Insulin News and Research

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Insulin is a hormone that is needed to convert glucose, starches and other food into energy needed for daily life. Insulin allows cells to use glucose for fuel and is secreted by beta cells in the islets of Langerhans. The release of insulin from the pancreas is stimulated by increased blood glucose, vagal nerve stimulation, and other factors. Insulin is obtained from various animals and available in a variety of preparations. Commercial insulin preparations differ in a number of ways, including differences in the animal species from which they are obtained; their purity, concentration, and solubility; and the time of onset and duration of their biologic action. An oral hypoglycemic agent is not a form of insulin therapy.

Flavanols enhance browning of adipose tissue by activating the sympathetic nervous system

In cold conditions, brown adipose tissue (BAT) or brown fat generates heat to keep the body warm. Compared with white adipose tissue, BAT has more mitochondria-;subcellular organelles associated with energy production-;which allows it to burn calories and produce heat by activating the mitochondrial uncoupling protein 1 (Ucp-1).

3 Feb 2022

MIT researchers develop new way to deliver RNA in a capsule

Like most vaccines, RNA vaccines have to be injected, which can be an obstacle for people who fear needles. Now, a team of MIT researchers has developed a way to deliver RNA in a capsule that can be swallowed, which they hope could help make people more receptive to them.

1 Feb 2022

Genetic mutation that corresponds to small body size in dogs existed in ancient wolves

Popular belief has been that small dogs, such as Pomeranians and Chihuahuas, exist because once dogs were domesticated, humans wanted small, cute companions.

28 Jan 2022

Researchers create a healthier form of starch in the cassava plant

Researchers at the RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science (CSRS) in Japan have recently created a healthier form of starch in the cassava plant. Published in the scientific journal Plant Molecular Biology, the study shows how reducing levels of starch branching enzymes (SBEs) in cassava plants changes the composition of tapioca starch, making it more resistant to digestion and healthier for us to eat.

17 Dec 2021

Study suggests dietary intake of flavan-3-ols could help prevent obesity

14 Dec 2021

Each person has their own unique “fingerprint” of protein activity, says study

A group of international scientists recently generated a new approach to identify the proteins in human cells that are crucial for increasing sugar absorption after exercise.

14 Dec 2021

Daytime eating maintains circadian alignment, prevents glucose intolerance despite mistimed sleep

What are the effects of eating during the nighttime instead of the daytime? New research, focused on a simulation of night shift work, may hold implications for people eating at atypical times -; like those experiencing jet lag, circadian rhythm sleep disorders, or who tend to sleep late during the weekends.

6 Dec 2021

Natural anti-inflammatory compound in rosemary plants may benefit postpartum dairy cows

Rosemary and dairy cows could be a winning combination.

3 Dec 2021

Regulating the activity of a protein enhances health span, says research

Scientists from KAIST put forth novel insights for enhancing the health span by controlling a protein’s activity.

25 Nov 2021

Study identifies new gene that promotes progression to type 1 diabetes

When the pro-inflammatory pair, a receptor called CCR2 and its ligand CCL-2, get together, it increases the risk of developing type 1 diabetes, scientists report.

17 Nov 2021

New epigenetic editing technique could help treat a wide range of diseases

All the cells found in the body of an individual have the same genetic code.

15 Nov 2021

Pacific Ocean rockfish genomes offer new insights into the genetic determinants of aging

Genomes assembled from Pacific Ocean rockfishes – some species of which are among the longest-living vertebrates known – reveal new insights into the genetic determinants of aging.

12 Nov 2021

Study identifies DNA mutations that impact metabolism and insulin sensitivity in liver disease patients

For the first time, DNA mutations in liver cells have been identified that impact metabolism and insulin sensitivity in patients with liver disease.

15 Oct 2021

Study explores the effects of epigenetic editing in various tumor settings

Recent research reports that the appropriate functioning of this mechanism is essential for tissue homeostasis and cell fate determination.

13 Oct 2021

Study details metabolic processes employed by SARS-CoV-2 to attack lung tissue

Scientists from the Karolinska Institutet discovered certain metabolic mechanisms that SARS-CoV-2 employs to attack lung tissue.

13 Oct 2021

Researchers identify 14 genes responsible for obesity

Promising news in the effort to develop drugs to treat obesity: University of Virginia scientists have identified 14 genes that can cause and three that can prevent weight gain. The findings pave the way for treatments to combat a health problem that affects more than 40% of American adults.

4 Oct 2021