Category Archives: Longevity Medicine

From Singularity Hub: "Wake Forest's Institute for Regenerative Medicine (WFIRM) and the Armed Forces Institute for Regenerative Medicine (AFIRM) have developed a skin printer that can deposit cells directly onto a wound to help it heal faster. They recently presented the results of their latest experiments at the American College of Surgeons Clinical Congress (ACSCC) in Washington DC. Mice given topical wounds were able to heal in just three weeks when a new skin was printed onto the damaged area (compared to 5-6 with control groups). WFIRM and AFIRM also stated that the skin printer had been tested to see if it could print human cells, but that the next step forward would be experiments on pigs. If ultimately successful, skin printers could revolutionize the way we treat injuries - making serious wounds less fatal and rapidly speeding the healing of other injuries. ... the recent conference [gives] some valuable insights into how the skin printer actually works. Two different printing heads are used - one with skin cells, a coagulant, and collagen; the other with a different kind of coagulant. Keeping these substances separate allows them to be deposited easily (like ink) but then quickly bond together and form a solid skin covering with fibrin."

Link: http://singularityhub.com/2010/11/04/wake-forest-could-print-you-some-new-skin/

I posted not so long ago on the topic of foundational work in artificial sight:

The present mainstream approach involves building a grid of electrodes in place of the retinal cells lost to forms of degenerative blindness; images captured by a worn camera are analyzed and the electrodes stimulated appropriately. ... Progress in this model is at present a matter of making implantation safer and more reliable, greatly increasing the density of electrodes, and improving the ability to translate a camera's view into a helpful picture - a combination of medicine, electrical engineering, and computer vision research. The end result of this form of technology will never produce anything more than a detailed, glowing sketch of dots and lines for the patient: it is not true vision as experienced by those of us fortune enough to retain our sight. Nonetheless it works - already providing a great improvement for patients over being blind - and it will serve as a foundation for later forms of artificial sight technology.

Today, let me point your attention to a refinement of this technology under development by a German company:

researchers based in Germany have developed a retinal implant that has allowed three blind people to see shapes and objects within days of the implant being installed. ... The device - known as a subretinal implant - sits underneath the retina, directly replacing light receptors lost in retinal degeneration. As such, it uses the eyes' natural image processing capabilities beyond the light detection stage to produce a visual perception in the patient that is stable and follows their eye movements. Other types of retinal implants - known as epiretinal implants - sit outside the retina and because they bypass the intact light-sensitive structures in the eyes they require the user to wear an external camera and processor unit.

...

"The present study...presents proof-of-concept that such devices can restore useful vision in blind human subjects, even though the ultimate goal of broad clinical application will take time to develop."

This seems like a natural evolution if it can be made to work in a practical fashion - cut out the aspects of the system that were awkward to manage in favor of an implant that can stand alone. The obvious path for incremental improvement is still to increase the number and density of electrodes, and thus the resolution of the glowing grids and images seen by the patient. Work on that area will likely benefit numerous similar lines of development in the artificial sight community.

There remains a big difference between "vision" and "useful vision" - but I imagine that the gap will close as this technology evolves further. An implant that replaces one part of an eye is an invitation to build a second implant that attaches to it and replaces a neighboring feature...and so forth. This research and development community will give the tissue engineers a run for their money.

Some of what the body does in response to injury, especially in the nerves and brain, is in fact counterproductive in the long term: "Stroke is the leading cause of adult disability, due to the brain's limited capacity for recovery. ... Researchers interested in how the brain repairs itself already know that when the brain suffers a stroke, it becomes excitable, firing off an excessive amount of brain cells, which die off. The UCLA researchers found that a rise in a chemical system known as 'tonic inhibition' immediately after a stroke causes a reduction in this level of excitability. But while this 'damping down' initially helps limit the spread of stroke damage, the increased tonic inhibition level and reduced brain excitability persists for weeks, eventually becoming detrimental to the brain's recovery. ... It was surprising to find that the level of tonic inhibition was increased for so long after stroke and that there was an inflection point where the increased level eventually hindered the brain from recovering. It was also surprising that we could easily manipulate tonic inhibition in the brain after stroke to restore it back to a normal, 'non-stroke' level and, in doing this, enhance behavioral recovery. ... They found that by applying specific blockers of this inhibitory brain chemical, they could then 'turn off the switch.' The resulting enhanced brain excitability immediately improved behavioral recovery after stroke."

Link: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2010-11/uoc--srw110110.php

A group of researchers found that eating 45 grams of dark chocolate in a day for a period of 16 weeks can potentially reduce the cholesterols levels of diabetic patients.

Understanding Bad Cholesterol

There are two types of cholesterols in the body: the good and bad. Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL) is referred to as bad cholesterol since high levels of LDL results to a higher risk of developing coronary and cardiovascular diseases. It interferes with healthy blood flow by sticking on artery walls and forming a thick and hard cholesterol plaque. This narrows the blood passages in a process called atherosclerosis.

There’s a good type of cholesterol, on the other hand, that is essential in preventing and reversing the adverse effects of LDL accumulation by extracting the bad cholesterol from the walls of the artery and removing them from the body through the liver. The body needs to have more of the good cholesterol in order to function properly. Good cholesterol is responsible for promoting the fluidity and permeability of membranes and it is also essential in the manufacturing of bile acids that breaks down fats and fat-soluble vitamins like vitamin K, vitamin E, vitamin D and vitamin A.

A person’s bad cholesterol level is greatly influenced by his diet and hereditary condition. Eating foods with high contents of saturated fats will result to the accumulation of bad cholesterol in the blood. Rich sources of saturated fats are dairy products and meat. Vegetable oils from cocoa, palm and coconut are also rich in saturated fats. There is a specific health condition which may result to high LDL levels despite minimal intake of saturated fats. This is called familial hypercholesterolemia which literally means more cholesterol in the blood. It can be inherited and is usually brought about by the lack of cholesterol receptors in the cells of the liver. Note that the liver is responsible for the processing of LDL cholesterols. This condition can result to atherosclerosis and other coronary diseases in early adulthood. High cholesterol levels have also been linked by different studies to diabetes.

There will always be a natural way of reducing the risk of health conditions such as coronary diseases and diabetes. Medical experts will always recommend healthy diet and active lifestyle on top of anything else. A group of researchers from the Hull York Medical School of the University of Hull found that eating one of our most favorite bitter-sweet treats can reduce the cholesterol levels of diabetic patients.

Dark Chocolate against High Cholesterol in Diabetics

An Overview

A group of researchers from the Hull York Medical School published a study in Diabetic Medicine saying that dark chocolate has the capacity to lower cholesterol levels in people suffering from diabetes. Their findings may sound incongruous but they have found that eating 45 grams of dark chocolate reduced the cholesterol levels of 12 diabetic participants in a study period of 4 months. The head of the research team and professor of diabetes and endocrinology, Steve Atkins, said that their study demonstrated that dark chocolate can result to the reduction of cardiovascular risk caused by insulin resistance and being overweight. The 12 participants had type 2 diabetes, a condition wherein cells are weakly responsive to insulin naturally produced by the body.

The Benefits of Polyphenols

The researchers linked the positive results of their study to polyphenols found in cocoa. This compound has a powerful anti-inflammatory property, making it a strong and effective antioxidant. As its natural function, polyphenols protect the cells from damage caused by free radicals and prevent the oxidation of LDL cholesterol which causes it to become glued to artery walls, causing atherosclerosis. A person can maintain high levels of polyphenols in the body by eating foods rich in polyphenols; topping the list is cacao alongside green tea and wine. The researchers suggested for chocolate manufacturers to create smaller packages of dark chocolate bars in order to give individuals with diabetes a better way to manage their intake of polyphenol-rich chocolates and so they can better take advantage of its benefits in lowering their blood cholesterol levels.

The Methodology and Results

The researchers recruited a group of 12 diabetic patients and gave them 3 bars of 15-gram dark chocolate bars per day for a period of 16 weeks. The chocolate bars contained 85 percent cocoa and other placebo bars did not have any cocoa content and was only dyed to achieve the same color as dark chocolate. They said that the bars were no bigger than a banana and, unlike the usual way of eating a banana, the bars were eaten at different points of the day. The researchers also said that dark chocolate has a low glycaemic index which related to the release of glucose into the blood stream from sugars.

Though the researchers used a very small group, the participants did not report any increase in weight nor did they experience problems in controlling their blood sugar levels brought by their existing health condition. They said that the study is only a preliminary of more and bigger studies to come and they will be releasing more information regarding their findings in the following days.

Foods against Bad Cholesterol

The body’s bad cholesterol level is a major health concern. High levels of bad cholesterol in the body may result to coronary problems and other serious health problems. But eating the right kind of foods and maintaining a healthy lifestyle can help in managing cholesterol levels and promoting a healthier body.

• The body needs soluble fiber in order to sweep out saturated fats which can increase the levels of bad cholesterol in the blood. Soluble fiber can be found in oatmeal, prunes, barley, pears apples and kidney beans. Including some of the fiber-rich foods in ones daily diet can reduce the risk of developing diseases caused by bad cholesterol.

• Foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids like salmon, tuna, sardines, herring, lake trout and mackerel can also help in lowering bad cholesterol levels. Omega-3 fatty acids help in reducing blood pressure by preventing the clotting of the blood and the accumulation of bad cholesterol on the walls of the arteries.

• Almonds, walnuts and other kinds of nuts are rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids which helps maintain the smooth passage of blood through the blood vessels and reduce blood cholesterol levels. Eating around 43 grams of nuts can lower the risk of developing heart diseases according to the Food and Drug Administration. But keep in mind that nuts are packed with calories so eating a handful can be enough.

• Other foods that can lower bad cholesterol levels are those fortified with plant sterols like yogurt drinks, orange juice and margarine. Eating at least 2 grams of plant sterols through rich food sources can lower LDL cholesterol by more than 10 percent.

Sources:
nutraingredients.com
medicinenet.com
raysahelian.com
mayoclinic.com
webmd.com

Discuss this post in Frank Mangano’s forum!

A study showed that obesity can increase the risk of developing arthritis.

Obesity is a global problem and is thought to be second to smoking as one of the contributory cause of cancer. It is a medical condition associated with the excessive storage of body fat which can lead to serious health conditions and reduced life expectancy. A body mass index above 30 kilograms per square meter is considered obese. The list of common health conditions that are induced and intensified by obesity include some types of cancer, cardiovascular diseases and diabetes.

There are several factors that cause obesity. In a nutshell, the consumption of a greater number of calories than what the body burns results to the disproportionate storage of fat. An unhealthy diet and an inactive lifestyle are two of the primary causes of obesity and obviously, the best recommended cure is the modification of one’s diet and increased physical activity. Among the chronic conditions caused by obesity is arthritis.

The Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report published on October 8 stated that arthritis limits the physical activity of over 21 million people. Obesity is now being linked to arthritis and the study showed that an excess in weight serves as a hindrance to having healthy joints basically because it affects joint movement. And according to the report, unless Americans learn to control their weight, the prevalence of arthritis will remain on the rise. Just like obesity, arthritis is a major public health problem that can be effectively prevented through weight management which includes increased physical activities, diet modification, and proper education.

The Link between Obesity and Arthritis

The National Health Interview Survey for the year 2007 to 2009 indicated that more than 22 percent of adults aged 18 and above are diagnosed with arthritis. This is an equivalent of almost 50 million people. More than 21 million people in this group had reported limited body movements and decreased physical activities. In the population suffering from obesity, on the other hand, more than 33 percent of women and over 25 percent of men have arthritis. This is more than twice of the arthritis prevalence in people with normal or below normal weight, with almost 14 percent in men and about 19 percent in women.

Though the prevalence of arthritis is commonly linked to a person’s age, issues such as lifestyle, physical activity, weight, and even educational attainment are also some of the factors that can increase the risk. The report also showed that the limitations in physical activities that cause arthritis are caused by the ageing population and rising rates of obesity.

The ageing population and increasing prevalence of obesity are expected to increase the rates of developing arthritis in the next 20 years according to the report. The expected number of adults with arthritis can go up as much as 67 million by 2010. The other findings of the study showed that more than 24 percent of women and 18 percent of men were surveyed with doctor-diagnosed arthritis. Almost 22 percent of the survey participants whose educational attainment was less than a high school diploma had arthritis, comparatively higher than the 20 percent of people who spent a few years in college. In addition to this, almost 24 percent of people with sedentary lifestyle have arthritis, a lot lesser than the 19 percent who engaged in increased physical activities.

The survey participants were asked if they were diagnosed with any form of arthritis, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, gout or fibromyalgia by a medical expert. According to the report, arthritis results to an annual cost of $128 billion on a national scale and the condition is one of the common causes of disability. The risk of getting knee osteoarthritis is more than 60 percent in obese individuals. The report also suggested that even an 11-pound reduction in weight can reduce the risk of knee osteoarthritis by 50 percent and mortality rate also by half.

Tips to Prevent Obesity

Obesity and arthritis can come hand in hand. This suggests that one of the best ways to prevent the development of obesity is by properly managing weight. It’s like hitting two birds with one stone: you are avoiding obesity and at the same time reducing the risk of developing arthritis.

It needs to be understood that obesity is caused by the over-consumption of calories while getting less than recommended physical activities. The best approach is by being aware of your calorie intake while increasing physical activity at the same time in order to burn any stored fat. Identifying any early indications of obesity is also key to preventing the condition from becoming a serious problem.

Remember to:

• Maintain an active lifestyle. Though going to the gym or jogging around the park may be more recommendable, having an active lifestyle can be achieved in the comforts of your own home like doing open backyard activities.
• Monitor weight regularly. It’s difficult to always count the calories. Though you may always need to think about the food you eat, counting calories down to the last piece of candy may become too obsessive and stressful. The better way of doing it is by monitoring your weight on a regular basis. This will tell you if you have been eating well and if you are getting enough physical activities to burn the extra pounds.
• Eat right. There’s no better way of managing your weight but by eating the right kind of foods. Fresh fruits, vegetables and foods rich in fiber, like whole grains, are best in flushing out saturated fats from the other foods you eat. Eating regularly and slowly will also help in the better digestion of food.

Tips to Prevent Arthritis

Food rich in bad cholesterol, saturated fats, sodium, and uric acid leads and worsens arthritis. The recommended diet to prevent and alleviate arthritic conditions consists of consuming healthy foods such as:

• Parsley
• Watercress
• Celery
• Carrots
• wheat grass products
• barley
• pecans
• avocados
• soy products
• whole grain products like oats, millet, barley, wheat
• cold water fishes like sardines, salmon and herring.

Foods rich in antioxidants like omega-3 fatty acids, selenium, bioflavonoids, carotenes and vitamin C has also been found to reduce the inflammation of the joints caused by free radicals.

Meanwhile, foods containing high amounts of calcium inhibitors have been found to increase the risk of arthritis. So try to avoid the following:

• red meat
• chicken
• eggs
• dairy products
• coffee
• alcohol

Foods with high contents of oxalic acid like plums, cranberries, rhubarb, spinach and chard can also cause and worsen arthritis.

Sources
arthritis.webmd.com
healthtree.com
today.msnbc.msn.com

Discuss this post in Frank Mangano’s forum!