Patients with juvenile-onset diabetes lack a sufficient number of cells in the pancreas that make insulin, and transplanting these cells, called beta cells, is one approach to treatment. However, accessing tissues from donors for transplants is a significant problem. Researchers have now developed ways to produce the cells in the laboratory, potentially solving the problem… [Continue Reading]
High Sugar Consumption Stresses Heart
June 18, 2013 By Leave a Comment
Consuming high quantities of sugar places stress on the heart, a new study suggests. Researchers have found that a particular metabolite of sugar changes how heart cells function, which can lead to heart failure. Too much sugar can set people down a pathway to heart failure, according to a study led by researchers at The… [Continue Reading]
Protein Linked to Reduced Metastasis of Breast Cancer
June 17, 2013 By Leave a Comment
More aggressive types of cancer tend to recur after the treatment of a primary tumor, with significant consequences for patients. Researchers have discovered a key protein that reduces breast cancer recurrence; recurring tumors tend to have lower levels of the protein. According to the American Cancer Society, nearly 40,000 women in the United States will… [Continue Reading]
Fluorescent Protein Discovered in Eel Could Bring Key Insights into Muscle Endurance
June 17, 2013 By Leave a Comment
A new fluorescent protein, a protein that gives off light under specific conditions, has been discovered in a species of eel. The discovery has major implications for research imaging and diagnostic techniques, and researchers also say the discovery can help them understand muscle endurance. Many scientists dream of making a single discovery that provides fundamental… [Continue Reading]
Protein that Regulates Cell Migration During Embryonic Development Also Plays Key Role in Cancer
June 14, 2013 By Leave a Comment
During the development of an embryo, there are many different cell migration processes that organize tissues to form the body. One of the proteins required for developmental cell migration has now been shown to also be important for the growth and migration of breast cancer cells. A protein used by embryo cells during early development,… [Continue Reading]
Mathematics Can Predict How Cells Will React to Potential Cancer Treatments
June 14, 2013 By Leave a Comment
Using mathematical models, researchers have developed a method to test how cells will react to novel anti-cancer strategies. In a new study, scientists have reported that complex modelling simulations have been able to predict the real behavior of normal and cancer cells to different treatment approaches. Here’s a good reason to pay attention in math… [Continue Reading]
Planned Home Births Linked to Lower Risk of Severe Maternal Complications
June 13, 2013 By Leave a Comment
A new study has found that low-risk mothers who give birth at home have a lower overall risk of severe complications that require admission to an intensive care unit. The work compared low risk women who planned to give birth either at a hospital or at home, and found that women giving birth at home… [Continue Reading]
Malignant Melanoma Cells Have Unique Odor that Could Be Used for Cancer Detection
June 13, 2013 By Leave a Comment
Researchers have found that compounds released into the air by an agressive form of skin cancer could one day help doctors diagnose the disease in patients. Compared to normal cells, malignant melanoma cells release different types and concentrations of compounds, constituting a unique signature that advanced equipment can detect. According to new research from the… [Continue Reading]
People With Sleep Apnea Have Higher Risk of Sudden Cardiac Death
June 12, 2013 By Leave a Comment
Obstructive sleep apnea is linked to a higher risk of sudden cardiac death, a new study has found. People with severe versions of the condition can stop breathing more than 20 times per hour, and researchers have found that those individuals are twice as likely to die suddenly from problems with the heart. People who… [Continue Reading]
Seeing Tobacco Advertising Strongly Increases the Probability of Children Starting Smoking
June 12, 2013 By Leave a Comment
A new study has found that being exposed to advertising for tobacco significantly increases the probability that children will start smoking. Researchers examined the frequency that children saw the ads, and followed their behavior over several years. Children who saw many tobacco ads were twice as likely to become daily smokers than children who saw… [Continue Reading]