In today’s dose, we go from alpha to beta; follow thalidomide; look at improving radiation therapy; and talk babies, breastfeeding, and billions (of dollars).

— A fresh start is best, even for pancreatic cells. After specifically destroying beta-cells in a mouse model for diabetes, researchers found that alpha-cells were capable of reprogramming and forming the insulin-producing beta-cells. Regenerating beta-cells could be a promising treatment for type 1 diabetes.

— Breastfeeding could save the US $13 billion a year, as well as prevent more than 900 deaths, according to a new study. New mothers would need to breastfeed exclusively for the first six months, as is recommended by the World Health Organization and other bodies, but the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated that only 14% of women did so in 2009. (CNN)

— Researchers have found a new use for thalidomide, a drug prescribed for morning sickness in the late 1950s that ended up causing limb malformation among children. Seven individuals with the blood vessel disorder hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT) were treated with thalidomide and experienced fewer nosebleeds than controls (Reuters). In related news, UK victims of thalidomide are raising concerns over purchasing a painkiller for their deformities because the latter drug is produced by the same company that supplied thalidomide decades ago. (Financial Times)

— Radiotherapy might be made more effective, according to researchers, by blocking the POLQ gene in tumors. Study authors found that a knockdown of the gene, which is involved in DNA repair, increased the sensitivity of various types of cancer to radiation. (BBC)

Image by Daquella manera via Flickr Creative Commons