This application requests continued support for operation of a General Clinical Research Center at the University of Chicago. The GCRC is now in its 17th year and has had a distinguished record in scientific investigation. It constitutes the only inpatient and outpatient research Center available to the faculty. It is now operating with 6 beds and is fully utilized. This application requests increase in size to 8 beds, and development of a discrete Center in contrast to the current scatter-bed arrangement. A wide variety of scientific investigations are underway involving members of the Departments of Medicine, Surgery, Pediatrics and Obstetrics and Gynecology. Among the scientific programs underway are the following. The effect of infusion of insulin and glucagon on restoration of liver function in individuals afflicted with alcoholic or postnecrotic liver failure will be studied. The relations of vitamin D malabsorption, metabolism, and blood levels will be studied in individuals who have an inflammatory bowel disease or steroid-induced osteopenia. The natural history, complications, and benefits of intestinal bypass procedures for treatment of obesity will be studied over the long-term. Diagnosis, therapy and natural history of the amenorrhea-galactoria syndrome will be investigated. The role of cimetidine as therapy of acid-reflux will be quantitated by direct measurement of acid-reflux into the esophagus. An """"""""artificial pancreas"""""""" will be used to evaluate the treatment of diabetic ketoacidosis, management of brittle diabetics, and to investigate the role of insulin, glucagon and growth hormone in metabolic adaptation to states including starvation and exercise. A calcium infusion test will be developed for diagnosis of insulinomas. Patients with antibodies directed to membrane receptors for insulin, causing insulin diabetes, will be investigated, as will the possible therapy for such conditions. The incidence of thyroid disease in children of patients with Graves' disease and Hashimoto's thyroiditis will be investigated as will the course of development of thyroid abnormalities in these children. Studies will be carried out to correlate the level of total and free androgens with the biologic expression of androgen activity. The natural history of X-ray induced damage to the thyroid, including development of thyroid adenomas and carcinomas, will be evaluated through a follow-up study of sever (Text Truncated - Exceeds Capacity)
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