Category Archives: Gene Medicine

Some 100,000 Americans are placed on kidney dialysis and the transplant list every year in the U.S.

Rich Pedroncelli | AP

Medical experts are hoping 2020 will mark a turning point in the fight against kidney disease in America, thanks to advancing technology. Currently, the U.S. spends about $100 billion annually to treat the nearly 40 million Americans suffering from chronic kidney disease who need dialysis and organ transplants. The public health crisis, exacerbated by the rise in obesity and type 2 diabetes, is now the ninth leading cause of death in the nation, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

President Donald Trump'sAdvancing American Kidney Health Initiative, launched in July, was a nod that this is one area of medicine in urgent need of innovation. The new plan calls for the CDC to improve kidney disease tracking and detection nationwide. It also calls for a change in Medicare provider payment models to prioritize preventive care from doctors, develop effective home-care dialysis and find ways to boost organ supply including encouraging the development of an artificial kidney.

President Donald Trump displays an executive order he has just signed during an event on kidney health at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center on July 10, 2019, in Washington, DC.

Alex Wong | Getty Images

One company making inroads in the field is RenalytixAI, an AI clinical diagnostics company for kidney disease. It has received an FDA breakthrough device designation for its KidneyIntelX, an AI-powered diagnostic product for kidney disease that is expected to launch in the second quarter of this year in the U.S.

The diagnostic developed in collaboration with the Mount Sinai Health System in New York City, which has 3 million patient health records and 52,000 biobank participants uses machine learning algorithms to assess the combination of blood-based biomarkers and electronic health records information and other genomic information to identify progressive kidney disease in patients. From this collection of data, the company aims to build new models to predict kidney disease progression and how a given patient might respond to a treatment.

In addition, it has developed FractalDX, a lab-based AI tool that can predict the risk of adverse transplant outcomes, including early kidney rejection.

"This is an epidemic, and it is a silent killer, since symptoms don't appear until the disease is in the final stages and a patient needs dialysis and transplantation," says James McCullough, CEO of RenalytixAI. "Just look at the numbers they are staggering. Some 100,000 Americans get put on kidney dialysis and the transplant list each year."

Despite the rising trend, there is an organ donor shortage in the U.S. Last year there were only about 21,000 donor organs available for transplant, according to The Kidney Project, at the University of California in San Francisco.

As a result, reveals data from Mount Sinai, 23% of people on kidney dialysis die every year.

Kidney transplant surgery.

BSIP | Universal Images Group | Getty Images

"Unfortunately, the disease is disproportionately hitting African and Hispanic Americans for two reasons," points out Dr. Girish Nadkarni, co-founder of RenalytixAI and an assistant professor of nephrology at Mount Sinai. "Many people in these populations have a genetic mutation of the APOL1 gene. In addition, because of socioeconomics, many don't have access to healthy food, and other poor socioeconomic conditions."

This is an epidemic, and it is a silent killer, since symptoms don't appear until the disease is in the final stages and a patient needs dialysis and transplantation.

James McCullough

CEO of RenalytixAI

Recognizing this problem, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has set a national price and reimbursement code for the KidneyIntelX test at $950, effective until December 2022, and the American Medical Association has provided a CPT reimbursement code. This should accelerate private insurers to provide coverage for the test.

Dr. Chirag Parikh, chief of nephrology at Johns Hopkins and a board member of RenalytixAI, is excited by the prospects of the new technology and other innovations in the field that are beginning to bubble up in the community. "In my 25-year career, I have never seen such a confluence of factors converging to bring about advances in the field." He pointed to public-private partnerships such as the KidneyX incubator a partnership between HHS and the American Society of Nephrology that's trying to reinvent kidney dialysis treatment.

Globally, kidney disease affects more than 850 million people, making its early detection crucial. It's a huge market that needs disruption, and companies such as Google are looking at finding ways to use AI to tackle the problem.

Last yearDeepMind, now part of Google Health, unveiled an algorithm that predicts acute kidney injuries in patients who would end up needing dialysis 48 hours before many symptoms can be recognized by doctors. The work was the result of a project with the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs.

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A major breakthrough for the millions of Americans on the brink of kidney failure and dialysis - CNBC

ONPATTRO is the First-Ever RNAi Therapeutic Approved in Latin America

Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: ALNY), the leading RNAi therapeutics company, today announced that the Brazilian Health Regulatory Agency (ANVISA) has approved ONPATTRO (patisiran) for the treatment of hereditary transthyretin-mediated (hATTR) amyloidosis in adults with stage 1 or stage 2 polyneuropathy. hATTR amyloidosis is a rare, progressive condition that is considered endemic in Brazil, affecting more than 5,000 people.i Based on Nobel Prize-winning science, ONPATTRO is the first approved RNAi therapeutic in Latin America and will be the first Alnylam product launched and marketed in the region.

"The approval of ONPATTRO in Brazil marks an exciting milestone for so many Brazilians with hATTR amyloidosis in need of a new treatment option that could halt the progression of this debilitating and life-threatening disease. We are grateful to ANVISA for recognizing the significant impact of this disease on patients daily lives and for granting approval to the first RNAi therapeutic in Latin America ONPATTRO so swiftly, a mere four months after the marketing authorization application was filed. We will continue collaborating with ANVISA and the Ministry of Health in order to incorporate ONPATTRO in the federal program (SUS), to make the drug available to patients in need as soon as possible," said Norton Oliveira, Senior Vice President, Head of Latin America at Alnylam.

ONPATTROs approval is based on positive data from the APOLLO Phase 3 study, which evaluated the efficacy and safety of patisiran in hATTR amyloidosis patients with polyneuropathy. Results from the APOLLO study were published in the July 5, 2018 issue of The New England Journal of Medicine.

ANVISA granted ONPATTRO priority review, an accelerated review designation awarded to innovative medicines that treat rare diseases. ONPATTRO has previously been approved for use in the U.S., EU, Canada, Japan, and Switzerland. The therapy had been granted Breakthrough Therapy and Orphan Drug designation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, along with priority or accelerated review status from regulatory agencies in the U.S., EU, Canada, and Japan.

About ONPATTRO (patisiran)

ONPATTRO is an RNAi therapeutic that was approved in the United States and Canada for the treatment of the polyneuropathy of hATTR amyloidosis in adults. ONPATTRO is also approved in the European Union, Switzerland and Brazil for the treatment of hATTR amyloidosis in adults with Stage 1 or Stage 2 polyneuropathy, and in Japan for the treatment of hATTR amyloidosis with polyneuropathy. Based on Nobel Prize-winning science, ONPATTRO is an intravenously administered RNAi therapeutic targeting transthyretin (TTR). It is designed to target and silence TTR messenger RNA, thereby blocking the production of TTR protein before it is made. ONPATTRO blocks the production of TTR in the liver, reducing its accumulation in the bodys tissues in order to halt or slow down the progression of the polyneuropathy associated with the disease. For more information about ONPATTRO, visit ONPATTRO.com.

ONPATTRO Important Safety Information

Infusion-Related Reactions

Infusion-related reactions (IRRs) have been observed in patients treated with ONPATTRO. In a controlled clinical study, 19 percent of ONPATTRO-treated patients experienced IRRs, compared to 9 percent of placebo-treated patients. The most common symptoms of IRRs with ONPATTRO were flushing, back pain, nausea, abdominal pain, dyspnea, and headache. To reduce the risk of IRRs, patients should receive premedication with a corticosteroid, acetaminophen, and antihistamines (H1 and H2 blockers) at least 60 minutes prior to ONPATTRO infusion. Monitor patients during the infusion for signs and symptoms of IRRs. If an IRR occurs, consider slowing or interrupting the infusion and instituting medical management as clinically indicated. If the infusion is interrupted, consider resuming at a slower infusion rate only if symptoms have resolved. In the case of a serious or life-threatening IRR, the infusion should be discontinued and not resumed.

Reduced Serum Vitamin A Levels and Recommended Supplementation

ONPATTRO treatment leads to a decrease in serum vitamin A levels. Supplementation at the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of vitamin A is advised for patients taking ONPATTRO. Higher doses than the RDA should not be given to try to achieve normal serum vitamin A levels during treatment with ONPATTRO, as serum levels do not reflect the total vitamin A in the body.

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Patients should be referred to an ophthalmologist if they develop ocular symptoms suggestive of vitamin A deficiency (e.g. night blindness).

Adverse Reactions

The most common adverse reactions that occurred in patients treated with ONPATTRO were upper respiratory-tract infections (29 percent) and infusion-related reactions (19 percent).

For additional information about ONPATTRO, please see the full Prescribing Information.

About hATTR Amyloidosis

Hereditary transthyretin (TTR)-mediated amyloidosis (hATTR) is an inherited, progressively debilitating, and often fatal disease caused by mutations in the TTR gene. TTR protein is primarily produced in the liver and is normally a carrier of vitamin A. Mutations in the TTR gene cause abnormal amyloid proteins to accumulate and damage body organs and tissue, such as the peripheral nerves and heart, resulting in intractable peripheral sensory-motor neuropathy, autonomic neuropathy, and/or cardiomyopathy, as well as other disease manifestations. hATTR amyloidosis, represents a major unmet medical need with significant morbidity and mortality affecting approximately 50,000 people worldwide. The median survival is 4.7 years following diagnosis, with a reduced survival (3.4 years) for patients presenting with cardiomyopathy.

About RNAi

RNAi (RNA interference) is a natural cellular process of gene silencing that represents one of the most promising and rapidly advancing frontiers in biology and drug development today. Its discovery has been heralded as "a major scientific breakthrough that happens once every decade or so," and was recognized with the award of the 2006 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine. By harnessing the natural biological process of RNAi occurring in our cells, a new class of medicines, known as RNAi therapeutics, is now a reality. Small interfering RNA (siRNA), the molecules that mediate RNAi and comprise Alnylam's RNAi therapeutic platform, function upstream of todays medicines by potently silencing messenger RNA (mRNA) the genetic precursors that encode for disease-causing proteins, thus preventing them from being made. This is a revolutionary approach with the potential to transform the care of patients with genetic and other diseases.

About Alnylam

Alnylam (Nasdaq: ALNY) is leading the translation of RNA interference (RNAi) into a whole new class of innovative medicines with the potential to transform the lives of people afflicted with rare genetic, cardio-metabolic, hepatic infectious, and central nervous system (CNS)/ocular diseases. Based on Nobel Prize-winning science, RNAi therapeutics represent a powerful, clinically validated approach for the treatment of a wide range of severe and debilitating diseases. Founded in 2002, Alnylam is delivering on a bold vision to turn scientific possibility into reality, with a robust RNAi therapeutics platform. Alnylams commercial RNAi therapeutic products are ONPATTRO (patisiran), approved in the U.S., EU, Canada, Japan, and Switzerland, and Brazil, and GIVLAARI (givosiran), approved in the U.S. Alnylam has a deep pipeline of investigational medicines, including five product candidates that are in late-stage development. Alnylam is executing on its "Alnylam 2020" strategy of building a multi-product, commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company with a sustainable pipeline of RNAi-based medicines to address the needs of patients who have limited or inadequate treatment options. Alnylam employs over 1,300 people worldwide and is headquartered in Cambridge, MA. For more information about our people, science and pipeline, please visit http://www.alnylam.com and engage with us on Twitter at @Alnylam or on LinkedIn.

Alnylam Forward Looking Statements

Various statements in this release concerning Alnylam's future expectations, plans and prospects, including, without limitation, Alnylam's views and plans with respect to the potential for RNAi therapeutics, including ONPATTRO, its plans for the launch of ONPATTRO in Brazil and continuing product launches globally, and expectations regarding the continued execution on its "Alnylam 2020" guidance for the advancement and commercialization of RNAi therapeutics, constitute forward-looking statements for the purposes of the safe harbor provisions under The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Actual results and future plans may differ materially from those indicated by these forward-looking statements as a result of various important risks, uncertainties and other factors, including, without limitation: Alnylam's ability to discover and develop novel drug candidates and delivery approaches and successfully demonstrate the efficacy and safety of its product candidates; the pre-clinical and clinical results for its product candidates, which may not be replicated or continue to occur in other subjects or in additional studies or otherwise support further development of product candidates for a specified indication or at all; actions or advice of regulatory agencies, which may affect the design, initiation, timing, continuation and/or progress of clinical trials or result in the need for additional pre-clinical and/or clinical testing; delays, interruptions or failures in the manufacture and supply of its product candidates or its marketed products; obtaining, maintaining and protecting intellectual property; intellectual property matters including potential patent litigation relating to its platform, products or product candidates; obtaining regulatory approval for its product candidates, including lumasiran, and maintaining regulatory approval and obtaining pricing and reimbursement for its products, including ONPATTRO and GIVLAARI; progress in continuing to establish a commercial and ex-United States infrastructure, including in Brazil; successfully launching, marketing and selling its approved products globally, including ONPATTRO and GIVLAARI, and achieve net product revenues for ONPATTRO within our expected range during 2020; Alnylams ability to successfully expand the indication for ONPATTRO in the future; competition from others using technology similar to Alnylam's and others developing products for similar uses; Alnylam's ability to manage its growth and operating expenses within the ranges of its expected guidance and achieve a self-sustainable financial profile in the future, obtain additional funding to support its business activities, and establish and maintain strategic business alliances and new business initiatives; Alnylam's dependence on third parties, including Regeneron, for development, manufacture and distribution of certain products, including eye and CNS products, and Ironwood, for assistance with the education about and promotion of GIVLAARI; the outcome of litigation; the risk of government investigations; and unexpected expenditures, as well as those risks more fully discussed in the "Risk Factors" filed with Alnylam's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and in other filings that Alnylam makes with the SEC. In addition, any forward-looking statements represent Alnylam's views only as of today and should not be relied upon as representing its views as of any subsequent date. Alnylam explicitly disclaims any obligation, except to the extent required by law, to update any forward-looking statements.

i Pinto MV et al. Arq Neuropsiquiatr. 2018;76(9):609-621

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200226005457/en/

Contacts

Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Christine Regan Lindenboom (Investors and Media) 617-682-4340

Joshua Brodsky (Investors) 617-551-8276

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Alnylam Announces Approval in Brazil of ONPATTRO for the Treatment of Hereditary ATTR Amyloidosis with Polyneuropathy - Yahoo Finance

Elber Yuksel Aydin, 1, 2 Andrea Schneider, 1, 3 Dragana Protic, 1, 4 Jun Yi Wang, 1, 5 Veronica Martnez-Cerdeo, 1, 6 Flora Tassone, 1, 7 Hiu-Tung Tang, 7 Susan Perlman, 8 Randi J Hagerman 1, 3

1Medical Investigation of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (MIND) Institute, University of California Davis, Sacramento, CA, USA; 2Istanbul Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey; 3Department of Pediatrics, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA, USA; 4Department of Pharmacology, Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia; 5Center for Mind and Brain, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA, USA; 6Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Institute for Pediatric Regenerative Medicine, University of California Davis School of Medicine and Shriners Hospital, Sacramento, CA, USA; 7Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA, USA; 8Department of Neurology, University of California Los Angeles School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA, USA

Correspondence: Randi J HagermanMIND Institute UCDMC, 2825 50th Street, Sacramento, CA 95817, USAEmail rjhagerman@ucdavis.edu

Abstract: Fragile Xassociated tremor/ataxia syndrome (FXTAS) is a neurodegenerative disorder that usually begins in the early 60s and affects carriers of premutation expansion (55 200 CGG repeats) of the fragile X mental retardation 1 (FMR1) gene. Additional disorders can co-occur with FXTAS including Alzheimers disease (AD). Here we discuss a case report of a male with 67 CGG repeats in FMR1 who had mild late-onset FXTAS symptoms followed by neurocognitive disorder symptoms consistent with AD. The patient has developed tremor and ataxia that are the two characteristic symptoms of FXTAS. In addition, he shows rapid cognitive decline, brain atrophy most substantial in the medial temporal lobe, and decreased metabolism in the brain regions that are the characteristic findings of AD. The purpose of this study is to describe a patient profile with both diseases and review the details of an overlap between these two diseases.

Keywords: FXTAS, Alzheimers disease, cognitive decline, neurocognitive disorder, premutation, neurogenetics

This work is published and licensed by Dove Medical Press Limited. The full terms of this license are available at https://www.dovepress.com/terms.php and incorporate the Creative Commons Attribution - Non Commercial (unported, v3.0) License.By accessing the work you hereby accept the Terms. Non-commercial uses of the work are permitted without any further permission from Dove Medical Press Limited, provided the work is properly attributed. For permission for commercial use of this work, please see paragraphs 4.2 and 5 of our Terms.

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Rapidly Progressing Neurocognitive Disorder in a Male with FXTAS and A | CIA - Dove Medical Press

(WKBW) New York Governor Andrew Cuomo is proposing a new tool in the fight against Alzheimer's. It's called "SUNY Curing Alzheimer's Health Consortium." Cuomo wants to spend five years mapping one million people both suffering from and at-risk of developing the disease.

"And then we will work with SUNY's research institutions, as well as our other research institutions across the state to develop treatments and therapies," Elizabeth Garvey, Special Counsel and Senior Advisor to Governor Cuomo, said.

Empire State Development life science initiative will lend $20 million in funding to recruit 200,000 people for phase one.

"This looks to be a very ambitious program, but one that is very complimentary to the other programs," Dr. Bruce Troen said. He is Chief of the Division of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine, as well as the Director of Centers of Excellence for Alzheimer's Disease both at Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. He also works at the Buffalo VA Medical Center.

"Hopefully this will law the foundation for ongoing investigation," he said. Dr. Troen said this proposal is just a piece of the bigger pie. It's not an immediate answer or a cure.

"New York state in taking the lead has been really doing this at a clinical services standpoint, but now it's helping to plant a stake in the ground to say they also want to support research," he said. Gene mapping can play an important role in determining risk factors. The Governor's Office said at the end of this consortium, the data base will be free to use for further research.

"Knowledge is king here...anticipation and prevention is going to help us," he said.

If approved, the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at the University at Buffalo will participate.

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Fight against Alzheimer's: Governor's proposal would map genes of one million - WKBW-TV

Xiao-Min Wu,1,* Cheng Jin,2,* Yuan-Long Gu,2 Wu-Qiang Chen,2 Mao-Qun Zhu,2 Shuo Zhang,2 Zhen Zhang1

1Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214062, Peoples Republic of China; 2Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214041, Peoples Republic of China

*These authors contributed equally to this work

Correspondence: Cheng JinDepartment of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, 585 Xingyuan Road, Wuxi, Peoples Republic of ChinaTel +8613338770679Email jingcheng1008@163.com

Purpose: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the deadliest cancers globally with a poor prognosis. Breakthroughs in the treatment of HCC are urgently needed. This study explored the role of IDNK in the development and progression of HCC.Methods: IDNK expression was suppressed using short hairpin (shRNA) in BEL-7404 and Huh-7 cells. The expression of IDNK in HCC cells after IDNK knockdown was evaluated by real-time quantitative RT-PCR analysis and Western blot. After IDNK silencing, the proliferation and apoptosis of HCC cells were evaluated by Celigo cell counting, flow cytometry analysis, MTT assay, and caspase3/7 assay. Gene expressions in BEL-7404 cells transfected with IDNK shRNA lentivirus plasmid and blank control plasmid were evaluated by microarray analysis. The differentially expressed genes induced by deregulation of IDNKwere identified, followed by pathway analysis.Results: The expression of IDNK at the mRNA and protein levels was considerably reduced in shRNA IDNK transfected cells. Knockdown of IDNK significantly inhibited HCC cell proliferation and increased cell apoptosis. A total of 1196 genes (585 upregulated and 611 downregulated) were differentially expressed in IDNK knockdown BEL-7404 cells. The pathway of tRNA charging with Z-score = 3 was significantly inhibited in BEL-7404 cells with IDNK knockdown.Conclusion: IDNK plays a key role in the proliferation and apoptosis of HCC cells. IDNK may be a candidate therapeutic target for HCC.

Keywords: hepatocellular carcinoma cells, shRNA IDNK, cell proliferation, cell apoptosis, microarray, differentially expressed gene

This work is published and licensed by Dove Medical Press Limited. The full terms of this license are available at https://www.dovepress.com/terms.php and incorporate the Creative Commons Attribution - Non Commercial (unported, v3.0) License.By accessing the work you hereby accept the Terms. Non-commercial uses of the work are permitted without any further permission from Dove Medical Press Limited, provided the work is properly attributed. For permission for commercial use of this work, please see paragraphs 4.2 and 5 of our Terms.

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Gluconokinase IDNK Promotes Cell Proliferation and Inhibits Apoptosis | OTT - Dove Medical Press

From a cancer vaccine to gene insertion for those with Parkinson's, local researchers are breaking through.

Research is big business at Ohio State University, with medical funding currently exceeding a quarter of a billion dollars, according to Peter Mohler, vice dean for research at OSUs College of Medicine. Ohio State gets grants from the National Institutes of Health and other sources such as other government agencies, nonprofit foundations and industry contracts.

Funding for OSUs College of Medicine, alone, now includes some $268.5 million. What follows are some of the latest breakthroughs.

An Anticancer Vaccine

A new anticancer vaccine, called B-Vaxx, is still in the early stages of being tested but initial studies are promising. The first-ever human trial at Ohio State led by researcher Pravin Kaumaya, a professor in the college of medicines department of obstetrics and gynecology, showed that patients with metastatic or recurrent solid tumors that overexpress the HER-2 protein had a stronger immune response than they did to current treatments.

This means that B-Vaxx may be more effective in killing tumor cells in many types of aggressive breast, gastroesophageal, endometrial, ovarian, colorectal and lung cancers. Although more research and clinical trials are needed, the bottom line on this first report is that scientists have concluded that the vaccine induced patient antibodies that showed potent antitumor activity.

Hope for Parkinsons

Dr. Krystof Bankiewicz, a researcher specializing in neurodegenerative disorders, and Dr. Russell Lonser, chair of OSUs department of neurological surgery, have been working with transformational gene therapy to develop cures for Parkinsons and other neurodegenerative diseases.

A one-step solution for Parkinsons could be the insertion of a non-pathogenic virus thats been modified to do only one thing: deliver the missing gene to a specific region of the brain.

The missing gene, if implemented, stops the progression of Parkinsons. Administering it, however, is a complex procedure. An MRI scanner is used to directly implant it in the brain.

Six clinical trials regarding the gene therapy and its effects on neurodegenerative diseasesincluding Parkinsons, Alzheimers, Huntingtons and moreare underway at Ohio State. In fact, the clinical trials for pediatric patients have been so successful that registration of the therapy has been fast-tracked with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. There is hope that the drug will be approved this year for use in children.

Brain Stimulation

A small 2018 study at Ohio State implanted electrodes into the frontal cortex of Alzheimers patients and programmed a pacemaker to deliver deep brain stimulation. DBS has already proven to be helpful for patients with Parkinsons, epilepsy and obsessive-compulsive disorder. And, it is currently being studied for addiction, chronic pain, multiple sclerosis, traumatic brain injury and more.

Two of three people showed statistical improvement, says Dr. Douglas Scharre, professor of neurology and clinical psychology at OSUs Center for Cognitive and Memory Disorders and its Center for Neuromodulation. One patient was able to plan an outing and handle money, make plans for an event and cook a simple meal. These may seem like minor improvements, but if the patient cant do it, the caregiver has to.

Atrial Fib: The Watchman

Among the 3,000 clinical trials at various stages at Ohio State in recent years has been apilot studylead by Dr. Ahmet Kilic, former OSU associate professor of cardiac surgery, on the efficacy of the Watchman, a tiny parachute-like device which is implanted into the heart to regulate the heartbeat of those who suffer from atrial fibrillation. (Kilic is now director of heart transplantation and mechanical circulatory support at Johns Hopkins Medicine.)

Along with reducing stroke risk, the Watchman allows for remote monitoring of heart function. Watchman patients also forgo the risk of excessive bleeding caused by long-term use of warfarin, such as Coumadin and other blood thinners. The implantnow in more than 100,000 peoplecan eliminate regular blood tests and food-and-drink restrictions that come with warfarin.

Expecting a Daughter?

Researchers at the Wexner Medical Center have found thatthat immune cell samples of women carrying girls produced more proteins called pro-inflammatory cytokines than those carrying boys, resulting in exacerbation of conditions such as asthma, and contributing to fatigue and achiness.

Too many of these cytokinescan really be unhelpful for our bodies functioning, explains Amanda Mitchell, lead author of the study while she was a postdoctoral researcher in the universitys Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research. Women carrying girls exhibited greater inflammatory responses when faced with some sort of immune challenge compared to women carrying boys.

Exercising and doing relaxing activities, such as meditation, are recommended. Also, eating healthy foods, including leafy greens, will better support healthy immune responses. Mitchell is now an assistant professor at the University of Louisvilles department of counseling and human development.

More Sleep EqualsHappier Marriages

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 35 percent of Americans get less than seven hours of sleep per night, resulting in increased risk of stress-related inflammation and ensuing chronic illnesses such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, arthritis and others.

In arecent studyat Ohio States Institute for Behavioral Medicine, married couples were asked to supply blood samples and information regarding hours they slept the previous two nights. They were then asked to resolve a conflict, with blood samples taken after the discussion. Although people who had slept less initially had no more inflammation than usual, there was a greater inflammatory response after the conflict. Furthermore, if both partners got less than seven hours of sleep the previous two nights, they were more likely to become hostile.

Couples using unhealthy resolution tactics had an even greater inflammatory response. In a marriage, sleep patterns often track together, explains Janice Kiecolt-Glaser, the senior author of the study and director of OSUs Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research. If one person is restless, or has chronic problems, that can impact the others sleep. If these problems persist over time, you can get this nasty reverberation within the couple.

Less Stress, Better Health

Dining on a Greek salad may be great, but if youre stressed, it may be no better for you than fish and chips, according to an Ohio State study published inMolecular Psychiatry. In the study, 58 women were given two different types of meals, one high in saturated fat, which has been linked to cardiovascular disease, and another with more heart-healthy, plant-based oil. The meals were similar in terms of calories and grams of fat. While inflammatory responses were predictably lower if the women were not stressed after the healthier meal, if a woman was stressed, it looked like she was eating the saturated fat meal in terms of her [inflammatory] responses, study author Kiecolt-Glaser told National Public Radio.

Even though the stressors were for everyday issues, such as dealing with a sick parent, the stress seemed to boost inflammation, increasing chances for disease and slowing the healing process. Still, more research needs to be done and there are plenty of ways to combat stress, includingdeep-breathing.

Immune Cells and Sex

An Ohio State study done on rats and reported in theJournal of Neurosciencefound that immune mast cells,usually ignored by neuroscientists, appear to play an important role in determining the gender of an animals sexual behavior.

When researchers, led by Kathryn Lenz, assistant professor of behavioral neuroscience, silenced the mast cells in male fetal rats, they found that the adult males were far less interested in having sex with females. In fact, they acted almost like females, according the study.

Newborn female rats whose mast cells were activated with a stimulating chemical did the opposite, showing more traditionally males behaviors. Lenz theorizes that if human development mirrors what was seen in this study, even relatively minor influencessuch as an allergic reaction, injury or inflammation during pregnancycould possibly steer sexual behavior and development.

On the Move: Its All Good

According to Bernadette Melnyk, chief wellness officer and dean of OSUs College of Nursing, researchers at the American College of Sports Medicine have confirmed that physical activity completed in any duration is associated with health benefits and count towards your recommended 150 minutes of weekly activity.

Traditionally, physical activity recommendations have focused on accumulating moderate-to-vigorous physical activity either in a continuous manner, such as going for a 30-minute run, or in short bouts performed throughout the day, according to theACSM. However, in 2018, thanks to the advent of digital and other activity trackers, the ACSM also recognized that most daily activity is sporadic and is typically performed in bouts that are less than 10 minutes in duration. Any such activity is now associated with favorable health-related outcomes.

Take time each day to get moving, even if only for five minutes, adds Melnyk.

Reprinted fromColumbus Monthly Health 2020.

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Medical Research and Innovation at Ohio State - Columbus Monthly