StemCell Therapy

UA softball Coach Mike Candrea hopes to hit a home run in support of the University of Arizona Arthritis Center and its research efforts at the 2017 Bear Down Luncheon on April 26.

The affiliation between Wildcat athletics and the UAAC is a long-standing tradition that goes back to the early days of Lute Olson. Supporting the UAACs mission and efforts to defeat arthritis as a debilitating disease is a privilege for me, said Candrea, featured speaker at the event.

An eight-time NCAA champion who will be inducted into the coaching Hall of Fame this October, Candrea will share anecdotes and insights gleaned during 32 seasons. Candreas talk is sure to be unforgettable, said Paul Cicala, sports director at KVOA, who will serve as master of ceremonies.

I feel honored to be able to introduce Mike Candrea, who has had an amazing coaching career: He is a UA standout and he is going out of his way, along with doctors at the UAAC, to help others, said Cicala, one of the more than one million Arizonans battling arthritis.

Cicala, who has psoriatic arthritis, said he is proof arthritis impacts those of every age, including children and young adults. Psoriatic arthritis is a chronic inflammatory disease that occurs when the immune system mistakenly begins attacking healthy joints and skin.

I was in my mid-20s and in the best shape of my life. I could still dunk a basketball and I was lifting weights every day when I started having sharp pains in my legs that spread to the rest of my body. My digits on my hands and feet started swelling and they tested me for multiple sclerosis and many other ailments, but they never considered psoriatic arthritis, said Cicala.

Cicalas condition deteriorated rapidly. Walking caused extreme pain, he was unable to open jars or complete simple household tasks and it became increasingly difficult to work. When he was finally diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis, Cicala said the medications Enbrel and Methotrexate saved his life.

I am almost back to being the person I used to be and I am so thankful to the UAAC and all of the fine doctors who continue to do research to find treatments for arthritis. To this day I dont take walking for granted; I take pride in walking when I run errands, walking up A Mountain or Tumacoc Hill and doing other things I thought were taken away forever, he said.

Dr. C. Kent Kwoh, arthritis center director, said the center offers specialized care for patients who are living with cutaneous autoimmune diseases such as psoriatic arthritis, lupus, and scleroderma.

Kwoh said the centers multi-disciplinary approach, which includes bench-to bedside research, also utilizes specialists in orthopedic surgery, geriatrics, immunology, medical imaging, pharmacology, integrative medicine, epidemiology, public health, exercise, nutritional sciences, podiatry and biomechanics.

The list of specialists is expanding with the recruitment of new physicians and the centers ongoing distinction as Arizonas only rheumatology training program for medical students, medical residents and fellows. Kwoh attributes many positive developments to the partnership between Banner and University Medical Center and the continued support of the community and institutions such as the UA Department of Athletics.

There is a shortage of rheumatologists nationwide and here in Tucson. We want to continue to expand our programs to try to meet the need for caring for patients with arthritis in clinics where different specialties can practice together to provide specialized care in an academic medical center. This allows patients to see a number of specialists at the same time or on the same day, which is particularly important for patients with arthritis because these are multi-system diseases, Kwoh said.

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UA softball coach pitches in for arthritis center fundraiser - Arizona Daily Star

Each Tuesday, Doctor Rob Riley joins us to answer viewers' medical questions. Here are the questions he addressed on April 18.

"I had a total thyroidectomy back in August. My scar turned into a keloid. What can I do to make the keloid go away?"

Dr. Riley: Keloids are thickened scars. When most people have surgery, the scar that forms can be pretty thin and flat and tends to fade over time. But some of us, due to our genetics, form big, thick keloids instead. They don't generally do harm, but understandably, people don't like the way they look. Silicone sheets can be obtained at the drug store without a prescription and may help keloids to flatten over time. In the office, we can inject these keloids with a cortisone-like preparation which is often effective. There's some evidence to suggest that freezing keloids in the office may be helpful, too. Unfortunately, surgically cutting the keloid out usually results in a new keloid forming, so that's usually tried as a last resort.

"I just found out I have arthritis so bad in my one knee it's bone on bone. I am taking meloxicam and starting therapy soon. Any other over-the-counter meds that will help this?"

Dr. Riley: Meloxicam is an anti-inflammatory medicationlike ibuprofen or naproxen. Some people find they do just as well or better with these over-the-counter meds as they do with the prescription versions. There's also something called capsaicin, which comes as a cream or gel, which can be applied directly over the painful joint several times daily, and some people get some relief from that. When things get to the bone on bone point, we certainly try all the medications possible plus physical therapy, but often times that's when we start to have the conversation about considering knee replacement surgery.

"I have a tender spot on the back of my right ankle that only hurts when I wear tennis shoes. What could that be?"

Dr. Riley: The most common causes of pain in that location are irritation of the Achilles tendon and bursitis from pressure on the little sac that sits just beneath the Achilles tendon. The tendon tends to hurt when the person is using that big calf muscle on the back of their leg, while the bursa is often tender to direct pressure in the area. Both of these are overuse issues, though, so the best initial approach is to back off on painful activity somewhat and give things a chance to heal. If a certain pair of shoes seems to make things worse, then probably the shoes are applying too much pressure in that area and should be avoided. If the simple things aren't taking care of things, a visit to the doctor may be in order. Some medications, some home exercises, and working with a physical therapist may all be effective for this problem.

Dr. Riley joins us from Memorial Family Medicine.

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Ask the Doctor: Keloids, arthritis, ankle tenderness - WNDU-TV

By Teresa Rivas

Incyte Corp. (INCY) and Eli Lilly (LLY) are both falling Monday, on news that the FDA issued a complete response letter concerning its rheumatoid arthritis treatment baricitinib, delaying approval.

The FDA didnt kill the drug, but it didnt approve it either, saying that more clinical trials would be needed to determine the correct dosage. Of course, more trials will increase the time and money that the companies will have to spend on baricitinib before its approval. Incyte and Lilly both said they are committed to working with the agency to get approval.

Plenty of analysts are weighing in on the stocks today.BMO Capital Markets M. Ian Somaiya reiterated an Outperform rating but cut his price target on Incyte to $144 from $170:

We are pushing out U.S. launch timelines for baricitinib by three years following CRL where FDA cited need for additional dosing and safety data, implying need for new trials. In our conversation, management suggested that the issue in the CRL was not raised previously by the FDA, nor was it the reason for the recent data submission. Our review of published data suggests that the issue could be related to increase in creatinine phosphokinase (CPK), which can be causing drug-induced myopathy (i.e., alectinib) and addressed via a REMS.

SunTrust Robinson Humphreys Peter Lawson reiterated a Buy rating but cut his price target from $160 to $145:

On Friday the FDA issued a complete response letter (CRL) for the NDA for baricitinib in moderate-to-severe rheumatoid arthritis (RA). This was unexpected considering the strength of the data which was published in highly respected medical journals, and the recent EU approval. The FDA is seeking additional clinical data to determine dose, and to further characterize safety. While still early, we have re-assessed our model, we have assumed a conservative 2 year delay in filing, lowered the probability of success in the U.S, and removed milestone payments.

Raymond Jamess Reni Benjamin reiterated a Market Perform rating on Incyte:

While the timing of the FDAs decision was on the PDUFA date, the CRL certainly came as a surprise to us and, we expect, many other investors given the recent approval of the drug by the European agency as well as the multiple positive phase III results generated during clinical development. Whats more surprising and concerning to us is the agencys request for additional clinical data to determine the appropriate doses and further address the safety concerns associated with the drug, a decision that both companies plan to appeal.

As for Eli Lilly, Credit Suisses Vamil Divan reiterated an Outperform rating but lowered his price target by $1 to $87:

While we like LLY for its diversified new product story, baricitinib is a key component of the story and the press release reads ominously to us. The FDA is requesting additional clinical data to determine the most appropriate doses and also to characterize safety concerns across various treatment arms. The timing of a resubmission is still to be determined but for now we assume it will take at least 12 months, pushing back a US launch to potentially 2019 or later. It will likely also limit the peak potential of the product given the competitive nature of the rheumatoid arthritis market and the fact that we expect PFEs Xeljanz will lose it US patent exclusivity by 2025, opening the door for generic oral JAK inhibitors to enter the US marketOur updated baricitinib estimates, including a 2019 US launch and peak 2025 sales of $1.2Bn in the US and $2.1Bn globally, led to our LLY target price reduction to $87 (from $88).

Incyte is down 11.2% to $125.03 in recent trading, while Eli Lilly is down 3.9% to $82.52.

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Incyte, Eli Lilly Tumble As FDA Delays Arthritis Drug Approval - Barron's (blog)

by MARK SHERMAN and MARIA DANILOVA, Associated Press

In this photo taken Jan. 26, 2016, the empty playground at Trinity Lutheran Church in Columbia, Mo. Justice Neil Gorsuch's first week hearing Supreme Court arguments features a case that's giving school choice advocates hope for an easier use of public money for private, religious schools in dozens of states. The long-delayed argument Wednesday, April 19, 2017, deals with whether Missouri should pay for a soft surface at the church playground. (Annaliese Nurnberg/Missourian via AP)

WASHINGTON (AP) Justice Neil Gorsuch's first week on the Supreme Court bench features an important case about the separation of church and state that has its roots on a Midwestern church playground. The outcome could make it easier to use state money to pay for private, religious schooling in many states.

The justices on Wednesday will hear a Missouri church's challenge to its exclusion from a state program that provides money to use ground-up tires to cushion playgrounds. Missouri is among roughly three dozen states with constitutions that explicitly prohibit using public money to aid a religious institution, an even higher wall separating government and religion than the U.S. Constitution erects.

Trinity Lutheran Church of Columbia, Missouri, says its exclusion is discrimination that violates its religious freedoms under the U.S. Constitution.

If the justices agree, "the decision could have implications far beyond scrap tires and playgrounds," said Michael Bindas of the Institute for Justice, which is backing the church. "It has the potential to remove one of the last legal clouds hanging over school choice."

That prospect worries groups of public school teachers and others who oppose vouchers and other forms of public aid for private schooling.

Adding to the intrigue is the long delay between when the Supreme Court agreed to hear Trinity Lutheran's appeal, a month before Justice Antonin Scalia died in February 2016, and the argument. The span of more than 15 months suggests the justices were concerned they might divide 4-4. Indeed, the case wasn't scheduled for argument until after President Donald Trump nominated Gorsuch for the seat.

The timing of the argument "heightened our concern that the court has held this case for so long," said Alice O'Brien, general counsel of the National Education Association, which opposes state aid to private schools.

Missouri's new governor, Republican Eric Greitens, injected some uncertainty into the high court case on Thursday, when he directed state agencies to allow religious groups and schools to receive taxpayer money for playgrounds and other purposes. The court on Friday asked both the church and the state to tell it whether the governor's announcement affects the case.

A lawyer for the church said in an interview with The Associated Press that the case would be unaffected because Greitens' policy change does not resolve the legal issue. But a top aide to state Attorney General Josh Hawley told the AP that state lawyers were evaluating whether the new policy would affect the case.

Should the court decide to go forward, Gorsuch's votes and opinions in religious liberty cases as a judge on the federal appeals court in Denver would seem to make him more inclined to side with the church, and potentially provide the decisive, tie-breaking vote if the rest of the court is divided between liberals and conservatives, Bindas said.

The case arose from an application the church submitted in 2012 to take part in Missouri's scrap tire grant program, which reimburses the cost of installing a rubberized playground surface made from recycled tires. The money comes from a fee paid by anyone who buys a new tire. The church's application to resurface the playground for its preschool and daycare ranked fifth out of 44 applicants.

But the state's Department of Natural Resources rejected the application, pointing to the part of the state constitution that says "no money shall ever be taken from the public treasury, directly or indirectly, in aid of any church, sect or denomination of religion."

A recycled scrap tire is not religious, the church said in its Supreme Court brief. "It is wholly secular," the church said.

Leslie Hiner, vice president of programs at Ed Choice, a school voucher advocacy group said, "It is difficult to understand that a little school could not participate in a safety measure determined by the state because somehow safety of children is conflated with religious purpose."

But the question of where the dividing line should be between church and state is complicated, said the NEA's O'Brien.

The Supreme Court has upheld some school voucher programs and state courts have ratified others. But "in many instances challenges to voucher programs have succeeded based on state court views that their constitutions draw a different line than does the federal constitution," O'Brien said.

Thirty states and the District of Columbia have some form of school choice, including vouchers, tax credits and education savings accounts, according to Ed Choice.

The justices could themselves draw a line that decides the case in Missouri without saying anything more broadly about school choice.

But that issue already is looming at the high court in appeals from a Colorado Supreme Court ruling that blocked the nation's first county-initiated voucher program in Douglas County, Colorado.

The Missouri church and some of the groups backing it have invoked what they describe as anti-Catholic bias that motivated the adoption of the Missouri provision and similar measures in other states in the late 1800s. They are similar to the proposed 1875 Blaine Amendment to the U.S. Constitution that would have prohibited the allocation of public school funds to religious institutions.

"Both the Colorado and Missouri Blaine Amendments share discriminatory, anti-Catholic origins that make their contemporary use to compel religious discrimination particularly unacceptable," lawyer Paul Clement wrote on behalf of the Colorado county.

But 10 legal and religious historians said in a separate court filing that there is no evidence that "anti-Catholic or anti-religious animus" played a role in the adoption of the Missouri constitutional provision. And they said anti-Catholicism was a minor factor behind the Blaine Amendment. The broader debate was about the future of American education, they said.

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Supreme Court , including Gorsuch, to hear church-state case - WJLA

If you are a sighted person and wonder what it might be like to lose the visual world, the gripping Notes On Blindness will challenge your preconceptions about the condition and leave you reeling at the complexities of a life deprived of sight.

Writing movingly of how he finally came to identify as a blind person and relinquish those things every sighted person takes for granted, the academic Hull who died in 2015 has a flair for evoking the sensations, ironies and even moral quandaries of the blind (how to escape tedious conversations at parties when you cant see a friend to head for?).

First published in 1990 under the title Touching The Rock, this edition ties in with its BAFTA-nominated cinematic namesake, and contains an introduction by Cathy Rentzenbrink.

As an account of dealing with disability, it remains as visceral and lucid as it did when first published.

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Book Review: Notes On Blindness: A Journey Through The Dark by John Hull - Press and Journal

LOS ANGELES, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Puma Biotechnology, Inc. (Nasdaq: PBYI), a biopharmaceutical company, today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has scheduled the New Drug Application (NDA) for neratinib for discussion by the Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee (ODAC) on May 24, 2017. Neratinib is an investigational therapy for the extended adjuvant treatment of early stage HER2-positive breast cancer that has previously been treated with a trastuzumab containing regimen.

ODAC is an independent panel of experts that evaluates data concerning the efficacy and safety of marketed and investigational products for use in the treatment of cancer and makes appropriate recommendations to the FDA. Although the FDA will consider the recommendation of the panel, the final decision regarding the approval of the product is made by the FDA solely, and the recommendations by the panel are non-binding.

Puma Biotechnology announced on September 20, 2016 that the FDA had accepted for filing the NDA for neratinib. The NDA for neratinib is based on results from both the Phase III ExteNET trial in extended adjuvant early stage HER2-positive breast cancer and the Phase II CONTROL trial in extended adjuvant early stage HER2-positive breast cancer.

About Puma Biotechnology Puma Biotechnology, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company with a focus on the development and commercialization of innovative products to enhance cancer care. The Company in-licenses the global development and commercialization rights to three drug candidatesPB272 (neratinib (oral)), PB272 (neratinib (intravenous)) and PB357. Neratinib is a potent irreversible tyrosine kinase inhibitor that blocks signal transduction through the epidermal growth factor receptors, HER1, HER2 and HER4. Currently, the Company is primarily focused on the development of the oral version of neratinib, and its most advanced drug candidates are directed at the treatment of HER2-positive breast cancer. The Company believes that neratinib has clinical application in the treatment of several other cancers as well, including non-small cell lung cancer and other tumor types that over-express or have a mutation in HER2. Further information about Puma Biotechnology can be found at http://www.pumabiotechnology.com.

Forward-Looking Statements: This press release contains forward-looking statements, including statements regarding the ODACs scheduled review of the NDA for neratinib. All forward-looking statements included in this press release involve risks and uncertainties that could cause the Company's actual results to differ materially from the anticipated results and expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements. These statements are based on current expectations, forecasts and assumptions, and actual outcomes and results could differ materially from these statements due to a number of factors, which include, but are not limited to, the fact that the Company has no product revenue and no products approved for marketing, the Company's dependence on PB272, which is still under development and may never receive regulatory approval, the challenges associated with conducting and enrolling clinical trials, the risk that the results of clinical trials may not support the Company's drug candidate claims, even if approved, the risk that physicians and patients may not accept or use the Company's products, the Company's reliance on third parties to conduct its clinical trials and to formulate and manufacture its drug candidates, the Company's dependence on licensed intellectual property, and the other risk factors disclosed in the periodic and current reports filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission from time to time, including the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. The Company assumes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements, except as required by law.

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Puma Biotechnology Announces FDA Advisory Committee to ... - Business Wire (press release)

M3 Biotechnology Raises $1.4M in Second Funding Round FinSMEs (blog) M3 Biotechnology, a Seattle, WA-based therapeutics company, raised $1.4m in a second funding round. Backers included Dolby Family Ventures and the Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation (ADDF). The company, which has raised $14M in total financing ...

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M3 Biotechnology Raises $1.4M in Second Funding Round - FinSMEs (blog)

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Home Market Research Worldwide Biotechnology Separation Systems Market Projected to reach USD XXXX million at... - Edition Time

iShares NASDAQ Biotechnology Index (IBB) Upgraded at Vetr Inc. Markets Daily iShares NASDAQ Biotechnology Index logo Vetr upgraded shares of iShares NASDAQ Biotechnology Index (NASDAQ:IBB) from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note released on Wednesday. They currently have $301.57 target price on the stock. and more »

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iShares NASDAQ Biotechnology Index (IBB) Upgraded at Vetr Inc. - Markets Daily

Eli Lilly & Co. (LLY) and Incyte (INCY) chose to disclose the FDA rejection of their rheumatoid arthritis pill baricitinib on Friday, a market holiday, so the repercussions from the regulatory setback are hittingboth stocks Monday.

Lilly shares were down just over 4% to $ 82.33through mid-morningtrading, while Incyte shares were down just over 11% to $125.09

Baricitinib was expected to secure U.S. approval and deliver $2 billion or more in peak sales as the most effective, once-daily oral JAK inhibitor for rheumatoid arthritis, supplanting Pfizer's (PFE) Xeljanz.

Those plans are now on hold indefinitely. In a statement, Lilly said the FDA's complete response letter included a request for additional clinical data to determine appropriate doses of baricitinib. The FDA also asked for more safety data.

Lilly and Incyte said they disagree with the FDA's conclusions and plan to resubmit baricitinib for another shot at approval. A timeline for resubmission was not provided.

The European Medicines Agency approved baricitinib for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis in February. The drug is marketed there under the brand name Olumiant.

Piper Jaffray analyst Josh Schimmer downgraded Incyte to neutral and cut his price target to $124 from $140. "Incyte has a differentiated flagship product in Jakafi, a leading management team, a strong R&D engine and strategic sense, and still strong growth prospects. But baricitinib in the U.S. was an important part of the valuation and outlook for us," Schimmer wrote, in his downgrade note.

Leerink analyst Michael Schmidt said baricitinib contributes 18%, or $25, to his Incyte $141 price target. "We expect Incyte shares to be weak on Monday given that approximately one-year U.S. approval delay now seems likely in our view, in a best case scenario," Schmidt said in a research note.

Lilly licensed baricitinib from Incyte in 2009. The pharma giant took the lead on the drug's development, conducting all the clinical trials and handling regulatory duties. Lilly retains the bulk of baricitinib's sales under the Incyte licensing deal, so the FDA rejection hits the pharma giant -- desperate for new blockbuster drugs -- particularly hard.

Lilly reiterated 2017 earnings guidance but has not said how the baricitinib setback will impact its 2018 financial outlook.

Why FDA turned away baricitinib is not entirely clear, although analysts speculate regulators picked up a concerning safety signal with the higher 4 mg dose. Pfizer faced the same problem with Xeljanz before FDA ultimately approved a lower dose.

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Lilly and Incyte Fall After FDA Rejects Potential Blockbuster for ... - TheStreet.com

New Delhi, April 17:

Drug firm Unichem Laboratories today said it has received approval from the US health regulator for Piroxicam capsules, used in the treatment of osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, in the US market.

In a BSE filing, Unichem Laboratories said it has received ANDA approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) for Piroxicam Capsules USP 10mg and 20mg.

The approved product is therapeutically equivalent to Feldene Capsules 10mg and 20mg of Pfizer Inc.

Piroxicam is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) indicated for relief of the signs and symptoms of osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Unichem Laboratories said the product will be commercialised from its Goa plant.

Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient will also be made in-house at Roha API Plant, it added.

Shares of Unichem Laboratories were trading 1.49 per cent higher at Rs 290 on BSE.

(This article was published on April 17, 2017)

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Unichem Labs gets USFDA nod for arthritis drug - Hindu Business Line

A Melbourne woman is attempting to raise $170,000 for her sister to travel to one of the world's pre-eminent stem cell treatment facilities in an attempt to stop the fatal progression of Multiple Sclerosis.

Chantelle Baker was first diagnosed with MS in May, 2016. In a six month period, 79 lesions had developed on her brain.

"There is no medication to stop the progression of MS," Mrs Baker told A Current Affair.

Chantelle Baker, 41, is hoping to travel to Russia for stem cell treatment to stem the progression of Multiple Sclerosis (Source: A Current Affair)

Mrs Baker, her husband Dara, five-year-old daughter, Lilly, and younger daughter, Edie, are hostages to the hope that Russian doctors can achieve what Australia doctors cannot.

The cost is high, so Mrs Baker's sister, Maxine Parker, has set up an online fundraising campaign to raise the money on her sister's behalf.

"That's my job, I am her big sister," Ms Parker said.

"I have spent 17 years sharing the same bedroom with her growing up and there was no way I was going to let anything take her away from me and I still won't. I am determined to fight this all the way, side-by-side with her."

Mrs Baker's sister, Maxine Parker, has launched a crowd-funding campaign to pay for her sister's treatment in Russia (Source: A Current Affair)

But the cost is nothing compared to the regret the family would face if they didn't give it their all to get Mrs Baker to Russia for the ground-breaking treatment.

"I am scared of not being able to walk, I am scared of waking up one day and not being able to see my kids again because I have gone blind," Mrs Baker said.

"My worst fear is not remembering my children in four or five years' time."

Ms Parker said she would do anything to keep her sister active for her children (Source: A Current Affair)

NSW mother of two Nikki Tatum has just finished the treatment at the same stem cell clinic in Moscow that Mrs Baker is hoping to attend.

Ms Tatum is now back in Australia and will have to wait months before she knows if the therapy worked.

"I have just recently returned from to have HSCT (Hematopoietic Stem Cell Therapy) to hold the progression of my MS," Ms Tatum said in a video message to Mrs Baker.

"I just want to wish you luck for July and let you know that you have made the best choice. The doctors and nurses are just outstanding and you are definitely well looked after."

Mrs Baker, her husband and their children (Source: A Current Affair)

The video message affirmed to Mrs Baker that she was making the right decision.

"It definitely gives me hope. I know I am making the right decision and that is just verifying that I am," Mrs Baker said.

Mrs Baker's husband, Dara, agrees.

"We need to make it work. We need the treatment to work. But of course, I love her to death anyway," Mr Baker said.

Mrs Baker's family have set up a Facebook page where her journey can be followed, Chantelle Fights Multiple Sclerosis.

Nine Digital Pty Ltd 2017

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A Seattle girl hopes a clinical trial will save her vision. She has a rare eye condition, that could someday make her legally blind.

Ted Land, KING 5:49 PM. PDT April 16, 2017

Calnan has a rare eye condition called Aniridia, a genetic mutation that prevents her eyes from developing. (Photo: KING)

A Seattle girl hopes a clinical trial in Canada will help save her vision. She has a rare eye condition that could someday make her legally blind.

Calnan Sorenson, 7, cannot see as well as other kids her age. She's able to bounce around on a trampoline with her brother in the yard of their Wedgwood home, but as she gets older, her family worries she won't be able to lead such an active, animated life.

It's terrifying, and it's really hard to adjust expectations for the future, said Matthew Sorenson, Calnans dad.

Calnan has a rare eye condition called Aniridia. A genetic mutation is preventing her eyes from developing. The most noticeable symptom is the absence of the iris, the colored part of the eye. The disease could eventually make her blind.

The situation of, there isn't really any option, is the situation we were in for the first couple of years after she was diagnosed, and it was tough, Matthew said.

Now there is an option. Calnan is among a few dozen patients, mostly kids, taking part in a clinical trial of a drug which researchers hope will halt the deterioration of her eyesight.

Every three months her family travels to Vancouver and the University of British Columbia, where a pair of researchers are testing a treatment for Aniridia.

Once it's the day of the appointment I feel a little scared and nervous, Calnan said.

The exams are uncomfortable, but Matthew says his family is hopeful the quarterly trips across the border could help save Calnans vision.

We've seen smaller indications of progress, things like how far away she can sit from the television. We've just sort of noticed that she doesn't need to stand in front of the TV anymore, he said.

This is still very much an experiment, and so Calnan is learning braille and working with a teacher who can help her prepare for the possibility of life with less eyesight.

For now, her family just wants her to enjoy being a kid, not worrying too much about a future that's still unclear.

2017 KING-TV

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Seattle girl hopes Canadian clinical trial will save her vision - KING5.com

VIJAYAWADA: Nowadays, majority of the people often ignore eye care. It is essential for every individual to take little attention and proper diet to keep many vision-related problems at bay. Theres no substitute for the quality of life good vision offers. Its best to be proactive and rectify certain vision problems at the young age itself.

According to eye specialists, a clear and stable vision is a much-needed requirement for every individual. However, patients generally dont give this issue the attention it deserves. At all ages, it is advised to keep a regular check on your eyesight. The constant change in power of glasses can be a serious outcome of an underlying ocular or systemic disease. Frequent change in eye power after 40 years may indicate development of cataract and needs to be addressed.

Farsightedness and nearsightedness are the two most commonly seen eyesight problems among the youth. Many children who suffer from these diseases will face difficulty in seeing the blackboard in the classroom, have to squint in order to see small text clearly, have to strain the eyes too hard to get a clear vision of something etc, said Tummala Sandhya Rani, an ophthalmologist at Gayatri Eye Care. We also observe that parents give their mobile phones to children to play games and keep themselves occupied. The constant exposure to screens has led to several eye problems. Instead they should encourage physical activity among their children to keep eye problems at bay, he added.

There is a misconception that using anti-glare monitors will help. Prolonged computer usage has reduced the rate of blinking among people. The ideal blinking rate should be 15 to 16 times a minute and if it is less than this, it can cause dry eyes. This new lab will enable us to explain to our patients all these problems in detail after a thorough analysis, said Dr P Ram Kumar of Chaitanya Eye Hospitals. We have hundreds of patients walking in every day with unexplained eye problems. Some of these problems are because of changing work culture, office environment and stress. Today, the scene is quite different. Children are riveted to their computers and cell phones. Games, playgrounds and physical activity are the forgotten preserve, he said.

He also pointed out that another cause for concern is the rise in eye problems among the young because of Vitamin B12 deficiency. If such problems are not detected in the early stage, it can lead to partial blindness in them. In-depth analysis of such problems needs high-end research, he added. The ophthalmologists also point out that Hypertension is another big reason for constant decline in vision. Some people suffering from hypertension dont realise it but it shows up in the form of regular decline in the vision. This causes Hypertensive Retinopathy and several other retinal diseases. Keeping a tab on your blood pressure can save you from the risk of developing such retinal diseases.

Excerpt from:
How to take good care of your eyes? - The New Indian Express

Eye surgeons Sanduk Ruit and Geoff Tabin, along with the doctors they've trained, have helped restore sight to over 4 million people and aren't finished yet

The doctors were gods to an old, blind Burmese woman whose sight was restored by a quick operation. Cataracts had stolen her sight for years, while others had been blind for decades before the simple operation allowed them to see again. Bill Whitaker reports from Burma, also known as Myanmar, where two eye surgeons were bringing their program that has already reversed blindness in over 4 million people and could help to eliminate cataract and other reversible blindness in the developing world. Out of Darkness will be broadcast on 60 Minutes at 7 p.m. ET/PT.

Dr. Sanduk Ruit, center, and Dr. Geoff Tabin, right, examine patients

CBS News

Hallelujah! shouts the old woman as the bandages are removed. Her surgeons, Drs. Sanduk Ruit and Geoff Tabin look on and assure her they are not gods. But they are miracle workers to the sightless in Burma and their plan has already changed the lives of millions more blind people throughout the world.

Dr. Ruit, a Nepalese eye surgeon, had been restoring the sight of cataract suffers using a technique that requires no stitches. He met Dr. Tabin, an American eye surgeon and world-renowned mountain climber, and they created the Himalayan Cataract Project. Their revolutionary system goes beyond the surgery. They started a lens factory that produces implants for a fraction of the cost in the U.S. and they have a hospital in Nepal that has trained hundreds of doctors and nurses in their technique. During their visit to Burma, they were able to perform more surgeries in three days than are usually done in a year. They left behind a Burmese team trained in their techniques to carry on the work.

Their focus was originally in the Himalayas, but they have been so successful they renamed their group CureBlindness.org. Theyve operated in two dozen countries, including North Korea and Ethiopia, restoring sight to 150,000 people. The doctors theyve trained have given vision to 4 million others. Its the developing world, but people are getting first-rate treatment says Dr. Tabin For these advanced cataracts, Im performing the same quality of surgery that I would be doing in America. Tabin is currently a professor at the University of Utah Medical School in Salt Lake City.

Their surgical outcomes have been peer-reviewed by the leading American journal for eye doctors.

And as Dr. Tabin points out, they are doing more than restoring sight. You know, once someone goes blind in a developing world, their life expectancy is about one-third that of age and health matched peers, he says. And also in the developing world, it takes, often, a person out of the work force, or a child out of school, to care for the blind person. So when we restore sight to a blind person, were freeing up their family and restoring their life, Tabin tells Whitaker.

2017 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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Restoring sight to over 4M people - CBS News

By Serena Gordon

HealthDay Reporter

WEDNESDAY, April 12, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- Two new studies on diabetes deliver good and bad news, but the overall message is that the blood sugar disease remains a formidable public health burden.

The first study looked at the incidence of type 1 and type 2 diabetes in U.S. children, and uncovered this troubling trend: From 2002 to 2012, the rates for both types of diabetes increased, especially among racial and ethnic minorities.

But a bit of hope was offered up in the second study: Swedish researchers reported a drop in the incidence of heart disease and stroke in adults with both types of diabetes.

"These studies highlight our concerns about the increasing prevalence of diabetes. Every 23 seconds, another person is diagnosed with diabetes [in the United States]," said Dr. William Cefalu, chief scientific, medical and mission officer for the American Diabetes Association (ADA).

Cefalu added that the Swedish study was encouraging and shows that things are "trending in the right direction. Because of research in diabetes, we've been able to improve the lives of millions of people with diabetes around the world, but the disease is still increasing worldwide. We still have a lot of work to do."

In the United States, approximately 29 million people have diabetes, according to the ADA. The vast majority of those have type 2 diabetes. About 1.3 million people have type 1 diabetes.

In people with type 2 diabetes, the body doesn't use insulin properly. This is called insulin resistance. Insulin is a hormone that helps usher sugar from foods into the body's cells to be used as fuel. When someone has type 2 diabetes, this process doesn't work well and blood sugar levels rise. Obesity is the main risk factor for type 2 diabetes, though it's not the only factor involved in the disease.

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease. The body's immune system mistakenly attacks the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. This leaves someone with type 1 diabetes with little to no insulin. To stay alive, someone with type 1 diabetes must replace that insulin through injections.

"The specific genes and environmental/behavioral factors that cause type 2 diabetes are different than those that cause type 1 diabetes," explained Elizabeth Mayer-Davis, the author of the study on diabetes incidence in children.

Mayer-Davis and colleagues found that type 1 diabetes was increasing 1.8 percent a year. The increase was significantly larger for Hispanic children, at 4.2 percent a year. That compared with 1.2 percent for white children, the findings showed.

The factors underlying the increase aren't entirely clear, she said.

Although far fewer children have type 2 diabetes, the disease is increasing faster than type 1. Between 2002 and 2012, the rate of type 2 diabetes increased 4.8 percent a year. The annual increase in type 2 diabetes in black children was 6.3 percent. For Asian/Pacific Islanders, the yearly increase was 8.5 percent, and for Native Americans, it was almost 9 percent, the investigators found.

"The increase in incidence of type 2 diabetes is likely related primarily to the increases in overweight and obesity in youth, although this is not the only reason," said Mayer-Davis. She's a professor of nutrition and medicine at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.

The second study looked at all of the people registered in a Swedish National Database from 1998 through 2012, and followed their health through 2014. The database has nearly 37,000 people with type 1 diabetes and more than 457,000 with type 2 diabetes. These patients were compared to similar people without diabetes (the "control" group).

The researchers saw roughly a 40 percent greater reduction in heart disease and stroke in people with type 1 diabetes compared to the matched controls. In people with type 2 diabetes, there was roughly a 20 percent greater drop in heart disease and stroke compared to the control group, the study showed.

When it came to deaths during the study period, people with type 1 diabetes had similar reductions in the number of deaths compared to controls. People with type 2, however, had smaller reductions in deaths versus the control group, the researchers found.

Even with these improvements, people with either type of diabetes still have much higher overall rates of premature death and heart disease than the control groups, the study authors noted.

"We believe the changes observed in our study most likely reflect a combination of advances in clinical care for patients with diabetes," said study author Dr. Aidin Rawshani. He is from the Institute of Medicine at the University of Gothenberg in Sweden.

"Perhaps the most important is improved management of cardiovascular risk factors," he said. These risk factors include high blood pressure, abnormal cholesterol, signs of early kidney damage and poor blood sugar control. He said treatment with high blood pressure medications and cholesterol-lowering drugs likely contributed to the improvement.

Both studies were published April 13 in the New England Journal of Medicine.

WebMD News from HealthDay

SOURCES: Aidin Rawshani, M.D. and Ph.D. student, Sahlgrenska University Hospital and the Institute of Medicine at the University of Gothenberg, Sweden; Elizabeth Mayer-Davis, Ph.D., professor, nutrition and medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill; William Cefalu, M.D., chief scientific, medical and mission officer, American Diabetes Association; April 13, 2017, New England Journal of Medicine

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Both Types of Diabetes Rise in US Children - WebMD

Tyler, TX If you or a family member have diabetes, you are encouraged to learn more, get connected, and get on top of this serious disease by attending UT Health Northeasts free Empower Diabetes classes beginningMay 2in classroom 3207 at UT Health Northeast, located at 11937 U.S. 271 in Tyler, at the corner of U.S. 271 and State Highway 155.

Disease management is the goal of the Empower Diabetes program. Each session provides information for better diabetes self-management and guidelines for living a healthy lifestyle.Classes are freeand topics include:

May 2

9:00-10:00 a.m.- What is Diabetes?

10:00-11:00 a.m.- Managing High and Low Blood Sugars and Sick Days

May 9

9:00-10:00 a.m.- Medications/Insulin

10:00-10:30 a.m.- Monitoring

10:30-11:00 a.m.- Stress/Coping

May 16

9:00-10:00 a.m.- Exercise

10:00-11:00 a.m.- Foot Care

May 23

9:00-10:30 a.m.-Meal Planning

10:30-11:00 a.m.- Goal Setting

July 11

9:00-11:00 a.m.- Reunion (Follow-Up)Class

Blood sugar and blood pressure testing are provided at the first class and at the reunion class.

Space is limited, and early registration is encouraged. Sessions include educational materials and door prizes.

To register, call(903) 877-7569or emailkrista.lindley@uthct.edu

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Free Empower Diabetes Classes Begin May 2 At UT Health Northeast - Gilmer Mirror

It was Leland Jeffrey's fourth birthday, but instead of a day filled with cake and ice cream, Leland was in Huntsville Hospital with a blood sugar level ten times higher than what it should be. Doctors told Leland's parents, Beverly and David, it was astonishing their son was still conscious.

At the time, the Jeffreys couldn't have anticipated the news they'd receive from their doctor. Leland, a perfectly happy and healthy child, was a Type 1 diabetic.

Commonly referred to as Juvenile Diabetes, we now know the condition can affect people of all ages. Actress Mary Tyler Moore was diagnoses when she was in her 20s, and battled the disease until she passed away this year.

As for Leland, his mom said there were signs in recent weeks that suddenly made sense post-diagnosis. Her typically sweet little boy would anger easily, was consuming a tremendous amount of liquid, and had dropped a good ten pounds.

It was in his son's hospital room that David described the "rapid fire" of questions and information being hurled toward him and his wife. Gradually Leland's condition improved. His blood sugar stabilized, and after a hospital stay that included terrifying words like "brain swelling," he was allowed to go home.

For the Jeffreys it was the start of a new way of life.

Six years removed from that day, Beverly said the routine of daily blood testings - approximately six between home and school - have now become commonplace.

Diets were altered and her little boy was given some very grown up instructions regarding his health. He learned to check his own sugars, and ro recognize the signs his sugars were crashing.

Leland is able to run and play like any active 10-year-old. He told WAAY-31 he just needs to be aware if his body starts tingling. That is when he knows to go inside his house, have some juice, then rest for a bit before going outside.

It is those kinds of signs that Pam Glover hopes to educate diabetics and their families about through her work as director of the diabetes management program at Huntsville Hospital.

Her first order of business is to make people understand the difference between Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes.

Type 1 is the result of a virus which attacks the pancreas. Some people have a predisposition, but it is something totally beyond their control. Child, such as Leland, who are diagnosed at a young age must spend their entire life looking for warning signs of an impending crash. Glover said it can quite literally mean the different between life and death.

Type 2 diabetes is usually the result of lifestyle, things like diet or lack of exercise. However, she said that isn't an across the board cause for all Type 2 cases, and that each can vary depending on things like smoking or even family history.

Regardless, Glover said it is crucial for those with both types to be aware of the seriousness of their respective disease and to manage it effectively and carefully.

As for Leland, this little boy learned how to do it. While at first he said he "hated having diabetes," and "wanted to go back to life before," he's learned to manage it and realizes it will be part of his daily routine if he wants to live a happy life.

The Jeffreys have been very active in the Huntsville chapter of the JDRF. Beverly said it was the support system provided by JDRF that helped her and David to cope with the initial diagnosis. They've remained active participants in the annual One Walk, which takes place each spring to raise money to fight - and hopefully one day cure - diabetes.

This year's race is happening on Saturday, April 22, at the Jackson Center in Cummins Research Park. You can register by clicking right here.

Read more here:
Ten-year-old, family, explain life with Type 1 Diabetes - WAAY

Scientists have created a revolutionary 3D-bioprinted patch that can help heal scarred heart tissue after a heart attack. The discovery is a major step forward in treating patients with tissue damage after a heart attack, researchers at University of Minnesota in the US said. During a heart attack, a person loses blood flow to the heart muscle and that causes cells to die.

Our bodies can not replace those heart muscle cells so the body forms scar tissue in that area of the heart, which puts the person at risk for compromised heart function and future heart failure. Researchers used laser-based 3D-bioprinting techniques to incorporate stem cells derived from adult human heart cells on a matrix that began to grow and beat synchronously in a dish in the lab.

When the cell patch was placed on a mouse following a simulated heart attack, the researchers saw significant increase in functional capacity after just four weeks. Since the patch was made from cells and structural proteins native to the heart, it became part of the heart and absorbed into the body, requiring no further surgeries. This is a significant step forward in treating the No 1 cause of death in the US, said Brenda Ogle, an associate professor at the University of Minnesota.

We feel that we could scale this up to repair hearts of larger animals and possibly even humans within the next several years, said Ogle. Ogle said that the research is different from previous ones as the patch is modelled after a digital, three- dimensional scan of the structural proteins of native heart tissue. The digital model is made into a physical structure by 3D printing with proteins native to the heart and further integrating cardiac cell types derived from stem cells.

Only with 3D printing of this type can we achieve one micron resolution needed to mimic structures of native heart tissue, researchers said. We were quite surprised by how well it worked given the complexity of the heart. We were encouraged to see that the cells had aligned in the scaffold and showed a continuous wave of electrical signal that moved across the patch, Ogle said.

Ogle said they are already beginning the next step to develop a larger patch that they would test on a pig heart, which is similar in size to a human heart. The study was published in the journal Circulation Research.

Publish date: April 16, 2017 12:57 pm| Modified date: April 16, 2017 12:57 pm

Tags: 3D-Bioprint, Brenda Ogle, cells, Heart, heart attack, heart failure, Journal Circulation Research, scientists, structural proteins, University of Minnesota

Read more from the original source:
Scientists have made a 3D-printed patch that can help heal the damaged heart tissue - Tech2 (blog)

American Action Fund (AAF) for Blind Children and Adults

Baltimore, MD 410-659-9315 actionfund@actionfund.org

A service agency that specializes in providing to blind people help that is not readily available to them. The Tarzana office houses a postage-free national lending library of braille and Twin Vision(R) books for blind children. They also publish and distribute a braille weekly newspaper and calendars.

American Council of the Blind (ACB)

Arlington, VA 800-424-8666 info@acb.org

National consumer organization with local, state, and special interest affiliates; providing support, information, referral, and advocacy.

American Foundation for the Blind (AFB)

New York, NY 800-232-5463 afbinfo@afb.net

Provides comprehensive information on every aspect of blindness and visual impairment and a searchable database of nationwide services.

American Printing House for the Blind, Inc. (APH)

Louisville, KY 800-223-1839 info@aph.org Shopping site

Worlds largest company devoted solely to researching, developing, and manufacturing products for people who are blind and visually impaired. Founded in 1858, it is the oldest organization of its kind in the United States.

Babies Count

Alamogordo, NM

Babies Count is a national registry of young children aged birth to 36 months of age with visual impairments that works in conjunction with public and private agencies to collect standardized epidemiological and demographic data regarding children, their visual conditions, and the systems created to support them and their families.

Blinded Veterans Association (BVA)

Alexandria, VA 800-669-7079 bva@bva.org

An organization of blinded veterans helping blinded veterans. All legally blinded veterans are eligible for BVAs assistance whether they become blind during or after active duty military service.

Bookshare

Palo Alto, CA 650-352-0198 info@bookshare.org

An initiative of Benetech, a nonprofit organization, a person with print disabilities can read a newspaper the same day it hits the newsstand or a best-selling book online as soon as it is released.

Books Aloud

San Jose, CA 408-808-2613 info@booksaloud.net

The Books Aloud "Reading by Listening" Program provides a wide variety of recorded reading literature to eligible individuals of all ages. This is a FREE service.

Canadian National Institute for the Blind

Toronto, ON 1-800-563-2642

CNIB is a registered charity, passionately providing community-based support, knowledge and a national voice to ensure blind and partially sighted Canadians have the confidence, skills and opportunities to fully participate in life.

Dialogue Magazine

Salem, OR 800-860-4224 info@blindskills.com

Each quarterly issue of DIALOGUE Magazine, from the non-profit Blinds Skills, Inc., contains a wide range of subject matter and comes in four formats: cassette, 18-point print, braille and on computer e-mail.

Family Connect

familyconnect@afb.net

FamilyConnect is an online, multimedia community created by the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) and the National Association for Parents of Children with Visual Impairments (NAPVI). This site gives parents of visually impaired children a place to support each other, share stories and concerns, and link to local resources.

Hadley School for the Blind

Winnetka, IL 800-323-4238 info@hadley.edu

Provides academic, personal enrichment, and compensatory, or rehabilitation education through free home study courses for parents, family members, professionals, and paraprofessionals.

Helen Keller National Center for Deaf-Blind Youths and Adults (HKNC)

Sands Point, NY 516-944-8900 hkncinfo@hknc.org

The Center is a national vocational and rehabilitation program exclusively serving youths and adults who are deaf-blind. Their mission is to enable each person who is deaf-blind to live and work in the community of their choice.

Learning Ally (formerly Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic)

Princeton, NJ 800-221-4792 custserv@LearningAlly.org

Founded in 1948 as Recording for the Blind, Learning Ally creates and maintains over 80,000 audio recordings of textbooks, reference, and professional materials that are not available on tape or disc from other sources. There is a registration fee for this service.

Lighthouse Guild

New York, NY 800-829-0500 info@lighthouseguild.org

A worldwide organization dedicated to preserving vision and to helping people of all ages overcome the challenges of vision loss. Provides vision rehabilitation services, and partners with organizations to ensure that all individuals suffering vision loss have access to the services they require.

Lions Club International

Oak Brook, IL 630-571-5466

By conducting vision screenings, equipping hospitals and clinics, distributing medicine and raising awareness of eye disease, Lions work toward their mission of providing vision for all. They have extended their commitment to sight conservation through countless local efforts and through their international SightFirst Program, which works to eradicate blindness.

Matilda Ziegler Magazine for the Blind

New York, NY 212-242-0263 editor@matildaziegler.com

Editors at the Ziegler magazine scan four national newspapers a day and over 30 magazines a month selecting a broad selection of articles to be reprinted in the Ziegler. The magazine is free-of-charge to legally blind subscribers and is published in a variety of formats including: contracted braille, four track cassette, on-line and by e-mail.

National Braille Association

Rochester, NY 585-427-8260

National Braille Association (NBA) is the only national organization solely dedicated to the professional development of individuals who prepare and produce braille materials.

National Braille Press (NBP)

Boston, MA 888-965-8965 contact@nbp.org

The National Braille Press focuses on practical information to enable persons who are blind and visually impaired to be responsible and productive individuals. Categories include childrens braille literacy, computer access, and self-help books.

National Camps for Blind ChildrenChristian Record Services

Lincoln, NE 402-488-0981 info@christianrecord.org

An international organization serving blind and visually impaired individuals in approximately 80 countries worldwide that operates summer camps throughout North America for children and adults who are blind and visually impaired.

National Federation of the Blind (NFB)

Baltimore, MD 410-659-9314 pmaurer@nfb.org

National consumer organization, with local and state chapters and special-interest divisions that provide information, advocacy, and employment programs.

National Organization of Parents of Blind Children (NOPBC)

Baltimore, MD 410-659-9314 parentoutreach@nfb.org

(part of National Federation of the Blind/click on Info about Vision Loss for Parents and Teachers)

Focuses on the needs of parents and families. Find resources to help children thrive at home, school, and in the community.

National Prison Braille Network

Supports and promotes braille production facilities in prisons across the U.S. and helps ensure that inmate transcribers are well prepared for successful careers as braille transcribers upon release.

Newsreel Magazine

Columbus, OH 888-723-8737

Newsreel Magazine by and for the Blind is a unique monthly interactive audio magazine produced in the voices of its blind or visually impaired subscribers.

Perkins School for the Blind

Watertown, MA 617-924-3434 info@perkins.org

Conducts training activities for programs and staff serving children who are multiply disabled with blindness or deafblind and provides support services for parents.

Seedlings Braille Books for Children

Livonia, MI 800-777-8552 info@seedlings.org

Seedlings Braille Books for Children provides high quality, low cost braille books for children at every level of development, from toddler board books to classic literature for older children.

U.S. Association of Blind Athletes

Colorado Springs, CO 719-866-3224

This Association enhances the lives of blind and visually impaired people by providing the opportunity for participation in sports and physical activity. Offers training camps and competitions in swimming, track and field, wrestling, gymnastics, goal ball, skiing, skating, power lifting, judo, and tandem cycling.

WonderBaby.org

Watertown, MA email hidden; JavaScript is required

WonderBaby.org, a project funded by Perkins School for the Blind, is dedicated to helping parents of young children with visual impairments as well as children with multiple disabilities. Here youll find a database of articles written by parents who want to share with others what theyve learned about playing with and teaching a blind child, as well as links to meaningful resources and ways to connect with other families.

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More Resources About Blindness and Visual Impairment