Posted: May 21, 2017 at 5:42 am
Mouse study looks at safety of stem cell therapy for early ... Science Daily Now that we know that egg-making stem cells exist in adults and that these cells can be transplanted into mice with premature ovarian failure to produce ... |
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Posted: May 21, 2017 at 5:42 am
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The number of K-12 students with diabetes in Sarasota County schools has increased by 50 percent since 2011, according to figures from the Florida Department of Health in Sarasota County.
In 2011, 83 students were identified as diabetic in county schools. That number jumped to 128 in the current school year. The steadily growing rate has put increased pressure on school health services, said Suzanne DuBose, a registered nurse and supervisor of health services in Sarasota County schools.
Having a student with diabetes frequently increases the number of health room visits since these students typically visit the school clinic two to three times per day, DuBose said.
Type 1 diabetics, who make up the bulk of the countys diabetic students, require lifelong daily insulin injections. In schools, the shots are required to be administered by registered nurses. But Sarasota County does not have a full-time RN at every school, relying instead on RNs that travel throughout the district.
There are few recent studies on the prevalence of diabetes in kids, but according to the National Institutes of Health, as obesity rates in children continue to soar, type 2 diabetes, a disease that used to be seen primarily in adults age 45 and older, is becoming more prevalent among children.
A study funded by the Centers for Disease Control and the NIH found a 20 percent jump in type 2 cases between 2001 and 2009. Researchers called the increase substantial, and most experts agree that growth is due to weight and sedentary lifestyles.
While studies have shown an increase in the number of children diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, most researchers agree that there is no single cause, DuBose said. Genetics plays a role, but exposure to certain environmental factors may also trigger the disease.
The most important thing parents can do is to watch for symptoms of type 1 diabetes such as frequent urination, thirst and weight loss, she added. The earlier its detected, the better.
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Diabetes steadily increasing in Sarasota schools - Sarasota Herald-Tribune
Posted: May 20, 2017 at 6:43 am
On May 4, 2017, Puma announced the resignation of its Senior Vice President, Regulatory Affairs, effective as of May 15, 2017, less than two weeks before the FDA's scheduled review of neratinib. On May 5, 2017, Fox Business published an article reporting that a large number of patients taking neratinib suffered from severe side effects, posing a safety risk for the drug.
Our investigation concerns whether the Company board of directors has breached its fiduciary duties to shareholders, grossly mismanaged the Company, and/or committed abuses of control in connection with the foregoing.
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Harwood Feffer LLP Announces Investigation of Puma Biotechnology, Inc. - PR Newswire (press release)
Posted: May 20, 2017 at 6:43 am
Investopedia | Harbour Investment Management LLC Invests $4.559 Million in iShares NASDAQ Biotechnology Index (IBB) The Cerbat Gem iShares NASDAQ Biotechnology Index logo Harbour Investment Management LLC bought a new position in iShares NASDAQ Biotechnology Index (NASDAQ:IBB) during the first quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange ... Lucas Capital Management Has $2.254 Million Stake in iShares NASDAQ Biotechnology Index (IBB) The Caldwell & Orkin Inc. Acquires Shares of 2,600 iShares ... Davidson & Garrard Inc. Lowers Stake in iShares NASDAQ Biotechnology Index (IBB) |
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Harbour Investment Management LLC Invests $4.559 Million in iShares NASDAQ Biotechnology Index (IBB) - The Cerbat Gem
Posted: May 20, 2017 at 6:43 am
May 19, 2017
Physicians, parents and coaches should be cautious when considering treating injured young athletes with platelet rich plasma (PRP), stem cells or other types of regenerative medicine, says a nationally recognized sports medicine clinician and researcher at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine and UHealth Sports Medicine Institute.
"While regenerative medicine appears to have promise in many areas of medicine, little is known about the safety or effectiveness of these treatments for bone, cartilage, ligament or muscle tissue injuries in children and adolescents," said Thomas Best, M.D., Ph.D., professor of orthopedics, family medicine, biomedical engineering and kinesiology, and team physician for University of Miami athletics and the Miami Marlins. "Everyone wants a young athlete to get back to sports as quickly as possible, but it is important to look first at treatments that have been shown to be effective, before considering unproven options."
Best was the lead author of a new collaborative study, "Not Missing the Future: A Call to Action for Investigating the Role of Regenerative Medicine Therapies in Pediatric/Adolescent Sports Injuries," published May 15 in the American College of Sports Medicine's Current Sports Medicine Reports.
"Evidence from laboratory and veterinary research suggests that mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) may provide an alternative treatment option for conditions that affect muscle, tendons, ligaments, and cartilage," said the authors. "This evidence, however, is based largely on studies in adults and it remains unknown whether these results will be duplicated in our younger populations."
Young athletes are vulnerable to a wide range of injuries, including overuse of arm, shoulder and leg muscles, ligaments and joints in sports like baseball, tennis, soccer and golf, said Best, who is past president of the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM). "Unregulated clinics may sound attractive to parents and youngsters seeking aggressive regenerative therapy," Best said. "But far more scientific research is necessary to determine if those treatments are helpful in overcoming sports injuries and, more importantly, without serious short- or long-term side effects."
The new ACSM study grew from an August 2016 meeting of sport medicine clinicians, researchers, and a bioethicist who felt that a call to action was urgently needed to understand the current evidence, risks and rewards, and future directions of research and clinical practice for regenerative medicine therapies in youth sports. The meeting was supported by the National Youth Sports Health and Safety Institute, a partnership between the American College of Sports Medicine and SanfordHealth, a Midwest HMO.
The collaborative study included a seven-point call to action:
1. Exercise caution in treating youth with cell-based therapies as research continues.
2. Improve regulatory oversight of these emerging therapies.
3. Expand governmental and private research funding.
4. Create a system of patient registries to gather treatment and outcomes data.
5. Develop a multiyear policy and outreach agenda to increase public awareness.
6. Build a multidisciplinary consortium to gather data and promote systematic regulation.
7. Develop and pursue a clear collective impact agenda to address the "hype" surrounding regenerative medicine.
Reflecting on the evidence, the study's authors wrote, "Despite the media attention and perceived benefits of these therapies, there are still limited data as to efficacy and long-term safety. The involvement of clinicians, scientists and ethicists is essential in ourquest for the truth."
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Posted: May 20, 2017 at 6:43 am
May 19, 2017 West Nile virus-infected brain neurons. Credit: Brian Daniels
In a turnabout, a biochemical self-destruct trigger found in many other types of cells appears to guard the lives of brain cells during an infection with West Nile virus.
UW Medicine scientists led research showing that this chemical pathway doesn't have to sacrifice brain cells to destroy the viruses and recruit the body's defenses against infection.
The same chemical pathway can preserve the brain's nerve cells, or neurons, by using an alternative approach to summon protection.
The self-destruct trigger, a protein called RIPK3 (pronounced rip-3), is better known for activating a certain type of cell death during infection or damaging events in other parts of the body. The death of infected cells in this manner is a protective mechanism that helps the body eliminate the infection.
During a West Nile virus infection, however, the activation of RIPK3 in brain cells doesn't cause them to die. That's because its signaling within the central nervous system is not the same as in cell types elsewhere in the body. Its brain-specific role implies that there are central nervous system functions for RIPK3 not observed in other tissues.
"There is something special about neurons, perhaps because they are non-renewable and too important to undergo cell death," said Andrew Oberst, assistant professor of immunology at the University of Washington School of Medicine. He is the senior author of a recent Cell paper on how brain cells ward off West Nile virus.
"RIPK3 acts as part of the milieu of signals that support anti-viral inflammation in the brain," said the lead author of the paper, Brian Daniels, a UW Medicine postdoctoral fellow in immunology.
RIPK3 responds to the presence of West Nile virus in the brain by placing an order for chemokines, the researchers observed.
Daniels explained that these chemicals underlie a successful ousting of West Nile virus. Chemokines attract an influx of infection-fighting white blood cells.
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These efforts contribute to the clearance of the virus from the brain, but not by directly stopping replacement virus from reproducing within brain cells. Instead, the brain tissue undergoes a kind of inflammation that restricts the West Nile virus infection.
In a different cell type, such as a fibroblast, the entry of a West Nile virus would result in the cell initiating its own demise.
Their findings, the researchers noted, suggest that additional care might need to be taken in developing and testing drugs against RIPK3 to treat neurodegenerative disorders, brain damage from stroke or injury, and autoimmune diseases of the nervous system such as multiple sclerosis. Too much interference with RIPK3 in the brain could make it prone to certain viral infections.
Yueh-Ming Loo is a UW research assistant professor of immunology and another key scientist on the study. Like Oberst, she is from the UW Center for Innate Immunity and Immune Disease. She's interested in why certain pathogens like West Nile virus gravitate toward and invade the central nervous system in some people and animals, but not in others.
Not everyone infected with the West Nile virus develops neurological disease. Some don't even realize they were exposed.
How the body controls brain infections when they do occur, especially with the blood-brain barrier restricting access, is also still poorly understood.
Loo explained that the efforts to subdue the virus in the brain can be a delicate balance. An inappropriately zealous immune response to the pathogen can inadvertently cause long-term neurological problems.
The UW Medicine researchers conducted part of their studies in mice to learn more about the role of RIPK3 in fighting brain infections. They found that mice that were genetically deficient in RIPK3 were highly susceptible to having West Nile virus overtake the brain. These mice displayed a fatal defect in their ability to produce a chemokine-generated neuroinflammation.
The mouse studies and related lab work, the researchers noted, provide evidence that RIPK3 coordinates the infiltration of disease-fighting cells into the central nervous system during West Nile virus infection.
Central nervous system infections are a "profound and growing burden to global public health," the researchers noted in discussing the significance of this scientific question.
Explore further: Researchers moving towards ending threat of West Nile virus
More information: Brian P. Daniels et al, RIPK3 Restricts Viral Pathogenesis via Cell Death-Independent Neuroinflammation, Cell (2017). DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2017.03.011
Journal reference: Cell
Provided by: University of Washington
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Brain fights West Nile Virus in unexpected way - Medical Xpress
Posted: May 20, 2017 at 6:42 am
NEW ORLEANS, LADespite new data showing that stem cell therapy has the potential to improve exercise time and reduce mortality in patients with refractory angina, researchers said at the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI) 2017 Scientific Sessions last week that the option is all but dead due to withdrawal of financial support, resulting in patients being denied access to a promising treatment.
Presenting a summation of all the data that have been collected over the last decade on the use of autologous CD34+ cells to treat patients with class III or IV angina despite optimal medical therapy, Thomas Povsic, MD, PhD (Duke Clinical Research Institute, Chapel Hill, NC), said this group of patients is in dire need of new treatment options, and maintained that it is imperative to explore methods to bring this therapy to patients.
He and colleagues conducted a meta-analysis from the only three trials of CD34+ therapy in refractory angina patients: a phase I study (n = 24); ACT-34 CMI and its 24-month extension study (n = 168); and the RENEW study (n = 112). All three were randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials. However, RENEW was terminated early by the sponsor due to financial reasons.
Taken together, the trials showed that among the 187 patients who received the therapy, total exercise time improved by 90.5 seconds at 12 months compared with an improvement of just 39.5 seconds in those who received a placebo.
Additionally, patients who received CD34+ treatment had more than a fourfold lower rate of mortality by 24 months (2.6% vs 11.8%; P = 0.003) and fewer instances of MACE (29.8% vs 40.0%; P = 0.08).
A Cloudy Future
Povsic said the CD34+ trials are extremely expensive to run, resulting in the only sponsor, Baxter Healthcare, divesting itself of all further research in this area.
I personally believe that this therapy has more data associated with it for efficacy and safety than any other cell therapy thats been investigated in the cardiovascular disease space, he observed. The passage of the 21st Century Cures Act may hold some hope for the future, Povsic added, since it allows for a therapy that fulfills a specific medical need to undergo expedited approval.
Its challenging because this patient population has no options, Povsics co-author Timothy Henry, MD (Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute, Los Angeles, CA), said in a press briefing prior to the presentation. This is by far the strongest data for any therapy for refractory angina. Its also the . . . strongest data for cell therapy, and its a shame that its not available to patients.
Henry added that hes hopeful the data from the meta-analysis may be well received by the US Food and Drug Administration.
Povsic noted that although other companies have expressed interest in the therapy, its future is cloudy. Referencing the termination of RENEW for financial reasons, he added that it shows the ramifications that early cessation of a clinical trial can have, because its truly a disservice to the patients that were enrolled in the trial, the investigators that invested time, and the fact that this therapy . . . seemed so close to the finish line, but [now] the path forward is unclear.
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Access Denied: Stem Cell Therapy Shows Some Promise in Refractory Angina, but Patients Can't Get It - TCTMD
Posted: May 20, 2017 at 6:42 am
New York Times | How Much Weight Do I Need to Lose to Prevent Diabetes? New York Times While prediabetes often leads to full-fledged Type 2 diabetes, many people can hold the condition in check if they lose a relatively small amount of weight and increase their physical activity, said Dr. Rhonda Bentley-Lewis, an assistant professor of ... |
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How Much Weight Do I Need to Lose to Prevent Diabetes? - New York Times
Posted: May 20, 2017 at 6:42 am
Insulin typically saves the lives of those with diabetes, but it can also be a way for some people to kill themselves, a new review warns.
People with the blood sugar disease tend to suffer higher rates of depression, the researchers explained. And suicide or suicide attempts using insulin or other diabetes medications that lower blood sugar levels may not always be an easy-to-spot attempt at self-harm, they added.
"Some suicides with insulin are likely missed in people with diabetes, just as [suicide may be missed] in people without diabetes using other medications or after a car accident. Could a suicide using insulin be missed? Absolutely," said Alicia McAuliffe-Fogarty, vice president of lifestyle management at the American Diabetes Association.
Insulin is a natural hormone produced by the body. Its job is to help usher the sugar from foods into the body's cells to provide fuel for those cells. But insulin is also a complex medication.
People with type 1 diabetes no longer make enough insulin and must give themselves insulin to stay alive. People with type 2 diabetes don't use insulin efficiently -- this is called insulin resistance -- and eventually don't make enough insulin to keep up with the body's demands. At this point, people with type 2 diabetes also need to take insulin.
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Some diabetes patients are begging doctors for free samples of life-saving insulin because of costs. Between 2002 and 2013, the price of insulin ...
Insulin can be given by multiple injections every day or via an insulin pump. Insulin pumps deliver insulin through a small tube that's inserted under the skin. The site of the insulin pump must be changed every few days. But once the tube is in, someone who uses an insulin pump only needs to push a few buttons to deliver a dose of insulin.
However, getting the right amount of insulin is no easy task. Many factors affect the body's need for insulin. Exercise decreases the need. Foods that are higher in carbohydrates increase the need. Stress and other moods can affect the need for insulin, as can illness or hormonal shifts, such as those that occur with menstruation.
People with diabetes often have to make adjustments to their insulin doses. If they make a mistake and take too much, an extremely low blood sugar level (hypoglycemia) can occur. If they give themselves too little insulin, their blood sugar levels rise (hyperglycemia). Either condition can be very dangerous.
According to Dr. Alyson Myers, director of inpatient diabetes at North Shore University Hospital, in Manhasset, N.Y., "If someone comes in with hypoglycemia, you think, 'Oh, they overdid it.' And, sometimes when people come in with hyperglycemia or DKA (a complication of hyperglycemia), the intention to self-harm can be missed."
Myers is also the lead author of the review, published recently in the journalCurrent Diabetes Reviews.
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It's not clear exactly how high the rates of suicide are in people with diabetes, though Myers said the rates are higher than in the general population.
Plus, an attempt at suicide using insulin or other blood sugar-lowering medications may ultimately fail. "The body is a resilient thing," Myers said, explaining that the body has ways to protect itself, such as releasing a natural form of sugar from the liver.
Instead of automatically assuming there was an error in care, Myers recommended that physicians consider the possibility of a suicide attempt or self-harm through the use of insulin and other medications.
She suggested that doctors follow the guidelines from the diabetes association on psychosocial care for people with diabetes that includes a multi-disciplinary team, including a behavioral health specialist.
McAuliffe-Fogarty agreed that when doctors see patients -- whether it's in the hospital or for an office visit -- they should screen for psychosocial concerns.
If a doctor identifies a potential concern, "refer to a mental health care provider so people can get the help they need to live a full and happy life," she said.
Given that 20 percent to 25 percent of people with diabetes screen positive for depressive symptoms at some point, people may need help sometimes.
"If you see signs of depression, changes in people's sleep patterns or eating behaviors, a loss of interest in things they once enjoyed; if they say things like, 'when I'm not here things will be better,' or express an intention to self-harm, make an appointment with a mental health-care provider. People often need some help coping and figuring out how to deal with things," McAuliffe-Fogarty said.
"If you're very nervous that they might harm themselves, call their doctor or bring them to the hospital. Or call 911 if you think they're in immediate trouble," she advised.
If you're concerned that a loved one or friend may be considering suicide, McAuliffe-Fogarty said it's OK to ask, though some people consider the word suicide to be taboo. "Ask, 'Are you thinking of hurting yourself or thinking of not being here?' Sometimes people are relieved and will open up."
But McAuliffe-Fogarty also cautioned that every misuse of insulin may not be a deliberate act of self-harm.
"It's not always self-harm or a suicide attempt," she stressed.
One such example, "Some people use insulin omission to lose weight. It's a type of disordered eating, but they're not trying to hurt themselves," she explained.
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Suicide by insulin a risk in people with diabetes - CBS News
Posted: May 20, 2017 at 6:42 am
by The Press and Standard | May 20, 2017 5:00 am
Last Updated: May 17, 2017 at 12:27 pm
By JULIE HOFF
Cameron Shephard has Type 1 juvenile diabetes, but it doesnt have her.
She tackles the disease with matter-of-fact confidence, and has since she was diagnosed at age 7.
Cameron, now 13, is the daughter of David and Lisa Shephard of Givhans. Lisa is a nurse at Colleton Medical Center.
Theres no family medical history [of diabetes] whatsoever, as far back as we know, Lisa said. Cameron has two older brothers, Kaleb and Blake, neither of whom has diabetes.
Cameron, who attends Gregg Middle School in Summerville, doesnt let the disease slow her down. Shes maintained a place on the honor roll while taking advanced classes in elementary and middle school. Shes in the Gifted And Talented Education (GATE) program and a member of the Junior Beta Club. She plays tennis at Gregg, and I like to play outside with my brother Blake basketball or football, she said.
In the six years since her diagnosis, Cameron has had more than 15,000 needle injections and eight hypoglycemic seizures, Lisa said.
Counting carbs and testing her blood sugar several times a day is just a fact of life, and she doesnt complain.
She does great with it. She never lets it get her down, Lisa said
I dont really remember before [the diagnosis], Cameron said. Its just my life.
Lisa became an advocate for diabetes research and education. She and Cameron met with Congressmen James E. Clyburn and Mark Sanford and participated in a 100-mile fundraising bike ride to benefit the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. In addition, Cameron has organized a JDRF Walk Team for five years.
Now Cameron has been selected to represent South Carolina in the JDRF Childrens Congress this summer in Washington, D.C. Approximately 1,500 youths applied for 155 slots, Lisa said. Two other S.C. delegates, from Greenville and Columbia, were also selected.
They fill out an application and write a letter to their congressman, and they look at their grades and any work theyve done to support advocacy and research, Lisa said.
During the Congress, which is held every other year, kids learn leadership skills, make friends and talk to elected leaders about the importance of government funding for juvenile diabetes research.
Cameron began to exhibit classic symptoms of the disease at age six. She was drinking a lot of fluids and having to use the bathroom constantly. Then she started getting extremely sleepy we were in denial, Lisa said.
They went to Dr. Benjamin Rogers at Edisto Pediatrics, and I packed a suitcase for her before we even left. I knew she wasnt coming back home that night, Lisa said. When Cameron was weighed, her parents realized how much weight shed lost. And her blood sugar was over 800 dangerously high.
Rogers sent the family to the Medical University of South Carolina, where Cameron quickly learned the routines associated with her disease.
Before we even left the hospital she was able to stick her own finger and get her blood sugar numbers, Lisa said.
Today Cameron checks her blood sugar three or four times a day. She wears a device called a CGM, a continuous glucose monitor, which downloads her blood sugar levels every five minutes to her phone.
Every three or four days, we have to change the insulin pump to a new site, and once a week we change CGM sites, Lisa said. The pump constantly infuses insulin 24 hours a day. It tells her if she needs insulin or not. When she eats, she has to count how many carbs shes eating and she has to enter those numbers into the pump.
None of it fazes Cameron. Shes focused on two things: Finding a cure for those who have been diagnosed, and early diagnosis for those who have it.
We are very proud of Cameron for being selected to represent our state, and of how well she lives with this chronic disease that has no days off, Lisa said.
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