Optimal Designs for Model-Based Assessment of Insulin Sensitivity and Glucose Effectiveness.

The integrated minimal model allows assessment of clinical diagnosis indices, for example, insulin sensitivity (S ) and glucose effectiveness (S ), from data of the insulin-modified intravenous glucose tolerance test (IVGTT), which is laborious with an intense sampling schedule, up to 32 samples. The aim of this study was to propose a more informative, although less laborious, IVGTT design to be used for model-based assessment of S and S . The IVGTT design was optimized simultaneously for all design variables: glucose and insulin infusion doses, time of glucose dose and start of insulin infusion, insulin infusion duration, sampling times, and number of samples.

Rapid and sensitive kinetic assay for characterization of omega-transaminases.

For the biocatalytic preparation of optically active amines, omega-transaminases (omega-TA) are of special interest since they allow the asymmetric synthesis starting from prostereogenic ketones with 100% yield. To facilitate the purification and characterization of novel omega-TA, a fast kinetic assay was developed based on the conversion of the widely used model substrate alpha-methylbenzylamine, which is commonly accepted by most of the known omega-TAs. The product from this reaction, acetophenone, can be detected spectrophotometrically at 245 nm with high sensitivity (epsilon = 12 mM(-1) cm(-1)), since the other reactants show only a low absorbance.