StemCell Therapy

In terms of pure biotechnology, Europe has embraced innovation. However, it cannot compete with the US yet because it cannot drive private investment in the field, as well as open up the market to new products, a pharmaceutical executive told EURACTIV.com in Lyon.

Despite the EUs consistent growth in the biotech business, the EBE claims that the industry is not receiving enough support from investors, universities or research institutions, thus limiting the EUs ability to keep pace with the US in biotechnology.

The EU is lagging behind due to challenges in translating scientific innovations into successful businesses, a European Biopharmaceutical Enterprises (EBE) report claims.

Biotechnology is the use of living systems or organisms in the creation of industrial products. The growth of the biotechnology industry is important for Europe and created 10,000 new jobs and 93 medicines recommended for market authorisation by the European Medical Agency in 2015, according to the EBE.

Biotechnology could help patients across Europe gain access to innovative therapies, for example, against rare diseases. Proponents of bio-medicines also claim that precision therapy, because it is more efficient, will ease the burden on member states ailing healthcare systems.

The EBE suggests that steps should be taken to create a stronger investor community for biotech products to prevent places other than Europe from benefitting economically from technology invented and developed in Europe.

License to fail

The paper suggests that European entrepreneurs may be more adverse to risk because they have no license to fail, citing the lack of a strong culture of institutions or individuals seeking useful application of their work, taking out patents and creating start-up companies.

On the other hand, universities in the US often empower scientists to be knowledgeable in business and management.

The paper recommends that European institutions improve their support of scientists in marketing their technologies through better investment in Technical Transfer Offices (TTOs). The current lack of funding for TTOs at European universities means it is difficult for them to attract and train experienced staff.

Although Europe has public research funding organisations, such as the Innovative Medicines Initiative (IMI) and the European Commissions Horizon 2020, the lack of mature biotech companies makes the investment ecosystem fragile and makes it difficult for Europe to compete with the US for funding, the paper says.

Europe needs to build a bigger and better capital market for biotech companies to overcome the funding gap that prevents the needed growth of the biotech sector, it reads. The EBE suggests the European Commission create a single capital market for biotech companies and the creation of tax incentives for investment in biotechnology.

Being successful in the US

Didier Hoch, chairman of the Biovision 2017- The World Life Sciences Forum in Lyon, told EURACTIV that there are several reasons why biotechnology can flourish more easily in the US than in Europe.

According to Hoch, in terms of pure biotechnology, Europe is not lagging behind the US, as its sufficiently innovative. Where we are lagging behind is to drive investment in the field and attract private investors and open up the market to new products, he noted.

In fact, in the US the norm is to have a connection between the science, universities and private investors [] which is not yet the case in Europe, where there is a kind of fear when you are in the public sector to go private said Hoch, adding that another hindrance is the lack of trust between the public and private sector

Another difference between Washington and Brussels is the source of money. Hoch explained that money invested in the US biotech sector was coming from private investors, while in Europe, it comes from venture capital funds mainly funded by the EU institutions.

Even venture capitals are funded from EU money. This regime could eventually be thestrength for Europe, as in a way it can be competitive against private US money, he emphasised.

However, Hoch insisted that Europe still needed to convince more private sector entities to invest in biotechnology. It might be a long-term and risky field, but in the US the private sector invests in its potential, he said.

Hoch stressed that currently a biotech product could be considered successful if it has accessed the US market.

If you have a biotech company you should have in mind first to succeed in the US, even if you are based in Europe, he explained, explaining that in terms of the market, 70% of a new products success is in the US.

If you dont get your product there you will face difficulties, he said, emphasising that its mainly a political decision to have the US as an attracting market.

Last but not least, Hoch pointed out that its easier to get to the US market because there is a clear way to access and not like 27 different in the Europe, which have a country-based approach.

Making Europe innovative

In February, the centre-right European Peoples Party (EPP) presented its vision for the future of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) and emphasised the need for anew framework on access to financing in order for innovative companies to be encouraged to invest in Europe.

EPP President Joseph Daul told EURACTIV that the EU should become an innovation hub as this is the key to future growth and help it compete with the US.

This is where we need to concentrate our efforts to make Europe the worlds best talent hub. We should embrace radical innovations and make our continent the birthplace of the next Facebook or Apple, he told EURACTIV.

The EPP recognises that Europe was lagging behind compared to the US regarding innovative companies and, therefore, suggested the creation of an environment that will help new talents flourish.

We must understand that this follows partly from structural factors in our continent compared to our partners on the other side of the Atlantic. Venture Capital Funds in the EU are on average small. We need to support creating Funds of Funds, and we must look into existing regulations to make sure that investing in private equity funds is not discouraged by regulations and capital rules, the paper reads.

*Hannah Black contributed to this article.

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Europe's biotechnology potential hindered by investment fears - EurActiv

The UF business incubator Sid Martin Biotechnology Institute was named the 2017 Top Global Incubator of the Year.

The International Business Innovation Association recognized the institute March 28, said Mark Long, the institutes director. The institute received $1,500 for winning the award out of 30 other incubators.

The biotechnology institute provides lab space, equipment, business and legal advice at a low cost for new biotech companies, Long said.

Scientists need help understanding business and addressing the market, he said. Were here to help them out with that.

The institutes 40,000 square foot facility is at Progress Park in Alachua. Its used as office and laboratory space thats rented out to new companies unable to afford commercial space.

Getting an award like this is a real marketing tool in attracting new companies and investors for these companies, Long said.

He said since the institute started in 1995, businesses theyve served have a 78 percent success rate, meaning 78 percent of businesses stay open after the first five years. Since 2003, the success rate has improved to 93 percent.

Meekah Chaderton, a manager at the startup food development company Captozyme, said the institute helped improve the companys business.

Chaderton said Captozyme plans to move out of the institute and into their own space in June.

Small companies cant afford to buy a lot of equipment and lab space, so renting affordable space from Sid Martin has made us more competitive, Chaderton said.

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UF biotechnology institute named Incubator of the Year - The Independent Florida Alligator

Psoriatic arthritis is an autoimmune diseasethat can lead toswelling, pain, and stiffness in the joints. This painful condition can affect any joint in the body, but most often it impacts the fingers and toes, as well as the ankles, knees, wrists, and lower back or spine. Because many symptoms of psoriatic arthritis aren't so easy to spot (joint pain, fatigue), it is often referred to as an "invisible" disease. However, other psoriatic arthritissymptoms are more identifiable.

RELATED: 9 Things People With Psoriatic Arthritis Want You to Know

The symptoms of psoriatic arthritis can differ greatly from person to person. The number of joints affected by the diseasecan vary, and at times a patient may only exhibit symptoms on one or two of their joints, while at other times the disease can impact several joints at once.Oftenalthough not alwayspsoriatic arthritis is asymmetrical, meaning a joint on one side of the body isaffected (your knee, for example), while the mirror-image joint feels normal.

Joints that are close to each other on the body can also be impactedvery differently. "You can have severely involved joints [with] nearby joints showing almost complete preservation," says Ted Mikuls, MD, professor of internal medicine in the division of rheumatology at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha. "It can be very spotty."

Psoriatic arthritis symptoms inthe fingers can be very distinctive. One possible symptom is the last knuckles of the finger (near the nails) swelling and becoming inflamed, while other joints in the finger remain unaffected.Other telltale signs of psoriatic arthritis can be seen on the nails themselves: pitting, grooving, or other textural changes on the nail bed; changes in color; or thickening of the nails. Sometimes the nails can separate entirely on the nail bed. Some of these changes may cause patients to think that they have a fungal infection.

Another possible symptom of psoriatic arthritis is dactylitis, when the entire finger or toe swells up to look like a sausage."That is really characteristic for psoriatic arthritis," says Dr.Mikuls.

Psoriatic arthritis can also result in deformities in the joints. In fact, deformities may happen even before you experience some of the other hallmark symptoms of psoriatic arthritis like joint pain and stiffness. In the feet, deformities can occur in the form of clawed toes (they bend up or down) or ankles that roll inward. Some people also develop calluses or corns on the bottoms of their feet.

Psoriatic arthritis can also affect parts of your body in addition to thejoints. Redness, irritation, and pain in the eyes, including conjunctivitis, can also be a signof psoriatic arthritis, as can fatigue.

See the article here:
These Psoriatic Arthritis Pictures Show What the Autoimmune Disease Is Really Like - Health.com

Experimental arthritis IL-38 promotes anti-inflammatory effects Nature.com A new study shows that IL-38 a member of the IL-1 cytokine family reduces inflammation in two experimental models of inflammatory arthritis and promotes an anti-inflammatory effect in macrophages and fibroblasts. IL-38 seems to be a broad ...

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Experimental arthritis IL-38 promotes anti-inflammatory effects - Nature.com

Home Anti-Aging Arthritis Use of pedometers found to decrease fatigue in rheumatoid arthritis patients

Feeling tired and fatigued is something we can all relate to. However, some individuals have preexisting conditions that predispose them to feelings of excessive tirednessmore so than the average person. Rheumatoid arthritis is one of these conditions, as due to damage to the joints, RA sufferers become very tired after short bursts of activity. However, according to a new study, keeping rheumatoid arthritis patients preoccupied with the number of steps they take through the use of a pedometer has allowed researchers to see increases in activity and decreases in overall fatigue.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disorder that can affect the joints as well as a wide variety of body systems, including the skin, eyes, lungs, heart, and blood vessels. It is an autoimmune disorder where the bodys own immune system begins to attack itself. This often leads to inflammation, causing painful swelling that can eventually result in bone loss and joint deformity. Factors that may increase your risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis include:

Your sex: Women are more likely than men to develop the condition

Age: RA can occur at any age, but commonly begins between the ages of 40 and 60 years old

Family history: Having someone in your family who has had the condition before may increase the chances of development

Smoking: Cigarette smoking has been seen to increase the risk of RA, particularly if there is a genetic predisposition for developing the disease. Smoking appears to also be associated with greater disease severity

Obesity: Overweight or obese individuals appear to have a marginally higher risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis. This was seen to hold especially true in women diagnosed with the disease when they are 55 years old or younger.

Treatment for Rheumatoid arthritis typically leans towards symptom relief, as there is no cure for the disorder. Physical therapy and even surgery can be options that patients may choose if pharmaceutical treatment doesnt suffice. Of the symptoms that RA medication aims to alleviate, fatigue is not one of them, making this study a positive form of alternative treatment.

Because rheumatoid arthritis medications have only small effects on fatigue, its important for patients to have other ways to manage their fatigue, said Dr. Patricia Katz, lead author of theArthritis Care & Research study. These results suggest that something as simple as increasing physical activity by walking can help.

The study in question had a control group that did not receive pedometers, and researchers saw an average daily step decline with no significant change in fatigue levels. Dr. Katz and her colleagues consider these findings in her study significant, as fatigue can have an impact on the quality of life for patients with RA.

Related: Arthritis in shoulder blades, joints, and arms: Causes, symptoms, and treatment

Related Reading:

Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis): Causes, symptoms, and treatment

11 best essential oils for arthritis: Control arthritis and inflammation

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/acr.23230/abstract;jsessionid=0082E1F51E642003976B1CC4FF888694.f04t01 http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/rheumatoid-arthritis/home/ovc-20197388

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Use of pedometers found to decrease fatigue in rheumatoid arthritis patients - Bel Marra Health

No one wants surgery. Dr. Jeffrey Christianson is participating in a study that may provide relief for injured or immune-disordered pets without incisions.

Stem cells can morph into any type of cell needed. The cells are harvested from the animals fat, processed, and reinjected into the pet. These one-size-fits-all cells can be used to replace joint tissue, bone, or other tissues that have worn away or become injured.

Stem cell therapy is a branch of Restorative Medicine helping sick animals restore and improve function. Veterinary medicine has been utilizing Autologous (stem cells from the pet) therapy for well over a decade. It helps animals with arthritis, injuries, inflammatory bowel disease, and other immune-mediated disorders rehabilitate or regain some function.

Dr. Christiansons newest project is a research study to analyze the use of Allogeneic cells (cells from donor pets) in therapy. The clinic is taking part in a double-blinded placebo controlled research study. Half of the patients just get a saline control solution injected into the joint as opposed to a stem cell therapy. He will monitor the results over a six-month period. He wont know until the end of the study who got the control. Some of the pets get a stem cell treatment for free. We do blood work and x-rays, and its all covered by the study.

Its unknown if Allogeneic stem cell therapy is as safe and effective as Autologous therapy. Dr. Christianson noted, The goal of the study is that sick pets could receive stem cell therapy without the pain and discomfort of surgery.

Sick and injured animals recuperating at the Island Animal Clinic have a goodwill ambassador to their lift their spirits. Dr. Ballards dog, Jiminy Cricket (Jim) is a daily visitor. Jim was an injured client. Practice Manager Holly Davis explains, He came in with two broken legs, and it was too much for his owner to handle. Jim was in two casts for months and needed round-the-clock care. Jim now goes to work daily with Dr. Ballard. He runs around the hallways when Dr. Ballard is on break, providing comic relief for recuperating pet patients.

Veterinary medical discoveries are providing a better quality of life and extending the lives of our furry friends. Its exciting that a local animal hospital is at the forefront of these emerging trends. Its also comforting to know recovering pets have Jim for inspiration.

Link:
Island Animal Hospital Offers Stem Cell Therapy - Beachside Resident

New step toward the treatment of myotubular myopathy gene therapy restores strength and prolongs lives in affected ... Science Daily A team of researchers in France, led by Dr. Ana Buj-Bello (Genethon/Inserm) and teams at the University of Washington and Harvard Medical School in the United States, achieved a new step towards the treatment of myotubular myopathy by gene therapy. and more »

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New step toward the treatment of myotubular myopathy gene therapy restores strength and prolongs lives in affected ... - Science Daily

Xconomy San Diego

Christopher Reinhard will tell you there is nothing unusual about the 20-plus years hes spent getting an experimental heart therapy to late-stage clinical trials.

Very rarely will you get a short story on development of a drug, said Reinhard (above), who is a principal investor and the CEO of San Diego-based Angionetics. Two decades is about what you would expect for a new drug-making method, Reinhard said.

That may be true, but it doesnt begin to convey the tortuous path that Reinhard has followed to get Angionetics where it is today. The biotech is starting a phase 3 trial in the next few months that seeks to enroll some 320 patients with myocardial ischemiawhen clogged coronary arteries reduce the flow of oxygen-rich blood to the heart.

To treat the disease, Angionetics isnt testing some new type of cholesterol-lowering drug, or a stent to help open clogged arteries.

Rather, its attempting a risky and less-proven methodgene therapy, in which new genetic instructions are transported into the body to help produce a specific protein. Gene therapies have been in development for decades, but are only now starting to come of age thanks to a variety of technological advances. Two therapies are approved in Europe, from UniQure (NASDAQ: QURE) and GlaxoSmithKline, both for ultra rare immune and metabolic diseases. Spark Therapeutics (NASDAQ: ONCE) this year is expected to file the first ever U.S. approval application for a gene therapy, a treatment for a form of childhood blindness.

Angionetics gene therapy, Ad5FGF-4 (Generx), is intended to stimulate the growth of new blood vessels in the heart. A catheter inserted through the groin delivers the genescarried within modified virusesinto heart cells, where they are supposed to produce a protein, fibroblast growth factor-4, that helps grow new blood vessels.

The hope is to ease chest pain and relieve the effects of clogged coronary arteries by stimulating the growth of new blood vessels in areas in the heart where there is insufficient blood flow. Were just taking the heart and trying to enhance its ability to grow more blood vessels, Reinhard said.

Angionetics image highlights growth of collateral blood vessels (Image by Bryan Christie Design, used with permission)

While gene therapies are more advanced than ever, and several experimental treatments aimed at heart disease and heart failure are being tested, none have yet succeeded. A heart failure gene therapy from San Diegos Celladon, for instance, failed in 2015.

Still, the potential prize is substantial. Of the estimated 16.5 million Americans with coronary heart disease, Angionetics Reinhard said about half experience heart-related chest pain.

The current standard of care offers two principal methods of treatment. The first course of therapy is usually to prescribe drugs like nitrates that temporarily dilates blood vessels to Next Page

Bruce V. Bigelow is the editor of Xconomy San Diego. You can e-mail him at bbigelow@xconomy.com or call (619) 669-8788

Link:
Angionetics Nears Key Gene Therapy Trial for Coronary Heart Disease - Xconomy

Dimas Padilla, 43, of Kissimmee, is in remission from non-Hodgkin's lymphoma after receiving an experimental cancer therapy called CAR-T. Here, he poses with his wife, Dimas Padilla. NBC News

"These are patients who really are without hope," Locke said.

"Patients who at best could expect to have a one in 10 chance of having a complete disappearance of their lymphoma," he added. "So the results are really exciting and remarkable."

More than 80 percent of the 101 patients who got the treatment were still alive six months later. "Only about half the patients who (went) on this study could expect to even be alive six months after the therapy," Locke said.

Padilla is one of them. When the cancer came back most recently time, his lymph nodes were bulging. "They were so bad that they moved my vocal cords to the side and I was without my voice for almost three months," he said.

"They kept growing and my face was swelling, and I thought I was going to choke while I was sleeping."

Padilla was among the last patients enrolled in the trial.

"Once they infused the cells in my body, within two to three days all my lymph nodes started melting like ice cubes," he said.

The treatment is no cake walk. Just as with a bone marrow transplant, the patient's immune system must be damaged so that the newly engineered T-cells can do their work. That involves some harsh chemotherapy.

It's so harsh that it killed three of the patients in the trial. Padilla says he still has some memory loss from his bout with the chemo.

Related:

"I had some fevers and I was shaking and a little bit of memory loss but it was temporary," he said. "I will say that it was pretty intense for like a week, but in my second week, second week and a half, I was starting to feel more normal. I was able to start walking and the shaking was not as bad as it was in the beginning," he said.

And when he got the news that his lymphoma was gone at least for now Padilla was delighted.

"I kissed my wife. I probably kissed the doctor," he said.

The company developing the treatment, Kite Pharma, sought Food and Drug Administration approval for the therapy on Friday.

It carries the tongue-twisting name of axicabtagene ciloleucel, and it's the first commercial CAR-T product to get into the FDA approval process.

It's far too early to say any of the patients were cured, Locke cautions. And such a difficult treatment course is really only for patients in the most desperate condition.

"The patients in this trial were really without options," he said.

But Locke is sold on the approach. "This is a revolution. It's a revolution in cancer care. This is the tip of the iceberg," he said.

Original post:
New Gene Therapy for Cancer Offers Hope to Those With No ... - NBCNews.com

As we age, our bodies go through a lot of changes and decline as time passes. Unfortunately, our cells healing abilities go down as well. If only it was easy to fix with glue or adhesive tape, right? There is, however, an investigational study for fat stem cell therapy being conducted by Innovations Medical to help us out of this predicament. Dr. Johnson talks about it in this video.

According to Dr. Johnson, a stem cell is a single cell that can replicate itself or differentiate into many cell types. The embryo is actually composed of stem cells that end up becoming the tissues and organs in our bodies. Every time our body needs a new cell, its the stem cells role to do that. Their ability to self-renew is very important in the healing process of our bodies. As we age, we lose a good supply of stem cells and that is where fat stem cell therapy comes in. It harnesses the stem cells ability to self-multiply and deliver to a part of our body that doesnt heal well.

It is quite surprising, but stem cells have been used for treatment for thirty (30) years already. The bone marrow transplants in the 1980s that treat patients with cancers and other problems use a similar technique. Dr. Johnson says that what they did at the time though, was to give a lot of bone marrow cells. And the stem cells within the bone marrow are what made the procedure work. With the advancement of the procedure through research, it is now known that you dont have to go to the bone marrow alone. Fat, which is easily harvested, is proven to contain more stem cells than the bone marrow.

When asked about the stem cell harvesting method, Dr. Johnson explained that the procedure does not take that long. The fat, where the stem cells are coming from, is harvested through liposuction. About three tablespoons of fat will be acquired and it would take at least an hour to get the stem cells out of it. After that, taking it back into the body can be done in a number of ways.

Whats great about the fat stem cell therapy is how wide the possibilities are in treating many diseases. Orthopedic conditions like arthritis can be treated using this procedure. Even though there is still a small number of long-term data, there are already cases where people avoid having knee surgery or knee replacement, because of fat stem cell therapy.

Neuropathy is another condition that is being explored as well. Dr. Johnson says that most of the time, what you can only do is mask the patients pain, but the nerves functions are hard to restore. With the help of stem cells, there can be real improvement in relieving pain and restoring the nerves functions. He also mentioned how stem cell therapy can help calm down the Trigeminal Neuralgia or severe facial pain condition.

Here are some other diseases with SVF Deployment protocols:

Presently, Innovations Medical is still on the investigational status so insurance firms are not yet covering this type of procedure. But Dr. Johnson says that they are collecting very good data and getting better with the procedure.

Have questions?

Email us at questions@innovationsmedical.com with any questions that you may have or if you want to know what special offers that Innovations Medical may have regarding fat transfer, liposuction and their other cosmetic procedures. Contact our Dallas branch at 214-420-7970.

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Fat Stem Cell Therapy - Alternative Treatments for COPD ...

Many people opt for low-calorie sweeteners as a "healthful" alternative to sugar, but a new study suggests that they may not be so beneficial after all. Researchers have found that consuming high amounts of low-calorie sweeteners may promote fat formation, particularly for individuals who are already obese.

Principal study investigator Dr. Sabyasachi Sen, of George Washington University in Washington, D.C., and colleagues reached their findings by analyzing the effects of sucralose on stem cells derived from human fat tissue, as well as on abdominal fat samples.

The researchers recently presented their findings at ENDO 2017 - the 99th annual meeting of the Endocrine Society, held in Orlando, FL.

Sucralose is a zero-calorie, artificial sweetener that is up to 650 times sweeter than sugar. It is used as a sugar substitute in a wide variety of products, including diet sodas, table-top sweeteners (such as Splenda), baking mixes, gum, breakfast cereals, and even salad dressings.

Given the widely documented health implications of sugar consumption, an increasing number of people are turning to products containing sucralose and other artificial sweeteners, with the view that they are better for health.

"However, there is increasing scientific evidence that these sweeteners promote metabolic dysfunction," notes Dr. Sen.

For their study, the researchers sought to gain a better understanding of how low-calorie sweeteners affect the body's metabolism at a cellular level.

Firstly, Dr. Sen and team applied sucralose to stem cells derived from human fat tissue.

The stem cells were exposed to the artificial sweetener for a total of 12 days at a dose of 0.2 millimolars - a dose comparable to the blood concentration of people who drink around four cans of diet soda daily.

The researchers found that the stem cells showed an increase in the expression of genes that are indicators of fat production and inflammation. Additionally, the stem cells demonstrated an increase in the accumulation of fat droplets, especially when exposed to a higher sucralose dose of 1 millimolar.

Next, the researchers took biopsies of abdominal fat from eight adults, of whom four were obese and four were a healthy weight. All adults reported consuming low-calorie sweeteners, primarily sucralose and aspartame.

Abdominal fat samples were then compared with samples taken from adults who did not consume low-calorie sweeteners.

The team found that adults who consumed low-calorie sweeteners not only showed an increase in the transportation of glucose into cells, but they also demonstrated an overexpression of genes associated with fat production.

Furthermore, the researchers identified an overexpression of sweet taste receptors that was up to 2.5 times higher among the fat samples of adults who consumed low-calorie sweeteners. Such overexpression may play a part in the transportation of glucose into cells. From there, glucose is absorbed into the bloodstream.

The effects of low-calorie sweeteners were strongest among adults who were obese, the team notes.

Taken together, Dr. Sen and colleagues say that their findings indicate that low-calorie sweeteners may dysregulate the metabolism in a way that boosts the formation of fat.

The increase in transportation of glucose into cells may be of particular concern for adults who have prediabetes or diabetes, the researchers note, as these individuals already have higher levels of blood glucose.

Still, the researchers caution that further studies are required in larger samples of people before any concrete conclusions can be made about the effects of low-calorie sweeteners on metabolism.

"However, from our study, we believe that low-calorie sweeteners promote additional fat formation by allowing more glucose to enter the cells, and promotes inflammation, which may be more detrimental in obese individuals."

Dr. Sabyasachi Sen

Learn about the link between artificial sweetener aspartame and weight gain.

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Low-calorie sweeteners increase fat formation, study finds - Medical ... - Medical News Today

It might not seem to make sense, but consuming a lot of low-calorie, artificial sweetener could cause your body to accumulate more fat.

It might even accelerate fat formation in people who are obese, who are using artificial sweeteners in an effort to lose weight. Researchers who reached that conclusion presented their findings this week at the annual meeting of the Endocrine Society.

Many health-conscious individuals like to consume low-calorie sweeteners as an alternative to sugar. However, there is increasing scientific evidence that these sweeteners promote metabolic dysfunction, said Dr. Sabyasachi Sen, an Associate Professor of Medicine and Endocrinology at George Washington University, and the studys principal investigator.

Here's how Sen and his colleagues arrived at their conclusions: using sucralose, a widely-avaailable low-calorie sweetener, they introduced it to stem cells that could turn into fat, muscle, cartilage, or bone cells. The amount of sucralose was about equal to about four cans of diet soda per day. Then, they sat back at waited.

They observed an increase in the expression of genes that are markers of fat and inflammation. Sen says there was also an increase in fat droplets in the cells.

Artificial sweeteners, of course, are supposed to prevent you from getting fat. But the scientists say they found signs of metabolic dysregulation, a process in which cells actually changed to produce more fat.

Sen said he is most concerned because this was most evident in people who were already obese. They tended to produce more fat with artificial sweeteners than people who were of normal weight.

He's also concerned by the increase in glucose into the cells for consumers who have prediabetes, or who have already developed the disease.

From our study, we believe that low-calorie sweeteners promote additional fat formation by allowing more glucose to enter the cells, and promotes inflammation, which may be more detrimental in obese individuals, Sen said.

There have been other studies that suggest artificial sweeteners can have the opposite effect than intended. Last year, researchers at York University reported that obese people who consumed lot of artificial sweeteners had a harder time managing their glucose production.

The research team said it did not find this adverse effect in people consuming saccharin an early artificial sweetener or natural sugars.

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Researchers say some artificial sweeteners could promote fat ... - ConsumerAffairs

POPSUGAR Health and Fitness Australia

What Really Goes on When We "Burn Fat"? POPSUGAR Health and Fitness Australia In scientific terms, fat cells are known as adipocytyes, and everyone is born with a set number of them in their body. However over time, new cells have the ability to form from what's known as adipocyte precursor cells stem cell-like cells that can ...

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What Really Goes on When We "Burn Fat"? - POPSUGAR Health and Fitness Australia

April 5, 2017 Stem cells (red) on polycaprolactone-based microcarriers. Credit: Elsevier

Bone tissue engineering is theoretically now possible at a large scale. A*STAR researchers have developed small biodegradable and biocompatible supports that aid stem cell differentiation and multiplication as well as bone formation in living animal models.

Mesenchymal stem cells self-renew and differentiate into fat, muscle, bone, and cartilage cells, which makes them attractive for organ repair and regeneration. These stem cells can be isolated from different sources, such as the human placenta and fatty tissue. Human early mesenchymal stem cells (heMSCs), which are derived from fetal bone marrow, were thought to be best suited for bone healing, but were not readily accessible for therapeutic use.

Existing approaches to expand stem cells for industrial applications tend to use two-dimensional materials as culture media, but their production yields are too low for clinical demand. Furthermore, stem cells typically need to be harvested with enzymes and attached to a scaffold before they can be implanted.

To bring commercially viable cell therapies to market, Asha Shekaran and Steve Oh, from the A*STAR Bioprocessing Technology Institute, have created directly implantable microscopic spheres in collaboration with the A*STAR Institute of Materials Research and Engineering. These spheres, which acted as heMSC microcarriers, consist of a biodegradable and biocompatible polymer called polycaprolactone.

According to Shekaran, their initial aim was to expand stem cells on microcarriers in bioreactors to scale up production. However, this strategy threw up difficulties, especially when attempting to effectively dissociate the cells from the microcarriers and transfer them to biodegradable scaffolds for implantation.

"A biodegradable microcarrier would have a dual purpose," Shekaran says, noting that it could potentially provide a substrate for cell attachment during scalable expansion in bioreactors, and a porous scaffold for cell delivery during implantation.

The researchers generated their microcarriers by synthesizing polycaprolactone spheres and coating them with two proteins polylysine and fibronectin. These proteins are found in the extracellular matrix that assists cell adhesion, growth, proliferation, and differentiation in the body.

Microcarriers that most induced cell attachment also promoted cell differentiation into bone-like matrix more strongly than conventional two-dimensional supports. In addition, implanted stem cells grown on these microcarriers produced an equivalent amount of bone to their conventionally-derived analogs.

"This is encouraging because microcarrier-based expansion and delivery are more scalable than two-dimensional culture methods," says Shekaran.

The team now plans to further investigate the therapeutic potential of these microcarrierstem cell assemblies in actual bone healing models.

Explore further: Study shows adipose stem cells may be the cell of choice for therapeutic applications

More information: Asha Shekaran et al. Biodegradable ECM-coated PCL microcarriers support scalable human early MSC expansion and in vivo bone formation, Cytotherapy (2016). DOI: 10.1016/j.jcyt.2016.06.016

A PET imaging probe developed by Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) investigators appears able to diagnose and stage pulmonary fibrosisan often life-shortening lung diseaseas well as monitor the response to treatment. ...

Pudgy roundworms storing a particular type of fat live longer than their more svelte counterparts, according to a study by researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine.

A neural cell maintains its identity by actively suppressing the expression of genes associated with non-neuronal cell types, including skin, heart, lung, cartilage and liver, according to a study by researchers at the Stanford ...

Lots of factors can contribute to how fast an organism ages: diet, genetics and environmental interventions can all influence lifespan. But in order to understand how each factor influences agingand which ones may help ...

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Spherical biodegradable carriers support scalable and cost-effective stem cell expansion and bone formation - Medical Xpress

While we all know eating carrots wont magically give us 20-20 vision, can what we eat affect our eyesight?

It turns out, eye health is crucially linked to diet consuming certain essential nutrients can stave off eye disease and age-related degeneration. Fox News spoke to Dr. Andrea Thau, president of the American Optometric Association, and Lauren Blake, a dietitian at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, to get their tips on the best foods to eat for optimum eye health:

1. Leafy greens The carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin found in eggs and leafy greens like spinach and kale are essential for eye health, Thau and Blake said. Studies have shown that lutein and zeaxanthin reduce the risk of chronic eye disease, including age-related macular degeneration, Thau explained. (Age-related macular degeneration is a common cause of vision loss in people over 50.)

6 WAYS TO LOSE MORE WEIGHT AS YOU AGE

2. Salmon Essential omega-3 fatty acids, found in fish like salmon and tuna, can help reduce inflammation, enhance production of tears, and support the outer layer of the eye, Thau said.

3. Sweet potatoes Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant that helps protect our eyes from free radicals, which break down healthy tissues, Thau said. She noted that sweet potatoes and fortified cereals are both great sources of vitamin E.

4. Chickpeas Zinc is a trace mineral and helper molecule that plays an essential role in bringing Vitamin A from the liver to the retina, Thau said. Good sources of zinc include chicken, chickpeas and pumpkin seeds.

AVOID THESE 'HEALTHY' FOODS THAT ARE ACTUALLY SUGAR BOMBS

5. Bell peppers Vitamin C, found in foods like bell peppers, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts, can help protect against UV light damage to our eyes, Blake said. It can also lower the risk of developing cataracts and even, in combination with other nutrients, slow down the rate of age-related macular degeneration, Thau said.

6. Almonds Vitamin E is another essential nutrient that can help prevent cataracts and age-related degeneration, Blake said, noting that good sources include wheat germ, peanut butter and almonds.

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7. Vitamin and mineral supplements An overall healthy diet is the best aid for eye health, Blake said. But what happens if you struggle to get the nutrients you need through diet alone? In that case, discuss your concerns with your doctor during your annual eye examination: Thau noted that your physician can work with you to determine whether you need certain supplements to make sure youre getting all the nutrients you need.

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Foods to improve eyesight: Almonds, sweet potatoes and beyond - Fox News

Twenty people may lose their vision partially after they were injected with a contaminated medicine in their eyes at Guru Teg Bahadur hospital on Saturday.

Of the 20, eight were surgically treated to save their vision at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) on Sunday.

Some had mild reaction and were just kept under observation, but eight of them needed a vitrectomy, a surgery to remove the infectious part of the vitreous humor. We hope that all of them get most of their vision back, said Dr Atul Kumar, head of the Dr Rajendra Prasad Centre for Ophthalmic Sciences at AIIMS.

One of the vials of the medicine Avastin used by GTB doctors was contaminated. Twenty doses can be prepared from a single vial of the drug and because of one contaminated bottle, the people who received the drug developed an acute reaction, said Dr Kumar.

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Avastin is a standard treatment for blindness prevention due to ageing, diabetes, hypertension and rupturing blood vessels. The medicine is imported from Switzerland and USA.

My brother received the injection in his eye on Saturday. He was called for a routine check-up the next morning. He had pain and red eyes. The doctors were concerned and immediately called their seniors. My brother was sent to AIIMs for a surgery, said Jaswinder Singh, whose brother had been receiving treatment at the ophthalmology department of GTB hospital for more than a month.

He had ruptured vessels in his retina.

After Satish Kumars father received the injection, he started losing his vision and developed a pain in his eyes. He had been receiving treatment at GTB for diabetic retinopathy, damage to the retina due to diabetes.

He had a surgery at AIIMS yesterday (on Monday). The doctors have said that his vision will come back to normal in about a month, said Kumar.

Guru Teg Bahadur hospitals medical director, Dr Sunil Kumar, said the samples have been sent for testing.

Excerpt from:
Delhi: 20 receive contaminated eye injection, may lose sight partially - Hindustan Times

DJ OG ONE Robert Chhuth (DJ Gigahurtz)

In an heartfelt video update posted to his GoFundMe page on Saturday, DJ OG Onethe Trail Blazers' beloved disk jockeyreports improvements in his health since a life-saving cancer surgery left him without eyesight or feeling in his right arm.

Im hopefully talking straight to the camera, DJ OG One (whose given name is David Jackson) laughs in the video. He says when he came out of surgery, he saw only darkness. However, he is slowly regaining his sight. I can see color, but its still blurred vision, Jackson says of his right eye. His left eye only sees blurred motion.

I have seen some improvement in my arm, he says, displaying an impressive range of motion. After surgery, he was unable to feel or move his right arm, but now only lacks feeling in his hand.

While Jackson was happy to report his improvements, he focused mainly on thanking people for the overwhelming support he has received since his surgery.

I just want to thank everyone who has donated to my GoFundMe account, he says. The account was set up by his friend and fellow DJ Robert Chhuth (AKA DJ Gigahurtz). Donations have ranged from $5-500, and will be used to help pay Jacksons medical bills.

To those who have been sending their thoughts and prayers and positive energy my way, I wanted to thank you as well, he says, because thats just as important.

Jackson remains hopeful that he will continue to recover from the complications of his surgery. I believe Ill be okay, he says. Its a slower process than I would like, but I will get there.

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Good News from the Trail Blazers' DJ OG One, After Cancer Surgery Left Him Without Eyesight - The Portland Mercury (blog)

A family sells pastries in Mexico City. As Mexicans' wages have risen, their average daily intake of calories has soared. Meghan Dhaliwal/for NPR hide caption

A family sells pastries in Mexico City. As Mexicans' wages have risen, their average daily intake of calories has soared.

Mario Alberto Maciel Tinajero looks like a fairly healthy 68-year-old. He has a few extra pounds on his chest but he's relatively fit. Yet he's suffered for the last 20 years from what he calls a "terrible" condition: diabetes.

"I've never gotten used to this disease," he says. Maciel runs a stall in the Languilla market in downtown Mexico City. This market is famous for its custom-made quinceaero dresses and hand-tailored suits.

Diabetes has come to dominate Maciel's life. It claimed the life of his mother. He has to take pills and injections every day to keep it under control.

"I've never gotten used to this disease," says Mario Alberto Maciel Tinajero, at his dress shop in the Lagunilla market. "Imagine not being able to eat a carnitas taco!" Meghan Dhaliwal/for NPR hide caption

"I've never gotten used to this disease," says Mario Alberto Maciel Tinajero, at his dress shop in the Lagunilla market. "Imagine not being able to eat a carnitas taco!"

And because of the disease he's supposed to eat a diet heavy in vegetables that he views as inconvenient and bland. "Imagine not being able to eat a carnitas taco!" he says with indignation. His doctors have told him to stop eating the steaming hot street food that's for sale all around the market tacos, tamales, quesadillas, fat sandwiches called tortas. His eyes light up when talks about the roast pork taquitos and simmering beef barbacoa that he's supposed to stay away from.

"A person who has to work 8 or 10 hours has to eat what's at hand, what's available," he says. "It's difficult to follow a diabetic diet. The truth is it's very difficult."

Diabetes is the leading cause of death in Mexico, according to the World Health Organization. The disease claims nearly 80,000 lives each year, and forecasters say the health problem is expected to get worse in the decades to come. By contrast, in the U.S. it's the sixth leading cause of death, with heart disease and cancer claiming 10 times more Americans each year than diabetes.

Rising rates of obesity combined with a genetic predisposition for Type 2 diabetes has caused a slow steady rise in the condition in Mexico over the last 40 years. Now roughly 14 percent of adults in this country of 120 million are living with what can be a devastating and even fatal health condition. Diabetes poses an increasing burden on the nation's hospitals and clinics. The surge in diabetes threatens the very stability of Mexico's public health care system, according to new reports.

For many people with diabetes in Mexico, like Maciel, managing the condition is a constant and significant challenge.

"I'd say I have it about 50 percent under control," he says, even though he was diagnosed two decades ago. "I take my medicine. I inject my insulin twice a day, in the morning and the night. I try to eat a proper diet as much as I can."

At times he says he can't afford his medications. And trying to cut down on the amount of sugar, salt and fat in his diet, as his doctors tell him he should, is easier said than done.

And Maciel's experience helps explain how Type 2 diabetes has become the leading cause of death in Mexico.

Type 2 diabetes is often considered a lifestyle disease because it's far more likely to develop in people who are overweight. Mexico has seen a rapid increase in obesity, with the number of people categorized as overweight and obese tripling over the last four decades.

The obesity problem is in part a side effect of Mexico's economic progress. As wages have risen, the average daily intake of calories has soared. In 2012 Mexico was the world's top per capita consumer of soda in the world guzzling 176 liters per person per year, according to the Mexican government. That's nearly 500 cans of soda for every man, woman and child. (Mexico was recently overtaken by Argentina, the U.S. and Chile.) Coca-Cola is practically the national drink in Mexico. Type 2 diabetes has skyrocketed as soda consumption has risen.

"In the middle of the 1970s and especially after the '80s, the prevalence of diabetes exploded," says Dr. Carlos Aguilar Salinas, the vice head of the endocrine department at Mexico's National Institute of Medical Sciences and Nutrition in Mexico City.

"Diabetes is now one of the biggest problems in the health system in Mexico," he says. It's the first cause of death. It's the first cause of disability. It's the first cause of early retirement. It's the main cost for the health system."

Diabetes costs the Mexican health care system billions of dollars each year.

The disease can lead to serious eye problems including blindness, nerve damage that requires amputations and kidney failure, among other issues.

Mexico's public health care system attempts to manage the huge number of people with diabetes by trying to get them to manage their blood sugar levels, alter their diet and exercise more.

But there diabetes is typically a lifelong condition. Once someone is diagnosed, the goal is to get the disease under control and keep it from getting worse.

Just around the corner from where Mario Alberto Marciel Tinajero has his dress-making shop, Dr. Rosa Estrella Calvillo Gomez runs a one-room medical clinic in the Languilla market.

Dr. Estrella Gomez says her patients don't want to accept that they have a disease for which there is no cure. "Tell me anything but don't tell me I'm a diabetic," they say to her. Meghan Dhaliwal/for NPR hide caption

Dr. Estrella Gomez says her patients don't want to accept that they have a disease for which there is no cure. "Tell me anything but don't tell me I'm a diabetic," they say to her.

The free clinic was set up by the local government. People can come in for any kind of health problem. But Calvillo says roughly half her patients are coming for complications with diabetes.

"Diabetics don't just come in with high blood sugar," Calvillo says sitting behind a desk overflowing with promotional drug samples that she gets from pharmaceutical representatives. "It's about controlling multiple health problems at once," she says, and most of her patients with diabetes don't have the disease under control.

"The problem that I have here first, is the denial and second, the cost of the medication."

Patients don't want to accept that they have a disease for which there is no cure. "Tell me anything but don't tell me that I'm a diabetic,'" she says they tell her. She melodramatically puts her hands over her eyes and shakes her head. "They deny it."

Also, diabetes isn't an easy condition to manage. The public health system treats severe complications like nerve damage or blindness, although dialysis and kidney transplants are not available. For the daily management of diabetes, patients are largely on their own.

Easy access to rich foods, such as those sold at this bakery in a Mexico City Metro station, contributes to Mexico's high rates of obesity and diabetes. Meghan Dhaliwal/for NPR hide caption

Calvillo says a diabetic can easily spend $150 a month out of pocket on insulin injections, blood sugar test strips and medications for hypertension and other complications.

"To get excellent control of diabetes costs a lot of money," she says, "It costs as much as renting an apartment."

Mario Alberto Maciel Tinajero is one of the doctor's patients. He says coping with the disease is a real struggle, and many people with diabetes are desperate.

"The most dangerous thing for diabetics is to fall into the hands of charlatans, swindlers who offer miracle products," he says.

As diabetes took its final toll on his mother, he watched as she spent thousands of pesos on useless he thinks possibly even toxic herbs and injections. After both her feet had been amputated and doctors were only offering palliative care, salesmen came along offering "magical" injections, alleging that they'd give her relief.

"With the promise of a cure, you can be left in the street with nothing," he says. "Absolutely nothing."

Maciel is grateful to have Dr. Calvillo to help him grapple with the condition.

"If this clinic didn't exist," he says, "I would be dead."

Continue reading here:
How Diabetes Got To Be The No. 1 Killer In Mexico - NPR

In Brief Scientists have used a new drug to reverse diabetes in mice. The drug inhibits the enzyme LMPTP, which contributes to the development of Type 2 diabetes by weakening the body's sensitivity to the hormone. Defining Diabetes

In the global community, the number of people with diabetes has been on the rise since1980, with 422 million people diagnosed by 2014.The U.S. alone has experienced a substantial rise in the incidence of diabetes, with the number of Americans diagnosed increasing from 5.5 million in 1980, to 22 million in 2014a more than 300percent increase in less than 40 years.

Ateam of researchers, led by Stephanie Stanford at the University of California, San Diego, is proposinga solutionin the form of a single pill that aims to restore insulin sensitivityin diabetic patients. Type 2 diabetes develops when the bodys response to insulin, the hormone responsible for regulating sugar in our blood, weakens.A number of genetic and lifestyle factors will influence whether or not someone developsthis type of diabetes in their lifetime.

Up until now, drugs were unable to restore the insulin signaling function in diabetic patients instead, theywork by filtering out excess glucosein the blood that comes as a result of the dysfunction. The drug produced by Stanfords team, on the other hand, hopes to restore function.

The drug inhibits an enzyme called low molecular weight protein tyrosine phosphatase (LMPTP), which is suspected to contribute to the reduction in cell sensitivity to insulin. With reduced LMPTP activity, the drug reenables insulin receptors on the surface of cells particularly those in the liver which in turn restores the cells ability to regulate excess sugar. When the body can once again regulate blood sugar levels, the condition of Type 2 diabetes is effectively reversed.

The researchers fed lab mice a high-fat diet that made them obese, which subsequently caused them to develop high blood glucose levels. The drug was given to themice on a daily basis and successfully restored insulin sensitivity withoutproducing any adverse side effects.

While the mouse trials results are exciting, the team must continue testing the drug for safety, sohuman clinical trials are still some time away. But Stanford is confident that the drug could lead to a new therapeutic strategy for treating type 2 diabetes,

While we have seen diabetes reversal in patients before,it has never been achieved through medication alone. So, if this drug is approved for use in humans it would be a truly revolutionary treatment.

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A New Drug May Be Able to Completely Reverse Diabetes - Futurism

Angela Loucks remembers Dec. 11, 2011, as a day that would change her daughters life forever.

When the doctor at Peninsula Childrens Clinic told her Chloe, then 4-years-old, had Type 1 diabetes and was insulin dependent, Loucks broke down in tears.

Chloe took the news a little better than her mom.

She leaned over and put her hand on me and told me itd be OK, Loucks said.

And it has been OK for the Loucks family, they say.

At first, Loucks said she thought Chloes symptoms of extreme thirst and hunger were part of growing up but the diagnosis that their daughter now had a chronic condition was a culture shock. In time, lifestyle changes came and the Loucks family including dad Larry and sister Emily began to make healthier food choices in support of Chloe.

Being diabetic hasnt taken away her childhood either. Chloe still rides her bike, jumps on the trampoline, goes to birthday parties and trick or treats on Halloween. Treats are just eaten in moderation.

Its just a way of life for her now, Loucks said.

I dont really know anything different, Chloe said.

On and off

Traveling for care is a way of life for many young diabetics, too a functional reality for many local diabetics. The Olympic Peninsula has been without an endocrinologist, a doctor specializing in hormonal imbalances in the endocrine system, for more than a year.

Dr. Josh Jones, chief physician officer for Olympic Medical Physicians, said his group is not recruiting a new endocrinologist for a number reasons, but mainly because of their rarity.

Its difficult to have a solo, lone doctor of any kind of specialty of any kind of coverage, Jones said. There was plenty of need. We werent able to create a program and the clinical infrastructure around the endocrinologist.

Chloe and her family travel to Seattle Childrens every three-four months to see an endocrinologist while others travel to Swedish Pediatrics or Mary Bridge Childrens in Tacoma.

Dr. Jeff Weller, a pediatrician at Peninsula Childrens Clinic, said bringing in a pediatric endocrinologist is even more rare.

Its nearly impossible to have sub-specialists in a rural area, Weller said. All sub-specialists work at a tertiary care center like Mary Bridge.

To offer a local option, Seattle Childrens sends a team including a pediatric endocrinologist to Peninsula Childrens Clinic one day every three months to meet with children with diabetes.

Weller said that interval matches routine appointment schedules in bigger areas.

Waiting

Casey Vass of Sequim has five children and her youngest Kylus, 2, has been a diabetic for about a year. They met with Seattle Childrens endocrinology team in late February in Port Angeles, but Vass said there was such a backlog of patients they waited for more than four hours.

Vass said its easier for her family to travel to Seattle Childrens than wait that long again.

I want him to be monitored and know were doing what we need to be doing, she said.

I cant see putting my family through this every four months.

Shes traveled to Seattle for various diabetes education classes and appointments and since February shes called the clinic twice about filling a prescription and advice on dealing with the stomach flu.

Hes growing so fast that were adjusting his (insulin) numbers every time we go in, she said.

Time is the hardest part of managing her sons diabetes, Vass said.

Its so time-consuming, she said. Its all day with all the food and medical and insurance stuff.

Options

Sadie Crowe of Port Angeles has similar struggles with diabetes on the peninsula.

Crowe, 38, grew up a Type 1 diabetic in Sequim and her daughter Roslyn, 7, has lived with the autoimmune disease for four-plus years, too.

When Roslyn was diagnosed, we really considered whether we should stay here, Crowe said.

They dont provide the level of care we need for Type 1 diabetes here.

Both mother and daughter wear insulin pumps and Roslyn sees a doctor at Mary Bridge Childrens every three months.

It would be life changing for us if we didnt have to drive to Tacoma for care, she said.

Roslyn sees local physicians for immunizations, colds and other basic care but Crowe said when a diabetic is sick you get a little sicker.

Well call the endocrinologist sometimes because if we cant get the diabetes under control, then we cant stop the virus, she said.

On average, Roslyn has traveled about once a year to Tacoma for Mary Bridges pediatric intensive care unit, Crowe said.

Care

The total number of diabetics, Type 1 or 2, isnt known on the Olympic Peninsula, but the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation estimates there are more than 1.25 million Americans with Type 1 diabetes.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates about 26 million Americans have diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes, usually diagnosed in adults, is a metabolic disorder where a person can still produce insulin but cannot use it as well.

Vickie Everrett, supervisor of nutrition counseling and a diabetes educator for Olympic Medical Center, said they see and treat diabetes as an epidemic.

We want to change the mindset of people, she said.

Through her programming, she sees about 600 people annually for diabetes education with about 30 of those Type 1.

It isnt just, Youve got to lose weight and move more, Everrett said. Its really sitting down with them and talking with them about how they fix food, what kind of food access they have and what are their physical abilities in order to get their best medical care.

Some of the things they cover includes diabetes self-management and self-training, counseling services, and they offer a monthly support group from 6:30-7:30 p.m. the fourth Tuesday of each month at Olympic Memorial Hospital.

Everrett said she typically doesnt work with children under 18 and that patients are usually referred by primary care physicians for diabetes assistance.

Weller said when juvenile diabetics are diagnosed they are sent to a tertiary center like Seattle Childrens to be stabilized and work with a diabetes educator.

Everrett said theyve implemented a diabetes prevention program that starts again in August and is covered by Medicare in 2018 for patients who participated in the Center for Disease Controls diabetes program the past three years.

Possibile fixes

While options may be limited, physicians like Jones and Weller want to look for more collaboration.

We can leverage some of our electronic health records to help primary care care doctors provide better care especially around diabetes, Jones said.

Everrett agrees, saying there are a lot of people with diabetes and with early risk factors such as being overweight, a more sedentary lifestyle and those older than 60 who need enhanced support.

That defines a large part of our population, she said. But their providers have to refer them to the (diabetes education) service.

Even though diabetics may prefer to see a specialist, most local diabetes care is not provided by an endocrinologist, Jones said.

For the chronic ongoing care, their care will live in their primary care provider, he said.

Both types of diabetes can be managed by a primary care provider, Jones said, and in more complicated cases theyll consult a specialist.

Weller said tertiary centers are good about having phone access and Olympic Medical Center officials are looking to grow telemedicine offerings through secure, video-to-video in the future.

Peninsula Childrens Clinics recent partnering with Olympic Medical Physicians, also provides a lot of opportunities for growth and opportunity, Jones said, but there are no current plans regarding juvenile diabetes aside from current operations.

Hope

Traveling to Seattle Childrens takes a full day every three months for one of Chloes appointments, Loucks said.

But Chloe looks at the appointment as a fun trip, she says, and only dreads a scheduled arm poke for shots.

For me, whats more important is that she is comfortable and everything is a good fit rather than the cost of gas and traveling for a whole day, Loucks said.

After four-plus years of a strict diet, finger pricks and insulin injections through her pump, Chloe remains hopeful for a cure.

Once a year, she and her family make and sell baked goods at her great-grandmothers garage sale with proceeds benefiting diabetes research.

Im very hopeful, Chloe said.

For more information on Type 1 diabetes and juvenile diabetes, visit http://www.jdrf.org and for more on general diabetes research and information, visit http://www.diabetes.org.

For more information on Olympic Medical Centers Diabetes Prevention Program, call 417-7125.

Reach Matthew Nash at mnash@sequimgazette.com.

Diabetics like Chloe Loucks, left, continue to do everyday things like jump on a trampoline with her sister Emily but in the winter months its been hard to be active, she says. Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash

Eating healthy food is an important part of controlling blood sugars for diabetics. For Chloe Loucks, right, she checks with her mom Angela most of the time before eating snacks like peanut butter crackers, applesauce and yogurt which can bring blood sugar levels up.

Chloe Loucks, left, stands with her family, dad Larry, mom Angela, and sister Emily, on March 8 at the Regional Outreach Luncheon Meeting for Clallam & Jefferson County at Sunland Golf & Country Club. Chloe and Larry spoke about how much Seattle Childrens Hospital has helped her with treatment. The guilds have helped more than 1,400 patients receive $1.2 million in uncompensated care. Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash

Excerpt from:
Locals choose out of area diabetes services due to availability - Sequim Gazette