Scientists Reprogram Adult Cells

Testicular tissue could help patients grow their own insulin

(NEWSER) - Scientists have made a breakthrough that they think could lead to a cure for diabetes in men. In recent experiments on diabetic mice, researchers were able to use tiny slivers of human testicular tissue to make replacements for the faulty cells that cause the condition, allowing the mice to produce their own insulin, the Daily Mail explains. The researchers predict they could be able to fully cure type 1 diabetes in men and boys in as little as five years. More»

Three markers in spinal fluid may help in development of treatment

(NEWSER) - The presence of certain biomarkers in spinal fluid can predict the development of Alzheimer's disease, even in patients who display no symptoms, according to breakthrough research being published tomorrow. "This is what everyone is looking for, the bull’s eye of perfect predictive accuracy," a doctor not connected with the study tells the New York Times . "This is literally on the cutting edge of where the field is." More»

Brown rice lowers risk of developing disease; more study needed

(NEWSER) - People who frequently eat white rice are at greater risk of developing Type 2 diabetes than those who eat less than one serving a month. But rice isn't all bad: Eating the brown variety lowers the likelihood of developing the disease, new research shows. Replacing white rice serving-for-serving with brown rice lowers diabetes risk by 16%, and substituting whole grains—unprocessed grains such as wheat, oats, and barley as well as brown rice—cuts the risk by a whopping 36%. More»

Stomach microbes could signal onset at 6 months old

(NEWSER) - Children with and without autism show marked differences in the makeup of their intestinal bacteria, and a simple urine test may help doctors diagnose the condition in children as young as 6 months old. Children typically aren't diagnosed until they're 2, delaying the start of intervention and other treatments. With the earlier diagnosis, "it might become a preventable disease," the author of a new study tells the Telegraph . More»

Breast cancer, ovarian cancer, melanoma yield to new approaches

(NEWSER) - New treatments for cancer—breast, ovarian, and skin—raised hopes at this weekend's meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology in Chicago. The findings aren't enough for Robert Langreth of Forbes , who sees "serious questions about whether big drug companies may be rushing too fast." Judge for yourself.

• A single dose of radiation administered at the site of tumor removal deterred recurrence of breast cancer as well as the standard grueling course of radiation on the entire breast, the Chicago Tribune reports.