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    Category Health/Medical

    Researchers Unravel how Stevia Controls Blood Sugar Levels

    April 11, 2017, Categories  Health/Medical, Biology/Biotechnology

    Steviol glycosides enhance pancreatic beta-cell function and taste sensation by potentiation of TRPM5 channel activity. Nature Communications, 2017; 8: 14733 DOI: 10.1038/NCOMMS14733

    Steviol glycosides enhance pancreatic beta-cell function and taste sensation by potentiation of TRPM5 channel activity. Nature Communications, 2017; 8: 14733 DOI: 10.1038/NCOMMS14733

    What makes stevia taste so extremely sweet? And how does the sweetener keep our blood sugar level under control. KU Leuven Researchers (Belgium) have discovered that stevia stimulates a protein that is essential for our perception of taste and is involved in the release of insulin after a meal. These results create new possibilities for the treatment of diabetes. Stevia extract is very popular as a non-caloric substitute for sugar. The plant-based sweetener is also believed to have a positive effect on blood sugar levels, although nobody understood why...

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    Hubble Spots Auroras on Uranus

    April 11, 2017, Categories  Health/Medical, Biology/Biotechnology

    This is a composite image of Uranus by Voyager 2 and two different observations made by Hubble -- one for the ring and one for the auroras. Astronomers tracked the interplanetary shocks caused by two powerful bursts of solar wind traveling from the sun to Uranus, then used Hubble to capture their effect on Uranus' auroras -- and found themselves observing the most intense auroras ever seen on the planet. By watching the auroras over time, they collected the first direct evidence that these powerful shimmering regions rotate with the planet. They also re-discovered Uranus' long-lost magnetic poles, which were lost shortly after their discovery by Voyager 2 in 1986 due to uncertainties in measurements and the featureless planet surface. Credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA, L. Lamy / Observatoire de Paris

    This is a composite image of Uranus by Voyager 2 and two different observations made by Hubble — one for the ring and one for the auroras. Astronomers tracked the interplanetary shocks caused by two powerful bursts of solar wind traveling from the sun to Uranus, then used Hubble to capture their effect on Uranus’ auroras — and found themselves observing the most intense auroras ever seen on the planet. By watching the auroras over time, they collected the first direct evidence that these powerful shimmering regions rotate with the planet. They also re-discovered Uranus’ long-lost magnetic poles, which were lost shortly after their discovery by Voyager 2 in 1986 due to uncertainties in measurements and the featureless planet surface. Credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA, L...

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    The Role of a Telomere Capping Complex in Cancer revealed

    April 10, 2017, Categories  Health/Medical, Biology/Biotechnology

    X-ray crystal structure of the human POT1-TPP1 telomere maintenance complex. POT1 is shown in salmon and TPP1 in lime color. Credit: The Wistar Institute

    X-ray crystal structure of the human POT1-TPP1 telomere maintenance complex. POT1 is shown in salmon and TPP1 in lime color. Credit: The Wistar Institute

    Scientists at The Wistar Institute have unveiled part of the protein complex that protects telomeres – the ends of our chromosomes. The study explains how a group of genetic mutations associated with this protein complex contributes to various cancers. Telomeres are the protective structures at the end of chromosomes and are essential for the faithful replication and protection of our genome. Defects in telomere function can lead to genomic instability in cancer, while the gradual shortening of telomeres is associated with the aging of human cells...

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    New Technology can Detect Tiny Ovarian Tumors

    April 10, 2017, Categories  Health/Medical, Biology/Biotechnology

    A high-magnification micrograph of an ovarian clear cell carcinoma. The images show, focally, the characteristic clear cells with prominent nucleoli and the typical hyaline globules. A high-magnification micrograph of an ovarian clear cell carcinoma. The images show, focally, the characteristic clear cells with prominent nucleoli and the typical hyaline globules. Image: Nephron/CC BY-SA 3.0

    A high-magnification micrograph of an ovarian clear cell carcinoma. The images show, focally, the characteristic clear cells with prominent nucleoli and the typical hyaline globules. A high-magnification micrograph of an ovarian clear cell carcinoma. The images show, focally, the characteristic clear cells with prominent nucleoli and the typical hyaline globules. Image: Nephron/CC BY-SA 3.0

    ‘Synthetic biomarkers’ could be used to diagnose ovarian cancer months earlier than now possible. Most ovarian cancer is diagnosed at such late stages that patients’ survival rates are poor. However, if the cancer is detected earlier, 5-year survival rates can be greater than 90%...

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