Posted on May 8, 2017, 6 a.m. in Diabetes Biotechnology

Scientists cure diabetes in mice for one year, without side effects, by boosting pancreatic cells that secrete insulin.

Researchers at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio have found a way to cure diabetes in mice. This finding is particularly important because the cure does not spur any side effects. The medical team's new technique boosts cells within the pancreas that emit insulin.

The Importance of the Findings

If the cure works forhumans without side effects, it will be the first-ever cure for Type 1 diabetes that does not produce any related problems. Furthermore, the research team's novel approach might help Type 2 diabetics cease insulin shots. The researchers aim to perform human clinical trials within the next three years. However, in order to do so, they must first test the strategy on large animals. If these studies go well, testing will move on to human beings.

It is interesting to note that the studies conducted on large animals are estimated to cost upwards of $5 million. Large animals are the next logical stepping stone as their physiology is fairly similar to that of human beings. In particular, large animals and humans share a similar endocrine system. The cure's co-inventor, Bruno Doiron, Ph.D. indicates these studies will likely occur before he submits an application to the United States Food and Drug Administration for Investigational New Drug approval.

The Cure's Potential Commercialization

The research group secured a United States patent back in January. UT Health San Antonio is generating a company to hasten efforts to commercialize the cure. It is expected that the cure will work for human beings as it did for mice. According to Dr. Doiron, his team's strategy worked perfectly in mice. He states the mice were cured for a full year without side effects. This success is acclaimed as a monumental breakthrough as no one has even come close to an entire year without side effects.

About the Therapy

The pancreas has numerous cell types beyond beta cells. The research team's approach is to modify these cells so they generate insulin. However, the goal is for insulin to be secreted only in response to sugar. In essence, the aim is to have non-beta cells function similar to beta cells. Beta cells are the only cells that create insulin. Insulin is important as it decreases blood sugar levels. The immune system of a Type 1 diabetes patient destroys beta cells. As a result, the patient lacks insulin. Patients plagued by Type 2 diabetes have failed beta cells and a resulting drop in insulin. Type 2 diabetes also causesinefficient use of insulin to boot.

The therapy involves a technique known as gene transfer. A virus serves as a carrier that sends selected genes to the pancreas. These genes spur digestive enzymes and other types of cells to produce insulin. Gene transfer with a viral vector has been approved numerous times by the United States Food and Drug Administration with the hope that it would treat an array of different diseases. Indeed, this technique has proven successful for treating certain childhood diseases.

The cell populations aside from beta cells co-exist with the human body's natural immune defenses. Type 1 diabetes patients who have lived with these cells for decades will enjoy the newly secreted insulin without any sort of harmful immune system response.

Precise Sugar Control

The therapy controls blood sugar in an incredibly precise manner. This appears to be a significant improvement over conventional insulin therapy as well as diabetes medications that send blood sugar too low. The research team's gene transfer allows for the modified cells to match the characteristics of beta cells so low blood sugar does notresult.

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Diabetes Cured without Side Effects - Anti Aging News

HAGERSTOWN, Md. - Living with type one diabetes is not easy, especially if you're just four-years-old.

"I don't want diabetes," Jacob Fredlock, a four-year-old living with diabetes, said.

However, Jacob is not alone in his fight.

When he received his diagnosis a year ago, his mom, Ashley Fredlock, hit the ground running.

She joined the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation as a volunteer and made it her goal to raise funds and awareness.

That's why golfers turned out in huge numbers on Monday, to Beaver Creek Country Club, to make sure research to stop type one diabetes is on par.

"We actually didn't have a lot of exposure until type one diabetes chose us through his (Jacob's) diagnosis," Ashley, who is a Co-Chair of the tournament, explained. "So, we went through a little bit of a whirlwind as far as where to go and where to turn to."

That is, until JDRF stepped in and provided Jacob's family with the resources to cope and with fundraising efforts.

Over 100 people, between volunteers and golfers, came out to the Charity Golf Tournament to show their support.

Even those in attendance, whose lives haven't been directly touched, were moved by the cause.

"I got two small boys, so they're my world," Jared Bellman, a golf tournament attendee, said. "They're everything to me, so I can't imagine me personally having to deal with some of those challenges. My heart goes out to those that have to deal with this everyday."

"You want to do everything. You want to fix it. As a parent, you can't fix it when your kid is sick," Aileen Grabill, Co-Chair of the tournament, said. "So, you do the next best thing; you work hard and you raise funds."

The Charity Golf Tournament raised just over $10,000, achieving the goal for the day.

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Charity Golf Tournament raises just over $10000, achieving it's goal - WHAG

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - If you're called to court, the judges expect you to show up on time.

But a NewsChannel 5 hidden-camera investigation discovered that, for one Davidson County judge, the same rules don't apply.

NewsChannel 5 Investigates began watching after hearing complaints from people who appear in General Sessions Judge Rachel Bell's courtroom.

But we discovered was there's a big difference between what happened when she knew our cameras were watching and what happened when she didn't know we were there.

***

Inside the Davidson County courthouse, the 8:30 a.m. session inside Courtroom 1A is called the one-stop docket for a reason.

It's a chance for people who've been hit with minor citations to get booked and have their cases heard in one stop so they can get on with their lives.

On one day that we filed an official request to have cameras in the courtroom, Bell took the bench at 8:42.

Thirty minutes later, she was quickly disposing of cases -- one after another.

NewsChannel 5 Investigates noted to Bell, "The day you knew our cameras were going to be in the courtroom, you were on time."

"I promise you," she replied, "it had nothing to do with your cameras. I just had a really, really good health day -- honestly."

But two days earlier, we were watching the 8:30 docket with hidden cameras as people like Rufus Beasley came looking for justice.

"I went in the courtroom and sat and waited, waited, waited. There was no judge," Beasley said.

In fact, Beasley got a $329 speeding ticket, trying to make sure he wasn't late.

That same day, we were watching, and Judge Bell did not even leave her house until 9:48.

She got to the courthouse just after 10.

That day, the judge finally made it to her 8:30 docket at 11:20.

She says she had a 9 a.m. criminal docket that she had to handle first.

"I'm going to need ADA accommodations for the rest of my life until there is a cure -- honestly," she explained.

Bell said she has diabetes and a thyroid condition that makes it difficult to control her blood sugar first thing in the morning.

As a result, she said she has a right under the Americans with Disabilities Act to modify her schedule.

We asked, "Which means you don't have to show up to work on time?"

"As I indicated to you," she answered, "there are courtroom rules and regulations. And when you figure out what is best for your ADA accommodations, I'm in compliance with my ADA accommodations."

"But that means you don't have to show up to work on time?"

"My ADA accommodations allow me to run my courtroom within the local rules."

But we watched Bell's courtroom for three weeks and discovered that she almost never left her house until at least an hour after court was supposed to start.

On one day, when she had a 9 a.m. criminal docket, she finally left her house at 10:35.

Fifteen minutes later, she pulled into the garage -- finally taking the bench at 10:56 where plenty of people were waiting.

NewsChannel 5 Investigates asked,"Will you concede that sometimes people are waiting in the courtroom for your to show up?"

"I will not concede that people are waiting for me," Bell replied.

The judge said that, even when she's still at home, that's time when prosecutors can work out potential settlements with defendants -- so that more cases are ready to go when she takes the bench.

We noted, "If people show up at 8:30 or 9 o'clock and they're ready to go, they still have to wait on you."

"No, they don't," she insisted. "They do not have to wait on me."

"We saw it, judge."

"I don't believe, Mr. Williams, I don't believe that you know if a case is ready or not."

But another judge had to intervene in the case of Richard Atchley last year after Bell left him sitting in jail for almost three weeks.

In testimony, Atchley's attorney said the defense was ready to go for his first hearing at 9:15.

Bell didn't show up until 11:15, then she announced she had to leave at 12:30 to go teach a high school class.

And when attorneys tried to find another date to finish Atchley's hearing, Bell insisted she could not take the bench any day before 10:30.

Criminal Court Judge Mark Fishburn reviewed the case, writing: "It is disturbing that court did not begin until almost two hours beyond the scheduled opening of court."

He said Bell exhibited a "cavalier attitude" about making time to hear the case.

NewsChannel 5 Investigates told her, "That is a fellow judge saying that is not appropriate."

Bell answered, "Judge Fishburn was in his own courtroom. Judge Fishburn was not in my courtroom on that day."

"He heard testimony, though."

"I don't have comment about Judge Fishburn's comments or thoughts."

Rufus Beasley said,"If I don't show up, I don't get paid."

For the people who appear in her courtroom, Bell offered no apologies for taking her time getting to work.

"I have ADA accommodations. I'm in compliance. I'm also in compliance with the courtroom rules and regulations."

And that, she said, is all the public really needs to know.

We asked,"Are you healthy enough to do the job?"

"I'm more than capable," she declared.

Judge Bell -- who makes $170,000 ayear -- has faced ethics complaints after questions were raised last year about her work habits.

Those complaints were filed with Tennessee's Board of Judicial Conduct.

She said those complaints are still pending.

Past Investigations Focused On Absent, Tardy Judges

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Judge Blames Repeated Tardiness On Diabetes, Thyroid Condition - NewsChannel5.com

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A young girl in San Jose sets up a lemonade stand to raise awareness about Type 1 diabetes and gather donations for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. (May 7, 2017)

A traditional lemonade stand helps youngsters fill their piggy banks, but one such stand in the South Bay on Sunday helped raise funds to find a cure for a medical condition that hampers children across the world.

For the second straight year, Makoda Daszko of San Jose pitched together a booth, dished out cups of the sweet drink and collected dollars upon dollars all in the name of raising money to combat Type 1 diabetes, an ailment that she herself suffers from.

"We're celebrating the chance for a cure," Tim Daszko, Makoda's father, said.

Last year, Makoda Daszko raised roughly $5,000 for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. That event wasn't publicized, but hundreds of lemonade drinkers took notice.

The goal Sunday was to surpass that number by leaps and bounds.

"Every little bit helps," Tim Daszko said. "We're just trying to focus on helping out JDRF the best that we can."

No word yet on much money the family was able to collect.

Anyone wishing to learn more about Type 1 diabetes or donating is encouraged to visit JDRF.org.

Published at 3:30 PM PDT on May 7, 2017 | Updated at 10:21 PM PDT on May 7, 2017

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San Jose Girl's Lemonade Stand Raises Funds For Type 1 Diabetes ... - NBC Bay Area

Dr. Marc Weigensberg was having trouble getting his younger diabetes patients to listen to him. Hed repeat advice, but often theyd tune him out. He couldnt get them to open up.

So he decided he might have better luck making them share with someone else: each other.

About a year ago, Weigensberg began leading two-hour group visits with a dozen young adults at Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center to provide them with a place to share tips for living with diabetes and talk about their experiences and problems with the disease.

On a recent Friday, a handful of patients sat in a circle with Weigensberg in a small room at the Boyle Heights hospital, passing around a kaleidoscope only the person holding it can speak. Weigensberg, who has a soothing voice and a silver ponytail, checked in on each of them individually; he knows that injecting insulin several times a day and closely monitoring every meal can be exhausting.

Sometimes it gets to me, said Gabriel Leon, 26, who has had diabetes for two decades. At night, its like, I have to do this again?

Group visits arent new, but theyre gaining traction as health systems look for more efficient ways to treat patients. Plus, such gatherings often focus on things like diet, exercise and self-care, which increasingly are recognized as essential parts of not only preventing diseases but also living with them.

Only 10% of managing diabetes is learning how to inject insulin and check sugars. The other 90% is trying to integrate such an intrusive chronic disease into their life, said Weigensberg, a pediatric endocrinologist. And thats why its not doctors, but people with the condition who might best explain how to do that.

Were experts in diabetes, but were not experts in your diabetes, Weigensberg said at the recent appointment.

The patients signed up for Weigensbergs group visits have Type 1 diabetes, meaning their bodies stopped making insulin when they were children. They have to inject themselves with the hormone that breaks down sugar so their bodies can turn carbohydrates into energy. To do that correctly, they need to know the number of carbohydrates in everything they eat.

Geri Zwicker, a hospital nutritionist, joined the recent meeting to suggest ways to eyeball carbohydrate servings. She recommended the patients help set the table for meals and serving food themselves, so they can count and maybe even measure how much they eat. But she knows thats difficult at restaurants or parties, so its important to be able to estimate.

Fabio Lara, 21, opened a rice cooker Zwicker had brought, releasing steam and the smell of fresh rice into the room. Zwicker told him to scoop about as much as hed normally eat onto a plate. The mound of white rice, a little over a cup, has 50 grams of carbohydrates, so he can assume thats how much he normally eats for dinner, Zwicker said.

Weigensberg doesnt yet have data from the visits, but other studies have found that diabetic patients seen in group environments have lower hospitalization rates and better control over their disease.

The doctor recalled a satisfying moment during one session, when a college student said he wasnt checking his sugar levels at lunch because he didnt want to poke himself at school. Another boy then said he does it anyway because he doesnt care what strangers might think. The next time the group met, the reluctant patient had started testing his sugars.

That simple thing can make a huge difference, Weigensberg said. You dont really know what or when will trigger a new behavior; you just gotta let go of the fact that you cant do everything.

Weigensberg suggests topics to discuss each month but allows the participants to refocus the conversation based on whats bothering them.

Community itself is a healing force and by healing, I dont mean curing; I mean being more at ease with their illness, he said.

People with chronic conditions sometimes feel isolated or ashamed because their body does not work like everyone elses, said Kathleen Ulman, an assistant professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. Group visits offer the comfort of a shared experience, she said.

People dont feel alone anymore, and that is really worth a lot, she said. You become connected with each other and identify with each other, and if one person makes some improvement, then youll feel like, Well I could do it, if they could do it.

The issues that tend to surface in group gatherings, like transportation to doctors appointments or the cost of medicine, arent medical issues per se, but social issues that affect patients medical problems.

But more and more, those boundaries seem to be blurring because so many chronic diseases have lifestyle issues tied to them, said Sherrie Kaplan, assistant vice chancellor for Healthcare Measurement and Evaluation in the UC Irvine School of Medicine.

And since doctors might not always be in tune with these concerns, Kaplan and her colleagues started a program at UC Irvine in which they coach patients to bring up hurdles with doctors. So-called coaches nab patients in the waiting room and talk through their treatment before they meet with their doctor.

Among the concerns: I cant afford my medications. ... My mother-in-law cooks the meals, but then she gets upset if I dont want to eat what she serves, Kaplan said.

Shes found the program dramatically reduces how often patients miss appointments and end up in the emergency room.

The national Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, a branch of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, recommends group visits as a way to address patient concerns that might not be covered in a 15-minute doctors visit.

At Weigensbergs group visit, Cynthia Sanchez, 21, pulled up a photo on her smartphone of a dish her mom makes rice mixed with potatoes, corn, hard-boiled eggs, mayonnaise chicken and shrimp.

Sanchez doesnt know how much insulin to take when she eats it because she isnt sure how many carbohydrates are in it. She passed around the photo, and everyone tried to guess how much was carbs.

Weigensberg suggested she take an insulin dose she thinks might be appropriate, eat the meal and then check her blood sugar levels three hours later to see if her guess was correct.

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Doctors turn to the power of peer groups to help diabetics - Los Angeles Times

Type 2 diabetes genetic mapping identifies new 'loci' Science Daily Scientists are closer to understanding the genetic causes of type 2 diabetes by identifying 111 new chromosome locations ('loci') on the human genome that indicate susceptibility to the disease, according to a UCL-led study in collaboration with ...

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Type 2 diabetes genetic mapping identifies new 'loci' - Science Daily