StemCell Therapy

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Patients with severe and end-stage heart failure have few treatment options available to them apart from transplants and miraculous stem cell therapy. But a new Tel Aviv University study has found that stem cell therapy may in fact harm patients with heart disease.

The research, led by Prof. Jonathan Leor of TAUs Sackler Faculty of Medicine and Sheba Medical Center and conducted by TAUs Dr. Nili Naftali-Shani, explores the current practice of using cells from the host patient to repair tissue and contends that this can prove deleterious or toxic for patients. The study was recently published in the journal Circulation.

We found that, contrary to popular belief, tissue stem cells derived from sick hearts do not contribute to heart healing after injury, said Prof. Leor. Furthermore, we found that these cells are affected by the inflammatory environment and develop inflammatory properties. The affected stem cells may even exacerbate damage to the already diseased heart muscle.

Tissue or adult stem cells blank cells that can act as a repair kit for the body by replacing damaged tissue encourage the regeneration of blood vessel cells and new heart muscle tissue. Faced with a worse survival rate than many cancers, a number of patients with heart failure have turned to stem cell therapy as a last resort.

But our findings suggest that stem cells, like any drug, can have adverse effects, said Prof. Leor. We concluded that stem cells used in cardiac therapy should be drawn from healthy donors or be better genetically engineered for the patient.

Hope for improved cardiac stem cell therapy

In addition, the researchers also discovered the molecular pathway involved in the negative interaction between stem cells and the immune system as they isolated stem cells in mouse models of heart disease. After exploring the molecular pathway in mice, the researchers focused on cardiac stem cells in patients with heart disease.

The results could help improve the use of autologous stem cells those drawn from the patients themselves in cardiac therapy, Prof. Leor said.

We showed that the deletion of the gene responsible for this pathway can restore the original therapeutic function of the cells, said Prof. Leor. Our findings determine the potential negative effects of inflammation on stem cell function as theyre currently used. The use of autologous stem cells from patients with heart disease should be modified. Only stem cells from healthy donors or genetically engineered cells should be used in treating cardiac conditions.

The researchers are currently testing a gene editing technique (CRISPER) to inhibit the gene responsible for the negative inflammatory properties of the cardiac stem cells of heart disease patients. We hope our engineered stem cells will be resistant to the negative effects of the immune system, said Prof. Leor.

Meanwhile, for those unable to profit from stem cell therapy, researchers at Ben Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) have developed a revolutionary new drug that may reverse the damage and repair the diseased heart.

The newly developed drug is a polymer which reduces the inflammation in cardiovascular tissue and stops plaque build-up in arteries. Then it goes one step further and removes existing plaque in the heart, leaving healthy tissue behind.

Professor Ayelet David, a researcher at BGU revealed the drug might also help people suffering from diabetes, hypertension and other conditions associated with old age.

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Israeli Scientists: Stem Cell Therapy Not Good for All Heart ... - The Jewish Press - JewishPress.com

Julia Brennan grew up in a family of nearsighted people so nearsighted that they joked they were blind as bats. She, however, had perfect eyesight.

"Julia can see around corners," her mother would say.

Today, Brennan is a textile conservationist in Washington, D.C, and her work involves everything from fixing tiny holes in antique christening dresses to delicately stitching tears in the Brooks Brothers coat President Lincoln had with him the night he was shot.

While her sharp eyesight is essential to her work, it was not something she thought about consciously when choosing her field. "I simply used it in one of the best professions possible," she says.

Now, a small study published this week out of the University of California, Berkeley backs up what Brennan has experienced throughout her career: Dressmakers may have superior stereoscopic vision. That's the ability to accurately perceive depth and distance between objects to see in 3-D.

Adrien Chopin, a postdoctoral researcher in visual neuroscience, made the discovery as he was testing the stereoscopic vision of about three dozen people, 13 of them dressmakers. We all use stereoscopic vision when we throw a ball to someone, grab a pencil or park a car, but Chopin noticed that some individuals have much better stereoscopic vision than others.

The testing was part of ongoing research aimed at finding ways to improve stereoscopic vision through computer games, some using virtual reality.

Chopin found that among the people in his study, dressmakers who spend a lot of time sewing by hand outperformed the study participants from other professions. The results intrigued him, given that prior studies of surgeons and dentists, who also do fine manual work, did not turn up similar results.

In fact, Chopin says, dressmakers are the only group of professionals he and his colleagues have found so far who seem to have enhanced stereoscopic vision.

Is it the endless hours of delicate, manual work that hones dressmakers' stereoscopic skills, or does the field naturally attract individuals with superior eyesight?

Chopin says further study is needed to be certain. But the findings have led him to believe there might be something unusual in the way dressmakers interact with the world.

"It's very fine manual tasks at close range, with direct feedback," he says. "If you misplace the needle just a little, you get pain. That's direct feedback on your vision."

He hopes his research might eventually help people who are stereo-impaired.

Dr. Rebecca Taylor, a Nashville ophthalmologist and the clinical spokeswoman for the American Academy of Ophthalmology, says about 10 percent of the population lacks depth perception, and one cause is poor vision in one eye. She cautions that this is not always correctable and says some problems such as amblyopia, or lazy eye, should be corrected in childhood.

Still, she thinks further study is worthwhile, given how much we use stereo vision in our daily lives. "The more information that we have about depth perception, the better we can be set up to help people who struggle with it," Taylor says.

Of course, good stereoscopic vision will only take you so far. More than 30 years into her career in textile restoration, Brennan says she now needs strong reading glasses and a good source of light to do her best work.

"I often defer to my 20- or 30-year-old colleagues to double-check a stitch or detail now," she says.

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Research Finds Dressmakers Have Good Eyes, And Not Just For Style - KRCC

An aging population and the growing prevalence of vision-threatening diseases like diabetes are fueling a rise in the number of Americans who are either blind or visually impaired. (Lars Christnsen/Dreamstime/TNS)

Ask Americans to name the ailment they fear most, and blindness ranks at the top, along with Alzheimers and cancer, according to a recent survey by the Wilmer Eye Institute at Johns Hopkins University.

And yet each year, 50,000 Americans go blind, nearly half from eye diseases that are treatable or preventable.

Whats worse, the number of Americans who are either blind or visually impaired is expected to double by 2050, most of it driven by an aging population and the growing number of people with chronic conditions that can cause vision loss, such as diabetes, says James Jorkasky, executive director of the National Alliance for Eye and Vision Research.

The challenge for vision experts is to make Americans aware of the things they can do to protect their eyesight, including getting a regular eye exam. Only half of the estimated 61 million Americans at high risk of losing their eyesight had an eye exam in the past 12 months partly due to a lack of insurance coverage for preventive eye care and glasses, noted a National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine report last fall, but also because many eye diseases dont show symptoms in the early stages, so people dont realize they have a problem.

Doctors, too, may need to step up their game. A new study in the journal JAMA Ophthalmology found that in one of four cases, trained eye professionals missed the early, more treatable signs of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) an irreversible loss of vision that affects 14 million Americans.

But there is some good news for those already diagnosed with eye disease, including new treatments and cutting edge research that could bring hope to millions in the near future. There are also simple changes everyone can do to greatly reduce their risk of eye disease.

Heres what you need to know:

Glaucoma is caused by a buildup of damaging pressure within the eye and requires a daily dose of medicated eye drops to hold the disease at bay. Unfortunately, getting patients to follow that regimen daily for years is difficult, says Dr. Andrew Iwach, board chairman for the Glaucoma Research Foundation. Instead, clinical trials have started testing a thin polymer ring to be worn in the eye that would slowly release medication throughout the day.

Using stem cells to regenerate healthy cells in disease-damaged eyes is the holy grail for researchers. This is especially true for incurable conditions that damage the retina, the layer of light-sensitive cells at the back of the eye.

Earlier this year, a Japanese man became the first person to receive retinal stem cells created from donated skin cells to stop his macular degeneration from getting worse.

The Argus II, a bionic retina approved by the Food and Drug Administration, is now being used by more than 100 people with retinitis pigmentosa and other related conditions. It also recently was implanted in the first person with macular degeneration.

This bionic eye uses a tiny camera attached to glasses that sends visual data to a microchip implanted in the eye, which then sends light signals to the brain.

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How to protect yourself against vision loss, a growing problem - Waterbury Republican American

A compound found in broccoli improves diabetic outcomes to an extent that rivals the go-to drug treatment, according to a new study. Photo by Flickr user LID/Jonas Ingold.

Pills, pills, pills. It seems every ailment from headaches to high blood pressure needs them. But, what if you could swap the medication for vegetables?

An international group of researchers envision such a future for type-2 diabetics based on new results published Wednesday in the journal Science Translational Medicine. Their findings show how a compound found in broccoli improves diabetic outcomes to an extent that rivals the go-to drug treatment, with fewer severe side effects.

To many patients, it might be more attractive to take a broccoli shot or drink than having to take another pill, said Anders Rosengren, at the University of Gothenburg in Sweden and the studys senior author.

Diabetes afflicts more than 400 million people worldwide, four times as many people as in 1980. Part of the problem is the disease can progress unnoticed for years, even decades, until severe complications like compromised kidney function arise.

Its why we need to be so active with this disease so we have the proper treatment at early stages, Rosengren said.

Their project wants to find an alternative for metformin, a gold-standard drug that tackles a hallmark of diabetes: runaway production of glucose in the liver. Insulin normally keeps glucose on a tight leash, but becomes dysregulated in diabetes. Although metformin works well, it has a few problems.

One problem is that it cannot be taken by people with poor kidney function, Rosengren said, yet poor kidney function is one of the most common complications of type-2 diabetes. And metformin can cause side effects including stomach pain, bloating and diarrhea in some patients.

Diabetes is not attributable to one gene, but rather a collection. So Rosengren and his colleagues wanted a drug that could modify a network of diabetes-related genes. A preliminary test, associating a set of 50 liver genes involved in type-2 diabetes and 3,800 drugs, landed on a compound called sulforaphane. Sulforaphane is found in cruciferous vegetables, like broccoli, and has improved insulin responses in diabetic rats in previous studies.

To determine if sulforaphane modifies blood sugar levels, the researchers completed a series of investigations before conducting a human trial.

Early tests showed that sulforaphane could prevent glucose overproduction in liver cells grown in petri dishes. Next, the team tried their luck in rodent models of diabetes. There, they found sulforaphane both prevented the development of glucose intolerance, a hallmark of diabetes, and lowered blood glucose levels as much as metformin did.

Emboldened by these positive results, the researchers recruited 97 type-2 diabetics from Sweden to take daily doses of sulforaphane in the form of a highly concentrated, liquid broccoli sprout extract or a placebo for 12 weeks.

Only the patients who took broccoli extract showed a clear reduction in blood sugar levels.The broccoli extract was most effective for overweight patients with unmanaged type-2 diabetes. Plus, no patients on the broccoli regimen reported severe or lasting side effects during the three-month study.

Alongside the other lifestyle things like physical activity and not eating a whole lot of refined sugars, this could be a promising therapy, said Chris DAdamo, an epidemiologist and healthy lifestyle expert at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, who was not involved in the study. It needs to be replicated, [but] I was positively surprised by the degree of efficacy that it showed and the lack of noticeable side effects.

But before you rush to the grocery store, know that the amount of sulforaphane taken by the patients was approximately 100 times that found naturally in broccoli or the equivalent of consuming 11 pounds of broccoli per day.

Rosengren is encouraged by the results, but advises that people should wait for drug regulators to approve broccoli sprout extract for type-2 diabetes before they rush to try the treatment.

It has the potential to become an important complement to existing treatment options for type-2 diabetes, Rosengren said.

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Tired of taking pills for diabetes? How about a shot of broccoli? - PBS NewsHour

Ten-year-old Sherborn resident Jillian Tierney was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in August 2016; when faced with the decision of which charitable organization she would highlight for her fifth-grade Citizenship Project, Tierney chose Joslin Diabetes Center, where she receives her care from Dr. Anat Hanono.

Ten-year-old Sherborn resident Jillian Tierney was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in August 2016; when faced with the decision of which charitable organization she would highlight for her fifth-grade Citizenship Project, Tierney chose Joslin Diabetes Center, where she receives her care from Dr. Anat Hanono.

Dr. Peter Amenta, president and CEO of Joslin Diabetes Center, joined Jillian and her family at Pine Hill Elementary School for the fifth-grade expo on June 7, where she debuted her project. Tierney showed Amenta her diabetes kit and demonstrated how she uses her glucose monitor, answered questions on the importance of counting carbs, and offered up information and statistics on diabetes for the parents and friends in attendance.

Joslins pediatrics department encourages and allows for young patients to continue pursuing their goals and participating in normal activities as part of learning to incorporate diabetes into their everyday life, and Tierney does not let her recent diagnosis slow her down. She plays soccer, recently finished a spring production of Mulan at a local theater company and will attend coastal ecology camp and a diabetes camp this summer.

For more information, visit http://www.joslin.org.

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Sherborn's Jillian Tierney shows how she deals with diabetes - Wicked Local Tewksbury

By Reuters By Reuters June 17 at 11:00 AM

Properly treating a common sleep-related breathing disorder may have benefits for the heart and for blood sugar, a new study suggests.

If people with obstructive sleep apnea dont use machines at night to help keep the airway open, measures of their heart health and blood sugar worsen, researchers found.

One of the long-standing debates in our field is whether sleep apnea causes heart issues and problems with blood sugar or if theyre just associated, said the studys senior author, Jonathan Jun of Johns Hopkins University.

In obstructive sleep apnea, the airway intermittently collapses or becomes blocked during sleep. The blocked airway causes pauses in breathing. Some people address this by using CPAP continuous positive airway pressure machines at night to keep the airway open.

In the past, researchers have tried to directly link sleep apnea with heart health and blood sugar by comparing patients instructed to use CPAP devices with patients instructed to sleep without these machines. But one of the major issues with those studies is that people may not actually use the CPAP machine, Jun said by phone.

For the new study, the researchers recruited 31 people with moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea who were known to regularly use CPAP machines.

The participants slept two nights in a lab, using their CPAP device on only one of the nights. The researchers obtained blood samples while participants slept.

We are looking at real-time changes, Jun said. Were getting blood every 20 minutes.

As reported in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, on the night without CPAP, patients obstructive sleep apnea returned. On those nights, the participants had low levels of oxygen in their blood, poor sleep and an increased heart rate.

Additionally, their blood samples showed increases in fatty acids, sugar and the stress hormone cortisol.

The researchers also saw increases in blood pressure and arterial stiffness, which has been linked with a risk for heart problems.

These were obese patients and patients with relatively severe sleep apnea. They also had other medical problems, Jun pointed out. People who fit that description may be experiencing the same changes if they sleep without using a CPAP machine, he said.

Glucose and fatty acids rose in the overall group without the CPAP machines, but participants with diabetes may be more vulnerable to the glucose elevation, Jun warned.

He said the study cant say what would happen to people with milder sleep apnea.

Because obesity has been tied to an increased risk of sleep apnea, it has been difficult to know whether its sleep apnea or obesity that is causing those problems, Jun noted.

The new study, he said, advances that idea that other conditions and not obesity itself are drivers of those levels.

Read more

Exercise can improve the symptoms of sleep apnea

Snoring may be benign, or it may be a sign of a serious problem

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Untreated sleep apnea may worsen markers of heart health and ... - Washington Post

KTNV Las Vegas

'Animal House' actor Stephen Furst dies from diabetes complications KTNV Las Vegas Stephen Furst, the actor who played the hapless, beanie-wearing frat boy Flounder in the 1978 movie "Animal House," has died at age 63, his son, Nathan Furst, told CNN on Saturday. "It was from complications from diabetes," Nathan Furst said. "Over the ... Stephen Furst has died at the age 63 after a long battle with diabetesNEWS.com.au Stephen Furst dead at 63 after Animal House actor passes away due to complications with diabetesMirror.co.uk Stephen Furst, Flounder in 'Animal House,' dies at 63Minneapolis Star Tribune all 43 news articles »

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'Animal House' actor Stephen Furst dies from diabetes complications - KTNV Las Vegas

Being blind hasnt stopped Alfred Ho from becoming a singer and a live performer. Regular commuters who pass through the LRT Concourse at KLCC in Kuala Lumpur know him as the blind busker who serenades themwith songs by Elvis Presley, Cliff Richard and Pat Boone.

My main forte is the oldies, says Ho, though he also has Chinese, Thai, Japanese and Spanish tunes in his repertoire.

Ho, now 68, lost his eyesight when he was three years old after he contracted measles. He went to St Nicholas School For The Blind in Penang and received vocational training to be a phone operator. But difficulty in finding a job led him to a life in music instead.

Someone recommended I participate in a singing competition called Bakat TV, says the self-taught guitarist, who reached the semi-finals of the 1971 show.

He began pursuing a singing career after he moved to KL in 1985, performing at weddings, in pubs and shopping centres, and even corporate events. But as the gigs slowed down, he also had to stop appearing in bars and pubs when the cigarette smoke started to affect his health.

Ho believes not having someone to manage him is whats holding him back from working more often. It doesnt matter if youre blind; if you have the the right music agent, youll go places, he says. Not that its dampened his spirit. Ho and Rufina, his wife, do all that they can to get him out there.

So his message to other people with disabilities, who are struggling to pursue their dream or facing challenges in trying to make a living, is to always persevere.Ive gone through a lot of pitfalls, but we should work hard at whatever we want and never give up.Yasmin Ahmad Kamil

Albert Ho can be heard most Thursdays, 5-7pm, at the AK Busk Stop in KLCC LRT. You can also reach him and Rufina at 012-346 1232 or e-mail alfredho.music@gmail.com.

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Blindness hasn't stopped this busker from singing his heart out - Star2.com

SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS--(Marketwired - June 15, 2017) - Nerium Biotechnology, Inc. ("Nerium" or the "Company") today announces that it is mailing a letter to shareholders in advance of the Company's annual meeting on June 29, 2017. The shareholder letter which is reproduced below, provides important information for shareholder consideration regarding the election of directors at the annual meeting. This is an important meeting for shareholders as the decisions made with respect to the election of the Company's board of directors will determine Nerium's future.

Nerium is pleased to confirm the support of its largest shareholders for the re-election of the current board of directors (the "Board"). The shareholder letter, as well as a letter received by Nerium from Crandell Addington, a large shareholder of Nerium and CEO, Chairman and Director of Phoenix Biotechnology, will be mailed to shareholders today. A copy of the shareholder letter and other materials is available on the Company's issuer profile on SEDAR and on the Company's website http://www.nbiinvestors.com.

Your Board needs your support, please vote using only the GREEN proxy FOR Dennis R. Knocke, Gustavo A. Ulloa, Jr., Richard J.G. Boxer, Michael Burke, Kerry Mitchell and Peter A. Leininger, M.D.

Shareholders are encouraged to vote via the internet at http://www.voteproxyonline.com and enter the 12 digit control number located on your GREEN proxy, to ensure your vote is received in advance of the proxy deadline of June 27, 2017 10:00 a.m. (Toronto time). Shareholders may also vote by sending their signed GREEN proxy to TSX Trust Company via fax: 416-595-9593 or email: tmxeproxysupport@tmx.com or by mail in the envelope provided.

The Company also announces that it has commenced selling its over-the-counter product, NeriumAD Advanced, in Mexico. This represents the effective development of a new distribution channel for the Company's products and a source of future revenue that does not depend upon the cooperation of the Company's distributor, Nerium International LLC (the "Distributor").

It has come to the Company's attention that the amount of the Distributor's sales in 2015 and 2016 were incorrect in the Company's June 2, 2017 management information circular (the "Circular"). The Company received multiple versions of the Distributor's 2015 financial statements, each containing different numbers. The Company mistakenly included as the amount of the Distributor's 2015 sales an amount provided in an earlier version of the Distributor's 2015 financial statements and included the amount from a later version of the Distributor's 2015 financial statements as the 2016 sales amount. In fact, the Distributor's 2015 sales were US$496,838,912. The Company has never received a final version of the Distributor's financial statements for 2016, but based on a draft version of the Distributor's 2016 financial statement, the Distributor's 2016 sales were US$336,331,483. Corrected versions of the tables included on pages 19 and 20 of the Circular are provided below. The Company does not believe the updated information changes in any material respect the issues raised by it in the Circular.

Year

In response to the group of dissident shareholders retaining a proxy solicitation agent in connection with the Company's upcoming annual meeting, the Company has retained Shorecrest Group to act as proxy solicitation agent on behalf of the Company for a fee of approximately US$75,000 and reimbursement of its reasonable out-of-pocket expenses. All costs of solicitation by management will be borne by the Company.

YOUR VOTE IS IMPORTANT. To support your current Board, please vote using only your GREEN proxy. Please disregard any other proxy received. If you have already voted using the dissident proxy and wish to vote FOR the current directors, please vote using the GREEN proxy sent to you. This will automatically revoke any previous proxies submitted. If you have any questions or require assistance in voting, please contact the proxy solicitation agent Shorecrest Group toll free at 1-888-637-5789 or direct 647-931-7454.

About Nerium Biotechnology, Inc.

Nerium Biotechnology, Inc. is a biotechnology company involved in the research, product development, manufacture and marketing of Nerium oleander-based products. The Company's shares are not listed on any stock exchange or quotation system.

Forward Looking Statements: Statements made in this press release that relate to future plans, expectations, events or performances, including with respect to the future distribution and sales of the Company's products and possible revenue, are forward looking statements. Forward-looking statements are not based on historic facts, but rather on current expectations regarding future events. They are based on information available to management and/or assumptions management believes are reasonable. Many factors could cause future events and outcomes to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements. Although the forward-looking statements are based on what management believes are reasonable assumptions, the Company cannot assure shareholders that actual results will be consistent with these forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements in this press release are made as of the date hereof and, except as required by applicable securities laws, the Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise such forward-looking statements. More information about the Company is available in its disclosure documents, all of which are available on the Company's issuer profile on SEDAR at http://www.sedar.com

To view the shareholder letter and the letter received by Nerium from Crandell Addington please click the following link: http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/NeriumLetter.pdf

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Nerium Biotechnology Issues Shareholder Letter and Commences Selling NeriumAD Advanced in Mexico - Marketwired (press release)

Arthritis affects more than ten million people and it takes over lives.

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, the Sunday People can reveal there are alternatives.

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

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.

Eating more fruit, veg, 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 charity Arthritis Action, the research saw the inflammatory blood biomarker of participants drop by almost half, while a cartilage degeneration dropped 8 per cent. The experts also recommended cutting down on red meat.

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.

Stationary cycling, known as spinning, is good for the knees.

Researchers at Northern Illinois University found it is the best exercise to get people with mild-to-moderate symptoms back on their feet.

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.

Pulsed electromagnetic field therapy is providing an alternative to anti-inflammatories and painkiller medication.

The clever tech is in a wearable device and involves an electrically charged magnet delivering energy to the painful area.

Patients with osteoarthritis who used the gadget for 12hours a day over one month saw their pain greatly reduced, according to a study in Rheumatology journal. And some even came off painkillers completely.

Link:
Six ways to help you battle arthritis AND ward off painful condition - Mirror.co.uk

Shreveport, LA -- Juvenile Arthritis is a condition no child and their family should have to go through.

That's why rheumatoid arthritis doctor Tom Pressly started Jambalaya Jubilee to help children and the families get the latest on medicine in their field and also meet others like themselves. The children also get to do fun activities at the family retreat together like arts and craft, bowling, and visiting facilities like Sci-Port.

This year is the 27th annual Jambalaya Jubilee and 44 families were a part of the program.

Saturday morning, they were visited by Kansas City Chiefs player Charcandrick West who also had juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. He says he was once bedridden by the pain, but Dr. Pressly helped him find a cure.

Today West told the children in the camp that no dream is too big for them and that they shouldn't let anyone discourage them from following it.

West says it's a blessing for him to be able to meet with the kids and see them fight their illness.

Both West and Dr. Presssly hope the camp encourages the children to lead their lives and follow their dreams. Pressly also hopes families see that they aren't alone in their struggle and their children can still lead normal lives.

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Camp for children with arthritis gets visited by NFL player - KTBS

While much of the Western world is only just beginning to embrace the notion of medical marijuana for humans, theres an even more controversial debate lurking right around the corner hasanyone thought about giving their pet a strong dose of pot?

Immediately, images of dogs with great big marijuana joints hanging out of their mouths jump into your mind. Or perhaps a cute little kitten taking a good long drag on a bong and going into a fit of cute kitten coughs. While its a slightly hilarious mental picture, its obviously not accurate how the heck would you get them to inhale the smoke anyway? Smoke a joint yourself and blow it into their face?

But beyond the practical (and ethical) dilemma such a scene represents, theres another reason why your pet isnt going to be ingesting marijuana: its not marijuana that theyre ingesting! Not the kind that you became familiar with in your rebellious teenage years, anyway.

Hemp contains CBD, responsible for multiple health-promoting effects.

Lets get one thing straight: hemp and marijuana are, indeed, the same species. Theres actually a lot of misconceptions surrounding what exactly hemp is, with many people thinking theyre either completely separate species, or that hemp is the male variety of Cannabis sativa and marijuana the female.

The truth is, hemp and marijuana are simply different cultivars of the exact same species. While marijuana contains high levels of THC, the cannabinoid that creates that mind-altering high, hemp is required by law to have a THC concentration of 0.3 percent or less. Also, depending on the specific cultivar, hemp often contains higher levels of the therapeutic active compound cannabidiol (CBD), which is responsible for almost all of Cannabis sativas health-promoting effects.

For this reason, most of the cannabis products on the market aimed at pets are in fact hemp, as this still elicits the therapeutic effects on your pet but doesnt get them staring vacantly at the TV or eating everything in sight. The exception, of course, is those products specifically formulated for treating pet anxiety. In this case, a strong dose of THC from good old marijuana is just the ticket.

The short answer is: maybe. Theres a growing body of evidence to confirm that medical marijuana (and indeed hemp) has a huge range of beneficial effects on the body and mind of us humans. You can take your pick of the therapeutic powers of marijuana: cancer treatment, pain-alleviating, reduction in multiple sclerosis symptoms, epilepsy treatment and of course as an antidepressant.

And while our physiology may differ considerably from that of our pets, there are enough similarities to confirm that many of these same therapeutic effects of marijuana can also be experienced by our animals. Unfortunately, because its an emerging field, theres not as much scientific evidence as one would like. But, what studies have been completed show a lot of promise. And there are the thousands of anecdotal case studies from pet owners all over the world to consider.

But before we dive any deeper, its important to emphasize that every pet is different. As you well know, they come in all shapes and sizes, from tiny little birds to Great Danes or even horses. For each species and indeed each breed, the dosage is always going to be different, meaning you should consult your vet before starting your problematic pet on a course of cannabis.

So, why should you give your pet marijuana to treat his or her health problems? Lets find out.

Multiple studies have shown that CBD can treat arthritis, and it may be true for your pet too.

Many holistic vets across the country are recommending medical marijuana for the treatment of arthritis in certain animals, including cats and dogs. They maintain that the potent anti-inflammatory compounds in marijuana and hemp, largely in the form of CBD, can provide significant relief from pain in arthritic pets and enable them to have fuller, more enjoyable lives.

And theres plenty of research out there, admittedly mostly conducted on rats and mice, that supports these veterinary claims. A study published in 2000 in the journal PNAS used a concentrated form of CBD (which youll recall is found in high concentrations in hemp, and to a lesser extent marijuana) to treat two different forms of arthritis in mice. They found that in both models of arthritis, the treatment effectively blocked progression of arthritis.

Another study, this time published in 2004, examined the therapeutic effect that CBD exhibited on rats that had been injected with inflammation-causing and arthritis-inducing carrageenan. Researchers concluded that the CBD had significant beneficial effects on many different markers of both inflammation and arthritis.

For this reason, using medical marijuana, hemp or a high-quality cannabidiol (CBD) treatment can provide good levels of relief for your pet, especially cats, dogs and (apparently) rats and mice. Combining CBD treatment with other holistic treatments, like massage, acupuncture (yup, acupuncture for pets is a thing!) and fish oil, can increase your chance of success.

Inflammatory bowel disease is a surprisingly common affliction in pets, particularly cats. By reducing inflammation, its possible that the CBD in marijuana may help to alleviate symptoms of IBS. By soothing their gastrointestinal tract, the CBD will also allow them to regain a healthy weight and be more enthusiastic about eating. Perhaps a little too enthusiastic at times!

CBD may promote feelings of calm for your anxious pet.

Just as it is in humans, anxiety is a very real problem in many pets. Our cat, Ollie, had all sorts of problems with anxiety, stemming from a very troubled kittenhood as an abandoned street cat. While we were able to soothe much of those anxieties away over years of TLC, he still suffered form serious bouts of anxiety from time to time, particularly when lightning storms rolled in across the lake. The last time this happened, he actually suffered from a complete urinary tract blockage, and we spent many hundreds of dollars and a harrowing week trying to bring him back from the brink with various drugs and anti-anxiety medications.

The CBD in medical marijuana has the ability to almost instantaneously foster feelings of tranquility and calm in pets, thereby helping them to overcome their anxiety. And while I dont recommend regular use of marijuana to calm their frayed nerves, in scenarios like our beloved Ollies case, it may be a life-saving move.

Liivi Hess

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Tags: anxiety, arthritis, cannabis, cats, CBD, dogs, hemp, ibs, inflammation, marijuana, medical marijuana, pets, pot, THC, weed

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Should You Give Your Pet Medical Marijuana For Arthritis? - The Alternative Daily (blog)

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In a study that tested the vision of people from a variety of professions, researchers at the University of California, Berkeley found that dressmakers who spend many hours doing fine, manual work seemed to have a superior ability to see in 3-D. Elena Fantini/Getty Images hide caption

In a study that tested the vision of people from a variety of professions, researchers at the University of California, Berkeley found that dressmakers who spend many hours doing fine, manual work seemed to have a superior ability to see in 3-D.

Julia Brennan grew up in a family of nearsighted people so nearsighted that they joked they were blind as bats. She, however, had perfect eyesight.

"Julia can see around corners," her mother would say.

Today, Brennan is a textile conservationist in Washington, D.C, and her work involves everything from fixing tiny holes in antique christening dresses to delicately stitching tears in the Brooks Brothers coat President Lincoln had with him the night he was shot.

Julia Brennan, owner of Caring for Textiles, always knew she had excellent eyesight and now wonders whether it's part of what inspired her choice of career. Courtesy of Julia Brennan hide caption

Julia Brennan, owner of Caring for Textiles, always knew she had excellent eyesight and now wonders whether it's part of what inspired her choice of career.

While her sharp eyesight is essential to her work, it was not something she thought about consciously when choosing her field. "I simply used it in one of the best professions possible," she says.

Now, a small study published this week out of the University of California, Berkeley backs up what Brennan has experienced throughout her career: Dressmakers may have superior stereoscopic vision. That's the ability to accurately perceive depth and distance between objects to see in 3-D.

Adrien Chopin, a postdoctoral researcher in visual neuroscience, made the discovery as he was testing the stereoscopic vision of about three dozen people, 13 of them dressmakers. We all use stereoscopic vision when we throw a ball to someone, grab a pencil or park a car, but Chopin noticed that some individuals have much better stereoscopic vision than others.

The testing was part of ongoing research aimed at finding ways to improve stereoscopic vision through computer games, some using virtual reality.

Chopin found that among the people in his study, dressmakers who spend a lot of time sewing by hand outperformed the study participants from other professions. The results intrigued him, given that prior studies of surgeons and dentists, who also do fine manual work, did not turn up similar results.

In fact, Chopin says, dressmakers are the only group of professionals he and his colleagues have found so far who seem to have enhanced stereoscopic vision.

Is it the endless hours of delicate, manual work that hones dressmakers' stereoscopic skills, or does the field naturally attract individuals with superior eyesight?

Chopin says further study is needed to be certain. But the findings have led him to believe there might be something unusual in the way dressmakers interact with the world.

"It's very fine manual tasks at close range, with direct feedback," he says. "If you misplace the needle just a little, you get pain. That's direct feedback on your vision."

He hopes his research might eventually help people who are stereo-impaired.

Dr. Rebecca Taylor, a Nashville ophthalmologist and the clinical spokeswoman for the American Academy of Ophthalmology, says about 10 percent of the population lacks depth perception, and one cause is poor vision in one eye. She cautions that this is not always correctable and says some problems such as amblyopia, or lazy eye, should be corrected in childhood.

Still, she thinks further study is worthwhile, given how much we use stereo vision in our daily lives. "The more information that we have about depth perception, the better we can be set up to help people who struggle with it," Taylor says.

Of course, good stereoscopic vision will only take you so far. More than 30 years into her career in textile restoration, Brennan says she now needs strong reading glasses and a good source of light to do her best work.

"I often defer to my 20- or 30-year-old colleagues to double-check a stitch or detail now," she says.

Originally posted here:
Research Finds Dressmakers Have Good Eyes, And Not Just For Style - NPR

By Melanie Feuk, mfeuk@hcnonline.com

Crosby Lions' new vision screening device promotes children's eye health

Albert Baker with the Crosby Lions Club pointed the PlusoptiX mobile vision screening camera at the child sitting across from him during the Crosby-Huffman Chamber of Commerce luncheon at Peso's Mexican Restaurant in Crosby on Thursday, June 15.

Only seconds later, the device beeped and before some people may have even realized, the demonstration was already over.

"That fast, I screened his eyes," Baker said.

The $7,000 PlusoptiX mobile vision screening camera was donated to the Crosby Lions Club two weeks ago by a fellow Crosby Lion in order to further the club's ability to perform vision screenings on children at local daycares and pre-kindergartens as a part of the Lions KidSight USA program.

"The program started about 20 years ago when we were testing children's eyes for Amblyobia, which is lazy eye," Baker said. "If you catch a child with lazy eye early, at around 1 year old, we can correct it before he or she gets into school."

Baker himself has scanned tens-of-thousands of children in the last 20 years and has firsthand experience of how important early detection of eye disease is for children.

"There was a 3-year-old girl, and I found through the old camera system that the child had a tumor in her right eye," Baker said.

Within a week, the little girl received an eye operation that saved her eyesight.

Over the course of the program, technological improvements have allowed the Lions Club to detect even more diseases in young children, thereby greatly improving the child's ability to learn and in some cases, the child's chances retaining their eyesight.

Last year, the Crosby Lions Club used a borrowed PlusoptiX camera. Now that they have their own, it will allow them to perform more vision screenings locally in Crosby, Huffman and surrounding communities.

Since the new screening device was donated, the Crosby Lions Club has done approximately 1,000 screenings.

This year is the 100th birthday of Lions International, and June 30 will mark the 92nd anniversary of Helen Keller's speech calling Lions International to be Knights of the Blind.

For more information about the Crosby Lions Club, visit the Crosby Lions Club Facebook page.

Read more:
Crosby Lions' new vision screening device promotes children's eye health - Chron.com

After 20 years of darkness, there is light for a man in Medford, Massachusetts.

A bionic eye implant has helped Anthony Andreotolla gain back some vision. Its not eyesight in the way most people see, but the technology is making a difference in his daily life.

Anthony Andreotolla, who suffers from a degenerative eye disease, can see for the first time in 20 years thanks to a new bionic eye.

CBS Boston/WBZ-TV

Its not actual vision. Its what they call artificial vision, Andreotolla told CBS Boston.

He suffers from retinitis pigmentosa, a degenerative eye disease that affects the retina. Andreotolla began to lose his vision in his teens and by his thirties, he couldnt see anything.

Once everything is black, for many, many years, that was it, he said.

For 20 years he lived in that darkness until he became one of the first people to receive a bionic eye.

Every day, Andreotolla puts on special glasses and commutes on public transportation to his job in Boston about six miles south of his home.

A tiny camera in the glasses sends images to a wearable computer and then those images are processed and sent wirelessly to an implant in his eye. The implant surgery took place in Baltimore at The Johns Hopkins Hospital.

I dont see things the way other people do. I see everything in different flashes, lights, shapes, Andreotolla explained.

Play Video

CBSN

A blind man with a degenerative retinal disease was able to see his wife of 46 years thanks to an experimental bionic eye.

Its more of a cloudy, black and white vision, he explains.

I can tell the difference between a car or a bus or a truck. I cant tell you what make the car is, he said.

That vision helps him navigate life more safely.

After his commute, he arrives at his job as a substance abuse counselor at St. Anthony Shrine.

I have my hope back. Once I lost my sight I was resigned to be blind for the rest of my life. Im not resigned to that anymore. I believe if I can live long enough, Ill be able to see a lot of beautiful things, Andreotolla said.

The developer of the bionic eye isSecond Sightand theyre already working on the next generation of bionic eye with faster processing and sharper images.

2017 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.

2017 CBS Interactive Inc.

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After 20 years of darkness, bionic eye helps man see - WDEF News 12

BBC News

Game used to test children's eyesight made in Wales BBC News A game for tablets is being developed in Wales which parents can use to test their children's eyesight at home. The Space Vision app gets children to tap increasing faint black and white squares on a grey background to make aliens pop up and make a noise. and more »

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Game used to test children's eyesight made in Wales - BBC News

After 20 years of darkness, there is light for a man in Medford, Massachusetts.

A bionic eye implant has helped Anthony Andreotolla gain back some vision. It's not eyesight in the way most people see, but the technology is making a difference in his daily life.

Anthony Andreotolla, who suffers from a degenerative eye disease, can see for the first time in 20 years thanks to a new bionic eye.

CBS Boston/WBZ-TV

"It's not actual vision. It's what they call artificial vision," Andreotolla told CBS Boston.

He suffers from retinitis pigmentosa, a degenerative eye disease that affects the retina. Andreotolla began to lose his vision in his teens and by his thirties, he couldn't see anything.

"Once everything is black, for many, many years, that was it," he said.

For 20 years he lived in that darkness until he became one of the first people to receive a bionic eye.

Every day, Andreotolla puts on special glasses and commutes on public transportation to his job in Boston about six miles south of his home.

A tiny camera in the glasses sends images to a wearable computer and then those images are processed and sent wirelessly to an implant in his eye. The implant surgery took place in Baltimore at The Johns Hopkins Hospital.

"I don't see things the way other people do. I see everything in different flashes, lights, shapes," Andreotolla explained.

Play Video

A blind man with a degenerative retinal disease was able to see his wife of 46 years thanks to an experimental bionic eye.

It's more of a cloudy, black and white vision, he explains.

"I can tell the difference between a car or a bus or a truck. I can't tell you what make the car is," he said.

That vision helps him navigate life more safely.

After his commute, he arrives at his job as a substance abuse counselor at St. Anthony Shrine.

"I have my hope back. Once I lost my sight I was resigned to be blind for the rest of my life. I'm not resigned to that anymore. I believe if I can live long enough, I'll be able to see a lot of beautiful things," Andreotolla said.

The developer of the bionic eye isSecond Sightand they're already working on the next generation of bionic eye with faster processing and sharper images.

2017 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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After 20 years of darkness, bionic eye helps blind man see - CBS News

High profile fatalities caused by poor eyesight have put driving and vision in the spotlight. OT explores what the UK can learn from its neighbours

16 Jun 2017 by Selina Powell

But often the conversations that are held on a national level after a fatal and potentially avoidable accident caused by poor eyesight follow a similar theme.

There are frequently calls for more stringent regulation of medical fitness to drive to prevent further accidents from occurring.

Particularly when there were red flags that a motorist's sight was failing, members of the public question why nothing was done to stop a driver from getting behind the wheel.

It is a nuanced area and one that does not have any easy answers. But asking the questions around vision and driving is increasingly important as the prevalence of vision issues among drivers increases with an ageing population.

One approach to strengthening the regulation of vision and driving in the UK is to look beyond national boundaries.

Anecdotal differences between member states prompted the European Council of Optometry and Optics (ECOO) to produce the Visual Standards for Driving in Europe report, which was published at the beginning of this year.

The report profiles how each member state has implemented a European Union directive that required all member states to align their standards on vision and driving by 2013.

All states needed to ensure that drivers applying for a licence, or the renewal of a licence, had a binocular visual acuity of at least 0.5.

"Driving not only affects you as a person but it affects the people around you"

UK optometrist and Association of Optometrists Councillor, Dr Julie-Anne Little, who led the drafting of the ECOO report, highlighted to OT that while countries met the broad thrust of the directive, many nations adopted different ways of implementing it.

"For example, in the UK we remain reliant on self-reporting and the driver self-testing with a number plate, whereas our closest neighbour Ireland requires drivers to attend a vision test and get a signed medical form determining their vision status before a driving licence application," she explained.

In the UK, a visual test is carried out by the driver testing officer, whereas in many European nations the vision assessment is carried out by an optometrist, ophthalmologist or medical doctor.

The ECOO report urged member states to ensure that visual standards for driving were assessed by an eye care professional and that sight testing was carried out as a requirement for licence renewal.

Optometrists have the right skills to take on this role, Dr Little explained, adding: "An optometrist's job is to understand, and try to maximise, people's vision and visual performance.

Optometrists are probably best-placed to give a judgement on visual function for everyday life.

There are significant differences in methods used to test vision across UK and Europe. In contrast to the UK's number plate test, drivers in other countries must take a series of visual acuity and visual field tests. In several countries, drivers attend a government driving centre for a medical and vision check ahead of licensing. In Belgium, there are additional tests that measure an individual's twilight vision and in Bulgaria, a driver's colour vision is assessed.

After a motorist has secured their licence in the UK, there is no regulatory requirement for a driver to have their vision tested again over the life of their licence. But in other countries, such as Italy, Spain and Bulgaria, visual tests are carried out every decade to ensure that a driver's vision is still safe for the road.

Visual testing in some countries increases in frequency as a driver ages, acknowledging the higher incidence of vision problems among older motorists.

The ECOO report called for a standardised visual acuity assessment across Europe and the UK and emphasised that the number plate test was not an adequate measure of visual acuity.

As part of its call to action, ECOO also urged member states to promote the effective assessment of vision, visual fields, contrast sensitivity and twilight vision. It was important that countries clarified what each test involved to avoid discrepancy between member states, the report emphasised.

"The vast majority of the time we are giving out good news - we are helping people to be able to drive and meet the standard"

Whatever change was implemented around vision and driving, it was important that optometrists give the public a positive message, Dr Little emphasised.

"As optometrists, we have all experienced people who are a bit nervous about coming in for a sight test or who have avoided it for a long time because they are worried about what the outcome might be," she elaborated.

"The vast majority of the time we are giving out good news - we are helping people to be able to drive and meet the standard," Dr Little concluded.

Image credit: Laurence Derbyshire

Read the original post:
Driving for change - AOP

Sometimes its good to just be one of the gang.

This is certainly true for those dealing with Type 1 diabetes. And thats why Camp Hot Shots has become a favorite get-away destination for hundreds of youngsters ages 6-12 in central Nebraska since 2001.

Founded by Mary Lanning Heathcare and presented this year in partnership with Grace United Methodist Church, the two-day camp gives youngsters dealing with the disease a chance to bond with fellow diabetics without having to address those intrusive questions so often posed by their well-meaning but unmindful peers.

DeAnn Carpenter, program coordinator for Mary Lannings diabetes program, said the camp which is funded in part through donations from area organizations combines diabetes education and a host of fun activities to create an experience many campers have come to look forward to year after year.

More than 20 area children are taking part in this years long list of camp activities, which include: Boat rides and water play at Lake Hastings and Aquacourt Water Park, YMCA play, string art, balloon artist/magician Poppin Penelope, taekwondo, and more.

Its just a time for kids who have Type 1 diabetes to come together and realize theyre not alone, Carpenter said. A lot of them are the only ones in their school system or community who have Type 1 diabetes and maybe feel a little alone, having to take care of themselves. Its a time to bond and interact with people who have the same diagnosis as them.

For many campers, the camp has become an annual tradition, a place to bond with new found friends over shared activities. In some instances, it may be the only contact they have with their fellow diabetic companions each year.

For Braden Benjamin, 12, of Friend, this year marks his seventh go-around in the camp.

I like coming to the lake and swimming and tubing with my friends, he said. I get to see other diabetics that Im not around very often. I know most of them, but there are a few new ones every now and then.

I also like going to the YMCA. They have a bunch of different activities, like tennis and racquetball. You can go to the batting cage, and theres a pool there, too.

But its the camaraderie with fellow diabetics that makes the camp experience special to himself and fellow participants, he said.

The camp allows me to talk to other diabetics that I dont get to see very often. Its just nice to be around other people who share the disease that you have and know what it feels like. I hope to make more friends at the camp this year and get better at taking care of my diabetes. If my blood sugars are good I can pretty much do anything if I treat it beforehand.

Kordell Lovitt, 13, of Chapel, is attending the camp for the fourth straight year. Like most all of his fellow campers, he considers the lake activities the high water point of the two-day outing.

Im just swimming and having fun with my friends that I dont see a lot, he said. We talk about how we take care of our diabetes and how we treat our lows and highs. It (diabetes) is kind of stressful, but sometimes I just get over it.

And camp is a big reason for that, he said.

The others tell me what I dont do right and that I can do a better job of it, he said. I check on my blood sugars often here to keep them in range.

Having to explain himself and his limitations to non-diabetics day in and day out makes coming to camp seem even more of a getaway experience each year.

When people ask me, Why do you have to do this? its kind of weird and awkward, he said. Here, I dont have to tell them anything. I just want to have fun and pay attention to my diabetes.

Fourth-time camper Emmilly Berglund, 12, of Shelton said she felt right at home navigating the lakeside waters with friends of a feather.

I just like to come and see the other kids and talk to them about how everything is, she said. Its just enjoyable and relaxing to hang around other kids who have it (Type 1 diabetes). Im looking forward to the new activities they have this year like string art and going to the water park and learning new things.

Lee Wigert, 65, is a teacher at Hastings College and pastor of United Methodist churches in Juniata, Holstein and Kenesaw.

He, along with his wife, Diane, and son, Nate, 32, who has diabetes, have been donating their time giving boat and jet ski rides and sharing their back yard abutting Lake Hastings for the past decade.

Its just amazing the bonding experience that these children have, he said. The kids come back year after year and call you by name and you remember them. I spend about three days getting the house ready and tubes and trampoline blown up.

We make sure everybody gets on the boat. What they take away from this is that they know the adults care for them and are here to help them out.

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Diabetes camp educates, entertains - Hastings Tribune