StemCell Therapy

If you think youre having these symptoms, consult a physician. A variety of tests can be done to diagnose neuropathy. There are certain patterns of complaints that suggest neuropathy, says Dr. Williams, so taking down a patient history that includes a description of the complaints is an important first step.

After that, your doctor can do a physical examination, checking motor and sensory function, checking deep tendon reflexes, as well as looking for symptoms such as allodynia and hyperalgesia, Williams says. Then we can also perform electrodiagnostic testing; the most common being electromyography and nerve conduction testing, where we can stimulate nerves and record responses, calculate the speed at which signals are being transmitted and see if there are any areas where nerves are not transmitting signals normally, Williams continues.

With needle examinations, Williams says, We can put small needles into individual muscles, and, based on what we see and hear with the needle in the muscle, get information about how the nerves supplying that muscle are functioning. So there are a number of different tests that could be helpful to identifying neuropathy, as well as localizing where the abnormality is most likely to be coming from.

Frequently, blood tests can check for elevated blood sugar (to see if your symptoms may be related to type 2 diabetes), vitamin deficiencies, toxic elements, hereditary disorders, and evidence of an abnormal immune response. (11)

Your doctor may also do a nerve biopsy, which usually entails removing a small portion of a sensory nerve to look for abnormalities, or a skin biopsy to see if there is a reduction in nerve endings. (12)

To give yourself the best chance of an accurate diagnosis and relief of your symptoms be prepared to describe your symptoms in detail, when you experience them, how long an episode lasts, and the amount of discomfort, pain or loss of sensation or movement you experience. The more specific you can be about the symptoms you are experiencing, the easier it will be for your doctor to understand what is going on.

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Neuropathy Signs, Symptoms, and Diagnosis | Everyday Health

What is peripheral neuropathy?

Peripheral neuropathy is a disorder of nerve(s) apart from the brain and spinal cord. Patients with peripheral neuropathy may have tingling, numbness, unusual sensations, weakness, or burning pain in the affected area. Oftentimes, the symptoms are symmetrical and involve both hands and feet. Because the symptoms are often present in the areas covered by gloves or stockings, peripheral neuropathy is often described as having a "glove and stocking" distribution of symptoms.

Peripheral neuropathy can involve different nerve types, including motor, sensory, and autonomic nerves. Peripheral neuropathy can also be categorized by the size of the nerve fibers involved, large, or small.

Neuropathy can present with many differing symptoms, including numbness, pain of different types, weakness, or loss of balance, depending on the type of nerve involved. Because the autonomic nerves control bodily functions that we do not consciously think of, such as heart rate, digestion, and emptying of the bowel and bladder, autonomic neuropathy manifests with symptoms affecting the loss of control of these functions. Symptoms may include problems with blood pressure, voiding, passage of stools (diarrhea, or constipation), heart rate, or sweating.

Cranial neuropathy is similar to peripheral neuropathy, except that the cranial nerves are involved. Any of the cranial nerves can be involved. One of the more common causes of cranial neuropathy is loss of blood flow from the optic artery to the optic nerve, causing ischemic optic neuropathy. Amyloidosis is one of the more common causes of this rare disorder.

Specific nerves can be involved in neuropathy. When a specific nerve is involved, the symptoms are limited to the distribution of that nerve. The most commonly involved peripheral nerve is the median nerve at the wrist in carpal tunnel syndrome. Essentially any peripheral nerve can become entrapped and cause the signs and symptoms of neuropathy. The ulnar nerve is commonly entrapped at the elbow. The peroneal nerve is exposed at the outer part of the knee. The pudendal nerve can cause pain in the perineum and is relieved by sitting on a toilet seat or an inflatable donut. Entrapment of the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve at the waist, called meralgia paresthetica, causes numbness at the outer part of the thigh.

Read more here:
Peripheral Neuropathy Symptoms, Causes, Treatment & Prognosis

Editor's Note:The Case Challenge series includes difficult-to-diagnose conditions, some of which are not frequently encountered by most clinicians but are nonetheless important to accurately recognize. Test your diagnostic and treatment skills using the following patient scenario and corresponding questions. If you have a case that you would like to suggest for a future Case Challenge, please contact us.

A 40-year-old man is referred for neurologic evaluation after presenting with peripheral neuropathy. Three years ago, he noted numbness, burning pain, and reduced temperature sensation in his feet. For the past 2 years, he has had dry eyes and dry mouth; urinary retention that requires self-catheterization; gastrointestinal symptoms, including alternating diarrhea and constipation; and nausea. His weight has decreased by 40 lb (18.1 kg) over 12 months. He has noticed decreased sweating.

For several months, he has had frequent syncopal episodes triggered by positional change. In hindsight, he reports intermittent dizziness associated with a "daydreaming" feeling that began 8 years ago; however, these spells were not associated with loss of consciousness. He was also recently diagnosed with Sjgren syndrome.

He reports no chest pain, palpitations, shortness of breath, or edema. A review of systems is otherwise unremarkable. His past medical history is notable for hypothyroidism. His family history is notable for a grandfather who had gastrointestinal problems and a sister who has palpitations. His parents are alive and have no neurologic symptoms. He takes no medications or supplements.

Medscape2020WebMD, LLC

Any views expressed above are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect the views of WebMD or Medscape.

Cite this: Amanda Kennedy,Jeffrey Kaplan,Dianna Quan.A 40-Year-Old Man With Dizziness, Confusion, and Neuropathy-Medscape-Jan21,2020.

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A 40-Year-Old Man With Dizziness, Confusion, and Neuropathy - Medscape

By Zach Cavanagh

It started about a year ago.

San Juan Hills boys basketball coach Jason Efstathioustarted to notice some things in his body last January. By March of last year,he found himself barely able to walk, and then by the summer, he was in bed fornearly 12 hours a day.

I was like a burn victim on the inside, Efstathiou said.

From May until late December and his full return asStallions head coach on Jan. 3, Efstathiou was out battling an extremely rareform of neuropathy. Efstathiou, who is a type-one diabetic, said the diseaseattacks your nerves and affects 1% of diabetics.

Most neuropathies see the victim lose sensation in theirnerves, but Efstathious neuropathy was the opposite with a hypersensitivityand burning sensation.

For three months, they didnt know what I had, Efstathiousaid. I was going to MRIs and CT scans and all that kind of stuff.

Over those months, Efstathiou had been getting daily treatmentswith doctors and nerve therapists. Treatments consisted of machines that sentsignals to his nerves.

Efstathiou said he had lost 35 pounds at one point, and withbeing out of work officially since May, the San Juan Hills parents andcommunity held a fundraiser in September to support their sidelined coach.

It sounds dramatic, Efstathiou said, but I was really bad, like almost died, thats how bad I was. They all knew about it. People were being very supportive. Im very grateful to the coaches. The coaches and parents in the program had my back big time.

Over time, Efstathious condition improved, and he returnedto practices in September in a limited capacity. Efstathiou spends most ofpractice sitting on a stool near midcourt and relays instructions through hisassistant coaches.

I still limp around, Efstathiou said. I cant demonstatestuff. When I coach or teach I have to sit down. Ive given my bench guysassignments. I dont have a loud voice again yet. I use a whistle now. Idnever used a whistle before.

Efstathiou said hes still healing, and his doctors andnerve therapist feel that Efstathiou will keep getting better. The amount ofimprovement hes seen makes Efstathiou feel that it will go away, even if ittakes another year or two.

On coaching, Efstathiou said the experience has changed himand has given him a new perspective.

Im more focused on the big picture than living and dyingwith each game, Efstathiou said. I dont get as gnarly. (With the players,)Im trying to be more like understand the situation, understand when somethinggets taken away. I feel fortunate to be here and coaching you guys. You guysshould be grateful to be on a high school basketball team. Theres so many kidsthat never make it to their high school varsity team.

Efstathiou also said the ordeal has bettered his sidelinedemeanor.

Its keeping me calmer, Efstathiou said. The more intenseI get then I start to get more burning. In my mind, I just have to staycalmer.

With Efstathiou returning just before the start of Sea ViewLeague play, keeping calm is a taller task some nights more than others, but sofar, the Stallions have been good with those things for their coach.

San Juan Hills (9-14, 3-1) won its first three league gamesin strong fashion with victories over Laguna Hills by 29 points, Dana Hills byeight points and El Toro by five points.

I told them the way weve been starting games playing withintensity, Efstathiou said, were going to be tough. A lot of teams wesurprise them a little bit. I think if you come out and play intense, and Ithink our guys are a little inspired right now, as long as we execute, I thinktheres a good opportunity.

Efstathiou got more fired up in San Juan Hills Wednesdaymatch-up as the Stallions battled league-favorite Tesoro for the league lead.The Stallions gave the Titans all they could handle and held a five-point leadin the fourth quarter. However, San Juan Hills couldnt execute down thestretch, and Tesoro took advantage of a foul-filled physical game by making itsfinal 14 points on free throws in a 65-57 win.

San Juan Hills still sits in second place in the Sea ViewLeague, and the Stallions will get another shot at Tesoro.

In the broad perspective, Efstathiou and San Juan Hills are right where they want to be.

Zach Cavanagh

Zach Cavanagh is the sports editor for Picket Fence Media. Zach is aCalifornia Journalism Award winner and has covered sports in Orange County since 2013. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram @ZachCav and follow our sports coverage on Twitter @SouthOCSports. Email Zach at zcavanagh@picketfencemedia.com.

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Fighting the Fire: Battling Rare Neuropathy, San Juan Hills' Efstathiou Coaches with New Perspective - Capistrano Dispatch

WOBURN, Mass., Jan. 27, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NeuroMetrix, Inc., (Nasdaq: NURO) today reported financial and business highlights for the quarter and year ended December 31, 2019.

The Company develops and commercializes diagnostic and therapeutic neurostimulation-based medical devices. The Company has three commercial products. DPNCheck is a point-of-care diagnostic test for peripheral neuropathies including diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN). ADVANCE is a point-of-care diagnostic test primarily used for carpal tunnel syndrome. Quell is a wearable neurostimulation device that is available over-the-counter for symptomatic relief of chronic pain.

Q4 2019 Highlights:

"Although we were disappointed by the overall drop in revenue from the year-ago period, we expected this outcome given our large reduction in operating expenses, attention to improved gross margins and overall focus on long term growth and profitability. We believe we made important progress against these objectives. We experienced strong demand for DPNCheck during the fourth quarter which is typically our slowest period. This momentum should carry into 2020 as new Medicare Advantage accounts come on board and we expect a rebound in international sales. Our enthusiasm for the DPNCheck business is reflected in our investment in the next generation device to be launched in late 2020, said Shai N. Gozani, M.D., Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of NeuroMetrix. Our Quell business is focused on cost-efficient advertising combined with an exclusively direct-to-consumer model via our QuellRelief.com website and exploration of new markets. We believe this technology is unique and represents an attractive long term opportunity for the Company. Finally, we are actively engaged with the Federal Trade Commission(FTC) to resolve the previously disclosed matter which is centered on earlier Quell advertising.

Financials:Regarding the fourth quarter 2019, total revenues were $1.7 million, down 54% from $3.7 million in the prior year period. Gross margin was $1.1 million versus $1.7 million in Q4 2018. The gross margin rate of 62.2% improved from 46.9% in Q4 2018. Operating expenses were $2.7 million, a reduction of $1.9 million from $4.6 million in Q4 2018. Collaboration income of $0.6 million was recognized in Q4 2019. Net loss was $1.1 million compared to $2.8 million in Q4 2018. Net cash usage from operations was $.7 million, a reduction from $2.7 million in Q4 2018. The Company ended the quarter with cash of $3.1 million.

Regarding the full year 2019, total revenues were $9.3 million, down from $16.1 million in 2018. Gross margin was $2.2 million after inventory-related write-downs of $2.6 million. 2018 gross margin was $7.4 million. Operating expenses were $13.8 million versus $19.7 million in 2018. Income from the GSK collaboration was $7.7 million in comparison with $12.3 million in 2018. Net loss was $3.8 million versus net income of $24 thousand in 2018.

Company to Host Live Conference Call and WebcastNeuroMetrix will host a conference call at 8:00 a.m. Eastern today, January 27, 2020. The call may be accessed in the United States at 844-787-0799, international at 661-378-9630 using confirmation code 6728609. A replay will be available starting two hours after the call at 855-859-2056 United States and 404-537-3406 international using confirmation code 6728609. It will remain available for one week. The call will also be webcast and accessible at http://www.NeuroMetrix.com under "Investor Relations".

About NeuroMetrixNeuroMetrix is a leading developer of diagnostic and therapeutic neurostimulation-based medical devices. DPNCheck is a point-of-care diagnostic test for diabetic neuropathy, which is the most common long-term complication of Type 2 diabetes. ADVANCE is a point-of-care nerve conduction study that evaluates multiple nerves including the median nerve, which is affected in carpal tunnel syndrome. Quell is a wearable neurostimulation device for symptomatic relief of chronic pain that is available over-the-counter. For more information, please visit NeuroMetrix.com.

Safe Harbor StatementThe statements contained in this press release include forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, including, without limitation, statements regarding the companys or managements expectations regarding the business, as well as events that could have a meaningful impact on the companys revenues and cash resources. While the company believes the forward-looking statements contained in this press release are accurate, there are a number of factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, estimates of future performance, the ability to successfully develop, receive regulatory clearance, commercialize and achieve market acceptance for any products, and the final outcome of the ongoing Federal Trade Commission civil investigative demand enforcement action involving Quell. There can be no assurance that future developments will be those that the company has anticipated. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors including those risks, uncertainties and factors referred to in the companys most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, as well as other documents that may be filed from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission or otherwise made public. The company is providing the information in this press release only as of the date hereof, and expressly disclaims any intent or obligation to update the information included in this press release or revise any forward-looking statements.

Source: NeuroMetrix, Inc.

Thomas T. HigginsSVP and Chief Financial Officer781-314-2761neurometrix.ir@neurometrix.com

NeuroMetrix, Inc.Statements of Operations(Unaudited)

Condensed Balance Sheets(Unaudited)

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NeuroMetrix Reports Q4 and Full Year 2019 Financial Results - BioSpace

(KPRC)Many people drink lemon water because they think it tastes good, or they think it has some health benefits.

Heres a look at what makes it so great.

The majority of women are walking around dehydrated. Adding lemon to your water might be the motivation you need to drink more.

In doing so, you can reduce sugar cravings and get good antioxidants. And that citrus fruit is packing the potential to decrease your risk of kidney stones or reduce diabetic neuropathy.

Dietitian Erin Gussler with the Whole Health Center in Houston, Texas, says she knows this because of studies done in mice.

And in humans, she says it can relieve morning sickness.

"There was a study that showed that drinking lemon water during pregnancy actually can decrease nausea and vomiting so the study showed that consuming lemon water for 4 days actually decrease nausea and vomiting by 33%, Gussler says.

But there's a catch. To get these benefits you might need lots and we mean lots of lemon. Think one-half to two whole lemons a day!

"Some of the studies were like an obscene amount of lemon. Like, like cups of lemon, Gussler says.

While the amount matters more than anything, the temperature only slightly matters. Warm lemon water can help with constipation more than cold water but be careful not to get essential oils too hot.

"There are some studies that show heating those oils to high can break down so thinking about getting a mix of hot and cold and playing with that just to get maximum benefit of both, Gussler says.

Dentists warn patients not to drink too much lemon since the acidity can damage enamel.

They say to lessen that potential damage, you can try drinking through a straw.

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The health benefits of lemon water | News - WPSD Local 6

Some experts have been saying that the Istanbul Canal will open the Montreux Convention up to debate, despite the governments assurance that the Istanbul Canal and the 1936 agreement regarding Turkeys ownership of the Turkish Straits are independent of each other. Retired Admiral Mustafa Ozbey has evaluated the Istanbul Canals correlation to the Montreux convention, and offered his opinions about how the Canal might affect it.

Ozbey believes that the Montreux agreement has already been opened up to debate by President Erdogan himself, adding that while Turkeys west, south and east are already in conflict and at risk, it is an act of strategic blindness to open the Black Sea to debate over the Istanbul Canal.

The Istanbul Canal has already debated in the context of its damage to the environment, the ecological differences between the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara, the route which the Canal will be built, security concerns and more. The biggest controversy around the Canal, however, is its correlation with the Montreux Straits Convention.

Ozbey suggests that there is a lot of disinformation spreading about the relationship between the Istanbul Canal and the Montreux Convention, and even worse, that this disinformation has been crafted intentionally by those who oppose the Canal. If you notice, the supporters of the Canal are avoiding the Montreux debate as much as possible, whereas we are highlighting it specifically as the main issue. However, we are debating it in the wrong way, making it difficult to understand, Ozbey said.

Ozbey stressed the importance of making the Canal-Montreux Convention correlation simple, understandable and clear, and has evaluated the relationship with anecdotes:

1. The Montreux Convention Regarding the Regime of the Turkish Straits, is one of the most important international conventions of the 20th century.

2. The Convention ensured that all the powers of the Straits Commission (established alongside the Treaty of Lausanne to regulate the transit of ships and our sovereign rights for the Turkish Straits Region) be given to Turkey.

3. The Conventions verdicts include sovereign rights for Turkey far beyond the powers of the previous commission. The Convention also granted Turkey management of one of the most critical passageways in the world.

PxFuel

4. Turkey has fulfilled its authority and responsibility with such success during the Second World War and the Cold War eras, that an unwritten immunity has been established for the convention.

5. In light of the Conventions fair and successful implementation, the signatories did not even request any repeal/amendment, despite that the terms of the Convention expired 20 years ago.

6. With the statutes that were established in 1994 regulating the transit of merchant ships, Turkey clarified the principle of freedom of passage. Turkey has used the arrangement to pressure the IMO to adopt new safety precautions through the Turkish Straits. With the other improvements it has implemented over time, Turkey has used its authority to improve both the navigation of transitions and the overall safety of the Turkish Straits.

7. Turkey should use its right and authority to make crossing through the straits safer without having to open a canal that will be extremely expensive and potentially cause an environmental disaster.

8. Experts believe that the canal could actually make crossings more dangerous.

9. The free of crossings hypothesis, one of the justifications for the Canal, is also based on a misleading argument. Strait crossings are conducted in accordance with the verdicts of the convention. Increasing the income from crossings is also possible by staying within the Montreux Convention. The Convention is backed by the Gold Standard as a result of using the French Franc as its payment currency. In 1981, Turkey experienced a huge loss of revenue as a result of using the US Dollar as a currency instead of the Franc. By correcting this mistake, Turkey will be able to increase its income significantly.

10. Charging a fee for Canal crossings is unlikely. This is essentially an imaginary justification for the construction of the Canal. Even if the Montreux Convention is repealed, it will not be possible for merchant ships to be diverted to another route.

11. As discussed earlier, the security and income of transit will not actually increase with the opening of the Canal.

By Randam Own work. Adjusted from Kanal stanbul.svg, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=84903496

12. In regard to warships using the Strait: although there have been some attempts to violate the agreement, countries have been found to be complying to the verdicts of the Convention. However, it is well known that the United States is not happy with the restrictions on the Black Sea and is striving to change things.

In this context, if the Canal is opened, technical debates such as those around the Dardanelles Canal, as well as debates over whether warships should be allowed to pass through the Canal or not, could prove dangerous.

13. Erdogan has made his first major mistake around the issue by inviting NATO to the Black Sea after the downing of the Russian jet in 2016. NATO exercises grew more frequent as a result.

14. Even if Turkey gives up on the idea of the Canal, the Convention has already been opened to debate by Erdogan. Although the United States is not even a party to this Convention, we can expect that it is preparing amendments for the passage of warships and its presence in the Black Sea, via Romania and/or Bulgaria.

15. While Turkeys west, south and east are already in conflict and at risk, it is an act of strategic blindness to open the Black Sea to debate over the Istanbul Canal.

16. Russia is observing these debates very quietly and with diplomatic courtesy for the time being. However, Russia has stated that it considers the Montreux Convention, sacred. Thus, it will not actively involve itself in the debate until the last moment. Moscow will, however, monitor the formation of any new fault lines between the US and Turkey. It should also be kept in mind that if Russia sees concrete cooperation between the United States and Turkey, such as that which would inevitably result from violating the Montreux Convention, it will use all the cards it has to counter it.

Turkey should immediately end the fabricated Canal Istanbul disgrace, and return to its former path.

-

Mustafa Ozbey started his career in 1965 as a naval officer Following his graduation from Turkish Naval Academy

Ozbey actively participated in the Cyprus Peace Operation in 1974 and Kardak Crisis.

In 1996, Ozbey served in various different warships as a department head, executive and commanding officer

He has also served as a destroyer division commodore and flag officer for various combatant squadrons .

Most recently, he was a chief of staff at Turkish Fleet HQ as rear admiral.

Ozbey has participated in advanced training programs both domestically and abroad, and worked in NATO Headquarters in Brussels between 1984 and 1987.

He retired in 2001 with the rank of Rear Admiral at his own request.

Excerpt from:
Opening the Montreux Convention to debate is an act of strategic blindness - United World International

"You must sing like an angel," a woman once said to Leona Godin when she was about to go onstage with her white cane.

The woman clearly had not seen me perform, Godin thought.

The Avant-Accordion Brain-Smash performance she prepared for the show was anything but angelic. It was loud and brash. Dark and complex.

From an early age, Godin embraced punk rock because it reveled in the messiness and complications of life.

"Fighting against the idea of the monolith of blindness [with punk rock] is kind of my raison d'tre these days," she told Tapestry host Mary Hynes in an interview.

Like the woman Godin encountered backstage, many people jump to the assumption that a blind singer must sound angelic. They think of artists like Andrea Bocelli, whom Celine Dion praised as having the voice of God and Canadian record producer David Foster has described as having the most beautiful voice in the world.

But Godin, who was diagnosed with degenerative retinal disease as a child, wants us to ditch that stereotype.

Leona Godin singing and playing drums in her band Gutter & Spine's "Sludge" video (2007)

"There are just as many ways of being blind as there are of being sighted," she pointed out. "There's all kinds of permutations for what it is to be a sighted person, and I want that for blind people too."

Godin, who's also a writer, describes her own music as being focused on ideas. It's not beautiful by any means "there's a lot of chanting, bellowing and screaming," and it takes inspiration from dark themes she encountered in literature.

Godin's passion for punk rock began at around the same time when she started losing her eyesight as a child. In the early '80s, less was known about degenerative retinal disease than today. So when her mother took her to see eye doctors, none of them could figure out what was going on, and instead blamed her for her condition.

The head of ophthalmology at the Letterman Army Hospital in the now-decommissioned Presidio of San Francisco scolded her mother: "maybe she can't see because you've been taking her to so many eye doctors." Other doctors told Godin that her eyes are growing too fast for her body, she recalled.

"It was things like that that primed me for a mistrust of authority, which I think is a very good place to be when you start to hear punk rock because it's all about that," said Godin.

As Godin's vision continued to deteriorate, she struggled to make out words and faces. By the time she was 15 years old, she could no longer read books. Godin began experimenting with LSD and delved deeper into the world of punk rock to help her cope.

The drugs, the punk music and the lashing out were Godin's way of venting her frustration at going blind and not being able to do anything about it, she shared.

Getting into trouble and defying authority helped Godin shatter the pity that people felt for her, which she despised.

Punk rock in the '80s was new and edgy, anti-establishment and raw. It also came with a kind of cheap, do-it-yourself, anti-commercial aesthetic that some may find brutal, but Godin found beautiful.

"I remember wearing these fish bobbins as jewelry. That was very attractive to me."

There was a boy in her high school who had bright green hair, which was unusual at the time, and Godin was enamoured with him.

"He was so attractive and I think maybe part of the attraction was simply he was so noticeable," Godin recalled. "There's some part of me that wonders how much was it just a natural tendency to want to be a rebel as a kid, and how much of it was the eye disease and me just liking things that were extremely visually striking because I couldn't really notice subtlety."

Godin said her life-long obsession with things that are ugly and that push the limits of what's acceptable likely originated from her inability to fit in.

"A lot of people with disabilities want very badly to fit in, to try and be normal," said Godin. "But I realized at a certain point that I was never going to be normal. So you can either bang your head against the wall, or embrace the abnormality of seeing things differently or not seeing what other people see."

Godin eventually took her love of punk rock music to the stage as a performer. But these days, she's working on a book focused on what she calls a "cacophony of blind voices."

"What I mean by that is there are as many ways of being blind as there are of being sighted, and I want all those possibilities to exist and clash, because that's what being punk rock is about," she explained.

For Godin, punk is about more than loud music or a brutalist aesthetic; punk is an ethos. She said embracing the spirit of punk rock means reaching beyond stereotypes when we encounter someone who's different from us.

"It's realizing that what we don't understand is not necessarily simple or easy to put into a box, and it's okay to not understand it, but we shouldn't dismiss it," said Godin.

"The most punk rock spirit is really just tearing it up and making the whole story look a lot messier, a lot more raggedy. So open your ears to the cacophony of blind voices instead of the stereotypes we're used to, and let's hear it for the messiness."

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How punk rock helped one woman find power in her blindness - CBC.ca

The Blind Foundation for India in a Jan. 12 news release announced it has raised $5 million.

The foundation was established in 1989 with a mission to prevent and cure blindness, and educate and rehabilitate permanently blind people in India.

There are over 15 million blind people in India which translates to one out of every three blinds in the world, the release from BFIs Indian American president Dr. Manu Vora said.

There is a power of prevention, such as $1 of Vitamin A drops administered from age 4-6, which prevents the child from going blind. That child getting education has a potential to earn $100,000 during his or her lifetime $1 investment leading to $100,000 benefit of exponential power, it said.

Additionally, in India it only costs $20 for a cataract operation as compared to $4,000 in the U.S.

The funds raised will be used to examine the eyesight of over 1 million adults. So far, BFI has conducted over 200,000 free cataract operations, donated 131 medical mobile vans to transport doctors and patients, and distributed over 10,000 Braille kits to blind children for their education. The major BFI focus is on prevention of Blindness through Child Sight Projects. Over 1 million school childrens eyesight has been examined and given free glasses, eye drops, Vitamin A, and in some cases, cataract operations, it said.

With Rotary International Matching Grants, BFI has completed 14 projects worth $500,000. About 75 percent of BFI funding is provided to various Ramakrishna Mission Centers throughout India for blind welfare work.

In 2012 with major BFI funding, OPD Hall and Consulting Rooms was established at the Vivekananda Eye Care Center at Shri Ramakrishna Ashrama in Rajkot, Gujarat.

Currently, they treat daily 500 OPD eyecare patients with 25-30 cataract operations per day performed all year round, the release said. In 2019, a new Cornea Transplant Center was added at SRA. In 2014, two Medical Mobile Vans were donated to the Ramakrishna Mission Home of Service, Varanasi, for regular outreach to rural communities surrounding Varanasi area, the release added.

In June 2004, BFI received a Daily Point of Light Award by the Points of Light Foundation. The foundation has also received Letter of Commendations from presidents Bill Clinton, George H. W. Bush, George W. Bush and Barack Obama. In meetings with the vice president of India, BFI updates were shared in 2001 and in 2004. In 2011, 30 BFI volunteers received a Volunteer Service Award from Obama.

More information about the foundation can be found by visiting http://www.blindfoundation.org.

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Blind Foundation for India Announces $5 Million in Funds Raised to Treat Blindness - India West

"Sugar is cheap and ubiquitous, so it's readily accessible to everyone. You walk into a service station and there's a counter of lollies as you walk in," he said.

Dr Muecke, 56, was named Australian of the Year 2020 at a glittering awards ceremony in Canberra on Saturday night, in recognition of his work preventing blindness in Australia and the developing world.

The Sight For All co-founder had been nominated for the honour alongside orthopaedic surgeon Munjed Al Muderis, the NSW Australian of the year who is lobbying for action on climate change, singer-songwriter Archie Roach (Victoria), Jess Melbourne-Thomas (Tasmania), Rachel Downie (Queensland), Annie Fogarty (WA), Katrina Fanning (ACT) and Geoffrey Thompson (NT).

"Blindness is just one of many complications of diabetes and, as an eye surgeon, I see the end stages of the disease," Dr Muecke said.

"I think we need to take sweet products away from checkout counters, particularly when they're discounted," he said.

"We've got to make them less accessible to the public."

National Australia Day Council chair Danielle Roche said Dr Mueckes "passionate and selfless commitment to preventing blindness" was "changing lives".

Dr Muecke said he also wanted to encourage people with diabetes to get their eyes checked.

"The problem is, more than half the people with this disease are not having their regular sight-saving eye checks," he said.

"They're coming in too late, sometimes too late for treatment, too late to reverse the vision loss."

Prime Minister Scott Morrison paid tribute to the volunteer firefighters battling bushfires in his opening remarks at the Australian of the Year awards, saying the thousands of men and women were "reminding us about what it means to be a citizen of this great nation".

"They - like the nominees here tonight - are demonstrating to us that our national story is one of great achievement - but also of pain, of effort, sweat," Mr Morrison said.

"Through this long summer, we have seen the unquenchable spirit of Australians. Australians rallying to each other, be they family, friends, or indeed strangers."

Dana is health and industrial relations reporter for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.

Here is the original post:
Australian of the Year calls for sugar tax to fight diabetes-caused blindness - The Age

left to right, instructor Jake Wendell and participant Kenta Otawa.

left to right, instructor Jake Wendell and participant Kenta Otawa.

Photo: Dan Gentile / SFGate

left to right, instructor Jake Wendell and participant Kenta Otawa.

left to right, instructor Jake Wendell and participant Kenta Otawa.

Blindness, amputations and paralysis can't stop these veterans from skiing Tahoe

Like most ski camps, the first thing you see when walking out onto the slopes of Achieve Tahoes headquarters at Alpine Meadows is a beginner wipeout and some encouraging teasing from instructors.

The difference between this and any other normal scene at the base of the mountain is in the gear: poles with stabilizing blades offer amputees stability, sit-down bi-skis help those with paralysis make their way down the mountain and orange blind skier vests serve as a reminder that with enough willpower, just about anything is possible.Since 1967, the non-profit Achieve Tahoe has empowered the disabled to learn how to ski. As the founding chapter of Disabled Sports USA (there are now 140 around the country), the group has pioneered the use of innovative equipment and instruction that lets almost anyone safely traverse the slopes, from the blind to amputees to those with cognitive disabilities like autism.Everyone likes to feel this level of achievement. People say stoke or passion -- what you get from being outdoors and feeling the wind in your hair, says executive director Haakon Lang-Ree, who started with Achieve Tahoe as a volunteer 27 years ago. The freedom of choosing your own path down the mountain, everyone likes that feeling, and this is a population that doesnt get too many chances to do that.

RELATED: 'You have a bunch of hungover 20-year-olds': Locals sound off on Tahoe tourists

The program works with roughly 700 individuals a year during the winter, plus half of that in summer, all heavily subsidized thanks to their non-profit status. Lessons take place at Alpine, Squaw Valley, Northstar and Sugar Bowl, with adaptive equipment included and free or discounted skis, poles and boots donated by rental shops.

Todays a special day at Alpine Meadows. In addition to Achieve Tahoes regular services, once a year they offer a program specifically aimed at wounded veterans. The Anthem Winter Ski Festival invites former members of the armed services to a three-day camp, typically free of charge (thanks to some generous donors).

During the first morning, the scene outside their headquarters looks a lot like any other resort. People lounge at picnic benches suiting up, newbies glide on the flat snow to gain their balance, and more than one never ever beginner takes a tumble to the ground. Excited skiers joke with each other as they take off on the lift and rise over the treeline. Theres a comradery in the air, and also a sense of determination. Whatever challenges the participants have faced, theres nothing stopping them from enjoying the mountain.

Since Achieve Tahoes inception, the non-profit has been at the forefront of implementing adaptive tech to remove barriers to enjoying both the fitness and social elements of skiing. In the 80s, one of their instructors developed one of the first sit-down ski systems. Although most of the gear addresses issues of stability, Achieve Tahoe is also on the cutting edge of mechanized technology. The company hosts the beta site for a University of Utah program developing a fully automated mono-ski thats controlled via joystick. Motors inside the skis can wedge or edge, essentially reading the slopes like a golf green. They allow someone with quadriplegia who may be in a power wheelchair to have the same mountain experience as anyone else.

It opens up a whole new niche for folks who didnt have any options, says Lang-Ree.

RELATED: A new breed of ski bum: Working for Silicon Valley, living in Tahoe

For some of the wounded veterans, the equipment isnt the key, but rather patient instruction. If it werent for Kenta Otawas orange vest that reads blind skier, hed look just like any other first timer testing his balance on the bunny hills. The young veteran who traveled from San Diego lost most of his vision due to the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster in Japan, but he comes across as optimistic and determined not to let his disability keep him from doing anything (even gliding down a mountain). Hes never skied before, but thanks to the help of one-on-one instruction from Jake Wendell, hes already feeling comfortable after only a half-hour.

Through auditory and kinesthetic learning, we describe the movements and the feelings, then we just ski, said Wendell, as veterans in the distance weave between orange cones on mono-skis. Eventually we talk about a guiding method with verbal cues for the turn shapes. Hell be able to make his own turns, and I just let him know when hes getting off-center.

Im having a blast, says Otawa from behind slick, wrap-around black shades. He sounds just like any other over-confident beginner Im ready to go black diamond!

Dan Gentile is a digital editor at SFGATE. Email: Dan.Gentile@sfgate.com | Twitter: @Dannosphere

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Blindness, amputations and paralysis can't stop these veterans from skiing Tahoe - SFGate

Abstract / Synopsis:

Research is finding key patient benefits to gene therapy as a promising treatment strategy for Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON).

This article was reviewed by Patrick Yu-Wai-Man, FRCOphth, FRCPath, BMedSci, MBBS, PhD

Data from two clinical studies of Lebers hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON) showed substantial visual improvements in patients with both disease durations of less than six months and between six months and one year. The improvements resulted from a unilateral injection of a gene therapy vector (GS010) and remarkably, the viral vector seemed to be carried over to the untreated eye.

The mechanism of action for these unexpected results need to be clarified with further experimental work.

Related: Research targets precision dosing for gene, cell therapy

LHON is the most common cause of mitochondrial blindness with a minimal prevalence of one in 30,000 individuals in the population. It causes blindness mostly in young adult men with a peak age of onset in the third decade of life. It is invariably a bilateral disorder in which the fellow eye becomes affected within three to six months after disease onset in the first eye.

Both eyes are affected simultaneously in about 25% of patients, according to Patrick Yu-Wai-Man, FRCOphth, FRCPath, BMedSci, MBBS, PhD, an academic neuro-ophthalmologist with faculty positions at the University of Cambridge, Moorfields Eye Hospital, and the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, in the UK.

Three primary mutations within the mitochondrial genome cause about 90% of cases worldwide, namely, m.3460G>A, m.11778G>A and m.14484T>C, with m.11778G>A being the most common mutation by far, accounting for over 70% of those affected with LHON. Unfortunately, most affected patients remain legally blind with vision worse than 1.3 logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (logMAR) or 3/60 in Snellen equivalent.

Given the poor prognosis, there is an urgent clinical need to identify effective treatments for this blinding optic nerve disease.

Related: LHON gene therapy: Deciphering phase III data

TreatmentGene therapy is obviously a very attractive treatment option, because the underlying pathophysiology is due to insufficient amount of the wild-type protein, Dr. Yu-Wai-Man said. Therefore, if the defective gene is replaced, we should be able to rescue the retinal ganglion cells, preserving function and improving the visual prognosis.

He described the principles of allotopic gene expression that involves inserting the mitochondrial gene of interest, in this case MTND4, into the nuclear genome with a modified viral vector. The wild-type protein produced has a specific mitochondrial targeting sequence that directs it to be imported into the mitochondrial compartment.

The use of an intravitreal injection is a big advantage for this treatment approach as it is a relatively straightforward procedure that provides direct access to the inner retina. Previous preclinical work indicates that allotopic expression is able to rescue the retinal ganglion cells from the deleterious effects of the m.11778G>A mutation.

Related: Gene therapy offering hope for retinal, corneal patients

Continued here:
Studies target unilateral gene therapy injection - Ophthalmology Times

The 2020 Australian of the Year is Adelaide eye surgeon Dr James Muecke, who has been recognised for his work in helping to prevent blindness.

Dr Muecke began his medical career in Kenya, but has most recently turned his focus to type 2 diabetes - the leading cause of blindness in adults.

He plans to use his national platform to challenge Australians' perception of sugar and the impact it has on the development of type 2 diabetes.

2020 Australian of the Year Dr John Muecke.

AAP

Receiving the award, he made a joke that got a chuckle from the audience: "What a tremendous honour to be named Australian of the Year for 2020, such an auspicious year for eyesight."

The 56-year-old says with 80 per cent of blindness cases avoidable in the world, he sees the issue as one about human rights.

Dr Muecke founded Sight For All, an organisation dedicated to fighting all causes of blindness with projects in Aboriginal and mainstream Australian communities, Asia and Africa.

2020 Australian of the Year winner Dr James Muecke is hugged by his wife during the awards ceremony.

AAP

With diabetes becoming the leading cause of blindness among working-age adults in Australia, he will spend much of his time in the public spotlight this year talking up how to tackle what he describes as a "looming catastrophe".

Some of the solutions include a sugar tax, better food labelling and restrictions on advertising, especially during children's TV viewing times.

"People are going blind and losing vision, what we need to do is go right back to beginning and say what is causing this?"

He said as an eye surgeon he often saw patients at the end stage of their diabetes, when it's too late to save their sight.

Senior Australian of the Year winner Professor John Newnham, Local Hero winner Bernie Shakeshaft and Australian of the Year winner Dr James Muecke.

AAP

"What saddens me greatly is that, much of the time, such complications are avoidable, whether through lifestyle changes or more disciplined health checks," he said.

"My mission this year is to get back to the root cause of this disease and prevent what will otherwise be our nation's health catastrophe."

He wants to encourage "hard-hitting strategies" to build greater awareness of the detrimental role of sugar.

"And how it's as toxic and addictive as nicotine, and should be treated by consumers, businesses and governments as such."

The Chair of the National Australia Day Council, Danielle Roche, saidDr Muecke is to be commended for his achievements.

"Dr James Mueckes passionate and selfless commitment to preventing blindness here at home and around the world is literally changing lives," she said.

"He is a fierce advocate at the forefront of the fight against the rising epidemic of diabetes-induced blindness."

Tennis World No. 1 Ashleigh Barty from Queensland has been named as 2020 Young Australian of the Year.

Obstetrics specialist Professor John Newnham from Perth is Senior Australian of the Year.

The 67-year-old is recognised as one of the worlds leading authorities in the prevention of pre-term birth - the single greatest cause of death and disability in children up to five years of age.

Australias Local Hero award went to youth advocate Bernie Shakeshaft from Armidale, NSW.

Using the skills he developed growing up and as a jackaroo in the Northern Territory learning from the Aboriginal trackers, Bernie developed a program to help disadvantaged youth.

The BackTrack Youth Works Program uses animal-assisted learning, agricultural skills and a residential facility to help redirect youth.

The program has helped to decrease Armidales youth crime rate by more than 38 per cent.

More:
Eye surgeon James Muecke named Australian of the Year - SBS News

Posted January 27, 2020 15:24:40

The 2020 Australian of the Year, ophthalmologist James Muecke, plans to use his new title to increase awareness about the debilitating consequences of diabetes, but behind the scenes he has had to face his own health challenge.

The Adelaide eye doctor has spent about three decades working to prevent and treat blindness in some of the world's poorest countries.

"We're now seeing fantastic results. Children are surviving and they're actually keeping vision, which is immensely satisfying," Dr Muecke told 7.30.

"I loved the idea of doing very fine work with my hands and so microsurgery was always something that appealed to me as a doctor, and that then drove me down a pathway of ophthalmology.

"I loved the idea of surgery on the eye, such a delicate structure."

In a cruel twist, Dr Muecke has revealed he has been forced to stop doing the surgery he loves because of an inherited medical condition.

"Unfortunately I have a neurological disability which I've inherited from my father, which is impacting on my ability to use my right hand," he said.

"Fortunately it's not a life-threatening condition but it is a career-destroying condition.

"In the next year or two I'll have to bow out of my medical career sadly."

Having tackled some of the most confronting eye conditions, Dr Muecke is philosophical about his own medical challenge.

"I've met many people in my life who've had much tougher battles and their resilience is incredibly admirable," he said.

The condition has forced Dr Muecke to change his focus from surgery to advocacy.

He plans to use his Australian of the Year title to lobby hard for measures to tackle obesity, which can cause type 2 diabetes. The dietary-caused disease can cause blindness.

"Diabetes is now affecting one in 10 of our population," he said.

"Every year I'm seeing more and more patients who are losing vision as a result of this disease, a disease which is actually entirely preventable."

Dr Muecke is calling for a tax on sugar and said confronting advertising, similar to anti-smoking campaigns, was warranted.

"The government can help by reducing the time and space for sweet products, particularly during children's TV," he said.

"I think we need to have a clearer labelling system of sweet products, and for those products with high sugar content, taxing would be very important to help people choose lower sugar alternatives," he told 7.30.

Diabetes cost Neil Hansell his eyesight. He is now the face of Dr Muecke's campaign to highlight the debilitating consequences of the disease.

"Basically I went to bed one night, woke up the next morning and everything was black," Mr Hansell said.

"I would describe Dr Muecke as being very, very passionate at what he does, extremely loyal to all the people who come and see him.

"He's an inspiration really. I put him up there with Fred Hollows, he's that good."

It is an obvious comparison, but Dr Muecke said he was forging his own path.

"Well Fred [Hollows] was an absolute Aussie hero, he's a legendary character, he was an ophthalmologist like myself. Fred's passion was cataract blindness that is the leading cause of blindness in the world.

"My agenda is that there are quite literally hundreds of eye diseases, many of these are blinding and some are deadly," he told 7.30.

Dr Muecke's charity work goes back decades. In 2000 he co-founded Vision Myanmar and a few years later Sight for All, an organisation which uses Australian and New Zealand eye specialists to train overseas doctors.

"We've trained colleagues across many of the poorest countries in Asia, including Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar, and ultimately our projects are now impacting on roughly a million people every year," he said.

Watch this story on 7.30 tonight.

Topics:doctors-and-medical-professionals,health,eyes,diseases-and-disorders,diabetes,australia,adelaide-5000,sa

Read the rest here:
Australian of the Year James Muecke forced to give up surgery due to neurological condition - ABC News

Individuals with disabilities are over-represented in the prison system. The U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) found that 32% of state and federal prisoners had a disability in 2011-2012, compared to 15% of the general population. This disparity is rooted in a school-to-prison pipeline that traps young people with disabilities in a cycle of disadvantage, misconduct, and punishment, leading eventually to incarceration in the adult correctional system. In this article, we use data from our states Common Follow-Up System (CFS) to illustrate the extent of the school-to-prison pipeline for young people with disabilities in North Carolina.

Note that the BJS reports cognitive disabilities as the most prevalent type of disability among the prison population. While some individuals have disabilities that are immediately apparent, such as those requiring the use of wheelchair or a walking cane, many struggle with invisible disabilities that are non-apparent but nonetheless present challenges. Indeed, our own analysis finds that students with invisible disabilities such as behavioral / emotional disorders, intellectual disabilities, specific learning disabilities, and traumatic brain injury are significantly more likely to wind up in the adult correctional system in the years following high school than their peers without disabilities.

We begin our analysis by following a cohort of 83,126 students who exited public high school in North Carolina, either graduating or dropping out, during the 2000 school year.1 Nearly 6.4% of these individuals entered a state prison in North Carolina within 18 years after high schoolmore than half of them (3.5%) within seven years [Figure 1]. Students with disabilities were much more likely than their peers without disabilities to land in prison within 18 years (12.8% versus 5.6%, respectively). Most of these students with disabilities were reported by the state Department of Public Instruction as having a specific learning disability, an umbrella category that includes dyslexia and dysgraphia.2

This disparity in incarceration rates is preceded by a disparity in high school graduation rates. The National Center for Education Statistics reports that, during the 2017 school year, students with disabilities in North Carolina had a four-year high school graduation rate of only 70%, compared to 87% for all students. Our own analysis of students who exited high school during the 2000 school year finds that only 33% of those with disabilities graduated upon exit, compared to 61% of their peers without disabilities.3

Previous research using data from the U.S. Census Bureau found that 16- to 24-year-olds who dropped out of high school were six times more likely to be institutionalized than high school graduates. Our own analysis reflects these findings: high school dropouts in our cohort were around six times more likely to enter prison than their peers who graduated. For example, 17.5% of individuals with disabilities who dropped out of high school in 2000 entered prison within 18 years, compared to 3.0% of their peers with disabilities who graduated [Figure 2]. However, lower graduation rates among individuals with disabilities cannot fully explain their higher rates of incarceration. Only 1.8% of high school graduates without disabilities went to prison, compared to 3.0% of graduates with disabilities, and while high school dropouts were overall more likely to enter prison than graduates, dropouts with disabilities (at 17.5%) had a higher incarceration rate than dropouts without disabilities (11.6%).

Although individuals with disabilities as a group are over-represented in prison, incarceration rates vary widely by type of disability. We examine this variation in more detail by following a cohort of 990,270 students who exited high school during the 2000-2010 school years.4 This multi-year cohort provides us with a larger and more representative sample for measuring incarceration rates by type of disability.

Overall, individuals with disabilities who exited high school between 2000 and 2010 were more than twice as likely to enter prison within seven years after high school than their peers without disabilities [Figure 3]. Those with behavioral/emotional disorders were the most at risk, with nearly 20% entering prison within seven years. Individuals with intellectual disability, specific learning disabilities, or traumatic brain injury also had a significantly elevated risk of going to prison. On the other hand, those with autism or orthopedic impairment were significantly less likely to enter prison than their peers without disabilities. The likelihood of individuals with visual impairment/blindness, hearing impairment/deafness, or speech impairment going to prison was not significantly different from their peers.5

The school-to-prison pipeline for youth with disabilities is not only a human tragedy, it is also a workforce challenge. Our prior research demonstrated that former prisoners in North Carolina are much less likely to find employment after release than the broader population, depriving our economy of a potentially rich source of human capital. Our states educators, employers, and communities all have a stake in ensuring young people with disabilities are steered toward the pathway to opportunity and diverted away from the pipeline into prison.

Data sources cited in this article are derived from surveys and/or administrative records and are subject to sampling and/or non-sampling error. Any mistakes in data management, analysis, or presentation are the authors.

1This includes students who exited high school between July 1, 1999 and June 30, 2000. We use a single-year cohortbased on the earliest year of data availablein order to compare incarceration rates for a full 18 years after high school.

2Nearly 11% of all individuals in our cohort students exiting high school during the 2000 school year had a reported disability. The most prevalent disabilities were specific learning disabilities (52% of all students with disabilities), followed by intellectual disability (23%), behavioral / emotional disorders (10%), other health impairments (7%), speech impairment (5%), and a smaller number of students with hearing impairment / deafness,multiple disabilities, orthopedic impairment, autism, visual impairment / blindness, or traumatic brain injury (all 1% or less).

3For this analysis, we define graduates as individuals who exit high school as graduates in a given year, and we define dropouts as those who exit high school without graduating and do not re-enroll by October of the following year. The four-year adjusted cohort graduation rate reported by the National Center for Education Statistics is the share of a given cohort of 9th-graders who graduate within four years, with adjustments made for students who transfer into the cohort or transfer out of the cohort, emigrate to another country, or pass away.

4 This includes students who exited high school between July 1, 1999 and June 30, 2010.

5Individuals with other health impairments or multiple disabilities are not reported here.

Visit link:
From School to Prison: The Criminal Justice Outcomes of Youth with Disabilities in North Carolina - NC Dept of Commerce

Author Matthew Ferrari Associate Professor of Biology, Pennsylvania State University

The measles virus has been a part of human life for thousands of years. A recent study suggests that it appeared about 4,000 years ago, originating from a virus affecting livestock. That was also the time when cities were reaching population sizes above 250,000 enough to keep the virus spreading even though people who have had measles dont ever get it again.

As recently as the mid-20th century, before the development of a vaccine, nearly every person could expect to be infected with the measles virus in their lifetime. The introduction of a vaccine in the mid-1960s has dramatically cut the incidence of measles. Fewer than seven million cases were estimated in 2017. But those improvements have not been evenly spread. The incidence of measles is concentrated in low-income countries. And the risk of death or severe complications is disproportionately high in marginalised populations with poor access to health services.

The risk of mortality due to measles infection is 5-times higher in low- compared to high-income countries and can be greater than 10% when outbreaks overwhelm health systems. There were over 1,000 measles deaths in Madagascar in 2019 and there have been over 6,000 deaths so far in an outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The long-term effects of these outbreaks on immunity to other diseases has yet to be seen, and may be substantial.

Measles is very easily transmitted from person to person in the droplets created when an infected person coughs or sneezes. These droplets can stay in the air for hours.

The disease often begins with a runny nose, runny eyes and a cough, followed by a rash. The virus infects cells throughout the body, but specifically kills cells of the immune system which the body uses to fight infection. This makes it harder to fight off common infections that cause pneumonia or diarrhoea. During and just after measles infection, individuals are more likely to get very ill or even die from secondary infections that would otherwise be relatively harmless.

Recent research has uncovered a new mechanism suggesting that this effect may persist for over a year. This new research suggests that measles infection not only weakens the immune system, but in some cases resets it. It can make people susceptible again to infections they were previously immune to. In rare cases, measles infection can lead to neurological complications that result in deafness or blindness.

Preventing measles

Vaccination prior to exposure remains the single most effective way to prevent measles disease. The vaccine is a weakened virus which triggers strong immunity to the full-strength virus without causing disease. A successful vaccination against measles in childhood should provide lifetime protection. Two doses are recommended for each child to ensure at least one is successful.

The more similar the structure of the vaccine is to the virus in its natural state, the stronger the protection of the vaccine. The measles vaccine is very similar and conveys strong protection. But this similarity is the vaccines greatest weakness as it must be kept in a very narrow temperature regime not too cold, not too warm to remain effective. The supply chains to get the vaccine from production to health clinics must have very specific refrigeration equipment throughout. This has been difficult in places where electrification is limited. These communities may only receive effective vaccines during large campaigns every few years, leaving some children unprotected.

The combination of rapid transmission and strong immunity after infection means that measles disease commonly occurs in dramatic outbreaks. Even in places where measles is present year-round, there tends to be large differences between the high and low seasons. It can flare up in periods of increased contact among people, for example due to school or economic cycles. A lot of people will be infected at the same time, and then be immune. After an outbreak, there arent many people who are still able to get infected until more children are born. If vaccination coverage is high enough, it can prevent transmission altogether and eliminate measles, as has been achieved in the Americas.

The impact of measles has changed dramatically over the last half century. What was once a near certain infection for all people has become a distinctly inequitable health risk. Wealthy countries can maintain high rates of vaccination and reduce the risk of exposure. Even within low-income countries where measles is both endemic and common, the risk falls disproportionately on populations that are difficult to reach with effective vaccination. They may be far from vaccination services or otherwise marginalised and unable to access vaccination. Political and military conflict frequently add to the problem.

An analysis prior to the Madagascar outbreak highlighted that declining vaccination coverage (perhaps due to the political crisis in 2009) and failure of supplementary immunisation activities to reach adolescents who had missed routine childhood doses may have increased the outbreak risk. The magnitude of the ongoing outbreak in the DRC reflects long-term, systemic challenges of achieving high vaccination coverage in a large, mainly rural population. The Ebola outbreak in the northeast has placed additional burdens on the routine health system and led to additional declines in vaccination coverage.

Measles infection can be easily managed with prompt health care and symptom management. But in the absence of care, mild symptoms can turn into life-threatening secondary infections or long-term effects such as deafness and blindness.

While measles may be a faint memory in some parts of the world, the impact in the worst-affected populations is a constant reminder of the need for vigilance.

Read more here:
Explainer: a history of the measles virus and why it's so tenacious - World - ReliefWeb

Ponce de Lens search for the fountain of youth in Florida is just a legend.

But about 1,500 miles to the north, in the icy waters of Cedar Lake in Minneapolis, dozens of people think theyve found the next best thing.

On a recent Sunday around 9:30 a.m., a diverse group of about 20 people dressed in swimsuits trekked to a spot near the shore on the west side of the lake and immersed themselves in an 8-by-12-foot rectangular hole cut in the ice. Later in the day, another group of people gathered to do the same thing.

This isnt a once-a-year, get-in, get-out, New Years Day plunge for Instagram bragging rights.

This is something that happens every Sunday throughout the winter.

Some people come several times a week, and stay for a good, long soak of five, 10, 15 minutes or more. Except for the knit hats, they look like they could be relaxing in a hot tub as they stand in water that ranges from waist- to neck-deep.

Called cold therapy or cold thermogenesis, ice-water bathing is a practice that biohackers and assorted others believe makes them healthier.

The Twin Cities Cold Thermogenesis Facebook group, which was created in 2016, claims the frigid dips do everything from increase testosterone in men to boosting brown adipose tissue. (The so-called brown fat or good fat may be helpful in combating obesity because it burns calories to create heat.)

Cold-water immersion also strengthens the immune system, according to Svetlana Vold, a part-time firefighter and ultramarathon winter bike racer from St. Louis Park, who organizes the Sunday morning cold-immersion session.

Vold and others say chilling out in the water combats inflammation, helps them sleep better and improves their focus and endurance. Some said theyre inspired by Wim The Iceman Hof, a Dutchman famous for his breathing and cold exposure technique called the Wim Hof Method.

The Cedar Lake group would probably meet the approval of David Sinclair, a Harvard genetics professor and longevity expert who thinks that cold exposure may help slow the aging process.

Maria OConnell, the organizer of the afternoon session, has been immersing herself in an ice-filled horse trough in her backyard since 2011. Initially its a little uncomfortable, she said. You end up getting better the more you do it.

But many say the frigid dunks are a mood-altering, even pleasurable experience.

It hurts so damn good, said Stephen McLaughlin, a 61-year-old Minneapolis resident. You are just completely present.

It makes me happy. I think its adrenaline, said Allison Kuznia, 42, of Minneapolis.

Its kind of a treat to go out and get really cold, said Nick White, 46, of Minneapolis. It gives you a feeling of euphoria.

Read this article:
Meet the people who think soaking in a frozen Minneapolis lake is the secret to good health - Minneapolis Star Tribune

(MENAFN - ForPressRelease) 11

New Delhi 23rd January 2020 On Saturday, January 18th, 2020, the Advancells Group & the International Fertility Center together ended their first workshop Sub-Specialty Training in Application of Regenerative Medicine (S.T.A.R. 2020). The three-day workshop had specialized doctors, medical practitioners, learned scientists of Advancells, the leaders in cell manufacturing & processes and IFC, one of India's most prestigious Fertility institute who were joined by candidates with MBBS/BAMS/BHMS/BPharma & Master's degree in Life Sciences.

The key-note speaker of the workshop was Dr. Rita Bakshi, founder and chairperson of International Fertility Centre, the oldest fertility clinic and one of the most renowned IVF clinics in India, one of the organizers of the event. Participants also had a privilege to listen to Dr. Sachin Kadam, CTO, Advancells and gain hands-on experience in the preparation of PRP; Liposuction method; and Bone Marrow aspiration. All these techniques were talked about at length and demonstrated in the form of manual & kit-based models to help the candidates gain exposure.

Dr. Punit Prabha, Head of Clinical Research and Dr. Shradha Singh Gautam, Head of Lab Operations at Advancells successfully set the base of stem cell biology for the participants who were experts in gynecology field, stem cell research and pain specialist. With the help of detailed analysis of 'Application of PRP for Skin rejuvenation'; 'Preparation of Micro-fragmented Adipose Tissue and Nano Fat & SVF (Stromal Vascular Fraction) from Adipose Tissue'; and 'Cell Culturing and Expansion in a Laboratory', applicants understood the application of stem cells in aesthetics, cosmetology, and anti-aging.

Vipul Jain, Founder & CEO of Advancells Group said, 'Educating young scientists about stem cells is important for us. With this workshop we wanted to discuss and share the challenges and lessons we have learned in our journey of curing our customers. We wanted to establish more concrete knowledge base in the presence of subject matter experts and help our attendees in more possible ways. We are hopeful to have successfully achieved what we claimed with this workshop'.

Given the resounding success of the Sub-Specialty Training in Application of Regenerative Medicine (S.T.A.R. 2020), it's hoped that the future events shall offer even greater wisdom to the participants by helping them improve and the lead the community into the age of greater awareness.

Advancells Group Advancells is leading the field of stem cell therapies in India and abroad, with representative offices in Bangladesh and Australia. The company provides arrangements for stem cell banking and protocols for partner doctors and hospitals which they can use for treating the patients using regenerative medicine. With a GMP compliant research and processing center that works on different cell lines from various sources such as Bone Marrow, Adipose Tissue, Dental Pulp, Blood, Cord Tissue etc. Advancells also intends to file a patent for this processing technology soon.

User :- Ajit Singh

Email :

Mobile:- 9953809503

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Advancells Group & IFC Concluded their 3-Day Workshop on Regenerative Medicine - MENAFN.COM

New Delhi [India], Jan 23 (ANI/Business Wire India): On Saturday, January 18 2020, the Advancells Group and the International Fertility Center together ended their first workshop - Sub-Specialty Training in Application of Regenerative Medicine (STAR 2020).

The three-day workshop had specialized doctors, medical practitioners, learned scientists of Advancells, the leaders in cell manufacturing and processes and IFC, one of India's most prestigious Fertility institutes who were joined by candidates with MBBS/BAMS/BHMS/BPharma and Master's degree in Life Sciences.

The key-note speaker of the workshop was Dr Rita Bakshi, founder and chairperson of International Fertility Centre, the oldest fertility clinic and one of the most renowned IVF clinics in India, one of the organizers of the event.

Participants also had a privilege to listen to Dr Sachin Kadam, CTO, Advancells and gain hands-on experience in the preparation of PRP; Liposuction method; and Bone Marrow aspiration. All these techniques were talked about at length and demonstrated in the form of manual and kit-based models to help the candidates gain exposure.

Dr Punit Prabha, Head of Clinical Research and Dr Shradha Singh Gautam, Head of Lab Operations at Advancells successfully set the base of stem cell biology for the participants who were experts in gynecology field, stem cell research and pain specialist.

With the help of detailed analysis of 'Application of PRP for Skin rejuvenation'; 'Preparation of Micro-fragmented Adipose Tissue and Nano Fat & SVF (Stromal Vascular Fraction) from Adipose Tissue'; and 'Cell Culturing and Expansion in a Laboratory', applicants understood the application of stem cells in aesthetics, cosmetology, and anti-ageing.

"Educating young scientists about stem cells is important for us. With this workshop, we wanted to discuss and share the challenges and lessons we have learned in our journey of curing our customers," said Vipul Jain, founder and CEO of Advancells Group.

"We wanted to establish a more concrete knowledge base in the presence of subject matter experts and help our attendees in more possible ways. We are hopeful to have successfully achieved what we claimed with this workshop," he added.

Given the resounding success of the Sub-Specialty Training in Application of Regenerative Medicine (STAR 2020), it's hoped that the future events shall offer even greater wisdom to the participants by helping them improve and the lead the community into the age of greater awareness.

This story is provided by BusinessWire India. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/BusinessWire India)

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Advancells Group, IFC concluded their three-day workshop on Regenerative Medicine - Yahoo India News

What: LDUNA Aesthetics and Wellness Center, designed to explore and introduce the future of advance treatments for the purposes of anti-aging, wellness, and aesthetics, is hosting a grand opening celebration on Jan. 22. Recognized astheCenter of Excellence for Merakris Therapeutics, a biotechnology company that focuses on cellular regeneration, Ldunasprocess will help to empower a healthier, happier, and improved quality of life.The event will feature jazz entertainment byNieve Malandra, delicious bites by Chef Anthony Vidal, 30-40% off treatments booked that evening, and raffle prizes.

Our centers approach to non-surgical procedures and regenerative treatments to enhance and restore youthfulness will not only change the way others see you, but the way you see yourself. says Byron Brooks,Director of Operations at Lduna Aesthetics and Wellness Center. We are grateful to the Henderson community for welcoming us and look forward to working with Henderson Leadership and community members to sponsor and support community activities and initiatives.

The med spas aesthetics category provides the most innovative, non-surgical methods of skin tightening for both the face and body. These services include Botox, Kybella, Juvederm, and other known fillers, Plasma Pen, as well as, fat cell reduction body contouring, laserskin improvement treatments, micro-needling with exosomes, and other technological skin related services. The anti-aging services offered are genetic testing and bio-identical hormone replacement therapy, to ensure peak biological performance, while Ldunasregenerative medicine category includes the following treatments: Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP), exosome therapy, and joint mobility injections.

Additionally, LDUNAs line of featured luxury products include: Cosmedix, Lucrece, Valmont, GM Collin, NeoCutis, and Jan Marini.

When: Wednesday, January 22

Time: 5:30pm

Address: 10521 Jeffreys Street, Henderson, Suite 220, 89052

Who: Byron Brooks, Director of Operations

Dr. Bonnie Fraser, and Dr. Abraham Fakhouri, Medical Directors

Debra Newell,Celebrity Interior Designer, Featured on Netflix and Bravo

Nieve Malandra, Entertainment/Singer

Chef Anthony Vidal

Zach Zoufaly,Chippendales Performer

For more information, please visit:https://lduna.com/(in development) or like and share on Facebook atLduna Aesthetics and Wellness Center.

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LDUNA Aesthetics and Wellness Center Grand Opening Celebration, Jan. 22 - Nevada Business Magazine