In this week’s issue of The Savvy Diabetic:
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- Tandem Insulin Pump Malfunction
- First Gene-Edited Human Islet Transplant Passes Functional Trial
- Brain Pathway of Metformin’s Blood Sugar-Lowering Effects
- Medtronic Shares new Abbott sensor, Instinct, Made ONLY for MiniMed AIDs
- T1D Pregnancy & Me JAEB Study is RECRUITING!
- Modular Medical Validates Insulin Patch Pump Cartridge for Human-Use Production
- Mounjaro Comes Out on Top
- Trapping Gut Bacteria’s Hidden Fuel Improves Blood Sugar & Liver Health
- Chronic Kidney Disease-Associated Pruritus
- Organized Scientific Fraud is Growing
- The Happiness Study
- Robotic Drummer Acquires Human-Like Behaviors
[I’m trying a new format for the Title line … it’s cleaner. What do you think? Better or Like the older one better?]
Tandem insulin pump malfunction linked to 59 injuries by Elise Reuter for MedTechDive.com, 7 August 2025.
Certain types of speakers in Tandem’s devices have a higher risk of malfunction, which can cause insulin delivery to stop and render the pump non-operational. The malfunction also stops communication between the pump and the continuous glucose monitor, as well as Tandem’s t:slim mobile app.
Tandem sent letters between July 22 and 24 to people whose devices are at higher risk of the problem, which it refers to as Malfunction 16. The company instructed those people to continue using their devices, “but with added precautions because the Malfunction 16 can occur at any time.”
In the event of a malfunction, Tandem said users should contact Tandem for a replacement pump and switch to a backup method of insulin delivery. The company stated that it will release a software update to facilitate the early detection of speaker failure and will introduce persistent vibration alerts to mitigate potential safety risks.
Tandem hasn’t disclosed how many users are affected or the timing of the software update. Tandem said it has received reports of 700 adverse events and 59 injuries. There have been no reports of death. The problem, if not addressed, presents the risk of hyperglycemia in people with diabetes.
Read more: Tandem insulin pump malfunction linked to 59 injuries
First gene-edited human islet transplant passes functional trial by Justin Jackson for MedicalXpress.com, 6 August 2025.
Uppsala University Hospital-led investigators report that gene-edited donor islet cells survived 12 weeks inside a man with long-standing type 1 diabetes without any immunosuppressive medication. In the study, “Survival of Transplanted Allogeneic Beta Cells with No Immunosuppression,” published in the New England Journal of Medicine, researchers conducted a first-in-human open-label trial to test whether hypoimmune-engineered islet cells could evade rejection. A single 42-year-old man with a 37-year history of type 1 diabetes formed the cohort. Daily insulin therapy continued as only 7% of a full replacement dose of beta cells was implanted. The study authors therefore describe the trial as a proof-of-survival and proof-of-function validation.
Investigators conclude that hypoimmune gene editing may eventually lead to a curative beta-cell replacement for type 1 diabetes without systemic immune suppression, a prospect that could ease daily management and reduce long-term complications for millions.
Read more:
Study reveals brain pathway behind metformin’s blood sugar-lowering effects by Sadie Harley for MedicalXpress.com, 30 July 2025.
Although metformin has been the go-to medication to manage type 2 diabetes for more than 60 years, researchers still do not have a complete picture of how it works. Scientists at Baylor College of Medicine and international collaborators have discovered a previously unrecognized new player mediating the clinically relevant effects of metformin: the brain. By uncovering a brain pathway involved in metformin’s anti-diabetic action, researchers have discovered new possibilities for treating diabetes more effectively and precisely. The study appears in Science Advances.
“It’s been widely accepted that metformin lowers blood glucose primarily by reducing glucose output in the liver. Other studies have found that it acts through the gut,” said corresponding author Dr. Makoto Fukuda, associate professor of pediatrics—nutrition at Baylor. “We looked into the brain, as it is widely recognized as a key regulator of whole-body glucose metabolism. We investigated whether and how the brain contributes to the anti-diabetic effects of metformin.”
The team focused on a small protein called Rap1, found in a specific part of the brain known as the ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH). The researchers discovered that metformin’s ability to lower blood sugar at clinically relevant doses depends on the inhibition of Rap1 in this brain region.
Read more: Study reveals brain pathway behind metformin’s blood sugar-lowering effects
Medtronic Diabetes shares preview of new Abbott sensor made for MiniMed insulin delivery systems by Sean Whooley for DrugDeliveryBusiness.com, 8 August 2025.
Medtronic Diabetes — soon to be MiniMed after its planned separation from the medtech giant – said in a social media post that the new sensor specifically designed for its own systems is called “Instinct.”
“Get a sneak peek at what’s coming next: the Instinct sensor,” the business unit’s account wrote. “Made by Abbott, the Instinct sensor is designed exclusively for MiniMed systems. We’ll share more details about the Instinct sensor when it’s commercially available.” The sensor, built on the Abbott FreeStyle Libre platform, reflects “the power of the partnership,” said Abbott EVP, Diabetes Care, Chris Scoggins. The partnership aims to collaborate on a system based on Abbott’s FreeStyle Libre CGMs with Medtronic’s automated insulin delivery technology (the latest generation being the MiniMed 780G) and smart insulin pen systems, such as the InPen system.
{Personal comment from a T1D/researcher/innovator: “Such a sick and twisted use of the word ‘interoperable.’ I thought the FDA goals were to encourage true interoperability, not locking out potential partnerships! So sad to me!}
Read more: Medtronic Minimed “Coming Soon”
T1D Pregnancy & Me Study, shared by Tidepool.org … they are recruiting now! Please feel free to share with anyone who might be interested in participating.
Pregnancy with type 1 diabetes requires tight management—but what if the very tools designed to help aren’t intended or approved for pregnancy? Stacey Simms of DiabetesConnections.com discusses the T1D Pregnancy Study, a groundbreaking initiative aimed at closing the data gap and including pregnant women in diabetes technology research. They’ll discuss who can be in this study, how it works, what they’re looking for, and what it could mean for the future of diabetes care during those nine months and a lot more.
Her guests included Dr. Camille E. Powe, an Associate Professor at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, and the study’s chair, as well as Carrie Matuzsan, a patient advisor who lives with type 1 diabetes and had twins in 2020.
Modular Medical validates insulin patch pump cartridge for human-use production by Sean Whooley for DrugDeliveryBusiness.com, 4 August 2025.
Modular Medical announced today that it validated its insulin pump cartridge line for human-use production in the U.S. San Diego-based Modular Medical develops the MODD1 90-day insulin patch pump for adult “almost-pumpers.” It features new microfluidics technology, allowing for the low-cost pumping of insulin. The system has a reservoir size of 300 units/3mL. Users can monitor the pump activity with their cell phone and do not require an external controller. The pump utilizes a single-use, disposable battery provided by the manufacturer. MODD1 earned FDA clearance for MODD1 in September 2024.
Read more: Modular Medical validates insulin patch pump cartridge for human-use production
Mounjaro comes out on top in head-to-head trial by Diana Turner for DrugDiscoveryWorld-Online.com, 6 August 2025.
Lilly has shared topline results from SURPASS-CVOT, a head-to-head Phase III cardiovascular outcomes trial comparing two incretin therapies in adults with type 2 diabetes and established atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Mounjaro (tirzepatide), a GIP/GLP-1 dual receptor agonist, was compared to Trulicity (dulaglutide), a GLP-1 receptor agonist that showed a definitive cardiovascular benefit in the REWIND study.
In SURPASS-CVOT, Mounjaro achieved the primary objective by demonstrating a non-inferior rate of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE-3), including cardiovascular death, heart attack, or stroke vs. Trulicity. In addition, although not controlled for multiplicity-adjusted type 1 error, Mounjaro showed improvements in key measures, including A1C, weight, renal function, and all-cause mortality.
Read more: Mounjaro comes out on top in head-to-head trial
Trapping gut bacteria’s hidden fuel improves blood sugar and liver health by Sadie Harley at McMaster University for MedicalXpress.com, 29 July 2025.
A team of Canadian scientists has discovered a surprising new way to improve blood sugar levels and reduce liver damage: by trapping a little-known fuel produced by gut bacteria before it wreaks havoc on the body. The findings, published in Cell Metabolism, could pave the way for new therapies to treat metabolic diseases such as type 2 diabetes and fatty liver disease.
Researchers at McMaster University, Université Laval, and the University of Ottawa demonstrated that a molecule produced by gut microbes can enter the bloodstream and stimulate the liver to produce more glucose and fat than necessary. However, when researchers developed a method to trap this molecule in the gut before it enters the body, they observed significant improvements in blood sugar control and fatty liver disease in obese mice. “This is a new twist on a classic metabolic pathway,” says Jonathan Schertzer, senior and corresponding author and professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences at McMaster.
“We’ve known for nearly a century that muscles and the liver exchange lactate and glucose—a process called the Cori cycle. What we’ve discovered is a new branch of that cycle, where gut bacteria are also part of the conversation.”
Trapping gut bacteria’s hidden fuel improves blood sugar and liver health
Managing Chronic Kidney Disease-Associated Pruritus by Batya Swift Yasgut for MedScape.com, 30 July 2025.
Approximately 35 million US adults suffer from chronic kidney disease (CKD). “CKD has far-reaching implications that go way beyond the kidneys,” Uday Nori, MD, clinical professor of medicine and transplant nephrologist, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio, told Medscape Medical News. “CKD is a systemic disease that affects practically all the other organs, including the skin.” CDK-associated pruritus refers specifically to itching that occurs without another comorbid condition that could explain it. One of the most common and debilitating dermatologic conditions, pruritus affects 15%-49% of patients with chronic renal failure and up to 85% of the dialysis population.
“Pruritus is probably the biggest dermatologic problem in patients with kidney disease,” Dirk Elston, MD, professor and chairman of the Department of Dermatology and Dermatologic Surgery, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina, told Medscape Medical News. “Its consequences are broad and devastating because it affects patients’ sleep and their quality of life while they’re awake.” The mechanisms underlying pruritus in CKD are unclear. Uremia remains the most common metabolic trigger, and systemic inflammation may play a central role.
According to Nori, the “itch response,” triggered by inflammation, is a reaction to a series of compounds (eg, histamine, prostaglandins, cytokines, neuropeptides, and proteases), which send “itch signals” to the central nervous system. Elevated C-reactive protein levels have been reported in patients with ESRD and uremic pruritus, supporting this potential association.
Read more: Managing Chronic Kidney Disease-Associated Pruritus
Organized Scientific Fraud is Growing at an Alarming Rate by Sadie Harley for Phys.org, 4 August 2025.
From fabricated research to paid authorships and citations, organized scientific fraud is on the rise, according to a new Northwestern University study. By combining large-scale data analysis of scientific literature with case studies, the researchers led a deep investigation into scientific fraud. Although concerns about scientific misconduct typically focus on individual cases, the Northwestern research uncovered sophisticated global networks of individuals and entities that systematically work together to undermine the integrity of academic publishing.
The problem is so widespread that the publication of fraudulent science is outpacing the growth rate of legitimate scientific publications. The authors argue these findings should serve as a wake-up call to the scientific community, which needs to act before the public loses confidence in the scientific process.
The study, “The entities enabling scientific fraud at scale are large, resilient and growing rapidly,” was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. “Science must police itself better in order to preserve its integrity,” said Northwestern’s Luís A. N. Amaral, the study’s senior author.
Read more: Organized scientific fraud is growing at an alarming rate
The Happiness Study: Lessons from Lives Well-Lived was shared by RenaAhujaMD.com, 22 July 2025.
According to the Harvard Study of Adult Development, the world’s longest-running scientific examination of happiness, the key to happiness is actually your connections with other people. More specifically, the warmth of those relationships is vital to both your long-term health and happiness.
The intersection of mind and body has been recognized for some time, but what shocked study director Robert Waldinger, MD, a professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and a psychiatrist at Massachusetts General Hospital, was the critical impact of the human connection. “We found that good relationships were the biggest predictor of healthy longevity, literally changing our physiology and decreasing risk of type 2 diabetes, arthritis, coronary disease, and other conditions associated with aging,” he says.
Still, the ‘why’ may be less understood than the ‘how.’ One hypothesis focuses on the stress-relieving nature of good relationships. “When something annoying or upsetting happens, your body goes into fight or flight mode (heart rate rises, breathing gets faster, etc.) to meet the challenge,” explains Dr. Waldinger. “Sharing your frustrations with a sympathetic person allows you to return to equilibrium; your body literally calms down. People who have a lack of connection or really acrimonious relationships don’t have that same stress regulation mechanism in their lives.”
Another area of study is what Dr. Waldinger whimsically refers to as the Tigger or Eeyore factor. “We all know Tiggers, who are almost always cheerful no matter what’s happening, and Eeyores who are down even when things are going well,” he says. “Other research has pointed to a happiness setpoint that is 50% genetically determined, 10% environmentally influenced, and 40% by intentional activity. We want to continue exploring ways to move the setpoint.”
Read more:
About Robots! Robotic drummer gradually acquires human-like behaviors by Ingrid Fadelli for TechXplore.com, 8 August 2025.
Researchers at SUPSI, IDSIA, and Politecnico di Milano recently introduced Robot Drummer, a new humanoid robot that can play the drums both accurately and expressively, supported by a reinforcement learning algorithm. This robot, presented in a paper published on the arXiv preprint server, was found to gradually acquire human-like behaviors, including movements that drummers often perform.
“The idea for Robot Drummer actually emerged from a spontaneous conversation over coffee with my co-author, Loris Roveda,” Asad Ali Shahid, first author of the paper, told Tech Xplore. “We were discussing how humanoid robots have become increasingly capable at a wide range of tasks, but rarely engage in creative and expressive domains. That raised a fascinating question: what if a humanoid robot could take on a creative role, like performing music? Drumming seemed like a perfect frontier, as it’s rhythmic, physical, and requires rapid coordination across limbs.”
The primary objective of this recent study by Shahid and his colleagues was to develop a machine learning-based system that enables a humanoid robot to play entire musical tracks on the drums, exhibiting rhythmic skills comparable to those of human performers. The system they developed, dubbed Robot Drummer, was successfully evaluated in simulation on the G1 humanoid robot, created by Unitree, allowing it to play real songs on a drum kit accurately.
To evaluate their system, the researchers tested it on a simulated G1 Unitree robot, assessing its ability to perform popular songs across various genres, including jazz, rock, and metal. These included well-known tracks like “In the End” by Linkin Park, “Take Five” by Dave Brubeck, and “Living on a Prayer” by Bon Jovi. They found that the robot effectively learned complex rhythmic structures and played the songs with high accuracy, often with a rhythmic precision of over 90%.
“More impressively, the robot discovered human-like strategies, such as planning for upcoming strikes, executing cross-arm hits, and reassigning sticks on the fly,” said Shahid. “These behaviors emerged entirely by optimizing for rhythmic rewards the robot received during training. In the long term, Robot Drummer could pave the way for robotic performers to accompany live bands on stage, and it provides a framework for teaching precise timing skills in domains beyond music.”
Read more:
I definitely like the new formatting better! It’s easier to read.
Very disappointing to learn about the new, exclusive Abbott sensor made for MiniMed. I agree with the personal comment made by the T1D/researcher/innovator.