Health  

With the increased interest in nutrition and personal health care in the past several years, many researchers have found renewed interest and focus in searching for technology that will help in your quest for personally healthy habits. These new technologies can significantly change how you treat their bodies at home and particularly how doctors diagnose and treat acute and chronic disease in clinics or hospitals.

Many of these changes can spell longer life for you and your loved ones or at the very least a higher quality of life. Consider these five up-and-coming technologies that you may already have seen in your local health care setting or that you may be seeing within the next decade.

Diabetes Vaccines

While you may think of vaccines as only being used to prevent childhood illnesses that once were common or to prevent pneumonia or influenza as you grow older, researchers are currently discovering new ways to use vaccines on the immune system. A vaccine that is currently in the works targets the autoimmune system and its interaction with the islet cells of the pancreas, which are integral in insulin production and glucose usage throughout the body. Researchers hope to use this therapy to decrease the incidence of type 1 diabetes in those who are genetically predisposed to the disease.

Remote Health Care

You may have already experienced remote health care for yourself. Many health systems are now implementing online charts and email communications with doctors to help you avoid having to make an in-person appointment to see your doctor for a simple matter. However, video appointments and phone appointments are also starting to be used in many locations. Further technology will continue to help doctors and nurses monitor their patients from a different room or even from miles away. Remote units will be able to take vital signs, lab work EKGs and more.

Redox Signaling Technology

Redox Signaling Technology, or RST, makes use of special molecules that communicate with each other in the body. Although these molecules are found naturally in the body, you may also begin seeing products that contain these molecules sold online and in stores. They are used to change the body at the cellular level by decreasing the effects of free radicals throughout the body much like antioxidants do. For example, a variety of ASEA products, including body lotions and face creams, use RST.

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3D and 4D Printing

By now, you have probably seen how 3D printing can be used for everything from designing footwear to making uniquely shaped pizzas. In the world of health care, researchers are working with 3D printers to create new body parts and tissues. Several years ago, an artificial ear was printed. Scientists have also worked with printing blood vessels. However, improved technology in 4D printing is letting researchers work with materials that can not only be used in the body but also will change as the surrounding environment changes. This will be good for creating implants that can work seamless inside the body.

Nutrigenomics

Nutrigenomics is the study of how nutrition and diet can work with the genes in your body. Researchers are studying the intricacies of the molecules in food and determining how different foods and chemicals in the foods can affect your health and your incidence of developing a certain disease based on your genetic factors. Nutrigenomics is also leading the way in creating new biomarkers that doctors will be able to use to determine your level of health.

Be prepared for even more changes to come to your everyday health care routine as well as to your annual checkups. You may see your doctor begin to employ different methods for testing and diagnosing any illnesses you have, and you will certainly continue to see improved research providing changes to medications, surgeries and more. All of this is sure to spell improved overall health for yourself and your family.

By  Dixie Somers	Embed
Author Bio - Dixie is a freelance writer who loves to write about business, finance and self improvement. She lives in Arizona with her husband and three beautiful daughters.

 Medicine  

Researchers have found an enzyme inhibitor found to prevent and reverse the effects of diabetes in obese mice. In addition to discovering a potential form of treatment for the disease, scientists say the study has shone new light on healthy properties of fatty acids.

According to a newly published study by led by researchers Bruce Hammock at the University of California, Davis, and Joan Clària at the University of Barcelona, diabetes may be treated and even cured. The research involves a potent enzyme inhibitor discovered by Hammock's laboratory that dramatically reduces inflammation, inflammatory pain and neuropathic pain.

In the study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, an enzyme called soluble epoxide hydrolase, or sEH, inhibitor both prevented the onset of diabetes and reversed the effects of diabetes in obese mice.

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“Our previous studies show the drug we are working on will reduce the symptoms of diabetes in mice by itself,” Hammock said, “but the excitement about Joan Clària’s work is that if the mice have a genetically increased level of omega-3 fatty acids — the drug offers prevention or cure in mice.”

"If the mice have a genetically increased level of omega-3 fatty acids — the drug offers prevention or cure in mice."

The new drug apparently works by stabilizing metabolites of an omega-3 fatty acid called DHA. These metabolites are thought to contribute to the beneficial effects of a diet high in omega-3 fatty acids, Hammock said. Previous UC Davis research in the laboratories of Hammock, Nipavan Chiamvimonvat, Robert Weiss, Anne Knowlton and Fawaz Haj showed that the enzyme reduces or reverses such diabetes-linked medical issues as renal failure, hypertension, diabetic pain, hardening of the arteries and heart failure.

Clària is an associate professor at the Barcelona University School of Medicine and a senior consultant at the Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics Service of the Hospital Clínic of Barcelona.

In the paper, titled “Inhibition of Soluble Epoxide Hydrolase Modulates Inflammation and Autophagy in Obese Adipose Tissue and Liver: Role for Omega-3 Epoxides,” Clària described the administration of the sEH inhibitor as “a promising strategy to prevent obesity-related co-morbidities.”

Clària said the study also sheds more light on the role of sEH and omega-3 epoxides in insulin-sensitive tissues, especially the liver.


SOURCE  UC Davis

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 Medicine  

As medicine and healthcare become exponential technologies we will see huge accelerated changes in the medical field.  Here are five innovations that are especially interesting for the near horizon.

Our world is rapidly becoming one of gadgets, electronics, and devices due to the steady advancement of new technology that happens almost daily. While it’s exciting to think of the developments that will be made for smartphones and computers in the coming years, it’s also amazing to see how much technology has altered the world of medicine, knowing that this alteration will only continue.

Although it will take a while to get each of these exciting developments up and running, they will be extremely beneficial in our lives once they experience success and become commonplace in the world of medicine

In the coming decade, we can expect to see a wide array of changes in the medical field due to rapid changes and developments in technology. The clash of scientific breakthroughs, improved technologies, and global proliferation will contribute to the creation of innovations that will change the face of healthcare. Read on to learn about a few innovations that patients should get excited about.

Electronic Aspirin

This technology is ideal for people who suffer from chronic pains like migraines. The electronic aspirin system works by placing a device that stimulated nerves in the gums. This implant connects to the sphenopalatine ganglion (a nerve) which has been linked to chronic pains in the head. The implant makes it possible for the patient to trigger the implant to stimulate this area of the body. The stimulation triggers the blockage of the neurotransmitters that are responsible for the pain. This type of device would eliminate the need for constantly taking pain killers or anti-inflammatories, which can have damaging effects over time.

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Uses of Synthetic Biology

Synthetic biology is the process of creating and ordering genes into different sequences and combinations. Though we have already seen some applications of this in the medical field, it is more apparent in industries like alternative fuel and agriculture. We can expect to see revolutions in the medical field concerning genetics in the coming decade. Some of the first things to look for will be synthetic biology being applied to transplants and disease fighting technology. While this type of technology is still in the early stages within the medical field, the potential for success is extremely thrilling.

Better Diabetes Medication

Current relief and care for diabetes patients often requires needles used to test blood, glucose tests, daily shots, and a great deal of monitoring. Technology is currently being developed that would rid patients of the need for all of this monitoring and pricking. Instead of using needles, these products will make use of a patch that can read blood chemistry without drawing blood. The patch then sends the data to a monitor where patients can track the data. This is an exciting prospect for those with diabetes as well as their loved ones who have hoped for better technology in this area for many years. Once this technology is fully developed and working, there is no telling how many thousands of people it will help.

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Electronic Diagnoses

Special robotics are currently being developed to assist in medical check-ups and diagnoses. With the use of cutting edge robotic design, developers are making medical robots that will soon be able to run shifts in routine hospital and clinical work and charting information for doctors. This technology is an amazing addition for areas that are medically underserviced. In the long run, it can cut the costs of medical care and eliminate human error in many regards. While many patients might not look forward to have a robot-nurse or medical assistant, the development of this type of technology will help to supplement shortages in areas that are understaffed. Patients will no long have to suffer due to a lack of staff at a hospital or clinic, and they will hopefully be able to enjoy cheaper healthcare as well.

Brain-Computer Interfaces

BCIs help patients that suffer from paralyzation. The technology allows these patients to control movements with only their brains. The basic idea is that the technology will allow patients to control robotic body extensions with nothing but their minds to help them become more independent and mobile. This technology requires very detailed and intricate research and study, so it might take a while before it is functioning, but imagine the joy and freedom it will bring to paralyzed patients who can use their bodies once again in a manner of speaking.


These and other upcoming innovations in the medical field will undoubtedly revolutionize healthcare as we now know it. The only downside to combining technology and healthcare is that it takes years to get these systems exactly right—new medical technology has to be relentlessly tested to ensure that it won’t further endanger the lives of patients. Typically if a computer program or app doesn’t work, it won’t cost anyone’s life. But when you are working with human lives, the technology has to be just right. Although it will take a while to get each of these exciting developments up and running, they will be extremely beneficial in our lives once they experience success and become commonplace in the world of medicine. The information for this article was provided by the health technology professionals of Chiro8000 who specialize in chiropractic software that allows chiropractic clinics to more efficiently help their patients.

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 Biological Clock  

Researchers have discovered a new mechanism that governs how body clocks react to changes in the environment. The discovery could provide a solution for alleviating the detrimental effects of chronic shift work and jet-lag.

Researchers from The University of Manchester have discovered a new mechanism that governs how body clocks react to changes in the environment.

The discovery, which is being published in Current Biology, could provide a solution for alleviating the detrimental effects of chronic shift work and jet lag.

The team’s findings reveal that the enzyme casein kinase 1epsilon (CK1epsilon) controls how easily the body’s clockwork can be adjusted or reset by environmental cues such as light and temperature.

"It is now becoming clear that clock disruption is increasing the incidence and severity of diseases including obesity and diabetes."

Internal biological timers (circadian clocks) are found in almost every species on the planet. In mammals including humans, circadian clocks are found in most cells and tissues of the body, and orchestrate daily rhythms in our physiology, including our sleep/wake patterns and metabolism.

Dr David Bechtold, who led The University of Manchester’s research team, said: “At the heart of these clocks are a complex set of molecules whose interaction provides robust and precise 24 hour timing. Importantly, our clocks are kept in synchrony with the environment by being responsive to light and dark information.”

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The research identifies a new mechanism through which our clocks respond to these light inputs. During the study, mice lacking CK1epsilon, a component of the clock, were able to shift to a new light-dark environment (much like the experience in shift work or long-haul air travel) much faster than normal.

The research team went on to show that drugs that inhibit CK1epsilon were able to speed up shift responses of normal mice, and critically, that faster adaption to the new environment minimised metabolic disturbances caused by the time shift.

Dr Bechtold said: “We already know that modern society poses many challenges to our health and wellbeing - things that are viewed as commonplace, such as shift-work, sleep deprivation, and jet lag disrupt our body’s clocks. It is now becoming clear that clock disruption is increasing the incidence and severity of diseases including obesity and diabetes.

“We are not genetically pre-disposed to quickly adapt to shift-work or long-haul flights, and as so our bodies’ clocks are built to resist such rapid changes. Unfortunately, we must deal with these issues today, and there is very clear evidence that disruption of our body clocks has real and negative consequences for our health.”

He continues: “As this work progresses in clinical terms, we may be able to enhance the clock’s ability to deal with shift work, and importantly understand how maladaptation of the clock contributes to diseases such as diabetes and chronic inflammation.”


SOURCE  University of Manchester

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 Medicine  

Researchers in California have turned skin cells in mice into insulin producing beta cells, effectively curing the animals of diabetes. They hope to achieve similar results in human cells, paving the way to an eventual cure for a disease that affects millions of people around the world.

Just a few weeks ago, the mouse in the video above had diabetes. But thanks to groundbreaking regenerative medicine research taking place at the Gladstone Institute in San Francisco, the mouse is now disease free.

The research, led by Dr. Sheng Ding, uses a new method to decode and genetically modify skin cells into insulin producing beta cells. Director of the Institute, Dr. Deepak Srivastava says Dr. Ding's research paves the way to developing a new way to battle diabetes.

"He has been able to create a cell that is not a stem cell but is derived from, in this case, an animals' own cell and transplant it back into the animals and have it essentially cure its diabetes," says Srivastava.

The team’s findings, published in the journal Cell Stem Cell, are an important step towards freeing patients from the life-long injections that characterize this devastating disease.

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To accomplish this, the researchers extracted skin cells from the mouse and used a two phase process to reprogram them into what they call PPLC cells.

In only eight weeks after these new cells were transplanted into the pancreas of the mouse, they matured into insulin producing beta cells that soon began regulating the animal's blood sugar levels, essentially curing it of diabetes.

Dr. Srivastava says his team are now testing the reprogramming protocol on human cells to see if they respond in the same way. "I think this is a major step forward because we haven't has this type of success even in an animal model in the past," he says. "There will be many hurdles ahead to see of this works in humans and test all of the safety issues. But there is reason for a lot of hope for the millions of people out there suffering from diabetes."

Improving technologies are increasingly helping diabetics monitor glucose levels in their blood and manage their disease, but the Gladstone scientists believe that while there are years of research still ahead, they may be on track to produce a cure for diabetes.

“These results not only highlight the power of small molecules in cellular reprogramming, and are proof-of-principle that could one day be used as a personalized therapeutic approach in patients,” explains Ding.


SOURCE  Reuters

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 Future of Medicine  

Inventor Mir Imran has created a "robotic" pill to replace injectable drugs for chronic conditions like diabetes.  With backing from Google, the pill could be trialed as early as 2015.

Prolific inventor Mir Imran, claims to have created a robotic pill to replace injectable drugs for chronic conditions like diabetes and point to the new future of embedded medicine. The device, in preclinical studies and backed by Google's venture-capital unit, consists of an ingestible polymer and tiny hollow needles made of sugar that are designed to safely deliver drugs to the small intestine.

Current drugs used to treat a variety of chronic conditions, including diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis and multiple sclerosis, can't be delivered in pills because stomach acids break down the proteins.

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The pill is an "autonomic robotic delivery system" that can stay intact in the stomach and small intestine long enough to deliver enough of the drug. The body's natural digestive processes activate the pill to perform a series of functions even without any electronics.

As the acidity, builds up in the intestine, the outer layer of the polymer pill casing dissolves, exposing a tiny valve inside the device that separates two chemicals, citric acid and sodium bicarbonate.When the valve becomes exposed, the chemicals mix together to create carbon dioxide. This acts as an energy source, gently inflating a balloon-like structure that is outfitted with needles made of sugar and preloaded with drugs.

The needles push into the intestinal wall, which has no pain receptors. Once lodged there, they detach from the gadget and slowly dissolve, while the balloon and polymer casing pass out of the body.

Imran's pill hasn't yet been tested in humans, so it is probably still years away from even seeking federal approval. It also would require substantial financing to manufacture millions of pills. If it is successful, the pill has the potential to disrupt a long-established multibillion-dollar market for injectable drugs and make life easier for millions of sufferers of conditions such as diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis.

The Indian-born Imran is the founder of the research lab and business incubator InCube Labs in Silicon Valley has founded more than 20 medical-device startup and holds over 300 patents and helped develop the first implantable cardioverter defibrillator to correct irregular heartbeats. Rani Therapeutics, the startup formed at InCube Labs to commercialize the robot pill, last year raised funds from Google Ventures and angel-investment fund VentureHealth.

Blake Byers, the Google Ventures general partner who spearheaded the investment, says Mr. Imran may be achieving one of the "holy grails" for biotechnology by figuring out how to deliver protein-based drugs such as basal insulin to the body without the use of a syringe.

"This investment is not exactly in our wheelhouse, but we're open to people who can change our minds," Byers told the Wall Street Journal. "This one really stood out as a huge clinical need; $110 billion is spent in the U.S. every year on biologics, all of them injectable."

In numerous attempts over the past 40 years to make insulin and other drugs available in pill form, pharmaceutical companies have been able to create coatings so tough that pills can reach the small intestine. But once there, they are attacked by enzymes, which has compromised the pills and prevented significant amounts of the drug from reaching the patient.

In preclinical studies, Rani Therapeutics has shown that its robotic pill can boost drug absorption at least as high as syringes can, Mr. Imran said.

Rani Therapeutics will spend another year testing the robot pill, he said, in the hope that it will have definitive clinical data in 2015.




SOURCE  Wall Street Journal

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