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Funding is tight. Grants are rejected. Research equipment is too expensive. And these are complaints heard in well-heeled laboratories in the US and UK. In the following pages, we present inspiring examples of scientists who, using materials as simple as litmus paper, bamboo and blenders, prove that science on a shoestring is possible—and sometimes even better than the alternative.
Obesity and a diet rich in saturated fatty acids can lead to high lipid levels in the liver and insulin resistance. However, inhibition of a key enzyme that elongates long-chain saturated fatty acids can protect against insulin resistance in fatty livers, even with concurrent obesity (pages 1193–1202).