These experiments revealed two specific age-related fluorescent compounds which develop in the lens nucleus on the basis of a UV-induced free radical tryptophan photo-degradation reaction resulting in an increasing concentration of the fluorogen with age. These fluorogens are responsible for the yellow color of the normal lens nucleus which becomes readily apparent by the second decade of life. The increase in the intensity of the yellow color with age parallels the increase in the 360 nm fluorogen concentration; the 435 nm fluorogen which appears to be a secondary product of the former, is related to the hazel to brown color which becomes manifest in the old lenses. The two fluorogens are markedly elevated in the nuclear (brown) cataracts but remain at normal or below normal levels in the cortical cataracts. A classification of the normal lens and primary cataracts is proposed on the basis of UV and visible light transmission and fluorescence spectroscopy in such lenses.

OBJECTIVE -Effective type 2 diabetes management requires prompt intervention if glycemic control is not achieved by nonpharmacological means. This study investigates whether inhaled insulin (INH; Exubera) can achieve target glycemic control in patients failing on diet and exercise.RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS -Patients with suboptimal control on diet and exercise (HbA 1c [A1C] 8 -11%) were randomized to 3 months' treatment with either INH before meals (n ϭ 76) or rosiglitazone 4 mg twice a day (n ϭ 69), in conjunction with a diet and exercise regimen. The primary end point was percentage of patients achieving A1C Ͻ8.0%. CONCLUSIONS -INH could be an effective therapy for people with type 2 diabetes early in the course of their disease. RESULTS

Several structurally related artemisinins cause similar developmental toxicity, suggesting an artemisinin class effect. Equally embryotoxic oral and IV treatments of one artemisinin compound (artesunate) produced similar systemic exposure to the artesunate metabolite, DHA, suggesting that DHA may be the proximate developmental toxicant. Embryolethal doses of artesunate only caused minor changes in maternal reticulocyte counts indicating that adult hematology parameters are not as sensitive as embryonic erythroblasts.

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A B S T R A C T We studied the effects of vitamin