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:
END
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
2013-09-16
Chronic exposure to high levels of interleukin-6 was associated with a significantly lower likelihood of healthy aging, according to a study in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).
Interleukin-6 is marker of inflammation, and chronic inflammation has been linked to a variety of age-related diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease and cognitive decline. Diet, chronic disease, smoking and other factors can cause inflammation. However, studies on chronic inflammation have generally looked at inflammation at only one point in time.
Researchers analyzed data on ...
2013-09-16
Cognitive enhancers did not improve cognition and were associated with increased harm in people with mild cognitive impairment, according to a study published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).
Mild cognitive impairment is a condition characterized by memory complaints without substantial limitations in everyday activity. With an increasing proportion of people aged 65 years and older and the growing number of those with mild cognitive impairment, health care professionals, patients and informal caregivers are seeking ways to delay the progression of cognitive ...
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, ...
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. ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:
[Press-News.org] JCI early table of contents for Sept. 16, 2013
