StemCell Therapy

Tuesday, September 5, 2017

In a major public move that has been long-awaited by proponents of evidence-based stem cell science, FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb issued alengthy statement on August 28, 2017on the FDAs new policy steps and enforcement efforts to ensure proper oversight of stem cell therapies and regenerative medicine.The short version is that the Agency will:

Step up enforcement against stem cell actors who claim that their unproven and unsafe products will address a serious disease, but instead put patients at significant risk. To that end, Dr. Gottlieb also announced the creation of an internal working group to identify and pursue such actors and clinics through whatever legally enforceable means are necessary to protect the public health.

Develop and advance a comprehensive policy framework that will more clearly describe the rules of the road for this new field, based on FDAs existing authority. The science-based policy would be aimed at accelerating the proper development of stem cell and other regenerative medicine products, and it is expected to be released Fall 2017. Dr. Gottlieb also noted that the Agency would be issuing a compliance policy that, with the exception of outliers potentially harming public health in a significant way right now, will give current product developers a very reasonable period of time to interact with the FDA in order to determine if they need to submit an application for marketing authorization. And we will also be developing a novel approach to FDA approval that we believe will allow very small product developers to gain all the benefits of FDA approval through a process that is minimally burdensome and less costly. The latter part of this statement clearly takes into account that individual clinicians working in academic hospitals and other venues to innovate in their respective specialties make up a large portion of regenerative medicine product developers, and putting in place an overly burdensome or expensive process would not be in the publics best interest.

The widely differing viewpoints about the appropriateness of FDA oversight of human cell and tissue-based products (HCT/Ps) and their potential risks and benefits were aired during a two-day public hearing in September 2016, as wereported on at the time. From the second prong of Dr. Gottliebs announcement, we would expect that the four draft HCT/P guidance documents debated during the public hearing may be revised or finalized, and they may also be supplemented with additional guidance to further clarify jurisdictional lines or procedural flexibility for very small product developers.

In conjunction with the Commissioners statement, FDA also took specific enforcement action against two high-profile stem cell entities operating in California and Florida:

Supplies of smallpox vaccine, intended to be mixed with fat-derived stem cells and administered to patients as a treatment for cancer, were seized from San Diego-based company StemImmune Inc. Related to the Governments investigation into the unapproved stem cell treatment will be how the company obtained access to the smallpox vaccine in the first place, as it is not commercially available. FDAs announcement about the StemImmune action is availablehere.

A Warning Letter was issued to US Stem Cell Clinic in Florida related to its manufacture of an unapproved drug using fat-derived stem cells and deviations from good manufacturing practices for cell-based products. The Agency announcement about the US Stem Cell Clinic action, along with a link to the complete Warning letter, is availablehere.

US Stem Cell Clinic quicklysubmitted a response to FDA, which it has alsoposted on its website, and which challenges the legal basis for Agency action against a patients own body tissue. We will continue to monitor this case to see whether it progresses into a Federal judicial review of FDAs approach to regulating HCT/Ps.

Finally, as we previously reported, the December 2016 bipartisan 21st Century Cures Act (Cures Act) included a newaccelerated approval pathway for regenerative medicineproducts. FDA has begun implementing the Cures Act provisions under itsRegenerative Medicine Advanced Therapy (RMAT) Designation program. Commissioner Gottliebs recent statement also emphasized the relationship between realizing the promise of the Cures Acts RMAT Designation Program and the need to effectively police the growing marketplace of unproven stem cell treatments. His strongly worded August 28th statement ended with the following:

We must put in place the framework to separate the promising treatments from those products that pose significant risks or offer patients little to no chance of benefit. We will also continue to take steps to keep those who would exploit this promising area from harming patients and abusing the publics trust. We cant let a small number of unscrupulous actors poison the well for the good science that holds the promise of changing the contours of human illness and altering the trajectory of medicine and science.

We are hopeful that the Agency will follow these words with consistent enforcement actions (especially given how manyhundreds of self-named stem cell clinicscurrently operate in the U.S.), in order to enhance regulatory certainty and encourage investment in legitimate business enterprises. The House Energy and Commerce Committee has already confirmed that it will soon be examining the potential effect of unproven stem cell therapies on the broader regenerative medicine field, as part of its oversight of Cures Act implementation more generally. Of course, we will keep our readers posted on important developments regarding these issues.

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FDA Commissioner Announces Stem Cell Enforcement Shift, Plans to Develop Comprehensive Regenerative Medicine ... - The National Law Review

Apex Sports and Regenerative Medicine, established by Dr. Daniel Savarino, recently opened its doors in Tinton Falls to meet the growing need for Sports Medicine services in Monmouth County. Dr. Savarino is here to answer your most pressing questions about Sports Medicine, musculoskeletal injury and the services offered at Apex Sports and Regenerative Medicine.

What kind of injuries do you treat?

Musculoskeletal injuries can happen to anyone, regardless of age, fitness level or whether or not you are an athlete. Sports medicine physicians treat injuries that affect mobility, flexibility and strength and help prevent movement-related injuries.

Musculoskeletal injuries can be acute or chronic. Acute injuriesoccur because of an impact, fall or trauma and might include a sprain, strain, dislocation or fracture. Acute injuries should be treated immediately. Chronic injuries develop over time, as a result of repetitive motion, or when you dramatically increase the duration, frequency or intensity of an activity. Chronic injuries can also occur when you do not warm up sufficiently before beginning an activity, or use improper technique and/or equipment. Chronic injuries include stress fractures, tendinopathy or shin splints. If left untreated, chronic injury will become more severe over time.

What exactly is a sports medicine specialist?

A sports medicine specialist is a physician who has received training in the prevention and non-surgical management of injuries, or an orthopedic surgeon with specialized sports medicine training. At Apex Sports and Regenerative Medicine we specialize in non-operative and regenerative treatments.

Over 90 percent of injuries treated by a sports medicine specialist are non-surgical, according to the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine. At Apex we offer cutting edge, minimally invasive procedures using ultrasound guidance, which result in less downtime than surgery, so youre able to resume your favorite activities more quickly. We also offer a wide range of regenerative treatments, like PRP, stem cell therapy and high dose laser therapy to help your body recover from injury.

What happens at a typical appointment?

To diagnose your injury and determine treatment, we will take a thorough history of your health background and activities, as well as a physical exam. We may also take X-rays or conduct imaging tests, depending on the nature and severity of the injury.

You dont have to be a competitive athlete to benefit from the care of a sports medicine doctor. Whether youre suffering from a musculoskeletal injury, hoping to alleviate pain and increase mobility so you can carry out daily activities, or youre an athlete hoping to improve your performance, a sports medicine physician can design and carry out a treatment plan to help you to stay active.

Do you accept my insurance?

Insurance carriers refer to Apex as an out-of-network facility. This does not mean that we do not accept your insurance, but rather, it means that we do not currently have a contract with your health insurance provider. However, if you have an insurance policy with out-of-network benefits (i.e., a PPO policy), you can be reimbursed for your visit. Our staff is happy to answer any questions about insurance and payment.

Apex Sports and Regenerative Medicine is located at 55 N. Gilbert St. suite 1101 in Tinton Falls and is open Monday-Friday. To learn more about the practice or to schedule an appointment with Dr. Savarino, please call the office at 732-385-APEX (2739) or visit our website at apexsportsnj.com.

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Meet Dr. Daniel Savarino - centraljersey.com

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A young racing enthusiast battling blindness is making the most of his eyesight before his driving dreams are ended.

Ethan Tailor, nine, suffers from Stargardt disease, a rare degenerative condition that could blind him and has already left him relying on a magnifier to read at Goffs Oak Primary School.

Mum Bhavna, from Goffs Oak, was heartbroken when her son turned to her a year after he was diagnosed in January 2016 and said 'mummy, I am never going to be able to drive am I?'

But after featuring in a BBC news report, the mother of two-time world champion go-karter Matt Luff, 16, was compelled to reach out and offer a one-to-one session last Tuesday (August 29) at Brentwood Kartway.

Ethan described the experience as 'the best day ever'.

"This really made his year, he loved it and it was such a kind-hearted thing to do," said Bhavna.

"Matt has also invited him to watch him race at Silverstone. He has never been there so he is really excited for it. He said go-karting with Matt was the best day ever."

READ MORE: Hertford boy, 10, with rare genetic disorder fronts national Jeans for Genes campaign

With no cure or current treatment available for the disease, Ethan's family does not know when he could lose his sight completely.

Ethan was registered as sight-impaired in January 2016 and cannot even recognise his friends in the playground.

As the disease is hereditary, there is a 25 per cent chance of Ethan's four-year-old sister, Elise, inheriting the disease.

But Bhavna is determined to help her son make the most of his sight and raise awareness of the disease.

READ MORE: Middleton School in Ware receives new minibus after fundraising by 15-year-old

She said: "As a mother, I feel a little helpless but we will still fight his corner and do all we can to give him the best.

"The hardest part is not knowing how long it will take [for his sight to go]. He can only read two lines off the sight chart now."

Ethan has remained upbeat and last year delivered a school assembly to explain the disease to his classmates.

His message was that he can overcome the physical problem, and he pointed to the example set by Paralympic sprinter and gold medallist Libby Clegg, who also has Stargardt.

Mrs Tailor sets time aside for the family to capture visual memories, which have included a VIP trip to Universal Studios in California, a visit to Yosemite and fishing trips.

The rest is here:
Cheshunt boy facing blindness, 9, races with world champion - Hertfordshire Mercury

India currently has the highest number of visually impaired and blind people and according to experts majority of cases is because of cataract. It is the sole largest factor for blindness in India and accounts for nearly 63 per cent of the total vision impairment in the country.

Ramanjit Singh Sihota, Professor of Ophthalmology at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), said after cataract (62.7 per cent), in descending order of prevalence, the causes of blindness were uncorrected refractive error (19.7 per cent), glaucoma (5.8) per cent, posterior segment disorder (4.7 per cent) and corneal blindness (1 per cent). In this backdrop, aiming to understand the real burden of visual impairment and blindness in children of north India over the last one decade, the AIIMS is conducting nation's first large-scale community-based study in Delhi where 20,000 children will be screened.

The study, results of which are expected in a year's time, is currently underway in small clusters of east Delhi's Trilokpuri. According to the doctors, the clusters have been divided and from every cluster 500 children are being examined. Once the results are out, the study will also be carried out in other parts of India.

"In India, there are nearly 0.8 crore blind and 5.4 crore visually impaired. Nearly 80-90 per cent blindness is avoidable and more than 90 per cent of it is seen in people aged 50 years and above," said Praveen Vashist, head of Community Ophthalmology at AIIMS. "It is an epidemiological study on childhood blindness. The age group being examined is 0-15 years. This is a pilot study and will be implemented in other parts of the country," said Atul Kumar, Chief of Rajendra Prasad Eye (RP) Centre for Ophthalmic Sciences at AIIMS.

Stating that patients were ignorant about various causes which damaged optic nerves, Jeevan S. Titiyal, Professor of Ophthalmology at AIIMS, said that tobacco, betel nut and lime also caused damage to eyes, without the patients having any idea. On being asked if steroids were also a reason behind blindness, Titiyal said: "This is becoming common and nearly 20 per cent of children with blindness is because of the steroids. However, with the advancement in age, chances of people going blind due to steroids become less."

The RP Centre is also conducting a "National Blindness Survey 2015-18" with a sample size of 90,000 people, using Rapid Assessment of Avoidable Blindness (RAAB)-6 method. Blindness surveys have been completed in 23 districts to date and is scheduled to be completed in all 30 districts by June 2018. Doctors said that the survey would provide the most reliable representative current estimates of blindness and visual impairment among those aged 50 and above. It will also generate, for the first time, the burden of diabetic retinopathy and sight threatening diabetic retinopathy in a representative community sample.

Lens is usually made of water and protein but while ageing protein may start covering lens making it difficult for the person to see. Cataract which leads to blur vision and faded colour is most common in adults.

(With IANS inputs)

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63% blindness cases in India is caused by cataract, say experts - India TV

Since 2014, Dialogue in the Dark Ace Take 1 has trained 4,100 PwDs and created 3,000 job opportunities for the differently-abled across 18 sectors.

Most people come up with a feeling of sympathy when they meet us. But I/we dont need sympathy. I can do every normal thing, like everyone else, all by my own. I am used to working in the darkness, says 25-year-old Faizal, when asked about the challenges faced by a visually-impaired person. And like Faizal, many others with visual impairment or physical disabilities, believe that they dont need sympathy or help from the society; rather, a mutual feeling of equality is what they stake a claim for.

But this natural outburst of sorry feeling mixed with sympathy towards people with disabilities (PwDs) is the norm. It leads to discrimination and largely hinders the availability of economically empowering opportunities for them across the country. While many consider physical disability as a weakness cursed upon them, people like Faizal want to subvert this notion. And as more progressive social groups join hands to build up a mutually inclusive society for all, the view, that the so-called disabled are not disabled but differently-abled, should prevail.

Dialogue in the Dark ACE Take 1 came to the fore with an aim to bring about a mindset change in the corporates of India for creating employment opportunities for PwDs. With the conviction that experiences and encounters are powerfully effective pedological tools, Dialogue in the Dark provides an empathy experience for its visitors by putting them through daily life situations, in complete darkness.

With a mission to facilitate social inclusion of the disabled community on a global basis, Dialogue in the Dark was founded by Andreas Heinecke at Hamburg, Germany, in 1988. With the goal to change the mindset of people towards disability and diversity, and consequently boost employment creation for PwDs, in the past 27 years, Dialogue in the Dark has been presented in more than 41 countries. Today, it is available in across 21 countries and 29 cities worldwide. Its exhibitions and workshops, where people undergo day-to-day activities in complete darkness, have witnessed more than 9 million visitors.

Introduced to the Indian audience by SV Krishnan and Sudha Krishnan, Dialogue in the Dark has received 8,000 pledges till date, through its sensitisation mission. According to SV Krishnan, in 2009, while waiting for a delayed flight in Atlanta, he came upon an exhibit of DID. He was deeply enthralled by its powerful message and the innovative way of showing how ordinary events like walking in the park, shopping, taking a boat ride in complete darkness were empowering. This encounter inspired him to begin thinking about the pedagogical power of such experiences and employing entertainment as a medium to convey socially relevant messages.

Visitors are assisted by tour guides through the exhibition, but the fact the guides are visually-impaired is not revealed to the visitors. At the end of the experience, the visitors are led out of the exhibition into the light by the guide. This role reversal brings about a transformation in the mindset of the visitors, thereby leaving them with the understanding that the disabled need empowering opportunities and not sympathy, says SV Krishnan.

With the determination to bring the concept to India, Krishnan established DID in Hyderabad in 2011. It has now expanded to other cities like Chennai, Bengaluru, and Raipur. DID has also been set up across 15 cities on a temporary basis for conducting corporate sensitisation workshops on the abilities of PwDs.

The wide acceptance and success of Dialogue in the Dark led to the establishment of ACE Take 1. It aims to create employment opportunities for PwDs through skill development trainings and by bridging the gap between the market requirement and PwD skill levels through vocational skill training.

Through its ACE Take 1 skill development training, DID has trained 4,100 PwDs, created 3,000 job opportunities for them across 18 sectors of the country.

According to Krishnan, Through DID, corporates are sensitised towards hiring PwDs as they get to experience their abilities without even knowing that they are hosted and taken care of by a visually-impaired.

While Dialogue in the Dark changes the views of several visitors by providing an empathy experience, the differently-abled connected to it consider it a blessing in disguise.

Rohit Gowlikar, who is currently working as Probationary Assistant Manager in Syndicate Bank, says, Ignorance of the society about what a PwD like me can do resulted in me not getting a job for three years till Dialogue in the Dark hired me. Working at Dialogue in the Dark has immensely boosted my self-confidence.

Another PwD guide at DID, Nasir Hashmi, has over the last four years interacted with more than 10,000 guests and conducted over 100 workshops across India, spreading the message of diversity and social inclusion.

Meanwhile, Dialogue in the Dark plans to expand to other Indian cities like Mumbai, Delhi and Bengaluru by 2018. Furthermore, it aims to provide employment enhancing vocational skills training for 5,000 PwDs, annually, across India till 2020.

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Sensitising 90 lakh people worldwide about blindness, Dialogue in the Dark shows the way - YourStory.com

Dopamine is a naturally occurring chemical that plays several key roles in the brain and body.

But the use of foetal tissue is fraught with practical and ethical problems.

So Takahashi and his colleagues, in a medical first, substituted so-called induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), which can be easily made from human skin or blood.

Within a year, some monkey's who had could barely stand up gradually recovered mobility.

"They became more active, moving more rapidly and more smoothly," Takahashi said by email. Animals that had taken to just sitting "start walking around in the cage."

"These findings are strong evidence that human iPSC-derived dopaminergic neurons can be clinically applicable to treat Parkinson's patients," he said.

Experts not involved in the research described the results as encouraging.

The treatment, if proven viable, "has the potential to reverse Parkinson's by replacing the dopamine cells that have been lost -- a groundbreaking feat," said David Dexter, deputy research director at Parkinson's UK.

"Not only did the new cells survive... but they also integrated with the existing neuronal network," he said.

Neurons made from foetal tissue grafted into brains have been known to survive for more than a decade, and the researchers said they expected those derived from iPSCs to last just as long.

Tilo Kunath, Parkinson's Senior Research Fellow at the University of Edinburgh, said the outcome was "extremely promising," and highlighted the advantage of avoiding stem cells extracted from human foetal tissue.

"It means that this therapy can be used in any country worldwide," including Ireland and most of South America, where medical use of human embryonic stem cells is banned.

The results, reported in the journal Nature, were not the same for the dozen monkeys in the experiment, each of which received donor neurons from a different person.

"Some were made with cells from healthy donors, while others were made from Parkinson's disease patients," said lead author Tetsuhiro Kikuchi, also from Kyoto University.

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Human stem cells restore mobility in Parkinson's monkeys: study - Times LIVE

Dr. Lee Denney of Cushing, has beennamed the 2017 Oklahoma Veterinarian of the Year by the Oklahoma Veterinary Medical Association.

Im very honored, said Denney. I feel unworthy but also Im very grateful. It was a very humbling experience to be in that room with my colleagues.

Denney, a lifetime resident of Cushing, earned her DVM degree from Oklahoma State University in 1978.

When asked why she chose OSU, she remarked, Oh, you just have to say why not? Being an instate resident and having a vet school with an excellent reputation was a great combination and thats why I picked it.

I always knew I wanted to do something in the medical field. Loved biology and the variety of species, the variety in your daily routine was very appealing. And then add in the medical aspect, veterinary medicine seemed like the likely choice.

Immediately upon graduation, she went into private practice.

At the time, I was married to a veterinarian and we opened a mixed practice in Cushing and had that practice for 35 years.

In addition to veterinary medicine, Dr. Denney has another professional interest that impacts animal owners in a different way. She served in the Oklahoma legislature for 12 years, the maximum amount of time allowed.

I got interested in politics probably 10 to 12 years before I was elected and realized what an impact it does have on our state, said Denney. I think a lot of us just go through life voting all the time, making sure we vote but not really paying attention to what those that we put in office actually do. And with money being tight these days and regulations changing, I thought it was important to spend my time in public service.

I think its very important for veterinarians to be engaged. At the time I was in the legislature, we had three veterinarians. We were an active voice, not only for veterinary medicine, but also for production agriculture. And I think it was very important; colleagues looked to us.

Today Dr. Denney serves as an instructor and department head for the Veterinary Technology Department at the Oklahoma State University-Oklahoma City campus.

I hope Im remembered as someone who is open minded and willing to learn and willing to change. And approachable on all areas whether its in veterinary medicine, teaching students here at OSU-OKC or even in the legislature. Someone who values other peoples opinions and is willing to work with those people. Maybe not always agreeing with opinions but willing to have a civil discourse and move through problems that we have in todays society.

Denney has many areas of accomplishments her family, her veterinary practice, and her time in the legislature.

Raising kids to be productive adults is always a great accomplishment, she said. Also in the field of veterinary medicine, even protecting the Practice Act and things like that in the legislature have been great. If you drill it down even further, when someone brings you their dog or their cat and its their lifelong companion and they feel like the outcome is going to probably be euthanasia but you find out that its not and just the joy on their face is wonderful. To return that animal to their family is really a great accomplishment.

When asked what advice she would offer someone who is considering becoming a veterinarian, Dr. Denney had this to say:

Do it. Its a wonderful profession. Its like anything; there is good and bad. You know at 2 a.m. when youre at the clinic delivering puppies, you kind of think why did I do this? But when those puppies are all going yip, yip, yip and sucking on their mom and you get to go home and go back to bed, its rewarding. And the variety of it (veterinary medicine) and the people you meet. Its been a great profession. Not only on the small animal side but veterinarians are extremely necessary to protect our food supply and protect us from a lot of foreign animal diseases that were starting to see creep back into society. So do it. Its very rewarding. Theres so many different avenues you can take and you will be very lucky to be a veterinarian.

Other Oklahoma State veterinary graduates recognized during the Oklahoma Veterinary Medical Associations Annual Convention were:

Dr. Christopher Kelley (97), Companion Animal Practitioner of the Year

Dr. Byron Schick (87), Distinguished Service Award

Dr. Jarod Kennedy (06), Food Animal Practitioner of the Year

Original post:
Lee Denney named 2017 Oklahoma Veterinarian of the Year - Stillwater News Press

We know that theres a lot of pseudoscience in the world of medicine. There are doctors promoting homeopathic remedies, selling anecdotes as if theyre scientific facts, and offering alternative (useless) treatments to very real problems.

But we dont often hear those stories when they involve animals.

Brennen McKenzie is a veterinarian whos been working to expose BS in his field through his blog The SkeptVet. In an interview with NPR over the weekend, he offered an example of what he fights against:

Take anti-vaccine activism: Some people claim that veterinary vaccines should be avoided because their risks are greater than their benefits and they cause all sorts of horrible diseases. But theres no evidence that vaccines actually do that.

There are people out there refusing to vaccinate their pets because they think itll do damage to them. Jesus I had no idea Jenny McCarthy dabbled in veterinary medicine, too.

Check out the full interview.

(Image via Shutterstock)

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There's Plenty of Pseudoscience in Veterinary Medicine, Too - Patheos (blog)

For many livestock keepers in South Sudan, there is little that can be done to help a sick or injured animal. If one of our cows was sick, it was either slaughtered or left to die because we didnt know how to deal with sick cows, says Marial Madit, from the Maraya cattle camp in Aweial County. But now, Madit has new knowledge and tools to help heal a sick animal. Along with 24 other young South Sudanese, Madit recently completed a FAO-sponsored training to become a Community Animal Health Worker.

In South Sudan, the death of an animal is the loss of an important asset. Cattle are used not only for milk and meat, but also to pay dowry, what a man must give to a womans family before he is able to marry her. Sick livestock can also mean decreased production and limited marketing opportunities, explains Marco Makur Nyariel, a FAO Animal Health Officer based in Rumbek. If your livestock is sick you may not be able to get good milk. You also may not be able to take care of your family, he says.

But despite the cultural and economic importance of livestock in South Sudan, access to veterinary care is limited. During the many years of fighting between the north and the south. the line of the education system within South Sudan was affected during the war, says Nyariel, explaining why very few South Sudanese have been trained in veterinary medicine.

Whats more, many livestock keepers live in remote cattle camps, where bad roads and insecurity can make access difficult. To help solve that problem, FAO is giving basic veterinary training to people who, like Marial Madit, already live in the cattle camps. The Organization is also supporting the state and national Ministries of Livestock, Animal Resources and Fisheries to fill this gap.

For two weeks in June, Madit and other trainees from Lakes State gathered in the town of Yirol for a two-week workshop. They learned about vaccination, prevention and treatment of diseases affecting cattle, sheep, goats and poultry. The trainees were also taught how to get rid of ticks and lice, which can transmit diseases that weaken the animals. At the end of the course, the newly-trained Community Animal Health Workers were given veterinary medicine and tools, and then sent back to work in their communities. Less than a month later, the trainees were already making a difference in the cattle camps where they live.

With the training we had last time in Yirol, I have been able to identify the different diseases that have been attacking our cattle and managed to treat some of these diseases, says Ding Anyoun Gak, who lives in the War-Abyei cattle camp near Rumbek. We have been able to treat diseases and pests like ticks, also sometimes the cattle come back from grazing when they have wounds that they got from animal attacks that as well we have been able to manage, adds Aborpei Gumwel, another Community Animal Health Worker at War-Abyei.

But Nyariel says that in addition to caring for livestock, the Community Animal Health Workers can also help create a more peaceful society. Every time the Animal Health Workers treat an animal, they are also encouraged to talk to the people about managing resources. Cattle raiding and disputes over pasture and water often causes fighting between cattle camps.

We must cooperate and talk about how to manage our natural resources for the benefit of our livestock and to avoid conflict, says Nyariel. The most important thing that you must put in your mind is that without peace you will not be able to do treatment, without peace you will not be able to do livestock vaccination.

Activities under this programme are funded by the European Union.

Excerpt from:
FAO trains cattle keepers in basic veterinary medicine - ReliefWeb

Posted Aug. 30, 2017

Aug. 30, 2017

During AVMA Convention 2017 this July in Indianapolis, the AVMA bestowed awards to recognize excellence in veterinary medicine.

Dr. L. Garry Adams received the AVMA Award, and the AVMA Meritorious Service Award went to Dr. Bruce Kaplan. Following are some key achievements of the other award recipients.

This award recognizes an AVMA member for accomplishments in the field of animal welfare involving leadership, public service, research, education, or advocacy.

Dr. Hans CoetzeeDr. Coetzee heads the Department of Anatomy and Physiology at the Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine. His interests include the development of pain assessment techniques and practical analgesic drug regimens for food-producing animals.

After earning his veterinary degree from the University of Pretoria in South Africa in 1996, Dr. Coetzee worked in mixed animal practice in Northern Ireland and then in pharmaceutical research and development at Norbrook Laboratories Ltd. He received a certificate in Cattle Health and Production from the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons in 2000 and a doctorate in veterinary microbiology from Iowa State University in 2005. He is a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Clinical Pharmacology, American College of Animal Welfare, and European College of Animal Welfare and Behavioural Medicine. He has also published more than 110 peer-reviewed scientific papers and received more than $10 million in research funding.

This award recognizes a nonveterinarian for accomplishments in the field of animal welfare involving leadership, public service, research, education, or advocacy.

Joan MillerMiller has been an advocate for the health and well-being of cats for more than 45 years. During the 1970s and l980s, she was known for her award-winning Abyssinian cats and became a Cat Fanciers' Association judge of all breeds, retiring with emeritus status in 2013. She also was a board member of the CFA for 25 years.

From 1980-1996, Miller served as president of the Winn Feline Foundation, which funds feline health research. She then focused on cat population problems, including shelter issues and free-roaming unowned cats. In 1996, she coordinated a national workshop on feral cats.

Miller has been engaged in legislative advocacy for pet ownership, education programs for the general public at cat shows and pet expos, and shelter presentations on handling difficult cats and has served as a lecturer at the University of California-Davis School of Veterinary Medicine.

This award recognizes an AVMA member for outstanding public service while an employee of a government agency or for education of veterinarians in public service activities.

Dr. Valerie RaganDr. Ragan (Georgia '83) is director of the Center for Public and Corporate Veterinary Medicine at the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine. She focuses on veterinary public practice, including providing opportunities for student engagement in national and international veterinary and animal health organizations. She provides counseling and training for veterinarians wishing to make career changes. She also works around the world on the control and eradication of brucellosis and on projects related to building veterinary capacity.

Starting out as a small animal practitioner, Dr. Ragan transitioned to Veterinary Services with the Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. She rose to assistant deputy administrator of Veterinary Services, serving as the national coordinator of animal health surveillance and establishing the National Surveillance Unit at the USDA Center for Epidemiology and Animal Health. She then led a veterinary consulting company engaged in resolving animal health issues and building international veterinary capacity.

This award recognizes an AVMA member who has contributed to international understanding of veterinary medicine.

Dr. Andrew ClarkAfter earning his veterinary degree from Michigan State University in 1964, Dr. Clark served a Peace Corps assignment in what is now Tanzania. The assignment led to a 26-year international career, primarily in eastern and southern Africa and also in North Africa and the Near East. His work in Africa involved disease control in large populations of animals. As a veterinary officer in Tanzania, Dr. Clark was responsible for the health concerns of approximately 1 million cattle and 1 million sheep and goats, along with thousands of donkeys. In the late 1960s, he was involved with the initial efforts to eradicate rinderpest.

Dr. Clark went on to a 22-year career with the Oregon Department of Agriculture that ended with the role of state veterinarian. After retirement, he worked with the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Egypt regarding highly pathogenic avian influenza and with the USDA and U.S. Agency for International Development in Nairobi.

Dr. Tom Meyer, 2016-17 AVMA president, chose the recipients of this award, which is for individuals or groups that have made a positive impact on health, veterinary organizations, or the profession.

Dr. Robert Kit FlowersDr. Flowers (Colorado State '78), executive director of the Christian Veterinary Mission, started his career in private practice in Walla Walla, Washington, followed by service as a captain in the Air Force based at Tyndall Air Force Base in Panama City, Florida. He subsequently opened a mixed animal practice in Panama City. He and his wife, Jan, did a short-term service trip to Haiti with the Christian Veterinary Mission, an organization founded in 1976 in response to a need in the developing world for training in animal health.

Dr. Flowers and his family then committed to long-term service in veterinary relief and development work in Kenya with the mission, serving with the Maasai people from 1985-90. Dr. Flowers returned to join the mission staff in Seattle. He has been the organization's president and executive director for nearly 25 years.

Dr. Richard DeBowesDr. DeBowes (Illinois '79) is a professor of equine surgery and director of the Professional Life Skills program at the Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine. He oversees the curriculum in practice management and teaches courses on leadership and clinical communication. He helped fund, develop, promote, and host the Cougar Orientation and Leadership Experience at WSU and the Veterinary Leadership Experience, a leadership training program for veterinary students and others.

Previously, Dr. DeBowes served as associate dean for veterinary development and external relations at WSU and chairman of the departments of clinical sciences at the Kansas State University and WSU veterinary colleges. He is a diplomate and former regent of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons. He has presented more than 400 programs on leadership, teamwork, communication, and organizational culture in 28 countries.

Kathleen Ruby, PhDDr. Ruby is a licensed professional clinical counselor with more than 35 years of experience in the counseling and educational fields. For the past 20 years, she has been on the faculty at the WSU College of Veterinary Medicine, where she has served as the director of counseling and wellness. In this capacity, she has worked with students and faculty to improve the culture of veterinary training and to create programs that enhance professional and personal well-being and emotional competence within the veterinary profession. These programs include training veterinary students in the realm of end-of-life care and personal leadership training.

Dr. Ruby helped develop the Veterinary Leadership Experience, a leadership training program for veterinary students and others, to teach psychological flexibility and enhance self-awareness and mindfulness in veterinary professionals. She also was the founding editor-in-chief of Veterinary Team Brief.

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AVMA recognizes excellence in veterinary medicine - American Veterinary Medical Association

SOUTHWEST ASIA (AFNS) -- -- In a deployed environment, adequate medical care is crucial to ensuring that people can execute the mission. Airmen need to be physically and mentally healthy or the mission could suffer. The 386th Expeditionary Medical Group boasts a medical clinic, physical therapist, mental health team and dental clinic as just some of the available services paramount to keeping Airmen mission ready and in the fight.

But what do you do when an Airman needs medical attention and isnt a person?

This was a riddle that Army Capt. Margot Boucher, the 358th Medical Detachment officer in charge and veterinary doctor at the base Veterinary Treatment Facility, had to solve recently when Arthur, a military working dog valued at almost $200,000, was brought to her clinic with a fractured tooth.

Arthur was doing bite training, bit the wrong way and tore part of his canine tooth off, so he had a fracture to the gum line on one of his strong biting teeth, explained Boucher. The big concern with that, in addition to being a painful condition, is that they can become infected if bacteria were to travel down the tooth canal.

Boucher, a reservist deployed from the 993rd Medical Detachment of Fitzsimons Army Reserve Center in Aroura, Colorado, is employed as an emergency room veterinarian as a civilian. While she is well-versed in the medical side of veterinary medicine, she knew she wasnt an expert in veterinary dentistry. In order to get Arthur the care he needed, Boucher reached out to her Air Force counterparts here at the 386th Expeditionary Medical Group for help.

In this environment, Im kind of all theyve got, said Air Force Lt. Col. Brent Waldman, the 386th Medical Operations flight commander and dentist. Ive done four or five of these on dogs, but I dont do these often. I felt very comfortable doing it, because dentistry on a human tooth versus a dog tooth is kind of the same, if you know the internal anatomy of the tooth.

Waldman performed a root canal on Arthur, a Belgian Malinois. This procedure involved drilling into the tooth and removing soft tissues, such as nerves and blood vessels, to hollow the tooth out, according to Waldman. After the tooth was hollowed out, and a canal was created, it was filled and sealed with a silver filling. The procedure for Arthur was the same that Waldman would do on a human patient.

The reason why you do a root canal is because the likelihood of there being an infection or other issue with that tooth is significantly decreased, said Waldman, who is deployed from the 21st Medical Squadron at Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado. This is crucial for a military working dog because without his teeth, Arthur may be removed from duty.

MWDs are trained to detect and perform patrol missions. The patrol missions can involve biting a suspect to detain them or protect their handler. This is why dental health is crucial to a MWD.

Those canine teeth are their main defensive and offensive tools, said Waldman. A dog with bad teethits like a sniper having a broken trigger finger.

While Waldman had experience doing dental procedures on MWDs, he still needed the expertise Boucher had in veterinary medicine.

Typically when we collaborate with human providers, well still manage the anesthesia and the medical side of the procedure, said Boucher. Usually if they are unfamiliar with the anatomical differences well talk them through that and familiarize them with the differences between animal and human anatomy, but in terms of dentistry, its very similar. The procedure is the same, but the tooth is shaped a little differently.

Prior to the procedure, Boucher conducted pre-anesthetic blood tests to make sure 6-year-old Arthur didnt have any pre-existing conditions that anesthesia would complicate. During the root canal, Boucher watched Arthur closely, and monitored his heart rate, and blood oxygen saturation while making minor adjustments to his sedation as needed.

The procedure was successful, and Arthur returned to his deployed location with his handler a few days after. Were it not for the inter-service and inter-discipline teamwork of Boucher and Waldman, Arthur and his handler may have had to travel back to the U.S. to get the medical care needed.

Its a great service to be able to do, said Waldman. If we couldnt do this, Arthur and his handler would have probably had to be taken out of theater, to a location where they had the capability to do this procedure. It saved a ton of time to be able to do this here, and get Arthur back to protecting our war fighters.

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AF dentist, Army veterinarian team up for K-9 root canal in AOR ... - Robins Rev Up

OAKLANDA new book to help dog and cat owners navigate the world of holistic pet care has been published by Montclair vet Gary Richter.

Richter practices at the Montclair Veterinary Hospital and was awarded Americas Favorite Veterinarian in 2015 by the American Veterinary Medical Foundation.

As a certified vet who is also trained in veterinary acupuncture and veterinary chiropractics, Richter uses both to give pets all-encompassing care. His book, The Ultimate Pet Health Guide: Breakthrough Nutrition and Integrative Care for Dogs and Cats, is available now online and in major bookstores.

I take western medicine and holistic care and weave those two things together to get better results and to keep my patients healthier, Richter said. However, over the years, he found that his approach was rare, and that for pet owners seeking a blend of approaches, there wasnt much information out there.

I would routinely get calls and emails from people all around the world asking questions about holistic things that they can do for their pet, Richter said. And it really just struck me that there really are not a lot of resources out there for people who arent lucky enough to live somewhere to talk to an integrative or holistic vet.

Richter has been the owner and medical director of Montclair Veterinary Hospital since 2002, and has been providing holistic pet care since graduating from veterinary school. He said he had been exposed to it while getting his formal training and education, but that it was never stressed as a practice until he went looking.

Thats not to say there was anything wrong with my education. Its just that western medicine has things it can do and things it cant do, Richter said. It was a search for more answers, a quest for how can I help my patients live better and longer.

In particular, he and his family had a dog named Charlie with a heart condition. They brought him to a cardiologist and provided all the western medical care available to him, but Richter also employed some more holistic techniques, such as a change in diet and providing herbal therapy in support. Neither made his dog fully recover, but his holistic strategies did help the dog live comfortably.

I think he had a really excellent quality of life for as long as his heart could make it, Richter said.

His book is a guide for holistic pet treatment for both sick and healthy pets. It includes special recipes for specific conditions, and also recipes for healthy pets, such as suggestions for owners considering raw diets.

If you have a pet with a medical condition, realize that western medicine is great but it cant always fix everything, Richter said.

The book has made the bestseller list in a number of countries, such as Germany and Australia, and his wife, Lee Richter, said shes glad he was able to share some of his knowledge with others.

Its definitely changing our world a little because were getting questions and connecting with people all around the world, whereas before it was just people in our neighborhood in Montclair, she said.

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Montclair vet publishes new book on holistic pet care - East Bay Times

STARTING secondary school is a milestone for every child, so tomorrow is going to be super special for an inspirational Barrow girl who has battled cancer and overcome complications following a stem cell transplant.

Aimee Robinson is incredibly excited to be starting Furness Academy in the morning, to join friends and make lots of new ones.

The 11-year-old was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukaemia in January 2016. Aimee spent months at The Royal Manchester Children's Hospital having intensive chemotherapy to fight the cancer.

After a relapse in October last year, she went on to have a stem cell transplant using umbilical cord blood in January. Initially she responded well after spending time in isolation, but she developed graft versus host disease and had to have treatment to overcome that.

"I'd like to be a nurse or a doctor. Because I've been in hospital so much I want to help other people because the nurses and doctors helped me" - inspirational Barrow girl Aimee Robinson, 11.

In June she was well enough to return to St James's CE Junior School to complete primary school with her friends, after last being there for three weeks in September 2016.

Now after a summer of play, a bit of bike riding and family breaks, Aimee is all set to go to secondary school looking smart in her new uniform.

"I'm looking forward to starting secondary school loads, I really love school," she said.

She will be joined by her friends, including Abbie Gelling, Kian Woodburn and Sophie Miles, and said: "I want to make lots of new friends too, I've already met new people through the transition days. I'm so excited, it's a nice school."

Throughout her treatment Aimee kept up with her education through her primary school liaising with hospital tutors.

Aimee, who is a big sister to five-year-old Tilly, said: "I've always loved school, my teachers have been really nice and I just love learning.

"I really love art, music and drama, I love acting."

Asked about her ambitions, Aimee said: "I'd like to be a nurse or a doctor. Because I've been in hospital so much I want to help other people because the nurses and doctors helped me. I'm also interested in drama, because I love acting and I've been in school plays, and I like art because people say I'm good at drawing."

Happy Aimee remained upbeat in hospital, she said: "I just thought there could be people much worse than me and there is no point in moaning about it, I can still do stuff. The play leaders helped by giving me loads to do, I pretty much did all the stuff that was in the cupboard. I liked helping other young people."

Her treatment has now stopped, but she has clinic appointments at hospital to take blood counts.

Aimee family are incredibly proud of her, mum Joanne Robinson, 39, said: "I'm extremely proud of Aimee, she is a super star.

"I'm happy, we are home now and Aimee can get back into normal things.

"Furness Academy is a lovely school and I think Aimee will thrive there."

Aimee also has some charity challenges in her sights, she said: "When I get stronger I really want to do the Coniston to Barrow with Aimee's Army and raise money for The Royal Manchester Children's Hospital and The Children's Cancer and Leukaemia Group."

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Barrow's inspirational Aimee can't wait to start secondary school - NW Evening Mail

The Potential Dangers of Treating Chronic Lyme Disease

Chronic Lyme disease is sometimes a catchall diagnosis for patients with a wide spectrum of musculoskeletal and neuropsychiatric symptoms, fatigue, and generalized pain. And that, in turn, has led to a variety of treatments: courses of antibiotics lasting for months to years, intravenous (IV) infusions of hydrogen peroxide, immunoglobulin therapy, and even stem cell transplants. Those treatments, though, may not lead to substantial long-term improvementin fact, they can be downright harmful.

Clinicians, health departments, and patients have all contacted the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention with reports of life-threatening complications resulting from treatment for chronic Lyme disease, including metastatic bacterial infections, septic shock, Clostridium difficile colitis, and abscesses. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) describes five cases that highlight the severity and scope of adverse effects caused by the use of unproven treatments for chronic Lyme disease.

One patient with fatigue and joint pain, for instance, was diagnosed with chronic Lyme disease, babesiosis, and Bartonella infection. When her symptoms worsened despite multiple courses of oral antibiotics, she was switched to IV ceftriaxone and cefotaxime. However, the pain did not lessen; she became hypotensive and tachycardic, and was placed in intensive care. Her condition continued to worsen, and she died. Her death was attributed to septic shock related to central venous catheter-associated bacteremia.

In another case, a woman was first diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), then, as a second opinion, with chronic Lyme disease. After seven months of intensive antimicrobial treatment, the pain improved, but she got weaker. She also developed intractable C. difficile infection that required prolonged treatment. However, she died of complications of ALSan example, the researchers say, of a missed opportunity for appropriate treatment due to misdiagnosis.

Antibiotics and immunoglobulin therapies are effective and necessary treatments for many conditions, MMWR emphasizeshowever, unnecessary antibiotic and immunoglobulin use provides no benefit to patients while putting them at risk for adverse events.

Source: MMWR, June 2017

Current treatments for Parkinsons disease are only effective in improving motor deficits, but the loss of cognitive abilities is just as devastating. Approximately 25% of patients also experience cognitive deficits that impair function. One problem in developing treatments, however, is that patients with cognitive effects vary widely. Being able to predict the chance that someone with Parkinsons will develop cognitive deficits could be a useful tool, researchers from Brigham and Womens Hospital say. And they think they might have created just the thing: a computer-based risk calculator.

The researchers combined data from 3,200 patients with Parkinsons disease, representing more than 25,000 individual clinical assessments. They evaluated seven known clinical and genetic risk factors associated with developing dementia, and then used the information to build the risk calculator.

By allowing clinical researchers to identify and select only patients at high risk for developing dementia, this tool could help in the design of smarter trials that require a manageable number of participating patients, says Clemens Scherzer, MD, the lead investigator.

By improving clinical trial design, the risk calculator could help in the discovery of new treatments, the researchers say, and then help determine which patients would most benefit from those treatments.

Source: National Institutes of Health, June 2017

Some patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) may have trouble with immunotherapy after chemotherapy, researchers say, and they think theyve found one reason why.

The team wanted to perform a deep assessment of the state of the adaptive immune system in AML patients in remission after chemotherapy. They used the response to seasonal influenza vaccination as a surrogate for the robustness of the immune system. They say their approach was unique in that they established a comprehensive picture of the adaptive immunome by simultaneously examining the genetic, phenotypic, and functional consequences of chemotherapy.

Their assessment revealed a dramatic impact in the B-cell compartment, which appeared slower to recover than the T-cell compartment. Of 10 patients in the study, only two generated protective titers in response to vaccination. Most had abnormal frequencies of transitional and memory B cells. The researchers say the inability of AML patients to produce protective antibody titers in response to influenza vaccination is likely due to multiple B-cell abnormalities. They found similar patterns across all of the patients. When they ranked patients based on time elapsed since chemotherapy, the degree of dysfunction was lesser in patients who were farther away from chemotherapy.

The consistent finding of a reduction of memory B cells in all the AML patients suggests that humoral immunity reconstitution is a very long process. The researchers say that a better understanding of the changes in adaptive immune cell subsets after chemotherapy will be useful in designing immunotherapies that can work with existing immune capacity.

Source: Journal of Translational Medicine, July 2017

Investigation by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of 27 outbreaks of Legionnaires disease between 2000 and 2014 found health-careassociated Legionnaires disease accounted for 33% of the outbreaks, 57% of outbreak-associated cases, and 85% of outbreakassociated deaths. Nearly all were attributed to water system exposures that could have been prevented by effective water management programs.

CDC researchers analyzed 2015 surveillance data from 20 states and the New York City metropolitan area that reported more than 90% of confirmed legionellosis cases to the Supplemental Legionnaires Disease Surveillance System. Of 2,809 cases, 553 were health-careassociated. Definite cases accounted for 3%, and possible cases accounted for 17% of all of the cases reported. Although only a small percentage was definitely related to health care settings, the fatality rate was high at 12%.

Of the 85 definite health-careassociated Legionnaires disease cases, 80% were associated with long-term-care facilities. Of the 468 possible cases, 13% were possibly associated with long-term-care facilities, 49% with hospitals, and 26% with clinics.

The CDC says the number of definite cases and facilities reported is likely an underestimate, in part because of a lack of Legionella-specific testing. Another explanation is that hospital stays are typically shorter than the 10-day period used in the analysis.

One-fourth of patients with definite health-careassociated Legionnaires disease die. Health care providers play a critical role in prevention and response, the CDC says, by rapidly identifying and reporting cases. Legionnaires disease is clinically indistinguishable from other causes of pneumonia, the researchers note. The preferred diagnostic method is to concurrently obtain a lower respiratory sputum sample for culture on selective media and a Legionella urinary antigen test.

In health care facilities, the researchers say, prevention of the first case of Legionnaires disease is the ultimate goal. The best way to do that, they advise, is to have an effective water management program.

Source: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, June 2017

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is common among patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) and highly prevalent in those with acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). But are all elements of MetS equally good predictors of clinical severity and prognosis?

To find out, researchers from Sestre Milosrdnice University Hospital Center in Zagreb, Croatia, prospectively analyzed data from 250 patients with acute STEMI treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention. MetS was defined according to the revised National Cholesterol Education ProgramAdult Treatment Panel III (NCEPATP III) and International Diabetes Federation (IDF) criteria. Of the 250 patients, 231 survived for inclusion in the 12-month follow-up.

Patients with and without MetS were analyzed according to obesity indices: body mass index (BMI), central-body adiposity index (BAI), conicity index (Cindex), visceral adiposity index (VAI), waist circumference (WC), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR).

Patients with acute STEMI had high rates of central obesity, increased VAI, WHtR, and very high BAI, dyslipidemia, and hypertension. However, they had lower rates of overall obesity and hyperglycemia.

The NCEPATP III and several other obesity indices were superior to overall obesity (BMI) in predicting acute STEMI severityclinical presentation, in-hospital complications, and severity of CAD. WC and MetS as defined by IDF criteria had no influence on it. Moreover, MetS as defined by NCEP-ATP III or IDF and obesity indices had no influence on prognosis of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE).

Cindex greater than 1.25/1.18, very high BAI, and WHtR of 63/58 or greater increased the risk of total in-hospital complications, dyspnea, and heart failure, respectively. The number of significantly stenosed coronary arteries increased the risk of total MACE. WHR independently increased the risk of significant stenosis of coronary segment 1 and proximal/middle coronary artery segments.

Source: Archives of Medical Science, June 2017

A handheld detector that offers noninvasive real-time imaging can help dermatologic surgeons get a better idea of skin cancer dimensions before committing to surgery, according to a recent study.

Current imaging technologies can lead to excessive or incomplete removal of the cancer, the researchers say. However, multispectral optoacoustic tomography (MSOT) allows the user to differentiate tissue chromophoresthe part of the molecule responsible for its colorand exogenous contrast agents based on their spectral signatures.

The researchers performed MSOT imaging with handheld scanners on 21 patients with nonmelanoma skin cancers. All of the lesions had recognizable images on the MSOT devices, visualizing the shape and thickness of the lesions and providing images with well-resolved tissue chromophores.

Aggressive types of skin cancers can involve deeper structures, the researchers noteanother reason the MSOT detector could be useful. In one case, the depth of the basal cell carcinoma, which included its underlying vasculature, reached beyond 3 mm, which might have gone undetected by other imaging modalities, they say.

Source: Photoacoustics, June 2017

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Research Briefs September 2017 - P&T Community

Published: Wednesday, August 30, 2017byInterim HealthCare

A new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association Ophthalmologyhas revealed a link betweenvisual impairmentand a higher risk of cognitive problems, as well asdementia. Researchersobserved the relationshipin older adults. The study was conductedby scientists based at the Stanford University School of Medicine.

Details of the studyResearchers examined data from two samples:the 1999National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and theNational Health and Aging Trends Study, which was conducted between 2011 and 2015. The latter study collected data from nationwideparticipantswho received Medicare. The former was a general population survey - the participants were not members of any institutions.

Participants from both studies were all 60 or older, with subjects studied in the NHATS survey at least 65. Study authors examined results from vision testsandas self-reported eye sight information. Participants in theNHANES study had completed a cognitive performance test, while the NHATSparticipants had undergone assessment for dementia.

The investigation revealed a notable correlation between poor eyesight and both cognitive decline and dementia. Those with visual impairment experienced anywhere from a 1.8 to 2.0 fold higher chance of experiencing some form of cognitive problem. The connection was most apparent among those who self-reported eyesight problemsand those who had undergone distance eyesight impairment testing.

The study authors conceded, however, that further investigation is needed to determine a potential causative relationship between the two conditions. The analysis, in its current state, reveals an observational relationship.

The link between cognition problems and poor eyesight was found in older adults over 60.

Eyesight problems predicted to increaseAccording to a recent report from the National Institutes of Health, vision problems are alsopredicted to increase across the U.S. populationin the coming decades. By 2050, the rate of blindnesswill likely have doubled from levels observed in 2016, National Eye Institute studies indicated. The trend can be attributed to the aging population.NEI Director Dr.Paul A. Sieving elaborated on the significance of the findings in a press release.

"These findings are an important forewarning of the magnitude of vision loss to come," he said. "They suggest that there is a huge opportunity for screening efforts to identify people with correctable vision problems and early signs of eye diseases. Early detection and intervention possibly as simple as prescribing corrective lenses could go a long way toward preventing a significant proportion of avoidable vision loss."

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Poor sight linked with cognitive decline in older adults, new study finds - KRDO

This article is sponsored by VSP

People with great eyesight tend to take it for granted. The percentage of the U.S. population with vision problems is 50 percent and growing, according to data gathered by theNational Institutes of Health.

In recent years, scientists and doctors have made miraculous headway in combatting eye problems. From improved contacts and glasses to corrective eye surgeries, a wide range of eye maladies are now correctible and curable. If you have eye issues, there have never been better treatment options, reportsVSP Direct, a national family and individual vision insurance provider.

Among human organs, eyes are second only to brains in complexity. Here are facts about some of the amazing attributes of human eyesight.

Every human eye has a blind spot

Each of your eyes has a small blind spot where the optic nerve passes through the retina. People rarely notice this lack of visual information. Some experts believe our brains fill in the blind spot based on surrounding detail and information from the other eye, explains theAmerican Academy of Opthamology. Others theorize that our brains simply ignore the blind spot.

Upside down and backwards

Human retinas see everything upside down and backwards. Your brain reorients the image. Because you have two eyes, your brain is also combining two separate images,Physics and Astronomy Onlineexplains. Visual processing is a complex task which takes up a relatively large part of the brain compared to other senses.

This is because your brain performs several tasks to make images easier to see. One, of course, is combining the two images, which is helped by the corpus callosum, the tiny part of your brain which joins the two big hemispheres. The other part is handled in the optic part of your brain itself and part of its job is to make images right-side-up. It does this because your brain is so used to seeing things upside-down that it eventually adjusts to it.

Understanding red eye

No doubt youve used a flash to take photos of your family or friends only to have them appear with fiery red eyes when you looked at the images. This red-eye phenomenon occurs in photos because in the dark, our pupils open wide to allow extra light to help us see, notesyalescientific.org. When a flash fires, your eyes are unprepared for the burst of light and it bounces off the back of the eye. Behind the retina is a part of the eye called the choroid. It is loaded with blood vessels, which make it glow red in images taken with flash photography.

It takes seconds for our pupils to dilate in darkness, but our night vision continues to improve for several hours, according toChristopher Baird, assistant professor of physics at West Texas A&M University.

Peripheral vision is weak

Compared to our central vision, peripheral vision is weaker, especially when distinguishing color and shape, according tosciencedaily.com. This is because the density of receptor cells on the retina is greatest at the center and lowest at the edges. An area near the center of the retina, called the macula, has the highest concentration of cone cells and it produces the sharpest, clearest vision. Peripheral vision is good at detecting motion.

Eye security

Youve probably seen movies where access to secure areas requires an eye scan. You might even work someplace where this technology is in place. Security checkpoints use two types of eye scans: iris scans and retinal scans. While a fingerprint has 40 unique characteristics, a human iris has 256 and an iris scan compares those unique features against a known database. Similarly, a retina scan compares the complex features of an individuals network of retinal blood vessels.

Even though the technology is available and eye scans are almost impossible to fake, eye scanning is uncommon because of difficulties associated with image acquisition and false rejections, explainsFleming Companies.

No eye transplants yet

While doctors can transplant hearts, livers, kidneys and even corneas, because of the complexity of human eyes, so far no eye transplant has been attempted. The biggest challenge is figuring out how to regenerate and regrow delicate optical nerves.

When you switch out an eyeball you have to completely cut all connections between the optic nerve and the eye. So then you need to reconnect the donor eyes nerve fibers back to the recipients brain in order to achieve vision restoration, explains Dr. Jeffrey Goldberg, director of research at the Shiley Eye Center at University of California, San Diego, inan articlefor WebMD.com.

Many people fear losing their eyesight above any other health problem, according to a WebMD report about a survey published in JAMA Ophthalmology in 2016. Protecting your eyesight and that of your family should be high on the list of healthcare priorities. One way to do that is by having vision insurance like that available throughVSP Direct.

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6 incredible facts about your eyes - WTOP

The News Minute

How one doctor couple in Coimbatore helped give the gift of sight to 1.5 million people The News Minute Today, the baby steps they took then into uncharted territory have yielded the gift of vision for over 1.5 million people. Beginning with high quality primary health care for the poor at the two-room Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Medical Centre in RS Puram in ...

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How one doctor couple in Coimbatore helped give the gift of sight to 1.5 million people - The News Minute

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

What if all you really knew was fighting a battle so many have lost, a daily grind of what's nextthat overwhelms everything every day? What would life be?

Let me introduce you, everyone, to life.

Big, bold, beautiful life.

Jake Olson was born with a rare form of cancer of the retina, retinoblastoma,which destroys the ability to see. When he was 10 months old, it took the sight from his left eye. Then when he was 12 years old, he lost sight in his right eye.

But what happened along the road to blindness isn't what you might expect. A strange realization came to Olson. There is vision in it, Olson will tell you. A clear, simple, honest vision.

"You have a choice with cancer," Olson says. "You can let it change who you are, or you can go out and attack life."

Long before he captured the worldyes, the worldthis weekend on social media by becoming the sport's first blind long snapper during USC's victory over Western Michigan, and long before Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll called to congratulate him and sobbed on the phone, and long before a crush of media attention came to make him the feel-good story of 2017, Jake Olson was doing things that make snapping a football in a college seem, well, routine.

Like becoming a scratch golfer.

Like traveling the country as a motivational speaker, delivering his first speech when he was 12, mere months after losing his sight.

Like setting up a business with his college roommate, Daniel Hennes, that received special dispensation from the NCAA and allowed Olson to make money as a motivational speaker and play college football.

The NCAA calls it the Double Life clause: If you were famous before your life as an NCAA athleteand that life is not connected to the sport in which you participateyou can make money doing it.

How fitting. The Double Life clause for the student, the football playerthe survivorwho is crushing life. Double time.

"I learned at an early age how to confront adversity and fight," Olson says. "There are a lot of people around me that love me, and I could tell they were hurt seeing their son, their brother, their friend, fighting cancer. It would make it so much worse for them if I were depressed and let cancer beat me. I wanted to prove to them, and everyone in the world, that cancer isn't going to stop me."

It didn't stop him from accepting that first motivational speaking gig when he was 12, telling his story to employees at a Wells Fargo in Thousand Oaks, California. Hell yes, he was nervousas he has been each of the more than 500 times since.

But when you're telling your storywhen you're explaining life and how you've seized control of it and haven't let it dictate terms to youit eventually becomes second nature. And bonus: It's just as therapeutic for Jake as it is for those listening.

The more he speaks, the more demand there is. He's delivered his message in more than 20 states, to everyone from professional sports teams to mega-churches, from global companies to small businesses.

Everyone wants a piece of Jake Olson.

So you really think snapping a footballsomething he has done since he began long-snapping while playing high school football in L.A.'s famed Trinity Leagueis going to shake the senses?

"Nothing bothers him. Absolutely nothing," Hennes says.

Hennes knew as much from the day he and Olson met.

When they arrived at USC, both were given background information about their dorm suitematesinformation that each student fills out to explain themselves.

"I'm a huge sports fanI follow sports religiouslybut I never heard [Olson's] story," Hennes says. "I was reading through his profile, and I'm like, Cool, I'm rooming with a football player. Then it said, 'I'm blind, and I have a guide dog named Quebec.' So I'm thinking, This kid is sickwhat a sense of humor."

Soon after, Hennes received a call from another suitemate, who asked if Olson should have to pay for his share of a television in the room.

"I was like, 'Why wouldn't he?'" Hennes remembers. "And he said, 'Have you seen his profile? He's blind.' I was floored. I showed his profile to my parents, and from that day, they completely forgot about me. It was all about Jake."

It didn't take long for Olson and Hennes to form a unique bond, and to begin to bust each other's chops. Like the first time they played poker (with Braille cards), and Hennes was laying down ground rules to everyone at the table, and insisted on, "No blind bets."

"I remember thinking, 'You idiot. Did you really just say that?'" Hennes says. "Jake just played right off it, started giving it right back to me.

"It's just who he is. He sees things differently than everyone else."

Remember, there is vision in blindness. Clear, simple, honest vision.

That's how you beat cancer eight times, from the moment they take your left eye before your first birthday, to all that toxic medicine flowing through your body and all those nights and months and years of uncertainty.

When cancer showed up for the ninth time, the doctors finally admitted to Olson the right eye had to go.

"After it happened, Jake's parents were having a hard time with it," says Brandon Towers, Jake's friend since kindergarten. "It was amazing to see a 12-year-old kid with the strength to get his parents through it. Jake's dad told me something I'll never forget. He said, 'If the Jake train is moving, you gotta get on.'"

Like the time two years ago Olson asked Hennes to be his business manager, and their first speaking engagement together was in San Diego. Allergan, one of the world's largest pharmaceutical companies, asked Olson to come speak to 900 employees.

"Wasn't a dry eye in the place," Hennes says. "I was crying, too."

Like the time last year Olson was in Tempe, Arizona, watching spring training games and his dad called and said the Angels wanted him to speak to the team. It had to be that day, and he had to get over to the stadium right now.

"Everyone in the room was blown away," Hennes says. "You see professional baseball playersthese guys you think are strong and powerfuland every one of them was in tears."

Like the time last weekend when Olson stood on the ladder overlooking the USC band and directed "Fight On" after the Western Michigan win. That spot, high above all that is sports on the famed campus, has been reserved for royalty since Carroll arrived at USC in 2001.

Carson Palmer, Matt Leinart, Reggie Bush, Matt Barkley, Sam Darnold.

And now Jake Olson.

"I really hope it's a light for people who are going through adversity," Olson says. "People like to point fingers and say, 'X, Y and Z is why I can't do this.' Whether it's fair or not, maybe it should be, 'Here's why I can do this.'"

Last fall, in the middle of USC's thrilling second half of the season that led to a Rose Bowl victory over Penn State, Hennes and Olson watched the Chicago Cubs' postseason run together.

Hennes was born outside of Chicago, and his father and his father's father are longtime, insufferable Cubs fans. When the unthinkable happened, when the Cubs won the World Series, there was no way it would be surpassed by anything ever again.

Until it was.

"After the [Western Michigan] game, I told Jake I thought the Cubs win would be the happiest moment in my life," Hennes said. "Then he snapped that ball."

Big, bold and beautiful.

That's how you do life. No matter the obstacles.

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Football Is Only the Latest Triumph for Blind USC Long Snapper Jake Olson - Bleacher Report

GvHD is a transplant associated disease representing an outcome of two immune systems crashing into each other. In many transplantations from donors, and especially in Bone Marrow Transplantations (BMT), the transplanted immune mature cells (as opposed to stem cells) attack the host (patient receiving the transplant) and create severe morbidity and in many cases even death.

This disease happens as a result of current practices being unable to separate the GvHD causing cells from the much needed stem cells.Cellect's ApoGraft was designed to eliminate immune responses in any transplantation of foreign cells and tissues.

Cellect's AppoGraft technology can be utilized already today to help thousands of development and research centers globally engaged in adult stem cells based therapeutics by providing them with a simplified and cost efficient enriched stem cells for use as a raw material for a wide range of stem cells based therapeutics R&D. Before Cellect's ApoGraft, such procedures were extremely complex, inefficient and required substantial resources in both cost, time and infrastructure requirements. ApoGraft can now be used to significantly advance the use of stem cells across multiple therapeutics indications as well as research and biobanking purposes.

The FDA Orphan Drug Act provides incentives for companies to develop products for rare diseases affecting fewer than 200,000 people inthe United States. Incentives may include tax credits related to clinical trial expenses, an exemption from theFDAuser fee, FDAassistance in clinical trial design and potential market exclusivity for seven years following approval.

About Cellect Biotechnology Ltd.

Cellect Biotechnology (NASDAQ: "APOP", "APOPW") has developed a breakthrough technology for the selection of stem cells from any given tissue that aims to improve a variety of stem cell applications.

The Company's technology is expected to provide pharma companies, medical research centers and hospitals with the tools to rapidly isolate stem cells in quantity and quality that will allow stem cell related treatments and procedures. Cellect's technology is applicable to a wide variety of stem cell related treatments in regenerative medicine and that current clinical trials are aimed at the cancer treatment of bone marrow transplantations.

Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements about the Company's expectations, beliefs and intentions. Forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking words such as "believe", "expect", "intend", "plan", "may", "should", "could", "might", "seek", "target", "will", "project", "forecast", "continue" or "anticipate" or their negatives or variations of these words or other comparable words or by the fact that these statements do not relate strictly to historical matters. For example, forward-looking statements are used in this press release when we discuss the Company's pathway for commercialization of its technology. These forward-looking statements and their implications are based on the current expectations of the management of the Company only, and are subject to a number of factors and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. In addition, historical results or conclusions from scientific research and clinical studies do not guarantee that future results would suggest similar conclusions or that historical results referred to herein would be interpreted similarly in light of additional research or otherwise. The following factors, among others, could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements: changes in technology and market requirements; we may encounter delays or obstacles in launching and/or successfully completing our clinical trials; our products may not be approved by regulatory agencies, our technology may not be validated as we progress further and our methods may not be accepted by the scientific community; we may be unable to retain or attract key employees whose knowledge is essential to the development of our products; unforeseen scientific difficulties may develop with our process; our products may wind up being more expensive than we anticipate; results in the laboratory may not translate to equally good results in real clinical settings; results of preclinical studies may not correlate with the results of human clinical trials; our patents may not be sufficient; our products may harm recipients; changes in legislation; inability to timely develop and introduce new technologies, products and applications, which could cause the actual results or performance of the Company to differ materially from those contemplated in such forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statement in this press release speaks only as of the date of this press release. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or review any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as may be required by any applicable securities laws. More detailed information about the risks and uncertainties affecting the Company is contained under the heading "Risk Factors" in Cellect Biotechnology Ltd.'s Annual Report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016 filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, which is available on the SEC's website, http://www.sec.gov. and in the Company's period filings with the SEC and the Tel-Aviv Stock Exchange.

ContactCellect Biotechnology Ltd. Eyal Leibovitz, Chief Financial Officerwww.cellect.co +972-9-974-1444

View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/fda-grants-orphan-drug-status-to-cellects-apograft-for-acute-gvhd-and-chronic-gvhd-300513675.html

SOURCE Cellect Biotechnology Ltd.

http://www.cellect.co

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FDA Grants Orphan Drug Status to Cellect's ApoGraft for Acute GvHD and Chronic GvHD - PR Newswire (press release)

In developing fetuses, infection by the Zika virus can result in devastating neurological damage, most notably microcephaly and other brain malformations. In a new study, published today in The Journal of Experimental Medicine, researchers at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine and Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis report the virus specifically targets and kills brain cancer stem cells.

The findings suggest the lethal power of the virus notorious for causing infected babies to be born with under-sized, misshapen heads could be directed at malignant cells in adult brains. Doing so might potentially improve survival rates for patients diagnosed with glioblastomas, the most common and aggressive form of brain cancer, with a median survival rate of just over 14 months after diagnosis.

The Zika virus specifically targets neuroprogenitor cells in fetal and adult brains. Our research shows it also selectively targets and kills cancer stem cells, which tend to be resistant to standard treatments and a big reason why glioblastomas recur after surgery and result in shorter patient survival rates, said Jeremy Rich, MD, professor of medicine at UC San Diego School of Medicine. Rich is co-senior author of the study with Michael S. Diamond, MD, PhD, professor, and Milan G. Chheda, MD, assistant professor, both at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.

Transmission electron microscope image of negative-stained, Fortaleza-strain Zika virus (red), isolated from a microcephaly case in Brazil. Image courtesy of NIAID.

This year, more than 12,000 Americans will be diagnosed with glioblastomas, according to the American Brain Tumor Association. Among them: U.S. Senator John McCain, who announced his diagnosis in July. They are highly malignant. The two-year survival rate is 30 percent.

Standard treatment is aggressive: surgery, followed by chemotherapy and radiation. Yet most tumors recur within six months, fueled by a small population of glioblastoma stem cells that resist and survive treatment, continuing to divide and produce new tumor cells to replace those killed by cancer drugs.

For Zhe Zhu, MD, PhD, a postdoctoral scholar in Richs lab and first author of the study, the hyper-reproductive capabilities of glioblastoma stem cells reminded him of neuroprogenitor cells, which fuel the explosive growth of developing brains. Zika virus specifically targets and kills neuroprogenitor cells.

So Zhu, with Rich, Diamond, Chheda and other collaborators, investigated whether the Zika virus might also target and kill cultured glioblastoma stem cells derived from patients being treated for the disease. They infected cultured tumors with one of two strains of the virus. Both strains spread through the tumors, infecting and killing stem cells while largely avoiding other tumor cells.

The findings, the authors said, suggest that chemotherapy-radiation treatment and a Zika infection appear to produce complementary results. Standard treatment kills most tumor cells but typically leaves stem cells intact. The Zika virus attacks stem cells but bypasses ordinary tumor cells.

We see Zika one day being used in combination with current therapies to eradicate the whole tumor, said Chheda, an assistant professor of medicine and of neurology at Washington University School of Medicine.

To find out whether the virus could boost treatment efficacy in a live animal, researchers injected either the Zika virus or a saltwater placebo directly into glioblastoma tumors in 18 and 15 mice, respectively. Two weeks after injection, tumors were significantly smaller in the Zika-treated mice, who survived significantly longer than those given the placebo.

The scientists note that the idea of injecting a virus notorious for causing brain damage into patients brains seems alarming, but they say Zika may prove a safe therapy with further testing because its primary target neuroprogenitor cells are rare in adult brains. The opposite is true of fetal brains, which is part of the reason why a Zika infection before birth produces widespread and severe brain damage while a normal Zika infection in adults typically causes mild symptoms or none at all.

The researchers also conducted studies of the virus using brain tissue from epilepsy patients that showed the virus does not infect non-cancerous brain cells.

As an additional safety feature, the research team introduced two mutations that weakened the viruss ability to combat natural cellular defenses against infection, reasoning that while the mutated virus would still be able to grow in tumor cells, which have a poor anti-viral defense system, it would be quickly eliminated in healthy cells with a robust anti-viral response.

When they tested the mutated viral strain and the original parental strain in glioblastoma stem cells, they found that the original strain was more potent, but that the mutant strain also succeeded in killing the cancerous cells.

Were going to introduce additional mutations to sensitize the virus even more to the innate immune response and prevent the infection from spreading, said Diamond, a professor of molecular microbiology, pathology and immunology. Once we add a couple more, I think its going to be impossible for the virus to overcome them and cause disease.

Co-authors of the study include: Matthew Gorman, Estefania Fernandez, Lisa McKenzie, Jiani Chai, Justin M. Richner, and Rong Zhang, Washington University, St. Louis; Christopher Hubert, and Briana Prager, Cleveland Clinic; Chao Shan, and Pei-Yong Shi, University of Texas Medical Branch; and Xiuxing Wang, UC San Diego.

Funding for this research came, in part, from the National Institutes of Health (R01 AI073755, R01 AI104972, CA197718, CA154130, CA169117, CA171652, NS087913, NS089272), the Pardee Foundation, the Concern Foundation, the Cancer Research Foundation and the McDonnell Center for Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology of Washington University.

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Zika Virus Targets and Kills Brain Cancer Stem Cells - UC San Diego Health