What beta-cell defect could lead to hyperproinsulinemia in NIDDM? Some clues from recent advances made in understanding the proinsulin-processing mechanism

Recent advances made in the reuse of pulp and paper industry sludges in hardboard production are explained. Data obtained from pilot and full-scale plants using primary sludge of a pulp and paper industry as an additive in the production of hardboard is presented. An economic analysis of the reuse of pulp and paper primary sludge in hardboard manufacturing is given. The quality of the hardboard produced is tested and compared with the qualities of the hardboard produced by the same plant before the addition of primary sludge. The hardboard with primary sludge additive has been used in Turkey for about a year in the manufacturing of office and home furniture. The results are very satisfactory when the primary sludge is used at 1/4 ratio.

Download Full-text

Recent advances on the synthesis of the antidepressant Paroxetine

Current Medicinal Chemistry ◽

10.2174/0929867327666201026144848 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 27 ◽

Author(s):

Joana Santos ◽

M. Fernanda Proença ◽

Ana Joao Rodrigues ◽

Patricia Patrício ◽

H. Sofia Domingues

Keyword(s):

Total Synthesis ◽

Neurological Disorders ◽

Serotonin Reuptake ◽

Potent Inhibitor ◽

Starting Material ◽

Substitution Pattern ◽

Biological Probes ◽

Recent Advances ◽

Treatment Of Depression ◽

Made In

: Paroxetine is a potent inhibitor of serotonin reuptake and is widely prescribed for the treatment of depression and other neurological disorders. The synthesis of paroxetine and the possibility to prepare derivatives with a specific substitution pattern that may allow their use as biological probes, is an attractive topic especially for medicinal chemists engaged in neurosciences research. Considering the extensive work that was developed in the last decade on the total synthesis of paroxetine, this review summarizes the most important contributions in this field, organized according to the reagent that was used as starting material. Most of the methods allowed to prepare paroxetine in 4-9 steps with an overall yield of 9-66%. Despite the progress made in this area, there is still room for improvement, searching for new eco-friendly and sustainable synthetic alternatives.

Download Full-text

Ductal Cell Reprogramming to Insulin-Producing Beta-Like Cells as a Potential Beta Cell Replacement Source for Chronic Pancreatitis

Current Stem Cell Research & Therapy ◽

10.2174/1574888x13666180918092729 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 14 (1) ◽

pp. 65-74 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Aravinth P. Jawahar ◽

Siddharth Narayanan ◽

Gopalakrishnan Loganathan ◽

Jithu Pradeep ◽

Gary C. Vitale ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Chronic Pancreatitis ◽

Beta Cell ◽

Lineage Tracing ◽

Clinical Tool ◽

Glucose Levels ◽

Ductal Cells ◽

Pancreatic Ductal Cells ◽

Insulin Producing Cells ◽

Ductal Cell ◽

Recent Advances

Islet cell auto-transplantation is a novel strategy for maintaining blood glucose levels and improving the quality of life in patients with chronic pancreatitis (CP). Despite the many recent advances associated with this therapy, obtaining a good yield of islet infusate still remains a pressing challenge. Reprogramming technology, by making use of the pancreatic exocrine compartment, can open the possibility of generating novel insulin-producing cells. Several lineage-tracing studies present evidence that exocrine cells undergo dedifferentiation into a progenitor-like state from which they can be manipulated to form insulin-producing cells. This review will present an overview of recent reports that demonstrate the potential of utilizing pancreatic ductal cells (PDCs) for reprogramming into insulin- producing cells, focusing on the recent advances and the conflicting views. A large pool of ductal cells is released along with islets during the human islet isolation process, but these cells are separated from the pure islets during the purification process. By identifying and improving existing ductal cell culture methods and developing a better understanding of mechanisms by which these cells can be manipulated to form hormone-producing islet-like cells, PDCs could prove to be a strong clinical tool in providing an alternative beta cell source, thus helping CP patients maintain their long-term glucose levels.

Download Full-text

Beta Cell Function is Disrupted in Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Rheumatology ◽

10.1093/rheumatology/keaa874 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Alicia García-Dorta ◽

Juan Carlos Quevedo-Abeledo ◽

Íñigo Rua-Figueroa ◽

Antonia M de Vera-González ◽

Alejandra González-Delgado ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus ◽

Beta Cell ◽

Lupus Erythematosus ◽

Cell Function ◽

Multivariable Analysis ◽

Serum Levels ◽

Cell Secretion ◽

Systemic Lupus ◽

Proinsulin Processing ◽

Beta Cell Secretion

Abstract Introduction To investigate how markers of beta cell secretion (proinsulin-processing metabolites) are expressed in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients and their potential relation to features associated with the disease such as activity or damage. Methods 144 SLE patients and 69 nondiabetic sex- and age-matched controls were assessed. Beta-cell secretion molecules, as measured by insulin, split and intact proinsulins, and C-peptide levels were analyzed in both groups. Multiple regression analysis was performed to compare proinsulin propeptides between groups and to explore the interrelations with SLE features. Analyses were adjusted for glucocorticoid intake and for insulin resistance classic risk factors. Results Fully multivariable analysis demonstrated that regardless of glucocorticoid use, SLE patients exhibited higher levels of split proinsulin. Likewise, the split proinsulin-to-insulin ratio was upregulated in patients with SLE undergoing glucocorticoid therapy (beta coef. 0.19 [95%CI 0.07–0.30], p= 0.002) or not (beta coef. 0.09 [95%CI 0.01–0.17), p= 0.025). Similar results were found for the intact proinsulin-to-insulin ratio, although differences were only statistically significant for patients taking glucocorticoids (beta coef. 0.08 [95%CI 0.03–0.12], p= 0.001). SLE damage score was associated with higher serum levels of intact (beta coef. 0.51 [95%CI 0.17–0.86] pmol/l, p= 0.004) and split proinsulins (beta coef. 1.65 [95%CI 0.24–3.06] pmol/l, p= 0.022) after multivariable analysis, including disease duration and prednisone use. Conclusion Among patients with SLE, proinsulin-processing metabolites, a marker of beta-cell disruption, are upregulated compared with matched controls. This disproportionate hyperproinsulinemia can be explained by the damage produced by the disease and occurs independently of prednisone use.

Download Full-text

Smooth Muscle Contraction: Recent Advances

Canadian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology ◽

10.1139/y94-189 ◽

1994 ◽

Vol 72 (11) ◽

pp. 1317-1319

Author(s):

Newman L. Stephens

Keyword(s):

Smooth Muscle ◽

Muscle Contraction ◽

Myosin Light Chain ◽

Kinase Activity ◽

Smooth Muscle Contraction ◽

Recent Advances ◽

Regulation Of Contraction ◽

Muscle Biochemistry ◽

Remarkable Progress ◽

Made In

Research in smooth muscle contraction has shown remarkable progress over the last 5 years. Striking advances have been made in the areas of biochemical regulation of contraction, centering on myosin light chain kinase activity, and of biophysical delineation of the contractile process at the actomyosin level by use of the newly developed motility assay. The purpose of the symposium held at Minaki, Ont., was to obtain a comprehensive reporting of the recent advances made in the area of smooth muscle contraction. Specifically, advances in the areas of biophysics of contraction, energetics, and contractile and regulator proteins (including the interesting newcomers caldesmon and calponin) and the changes that occur in pathophysiological entities such as asthma, hypertension, anaphylactic shock, high-altitude hypoxia, and persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn were presented.Key words: smooth muscle biophysics, smooth muscle biochemistry, energetics of smooth muscle, pathophysiology of smooth muscle.

Download Full-text

Recent advances in the prevention and management of infections in children undergoing treatment for cancer

F1000Research ◽

10.12688/f1000research.19337.1 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 8 ◽

pp. 1910

Author(s):

Bob Phillips

Keyword(s):

Major Consequence ◽

Recent Advances ◽

Life Threatening ◽

Made In

A major consequence of the intensive multi-modal chemotherapy commonly used to treat malignancies in childhood is life-threatening infection, frequently during periods of profound neutropenia. Recent advances have been made in all areas of management, from trying to prevent infection to getting patients off antimicrobials and home again in the shortest, safest way. Potential avenues of further research are outlined for readers to be aware of in the next few years.

Download Full-text

Synthesis of metalloporphyrin-based porous organic polymers and their functionalization for conversion of CO2 into cyclic carbonates: recent advances, opportunities and challenges

Journal of Materials Chemistry A ◽

10.1039/d1ta08146b ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Rongchang Luo ◽

Min Chen ◽

Farong Zhou ◽

Jiamin Zhan ◽

Qi Deng ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cyclic Carbonates ◽

Organic Polymers ◽

Specific Design ◽

Porous Organic Polymers ◽

Design And Synthesis ◽

Recent Advances ◽

Made In

This review summarized the recent advances made in the task-specific design and synthesis of metalloporphyrin-based porous organic polymers (POPs) and their functionalization for conversion of CO2 into cyclic carbonates.

Download Full-text

Recent Advances in Palladium-Catalyzed Isocyanide Insertions

Molecules ◽

10.3390/molecules25214906 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 25 (21) ◽

pp. 4906

Author(s):

Jurriën W. Collet ◽

Thomas R. Roose ◽

Bram Weijers ◽

Bert U. W. Maes ◽

Eelco Ruijter ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Organic Synthesis ◽

Building Blocks ◽

Insertion Reactions ◽

Chemical Reagents ◽

The Past ◽

Recent Advances ◽

Recent Developments ◽

Palladium Catalyzed ◽

Made In ◽

Rapid Incorporation

Isocyanides have long been known as versatile chemical reagents in organic synthesis. Their ambivalent nature also allows them to function as a CO-substitute in palladium-catalyzed cross couplings. Over the past decades, isocyanides have emerged as practical and versatile C1 building blocks, whose inherent N-substitution allows for the rapid incorporation of nitrogeneous fragments in a wide variety of products. Recent developments in palladium catalyzed isocyanide insertion reactions have significantly expanded the scope and applicability of these imidoylative cross-couplings. This review highlights the advances made in this field over the past eight years.

Download Full-text

Potentials of probiotics in the treatment of food allergy – a review

Czech Journal of Food Sciences ◽

10.17221/200/2013-cjfs ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 32 (No. 3) ◽

pp. 205-212 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

A. Patel ◽

N. Shah

Keyword(s):

Immune Response ◽

Atopic Dermatitis ◽

Food Allergy ◽

Immune System ◽

Current Paper ◽

Gastrointestinal Disorders ◽

Recent Advances ◽

Health Promoting ◽

Treatment Of Food Allergy ◽

Made In

Food allergy is an adverse immune response to some proteins in some foods. Probiotic, health promoting bacteria have gained much importance because of their innumerable benefits, particularly in the treatment of diarrhea, hypercholesterolemia, atopic dermatitis, eczema, and gastrointestinal disorders by strengthening the immune system. The current paper reviews recent advances made in the treatment of food allergy through employing probiotic or synbiotic therapy. The results of several reports are very promising suggesting probiotics can influence the immune system to curtail the allergic responses.

Download Full-text