2, August 2014

Soon, diabetics could do away with their daily insulin dose

There is good news for patients suffering from type-one diabetes as they may soon be able to do away with their daily insulin dose to manage their blood-sugar levels. Researchers have found that a peptide called caerulein can convert existing cells in the pancreas into those cells destroyed in type-one diabetes-insulin-producing beta cells. ‘We have found a promising technique for type-one diabetics to restore the body’s ability to produce insulin,’ said Fred Levine, a professor at Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute in the US. ‘By introducing caerulein to the pancreas, we were able to generate new beta cells – the cells that produce insulin,’ Levine added.

The study first examined how mice in which almost all beta cells were destroyed – similar to humans with type-one diabetes – responded to injections of caerulein. In those mice, but not in normal mice, they found that caerulein caused existing alpha cells in the pancreas to differentiate into insulin-producing beta cells. The research team then examined human pancreatic tissue from type-one diabetics, finding strong evidence that the same process induced by caerulein also occurred in the pancreases of those individuals.

Caerulein is a peptide originally discovered in the skin of Australian Blue Mountains tree frogs. It stimulates gastric, biliary, and pancreatic secretions, and has been used in humans as a diagnostic tool in pancreatic diseases. An estimated over 300 million people worldwide are living with type-one diabetes.

The study appeared in the journal Cell Death and Disease.

Source: www.thehealthsite.com

02.08.2014

Is your job increasing your risk of heart disease?

Want to know if your job can give you a heart attack? Workers in service and blue-collar occupations as well as unemployed people are at increased risk for heart disease and stroke, says a new research. Those working in the wholesale trade are at greater risk – 2.9 per cent of the people in that sector had suffered heart disease or a stroke in the US.  

At 0.8 per cent, people working in finance and insurance had the lowest rate of heart disease, the findings from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention revealed. Work-related risk factors for heart disease and stroke include noise, job stress, second-hand smoke and doing shift work. For the study, researchers analysed national health surveys conducted between 2008 and 2012 to estimate the rate of heart disease and stroke among adults younger than 55 years.  

They found that the rate of heart disease and stroke was highest among people in two industries.  One is Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services, and the other Accommodation and Food Services, Live Science reported. Job insecurity is a common cause of stress leading to cardiovascular problems. Another factor may be working alternate shifts, researchers noted.  

Here are the most common signs associated with heart disease

1. Shortness of breath (dyspnoea): Breathlessness or shortness of breath is commonly encountered in patients with heart disease or heart failure. It is also a warning sign of heart attack. Breathing difficulty while exercising or any other physical exertion may indicate a problem with the heart valves. But it can also be due to inflammation and weakening of the heart muscle (cardiomyopathy) which results in improper contraction.  

2. Chest pain: Chest pain (angina) is a classic symptom of heart attack and coronary artery disease (CAD). In some cases, chest pain is associated with inflammation of the tissue covering the heart (pericardium). The type and duration of chest pain is also indicative of the underlying heart disease. Pain may be described as short-term, constant, stabbing or sharp. It can last for a few seconds or for hours together.  

3. Swelling of feet: Swelling in the feet and ankles is seen in people with congestive heart failure where the blood pumping capacity of the heart reduces. This affects the kidneys which respond by retaining more fluid in body. The fluid then accumulates in the feet and other 

Source: www.thehealthsite.com

02.08.2014

Lucky people get opportunities; Brave people create opportunities; And Winners are those that convert problems into Opportunity