StemCell Therapy

With AQI values in the majority of Indias major cities reaching dangerously high levels, it is taking a big toll on our eyes, posing a significant risk to our eye health and eyesight in general. Air pollution has been linked to an increased risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a progressive and irreversible visual loss that can lead to blindness.Also Read - Air Pollution Latest Update: Air Quality Panel Orders Immediate Closure of Industries in NCR For Not Using Cleaner Fuels

AMD is the major cause of permanent blindness among those over the age of 50 in high-income nations, with 300 million people expected to be afflicted by 2040. Also Read - Can Air Pollution Cause Vision Loss? Expert Answers

Certain people, such as elderly patients, smokers, Covid patients, and people with heart and lung problems, are especially vulnerable to high amounts of pollution. Also Read - Delhi Metro Presses 14 Anti-Smog Guns Into Service at Project Sites to Curb Air Pollution, to Install More

Individuals who travel in highly polluted areas, as well as those who stay outside for a lengthy amount of time, are equally at risk.

Fine ambient particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter of 2.5 micrometres, nitrogen dioxide, and sulphur dioxide are all associated with an increased risk of self-reported age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Air pollution is a global issue that many people cannot avoid, with the World Health Organization (WHO) claiming that more than 99 per cent of the worlds population lives in areas where air quality levels exceed the limits established for chemicals that pose health concerns.

Dry Eye Disease, watering and burning sensations, impaired vision, cataracts, irritation, allergies, and even glaucoma are some of the symptoms that are commonly noticed following ocular exposure to air pollution.

While long-term solutions are required to reduce air pollution, eye specialists feel that some preventive actions, such as wearing sunglasses and limiting eye contact with airborne contaminants, can assist. Artificial tears and eye drops can help lubricate the eyes and keep irritation at bay.

In the absence of an infection or allergy, the treatment for the ocular symptoms of air pollution exposure is simply to cool the eyes by using a cold compress.

Cosmetics and contact lenses should be avoided in the event of pain until the eyes have totally recovered. If any symptoms continue, a complete eye examination should be undertaken to determine the underlying reason.

In addition, one must also practise preventive maintenance by seeing an eye doctor on a regular basis, which can help reduce the likelihood of getting an eye ailment. Furthermore, having a diet rich in important vitamins and minerals, staying healthy, quitting smoking, and maintaining hand cleanliness will aid in taking early precautions.

(Authored by Dr Hem Shah , Senior Consultant, Sharp Sight Eye Hospitals)

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Air Pollution Causes Irreversible Damage to The Eyes - India.com

Pope Francis refers to the parable of the two blind men from Matthew's Gospel to urge Cypriots to follow three steps in order to be freed of a similar darkness in which we often find ourselves.

By Francesca Merlo

Addressing the faithful in Nicosia's GSP Stadium for Holy Mass in Cyprus, Pope Francis recalled a passage from Matthew's Gospel, in which as Jesus passed by, two blind men cried out "Have mercy on us, Son of David". The Pope noted that the two men are blind, yet they realise that Jesus is the Messiah who has come into the world. They can help us, during this advent season, "to welcome the Lord when he comes", said the Pope.

Pope Francis noted that the first step is that the two "went to Jesus for healing". Although they cannot see him, he said, "they hear his voice and follow his footsteps".The two men in the Gospel trusted in Jesus, he continued, and so "they followed him in search of light for their eyes".

The Pope noted that the two trusted in Jesus because "they realise that, within the darkness of history, he is the light that brightens the nights of the heart and the world". He stressed that we too have a kind of blindness in our hearts, and like the two blind men are often immersed in the darkness of life.Often we would rather remain closed in on ourselves, alone in the darkness, feeling sorry for ourselves and content to have sadness as our companion, but instead we must go to Jesus, said the Pope. Let us give Jesus the chance to heal our hearts.

The next step, continued the Pope, is that "they shared their pain".They ask for help together, said the Pope. "This is an eloquent sign of the Christian life and the distinctive trait of the ecclesial spirit: to think, to speak and to act as we, renouncing the individualism and the sense of self-sufficiency that infect the heart".

These two blind men have much to teach us, continued the Pope. "Each of us is blind in some way as a result of sin", he explained, adding that this "prevents us from seeing God as our Father and one another as brothers and sisters". This sin distorts reality, continued the Pope, but if we bear our inner blindness alone, we can become overwhelmed. "We need to stand beside one another, to share our pain and to face the road ahead together", he said.

Dear brothers and sisters, continued the Pope. "Faced with our own inner darkness and the challenges before us in the Church and in society, we are called to renew our sense of fraternity". If we remain divided we will never be completely healed of our blindness", he stressed. Healing takes place when we carry our pain together, when we face our problems together, when we listen and speak to one another.

The third, and final step, continued the Pope, is "they joyfully proclaimed the Good News". After Jesus had healed the two blind men, the two "began to spread the good news to the entire region". There is a bit of irony in this, noted the Pope. "Jesus had told them to tell no one what had happened, yet they do exactly the opposite". Their intention was not to disobey the Lord, said the Pope. "They were simply unable to contain their excitement at their healing and the joy of their encounter with Jesus". This, he added, "is another distinctive sign of the Christian".

Bringing his homily to an end, the Pope thanked all thos present in the Nicosia stadium for living "with joy" the liberating message of the Gospel, and encouraged them to "keep advancing on this path". Like the two blind men in the Gospel, "let us once more encounter Jesus, and come out of ourselves to be fearless witnesses of Jesus to all whom we meet!"

"Brothers and sisters, the Lord Jesus is also passing through the streets of Cyprus, hearing the cries of our blindness", stressed the Pope. "He wants to touch our eyes and hearts and to lead us to the light, to give us spiritual rebirth and new strength".Let us renew our faith in him, concluded the Pope, "Let us say to him: Jesus, we believe that your light is greater than our darkness; we believe that you can heal us, that you can renew our fellowship, that you can increase our joy".

Full video of Holy Mass at the GSP Stadium" in Nicosia, Cyprus

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Pope at Mass in Cyprus: Only together can we be healed from blinding darkness - Vatican News

Schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminths are neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), but these parasitic worm infections can lead to anemia, malnutrition, and learning difficulties among children. Left untreated, schistosomiasis can damage the liver, intestines, bladder, spleen, and lungs, and soil-transmitted helminths can cause a range of problems, including slow physical and mental development.

Public health authorities have battled for more than a decade to tackle schistosomiasis, supported by partners such as the World Banks International Development Association (IDA) and World Health Organization (WHO). In 2010, one in five residents in Yemen were at risk of contracting schistosomiasis, better known as bilharzia. Today, that has dropped to fewer than one in 15 (about three million people). Limited data exists for the soil-transmitted helminths that affect communities across the country but bringing these infections under control is another public health goal.

Eliminating schistosomiasis involves the mass administration of drugs, in which members of a target population are treated once a year. Several rounds of drugs are administered over several years to get rid of a community of the parasite. The Emergency Health and Nutrition Project (EHNP), funded by IDA, the World Banks fund for poorest countries, has helped to eliminate schistosomiasis as a public health problem in Yemen.

Nothing beats a childs smile. This project represents a critical opportunity to decrease the disease burden among vulnerable Yemenis, particularly children. The project is part of the World Banks strategy to invest in Yemens most important assets: its people said Tania Meyer, World Bank Country Manager for Yemen.

During a recent four-day mass campaign, almost 860,000 children and adolescents between 6- and 19-years-old, were targeted (whether enrolled in school or not) across seven southern and eastern governorates, Abyan, Hadramout/Mukalla, Hadramout/Sayoun, Lahj, Mareb, Shabwa, and Taiz. In total, 37 districts, 373 team leaders, 1,070 team supervisors, and 2,140 drug distributors were involved and over 80% of the target population reached.

Yemen is making progress against other neglected tropical diseases as well. Lymphatic filariasis, which causes swelling of limbs and is spread by infected mosquitos, was eliminated as a public health problem in 2019. The administrative certification of the elimination of leprosy in Yemen is underway, and technical teams are working hard to eliminate blindness of infectious origins: trachoma by 2024, and onchocerciasis, or river blindness, by 2030.

This progress is encouraging, and a sign that the elimination of schistosomiasis as a public health problem may be within reach in Yemen in the next five years, said Dr. Adham Rashad Ismail Abdel-Moneim, WHOs Yemen Representative. Reaching it, however, will depend on continued support from partners.

The campaign was carried out in close collaboration with Yemens Ministry of Education and th Health Education Center, which is part of the Ministry of Public Health and Population. Technical and statistical local plans were prepared, a training of trainers session carried out, and workshops given to drug distributors and the heads of teams in charge of both fixed and mobile treatment facilities. A third-party team conducted direct monitoring of the activities and interviews with around 4,000 people across 1,000 randomly selected households.

The campaign in January 2021 targeted 2.4 million people at 3,300 sites across 32 districts in seven northern governorates, involving 6,700 drug distributors. Approximately, 4.8 million praziquantel tablets and 2.4 million albendazole tablets were distributed.

More mass campaigns against soil-transmitted helminths and schistosomiasis are planned in 2022, with more investment to improve community engagement made in order to reach more than 80% of the targeted population in future.

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Amid the Conflict in Yemen, Mass Campaigns to End the Threat of Tropical Diseases Continue [EN/AR] - Yemen - ReliefWeb

Britain's defence policy is based on "over-simplified" hype about cyber warfare, experts have claimed in a new book.

Defence experts Dr Jack Watling and Justin Bronk say damaging narratives are too easily accepted as fact by many in military and government circles.

Such assumptions quickly come to dominate thinking at the highest levels of UK defence policy, they have said.

In a new book launched on Monday, called Necessary Heresies, the experts warn there is an institutional blindness at the heart of UK defence policy.

Specialist advice is often overlooked or misinterpreted as senior decision-makers shape policy based on their own understanding, the book argues, of briefings given by subject matter experts.

Crucial nuances and practical constraints are almost unavoidably lost in translation.

This tendency is exacerbated by a natural inclination to over-hype the potential for novel technologies or strategies to provide transformative effects.

The authors argue future war is unlikely to be dominated by grey zone attacks short of out and out armed conflict.

The dangers of so-called grey zone operations, characterised by cyber attacks, assassinations, political interference and disinformation, were regularly cited by the former Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS), General Sir Nick Carter, as being the likely shape of future warfare.

The authors say such woolly thinking is an intellectual dustbin that confuses the true nature of conflict.

They cited Gen Carters comments during the annual CDS Rusi lecture, delivered in December 2020, that our rivals seek to win without resorting to war.

He said that arms length tools like drones and mercenaries would be used more often as they provide deniability and strategic ambiguity - thus enabling intervention without the risk of entanglement.

The authors say Gen Carters ideas not only lack crucial nuance and are unsound, but also produce "potentially harmful distortionary effects throughout Defence.

The new book attempts to challenge some of these misleading narratives before they drive acquisition and force-design decisions that undermine the British Armed Forces.

The book argues that through years of repetition, narratives about the rapidly changing character of warfare and the transformative effects of novel technologies have become akin to gospel truths, enshrined in policy documents.

Senior defence policy planning is hampered by received wisdom the authors suggest.

In many areas of Defence policy, such as cyber warfare, space or novel weapons systems, deep subject matter expertise is required to understand the potential benefits and limitations."

Incompatible demands for efficiency savings and equipment modernisation lead to senior defence planners seeking silver bullet solutions.

Once policy has been stated on an issue, further nuances and important caveats are often lost as the wider policy community try to tailor their own outputs to align with what they perceive as the new high-level consensus.

As such, the narratives that end up shaping much of the coal face work in Defence are not...(usually) nuanced.

Instead, they are often mantras or collective received wisdom that in practice has been oversimplified or distorted by repeated translation, repetition, and transmission.

A Ministry of Defence spokesperson said: With 24 billion investment over the next four years, the Armed Forces will be modernised to meet future threats. The Integrated Review, backed by the largest investment in Defence since the Cold War, is delivering a force fit to meet the challenges posed by a more uncertain world, not battles of the past.

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Defence policy is based on 'over-simplified' hype about cyber warfare, experts warn - Telegraph.co.uk

When did you finally realise what you'd do in life? Some of us are still clueless. But Ashutosh Kumar (30), from Patna had not only decided which career to take up but also selected an institute for himself when he was in Class 7. He wanted to work with films and graduate from the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) in Pune. But what he did not know is that his dreams would have to jump through hoops for at least 6 years to get there.

And it all came down to a filmmaker's essence - his eyes. Ashutosh found out that he was colour blind at the medical examination before his admission to the FTII and that changed his life. "I was intrigued by cinema from a very young age. Both our parents would go to work and my sister and I would spend the afternoons watching films. When I was in Class 7 or so, I accompanied my father to Delhi. On our way back, we met two people who claimed to be filmmakers and were talking about films. I heard the name FTII for the first time and studying there became a goal. After I finished my schooling I wanted to enrol, but they (FTII) said that I needed a graduation degree to get in. I did my graduation completed my graduation in BA Psychology (Hons) from Patna University. The next step was to apply. I applied in 2013 the first time but did not get in. In 2016, I got through Film Editing. I was there prepared with the fees and everything. Then came the test, where they said that I was colour blind and that I was not eligible to study this course," said Ashutosh.

READ ALSO :FTII students desperately reach out to Shekhar Kapur in a bid to stop online classes, but to no avail

Ashutosh moved the Bombay High Court and then the Supreme Court in 2017. In the meanwhile, he has been taking up freelance work after a short stint in journalism and also completed his Masters in Mass Communication from the Nalanda Open University. "I have endured everything in these few years. I do not come from a family with affluence or filmmakers in their lineage," said Ashutosh. He also reached out to famous filmmakers like Raju Hirani for their statement on this issue and they helped. "Colour blindness should not affect the work of a film editor," wrote Hirani and added that the director and the cinematographer are the people who look after that aspect.

Ashutosh said that his fight was not just for himself but for everyone with colour blindness. "Three out of 10 human males in the world are colour blind. This isn't just my fight but for all those who will come next," said the young filmmaker.

The Supreme Court bench of justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and MM Sundresh has now asked a committee to be formed. The committee will have an ophthalmologist, director, film editor, colourist, script supervisor, head of any department of FTII and a lawyer. Role of the committee would be to ascertain whether colour blindness is to be perceived as a disqualification for all courses in FTII, the court order said, adding that the rules of the institute need to be looked at keeping the Right to Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act of 2016 in the perspective. It is an evolving process. We now have documents with details of some renowned filmmakers, some even got national awards in India, who have been colour blind...The best thing to say is that with the advancement of science, the issue should be revisited by a committee, within the principle of reasonable accommodation. It is futuristic thinking, added the two-judge bench.

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In search of 'colour': The story of aspiring filmmaker Ashutosh Kumar's tryst with FTII - EdexLive

There may be new hope for people with certain types of blindness, as an experimental sight-restoring device has been deemed safe for implantation. It still has to be tested on humans, though, and it will likely provide a fairly rudimentary form of vision.

Known as the Phoenix99 Bionic Eye, the prosthesis is currently being developed by scientists at Australia's University of Sydney and University of New South Wales. It's intended for use on patients with blindness caused by degenerative conditions such as retinitis pigmentosa, in which the retina is compromised but the optic nerve remains intact.

The system incorporates a small video camera mounted on a pair of glasses, which images the scene in front of the wearer. Its output is converted into a wireless signal, which is transmitted from the camera to a communication module implanted under the skin behind the patient's ear.

That module in turn decodes the video signal into a pattern of electrical pulses, which are relayed to a stimulation module which is implanted on the retina in the affected eye(s). That device is able to bypass the retina's dysfunctional photoreceptor neurons, which have lost their ability to react to light focused onto the retina. Instead, the implant directly stimulates the underlying (and still functional) retinal ganglion cells, which are responsible for gathering input from other retinal cells and relaying it along the optic nerve to the brain.

"With regards to the quality of the restored vision, we know that it will be very different from what one would call normal vision," U Sydney biomedical engineer Samuel Eggenberger tells us. "Similar concepts of electrical stimulation of the retina have been tested in humans around the world and the results have been very variable, but expectations should be that the prosthesis will provide simple information about the persons surroundings such as detecting obstacles, with the purpose to help with navigation, orientation or even reading of big letters."

In a recent three-month study, it was found that the Phoenix99 setup was well-tolerated by the bodies of sheep in which it was implanted. There were no reactions in the tissue surrounding the components, leading the scientists to believe that the system could safely remain in place for a number of years. The team is now applying for approval to conduct clinical trials on humans.

"We hope that through this technology, people living with profound vision loss from degenerative retinal disorders may be able to regain a useful sense of vision," says Eggenberger.

A paper on the sheep study was recently published in the journal Biomaterials.

Source: University of Sydney

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"Sight"-restoring bionic eye proceeds along the path to human trials - New Atlas

By Dr. Kashef Ijaz, Vice President-Health, The Carter Center,and Sarah Yoss, Associate Director of Special Health Projects, The Carter Center

When The Carter Center partners with a country to eliminate a disease through its disease-specific programs or otherwise improve health, a related goal is to strengthen the overall health system of the partner country. Strengthening health systems aligns with the Carter Centers core belief that people can improve their own lives when provided with the necessary skills, knowledge, and access to resources.

The Centers Public Health Training Initiative has helped improve the preparedness of health professionals in Ethiopia, Nigeria, and Sudan, while our Mental Health Program has assisted in the building of a mental health care system in Liberia by supporting the training of hundreds of clinicians. Even beyond those focused initiatives, there is an element of health systems strengthening in all of our disease-specific health programs Guinea worm eradication, river blindness elimination, trachoma control, lymphatic filariasis elimination, schistosomiasis control, and our efforts to eliminate malaria and lymphatic filariasis from Hispaniola. Each of our health programs work closely with ministries of health and local communities to strengthen public health capabilities and improve health services.

Health systems strengthening, as defined by the World Health Organization, consists of efforts to achieve sustained improvements in health outcomes through the improvement of the six building blocks of a health system:

Health systems strengthening is also key in promoting global health security, as has been apparent throughout the COVID-19 pandemic as well as previous events such as the Zika virus outbreak in Latin America and the Ebola outbreak in West Africa. Increasingly, national and global public health organizations, including the WHO, are framing health systems strengthening as integral to health security, promoting an approach that can build and maintain essential health services alongside the resources and capacities to prevent, detect, and respond to health emergencies, including epidemics and pandemics.

This concept was summed up by Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus, director-general of the WHO: Quality health systems not only improve health outcomes in peacetime, theyre also a bulwark against outbreaks and other public health emergencies. Universal health coverage and health security are two sides of the same coin.

The Carter Centers efforts focus on strengthening the capabilities, processes, and resources of ministries of health, national public health institutes , health training programs in academic institutions, the primary health care system, and community-based health workers, so that countries and communities will be equipped to stand on their own with robust domestic systems and will not have to rely on outside assistance.

Health systems strengthening promotes health security within the particular country and around the world by improving the countrys ability to identify and mitigate future outbreaks before they become pandemics. That alone should be incentive enough to support the effort.

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Disease Interventions Give Health Systems a Boost - SaportaReport

Brian Davis| Guest columnist

Bright headlights and super bright tail lights.

I'm talking about these new cars with the LED lights where it seems that they have their brights on. In some cases they actually do.

These lights are a danger because they're blinding. After the car passes you, your eyes are affected.

I know I'm not alone on this, because I talk to many people. There are multiple Facebook groups about this.There are multiple articles written about this.

There are also petitions that are being signed.

As always, it takes people with money and influence to die from an issue before anything is done.

So my rhetorical question is: When will the right people with money and influence die from a car accident due to night blindness because of the super bright LED lights on some vehicles?

In the meantime, I'm encouraging people to adjust their visors with all kinds of shading devices to block thelights from many cars.

The problem with this is decreases your lead time on seeing a pedestrian or a bicyclist or perhaps another car coming out in front of you.

I can't imagine the supposed safety factor of these super-blinding LED lights outweighs people being blinded by them or blocking their vision with visors.

Super bright LED brake lights on some of these vehicles are equally as dangerous, particularly when sitting behind them at a red light.

I know I'm not alone in this, because I talk to other people who experience the same thing.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has really missed the ball with allowing these vehicles to be manufactured and sold in the United States.

There's also the issue of people retrofitting their old headlight lenses with LEDs that end up being just as blinding, if not worse.

My question is what is being done by elected officials or bureaucrats about this? And why are police not citing these vehicles right and left for inspections?

Brian Davis lives inCathedral City.

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New LED headlights are blinding drivers. Will it take tragedy to fix it? - Desert Sun

American Baptist Churches in the U.S.A.

The group has no explicit policy on the issue; rather it states that one must be guided by ones own relationship with God and Scripture.

Overview: Stem Cell Research at the Crossroads of Religion and PoliticsEmbryonic stem cell research, which uses cells found in three- to five-day-old human embryos to seek cures for a host of chronic diseases, has sparked a major debate in the United States.

The Science Behind Stem Cell ResearchStem cells, the building blocks of nature, can transform into any other type of cell in the body.

Public OpinionA March 2009 poll report from the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press finds that opinions about stem cell research have been fairly stable in recent years.

Religious Groups Official Positions on Stem Cell ResearchA breakdown of 17 major religious groups views on the issue.

Stem Cell Research Around the WorldThe U.S. is only one of many countries playing an important role in stem cell research.

Quotes on Stem Cell ResearchQuotes on stem cell research from political, religious and other prominent figures.

Though Buddhist teachings do not directly address the issue, there are two main tenets the prohibition against harming or destroying others (ahimsa), and the pursuit of knowledge (praja) and compassion (karua) that divide Buddhist scholars and communities. Some Buddhists argue that stem cell research is in accordance with the Buddhist tenet of seeking knowledge and ending human suffering, while others argue that it is a violation of the notion of not harming others.

In accordance with their anti-abortion stance, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops supports adult stem cell research but opposes embryonic stem cell research since it creates or destroys human embryos.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has not issued a statement on the issue of stem cell research.

In 2004, the churchs governing body, the General Convention, declared itself in favor of stem cell research as long as the embryos used would have been destroyed otherwise, the embryos were not created solely for research purposes and the embryos were not bought or sold.

The ELCA does not have an official position on the issue. In 2005, the Churchwide Assembly, the governing body of the church, created a task force to study the issues of genetics and biotechnology and to present a report in 2011.

Though Hinduism believes that life begins at conception, the religion has no official position on stem cell research.

There is no explicit Islamic ruling on the issue of stem cell research. While some Muslim leaders allow for stem cell research on the ground that, according to Islam, an embryo in the early stage of pregnancy does not have a soul, others argue that the termination of an embryo at any stage of pregnancy is morally impermissible.

All major Jewish denominations including the Reform, Conservative, Orthodox and Reconstructionist movements support both embryonic and adult stem cell research as long as it is for medical or therapeutic purposes.

In 2005, the group reaffirmed its opposition to embryonic stem cell research, advocating instead for adult stem cell research.

In 2005, the National Association of Evangelicals issued a statement voicing its opposition to stem cell research.

After an evaluation in 2006 of the debate surrounding stem cell research, the National Council of Churches Human Biotechnologies Policy Development Committee adopted a position stating that as a result of a lack of clear consensus [among ethicists, academia and scientists], the National Council of Churches neither endorses nor condemns experimentation on human embryos.

In 2004, the Presbyterian Churchs governing body, the General Assembly, reaffirmed its position in favor of stem cell research that is intended to [restore health] to those suffering from serious illness.

In 1999, the Southern Baptist Convention reaffirmed its opposition to the destruction of human embryos [and] support for the development of alternative treatments which do not require human embryos to be killed.

In 2006, the associations policymaking body, the General Assembly, stated its support for stem cell research as long as the research is for medical therapies and not the reproductive cloning of humans.

In 2001, the United Church of Christ ruled in favor of research on embryonic stem cells that would otherwise be discarded from in vitro fertilization.

In 2004, the United Methodist Church asserted its support for therapeutic cloning in which spare embryonic stem cells resulting from in vitro fertilization are used. The church also maintained its opposition to the use or creation of embryonic stem cells solely for the purpose of research.

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Religious Groups Official Positions on Stem Cell Research ...

The Regenerative therapy procedure is performed in an outpatient setting and only takes up to two hours. No general anaesthesia is required, and most patients dont need post-operative pain medication. After the procedure, patients typically return to work within a week or two and may resume physical activity much faster than after invasive surgery. Many patients report feeling marked improvement in their joint within one to three months.

For the procedure, PRP and cell concentrates are obtained from your body and prepared for injection. Once injected, cells follow inflammatory signals from damaged tissues and travel to the injured areas. These cells have multiple ways of repairing these damaged areas from inducing the production of natural anti-inflammatories which can assist with Osteoarthritis pain and swelling in the joint area to kick-starting the healing in injuries and stimulating regeneration. The anti-inflammatory effect lasts from 2-3 months. From there, you can see continued gradual improvement as the cells help provide healing to the affected area. However, you should not expect to see the full effect of the treatment earlier than six months, especially in the case of joint interventions. Variables like the type of disease or condition, age, lifestyle, comorbidities, general health and other factors also affect the outcome and length of recovery.

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Regenerative Stem Cells Knee Pain Treatment London, UK ...

Scientists largely agree that stem cells may hold a key to the treatment, and even cure, of many serious medical conditions. But while the use of adult stem cells is widely accepted, many religious groups and others oppose stem cell research involving the use and destruction of human embryos. At the same time, many scientists say that embryonic stem cell research is necessary to unlock the promise of stem cell therapies since embryonic stem cells can develop into any cell type in the human body.

In late 2007, researchers in the United States and Japan succeeded in reprogramming adult skin cells to act like embryonic stem cells. The new development offers the possibility that the controversy over the use of embryos could end. But many scientists and supporters of embryonic stem cell research caution that this advance has not eliminated the need for embryos, at least for the time being.

Recently, the Pew Forum sat down with Yuval Levin, author of Tyranny of Reason, to discuss the ethical and moral grounds for opposing embryonic stem cell research. Previously, Levin was the executive director of the Presidents Council on Bioethics. Currently, he is the Hertog Fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center in Washington, D.C., where he also directs the centers Bioethics and American Democracy program.

A counterargument explaining the case for embryonic stem cell research is made by Jonathan Moreno, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania and a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress in Washington, D.C.

Featuring:Yuval Levin, Hertog Fellow and Director of the Bioethics and American Democracy Program, Ethics and Public Policy Center

Interviewer:David Masci, Senior Research Fellow, Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life

Recently, researchers in the United States and Japan successfully turned human skin cells into cells that behave like embryonic stem cells. There has been some discussion that this advance makes the moral and ethical debate over embryonic stem cells moot. Do you think thats an accurate assessment?

I think its going to take a while for the ethical debate to catch up with the science. The scientific community has reacted very positively to this advancement, which was made in November 2007. There have been many additional scientific studies published on the topic since then, and it appears increasingly likely that the cells produced using skin cells are the equivalent of embryonic stem cells. So I think that, in time, this probably will be the final chapter of this particular debate about embryonic stem cells, but I dont think were at the end of it quite yet.

Do you agree with Professor James Thomson, who led the American research team that made this breakthrough, when he maintains that this advance does not, for the time being, abrogate the need for embryonic stem cell research?

Part of his argument for continuing to use embryonic stem cells was backward-looking to make the point that researchers wouldnt have been able to develop this technique if they hadnt been doing embryonic stem cell research. I think thats true, although in a certain way it actually vindicates the logic of President Bushs stem cell policy, which is to allow some work to be done without creating an incentive for the destruction of further embryos to advance the basic science in these kinds of directions.

Thomson also argued that there will still be a need to use embryos in the future. I think thats also a fair argument in the sense that there are always interesting things to learn from different kinds of experiments, but it doesnt address the ethical issues surrounding the debate. If there were no ethical concerns, then certainly the new development wouldnt mean embryonic research would become totally useless. But given that there are concerns, the case for destroying embryos does become a lot weaker. For some people, myself included, the ethical concerns are matters of principle and dont change with new developments.

But for a lot of people, the stem cell debate has always been a matter of balance. People are aware that there are ethical concerns and that there is enormous scientific promise. Now the debate is: Given the ethical questions at stake, is the scientific promise sufficient to make us put the ethical concerns aside and support the research? I think that balance has changed because of this advance, and having an alternative to embryonic stem cell research that achieves the same result will obviously affect the way people think about the ethics of this issue.

That doesnt mean the scientists no longer have any use for embryonic stem cells or even that they wont have any use for them. But I do think it means that people are going to change the way they reason about the balance between science and ethics because of this advance.

I know that you believe that human embryos have intrinsic worth. Do you believe that they have the same intrinsic worth as a five-year-old child or a 50-year-old man?

The question of intrinsic worth is complicated. I dont think it is right to try to determine an embryos intrinsic worth by debating when human life begins. The question of when life begins is a biological question, and the answer actually is fairly straightforward: The life of an organism begins at conception. The ethical question, however, is not about when a life begins but whether every life is equal, and thats a very different question.

I think that the embryonic stem cell debate is ultimately about the question of human equality. The United States has had one answer to that question written in its birth certificate the Declaration of Independence which states that all men are created equal. I think that examining this principle of human equality provides the right answer to this debate, but it is not a simple answer. Human equality doesnt mean that every person is the same or that every person can even be valued in the same way on every scale. What it means is that our common humanity is something that we all share. And what that means, in turn, is that we cant treat a human being in certain ways that we might non-human beings.

The protection of human life comes first. And to the extent that the debate is about whether it is acceptable to destroy a living human being for the purpose of science even for the purpose of helping other human beings I think that in that sense, the embryo is our equal. That doesnt mean that I would think of an embryo in the same way that I would think of a three-year-old child, but I would reject a technique that uses either of them for scientific experimentation.

So in other words, even though you would grieve the death of a 50-year-old man more than a five-day-old embryo, on at least the most basic level you believe that they both have the same right to life.

Yes, thats right. And right to life derives from human equality. The right to life is, in a way, drawn out of the political vocabulary of the Declaration of Independence. And so, to my mind, the argument at the heart of the embryonic stem cell debate is the argument about human equality.

Recently in The New Republic magazine, Harvard psychologist Steven Pinker wrote that conservative bioethicists like yourself consistently predict the worst when looking at developments in biotechnology. He went on to say that had there been a presidents council on cyber-ethics in the 1960s, no doubt it would have decried the threat of the Internet since it would inexorably lead to 1984 or computers taking over like HAL in 2001. How do you respond to this suggestion that there always seems to be this sort of chorus of doomsayers every time something new comes along?

To my mind, biotechnology is fundamentally different from past developments in technology because its directed to the human person. From the beginning of the scientific revolution, science and technology have tried to allow us to manipulate and shape the world around us for the benefit of man. Now that were beginning to manipulate and shape man, the question is: For the benefit of what? In some cases thats easy to see. Obviously curing disease is more of an old-fashioned scientific pursuit. But there are newer scientific developments, such as certain types of human enhancement technologies that raise very complicated questions of how we should judge the ends and the means of technological advancements. That being said, Pinker has a point, in a larger sense that judging the risks of new technologies is very difficult. In general, I think we ought to give the benefit of the doubt to our ability to use new technologies. I dont think that we should assume that the worst will happen. But there are specific instances, which are few but very important, when we do need to be cautious.

Lets shift gears to a question about religion and faith. Obviously there are people of faith on both sides of this debate. In fact, there are conservatives traditional social conservatives, such as Republican Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah who support embryonic stem cell research. But could you explain how the Judeo-Christian and Western moral ethic informs your views on this issue and why you think that God is ultimately on your side?

Well, I dont know that I think that. My approach to this is not religious. Im not a particularly religious person and I come at this from more of a liberal democratic concern for human equality and the foundations of our society. That being said, those foundations are not utterly secular, and my understanding of them is not utterly secular. I think that to believe in human equality you do have to have some sense of a transcendent standard by which to make that judgment. In other words, when we talk about equality, what do we mean? Equal in relation to what?

Some people have certainly tried to make a purely secular liberal argument for human equality. While I think its very hard to ground a genuine, deep belief in human equality in a worldview that sees nothing above the material, I dont think that that belief depends on specific theological commitments. To my mind, its an American belief more than it is a religious belief.

Certainly I think that President Bushs commitment to human equality has a lot to do with a particular Christian sense of human worth and human value. But I dont think that its necessary to ground yourself in a particular theological or sectarian preference. I think that this is really about whether we believe in a liberal society, which comes from a belief in human equality. The American left, which for the most part is on the other side of this debate from where I am, has always been the champion of human equality, and I think that its a question that they have to really think about.

The Pew Forum and the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press have done polling on this issue over the last six or seven years and have found that Americans generally favor embryonic stem cell research. Why do you think this has happened, and what do you think this trend indicates?

Thats an interesting question. We actually did a poll here at the Ethics and Public Policy Center in February on a similar question, and the lesson I drew from that, and from some other polling thats been done, is that on the stem cell debate, people are just very confused about the facts, and the trend lines have generally followed the sense that cures are coming. In the end, the issue has been misrepresented as a choice between cures and Christianity, and people increasingly think that curing people like Christopher Reeve is just as much of a human good as protecting an embryo that they cant even imagine.

But when you dig down into peoples views about stem cell research, you find a great deal of confusion, and when you put the questions in ethical terms, you find small majorities opposing it. When you put the question in medical terms, you find, I think, somewhat larger majorities supporting it. In our poll, we asked the same people a series of questions that basically put the same issue in several different ways, and their responses are total opposites of one another. The fact that the same people come out on the opposite sides of the same issue when its put in different ways suggests to me that the issue is very hard to understand which it is.

Frequently one hears that, ultimately, you cant stop science or progress and that ethical, moral and religious objections inevitably will fall by the wayside when there are clear material gains to be made. Do you think thats the most likely scenario in this case, assuming the scientific community continues to see a need for embryonic stem cell research?

Well, thats the big assumption, right? To my mind, the aim of people such as myself has always been to find ways of doing the science without violating the ethics rather than to force a choice between the science and the ethics. If we force that choice, I think its more likely that the country would choose science over ethics, and thats exactly why we have to avoid the choice. I dont think we should be overconfident in our ability to persuade people to pass up a material benefit for an ethical principle, although I hope that can be done in the stem cell research debate. It certainly has been done in some instances when the principle was more evident and more obvious such as imposing limits on human subject research.

Again, the aim from my point of view and from a lot of people on my side of this argument has been to find ways to advance the science without violating the ethics. Thats the logic of President Bushs stem cell policy; thats why people have been pushing for alternatives; thats why theyre encouraging the development of these latest alternatives to avoid the choice, not to force the choice. I think thats the best thing for the country, from everybodys point of view. You dont want a situation where youve got sort of red-state medicine and blue-state medicine and people believe that the treatment their hospital is giving them is obtained in unethical ways. That would begin to break up the practice of medicine and to affect our attitudes about science which on the whole has done a tremendous amount of good for society. So I think what everybody should aim for is finding a way to end this potentially very damaging debate rather than force a choice.

This transcript has been edited for clarity, spelling and grammar.

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The Case Against Embryonic Stem Cell Research: An ...

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The Feature Paper can be either an original research article, a substantial novel research study that often involvesseveral techniques or approaches, or a comprehensive review paper with concise and precise updates on the latestprogress in the field that systematically reviews the most exciting advances in scientific literature. This type ofpaper provides an outlook on future directions of research or possible applications.

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The mTOR Pathway in Pluripotent Stem Cells: Lessons for ...

Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) are multipotent, self-renewing progenitor cells from which all differentiated blood cell types arise during the process of hematopoiesis. These cells include lymphocytes, granulocytes, and macrophages of the immune system as well as circulating erythrocytes and platelets. Classically, HSCs are thought to differentiate into two lineage-restricted, lymphoid and myelo-erythroid, oligopotent progenitor cells. An alternative, myeloid-based model for blood lineage development from HSCs describes a novel intermediary, a common myelo-lymphoid progenitor cell, which has the capacity to generate progeny from both lineages. The mechanisms controlling HSC self-renewal and differentiation are thought to be influenced by a diverse set of cytokines, chemokines, receptors, and intracellular signaling molecules. Differentiation of HSCs is regulated, in part, by growth factors and cytokines including colony-stimulating factors (CSFs) and interleukins (ILs) that activate intracellular signaling pathways. The factors depicted below are known to influence HSC multipotency, proliferation, and lineage commitment. HSCs and their differentiated progeny can be identified by the expression of specific cell surface lineage markers such as cluster of differentiation (CD) proteins and cytokine receptors.

To learn more, please visit our Hematopoietic Stem Cell Molecules Research Area.

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Hematopoietic Stem Cell Differentiation Pathways & Lineage ...

GELEEN, Netherlands, Nov. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Dutch clinical phase biotech Neuroplast raised a total of 10 million (US$ 11.5 million) in funding from investors Lumana Invest, Brightlands Venture Partners, LIOF, and from the Innovation Credit from the Netherlands Enterprise Agency, to further advance the clinical development of a transformative treatment for Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury (TSCI). Neuroplast will use this Series B funding to obtain conditional EMA market approval for its Neuro-Cells stem cell therapy.

Annually, approximately 29,000 people across Europe and the USA suffer from acute Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury (TSCI), for which effective treatment is currently unavailable. Patients usually experience life-long disability and dependence, with a negative impact on quality of life. Furthermore, associated costs for society at large are estimated at over 11.4 billion ($13 billion) per year.

With the aim of giving back perspective to people that suffer from primarily inflammation-driven neurological disorders, Neuroplast has developed Neuro-Cells, a treatment that uses the patient's own stem cells to prevent (further) loss of function during the acute phase after sustaining damage to the spinal cord, to save mobility and independence.

Marcel Kloosterman, Managing Partner at Brightlands Venture Partners (BVP), states:

"The science behind Neuroplast's technology platform is truly groundbreaking.A future in which patients can make smart use of their own cells to put a stop to further neurological damages and improve potential regeneration is getting closer and closer.For BVP it is a thrill to be part of that fascinating journey."

Neuroplast acquired a GMP1 license and received a European Orphan Designation2 that allows fast-track development. Furthermore, it has already successfully completed a clinical Phase I trial, in collaboration with Hospital Nacional de Parapljicos in Spain, that confirmed safety and tolerability, without product-related adverse events. The Dutch Limburg-based biotech is currently preparing for an international multi-center randomized placebo-controlled Phase II study.

Tys van Elk, Director at LIOF, adds:

"Our mission is to move together towards a smarter, more sustainable, and healthier Limburg. We are pleased to see that the life sciences and health ecosystem in Limburg is a successful breeding ground for innovative companies like Neuroplast, that can really make impact."

Neuroplast will use the 10M (US$ 11.5M) Series B funding to take the next steps towards conditional EMA market approval for TSCI, which includes running Phase II and III trials, consulting the EMA and executing a Health Technology Assessment.

Next to the funded pathway for TSCI, Neuroplast aspires to explore applicability of the Neuro-Cellstechnology platform to other therapeutic areas.

Wim Smit, Managing Director at Lumana Invest, comments:

"We are not only excited about the clinical progress of Neuro-Cells treatment for TSCI, but also about the outlook of the technology to other conditions, such as Traumatic Brain Injury."

Vincent The, Chief Financial Officer at Neuroplast, concludes:

"This funding enables us to complete the Neuro-Cells development pathway for TSCI. With the recent successful completion of our Phase I study, we now have both a good clinical as well as a solid financial foundation in place. This puts us in a great position to start exploring the broader potential of the Neuro-Cells technology platform for other primarily inflammation-driven neurological disorders. For these activities, we are seeking complementary investment."

About Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury

Acute TSCI causes incurable impairment to the spinal cord, affecting approximately 12,000 people across Europe and 17,000 across the USA annually. The damage or trauma interrupts communication of the brain with the body regions below the site of injury. Spinal cord injuries are mainly caused by accidents and - in most of the cases - result in life-long loss of control of motor functions and sensations. After the primary injury to the spinal cord, a cascade of events leads to progressive loss of tissue which may further deteriorate the patient's prognosis. Current treatment approaches for TSCI are only symptomatic, leaving the underlying pathophysiology unchanged.

TSCI has a serious impact on the quality of life of patients, with severe implications on mobility and loss of independence. In addition, TSCI creates a lifetime financial burden for patients, payors, healthcare systems and societies at large.

About Neuro-Cells

Neuro-Cells is a transformative treatment under GMP in the crucial first phase after sustaining TSCI, during which the irreversible impact of TSCI can be radically reduced. It contains non-substantially manipulated bone marrow-derived hematopoietic and mesenchymal stem cells, manufactured from a patient's own bone marrow (donor and receiver are the same person). Inflammatory inducing components and pathogens are removed during this process.

About Neuroplast

Neuroplast is a Dutch stem cell technology company focusing on fast-track development programs using autologous cell products for treatment of primarily inflammation-driven neurological disorders, with the aim of giving back perspective to people who suffer from those conditions.

The company was founded in August 2014 by physician Johannes de Munter and neurologist Erik Wolters. Current investors are Lumana Invest, Brightlands Venture Partners, LIOF and the Netherlands Enterprise Agency. Neuroplast is located in Brightlands Chemelot Campus in The Netherlands.

About Lumana Invest

Investment company Lumana was established by entrepreneurs and unique due to not having a predetermined investment horizon. The Lumana founders showcase strong commitment to their portfolio companies by actively supporting management in strategic decision making.

About Brightlands Venture Partners

Brightlands Venture Partners is the fund manager of BVP Fund IV and is a so-called ecosystem investor. BVP invests in companies benefiting from and contributing to the Brightlands campuses in the south of The Netherlands. Other funds under management are Chemelot Ventures, Brightlands Agrifood Fund and Limburg Ventures. BVP Fund IV focuses on sustainability and health and is the successor fund of the 2014 vintage Chemelot Ventures; together the funds have made over 40 investments.

About LIOF

LIOF is the regional development agency for Limburg and supports innovative entrepreneurs with advice, network and financing. Together with entrepreneurs and partners, LIOF is working towards a smarter, more sustainable and healthier Limburg by focusing on the transitions of energy, circularity, health and digitalization.

About The Netherlands Enterprise Agency

The Netherlands Enterprise Agency operates under the auspices of the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy. It facilitates entrepreneurship, improves collaborations, strengthens positions and helps realize national and international ambitions with funding, networking, know-how and compliance with laws and regulations.

Forward looking statements

All statements other than statements of historical facts, including the statements about the clinical and therapeutic potential and future clinical milestones of Neuro-Cells, the indications we intend to pursue and our possible clinical or other business strategies, and the timing of these events, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements can be identified by terms such as "believes", "expects", "plans", "potential", "would" or similar expressions and the negative of those terms. These forward-looking statements are based on our management's current beliefs and assumptions about future events and on information currently available to management. Neuroplast B.V. does not make any representation or warranty, express or implied, as to the improper use of this article, accuracy, completeness or updated status of above-mentioned statements. Therefore, in no case whatsoever will Neuroplast B.V. be legally liable or liable to anyone for any decision made or action taken in conjunction with the information and/or statements in this press release or for any related damages.

In case of any further questions, please contact:

Neuroplast Sasja VerhoogT: +31 (0)85 076 1000E: [emailprotected]

LifeSpring LifeSciences Communication, AmsterdamLeon MelensT: +31 6 538 16 427E: [emailprotected]

1Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) describes the minimum standards that a medicines manufacturer must meet in their production processes, under inspections coordinated by EMA

2An Orphan Designation (OD) is a designation for treatments of rare conditions, that allows fast-track clinical research

SOURCE Neuroplast

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Dutch stem cell biotech Neuroplast secures 10 million ...

Report Ocean presents a new report on Stem Cell Banking Market size, share, growth, industry trends, and forecast 2030, covering various industry elements and growth trends helpful for predicting the markets future. The global stem cell banking market size was US$ 2.2 billion in 2020. The global stem cell banking market is forecast to reach the value of US$5.5 billion by 2030 by growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.6% during the forecast period from 2021-2030. Stem cell banking is a process of collecting, extorting, and freezing cord blood for future use. Cord blood stem cells are used in the treatment of blood-related diseases, including thalassemia, sickle cell disease, and leukemia.

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In order to produce a holistic assessment of the market, a variety of factors is considered, including demographics, business cycles, and microeconomic factors specific to the market under study. Stem Cell Banking Market report 2021 also contains a comprehensive business analysis of the state of the business, which analyzes innovative ways for business growth and describes critical factors such as prime manufacturers, production value, key regions, and growth rate.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services report that US healthcare expenditures grew by 4.6% to US$ 3.8 trillion in 2019, or US$ 11,582 per person, and accounted for 17.7% of GDP. Also, the federal government accounted for 29.0% of the total health expenditures, followed by households (28.4%). State and local governments accounted for 16.1% of total health care expenditures, while other private revenues accounted for 7.5%.

This study aims to define market sizes and forecast the values for different segments and countries in the coming eight years. The study aims to include qualitative and quantitative perspectives about the industry within the regions and countries covered in the report. The report also outlines the significant factors, such as driving factors and challenges, that will determine the markets future growth.

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Factors Influencing

The global stem cell banking market is forecast to gain traction, owing to the growing prevalence of blood-related diseases, rising healthcare expenditure, and favorable government initiatives to enhance the services in the healthcare sector.

The rising awareness regarding the therapeutic potential of stem cells treatment is forecast to fuel the growth of the global stem cell banking market.

The increasing approval for research activities and trials in the stem cell industry would create lucrative opportunities for market growth during the analysis period.

The growing development of advanced technologies for stem cell preservation, storage, and processing is forecast to create favorable growth opportunities for the market players in the global stem cell banking market.

Companies initiatives to increase awareness regarding the benefits of stem cells are forecast to accelerate the market growth in the coming years. CordBloodAwareness.org was created in the United States to spread awareness regarding umbilical cord blood stem cells.

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Geographic Analysis

Geographically, North America is forecast to lead in the global stem cell banking market because of the rising awareness regarding stem cell banking services and technological advancement in the industry. In addition, increasing demand for stem cell transplantation procedures is accelerating the regional growth in the global stem cell banking market. Furthermore, government initiatives to enhance healthcare infrastructure should create promising opportunities for the market players in the stem cell banking industry.

Asia-Pacific is forecast to grow with a significant compound annual growth rate. The increasing population awareness regarding the therapeutic benefits of stem cell banking is the primary factor driving the market growth. Moreover, government initiatives for improving healthcare infrastructure would propel the regions contribution.

COVID-19 Impact Analysis

The global stem cell banking market witnessed a slight slow down during the pandemic as preferences shifted to curbing the COVID-19 spread. Moreover, people avoided vising hospitals for stem cell treatment as it increases the chances of risk. Surgeons and doctors also postponed other treatments, as the entire healthcare sector was overburdened by the COVID-19 patients. Thus, the stem cell banking market witnessed a slight decline during the pandemic.

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Competitors in the Market

Cord Blood Registry System

Cordlife Group Limited

Cryo-Cell International

Cryo-Save AG

LifeCell International

StemCyte

ViaCord

Global Cord Blood

Smart Cells International

Vita34

CryoHoldco

Other prominent players

Market segmentation

By Service Type

Collection & Transportation

Processing

Analysis

Storage

By Utilization

Used

Unused

By Cell Type

Umbilical Cord Stem Cell

Cord Blood

Cord Tissue

Placenta

Adult Stem Cell

Embryonic Stem Cell

By Bank Type

Public

Private

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By Region

North America

The U.S.

Canada

Mexico

Europe

Western Europe

The UK

Germany

France

Italy

Spain

Rest of Western Europe

Eastern Europe

Poland

Russia

Rest of Eastern Europe

Asia Pacific

China

India

Japan

Australia & New Zealand

ASEAN

Rest of Asia Pacific

Middle East & Africa (MEA)

UAE

Saudi Arabia

South Africa

Rest of MEA

South America

Brazil

Argentina

Rest of South America

What are the aspects of this report that relate to regional analysis?

The reports geographical regions include North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, the Middle East, and Africa.

The report provides a comprehensive analysis of market trends, including information on usage and consumption at the regional level.

Reports on the market include the growth rates of each region, which includes their countries, over the coming years.

How are the key players in the market assessed?

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of leading competitors in the market.

The report includes information about the key vendors in the market.

The report provides a complete overview of each company, including its profile, revenue generation, cost of goods, and products manufactured.

The report presents the facts and figures about market competitors, alongside the viewpoints of leading market players.

A market report includes details on recent market developments, mergers, and acquisitions involving the key players mentioned.

What is the key information extracted from the report?

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Stem Cell Banking Market Size 2021, Latest Business Opportunities, Growth Statistics, Industry Share, Upcoming Trends, Covid-19 Impact, Demand...

Chabahar Port is not only a transit port, it is an investment opportunity, the Iranian ambassador in India said in a recent interview with ThePrint, a Delhi-based online newspaper.

Ali Chegani pointed out that Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar has visited Iran twice after the presidency of Seyed Ebrahim Raisi and added that a visit by his Iranian counterpart Hussain Amir Abdollahian to New Delhi is in the pipeline.

The Iranian envoy pointed out the Chabahar Port is not subject to U.S. unilateral sanctions. Pundits believe that an exemption was granted due to the U.S. focus on containing the emerging Chinese influence in the region. The Pakistani Port of Gwadar, which lies 140 kilometers east of Chabahar, is being developed by China as part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.

In May 2015, Iran and India signed a cooperation agreement for the development of Chabahar port. Indias private sector was scheduled to invest in Chabahar in two phases.

The first phase is a $31 billion project that involves construction of two berths in the port, a container of 640 meters and a multipurpose cargo terminal of 600 meters.

In the second phase, Indias Jindal Infrastructure, Essar, SAIL and IRCON will develop the area around the port which involves developing a free trade zone and a railway line connecting landlocked Afghanistan to the Central Asian region.

For India, one of the fastest growing economies in the world, Chabahar Port will provide an alternative route to conduct business with Afghanistan and Central Asia circumventing Pakistan.

Iran has built an alliance with the East, including China, Russia and regional countries

In January 2017, seven agreements valued at over $3bn were signed by Iranian, Indian, Omani, Chinese, and South Korean investors to promote investment opportunities and sustainable development in Mokran coast in Chabahar Free Trade Zone (CFTZ).

However, all foreign investors exited from Chabahar project due to U.S. withdrawal from the JCPOA and imposition of maximum pressure sanctions in 2018. In total 1,500 sanctions were legislated during the former U.S. President Donald Trumps administration. These restrictions make financial transactions almost impossible. Worth mentioning is also that the foreign investors could be subject to secondary sanctions.

With the ongoing seventh round of the JCPOA talks which resumed on November 29, the Western powers must keep in mind what kind of economic doldrums the Iranian middle and lower class are going through due to sanctions along with the COVID-19 pandemic. The Raisi administration has emphasized sanctions removal is a prerequisite for revival of the nuclear deal.

Humanitarian imports were allowed under the maximum pressure sanctions instituted by Trump. Due to lack of a stable banking channel for humanitarian work Iran is unable to import drugs, medical equipment, etc. in this pandemic era.

When the U.S. exited the JCPOA in 2018, the so-called E3 (Germany, France and UK) registered the Instrument in Support of Trade Exchanges (INSTEX). However, this special purpose vehicle (SPV) has no engine or driver. INSTEX mechanism was supposed to keep trade flow between Europe and Iran and initially it was announced that this SPV would be used for sectors most essential, such as pharmaceutical, medical devices, and agri-food goods. However, this SPV remains without a driver and engineless.

The Norwegian Refugee Council warned recently that future aid work is at risk in Iran due to the U.S. sanctions. The delivery of aid to Afghan refugees residing in Iran and for the 2019s severe flooding victims in Iran was at risk because banks are refusing to transfer money to aid agencies due to fear of sanctions, says the Norwegian group.In April 2019 severe and widespread flash flooding forced 366,000 people from their homes, and killed 76 people in 25 of 31 provinces in Iran. With infrastructure facilities and livelihoods hit hard, immediate and long-term assistance and support for over two million people was hampered due to sanctions.

In an address to the UN on November 9, Irans ambassador to the United Nations, Majid Takht Ravanchi, denounced the unilateral sanctions for barring the affected countries from gaining access to financial resources needed for achieving the goals of sustainable development. Ravanchi pointed out that issues such as exclusion and inequality can act as potential drivers, aggravating factors for conflicts and weaken opportunities in achieving lasting peace.

When Raisi took office he promised to take action to lift harsh sanctions and bridge the gap with dissatisfied Iranian general public but emphasized that he will not tie the countrys future to the West. Raisi said instead his administration will prioritize regional ties, especially with neighboring countries.

Iran has built an alliance with the East, including China, Russia and regional countries. Raisis promise of prioritizing relations with the regional countries has borne fruit. Irans membership of the SCO was one of the limelight, but the process of membership started years ago and it will take another two years for the institution of Irans full membership.

Another example is Raisis visit to Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, on November 28. During the trip an agreement was signed for gas swaps between Iran, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan. Petroleum Minister Javad Owji said the shipments are due to begin on December 22. This happened at the backdrop of the recent rocky diplomatic road between Iran and Azerbaijan.

Meanwhile, there have been several rounds of talks between Iranian and Saudi Arabian officials. Both sides have expressed optimism over the talks and future rounds are in the pipeline which could bring the two main players of the region closer.

The Iran-China Strategic Agreement deal was signed on March 27, 2021, on the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Iran and China. Although the details and terms of the agreement originally proposed in 2016 have not been made public, it has been announced that China will invest $400-600 billion into the Iranian economy, reads an article by China Briefing. In return for the Chinese help Iran will provide cheap oil. The two countries also signed defense agreements and conducted naval exercises during the Rouhani years.

This is the first time that the Islamic Republic has reached such an extensive deal with a major world power. The last one was a 10-year agreement with Russia, which was later extended to 20 years.

What will be the impact of the Iran-China strategic deal on the development of Chabahar remains to be seen.

With the continuation of the sanctions regime, Irans so-called shift to the East is inevitable. China and Russias role in the development of Chabahar Free Trade Zone is inevitable.

Chinas new digital currency e-RMB along with barter trade could play an important role to facilitate Sino-Iranian trade, reducing regional reliance on greenback transactions.However, returning full-circle back to todays economic realities, the U.S. dollar remains the most important and influential currency in the current financial market. In 2019, the U.S. dollar made up nearly 90 percent of all international transactions and 60 percent of all foreign exchange reserves. The supremacy of the U.S. dollar gives U.S. economic sanctions their strength, making it nearly impossible for sanctioned nations such as Iran and North Korea to conduct international business.

In a recent telephone conversation, Raisi told his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin that the Islamic Republic is absolutely serious about negotiations and we are equally serious about our people rights to have sanctions lifted, according to a statement published on the presidencys website.

The moment the sanctions regime vanishes Iran will become one of the most lucrative places in the world to invest. Apart from natural resources, Iran is also a major global producer of steel, cement, cars and well positioned in nanotechnology and stem cell research.

All efforts should be made during the seven round of the Vienna talks to facilitate the legal rights of the Iranian nation to benefit from peaceful nuclear knowledge.

Describing Iran's potential, Sajid Rizvi, editor-in-chief of the London-based EAPGROUP International Media, said, It's very hard to beat its roll call of assets: a consumer market of more than 80 million, largely well educated people; a human capital mix that is even more attractive than Turkey; and in the all important energy front, a combination of as much oil as Saudi Arabia, as much gas as Russia, and arguably more mineral resources than Australia.

More:
Removal of sanctions major reason for Iran's signature on JCPOA - Tehran Times

NEW YORK, Dec. 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- JDRF, the leading global funder of type 1 diabetes (T1D) research, proudly announces the relaunch of Rufus, the Bear with Diabetes .

The newly redesigned bear now features special patches to interact within Rufus' world on the new companion mobile application "Rufus the Bear with Diabetes," made possible by the JDRF Beyond Type 1 Alliance, which features educational and fun games to teach children about life with diabetes. Through the app, children can help Rufus manage his diabetes and gain hands-on practice with diabetes management essentials like counting cards, monitoring blood sugar, and dosing with insulin.

"For more than 25 years, Rufus has been one of the most requested support items for children with T1D," said Kristin Horowitz, Senior Manager of Community Engagement at JDRF. "Rufus' new upgrades now match the most up-to-date T1D management options and will help so many newly diagnosed families easily learn the basics of day-to-day diabetes care in a fun way."

In the app, users will get to utilize Rufus's virtual diabetes toolkit, which includes a glucometer, insulin pen, pump, and a CGM, guiding them to make healthy choices in the kitchen to learn about the impact of carbs and how to identify them. But the fun doesn't stop there, as users can follow the adventures of Rufus as he trains for the All-Star Game in 21 interactive e-books on the app. In addition, the interactive learning curriculum co-designed by doctors, educators, and families include fun and educational content.

"I am excited to see the progression of Rufus," said Carol Cramer, creator of Rufus the Bear. "When I put together the first Rufus bear I wanted to provide my son with an object of comfort to help navigate his new normal, but little did I know through connecting with JDRF and other T1D families there was a widespread need for a comforting companion. Over the years, I have seen Rufus help families through the hardest times and I am extremely proud of the continued work of JDRF to ensure so many children receive their new diabetes best friend."

Rufus is available to newly diagnosed families through the Bag of Hope program and on the JDRF store https://shop.jdrf.org/product/JDRF-Rufus.

The app Rufus the Bear with Diabetes is available on Google Play, Apple App Store and the Amazon App Store.

About T1DType 1 diabetes (T1D) is an autoimmune disease in which a person's pancreas stops producing insulin, a hormone that enables people to get energy from food. It occurs when the body's immune system attacks and destroys the insulin-producing cells in the Relpancreas, called beta cells. While its causes are not yet entirely understood, scientists believe that both genetic factors and environmental triggers are involved. Its onset has nothing to do with diet or lifestyle. There is nothing you can do to prevent T1D, andat presentnothing you can do to get rid of it.

About JDRFJDRF's mission is to accelerate life-changing breakthroughs to cure, prevent and treat T1D and its complications. To accomplish this, JDRF has invested more than $2.5 billion in research funding since our inception. We are an organization built on a grassroots model of people connecting in their local communities, collaborating regionally for efficiency and broader fundraising impact, and uniting on a national stage to pool resources, passion, and energy. We collaborate with academic institutions, policymakers, and corporate and industry partners to develop and deliver a pipeline of innovative therapies to people living with T1D. Our staff and volunteers throughout the United States and our five international affiliates are dedicated to advocacy, community engagement and our vision of a world without T1D. For more information, please visit jdrf.org or follow us on Twitter (@JDRF), Facebook (@myjdrf), and Instagram (@jdrfhq).

About Beyond Type 1

Beyond Type 1 is a nonprofit organization changing what it means to live with diabetes. Through platforms, programs, resources, and grants, Beyond Type 1 is uniting the global diabetes community and providing solutions to improve lives today. Founded in 2015 with a focus on education, advocacy and the path to a cure for Type 1 diabetes, Beyond Type 1 has grown to also include programs for those with Type 2 diabetes. A new model of philanthropy, Beyond Type 1 aims to change what it means to live with chronic illness. For more information, visit beyondtype1.org or follow @beyondtype1 on social media.

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TUESDAY, Dec. 7, 2021 (HealthDay News) -- Two- to three-year longitudinal glycemic levels are independently associated with COVID-19-related severity in people with type 2 diabetes, according to a study recently published in BMJ Open Diabetes Research & Care.

Bowen Wang, from Optum Health in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, and colleagues assessed associations of longitudinal glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and common medications (metformin, insulin, ACE inhibitors [ACEIs], angiotensin receptor blockers [ARBs], and corticosteroids) with COVID-19 severity in people with type 2 diabetes. The OptumLabs Data Warehouse (January 2017 to November 2020) was used to identify 16,504 individuals with type 2 diabetes and COVID-19.

The researchers found that two- to three-year longitudinal glycemic control was significantly associated with COVID-19-related severity (adjusted hazard ratios, 1.12 per 1 percent increase and 1.48 for those with poor [HbA1c, 9 percent] versus adequate glycemic control [HbA1c, 6 to 9 percent]). There was a significant reduction in intensive care use associated with corticosteroids and the combined use of insulin and metformin. No reduced risk for intensive care was seen with use of ACEIs or ARBs.

"We present a potential method to use HbA1c history, which presented a stronger association with COVID-19 severity than single-point HbA1c, to identify in advance those more at risk of intensive care due to COVID-19 in the type 2 diabetes population," the authors write.

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Long-Term Glycemic Control Cuts Risk for Severe COVID-19 With T2DM - HealthDay News

When you think of diabetes, you probably think of glucose. Insulin. High blood pressure. Your pancreas.

But what about your eyes?

Although they may not be the first thing you think of when it comes to diabetes, your vision can be heavily impacted, and permanently damaged by it, with one in three people aged 40 or older with diabetes showing signs of diabetic retinopathy, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease.

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Your eyes are an important window into the health of the rest of your body, said Julie Rosenthal, M.D., M.S., an ophthalmologist at the Kellogg Eye Center who specializes in diseases of the retina and vitreous. Below, Rosenthal shares essential information about the disease and eye health.

1. At first, the eye damage from diabetes may not be noticeable

Often, Rosenthal explains, there arent clear early warning signs that you have diabetic eye disease, that its developing, or even progressing.

And the longer you have diabetes, the greater the risk you have of it affecting your eyes.

Early changes can include bleeding within the retina, which may not affect your vision at first. At any stage, you can develop swelling in the macula, which often leads to blurred central vision, known as macular edema, said Rosenthal. The macula is where you have your sweet spot of vision. It's what helps you recognize faces, read and see objects up close.

As your diabetes advances to the later stages, the blood flow to the retina can decrease, depriving your retina of oxygen and nutrition, recruiting new blood vessels, called neovascularization, one of the hallmarks of a condition called diabetic retinopathy.

While those new blood vessels sound like a really great solution to not getting enough nutrients and oxygen, they're not good blood vessels, said Rosenthal. And, if left untreated, they can lead to vision loss."

2. If left untreated, diabetic retinopathy could cause irreversible vision loss

Diabetic retinopathy has two stages:

Non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy, or NPDR: The retina can have spots of bleeding, areas where blood flow is disrupted called cotton wool spots, and fatty tissues that leak from the blood vessels into the retina. This can result in serious vision loss if left untreated.

Proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR): The more advanced form of the disease develops when new blood vessels form on the retina by way of neovascularization. The blood vessels, which break easily and are extremely fragile, can lead to bleeding within the eye, causing cloudy vision. Left untreated, the disease can result in retinal tears or detachments, both which can severely damage your vision.

Macular edema can happen at either of these stages.

3. Luckily, there are treatment options available for diabetic retinopathy

According to Rosenthal, the gold standard for PDR is a laser treatment.

When your eye is not receiving great blood flow, it sends a signal to bring these new blood vessels, said Rosenthal. Were trying to stop that signal from being sent by putting laser in those areas.

At Kellogg, laser surgery is considered the mainstay of treatment for proliferative diabetic retinopathy. Most of us at Kellogg, and many other retina specialists, feel that its probably the best option, said Rosenthal.

Another treatment option involves medicine injections into the eye, which can sometimes treat the new blood vessels being formed.

Although sometimes these new blood vessels can be treated with these injections, the treatment is temporary and needs to be repeated, often monthly, Rosenthal said.

The injections are a great treatment for macular edema, however, and can help improve your vision if you have this.

4. Good health maintenance and consistent doctor visits are key in preventing severe disease

Since these eye complications stem from an underlying, chronic disease, the problem must be attacked at the root by regulating your blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol with your primary care provider.

But Rosenthals biggest piece of advice? Visit an eye doctor yearly.

You might not notice any problems during the earlier stages, so its important to get your eyes examined regularly, said Rosenthal. If we can detect the issue early, we have a much better chance of preventing irreversible vision loss and the later stages of the disease.

She adds that warning signs of advancing diabetic eye disease may include new floaters, decreased vision or spots in your vision.

As a patient with diabetes, you may already feel as if your schedule is filled with medical appointments and its difficult to make time for another. However, eye health is critical, and vision loss from diabetes is preventable with timely interventions.

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MUMBAI, India, Dec. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- In India, more than 80 million people are diagnosed with diabetes. By 2030, the number stated will see an increase to 130 million if no action is taken. Diabetes is an alarming issue in our country that requires immediate attention and precaution. With over 90 million people with prediabetes, 70% of them will convert to type 2 diabetes in the next 5-10 years.Diabetes is a chronic disease developed mainly due to one's lifestyle choices and family history. It is a combination of factors- environmental and genetic factors. Pre-diabetes which is a precursor to diabetes - is when one's body is insulin resistant. When not treated and identified, this can further convert to Type -2 diabetes.

Fitterfly Healthtech, a leading Indian Digital Therapeutics company, pioneered the #FightPrediabetes campaign, in partnership with top doctors of India, Roche Diabetes, USV and Lal Path labs. The campaign created awareness about prediabetes and reached over a million Indians via online events, social media, corporate reach, etc. It was kickstarted on 14th August - 90 days before diabetes day - to draw attention to the prediabetes situation in India. As part of this, a nationwide study was conducted to assess the risk of prediabetes in Indian adults, the first-of-its-kind initiative in India. The test is an evidence-based, clinically-validated tool to assess an individual's risk of Pre-diabetes, following international protocols for prediabetes detection such as the American Diabetes Association and Centers for Disease Control (USA).

5000 people from the top 10 cities of India took the test and people were asked questions about their health profile, family history of diabetes, other health conditions and lifestyle. The online survey generated a report and classified the people into various risk profiles for diabetes and prediabetes- low, moderate or high. Detailed reports and recommendations to prevent progression to diabetes were shared after the test with all participants.

The data was then studied using statistical analysis for the calculation of relative risk of prediabetes with factors like age, BMI, physical activity, family history of diabetes and the presence of high blood pressure.

Dr Arbinder Singal, CEO & Cofounder of Fitterfly said, "This is a first-of-its-kind study in India which highlights the high metabolic risks that people need to take seriously by using an online risk calculator made for the Indian population -www.fitterfly.com/prediabetes-risk-test. The keys are to lose weight and bring BMI under 23 and increase physical activity. I was also diagnosed to have prediabetes in 2019 and with a strong family history of diabetes, I was really worried. I used advanced technology built by Fitterfly to understand blood sugar response to various foods using a CGM sensor, make the right food choices and get a variety of physical activities to reverse my prediabetes. We would suggest that prediabetes is the right stage for us to work together at a national level to fight the incoming tsunami of diabetes."

Further to the analysis conducted, weight is considered a big contributor in developing type 2 diabetes. Our findings gathered about 89.1% of people with BMI (above>23) in the overweight and obese category had a moderate to high risk score for developing prediabetes. Additionally, if they have a family history of diabetes and less than the recommended level of physical activity (150 mins per week), the risk goes up by 40 times.

Therefore, it is crucial to maintain a healthy lifestyle by constantly monitoring one's calorie intake and calories burnt. With links between obesity and diabetes established, reducing even a small amount of weight can help improve one's body's insulin sensitivity. With the Fitterfly study conducted, an average weight reduction between 8-12 Kg can significantly reduce the risk to low risk categories.

About Fitterfly

Fitterfly is a smart, personal digital therapeutic solution that is an anytime, anywhere companion for patients to truly achieve their health goals. The company offers a clinically validated, digital-led therapy that connects patients, health coaches and healthcare providers in meaningful ways to enable sustainable behaviour change that is at the core of good health.

Fitterfly achieves transformational outcomes for patients with personalised, data and coaching-led behaviour change via Vogital (voice and digital) touchpoints with a user-centric app. The programs are based on glocally accepted, evidence-based protocols and cutting-edge research.

Fitterfly's current product suite includes scientific and hyper-personalized DTx programs for diabetes, PCOS, obesity, pregnancy, and child wellness. They are the preferred digital therapeutic partner for many doctors, hospitals, organisations like pharma companies, corporates and medical device companies.

Fitterfly was Co-Founded by Dr Arbinder Singal- CEO, Shailesh Gupta- COO, and Jayesh Sawant- CTO/CPO.

Website:https://www.fitterfly.com/

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Age over 40, BMI above 23 and a Family History of Type 2 Diabetes Increases Diabetes Risk by 40 times - Findings from the Fitterfly Campaign - PR...