Probiotics have been widely marketed, but much remains to be understood about how certain types of bacteria have healthful effects on the body. A new study shows that one bacterial strain can increase the levels of vitamin D in the blood, which could promote bone health. A study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology &… [Continue Reading]
Stem Cells From Fat Could Be Used to Fight Aggressive Brain Tumors
March 13, 2013 By Leave a Comment
Glioblastoma is a particularly aggressive type of brain cancer, which is difficult to treat. A new study suggests that stem cells derived from a patient’s fat could form the basis of a new treatment. In laboratory studies, Johns Hopkins researchers say they have found that stem cells from a patient’s own fat may have the… [Continue Reading]
Attracting Stem Cells to the Heart After Heart Failure Improves Cardiac Function
February 22, 2013 By Leave a Comment
Activating a patient’s own stem cells with gene therapy is effective to treat heart failure, a new study has found. Researchers have shown that the treatment improves patients’ symptoms and heart function. In the first human study of its kind, researchers activated heart failure patients’ stem cells with gene therapy to improve their symptoms, heart… [Continue Reading]
Active Compound in Chinese Herbal Medicine May Be Effective to Ease Alzheimer’s Plaques
February 19, 2013 By Leave a Comment
A compound found in an herb used in traditional Chinese medicine can change gene function in a model of Alzheimer’s disease, researchers report. The compound, found in the herb Polygonum multiforum Thunb, causes a reduction in a certain kind of protein that is linked to neurogeneration, the study found, using a mouse model of the… [Continue Reading]
Stem Cells Derived From Fat More Effective to Repair Heart in Animal Models
February 14, 2013 By Leave a Comment
As researchers develop ways to use stem cells to treat different diseases, determining the best protocols is essential. A new study compared heart function in rats treated with stem cells derived from either fat or bone marrow, and has found that fat-derived cells more effectively treat heart disease. When a research team from Denmark and… [Continue Reading]
Literature Supports Positive Effect of Acupuncture on Exercise, But More Studies Required
January 14, 2013 By Leave a Comment
A review of current literature has found that while research supports the idea that acupuncture can have a positive impact on exercise training, bigger and better-controlled studies are necessary to confirm this. The effects of acute acupuncture applied during exercise on performance factors such as power and blood pressure and on the body’s ability to… [Continue Reading]
New Cell Type Derived from Stem Cells Could Be Used to Treat Alzheimer’s Disease
November 7, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Stem cells, which can give rise to different kinds of adult cell types, are a very promising approach to treating diseases in which specific cells are lost or damaged. A major area of research is coaxing the cells into becoming a desired type, and successfully transplanting them into patients. New research has determine how to… [Continue Reading]
Understanding Stem Cell’s Flexibility Key to Future Therapies
November 1, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Using stem cells for therapy depends on understanding how these cells can become any type of tissue. Researchers have recently made a series of discoveries on how stem cells maintain their flexible identity, published this week in one of the top scientific journals in biology. The ability of embryonic stem cells to differentiate into different… [Continue Reading]
Stem Cells Isolated from Muscle Could Be Used to Treat Brain Diseases
October 12, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Stem cells have an enormous potential to be used for therapies, but the best source of these cells is a hot area of research. Researchers suggest that stem cells derived from a patient’s muscles could be used to treat disorders of the brain and spinal cord: these cells have now been shown to survive and… [Continue Reading]
Removing Overactive Stem Cells Improves Safety of Transplants
September 27, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Stem cells can differentiate into multiple tissue types are potentially a major source of future tissues for transplantation. One problem, however, is that cultures can contain individual cells that reproduce too much, and can develop into tumors. Researchers have now reported a treatment that clears stem cell populations of cancer-causing cells, improving their safety. Mayo… [Continue Reading]