SCT may treat diabetes
Stem cell transplant (SCT) to treat type one diabetes may soon be a reality as researchers have discovered a faster way to convert stem cells into insulin-producing cells. The new protocol can turn stem cells into reliable, insulin-producing cells in about six weeks.“We are a step closer to having an unlimited supply of insulin-producing cells to treat patients with Type 1 diabetes,” said Timothy Kieffer who led the research. The protocol transforms stem cells into insulin-secreting pancreatic cells via a cell-culture method. The conversion is completed after the cells are transplanted into a host. An important next step for the researchers is to determine how to prevent the insulin-producing cells' from being rejected by the body.
Clues to arthritis prevention
To offer a better treatment option for arthritis patients, researchers have found that a small protein appears to protect against bone loss that often accompanies arthritis. Researchers are now interested to see if lucocorticoid-induced leucine zipper (GIlZ), which is produced naturally in the body, can prevent arthritis. Arthritis as well as ageing, prompt the body to make more fat than bone. “We have early evidence that GIlZ might one day offer a better treatment option for arthritis patients than widely used synthetic glucocorticoids, which actually increase bone loss,” said Xingming Shi from the States. For this study, the focus was tumour necrosis factor alpha, a pro-inflammatory cytokine (small protein) that helps regulate immune cells and is a major player in arthritis. To look specifically at the impact on bone loss, the researchers crossed mice bred to over-express tumour necrosis factor alpha throughout the body with mice that over-expressed GIlZ in stem cells.
Brain is active even when we doze
According to research, some parts of the brain are active irrespective of whether we are asleep or awake. “When people practice simple word classification tasks before nodding off — knowing that a 'cat' is an animal or that ‘aceflipu' is not found in the dictionary, for example — their brains will unconsciously continue to make those classifications even in sleep,” explained Sid Kouider from the Ecole Normale Superieure (ENS). Far from falling into a limbo when we fall asleep, parts of our brain can routinely process what is going on in our surroundings and apply a relevant scheme of response. “The findings showed that the sleeping brain can be far more active in sleep than one would think,” Kouider added. “This explains some everyday life experiences such as our sensitivity to our name in our sleep, or to the specific sound of our alarm clock, compared to equally loud but less relevant sounds,” researchers concluded.
Toothpaste can't kill bacteria
Know why your toothpaste is not able to fight bad breath or tooth decayIJ Blame it on the bacteria itself. According to new research, bacteria has an in-built mechanism to resist fluoride toxicity. Although most animal cells are protected from direct exposure to fluoride, this toxic element is a serious threat to single-celled organisms like bacteria and yeast. As a result, their plasma membranes carry two different types of proteins to help rid the cell of unwanted fluoride. “The fluoride-specific Fluc ion channels present in the bacterial cell membrane are the key,” said Christopher Miller from the Brandeis University in Massachusetts. n such acidic environments, fluoride enters the cell in the form of HF (hydrofluoric acid) — which easily permeates the membrane — and breaks down in the cell's lower acidity. “Fluc provides a means of escape for the highly charged fluoride ions,” Miller noticed. They also found that bacteria proliferation was stalled by high fluoride exposure.
Meditation may reduce migraine
For those suffering from migraine attacks, daily meditation might be a good idea for instant relief. During a small study, researchers assessed the safety, feasibility and effects of a standardised meditation and yoga intervention called mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) in adults with migraines. Nineteen adults were assigned to two groups with 10 receiving the MBSR intervention and nine receiving standard medical care. The participants attended eight weekly classes to learn MBSR techniques and were instructed to practice 45 minutes on their own at least five additional days per week. “We found that MBSR participants had trends of fewer migraines that were less severe,” said Rebecca Erwin Wells, an assistant professor of neurology at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Centre in North Carolina.