Research At Ku Leuven: What We Learned In 2017
Research at KU Leuven: what we learned in 2017 Surgical robots, Wi-Fi security flaws, and everything you always wanted to know about Tinder but were afraid to ask: here are the 10 most-read science stories of 2017! 1. Worldfirst:surgicalrobotperformsprecision-injectioninpatientwithretinal veinocclusion Eye surgeons at University Hospitals Leuven have been the first to use asurgicalrobotto operate on apatientwithretinal veinocclusion. Therobotuses a needle of barely 0.03 millimetre toinject a thrombolytic druginto thepatients retinal vein. KU Leuven developed therobotand needle specifically for this procedure. Researchers from the University of Antwerp and KU Leuven have succeeded in developing a process that purifiesairand, at the same time, generates power. The device must only be exposed to light in order to function. Do people have more casual sex because ofTinder? Doctoral student Elisabeth Timmermans set out to find the answer: "One in two users already met one of theirTindermatches in real life. In a third of these cases, this led to sex." 4. Security flaw leaves all Wi-Fi traffic open to eavesdropping KU Leuven researchers have discovered serious weaknesses in a protocol that secures all protected Wi-Fi networks. Attackers can exploit theseflaws to steal credit card numbers, passwords, and other sensitive information. 5. KU Leuven researchers unravel how stevia controls blood sugar levels What makessteviataste so extremely sweet? And how does the sweetener keep our blood sugar level under control? Researchers at KU Leuven have discovered thatsteviastimulates a protein that is essential for our perception of taste and is involved in the release of insulin after a meal. These results create new possibilities for the treatment of diabetes. 6. Scientists figure out Continue reading >>
Potential Roles Of Stevia Rebaudiana Bertoni In Abrogating Insulin Resistance And Diabetes: A Review
Potential Roles of Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni in Abrogating Insulin Resistance and Diabetes: A Review 1Faculty of Pharmacy, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Puncak Alam Campus, 42300 Bandar Puncak Alam, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia Find articles by Nabilatul Hani Mohd-Radzman 1Faculty of Pharmacy, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Puncak Alam Campus, 42300 Bandar Puncak Alam, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia 1Faculty of Pharmacy, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Puncak Alam Campus, 42300 Bandar Puncak Alam, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia 1Faculty of Pharmacy, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Puncak Alam Campus, 42300 Bandar Puncak Alam, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia 1Faculty of Pharmacy, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Puncak Alam Campus, 42300 Bandar Puncak Alam, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia 2Medical Technology Division, Malaysian Nuclear Agency, Bangi, 43000 Kajang, Malaysia Received 2013 Mar 19; Revised 2013 Sep 28; Accepted 2013 Oct 1. Copyright 2013 Nabilatul Hani Mohd-Radzman et al. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. This article has been cited by other articles in PMC. Insulin resistance is a key factor in metabolic disorders like hyperglycemia and hyperinsulinemia, which are promoted by obesity and may later lead to Type II diabetes mellitus. In recent years, researchers have identified links between insulin resistance and many noncommunicable illnesses other than diabetes. Hence, studying insulin resistance is of particular importance in unravelling the pathways employed by such diseases. In this review, mechanisms involving free fatty acids, adipocytokines such as TNF and PPAR and serine kinases like JNK and I Continue reading >>
Purecircle Expanding And Innovating To Offer New, Great-tasting, Stevia Plant-based Sweeteners For Zero And Low-calorie Beverages And Foods
Home / News / PureCircle Expanding and Innovating To Offer New, Great-Tasting, Stevia Plant-Based Sweeteners For Zero and Low-Calorie Beverages and Foods PureCircle Expanding and Innovating To Offer New, Great-Tasting, Stevia Plant-Based Sweeteners For Zero and Low-Calorie Beverages and Foods by PureCircle | May 9, 2017 | News SHARE: Company Announcements , Press Release , Product Innovation , R&D , Stevia , Stevia Leaf Extract PureCircle Expanding and Innovating To Offer New, Great-Tasting, Stevia Plant-Based Sweeteners For Zero and Low-Calorie Beverages and Foods Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, May 9, 2017 PureCircle (LSE: PURE), the worlds leading producer and innovator of great-tasting stevia sweeteners for the global beverage and food industry, provides an update on company information and developments. Given the growing global concerns about obesity and diabetes, beverage and food companies are working responsibly to reduce sugar and calories in their products, responding to both consumers and health and wellness advocates. Sweeteners from the stevia plant are becoming an increasingly important tool for these companies. Stevia sweeteners provide clean, sugar-like taste. Like sugar, stevia sweeteners are from plants. But unlike sugar, they enable low-calorie and zero-calorie formulations of beverages and foods. Given its research and development capability coupled with its vertically integrated farm to finished-product model, PureCircle plays a key role. We believe there is tremendous future growth in the newer and more innovative varieties of stevia sweeteners (technically called steviol glycosides). Because of that, we are moving forward quickly. We are intensifying our stevia research and development. We are rapidly ramping up the supply of specialty stevia. We recentl Continue reading >>
New Insights Reveal How Stevia Controls Blood Sugar Levels
New insights reveal how stevia controls blood sugar levels Related tags: Blood sugar levels , Insulin , Diabetes mellitus How stevia controls blood sugar levels has remained a mystery until now as researchers think they have unravelled the natural, no-calorie sweetener's action that results in its observed health benefits. Writing in the Nature Communications journal, the research team have identified a protein called TRPM5 that is activated by stevia. This protein plays a role in taste perception as well as in the release of the hormone insulin after eating. TRPM5 is first and foremost essential for the taste perception of sweet, bitter, and umami on the tongue, explained Dr Koenraad Philippaert from the University of Leuven in Belgium. The taste sensation is made even stronger by the stevia component steviol, which stimulates TRPM5. Steviols effectiveness in controlling blood sugar levels has raised the possibility of the sugar alternative itself forming a new treatment to control or possibly prevent diabetes. Stevia extracts have been shown to possess insulin stimulating properties as well as anti-hyperglycaemic effects in type 2 diabetic animal models. However, insights into the mechanisms of action of the stevia extract and its glycosides are currently lacking. Nevertheless, its 2011 approval in the European Union as a sweetening food additive has made it a first-choice candidate in the plans of food makers looking to reformulate their products in order to reduce sugar content. Its adoption in drinks such as Coca-Cola Life and Pepsi True has propelled stevia further into the limelight althoughCoca-Cola recently announced its product was to be withdrawn from UK markets from June. Coca-Cola recently announced its product Coca Cola Life was to be withdrawn from UK ma Continue reading >>
- World's first diabetes app will be able to check glucose levels without drawing a drop of blood and will be able to reveal what a can of coke REALLY does to sugar levels
- British doctors trial simple gut operation that 'cures or controls' diabetes
- Insulin, glucagon and somatostatin stores in the pancreas of subjects with type-2 diabetes and their lean and obese non-diabetic controls
Research At Ku Leuven
Surgical robots, Wi-Fi security flaws, and everything you always wanted to know about Tinder but were afraid to ask: here are the 10 most-read science stories of 2017! Surgical robots, Wi-Fi security flaws, and everything you always wanted to know about Tinder but were afraid to ask: here are the 10 most-read science stories of 2017! 1. Worldfirst:surgicalrobotperformsprecision-injectioninpatientwithretinal veinocclusion Eye surgeons at University Hospitals Leuven have been the first to use asurgicalrobotto operate on apatientwithretinal veinocclusion. Therobotuses a needle of barely 0.03 millimetre toinject a thrombolytic druginto thepatients retinal vein. KU Leuven developed therobotand needle specifically for this procedure. Researchers from the University of Antwerp and KU Leuven have succeeded in developing a process that purifiesairand, at the same time, generates power. The device must only be exposed to light in order to function. Do people have more casual sex because ofTinder? Doctoral student Elisabeth Timmermans set out to find the answer: "One in two users already met one of theirTindermatches in real life. In a third of these cases, this led to sex." 4. Security flaw leaves all Wi-Fi traffic open to eavesdropping KU Leuven researchers have discovered serious weaknesses in a protocol that secures all protected Wi-Fi networks. Attackers can exploit theseflaws to steal credit card numbers, passwords, and other sensitive information. 5. KU Leuven researchers unravel how stevia controls blood sugar levels What makessteviataste so extremely sweet? And how does the sweetener keep our blood sugar level under control? Researchers at KU Leuven have discovered thatsteviastimulates a protein that is essential for our perception of taste and is involved in the release Continue reading >>
Research Videos
Patients with drug-resistant malaria cured by plant therapy. (We review the study "Patients with drug-resistant malaria cured by plant therapy" in regard to 18 critically ill patients whom were resistant to all other malaria treatments were cured of malaria with Artemisia annua dried leaf tablets in just 5 days.) We briefly review the study "Low serum magnesium levels are associated with increased risk of fractures: a long-term prospective cohort study" in regard to decreasing bone fracture risk by 44%.) Stevia helps control blood sugar levels even in the presence of antibiotics We review the recent research " Researchers unravel how stevia controls blood sugar levels " in addition to how stevia can still help maintain blood glucose control with a disrupted microbiome) We review the ground breaking study " Reversing aging now possible! ". Researchers were able to actually restore cell division to a healthy state.) Potassium more vital for Blood Pressure than low sodium? Potassium may be more important to those with high blood pressure than low sodium. We review the recent study " Cardiovascular benefits associated with higher dietary K vs. lower dietary Na evidence from population and mechanistic studies, in regard to this phenomenon.) Large Vitamin C dosages shown to shorten cold duration We review the research " Larger doses of vitamin C may lead to a greater reduction in common cold duration and infections" in regard to Vitamin C placebo control studies primarily showing benefit at 3 grams or more.) Vitamin C effective in targeting cancer stem cells We review the study " Vitamin C effective in targeting cancer stem cells " in regard to how it is at least 10 times more effective at eliminating cancer stem cells than other tested pharmaceutical agents.) Whole-body vib Continue reading >>
Easy Glucose Monitoring And Maintenance
Optical camera image of the disposable sweat monitoring strip (left). The disposable sweat analysis strip on human skin with perspiration (middle).The disposable strip-type sensors connected to a zero insertion force AQ50 (ZIF) connector (right). A research group from the Center for Nanoparticle Research within the Institute for Basic Science (IBS) has developed a convenient and accurate sweat-based glucose monitoring and maintenance device. The research group has furthered its previous study to enhance the efficiency of the sweat collection and sensing and therapy process. This sweat-based system allows rapid glucose measurement incorporating small and sensitive sensors and also comes in a disposable strip sensor to the convenience of users. This accurate glucose analysis allows to prescribe a multistep and precisely controlled dosage of drug. The previous study reported a wearable graphene-based patch that allows diabetes monitoring and feedback therapy by using human sweat. The device's pH and temperature monitoring functions enable systematic corrections of sweat glucose measurements. The conventional treatment protocol causes a huge stress to diabetics since it requires painful and repetitive blood-withdrawal and insulin shots. Patients become reluctant to take the periodic tests and treatments, aggravating the diabetes symptoms and suffer severe diabetic complications. A recent alternative approach, sweat-based monitoring offers a painless blood glucose monitoring method, enabling more convenient control of blood glucose levels. However, many challenges still exist for the practical application of the existing system: tedious blood collection procedure; error-prone, enzyme-based glucose sensing that may lead to overtreatment of drugs, etc. To address such issues, Continue reading >>
How Stevia May Help To Control Blood Sugar
An increasing number of people are opting for more healthful alternatives to sugar, and stevia has become a popular choice, particularly among people with diabetes. Studies have suggested that the natural, no-calorie sweetener can help to control blood sugar levels, although exactly how it achieves this has been unclear - until now. Researchers from the United Kingdom and Belgium have found that stevia activates a protein called TRPM5, which is associated with taste perception. This protein also plays a role in the release of the hormone insulin after eating. Study co-author Koenraad Philippaert, of the Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine at KU Leuven in Belgium, and colleagues say that their findings could open the door to new treatments for type 2 diabetes. The researchers recently reported their results in the journal Nature Communications. Stevia is a sweetener derived from the leaves of the Stevia rebaudiana plant - commonly known as sweetleaf - which is native to South America. Stevia is around 200 to 400 times sweeter than table sugar, and it is often used as a sugar substitute in diet soda, candy, yogurts, desserts, and other foods and beverages. Stevia targets protein responsible for sweet taste, insulin secretion The plant-based sweetener is generally considered safe for people with diabetes in moderation, and previous research has indicated that stevia may even help to control blood sugar levels. The mechanisms underlying stevia's positive effect on blood sugar levels have, however, not been well-understood. The new study from Philippaert and colleagues aimed to shed some light. In experiments involving cell cultures, the researchers found that stevia activates TRPM5, which is a protein important for the perception of sweet, bitter, and umami tastes Continue reading >>
Stevia: The Sweetest Way To Slay Metabolic Syndrome - Easy Health Options
Easy Health Options Home Healthy Foods The sweetest way to slay metabolic syndrome The sweetest way to slay metabolic syndrome High blood pressure, high blood sugar, excess belly fat and high cholesterol are incredibly common. Theyre so common that you may not even bat an eye if you or your spouse deals with a few of these conditions. Who doesnt nowadays? Even worse, you may not realize that when you have three or more of these conditions together, they become a dangerous syndrome known as metabolic syndrome . About 30 percent of adults in the U.S. have this syndrome. And dont fool yourself into thinking that just because metabolic syndrome is considered a syndrome and not a disease its no big deal. Its a very big deal. It puts you at a higher risk for serious health issues like heart disease, stroke and diabetes. So now that weve established the seriousness of the situation, the question is what can you do about it? Well, whether youre already dealing with metabolic syndrome or youre on the verge of developing it, the future of your health largely depends on what youre eating and what youre not Sugar, for example, is enemy number one in the fight against metabolic syndrome. If you can cut (or drastically reduce) sugar from your diet, youll tame the high blood pressure, high blood sugar, excess belly fat and high cholesterol that are putting you in danger of developing metabolic syndrome and possibly other serious diseases. But dont worry. Cutting back on sugar doesnt mean life cant be sweet. Theres a natural sugar alternative that could be a sweet yet simple solution to this very serious syndrome Researchers from the Autonomous University of Yucatan and the National Institute for Forest, Agronomic, and Livestock Research in Mexico found that the natural, calorie-free Continue reading >>
- Diet Soda Intake and Risk of Incident Metabolic Syndrome and Type 2 Diabetes in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA)*
- Ultraviolet Radiation Suppresses Obesity and Symptoms of Metabolic Syndrome Independently of Vitamin D in Mice Fed a High-Fat Diet
- Mouthwash May Trigger Diabetes—If You Use Way, Way Too Much of It
5 Sugar Substitutes To Avoid For People To Live Past 100 Well
5 Sugar Substitutes to Avoid for People to Live Past 100 Well With so many studies on the negative effects of sugar (causing an increased risk of everything from diabetes to Alzheimers disease), many people are using popular sugar substitutes, available on the market today. But, what are these substitutes made of, and which ones should you avoid if you want to live well to 100? It took years to deem artificial sweeteners such as saccharin, unhealthy due to studies that discovered the seemingly harmless white powder caused bladder cancer in lab animals. But, what about the many new sweeteners advertised as natural sugar substitutes? According to a recent report by Dr. Josh Axe, DNM, DC, CNS, certified doctor of natural medicine, doctor of chiropractic and clinical nutritionist, many of these seemingly healthy products aimed at sweetening your food and beverages (without spiking the blood sugar) are simply a new twist on the old unhealthy sugar substitutes. Kirtida R. Tandel reported in a study published by The Journal of Pharmacology, So in the experiment, after a while, rats given artificial sweetener have steadily increased caloric intake, increased body weight, and increased adiposity, (fat tissue). 1. Aspartame (Equal, NutraSweet, NatraTaste Blue) -a low calorie sweetener, found in nearly 6,000 consumer foods and drinks, that can be broken down into its primary componentsamino acids, aspartic acid, phenylalanine and methanol. These substances can stay in the liver, kidneys and brain for quite some time. A recent study published in the American Journal of Industrial Medicine reported, A re-evaluation, of the current position of the international regulatory agencies, must be considered an urgent matter of public health. This was due to the fact that the study discover Continue reading >>
How To Regulate Sugar Levels - Dexmedica
How insulin and glucagon work to regulate blood sugar levels The pancreas secretes insulin and glucagon, both of which play a vital role in regulating blood sugar levels. The two hormones work in balance. If the level of one hormone is outside the ideal range, blood sugar levels may spike or drop.Together, insulin and glucagon help keep conditions inside the body steady. When blood sugar is too high, the pancreas secretes more insulin. When blood sugar levels drop, the pancreas releases glucagon to bring them back up.Contents of this article:Blood sugar and... How to Naturally Lower Blood Sugar Levels Glucose, or blood sugar, provides fuel that keeps your body and brain functioning properly. Consuming simple carbohydrates, such as sugary sodas and refined and processed foods, however, can cause glucose fluctuations. Simple carbohydrates are broken down and absorbed quickly into your bloodstream, causing your blood sugar level to rise. Your pancreas then releases insulin, which alerts your body's cells to absorb excess glucose from your bloodstream and store it for future use. The result: Your blood sugar... How to Lower Sugar Levels in the Blood Immediately High blood sugar levels, or hyperglycemia, is a condition in which glucose concentrations in the blood are too high. This condition is commonly found in individuals who have diabetes and is caused when the body does not produce enough of or is resistant to the effects of the hormone insulin. When high blood sugar is left untreated, it can lead to organ and tissue damage, coma and death. Monitoring your blood sugar levels is a good way to address high sugar immediately and there are several ways to lower sugar... Consuming sucrose and other types of sugar appear to raise energy levels in proportion to the amount cons Continue reading >>
Sequencing Of Stevia Plant Genome Revealed For First Time
Sequencing of stevia plant genome revealed for first time October 20, 2017, Purecircle Stevia Institute For the first time, scientists have completed the sequencing of the stevia plant genome. Lead scientists from PureCircle Stevia Institute and KeyGene have unveiled this major breakthrough in research showing the annotated, high-quality genome sequences of three stevia cultivars. This achievement provides a better understanding of key enzyme groups used by the stevia plant to produce the steviol glycosides giving stevia its characteristic sweet taste. To enable acceleration of the traditional breeding of the stevia plant, researches identified several million potentially new markers in the assembled genomes. PureCircle's non-GMO agriculture program is strengthened by these cutting-edge findings. The research helps facilitate optimization of the levels of the best-tasting steviol glycosides, including improvements in the levels of the well-known minor glycosides, Reb D and Reb M. The data has been integrated into CropPedia, a comprehensive bioinformatics platform developed by KeyGene for visualization and analytics of all available genomic, transcriptomic and metabolomic stevia datasets. CropPedia enables chemists, biochemists, geneticists, and agronomists to better understand the steviol glycoside biosynthesis pathways, and to rapidly create improved stevia varieties using traditional breeding practices. Stevia is a plant-based, zero-calorie sweetener which has been approved by all major regulatory authorities globally for use in foods and beverages in over 150 countries. Optimized stevia ingredients developed as a result of this research will enable deeper reductions in sugar and calorie content of foods and beverages, as well as superior tasting products. This great Continue reading >>
Ku Leuven Researchers Unravel How Stevia Controls Blood Sugar Levels
KU Leuven researchers unravel how stevia controls blood sugar levels What makes stevia taste so extremely sweet? And how does the sweetener keep our blood sugar level under control? Researchers at KU Leuven have discovered that stevia stimulates a protein that is essential for our perception of taste and is involved in the release of insulin after a meal. These results create new possibilities for the treatment of diabetes. What makes stevia taste so extremely sweet? And how does the sweetener keep our blood sugar level under control? Researchers at KU Leuven have discovered that stevia stimulates a protein that is essential for our perception of taste and is involved in the release of insulin after a meal. These results create new possibilities for the treatment of diabetes. Stevia extract is very popular as a non-caloric substitute for sugar. The plant-based sweetener is also believed to have a positive effect on blood sugar levels, although nobody understood why. Koenraad Philippaert and Rudi Vennekens from the KU Leuven Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine (Laboratory of Ion Channel Research) have now revealed the underlying mechanism. They collaborated with other KU Leuven scientists and with researchers from Universit catholique de Louvain and University of Oxford. Our experiments have shown that the active components of stevia extract, stevioside and steviol, stimulate the ion channel TRPM5, Dr Philippaert explains. The proteins known as ion channels are a kind of microscopic pathway through which minuscule charged particles enter and leave the cell. These channels are behind many processes in the body. Mice on a high-fat diet are less likely to develop diabetes if they also get a daily dose of stevioside. TRPM5 is first and foremost essential for the t Continue reading >>
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- World's first diabetes app will be able to check glucose levels without drawing a drop of blood and will be able to reveal what a can of coke REALLY does to sugar levels
- British doctors trial simple gut operation that 'cures or controls' diabetes
Study Confirms Stevias Blood-sugar Benefits
The sweetener thats good for your blood sugar! If youve ever tasted stevia, you know that its exceptionally sweet. Even just chewing on a leaf from the stevia plant will give you a mouthful of sweetness. But unlike other sweeteners like honey or even brown rice syrup, since its not actually a sugar (and isnt pretending to be one), it wont raise your blood sugar! Now, researchers have discovered exactly why that is. And what they found might make it possible for stevia one day to become widely recognized not just as a safe alternative but also an all-natural treatment for diabetics. But theres something else about this sweet herb you need to know: Most, if not all, of the stevia products youll find in the supermarket arent stevia. Stevia has been around and consumed for a very long time. And for probably just as long, it has been known that its a safe sweetener for diabetics to use, something on which even the Mayo Clinic agrees. Also, past research has found the herb can improve insulin sensitivity, delay insulin resistance, and reduce blood glucose after eating. And there is now some sound science to support if not definitely prove the claims that stevia, unlike other sweeteners, is actually helpful in controlling blood sugar, and may even be beneficial for diabetics. What researchers at the University of Leuven, in Belgium discovered is that in laboratory mice, two of the main components of the stevia plant (stevioside and steviol) stimulate a protein that can protect against abnormally high blood-sugar levels. The researchers believe that stevia may even be able to stop diabetes from developing in the first place! But par for the course where Big Food is concerned, it took a safe, all-natural herb and refined it to the point where even the FDA says that the products Continue reading >>
