Science Round Up- Jan 12th 2011

[Gahars]

Alright, so I have a good sized list of Science related articles to go through. To save time, I'll post them all together. So, without further ado...

1) "Type 1 Diabetes Can Be Reverse Using Stem Cell Therapy, According to New Study"

Type 1 diabetes is a form of disease that is recorded in about ten percent of people suffering from diabetes. The body produces T cells that attack its own insulin secreting pancreatic islet beta cells. The disease is characterized by a lack of insulin secretion, with a relatively sudden onset, obvious symptoms (frequent urination, thirst, increased appetite, weight loss) and a tendency toketoacidosis (ketones in the presence of high blood sugar + blood + acidosis). This form of disease can be seen in all ages, but particularly characterizes patients whose disease begins before 30 years. Below this age almost all patients are insulin dependent. Therefore patients require daily insulin injections to maintain an adequate insulin level and proper glucose levels.

A new method published in BioMed Central’s open access journal BMC Medicine , uses stem cells from cord blood in order to re-educate the patient’s faulty T cells and therefore regain the lost pancreatic function leading to a reduced need of insulin injections.

Stem Cell Educator therapy is a technique that uses immobilized cord blood stem cells (harvested from healthy patients) over which, lymphocytes separated from a patient suffering from diabetes are passed. After this procedure, which generally lasts about three hours, the re-educated lymphocytes are injected back to the patient. Evolution of patients was then monitored and checked at four, twelve, twenty-four and forty weeks after therapy.

Source: Doctor Tipster

Considering the large amount of people that suffer from Diabetes today, a treatment like this would certainly be a Godsend. Plus, since the stem cells come from healthy patients, scientists can (hopefully) sidestep the controversy.

Of course, to sidestep, you need balance, and this just might help after a night of debauchery.

2) "New Drug May Keep You Sober No Matter How Much You've Had to Drink"

Alright, that transition might have been forced, but seriously, take a look at this.

The drug is a chemical called dihydromyricetin, or DHM, and is derived from a Chinese variety of the oriental raisin tree, which has been used for at least 500 years in China as an effective hangover cure. So far the extract has only been tested on boozing rats, but with promising results.

"DHM will reduce the degree of drunkenness for the amount of alcohol drunk and will definitely reduce the hangover symptoms," said Jing Liang, lead researcher in the study. "In time, it will reduce [an alcoholic's] desire for alcohol."

Provided that the drug works as effectively in humans as it does in rats, DHM could be a breakthrough in the fight against alcoholism. But some researchers are concerned that it could eventually lead to more drinking rather than less. For instance, development of a similar compound called Ro15-4513 was abandoned several years ago due in part to such concerns.

Source: MNN

While there is a lot of testing left to be done, this is pretty amazing. If this works in humans as well as it did in those lab rats, the societal effects would enormous. Imagine one day where there was no more alcoholism (and the damage it causes) period

Or if you prefer to look at the smaller picture, it will be easier to a get home after a night at the bar when you safely drive yourself.

And I'm not going to even bother with a transition this time, so...

3) "1% Of Australia's Geothermal Power Potential = 26,000 Years of Energy"

And no, I did not add any extra zeroes.

Yesterday Google announced that it was getting into the geothermal power game, investing over $10 million into researching Enhanced Geothermal Systems. It is estimated that using this technology, just 2% of the heat below North America would easily supply all of the United States’ current energy needs.

An Australian government scientist told Reuters that 1% of the nation’s untapped geothermal potential could create enough energy for 26,000 years. ​

​

Source: Treehugger

Yeah, calling that a lot of energy would be an understatement of massive proportions.

Of course, we just have to get to and harness all that energy first. Still, with many governments and corporations investing in Geothermal energy, progress is being made. After all, even just a fraction of this one percent could be more than enough when used in conjunction with other sources of energy.

Or this could just turn out to be the fabled city of the Mole People in disguise. I'll let you know how that turns out.

So, what do you think? Which of these developments are the most significant, and which of my awful jokes was the most awful?

 

[FAST6191]

Some nice developments there, I am quite surprised previous plans for the alcohol one were shelved though (I heard similar concerns over a drug that would lessen the harmful effects of tobacco smoke) as researchers do not tend to be that sensitive to such concerns and basic pharmacology would say it might not be that great a leap between booze and some of the more fun substances out there and he who makes that substance becomes he who is or he who has a boss that just got very rich.

More geothermal is always good- even in the UK some people are considering it for their pools if they live in the right area and there is nothing close to the ring of fire around here.

 

[Thesolcity]

Wait the alcohol one is a breakthrough? I could've sworn there is a pill out there that essentially does the same thing.

 

[xist]

Item number 1 actually has more widespread implications concerning other auto-immune illnesses too....i imagine a treatment for something like arthritis could come further down the line.

 

[NES SNES V.B. N64 G.C. Wii WiiU]

Wow, we've got a lot unued potential power...
If only we had enough people to use it...


Nah, I like Australia the way it is

 

[chris888222]

A little prob viewing the original article...

But otherwise, all are cool. Awesome science stuff.

 

[Gahars]

Wait the alcohol one is a breakthrough? I could've sworn there is a pill out there that essentially does the same thing.

I've found an article on pills that help people break longstanding addictions (Here), but as far as I know, there are none on the market that would instantly sober you up or remove a hangover.

Believe me, whoever gets this to market first stands to make a lot of press, prestige, and money (Scrooge McDuck quantities, I'm guessing).

 

[Skelletonike]

The only one I really deem as interesting is the last one. We seriously need new energy sources, and hopefully one that won't damage the environment any more than we already did.
Also, the acool one is stupid, as long as someone knows how to drink, they wouldn't need a pill for that, only responsablity is needed.