Glucose

Powering medical implants can be tricky, but tapping into the body’s own fuel source could keep them going long-term. A new design for a tiny fuel cell converts glucose into electricity to power implants more efficiently than any other so far.

While we may think of wood as being earthy and natural, wooden materials such as plywood typically contain formaldehyde-based adhesives that give off toxic fumes. Such is not the case with a new adhesive, which is made from glucose and citric acid.

Insulin regulates blood glucose levels, and issues often lead to diabetes. But now, scientists at the Salk Institute have identified another molecular pathway that regulates blood glucose, which could open up a brand new avenue for treating diabetes.

New studies are reporting results from a type 1 diabetes human clinical trial testing a device containing stem cells designed to mature into insulin-secreting cells. The experimental implant was found to be safe, well-tolerated and mildly effective.

Currently, most diabetics have to check their blood glucose levels by performing finger-prick blood tests, or via implanted sensors. An experimental new device, however, could someday do the job while simply adhered to the surface of the user's skin.

A team at Indiana University School of Medicine has taken a promising step towards a future of self-adjusting insulin, demonstrating a type of "synthetic hinge" that swings into action when blood glucose levels call for corrective action.

A new study has found moderate consumption of fructose and sucrose can dramatically amplify fat production in the liver. The research also suggests these sugar-induced changes to fat metabolism can continue for long periods of time.

A new device out of UC San Diego takes flexible electronics into new territory, with engineers building what they say is the first wearable capable of monitoring cardiovascular signals and multiple biochemicals in the body at the same time.

A new systematic review and meta-analysis published in the British Medical Journal has concluded adhering to a low-carbohydrate diet for six months is the most effective dietary strategy to put type type 2 diabetes into remission.

Scientists have distinguished six different subtypes of prediabetes, a condition that precedes the onset of type 2 diabetes. The subtypes should allow clinicians more precise identification of those patients most likely to develop diabetes.

A new study has investigated the anti-obesity effects of a specific strain of gut bacteria. From preclinical animal studies to a placebo-controlled human trial, the research suggests a novel bacterial strain may confer several metabolic benefits.

An imaginative new concept for diabetes management is a student-designed earring that tracks blood glucose levels via the earlobe. The creator hopes it can one day help children with the condition more discretely manage their condition.