Nanoparticle Suspension and Ultrasound Deliver Insulin Without Regular Injections

 

Insulin injections are no fun for diabetics and they have to be taken as needed by the body, not by the patient’s personal schedule. This means if you have diabetes, you can’t just pre-inject yourself and go worry-free throughout the day. A nanotechnology developed at North Carolina State University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill may end all that thanks to a self-assembling network that can release insulin whenever the patient wants.

The system consists of poly(lactic-co-glycolic) acid (PLGA) nanoparticles filled with insulin and coated with either negatively or positively charged substances. These stick to each other when mixed, so when injected into the body the solution remains together and when you want some insulin released, you simply hold an ultrasound transducer to the injection site and shake up the substance to release the insulin.

From NC State:

The researchers believe the technique works because the ultrasound waves excite microscopic gas bubbles in the tissue, temporarily disrupting Nano-network in the subcutaneous layer of the skin. That disruption pushes the nanoparticles apart, relaxing the electrostatic force being exerted on the insulin in the reservoir. This allows the insulin to begin entering the bloodstream – a process hastened by the effect of the ultrasound waves pushing on the insulin.

“We know this technique works, and we think this is how it works, but we are still trying to determine the precise details,” says Dr. Yun Jing, an assistant professor of mechanical engineering at NC State and co-corresponding author of the paper.

When the ultrasound is removed, the electrostatic force reasserts itself and pulls the nanoparticles in the Nano-network back together. The nanoparticles then diffuse more insulin, refilling the reservoir.

Advanced Healthcare Materials: Ultrasound-Triggered Regulation of Blood Glucose Levels Using Injectable Nano-Network…

original article http://news.ncsu.edu/releases/wms-gu-ultrasound2013/

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Banana Power

This is interesting. After reading this, you’ll never look at a banana in the same way again.
Bananas contain three natural sugars – sucrose, fructose and glucose combined with fiber. A banana gives an instant, sustained and substantial boost of energy.
Research has proven that just two bananas provide enough energy for a strenuous 90-minute workout. No wonder the banana is the number one fruit with the world’s leading athletes.
But energy isn’t the only way a banana can help us keep fit. It can also help overcome or prevent a substantial number of illnesses and conditions, making it a must to add to our daily diet.

DEPRESSION: 

According to a recent survey undertaken by MIND amongst people suffering from depression, many felt much better after eating a banana. This is because bananas contain tryptophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin, known to make you relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel happier.

>PMS:
Forget the pills – eat a banana. The vitamin B6 it contains regulates blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood.

ANEMIA:
High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anemia.

BLOOD PRESSURE:
This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in potassium yet low in salt, making it perfect to beat blood pressure So much so, the US Food and Drug Administration has just allowed the banana industry to make official claims for the fruit’s ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke.

BRAIN POWER:
200 students at a Twickenham school ( England ) were helped through their exams this year by eating bananas at breakfast, break, and lunch in a bid to boost their brain power. Research has shown that the potassium-packed fruit can assist learning by making pupils more alert.

CONSTIPATION:
High in fiber, including bananas in the diet can help restore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives.

HANGOVERS:
One of the quickest ways of curing a hangover is to make a banana milkshake, sweetened with honey. The banana calms the stomach and, with the help of the honey, builds up depleted blood sugar levels, while the milk soothes and re-hydrates your system.

HEARTBURN:
Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body, so if you suffer from heartburn, try eating a banana for soothing relief.

MORNING SICKNESS:
Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep blood sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness.

MOSQUITO BITES:
Before reaching for the insect bite cream, try rubbing the affected area with the inside of a banana skin. Many people find it amazingly successful at reducing swelling and irritation.

NERVES:
Bananas are high in B vitamins that help calm the nervous system..
Overweight and at work? Studies at the Institute of Psychology in Austria found pressure at work leads to gorging on comfort food like chocolate and chips. Looking at 5,000 hospital patients, researchers found the most obese were more likely to be in high-pressure jobs. The report concluded that, to avoid panic-induced food cravings, we need to control our blood sugar levels by snacking on high carbohydrate foods every two hours to keep levels steady.

ULCERS:
The banana is used as the dietary food against intestinal disorders because of its soft texture and smoothness. It is the only raw fruit that can be eaten without distress in over-chroniclercases. It also neutralizes over-acidity and reduces irritation by coating the lining of the stomach.

TEMPERATURE CONTROL:
Many other cultures see bananas as a ‘cooling’ fruit that can lower both the physical and emotional temperature of expectant mothers. In Thailand , for example, pregnant women eat bananas to ensure their baby is born with a cool temperature.

So, a banana really is a natural remedy for many ills. When you compare it to an apple, it has FOUR TIMES the protein, TWICE the carbohydrate, THREE TIMES the phosphorus, five times the vitamin A and iron, and twice the other vitamins and minerals.. It is also rich in potassium and is one of the best value foods around So maybe its time to change that well-known phrase so that we say, ‘A BANANA a day keeps the doctor away!’

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Tips to Minimize Occurrence of Stretch Marks During and After Pregnancy

Stretch marks during and after pregnancy are inevitable. It occurs as a result of the stretching of the skin up to its limits. As the skin tends to stretch to house the growing fetus, the collagen fibers tend to compensate to bring skin together. This is the reason why there are white streaks around the mother’s tummy. This does not only happen to mothers but to those who have suffered from a drastic change in weight. While this seems to be a big problem to a lot of people, there are actually things that one can do to be able to get rid of the scars it leaves.

One of the secrets in order to hasten the process of healing is hydration. Hydration is important in order to clean the body from toxins that may come interfering with the process of healing. Hydration is also important to keep the tissues intact and not dried out.

Moisturize skin. Moisturizers will help prevent itching and drying caused by the stretching of collagenous material. As the skin is moisturized, it will avoid inflicting harm on the skin brought by stretching. There are creams available in the market that can be bought with prescription or over the counter. But before this, one should consult on a physician in order to find the cream that will suit your needs. Consultation is important in order to get rid of the possible existence of allergies brought by some ingredients comprising the cream.

Diet does not always go out of style. Most of the health problems existing can be controlled with the use of proper diet. Controlling the effects of stretch marks is one. Vegetables and fruits for instance helps the body get the needed amount of nutrients to function. This is a proven fact but it goes with a bonus too. These foods tend to let you have softer and moisturized skin which is great news to combat the effects of drying brought by stretch marks. Once the skin is softer, marks may come limited.

If diet is one of the vital things to consider, exercise goes to follow. Exercise, just like proper diet has never grown out of the spotlight. It has always brought myriad of benefits in the aspect of health. It is also linked with the reduction stretch marks. As one goes with exercise, the skin is tightened and toned. Once this happens, the skin easily comes back to its original form which means reducing the visible marks. This is also beneficial to help the uterus come back to its non-pregnant state after the pregnancy. This does not stop only once you achieve the form you have always wanted. Exercising regularly will help you tone your muscles, strengthening it to resist the effects of tearing.

Load yourself with vitamins. Vitamins specifically A, E and C are perfect for the skin. These vitamins have anti-toxin properties which wash away the toxins brought by the foods, beverages and drugs taken in. Once these toxins are completely washed away, it will reveal healthy skin. Once you have got the skin that is healthy, it will be easy for it to resist the effects of stretch marks and that the effects will be minimized. Even the feeling of itchiness will be controlled as you have the best defenses to achieve such.

Proper diet coupled with exercise should be enough in order to minimize the effects of stretch marks. If you come to observe it, it will just boil down to the idea of living a healthy life. You can never really go wrong over living the healthy life as it tends to direct you to becoming an individual resistant to health problems.

For an expectant mother, there are a lot of things to do to be able to finally get rid of the effects of stretch marks. Yet, for those who have already acquired such, it is never the end. Consult your doctor to know what you can do to get rid of it. You might be prescribed with creams safe enough to use during the pregnancy. All you have got to do is to relay your worries. Having stretch marks during and after pregnancy may come to shake you but these are controllable. And don’t forget to follow special diet, read some helpful recipes.

Naturally, the body reacts to the sudden change in the size of a person. You may think of it as a problem but stretch marks are just the effect of the natural mechanism of the body to resist tearing of skin when it has reached the limit. This is actually an indication that your body is working its functions well enough. But since its appearance is bothersome, you would naturally get rid of it. Living the healthy life would help well enough to combat the not so good effects of this naturally occurring body process.

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Treatment For Gastrointestinal Conditions May Be Improved By Targeting Neurotransmitter

Selective targeting of the neurotransmitter that differentially affects brain cells that control the two distinct functions of the pancreas may allow for new medication therapies for conditions like diabetes, dyspepsia and gastro-esophageal reflux, according to Penn State College of Medicine researchers.
"This study differs from what's been reported

previously about brain neurons that control the gastrointestinal tract," said R. Alberto Travagli, professor, Department of Neural and Behavioral Sciences, and lead investigator. "It provides further support to the idea that separate nerve pathways regulate the diverse functions of organs along the upper gastrointestinal tract."
The pancreas has two functional parts: one that releases digestive enzymes, and one that releases hormones like insulin and glucagon. The vagus nerve, which originates in the brain, regulates both of these pancreatic functions. This nerve detects chemical and biological changes that occur along the gastrointestinal tract and interprets and integrates these signals before sending appropriate responses back to the organs. In the brain, these signals tell the nerves controlling each specific organ what the proper response is -- for example, digestive processes and insulin release -- according to the signals detected in the GI tract.
Neurotransmitters in the brain and in organs like the pancreas control the nerve networks that receive these signals. Neurotransmitters are chemicals released from nerves that allow them to communicate with each other as well as with organs of the body. One of these neurotransmitters is glutamate, which acts on specific proteins called receptors that are present on the nerve cells. There are different classes and types of receptors that glutamate can act upon; one major class of these receptors is metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs). This class is further divided into three subgroups -- I, II or III -- depending on their location and function on the nerve cells.
"The aim of this study was to investigate how these mGluRs are organized on nerve synapses -- the specialized structures that allow a signal to pass from one cell to another cell," Travagli said. "The second aim of the study was to see whether pancreatic insulin and enzyme secretions are controlled by different types of vagal motoneurons -- the cells of the nervous system that control motor functions of the pancreas through the vagus nerve."
Group II and III mGluRs are present in synapses that can either excite or inhibit the vagal nerve cells that send signals to the pancreas, and different outcomes can be seen depending on which group of mGluRs glutamate acts upon. When glutamate acts upon either group II or group III mGluR, insulin secretion is decreased. Pancreatic enzyme secretion is increased only by activation of group II mGluR by glutamate.
"The data shows mGluRs on brainstem vagal nerve circuits that regulate pancreatic functions are organized in a very specific manner," Travagli said. "This type of separation in their organization may allow for development of selective drugs that target very specific vagal neurocircuits in patients with such conditions as gastrointestinal reflux disorders, functional dyspepsia, gastroparesis and pancreatic exocrine or endocrine dysfunctions."

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• Targeting neurotransmitter may help treat gastrointestinal conditions (sciencedaily.com)

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Risk Of Diabetes May Be Reduced By Up To 25 Percent By Moderate Coffee Consumption

Drinking three to four cups of coffee per day may help to prevent type 2 diabetes according to research highlighted in a session report published by the Institute for Scientific Information on Coffee (ISIC), a not-for-profit organization devoted to the study and disclosure of science related to coffee and health.
Recent scientific evidence has

consistently linked regular, moderate coffee consumption with a possible reduced risk of developing type 2 diabetes. An update of this research and key findings presented during a session at the 2012 World Congress on Prevention of Diabetes and Its Complications (WCPD) is summarized in the report.
The report outlines the epidemiological evidence linking coffee consumption to diabetes prevention, highlighting research that shows three to four cups of coffee per day is associated with an approximate 25 per cent lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes, compared to consuming none or less than two cups per day. Another study also found an inverse dose dependent response effect with each additional cup of coffee reducing the relative risk by 7-8 per cent.
Whilst these epidemiological studies suggest an association between moderate coffee consumption and reduced risk of developing diabetes, they are unable to infer a causal effect. As such, clinical intervention trails are required to study the effect in a controlled setting. One prospective randomized controlled trial, tested glucose and insulin after an oral glucose tolerance test with 12g decaffeinated coffee, 1g chlorogenic acid, 500 mg trigonelline, or placebo. This study demonstrated that chlorogenic acid, and trigonelline reduced early glucose and insulin responses, and contribute to the putative beneficial effect of coffee.
The report notes that the association between coffee consumption a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes could be seen as counter intuitive, as drinking coffee is often linked to unhealthier habits, such as smoking and low levels of physical activity. Furthermore, studies have illustrated that moderate coffee consumption is not associated with an increased risk of hypertension, stroke or coronary heart disease. Research with patients with CVD has also shown that moderate coffee consumption is inversely associated with risk of heart failure, with a J-shaped relationship.
Finally, the report puts forward some of the key mechanistic theories that underlie the possible relationship between coffee consumption and the reduced risk of diabetes. These included the 'Energy Expenditure Hypothesis', which suggests that the caffeine in coffee stimulates metabolism and increases energy expenditure and the 'Carbohydrate Metabolic Hypothesis', whereby it is thought that coffee components play a key role by influencing the glucose balance within the body. There is also a subset of theories that suggest coffee contains components that may improve insulin sensitivity though mechanisms such as modulating inflammatory pathways, mediating the oxidative stress of cells, hormonal effects or by reducing iron stores.
Dr. Pilar Riobó Serván, Associate Chief of Endocrinology and Nutrition, Jiménez Díaz-Capio Hospital of Madrid and a speaker at the WCPD session concludes the report, commenting: "A dose-dependent inverse association between coffee drinking and total mortality has been demonstrated in general population and it persists among diabetics. Although more research on the effect of coffee in health is yet needed, current information suggests that coffee is not as bad as previously considered!"

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Better Therapies For Cardiovascular Disease May Be Product Of Protein Tug Of War

Two proteins are in a tug of war that determines how much the body makes of superoxide, a highly reactive and potentially destructive product of oxygen that's dramatically elevated in cardiovascular disease, researchers report.
Their finding indicates an antiulcer drug just may help the body reduce excessive levels.
Hsp90 and Hsp70 are both heat shock proteins but appear to have opposite effects on reactive oxygen species production, said Dr. David J.R. Fulton, Interim Director of the Vascular Biology Center at the Medical College of Georgia at Georgia Health Sciences University.
"Our studies show that Hsp90 promotes the activity of Nox enzymes, the source of reactive superoxide and all of the reactive oxygen species that descend from it, while Hsp70 has an opposing action that inhibits Nox," Fulton said.
When researchers gave Hsp90 inhibitors, the binding of Nox enzymes to Hsp90 was reduced, its binding to Hsp70 increased and reactive oxygen species production decreased. The inhibitors also reduced reactive oxygen species production in blood vessels from obese mice, where it contributes to the loss of elasticity and narrowing that are hallmarks of cardiovascular disease. While Hsp90 inhibition was known to suppress inflammation and reduce cardiovascular damage, just how it made these positive changes was unknown.
The yin and yang the researchers found points toward a targeted therapy that should give Hsp70 the edge, said Dr. Feng Chen, postdoctoral fellow. Chen is first author of the study in the American Heart Association journal Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology.
Hsp90 inhibitors are used to treat cancer, which depends on Hsp90 to support rapid cell division. But they also target proteins that help blood vessels relax, such as nitric oxide synthase, so probably are not a good choice in cardiovascular disease. "Cardiovascular disease is a chronic disease, and we want to minimize negative side effects while providing protection," Fulton said.
In this case, a better approach appears to be directly increasing the expression of Hsp70 with a drug such as geranylgeranylacetone, or GGA, an antiulcer drug used in Japan with relatively few side effects, Chen said. When the MCG researchers treated human aortic vascular smooth muscle cells with the drug, for example, Hsp70's binding to Nox increased while Nox's ability to generate superoxide decreased.
Next steps include looking at whether this increased expression of Hsp70 actually translates to healthier blood vessels in a cardiovascular model. "If we can upregulate Hsp70 without affecting nitric oxide synthase, it should," said Fulton, the study's corresponding author.
Hsp70 and 90 are chaperones that guide protein folding in different ways and can influence more than just whether Nox enzymes are stable or degraded. Hsp70 levels are regulated by the molecule heat shock factor, which is bound to and repressed by Hsp90. That's one reason why Hsp90 inhibitors increase Hsp70 levels.
Reactive oxygen species are not all bad, the researchers noted. At normal levels, they aid cell signaling and homeostasis as well as the mounting of an immune response. However, excessive levels associated with chronic inflammation are thought to accelerate cardiovascular disease. "A little bit is good; you want a well-honed immune system to fend of pathogens," Fulton said. "Chronic inflammation is the problem."
The researchers completed their studies in normal and diabetic mice - diabetes increases the risk of cardiovascular disease by at least 50 percent - as well as the saphenous, or major superficial leg veins, of patients with cardiovascular disease.

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Postpartum Depression May Be Reduced By Eating More Fish

Emerging evidence suggests many pregnant women are deficient in omega-3
Low levels of omega-3 may be behind postpartum depression, according to a review lead by Gabriel Shapiro of the University of Montreal and the Research Centre at the Sainte-Justine Mother and Child Hospital. Women are at the highest risk of depression during their childbearing years, and the birth of a child may trigger a depressive episode in vulnerable women. Postpartum depression is associated with diminished maternal health as well as developmental and health problems for her child. "The literature shows that there could be a link between pregnancy, omega-3 and the chemical reaction that enables serotonin, a mood regulator, to be released into our brains," Shapiro said. "Many women could bring their omega-3 intake to recommended levels." The findings were announced by the Canadian Journal of Psychiatry.
Because omega-3 is transferred from the mother to her fetus and later to her breastfeeding infant, maternal omega-3 levels decrease during pregnancy, and remain lowered for at least six-weeks following the birth. Furthermore, in addition to the specific biological circumstances of pregnant women, it has been found in the US that most people do not consume sufficient amounts of omega-3. "These findings suggest that new screening strategies and prevention practices may be useful," Shapiro said, noting that the study was preliminary and the further research would be needed to clarify the link and identify the reasons for it.

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Diet Enriched With Arginine And Proline May Speed Wound Healing In Diabetes

Chronic wounds such as foot ulcers are a common problem for diabetics and are the cause of more than 80 percent of the lower leg amputations in these patients. There is currently no effective way to improve healing of these types of wounds, but new research offers hope.
French researchers found that diabetic rats on a high protein diet with arginine and proline - specific molecules found in protein - showed better wound healing over rats fed either standard or high protein food without arginine and proline supplementation.
The article is entitled "Arginine plus proline supplementation elicits metabolic adaptation that favors wound healing in diabetic rats." It appears in the online edition of the American Journal of Physiology - Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology published by the American Physiological Society.
Methodology
Researchers divided 18 rats into three groups that were either fed a standard diet, a high-protein diet, or a high protein diet supplemented with arginine and proline (ARG+PRO). On the first day of the experiment, each rat was given an incision, under which a sponge was placed in order to collect wound-healing fluid. To assess skin regrowth and healing, researchers also removed two full-thickness sections of skin from the rats' backs each day from day 1 until day 5, when the experiment ended.
At the end of the experiment, the rats' blood was analyzed for blood sugar, insulin, and amino acid concentrations. The wounds on their backs were examined for skin regrowth and development of new blood vessels. And, finally, macrophages were collected from the sponges and analyzed for indications of cytokine stimulation and pro-inflammatory activity.
Results
Rats on both high protein diets had better nitrogen balance than those on the standard diet. However, the wounds of the rats on the ARG+PRO diet showed more new blood vessel growth on day 5. New blood vessel growth is an essential part of wound healing as the blood vessels supply nutrition and oxygen to growing tissue.
Furthermore, the macrophages in the ARG+PRO group showed less cytokine stimulation and pro-inflammatory activity than the other groups. This indicates a better environment for promoting wound healing, as inflammation slows the healing process.
The researchers did not find a difference in skin regrowth between groups, but their findings may be limited because of the small number of rats in the study. Additionally, researchers did not measure markers of collagen deposition in the wound, and the study cannot confirm the beneficial effect of arginine on collagen deposition and wound breaking strength reported in previous research.
Importance of the Findings
This study suggests that arginine and proline supplementation could offer new hope for effective treatment in diabetic patients with chronic wounds. This is a promising new area of research where there are no existing effective treatments for these patients.

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New Depression Treatment Avoids Cognitive Side-Effects

Magnetic Seizure Therapy (MST) may be an effective treatment for the 30% of depression patients who do not receive benefits from conventional treatment.
The treatment was analyzed by a team of experts from the Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre (MAPrc). Their research was published in two leading journals:Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging and Depression and Anxiety.
Depressive disorders are very common and potentially disabling, said MAPrc Deputy Director Professor Paul Fitzgerald, study leader. He added that one fifth of all Australians are affected with depression at some time in their lives.
Professor Fitzgerald explained:

"Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) is one of the only established interventions for treatment resistant depression. But use of ECT is limited due to the presence of memory-related side effects and associated stigma.

This caused the MAPrc experts to start their observations on new treatment strategies. MST is a method that stimulates the brain that may have comparable outcomes to ECT, except with no unwanted reactions.
A previous report in Archives of General Psychiatry indicated that a treatment using magnetic currents to stimulate the brain induced remission in individuals with treatment-resistant depression.
Fitzgerald revealed:

"In MST, a seizure is induced through the use of magnetic stimulation rather than a direct electrical current like ECT. Magnetic fields are able to pass freely into the brain, making it possible to more precisely focus stimulation."

MST will better alleviate symptoms of depression without the memory difficulties that people experience with ECT, by not using direct electrical currents and inducing a stimulation that is more focal.
This therapy is only accessible in a few locations worldwide, as the research has just only begun. In Australia, the MAPrc is the only centre where trials are being conducted.
Results from the study showed that MST led to a remarkable decrease in depression symptoms:

• 40% of subjects showed overall improvement
• 30% of subjects showed some improvement

The patients did not report any cognitive side effects from this therapy.
"MST shows antidepressant efficacy without apparent cognitive side effects." Fitzgerald said.
However, further trials need to be conducted in order to have better insight on the best conditions for stimulation, as well as to compare MST to already existing treatments, such as ECT.
Large-scale randomized controlled trials are necessary to correctly assess the differences between MST and ECT. A substantial amount of research needs to be carried out before official statements can be made about the effectiveness of this therapy.
Funding from beyondblue and the NHMRC has been given to Professor Fitzgerald and his colleagues to conduct a large-scale trial on MST as a potential treatment for depression

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Oraquick–The Next Step in Testing

What is OraQuick?

OraQuick^® is the first FDA-approved oral swab in-home test for HIV-1 and HIV-2. It's an oral swab test that doesn't require blood. It's completely private. And it's based on the same HIV test that healthcare professionals have used since 2004.

With OraQuick, you have the comfort of getting your test results in the privacy of your own home. It's the only at-home oral HIV test approved by the FDA.

Trusted

Adapted from a clinically proven, FDA-approved test. With over 20 million tests sold, healthcare professionals have used it since 2004.

Confidential

You can call our Support Center any time. Our trained customer service representatives are available 24/7 ready to answer your questions.

Private

You take the test in the privacy of your own home.

Fast

You get results in 20 minutes.

Oral

OraQuick is an oral test. You just swipe your gums. There's no blood involved.

The OraQuick Test Kit includes:

1. Step-by-step directions
2. An oral swab test stick and tube with solution
3. Information booklets on HIV and testing
4. Package Insert containing information about the test

How Oral Testing Works

Most people assume that blood is involved in HIV testing. But with OraQuick an oral swab is used for testing and requires no blood. By collecting oral fluid from your gums, you collect fluid similar to that used in blood testing.

So the OraQuick Test detects antibodies for HIV, not the virus itself.

You just gently swipe the test swab along your upper gums once and your lower gums once. Then you insert the swab inside the test tube provided and get your results in just 20 minutes.

Safe and approved by the FDA for use by adults (17 years of age or older), OraQuick is the first and only HIV test that delivers your results with all the comforts and privacy of home.

A Name You Can Trust

For two decades, OraSure Technologies has been a leader in the development, manufacture and distribution of oral diagnostic and collection devices.

OraSure products are sold around the world to clinical laboratories, hospitals, clinics, community-based organizations and other public and governmental health organizations and agencies. With our products, healthcare providers can deliver critical information to their patients, empowering them to make decisions that will help improve and protect their health.

Where to Buy

OraQuick is available for purchase here at OraQuick.com or at fine retailers near you. If you do not see your favorite retailer listed below, please contact the retailer directly for product purchase or store location information.

Buy Now

 

Find a Store Buy Now

 

A direct link is not available at this time. For purchase or store location information, please contact the retailer directly.

Find a Store

 

Find a Store

 

A direct link is not available at this time. For purchase or store location information, please contact the retailer directly.

Available only in the U.S. through OraQuick.com or at authorized national retailers.

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Patch that could replace insulin jabs for diabetics

A stick-on patch that blasts insulin through the skin could banish the need for daily injections for many diabetics.

The high-tech electronic patch contains enough insulin to last the patient several days.

When a hand-held device, called a sonic applicator, is held over the patch, it fires sound waves that open up the pores in the skin and force the drug into the bloodstream more quickly.

Initial trials suggest the patch, called the U-Strip, can deliver insulin into the blood as quickly and effectively as a needle

The patch, called the U-Strip, has undergone initial trials in the U.S. involving around 100 people who have insulin-dependent diabetes.

The results suggest the patch can deliver insulin into the blood as quickly and effectively as a needle.

A larger trial, involving more than 500 patients, is now being planned and, if successful, the revolutionary device could become available in the UK within the next three years.

Diabetes affects around 2.8 million Britons. It occurs when the pancreas either stops producing insulin altogether, or its output drops sharply.

Insulin helps muscles absorb sugar from the blood to burn as a source of fuel.

Without the right levels of insulin, the disease can cause irreversible damage to the kidneys, eyes, nerves, heart and major arteries.

Many patients must test their blood sugar several times a day, and need insulin jabs for the rest of their lives in order to maintain adequate levels of the hormone.

Experts believe many would have better glucose control if there was an easier way to take their insulin.

A survey last year by the charity Diabetes UK showed one in three sufferers hid their condition from others and often failed to test their blood sugar levels or missed insulin jabs in case they drew attention to themselves.

Diabetes affects around 2.8 million Britons. It occurs when the pancreas either stops producing insulin altogether, or its output drops sharply

The sound wave patch could be a painless and more discreet alternative.

Drug-releasing skin patches are already widely used in hormone replacement therapy for the menopause and to help smokers quit.

Most work by allowing the active drug to gradually ‘seep’ through the skin.

But this technology only works with drugs made up of small molecules. Getting bigger molecules, such as those found in insulin, through the skin has been a major stumbling block.

But as the sound waves hit the skin, they prise open sweat glands and hair follicles which provide a direct route through to the bloodstream.

The patient usually wears the patch on their upper arm and places the hand-held sonic applicator — about the size of a mobile phone — directly over it.

At the press of a button, it produces a burst of sound waves that propel the insulin through the pores of the skin and into the bloodstream in a matter of seconds.

The device can hold different amounts of insulin, allowing it to be tailored to each patient, and contains a computer chip so that doctors can programme exactly how much insulin needs to be delivered into the body.

As with insulin injections, this has to be done several times a day to keep blood glucose levels under control. But the patch is waterproof and stays on the skin 24 hours a day, even during showers or baths.

The U.S. firm behind the new technology, Pennsylvania-based Transdermal Specialties Inc., says the smart patch can transmit the data wirelessly to a computer so it can be forwarded to the patient’s doctor.

Commenting on the development, Libby Dowling, clinical advisor for Diabetes UK, said: ‘Anything that makes daily life for people with diabetes easier is a good thing, and we will watch the developments of this technology with interest.’

_____________________________________________________

Meanwhile, scientists have developed a diabetes ‘vaccine’ made from the body’s own immune cells.

The injection appears to prevent type 1 diabetes by halting the damage that leads to the pancreas being unable to produce insulin.

Scientists hope the treatment, which has so far only been tested on mice, could eventually be used to ‘immunise’ at-risk children and adolescents.

Those with a family history of the disease would be one of the main target groups, as diabetes has a strong genetic link.

The condition causes the immune system to attack insulin-producing cells in the pancreas.

The reason remains a mystery, but one theory is that the process can be triggered by viral infection.

Some research points to enteroviruses — these cause diarrhoea and vomiting, but can also infect the pancreatic cells, triggering the immune system to attack them.

The jab works by harnessing cells called macrophages to protect against this attack.

Normally these cells are responsible for the damage associated with type 1 diabetes, but experts at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm have found a way of converting macrophages into ‘good’ cells.

They inject a molecule that ‘tells’ the cells to protect rather than destroy, and so shield the pancreas from other immune system attacks.

The team tested the injection on mice that were genetically susceptible to diabetes.

After 12 weeks, only 25 per cent had developed diabetes, compared with 83 per cent of mice not given the jab.

The scientists now hope to use the injection in human trials.

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Oil Pulling Therapy

So recently I was introduced to the concept of Oil Pulling Therapy. My sisters doctor who is from India told her about this treatment which is supposedly able to cure a slew of different aliments. Since my sisters doctor had put her on the Raw Vegan diet/lifestyle my sister has lost over 60lbs in 3 months. So I figured that I would give this oil pulling thing a try.

Today was my first day in doing the treatment, and I have to say that it was a very interesting experience. What you do is you  brush your teeth and scrape your tongue really good, take a table spoon of sesame seed or sun flower see or coconut oil and hold it in your mouth for 20 minutes and no more. I used Sesame seed oil. What happens during that time is that the oil extract all of the toxins in your mouth and body. Making sure to be careful not to swallow any of the oil, you swish it around in your mouth on and off through out the 20 minutes, when the time comes you spit it out and it should look like milky water. Mine when I was done looked like really milky coffee. Im not sure if that was suppose to be the case but I also have an infected tooth and other oral problems like cavities too. I also noticed that while doing it about 15mins into it, that my nose started to run and that I had a build up of phlegm in the back of my throat.
I was cautioned however, that after about a week of doing this treatment that you may start to experience cold like symptoms but that is because your pulling all of the toxins and other build up out of your system. I noticed after I was done besides my nose running like crazy, that I had a strong sesame flavor in my mouth for most of the day, not the worst thing since I love sesame. Im going to keep doing it for about 60 days and see if I notice any difference and I will try to keep everyone posted about it.

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Testosterone Treatments

So I have had to begin taking testosterone due to being diagnosed with Low T as well as some of my other medical problems. What I found funny is when my doctor told me that it was a controlled substance. I started laughing and I just envisioned a dude in jail for pushing Testosterone on the streets.

So the very first time I applied it I got HIGH…So now after having taken it for about 4 days I am use to it, except for it leaves a strange smell. So yeah that is what has been going on. You can check out the video I did about it on my YouTube Channel www.youtube.com/users/hellocupcakeitsme

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Long-Overlooked Protein May Be The Gateway To The Storage And Burning Of Fat, Diabetes Treatment

Humans are built to hunger for fat, packing it on during times of feast and burning it during periods of famine. But when deluged by foods rich in fat and sugar, the modern waistline often far exceeds the need to store energy for lean times, and the result has been an epidemic of diabetes, heart diseaseand other obesity-related problems.
Now, scientists at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies have identified the linchpin of fat metabolism, a protein known as fibroblast growth factor 1 (FGF1), which may open new avenues in the treatment of diabetes.
In a paper published in Nature, the Evans lab reports that FGF1 activity is triggered by a high-fat diet and that mice lacking the protein swiftly develop diabetes. This suggests that FGF1 is crucial to maintaining the body's sensitivity to insulin and normal levels of sugar in the blood.
"Because humans are good at storing fat during times of plenty, we are also excellent at surviving times of famine," says Ronald M. Evans, a professor in Salk's Gene Expression Laboratory and lead author of the paper. "The fat tissues of our body are like batteries, providing us with a steady source of energy when food is scarce. FGF1 governs the expansion and contraction of fat and thus controls the ebb and flow of energy throughout our body."
Obesity rates have soared in the United States in recent decades, with more than one third of U.S. adults and 17 percent of children and adolescents now considered obese, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
As the number of overweight people has grown, so too has the incidence of metabolic disease, with nearly 26 million Americans estimated to have obesity-related type 2 diabetes. With annual costs exceeding well over $200 billion, obesity is a chronic disease that is consuming a huge portion of our health care dollars.
Although exercise and calorie restriction are known to be effective at preventing and treating diabetes, the obesity epidemic continues to grow and new drugs to treat the problem are desperately needed. Against this backdrop, the Evans' lab discovery is an important breakthrough - and a surprise.
"The discovery of FGF1 was unexpected - and intriguing - because it was believed to do nothing," says Jae Myoung Suh, a postdoctoral researcher in Evans' laboratory and co-first author on the paper. "If you deplete FGF1 from the body, nothing happens when the mice are fed a steady low fat diet. But when given a high-fat, "Western-style" diet the mice develop an aggressive form of diabetes and experience a system-wide breakdown of their metabolic health."
"These abnormalities cause abdominal or stomach fat to become inflamed," says Michael Downes, a senior staff scientist in Salk's Gene Expression Laboratory and co-lead author on the paper. "This is important because inflamed visceral fat has been linked to heightened risk for diabetes and other obesity-related diseases, such as heart disease and stroke."
The scientists also found that FGF1 is regulated by the antidiabetic drug Actos, which is used to increase the body's sensitivity to insulin. But Actos and related drugs, though helpful, have side effects that limit their use.
Thus, Evans and his colleagues plan to explore whether FGF1 might point to a new way to control diabetes by avoiding the drawbacks of Actos and providing a more natural means of increasing insulin sensitivity.

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Mouse Study Hints at New Path for Diabetes Treatment

Suppressing the hormone glucagon might lower blood sugar, insulin resistance in type 2 diabetes

A potential new treatment for type 2 diabetes targets the hormone glucagon instead of insulin, according to a new study in mice.

Although the research hasn't yet progressed past animal models of the disease, initial results suggest that the novel therapy can lower blood sugar, decrease insulin resistance, lower cholesterol and help keep fatty deposits from settling in the liver.

What's more, the researchers didn't see any adverse effects from the treatment.

"A new target for the adverse effects of glucagon on diabetes has been identified, and with treatment we got rid of all the bad stuff, but didn't cause side effects," said the study's lead author, Dr. Ira Tabas, a distinguished professor of medicine at Columbia University Medical Center, in New York City.

Results of the study are published in the April 12 online edition of Cell Metabolism.

Glucagon is a hormone whose main role is to protect the body and brain from low blood-sugar levels during periods of fasting, such as overnight. It is produced by the alpha cells in the pancreas, Tabas said. When the alpha cells in the pancreas sense dropping blood sugar and insulin levels, they secrete glucagon, which in turn, causes the liver to produce glucose to feed the brain and body.

Normally, glucagon only kicks in when you're starving, because it senses low insulin levels. But, in type 2 diabetes, the body becomes resistant to insulin, so even though insulin is present, the liver thinks the body has no glucose because the insulin isn't helping get glucose into the body's cells the way it should, Tabas explained. That causes the liver to send out a signal for glucagon, and then the liver releases more sugar. "It just turns into a horrible feedback cycle," he said.

Commenting on the study, Dr. Vivian Fonseca, president of medicine and science at the American Diabetes Association, explained that "when you eat a meal and your sugar goes up, glucagon and glucose should switch off, but that doesn't happen in type 2 diabetes."

Currently, type 2 diabetes treatments focus on replacing insulin or making insulin work more effectively (known as improving insulin sensitivity). But, finding a way to block some of the action of glucagon might also help control type 2 diabetes.

The problem is that because glucagon serves a vital function in keeping the brain and body nourished with glucose in times of fasting, scientists can't make a drug that completely suppresses the action of glucagon.

In addition to the brain not getting enough sugar, early research that just partially blocked glucagon caused weight gain, fatty liver deposits and increased cholesterol. Tabas said it's still not entirely clear why partially blocking glucagon caused these effects.

Clearly, a different approach was needed. So, rather than trying to block glucagon, Tabas and his colleagues followed glucagon's pathways.

"Imagine if you have five pathways: A, B, C, D and E. Blocking pathways A and B can stop diabetes. But, if you block C, D, and E, you cause bad effects. So, you have to move further downstream to find the molecules that are responsible for pathways A and B so you can block those without blocking C, D, and E," Tabas explained.

"The more specific you can get, the less likely you'll have adverse effects," he added.

The pathway they found is an enzyme called CaMKII, and Tabas said this particular pathway is also being studied in inflammatory diseases, such as arthritis and asthma, because inhibiting this enzyme seems to lower inflammation as well.

When the researchers blocked CaMKII in obese mice bred to have diabetes, their blood sugar went down, insulin sensitivity improved, cholesterol decreased and fatty liver improved. And, there was no evidence of adverse effects from blocking CaMKII.

"There's always a concern whenever you inhibit any molecule in the body. We need to know why it's there naturally and what could be the possible effects of inhibiting it. Our study showed no specific concerns though," Tabas said.

While the findings of the new study are promising, scientists note that research involving animals often fails to produce similar results in humans.

For his part, Fonseca said, "This is an interesting and exciting scientific finding on how glucagon works, and it provides a new treatment target. But, it's in the very early stages of research."

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Diabetes quadruples birth defects risk, say researchers

The risk of birth defects increases four-fold if the pregnant mother has diabetes, researchers say.

The Newcastle University study, published in the journal Diabetologia, analyzed data from more than 400,000 pregnancies in North East England.

The risk of defects such as congenital heart disease and spinal bifida were increased.

National guidelines already recommend having good control over blood sugar levels before trying to conceive.

Both Type 1 diabetes, which tends to appear in childhood, and Type 2 diabetes, often linked to diet, lead to problems controlling the amount of sugar in the blood.

This is known to cause problems in pregnancy, such as birth defects, miscarriage and the baby being overweight due to too much sugar.

There is concern that rising levels of diabetes, particularly Type 2, could make the issue worse.

Researchers analyzed data from 401,149 pregnancies between 1996 and 2008 - 1,677 women had diabetes.

The risk of birth defects went from 19 in every 1,000 births for women without pre-existing diabetes to 72 in every 1,000 births for women with diabetes.

Their report said that sugar levels in the run-up to conception were the "most important" risk factor which could be controlled.

The lead researcher, Dr Ruth Bell from Newcastle University, told the BBC: "Many of these anomalies happen in the first four to six weeks."

She said the number of pregnancies with poor sugar control were "more than we would like".

"It is a problem when the pregnancy is not intended or when people are not aware they need to talk to their doctors before pregnancy," she said.

Guidelines from the National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence say women should reduce their levels of glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c - a marker for long-term blood sugar control) to below 6.1% before trying to have a baby.

Dr Bell said: "The good news is that, with expert help before and during pregnancy, most women with diabetes will have a healthy baby.

"The risk of problems can be reduced by taking extra care to have the best possible glucose control before becoming pregnant."

The charity Diabetes UK funded the study. Its director of research, Dr Iain Frame, said: "We need to get the message out to women with diabetes that if they are considering becoming pregnant, then they should tell their diabetes healthcare team, who will make sure they are aware of planning and what next steps they should be taking.

"It also highlights the importance of using contraception if you are a woman with diabetes who is sexually active but not planning to become pregnant."

Source: By James GallagherHealth and science reporter, BBC News

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The throat sighs!

I have had a sore throat for the last few days and nothing has helped it. A sore throat is an infection that can be either viral or bacterial. It is most commonly caused by a contagious viral infection (such as the flu, cold or mononucleosis), although more serious throat infections can be caused by a bacterial infection (such as strep, mycoplasma or hemophilus). Bacterial sore throats respond well to antibiotics while viral infections do not. For viral infections, there are many natural remedies that you can take to cure a sore throat. Some of these folk remedies work within an hour or two, others take effect overnight.

If you do not see some improvement overnight, please visit your doctor, especially if you suspect strep throat. The following are things people have tried. Note that I am not issuing out medical advice only reposting what others have tried.

The throat sighs!

CAYENNE
409 YEAS

APPLE CIDER VINEGAR
131 YEAS

ACV AND CAYENNE
50 YEAS

PICKLE JUICE BRINE
32 YEAS

SALT WATER GARGLE
25 YEAS

CAYENNE PEPPER RECIPES
20 YEAS

TABASCO SAUCE
20 YEAS

HYDROGEN PEROXIDE
19 YEAS

HOT SAUCE
14 YEAS

GINGER
14 YEAS

IODINE PAINTING
13 YEAS

LEMON
13 YEAS

VINEGAR
9 YEAS

GARLIC
9 YEAS

HOT TEA
8 YEAS

MOUTHWASH
6 YEAS

VICKS VAPOR RUB
6 YEAS

CLOVES
6 YEAS

HAND THERAPY
6 YEAS

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Diabetes and depression

Managing diabetes can seem like an overwhelming task, particularly for the newly diagnosed patient. Many diabetics struggle to cope with the requirements of the disease and the complications that it causes.

As a result, many diabetics suffer from depression.

Depression is the most common psychiatric disorder witnessed in the diabetic population.

I am worried that I might be getting depressed because of my diabetes, what would my symptoms be?

The symptoms of depression are numerous, and will be different in each individual case.

However, the following symptoms can be consistent with depression caused by diabetes.

• Persistent sadness or anxiety, a feeling of hollowness
• An overriding feeling of hopelessness and negativity
• Feeling helpless and powerless to change your situation
• Loss of interest in activities or pleasures
• Lower energy and increased fatigue
• Insomnia, oversleeping, awakening early in the morning
• Concentration problems, memory problems and indecisiveness
• Dwelling on death or suicide
• Restlessness
• Weight change and decreased or increased appetite

Each of these symptoms by themselves does not necessarily mean that depression is present. Also, if the feelings are inconsistent or only occurring rarely, this may be quite normal.

If you have these symptoms consistently, and they begin to interfere with the management of your diabetes, your relationships or your social work it could be sensible to seek an evaluation of depression.

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Helping my friend Ashley quit smoking

About three weeks ago me and my friend Ashley were out and about and she lit up a cigarette and kind of caught me off guard. I thought that she had quit smoking a month ago. When I questioned her she said that the cravings were really strong, and that she just couldn’t seem to kick them.

I pointed out that people try to quit smoking with less than ten percent succeeding on their first try. I didn’t want to bog her down with random a stop smoking speech. She told me how she had wanted to quit smoking because not only was it bad for her and her daughter, but it was becoming an expense that she couldn’t afford. I told her that I would help her out, and so we did a Google search and came across this website http://beatingsmoking.com/. We found that they were recruiting for a new smoking cessation study for people who were serious about quitting. We read through all of the articles and some of the case studies that they had posted there and Ashley said that she could relate to many of them. I suggested that she contact them and see if they could help her if she was really serious about stopping.

I called her a few days later and she said that she had contacted them and that they had sent her out a whole information packet filled with options and strategies that have worked in the past with other clients.

Since contacting them and starting the program she has been without a cigarette for almost a month and a half and going strong. She said that the cravings weren’t there and that she didn’t find herself wanting one either, and that just smelling the smoke made her almost ill.

I have to say that I am happy for her in her recovery. If you or you know someone who is trying to  quit, try them out.

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Doctor Not Happy

Well I had to get established with my new Dr. the other day and so she wanted to run a blood panel on me to see what's going on under the hood. We had our initial talk about what I was looking for in a doctor, and what she could help with and what she had to offer.

So I get my blood drawn and the next day I get a phone call “Hello Mr. Peterson, I am calling from Dr. Hongs office and I wanted to go over the results of your blood work. Your blood sugars were really high, but I suppose you already knew that. Your Cholesterol is high, same with your triglycerides and Dr. Hong wants to start you on some medications to help with that, and she also noticed that your Thyroid levels are not where they should be. We would like to have you come back in for some additional blood work.”

Well I will have to say that I am quite interested that my Thyroid is acting up, since I have been screeching at doctors for a while now that my weight problem may be an issue with my thyroid. We shall see what this next round of testing holds.

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