Type 1 diabetes computer model's predictive success validated through lab testing

ScienceDaily (Dec. 9, 2010) ? A La Jolla Institute team, led by leading type 1 diabetes researcher Matthias von Herrath, M.D., has demonstrated the effectiveness of a recently developed computer model in predicting key information about nasal insulin treatment regimens in type 1 (juvenile) diabetes.

The findings, which also showed the platform's ability to predict critical type 1 diabetes molecular "biomarkers," were published in the December issue of the scientific journal Diabetes, and further validate the importance of the new model as a valuable research tool in type 1 diabetes. The software is designed to enable researchers to rapidly streamline laboratory research through the evaluation of alternative scenarios for therapeutic strategies that show the most promise for working in humans.

"Since laboratory studies can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, and early stage human clinical trials can cost $10 million dollars or more, predicting the right conditions to try is important," said Dr. von Herrath, director of the Type 1 Diabetes Research Center at the La Jolla Institute for Allergy & Immunology, where the studies were conducted.

Development of the software, the Type 1 Diabetes PhysioLab® Platform, was funded through the peer-reviewed grant program of the American Diabetes Association.

"We've found that using this in silico (computer analysis) prediction platform can quicken the pace and effectiveness of type 1 diabetes research," he continued. "By allowing us to pre-test our theories in computer models, we can ensure that the more time-intensive and costly process of laboratory testing is focused on the most promising therapeutic strategies, with the greatest chance of success."

The platform, developed by Entelos Inc., a life sciences company specializing in predictive technologies, has previously been shown to successfully predict various data from published type 1 diabetes experiments. Dr. von Herrath's team used a different approach to test the model, asking it to predict the outcome of a hypothetical experiment on nasal insulin dosing frequency in animal models that had not yet been performed. The prediction was then tested in the laboratory, where its results were confirmed.

In addition, he said, the model was able to accurately identify the particular time frame at which key type 1 diabetes "biomarkers" kicked in. Biomarkers are specific cell types or proteins that tell researchers at what point a therapeutic option is working or when it is time to start treatment. In the case of the La Jolla Institute study, the model successfully predicted the onset of biomarkers indicating beta cell protection in the NOD mouse.

"The model accurately predicted that implementing a low frequency nasal insulin dosing regimen in animal models was more beneficial in controlling type 1 diabetes than a high frequency regimen," said Dr. von Herrath, noting that the software's prediction of the biomarkers was key in this process. "These results confirmed our hypotheses on the benefits of low-frequency nasal insulin dosing. But even more importantly, the advantage of applying computer modeling in optimizing the therapeutic efficacy of nasal insulin immunotherapy was confirmed."

The results were reported in the paper "Virtual Optimization of Nasal Insulin Therapy Predicts Immunization Frequency To Be Crucial for Diabetes Protection." Dr. von Herrath was senior author on the paper and La Jolla Institute scientist Georgia Fousteri, Ph.D., and Jason Chan, Ph.D., from Entelos' R&D group, were first co-authors.

The Type 1 Diabetes PhysioLab® Platform is a large-scale mathematical model of disease pathogenesis based on non-obese diabetic (NOD) mice. The platform was developed with input from an independent scientific team of leading type 1 diabetes experts. The research support group of the American Diabetes Association funded the work of the software's development to provide a new scientific tool for enhancing the speed and effectiveness of type 1 diabetes research.

More than 400,000 children worldwide suffer from type 1 diabetes, a chronic disease that can lead to severe complications, such as blindness, cardiovascular disease, renal disease, coma or even death.

The platform, developed over two years, simulates autoimmune processes and subsequent destruction of pancreatic beta cells from birth through frank diabetes onset (hyperglycemia). The destruction of insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas is the underlying cause of type 1 diabetes.

Specifically, Dr. von Herrath's team employed the model to investigate the possible mechanisms underlying the effectiveness of nasal insulin therapy, using the B: 9-23 peptide. "The experimental aim was to evaluate the impact of dose, frequency of administration and age at treatment on key molecular mechanisms and optimal therapeutic outcome," he said.

Using parameters input by the scientific team, the model accurately predicted that less frequent doses of nasal insulin, started at an early disease stage, would protect more effectively against beta cell destruction than higher frequency doses in NOD mice.

Dr. von Herrath added that the positive results add credence to the idea of creating computer models for analyzing therapeutic interventions in human disease. "These results support the development and application of humanized platforms for the design of clinical trials," he said.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Story Source:

The above story is reprinted (with editorial adaptations by ScienceDaily staff) from materials provided by La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.

Journal Reference:

G. Fousteri, J. R. Chan, Y. Zheng, C. Whiting, A. Dave, D. Bresson, M. Croft, M. von Herrath. Virtual Optimization of Nasal Insulin Therapy Predicts Immunization Frequency to Be Crucial for Diabetes Protection. Diabetes, 2010; 59 (12): 3148 DOI: 10.2337/db10-0561

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

View the original article here

Type 1 diabetes computer model's predictive success validated through lab testing

ScienceDaily (Dec. 9, 2010) ? A La Jolla Institute team, led by leading type 1 diabetes researcher Matthias von Herrath, M.D., has demonstrated the effectiveness of a recently developed computer model in predicting key information about nasal insulin treatment regimens in type 1 (juvenile) diabetes.

The findings, which also showed the platform's ability to predict critical type 1 diabetes molecular "biomarkers," were published in the December issue of the scientific journal Diabetes, and further validate the importance of the new model as a valuable research tool in type 1 diabetes. The software is designed to enable researchers to rapidly streamline laboratory research through the evaluation of alternative scenarios for therapeutic strategies that show the most promise for working in humans.

"Since laboratory studies can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, and early stage human clinical trials can cost $10 million dollars or more, predicting the right conditions to try is important," said Dr. von Herrath, director of the Type 1 Diabetes Research Center at the La Jolla Institute for Allergy & Immunology, where the studies were conducted.

Development of the software, the Type 1 Diabetes PhysioLab® Platform, was funded through the peer-reviewed grant program of the American Diabetes Association.

"We've found that using this in silico (computer analysis) prediction platform can quicken the pace and effectiveness of type 1 diabetes research," he continued. "By allowing us to pre-test our theories in computer models, we can ensure that the more time-intensive and costly process of laboratory testing is focused on the most promising therapeutic strategies, with the greatest chance of success."

The platform, developed by Entelos Inc., a life sciences company specializing in predictive technologies, has previously been shown to successfully predict various data from published type 1 diabetes experiments. Dr. von Herrath's team used a different approach to test the model, asking it to predict the outcome of a hypothetical experiment on nasal insulin dosing frequency in animal models that had not yet been performed. The prediction was then tested in the laboratory, where its results were confirmed.

In addition, he said, the model was able to accurately identify the particular time frame at which key type 1 diabetes "biomarkers" kicked in. Biomarkers are specific cell types or proteins that tell researchers at what point a therapeutic option is working or when it is time to start treatment. In the case of the La Jolla Institute study, the model successfully predicted the onset of biomarkers indicating beta cell protection in the NOD mouse.

"The model accurately predicted that implementing a low frequency nasal insulin dosing regimen in animal models was more beneficial in controlling type 1 diabetes than a high frequency regimen," said Dr. von Herrath, noting that the software's prediction of the biomarkers was key in this process. "These results confirmed our hypotheses on the benefits of low-frequency nasal insulin dosing. But even more importantly, the advantage of applying computer modeling in optimizing the therapeutic efficacy of nasal insulin immunotherapy was confirmed."

The results were reported in the paper "Virtual Optimization of Nasal Insulin Therapy Predicts Immunization Frequency To Be Crucial for Diabetes Protection." Dr. von Herrath was senior author on the paper and La Jolla Institute scientist Georgia Fousteri, Ph.D., and Jason Chan, Ph.D., from Entelos' R&D group, were first co-authors.

The Type 1 Diabetes PhysioLab® Platform is a large-scale mathematical model of disease pathogenesis based on non-obese diabetic (NOD) mice. The platform was developed with input from an independent scientific team of leading type 1 diabetes experts. The research support group of the American Diabetes Association funded the work of the software's development to provide a new scientific tool for enhancing the speed and effectiveness of type 1 diabetes research.

More than 400,000 children worldwide suffer from type 1 diabetes, a chronic disease that can lead to severe complications, such as blindness, cardiovascular disease, renal disease, coma or even death.

The platform, developed over two years, simulates autoimmune processes and subsequent destruction of pancreatic beta cells from birth through frank diabetes onset (hyperglycemia). The destruction of insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas is the underlying cause of type 1 diabetes.

Specifically, Dr. von Herrath's team employed the model to investigate the possible mechanisms underlying the effectiveness of nasal insulin therapy, using the B: 9-23 peptide. "The experimental aim was to evaluate the impact of dose, frequency of administration and age at treatment on key molecular mechanisms and optimal therapeutic outcome," he said.

Using parameters input by the scientific team, the model accurately predicted that less frequent doses of nasal insulin, started at an early disease stage, would protect more effectively against beta cell destruction than higher frequency doses in NOD mice.

Dr. von Herrath added that the positive results add credence to the idea of creating computer models for analyzing therapeutic interventions in human disease. "These results support the development and application of humanized platforms for the design of clinical trials," he said.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Story Source:

The above story is reprinted (with editorial adaptations by ScienceDaily staff) from materials provided by La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.

Journal Reference:

G. Fousteri, J. R. Chan, Y. Zheng, C. Whiting, A. Dave, D. Bresson, M. Croft, M. von Herrath. Virtual Optimization of Nasal Insulin Therapy Predicts Immunization Frequency to Be Crucial for Diabetes Protection. Diabetes, 2010; 59 (12): 3148 DOI: 10.2337/db10-0561

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

View the original article here

Press Release - Weight Watchers and Merck Collaborate to Help Physicians Fight Obesity Through Lifestyle Management Approach

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Each bi-monthly issue of Diabetes Health Professional is a self-contained handbook covering products, educational resources and the latest diabetes research, complimented by balanced editorial focused on medical news, drug prescription information, clinical practice recommendations and changing treatment options.

Each quarter we send you the latest, most updated research guides, product guides and educational resource guides available for you and your patients.

Each week the Diabetes Health E-Newsletter delivers links to the very latest in news, reviews, blogs and videos from Diabetes Health direct to your inbox.

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Merck will provide physicians and other health care providers with educational information about the Weight Watchers® program

Weight Watchers and Merck Collaborate to Help Physicians Fight Obesity Through Lifestyle Management ApproachOct 21, 2010 This press release is an announcement submitted by Weight Watchers, and was not written by Diabetes Health.

Weight Watchers International, Inc., the world's leading provider of weight management services, and Merck, a global healthcare leader, announced today an innovative collaboration focused on fighting obesity.? The two companies will launch an initiative in which Merck will provide physicians and other health care providers with educational information about the Weight Watchers® program and its underlying clinical evidence to assist doctors in addressing the ongoing weight management needs of their patients.?

"Recently published research at the 2010 International Congress on Obesity demonstrated that the combination of the proven Weight Watchers behavior modification approach with physician's encouragement provides a significant increase in patient adherence to weight-loss solutions and greater weight loss success than just standard physician care alone. Weight loss is an important component of preventing and addressing many health conditions, including diabetes and cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension.? Because our weight management approach helps educate people on how to live a healthy lifestyle while allowing flexibility, the Weight Watchers program delivers real weight loss results.? Collaborating with Merck will enable us to arm physicians with a comprehensive, sustainable, scalable and non-pharmaceutical solution for weight loss designed to help improve the overall health of their patients," said David Kirchhoff, CEO of Weight Watchers International.

Beginning in January 2011, physicians and other health care providers in the North Central United States, where the initiative will be piloted, will receive educational materials to help them initiate more effective and efficient conversations about weight loss with their patients, increase awareness of obesity-related health risks and demonstrate how the Weight Watchers program may align with their goals to help patients attain and maintain a healthy weight.

"Our commitment to improving global health care goes beyond medicines and vaccines," said Jay Galeota, senior vice president, Global Human Health, Strategy and Business Development, for Merck.? "We hope this collaboration with Weight Watchers will enable us to provide physicians with a comprehensive solution they can offer their patients to help better manage weight."

"Losing weight is a tremendous challenge for patients, yet it is so important for both preventing and controlling chronic conditions like diabetes and heart disease.? Mere advice from a doctor to lose weight without intensive assistance and resources is not effective. As a result many doctors feel powerless to help their patients because they have little to concretely offer," said Alex Krist, MD, MPH, faculty member for the Virginia Commonwealth University Family Medicine Residency program at Fairfax Family Medicine Center.?? "We need to search for new ways that healthcare providers, as well as weight management resources, such as Weight Watchers, can effectively work together and help patients."

With a track record of success that spans nearly 50 years, Weight Watchers is one of the most clinically-studied commercial weight loss programs, with more than 61 published trials and counting.? It is among the most recognized and trusted commercial weight loss programs.

- - - - -

About Weight Watchers International, Inc.

Weight Watchers International, Inc. is the world's leading provider of weight management services, operating globally through a network of Company-owned and franchise operations. Weight Watchers holds almost 50,000 meetings each week where members receive group support and learn about healthy eating patterns, behavior modification and physical activity. WeightWatchers.com provides innovative, subscription weight management products over the Internet and is the leading Internet-based weight management provider in the world. In addition, Weight Watchers offers a wide range of products, publications and programs for those interested in weight loss and weight control.? For more information, visit http://www.weightwatchers.com.

About Merck

Today's Merck is a global healthcare leader working to help the world be well. Merck is known as MSD outside the United States and Canada. Through our prescription medicines, vaccines, biologic therapies, and consumer care and animal health products, we work with customers and operate in more than 140 countries to deliver innovative health solutions. We also demonstrate our commitment to increasing access to healthcare through far-reaching policies, programs and partnerships that donate and deliver our products to the people who need them. For more information, visit http://www.merck.com.

* * *

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Categories: Food, Health, Low Carb, Nutrition Advice, Pre-Diabetes, Type 2 Issues, Weight Loss

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Press Release - Reducing Health Costs Through Lower Food Prices

Reducing Health Costs Through Lower Food Prices - Diabetes Health My Account ??|??Subscribe??|??Contact Us??|??Donate Search Home Charts Recipes Digital Edition TV Apps Community Kids & Teens Type 2 Issues Type 1 Issues Professional Issues Pre-Diabetes Beginners International Health Events History Camps for Kids Online Resources Dating Pets Type 1.5 Issues All Sections Products Product Directory Charts Syringes Insulin Pumps Meters Pens Software CGMs Books Medical ID Jewelry Lancing Devices Infusion Sets Carrying Cases Pen Needles All Sections Complications & Care Heart Care & Heart Disease Low Blood Sugar Foot Care Kidney Care (Nephropathy) Nerve Care (Neuropathy) Eye Care (Retinopathy) Hypoglycemia Unawareness Sexual Issues Geriatrics Depression Insulin Resistance Skin Care Lipid Problems Wound Care Reversing Complications All Sections Food Recipes Diets Vitamins Food News Nutrition Advice Low Carb Supplements Glycemic Index & Carb Counting Beverages Low Calorie & Low Fat Sugar & Sweeteners Desserts Herbs Dinner Lunch All Sections Columns Cartoons & eCards Personal Stories Letters to the Editor Inspiration My Own Injection Book Reviews Motivation Heroes Making a Difference CDE of the Month Doctors & Nurses Love and Diabetes After All These Years All Sections Medications Insulin Type 2 Medications Metformin Pharmacy Lantus Byetta Actos Animal Insulin Januvia Victoza Symlin Apidra Onglyza Voglibose All Sections Research Nutrition Research Islet & Pancreas Transplant Medications Research Health Research The Cure Beta Cells Other Lab Tests Artificial Pancreas New Cure Research Case Studies All Sections Fitness Exercise Weight Loss Bariatric Surgery Success Stories Amphetamines All Sections Psychology Adolescent Boys Adolescent Girls Living with Diabetes Support Groups Women's Issues Men's Issues Teenagers Insulin Omission All Sections Monitoring Blood Sugar A1c Test Noninvasive Monitors Urine Test Laboratory Tests All Sections Health Care Health Insurance Hospital Care Endocrinology Complementary Therapies Smoking CDE Physical Therapy All Sections Legal Government & Policy Discrimination Drivers License & Pilot License Politics Driving 504 Plan in School Lobbying All Sections Pregnancy Childbirth Breastfeeding Gestational Diabetes All Sections Celebrities Nick Jonas Jay Hewitt Scott Dunton Elliott Yamin All Sections About UsAbout UsPublisher's LetterAdvertisingContact UsPress RoomSubmission GuidelinesPrivacy Policy Help function fbs_click() {u=location.href;t=document.title;window.open('http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u='+encodeURIComponent(u)+'&t='+encodeURIComponent(t),'sharer','toolbar=0,status=0,width=626,height=436');return false;}

See What's Inside… Living His Dream of Law Enforcement: Lt. Jose Lopez Diabetes & Alcohol Diabetes and Autoimmunity Insulindependence Precious Pooch

View Diabetes Health Magazine For Free Online

You can view the current or previous issues of Diabetes Health online, in their entirety, anytime you want.
Click Here To ViewFree Subscription to Diabetes Health Professional

If you are a physician, educator and medical professional who focus on the treatment of diabetes, then this is the must have resource for you.

Finally! A fresh take on the “professional” journal. Each bi-monthly issue cuts through the jargon and presents the most important information you need to enhance your practice and assist your patients.

Each bi-monthly issue of Diabetes Health Professional is a self-contained handbook covering products, educational resources and the latest diabetes research, complimented by balanced editorial focused on medical news, drug prescription information, clinical practice recommendations and changing treatment options.

Each quarter we send you the latest, most updated research guides, product guides and educational resource guides available for you and your patients.

Each week the Diabetes Health E-Newsletter delivers links to the very latest in news, reviews, blogs and videos from Diabetes Health direct to your inbox.

As a subscriber you'll get access to the amazing Diabetes Health Digital Advantage™ so you can read the current issue of Diabetes Health magazine online wherever you are!

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Lehigh researcher finds lowering cost of low-carbohydrate foods can reduce medical costs for diabetic patients.

Reducing Health Costs Through Lower Food Prices Oct 20, 2010 This press release is an announcement submitted by Lehigh University, and was not written by Diabetes Health.

Reducing the cost of low-carbohydrate foods for people with diabetes could significantly reduce medical costs associated with the disease that affects more than 23 million Americans, according to a recent study.

Chad Meyerhoefer, professor of economics at Lehigh University, and Ephraim Leibtag, a senior research economist at the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Economic Research Service, recently released the results of a study that evaluated the impact of prices of low- and high-carbohydrate foods on the prevalence and medical cost of diabetes. The study was published in the American Journal of Agricultural Economics.

"We found that subsidizing the cost of low-carbohydrate foods through vouchers or coupons could help improve the health of people with diabetes and reduce their expenditures on medical care," said Meyerhoefer, a health economist who studies obesity, food consumption decisions and public policy. "This is a new way to think about using food prices as a mechanism to improve health."??For example, Meyerhoefer and Leibtag found that a 10 percent subsidy on the low-carbohydrate food purchases of people with diabetes would reduce medical costs in the U.S. by $6.3 billion annually.??

Other studies have shown diabetic patients, who rely on low-carbohydrate foods to control their blood sugar levels, have medical costs 2.4 to 2.6 times higher than those without diabetes. According to the American Diabetes Association, total costs associated with diabetes including disability and lost productivity were $174 billion in 2007.

Meyerhoefer and Leibtag's findings also suggest subsidizing the cost of low-carbohydrate foods is more effective than taxing high-carbohydrate foods like soda, often referred to as a "sugar tax."

"Our research shows that people with diabetes are more likely to respond positively to a decrease in the cost of healthier, low-carbohydrate foods than a price increase or tax on high-carbohydrate foods," Meyerhoefer said. "If you want to help improve the health of people with chronic conditions by influencing their behavior rather than increasing their use of medical services, this provides a means of doing so."

Insurers already are enrolling patients with diabetes in disease management programs that could serve as a means for subsidy interventions, Meyerhoefer said.

- - - - -

About Lehigh?
For 144 years,?Lehigh University (www.lehigh.edu) has combined outstanding academic and learning opportunities with leadership in fostering innovative research. The institution is among the nation's most selective, highly ranked private research universities. Lehigh's four colleges - College of Arts and Sciences, College of Business and Economics, College of Education and the P.C. Rossin College of Engineering and Applied Science - provide opportunities to 7,000 students to discover and grow in a learning community that promotes interdisciplinary programs with real-world experience. Lehigh's campus is located in Pennsylvania's Lehigh Valley - in Bethlehem, PA (50 miles north of Philadelphia and 75 miles southwest of New York City).

Categories: Food, Government & Policy, Health, Health Research, Low Carb, Nutrition Research, Pre-Diabetes, Type 2 Issues

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