The influence of alpha and beta cells, through glucagon and insulin, on energy metabolism is well known. The insulin:glucagon ratio (IGR) is a frequently discussed entity in the medical literature. However, in recent years, focus has shifted to other pathways and markers of health and disease. This communication revisits the insulin:glucagon bipolar axis and describes the significance of the IG...

We report on the first long (∼32 ks) pointed XMM-Newton observation of the supergiant fast X-ray transient IGR J16479-4514. Results from the timing, spectral and spatial analysis of this observation show that the X-ray source IGR J16479-4514 underwent an episode of sudden obscuration, possibly an X-ray eclipse by the supergiant companion. We also found evidence for a soft X-ray extended halo ar...

The intergenic region (IGR) located upstream of the capsid protein gene in dicistroviruses contains an internal ribosome entry site (IRES). Translation initiation mediated by the IRES does not require initiator methionine tRNA. Comparison of the IGRs among dicistroviruses suggested that Taura syndrome virus (TSV) and acute bee paralysis virus have an extra side stem loop in the predicted IRES. ...

Although both SLC30A8 rs13266634 single nucleotide polymorphism and plasma zinc concentrations have been associated with impaired glucose regulation (IGR) and type 2 diabetes (T2D), their interactions for IGR and T2D remain unclear. Therefore, to assess zinc-SLC30A8 interactions, we performed a case-control study in 1,796 participants: 218 newly diagnosed IGR patients, 785 newly diagnosed T2D p...

The dicistrovirus Cricket Paralysis virus contains a unique dicistronic RNA genome arrangement, encoding two main open reading frames that are driven by distinct internal ribosome entry sites (IRES). The intergenic region (IGR) IRES adopts an unusual structure that directly recruits the ribosome and drives translation of viral structural proteins in a factor-independent manner. While structural...

We present a multiwavelength study of the environment of the unidentified X-ray/γ-ray sources IGR J18027−1455 and IGR J21247+5058, recently discovered by the IBIS/ISGRI instrument, onboard the INTEGRAL satellite. The main properties of the sources found inside their position error circles, give us clues about the nature of these high-energy sources.

OBJECTIVES To ascertain the extent of socioeconomic and health condition inequalities in people with diagnosed and undiagnosed diabetes and impaired glucose regulation (IGR) in random samples of the general population in England, as earlier diagnosis of diabetes and treatment of people with IGR can reduce adverse sequelae of diabetes. Various screening instruments were compared to identify IGR,...

Previous studies have postulated the association between oxidative stress and Type 2 diabetes. Considering the long pre-diabetic period with IGR (impaired glucose regulation) and its high risk of developing diabetes, to test this hypothesis, we have investigated oxidative stress pathways and DNA damage in patients with IGR and newly diagnosed Type 2 diabetes. The study population consisted of 9...

Internal ribosome entry sites (IRES) are utilized by a subset of cellular and viral mRNAs to initiate translation during cellular stress and virus infection when canonical cap-dependent translation is compromised. The intergenic region (IGR) IRES of the Dicistroviridae uses a streamlined mechanism in which it can directly recruit the ribosome in the absence of initiation factors and initiates t...

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to determine the influence of birth weight, a marker of fetal growth, on the development of later impaired glucose metabolism throughout the life span of people living in China. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS We recorded detailed anthropometric data including height, weight, and health status and measured blood glucose levels and insulin concentrations after f...