StemCell Therapy

This information is intended for general information only and should not be considered as medical advice on the part of Health-Tourism.com. Any decision on medical treatments, after-care or recovery should be done solely upon proper consultation and advice of a qualified physician.

What is Alzheimers disease?

This is a complex disease which affects brain nerve cells. It is the most common cause of dementia and effective treatment is very difficult.

What causes Alzheimers is still unclear. However, researchers have found out that there is an abnormal buildup of certain proteins in the brains of Alzheimers patients. Amyloid-beta is an example of one such protein. It clumps together to form plaques. Tau is another example, and it gets twisted into protein tangles.

Scientists have a theory that the plaques prevent proper communication of the brain nerve cells. The tangles make it hard for the nerve cells to get the nutrients they require. As the disease progresses, the nerve cells begin to die. Because of this, Alzheimers is a neurodegenerative disease.

Currently, Alzheimers disease has no cure. Medications are used to temporarily alleviate the symptoms by improving the ability to manage regular activities or enhancing memory. Most of these medications are cholinesterase inhibitors and they are used to prevent the breakdown of acetylcholine (a natural substance in the brain), which carries the signals between the neurons.

These are cells that can multiply and increase themselves (self-renew). In addition, they can develop and transform into different types of specialist cells which can carry out a specific function.

Yes, stem cell therapy can be done severally. Current research indicates the strong possibility of a cumulative effect from multiple therapies.

After the stem cell therapy, the stem cells have to make their way into the area in need of repair and then have their effect. This process takes time and usually takes several weeks or months to see the desired effect.

Currently, no proven and effective stem cell treatment for this disease is available. However, research is underway which utilizes stem cell technology to investigate the causes and effects of the disease. It is expected that their findings will play a crucial role in finding new drugs and cell-based therapies in the future. Stem cell therapy may help Alzheimers patients who do not respond to drug treatment, want to limit their reliance on medication or want to try stem cell therapy before drug treatment. Even if healthy, neural stem cells are available and can be safely transplanted, they would have to achieve therapeutic benefits by:

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Stem Cell Therapy for Alzheimer's in South Africa

A new therapy changes the balance of osteoblasts (pictured here) and fat cells in the bone marrow, leading to stronger bones.

Science Picture Co/Science Source

By Emma YasinskiSep. 5, 2017 , 2:59 PM

A drug that can reverse diabetes and obesity in mice may have an unexpected benefit: strengthening bones. Experiments with a compound called TNP (2,4,6-trinitrophenol, which is also known as picric acid), which researchers often use to study obesity and diabetes, show that in mice the therapy can promote the formation of new bone. Thats in contrast to many diabetes drugs currently in wide use that leave patients bones weaker. If TNP has similar effects in humans, it may even be able to stimulate bone growth after fractures or prevent bone loss due to aging or disuse.

As more and more patients successfully manage diabetes with drugs that increase their insulin sensitivity, doctors and researchers have observed a serious problem: Thedrugs seem to decrease the activity of cells that produce bone, leaving patients prone to fractures and osteoporosis.

There are millions and millions of people that have osteoporosis [with or without diabetes], and it's not something we can cure, says Sean Morrison, a stem cell researcher at University of Texas Southwestern in Dallas. We need new agents that promote bone formation.

Morrison and his colleagues have shown that a high-fat diet causes mice to develop bones that contain more fat and less bone. The diet increased the levels of leptina hormone produced by fat cells that usually signals satiety in the brainin the bone marrow, which promoted the development of fat cells instead of bone cells. That suggests that nutrition has a direct effect on the balance of bone and fat in the bone marrow.

After reading Morrisons work, Siddaraju Boregowda, a stem cell researcher at the Scripps Research Institute in Jupiter, Florida, was reminded of genetically altered mice that dont gain body fat or develop diabetes, even when fed high-fat diets. He and his boss, stem cell researcher Donald Phinney, wondered whetherthose mice were also protected from the fattening of the bone marrow that accompanies a high-fat diet.

They contacted Anutosh Chakraborty, a molecular biologist who was studying such mice down the hall at Scripps at the time. The animals lack the gene for an enzyme called inositol hexakisphosphate kinase 1 (IP6K1), which is known to play a role in fat accumulation and insulin sensitivity. The scientists suspected that the lost enzyme might affect the animals' mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs)stem cells found in the bone marrow that are capable of developing into both thebone cells and fat cells that make up our skeletons. If too many fat cells develop, they take the place of bone cells, weakening the bone.

The researchers fed genetically altered and normal mice a high-fat diet for 8weeks. Not only did the genetically altered mice develop fewer fat cells than their normal counterparts, but their production of bone cells was higher than that of the normal mice, the team reported last month in Stem Cells.

The scientists then set out to see whetherthey could use a drug to achieve the same effect in normal mice. For 8weeks, they fed normal mice a high-fat diet and gave them daily injections of either TNP, a well-known IP6K1 inhibitor, or a placebo. When they analyzed the animals bones and marrow, they found that mice that had received TNP had significantly more bone cells, fewer fat cells, and greater overall bone area. The IP6K1 inhibitor apparently protected the mice from the detrimental effects of the high-fat diet.

The study provided thesurprising result that one new therapy currently being explored to lower insulin resistance promotes, rather than decreases, the formation of bone in mice, says DarwinProckop,a stem cell researcher at Texas A&M College of Medicine in Temple, who was not involved in the work.

The researchers still need to figure out how to deliver TNPs effects only to MSCs, instead of the entire body, given that it sometimes blocks other enzymes along with IP6K1. Inhibition of IP6K1 is a promising target for patients with both diabetes and obesity, Boregowda says. He says he and his colleagues are now enthusiastic about testing their findings in a wide range of bone-related diseases and disorders. It might even help heal broken bones, he speculates.

Phinney, on the other hand, is aiming even higher. He wonders whetherthe therapy could also be useful for space travel, because bones are especially vulnerable to deterioration in zero gravity. Its a whole new field of science and drug discovery.

More here:
New therapy could protect diabetic bones - Science Magazine

APPLETON, Wisc. (WBAY) As stem cell therapy grows in popularity in Northeast Wisconsin, treatment is expanding beyond chronic pain in the knees, hips, back and shoulders.

A Green Bay man battling lung disease says stem cell therapy saved his life.

Ken Schiller has lived on oxygen for the past 12 years while suffering from COPD, emphysema and Agent Orange.

"Tried to get a lung transplant and they told me well, can't do it, you're too old," says Schiller.

Five years ago, doctors gave Schiller four years to live.

But now he's breathing a sigh of relief.

"I couldn't walk 15-feet nine months ago without stopping to rest for 3-5 minutes, now I can walk through the grocery store, can walk out of this building to the car, I don't have a big problem," says Schiller.

Schiller turned to stem cell therapy at Optimal Stem Cell & Wellness Institute in Appleton.

"Now we've really seen incredible results with lung disease, COPD, pulmonary fibrosis, emphysema, these patients have nowhere else to go," says Dr. Michael Johnson who runs the clinic.

Dr. Johnson says patients like Schiller begin with a platelet rich plasma treatment, followed by stem cell treatment using stem cells from their own body fat.

"We draw off the fat, adipose, spin it down, draw off the stem cells and IV it back into them, after one round of stem cell therapy they're already doing better, it usually takes two or three for severe cases," says Dr. Johnson.

Schiller just underwent his third treatment and says he has a new lease on life.

"Two weeks ago we went to Laughlin, Nevada for four days, took a plane and came back, I thought those days were over, but they're not," says Schiller.

While stem cell therapy is still not FDA approved, or covered by insurance, Dr. Johnson says his office is fielding around 100 calls a week.

"This is the future," says Dr. Johnson.

Read more:
Stem Cell Therapy Expands Beyond Chronic Pain - WBAY

CHENGDU, China, Sept. 7, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Aging and related diseases are problems we have to face. Recently, Dr. Y. James Kang, CEO/CSO of Revotek and a pathfinder in Regenerative Medicine, delivered a talk entitled "Transforming Disease-based Medication to Personalized Healthcare"at theTEDx event in Chengdu, China. He unveiled techniques that would improve the quality of life for 2 billion people worldwide.

Aging Population Syndrome and Disease-based Medication

Although it is not recognized, people who are over 60 years oldhave a lower quality oflife. This sounds rare but is really true. "Let me tell you what I heard from them, 'my doctor told me I need seven stents in my heart, but now I only put a couple and wait for a while to put them all,' and then they will talk about how to save money for future disease treatment," said Dr. Kang, "I call this aging population syndrome."

The syndrome results from the disease-based medication, or standard end-stage medication. Dr. Kang further explained, "A man, whose coronary arteries are 30% blocked with atherosclerosis plaque, might only be suggested by his doctor use bypass or vascular stents to reopen the vessel conduit when the plague further grows to the point leading to life threatening problem. Until then, he could take some statin drugs to slow down, but not to stop the plaque growth. This is disease-based medication." It is widely applied in today's medical practice but did not match well with patients' personalized problems.

Personalized Healthcare

Instead of spending rest of our life in drug-keeping, living a quality-maintained healthy life is our ultimate goal. The personalized healthcare is totally different from disease-based medication. It advocates solving personalized problems at an early stage to prevent the disease from deteriorating. Hence, transforming disease-based medication to personalized healthcare is highly demanded and closely related to our lives.

Regenerative medicine, the core of personalized healthcare, is capable of recovering the function of failing organs through integrated approaches including stem cells whichnaturally occur/stored in the human body and arecapable of repairing injured organs. When a body is injured, the injured tissue sends out signals, then the repair materials (stem cells) would respond and be recruited to the injury site for repair. Stem cells, the essence of personalized medicine, however,have not beenwell recognized until now.

DEVELOR

Stem cells are well known to almost everyone. However, their approved clinical applications are rare. Rather than inducing stem cells to a desired cell type before its induction into a patient,Dr. Kang's team created a brand-new approach of utilizing the stem cells, called "Destination-Engaged Vector Evolving Lineage Organ Regeneration (DEVELOR)". In brief, the core concept is to firstly maintain the stemness of stem cells during the culturing and proliferation procedures, and deliver anadequate number of cells to the injury site, which would orchestrate the behavior of stem cells by secreting regenerative signals.

How to use DEVELOR to repair the damaged organs? Dr. Kang's team isolated mesenchymal stem cells from 5 g fat tissue of rhesus monkeys, cultured and prepared to "Biosynsphere", a new type of bio-ink. Then, the bio-ink was stacked through the 3D bioprinter and covered with prosthetic vascular graft to form hybrid vascular graft, which was used to replace the susceptible sites of atherosclerosis, the abdominal aorta of donor monkey. One month post the surgery, the graft was integrated with the monkey's own abdominal aorta, and the structure and function of whichwere identical. Apart from this application, DEVELORhas also beenapplied to damaged organs with scar tissue, presented by Dr. Kang in his TEDx talk.

Dr. Kang's team simply develop a technique to rejuvenate the self-repair process which is orchestrated by the injured site itself. With this approach, disease-based medication could be transformed to personalized healthcare through regenerative medicine. Dr. Kang's team offered novel solutions to the present and future of aging and disease problems.

For more info, contact: rel="nofollow">contact@revotekco.cn

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Pathway to Solve "Aging Population Syndrome", New Hope Has Been Delivered at TEDx Event - Markets Insider

Denise Grady & Sheila Kaplan | September 7, 2017 | New York Times

TheFood and Drug Administrationannounced a crackdown on dangerousstem cellclinicswhile at the same time pledging to ease the path to approval for companies and doctors with legitimate treatments in the growing field.

The agency reported actions against two large stem cell clinics and a biotech company, saying that it was critical to shut down unscrupulous actors

Federal marshals seized 500 doses of live Vaccinia virus vaccine forsmallpoxbelonging to StemImmune Inc., a San Diego firm that develops stem cell-based immunotherapies forcancer. The raid came after the F.D.A. learned that the vaccine was being used to create an unapproved stem cell product, a combination of excess amounts of vaccine and stem cells derived from body fat, which was then administered to cancer patients with potentially compromised immune systems.

StemImmune obtained at least some of the vaccine from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, according to Thomas Skinner, a C.D.C. spokesman.

Those enterprises put the entire field at risk, Dr. Gottlieb said. Products that are reliably and carefully developed will be harder to advance if bad actors are able to make hollow claims and market unsafe science.

The GLP aggregated and excerpted this blog/article to reflect the diversity of news, opinion, and analysis. Read full, original post:F.D.A. Cracks Down on Unscrupulous Stem Cell Clinics

Related Stories

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'Unscrupulous' stem cell clinics targeted in FDA crackdown - Genetic Literacy Project

Credit: Biotechnology Journal

An invention by Florida Institute of Technology's Shengyuan Yang was found to naturally narrow the spreading of stem cells and has the potential to induce and regulate their differentiation.

Using Yang's patented and patent-pending technology, stem cells were grown on microscopic glass balls immobilized in a gel medium. Unlike the well-spread stem cells grown on a two-dimensional surface, the stem cells on the glass balls were almost uniformly spindle-shaped . More interestingly, this surface-curvature-induced-restriction in cell spreading also induced the differentiation of the stem cells.

These findings imply that the curvature of a substrate, as provided by the glass balls, may be utilized and tuned for cell and tissue engineering.

The research was recently published in Biotechnology Journal.

Yang's team used glass balls with diameters ranging from 5 m to 4 mm. They found that the minimum diameter of a glass ball on which a human mesenchymal stem cell (hMSC) can attach and spread is 500 m. Their gene expression experiments revealed that the hMSCs growing on the glass balls with diameters of 1.1 mm and below were differentiating into fat cells without the addition of any differentiation induction media.

This means that surface curvatures of a substrate could potentially be designed and optimized to achieve or change a specific cell shape and function. And, due to the different sensitivities of different cell types to substrate curvatures, the particular curvature of a growth environment, such as glass balls of various sizes, may also be used to construct cell-sorting devices.

Based on the experimental findings, Yang has filed three patents to cover the applications of the concept of substrate curvature in sorting cells, in guiding stem cell differentiation, in directing cell attachment and spreading, and in inducing isotropic spreading of cells.

Some past studies have shown the role of geometrical cues in influencing the differentiations of stem cells on two-dimensional surfaces, but to date, the effects of substrates with defined-curvatures on the behaviors of stem cells are still missing. Yang said studies on the cellular responses to substrate curvature are necessary and critical for understanding the cellular behaviors in three-dimensional micromechanical environments and for designing effective and efficient three-dimensional micromechanical environments to control cell and tissue developments. With their unique class of curvature-defined substrates, micro glass ball embedded gels are able to systematically investigate the effects of substrate curvature on the behaviors of stem cells.

With this promising first published report, Yang's group will continue to systematically investigate the effects of substrate curvature on the behaviors of stem cells.

Explore further: Professor publishes on first-ever imaging of cells growing on spherical surfaces

More information: Sang Joo Lee et al, Substrate Curvature Restricts Spreading and Induces Differentiation of Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells, Biotechnology Journal (2017). DOI: 10.1002/biot.201700360

Originally posted here:
Curved substrates restrict spreading and induce differentiation of stem cells - Phys.Org

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Nobody knew that health care could be so complicated. President Donald Trump

I was shocked by the quote above from our president, who made thisstatement in February 2017, soon after being inaugurated. As you all know, this statement was followed by six months of political debate over the repeal and replacement of Obamacare, also known as the Affordable Care Act. Contrary to the presidents statement, virtually anyone that has any connection to the U.S. health-care system knows that it is extraordinarily complicated. Medical professionals, health-system employees, patients, suppliers, vendors, and the majority of the citizenry would clearly disagree with the presidents statement that nobody knew.

This past six months, I have debated with myself whether a column related to health-care reform would be of value. After considerable thought and reflection, I realized that the following column, originally published in the Rochester Business Journal in January 2005, was as relevant today as it was then. As you read the following, it will be clear that the health-care debate has been a subject in political football since the enactment of the Medicare and Medicaid programs in 1965. As you read, remember that I did not have to change one word of what I published in the column some 12 years ago.

January 2005 column

Our health-care cost crisis is of our own making. Before launching into my health-care solutions agenda, please be advised that my opinions are predicated on a foundation of irrefutable assumptions.

All people are created equalNo human being is immortalWe live in a capitalist, not socialist, economyEvery individual has a right to access health-care servicesSocioeconomic factors create inequality in wealth distributionHealth-care cost is of legitimate concernThe vocal majority rules in health-care decision-makingThere is no such thing as unanimous support for health-care policy decisions

With these baseline assumptions, allow me to articulate a 10-point program for improving the cost-effectiveness of our communitys health-care system. Even though I must admit a fiscal bias due to my profession, the quality of health care is of equal importance in addressing these potential solutions. Also, I never intend to run for political office, and these opinions will ensure that I could never be elected.

With all due respect to myriad interest groups and health-care lobbies, here is Archibalds Top 10 list, in David Letterman format, with no humor intended:

10. Controllable behaviors that negatively impact an individuals health should be reflected as an increased cost in insurance premiums. If I smoke two packs a day, I should pay more. Abuse of controllable behaviors costs more in life and automobile insurance, why not health care? Tobacco and alcohol companies, beware.

9. Tort reform and caps on personal injury, pain and suffering awards are a legislative requirement. Maine took the first step in what I hope will be a trend in limiting awards in the litigation area. One of the platform issues of the new administration that I agree with is tort reform.

8. Successful reform of the health-care legal system should allow providers to immediately reduce costs associated with defensive medicine. The costs of unnecessary visits, tests, and procedures ordered by service providers to reduce the potential risk of litigation total billions of dollars each year. And malpractice-insurance-premium decreases will be an ancillary benefit.

7. Reintroduce the consumers wallet into health-care access and decision-making. If an individual wants to access health-care services, there should be a direct cost to the consumer, subject to income limitations. The recent adoption of health-savings accounts as an incentive for employers and employees to take control of escalating health-care costs is a paradigm shift in our governments attitude towards health care. Health-care costs are virtually invisible to consumers, and a Wegmans vs. Tops price comparison would certainly affect costs. If you want proof, look at the declining cost trends for Lasik surgery procedures.

6. Reduce the level of administrative and regulatory compliance costs in health care. Depending upon the study, costs in these areas consume up to 26 percent of every health-care dollar. The potential savings are enormous.

5. Technology advancement is wonderful and our nations research industry is the finest in the world. However, technology advances frequently increase costs through obsolescence of existing equipment and the incremental cost to providers of adding the new technology. This area may be one of the most difficult to address since any control mechanism that limits new technology must be balanced with appropriate incentives for research initiatives.

4. Controls over the drug manufacturers and pharmaceutical suppliers must be established. The efficacy of drug therapies must be assessed. Blatant and excessive advertising by the pharmaceutical industry to a public that is largely not responsible for the drug cost must be reined in. The final three items on my list are the most controversial of all. If I havent lost your vote yet, I am confident that the Big Three will push you to pull another lever.

3. Health-care capacity must be addressed through a local community effort. The debate is not about either competition or cooperation but, as Deion Sanders once said, I want both. Health-care delivery in this country is largely controlled by local communities. Competition among service providers is an essential element of health-care cost and quality in every community. Leadership without bias is a necessity for success in this area.

2. Establishing standards for patients expectations of their right to access health care, both basic and advanced, is a necessity. The research discoveries on the near horizon from genetic mapping will create new opportunities and make obsolete existing equipment and facilities. Bioethical debate must address the essential question of, Who is entitled to what and at what cost?

1. End-of-life care must be addressed. We are making progress in this area with health-care proxies, palliative-care initiatives, and other planning processes. However, its staggering to know that the majority of your lifetime health-care costs will be spent in the last year of your life.

Health-care spending is approaching 15 percent of our gross domestic product. The baby boom generation, of which I am a proud member, is beginning to retire. The health-care issues we face as a community and a country are overwhelming.

As CEO of Excellus, the dominant insurer in our community, David Kleins piece in the Dec. 19, 2004, edition of the daily newspaper was of interest. He stated: A healthier community is fostered when its business leaders, physicians and other health service providers are included in the dialogue and when these professionals work in an environment that has its major health service and financing organizations working more cooperatively and with a focus on community benefit. While this quote is a mouthful of words, action in support of this philosophy is what is needed.

Each of us must look in the mirror. A realistic assessment of our mortality and myriad issues that must be addressed is imperative. True innovation and industry reform can be a reality in health care.

Ignoring the debate and compromise necessary will only make matters worse.

The only modification to the 2005 column is that health-care costs now represent 18 percent of our gross domestic product. It is truly fascinating to me how little has been accomplished in the past 12 years. We can only hope that the future will bring rational reforms that address each of the major issues discussed in my 2005 column.

Gerald J. Archibald, CPA, is a partner in charge of the management advisory services at The Bonadio Group. Contact him at (585) 381-1000, or email: garchibald@bonadio.com

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Health-Care Issues Remain - The Central New York Business Journal

Spain has licensed TiGenix NV's expanded Madrid plant paving the way for a potential European launch of Cx601, its cell therapy forthe Crohn's disease complications.

Belgium-based TiGenix announced it received the Spanish Medicines Agency (AEMPS) license this week, explaining the Madrid plant will provide capacity for production of its portfolio of cell therapies including the candidate cell therapy Cx601.

Chief technical officer Wilfried Dalemans said: We have now significantly increased our manufacturing capacity, a key step in the preparation for commercialization of Cx601 in Europe and in the further development of our pipeline.

Cx601 has been accepted for review by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and Swissmedic, which began reviewing TiGenix dossier in June.

At the time the firm told us Takeda will take over responsibility for making the cell therapy from 2021 but did not provide additional details.

Manufacturing expansion

Cx601 is made from stem cells taken from donor adipose tissue. It is being developed for the treatment of complex perianal fistulas in patients with Crohns disease patients who do not otherwise respond to standard therapies.

The therapy is madein a 2-dimensional cell culture.

TiGenix expanded the Madrid facility with support from Japanese drug firm Takeda, which licensed rights to commercialize Cx601 outside the US.

In the US, TiGenix has hired Lonza to make Cx601.

In February, the Belgian biotech said Lonza is transferring manufacturing technologies to its facilities in the US, adding that the Swiss contractor is poised to begin making the product for clinical trials.

A TiGenix spokeswoman told us "Lonza will manufacture material for the global Phase 3 trial of Cx601 in the US at Lonzas cell therapy production facility in Walkersville, Maryland (US), and the GMP facility will support the potential initial European commercial roll out of Cx601."

She added that: "The expanded facility will also provide capacity for the manufacturing of other pipeline products under development by TiGenix, including Cx611, currently undergoing a Phase I/II trial in severe sepsis."

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Spain OKs TiGenix's bigger cell therapy plant as firm preps for Cx601 - BioPharma-Reporter.com

Dr. Royneld Bourdeau, Haitian Health Foundation medical director

It has become a trenchant criticism of many non-government organizations in the international aid sphere in recent decades: bloated administrative budgets and overhead costs mean that most aid money gets funneled into salaries and associated perks. Many NGOs working in the developing world have their U.S. headquarters close to the centers of power, in plush office spaces in New York or Washington.

Not so for the Haitian Health Foundation. A humble, wood-paneled office on the banks of the Yantic River in Norwich works just as well. As it has since the early 1980s, when the organization was founded by local orthodontist Jeremiah Lowney, the HHF does an immense amount of work across a broad spectrum of areas. The foundation serves a predominantly rural area of southwest Haiti known as the GrandAnse, centered around the headquarters in the city of Jrmie. The primary work of HHF is in immediate health care needs, which are sorely underfunded in Haiti.

The foundation operates a full-service outpatient clinic in Jrmie, as well as a maternal waiting room, and offers a treatment for a particular type of protein malnourishment called kwashiorkor, which is common in the developing world. Out in the mountains to Jrmies south, HHF employs a small army of health agents at community clinics across just over 100 villages.

While health care is the backbone of the work done by HHF, its mission spills into what one might call a holistic approach to health and health care. For the HHF, decent housing, adequate food and sanitation systems are part of health care, part of what keeps people out of medical facilities. Respiratory infections, asthma and poor mental health are just some of the ailments that can result from poor housing. In coordination with Rotary clubs around New England, the HHF has also been engaged in the distribution of animals since the 1980s: first pigs, then chickens, and now goats to families throughout the GrandAnse. Two eggs a week is enough to keep a child from falling into kwashiorkor, Lowney says.

Part of that holistic approach to medicine, perhaps, results from Dr. Lowneys background in orthodontics. Dentistry, Lowney explains, is more oriented toward preventative medicine than most other specialties. He says that most medicine, by and large, still isnt that preventative, you know? You go in when youre sick. With dentistry you are always encouraged to go twice a year for a dental exam, get your teeth cleaned, that kind of thing. The HHF used to operate out of Lowneys orthodontics practice, still located across Sherman Street from the current offices.

Few countries have as proud-while-tragic a history as Haiti. It was the first free black republic in the world, winning independence from France in 1804 after the worlds first successful slave revolt. Almost immediately, outside forces sought to cripple the young country. In 1825, with warships at the ready, King Charles X of France demanded Haiti pay a debt to the former slave owners from whom the people of Haiti had freed themselves. The debt France demanded was 10 times Haitis annual revenue. The Haitian state was indebted into the 1940s. The nearly 30-year dictatorship of father and son Francois and Jean-Claude Duvalier was characterized by the hoarding of money and political repression. A pair of military coups in 1991 and 2004 added to political instability, and the 2010 earthquake and 2016 hurricane have led to an outbreak of disease in the country. Hurricane Matthew in October 2016 devastated the GrandAnse, and the HHF was fortunate not to have lost any colleagues. Since then, the organization has distributed some 150 tons of food in the region.

Lowney made his first trip to Haiti in 1981, after being asked by Daniel Patrick Reilly, the bishop of Norwich, to heed the call of Pope John Paul II for those in rich countries to reach out to those in poor countries. After repeated trips to Haiti throughout the early 1980s, Lowney came into contact with the sisters from Mother Teresas Missionaries of Charity, who eventually asked him to relocate his work to the GrandAnse, where medical services were lacking. Lowney founded HHF in 1985 with his wife, Virginia, who is also still involved in coordinating the Save a Family program, in which donors can sponsor individual families for a variety of needs, from housing to animals to sanitation.

While Lowney is still intimately involved in the organization, his daughter Marilyn now serves as the executive director. The organization has some 200 employees in Haiti, the vast majority of them Haitian. HHFs country director, Nadesha Mijoba, explained the organizations governing philosophy in a Skype interview from Jrmie. Were not here to tell the community how they should run their affairs. Were not here to preach to them. Rather, we work with them, she says.

There are many ways to help the Haitian Health Foundation. Go to haitianhealthfoundation.org/donate to learn how.

If you have an organization with an event that youd like us to consider for the Community page, please send the details to mmurphy@connecticutmag.com.

If you have an organization with an event that youd like us to consider for the Community page, please send the details to mmurphy@connecticutmag.com.

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Norwich to Haiti - Connecticut Magazine

ARCADIA, Wis. (WEAU)-- Access to healthcare is expanding for thousands who live and work in Arcadia. This afternoon, Ashley Furniture cut the ribbon on its Ashley Wellness Center located at Arcadia's Historic St. Joseph's Hospital.

The expanded facility offers healthcare to Ashley Furniture employees and their families. Ashley Furniture chairman Ron Wanek says the wellness center is made possible thanks to a connection with Gundersen Health System. Back in 2008, Ashley partnered with Gundersen to open the first Ashley Wellness Center in Arcadia and since then they've served more than 11,000 patients.

Wanek sees the expanded facility as a beneficial investment for everyone involved. He says the facility will make health care more easily accessible to thousands of families.

We live in Arcadia where we are 45 miles away from La Crosse and 45 miles from Eau Claire. People will get healthcare here because its convenient instead of driving one way or the other they can make appointments here and stop in, Wanek explained.

Along with offering services like eye exams and physical therapy, the Ashley Wellness Center's main focus is on preventative care.

Preventative medicine is the best medicine. When you talk about health, you don't want to wait until people are sick. You want to catch those things early and have the access by being closer to home certainly helps, Dr. Scott Rathgaber, CEO of Gundersen Health System said.

The clinic will be open regularly from 6am-6 pm Monday through Friday and Saturday from 9 am to noon.

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Ashley Furniture celebrates opening of expanded wellness center - WEAU

GESSLER CLINIC

Dr. Haldane W. Porteous has joined Gessler Clinc, PA, 635 First St. N., Winter Haven. Board certified in Internal Medicine and a Board Certified Clinical Hypertension Specialist, Porteous received his Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery with Honors in Basic Medical Sciences from the University of West Indies Medical School in Kingston, Jamaica and his Master of Science in Patient Safety Leadership at the University of Illinois at Chicago, completed an Internal Medicine Internship and residency at the University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami and a nephrology fellowship at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore. His professional affiliations include the Renal Physician Association, American Society of Nephrology, American Society of Hypertension and the American College of Physicians.

LAKE WALES MEDICAL CENTER

Shazam Abdul, occupational therapy assistant, was named Employee of the Month for June at Lake Wales Medical Center. Abdul has worked at the hospital since 2014.

Lake Wales Medical Center presented its second quarter 2017 employee awards. Social worker Karey Lewis was Employee of the Quarter; Lori McKinney who works in the emergency room, was Manager of the Quarter, and Joan Hartshorn, who works in the gift shop, was Volunteer of the Quarter.

LAKELAND REGIONAL HEALTH

Dr. Cristina Cuevas-Korensky has joined Lakeland Regional Health as a hospitalist. Board certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine, Cuevas-Korensky received her Doctor of Medicine degree from Universidad de Salamanca School of Medicine in Spain, completed her residency in Internal Medicine at Western Reserve Care System in Youngstown, Ohio and her fellowship in Critical Care Medicine at Mount Carmel Hospital and Wayne State University in Detroit. She most recently served as a hospitalist at Florida Hospital Flagler and is fluent in English and Spanish.

Dr. John F. Hower Jr. has rejoined Lakeland Regional Health as Medical Director of its Wound Care and Hyperbaric Medicine Center at the Grasslands Campus, 3030 Harden Blvd., Lakeland. Board certified by the American Board of Surgery, Hower received his Doctor of Medicine degree at Tulane University School of Medicine in New Orleans after earning a Doctor of Philosphy degree in Physical Chemistry from Duke University in Durham, N.C., completed his residency in General Surger at Tulane University Affiliated Hospitals in Louisiana and completed his fellowship in Vascular Surgery at Touro Infirmary in New Orleans and East Jefferson Hospital in Metairie, La. He has had an affiliation with Lakeland Regional Health for more than 17 years, serving as a part-time and full-time trauma and general surgeon and a vascular surgeon.

Dr. Erjola Balliu has joined Lakeland Regional Health as an Endocrinologist and Pediatric Endocrinologist at the Pablo Campus, 130 Pablo St., Lakeland. Board certified by the American Board of Pediatrics and American Board of Internal Medicine, Balliu received her Doctor of Medicine degree from Ross University School of Medicine in the Dominican Republic, completed her fellowship in Adult and Pediatric Endocrinology and her internship and residency in the Department of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics at Stony Brook University Hospital in New York.

THE VILLA AT CARPENTERS

Matthew Thompson, Director of Health and Financial Services at The Villa at Carpenters in Lakeland was named the 2017 Assisted Living Facility Administrator of the Year by the Florida Health Care Association. Thompson has led his team to several awards including the American Health Care Association's Bronze and Silver National Quality Awards and recently earned his master's degree in Aging Services.

WATSON CLINIC

Rene Connors, reception team leader at the Watson Clinic Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine location in south Lakeland, was named the July recipient of Watson Clinic's Program for Employee Excellence and Recognition award. Connors has been with the clinic for eight years.

Certified Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner Patricia C. Bayshore has joined Watson Clinic, working alongside board certified family medicine specialists Drs. Benjamin Phen, M. Karina Solorzano-Klapprott and Richard F. Sweeney at the Bartow location, 2250 Osprey Blvd., Suite 100. Certified by the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, Bayshore received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from the University of South Florida and her Master of Science in Nursing degree from the University of Tampa. Her areas of expertise include comprehensive primary care services for adults and children, acute and chronic disease management, physical examinations, nutrition counseling, weight management and wellness services.

Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine Elaine C. Turcan has joined Watson Clinic at the south location, 1033 N. Parkway Frontage Road, Lakeland. Board certified by the American Board of Family Medicine, Turcan received her Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree from the University of Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine in Kansas City, Mo., performed an internship in family medicine at Doctors' Hospital in Groves, Texas, and a residency in family medicine at Wyoming Valley Practice in Kingston, Pa. Her areas of expertise include preventative medicine and pediatric patient care.

Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine Kenneth J. Stroub has joined Watson Clinic in Urgent Care at the main facility, 1600 Lakeland Hills Blvd., Lakeland. Board certified by the American Osteopathic Board of Family Physicians and a member of the American Osteopathic Association and American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians, Stroub received his Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree from Midwestern University/Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine in Downers Grove, Ill., and performed a rotating internship at Muskegon General Hospital in Muskegon, Mich. and a Family Practice residency at Mercy General Hospital System in Muskegon.

Certified Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner Caitlyn S. Bierly has joined Watson Clinic in the Urology department working alongside Dr. Gaines W. Hammond at the main clinic, 1600 Lakeland Hills Blvd., Lakeland. A member of the American Nurses Association, Florida Nurses Association and American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, Bierly received her Associate of Science in Nursing and Bachelor of Science in Nursing degrees from Polk State College and her Master of Science in Nursing degree from the University of Central Florida College of Nursing in Orlando. Her areas of expertise include general urology services and pre-operative/post-operative surgical care.

Dr. Megan B. Luciano has joined Watson Clinic in the OB-GYN department at the Bella Vista Building, 1755 N. Florida Ave., Lakeland. A member of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Luciano received her medical degree from Marshall University/Joan C. Edwards School in Medicine in Huntington, W.Va., and completed her internship and residency in Obstetrics & Gynecology at Orlando Health Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies in Orlando.

- Send Medical People items to features@theledger.com.

Continued here:
Polk County people in medicine (September 5) - The Ledger - The Ledger

This week a dying cat was brought into our hospital. She was about 10 years old, owned by a couple that had never taken her to the vet before. She was dehydrated and extremely pale, lying curled up on her side, unresponsive and breathing very shallow breaths, and her temperature was very low. The gentleman said to his wife, "Dont worry the vet will save her." Unfortunately we could not. Tears were shed. She had to be humanely euthanized. It was heartbreaking.

The saddest part about this cats death is that it was most likely preventable. This kitty was crawling with fleas. After she died, fleas were jumping off her like sailors off a sinking ship. They knew her lifeblood and their next meal was not flowing anymore. We had to perform an emergency flea clean up to prevent the hospital from becoming infested.

Fleas infest and bite mammals to obtain a blood meal. They defecate flea dirt," which looks like black coffee grounds all over the skin. Since one female flea lays 2,000 eggs and the flea eggs hatch in less than two weeks, you can have millions of fleas infesting a home by the end of the summer. The fleas living outside die in the frost that usually occurs in October, but indoors fleas live on. Fleas will usually parasitize your pets first. If the animal leaves the household they will then start biting humans. If you have flea bites you will notice little red itchy bumps usually around your legs and ankles, but they could be anywhere on your body if fleas are in your bed.

Fleas may transmit a few diseases to people and animals. Fleas carry tapeworm larvae. If a pet chewing its fur ingests a flea, it will get tapeworms. Fleas also transmit disease through biting. Bubonic plague, which is the bacteria Yersinia pestis, can be transmitted to pets and humans via a flea bite.

Cat scratch fever, or Bartonella henselae, is transmitted when a flea bites a cat. Some cats will have symptoms of inflammation at the back of their mouths or inflamed eyes and severe skin lesions. Many cats exhibit no symptoms but the bug can be found in their hearts, lymph nodes, kidneys and liver. Cats can in turn infect their owners with cat scratch fever via scratches, sometimes while exhibiting absolutely no sign of infection. People can develop severe skin lesions.

The best way to prevent these diseases is to keep your cat or dog parasite free. We no longer prevent or treat fleas with baths and dips. Topical and oral medications are used to fight fleas these days.

There are some flea and tick topical products sold in pet stores that are 30-year-old technology and are very ineffective. Other flea and tick products have the active ingredient fipronil, but do not have the chemical that allows that flea preventative to be carried transdermally into the fat layer throughout the body. This makes them much less effective. There are products on the shelf that can cause cats and small dogs to have severe reactions and seizures. Consult your veterinarian about which flea and tick preventative she recommends. Your veterinarian will recommend a safe product based on your individual pets lifestyle.

Purchasing a quality flea product from your veterinarian is often less expensive per dose than the same products from the big-box stores. The complimentary doses and the large coupon savings offered only by your veterinarian make the pricing very competitive.

If you already use flea preventative medicine, it is almost unimaginable that fleas could cause a cat to die. I have rarely seen that in my practice life and I hope to never see it again. Your veterinarian is dedicated to preventing disease from entering your household. That is why the veterinary hospital team discusses flea medication during your pets wellness appointment.

Dr. Elizabeth Bradt is a veterinarian and owner of a veterinary hospital on the North Shore. Email your pet questions to docliz@creaturehealth.com, with "Vet Connection" in the subject line.

||||

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VET CONNECTION: Flea season is upon us - The Salem News

Sponsored by Rocky Gorge Animal Hospital

By Dr. Steven Wolchinsky

With the onset of cooler weather, you may be tempted to start dropping your guard against ticks, but did you know that the late summer and early autumn is the peak time for these pesky parasites!

While you mostly find ticks in tall grass and woodlands, they also lurk about in the leaves your pets love to play in. They wait for an animal or human to brush past them so that they can jump and feed. They attach using their mouthparts and will feed on blood from their host for several days before finally dropping off.

Ticks can be transferred from pets coming into the household from outdoors and can even be transferred to humans. Ticks can spread diseases, including Lyme disease, which is a bacterial infection that can affect humans, dogs, cats and other mammals. Ticks from other areas have migrated to the mid-Atlantic and we are now commonly seeing other tick borne diseases such as Ehrlichiosis and Anaplasmosis, both bacterial infections that can affect pets and humans alike.

How do you know if your pet has ticks? Ticks are often visible to the naked eye, so its a good idea to check your pet regularly if you live in an area where ticks are prevalent, especially if they spend a lot of time outside. Run your hands carefully over your pet every time they come inside, and especially check inside and around the ears, head and feet.

If you believe your pet has ticks, schedule an appointment with your veterinarian as soon as possible so that they can remove the parasite. And remember prevention is key, so talk to your veterinarian today about the best preventative medicine to keep all your pets safe this fall.

More here:
Don't let your pets fall for ticks this season - WTOP

MISSOULA Fires burning across the state continue to blanket Western Montana under athick layer of smoke, smoke that many of us are breathing in on a daily basis.

The air quality in Western Montana hasnt been clean for quite some time.There are between35 and 250 smoke particulates per cubic centimeter of air and when you breathe in thatcontaminated air, those particulates settle in the lungs.

So these irritants can settle in there and people that have baseline lung disease can be more at risk for problems from that, said Dr. Kristin Anderson, who practices family and preventative medicine.

Those problems range in severity, you may get a sore throat or worsening asthma, but some problemscould warrant immediate medical attention.

Chest heaviness is a pretty specific symptom, and thats one that doctors take very seriously, so obviously if you are feeling chest heaviness, its something that new to you or worsening, worse with activity, you need to be examined immediately, Dr. Anderson said.

Doctors advise people to avoid the outdoors as often as possible in order to help save your lungs.

This isnt the time to go and do some activities outside, certainly this isnt the day to work on your garden, but rather try to find some fun activities to do inside for the small ones and the young ones, Dr. Anderson said.

Missoula is a very active community, and people may not like the idea of spending the rest of the summer indoors, so they might be tempted to go to a hardware store and buy a paper mask. When air quality is bad, officials say paper masks really dont help.

Basic masks are probably not going to make much of a dent in what is going into your lungs from the smoke, Dr. Anderson said. They generally stop large particles, but not the smaller particles.

N95 industrial masks are recommended for those who are required to stay outside for

work, but Dr. Anderson said its best to stay indoors as much as possible.

As of Thursday morning, air quality had improved in Helena to Moderate.

For more information on air quality conditionsclick here.

MTNs Eric Clements

Read more here:
Western Montana wildfire smoke continues to pose health risks - KTVH

Photo Credit: Shutterstock.com

Almost everyone knows somebody that has been effected by heart diseasestatistics showthat coronary artery disease is the most fatal disease in the United States. To put this statistic into perspective, on an annual basis, one quarter of all deaths (or 600,000 yearly fatalities) in America are dueto heart disorders. For the most part, individuals contract heart disorders due to unhealthy life styles and bad habits including: fatty foods, smoking, drinking, and sloth.

The term heart diseaseis an umbrella phrase generally used to describe symptoms related to atherosclerosis, which arises with the gradual amassing of fats on the walls of arteries and veins.Over time, with a consistently unhealthy diet and lifestyle, these fatty deposits can eventually restrict blood flow in the arteries to the point of heart attack. However,there are a few other forms of heart diseaseincluding heart failure, arrhythmia, heart valve problems, and hypertension. While the causes of atherosclerosis (lifestyle, etc.) can also be attributed to these other heart maladies, there are a plethora of other sources for them, including stress and genetic disorders.

As with a majority of medical applications for cannabis, legitimate scientific research into the herbs potential as a medicine for victims of heart disease is in its infancybut findings thus far are quite profound. For the most part, studies into the potential use of cannabis as a medicine for heart disease are related to both CBD and abnormal cannabidiol. For starters,studies have shownthat CBD can be beneficial for heart disease victims as both a preventative and restorative medicine. Secondly,abnormal cannabidiolis potentially a wonder drug which can greatly help reduce the chances of heart attacks for atherosclerosis patients. Each of these fascinating compounds are worth exploring in more detail.

CBD has various theoretical medical applicationsfor heart disease. To begin with, CBD has been shown to cause blood vessels to vasodilate, improving blood flow and reducing blood pressure. Point being, CBD can possibly be utilized as a preventative medicine for heart attacks, as it has the potential to help blood vessels restrict and move more efficiently.Doctors also feelthat CBD can be used as an anti-arrhythmic which can reestablish normality in ones heart beat post heart attack.

Abnormal cannabidiolis a synthetically derived chemical which is related, on a molecular level, to the cannabinoids found within the marijuana plant. Also,abnormal cannibidiol sharesthe non-psychoactive properties of CBD, meaning that it does not get users high. TheBritish Journal of Pharmacology reportsthat the application of abnormal cannabidiol in lab rats led to the widening of blood veins and arteries by relaxing muscles on their walls. Point being,findings showthat abnormal cannabidiol, like CBD, can help lessen the chances of heart attacks by opening up blood flow within veins and arteries that would be otherwise restricted by atherosclerosis. It goes without saying that these findings warrant far more research into the potential uses of medical marijuana in relations to heart disease.

See the article here:
What We Know About Medical Marijuana's Effect On Heart Disease ... - AlterNet

UW Medicine is pleased to announce that Dr. David Russell and Kirsten Pickard, ARNP, will be joining the UW Medicine Orcas Island Clinic effective November 1, 2017. Russell, who has been an Orcas Island resident since 2003, started the Orcas Island Family Medicine clinic in 2004 and is a primary care provider practicing family medicine. Pickard, who worked with Russell at the Family Medicine clinic, lives on Waldron Island and has been a full-time resident there for three years.

I look forward to working with UW Medicine to establish a primary care clinic that will provide compassionate and effective health care for the residents of Orcas Island, said Russell. I am also pleased that Kirsten will also be joining this practice.

As an ARNP, Pickard has a special interest in womens health and obstetrics as well as preventative health and end-of-life care. She is excited to continue her work on the island.

I could not be more excited than to have this opportunity to work with UW Medicine on my own professional and community goals, said Pickard. My goals are to ensure access to quality healthcare while providing that care to a diverse population.

Both Russell and Pickard will be working Monday through Friday and Pickard hopes to provide some Saturday coverage as well. The two providers will be joining Dr. Michael Alperin, who was just named Clinic Chief of both the UW Medicine Orcas Island Clinic and the UW Medicine Lopez Island Clinic.

More here:
Dr. David Russell and Kirsten Pickard, ARNP, to join the UW Medicine Orcas Island Clinic - Islands' Sounder

Researchers have found a way to transform ordinary cells from pigs into powerful stem cells in a move that may have implications for human health.

With these stem cells, they hope to modify porcine genes that are related to the immune system so that its organs may some day be used for people in need of transplants.

In an article published in the Journal of Molecular Cell Biology, the researchers from China described how they managed to re-programme ordinary cells taken from the ear and bone marrow of a 10-week-old pig using a virus.

"The cells changed and developed in the laboratory into colonies of embryonic-like stem cells," wrote the researchers, led by Xiao Lei, who heads the stem cell lab at the Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology.

Embryonic stem cells are capable of developing into any type of cell in the body.

"The research could open the way to creating models for human genetic diseases, genetically engineering animals for organ transplants for humans, and for developing pigs that are resistant to diseases such as swine flu," they said.

The researchers also hope to use their discovery to improve pig farming.

Commenting on this latest development, Chris Mason, professor of Regenerative Medicine at the University College London, said it would help in the treatment of organ failure.

"This breakthrough to produce pig stem cells potentially reinvigorates the quest to grow humanised pig organs such as pancreases for diabetics and kidneys for chronic renal failure," said Mason, who was not involved in the Chinese study. (Reporting by Tan Ee Lyn; Editing by Jon Hemming) - Reuters

See original here:
Pig stem cells a new reality? - Independent Online

Nanomedicine Research Journal (Abbreviation: Nanomed Res J)

is an international, open access, peer-reviewed, electronic and print quarterly publication released by the Iranian Society of Nanomedicine (ISNM). Nanomedicine Research Journal publishes original research articles, review papers, mini review papers, case reports and short communications covering a wide range of field-specific and interdisciplinary theoretical and experimental results related to applications of nanoscience and nanotechnology in medicine including, but not limited to, diagnosis, treatment, monitoring, prediction and prevention of diseases, tissue engineering, nano bio-sensors, functionalized carriers and targeted drug delivery systems.

* Publication process of manuscripts submitted to Nanomed Res J is free of charge.

To see Acceptance timeline Please follow the link below:

Acceptance Timeline Diagram

About the publisher

Founded in 2011 by the leading ofSchool of Advanced Technologies in medicine (SATiM),Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS) and Iran Nanotechnology Initiative Council, the Iranian Society of Nanomedicine (ISNM) attempts to promote and develop medical nanotechnology in Iran. For more information about the publisher, please visit us at http://isnm.ir/en/.

Go here to read the rest:
Nanomedicine Research Journal

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