StemCell Therapy

The American Soybean Association submitted comments recently to both the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration regarding regulations in response to advances in genetic engineering.

ASA included in comments to USDA, that biotechnology is an essential tool in farmers quest to produce enough food to meet the needs of 9.7 billion people by 2050, creating the need for a clear, science-based regulatory system in the U.S. as an example and standard for regulatory systems of biotechnology internationally.

While applauding USDAs efforts to reduce the burden on regulated entities, ASA expressed concern that aspects of the rule as proposed will increase the regulatory burden and stifle research and innovation.

Additionally, ASAs comments to FDA cheered USDAs proposal to exclude certain genome-editing techniques from requiring pre-market approvals because they are low risk and could be found in nature or achieved through traditional breeding methods.

ASA concluded its support saying, Technological advancements such as genome editing offer an additional tool to combat threats while also improving sustainability in production agriculture.

Read more here:
ASA provides input to USDA, FDA on advances in biotechnology - High Plains Journal

BBC News

Gait retraining considered for arthritis patients BBC News A walking technique which aims to help improve posture, balance and stability, could be used to improve the lives people with rheumatoid arthritis. Glasgow Caledonian University has received 18m to run trials for patients who have painful joints which ... and more »

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Gait retraining considered for arthritis patients - BBC News

Arthritis is the pits. We all know that. I knew that when I was in my 20s, but I didnt give it a second thought. I was more interested in, shall we say, other things.

But now that Im in my 70s, I think about arthritis every morning. It wakes me up before my alarm rings. The ski injuries, the trekking-in-the-Himalayas injuries, the just plain Im old injuries have taken their toll.

Treatment for arthritis has improved dramatically. My mom used aspirin thats all they had. Then came Tylenol, much safer but not pristine. It wasnt until the late 80s that we realized taking too much acetaminophen, especially with booze, caused liver failure. (Side note: The safe dose is 4,000 milligrams a day; if you drink two drinks or more per day, then drop that to 2,000 milligrams a day.)

But for many, Tylenol is not that effective. Enter anti-inflammatories non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs. They are stronger for sure, better but not riskier. Still, side effects of NSAIDs may include gastrointestinal bleeds from your stomach, increased heart attack risk for those so prone, especially if youve had one before, and kidney disease. So we doctors have been moving away from these.

So whats a guy to do? The answer may be chondroitin sulfate.

Now, let me tell you, Ive been skeptical about this. I havent seen enough evidence to show that it does something. But a recent study from the Annals of Rheumatic Diseases is very encouraging. It shows chondroitin sulfate is as capable of treating arthritis as Celebrex, the safest effective anti-inflammatory around.

It was a double-blind study of 600 patients, all with symptomatic osteoarthritis the arthritis of old age. They were divided into three groups.

One group took 800 milligrams of pharmaceutical-grade chondroitin sulfate (well talk a bit later about what I mean by pharmaceutical grade). The other group took 200 milligrams of Celebrex. And the third group took dummy tablets.

At one month, three months and six months, everyone was asked about their pain, joint function and how they felt and functioned. At one month, the Celebrex group was in front. Good response and quick action. But at three months and six months, that advantage had disappeared. The chondroitin group did just as well.

This is good news. Taking this might be your answer to morning pain.

So which chondroitin sulfate product should you buy? Thats where the pharmaceutical grade comes in, and its a problem. Why? Because the Food and Drug Administration regulates them the same way it does cosmetics with a light hand. The label may say 800 milligrams, but the stuff inside may be much less.

My spin: I would go one of two ways with this. Consider the store brand chondroitin sulfate as big companies want to make sure they are selling a reliable product. Or go to my favorite go-to website http://www.consumerlab.com.

It costs money to join because they dont have advertising, but you get what you pay for. They test every brand they talk about and they tell you how much per milligram youre paying.

For me this is a great benefit because I want the right dose for the cheapest price. I highly recommend it. Stay well.

This column provides general health information and is not specific advice intended for particular individual(s). It is not a professional medical opinion or diagnosis. Always consult your personal health care provider about concerns. No ongoing relationship of any sort (including but not limited to any form of professional relationship) is implied or offered by Dr. Paster to people submitting questions.

Link:
Dr. Zorba Paster: Try chondroitin sulfate for arthritis pain - Madison.com

the Irish News

Anne Hailes: Practical advice for those living with arthritis - The Irish ... the Irish News THAT old saying 'There's always someone worse off than yourself' comes to mind when you suffer aches and pains, sleepless nights or a broken heart but your ... How to battle arthritis - Ahmedabad MirrorAhmedabad Mirror Early signals of knee arthritis | The Daily StarThe Daily Star 4 Steps To Reduce Arthritis Pain And Increase Mobility ...Information Nigeria all 4 news articles »

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Anne Hailes: Practical advice for those living with arthritis - The Irish ... - the Irish News

Sessions & Tracks

Track 1: Advancements in Biotechnology

Biotechnology is an ever emerging field in which biological processes, organisms, cells and cellular components are exploited to develop novel expertise. Over the past two decades there have been revolutionary biotech innovations which helped the mankind. New tools and products developed by biotechnologists are expedient in research, agriculture, industry and the clinic.

Recent advancements in the field of biotechnology will underpin our economy and provide solutions to intractable problems of human and animal diseases, climate change, fuel alternatives, food security as well as improving our quality of life.

Related:Biotechnology Conferences|Biotechnology Meetings|Biotechnology Conventions| biotechnology| biotech marketing| what does a biotechnologist do|biotechnology major | current events biotechnology

15th World Congress on Biotechnology and Biotech Industries Meet, March 20-22, 2017 at Rome, Italy; Biotechnology 2017, August 21-23, 2017 at Chicago, USA; 17thEuro Biotechnology Congress, September 25-27, 2017 at Berlin, Germany; Global Biotechnology Congress, Oct 9-11, 2017 at Auckland, New Zealand; 15thInternational Pharmaceutical Microbiology and Biotechnology Conference, June 21-23, 2017 at London, UK; 2ndInternational Conference on Bioscience and Biotechnology, March 9-10, 2017 at Colombo, Sri Lanka; BIO World Congress on Industrial Biotechnology, July 23-26, 2017 at Montreal, Canada; BioTech 2017, June 13-17 at Prague, Czech Republic; European Federation of Biotechnology; Society for Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology (SIMB); The Biotech Research Society; Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC); Australias Biotechnology Organization (AusBiotech); New Zealand Biotechnology (NZBIO); Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO).

Track 2: Agriculture Biotechnology

Agriculture biotechnology or green biotechnology encompasses the use of scientific tools and techniques to understand and transform genetic make-up of living organisms such as plants, animals and microorganisms. The technology offers more precise improvements in crops and livestock and thus increases agricultural productivity. It has greater economic and social impacts as safe and sufficient food supply grown in a responsible method is essential for humanity.

Some of the applications include raising and stabilizing yields using plant breeding; to improve resistance to pests, diseases and abiotic stresses such as drought and cold; and to enrich the nutritional content of foods. Biotechnology is being used to develop low-cost disease-free planting materials for crops such as cassava, banana and potato and is creating new tools for the diagnosis and treatment of plant and animal diseases and for the measurement and conservation of genetic resources.

Related:Biotechnology Conferences|Biotechnology Meetings|Biotechnology Conventions| biotechnology| biotech marketing| what does a biotechnologist do|biotechnology major|current events biotechnology

15th World Congress on Biotechnology and Biotech Industries Meet, March 20-22, 2017 at Rome, Italy; Biotechnology 2017, August 21-23, 2017 at Chicago, USA; 17thEuro Biotechnology Congress, September 25-27, 2017 at Berlin, Germany; Global Biotechnology Congress, Oct 9-11, 2017 at Auckland, New Zealand; 15thInternational Pharmaceutical Microbiology and Biotechnology Conference, June 21-23, 2017 at London, UK; 2ndInternational Conference on Bioscience and Biotechnology, March 9-10, 2017 at Colombo, Sri Lanka; BIO World Congress on Industrial Biotechnology, July 23-26, 2017 at Montreal, Canada; BioTech 2017, June 13-17 at Prague, Czech Republic; European Federation of Biotechnology; Society for Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology (SIMB); The Biotech Research Society; Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC); Australias Biotechnology Organization (AusBiotech); New Zealand Biotechnology (NZBIO); Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO).

Track 3: Animal Biotechnology

Animal biotechnology is the practice of science and engineering to transform living organisms. Some of the examples include creating transgenic animals, generate specific inactivated gene using gene knockout technology and producing just about identical animals by cloning. It focuses on improving animal health and its welfare and thus increasing its productivity. Selective breeding and genetic engineering aids the animals in providing resistance to diseases and prevent injury.

Animal feeds and feeding practices are being altered by biotechnology to improve animal nutrition and to reduce environmental waste. Biotechnology is used in disease diagnostics and for the production of vaccines against animal diseases.

Related:Biotechnology Conferences|Biotechnology Meetings|Biotechnology Conventions| biotechnology| biotech marketing| what does a biotechnologist do|biotechnology major|current events biotechnology

15th World Congress on Biotechnology and Biotech Industries Meet, March 20-22, 2017 at Rome, Italy; Biotechnology 2017, August 21-23, 2017 at Chicago, USA; 17thEuro Biotechnology Congress, September 25-27, 2017 at Berlin, Germany; Global Biotechnology Congress, Oct 9-11, 2017 at Auckland, New Zealand; 15thInternational Pharmaceutical Microbiology and Biotechnology Conference, June 21-23, 2017 at London, UK; 2ndInternational Conference on Bioscience and Biotechnology, March 9-10, 2017 at Colombo, Sri Lanka; BIO World Congress on Industrial Biotechnology, July 23-26, 2017 at Montreal, Canada; BioTech 2017, June 13-17 at Prague, Czech Republic; European Federation of Biotechnology; Society for Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology (SIMB); The Biotech Research Society; Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC); Australias Biotechnology Organization (AusBiotech); New Zealand Biotechnology (NZBIO); Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO).

Track 4: Environmental Biotechnology

Environmental biotechnology is a system of science and engineering knowledge used in prevention, treatment and monitoring of environmental pollution through bio-treatment, bio-remediation of polluted environments, and bio-monitoring of environmental and its treatment processes. The process has been shown to play a substantial role inmaintainingzero waste agricultureand most significantly through the operation of over 15 millionbiogas digestersworldwide.

The main application of this system is the biodegradation/detoxication of hazardous substances in industrial waste. Some of the biotechnological agents used include bacteria, algae, fungi and protozoa.

Related:Biotechnology Conferences|Biotechnology Meetings|Biotechnology Conventions| biotechnology| biotech marketing| what does a biotechnologist do|biotechnology major|current events biotechnology

15th World Congress on Biotechnology and Biotech Industries Meet, March 20-22, 2017 at Rome, Italy; Biotechnology 2017, August 21-23, 2017 at Chicago, USA; 17thEuro Biotechnology Congress, September 25-27, 2017 at Berlin, Germany; Global Biotechnology Congress, Oct 9-11, 2017 at Auckland, New Zealand; 15thInternational Pharmaceutical Microbiology and Biotechnology Conference, June 21-23, 2017 at London, UK; 2ndInternational Conference on Bioscience and Biotechnology, March 9-10, 2017 at Colombo, Sri Lanka; BIO World Congress on Industrial Biotechnology, July 23-26, 2017 at Montreal, Canada; BioTech 2017, June 13-17 at Prague, Czech Republic; European Federation of Biotechnology; Society for Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology (SIMB); The Biotech Research Society; Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC); Australias Biotechnology Organization (AusBiotech); New Zealand Biotechnology (NZBIO); Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO).

Track 5: Food Biotechnology

Biotechnology has an extensive history in food production and processing. Food biotechnology involves the use of various techniques such as genetic engineering to improve productivity in food production and processing. This technology enables to produce new products with desirable characteristics such as leaner meat and nutritional rich foods.

Through newer biotechnology and genetic engineering techniques such as recombinant DNA (rDNA), researchers can move one gene, with the preferred specific traits, from one organism to another and omit the undesirable traits. This facilitates food producers to obtain animal and crop improvements in a much more precise, controlled and predictable manner.

Related:Biotechnology Conferences|Biotechnology Meetings|Biotechnology Conventions| biotechnology| biotech marketing| what does a biotechnologist do|biotechnology major|current events biotechnology

15th World Congress on Biotechnology and Biotech Industries Meet, March 20-22, 2017 at Rome, Italy; Biotechnology 2017, August 21-23, 2017 at Chicago, USA; 17thEuro Biotechnology Congress, September 25-27, 2017 at Berlin, Germany; Global Biotechnology Congress, Oct 9-11, 2017 at Auckland, New Zealand; 15thInternational Pharmaceutical Microbiology and Biotechnology Conference, June 21-23, 2017 at London, UK; 2ndInternational Conference on Bioscience and Biotechnology, March 9-10, 2017 at Colombo, Sri Lanka; BIO World Congress on Industrial Biotechnology, July 23-26, 2017 at Montreal, Canada; BioTech 2017, June 13-17 at Prague, Czech Republic; European Federation of Biotechnology; Society for Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology (SIMB); The Biotech Research Society; Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC); Australias Biotechnology Organization (AusBiotech); New Zealand Biotechnology (NZBIO); Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO).

Track 6: Industrial and Microbial Biotechnology

Industrial biotechnology, also known as white biotechnology in Europe, is one of the promising approaches that enable in averting pollution, conserve resources and thus cost reduction. The technology uses living cells and components of cells such as enzymes to yield industrially useful products in various sectors such as chemicals, bio-fuels, food etc. Microbial biotechnology implicates the manipulation of microorganisms at the gene and molecular level to yield useful products.

The above said biotechnology procedure enables to use renewable raw materials and can contribute to lowering greenhouse gas emissions and stirring away from a petrochemical-based economy.

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15th World Congress on Biotechnology and Biotech Industries Meet, March 20-22, 2017 at Rome, Italy; Biotechnology 2017, August 21-23, 2017 at Chicago, USA; 17thEuro Biotechnology Congress, September 25-27, 2017 at Berlin, Germany; Global Biotechnology Congress, Oct 9-11, 2017 at Auckland, New Zealand; 15thInternational Pharmaceutical Microbiology and Biotechnology Conference, June 21-23, 2017 at London, UK; 2ndInternational Conference on Bioscience and Biotechnology, March 9-10, 2017 at Colombo, Sri Lanka; BIO World Congress on Industrial Biotechnology, July 23-26, 2017 at Montreal, Canada; BioTech 2017, June 13-17 at Prague, Czech Republic; European Federation of Biotechnology; Society for Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology (SIMB); The Biotech Research Society; Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC); Australias Biotechnology Organization (AusBiotech); New Zealand Biotechnology (NZBIO); Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO).

Track 7: Marine Biotechnology

Marine biotechnology, also called as blue biotechnology, is defined as the application of biotechnology principles in marine resources to derive new cancer treatments for marine organisms. Marinebiotechnologyhas focused largely onmarine biomolecules, especiallyproteins, which may have uses in medicine or engineering. Marine environments are the home to many exotic biological materials that may stimulatebiomimetic materials.

Related:Biotechnology Conferences|Biotechnology Meetings|Biotechnology Conventions| biotechnology| biotech marketing| what does a biotechnologist do|biotechnology major|current events biotechnology

15th World Congress on Biotechnology and Biotech Industries Meet, March 20-22, 2017 at Rome, Italy; Biotechnology 2017, August 21-23, 2017 at Chicago, USA; 17thEuro Biotechnology Congress, September 25-27, 2017 at Berlin, Germany; Global Biotechnology Congress, Oct 9-11, 2017 at Auckland, New Zealand; 15thInternational Pharmaceutical Microbiology and Biotechnology Conference, June 21-23, 2017 at London, UK; 2ndInternational Conference on Bioscience and Biotechnology, March 9-10, 2017 at Colombo, Sri Lanka; BIO World Congress on Industrial Biotechnology, July 23-26, 2017 at Montreal, Canada; BioTech 2017, June 13-17 at Prague, Czech Republic; European Federation of Biotechnology; Society for Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology (SIMB); The Biotech Research Society; Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC); Australias Biotechnology Organization (AusBiotech); New Zealand Biotechnology (NZBIO); Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO).

Track 8: Nano Biotechnology

Application of nanotechnology in biological systems is known as nano-biotechnology. This is a newer technological approach to imagine and create newer systems that can be used for biological research. Biologically inspired nanotechnology uses biological systems as the reference for technologies which have not been created yet.

Nano-biotechnology is assisting modernmedicineevolve from treatingsymptomsto generatingcuresand regeneratingbiological tissues. Some of the applications of nano-biotechnology include stem cell treatments, growing uterus outside the body and then placed inside in animals and developing fluorescence polymers.

Related:Biotechnology Conferences|Biotechnology Meetings|Biotechnology Conventions| biotechnology| biotech marketing| what does a biotechnologist do|biotechnology major|current events biotechnology

15th World Congress on Biotechnology and Biotech Industries Meet, March 20-22, 2017 at Rome, Italy; Biotechnology 2017, August 21-23, 2017 at Chicago, USA; 17thEuro Biotechnology Congress, September 25-27, 2017 at Berlin, Germany; Global Biotechnology Congress, Oct 9-11, 2017 at Auckland, New Zealand; 15thInternational Pharmaceutical Microbiology and Biotechnology Conference, June 21-23, 2017 at London, UK; 2ndInternational Conference on Bioscience and Biotechnology, March 9-10, 2017 at Colombo, Sri Lanka; BIO World Congress on Industrial Biotechnology, July 23-26, 2017 at Montreal, Canada; BioTech 2017, June 13-17 at Prague, Czech Republic; European Federation of Biotechnology; Society for Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology (SIMB); The Biotech Research Society; Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC); Australias Biotechnology Organization (AusBiotech); New Zealand Biotechnology (NZBIO); Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO).

Track 9: Plant Biotechnology

Plant biotechnology applies scientific tools and techniques that accustom plants for precise purposes by cross-breeding, prolonging their growing seasons, adjusting height, color and texture and several other mechanisms. It can also be applied to exchange plant genes to produce novel genetic combinations and superior hybrid species.

Applications of plant biotechnology include biochemical production, rapid clonal multiplication, production of hybrid plants, genetic modification in plants etc.

Related:Biotechnology Conferences|Biotechnology Meetings|Biotechnology Conventions| biotechnology| biotech marketing| what does a biotechnologist do|biotechnology major|current events biotechnology

15th World Congress on Biotechnology and Biotech Industries Meet, March 20-22, 2017 at Rome, Italy; Biotechnology 2017, August 21-23, 2017 at Chicago, USA; 17thEuro Biotechnology Congress, September 25-27, 2017 at Berlin, Germany; Global Biotechnology Congress, Oct 9-11, 2017 at Auckland, New Zealand; 15thInternational Pharmaceutical Microbiology and Biotechnology Conference, June 21-23, 2017 at London, UK; 2ndInternational Conference on Bioscience and Biotechnology, March 9-10, 2017 at Colombo, Sri Lanka; BIO World Congress on Industrial Biotechnology, July 23-26, 2017 at Montreal, Canada; BioTech 2017, June 13-17 at Prague, Czech Republic; European Federation of Biotechnology; Society for Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology (SIMB); The Biotech Research Society; Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC); Australias Biotechnology Organization (AusBiotech); New Zealand Biotechnology (NZBIO); Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO).

Track 10: Medical Biotechnology

Medical biotechnology, also called as red biotechnology, involves the use of living cells and cell materials to create pharmaceutical and diagnostic products which helps to treat and prevent human diseases. The principles of medical biotechnology are applied in pharmacology, gene therapy, stem cells and tissue engineering.

The application of biotechnology to basic science has empowered wider knowledge and understanding ofbiology. As a result of our development in scientific knowledge of normal and disease biology, we could able to develop newer medicines to treat previously untreatable diseases.

Related:Biotechnology Conferences|Biotechnology Meetings|Biotechnology Conventions| biotechnology| biotech marketing| what does a biotechnologist do|biotechnology major|current events biotechnology

15th World Congress on Biotechnology and Biotech Industries Meet, March 20-22, 2017 at Rome, Italy; Biotechnology 2017, August 21-23, 2017 at Chicago, USA; 17thEuro Biotechnology Congress, September 25-27, 2017 at Berlin, Germany; Global Biotechnology Congress, Oct 9-11, 2017 at Auckland, New Zealand; 15thInternational Pharmaceutical Microbiology and Biotechnology Conference, June 21-23, 2017 at London, UK; 2ndInternational Conference on Bioscience and Biotechnology, March 9-10, 2017 at Colombo, Sri Lanka; BIO World Congress on Industrial Biotechnology, July 23-26, 2017 at Montreal, Canada; BioTech 2017, June 13-17 at Prague, Czech Republic; European Federation of Biotechnology; Society for Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology (SIMB); The Biotech Research Society; Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC); Australias Biotechnology Organization (AusBiotech); New Zealand Biotechnology (NZBIO); Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO).

Track 11: Pharmaceutical Biotechnology

Pharmaceutical biotechnology involves the application of principles of biotechnology in the development of drugs. Techniques such as recombinant DNA are used to design more effective drugs. Biotechnology has added to the discovery and manufacturing of traditionalsmall moleculepharmaceutical drugsas well as drugs. Modern biotechnology allows manufacturing existing medicines relatively easy and less economical.

Modern biotechnology facilitates its use in pharmaceutical drugdiscovery, production and development,pharmacogenomics and genetic screening.

Related:Biotechnology Conferences|Biotechnology Meetings|Biotechnology Conventions| biotechnology| biotech marketing| what does a biotechnologist do|biotechnology major|current events biotechnology

15th World Congress on Biotechnology and Biotech Industries Meet, March 20-22, 2017 at Rome, Italy; Biotechnology 2017, August 21-23, 2017 at Chicago, USA; 17thEuro Biotechnology Congress, September 25-27, 2017 at Berlin, Germany; Global Biotechnology Congress, Oct 9-11, 2017 at Auckland, New Zealand; 15thInternational Pharmaceutical Microbiology and Biotechnology Conference, June 21-23, 2017 at London, UK; 2ndInternational Conference on Bioscience and Biotechnology, March 9-10, 2017 at Colombo, Sri Lanka; BIO World Congress on Industrial Biotechnology, July 23-26, 2017 at Montreal, Canada; BioTech 2017, June 13-17 at Prague, Czech Republic; European Federation of Biotechnology; Society for Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology (SIMB); The Biotech Research Society; Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC); Australias Biotechnology Organization (AusBiotech); New Zealand Biotechnology (NZBIO); Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO).

Track 12: Bioengineering and Biotechnology

Bioengineering refers to the usage of molecular biology to study advance applications and to create biotechnology. It extends to the creation of artificial organs and develops genetically modified organisms. It employs knowledge from pure and applied sciences such as mass and heat transfer, kinetics, biocatalysts, biomechanics, bioinformatics etc.

Bioengineering is applied in the design of medical devices, diagnostic equipment, biocompatible materials, renewable bioenergy and other areas that progress the living standards of societies.

Related:Biotechnology Conferences|Biotechnology Meetings|Biotechnology Conventions| biotechnology| biotech marketing| what does a biotechnologist do|biotechnology major|current events biotechnology

15th World Congress on Biotechnology and Biotech Industries Meet, March 20-22, 2017 at Rome, Italy; Biotechnology 2017, August 21-23, 2017 at Chicago, USA; 17thEuro Biotechnology Congress, September 25-27, 2017 at Berlin, Germany; Global Biotechnology Congress, Oct 9-11, 2017 at Auckland, New Zealand; 15thInternational Pharmaceutical Microbiology and Biotechnology Conference, June 21-23, 2017 at London, UK; 2ndInternational Conference on Bioscience and Biotechnology, March 9-10, 2017 at Colombo, Sri Lanka; BIO World Congress on Industrial Biotechnology, July 23-26, 2017 at Montreal, Canada; BioTech 2017, June 13-17 at Prague, Czech Republic; European Federation of Biotechnology; Society for Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology (SIMB); The Biotech Research Society; Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC); Australias Biotechnology Organization (AusBiotech); New Zealand Biotechnology (NZBIO); Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO).

Track 13: Bio-products and Bioenergy

Bio-products are biologically derived products such as chemicals, materials and energy from renewable resources. There are two types of bio-products namely conventional bio-products and emerging bio-products. Examples of conventional bio-products are pulp and paper, building materials and forest products whereas emerging bio-products include bioenergy, biofuels, bio-chemicals, bio-plastics etc.

Bioenergy is a renewable energy from materials derived from biological resources. It is a single largest renewable energy source providing 10% of worlds primary energy supply.

Related:Biotechnology Conferences|Biotechnology Meetings|Biotechnology Conventions| biotechnology| biotech marketing| what does a biotechnologist do|biotechnology major|current events biotechnology

15th World Congress on Biotechnology and Biotech Industries Meet, March 20-22, 2017 at Rome, Italy; Biotechnology 2017, August 21-23, 2017 at Chicago, USA; 17thEuro Biotechnology Congress, September 25-27, 2017 at Berlin, Germany; Global Biotechnology Congress, Oct 9-11, 2017 at Auckland, New Zealand; 15thInternational Pharmaceutical Microbiology and Biotechnology Conference, June 21-23, 2017 at London, UK; 2ndInternational Conference on Bioscience and Biotechnology, March 9-10, 2017 at Colombo, Sri Lanka; BIO World Congress on Industrial Biotechnology, July 23-26, 2017 at Montreal, Canada; BioTech 2017, June 13-17 at Prague, Czech Republic; European Federation of Biotechnology; Society for Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology (SIMB); The Biotech Research Society; Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC); Australias Biotechnology Organization (AusBiotech); New Zealand Biotechnology (NZBIO); Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO).

Track 14: Bioinformatics

Bioinformatics is a branch of biotechnology that involves use of computer applications such as applied math and statistics to analyze and interpret biological data. It helps in organizing the large-scale information and analysis of biological queries using mathematical and statistical techniques. It is used in the identification of candidate genes and nucleotides which helps in better understanding of genetic basis of disease and its properties.

Bioinformatics is useful in areas such asfunctional genomics,structural genomics, andproteomics, and acts as a key constituent in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical sector.

Related:Biotechnology Conferences|Biotechnology Meetings|Biotechnology Conventions| biotechnology| biotech marketing| what does a biotechnologist do|biotechnology major|current events biotechnology

15th World Congress on Biotechnology and Biotech Industries Meet, March 20-22, 2017 at Rome, Italy; Biotechnology 2017, August 21-23, 2017 at Chicago, USA; 17thEuro Biotechnology Congress, September 25-27, 2017 at Berlin, Germany; Global Biotechnology Congress, Oct 9-11, 2017 at Auckland, New Zealand; 15thInternational Pharmaceutical Microbiology and Biotechnology Conference, June 21-23, 2017 at London, UK; 2ndInternational Conference on Bioscience and Biotechnology, March 9-10, 2017 at Colombo, Sri Lanka; BIO World Congress on Industrial Biotechnology, July 23-26, 2017 at Montreal, Canada; BioTech 2017, June 13-17 at Prague, Czech Republic; European Federation of Biotechnology; Society for Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology (SIMB); The Biotech Research Society; Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC); Australias Biotechnology Organization (AusBiotech); New Zealand Biotechnology (NZBIO); Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO).

Track 15: Biotech Industry

Biotechnology industry harnesses cellular and bio-molecular processes to develop technologies and products that help improve our lives and the health of our planet. Modern biotechnology provides breakthrough products and technologies to combat incapacitating and infrequent diseases, reduce our environmental footprint, feed the hungry, use less energy, and have safer, cleaner and more efficient industrial manufacturing processes.

The biotech industry broadly segments into the medical and agricultural markets. Although enterprising biotechnology is also being applied to other exciting areas like industrial production of chemicals, andbioremediation, the use in these areas is still specialized and limited. Biotechnology introduced a whole new approach to drug development that did not easily integrate into the chemically-focused approach most of the established pharmaceutical companies were using.

Related:Biotechnology Conferences|Biotechnology Meetings|Biotechnology Conventions| biotechnology| biotech marketing| what does a biotechnologist do|biotechnology major|current events biotechnology

15th World Congress on Biotechnology and Biotech Industries Meet, March 20-22, 2017 at Rome, Italy; Biotechnology 2017, August 21-23, 2017 at Chicago, USA; 17thEuro Biotechnology Congress, September 25-27, 2017 at Berlin, Germany; Global Biotechnology Congress, Oct 9-11, 2017 at Auckland, New Zealand; 15thInternational Pharmaceutical Microbiology and Biotechnology Conference, June 21-23, 2017 at London, UK; 2ndInternational Conference on Bioscience and Biotechnology, March 9-10, 2017 at Colombo, Sri Lanka; BIO World Congress on Industrial Biotechnology, July 23-26, 2017 at Montreal, Canada; BioTech 2017, June 13-17 at Prague, Czech Republic; European Federation of Biotechnology; Society for Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology (SIMB); The Biotech Research Society; Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC); Australias Biotechnology Organization (AusBiotech); New Zealand Biotechnology (NZBIO); Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO).

Scope and Importance of Biotechnology

Biotechnology is a field of applied biology that involves the use of living organisms and bioprocesses in engineering, medicine, technology and other fields requiring bio-products. Modern use similar term includes genetic engineering as well as cell and tissue culture technologies. It is the integrated use of molecular biology, biochemistry and microbiology to achieve technological application of the capabilities of biological agents. Biotechnology is emerged as a science with immense potential for human welfare ranging from food processing, human health to environment protection. The field of biotechnology is constantly advancing. From finding ways to slow down the process of food spoilage, advancements in genetic engineering, to adapting organisms to clean up contaminated environments, new applications and biotechnological inventions are continuously being developed to help improve our world.

Modern biotechnology applies not only modern genetics but also advances in other sciences. However, there is a third revolution that is just emerging, which is nanotechnology. The development of techniques to visualize and manipulate atoms individually or in small clusters is opening the way to an ever-finer analysis of living systems. Nano-scale techniques are now beginning to play substantial role in the application of biotechnology.

World renowned experts and intellectuals agree that biotechnological innovation is the foundation-stone of our future, and a game changer. It is anticipated that it will underpin our economy and provide solutions to intractable problems of human and animal diseases, climate change, fuel alternatives, food security as well as improving our quality of life.

Biotechnology in Australia

The Australian biotechnology industry is one of the largest in the world. Despite the challenges of the global economy and the degree of difficulty in building a biotechnology and life sciences sector from scratch, Australia is doing very well by any comparative measure, with an impressive return on investment from a maturing stock of quality companies. Australian biotechnology boasts a raft of success stories and a world-class industry. Since its emergence in the early to mid-nineties, the biotechnology industry in Australia has achieved a great deal.

Australias comparative advantage comes from its world-class science and medical research, its capacity for international partnerships, cost effectiveness, and a transparent and effective regulatory system. Jobs of the future will be found in the biotech and pharmaceuticals sector, and the medical technology sector. In addition, there are many thousands of direct jobs in the agricultural and industrial biotechnology sectors and indirect jobs in dependent areas such as clinical trial teams, high-tech manufacturing, medical research and supplies to the medical technology sector and in services such as those provided by patent attorneys. Innovative industries provide high-skilled jobs with long-term prospects.

The Research & Development (R&D) Tax Incentive has been a long-established source of funding and support for businesses in the research, development and early developmental commercialization phases. The policy driver behind the R&D Tax Incentive is to encourage more companies to engage in R&D in Australia. And its working: a number of companies have publically stated that they have set up in Australia because of the support provided by the R&D Tax Incentive.

Australian state governments are developing and implementing independent regional initiatives. Each has strong medical research programs, some having specialist expertise in areas including tropical medicine, bio-discovery, regenerative medicine, bioremediation, agricultural/industrial biotech and medical devices. Australian life sciences companies have attracted well over $2 billion in deal flow over the last 18 months. Global recognition of the sectors quality was reflected in major deals, including Novartis acquisition of Spinifex Pharmaceuticals for as much as AU$1 billion and AstraZenecas licensing agreement with Starpharma that could deliver over half a billion (AU) dollars.

List of Major Universities in Melbourne and Australia

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Biotechnology Conferences - Asia Pacific Biotech Congress

Arthritis affects more than 10 million people and it takes over the lives of sufferers. Heres how to cope with, or avoid the condition

Arthritis affects more than 10 million people and it takes over the lives of sufferers.

The crippling condition can cause severe mobility problems, make sleeping impossible and turn basic tasks into a mission.

But instead of relying on anti-inflammatories and painkillers, which have been linked to stomach and heart issues, try these alternatives.

And they could even stop you from developing the condition in the first place.

Tuck into pomegranates

Chemicals found in the exotic fruits can protect against osteoarthritis, the most common form of arthritis.

Called phytochemicals, they help prevent damage to cartilage cells, which keeps bones healthy.

Pomegranate seeds are also full of punicic acid, which has powerful antioxidant properties and could reduce joint inflammation.

Mediterranean diet plan

Eating more fruit, vegetables, beans, whole grains, olive oil and fatty fish may help tackle the disease and increase mobility.

The first study into the link between a Mediterranean diet and osteoarthritis recently found that eating more of these ingredients over a 16-week period helped reduce inflammation and maintain bone health.

Run by the charity organisation, Arthritis Action, the research saw the inflammatory blood biomarker of participants drop by almost half, while a cartilage degeneration dropped eight per cent. The experts also recommended cutting down on red meat.

Tai chi

If you are looking for more of a relaxed exercise regime, try tai chi. The Chinese practice has been linked to reduced pain, fatigue and stiffness, plus improved mobility in people with osteoarthritis.

The slow breathing and gentle movements boost muscle strength and balance. After six weeks, participants in a University of Miami study were able to walk faster and further.

Go for a jog

It is important to keep muscles and joints moving, even if you do not have arthritis.

Moderate exercise has even been found to help prevent osteoarthritis in the knees and hips physical activity helps lubricate the joints and maintain cartilage elasticity.

While running had previously been thought to be bad for joints, a study recently found that regular jogs are good news for the knees and hips and can cut your osteoarthritis risk. But researchers for the study, published in the Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy, say overdoing it could do more harm than good.

Get pedalling

Stationary cycling, otherwise known as spinning, is good for the knees. Researchers at Northern Illinois University found it is the best form of exercise to get people with mild-to-moderate symptoms back on their feet.

Magnet magic

Pulsed electromagnetic field therapy is providing an alternative to antiinflammatories and painkiller medication. The clever tech is in a wearable device and involves an electrically charged magnet, which delivers energy to the painful area. Patients with osteoarthritis who used the gadget for 12 hours a day over one month saw their pain greatly reduced, according to a study in Rheumatology journal. And some even came off painkillers completely.

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How to battle arthritis - Mumbai Mirror

Rheumatoid arthritis is one of the most common types of arthritis to affect women. It can occur in all stages of life, especially in the later years. Scientists are still trying to understand the reasons behind the ailment, along with ways to cure it.

Trying to prevent rheumatoid arthritis isnt always easy. In fact, there is very little that you can do to stop it from happening completely. You can, however, take steps to slow down the progression and avoid it from taking over your life.

The diet is one of the most common ways to help prevent rheumatoid arthritis from becoming a major issue in life. Its food, after all, that can lead to inflammation within the body. This causes inflammation in the joints, leading to pain and stiffness within them.

So, heres a look at 12 of the best snacks to eat. They will help to prevent arthritis from occurring and getting worse over time.

Opt for Oily Fish for a Small and Filling Snack

When we think about snacks, we often reach for small bars of chocolate or pieces of fruit. While some snacks are powerful, its time to reach for more protein. This is especially the case when it comes to oily fish. Opt for some tuna, salmon, or even mackerel for your next healthy snack.

The fishes are full of omega 3 fatty acids. These fatty acids have anti-inflammatory properties, which help to keep your bodys natural immune system response to a minimum. While inflammation is part of the healing process, it occurs when it shouldnt. It is especially problematic in the gut, but it can also lead to problems within the joints.

Fish is also good for brain health, making it one of those snacks that you want to eat before an exam.

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12 Best Healthy Snacks That Help Prevent Rheumatoid Arthritis - South Florida Reporter

eyeSight takes its machine learning capabilities that can detect and recognize people and gestures to revolutionize the off-the-shelf security camera market

HERZLIYA, ISRAEL--(Marketwired - Jun 22, 2017) - eyeSight Technologies, a leader in advanced embedded computer vision and machine learning, today announces the expansion of its smart sensing offering to home security camera manufacturers and smart home system developers. Using a combination of advanced embedded computer vision and deep learning modules, eyeSight's complex software can transform any simple Wi-Fi connected IP camera into a smart AI guard.

Adding AI to standard off-the-shelf home security cameras is a game changer in the home security/smart home space as camera manufacturers can now add intelligent-sensing capabilities to their existing standard security camera offering -- no expensive sensors or hardware changes are required.

eyeSight's computer vision technology was designed for a wide range of sensing applications, from active interactions such as touch-free gesture recognition, to passive sensing such as detection of user presence and their actions. Security cameras with eyeSight's software will have the following capabilities that add a layer of intelligent-safety and comfort to the home:

"Our state-of-the-art technology offers manufacturers and smart home providers an amazing upgrade to their products with a simple software update, moving them from providers of a standard security cameras to smart AI guards for the home," said Gideon Shmuel, CEO of eyeSight. "We have years of experience in this field, so we know how to deliver smart, intelligent sensing capabilities to even the simplest of cameras through our proprietary software solutions."

To learn more about eyeSight Technologies, visit http://www.eyesight-tech.com.

About eyeSight Technologies eyeSight is the leading provider of embedded computer vision and deep learning solutions, bringing user awareness and gesture recognition technologies to a variety of devices and industries. The company's technology improves daily life interactions with the home, the car, and other consumer electronics with simplified user interactions that are intelligent and personalized. eyeSight's technology was designed for a wide range of applications, from active interactions with gesture recognition and finger tracking, to passive user detection and face analysis, delivering customized experiences based on user features and actions. For more information, visit http://www.eyesight-tech.com.

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eyeSight Technologies Expands Computer Vision Expertise to Transform any Wi-Fi Connected Home Security Camera ... - Marketwired (press release)

WASHINGTON -- An experimental drug is showing promise against an untreatable eye disease that blinds older adults and intriguingly, it seems to work in patients who carry a particular gene flaw that fuels the damage to their vision.

Age-related macular degeneration, or AMD, is the leading cause of vision loss among seniors, gradually eroding crucial central vision. There are different forms but more than 5 million people worldwide, and a million in the U.S., have an advanced type of so-called "dry" macular degeneration that has no treatment. At first patients may notice blurriness when they look straight ahead. Eventually many develop blank spots, becoming legally blind.

"These are seniors who are entering their golden years and now they've lost the ability to read, watch television, see their loved ones," said Dr. Rahul Khurana, a retina specialist and spokesman for the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

The experimental drug, lampalizumab, aims to slow the destruction of light-sensing cells in the retina, creeping lesions that characterize the stage of dry AMD called "geographic atrophy." When those cells die, they can't grow back the vision loss is irreversible.

In an 18-month study of 129 patients, monthly eye injections of the drug modestly slowed worsening of the disease when compared with patients given dummy shots. What's exciting for scientists came next, when researchers from drugmaker Genentech Inc. took a closer look at exactly who was being helped.

It turns out that nearly 6 in 10 of the study's participants carry a gene variation that makes part of the immune system go awry - a genetic flaw already known to increase the risk of getting macular degeneration in the first place.

Those are the only patients who appeared to benefit from the drug; they had 44 percent less eye damage than the untreated patients, the Genentech team reported Wednesday in the journal Science Translational Medicine. While the study is too small to prove if lampalizumab really helps maintain vision, that's a bigger difference than the overall results suggested.

One arm of the immune system, the complement pathway, helps fight infections by attracting immune cells to attack bacteria.

Normally, there's a barrier that keeps such cells away from the retina. But that barrier can break down with age, opening sensitive eye cells to harm from the spillover, explained Genentech immunologist Menno van Lookeren Campagne.

Now for the gene connection: Previous studies have linked macular degeneration to gene variations that remove some of that pathway's natural brakes, so it can become too active.

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The hypothesis: Genentech's drug, lampalizumab, essentially offers a backup method for tamping down the immune reaction. An antibody, it works by inhibiting a particular enzyme named factor D that helps power the immune pathway.

"We try to reinsert the braking ability," said study lead author Brian Yaspan, a Genentech senior scientist.

Wednesday's study detected no safety concerns, clearing the way for Genentech and its parent company Roche to open two large-scale studies that aim to prove if the drug works. Results are expected later this year.

The current research sheds light on how that long-suspected immune culprit might be working, and is "the first suggestion that there may be a treatment for geographic atrophy coming up in the future," said National Eye Institute retina specialist Dr. Wai Wong, who wasn't involved in the study.

"It's a very, very exciting study," said Khurana, the ophthalmologist association's spokesman, who also wasn't part of the research. "From the basic science perspective, it makes a lot of sense."

Macular degeneration tends to occur after age 60, but it sometimes strikes earlier. According to the National Eye Institute, it's less common in people who exercise regularly, avoid smoking, and eat a diet high in green leafy vegetables and fish.

Symptoms often aren't noticeable early on. But several eye tests can detect signs of macular degeneration, including a dilated eye exam and a tool called an Amsler grid with straight lines that may look wavy if the macula, the center of the retina, is harmed.

Macular degeneration patients often are advised to take certain vitamin combinations that may help stave off advanced disease. And it's important for patients to know what type they have. While there's no treatment for the advanced dry form, the "wet" form occurs when leaky blood vessels grow under the retina and there are several therapies that can help those patients preserve vision.

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Experimental drug offers hope to seniors with vision-robbing disease - CBS News

WebMD Medical Reference

Claims you can improve your vision with simple eye exercises and without the need for glasses, contact lenses, drugs, or surgery have been around for decades.

It's an appealing idea but there is no research to back it up, and most experts consider the claims to be bogus and some of the techniques dangerous.

Natural vision correction is an alternative therapy and most practitioners base their approach on the Bates Method.

This was pioneered almost 100 years ago (1919) by Dr William Bates, an ophthalmologist and author of 'The Bates Method for Better Eyesight Without Glasses'. He believed the cause of short-sightedness, long-sightedness, and other refractive errors was tension, and that relaxing the eyes would allow them to function normally.

The Bates Method believes that vision is affected by the mind, body, emotions, and reaction to stress. The emphasis is on using the eyes and mind in a relaxed and natural way. Those who use it are encouraged to do eye exercises, including palming (covering closed eyes with your palms) and sunning (guiding a light source directly onto closed eyes), and to do without their glasses.

Followers of Bates claim all the conditions normally corrected by glasses can be eliminated, and some even say the method can help or eliminate serious eye diseases, such as cataracts and glaucoma.

Teachers of the Bates Method charge in the range of 30 - 75 an hour.

Others believers in natural vision correction use eye exercises, eye patches, eye massages, and nutritional supplements, but reject some of Bates ideas, like sunning, and are also happy to work alongside conventional and licensed optometrists (people who are not doctors, but are trained to evaluate vision and the health of the eye, as well as to prescribe glasses and contact lenses) or ophthalmologists (medically trained doctors who have specialist training in conditions related to the eye).

Practitioners of natural vision correction may have what appear to be convincing anecdotal testimonials from patients, but the Bates Method is not taught in accredited schools of optometry and is not recognised by professional ophthalmology or optometry organisations.

The UK based Association of Optometrists (AOP), with more than 17,000 members, does not support the use of the Bates Method and would always recommend that patients seek professional advice. It says it is unaware of any scientific evidence to suggest that the Bates Method is effective, and goes further by saying solarisation or sunning, is dangerous and could lead to retinal damage in the form of a solar retinopathy.

In 2002, the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) published its opinion on visual training programmes to improve eyesight. It found no evidence that they had any effect on the progression of short-sightedness, or that it improved visual function for patients with long-sightedness or astigmatism, or that it improved vision lost because of diseases, including age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma or diabetic retinopathy.

It concluded the only risk of visual training was financial, and that glasses and contact lenses may be a nuisance, but they work.

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Natural vision correction & The Bates Method - WebMD.Boots.com

Object for object, The Inner Eye: Vision and Transcendence in African Arts provides perhaps the most flat-out beautiful museum exhibition in Los Angeles so far this year.

A selection of about 100 sculptures, many of them extraordinary, dates from the 13th to the early 20th century in a variety of cultures in West, Central and East Africa. Polly Nooter Roberts, Los Angeles County Museum of Art consulting curator for African art, traces an ambiguous line running between the visible and the invisible, sight and insight as represented in figures, masks, initiation objects, royal emblems and reliquary guardians.

Frequently the eye becomes a kind of mysterious membrane between material and spiritual worlds.

Take a Liberian mask whose symmetrical face with protruding eyes and mouth is enlivened by dramatically asymmetrical dcor. One eye is crossed out, canceling its outward view. A small length of twisted cord creates a puckish grin when attached over a row of jagged teeth. The mask gleefully seems to say, I know something you dont know.

Esoteric knowledge is a prominent undercurrent throughout the show, nowhere more beautifully or mysteriously expressed than in a Lega mask from what is now the Democratic Republic of the Congo. A white oval head with a broad, heart-shaped face above a narrow, lozenge mouth is either without eyes or, possibly, is all eyes. Blindness reverberates with all-seeing insight.

The ceremonial mask, typically attached to the body as a talisman rather than worn over the face, is like an abstract echo of a human skull. It nods toward ancestors long gone but present during the ritual.

The LACMA show is divided into eight thematic sections. Sometimes the thread unravels and the show is hard to follow.

Among the more compelling groups is Beholding Spirit, which looks at the way royal trappings a throne, a scepter embody spiritual power that its user then wields. A commanding power figure (or nkisi nkondi), hammered with metal spikes across broad shoulders and atop sturdy columnar legs, is a Vigilant Sentinel looking skyward through shell-covered eyes: Earth meets sea meets sky in a mighty guardian. And a staring Dogon hermaphrodite, identifiable as such by conical breasts and a scruffy beard, is Envisioning Origins through the union of male and female.

Some works are surprising in a singular way. Nearly life-size commemorative carvings of a male and female pair of tomb guardians from Madagascar look almost contemporary; weathering outdoors has softened features into smooth planes of unadorned wood. Gone are the rifle and lance he once held for protection, while the jug balanced atop her head speaks of nurturing sustenance.

On the other hand, the section devoted to the Maternal Gaze is fairly prosaic. Art representing the familiar subject of mother and child seems separate from a distinctive consideration of the inner eye.

Yet the section does offer some context for a marvelous LACMA treasure acquired in 2014 an extremely rare fertility figure carved by the Bamana peoples of Mali in the late 13th or 14th century. (Most wooden African sculpture dates from the 19th century and after, a testament to the fragility of the material in sub-Saharan climates.) Three feet tall, seated upright on a bench, limbs and torso stretched and straight as an arrow, shes a tower of expansive strength, sheltering the remaining fragments of her offspring.

The sculpture is one among numerous exceptional works in the show. Some are on loan from public collections, such as UCLAs impressive Fowler Museum, while nearly three-quarters are lent from important private holdings, among them the Bill and Ann Ziff collection in New York. The shows chief drawback is the absence of a publication, neither catalog nor brochure, which seems a shame for such a notable, curiosity-inducing display.

Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 5905 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles. Through July 9; closed Wednesdays. (323) 857-6000, http://www.lacma.org

christopher.knight@latimes.com

Twitter: @KnightLAT

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At LACMA, a don't-miss African art exhibition full of mystery and beauty - Los Angeles Times

INDONESIA Farmer Kasnan Wonidin thought his life was over when he began losing his eyesight to cataracts last year.

The 48-year-old from a village in Gresik regency in East Java had to give up work, stop riding his motorbike and say goodbye to his favourite pastimes like catching crabs.

Corrective surgery at five million rupiah (S$530) per eye was well beyond his means. Like millions of other low-income cataract sufferers in Indonesia, a country of nearly 260 million people, he could only prepare to go blind.

He said: "I felt so sad. Where can a poor farmer like me find so much money?"

Mr Kasnan's worry ended last May, when the Singapore-based non-profit organisation A New Vision gave him a free small-incision cataract surgery, a quick surgical procedure that cut out and replaced his cloudy natural lenses with clear intraocular ones. It costs the organisation $100 per eye.

A New Vision aims to treat cataracts in countries such as Indonesia, where half of all blindness is caused by cataracts, through the quick, safe and low-cost procedure.

The organisation was set up in 2010 by Nepali humanitarian eye surgeon Sanduk Ruit, 62, Singaporean entrepreneur and philanthropist Tan Ching Koon, 60, Indonesian social worker Indra Wahidin, 65, and Ms Effi Jono, 48, an accountant from Indonesia.

To date, A New Vision's volunteer eye surgeons have performed nearly 20,000 operations for the rural poor through its surgical outreach events in Java and Sumatra.

With funds from multinational companies, foundations and private donors, it has sent 25 doctors for training in specialised eye surgery in Nepal. It is also sending nurses to be trained in eye screening and post-operative follow-up care, and is raising funds to build a high-quality but affordable community eye centre in Indonesia.

Ms Effi said: "Eye care should be a right, not a privilege."

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Gone are dark clouds that had them blind, World News & Top ... - The Straits Times

June 23, 2017 Researchers at the University of Texas at Dallas have developed a wearable diagnostic biosensor that can detect three interconnected, diabetes-related compounds -- cortisol, glucose and interleukin-6 -- in perspired sweat for up to a week without loss of signal integrity. The team envisions that their wearable devices will contain a small transceiver to send data to an application installed on a cellphone. Credit: University of Texas at Dallas

Researchers at The University of Texas at Dallas are getting more out of the sweat they've put into their work on a wearable diagnostic tool that measures three diabetes-related compounds in microscopic amounts of perspiration.

"Type 2 diabetes affects so many people. If you have to manage and regulate this chronic problem, these markers are the levers that will help you do that," said Dr. Shalini Prasad, professor of bioengineering in the Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science. "We believe we've created the first diagnostic wearable that can monitor these compounds for up to a week, which goes beyond the type of single use monitors that are on the market today."

In a study published recently in Scientific Reports, Prasad and lead author Dr. Rujute Munje, a recent bioengineering PhD graduate, describe their wearable diagnostic biosensor that can detect three interconnected compounds - cortisol, glucose and interleukin-6 - in perspired sweat for up to a week without loss of signal integrity.

"If a person has chronic stress, their cortisol levels increase, and their resulting insulin resistance will gradually drive their glucose levels out of the normal range," said Prasad, Cecil H. and Ida Green Professor in Systems Biology Science. "At that point, one could become pre-diabetic, which can progress to type 2 diabetes, and so on. If that happens, your body is under a state of inflammation, and this inflammatory marker, interleukin-6, will indicate that your organs are starting to be affected."

Last October, Prasad and her research team confirmed they could measure glucose and cortisol in sweat. Several significant advances since then have allowed them to create a more practical, versatile tool.

"We wanted to make a product more useful than something disposable after a single use," Prasad said. "It also has to require only your ambient sweat, not a huge amount. And it's not enough to detect just one thing. Measuring multiple molecules in a combinatorial manner and tracking them over time allows us to tell a story about your health."

One factor that facilitated their device's progress was the use of room temperature ionic liquid (RTIL), a gel that serves to stabilize the microenvironment at the skin-cell surface so that a week's worth of hourly readings can be taken without the performance degrading over time.

"This greatly influences the cost model for the deviceyou're buying four monitors per month instead of 30; you're looking at a year's supply of only about 50," Prasad said. "The RTIL also allows the detector to interface well with different skin typesthe texture and quality of pediatric skin versus geriatric skin have created difficulties in prior models. The RTIL's ionic characteristics make it somewhat like applying moisturizer to skin."

Prasad's team also determined that their biomarker measurements are reliable with a tiny amount of sweatjust 1 to 3 microliters, much less than the 25 to 50 previously believed necessary.

"We actually spent three years producing that evidence," Prasad said. "At those low volumes, the biomolecules expressed are meaningful. We can do these three measurements in a continuous manner with that little sweat."

Prasad envisions that her wearable devices will contain a small transceiver to send data to an application installed on a cellphone.

"With the app we're creating, you'll simply push a button to request information from the device," Prasad said. "If you measure levels every hour on the hour for a full week, that provides 168 hours' worth of data on your health as it changes."

That frequency of measurement could produce an unprecedented picture of how the body responds to dietary decisions, lifestyle activities and treatment.

"People can take more control and improve their own self-care," Prasad said. "A user could learn which unhealthy decisions are more forgiven by their body than others."

Prasad has emphasized "frugal innovation" throughout the development process, making sure the end product is accessible for as many people as possible.

"We've designed this product so that it can be manufactured using standard coating techniques. We made sure we used processes that will allow for mass production without adding cost," Prasad said. "Our cost of manufacturing will be comparable to what it currently takes to make single-use glucose test stripsas little as 10 to 15 cents. It needs to reach people beyond America and Europeand even within first-world nations, we see the link between diabetes and wealth. It can't simply be a small percentage of people who can afford this."

Prasad was motivated to address this specific problem in part by her own story.

"South Asians, like myself, are typically prone to diabetes and to cardiovascular disease," Prasad said. "If I can monitor on a day-to-day basis how my body is responding to intake, and as I age, if I can adjust my lifestyle to keep those readings where they need to be, then I can delay getting a disease, if not prevent it entirely."

For Prasad, the latest work is a fulfilling leap forward in what has already been a five-year process.

"We've been solving this problem since 2012, in three phases," Prasad said. "The initial concept for a system level integration of these sensors was done in collaboration with EnLiSense LLC, a startup focused on enabling lifestyle based sensors and devices. In the market, there's nothing that is a slap-on wearable that uses perspired sweat for diagnostics. And I think we are the closest. If we find the right partner, then within a 12-month window, we hope to license our technology and have our first products in the market."

Explore further: Bioengineers create sweat-based sensor to monitor glucose

More information: Rujuta D. Munje et al, A new paradigm in sweat based wearable diagnostics biosensors using Room Temperature Ionic Liquids (RTILs), Scientific Reports (2017). DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-02133-0

Google said Friday it would stop scanning the contents of Gmail users' inboxes for ad targeting, moving to end a practice that has fueled privacy concerns since the free email service was launched.

Like driving a car despite a glowing check-engine light, large buildings often chug along without maintenance being performed on the building controls designed to keep them running smoothly.

Microphones, from those in smartphones to hearing aids, are built specifically to hear the human voicehumans can't hear at levels higher than 20 kHz, and microphones max out at around 24 kHz, meaning that microphones only ...

Researchers at The University of Texas at Dallas are getting more out of the sweat they've put into their work on a wearable diagnostic tool that measures three diabetes-related compounds in microscopic amounts of perspiration.

Researchers at the College of Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University have developed a novel design approach for exoskeletons and prosthetic limbs that incorporates direct feedback from the human body. The findings were ...

In a proof-of-concept study, North Carolina State University engineers have designed a flexible thermoelectric energy harvester that has the potential to rival the effectiveness of existing power wearable electronic devices ...

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Bioengineers create more durable, versatile wearable for diabetes ... - Phys.Org

Since her diagnosis of Type 1 diabetes in 2009, Madyi Stangl has felt that the disease has placed a cloud on her life limiting her ability to travel and live life.

But that cloud has lifted, thanks to a special golden retriever named Willy.

Willy is a diabetes assistance dog that was given to Stangl by Can Do Canines, a New Hope, Minn., based non-profit organization that trains dogs to help people who live with diabetes, autism, seizures, hearing loss and mobility issues.

Madyi and Willy graduated in a class of 14 on June 10.

Willy can detect changes in Stangls blood sugar levels by scent. He alerts Madyi to high or low blood sugar levels by touching her with his paw. If she doesnt respond, he will whine or whimper and eventually do whatever he needs to do to get her attention. He is trained to bring glucose tablets or even a cell phone to Stangl.

Recently, Stangl had a scary low of 34 during the night. When she failed to respond to Willys touches, he laid over her body until she woke up. She then checked her blood sugar levels and ate food to bring her levels back up to normal, saving her life.

Can Do Canines has produced nearly 600 teams of dogs and their human companions since opening in 1989, according to Client Services Coordinator Sarah Schaff.

The organization can give away the dogs, which are sold by other organizations for $20,000 or more, because of volunteers and many donors, Schaff says.

Funding comes from donations from individuals, companies and grants. Schaff reports that the organization does not receive any state or federal funds, relying solely on donations, fundraisers and bequests.

Puppies are bred in a cooperative program with other certified service dog organizations, raised by volunteers and many receive their initial training in six Minnesota and two Wisconsin prisons.

Schaff notes that the prison environment is good for the dogs as well as the inmates.

It gives dogs a 24/7 taste of what life will be like when they are working, she says, adding that there are many studies pointing to the therapeutic benefits for the inmate handlers as well.

The organization has a screening process to find suitable candidates to match with dogs that are in the system or are in training.

It takes two years to raise and train a dog to be an assistance animal, Schaff says.

Madyi lives ub Minneapolis and works as the Operations Lead for the University of Minnesota Physicians, and Willy accompanies her to work as well. He even alerted a diabetic co-worker to a low blood sugar level.

Stangl grew up with dogs and reports that having Willy around is like having a big security blanket that I carry with me all the time. She is now more confident as well.

Even though Im going to continue on as this girl with this physical reminder of my disability, Im a little prouder because Im able to shed light on diabetes. Diabetes is an invisible illness, but it is something that needs to be seen because its not something to be taken lightly, she says.

Even though Willy is a beautiful and friendly dog, Stangl asks that people should refrain from touching him or any other assistance dog without permission of the owner.

When we are out in public and Willy is wearing his vest, its important not to make eye contact or distract him, Stangl says. He is working for me, and if he gets distracted, he stops working and that could be dangerous.

Schaff says that Can Do Canines is in need of volunteers to raise and train labrador, collie and poodle puppies for two years and return them to the company for further training.

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'Lifting the cloud' of diabetes with a special dog | News ... - Burnett County Sentinel (subscription)

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TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL)- More than 1 million Americans are living with Type 1 diabetes (T1D), an autoimmune disease where the pancreas stops making insulin.

One out of every 400 children has T1D, and for one Tallahassee family, a pair of twins were both diagnosed before the age of 2.

"It can happen to anyone. We don't have it in our families," said Rebeka Joseph, the mother of Eva and Leah Joseph."This was a strike of lightning that hit us. Twice."

Leah was diagnosed when she was just 10 months old. Her parents thought she had the flu, but her blood sugar level was dangerously high.

"My baby was 10 months old, and she had diabetes," Rebekah said. "My life changed forever in that moment."

Just nine months later, Eva was diagnosed with T1D. Rebekah was able to detect it, thanks to the medical team at Tallahassee Memorial.

"As they grow up, there will be physicians here who can continue to take care of them," said Dr. Larry Deeb, a pediatric endocrinologistat TMH. "There will be the Diabetes Center that can continue to offer support at every stage of life."

"We're there to continue training and making sure that they make the transition -- being able to learn some of the care things themselves, so that they can take care of their bodies as they grow and develop," saidKatherine Owen, a certified diabetes educator at TMH.

TMH provided the girls with devices that monitor and administer insulin throughout the day.

"It's an hourly -- almost minute-to-minute disease," Rebekah said.

As the girls grow up, the family wants to make sure their teachers know how to handle issue with diabetes. TMH trained the staff at Good Samaritan Academy to do just that.

"The girls are able to develop as little people that can play with other kids," Rebekah said. "I want them to realize how normal they are. There's really no difference."

That's what Belinda Rodebaugh hopes for, too. She was diagnosed when she was 5 years old.

"It is part of your life, and it never goes away. However, it will respond to things that you do," Rodebaugh said."So, the more you research what you eat and what you don't is a really good thing."

The twins will celebrate their second birthday in September. The family says the support they've received gives them confidence to manage any challenge that comes their way.

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Tallahassee twin toddlers learn to live with Type 1 diabetes - WTXL ABC 27

American Diabetes Association officials are offering a summer diabetes-prevention camp in Santa Clarita from July 1516, 2017, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Boys & Girls Club of Santa Clarita.

This camp is available for 7- to 15-year-olds who are at risk for diabetes or that have a family history of Type 2 diabetes.

To register, visit the Camp Power Up website at http://www.diabetes.org/camppowerupsantaclarita or call 323-966-2890.

Obesity continues to pose a threat to the health of Americans, as Type 2 diabetics make up 90-95 percent of all diabetics in the world.

Approximately 208,000 Americans under age 20 are estimated to have diagnosed diabetes, according to the American Diabetes Association.

In order to combat this statistic, create new habits and become knowledgeable about Type 2 diabetes prevention, the diabetes camp will focus on exercise, proper nutrition and fellowship between children in similar health circumstances.

Parents and other family members are encouraged to attend camp on Sunday in order to reinforce the healthy lifestyle their children learned about on Saturday.

In addition to the weekend long camp experience, all children and their families are invited to attend three Reunion Events hosted at the Boys & Girls Club in Newhall.

Risk factors for Type 2 diabetes are being overweight, sedentary, and having a family history of diabetes. African Americans, Hispanics/Latinos, Native Americans, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are at an increased risk for developing the disease.

However, Type 2 diabetes can be reversed via exercise, nutrition, and a change in lifestyle choices.

About the American Diabetes Association

The American Diabetes Association is leading the fight to Stop Diabetes and its deadly consequences and fighting for those affected by diabetes. The Association funds research to prevent, cure and manage diabetes; delivers services to hundreds of communities; provides objective and credible information; and gives voice to those denied their rights because of diabetes. For the past 75 years, our mission has been to prevent and cure diabetes and to improve the lives of all people affected by diabetes. For more information please call the American Diabetes Association at 1-800-DIABETES (800-342-2383) or the Los Angeles office at 323.966.2890 or visit http://www.diabetes.org Find the Los Angeles office on Facebook (adalosangeles), Twitter (@ada_losangeles) and Instagram (@adalosangeles).

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Diabetes-Prevention Camp To Be Held In Santa Clarita ... - KHTS Radio

OLEAN The Street Classics Car Club presented a $5,000 check to JDRF for Type 1 diabetes research Thursday at its weekly cruise night.

Since 1991 the club has donated more than $70,000 to the organization formerly known as the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, said Karen Swierski, executive director of JDRFs Western New York chapter. Swierski was at cruise night in the Olean Center Mall parking lot to accept the check from club President Jim McKelvey and Treasurer John Ricci, as well as other club members.

The club began donating to support the organizations mission of finding a cure for Type 1 diabetes because one of its founding members had the disease.

We keep plugging away, McKelvey said.

About 1.25 million Americans have Type 1 diabetes, according to a 2014 report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease that affects the bodys ability to produce insulin.

We dont call it juvenile anymore because you dont get rid of it as you get older, Swierski said.

Donations to JDRF go toward both research and outreach.

Our mission is to find a cure for Type 1 diabetes, thats our main focus, but we realize theyre are a lot of people with Type 1 out there and we have to help them manage their disease, Swierski said.

Many donations come from groups like the Street Classics Car Club.

We do some big fundraisers, we do work with the federal government, but it's the community fundraisers like this group that really make a difference, Swierski said.

As of 2016, the clubs 25th anniversary, the club has donated more $84,000 to a variety of local charities, according to club officials. Organizations who have benefited include the SPCA in Cattaraugus County, Olean Food Pantry and St. Bonaventure University's Warming House. Individuals, who needed assistance after fires or needed ramps to get into their homes, have also been helped.

We try to help everybody, but a lot of it just depends on our cruise nights and our Car Show and our sponsors, McKelvey said.

The clubs 26th annual Street Classics Car Show will take place Aug. 6 at Firemans Park in Allegany. There will be 50/50 drawings, a Chinese auction, food, games and live music. The event runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The cruise nights, held every Thursday, will last through Labor Day.

(Contact reporter Tom Dinki at tdinki@oleantimesherald.com. Follow him on Twitter, @tomdinki)

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Street Classics Car Club makes annual donation for Type 1 diabetes research - Olean Times Herald

LOOMIS Becton Dickinson wants to help cure or find a better way to treat diabetes, so the medical equipment manufacturer supports the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

To do so, BD is sponsoring a 2K Color Fun Run July 1 in Loomis. It will begin at Loomis High School and will end at the communitys water park.

Usually, we sponsor an event inside the plant, but we decided to do something different this year, said Holdrege BD employee and event leader Sheri Freeland.

Donations will benefit the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Lincoln and Greater Nebraska Chapter to create a world without type 1 diabetes, an autoimmune disease in which a persons pancreas stops producing insulin. Insulin is a hormone people need to get energy from food.

The disease can suddenly strike both children and adults. Type 1 diabetes is unrelated to diet or lifestyle. People with type 1 diabetes must regularly monitor their blood-sugar levels, inject or continually infuse insulin through a pump, and carefully regulate insulin doses with eating and activity 24 hours a day.

The juvenile diabetes foundation funds research to deliver new treatments and therapies that make day-to-day life with diabetes easier, safer and healthier until it can prevent and one day cure the disease.

After hearing a speech from 13-year-old Riley Kinnan, who was diagnosed with diabetes at the age of 7, Freeland knew leading this event was something she wanted to do.

(Her speech) was interesting and motivating. Since Ive worked (at BD) for 36 years, I felt like I should do something, and I knew this was a great way to help out, said Freeland.

Riley, an eighth-grader to be from Lincoln, is an ambassador for the juvenile diabetes foundation. She is very passionate about helping younger children, especially those who are also dealing with the challenges of a diabetes diagnosis.

In the past, BD has sponsored diabetes foundation events such as chili cookoffs, salsa-making contests, hamburger feeds and silent auctions. It has sponsored the juvenile diabetes foundation for six or seven years.

There are 30 people signed up for the Color Run, and Freeland said she has already sold 80 T-shirts for the occasion. All proceeds are going to the juvenile diabetes foundation, and BD is matching the money raised.

Freeland said she is grateful for the number of people who have signed up so far to participate.

We werent sure if we would have enough people or money to put this event together, but we ended up having many volunteers and people in the community willing to help out.

With continued publicity for the event, Freeland hopes to help those suffering with diabetes.

Its a scary disease, and it can affect so young. There are kids that are 2 or even younger that have it, and its terrifying to think about how many shots to have daily and watching what you eat constantly. Its not like you can take a pill and make it go away. For kids, it just sucks, Freeland said.

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BD fun run to benefit juvenile diabetes research - Kearney Hub

Dr. Ralph Defronzo talks with Diabetes in Control Publisher Steve Freed during the ADA 77th Scientific Session in San Diego about SGLT-2, GLP-1, and the drugs he recommends despite standard practice.

Dr. Ralph Defronzo, MD is Professor of Medicine and Chief of the Diabetes Division at the University of Texas Health Diabetes Center in San Antonia, Texas. Dr. Defronzo is also Deputy Director of the Texas Diabetes Institute.

Transcript of this video segment:

Steve Freed:You were one of the first to use triple therapy. Certainly a more aggressive attitude. Now we have drugs that actually prevent or reduce your risk for death. Now were coming out, were finding out the SGLT-2s may cause amputation of your toes. It may cause other issues. I dont think theres a drug on the planet that doesnt have side effects. But were not going to die from the loss of a toe. What are your thoughts even when it comes to SGLT-2s? I know theyre fairly expensive right now. Competition hopefully will reduce that. What are your thoughts about the SGLT-2 drugs and the GLP-1s?

Dr. Defronzo:Let me just back up before I talk about this amputation issue, because its going to be very controversial. To me, Ive always been a strong believer that you need to understand what causes type 2 diabetes. NIH spends millions and millions of dollars to help us try to define what causes the disease. If you know what causes the disease, you ought to use medications to reverse the problem. Sulfonylureas clearly dont do that. In my opinion, these drugs, other than cost, really should not be being used in our diabetic patients. We have much better armor material. So if I had to list the drugs, and this may be a little bit different from what other people tell you. I would put a tie between GLP-1 receptor agonist and pioglitazone. And very close to those two, I would put SGLT-2 inhibitor. Id put Metformin as a good drug but lower down. Those are my four good drugs. Then way down, Id put DPP-4 inhibitors and I just dont use sulfonylurea drugs. I dont believe that theres any need for these drugs. Youd have to be very hard pressed that people could not afford any other drug before Im going to resort to using sulfonylurea drugs. Weve done a very large study with triple therapy. Its now into its 5th year. We use a combination of pioglitazone, a GLP-1 receptor agonist, and Metformin. Because when we started these studies, SGLT-2 inhibitors were not around. I can tell you now, the results are phenomenal. These people have three years later normal beta-cell function. They have a 60% improvement in insulin sensitivity. They lose weight. Theres minimal hypoglycemia. We just published a very large study inDiabetes Care, its called the Qatar Study, where theyre going to play the World Cup. We took people who had failed completely on Metformin and sulfonylurea. Their A1C was 10.1. They had ten and a half duration of this disease. We added a GLP-1 receptor agonist plus pioglitazone. A year and a half later, they have an A1C of 6. So, the beta cells, Id rather say, theyre not dead, theyre hibernating. People dont recognize that the TZDs have a huge effect on the beta cell. GLP-1 receptor agonists have a huge effect on the beta cell. And then pioglitazone also has a good insulin sensitizing effect. If I had to do this study over again, I actually would replace the Metformin with the SGLT-2 inhibitor. But these are all good drugs and docs need to learn how to mix and match them. Then they also need to remember that even though you start on two or three drugs, or even you start on one drug, you need to follow the patient to see what happens. If you get a gratifying response, great. But if you dont, then you need to move on quickly, either adding one or two additional drugs.

Steve Freed:Now, you had mentioned, if you go back 50 years, we had one oral drug. Today, we have a couple million possible combinations if you include insulin in there. What you see coming down the pike as far as the future because it used to be simple. You go to your doctor, and he gives you a prescription for sulfonylurea. Today, theres so many options and so many new drugs that each of them has side effects. Theyre all a little bit different. Theyre certainly better than what we had. How do you teach a physician, what possible combination he should use? Is it just trial-and-error?

Dr. Defronzo:Well, I think for endocrinologists, its a little bit easier because this is our job. I think the real problem is amongst primary care physicians because they have to learn all of these new diabetes drugs. Then they have G.I. problems. They have to learn all of these new G.I. drugs. Then they have people presenting with arthritis and collagen vascular disease. Then we have this whole new plethora of immuno-suppressive drugs. I feel sorry in a certain way for the primary care physician because hes supposed to be an expert in everything. Well, thats not possible. The good part is we have very good medications. So thats an advantage. Sometimes I see patients coming to me, I wonder why are they on these drugs when theyre not well controlled, when there are better drugs. It sounds easy for us. I see a patient literally in 10 to 15 minutes, I can handle all the problems. I know instantaneously what to do with glucose, lipids, blood pressure, and cardiovascular issues. Thats basically the major part of diabetes cardiovascular hypertension treatment. And since Im board certified in nephrology as well, I know if they get kidney problems what to do. So for me its very easy to take care of diabetic patients. Its not so easy for primary care physicians and then on top of all of that, we have cost. These newer drugs are really quite expensive. Also, if you prescribe a drug thats not on the patients formulary and he goes to pick it up and its $500, believe me you havent prescribed any drug, because hes not going to get it. Even though, the docs may understand what drugs do and what are the good ones, not always can you prescribe them for your patients.

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Dr. Ralph Defronzo Part 3, Diabetes Medications - Diabetes In Control

Richard Sennott - Star Tribune file During a family portrait in 2000, Molly Nash gives her 4-week-old brother Adam a kiss. Molly Nash received some umbilical blood from her brother, saving her from a fatal genetic disease.

Adam Nash was dubbed Little Frankenstein by the New York Post in 2000 because he was conceived via in vitro fertilization specifically so doctors at the University of Minnesota could collect stem cells from his umbilical cord blood to save his sister, Molly.

Today, back home in Colorado, Adam has a drivers license and helps disabled children ski. His sister once weeks from death due to a condition called Fanconi anemia is debating whether to focus on oceanography or graphic design in college. And IVF to produce an ideal child for a siblings stem cell transplant is common, albeit with lingering ethics concerns.

A squirrelly trio of teens is vindication for Adams mother, Lisa Nash, who felt the weight of the ethical questions when the Us Dr. John Wagner suggested IVF in 1995.

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'Little Frankenstein' is now a happy teenager - Minneapolis Star Tribune