Association of Circulating Markers of Microbial Translocation and Hepatic Inflammation with Liver Injury in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes.

Background: Virtually the entire spectrum of liver disease is observed in association with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM); indeed, T2DM is now the most common cause of liver disease in the U.S. We conducted a pilot study to investigate the relevance of increased microbial translocation and systemic inflammation in the development of liver injury in patients with T2DM.

90-Day Bundled Payment Simulation, Health Care Utilization, and Complications following Craniopharyngioma Resection in Adult Patients.

 Bundled payment and health care utilization models inform cost optimization and surgical outcomes. Economic analysis of payment plans for craniopharyngioma resection is unknown.  This study aimed to identify impact of endocrine and nonendocrine complications (EC and NEC, respectively) on health care utilization and bundled payments following craniopharyngioma resection.

Improved recovery of human islets from young donor pancreases utilizing increased protease dose to collagenase for digesting peri-islet extracellular matrix.

Human islet isolation from young donor pancreases (YDP) utilizing the current purified standard dose of collagenase-protease enzyme mixtures often results in the release of a high percentage of mantled islets. Mantled islets are those surrounded by exocrine tissue and are difficult to purify by density gradient centrifugation, leading to poor islet recovery. Based on difference in extracellular matrix, and total collagen content between YDP and old donor pancreas (ODP, > 35 Y) led us to compare results from islet isolation using increased collagenase combination (ICC) or increased protease combination (IPC), to the standard enzyme combination (SEC) in a "trisected" pancreas model to overcome the donor-to-donor variability.

Endothelial cell regulation through epigenetic mechanisms: Depicting parallels and its clinical application within an intra-islet microenvironment.

The intra-islet endothelial cells (ECs), the building blocks of islet microvasculature, govern a number of cellular and pathophysiological processes associated with the pancreatic tissue. These cells are key to the angiogenic process and essential for islet revascularization after transplantation. Understanding fundamental mechanisms by which ECs regulate the angiogenic process is important as these cells maintain and regulate the intra-islet environment facilitated by a complex signaling crosstalk with the surrounding endocrine cells.

Oscillatory dynamics of an intravenous glucose tolerance test model with delay interval.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) has become prevalent pandemic disease in view of the modern life style. Both diabetic population and health expenses grow rapidly according to American Diabetes Association. Detecting the potential onset of T2DM is an essential focal point in the research of diabetes mellitus.

Beneficial effect of recombinant rC1rC2 collagenases on human islet function: Efficacy of low-dose enzymes on pancreas digestion and yield.

A high number of human islets can be isolated by using modern purified tissue dissociation enzymes; however, this requires the use of >20 Wunsch units (WU)/g of pancreas for digestion. Attempts to reduce this dose have resulted in pancreas underdigestion and poor islet recovery but improved islet function. In this study, we achieved a high number of functional islets using a low dose of recombinant collagenase enzyme mixture (RCEM-1200 WU rC2 and 10 million collagen-degrading activity [CDA] U of rC1 containing about 209 mg of collagenase to digest a 100-g pancreas).

Intra-islet endothelial cell and β-cell crosstalk: Implication for islet cell transplantation.

The intra-islet microvasculature is a critical interface between the blood and islet endocrine cells governing a number of cellular and pathophysiological processes associated with the pancreatic tissue. A growing body of evidence indicates a strong functional and physical interdependency of β-cells with endothelial cells (ECs), the building blocks of islet microvasculature. Intra-islet ECs, actively regulate vascular permeability and appear to play a role in fine-tuning blood glucose sensing and regulation.

Adipose tissue and reproduction in women.

Adipose tissue has been viewed as the primary source of stored energy, but with the discovery of novel adipose tissue gene products, i.e., adipokines, another equally important role has emerged.

Lipodystrophy, insulin resistance, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, and cardiovascular disease in human immunodeficiency virus infection.

The introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapy has significantly reduced morbidity and mortality in patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus. Treatment with antiretroviral agents--protease inhibitors in particular--has uncovered a syndrome of abnormal fat redistribution, dyslipidemia, and impaired glucose metabolism, collectively termed lipodystrophy syndrome. The cause of the syndrome seems to be multifactorial; however, its exact mechanisms have yet to be elucidated.