StemCell Therapy

Eggs

News Aug 25, 2017481views

Hendrix Genetics has officially opened a new $18.5m hatchery in Nebraska, creating 45 jobs, as it aims to expand its share of the market.

The new layer hatchery has a capacity to produce 24m female chicks per year.

Key contract growers located near the new hatchery will rear and house the birds during production. The company is already working with 8 contract growers in the Grand Island area who have invested in new barns with a capacity of 40,000 birds per barn.

The Grand Island contract growers will complete the new national production hub for Hendrix Genetics in the US, enabling the firm to meet another 10% of the total US layer market needs.

Ron Joerissen, Hendrix Genetics production director layers, said: The new hatchery signifies a major step in supplying the US layer market with top quality laying hens. We are dedicated to breed for the egg producing industry of today and tomorrow.

Nebraskas Governor Pete Ricketts described the plant as a great example of value-added agriculture.

It is not only a $20m investment here that will create between 40 to 50 jobs but it is going to allow area farmers to put up these barns for the eggs that will supply this hatchery and a diversified revenue stream for those farmers who are participating, he said.

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Hendrix Genetics expand layer distribution in the US - Poultry World (subscription)

Signal Genetics (NASDAQ: MGEN) and BioTelemetry (NASDAQ:BEAT) are both small-cap medical companies, but which is the superior business? We will contrast the two companies based on the strength of their valuation, earnings, profitability, analyst recommendations, risk, institutional ownership and dividends.

Profitability

This table compares Signal Genetics and BioTelemetrys net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

Earnings & Valuation

This table compares Signal Genetics and BioTelemetrys top-line revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

BioTelemetry has higher revenue and earnings than Signal Genetics.

Insider and Institutional Ownership

16.5% of Signal Genetics shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 76.7% of BioTelemetry shares are owned by institutional investors. 44.4% of Signal Genetics shares are owned by company insiders. Comparatively, 9.6% of BioTelemetry shares are owned by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, hedge funds and endowments believe a stock will outperform the market over the long term.

Volatility & Risk

Signal Genetics has a beta of 1.91, meaning that its share price is 91% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, BioTelemetry has a beta of 0.76, meaning that its share price is 24% less volatile than the S&P 500.

Analyst Recommendations

This is a breakdown of recent ratings and price targets for Signal Genetics and BioTelemetry, as provided by MarketBeat.com.

Signal Genetics currently has a consensus price target of $23.00, suggesting a potential upside of 179.81%. BioTelemetry has a consensus price target of $45.75, suggesting a potential upside of 28.87%. Given Signal Genetics higher probable upside, equities analysts plainly believe Signal Genetics is more favorable than BioTelemetry.

Summary

BioTelemetry beats Signal Genetics on 7 of the 11 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Signal Genetics

Signal Genetics, Inc. is a commercial stage, molecular genetic diagnostic company. The Company is focused on providing diagnostic services that help physicians to make decisions concerning the care of cancer patients. The Companys diagnostic service is the Myeloma Prognostic Risk Signature (MyPRS) test. The MyPRS test is a microarray-based gene expression profile (GEP), assay that measures the expression level of specific genes and groups of genes that are designed to predict an individuals long-term clinical outcome/prognosis, giving a basis for personalized treatment options. The Companys MyPRS test provides a whole-genomic expression profile of a patients multiple myeloma (MM). The Company offers MyPRS test in its laboratory located in Little Rock, Arkansas. The Company is licensed to sell its test in all 50 states.

About BioTelemetry

BioTelemetry, Inc. (BioTelemetry), formerly CardioNet, Inc., provides cardiac monitoring services, cardiac monitoring device manufacturing, and centralized cardiac core laboratory services. The Company operates in three segments: patient services, product and research services. The patient services business segments principal focus is on the diagnosis and monitoring of cardiac arrhythmias or heart rhythm disorders, through its core Mobile Cardiac Outpatient Telemetry(MCOT), event and Holter services in a healthcare setting. The product business segment focuses on the development, manufacturing, testing and marketing of medical devices to medical companies, clinics and hospitals. The Companys research services focuses on providing cardiac safety monitoring services for drug and medical treatment trials in a research environment. In August 2012, the Company completed the acquisition of Cardiocore Lab, Inc. (Cardiocore).

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Head to Head Survey: Signal Genetics (MGEN) & BioTelemetry (BEAT) - TrueBlueTribune

Chiesi's Holoclar, the first stem-cell therapy to be cleared by European regulators, has received a green light for use on the NHS in England and Wales to treat a rare sight condition.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has now published final guidelines backing Holoclar as an option to treat adults with moderate to severe limbal stem cell deficiency (LSCD) after eye burns.

However, the guidelines state the therapy can only be used to treat one eye and in those who have already had a conjunctival limbal autograft, or there is not enough tissue for a conjunctival limbal autograft or it is contraindicated.

Holoclar is now also recommended in adults with moderate to severe LSCD after eye burns for treating both eyes only in the context of research, and when there is not enough tissue for a conjunctival limbal autograft.

LSCD is a seriously debilitating condition affecting one or both eyes, most commonly from chemical or physical ocular burns. If left untreated, it can cause chronic pain, burning, photophobia, inflammation, corneal neovascularisation, stromal scarring and the reduction or complete loss of vision.

Holoclar uses a patients own stem cells to regenerate and repair damaged eye tissue and is the first advanced therapy medicinal product containing stem cells as the active substance to win approval in Europe, back in 2015. It also won the UK Prix Galien Orphan Product award for innovation and research in 2016.

Chiesi says it is extremely pleased with NICEs decision, which will reduce the need for external donors and damage to the donor eye.

We are delighted that NICE has recommended that eligible patients have access to this personalised and regenerative medicine for a rare and seriously debilitating orphan condition, said Chiesi's UK managing director Tom Delahoyde.

Read more:
Europe's first stem cell therapy backed by NICE - PharmaTimes - PharmaTimes

An English bulldog undergoes surgery for spina bifida at the UC Davis Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital. The dog is part of a pair of puppies being treated for spina bifida through a combination of stem cell therapy and surgery, research made possible through collaboration between the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine and UC Davis Health. Credit: Gregory Urquiaga/UC Davis

A pair of English bulldog puppies are the first patients to be successfully treated with a unique therapya combination of surgery and stem cellsdeveloped at the University of California, Davis, to help preserve lower-limb function in children with spina bifida.

Because dogs with the birth defect frequently have little control of their hindquarters, they also have little hope for a future. They are typically euthanized as puppies.

At their postsurgery re-check at 4 months old, however, the siblings, named Darla and Spanky, showed off their abilities to walk, run and play to their doctor, veterinary neurosurgeon Beverly Sturges.

"The initial results of the surgery are promising, as far as hind limb control," said Sturges. "Both dogs seemed to have improved range of motion and control of their limbs."

The dogs have since been adopted, and continue to do well at their home in New Mexico.

A major step toward curing spina bifida

Spina bifida occurs when spinal tissue improperly fuses in utero, causing a range of cognitive, mobility, urinary and bowel disabilities in about 1,500 to 2,000 children born in the U.S. each year. The dogs' procedure, which involved surgical techniques developed by fetal surgeon Diana Farmer of UC Davis Health together with a cellular treatment developed by stem cell scientists Aijun Wang and Dori Borjesson, director of the university's Veterinary Institute for Regenerative Cures, represents a major step toward curing spina bifida for both humans and dogs.

Farmer pioneered the use of surgery prior to birth to improve brain development in children with spina bifida. She later showed that prenatal surgery combined with human placenta-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (PMSCs), held in place with a cellular scaffold, helped research lambs born with the disorder walk without noticeable disability.

Sturges wanted to find out if the surgery-plus-stem-cell approach could give dogs closer-to-normal lives along with better chances of survival and adoption. At 10-weeks old, Darla and Spanky were transported from Southern California Bulldog Rescue to the UC Davis veterinary hospital, where they were the first dogs to receive the treatment, this time using canine instead of human PMSCs.

Another distinction for Darla and Spanky is that their treatment occurred after birth, since prenatal diagnosis of spina bifida is not performed on dogs, Sturges explained. The disorder becomes apparent between 1 and 2 weeks of age, when puppies show hind-end weakness, poor muscle tone, incoordination and abnormal use of their tails.

A unique environment for collaborative research

UC Davis is the only place where this type of cross-disciplinary, transformational medicine could happen, according to Farmer.

"It's rare to have a combination of excellent medical and veterinary schools and strong commitment to advancing stem cell science at one institution," she said.

UC Davis is also home to the One Health initiative aimed at finding novel treatments like these for diseases that affect both humans and animals.

"I've often said that I have the greatest job on the planet, because I get to help kids," Farmer said. "Now my job is even better, because I get to help puppies too."

Hopes for clinical trials in humans and dogs

With additional evaluation and U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval, Farmer and Wang hope to test the therapy in human clinical trials. Sturges and Borjesson hope to do the same with a canine clinical trial. They hope the outcomes of their work help eradicate spina bifida in dogs and humans.

In the meantime, the team wants dog breeders to send more puppies with spina bifida to UC Davis for treatment and refinements that help the researchers fix an additional hallmark of spina bifidaincontinence. While Darla and Spanky are very mobile and doing well on their feet, they still require diapers.

"Further analysis of their progress will determine if the surgery improves their incontinence conditions," Sturges said.

Explore further: Prenatal stem cell treatment improves mobility issues caused by spina bifida

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Stem cell treatment for children with spina bifida helps dogs first - Phys.Org

Hope is surely on the way for children with special needs as Alok Sharma, a world renowned neurosurgeon, Neuroscientist and professor, a director of NeuroGen Brain and Spine Institute India visited Nigeria recently to shed light on the efficacy of stem cells in treating children with special needs.With over 5000 patients treated from 50 countries, 68 scientific papers and 14 published books, and an overall 91% success rate, Alok was determined to enlighten participants who attended the one day seminar on stem cell awareness and its importance.According to Asok, We are the pioneers of introduction to Stem Cell Therapy for neurological disorders. We make use of holistic, comprehensive approach to treat our patients with a combination of stem cell therapy and neuro-rehabilitation. We use adult stem cells derived from the patients own bone marrow, as they are the safest and most feasible type of cells. Since every patient is different, our treatment protocol is customised according to the patients requirements.We now have a treatment that is very effective and a large number of people can benefit from this. The old thinking was that when the central nervous system is damaged then it is beyond repairs but the new thinking is that some degree of repair is possible. Stem cells have three capabilities. They repair, regenerate or replaced. It took us between seven to eight years to prove that stem cells can convert to nerve cells and when we became very sure, we went on to use on humans and the results have been outstanding He said.Asked who can be treated with the stem cell procedure and Asok says for paediatric, we treat children with autism, cerebral palsy, intellectual disability and muscular dystrophy. For adults, we treat spinal cord injury, stroke, traumatic brain injury/head injury, motor neuro disease/amyotrophic lateral scierosis and other neurological disorders.Asok explains that there are many types of stem cells used, but broadly they can be classified into 3 types:-Embryonic stem cells: Embryonic stem cells, as their name suggests, are derived from 3-4 day embryos. These are obtained from spare embryos from IVF clinics with the consent of the donor. During this early developmental period, the cells that will ultimately give rise to the developing fetus can be encouraged to develop into tissues of different origins (totipotency) contributing greatly to stem cell therapy. However, there are many ethical and medical issues regarding its use. These are therefore, not being used presently.Umbilical cord stem cells: These cells are derived from the umbilical cord which connects the baby and the mother at birth. Stem cells derived from the umbilical cord are stored by various cord blood banking companies. These stem cells do not have any major ethical issues surrounding their usage, but availability can be a problem.Adult stem cells: They can be derived from the same patient, from either the hip bone or the adipose/fat tissue. Currently, they are the most popularly used stem cells. The benefits that adult stem cells offer are:1, They are available in abundance and can be isolated easily.2, They are isolated from patients, which overcomes the problem of immunological rejection.3, Adult stem cells have the potential to replenish many specialized cells from just a few unspecialized ones.4, They do not have any ethical issues as they do not involve destruction of embryos.5, The risk of tumor formation is greatly reduced as compared to the use of embryonic stem cells.There are fears about stem cell therapy but Asok cleared the air when he said this isnt the truth as the one feared is the embryonic stem cells (ESCs) which are stem cells derived from the undifferentiated inner mass cells of a human embryo. ESCs are just one of the types of stem cells but we do not make use of that in our hospital as explained earlier, we use Adult Stem Cells. We do not use the embryotic stem cells because they have the tendency to become tumours in the body. He explained.On how the procedure works, he says a thin needle is inserted into the hip bone to pull the marrow out. The procedure takes between 15 to 30 minutes. The patient is then sent back to the room for about 3 to 4 hours to rest for the next procedureon same day, within the 2 to 4 hours, the stem cells are separated and purified in their stem cell laboratory by using density gradient centrifugation. Once the stem cells have been purified, the patient is taken back to the operation theatre and the stem cells are injected into the spinal space. In some patients, for instance, patients with muscular dystrophy, the stem cells are diluted and injected into the muscles using a very thin needle.One of the participants at the seminar, Marvis Isokpehi, whose child is autistic, had this to say I am glad I came for this seminar. Initially, we were told anything that has to do with brain damage cannot be cured or improved only managed but we see that God helping the scientist, things are getting better. My child was diagnosed by 2. She walked at 17 months, sat at 8 months and she only babbled. She could use her hands and able to put things in her mouth herself but later, the growth began to drop and along the line, I took up the challenge and went back to school to learn about taking care of her and also to help others. I went to Federal College of Education (special) Oyo and specialised in Education for the intellectually disabled. Said Marvis.For Akhere Akran, the Manager of Agatha Obiageli Aghedo Memorial Foundation and participant, one of the arms of our foundation aimed at helping to lessen the burden of the less privileged in the community is the St Agatha Children Centre, where we advocate for children with special needs. I am glad I will be going back to let the parents of these children know there is hope and I am trusting God for funds because that is truly the core of everything. I appeal to the government to fund this and encourage private organisations to help reduce the cost of this treatment to the barest minimum. Its high time we stop stigmatisation or thinking its a result of the mothers past life of the fathers mistakes. It is a medical situation that needs medical attention. Akran expressed.Andelene Thysse is a director at Stem Cell Africa and she helped facilitate the seminar and for her, it is high time Nigeria gets involved We are currently looking at establishing a stem centre at Mozambique. I would have loved that we establish in Nigeria because Nigeria is closer to everything but since we arent getting the audience required, we are going to other African countries interested. Going to NeuroGen Institute for treatment per patient costs about $11,000 imagine if Nigeria has the facility, the price can slash down to $6,000 or even below Andelene stated.Shedding more light on costing, Asok says If we are to set up such a facility in an existing hospital, the cost of setting it up is $US500, 000 and I am assuming all facilities are functioning already. If we have to set up as a whole which includes getting land and building, it will be more expensive. This may sound expensive but it is worth it because it will save you the stress for the future. More important than the money is the permission from the government of the country. The government has to give us the permission because it is what is happening in other African countries. We have had good response and cooperation from government in Kenya, South Africa and Zimbabwe. We have quite a number of Nigerians who come to us in India for this treatment. We treat 50 patients from around the world per week about 5-10 are from Africa and Nigeria is among this percentage.

Kemi Ajumobi

Read more:
Stem cell therapy: proffering hope for special needs patients ... - BusinessDay (satire) (press release) (registration) (blog)

Chiesi made history two years ago when it claimed the first approval in Europe for a stem cell therapy, and can now celebrate decision by NICE to recommend its product for routine use in England and Wales.

The therapy - called Holoclar - was approved in 2015 for adults with moderate to severe limbal stem cell deficiency (LSCD) caused by physical or chemical burns to the eyes. LSCD is a rare condition that can lead to blindness, and affects just 3.3 out of 100,000 people in the EU.

Corneal cell renewal and repair are dependent upon the cells present in the limbus, which is found in a small area of the eye between the cornea and the conjunctiva. Burns to the eye can destroy the limbus, causing a deficiency of limbal cells. If this happens, the cornea is covered by a different epithelium following an invasion of cells from the conjunctiva. This process renders the cornea opaque and results in subsequent loss of vision, and conventional corneal transplant is ineffective in these cases.

Holoclar takes the form of a sheet of corneal epithelial cells, containing the patient's own stem cells, that can be used to regenerate and repair damaged eye tissue.

The therapy has been approved with some conditions by NICE. Specifically, it can generally only be used to treat one eye, and to be eligible patients must have previously had treatment with a conjunctival limbal autograft (CLAU) - a form of transplant surgery that involves taking tissue from an unaffected eye - or be unsuitable for that procedure.

Patients with two eyes affected by LSCD can only receive the therapy in the context of research if there is not enough tissue available for a CLAU, according to NICE, which said its appraisal committee had agreed that Chiesi had presented evidence to show that Holoclar "offered several advantages over existing treatments".

Chiesi has agreed to supply Holoclar to the NHS at an undisclosed discount to its list price of 80,000 plus VAT for a single treatment for one eye. The company said the decision will reduce the need for external donors and damage to the donor eye.

"We are delighted that NICE has recommended that eligible patients have access to this personalised and regenerative medicine for a rare and seriously debilitating orphan condition," commented Chiesi's UK managing director Tom Delahoyde.

Holoclar - which won the UK Prix Galien award in 2016 - is the first product from Chiesi's nine-year-old rare disease unit to reach the market, although it could shortly be joined by Lamazym/Lamzede (velmanase alfa), used as an enzyme replacement therapy for the genetic disorder alpha-mannosidosis which is currently under review in Europe.

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NICE backs Europe's first stem cell therapy - PMLiVE

University of North Carolina Health Careresearchers have made strides toward a stem cell treatment for lung diseases such as pulmonary fibrosis, COPD, and cystic fibrosis.

In fact, they are discussing the start of clinical trials with regulatory authorities.

The team discussed its work in two recent studies. One provedthat it is possible to isolate lung stem cells with a relatively non-invasive procedure. The other showed that stem cells reduce fibrosis in rats with pulmonary fibrosis.

The first study, in the journal Respiratory Research, was titledDerivation of therapeutic lung spheroid cells from minimally invasive transbronchial pulmonary biopsies.The second, inStem Cells Translational Medicine, was Safety and Efficacy of Allogeneic Lung Spheroid Cells in a Mismatched Rat Model of Pulmonary Fibrosis.

This is the first time anyone has generated potentially therapeutic lung stem cells from minimally invasive biopsy specimens, Dr. Jason Lobo, director of the universitys lung transplant and interstitial lung disease program,said in a press release. Hewas co-senior author of both studies.

We think the properties of these cells make them potentially therapeutic for a wide range of lung fibrosis diseases, added Dr. Ke Cheng, who led the studies with Lobo. He is anassociate professor in North Carolina State Universitys Department of Molecular Biomedical Sciences.

The research team had previously homed in on stem and support cells they could isolate from a lung tissue sample and grow in a lab. The tissue formed sphere-like structures in a lab dish, prompting the scientists to call them lung spheroid cells.

In 2015, the team showed that these cells had potent regenerative properties in animals with lung diseases. In fact, the stem cells they cultivated outperformed another type called mesenchymal stem cells.

Their latest project involved gathering lung spheroid cells from patients with various lung diseases. They used a procedure calleda transbronchial biopsy thatcan be done in a doctors office.

We snip tiny, seed-sized samples of airway tissue using a bronchoscope, Lobo said. This method involves far less risk to the patient than does a standard, chest-penetrating surgical biopsy of lung tissue.

From this tiny piece of airway, researchers gathered stem cells, then allowed them to multiply because stem cell treatments require infusions of millions of such cells.

When they injected the cells intravenously into mice, the discovered that most found their way into the animals lungs.

These cells are from the lung, and so in a sense theyre happiest, so to speak, living and working in the lung, Cheng said.

The team then tested the treatment in rats exposed to a chemical that triggers lung fibrosis. The lung spheroid cells gave rise to healthy lung cells, reducing both inflammation and fibrosis in the animals lungs.

Also, the treatment was safe and effective whether the lung spheroid cells were derived from the recipients own lungs or from the lungs of an unrelated strain of rats, Lobo said. In other words, even if the donated stem cells were foreign, they did not provoke a harmful immune reaction in the recipient animals, as transplanted tissue normally does.

The researchers said that in humans their goal would be to use patients own stem cells to minimize the risk of immune reactions. But because large quantities of cells are needed, it might be necessary to gather cells from healthy volunteers or organ donation networks as well.

Our vision is that we will eventually set up a universal cell donor bank, Cheng said.

The team is in discussions with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration aimed at starting the first human study by years end. The first trial would include a small group of pulmonary fibrosis patients. The team also hopes their spheroid stem cell therapy will help patients with other lung diseases.

Read the original:
Trial of Lung Disease Stem Cell Therapy Could Come by Year's End - Lung Disease News

Recently Dr Pradeep V Mahajan was honoured with Paris Appreciation Awards, 2017 for Excellence in stem cell therapy. He is the Chairman and Managing Director of StemRx Bioscience Solutions Pvt Ltd. In an interview with ETHealthworld, Dr Mahajan talks about the latest advancements in stem cell therapy and where it stands in healthcare system today. Edited excerpts :

How well informed are the doctors today about the cellular therapy? Is it time consuming? Where does cellular therapy stand in the Indian Healthcare system today?

For more than four decades, medical fraternity has knowledge about stem cell science and its potential therapeutic applications. However, earlier, clinicians were commonly aware of hematopoietic stem cell therapy, but were relatively uninformed about the advantages of mesenchymal stem cells. This could be attributed to the medical course syllabus which initially did not include topics specifically on cellular therapy.

Despite the technological advances that medical science is witnessing, it is not possible at present to predict the exact time when cellular therapy and regenerative medicine will replace existing forms of pharmacological and surgical treatments. Nonetheless, there is increasing awareness amongst clinicians who now more receptive to and are advising cell based therapy as an effective therapeutic modality for treatment of diseases.

Which are the diseases that can be treated through cellular therapy? What are the latest advancements?

Cellular therapy and regenerative medicine focuses on eliminating the root cause of the problem by use of cells (cytokines, chemokines etc.), growth factors from ones own body. Orthopedic conditions such as avascular necrosis, osteoarthritis, autoimmune conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, neurological conditions such as cerebral palsy, stroke etc., as well as diabetes, liver, genitourinary disorders, dermatological conditions and many more can achieve benefits from cellular therapy. This form of therapy can be further explored in management of organ failure, to overcome rejection following organ transplants, developmental defects, cancer immunotherapy etc.

Research advances pertaining to introducing products with cell and scaffold based technology through tissue engineering are underway. Bioactive scaffolds that are capable of supporting activation and differentiation of host stem cells at the required site are being developed. In the future it will be possible to use human native sites as micro-niche/micro-environment for potentiation of the human body's site-specific response.

Technologically, advances have been made over the years in both diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. Molecular imaging technology (optical imaging, positron emission tomography etc.) has simplified research on disease mechanism and treatment evaluation related to cell based therapy. Several new technologies are being introduced that simplify the process of isolation and characterization of cells. One such example is the Prodigy technology which completely automates the procedure of cell manufacturing from start to finish, thus enabling standardization and GMP compliance. In addition, detection and identification of specific cell populations is now possible through gene labeling techniques. Similarly, advances in microscopy have enabled study of cell behavior with respect to their surroundings.

What is the scope of cellular therapy in the country?

India is a nation with increasing population demands. Our country is seeing an alarmingly rapid rise in occurrence of diseases and conventional treatment modalities are gradually losing potential to cure affected individuals. Being a developing economy, the application and opportunity of cellular therapy and regenerative medicine is different when compared to other countries. A number game exists between diseases (such as cancer, lifestyle related, autoimmune conditions etc.) and finances in our country. The aim of cellular therapy is to enable a diseased person to use his own body cells for treatment thereby addressing the issue of extreme financial burden as seen with conventional treatment modalities. This will drastically benefit our patients and country and will also propagate India towards becoming the leader in cellular therapy and regenerative medicine.

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Cell based therapy is gaining momentum : Dr Pradeep V Mahajan - ETHealthworld.com

According to data released by the Food and Waterborne Diseases Office of the Health Ministry, an average of 15% of hospital patients suffer from nosocomial infections.A nosocomial infection is an infection acquired in hospital by a patient who was admitted for a reason other than the infection.The severity of hospital-acquired infections depends on the location and type of infection, said Abbasali Imani Fouladi, the scientific secretary of the 18th International Congress of Microbiology, which will be held on Aug. 29-31 at Tehran University of Medical Sciences, ISNA reported. The use of stem cells and their significant role in treatment of the infectionsin particular, antibiotic-resistant infectionsis a key topic that will be discussed by domestic and foreign specialists at the conference.Sometimes ulcers which are resistant to conventional treatment, respond positively and swiftly to stem cell treatments, he explained, adding that officials from Council for Stem Cell Sciences and Technologies (affiliated to Vice-Presidency for Science and Technology) have been invited to the event that will be attended by scientists from Spain, Italy, UK, and France. Four workshops will be held on the sidelines of the meeting.Stating that with resistance to antibiotics becoming more common, there is greater need for alternative treatments, he said, Currently there are 12 strains of bacteria in need of new antibiotics or alternative treatments.The event is co-sponsored by the Health Ministry, TUMS, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Razi Vaccine and Serum Research Institute, and Ilam University of Medical Sciences, according to the congress website (ismcongress.ir).Nosocomial infections occur worldwide and affect both developed and resource-poor countries. Healthcare-associated infections are among the major causes of death and increased morbidity among hospitalized patients. They are a significant burden both for the patient and public health.According to the World Health Organization, HAIs add to functional disability and emotional stress of the patient and may in some cases, lead to disabling conditions that reduce the quality of life. Nosocomial infections are also one of the leading causes of death. The economic costs are considerable. The increased length of hospital stay for infected patients is the greatest contributor to cost.While the prevalence rate of HAIs is 30% in lower-income countries, the average rate is around 6-11% in developed countries, according to Dr. Hossein Masumi-Asl, head of the Food and Waterborne Diseases Office.The most frequent nosocomial infections are infections of surgical wounds, urinary tract infections and lower respiratory tract infections, he said. According to the official, the highest prevalence of nosocomial infections occurs in intensive care units and in acute surgical and orthopedic wards. Infection rates are higher among patients with increased susceptibility because of old age, underlying disease, or chemotherapy.

The rest is here:
Stem Cell Therapy for Infections by Resilient Bacteria - Financial Tribune

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We hope you will be interested and take this opportunity to join us in Toronto, Canada during October 20-21, 2017 at our pinnacle event.

The global animal healthcare market is estimated to value around USD 34.5 billion in 2015, was around and expected to reach USD 43.1 billion by 2020 with 5.1 percent compound annual growth rate. It is expected to grow more than USD 58 billion by 2025.Animal Health industry is providing big investment opportunities. Europe and North America together composed more than 63% of the market share. The main growth in animal health market is expected to come from Asia Pacific, Latin America, Middle East and Africa and some East European countries.

Asia-Pacific is one of the highest meat producers in the world, is expected to consume the highest amount of feed additive followed by North America. Western Europe and North America is a potential market for companion animal products both in pharmaceuticals and vaccines. Leadinganimal health companiesare relying largely on companion animals for growth.

As the worlds population is expected to grow to 9.6 billion, food production would have to increase by 70% in order to feed the extra mouths (based on current consumption patterns). Due to the rising demand for meat, milk and egg worldwide, there will be an increasing demand in feed additives segments. The companion animals or pet adoption is increasing and it is the main driving force of the futureanimal health industry. Cats and dogs are adopted mostly by the people for therapeutic and psychological benefits.

The close relationship between people and companion animals not only provides positive health benefitsbut also facilitates the transmission and spread of certain diseases from animals to humans. The increasing prevalence of foodborne andzoonotic diseaseshas raised the care ofanimal farmersand pet owners about thehealth of animals. As the prevention drugs are not available in the market, the recently diagnosed diseases act as the threat for the owners of the animal farm.

The evolution of new diseases offers great opportunities for the animalhealthcareindustry. To find enhanced solutions for the new and prevailing diseases, the animal health companies are increasing their research and development activities.

Best Global Animal Health Companies:

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Mark dates (October 20, 2017 - October 21, 2017) of our international veterinary conference in your Veterinary Calendar.

Veterinary Conference | Animal Health Conference | Veterinary Medicine Conference | Animal Science Conference | Veterinary Conference 2017

Animals play a vital role in the society.Animal Healthis the inter-link between humans,animals and the surrounding environment. They play the main role in transportation, clothing and Food. Animalsprovide many benefits to humans. While the company, sport or work satisfy important needs in today's society, we should not overlook that the production of food of animal origin has been historically, and remains one of the fundamental pillars on which is based the Food. A Noteworthy economic importance of farming in our society, not to mention the environmental role of some species like honey bees. It is important for pets, zoo animals andfarm animalsto stay healthy. The health of animals defines the healthy and wealthy society.Healthy animalscontribute to the elimination of hunger, to healthy people and to sustainablefood production.

Veterinary medicineis the branch of medicine that deals with the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of disease, disorder and injury in non-human animals. The scope ofveterinarymedicine is wide, covering all animal species, both domesticated and wild, with a wide range of conditions which can affect different species.Veterinariansprevent the transmission ofanimal diseasesto people and advise the proper care of animals. They ensurefood safetyby maintaining the health of agricultural animals and by inspecting food industries. They also involved in the preservation of wildlife.

One Healthis the integrative effort of multiple disciplines working locally, nationally, and globally to attain optimal health for people, animals, and the environment. Together, the three make up the One Health triad, and the health of each is inextricably connected to the others in the triad. Understanding and addressing the health issues created at this intersection is the foundation for the concept of One Health.

Animal welfaremeans how an animal is coping with the conditions in which it lives. An animal is in a good state of welfare if (as indicated by scientific evidence) it is healthy, comfortable, well nourished, safe, able to express innate behavior, and if it is not suffering from unpleasant states such as pain, fear, and distress. Good animal welfare requires disease prevention andveterinarytreatment, appropriate shelter, management, nutrition, humane handling and humane slaughter/killing. Animal welfare refers to the state of the animal; the treatment that an animal receives is covered by other terms such as animal care,animal husbandry, andhumane treatment.

Animal testing, also known asanimal experimentation,animal research, andin vivotesting, is the use of non-human animals in experiments that seek to control the variables that affect the behavior or biological system under study. The focus of animal testing varies on a continuum from pure research, done with little regard to the uses to which understanding may be put, to applied research, which may focus on answering some question of great practical importance, such as finding a cure for a disease. Examples of applied research include testing, breeding, defense research, andtoxicology, includingcosmetics testing.

Aveterinary specialistis a veterinarian who has completed additional training in a specific area ofveterinary medicineand has passed an examination that evaluates their knowledge and skills in that specialty area. A veterinary specialist may be consulted when an animals condition requires specialized care above and beyond that which a regularveterinariancan offer. Many veterinary specialists require a referral in order to be seen. After treatment, aveterinaryspecialist may stay in close contact with the referring veterinarian to provide ongoing treatment suggestions and advice.

Veterinary Internal Medicine deals with the diseases of the internal organs of animals. In this session we will discuss the latest developments in the fields including,epidemiology,oncology, cardiology, neurology, nutrition, theriogenology, endocrinology, gastroenterology, pharmacology, hematology, immunology, hepatology, infectious diseases, nephrology, urology and respiratory diseases.

Animal diseasemeans diseases to which animals are liable and whereby the normal functions of any organ or the body of an animal is impaired or disturbed by any protozoon, bacterium, virus, fungus, parasite, other organism or agent.

Animal Biotechnology plays an important role in human and animal health and development. Biotechnology is the use of living systems and organisms to develop or make products, or any technological application that uses biological systems, living organisms, or derivatives thereof, to make or modify products or processes for specific use. Animal Biotechnology dates back to domestication of animals, selective breeding (hybridizing) to produce desirable offspring.

Animal Biotechnologyis the use of molecular biology andgenetic engineeringforindustrial, pharmaceutical and agricultural applications. It is used to produce therapeutic proteins, diseases resistant offspring, transgenic animals, clones and organs byxenotransplantation. Applications and benefits include producing antibodies, to understand the relationship between genes and disease, to find and produce disease resistant animals, to increase production of animal products, produced new food and pharmaceutical products, use of animal organs as human transplants - xenotransplantation (ex: human-pig chimeras) and to enhance the ability to detect, treat diseases.

Animal Biotechnology industry values at around USD 6 Billion with the annual growth rate of 1.8%. Major players in Animal Biotechnology are Elanco, Merck Co. Inc. Merial Limited and Zoetis.

Veterinary oncologyis a subspecialty ofveterinary medicinethat deals with cancer diagnosis and treatment in animals.Veterinary canceris a major cause of death in pet animals.

Related Veterinary Conferences:

InternationalVeterinary Emergency&Critical Care SymposiumSeptember 13-17, 2017, Tennessee, USA; PurdueVeterinary ConferenceSeptember 19-23, 2017, Indiana, USA; 42nd WorldSmall Animal Veterinary CongressSeptember 25-28, 2017, Copenhagen, Denmark; American Association ofFeline Practitioners ConferenceOctober 19-22, 2017, Denver, USA; OhioDairy Veterinarians MeetingJanuary 4-6, 2018, Columbus, Ohio, USA; The ExeterVeterinary CongressFebruary 8-9, 2017, Exeter, UK; OregonVeterinary ConferenceMarch 2 - 4, 2018 Corvallis, Oregon, USA;10thInternational Veterinary Congress, August 29-31, 2018 Rome, Italy;North AmericanVeterinary Dermatology ConferenceMay 1-5, 2018, Maui, Hawaii, USA; American College ofVeterinary Internal Medicine ForumJune 13-16, 2018, Seattle, Washington, USA; 9thInternationalSheepVeterinary Congress, May 22-26, 2017, Harrogate, UK;VetHealth GlobalCongressJune, 2017 Charlottetown, PEI, Canada; CVMAAnnualVeterinary ConventionJuly 05-08, 2018, Vancouver, BC, Canada;CFHSAnimal Welfare ConferenceApril 21-24, 2018, Calgary, Canada; NAVCConference2018 - VMX 2018 February 3-7, 2018, Orlando, Florida, USA; MidwestVeterinary Conference, February 22-25, 2018 Columbus,Ohio, USA; PacificVeterinary ConferenceJune 28- July 01, 2018, San Francisco California, USA; 90thWesternVeterinaryConferenceMarch 4-8, 2018 | Mandalay Bay Convention Center | Las Vegas, NV,USA; Wild WestVeterinary ConferenceOctober 11-15, 2017, Nevada, USA; 26thInternationalConference on Veterinary ParasitologySeptember 04-08, 2017, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; 33rdWorldVeterinary CongressAugust 27-31, 2017, Incheon, South Korea.

Veterinary ConferenceAbstracts Deadline: August31, 2017

Veterinary Conference Registration Deadline: August 25, 2017

On spot registration: October 20, 2017

Animal Health 2016

Conference Series LLCsuccessfully hosted the5thAnimal Health and Veterinary Medicine CongressduringSeptember 26-27, 2016, atHotel Melia Valencia, Valencia, Spain. The conference focused on the theme Healthy Animals, Healthy Society. The conference was successful in gathering eminent speakers from various reputed organizations and their paramount talks enlightened the gathering.

Animal Health 2016 focused on recent approaches in veterinary medicine and animal welfare and the meeting engrossed in knowledgeable discussions on novel subjects like Animal Health and Veterinary Science, Animal Ethology, Animal Biotechnology, Animal Diseases, Veterinary Medicine, Veterinary Surgery, Veterinary Public Health, Animal Welfare, Animal Husbandry and Livestock Extension, Entrepreneurs Investment Meet.

The proceedings of the conference were embarked with an opening ceremony followed by the Honorable presence of the Keynote forum.

The adepts who promulgated the theme with their exquisite talks were:

Dr. M T Musa, Ministry of Animal Resources, Sudan

Dr. Despoina Iatridou, Federation of Veterinarians of Europe, Belgium

Dr. Mara Jaureguzar Redondo, Vet+i Foundation- Spanish Technology Platform for Animal Health, Spain

Dr. Ahmed G Hegazi, National Research Center, Egypt

Dr. Enric Marco Granell, Marco Vetgrup SL, Spain

Dr. Imre Olh, Semmelweis University, Hungary

Dr. Peter Timms, University of the Sunshine Coast, Australia

Dr. Stewart Daniel, World Health Organization (WHO), South Africa

Dr. Giorgio Marchesini, University of Padova, Italy

Dr. Lenita Moura Stefani, Universidade do Estado de Santa Catarina, Brazil

Dr. ngela Martins, Lusfona University, Portugal

Dr. Yong Heo, Catholic University of Daegu, South Korea

The Keynote sessions and all the other sessions highlighted the current challenges, issues, opportunities, innovations and ideas in all the fields of Veterinary and Animal Sciences.

For more details, please visit:http://www.conferenceseries.com/Past_Reports/animal-health-2016-past

With the success of Animal Health 2016, next year we have been organizing the best veterinary conference: 8thInternational Conference on Animal Health and Veterinary Medicineduring October 20-21, 2017 in Toronto, Canada.

Conference Series LLCsuccessfully hosted the3rdInternational Veterinary CongressduringAugust 18-20, 2016, atCrowne Plaza London Heathrow,London,UK. The conference focused on the theme Novel Techniques and Advancements in Veterinary Science and its Relevant Aspects. The conference was successful in bringing together renowned speakers from various reputed organizations and their paramount talks enlightened the gathering.

The conference focused on recent developments in the veterinary sector and the meeting engrossed in knowledgeable discussions on novel subjects like: Veterinary, Veterinary Medicine, Clinical Veterinary, Veterinary Economics, Veterinary Research, Food Animal, Animal Reproduction and Genetics, Animal Welfare, Veterinary Forensics, Avian and Exotics, Animal Models and Testing and Veterinary Care and Management.

Veterinary 2016comprised ofSpecial Sessionon Poultry parasites: Emerging issues byOlivier A E Sparagano,Coventry University, UK and aSymposiumon Recent developments in toxicity and treatment of organophosphates and carbamates byRamesh C Gupta,Murray State University, USA.

For more details, please visit:http://www.conferenceseries.com/Past_Reports/veterinary-2016-past

Conference Series LLCsuccessfully hosted the2ndInternational Conference on Livestock Nutrition during July 21-22, 2016, at Brisbane, Australia. The conference focused on the theme Leading Innovation and Sustainability in Livestock Nutrition and Health Worldwide. The conference was successful in bringing together eminent speakers from various reputed organizations and their paramount talks enlightened the gathering.

The meeting engrossed a vicinity of cognizant discussions on novel subjects like Livestock and Health, Livestock Nutrition, Livestock Disease and Management, Poultry, Cattle, Sheep, Organic Livestock, Livestock Feed Ingredients, Feed Prices and Agribusiness, Feed Supplies and Feed Technology and Equipment.

Livestock Nutrition 2016comprised ofInternational Preconference workshop onTrace Elements in Animal Nutritionduring April 8-9, 2016 at Firat University, Turkey and aSymposiumon Replacement value of raw soybean meal for commercial soybean meal in diets for broiler chickensduring July 21-22, 2016 at Conference venue by Dr. Paul A. Iji, University of New England, Australia.

For more details, please visit:http://www.conferenceseries.com/Past_Reports/livestock-nutrition-2016-past

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Animal Health - Veterinary Conference: Veterinary Medicine ...

The South Dakota Veterinary Medical Association held its 126th annual meeting at the Ramkota Convention Center in Sioux Falls Aug. 13 16. The meeting included continuing education opportunities for over 200 veterinarians and veterinary technicians, recognized outstanding accomplishments by professionals in the veterinary fields and included the annual membership meeting.

The meeting featured Dr. Jason Sweitzer, DVM, a nationally known speaker on mental health and suicide prevention in the veterinary profession. Companion animal topics included anesthesia and soft tissue surgery. Large animal topics included calf scours treatment and management, sheep and goat parasitology and medicine and equine emergency and field procedures, as well as updates from SDSUs Animal Disease Research and Diagnostic Lab.

Distinguished Service Award

Dr. Larry Carpenter of Sturgis was the recipient of the Distinguished Service Award. Carpenter graduated with honors from Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine DVM in 1982 and received a Masters Degree in Veterinary Surgery in 1991 from Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine.

Carpenter attained Diplomate Status with the American College of Veterinary Surgeons in 1992. In 1998, he graduated from the US Army War College and served 25 years in the US Army. While deployed to Haiti in 1995, he set up street corner vaccination stations and vaccinated nearly 10,000 dogs and cats against rabies in Port Au Prince with the help of the Haitian Ministry of Health, the UN Mission to Haiti, the Pan American Health Organization and the Christian Veterinary Mission. He served as Consultant to the US Army Surgeon General on Military Working Dogs from 20002003 and retired as the Director of the Military Working Dog Hospital in San Antonio, Texas in Aug. 2003.

The Distinguished Service Award is awarded to honor an individual who has brought distinction to the veterinary profession through his/her devotion to the care and well-being of animals, support for the profession and contributions to the community. This individuals contributions have advanced the profession and serve as an inspiration to veterinarians and the clients he serves.

Veterinarians of the Year

Dr. William Headlee and Dr. Norma Headlee are co-recipients of the Veterinarian of the Year award. The Headlees both graduated from Kadoka High school in 1971 and completed their undergraduate courses at South Dakota State University in 1974. They went on to graduate from Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 1978.

The Headlees have been operating a successful practice in their home town of Kadoka for 39 years. They were among the first veterinarians in SD to use ultrasound for reproductive exams in horses and cattle, and have built an equine hospital to serve the needs of their clients.

There are probably a million stories their clients could tell about all of the amazing things they have done over the years, said one nominator. The thing that was truly amazing is how they did it day in and day out in such a manner that all of us watching thought this is what all parents do for their kids.

The Veterinarian of the Year award is made annually to an SDVMA member who has contributed significantly to the veterinary profession and to the animals and clients he serves. The award recognizes a member for service and accomplishments benefitting the profession of veterinary medicine.

Dr. Eric Knock, Miller, received the 2017 SDVMA Emerging Leader Award. Dr. Knock graduated with a bachelor of science in animal sciences from SDSU in 2003. He received his DVM from Iowa State University in 2007 and was a recipient of the AABP Amstutz Scholarship.

Knock owns the Prairie View Veterinary Clinic and went from being sole practitioner to having four additional veterinarians along with a number of veterinary assistants and employees. He also developed a number of services for cow-calf clients in the area including ultrasound for carcass traits and pregnancy staging along with embryo flushing and transfer. Knock has served on the SDVMA Continuing Education committee.

The Emerging Leader award is made to an SDVMA member who graduated from veterinary school in the last 10 years and has displayed outstanding accomplishments in veterinary research, private practice, regulatory services, civic activities and organized veterinary medicine.

Outstanding Veterinary Technician

Nicole Wrage was named the 2017 Outstanding Veterinary Technician. She graduated from Dell Rapids High School and obtained her veterinary technician degree from Globe University. She is currently enrolled in University of Tennessee Canine Rehabilitation course to continue improving her skills. She is BQA certified and trained in bovine ultrasound for reproduction and Dairy Comp 305 data entry.

The Outstanding Veterinary Technician award is made to a registered veterinary technician who has provided outstanding support to veterinary medicine through dedication to the care and well-being of animals and professional knowledge and execution in service to the profession.

Drs. Randy Beumer, Browns Valley, Minn.; Susan Jones, Rapid City; James Pajl, Yankton; James Rokusek, Watertown, and Steve Tornberg, Harrisburg, attained life membership status in the SDVMA for their years of practice. Life members have attained the age of 65 and have been members of SDVMA for at least 20 years.

Jim Feller, Blunt, received the Bill Davis award. He graduated from SDSU in 1986 with a degree in animal science and has worked with MWI for five years. Feller has served on the South Dakota Veterinary Medical Examiners Board and the Nation Resources Conservation District. He currently serves on the Board of Oahe Electric Cooperative.

The Bill Davis Award is given annually to a sales representative of a veterinary supply company who has demonstrated an unusual degree of service and assistance to veterinarians and the veterinary profession in South Dakota.

The SDVMA Alliance raised over $8,000 in a benefit auction as part of the event. The money is used for scholarships for veterinary and veterinary technician students.

The following board members were elected for the coming year: Dr. Michelle Jensen, Harrisburg, president; Dr. Mark Braunschmidt, Brandon, president-elect; Dr. Ethan Andress, Hettinger, ND, vice president; Dr. Chanda Nilsson, Groton, secretary-treasurer; Dr. Angela Anderson, Sioux Falls, District 1 representative; Dr. Heidi Sorensen, Watertown, District 2 representative; Dr. Chris Chase, Brookings, AVMA delegate, and Dr. Cindy Franklin, Yankton, AVMA alternate delegate. Other board members are Dr. Sandra Wahlert, Hot Springs, District 3 representative, and Dr. Travis White, Sioux Center, Iowa, past president.

The 2018 SDVMA annual meeting will be held August 1215 in Sioux Falls.

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South Dakota Veterinary Medical Association gives awards at annual meeting - Watertown Public Opinion

Dr. Phillip Nelson of Western University of Health Sciences is the incoming president, while Dr. Calvin M. Johnson is the new president-elect.

From left: Past-President Dr. Douglas Freeman, dean of the Western College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Saskatchewan; President Dr. Phillip Nelson, dean of the Western University of Health Sciences College of Veterinary Medicine; and President-Elect Dr Calvin M. Johnson, dean of the Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine. | Photo courtesy of the AAVMC.

New leadership was installed at the American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC) summer meeting. Phillip Nelson, DVM, PhD, dean of Western University of Health Sciences College of Veterinary Medicine, assumed the role of AAVMC president, while Calvin M. Johnson, DVM, PhD, DACVP, dean of the Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine, became the president-elect, according to an association release.

Douglas A. Freeman, DVM, PhD, dean of the Western College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Saskatchewan, transitioned to the immediate past-president position. Mark Markel, DVM, PhD, DACVS, dean of the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine, will remain treasurer, and Paul Lunn, BVSc, PhD, MRCVS, DACVIM, dean of the North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine, was named secretary, the release states.

Dr. Nelson earned his DVM from the Tuskegee Institute in 1979 and his PhD in immunology and biotechnology from North Carolina State University in 1993. He earned his bachelor's degree from Jackson State University. Before he became dean at Western Universitys veterinary school, he served as executive associate dean for the preclinical program. Prior to that Dr. Nelson was the head of the department of small animal medicine and surgery at Tuskegee University's College of Veterinary Medicine, and he also served as associate dean at the Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine for 11 years.

New at-large board members include Oregon State University College of Veterinary Medicine Dean Susan Tornquist, DVM, PhD, DACVP, who represents Region 1 (U.S.); Ted Whittem, BVSc, PhD, FANZCVS, DACVCP, head of the University of Melbourne School of Veterinary Medicine, who represents Region 3 (Australia, New Zealand and Asia); and Tiffany Whitcomb, DVM, DACLAM, Pennsylvania State University assistant professor of comparative medicine, who represents departments of comparative medicine, the release states.

New board liaisons (nonvoting) include Bryan Slinker, DVM, PhD, dean of the Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine, representing the Association of Public and Land Grant Universities, and Aaron Colwell, representing the Student American Veterinary Medical Association.

These appointments will be slightly truncated during this transition year as the AAVMC formally moves its annual assembly from the former summer meeting to the annual meeting, which is typically held in early March, the release states.

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Veterinary school deans take on new leadership roles with AAVMC - dvm360

A procedure combining surgery with stem cell treatment has aided two bulldog puppies with spina bifida and a team of UC Davis researchers hopes to test the therapy in human clinical trials.

The puppies were treated with a therapy developed at UC Davis to help preserve lower-limb function in children with spina bifida, according to a university news release.

Spina bifida occurs when spinal tissue improperly fuses in utero causing cognitive, mobility, urinary and bowel disabilities. Approximately 1,500 to 2,000 children in the United States are born with the condition each year.

Because dogs with the birth defect have little control of their hind quarters, they typically are euthanized as puppies.

After their post-surgery checkup at 4 months old, the sibling pups, Darla and Spanky, showed off their ability to walk, run and play.

The initial results of the surgery are promising, as far as hind limb control, veterinary neurosurgeon Beverly Sturges said in a written statement. Both dogs seemed to have improved range of motion and control of their limbs.

The dogs have since been adopted and continue to do well at home in New Mexico.

The dogs procedure involved surgical techniques developed by fetal surgeon Diana Farmer of UC Davis Health together with a cellullar treatment developed by stem cell scientists Aijun Wang and Dori Borjesson, director of the universitys Veterinary Institute for Regenerative Cures.

Farmer pioneered the use of surgery prior to birth to improve brain development in children with spina bifida. She later showed that prenatal surgery combined with cells derived from the human placenta held in place with a cellular scaffold helped research lambs born with the disorder walk without noticeable disability, the news release said.

Sturges wanted to find out whether the surgery-plus-stem-cell approach could give dogs more normal lives, as well as better chances of survival and adoption.

Darla and Spanky were transported from Southern California Bulldog Rescue to the UC Davis Veterinary hospital when they were 10 weeks old. They were the first dogs to receive the treatment, this time using canine instead of human placenta-derived cells.

The dogs treatment also occurred after birth, because the prenatal diagnosis of spina bifida is not performed on dogs, Sturges said. The disorder becomes apparent between 1 and 2 weeks of ages, when puppies show hind-end weakness, poor muscle tone, and abnormal use of their tails.

The research team wants dog breeders to send more puppies with spina bifida to UC Davis for treatment and refinements that will help researchers correct another hallmark of spina bifida, incontinence. Although Darla and Spanky are mobile and doing well, they still require diapers, the news release said.

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Puppies receive stem cell treatment developed to help children with spina bifida - Sacramento Bee

Women make up 55 percent of active veterinarians and nearly 80 percent of the students in veterinary medicine. Despite this, women only make up 25 percent of leadership roles, and average salaries in the profession have dropped.

The book Leaders of the Pack: Women and the Future of Veterinary Medicine, published by Purdue University Press, was written by Julie Kumble M.Ed. and the late Dr. Donald Smith, dean emeritus of Cornell University's College of Veterinary Medicine, to address the gender gap between men and women in leadership.

Kumble, a researcher and writer whose career focused on empowering women, said that the gender gap isnt unique to veterinary medicine but can be found in every other field.

I just want to stress that every profession has a gender gap at the top of every single profession, Kumble said. The people at the top echelons of nursing, the CEOs and CFOs, those tend to be more men. Look at our Congress, its 20 percent women. If you look at who the partners are in law firms, only 20 percent are women, so its across the board. Veterinary medicine isnt unique.

According to Kumble, the gender gap is the result of many factors and there isnt one gleaming answer. One factor is that men were traditionally in the profession longer than women and own specialty practices like orthopedics or dentistry; these specialty practices pay higher salaries. Kumble encourages women to own their own practices.

Another factor is the linear trajectory of a career that doesnt accommodate women with children.

Women are the ones bearing children and raising children so how are we going to build into our system ways for them to get back to work when theyre ready and not miss out on salary and not miss out on promotions, Kumble said.

Kumble cited the Scandinavian countries as a source for solutions, which include policies on family leave or requiring minimum percentages of women on directory boards.

In the book, she gives advice on how women can close the gender gap. One thing she would say to a new student studying veterinary medicine is to be open-minded to the vast opportunities in the profession, from research to the government.

The second is to find mentors during all stages of your career who can offer advice and shine light on your path, (and) then to do the same for others, Kumble said.

Willie Reed, the Purdue dean of veterinary medicine, acknowledges the gender gap and hopes to be a mentor for his students.

Encouraging women to consider leadership positions and providing training for them is something we have fostered here in the college, Reed said.

Reed nominates women for a training program through the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges, and the senior administration in Purdues college has more women than men, unlike most colleges.

One of the women who went through the program is Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Ann Weil, a clinical professor of anesthesiology.

I think my dean has done a lot to help me personally in terms of improving my leadership skills, Weil said. The AAVMC sponsors leadership training, and I had the privilege of being asked to participate in the program. You learn media training, conflict resolution, team building, and listening skills. Its a pretty intense program.

Reed believes leadership development is important not just for the faculty but also the students in his college, who are predominately women.

Leadership is something that is needed and is expected, Reed said. Its like many things, you have to study leadership and be trained and thats part of what were doing here in the curriculum of veterinary medicine.

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Authors believe gender gap in veterinary medicine is fixable - Purdue Exponent

ByStephen Asante, GNA

Kumasi, Aug. 21, GNA - The Veterinary Councilof Ghana has appealed to the government to resource the Kwame NkrumahUniversity of Science and Technology (KNUST) School of Veterinary Medicine, toimprove its infrastructure and faculty to advance veterinary training, researchand healthcare delivery.

Dr. Jonathan Amakye-Anim, Chairman of theCouncil, said this was urgent since the country currently had only 32 certifiedpracticing veterinary doctors.

He said at least 200 of such practitionerswere needed to enhance effective veterinary care for the benefit of the nation.

Dr. Amakye-Anim, who was addressing an oath-swearingand induction ceremony for the School of Medical Sciences, Dental School andthe School of Veterinary Medicine of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Scienceand Technology (KNUST), Kumasi, called for a change in attitude towardsveterinary education.

About 70 per cent of all human diseasesemanates from animals, he noted, stressing that given the current shortage ofveterinary doctors, it would be difficult for the country to effectively dealwith the emerging challenges such as the outbreak of more sophisticatedanimal-related diseases.

The ceremony was held under the jointsupervision of the Ghana Medical and Dental Council and Veterinary Council ofGhana, and had a total of 241 newly-qualified doctors taking the HippocraticOath.

This included 29 dentists and seven veterinarydoctors.

Dr. Andrew Bremang of the School of VeterinaryMedicine swept a total of ten awards, including the Dr. William BlanksonAmanfu Prize for the Best Student in Infectious Diseases, Dr. Andrew QuarcoopomePrize for the Overall Best Student in the DVM programme, and Deans Prize forthe Overall Best Student in the DVM Programme.

Other award-winners were Dr. Obed OwusuYeboah, also a veterinary doctor, who received a total of nine awards, as wellas Dr. Abigail Omani and Dr. Boniface Mensah, both of the School of MedicalSciences, who claimed four prizes each.

The School of Veterinary Medicine, since itsestablishment in 2009, had so far trained 25 veterinary doctors.

This brings to about 1, 500, the number ofmedical, dental and veterinary doctors trained by the KNUST in the last threedecades.

Hitherto, the majority of veterinarypractitioners received their training abroad which came with its own cost tothe nation.

Dr. Amakye-Anim proposed a One District, OneVeterinary Doctor concept for the nation, explaining that, this was the onlyway we could ensure the safety and health of the citizenry.

Professor Kwasi Obiri-Danso, Vice-Chancellorof the University, charged the graduating doctors to avoid practices thatcompromised on their professional ethics.

Professor Tsiri Agbenyega, Provost of theCollege of Health Sciences, affirmed their resolve to work assiduously toaddress the health manpower needs of the nation.

GNA

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KNUST achieves landmark in veterinary medicine | Ghana News ... - Ghana News Agency

Posted: Tuesday, August 15, 2017 12:00 am

See the future of veterinary medicine

Midwestern University, home of Arizonas only veterinary school, is offering a free behind-the-scenes look at how the University is caring for Arizonas animals and training tomorrows veterinarians.

The College of Veterinary Medicine at Midwesterns Glendale Campus at 59th Avenue and Utopia Road will host an open house 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sept. 16. Everyone from pet owners to ranchers to aspiring veterinarians are welcome to attend with their families to see the future of animal healthcare in Arizona. Expert faculty and veterinary students will be on hand to answer questions and showcase the Colleges veterinary clinics and facilities. Over 25 informative booths and exhibits will be available for the public.

Attendees will be treated to facility tours of the state-of-the-art Companion Animal Clinic, Equine and Bovine Center, and Diagnostic Pathology Center. Families will be able to interact with animals, see a simulated cow birth, discover how pathology and forensics can help deter animal abuse and treat disease, and much more. Interested attendees can also learn about a career in veterinary medicine and opportunities available to Midwestern University graduates, such as maintaining a healthy food supply, researching and controlling infectious diseases, and advancing the science of animal health in connection with other healthcare disciplines.

For more information about the College of Veterinary Medicine open house, call 623-537-6360, or visit http://www.midwestern.edu/vetopenhouse.

Posted in News, Headlines on Tuesday, August 15, 2017 12:00 am.

Originally posted here:
See the future of veterinary medicine - Glendale Star

In 2013, University of Virginia researcher Michael McConnell published research that would forever change how scientists study brain cells.

McConnell and a team of nationwide collaborators discovered a genetic mosaic in the brains neurons, proving that brain cells are not exact replicas of each other, and that each individual neuron contains a slightly different genetic makeup.

McConnell, an assistant professor in the School of Medicines Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, has been using this new information to investigate how variations in individual neurons impact neuropsychiatric disorders like schizophrenia and epilepsy. With a recent $50,000 grant from the Bow Foundation, McConnell will expand his research to explore the cause of a rare genetic disorder known as GNAO1 so named for the faulty protein-coding gene that is its likely source.

GNAO1 causes seizures, movement disorders and developmental delays. Currently, only 50 people worldwide are known to have the disease. The Bow Foundation seeks to increase awareness so that other probable victims of the disorder can be properly diagnosed and to raise funds for further research and treatment.

UVA Today recently sat down with McConnell to find out more about how GNAO1 fits into his broader research and what his continued work means for all neuropsychiatric disorders.

Q. Can you explain the general goals of your lab?

A. My lab has two general directions. One is brain somatic mosaicism, which is a finding that different neurons in the brain have different genomes from one another. We usually think every cell in a single persons body has the same blueprint for how they develop and what they become. It turns out that blueprint changes a little bit in the neurons from neuron to neuron. So you have slightly different versions of the same blueprint and we want to know what that means.

The second area of our work focuses on a new technology called induced pluripotent stem cells, or iPSCs. The technology permits us to make stem cell from skin cells. We can do this with patients, and use the stem cells to make specific cell types with same genetic mutations that are in the patients. That lets us create and study the persons brain cells in a dish. So now, if that person has a neurological disease, we can in a dish study that persons disease and identify drugs that alter the disease. Its a very personalized medicine approach to that disease.

Q. Does cell-level genomic variety exist in other areas of the body outside the central nervous system?

A. Every cell in your body has mutations of one kind or another, but brain cells are there for your whole life, so the differences have a bigger impact there. A skin cell is gone in a month. An intestinal cell is gone in a week. Any changes in those cells will rarely have an opportunity to cause a problem unless they cause a tumor.

Q. How does your research intersect with the goals of the Bow Foundation?

A. Let me back up to a little bit of history on that. When I got to UVA four years ago, I started talking quite a lot with Howard Goodkin and Mark Beenhakker. Mark is an assistant professor in pharmacology. Howard is a pediatric neurologist and works with children with epilepsy. I had this interest in epilepsy and UVA has a historic and current strength in epilepsy research.

We started talking about how to use iPSCs the technology that we use to study mosaicism to help Howards patients. As we talked about it and I learned more about epilepsy, we quickly realized that there are a substantial number of patients with epilepsy or seizure disorders where we cant do a genetic test to figure out what drug to use on those patients.

Clinical guidance, like Howards expertise, allows him to make a pretty good diagnosis and know what drugs to try first and second and third. But around 30 percent of children that come in with epilepsy never find the drug that works, and theyre in for a lifetime of trial-and-error. We realized that we could use iPSC-derived neurons to test drugs in the dish instead of going through all of the trial-and-error with patients. Thats the bigger project that weve been moving toward.

The Bow Foundation was formed by patient advocates after this rare genetic mutation in GNAO1 was identified. GNAO1 is a subunit of a G protein-coupled receptor; some mutations in this receptor can lead to epilepsy while others lead to movement disorders.

Were still trying to learn about these patients, and the biggest thing the Bow Foundation is doing is trying to address that by creating a patient registry. At the same time, the foundation has provided funds for us to start making and testing iPSCs and launch this approach to personalized medicine for epilepsy.

In the GNAO1 patients, we expect to be able to study their neurons in a dish and understand why they behave differently, why the electrical activity in their brain is different or why they develop differently.

Q. What other more widespread disorders, in addition to schizophrenia and epilepsy, are likely to benefit from your research?

A. Im part of a broader project called the Brain Somatic Mosaicism Network that is conducting research on diseases that span the neuropsychiatric field. Our lab covers schizophrenia, but other nodes within that network are researching autism, bipolar disorder, Tourette syndrome and other psychiatric diseases where the genetic cause is difficult to identify. Thats the underlying theme.

Read more:
Researcher Seeks to Unravel the Brain's Genetic Tapestry to Tackle Rare Disorder - University of Virginia

In 2007, DNA pioneer James Watson became the first person to have his entire genome sequencedmaking all of his 6 billion base pairs publicly available for research. Well, almost all of them. He left one spot blank, on the long arm of chromosome 19, where a gene called APOE lives. Certain variations in APOE increase your chances of developing Alzheimers, and Watson wanted to keep that information private.

Except it wasnt. Researchers quickly pointed out you could predict Watsons APOE variant based on signatures in the surrounding DNA. They didnt actually do it, but database managers wasted no time in redacting another two million base pairs surrounding the APOE gene.

This is the dilemma at the heart of precision medicine: It requires people to give up some of their privacy in service of the greater scientific good. To completely eliminate the risk of outing an individual based on their DNA records, youd have to strip it of the same identifying details that make it scientifically useful. But now, computer scientists and mathematicians are working toward an alternative solution. Instead of stripping genomic data, theyre encrypting it.

Gill Bejerano leads a developmental biology lab at Stanford that investigates the genetic roots of human disease. In 2013, when he realized he needed more genomic data, his lab joined Stanford Hospitals Pediatrics Departmentan arduous process that required extensive vetting and training of all his staff and equipment. This is how most institutions solve the privacy perils of data sharing. They limit who can access all the genomes in their possession to a trusted few, and only share obfuscated summary statistics more widely.

So when Bejerano found himself sitting in on a faculty talk given by Dan Boneh, head of the applied cryptography group at Stanford, he was struck with an idea. He scribbled down a mathematical formula for one of the genetic computations he uses often in his work. Afterward, he approached Boneh and showed it to him. Could you compute these outputs without knowing the inputs? he asked. Sure, said Boneh.

Last week, Bejerano and Boneh published a paper in Science that did just that. Using a cryptographic genome cloaking method, the scientists were able to do things like identify responsible mutations in groups of patients with rare diseases and compare groups of patients at two medical centers to find shared mutations associated with shared symptoms, all while keeping 97 percent of each participants unique genetic information completely hidden. They accomplished this by converting variations in each genome into a linear series of values. That allowed them to conduct any analyses they needed while only revealing genes relevant to that particular investigation.

Just like programs have bugs, people have bugs, says Bejerano. Finding disease-causing genetic traits is a lot like spotting flaws in computer code. You have to compare code that works to code that doesnt. But genetic data is much more sensitive, and people (rightly) worry that it might be used against them by insurers, or even stolen by hackers. If a patient held the cryptographic key to their data, they could get a valuable medical diagnosis while not exposing the rest of their genome to outside threats. You can make rules about not discriminating on the basis of genetics, or you can provide technology where you cant discriminate against people even if you wanted to, says Bejerano. Thats a much stronger statement.

The National Institutes of Health have been working toward such a technology since reidentification researchers first began connecting the dots in anonymous genomics data. In 2010, the agency founded a national center for Integrating Data for Analysis, Anonymization and Sharing housed on the campus of UC San Diego. And since 2015, iDash has been funding annual competitions to develop privacy-preserving genomics protocols. Another promising approach iDash has supported is something called fully homomorphic encryption, which allows users to run any computation they want on totally encrypted data without losing years of computing time.

Kristen Lauter, head of cryptography research at Microsoft, focuses on this form of encryption, and her team has taken home the iDash prize two years running. Critically, the method encodes the data in such a way that scientists dont lose the flexibility to perform medically useful genetic tests. Unlike previous encryption schemes, Lauters tool preserves the underlying mathematical structure of the data. That allows computers to do the math that delivers genetic diagnoses, for example, on totally encrypted data. Scientists get a key to decode the final results, but they never see the source.

This is extra important as more and more genetic data moves off local servers and into the cloud. The NIH lets users download human genomic data from its repositories, and in 2014, the agency started letting people store and analyze that data in private or commercial cloud environments. But under NIHs policy, its the scientists using the datanot the cloud service providerresponsible with ensuring its security. Cloud providers can get hacked, or subpoenaed by law enforcement, something researchers have no control over. That is, unless theres a viable encryption for data stored in the cloud.

If we dont think about it now, in five to 10 years a lot peoples genomic information will be used in ways they did not intend, says Lauter. But encryption is a funny technology to work with, she says. One that requires building trust between researchers and consumers. You can propose any crazy encryption you want and say its secure. Why should anyone believe you?

Thats where federal review comes in. In July, Lauters group, along with researchers from IBM and academic institutions around the world launched a process to standardize homomorphic encryption protocols. The National Institute for Standards and Technology will now begin reviewing draft standards and collecting public comments. If all goes well, genomics researchers and privacy advocates might finally have something they can agree on.

Originally posted here:
To Protect Genetic Privacy, Encrypt Your DNA - WIRED

When Alex Shorheardthat he was a match for a stranger in Israel who would likely die without a stem cell transplant, he didn't think twice before saying "yes."

"If I today I help somebody, tomorrow I want somebody to help me too if I [am] sick," said Shor. "I don't think too much about it."

The request came from Ezer Mizion, an Israeli health service with the world's largest Jewish bone marrow registry, countingover 850,000 registrants worldwide. Shor said the representative told him the recipient would be a63-year-old man in Israel.

Shor, 41, had registered his DNA with the registry 10 years ago when he lived in Israel.

Shor and his family emigrated to Winnipeg nearly three years ago. In March, he got word that his stem cells were a match.

Stem cells are immature blood cells that can grow into healthy cells. They can make the difference between life and death for people with various forms of cancer, blood-related illnesses and metabolic disorders.

Shorwas agenetic match for the man based on the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) system, which codes the human immune system. The pair would have had to have 10 of the same HLA markers to be a viable match.

In May, Shorwent to a lab in Winnipeg to draw blood to send off to Israel to ensure hisblood would be compatible with the recipient's. Now, he plans to travel to Israel to donate his stem cells as soon as he hears from the physicians that the patient's condition has improved enough to tolerate the procedure.

Getting Shor's blood to Israel required a cooler, a courier and some creativity.

Vials of Shor's blood were transported to Israel in an ice-packed Thermos.

Dena Bensalmon, Canadian director of Israeli health service Ezer Mizion, put out a call on Facebook for a chaperone that could transport five vials of Shor's blood.

"Sixteen people came forward within about four minutes," she said.

One woman the perfect candidate was travelling from Winnipeg to Toronto, then on to Isreal. They packed the blood in ice in a Coleman thermos for the 12-hour journey.

"I met Dina in Toronto and then I switched the ice packs. They took the blood directly," she said.

Canada'sOneMatchregistry through Canadian Blood Serviceshas about 400,000 registrants.

But"if a person is Jewish, then the chances of them finding their match on a Jewish registry is far greater than them finding their match on a non-Jewish registry," saidBensalmon.

Canadian Blood Services has access to nearly 29 million volunteer donors and more than 720,000 cord blood units from dozens of countries around the world, as all the registries are connected under the umbrella of the World Marrow Donor Association, comprised of millions of people from across the world.

"I find the whole thing almost like watching a circle of life," said Bensalmon.

A volunteer brought vials of Shor's blood to Israel. She kept the thermos in her lap the whole 12-hour trip.

Shor said he just thought of his own father and how he would want someone to help him if he had a life-threatening illness. He encourages everyone to join a stem-cell registry.

"Tomorrow you may save somebody and tomorrow you don't know if you be sick and somebody save you," said Shor.

See the original post:
Winnipeg man to donate stem cells to critically ill stranger in Israel - CBC.ca

Diabetes is a progressive, chronic disease related to your body's challenges with regulating blood sugar. It is often associated with generalized inflammation. Your pancreas produces the hormone insulin to convert sugar (glucose) to energy that you either use immediately or store. With type 2 diabetes, you are unable to use that insulin efficiently. Although your body produces the hormone, either there isn't enough of it to keep up with the amount of glucose in your system, or the insulin being produced isn't being used as well as it should be, both of which result in high blood sugar levels.

While this can produce different types of complications, good blood sugar control efforts can help to prevent them. This relies heavily on lifestyle modifications such as weight loss, dietary changes, exercise and, in some cases, medication. But, depending on your age, weight, blood sugar level, and how long you've had diabetes, you may not need a prescription right away. Treatment must be tailored to you and, though finding the perfect combination may take a little time, it can help you live a healthy, normal life with diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes is most common is those who are genetically predisposed and who are overweight, lead a sedentary lifestyle, have high blood pressure, and/or have insulin resistance due to excess weight. People of certain ethnicities are more likely to develop diabetes, too. These include: African Americans, Mexican Americans, American Indians, Native Hawaiians, Pacific Islanders, and Asian Americans. These populations are more likely to be overweight and have high blood pressure, which increases the risk of developing diabetes.

As you age, you are also at increased risk of developing diabetes.

A poor diet and smoking can also affect your risk.

There are many complications of diabetes. Knowing and understanding the signs of these complications is important. If caught early, some of these complications can be treated and prevented from getting worse. The best way to prevent complications of diabetes is to keep your blood sugars in good control. High glucose levels produce changes in the blood vessels themselves, as well as in blood cells (primarily erythrocytes) that impair blood flow to various organs.

Complications of diabetes are broken into two categories: microvascular (damage to the small blood vessels) and macrovascular (damage to the large blood vessels). They can include:

Often people don't experience symptoms of diabetes until their blood sugars are very high. Symptoms of diabetes include: increased thirst, increased urination, increased hunger, extreme fatigues, numbness and tingling in the extremities (hands and feet), cuts and wounds that are slow to heal, and blurred vision. Some people also experience other less common symptoms including weight loss, dry itchy skin, increased yeast infections, erectile dysfunction, and acanthosis nigricans (thick, "velvety" patches found in the folds or creases of skin, such as the neck, that is indicative of insulin resistance).

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, don't ignore them. Make an appointment to see your doctor. The earlier diabetes is caught, the more likely you can prevent complications.

A diagnosis of diabetes can be done using a variety of blood tests.

If you are at increased risk of diabetes, have symptoms of diabetes, or have pre-diabetes (a major warning sign for diabetes), your doctor will check to see if you have diabetes. Your doctor may also check to see if you have diabetes if you are over the age of 45, have a family history of the disease, are overweight, or if you are at increased risk for another reason. The tests used to check for diabetes are the same tests used to check for pre-diabetes.

Fasting blood sugar test: This test checks your blood sugar when you haven't eaten for at least eight hours. A fasting blood sugar above 126 could be indicative of diabetes. Your doctor will re-check this to determine if you have diabetes.

Glucose tolerance test: This is a test that checks how you respond to sugar. You will be given a sample of sugar (75 grams over the course of two hours). If your blood sugar is above target after that time, you may be diagnosed with diabetes.

Hemoglobin A1c: This test checks your blood sugar over the course of three months.

If your blood sugar is above 6.5 percent, you may be considered to have diabetes.

Random blood sugar test: Your doctor can do this test if you are experiencing symptoms of diabetesincrease thirst, fatigue, increased urination. If your blood sugar is above 200mg/dL, you may be considered to have diabetes.

If you have no symptoms and any of these tests are positive, the American Diabetes Association recommends that a new blood sample be drawn to confirm a diagnosis.

While you can't change getting older, your family history, or ethnicity, you can work on ways to reduce your weight and waist circumference, increase your activity, and lower your blood pressure.

Eating a balanced diet that is rich in fiber, non-starchy vegetables, lean protein, and healthy fat can help get you to your goal weight and reduce your waist size and body mass index (BMI). Reducing your intake of sweetened beverages (juices, sodas) is the easiest way to lose weight and reduce blood sugars. If you are someone who has high blood pressure and are salt sensitive, aim to reduce your intake of sodium; do not add salt to your food, read package labels for added sodium, and reduce your intake of fast food and take out. Don't go on a diet. Instead, adapt a healthier way of eating, one that you'll enjoy for a long time.

Exercising regularly, about 30 minutes a day or 150 minutes per week, can also help to reduce your weight and blood pressure. Finally, if you smoke, aim to quit. Smoking can increase your risk of stroke, blood pressure, and heart attack, and quitting can reduce your risk of diabetes.

The good news is that if you have diabetes, you have a great amount of control in managing your disease. Although it can be difficult to manage a disease on a daily basis, the resources and support for people with diabetes is endless. It's important for you to receive as much education as possible so that you can take advantage of all the good information that is out there (and weed out the bad).

Don't let others let you feel like a diabetes diagnosis means you are doomed.

All people with diabetes should also be seen by an ophthalmologist after diagnosis. Diabetes can affect the eyes before it is even diagnosed. After the initial session, people should be seen every two years if there are no issues, or more often if there are.

In addition, people with diabetes should have a comprehensive foot exam by a podiatrist once they are diagnosed or if they are experiencing issues, such as tingling of the feet, pain, sores, hammer toes, thick dry skin, or fungal nails.

A registered dietitian and/or certified diabetes educator will educate you on how to eat for diabetes and provide you the tools you need to self-manage your diabetes.

Some other doctors you may want to or have to add to your list as the disease progresses include a cardiologist (to make sure your heart is working efficiently and you have no blockages in your arteries), a vascular doctor (a doctor who specializes in veins and circulatory issues), and a therapist to help you cope with your diagnosis.

What you eat plays a major part in your diabetes controland your weight. Eating a balanced diet that is rich in non-starchy vegetables, lean protein, and healthy fats can help you improve your nutrition, lose weight, and lower your blood sugars.

These dedicated Verywell sections can help you improve your diabetes diet know-how:Type 2 Diabetes DietDietitian Advice and Recipes

It isn't always easy to start an exercise regimen, but once you get into a groove, you may be surprised at how much you enjoy it. Find a way to fit activity into your daily routine. Even a few minutes a day goes a long way. The American Diabetes Association recommends that adults with diabetes should perform at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity per week (spread over at least three days with no more than two consecutive days without exercise). You don't have to start with this right away, though. Start with five to 10 minutes per day and go from there. To stay motivated, find a buddy, get a fitness tracker, or use another measurement tool that can help you see your progress.

The American Diabetes Association recommends that blood sugars be 80mg/dL-130mg/dL before meals and less than or equal to 180mg/dL two hours after meals. Blood sugar targets are individualized based on a variety of factors such as age, length of diagnosis, if you have other health issues, etc. For example, if you are an elderly person, your targets maybe a bit higher than someone else. Ask your physician what targets are right for you.

Read: High and Low Blood Sugar: Managing the Ups and Downs

The above tips are important for you. But it's also crucial to allow yourself time to cope with the diagnosis and commit to making lifestyle changes that will benefit you forever. The good news is the diabetes is a manageable disease; the tough part is that you must think about it daily. Consider finding supportsomeone that you can talk to about your strugglesbe that a friend, another person with diabetes, or a loved one. This may seem trivial, but it truly can help you take control of diabetes so that it doesn't control you. Some next steps that may help you to get on the right track at this early stage in your journey:

Diabetes is a chronic condition that must be managed daily, but it is manageable. You can live a long, healthy life with diabetes if you adapt a healthy lifestyle. By choosing to eat a healthy diet, exercise regularly, and quit smoking, and seeing your doctors regularly, you will increase your energy, feel better, and maybe even feel great.

Many people with diabetes also have other conditions such as sleep apnea, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure. Once they change their lifestyle, many of these other symptoms improve or go away. You are in the driver's seat. You have the ability to control diabetes.

And go easy on yourself: Sometimes you can be doing everything perfectly and your blood sugars start to creep up. Because diabetes is a progressive disease, your body slowly stops making insulin over time. If you've had diabetes for a very long time, try not to be discouraged if your doctor has to increase your medication or discusses insulin with you. Continue to do what you can to improve your health.

Sources:

American Diabetes Association, American Association of Diabetes Educators, and the American Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Diabetes Self-management Education and Support in Type 2 Diabetes 2015. https://www.diabeteseducator.org/docs/default-source/practice/practice-resources/position-statements/dsme_joint_position_statement_2015.pdf?sfvrsn=0

American Diabetes Association. Standards of Medical Care 2016. http://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/39/Supplement_1

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