Developmental expression of GLUT3 glucose transporter in the rat brain

AbstractThe ontogeny of the GLUT3 glucose transporter gene and protein expression was studied in rat brain. Northern blot analysis using total RNA from rat brains at different developmental stages revealed that the levels of GLUT3 mRNA were very low during the embryonic stage and increased towards the postnatal stage. Immunohistochemistry using a specific antibody showed that the expression of GLUT3 protein was barely detectable in the embryonic stage, but was clearly detected on the plasma membrane of neuronal cells from 10 days after birth to the adult. Expression of GLUT3 mRNA and protein in the cerebral neuronal cell cultures was also examined during the maturation of neurons. GLUT3 glucose transporter of primary neuronal cultured cerebral cortical neurons was only detected in mature neurons after they were cultured for 14 days. These results indicate that GLUT3 plays an important role in glucose homeostasis postnatally in neurons of the rat brain

Exoskeleton for the Mind: Exploring Strategies Against Misinformation with a Metacognitive Agent

Misinformation is a global problem in modern social media platforms with few solutions known to be effective. Social media platforms have offered tools to raise awareness of information, but these are closed systems that have not been empirically evaluated. Others have developed novel tools and strategies, but most have been studied out of context using static stimuli, researcher prompts, or low fidelity prototypes. We offer a new anti-misinformation agent grounded in theories of metacognition that was evaluated within Twitter. We report on a pilot study (n=17) and multi-part experimental study (n=57, n=49) where participants experienced three versions of the agent, each deploying a different strategy. We found that no single strategy was superior over the control. We also confirmed the necessity of transparency and clarity about the agent's underlying logic, as well as concerns about repeated exposure to misinformation and lack of user engagement.Comment: Pages 209-22

Dual Microcatheter Retrograde Transvenous Obliteration of Gastric Varices: Coil Embolization as a Substitute for Balloon Occlusion

Dual microcatheter retrograde transvenous obliteration (DMRTO) of gastric varices enables dual microcatheters to be advanced to the gastric varices themselves or to a site adjacent to the varices. The sclerosing agent is infused through the first microcatheter following coil embolization of the outflow vessels through the second microcatheter, which is placed several centimeters back from the varices. We present two cases of gastric varices in whom balloon-occluded retrograde transvenous obliteration failed, because of angulated gastrosubphrenic shunt in case 1 and a tortuous and elongated gastrorenal shunt in case 2. DMRTO successfully achieved eradication of the gastric varices in both cases

The Receptor-Like Kinase SOL2 Mediates CLE Signaling in Arabidopsis

Arabidopsis sol2 mutants showed CLV3 peptide resistance. Twenty-six synthetic CLE peptides were examined in the clv1, clv2 and sol2 mutants. sol2 showed different levels of resistance to the various peptides, and the spectrum of peptide resistance was quite similar to that of clv2. SOL2 encoded a receptor-like kinase protein which is identical to CORYNE (CRN). GeneChip analysis revealed that the expression of several genes was altered in the sol2 root tip. Here, we suggest that SOL2, together with CLV2, plays an important role in the regulation of root meristem development through the CLE signaling pathway

Melting of excitonic insulator phase by an intense terahertz pulse in Ta2_2NiSe5_5

In this study, the optical response to a terahertz pulse was investigated in the transition metal chalcogenide Ta$_2$NiSe$_5$, a candidate excitonic insulator. First, by irradiating a terahertz pulse with a relatively weak electric field (0.3 MV/cm), the spectral changes in reflectivity near the absorption edge due to third-order optical nonlinearity were measured and the absorption peak characteristic of the excitonic phase just below the interband transition was identified. Next, by irradiating a strong terahertz pulse with a strong electric field of 1.65 MV/cm, the absorption of the excitonic phase was found to be reduced, and a Drude-like response appeared in the mid-infrared region. These responses can be interpreted as carrier generation by exciton dissociation induced by the electric field, resulting in the partial melting of the excitonic phase and metallization. The presence of a distinct threshold electric field for carrier generation indicates exciton dissociation via quantum-tunnelling processes. The spectral change due to metallization by the electric field is significantly different from that due to the strong optical excitation across the gap, which can be explained by the different melting mechanisms of the excitonic phase in the two types of excitations.Comment: 66 pages, 11 figures, 2 table

Idiopathic multicentric Castleman disease with positive antiphospholipid antibody: atypical and undiagnosed autoimmune disease?

Idiopathic multicentric Castleman disease (iMCD) is a systemic disorder characterized by systemic inflammation and organ dysfunction associated with an increase in pro-inflammatory cytokines. Some patients with iMCD are positive for autoantibodies, although their significance and relationship with specific associated autoimmune diseases are unclear. This study retrospectively analyzed the clinicopathological features of iMCD patients focusing on autoantibodies. Among 63 iMCD patients in our database, 19 were positive for at least one autoantibody. Among the 19, we identified five with plasma cell type (PC)-iMCD lymph node histopathology and positive anti-phospholipid antibodies. These patients were likely to have thrombocytopenia, anasarca, fever, reticulin fibrosis or renal insufficiency, organomegaly (TAFRO) symptoms, and thrombotic events. The present study suggests that patients with undiagnosed or atypical autoimmune diseases, including anti-phospholipid syndrome (APS), were treated for iMCD. APS may present with thrombocytopenia or even multi-organ failure, which overlap with clinical presentations of iMCD. Due to differences in the treatment regimen and follow-up, recognition of the undiagnosed autoimmune disease process in those suspected of iMCD is essential. Our study highlights the importance of complete exclusion of differential diagnoses in patients with iMCD in their diagnostic workup

Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Regulated by the CLAVATA Receptors Contributes to Shoot Apical Meristem Homeostasis

In Arabidopsis, the CLAVATA (CLV) pathway operates in the regulation of the size of the stem cell population in the shoot apical meristem (SAM). CLV3 functions as a small peptide ligand to negatively regulate the expression of the WUSCHEL (WUS) transcription factor through three major receptor kinase complexes of CLV1, CLV2-SUPPRESSOR OF LLP1-2 (SOL2)/CORYNE (CRN) and recently identified RECEPTOR-LIKE PROTEIN KINASE 2 (RPK2)/TOADSTOOL 2 (TOAD2). Aiming to understand the precise molecular details of CLV3 signaling, we investigated the contribution of phospho-signaling, potentially regulated by these kinase complexes, to the CLV pathway. We detected CLV3-triggered CLV1 phosphorylation, which is also conditioned by the rest of the CLV receptors, presumably by their direct association. Our comprehensive analysis of the activities of the respective CLV receptors on mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) suggested that the precise balanced regulation of MAPK activity by the CLV receptors is likely to be key for SAM homeostasis

Efficacy of SGLT2 inhibitors in IgA nephropathy associated with alcoholic liver cirrhosis accompanied by nephrotic syndrome: a case report

We present a 51-year-old male patient with a history of Child-Pugh Grade B alcoholic liver cirrhosis (ALC) who developed renal impairment (serum creatinine of 2.00 mg/dL) and nephrotic syndrome (a urinary protein level of 4.35 g/gCr). The patient was diagnosed with immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN) associated with ALC based on findings from comprehensive evaluations, including markedly elevated serum IgA levels (883.7 mg/dL), a kidney biopsy revealing significant IgA deposition in the para-mesangial area, and a liver diagnosis showing long-standing advanced ALC. Our treatment approach involved initiating dapagliflozin therapy, a sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitor, alongside strict alcohol abstinence. Remarkably, the patient demonstrated a dramatic reduction in proteinuria within one week of dapagliflozin administration. No hypoglycemic events were observed. This case adds valuable clinical insights into the potential therapeutic role of SGLT2 inhibitors in IgAN associated with ALC. Specifically, in cases where conventional steroid therapies may be contraindicated due to coexisting comorbidities such as diabetes or obesity, dapagliflozin emerges as a potentially efficacious alternative. Further investigations are warranted to validate these preliminary observations