Development and potential role of type-2 sodium-glucose transporter inhibitors for management of type 2 diabetes

There is a recognized need for new treatment options for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Recovery of glucose from the glomerular filtrate represents an important mechanism in maintaining glucose homeostasis and represents a novel target for the management of T2DM. Recovery of glucose from the glomerular filtrate is executed principally by the type 2 sodium-glucose cotransporter (SGLT2). Inhibition of SGLT2 promotes glucose excretion and normalizes glycemia in animal models. First reports of specifically designed SGLT2 inhibitors began to appear in the second half of the 1990s. Several candidate SGLT2 inhibitors are currently under development, with four in the later stages of clinical testing. The safety profile of SGLT2 inhibitors is expected to be good, as their target is a highly specific membrane transporter expressed almost exclusively within the renal tubules. One safety concern is that of glycosuria, which could predispose patients to increased urinary tract infections. So far the reported safety profile of SGLT2 inhibitors in clinical studies appears to confirm that the class is well tolerated. Where SGLT2 inhibitors will fit in the current cascade of treatments for T2DM has yet to be established. The expected favorable safety profile and insulin-independent mechanism of action appear to support their use in combination with other antidiabetic drugs. Promotion of glucose excretion introduces the opportunity to clear calories (80–90 g [300–400 calories] of glucose per day) in patients that are generally overweight, and is expected to work synergistically with weight reduction programs. Experience will most likely lead to better understanding of which patients are likely to respond best to SGLT2 inhibitors, and under what circumstances

25th annual computational neuroscience meeting: CNS-2016

The same neuron may play different functional roles in the neural circuits to which it belongs. For example, neurons in the Tritonia pedal ganglia may participate in variable phases of the swim motor rhythms [1]. While such neuronal functional variability is likely to play a major role the delivery of the functionality of neural systems, it is difficult to study it in most nervous systems. We work on the pyloric rhythm network of the crustacean stomatogastric ganglion (STG) [2]. Typically network models of the STG treat neurons of the same functional type as a single model neuron (e.g. PD neurons), assuming the same conductance parameters for these neurons and implying their synchronous firing [3, 4]. However, simultaneous recording of PD neurons shows differences between the timings of spikes of these neurons. This may indicate functional variability of these neurons. Here we modelled separately the two PD neurons of the STG in a multi-neuron model of the pyloric network. Our neuron models comply with known correlations between conductance parameters of ionic currents. Our results reproduce the experimental finding of increasing spike time distance between spikes originating from the two model PD neurons during their synchronised burst phase. The PD neuron with the larger calcium conductance generates its spikes before the other PD neuron. Larger potassium conductance values in the follower neuron imply longer delays between spikes, see Fig. 17.Neuromodulators change the conductance parameters of neurons and maintain the ratios of these parameters [5]. Our results show that such changes may shift the individual contribution of two PD neurons to the PD-phase of the pyloric rhythm altering their functionality within this rhythm. Our work paves the way towards an accessible experimental and computational framework for the analysis of the mechanisms and impact of functional variability of neurons within the neural circuits to which they belong

UNESCO World Heritage Site label and sustainable tourism in Europe: a user-generated content analysis

Officially branding local heritage through recognised labels is a strategy that regions can use to promote economic development. Regions increasingly seek more sustainable tourism development, which can be captured by the quality of local tourist service development. This paper examines whether the UNESCO World Heritage Site (WHS) label is associated with local tourism development of a higher quality and offers the first comparative study across European regions. Using TripAdvisor reviews of over 38,000 European locations, our results reveal a positive correlation between WHS labelling and measures of perceived quality and breadth of local tourist services

Effect of PLLA coating on corrosion and biocompatibility of zinc in vascular environment

Zinc (Zn) has recently been introduced as a promising new metal candidate for biodegradable vascular stent applications with a favorable degradation rate and biocompatibility. Corrosion-resistant metal stents are often coated with drug-eluting polymer layers to inhibit harmful biological responses. Here, the authors aimed to investigate the interaction between biodegradable zinc metal and a conventional biodegradable polymer coating. Zinc wires with a diameter of 0·25 mm were surface-modified using 3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyl methacrylate (MPS) and then coated with a 1–12 μm film of poly(l-lactic acid) (PLLA). The corrosion behavior of PLLA/MPS-coated zinc wires was studied in simulated body fluid using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. An increase in the impedance from \u3c1000 to \u3e15 000 Ω cm2 was recorded for the zinc wires after being coated with PLLA. The PLLA/MPS-coated zinc specimens were implanted into the abdominal rat aorta to assess their biodegradation and biocompatibility compared to uncoated zinc wires. PLLA/MPS-coated wires corroded at approximately half the rate of unmodified zinc during the first 4·5 months. A histological analysis of the biological tissue surrounding the zinc implants revealed a reduction in the biocompatibility of the polymer-coated samples, as indicated by increasing cell toxicity and neointimal hyperplasia