The next-gen implantable bioartificial pancreas by Bernard Banga for Medical-Technology.nridigital.com, 22 September 2023.
A team from MIT, in collaboration with researchers from Boston Children’s Hospital, has developed a novel implantable device. The O2-Macrodevice not only carries hundreds of thousands of islet cells but is also able to generate its own oxygen supply by splitting water vapor present in the body. The results of this study, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), showed that mice implanted with the oxygen-generating device maintained normal blood glucose levels for up to a month.
The research behind this innovation was supported by funding from the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF), the Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust, and the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB) at the National Institutes of Health.
“The system relies on electrochemical water splitting based on a water-vapor reactant feed, sustained by wireless power harvesting based on a flexible resonant inductive coupling circuit”, explained MIT Research Scientist Siddarth Krishnan. “This is done using a proton-exchange membrane – a technology originally developed to generate hydrogen in fuel cells – located within the device”.
Water vapor, which is present in abundant quantities in the body, is split by the membrane into hydrogen, which diffuses safely away, and oxygen. The oxygen is then stored in a chamber and delivered to the islet cells via a thin, oxygen-permeable membrane. One of the major benefits of this approach is that it does not need any wires or batteries.
Read more: The next-gen implantable bioartificial pancreas
Biolinq raises $58m for glucose microsensor pivotal trial by Robert Barrie for MedicalDevice-Network.com, 4 April 2024.
Biolinq has raised $58m in a financing round to support an ongoing pivotal trial investigating its wearable, non-invasive glucose sensor patch. Biolinq’s CEO Richard Yang said, “The pivotal study started in March 2024 and we plan to file for US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) clearance this year.” The funding was led by US investment company Alpha Wave Ventures. The cash adds to a previous $100m raised in a Series B round in 2021. The global CGM sensor market is expected to grow to more than $5bn in 2033, up from $3.5bn in 2023, according to analysis by GlobalData.
US-based Biolinq has developed a wearable device that uses an array of electrochemical sensors that the company says are barely perceptible to the wearer. The device, which uses a silicon chip at its core, is up to 20 times shallower than conventional subcutaneous glucose sensors, extending to the dermis only. The patch is placed on the upper forearm and has a display to alert users when glucose levels are inside or outside of target ranges.
Read more: Biolinq raises $58m for glucose microsensor pivotal trial
New insights into adult-onset type 1 diabetes by Karolinska Institutet for MedicalXPress.com, 1 April 2024.
A new study at Karolinska Institutet now provides new insights into the development of the disease in adults. The results are presented in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology.
The research, conducted at the Institute of Environmental Medicine, was based on data from more than 2.8 million individuals, and the aim was to compare the heritability of type 1 diabetes in adults and children. The findings indicate that having a first-degree relative with the condition significantly increases the risk of developing type 1 diabetes as an adult, and the risk is higher if the relative developed diabetes early. Overall, heritability is lower for type 1 diabetes in adults than in children.
Yuxia Wei, Ph.D. student at the Institute of Environmental Medicine and first author, notes, “Our study provides new insights on the causes of type 1 diabetes in adults. The lower heritability in adults suggests that environmental factors play a larger role in disease development in adults than children.”
Read more: New insights into adult-onset type 1 diabetes
FOLLOW-UP: Patient With Transplanted Pig Kidney Leaves Hospital for Home by Roni Caryn Rabin for NYTimes.com, 3 April 2024.
The first patient to receive a kidney, transplanted from a genetically modified pig has fared so well that he was discharged from the hospital just two weeks after the groundbreaking surgery. The transplant and its encouraging outcome represent a remarkable moment in medicine, scientists say, possibly heralding an era of cross-species organ transplantation.
Two previous organ transplants from genetically modified pigs failed. Both patients received hearts, and both died a few weeks later. In one patient, there were signs that the immune system had rejected the organ, a constant risk. But the kidney transplanted into Richard Slayman, 62, is producing urine, removing waste products from the blood, balancing the body’s fluids and carrying out other key functions, according to his doctors at Massachusetts General Hospital.
The procedure brings the prospect of xenotransplantation, or animal-to-human organ transplants, significantly closer to reality, said Dr. David Klassen, the chief medical officer for the United Network for Organ Sharing, which manages the nation’s organ transplant system.
Read more: Patient With Transplanted Pig Kidney Leaves Hospital for Home
The next superfood? Sea buckthorn berries may benefit diabetes, obesity by Robby Berman for MedicalNewsToday.com, 2 April 2024.
A new study from Memorial University in Newfoundland, Canada, has identified what may be an antioxidant powerhouse in a shrub that grows in coastal areas in Newfoundland. The study asserts the berries from the plant sea buckthorn have unique nutritional characteristics that have the potential to treat diabetes and obesity. The findings were recently published in the Journal of the Science of Food and AgricultureTrusted
The berries are already popular in Asia and have also been used for treating arthritis and other inflammatory conditions in Europe. Sea buckthorn berries contain powerful antioxidants that inhibit or prevent damage caused to the body’s cells by free radicals. (Free radicals are believed to be products of environmental and other stressors.) The shrub’s berries and leaves have been widely used for supporting nutrition and have been used as pharmaceuticals. The plant’s oil is also a potent source of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, polyphenols, and vitamins E, B, and A.
The authors of the present study report the promising findings of sea buckthorn berries for treating diabetes and obesity was observed in vitro. Michelle Routhenstein, a registered dietitian and nutritionist at EntirelyNourished.com, not involved in the study, cited the vitamins C and E that sea buckthorn contains, as well as “flavonoids, carotenoids, and phenolic compounds, along with their dietary fiber content. These may play a role in their potential effects on diabetes cells by reducing oxidative damage and inflammation, potentially improving insulin sensitivity and glucose metabolism,” Routhenstein explained.
Read more: The next superfood? Sea buckthorn berries may benefit diabetes
8 Best Grains for People With Diabetes by Erin David for diaTribe.org, 1 April 2024.
Grains are an excellent source of fiber and other vital nutrients, but which are best for diabetes? Here’s why nutritious options like farro, oats, and quinoa are at the top of the list. Grains have a blood-sugar-lowering effect, are extremely versatile, and can add variety to your meals.
Grains are the seeds of grassy plants or cereals like wheat and corn. The seeds of non-grassy plants or pseudocereals like quinoa and buckwheat are also edible. Common grains include: Corn, Wheat, Rice, Quinoa, Barley, Farro, Buckwheat, Oats, Rye, and Amaranth. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends half of your grains come from whole grain sources. Whole grains contain the entire seed, including the germ, bran, and endosperm, whereas refined grain only contains the endosperm.
If you are living with diabetes, upping your fiber intake to 35 grams daily (or increasing your intake by 15 grams) may lower your A1C, cholesterol, triglycerides, body weight, inflammation markers, and longevity. Furthermore, grains impact gut bacteria, thereby reducing inflammation, and repairing insulin signaling and beta cell dysfunction.
Read more: 8 Best Grains for People With Diabetes
Rights in the Workplace for PWD by Marissa Town for ChildrenWithDiabetes.com, 2 April 2024.
The legal definition of disability, according to the U.S. federal government is “an individual is considered to have a disability if they have a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities. Major life activities include caring for oneself, performing manual tasks, walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, and working.” This doesn’t mean that it interferes with all of life’s activities, but that it can affect what you’re trying to do.
Acknowledging that diabetes is considered a disability can be a tricky thing emotionally for some PWD. A PWD might feel terrible about being labeled as a person with a disability. But the truth is, diabetes is a disability, even if others cannot see it, and it doesn’t always get in the way of my life.
When you inform your school or workplace that you live with diabetes, you are entitled to begin the process of seeking reasonable accommodations under the ADA. This protection ensures you can access reasonable accommodations to care for your diabetes and continue to study or work as planned.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was passed in 1990 to guarantee equal opportunity for individuals with disabilities in state and local government services, public accommodations, employment, transportation, and telecommunication. The ADA makes it unlawful to discriminate against someone because of a disability. This law was expanded in 2008 through the ADA Amendments Act to be more inclusive of different conditions. It helped make it easier for people seeking protection under the ADA to do so.
The ADA requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations — to enable applicants and employees with disabilities to enjoy equal employment opportunities unless doing so would be an undue hardship (that is, a significant difficulty or expense). Some examples of reasonable accommodations related to diabetes in the workplace
Read more: Rights in the Workplace for PWD
Flourishing with Diabetes with Speaker Riva Greenberg with the DiabetesSisters Lifestyle Series, DiabetesSisters.org, 4 April 2024.
In “Flourishing with Diabetes,” Riva Greenberg, an internationally speaker, advocate, and a beacon of hope in the diabetes community, unravels the reasons behind the prevalent focus on merely coping with diabetes and invites us to embark on a journey towards a life filled with flourishing and well-being. Through her personal narrative of resilience and empowerment, Riva illuminates the path to embracing diabetes not just as a condition to manage, but as a catalyst for personal growth and fulfillment. This enlightening session will equip you with
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- Insightful strategies to transform your approach to diabetes management.
- An understanding of how to shift from surviving to thriving with diabetes.
- Debunking of common diabetes myths that may hinder your journey to flourishing.
- A dose of inspiration from Riva’s own journey of overcoming diabetes challenges and living a life of empowerment.
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Don’t miss this opportunity to redefine your diabetes journey and cultivate a life where you flourish, not just cope. Subscribe to our channel for more empowering content and become part of a community dedicated to improving the lives of those affected by diabetes.
More on Glucagon: Updates You NEED to Know, Including Mini-Dosing by Dr. Steve Edelmn and Dr. Jeremy Pettus for TCOYD, 26 March 2024.
Everyone with type 1 diabetes, and those living with type 2 diabetes who use insulin, should have emergency glucagon on hand. Drs. E+P discuss the newer options available today, and they share what may be coming down the pike in terms of mini-dosing.
Loved the mini-dose Glucagon tips!