Oak Park teen chosen as the spokesperson for the Diabetes Foundation

Oak Park resident Smolarski Michelle, 16, center in white, surrounded by friends who helped him through his struggle with type 1 diabetes. The diagnosis of type 1 diabetes at the age of four years wants to Smolarski Michelle, now 15, to educate others about the disease. The young Oak Park was selected as the spokesperson for the Los Angeles Chapter of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

"This is an important cause. Many people are not informed about diabetes," said Michelle, the second year from Oak Park High School. "People have the mindset that if you keep your weight and your diet, you will not get, but everyone can come."

She was nervous before his first speech last summer for the Los Angeles Police Credit Union in Van Nuys, one of the main sponsors of the financing of the Foundation Walk to Cure Diabetes.

"I had written a great speech, but I do not use it. I could read, they did not do him justice," said Michelle. "I do not know what came over me. I'm so excited about this, but I do not know what I said. Her mother, Teri Smolarski remembers every word.
"I was very nervous. I thought, what should they do? But she preferred to speak about his experiences, along its history," said Smolarski. "People came to me later, or read in peace."

Since then, Michelle, spoke to the audience of hundreds, including Dodger Stadium, Marshalls at a gala for 400 corporate staff and the owner of the salon Fantastic Sam's and the staff of the department store business. She also made a video to promote diabetes research Fantastic Sam's willingness to help cut for a Cure to.

An application process, select Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Chapter two children each year, young ambassadors, other children with type 1 diabetes in their respective locations represented. Ambassadors speak corporate events, in public service announcements and the most important event of the Foundation, the Walk to Cure Diabetes, every autumn in 200 cities.
Anna Sussman, Los Angeles, Director of Development Michelle said, "is a passionate and educated young woman is, what are our children."
The chapter is sponsoring two trips this year, 25 October at Paramount Ranch in Agoura Hills, and 8th November at Dodger Stadium. Michelle will speak at both events. Another spokesman for the Los Angeles Liza Wohlberg West Los Angeles.

"It is important to adapt what is our case," said Sussman. "Both children and adults with type 1 diabetes. It is important to our supporters and our partners to show voters that this is for us that we are trying to help, and this affects."

Michelle said that her whole life she has to adapt to situations to his diabetes. Now she's older, she has taken responsibility for his care of her parents, Teri and Paul. Her sister Katie, 17, is senior at Oak Park High. Insulin in life is not forthcoming, but a cure, "said Michelle. She tests her blood sugar about 10 times a day and administer insulin four to six times per day. "You can take any medication or a pill and go with the rest of the day," said Michelle. "It is a disease, how much maintenance. Every second of the day, you should consider."

Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes are very different diseases, "said Michelle. Type 1 can be avoided; can type 2nd type 2 disease is a lifestyle that is expected in the coming years, would affect three times as many People like today, "said Michelle. "The disease affects the whole family, not just the person who is diagnosed," said Michelle

For Michelle, going to school was the hardest part of diabetes. It would be reckless than their peers, no different. In the second year they began presentations to classmates, so they understand why it should always be sticking with the needles in the back of the classroom.
"Sooner or later, they broke up plans and tests," said Michelle. It pays tribute to friendship helps him overcome feelings of being different. When his blood sugar is low, he will remain friends with him to ensure that it goes well. They are active members of the fund, and a walking group, Team Michelle Destination: Cure.

"I grew up with them, and they were incredible. They are educated and be willing to help," said Michelle, who dance, theater and enjoys lacrosse. "I do not know what I do without them."
She is grateful for the new technique has been developed over the years to help patients.
"I do not know what I proposed when I was sick, had to do 20 years," said Michelle. "Many people are unaware of new developments. It requires study and research on their own."

Michelle did a spokesman for them to help people with diabetes, through training others. He hopes to give assistance to newly diagnosed diabetics. "I just could not be identified with the disease, or I could get up and do something," said Michelle.

Cos target device's wireless monitoring of diabetes mellitus

Do you want to monitor your blood sugar from the blood on an iPhone? It may soon be a job for him.

Companies ranging from chip maker Qualcomm Incorporated (QCOM) and medical-device giant Medtronic Inc. (MDT) see an opportunity to provide wireless connectivity to medical devices like blood glucose monitors and send that information to doctors, hospitals or smartphones such as Apple Inc. 's (AAPL) iPhone and Research In Motion Ltd.' s (RIMM) BlackBerry.

"We are absolutely moving in that direction," said Christopher O'Connell, group president for diabetes and other franchise arrangement with Medtronic.
Medicine is an attractive sector for technology companies in the market estimates for wireless transmission of health information can reach nearly $ 1 billion over the next five years, ABI Research analyst Stan Schatt. Diabetes is particularly attractive because it is a growing problem, which is already 7.8% of the U.S. population, according to the American Diabetes Association.

Besides glucose readings on most smartphones, future innovations may be a Bluetooth connection for glucose monitors and mobile chips inside these devices include the information directly to doctors and hospitals to relay. Technical challenges remain, however, as questions about government control as possible, and if all this will be useful for patients.

"Many companies peddling technology for technology," said Anand Iyer, President and COO closely held WellDoc Communications Inc., a range of wireless medical devices developed. "That will not work."

O'Connell said Medtronic Diabetes information on consumer electronics is an innovative patient is desired, and there are potential advantages when it comes to managing the disease. "It's really what the user data over networks and allows other," said O'Connell. In general, diabetics test their blood glucose by finger stick meters occasional testing in general, you will read in pharmacies. But Medtronic and two other companies - DEXCOM Inc. (DXCM) and sell Abbott Laboratories (ABT) - the so called "monitors glucose continuously" in the United States involving patients wear small sensors to continuously monitor blood glucose .

Medtronic, the largest seller of such equipment, integrating it with insulin pumps, which display the readings of blood glucose. This information could be used with smartphones and other devices. Promotional material Medtronic, for example, stipulates that people read their blood glucose blood on a BlackBerry or a dashboard-mounted screen.

O'Connell describes these efforts as "exploratory discussions", and while he said Medtronic is in talks with many companies, he refused to say who they are. The company currently works only for product development with systems outside of the standard equipment properly basic, but sees potential for partnerships, "he said.

DEXCOM also examines the data more blood sugar to mobile phones, "said Steve Pacelli as Chief Administrative Officer enterprises. "I would say a very active program here," he said.

Among the technical barriers is always a Bluetooth transmitter on the sensor of glucose in the blood, which is enough electricity without sensors larger and therefore less attractive to patients, "said Pacelli. Qualcomm and its partners are also exploring adding a Bluetooth connection to monitors blood sugar, the link in the phones.

Meanwhile WellDoc working on a number of options for treating diabetes and related services. They include a simple alert which can be downloaded on mobile phones and a more ambitious agenda that has to do and dietary advice.

Down the line, companies like Qualcomm chips in search of cell count in blood sugar, and they create a potential full-time data with doctors and hospitals. Sensors could be used to monitor, even if a patient is low on insulin and test strips or automatically at a mine. In addition, players craft with the idea of building a counter directly into a phone.

"After the man is the diary of health professionals want to develop something, but people know not reliable," said Don Jones, Vice President of Business Development for Qualcomm's health and life sciences. "The procedure Test May start automatically. "

Diet changes of gestational diabetes

Gestational diabetes can grow the fetus can lead large. Treatment of mild diabetes develops during pregnancy to prevent serious problems that occur when children too much weight, a new U.S. study suggests, can win.

Women with gestational diabetes - high blood glucose levels temporarily during pregnancy - are at higher risk for cardiovascular disease than the general population.

The disease can also cause the fetus is too large and request a delivery by caesarean section. These children are at greater risk of becoming obese in young and type 2 diabetes as adults.

About four percent of pregnant women in the United States develop gestational diabetes, where some 135,000 cases per year, said Dr. John Thorp, author of the study and professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Addressed in a study with 958 women who showed in Thursday's issue of The New England Journal of Medicine, researchers found appear that women compared with untreated diabetes, for mild gestational diabetes:

· Fewer children who were too large (7.1 percent vs. 14.5 percent). · Fewer caesarean sections (26.9 percent compared to 33.8 percent). • Less shoulder injury during birth (1.5 per cent from 4.0 per cent).

"There is every reason for the treatment of women in full, even with the mildest [GDM] based on our findings," said study leader Dr. Mark Landon of Ohio State University Medical Center, Columbus.

The study began with women 24 to 31 weeks of pregnancy. They were randomized, with 485 women, the treatment, including changes in diet, monitoring blood sugar and insulin levels, if necessary, and 473 are not treated.

There were no deaths in each group and no differences in other complications at birth.
Excess weight gain minimizes

Among the treatment group were 93 percent able to keep their blood sugar levels under control by diet alone. The remaining seven percent of insulin needed.

Following a healthy diet may even help other pregnant women to avoid excessive weight gain, "said Dr. David Sacks of the Kaiser Foundation Hospital, Bellflower, California, who wrote a commentary accompanying the journal study.

"Although further research is necessary to appear on the monitoring and minimizing excessive weight gain during pregnancy for all women to a political conservative and cost-effective, with benefits for both the mother and the child can go far beyond the birth," said Sacks .
Working hard to change to his diet "

But is not the change of diet during pregnancy simply said was Lorenda Donaugh who are diagnosed with a mild form of gestational diabetes in 28 weeks.

"I knew it was hard work," the 27 years, said meal planning and reduce the sugar. "It is done time and planning.

Donaugh was not part of the study, but works with Landon by ultrasound. Besides changing his diet, she has his blood sugar, extra monitor on foot, and finally took a drug to treat diabetes. Mother and daughter quantities of health increased.

Risk factors for gestational diabetes are more than 25 years, obese, and whose family history of diabetes.

The dangers of noise, smoking and diabetes

In Europe, about 71 million people aged 18 to 80 suffer from hearing loss over 25 dB. In the United States, 30 million people are deaf. And the proportion of the population with hearing problems increases steadily for 30 years. To know the origin of this progression, researchers from Johns Hopkins Hospital and Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health studied the relationship between hearing loss, cardiovascular risk factors and exposure to noise. Their study involved over 3,500 people aged 20 to 69 years. Their smoking, diabetes and hypertension were taken into account, as well as exposure to noise, both in the workplace than at leisure.

Exposure to noise, both in professional activities than when use of firearms has been associated with hearing loss, just as smoking and diabetes. However, the impact of hypertension is more limited. The authors of this study indicate that exposure to noise causes hearing loss in high frequencies, whereas smoking and diabetes cause hearing loss in both the high and low frequencies. They also show that cardiovascular risk factors and those related to noise are more qu'additionner their misdeeds. They act in synergy.

Another study, presented recently by an Indian team at the Congress of the American Diabetes Association, New Orleans, says almost all diabetics suffer from hearing problems whose intensity is related to the severity of diabetes. Then takes place, September 29, World Day of deafness, experts stress the need to prevent, as much as possible, the hearing impairment. And propose suitable equipment to those who intend evil to avoid isolation. According to recent estimates, 45% of citizens over age 60 have hearing problems. But currently, only one in ten is hearing impaired sailed.

Diabetes: the hope of stem cell transplants

For the first time, French researchers have successfully transplant sustainable pancreatic cells producing insulin. It is a promising success. A team of researchers at INSERM, the University and the University Hospital of Lille just published an article highlighting the success of transplants of pancreas cells to combat diabetes type 1 in 14 patients, and this over several years (Diabetes Care, August 2009). The majority of these patients now live without needing insulin injections but in return they must follow a very heavy anti-rejection treatment. Allowing them still to find a life as normal as possible. Some of these patients were able to resume their work.

Diabetes type 1 is caused by lack of insulin production by certain specialized cells of the pancreas. This hormone allows the body to regulate the use and storage of sugar according to the needs of the organization. If insulin is not produced, or too small quantities, the amount of blood sugar (glucose) is too large and leads to all sorts of dysfunction in many organs like the heart, eyes or kidneys .

Insulin is produced by beta cells of the pancreas, also called islets of Langerhans. The destruction of these cells leads to reduced insulin production. In many cases, daily injections of insulin are able to regulate blood sugar. But sometimes, diabetes becomes unstable and injections can no longer control it. For these severe cases, researchers have therefore thought to transplant insulin-producing cells. And apparently found the technique to these cellular grafts, taken from the pancreas of a deceased person has agreed to donate his organs, survive long enough. No one can, however, be certain that the transplant will be permanent.

After donor screening, a rigorous sampling, a careful sorting, storage conditions studied very, Langerhans cells are injected into the patient under general anesthesia by the portal vein toward the liver. Two or three injections take place over two or three months. Patients who underwent treatment no longer needed insulin average 12 days after the last cell transplantation.

After three to six years of monitoring, 11 of 14 patients treated since 2003 (seven men and seven women whose ages ranged from 36 to 51 years and diabetes for more than twenty-five years), were kept blocks functional Langerhans that produce insulin and glucose homeostasis satisfactory. Eight of them (57%) no longer need any insulin. The three patients who lost their graft secondarily returned to their previous situation, after stopping anti-rejection treatment.

Constant monitoring

This is indeed a major drawback of the technique. Because anti-rejection treatment required is powerful and requires constant monitoring to detect and treat any infectious complications and tumor-related decrease in immune defenses.

"Our research shows that diabetes cell therapy is effective and that the initial function of transplanted cells is a key element of his enduring success. But for now, this new therapeutic approach remains restricted to forms of diabetes, the most unstable for which the prognosis is involved, specify François Pattou, Marie-Christine Vantyghem, the two principal authors of these works. The other obstacle to this technique is the lack of pancreas from organ donors. The hope is based on new technologies that could enable the laboratory production of large quantities of human beta cells, especially from embryonic stem cells.