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EPCs Role in Cardiovascular Diseases

June 4, 2015

Endothelial Progenitor Cells Role in Cardiovascular Diseases

EPCsCurrently, regenerative medicine is on focus with hopes that it can be used in treatment of cardiovascular diseases. The circulating endothelial progenitor cells have been shown to possess an ability to form mature endothelial cells that can be useful in the process of vascular repair as well as neoangiogenesis. In preclinical studies, it has been shown that the circulating endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) have the potency for cardiovascular regeneration. With this said, it is god to admit that there is still a lot needed to be done in this area to show the effectiveness of the regenerative activities of these EPCs. Here we look at how the EPCs relate to cardiovascular diseases.

Endothelial Progenitor Cells are biomarkers of cardiovascular diseases

Just like other stem cells the circulating endothelial progenitor cells have the ability to proliferate, migrate, and differentiate into mature endothelial cells. First discovered from the human peripheral blood, the EPCs were shown to incorporate into sites of physiological or pathological neovascularization. Ever since the EPCs were discovered, a lot has improved in the understanding of the blood vessel formation. There is a growing body of evidence that EPCs helps in providing postnatal vasculogenesis mechanism for neovascularization and vascular remodeling.

These cells have also been shown to possess diverse physiological functions and helps in the recovery process of myocardial ischemia and infarction, limb ischemia, wound healing, atherosclerosis, endogenous endothelial repair, and tumor vascularization. Earlier clinical trials have proved that EPC therapy is safe and feasible for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. Plus, the circulating EPCs are also considered as biomarkers for coronary and peripheral artery disease. In spite of the medicinal abilities of these EPCs, there is still a lot to be done in order for the mechanism by which these cells work can be fully understood and be applied.

Despite the haze that still clouds the mechanism with which the EPCs work, it has been shown that EPCs locating to damaged tissues and organs proceeding vascular regeneration do not only help in the formation of the neovasculature but also produce a variety of proangiogenic cytokines and growth factors thus promoting proliferation and migration of pre-existing Endothelial Cells and activating angiogenesis to contribute to vascular regeneration. it is suggested that the EPCs owes their ability to contribute to vascular regeneration to the presence of cytokines and other secreting pro-angiogenic factors in them such as VEGF, stroma derived factor (SDF)-1α, angiopoietin-1 (Ang-1), hepatic growth factor (HGF), insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1, and eNOS/iNOS (inducible nitric oxide synthase). Thus, EPCs can mediate tissue-protective effects and contribute to neovascularization via direct vasculogenesis in ischemic tissues and indirect production of proangiogenic factors to pre-existing endothelial cells.

Research has shown that there are reduced numbers of EPCs in clinical conditions like diabetes mellitus, heart failure, chronic kidney disease and hypertension. In such conditions these EPCs also become impaired and malfunctioning. It has also been shown that the number of peripheral EPC is significantly reduced and their functions impaired in patients with established coronary artery disease and stroke. In contrast the number of EPCs has been found to be on the increase in patients with acute coronary syndrome such as acute myocardial infarction or unstable angina since they are mobilized from the bone marrow into the bloodstream.

The levels and migratory capacity of EPCs is also highly reduced in those suffering from hypertension with coronary artery disease. Besides, the concentration of circulating EPCs is considerably reduced in refractory hypertension as compared to healthy subjects. Imanishi T and his colleagues reported that EPC senescence is augmented in both experimental hypertensive rats and patients with essential hypertension, which may be related to telomerase inactivation. The team found that the hypertension-induced EPC senescence may affect the process of vascular remodeling.

Another researcher, Delva P in his research; Endothelial progenitor cells in patients with essential hypertension, reported that there was no alteration in the number or functional activity of EPCs in 36 patients with essential hypertension. Some research studies have also demonstrated that the numbers of EPCs are decreased in pulmonary hypertension while others that the number of EPCs are increased or remain normal in pulmonary hypertension. With these available literature that are somehow conflicting there isn’t a clear relationship between EPCs and hypertension

EPCs and Heart Failure

EPCsTo show the relationship between heart failure and the number of circulating EPCs, Valgimigli M and his counterparts tested the level of EPCs in patients suffering from heart failure and they discovered that EPC mobilization occurred in heart failure and showed a biphasic response, with elevation in early stages while depression in the advanced stages. The increased EPCs was shown as a replication of a functional bone marrow response to diffuse and severe endothelial damage during the early stages of heart failure but an additional and significant increase of tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α) counteracted and overwhelmed the elevation of EPC mobilization in advanced disease phases by exerting a possible suppressive effect on hemopoiesis.

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With the above findings, it is clear that there is a relationship between the EPCs and the cardiovascular diseases. For more information about bone marrow transplant and stem cell transplantation, visit www.awaremednetwork.com Dr. Dalal Akoury, a doctor with years of experience in integrative medicine will be able to help. Don’t hesitate to check on http://www.integrativeaddiction2015.com  and learn about the upcoming Integrative Addiction Conference 2015. The conference will dwell on unique approaches to telling symptoms of addiction and how to help addicts.

Endothelial Progenitor Cells Role in Cardiovascular Diseases

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Allogeneic Stem Cells For Neurodegenerative Diseases

June 4, 2015

Allogeneic Stem Cells Role in Neurodegenerative Diseases

stem cellThe stem cells are the precursors of all cells in the body. They are very essential for formation of new tissues and healing of damaged tissues as a result of diseases or even accidents. The stem cells are available in adequate quantities in the bone marrow and in the adipose tissues as well. They have the ability to turn into the red blood cells, platelets or even the white blood cells. They can also form the muscles cells, the bones and even cartilage and hence help in keeping your body healthy. naturally you should be having the healthy amounts of these stem cells, unfortunately due to diseases and accidents that may result in bone marrow destruction and damage you may have too little of these essential stem cells and so you will need a stem cell transplant. In most cases the stem cell transplant is done through an IV, supplementing the little stem cells you have left and hence enabling the body to work right.

When the stem cells are harvested from the same person, the transplant is termed as autologous stem cell transplant. the autologous stem cell transplant is the most popular as the cells are harvested from the patient’s own body and this rules out any chance of the transplant being rejected or causing any pathological reactions that may warranty serious medical attention. however there are cases when the stem cells can’t be sourced from the patient’s own body and this will dictate that the stem cells be sourced from a different person who is not genetically identical to the patient; this is termed as allogeneic stem cell transplant. For safety of any recipient in allogeneic stem cell transplant, it is important to match closely the immune system markers to reduce chances of any reaction that may inhibit the healing process.

Stem cells and neurodegenerative diseases

Neurodegenerative diseases are numerous and each has distinctive effects on the patient but all are caused as a result of neurodegeneration. Neurodegeneration refers to the damage of the nerves in that are essential for transmission of messages within the nervous system. When the nerve cells are destroyed and deformed, they lose their original structure they will begin to malfunction. In most cases this damage is done gradually but at the end of it all the patient will suffer from cognitive disabilities such as memory loss and poor decision making. There are numerous neurodegenerative diseases, however basing on their debilitating effects, just a few have been known and are being currently focused on. Some of the famous neurogenerative diseases includes; Huntington disease, Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease. Apart from these diseases listed above there are others that have not been in the medical literature and are less publicized, this doesn’t mean that they are not worth the mention. They are.

The greatest danger of all neurodegenerative diseases is that they lead to progressive brain damage and neurodegeneration. The major three diseases may show different features and effects but they progress in similar manner at the cell level. take Parkinson’s disease for example, it affects the basal ganglia of the brain, depleting it of dopamine hence causing stiffness, rigidity and tremors in the major muscles of the body which are distinctive features of the disease.

In Alzheimer’s disease, it is characterized by deposits of minute protein plaques that damages different brain parts thereby leading to gradual memory loss while Huntington’s disease is known to corrupt the genetic make-up affecting muscles of the body thereby resulting in motor restriction and eventual death.

Allogeneic stem cells transplant

Allogeneic stem cellsThe cell is harvested from the bone marrow of a suitable donor by use of a needle. This maybe done repeatedly to draw the sufficient amounts needed for the transplant. After harvesting the cells from the marrow the blood is passed through a machine that separates the stem cells from the blood leaving the rest of the blood flowing back into the donor through the needle into the donors arm. The harvested stem cells can then be transplanted into the patient through a central venous catheter that is inserted into the patient’s chest. The stem cells flow through the catheter into the patient’s blood and into the bone marrow where they will give rise to other stem cells between one to three weeks.

After transplant the stem cells will begin to work in repairing and replacing the worn out tissues caused by various degenerative diseases. All this is made possible since they can form any cell in the body and help restore the normal body functions.

The neurodegenerative diseases have very debilitating effects; the inception of stem cell therapy seems to be a light at the end of the tunnel for those suffering from these diseases. Anyway you need to be updated on how well you can regain your health and vitality back even after suffering from these diseases.

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Get in contact with Dr. Dalal Akoury an experienced doctor in integrative medicine at www.awaremednetwork.com as well as http://www.integrativeaddiction2015.com and learn more about the upcoming Integrative Addiction Conference 2015. The conference will focus on the unique approaches to identifying symptoms of addiction and how to help addicts.

Allogeneic Stem Cells Role in Neurodegenerative Diseases

 

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Mesenchymal Stem Cells for Treatment of Cardiovascular Diseases

June 3, 2015

Mesenchymal Stem Cells Role in Cardiovascular Diseases

Cardiovascular diseaseThe use of stem cells in treatment of various diseases has been given lots of consideration in the recent past. scientists have been busy doing researches trying to find out if the stem cell therapy which is termed by many as the medical miracle of the 21century can be a break in treatment of the diseases that have proved stubborn to conventional treatment methods. Stem cells have various properties that other cells do not have and this is the major reason why they have been in the lips of every regenerative doctor. There are different types of stem cells but the mesenchymal stem cells have been the major focus of integrative medicine practitioners.

Degenerative diseases are known to wreak havoc in the body’s ability to self-renew and rejuvenate. They affect the way the nervous system works causing a breakdown in the communication between the nerves which eventually causes various ailments. Degenerative diseases have not been very easy to treat in the past but with stem cell therapy, there is hope for not only degenerative diseases but also the much dreaded cardiovascular diseases as well.

Why mesenchymal stem cells?

The mesenchymal stem cells are not sought after for nothing. They have a lot to offer especially in this age when degenerative diseases are enslaving many people and the conventional medicine is not offering the much needed break. Mesenchymal stem cells are sourced from either the adipose tissues or from the bone marrows and are described as a rare type of cells which are multi-potent and rich in medicinal properties. The unique properties of the mesenchymal stem cells have made them a target as therapy for various diseases and currently they have been used for treatment of arthritis among other conditions. They have been found to be also very effective in moderating the functions of dendritic cells, immune cells, B cells, natural killer cells, monocyte or macrophages, T cells, and neutrophils.

Just like the rest of the Stem cells, the mesenchymal stem cells are precursors of all cells and have the ability of forming cells of other types such as the hematopoietic, bone, endocrine organs, nervous and cardiovascular system, and cartilage and muscle tissue. It is the unique ability of the mesenchymal to shift shape and form other cells that they have been targeted for treatment of cardiovascular diseases.

Research on Mesenchymal stem cells for cardiac diseases treatment

Cardiac diseases have caused many deaths and are still among the leading causes of death worldwide. however the conventional medicine such as myocardial infarction haven’t helped much in treatment of these diseases and this led to the research on the possibility of the stem cells being used for this course. The Hematopoietic stem cells were the first to be researched on and used for clinical trial. In some trials the therapy worked while in others they didn’t give the much expected results and this led to consideration of other stem cell types.

The mesenchymal stem cells were the most promising of all the types owing to their strong paracrine function, which gives them potential immunomodulatory effects via anti-inflammatory and antiapoptotic actions. It is this property that may give them the ability to counteract the pathological mechanisms that are involved in various cardiac diseases. They can also be trans-differentiated into cardiomyocytes.

In 1999, Makino S and his colleagues first demonstrated the differentiation of MSCs into cardiomyocytes in vitro. Their research concluded that Cardiomyocytes can be generated from marrow stromal cells in vitro. Makino and his colleagues aren’t the only scientists to have worked on viability of MSCs ability to treat cardiac diseases, Wang JA and his colleagues did a trial that involved transplanting Allograftic bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells into heart infarcted model of rabbit to renovate infarcted heart, they found out that the rabbits who had mesenchymal stem cells transplant had a lower mortality rate of 16.7% as opposed to the controls whose mortality rate was at 35%.

cardiovascular diseaseAnother study was done in 2005 by Hatton N and his counterparts, it involved transplanting purified cardiomyocytes differentiated from bone marrow MSCs in vitro into adult mouse hearts, after three months the transplanted cells had survived and were sloping in parallel to the cardiomyocytes of the recipient heart. These and other animal trials have all showed the ability of mesenchymal stem cells in treatment of cardiovascular diseases.

Through research, there has been a growing body of evidence that the mesenchymal stem cells have the multiple paracrine effects that even without cell replacement can affect cardiac remodeling, angiogenesis and cytoprotection hence are clinically beneficial.

The hopes were held even higher after another researcher; Ohnishi S showed that the mesenchymal stem cells have a role in inhibiting cardiac fibrosis by regulation of collagen synthesis by cardiac fibroblasts, as well as their effects on fibroblast proliferation.

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The mesenchymal stem cell therapy are the medical miracle of the 21century, you need to be updated their applicability in treatment of various diseases, visit www.awaremednetwork.com for more information about bone marrow transplant and stem cell transplantation. Dr. Dalal Akoury is an experienced doctor in integrative medicine; she will be able to assist. From the same website you can also visit http://www.integrativeaddiction2015.com and be updated on upcoming Integrative Addiction Conference 2015. The conference will deliver unique approaches to telling symptoms of addiction and how to assist patients of addiction.

Mesenchymal Stem Cells Role in Cardiovascular Diseases

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Benefits of A Healthy Microenvironment

June 1, 2015

The Importance Of A Healthy Microenvironment

MicroenvironmentThe environment is one of the most important factors of influence in the disease triad. The environment can be defined as the biological and physical factors and the chemical interactions that influence the life of a living organism. In the case of human beings like you and I, our environment refers to all the living and non living things we interact with and the chemical interactions that influence our lives. The living component of the environment includes all our neighbors, our domesticated plants and animals and the wild animals and how we interact with them. The physical component of the environment includes all non living things that influence our life like rainfall, sun, rocks and many more.

It is therefore clear that the environment which is our surrounding has a direct bearing on our lives. Just how does our environment influence diseases that attack us? In order to effectively answer this question, we need to remember the components of the environment and consider them as possible risk factors for a disease. We are exposed to several risk factors of diseases that are physical, chemical or biological components of the environment. For better understanding, consider an environment with poisonous gas, constant flooding and mosquito infestation. In this risky environment, the chemical component that is a risk factor for disease is the poisonous gas. The physical component that poses risk is the flood and the biological component that is a risk factor to disease is the mosquitoes. The environment also influences alterations in the way we behave in response to the risk factors to which we are exposed.

What is a healthy microenvironment?

An organism exists in a larger environment whose definition is given above. This larger environment is sometimes referred to as macro environment. However at times interest may be only on the immediate surrounding which is relatively small, effectively isolated and characteristically differs from the larger environment. For example if we are to consider a family living in a city environment, the conditions of their house could be different from that of the surrounding. Individual members of the family might wear clothing of different levels of cleanliness. All this makes the micro environment.

At the lowest level microenvironment would refer to the environment in and around the calls that make up our bodies. At the cellular level, our bodies carry out billions and billions of chemical reactions that are aimed at maintaining life. These reactions alter the composition of the environment within and around the cells of the body. Even in spite of all these reactions, the body has to maintain internal conditions that are relatively constant and stable. The body therefore undergoes a process of self regulation that helps it to restore the balance after it is shifted by normal biochemical reactions and daily stresses. A healthy microenvironment is thus one in which the body’s self regulating capabilities function well and thus the environment in and around the cells is well balanced thereby discouraging disease from taking hold.

Maintaining a healthy microenvironment

It is of very great importance for every individual to maintain a healthy microenvironment in order to prevent and control diseases. So as to make this importance stand out, we need to answer the question of how disease takes hold in our bodies.

Disease occurs in our body due to the failure of the body’s self regulating mechanisms due to physical, chemical and emotional strains and stresses pushing this system out of balance.

Some of these stresses include toxicity and poor nutrient intake. A naturally balanced and healthy microenvironment is very hostile to disease factors.

Maintaining a healthy microenvironment not only helps in preventing diseases but also helps in controlling diseases that have already taken hold.

An example of a micro environment in our body is that of bacteria in our gastro intestinal tract. These bacteria benefit us in several ways. They metabolize nutrients that we cannot digest and convert them to important end products. They also control the assembly of gut associated lymphoid tissue, they modulate proliferation and differentiation of the gastrointestinal tract lineages, they train the immune system, and they regulate angiogenesis and modify the activity of the enteric nervous system. Owing to the vast important physiological and immunological roles of these microorganisms, it becomes clear that maintaining a healthy microenvironment within the gastrointestinal tract could go a long way in improving their function and thus boosting the body’s ability to fight disease.

MicroenvironmentAnother example of microenvironment is that of antimicrobials in the mucosal surfaces of the female reproductive system. This microenvironment is effective in protecting the body against bacteria, viruses and fungi. Maintaining a healthy microenvironment in the female reproductive system would thus go a long way in solving the problem of sexually transmitted diseases that have been world’s worst nightmare.

It is therefore evidently possible to control and prevent majority of diseases of mankind through maintaining a healthy microenvironment that boosts the body’s immunological functions. To achieve this, we need to feed on unadultered nutrient rich foods, breath oxygen rich air and drink purified water which will help in providing the needed elements and clearing toxins and thus maintain the body’s microenvironment in a state that prevents disease from taking hold.

For more information about bone marrow transplant and stem cell transplantation, visit www.awaremednetwork.com. Dr. Dalal Okoury has years of experience in integrative medicine and will be of assistance.

Integrative Addiction Conference 2015

While at it, visit http://www.integrativeaddiction2015.com to learn about the upcoming integrative addiction conference 2015. The conference will deliver unique approaches to telling symptoms of addiction and how to assist patients of addiction.

The Importance Of A Healthy Microenvironment

 

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Effects of alcohol and obesity in young women

May 29, 2015

Effects of alcohol and obesity in young women: Women are drinking at risky levels

Effects of alcohol and obesity in young women

Effects of alcohol and obesity in young women is a growing health concern to many health professionals. The kind of food we eat is not helping the situation and this should be the starting point.

The vulnerability of women to the effects of alcohol and obesity is something we cannot burry our heads on and pretend that nothing is happening. Research has it that women are the weaker parties when it comes to the outcome of the health conditions that are associated with alcohol abuse and obesity, According to the most recent National Drug Strategy Household Survey (2010), 29.8% of women over the age of 14 years, had consumed alcohol at risky levels (defined more than 4 standard drinks in one sitting) at least once in the previous year. This finding therefore introduces our topic of discussion which is the effects of alcohol and obesity in young women and generally the female gender. According to the experts at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center under the able leadership of doctor Dalal Akoury the female gender is less advantage when it comes to substance abuse and weight related concerns. This fact has been confirmed by various studies including the one we have just mentioned above. Now let us look at specific risks women will be involved in when they consume alcohol beyond the limit.

Effects of alcohol and obesity in young women: Women have specific risks when consuming alcohol

The very first thing is that women tend to weigh less than men and have inadequate water in their bodies to dilute the alcohol consumed. This therefore, exposes a woman’s internal organs to more alcohol and to more of the toxic byproducts that result when the body breaks down alcohol. That’s explains why under normal circumstances women generally reach intoxication quicker, and may become addicted to the abuse much sooner, and thereby may develop alcohol-related problems more quickly as compared to men with similar drinking patterns. In view of this women are more likely than men to be affected by health problems including:

Effects of alcohol and obesity in young women: Safety risks

Doctor Akoury sounds the warning that it is very important for women to note that heavy drinking increases their risk of becoming victims of violence and sexual assault, including rape. This can be attributed to environmental factors (heavy drinking tends to occur in contexts where there are other people who are also drinking heavily); cognitive impairments (through alcohol reducing a person’s ability to evaluate risks effectively); and, motor impairments (through alcohol reducing a person’s physical ability to resist attack effectively).

Effects of alcohol and obesity in young women: Risks while pregnant or breastfeeding

 

Drinking alcohol while pregnant can negatively impact on the baby’s developing brain and motor skills development and lead to Fetal Alcohol Spectrum. Disorders which are lifelong disabilities and women should take this seriously. At the moment there is no known safe level of alcohol consumption during pregnancy and breastfeeding what we have are just some recommended guidelines which may not be scientifically authenticated:

  • For women who are pregnant or planning a pregnancy avoiding drinking completely is considered the safest option.
  • In the same way for women who are breastfeeding, avoiding drinking is the safest option.
Effects of alcohol and obesity in young women: Alcohol consumption may also contribute to overweight and obesity

Alcohol adds calories to your diet. Alcohol has no nutrients yet has a high energy value, second only to fat which is the most energy-dense macronutrient. It is also a common occurrence that alcohol tends to increase appetite and encourage poor eating habits adding yet more empty calories into your diet. According to research there is a link between alcohol consumption and weight gain. Associations between the two are heavily influenced by a number of factors including: patterns and levels of drinking, gender, body weight, diet and genes, although the exact nature of these interactions are yet to be fully understood says doctor Akoury. With this information the question that all of us would want answered should be what is known about this situation?

Amount matters – Heavy drinkers (described in various studies as anywhere between two and four alcoholic drinks per day) are at higher risk of obesity than moderate drinkers.

Patterns of drinking matter – Heavy, but less frequent drinkers (binge drinkers) seem to be at higher risk of obesity than moderate but frequent drinkers.

Low carb does not equal healthier

‘Low carb’ beers and wines are becoming more widely available in the market and it may be tempting to switch to these varieties in order to reduce your caloric intake. You need to be aware, however, that while these low carb drinks are lower in carbohydrate than regular varieties, the alcohol and kilojoule content is often very similar to other types of beer and wine.

Effects of alcohol and obesity in young women: Things to consider if you choose to drink alcohol

Even though it may not be advisable to take alcohol, but if you choose to drink it is very important that you take note of the following:

  • Healthy adults should drink no more than two standard drinks on any day to reduce the lifetime risk of harm from alcohol-related disease or injury. The lifetime risk of death from alcohol-related disease more than triples when consumption increases from two to three standard drinks a day.
  • For any one occasion of drinking (an occasion being defined as a period of time at which the blood alcohol level does not return to zero), no more than four standard drinks should be consumed in order to reduce the risk of incurring alcohol-related injury from that occasion. Bear in mind that each drinking occasion also contributes to the lifetime risk of alcohol-related health problems.
  • Alcohol is a significant contributor to your daily kilojoule intake. The recommended daily kilojoule intake varies for individuals and depends on a number of factors such as gender, weight and your usual amount of physical activity. On average, a man requires 10,500kJ (2,500 calories) daily and a woman requires 8,400kJ (2,000 calories) daily to maintain their weight.
  • When drinking alcohol, take care that you are not robbing yourself of other essential nutrients. One very important nutrient that is often ‘replaced’ by alcohol is water. Even though alcohol is a liquid, it is also a strong diuretic and can increase fluid loss from the body therefore it is recommendable that as an adult you take at least eight glasses of water daily.

Finally dealing with the effects of alcohol and obesity in young women is not to be done in isolation. Like any other condition, the involvement to the experts is very important. And like I had said before, you can schedule for an appointment with doctor Akoury today for the commencement of your recovery treatment process.

Effects of alcohol and obesity in young women: Women are drinking at risky levels

 

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