People with diabetes could be helped by a new type of self-monitoring blood glucose sensor being developed by Arizona State University engineers and clinicians at Mayo Clinic in Arizona.

More than 23 million people in the United States have diabetes. The disease is the fifth leading cause of death in the United States. It contributes to a higher risk for heart disease, blindness, kidney failure, lower extremity amputations and other chronic conditions.

Many people with diabetes suffer due to the difficulty of managing their blood glucose levels. It’s recommended that they monitor their own glucose levels, but current monitoring devices typically require patients to perform the painful task of pricking their finger to draw blood for a test sample – and many patients must do it several times each day.

The new sensor would enable people to draw tear fluid from their eyes to get a glucose-level test sample.

Glucose in tear fluid may give an indication of glucose levels in the blood as accurately as a test using a blood sample, the researchers say.

“The problem with current self-monitoring blood glucose technologies is not so much the sensor. It’s the painful finger prick that makes people reluctant to perform the test. This new technology might encourage patients to check their blood sugars more often, which could lead to better control of their diabetes by a simple touch to the eye,” says bioengineer Jeffrey T. LaBelle.

LaBelle, the designer of the device technology, is a research professor in the School of Biological and Health Systems Engineering, one of ASU’s Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering.

He is leading the ASU-Mayo research team along with Mayo Clinic physicians Curtiss B. Cook, an endocrinologist, and Dharmendra (Dave) Patel, chair of Mayo’s Department of Surgical Ophthalmology.

The team reported on their early work on the sensor in the Journal of Diabetes Science and Technology last year and at various regional and national conferences.

Because of its potential impact on health care, the technology has drawn interest from BioAccel, an Arizona nonprofit that works to accelerate efforts to bring biomedical technologies to the marketplace.

“A critical element to commercialization is the validation of technology through proof-of -concept testing,” says Nikki Corday, BioAccel business and development manager. “Positive results will help ensure that the data is available to help the research team clear the technical hurdles to commercialization.”

Researchers must now compile the proper data set to allow for approval of human testing of the device.

“With funding provided by BioAccel, the research team will conduct critical experiments to determine how well the new device correlates with use of the current technology that uses blood sampling,” says Ron King, BioAccel’s chief scientific and business officer.

The results should help efforts to secure downstream funding for further development work from such sources as the National Institutes of Health and the Small Business Incentive Research Program, King says.

BioAccel will also provide assistance using a network of technical and business experts, including the New Venture Group, a business consulting team affiliated with the W. P. Carey School of Business at ASU under the supervision of associate professor Daniel Brooks.

The ASU-Mayo research team began the project with funds from a seed grant from Mayo Clinic. Researchers got assistance in the laboratory from ASU students involved in research at ASU’s Biodesign Institute and the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering Fulton Undergraduate Research Initiative program.

Team members assessed how current devices were working – or failing – and how others have attempted to solve monitoring problems, LaBelle says.

They came up with a device that can be dabbed in the corner of the eye, absorbing a small amount of tear fluid like a wick that can then be used to measure glucose.

The major challenges are performing the test quickly, efficiently, with reproducible results, without letting the test sample evaporate and without stimulating a stress response that causes people to rub their eyes intensely, LaBelle says.

A study commissioned by the American Diabetes Association reported that in 2007 the national economic burden related to diabetes was more than $170 billion – including about $116 billion in additional health care costs and $58 billion in lost productivity from workers debilitated by the disease.

Source:
Mayo Clinic
Diabetes From Medical News Today

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com

Insulin circulates throughout your network of blood vessels along with sugar, and acts as a key, opening channels that line your cells, which allows sugar to exit your bloodstream and enter your cells where it is used for energy. When insulin is not able to do its job, the cells can’t get the sugar they need, and too much sugar builds up in the blood. Insulin resistance, which is very common, doesn’t cause type 2 diabetes by itself. The pancreas usually rallies to compensate for the resistance by pumping out more insulin.

The overworked pancreas may eventually stop producing enough insulin and the person with type 2 diabetes may need to take daily injections of insulin. Blood samples are taken at intervals for 2 to 3 hours. Test results are compared with a standard and show how the body uses glucose over time.

Insulin levels drop as a result of decreased production, and blood glucose levels are allowed to rise to very high, toxic levels. Although diet and exercise, along with supplementation, are still strongly recommended, a number of prescription drugs might also be necessary. Insulin is a hormone made by the body to regulate the amount of sugar in the blood. High levels of sugar in the blood can seriously affect other body systems, particularly over long periods of time. Insulin is a hormone produced by the beta cells of the pancreas, an organ behind the stomach.

Regular exercise 3-5 times a week will not only keep your heart rate and blood levels in the right places but also ensure you are maintaining your body and reducing the risk of diabetes. Regular exercise tackles several risk factors at once. It helps you lose weight, keeps your cholesterol and blood pressure under control, and helps your body use insulin. Regular exercise helps control the amount of glucose in the blood. It also helps burn excess calories and fat so you can manage your weight. Regular exercise also may help lower blood lipids and reduce some effects of stress, both important factors in treating diabetes and preventing complications.

Exercise and weight loss are very important to prevent Type 2 Diabetes from worsening. Exercise increases the body’s energy level, lowers tension, and improves your ability to handle stress. Living with type 2 diabetes is a life changing experience.

Medical management of type 2 diabetes is essential, along with nutrition counseling, medication use, behavior change therapy, and physical activity as the focuses of therapeutic intervention. There are identifiable limitations (e.g., presence of complications leading to impairment or disability) and precautions (e.g., degree of metabolic control) to be addressed when developing a physical activity program. Medically speaking, endocrinology involves the diagnosis and management of these illnesses. Endocrinology is often associated with the study of diabetes and metabolism, or with reproductive medicine. Medicines for diabetes and other health conditions may need to be adjusted if a person is also using a dietary supplement.

“People in Japan tend to eat smaller portions of healthier types of food,” says Dr. Mark Drucker, medical director of the Center for Advanced Medicine in Encinitas, Calif. “Eating plenty of low-mercury fatty fish, fresh vegetables and limiting red meat and refined sugars all contribute to this healthy lifestyle.

What can you do to reap the benefits of the Japanese diet at home? Here are some easy ideas from Dr. Drucker:

1. Try cultural cuisine
Sushi, a Japanese diet staple, is popular throughout the United States. Many grocery stores now carry pre-made sushi you can buy and snack on at home. Another fun way to enjoy sushi is to make it yourself. Try having a sushi-rolling party with your friends as a fun way to eat healthy and learn about another culture.

Making sushi yourself doesn’t need to be difficult. Pick up a book with step-by-step instructions and a sushi starter kit with a rolling mat. “Good beginner items that pack a healthy punch are smoked salmon, eel and pre-cooked crab and lobster meat. If you’d prefer to skip the meat, there are many vegetarian options. Try adding carrots, cucumber, green onion and daikon radish for a tasty, and healthy, treat,” comments Drucker.

2. Eat fresh veggies every day
Eating more fresh vegetables, raw when possible, is a great way to get many of the health benefits enjoyed by the Japanese people. A general rule is to eat vegetables in a wide range of colors, including dark green produce such as broccoli, spinach, kale and Swiss chard. These all provide high levels of antioxidants and vitamin C, and many are shown to have cancer-preventing properties.

3. Consider a healthy detoxifying supplement
Chlorophyll, the pigment responsible for the greenest plants on Earth, is a central property of immune-boosting, anti-aging vegetables. “Plants require chlorophyll to obtain energy from light, so it’s no surprise an ancient alga called chlorella – which contains the most amount of chlorophyll of any digestible substance – can be called nature’s green secret weapon when it comes to its long-term energy effect on human health. Chlorophyll is also one of the few and most effective ways to help the body eliminate mercury,” says Drucker.

As many Americans struggle to reach the USDA-recommended five to seven vegetable servings per day, supplementing your diet with powerful green whole foods can provide a great alternative to fresh vegetables. Much like how Americans regularly take a vitamin C supplement, many Japanese take a supplement called Sun Chlorella to utilize the superfood benefits of chlorella, which contain the widest range of essential nutrients available in any single food source.

Chlorella’s popularity in Japan spans decades, and its health benefits are more than anecdotal. A 2008 human clinical study showed that a daily serving of Sun Chlorella had positive results on several key blood levels and health markers including body fat percentage, serum total cholesterol and maintaining blood glucose levels. This may be the result of Sun Chlorella’s unique pulverization process, which makes otherwise-inconsumable chlorella digestible by humans.

4. Enjoy fatty fish for good health
Most people have heard of omega-3, a good type of fatty acid. Research has shown that omega-3 supports cardiovascular health, immune function, brain health and could even have anti-cancer benefits.

Some healthy fish options that are packed with omega-3s include salmon, herring, mackerel, anchovies and sardines. Visit the Asian food section of your local grocery store to find some Japanese seasoning and sauces and try flavoring these types of fish with them for a truly authentic meal.

“Not only do these types of foods have many health benefits, but they are absolutely delicious and can be made to order,” comments Drucker. “Whether it’s steaming some salmon and veggies or incorporating Sun Chlorella tablets into your daily regimen, I truly believe that taking health cues from a traditional Japanese diet can benefit almost everyone.”

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The results of the study also involved scientists from the University of Leipzig and the German Cancer Research Center in Heidelberg.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), around 1.6 billion people are overweight worldwide. The number of people with type 2 diabetes has increased accordingly to 230 million. The risk of developing type 2 diabetes is approximately 50% hereditary, but is also dependent on nutrition and lifestyle factors.

In the present study, the researchers compared the genomes of different mouse strains. Some mouse strains were obese but had no strikingly elevated blood glucose levels and were less susceptible to diabetes. Other strains developed a severe malfunction of fat and glucose metabolism as they continued to gain weight, causing these mice to rapidly develop type 2 diabetes.

According to the study, this difference is due to a small fragment of genetic information: a so-called “jumping gene” or “transposon” of viral origin, localized in a non-coding segment of the gene Zfp69, whose effect it diminishes. Without this genetic fragment, the risk gene is fully active and, in combination with obesity, leads to high blood sugar levels and malfunction of fat metabolism. The gene is also active in the fat tissues of overweight people suffering from diabetes – more so than in healthy individuals.

“Our data suggest that the protein product of the risk gene in obese individuals enhances the storage of fat in fat cells. As a result, excessive fat accumulates in the liver and this in turn contributes to the development of diabetes,” explains Stephan Scherneck, first author of the study.

“We have therefore discovered a new diabetes gene of similar importance in mice and humans,” says Hans-Georg Joost, head of the study and scientific director of DIfE, “as well as a mechanism that has not been described before in connection with the heredity of diabetes and obesity.”

These data show the importance of studying in detail not only genes themselves but also transposons in their vicinity.

Joost continued, “This transposon is quite active and almost completely “turns off” the Zfp69 gene. We have found indications that it is also active in other mouse genes. Since the human genome is full of such fragments, it is quite possible that they play a greater role than previously assumed.”

Public Library of Science. “‘Jumping Gene’ Diminishes The Effect Of New Type 2 Diabetes Risk Gene.” ScienceDaily

Diabetes patients with elevated levels of triglyceride fats are at increased risk of developing a serious complication called neuropathy — the loss or damage of nerves that results in numbness, tingling and pain in the hands, arms, legs and feet, researchers say.

A study by U.S. researchers indicates that doctors need to monitor diabetes patients’ blood fat levels as well as their blood sugar levels. They noted a simple blood test for triglycerides can help doctors identify patients most at risk for neuropathy.

“In our study, elevated serum triglycerides were the most accurate at predicting nerve fiber loss, compared to all other measures,” study co-author Kelli A. Sullivan, an assistant research professor in neurology at the University of Michigan Medical School, said in a university news release.

The study included 427 diabetes patients with neuropathy. Those with elevated levels of triglycerides were significantly more likely to experience worsening neuropathy over one year. Other factors, including blood glucose levels, weren’t significant.

The findings appear online and in the July print issue of the journal Diabetes.

“These results set the stage for clinicians to be able to address lowering lipid counts with their diabetes patients with neuropathy as vigilantly as they pursue glucose control,” study senior author Dr. Eva L. Feldman, a professor of neurology at the University of Michigan Medical School, said in the news release.

“Aggressive treatment can be very beneficial to patients in terms of their neuropathy,” Feldman said. Blood triglyceride levels can be reduced using the same measures used to lower cholesterol levels — regular exercise and reducing consumption of harmful fats.

Of the 23 million people with diabetes in the United States, about 60 percent are affected by diabetic neuropathy, according to background information in the study.

Living with Type II Diabetes?

The glycemic index is a ranking of the carbohydrates in foods using a 100-point scale according to its differing effect on blood glucose levels.

Foods with a high GI – like white bread, potatoes and jelly beans – are rapidly converted to glucose by the body, and Prof Brand-Miller said these spikes in blood glucose levels could damage vital tissues and organs over time.

Low GI foods – such as rolled oats, apples and yoghurt – are converted much more slowly, and as such have been found to reduce blood glucose levels in people with diabetes while also aidng in keeping a healthy weight.

We have probably all tried the many low-GI sugar substitutes available, such as sacharine, aspartame, Stevia, Splenda and etc. in the past.

But now we have the world’s first “low GI” sugar, LoGiCane, a new formulation of sugar that has the same taste and texture as regular white sugar, but a significantly lower GI. It was developed with the aid of $5.4 million in grants from the Australian and Queensland governments.

Manufactured by CSR and marketed under the LoGiCane logo, the new formulation of sugar was developed with the aid of $5.4 million in grants from the Australian and Queensland governments.

[relatedposts]The refining process of low-GI sugar was also changed to ensure it retained the micro-nutrients – antioxidants, potassium, calcium, magnesium and more – present in the original sugar cane.

“It’s not just an empty source of calories, what you call ‘hollow calories’,” Prof Brand-Miller said.

Replacing white refined sugar with a healthier ‘wholemeal’ sugar alternative could have significant benefits for public health.

“It is well recognised that low GI diets can improve diabetes management and reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. There is increasing evidence that a low GI diet helps to reduce hunger, prolong physical endurance and aid weight loss,” said Professor Brand-Miller.

Living with Type II Diabetes?