RE: the types of Diabetes - absolutely right. Type 1 is caused by an autoimmune attack on the Beta cells in the Islets of Langerhans, in the Pancreas (phew). Type II is caused by a reduced or lost sensitivity to Insulin and its effects.
So sufferers of type I can take carefully meaasured doses of Insulin (very bad to over-do that one), and Type II sufferers have to watch their diet and exercise levels to keep their blood glucose levels in check.
The stem cell cure will work as long as the immune system doesn't attack and destroy the new cells implanted (the cells themselves were functioning before, and making functional insulin). However, if this attack is caused/mediated by specific cell receptors on the membrane of those cells, then those cells would still be recognised as foreign, and destroyed.
[/Brain Fart]
Gah, even though it's always a shock when you see the immune system go wrong, I'm continually amazed by how well it _does_ actually work:).
There have definitely been some interesting posts about the possibility of such a technology destroying the ambitious and forward-looking tech that is P2P. But surely this isn't a problem - as long as the only files targeted were those which would fall under some form copyright, and would therefore be illegal, then the remaining files would be left untouched. So the more interesting side of P2P (for examples sites such as http://www.10eastern.com/foundphotos/)would be left relatively untouched, as would fully legal uses of such software.
I mean, you can't really complain about it being a bit more tricky to download the latest game, can you? It's a bit like a shoplifter complaining about empty display CD-cases on the shelves of record shops...
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RE: the types of Diabetes - absolutely right. Type 1 is caused by an autoimmune attack on the Beta cells in the Islets of Langerhans, in the Pancreas (phew). Type II is caused by a reduced or lost sensitivity to Insulin and its effects. So sufferers of type I can take carefully meaasured doses of Insulin (very bad to over-do that one), and Type II sufferers have to watch their diet and exercise levels to keep their blood glucose levels in check. The stem cell cure will work as long as the immune system doesn't attack and destroy the new cells implanted (the cells themselves were functioning before, and making functional insulin). However, if this attack is caused/mediated by specific cell receptors on the membrane of those cells, then those cells would still be recognised as foreign, and destroyed. [/Brain Fart] Gah, even though it's always a shock when you see the immune system go wrong, I'm continually amazed by how well it _does_ actually work :).
There have definitely been some interesting posts about the possibility of such a technology destroying the ambitious and forward-looking tech that is P2P. But surely this isn't a problem - as long as the only files targeted were those which would fall under some form copyright, and would therefore be illegal, then the remaining files would be left untouched. So the more interesting side of P2P (for examples sites such as http://www.10eastern.com/foundphotos/)would be left relatively untouched, as would fully legal uses of such software. I mean, you can't really complain about it being a bit more tricky to download the latest game, can you? It's a bit like a shoplifter complaining about empty display CD-cases on the shelves of record shops...