Open source automated insulin delivery: addressing the challenge.

Do-it-yourself automated insulin delivery systems for people living with type 1 diabetes use commercially available continuous glucose sensors and insulin pumps linked by unregulated open source software. Uptake of these systems is increasing, with growing evidence suggesting that positive glucose outcomes may be feasible. Increasing interest from people living with, or affected by, type 1 diabetes presents challenges to healthcare professionals, device manufacturers and regulators as the legal, governance and risk frameworks for such devices are not defined.

Antigen Localization Influences the Magnitude and Kinetics of Endogenous Adaptive Immune Response to Recombinant Salmonella Vaccines.

The use of recombinant attenuated vaccine (RASV) strains is a promising strategy for presenting heterologous antigens to the mammalian immune system to induce both cellular and humoral immune responses. However, studies on RASV development differ on where heterologous antigens are expressed and localized within the bacterium, and it is unclear how antigen localization modulates the immune response. Previously, we exploited the plasmid-encoded toxin (Pet) autotransporter system for accumulation of heterologous antigens in cell culture supernatant.

The role of tumour suppressor PDCD4 in beta cell death in hypoxia.

Objective: Hypoxia is known to induce pancreatic beta cell dysfunction and apoptosis. Changes in Programmed Cell Death Gene 4 (PDCD4) expression have previously been linked with beta cell neogenesis and function. Our aim was to investigate the effects of hypoxia on cell viability, PDCD4 expression and subcellular localisation.

Utilizing rapid multiple-locus variable-number tandem-repeat analysis typing to aid control of hospital-acquired Clostridium difficile Infection: a multicenter study.

The early identification of outbreaks is crucial for the control of Clostridium difficile infection. This study aimed to determine if the number of hospital-acquired C. difficile infections could be reduced by rapidly typing C.

Understanding the impact of HIV diagnosis amongst gay men in Scotland: an interpretative phenomenological analysis.

Objectives: Although a wide literature details the psychological impact of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) diagnosis, it predates the introduction of effective treatment for HIV (i.e. anti-retroviral therapies, ARTs).

Pseudoislets as primary islet replacements for research: report on a symposium at King's College London, London UK.

Laboratory-based research aimed at understanding processes regulating insulin secretion and mechanisms underlying β-cell dysfunction and loss in diabetes often makes use of rodents, as these processes are in many respects similar between rats/mice and humans. Indeed, a rough calculation suggests that islets have been isolated from as many as 150,000 rodents to generate the data contained within papers published in 2009 and the first four months of 2010. Rodent use for islet isolation has been mitigated, to a certain extent, by the availability of a variety of insulin-secreting cell lines that are used by researchers world-wide.

Tumor suppressor Pdcd4 is a major transcript that is upregulated during in vivo pancreatic islet neogenesis and is expressed in both beta-cell and ductal cell lines.

Objectives: We wished to identify a major transcript that is upregulated during in vivo pancreatic islet neogenesis and examine the expression of the gene in beta and ductal cells.

Methods: Differential display polymerase chain reaction was used to identify upregulated transcripts after islet neogenesis was stimulated in the rat by brief occlusion of the main pancreatic duct. The expression of this major transcript, namely PDCD4 (programmed cell death gene 4), was measured in beta and ductal cells after stimulation with the incretin hormone glucagon-like peptide 1, mitogenic insulin, the thiazolidinedione rosiglitazone, and by high glucose concentrations.

Selenium stimulates pancreatic beta-cell gene expression and enhances islet function.

The present study investigated the role of selenium in the regulation of pancreatic beta-cell function. Utilising the mouse beta-cell line Min6, we have shown that selenium specifically upregulates Ipf1 (insulin promoter factor 1) gene expression, activating the -2715 to -1960 section of the Ipf1 gene promoter. Selenium increased both Ipf1 and insulin mRNA levels in Min6 cells and stimulated increases in insulin content and insulin secretion in isolated primary rat islets of Langerhans.

Managing threats to femininity: personal and interpersonal experience of living with vulval pain.

Women living with vulval pain can experience psychosocial difficulties. The current study explores the meaning and impact of vulval pain using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Interviews were conducted with eight women.