Effect of Metformin on Lactate Metabolism in Normal Hepatocytes under High Glucose Stress in Vitro

Objective To study the effect of metformin on lactate metabolism in hepatocytes in vitro under high glucose stress. In vitro LO2 cells, liver cells were randomly divided into blank control group, 25 tendency/L glucose solution, 27 tendency/L glucose solution,29 tendency/L glucose solution, 31 tendency/L glucose solution, 33 tendency/L glucose solution,35 tendency/L glucose solution treatment group, the optimal concentration of 31 tendency after L, use 30 tendency for L metformin solution, and then divided into blank control group, the optimal concentration of glucose solution, normal liver cells + metformin solution normal liver cells. The optimal concentration of glucose solution normal liver cells + metformin solution respectively in the 12 h, 24 h,48 h on cell count plate to calculate the number of liver cells, and using lactic acid determination kit the optimal concentration of glucose solution + normal liver cells and normal liver cells + the optimal concentration of glucose solution + metformin solution respectively in the 12 h, 24 h, 48 h of cell cultures of lactic acid value. There was no significant change in the lactic acid concentration but significant increase in the number of surviving hepatocytes in the highglycemic control group compared with that in the high-glycemic control group without metformin. Metformin has no significant effect on lactic acid metabolism of hepatocytes under high glucose stress in vitro, and has a protective effect on hepatocytes under high glucose stress. Based on this,it is preliminarily believed that metformin is not the direct factor leading to diabetic lactic acidosis

2023 roadmap for potassium-ion batteries

The heavy reliance of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) has caused rising concerns on the sustainability of lithium and transition metal and the ethic issue around mining practice. Developing alternative energy storage technologies beyond lithium has become a prominent slice of global energy research portfolio. The alternative technologies play a vital role in shaping the future landscape of energy storage, from electrified mobility to the efficient utilization of renewable energies and further to large-scale stationary energy storage. Potassium-ion batteries (PIBs) are a promising alternative given its chemical and economic benefits, making a strong competitor to LIBs and sodium-ion batteries for different applications. However, many are unknown regarding potassium storage processes in materials and how it differs from lithium and sodium and understanding of solid–liquid interfacial chemistry is massively insufficient in PIBs. Therefore, there remain outstanding issues to advance the commercial prospects of the PIB technology. This Roadmap highlights the up-to-date scientific and technological advances and the insights into solving challenging issues to accelerate the development of PIBs. We hope this Roadmap aids the wider PIB research community and provides a cross-referencing to other beyond lithium energy storage technologies in the fast-pacing research landscape

Thyroid Carcinoma with Pituitary Metastases: 2 Case Reports and Literature Review

We present 2 patients with pituitary metastases from thyroid carcinoma—the first from anaplastic thyroid carcinoma and the second from follicular thyroid carcinoma. The first patient, a 50-year-old lady, presented with 2-week history of hoarseness of voice, dysphagia, dyspnoea, and neck swelling. Imaging revealed metastatic thyroid cancer to lymph nodes and bone. Histology from surgery confirmed anaplastic thyroid cancer. She was found to have pituitary metastases postoperatively when she presented with nonvertiginous dizziness. She subsequently underwent radiotherapy and radioiodine treatment but passed away from complications. The second patient, a 65-year-old lady, presented with loss of appetite and weight with increased goitre size and dyspnoea. Surgery was performed in view of compressive symptoms and histology confirmed follicular thyroid carcinoma. Imaging revealed metastases to bone, lung, and pituitary. She also had panhypopituitarism with hyperprolactinemia and diabetes insipidus. She received radioiodine therapy but eventually passed away from complications

Expression of urinary exosomal miRNA-615-3p and miRNA-3147 in diabetic kidney disease and their association with inflammation and fibrosis

AbstractBackground Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is one of the most common chronic complications of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), and it is particularly important to identify a high-quality method for evaluating disease progression. Urinary exosomes contain microRNA that might promise early diagnostic and monitoring markers of DKD. The present study aimed to identify novel exosome-related markers associated with inflammation and fibrosis to assess the progression of DKD.Method Exosomes were extracted from the urine of 83 participants to determine the expression levels of miRNA-615-3p and miRNA-3147 in 20 healthy people, 21 patients with T2DM and 42 patients with DKD, as determined by RT-qPCR. The circulating expression level of TGF-β1 was detected by ELISA. Serum Cystatin C was measured by a latex-enhanced immunoturbidimetric method. The correlation analyses were performed for all clinical and laboratory parameters.Result The expression level of urinary exosomal miRNA-615-3p in DKD patients was significantly higher than that in the control group and the T2DM group by RT-qPCR. The expression of miRNA-3147 showed an upward trend in the three groups of subjects, but it was not statistically significant. The urinary exosomal miRNA-615-3p was positively correlated with serum Cystatin C, plasma TGF-β1, creatinine, BUN, PCR and 24-h urine protein, and negatively correlated with eGFR and albumin. The diagnostic efficacy of urinary exosomal miRNA-615-3p combined with the ACR was higher than that of ACR alone.Conclusions Urinary exosomal miRNA-615-3p may be used as a novel biomarker for evaluating the progression of DKD, and may be involved in the process of inflammation and fibrosis in DKD. The combined diagnosis of urinary exosomal miRNA-615-3p and ACR may be used as more stable and sensitive diagnostic criteria for DKD

Importance of control groups when delineating antibiotic use as a risk factor for carbapenem resistance, extreme-drug resistance, and pan-drug resistance in Acinetobacter baumannii and Pseudomonas aeruginosa: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Background: Carbapenem-resistant (CR), extremely drug-resistant (XDR), and pan-drug-resistant (PDR) Acinetobacter baumannii and Pseudomonas aeruginosa pose a huge clinical threat. This study reviews the impact of control groups on the association of antecedent antibiotic use and the acquisition of CR/XDR/PDR A. baumannii and P. aeruginosa. Methods: Studies investigating the role of antibiotics as a risk factor for CR/XDR/PDR A. baumannii and P. aeruginosa acquisition in adult hospitalized patients from 1950 to 2016 were identified in the databases. These were divided into two groups: antibiotic-resistant versus antibiotic-sensitive pathogens (group I); antibiotic-resistant versus no infection (group II). A random-effects model was performed. Results: Eighty-five studies (46 A. baumannii, 38 P. aeruginosa, and one of both) involving 22 396 patients were included. CR was investigated in 60 studies, XDR in 20 studies, and PDR in two studies. Prior antibiotic exposure was associated with significant acquisition of CR/XDR/PDR A. baumannii and P. aeruginosa in both groups I and II (p < 0.05). Antibiotic classes implicated in both groups included aminoglycosides, carbapenems, glycopeptides, and penicillins. Cephalosporin use was not associated with resistance in either group. Fluoroquinolone exposure was only associated with resistance in group I but not group II. Conclusions: Control groups play an important role in determining the magnitudes of risk estimates for risk factor studies, hence careful selection is necessary. Antibiotic exposure increases the acquisition of highly resistant A. baumannii and P. aeruginosa, thus appropriate antibiotic use is imperative. Keywords: Antibiotic, Risk factor, Carbapenem resistance, Extreme drug resistance, Pan-drug resistance, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Control

Molecular mechanisms of azole resistance in Candida bloodstream isolates

Abstract Background Antifungal resistance rates are increasing. We investigated the mechanisms of azole resistance of Candida spp. bloodstream isolates obtained from a surveillance study conducted between 2012 and 2015. Methods Twenty-six azole non-susceptible Candida spp. clinical isolates were investigated. Antifungal susceptibilities were determined using the Sensititre YeastOne® YO10 panel. The ERG11 gene was amplified and sequenced to identify amino acid polymorphisms, while real-time PCR was utilised to investigate the expression levels of ERG11, CDR1, CDR2 and MDR1. Results Azole cross-resistance was detected in all except two isolates. Amino acid substitutions (A114S, Y257H, E266D, and V488I) were observed in all four C. albicans tested. Of the 17 C. tropicalis isolates, eight (47%) had ERG11 substitutions, of which concurrent observation of Y132F and S154F was the most common. A novel substitution (I166S) was detected in two of the five C. glabrata isolates. Expression levels of the various genes differed between the species but CDR1 and CDR2 overexpression appeared to be more prominent in C. glabrata. Conclusions There was interplay of various different mechanisms, including mechanisms which were not studied here, responsible for azole resistance in Candida spp in our study