The Human Islet: Mini-organ with Mega-impact

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
John T Walker ◽  
Diane C Saunders ◽  
Marcela Brissova ◽  
Alvin C Powers
Keyword(s):  
Insulin Resistance ◽  
Human Islets ◽  
Human Islet ◽  
Past Century ◽  
The Past ◽  
Human Diabetes ◽  
Islet Changes ◽  
New Research ◽  
Islet Physiology ◽  
Insight Into

Abstract This review focuses on the human pancreatic islet – including its structure, cell composition, development, function, and dysfunction. After providing a historical timeline of key discoveries about human islets over the past century, we describe new research approaches and technologies that are being used to study human islets and how these are providing insight into human islet physiology and pathophysiology. We also describe changes or adaptations in human islets in response to physiologic challenges such as pregnancy, aging, and insulin resistance and discuss islet changes in human diabetes of many forms. We outline current and future interventions being developed to protect, restore, or replace human islets. The review also highlights unresolved questions about human islets and proposes areas where additional research on human islets is needed.

scholarly journals Non-credit Nonprofit Management Education: Beyond Mapping and Towards Critical Qualitative Inquiry

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Michele Fugiel Gartner
Keyword(s):  
Curriculum And Instruction ◽  
Management Education ◽  
Nonprofit Management ◽  
Qualitative Inquiry ◽  
Social Goals ◽  
The Past ◽  
University Courses ◽  
English Speaking ◽  
New Research ◽  
Insight Into

Nonprofit management education (NME) has received attention from scholars and practitioners over the past thirty years. Much of the research on NME focuses on credit-based university courses, primarily reflecting a U.S. context. Left out of analyses are non-credit NME offerings. This article relocates to an English-speaking Canadian landscape where a substantial number of non-credit NME courses are found. Mapping methodologies, favoured to showcase the breadth of NME, cannot offer deeper insight into questions and critiques of non-credit NME curriculum and instruction. This article shows how syllabi review and critical qualitative inquiry can deepen knowledge of non-credit offerings. A new research agenda for non-credit NME is required to support nonprofit managers to achieve their social goals. RÉSUMÉDepuis une trentaine d’années, la formation en gestion des organismes sans but lucratif (OSBL) a retenu l’attention d’universitaires et de praticiens. Cependant, une grande partie de leurs recherches sur la gestion des OSBL se concentre sur des cours universitaires offrant des crédits, et reflète un contexte principalement américain. Les cours sans crédit sur la gestion des OSBL sont omis des analyses. Cet article se focalise sur un paysage canadien anglophone où l’on retrouve un nombre important de cours sans crédit sur la gestion des OSBL. Certaines méthodologies de schématisation, privilégiées pour mettre en valeur la portée de tels cours, sont inefficaces pour offrir un aperçu plus approfondi des questions et critiques concernant le curriculum et l’enseignement de cours sans crédit sur la gestion des OSBL. Cet article montre comment la revue de plans de cours et l’enquête qualitative critique peuvent en revanche servir à approfondir la connaissance de ces cours sans crédit. Ainsi, un nouveau programme de recherche pour les cours sans crédit sur la gestion des OSBL s’avère nécessaire pour aider les gestionnaires d’OSBL à atteindre leurs objectifs sociaux.

New Light on Sterne: An Old Man's Recollections of the Young Vicar

PMLA ◽  
1965 ◽  
Vol 80 (5) ◽  
pp. 549-553 ◽  
Author(s):  
James M. Kuist
Keyword(s):  
Nineteenth Century ◽  
British Museum ◽  
Laurence Sterne ◽  
Present Knowledge ◽  
Private Life ◽  
Early Years ◽  
Past Century ◽  
Public Records ◽  
The Past ◽  
Insight Into

In a volume of miscellaneous manuscripts at the British Museum, placed at random and inconspicuously among larger folio leaves, is a set of notes headed “Sterne.” The notes were written by Joseph Hunter, the nineteenth-century antiquary and literary historian, and they came to the British Museum with Hunter's other papers shortly after his death in 1861. In view of the abundant information about Sterne's private life which the notes contain, it is surprising that this item has remained unindexed and that it is not mentioned in the catalogue description of the volume. In the absence of such references, very likely only an occasional reader who has happened upon them has seen these notes, and, since the major biographies of Laurence Sterne make no use of distinct details which Hunter provides, it is quite possible that none of Sterne's biographers have encountered Hunter's information during the past century. At present, our familiarity with the early years of Sterne's marriage and his residence at Sutton-on-the-Forest is rather limited, based as it is upon isolated public records, some letters, fugitive anecdotes, and the unflattering and sometimes vicious account written by John Croft. No impartial memoirs with any claim to authenticity or wealth of details have until now seemed available. Thus, the intimate account of Sterne which Hunter has given presents to modern scholars an unexpected and promising opportunity to gain new insight into the life and, perhaps, into the work of one of England's most unusual writers. A transcript of Hunter's notes appears below, followed by a brief evaluation of them according to our present knowledge of Laurence Sterne.

scholarly journals Historical Trends in Alpine Ski Design: How Skis Have Evolved Over the Past Century

Proceedings ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 49 (1) ◽  
pp. 135
Author(s):  
Jonas Truong ◽  
Marius Bulota ◽  
Alexis Lussier Desbiens
Keyword(s):  
Past Century ◽  
Performance Parameters ◽  
New Materials ◽  
Historical Trends ◽  
The Past ◽  
Geometric Stiffness ◽  
And Performance ◽  
The University ◽  
Insight Into ◽  
Do So

Alpine skis have changed dramatically in the last century. Long and straight wood skis have evolved into shorter lengths and now contain a plethora of modern materials. Shaped skis have become the norm. Today’s skis also offer a variety of waist widths and shapes to cater to specific uses. By studying how skis have evolved, it is possible to gain insight into how the design of alpine skis has progressed. To do so, the mechanical properties of 1016 skis, from the 1920s to 2019, were measured with a machine developed at the University of Sherbrooke. The resulting data are used to calculate various geometric, stiffness and performance parameters. The evolution of these parameters over the years is analyzed. This analysis provides a better understanding of the evolution of ski design and shows when the introduction of new materials and shaping concepts has changed the way skis are designed.

Cattle, progress, and a victimized nation

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 263-284 ◽  
Author(s):  
Graham Smith
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
The United States ◽  
Past Century ◽  
President Obama ◽  
Conceptual Metaphors ◽  
Congressional Debates ◽  
The Past ◽  
Insight Into

Abstract This paper analyzes three sources of discourse on immigration in the United States: congressional debates from the 1920s representing two polarized sides, a speech by President Obama, and a speech by President Trump. The goal of this analysis was to explore how the conceptual metaphors used in discussing immigration may have changed over the past century, in order to gain insight into the current polarization surrounding this topic. Results reveal striking similarities between Trump’s rhetoric and metaphorical framing and the 1920s anti-immigration side’s arguments, in that both situate the United States as a victim of immigration. In contrast, although there are fewer similarities between Obama’s metaphors and metaphorical frames and those used by earlier supporters of immigration, the claim that immigrants are a benefit to the United States remains constant.

Structure and relationships of basal relictual angiosperms

2004 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 343 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter K. Endress
Keyword(s):  
Research Methods ◽  
Past Century ◽  
Research Groups ◽  
Basal Angiosperms ◽  
The Past ◽  
New Research ◽  
New Framework

A review of the present perspective of basal angiosperms and the steps that led to this perspective is provided. Major steps of progress over the past century can be seen with the discovery of new extant plants (Degeneria), new fossils and the advent of new research methods, especially molecular cladistic studies, which catalysed new waves of research. A spectacular result in 1999 was the identification of the well-supported basalmost clades of the angiosperms, forming the ANITA grade, with Amborella, Nymphaeales and Austrobaileyales, by several research groups. This provided a new framework in which basal angiosperms can be discussed in evolutionary terms. In this review basalmost angiosperms (ANITA grade and Chloranthaceae) and other basal angiosperms (eumagnoliids and Ceratophyllaceae) are addressed, with a focus on the different major clades and on general traits and evolutionary tendencies. A short outlook for future avenues is also provided.

scholarly journals Faunal isotope records reveal trophic and nutrient dynamics in twentieth century Yellowstone grasslands

2012 ◽  
Vol 8 (5) ◽  
pp. 838-841 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kena Fox-Dobbs ◽  
Abigail A. Nelson ◽  
Paul L. Koch ◽  
Jennifer A. Leonard
Keyword(s):  
Nutrient Dynamics ◽  
Environmental Changes ◽  
Bone Collagen ◽  
Past Century ◽  
Significant Shift ◽  
Gray Wolves ◽  
The Past ◽  
Grassland Ecosystems ◽  
Population Sizes ◽  
Insight Into

Population sizes and movement patterns of ungulate grazers and their predators have fluctuated dramatically over the past few centuries, largely owing to overharvesting, land-use change and historic management. We used δ 13 C and δ 15 N values measured from bone collagen of historic and recent gray wolves and their potential primary prey from Yellowstone National Park to gain insight into the trophic dynamics and nutrient conditions of historic and modern grasslands. The diet of reintroduced wolves closely parallels that of the historic population. We suggest that a significant shift in faunal δ 15 N values over the past century reflects impacts of anthropogenic environmental changes on grassland ecosystems, including grazer-mediated shifts in grassland nitrogen cycle processes.

scholarly journals Our shifting perspectives on the oceans

Oryx ◽  
2003 ◽  
Vol 37 (2) ◽  
pp. 166-177 ◽  
Author(s):  
Callum M. Roberts
Keyword(s):  
Shallow Water ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Marine Species ◽  
Past Century ◽  
Geographic Ranges ◽  
The Past ◽  
Marine Habitats ◽  
Technological Advances ◽  
Marine Megafauna ◽  
New Research

In the last 15 years new research findings have radically reshaped our understanding of human effects on ocean ecosystems. Here I describe five major shifts in perspective that reveal our impacts to be more severe and persistent than previously appreciated. Firstly, scientists have delved deep into the past and found that the global expansion of European nations across the planet caused the large-scale loss of marine megafauna. In the past century, expansion of industrial scale fishing has continued the process, massively reducing the biomass of exploited species. Secondly, once depleted we are finding that populations rarely rebound rapidly, contrary to a widespread belief in greater resilience of marine compared to terrestrial species. Thirdly, marine ecosystems are being shifted into alternative states that are less desirable from the human perspective and may be stable. It could be difficult, or impossible in some cases, to reverse impacts once inflicted. Fourthly, marine species are at risk of extinction. Loss of shallow water marine habitats is proceeding as rapidly as on land, many species have small geographic ranges, and many possess life history characteristics that leave them highly susceptible to overexploitation. Finally, the deep sea is not beyond harm. Depletion of shallow water fisheries and technological advances are opening up the deep to exploitation and its collateral impacts. If we are to reverse these negative trends we must establish large-scale networks of marine reserves that are off limits to damaging activities and fishing. Such reserves would protect biodiversity, and recover and sustain the world's fisheries productivity.

The zoonotic potential of bat-borne coronaviruses

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 365-381
Author(s):  
Ny Anjara Fifi Ravelomanantsoa ◽  
Sarah Guth ◽  
Angelo Andrianiaina ◽  
Santino Andry ◽  
Anecia Gentles ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Material ◽  
Field Research ◽  
Sympatric Species ◽  
Animal Origin ◽  
Mammalian Host ◽  
Past Century ◽  
The Past ◽  
Novel Host ◽  
Horseshoe Bat ◽  
Human Infections

Seven zoonoses — human infections of animal origin — have emerged from the Coronaviridae family in the past century, including three viruses responsible for significant human mortality (SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV, and SARS-CoV-2) in the past twenty years alone. These three viruses, in addition to two older CoV zoonoses (HCoV-229E and HCoV-NL63) are believed to be originally derived from wild bat reservoir species. We review the molecular biology of the bat-derived Alpha- and Betacoronavirus genera, highlighting features that contribute to their potential for cross-species emergence, including the use of well-conserved mammalian host cell machinery for cell entry and a unique capacity for adaptation to novel host environments after host switching. The adaptive capacity of coronaviruses largely results from their large genomes, which reduce the risk of deleterious mutational errors and facilitate range-expanding recombination events by offering heightened redundancy in essential genetic material. Large CoV genomes are made possible by the unique proofreading capacity encoded for their RNA-dependent polymerase. We find that bat-borne SARS-related coronaviruses in the subgenus Sarbecovirus, the source clade for SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2, present a particularly poignant pandemic threat, due to the extraordinary viral genetic diversity represented among several sympatric species of their horseshoe bat hosts. To date, Sarbecovirus surveillance has been almost entirely restricted to China. More vigorous field research efforts tracking the circulation of Sarbecoviruses specifically and Betacoronaviruses more generally is needed across a broader global range if we are to avoid future repeats of the COVID-19 pandemic.

PCSK9 inhibition for LDL lowering and beyond – implications for patients with peripheral artery disease

VASA ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 47 (3) ◽  
pp. 165-176 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katrin Gebauer ◽  
Holger Reinecke
Keyword(s):  
Cardiovascular Risk ◽  
Risk Reduction ◽  
Ldl Receptor ◽  
Density Lipoprotein ◽  
Past Century ◽  
Pcsk9 Inhibitors ◽  
Cardiovascular Risk Reduction ◽  
Simultaneous Application ◽  
The Past ◽  
Pcsk9 Inhibition

Abstract. Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) has been proven to be a causal factor of atherosclerosis and, along with other triggers like inflammation, the most frequent reason for peripheral arterial disease. Moreover, a linear correlation between LDL-C concentration and cardiovascular outcome in high-risk patients could be established during the past century. After the development of statins, numerous randomized trials have shown the superiority for LDL-C reduction and hence the decrease in cardiovascular outcomes including mortality. Over the past decades it became evident that more intense LDL-C lowering, by either the use of highly potent statin supplements or by additional cholesterol absorption inhibitor application, accounted for an even more profound cardiovascular risk reduction. Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9), a serin protease with effect on the LDL receptor cycle leading to its degradation and therefore preventing continuing LDL-C clearance from the blood, is the target of a newly developed monoclonal antibody facilitating astounding LDL-C reduction far below to what has been set as target level by recent ESC/EAS guidelines in management of dyslipidaemias. Large randomized outcome trials including subjects with PAD so far have been able to prove significant and even more intense cardiovascular risk reduction via further LDL-C debasement on top of high-intensity statin medication. Another approach for LDL-C reduction is a silencing interfering RNA muting the translation of PCSK9 intracellularly. Moreover, PCSK9 concentrations are elevated in cells involved in plaque composition, so the potency of intracellular PCSK9 inhibition and therefore prevention or reversal of plaques may provide this mechanism of action on PCSK9 with additional beneficial effects on cells involved in plaque formation. Thus, simultaneous application of statins and PCSK9 inhibitors promise to reduce cardiovascular event burden by both LDL-C reduction and pleiotropic effects of both agents.

Archaeology in the Past Century

1901 ◽  
Vol 51 (1309supp) ◽  
pp. 20976-20977
Author(s):  
W. M. Flinders Petrje
Keyword(s):  
Past Century ◽  
The Past
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