StemCell Therapy

World Cup winning captain Kapil Dev has actually explained poor people as a type of Virat Kohli, who was simply flopping on New Zealand trip, while the result of their poor vision. The veteran all-rounder feels that batsmen need deal with this dilemma while they get older and Kohli will need to shape himself in accordance with their vision.

Kapil informed 'ABP News', "Such a period will come in the job of each huge batsman.

->It is age, it is known that after 30 several years of age, vision becomes poor also it takes 6 months to 1 12 months to obtain familiar with it. I do believe he (Kohli) has to adjust in accordance with their eyesight. When big players tend to be bold and lbw on your golf ball, then you definitely need question them to train much more.

The previous captain stated that numerous batsmen such as for example Virender Sehwag, Rahul Dravid and famous batsman Vivian Richards needed to deal with comparable dilemmas.

ICC Women's T20 World Cup: semi-final schedule decided; Know which team India will face whenever

Kapil stated, "It suggests that your eyes and capability to react have grown to be notably poor. Your eyesight is way better for 18 to 24 years, but then it relies on the method that you focus on it. Sehwag, Dravid, Viv Richards all experienced such troubles inside their jobs. That's why Kohli has to exercise much more. ''

The 31-year-old Kohli managed to rating just 38 operates at the average of 9.50 when you look at the Test series played in the New Zealand trip. Earlier when you look at the minimal overs show, he scored 180 works with the aid of a half-century.

Read the original here:
Kapil Dev says Virat Kohli will be eliminated as a result of poor vision - Sahiwal Tv

Regulatory News:

GenSight Biologics (Paris:SIGHT) (Euronext: SIGHT, ISIN: FR0013183985, PEA-PME eligible), a biopharma company focused on discovering and developing innovative gene therapies for retinal neurodegenerative diseases and central nervous system disorders, announced today that the bilateral visual recovery observed with GS010 (LUMEVOQ) in the REVERSE and RESCUE Phase III trials will be presented and discussed at the 46th Annual Meeting of the North American Neuro-Ophthalmology Society (NANOS) - Amelia Island, Florida - March 7-12, 2020.

Dr. Nancy J. Newman, MD, LeoDelle Jolley Professor of Ophthalmology and Neurology at the Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, GA, USA, and widely recognized as one of the leading authorities on Leber Hereditary Optic Neuropathy (LHON), will discuss the findings from the two trials in the context of LHON natural history and other relevant studies. Dr. Newman has been instrumental in defining and describing LHON pathophysiology and clinical declarations and is an International Principal Investigator and Site Principal Investigator of GS010 (LUMEVOQ) Phase III trials.

North American Neuro-Ophthalmology Society (NANOS)

March 7-12, 2020 Amelia Island (FL, USA)

"Bilateral Visual Improvement with Unilateral Gene Therapy for Leber Hereditary Optic Neuropathy (LHON)" presented by Nancy J. Newman, MD, LeoDelle Jolley Professor of Ophthalmology and Neurology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA

About GenSight Biologics

GenSight Biologics S.A. is a clinical-stage biopharma company focused on discovering and developing innovative gene therapies for retinal neurodegenerative diseases and central nervous system disorders. GenSight Biologics pipeline leverages two core technology platforms, the Mitochondrial Targeting Sequence (MTS) and optogenetics to help preserve or restore vision in patients suffering from blinding retinal diseases. GenSight Biologics lead product candidate, LUMEVOQ (GS010), is in Phase III trials in Leber Hereditary Optic Neuropathy (LHON), a rare mitochondrial disease that leads to irreversible blindness in teens and young adults. Using its gene therapy-based approach, GenSight Biologics product candidates are designed to be administered in a single treatment to each eye by intravitreal injection to offer patients a sustainable functional visual recovery.

About LUMEVOQ (GS010)

LUMEVOQ (GS010) targets Leber Hereditary Optic Neuropathy (LHON) by leveraging a mitochondrial targeting sequence (MTS) proprietary technology platform, arising from research conducted at the Institut de la Vision in Paris, which, when associated with the gene of interest, allows the platform to specifically address defects inside the mitochondria using an AAV vector (Adeno-Associated Virus). The gene of interest is transferred into the cell to be expressed and produces the functional protein, which will then be shuttled to the mitochondria through specific nucleotidic sequences in order to restore the missing or deficient mitochondrial function. "LUMEVOQ" was accepted as the invented name for GS010 (lenadogene nolparvovec) by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) in October 2018.

About Leber Hereditary Optic Neuropathy (LHON)

Leber Hereditary Optic Neuropathy (LHON) is a rare maternally inherited mitochondrial genetic disease, characterized by the degeneration of retinal ganglion cells that results in brutal and irreversible vision loss that can lead to legal blindness, and mainly affects adolescents and young adults. LHON is associated with painless, sudden loss of central vision in the 1st eye, with the 2nd eye sequentially impaired. It is a symmetric disease with poor functional visual recovery. 97% of patients have bilateral involvement at less than one year of onset of vision loss, and in 25% of cases, vision loss occurs in both eyes simultaneously. The estimated incidence of LHON is approximately 1,200 new patients who lose their sight every year in the United States and Europe.

About RESCUE and REVERSE

RESCUE and REVERSE are two separate randomized, double-masked, sham-controlled Phase III trials designed to evaluate the efficacy of a single intravitreal injection of GS010 (rAAV2/2-ND4) in subjects affected by LHON due to the G11778A mutation in the mitochondrial ND4 gene.

Story continues

The primary endpoint will measure the difference in efficacy of GS010 in treated eyes compared to sham-treated eyes based on BestCorrected Visual Acuity (BCVA), as measured with the ETDRS at 48 weeks post-injection. The patients LogMAR (Logarithm of the Minimal Angle of Resolution) scores, which are derived from the number of letters patients read on the ETDRS chart, will be used for statistical purposes. Both trials have been adequately powered to evaluate a clinically relevant difference of at least 15 ETDRS letters between treated and untreated eyes adjusted to baseline.

The secondary endpoints will involve the application of the primary analysis to bestseeing eyes that received GS010 compared to those receiving sham, and to worseseeing eyes that received GS010 compared to those that received sham. Additionally, a categorical evaluation with a responder analysis will be evaluated, including the proportion of patients who maintain vision (< ETDRS 15L loss), the proportion of patients who gain 15 ETDRS letters from baseline and the proportion of patients with Snellen acuity of >20/200. Complementary vision metrics will include automated visual fields, optical coherence tomography, and color and contrast sensitivity, in addition to quality of life scales, biodissemination and the time course of immune response. Readouts for these endpoints are at 48, 72 and 96 weeks after injection.

The trials are conducted in parallel, in 37 subjects for REVERSE and 39 subjects for RESCUE, in 7 centers across the United States, the UK, France, Germany and Italy. Week 96 results were reported in 2019 for both trials, after which patients were transferred to a long-term follow-up study that will last for three years.

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifiers:REVERSE: NCT02652780RESCUE: NCT02652767

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200302005891/en/

Contacts

GenSight Biologics Thomas GidoinChief Financial Officertgidoin@gensight-biologics.com +33 (0)1 76 21 72 20

RooneyPartners Media RelationsMarion Janicmjanic@rooneyco.com +1-212-223-4017

LifeSci Advisors Investor RelationsGuillaume van Renterghemgvanrenterghem@lifesciadvisors.com +33 (0)6 69 99 37 83

James Palmer Retail Investorsj.palmer@orpheonfinance.com +33 (0) 7 60 92 77 74

Read more from the original source:
GenSight Biologics Announces Presentation of Bilateral Visual Recovery From GS010 (LUMEVOQ) Phase III Trials at the 46th Annual Meeting of NANOS -...

Weak eyesight is a common thing these days. People today are staring into screens for hours at a stretch. The prolonged exposure to the rays emitted by laptop/ mobile phone screens results in weak eyesight. However, screens are not the only nemesis the human eye has to fight. There are undoubtedly other factors such as age, genes, and premature birth, etc. 8 million people around the world have a refractive error.

Refractive error is an ailment where the eye has a hard time focusing the light on the retina, further leading to an inaccurate vision. This is a result of distorted eye shape. Common refractive errors include near-sightedness, astigmatism, presbyopia, and far-sightedness.

The traditional treatment for refractive error is wearing spectacles and contact lenses. However, a lot has changed now! Gone are those days where humans would make do with large glass frames or irritating lenses; the modern solution seems to be in LASIK surgery!

The sigh of relief came with the approval of LASIK surgery in 1999. Back in the early 90s, people were apprehensive about getting it done since it was a less explored field of medicine. However, now LASIK surgery is the go-to option for a lot of people.

Over 30 million people opted for LASIK surgery in the year 2017. No wonder, LASIK surgery has got its audience now, and is soon becoming a more popular treatment for refractive eye disorders! However, lets see if the procedure is genuine, all that wonderful!

Is LASIK worth it?

A typical LASIK procedure takes about 20 minutes, and the patient, in most cases, would be able to resume their life as it was within three days from the surgery. LASIK means Laser-Assisted in Situ Keratomileusis.

This procedure involves the change in the shape of the eye. The operation is done with a laser and is one of the most accurate methods to correct the vision. A few reasons to opt for LASIK surgery for correction are:

Are there any risks involved?

The shape of the eyes keeps changing with age. Therefore, like every other medical procedure, LASIK has its drawbacks. However, these drawbacks arent something that cant be corrected with care.

What should one look for when opting for the LASIK procedure?

Since a persons eyes are at stake, they should be extra careful while zeroing down on the facility where theyd like to have their procedure done. At this point, a persons instincts will come to play.

Key takeaway

LASIK surgery is a delicate procedure that needs to be performed with care. Significant measures are taken to ensure that the surgery is neat and sanitary. Since it involves your eyes, you should take the utmost care while selecting their surgeons. A lot of people prefer a specs-free look, and LASIK makes that dream come true.

See original here:
Is LASIK Surgery Worth The Money? Know All About It - Scubby

A brain tumour is a growth of cells in the brain that multiplies in an abnormal, uncontrollable way. Brain tumours are graded according to how fast they grow and how likely they are to grow back after treatment. The grading also determines when you may experience symptoms and their level of acuteness.

In addition, you may find that your eyesight is generally getting worse and glasses are not helping, or your vision comes and goes, says the charity.

Other eye-related symptoms include:

According to the NHS, you should see a GP if you have these types of symptoms, particularly if you have a headache that feels different from the type of headache you usually get, or if headaches are getting worse.

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As the health body points out, you may not have a brain tumour, but these types of symptoms should be checked.

If your GP cannot identify a more likely cause of your symptoms, they may refer you to a doctor who specialises in the brain and nervous system (neurologist) for further assessment and tests, such as a brain scan, adds the health site.

The cause of most brain tumours is unknown, but there are several risk factors which may increase your chances of developing a brain tumour.

According to Cancer Research UK, one risk factor you cannot change is age. Although brain tumours can start at any age, the risk increases as you get older.

The risk of brain tumours is greatest in those aged between 85 and 89 years, says the charity.

Another unchangeable risk factor is family history and genetic conditions - some genetic conditions are known to increase the risk of getting a brain tumour, including tuberous sclerosis, neurofibromatosis type 1, neurofibromatosis type 2 and Turner syndrome, explains the NHS.

There are steps you can take to reduce your risk, however, such as maintaining a healthy weight.

Being overweight or obese increases the risk of some cancer types, including a type of brain tumour called meningioma, explains Cancer Research UK.

Read more from the original source:
Brain tumour symptoms: The sign in your vision that could signal the cancer - Express

(PRESS RELEASE) RightEye LLC revealed the six finalists of its 2020 RightEye Impact Awards. This program was created to recognize, honor and celebrate the many unsung accomplishments of healthcare providers worldwide who are transforming peoples lives through measuring and treating functional vision health. RightEye is an eye movement biomarker company using eye-tracking technology to revolutionize health care and to help more accurately identify health and vision issues. The RightEye Impact Awards received submissions from across the United States as well as from Australia, the Netherlands, Albania and Canada. The grand prize winner will be honored at a ceremony on March 13 in the winners hometown.

The finalists were judged based on the magnitude of clinical progress and the patients improved quality of life. Each provider used RightEye in some way to enable progress, including communicating dysfunction, validating problems, providing solutions, and changing the mindset of patients and families by demonstrating treatment progress. Award applicants used a variety of RightEye tests including Brain Health, Reading, and Functional Vision as well as RightEyes EyeQ Trainer for improving oculomotor dysfunction.

RightEye is helping to improve lives for those affected by many different kinds of issues, such as concussion, dyslexia, Parkinsons, learning disabilities, and more, said RightEye CEO Adam Gross. At the same time, we are providing healthcare providers with a groundbreaking, FDA-cleared tool to help them improve patient care while expanding their practices.

Many people impacted by these problems may never realize that eye movement testing and treatments that address visual/brain processing can actually make a huge difference for them. Thats why we are shining a light on the most inspirational stories weve heard from our customers. Narrowing the field down to six finalists was more difficult than we expected because so many of the stories were absolutely incredible.

The finalists are:

1. Dr. Sally Fryer Dietz, Integrative Concussion & Pediatric Therapy, Dallas, TXA 13-year-young woman was diagnosed with dyslexia and had been receiving remedial work outside of the clinic. After a RightEye assessment and sensory motor evaluation, Dietz realized the patient was actually not dyslexic and the problem was more related to a visual tracking issue and SI Dysfunction. Following treatment, her scores went up dramatically to several grade levels above where she had initially tested. The patients self-esteem and confidence skyrocketed, along with her ability to memorize scripts and read advanced level books.

2. Debra Holtzhauer, Listowel Vision Care, Listowel, Ontario, CanadaA 34-year-old female patient was kicked in the head and her resulting concussion left her with persistent pain and vision issues that impacted her ability to sew, cook, drive, read, etc. After a RightEye test and vision therapy, all symptoms were eliminated or greatly reduced. Pain meds were no longer needed and she was able to resume her daily activities.

3. Jeremiah Jorgensen, Fyzical Therapy and Balance Centers, Lincoln, NEA 7-year-old child was diagnosed with a learning disability and was receiving occupational therapy, physical therapy and speech therapy. After a RightEye test it became clear that a vision issue made it difficult to read and limited her depth perception. Within six weeks of treatment, her spelling and reading tests put her at or near the top of her class, and three months later she rode a bike for the first time in her life. Due to RightEye we not only changed a childs life but her father was in tears for helping him enjoy time with his daughter as she can now enjoy childhood tasks and games that most parents take for granted.

4. Dr. Amanda Nanasy, Florida Institute of Sports Vision at The Eye Center, Pembroke Pines, FLA college-aged patient had suffered a concussion from a motor vehicle accident and had been under the care of a concussion rehab doctor who did not utilize visual treatment or care. The patient wore glasses and walked with a lean to the side due to poor fixation. Following RightEye testing and prescription of new prisms, he no longer needed glasses, and his lean disappeared.

5. Dr. Neil Renaud, EagleEye Performance Vision, Holland, MIAn 11-year-old patient was struggling with schoolwork, experiencing blurry and double vision, as well as attention issues, poor comprehension, clumsiness and poor handwriting. He was preparing to end his education at the high school level and embark on a blue-collar career that didnt require reading. Following a RightEye test, Renaud diagnosed oculomotor dysfunction of pursuits, saccades, and fixations. After completion of vision therapy, the patients performance in reading, handwriting, and ability to pay attention improved drastically and blurry and double vision became non-existent. He now plans to go to college to become an optometrist.

6. Dr. Gregory Schultz, Eye Center of Virginia, Williamsburg, VAA CEO of a growing company suffered a concussion after hitting her head on a concrete floor. Symptoms included extreme dizziness, unsteady gait, headaches, confusion, memory issues and delayed reaction time, along with reading ability now at a fourth-grade level. She was told by a neurologist the symptoms would be temporary but she saw no improvement after several months. Following a RightEye test she was diagnosed with multiple deficiencies in horizontal tracking, fixations, horizontal saccades and visual recognition and reaction time. After four months of treatment with RightEyes EyeQ Trainer, the patient has experienced improvements in tracking, saccades and fixations, with corresponding improvements in function.

Link:
Record Attendance Reported for IDOC's 2020 National Conference - InvisionMag

K.L. always knew he might be completely blind before reaching adulthood.

Even as a child he realized something was wrong with his eyes. Although he could see enough to navigate the world in daytime, as soon as the sun set so did his eyesight. Going out with friends was impossible at night. Eventually the world looked as if he was seeing through a large tunnel, focusing on only a tiny fraction at a time.

K.Ls condition didnt have a cure. His family, and he himself, were well aware. I was struggling deeply with what I thought my life would become, he said, but then my mum spotted the trial in a newsletter.

This month, K.L. became one of the first patients to receive a new experimental gene therapy for children with a severe form of inherited vision loss. The treatment, currently not yet named, targets young men who are susceptible to a particularly vicious genetic disorder that gradually destroys the light-sensing portion of their eyes.

Within a month following a single injection, my vision was beginning to return in the treated eye. The sharpness and depth of colors I was slowly beginning to see were so clear and attractive, said K.L.

The trial, a first-in-human case for X-linked Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP), was led by Dr. Robert MacLaren at the University of Oxford but spanned multiple centers including the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute in Miami, which previously championed Luxterna, the first FDA-approved gene therapy for a type of inherited blindness. The results are some of the first targeting a particularly difficult gene prone to mutation in humans. Amazingly, despite some inflammation in early stages, the therapy provided massive improvements in eyesight as early as two weeks following treatment.

Although primarily designed for safety and not to comprehensively study efficacy, the trail still offers hope to 1 in 4,000 people around the world battling gradual, unstoppable vision loss. But it also signals that gene therapy is rapidly coming of age for other neural degenerative problemsperhaps faster than previously anticipated.

It is becoming more apparent to us that novel genetic therapies, when working, lead to a clear improvement in neuronal function, which holds great hope for a variety of other degenerative conditions that have a genetic basis, said MacLaren.

K.L. is one of 80,000 or so people in the US with RP, a genetic condition that slowly eats away at the light-sensing portion of the eyes. RP can be due to one of tens of different mutations in genes that control how light receptors in the eyes develop. RP never had a treatment or a curethe only option for people with the condition is to learn to navigate it without severely disrupting their lives.

In late 2017, everything changed. Luxturna, a gene therapy for inherited RP, was approved by the FDA. The treatment, a synthetic version of a healthy gene, was delivered directly into patients eyesoften young boysto replace a faulty version that eats away at the back of their eyes, the retina.

The retina is a delicate, wispy sheet of tissue that contains elements sensitive to light. In RP, two light-sensing proteins in the retina begin dying out as early as infancy, wiping out a persons peripheral vision and night vision. Most are legally, if not biologically, blind by their early 20s.

Luxturna came as a galvanizing shot to RP sufferers, yet it had severe limitations. A large portion of RP cases are caused by a particularly complex and volatile gene, dubbed RPGR, prone to mutations and other rearrangements. Even as a miracle cure, Luxturna could only tackle a small subset of patients with RPabout 1,000that had a very specific mutation relying on Vitamin A chemical processing.

In other words, for K.L. and other RP suffers, Luxturna offered hope, but not relief.

K.L.s treatment took a direct stab at RPGR, which sits on the X chromosome.

Stay with me. We all know that biological females are generally dubbed XX and males XY. Biological females usually have two copies of the X chromosome, whereas males only have one copy.

This means that biological males are far more susceptible than females to contracting X-linked RP. If anything goes wrong with their single copy, unlike females, they dont have a healthy backup to save the day. Unfortunately, the RPGR gene also happens to be quite temperamental and prone to genetic shifts that cause disease. It makes the gene a terrible test subject in the lab, where it tends to be unstable and difficult to work with.

After years of wrangling in animal models, however, the Oxford team was able to increase its stability and fidelity, so much so that when given to animal models with retinal disease, the stabilized, healthy version was able to restore visual properties.

In their first human trial, 18 patients with confirmed RPGR gene mutations and severe eyesight problems were separated into 6 groups, with each receiving a different dose of the therapy.

Similar to Luxturna, the healthy gene was packaged inside a virus carrier to deliver it into retinal cells in a simple injection surgery. To combat potential side effects of inflammation, which scientists previously found with similar treatments, the patients were given steroid pills to combat inflammation in the eyes.

Only one eye of each patient was treated in an effort to compare to the other, non-treated one. K.L., for example, opted to go for the one with poorer vision, thinking there was nothing to lose.

The speed of my conditions degeneration was unknown, so I had no choice but to apply and do whatever I could to hopefully help others in the future, as well as myself, he said.

Although the three patients receiving low-dose treatment didnt see notable results, others did.

Within a month, said K.L., my visual field exploded and I could see so much more at once than ever before in that eye. Before long, the eye was undoubtedly better than the untreated eye.

The improvements lasted at least six months, and only those who received the highest doses of the virus had minimal signs of inflammation, suggesting that the treatment is relatively safe.

Overall, seven patients gained back significant functionality in their eyesnot just night vision, as with Luxturna, but also their visual fields and clarity. Whats more, in some patients the outer regions of the retina also seemed to kick back into gear, regenerating their functionality even without direct treatment.

We are delighted with the early results of this clinical trial for a degenerative eye disease, said MacLaren. With X-linked RP, the goal is to slow or stop degeneration of the eyes, and despite somewhat inconsistent results between people, the therapy seems overall beneficial.

The results will next be validated in a broader population. Since performing the therapy, the Bascom Palmer team has further treated nine patients using the optimized dose determined from the trial, though outcomes have not yet been published.

For K.L., however, the trial has already revamped his life for the better.

The results have been nothing short of astonishing and life changing for me, I really hope this trial is approved and they can treat what once was my better eye, said K.L.

Image Credit: Free-Photos from Pixabay

Read more from the original source:
Gene Therapy Is Successfully Treating a Common Form of Inherited Blindness - Singularity Hub

Study illustrates late consultations and socio-economic factors as reasons behind rise in retinopathy of prematurity

Almost 47 per cent of children studying at blind schools in the state have developed visual impairment due to ill-developed eyesight at the birth, a study by city-based hospital has said. The survey that was carried over two years by HV Desai Eye Hospital, Hadapsar, also revealed that blindness among 32 per cent children could have been treated early on and around 15 per cent students were not visually impaired, leaving scope for improvement.

The scrutiny also pointed at the changing causes of the impairment that have altered with socio-economic progress. Col M Deshpande, chief medical director of HV Desai Eye Hospital, said that causes of blindness in children are proxy indicator of the health system of the country and hence the economic progress that a country is making. For example, unavoidable causes (such as blindness due to brain hypoxia) are common in western countries while Vitamin A deficiency related blindness is common in African countries, he said.

Dr Suchetra Kulkarni, principal investigator, said, The whole globe anomaly (ill-developed eyesight at birth) is the major cause of blindness followed by corneal and retinal causes that amount to 15 per cent each and cataract caused the impairment in eight per cent of the kids. Furthermore, every third child was impaired owing to reasons that could have been treated.

When the data was compared with studies conducted by HV Desais team 15 years ago, it showed that blindness due to vit (Vitamin A deficiency), is decreasing. However, cases of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is increasing. This indicates success of governments Vitamin A programme for pregnant mothers as well as their kids has worked. But, it also implies that government now needs to tackle blindness due to ROP observed in premature babies, she, said.

Such recommendations have been sent to the state and central governments, especially concerning ROP.

Dr Kulkarni further stated more doctors need to be trained to manage cataract and ROP and highlighted the need to procure highly specialised equipment to manage these impairments. Awareness among society and teachers, affirming that not all visually impaired children are completely blind, is important. Timely examination can identify children who can see better with low-vision devices, she added.

Dr Aditya Kelkar, phacoemulsification and vitreoretina surgeon at National Institute of Ophthalmology (NIO), blamed late consultation for rising problems. ROP are high in babies born out of consanguineous marriage. Problems like micro-cornea or ill-developed eye that can be detected during prenatal check-up due to latest screening facilities available now. However, still the disease like night blindness can go undetected. There are families that dont consult doctors on time even if the child has a squint or white patches on their eyes, he said.

The study conducted by experts will improve the situation, believes Dr Sanjay Patil, eye surgeon at Patil Eye Hospital. He further explained why the problems have increases in babies, especially the ones that are born premature of through in-vitro fertilisation. Newborns that receive intensive neonatal care in which they are given oxygen therapy due to premature development of their lungs develop ROP. Some doctors have even decreased the concentration of oxygen. A newborn baby goes undiagnosed of ROP if he/she is not referred to an ophthalmologist. The patients with ROP and cataract can be preventable with early diagnose and treatment, said Patil.

More:
Causes of blindness in babies are changing - Pune Mirror

Members of Tucson Society of the Blind are hosting a duo of spring concerts featuring harpist Christine Vivona accompanied by trombonist Rob Boone on Thursday, March 5, and cocountry-western guitarist Bill Ganz on Friday, March 6.

The concerts, complete with silent auctions, will be staged at Fellowship Square, 8111 E. Broadway.

This spring concert is our main fundraiser for the year and it is always a great time, said Linda Lueders, who is helping to coordinate the silent auctions for the events. Christine Vivona is wonderful and her husband, Rob Boone, is an excellent musician in his own right. On Friday, Bill Ganz should be a hit: We are in the West and country music is always popular.

Lueders became involved with the society three years ago after attending a spring concert with her husband, Ralph, who is blind. Since then, she has been an active volunteer for the nonprofit organization dedicated to providing educational, emotional and social support for the visually impaired many of whom live with conditions such as age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma, retinitis pigmentosa, and blindness and their families.

The whole premise for TSB is to support those with low vision and to educate the community about people with vision issues, Lueders said. There are lots of issues regarding blindness that members of the general public arent aware of, and TSB provides practical hints for daily living and resources and information about different aids to help people with low vision. They also give people with vision issues the opportunity to socialize with others who have similar issues. They provide a great social outlet.

Read more from the original source:
Tucson Society of the Blind hosting 2 benefit concerts - Arizona Daily Star

TuesdayMar3,2020at12:49PMMar3,2020at12:49PM

1 The Easton Lions Auction has moved to the Richardson Olmsted School Caf. It will end as part of the first Celebration of Easton Dinner on Saturday, March 7 from 5:30 to 8:45 p.m.

2 The Lions are holding an online only auction from Feb. 29 until Saturday, March 7 at 8:30 p.m. All items are available to be viewed online now at http://www.EastonLions.org

3 Auction will close in four parts. Some items at 7 p.m. Some at 7:30 p.m. Some at 8 p.m. The last (and mostly higher priced items) will close at 8:30 p.m.

4 This is an online only auction for bidding. No phones. No boards. The Lions will have some computers and helpers at the event for people who can't or dont know how to bid online.

5 Please set up your bid account now. Register to bid at EastonLions.org/auction via your computer or mobile phone. So yes, you can now follow the auction on your phone and bid while you shop or watch your kids game or play etc.

6 The Celebration of Easton Dinner will be catered by Twins Catering and the last two hours of the auction will be broadcast live on Easton Cable Access Television CH # 9 or 22 - and online at the Lions website and on Facebook and Twitter.

7 If you really want an item, bid high and bid early and bid at deadline. Our web provider Bidding for Good - does offer you the option (like eBay etc.) to bid low early but secretly include your highest bid price: the system will up your bid incrementally if someone out- bids you.

8 Please pick up your items at the school before 9 p.m. as usual, or they can be mailed to you for an extra charge etc. Please come early.

9 You can bid in the Auction Room now.

10 Thanks to our sponsors: Every single penny goes to charity, with most going to Aid the Blind. This funds eyeglasses for kids, operations for the elderly, shots to prevent parasites that cause blindness in poor countries, and research to cure blindness. So bid high and get your item and help people at the same time. This is the Lions biggest fundraiser of the year.

For more info contact us at Auction@EastonLions.org

Original post:
10 things to know about the Easton Lions Auction on March 7 - Wicked Local Easton

A new treatment being pioneered by scientists in Aberdeen has enjoyed success in improving the vision of partially blind patients.

The study has been working with people who have suffered traumatic and sudden sight loss following brain injuries.

More than 300 patients were involved and it was found the programme developed for rehabilitation of blindness after strokes and other injuries improved vision in over 80% of patients.

The research was steered by Professor Arash Sahraie from Aberdeen Universitys School of Psychology and carried out in conjunction with Miami Universitys Miller School of Medicine.

Professor Sahraie said the NeuroEyeCoach programme had delivered major improvements to peoples lives.

Blindness after brain injury is common and its effect on patients daily life is sudden, he said.

Those affected have great difficulty finding their way around and avoiding obstacles and this therapy is designed to help this group of patients.

We found that following treatment, patients ability to detect and avoid obstacles improved.

They are also seeing things much faster and also state that the therapy improved their activities of daily life.

The study found that that improvements were not dependent on age, gender, side of blindness, nor the time elapsed since the brain injury.

The team has also found there was no upper age limit to the success of the treatment, as its results showed the treatment improved vision even in 90-year-old patients.

Dr Sahraie added: Our results show that rehabilitation of vision loss after brain injury is possible and can drastically improve patients quality of life.

A fundamental finding is that no matter how old the patients were, or when they had their vision loss, if they had problems coping with everyday tasks like getting about or finding objects, the therapy would help them to get better.

So, it is never too late, or patients are never too old to benefit from rehabilitation therapy.

The large scale of this study has provided answers to important questions.

We have found that there is no limit to the success of the treatment in terms of age, time since injury or gender.

This is extremely encouraging and we hope will be of benefit to the tens of thousands of people who live with blindness after brain injury.

The web-based NeuroEyeCoach program was designed to improve the speed and effectiveness of eye movements to better compensate for the patients visual field loss experienced as a result of damage suffered to the brain.

The research teams work was funded by NovaVision Inc. Findings from the study the largest of its kind have been published in the scientific journal Cortex.

Read the original:
Treatment for blindness successful in largest ever study led by Aberdeen researcher - Press and Journal

James Haddrell, artistic and executive director of Greenwich Theatre

It is often surprising how prescient the arts can be. Whether science fiction writers are predicting the kind of technological innovation that comes along decades later, or storytellers foretell societal changes, artists seem to get it right over and over again. In H G Wells The World Set Free the author not only predicted the invention of the atomic bomb he named it and explained how it would work. Aldous Huxley predicted the invention and mass use of antidepressants in Brave New World. Sixteen years ago a now famous episode of The Simpsons predicted that Donald Trump would become president of the United States. Orwells 1984 contains countless predictions from computer based speech transcription to facial recognition software all of which are coming true today.

Now, with new coronavirus diagnoses being announced every day, a theatre show developed in Athens three years ago and first presented in London in 2017 seems to have predicted the appearance of a global epidemic powerful enough to shut down whole towns around the world.

The White Plague, produced by Ferodo Bridges and coming to Greenwich Theatre in March, tells the story of a plague of blindness that infects a western city, with the illness passed rapidly from person to person until the authorities are forced to quarantine those affected in a hastily designated and wholly unsuitable containment facility. Set almost entirely inside the walls of the quarantine facility, the show takes the audacious step of providing the entire audience with specially designed, illuminated blindfolds, subjecting them to the same white blindness as the characters in the story. They can hear the action around them but not see it.

I wanted to create something that could be experienced without sight the shows director Alexander Raptotasios told me. Something that would instead enhance our other senses and make us question how much we judge things with our eyes.Our main concern was to keep the narrative clear for the audience and to use the sensory-interactive parts of the show to help the audience be immersed and use their own sense memory to unlock emotions.

The show starts outside of the theatre studio with the audience able to see, before blindness takes hold and they are led into the theatre.

They have to rely on a stranger to guide them to their seat, to offer them a blanket, food and water, to keep them safe, said Alexander. The show was made to cultivate the feelings of solidarity and community in the audience, and by the end of it we want everyone to feel a bond that is caused both by the story but also by the physical practicalities of the play. I want people to question how we see each other every day on the street, within institutions, families and as a country.

The show deals with complicated questions he concludes. We do not pretend to offer a lesson or an answer, but we want to create the right circumstances that will allow us and the audience to dissect our prejudices and to question the reasons we form factions and marginalise those different from us and hopefully to find the things that unite us.

The White Plague plays at Greenwich Theatre from 11-15 March 2020

Continued here:
Theatre's capacity to predict the future - London News Online

"Fashion is a great equaliser," she said. "When I put effort in and dress up, people see me as the trainer of my [guide] dog, rather than the person who needs the assistance. It puts me at an equal level with everyone else because people assume I am fully sighted."

Slowly, the barriers between fashion and blindness are breaking down.

American designer Tommy Hilfiger used his trip to Australia last November to announce a new accessible clothing range. And the Virgin Australia Melbourne Fashion Festival will include two events on this month's program that have been designed to include members of the low-vision community.

US designer Tommy Hilfiger is launching a line of accessible clothing.Credit:AAP

This week, Ms McPherson will model in a parade of Kangan Institute students' designs, wearing a jacket made in a partnership between the TAFE and Guide Dogs Victoria.

Sabrina Sekerovski, the graduate who made the lilac jacket, said she included many tactile elements, including faux fur, embroidery and buttons to enhance Ms McPherson's ability to enjoy elements of the jacket without necessarily being able to see them fully.

"It gets you thinking about what someone with vision impairment might need [from fashion]," she said. "For example, [Ms McPherson] said anything below knee length was difficult because she has a guide dog."

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Vision Australia's Vildana Prajak said the low-vision community often have disposable income but sometimes retailers put up too many barriers to encourage people with sight issues to spend with them.

"No one [in the fashion industry] is talking to us," says Ms Prajak, who has low vision resulting from a degenerative condition. "We are not considered an audience that corporations can tap into."

The other fashion festival event is a "spoken" runway, where guests can also take part in a "tactile tour" backstage to feel the garments before the show, to help them better experience what is on the catwalk.

"You don't often hear the word 'fashion' and 'disability' in the same sentence," Ms Prajak said. "The social inclusion at [the event's] core is challenging stereotypes. Its inviting people who have been traditionally excluded from fashion, which is so visual."

The Kangan TAFE parade is at the Melbourne Pavillion, Kensington, March 4, 6pm. The Spoken Runways, co-presented by Vision Australia, are on March 13 and 14, 7pm. Details vamff.com.au.

Melissa Singer is National Fashion Editor of The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.

See original here:
Is fashion still largely blind to people with vision impairment? - The Age

2 March 2020

A clinical trial using gene therapy for treating a common cause of genetic blindness published positive results in Nature Medicine.

Eighteen men with the genetic disorder X-linked retinitis pigmentosa were enrolled in a six-month clinical trial, seven of whomsaw improvements in their vision for the full duration of the trial.

X-linked retinitis pigmentosa is caused by mutations in the RPGR gene and is the most common cause of blindness in young people. Beginning in early childhood, this disease causes degeneration of photoreceptors in the eye leading to severe sight loss.

The success of a gene therapy in treating another retinal disorder (see BioNews 1036), led the team to believe X-linked retinitis pigmentosa patients could also benefit from a gene therapy approach.

The originalmethoduseda viralvectorto deliver a healthy copy of the mutated gene, effectively slowingdown the degeneration and maintainingthe sight of patients with the inherited retinal disorderLeber's Congenital Amaurosis (LCA) .

TheRPGR genepresented an additional challenge due to itscomplicated genetic code thatrendersit unstable and thus difficult to study. In order to apply the method, theteam led by Professor Robert MacLaren of Oxford University had to reprogram the RPGR gene to stabilise it.

In the trial, 18 patients with severe retinal degeneration were treated with increasing doses of the correct version of the RPGR gene.

After one month of treatment seven out of the 12 patients administered one of the top four doses of treatment began to show visual improvements, which lasted for the duration of the trial.

Professor MacLaren said: 'We are delighted with the early results of this clinical trial for a degenerative eye disease. It is becoming more apparent to us that novel genetic therapies, when working, lead to a clear improvement in neuronal function, which holds great hope for a variety of other degenerative conditions that have a genetic basis.'

The trial was not designed to test efficacy of the drug, as the researchers believe appropriate dosage will depend on the severity of degeneration inthepatient and the effects of the inflammation experienced.

The trial met its safety requirements and will now begin further testing comparing two doses of the vector therapy with a placebo.

Dr Byron Lam at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute at the University of Miami, who took part in the international multi-centre study, said: 'This gene therapy study offers hope for patients with this currently untreatable blinding disease.'

More:
Retinal gene therapy trial shows positive result - BioNews

If your eyesight is reasonable, can you see whats right in front of you?

What an odd question, you may think. But psychologists have discovered that although at some level we register what we look at, were not consciously aware of a lot of it.

American psychologists Arien Mack and Irvin Rock coined the term inattentional blindness in 1998 when they found 25-50 per cent of participants asked to look at visual displays failed to notice particular shapes if not asked to look for them specifically. This attracted the interest of psychologist Daniel Simons.

Simons and Christopher Chabris, then at Harvard, asked 192 undergraduates to watch a video clip of students dressed in black or white T-shirts passing a basketball to one another. Each participant was tasked with counting the number of passes made by players wearing either black or white. About two-thirds into the 75-second clip, an unexpected event took place: either a woman holding an opened umbrella or dressed in a gorilla suit strolled through the players. When asked afterwards, 46 per cent of the participants said they hadnt noticed anything unusual.

Next, Simons and Daniel Levin at Kent State asked someone to approach pedestrians on a college campus and ask for directions. After about 15 seconds, two other people carrying a large door walked between them. During that brief moment, the person asking for directions changed places with one of the two people carrying the door, so, when the pedestrian could once again see the person he was helping, that person had become someone different. Yet when questioned later, seven of the 15 again, nearly half the pedestrians failed to notice the switch.

Next, Ronald Resnick at the University of British Columbia asked observers to view a sequence of displays that alternated between an image of a scene say a market place and the same scene with one easily visible detail changed. A number of studies followed using this flicker paradigm and, time and time again, only about half the participants reported any difference although, when told where to direct their attention, most spotted the changes immediately. Using computer generated geometric patterns, Simons recently gave participants varying amounts of time to notice an unexpected object passing through patterns on their screens. Yet even when given more time, around half the participants still failed to see what was right before them.

These studies suggest that, unless we think about it, well see only what were looking for or are asked to look for, thereby merely reinforcing what we already know and expect.

This year, why not open yourself to new possibilities and keep your outlook fresh? Its easy to do and neednt take long.

Once a day for two minutes, stop your purposeful doing and become curious. Pick up an object you think you know well and study it, fully, without expectations or judgment. Youll be pleasantly surprised how this simple exercise will help you see more; not just objects around you, but possibilities and opportunities you may be missing.

View post:
How much do we really 'see', even with good eyesight - Telegraph.co.uk

Brunel University Londons Dr Victor Hernandez Hernandez has been awarded 220,191 from Great Ormond Street Hospital Childrens Charity and Sparks, the childrens medical research charity, to fund his research into the advancement of treatment for Bardet Biedl Syndrome, a rare genetic disorder that leads to blindness, learning disabilities and weight gain. There is currently no cure.

This is part of a 2.3 million investment into child health research projects across the UK led by the two charities - the largest annual charitable call dedicated to funding research into child health conditions, and announced to coincide with national Rare Disease Day on the 29 February.

Dr Victor Hernandez Hernandezs project will investigate whether gene therapy to both the eyes and the brain, could correct the genetic mistake that causes the condition, alleviating the most serious and life-changing symptoms in one go.

Dr. Victor Hernandez Hernandez, Lecturer at Brunel University London says, I am delighted to have received funding from GOSH Charity and Sparks which will enable us to further our research to help children with Bardet-Biedl Syndrome. Its fantastic to know that these charities are making such a large amount available for child health researchers across the UK to bid for each year.

Kiki Syrad, Director of Grants and Impact at GOSH Charity and Sparks charity, said: Year on year we are amazed by the quality and diversity of applications we receive from researchers across the UK, like Dr Victor Hernandez Hernandez and the life-changing potential their projects have.

The projects we have chosen to fund this year reflect the ambition of both GOSH Charity and Sparks to drive new tests and treatments from the lab bench to the patients bedside. Seriously ill children urgently need new options and our aim is to fund research projects that will ultimately help speed up the diagnosis of rare and complex conditions, or create a step-change in the treatment options available.

Of the 2.3 million investment, 182,926 has been pledged by thee condition-specific charities (the Norrie Disease Foundation, Dravet Syndrome UK, and the Myotubular Trust) to help co-fund research into these diseases. This injection of funds will provide a huge boost as paediatric research is severely underfunded, receiving only five per cent of public and charitable research funding in the UK each year1.

Other projects to receive funding include research that aims to unravel the drivers of aggressive childhood brain tumours; the UK arm of a clinical trial to assess whether a breast cancer drug could help children with a rare and debilitating muscle disorder; and the development of an implantable and removable liver patch that could hold the key to reducing toxic chemical levels in the blood of children with a rare metabolic conditions,

The commitment to paediatric research funding reflects GOSH Charity and Sparks ambitions to help unlock breakthroughs in childrens medicines that will find treatments and cures for seriously ill children with rare and complex conditions.

Original post:
2.3M cash injection for child health research by leading children's charities - including Uxbridge based project - Brunel University News

Diabetes mellitus, commonly known as diabetes, is a metabolic disease that causes high blood sugar. The hormone insulin moves sugar from the blood into your cells to be stored or used for energy. With diabetes, your body either doesnt make enough insulin or cant effectively use the insulin it does make.

Untreated high blood sugar from diabetes can damage your nerves, eyes, kidneys, and other organs.

There are a few different types of diabetes:

A rare condition called diabetes insipidus is not related to diabetes mellitus, although it has a similar name. Its a different condition in which your kidneys remove too much fluid from your body.

Each type of diabetes has unique symptoms, causes, and treatments. Learn more about how these types differ from one another.

Diabetes symptoms are caused by rising blood sugar.

The general symptoms of diabetes include:

In addition to the general symptoms of diabetes, men with diabetes may have a decreased sex drive, erectile dysfunction (ED), and poor muscle strength.

Women with diabetes can also have symptoms such as urinary tract infections, yeast infections, and dry, itchy skin.

Symptoms of type 1 diabetes can include:

It may also result in mood changes.

Symptoms of type 2 diabetes can include:

It may also cause recurring infections. This is because elevated glucose levels make it harder for the body to heal.

Most women with gestational diabetes dont have any symptoms. The condition is often detected during a routine blood sugar test or oral glucose tolerance test that is usually performed between the 24th and 28th weeks of gestation.

In rare cases, a woman with gestational diabetes will also experience increased thirst or urination.

Diabetes symptoms can be so mild that theyre hard to spot at first. Learn which signs should prompt a trip to the doctor.

Different causes are associated with each type of diabetes.

Doctors dont know exactly what causes type 1 diabetes. For some reason, the immune system mistakenly attacks and destroys insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas.

Genes may play a role in some people. Its also possible that a virus sets off the immune system attack.

Type 2 diabetes stems from a combination of genetics and lifestyle factors. Being overweight or obese increases your risk too. Carrying extra weight, especially in your belly, makes your cells more resistant to the effects of insulin on your blood sugar.

This condition runs in families. Family members share genes that make them more likely to get type 2 diabetes and to be overweight.

Gestational diabetes is the result of hormonal changes during pregnancy. The placenta produces hormones that make a pregnant womans cells less sensitive to the effects of insulin. This can cause high blood sugar during pregnancy.

Women who are overweight when they get pregnant or who gain too much weight during their pregnancy are more likely to get gestational diabetes.

Both genes and environmental factors play a role in triggering diabetes. Get more information here on the causes of diabetes.

Certain factors increase your risk for diabetes.

Youre more likely to get type 1 diabetes if youre a child or teenager, you have a parent or sibling with the condition, or you carry certain genes that are linked to the disease.

Your risk for type 2 diabetes increases if you:

Your risk for gestational diabetes increases if you:

Your family, environment, and preexisting medical conditions can all affect your odds of developing diabetes. Find out which risks you can control and which ones you cant.

High blood sugar damages organs and tissues throughout your body. The higher your blood sugar is and the longer you live with it, the greater your risk for complications.

Complications associated with diabetes include:

Uncontrolled gestational diabetes can lead to problems that affect both the mother and baby. Complications affecting the baby can include:

The mother can develop complications such as high blood pressure (preeclampsia) or type 2 diabetes. She may also require cesarean delivery, commonly referred to as a C-section.

The mothers risk of gestational diabetes in future pregnancies also increases.

Diabetes can lead to serious medical complications, but you can manage the condition with medications and lifestyle changes. Avoid the most common diabetes complications with these helpful tips.

Doctors treat diabetes with a few different medications. Some of these drugs are taken by mouth, while others are available as injections.

Insulin is the main treatment for type 1 diabetes. It replaces the hormone your body isnt able to produce.

There are four types of insulin that are most commonly used. Theyre differentiated by how quickly they start to work, and how long their effects last:

Diet and exercise can help some people manage type 2 diabetes. If lifestyle changes arent enough to lower your blood sugar, youll need to take medication.

These drugs lower your blood sugar in a variety of ways:

You may need to take more than one of these drugs. Some people with type 2 diabetes also take insulin.

Youll need to monitor your blood sugar level several times a day during pregnancy. If its high, dietary changes and exercise may or may not be enough to bring it down.

According to the Mayo Clinic, about 10 to 20 percent of women with gestational diabetes will need insulin to lower their blood sugar. Insulin is safe for the growing baby.

The drug or combination of drugs that your doctor prescribes will depend on the type of diabetes you have and its cause. Check out this list of the various medications that are available to treat diabetes.

Healthy eating is a central part of managing diabetes. In some cases, changing your diet may be enough to control the disease.

Your blood sugar level rises or falls based on the types of foods you eat. Starchy or sugary foods make blood sugar levels rise rapidly. Protein and fat cause more gradual increases.

Your medical team may recommend that you limit the amount of carbohydrates you eat each day. Youll also need to balance your carb intake with your insulin doses.

Work with a dietitian who can help you design a diabetes meal plan. Getting the right balance of protein, fat, and carbs can help you control your blood sugar. Check out this guide to starting a type 1 diabetes diet.

Eating the right types of foods can both control your blood sugar and help you lose any excess weight.

Carb counting is an important part of eating for type 2 diabetes. A dietitian can help you figure out how many grams of carbohydrates to eat at each meal.

In order to keep your blood sugar levels steady, try to eat small meals throughout the day. Emphasize healthy foods such as:

Certain other foods can undermine efforts to keep your blood sugar in control.Discover the foods you should avoid if you have diabetes.

Eating a well-balanced diet is important for both you and your baby during these nine months. Making the right food choices can also help you avoid diabetes medications.

Watch your portion sizes, and limit sugary or salty foods. Although you need some sugar to feed your growing baby, you should avoid eating too much.

Consider making an eating plan with the help of a dietitian or nutritionist. Theyll ensure that your diet has the right mix of macronutrients. Go here for other do's and don'ts for healthy eating with gestational diabetes.

Anyone who has symptoms of diabetes or is at risk for the disease should be tested. Women are routinely tested for gestational diabetes during their second or third trimesters of pregnancy.

Doctors use these blood tests to diagnose prediabetes and diabetes:

To diagnose gestational diabetes, your doctor will test your blood sugar levels between the 24th and 28th weeks of your pregnancy.

The earlier you get diagnosed with diabetes, the sooner you can start treatment. Find out whether you should get tested, and get more information on tests your doctor might perform.

Type 1 diabetes isnt preventable because its caused by a problem with the immune system. Some causes of type 2 diabetes, such as your genes or age, arent under your control either.

Yet many other diabetes risk factors are controllable. Most diabetes prevention strategies involve making simple adjustments to your diet and fitness routine.

If youve been diagnosed with prediabetes, here are a few things you can do to delay or prevent type 2 diabetes:

These arent the only ways to prevent diabetes. Discover more strategies that may help you avoid this chronic disease.

Women whove never had diabetes can suddenly develop gestational diabetes in pregnancy. Hormones produced by the placenta can make your body more resistant to the effects of insulin.

Some women who had diabetes before they conceived carry it with them into pregnancy. This is called pre-gestational diabetes.

Gestational diabetes should go away after you deliver, but it does significantly increase your risk for getting diabetes later.

About half of women with gestational diabetes will develop type 2 diabetes within 5 to 10 years of delivery, according to the International Diabetes Federation (IDF).

Having diabetes during your pregnancy can also lead to complications for your newborn, such as jaundice or breathing problems.

If youre diagnosed with pre-gestational or gestational diabetes, youll need special monitoring to prevent complications. Find out more about the effect of diabetes on pregnancy.

Children can get both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Controlling blood sugar is especially important in young people, because the disease can damage important organs such as the heart and kidneys.

The autoimmune form of diabetes often starts in childhood. One of the main symptoms is increased urination. Kids with type 1 diabetes may start wetting the bed after theyve been toilet trained.

Extreme thirst, fatigue, and hunger are also signs of the condition. Its important that children with type 1 diabetes get treated right away. The disease can cause high blood sugar and dehydration, which can be medical emergencies.

Type 1 diabetes used to be called juvenile diabetes because type 2 was so rare in children. Now that more children are overweight or obese, type 2 diabetes is becoming more common in this age group.

About 40 percent of children with type 2 diabetes dont have symptoms, according to the Mayo Clinic. The disease is often diagnosed during a physical exam.

Untreated type 2 diabetes can cause lifelong complications, including heart disease, kidney disease, and blindness. Healthy eating and exercise can help your child manage their blood sugar and prevent these problems.

Type 2 diabetes is more prevalent than ever in young people. Learn how to spot the signs so you can report them to your childs doctor.

Some types of diabetes like type 1 are caused by factors that are out of your control. Others like type 2 can be prevented with better food choices, increased activity, and weight loss.

Discuss potential diabetes risks with your doctor. If youre at risk, have your blood sugar tested and follow your doctors advice for managing your blood sugar.

Visit link:
Diabetes: Symptoms, Causes, Treatment, Prevention, and More

Heres a look into the next generation of low-calorie sugar alternatives and continuous glucose ... [+] monitoring systems set to change the outlook for health in the U.S. and worldwide.

By 2030, almost 400,000 Americans a year will die of diabetes - many of them unnecessarily. Synthetic biology companies are working hard to ensure thats not the case. Heres a look into the next generation of continuous glucose monitoring systems and low-calorie sugar alternatives set to change the outlook for health in the U.S. and worldwide.

Diabetes is a health crisis on the rise with no signs of slowing down any time soon. By 2030, 54.9 million Americans are predicted to have either Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes, which could mean almost 400,000 deaths annually. Many of these deaths are entirely preventable, with lifestyle factors such as body weight being a huge contributing factor in developing Type 2 diabetes.

Sugar is a major villain in the story. The high calorie, high kick sweetness that pervades our fast food and fizzy beverageseven sneaking into products that youd never expect. Thought that granola for breakfast was a healthy option? Think again. It can be laden with sugar, up to 18 grams (thats more than five teaspoons) per half-cup serving.

Surprise: A single tablespoon of ketchup has almost 4 grams of sugar.

We dont know for sure all the mechanisms behind how we develop Type 2 diabetes, but we do know that the global prevalence has doubled since 1980 - and lifestyle is largely to blame. Thats where biohackers and synthetic biology companies are stepping in.

Biohacking also known as DIY biology is a broad term that refers to people doing science outside of the usual academic and industrial settings. It can cover anything from exploring biological engineering through glowing yeast cells to experimenting on ones own body with the hope of boosting physical and cognitive performance (the latter of which I do not recommend).

Always forward thinking, biohackers are taking things into their own hands, attempting to head off disaster before it arrives at their front doors. A favorite tool is continuous glucose monitoring (CGM), a much preferable alternative to finger pricking thats normally used by those with diabetes. Unlike finger pricking, it also provides continuous read-outs of blood glucose levels rather than single point-in-time readings, providing people a better understanding of how their body responds to food, exercise, or stress, and enabling them to catch dangerous drops in blood sugar before they happen.

Biohacker Ella Mihov wrote on her Medium blog that most people in developed countries would benefit from the occasional insights of CGM, to see how your average diet and lifestyle is impacting your metabolism, and as a way to thwart progression toward chronic metabolic disease like obesity and diabetes.

Mihov is far from alone in this pursuit. The internet is teeming with examples rich in information for anyone wanting to hack and track their blood glucose levels. In combination with innovations such as Eran Segals groundbreaking microbiome-based method, which uses metrics on an individuals gut microbiota, blood glucose levels, and other physiological parameters to give users diet plans that avoid sugar spikes, such information really could help reduce the huge numbers of people who present with Type 2 diabetes in the long run.

Yet, even with enthusiastic adoption, the reality for Type 2 diabetics is that current CGM solutions cause pain and discomfort after repeated use, as well as posing an infection risk, according to a recent review of the current options.

In fact, the authors suggest that a genuinely non-invasive device for glucose measurement would represent a life-changing factor for millions of patients around the world. Due to a lack of sensitivity of truly non-invasive options, the field is open to many possibilities.

Enter Carbometrics, a specialist chemistry company set up after the Bristol-based team sold university spin-out Ziylo in a deal that could be worth hundreds of millions of pounds, which is at the forefront of an incredibly disruptive new blood glucose-sensing solution: a tiny, glucose-sensing molecule that will minimize the size of an implant while providing accurate monitoring.

As Andy Chapman, CEO of Carbometrics, tells me, weve developed a synthetic molecule that binds glucose with unprecedented selectivity. With some clever design work, we can build versions of this molecule to determine blood glucose concentration. Were really keen to get it out there as a minimally invasive, longer lasting and cheaper solution for blood glucose sensing.

The realization of this technology would represent a breakthrough in developing that next generation of CGM the world is crying out for. The current options work for a matter of days, perhaps weeks. Carbometrics propose something much longer-lasting, which could perhaps self-dissolve like stitches - exciting news for diabetics and biohackers alike.

The company is also excited about taking on what is labelled the holy grail when it comes to diabetes: glucose-responsive insulin. This cutting edge idea in insulin therapy hopes to reduce the very real risk of hypoglycemia, improve overall blood glucose control, and require fewer injections.

Were trying to use our molecule to make a dimmer switch for insulin that is controlled by blood glucose level, says Chapman. The net result would be a substantial buffering of insulins potency, which would allow the patient to achieve better blood glucose control with a reduced risk of hypoglycemia. Its a massively complicated task, but we have the machinery and the concept.

Interestingly, as far as we know, sugar itself doesnt appear to directly cause Type 2 diabetes. But a diet high in added sugar does appear to increase your risk of developing the disease, as a number of studies indicate that have looked at the effect of sugary soda beverages.

So what about cutting out sugar from your diet and replacing it with alternatives? Youd better hope theyre the right alternatives.

Artificial sweeteners have been associated with the very same negative effects of sugar: obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease. Research suggests that this could be due to changes in the gut microbiotathe microorganisms that live in your gastrointestinal tract, digesting fiber, producing vitamins, and warding off pathogens.

Stevia is a naturally sweet substitute for sugar, but can synthetic biology make it less bitter?

Stevia is a natural alternative, which research in mice suggests could even help prevent Type 2 diabetes in the first place, through action on a protein that is important both in taste perception and in releasing insulin after a meal.

Stevia is super sweet but unfortunately has a bitter aftertaste. Some synthetic biology companies are tackling this problem. Conagen, who after breaking stevia down into its different components are finding solutions that are much sweeter, such as their commercial product BESTEVIA. Amyris late last year launched a similar product, PURECANE, which CEO John Melo says brings the sweet out of sugarcane without the calories. And the protein and enzyme experts at Codexis have partnered with Tate & Lyle to use a breakthrough enzyme cascade system to achieve better-tasting stevia in TASTEVA M Stevia Sweetener.

The collaboration to develop jointly the breakthrough TASTEVA M process is the second successful food and beverage ingredient process innovation partnership between Tate & Lyle and Codexis, said John Nicols, Codexis President and Chief Executive Officer. Each of those projects rapidly progressed from concept to commercializable process and, in fact, partnering on the TASTEVA M process was initiated just over two years ago (link). We expect over time that our enzymes for TASTEVA M will become among our leading revenue-producing products in our Performance Enzyme portfolio.

Where Conagen, Codexis, and Amyris are improving Stevia, other companies are exploring yet more options. ARCITEKBio is a UK-based spin out of Aberystwyth University producing Xylitolanother natural sweetener with a $1.4 billion marketthrough converting agricultural waste such as wheat straw and wood pulp in an entirely renewable process.

Where even natural sweeteners struggle, however, is maintaining the structural integrity of solid foods such as cakes and pastries, which are another major source of high dietary sugar intake. STEM! Sugar, therefore, is working on ways to tackle that particular problem by developing alternatives to sugar that provide the functionality without the calories.

The sugar problem is not necessarily a problem of excess sugar but using the wrong type of sugars. Our ingredients are indeed sugars, but theyre a different type of sugars to those you squeeze out of a cane or beet plant. Our sugars are fiber-derived sugars, CEO Tom Simmons explains. They behave like sugars in food but work in the body like fiber - so without the negative health effects typically associated with sugar.

Even cakes, quite soon, might be an entirely guilt-free pleasure.

Whether youre a health conscious biohacker trying to prevent Type 2 diabetes or a patient living with the realities of having to monitor and control your blood sugar levels, these synthetic biology solutions point towards a much better prognosis.

With an increased acceptance of the deliciously sweet, zero-calorie alternatives already pervading the market, it will be interesting to see whether those predictions of 54.9 million Americans presenting with diabetes in ten years time will be diminished as we enter into a healthier, sugar-free future.

Follow me on twitter at @johncumbers and @synbiobeta. Subscribe to my weekly newsletters in synthetic biology and space settlement.

Thank you to Peter Bickerton for additional research and reporting in this article. Im the founder of SynBioBeta, and some of the companies that I write aboutincluding Conagen and Codexisare sponsors of the SynBioBeta conference and weekly digest heres the full list of SynBioBeta sponsors. Im also a partner at DCVC, which has invested in STEM!

Follow this link:
Meet The Companies Waging War On Sugar And Diabetes - With Synthetic Biology - Forbes

Individuals who want to learn how to better manage diabetes are invited to participate in a course offered by Penn State Extension on March 26 from 12:30 to 3 p.m. and April 2, 9, and 16 from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m.

There will be a follow-up class on June 25.

The workshops are held at the YMCA of Indiana County, 60 N. Ben Franklin Road.

Dining with Diabetes is a nationally accredited diabetes education program that is geared toward anyone who has type 2 diabetes or pre-diabetes, has a family member with type 2 diabetes or is at risk for developing diabetes. Trained extension educators, in consultation with registered dietitians and diabetes educators, lead the discussions.

Each class offers information on healthy food and physical activity choices, food demonstrations and tasting, and guidance on important numbers to know for managing diabetes.

In addition to program-related booklets, participants will receive the Dining with Diabetes cookbook and have the option of having their A1C tested at the first and follow-up classes.

A1C is a nonfasting blood test obtained by a finger stick. Results show a three-month average blood glucose level.

Continued here:
Dining with diabetes class to be offered | News - Indiana Gazette

Each month, local health care professionals answer your questions. This month, Katie Rhew, a family nurse practitioner at Mercy Health Physician Partners North Ottawa Family Medicine, answers your questions about diabetes.

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What is diabetes? | Health Care - Grand Haven Tribune

HARTFORD Im into Hot Wheels, coin collecting and advocating, says Logan Merwin, noting that advocating might be an unusual hobby for a 13-year-old but it comes naturally to him. I figured out that Im actually not half bad at public speaking.

The teen recently spoke out at a public hearing at the Legislative Office Building to enact change. A proposed bill aims to make diabetes treatment and care more affordable. Our interview occurred after what Logan calls a bad night.

My blood sugar was like a roller coaster, he says. Every hour we were waking up to a different alarm, needing to treat it.

Diabetes is a very time-consuming disease for the parents and for the kid, adds Logans mom, Samantha who says her sons type 1 diabetes diagnosis at 17 months old was life-changing. Most years, the family has spent between $5,000 and $9,000 dollars, out of pocket, on necessary equipment and medication.

He has no choice but to take insulin, she says. Without insulin, he dies. Insulin is like our water..we dont save for college. We save for his medical expenses when hes going to be in his twenties.

But, they believe this move to put price caps in insulin and supplies will make a huge difference. Through the legislative process, the teenager has learned a valuable lesson.

Kids have a voice, we can change things if we want to, dont ever underestimate us, Logan says. In fact, hes always achieving running races to raise money for the cause, looking to change the landscape for himself and others.

He feels like diabetes pushes him further in life and Im confident that thats true, says Samantha.

I never let it stop me, adds Logan.

The bill has a lot of bipartisan support and the Merwins are hopeful it will get passed before the end of the legislative session.

Go here to read the rest:
Haddam boy with type 1 diabetes is passionate advocate for price caps on insulin and supplies - WTNH.com