Researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill say they can detect autism spectrum disorder before it manifests in some young children, and theyre even developing treatments for some of the conditions that go hand-in-hand with autism.

Professors Mark Zylka and Joe Piven work among more than two dozen scientists at UNC focused on autism spectrum disorder, and the National Institutes of Health have given the two more than $15 million combined in the last year alone.

Autism is a developmental disorder that affects communication and behavior, with symptoms that can include repetitive behavior and difficulty interacting with other people.

Piven has been able to detect autism in children as young as six months. And Zylka has focused on treating a syndrome closely linked to autism with gene editing, research he says could open the door to a much broader slate of treatments.

There's been a real revolution in the past 10 years in terms of our understanding of the genetic basis for autism, says Zylka, who studies cell biology and physiology. This revolution has really been sparked by the rapidly reducing cost of sequencing human genomes.

Just this month, the largest genetic study of autism to date found more than 100 genes linked to the disorder. Those kinds of breakthroughs are stepping stones toward a better understanding of autism spectrum disorder, the researchers say.

In addition to genetics, environmental factors including maternal health and prenatal exposure to air pollution play a role in the development of autism. The disorder is diagnosed in one in every 59 children in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Two decades ago, the rate of diagnosis was just 1 in 150 children.

Piven, who studies psychiatry and pediatrics, says its hard to tell why the prevalence is increasing, though better recognition and widening criteria likely play a large role. But the increased prevalence has also generated enthusiasm for public and private funding, he says.

Earlier Is Better

With that funding including a $9.5 million grant from the NIH last year Piven and his team have been looking at the brains of kids six to 12 months old.

He uses MRI brain-imaging to predict whether a child will develop autism, well before children turn two or three and start showing symptoms. The kids hes studying have older siblings diagnosed with autism, so they run a much higher risk than the average child of developing it themselves about a 20% likelihood.

But babies who later develop autism spectrum disorder don't look like they have autism in the first year of life, he says. That's really quite amazing. And that window gives us an opportunity to think about early detection.

While the infants dont exhibit symptoms of autism, their brains look different from children who dont develop the disorder, Piven says, including differences in surface anatomy, surface area, convolutions on the surface.

Those variations have allowed him to correctly identify eight out of 10 kids who would go on to develop autism in previous studies. He says that predictive tool could allow researchers to develop early interventions.

Earlier is better, he says. As a rule of thumb in medicine, we treat things before they happen. ... We are interested in high blood pressure because it leads to stroke, so we treat high blood pressure. And that's a well-worn path.

The interventions themselves are still an open question, he says, because researchers haven't been able to identify these children in infancy before.

Turning Genes On And Off

One potential treatment, though, is gene editing.

Thats where Zylka comes in. His research, also funded by the NIH, involves mice instead of children for now. Hes trying to treat Angelman syndrome, a rare neurodevelopmental disorder often placed on the autism spectrum.

These are children that are largely non-verbal, Zylka says. They have motor problems. Its severely disabling.

People with Angelman syndrome have a mutation in the maternal UBE3A gene. Normally, any given gene passed down from one parent doesnt have to function perfectly because theres a backup the other parents gene.

But the paternal UBE3A gene is largely inactive, or silenced. Thats fine for most of us, but it means theres no backup for a child born with a missing or defective maternal gene.

The paternal gene is functional, but turned off, Zylka says. Using these new genome editing technologies like CRISPR-Cas, we're going in and trying to turn on that dad's copy of the gene.

CRISPR has gained international acclaim for its promise in treating disease, but it has also generated controversy. A Chinese researcher who said he had illegally created the world's first gene-edited babies was sentenced to prison last year.

But Zylka says his team has figured out ways to harness the tools power to treat Angelman syndrome without creating mutations that could be passed onto future generations.

So far, hes been able to treat symptoms in mice, though not eradicate them and he says the treatment has to be administered early in life to work properly. Eventually, he hopes to use CRISPR-Cas9 to edit the UBE3A genes of prenatal infants or newborns.

Zylka says hes not finding a cure per se an idea that many people with autism and advocates oppose but trying to treat potentially devastating symptoms: Angelman syndrome can cause epilepsy and severe speech impairment.

If you have a baby and at birth, they have some problem that surgery can correct, people are not going to neglect the surgery to fix the baby, he says. With genetics, we can actually pick these mutations up early, so ... gene editing approaches could be used to treat early.

He says this work could open the door to treating autism more broadly.

CRISPR-Cas technology can be used to turn genes off or turn genes on, Zylka says. Since many cases of autism are due to loss of one copy, you still have a second copy that is functional. And so you could use an editing approach to turn on the functional copy to a higher level.

Both Piven and Zylka say public funding from the NIH is a mainstay for their work. And theyre optimistic about the future of autism research, especially as more comes to light about the causes of autism syndrome disorder and the variations within that diagnosis.

While we call this autism ... these really aren't [all] the same condition, says Piven. We just have these crude behavioral criteria. So I think we will pick away at the whole and start being very successful with some that have these more simple mechanisms. And others that are more complicated, we'll have to tackle in other ways.

Zylka says subtyping disorders might even let researchers come up with personalized treatment one day. But, he adds, were not there yet.

Find more information about recruitment for this study here.

Francesca Parisproduced and edited this interview for broadcast withKathleen McKenna. Paris also adapted it for the web.

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On The Frontlines Of Autism Research: North Carolina Professors Study Early Detection, Treatment - Here And Now

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As infectious disease specialists and epidemiologists race to contain the outbreak of the novel coronavirus centered on Wuhan, China, theyre getting backup thats been possible only since the explosion in genetic technologies: a deep-dive into the genome of the virus known as 2019-nCoV.

Analyses of the viral genome are already providing clues to the origins of the outbreak and even possible ways to treat the infection, a need that is becoming more urgent by the day: Early on Saturday in China, health officials reported 15 new fatalities in a single day, bringing the death toll to 41. There are now nearly 1,100 confirmed cases there.

Reading the genome (which is made of RNA, not DNA) also allows researchers to monitor how 2019-nCoV is changing and provides a roadmap for developing a diagnostic test and a vaccine.

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The genetics can tell us the true timing of the first cases and whether they occurred earlier than officials realized, said molecular biologist Kristian Andersen of Scripps Research, an expert on viral genomes. It can also tell us how the outbreak started from a single event of a virus jumping from an infected animal to a person or from a lot of animals being infected. And the genetics can tell us whats sustaining the outbreak new introductions from animals or human-to-human transmission.

Scientists in China sequenced the viruss genome and made it available on Jan. 10, just a month after the Dec. 8 report of the first case of pneumonia from an unknown virus in Wuhan. In contrast, after the SARS outbreak began in late 2002, it took scientists much longer to sequence that coronavirus. It peaked in February 2003 and the complete genome of 29,727 nucleotides wasnt sequenced until that April.

Since the sequencing of the first 2019-nCoV sample, from an early patient, scientists have completed nearly two dozen more, said Andrew Rambaut of the University of Edinburgh, an expert on viral evolution. That pace is unprecedented and completely unbelievable, said Andersen, who worked on sequencing the Ebola genome during the 2014 outbreak. Its just insane.

The genome of the Wuhan virus is 29,903 bases long, one of many clues that have led scientists to believe it is very similar to SARS.

By comparing the two dozen genomes, scientists can address the when did this start question. The 24 available samples, including from Thailand and Shenzhen as well as Wuhan, show very limited genetic variation, Rambaut concluded on an online discussion forum where virologists have been sharing data and analyses. This is indicative of a relatively recent common ancestor for all these viruses.

Given whats known about the pace at which viral genomes mutate, if nCoV had been circulating in humans since significantly before the first case was reported on Dec. 8, the 24 genomes would differ more. Applying ballpark rates of viral evolution, Rambaut estimates that the Adam (or Eve) virus from which all others are descended first appeared no earlier than Oct. 30, 2019, and no later than Nov. 29.

The progenitor virus itself was almost certainly one that circulates harmlessly in bats (as SARS does) but has an intermediate reservoir in one or more animals that come into contact with people, Andersen said. Presumably, that reservoir is one of the species of animals at the Wuhan market thought to be ground zero for the outbreak. The ancestor of 2019-nCoV existed in that species for some unknown time, never infecting people, until by chance a single virus acquired a mutation that made it capable of jumping into and infecting humans.

The genome sequences suggest that was a one-time-only jump. The genomes [from the 24 samples] are very uniform, Andersen said. If there had been multiple introductions, including from many different animals, there would be more genomic diversity. This was a single introduction.

That means that whats sustaining the spread is human-to-human transmission (suggesting that closing Wuhans animal market is very much an after-the-horse-has-fled-the-barn reaction).

Unfortunately, genetic analysis cant identify what animal species the coronavirus jumped from into humans. But an analysis by a team from the Wuhan Institute of Virology, posted to the preprint server bioRxiv, determined that the genome of this coronavirus (the seventh known to infect humans) is 96% identical to that of a bat coronavirus, suggesting that species is the original source. (Writing in the New England Journal of Medicine on Friday, another team of scientists in China reported that the new coronavirus is 86.9% identical to the bat SARS-like coronavirus.)

Virologists differ on whether its possible to read out viral properties from just the genome sequence, such as whether the microbe is spread by coughing, sneezing, touching,or merely breathing. But the analysis by the Wuhan Institute team found that it enters human cells using the same doorway that SARS did. Called angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), the door is a receptor to which a spike protein on the viruss surface first attaches and then enables the virus to fuse with the host cell.

If ACE2 is druggable, blocking it could conceivably treat 2019-nCoV. It should be expected and worth to test if ACE2 targeting drugs can be used for nCoV-2019 patients, the scientists wrote.

The genome sequences have more to give. They will be crucially important for development of diagnostics [and] vaccines, said biologist Richard Ebright of Rutgers University.

For instance, the genome-editing technology CRISPR is the basis for Cambridge, Mass.-based startup Sherlock Biosciences diagnostics, which promise to slash how long it takes to make a definitive identification. In the U.S, thats now done only by sending samples to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which uses a technology invented in the 1980s, polymerase chain reaction or PCR, to identify the presence of coronavirus.

Our vision is that our [CRISPR-based] SHERLOCK and INSPECTR platforms are tailor-made for outbreaks like coronavirus, said Sherlock CEO Rahul Dhanda, who declined to discuss specific plans related to coronavirus.

And as scientists keep adding 2019-nCoV genome sequences to their collection, they could get an early glimpse of whether the virus is mutating in a way that could make it more dangerous or more transmissible. You need continuous sequencing, Andersen said.

Correction: This story has been corrected to make clear that the coronavirus genome is made of RNA, not DNA.

Continued here:
DNA sleuths read the coronavirus genome, tracing its origins - STAT

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

The non-profit science NGO Genetic Literacy Project has released its latest educational initiative, the Global Gene Editing Regulation Tracker and Index.

With the worldwide war on GMOs essentially lost by environmental lawyers, they still continue to hold back Europe but developing nations have seen through the false promises of western activists who have no solutions to poverty and food insecurity, only fear of the future. They are becoming hopeful about the future.

Thanks to CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing, non-chemical solutions to life-impacting developing nation problems such as malaria (dengue, yellow fever) mosquitoes can be developed, and governments will be scrambling to adapt a regulatory structure that meets the 21st century.

In the past, anti-science NGOs were able to successfully frame GMOs as too modern and terrifying. They had to ignore the existence of Mutagenesis, chemical and radiation baths used to create new strains of food and plant products in the lab, because those biotechnology results are considered part of an organic scheme. GMOs were different, they insisted.

So now they have to scramble to claim GMOs are different from mutagenesis and yet the same as CRISPR, even though they all share little in common beyond being ways to improve on nature.

So much information and disinformation can be confusing for the public. The new Genetic Literacy Project program summarizes gene editing regulations in each country's agriculture, medicine and gene efforts, along with what products and therapies are in development.

Most importantly for real progress, it also details the efforts by anti-science NGOs to block progress.

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Genetic Literacy Project Releases Global Gene Editing Regulation Tracker and Index - Science 2.0

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The recent performance of Aphria (NYSE:APHA) stock in the market spoke loud and clear to investors as APHA saw more than 5.58M shares in trading volumes in the last trading session, way higher than the average trading volume of 5.58M shares by far recorded in the movement of Aphria (APHA). At the time the stock opened at the value of $5.17, making it a high for the given period, the value of the stock dropped by -7.97%. After the decrease, APHA touched a low price of $4.85, calling it a day with a closing price of $5.27, which means that the price of APHA went 4.85 below the opening price on the mentioned day.

Other indicators are hinting that the stock could reach an outstanding figure in the market share, which is currently set at 252.56M in the public float and 1.23B US dollars in market capitalization.

When it comes to the technical analysis of APHA stock, there are more than several important indicators on the companys success in the market, one of those being the Relative Strength Indicator (RSI), which can show, just as Stochastic measures, what is going on with the value of the stock beneath the data. This value may also indicate that the stock will go sideways rather than up or down, also indicating that the price could stay where it is for quite some time. When it comes to Stochastic reading, APHA stock are showing 52.63% in results, indicating that the stock is neither overbought or oversold at the moment, providing it with a neutral within Stochastic reading as well. Additionally, APHA with the present state of 200 MA appear to be indicating bearish trends within the movement of the stock in the market. While other metrics within the technical analysis are due to provide an outline into the value of APHA, the general sentiment in the market is inclined toward negative trends.

With the previous 100-day trading volume average of 931609 shares, CRISPR Therapeutics AG (CRSP) recorded a trading volume of 996420 shares, as the stock started the trading session at the value of $54.75, in the end touching the price of $53.59 after dropping by -2.12%.

CRSP stock seem to be going ahead the lowest price in the last 52 weeks with the latest change of 82.65%.Then price of CRSP also went backward in oppose to its average movements recorded in the previous 20 days. The price volatility of CRSP stock during the period of the last months recorded 4.56%, whilst it changed for the week, now showing 4.30% of volatility in the last seven days. The trading distance for this period is set at -10.90% and is presently away from its moving average by -15.44% in the last 50 days. During the period of the last 5 days, CRSP stock lost around -8.13% of its value, now recording a sink by 9.89% reaching an average $48.84 in the period of the last 200 days.During the period of the last 12 months, CRISPR Therapeutics AG (CRSP) dropped by -12.01%.

According to the Barcharts scale, the companys consensus rating fall to 4.27 from 4.60, showing an overall improvement during the course of a single month. Based on the latest results, analysts are suggesting that the target price for CRSP stock should be $53.59 per share in the course of the next 12 months. To achieve the target price as suggested by analysts, CRSP should have a spike by 0% in oppose to its present value in the market. Additionally, the current price showcases a discount of 48.47% when compared to the high consensus price target predicted by analysts.

CRSP shares recorded a trading volume of 834200 shares, compared to the volume of 1.22M shares before the last close, presented as its trading average. With the approaching 4.30% during the last seven days, the volatility of CRSP stock remained at 4.56%. During the last trading session, the lost value that CRSP stock recorded was set at the price of $53.59, while the lowest value in the last 52 weeks was set at $29.34. The recovery of the stock in the market has notably added 82.65% of gains since its low value, also recording -20.29% in the period of the last 1 month.

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Why Investors Rotating Towards Aphria (APHA), CRISPR Therapeutics AG (CRSP) - US Post News

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ANN ARBORConventional thinking is that bone regeneration is left to a small number of mighty cells called skeletal stem cells, which reside within larger groups of bone marrow stromal cells.

But new findings from the University of Michigan recasts that thinking.

In a recent study, Noriaki Ono, assistant professor at the U-M School of Dentistry, and colleagues report that mature bone marrow stromal cells metamorphosed to perform in ways similar to their bone-healing stem cell cousinsbut only after an injury.

Bone fracture is an emergency for humans and all vertebrates, so the sooner cells start the business of healing damaged boneand the more cells there are to do itthe better.

Our study shows that other cells besides skeletal stem cells can do this job as well, Ono said.

In the mouse study, inert Cxcl12 cells in bone marrow responded to post-injury cellular cues by converting into regenerative cells, much like skeletal stem cells. Normally, the main job of these Cxcl12-expressing cells, widely known as CAR cells, is to secrete cytokines, which help regulate neighboring blood cells. They were recruited for healing only after an injury.

The surprise in our study is that these cells essentially did nothing in terms of making bones, when bones grow longer, Ono said. Its only when bones are injured that these cells start rushing to repair the defect.

This is important because the remarkable regenerative potential of bones is generally attributed to rare skeletal stem cells, Ono says. These new findings raise the possibility that these mighty skeletal stem cells could be generated through the transformation of the more available mature stromal cells.

These mature stromal cells are malleable and readily available throughout life, and could potentially provide an excellent cellular source for bone and tissue regeneration, Ono says.

The study appears in the journal Nature Communications.

More information:

Originally posted here:
After a bone injury, shape-shifting cells rush to the rescue - University of Michigan News

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

What are progenitor cells?

Every cell in the human body, and that of other mammals, originates from stem cell precursors. Progenitor cells are descendants of stem cells that then further differentiate to create specialized cell types.There are many types of progenitor cells throughout the human body. Each progenitor cell is only capable of differentiating into cells that belong to the same tissue or organ. Some progenitor cells have one final target cell that they differentiate to, while others have the potential to terminate in more than one cell type.

Stem cells share two qualifying characteristics. Firstly, all stem cells have the potential to differentiate into multiple types of cells. Secondly, stem cells are capable of unlimited self-replication via asymmetric cell division, a process known as self-renewal.There are two broad categories of stem cells found in all mammals. The first are embryonic stem cells. These cells arise from the inner cell mass of the blastocyst in an early-stage embryo. Embryonic stem cells are the blueprint used to create every cell in the body. Because they can be used to create any type of cell, they are known as pluripotent.

The second type of stem cells found in mammals are adult stem cells (or somatic stem cells). Unlike pluripotent embryonic stem cells, adult stem cells are more limited in relation to the type of cells that they become. Unlike embryonic stem cells that could be used to create any cell, adult stem cells are limited to generating cell types within a specific lineage, such as blood cells or cells of the central nervous system. This level of differentiation potential is termed multipotent.

Stem cells create two types of progeny: more stem cells or progenitor cells. All progenitor cells are descendants of stem cells. When it comes to cell differentiation, they fall on the spectrum between stem cells and fully differentiated (mature) cells.

Whilst stem cells have indefinite replication (left) progenitor cells can at most differentiate into multiple types of specialized cell (right).

Function:

Cellular repair or maintenance

Cell Potency:

Multipotent, oligopotent, or unipotent

Self-renewal:

Limited

Origin:

Stem cells

Creates:

Further differentiated cells (either progenitor cells of mature/fully differentiated cells)

Progenitor cells are an intermediary step involved in the creation of mature cells in human tissues and organs, the blood, and the central nervous system.

The human central nervous system (CNS) contains three types of fully differentiated cells: neurons, astrocytes and oligodendrocytes. The latter two are collectively known as glial cells.Every neuron, oligodendrocyte and astrocyte in the CNS evolves from the differentiation of neural progenitor cells (NPCs). NPCs themselves are produced by multipotent neural stem cells (NSCs). Both NPCs and NSCs are termed neural precursor cells.Before the 1990s, it was believed that neurogenesis terminated early in life. More recent studies demonstrate that the brain contains stem cells that are capable of regenerating neurons and glial cells throughout the human lifecycle. These stem cells have only been found in certain brain regions, including the striatum and lateral ventricle.

Hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPCs) are an intermediate cell type in blood cell development. HPCs are immature cells that develop from hematopoietic stem cells, cells that can both self-renew and differentiate into hematopoietic progenitor cells. HPCs eventually differentiate into one of more than ten different types of mature blood cells.Hematopoietic progenitor cells are categorized based upon their cell potency, or their differentiation potential. As blood cells develop, their potency decreases.

First, hematopoietic stem cells differentiate into multipotent progenitor cells. Multipotent progenitor cells are those with the potential to differentiate into a subset of cell types. These cells then differentiate into either the common myeloid progenitor (CMP) or common lymphoid progenitor (CLP). Both CMPs and CLPs are types of oligopotent progenitor cells (progenitor cells that differentiate into only a few cell types).

CMPs and CLPs continue to differentiate along cell lines into lineage-restricted progenitor cells that become final, mature blood cells.Myeloid progenitor cells are precursors to the following types of blood cells:

Lymphoid progenitor cells (also known as lymphoblasts) are precursors to other mature blood cell types, including:

The primary role of progenitor cells is to replace dead or damaged cells. In this way, progenitor cells are necessary for repair after injury and as part of ongoing tissue maintenance. Progenitor cells also replenish blood cells and play a role in embryonic development.

Neural progenitor cells (NPCs) are being explored alongside neural stem cells for their potential to treat diseases of or injury to the central nervous system. A deeper understanding of how these cells function on a cellular and molecular basis is needed to progress from early experimental research to therapeutic use.NPCs are currently utilized in research conducted on CNS disorders, development, cell regeneration and degeneration, neuronal excitability, and therapy screening. When compared to induced pluripotent stem cells, which are cells reprogrammed into a pluripotent state, NPCs can cut down on time in some experiments.Hematopoietic progenitor cells and stem cells are being researched for their capacity to treat blood cell disorders. They are also currently used to help treat patients with a variety of malignant and non-malignant diseases via bone marrow transplants that deliver bone marrow and peripheral blood progenitor cells to patients. These procedures can assist patients in recovering from the damage caused by chemotherapy.Additionally, researchers are examining the potential of using progenitor cells to create a variety of tissues, such as blood vessels, heart valves, and electrically conductive tissue for the cardiovascular system.

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What are Progenitor Cells? Exploring Neural, Myeloid and Hematopoietic Progenitor Cells - Technology Networks

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Chronic pain cost an estimated $139.3 billion in 2018. Image: iStock, Top image: Pexels

Researchers at the University of Sydney have used human stem cells to make pain-killing neurons that provide lasting relief in mice, without side effects, in a single treatment. The next step is to perform extensive safety tests in rodents and pigs, and then move to human patients suffering chronic pain within the next five years.

If the tests are successful in humans, it could be a major breakthrough in the development of new non-opioid, non-addictive pain management strategies for patients, the researchers said.

Thanks to funding from the NSW Ministry of Health, we are already moving towards testing in humans, said Professor Greg Neely, a leader in pain research at the Charles Perkins Centre and the School of Life and Environmental Sciences.

Nerve injury can lead to devastating neuropathic pain and for the majority of patients there are no effective therapies. This breakthrough means for some of these patients, we could make pain-killing transplants from their own cells, and the cells can then reverse the underlying cause of pain.

Link:
Pain treatment using human stem cells a success - News - The University of Sydney

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

The blood collected from the umbilical cord of the newborn is a rich source of stem cells. This blood is collected and sent to a cord blood bank, where the stem cells are separated, tested, processed, and preserved in liquid nitrogen. Technically, there is no expiry date and these stem cells can be preserved for a lifetime. Scientifically, evidence exists that they can be stored for about 20 years. The stem cells can treat around 70 blood related disorders and genetic disorders including thalassemia, sickle cell anaemia, leukaemia, and immune related disorders.

Stem cells taken from umbilical cord blood are like those taken from bone marrow, capable of producing all blood cells: red cells, platelets and immune system cells. When used, stem cells are first concentrated, then injected into the patient. Once transfused, they produce new cells of every kind.

They're capable of producing all types of blood cells: red cells, platelets and immune system cells. The stem cells can treat around 80 blood related illnesses like leukaemia, lymphomas, several genetic conditions and immune related disorders. But given the present state of medicine, they are effective only for around a dozen of them

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Watch | Stem cell banking and its benefits - The Hindu

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A dad who saved the life of a cancer patient 6,600 miles away was flown around the world on a trip of a lifetime by his grateful recipient - who tracked him down.

Milton Becker, 69, was close to death and in desperate need of a bone marrow donor when a two-and-a-half year global search linked him with an anonymous Welsh man.

Emyr Williams, 54, was a near-perfect match, and his bone marrow was flown to Canada and given to Milton, who was declared cancer free.

The pair were linked up by the donation database and grew close via phone calls and Facebook messages.

And last year he invited retired carpenter Emyr to Canada for a two week body">

A dad who saved the life of a cancer patient 6,600 miles away was flown around the world on a trip of a lifetime by his grateful recipient - who tracked him down.

Milton Becker, 69, was close to death and in desperate need of a bone marrow donor when a two-and-a-half year global search linked him with an anonymous Welsh man.

Emyr Williams, 54, was a near-perfect match, and his bone marrow was flown to Canada and given to Milton, who was declared cancer free.

The pair were linked up by the donation database and grew close via phone calls and Facebook messages.

And last year he invited retired carpenter Emyr to Canada for a two week $15,000 (8,835) trip around Alberta and the Rocky Mountains.

Meeting him for the first time at the airport, wearing a Welsh dragon T-shirt and a Wales flag, they formed an instant bond.

Milton said he's "indebted" to his hero - and is planning a UK trip.

Dad-of-three Emyr, from Lampeter, Wales, said: "It was surreal to be out there.

"There's this bond between us like no other.

"It was only when we went out there that we really understood how close to death Milton was.

"One of his friends said he had been finalising plans to be at his funeral.

"He was literally on death's door.

"For something that required no real effort at all saved that great man's life.

"And to have the pleasure of meeting him in the flesh and to be introduced to his family was just an honour."

Granddad-of-two Milton, from Alberta, Canada, added: "We got on so well and I just thought I've got to thank this guy.

"I didn't want him to spend a penny. It was my treat.

"It's not about the money. What he did was priceless.

"I'm forever indebted to the guy."

Milton was diagnosed with stage 4 leukaemia in 2010 but after unsuccessful chemotherapy he was told a bone marrow transplant was the only means of survival.

Doctors searched across Canada but were unsuccessful and begun their two-and-a-half year worldwide search for a donor.

In early 2013, Emyr - who had been registered on the blood transfusion register for several years - was found to be a near-perfect match.

Emyr said: "A lady called me one day to say 'would you be interested in donating your stem cells?

"She went on to say there was a guy in Canada with leukaemia and that I was a 99.9999 per cent match with him.

"I just thought why not.

"It doesn't cost me anything and it can really change somebody's life."

The bone marrow was flown from Wales - with Milton receiving his long-awaited transfusion on his 63rd birthday, on 1st February 2013.

Former oil company lorry driver Milton said: "What he did was completely priceless.

"There's no better gift than the gift of life.

"And to get that on my birthday, well, it was a great feeling!"

A year after the transfusion Milton was told he was on the road to recovery but was kept in remission and monitored by doctors for the next two years.

In 2016, three years after the blood transfusion, Milton was deemed cancer-free.

It led nurses to ask Milton if he would like to know who his donor was - which he accepted straight away.

They got in touch with Emyr - who'd been given bi-annual anonymous updates - who agreed his details could be passed on.

Emyr said: "A few days later I had this call from an international number.

"I remember it as clear as day.

"He phoned me up and said; 'Emyr, my name is Milton and I just want to say how thankful I am'.

"From then on we just hit it off.

"What makes me laugh is he always forgets his Facebook password so he's a complete technophobe.

"We speak through his children on Facebook.

"We mostly speak about our family."

Milton said: "I couldn't turn up the chance to thank the guy who gave me life!

"I started off by thanking him and we had a great chat.

"I told him I would be forever grateful and wanted to keep in touch."

The two then added each other on Facebook and soon became good friends with weekly messages and monthly phone calls.

Then two years later Milton phoned Emyr to ask if he and his family would be interested in flying out to Canada for a two-week holiday.

Emyr said: "He asked me during one of our phone calls.

"I had never been to Canada and thought it would just be great to meet each other face-to-face."

Emyr flew out with his wife and teenage daughter last September 2019 to start the two-week itinerary around Alberta and the Rocky Mountains.

Emyr said: "He was there at the airport with a Welsh dragon on his T-shirt and a Welsh flag.

"You couldn't miss them.

"We have beautiful mountains here in Wales but Canada was just something else.

"It was an absolutely incredible trip.

"He paid for it all.

"We stayed in cabins, had a party with his extended family, we drank, sat by the open fire, and toasted marshmallows."

Milton added: "One Sunday I took him to my church.

"People knew he was coming and the service and to my surprise Emyr got up and told the church about the successful operation.

"There were tears but it was just beautiful."

Now seven years on from the transfusion, the pair say they are thankful to have one another in each other's lives.

The pair still keep regular contact with one another, with Facebook messages, fortnightly phone calls and even FaceTimed each other on Christmas Day.

Emyr said: "They're planning on coming to Wales next year in June or July.

"We'll definitely go back out there again in a few years.

"Even though we're thousands of miles away, we're such great friends."

Milton said: "We still have our chit-chats and I'd love to go over to the UK.

5,000 (8,835) trip around Alberta and the Rocky Mountains.

Meeting him for the first time at the airport, wearing a Welsh dragon T-shirt and a Wales flag, they formed an instant bond.

Milton said he's "indebted" to his hero - and is planning a UK trip.

Dad-of-three Emyr, from Lampeter, Wales, said: "It was surreal to be out there.

"There's this bond between us like no other.

"It was only when we went out there that we really understood how close to death Milton was.

"One of his friends said he had been finalising plans to be at his funeral.

"He was literally on death's door.

"For something that required no real effort at all saved that great man's life.

"And to have the pleasure of meeting him in the flesh and to be introduced to his family was just an honour."

Granddad-of-two Milton, from Alberta, Canada, added: "We got on so well and I just thought I've got to thank this guy.

"I didn't want him to spend a penny. It was my treat.

"It's not about the money. What he did was priceless.

"I'm forever indebted to the guy."

Milton was diagnosed with stage 4 leukaemia in 2010 but after unsuccessful chemotherapy he was told a bone marrow transplant was the only means of survival.

Doctors searched across Canada but were unsuccessful and begun their two-and-a-half year worldwide search for a donor.

In early 2013, Emyr - who had been registered on the blood transfusion register for several years - was found to be a near-perfect match.

Emyr said: "A lady called me one day to say 'would you be interested in donating your stem cells?

"She went on to say there was a guy in Canada with leukaemia and that I was a 99.9999 per cent match with him.

"I just thought why not.

"It doesn't cost me anything and it can really change somebody's life."

The bone marrow was flown from Wales - with Milton receiving his long-awaited transfusion on his 63rd birthday, on 1st February 2013.

Former oil company lorry driver Milton said: "What he did was completely priceless.

"There's no better gift than the gift of life.

"And to get that on my birthday, well, it was a great feeling!"

A year after the transfusion Milton was told he was on the road to recovery but was kept in remission and monitored by doctors for the next two years.

In 2016, three years after the blood transfusion, Milton was deemed cancer-free.

It led nurses to ask Milton if he would like to know who his donor was - which he accepted straight away.

They got in touch with Emyr - who'd been given bi-annual anonymous updates - who agreed his details could be passed on.

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Cancer patient flies dad who saved his life 6600 miles away around the world - Birmingham Live

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

Umbilical cord blood banking or cord blood banking is the practice of preserving blood from the umbilical cord for future use. Such preserved cord blood is used in medical therapies in the similar approach as that of stem cells derived from bone marrow. Umbilical cord blood is collected from the umbilical cord of a newborn baby and also retrieved from the placenta after delivery. It is enriched with adult stem cells and these stem cells play a vital role in regulating all biological activities and in developing tissues in the human body.

The market of umbilical cord blood banking is anticipated to grow with a significant rate in the coming years, owing to factors such as, increasing prevalence of chronic diseases is the key driver of the umbilical cord blood banking market. Globally, umbilical cord blood banking market is growing rapidly due to, various government associations and initiatives are also supporting the growth of the market. Asia Pacific region are expected to offer growth opportunities for the players operating in the market owing to increasing prevalence of chronic diseases.

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The global umbilical cord blood banking market is segmented on the basis of product, application, and end users. The product segment includes, public cord blood banks, and private cord blood banks. The umbilical cord blood banking market based on the application is segmented as, cancer, blood disorders, metabolic disorders, immune disorders, osteoporosis and, others application. Based on the end users, the umbilical cord blood banking market is segmented as, hospitals, pharmaceutical research and, research institutes.

The report provides a detailed overview of the industry including both qualitative and quantitative information. It provides overview and forecast of the global umbilical cord blood banking market based on product, application, and end users. It also provides market size and forecast till 2027 for overall Umbilical cord blood banking market with respect to five major regions, namely; North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific (APAC), Middle East and Africa (MEA) and South & Central America. The market by each region is later sub-segmented by respective countries and segments. The report covers analysis and forecast of 13 counties globally along with current trend and opportunities prevailing in the region.

North America holds the largest share for umbilical cord blood banking market. This largest share of the region can be attributed to increasing prevalence of chronic diseases and rising awareness about importance of cord blood. However, Asia Pacific is the fastest growing region in the umbilical cord blood banking market over the forecast period. Although the region currently holds a nominal share in the global market, it offers enormous growth potential owing to vast improvement in health care reforms and increasing awareness of stem cell banking in selected countries of Asia Pacific, such as India, China, and Japan.

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Umbilical Cord Blood Banking Market By Classifications, Applications and Market Overview 2019-2027 - NY Telecast 99

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

Daratumumab: A Promising Option

Due to promising new data from several big clinical trials, its now believed that daratumumab can benefit patients with multiple myeloma regardless ofwhether theyre eligible to receive a stem cell transplant.

Daratumumab (also known by its brand name, Darzalex), is a type of drug called a targeted monoclonal antibody. It works by binding to a specific protein called CD38, which is found on the surface of multiple myeloma cells. Once the daratumumab attaches to these proteins on the surface of the cells, the bodys immune system identifies the need to attack and kill the multiple myeloma cells.

As Dr. Nina Shah,a hematologist at the University of California San Francisco, explains, patients receiving a stem cell transplant can benefit from the addition of daratumumab to a combination of the drugs Velcade, Revlimid and dexamethasone (a combination that doctors often abbreviate as Dara VRD).

If, on the other hand, a transplant isnt the right course of treatment for you, you may still be able to benefit from daratumumab when its used in whats called the upfront or first-line treatment setting (meaning as the first part of your treatment, before you receive other drugs) when combined withRevlimid and dexamethasone (a combination that doctors often abbreviate as DRD).

If youre not interested in a transplant, or maybe thats not in the works for you at the moment, you may consider daratumumab, Revlimid and dexamethasone, or DRD,' Dr. Shah explains.

One thing thats really gotten a lot of attention is not just three drugs, but four drugs, Dr. Shah says. She explains that a recent clinical trial called GRIFFIN showed that before a stem cell transplant, treatment with daratumumab in combination with Velcade, Revlimid and dexamethasone was more beneficial than treatment with Velcade, Revlimid and dexamethasone alone.

And when patients who received this combination before their transplant, then went on to receive additional daratumumab after their transplant, the benefit was even greater.

Preliminarily, at least, the data seems to indicate that the patients who got four drugs, then went on to a transplant and then got more daratumumab actually did better than the three drugs, Dr. Shah says.

Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.

Dr. Nina Shah is a hematologist who specializes in the treatment of multiple myeloma, a type of cancer affecting the blood marrow. She treats patients at the Hematology and Blood and Marrow Transplant Clinic. Read More

Daratumumab (also known by its brand name, Darzalex), is a type of drug called a targeted monoclonal antibody. It works by binding to a specific protein called CD38, which is found on the surface of multiple myeloma cells. Once the daratumumab attaches to these proteins on the surface of the cells, the bodys immune system identifies the need to attack and kill the multiple myeloma cells.

If, on the other hand, a transplant isnt the right course of treatment for you, you may still be able to benefit from daratumumab when its used in whats called the upfront or first-line treatment setting (meaning as the first part of your treatment, before you receive other drugs) when combined withRevlimid and dexamethasone (a combination that doctors often abbreviate as DRD).

If youre not interested in a transplant, or maybe thats not in the works for you at the moment, you may consider daratumumab, Revlimid and dexamethasone, or DRD,' Dr. Shah explains.

One thing thats really gotten a lot of attention is not just three drugs, but four drugs, Dr. Shah says. She explains that a recent clinical trial called GRIFFIN showed that before a stem cell transplant, treatment with daratumumab in combination with Velcade, Revlimid and dexamethasone was more beneficial than treatment with Velcade, Revlimid and dexamethasone alone.

And when patients who received this combination before their transplant, then went on to receive additional daratumumab after their transplant, the benefit was even greater.

Preliminarily, at least, the data seems to indicate that the patients who got four drugs, then went on to a transplant and then got more daratumumab actually did better than the three drugs, Dr. Shah says.

Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.

Dr. Nina Shah is a hematologist who specializes in the treatment of multiple myeloma, a type of cancer affecting the blood marrow. She treats patients at the Hematology and Blood and Marrow Transplant Clinic. Read More

Excerpt from:
The Benefit of Adding Daratumumab to Multiple Myeloma Drug Combinations - SurvivorNet

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

A novel drug based on a natural compound found in broccoli, kale and other cruciferous vegetables could hold the key to reversing or even preventing resistance to breast cancer hormone therapy, new research has found.Scientists from the University of Manchester found that drug SFX-01 which has shown promise in a phase II trial (STEM) as a treatment for secondary breast cancer that is already resistant to hormone therapy could reverse or even prevent resistance to hormone therapy by blocking a key cancer signaling pathway (a chain of reactions within cancer cells) called STAT3.

Breast cancer is the UKs most common cancer, with around 55,000 women and approximately 370 men being diagnosed throughout the country each year.

Up to 80% of breast cancers are encouraged to grow by the hormone estrogen and are known as estrogen receptor (ER) positive breast cancer, which accounts for up to 44,000 cases each year in the UK.

While hormone therapy (which blocks the effect of estrogen) is very effective in reducing the risk of recurrence for most, around a third of patients with ER positive breast cancer see their disease return within 15 years, and some of these are due to the cancer developing resistance to treatment.

SFX-01 inspired by a natural plant-derived compound called sulforaphane, which was first discovered in cruciferous vegetables such as rocket, broccoli and kale has recently been shown in a clinical trial to delay the progression of incurable secondary breast cancer in women whose disease has already developed resistance to hormone therapy.

In a new study led by Dr Bruno Simes, Dr Sacha Howell and Professor Rob Clarke at the University of Manchester, researchers investigated the effect of SFX-01 alone, or in combination with tamoxifen or fulvestrant, in patient samples and in mice to understand how the drug works and how it can be best used to treat breast cancer.

They found that SFX-01 reduced the ability of specialized cells called breast cancer stem cells to form tumors in mice, with the drug also reducing the ability of breast cancer cells to form secondary tumors in the mices lungs.

The researchers then looked at the gene activity levels within the breast cancer stem cells from hormone therapy-resistant tumor samples from patients, finding that the cancer stem cells relied heavily on the STAT3 signaling pathway, which can become active in response to hormone therapy and lead to treatment resistance.

SFX-01 blocked the STAT3 signaling pathway and reversed the effects that may lead to hormone therapy resistance.

In a recent phase II trial (STEM) in patients with ER positive secondary breast cancer that had already started becoming resistant to hormone therapy, 25% of participants benefitted from the addition of SFX-01 to hormone therapybut the mechanism of why this worked was not known until now.

Further research is now focusing on understanding why certain patients tumors are sensitive to SFX-01 and whether an accompanying diagnostic test for activity of the STAT3 signaling pathway could be used to identify the patients that would benefit the most from this treatment.

It is also hoped that SFX-01 could in future be added to hormone therapies such as tamoxifen or aromatase inhibitors from the outset of treatment to increase their effectiveness in patients with primary breast cancer.

Co-author Dr Bruno Simes, Research Fellow at the University of Manchester, said:

Estrogen receptor positive breast cancer is the most common breast cancer. These cancers frequently develop resistance to hormone therapies, which is a major clinical problem that we are working to address.

We are excited by our findings that combining standard hormone therapies with SFX-01 could improve treatment of some breast cancer patients by reversing resistance driven by the STAT3 signaling pathway.

With the success of the recent clinical trial in secondary breast cancer, we hope that further studies will now help to identify which patients may benefit the most from this drug so that it could soon reach the clinic.

Dr Simon Vincent, Director of Research at Breast Cancer Now, which helped to fund the study, said:

Its really exciting that SFX-01 could in future help to improve the effectiveness of hormone therapies and prevent or treat the return of breast cancer. While hormone therapy is effective for most women, around a third still see their breast cancer return and we urgently need to find new ways to tackle and prevent drug resistance.

This important discovery reveals exactly how SFX-01 can help overcome hormone therapy resistance and we hope it could now open the door to it being used from the outset of treatment, to prevent resistance from developing in the first place.

We look forward to results of further trials to fully understand who is likely to benefit most and at what stage of treatment it should be added to hormone therapy to give patients the best chance of survival.

The study is being presented at the UK Interdisciplinary Breast Cancer Symposium, hosted by Breast Cancer Now.

Read the rest here:
Novel Drug May Reverse Breast Cancer Hormone Therapy Resistance - Technology Networks

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

BOCA RATON, Fla. - January 28, 2020 - ( Newswire.com )

Patients who go to LifeGaines Medical and Aesthetics need solutions to their problems. Using cutting edge technology, the team of physicians there offers innovative therapies that provide relief for symptoms and a better quality of life. Behind their mission to help patients live their best life is a full-service clinic that offers a variety of regenerative medicine options.

For those struggling with treatment-resistant depression and debilitating anxiety, regenerative medicine is often unheard of. Typically stuck in a never-ending cycle, their ability to feel better and have an improved quality of life seems non-existent. By offering ketamine treatment for people struggling with anxiety and depression, LifeGaines Medical and Aesthetics hopes to provide acute and lasting relief from anxiety and intrusive thoughts.

To get relief from anxiety and depression at LifeGaines Medical and Aesthetics call 561-931-2430. Go to http://www.ketaminebocaraton.com for more information.

Ketamine treatment for depression and anxiety in Boca Raton.

Ketamine's dissociative properties have now proven to be useful for treating patients with depression. Given appropriately and under medical supervision, ketamine allows for dissociation from the intrusive thoughtsthat come with many mental disorders including treatment-resistant depression. Studies have shown that ketamine works for a number of patients with both acute and long term relief ( https://www.nimh.nih.gov/about/strategic-planning-reports/highlights/highlight-ketamine-a-new-and-faster-path-to-treating-depression.shtml ). Patients report that one dose of ketamine can change their thought patterns. Most patients say the relief lasts for a few days and some patients said that the relief from their symptoms lasted 2 weeks or more.

At LifeGaines Medical and Aesthetics, the ketamine is administered by a doctor who has worked with it for years. Prior to FDA approval for certain mental illnesses, ketamine was used in anesthesia. Initially, Dr. Richard Gaines, owner of LifeGaines Medical and Aesthetics, specialized in anesthesia during his time at Harvard. Dr. Richard Gaines proudly offers ketamine treatment at his age management practice in Boca Raton. LifeGaines Medical and Aesthetics offers a wellbeing program that allows patients to receive ketamine treatment for their symptoms and Rapid Resolution Therapy sessions with Dr. Jon Connelly.

Schedule ketamine treatment in Boca Raton at LifeGaines Medical and Aesthetics by calling 561-931-2430.

LifeGaines Medical and Aesthetics is a medical practice dedicated to helping others obtain a better quality of life. Located at 3785 N Federal Highway in Boca Raton, they offer ketamine treatment for depression and anxiety as well as many other hormone and age management therapies.

Press Release Service by Newswire.com

Original Source: LifeGaines Medical and Aesthetics in Boca Raton Offers Ketamine Treatment for People With Anxiety and Depression

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LifeGaines Medical and Aesthetics in Boca Raton Offers Ketamine Treatment for People With Anxiety and Depression - American Press

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

INDIANAPOLIS, Jan. 28, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Starting this month, Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY) will donate at least 200,000 KwikPensto three relief organizations Americares, Direct Relief and Dispensary of Hope to stock insulin at nearly 200 U.S. free clinics through 2022. These donations will directly support lower-income people living with diabetes who qualify for free clinic services.

Separately, Lilly is providing $2 million to fund grants that relief agencies will distribute to a wide range of eligible free clinics. The grants will fund programs intended to help people with diabetes understand and access resources that can help them obtain medicine and supplies, medical care, insurance coverage and more.

The insulin donations include KwikPens of Humalog (insulin lispro injection 100 units/mL), Humalog Mix75/25 (insulin lispro protamine and insulin lispro injectable suspension), and Basaglar(insulin glargine injection 100 units/mL).Shipments to relief agencies have already started, giving lower-income people another option for accessing insulin.

"Dispensary of Hope is excited to expand the ongoing effort with Lilly's insulin donation program," said Chris Palombo, Dispensary of Hope CEO. "Insulin saves lives, and the addition of donated Humalog and Basaglar KwikPens is important for the nation's uninsured, low-income community."

In 2018, Lilly announced plans to donate insulin vials to stock approximately 150 U.S. free clinics. Since then, Lilly has donated 120,000 vials that have been used by people who qualify for free clinic services. Lilly is now sending KwikPens to the relief agencies for distribution to nearly 200 free clinics.

"This donation of KwikPens will help many people across the U.S. get the treatment they need," said Mike Mason, president, Lilly Diabetes. "With the help of the relief agencies, Lilly insulin will now be available in many free clinics that are equipped to properly store it. These clinics help people find comprehensive care such as medicine, devices, and physician support, and are very important to people who live with diabetes and use these services. We will continue to evaluate the needs of these communities and enhance our insulin donations as necessary.

"Lilly is committed to offering the broadest suite of solutions for people who need help affording their insulin," Mason continued. "But real change to our reimbursement system is needed. Insurance coverage should ensure no one with diabetes is forced to ration or skip doses for financial reasons."

These donations are part of a broader suite of solutions that Lilly is providing to people who need help affording their insulin. These options include lower-priced versions of branded insulins, out-of-pocket price caps at pharmacies for people with commercial insurance plans and help for people with immediate needs. Anyone who uses a Lilly insulin can call the Lilly Diabetes Solution Center at (833) 808-1234 (9 a.m. to 8 p.m. EST Monday through Friday) to see whether there is an option that reduces their out-of-pocket costs, including information about how to receive free insulin through a free clinic if they meet income requirements.

More information about the grants that relief agencies will receive can be found on our blog.

Important Safety Information for Basaglar, Humalog (Humalog U-100 and Humalog U-200), Insulin Lispro Injection, Humalog Mix75/25, and Humalog Mix50/50

ContraindicationsBasaglar, Humalog (Humalog U-100 and Humalog U-200), Insulin Lispro Injection, Humalog Mix50/50, and Humalog Mix75/25 are contraindicated during episodes of hypoglycemia and in patients with hypersensitivity to insulin glargine, insulin lispro, or any of their excipients.

Warnings and Precautions Never share a prefilled pen, cartridge, reusable pen compatible with Lilly 3 mL cartridges, or syringe between patients, even if the needle is changed.Patients using vials must never share needles or syringes with another person. Sharing poses a risk for transmission of blood-borne pathogens.

Changes in insulin strength, manufacturer, type, injection site, or method of administration may affect glycemic control and predispose to hypoglycemia or hyperglycemia. Any changes in insulin regimen should be made cautiously and only under close medical supervision, and the frequency of blood glucose monitoring should be increased. Due to reports of hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia, advise patients who repeatedly inject into areas of lipodystrophy or localized cutaneous amyloidosis to change the injection site to the unaffected areas and to closely monitor blood glucose. For patients with type 2 diabetes, dosage adjustments of concomitant anti-diabetic products may be needed.

Hypoglycemia is the most common adverse reaction associated with insulins, including Basaglar, Humalog, Insulin Lispro Injection, Humalog Mix75/25, and Humalog Mix50/50.Severe hypoglycemia can cause seizures, may be life threatening, or cause death.

Accidental mix-ups between insulin glargine (100 units/mL), basal insulin products, Humalog Mix75/25, Humalog Mix50/50, and other insulins, particularly rapid-acting insulins, have been reported.To avoid medication errors between insulins, instruct patients to always check the insulin label before each injection to confirm that the correct insulin is injected, including the correct insulin brand and concentration.

Do not transfer concentrated insulins (Humalog U-200) from the KwikPen to any syringe as overdosage and severe hypoglycemia can occur.

Severe, life-threatening, generalized allergy, including anaphylaxis, can occur with insulin products,including Basaglar, Humalog, Insulin Lispro Injection, Humalog Mix75/25, and Humalog Mix50/50. If hypersensitivity reactions occur, discontinue use; treat per standard of care and monitor until symptoms and signs resolve.

All insulin products, including Basaglar, Humalog, Insulin Lispro Injection, Humalog Mix75/25, and Humalog Mix50/50, cause a shift in potassium from the extracellular to intracellular space, possibly leading to hypokalemia. Untreated hypokalemia may cause respiratory paralysis, ventricular arrhythmia, and death. Monitor potassium levels in patients at risk for hypokalemia if indicated.

Thiazolidinediones (TZDs), which are peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-gamma agonists, can cause dose-related fluid retention, particularly when used in combination with insulin.Fluid retention may lead to or exacerbate heart failure. Patients treated with insulin, including Basaglar, Humalog, Insulin Lispro Injection, Humalog Mix75/25, or Humalog Mix50/50, and a PPAR-gamma agonist should be observed for signs and symptoms of heart failure. If heart failure develops, dosage reduction or discontinuation of TZD must be considered.

Malfunction of an insulin pump device, infusion set, or insulin degradation can rapidly lead to hyperglycemia and ketoacidosis.Patients using Humalog U-100 or Insulin Lispro Injection in subcutaneous insulin infusion pumps must be trained to administer insulin by injection and have alternate insulin therapy available in case of pump failure.

Adverse ReactionsAdverse reactions commonly associated with insulin glargine products, Humalog, Insulin Lispro Injection, Humalog Mix75/25, and Humalog Mix50/50 are hypoglycemia, allergic reactions, injection site reactions, lipodystrophy, pruritus, and rash.

Other adverse reactions commonly associated with insulin glargine products, Humalog Mix75/25, and Humalog Mix50/50 are weight gain and edema.

Drug InteractionsCertain drugs may affect glucose metabolism, requiring insulin dose adjustment and close monitoring of blood glucose. The signs and symptoms of hypoglycemia may be blunted when beta-blockers, clonidine, guanethidine, and reserpine are co-administered with Basaglar, Humalog, Insulin Lispro Injection, Humalog Mix75/25, or Humalog Mix50/50.

Click to accessBasaglar Full Prescribing Information, Humalog Full Prescribing Information, Insulin Lispro Injection Full Prescribing Information, Humalog Mix75/25 Full Prescribing Information and Humalog Mix50/50 Full Prescribing Information.

See Instructions for Use provided with pen/vial/syringe.

BV HI BOI SP HCP ISI NOV2019

About DiabetesApproximately 30 million Americans1 and an estimated 463 million adults worldwide have diabetes.2 Type 2 diabetes is the most common type internationally, accounting for an estimated 90 to 95 percent of all diabetes cases in the United States alone.1 Diabetes is a chronic disease that occurs when the body does not properly produce or use the hormone insulin.

About Lilly DiabetesLilly has been a global leader in diabetes care since 1923, when we introduced the world's first commercial insulin. Today we are building upon this heritage by working to meet the diverse needs of people with diabetes and those who care for them. Through research, collaboration and quality manufacturing we strive to make life better for people affected by diabetes. We offer a wide range of therapies and a continued determination to provide real solutionsfrom medicines and technologies to support programs and more. For the latest updates, visit lillydiabetes.com or follow us on Twitter: @LillyDiabetes and Facebook: LillyDiabetesUS.

About Eli Lilly and CompanyLilly is a global healthcare leader that unites caring with discovery to create medicines that make life better for people around the world. We were founded more than a century ago by a man committed to creating high-quality medicines that meet real needs, and today we remain true to that mission in all our work. Across the globe, Lilly employees work to discover and bring life-changing medicines to those who need them, improve the understanding and management of disease, and give back to communities through philanthropy and volunteerism. To learn more about Lilly, please visit us at lilly.com and lilly.com/newsroom. P-LLY

This press release contains forward-looking statements (as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995) about Humalog (insulin lispro injection 100 units/mL), Basaglar (insulin glargine injection 100 units/mL), and Humalog Mix75/25 (insulin lispro protamin and insulin lispro injectable suspension) as a treatment for patients with diabetes and reflects Lilly's current belief. For further discussion of these and other risks and uncertainties, see Lilly's most recent Form 10-K and Form 10-Q filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. Except as required by law, Lilly undertakes no duty to update forward-looking statements to reflect events after the date of this release.

PP-DB-US-0697 1/2020Lilly USA, LLC 2020. All rights reserved.

Original post:
Lilly plans donation of 200000 insulin KwikPens over next three years to support lower-income communities - KPCnews.com

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

Boy Somjai and Jam Chainukul (not their real names) are a young same-sex couple from Bangkok, Thailand. At the start of their relationship, they decided to take HIV tests for the first time. Looking for information online, their friends suggested the Rainbow Sky Association of Thailand (RSAT), a community-based HIV clinic located off a busy street in Bangkok.

RSAT, with four clinics and 10 drop-in centres in different cities across Thailand, serves as a one-stop service where gay men and other men who have sex with men and transgender people can access HIV prevention services and take part in HIV-related information sessions, with flexible service hours suitable for the lifestyles of many people from key populations.

Danai Linjongrat, the Executive Director of RSAT, said, Access to HIV services for key populations is among the biggest challenges to the HIV response in the country. It is extremely important that key populations can access HIV prevention and treatment services without fear of discrimination.

Mr Boy and Mr Jam, who now return to RSAT every three months for regular check-ups, said, When we first visited the clinic, we were really nervous, as we were looking for a place that respects our confidentiality. Here we found more than an HIV clinicwe found a place we can trust, like a family. The health staff made us feel comfortable to share our story; they did not judge us and they understood our needs with an open mind.

The success of RSAT is credited in part to its health workers being members of the populations they serve. RSAT has adopted the countrys key population-led health services model, in which people from key populations identify and meet the HIV and other health-related needs of their peers. We understand the needs of our clients, what they want, where they live and how they feel, because our staff members are people from the communities, says Mr Linjongrat.

Community health workers provide needs-based and client-centred services, including pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), legal consultations, harm reduction, screening for sexually transmitted infections, counselling and hormone level check-ups for transgender people. Depending on the outcome of a persons HIV test, they are offered a referral for antiretroviral therapy or an in-depth discussion about taking PrEP, all in a non-judgemental and supportive atmosphere.

RSAT is one of seven community-based organizations in Thailand that provide PrEP services free of charge through lay providers under the Princess PrEP Project. Currently, 1200 people are accessing PrEP through RSAT clinics and drop-in centres. The Thai Red Cross AIDS Research Centre, with the support of the United States Presidents Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief through the LINKAGES Thailand project, implements continuous capacity-building to ensure that community health workers can provide HIV services in accordance with national standards.

RSAT uses different ways to generate demand for and promote its programmes and to carry out outreach work. Phubet Panpet, Deputy Director at RSAT, said, Depending on our target audience, we go to different places, such as saunas, entertainment complexes, schools and universities, to raise awareness about HIV prevention and encourage people to get tested for HIV.

Kunpawee Isalam, a staff member of the outreach team in Bangkok, is a transgender person who understands the stigma and discrimination faced by the transgender community. We plan outreach activities that we know transgender people will be interested in, with the aim of increasing their self-confidence. For many, it is so hard to feel they can get support, and they fear discrimination. RSAT provides a safe space and HIV prevention options, she said.

RSAT uses social networking sites to reach out to young gay men and other men who have sex with men. Staff members register as users and create profiles on dating applications to share HIV-related information. At the beginning of the conversation, the outreach worker explains about the clinic and engages people in a conversation related to HIV prevention, said Mongkol Jaidee, a field officer. I choose the location, see who is connected, and send them personal messages to introduce the services provided by the clinic. I normally receive positive feedback, and it is common for people to come back later with questions and visit us in the following days.

Mr Linjongrat concluded, We differ from other services by caring for people by looking into what they need and what we can do to help them. Community-led services are a proven strategy and an essential feature of the HIV response in Thailand.

Original post:
Key population-led organizations delivering health services in Bangkok - UNAIDS

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

On Friday Donald Trump became the first sitting president to speak in person at the March for Life, the nations largest anti-abortion rally. Addressing a supportive crowd, the president listed a number of conservative achievements from his first termexpanding the global gag rule, preserving faith-based adoption, appointing 187 conservative-friendly federal judges, and touting his appointment of two Supreme Court justices, Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh.

Unborn children have never had a stronger defender in the White House, Trump told the marchers to much applause.

As Trump revealed, reproductive rights and sexual health care have been under attack the past several years. 2019 in particular was a hard year for abortion rights on the state level. Bolstered by the Trump administrations anti-abortion measures, state lawmakers are making preparations in case Roe v. Wade is overturned and the responsibility to regulate abortion care falls to the states. Twenty states already have laws prepared to restrict or abolish abortion, and theyre not slowing down. Were only four weeks into 2020 and already were seeing a surge of regulations making their way through state legislatures around the country. Here are a few:

Kansas

Last week at the Kansas state capitol, lawmakers heard testimony for a constitutional amendment that would overturn a 2019 ruling by the Kansas Supreme Court that declared abortion access a right. If passed, this amendment would revoke the state constitutional right to abortion and allow lawmakers to pass additional restrictions. Republican officials are rushing to get this amendment passed because there are currently several cases dealing with abortion in the Kansas court system. The amendment requires a two-thirds majority in both chambers to be passed before it ends up on the ballot for Kansas voters.

Tennessee

The Tennessee Senate Judiciary Committee is expected to vote this month on a bill that would ban abortion after six weeks or once the pregnancy hormone HCG has been detected. The hormone can be detected in blood tests as early as ten days from conception.

California

In 2014 California passed a law that requires all insurance plans to cover abortion. Last week, on the same day as the March for Life, the Trump administration threatened to withhold federal funds from the state, arguing that the insurance requirement forces people to pay for others abortions and discriminates against health plans that dont cover basic reproductive care. Five other states also require abortion coverage in insurance plans.

Texas

Earlier this month, several towns in Texas voted to become sanctuary cities for the unborn. This declaration would make abortion illegal in the cities if the Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade. It also allows family members of people who have abortions to sue providers for emotional distress. This has become a growing trend in small Texas cities, with many adopting the ordinance last year.

Iowa

Last week an Iowa Senate subcommittee cleared a constitutional amendment that would add language to the state constitution stating that people have no right to an abortion. The proposed language reads: the Constitution of the State of Iowa does not secure or protect the right to abortion or require the funding of abortion. A majority vote at the ballot box will be needed for this amendment to pass.

Michigan

Michigan is gearing up to release several ballot initiatives that would restrict abortion access throughout the state. One would restrict abortions after six weeks, and the other would ban dilation and evacuation abortion, a common second-trimester procedure. These measures will appear on the ballot on November 3, 2020.

Georgia

In better news, earlier this month lawmakers in Georgia proposed legislation that would allow people to bypass the requirements of its 2019 abortion ban. A federal judge blocked the law, but the Womens Right to Know Act would require those seeking abortion to certify that they read anti-abortion materials, viewed the fetal image, and heard the fetal heartbeat before receiving an abortion. This new bill would make it easier to get an abortion by not requiring people to undergo that process.

Mississippi

In another promising development, just a few weeks ago a federal appeals court denied Mississippis request to reconsider a ruling that struck down the states fifteen-week abortion ban. In the December ruling the court said, States may regulate abortion procedures prior to viability so long as they do not impose an undue burden on the womans right, but they may not ban abortions.

US Supreme Court

The small victories in Georgia and Mississippi could be threatened depending upon the result of an upcoming Supreme Court case due to be argued in March. The high court will hear a case regarding a law in Louisiana that requires doctors to have admitting privileges at a hospital within thirty miles of the clinic where an abortion is performed. The concern is that it would leave Louisiana with only one doctor authorized to perform abortions. This law is similar to a Texas law that the court struck down in 2016, but this will be the first abortion case before the Supreme Court since Kavanaugh and Gorsuch were appointed by Trump, creating a conservative 5-4 majority. This case is being watched closely as it could be a chance for the court to consider abortion rights more broadly.

Link:
Some States Work to Protect Choice, Others to Take It Away - The Humanist

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

At 47, I was a perfectly healthy girl, I exercised daily, and had always been compliant to have my annual checkups, which included a routine mammogram and breast ultrasound. My annual visit began with the standard mammogram. My preliminary results showed all clear and I was moved onto the ultrasound room as part of my normal process for me due to breast density.

I couldn't have been more stunned when the radiologist told me the ultrasound showed an area of concern on my left breast and her recommendation would be a biopsy. My life changed forever, August 11, 2017 at 11:45am, as I became "1 in 8 Women " when I got the devastating phone call from my physician that my biopsy and imaging results showed invasive breast cancer with 3 tumors one dangerously close to my chest wall. I needed to be seen by an Oncologist Surgeon ASAP.

The overwhelming fear and shock immediately set in that I had cancer and didn't even know it. Everything in my life came to a screeching halt as I had a new reality "Cancer didn't Care". The day of my breast cancer diagnosis I had undergone testing of the BRCA Gene along with 28 other gene cancer tests. All came back negative along with my routine lab work. My results were normal. After much discussion with what I like to call my dream team of doctors, the best chance of beating my cancer was to undergo a seven-hour life-saving operation by having a bilateral mastectomy and placement of tissue expanders.

The expanders were used to stretch the skin so I could undergo reconstructive surgery months later. My cancer diagnosis made me realize that there were two roads in life I could choose from, one to be "bitter" or the other road being "hope". I chose the road of "hope". The outlook was good, I was cancer free, as I got married last year, life seem to be getting back to normal.

Until October 2019, when another mass was found on my right breast while doing my own self-examination. I immediately scheduled a visit with my oncologist surgeon, and she ordered an ultrasound right away. The findings from the radiologist, again showed an area of concern as I was told there was a suspicious malignancy and a breast biopsy would be needed. My thoughts immediately went to the fear of another cancer reoccurrence. It was heartbreaking but I knew I was not going down without a fight.

I had three biopsies taken and then I waited. I expected the next few days to be difficult so I tried to keep busy as I would only allow positive thoughts while I continue to remain hopeful. Sooner than expected, the day after my biopsy I received a call from my oncologist surgeon telling me my biopsy results came back negative for cancer the mass was benign. However, I will need to have another breast ultrasound in six months as we will continue to monitor it. This was the "best news" I felt like I had my life back. Cancer wants you to ignore going to the doctor and not having a routine imaging this way it has more time to spread to your body without you knowing it counting on it being too late by the time it's found.

Please listen to your doctors and get your annual mammogram/breast ultrasound, go for all your routine checkups, do your monthly self-breast exams. I am blessed and grateful to be a two-year survivor. I'm in remission and will continue to be closely monitored staying positive and hopeful. I'm very thankful to my amazing medical team that saved my life. As well as, the unconditional support from my friends, family, and most of all, my husband who's been my rock and supported my decisions every step of the way.

Read more:
The Importance of A Routine Checkup - Curetoday.com

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

Have you heard the story about Elisha and the Two bears? Well, Elisha was on his way to Bethel. Two boys bumped into him on the road and rinsed him for being bald. Go up, you baldhead; go up, you baldhead, they said. Elisha wasnt having that. He cursed those boys in the name of the Lord. Two female bears came out of the woods and slaughtered the boys, plus another 40 of their pals for good measure. The story appears in The Book of Kings, and what it tells us is even the prophets of The Old Testament were salty about losing their hair.

Fast forward a couple millennia and there I was, in my twenties, with my hairline running away like itd stolen money from my eyebrows. Before then, I guess Id been in denial about the inevitable demise of my hair. My dad is bald. He was once the centre of my universe, so I assumed all boys grew up to be big, strong men with shiny domes. When I clocked that wasnt the case, I pushed thoughts about thinning hair to the recesses of my mind.

My little bro, two years my junior, with long, thick Sampson-like locks, became convinced he was losing his hair at 17. It seemed laughable to me but he was devastated. He got proactive real quick, splashed the cash on miracle shampoos and laser combs, and made appointments with trichologists. He jumped on a routine of applying Minoxidil, a topical solution, to his scalp and taking Finasteride. These are the two most widely available treatments for male-pattern baldness; Minoxidil encourages blood-flow to hair follicles while Finasteride blocks the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone, the hormone that turns our precious hair against us. With both of these, the catch is that when you stop using them, the benefits are reversed, which helps explain why globally men spend 2.7 billion on baldness cures. Oh yeah, and Finasteride might stop your dick from working.

A fair chunk of that 2.7 billion is spent on hair transplants, by those stacking paper-like Premier League footballers. Chucking a few thousand pounds at a surgeon who can perform follicular unit transplantation, where strips of skin are removed from the back of the head and healthy follicles harvested, or follicular unit excision, where individual hair follicles are transplanted, is your best bet. If you watch Match of the Day youll know results may vary, but Andros Townsends hair transplant is the best Ive ever seen.

My little brother is 31 now, and still has an impressive mane. He stopped using hair-loss treatments in his mid-20s and shouldve blessed me with all the money he spent instead, as my hair was clearly on the way out. I made an appointment with The Belgravia Centre, a slick hair-loss clinic in Victoria, which in retrospect played out like a scene from Black Mirror or Maniac, where an unfathomably beautiful woman in a pristine lab coat reassured me that my future could be hairy, before presenting me with an unfathomably steep price list. I puked a bit in my mouth and left, resigned to my fate.

The process was a gradual one. I didnt actually shave my head until my 31st birthday, when my weak and wispy barnet had become too much of a burden. Before then, Id adopted a Peaky Blinders style trim, what Julius Caesar termed Illusion Styling before he linked Cleopatra, to accentuate the hair I did have. I slapped on plenty of product to safeguard against the cruellest enemy of many a balding man, the wind. And I did my utmost to spin out Beanie and Beard Season for as long as possible.

Hurtful banter is one of the great ways cis-het men express affection towards one another, so plenty of my friends and colleagues enjoyed rinsing me for the declining state of my head-top. The lads, lads, lads might view everything as fair game when it comes to taking the piss, but its now widely acknowledged that hair-loss can have a severe impact on psychological well-being and in some cases, trigger body dysmorphia. I work in education, and when one the children bopped up to me in the lunch-hall and simply asked, Mr K, why you lil bit bald? I decided enough was enough.

I hoped I might find shaving my head liberating, but I didnt. Ive struggled with my mental health to varying degrees since I was a teenager. Losing my hair gave me another reason to hate myself. My wellbeing has taken a steep downturn in the last couple of years. Its reasonable to say going bald has been one of the many factors contributing to this. A lot of my depression and anxiety revolves around death, and losing my hair is a constant reminder of my mortality.

Losing my hair gave me another reason to hate myself. My wellbeing has taken a steep downturn in the last couple of years. Its reasonable to say going bald has been one of the many factors contributing to this. Losing my hair is a constant reminder of my mortality

A positive aspect about going bald is I am definitely not alone in my struggles. The process affects 6.5 million men in the UK, up to 30 per cent of 30-year-old men and 50 per cent of 50-year-old men. I spoke to my fellow Bald Gang members, Tom and Jesse about their experiences.

Tom started losing his hair when he was 16. I used to have long black hair but I started noticing it more and more on my pillow and I became a bit obsessive about it, so I shaved it all off. I rate Tom for his decisiveness. He actually enjoys repping Bald Gang because hes never had to care about his hair throughout his adult life. Im actually really grateful for Jason Statham because he fully normalised being bald, hench, and chung. I just love bald, famous guys because they have a faint ridiculousness about them but theyre also like semi hard-men at the same time. I can relate to that a lot.

Tom and I play for the same football team. He is double hard. In a recent game, I smashed someone in a tackle, knackered myself and then came off. Tom replaced me. He flattened the same poor bloke, who shot up furiously and shouted, You again! Whats your problem? Has my identity been reduced to an interchangeable bald, bearded guy?

Jesse can relate. The number one bald life struggle is mistaken identity, for sure. He finds it annoying being compared to Freddie Gibbs and Mahershala Ali. If were keeping it real, thats way more appealing than being compared to Phil and Grant Mitchell. I didnt dwell on it when I first noticed at 23. One day I just shaved my head bald and havent looked back. Now Im like Tupac, picture me rolling in a whip, singing India Aries I Am Not My Hair. Id even say I feel sexier bald.

While Ive never had to consider the political implications of my hair, or lack of, Jesse has. Hair is political in the sense that were often taught from young that it needs to be tamed in some way, usually in the form of a skin fade or one all over. I can say that hair-loss and baldness has freed me from ever having to think about how my hairs perceived.

I guess its tempting to buy into the myth that being bald is symbolic of this powerful, super virile, turbo-testosterone fuelled manliness. Thats definitely an idea that my dad used to bat away any questions about his baldness when I was a boy. It means Im a real man, hed claim, before challenging me and my little bro to an arm wrestle. But is that idea helpful if youre trying to unpick the toxic masculinity that has impacted so dreadfully on your general wellbeing?

Writer, speaker, and editor of Fruitcake magazine, Jamie Windust offered me a radically different perspective on Bald Gang membership. Their decision to shave their head was partly to see whether they would feel comfortable in their femininity with a hairstyle that could be perceived as masculine. It actually allowed me to explore my femininity more and align myself with that essence of being non-binary, of being able to know there arent any rules with it and know that we arent bound by stereotypes. It allowed me to continue to give less care to what other people thought, definitely a tool for empowerment. Like Tom and Jesse, Jamie enjoys the freedom of a shaved head.

Im now two years deep into bald life. Im not at peace with my reflection and feel a sense of doom every time I step in front of the mirror to shave my head, before the regrowth reveals what Ive lost. But in that time Ive also accepted my issues run deeper than my scalp and Im in the process of confronting what lies beneath. And if that fails, Ill put on The Transporter.

View post:
How to cope with going bald before youre ready to - Dazed

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

Type 2 diabetes is a condition which causes the levels of sugar in the blood to become too high. If blood sugar isnt controlled properly and stays too high, it can result in complications such as kidney failure, nerve damage, heart disease or stroke. Noticing the early warning signs are crucial in order to make the necessary changes in diet and lifestyle.

Often one assumes weight loss as good and healthy, when people are overweight.

For a person who undergoes a slow steady intentional weight loss using nutritional change and exercise is associated with beneficial effect on the heart, blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

In addition, weight loss can reduce insulin resistance and make muscles and fat tissues more sensitive to circulating insulin levels in the blood.

Intentional weight loss is therefore a good thing for people with diabetes, however unintentional weight loss is not.

READ MORE: Heart attack: Noticing this warning sign in your ear shouldnt be ignored

The Cleveland Clinic said: All of us can gain or lose a pound or two; we indulge a little too much and then we put in a few extra workouts.

"But if you havent tightened the belt on your diet or ramped up your exercise routine and your weight is still dropping, talk to your doctor.

"While weight loss of just a pound or two isnt a reason of concern, unexplained weight loss of 10 pounds or more may mean something is wrong.

"It could be an early sign of diabetes."

DONT MISS

Insulin is a hormone that allows the body to use glucose for energy.

If a person has type 2 diabetes, the body doesnt use insulin effectively and cant transport the glucose to the cells.

Instead, it builds up in the blood. When the glucose doesnt arrive in the cells, the body begins to think its starving and finds a way to compensate.

It creates energy by burning fat and muscle at a rapid pace and this causes unexplained weight loss.

Here is the original post:
Type 2 diabetes symptoms: An unintentional loss of this could be a sign of the condition - Express

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

On Monday, researchers from Japan's Osaka University announced the successful completion of a first-of-its-kind heart transplant.

Rather than replacing their patient's entire heart with a new organ, these researchers placed degradable sheets containing heart muscle cells onto the heart's damaged areas - and if the procedure has the desired effect, it could eventually eliminate the need for some entire heart transplants.

To grow the heart muscle cells, the team started with induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells. These are stem cells that researchers create by taking an adult's cells - often from their skin or blood - and reprogramming them back into their embryonic-like pluripotent state.

At that point, researchers can coax the iSP cells into becoming whatever kind of cell they'd like. In the case of this Japanese study, the researchers created heart muscle cells from the iSP cells before placing them on small sheets.

The patient who received the transplant suffers from ischemic cardiomyopathy, a condition in which a person's heart has trouble pumping because its muscles don't receive enough blood.

In severe cases, the condition can require a heart transplant, but the team from Osaka University hopes that the muscle cells on the sheet will secrete a protein that helps regenerate blood vessels, thereby improving the patient's heart function.

The researchers plan to monitor the patient for the next year, and they hope to conduct the same procedure on nine other people suffering from the same condition within the next three years.

If all goes well, the procedure could become a much-needed alternative to heart transplants - not only is sourcing iPS cells far easier than finding a suitable donor heart, but a recipient's immune system is more likely to tolerate the cells than a new organ.

"I hope that (the transplant) will become a medical technology that will save as many people as possible, as I've seen many lives that I couldn't save," researcher Yoshiki Sawa said at a news conference, according to The Japan Times.

This article was originally published by Futurism. Read the original article.

Visit link:
Lab-Grown Heart Muscles Have Been Transplanted Into a Human For The First Time - ScienceAlert

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

In our regular feature #TheBrand, Bazaars beauty team look into an exciting and efficacious brand taking the beauty industry by storm. This time, its a doctor-backed skincare line combining luxury with lasting results.

In the past, weve happily soaked up skincare advice from celebrities, supermodels and self-appointed influencers. (In fact, weve even bought into brands created by them.) But now, those of us looking to settle down with a serious skincare regime one that promises a healthy, resilient complexion for good are rightfully turning to doctors for direction.

As we become increasingly invested in our skincare, favouring proven formulations over zeitgeisty trends, the door has been opened for a host of dermatologists, surgeons and doctors to launch their own brands. Armed with the best qualifications in the business, these experts combine ingredients knowledge with confidence, ensuring maximum potency with minimal contraindications.

The latest brand in this formidable category is MZ Skin, founded by Dr. Maryam Zamani. Not only is she a leading oculoplastic surgeon (aka eye doctor), but she's also one of London's most in-demand aesthetic doctors, working out of the Cadogan Clinic in Chelsea.

With a background in medical science, Zamani is perfectly positioned to create clinically proven products that speak to womens needs, providing a direct path to the balanced and healthy skin were all hoping to obtain. Truly understanding the actives, how they interact with the skin and what they can achieve is imperative in formulating powerful results, she says.

While most dermatologist and doctor-led brands tend to sit on the cold, clinical side of the skincare fence, MZ Skin is a visibly luxurious affair. Most of the doctor ranges now are made by men for women, which often means we lose an important aspect of skincare and wellness, explains Zamani, who treasures the sense of ritual in her own routine, seeing it as a powerful self-care tool. Taking a few moments to do something that is good for you and feels good to do has compounded positive impact.

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Proven actives are, unsurprisingly, the focal point of MZ Skin here, you can find some of the most effective brightening, rejuvenating and repairing formulas around.

Expect familiar ingredients in optimum levels of potency, and always stabilised for longevity. Vitamin C, peptides, acids, ceramides, stem cells and most recently retinol form the basis. Everything is free from mineral oil, (a harmless yet useless filler ingredient), and controversial paraben preservatives.

Naturally, Zamanis Soothe & Smooth eye cream is a stand-out. Hyaluronic acid provides moisture while ceramides strengthen the skin barrier, but its the unusual addition of albazia bark extract that proves her skincare nous. Also known as Persian silk tree extract, it is said to encourage the skin to produce collagen and elastin, leading to less surface lines.

If youre looking for a quick fix, the Radiance & Renewal mask is worth a try, but the savviest shoppers will head instead for the Cleanse & Clarify cleanser. Ticking off two steps in one, it can be used nightly as a deep cleanser, or left to linger as a pre-event mask. The hefty dose of alpha-hydroxy acids sloughs away dead skin cells, leaving skin looking brighter immediately after use.

Several brands are investing in at-home LED technology now, but MZ Skins Light Therapy Golden Facial Device is one of the most advanced available outside of a professional setting, thanks to the impressive five shades of LED it emits.

Light emitting diodes send out specific wavelengths that are then absorbed by the skin," explains Zamani. Red and yellow light helps boost collagen production, while blue light kills bacteria that can lead to acne. Green LED can be absorbed by melanin in the skin to help improve the appearance of pigmentation.

But it's the inclusion of a fifth light setting that make's Zamani's device a true stand-out. White, or near-infrared light, penetrates remarkably deep into the dermis to promote wound healing and skin repair: a benefit scarcely found in at-home devices.

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View original post here:
Everything you need to know about MZ Skin products - harpersbazaar.com

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

People living with Type 1 diabetes are certainly faced with some daily hassles, such as finger-prick blood-glucose tests and insulin injections. An Israeli biomedical firm is now stating that such tasks may soon no longer be necessary, however, thanks to its prototype implant.

Developed by Beta-O2 Technologies, the titanium-bodied device is known as the Bio-artificial Pancreas, or the Air for short.

Measuring about 2.5 by 2.5 inches (64 mm), it incorporates a macrocapsule containing live pancreatic cells (aka islets), along with an oxygen tank. The cells can be obtained from a human donor, from the pancreas of a pig, or they can be grown from the patient's own stem cells in a lab. An external port on the oxygen tank allows the patient to refill it with oxygen on a weekly basis.

Once implanted under the skin, the Air is claimed to continuously monitor blood glucose levels, utilizing the oxygen-fed pancreatic cells to produce and deliver insulin whenever necessary. According to the company, the oxygen supply is the key to the device's success other experimental islet-equipped artificial pancreases, which rely on the limited amount of oxygen within the patient's bloodstream, reportedly have difficulty keeping the cells viable.

Additionally, no immunosuppressive treatments are required in order to keep the new implant from being rejected by the body. That said, the company states that it can easily be removed if necessary.

The device has already been trialled on four patients in Sweden, who experienced no side effects after carrying the implant for 10 months the cells remained viable throughout that period. A second-generation version is now being tested on diabetic rats, which have so far maintained normal glucose levels. A larger human trial should begin later this year.

Source: Beta-O2 Technologies

Read more:
Artificial pancreas uses oxygen tank to better-produce insulin - New Atlas

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

LOS ANGELES Extending everyones life in a healthy fashion is one of many goals held by Peter Diamandis, a space, technology, aeronautics and medicine pioneer. But the new field known as longevity is of interest to everyone.

One hundred will be the new 60, he told his Abundance360 conference recently. The average human health span will increase by 10+ years this decade.

He, like others in Silicon Valley, believe that aging is a disease and the result of planned obsolescence, or the wearing down of, or damage to, certain critical mechanisms, sensors and functions within our bodies. Longevity research is about identifying the core problems to mitigate or reverse them.

The average human health span will increase by 10+ years this decade

Peter Diamandis

The exponential technologies of artificial intelligence, machine learning and computational heft have been harnessed, and have resulted in breakthroughs and clinical trials that are just a handful of years away from deployment on human patients. The main areas of research include: Stem cell supply restoration, regenerative medicine to regrow damaged cartilage, ligaments, tendons, bone, spinal cords and neural nerves; vaccine research against chronic diseases such as Alzheimers; and United Therapeutics that is developing technology to tackle the organ shortage for humans by genetically engineering organs grown in pigs.

New tools are accelerating the development of new, tailor-made medicines at a fraction of todays costs. Alex Zhavoronkov of Insilico Medicine told the conference that drugs take 10 years and cost $3 billion to research and 90 per cent fail. But his company can test in 46 days using human tissue, then model, design and produce in weeks with the help of advanced computing.

In regenerative medicine, advances appear to be arriving relatively soon. For instance, Diamandis asked the audience if anyone was awaiting a knee replacement operation and suggested that they might be better off postponing these until 2021 when regenerative medicine innovator, Samumed LLC in San Diego, is expected to complete phase three clinical trials of cartilage regeneration.

Samumeds founder, Osman Kibar, said his company has successfully injected a protein that activates nearby stem cells into producing new cartilage in a knee or a new disc in a spine. Preliminary success has also occurred to regenerate muscle and neural cells, retinal cells, skin and hair. Not surprisingly, the private company just raised US$15.5 billion to continue research and product development.

Another hot area of early stage research is called epigenetic reprogramming or identifying how to reverse deficiencies in proteins, stem cells, chromosomes, genes that repair DNA and damaged cells. A leader in this field is David Sinclair, professor of genetics at the Harvard Medical School, whose new book Lifespan: Why We Age and Why We Dont Have To explains the science and offers advice.

Aging is a disease, and that disease is treatable, he said. As research progresses toward actual corrections or cures, there are also lifestyle habits that can slow down the aging process, or avert damage. For instance, he said humans should replicate some behaviour that their bodies were designed for. Obviously, exercising and sleep are necessary but so is eating less often. You should feel hungry regularly, he said.

Another condition that is useful to emulate is hormesis, a scientific term for what Neitzsche posited which was that that which does not kill us makes us stronger. Sinclair recommends stressing our bodies with temperature changes such as going from a hot sauna to rolling in the snow. This invigorates the bodys processes and cells.

Theres also xenohormesis or gaining benefits from eating plants that have been environmentally stressed, therefore contain more beneficial nutrients. For instance, drought-stressed or wild strawberries have better flavour but they also are enhanced with additional antioxidant capacity and phenol content.

The age of 100 is easily in sight now, said Diamandis. And kids born today can expect to live to 105.

Financial Post

More:
Diane Francis: Treating aging like a disease is the next big thing for science - Financial Post

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

Early Clinical Data Support ex vivo Hematopoietic Stem Cell Gene Therapy as a Potentially Promising Treatment Option for X-CGD

BOSTON and LONDON, Jan. 29, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Orchard Therapeutics (ORTX), a global gene therapy leader, today announced that it has received orphan drug designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for OTL-102, the companys ex vivo autologous hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) gene therapy being investigated for the treatment of X-linked chronic granulomatous disease (X-CGD). The FDA may grant orphan designation to drugs and biologics intended to treat a rare disease or condition affecting fewer than 200,000 persons in the U.S.

We are pleased to have received this orphan drug designation from the FDA, which recognizes the potential of OTL-102 to address a rare population of patients with X-CGD, a life-threatening disease with a critical unmet need, said Anne Dupraz-Poiseau, Ph.D., chief regulatory officer at Orchard. We are encouraged by the clinical data published to date and are eager to advance OTL-102 development as quickly as possible for patients with X-CGD.

Orphan designation qualifies a company for certain benefits, including financial incentives to support clinical development and the potential for seven years of market exclusivity in the U.S. upon regulatory approval.

Early academic clinical trial data for OTL-102 that was recently published in Nature Medicine demonstrates that ex vivo autologous HSC gene therapy may be a promising approach for the treatment of X-CGD. The letter, which wasled by researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)including Donald B. Kohn, M.D., one of the study's lead investigators and professor of microbiology, immunology and molecular genetics at UCLA and Great Ormond Street Hospital (UK), provides an analysis of safety and efficacy outcomes in nine severely affected patients with X-CGD. At 12 months post-treatment, six of seven surviving patients, all of whom were adults or late adolescents, exceeded the minimum threshold hypothesized in published literature to demonstrate potential clinical benefit, defined as 10% functioning, oxidase-positive neutrophils in circulation and have discontinued preventive antibiotics.1

As previously reported, two pediatric patients died within three months of treatment from complications deemed by the investigators and independent data and safety monitoring board to be related to pre-existing comorbidities due to advanced disease progression and unrelated to OTL-102. Investigators are planning to enroll additional pediatric patients in 2020 to assess outcomes in this patient population. In addition, there is work underway to improve the efficiency of the drug product manufacturing process prior to initiating a registrational study.

Patients with X-CGD experience significantly reduced quality and length of life, and currently must take daily medications that do not eliminate the risk of fatal infections, said Adrian Thrasher, Ph.D., M.D., one of the studys lead investigators and professor of pediatric immunology and Wellcome Trust Principal Research Fellow at UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health in London. These data demonstrate that OTL-102 has the potential to become a transformative new treatment option for patients with X-CGD with the evaluation of longer follow up and more patients.

About X-CGDX-linked chronic granulomatous disease (X-CGD) is a rare, life-threatening, inherited disease of the immune system caused by mutations in the cytochrome B-245 beta chain (CYBB) gene encoding the gp91phox subunit of phagocytic NADPH oxidase. Because of this genetic defect, phagocytes, or white blood cells, of X-CGD patients are unable to kill bacteria and fungi, leading to chronic, severe infections. The main clinical manifestations of X-CGD are pyoderma, a type of skin infection; pneumonia; colitis; lymphadenitis, an infection of the lymph nodes; brain, lung and liver abscesses; and osteomyelitis, an infection of the bone. Patients with X-CGD typically start to develop infections in the first decade of life, and an estimated 40 percent of patients die by the age of 35.2 The incidence of X-CGD is currently estimated at between 1 in 100,000 and 1 in 400,000 male births.

Story continues

About OTL-102OTL-102 is an ex vivo autologous hematopoietic stem cell gene therapy being studied for the treatment of X-CGD. The studies are supported by multiple institutions including the California Institute of Regenerative Medicine, the Gene Therapy Resource Program from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Intramural Program, the Wellcome Trust and the National Institute for Health Research Biomedical Research Centres at Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and University College London. Preclinical and clinical development of OTL-102 had originally been initiated by Genethon (Evry, France) and funded by an EU framework 7 funded consortium, NET4CGD, before being licensed to Orchard.

About OrchardOrchard Therapeutics is a global gene therapy leader dedicated to transforming the lives of people affected by rare diseases through the development of innovative, potentially curative gene therapies. Our ex vivo autologous gene therapy approach harnesses the power of genetically-modified blood stem cells and seeks to correct the underlying cause of disease in a single administration. The company has one of the deepest gene therapy product candidate pipelines in the industry and is advancing seven clinical-stage programs across multiple therapeutic areas, including inherited neurometabolic disorders, primary immune deficiencies and blood disorders, where the disease burden on children, families and caregivers is immense and current treatment options are limited or do not exist.

Orchard has its global headquarters in London and U.S. headquarters in Boston. For more information, please visit http://www.orchard-tx.com, and follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.

Forward-Looking StatementsThis press release contains certain forward-looking statements about Orchards strategy, future plans and prospects, which are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements may be identified by words such as anticipates, believes, expects, plans, intends, projects, and future or similar expressions that are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include express or implied statements relating to, among other things, the therapeutic potential of Orchards product candidates, including the product candidate or candidates referred to in this release, Orchards expectations regarding the timing of regulatory submissions for approval of its product candidates, including the product candidate or candidates referred to in this release, the timing of interactions with regulators and regulatory submissions related to ongoing and new clinical trials for its product candidates, the timing of announcement of clinical data for its product candidates and the likelihood that such data will be positive and support further clinical development and regulatory approval of these product candidates, and the likelihood of approval of such product candidates by the applicable regulatory authorities. These statements are neither promises nor guarantees and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond Orchards control, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in these forward-looking statements. In particular, the risks and uncertainties include, without limitation: the risk that any one or more of Orchards product candidates, including the product candidate or candidates referred to in this release, will not be successfully developed or commercialized, the risk of cessation or delay of any of Orchards ongoing or planned clinical trials, the risk that prior results, such as signals of safety, activity or durability of effect, observed from preclinical studies or clinical trials will not be replicated or will not continue in ongoing or future studies or trials involving Orchards product candidates,the delay of any of Orchards regulatory submissions, the failure to obtain marketing approval from the applicable regulatory authorities for any of Orchards product candidates, the receipt of restricted marketing approvals, and the risk of delays in Orchards ability to commercialize its product candidates, if approved. Given these uncertainties, the reader is advised not to place any undue reliance on such forward-looking statements.

Other risks and uncertainties faced by Orchard include those identified under the heading "Risk Factors" in Orchards annual report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2018, as filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on March 22, 2019, as well as subsequent filings and reports filed with the SEC. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release reflect Orchards views as of the date hereof, and Orchard does not assume and specifically disclaims any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required by law.

References1Kang et al. Blood. 2010;115(4):783-912van den Berget al. PLoS One. 2009;4(4):e5234

Contacts

InvestorsRenee LeckDirector, Investor Relations+1 862-242-0764Renee.Leck@orchard-tx.com

MediaMolly CameronManager, Corporate Communications+1 978-339-3378media@orchard-tx.com

Original post:
Orchard Therapeutics Announces FDA Granted Orphan Drug Designation for OTL-102 for the Treatment of X-linked Chronic Granulomatous Disease (X-CGD) -...

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

It is common for patients to suggest that their wound needs to breathe in order to heal. These thoughts often come from older family members citing that, for example, a childs scabbed knee healed up without concern. But it is essential for the treating clinician to explain the importance of creating the right environment for wound healing for acute and chronic wounds based on the concept of moist wound healing established more than 50 years ago.1

Wound care in the UK carries a significant cost pressure for the NHS. The prevalence of wounds, inconsistencies in assessment of the wounds and the number of wounds contribute significantly to the burden on already overstretched health services.2

In 1962,1 Winter demonstrated that superficial acute skin wounds in pigs healed more quickly when covered with a film to create a moist environment, compared with wounds left exposed to air. This study evidenced that a moist environment encourages faster replication of epithelial cells and therefore faster wound healing. These epithelial cells migrate across a moist wound surface with ease, but a dry scab acts as a barrier to new cells trying to travel across the wound bed. This work has been widely cited in academic literature since it was first published. It is considered by wound care clinicians to be a seminal publication and will no doubt continue to be referenced.

There are of course some caveats for clinicians and moist wound healing may not always be the most appropriate plan of care for a patient. Clinicians should complete a holistic patient and wound assessment and then deliver the most appropriate option.

The concept and delivery of moist wound healing may not be appropriate in the following instances.3 This is not an exhaustive list but provides examples to consider and explore further:

Since Winters original work was published,1 there has been a significant number of experimental and clinical studies providing further evidence that this method provides advantages for the patient. These studies were compiled into a table and published by Rippon, Ousey, Rogers and Atkin in 20164- you can view the full table and the breakdown of the evidence here. Some of the benefits of moist wound treatment listed include:

Day-to-day practice

A small scab may initially develop at the site of a wounded area of skin as a natural result of the haemostasis phase of the healing process. Initially this may be of benefit to stem blood flow, but if left, this scab can become detrimental to wound healing, as discussed. Similarly, a focus on ensuring moisture is present at the wound bed can lead clinicians to make a wound too wet. This can also have a detrimental effect on the healingprocess, causing maceration on the wound edges and damaging the surrounding healthy tissue.4

A full patient and wound assessment allows for a plan of care based on the evidence and helps to prevent complications.

There is a wealth of products available in the UK via FP10 prescription and supply chain routes that support the concept of moist wound healing and allow a wound to be maintained in optimum conditions.

Final word

As a tissue viability nurse specialist, I teach clinicians that if a wound is wet, they should dry it up. If it is dry, they should add some moisture. Tissue viability nurse specialists across the UK have developed formularies in clinical areas to assist clinicians in making an informed decision on wound care products that support the right healing environment, as well as adjunct therapies such as compression hosiery and bandaging, emollients, skin barrier film and cream protectors, debridement products. I encourage clinicians to familiarise themselves with the local formulary, so they are fully informed of the availability and use of all products. These productshave been developed to facilitate faster wound healing, reduce pain, improve scar formation and improve quality of life for patients. It is important to choose them carefully and use them correctly.

If a wound is not infected, leaving a dressing in place is better than changing it frequently. Minimise dressing changes by assessing the wound carefully and choosing a wound care product that can effectively manage the exudate.

Clinicians should also familiarise themselves with the products that are not recommended for wound care as they will not facilitate a moist environment and support wound healing products such as tulle dressings, gauze and cotton wool.

Build your knowledge so you can share the wealth of evidence when you need to discuss wound management with patients and also if you need to challenge outdated practices if they are suggested by other clinicians.

Amy Verdon is a clinical nurse specialist in tissue viability at University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust

References

Read the original:
Mythbuster: 'I need to let the air get to this wound' - Nursing in Practice

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith