Cardiovascular Benefits of Empagliflozin Are Associated With Gut Microbiota and Plasma Metabolites in Type 2 Diabetes.

Context: Cardiovascular benefits of empagliflozin in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) have been reported; however, the underlying mechanism remains unknown.

Objective: We hypothesized that the cardiovascular benefits of empagliflozin are associated with altered gut microbiota and plasma metabolites, and that empagliflozin may be used as an initial treatment for patients with T2DM at risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs).

Methods: This randomized, open-label, 3-month, 2-arm clinical trial included 76 treatment-naïve patients with T2DM and risk factors for CVD who were treated with either empagliflozin (10 mg/d, n = 40) or metformin (1700 mg/d, n = 36).

Very-Low-Frequency transmitters bifurcate energetic electron belt in near-earth space.

Very-Low-Frequency (VLF) transmitters operate worldwide mostly at frequencies of 10-30 kilohertz for submarine communications. While it has been of intense scientific interest and practical importance to understand whether VLF transmitters can affect the natural environment of charged energetic particles, for decades there remained little direct observational evidence that revealed the effects of these VLF transmitters in geospace. Here we report a radially bifurcated electron belt formation at energies of tens of kiloelectron volts (keV) at altitudes of ~0.

[Analysis of clinical phenotypes and CYP21A2 gene variants in 18 patients with 21-hydroxylase deficiency].

Objective: To explore the genotype-phenotype correlation among 18 patients with 21-hydroxylase deficiency (21-OHD).

Methods: PCR-Sanger sequencing was used to analyze the 10 exons and flanking regions of the CYP21A2 gene among the 18 patients and 20 healthy controls.

Results: Seventeen patients had variants of the CYP21A2 gene.

Preparation and characterization of acetylsalicylic acid/chitosan nanoparticles and its antithrombotic effects.

Chitosan (CS)-acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) nanoparticles, which are well dispersed and stable in aqueous solution, have been prepared by interpolymer complexation of ASA in CS solution. The physicochemical properties of nanoparticles were investigated by using FT-IR, H NMR, scanning electron microscope（SEM）, dynamic light scattering, and UV spectrophotometer. It was found that the carboxyl group of the ASA had firmly integrated on the amino group of CS and the ASA-CS nanoparticles were almost spherical in shape with an average diameter of less than (79.

Long Non-Coding RNA CASC2 Improves Diabetic Nephropathy by Inhibiting JNK Pathway.

It's known that long non-coding RNA CASC2 overexpression inhibit the JNK pathway in some disease models, while JNK pathway activation exacerbates diabetic nephropathy. Therefore we speculate that long non-coding RNA CASC2 can improve diabetic nephropathy by inhibiting JNK pathway. Thus, our study was carried out to investigate the involvement of CASC2 in diabetic nephropathy.

Pyruvate kinase, muscle isoform 2 promotes proliferation and insulin secretion of pancreatic β-cells via activating Wnt/CTNNB1 signaling.

Failure of pancreatic β-cells is closely associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), an intractable disease affecting numerous patients. Pyruvate kinase, muscle isoform 2 (PKM2) is a potential modulator of insulin secretion in β-cells. This study aims at revealing roles and possible mechanisms of PKM2 in pancreatic β-cells.

Different intracellular signalling pathways triggered by an anti-prolactin receptor (PRLR) antibody: Implication for a signal-specific PRLR agonist.

In this work, we prepared a panel of monoclonal antibodies directed against prolactin receptor (PRLR) using the hybridoma technique. Of these monoclonal antibodies (Mabs), the Mab designated B6 was chosen for further characterization based on its biological activity. We first demonstrated that B6 can specifically bind to the prolactin receptor (PRLR) expressed on target cells by immunoprecipitation and Western blotting analysis.