StemCell Therapy

In January 2016, a 24-year-old woman in Mannheim, Germany was reportedly raped by three migrants. At first, she identified them to police as German nationals, later explaining her lie as reluctance to help fuel aggressive racism. Then, astonishingly, she wrote a letter of apology to her attackers in which she blamed her society for their crime, saying I wanted an open Europe, a friendly one You, you arent safe here, because we live in a racist society. You are not the problem. You are not a problem at all.

British political commentator Douglas Murray recounts this anecdote in his brilliant new book, The Strange Death of Europe: Immigration, Identity, Islam. The victim, seemingly beset by a reflexive, socially entrenched fear of appearing Islamophobic, was willing to sacrifice justice to virtue-signalling. Such conduct is a microcosmic example of the bottomless white guilt that is crippling Europe.

Canada hasnt experienced the same migrant-related stressors as Europe, but that victims spasmodic recoil from perceived Islamophobia looks awfully familiar. Case in point: a fascinatingly logic-tortured June 9 Toronto Star columndevoted to Islamism exculpation, entitled Terrorists are misogynists first. In the piece, pundit Heather Mallick informs us that religion isnt terribly relevant in recent European attacks. No, the real problem is male misogyny. Mallick knows this because It is my job to see patterns in events. And we women see different patterns than men do. (Sigh. Mallick never speaks for me. I wish shed drop that we women shtick.)

In a recent column, Heather Mallick informs us that religion isnt terribly relevant in recent European attacks. No, the real problem is male misogyny

What is the pattern in events that Mallick sees? That all the killers are young males, with a narrow world view who suffer from status anxiety. The wanton spilling of blood is simply the way they display maleness. This is a simplistic theory cut from whole cloth. It completely ignores the role of ideology in terrorism, and the fact that millions of men have status anxiety but do not resort to terrorism to express it.

From the assertion that misogyny is universal, Mallick irrationally leaps to the conclusion that terrorism knows no particular race or culture. Look, she says, at the hateful men we have come to know: here, she lists four Islamist terrorists andfive North American, non-Muslim massacrists (only two of whom were motivated by misogyny), implying a general numerical equivalence. But her non-Muslim, North American massacrists were not associated with organized terror movements or with a specific ideology. And her non-Muslim, North American massacrists and their victims are statistically nugatory beside the vast human wreckage that has occurred as a result of individuals carrying out radical Islamists apocalyptic vision.

In a further attempt at moral equivalence, Mallick writes, Its of no interest to us whether were attacked by a mens rights advocate, the alt-right, a Muslim terrorist or an Irish one. But these are shamelessly misleading comparisons. IRA terrorism is not animated by gender bias, and was territorially and temporally constrained by political ends attainable through negotiation. Islamist terrorism is global and not open to negotiation. Mens rights advocate? A dreadful slur on a civilized movement. To my knowledge, no massacrist has ever cited encouragement to violence from any mens rights association.

Whats Mallicks solution? First, she thinks we ought to discard Muslim or Islamic as an adjective. (Obama and many other politicians have tried that, Heather. It didnt work.)

Whats Mallicks solution? First, she thinks we ought to discard Muslim or Islamic as an adjective. (Obama and many other politicians have tried that, Heather. It didnt work.) Because why single out Islam, when the misogyny of the Roman Catholic church is one of its pillars. Even if that were true (which I dont think it is), where is the organized terrorism or any terror perpetrated in Christs name that Mallicks reckless equivalency implies?

The column is a sad read, but emblematic of the desperation progressives feel when objective evidence contradicts their beloved multicultural theories, and the intellectual corruption to which they fall victim in their stubborn refusal to acknowledge reality. Mallicks jejune finale only plunges deeper into polemic bathos: Lets tackle misogyny at its source and find a way to raise boys to be more like the studious, gentle girls many of them have been told to despise.Lets, as in let us? As in Canada? Been there, done that, Heather. Any other brilliant suggestions for ending Islam er, I mean, status-anxiety driven terrorism?

All thats missing in Mallicks column is a sincere letter of apology to ISIL for the bad rap they are getting from people less enlightened than her. Regrettably, many Canadians think as Mallick does, or think they should. They need to read Murrays book and get woke.

National Post kaybarb@gmail.com Twitter.com/BarbaraRKay

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Barbara Kay: The West's willful blindness to the threat of Islamist terrorism knows no bounds - National Post

An initiative in Los Angeles aims to address eye problems in diabetics before they get too bad to treat.

Los Angeles Times: A Simple Test Is Helping Thousands Of Diabetics In L.A. County Who Face An Increased Risk Of Going Blind The condition, called diabetic retinopathy, is the leading cause of blindness among working-age adults nationwide. A simple test can detect and help treat the problem, but four years ago most diabetics in Los Angeles Countys massive healthcare system werent getting screened. (Karlamangla, 6/12)

In other news

The San Diego Union-Tribune: Text Messages Can Help Lower Blood Sugar Levels, Study Finds Text messages can help motivate Type 2 diabetics to lower their blood-sugar levels, according to a new paper that involved a researcher at the Scripps Whittier Diabetes Institute in La Jolla. The study randomly assigned 126 people whose blood-sugar levels were not well controlled to either of two groups one that received standard care and another that got up to three motivational diabetes-related text messages per day. Both groups were monitored for six months. (Sisson, 6/9)

Go here to read the rest:
An Easy Screening Can Help Defuse 'Ticking Time Bomb' Of Blindness For Diabetics - California Healthline

ISLAMABAD: Over two million Pakistanis are blind and 80 percent of them could have been cured had they been diagnosed at an early stage, Al-Shifa Trust Eye Hospitals Executive Director Brig (r) Rizwan Asghar said on Sunday.

He said that data available with Al Shifa showed that lack of basic facilities in far-flung areas and unawareness about the timely check-up were the major causes of eyes diseases and ultimately blindness in the country.

"In last one year, we conducted 40,000 eye surgeries, 350,000 patients were treated and half a million people were screened for possible eye disorders," Asghar said.

Sharing the annual report of the trust with the media, he said that the trust was increasing its services by ten percent annually. "Only the private sector cannot cope with the challenge of blindness as eye diseases are increasing at a fast pace," he said.

"Our population is increasing at an alarming rate. This is putting a strain on services such as sanitation and cleanliness. Many of the viruses, bacteria, parasites, and fungi that can invade the human body are also capable of attacking the surface or interior of the eye," he said.

"Unfortunately, diseases that damage the retina, the optic nerve, or the blood vessels that feed them often cause no pain at all, which is another major problem," he said.

"The trust is running its four state-of-the-art eye hospitals in Rawalpindi, Sukkur, Kohat and Muzaffarabad. The hospital in Rawalpindi has a capacity of 250 beds. It has 40 highly-qualified eye surgeons and disease specialists. They treat about 1,200 patients daily and conduct 80 to 100 operations per day," he said.

Eyesight development:

A new study suggests that vision develops until midlife. This may have a significant impact on people with amblyopia, which is an eye disorder that causes what is commonly known as a "lazy eye".

A team of researchers led by Kathryn Murphy, a professor in the Department of Psychology, Neuroscience and Behaviour at McMaster University in Ontario, Canada, set out to examine the evolution of the primary visual cortex in the human brain by analysing the postmortem brain tissue of 30 people, ranging in age from 20 days to 80 years.

Until now, the accepted view has been that in humans, the maturation of the primary visual cortex is completed in the first few years of life.

This traditional belief was based on anatomical studies of how the synapses are formed, as well as how connections within the cortex and between the cortex and other brain regions occur.

Murphy and colleagues looked at the so-called GABAergic activity in the brain. GABA stands for gamma-aminobutyric acid, and "GABAergic" refers to the brain's ability to produce it.

GABA is a neurotransmitter whose main function is to inhibit the action of another neurotransmitter called glutamate.

Their former study looked at the balance between excitation and inhibition in the brain, and how it is linked to the plasticity and aging of the visual cortex. The researchers followed the maturation of this brain region and showed how these GABAergic mechanisms change across the human lifespan.

This previous research showed that the GABA-producing mechanisms continue to mature until quite late in life. However, it still was not clear whether all of the mechanisms that regulate the plasticity of the synapses behaved in the same way.

GABA is inhibitory, but what about the excitatory neurotransmitters and synapses?

The researchers found that some of the glutamatergic proteins - that is, the ones that produce the excitatory glutamate - develop until late childhood, but others develop until around the age of 40.

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DailyTimes | 'Lack of proper treatment, awareness main causes of ... - Daily Times

Preparing competent, competitive, and ethical leaders, Azusa Pacifics new Master of Science in Biotechnology equips graduates to make significant contributions to and profoundly influence this emerging science field. Set to launch in fall 2017 with a cohort of 24, the advanced degree distinguishes itself from counterparts at other institutions by approaching the discipline from a distinctly Christian worldview and instilling in students the ability to synthesize human need, potential, and responsibility.

Graduates with this level of training find a wide-open marketplace eager to hire. Jobs in the biomedical industry show an upward trend throughout the country, and particularly in California, home to more than 50 percent of these companies. According to a 2014 report from Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News, the industry expects significant job growth over the next decade in the areas of epidemiology, bioinformatics and genetic counseling, microbiology, biomedical engineering, and biomedical research. Nestled in the heart of the countrys second-largest cluster of bioscience businesses, APU offers students a distinct advantage that surpasses traditional internships and networking. A collaborative enterprise, this program partners APU with local bioscience companies, including Grifols Biologicals, Gilead Sciences, Johnson & Johnson, Allergan, and others. In addition to technical proficiency, APUs program also provides industry-critical skills, such as project and program management, communication skills, teamwork, business ethics, and leadership, which produces graduates who are productive employees on the first day of hire in a corporate setting.

Open to students and professionals with bachelors degrees in molecular or cellular biology, biochemistry, applied mathematics, statistics, engineering, or computer science, the M.S. in Biotechnology offers a unique approach to the field through the lens of Christian faith and imparts a clear understanding of how believers can participate in and provide guidance to the industry in a way that advances science and glorifies God.

Posted: June 12, 2017

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New Master's Program Prepares Leaders in Biotechnology - Azusa Pacific University

= By ANGELA OKETCH More by this Author 3 hoursago

The chemicals that farmers spray on their crops in form of pesticides to kill pests and prevent diseases have always been a bone of contention, with researchers trying to find safer alternatives. A new variety of rice that fights multiple pathogens with no effect on the yield of the crop, is thus a welcome relief for both farmers and scientists.

The discovery is based on a study of the plants immune system. Plants use receptors on the outside of their cells to identify molecules that signal a microbial invasion, and respond by releasing antimicrobial compounds. Therefore, identifying genes that kickstart this immune response yields disease-resistant plants.

Just like sick humans who are unproductive at work, plants grow poorly and produce unfavourable yields when their immune systems are overloaded. For a long time, scientists have focused on the NPR1 gene from a small, woody plant called Arabidopsis thaliana, to boost the immune systems of rice, wheat, tomatoes and apples.

However, NPR1 is not very useful for agriculture because it has negative effects on plants. To make it useful, researchers needed a better gene that would activate the immune response only when the plant is under attack. Rice with the gene was able to combat rice blast which often causes an estimated 30 per cent loss of rice crop worldwide, every year.

A segment of DNA called the TBF1 cassette acted as a control switch for the plants immune response. When the TBF1 cassette from the Arabidopsis genome was copied and pasted alongside and in front of the NPR1 gene in rice plants, it resulted in a strain of rice that could fend off offending pathogens without causing stunted growth seen in previously engineered crops.

The researchers tested the superiority of engineered rice over regular rice by inoculating crop leaves with the bacterial pathogens that cause rice blight and leaf streak, as well as the fungus responsible for blast disease. Whereas the infections spread on the leaves of wild rice plants, the engineered plants confined the invaders to a small area.

The researchers say this innovation could come in handy in the developing world where farmers with no access to fungicide often lose their entire crop to disease. The study was published in Nature.

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Genetic engineering boosts immunity against crop disease - Daily Nation

BBC News

Arthritis sufferers 'waiting longer' in Wales, figures show BBC News More needs to be done to help people in Wales living with rheumatoid arthritis, an expert has said. New figures suggest an increase in the number of people sent to see a specialist because of pain. Nearly half a million people live with the illness in ... and more »

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Arthritis sufferers 'waiting longer' in Wales, figures show - BBC News

June 12, 2017 David Merryman, associate professor of biomedical engineering, and his team discovered that a rheumatoid arthritis drug holds promise for treating heart valve calcification. Credit: Vanderbilt University

The first drug to treat calcification of heart valves may be one originally designed for rheumatoid arthritis.

Today (June 12) in Circulation, the journal of the American Heart Association, Vanderbilt University researchers published findings that the druga monoclonal antibody known as SYN0012shows promise in keeping heart valve leaflets supple. About a quarter of Americans suffer hardening of the valves by age 65 and about half by 85, and the only treatment is surgical replacement.

"Very elderly patients' bodies can't handle that," said Cyndi Clark, research assistant professor of biomedical engineering and the first author on the paper. "I hope to see an earlier treatment option available within the next decade."

The culprit in the condition, called aortic valve stenosis, is cadherin-11, a binding protein necessary for normal wound healing. Fibroblasts, the most common cell in connective tissue, produce it to ensure cuts and broken bones reconnect, and heart valves are composed of this type of cell. As hearts age and lose elasticity, the fibroblasts become overactive, producing mass amounts of cadherin-11 until the three thin leaflets that make up aortic valves become virtually immobile. The heart pumps harder in an attempt to push blood through the valve, causing the chambers of the heart to enlarge, leading to heart failure if the valve isn't replaced.

The rheumatoid arthritis drug, an anti-inflammatory, physically binds to cadherin-11 (CDH-11) on the surface of cells so that they can't bind together.

"Aortic valve stenosis, even though it involves only a little piece of tissue, has a catastrophic effect on the heart," said W. David Merryman, associate professor of biomedical engineering. "The antibody we're working with blocks fibroblasts from becoming the active type that leads to disease. It keeps them from becoming inflamed.

"We believe there is potential for using this drug at the first sign of valve disease to prevent the progression. You likely cannot reverse the damage, but we believe the drug can prevent it."

Common disease claims lives

About 750,000 Americans per year suffer heart attacks, and those plus all other varieties of heart disease are the No. 1 killers in America. Surgeons can replace damaged valves with ones made from either pig or cow tissue or with mechanical versions, said Vanderbilt cardiologist and Assistant Professor of Medicine Mike Baker. Physicians' only option is to monitor calcifying valves once they're detected and then operate when symptoms appear, he said.

"Once the patient becomes symptomatic, they start running a significant risk of heart failure or even death," Baker said. "The exciting thing about this drug's potential is that it could allow us to consider a strategy of prevention, as we do with other forms of heart diseaselike lowering cholesterol or using ACE inhibitors. We don't have any interventions for aortic valve stenosis that slow its progression."

The drug is in human clinical trials for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. After those are complete, Merryman hopes to gain permission to run clinical trials for uses in heart valve disease.

Fluke leads to potential cure

Merryman's research into CDH-11 dates back to 2013, when two of his Ph.D. students compared two studies of heart valve cellular responses that came to completely different conclusions. One found that a chemical compound caused valve fibroblasts to become active, similar to what is observed during valve disease, but the other study indicated that the same compound prevented the cells from calcifying, indicating that a key piece of the valve disease puzzle was missing. They realized that the teams behind those studies were inadvertently turning CDH-11 production on and off, affecting the outcome.

The Ph.D. students obtained heart valves preserved from surgeries at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and found that patients suffering from calcification had, in some cases, 50 times as much CDH-11 present in their valves as patients without the condition. They completed another study that showed a NOTCH1 genetic mutation likely ensured those carrying it eventually would suffer from heart valve disease because it leads to CDH-11 overproduction.

Explore further: Discovery of a key regulatory gene in cardiac valve formation

More information: Circulation (2017). DOI: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.117.027771

Journal reference: Circulation

Provided by: Vanderbilt University

A new study shows that a hybrid molecular imaging system unites three imaging modalities to map the composition of dangerous arterial plaques before they rupture and induce a major cardiac event. The research was presented ...

A study by the University of Birmingham has revealed a treatment gap in patients suffering from a heart condition that causes an irregular or abnormally fast heartbeat.

Researchers have long sought ways to harness the body's immune system to treat disease, especially cancer. Now, scientists have found that the immune system may be triggered to treat atherosclerosis and possibly other metabolic ...

Seventy per cent of readings from home blood pressure monitors are unacceptably inaccurate, which could cause serious implications for people who rely on them to make informed health decisions, new UAlberta research reveals.

(HealthDay)Adoption of four healthy lifestyle behaviors is associated with increased lifespan for men and women, according to a study published online May 31 in the Journal of Internal Medicine.

Heart disease remains the leading cause of death worldwide, yet the few available treatments are still mostly unsuccessful once the heart tissue has suffered damage. Mammalian hearts are actually able to regenerate and repair ...

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Drug developed for arthritis could be first to stop heart valve calcification - Medical Xpress

Dear Doctor: A friend suggested I try MSM crystals for arthritis. What are they, and do they work? If they do, where can I find them?

Dear Reader: Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) is an organic sulfur-containing compound naturally found in plants such as Brussels sprouts, garlic, asparagus, kale, beans and wheat germ. It can also be found in horsetail, an herbal remedy. MSM, which has been touted as a treatment for arthritis, is related to a similar compound, dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), that has been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties. MSM may have anti-inflammatory properties as well, but different from those associated with aspirin or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents (NSAIDs). Unlike DMSO, which is a liquid applied at room temperature, MSM is a white crystalline compound -- hence the reference to "crystals."

As for whether it works, let's look at the evidence. A 2011 study performed in Israel assessed its impact on 50 people with arthritis of the knee. Twenty-five patients took a placebo, while 25 took 1.125 grams of MSM three times per day for 12 weeks. At 12 weeks, symptoms had worsened by 14 percent in the placebo group, but had improved by 20 percent in the MSM group. Pain had increased by 9 percent in the placebo group, but had decreased by 21 percent in the MSM group. Note that in this 12-week study, users noted no side effects.

A 2006 study also assessed MSM's impact on people with arthritis of the knee, with 25 people receiving a placebo and the other 25 receiving a 3-gram dose of MSM twice a day. At 12 weeks, pain had decreased by 25 percent in the MSM group, and by 13 percent in the placebo group. The physical function of the knee also improved with the use of MSM, but stiffness improved only slightly as compared to the placebo. This higher dose of MSM was associated with the mild side effects of bloating and constipation. One interesting note: The study authors found no change in inflammatory markers with MSM.

Lastly, a 2004 study from India compared the use of MSM, the use of glucosamine, the use of a combination and the use of a placebo for arthritis of the knee. After 12 weeks, patients who took 500 milligrams of MSM three times a day reported a significant reduction in pain and swelling of the knee. This was also seen in the group who took glucosamine. Those who took the combination of both MSM and glucosamine reported an additive benefit in regard to pain and swelling.

Granted, these are small studies, but they do show a slight benefit from MSM, but even milder than from Tylenol or NSAIDs. In these studies, the medication was used every day for 12 weeks, so I would assume that you would have to take MSM daily for a long period to see the benefit.

Excerpt from:
Organic compound MSM could help with arthritis pain | | thetandd.com - The Times and Democrat

A Chinese informant for the Central Intelligence Agency was shot in front of colleagues in the courtyard of a government building, reports The New York Times. Chinas government, according to former American officials, executed at least a dozen supposed CIA sources from the end of 2010 through 2012.

Beijings Global Times, a semi-official tabloid, calls the reporting of the courtyard killing a purely fabricated story, most likely a piece of American-style imagination based on ideology, but the publication, controlled by the authoritative Peoples Daily, did not deny the New York papers report of the other executions.

The Peoples Republic of China has very little compunction about killing its citizens. There is no question about that. The range of victimsfrom supposedly hardened spies to infants barely out of the wombis stunning and should be taken into account by Washington whenever it deals with Beijing.

We start with babies born without permits issued by population control officials.

Mao Hengfeng heard the piercing cries of her baby after a forced abortion. Yet instead of being able to hold her newborn child, veteran journalist Verna Yu reports, she watched helplessly while her baby was drowned in a bucket.

The baby was alive, I could hear the baby cry, Mao said. They killed my baby. Mao was also forced by family planning officials to undergo a hysterectomy. She had been seven-and-a-half months pregnant at the time.

Her baby was killed a quarter century ago, but the practice continues today. In todays China, under the Communist rule, says blind activist Chen Guangcheng, the government can put their hand into your body, grab your baby out of your womb, and kill your baby in your face. Chen talks of a war zone created by family planning officials.

Forced abortions occur as late as the ninth month, according to Reggie Littlejohn, founder and president of Womens Rights Without Frontiers, in 2009 testimony before the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission of the U.S. Congress (PDF). Chinese methods of infanticide include puncturing the skulls and injecting alcohol into the brains of full-term fetuses to kill them during labor, she testified.

Littlejohn appended a translation of a Chinese document labeled Best Practices, Infanticide, issued to handle the question, What if the infant is still alive after induced labor?

This is the hallmark of communistic governments: the peacetime mass killings of their own citizens, Littlejohn told The Daily Beast.

China, since the beginning of 2016, has generally permitted couples to have two children, a relaxation of the notorious One-Child Policy, in place since 1979. Yet the requirement that couples obtain birth permits and the other coercive rules remain in place.

And that, unfortunately, means gendercide. As Susan Yoshihara, senior vice president for research at the Center for Family and Human Rights, pointed out in comments to me, brutal Chinese family planning policy has led to the direct and indirect killing of tens of millions of innocent Chinese baby girls just because they are girls.

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Almost as grisly is organ harvesting. Dr. Jacob Lavee, president of the Israel Society of Transplantation, told PBS NewsHour that in 2005 one of his patients was promised a heart transplant in China two weeks ahead of time.

If a patient was promised to undergo a heart transplant on a specific date, Lavee said, this could only mean that thethose who promised that they knew ahead of time when his potential donor would be dead.

China said in 2014 that, beginning the following year, it would no longer take organs from executed prisoners. But forced donations are continuing according to Ethan Gutmann, author of The Slaughter.

Gutmann, along with David Kilgour and David Matas, is co-author of an exhaustive June 2016 report. They maintain there are somewhere between 60,000 and 100,000 organ transplants a year, a number far in excess of donations available from voluntary sources.

Prisoners corroborate conclusions of the report. Wang Chunying and Yin Liping, Falun Gong practitioners, told PBS they were forced to take tests needed for matching organs with recipients. Gutmann says he has heard similar accounts from other prisoners.

China is not the only country with organ-transplant abuse, David Matas, a Canadian human rights lawyer, told the Toronto-based Globe and Mail. Whats different about China is its institutionalized, its state-run, its party-directed. Its not a few criminals in back alleys trying to make a fast buck. Kilgour, a former Canadian MP and now a human rights activist, implored the Chinese government to stop what he labeled an industrial-scale crime against humanity.

In China, you can get livers, kidneys, hearts, spleens, hands, breasts, arms, corneas, intestines, pancreases, thyroids, stem cells, hair, and bone marrow, and it looks like they come from more than just common criminals. China has used Falun Gong practitioners, Uighurs, Tibetans, and Christians as forced donors, the three authors charge.

Beijing called the charges groundless accusations after the U.S. House of Representatives last year passed a resolution on the practice.

Despite noticeable improvement in Chinese donor practices, the Chinese state looks like it is searching for a new source of organs. Forced organ harvesting of political dissidents began in the 90s, in Xinjiang, Gutmann told The Daily Beast. With the recent revelation from Human Rights Watchthat the Chinese authorities are comprehensively mapping Uighur DNAit is difficult to suppress the thought that Beijing has entered a new stage: not simply the murder of individual political dissidents but a slow-motion version of racial genocide.

But, in fact, China is still murdering political dissidents, even if the killings often are out of sight. In 2009, police said a 24-year-old prisoner, Li Qiaoming, died while playing hide-and-seek. Li, however, had been beaten to death, and this term suddenly became a common euphemism for official brutality.

Last year, Lei Yang, 29 years old and an environmental activist, died an hour after being taken into custody in the Chinese capital. Police blamed a heart attack. An autopsy revealed Lei choked on his own vomit.

These days, activists also disappear. Take 2015s 709 crackdown, so named because it began on July 9. Some 300 rights lawyers, legal assistants, and dissidents were swept up. A few of themZhao Wei and Wang Quanzhangare still missing. The 709 campaign, primarily directed at the legal profession, has been called the war on law and is widely seen as a sign of a growing intolerance of dissent under President Xi Jinping.

In China, there are countless allegations of police torture, abuse, and suspicious deaths, widely followed freelance journalist Paul Mooney tells The Daily Beast. The police, he says, are killing citizens with impunity. And as he points out, police power is growing and we can expect the situation to get worse and worse.

Many people call the country China. But we would understand it better if we thought of it as the Peoples Republic of Death.

Excerpt from:
China: Inside the People's Republic of Death - Daily Beast

One of the fastest growing causes of blindness around the world is an eye disease thats almost entirely preventable.

Diabetic retinopathy is a condition that occurs among diabetics when high blood sugar levels damage the retinal blood vessels, leading to complete vision impairment over time. The disease is a threat to those who have lived with diabetes for years, but it can be detected early and treated if patients are regularly screened.

Unfortunately, in India, which is home to over 69 million diabetics (as of 2015), regular eye examinations arent easy to come by, particularly outside big cities. While access to even basic healthcare is difficult, the problem is compounded by a serious shortage of trained ophthalmologists. So, some 45% of patients suffer from vision loss before theyre even diagnosed with diabetic retinopathy.

And thats where artificial intelligence comes in.

Specialist doctors are trained to diagnose the disease by analysing retinal photographs and looking for different types of lesions, such as microaneurysms or haemorrhages, that can indicate its severity. Last year, Google announced that it had taught an image-recognition algorithm how to detect signs of diabetic retinopathy using a dataset of 128,000 retinal photographs. In subsequent tests with other images, the algorithm managed to perform on par with a panel of ophthalmologists.

Since then, the project team has been working to validate the results with two hospital chains in India, Aravind Eye Care and Sankara Eye Hospital, and has recently completed initial clinical trials. Aravind even found the algorithm performing slightly better than its average ophthalmologist, Lily Peng, product manager at Google Research and a former nanoscientist and bioengineer, said during a talk earlier this year.

Now, Google is in the early stages of figuring out pilot deployments for the technology in India.

Machine learning has the capability of helping extend the reach of healthcare providers and bringing high quality care to everyone, especially rural and under-served communities where there is a shortage of experts, Peng told Quartz in an email.

Thats particularly important in India, where the condition is a major cause of preventable blindness. In 2014, a study by the All India Ophthalmological Society found that diabetic retinopathy was detected in nearly 22% of its sample of over 6,200 diabetic patients across the country. More importantly, signs of the condition were detected even in patients who hadnt yet experienced any vision impairment, suggesting that early screening is the one thing that could make a big difference in avoiding blindness.

As advanced as the diagnostic algorithm is, though, were still a long way from technology replacing doctors, even as AI and virtual reality are being increasingly incorporated into Indias healthcare sector. Peng notes that the successful adoption of the Google algorithm depends on healthcare providers who will need to adapt to handle an increase in patients as more people are diagnosed with diabetic retinopathy.

Machine learnings true potential will only be realised when deployed in partnership with healthcare providers, Peng said.

But as diabetes spreads, notably among low-income communities who can hardly afford medical care, the first order of business is still the matter of getting ordinary Indians through the door.

More here:
A Google algorithm could help Indian diabetics avoid a disease that leads to blindness - Quartz

Islamabad

Over nine hundred thousand people were benefitted from our services of during the last one year but a lot is yet to be done, a leading eye care hospital announced.

In last one year, we conducted 40,000 operations, three hundred and fifty thousand patients were treated while half a million people were screened for possible eye disorders, said Executive Director of Al-Shifa Trust Eye Hospitals, Brigadier (r) Rizwan Asghar.

Sharing the annual report of the trust with the media persons, he said that we are increasing the services by ten percent annually but only the private sector cannot cope with the challenge of blindness as eye diseases are increasing at a fast pace.

"Our population is increasing putting the strain on services like sanitation, pollution is compromising hygiene while fact remains that many of the viruses, bacteria, parasites, and fungi that can invade the human body are also capable of attacking the surface or interior of the eye," he said.

Unfortunately, diseases that damage the retina, the optic nerve, or the blood vessels that feed them often cause no pain at all which is another major problem, he added.

Brigadier (r) Rizwan Asghar informed that over two million Pakistanis are blind and eighty percent of them could have been cured if properly checked at an early age.

He said that data available with Al-Shifa shows that lack of basic facilities in far-flung areas and unawareness about the timely check-up are the major causes of eyes diseases and ultimately blindness in the country.

He said that the trust is running its four state-of-the-art eye hospitals at Rawalpindi, Sukkur, Kohat and Muzaffarabad.

The hospital in Rawalpindi eye has a capacity of 250 beds with 40 highly qualified eye surgeons and disease specialists. They treat about 1,200 patients daily and conduct 80 to 100 operations per day.

Link:
Lack of facilities, awareness behind blindness | Islamabad | thenews ... - The News International

Dear Doctor: A friend suggested I try MSM crystals for arthritis. What are they, and do they work? If they do, where can I find them?

Dear Reader: Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) is an organic sulfur-containing compound naturally found in plants such as Brussels sprouts, garlic, asparagus, kale, beans and wheat germ. It can also be found in horsetail, an herbal remedy. MSM, which has been touted as a treatment for arthritis, is related to a similar compound, dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), that has been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties. MSM may have anti-inflammatory properties as well, but different from those associated with aspirin or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents (NSAIDs). Unlike DMSO, which is a liquid applied at room temperature, MSM is a white crystalline compound hence the reference to "crystals."

As for whether it works, let's look at the evidence. A 2011 study performed in Israel assessed its impact on 50 people with arthritis of the knee. Twenty-five patients took a placebo, while 25 took 1.125 grams of MSM three times per day for 12 weeks. At 12 weeks, symptoms had worsened by 14 percent in the placebo group, but had improved by 20 percent in the MSM group. Pain had increased by 9 percent in the placebo group, but had decreased by 21 percent in the MSM group. Note that in this 12-week study, users noted no side effects.

A 2006 study also assessed MSM's impact on people with arthritis of the knee, with 25 people receiving a placebo and the other 25 receiving a 3-gram dose of MSM twice a day. At 12 weeks, pain had decreased by 25 percent in the MSM group, and by 13 percent in the placebo group. The physical function of the knee also improved with the use of MSM, but stiffness improved only slightly as compared to the placebo. This higher dose of MSM was associated with the mild side effects of bloating and constipation. One interesting note: The study authors found no change in inflammatory markers with MSM.

Lastly, a 2004 study from India compared the use of MSM, the use of glucosamine, the use of a combination and the use of a placebo for arthritis of the knee. After 12 weeks, patients who took 500 milligrams of MSM three times a day reported a significant reduction in pain and swelling of the knee. This was also seen in the group who took glucosamine. Those who took the combination of both MSM and glucosamine reported an additive benefit in regard to pain and swelling.

Granted, these are small studies, but they do show a slight benefit from MSM, but even milder than from Tylenol or NSAIDs. In these studies, the medication was used every day for 12 weeks, so I would assume that you would have to take MSM daily for a long period to see the benefit.

One important caveat: We don't know if there are any long-term side effects with MSM. If you do try it, start with 500 to 1,000 milligrams three times per day. That dose can be found in any drug or vitamin store.

Go here to read the rest:
Ask the Doctors: Using MSM may help alleviate arthritis pain - Billings Gazette

San Francisco Examiner

Arthritis: The Preventable Disease? San Francisco Examiner Arthritis affects 27 million Americans, with knee arthritis alone affecting 9 million. Most of it may preventable. Here's why: Arthritis is a disease affecting the bearing surface (articular cartilage) of joints and the underlying bone, along with the ...

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Arthritis: The Preventable Disease? - San Francisco Examiner

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iShares NASDAQ Biotechnology Index (IBB) Stock Rating Upgraded by Vetr Inc. - The Cerbat Gem

Arthritis affects 27 million Americans, with knee arthritis alone affecting 9 million. Most of it may preventable. Heres why.

Arthritis is a disease affecting the bearing surface (articular cartilage) of joints, and the underlying bone, along with the surrounding joint capsule.

Most of arthritis is due to sports and activity-related injuries which, later in life, lead to arthritis. While such injuries usually cannot be prevented, the subsequent arthritis would most likely not occur if the damage was repaired immediately using modern regeneration and replacement techniques.

But this doesnt often happen. Patients tend to ignore their injuries. Surgeons still remove the damaged tissue and tell their patients to come back when they need a knee replacement. Arthritis pain is treated with cortisone instead of growth factors and stem cells, and insurance companies dont pay for up-to-date tissue regeneration techniques. How do we change this?

First, dont ignore an injury. If you twist your knee, hear a pop, and then have swelling, theres a 90% chance you have torn a key tissue in the knee. If left alone, the injury will cause arthritis; if repaired properly, it may not. Getting an accurate rapid diagnosisoften with MRI confirmationis the critical first step. Not having the damaged tissue removed, if at all possible, is the next step.

Unfortunately, most surgeons still remove the damaged knee tissuesusually the meniscus shock absorber and the articular cartilage surfacewithout applying the latest repair, regeneration, and replacement techniques.

Why? Because those repair techniques are difficult, take extra operating time, are not reimbursed by insurance companies, and do not have enough large-scale studies to convince the entire medical establishment that they work. But here are the facts:

We know that if the joint cartilage is repaired or replaced when it is injured, the likelihood of arthritis is significantly less. In the USwhere 800,000 meniscus tears occur each yearless than 10% are repaired and only about 0.25% of people receive a new meniscus. Thats because a future arthritis problem is not likely to cost the insurer money, as most people dont stay with the same insurance company for more than a few years. Surgeons tell the patients to expect arthritis to set in 10 - 20 years in the future; sometimes it occurs much faster.

After arthritis does occur, cartilage repair and replacement procedures can still be beneficial. They can reduce pain, improve functions, and delay the time at which an artificial joint is required. Our own data shows that, on average, as long as it is not bone on bone, many severely arthritic joints can be biologically repaired. This can delay the need for an artificial joint by (on average) 10 years. (Since only the first artificial joint has the best outcome, and the joints last only a couple of decades, it is important to delay this procedure until patients are quite old.) Again, biological repair is not in the interest of the insurance company. Most patients are told to live with their arthritic knee, and their pain, until they are older.

The non-operative procedures for preventing arthritis are also exquisitely effective and underfunded. The joints are protected by the muscles that surround them. The forces absorbed by the joints are a multiple of body weight. Most people take 2 - 3 million steps per year at up to five times their body weight, depending on the height of the step. Optimizing your body weight matters. Being 10 pounds overweight leads to up to 50 pounds of extra force, 2 - 3 million times per year. And, the stronger the muscles around the joint, the better they absorb some of the forcesrather than the joint surfaces. Preventing self-induced injury would significantly lower the arthritis rate.

Research funding would also help. Ninety-seven percent of arthritis diagnoses are the types that orthopaedic surgeons most commonly treat: osteoarthritis or traumatic arthritis. Only 3% are inflammatory; these are called rheumatoid arthritis (or related variants). Yet 97% of the funding of the Arthritis Foundation goes towards those 3% of arthritis diagnoses. Why? Two reasons. First, because thats where much of the money in pharmaceutical treatments of arthritis is to be made. Second, because rheumatologists control the Arthritis Foundation. A major effort to focus research dollars on improving techniques for injury repair would improve outcomes for millions of people.

Given the projected costs to society of $128 billion (or 1.2% of GDP) for arthritis treatment each year, one would think that a national program to prevent this disease would be a high priority. Cancer may kill 600,000 people in the US this year, but arthritis ruins more lives. And it doesnt have to.

Start your workday the right way with the news that matters most.

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Arthritis: The Preventable Disease? - HuffPost

Dear Doctor: A friend suggested I try MSM crystals for arthritis. What are they, and do they work? If they do, where can I find them?

Dear Reader: Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) is an organic sulfur-containing compound naturally found in plants such as Brussels sprouts, garlic, asparagus, kale, beans and wheat germ. It can also be found in horsetail, an herbal remedy. MSM, which has been touted as a treatment for arthritis, is related to a similar compound, dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), that has been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties. MSM may have anti-inflammatory properties as well, but different from those associated with aspirin or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents (NSAIDs). Unlike DMSO, which is a liquid applied at room temperature, MSM is a white crystalline compound hence the reference to crystals.

As for whether it works, lets look at the evidence. A 2011 study performed in Israel assessed its impact on 50 people with arthritis of the knee. Twenty-five patients took a placebo, while 25 took 1.125 grams of MSM three times per day for 12 weeks. At 12 weeks, symptoms had worsened by 14 percent in the placebo group, but had improved by 20 percent in the MSM group. Pain had increased by 9 percent in the placebo group, but had decreased by 21 percent in the MSM group. Note that in this 12-week study, users noted no side effects.

A 2006 study also assessed MSMs impact on people with arthritis of the knee, with 25 people receiving a placebo and the other 25 receiving a 3-gram dose of MSM twice a day. At 12 weeks, pain had decreased by 25 percent in the MSM group, and by 13 percent in the placebo group. The physical function of the knee also improved with the use of MSM, but stiffness improved only slightly as compared to the placebo. This higher dose of MSM was associated with the mild side effects of bloating and constipation. One interesting note: The study authors found no change in inflammatory markers with MSM.

Lastly, a 2004 study from India compared the use of MSM, the use of glucosamine, the use of a combination and the use of a placebo for arthritis of the knee. After 12 weeks, patients who took 500 milligrams of MSM three times a day reported a significant reduction in pain and swelling of the knee. This was also seen in the group who took glucosamine. Those who took the combination of both MSM and glucosamine reported an additive benefit in regard to pain and swelling.

Granted, these are small studies, but they do show a slight benefit from MSM, but even milder than from Tylenol or NSAIDs. In these studies, the medication was used every day for 12 weeks, so I would assume that you would have to take MSM daily for a long period to see the benefit.

One important caveat: We dont know if there are any long-term side effects with MSM. If you do try it, start with 500 to 1,000 milligrams three times per day. That dose can be found in any drug or vitamin store.

Robert Ashley, M.D., is an internist and assistant professor of medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles.

Read more:
ORGANIC COMPOUND MSM COULD HELP WITH ARTHRITIS PAIN - NRToday.com

Executive Director Deborah Jackson, of Northern California Arthritis Foundation, recently joined me as part of a Health Focus television show, inaugurated by Vallejo Community Access Television.

July is Juvenile Arthritis Awareness Month, sponsored by the Arthritis Foundation.

As a rheumatologist, I see arthritic diseases afflicting our community, at all ages.

The kids with arthritis, however, tend to garner less attention.

Consider the impact of arthritis, for Americans of all ages.

Dr. Sharad Lahhanipal, president of the American College of Rheumatology, recently wrote that arthritis is common, expensive and a leading cause of disability.

One in four adults carry this diagnosis, to a tune of $81 billion in annual medical expenses. Although 32 million arthritis sufferers are between the ages of 18 and 64 years, we also see 300,000 youths whose lives are challenged by this diagnosis.

Clinical assessment by an experienced clinician, combined with state-of-the art treatments, can combine to minimize disabling complications.

Arthritis, which is inflammation of a joint, is typically managed by a team approach, involving primary care doctors, rheumatologists, physical therapists and perhaps, orthopedic surgeons and other specialists.

In the case of pediatric rheumatology, there is a sub-specialty within a sub-specialty, which conveys expertise specific to the arthritic conditions of kids, typically under the age of 16.

We tend to find pediatric rheumatologists in academic medical centers.

There is a national shortage of both adult and pediatric specialists in this field, as the baby boomer physicians begin to retire. So many pediatric patients with arthritis are likely to encounter generalists, adult rheumatologists and pediatricians as therapeutic allies.

The term juvenile arthritis is itself somewhat simplistic.

Without getting too far into the weeds of medical jargon, rheumatologists are interested in distinguishing between inflammatory and non-inflammatory joint disease.

Adults often wear out their joints, due to sports injuries or degenerative processes. Pediatric arthritis may involve infiltration of the joint with inflammatory cells and cellular messengers called cytokines.

Historically, we often used anti-inflammatory drugs, prednisone or methotrexate. More sophisticated biologic agents now supplement or entirely replace many of these older therapies.

Every medicine, however, confers potential side effects, including those associated with attenuating healthy immune responses. It is easy to see why pediatric rheumatologists have a tough job.

Leaving aside treatment, diagnosis of pediatric arthritis is not always straightforward. Ranging from systemic to pauci-articular, a few joints involved, to pediatric forms of lupus, rheumatoid arthritis or muscle inflammation, we are confronted with an array of possible diagnoses within the pediatric arthritis umbrella.

Carefully tailored treatment and monitoring is necessary in the management of these conditions.

Some kids with arthritis also require regular monitoring by ophthalmologists, as subtle forms of inflammation may even threaten vision.

Jackson informed us that the Arthritis Foundation is sponsoring numerous activities, relative to juvenile arthritis.

Camp Kids allows youngsters to enjoy outdoor activities and to interact with peers facing similar challenges.

We discussed the fact that a child with arthritis still fulfills all the usual roles of youth, including student, emerging adult and family member.

The Arthritis Foundation also runs Team Retreat, which is more of a family oriented and comprehensive experience. Myriad services and activities sponsored by the Arthritis Foundation are by no means confined to one month of the calendar year.

What might we, as individuals, do to support Juvenile Arthritis Awareness Month?

The Arthritis Foundation maintains a website (arthritis. org), with specific information with regard to the activities discussed. They welcome inquiries about further involvement by the community.

Educating ourselves about the importance of juvenile arthritis is a first step.

You are already ahead of many, simply by reading these few words. Thanks!

Scott T. Anderson, M.D., Ph.D. (email [emailprotected]), is clinical professor at UC Davis Medical School. This column is informational and does not constitute medical advice.

Originally posted here:
Educate yourself as Juvenile Arthritis Awareness Month approaches - Fairfield Daily Republic

At 58, Oscar-nominated actress Angela Bassett has played a wide range of roles and now shes set to be part of the ground breaking new movie, Black Panther, the first Marvel Comic book movie to feature a black super hero.

Its thrilling you know, its all new to me, the whole super hero and huge franchise [movies], said Bassett. It was cast from actors from all over the globe. I think that fans have been asking for it, looking for it, expecting it, and youre going to be satisfied.

The movie is slated to hit theaters next year and casts Bassett as mother of superhero TChalla, the Black Panther. Bassett co-stars with Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, and Lupita Nyong'o.

She was also recently cast in another big franchise movie: Mission Impossible 6.

Thats another one. Im like whats going on? I love it, its thrilling, said Bassett.

Related: Shape Shifter: Condola Rashad on Third Tony Award Nomination

Bassett revealed that she owes it all to her mother, Betty. It was her mother who pushed her to follow her dreams and gave her advice that she still remembers to this day.

Youre a prize, said Bassett. Think well of yourself. Every one is, but you are one and dont forget.

Her mother was her inspiration and its because of her mother that Bassett has taken on a new role to raise awareness about diabetes.

My mother had Type 2 diabetes as well as her brother, her eldest brother, said Bassett. At that time we were unaware about this link, this connection between Type 2 diabetes and heart disease which is what she passed from.

Actress Angela Bassett attends the panel discussion for Netflix's "Master of None" For Your Consideration Event at the Saban Media Center on June 5, 2017 in North Hollywood, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images For Netflix) Alberto E. Rodriguez / Getty Images

In fact, Type 2 diabetes is linked to multiple complications. According to the Mayo Clinic, those affected with Type 2 diabetes are at higher risk not only for heart disease, but also for amputations, blindness, kidney damage and more.

There are more than 29 million Americans with Type 2 diabetes and it affects African-Americans at a higher than average rate. There is also a genetic link with the disease. Because of Bassetts family history, she revealed that she recently had a health scare during a yearly physical and has to pay attention to her diet and exercise.

Prevention and access to health care are key to keeping type two diabetes in check, said Bassett.

Related:

I think its extremely important. Its life and death. Whether you can see a doctor whether you can get your medication whether you can afford it."

In Bassett's latest role, she gets to play the advocate who could save real lives, off the movie screen.

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Angela Bassett Talks Role in 'Black Panther', Diabetes - NBCNews.com

Lexicon Pharmaceuticals has posted upbeat data from another phase 3 trial of its Sanofi-partnered dual SGLT1 and SGLT2 inhibitor sotagliflozin. More patients in the treatment arm hit an established target for glycemic control than did in the control cohort, resulting in Lexicon chalking up its third phase 3 success for the diabetes tablet.

The latest trial enrolled 1,402 patients with type 1 diabetes and randomized them to receive either sotagliflozin or placebo. Going into the study the subjects had A1C levels ranging from 7% to 11%. Diabetes associations recommend that patients reduce their A1Clevels to below 7%. A1C is a marker that gives an average blood glucose level. The phase 3 trial assessed the proportion of participants in the sotagliflozin and placebo arms whose A1C levels fell to below 7% over 24 weeks of treatment.

Lexicon said the trial linked sotagliflozin to a statistically-significant improvement in the proportion of patients who met the A1C target. The finding adds to evidence that sotagliflozin helps patients with Type 1 diabetes to control their glucose levels.

Exactly how positive the data are is unclear. In the top-line release Lexicon said the trial met its primary endpoint but provided no details about what proportion of patients in each arm saw their A1C levels fall to below 7%. That datapoint will go some way to showing whether sotagliflozin can go beyond beating the placebo and establish itself as an effective treatment for type 1 diabetics.

The FDA and other regulators have already approved inhibitors of SGLT2, one of the targets hit by sotagliflozin, for use in type 2 diabetics. AstraZeneca and Bristol-Myers Squibbs Farxiga, Boehringer Ingelheim and Eli Lillys Jardiance and Johnson & Johnsons Invokana all compete for this niche.

Lexicon thinks sotagliflozin can improve on these existing therapies by also hitting SGLT1, which mediates the absorption of glucose in the intestines. SGLT2 plays a similar role in the kidneys.

Sanofi identified sotagliflozin as a way to enter and disrupt the nascent market for SGLT2 inhibitors in 2015, prompting it to pay $300 million upfront and up to $1.4 billion in milestones for the global license to the experimental drug. And with sotagliflozin having now come through three phase 3 trialsthe first two of which assessed the change in A1C from baselineit is nearing the day on which it can start recouping some of its outlay.

We look forward to pursuing regulatory submissions for the treatment of type 1 worldwide, Sanofi SVP Jorge Insuasty said in a statement.

Sanofi plans to pursue approvals of sotagliflozin in type 1 diabetes while developing the drug for use by people with the type 2 form of the condition. The French Big Pharma is running three phase 3 trials to assess the effect of sotagliflozin on the A1C levels of patients with type 2 diabetes. Sanofi expects to complete the trials in 2018 and 2019.

Continued here:
Lexicon diabetes pill hits endpoint in another phase 3, teeing up regulatory filings by partner Sanofi - FierceBiotech

Diabetes management is a focus area for a number of digital health companies, and increasingly large medical device companies like Medtronic and Dexcom are turning to smartphone apps and connected devices for their consumer offerings. So its no surprise that at the 77th Scientific Sessions of the American Diabetes Association, which start today, there is a significant health tech presence. We didnt make it out to San Diego ourselves this year, but a lot of the digital health companies have already announced their major news from the conference. As we did last year were rounding up that news here, and well update this piece as more news breaks. Were even including a few news tidbits from this week that werent announced in connection with ADA but impact the diabetes space. Read on for the latest from small startups to major movers and shakers. Dexcom

Its been a big week in the news for the continuous glucose monitor maker. On Monday Dexcom got an important name drop at Apples WWDC: The company will be one of the first to take advantage of Apples addition of native Bluetooth to the Apple Watch. Dexcom has an Apple Watch app at the moment for users of its CGM, but it currently requires the phone to be in range. Now the Watch and the CGM will be able to communicate directly. Then on Wednesday the company announced its long-awaited Android app for Dexcom Share. The Android app just now received FDA clearance, and the company will roll it out this month. At the conference, Dexcom will announce an update to CLARITY, the companys diabetes management software platform. Dexcom is working with the International Diabetes Center (IDC) to incorporate the Ambulatory Glucose Profile, a report developed by IDC. AGP is a standardized way of reporting patient glucose data. AGP reports have been used for several years by physicians, Dr. George Grunberger, chairman of the Grunberger Diabetes Institute, explained in a statement. [It] presents the most relevant statistical and graphical information that would allow clinicians to quickly assess the glucose control of a patient and make meaningful clinical decisions. By having a wider adoption of this report by medical device companies, it allows the information to be agnostic to the manufacturer. AGP can become the EKG report of diabetology where there is one standard glucose report that all clinicians can interpret. One Drop

One Drop Medical, a direct-to-consumer diabetes management system that consists of a lancing device, test strips and a companion app, has expanded its subscription program and launched an Amazon Alexa integration. One Drop subscribers can command the voice assistant to track blood glucose, food and physical activity within the One Drop app, eliminating the need to manually enter any information.

"Accessibility is a foundational value at One Drop," One Drop CEO and founder Jeff Dachis said in a statement. "Now, with new voice and alternative visual interfaces, we are extending our commitment to accessible care with features and programs that allow access to data-driven diabetes care for those with vision challenges, advanced neuropathy, or limited dexterity/mobility, the elderly, caregivers, as well as those challenged by the visual/tactile interfaces associated with smartphones."

Additionally, One Drop is now offering two new specialized diabetes education and coaching programs one on how to deal with the burnout that comes from having a chronic condition, and another for advanced carb counting. The New York-based company will also share results from clinical studies of their system during the ADA conference. Medtronic

Medtronic will present results from several studies, ranging from clinical effectiveness of devices to how machine learning is impacting personalized diabetes management. Scientific presentations will cover insulin pump therapy performance for the MiniMed and SmartGuard systems as well as an update on the performance of SugarIQ, the app Medtronic developed with IBM Watson last year.

The app includes a manual food log and integrates data from Medtronic MiniMed Connect. As users record data about what they eat, when they use insulin, and their blood glucose levels, Watson machine learning generates predictive insights. Medtronic will also delve into notification and engagement strategies, such as in-clinic versus at-home management with email notifications. The company will also host a webcast on June 10 to update their diabetes product pipelines, market outlook and clinical data. T1D Exchange & Admetsys

Boston-based nonprofit T1D Exchange, which is solely focused on spurring innovation and research in type 1 diabetes, is now working withartificial pancreas technology provider Admetsys. The exact terms of the partnership werent disclosed, but T1D Exchange will allocate resources to continue the development of Admetsys Automated Insulin Delivery (AID) system for hospital use. The technology, which has been used in three clinical trials, uses a standard IV to draw a small blood sample every few minutes, measure glucose levels and return the blood back to the patient. From there, Admetsys creates a computational model to direct insulin dosages from syringe pumps. Glooko

Diabetes management company Glooko will detail results from two retrospective studies at ADA. The studies show that the Glooko mobile app led to a decrease in average blood glucose, estimated A1C (eA1C) and hyperglycemia rates in people with diabetes. Users of the mobile application also did more blood glucose testing than the control group.The drop in average blood glucose was 3.54 percent. App users were 4.38 percent less likely to experience hyperglycemic events. We are thrilled to see this additional clinical evidence that shows the positive impact Glooko can have on people with diabetes, Rick Altinger, CEO of Glooko, said in a statement. Glookos mission has always been to improve the clinical outcomes for people with diabetes by making diabetes management easier through digital tools. Our user satisfaction rates coupled with this clinical evidence adds credence to the investments that digital health companies have been making to improve the lives of people with chronic diseases. Ascensia & Voluntis Ascensia, a business unit created last year when Panasonic Healthcare Holdings acquired Bayer Diabetes Care, is now working with Paris, France-based app maker Voluntis. Ascensia makes the Contour Next One and Contour Next Link, a pair of connected glucometers that received FDA clearance last year, and Voluntis will develop an app called the Insulia Diabetes Management Companion for people with type 2 diabetes. The glucometers will connect via Bluetooth to the app, allowing blood glucose readings to be used to calculate insulin dosing.

Type 2 diabetes is a complex condition, especially for people using insulin therapy as part of their management. Were excited to be working together with Voluntis to empower people with Type 2 diabetes by helping them to better manage their insulin treatment, Ascensia CEO Michael Kloss said in a statement. This partnership helps us move further towards our ambition of providing integrated diabetes management, which we see as the future. It is our first partnership in the area of medication management, which is a critical component of integrated diabetes management, and we see Voluntis as a key partner in helping to deliver this goal.

DarioHealth

Israel-based smartphone-connected glucometer company DarioHealth isnt announcing data or new features at ATA but will announce a new social initiative called DarioCares. DarioHealth will donate a portion of its proceeds to charitable and nonprofit organizations working in the field of diabetes. "The ADA conference is one of the biggest annual events in the diabetes industry, Chairman and CEO Erez Raphael said in a statement. Many NGOs will be there and we look forward to strengthening our relationships with them and raising diabetes awareness. Furthermore, DarioCares is an excellent chance to play an active role with leading organizations that are driving change for people with diabetes. This is a win-win opportunity where we can make a significant contribution to the diabetes community."

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News and announcements from the American Diabetes Association conference - MobiHealthNews