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Purpose: To identify differences in the presentation and surgical outcomes between very large (30–39 mm) and giant (≥ 40 mm) (LARGE group) pituitary adenomas (PAs) compared to the smaller group (< 30 mm) (non-LARGE group). Methods: Eighty patients with very large (n = 44) or giant (n = 36) PAs and 226 patients in the non-LARGE group who underwent tumor resection by pituitary surgery between 2008 and 2023 were studied. Hormonal, radiological, ophthalmological, and pathological data, and surgical outcomes were evaluated. Results: Preoperatively, patients of the LARGE group presented more frequently with visual impairment (82.5% vs. 22.1%, P < 0.001) and with pituitary apoplexy (15.0% vs. 2.7%, P < 0.001) than the non-LARGE group. Moreover, the LARGE group were more commonly associated with preoperative panhypopituitarism (28.8% vs. 6.2%, P < 0.001). This group presented cavernous sinus invasion more frequently (71.3% vs. 23.9%, P < 0.001). The non-LARGE group achieved surgical cure more often than the LARGE group (79.7% vs. 50.0%, P < 0.001), and the rate of major complications was higher in the latest (8.8% vs. 1.3%, P < 0.004). Conclusions: PAs ≥ 30 mm are most frequently accompanied by hormonal dysfunction, cavernous sinus invasion, and visual impairment. All this implies lower resection rates and higher postoperative complications than the smaller adenomas, posing a real surgical challenge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Pituitary adenomas (PAs) usually have a soft consistency, facilitating gross total resection. However, 5–13% of PAs with fibrous consistency are challenging to remove entirely and are accompanied by greater morbimortality. This study aims to identify the clinical and radiological characteristics that correlate with PA fibrous consistency preoperatively. A simple scoring system has been proposed to predict incidence of fibrous PAs. Materials and methods: Consecutive interventions (226) were analyzed, all performed through an endoscopic endonasal transsphenoidal approach. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed. Hosmer–Lemeshow test and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were assessed to evaluate the model. A point scoring system (PiTCon) was derived based on the multivariable regression model. Our study aimed to identify the clinical and radiological characteristics that correlate with fibrous tumor consistency preoperatively. Results: The best diagnostic accuracy for predicting PA consistency consisted of five predictive factors: age, compressive symptoms, panhypopituitarism, craniocaudal extension of the PA in mm, and prior surgery. The multivariable model achieved good discrimination with an area under the curve (AUC) of the ROC curve being 0.82 and the 95% CI 0.76 to 0.88. Internal validation yielded an optimism-adjusted C-statistic of 0.80 (95% CI 0.74 to 0.86). A point scoring system (PiTCon score) was designed using the best predictive model. Conclusions: PA consistency can be estimated preoperatively regarding clinical and radiological characteristics. We propose a point-based scoring system (PiTCon score) that can better guide neurosurgeons in clinical decision-making and surgical risk assessment and help establish and describe patient prognosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Pituitary adenomas (PAs) usually have a soft consistency, facilitating gross total resection. However, 5–13% of PAs with fibrous consistency are challenging to remove entirely and are accompanied by greater morbimortality. This study aims to identify the clinical and radiological characteristics that correlate with PA fibrous consistency preoperatively. A simple scoring system has been proposed to predict incidence of fibrous PAs. Materials and methods: Consecutive interventions (226) were analyzed, all performed through an endoscopic endonasal transsphenoidal approach. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed. Hosmer–Lemeshow test and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were assessed to evaluate the model. A point scoring system (PiTCon) was derived based on the multivariable regression model. Our study aimed to identify the clinical and radiological characteristics that correlate with fibrous tumor consistency preoperatively. Results: The best diagnostic accuracy for predicting PA consistency consisted of five predictive factors: age, compressive symptoms, panhypopituitarism, craniocaudal extension of the PA in mm, and prior surgery. The multivariable model achieved good discrimination with an area under the curve (AUC) of the ROC curve being 0.82 and the 95% CI 0.76 to 0.88. Internal validation yielded an optimism-adjusted C-statistic of 0.80 (95% CI 0.74 to 0.86). A point scoring system (PiTCon score) was designed using the best predictive model. Conclusions: PA consistency can be estimated preoperatively regarding clinical and radiological characteristics. We propose a point-based scoring system (PiTCon score) that can better guide neurosurgeons in clinical decision-making and surgical risk assessment and help establish and describe patient prognosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article analyses the musical training of future music teachers in compulsory education at the universities of Castilla y León. It is part of an R+D project EDU2017-84782 (Profmus) that researches the training of teachers and its impact on current educational policy. It examines eight courses of study (five Bachelor's and three Master's) and a total of 70 courses: 45 from the Teacher's Degree (Music Education), and 25 from the Master's Degree in Compulsory Secondary Education. The curricula, teaching guides and compulsory education legislation are analyzed through open coding. Eight categories of intersection between university plans and the primary and secondary curriculum are found, in two dimensions: musical content (listening, musical interpretation, dance and movement, musical and cultural contexts, music and technologies) and transversal content (oral and written expression, entrepreneurship and creativity, citizenship and diversity). The results show that courses of study are generally adapted to the training needs of future teachers, although training needs to be oriented towards creativity, citizenship, and lifelong learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Resection of the medial wall of the cavernous sinus (MWCSR) is a growing surgical maneuver for the radical removal of pituitary adenomas. Method: We present a simple modification of the technique following the two dural layers of the floor of the sella turcica, allowing for early identification of the medial wall and simplifying dissection. We support this technique with an anatomical analysis on cadaveric specimens and clarifying dissection images. Conclusion: Recognition and dissection of the dural unfolding of the floor of the sella turcica are "key points" that lower the risk and facilitate the MWCSR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents the development of biomass for electricity generation in Chile within the country's complex energy framework which is still unable to strengthen and encourage renewable energy development and relies heavily on fossil fuels, increasing the latent risk of suffering an energy crisis in the medium term, due to the slow incorporation of new energy power plants to meet the growing energy demand forecast. This article provides a background of the power generation status in Chile, along with an analysis of the country's electricity market and its regulations, focusing on non-conventional renewable energy (NCRE), ending with the description of the current development status of biomass for electricity generation in its three physical states, its features, applications, conversion processes, advantages and disadvantages. Chile presents a low proportion of renewable energy technologies within its energy mix, in which solid and gaseous biofuels are mainly used for low power energy generation, through cogeneration and biogas extraction and use, while liquid biofuels are under research through the development of pilot plants managed by several entities for industrial production and the transportation industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dr. Juan J. Vila is a consultant for Boston Scientific and has lectured for Olympus and Cook Endoscopy. We report a case in which extrahepatic bile duct transection was successfully managed with a purely endoscopic approach combining EUS-guided rendezvous and ERCP, which, so far as we know, has not been described previously. Extraluminal percutaneous-endoscopic rendezvous with a self-expanding metal stent for restoring continuity in major bile duct injury: a case series. [Extracted from the article]

Abstract: Amylin is co-secreted with insulin, responds to the same stimuli, is anorectic, lowers body weight by reducing fat mass, and is proposed for diabetes treatment. We examined the effect of a 3-day constant infusion of close to physiological doses of amylin in Wistar rats, on glucotransporter expression, glycogen content (G), glycogen synthase a activity (GSa) and glucose transport (GT), in liver, muscle and fat from insulin resistant (IR) and type 2 diabetic (T2D) models, compared to normal (N) animals; plasma glucose and insulin were measured. Plasma insulin in IR was higher than in N or T2D, and amylin normalized the value. In both, IR and T2D, liver G was lower than normal, accompanied by GLUT-2, mRNA and protein, higher and lower, respectively, than in N; amylin normalized G in both groups, without changes in GLUT-2, except for an mRNA increase in T2D. In IR and T2D, muscle GSa was reduced, together with respective over- and under-GLUT-4 expression; amylin induced only a trend toward GSa normalization in both groups. In isolated adipocytes, GT and GLUT-4 in IR and T2D were lower and higher, respectively, than in N; after amylin, not only GT was normalized in both groups but also the response to insulin was much more pronounced, including that in N, without major changes in GLUT-4. This suggests that the beneficial effect of amylin in states running with altered glucose homeostasis could occur by partially acting on the hexose metabolism of the liver and mainly on that of the adipose tissue. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) controls glucose metabolism in extrapancreatic tissues participating in glucose homeostasis, through receptors not associated to cAMP. In rat hepatocytes, activation of PI3K/PKB, PKC and PP-1 mediates the GLP-1-induced stimulation of glycogen synthase. We have investigated the effect of GLP-1 in normal human myocytes, and that of its structurally related peptides exendin-4 (Ex-4) and its truncated form 9-39 (Ex-9) upon glucose uptake, and the participation of cellular enzymes proposed to mediate insulin actions. GLP-1 and both exendins activated, like insulin, PI3K/PKB and p42/44 MAPK enzymes, but p70s6k was activated only by GLP-1 and insulin. GLP-1, Ex-4 and Ex-9, like insulin, stimulated glucose uptake; wortmannin blocked the action of GLP-1, insulin and Ex-9, and reduced that of Ex-4; PD98059 abolished the effect of all peptides/hormones, while rapamycin blocked that of insulin and partially prevented that of GLP-1. H-7 abolished the action of GLP-1, insulin and Ex-4, while Ro 31-8220 prevented only the Ex-4 and Ex-9 effect. In conclusion, GLP-1, like insulin, stimulates glucose uptake, and this involves activation of PI3K/PKB, p44/42 MAPKs, partially p70s6k, and possibly PKC; Ex-4 and Ex-9 both have GLP-1-like effect upon glucose transport, in which both share with GLP-1 an activation of PI3K/PKB —partially in the case of Ex-4— and p44/42 MAPKs but not p70s6k. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Pituitary apoplexy is a clinical syndrome that can cause vision loss and oculomotor (OM) deficits. Neurosurgical decompression is still considered the treatment of choice for those with visual impairment. We aim to explore the influence of timing of neurosurgical decompression on visual outcome. Multicentre retrospective study of patients presenting with pituitary adenoma and pituitary apoplexy who were operated in three Spanish tertiary hospitals between 2008 and 2022. We identified 49 patients with pituitary apoplexy with visual symptoms and were operated. Among the visual symptoms, 35 patients (73%) had visual acuity (VA) impairment and 33 (67%) had an OM nerve paresis. Twenty-three of the 35 patients improved their VA, and 24 of the 33 improved their OM nerve paresis after surgery. The median time between apoplexy to surgery was 10 days (range 0-164). Regarding visual acuity, 50% (3 out of 6) of those operated within 3 days of apoplexy showed improvement, compared to 69% (20 out of 29) of those operated beyond (p = 0.37).Regarding OM paresis, 62.5% (5 out of 8) of those operated within 3 days of apoplexy improved, compared to 76% (19 out of 25) of those operated beyond (p = 0.56).Mean apoplexy to surgery time was 18 ± 19 days in those whose VA improved (vs. 32 ± 51; p = 0.46); and mean apoplexy to surgery time for those whose OM symptoms improved was 21+/- 35 days (vs. 24 +/- 37; p = 0.86). Our results suggest that timing of neurosurgical decompression does not affect the visual outcome of patients with pituitary apoplexy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM) has been associated with salivary disorders such as xerostomia and hyposalivation. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of these disorders and their risk factors in DM patients. Methods: DM patients from two health centers were included. Epidemiological and DM control‐related variables were collected. Xerostomia Inventory was filled out by the patients and unstimulated whole salivary flow was collected. Logistic regression tests were performed. Results: A total of 168 patients were included (46.4% men, 53.6% women, mean age 72.54 [SD 11.03 years]). Thirteen patients had Type 1 DM and 155 had Type 2 DM. 52.4% experienced xerostomia and 41.1% had unstimulated whole salivary flow hyposalivation. Women were more likely to suffer hyposalivation than men (OR 2.5, 95% CI 1.32–4.73; p = 0.005). Patients with T2DM were less likely to suffer UWS hyposalivation than T1DM patients (OR 0.28, 95% CI 0.08–0.95; p = 0.04). Glycemic control was not significantly worse in patients with xerostomia and hyposalivation. The drugs for the treatment of DM were not associated with salivary disorders. However, some drugs to treat other comorbidities such hypertension and neurological diseases were associated with xerostomia and hyposalivation. Conclusions: The prevalence of xerostomia and unstimulated whole salivary flow hyposalivation in patients with DM is high. Female sex, T1DM, and the use of certain non‐antidiabetic drugs increased the risk of suffering these disorders. The possible association between DM, xerostomia, and/or hyposalivation is complex and may be influenced by multiple factors. Therefore, further studies are needed to evaluate whether DM influences these salivary disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The synthesis of a hyperbranched polyesteramide functionalized with 6 acridine groups (P1000-ACRID) is described, and its photophysical properties compared with its low molecular weight reference compound (ACRIDyne). The hyperbranched polymer does not show aggregation of the acridine groups neither in solution nor in solid polymer matrices. The behavior of both chromophores as fluorescent acid sensors has been studied in solution and in solid polymer films, showing an increase in their fluorescence emission. The stoichiometry of the protonation reaction has been calculated, showing that ACRYDyne is able to protonate twice both in solution and in solid polymer matrices, whereas P1000-ACRID only protonates once. The sensing sensitivity of the compounds is consistent with this. The antimicrobial activity of the hyperbranched polymer has been tested against five bacteria (Gram positive and Gram negative) and two yeasts, showing high antimicrobial activity. The biocompatibility of low- and high-molecular weight compounds has been studied towards two mammalian cell lines (C2C12 and Swiss3T3), and the hyperbranched polymer shows higher biocompatibility than its low-molecular weight reference compound. P1000-ACRID allows enough cellular viability when used in its biofunctional concentration range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the risk factors associated with xerostomia and hyposalivation in a group of hypertensive patients. Subjects and Methods: A cross‐sectional study was conducted. Hypertensive patients belonged to two healthcare centers were included. Xerostomia was assessed by asking a question and using the Xerostomia Inventory. Unstimulated salivary flow was collected. Different epidemiological variables were analyzed such as age, sex, habits, diseases, drugs, and blood pressure. Results: 221 individuals were included. Xerostomia was reported in 51.13% of patients. Patients with xerostomia suffered more from osteoarthritis and diaphragmatic hernia. These patients took more anticoagulants (acenocoumarol), antiarrhythmics (amiodarone), analgesics (paracetamol) and epilepsy drugs (pregabalin) and less platelet aggregation inhibitors and angiotensin II receptor blockers (losartan). Unstimulated flow was reduced in 37.56% of patients. Patients suffering hyposalivation presented more diseases such as anxiety, infectious or parasitic diseases, hepatitis C, diaphragmatic hernia, and osteoarthritis. These patients took more repaglinide, thiazides, anti‐inflammatories, anti‐rheumatics, glucosamine, diazepam, and selective beta‐2‐adrenoreceptor agonists and less combinations of candesartan and diuretics. Conclusions: Xerostomia and hyposalivation are frequent in hypertensive patients. It is advisable to take into consideration the comorbidities and the drugs they receive, since they can increase the risk of these salivary disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

GLP-1, incretin with insulin-independent antidiabetic properties, is insulinomimetic upon glucose metabolism in extrapancreatic tissues, acting through specific receptors not associated to adenylate cyclase activation. We investigated the role of enzymes mediating insulin actions, in the GLP-1-induced glycogen synthase a activation in rat hepatocytes. GLP-1, like insulin, activates PI3K/PKB, p70s6k, p44 and p42 MAP-kinase. Wortmannin (PI3K/PKB inhibitor) blocked the stimulatory action of insulin on glycogen synthase a and reduced that of GLP-1; rapamycin (p70s6k inhibitor) was ineffective and PD98059 (MEK/MAPK inhibitor) decreased only the insulin effect; okadaic acid (PP-2A inhibitor) was ineffective, while TNFα (PP-1 inhibitor) blocked the action of insulin and reduced that of GLP-1; H-7 or Ro 31-8220 (PKC inhibitors) decreased the GLP-1 effect, while only H-7 reduced that of insulin. The activation of PI3K/PKB, PKC and PP-1, but not PP-2A, seems to mediate the GLP-1 stimulatory action on glycogen synthase a in rat hepatocytes, while MAPKs and p70s6k could participate in other GLP-1 effects. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the most common pediatric cancer, and the infiltration of leukemic cells is critical for disease progression and relapse. Nuclear deformability plays a critical role in cancer cell invasion through confined spaces; however, the direct impact of epigenetic changes on the nuclear deformability of leukemic cells remains unclear. Here, we characterized how 3D collagen matrix conditions induced H3K4 methylation in ALL cell lines and clinical samples. We used specific shRNA and chemical inhibitors to target WDR5 (a core subunit involved in H3K4 methylation) and determined that targeting WDR5 reduced the H3K4 methylation induced by the 3D environment and the invasiveness of ALL cells in vitro and in vivo. Intriguingly, targeting WDR5 did not reduce the adhesion or the chemotactic response of leukemia cells, suggesting a different mechanism by which H3K4 methylation might govern ALL cell invasiveness. Finally, we conducted biochemical, and biophysical experiments to determine that 3D environments promoted the alteration of the chromatin, the morphology, and the mechanical behavior of the nucleus in ALL cells. Collectively, our data suggest that 3D environments control an upregulation of H3K4 methylation in ALL cells, and targeting WDR5 might serve as a promising therapeutic target against ALL invasiveness in vivo. [Display omitted] • ALL cells respond to 3D matrix conditions by altering H3K4 methylation. • WDR5 mediates the H3K4 methylation induced by 3D environments in ALL cells. • Targeting H3K4 methylation blocks ALL cell invasiveness and infiltration. • 3D environments and H3K4 methylation controls the nuclear deformability of ALL cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An age-related bone loss occurs, apparently associated with the concomitant increase in an oxidative stress situation. However, the underlying mechanisms of age-related osteopenia are ill defined since these studies are time consuming and require the use of many animals (mainly rodents). Here, we aimed to characterize for the first time the bone status of prematurely aging mice (PAM), which exhibit an increased oxidative stress. Tibiae from adult (6 months) PAM show an increase in bone mineral density (BMD) and bone mineral content (assessed by bone densitometry) versus those in their normal counterparts (non-prematurely aging mice, NPAM) and similarly decreased in both kinds of mouse with age. However, at this bone site, trabecular BMD (determined by μ-computerized tomography) was similar in both adult PAM and old (18 months) NPAM. Femurs from these groups of mice present an increase in oxidative stress, inflammation, osteoclastogenic, and adipogenic markers, but a decrease in the gene expression of osteoblastic differentiation markers and of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. Our findings show that adult PAM recapitulate various age-related bone features, and thus are a suitable model for premature bone senescence studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Amylin displays osteogenic features, but its role in diabetic osteopenia is unclear. We examined the possible osteogenic action of amylin infusion for 3days into fructose-induced insulin-resistant (IR) and streptozotocin-induced type 2 diabetic (T2D) and normal (N) rats. Amylin failed to affect glycaemia or parathyroid hormone levels in any group, but reduced hyperinsulinemia in IR rats. In N rats, amylin increased bone formation rate and reduced osteoclast surface and erosive surface in the femoral metaphysis, and increased osteoprotegerin (OPG)/receptor activator of NFκB ligand (RANKL) mRNA ratio in the tibia. In T2D rats, amylin normalized trabecular structure parameters and increased osteoblast number and osteocalcin (OC) expression in long bones. In contrast, in IR rats, no apparent osteogenic effect of amylin in the femur was observed, although both OC and OPG/RANKL ratio were increased in the tibia. Our findings demonstrate a different osteogenic efficacy of amylin in two diabetic settings. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Exendin-4 (Ex-4) mimics glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1 or GCG as listed in the HUGO database), being anti-diabetic and anorectic, in stimulating glucose and lipid metabolism in extrapancreatic tissues. We studied the characteristics of Ex-4 and GLP-1 action, during prolonged treatment, on GLUTs expression (mRNA and protein), glycogen content (GC), glucose transport (GT), glycogen synthase a (GSa), and kinase (PI3K and MAPKs) activity, in liver, muscle, and fat of insulin-resistant (IR, by fructose) and type 2 diabetic (T2D, streptozotocin at birth) rats compared with normal rats. In both IR and T2D, the three tissues studied presented alterations in all measured parameters. In liver, GLP-1 and also Ex-4 normalized the lower than normal Glut2 (Slc2a2) expression and showed a trend to normalize the reduced GC in IR, and GLP-1, like Ex-4, also in T2D, effects mediated by PI3K and MAPKs. In skeletal muscle, neither GLP-1 nor Ex-4 modified Glut4 (Slc2a4) expression in either experimental model but showed normalization of reduced GT and GSa, in parallel with the normalization of reduced PI3K activity in T2D and MAPKs in both models. In adipose tissue, the altered GLUT4 expression in IR and T2D, along with reduced GT in IR and increased GT in T2D, and with hyperactivated PI3K in both, became normal after GLP-1 and Ex-4 treatment; yet, MAPKs, that were also higher, became normal only after Ex-4 treatment. The data shows that Ex-4, as well as GLP-1, exerts a normalizing effect on IR and T2D states through a distinct post-receptor mechanism, the liver being the main target for Ex-4 and GLP-1 to control glucose homeostasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Direct effects of GLP-1, kinase-mediated, on glucose and lipid metabolism in rat and human extrapancreatic tissues, are amply documented and also changes in type-2 diabetic (T2D) patients. Here, we explored the characteristics of the GLP-1 action and those of its analogs Ex-4 and Ex-9, on muscle glucose transport (GT) and metabolism in human morbid obesity (OB), as compared with normal and T2D subjects. In primary cultured myocytes from OB, GT and glycogen synthase a (GSa) activity values were lower than normal, and comparable to those reported in T2D patients; GT was increased by either GLP-1 or Ex-9 in a more efficient manner than in normal or T2D, up to normal levels; the Ex-4 increasing effect on GSa activity was two times that in normal cells, while Ex-9 failed to modify the enzyme activity. In OB, the control value of all kinases analyzed – PI3K, PKB, MAPKs, and p70s6K – although lower than that in normal or T2D subjects, the cells maintained their response capability to GLP-1, Ex-4, Ex-9 and insulin, with some exceptions. GLP-1 and exendins showed a direct normalizing action in the altered glucose uptake and metabolism in the muscle of obese subjects, which in the case of GLP-1 could account, at least in part, for the reported restoration of the metabolic conditions of these patients after restrictive surgery. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) controls glucose metabolism in extrapancreatic tissues through receptors other than the pancreatic cAMP-linked GLP-1 receptor; also, GLP-1 induces an insulin- and PTH-independent bone anabolic action in insulin-resistant and type-2 diabetic rats. Here we searched for the presence and characteristics of GLP-1 receptors in osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cells. [125I]-GLP-1 specific binding to MC3T3-E1 cells was time- and temperature-dependent, reaching maximal value at 30 min at 25°C; in these conditions, [125I]-GLP-1 binding was dissociable, and displaced by GLP-1, partially by GLP-2, but not by exendin-4 (Ex-4), exendin-9 (Ex-9), glucagon or insulin; Scatchard analysis of the unlabeled GLP-1 data showed high and low affinity binding sites; cross-linking of GLP-1 binding revealed an estimated 70 kDa band, almost undetectable in the presence of 10-6 M GLP-1. GLP-1, Ex-9, insulin or glucagon failed to modify cellular cAMP content, while GLP-2 and Ex-4 increased it. However, GLP-1 induced an immediate hydrolysis of glycosylphosphatidylinositols (GPIs) generating short-lived inositolphosphoglycans (IPGs), and an increase in phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase (PI3K) and mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) activities; Ex-4 also affected GPIs, but its action was delayed with respect to that of GLP-1. This incretin was found to decrease Runx2 but increased osteocalcin gene expression, without affecting that of osteoprotegerin or the canonical Wnt pathway activity in MC3T3-E1 cells which do not express the pancreatic GLP-1 receptor. Our data demonstrate for the first time that GLP-1 can directly and functionally interact with osteoblastic cells, possibly through a GPI/IPG-coupled receptor. J. Cell. Physiol. 225: 585–592, 2010. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Analyzes the complications arising from placement and management of several types of central venous catheters in hemophilic patients with inhibitors in Madrid, Spain. Occurrence of pericatheter bleeding during postoperative period; Incidence of hematoma; Types of infection.

The authors comment on the discrimination of research on gender and health in Spain. They expressed that the issue results from the government's policy that specifies measurement for action and achievement of equality objectives. The authors affirm that information services in health and healthcare system are revised to improve the quality of research and design applications.