Genetic variability in sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 influences glycemic control and risk for diabetic retinopathy in type 2 diabetes patients

BackgroundGluconeogenesis and renal glucose excretion in kidneys both play an important role in glucose homeostasis. Sodium-glucose cotransporter (SGLT2), coded by the SLC5A2 gene is responsible for reabsorption up to 99% of the filtered glucose in proximal tubules. SLC5A2 genetic polymorphisms were suggested to influence glucose homeostasis. We investigated if common SLC5A2 rs9934336 polymorphism influences glycemic control and risk for macro or microvascular complications in Slovenian type 2 diabetes (T2D) patients.MethodsAll 181 clinically well characterized T2D patients were genotyped for SLC5A2 rs9934336 G>A polymorphism. Associations with glycemic control and T2D complications were assessed with nonparametric tests and logistic regression.ResultsSLC5A2 rs9934336 was significantly associated with increased fasting blood glucose levels (P<0.001) and HbA1c levels under the dominant genetic model (P=0.030). After adjustment for T2D duration, significantly higher risk for diabetic retinopathy was present in carriers of at least one polymorphic SLC5A2 rs9934336 A allele compared to non-carriers (OR=7.62; 95%CI=1.65-35.28; P=0.009).ConclusionsOur pilot study suggests an important role of SLC5A2 polymorphisms in the physiologic process of glucose reabsorption in kidneys in T2D patients. This is also the first report on the association between SLC5A2 polymorphism and diabetic retinopathy.     

The investigation of therapeutic potential of oxytocin and liraglutide on vincristine‐induced neuropathy in rats

The aim of this study was to assess the therapeutic potential of oxytocin and liraglutide (LIR), a GLP‐1 analogue, in a rat model of vincristine‐induced neuropathy. Rats were injected with vincristine (VCR) at a dose of 4 mg/kg twice a week for 5 weeks. The VCR‐administered rats were divided into three groups and received saline, oxytocin, or liraglutide simultaneously with VCR. After the treatment period, electrophysiological, biochemical, histological, and immunohistochemical investigations were performed. Electromyography (EMG) recordings demonstrated significant alterations in the VCR + saline group (p < .001). Also, motor performance was decreased in the VCR + saline group (p < .05). Histologically, the axonal diameter was decreased in all groups. VCR + saline group showed significantly increased lipid peroxidation and decreased nerve growth factor (NGF) expression. However, the administration of oxytocin and liraglutide significantly prevented the EMG alterations, lipid peroxidation, and reduction in neuronal NGF expression. On the basis of these findings, oxytocin and liraglutide may be considered as potential agents for the prevention of VCR‐induced neuropathy.     

Taxonomic review and phylogenetic inference elucidate the evolutionary history of Mesozoic Procercopidae,with new data from the Cretaceous Jehol Biota of NE China (Hemiptera,Cicadomorpha)

The Mesozoic family Procercopidae is widely treated as the ancient group of Cercopoidea and a transitional unit to recent lineages, but its evolution and diversity are vague due to fragmentary fossil record and confusing taxonomic history. Herein, an extensive taxonomic review of Procercopidae is presented and some new fossils are reported from the Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation of NE China. As a result, Chengdecercopis Hong, 1983 is transferred from Procercopidae to Sinoalidae; Procercopis longipennis Becker-Migdisova, 1962 and P shawanensis Zhang, Wang and Zhang, 2003 are transferred to Procercopina Martynov, 1937, resulting in Procercopina longipennis (Becker-Migdisova, 1962), comb. n. and P shawanensis (Zhang, Wang and Zhang, 2003), comb. n.; Luanpingia senjituensis Hong, 1984 is transferred to Stellularis Chen, Yao and Ren, 2015, leading to Stellulari senjituensis (Hong, 1984), comb. n.; Anthoscytina macula Hu, Yao and Ren, 2014 is transferred to Sinocercopis Hong, 1982, and Sunoscytinopteris (Scytinopteridae) and Cathaycixius (Cixiidae) are treated as junior homonym names of Sinocercopis, leading to Sinocercopis macula (Hu, Yao and Ren, 2014), comb. n., S lushangfenensis (Hong, 1984), comb. n., S pustulosis (Ren, 1995), comb. n., and S trinervis (Ren, 1995), comb. n. Additionally, two new species are erected: Stellularis bineuris Chen and Wang, sp. n. and S minutus Chen and Wang, sp. n. Our cladistic analysis based on wing (tegmen and hind wing) characteristics recovers the high-level relationships within Cercopoidea: Sinoalidae + (Procercopidae + (Cercopionidae + modern cercopoids)). Within the family Procercopidae, the cladistic analysis reveals that the Middle to Late Jurassic Titanocercopis and Jurocercopis and the Cretaceous Cretocercopis occupy the basal position, and a gradual change in wing venation can be recognized from the Early Jurassic Procercopis and Procercopina to the Jurassic Anthoscytina, and then to the Cretaceous Stellularis and Sinocercopis. The two Cretaceous genera, sharing wing traits with extant cercopoids, likely represent transitional forms between Procercopidae and recent Cercopoidea; however, they are very similar to their Jurassic relatives in body structures, suggesting it is applicable to attribute them to Procercopidae. Furthermore, our analysis suggests that the extinction of Procercopidae and the origin and early diversification of modern Cercopoidea approximately coincided with the rise and explosive radiation of angiosperms in the late Early Cretaceous and onwards.     

Lasting the distance: The survival of alien birds shipped to New Zealand in the 19th century

Invasive alien species are a major threat to biodiversity and human activities, providing a strong incentive to understand the processes by which alien invasion occurs. While it is important to understand the determinants of success at each of several invasion stages—transport, introduction, establishment, and spread—few studies have explored the first of these stages. Here, we quantify and analyze variation in the success of individual animals in surviving the transport stage, based on shipping records of European passerines destined for New Zealand. We mined the original documents of Acclimatisation Societies, established in New Zealand for the purpose of introducing supposedly beneficial alien species, in combination with recently digitized newspaper archives, to produce a unique dataset of 122 ships that carried passerines from Europe to New Zealand between 1850 and 1885. For 37 of these shipments, data on the survival of individual species were available. Using generalized linear mixed models, we explored how survival was related to characteristics of the shipments and the species. We show that species differed greatly in their survival, but none of the tested traits accounted for these differences. Yet, survival increased over time, which mirrors the switch from early haphazard shipments to larger organized shipments. Our results imply that it was the quality of care received by the birds that most affected success at this stage of the invasion process.     

Two calcium‐binding chaperones from the fat body of the Colorado potato beetle,Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) involved in diapause

Molecular chaperones are crucial for the correct folding of newly synthesized polypeptides, in particular, under stress conditions. Various studies have revealed the involvement of molecular chaperones, such as heat shock proteins, in diapause maintenance and starvation; however, the role of other chaperones in diapause and starvation relatively is unknown. In the current study, we identified two lectin‐type chaperones with calcium affinity, a calreticulin (LdCrT) and a calnexin (LdCnX), that were present in the fat body of the Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) during diapause. Both proteins possessed an N‐globular domain, a P‐arm domain, and a highly charged C‐terminal domain, while an additional transmembrane domain was present in LdCnX. Phylogenetic analysis revealed distinction at the order level. Both genes were expressed in multiple tissues in larval and adult stages, and constitutively throughout development, though a starvation response was detected only for LdCrT. In females, diapause‐related expression analysis in the whole body revealed an upregulation of both genes by post‐diapause, but a downregulation by diapause only for LdCrT. By contrast, males revealed no alteration in their diapause‐related expression pattern in the entire body for both genes. Fat body‐specific expression analysis of both genes in relation to diapause revealed the same expression pattern with no alteration in females and downregulation in males by post‐diapause. This study suggests that calcium‐binding chaperones play similar and possibly gender‐specific roles during diapause.     

Cytotoxic activities of Hypericum perforatum L. extracts against 2D and 3D cancer cell models

Cytotechnology - Six extracts were obtained from plant species Hypericum perforatum L., collected at Samsun in Turkey. The aim of this study was to examine the mechanisms of the anticancer activity...     

Multi-proxy analysis of waterlogged preserved Late Neolithic canine excrements

Vegetation History and Archaeobotany - Multi-proxy analysis of the coprolites which were found during excavations at two Late Neolithic (fourth millennium bc) pile-dwelling sites (Črnelnik and...     

Discrimination of red porgy Pagrus pagrus (Sparidae) potential stocks in the south-western Atlantic by otolith shape analysis

Otolith shape analysis is a powerful method for fish stock identification. We compared the otolith shape of Pagrus pagrus (Linnaeus 1758) along with its distribution in four south-western Atlantic regions where it is commercially fished: Rio de Janeiro, Rio Grande do Sul in southern Brazil, the Argentine-Uruguayan Common Fishing Zone (UA) and the Argentinian Exclusive Fishing Zone (AR). Otolith shapes were compared by Elliptical Fourier and Wavelet coefficients among specimens in a size range with similar otoliths, morphometric parameters and ages. Four potential stocks were identified: one in the AR, a second along the UA which included specimens from southern Brazil with well-marked opaque bands in its otoliths (MRS), the third in southern Brazil with faint or absent opaque bands in its otoliths (FRS) and the fourth along Rio de Janeiro. The difference in the otolith shape among regions followed differences reported using other stock identification techniques. The similarity between otoliths from UA and MRS (ANOVA-like, P > 0.01) can be explained by seasonal short-range migrations. Otoliths shape differences between MRS and FRS (ANOVA-like, P < 0.01) suggest that P. pagrus does not form a homogeneous group in southern Brazil.