A novel case of glial transdifferentiation in renal medullary carcinoma brain metastasis.

Renal medullary carcinoma is a rare undifferentiated tumor of the kidney associated with sickle cell trait and characterized by INI1 (SMARCB1) loss. Although metastasis to lungs, lymph nodes, and bone is commonly reported, distant spread to the central nervous system almost never occurs. Here we present an unusual case of a patient with renal medullary carcinoma with metastasis to the brain following treatment which included tazemetostat, an EZH2 inhibitor.

Machine learning recognition of hybrid lead halide perovskites and perovskite-related structures from X-ray diffraction patterns.

Identification of crystal structures is a crucial stage in the exploration of novel functional materials. This procedure is usually time-consuming and can be false-positive or false-negative. This necessitates a significant level of expert proficiency in the field of crystallography and, especially, requires deep experience in perovskite-related structures of hybrid perovskites.

Phase transitions, Dirac and Weyl semimetal states in MnGeBiTe.

Using angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) and density functional theory (DFT), an experimental and theoretical study of changes in the electronic structure (dispersion dependencies) and corresponding modification of the energy band gap at the Dirac point (DP) for topological insulator (TI) [Formula: see text] have been carried out with gradual replacement of magnetic Mn atoms by non-magnetic Ge atoms when concentration of the latter was varied from 10% to 75%. It was shown that when Ge concentration increases, the bulk band gap decreases and reaches zero plateau in the concentration range of 45-60% while trivial surface states (TrSS) are present and exhibit an energy splitting of 100 and 70 meV in different types of measurements. It was also shown that TSS disappear from the measured band dispersions at a Ge concentration of about 40%.

Interaction of Cyclosporin C with Dy Ions in Acetonitrile and in Complex with Dodecylphosphocholine Micelles Determined by NMR Spectroscopy.

The spectral characteristics of cyclosporin C (CsC) with the addition of Dy ions in acetonitrile (CDCN) and CsC with Dy incorporated into dodecylphosphocholine (DPC) micelle in deuterated water were investigated by high-resolution NMR spectroscopy. The study was focused on the interaction between Dy ions and CsC molecules in different environments. Using a combination of one-dimensional and two-dimensional NMR techniques, we obtained information on the spatial features of the peptide molecule and the interaction between CsC and the metal ion.

Comparative Effects of GLP-1 and GLP-2 on Beta-Cell Function, Glucose Homeostasis and Appetite Regulation.

Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and glucagon-like peptide-2 (GLP-2) are related intestinal L-cell derived secretory products. GLP-1 has been extensively studied in terms of its influence on metabolism, but less attention has been devoted to GLP-2 in this regard. The current study compares the effects of these proglucagon-derived peptides on pancreatic beta-cell function, as well as on glucose tolerance and appetite.

Nicotinic Signaling Stimulates Glucagon Secretion in Mouse and Human Pancreatic α-Cells.

Smoking is widely regarded as a risk factor for type 2 diabetes because nicotine contributes to insulin resistance by desensitizing the insulin receptors in muscle, liver, or fat. Little is known, however, about the immediate regulation of islet hormonal output by nicotine, an agonist of ionotropic cholinergic receptors. We investigated this by imaging cytosolic Ca2+ dynamics in mouse and human islets using confocal microscopy and measuring glucagon secretion in response to the alkaloid from isolated mouse islets.

Molecular and Clinical Features of Pancreatic Acinar Cell Carcinoma: A Single-Institution Case Series.

Acinar cell carcinoma (ACC) accounts for about 1% of pancreatic cancers. The molecular and clinical features of ACC are less characterized than those of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. : We retrospectively evaluated the clinical and molecular features of ACC patients who underwent germline and/or somatic molecular testing at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center from 2008 to 2022 and two cases from 2023-2024 who underwent RNA and TME analysis by Boston Gene.

Loss of electrical β-cell to δ-cell coupling underlies impaired hypoglycaemia-induced glucagon secretion in type-1 diabetes.

Diabetes mellitus involves both insufficient insulin secretion and dysregulation of glucagon secretion. In healthy people, a fall in plasma glucose stimulates glucagon release and thereby increases counter-regulatory hepatic glucose production. This response is absent in many patients with type-1 diabetes (T1D), which predisposes to severe hypoglycaemia that may be fatal and accounts for up to 10% of the mortality in patients with T1D.

Cafeteria diet compromises natural adaptations of islet cell transdifferentiation and turnover in pregnancy.

Background: Pancreatic islet β-cell mass expands during pregnancy, but underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. This study examines the impact of pregnancy and cafeteria diet on islet morphology, associated cellular proliferation/apoptosis rates as well as β-cell lineage.

Methods: Non-pregnant and pregnant Ins1;Rosa26-eYFP transgenic mice were maintained on either normal or high-fat cafeteria diet, with pancreatic tissue obtained at 18 days gestation.

Influence of the Structure of Hydrothermal-Synthesized TiO Nanowires Formed by Annealing on the Photocatalytic Reduction of CO in HO Vapor.

The present study investigates the photocatalytic properties of hydrothermally synthesized TiO nanowires (NWs) for CO reduction in HO vapor. It has been demonstrated that TiO NWs, thermally treated at 500-700 °C, demonstrate an almost tenfold higher yield of products compared to the known commercial powder TiO P25. It has been found that the best material is a combination of anatase, TiO-B and rutile.

[P]PP, a stable, long-acting pancreatic polypeptide analogue, evokes weight lowering and pancreatic beta-cell-protective effects in obesity-associated diabetes.

Aim: To thoroughly investigate the impact of sustained neuropeptide Y4 receptor (NPY4R) activation in obesity-associated diabetes.

Methods: Initially, the prolonged pharmacodynamic profile of the enzymatically stable pancreatic polypeptide (PP) analogue, [P]PP, was confirmed in normal mice up to 24 h after injection. Subsequent to this, [P]PP was administered twice daily (25 nmol/kg) for 28 days to high-fat-fed mice with streptozotocin-induced insulin deficiency, known as HFF/STZ mice.

Precursors consumption preferences and thiol release capacity of the wine yeasts Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Torulaspora delbrueckii, and Lachancea thermotolerans.

The aromatic profile of wine determines its overall final quality, and among the volatile molecules that define it, varietal thiols are responsible for shaping the distinctive character of certain wine varieties. In grape must, these thiols are conjugated to amino acids or small peptides in a non-volatile form. During wine fermentation, yeasts play a principal role in expressing these aromatic compounds as they internalise and cleavage these precursors, releasing the corresponding free and aroma-impacting fraction.

The impact of GLP-1 signalling on the energy metabolism of pancreatic islet β-cells and extrapancreatic tissues.

Glucagon-like peptide-1 signalling impacts glucose homeostasis and appetite thereby indirectly affecting substrate availability at the whole-body level. The incretin canonically produces an insulinotropic effect, thereby lowering blood glucose levels by promoting the uptake and inhibiting the production of the sugar by peripheral tissues. Likewise, GLP-1 signalling within the central nervous system reduces the appetite and food intake, whereas its gastric effect delays the absorption of nutrients, thus improving glycaemic control and reducing the risk of postprandial hyperglycaemia.

Dopamine signalling in pancreatic islet cells and role in adaptations to metabolic stress.

Objectives: Dopamine and related receptors are evidenced in pancreatic endocrine tissue, but the impact on islet β-cell stimulus-secretion as well as (patho)physiological role are unclear.

Methods: The present study has evaluated islet cell signalling pathways and biological effects of dopamine, as well as alterations of islet dopamine in rodent models of diabetes of different aetiology.

Key Findings: The dopamine precursor l-DOPA partially impaired glucose tolerance in mice and attenuated glucose-, exendin-4, and alanine-induced insulin secretion.

The endoplasmic reticulum plays a key role in α-cell intracellular Ca dynamics and glucose-regulated glucagon secretion in mouse islets.

Glucagon is secreted by pancreatic α-cells to counteract hypoglycaemia. How glucose regulates glucagon secretion remains unclear. Here, using mouse islets, we studied the role of transmembrane and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) Ca on intrinsic α-cell glucagon secretion.

Estimation of phase distortions of the photoplethysmographic signal in digital IIR filtering.

Pre-processing of the photoplethysmography (PPG) signal plays an important role in the analysis of the pulse wave signal. The task of pre-processing is to remove noise from the PPG signal, as well as to transmit the signal without any distortions for further analysis. The integrity of the pulse waveform is essential since many cardiovascular parameters are calculated from it using morphological analysis.

Molecular determinants and intracellular targets of taurine signalling in pancreatic islet β-cells.

Aim: Despite its abundance in pancreatic islets of Langerhans and proven antihyperglycemic effects, the impact of the essential amino acid, taurine, on islet β-cell biology has not yet received due consideration, which prompted the current studies exploring the molecular selectivity of taurine import into β-cells and its acute and chronic intracellular interactions.

Methods: The molecular aspects of taurine transport were probed by exposing the clonal pancreatic BRIN BD11 β-cells and primary mouse and human islets to a range of the homologs of the amino acid (assayed at 2-20 mM), using the hormone release and imaging of intracellular signals as surrogate read-outs. Known secretagogues were employed to profile the interaction of taurine with acute and chronic intracellular signals.

Optical and scintillation properties of hybrid manganese(II) bromides with formamidinium and acetamidinium cations.

In recent years, hybrid manganese(II) halides (HMHs) have attracted wide attention due to their impressive optical properties, low toxicity, and facile synthetic processibility. Being effective reabsorption-free phosphors, these compounds demonstrate the potential to be used as low-cost solution-processable scintillators. However, most of the HMHs studied to date contain bulk organic cations and, as a result, are characterized by low density and low X-ray stopping power.

Taxonomic diversity and abundance of enchytraeids (Annelida, Clitellata, Enchytraeida) in the Northern Palaearctic. 1. Asian part.

Background: Enchytraeids, or potworms, are tiny oligochaetes that are distributed worldwide in many terrestrial, freshwater and marine ecosystems. Despite their key role in the functioning of ecosystems, the diversity and abundance of Enchytraeidae are rarely studied due to the laborious process of species identification. The present study addresses this gap and sheds some light on the distribution and abundance of enchytraeids in the lands of the Northern Palearctic.

GLP-1 metabolite GLP-1(9-36) is a systemic inhibitor of mouse and human pancreatic islet glucagon secretion.

Aims/hypothesis: Diabetes mellitus is associated with impaired insulin secretion, often aggravated by oversecretion of glucagon. Therapeutic interventions should ideally correct both defects. Glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) has this capability but exactly how it exerts its glucagonostatic effect remains obscure.

Insight into the electronic structure of the centrosymmetric skyrmion magnet GdRuSi.

The discovery of a square magnetic-skyrmion lattice in GdRuSi, with the smallest so far found skyrmion size and without a geometrically frustrated lattice, has attracted significant attention. In this work, we present a comprehensive study of surface and bulk electronic structures of GdRuSi by utilizing momentum-resolved photoemission (ARPES) measurements and first-principles calculations. We show how the electronic structure evolves during the antiferromagnetic transition when a peculiar helical order of 4f magnetic moments within the Gd layers sets in.

Protease detection in the biosensor era: A review.

Proteases have been proposed as potential biomarkers for several pathological conditions including cancers, multiple sclerosis and cardiovascular diseases, due to their ability to break down the components of extracellular matrix and basement membrane. The development of protease biosensors opened up the possibility to investigate the proteolytic activity of dysregulated proteases with higher efficiency over the traditional detection assays due to their quick detection capability, high sensitivity and selectivity, simple instrumentation and cost-effective fabrication processes. In contrast to the recently published review papers that primarily focused on one specific class of proteases or one specific detection method, this review article presents different optical and electrochemical detection methods that can be used to design biosensors for all major protease families.

Pancreatic islet cell plasticity: Pathogenic or therapeutically exploitable?

The development of pancreatic islet endocrine cells is a tightly regulated process leading to the generation of distinct cell types harbouring different hormones in response to small changes in environmental stimuli. Cell differentiation is driven by transcription factors that are also critical for the maintenance of the mature islet cell phenotype. Alteration of the insulin-secreting β-cell transcription factor set by prolonged metabolic stress, associated with the pathogenesis of diabetes, obesity or pregnancy, results in the loss of β-cell identity through de- or transdifferentiation.