StemCell Therapy

Friday, February 7, 2020

When Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine student JoeRichichi (pronounced rih-kee-kee) recently completed his fourth-year clinicalrotations at the Purdue Veterinary Teaching Hospital, he met the requirementsfor graduation, but at the same time, left something behind, intentionally. That something relates to his remarkable artistictalent, which helped put him through veterinary school.

As faculty, staff, and students who got to know him learned, Joe has a flair for illustrating wildlife. His work even has attracted notice from people involved in major animal television and movie productions, including a new IMAX movie. And now, one of Joes wildlife drawings is on display in a Small Animal Hospital exam room.

Joes association with Purdue Veterinary Medicine began in January 2019, when he came to West Lafayette to complete his clinical year. Ross Universitys School of Veterinary Medicine, located on St. Kitts in the West Indies, does not have hospital facilities for clinical training, so it partners with other AVMA-accredited veterinary colleges where its students are able to complete their fourth-year clinical rotations.

Joes pursuit of a veterinary degree represented a change from what he thought he would do ever since elementary school, when he was recognized for having an ability to draw. He took his first drawing class in high school in his hometown of Glens Falls, N.Y. His first self-portrait caught peoples attention and a later drawing of New York City, as viewed from the Empire State Building, was featured in publications, displayed in a museum, and recognized with numerous awards. Though he was offered scholarships to pursue further training, Joe opted to study at SUNY Adirondack, a State University of New York Community College in his hometown, where he earned his first associates degree in communication and media studies.

After working for a few years and not finding a way to do artwork as a career, Joe embarked on a different career path. While working at a pet store, he realized he had a passion for reptiles and promptly relocated to Florida, where he earned his second associates degree in animal sciences before enrolling in the University of Floridas bachelors degree program in animal science, which he completed in 2016.

As he pursued his dream of becoming a reptile veterinarian,Joe also began rescuing unwanted reptiles from Craigslist and reptile shows. Hemade it his mission to nurse them back to health and give them to good ownersthrough ReptiCon, an organization that hosts reptile and exotic animal expos. AsI was taking in all those reptiles, I started drawing them and putting thatartwork online, which turned into people requesting specific species,explained Joe. Eventually, I had more drawings of reptiles than I had liveanimals.

After being accepted into Ross Universitys DVM program, Joe was in for a pleasant surprise related to his art. He said he never anticipated the number of doors in the art world that would open for him once he started veterinary school. After seeing some of my drawings of sea turtles online, the Tennessee Aquarium contacted me to express their interest in having me illustrate promotional materials for an IMAX movie, Turtle Odyssey, Joe said. If you view the movie website at tutleodysseyfilm.com, and click on the education link, you can download the classroom poster that features Joes artwork and credits him as the artist. The 3D movie is playing this month at the IMAX Theatre at the Indiana State Museum in Indianapolis.

In addition, one of Joes professors at the University of Florida wrote an equine history textbook and asked Joe to illustrate ancient equine species based on their skeletons for use in the book. Shortly after that experience, Joe was contacted by hosts of two different television shows for his drawing prints of various caiman crocodile species. Also, wildlife expert and TV personality Forrest Galante requested Joes help illustrating a once-forgotten species that Galante had rediscovered.

Its easy to see examples of Joes artwork by visiting his website, drawingsbyjoe.com. Or you can see one in person in Exam Room B in the Small Animal Hospital, where his drawing, Macaws of the World is hanging on the wall, courtesy of Dr. Sarah Malek, who had received the artwork as a gift and decided to share it on loan so others can enjoy it. As of a few months ago, Joes art also is being sold in some stores. So, not only is his artwork a form of creative expression, it also has generated income that helped finance his education.

Fittingly, Joe finished his year at Purdue in his favorite rotation, treating exotic pets in the hospitals Small Animal Primary Care service. Joe especially appreciated the opportunity to work with two fellow exotic animal enthusiasts, Drs. Steve Thompson and Lori Corriveau.

Thanks to his success in earning his DVM degree, Joe will have another means of earning income beginning in March when he starts his new job as an exotic animal veterinarian at City Creatures Animal Hospital in Buffalo, N.Y. The full-service veterinary clinic offering companion and exotic pet care is just the kind of work setting that Joe, or Dr. Richichi as he will be called, had hoped to find. And he has seven pets to keep him company, including Blaze, an Argentine Tegu; Agent Romanov, an albino red tail boa; Vanna White, a leucistic Ball Python; two Axolotls (Mexican walking fish) named Mudkip and Wooper; and two cats named Chicken and Waffles.

Writer(s): Maya Sanaba, PVM Communications Intern, and Kevin Doerr | pvmnews@purdue.edu

See the article here:
Clinical Year Student from Ross University Shares Talent as a Wildlife Artist - Purdue Veterinary News

The process of finding the right veterinarian for your pet can be daunting.

This week, The New York Times detailed the case of a veterinarian in Oregon who had decades of complaints in two states from people who said animals were harmed in his care. Many of the cases had been investigated by state veterinary boards.

Yet some of his customers, including one who reported that his dog was handled so roughly last year that it had to be euthanized, said they never realized the veterinarian had been disciplined in the past.

Records on veterinarians can be difficult to track. In some states, they are tucked away on regulatory board websites. In others, the records have to be formally requested from the licensing body. Disciplinary actions are rare, and formal complaints that do not result in action against the veterinarian are typically inaccessible to the public.

What can pet owners do to make sure their pet is in safe hands? Here are some tips, compiled from interviews and industry guidelines:

Before needing the urgent services of a veterinarian, pet owners should spend time shopping around for a veterinarian that works for their family. That might begin with online research or tips from friends, but it should also include in-person visits to potential providers.

Jennifer Reba Edwards, the founder of the Colorado-based Animal Law Center, said she liked to see whether the veterinarian got on the ground with her pets and made efforts to gain the trust of the animal. If they are rushed or quickly pass her off to a veterinary technician, Ms. Edwards said, that is a red flag.

A tour of the facility can give a sense of its organization, cleanliness and overall treatment of animals. It does not hurt to ask questions: How long have they practiced? What specialties do they have? How does the facility monitor pets that have to stay overnight? What sorts of payment options do they have?

Dr. Grace A. Mengel, an assistant professor at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, suggested asking whether the veterinarian practiced low-stress handling, which includes strategies to make veterinary visits more calm for animals.

There are limited resources available for consumers to assess whether a veterinarian has a troubled past. But each state has a licensing body that investigates and doles out discipline.

In some states, such as California and New York, regulators have websites that allow pet owners to search for veterinarians by name and review their disciplinary history. Some states, however, do not have these online records; in those cases, there is little access to a veterinarians history of past complaints unless consumers file a request.

Online reviews can be helpful, but consumers should also be skeptical of them. One option is to check the local courts for lawsuits involving a veterinarian or facility.

Dr. Mengel said pet owners might also want to check the American Animal Hospital Association to find facilities accredited by that organization.

When its time to bring pets in for treatment, it is best to come with questions ready. Writing them down in advance can be especially helpful when dealing with a stressful visit that could involve bad news or difficult decisions.

For a pet with a specific problem, an owner may want to ask whether the veterinarian has experience with that issue. If surgery is contemplated, ask how many times the veterinarian has done the procedure. It may be advisable to see a specialist. Dr. Mengel said one question to ask ahead of a procedure is how the facility monitors pets under anesthesia.

It is important to share details about the pet. Has it had trouble sleeping? Has gas been a problem? Those small details that might not otherwise surface at a checkup could help a vet better assess the animals health.

Do not hesitate to get a second opinion about a pets care, especially when it comes to major decisions.

Ms. Edwards said she recently went to a veterinarian about a heart issue with her dog and got the news that the dog might live for only a few weeks. But after checking with a veterinarian with more specialization in the issue, she learned the dog could live for a couple of years with proper care.

For those who switch veterinarians, either because of a move or by choice, it is important to get a pets full medical history so that a new vet will have the full picture of the animals treatment history.

And for pet owners who may not be able to afford high-cost veterinary services, there are nonprofit organizations around the country that offer financial assistance.

Read this article:
Has Your Veterinarian Been Accused of Malpractice? It May Be Tough to Find Out - The New York Times

This animal, the heavily trafficked pangolin, may be the key in how the new coronavirus spread from animals to humans. USA TODAY

A Chinese university says scientistsidentified the heavily trafficked pangolin as a possible intermediary host of the new coronavirus.

The coronavirus from China is believed to have originated in bats and transferred to humans through some other animal, health officials say. The pangolin may be that key link, researchers at South China Agricultural University said Friday.

"This latest discovery will be of great significance for the prevention and control of the origin of the new coronavirus,"South China Agricultural University saidin a translated statement.

The research team tested more than 1,000 samples from wildanimals and found a 99% match between the genome sequences of virusesfound in pangolins and those in human patients, the AFP reported, citing Chinese state media.

Start the day smarter: Get USA TODAY's Daily Briefing in your inbox

Coronavirus, explained: Everything you need to know about coronavirus, the deadly illness alarming the world

James Wood, a veterinary medicine professor at the University of Cambridge, told the French news agency that more data is needed and showing similarity between the genome sequences alone is "not sufficient."

"You can only draw more definitive conclusions if you compare prevalence (of the coronavirus) between different species based on representative samples, which these almost certainly are not," Dirk Pfeiffer, professor of veterinary medicine at Hong Kongs City University, told Reuters.

Li Wenliang, a Chinese doctor who was reprimanded for warning fellow doctors about the initial coronavirus outbreak, has died of the illness. USA TODAY

Pangolins, the world's only scaly mammal, havelong been valued for their meat, viewed as a delicacy in some Asian countries, and scales, used for traditional medicine, according to the World Wildlife Fund.

Recent conservation efforts have worked to protect the eight pangolin species found in Asia and Africaand threatened by illegal international trade. More than 100,000 pangolins are poached every year, according toWildAid, a nonprofit that works on illegal animal trade.

Inside quarantined coronavirus cruise: 61 cases onboard; room service, TV and spotty WiFi

News of thepossible pangolin link to the coronavirus outbreak comes as the World Health Organization cautioned Fridayagainst too much optimism after a decline in new cases over recent days.

"The numbers could go up again but the last two days were showing a declining trend," said WHO's director-generalTedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

China reported 31,161 cases in mainland China in its update Friday. The rise of 3,143 was the lowest daily increase since at least Tuesday.

According to data collected by Johns Hopkins University as of Friday, 34,887 people have been infected and 724 killed from the outbreak that first appeared late last year. The mortality rate of the virus is 2.1 percent. That compares to a death rate of 9.6 percent for the SARS virus that spread in 2002 and 2003.

The outbreak may have emerged from a market selling seafood and meat in Wuhan. Researcherstheorizethat someone bought contaminated meat at the market, ate it, got sick and infected others, creating a ripple effect around the world.

However, research in the British medical journal The Lancet suggests the outbreak started earlier than December and casts doubt on the market connection.

While the majority of cases and deaths have been in China, the virus has spread across continents, prompting the WHO to declare a"public health emergency of international concern."

In the United States, 12 people have been infected, per Johns Hopkins. Federal health officials confirmed last week the first U.S. case ofperson-to-person spread of the virus.

President Donald Trump tweeted Friday he "had a long and very good conversation by phone with President Xi of China" on the country's response to the coronavirus.

"He will be successful, especially as the weather starts to warm & the virus hopefully becomes weaker, and then gone," Trump tweeted.

China's state media said President Xi Jinping urged the U.S. to respond reasonably" to the virus outbreak in a phone call with President Donald Trump.

"A peoples war against the virus has been launched," Xi was quoted as saying by broadcaster CCTV, using timeworn communist terminology, according to the Associated Press. "We hope the U.S. side can assess the epidemic in a calm manner and adopt and adjust its response measures in a reasonable way."

Beijing has complained that the U.S. was flying its citizens out of Wuhan but not providing any assistance to China.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement Friday that the U.S. isprepared to spend up to $100 million to assist China and other countries to contain and combat the virus. Pompeo said his department had facilitated the transportation of nearly 17.8 tons of donated medical supplies to China this week.

Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar speaks during a press briefing on the coronavirus, in the briefing room of the White House, Friday, Jan. 31, 2020, in Washington.(Photo: Evan Vucci)

The U.S. government hasevacuated about 800 Americans from China on five chartered flights,Steve Biegun, Deputy Secretary of State, said at a Friday press conference of the President's Task Force on Coronavirus.

One flight left on Jan. 28, followed by two flights on Feb. 5 and two on Feb. 6, Biegun said.

As of Friday, officials at 11 U.S. airports had screenedmore than 17,000 passengers for coronavirus and were expected to screen about 4,000 on Friday, according to CDC director Robert Redfield.

The screening process involves more than 1,000 daily flights across400 carriers originating at 200 airports worldwide, according to Joel Szabat, Assistant Secretary for Aviation and International Affairs. More than 2,000 Americans are in or recently left China, he said.

Of the thousands of confirmed coronavirus cases, 14 locations had reported 69 patients who had not traveled to China, Redfield said.Two of those cases were in the U.S., where two people had passed the virus onto their spouses.

Health and Human Services Sec. Alex Azar said the Chinese government had not accepted the U.S.'s Jan. 6 offer to send scientists to China to assist with containment and learn more about the nature of the virus.

"At this point, it's a decision for the Chinese," Azar said."We have made the request now for almost a month."

Azar said he remained "optimistic" that the Chinese would accept American scientists.

Wuhan Central Hospital confirmed early Friday thatLi Wenliang, 34, an ophthalmologist at the epicenter of the virus outbreak, died from the virus aftercontractingit from a patient.

Li had become a national hero for alerting fellow doctors Dec. 30 in an online post about the emergence of a SARS-like illness, warning them to wear protective clothing to avoid infection.

Li, along with seven others in Wuhan, were later arrested by local security police on charges of spreading rumors and forced to sign a document disavowing his statements and agreeing to quit speaking out.

Li's deathhas triggered a national backlash over freedom of speech and censorship that has overwhelmed official online attempts to contain or remove the expressions of anger.

Death of doctor who warned about virus: Backlash errupts over China's censorship

Coronavirus has spread from Wuhan, China, to countries across the world. But how do you know you have it? Here are some signs to watch out for. USA TODAY

Americans trapped on Princess Cruise ship

The number of diagnosed cases of coronavirus on a Princess Cruises ship quarantined off the coast of Yokohoma, Japan, has tripled to 61, according to areport from the cruise line late Thursday.

The Japanese Ministry of Health notified Princess Cruises that an additional 41 people screened aboard the Diamond Princess have tested positive for coronavirus. Eight of those patients that have tested positive are Americans, according to the cruise line. On Wednesday, Princess Cruises confirmed 20 diagnosed cases of coronavirus on the ship, which was already under a 14-day quarantine.

Guests testing positive are expected to be taken to local hospitals immediately.

Princess cruise: Americanstest positive for coronavirus; Guam bars ship

Two Chicago coronavirus patients the first U.S. case of person-to-person spread were discharged from the hospital Friday and placed in home isolation, according to health officials.

The patients were being treated at AMITA Health St. Alexius Medical Center Hoffman Estates and were at home under the guidance of the CDC and the Illinois Department of Public Health, according to AMITA Health spokesperson Olga Solares.

"With it being an uncomfortable situation, the care and the services weve received have been great. Everyones been very kind and very respectful. This has been the best health care experience weve ever had, but were definitely looking forward to getting home and getting life back to normal," the patients said in a statement.

The cases sparked panic in Hoffman Estates, a Chicago suburb where protective face masks had been sold out for over a week.

Contributing: Adrianna Rodriguez, Jayme Deerwester, Morgan Hines and Doug Stanglin; The Associated Press

Follow USA TODAY's Ryan Miller and Grace Hauckon Twitter @RyanW_Millerand @grace_hauck.

Autoplay

Show Thumbnails

Show Captions

Read or Share this story: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2020/02/07/coronavirus-pangolin-virus-host-who-virus-update-friday/4688785002/

Read the rest here:
Pangolins may have spread coronavirus to humans: What to know about the Wuhan virus - USA TODAY

For Immediate Release: February 07, 2020 Statement From:

Statement Author

Leadership Role

Commissioner of Food and Drugs - Food and Drug Administration

Genome editing is a groundbreaking technology used to introduce intentional genomic alterations in animals and has the potential to improve human and animal health, animal well-being and to enhance food production and quality. It is paramount, however, that as we move forward, we maintain standards of safety and effectiveness.

This is a tremendously exciting field. Because were committed to fostering advances in this space, we take a risk-based approach to oversight. We want to ensure that the intentional genomic alterations in animals are safe for the animal, safe for people eating food products from the animal and that the alteration does what its intended to do. Thats why we encourage sponsors to participate in our Veterinary Innovation Program, which facilitates advancements in the development of innovative animal products by providing greater clarity in the regulatory process, encouraging development and research and supporting an efficient and predictable pathway to approval.

We are taking steps to help ensure confidence in products of biotechnology and will soon be undertaking a public education campaign to help consumers learn about the safety and benefits of agricultural biotechnology products. We are committed to partnering with Americas farmers, innovators, biotechnology companies and research universities who are at the forefront of this remarkable moment of scientific advance.

The FDA is leveraging our scientific and technical expertise and regulatory experience to oversee intentional genomic alterations in animals developed using novel techniques, such as genome editing, through a timely and efficient process. The agency is a trusted global regulator and we are committed to overseeing this space in a manner that fosters innovation, promotes consumer confidence and protects the public health.

The following statement is attributed to Steven M. Solomon, DVM, MPH, director of the FDAs Center for Veterinary Medicine.

Today, the journal Nature Biotechnology published the FDA-authored analysis Template plasmid integration in germline genome-edited cattle, which describes how a bioinformatics method developed by FDA scientists was able to detect previously unreported, unintended alterations in genome-edited bulls. The analysis emphasizes the FDAs expertise and critical role in risk-based evaluation of intentional genomic alterations.

Our analysis demonstrated that genome editing in animals can have unintended consequences, and in this case, it caused foreign DNA to be integrated into the animals genomes. While the existence of an unintended alteration does not necessarily mean that the genome edit is unsafe to animals or consumers, it does show that both scientists and regulators need to be alert to the potential for such unintended alterations to take place.

A companion piece, Genome editing in animals: Why FDA regulation matters, also published today explains the value of the agencys oversight of intentional genomic alterations in animals to protect animal and human health, even when the intended modification seeks to replicate a naturally occurring mutation. The commentary further describes the FDAs intent to support innovative scientific approaches, while balancing the agencys role to protect public health through a risk-based approach.

The FDA, an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, protects the public health by assuring the safety, effectiveness, and security of human and veterinary drugs, vaccines and other biological products for human use, and medical devices. The agency also is responsible for the safety and security of our nations food supply, cosmetics, dietary supplements, products that give off electronic radiation, and for regulating tobacco products.

###

02/07/2020

Read the original:
FDA Expertise Advancing the Understanding of Intentional Genomic Alterations in Animals - FDA.gov

PARSIPPANY, N.J. & WOBURN, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Zoetis Inc. (NYSE:ZTS) today announced the acquisition of Ethos Diagnostic Science, a veterinary reference lab business dedicated to serving leading specialty animal hospitals, the greater veterinary community and researchers with accurate, reliable results. Having entered the veterinary reference laboratory space through the acquisitions of both Phoenix Lab and ZNLabs in 2019, Zoetis continues to grow its diagnostics presence to offer comprehensive and enhanced value to veterinarians in the U.S. Financial terms of the transaction are not being disclosed.

Ethos Diagnostic Science is a business unit of Ethos Veterinary Health and has laboratory locations in Boston, Denver and San Diego. Its clinical team has decades of combined experience in veterinary and laboratory medicine and is proud of the strong client relationships built through comprehensive review of accurate, reliable results for the best possible patient outcomes. Ethos Diagnostic Science performs testing for all veterinary species in hematology, clinical chemistry, urinalysis, microbiology, parasitology, endocrinology, serology, cytology and histology. It aims to provide the highest quality results in rapid turnaround times, while advancing the field of veterinary diagnostic medicine.

Acquisition Adds to Zoetis Growing Presence in Reference Labs

We are thrilled to add the Ethos Diagnostic Science labs to our expanding diagnostics presence in the U.S., and we look forward to working with their dedicated, trusted, board-certified pathologists and laboratory technicians, said Lisa Lee, Senior Vice President and Head of Global Diagnostics for Zoetis. With the addition of Ethos labs in San Diego, Denver and Boston, we continue to build a more holistic diagnostics portfolio at Zoetis, and together we can provide veterinarians with even more valuable service and accurate insights that inform the care they provide to animals.

Were very proud of Ethos Diagnostic Science and our lab teams who have demonstrated our core value of innovation and provided invaluable service to our clinical teams, pet families at Ethos Veterinary Health and veterinary teams of our lab customers, said Brian Cassell, DVM, Chief Strategy Officer, Ethos Veterinary Health. We look forward to a continued strong relationship with Zoetis as they add our labs to all that they can offer the veterinary community.

Reference Labs Complement Point-of-Care Diagnostics

Reference laboratories and point-of-care diagnostic testing are highly synergistic, offering veterinarians a single source for a full spectrum of tests, as well as access to the expertise of board-certified specialists and pathologists to support test results. In 2018, through the acquisition of Abaxis, Inc., and its world-class portfolio of VetScan diagnostic instruments and rapid tests, Zoetis became a leader in the development, manufacture, and marketing of veterinary point-of-care diagnostic instruments and consumables.

The global veterinary diagnostics category, which includes reference laboratory and point-of-care diagnostics, is estimated to exceed $4 billion1, with compound annual growth of approximately 10% over the past three years1. Zoetis expects the diagnostics category to continue to grow faster than the animal health industry, with growth in the high single digits; this growth is driven by pet owners increasing interest in pet wellness trends along with rising medicalization rates, increasing standards of veterinary care, and the convenience of in-clinic testing1.

About Zoetis

Zoetis is the leading animal health company, dedicated to supporting its customers and their businesses. Building on more than 65 years of experience in animal health, Zoetis discovers, develops, manufactures and commercializes medicines, vaccines and diagnostic products, which are complemented by biodevices, genetic tests and a range of services. Zoetis serves veterinarians, livestock producers and people who raise and care for farm and companion animals with sales of its products in more than 100 countries. In 2018, the company generated annual revenue of $5.8 billion with approximately 10,000 employees. For more information, visit http://www.zoetis.com.

About Ethos Diagnostic Science

Ethos Diagnostic Science, part of Ethos Veterinary Health, is a full-service veterinary diagnostic laboratory founded in 2015 as the former STAT Veterinary Lab. With lab locations in Boston, Denver and San Diego, Ethos Diagnostic Science performs testing for all veterinary species in hematology, clinical chemistry, urinalysis, microbiology, parasitology, endocrinology, serology, cytology and histology, and aims to provide the highest quality results and rapid turnaround times, while advancing the field of veterinary diagnostic medicine. For more information, visit http://www.ethosdiagnostics.com.

Forward-Looking Information

This press release contains forward-looking statements, which reflect the current views of Zoetis with respect to business plans or prospects, future operating or financial performance, future guidance, future operating models, expectations regarding products, expectations regarding the performance of acquired companies and our ability to integrate new businesses, expectations regarding the financial impact of acquisitions, future use of cash and dividend payments, and other future events.

These statements are not guarantees of future performance or actions. Forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties. If one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or if management's underlying assumptions prove to be incorrect, actual results may differ materially from those contemplated by a forward-looking statement. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made. Zoetis expressly disclaims any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. A further list and description of risks, uncertainties and other matters can be found in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018, including in the sections thereof captioned Forward-Looking Statements and Factors That May Affect Future Results and Item 1A. Risk Factors, in our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and in our Current Reports on Form 8-K. These filings and subsequent filings are available online at http://www.sec.gov, http://www.zoetis.com, or on request from Zoetis.

1 Based on internal estimates and publicly available information.

Original post:
Zoetis Acquires Ethos Diagnostic Science, a Veterinary Reference Lab Business, to Further Expand its Comprehensive Diagnostics Capabilities - Business...

Veterinary CRO Market by Service Type (Clinical Trials, Toxicology, Market Authorization & Regulatory Support and Others), Application (Dogs, Cats, and Others), End User (Oncology, Infectious Diseases, Neurology and Others): Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2019 - 2026

New York, Feb. 07, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Veterinary CRO Market by Service Type, Application, End User: Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2019 - 2026" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p05844034/?utm_source=GNW

The global veterinary CRO market was valued at $485.5 million in 2018, and is expected to reach $894.7 million by 2026, registering a CAGR of 7.9% from 2019 to 2026. Contract research organizations (CROs) are companies that aid in conducting research for a sponsor company. Moreover, veterinary CROs are companies, which are specialized in in-vivo studies that involve companion animals. Sponsor companies seek provision from veterinary CROs to support research and development programs for biopharmaceutical industries. Furthermore, different types of services are provided by veterinary CROs such as clinical trials, toxicology, and market authorization & regulatory support. These services are utilized by veterinary medicine manufacturers to test the safety and efficacy of veterinary drugs, which are used in different indications such as oncology, neurology, and infectious diseases. The factors that boost the growth of the veterinary CRO market include surge in ownership of companion animals and rise in animal health expenditure. Furthermore, other factors such as increase in prevalence of various diseases among companion animal acts as a major factor that contributes toward the growth of the market. However, lack of standardization in veterinary CROs is a factor that restrains the growth of the market. Conversely, surge in awareness related to animal healthcare across the globe is expected to provide lucrative opportunities in the market during the forecast period. The veterinary CRO market is segmented into service type, animal type, indication, and region. On the basis of service type, the market is divided into clinical trials, toxicology, market authorization & regulatory support, and others. By animal type, the market is classified into dogs, cats, and others. Depending on indication, it is categorized into oncology, infectious disease, neurology, and others. Region wise, it is analyzed across North America (U.S, Canada, and Mexico) and Europe (Germany, France, Italy, Spain, UK and rest of Europe), Asia-Pacific (Japan, China, Australia, rest of Asia-Pacific), and LAMEA (Brazil, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and rest of LAMEA).

KEY BENEFITS FOR STAKEHOLDERS This report entails a detailed quantitative analysis along with the current global veterinary CRO market trends from 2019 to 2026 to identify the prevailing opportunities along with the strategic assessment. The market size and estimations are based on a comprehensive analysis of key developments in the industry. A qualitative analysis based on innovative service types facilitates strategic business planning. The development strategies adopted by the key market players are enlisted to understand the competitive scenario of the market

Key Market Segments By Service Type o Clinical Trials o Toxicology o Market Authorization & Regulatory Support o Others By Animal Type o Dogs o Cats o Others By Indication o Oncology o Infectious Disease o Neurology o Others By Region o North America o U.S. o Canada o Mexico o Europe o Germany o France o UK o Italy o Spain o Rest of Europe o Asia-Pacific o Japan o China o Australia o Rest of Asia-Pacific o LAMEA o Brazil o Saudi Arabia o South Africa o Rest Of LAMEA

List of key players profiled in the report: Charles River Laboratories, Inc. Clinvet KLIFOVET AG Lhlein & Wolf Vet Research Oncovet Clinical Research ONDAX Scientific Triveritas Veterinary Research Management (VRM) Ltd VetPharm, Inc. VETSPIN SRL

LIST OF OTHER PLAYERS IN THE VALUE CHAIN (These players are not profiled in the report. The same will be included on request) AlcheraBio LikardaRead the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05844034/?utm_source=GNW

About ReportlinkerReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place.

__________________________

Story continues

Clare: clare@reportlinker.comUS: (339)-368-6001Intl: +1 339-368-6001

Link:
The global veterinary CRO market was valued at $485.5 million in 2018, and is expected to reach $894.7 million by 2026, registering a CAGR of 7.9%...

Shirley Russell knew a lot about her dog, Cricket. She knew that the shaggy-haired Pumi loved to catch a ball before it bounced, that she loved being a therapy dog, and that shed give her human friends a gentle tap on the arm if she wanted more petting.

So whenemergency vets recommended hospitalizing the 12-year-old dog to give her, maybe, a few extra weeks in her six-year battle against cancer, Russell knew what needed to be done:

I just looked at them and said, Im taking her home, she said. We sat in the chair until about midnight, then I put her in the bed and laid there holding her until 4:30 in the morning.

Cricket died the next day with the help of in-home euthanasia.

She was tired, Russell said. She had gone through a lot.

But she wasnt alone. For the past six years, Cricket has had the help of veterinary oncologist Alice Villalobos, a Torrance-based veterinarian who specializes in palliative and end-of-life hospice care for dogs and cats.

For Cricket, palliative care meant treating the cancerthe dog underwent four surgeries and four chemotherapy sessions for her recurrent tumorsand getting a slew of supplements and medications to keep the champion agility dog active and comfortable.

Hospice care meant preparing Russell for the days when nature would take its inevitable courseand guiding her about how to recognize her dog was ready to cross the rainbow bridge.

In human medicine, physicians dont generally refer to hospice until patients are about three days before death, said Villalobos, who in January received the Shomer Ethics Award from the Society of Veterinary Medical Ethics for her contributions to both cancer and palliative care for pets.

When we use the word hospice, we want to make sure people know that we are going to support the pet and provide comfort care whenever they get the diagnosis of a life-limiting disease, said the Hermosa Beach resident.

While palliative care is a growing niche in the world of pet care, it isnt all that different for dogs and cats than it is for humans. The goal is to make patients comfortable so they can live out their days in peace, even in spite of incurable conditions. The only difference for pets is the added option of euthanasia when suffering becomes intolerable.

Many times people say, Let nature take its course, said Villalobos, who has been called the"Mother of Veterinary Hospice by the SVME. And then Im contacted to help with that end-of-life decision. People want to know, When is the right time to put my pet down?

To aid in this decision-making, Villalobos developed a Quality of Life Scale to help people determine if their pet has acceptable life quality to continue with pet hospice. Her guidelines have been shared and used by veterinarians and pet-owners worldwide.

In the old days some doctors would just recommend euthanasia right away, Villalobos said. People would take a limping dog into the vet and they would come home without a dog. [Doctors] would choose to do euthanasia upon diagnosis.

Veterinarians, she said, would often give patients two options when presented with a seriously sick pet: Euthanize the pet or opt for surgery, the latter of which is expensive and may not necessarily extend the animals life significantly.

Im trying to give people a third optionand that is hospice, Villalobos said. Hospice embraces the whole beginning right up to the end. It allows people time to grieve and gives me time to counsel the family members.

For Ari Dane of Playa del Rey, Villalobos helped his 17-year-old chihuahua, Roxy, stay comfortable despite a trio of grim diagnoses including a chest tumor, heart problems and kidney disease.

(Roxy) keeps bouncing back and shes still here, said Dane, who sees Villalobos about every six weeks. She will perk up around mealtime, but most of the time she sleeps. Its fading time.

Under Villalobos direction, Dane adds more than 15 different medicines and supplements to Roxys food every day, all of which are meant to treat the tiny dog's myriad health issues. Its a tedious, expensive process, but one that Dane wouldnt give up.

Its a sad thing to watch her decline, but thats the price of admission, he said. Roxy has been a part of the family for 17 and a half years. I wouldnt want her to be treated any differently.

Pets As family

In a society where people consider pets part of the familyand where half of all dogs that reach the age of 10 will be diagnosed with cancer, according to the American Veterinary Medical Associationit only makes sense that palliative care would become a part of the deal.

As of 2020, there were more than 800 members in the International Association for Animal Hospice & Palliative Care (IAAHPC), an organization dedicated to developing guidelines for comfort-oriented care to pets as they approach the end of life. The organization was founded in 2009.

Veterinarians have been offering some measure of comfort care for animals as long as they have been caring for them, but the shift has come with families embracing pets as members of the family, said IAAHPC President Tyler Carmack, a Virginia-based veterinarian. They now wish their pets to have the same level of compassionate care at end of life as our human family members.

Carmack said many providers and pet-owners shy away from discussing hospice and palliative care until their pets are already very sick. She hopes this will change as people become more aware of their options.

As we open the communication about caring for pets as they enter their end-of-life stage, we allow more and more families to make the best possible decision for their pet and their family, Carmack said.

Costs of care

Of course, caring for sick and dying pets isnt cheap.

According to the Veterinary Cancer Society, cancer care costs for dogs ranges between $150 and $600 per dose of chemotherapy and between $1,000 and $6,000 for radiation. Pet insurance can help pay some of these costs, but many companies have a cap on annual or per-illness expenses.

On top of that, in-home euthanasia, the option most palliative care specialists prefer, costs about $250.

For many pet-owners, its a price that must be paid.

You get them as a pup and you know that youre probably going to outlive them, Russell said. Its part of the package.

For more information about Dr. Alice Villalobos and to get information on palliative care for pets, visit http://www.pawspice.com. Villalobos operates out of Harbor Animal Hospital. She plans to move her services to Redwood Animal Hospital in Redondo Beach in the coming months.

View original post here:
This South Bay veterinarian is leading the pack to provide hospice care for cats and dogs who are terminally ill - Beach Reporter

Horses are really good at getting hurt. Liz Arbittier, VMD, CVA, once treated a horse with a metal pitchfork-tineskewered hoof. Barn staff left the fork in the wheelbarrow, which was blocking the stall, while momentarily stepping away. Upon returning, the worker found the horse standing on the fork, which had pierced the bottom of the foot and come out the back of the heel/pastern.

Amazingly, after surgery and a long recovery, he was absolutely fine, said Arbittier, whos an assistant professor at the University of Pennsylvanias New Bolton Center School of Veterinary Medicine, in Kennett Square.

Sharp metal prongs arent the only things that can injure a horse. Samantha Parkinson, DVM, CVMMP, the equine field service resident at Colorado State University, in Fort Collins, has seen several horses impale themselves on wooden handles of pitchforks.

Horses are uncannily efficient at finding things with which to hurt themselves, she said.

Often, its the most common barn fixtures that cause injury. Here are five that veterinarians encourage clients think twice about before using.

It helps to always have the snaps pointing toward the wall and making sure the screw-eye doesnt have any gaps/metal edges, Arbittier said. Investing in safety snaps or hangers is a good idea.

Its okay to feed hay on the groundthats the natural way horses eat, he said.

That poses a hazard for the horses mouth, lips, and gums, said Lindsay Goodale, DVM, an equine practitioner and a lecturer at Cornell University. The best option is to avoid sharp metal, but if its in your barn check it regularly for damage.

If theyre designed to fold down after use, return them to that position, Ahlschwede says.

Its not possible for everyone to change their latches, but they can make sure that horse owners, staff, and others bringing horses in and out always push the latches all the way in to avoid injuries, Goodale said.

See the article here:
5 Common Things You Won't Find in Horse Vet's Barn - TheHorse.com

The University of Georgias research and development expenditures reached a record high of $477.5 million over fiscal year 2019, according to a UGA Today news release.

Research and development expenditures increased by 5.4% over the last year and by 34% over the past five years, according to the release.

As UGA grows its research enterprise, we are expanding our positive impact on the world while strengthening the economy of our home state, said President Jere Morehead in the release. Gains in agricultural productivity; improvements to health care; the creation of new, marketable products these are just a few of the many benefits stemming from UGAs research and development that are driving our increased economic impact on Georgia, which is now estimated at $6.5 billion per year.

Multiple UGA professors have received research grants over the past year, according to the release. Ted Ross, a professor in the College of Veterinary Medicine, received an award of up to $130 million from the National Institutes of Health in September 2019 to develop a universal flu vaccine. Ross initially received $8 million from the NIH, but the award could increase up to $130 million. If all contract options are exercised, the seven-year project would be the largest award ever received by UGA, according to a September 2019 UGA Today news release.

Jessie Kissinger, a genetics professor, won two awards totaling $16.2 million to develop health informatics databases, according to the release. David Okech, an associate professor in the School of Social Work, has been awarded nearly $20 million from the U.S. Department of State since 2018 to combat human trafficking.

UGA is currently ranked at number 57 in the National Science Foundations survey of overall research and development expenditures across U.S. universities, according to the release. The ranking is based on UGAs fiscal year 2018 research and development expenditures, totaling $453.2 million. UGA currently ranks first for the number of new products brought to market among U.S. universities.

The release said new initiatives at the university, including the Innovation District and the construction of the $65 million I-STEM building, are expected to expand UGAs reach in research.

More here:
UGA's research and development expenditures total $477.5 million - Red and Black

For Bonnie Ascher-Nette, DVM, there is no such thing as too much time spent with horses. An equine veterinarian who specializes in sports medicine, she devotes her days to treating the animals she loves and dedicates any time left over to training and showing her amateur-owner hunter, Denver HTF.

As a young girl, Ascher-Nette dreamed of attending veterinary school and always intended to work with horses, but upon arrival at Michigan State Universitys College of Veterinary Medicine, she learned that balancing riding and work would be an ongoing challenge.

I think anyone whos been through vet school will tell you its one of the hardest things youve ever done in your life, said Ascher-Nette, 31, Ridgefield, Connecticut. But at the end, when you graduate, its the most gratifying thing youve ever done in your life.

A lot of people who go into vet school wanting to be equine vets end up [in] small animal, she continued. They dont end up becoming equine vets on the way out, and I think part of it is because the lifestyle of an equine vet is hard.

People advised her that if she wanted time to enjoy her own horse, she should rethink her career choice, but Ascher-Nette was determined.

I stayed with the equine track, as did a number of my friends, and it all ended up working out in the end, she said.

Ascher-Nette now works for Rabanal Equine, where she cares for New York and Connecticut-based high performance hunters, jumpers and dressage horses. While she has flexibility in scheduling her appointments, shes on call around the clock and drops everything for an emergency.

It can become hard when you are accessible to your clients 24/7, said Ascher-Nette. Its good because youve built a relationship and youve built a trust base; they trust you when you say, This is what I want to do for your horse, but at the same time, being that accessible puts a strain on your personal life, your hobbies and relationshipskind of everything.

When not working, Ascher-Nette is bringing along Denver, whom she bought as a 4-year-old in 2016.

Bred by Hilltop Farm (Maryland), Denver was doing the baby green hunters whenAscher-Nettes longtime trainer, Patty Miller, spotted the Hanoverian gelding (Donarweiss GGFRaj Mahal LTF, Royal Prince) and encouragedAscher-Nette to buy him.

The pair hit it off immediately, winning the Pennsylvania-bred young hunter under saddle at Devon (Pennsylvania) in their first horse show outing. By 2017 they were winning tricolors in the adult amateurs.

Ascher-Nette also moved to Connecticut in 2017, and she started training with Kristen Abbatiello-Neff of Sea Horse Stables LLC in Newtown, Connecticut.

The next year, Ascher-Nette set her sights on qualifying for the Marshall & Sterling Insurance League National Finals, held in September in Saugerties, New York, during the HITS On-The-Hudson circuit. She hoped Denver would come away with mileage and experience, and toAscher-Nettes delight, he won the championship in the SmartPak Adult Hunter division.

Last year she moved up to contest the 33 amateur-owner division, winning multiple tricolors and challenging their skills in national derbies as well.

Hes been above and beyond what we all hoped that he could be, said Ascher-Nette. When you accomplish something together, whether its in the show ring or its just one of those light bulb lessons, its not only your horse thats learned something, youve learned something along with them. Its your relationship thats grown.

She relishes every accomplishment with Denver, and not just in the show ring. It will be at home, those moments in our lesson when well both just get it, itll remind me of three years ago, where we were and where were both at now, she said. For me, I feel like thats the most gratifying thing about bringing a young horse along, is knowing that youve been involved in every step of the process.

2019 was a big year in Ascher-Nettes personal life as well: She married Eric Ascher-Nette in June.

To fit everything in, Bonnie schedules out her personal endeavors far in advance, traveling to support her husband at his marathons or going on mini-vacations. Sometimes she finds a way to mix work and pleasure, spending the past two winter seasons in Wellington, Florida, where she treated clients and competed Denver at the Winter Equestrian Festival.

This year, we got some clients that have a lot of show horses that are staying up here for the winter, said Bonnie. My boss [Amy Rabanal] and I also talked about work-life balance, and as much as I loved going to Florida for the season, it was a long time to be away from my husband.

That was really tough for both of us, added Bonnie. Were really close; we talk every day, multiple times a day. So, being gone for almost four months out of the year with not a lot of opportunity to see each other was tough. My boss and I had talked about ways to make my work-life balance better.

Bonnie acknowledges high performance equine medicine is not a low-stress job.

The higher the levels you go in sport horse medicine, the more pressure there is on everybody, not just on the vet, said Bonnie. Theres pressure on the rider, theres pressure on the trainer, pressure on the owner. Each part of veterinary medicine has its own pressure-filled situation, but I think in sport horse medicine, especially working at levels where youre working on horses that are going to Wellington or going to World Cup Finals or things like that, theres added pressure from all sides.

See the article here:
The Chronicle of the Horse - The Chronicle of the Horse

Decorations in an employee's cubicle at Planned Parenthood in Overland Park. Celia Llopis-Jepsen / Kansas News Service

By CELIA LLOPIS-JENSENKansas News Service

TOPEKA Kansans will likely vote this August on whether to become the fourth state to enshrine in their constitution that abortion isn't a right.

Anti-abortion activists say Kansas needs the change to protect its current abortion laws against potential court challenges.

Their abortion rights counterparts warn many of those laws already go too far, and the constitutional amendment would pave the way for making abortion illegal.

Where does Kansas law stand on abortion today?

In broad strokes, it doesnt allow a few key abortion methods and women generally cant get abortions after 22 weeks of (or slightly more than halfway through) pregnancy.

Being the victim of rape or incest doesnt get women out of those rules. Kansas makes some exceptions for pregnancies that go very wrong and could kill the mother or do her serious physical harm.

Kansas abortion laws say life begins at fertilization.

(Click here to skip ahead to our summary of the states various laws. )

The ballot measure cleared the Kansas Senate last week. The Kansas House may vote this week.

The constitutional amendment would then go to a public vote in August. It would add a line to the state bill of rights saying abortion isnt constitutionally protected and that lawmakers can pass laws on abortion, including for pregnancies that resulted from rape or incest or threaten a womans life.

How did your senator vote? View voteshere.

Democrats have tried to derail the amendment by suggesting it could lead to an outright abortion ban. Republicans called that fearmongering.

Good lord I cant imagine that passing, Senate President Susan Wagle pushed back. That is a scare tactic.

Voters in Tennessee were the first to change their constitution in 2014 to clarify it contains no right to abortion. Alabamians and West Virginians followed suit in 2018. Alabama has since passed a nearly complete abortion ban and Tennessees governor is pushing to stop abortions at about six weeks pregnancy, before many women may know theyre pregnant.

The Kansas push follows a state supreme court ruling last year that concluded women have control over their own bodies and whether to have children. Abortion, it said, is therefore constitutionally protected.

Anti-abortion groups fear the decision will lead to an avalanche of court rulings that will strike down other laws they got passed over the years. For abortion rights advocates, the ruling was insurance against the U.S. Supreme Court someday striking down Roe v. Wade.

Right now, Roe and other federal legal precedent stop states from banning abortion. (Thats why Alabamas ban is tied up in court.)

But in places like Kansas where state supreme courts have found a right to abortion under state constitutions the procedure would stay legal even without Roe.

Whats on the books in Kansas today?

Kansas has hundreds upon hundreds of lines worth of abortion statutes and regulations. Heres a peek at some. They dont apply to removing a fetus that died naturally within a mother.

Some of these laws arent in force, pending the outcome of lawsuits.

The 22-week cutoff: No abortions of a viable fetus once 22 weeks have passed since the pregnant woman last began a menstrual period. (Some babies born at that very premature age have been able to survive.) Kansas allows an exception to save a mothers life or stop serious and permanent damage to her bodily functions, but only if two doctors without legal or financial affiliation to each other to agree the abortion is needed. Only one such abortion took place in the past five years, state reports show. Other Kansans left the state for the procedure.

Parental permission:Anyone under 18 seeking abortion needs written notarized permission from both of her parents. But there are several exceptions, such as if she is married, her parents are divorced, or she was the victim of incest by her father. Minors can ask a judge to waive the parental permission law. If judges dont rule within 48 hours, the law is automatically waived.

Counseling for minors: Unless its an immediate medical emergency, minors must meet with a counselor and take along a parent or someone over the age of 21 with an interest in their wellbeing and no affiliation with the abortion facility. The conversation should include talking about abortion and alternatives.

Child rape: Kansas law defines sex with someone under the age of 14 as rape. If a child is under 14 years old, the doctor must turn over fetal tissue from her abortion to the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, together with the names of her parents.

No D&E: Dilation and evacuation called dismemberment abortion by anti-abortion groups and in state law is the most common procedure after 13 weeks of pregnancy, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. A Kansas law that could soon be struck down because of last years state supreme court ruling bans D&E except to save a mothers life or stop serious and permanent damage to her bodily functions.

The abortion pill: About 60% of abortions in Kansas involve this pill, and at least one of the states four clinics has used doctors in other states to guide women through the process remotely by video while they sit in the clinic. A Kansas law tied up in court bans that.

Mandatory information: Women have to wait 24 hours after requesting an abortion.

A Kansas law called the Womens Right to Know Act kicks in. It sets rules about what clinics have to tell women, in addition to messages they need to hang on their walls and post online, and information that the states health agency puts on this dedicated website.

Above is a sign hanging in an abortion clinic in Overland Park, with information in font. It tells women that Medicaid may help pay for the cost of carrying a child to term, that fathers are on the hook for child support, and other information.

Women receive information about agencies and resources to help with adoption or parenting.

They are told in writing the abortion will end the life of a whole, separate, unique, living human being.

They are told how old their embryo or fetus is and what anatomy it has likely developed so far.

Shortly before their abortion, doctors then must offer to let them hear the heartbeat and view the sonogram, and women must sign a sheet of paper indicating they accepted or refused.

The law requires telling women several things that are scientifically disputed, including about breast cancer risks and that fetuses can feel pain by 22 weeks.

Abortion licensure: Abortion clinics in Kansas must get a license from the state each year. That, anti-abortion activists say, keeps patients safe. But clinics argue its meant to make their operations more difficult by piling on extra rules beyond the regular forms of oversight for the medical field. The abortion clinic rules touch on everything from lavatories to staffing to annual equipment checks and surprise inspections.

Public money and abortion: No using the State General Fund and other types of state revenue for abortion, and state employees cant perform abortions. That includes the University of Kansas Medical Center. Faculty cant do abortions on the clock or on university property. The sole exception: To save a womans life.

Private insurance and abortion: Health plans cant cover costs from an abortion unless its to save a womans life. State law allows for purchasing a policy rider to cover abortion, but researchers say thats rarely available. (Separately, the federal Medicaid and CHIP programs pay for abortion in Kansas only to save a mothers life or in cases of rape or incest.)

Celia Llopis-Jepsen reports on consumer health and education for the Kansas News Service. You can follow her on Twitter @Celia_LJ or email her at [emailprotected] The Kansas News Service is a collaboration of KCUR, Kansas Public Radio, KMUW and High Plains Public Radio focused on the health and well-being of Kansans, their communities and civic life.

Read the original here:
Abortion in Kansas: Here's what the state's laws allow today - hays Post

Dr. Daniel Koller, a veterinarian, attended a court hearing in Hillsboro, Ore., last month. He was arrested in November over the death of a dachshund he was treating.

BEAVERTON, Ore. After his dog Bleu sustained a leg injury over the summer, Andres Figueroa brought the 7-month-old dachshund in for a checkup at a sleek suburban clinic outside Portland, Ore., that was decorated with cutouts of cheerful pets.

But in the exam room, the veterinarian said, Bleu tried to nip at him. He snatched the dog by the mouth and torso with such jarring force that Bleu defecated on the table, Mr. Figueroa said, and then lifted him into the air by the snout until he began to lose consciousness.

Sign Up For the Morning Briefing Newsletter

Distraught, Mr. Figueroa recovered his dog and left. Back in the car, Bleu curled on his lap in a daze, his breathing labored. By the next day, the dogs lungs were filled with fluid and he had to be put down.

I was in shock, Mr. Figueroa said. I knew I had to call the police.

After going to the authorities about the veterinarian, Dr. Daniel Koller, Mr. Figueroa discovered that the practitioner had decades of complaints filed against him in two states by regulators, customers and employees.

Across the country, there is less accountability for veterinarians than there is for practitioners who treat people. While courts award multimillion-dollar judgments for negligence in hospitals, states treat companion animals as a form of property, and owners have little opportunity to sue for damages beyond the cost of a replacement.

Unlike the extensive national records kept on doctors and nurses, there is no comparable data repository to track problematic veterinarians, and state review boards rarely put sanctioned practitioners out of business.

Practicing in both California and Oregon off and on for the past 30 years, Dr. Koller first faced a criminal charge of animal cruelty three years after he got his license in 1974; regulators in California said he was seen kicking and beating a German shepherd that employees later found dead. He had his license revoked for that and other abuse allegations in 1979, restored in 1984 and suspended again in 2001.

In the 1980s, he built a network of budget veterinary clinics in Oregon but also faced a new round of complaints. Oregon officials suspended his license in 2008 and revoked it in 2010, but he returned to practice five years later.

In interviews with The New York Times, eight customers detailed a series of concerning encounters at Dr. Kollers clinics in the four years since his license was most recently restored.

One said Dr. Koller snatched her whimpering dog by the scruff of the neck with such force that the dog wet the table. Another said the doctor choked her frightened puppy. Some had concerns after their pets that went in for surgery ended up dying.

Dr. Koller declined an interview request, telling a reporter: I dont talk to anyone. Goodbye.

In a 2015 memo to Oregon officials, he said he maintained high standards for care and cited support from numerous veterinarians, who said he was an excellent practitioner and a caring person who advocated for low-income people.

I am not a danger to my patients, Dr. Koller wrote.

Disciplinary Actions Are Rare

While there is no nationwide database for the public to track veterinary discipline, state records show the rarity of serious enforcement actions. In Oregon in recent years, about 6 percent of complaints handled by the veterinary board resulted in the finding of a violation.

In states that make enforcement reports readily available, including Arizona, Nevada, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania, records show cases in which veterinary personnel who had racked up five board actions or more were able to continue practicing.

Lori Makinen, the executive director of the Oregon Veterinary Medical Examining Board, said enforcement in human medicine and veterinary medicine cannot be compared because society does not place as much value on an animals life. Under the law, she said, animals are considered property.

But Linda Rosenthal, a member of the New York State Assembly who has worked on animal issues for years, said states should acknowledge the changing relationships that people have with their pets. Ms. Rosenthal said she had been exploring a plan to establish pets as a special category under tort law, somewhere between people and property, but expected strong resistance.

Dr. Jeff Young, a Colorado-based veterinarian who has a show on Animal Planet, helped develop a model law a few years ago that would expand potential veterinary damages to $10,000 for pets.

But industry advocates quickly moved to quash it, arguing that it would make the cost of veterinary care prohibitively expensive, Dr. Young said, in part because of insurance rates. Meanwhile, he noted, clinics were offering operations that cost thousands of dollars to keep pets alive.

It seemed like total hypocrisy to me, he said.

Beatings and Death

Much of the case against Dr. Koller prepared by California regulators in the 1970s concerned his treatment of the German shepherd at a pet hospital outside Monterey.

An administrative law judge wrote that a woman had brought in the stray animal for treatment of a leg injury. The judge found that on two occasions in July 1975, Dr. Koller hung the dog off the ground, beating it with his hand and foot until it lost consciousness. The dog lost three teeth.

Employees later found the dog in the freezer used to store dead animals, according to the veterinary board documents.

A jury convicted Dr. Koller of animal cruelty in that case, and he was sentenced to 100 days in jail.

The veterinary board in California was looking at a range of other concerns. In October 1974, regulators said, Dr. Koller pounded the head of a Lhasa apso dog named Tammy until both eyes were hemorrhaged, according to documents. In 1975, officials found evidence that he beat a dog named Coco for several minutes when the dog would not stop barking; bit and pounded a dog being prepared for surgery; used a slip lead to suspend a dachshund by the neck for at least 30 seconds; and violently slammed a cat on the sides and floor of its cage.

In 1979, the board revoked his license. Five years later, it reinstated it.

Dr. Koller expanded his work to Oregon in the 1980s and franchised a series of Companion Pet Clinics, offering lower-cost services than competitors.

Gretchen Kaehler, who briefly worked with him during that period, said the focus on a high-volume, low-cost model called for cost-saving measures like reusing needles with sterilization to the point that they would be difficult to insert into the animal.

Ms. Kaehler said she never saw Dr. Koller abuse animals, noting that he had a dog of his own, and that she recalled him being friendly and smart. But he was so focused on the business, Ms. Kaehler said, that he fired her for spending too much time comforting the animals.

He wasnt going to spend a lot of time petting them, Ms. Kaehler said. He didnt have that nurturing side. It was very much just business.

Im a Litigator

Dr. Koller, who had apparently been studying the law when he was barred from veterinary practice, began aggressively defending himself against critics in court.

After a customer complained in 1987 that Dr. Koller had hurt her cats leg by handling it roughly, Dr. Koller filed a defamation lawsuit against the customer and several others who had criticized him. Court records indicate that the case was settled.

Im a litigator, Dr. Koller once said, according to a 2004 article in The Oregonian. I like the courtroom battle.

By the early 2000s, Dr. Koller was facing another legal problem. In 2001, his daughter called 911 to their home in California, where paramedics found Dr. Kollers wife unconscious and him semiconscious with a fresh puncture wound in his arm, according to regulatory records. He later admitted to using Telazol, a veterinary anesthetic.

California officials suspended his license but later held off on full revocation by imposing a four-year probationary period in 2004.

In Oregon, regulators scrutinized Dr. Koller after he pleaded no contest in 2007 in a driving-under-the-influence case in which he tested positive for morphine. They also looked at reports that staff members had seen him practicing medicine while impaired once reportedly falling asleep during surgery.

At the time, he was also battling one of his former employees, Maureena Schmaing. A receptionist at his clinic in the early 2000s, Ms. Schmaing said she watched Dr. Koller throw a cat onto the ground and step on its head to inject it with a sedative. In another case, she said, she saw him beat a husky.

Ms. Schmaing said that after witnessing such conduct one day, she was in tears and began compiling a dossier on her boss with the help of Tessa Sage, a former veterinary technician at another clinic who had talked with some of Dr. Kollers clients.

In 2004, the women filed a 79-page complaint to the Oregon veterinary board, detailing what they described as abusive treatment of animals, a lack of supervision of an intern and mistakes that led to pets dying.

I thought for sure it was going to have an impact, Ms. Schmaing said. All I wanted was for him to be stopped.

Dr. Koller disputed Ms. Schmaings complaint, citing contrary testimony offered by other employees and noting that Ms. Schmaing had repeatedly brought her own pet in for care. The board in the end said it was unable to substantiate the abuse allegations. Two years later, in 2008, it suspended Dr. Kollers license, in part citing his history of illegal drug use, and then revoked it in 2010.

Dr. Koller continued to manage veterinary facilities, though he did not act as a veterinarian, and in 2015, he was able to get his license reinstated.

I understand the gravity of what has transpired, he wrote to Oregon officials, and I believe that I have met the requirements to reinstate my license to responsibly practice the profession that I so love.

His problems continued. In 2018, the board fined him $1,500 for trying to spay a male cat. Customers continued to come forward with complaints about rough handling of their pets and unexpected deaths during surgery.

Mr. Figueroa said he was shocked at Dr. Kollers treatment of his dachshund during his visit in September.

I started yelling and saying something like, Why he did that? And he just told me to leave, Mr. Figueroa said.

Mr. Figueroa went outside and called his parents, who drove to the clinic to confront Dr. Koller.

Dr. Koller blamed Mr. Figueroa for not warning him that his dog bites, and then turned to Mr. Figueroas father, who was clearly angry. Do you want to go outside or do it here? Dr. Koller said before starting to walk around the counter. Others intervened to de-escalate the situation.

Bleu was euthanized the next day on the advice of another veterinarian.

In November, the district attorney in Washington County filed criminal charges of animal abuse stemming from Mr. Figueroas case. Dr. Koller has pleaded not guilty and remains in good standing with the veterinary board.

Since the case was publicized, Mr. Figueroa and his family have become acquainted with other former clients of Dr. Koller. They often gather outside the clinic in Beaverton, Ore., with protest signs; No Excuse for Animal Abuse, read one during a recent demonstration.

They urge people to think twice before taking their pet inside.

More:
Abusing Pets and Drugs, One Vet Has Left Decades of Despair in His Wake - msnNOW

Groups work together at the Cornell Animal Health Hackathon, held in the Cornell Vet School on Sunday and the two previous days. Participants, whose backgrounds span from engineering, veterinary medicine to business, solved animal health challenges over the course of the Hackathon. (Nandita Mohan/Sun Staff Photographer)

Professor Michael Dorf, law, and Professor Sarah Kreps, government, on Wednesday night debated the legal and political concerns surrounding the third-ever impeachment. The talk was moderated by Prof. David Bateman, government. (Michelle Zhiqing Yang/Sun Staff Photographer)

Senior forward Paige Lewis advances the puck at the womens hockey game against Clarkson on Friday. (Boris Tsang/Sun Photography Editor)

Freshman forward Izzy Daniel moves the puck at the womens hockey game against Clarkson on Friday. After five minutes of overtime, the game ended in a 1-1 tie. (Boris Tsang/Sun Photography Editor)

This Sunday, Barton Hall was filled with booths from clubs and organizations at ClubFest. (Michael Wenye Li/Sun Senior Photographer)

Students meet club members and learn about different organizations at ClubFest in Barton Hall this Sunday. (Michael Wenye Li/Sun Senior Photographer)

At Barton Hall, Students visit club booths at ClubFest this Sunday. Hosting over 1000 clubs and organizations, ClubFest provides students with the opportunity to check out on-campus groups. (Michael Wenye Li/Sun Senior Photographer)

Groups work together at the Cornell Animal Health Hackathon, held in the Cornell Vet School on Sunday and the two previous days. Participants, whose backgrounds span from engineering, veterinary medicine to business, solved animal health challenges over the course of the Hackathon. (Nandita Mohan/Sun Staff Photographer)

Professor Michael Dorf, law, and Professor Sarah Kreps, government, on Wednesday night debated the legal and political concerns surrounding the third-ever impeachment. The talk was moderated by Prof. David Bateman, government. (Michelle Zhiqing Yang/Sun Staff Photographer)

Senior forward Paige Lewis advances the puck at the womens hockey game against Clarkson on Friday. (Boris Tsang/Sun Photography Editor)

Freshman forward Izzy Daniel moves the puck at the womens hockey game against Clarkson on Friday. After five minutes of overtime, the game ended in a 1-1 tie. (Boris Tsang/Sun Photography Editor)

This Sunday, Barton Hall was filled with booths from clubs and organizations at ClubFest. (Michael Wenye Li/Sun Senior Photographer)

Students meet club members and learn about different organizations at ClubFest in Barton Hall this Sunday. (Michael Wenye Li/Sun Senior Photographer)

At Barton Hall, Students visit club booths at ClubFest this Sunday. Hosting over 1000 clubs and organizations, ClubFest provides students with the opportunity to check out on-campus groups. (Michael Wenye Li/Sun Senior Photographer)

The rest is here:
THIS WEEK IN PHOTOS | February 2nd, 2020 - Cornell University The Cornell Daily Sun

Many men take the erectile dysfunction drug sildenafil, the active ingredient in Viagra, without problems. But in rare cases, they may experience an odd side effect: changes in eyesight, including blue-tinted vision, that last for several weeks, according to a new report.

The report, published Friday (Feb. 7) in the journal Frontiers in Neurology, describes the cases of 17 men who visited a hospital in Turkey with vision problems that persisted for more than 24 hours after they'd taken sildenafil.

The problems reported included blurred vision, sensitivity to light, reduced eyesight and changes to color perception, including "intensely blue-colored vision," a side effect known as cyanopsia. Those with cyanopsia also reported "red-green colorblindness," in which red and green hues appear to be brownish, the report said. None of the patients had a history of eye disease or colorblindness.

While it's known that sildenafil can cause temporary vision changes, including blurred vision and cyanopsia, these side effects typically disappear within 3 to 5 hours. Persistent vision changes, like those seen in this report, are much rarer. Fortunately, the vision problems for all of the men described in this report went away after 21 days.

"For the vast majority of men, any side effects [of sildenafil] will be temporary and mild," study author Dr. Cneyt Karaarslan, of the Dnyagz Adana hospital in Turkey, said in a statement. "However, I wanted to highlight that persistent eye and vision problems may be encountered for a small number of users."

Last year, researchers in Massachusetts reported the case of a man who developed vision loss, including "doughnut-shaped" spots in his vision, which lasted for at least two months after he'd consumed an entire bottle of liquid sildenafil.

Related: Viagra goes generic: 5 interesting facts about the 'little blue pill'

Sildenafil treats erectile dysfunction by inhibiting an enzyme called phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE5), which plays a role in regulating blood flow to the penis. But sildenafil also inhibits a related enzyme called phosphodiesterase type 6 (PDE6), which is found in retinal cells, the light-sensitive cells at the back of the eye. It's thought that, in high doses, this inhibition leads to the buildup of a molecule that is toxic to retinal cells, Live Science previously reported.

All of the men in the current report were first-time sildenafil users, and all of them took the highest recommended dose of the drug, 100 milligrams. What's more, none of the men had a prescription for the medication.

It's unclear why some people are more prone than others to persistent side effects from sildenafil. But it may be that their bodies do not break down the drug very efficiently, which could lead to high concentrations of the medication in their blood, much higher than what's seen in average users, Karaarslan said.

Because it's unclear who will experience such side effects, Karaarslan said men should start on lower doses of the drug. Indeed, it's recommended that patients start with a 50-mg dose and increase or decrease the amount depending on their reaction, according to Pfizer, the maker of Viagra. What's more, patients should take the drug under medical supervision, meaning they should get a prescription for it, Karaarslan added.

"Although these drugs, when used under the control of physicians and at the recommended doses, provide very important sexual and mental support, uncontrolled and inappropriate doses should not be used or repeated," said Karaarslan.

Originally published on Live Science.

Here is the original post:
Men who took erectile-dysfunction drug had blue-tinted vision for days. - Livescience.com

Prevent Blindness has declared February as Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD)/Low Vision Awareness Month to help educate the public on AMD types, treatment options, low vision services and more.According to estimates from thePrevent Blindnessreport Future of Vision: Forecasting the Prevalence and Costs of Vision Problems, more than 2.2 million Americans, including 88,546 Ohioans, ages 50 and over have AMD in the year 2020.AMD is an eye disease that affects central vision and may occur in one or both eyes. Symptoms usually appear gradually over time, and may include difficulty seeing in the center of vision, straight lines appearing wavy or missing, and trouble seeing in dim light.

Risk factors for AMD include:

Family history of AMD;

Aging - those over 60 years old;

Race - Caucasians have a higher rate of AMD;

Sex - females have a higher rate of AMD (may be because they live longer);

Light-colored eyes;

Smoking;

Heart disease;

High blood pressure (hypertension);

High cholesterol;

Obesity;

High sun exposure; and

Poor diet - with low intake of antioxidants.

The Vision Councilstates that one in 28 Americans age 40 and above have low vision.According to theAmerican Academy of Ophthalmology, low vision refers tovisionloss that cannot be corrected by medical or surgical treatments or conventionaleyeglasses. AMD, and other eye diseases such as cataract, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy and retinitis pigmentosa, can cause low vision.

The Ohio Affiliate of Prevent Blindness offers educational materials at no cost through its dedicated web pages and its toll-free number. Resources include:Prevent Blindness AMD Learning Center-The AMD Learning Center, found atpreventblindness.org/amd, provides a variety of educational tools including fact sheets, a free downloadable Amsler grid and more.Living Well with Low Vision -This online resource,lowvision.preventblindness.org, includes a self-help guide to non-visual skills, a visual skills workbook for people with age-related macular degeneration, a guide to caring for the visually impaired and a range of resource directories, including a searchable database of more than 1,500 paratransit services around the country.Through early detection and effective management, the effects of AMD, one of the leading causes of vision loss, can be lessened, said Sherry Williams, President & CEO of the Ohio Affiliate of Prevent Blindness.We encourage everyone to work with their eye care professional to create and adhere to an effective treatment plan to help save sight for years to come.

For more information on AMD, low vision and other eye disease, please contact Prevent Blindness at (800) 301-2020 or visitpbohio.org.

About Prevent Blindness, Ohio Affiliate:

Founded in 1908, Prevent Blindness is the nation's leading volunteer eye health and safety organization dedicated to fighting blindness and saving sight. The Ohio Affiliate of Prevent Blindness serves all 88 Ohio counties, providing direct services to more than 1,000,000 Ohioans annually and educating millions of consumers about what they can do to protect and preserve their precious gift of sight. For more information or to make a contribution, call 800-301-2020.Visit Prevent Blindness on the web atpbohio.org, Facebook atfacebook.com/pbohio/ or Twitter attwitter.com/PB_Ohio.

See the rest here:
highlandcountypress.com - The Highland County Press

Good nutrition and good health go hand in hand. But did you know that a healthy diet can also protect your eyes? Its true: what we eat can affect how we see!

Why is caring for our eye health some important? As we get older, the risk for certain eye diseases such as age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma and cataracts increases. Many surveys have shown that sight is the most important of the five senses to maintain. Clearly, vision loss is a major concern.

Studies have shown that eating foods that are rich in certain vitamins, minerals and antioxidants can slow down or even help prevent most eye diseases.

Are you wondering how to get more eye-friendly nutrients in your familys diet? Keep your eyes on these foods:

Lutein and zeaxanthin: These are found in kale, spinach, Romaine lettuce, collard greens, broccoli and eggs.

Beta-carotene: Found in carrots, pumpkins, winter squash, sweet potatoes, red bell peppers and cantaloupe.

Vitamin C: Found in oranges, grapefruit, strawberries, Brussel sprouts and green bell peppers.

Vitamin E: Found in sunflower seeds, wheat germ, almonds, hazelnuts and vegetable oils.

Omega 3 fatty acids: Found in salmon, tuna, sardines, herring mackerel and fortified dairy.

Zinc: Found in oysters, red meat, eggs, turkey, wheat germ, black-eyed peas and mixed nuts.

Challenge yourself to add more of these foods to your diet this year to help keep you seeing with 2020 vision well into the future.

Prevention is the key when it comes to eye health, and a lifetime of good sight starts early. Building healthy eating habits in childhood that include eye-friendly foods is a perfect way to start. Here are some ideas to encourage your kids to try something new.

Come up with a list of eye-healthy foods that you would like to add to your familys meals and ask your child to pick one or two to try. Find a recipe that includes those foods and then involve your child in helping you to prepare the ingredients. Younger children can help scrub produce, mix ingredients and pour liquids while older kids can help with measuring or even cutting different foods up. The more hands-on time that kids get with new foods, the more likely they are to eat them.

Roasted Salmon with Mango Sauce

4 wild Alaskan salmon fillets (fresh or frozen)

1 tablespoon olive oil

Salt and pepper

Mango Salsa

1 cup mango, cut into inch cubes

red bell pepper, diced into inch pieces

1 green onion or red onion thinly sliced

1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped

Salt and pepper

Zest and juice of 1 lime

1 tablespoon olive oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil

Place fish on the cooking sheet and brush with olive oil. Sprinkle each fillet with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook in oven for 5 to 10 minutes, until each fillet is brown on top and cooked throughout.

While the salmon is cooking, mix the mango, red bell pepper, onion and cilantro in a medium bowl. Whisk together the olive oil, lime zest and lime juice in a small bowl. Pour dressing over salsa and mix to combine. When the salmon is done, spoon of the salsa over each prepared salmon fillet. Serve with brown rice and a green salad for an extra boost of eye-health nutrients.

Kathy Smith is a Texas A&M AgriLife extension agent.

See the original post:
Eating well to help you see with 2020 vision - Weatherford Democrat

All, says Bernardeta Gmez in her native Spanish, pointing to a large black line running across a white sheet of cardboard propped at arms length in front of her. There.

It isnt exactly an impressive feat for a 57-year-old womanexcept that Gmez is blind. And shes been that way for over a decade. When she was 42, toxic optic neuropathy destroyed the bundles of nerves that connect Gmezs eyes to her brain, rendering her totally without sight. Shes unable even to detect light.

But after 16 years of darkness, Gmez was given a six-month window during which she could see a very low-resolution semblance of the world represented by glowing white-yellow dots and shapes. This was possible thanks to a modified pair of glasses, blacked out and fitted with a tiny camera. The contraption is hooked up to a computer that processes a live video feed, turning it into electronic signals. A cable suspended from the ceiling links the system to a port embedded in the back of Gmezs skull that is wired to a 100-electrode implant in the visual cortex in the rear of her brain.

Russ Juskalian

Using this, Gmez identified ceiling lights, letters, basic shapes printed on paper, and people. She even played a simple Pac-Manlike computer game piped directly into her brain. Four days a week for the duration of the experiment, Gmez was led to a lab by her sighted husband and hooked into the system.

Gmezs first moment of sight, at the end of 2018, was the culmination of decades of research by Eduardo Fernandez, director of neuroengineering at the University of Miguel Hernandez, in Elche, Spain. His goal: to return sight to as many as possible of the 36 million blind people worldwide who wish to see again. Fernandezs approach is particularly exciting because it bypasses the eye and optical nerves.

Sign up for The Download your daily dose of what's up in emerging technology

Much earlier research attempted to restore vision by creating an artificial eye or retina. It worked, but the vast majority of blind people, like Gmez, have damage to the nerve system connecting the retina to the back of the brain. An artificial eye wont solve their blindness. Thats why in 2015, the company Second Sight, which received approval to sell an artificial retina in Europe in 2011and in the US in 2013for a rare disease called retinitis pigmentosa, switched two decades of work away from the retina to the cortex. (Second Sight says slightly more than 350 people are using its Argus II retinal implant.)

During a recent visit I made to palm-studded Elche, Fernandez told me that advances in implant technology, and a more refined understanding of the human visual system, have given him the confidence to go straight to the brain. The information in the nervous system is the same information thats in an electrical device, he says

Restoring sight by feeding signals directly to the brain is ambitious. But the underlying principles have been used in human-electronic implants in mainstream medicine for decades. Right now, Fernandez explains, we have many electric devices interacting with the human body. One of them is the pacemaker. And in the sensory system we have the cochlear implant.

Russ Juskalian

This latter device is the hearing version of the prosthesis Fernandez built for Gmez: an external microphone and processing system that transmits a digital signal to an implant in the inner ear. The implants electrodes send pulses of current into nearby nerves that the brain interprets as sound. The cochlear implant, which was first installed in a patient in 1961, lets over half a million people around the globe have conversations as a normal part of everyday life.

Berna was our first patient, but over the next couple of years we will install implants in five more blind people, says Fernandez, who calls Gmez by her first name. We had done similar experiments in animals, but a cat or a monkey cant explain what its seeing.

Berna could.

Her experiment took courage. It required brain surgery on an otherwise healthy bodyalways a risky procedureto install the implant. And then again to remove it six months later, since the prosthesis isnt approved for longer-term use.

Seizures and phosphenes

I hear Gmez before I see her. Hers is the voice of a woman about a decade younger than her age. Her words are measured, her cadence is perfectly smooth, and her tone is warm, confident, and steady.

When I finally see her in the lab, I notice Gmez knows the layout of the space so well she barely needs help navigating the small hallway and its attached rooms. When I walk over to greet her, Gmezs face is initially pointing in the wrong direction until I say hi. When I reach out to shake her hand, her husband guides her hand into mine.

Gmez is here for a brain MRI to see how things look half a year after having her implant removed (they look good). Shes also here to meet a potential second patient who is in town, and in the room during my visit. At one point during this meeting, as Fernandez explains how the hardware connects to the skull, Gmez interrupts the discussion, tilts forward, and places the prospects hand on the back of her head, where a metal outlet used to be. Today theres virtually no evidence of the port. The implant surgery was so uneventful, she says, that she came to the lab the very next day to get plugged in and start the experiments. Shes had no problems or pain since.

Gmez was lucky. The long history of experiments leading to her successful implant has a checkered past. In 1929, a German neurologist named Otfrid Foerster discovered that he could elicit a white dot in the vision of a patient if he stuck an electrode into the visual cortex of the brain while doing surgery. He dubbed the phenomenon a phosphene. Scientists and sci-fi authors have since imagined the potential for a camera-to-computer-to-brain visual prosthesis. Some researchers even built rudimentary systems.

In the early 2000s, the hypothetical became a reality when an eccentric biomedical researcher named William Dobelle installed such a prosthesis in the head of an experimental patient.

In 2002, the writer Steven Kotler recalled with horror watching Dobelle crank up the electricity and a patient fall to the floor writhing in a seizure. The cause was too much stimulation with too much currentsomething, it turns out, brains dont like. Dobelles patients also had problems with infections. Yet Dobelle marketed his bulky device as nearly ready for day-to-day use, complete with a promotional video of a blind man driving slowly and unsteadily in a closed parking lot. When Dobelle died in 2004, so did his prosthesis.

Unlike Dobelle, who proclaimed a cure for the blind, Fernandez almost constantly says things like, I dont want to get any hopes up, and We hope to have a system people can use, but right now were just conducting early experiments.

But Gmez did in fact see.

Bed of nails

If the basic idea behind Gmezs sightplug a camera into a video cable into the brainis simple, the details are not. Fernandez and his team first had to figure out the camera part. What kind of signal does a human retina produce? To try to answer this question, Fernandez takes human retinas from people who have recently died, hooks the retinas up to electrodes, exposes them to light, and measures what hits the electrodes. (His lab has a close relationship with the local hospital, which sometimes calls in the middle of the night when an organ donor dies. A human retina can be kept alive for only about seven hours.) His team also uses machine learning to match the retinas electrical output to simple visual inputs, which helps them write software to mimic the process automatically.

The next step is taking this signal and delivering it to the brain. In the prosthesis Fernandez built for Gmez, a cabled connection runs to a common neuro-implant known as a Utah array, which is just smaller than the raised tip on the positive end of a AAA battery. Protruding from the implant are 100 tiny electrode spikes, each about a millimeter talltogether they look like a miniature bed of nails. Each electrode can deliver a current to between one and four neurons. When the implant is inserted, the electrodes pierce the surface of the brain; when its removed, 100 tiny droplets of blood form in the holes.

Fernandez

Fernandez had to calibrate one electrode at a time, sending it increasingly strong currents until Gmez noted when and where she saw a phosphene. Getting all 100 electrodes dialed in took more than a month.

The advantage to our approach is that the arrays electrodes protrude into the brain and sit close to the neurons, Fernandez says. This lets the implant produce sight with a much lower electrical current than was needed in Dobelles system, which sharply reduces the risk of seizures.

The big downside to the prosthesisand the primary reason Gmez couldnt keep hers beyond six monthsis that nobody knows how long the electrodes can last without degrading either the implant or the users brain. The bodys immune system starts to break down the electrodes and surround them with scar tissue, which eventually weakens the signal, Fernandez says. Theres also the problem of the electrodes flexing as someone moves around. Judging from research in animals and an early look at the array Gmez used, he supposes the current setup could last two to three years, and perhaps up to 10 before it fails. Fernandez hopes a few minor tweaks will extend that to a few decadesa critical prerequisite for a piece of medical hardware that requires invasive brain surgery.

Eventually, the prosthesis, like a cochlear implant, will need to transmit its signal and power wirelessly through the skull to reach the electrodes. But for now, his team has so far left the prosthesis cabled for experimentsproviding the most flexibility to keep updating the hardware before settling on a design.

At 10 pixels by 10 pixels, which is roughly the maximum potential resolution Gmezs implant could render, one may perceive basic shapes like letters, a door frame, or a sidewalk. But the contours of a face, let alone a person, are far more complicated. Thats why Fernandez augmented his system with image recognition software to identify a person in a room and beam a pattern of phosphenes to Gmezs brain that she learned to recognize.

At 25 by 25 pixels, Fernandez writes in a slide he likes to present, vision is possible. And because the Utah array in its current form is so small and requires so little power to run, Fernandez says theres no technical reason his team couldnt install four to six on each side of the brain, offering vision at 60 x 60 pixels or higher. Still, nobody knows how much input the human brain can take from such devices without being overwhelmed and displaying the equivalent of TV snow.

What it looks like

Russ Juskalian

Gmez told me she would have kept the implant installed if she had been given the choice and that shell be first in line if an updated version is available. When Fernandez is done analyzing her array, Gmez plans to have it framed and hang it on her living room wall.

Back in Fernandezs lab, he offers to hook me up to a noninvasive device he uses to screen patients.

Sitting in the same leather chair Gmez occupied during last years breakthrough experiment, I wait as a neurologist holds a wand with two rings against the side of my head. The device, called a butterfly coil, is connected to a box that excites neurons in the brain with a powerful electromagnetic pulsea phenomenon called transcranial magnetic stimulation. The first blast feels as if someone is shocking my scalp. My fingers involuntarily curl into my palms. Look, it worked! Fernandez says, chuckling. That was your motor cortex. Now we will try to give you some phosphenes.

The neurologist repositions the wand and sets the machine for a rapid series of pulses. This time when she fires, I feel an intense zzp-zzp-zzp, as if someone were using the back of my skull as a door knocker. Then, even though my eyes are wide open, I see something: a bright horizontal line flashes across the center of my field of vision, along with two shimmering triangles filled with what looks like TV snow. The vision fades as quickly as it arrived, leaving a brief afterglow.

This is like what Berna could see, Fernandez says. Except her sight of the world was stable as long as the signal was being transmitted to her brain. She could also turn her head and, with her glasses on, look around the room. What I had seen were merely internal phantoms of an electrically excited brain. Gmez could actually reach out and touch the world she was looking at for the first time in 16 years.

Read the original here:
A new implant for blind people jacks directly into the brain - MIT Technology Review

Many know Daniela Ruah as Field Agent Kensi Blye on NCIS: Los Angeles. The Portuguese actress has played the character since its 2009 creation. Fans likely noticed one of Ruahs unique eyes while watching. Heres what the star wants viewers to know about a condition she embraces.

If you look close enough at Daniela Ruahs eyes, youll notice one is darker than the other. The condition is relative to a blemish on the eye.

It happened when I was a kid. You know how Barbies have the little plastic hands? One of them stuck in my eye when I was sleeping, she joked to Esquire in 2011. She eventually came clean.

Its a birthmark called nevus of Ota. It covers the whole white of my eye and darkens it. The square of the eye, the white part, is completely dark on my right eye, not just the iris, she said.

Its very common in Asian people but quite rare in Caucasians. It doesnt affect my vision or anything like that.

Those affected by nevus of Ota are clinically described as having,increased amounts of melanin (pigment) and melanin-producing cells (melanocytes) in and around their eyes, according to the New York Eye Cancer Center.

Those with the condition are at a greater risk of developing an eye cancer and it affects more women than men. However, the birthmark doesnt seem to affect Ruahs eyesight.

The short answer is no. Ruah was born in America but moved to Portugal when she was five. She landed her first acting role at 16 and moved to London, England at 18 where she attended the Performing Arts at the London Metropolitan University. She graduated with honors, according to IMDb.

By 2007 two years shy of becoming a part of the NCIS franchise Ruah made the move to New York City where she studied at the Lee StrasbergTheatre and Film Institute.

From there, the roles came along. From Guiding Light to Red Tails, Ruah is one of the only actors to appear as the same character in two different NCIS iterations and also in Hawaii Five-0.

The actress even competed in Portugals 2006-2007 version of Americas Dancing With the Stars. The show is Danca Comigo, and Ruah won proving nevus of Ota cant hold her back.

It starts the conversation, if anything. But I dont think its ever gotten me a job or lost me a job, she said.

However, there have been times adjustments have to be made on set to get the right shot.

When were shooting, sometimes they need to light my eye in a slightly different way, she explained. Otherwise, it looks like theres a big shadow over it.

If you want to stay on Ruahs good side, theres one thing to never, ever do, and its in regards to her distinctive eye. Dont use Photoshop to edit out the dark of her eye.

It drives me crazy. This is my eye, my little trademark, she said, owning who she is with zero apologies. Were here for it.

Read more:
'NCIS: Los Angeles': The 1 Thing Daniela Ruah Wants You to Know About Her Eye Condition - Showbiz Cheat Sheet

When someone asks where you plan on traveling this year, odds are good Guatemala is not on the itinerary. But for nearly three decades, thats exactly what two local doctors have been doing, using their skills to help restore vision to people in need.

Dr. Christopher Wallyn and Dr. Michael Merck are ophthalmologists at Regional Eye Center in Hutchinson. They met while in training together at Rush-Presbyterian-St. Lukes Medical Center in Chicago. Both were married with young families, and both were Catholic, so pairing them together as residents was a natural fit.

Our faith really, they could tell, motivated much of how we looked at our lives, Wallyn said.

It was also the doctors faith that led them to accept an offer that would change their lives. In the early 1990s, the Rev. Greg Schaffer, a priest for the Diocese of New Ulm, invited Wallyn and Merck to visit Guatemala, where Schaffer had worked at the mission parish in San Lucas Toliman since 1963.

He invited us to come and see because both of us had said that we would like to do mission work, Wallyn said. That was one of our goals.

It was the personal invitation of the late Father Greg Schaffer that led to my commitment to begin the work of bringing surgical eye care to the area, Merck said about the two doctors first trip to Guatemala. He so generously offered to host me and my family. And he extended the kind of hospitality that made it impossible for us to refuse to make that initial trip.

On their first visit, Wallyn and Merck quickly realized how difficult the living situation was for the people of Guatemala. Most families lived in one-room homes with dirt floors and tin roofs. Malnutrition is also a serious threat for young children. With so many concerns, eye care was often neglected.

People went blind and that was part of life, Wallyn said.

But while life is tough in Guatemala, Wallyn and Merck were inspired by the culture and reverence for elderly people. Grandparents are an important part of a family and often live together with multiple generations. And while the older generations want to contribute to the family with tasks such as collecting fire wood, cooking and cleaning, they cant do that if they cant see.

Coming from North America, coming from this country that has so much, learning what people lived under and trying to help where we could, which was really trying to help people with their eyes, from that point we decided that we were gonna try to address the needs of the people in this area, Wallyn said.

From then on, Wallyn and Merck became regulars in Guatemala. Their trips started in 1992 and usually last 7-10 days. On average the doctors said they see about 120 patients per day, many often with cases of neglected cataracts requiring surgery.

Some we can help by just giving them explanations, Wallyn said, some people by just giving them eye drops, some people by giving them the opportunity to have surgery.

Now almost 30 years later, the doctors continue their trips, sometimes as many as two to three times per year. In 2000, the doctors established a nonprofit organization to help their mission called The Foundation For Saving Sight.

While the need for eye care remains, the conditions have somewhat improved. The doctors now have a full operating room with equipment that allows them to complete cataract and glaucoma surgery. Theyve also earned the trust of the locals.

We've gone from people being very superstitious about eye surgery and superstitious about what we're all about to trusting us and understanding who we are and what we are there to do, Wallyn said.

Their work has also attracted other eye care groups from St. Louis, Texas and Seattle that help with the mission.

Here we are trying to address mature cataracts with modern-day surgery, Wallyn said. The end result is, a person goes from blindness to being able to see, which is dramatic, life changing.

Just as dramatic as restoring a persons vision, however, is giving patients the knowledge and understanding of an issue with which theyve had to live.

I've found it can be equally moving to be able help a patient who is plagued with the uncertainty and lack of understanding they have of their disabling eye condition, Merck said. to be able to answer for them the haunting questions that they and their loved ones have lived with for too long, not knowing whether they are neglecting or have neglected a treatable problem or not, and then witness their gracious acceptance of their difficult circumstances when they learn it is permanent and untreatable.

On Thursday, Wallyn departs for his latest trip to Guatemala and is scheduled to return Feb. 16. Mercks next trip is scheduled for the fall.

While the two plan to continue their mission, theyve inspired others to join them. Mercks son, Joseph, started attending the trips with his father as a child. He is also a certified ophthalmologist now and helps perform surgeries and other procedures. Merck's three daughters, all nurses, also accompany the group to Guatemala and assist with the work.

Katie Wallyn also started her own project called LEAST, which stands for Loving the Elderly and Satisfying His Thirst and helps feed elderly people in San Lucas.

There are also plans to develop a mentorship program with the University of Minnesota to bring residents in training along to Guatemala so they may experience life on a mission trip.

If others are looking to donate either through money or service, they can visit through foundation.regeycenter.com for more information about the organization.

It's wonderful to have people able to participate and be part of that process, Wallyn said, because we couldn't do it just by ourselves.

Its been 28 years since their first trip, and although the Rev. Greg Schaffer is gone he died in 2012 his work and love for Guatemala live on in Wallyn and Merck, and continues to spread down to new generations of missionaries.

Part of my life, and Dr. Merck's the same way, is for us to never just consider that working in a medical practice in central Minnesota would be a sufficient answer to the gifts that we were given, Wallyn said, that there would be more to it than that.

Read this article:
Two Hutchinson doctors are on a mission to save sight and change lives in Guatemala - Crow River Media

A Polish man, who was blind for over two decades, isreportedly able to see again after he was hit by a car.

Local media said that Janusz Goraj from Gorzw Wielkopolskiin Poland was able to see properly two weeks after being involved in anaccident.

Janusz suffered from an allergic reaction that damaged theretina in his right eye. His left eye could only register shapes and light.

During an interview with Polsat News, Janusz said that hissight has been perfect after he was hit by a car while crossing the road in2018.

I fell on the car bonnet, hit my head and then I slippedand fell on the road, Janusz said.

Following the accident Janusz was taken to the IndependentPublic Provincial Hospital for hip surgery.

At a certain age such fractures dont heal so quickly, sohe had to be hospitalised, hospital spokesperson Agnieszka Wisniewska said.

At that time, doctors werent concerned about his visionbecause of his injuries.

Within two weeks his injuries had mostly mended with theadded bonus of his eyesight miraculously returning.

Janusz vision has been restored to such an extent that hedoesnt even need to wear his old glasses anymore.

Doctors were stunned by the incident, but they can now onlyspeculate as to what the reason behind his recovery is as Janusz declined totake part in further tests.

We dont quite know what caused it. Maybe it was the mixof drugs he was getting during that time, Wisniewska said.

One theory is that the large doses of anticoagulants (medicinethat helps prevent blood clots) mixed with his other medicine couldve helpedwith the patients unexpected eyesight return.

Incredibly Janusz is now able to live an independent lifeagain. He even got a job as a security guard at the same hospital where hissight came back.

We dont know if he specifically asked for the job or ifits just a coincidence, but he is working here with us, Wisniewska confirmed.

Source: Magazine Features

Read more here:
Blind man's sight restored after being hit by car - News24