Diabetes-beating Betas
Interim results of a clinical trial of pancreatic precursor cells encapsulated in a device as treatment for Type I diabetes: analysis of resulting β cell function and control of glucose levels
Read the published research paper here
Image from work by Bart Keymeulen and colleagues
Diabetes Research Center, Vrije Universiteit Brussel and Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
Image originally published with a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)
Published in Nature Biotechnology, November 2023
You can also follow BPoD on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook
8 notes
·
View notes
Bang, Brave Bang Bravern
Beavern Very ill Female S/O.
TW: Cancer mentioned! ⚠️ ⚠️
After flying around inside Bravern’s chest cavity, Bravern gracefully landed on the tarmac, stinking a dramatic pose; the American and Japanese armies exchanged glances with allies, sharing amused smiles.
“What a great practice, Arial!” Bravern shouted, opening his chest as Arial tried lying and emerged from inside, “Arial, are you alright?”
“Yeah, I’m fine…” Arial nodded, jumping down from Bravern’s chest. But as she landed, Arial’s face contorted in pain, and he clutched her stomach, a soft groan escaping her lips.
Bravern’s expression immediately turned worried as he rushed to Arial’s side. “What’s wrong, Arial? Are you hurt?”
“It’s nothing, just a stomachache. I’ll be fine.” But her pale complexion and beads of sweat dripping down her forehead betrayed her words.
Arial grimaced, trying to hide the pain.
She then felt a trickle from underneath her nose; she brushed her fingertips to her upper lip, realizing it was blood. Panic filled Bravern’s eyes as he gently wiped the blood away with his thumb, his worry only growing more profound.
“Arial?” he asked. Arial took another step forward, her legs giving out before her body collapsed lifeless, “ARIAL!!”
As Arial collapsed, Bravern caught her, panic surging through him. He held her close, frantically checking for a pulse, relieved when he found a faint one.
Bravern quickly signals for the medical team to arrive to assist his partner.
The medical team arrived swiftly, taking Arial from Bravern’s grasp and placing her on a stretcher. Bravern stood by anxiously, his fists clenched, as the doctors assessed her condition. The worry on his face was evident, his mind racing with fear and questions.
“What happened to her? Will she be okay?” Bravern asked, his voice filled with desperation.
“It appears that she has been pushing herself physically and mentally too hard. Her body is exhausted, and this stomachache may be a symptom of something more serious. We need to run some tests to determine the cause.” The head doctor turned to Bravern, his expression grave.
Hours later:
Arial was taken to the hospital on the main island, and her blood results returned with positive results of possible pancreas cancer.
“We contacted her family back on the mainland,” a doctor explained to Bravern.
“Is pancreas cancer serious…?” Bravern asked hesitantly; the doctor’s face turned grim. The doctor nodded solemnly.
“Yes, pancreas cancer is a serious condition. It can lead to various complications and can be life-threatening if not properly treated. We will do everything we can to stabilize her and start the necessary treatments as soon as possible.”
Bravern’s heart sank at the gravity of the situation. He couldn’t bear the thought of losing Arial, his partner, and the person he cared for deeply.
“Please, do whatever it takes to save her,” he pleaded, his voice filled with desperation.
“We will do our best, Bravern. Our team is experienced, and we will exhaust all available options to treat her effectively. But I must warn you, it will be a difficult and challenging journey.” The doctor spoke.
End of Part 1.
5 notes
·
View notes
Islets Onstream
Insight into how the hormone-producing islet cells of the pancreas are organised during embryonic development – revealing potential new ways to treat diabetes
Read the published research paper here
Image from work by Wilma Tixi, Maricela Maldonado and Ya-Ting Chang, and colleagues
Department of Translational Research and Cellular Therapeutics, Arthur Riggs Diabetes and Metabolism Research Institute, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope, Duarte, CA, USA
Image originally published with a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)
Published in eLife, August 2023
You can also follow BPoD on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook
9 notes
·
View notes