Self-reported shorter/longer sleep duration, insomnia, and evening preference are associated with hyperglycaemia in observational analyses, with similar observations in small studies using accelerometer-derived sleep traits. Mendelian randomization (MR) studies support an effect of self-reported insomnia, but not others, on glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c). To explore potential effects, we used MR methods to assess effects of accelerometer-derived sleep traits (duration, mid-point least active 5-h, mid-point most active 10-h, sleep fragmentation, and efficiency) on HbA1c/glucose in European adults from the UK Biobank (UKB) (n = 73,797) and the MAGIC consortium (n = 146,806). Cross-trait linkage disequilibrium score regression was applied to determine genetic correlations across accelerometer-derived, self-reported sleep traits, and HbA1c/glucose. We found no causal effect of any accelerometer-derived sleep trait on HbA1c or glucose. Similar MR results for self-reported sleep traits in the UKB sub-sample with accelerometer-derived measures suggested our results were not explained by selection bias. Phenotypic and genetic correlation analyses suggested complex relationships between self-reported and accelerometer-derived traits indicating that they may reflect different types of exposure. These findings suggested accelerometer-derived sleep traits do not affect HbA1c. Accelerometer-derived measures of sleep duration and quality might not simply be \'objective\' measures of self-reported sleep duration and insomnia, but rather captured different sleep characteristics.

As ecosystem disruptors and intermediate hosts for various parasites, freshwater snails have significant socioeconomic impacts on human health, livestock production, and aquaculture. Although traditional molluscicides have been widely used to mitigate these effects, their environmental impact has encouraged research into alternative, biologically based strategies to create safer, more effective molluscicides and diminish the susceptibility of snails to parasites. This review focuses on alterations in glucose metabolism in snails under the multifaceted stressors of parasitic infections, drug exposure, and environmental changes and proposes a novel approach for snail management. Key enzymes within the glycolytic pathway, such as hexokinase and pyruvate kinase; tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle; and electron transport chains, such as succinate dehydrogenase and cytochrome c oxidase, are innovative targets for molluscicide development. These targets can affect both snails and parasites and provide an important direction for parasitic disease prevention research. For the first time, this review summarises the reverse TCA cycle and alternative oxidase pathway, which are unique metabolic bypasses in invertebrates that have emerged as suitable targets for the formulation of low-toxicity molluscicides. Additionally, it highlights the importance of other metabolic pathways, including lactate, alanine, glycogenolysis, and pentose phosphate pathways, in snail energy supply, antioxidant stress responses, and drug evasion mechanisms. By analysing the alterations in key metabolic enzymes and their products in stressed snails, this review deepens our understanding of glucose metabolic alterations in snails and provides valuable insights for identifying new pharmacological targets.

BACKGROUND: Under fasting conditions, the pathway converting gluconeogenesis precursors into muscle glycogen becomes crucial due to reduced glycogen reserves. However, there is limited research on skeletal muscle gluconeogenesis and the impact of fasting on gluconeogenic gene expression.
METHODS: Sheep fetal skeletal muscle cells cultured in vitro were used to study the effects of varying lactic acid concentrations (0 to 30 mM) and 2.5 mM glucose on the expression of gluconeogenesis-related genes after 6 h of fasting. The effects on mRNA and protein expression of key genes involved in skeletal muscle gluconeogenesis were measured by quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), immunofluorescence, and western blotting at 48 h.
RESULTS: Fasting increased the expression of key gluconeogenic genes, fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase 2 (FBP2), glucose-6-phosphatase 3 (G6PC3), pyruvate kinase M (PKM), monocarboxylate transporter1 (MCTS1), glucose transporter type 4 (GLUT4), pyruvate carboxylase (PC), and lactate dehydrogenase A (LDHA). The mRNA levels of FBP2, G6PC3, and MCTS1 significantly decreased with glucose addition. Additionally, 10 mM lactic acid significantly promoted the expression of FBP2, PC, MCTS1, LDHA, GLUT4, and PKM while inhibiting phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK) expression. At the protein level, 10 mM lactic acid significantly increased FBP2 and PKM protein expression.
CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that fasting regulates key gluconeogenic gene expression in sheep skeletal muscle cells and highlights the role of lactic acid in inducing these gene expressions.

BACKGROUND: Efficient monitoring of glucose concentration in the human body necessitates the utilization of electrochemically active sensing materials in nonenzymatic glucose sensors. However, prevailing limitations such as intricate fabrication processes, lower sensitivity, and instability impede their practical application. Herein, ternary Cu-Co-Ni-S sulfides nanoporous network structure was synthesized on carbon fiber paper (CP) by an ultrafast, facile, and controllable technique through on-step cyclic voltammetry, serving as a superior self-supporting catalytic electrode for the high-performance glucose sensor.
RESULTS: The direct growth of free-standing Cu-Co-Ni-S on the interconnected three-dimensional (3D) network of CP boosted the active site of the composites, improved ion diffusion kinetics, and significantly promoted the electron transfer rate. The multiple oxidation states and synergistic effects among Co, Ni, Cu, and S further promoted glucose electrooxidation. The well-architected Cu-Co-Ni-S/CP presented exceptional electrocatalytic properties for glucose with satisfied linearity of a broad range from 0.3 to 16,000 μM and high sensitivity of 6829 μA mM- 1 cm- 2. Furthermore, the novel sensor demonstrated excellent selectivity and storage stability, which could successfully evaluate the glucose levels in human serum. Notably, the novel Cu-Co-Ni-S/CP showed favorable biocompatibility, proving its potential for in vivo glucose monitoring.
CONCLUSIONS: The proposed 3D hierarchical morphology self-supported electrode sensor, which demonstrates appealing analysis behavior for glucose electrooxidation, holds great promise for the next generation of high-performance glucose sensors.

OBJECTIVE: This study examined the effects of tocotrienols (TT) in conjunction with statin on glucose homeostasis, bone microstructure, gut microbiome, and systemic and liver inflammatory markers in obese C57BL/6J mice.
METHODS: Forty male C57BL/6J mice were fed a high-fat diet (HFD) and assigned into four groups in a 2 (no statin vs. 120 mg statin/kg diet)×2 (no TT vs. 400 mg TT/kg diet) factorial design for 14 weeks.
RESULTS: Statin and TT improved glucose tolerance only when each was given alone, and only statin supplementation decreased insulin resistance. Consistently, only statin supplementation decreased serum insulin levels and HOMA-IR. Pancreatic insulin was also increased with statin treatment. Statin and TT, alone or in combination, reduced the levels of serum IL-6, but only TT attenuated the increased serum leptin levels induced by a HFD. Statin supplementation increased bone area/total area and connectivity density at LV-4, while TT supplementation increased bone area/total area and trabecular number, but decreased trabecular separation at the distal femur. Statin supplementation, but not TT, reduced hepatic inflammatory cytokine gene expression. Neither TT supplementation nor statin supplementation statistically altered microbiome species evenness or richness. However, they altered the relative abundance of certain microbiome species. Most notably, both TT and statin supplementation increased the relative abundance of Lachnospiraceae UCG-006.
CONCLUSIONS: TT and statin collectively benefit bone microstructure, glucose homeostasis, and microbial ecology in obese mice. Such changes may be, in part, associated with suppression of inflammation in the host.

UNASSIGNED: This study aims to investigate comorbidities, clinical features, laboratory values, and diagnoses in non-diabetic patients experiencing hypoglycemic episodes.
UNASSIGNED: A retrospective observational study was conducted at Shariati Hospital in Iran from 2016 to 2023. Seventy-four non-diabetic patients admitted with a diagnosis of hypoglycemia were included, while patients with diabetes were excluded. Demographic data, symptoms, and biochemical assessments were obtained from the hospital information system. Hypoglycemic episodes were identified based on low measured blood glucose, recorded medications for hypoglycemia treatment, or recorded codes indicating hypoglycemia. Hypoglycemia was defined as blood glucose below 70 mg/dL (3.9 mmol/L) along with two other criteria of the Whipple triad. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS software (version 26).
UNASSIGNED: Among the enrolled patients, 63.5% were female, and 13.5% were elderly (≥ 65 years). The most common comorbidities observed were cardiovascular disease (20.3%), psychological disorders (20.3%), hypothyroidism (14.9%), and hypertension (8.1%). The prevalent symptoms included weakness, loss of consciousness, sweating, palpitations, dizziness, and tremors. Non-diabetic hypoglycemia was caused by factitious disorders, insulinoma, organ failure, and infection, respectively.
UNASSIGNED: Due to the diverse range of clinical symptoms, hypoglycemia in non-diabetic patients may be diagnosed late, leading to misdiagnoses such as psychological disorders or seizures. It is crucial to consider the possibility of hypoglycemia in non-diabetic patients and determine its underlying cause. Given the poor prognosis associated with hypoglycemia, timely interventions are essential.

This study integrates hollow microneedle arrays (HMNA) with a novel jellyfish-shaped electrochemical sensor for the detection of key biomarkers, including uric acid (UA), glucose, and pH, in artificial interstitial fluid. The jellyfish-shaped sensor displayed linear responses in detecting UA and glucose via differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) and chronoamperometry, respectively. Notably, the open circuit potential (OCP) of the system showed a linear variation with pH changes, validating its pH-sensing capability. The sensor system demonstrates exceptional electrochemical responsiveness within the physiological concentration ranges of these biomarkers in simulated epidermis sensing applications. The detection linear ranges of UA, glucose, and pH were 0~0.8 mM, 0~7 mM, and 4.0~8.0, respectively. These findings highlight the potential of the HMNA-integrated jellyfish-shaped sensors in real-world epidermal applications for comprehensive disease diagnosis and health monitoring.

Abnormal glucose homeostasis is associated with metabolic syndromes including cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and obesity, highlighting the significance of maintaining a balanced glucose level for optimal biological function. This highlights the importance of maintaining normal glucose levels for proper biological functioning. Sulforaphane (SFN), the primary bioactive compound in broccoli from the Cruciferae or Brassicaceae family, has been shown to enhance glucose homeostasis effectively while exhibiting low cytotoxicity. This paper assesses the impact of SFN on glucose homeostasis in vitro, in vivo, and human trials, as well as the molecular mechanisms that drive its regulatory effects. New strategies have been proposed to enhance the bioavailability and targeted delivery of SFN in order to overcome inherent instability. The manuscript also covers the safety evaluations of SFN that have been documented for its production and utilization. Hence, a deeper understanding of the favorable influence and mechanism of SFN on glucose homeostasis, coupled with the fact that SFN is abundant in the human daily diet, may ultimately offer theoretical evidence to support its potential use in the food and pharmaceutical industries.

Nucleotides (NTs) act as pivotal regulatory factors in numerous biological processes, playing indispensable roles in growth, development, and metabolism across organisms. This study delves into the effects of exogenous NTs on hepatic insulin resistance using palmitic-acid-induced HepG2 cells, administering interventions at three distinct dosage levels of exogenous NTs. The findings underscore that exogenous NT intervention augments glucose consumption in HepG2 cells, modulates the expression of glycogen-synthesis-related enzymes (glycogen synthase kinase 3β and glycogen synthase), and influences glycogen content. Additionally, it governs the expression levels of hepatic enzymes (hexokinase, phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase, and glucose-6-phosphatase). Moreover, exogenous NT intervention orchestrates insulin signaling pathway (insulin receptor substrate-1, protein kinase B, and forkhead box protein O1) and AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activity in HepG2 cells. Furthermore, exogenous NT intervention fine-tunes the expression levels of oxidative stress-related markers (malondialdehyde, glutathione peroxidase, and NADPH oxidase 4) and the expression of inflammation-related nuclear transcription factor (NF-κB). Lastly, exogenous NT intervention regulates the expression levels of glucose transporter proteins (GLUTs). Consequently, exogenous NTs ameliorate insulin resistance in HepG2 cells by modulating the IRS-1/AKT/FOXO1 pathways and regulate glucose consumption, glycogen content, insulin signaling pathways, AMPK activity, oxidative stress, and inflammatory status.

Starch is a natural plant raw material applicable in many areas of industry. In practice, it is most often used in a modified form, i.e., after various treatments aimed at modifying its properties. Modifications of native starch enable producing resistant starch, which, as a prebiotic with confirmed health-promoting properties, has been increasingly used as a food additive. The present study aimed to determine the effect of roasting retrograded starch with the addition of anhydrous glucose at different temperatures (110, 130 or 150 °C) and different times (5 or 24 h) on the modified starch\'s properties. The results of high-performance size-exclusion chromatography coupled with refractive index detector (HPSEC/RI) analysis and the changes observed in the solubility of starch roasted with glucose in DMSO, as well as in its other properties, confirm the changes in its molecular structure, including thermolytic degradation and the ongoing polymerization of starch with added glucose.