Living 'gut-on-a-chip' to help study intestinal disorders

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The silicon polymer device, lined by living, human cells, mimics the 3D structures, behaviors, and environment of the human intestine.

Blue and red liquid is pumped through the device's upper and lower microchannels.

(Credit: Harvard)

After describing a living, breathing "lung-on-a-chip" in Science back in the summer of 2010, Harvard researchers are now reporting in the journal Lab on a Chip on their latest endeavor: a human gut-on-a-chip.

These bio-inspired micro devices that mimic the structures, behaviors, and environments of human organs could help scientists better understand the inner workings of a variety of diseases and disorders -- in this case intestinal ones such as Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis -- without resorting to often less reliable animal testing.

The latest so-called "gut-on-a-chip" is a silicon polymer device whose central chamber is lined by a single layer of human intestinal epithelial cells that recreate the intestinal barrier by growing on a flexible and porous membrane. The device mimics the movement of food along the digestive tract as well as the flow of blood through capillaries.

The researchers report that they were even able to grow (and support) common intestinal microbes on the surfaces of the intestinal cells, mimicking various physiological features that could help understand diseases.

"Because the models most often available to us today do not recapitulate human disease, we can't fully understand the mechanisms behind many intestinal disorders," lead researcher Donald Ingber, a founding director of Harvard's Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, said in a news release. This means, he adds, "that the drugs and therapies we validate in animal models often fail to be effective when tested in humans."

In addition to being an in vitro diagnostic tool to help develop new therapeutics, Ingber's gut-on-a-chip might even be able to test the metabolism and oral absorption of drugs and nutrients.

The institute is also using DARPA funding awarded in 2011 to develop a spleen-on-a-chip to treat sepsis, a bloodstream infection that can be fatal.

See the team's video on their original lung-on-a-chip below:

Lung on a Chip -- Wyss Institute from Wyss Institute on Vimeo.

From advancements in electronic health records to cutting-edge surgical tools, CNET covers the medical-technology news buzzing through operating and waiting rooms.

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11:14 AM | 0 comments

Syndrome of intestine fleeing and living gluten-free

The tendency of gluten-free products is growing in the food processing industry. More consumable goods are labelled, "wheat or gluten-free". In addition, a growing number of restaurants offer gluten-free options on the menu.

The facts are undeniable, each year as a segment in the population growth may determine to live gluten-free. But the question arises, why are so many people sensitive to gluten products? Unlike a food allergy, which is a disorder of the immune system in the body, gluten intolerance is a reaction caused by biological problems in the small intestine. This disease is the bowel syndrome marked, fleeing. He is well known, our gut break down and reorganized the food into its basic elements: protein, amino acids, fatty acids and carbohydrates. At this stage, the food nutrients are absorbed in the body. The inner wall of the small intestine is filled with tiny, finger-like projections called villi, which essentially capture nutrients and pass along microscopic blood vessels in these projections. Microscopic openings in villi act as filters to only properly digested and nutritional material processing, or chains, through the bloodstream.

More that the normal opening in villi allows partially disassembled or non-treated food molecules enter into the bloodstream. Openings of this type allow villi material potentially risky "leak", thus the term, bowel syndrome who are fleeing.

Nutrients and proteins (peptides) not properly ventilated, entering the bloodstream, are often identified as a familiar and therefore are attacked by the immune system. Such a reaction is similar to a food allergy reaction and can cause a number of physical or behavioural problems.

Another popular theory is that eating gluten leads to high levels of by-products of the protein. These by-products are said to affect behavior in the same way as drugs. Hypothesis even some inadequately treated medical peptide is decoded by the body in the same way as morphine. Gluten can therefore act as a kind of opiate, greatly behavior affect. These same doctors assume that if gluten is taken the diet, it will reduce the mishandling of gluten - misunderstood morphine body, thereby improving behaviour.

Bowel syndrome fleeing can lead to social and behavioural problems. Depression or irritability is often most apparent non-physical symptoms. Children especially may be strong, negative emotional explosions.
Physical symptoms associated with the sensitivity of wheat or gluten include: gas, pain bloating and stomach, cramps or diarrhea and vomiting even. These can indicate that you may suffer from gluten - intolerance associated with syndrome of bowel fleeing.

Wheat gluten sensitivity may also lead to headaches or a neglect generally feel.

In a very real sense, we are what we eat. If many studies confirm that a gluten-free diet improves the quality of life for people intolerant to gluten, is not a change in diet is worth the effort? Any use, however slight, is beneficial!

At least, a gluten-free diet not only will you feel much more healthy but increase energy and concentration levels as well.

Brian Trimmer is an established entrepreneur and CEO of FoodConsciousKids. His passion is educating families with children who suffer from gluten intolerance. Its online network supports and educates families gluten-free so that they can thrive. Brian has many books and articles to his credit, many dealing with the issues of gluten and living gluten-free. For more information on gluten intolerance and become a gluten-free or family to join its online gluten-free community, go to http://www.foodconsciouskids.com/

View the original article here

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1:04 PM | 0 comments

Syndrome of intestine fleeing and living gluten-free

The tendency of gluten-free products is growing in the food processing industry. More consumable goods are labelled, "wheat or gluten-free". In addition, a growing number of restaurants offer gluten-free options on the menu.

The facts are undeniable, each year as a segment in the population growth may determine to live gluten-free. But the question arises, why are so many people sensitive to gluten products? Unlike a food allergy, which is a disorder of the immune system in the body, gluten intolerance is a reaction caused by biological problems in the small intestine. This disease is the bowel syndrome marked, fleeing. He is well known, our gut break down and reorganized the food into its basic elements: protein, amino acids, fatty acids and carbohydrates. At this stage, the food nutrients are absorbed in the body. The inner wall of the small intestine is filled with tiny, finger-like projections called villi, which essentially capture nutrients and pass along microscopic blood vessels in these projections. Microscopic openings in villi act as filters to only properly digested and nutritional material processing, or chains, through the bloodstream.

More that the normal opening in villi allows partially disassembled or non-treated food molecules enter into the bloodstream. Openings of this type allow villi material potentially risky "leak", thus the term, bowel syndrome who are fleeing.

Nutrients and proteins (peptides) not properly ventilated, entering the bloodstream, are often identified as a familiar and therefore are attacked by the immune system. Such a reaction is similar to a food allergy reaction and can cause a number of physical or behavioural problems.

Another popular theory is that eating gluten leads to high levels of by-products of the protein. These by-products are said to affect behavior in the same way as drugs. Hypothesis even some inadequately treated medical peptide is decoded by the body in the same way as morphine. Gluten can therefore act as a kind of opiate, greatly behavior affect. These same doctors assume that if gluten is taken the diet, it will reduce the mishandling of gluten - misunderstood morphine body, thereby improving behaviour.

Bowel syndrome fleeing can lead to social and behavioural problems. Depression or irritability is often most apparent non-physical symptoms. Children especially may be strong, negative emotional explosions.
Physical symptoms associated with the sensitivity of wheat or gluten include: gas, pain bloating and stomach, cramps or diarrhea and vomiting even. These can indicate that you may suffer from gluten - intolerance associated with syndrome of bowel fleeing.

Wheat gluten sensitivity may also lead to headaches or a neglect generally feel.

In a very real sense, we are what we eat. If many studies confirm that a gluten-free diet improves the quality of life for people intolerant to gluten, is not a change in diet is worth the effort? Any use, however slight, is beneficial!

At least, a gluten-free diet not only will you feel much more healthy but increase energy and concentration levels as well.

Brian Trimmer is an established entrepreneur and CEO of FoodConsciousKids. His passion is educating families with children who suffer from gluten intolerance. Its online network supports and educates families gluten-free so that they can thrive. Brian has many books and articles to his credit, many dealing with the issues of gluten and living gluten-free. For more information on gluten intolerance and become a gluten-free or family to join its online gluten-free community, go to http://www.foodconsciouskids.com/

source

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12:39 AM | 0 comments

Water, the elixir of healthy living

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My parents continues to teach me. It seems you never grow out of that role of student with your parents. Lesson: good health and living a green lifestyle are closely linked.

I'm not saying that if you live a green life, eat whole and organic foods, exercise, and get lots of sleep that you'll always be healthy, but I am saying that you can hedge your bets with a few simple routines, and live a healthier life than if you ignore these routines.

Have you ever stopped to consider how infections and dehydration are related? Or how they impact your life, health, and sense of well-being? This is an invitation to stop and consider it. The lesson my parents just gave me was about the dangers of dehydration and infections, especially under-treated infections, and in seniors.

My Bigger Half and I went to visit Rock and no-nonsense, and help host a family celebration. Upon arrival we learned no-nonsense was suffering with vertigo, and a UTI (urinary tract infection). Because moving about was disorienting for no-nonsense she wasn't drinking much water (think about the ramifications of both drinking the water, and the after effects if moving makes you nauseous). No. amount of urging her to drink water made a change in her behavior. Not even her doctor could sway her determination to not drink much water!

OK, fine, she "gets" to live her life her way, a hard lesson for this daughter to accept when she used to be the epitome of healthy habits. I even heard Rock mumble something under his breath about leading a horse to water, so I know I'm not the only one experiencing a bit of frustration here.

The second night of our visit Rock found no-nonsense struggling upate to get into bed, so he called me up to help. That's when we found her disoriented and not acting like herself. I changed from my daughter hat to my EMT hat and started asking her questions while waiting for My Bigger Half to bring the stethoscope and BP cuff up. A low blood pressure spurred Rock to call his medical office for advise, which fortunately agreed with what My Bigger Half and I had concluded: take her to the ER. We thought she was having a stroke.

After a battery of tests all we really know was that she wasn't having a stroke. What we concluded on our own is that between her infection (or infections) and dehydration, she was suffering from AMS - Altered Mental Status. A fancy phrase to say she was confused, disoriented, and not herself.

In telling a few friends about this episode we started hearing similar stories about other seniors who suffered from either AMS infections or dehydration. I heard so many stories it hit me that this is a fairly common situation.

The simplified discussion I had with no-nonsense was that it's vital to drink ample water during the day. "Ample" of course is subjective, and varies by location and situation. She felt the 18 oz of water she drank daily was extensive, but the results of that practice, with the infection, showed otherwise to me. It's commonly accepted that 8 8 - oz glasses a day is about right for most people. Through just normal living you output about 10-10. 5 cups of water/day. Your food provides about 20 percent of your liquid requirements, so the balance comes from what you drink. I'm not going to get into the discussion right now about whether just any ol' liquid counts towards water replacement, but I am going to take the stance that the healthiest approach is to drink récipients of water daily.

I went on to explain to no-nonsense that when you don't drink enough water your blood gets thick. Thick blood strains the heart because it has to work harder to push that thicker liquid through your veins. And thick blood doesn't carry as much oxygen, depriving your brain and heart of the much needed oxygen they require for healthy function. Thick, deoxygenated blood is hard on all of your internal and external organs. Drinking water also helps the body heal from the infection by flushing out their toxins.

Signs and symptoms of dehydration include diarrhea, dry mouth, dry eyes, headache, hearth palpitations, muscle cramps, nausea, not sweating, shriveled skin, stinging during urination, thirst, and vomiting. In severe dehydration you start to see confusion and weakness, moving toward coma and death if not corrected.

You can do a few simple tests yourself to try to diagnosing dehydration. Check the person's orientation, vital signs, temperature, and skin responses. Orientation for adults means asking questions, assuming they are awake, that will help you judge how aware they are of their surroundings. Checking muscle tone for infants and seniors, listlessness, as well as how awake, alert, and oriented the person is, are also part of testing you can do. For infants, check the fontanel (the soft spot at the top of their head) to see if it's sunken, an indication of dehydration.

You may not have the tools to take a blood pressure, but you can take a pulse; a racing pulse, or at least one that's faster than normal, can be a sign of dehydration. And skin responses are also telling; elastic skin is hydrated skin (lightly grab a bit of skin between your fingers and let go; if the skin "tents" for several seconds the person is dehydrated). Dehydrated skin may also feel warm.

Dehydration also throws off electrolytes. That aggravates muscle weakness and heart disrhythmia, and can stress the kidneys as they strive to compensate for the electrolyte imbalance. The elderly and the young are especially at risk for dehydration.

Now, about infection and how it fits into this lesson I was given. Advanced age, staying still for a long time, and being a woman increased the chance of getting a UTI no-nonsense. Infections can contribute to confusion, or altered mental status. Oh, by the way, some of the liquids you should avoid if you have a UTI are caffeine and alcohol. And when you have an infection you should drink plenty of fluids. In fact, drinking plenty of fluids daily helps reduce the chance for a UTI. AHA! There's the getting plenty of liquids topic again.

OK, back to the elixir of a healthy life part of this article. I'm a strong advocate of drinking filtered (not bottled) water from glass or stainless steel containers. Lots of it I think it has magical qualities.

By lots I mean at least récipients every day. People who are in hot climates or are active should drink more than récipients to replace the water lost from the heat or due to the exercising. If you start that practice now you will be in the habit by the time you become a senior (a moving target to say the least).

Staying hydrated will help your body maintain a healthy body, one that will fight germs. Ample water in your system will help all of your organs, from your skin to your heart and brain, to your digestive organs, stay healthy, vital and working well.

When you get sick, be sure to keep drinking lots of fluids to help your body heal. Pay attention to your mental status too. If you notice that you aren can't quite yourself get to a doctor or the emergency room.

We can discuss which fluids count toward your two liter per day consumption later. You can't go wrong with pure water, though. Here's to your good health through green living!

Kit Cassingham has been a greenie most of her life, even having a degree in Environmental Conservation. Her articles share lessons learned, both failures and successes. Food, cleaning, travel, energy and water conservation, waste reduction, home improvement projects, etc - it's all part of green living, which you can follow at http://www.wegetgreener.com/

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3:45 PM | 0 comments