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April 25, 2019

Pea Sized Insulin Pill For Diabetetics – Inspired By Nature

Insulin injections for diabetics who have to have daily shots are always a big no. One would rather prefer a pill over injections any day. It does affect the quality of life of many diabetics who need to take a shot every day for filling up their insulin scarcity. But, seems like a solution is underway or in the making. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology research team has made an invention called the pea sized insulin pill. If this invention works, then not only insulin but it can be used as a replacement for many other injectable medicines.

“This undated photo provided by researchers in February 2019 shows the components of swallowable self-righting device which can inject drugs from inside the stomach. The new invention, reported Thursday, Feb. 7, 2019, by an MIT-led research team, has been tested only in animals so far. But if it pans out, it might offer a work-around to make not just insulin but a variety of usually injected medicines a little easier to take. (Felice Frankel via AP)”

The research for developing insulin that can be taken orally has been going on for decades now but without any success as in market reach till date. But insulin and many similar compounds do not have the ability to complete the tough journey through the digestive system. As per a non-researcher from the Mount Sinai’s Translational and Molecular Imaging Institute, ‘’the pill is like a miniaturized rocket launcher’’.

This pea sized pill has the ability to commute through the esophagus in seconds and in minutes of swallowing it’s inside the stomach. The design is inspired by that of a leopard tortoise whose shell design helps it to flip on its back and right itself. The researchers created this miniature capsule of similar shape with a weighted bottom so it can roll in the correct direction to latch automatically. It also came with a micro-injector made from dried insulin that was compressed into a sharp point. The researchers powered it with the help of a tiny spring and a sugar disk that was hardened. The pill pops after the acids in the stomach dissolve the pill has been already tested on pigs and the ingestible injection has been able to lower blood sugar levels just like standard shots do. Steven Little, the chairman of the chemical engineering department of University of Pittsburgh said that “It’s a very clever idea, that is meant to solve a very long standing problem”

The only hurdle in the research at present is that it cannot be taken over an empty stomach. Hence, presently it is could be uses instead of morning insulin shots and not post meal. Also, as the capsule is made of stainless steel and biodegradable material that floats and gets excreted, there is no harm as such. There are no side effects even if it pokes the stomach wall. Gastroenterologists have been long using needles for delivering medicines for patients. Though the medicine will take around three more years before it is tested on humans and to know how the stomach responds to it if used on a daily basis.

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*sourced from the Internet

July 11, 2018September 11, 2018

All you need to Know About HLA-B27 Test

HLA B27 is a test that is conducted to identify the Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA B27) protein. This protein is situated on the white blood cells surface and is an antigen that helps the immune system infection causing aliens and healthy body tissues.

Though most of the HLAs protect the body against harmful invaders, HLA B27 is on a particular protein that is responsible for system dysfunction by attacking the healthy cells instead of foreign substances. This causes autoimmune diseases like ankylosing spondylitis or rheumatoid arthritis.

Symptoms that indicate Test Taking
The HLA-B27 test is taken alongside other tests like MRI scan, urine and blood tests to confirm the presence of autoimmune disease.

Joint inflammation and skin lesions
Pain in the joints
Eye inflammation that reoccurs
Swelling or stiffness in the neck, chest or spine

Auto-immune conditions due to HLA-B27
Based on the symptoms the doctor may advise the test to check for the presence and progression of HLA-B27 with certain autoimmune conditions like

Bone inflammation in the spine – Ankylosing spondylitis
Joint inflammation in joints, eyes, urethra, and skins lesions at times – Reactive arthritis
Swelling and irritation at eyes middle layer – Anterior uveitis
Joint stiffness, pain, redness, limping, swelling and reduced motion range – Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis

Besides, HLA antigen tests are also taken when a patient needs to undergo a transplant of kidney or bone marrow as they help in determining a suitable match of a donor.

Diagnosis
If the test is positive, it indicates the presence of HLA- B27 in blood. Though, it still is not a cent percent confirmation that an autoimmune condition may develop. Other symptoms are also taken into account including blood tests and diagnostic exams.

Conclusion
HLA-B27 indicates the presence of the protein in blood but a positive or negative result cannot be taken as a cent percent confirmation of the autoimmune disorder. Once the test is done and the results are out, the doctor will advise you on further steps around the possible condition.

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April 6, 2018

Chronic Kidney Disease

Chronic Kidney disease or CKD is s result of loss of kidney function over a period of time. Practically, the kidneys fail, if you may say so. There are though, five stages of CKD depending upon the severity. When the kidneys fail the waste, water and toxic substances accumulate in the body because the kidneys are not able to excrete them. This can further result in conditions like acidosis (excessive acidity of body fluids), disorders related to fatty acids and cholesterol, anemia and high blood pressure.

While Stage five is obviously the end stage known as kidney or renal failure which results in complete kidney function failure. At this stage the person needs dialysis to survive or kidney transplantation.
Acute kidney failure can also lead to loss of kidney function but it’s faster over a period of few days or weeks. But, this condition is reversible many times and there is a possibility of complete recovery of kidney function. But sometimes, it could end up as irreversible and require dialysis.

STAGES
Here’s a run-down the stages of chronic kidney diseases.
1. Slight damage with normal or increased filtration GFR > 90
2. Mild decrease in kidney function GFR range 60-90
3. Moderate decrease in kidney function GFR range 30 -59
4. Severe decrease in kidney function GFR range 15-29
5. Kidney Failure GFR <15 / Dialysis

DIAGNOSIS
To check for kidney damage, you need to undergo a few tests that include checking the level of waste products like creatinine and urea, in blood and urine test for abnormalities that indicate kidney damage cause. You may have to undergo an ultrasound for kidney structure assessment and biopsy for determining the cause of kidney problem. The diagnosis is based on results of Glomerular filtration rate and includes details like patient’s age, gender, race and serum creatinine levels.

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RISK FACTORS
Some of the common risk factors of Chronic kidney disease include smoking, hypertension, obesity and diabetes mellitus.

TREATMENT
After course of treatment is decided after determining the cause of the disease. Some kidney complications are treatable while some are not. The treatment procedure includes controlling the symptoms, reducing the complications and slowing the progression process through tested methods. In case the kidneys are severely damage then end stage treatment is provided. The medications used include those for reducing cholesterol levels, treating anemia and high blood pressure, reducing the swelling and protecting your bones. You might also be required to go on low protein diet to minimize wastage in blood.

END STAGE TREAMENT
If your kidneys fail then the only treatment options available are dialysis or transplant. Dialysis is the process of removal of waste products from the body artificially with the help of a machine viz hemodialysis or a thin tube (catheter) fitted in the abdomen and dialysis solution that absorbs the waste plus excess fluids and is drained out. viz peritoneal dialysis. Kidney transplant on the other side is an expensive but better procedure because it involves replacing your kidney with a healthy kidney of a donor surgically. It could be of a deceased or living person. Though, medications after the procedure are to be taken life long for your body to accept the organ through life but no dialysis.

June 21, 2017

Fungal Infections – An Over View

Fungal infections are very common part of our day to day lives. When our immune system is unable to handle the invasions of infection causing fungus, is when we get prone to the condition called fungal infection. There are usually two kinds of fungi that reside on human body. The helpful one and the harmful one. The invasion of harmful fungi causes infections as they cannot be killed easily and can rebound as well.

The most common types of fungal infections in humans include –
Ringworm – This infection is caused by a fungus that lives on dead tissues of skin, nails and hair. It is also responsible for causing athlete’s foot and jock itch but if it occurs on other parts of the body it is known as ringworm. Generally, doctors

Jock itch – A mildly contagious infection by nature, it is caused by fungus that breed in damp and warm regions of the body like groin, inner thighs and buttocks. It causes redness of skin accompanied by itching, chafing or burning. Doctors usually prescribe some topical anti-fungal ointments and advise patients to maintain proper body hygiene.

Athlete’s foot – As the name suggests this infection is very common with sports people and athletes. The reason for it being so common with athletes is breeding environments like shoes, sports equipments, locker rooms, socks. Though it can happen to anyone as well. Athletes feet is also treated with topical anti-fungal oinments but some serious infections need oral medicinal intake as well.

Now, that we are aware of some of the common form of fungal infections let us run down some nutrients that can help us fight fungal infections and are commonly available.

Garlic – Garlic does limit the growth of fungus called candida to a large extent as it is highly sensitive to particularly the purified extract of garlic called allyl alcohol that produced oxidative stress thus supressing the growth of it.

Tea Tree Oil – This oil is effective on candida and various other fungal isolates. It treats candida and paronychia infections effectively as well. The tea tree oil disrupts the yeast cell wall thus inhibiting its growth.

Another way of to protect yourself from the unhealthy fungus, maintaining good population of the healthy fungus particularly to avoid vaginal infections, in women. Yogurt and pro-biotics are a good source of friendly bacteria in the vagina or rectum. Even fructooligosaccharides, a form of sugar is known to boost the levels of the good bacteria in the body, so adding one teaspoon daily to your diet should help you a lot in proliferation of friendly bacteria.

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