StemCell Therapy

June 6, 2017 Drs. Carlos Isales, Meghan McGee-Lawrence, William D. Hill and Mark Hamrick. Credit: Phil Jones

With age, the form and function of our bones and muscles drop off, putting us as increased risk for frailty and falls.

Now researchers at the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University are dissecting just what happens to the stem cells that make the tissues, which help keep us upright, with an eye on improving our healthspan.

Osteoporosis already is a major public health problem affecting about 44 million Americans and costing billions annually. The world's older population is growing at an unprecedented rate with 8.5 percent of the worldwide population - 617 million people - age 65 and older, a proportion estimated to reach 17 percent by 2050, according to the National Institute on Aging.

"After age 65 you start losing about 1 percent of both muscle and bone per year," said Dr. Carlos Isales, endocrinologist, Regents' professor and vice chair for clinical affairs in the MCG Department of Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine.

"Daily exercise decreases the slope of that decline. But what we are focusing on is trying to see if we can flatten the curve even further," said Isales, principal investigator on a new $9.3 million Program Project grant from the National Institutes of Health.

Time seems to alter the dynamic between the mesenchymal stem cells making bone and muscle and the amino acids that fuel them. The MCG scientists also have evidence it changes the signals stem cells send each other.

The bottom line: Our stem cell population gets reduced and the cells we have become less efficient at making bone and muscle, often opting for the easier task of making fat instead, Isales said.

The team, which includes principal investigators bone biologist Dr. Mark Hamrick, stem cell researcher Dr. William D. Hill and biomedical engineer Dr. Meghan McGee-Lawrence, wants to keep stem cells focused on making bone and muscle.

"We are looking at stem cells as a group and what is happening to them as we age," Hill noted. "This includes a loss of direction so they aren't as functional as they were before. The other thing we are looking at is their survival and their numbers."

"We are trying to figure out why the changes are happening and if we can target those cells to make them want to make bone again," McGee-Lawrence said.

Much as the function of bone and muscle is interwoven, so is their health and the factors that promote their loss or survival also are similar, said Hamrick.

A major culprit in their breakdown appears to be the metabolite kynurenine, a byproduct of the essential amino acid tryptophan. Tryptophan is among the nine amino acids our body can't make and we must consume in foods like turkey and soybeans so we can perform essentials like making protein. The researchers also think the fuel sends signals to cells, ones that aging stem cells apparently don't get.

The unhealthy metabolite is the result of a natural action called oxidation, which occurs anytime cells use oxygen. Particularly with age, the free radicals produced by oxidation can also damage cells. Kynurenine results when the enzyme, indoleamine 2,3 dioxygenase, or IDO, which a variety of tissues make to help moderate an immune response, oxidizes tryptophan. Over time, kynurenine piles up and appears to alter the dynamic of bone and muscle formation.

Again, somewhat ironically, the many functions of essential amino acids include working as antioxidants, so the researchers are putting together nutrient cocktails - minus tryptophan and with reduced protein content - that they hope can reverse age-related damage. Isales notes that they may find that other amino acids produce similar problems as tryptophan in the aged environment.

So they also are taking more direct approaches like whether an IDO inhibitor - which is already in clinical trials as a cancer fighter - can reverse changes and get stem cells to regain more youthful function.

In an effort to begin to see if what they have seen in laboratory mice holds up in humans, they are trying both approaches in human stem cells retrieved during the process of a knee or hip replacement by colleagues in the MCG Department of Orthopaedic Surgery.

They have laboratory evidence that in mice at least, high kynurenine levels impact the ability of cells in the bone marrow to make bone-forming cells called osteoblasts. In fact, even relatively young mice fed kynurenine experience bone loss, an increase in bone destruction by cells called osteoclasts and increased fat in their bone marrow. Conversely, mice with IDO knocked out maintain strong bone mass.

"You can make an old mouse young and you can make a young mouse old," Hill noted.

The team also has evidence that part of how age-related increases in kynurenine does damage is by altering microRNAs - small but powerful pieces of RNA that can control expression of hundreds of genes at the same time - as well as vesicles called exosomes that are hauling the microRNAs around. Stem cells secrete exosomes as one way to communicate, and apparently aging stem cells don't communicate well with each other.

"Exosomes are one mechanism of crosstalk between cells and also between different organs," said Hamrick. "Your liver is producing exosomes, fat produces exosomes, they will hit other organs and they carry, in some cases, positive messages and in some cases bad messages," said Hamrick, who is leading this project to restore positive messaging.

They have laboratory evidence that aging alters at least two microRNAs, miR-141 and miR-183, which prompts cells to make bone-eating instead of bone-forming cells. Again, they have shown that even young stem cells exposed to older exosomes will assume this bone-reducing stance. But they also have some evidence that some of the dietary interventions Isales is looking at could reverse the ill effects.

The team recently reported in the journal Tissue Engineering that exosomes from old and younger mice were similar in size and number and both had a lot of miRNAs. But aged exosomes had significantly and specifically more mi183, an miRNA already associated with cancer. In this case, high mi183 appears to decrease cell proliferation and the ability of immature cells to become bone cells and to support the general deterioration that comes with age, called senescence. Age-related increases of reactive oxygen species and oxidative stress help increase mi183 levels and these undesirable results. When researchers treat mesenchymal stem cells from young animals with exosomes from old mice, is suppresses formation of muscle-making genes; giving mi183 directly to bone and muscle producing cells makes them start acting old. Now they want to know more about how aging changes the secretion and cargo of exosomes by mesynchymal stem cells and how that in turn contributes to bone and muscle loss.

A third project, led by Hill, will focus on the cargo, the miRNAs, to learn more about exactly how they impact bone formation and turnover. "We think that the amino acids are controlling the expression of specific sets of microRNA," Hill said. That means they may want to target and even eliminate key or critical microRNAs, which could obviously affect expression of numerous genes as a result.

They also are exploring aging's impact on stromal cell derived factor 1, or SDF-1, which is critical to helping keep stem cells in the bone marrow and focused on making bone. Age-related changes appear to make SDF-1 instead encourage stem cells to wander. The researchers note that while these cells do often need to leave the bone marrow, to say help heal an injury, these age-related travels are random and often cells don't find their way back. A consistent goal is identifying intervention targets.

"The idea is if we can change the environment and change how they are signaling to themselves and to other cells, we can modify the stem cell directly that way," Hill said.

They are looking upstream as well for earlier points of intervention, including what is happening to histone deacetylase-3, or HDAC3. They have evidence that HDAC3, another pervasive regulator in the body that can turn gene expression up or down, is important in stem cells' age-related propensity to make fat instead of bone.

At least one reason is that reduced HDAC3 means less bone, which literally makes more room for fat, said McGee-Lawrence, who is leading these studies. Her previous studies have shown that when HDAC3 is deleted from the skeleton, bones are weaker, much like what occurs with aging.

Now they have evidence that mice treated with kynurenine, for example, have suppressed HDAC3 expression in the bone. They want to know more about just how HDAC3 gets suppressed as we age and exactly what that does to bone formation and fat storage besides just making room. The new grant is allowing them to put the pieces together better, looking further at just what suppresses HDAC3 and what suppression does to bone versus fat formation. The bottom line again is identifying early points of intervention and potentially nutrients to intervene.

"Something in the microenvironment of the bone is causing the cells, instead of wanting to make bone, they are storing a lot of fat," McGee-Lawrence said. "Some of these epigenetic factors, like HDAC3, some of the environmental factors like changes in the amino acids are causing the cells to dysfunction. We are hoping to figure out what that signal is and how to reverse it and to make those cells want to start making bone again."

Identical twin studies have shown that environmental factors definitely play a role, since the bone/muscle health of these twins often is not identical even though their genes are, Isales said. Rather than changing the genes themselves, environmental factors appear to have changed their expression: which ones are turned or on off. These epigenetic changes include factors from diet to stress to sleep patterns to age.

There are 20 amino acids, which are essential to protein production and a variety of other functions from giving cells structure to helping organs functions. Kyrurenine also is associated with the degeneration of our brain and immune system as we age. Mesynchymal stem cells also produce blood, cartilage and fat cells.

Isales also is vice chair of clinical and translational research in the MCG Department of Orthopaedics and a faculty member in the MCG Department of Medicine. Hamrick, Hill and McGee-Lawrence are all faculty members in the MCG Department of Cellular Biology and Anatomy. Other scientists helping support three core laboratories for the interrelated studies include the Administrative Core with Biostatistics, Maribeth Johnson and Dr. Jie Chen, MCG Department of Biostatics and Epidemiology; the Bone Biology Core, Dr. Mohammed Elsalanty, Department of Oral Biology, Dental College of Georgia at AU; and the Bone Stem Cell Core, Dr. Xingming Shi, MCG Department of Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine.

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Excerpt from:
Major research initiative explores how our bones and muscles age, new ways to block their decline - Medical Xpress

National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster walks to a meeting between President Donald Trump and Saudi King Salman at the Royal Court Palace in Riyadh, May 20, 2017. (AP Photo / Evan Vucci)

How did the worlds only superpower wind up in the middle of this war-crazy mess?The United States seems to be dealing with three or four enemies at once.Or switching sides when a renegade militia changes its name and allegiance.Or refighting old wars Americansthought they had already won.

Its hard to keep track, and lots of citizens have stopped trying. When the Cold War ended a generation ago, the United States took on the singular role of global peacekeeper, protecting or punishing other nations depending on their behavior and values. We spread troops and clandestine warriors in black among scores of nations to keep the peace. It sounded like a noble commitment.

Now our so-called indispensable nation finds itself beset with confusion and contradictions, trying to cope with half a dozen or more irregular insurgencies, some hostile, some friendly. Instead of peace and tranquility, the American Goliath seems to attract a swarm of killer bees.

Washington doesnt know how to win in Afghanistanor how to get out of it.

At the moment, the war in Afghanistan is heating up again. The Taliban are recapturing the countryside and slaughtering scores of young Afghan army recruits assembled for weekly prayers, or blowing up Kabul.American hawks are once again calling for more troops, more arms, and more money. President Trump sent National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster to survey the troubled scene and propose a new strategy.

This is an old story.The United States has been at war in Afghanistan for nearly 16 years. New strategies were also proposed by Trumpspredecessors, but none of them succeeded. Washington doesnt know how to win this war or how to get out of it.

Modern warfare, it seems, does not require victory or defeat, just hanging on.On this perverse battlefield, adversaries fight with different weapons. Our side has the wondrous tools of high-tech weaponry, like precision bombing by pilotless drones or video terrain maps for tank commanders. The other side has, in addition to the usual tactics of guerrilla warfare, terrorism, including the deployment of children wearing suicide bombs as jackets to blow up a crowded marketplace.

Yet, strangely enough, the gravest threat to America is not these foreign terrorists. It is a threat closer to home that political leaders dont wish to talk about: We endanger ourselves.

What pulls us deeper and deeper into violence is American hubristhe false pride of our triumphalist pretensions.

What pulls our reluctant citizenry deeper and deeper into chaos and violence is American hubristhe false pride of our triumphalist pretensions. The assumption is that our authority in the world ultimately relies upon our awesome destructive power.The US monopoly on deadly force is supposedly justified by our nobleintentionsprotecting world peace.During the Cold War rivalry, both sides competed, mainly on matching nuclear arsenals, but they did not make the mistake of launching direct war against each other (prudent strategy for both sides).

Without the Soviet empire, Goliath was stuck without a rivalry or clearpurpose. Instead of promoting a general drawdown in weaponry and strategies,the United States and its NATO partners enlarged their franchisethey were no longer just defending the homeland but now reforming the world.

In particular, America dispersed fighting forces and command centersto nearly every continent. These deployments wereintended as warning flags for bad guysdont mess with the United Statesbut some bad guys didnt get the message. And American right-wingers promoted a far more aggressive agenda of changing dozens of supposedly roguish nations that did not comply with our governing values. Iraq was high on the list. The murderous 9/11 terror attack provided the trigger for a generational restart of war-making.

Goliath was ready. Having made themselves the fearsome giant of good intentions, American military leaders felt they could not back away from shooting wars without experiencing utter shame and cowardice. Yet if the United States were to use its full-strength power to kill and conquer, it would destroy its good standing among nations.So the United States clumsily decided to have it both ways.

The Bush/Cheney war on Iraq was launched with a battle slogan that expressed the arrogance of American power: shock and awe. Bomb the crap out of them, and theyll surrender without a fight.

People like the sound of our claim that we are a mighty nation that is both virtuous and deadly dangerous.

In war and peace, Americans seem blinded by their power. People like the sound of our inflated self-confidenceour claim that we are a mighty nation that is both virtuous and deadly dangerous. We further protectedourselves from harm by acquiring still greater killing power and inventing more ingenious ways of delivering destruction.

Terrorismeffectively undermined that reassuring premise. Terror cant win on a traditional battlefield, but it might succeed in deranging Goliath.The governing elites have no real solution for this dilemma, so they keep faith with the old formula for deterrencethe threat of massive retaliationeven though it no longer deters.

In the history of nations, hubris is dangerous territory.Over-wrought pretensions of superiority have brought down kings and empires.Failure to recognize new power realities has led great nations to tragic endings. Does it sound far-fetched to suggest that the United States is now endangered by hubris?Someold soldiers have observed the symptoms.

As a young military officer, McMaster realized that the easy US victory in Desert Storm was profoundly misleading.

As a young tank commander in 1991, H.R. McMaster performed brilliantly in the short, successful war called Desert Storm.Captain McMasters unit of nine Abrams tanks destroyed some 80 Iraqi tanks and other vehicles, and McMaster was decorated with the Silver Star.Yet he realized afterward that the easy US victory in Desert Storm was profoundly misleading and encouraged American war-fighting in disastrously wrong directions.

Popular images from the Gulf War portrayed impressive technologies and flawless operations that went exactly to plan, McMasterwould later write in a sober critique. The public was left with only videos of precision strikes against fixed targets and hapless Iraqi conscripts surrendering in droves without a fight.

But McMaster recognized that military leaders were themselves misled by their swift and overwhelming victory. American power, the Pentagon strategists assumed,would rule in this new, post-Soviet world.American technological advantageswould invent weapons of the future that could literally reinvent the nature of war. Ebullient optimismfollowed the triumph of capitalism and democracy over communism and totalitarianism, McMaster explained.

The triumphalism bothered him a lot.Studying at the Amy War College in 2003, the same year Bush/Cheney launched their Iraq War, McMaster published a powerful essay of dissentCrack in the Foundationthat invoked the Greek concept of hubris: Extreme pride that leads to overconfidence and often results in misfortune.

Withoutnaming names, McMaster explained: The hero vainly attempts to transcend human limits and often ignores warnings that portend a disastrous fate. McMaster perceived such overconfidence in the so-called shock and awe precision strikes. Hubris permeates the language of defense transformation, he wrote.

Warnings by McMaster and other officers were ignored.Disaster did indeed follow.As a colonel, McMaster was admired as a gutsy iconoclast, but he was twice passed over for promotion to brigadier general. His perspectives have changed a lot in 15 years, but the same challenging questions need to be asked. Is the United States launching bombs and missiles or sending more troops to Afghanistan to accomplish plausible strategic goals that are in Americas interest?Or are the generals just trying to protect Goliaths reputation as the toughest guy on the block?

THE STAKES ARE HIGHER NOW THAN EVER. GET THE NATION IN YOUR INBOX.

American hubris was further encouraged by a convergence with the extraordinary digital technologies emerging at the same time.Some giddy military theorists proclaimed the advent of a revolution in military affairs that would lift the fog of war by bringing precision and certainty to the chaos of battle. Certainly, targeting is greatly improved, andbattle commanders have real-time knowledge that informs their tactics.But the visionaries of high-tech war sometimes sound like theyre hallucinating. McMaster didnt buy it.

Under these constructs, McMaster explained, wars would be efficient and even more humane.Near perfect information would make possible precise application of force from great distances which would, in turn, reduce the risk to US forces, minimize collateral damage and even make the battlefield a safer place for the enemy. Makingwar safer for the enemy? Wow. That is visionary.

In fact, when McMaster studied war-fighting doctrines published by the armed services, he found a shocking omission.Theenemy is generally absent from these descriptions of future war, he wrote. When the enemy does appear, he is quickly overwhelmed by American strength and the interactions betweenforces is limited to the application of US military power followed closely by enemy capitulation. That is hubris as a formal policy.

You might call it dream war.Lots more explosives, but not as many people get hurt. New war-fighting machines that kill from a long distance with incredible accuracy.And theres no pilot error, because there are no pilots. Computers do the targeting, even fly the planes.This very pleasing fantasy evaporated once the other side started turning children into bombs, religious faithful into sacrificial killers.

We assumed that [technological] advanceswere going to make wars risk free. But thats not true, of course. McMaster

McMaster was addressing a business group when he ruefully explained the failed dream: We assumed that advances in information, surveillance technology, technical-intelligence collection, automated decision-making tools, and so on were going to make wars fast, cheap, efficient and relatively risk freethat technology would lift the fog of wars and make warfare essentially a targeting exercise. But thats not true, of course.

The new new US strategy has attempted to put people back into the storyorganizing and encouraging reconnections within local populations instead of simply bombing their communities and attacking local insurgents. McMaster has been a leading forcefor this counterinsurgency doctrine in both Iraq and Afghanistan, calling for improving social conditions like health and education while fighting corruption and warlord politics.Building stronger communities for the Afghan people while bombing the Taliban may seem like a virtuous project, but its not yet clear that it can succeed, not without years and maybe decades of US subsidy and military protection.

American peacekeeping missions fail in Afghanistan and elsewhere because they are trying to straddle two contradictory goalsthe violent conquest of native insurgencies, along with humanist healing for people in severely deprived societies. Its not obvious that either of those goals can be achieved separately.But the straddle sets up continuous collision between warriors and health givers, in which the American interest is impossible to define confidently, much less sustain politically.

One month we may be building schools and hospitals.The next month we might blow them up. This is not a sustainable posture. Americanscan provide assistancein good faith; they do in many places, and that is certain to continue. But the truly rough challenge confronting Americans is to re-examine ourselves and discard a lot of pieties that are not good for us or for the world.That doesnt mean dropping out. But we are not in charge of running the world.Nor are we obligated to fight in every other war that comes along.

This is a hard conversation for Americans tohave, since it will be misunderstood and is sure to provoke patriotic distemper.On the other hand, Americans like to argue, and there is a lot to argue over. Personally, Im tired of arguing over wars and whereor whywe should fight them.

See the article here:
HR McMaster and the Blindness of American Hubris - The Nation.

Daily Trust

16.7% of blindness in Nigeria caused by Glaucoma- CAS Daily Trust Speaking at a Glaucoma awareness lecture and screening exercise organised for personnel and locals of the Nigerian Air Force base in Kaduna on Tuesday, the CAS while quoting the National Blindness and Visual Impairment Survey in Nigeria which was ...

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16.7% of blindness in Nigeria caused by Glaucoma- CAS - Daily Trust

June 6, 2017

Never in the history of human existence has the opportunity to genetically modify or protect life been as great and accessible to anyone interested in the topic as it is today.

Cures for human hereditary diseases. Designer babies. Glow-in-the-dark fish. Bioterrorism. Mosquitoes programmed to perish. The opportunities and risks are here now, but lagging are policies, ethical considerations and safety precautions needed to proceed prudently on an international scale.

Arizona State University experts will delve into the issues presented by biotechnology during the annual International Biosafety and Biosecurity Symposium (SIBB) held this year in Morelia, Mexico, and organized by the Asociacin Mexicana de Bioseguridad (AMEXBIO), June 710.

Were enhancing biosafety and biosecurity across international borders, said Irene Mendoza, associate biosafety officer with ASUs Office of Environmental Health and Safety, who will be one of the featured speakers at the symposium. Anything that affects Mexico, like the release of a pathogenic agent, can travel north and affect us.

Although infectious diseases willbe addressed at the symposium, the ASU delegation will lead a technical discussion on gene editing and gene drive technologies, said David Gillum, ASU Environmental Health and Safety associate director and institutional biosafety officer. In simplest terms, its about the ability to modify plants or mammals by manipulating their genome i.e., the chromosomes in each cell of an organism.

These technologies can drive a change in an entire species from just one modification, Gillum said. It can be propagated in all future generations.

David Gillum, ASU Environmental Health and Safety associate director and institutional biosafety officer, said there are many citizen-scientist labs where people are experimenting with gene editing thanks to more accessible technology such as CRISPR Cas9.The risk is that although they may just be trying to do something fun, what they create may have unintended consequences, he said. Photo by Charlie Leight/ASU Now

The gene drive of mosquitoes, for example, can be modified so the specific types that carry malaria and Zika will not reproduce and eventually die off. But once their genome is changed and released into the environment, there is no easy way to predict any unintended consequences.

Thats what is scary about it, Gillum said. Theres no easy undo button.

The leading gene editing method capable of making such changes is called CRISPR Cas9. This technological process takes advantage of the immune systems of bacteria to delete nucleic acids in living cells and replace them with the desired nucleic acid to change the genome.

When youre doing this genome editing, youre looking for very specific nucleic acids to change, Gillum said. Lets consider that you have sickle cell anemia and you have one gene that is wrong, and you just want to target that one gene. But the genome is huge; there are billions of base pairs. So how do you make sure that you target the one that youre looking for and not similar sequences somewhere else in your body?

Unlike past costly and complex genome editing technologies, CRISPR Cas9 is simpler, relatively inexpensive and thus more accessible to people who may not be working in a modern laboratory with established biosafety policies and procedures.

There are a lot of citizen labs all over the place where science enthusiasts getting together in their garages and experimenting, Mendoza said. The risk is that although they may just be trying to do something fun, what they create may have unintended consequences.

Irene Mendoza, associate biosafety officer with ASUs Office of Environmental Health and Safety, will be one of the featured speakers during the annual International Biosafety and Biosecurity Symposium held this week in Morelia, Mexico, and organized by the Asociacin Mexicana de Bioseguridad.

The use of CRISPR Cas9 has increased in Mexico in the past few years, Gillum said. Experts there recognize the challenge, and that drives such events as the SIBB, which includes participation from other Latin American countries.

What we want to achieve in SIBB is to continue the academic efforts of diffusing specific knowledge on biosafety and biosecurity, as well as raise awareness among those involved in manipulating biological agents, said Luis Alberto Ochoa Carrera, AMEXBIO president and founder. The importance of the work of AMEXBIO is based on the need to create a biosafety culture and appropriate communication within institutions to mitigate risks associated with experimenting with biological agents.

ASU contacts AMEXBIO remotely throughout the year, but opportunities exist to engage in person and at a higher level by way of training sessions, site visits, joint research and other symposia to address the wide array of biosafety and biosecurity aspects.

There is a huge opportunity here for ASU and AMEXBIO in Mexico to partner on these projects, Gillum said. Theyre very interested in biodefense. Were looking into philanthropy to help with funding that will allow us to form a more strategic partnership.

With funding, ASU biosafety experts like Gillum and his team can work with AMEXBIO to visit labs in Mexico to observe operations and offer suggestions on improving safety and security.

The interesting aspect of biosafety is that in general its based on best management practices, Gillum said. Except for very highly pathogenic agents and toxins, everything else is done with a best management practices point of view. Theres not always a black-and-white way to do certain things.

Forming strategic links between biosafety and biosecurity experts across the border enables mutual collaboration and training in the region, Ochoa Carrera said.

AMEXBIO recognizes ASUs efforts and transcendence in Mexico and within the international biosafety community, Ochoa Carrera said. The ASU and AMEXBIO alliance enables the dissemination of knowledge in this field, and its also an area of opportunity between Mexico and the United States.

Top photo: DNA sequence, courtesy freeimages.com.

More:
ASU, Mexico partnership takes on biotechnology challenges - Arizona State University

There is an increasing focus on science being linked to providing practical solutions to agricultural problems. There is also increasing awareness of technology, although the channels used for information and creating change in the way information is passed and understood by the receiver are poorly developed.

Biotechnology is no longer a new technology in Africa; some countries in Africa have adopted the technology, while some other countries are currently conducting confined field trial for the technology.

In Nigeria, Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) which is a component of biotechnology is currently undergoing confined field trial in various locations. It is expected that in the next three years, the commercialisation of the BT cotton will commence in the country.

Africa as a continent in the recent past have suffered a high level of food insecurity following the actions and inaction of various governments to put sustainable policies to fast track agricultural development.

Some countries in Africa have also experienced food shortage due to some natural disaster which includes flood, pest attack, insect infestation and drought.

In some countries, the uses of manual and outdated method of farming have contributed immensely to the countrys dependence for food supply on some developed countries that have used technology to advance their agricultural sector.

Biotechnology have been adopted by various countries to develop their agricultural sector which have made them self sufficient in food production and earned them foreign exchange through exportation of agricultural products.

Many African countries have been skeptical of adopting biotechnology following some baseless and unscientific criticism from some quarters on the new technology.

This singular act of negligence and gullibility exhibited by these African countries have further subjected them to being importers of food products from countries that have developed there agricultural technology.

In Ghana, the commercialization of GMOs may not be possible until the court injunction issued against its further release in Ghana have been concluded.

However, good news emerged as the Plant Breeders Bill was said to be underway and soon to be signed into law in Ghana to protect the developers of the technology and encourage the investment in science and technology beyond the countrys budget.

Instead of the critics of the technology to say science is not good at all, they should discuss on its deployment which can be useful to our economy.

The Open Forum On Agricultural Biotechnology (OFAB), Ghana have visited all the regions in Ghana and information materials on biotechnology have been translated into local languages.

It is worthy to note that the Ghanaian government does not fund science, to this end, funding is needed to scale up educational activities on modern biosafety issues in Ghana.

In Nigeria, it is sad to note that the country has one of the lowest usage rates of agriculture inputs and ranks the lowest on agriculture indices of mechanization and irrigation.

Insect and pest problems, climate change issues and increasing population were also attributed as the reasons for poor productivity.

Meanwhile, there are some Genetically Modified crops that can withstand insects and pests attack, while some are drought resistant. These crops if adopted could be used by farmers to upscale the countrys food production without the crops been damaged by pests and insects.

However, Maize, cotton, rice, cassava, Sorghum (ABS) have been said to be the first GM crops to be introduced in Nigeria for commercialisation soon.

It is also worthy of note that the Biosafety law was signed in Nigeria in 2015 which gave rise to the establishment of regulatory agency, National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) same year.

Since its establishment, NBMA has carried out 3 approvals and accredited research institutes and universities for GM research.

OFAB Nigeria in its advocacy drive has carried out advocacy visits, capacity building, Seeing is Believing Tours, workshops and seminars, radio and tv programs, social media campaigns to enlighten the public and policy holders with the right information on the safety of biotechnology and its practices.

In Burkina Faso, Cotton is one of the major driver of the countrys economy, 85 per cent of population of Burkina Faso is active in agriculture and cotton is its number one cash crop contributing 25 per cent of agricultural income.

There is evidence that cotton is locomotive for cereal crops such as maize and sorghum in Burkina Faso.

In Burkina Faso, necessary steps have been taken towards the release of GM cotton- Pre-release trials, BT cotton seed multiplication, Commercial production of GM Bollgard II Cotton and cultivation field, commercial production since 2009.

BT cotton (GM Cotton) have pushed Burkina Faso in the cotton production ranking from 11th in 1990s to 1st position in Africa since 2010.

Genetically Modified Organisms is a technology which African countries cannot afford to neglect, this new technology will help African countries to upscale its food production, guarantee food security and earn foreign exchange for the countries.

The era of dependence on food importation should be over in Africa. The governments in Africa should look for possible ways of adopting biotechnology in food production, this will go along way to addressing food insecurity and guarantee self-sufficiency in food production.

Go here to read the rest:
Solving Africa's food insecurity through biotechnology - NIGERIAN TRIBUNE (press release) (blog)

Analyst Ratings

The Case for and Against Puma Biotechnology, Inc. (PBYI) StockNewsJournal Puma Biotechnology, Inc. (PBYI) is an interesting player in the Healthcare space, with a focus on Biotechnology. The stock has been active on the tape, currently trading at $83.65, up from yesterday's close by 2.07%. Given the stock's recent action, it ... What Should Investors Make Of The Trading Chart Of Puma Biotechnology, Inc. (PBYI)?NY Stock News Puma Biotechnology Gets a Buy Rating from Cowen & Co.Analyst Ratings Puma Biotechnology Inc (PBYI) Upgraded to "Buy" by Zacks Investment ResearchThe Cerbat Gem Sports Perspectives -Post Registrar -StockNewsMagazine -Zacks all 32 news articles »

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The Case for and Against Puma Biotechnology, Inc. (PBYI) - StockNewsJournal

GETTY

The degenerative condition - where the joints become inflamed - can cause stiffness and pain.

However, recent research has found that what you eat can make symptoms better or worse.

Eating oily fish, such as salmon, mackerel and sardines, has been found by recent research to help.

This is because omega-3 has an anti-inflammatory effect.

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Some foods can exacerbate symptoms, which, in addition to joint pain, include tiredness, weight loss, night sweats and skin rashes.

However, other foods can exacerbate symptoms, which, in addition to joint pain, include tiredness, weight loss, night sweats and skin rashes.

Cassandra Barns, a nutritionist, reveals which foods to cut or reduce in your diet to prevent aggravating the condition.

Red meat

Red meats contain relatively high levels of an omega-6 fatty acid called arachidonic acid, which can convert to pro-inflammatory substances in the body and may exacerbate pain and inflammation, she said.

A small quantity of good quality red meat can be beneficial, supplying good levels of nutrients such as iron; however, those with arthritis may benefit from sticking to one or two servings per week.

Replace red meat with oily fish for the omega-3 fatty acids, and good quality organic white meats such as chicken. A good quality fish oil is essential - try Super Omega 3-6-9 by Quest Vitamins.

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Foods to avoid if you are suffering with Gout

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Fried foods

Avoid any fried foods, particularly those fried in vegetable oils. Vegetable oils are high in omega-6 fatty acids, which in high levels can convert to pro-inflammatory substances in the body, and also become rancid when heated to high temperatures, she explained.

Olive oil is a slightly better alternative to normal vegetable oils but its fatty acids can still spoil at high temperatures, so avoid heating it to smoking point.

Coconut oil can be a much better alternative: as it is mainly composed of saturated fats, it does not spoil at high temperatures, while still providing a healthier alternative to butter and other animal fats.

If you need favour, use curcumin, which is well known for its anti-inflammatory effects in your diet. Alternatively, try Natures Plus Source Of Life Garden Curcumin.

Coffee

Coffee can contribute to increased acidity of the blood, which can exacerbate any inflammation. Decaffeinated coffee is not a good alternative as it still contains substances that can be detrimental to the body, she warned.

Green tea and herbal teas are a much better option.

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Fizzy drinks and sugary foods

Like coffee, they can increase the acidity of the blood, exacerbating inflammation, she said.

The best drinks to include are pure water and herbal teas; fruit juice diluted half and half with water is OK, but avoid orange juice.

Nightshade family vegetables

These vegetables may exacerbate pain and inflammation for some people with arthritis. The nightshade family are tomatoes, white potatoes, aubergine and peppers, she explained.

Note that black pepper as a spice is not included in this group and is fine to use, as are sweet potatoes. Most other vegetables are beneficial and should be the main part of most meals.

If you are struggling with your five a day, try Natures Plus AgeLoss First Day Healthy Inflammation Response.

GETTY

High levels of wheat and dairy foods

Intolerances to wheat in particular may be particularly common, and some individuals find that finding alternatives to wheat and wheat-based foods can have a beneficial effect for how they feel, including any inflammation and pain they may be experiencing, she said.

Intolerances to dairy foods especially that from cows milk can also be common.

Dairy products (especially full-fat) also contain arachidonic acid, which as mentioned above, can convert to pro-inflammatory substances. Many alternatives to dairy milk are now available, including oat milk, coconut-based milk and nut milks such as almond and hazelnut.

Read more:
Arthritis symptoms: THESE foods can make the pain worse - Express.co.uk

A recent report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) showed that one-third of adults in rural areas have arthritis, and that more than one-half of that population is limited in their daily activities by the condition.

In Kentucky, more than one million adults have doctor-diagnosed arthritis and more than half (570,000) of those with arthritis live in rural parts of the state. Furthermore, 45 percent of rural working age adults report that arthritis limits their ability to work.

Many senior centers, local health departments, the University of Kentucky Center of Excellence on Rural Health and YMCAs offer proven exercise and self- management programs that help relieve arthritis pain, said Teri Wood, principal investigator on the CDC Arthritis grant for DPH.

Our program is always seeking local organizations already serving rural populations, including churches, county extension agents, veterans service organizations, health care clinics, and community centers that might be able to collaborate to make the small-group versions of these low-cost programs more available, added Wood.

DPH and the Department for Aging and Independent Living (DAIL), within CHFS, collaborate on arthritis prevention and control to increase access to programs for arthritis management.

Programs such as Walk with Ease, Enhance Fitness and the Chronic Disease Self-Management Program as examples of effective arthritis management tools that are available in many communities across the state.

More information can be found here:http://www.chfs.ky.gov/dph/info/dpqi/cd/arthritis.htm

More information on the impact of arthritis nationwide can be found here:http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr

(story provided by Cabinet for Health and Family Services)

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New Report Shows Impact of Arthritis in Rural Areas - WMKY

A US company has revealed it will start tests in an unidentified country in Latin America later this year

ATTEMPTS to bring people back from the dead could start in a few months, its been reported.

A US company has revealed it will start new stem cell therapy trials in an unidentified country in Latin America later this year.

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In the majority of countries, to be officially declared dead requires an complete and irreversible loss of brain function.

But Bioquark says it has developed a series of injections that can reboot the brain and bring people back to life, according to MailOnline.

CEO Ira Pastor revealed the firm will begin testing itsmethod on humans and have no plans to try it out on animals first.

Pastor and orthopaedic surgeon Himanshu Bansal initially hoped to carry out tests in India last year.

Butthe Indian Council of Medical Research pulled the plug on their plans and asked them to to take the trials elsewhere.

In details published on a clinical trials database, scientists plan to examine individuals aged between 15 and 65 who have been declared brain dead from a traumatic brain injury.

They intend to use MRI scans to look for possible signs of brain death reversal before carrying out the trial, which will happen in three stages.

The first step involves harvesting stem cells from the patients own blood before injecting them back into their body.

Then the patient would be given a dose of peptides injected into their spinal cord.

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Lastly they would undergo a 15-day course of laser and median nerve stimulation while monitoring the patient with MRI scans.

Consent is likely to be an issue for the researchers as technically all of the patients will be brain dead.

However the study detail states that it can accept written informed consent from the legally acceptable representative of the patient.

The Bioquark trials are part of a broader project called ReAnima, of which Pastor is on the advisory board.

The project explores the potential of cutting edge biomedical technology for human neuro-regeneration and neuro-reanimation.

Speaking to MailOnline last year, Pastor said: The mission of the ReAnima Project is to focus on clinical research in the state of brain death, or irreversible coma, in subjects who have recently met the Uniform Determination of Death Act criteria, but who are still on cardio-pulmonary or trophic support a classification in many countries around the world known as a living cadaver.

We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? Email us at tips@the-sun.co.uk or call 0207 782 4368

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Scientists set to trial new stem cell therapy to 'reawaken' the brain ... - The Sun

Commentary by Dmitry M. Arbuck, MD, President and Medical Director, Indiana Polyclinic

We are at a truly revolutionary time in health and medicine. The introduction of stem cell technology represents innovation on the same level as the development of antibiotics or the invention of modern imaging (MRIs, etc.). Stem cells are already changing the way medicine is delivered, increasing lifespans and saving countless lives.

Arbuck

Scientists and researchers have been studying the benefits of stem cells for more than 30 years. They have found that these special cells provide great benefits all over the body, from muscles and joints to chronic diseases, to growing new teeth. You may have read about athletes treated with stem cells to speed healing after an injury or about burn victims who use stem cell therapy to minimize scarring.

Stem cells used to be associated with embryos, but this is no longer the case. Today, live cells for treatment are either adult stem cells or umbilical cord blood stem cells. Adult stem cells are most likely extracted from tissue, like bone marrow or fat, which can be a painful and invasive process. Additionally, as we age, so do our stem cells, which become less potent and productive over time. Like every other tissue in our bodies, they are exposed to the toxins, radiation and other pollutants in the environment. Umbilical cord blood stem cells are collected from the donated cord blood and placenta of healthy newborns. The cells are then screened for disease and genetic problems. These umbilical stem cells are vibrant, vital and healthy.

When umbilical cord stem cells are infused, they carry a whole host of immune stabilizing factors throughout the body and work to repair the immune system. This is likely why stem cells are so helpful in the treatment of autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, Crohns disease, dermatitis and myasthenia gravis. Other things that may be successfully treated with this therapy include MS, lupus, graft vs. host disease and other immune conditions.

The future is today. For more, visit StemCellsIndy.com.

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Column: Stem Cell Therapy A medical revolution - Current in Carmel

ByNEIL HARTNELL

Tribune Business Editor

nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

DOCTORS Hospital plans to launch stem cell therapy and enter the primary healthcare market during its current financial year, after profits for the year to end-January 2017 increased five-fold.

The BISX-listed healthcare provider said it planned to launch both initiatives at its Bahamas Medical Centre facility on Blake Road, having received the necessary approvals for one stem cell programme and another in its final stages.

Doctors Hospitals 2017 annual report did not identify the types of stem cell treatment involved, but said: It is envisioned that stem cell therapy will occur at the facility [Bahamas Medical Centre] in fiscal 2018, with one programme already receiving the necessary approvals and the second programme in its final stages of assessment and approval......

We anticipate that in fiscal 2018 we will launch one of our primary care centres at this location, supported by increased specialist services to best serve the neighbouring communities.

Joe Krukowski, Doctors Hospitals chairman, told shareholders via the annual report that the launch of primary care services will be a vital component in the continuum of care we provide.

We will seek to provide our customers with multiple entry points for this level of care, he added.

Doctors Hospitals stem cell initiatives, in particular, represent a potential boost to the Bahamas national effort to make greater inroads into the medical tourism market while also exploiting legislation passed by the former Christie administration.

The healthcare providers move into primary care will effectively create a fully-integrated model, combining with its core business in secondary and tertiary care provision to potentially make Doctors Hospital almost a one-stop shop for all medical needs.

The expansion comes after Doctors Hospital saw total comprehensive income for the year to end-January 2017 grow by 409 per cent or more than five-fold, from $702,790 to $3.578 million year-over-year.

The growth was driven entirely by the companys main Collins Avenue facility, where profits more than doubled, increasing by 157.4 per cent to $4.778 million compared to $1.856 million the year before. The Bahamas Medical Centres net loss increased slightly compared to the prior year, rising from $1.153 million to $1.2 million.

An improved top-line drove Doctors Hospitals improved profitability, with patient services revenue up $3.65 million or 7.4 per cent at $52.713 million.

Patient days increased by 6 per cent from the previous year, the annual report said of the main Collins Avenue hospital. Increases in the Intensive and Intermediary Care Units accounted for 37per centof the change, and the balance in medical surgical and maternity.

Total admissions to the facility were 4,114 in fiscal 2017 compared to 4,063 in fiscal 2016. The continued flat admission numbers and increased patient days are indicative of the trend toward a rising severity of illness. The average daily census increased to 33 patients per day from 31.2 in the previous year.

Doctors Hospitals total expenses grew by $818,452 or 1.7 per cent year-over-year, with salaries and benefits rising by $1.176 million or 5.6 per cent to $23.209 million. Due to the top-line growth, these fell as a percentage of patient net revenue from 44.3 per cent to 43.5 per cent.

At Bahamas Medical Centre, revenues rose by $28,015 or 1.9 per cent to $1.462 million. This slightly outpaced the increase in expenses, which jumped by 1.5 per cent or $43,479 to $2.819 million as a result of rising medical supplies costs.

Doctors Hospital is budgeting $7 million for capital spending projects in its financial year to end-January 2018, a sum more than double the prior years $3.1 million, as it bids to upgrade facilities and replace equipment.

Bad debt expense, as a percentage of patient service revenues, decreased to 2.6per centfor the year ended January 31, 2017, compared to 3.4per centthe previous year, Doctors Hospital said.This represented a decrease of $316,808, or 18.8per cent. This decrease is a result of a write-off of third-party receivables.

The number of days revenue in accounts receivable at year-end (AR Days) for fiscal 2017 stand at 51 compared with fiscal 2016 at 43 days, and net receivables as a percentage of net patient revenue increased to 14.1per centfrom 11.8per cent. These increases area result of high activity in the months of December and January, and payments not received until after year-end.

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Doctors Targets Stem Cell Therapy Launch - Bahamas Tribune

A promising new method for regenerating bones using the body's own stem cells may possibly eliminate the need for bone grafts.

When a fracture will not heal, people are typically left with two options.

One is bone grafting, the other is surgery.

A new treatment that uses gene and stem cell therapies could promise success with a less-invasive procedure.

Researchers led by a team from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, tested the therapy on laboratory animals and found that it triggered bones to regrow their own tissue.

If it is found safe in humans, the process could replace bone grafting as the gold standard treatment.

We are just at the beginning of a revolution in orthopedics, Dan Gazit, co-director of the Skeletal Regeneration and Stem Cell Therapy Program in the Department of Surgery and the Cedars-Sinai Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute, said in a statement.

The study was published in the journal Science Translational Medicine.

Bone grafts can result in gaps between fracture edges, and often require surgery to relocate bone from other places in the body to fill in the spaces.

Bone can come from the patient or a cadaver.

But healthy bone isnt always available, and surgeries can lead to other complications.

Read more: First aid for broken bones

The new method involves implanting a collagen matrix made up of bone-inducing genes into stem cells.

It is inserted into the gap over a two-week span. An ultrasound pulse and microbubbles help the matrix get into the cells.

Our method relies on the bodys own repair cells [stem cells], Gadi Pelled, senior author, and an assistant professor of surgery at Cedars-Sinai, told Healthline. We recruit them to the injury site and then activate them to regenerate bone in an efficient way.

The uniqueness of our method is that it is injectable and minimally invasive, Pelled said.

Researchers found that the fractures were healed eight weeks after the procedure. The bone that grew into the empty space was as strong as surgical bone grafts.

We showed that our method was equivalent, in terms of fracture healing, to the use of an autograft [bone graft obtained from the patients own body], which is the gold standard today, Gazit said. Our method does not require the harvest of bone, which often leads to prolonged pain and hospitalization and risk of infection, and that is our advantage.

Read more: Get the facts on broken bones

Because the process uses stem cells from the patients body without external manipulation, it may not face many of the hurdles that other stem cell treatments come up against.

But obviously we will need to show that our method is not toxic and is safe to use in people before it is approved for use in the clinic, added Zulma Gazit, PhD, co-director of the Skeletal Regeneration and Stem Cell Therapy Program in the Department of Surgery and the Cedars-Sinai Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute.

Read more: Stem cell research advancing rapidly

In cases where there are large gaps or fractures unable to heal, the method can be repeated to grow more bone.

Thats something that will need to be reproduced in additional studies, but the latest study is the first to show that this ultrasound-mediated gene delivery can be used to treat nonhealing bone fractures, Pelled added.

David Forsh, an assistant professor of orthopedics at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, and chief of orthopedic trauma at Mount Sinai St. Lukes, said the breakthrough needs to be reproduced before it goes mainstream.

Similar research has been conducted in the past, but the way this was done is something new, according to his knowledge.

It sounds good, Forsh told Healthline. Its very promising that they were able to achieve this.

See more here:
Using Stem Cells to Heal Broken Bones - Healthline

DR LIBBY WEAVER

Last updated05:00, June 6 2017

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Our eyesight is such a gift - and we should look after it.

For many people, eye health just isn't a conscious priority new research in Australia indicates that only 6 per cent of people aged between 50 and 64 years rate an eye disease check as their top health priority.

Assuming that New Zealanders have similar health priorities, this is concerning as it has previously been shown that 99 per cent of New Zealanders aged 55 years and over have noticed changes in their vision.

Despite this, only half schedule frequent eye exams, and many are not aware of ways in which they can proactively enhance their eye health, such as through a plant-rich diet full of vision-supporting nutrients.

Did you know that dark green leafy vegetables are considered the best vegetable for great eye health? More than a third of adults surveyed in New Zealand identified carrots as the top vegetable for eye health, while spinach was the top pick for less than one in 20.

READ MORE: *Dr Libby: Foods that can help boost your eye health *Simple $60 eye exam saves Amberley mother's sight *Open your eyes to a revealing health check

Our eyesight is such a gift it allows us to see and appreciate beautiful landscapes, to curl up and enjoy a good book with ease, and to watch our children and grandchildren play and grow up. We often hear about the importance of taking care of other organs, such as our heart, but eye health tends to be less of a focus perhaps due to a perception that declining eyesight and compromised vision are an inevitable consequence of ageing.

I'm not denying that ageing affects the eyes, but science tells us that we can mitigate this process with good nutrition.

Nutrients for great eye health include:

VITAMIN C

The concentration of vitamin C in the fluid in the eye is higher than in any other body fluid. Vitamin C is a potent antioxidant that helps to protect the eyes from damage associated with exposure to environmental factors, and it also enhances nutrient delivery to the eyes by promoting healthy blood vessels. Vitamin C-rich foods include citrus fruits, kiwifruit, broccoli and capsicums.

VITAMIN A

Vitamin A is needed to form rhodopsin, a molecule used by specialised cells called rods in the retina that detect light in dim or dark conditions. Beta-carotene a plant compound is a precursor to vitamin A and it also protects the eyes through its antioxidant capacity. Vitamin A is found in liver, egg yolks, fish and cod liver oil, while beta-carotene is found in yellow and orange vegetables, such as carrots, kumara and pumpkin. Beta-carotene is also found in green leafy vegetables (the yellow/orange pigment is masked by the green from chlorophyll, another plant compound).

LUTEIN AND ZEAXANTHIN

These plant compounds belong to the carotenoid family (of which beta-carotene is also a member), and are concentrated in the macula of the eye. Lutein and zeaxanthin are powerful antioxidants that protect against oxidative damage, and they filter and protect the eyes from blue light. This is particularly important as this is the type of light emitted from screens (think smartphones, tablets, laptops, computers and TVs), which our eyes are increasingly exposed to. The best food sources of lutein and zeaxanthin are green leafy vegetables (such as spinach, kale, silverbeet, broccoli, parsley), egg yolks, kiwifruit, corn and pumpkin.

ZINC

Zinc deficiency is associated with functional impairments in various parts of the eye. Zinc is needed for the conversion of retinol (a form of vitamin A) into retinal, which is required for night vision. Zinc is also needed to deliver vitamin A to the eyes, and it works with vitamin C to protect the eyes against oxidative damage. Zinc is found in oysters from clean waters, meat, eggs, sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds.

Dr Libby is a nutritional biochemist, best-selling author and speaker. The advice contained in this column is not intended to be a substitute for direct, personalised advice from a health professional. See drlibby.com

-Stuff

Continue reading here:
Dr Libby: The nutrients that help support healthy vision - Stuff.co.nz

Eye health experts recommend early and frequent vision screenings for children, who may not understand or be able to communicate if they are not seeing well.(Photo: Andrey Kuzmin - Fotolia)

According to the American Optometric Association, as much as 80 percent of a childs learning is visual. So whether theyre reading a book, learning math problems on a dry erase boardor dissecting a frog in biology class, kids rely on their vision as much as, if not more than, any other educational tool.

Melody Thompsons daughter Tyra was preparing to start kindergarten when the Nashville-based mom of three noticed that one of Tyras eyelids was drooping. After seeing a doctor, they learned that the official name for the condition is ptosis. And while Tyras ptosis didnt affect her sight, in severe cases, it can cause a complete obstruction of vision in an eye if the eyelid droops low enough to cover the pupil.

More: 13 startups get funding to troubleshoot a few of health care's many problems

Dr. Carl Flinn, an optometrist in Memphis, notes that ptosis is fairly common in children. Another condition frequently seen in children is amblyopia, or the lack of visual development.

One of the most common causes (of amblyopia)is a major refractive error, Flinn says. If you notice your child consistently holding things very closely in order to see, and they are squinting to see the television, then suspect a visual problem and a possible need for glasses.

The major refractive errors that can cause amblyopia include near-sightedness (also known as myopis), in which distant objects are out of focus; far-sightedness, in which distant objects are clear and close objects appear blurred; and astigmatism, in which eyes take on a football shape and both distant and close objects appear blurred.

Less frequent, Flinn says, are cases of infantile cataracts, which can cause irreversible vision loss if left untreated, or instances in which a child can see clearly out of one eye but poorly out of the other.

Your child often does not recognize the discrepancy and accepts this condition as normal and may not bring it to your attention.

Regardless of the condition, however, Flinn and other eye health experts recommend early and frequent vision screens for children.

And, says Dr. Ming Wang, director of Nashvilles Wang Vision 3D Cataract & LASIK Center, failure to closely monitor a childs visual health early can lead to long-term damage.

The visual cortex, the part of our brain involved in visual interpretation, develops primarily in early childhood, from birth until about age 10, he explains. Proper development of the visual cortex is critically dependent on continued and proper visual signal stimulation. So if a child cannot see well at, say, age 3, and the problem is not corrected immediately, the child may develop irreversible, permanent loss of sight.

Wang advises parents to begin screening their children at birth. At that age, his staff looks for congenital problems that may affect a babys vision, while older infants are tested on their ability to fixate on and follow anobject. Toddlers are asked to recognize patterns, and older children are tested with a standard vision chart.

Wang also encourages parents to be vigilant about screenings even if their child doesnt appear to have any vision problems.

Unlike adults, who are more communicative and can relate their vision problems, children tend to be less communicative, he says. For example, a childs school grades may fall, simply because he cant see the board at the front of the room, but he may not tell his parent. So the parent might suspect another problem.

At Tyras initial vision screening, when doctors diagnosed her ptosis, they also noticed that she was nearsighted. And even though Tyras need was only slight at the time, Thompson immediately ordered glasses for her daughter. Tyras nearsightedness has continued to progress over the years (shes now 12 and in the fifth grade), but Thompsons diligence has ensured that those vision problems havent negatively impacted any other aspect of her life.

Tyra has annual eye visits, and we just got the clear from Vanderbilt to see a regular eye doctor instead of having to see the specialist, Thompson says. Im just thankful for a good team of doctors who showed real concern from the beginning to make sure she received the best care possible.

Thompson notes that her own nearsightedness (she began wearing glasses in seventh grade) may have caused her to pay extra attention to the visual development of her children.

I will never forget putting my glasses on and walking outside for the first time, Thompson says. I had no idea you could see the leaves on trees from far away! That has been a crazy, ingrained memory for me, and I never wanted my children to have that experience.

Unfortunately, though, not all parents are as acutely aware of the importance of monitoring their childs eye health. In considering the biggest challenges in diagnosing and treating child vision problems, Wang says it actually comes down to a lack of parental education.

Because children are not independent, and they depend largely on their parents for all aspects of their lives, it is of paramount importance that adults be properly educated about vision care for their children, says Wang. We host monthly vision education seminars at the Wang Vision Center to provide that important education for adults.

Dr. Rebecca Norris, an optometrist at Nashvilles AccessorEyes, agrees.

Many children grow up in homes where the parents have great eyesight and do not need vision correction. Many of these parents do not even realize that the child is having problems because it is not on their radar or on their normal list of annual doctor appointments.

For parents who rely on the yearly vision screening performed by a primary care physician, Norris says that may not provide a comprehensive overview of a childs visual health.

Many pediatricians and schools screen a childs vision by simply having him read the eye chart; yet there are so many children who can pass these screenings but still need glasses, she says. Its so important to have an optometrist do a full comprehensive vision and eye health exam. And these full exams should be performed each school year because vision can change so drastically from year to year.

Falling grades

Excessive squinting

Head tilting

Sitting closer and closer to the TV

Skipping lines when reading

Getting tired when reading

Avoiding reading altogether

Eyes that turn in or out

We are cognizant to apply sunscreen but forget that the suns UV rays can also cause damage to the eyes, which can increase the risk of cataract, corneal damage, and macular degeneration," says optometrist Carl Flinn.

Sunglasses marked UV 400 or 100% UV blockage with a wraparound style along with a wide brim hat are a must for a day outside.

Read or Share this story: http://www.tennessean.com/story/life/health/2017/06/05/early-and-frequent-screenings-key-child-vision-health/355128001/

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Early and frequent screenings the key to child vision health - The Tennessean

MINNEAPOLIS -- After a two-week break from coaching following his latest eye surgery, Minnesota Vikings coach Mike Zimmer was told he could return to work on his 61st birthday.

Zimmer, who spent the past two weeks at his Kentucky ranch after his eighth surgery to repair a detached retina in his right eye, was cleared to return to coaching after a follow-up appointment Monday morning. He will be back on the field as the Vikings resume organized team activities Tuesday.

The coach, who had his first eye surgery Nov. 1 after having vision issues during the team's Oct. 31 loss to the Chicago Bears, eventually had to miss the Vikings' Dec. 1 game against the Dallas Cowboys because of an emergency operation.

His latest operation, on May 17, prompted the Vikings to send Zimmer on a leave of absence so he could recover away from the stresses of coaching. He was still able to watch film of practice from his ranch and conducted conference calls with his coaches each afternoon.

Vikings rookie Ifeadi Odenigbo got a late start in football with hesitant parents, including a mother who is a pediatrician. But he found a path.

The Raiders and Lions could soon lock up their star quarterbacks with mega-money extensions. The Bills, Chargers and Vikings have big decisions to make. Here are the top looming roster questions facing every team.

1 Related

Zimmer had a gas bubble put in his right eye to hold his retina in place. He said May 26 that if his retina stayed put once the gas bubble dissolved, "we should be good to go." But even if his eyesight worsened, the coach said, he had no plans to step away from his job permanently.

"Like I texted Kyle Rudolph, I said, 'Hey, I'll be back shortly with one eye or two. Doesn't really matter -- I'm going to be back,'" Zimmer said. "So we can put that me retiring thing or whatever to bed quickly."

Zimmer said in March that doctors have told him he has a "high likelihood" of similar problems eventually developing in his left eye.

The Vikings' offseason program concludes with three OTAs this week and the team's mandatory minicamp June 13-15.

Continued here:
Mike Zimmer given permission to rejoin Vikings after eye surgery recovery - ESPN

New York Times

A Dilemma for Diabetes Patients: How Low to Push Blood Sugar, and How to Do It? New York Times Some diabetes drugs lower blood sugar, yet somehow can increase the chances of heart attacks and strokes. Other medications have no effect on heart risk, while still others lower the odds of heart disease but may have other drawbacks, like high cost or ...

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A Dilemma for Diabetes Patients: How Low to Push Blood Sugar, and How to Do It? - New York Times

A program sponsored by the Cherokee Nation has been successful in reducing the risk of diabetes in pre-diabetics.

"People with pre-diabetes who lose 7 percent of their body weight through a healthy lifestyle intervention reduce their risk for diabetes by 58 percent," said Tonya Wapskineh, Cherokee Nation diabetes prevention manager.

But those who took metformin, a diabetes medication, reduced their risk by 30 percent.The bottom line is that the healthy lifestyle group reduced their risk for diabetes twice as much as those who were placed on medication, Wapskineh said.

With that success, Wapskineh is looking for more Cherokees who qualify for the program. Some of the qualifications include having a history of gestational diabetes for women, a body mass index of over 24 or a history of diabetes in the family.

While joining the class is voluntary, some are referred by their medical provider. The program's goal is to get everyone to lose 7 percent of their body fat.

"It's kind of a wake-up call for them especially when their doctor tells them they can do something to prevent diabetes," said Karen Bryant, physical activity specialist.

A lot of participants have lost up to four pounds in a couple of weeks just by cutting back and not eating french fries every day.

Classes last a year with the first two months as weekly class, the next four months are bi-weekly classes and the remaining meetings are once a month,Wapskineh said.

Most Cherokees have a diet high in fat and fried foods with little vegetables and fruit, Bryant said. She says their eating habits were learned from childhood.

Participants are not told to stop eating that kind of food.

"Wegive them ways to enjoy these foods by cutting portion sizes, cutting fat out of food and replacing unhealthy cooking oil with healthier ones," Bryant said.

Using this program, one Cherokee man started out at 307 pounds, and a year later he is maintaining 175 pounds, Bryant said.

"When he first started his activity program he could barely get one-quarter around the track, and now he walks every chance he gets and still uses a food journal and that's been about five years ago," she said.

His main success was using a food journal and keeping track of what he ate.

Volunteers have a physical activity goal of 150 minutes per week.

"If they can sing or talk normally and are being active they need to work a little harder. If they can't talk they need to slow it down,"Wapskineh said.

For those who are pretty sedentary, Bryant recommends 15 minutes of walking twice a day and work up to 150 minutes a week. For faster weightloss, 60 minutes of brisk walking a day is recommended.

"From what I've seen through the program is that the more education they receive on how to correct their lifestyle, the more effective it is than going to the doctor and getting a pill,"Wapskineh said.

At the Cherokee Nation Wapskineh said she has actually seen their providers move into preventive medicine and are more supportive of promoting the healthy lifestyle program.

Wapskineh's budget is $400,000 and she would like to see that doubled to possibly establish diabetic prevention centers in all 14 counties within the Cherokee Nation jurisdiction.

"But our work is federally funded and the money is just not there that's just my dream," she said.

Information: (918) 207-3839.

Reach Mark Hughes at (918) 684-2908 or mhughes@muskogeephoenix.com.

What to do

The Cherokee Nation is looking for more Cherokees who qualify for the pre-diabetes program. Some of the qualifications include having a history of gestational diabetes for women, a body mass index of over 24 or a history of diabetes in the family.Information: (918) 207-3839.

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Cherokee Nation program benefits pre-diabetes patients - Muskogee Daily Phoenix

Usherhas revealed why he was absent from Ariana Grandes One Love Manchester benefit concert on Sunday: it was his sons first day at summer camp for children with diabetes.

The 38-year-old singer shared a post on Instagram Monday explaining why he did not perform in Manchester despite being announced as part of the star-studded lineup.

So happy to see that last nights concert in Manchester proved that love always prevails, he captioned a photo of the stage. I would have loved to be there but it was my sons first day at Camp Kudzu, one of the few summer camps for kids living with diabetes. This was an important day for him and for myself as a proud father.

He concluded his message, Stay strong UK.

The Voicealum has previously spoken out about his 9-year-old son Usher V(aka Cinco)s struggle withtype 1 diabetes and used his platform to advocate fora cure for the disease, which prevents the body from producing insulin.

Achild that every day has to prick himself and has to be cautious of what he eats and also to carry this disorder around that really is the type of bravery that we all aspire to have, Usher told PEOPLE at the 2015JDRFs Promise Ball, which aimed to raise awareness and moneyfor research and a cure.

While hes inspired by his son (with ex Tameka Foster), the I Dont Mind singer says its been hard on him too.

Theres been some difficult moments, he said, but having dealt with it on a daily basis, I have a great deal of understanding of what people have to deal with. Its personal.

Excerpt from:
Usher Missed the Manchester Benefit Concert to Take His Son to Summer Camp - PEOPLE.com

Keeping blood glucose levels as close to normal as possible is important for people with type 2 diabetes, as it lowers the risk of serious complications. However, despite a long list of treatment options, patients still struggle with glucose control, especially when working out meal-specific doses. Treatments that cut down on injections are seen as a way to overcome this problem. Now, in a paper in Nature Biomedical Engineering, scientists describe a new biopolymer injection that could potentially replace daily or weekly insulin shots with one that need only be given once or twice per month.

Untreated diabetes results in high levels of blood sugar, or glucose, which in the long-term can lead to blindness, kidney disease, heart disease, stroke, and amputation of lower limbs.

Diabetes arises because of a problem with insulin, which is a hormone that is made in the pancreas and which helps cells to absorb glucose so that they can use it for energy.

In type 1 diabetes, the body does not make enough insulin, while in type 2 diabetes - which accounts for 90 to 95 percent of diabetes cases - it cannot use it properly.

Although the incidence of newly diagnosed diabetes is starting to drop in the United States, it is still a huge public health problem that affects more than 29 million people.

In 2013, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggested that diabetes was the seventh leading cause of death in the U.S., and that more than a fifth of the country's healthcare costs are for people diagnosed with diabetes.

In their study paper, biomedical engineers from Duke University in Durham, NC, explain that "despite the long list of treatment options," nearly half of type 2 diabetes cases in the U.S. "are not properly managed."

The researchers suggest that one reason for such a high rate of failure in the management of type 2 diabetes is that patients struggle to keep to treatment regimens, especially when they are required to frequently deal with complicated meal-specific doses.

Another reason they give is that many of the widely used treatments bring unwanted side effects, such as raising the risk of low blood sugar, known as hypoglycemia, or weight gain.

From a drug development point of view, one of the biggest challenges in treating diabetes is that insulin demands in the body are always changing.

In order to address this challenge, there are now treatments for type 2 diabetes that use a new class of drugs called glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP1) receptor agonists. These drugs use GLP1, a signaling molecule, to trigger insulin release in the pancreas.

Because GLP1 does not last long in the body, drug developers have used various ways to extend its half-life - such as fusing it with various synthetic and biological compounds. These attempts have succeeded in extending the drug's active life in the human body for up to a week.

However, the researchers note that despite this improvement, so far none of the current treatments have solved the problem of the drug's effectiveness gradually decreasing over time.

The new approach that the Duke researchers describe fuses GLP1 with a heat-sensitive biopolymer called elastin-like polypeptide. Held in a solution, the biopolymer drug can be injected into the skin with a normal needle.

Once it is in the bloodstream, the heat of the body causes the biopolymer to form a biodegradable gel that releases the drug slowly and steadily, without the "peaks and troughs" associated with other forms of GLP1 delivery.

Using results from previous work on GLP1 for glucose control, the team tried different molecular designs of the new delivery solution.

They eventually found a design of the biopolymer that could control glucose levels in mice for up to 10 days with a single injection. This was a great improvement on previous attempts, after which the controlled release had only lasted for 2 or 3 days.

In tests on rhesus monkeys, the team found that the optimized formulation resulted in glucose control lasting for more than 14 days from a single injection. Also, the drug was released at a constant rate, without "peaks and troughs," during the whole period.

Senior author Ashutosh Chilkoti, a professor of biomedical engineering at Duke, says that they "managed to triple the duration of this short-acting drug for type 2 diabetes, outperforming other competing designs."

At present, patients using dulaglutide - the longest-lasting controlled release treatment for type 2 diabetes - have to inject themselves once per week. Patients on standard insulin treatments must inject themselves at least twice each day.

The team now plans to test the biopolymer on other animals and investigate how the immune system reacts to repeated injections. They also want to find out how well it performs for the controlled release of drugs in other areas, such as pain management.

"What's exciting about this work was our ability to demonstrate that the drug could last over 2 weeks in non-human primates. Because our metabolism is slower than monkeys and mice, the treatment should theoretically last even longer in humans, so our hope is that this will be the first bi-weekly or once-a-month formulation for people with type 2 diabetes."

First author Kelli Luginbuhl, Ph.D., student at Duke University

Learn how a gut bacteria compound may help to prevent type 2 diabetes.

Here is the original post:
Type 2 diabetes: New biopolymer injection may offer weeks of glucose control - Medical News Today

Forests are under many threats, from new pests and pathogens, to invasive trees, to climate. The advancement of these traits by far exceeds the natural response of trees to acclimate, and outpaces the efforts to traditionally breed trees for forest conservation and restoration. Dr. Ellen V. Crocker is a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Kentucky. She talks about the current threats to forests including sudden oak death, chestnut blight and the emerald ash borer. She also discusses efforts in integrating new biotech tools in forest improvement, including genetic engineering, speed breeding, and gene drive approaches. Hosted by Dr. Paul Vincelli (@Pvincell).

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Talking Biotech: Can biotechnology help protect forests from pests ... - Genetic Literacy Project