Plasma > THE ETIOLOGY OF DIABETES MELLITUS

THE ETIOLOGY OF DIABETES MELLITUS

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic disease characterized by relative or absolute deficiency of insulin, resulting in glucose intolerance. It occurs in 4-5 million persons in the United States (approximately 2% of the population). The classic symptoms of diabetes mellitus result from abnormal glucose metabolism. The lack of insulin activity results in failure of transfer of glucose from the plasma into the cells. This situation so called "starvation in the midst of plenty".

The body responds as if it were in the fasting state, with stimulation of glucogenolysis, gluconeogenesis and lipolysis producing ketone bodies.The glucose absorbed during a meal is not metabolized at the normal rate and therefore accumulates in the blood (hyperglycemia) to be excreted in the urine (glycosuria). Glucose in the urine causes osmotic diuresis, leading to increase urine production (polyuria). Stimulation of protein breakdown to provide amino acids for gluconeogenesis results in muscle wasting and weight loss. These classic symptoms occur only in patients with severe insulin deficiency, most commonly in type I diabetes. Many patients with type II diabetes do not have these symptoms and present with one of the complications of diabetes.Generally, there are two types of diabetes: Type I Diabetes Mellitus (insulin- dependent diabetes mellitus, IDDM) and Type II Diabetes Mellitus (non-insulin- dependent diabetes mellitus, NIDDM).Type I Diabetes Mellitus (insulin- dependent diabetes mellitus, IDDM) is due to destruction of pancreatic B cells.

The cause of B cell destruction in type I diabetes is unknown. A few cases have followed viral infections, most commonly with coxsakievirus B or mumps virus. Autoimmunity is believed to be the major mechanism involved. Islet cell autoantibodies are present in the serum of 90% of newly diagnosed cases. Such antibodies are directed against several cell components, including cytoplasmic and membrane antigens or against insulin itself (IgG and IgE antibodies).

Sensitized T lymphocytes with activity against B cells have also been demonstrated in some patients.Plasma insulin levels are very low or even absent in type I diabetes, and ketoacidosis develops if the patients do not receive exogenous insulin. Type I diabetes occurs most commonly in juveniles, with the highest incidence worldwide among the 10- to 14-year-old group, but occasionally occurs in adults, especially the nonobese and those who are elderly when hyperglycemia first appears.The etiology of type II diabetes mellitus (non-insulin- dependent diabetes mellitus, NIDDM) is even less clearly understood. Two factors have been identified: a) Impaired insulin release-basal secretion of insulin is often normal, but the rapid release of insulin follows a meal is greatly impaired, resulting in failure of normal handling of a carbohydrate load. In most patients, some level of insulin secretion is maintained, so that the abnormality of glucose metabolism is limited and ketoacidosis is uncommon. In these patients, insulin secretion can be stimulated by drugs such as sulfonylureas.

Exogenous insulin is therefore not essential in treatment. It also have been suggested that inheritance of a defective pattern of insulin secretion is responsible for the familial tendency of diabetes. The genetic factor is very strong in type II diabetes, with a history of diabetes present in about 50% of first degree relatives.b) Insulin resistance-a defect in the tissue response to insulin is believed to play a major role. This phenomenon is called insulin resistance and is caused by defective insulin receptors on the target cells. Insulin resistance occurs in association with obesity and pregnancy.

In normal individuals who become obese or pregnant, the B cells secrete increased amounts of insulin to compensate. Patients who have genetic susceptibility to diabetes cannot compensate because of their inherent defect in insulin secretion. Thus, type II diabetes is frequently precipitated by obesity and pregnancy. In a few patients with extreme insulin resistance, antibodies against the receptors have been demonstrated in plasma. These antibodies are mostly of the IgG class and act against the insulin receptors, causing the decreased numbers of insulin receptors and defective binding of insulin to receptors.Other specific types of diabetes mellitus includes maturity-onset diabetes of the young (MODY), diabetes due to mutant insulin, diabetes due to mutant insulin receptors, diabetes mellitus associated with a mutation of mitochondrial DNA and obese type 2 patients.( www.medical-explorer.com ).

StyleView(tm) Dual Display Cart: The First PACS Workstation to Provide True Ergonomic Adjustability

ST. PAUL, MN
(ContentDesk) November 20, 2005 -- Ergotron?, the leader in specialty mounting solutions for plasma and LCD displays, introduces the StyleView" Dual Display Cart, a new computer workstation designed to provide comfortable access to information. The StyleView Dual Display Cart will be unveiled at RSNA 2005 in Chicago this month and will be available in December.The StyleView Dual Display Cart allows two LCDs to be mounted side by side, taking PACS to a whole new level. Ergonomically designed with input from nurses and healthcare IT professionals, the StyleView Cart brings Constant Force (CF") technology to healthcare mobile computing. CF technology provides fluid one-touch vertical movement.

Nurses, doctors or other healthcare workers can adjust the StyleView workstation 20 inches straight up and down, ensuring comfortable, ergonomic data entry whether sitting or standing.Maneuverability is effortless. High-performance dual casters provide stable movement...

StyleView(tm) Dual Display Cart: The First PACS Workstation to Provide True Ergonomic Adjustability

Plasma > StyleView(tm) Dual Display Cart: The First PACS Workstation to Provide True Ergonomic Adjustability

StyleView(tm) Dual Display Cart: The First PACS Workstation to Provide True Ergonomic Adjustability

StyleView(tm) Dual Display Cart: The First PACS Workstation to Provide True Ergonomic Adjustability

Plasma > StyleView(tm) Dual Display Cart: The First PACS Workstation to Provide True Ergonomic Adjustability

CRE Partners with Innovations Award Nominee at CES

Los Angeles, CA (ContentDesk) January 26, 2006 -- CRE Computer & AV Solutions works with Innovations Design and Engineering Award nominee, Empower Technologies, at the 2006 Consumer Electronics Show (CES), the largest technology event of the year.
This leading global-embedded technology company launched three award-nominated products at CES in Las Vegas this January, and they partnered with CRE Computer & AV Solutions to provide technology products and services for their product launch.CRE Computer & AV Solutions assisted Empower in creating an interactive demonstration of one of their new products.
CRE provided the necessary audiovisual rental equipment along with certified technicians for delivery and installation, and service and support.
By working with CRE Computer & AV Solutions at CES, we were able to have a great show and I look forward to using their expertise again said Damian Romanov, Empower Technologies Sales and Marketing Representative.CRE...

CRE Partners with Innovations Award Nominee at CES

Plasma > CRE Partners with Innovations Award Nominee at CES

BCI Announces the First Fiber Optic RGB/Sync Video Transmission System Designed to Pass Tri-Level Sync for HDTV Video Specifications

Broadata Communications, Inc. (BCI), a world leader in the development of cutting edge optical communications and optoelectronic technologies announces that it has enhanced the ScreenLink? Fiber Optic Transport System.
This enhancement provides the unique ability to deliver High Definition (HD) video with tri-level synchronization, as well as Standard Definition (SD) video with bi-level synchronization.
Currently, there is no other product offering this tri-level sync feature.
The ScreenLink? now supports both the HD and SD specifications, as well as computer RGB video applications.

This additional functionality provides complete support for high-level graphics cards at all output resolutions.
This product development was motivated by the widespread adoption of HD video standards in the broadcast studio and digital signage marketplaces.
Although the ScreenLink? is designed for remote, multimedia video presentation applications, it...

BCI Announces the First Fiber Optic RGB/Sync Video Transmission System Designed to Pass Tri-Level Sync for HDTV Video Specifications

Plasma > BCI Announces the First Fiber Optic RGB/Sync Video Transmission System Designed to Pass Tri-Level Sync for HDTV Video Specifications

New England Journal of Medicine Publishes Research by UAMS Team on Myeloma Treatment Using Thalidomide -- Drug Increases Remission Rates in Clinical Trial

Little Rock, AR (ContentDesk) March 9, 2006 -- A long-term study on the effectiveness of the drug thalidomide as part of the treatment for multiple myeloma, one of the least curable cancers, showed improved remission rates in patients, reported a team of Myeloma Institute for Research and Therapy (http://myeloma.uams.edu) researchers led by Bart Barlogie, M.D., Ph.D., in the latest issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.The article Thalidomide and Hematopoietic-Cell Transplantation for Multiple Myeloma (http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/full/354/10/1021?ijkey=NpKKiGnrNpOIE&keytype=ref&siteid=nejm) showed results from the addition of thalidomide to a myeloma treatment regimen that included high-dose, melphalan-based chemotherapy in a setting of tandem peripheral blood stem-cell transplants. In the...

New England Journal of Medicine Publishes Research by UAMS Team on Myeloma Treatment Using Thalidomide -- Drug Increases Remission Rates in Clinical Trial

Plasma > New England Journal of Medicine Publishes Research by UAMS Team on Myeloma Treatment Using Thalidomide -- Drug Increases Remission Rates in Clinical Trial