Asterias Biotherapeutics is a biotechnology company, which is dedicated to regenerative medicine. Recently they have launched a new medicine AST-OPC1 that offers embryonic stem cell based treatment for patients with spinal cord injuries. The medicine was under trail for a while and now it has been declared completely safe and highly effective for patients with spinal cord diseases.
The trial involved injecting the medicine into the affected area and patients showed improvement in their upper body function within 3 to 6 months after the therapy. Asterias Biotherapeutics conducted a press release in June, 2017, in which they have clearly stated the effectiveness of the medicine. It also recorded the detailed results after 9 months of the trial.
It was conducted on 6 patients. Each one of them received an injection of 10 million AST-OPC1 cells after 2 to 4 weeks of their injury. After 9 months, it had been noticed that all the patients showed improvements in their finger, arm, and hand movements.
Spinal cord injuries affect more than 17,000 people around the world every year. With the announcement of AST-OPC1, certainly they now have hope to restore their upper body movements. Dr. Edward Wirth, Chief Medical Officer of the trial said, "The new efficacy results show that previously reported meaningful improvements in arm, hand and finger function in the 10 million cell cohort treated with AST-OPC1 cells have been maintained and in some patients have been further enhanced even 9 months following dosing."
Coming back to the trial, it involved patients who were suffering from severe spinal cord injuries in the neck that resulted into lack of feeling and loss of neck down upper body movement. The team at the Asterias Biotherapeutics quantified the results of the therapy by referring them as "motor levels" of improvements. These motor levels were associated with different levels of movement abilities. In the press release, the team confirmed that restoring the movement abilities, "can result in lower healthcare costs, significant improvements in quality of life, increased ability to engage in activities of daily living, and increased independence."
After 9 months of clinical trial, the researchers at the Asterias confirmed that 50% of the patients (3 out of 10 patients) showed two motor levels of improvement. And all the 6 patients involved in the trail, showed at least one motor level of improvement. However, some of the experts might say that recovery from spinal cord injuries is possible without stem cell therapy. This is true. But no other study or therapy showed patients regaining their two motor levels of improvement within 9 months of the treatment.
Earlier data from 62 untreated patients showed that 29% patients got back two motor levels of improvement with 1 year whereas AST-OPC1 promises massive improvements within 9 months. Dr. Edward Wirth also confirmed it when he said, "We are increasingly encouraged by these continued positive results, which are remarkable compared with spontaneous recovery rates observed in a closely matched untreated patient population."
Two motor levels is equivalent to higher quality life. For any person suffering from spinal cord injuries or upper body paralysis, achieving two motor levels is a dream and with AST-OPC1 it does not seem a distant dream at all.
Tuesday, May 23, 2017
Tuesday, May 16, 2017
5 Ways to Make Your Seniors Happy
As your senior loved ones age, they're likely to feel a bit isolated. This is the time when you need to be with them and help them in any way you can. Your efforts will go a long way in keeping their health intact and making them happy. It will also assist your senior's live-in caregivers do their job properly. Here's a look at five simple ways to make your senior's day.
Communicate
Make it a point to talk to your seniors regularly and address all their emotional needs. Many seniors tend to keep their feelings and emotions to themselves and do not want to be a burden on their families. If you notice any changes in their behavior, engage in a casual conversation with them and try to find out what's troubling them.
As your seniors progress in age, their self-esteem may lower. At this stage, your attitude and behavior towards them can uplift their mood or add to their misery. Consider gifting your loved one a senior-friendly cell phone and teach them how to use social media and keep in touch with them.
Be Available
Give your seniors the assurance that you'll always be just a phone call away. It is important that they know who to call if they suffer from any injury or any other condition. As a responsible adult and caring individual, you should learn how to provide first aid help in case of an emergency and teach your senior loved one what to do in a critical situation. This will reduce their stress and anxiety.
Provide Groceries
Leaving the house, going to the grocery store and shopping for groceries can be a tiresome experience for your seniors. You can help them by supplying their basic needs to their door, if you can. Also make sure to get them their medicine refills.
Online grocery shopping has made the lives easier of several shoppers all over the world. Whether or not your senior is tech savvy, it is best to teach you senior how to shop for groceries online. This will save you both the hassle.
Depression
Your senior may be going through a hard time due to the recent loss of someone close to them. This is made worse by a rapid decline in their mental and physical abilities. For these seniors, your senior loved one faces a high risk of depression. If your senior is refusing medication, be gentle and considerate with them. Help them with a few simple tasks to boost their confidence. You can consult a psychologist for this purpose.
Internet
Senior citizens often fall prey to a number of online scams- such as medical insurance and car insurance frauds. It is necessary to take out some time and explain to your senior loved one all the online scams that exist.
Find information brochures or any other documents you can to help them be aware of investment frauds, online identity theft and phishing scams. If your senior uses the computer regularly, make sure to keep them away from scams and malware. Install a trusted antivirus in their electronic gadgets and teach them how to use and update it.
Author Bio:
With Home Care Chandler on your side, caring for an aging loved one is no longer a daunting responsibility. Instead, it is a loving and rewarding experience. Our revolutionary home care approach known as the Balanced Care Method™ guarantees that your loved one receives the highest quality of care in the comfort of their own home.
Communicate
Make it a point to talk to your seniors regularly and address all their emotional needs. Many seniors tend to keep their feelings and emotions to themselves and do not want to be a burden on their families. If you notice any changes in their behavior, engage in a casual conversation with them and try to find out what's troubling them.
As your seniors progress in age, their self-esteem may lower. At this stage, your attitude and behavior towards them can uplift their mood or add to their misery. Consider gifting your loved one a senior-friendly cell phone and teach them how to use social media and keep in touch with them.
Be Available
Give your seniors the assurance that you'll always be just a phone call away. It is important that they know who to call if they suffer from any injury or any other condition. As a responsible adult and caring individual, you should learn how to provide first aid help in case of an emergency and teach your senior loved one what to do in a critical situation. This will reduce their stress and anxiety.
Provide Groceries
Leaving the house, going to the grocery store and shopping for groceries can be a tiresome experience for your seniors. You can help them by supplying their basic needs to their door, if you can. Also make sure to get them their medicine refills.
Online grocery shopping has made the lives easier of several shoppers all over the world. Whether or not your senior is tech savvy, it is best to teach you senior how to shop for groceries online. This will save you both the hassle.
Depression
Your senior may be going through a hard time due to the recent loss of someone close to them. This is made worse by a rapid decline in their mental and physical abilities. For these seniors, your senior loved one faces a high risk of depression. If your senior is refusing medication, be gentle and considerate with them. Help them with a few simple tasks to boost their confidence. You can consult a psychologist for this purpose.
Internet
Senior citizens often fall prey to a number of online scams- such as medical insurance and car insurance frauds. It is necessary to take out some time and explain to your senior loved one all the online scams that exist.
Find information brochures or any other documents you can to help them be aware of investment frauds, online identity theft and phishing scams. If your senior uses the computer regularly, make sure to keep them away from scams and malware. Install a trusted antivirus in their electronic gadgets and teach them how to use and update it.
Author Bio:
With Home Care Chandler on your side, caring for an aging loved one is no longer a daunting responsibility. Instead, it is a loving and rewarding experience. Our revolutionary home care approach known as the Balanced Care Method™ guarantees that your loved one receives the highest quality of care in the comfort of their own home.
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