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JCI early table of contents for Sept. 16, 2013

2013-09-16
(Press-News.org) Researchers identify a metabolite as a biomarker of diabetes risk

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is the most common form of diabetes and is associated with many complications. T2D is preventable through weight control and exercise; however, many individuals are unaware that they are at risk and do not change their lifestyle in time to avoid disease. In this issue of the Journal of Clinical Investigation, Robert Gerszten and colleagues at Massachusetts General Hospital identify the metabolite 2-aminoadipic acid (2-AAA) as a biomarker for T2D diabetes risk. Individuals with increased levels of 2-AAA had a much greater risk of developing diabetes than individuals with lower 2-AAA levels. The authors found that this metabolite was present in at-risk individuals up to 12 years before to T2D onset. Additionally, addition of 2-AAA to isolated pancreatic cells from both mice and humans enhanced insulin secretion. This study provides a biomarker of T2D risk that is a potential therapeutic target for the regulation of glucose homeostasis.

TITLE: 2-Aminoadipic acid is a biomarker for diabetes risk

AUTHOR CONTACT: Robert E. Gerszten
Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, USA
Phone: 617-724-8322; Fax: 617-726-1544; E-mail: RGERSZTEN@PARTNERS.ORG

View this article at: http://www.jci.org/articles/view/64801?key=174fdbca12771be4333b



Genotype influences muscle performance

Elite endurance athletes commonly have mutations that result in the loss of the protein α-actinin-3, which is a major component of fast-twitch muscle fibers. Loss of α-actinin-3 is associated with reduced power, increased endurance capacity, and enhanced response to endurance training. In this issue of the Journal of Clinical Investigation, Kathryn North and colleagues at the Murdoch Children's Research Institute report that the loss of α-actinin-3 in fast-twitch muscle fibers, results in compensation by α-actinin-2. The presence of α-actinin-2 in fast-twitch muscle contributed to reprogramming these muscles through increased calcineurin signaling. This study provides insight into how mutations in the gene encoding α-actinin-3 promote skeletal muscle adaptations that are advantageous to elite endurance athletes

TITLE: ACTN3 genotype influences muscle performance through the regulation of calcineurin signaling

AUTHOR CONTACT: Kathryn North
Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Parkville, UNK, AUS
Phone: 61-3-8341-6226; Fax: 61-3-9348-1391; E-mail: kathryn.north@mcri.edu.au

View this article at: http://www.jci.org/articles/view/67691?key=56ae65251668e68f1365



ALSO IN THIS ISSUE

TITLE: Radiation-induced acid ceramidase confers prostate cancer resistance and tumor relapse

AUTHOR CONTACT: Xiang Liu
Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
Phone: 843-792-8499; E-mail: liux@musc.edu

View this article at: http://www.jci.org/articles/view/64791?key=33fb88a91ba4be40201d

TITLE: Integrins protect cardiomyocytes from ischemia/reperfusion injury

AUTHOR CONTACT: Robert Ross
UCSD / VA Healthcare San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA
Phone: 858-642-1138; Fax: 858-642-1199; E-mail: rross@ucsd.edu

View this article at: http://www.jci.org/articles/view/64216?key=e8e6af4e23435ac156c4

TITLE: Pak and Rac GTPases promote oncogenic KIT-induced neoplasms

AUTHOR CONTACT: Reuben Kapur
Indiana University School of Medicine, Herman B Wells Center for Pediatric , Indianapolis, IN, USA
Phone: 317-274-4658; Fax: 317-274-8679; E-mail: rkapur@iupui.edu

View this article at: http://www.jci.org/articles/view/67509?key=24e726058175dbdba5b3

TITLE: Myeloid-derived suppressor cell development is regulated by a STAT-IRF-8 Axis

AUTHOR CONTACT: Scott Abrams
Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY, USA
Phone: 716-845-4375; E-mail: Scott.Abrams@RoswellPark.org

View this article at: http://www.jci.org/articles/view/68189?key=80115473c2ff550aa400

TITLE: Maternal uterine NK cell–activating receptor KIR2DS1 enhances placentation

AUTHOR CONTACT: Ashley Moffett
Department of Pathology, Cambridge CB2 1QP, , GBR
Phone: 01223-333727; Fax: 01223-765065; E-mail: am485@cam.ac.uk

View this article at: http://www.jci.org/articles/view/68991?key=fc35e5ed4594967662fd

TITLE: p16INK4a protects against dysfunctional telomere–induced ATR-dependent DNA damage responses

AUTHOR CONTACT: Sandy Chang
Yale University School Of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
Phone: 203-737-4667; E-mail: schang@yale.edu

View this article at: http://www.jci.org/articles/view/69574?key=ef90170fda08456e9bb8

TITLE: Inhibiting glycolytic metabolism enhances CD8+ T cell memory and antitumor function

AUTHOR CONTACT: Luca Gattinoni
NCI, Bethesda, MD, USA
Phone: 301-451-6914; E-mail: gattinol@mail.nih.gov

View this article at: http://www.jci.org/articles/view/69589?key=7e34837159d36216bbd4

TITLE: Blood pressure homeostasis is maintained by a P311–TGF-β axis

AUTHOR CONTACT: Lucia Schuger
The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
Phone: 773-702-4784; Fax: 773-795-6357; E-mail: lschuger@bsd.uchicago.edu

View this article at: http://www.jci.org/articles/view/69884?key=54f3c5a99261ca71485e

INFORMATION:

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ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Researchers identify a metabolite as a biomarker of diabetes risk

2013-09-16
Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is the most common form of diabetes and is associated with many complications. T2D is preventable through weight control and exercise; however, many individuals are unaware that they are at risk and do not change their lifestyle in time to avoid disease. In this issue of the Journal of Clinical Investigation, Robert Gerszten and colleagues at Massachusetts General Hospital identify the metabolite 2-aminoadipic acid (2-AAA) as a biomarker for T2D diabetes risk. Individuals with increased levels of 2-AAA had a much greater risk of developing diabetes ...

Genotype influences muscle performance

2013-09-16
Elite endurance athletes commonly have mutations that result in the loss of the protein α-actinin-3, which is a major component of fast-twitch muscle fibers. Loss of α-actinin-3 is associated with reduced power, increased endurance capacity, and enhanced response to endurance training. In this issue of the Journal of Clinical Investigation, Kathryn North and colleagues at the Murdoch Children's Research Institute report that the loss of α-actinin-3 in fast-twitch muscle fibers, results in compensation by α-actinin-2. The presence of α-actinin-2 ...

Arachnophobic entomologists: When 2 more legs make a big difference

2013-09-16
For some entomologists, an apparent paradox exists: Despite choosing a career working with insects, they exhibit negative feelings toward spiders which range from mild disgust to extreme arachnophobia. An article in the next issue of American Entomologist features the results of a survey involving 41 arachnophobic entomologists who were asked questions about their fear of spiders. Although most entomologists had low scores (indicating mild disgust or mild fear), they still claimed to react differently to spiders than to insects. On the other end of the spectrum, some ...

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2013-09-16
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Cognitive enhancers do not help mild cognitive impairment

2013-09-16
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Prescription drug expenses in Canada are a health-care barrier

2013-09-16
High drug expenses in Canada are a substantial barrier for people to access prescription drugs outside of hospital, states an analysis in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal). Canada lacks a national pharmacare program, with drug costs borne by patients and a mix of private and publicly funded drug plans. Most insurance plans require copayments by patients, which can present a barrier to accessing needed drugs. Although provincial governments cover most or all drug costs for seniors and people on social assistance, the "working poor" do not have the same benefits, ...

Cognitive enhancers don't improve cognition, function in people with mild cognitive impairment

2013-09-16
TORONTO, Sept. 16, 2013—Cognitive enhancers—drugs taken to enhance concentration, memory, alertness and moods—do not improve cognition or function in people with mild cognitive impairment in the long term, according to a new study by researchers at St. Michael's Hospital. In fact, patients on these medications experienced significantly more nausea, diarrhea, vomiting and headaches, according to the study published today in the Canadian Medical Association Journal. "Our findings do not support the use of cognitive enhancers for mild cognitive impairment," wrote Dr. ...

iPad app teaches students key skill for success in math, science, engineering

2013-09-16
Engineers at the University of California, San Diego, have developed an iPad app that helps students learn spatial visualization, an essential skill for doing well in science, math and engineering. They have been testing the app during a high school summer program at the Jacobs School of Engineering at UC San Diego, as well as on undergraduate students at the school. Researchers are set to conduct more testing at UC San Diego and in local high schools this coming year. Their goal is to make the app publicly available by next summer. "As an engineer I visualize things ...

Automated telephone calls improve blood pressure control

2013-09-16
PASADENA, Calif., September 16, 2013 — Patients who received automated telephone calls inviting them to get their blood pressure checked at a walk-in clinic were more likely to have controlled hypertension than patients who did not receive calls, according to a Kaiser Permanente study published today in the Journal of Clinical Hypertension. The researchers studied 64,773 adult members of Kaiser Permanente Southern California with uncontrolled hypertension, commonly referred to as high blood pressure. Roughly half of these Kaiser Permanente members received automated phone ...

Studying dating abuse in the Internet age

2013-09-16
EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Non-physical abuse by a dating partner such as threats, controlling behavior and harassing text messages can have a serious effect on a teenager's health and well-being, finds new research led by a Michigan State University scholar. The study, which appears in the research journal BMC Public Health, is one of the first to examine the effects of both physical and non-physical dating abuse that is relevant to today's highly connected adolescents. While physical and sexual violence significantly affected the health and behavior of adolescents aged ...

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[Press-News.org] JCI early table of contents for Sept. 16, 2013